Why most Americans don't like soccer.

[pikecy10]

American football is all about beating your man so you can score, soccer is all about letting your man beat you so they can't score. Big Difference!!!!

I am very aware of the difference between Soccer and Football, the point of my post was to try and illustrate some of these differences to people who do not seem to fully understand soccer and think that football is the only sport that matters (see Dan Beebe) by comparing the two. I am as big of a Football fan as I am a Soccer fan, but with comments like that, it is very clear that a lot of people really don't understand soccer and thats why i am trying to explain it as best as I can in a post.

 

[RhoadsRage]

"I like things to be black and white with little to no gray area"

Ah, I see. You mean like calling fouls in the paint in basketball. Or holding in football.

See the post above yours........:wink:

 

[RhoadsRage]

when the play started he was onside, therefore it was a legal play. if he so much as flinches before the play starts, everything stops and the play cant continue. how is that ANY better then the soccer offside rule? Both seem to limit the spaces that players to go to when they dont have the ball huh?

American football is all about beating your man so you can score, soccer is all about letting your man beat you so they can't score. Big Difference!!!!

Both are onside when it happens, just one is all about beating your man, not getting beat and not being burned for it. Soccer let's getting beat, basically be irrelevant because it's offsides and there's no harm.

I am very aware of the difference between Soccer and Football, the point of my post was to try and illustrate some of these differences to people who do not seem to fully understand soccer and think that football is the only sport that matters (see Dan Beebe) by comparing the two. I am as big of a Football fan as I am a Soccer fan, but with comments like that, it is very clear that a lot of people really don't understand soccer and thats why i am trying to explain it as best as I can in a post.

 

[michaelrr1]

"beating the defense" is not what you mean I don't think. A player in soccer is unable to cherry pick by the goals, and as has been mentioned in this thread, sports like basketball do not limit this. A player can beat the defender any time her or she is able to get past this defense and will then beat them. Offside only prevents players from being too far removed from action.

the issue comes when offside is called improperly, as has happened a few times in key situations this world cup, or when it is not called, see mexico vs argentina. Because of the human aspect of this rule, it is very hard for people to fully understand it, but you dont see people complaining about how baseball is no action because 7 of the players arent doing anything for 90% of the game, or that football has no action because 75% of that game is standing in a huddle talking about what they are going to do. Things happen on the fly in soccer, errors are made just like in any other sport, and because of that there will always be controversy but that doesnt make it a bad sport.

I'm not complaining about not allowing players to just go stand by the goal the whole time. I just don't care for the aspect of a player who is being defended, gets by his man and is penalized. If they're worried about players standing by the goal, disallow them from being in the square or some similar area until the ball is so far up the field.

 

[sweetwater]

I can understand if people don't like soccer. I played baseball in H.S., and now I can't stand it. For me, it is just utterly boring. I am far more interested in reading about the history of the Negro Leagues, or something, than I am in actually watching a game.

But I don't try to claim that baseball somehow isn't a real sport, with real rules, or whatever. I just don't like it all that much. I'll go watch the Mariners a couple of times each year. I may watch a tad bit of the playoffs. And I will leave it at that.

But I recognize that millions of Americans love it. Just like many more millions of people around the world love soccer. You either like/love it or you don't. Big deal.

 

[cyko42]

1) no. I said that it grates on me when soccer fans come to football games and spend the whole time talking down the sport I'm there to watch. I never said it bugs me that they enjoy the game more than mine.

2) again, no. It grates on me, again, that they take my football game watching experiences and turn them into chances to talk down my favorite sport.

3) absolutely. Reread the first full sentence of my post.

I apologize I took it to mean that it grates on you that people talk about soccer. You are correct, if you are not a fan of a sport you should not go into an area where others are enjoying that sport and talking about that sport and deride and make fun of the sport.
So how bout this, I will tell any soccer fans I hear talking about about soccer to shut up when it is inappropriate, if you do the same to other sports fans when they talk down about soccer in the middle of a soccer discussion (see other topics about the world cup on this board)

 

[cyko42]

American football is all about beating your man so you can score, soccer is all about letting your man beat you so they can't score. Big Difference!!!!

If you are standing behind a defense player you didn't beat them you are cherry picking, it would be like allowing receivers to stand down field all the time. It would take a lot of skill out of the game.

 

[cyko42]

I'm not complaining about not allowing players to just go stand by the goal the whole time. I just don't care for the aspect of a player who is being defended, gets by his man and is penalized. If they're worried about players standing by the goal, disallow them from being in the square or some similar area until the ball is so far up the field.

This what soccer did. They made a rule so players can't stand next to the goal. You might thing its a dumb rule that takes away all the offense, but the point of the rule is the same as the line of scrimmage, or 3 seconds in the paint.

 

[sweetwater]

Found this on a different site. I am not trying to claim that MLS is close in popularity to the other sports. But I do think it is probably doing better than non-soccer fans realize. Hopefully, that trend will continue.

Best of all for the league, the newer franchises have all been really well-supported. Seattle has 32K season ticket holders. Philly sold out their season ticket allotment. Toronto has a season ticket waiting list, etc.


NFL: 32 teams, 8 home games
Total attendance possible: 2,271,396
Average Capacity: 70,981
3,472 under average
95.11 percent of capacity

MLB: 30 Teams, 81 games
Total attendance possible: 1,312,808
Average Capacity: 43,760
15,725 under average
64.07 percent of capacity

NBA: 30 Teams, 41 games
Total attendance possible: 577,582
Average Capacity: 19,253
2,103 under average
89.08 percent of capacity

NHL: 30 Teams, 41 games
Total attendance possible: 552,654
Average Capacity: 18,422
1,352 under average
92.66 percent of capacity

MLS: 16 Teams, 15 games
Total attendance possible: 421,968
Average Capacity: 26,373
9,290 under average
64.77 percent of average

NFL is best at %95.11 of capacity followed by
NHL %92.66
NBA %89.08
MLS %64.77
MLB %64.07

 

[Bipolarcy]

This is an example: some people can't enjoy soccer just because they don't like it. There's nothing wrong with that as some people can't enjoy certain sports.

let's sub the words with baseball: why the pitcher keeps on throwing "ball" instead of trying to "strike" the hitter ?
Or with football: "why they have to take a break between the plays ? OR why they always run in the middle ?"

The difference is, I understand why a pitcher can't always throw a strike or why they take a break between plays in football. I can't understand not trying to score.

I understand they're probing for weaknesses, but you can only watch that crap so long before you want to shoot yourself in the head. And what does the goalie have to do with it? Why are you kicking the ball back to your own goalie? It's the closest anyone has come to scoring in this whole flipping match.

Frankly, it was the most excitement I saw during my five minutes. Oooh, look at that. The ball is actually NEAR a goal. Bestill my quivering nether regions.

 

[QuickQuestion]

Found this on a different site. I am not trying to claim that MLS is close in popularity to the other sports. But I do think it is probably doing better than non-soccer fans realize. Hopefully, that trend will continue.

Best of all for the league, the newer franchises have all been really well-supported. Seattle has 32K season ticket holders. Philly sold out their season ticket allotment. Toronto has a season ticket waiting list, etc.


NFL: 32 teams, 8 home games
Total attendance possible: 2,271,396
Average Capacity: 70,981
3,472 under average
95.11 percent of capacity

MLB: 30 Teams, 81 games
Total attendance possible: 1,312,808
Average Capacity: 43,760
15,725 under average
64.07 percent of capacity

NBA: 30 Teams, 41 games
Total attendance possible: 577,582
Average Capacity: 19,253
2,103 under average
89.08 percent of capacity

NHL: 30 Teams, 41 games
Total attendance possible: 552,654
Average Capacity: 18,422
1,352 under average
92.66 percent of capacity

MLS: 16 Teams, 15 games
Total attendance possible: 421,968
Average Capacity: 26,373
9,290 under average
64.77 percent of average

NFL is best at %95.11 of capacity followed by
NHL %92.66
NBA %89.08
MLS %64.77
MLB %64.07

This is an extremely poor statistical argument, for the record.

 

[Bubbahotep]

We just need to annex Mexico, then work our way down through Central America until we get to Argentina, annex them, but we'll leave Brazil alone, need some competition. This will do two things, give us a kick *** soccer team, and, I won't need a passport to see the donkey shows in Tijuana.

 

[kcdc4isu]

Parents behave this way in EVERY kid's sporting event. It is nothing unique to baseball.

Now we have reached the ridiculous stage. Really? People don't like it because they can't hack it? That may be the dumbest argument I've seen on the subject.

Sometimes the truth hurts, they do not understand the game and can not play the game. You are corrrect that parents are a problem in sports as they are getting worse in soccer.

 

[mike4cy]

Baseball, basketball, and football have been around longer and supported better hence being for more popular. But there is an increasing amount of popularity in the sport.

Also for kids who are athletically gifted, there are plenty more opportunities to make money in the three listed sports above.

From an audience standpoint, many viewers in the US, who are fringe fans or don't understand that game are the same ones that need to be entertained by easier to understand, more exciting sports....

I do find it rather pathetic, that ones who dont like soccer have to downplay it all the time by preaching the same record over and over... If you dont like it, tahts fine, but i dont know why you have to disrespect those who do like it/enjoy it and the ones who play it.

I was home this past weekend with a bunch of family member who do this. As soon as I mentioned that I was excited to watch the USA match they started cracking jokes and making me feel dumb for wanting to watch it. I just said to each their own. I understand people who don't like it, but not criticizing people who do like it.

 

[Clonegrad07]

Instead of fighting about whether soccer is cool or not. Lets just post rational arguments why soccer is not popular in the US.

1. Ties(draws). How can games on soccer's biggest stage be allowed to end in a tie. Little league softball and baseball players would be upset if the game ended in a tie. "Dad why is the game over" .. "Well son we dont want one team to lose after they played a great game"..."But dad one team is supposed to win and the other lose"

2.Shoot-outs. Sure they can be exciting but most fans see them for what they are. A guessing game between goalies. It like ending a baseball game after 12 innings with a home run derby.

3.Flopping. Soccer players really should be doctors, can't even walk off the field one second, and then running full speed the next. This is probably the biggest reason, IMO.

4. FIFA. An irrational totalitarian regime. Enough said.

......

This is a short list and I would appreciate some additions.


PS Obviously I am not a soccer fan but I would just like this discussion to be about why most Americans don't like soccer.

I don't believe in ANYTHING you can tie in. Life is not about ties... and the fact you get POINTS for ties... GARBAGE.

Also, you forgot their ridiculous fans who kill people and riot after their losses and wins.

 

[3GenClone]

I don't believe in ANYTHING you can tie in. Life is not about ties... and the fact you get POINTS for ties... GARBAGE.

Also, you forgot their ridiculous fans who kill people and riot after their losses and wins.

You're right, because that doesn't happen in the U.S. with other sports

 

[dosry5]

I don't believe in ANYTHING you can tie in. Life is not about ties... and the fact you get POINTS for ties... GARBAGE.

Also, you forgot their ridiculous fans who kill people and riot after their losses and wins.

So you don't believe in football?

 

[CYphyllis]

Its the ultimate "feel good" sport. Nobody strikes out, nobody drops a flyball, or throws an error. Kids just run around aimlessly. The ultimate sport to fill little kids with selfesteem when the rest of us were called out looking, or dropping the ball in right field, or letting the grounder go through your legs at shortstop becuase you were afraid of the ball, or crying when you were hit-by-pitch... Nothing made you nut-up more than crying as you walked down to first with cute girls in the stands.

I'm not sure about that. Tryouts for competitive league teams start at the ages of six and seven. Those teams only goals are to win, even at a young age- and trust me, it's just as easy to screw up playing soccer as it is in baseball.

 

[CYphyllis]

After all, who wouldn't want to watch a 2 hour France-Uruguay, 0-0 snoozefest?? when you could be watching.....oh say a certain 51-45 game between the Packers and Cardinals in the NFL playoffs that could be the most exciting playoff game ever??

Picking outliers on the opposite ends of the spectrum really doesn't prove much of a point.

 

[RayShimley]

I don't believe in ANYTHING you can tie in. Life is not about ties... and the fact you get POINTS for ties... GARBAGE.

Also, you forgot their ridiculous fans who kill people and riot after their losses and wins.

That never happens in any other sports!!

USATODAY.com - Fans start fires, overturn cars after UConn claims title

'Unruly' revelry after Maryland game leads to 28 arrests in College Park - washingtonpost.com

Student Injured In Post-Game Red Sox Celebration Dies - Baltimore News Story - WBAL Baltimore