Speed, agility, skill, brawn.
A 60 mph round ball full of air? Huh. What about a 120 mph 3" diameter x 1" thick solid rubber disk. Get if front of one of them. I have. It hurts.
And of course, fighting is part of the game. Now that's manly.
"I'm just wondering if anyone has a good reason to not like soccer."
The socks.
interesting first post.
Soccer. What's that?
I love my American Football. The scoring system kinda makes sense if you think about it. It is roughly merit-based, which is as American as it gets. So the lowest score is 1, an easy kick at point-blank range. The defense gets to score 2 for a tackle in the endzone. That alone encourages flat out raw animal clashes in those situations. You also get 2 points, often changing the final outcome of close games for being bold enough to think and believe your team can put it in the endzone twice consecutively from scrimmage. I think the reason a field goal is worth 3 is because the team usually has to organize a decent drive to get close enough. Obviously, touchdowns are what you want to see in a game, they are just that spectacular. The reward is double because it's just that much harder to do. And the chance to add one more makes it worth more than double. That ensures that no strategy to only get close enough for your ace kicker will work in the long run. We want TDs and we're willing to pay big points for them, which is very American.
This scoring system was deliberately set up to produce close but not identical scores, which are always more exciting. It encourages risk taking for greater rewards. Risk means suspense, and the endings of some of these games can have grown men chewing their fingernails.
Can you tell I'm ready for the season to start?
I don't have to, you already have. One thing is for sure with OUR American sports....People are not stabbed, beaten to death, or crushed to death!!!! The sport simply will never match the popularity of Football, Baseball or Basketball. We have too many years and years of sports stars and legends. And your comment about "medicinally enhanced guys" is laughable. Oh, and soccer is steroid free?? Yeah right!! You belong in England, I'm sure they would appreciate your enthusiasm for such a sucky and gay sport over there!!
I find no enthusiastic stimulation in team sports. Now boxing, martial arts or UFC...or really as I think about it, it's really the individual triumph that I enjoy. Each sport has it's moments, but most team sports are slow.
Next, there are times during a soccer match that hands are used, like by the goalie for a block or save, and for some inbounding of the ball.
Soccer can be fun to play, but it is a total bore to watch. NBA basketball has outed itself from my heart because of all the trash that now goes on in the game...too many spoiled, overpaid, Jordan wanna be's.
Baseball is fun to watch because of the intensity factor...bottom of the 9th, bases loaded, 2 outs, and the home team down by 1.
American Football is by far the best to watch. You just never know what's going to happen next. I can't count how many times I've been in front of the TV (or sometimes in the stadium), screaming! I, for one, love instant replay, but I usually have the call down before they even take it to the booth. It is just so damn exciting.
Most sports have a certain level of ability to play well, yes, even golf and fishing (which I love to do both) for various reasons.
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.
One advantage of soccer...You don't have to be a Gorilla to play :)
Soccer is not a sport, it's an Italian aerobics exercise.
Soccer is incredibly boring. It's more boring than baseball if that's possible. You're lucky if there are 2 goals per game in soccer.
Speed, agility, skill, brawn.
A 60 mph round ball full of air? Huh. What about a 120 mph 3" diameter x 1" thick solid rubber disk. Get if front of one of them. I have. It hurts.
And of course, fighting is part of the game. Now that's manly.
Soccer players.
I was tempted to make a snide remark, but I'll answer seriously. Arguments about the degree of skill various sports require aside, the main reason I personally can't get behind soccer is the lack of tradition it holds for me as an American. When I was growing up, soccer was only played by girls and boys too young to play football. What small amount of professional soccer there was in the US held no interest because it was played mostly by Europeans and Third Worlders I couldn't relate to, plus no one I knew was interested in watching it or discussing it. When they were hyping World Cup soccer, I wasn't interested because a large part of sports for me is tradition and rivalry that have personal significance in my own experience; I can't get excited about Germany vs. Mexico like I can about UGA vs. Auburn or the Braves vs whoever. Also, the sports I follow are NFL, college football (SEC), baseball, hockey, NASCAR, and golf. I really don't have room on my plate for another sport.
Football: Played by REAL MEN.
Basketball: Played by thugs.
ping
