Our Never-Ending "Soccer" Embarrassment

[TheGreatGatsby]

Most 270 lb plus linemen have no wheels to speak of; DUMB ASS.

Most elite linemen have extremely explosive speed over very short distances. You'd know that if you ever played a real sport, dumbass.

You're an idiot. First off you, stated starting at 10 yards (and beyond). Second off, no they're still not that fast. They often have a quick enough first step. But they play their position cos they can bang. A great many of them have guts hanging out. But most the time, an average speed quarterback evades them. If you're going to act the expert, don't give me SANCTIMONIOUS BULL SHIT. It only makes you look like a total fool.

 

[Toro]

I heard the same arguments in the 70s. North American Soccer League, Pele was going to transform the sports. Millions of kids were in soccer leagues and would be lifelong fans.

It never happened

I heard the same thing when the US Women's Soccer team won the World Cup. Millions of little girls were soccer fans. Women's soccer was going to take off

It never happened

It is happening right now.

I'm not arguing whether or not you or anyone likes the sport. That's a personal preference and I totally respect that. I'm just looking at the raw numbers. Exactly $0 was spent on full-time professional soccer in the US a generation ago. Today MLS generates close to $400 million a year. The World Cup was sold for $425 million. NBC spent $100 million to start broadcasting English Premiership matches over the next few years. Think about that. Except for the Olympics, I can't think of any sporting event outside of the United States for which a US network shelled out that much cash for the broadcast rights. That's serious money for something that apparently isn't catching on.

What other sporting event outside the US would even be available? Cricket? Rugby?

Soccer is far and away the most popular spectator sport worldwide, of course it will command the most money to broadcast (outside of US sports).

On the other hand, compare that to the billions in tv rights for the NFL. Hell, even the NHL gets something like $200 million a year, and they have been seemingly in decline for years (damn you lockouts!).

Soccer certainly has some popularity, and changes in the makeup of our population may increase that, but for now it's still a bit of a fringe sport in the US.

The point I was making was that the US cares little about any sport that happens outside its borders that doesn't involve the US. So for NBC to pay $100mm for any sport that doesn't involve the US demonstrates interest in the sport.

Also, remember that MLS is essentially a minor league. In every other professional sport in America, its the best league on the planet and the best players around the world come to play here. The best soccer players don't come to play in America. It's sort of like the Canadian Football League of soccer. And it still generates almost half a billion dollars a year.

As for hockey, I'm THRILLED the NHL received that contract. I have Center Ice, and catch an NHL game when I can.

 

[rightwinger]

That does not change the fact that Soccer is an extremely boring "spectator sport". There are a lot of sports that are a lot of fun to play but boring as hell to watch and soccer happens to be one of those. Ninety minutes of running the ball up and down the field with almost no scoring at all, and that is if there is even a goal scored. If you are not playing, you may as well be napping. If you really are interested, you can catch the 3.6 seconds of scoring in the game on ESPN's Sportscenter.

I will grant you that Soccer is a hell of a lot of fun to play, but it simply is nothing to watch.

Immie

Poll after poll has shown that people like watching a good pitching dual to a homerun fest. You don't think that throwing a ball through hoop doesn't get monotonous? Any serious sports fan will tell you that it's about the intricacies of any sport that make it truly mesmerizing.

But, sure; if we're talking about games for the typical unenlightened dumbass, maybe soccer is not going to be the sport of choice. Listen to the differences in soccer anouncers and basketball announcers. It's laughable, the chasm of sophistication.

Chess anyone?

Chess is an appropriate comparison
Not because it is boring but because they play not to lose rather than play to win

 

[thanatos144]

Cant believe you guys are still talking about soccer....

 

[Unkotare]

Most 270 lb plus linemen have no wheels to speak of; DUMB ASS.

Most elite linemen have extremely explosive speed over very short distances. You'd know that if you ever played a real sport, dumbass.

You're an idiot. First off you, stated starting at 10 yards (and beyond). .

NO, I said that over ten yards (that means ten yards total, you illiterate fool) they'd smoke you, and I stand by it.

 

[Montrovant]

It is happening right now.

I'm not arguing whether or not you or anyone likes the sport. That's a personal preference and I totally respect that. I'm just looking at the raw numbers. Exactly $0 was spent on full-time professional soccer in the US a generation ago. Today MLS generates close to $400 million a year. The World Cup was sold for $425 million. NBC spent $100 million to start broadcasting English Premiership matches over the next few years. Think about that. Except for the Olympics, I can't think of any sporting event outside of the United States for which a US network shelled out that much cash for the broadcast rights. That's serious money for something that apparently isn't catching on.

What other sporting event outside the US would even be available? Cricket? Rugby?

Soccer is far and away the most popular spectator sport worldwide, of course it will command the most money to broadcast (outside of US sports).

On the other hand, compare that to the billions in tv rights for the NFL. Hell, even the NHL gets something like $200 million a year, and they have been seemingly in decline for years (damn you lockouts!).

Soccer certainly has some popularity, and changes in the makeup of our population may increase that, but for now it's still a bit of a fringe sport in the US.

The point I was making was that the US cares little about any sport that happens outside its borders that doesn't involve the US. So for NBC to pay $100mm for any sport that doesn't involve the US demonstrates interest in the sport.

Also, remember that MLS is essentially a minor league. In every other professional sport in America, its the best league on the planet and the best players around the world come to play here. The best soccer players don't come to play in America. It's sort of like the Canadian Football League of soccer. And it still generates almost half a billion dollars a year.

As for hockey, I'm THRILLED the NHL received that contract. I have Center Ice, and catch an NHL game when I can.

I was much happier when ESPN had NHL games than VS.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Most elite linemen have extremely explosive speed over very short distances. You'd know that if you ever played a real sport, dumbass.

You're an idiot. First off you, stated starting at 10 yards (and beyond). .

NO, I said that over ten yards (that means ten yards total, you illiterate fool) they'd smoke you, and I stand by it.

Thanks for putting your idiocy on full display for everyone to see:

Fat ass or not, over ten yards they'd smoke you.

You're sitting here, actually bragging about the sprinting speed of 350 lb behemoths. You just don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you?

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Poll after poll has shown that people like watching a good pitching dual to a homerun fest. You don't think that throwing a ball through hoop doesn't get monotonous? Any serious sports fan will tell you that it's about the intricacies of any sport that make it truly mesmerizing.

But, sure; if we're talking about games for the typical unenlightened dumbass, maybe soccer is not going to be the sport of choice. Listen to the differences in soccer anouncers and basketball announcers. It's laughable, the chasm of sophistication.

Chess anyone?

Chess is an appropriate comparison
Not because it is boring but because they play not to lose rather than play to win

Well, I'm sure that sucky players like yourself play not to lose anyhow.

 

[Merchant_of_Meh]

The reason you have a 'competition' is to determine a winner and a loser. Otherwise don't bother to play. Just watch each other practice and then exchange compliments and pats on the back.

There are games either so horribly contested or, in contrast, so evenly contested, that there simply doesn't deserve to be a winner or a loser based on the run of play because neither side has done enough. If that's true, then draws are exactly the right result and they make sense with soccer.

Bullshit. You compete to determine a winner and a loser. It says a lot about what's wrong with soccer that fans pretend to go crazy over it but don't understand the spirit of competition.

Watch the knockout stages of any cup competition and you'll find all of the "spirit of competition" that you can handle. Soccer has no problem with that so once again, you've shown your ignorance of the sport and its fans.

There's too much simplicity in a sport that only allows wins and losses. I prefer complexity and the addition of draws add just that.

Just as a win for one team and a loss for another team has ramifications on that team's fortunes in the league, so too does a draw when it comes to soccer. Draws have won teams titles and they have lost them titles. They are not as useless as you think they are. And like I said before, if the game warrants a draw because of the run of play, then so be it.

 

[Unkotare]

You're an idiot. First off you, stated starting at 10 yards (and beyond). .

NO, I said that over ten yards (that means ten yards total, you illiterate fool) they'd smoke you, and I stand by it.

Thanks for putting your idiocy on full display for everyone to see:

Fat ass or not, over ten yards they'd smoke you.

You're sitting here, actually bragging about the sprinting speed of 350 lb behemoths. You just don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you?

I said a D1 lineman who smoke you over ten yards, and the odds are very great that I'm correct.

 

[Unkotare]

There's too much simplicity in a sport that only allows wins and losses. .

Sounds like John Kerry's "nuances"!





The true spirit of a champion, right there!

 

[Unkotare]

I think, however, you may be mistaking endurance as the only form of fitness and skill.

I'd bet good money that any decent Div.1 lineman, no matter how large, could outrun our soccer-obsessed friend there over 10 yards. Then if he tried to line up against him in a game, well, no need to go into all the macabre details of what would happen to him.

And while he might be oh-so-proud of himself for jogging around after a ball for an hour and a half, plunk him in a pool to swim 1500m competitively and I have no doubt he'd be reassessing his "fitness" level before he got halfway through.

Put him on a wrestling mat with even a good high school wrestler and he'd be gasping desperately for air in under three minutes.

Etc., etc. ... you get the idea.

Don't forget the other two examples while you are busy denying the first one, Jog-ball Boy.

 

[Merchant_of_Meh]

There's too much simplicity in a sport that only allows wins and losses. .

Sounds like John Kerry's "nuances"!





The true spirit of a champion, right there!

You're out of arguments then. This much is clear.

Patrick Viera, captain of the undefeated Arsenal side of 2004 that won both the FA Cup and the English Premiership that year is a "true" champion.

Fabio Cannavaro, who captained Italy to their 4th World Cup title in 2006 while not conceding one opposing goal (save an own goal against USA), is a "true" champion.

Ronaldo, who led Real Madrid to multiple Spanish titles and 2 Champions League titles as well as winning 2 World Cup titles with Brazil, is a "true" champion.

And those are just 3 of the greatest players of the last generation. Their feats have already been surpassed by newer generations of clubs and players. Winning is all any of these players care about and it why they push themselves to their physical limits each week, just any American athlete worth his salt, would do. There is no difference there and yet you see fit to insert one there.

I repeat, soccer has no problem with keeping a competitive edge and it sure as hell is full of the "true spirit of champions".

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

NO, I said that over ten yards (that means ten yards total, you illiterate fool) they'd smoke you, and I stand by it.

Thanks for putting your idiocy on full display for everyone to see:

Fat ass or not, over ten yards they'd smoke you.

You're sitting here, actually bragging about the sprinting speed of 350 lb behemoths. You just don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you?

I said a D1 lineman who smoke you over ten yards, and the odds are very great that I'm correct.

I'll take that as a no to the question of you don't know when to shut the fuck up. Thanks.

 

[Unkotare]

There's too much simplicity in a sport that only allows wins and losses. .

Sounds like John Kerry's "nuances"!





The true spirit of a champion, right there!

You're out of arguments then. This much is clear.

Sorry John, your 'clarity' is an illusion. The point of competition is to determine a winner and a loser. No real competitor is satisfied with a tie.

 

[Unkotare]

Thanks for putting your idiocy on full display for everyone to see:



You're sitting here, actually bragging about the sprinting speed of 350 lb behemoths. You just don't know when to shut the fuck up, do you?

I said a D1 lineman who smoke you over ten yards, and the odds are very great that I'm correct.

I'll take that as a no to the question of you don't know when to shut the fuck up. Thanks.

Take it as the (most likely) truth whether you like it or not. You would get smoked.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

I said a D1 lineman who smoke you over ten yards, and the odds are very great that I'm correct.

I'll take that as a no to the question of you don't know when to shut the fuck up. Thanks.

Take it as the (most likely) truth whether you like it or not. You would get smoked.

Would you lose a race to a 350 lb dude?

 

[Papageorgio]

I used to play soccer, I was around for NASL, soccer is a skill sport, it has a lot of strategy and is a game of endurance. In football the average miles run in a game is 1.25 miles per game, basketball is 2.5 miles per game, soccer is 7 miles per game.

I don't care for the tie. Low scoring is fine.

Soccer we thought would boom in the late 70's and 80's and even though a world sport. It is still a small time sport as compared to the big three.

 

[Unkotare]

I'll take that as a no to the question of you don't know when to shut the fuck up. Thanks.

Take it as the (most likely) truth whether you like it or not. You would get smoked.

Would you lose a race to a 350 lb dude?

Depends on which 350 lbs dude and how long the race is.

 

[TheGreatGatsby]

Take it as the (most likely) truth whether you like it or not. You would get smoked.

Would you lose a race to a 350 lb dude?

Depends on which 350 lbs dude and how long the race is.

Look at you backtrack like a fucker. You said "any d-1 lineman." You make points for shit, dude. This is why I kept telling you to just shut the fuck up and stop embarrassing yourself.