Soccer is ruining America

[Heads22]

Soccer's not a bad sport, but it's hardly interesting to watch. I mean, I love tennis, but unless it's a big match, I can't watch that either.

[ozzfest]

"Everyone knows that soccer is a foreign invasion, but few people know exactly what is wrong with that. More than having to do with its origin, soccer is a European sport because it is all about death and despair. Americans would never invent a sport where the better you get the less you score. Even the way most games end, in sudden death, suggests something of an old-fashioned duel. How could anyone enjoy a game where so much energy results in so little advantage, and which typically ends with a penalty kick out, as if it is the audience that needs to be put out of its misery. Shootouts are such an anticlimax to the game and are so unpredictable that the teams might as well flip a coin to see who wins—indeed, they might as well flip the coin before the game, and not play at all."

 

Actually sounds like you'd hate hockey also?

[mr_genius]

'Soccer is ruining America'

 

haha

[danman31]

I pray to God that Soccer never becomes famous in America. The exact opposite of this article would happen, and the USA would RUIN soccer. The MLS already tarnishes the sport because it's s*** level of play.

MLS can be argued as a bad thing for multiple reasons, but saying it tarnishes the sport because the level of play is bad is not the reason. Yes, the play is bad. But how does that tarnish soccer? I don't see how MLS tarnishes soccer more than the s*** Irish Premier League, for example. I don't see why a lack of top tier quality makes it tarnish the sport.

[DBAHO]

MLS can be argued as a bad thing for multiple reasons, but saying it tarnishes the sport because the level of play is bad is not the reason. Yes, the play is bad. But how does that tarnish soccer? I don't see how MLS tarnishes soccer more than the s*** Irish Premier League, for example. I don't see why a lack of top tier quality makes it tarnish the sport.

Realistically, the only way Soccer is going to grow in America is if 20 years from now there is enough talent in America for those players to stay home and not going to Europe.

 

I think they should also start up a Champions League type of competition with South America, and the winner of that plays the winner of the European Champions League.

[Middle Buffalo]

Soccer is a lot like my love life. Meandering and pointless with frequent flops and red flags every so often. Why would I ever want to watch this during my free time?

You're free to use your hands, though, unlike our soccer playing friends.

 

 

 

As for the topic, I'd much rather watch my kids play soccer than suffer through one of their baseball games. Soccer is a sport that most kids can have some degree of success in playing. Even if they're not kicking the ball, they can always just run along with the rest of the kids and it looks like they're doing something.

[danman31]

Realistically, the only way Soccer is going to grow in America is if 20 years from now there is enough talent in America for those players to stay home and not going to Europe.

 

I think they should also start up a Champions League type of competition with South America, and the winner of that plays the winner of the European Champions League.

I agree with the first part, but the 2nd needs a lot of change. They already have a CONCACAF Champions League and it runs during the MLS offseason so they aren't going to have any success. The Copa Libertadores isn't that far in, but if those games are going to have meaning good luck finding fans that will go to games in Chicago in late February/early March. On paper it's a good idea, but I don't think it will ever happen.

[DBAHO]

I agree with the first part, but the 2nd needs a lot of change. They already have a CONCACAF Champions League and it runs during the MLS offseason so they aren't going to have any success. The Copa Libertadores isn't that far in, but if those games are going to have meaning good luck finding fans that will go to games in Chicago in late February/early March. On paper it's a good idea, but I don't think it will ever happen.

They need to have it during the season then.

 

But soccer is really a winter sport, so they shouldn't have any issues playing right now.

 

I think they definitely need some sort of competition against the best South American Teams though.

 

Or at least a knockout cup or something with a lot of prizemoney.

[longshot7]

I watched a flag football game for 10-yr-olds this weekend and after that, I have to say I greatly disagree with the original author. As boring as I find soccer at times, I think it's very valuable for children to learn - both the teamwork and competition angles but also that it doesn't really stop like football and baseball does. With all the video games and such, I think it's great for kids to run around for a change.

[Soxbadger]

Realistically, the only way Soccer is going to grow in America is if 20 years from now there is enough talent in America for those players to stay home and not going to Europe.

 

I think they should also start up a Champions League type of competition with South America, and the winner of that plays the winner of the European Champions League.

 

I disagree.

 

The best way for US soccer to grow is to start making deals with South America for talent. If the US could start getting the top 18-19 year olds from Argentina, Brasil, Columbia etc to go to the US instead of Premier/La Liga/ Serie A etc, the league would improve drastically. Eventually the top Euro teams would start having to buy the best players from the US, and then the US can begin to further develop South America.

 

The advantage the US has is it that it can conceivably be part of a league with South America, whereby the South American countries could keep their talent and not have to sell it to Europe.

 

Even a "Premier League" with 8-10 US cities and 6 or so South American cities could really damage the European brand.

 

Imagine the North American league having: LA, NY, Chicago, Mexico City (etc)

 

The South American league having: Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio De Janiero.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

This is just an article written by someone who hates sports and wants to vent. Its laughable, and it didn't even deserve our time.

 

 

[farmteam]

I disagree.

 

The best way for US soccer to grow is to start making deals with South America for talent. If the US could start getting the top 18-19 year olds from Argentina, Brasil, Columbia etc to go to the US instead of Premier/La Liga/ Serie A etc, the league would improve drastically. Eventually the top Euro teams would start having to buy the best players from the US, and then the US can begin to further develop South America.

 

The advantage the US has is it that it can conceivably be part of a league with South America, whereby the South American countries could keep their talent and not have to sell it to Europe.

 

Even a "Premier League" with 8-10 US cities and 6 or so South American cities could really damage the European brand.

 

Imagine the North American league having: LA, NY, Chicago, Mexico City (etc)

 

The South American league having: Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio De Janiero.

 

That's somewhat intriguing, but I feel it's a bit far fetched, and the travel costs alone would be high.

 

[DBAHO]

I disagree.

 

The best way for US soccer to grow is to start making deals with South America for talent. If the US could start getting the top 18-19 year olds from Argentina, Brasil, Columbia etc to go to the US instead of Premier/La Liga/ Serie A etc, the league would improve drastically. Eventually the top Euro teams would start having to buy the best players from the US, and then the US can begin to further develop South America.

 

The advantage the US has is it that it can conceivably be part of a league with South America, whereby the South American countries could keep their talent and not have to sell it to Europe.

 

Even a "Premier League" with 8-10 US cities and 6 or so South American cities could really damage the European brand.

 

Imagine the North American league having: LA, NY, Chicago, Mexico City (etc)

 

The South American league having: Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio De Janiero.

If you're say Lionel Messi though as a 17 year old playing for River Plate and you have a choice playing for the NY Red Bulls or Barcelona, which club are you going to choose?

 

That's the problem.

 

And it doesn't help when a great prospect like Jozy Altidore is playing at Villareal now.

[Soxbadger]

If you're say Lionel Messi though as a 17 year old playing for River Plate and you have a choice playing for the NY Red Bulls or Barcelona, which club are you going to choose?

 

By getting Latin American countries involved in the league you could potentially create a posting style system where Messi could leave, but the European clubs would have to pay a ridiculous transfer fee.

 

Over night the league couldnt compete, but if over a 10 year period the league started to get chances at the best South American players, eventually the competition level would rise.

 

(Edit)

 

Or they could fund the established academys in South America and then try and get them to sign before they even go to clubs like Boca Juniors, etc. The key is the US money with the South American talent.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Soxbadger

[danman31]

Or they could fund the established academys in South America and then try and get them to sign before they even go to clubs like Boca Juniors, etc. The key is the US money with the South American talent.

Where is this money going to come from?

[witesoxfan]

Soccer is a lot like my love life. Meandering and pointless with frequent flops and red flags every so often.

 

[Soxbadger]

Well MLS has put millions into stars who are past their prime, they could easily use that money to build academies and sign young players.

 

This isnt going to happen over night, the US is going to have to completely change its sports model. US sports try to create an even playing field for all teams, they have drafts where the worst get first pick, they try to implement salary caps, etc.

 

International soccer on the other hand is about the haves and the have nots. All the MLS really needs is 2-3 elite teams and the rest will work itself out. The problem is that MLS is trying to keep it fair in the US, and I believe there are rules about how many million $ contracts can be given out etc.

 

MLS is trying to stop the formation of another "New York Cosmos" who can just outspend other teams.

[MexSoxFan#1]

While I'm no soccer fanatic,I've played with some decent players and its hard as hell,its a lot harder to control a ball with your feet than with your hands,it takes a lot of skill,that writer obviously never played soccer in his life... Although soccer is tedious to watch,you can pretty much say every team sport is boring...we all know what they say about baseball,football with its 5 seconds of action and a minute of big slobs picking themselves up an rumbling to the huddle and lining up,basketball with the endless scoring,it becomes repeatitive,only the last 2 minutes of the game are worth watching and hockey is just up and down,can't see the damn puck,toothless goons with funny names beating on each other,boring!!!

It's easy to denigrate a sport...

Edited March 26, 2009 by MexSoxFan#1

[MexSoxFan#1]

By getting Latin American countries involved in the league you could potentially create a posting style system where Messi could leave, but the European clubs would have to pay a ridiculous transfer fee.

 

Over night the league couldnt compete, but if over a 10 year period the league started to get chances at the best South American players, eventually the competition level would rise.

 

(Edit)

 

Or they could fund the established academys in South America and then try and get them to sign before they even go to clubs like Boca Juniors, etc. The key is the US money with the South American talent.

thats a tough sell,for Argentine,Brazilian,Uruguayan etc kids,there is the prestige of following in their idols foot steps,where Maradonna,Rivaldo,Batistuta,Zambrano,Forlan,Ronaldihno,Marquez gave their countrymen pride by leading Real Madrid,AC Milan,Liverpool,Inter,Barca and so on to league titles and interleague cups.

To play for those teams is what those kids dream their whole lives.

[Nokona]

Realistically, the only way Soccer is going to grow in America is if 20 years from now there is enough talent in America for those players to stay home and not going to Europe.

 

I think they should also start up a Champions League type of competition with South America, and the winner of that plays the winner of the European Champions League.

 

States already have a League set up with Central America, you can catch the games on FSC. They're usually of a higher quality than the MLS. The problem is that South America has a different governing body. We're in CONCACAF. They're in something else. Europe is in UEFA, etc.

[danman31]

States already have a League set up with Central America, you can catch the games on FSC. They're usually of a higher quality than the MLS. The problem is that South America has a different governing body. We're in CONCACAF. They're in something else. Europe is in UEFA, etc.

CONMEBOL

[SoxFan1]

CONMEBOL

And the USA shouldn't want to play those teams either. Continually going up against Argentina and Brazil will be a lot different than El Salvador and Canada.

[Nokona]

My Apologies! I liked it! Stop the emails!

 

Little did I know when I made fun of soccer in a widely disseminated blog, “How Soccer is Ruining America: A Jeremiad,” that I would have to do penance by watching an entire game. I told [Magnakai Haaskivi], the nice man who proposed this to me that my article was meant as a joke and that furthermore, I had never watched an entire soccer game, and he said that he could tell that from my article. Like a kindly priest, he thought this task would be good for my soul-or at least for my relationship with all the readers of my piece who sent me hundreds of angry emails. Perhaps now I would not need to change my email address.

 

My spoof was a parody of a typical angry white male diatribe (of which I have written several serious ones myself) as well as a satire on the whole idea of taking sports too seriously. Could soccer really ruin America when so few Americans even care about it? (I keep telling myself not to joke around in this article, but it’s not working.) I thought there were plenty of signals in my article about my true intentions, beginning with the overly serious subtitle: A Jeremiad (taken from the biblical Prophet Jeremiah, by the way). I threw in that big word as a red flag (or is it a yellow card?), but many people evidently thought I was being serious when I said that Jesus would have disapproved of soccer because he washed his disciples feet at the last supper or that soccer is a liberal invention because it enforces a uniform handicap on the players.

 

So as punishment for such obscure humor, here I sit, on a Thursday afternoon, with a cup of coffee, a stack of books by my computer (just in case), and a note on my door that reads, “I’m watching soccer. Please disturb me.” (Fortunately, my students have a better sense of humor than most soccer fans.)

 

You might wonder what I am doing watching soccer at work. Well, I don’t have cable TV at home, but it is also the case that professors are among the laziest workers in the American economy. But it isn’t their fault; it’s the tenure system. Once you get tenure, you are as untouchable as the Democratic mayors who control our most impoverished cities. Even if I were to be reported to my department chair or dean, however, I would just tell the truth. This is research! After all, I have a colleague who teaches video games, so just imagine what he does all day long.

 

Alright, on to the game, though I should say first of all that I did not know there was a professional soccer league in America, and I certainly did not know that games can draw such a big crowd, with marching bands and painted faces. Don’t infer anything from this about how poorly soccer is represented in the American media, because I’m one of those guys who refuse to buy a converter box and can’t wait until the TV goes dark in our house.

 

Now, I tried to write while watching the game but accidentally deleted it and had to start it all over, so this is written at the end, and I promise I only fast-forwarded through a couple of minutes of the second half.

 

What can I say? If I say I really enjoyed it, will anyone believe me? My friends will think I have caved in to all of the death threats I’ve received. Ok, truth: I really enjoyed it, although just a few minutes into the game, when a player went down, held his leg, and begged for a foul, I told myself not to conclude that soccer players need to work on their ritualized scowling. He got up and had to limp for a few feet to preserve his sense of self-respect. Football players do this too, but their helmets keep us from seeing what bad actors they are.

 

Then the game gushes out, pouring forth like a bunch of holes stabbed into a dam, letting loose hundreds of streams of fast moving water that threatens to bring down the dam altogether. Why didn’t anyone tell me that soccer plays use their hands so much? I found myself watching the shoving, the hand checks, the body positioning as much as the feet. And the feet! Soccer gives new meaning to the word deft. The dribbling was every bit as intense and controlled as basketball, but it was more impressive precisely because feet are not supposed to be as useful as hands. The number and variety of kicks were astounding: scoops, touches, sliding kicks, high kicks, chest kicks, shin kicks, slices, digs, boots, and shuffles. Coaches must choreograph rather than diagram plays. When I was a kid, I sprained my ankle all the time. These guys must have universal joints in their legs.

 

And I started following the strategy, intrigued by the idea that a team can move the ball backward in order to reorganize for an attack. Does any American sport do that? It is as if football teams were permitted to give up yards without a penalty in order to find more room on the field for offensive maneuvering. I loved it that retreat was not necessarily a sign of defeat.

 

At first I thought New York was the superior team. They seemed to be controlling the ball more, but a fumble near the goal reminded me of too many similar plays by my beloved Indianapolis Colts this year, and seemed to take their momentum away. A high penalty kick served as an appropriate symbol of the energy New York could not properly and productively channel. Then Seattle came out of nowhere with a fast break goal. When Seattle first scored, I loved the way they posted what minute it was, as if to say, “See, it didn’t take that long, did it?” Seattle’s second goal, which caught the announcers napping, went right between the legs of the goalie. There was something deeply satisfying about seeing that.

 

The second half lagged a bit. I thought New York could have been more aggressive. But at the 69th minute, symmetry and design gave way to barely controlled chaos, as if a bunch of people were playing a game of pool all at the same time, with elbows and cue sticks colliding. And seeing Dane Richards take a shot to the head made me think that batters in baseball are not nearly as brave.

 

Seattle’s third goal was as beautiful as it was simple. New York was tiring, somebody must have been out of place, and a Seattle player steals the ball, goes one on one against the goalie, with a New Yorker defender coming up right on top of him just as he kicks it in. I stood, whooped, and clapped, and then peered out my door to make sure nobody was watching me from the hallway.

 

If I were a young man starting out in the world today, I think I would become a soccer fan. It is a badge of distinction, setting you apart from the mindless droves who still think the fake wrestling of the NBA is exciting and the shrinking few with enough time on their hands and numbers in their head to follow the strategic intricacies that get you through the long stretches of nothingness in professional baseball. (Now I suppose I’ll get some emails over those comments, but I’m sticking to them. I’ve seen plenty of basketball and baseball games.) I look forward to watching another game, and I might even attend my kids’ games without bringing some books to read. I did have to pause the game a couple of times to register students for next fall’s semester, and I can report that soccer is certainly more exciting than filling out paperwork. There’s no debate about that. Now, before I run off to my kids’ soccer practices, can we talk about what’s really ruining America? How about T-Ball?

 

http://avoidingthedrop.wordpress.com/2009/...-webb/#comments

 

That's a good soccer blog btw, some upstarts from Deadspin just created it. I'm under the name "Keano Playing Nice"

[MexSoxFan#1]

And the USA shouldn't want to play those teams either. Continually going up against Argentina and Brazil will be a lot different than El Salvador and Canada.

I totally disagree,only way to become good is by beating good teams...you learn nothing beating Trinidad and Tobago.

[Nokona]

I totally disagree,only way to become good is by beating good teams...you learn nothing beating Trinidad and Tobago.

 

But Dwight Yorke is SO EXPERIENCED!

 

/wynalda