[Dead Dog]

I cut and pasted your screen names from the old CNN thread.

I think this is interesting stuff. England is supposed to be the least Football friendly nation in Europe, however, the amateur league (post college) support is better than the in the US. Sweden, Austria, and Germany are rapidly growing markets for the sport at all levels.

As noted on prior threads, football encapsulates a very American world view, one that seems to be a wedge between us and Europe. It will be interesting to see how or if this cultural export effects their society. I see it as a Trojan horse, or even a virus.

IMO, what makes soccer such a difficult sport are all the skinny people
you can't hit.

[Dead Dog]

Have you turned that Dell on this morning?

[cyborg]

They'll play it because it's American. I don't find NFL as appealing as rugby.

[E Rocc]

I think this is interesting stuff. England is supposed to be the least Football friendly nation in Europe, however, the amateur league (post college) support is better than the in the US. Sweden, Austria, and Germany are rapidly growing markets for the sport at all levels.

I would think France would be actually (perhaps because their is no provision for surrendering when one is being beaten badly).

Much of the English antipathy for football is because we renamed their big sport that they call by that name "soccer", and consider it a minor sport. Ironically, we combined soccer and rugby and innovated it into something that transcends both (unless one considers 0-0 ties to be captivating). There's also the fact that soccer is the big sport for the rest of the world, but it's not good enough for us...most American sports fans consider it boring.

Too bad. :)

-Eric