The Problem with soccer

[Jimi]

Dear Planet Earth:

 

You know why Americans don't like "football"? Because the bullshit at the end of the game when one team is up a goal is simply insufferable. We hate cowards. We hate whiners. We hate fakers.

 

Overall, we hate having our time wasted.

 

If they institute penalty kicks for time wasted on the pitch, we'll take greater interest.

 

Until then, the rest of the planet can keep watching each other's players grabbing their ankles at the slightest touch and going down in agonizing writhing... until the ref finally comes over and says, "Get up."

 

It's stupid.

 

Your NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL loving co-inhabitants,

 

America

[Jorma]

Dear Planet Earth:

 

You know why Americans don't like "football"? Because the bullshit at the end of the game when one team is up a goal is simply insufferable. We hate cowards. We hate whiners. We hate fakers.

 

Overall, we hate having our time wasted.

 

If they institute penalty kicks for time wasted on the pitch, we'll take greater interest.

 

Until then, the rest of the planet can keep watching each other's players grabbing their ankles at the slightest touch and going down in agonizing writhing... until the ref finally comes over and says, "Get up."

 

It's stupid.

 

Your NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL loving co-inhabitants,

 

America

 

I watched most of the game. More than any other soccer game I've ever watched. The dives were silly but the thing that gets me, the typical American, is how the scoring in the end is often determined by fluke. It's like hockey in a way with rather chaotic action interrupted by the occasional fluke score. Even thought soccer is worse since scoring is so rare. The talk about tactics and momentum just seems silly, or nuts. The game isn't about the game from the American perspective so much as the score. The cathartic moment when your team scores reliving the tension. Not the tension of the action but the tension of the score itself.

 

I am trying to imagine. I suppose there are radio broadcasts of games but I cannot imagine listening to one. The action so haphazard, disjointed. Why try to describe the game at all. The announcers should be homers taunting the other team and when your team scores yell," scooooooooooooooooooooore, take that you bastards!!!"

 

American football is the ultimate spectator sport because it is the most like war. If only they would take all kicking out of it.............

[fxfox]

Dear Planet Earth:

 

You know why Americans don't like "football"? Because the bullshit at the end of the game when one team is up a goal is simply insufferable. We hate cowards. We hate whiners. We hate fakers.

 

Overall, we hate having our time wasted.

 

If they institute penalty kicks for time wasted on the pitch, we'll take greater interest.

 

Until then, the rest of the planet can keep watching each other's players grabbing their ankles at the slightest touch and going down in agonizing writhing... until the ref finally comes over and says, "Get up."

 

It's stupid.

 

Your NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL loving co-inhabitants,

 

America

 

To a good part Ghana reminded me of Italy: You touch an Italian on the pitch and he falls down like he was hit by a stroke and seems to die.

 

Quite sad for the US boys, today was not their day, they looked exhuasted in extra time. But overall they played a very good tournement, great fighting spirit! And they definitely didnt have the referees on their side.

 

I think Ghana will get their butt kicked by Uruguay. I love Uruguay: 3.5 million inhabs and only thing in sports that counts is football. Very well organised, good tactics, good defense and 2 very good strikers. If Ghana thinks they will give everything to go to half final then they have to know what "give everything" really means in Uruguain terms: They will give their last shirt to play Brazil in a half final of a World Cup. For them that would be the mother of all games.

[Drano]

 

 

To me, sports on a very high level is almost only about tactics. But i understand that for many it is only a bout screaming "oooohhhhh" and "aaahhhhh" while eating your 3rd hot dog and drinking your 2nd coke.

 

 

Well, that explains it. You're drinking coke when the rest of the crowd is on their 10th beer.

[Jimi]

Here's my Celente-Forecast for the day.

 

Somewhere in Germany, FXFox is in front of a TV jubilantly yelling with his compatriots, and winding his way toward a hangover.

[fxfox]

Well, that explains it. You're drinking coke when the rest of the crowd is on their 10th beer.

:lol:

[Jimi]

Horrible Argentine goal puts Mexico behind - blind linesman misses blatant offsides call.

 

More stupidity.

 

More randomness.

 

Who cares who wins when blown call after blown call dominate the results?

[T_Slim]

Way to go Germany! What a way to kick some British booty! Yeah baby. Yeah!

[DrStool]

The problem with soccer is the clock. They should play 15 minute quarters like in futbol. Stop the clock when the ball goes out of bounds. Allow 3 timeouts per side per half. Players are allowed to commit only 6 fouls per game, then they're out. When they commit a foul, the fouled player gets a free kick. No offsides, no out of bounds unless the ball leaves the field of play or comes within the opposing team's bench area. If the ball enters that area, a player on the field can tag their other players on the bench who can then enter the game and tackle the players on the offending team without penalty. In, other words, anything goes if you enter the other teams bench area.

 

Also institute instant replay. Allow players to hit and throw the ball with their hands, and run with it as long as the bounce it on the ground every three steps. The goal should be raised 5 feet off the ground, but be narrower and shorter, and goal keepers should only be allowed to touch the ball while on an upward trajectory. If they catch or block it on the downward path, then it counts as a score. The field should have yard lines. Goals from within 10 yards are worth 1 point. within 20 yards- 2 points, 30 yards. 3 points, and so on.

 

This would make the game easier for Americans to understand.

[DrStool]

The posts below were not mine. Mostly FxFox and Tenacious G. I had trouble moving them.

 

I watched most of the game. More than any other soccer game I've ever watched. The dives were silly but the thing that gets me, the typical American, is how the scoring in the end is often determined by fluke. It's like hockey in a way with rather chaotic action interrupted by the occasional fluke score. Even thought soccer is worse since scoring is so rare. The talk about tactics and momentum just seems silly, or nuts. The game isn't about the game from the American perspective so much as the score. The cathartic moment when your team scores reliving the tension. Not the tension of the action but the tension of the score itself.

 

I am trying to imagine. I suppose there are radio broadcasts of games but I cannot imagine listening to one. The action so haphazard, disjointed. Why try to describe the game at all. The announcers should be homers taunting the other team and when your team scores yell," scooooooooooooooooooooore, take that you bastards!!!"

 

American football is the ultimate spectator sport because it is the most like war. If only they would take all kicking out of it.............

Thanks. Thats sums it all up: Americans, to a good paert, know nothing about tactics in soccer, like Europeans know nothing about tactics in baseball.

 

Thats the gap.

 

If one doesnt know anything about tactics and how a game is played he will never love the sport.

 

I also can imagine that baseball is quite an interesting sport. To me, it comes down to a home rune, the rest is boring. But for a real baseball fan a home run isd only a little part of a game and not the decisive one.

 

If one sees soccer as a game where 22 men chase a ball and from time to time one of those 22 men kicks the ball into a net, then of course it is one of the most boring games on earth.

 

If one doesnt get the things in-between then he cant love the sport.

 

Would be the same as i would say regardingh "american" football, if there is no 96 yard touchdown then it was a lousy game.

 

 

Have to say i like "american" football quite much, also attended a few games. Very nice, tactical sport.

 

To me, sports on a very high level is almost only about tactics. But i understand that for many it is only a bout screaming "oooohhhhh" and "aaahhhhh" while eating your 3rd hot dog and drinking your 2nd coke.

 

 

I, personally, like grass-roots sports style. Not the modern style, where thousands of fat people sit in a stadium and watch the sport with disinterest. That style comes more and more to Europe and i dont like that.

 

And if some kind of hooliganism is part of european football then so be it. It is paert of the game, not a nice part, but a part. There would also be hooliganism in the US if say the NFL would only consist of East Coast teams. I heard from a born Brooklyner that you better keep your mouth shut if you go to Philly. There is only no hooliganism in the US because of the large distances in pro-sports.

 

Dear Planet Earth:

 

You know why Americans don't like "football"? Because the bullshit at the end of the game when one team is up a goal is simply insufferable. We hate cowards. We hate whiners. We hate fakers.

 

Overall, we hate having our time wasted.

 

If they institute penalty kicks for time wasted on the pitch, we'll take greater interest.

 

Until then, the rest of the planet can keep watching each other's players grabbing their ankles at the slightest touch and going down in agonizing writhing... until the ref finally comes over and says, "Get up."

 

It's stupid.

 

Your NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL loving co-inhabitants,

 

America

 

 

Pretty funny video to your point...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's my Celente-Forecast for the day.

 

Somewhere in Germany, FXFox is in front of a TV jubilantly yelling with his compatriots, and winding his way toward a hangover.

WHAT A GAME!!! Fantastic! But how can the ref not see that the ball was definitely behind the line, which would have been the equalizer for England? How can the ref or linesman not see that? Mueller is amazing, 20 years old and plays like a routinier, like he would be 30 or so.

 

Now also nice gaem comming up Argentina vs. Mexico, normally ARG sahould win, the it would be ARG vs. GER in quarter final, another all time classic!

 

500,000 people in Berlin at "public viewing" event. Crazy!

[fxfox]

The problem with soccer is the clock. They should play 15 minute quarters like in futbol. Stop the clock when the ball goes out of bounds. Allow 3 timeouts per side per half. Players are allowed to commit only 6 fouls per game, then they're out. When they commit a foul, the fouled player gets a free kick. No offsides, no out of bounds unless the ball leaves the field of play or comes within the opposing teams bench area. If the ball enters that area, a players on the field can tag their other players on the bench who can then enter the game and tackle the players on the offending team without penalty. In, other words, anything goes if you enter the other teams bench area. Also institute instant replay. Allow players to hit and throw the ball with their hands, and run with it as long as the bounce it on the ground every three steps. The goal should be raised 5 feet off the ground, but be narrower and shorter, and goal keepers should only be allowed to touch the ball while on an upward trajectory. If they catch or block it on the downward path, then it counts as a score. The field should have yard lines. Goals from within 10 yards are worth 1 point. within 20 yards- 2 points, 30 yards. 3 points, and so on.

 

This would make the game easier for Americans to understand.

:lol:

[DrStool]

Oh, and fouls which are judged as flagrant by any one of the 5 officials on the field are awarded 2 free kicks from the 20 yard line. Each team is allowed 6 fouls per quarter, which puts them in the bonus situation, in which case the team shooting the free kick get 3 opportunities to make two.

[DrStool]

The game should start with a coin flip. The team winning the flip starts with possession at midfield. The opposing team must be 15 yards back. The other team starts the second half that way.

[Trader Joe]

Soccer Fan....is that an I-Phone?

 

[phatbubble]

Soccer Fan....is that an I-Phone?

 

No, it's the Fembot nuclear power cell