Not only does Italy have the best food in the world, now they've got the best soccer team in the world. I've decided that I'm pretty indifferent about that.
I watched the game yesterday and can honestly now say that football is way better than soccer. Sorry.
It just is.
It's more physical. It's more exciting. There's more strategy.
I was watching the game with a former all state soccer player who said, "I hope it comes down the penalty kicks"
me: really?
former all state soccer player: yeah, it's the best possible ending
So it wasn't about the craftiness of a defense or the intricacies of how they pass the ball back and forth....it was about seeing a ball go in a net and not watching the ref say it's no goal because of off sides.
They ought to go ahead and make off sides legal. There'd be more scoring. People who don't understand the rule wouldn't get mad every 2 minutes when they called it. It would change the dynamics of the whole sport.
"You just don't understand it. If you did, you'd appreciate it"
I think I understand it. I watched some games and , apparently, you have to kick, head, knee the ball toward a net in the hopes that the other team will accidentally kick it in for you. If someone from the other team sneezes in your direction, you should fall down grabbing at your knee as though it might come off.
Yellow cards are bad.
Red cards are worse.
If you score a goal, take off your shirt.
If you're on the bench, get comfortable.
Repeat after me, "this is the most popular sport in the world" Keep saying that until people start to believe it (NASCAR is trying the same strategy)
It's fun when they score....so once or twice every three hours...but other than that????
"I watched the game yesterday and can honestly now say that football is way better than soccer. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteIt just is. It's more physical. It's more exciting. There's more strategy."
You is a dumb poo-poo head.
You just is.
I had 2 hours on my "how long will it take Dan to post an anti-Sean's rantings on the World Cup" pool....
ReplyDeleteI'm a little thrown at the early hour in which you commented.
Well done.
Just got some new bean bags - up for a game?
I feel like rushing to soccer’s defense, but it would be hard to do it justice. I don’t want to use the same tired excuse that it is hard for Americans to understand all the nuances of the very beautiful game (some people think a string of well connected passes is prettier than a diamond necklace). Too few goals? That would be like saying a whole baseball series sucked cos there were not enough home runs.
ReplyDeleteHow can I begin to convey the passion? (Ah, I will now confess that my skills at writing are inadequate)
A few examples.
When Nigeria beat Brazil a few years ago, their embassy in Rio was burnt down (and Nigerians understood completely!)
Strangers are hugging and crying to each other after a match. All over the country, not just some fanatics.
The poorest and richest kids are out all day, every day kicking a ball or something that resembles a ball. Even homeless kids play under bridges.
However, this is not doing it justice. Sports are a very subjective thing. I am the biggest sports fanatic I know, but the only time I ever watched a football game was a super bowl party I had. Even though I lived in front of a huge sports bar, the only thing I went there for was to play pool and meet friends. I have never been to the baseball and football stadiums in Cincinnati but will gladly fork $2k to go to Europe to camp on the side of a mountain for 3 days waiting for a bunch of skinny spandex-wearing dudes to come by on their skinny bikes and I only see them for 3 minutes. But I will think it is the best experience of my life, and the 1 million other people on the mountain will agree. That I yawn over the NHL/NBA draft (and I like basketball!) but will happily wake up at 2 am to watch a repeat of the Monaco Grand Prix just to see Mika Hakkinen go through Casino Square as only he can?
Whatever your interests, long live sports. Athletes are our modern day warriors. Let’s play ball, anyone?
Sign me up for August man.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've seen the light, Sean. I watched a lot of the World Cup because I was rooming with two soccer fans on vacation. It was actually better than I've always remembered, but it still wasn't "good."
ReplyDeleteThey don't have to change any of their rules for America, because that's pretty arogant of us. But...if they want Americans to watch, they need to make two simple changes...1) Fix the damn clock. Seriously, count down people, not up. And just stop it when someone gets hurt so we don't have to guess at how much extra time there is. And 2) Get ride of offsides. If that goal by Italy that was called off because of offsides isn't a goal, then I can't get with soccer...
Finally, I really do like the "world" format. I wish more sports could get with this. Baseball is trying, and basketball and hockey have the Olympics, but they don't compare with the World Cup as far as global appeal.
That was a long comment. When are you teach at D'VINE?
First of all, to take away offsides would completely ruin the game.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, a successful goal line stand in football is one of the most exciting circumstances in the game of American football. Start thinking of soccer from a defensive standpoint, that for 90 minutes you are trying to survive the onslaught of the opposition.
Also, the game of soccer opens itself up for a great deal of creativity. That is a large reason why the US is inferior to other squads. As individuals, they lack the creativity that the Ronaldinhos, Zidanes, and Figos have. Unlike football, where most everything is drawn up in a playbook and the player simply runs the route, a soccer player must continually improvise. That's much of of the beauty.
As for the clock going up. You're a college professor. I think you can figure it out bud.
Ethnocentrism- the belief that one's own race, ethnic group or customs are the most important and/or that some or all aspects of its culture are superior to those of other groups.
ReplyDeleteSean, you're very enthnocentric. I guess you can now call me ethnocentric for calling you that.
blah, blah, blah. i saw some of the world cup...when i was flipping thru channels. and i saw david beckham score a goal. i only know who he is because he is married to an ex spice girl. the only thing worth commenting on in your post today is your Nascar dig. and i'm not giving you the satsifaction. unless you decide to go to saranac. then i'll rant and rave about how great nascar is. but not until then and i mean it!
ReplyDeleteThat head-butt was the greatest thing in the history of soccer.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy and jumped around and cheered because, for the first time in my life, I saw a Frenchman with a spine.
But then they kicked him out and I realized that soccer was still dumb.
PS - I didn't actually like the head-butt. Although it was the most exciting thing I've ever seen in a soccer match, it was pretty dirty. French people are now accusing the Italians of being racists and calling Zidane a terrorist, to try to garner some sympathy for him. Dude, just own up to it - "yeah, he ticked me off, so I clocked him." Americans might respect that.
I won't accuse the Italians of being racists, but I will accuse you of stereotyping French people.
ReplyDeleteFootball- try to get almond shaped ball 100 yards (or less) to a rectangle that has been assigned to the opposing team; run down a grassy field with said ball in hand, avoid being knocked down and knock down the other team's players if they get in your way to said rectangle. Yep, it's the thinking man's game. LOL
ReplyDeleteMy two year old could play football (ok, if she could run 100 yards!).
stereotyping the french?
ReplyDeleteguilty as charged.
I'm sure they don't care - I'm just a stupid American.