American Rantings About World Cup Soccer (Football)
by RubaDub 75 Replies latest jw friends
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RubaDub
Like I said, I DO try to watch and enjoy the World Cup. Even these nil-nil and 1-nil games in which there is no offense (I wouldn't watch the NFL anymore if the teams could not score).
Anyway, Suarez on Uruguay bites a guy on Italy. I just don't understand why the Italian guy doesn't give Suarez a kick in the gut, then when he bends over a kick through his teeth (ala Hockey).
Suarez will not be such a pretty boy when he smiles like a hockey player with his front teeth missing.
Rub a Dub
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konceptual99
Good call
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Wild_Thing
I predict this will become the longest thread ever! People have strong opinions about their football/soccer!
I am an American woman and I use to not "get" soccer either. Now I love it! It is something you kind of have to get into, I guess.
David Beckham did it for me. Whoa, baby!
I am also becoming a new fan of Ronaldo! But I will always be loyal to my hometown team. We won the MLS cup!!!!!!!
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prologos
with all it's 'SOCCER-MOMS', North Amercia should be able to produce FIFA class players en masse.
These are well 'managed' games. getting Uruguai a powerplay [as is said in Hockey] to score.
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Pacopoolio
The issue with soccer is that if you want a sport of its type that is more streamlined, you have hockey. They are ridiculously similar, but hockey truncates most of the issues with soccer (field being too large, flopping, lack of breakaways) and streamlines it into a faster, smoother sport with many of the same strengths (most of the play going away from the ball/puck, etc.). Baseball, basketball and Football Americano are all the "prime" examples of their types of sports played on a wide level (ie. compared to cricket and rugby), even with their flaws.
Therefore, a lot of Americans that would like soccer watch hockey instead and find soccer boring in comparison to THAT similar sport.
Much of the popularity of Soccer worldwide is that it's one of the cheapest sports to play. All you need is a singular ball, really. That means that even the poorest people in the world can play, which explains its popularity. Basketball requires concrete and hoops, baseball, a bat and multiple gloves, Football also just requires a ball but teens and adults will literally kill themselves playing non-padded. And hockey is the worst with pads (or again, killing each other), helmets, skates, ice, sticks, and a puck.
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keyser soze
When someone bumps into you and you fall down in excruciating pain, shouldn't you leave the game? Happens in other sports all the time. In baseball, football, basketball, hockey, tennis, golf or any other sport I can think of here
To be fair, there's plenty of "flopping" in American sports, as well. I once saw Derek Jeter pretend to get hit by a pitch and get awarded first base. I constantly see NFL players fall to the ground after being nudged by an opposing player for the purpose of drawing a 15 yard penalty. And it's so bad in the NBA that they had to start fining the players this season (though Lebron always seems to get a pass).
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RubaDub
To be fair, there's plenty of "flopping" in American sports, as well. I once saw Derek Jeter pretend to get hit by a pitch and get awarded first base. I constantly see NFL players fall to the ground after being nudged by an opposing player for the purpose of drawing a 15 yard penalty. And it's so bad in the NBA that they had to start fining the players this season (though Lebron always seems to get a pass).
Keyser ...
Point well taken. But the difference of getting a "break" in the other sports as compared to Soccer is huge. I can think of no equivalent to a Penalty Kick in soccer that equates to anything else in any other sport (probably a 90% chance of scoring in a game that has so few goals to start with). Generally, a call or no call by the referee can decide a game.
In the on-ice equivalent of Soccer (Ice Hockey), the players would be ashamed to fall and flop. It may happen, but is the exception.
You bump into a hockey player one minute and there is no flopping ... just expect to get the same and a lot more the next time the other player has a clean shot at you.
But then, hockey players don't wear skirts.
Rub a Dub
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sir82
I can think of no equivalent to a Penalty Kick in soccer that equates to anything else in any other sport
How about american football's pass interference in the end zone? Results in 1st & goal at the 1 yard line. Pretty much as sure of resulting in points as a penalty kick.
IMHO, any sport seems "boring" and "stupid" until / unless you understand it. These sorts of "my sport is better than your sport" primarily serve to expose the ignorance of the posters.
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RubaDub
How about american football's pass interference in the end zone? Results in 1st & goal at the 1 yard line. Pretty much as sure of resulting in points as a penalty kick.
sir82 ...
Not even close.
Probably a 50% - 60% chance of scoring a touchdown.
The BIG difference is that the average American football game is about 45 points (6+ touchdowns and/or combinations of field goals).
In a soccer game where the score is 1-0, 0-1, 2-1, 0-0 or whatever, a goal is HUGE compared to a touchdown.
The last scoreless tie in soccer was yesterday ... the last scoreless game in the NFL was in 1943.
Rub a Dub