In example #89873473487 of Americans being ignorant comes a bizarre netball story. Photo / Photosport
In example #89873473487 of Americans being ignorant comes a bizarre netball story. Photo / Photosport
How can one video divide the UK, break hearts in Australia and blow minds in America?
Exactly like this.
The dramatic moment England stole victory from Australia at the death in the final of the netball at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April is going viral allover again.
The reason? America has finally discovered netball exists — and the country is both spellbound and confused by the whole concept.
Adorably in some cases, alarmingly oblivious in others.
The clip unfortunately centres around one of the low points of the sporting year for Australia when the Aussies were beaten 52-51 on the siren in one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen on a netball court.
It was England's first win over Australia in more than five years and the first time since netball was introduced at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 that Australia didn't face New Zealand in the final.
Understandably, the English fell about the place in raptures after their breakthrough victory.
It was the obvious highlight of the English sporting year — and it was no surprise the gold medal win was awarded the greatest moment of the year at the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year Awards this week.
The English netball team were also awarded the prize for best English sporting team in 2018 — relegating the English football team and their World Cup campaign to runner-up.
Those awards are the reason America has caught wind of the incredible video — and the results are both hilarious and frightening.
Sports website Barstool Sports was one of the first to lose its mind over the incredible drama.
A story on the website ran with an attempt at explaining the nuances and rules of netball.
The author described the scenes as "madness" and "chaos".
"She was CRYING after draining that bomb," the author wrote. "Incredible. What a sport. What a story. What a team. What a journey. Netball."
The video was also reposted to the site's 6.2 million Instagram followers and 1.3 million Twitter followers.
Understandably, the foreign sport proved to be quite the noggin-scratcher in the States.
NBA legend Dennis Rodman was among the high profile stars to express his confusion towards netball on social media.
Another seemed to take his frustration out about not understanding the rules on the athletes themselves.
"I hate this video so much why does that one girl just stand there like I don't know the rules but she stood perfectly straight not moving and didn't try to block the shot at all," jake_houck wrote.
"Why is there a hoop on that stripper pole," user nick—bunda added.
Another wrote: "That laundry basket seems awfully high".
Apparenty it’s basketball where there’s no backboard and you can’t dribble or play defense. Just gotta drain defenseless buckets all day long. Basically a white mans dream. Where the hell was this when I was growing up?
The dismissive commentary around the viral video continued on Barstool's daily TV show where the sport was even compared to another viral video of a vision impaired athlete competing in a handball tournament.
"This was an electric clip. I laughed out loud while watching it. It is a netball buzzerbeater," the host of the show light-heartedly begins the segment.
"The celebration of when she hit the shot, you would have thought it was a half-court shot. The fact that she missed from point-blank. Why does she get that again?"
Another commentator on the panel was really hung up on why England was awarded an obstruction penalty right at the death.
"I would love to know the rules here," he said. "Why does that girl get the second lay-up? What is that?"
Having been explained the rules of the seven-man sport and the fact that only the goal shooter and goal attack can score goals, the entire panel loses it.
"How much does that suck for the other five," one panellist said. "Imagine playing ball and not being able to shoot."
