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Why Americans needs to embrace soccer (football)
19/08/12 | Phil.K

Posted on 08/19/2012 10:47:26 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat

I have just finished watching an absolute scorcher of a game between Manchester City and Southampton (the current league champions won 3-2) and would like to state my case why America needs to embrace this game ASAP.

1) Football (soccer) is THE premier spectator sport in the world.

This doesn't mean baseball, basketball, Ice Hockey, cricket, American football, rugby, Australian rules etc don't have a place at the table. But week in and week out, the thought that David can and does beat Goliath makes it genuine.

2) It can be played anywhere.

Unlike most team sports, no equipment is required to play except a ball. And I don't necessarily mean a football. The kids at my school use "paper" balls, and when I was a kid, we used sweaters for goal posts.

3) It is an international language.

With the chances of our children traveling internationally becoming far more frequent, to be able to communicate with others is a huge asset. Yes learning languages is important, but that's no good if you have nothing to talk about. The EPL is represented by almost half the world. Moreover it is the most watched league in the world. Having some knowledge of its stars and traditions does no harm.

Once again, I'm NOT saying other spectator sports are boring ( well ok basketball and baseball). But in this shrinking world, if you don't know Rooney from Drogba, Pele form Maradonna, or Juventus from AC Milan...you are left with talking about ....


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Sports
KEYWORDS: yougottabekidding
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

socker isn’t football, it’s 3rd world crap!


21 posted on 08/19/2012 11:01:44 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
Soccer is so gay.
22 posted on 08/19/2012 11:01:55 AM PDT by bayouranger (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices the lie.)
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To: MachIV

In the 70s, I would sometimes play soccer...but with 4 man teams. Designated goalie had to be ready to outrun the ball before it arrived at the goal. It was entirely possible to score from mid-field. And of course, we had to cover the entire field...no standing around, waiting for the ball to get closer.

Because you could score from midfield (or further if you had a strong leg), a typical score might be 20-17. THAT was fun!

Standing around, watching others, waiting for the ball to get closer, scoreless games....yawn. Zzzzzz.....


23 posted on 08/19/2012 11:02:37 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Liberalism: "Ex faslo quodlibet" - from falseness, anything follows)
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
Unlike most team sports, no equipment is required to play except a ball. And I don't necessarily mean a football. The kids at my school use "paper" balls, and when I was a kid, we used sweaters for goal posts.

The same is true of American football, which i played with my friends on any old field or playground when I was kid.

24 posted on 08/19/2012 11:03:52 AM PDT by PhatHead
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

I can see it now, a Friday night in a rural Texas town the air is cool on this Homecoming night. The stadium is full as the two prairie powerhouse teams take the field. The skinny players of the home team hope to avenge the nil-nil tie of last year as they stand in silence for the playing of the US and Mexican National Anthems.

If there is no football what will the fat kids play?


25 posted on 08/19/2012 11:04:38 AM PDT by Mike Darancette (Democrats: Ticket of Dope and Chains.)
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To: Misterioso
"More to the point, what are your needs for making this statement? Aren't you being defensive, just a little, in whining about the lack of popularity for your game? "

thanks for such kind words!

26 posted on 08/19/2012 11:06:17 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

Soccer is excruciatingly boring, and the players are a bunch of drama queens.


27 posted on 08/19/2012 11:07:23 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: Theoria

"Your boyfriend left you for me!"

"NOOOOOOOO!"

28 posted on 08/19/2012 11:09:58 AM PDT by mikrofon (Soccer Actors Guild)
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

Strange, a person who decides to leave his country and live in another telling a third country what their sports should be.


29 posted on 08/19/2012 11:10:39 AM PDT by 11Bush
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To: Theoria

Bingo!! Soccer was fun to play as a kid because we never just stood around. It is brutally painful to watch, and even more so at the Professional level because of the “acting” that happens. There is no flow to the game.


30 posted on 08/19/2012 11:12:35 AM PDT by Chipper (You can't kill an Obamazombie by destroying the brain...they didn't have one to begin with.)
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To: 11Bush

Geez..has this forum really become about who can make the snidest remark


31 posted on 08/19/2012 11:14:28 AM PDT by Jakarta ex-pat
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
Colorado Rockies player Vinny Castilla donated the money to build a baseball diamond by the local United Way. Vinny Castilla Field.

Soon thereafter, a soccer pitch was put up in the outfield. I don't think a baseball game was ever played there.

32 posted on 08/19/2012 11:15:20 AM PDT by real saxophonist (Proud to have been beat up and shot by the late Paul Gomez. RIP, 'Gnomez'.)
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
Unlike most team sports, no equipment is required to play except a ball.

I have long been convinced that this is the primary reason it's popular. Most of the rest of the world is too poor to avoid sports equipment.

The reason it's not popular here is that one wonders why anyone would find constant motion (and low scores) interesting.

33 posted on 08/19/2012 11:15:55 AM PDT by OldPossum
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To: OldPossum

Ahh, that would be “afford” not “avoid.” Don’t know what I was thinking.


34 posted on 08/19/2012 11:17:30 AM PDT by OldPossum
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To: real saxophonist
So I guess point #2 is correct, it can be played anywhere, even on baseball diamonds donated by baseball players.
35 posted on 08/19/2012 11:18:48 AM PDT by real saxophonist (Proud to have been beat up and shot by the late Paul Gomez. RIP, 'Gnomez'.)
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

I do not have a dog in this hunt, as I like sports, but watching NFL fans say that soccer is gay never fails to crack me up. So go ahead NFL fans, continue watching your sport: skin-tight, manhood-enhancing uniforms; players “presenting” their rumps to the cameras; all interspersed with ads for erectile dysfunction. LOL


36 posted on 08/19/2012 11:19:08 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

I prefer flicking slugs with a sharpened stick, much more entertaining than soccer.


37 posted on 08/19/2012 11:20:29 AM PDT by bigfootbob
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To: Jakarta ex-pat

Sorry, didn’t mean to touch a nerve soccer boy. Where was I incorrect in my post? I just think it is strange and said so.


38 posted on 08/19/2012 11:20:54 AM PDT by 11Bush
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
how can soccer be a scorcher unless he is referring to being forced to sit out in the sun and watch it!

And the fact that most the world plays it is reason enough to ignore it!

39 posted on 08/19/2012 11:22:08 AM PDT by Reily
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To: Jakarta ex-pat
1) Football (soccer) is THE premier spectator sport in the world.

Many of us want nothing to do with the international mainstream, sports included.

40 posted on 08/19/2012 11:23:17 AM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature not nurture TM)
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