andymackem wrote:boudicca wrote:
Sorry, I have to gloat while I can... 
Why? This is the one thing I really don't understand about the Scots. Obnoxious as the English can be on occasion, nine times out of ten when our own team is out of contention we'll lend a bit of friendly support to our immediate neighbours (except the French, obviously, but they talk funny and smell of garlic). In direct competition, I'd want to see England beat Scotland but otherwise I'd like to see the Scots (and Irish and even the Welsh) do well.
This attitude was severely tested when I was living in Scotland, though this was at a time where I'd spend an afternoon getting slated as England stuttered to a draw with someone like Bulgaria only to watch those jibes turn to ashes as the Jocks found themselves 2-0 down in Toftir or unable to score against Estonia. That possibly saved my affection for the tartan army.
I can't speak for the nation here since, unlike many (most?) Scots, I not only have a great deal of affection for the English, I prefer them to "us"
. I hate this country (apart from the places where no people live) and I'd love to get out. I'd like Scotland to be independant, but minus me.
We have a sad, bitter, defeatist attitude. And to be fair, we have been royally screwed over (royally being the operative word a lot of the time!) by our southern brethern, but we don't do ourselves any favours nowadays.
We talk about pride, but it's the nasty, aggressive sort, which doesn't seem to yield anything positive for us as a nation. It's the outward-looking, claymores raised kind of pride which is perhaps inevitable for a small country with our history... in comparison with the pride of a more dominant country (like England) which can slip into ignorance and smugness, but does look inwards, concentrating on maintaining it's own standards.
The English would be disgusted with themselves if the drew with the Pharoh Islands or whatever that result was... see the reaction to the NI game for evidence. We, on the other hand, would just go "Ah, well, we didn't expect to win really, sh!tey old Scotland but we love you. And by the way aren't the English a bunch of w@nkers?"
My comment was really not meant seriously. Patriot I ain't.
I'm European.
*deep breath*