Soccer teams usually aren't the lesbians. Usually the softball teams in my experience.

(06-07-2010 03:21 PM)neillis Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 03:16 PM)oldmangrizz Wrote:  I'm a basketball freak. Soccer is too slow compared to that, especially for someone that played, coached, and officiated for all but about 5 years of a senior citizen's life.

Hey, man. I am in the same boat on basketball. I love it. I play it all the time, the reason I like it better than football is because it is so much faster. I think part of the thought that soccer is so slow is because we have a hard time translating it to any American sport. There are different brands of soccer as well. For instance, my sister played club and high school ball and will be playing in college this fall. It is the closest thing any average person sees of soccer. The problem is that it is slow as all get out. Compared with the English brand, which is like lightning, it is boring. Italian soccer is slow as well, the only reason I like it is because I learned the game the most whilst in Italy. I admit, though, it is boring and slow.

When you say slow, I take it you are talking about vertical movement? The ball is constantly moving, so how can it be slow. Yes, it may be as much horizontal movement as vertical, but it's still moving at a quick pace, but it may not be up and down the field.

No need to even make this post. Just stay on the main board.

Bad thread.

(06-07-2010 03:35 PM)fsquid Wrote:  Soccer teams usually aren't the lesbians. Usually the softball teams in my experience.

And basketball.

Is there any subject other than soccer that somehow draws people in to very isolated, specific discussions so that they can express their dissent? It's like if I hopped in my car and drove 1500 miles to Yankees spring training so that I could boo ARod. I agree with the sentiment, but really why go to so much trouble for something that I ultimately don't really care about?

(06-07-2010 04:32 PM)ctt8410 Wrote:  Is there any subject other than soccer that somehow draws people in to very isolated, specific discussions so that they can express their dissent? It's like if I hopped in my car and drove 1500 miles to Yankees spring training so that I could boo ARod. I agree with the sentiment, but really why go to so much trouble for something that I ultimately don't really care about?

Exactly, why do people feel the need to go out of their way to tell people how much they beleive soccer sucks?

(06-07-2010 04:51 PM)GrayBeard Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 04:32 PM)ctt8410 Wrote:  Is there any subject other than soccer that somehow draws people in to very isolated, specific discussions so that they can express their dissent? It's like if I hopped in my car and drove 1500 miles to Yankees spring training so that I could boo ARod. I agree with the sentiment, but really why go to so much trouble for something that I ultimately don't really care about?

Exactly, why do people feel the need to go out of their way to tell people how much they beleive soccer sucks?

+1

Hell, our beat writer posted on his Twitter a week ago that anyone he follows will be temporarily deleted if they mention soccer.

There's sports I don't like, but I don't go up to fans of those sports and tell them how much I don't like it. It can be disrespectful if taken too far.

The only reason you think soccer sucks is because you are old.

(06-07-2010 03:39 PM)GrayBeard Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 03:21 PM)neillis Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 03:16 PM)oldmangrizz Wrote:  I'm a basketball freak. Soccer is too slow compared to that, especially for someone that played, coached, and officiated for all but about 5 years of a senior citizen's life.

Hey, man. I am in the same boat on basketball. I love it. I play it all the time, the reason I like it better than football is because it is so much faster. I think part of the thought that soccer is so slow is because we have a hard time translating it to any American sport. There are different brands of soccer as well. For instance, my sister played club and high school ball and will be playing in college this fall. It is the closest thing any average person sees of soccer. The problem is that it is slow as all get out. Compared with the English brand, which is like lightning, it is boring. Italian soccer is slow as well, the only reason I like it is because I learned the game the most whilst in Italy. I admit, though, it is boring and slow.

When you say slow, I take it you are talking about vertical movement? The ball is constantly moving, so how can it be slow. Yes, it may be as much horizontal movement as vertical, but it's still moving at a quick pace, but it may not be up and down the field.

There is so much technicality in Italian soccer that isn't in place in say, EPL ball. England is like a charging bulldog. In Italy, if a team scores a goal, they just play possession. Not a lot of vertical movement and all positioning.

Soccer falls into the catagory of sports like badmitton, cricket, and table tennis which are enjoyed by millions of spectators but holds no appeal for me. It should be an exciting time for those who love soccer.

It's the only sports subject I felt strongly enough to write in a article to the Commercial back in '94, when several (i.e. more than one) local sports writer was knocking 'Futbol' as a boring, over-priced, "un-American"....(whatever that means) sport whose hype was not merited, and following even less so.

Some of the the worst Archie Bunker statements I've heard or read against soccer:
•The Roman Catholics brought it over here with them
•The scores are too low to merit interest
•It's not a U.S. sport, why get enthusiastic about it

Soccer may have originated with the Brits (or in China 200 B.C.) depending on who one believes, but it is a fact that over 3 billion fans enjoy the sport year 'round in most cities and countries of the world. Having lived in South America for over 25 years, I grew to appreciate the sport, coached my kid's teams up to their high school years, and watched them both play varsity soccer in high school. The World Cup was a big deal, largely because of cultural setting; partially because of acquired taste. To some U.S. citizens, soccer will never be understood, practiced nor observed. It's their choice. But in some instances those same people may feel the metric system is being forced on them too.

It is very odd to me that the entire world can go bonkers over one sport, and in our country, people just shrug their shoulders. Just goes to show how powerful cultural traditions and influences can be.

I played soccer in college, some 40+ years ago, and I've been in a sold-out Giants Stadium to see Pele play, long ago, but yet it still has not really caught on.

(06-07-2010 05:34 PM)QuitoTiger Wrote:  •The scores are too low to merit interest
•It's not a U.S. sport, why get enthusiastic about it

First point. The 2006 World Cup saw Italy win with an average of 3 goals per match.
That same year the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl by a score of 21-10. That is 3 touchdowns. They scored 3 "goals"....great logic CA!


Second point, football- the quintessential American game- came from Rugby, invented at a soccer academy in England. In fact, the very first Harvard-Yale football game was actually rugby....

(06-07-2010 05:51 PM)neillis Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 05:34 PM)QuitoTiger Wrote:  •The scores are too low to merit interest
•It's not a U.S. sport, why get enthusiastic about it

First point. The 2006 World Cup saw Italy win with an average of 3 goals per match.
That same year the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl by a score of 21-10. That is 3 touchdowns. They scored 3 "goals"....great logic CA!


Second point, football- the quintessential American game- came from Rugby, invented at a soccer academy in England. In fact, the very first Harvard-Yale football game was actually rugby....

And didn't rugby itself develop from soccer? Started with players picking up the ball and running with it.

(06-07-2010 06:03 PM)TigerEye Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 05:51 PM)neillis Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 05:34 PM)QuitoTiger Wrote:  •The scores are too low to merit interest
•It's not a U.S. sport, why get enthusiastic about it

First point. The 2006 World Cup saw Italy win with an average of 3 goals per match.
That same year the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl by a score of 21-10. That is 3 touchdowns. They scored 3 "goals"....great logic CA!


Second point, football- the quintessential American game- came from Rugby, invented at a soccer academy in England. In fact, the very first Harvard-Yale football game was actually rugby....

And didn't rugby itself develop from soccer? Started with players picking up the ball and running with it.

Yes. At the Rugby Soccer School or something like that.

I actually don't want soccer to be mainstream. The worst thing that could happen would be Stuart Scott doing highlights on a nightly basis. Also, very nice for ESPN to grab Steve McMahon. I enjoyed his analysis when Setanta was still a channel.

(06-07-2010 03:29 PM)poppaslaw Wrote:  

(06-07-2010 03:10 PM)TiggerFan Wrote:  OMG,
I was standing beside a field at Mike Rose one night while Mia Hamm conducted a clinic for young players.
Cute women with soccer legs are hot.
On top of that, one of the local older girls thought she would get a shot in and fouled her on a throw in.
Next throw in Mia receives and passes the ball and chickie tries some rough play again.
Mia slams the girl to the ground, picks her up by her pony tail and shorts, throws her off the field, tells her to get the f*#k out of her sight, and plays on.
And you gotta admit, Brandi Chastain's abs were nice.

Too bad most of them only like other cute women with soccer legs.

As Marky B once said, "Female soccer players have better breasts and thighs than KFC"