I'm glad the USA lost, now GO AWAY SOCCER

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I can honestly say that guy is on the COLDPLAY "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" music video.

[SkinBasket]

This debate seems to come up every 4 years. Soccer interest spikes during the world cup then dies down again till the next one. Its almost like its the Olympics.

Actually the real interest stays the same over the years between WCs. It's only when uneducated tools click on ESPN hoping to see the day's 4th rerun of Sportscenter and get a live soccer match instead that they get confused, then angry, then start criticizing the sport they know nothing about, the US team which includes zero players they can name, and the rules that they don't know or understand.

It's not helpful when we have a sports media that jumped all over the US team after their first loss when they know nothing about the team, nothing about the Czeck team (or any other national team for that matter), and very little about the sport in general. Yet as soon as something bad happens, suddenly every sports writer is a soccer expert and labels the US team as a disappointment and overrated.

[retailguy]

i posted this in the world cup thread and i'll post it here.

espn.com had a poll up a week ago asking what was the more interesting event. the world cup, nba finals, or us open. after over 120,000 votes the world cup was leading by more then 10%

soccer is catching on in the us, like it or not

Us football fans ought to sue, shouldn't we Red?

[Tony Oday]

Im not a huge fan of soccer but will watch once every four years but I dont like us being ranked high. Why werent we the cinderella story again hehe

But really we will more than likely never win a WC because of the officiating. WE will keep getting screwed like the BS PK and the TWO red cards in the Italy match BS BS BS!!!!!

[Run2win38]

HarveyWallbangers wrote:

"soccer has become sort of an "in" sport. Like NASCAR."

I dunno HW - if you like soccer - hope that it doesn't become an "in" sport like Nascar if that means gettin all commercial and stuff. Lot a racin fans long for the old days when Nascar was pretty much confined to ESPN and drivers and mechanics ran the show - not Networks and Mega sponsers. If soccer can catch on and grab a solid fan base without all the glitter - then good for it!

PS - careful about callin Nascar a sport - it gets Tank and Bretsky edgy

Charlie Moore had a great arm didn't he

[Zool]

This debate seems to come up every 4 years. Soccer interest spikes during the world cup then dies down again till the next one. Its almost like its the Olympics.

Actually the real interest stays the same over the years between WCs. It's only when uneducated tools click on ESPN hoping to see the day's 4th rerun of Sportscenter and get a live soccer match instead that they get confused, then angry, then start criticizing the sport they know nothing about, the US team which includes zero players they can name, and the rules that they don't know or understand.

It's not helpful when we have a sports media that jumped all over the US team after their first loss when they know nothing about the team, nothing about the Czeck team (or any other national team for that matter), and very little about the sport in general. Yet as soon as something bad happens, suddenly every sports writer is a soccer expert and labels the US team as a disappointment and overrated.

Ha well put. A bit gloomy but probably accurate.

More to the point I was trying to make is this forum for example. If its still around 4 years from now there will be a soccer(futbol) thread or 2, but not 1 for the 3+ years in between. US sports fans are fickle. Its all about instant gratification. I include myself in that statement.

[mmmdk]

Re: I'm glad the USA lost, now GO AWAY SOCCER

I consider myself above average in terms of being patriotic, but I'm glad the US lost.

I'd say that the Una-bomber dude rated himself 10 out of 10...YOU CAN'T RATE PATRIOTISM - well, unless you got a mind like the Una - bomber who believe he was protecting America/the world vs technology. Actually, a patriotic act yet the bombings were very, very wrong doings.

In fact, I think it's patriotic to HATE SOCCER!!

Being a patriot is about LOVE for your country, not hating other countries/sports. You can even feel patriotic about other countries than your own.

There's a reason soccer has never and will never matter here in America (In terms of interest in professional sports, I realize it's very popular among children). Maybe we can all finally stop hearing about this subpar, boring, piece of crap sport.

Soccer matters in the US - a lot - but football will always be # 1 with me and that's from a half Euro guy. Football is getting very popular in Denmark & many other European countries. I mean, I get 2 (sometimes 3) live NFL games each week during the season plus I get EVERY single playoff game (live too). And it's a Danish channel with our own competent commentators.

What a treat it's been to have been force fed the non-stop images of Nigerians, Iranians, etc. running around without purpose for 80 minutes only to end in a 0-0 tie.

Open your window...there IS a world outside Disneyland. Goodday Sir!

[HarveyWallbangers]

If there was a soccer thread, I'd post. I wish Tarlam would start one. He could tell us who was doing well in Europe--especially the Americans. He could also keep me up to date on my favorite teams, Newcastle United, Schalke, Inter Milan, and even DC United.

[Rastak]

Re: I'm glad the USA lost, now GO AWAY SOCCER

I consider myself above average in terms of being patriotic, but I'm glad the US lost. In fact, I think it's patriotic to HATE SOCCER!! There's a reason soccer has never and will never matter here in America (In terms of interest in professional sports, I realize it's very popular among children). Maybe we can all finally stop hearing about this subpar, boring, piece of crap sport.

What a treat it's been to have been force fed the non-stop images of Nigerians, Iranians, etc. running around without purpose for 80 minutes only to end in a 0-0 tie.

It isn't over dummy, and I won't stop watching.

[RashanGary]

I'll ecco the pro-soccer sentiment here. I've watched a few games here and there and it is IMO just as impressive, compeititive and enjoyable as any other sport that I've watched.

I think Soccer will continue to grow. I think the game can compete with anything we have going now.

[Bretsky]

Soccer bores me to death, but if I have to watch it I'd take the bouncing gals over the guys any day.

Last time I watched soccer was the UW Women's run with Mia Ham and the Chestane Lady. Remember it vividly because after I tore my ACL I was in and out of sleep with rotating Vicodin and Ibuprofin and waking up with knee pain every two hours so I ended up watching some of the games starting at 4 in the morning or so.

But in reality, I'd rather watch ping pong, bowling, and just about everyting else before attempting to get through a soccer game.

I'll be a happier guy when the World Cup is done so I don't have to hear about it on ESPN.


B

[GrnBay007]

I personally don't care to watch soccer. However, it will be interesting to see how it develops in future years in the US. My experience and most of what I've heard with the children's soccer league in this city is they are similar to a "cult" If you don't buy into everything they abide/believe in you are frowned upon. It's very clickish. I know all kid's sports are that way to an extent because of the parents but soccer seems to be worse than other team sports here.

It's fun to hear the Dad's that support Pop Warner football trash-talk their buddies who's wives made the kids play soccer and won't let them play football.



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[Viking Troll43]

Let me first state that I HATE soccer. Would rather be a Packer Fan than a soccer fan. Have not! Will Not! Could not! Watch 1 minute of that boring fiasco.
With that said, back in my football days we played a game of sandlot tackle football with some players from a local college soccer team and I have to say that those are some tuff dudes. (still fairies) but tuff!

Now Australian Rules Football is the bomb!

[HarveyWallbangers]

I personally don't care to watch soccer. However, it will be interesting to see how it develops in future years in the US. My experience and most of what I've heard with the children's soccer league in this city is they are similar to a "cult" If you don't buy into everything they abide/believe in you are frowned upon. It's very clickish. I know all kid's sports are that way to an extent because of the parents but soccer seems to be worse than other team sports here.

I never played soccer, but all sports are like that nowadays. Worst thing that happened with youth sports is getting the parents involved. Back in my day a kid could play sports and be a kid. His parents would show up occasionally, maybe for the playoffs. Now parents, and their bad attitudes about little Johnny and how good he really is, have ruined it. There's politics, bad sportsmanship, pressure on the kids, etc. Do me a favor and quit going to all of your kids games. Little Johnny at age 9 doesn't need you there for ever game. You're not a bad parent if you don't show up to every game.

[No Mo Moss]

This debate seems to come up every 4 years. Soccer interest spikes during the world cup then dies down again till the next one. Its almost like its the Olympics.

Actually the real interest stays the same over the years between WCs. It's only when uneducated tools click on ESPN hoping to see the day's 4th rerun of Sportscenter and get a live soccer match instead that they get confused, then angry, then start criticizing the sport they know nothing about, the US team which includes zero players they can name, and the rules that they don't know or understand.

It's not helpful when we have a sports media that jumped all over the US team after their first loss when they know nothing about the team, nothing about the Czeck team (or any other national team for that matter), and very little about the sport in general. Yet as soon as something bad happens, suddenly every sports writer is a soccer expert and labels the US team as a disappointment and overrated.

I couldn't agree more. Its painful to listen to those assholes on PTI and ESPN radio try and talk about it.