I respect those of you that enjoy soccer - but my son wanted me to tape two world cup soccer games for him this weekend.
Both of the games ended in a tie.
Hours and hours of kicking the ball - hours and hours of recording only to end in a tie of 1-1.
Good god- I do not know how people like to watch that stuff.
Badminton has more excitement.
In baseball, two pitchers having the games of their lives could produce a 1-0 score.
Admittedly, I couldn't watch a replay, and even live it tends to drag, but I think that's because Americans are generally conditioned to expect lots of points, stoppages in play, and ready-made built in potty breaks.
Soccer is definitely the most exciting game outside of college basketball to watch. If your an open minded person who doesn't dismiss things just because others in their region think its lame, then you should be able to enjoy soccer. But if your an ignorant moron, and I'm not saying that you are, I could see how soccer would seem like a pointless sport. This was not directed at you at all, I just hate that so many people are so freaking close minded and ignorant about some things just because they are not familiar with them. Again this is not directed as an insult to you, just expressing my opinion on why some people in our region do not like soccer. You can compare it to the disrespect UAB gets in many ways. People have dismissed UAB as being lame just because its newer and not bamer.
As an Alabama native, I certainly wasn't raised on soccer either. Having said that, I did grow up in the days of the Birmingham Bulls of the old WHA and later minor league versions of hockey as well. I loved it, and I find the games to be very similar. The only thing missing is the fighting. I'd love to see some soccer dude get tripped as he is running in to kick a tying goal....and then see him get back up and proceed to try to beat the helloutof the dude that tripped him (followed by penalty minutes and powerplay of course). LOL. I like soccer........but it could be improved. IMHO. USA! USA! USA! :)
(06-13-2010 11:00 AM)UAB86 Wrote: [ -> ]Soccer is definitely the most exciting game outside of college basketball to watch. If your an open minded person who doesn't dismiss things just because others in their region think its lame, then you should be able to enjoy soccer. But if your an ignorant moron, and I'm not saying that you are, I could see how soccer would seem like a pointless sport. This was not directed at you at all, I just hate that so many people are so freaking close minded and ignorant about some things just because they are not familiar with them. Again this is not directed as an insult to you, just expressing my opinion on why some people in our region do not like soccer. You can compare it to the disrespect UAB gets in many ways. People have dismissed UAB as being lame just because its newer and not bamer.
Or because the whole thing is a bunch of pointless running back and forth with one or two points a game. At least in a pitching shutout you have resolutions and high points instead a constant pitcher throwing back and forth for the whole game.
Don't act like your better than someone else just becuase of your ability to enjoy soccer.
ps: Played soccer 12 years and I still find it boring.
pss: Read over my post and just wanted to say I have nothing actually against soccer and have been watching all the World cup games but I've grown tired of comments against american sports from International futball fans and took it out on you.
i think having a deep understanding of the game helps. a lot of people say, "i understand it, i just dont like it." and i think thats often false. understanding that 11 people are trying to score in one goal and 11 are trying to score in the other doesnt really equate to understanding.
similarly, i enjoy basketball and i get it from a superficial point of view, but compared to somebody who played bball their whole life, i dont understand a lot. i dont see the small nuances of switching different types of zones and offensive schemes...i just dont.
while watching a soccer game, i often get really excited about something and my wife just sort of looks at me and says, "what?" im seeing things, subtle things, happening way off the ball. these are the little things that i would never see if i didnt grow up playing the game. i think a vision for the entire game helps a lot in soccer. that having been said, its possible to have that full understanding and still not enjoy watching it.
heck, i have absolutely ZERO interest in watching a pitchers duel in baseball, but i certainly can see how some people enjoy it. i just dont, and thats okay.
ive got a coworker whose an AVID chess fan (he flew to NYC last week for a chess fund-raiser). i dont get it, but he does, and thats okay.
i think theres another problem in this country. the minority of people that love to watch the game are often malignant about it. you get people like uab86 who throw around terms like "ignorant moron" that help turn people off even further. heck, i love the game of soccer and his post even makes me want to slap him and dislike anything that he likes...and in my book, thats okay.
I prefer to watch soccer to no-defense NBA games. It's all a personal preference.
I have an idea. Lets change the scoring rules in soccer to match American football. We will give teams 7 points when they score and 3 points when they get close. Now that 1-1 game between the US and England is a 22-13 victory for England, but at least people couldnt call it low scoring.
(06-13-2010 12:38 PM)BlazerMatt Wrote: [ -> ]I have an idea. Lets change the scoring rules in soccer to match American football. We will give teams 7 points when they score and 3 points when they get close. Now that 1-1 game between the US and England is a 22-13 victory for England, but at least people couldnt call it low scoring.
And at the same time, the game takes twice as long to play and it's just as boring!
I'd take soccer over American football any day.
(06-13-2010 12:36 PM)GreenMississippi Wrote: [ -> ]I prefer to watch soccer to no-defense NBA games. It's all a personal preference.
Have you been watching the NBA finals or any of the Boston Celtics' games? Too much defense and too many fouls IMO.
But for the average regular season game, I agree with you. There's almost no defense played. But that's why I love basketball, and don't care so much for soccer. If more soccer games ended 6-5 or with similar scores, I could enjoy it a lot more. I just can't sit for 90+ mins for a 0-0 or 1-1 tie. If you spend that much time watching a game, there should be more points scored and a definite winner.
It's the most popular sport in the world. There must be something about it that people find special. I don't think anyone here can really grasp how people in other countries feel about soccer. Think of the most hard core Alabama fan you know, and then multiply his passion for the sport by 100. Then think about how there are millions of fans just like him all over the world.
(06-13-2010 11:45 AM)zinjanthropus Wrote: [ -> ]As an Alabama native, I certainly wasn't raised on soccer either. Having said that, I did grow up in the days of the Birmingham Bulls of the old WHA and later minor league versions of hockey as well. I loved it, and I find the games to be very similar. The only thing missing is the fighting. I'd love to see some soccer dude get tripped as he is running in to kick a tying goal....and then see him get back up and proceed to try to beat the helloutof the dude that tripped him (followed by penalty minutes and powerplay of course). LOL. I like soccer........but it could be improved. IMHO. USA! USA! USA! :)
Was there anything about the SPORT of hockey that you liked? Or just the barbarianism of the fighting.
(06-13-2010 01:00 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ] (06-13-2010 11:45 AM)zinjanthropus Wrote: [ -> ]As an Alabama native, I certainly wasn't raised on soccer either. Having said that, I did grow up in the days of the Birmingham Bulls of the old WHA and later minor league versions of hockey as well. I loved it, and I find the games to be very similar. The only thing missing is the fighting. I'd love to see some soccer dude get tripped as he is running in to kick a tying goal....and then see him get back up and proceed to try to beat the helloutof the dude that tripped him (followed by penalty minutes and powerplay of course). LOL. I like soccer........but it could be improved. IMHO. USA! USA! USA! :)
Was there anything about the SPORT of hockey that you liked? Or just the barbarianism of the fighting.
Your so right I would much rather have them give each other hugs and tea partys then the barbarianism of fighting.
I DVR'ed the game yesterday because I was out working in the yard.
When I had the chance, I fast forwarded through the game (in less than 5 minutes) & knew all I needed to know.
I have watched the women's team live on tv before & if I had the chance I would have watched the men's game.
I wouldn't watch an MLS game, but a national game I would certainly watch if given the chance.
Truth be known:
Most fans like NASCAR because of the wrecks.
Most fans like football because of the hitting and rough tackling.
The actual game is secondary.
Most fans are neanderthals.
(06-13-2010 12:24 PM)LairDweller Wrote: [ -> ]while watching a soccer game, i often get really excited .......
Surely, you gest!
True soccer fans enjoy watching the great passing, dribbling, defense, positioning, and strategy. They enjoy the soccer skills and teamwork exhibited by the players. An actual goal is frosting on the cake. From their perspective, there is constant action. The non-soccer fan just isn't going to understand the nuances of the game, but will still be quick to criticize the game.
(06-13-2010 02:25 PM)Pence Wrote: [ -> ]True soccer fans enjoy watching the great passing, dribbling, defense, positioning, and strategy. They enjoy the soccer skills and teamwork exhibited by the players. An actual goal is frosting on the cake. From their perspective, there is constant action. The non-soccer fan just isn't going to understand the nuances of the game, but will still be quick to criticize the game.
+1. Also, when you think about a sport like basketball, most games go back and forth and the score stays pretty even throughout the entire game. A very low scoring basketball game is arguably just as boring as soccer.
(06-13-2010 12:24 PM)LairDweller Wrote: [ -> ]i think having a deep understanding of the game helps. a lot of people say, "i understand it, i just dont like it." and i think thats often false. understanding that 11 people are trying to score in one goal and 11 are trying to score in the other doesnt really equate to understanding.
similarly, i enjoy basketball and i get it from a superficial point of view, but compared to somebody who played bball their whole life, i dont understand a lot. i dont see the small nuances of switching different types of zones and offensive schemes...i just dont.
while watching a soccer game, i often get really excited about something and my wife just sort of looks at me and says, "what?" im seeing things, subtle things, happening way off the ball. these are the little things that i would never see if i didnt grow up playing the game. i think a vision for the entire game helps a lot in soccer. that having been said, its possible to have that full understanding and still not enjoy watching it.
heck, i have absolutely ZERO interest in watching a pitchers duel in baseball, but i certainly can see how some people enjoy it. i just dont, and thats okay.
ive got a coworker whose an AVID chess fan (he flew to NYC last week for a chess fund-raiser). i dont get it, but he does, and thats okay.
i think theres another problem in this country. the minority of people that love to watch the game are often malignant about it. you get people like uab86 who throw around terms like "ignorant moron" that help turn people off even further. heck, i love the game of soccer and his post even makes me want to slap him and dislike anything that he likes...and in my book, thats okay.
Well its difficult for me to not use abrasive words when I am defending something I care about. When someone asks me what school I go to and I reply UAB, I don't like getting responses like, "Whats a UAB?" In my opinion that person is being a moron so I will use abrasive language when I respond to that person. You have said what I feel about soccer in a much better way. I am fine with people liking things I don't understand. Like your friend that likes chess. I wouldn't give him crap about liking chess just because I don't understand chess. People who knock something just because they don't understand it are morons in my opinion. I was not trying to say all people who don't like soccer are morons.
(06-13-2010 01:00 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ] (06-13-2010 11:45 AM)zinjanthropus Wrote: [ -> ]As an Alabama native, I certainly wasn't raised on soccer either. Having said that, I did grow up in the days of the Birmingham Bulls of the old WHA and later minor league versions of hockey as well. I loved it, and I find the games to be very similar. The only thing missing is the fighting. I'd love to see some soccer dude get tripped as he is running in to kick a tying goal....and then see him get back up and proceed to try to beat the helloutof the dude that tripped him (followed by penalty minutes and powerplay of course). LOL. I like soccer........but it could be improved. IMHO. USA! USA! USA! :)
Was there anything about the SPORT of hockey that you liked? Or just the barbarianism of the fighting.
Hi Memphis Blazer. I'm sorry I didn't make my point very well. I appear to be on a roll in that regard lately (around here, anyway). I love the game of hockey. I think the fighting added a fun element to it. I hope that clears it up. :)
GO BLAZERS!