What Football And Whoopee Cushions Have In Common

Funny thing pressure.

I mean it is one of those words that has lots of meanings that all mean the same. It is certainly a word we hear a lot about in the world of football.

There is the scientific definition;

"The force applied to a unit area of surface"
(such as that applied to Eduardo's leg causing it to break)

Pressure as an action;

"The act of pressing; the exertion of pressure"
(such as that applied by the forwards of a football team hungry for a goal)

Pressure to be attended to;

"The state of urgently demanding notice or attention"
(like our proximity to the relegation zone)

Sensual pressure;

"The somatic sensation of pressure"
(like the hug Rooney gave Renaldo last night when he scored)

The 'may the force be with you' sort of pressure;

"A force that compels"
(such as the twelfth man provided by a good football crowd)

And of course, the pressure we feel from others;

"To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means"
(how many managers have 'resigned' in the face of that one?)

Pressure is often seen as a bad thing of course. Associated with stress and anxiety.

It can be a good thing too though. Peer pressure, for example, can be a major contributor to creating an effective team. And you need pressure to create change - whether in the environment or internally.

And of course, without pressure, what good would a whoopee cushion be?