Soccer's growing popularity in America (yes, political thread).

[Dos Equis]

Yeah.  Nothing beats the real game of football.    I'd rather watch paint dry than sit through a soccer match that ends 1-0. 

[Nordic Superman]

Oh so you equate a great sport with high scoring games? The rest of the world disagrees with you.

[Dos Equis]

Oh so you equate a great sport with high scoring games? The rest of the world disagrees with you.

Partly, yes.  Are you going to tell me the most exciting part of a soccer match is not when they score?  Scoring is the most exciting part of pretty much any sport. 

But there are other things involved.  Football players are also better athletes.  It's a much harder game.  Much more strategy involved.  It's far more entertaining, etc.   

But I do remember a funny quote by someone (George Will?), who said football combines two of the worst aspects of our society:  violence and committee meetings.   

[MB_722]

Partly, yes.  Are you going to tell me the most exciting part of a soccer match is not when they score?  Scoring is the most exciting part of pretty much any sport. 

Sure scoring is always exciting. To get from one end of the pitch to the other all players working together is a beautiful thing to watch. you have to develop an appreciation for it.

[Fury]

Piss off! If they didn't let other teams win once in awhile they wouldn't want to play anymore.

Aren't you a Ravens fan by rights?

Haha, Ravens. Oh man. How dare you. How dare you!

G-Men born and bred, baby!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO. GMENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One nation, under Eli Manning, with Super Bowls and bitches for all!

[Dos Equis]

Sure scoring is always exciting. To get from one end of the pitch to the other all players working together is a beautiful thing to watch. you have to develop an appreciation for it.

I hear you.  I actually like playing it, but I play softball every week and I'd never watch a softball game on TV either.  I just have a hard time seeing myself watching guys run up and down the field for over an hour with very little, if any, scoring.   

[MB_722]

I hear you.  I actually like playing it, but I play softball every week and I'd never watch a softball game on TV either.  I just have a hard time seeing myself watching guys run up and down the field for over an hour with very little, if any, scoring.   

I have a hard time watching to unless I have some vested interest. If I know the people playing (local game), ancestors country ... cheer for them in world/euro cup or if I bet on it (league game) and I always watch the big tourneys cause they only happen every four years. Ohter than that I can't be bothered cause there is so many other things to do. ... I wouldn't say I'm hardcore but I'll defend soccer cause it's one of the greatest sports in the world.

[Dos Equis]

I have a hard time watching to unless I have some vested interest. If I know the people playing (local game), ancestors country ... cheer for them in world/euro cup or if I bet on it (league game) and I always watch the big tourneys cause they only happen every four years. Ohter than that I can't be bothered cause there is so many other things to do. ... I wouldn't say I'm hardcore but I'll defend soccer cause it's one of the greatest sports in the world.

That's sort of like me and golf/tennis.  I'll watch golf only when Tiger is playing and tennis only when the Williams sisters are on, or an American is playing in a grand slam final. 

[Hereford]

Haha, Ravens. Oh man. How dare you. How dare you!

G-Men born and bred, baby!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOO. GMENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN NNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One nation, under Eli Manning, with Super Bowls and bitches for all!

Green Bay? Or the Giants?

Do they still have a team up in Wisconsin? 

[Nordic Superman]

Partly, yes.  Are you going to tell me the most exciting part of a soccer match is not when they score?  Scoring is the most exciting part of pretty much any sport. 

But there are other things involved.  Football players are also better athletes.  It's a much harder game.  Much more strategy involved.  It's far more entertaining, etc.   

But I do remember a funny quote by someone (George Will?), who said football combines two of the worst aspects of our society:  violence and committee meetings.   

No it's not the most important thing. Clearly you don't understand real football. There is a flow and an art to real football. Your issues with it come from some kind of phantom position of superiority; you believe your athletes are better and American football is more tactical. Wrong on both accounts. Sure a European footballer would get crippled in the NFL; but an American footballer would fair equally as bad in a footy game. As for tactics, there are probably more variables in American football, which is also part of its ugliness IMO.

Real football is the most competitive sport on Earth. You guys play yourselves and deem it a "World" series... when you get other countries involved with several hundred million more supports get back to me regarding that point. Oh and as for entertaining; that's in the eye of the beholder - but to be frank I don't like advertisements much.

[Hedgehog]

No it's not the most important thing. Clearly you don't understand real football. There is a flow and an art to real football. Your issues with it come from some kind of phantom position of superiority; you believe your athletes are better and American football is more tactical. Wrong on both accounts. Sure a European footballer would get crippled in the NFL; but an American footballer would fair equally as bad in a footy game. As for tactics, there are probably more variables in American football, which is also part of its ugliness IMO.

Real football is the most competitive sport on Earth. You guys play yourselves and deem it a "World" series... when you get other countries involved with several hundred million more supports get back to me regarding that point. Oh and as for entertaining; that's in the eye of the beholder - but to be frank I don't like advertisements much.

About the "World Series" thing - ever noticed that the NBA kinda started to downplay the whole "World Champs" part of winning the NBA championships after USA got their asses kicked in a few World champs?

[Nordic Superman]

About the "World Series" thing - ever noticed that the NBA kinda started to downplay the whole "World Champs" part of winning the NBA championships after USA got their asses kicked in a few World champs?

That's the mentality I'm talking about.

What annoys me is the effort the US "soccer" lads put in in the Confederations Cup, one of them was passionate enough to cry having lost to Brazil - yet the American populace is too ignorant, arrogant and brainwashed to understand the aspects of a real football match. The obsession with high scoring games just boggles my mind... it's a juvenile argument. Some of the best games have been draws or 1 - 0 wins... more often than not watching Chelsea or Manchester United batter some lesser team 5 - 0 is an utterly unrewarding experience.

[Hereford]

I love it when euros get all butt-hurt about soccer.

Soccer sucks... but I guess you guys have got to have something, eh?

[Nordic Superman]

I love it when euros get all butt-hurt about soccer.

Soccer sucks... but I guess you guys have got to have something, eh?

We have everything.

[Dos Equis]

No it's not the most important thing. Clearly you don't understand real football. There is a flow and an art to real football. Your issues with it come from some kind of phantom position of superiority; you believe your athletes are better and American football is more tactical. Wrong on both accounts. Sure a European footballer would get crippled in the NFL; but an American footballer would fair equally as bad in a footy game. As for tactics, there are probably more variables in American football, which is also part of its ugliness IMO.

Real football is the most competitive sport on Earth. You guys play yourselves and deem it a "World" series... when you get other countries involved with several hundred million more supports get back to me regarding that point. Oh and as for entertaining; that's in the eye of the beholder - but to be frank I don't like advertisements much.

I've watched and played both real football and soccer.  Night and day.  There is skill and athleticism involved in soccer, but not nearly to the same degree as real football.  Skill position football players in real football combine speed, quickness, agility, strength, strategy, and smarts.  Have you ever seen a playbook?  Do you know how many plays and formations a real football player has to learn?  Do you know much time players spend watching film, preparing game plans, and practicing?    

There are good athletes who play soccer worldwide, and it’s a fun sport to play, but we just don't care enough about soccer in this country to push our best athletes into the sport.  If we did, we'd dominate soccer the way we dominate football and basketball.  

Also, we don't kill our football players when they lose games and don't trample each other to death at stadiums.  

[2ND COMING]

to say soccer players are better athletes than football players is pure tomfoolery at its finest

[Nordic Superman]

I've watched and played both real football and soccer.  Night and day.  There is skill and athleticism involved in soccer, but not nearly to the same degree as real football.  Skill position football players in real football combine speed, quickness, agility, strength, strategy, and smarts.  Have you ever seen a playbook?  Do you know how many plays and formations a real football player has to learn?  Do you know much time players spend watching film, preparing game plans, and practicing?    

There are good athletes who play soccer worldwide, and it’s a fun sport to play, but we just don't care enough about soccer in this country to push our best athletes into the sport.  If we did, we'd dominate soccer the way we dominate football and basketball.  

Also, we don't kill our football players when they lose games and don't trample each other to death at stadiums.  

Just for clarification, real football = soccer. NFL isn't real football, historically or factually.

Real football is dynamic, not scripted like NFL. Do you honestly know how much effort the players put into tactics in real football, and how obsessive the managers are about tactics, or are you working on assumption?

The athlete issue is a null point I'm afraid, I've debunked that - and there is no rebuttal.

Apparently you don't dominate basketball; http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/even/rank/rankMen.asp as for "soccer", no matter how much money you throw at it no country will ever "dominate".

As for NFL, no other nation obviously cares enough to participate.

to say soccer players are better athletes than football players is pure tomfoolery at its finest

They're better at what they do, as are NFL athletes, is that concept beyond your intelligence?

[ToxicAvenger]

hey man, i am really am a bleeding heart liberal... but i hate that i see kids playing soccer these days, and never baseball.  they're all brown and fat too.  baseball yes, kicking ball back and forth for hours no.

Cricket too a shit and baseball ws born...
just like snooker took a dump and pool  ws born

[Dos Equis]

Just for clarification, real football = soccer. NFL isn't real football, historically or factually.

Real football is dynamic, not scripted like NFL. Do you honestly know how much effort the players put into tactics in real football, and how obsessive the managers are about tactics, or are you working on assumption?

The athlete issue is a null point I'm afraid, I've debunked that - and there is no rebuttal.

Apparently you don't dominate basketball; http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/even/rank/rankMen.asp as for "soccer", no matter how much money you throw at it no country will ever "dominate".

As for NFL, no other nation obviously cares enough to participate.

They're better at what they do, as are NFL athletes, is that concept beyond your intelligence?

Real football is the kind played in the United States, with an oval ball.  

I didn't say there were no strategy or tactics involved in soccer.  I'm sure there are.  Just like there is strategy and skill involved in ping pong.  I was talking about degree.  Really no comparison.  

But I will give you this:  soccer managers and players have more pressure to win, because their lives may depend on it.  NFL players don't have to worry about getting their knee caps busted or getting killed if they lose.  

You didn't debunk anything about the athleticism involved in both sports.  What you offered was an opinion and I provided a contrary opinion.  

FIBA?  Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!  Do you even know who won the gold medal at last year's Olympics?  Do you know who the best basketball players in the world are?  

As for the NFL, no other country can participate because they don't have the athletes.  The greatest football players in the world are in the United States.  The good/great football players who don't live in the U.S. (e.g., the handful that come from American Samoa, Australia, etc.) come to the U.S. to play real football.    

[2ND COMING]

The athlete issue is a null point I'm afraid, I've debunked that - and there is no rebuttal.

Lol

They're better at what they do, as are NFL athletes, is that concept beyond your intelligence?

Lol

[Nordic Superman]

I don't know what level of athletes perform in IFAF world football, but USA aren't ranked 1st, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IFAF_World_Cup

Baseball (an English creation) also isn't dominated by the USA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_World_Cup

 

Cricket too a shit and baseball ws born...
just like snooker took a dump and pool  ws born

Elequence is lost on here I think mate. P.S. congrats in the Twenty20 you twat!

Real football is the kind played in the United States, with an oval ball.  

I didn't say there was no strategy or tactics involved in soccer.  I'm sure there this.  Just like there is strategy and skill involved in ping pong.  I was talking about degree.  Really no comparison.  

But I will give you this:  soccer managers and players have more pressure to win, because their lives may depend on it.  NFL players don't have to worry about getting their knee caps busted or getting killed if they lose.  

You didn't debunk anything about the athleticism involved in both sports.  What you offered was an opinion and I provided a contrary opinion.  

FIBA?  Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!  Do you even know who won the gold medal at last year's Olympics?  Do you know who the best basketball players in the world are?  

As for the NFL, no other country can participate because they don't have the athletes.  The greatest football players in the world are in the United States.  The good/great football players who don't live in the U.S. (e.g., the handful that come from American Samoa, Australia, etc.) come to the U.S. to play real football.    

It's not opinion tho is it? How can it be, the two sports are mutually exclusive, two athletes taking from the best NFL team and the best football team are at the highest level. I assume you thinking on the lines of: an NFL forward could beat up a footy player so the NFL player is better?!

Well, in the same breath, America... CAN'T participate, because you don't have the athletes.

Lol

Lol

Obviously I'm out of my depth fighting the good fight as a sole warrior against American's; but honestly, you can't grasp the concept, for you to disagree has no say in the truthfulness of my assertion.

[2ND COMING]

Obviously I'm out of my depth fighting the good fight as a sole warrior against American's; but honestly, you can't grasp the concept, for you to disagree has no say in the truthfulness of my assertion.

 Out of your depth? aww shut up.

you and bb are the only ones here debating

Lol at you injecting baseball and telling us we suck at it.

you sound like samson

[Dos Equis]

It's not opinion tho is it? How can it be, the two sports are mutually exclusive, two athletes taking from the best NFL team and the best football team are at the highest level. I assume you thinking on the lines of: an NFL forward could beat up a footy player so the NFL player is better?!

Well, in the same breath, America... CAN'T participate, because you don't have the athletes.

Yes, this is all a matter of opinion.  No, I'm not talking about beating anyone up.  That's probably the soccer mentality, where losing could cost you your life.    

I'm talking about speed, quickness, agility, strength, strategy, and intelligence.  You need both to play football and soccer.  What we're talking about is degree.  

America sucks at soccer internationally because our best athletes don't play soccer.  If athletes like Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, Adrian Peterson, LeBron James, Kobe, Chris Paul, Vernon Davis, Michael Vick, Randy Moss, and other athletic freaks devoted themselves to soccer instead of football they would run circles around international players.    
 

[Nordic Superman]

Out of your depth? aww shut up.

you and bb are the only ones here debating

Lol at you injecting baseball and telling us we suck at it.

you sound like samson

I never said you suck at it, infact you're pretty damn good - but you don't dominate - unless domination means something different in Americanese?

Please don't liken me to that moron, it greatly offends me!

Yes, this is all a matter of opinion.  No, I'm not talking beating anyone up.  That's probably the soccer mentality, where losing could cost your life.    

I'm talking about speed, quickness, agility, strength, strategy, and intelligence.  You need both to play football and soccer.  What we're talking about is degree.  

America sucks at soccer internationally because our best athletes don't play soccer.  If athletes like Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Jerry Rice, Adrian Peterson, LeBron James, Kobe, Chris Paul, Vernon Davis, Michael Vick, Randy Moss, and other athletic freaks devoted themselves to soccer instead of football they would run circles around international players.

Are you applying logic to your statement regarding deaths? Are you sure they aren't a result of the social problems of the said country involved? Never happened in Europe I don't think.

No they wouldn't ha ha, that's a great leap and poor logic. Do you not realise the required physical attributes are different, a different type of underlying physique is required. That's what footballers look like they do.

Kobe playing real football would run circles round Ronaldo or Kaka? HAHAHAHA!!! Your soccer lad Donovan would RAPE Kobe no matter how young Kobe started training for soccer (saying he was cloned or something).

[2ND COMING]

I never said you suck at it, infact you're pretty damn good - but you don't dominate - unless domination means something different in Americanese?

you do realize our best players dont participate in the world cup right?