George Costanza
A Friendly Liberal
I just wasted two hours plus watching one of the most boring sporting events it has ever been my displeasure to have to sit through. These guys are supposed to be the best of the best. Doesn't that mean they should be able to score goals? Apparently not.
OK - I try to like soccer. I really do. But I have never been able to get behind it. And, you will note, soccer has never caught on in the U.S. Never. Why is that? It is certainly hugely popular in other countries - clearly the number one sport probably world-wide. So why hasn't it ever caught on here? Glad you ask - I have a theory:
Americans are raised on FOOTBALL. That's FOOTBALL, folks, not "futbal." In American football, one team gets the ball and moves it down the field. Barring such things as interceptions or fumbles, usually when your team gets the ball, they KEEP IT for a while, hopefully, long enough to drive down the field and score either a field goal or a touchdown.
Compare this to soccer. In soccer, the orange team has the ball. The orange team player kicks the ball toward the opposing team's goal. The ball is in the air. At this point, there is a 50-50 chance that, when it comes down, it will still be under the control of the orange team. Now the blue team has the ball. Blue team player kicks the ball high in the air. Now it comes down. Orange team's ball. And so on, and so on, ad nauseum. Back and forth, back and forth, in a seemingly never-ending exchange of possession which rarely results in anything except the aforementioned back and forth, back and forth changes of possession.
Well - much like this boring soccer game recently concluded between Spain and The Netherlands.
And that's why soccer will never catch on in this country. We don't have the patience for it. When our team gets the ball, we want to see them keep if for something longer than two or three seconds.
Hang on, guys - September is just around the corner.
OK - I try to like soccer. I really do. But I have never been able to get behind it. And, you will note, soccer has never caught on in the U.S. Never. Why is that? It is certainly hugely popular in other countries - clearly the number one sport probably world-wide. So why hasn't it ever caught on here? Glad you ask - I have a theory:
Americans are raised on FOOTBALL. That's FOOTBALL, folks, not "futbal." In American football, one team gets the ball and moves it down the field. Barring such things as interceptions or fumbles, usually when your team gets the ball, they KEEP IT for a while, hopefully, long enough to drive down the field and score either a field goal or a touchdown.
Compare this to soccer. In soccer, the orange team has the ball. The orange team player kicks the ball toward the opposing team's goal. The ball is in the air. At this point, there is a 50-50 chance that, when it comes down, it will still be under the control of the orange team. Now the blue team has the ball. Blue team player kicks the ball high in the air. Now it comes down. Orange team's ball. And so on, and so on, ad nauseum. Back and forth, back and forth, in a seemingly never-ending exchange of possession which rarely results in anything except the aforementioned back and forth, back and forth changes of possession.
Well - much like this boring soccer game recently concluded between Spain and The Netherlands.
And that's why soccer will never catch on in this country. We don't have the patience for it. When our team gets the ball, we want to see them keep if for something longer than two or three seconds.
Hang on, guys - September is just around the corner.