If you think Frank has a low opinion of professional soccer [apologies for the preceding oxymoron], you should hear what Fred had to say about it.
My favorite line, which starts around the 4 minute mark:
“The part that bothers me the most, I think, deep down inside, is it places the most value on these little guys who are so agile and quick and could do a pirouette on the tip of a steak knife with that ball – which is very cute, and very entertaining, kinda like a juggler at a circus. But, I mean, is this a sport for grown men?”
Americans don’t hate soccer because we hate black people or because we’re awful and uncultured barbarians. In fact, we don’t really hate soccer. Is there a high school in America without a varsity soccer team?
There is no deep interest for professional FIFA soccer in America because we already have an abundance of team sports, all of which receive superior television and media coverage. Soccer will never catch on in America or Canada unless hockey ceases to exist, causing people to forget what a good version of soccer looks like (with ice!).
There is no deep interest in Hockey either in America.
It isn’t a very good TV sport, or at least , like soccer and basketball,
being at the game is much more entertaining.
The lack of scoring is hard on American eyes, soccer is a very defensive sport.
I listened to ESPN Radio’s coverage of the USA -England match, and the
commentary of Tommy Smyth was great- a boisterous Irishman as instructive as Vin Scully doing Dodgers game, and as entertaining as Ron Santo doing a Cubs game.
Try watching the next USA game on the radio.
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A plus soccer has over basketball is that you don’t have 15 time-outs in the last minute.
I don’t care what anybody says….sockersux is one word.
Soccer reminds me of seals playing ball with each other. Too refined. Not enough physical contact.
Soccor is a lowest common denominator sport. All you need is a ball and vacant lot. Perfect for the third world.
We can and do have sports that are more interesting to play and to watch. Why downgrade?
Let me try and explain how soccer works.
First you get a ball and some guys togethezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The only interesting soccer game I ever watched was played by some guys on top of a mountain in Jamaica. I mean, *on top* of a mountain, mebbe 5,000 feet up. One of the sides of the field ran along the edge of a 300 foot drop. Scoring didn’t matter at all. What was interesting was how they kept the ball from dropping off the edge of the world.
Soccer needs more stuff like that.
As I see it, the problem with soccer in the US is that it is nearly impossible to be a “casual” soccer fan. Do to the minimal scoring and lack of intermediate goals like yardage or first downs it requires an appreciation of the play on the field for enjoyment. Anyone who hasn’t played the game or watched a lot of soccer cannot appreciate the subtleties. Compare it to the casual (American) football fan seeing only a breakaway run versus the longtime fan who is pointing out the blocking on the offensive line which made it possible. In countries where soccer has been long established kids grow up both watching and playing the game, while in the US we have only recently been “growing” our own fans. Professional soccer in the US also suffers from a much more controlled game technique than international games making for less excitement. Not sure if it will generate as much interest here as elsewhere in the future, but that’s just my $.02.
Soccer needs landmines.
Yes, you don’t like soccer, you like the most boring sport ever devised by the human mind: baseball!!!!
Look.
The game requires a simple, round ball, a shirt, kneesocks, shorts and a t-shirt, hopefully matching your teammates.
If you’re going to have a “sport” on the cheap, this is it.
Well, except for ‘hot cockles’… Now THERE’S a sport!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
QUOTH: Hot Cockles
A game. One blindfolded knelt down, and being struck had to guess who gave the blow.
Thus poets passing time away.
Like children at hot-cockles play.
(1653.) DISQUOTH
http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/brewers/hot-cockles.html
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Forget darts! Run this by the guys down at the bar!
I’m sure some jagerbombs or tequila shots would add zest and life to this game that would put soccer away for good!
If it was more like ‘Shaolin Soccer’ it would catch on.
Paolo – true, baseball lacks pace. However it does have – as Formerly known as Skeptic mentioned – “intermediate goals”. There’s something solid that you can give a crap about between actual scoring plays.
Paolo: In baseball, a perfect game is when the pitcher retires 27 consecutive batters. In soccer, a perfect game is … something on another channel.
Plus, you can take a child to baseball game without having to wear riot gear. Of course, that may not so much reflect on the sports as it does the people that are fans of the sports.