A non-soccer fan's point of view...

[slamminshaun]

Ok, so I grew up on American sports like football, baseball, basketball, and spin the bottle...but I'm trying to give soccer a chance. But here's the way it looks to me each time I watch a game. First, it's a low-scoring game, making it boring as all hell. Second, where did they find all these pussies to play? I mean, somebody trips on their own shoelaces and they act like they just broke both legs over it, and then they get taken off field by a stretcher. Third, it seems like the whole game revolves around red cards, yellow cards, referrees getting reviewed, players faking that their hurt, and FIFA rules. In between all of that crap I guess there's actually a sport being played, but I don't see it in between all the hoopla. What am I missing?

[ddg]

slamminator..did you play soccer when you were younger....the reason soccer is so popular everywhere in the world, its because its not a sport that requires lots of money to play..you c people playing soccer in the slums in south america and all over the world bc all you need is some peeps, a makeshift field and goals and any kind of ball...you dont c the poor playing tennis, golf, etc....yes, it is a low scoring game, more about skill and strategy.....and yes, sometimes players fake falls, but shit kid, if you got tackled like some of them or got elbowed straight to the face, youd be in pain too....let me slide into your ankle at full speed with cleats on and c if your in pain...its hard to explain to an american who doesnt understand it...

[HouseJunkie]

Possibly the only sport that can cost you and your family their lives.

[V. Barbarino]

SS,dead on right, i'm not a fan of the sport at all, but I did play at the highest levels of traveling teams for the better part of ten years...

I see very little in terms of talent out there when compared to football, golf, baseball, basketball and hockey... The whole acting hurt thing is so gay, so lame and the ties and 1 zip games and the no shots on goal and bla bla bla...

The world may like soccer, but here in the US it will never catch on, EVER!

Now, what the fuck was the Mick doing hitting his tee shot off the corp tent to loose the Open???

[web_norah]

Originally Posted by ddg

slamminator..did you play soccer when you were younger....the reason soccer is so popular everywhere in the world, its because its not a sport that requires lots of money to play..you c people playing soccer in the slums in south america and all over the world bc all you need is some peeps, a makeshift field and goals and any kind of ball...you dont c the poor playing tennis, golf, etc....yes, it is a low scoring game, more about skill and strategy.....and yes, sometimes players fake falls, but shit kid, if you got tackled like some of them or got elbowed straight to the face, youd be in pain too....let me slide into your ankle at full speed with cleats on and c if your in pain...its hard to explain to an american who doesnt understand it...

awesome reply.

ignorance is bliss sometimes.

[swirlundergrounder]

You know I played soccer on a team when I was a kid. But I found it harder to watch as an adult.

To tell you the truth, this is the first year that I watched a full match of the World Cup and I've grown to like it somewhat.

I think that my love of baseball has helped me understand and be more paitent with soccer. True Soccer is a low scoring game but there is also a lot of tension invovled in it. And I'm a sports fan that appreciates tension.

In baseball when something happens it's usually reall y a crazy event and these events are never the same. You can also say the same for soccer. That's my prespective of it..

Plus like someone said above all you need to play soccer is a ball. You can even play soccer with a basketball, volleyball or even a beach ball...Prop up some garbage cans for a goal and you're good to go..

[pod]

You can outfit a soccer team for ten bucks.

[240turbo]

Originally Posted by Slammin'

Ok, so I grew up on American sports like football, baseball, basketball, and spin the bottle...but I'm trying to give soccer a chance. But here's the way it looks to me each time I watch a game. First, it's a low-scoring game, making it boring as all hell. Second, where did they find all these pussies to play? I mean, somebody trips on their own shoelaces and they act like they just broke both legs over it, and then they get taken off field by a stretcher. Third, it seems like the whole game revolves around red cards, yellow cards, referrees getting reviewed, players faking that their hurt, and FIFA rules. In between all of that crap I guess there's actually a sport being played, but I don't see it in between all the hoopla. What am I missing?

Personally, I find soccer to be is pure action for 90 minutes straight. You have to understand the game and its intricacies to really appreciate it. Saleen, you were either a bench warmer or you have no dribbling skills whatsoever. If you did, you would understand what kind or rush it is to challenge somebody one on one while sprinting at full speed and following the strategy implemented by the coach. It's not only about the goals, but all the action, technique and strategy involved leading to the goal. How one team's defense deals with the other's offense. Every continent in general has a different style of play. South American soccer tends to be all about fancy footwork (I.e Brazil, Argentina) and European teams tend to be very structured and technical( Germany, Netherlands). Seeing different styles clash is what makes the World cup so exciting. As far as the scoring goes, the only reason it's a low scoring game is because each goal counts for one point and in Football (handball), each touchdown counts for 7, duh!!! Which means a soccer game which ends with a score of 4-2 is equivalent to a football game that ended 28-14. not rocket science. For those who are mathematically challenged I just multiplied the goals by 7.

[V. Barbarino]

I was good, real good, but played mostly defense, but I understand the game very well and it's truely borning to watch.. The players are mere amatures compared to the likes of Wade or TO... As for different styles who cares if all the styles are boring???

It's like watching paint dry. Every world cup, the soccer geeks come out of hiding to pronouce it as a great game and every world cup, the vast majority of people in the US don't even tune it. The soccer geeks want to feel special like they are part of some special minority when in reality, they all rather be watching the fish vs the jets...

[Cosmigonon]

Originally Posted by Slammin'

First, it's a low-scoring game, making it boring as all hell.

[quote author=*<:!...otnisaJ yerrTTerry Jasinto...!:>* link=board=6;threadid=29245;start=0#msg337765 date=1150686013]
True Soccer is a low scoring game but there is also a lot of tension invovled in it. And I'm a sports fan that appreciates tension.

[/quote]

thank you. I've had this discussion before, like eliminating the off- side rule, it would increase the scoring, but then that would make scoring a goal less dramatic. That's why it is such an orgasm when your team scores a goal, because it is just so damn hard to do it!!! Otherwise, it would just turn into basketball, and that would be very boring.

[quote author=Slammin' Shaun link=board=6;threadid=29245;start=0#msg337736 date=1150678023]
Second, where did they find all these pussies to play? I mean, somebody trips on their own shoelaces and they act like they just broke both legs over it, and then they get taken off field by a stretcher. [/quote]

The players suffering a lot over any foul? That's part of the game, every game has its idiosyncrasies. Like in baseball, when the referee makes a call, ant eh manager doesn't like it and goes up to him and starts yelling at him and stuff?? What for? Is the referre gonna get scared and reverse his call? No, but that's just the way it's always been and it will always be like that.

[quote author=Slammin' Shaun link=board=6;threadid=29245;start=0#msg337736 date=1150678023]
Third, it seems like the whole game revolves around red cards, yellow cards, referrees getting reviewed, players faking that their hurt, and FIFA rules.
[/quote]

Every sport has rules. If you don't understand, it just won't make any sense. To a lot of non-americans, NFL footbal doesn't make any sense, a lot of weird calls, the stop-and-go action, time-outs, flags thrown on the ground, like 651384651 referees, see where I'm getting?

[quote author=Slammin' Shaun link=board=6;threadid=29245;start=0#msg337736 date=1150678023]
In between all of that crap I guess there's actually a sport being played, but I don't see it in between all the hoopla. What am I missing?
[/quote]

You just have to open your mind. If the low scoring turns you off, it is probably an american thing. the rest of the world has never had a problem with that, but americans do. So I guess Saleen is right, soccer will probably never catch on in the US, which is fine. You can keep your sports, we'll keep soccer...