World Cup Soccer........Boring as H*ll

#226
#226
NochNoch said:
I always hear non soccer fans complain about soccer fans taking an elitist attitude towards those that criticize the sport but I never actually see it happen. Look at the arguments that have taken place in here, most have been debating a lack of knowledge of the rules leading to a lack of understanding in strategy and appreciation for things in the game other than a goal.

I haven't read every post but I haven't seen much elitism thrown around.
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how is it not elitism to argue that people don't like something because they don't understand it? you don't find that condesending?
 
#227
#227
droski said:
how is it not elitism to argue that people don't like something because they don't understand it? you don't find that condesending?
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the suggestion that soccer needs a blue line similar to hockey tells me that someone doesn't understand the game. I am usually hesitant to use that but it fit in that instance.

I have no problem with people not liking the sport but people making crazy suggestions to make it more likable in the US kinda bugs me.
 
#228
#228
utvolpj said:
the suggestion that soccer needs a blue line similar to hockey tells me that someone doesn't understand the game. I am usually hesitant to use that but it fit in that instance.

I have no problem with people not liking the sport but people making crazy suggestions to make it more likable in the US kinda bugs me.
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i'm sure some people don't understand it, but frankly it's not as complicated as football (as an example). for instance i don't think you have to understand basketball very much to enjoy it. maybe to LOVE it, but certainly not to enjoy it.
 
#229
#229
droski said:
much of america grows up playing soccer. so how are we close minded about soccer?.
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much of america may, in fact, play it growing up. but football, baseball, and basketball are still the big 3 in the country and it reflects back on the people. soccer is not held in the same light as the other major sports here......nowhere even close.

droski said:
i've tried to watch many a soccer match and i find it extremely boring. i understand the rules (i coached soccer at the HS level as a volunteer for a couple of years). Football and basketball are vastly more entertaining IMO.
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that's fine. i'm just saying that there's a good chunk of the population that puts down soccer when they don't even know the rules or anything about the game in the first place. that's different from the opinion of a person who has actually tried to sit down and watch a match.

droski said:
you can feel free to disagree, but don't tell me I don't like it because i can't understand it or am close minded.
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i didn't

droski said:
adn the rest of the world is not more open to new things any more than the americans are.
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once again, i never said that they were. i thought my previous post reflected how i felt about that..
 
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#230
#230
duckman398686 said:
it's like i said a few days ago, this type of attitude about "outsider sports" exists all over the place. people just naturally tend to be less open to sports that aren't marketed to them as much in their home country. europe and the rest of the world's outlook about our country's sports is just as bad as america's opinion of soccer.
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We have a winner!
 
#231
#231
duckman398686 said:
muich of america may, in fact, play it growing up. but football, baseball, and basketball are still the big 3 in the country and it reflects back on the people. soccer is not held in the same light as the other major sports here......nowhere even close.

that's fine. i'm just saying that there's a good chunk of the population that puts down soccer when they don't even know the rules or anything about the game in the first place. that's different from the opinion of a person who has actually tried to sit down and watch a match.
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my point is that if kids play it why hasn't it translated to them being fans later in life? Could it be that as a SPECTATOR the other sports are just more entertaining?

a good chunk of the population is watching this world cup. i don't think we are as close minded as you think we are.
 
#233
#233
i enjoy playing curling (particurally if it includes alcohol). i thought it was pretty boring to watch. similar to bowling.
 
#234
#234
droski said:
my point is that if kids play it why hasn't it translated to them being fans later in life? Could it be that as a SPECTATOR the other sports are just more entertaining?
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it's not marketed as a spectator sport as much as others here which is a big reason why it hasn't caught on in America IMO.


droski said:
a good chunk of the population is watching this world cup. i don't think we are as close minded as you think we are.
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not everyone is. but there is still a good chunk of the population that will put down soccer when they don't know anything about it.....and that is being close minded
 
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#235
#235
duckman398686 said:
it's not marketed as a spectator sport as much as others which is a big reason why it hasn't caught on here IMO.




not everyone is.....but there is still a good chunk of the population that will put down soccer when they don't even know anything abou it.....and that is being close minded
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i agree that exposure is certainly a big part of it. i'm sure now that people can watch it on cable it will grow a bigger following. i still dont' expect it to ever become hugely popular and my belief is that it's the game that is hte problem.

i disagree here. maybe a certain %, but most people have kids who play soccer or have played it themselves or at least have watched a game during this extremely dry period in sports.
 
#236
#236
droski said:
my point is that if kids play it why hasn't it translated to them being fans later in life? Could it be that as a SPECTATOR the other sports are just more entertaining?

a good chunk of the population is watching this world cup. i don't think we are as close minded as you think we are.
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Why? A lot of it has to do with kids in high school and middle school that play football and basketball making fun of soccer and soccer players. I know quite a few people that loved playing it growing up - that now make fun of it as well because of that reason.. they later joined the football team and so forth..

On my soccer team in high school - there were 3 football players who played on the JV soccer team just in spite of the game because they thought it was funny and they would "beast" it up. They of course were terrible - but it was entertaining to say the least to way our starting center truck over several players.
 
#238
#238
Bassmanbruno said:
Why? A lot of it has to do with kids in high school and middle school that play football and basketball making fun of soccer and soccer players. I know quite a few people that loved playing it growing up - that now make fun of it as well because of that reason.. they later joined the football team and so forth..

On my soccer team in high school - there were 3 football players who played on the JV soccer team just in spite of the game because they thought it was funny and they would "beast" it up. They of course were terrible - but it was entertaining to say the least to way our starting center truck over several players.
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growing up in southern california i guess i just never experienced this. hell i would have been happy to be good at any sport.
 
#239
#239
droski said:
i agree that exposure is certainly a big part of it. i'm sure now that people can watch it on cable it will grow a bigger following. i still dont' expect it to ever become hugely popular and my belief is that it's the game that is hte problem.

i disagree here. maybe a certain %, but most people have kids who play soccer or have played it themselves or at least have watched a game during this extremely dry period in sports.
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that certain % still makes up a fairly sizeable chunk of the population.

and i also don't see how the game is the problem when it's so popular everywhere else. if anything, the problem is lack of exposure in our country and some people's unwillingess to at least give the game a chance......which isn't that likely to happen if the game isn't being marketed like the other major sports here are.
 
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#240
#240
duckman398686 said:
and i also don't see how you can say the game is the problem when it's so popular everywhere else.
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the rest of the world likes a lot of things that we think suck (and i agree suck). that isn't a basis for an argument. when i was in france last time the #1 song in europe was a techno remix of madona's like a prayer. that doesn't mean it was one of the greatest songs created by humans in our lifetime.
 
#241
#241
droski said:
the rest of the world likes a lot of things that we think suck (and i agree suck). that isn't a basis for an argument. when i was in france last time the #1 song in europe was a techno remix of madona's like a prayer. that doesn't mean it was one of the greatest songs created by humans in our lifetime.
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that's fine. i'm not at all saying that just because the rest of the world like's it, we should also. but if we would have been exposed to it like other countries have been and actually grown up with it, then it's probably big here just like it is everywhere else. it all goes back to the culture again.
 
#242
#242
I think one of the reasons that many Americans can't really latch onto soccer as a spectator sport is the lack of access we have to the game at a truly world class level. I imagine whatever momentum this world cup builds will be largely sqandered due to lack of exposure to the game at its highest level. It'll build up again in 4 years when the WC rolls around. I'm sure ESPN will try to jam the MLS down everyones throat, but as an avid soccer fan, I can hardly stand to watch the MLS, the quality of play simply isn't there. Sure, ESPN will throw an EPL or Champions league game on from time to time, but a huge part of investing in a sport is being able to invest in a team. Even the top teams, Barca, Man U, Chelsea, etc will only appear on US tv 5-10 times max in a given season, so it makes it difficult for newcomers to choose, much less truly support, any European club. WC is easy to sell to the masses of casual fans because the selling point is country X vs. country Y.
 
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#243
#243
All people have to do is get access to Fox Soccer Channel, Goltv and Setanta Sports. That isn't that hard at all. Those channels, coupled with ESPN3, allowed me to watch every single Barcelona game this year.
 
#244
#244
volball625 said:
All people have to do is get access to Fox Soccer Channel, Goltv and Setanta Sports. That isn't that hard at all. Those channels, coupled with ESPN3, allowed me to watch every single Barcelona game this year.
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Another reason I don't like Barca. I'm jealous of all their fans because they get to see them play pretty much all the time. The EPL needs to get on the ball and get their games on ESPN 3. That would be awesome. Is there anyway with a dish that Americans can subscribe to Sky Sports? They have the rights to the bulk of the EPL matches, plus, unlike FSC and Goltv, the matches are all in HD.
 
#245
#245
Also, kudos to Directv this past season. They went into beast mode with Champions and Europa League. Even in the early stages, almost all the matches were available on some UEFA channel that they added, including a mix channel where you could watch 6 or 8 matches simultaneously.
 
#246
#246
I wish I had directv. Comcast isn't bad and it allows me to basically see all of Barcelona's games. And with ESPN3 being able to stream through XBOX 360, i can watch the games on my TV rather than on my computer.
 
#247
#247
I wish I could get into more of the league play - but I can't - but I love the aspect of international play and players playing for their country and national pride. It's just so cool to see juggernauts like England and Germany going at it. Just loses a lot of its steam for me when they go back to their respective leagues and Americans go to play in Euro leagues.. as well as Africans and Asians.. etc..

I'm sure it'd be different if I lived in Europe - because I sure don't have an issue with cheering on NBA teams that have rosters made up of several nations.. since the best product is played in the USA for football and basketball.
 
#249
#249
Bassmanbruno said:
I wish I could get into more of the league play - but I can't - but I love the aspect of international play and players playing for their country and national pride. It's just so cool to see juggernauts like England and Germany going at it. Just loses a lot of its steam for me when they go back to their respective leagues and Americans go to play in Euro leagues.. as well as Africans and Asians.. etc..

I'm sure it'd be different if I lived in Europe - because I sure don't have an issue with cheering on NBA teams that have rosters made up of several nations.. since the best product is played in the USA for football and basketball.
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One thing that is better for club play is that the teams are better and play well together because they are so familiar with each other. I would take the starting Barcelona squad against any team in the World Cup.
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#250
#250
Well I still enjoy the passion in CFB way more than NFL football even though they're better - so I'm not too upset by the fact I could be watching teams play more efficiently and better overall - and probably more talent on the field.
 
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