Invariably in my experience it's progressives irate that the US is not more enamored of soccer. I presume that's because it's European, and therefore superior to anything we come up with.
In any event they sometimes become infuriated to the point of speechlessness when I say "We do have soccer in the US, you know. For children. It teaches then group cooperation in a noncompetitive environment."
"We also have it as a competitive sport, like here in Seattle, where the Sounders on average out draw the Mariners by 20,000 per game."
Truly fan-based sports are organically-grown. Miami bought them an MLB trophy one year, too, and then wondered why people didn't come back after they sold off the pieces of their one-hit wonder. ;)
I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say. The Sounders sold 22,000 season tickets before a ball was kicked, and over five years that number has grown to 32,000. Fan support here is deep and real.
I guess that my lack of sense of humor is what kept me from gleaning that from an example about a Miami baseball team with a winky emoticon at the end.
Look who wrote the goofy Injun names - she might need to explain it to YOU ;^D
But to the topic...
Back when I was on Active Duty and therefore drank heavily, my Sunday morning ritual was to go down to the dayroom and turn on Telemundo or Univision with the sound turned down - there was guaranteed to be a Metric Football game on one or the other of these two channels - and nurse my hangover with an Alka-Seltzer Spritzer*.
Soccer is the screen saver of sports.
gvi
*In a pint glass, fill to two fingers with water, two tablets Alka-Seltzer, splash of lemon or lime juice and two fingers of hair-of-the-dog.
Second-best hangover remedy - first is 500ml normal saline.
@CarlosT: Seattle has at least three too many sportsball teams. More, if you count all for-profit teams, although the wife will object to my dissing her beloved Huskies.
Seattle also has far too many Euro-weenie-wannabe crypto-socialist hipsters.
Carlos, saying that the Sounders outdraw the Mariners on a per game basis is a pointless comparison. The Sounders have what, 30 home games? The Mariners have 80. Baseball attendance, even for good teams is never great except for weekend games and playoff runs.
Also, Sounders fans are somehow more annoying than all the bandwagon Hawks fans, which is didn't think was possible.
I played soccer in Middle school, many moons ago. I also played Football.
I play neither anymore, but Football is still fun to watch. Soccer could cure most insomnia.
At least I understand the rules to Soccer. I was in London during the Ashes (Cricket!) a couple years back. I watched about two hours of Cricket and I still have no freaking clue how that game works.
If I write a comment outraged at your dismissal of the world's most popular sport including my disdain for boring American football and baseball, am I trolling you or was I the one trolled?
"Anonymous Anonymous said... Soccer is just a form of hockey for pacifists.
Gerry
11:16 AM, June 18, 2014"
looks very pacifistic, doesn't it? http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=107535
I'm writing you from Europe, so i'm biased. Although i pretty much watch only when my national team is playing.
But what's with all the "dissing" (for a lack of a better word)? Soccer is played all over the world. You don't like it, ok. But if somebody does like it, they're juvenile, or wussies or what? Sounding just like the progressives: " It's my way or th... nope, just my way"
I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, it's mostly just "taking the piss", as the Limeys say.
People like what they like, and tend to like what they grew up with. For example, I dig baseball, but I also understand that it's probably as impenetrable to a cricket fan as their game is to me.
Well, ok then :)It's all in good fun. The problem is that when it's like this, in written, it sounds like the "I'm an American, hear me roar" attitude. I'm proud of my country too (home of the HS2000 btw :) ) but i got respect for everybody else. But people get a different picture when the conversation is not face to face. Just sayin'.
Anyway, I do like watching football. And,if you want to talk about slow sports, it's baseball.
Invariably in my experience it's progressives irate that the US is not more enamored of soccer. I presume that's because it's European, and therefore superior to anything we come up with.
ReplyDeleteIn any event they sometimes become infuriated to the point of speechlessness when I say "We do have soccer in the US, you know. For children. It teaches then group cooperation in a noncompetitive environment."
We also have it as a competitive sport, like here in Seattle, where the Sounders on average out draw the Mariners by 20,000 per game.
ReplyDelete"We also have it as a competitive sport, like here in Seattle, where the Sounders on average out draw the Mariners by 20,000 per game."
ReplyDeleteTruly fan-based sports are organically-grown. Miami bought them an MLB trophy one year, too, and then wondered why people didn't come back after they sold off the pieces of their one-hit wonder. ;)
I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say. The Sounders sold 22,000 season tickets before a ball was kicked, and over five years that number has grown to 32,000. Fan support here is deep and real.
Delete"I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say."
ReplyDelete1) "That we're talking about America, not retconKing County?"
2) "Oh, sure, soccer totally pulls in at least as many USian eyeballs as the WNBA. My bad!"
3) "You have no sense of humor."
Pick whichever one you like. :)
Um, okay.
DeleteI guess that my lack of sense of humor is what kept me from gleaning that from an example about a Miami baseball team with a winky emoticon at the end.
Going to have to invoke your Indian Name again, Tam.
ReplyDelete"Going to have to invoke your Indian Name again, Tam."
ReplyDeleteYou have an Indian name?
Snarkahotess?
Runs with Switchblades?
Steak Stealer?
Shootin' Buddy
"Going to have to invoke your Indian Name again, Tam."
ReplyDeleteYou have an Indian name?
Snarkahotess?
Runs with Switchblades?
Steak Stealer?
Shootin' Buddy
I'll let Tam explain that one. No sense in stealing her thunder.
ReplyDeleteWill_1400,
ReplyDeleteLook who wrote the goofy Injun names - she might need to explain it to YOU ;^D
But to the topic...
Back when I was on Active Duty and therefore drank heavily, my Sunday morning ritual was to go down to the dayroom and turn on Telemundo or Univision with the sound turned down - there was guaranteed to be a Metric Football game on one or the other of these two channels - and nurse my hangover with an Alka-Seltzer Spritzer*.
Soccer is the screen saver of sports.
gvi
*In a pint glass, fill to two fingers with water, two tablets Alka-Seltzer, splash of lemon or lime juice and two fingers of hair-of-the-dog.
Second-best hangover remedy - first is 500ml normal saline.
@Carlos T: Seattle has at least three too many sportsball teams.
ReplyDelete'Way too many Euroweenie-wannabe crypto-socialists, too.
@CarlosT: Seattle has at least three too many sportsball teams. More, if you count all for-profit teams, although the wife will object to my dissing her beloved Huskies.
ReplyDeleteSeattle also has far too many Euro-weenie-wannabe crypto-socialist hipsters.
Carlos, saying that the Sounders outdraw the Mariners on a per game basis is a pointless comparison. The Sounders have what, 30 home games? The Mariners have 80. Baseball attendance, even for good teams is never great except for weekend games and playoff runs.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Sounders fans are somehow more annoying than all the bandwagon Hawks fans, which is didn't think was possible.
"Soccer is the screen saver of sports."
ReplyDeleteTotally stealing that.
I did RTWT and the question of whether the critics actions are "...rooted in ignorance or enmity..." is easily answered; BOTH.
ReplyDeleteI played soccer in Middle school, many moons ago. I also played Football.
ReplyDeleteI play neither anymore, but Football is still fun to watch. Soccer could cure most insomnia.
At least I understand the rules to Soccer. I was in London during the Ashes (Cricket!) a couple years back. I watched about two hours of Cricket and I still have no freaking clue how that game works.
Soccer is just a form of hockey for pacifists.
ReplyDeleteGerry
Saw on Facebook:
ReplyDelete"If I wanted to watch a bunch of guys trying to score for an hour and a half and failing, I'd take my friends to the bar."
I don't watch soccer.
ReplyDeleteIf I wanted to spend 90 minutes watching a bunch of guys running around trying to score - I'll take my friends to a bar.
If I write a comment outraged at your dismissal of the world's most popular sport including my disdain for boring American football and baseball, am I trolling you or was I the one trolled?
ReplyDelete"Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSoccer is just a form of hockey for pacifists.
Gerry
11:16 AM, June 18, 2014"
looks very pacifistic, doesn't it?
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=107535
I'm writing you from Europe, so i'm biased. Although i pretty much watch only when my national team is playing.
But what's with all the "dissing" (for a lack of a better word)? Soccer is played all over the world. You don't like it, ok. But if somebody does like it, they're juvenile, or wussies or what?
Sounding just like the progressives: " It's my way or th... nope, just my way"
I can't speak for anybody else, but for me, it's mostly just "taking the piss", as the Limeys say.
ReplyDeletePeople like what they like, and tend to like what they grew up with. For example, I dig baseball, but I also understand that it's probably as impenetrable to a cricket fan as their game is to me.
Well, ok then :)It's all in good fun.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that when it's like this, in written, it sounds like the "I'm an American, hear me roar" attitude. I'm proud of my country too (home of the HS2000 btw :) ) but i got respect for everybody else. But people get a different picture when the conversation is not face to face. Just sayin'.
Anyway, I do like watching football. And,if you want to talk about slow sports, it's baseball.