Why Don't I Love Soccer?

[marinoni]

I considered putting this in the Fifa thread but I think it deserves it's own discussion. Why don't I and many of my countrymen and US neighbours like soccer? Sure, it's status is improving but it's still at best a second tier sport, MLS is struggling in several cities etc. I watched a little bit of the world cup this am and here are my impressions. There is a certain excitement watching when you know that practically every single person in the two countries involved is watching. It makes me feel like a citizen of the world instead of just a Canadian. Beyond that I find it excruciating to watch. If I see the same two guys pass the ball between each other one more time I'm gonna f***in loose it! I've heard the argument that North Americans are too in love with sports with constant action( x games, basketball etc) to enjoy the subtleties of soccer. Well I'm a fan of cycling and baseball, so that doesn't really fly. Also, I have a problem with players rolling around crying because someone tapped them in the shin; or in many cases never came close. Finally, the offside rule, at least sometimes, seems like the dumbest rule in sports. Seems like a player should be rewarded for getting in behind the oppositions defense.
Please understand that I mean none of this in an arrogant or disrespectful manner. Soccer is the #1 sport in virtually every country on the planet except ours. Only a complete jerk would suggest we're the only ones with any sense. But that said, can someone tell me WHAT AM I MISSING?

 

[agaler]

Football

Not soccer. It's called football. You can tell this is the correct name for it because players primarily use their feet.

What you call football, where players primarily use their hands, is called American football by the rest of the world.

You can like it or not like it. Each to their own. But I'd appreciate it if you'd call it by the correct name.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

^ dont think he meant any offense by it. In America it is soccer.

First off, appreciate the effort to start a new thread, rather then clutter the world cup thread with this discussion (be nice if others followed your example).

I guess it's just a matter of opinion really. I love soccer, I think it is a beautiful sport with such skill and technique. I can greatly appreciate a 0-0 game, if it's played in the right manner, and displayed attacking football.

RE offside: The offside rule can be used in tactical manners, and prevents players from just poaching. If there is constantly a player behind the defense, teams will be forced to hold back a bit when attacking, thus the offside rule really encourages attacking football.

 

[agaler]

^ dont think he meant any offense by it. In America it is soccer.

I'm not offended. I'm aware that Americans call it "soccer". I'm simply informing you that it's called football. Also there's an offside rule in American football so I don't really get that point.

Completely agree with the rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt though. Nobody likes that. It's being slowly cut out of the game with yellow cards. I personally believe it should be a straight red card and a three game suspension but that's a different debate.

 

[Moondance]

I'm not offended. I'm aware that Americans call it "soccer". I'm simply informing you that it's called football. Also there's an offside rule in American football so I don't really get that point.

Offside in football and American football are entirely different things.

 

[B.Rasmussen]

The first few games so far has not been good. There are many reasons why, but my guess would be player fatigue is part of it. Top players play more and more games during a season and at a higher pace than 10-20 years ago. Many of them are always somewhat injured and this also why some of that useless rolling around on the ground happens. It's not always just bad acting (although it often is and it ****es me off), they just got hit yet again on an injured ankle or similar. Add to that the worst ball used in the history of the world cup.

However, it is like with any other sport. To really appreciate what happens on the pitch takes knowledge. It's a bit like a newcomer to NFL only likes the throwing game because it takes practice to really spot the genius happening in a tight running game. It's no different with football where most casual spectators find a defensive 0-0 boring while it might actually be the most skilful game. Removal of the offside rule would make game more defensive by the way and more boring from a casual view, as the defenders would move back even more.

 

[marinoni]

I'm not offended. I'm aware that Americans call it "soccer". I'm simply informing you that it's called football. Also there's an offside rule in American football so I don't really get that point.

Completely agree with the rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt though. Nobody likes that. It's being slowly cut out of the game with yellow cards. I personally believe it should be a straight red card and a three game suspension but that's a different debate.

See, this is exactly my point! There are two countries out of, what 300?, that call it by a different name and that name makes no sense. Why wouldn't we call it maybe, world football? Or the less sophisticated call it "that game what foreigners play". Or call American football I don't know, steroidball. It's all just so odd.It's like if there were two countries that call basketball kazumpting! About your offside point- that makes no sense. Offside in American football has nothing to do with the rule in FOOTBALL. Happy?

 

[ruamruam]

See, this is exactly my point! There are two countries out of, what 300?, that call it by a different name and that name makes no sense. Why wouldn't we call it maybe, world football? Or the less sophisticated call it "that game what foreigners play". Or call American football I don't know, steroidball. It's all just so odd.It's like if there were two countries that call basketball kazumpting! About your offside point- that makes no sense. Offside in American football has nothing to do with the rule in FOOTBALL. Happy?

Ireland also calls it soccer as football in Ireland is Gaelic football

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIlsRsMMJUc

 

[marinoni]

The first few games so far has not been good. There are many reasons why, but my guess would be player fatigue is part of it. Top players play more and more games during a season and at a higher pace than 10-20 years ago. Many of them are always somewhat injured and this also why some of that useless rolling around on the ground happens. It's not always just bad acting (although it often is and it ****es me off), they just got hit yet again on an injured ankle or similar. Add to that the worst ball used in the history of the world cup.

However, it is like with any other sport. To really appreciate what happens on the pitch takes knowledge. It's a bit like a newcomer to NFL only likes the throwing game because it takes practice to really spot the genius happening in a tight running game. It's no different with football where most casual spectators find a defensive 0-0 boring while it might actually be the most skilful game. Removal of the offside rule would make game more defensive by the way and more boring from a casual view, as the defenders would move back even more.

I understand the points about the offside rule. I agree with you about appreciating a tough running game in NFL. I've tried to do the same thing with football but no luck.
The thing about the ball is another annoyance. Even as a casual observer I've noticed this same controversy at numerous WC's and Euro's. I get that there are differences in how balls come off the boot or whatever but still- a hundred or so years in and you're still deciding on the bloody ball? It's not an F1 car it's a BALL!

 

[Race Radio]

See, this is exactly my point! There are two countries out of, what 300?, that call it by a different name and that name makes no sense. Why wouldn't we call it maybe, world football? Or the less sophisticated call it "that game what foreigners play". Or call American football I don't know, steroidball. It's all just so odd.It's like if there were two countries that call basketball kazumpting! About your offside point- that makes no sense. Offside in American football has nothing to do with the rule in FOOTBALL. Happy?

Better get the Aussies on board as they call it Soccer as well. You might have a hard time getting the Italians to stop calling it Calcio but maybe it is worth the try.

 

[ak-zaaf]

You don't have to like it. TBH, most of the people I know wouldn't care less if America loses all it's interest in this sport again. Neither would I.

I like baseball, but when i watch it with friends I can't get them to like it. It's extremely slow, it's boring, it's repetitive...
I like American Football but I have a hard time explaining here why I would want to watch a sport that's build up out of 5 seconds of (mostly failed) action and then 20-30 seconds of waiting, every single play.

So why don't most Europeans like those sports?

 

[B.Rasmussen]

I understand the points about the offside rule. I agree with you about appreciating a tough running game in NFL. I've tried to do the same thing with football but no luck.
The thing about the ball is another annoyance. Even as a casual observer I've noticed this same controversy at numerous WC's and Euro's. A hundred or so years in and you're still deciding on the bloody ball? It's not an F1 car it's a BALL!

About the ball, you'd be surprised at the technology.

If they played with the same as 20-30 years ago it would be very hard to score, it's simply too slow and goalkeepers got better. They try to make the ball faster and less predictable in flight all the time, but lately and especially this time they went overboard. They might as well play with a cheap plastic ball from the local toy store.

 

[ak-zaaf]

About the ball, you'd be surprised at the technology.

If they played with the same as 20-30 years ago it would be very hard to score, it's simply too slow and goalkeepers got better. They try to make the ball faster and less predictable in flight all the time, but lately and especially this time they went overboard. They might as well play with a cheap plastic ball from the local toy store.

Bring back the Tango!

 

[Race Radio]

This may surprise some people but there are many who don't love Pro Cycling. They think it is boring.

 

[la.margna]

How many people you think laugh at me or look at me weird, when they are hearing that I am a big cycling fan? Why should we judge on sports? Some prefer this, some that, here in Europe we hardly can't understand your love for baseball... At least one country where the FIFA is not profiteering...

It's good to have still different tastes in different countries. It's already annoying that we have the same brands and shops in every town on this planet...

 

[Michielveedeebee]

you don't like it because most of the matches are ****ty and boring. the only really good match the WC has had until now was the german one and that should've ended with 6 or 7 -0 instead of 4-0

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Offside in football and American football are entirely different things.

Did you mean soccer? Sorry, couldn't hold back!

I think your answer goes to the reason a little bit.

there is only so much room in our lives to keep up with sports, and with the males at least, if we're gonna get passionate about sports, we REALLY get passionate, and that means understanding the subtleties. There was a very famous playoff game betwen the NE Patriots and the Oakland Raiders where a an apparent fumble which would have changed the outcome of a game was overruled because of something which everyone now knows: The Tuck Rule.

the Tuck Rule Game is regulalrly featured in multiple retrospectives about football each year.

My Point is that we have a lot of sports and some totally passionate sports zealots here, not just some, but a whole nation full of sports zealots though our zealotry rarely turns violent. You get to a point where is just not enough time and 'mindshare' to go nuts over an additional sport.

Try watching Football both Pro and College, Golf, Baseball, professional AND college basketball and trying to remain conversant in hockey though I am less pasionate one must be conversant in case the conversation should turn that way. same goes for Nascar and tennis, and then a passion for bicycle racing.

just to suggest the thought of getting that knowledgeable about yet ANOTHER major sport is like putting yet another serving of dessert on my plate at thanksgiving dinner. ughhh...

I think sometimes 'Football' (soccer) folks feel slighted at our lack of interest. We just don't want to make the space for one more sport. It's really nothing personal.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

This may surprise some people but there are many who don't love Pro Cycling. They think it is boring.

and then comes the Tour and suddenly they're loving it :s

 

[alberto.legstrong]

You don't have to like it. TBH, most of the people I know wouldn't care less if America loses all it's interest in this sport again. Neither would I.

I like baseball, but when i watch it with friends I can't get them to like it. It's extremely slow, it's boring, it's repetitive...
I like American Football but I have a hard time explaining here why I would want to watch a sport that's build up out of 5 seconds of (mostly failed) action and then 20-30 seconds of waiting, every single play.

So why don't most Europeans like those sports?

The NFL wants Europeans to like Am. Football so they can make more money. The American people really could care less who likes Am. Football. We love it, we don't need other people to love it to feel validated.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

and then comes the Tour and suddenly they're loving it :s

don't kid yourself, for 99.9% of the population it's just sort of off the side of the radar screen for a few weeks in case there is a doping scandal, then it's completely off for the next 49 weeks.

It has even less 'mindshare' than soccer. Sorry, wish I could be more optimistic.

 

[Christian]

Soccer is the #1 sport in virtually every country on the planet except ours. Only a complete jerk would suggest we're the only ones with any sense. But that said, can someone tell me WHAT AM I MISSING?

Also almost every country in the world uses degrees celsius and the metric system. Plus, as far as I know, American football is popular in no other country except the US, same with baseball (except for Japan and some South American countries).
I think the U.S. developed almost uninfluenced and independently from any other country through the centuries, as opposed to Europe where everything is much closer and through countless wars through the ages certain cultural aspects just kind of spread around. South America, Africa and large parts of Asia were colonized by Europeans, so they brought soccer/football with them. Now when the US played England that was a big deal, but I think it's not compareable with Germany vs. Netherlands, Tchech Republic vs. Slovakia, Portugal vs. Spain ...
Also European and South American countries are very competitive amongst each other because of historical and liguistical reasons. I think the degree of comptetion between the US and it's only two neighbours is a lot smaller. The US was only really competitive with the USSR and that was in other domains.

The American people really could care less who likes Am. Football. We love it, we don't need other people to love it to feel validated.

Yeah that's also what I think. Same with the Fahrenheit and miles and such - who cares if no one else uses it, Americans have been using it for ages and are fine with it so what the heck!

 

[BroDeal]

Soccer is the #1 sport in virtually every country on the planet except ours. Only a complete jerk would suggest we're the only ones with any sense. But that said, can someone tell me WHAT AM I MISSING?

Nothing. Soccer is boring as hell. The number of goals is way too low. It's like watching a porno where the actors seldom get past second base.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Nothing. Soccer is boring as hell. The number of goals is way too low. It's like watching a porno where the actors seldom get past second base.

So basketball is a non-stop cumfest? No excitement in that.

 

[alberto.legstrong]

Nothing. Soccer is boring as hell. The number of goals is way too low. It's like watching a porno where the actors seldom get past second base.

it's like you mounted a camera in my bedroom....creepy

 

[The Hitch]

association football isnt popular in the US because companies dont throw much money at it and it doesnt have a deep tradition. Its nothing to do with taste. If more Americans grew up watching it then it would be more popular.

Frankly im glad that there are some countries where soccer isnt the be all end all. Europe could do without a lot of the negatives such as the hero worship, and being told that football "unites the world" that this world cup is the moment when "the continent of Africa meets the world" and that football is the number one weapon in the fight against aids/ poverty, all of which have been repeated ad nauseum in the last week or so.