Soccer: Not so Much America's Past Time
Written by MC Homer, Monday March 30 2009
By far, the most popular sport in the world is soccer, or, to the rest of the world, futbol. First and foremost, I am not a fan. I've always wondered why it is not more popular in America though, but I think we all know the answer to that. It is simple really, there is just not enough action for American sports fans. I have nothing against soccer, so I will do my best to not turn this into a futbol-bashing article, but I do feel the need to point out, obvious or not, the downsides to the game. Coming from a typical American sports fan, I liken soccer to running a marathon, while kicking a ball. Doesn't sound like much fun, does it? And even less fun to watch. I'd almost rather watch curling, almost.
If I have to be honest, I'll admit, on Saturday, I watched a good portion of the USA vs El Salvador match, played in El Salvador. The only positive thing I came away with, and it was shockingly powerful to me, was how much the crowd was into the game. It was so loud in that stadium, no one could hear the whistle blow, not the fans, not the announcers, and not even the players. Never has a single sporting event on American soil ever heard that kind of support, that I can recall. If you are a fan of soccer, or quite frankly, don't want to hear why the sport is, how can I put this delicately, not America's past time, then I suggest you stop reading now. It only gets worse from here.
First of all, Americans have yet to embrace hockey. It is a more physical game and three times the number of goals are scored, so how can we expect US sports fans to embrace soccer? Everyone knows the argument of the lack of action. Let me put it bluntly, the rules in soccer forbid any kind of offensive threats. Look at offsides. How else is a team supposed to gain an advantage on the offensive end? Unless you have Speedy Gonzales on your team, good luck with that.
Basketball is very popular in America, as well as around the world. How does it make you feel when a player flops, trying to draw a foul? If you're like 90% of Americans, you roll your eyes, and lose a bit of respect for the defender who just fell to the ground after being brushed by the other player's fingernail. If you have ever seen any soccer at all, you surely have noticed that every time a defender tries a slide tackle, the player with the ball falls as if he has just been hit by a sniper. They continue to roll around on the ground like they are on fire, you know, the whole stop, drop, and roll thing. The thing that makes this worse than basketball, is this happens every single tackle. There goes my respect for those players.
Who wants to watch a game that ends in a tie more times than not, and a 0-0 tie, at that? I was under the impression that professional sports were about winning, maybe that's where I'm wrong, there is a first time for everything, you know. After 90 minutes of no scoring, they go to a shootout. This just cracks me up. They give a player a ball 12 yards from the keeper, and tell him to kick it in a goal the size of Massachusetts. That seems fair. If a goalie ever stops a ball, he should be put in the hall of fame immediately, and the kicker should be fired on the spot.
Growing up, we all played keep away or monkey in the middle, whatever you want to call it. Is that not exactly what soccer is? Only with the adults, they throw in some boundaries and a big goal to kick the ball into. What's next, an adult game of pickle? How about Red Rover or duck, duck, goose? Heads up, seven up might be fun on a field with some extra rules to make it impossible to guess who picked you. I think I even hear some rumblings about starting a musical chairs league, sorry, bad joke, I know.
I know I said I was going to try to not make this into a soccer-hating column, but I failed miserably. I just can't grasp the concept of why soccer is so popular. If you get up to go to the bathroom and someone scores a goal, you might as well go home, because no one else is going to score. I've tried liking soccer, I really have, but it's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I admire the athletes and their endurance. I respect the patience it takes to play the game. I even enjoy the footwork, it's like magic sometimes. I will never be able to accept the rules in their current form though. I don't blame the players, teams, or officials. I blame the English, for in 1863, they came up with the basic rules for the game. I'll just add this to the ever-growing list of European things I will never understand.
Photo Credit: Javier Garcia / BPI / Icon SMI
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11 comments
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lol this is good! Every sport has its own thing to deal it. I´am from Mexico, I played baseball since I was a kid but I can tell that "Futbol" is far away from Baseball in being popular, at least in Central and South America and I don´t know man but lately I have seen that bunch of kids in the states are playing it on their schools. In terms of what it takes to play Baseball or Futbol... it´s totally different! As I trained and played baseball for years I can tell you that you gotta be in a better shape to play Futbol than Baseball but you gotta be more sharp if you wan´t to be a key baseball player. Anyway.. have fun!!! Every sport is a good one! even Poker!!!
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You're telling me how boring baseball is, as you try to defend soccer? Pull your head out of your ass then come talk to me.
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MR. MC HOMER. I have 3 words for you. Your an idiot. You just grow up being a fan, you live an America you idiot. This is a country where only football is first, which I don't understand why its called football when they only throw the ball to make a touchdown and players tackle eachother, and baseball and basketball too are also first in America, Basketball I do defend because I play it and its an exciting sport, but baseball as well is boring; let's face it, what do you see exciting about waiting 9 innings until somebody hits the ball and makes a run. Wow! very exciting... NOT!!! Lets put it this way for foot ball, what will happen if a touchdown equals 1 point instead of 6? Games will be ending 3-4, 2-1. So, its the same thing. Hey, not to be anti racial or anything, but African American are the ones who rule basketball and football; and baseball, most of the best players are Dominicans. Anyways to stop insulting you "American hierarchy", football the real football, which name makes common since; is the best sport in the world because it was originally the first official sport in the world in the 1800's. Since then it became popular in Europe, Asia and South America. Unfortunately its not popular here because other sports were invented here, and America is a country where they want to make there inventions first in the World. However, that's not the only reason why this sport is first, and the answer to this is there is a World Cup and no other sport can top that! So keep taking crap about this sport. What can I say its just America who doesn't like it the rest of the world does, oh one more thing the market in Europe goes beyond any sport here in America. Its euros against dollars, too bad a euro cost more than a dollar. Oh I forgot to explain, this is sport is about consistency and efficiency to score a goal on the other team, that why its hard to make a goal and exciting to see. But you're an American so that means you wont understand, why because you're an idiot that doesn't know this sport well.
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I never liked soccer much either until my younger brother played the game. How can you say there is not much action? The two teams are constantly in motion up and down the field until either a goal is scored or the ball ends up out of bounds. I think the low scores is what makes it exciting. One of the most exciting sporting events I watched was the Women's World Cup Final several years ago between the U.S. and I believe China. The U.S. won the game in a shootout. That is the most exciting play in sports to me, it is shooter against goaltender, one on one. Does not get any better.
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The only reason I am not a fan of the "other" football, is because of the severe lack of action. If I wanted to see a bunch of dudes run around for a couple hours (and end up with one goal, if you're lucky), I'd watch a marathon. 0-0 ties? Please tell me exactly what that accomplishes? Sports (at the higher levels) are about winning and losing and that's it. Professionals are paid to win, and if they don't, they will replace you with someone who can. Sports are not about having fun or making friends or getting a good workout. It's win or lose. What's the point if you walk away tied? Just a waste of time. Same with hockey ties. Screw a shootout, play sudden death until someone scores, however long that might take.
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Why do Americans dislike soccer? I read somebody accusing the United States as only liking their own games. That is not necessarilly true; hockey is actually Canadian, (and th NHL actually has more American teams than Canadian), tennis is French/English, golf comes from the British Isles, and lots play over here. It just seems "slow" to many Americans. Also, the fact that the HAND is not used makes it boring. To most Americans, for some reason, the HAND is the part of the body that is the center of any sport. Even in Hockey, the hand is in control of the stick. In futbol, or "soccer," as we call it, the fact that every athlete is kicking the ball, with their feet, and how "slow" that makes it seem to us, just throws the game out of our country, or is just thought of as a little-league/school sport that is fun for kids. The idea of adults playing a game that does not seem like the players are thinking or using any strategies, just "kicking a ball for luck," as it seems to us, makes us turn our heads. Nick
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This is another issue (just like the metric system) where all the people of the world of all nations and all races and all ethnicities and all cultures are united and right....and america is wrong. #1 most watched, most skilled, most richest, most creative, most diverse, most respected, most important sport on the planet. And there is nothing the yank haters can do about it.
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This I realize. Since they wouldn't have sold it out in the USA, it probably would have been black out anyways.
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The reason that the stadium was so loud was because the game was played in El Salvador. If it had been played in the US it would have been much quieter.
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I apologize. I should not have lumped South America in with North America. In my defense of the "franchise concept" you speak of, it is not like teams move 4, 5, 6 times. It's a one and done deal. I'm 27, and none of my "franchises" have ever moved to another city since I've been alive. I understand the game of soccer, just not why people like it so much. It's like pulling teeth, do you enjoy that?
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North Americans and you don't understand futbol as the rest of the world and me don't understand the "franchise" concept... how can be loyal to a team when it moves to other city?