Time was when every self-respecting funfair had a wall of death where motor-cyclists would defy gravity as their speed pinned them against the side of a giant bin.
In a similar vein no international football tournament is now complete without its group of death, a sideshow which finds three or four well-matched heavyweights trying to knock one another out in the opening round. In each instance it is a question of who can best defy the force of G - gravity for the bikers, grave consequences of defeat for the players.
The draw for the 2004 European Championship stuck to the script, decreeing that three previous winners, Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic, should end up in Group D along with a possible wild card, Latvia, who won five of their eight qualifiers including victories against Poland and Hungary
The potential mortality rate in this group is grim. The talented but quarrelsome Dutch could easily blow it and, though the Germans reached the last World Cup final on the back of a 5-1 mauling by England, their supporters are none too optimistic this time following a similar defeat by Romania.
The Czechs, dark horses with a champion jockey in Pavel Nedved, could well win the group should Holland and Germany stall and Maris Verpakovskis has already made his mark for Latvia in the qualifiers.
The levelling-up in international football virtually guarantees that there will be at least one tough, evenly matched group in the first stage of a European Championship or World Cup. And even when the balance of power was neatly divided between Europe and South America the 1966 World Cup still found Brazil, Portugal, Hungary and Bulgaria drawn together.
This was good news for supporters at Old Trafford and Goodison Park, whose mouths watered at the prospect of seeing Pele, Garrincha, Eusebio, Florian Albert, Ferenc Bene and Georgi Asparoukhov. But it left the tournament lopsided at the outset and after Pele had been hacked out of the World Cup, followed closely by his team, the term group of death seemed all too appropriate. Not that it was ever called this at the time. In fact the term was not put on record until the draw was made for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico when Omar Borras, the coach of Uruguay, finding his team were having to play West Germany, twice winners and the 1982 runners-up, Denmark, then in their prime, and Scotland, sternly dubbed it "the group of death".
From a Scottish point of view the observation was unfortunate since their manager, Jock Stein, had collapsed and died at Ninian Park as his team forced the 1-1 draw with Wales which assured them of a place in the qualifying play-offs. Nevertheless Borras was proved correct, the football in this group was mean and unforgiving with the Uruguayans' cynical approach betraying a fine footballing tradition.
A nadir was reached against Scotland, now managed by Alex Ferguson, when Uruguay, needing a point to go through, had Jose Batista sent off after 55 seconds for a foul on Gordon Strachan, but they still managed to force a 0-0 draw. That World Cup sighed its relief when Uruguay went out in the second round to Argentina yet Borras had coined a phrase for the toughest opening group and it stuck.
Groups of death are relatively new to the European Championship. Until 1996 the final tournament involved only two sections, so it was hard to describe one as being grimmer than the other.
Euro 96, however, found Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy and Russia drawn together in Group C, where death beckoned with a skeletal finger. Initially it arrived with a bout of yellow fever which overtook David Elleray when he refereed the opening game between Germany and the Czechs at Old Trafford.
Elleray booked six Germans and four Czechs in a match that was not particularly rough. "I would expect an English referee to be more understanding of the physical game," said Berti Vogts, the German coach.
With Germany winning 2-0 and Italy beating Russia 2-1 the group seemed to be going to form. Then Arrigo Sacchi made himself the template for another Italian tinkerman by making five changes against the Czech Republic, who won 2-1 after their opponents had lost the centre-back Luigi Apolloni to two yellow cards.
An enthralling group reached a spellbinding climax when the Czechs, needing only to draw with Russia to go through, lost a two-goal lead and were 3-2 down with five minutes remaining. Then a substitute, Vladimir Smicer, brought the scores level in the last minute, which is probably the best thing he has ever done at Anfield.
There are groups of death and groups of death wishes. In Euro 2000 Group D looked daunting but was shrugged aside by Holland, the co-hosts, and France, the eventual champions, with the Czechs, runners-up in 1996, and the Danes, winners in 1992, offering scant resistance.
Group A turned out to be the killer although in England's case the wounds were largely self-inflicted. Kevin Keegan's players knew they had a fight on their hands once the draw had pitted them against Germany, Portugal and Romania but, when Paul Scholes and Steve McManaman gave England an early 2-0 lead against the Portuguese in Eindhoven. the task looked negotiable.
Then Keegan's team fell apart and lost 3-2 and much the same happened when they went out of the tournament to Romania by a similar score, the 1-0 victory over a moderate German side proving an overhyped consolation.
In the 2002 World Cup more Borras-like gloom descended when England found themselves up against Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria, potentially the best of the Africans until Senegal defeated France. Then David Beckham's penalty beat the Argentinians and a wake became a carnival.
Draws may nominate a group of death but results decide its real mortality rating. France and Argentina found this out in Japan two years ago.
Group Feeling
Downhearted
"There is no reason to celebrate. This is a very difficult group. We could have had it easier. The Czech Republic and Netherlands are very classy teams and, given their past results, have a better chance to advance."
Rudi Völler, Germany coach
Wary
"It is a very difficult group and we all know each other quite well. There is a big rivalry between Holland and Germany. The outsiders are Latvia but, if they can beat Turkey [in qualifying], it shows they have a good side as well."
Dick Advocaat, Holland coach
Unconcerned
"Undoubtedly we know more about Germany and Netherlands who have very strong championships. Certainly we will have to learn something about our Latvian friends but I think they may be the surprise team at the tournament."
Karel Brückner, Czech Republic coach
Hopeful
"All of our opponents have won previous European Championships which shows how strong they are. It is an honour to be playing against such good teams but everyone knows that every good team has some sort of weakness and we will need to be able to find that in order to give ourselves the best chance of causing a surprise."
Aleksandrs Starkovs, Latvia coach
Thankful
"I am pleased we avoided Group D."
Patrick Vieira, France midfielder