blue persuasion

[Eugene2114]

When the draw was made, the initial reaction from those of a blue persuasion was that it was a very winnable tie.
- Hi,
Does anybody happen to know why a persuasion is blue here? Maybe, we're having a mixed expression ('out of the blue' combined with 'of the ... persuasion' formal of a particular type - often used humorously: an ancient bed of the iron persuasion'
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/persuasion)?
Thank you.

[Luschen]

Hi, here persuasion is being used as the 2nd definition of your link:
http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/persuasion

When the draw was made, the initial reaction from those of a blue persuasion was that it was a very winnable tie. This means that initial reaction is from the fans who favor or support the blue team.

If the fans were actually blue, then the 3rd definition of your link would apply.

[Eugene2114]

You have a point there, Luschen. Glasgow Rangers' kit are really blue.
Thus we can talk about persuasion of red, green-and-yellow or whatever color, don't we?
Regards.

[Luschen]

Eugene, using persuasion this way is a little tricky. It is formal and sounds old-fashioned, so people generally use it in a tongue-in-cheek manner for humorous effect. And the format is always "of the _____ persuasion." If you say "I am persuasion of Anglican" people will not understand what you are talking about. If you say "I am of the Anglican persuasion" they will understand, but might think you a bit fussy.

[Eugene2114]

Sure you put it right, Luschen. The point is, people writing and talking sports, in fact living by the game (soccer, you guessed it!) have their own, vivid and sometimes unpredictable way of expressing their ideas. There's a site crammed with expressions once used by football coaches/players/reporters which since have become common. How would you assess 'bouncebackability'? or what did he mean saying "The opposite team have parked the bus"? Not to mention the host of others...
So, out of my red (the Red Devils are my favorites) persuasion, the phrases like mentioned above, rather enrich the language than clutter it up.
P.S. Of course, I won't say,"I am of the Anglican persuasion", because it's not true.
Regards.

[Luschen]

Soccer? Where do they call football soccer? ;)

You are right, every sport has its own colorful terms. I like "parked the bus" - sounds much more interesting than the American football equivalent - "gone into prevent".

[Eugene2114]

Agree, Luschen,'parking' sounds more romantic than 'preventing'.
But, though one of my favorites is:
"Early to rise,
Early to bed
Makes a man healthy
But socially dead",
have to call it a night.
Thanks for sharing it. Catch you later.