bjorn_skurj Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Pele played in NY. People still don't care about soccer here.I loved teh Cosmos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 she never smiles. Wrong. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Oh, so that's why you never see her smiling. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spawn's dad Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I loved teh Cosmos. i think you're making my point for me. how many games did you go to, and how many did you go to this year. a short term phenomenon doesn't translate into the zeitgeist necessary for a sport to inhabit the psyche of a culture. we're simply not geared towards sporting events we didn't create or were pivotal in popularizing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Oh, so that's why you never see her smiling. I did have to sort through like 1,200 photo's to find one where she smiles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redeyedandblue Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 We've been hearing the argument about how many kids growing up now are playing soccer and they'll change the perception in this country for over 20 years now. Yes, it is the most paricipated in sport in the country for children but that's because it doesn't take any athletic ability to stand around for an hour and then maybe chase the ball when it comes near you. Now before you flame me, hear me out. I'm not saying that soccer is easy. It's not. It's very difficult to become good at soccer, but it is the easiest sport to get children who are not athletically gifted, involved in playing. Gets them out in the fresh air and gets them some excercise. The best athletes in this country are never going to play soccer. They will continue to play the sports that were invented in this country (baseball, hoops, American football), and those sports are played using hand-eye coordination, not foot-eye coordination. Also...soccer is really boring. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Also...soccer is really boring. I was with you up until that. If soccer's so boring, why is it the world's most popular sport? Personally, there's nothing I'd rather watch. I take time off work during the World Cup. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I played soccer as a kid and didn't care about professional soccer until a year ago. I watched a few World Cup games and learned to understand the flow, the timing, the strategies. It was eye-opening. All it takes is watching a few games beginning to end to realize that soccer is not boring at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
burns3 Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 We've been hearing the argument about how many kids growing up now are playing soccer and they'll change the perception in this country for over 20 years now. Yes, it is the most paricipated in sport in the country for children but that's because it doesn't take any athletic ability to stand around for an hour and then maybe chase the ball when it comes near you. Now before you flame me, hear me out. I'm not saying that soccer is easy. It's not. It's very difficult to become good at soccer, but it is the easiest sport to get children who are not athletically gifted, involved in playing. Gets them out in the fresh air and gets them some excercise. The best athletes in this country are never going to play soccer. They will continue to play the sports that were invented in this country (baseball, hoops, American football), and those sports are played using hand-eye coordination, not foot-eye coordination. Also...soccer is really boring. I'm with you on all of it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G_willy Posted January 11, 2007 Author Share Posted January 11, 2007 We've been hearing the argument about how many kids growing up now are playing soccer and they'll change the perception in this country for over 20 years now. Yes, it is the most paricipated in sport in the country for children but that's because it doesn't take any athletic ability to stand around for an hour and then maybe chase the ball when it comes near you. Now before you flame me, hear me out. I'm not saying that soccer is easy. It's not. It's very difficult to become good at soccer, but it is the easiest sport to get children who are not athletically gifted, involved in playing. Gets them out in the fresh air and gets them some excercise. The best athletes in this country are never going to play soccer. They will continue to play the sports that were invented in this country (baseball, hoops, American football), and those sports are played using hand-eye coordination, not foot-eye coordination. Also...soccer is really boring. I actually played baseball up until first grade... I hated standing in the outfield doing nothing all day. So I switched to soccer where I at least got to run around all day. Youd make a much better argument with a sport like baseball...or tennis...or golf... I always saw soccer as the sport that actually got kids to do something, not just sit around and do nothing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redeyedandblue Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I was with you up until that.If soccer's so boring, why is it the world's most popular sport? Personally, there's nothing I'd rather watch. I take time off work during the World Cup. I was kinda just kidding with that, hence the . Maybe I chose the wrong smilie. I enjoy the World Cup as well, but I think for me it has more to do with the fact that it does involve the whole world and contains so much human drama, national pride, etc.. The nature of boring is all about perception. For some reason, Americans do not equate soccer with "action", even though there is far more going on in a soccer game than in a baseball game at any given time. I also think that a lot of soccer's inherent popularity has to do with the economic nature of the sport. You need virtually no equipment other than a ball, and kids can make a ball out of anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redeyedandblue Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I actually played baseball up until first grade... I hated standing in the outfield doing nothing all day. So I switched to soccer where I at least got to run around all day. Youd make a much better argument with a sport like baseball...or tennis...or golf... I always saw soccer as the sport that actually got kids to do something, not just sit around and do nothing. Read above post regarding baseball, but tennis? Tennis players are extremely well conditioned. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 In ten years when this generation is going to be adults I can easily see soccer taking over hockey or basketball as a pasttime sport to watch. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 People are into hockey? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 People are into hockey?I would venture to say there are more hockey fans in the U.S. than soccer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G_willy Posted January 11, 2007 Author Share Posted January 11, 2007 yea so are soccer players...but when your 6 years old swinging a racket, it doesn't involve that much running. Pretty much just to chase down the ball you whacked over the fence Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 I was with you up until that.If soccer's so boring, why is it the world's most popular sport? Personally, there's nothing I'd rather watch. I take time off work during the World Cup. Soccer is the world's most popular sport because all you need to play it is a ball and a (relatively) flat space, and you can play a meaningful, competitive game with a small number of players. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 i think you're making my point for me. how many games did you go to, and how many did you go to this year. a short term phenomenon doesn't translate into the zeitgeist necessary for a sport to inhabit the psyche of a culture. we're simply not geared towards sporting events we didn't create or were pivotal in popularizing.Zero and zero. MLS kinda blows. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spawn's dad Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 For some reason, Americans do not equate soccer with "action", even though there is far more going on in a soccer game than in a baseball game at any given time.Americans are all about the money shot. Soccer fans are capable of appreciating a 0-0 game, but most Americans want to see someone score, dammit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Call me when Jessica Alba is playing soccer in the ocean. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spawn's dad Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Americans are all about the money shot. Soccer fans are capable of appreciating a 0-0 game, but most Americans want to see someone score, dammit. plenty of people appreciate a 0-0 pitcher's duel, dammit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redeyedandblue Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Exactly. In all of my rambling, I forgot to mention the scoring (or lack thereof) aspect of soccer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 But how often does that happen? You're way more likely to see scoreless or low-scoring games in soccer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dreamin' Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 But how often does that happen? You're way more likely to see scoreless or low-scoring games in soccer.And that's why hockey isn't that popular in the US either. (Even though it has plenty of action.) Also, Americans prefer sports where they kick ass. If a US team won the World Cup all the time, soccer would be more popular there. The only sport I've ever been able to get excited about is hockey, but I stopped paying attention after Gretzky went to LA and the NHL changed the names of the conferences and divisions, etc. and tried to court a larger American audience. This is currently one of my favourite TV shows: Hockey: A People's History Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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