Soccer vs. Other Sports

[philisthemaster]

American football is a "manly" sport. Everyone knows that. It mixes strategy and tactics with pinpoint execution, and brute force. I don't care for the sport myself, but I'll admit it does take a lot of skill. What's the deal with making a touchdown 6 points though? Really. To make it seem like it has a much higher score? And I don't like how everyone who tries to give an accurate summary of a football situation usually says something like "u try running a set route at a set speed, jumping up in the air, catching the ball, and getting crushed by a HUGE guy." You can make any sport sound exciting if you break it down like that.

Baseball is probably on of my least favorite sports. To be fair, it probably takes more accuracy and precision than most sports though. I'm not saying hitting a 90 Mph ball with a round bat is easy, I'm just saying....why? Why would this sport be any "manlier" than soccer? It's all planned out by the manager. Hitting and pitching are the main two points I can really give to baseball. Catching? A line drive, sure, but anyone who can't catch a ball that they have 12 seconds to adjust to is just plain unathletic. There are definitely some exceptions, but it's not that hard. It's longer than a typical soccer match (as are most sports televised in America), and it's MUCH slower. Fun to play, but really...who wants to watch medicinally enhanced guys in tight pants swing at a ball and miss 20 times before one of them hits it...and gets out?

Basketball is one sport I can give credit to. Maybe the closest American relative to soccer. It's high scoring, which is what Americans want to see. It has flair, and style, and plenty of chances to go get snacks. I don't have a problem with basketball, but it just takes a lot more physical skill than mental. But that's not at all to say it doesn't take mental skill. I'm just saying that when you have 2.3 seconds to make a three pointer, you need a lot more physical than mental skill. There are plays and everything, I realize that, but it's been turned into a slam dunk contest. There aren't that many players who want to play the game for what it is, and not for the huge multi-million dollar deals they get. The game itself has TONS of strategy and mental activity, but when I say it has little, I'm talking about the NBA.

Finally we get to soccer. A lot of people hate the game because "it's all so low scoring." It may be low scoring, but it's a tactical game also. Every pass is building up to something, and when they finally pull the ripcord and get a shot, the resulting save or goal is usually worth the 5 minutes of waiting. Is it a slow game? Not as slow as football. Let's say there are 100 plays in a football game. That's one play every two or three minutes. One play that lasts maybe 5 seconds. And don't even get me started on baseball. A lot of other people hate soccer for the completely illogical reason that "you don't use your hands." Oh, is using your feet too hard? You use your feet because it requires more practice to learn. You're already used to using your hands to do everything else, so why not use your feet once in a while? It's also inaccurate to say you ONLY use your feet. The chest and head are used almost as much for many players. And it's harder than you think. To give a little situation, imagibe this: you're standing behind a muscular defender, and the ball is coming in at, oh let's say 60 Mph. Would you be brave enough to jump up and redirect the ball (which when fully inflated is just as hard as a basketball) with your forehead? All the while, the defender is grabbing at your shirt and pushing...and once you get in the air, don't think he won't throw an elbow, or even head you. I could go on, but I'd rather hear other people's opinions.

For what my plea is worth, please don't just say "soccer sux, its so gay." If you're going to say that, please give me a reason. I'm just wondering if anyone has a good reason to not like soccer.

[Welsh Rabbit]

I've always wanted to try curling, it looks like a lot of fun. But alas, I grew up in the Deep South and have no intentions of leaving, so I'll probably never get the chance.

[sharktrager]

I love to watch curling, but no sport comes close to having been so clearly invented by some drunk guys on a weekend night.

[Chewbacca]

I always wanted to try playing a game of BASEketball.
That sport should be turned into a videogame as the movie was so cool.

[359Henrie]

Try frozen turkeys in the supermarket.

[dimk]

Better question is: Why so few people in US play Rugby?

I personally love soccer but that comes from growing up in Ukraine during the time when my city team won European club championship 1986!

American football just has way too much stoppage. Do this.. stop, new play is called etc.. Baseball is just unbearable to watch, I cant make myself watch whole game its too long. Now Rugby has everything I like about American Football without stop commercial.. stop stop commercial stop ugh. Hockey is same except for pointless fighting sometimes (you know when fight has nothing to do with the game).

Soccer is a religion of a sort in Europe, can you imagine Soccer game interrupted by a commercial? You would have street riots for sure. Unless you came from the culture its almost impossible to get into it I think.

Rugby has all of the properties of why people say they love American football yet nobody watches it on TV. Same as soccer NA doesn't have professional rugby tradition and not enough interest to start one. Yet the game is the most fun all of them, direct contact, flow, nonstop action, well rounded players.

[philisthemaster]

"I believe that out of all the sports listed, soccer is the easiest. You learn where to stand, what lines not to cross, and kick or head the ball to someone else with the same color shirt. This is probably why you like this sport so damn much, it's the only one your good enough to play."

Sure you're entitled to your opinion, but where'd the rudeness come from? I was trying to put this as fairly as possible, I'm sorry if i misrepresented some things. As for what little you said that wasn't trying to berate me, here's my opinion. You didn't even come close to accurately describing what it takes to play well. You don't learn where to stand. Good players are moving constantly. You need a lot of accuracy, quickness, and thinking on your feet to play most positions. I think you definitely did a poor job of representing the game as it's meant to be played.

As for what I said about the ball being as hard as a basketball, okay, I was exaggerating. I know it's not AS HARD as a basketball. It's close. Fair enough? Also, I know that hands are used at some points, seeing as I play the game. During the course of play in the field, however, which is what makes up most of the game, they don't use their hands. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough there. Also, I didn't mean that it's the best sport to watch. It's my personal favorite, but my point here was to find out why people hate the actual playing of the game so much. I should have described what I was looking for better. I was also trying to get across the point that soccer is NOT as easy as everyone thinks. You basically did what I complained about above, and made the game sound so simple that a baby could play it. I mean a baby COULD play it, but there are tactical runs, strategic decisions that need to be made, and countless other complexities. When I use the phrase "play the game" I mean play it well, with good decision making and good team play. Not the free-for-all version played by 10 year olds.

I'm sorry if I offended you enough that you felt like you needed to insult me. If you have a fairer description or enterpretation of what I said in my post, I'd be glad to hear it.

And as for the people who put up hockey pictures, and put and effort into posting about it, I didn't list hockey, because I don't have an argument against it. It's one of the few sports I care to watch or play, so I didn't bother complaining about it. Thanks for all the feedback

[philisthemaster]

And thanks for the description of American footabll scoring. It seems a little more logical now. I can't say I agree, but at least I understand it.

[codyjacksmom]

If you will re-read my post, you will notice that I have played soccer also. I've played both indoor and outdoor. The first time I got a call to play (never played before in my life), it was because the team knew I was athletic. I received a couple quick instructions and went onto the field. Within a few games, I was the best player on the team. To me, it is an extremely easy sport to play.

As for the berating, I was just speaking facts and my opinions, and was defending our great American sports that you had no problem trashing.

I have played soccer (and most other sports), but it was a boring and easy game compared to most others. The only time I needed to use my head was to head the ball (ok, the one part of soccer I loved!)

If you didn't want insults, you shouldn't have insulted our good old American sports.

[philisthemaster]

You insulted soccer, yet I didn't see the need to make fun of you or call names. Also, I'd like to know what level you've played at. High school? College? AA? AAA? If you found it as easy as you said you did, and you were as good as you said you were, you should have no problem making millions in Europe playing. But I see your love of American sports will overtake that option. I don't have a problem with your opinion, I'm just trying to ask questions here. The question about what level you played at was not sarcastic, it was an honest inquiry. Just thought I'd mention that before you jumped to conclusions and started throwing out insults again.

[codyjacksmom]

Phil, go re-read my post yet again! I did not insult soccer or call you names in my last post. I gave my reasons and opinions, just as you had requested, yet that doesn't seem to be good enough for you. FYI, I didn't play any level soccer league (unless you count park district), and I also only claimed to be the best on the team...even if I was European level, I wouldn't want to go there, but please feel free to join them if you'd like.

I have re-read my last post and have failed to see where I jumped to conclusions, or threw out any insults. Don't ask for facts and opinions if you can't handle them. I think the problem we're facing here, is you can't stand the thought of discussing sports with a female that doesn't agree with you. Especially one that doesn't hang on and believe every word you say about a sport. Go look at the thread Phil, there must have been at least a dozen posts by men that totally slammed soccer, and some much worse than I did, yet you didn't reply to any of them. I'd like to hear an explanation for that FACT?!?!?!?!

[philisthemaster]

I wasn't talking about your last post, I was talking about the first one. And you can hardly make decisions on the level of competition of a sport from playing in a park. As for your need of an explanation, I didn't reply to any of the other posts because there was really no need to. When someone makes a half decent attempt at insulting something I love, I usually feel like there's need to correct something they're saying. If your idea of "slamming" something is saying "dude that sucks and it's gay," then you're hardly smarter than the person who said it in the first place. I'll reread the posts, and if I find anything that makes a decent point, I'd be glad to respond to it. And as for me not being able to "stand the thought of discussing sports with a female that doesn't agree with [me]," that's just an attemt to make me sound bad. Sorry if I didn't read the post carefully enough. Next time I'll be sure to check it better.

[philisthemaster]

You think a sport is "gay" because people are beaten over the outcome of a game, or who they support? I can understand calling it dangerous, and saying you don't want a part in it because of what happens after the games, but who said I condone that anyway? I'm talking about the game itself. I also never said anything about thinking that soccer will be popular here. I can see that it won't ever meet the level of American football, where good plays are rewarded with pats on the butt. I re-read my post, and I failed to see where I implied that soccer was steroid free. I believe I mentioned baseball as an example, because that's where a lot of steroid publicity comes from. Steroids are in every sport, whether we hear about them or not. There. I admit that some soccer players take steroids. I only wish I could go to England. That's a country where they appreciate REAL sports.

[laceybrookesdad]

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[Clemenza]

Soccer: Played by Faggy Europeans and little girls.

Football: Played by REAL MEN.

Basketball: Played by thugs.

[EveningStar]

ping

[codyjacksmom]

Phil, give it up already. I have tried numerous times to tell you why soccer sucks, but you focus on anything and everything else. Go over the thread again and see how many other people hate soccer...and then get a life.

[jjbrouwer]

Lay off Phil, dork. If you don't like real sports just go back to the retarded US pastimes.

[codyjacksmom]

Sorry for answering your "friend"...you must be the male.

[SoDak]

Wow, you captured it.