You're entitled to your opinion. I think the big gripe that soccer fans have is that people go out of their way to bash it. If you don't like it, that's fine. Just don't come into threads like this or go on the radio and say "soccer is boring" for no reason at all...I view Baseball the way you view soccer and I find that sport unbearable to watch. The games are over 4 hours long; I did my own research and found that the average score of baseball games are 6 or so runs per game (by BOTH teams combined). Let me guess, it's about the stats and the pitching duels? How can there be accurate stats when each field has different dimensions and one can hit a homerun in one park but the other it would be in play still? Let's not even go to steroids. And the fact that half the time nothing is happening but the camera zooming into the pitchers face, then to the duggout (where they are eating peanuts or grabbing themselves), then back to each base and finally a pitch and either a hit or a strike (WOW, now hat's some amazing action there). Are you a baseball fan and you claim soccer is boring? You can honestly tell me you sit through all 9 innings of a game, all 162 games of the astros or whichever team you support? If so, you're a liar. Most poeple go to baseball games go to socialize and drink. Half the time people aren't paying attention to the actual game (maybe the playoffs but not for the entire 9 innings, more like towards the end). The same can't be said about basketball, football and soccer. I watch all 82 games of the rockets (even the preseason) and try to watch as many NFL, Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Champions League, World Cup games as possible and most people will but baseball, no one actually watches all of it until the late postseason. My point is that those who worship baseball and wanna bash soccer should stop because their sport is not that great (FACT: Futbol (soccer), not baseball, is the MOST POPULAR sport in the world and is growing; like it or not). I am positive that the rest of the world has it right, not the minority of the globe.
BTW, there was an interesting discussion about soccer on one episode of "Quiet Frankly" on ESPN, it was actually a good discussion and many good points were made. Stephen A. Smith did an admirable job of presenting the POV of the "average Joe" sportsfan in America, so I thought it might be relevant to this topic.
One of the greatest post I have ever seen here. Great job Z. Most of these ignorant rants by non-Americans about American sports and Americans who knoc non-traditional-American is down to upbringing and exposure. I really hate it when i trvel abroad andf my friends knock Americans and folks in the States do the same. I usually do not like associating with small minded people like that. Life goes on though - to each his own and ignorance is not a crime anyway.
"Soccer is not for everybody - as any sport - you need to look at it in a different way. It's very unique in the way you appreciate the game. I'm not going to come on shows like this and continually apologize for the game. It is what it is. And there is a beauty, but it does make you work for it. And I believe, well I don't believe, I know there is a group, and a growing group of people that appreciate this game, that love this game, that live within our borders, and it's just growing. Embrace it or get out of the way." Stephen A Smith.
Man, this argument is too one sided and non-heated. Hmmmmmm. [bigtexxx] [/bigtexx] Ahhhhh... much better.
I saw that episode and couldn't believe that the arrogant/hater Stephen A. was seriously discussing soccer and took the time to do so rather than ignorantly bash it like other sports analysts. Major props to him. That quote above, I believe was from Alexi Lalas. I could be wrong though. He even had steve nash on who talked about how he and his entire family played/play the game and follow it religiously.
I like watching the World Cup and Olympic play but aside from the I don't tune into anything related to soccer. Soccer is a very slow based game in general, and I'm a huge baseball fan so that is saying something... if there were more scoring threats I might watch it, but right now there isn't. The NHL had the same problem with a lot of "needless action" going on and with their recent changes to the rules the game has become much more enjoyable to watch, especially live. My biggest problem with soccer though has to be the cheesy dives and fouls that are given out 20+ times a game, I get tired of seeing a grown man rolling on the ground grabbing his knee for 20 seconds when replays show he wasn't within 6 inches of the other player's leg... no, I did not get my hatred for the fake knee grab for Jim Rome, I hated it long before he came along. Eject people for fake knee grabs and remove off-sides and I'd probably watch a lot more soccer.
Players can be ejected for flopping, it happened to one of Italy's best players in the last world cup. But since it's hard to tell if they are flopping or not the refs can't give cards as much as they should. And I like having offsides, it prevents cherry picking and adds more strategy to offense and defense. Seeing a well executed offsides trap or well timed run to get past the defense is great.
I give you that. There tends to be alot of flopping but sadly that has evolved to become part of the gamesmanship of the sport. FIFA has cracked down on it but without "instant replay" (which would ruin the game), there's no real way of regulating it unless they go back and review games through the course of the season and somehow penalize players who continuously over flop (i.e. Cristiano Ronaldo and Blanco who flop more than Vlade Divac and Karla Malone). There's no way you can get rid of the offsides rule in the game. That would be like getting rid of the line of scrimmage in football where you woul allow wide receivers to line up in the end zone before the ball was snapped if they wished. As DrLudicrous noted, the timing of passes such as thru balls and lobs adds to the excitement.
Baseball, Football and Basketball all have intricate strategies and details that can only be appreciated through a good deal of observation, just as soccer, but these sports are also easily appreciated if you DON'T know all these details. I'm not saying soccer is not enjoyable, but to the average, unknowledgable person who watches a game, even a World Cup game with the worlds best players, it is nearly impossible to get into. People from other countries that grow up playing and are raised understanding the sport on a deep level have a hard time understanding that point because they only see it from that POV. I grew up a basketball fan. I love the sport well above any other. After I went to college, I developed a love of baseball, and only recently in the last few years have I developed a love for football. I'm still trying to learn the intricacies of football (american), but I highly enjoy games even NOT knowing those details. To me, that is the biggest point where soccer falls short. Sure, I could watch a full season of soccer, learn all the positions, their responsibilities, all the confusing rules and whatnot and see if I develop an appreciation for the sport...but even then I might not like it, and I wasted all that time finding out. Why even bother? I just stick to the sports I can appreciate on all levels. Maybe that makes me a lazy, fast-food loving, no-patience American, but I don't think it is too much to ask that a sport be entertaining at its most basic level before I devote my time learning about it. As an aside, I watched a good deal of the World Cup when I was in college a while back...the year the American team did better than expected but then lost a close game to Germany. I had some friends that were into and talked me into watching the games...I just couldn't enjoy myself. I gave it every opportunity to capture my attention, and it didn't. I think the soccer lovers out there need to accept the possibility that their sport is not necessarily unloved in American because of ignorance, but because of the sport itself. I do enjoy playing, though.
I have no problem with people not liking soccer, each person has their own opinions. What I do have a problem with is every time a soccer thread is started here people feel they need to tell the world why soccer is dumb. Most of the times the posts are nothing more than "soccer sucks" or "soccer is boring". Those types of posts have nothing to do with what is being discussed and adds nothing to the conversation. And I think that's what leads soccer fans to have such a chip on their shoulder about the sport and to be so defensive about it. And I'm not talking about your post here since the thread is actually about soccer and it's boringness or lack thereof.
Yeah, I perfectly understand this sentiment. I would hate it if people were unnecessarily piling on something I loved as well. I was more addressing Rivaldo who seemed to be claiming that Americans all hate soccer because we don't understand it.
I'll buy the number argument, in that football TD scoring isn't that much greater than soccer goal scoring. And sure, there are some boring football games. But soccer is, for whatever reason, horribly boring to watch, even though it was fun to play as a kid. I enjoyed 4 square and kickball back then too, and I don't think I'd watch either of those on TV either...
All the arguments based on slowness or erxcitement factor is silly when you really think about it. Americans or folks who live here like their traditional sports (Football, Baseball and Basketball) not because it is "exciting" or high action packed but because of familiarity, tradition and other nuture related factors. Same goes for the Europeans and other non Americans whose favorite sports include Cricket, Football [soccer], rugby, etc. Really take a minute and think about it - do you think if you were born in lets say England you will care much about any American sport? I shake my head when people try to explain why like a sport or not. All of that is a waste of time - you either get it or not. It is either in your blood or it is not. I am privileged to have travelled wide [around the world] and be able to appreciate many sports of differet traditions. It is okay not to get it - just do not feel you have to go out of your way to demean any sport of stress your ignorance. There is truly no sport that is "better" or "great" that another. It is all relative. Now there are some sports that have widewr following than others (like Soccer) but that does not make them the best or better than others. I lose respect for commentators or journalist who go out of their way to utter or print rubbish like......."oh this is why [fill in the black] is the greatest sport in the world"...."or this is why this sport is the ultimate team sport". Puerile minds really disgust me. I will continue to spread the message and I hope a thread like this will help deliver one or more persons around her from ignorance and myopia. Life is good.
