America's Growing Interest in Soccer/The World Cup a Sign of 'Moral Decay', claims Ann Coulter

Daily Mail UK ^ | June 27, 2014 | David Mccormack

[sevinufnine]

Conservative pundit Ann Coulter believes that the country’s growing interest in soccer – fueled by Team USA’s success in the 2014 World Cup - is a sure sign of America's ‘moral decay.’

Coulter’s reasons for hating soccer include that individual achievement is not a big factor, it isn’t rough enough, and the fact that ‘it's foreign.’

As a conservative she argued that liberals only love soccer - and the metric system - because they're both 'European.'

[Fuzz]

I was mocking you.

[1rudeboy]

No, you are opposed to the lib conspiracy. And I’m reminded you that, while there is a lib conspiracy regarding almost everything, there’s no need to insult actual fans of any sport.

[mkboyce]

“Soccer is played everywhere in the world and the players kinda sorta look like the countries they come from.”

Except in France...lol!

[mkboyce]

Spot on with that picture!

Soccer is not a ‘liberal’ thing or a progressive conspiracy.

Wearing pjs and craddling mugs of hot coco is.

[circlecity]

Lighten up everyone. This is just tounge-in-cheek satire. Reminds me of stuff I used to read back in the 1970s era “National Lampoon”. (and I mean that in a good way)

[Steve_Seattle]

"What’s liberal about that?"

There is nothing liberal about soccer per se, but I have noticed - locally - that many soccer fans are attracted to soccer precisely BECAUSE it is perceived as European, internationalist, and non-American. The basis for my perception is comments made by soccer fans themselves on local sports message boards, denigrating American football and baseball, and claiming - falsely, I believe - that soccer is so much more "intellectual" than those sports.

[danamco]

Within 25 years, the U.S. is going to a major international contender, WHY???

Because of wise soccer-moms. If you notice in the communities you see more soccer practices than American “football.” The moms figured out the game is less violent and her children don’t need to be a 300+ lbs. baby. Also investment in gears are much lesser!!!

[sevinufnine]

Nope. Grew up in Tampa (VERY liberal area) and live in SW VA which is very conservative other that VA Tech area and Salem (near Roanoke). Football seems to be so freaking hot a sport all 3 places. Everything is about football, so no...I don’t see an evil conspiracy.

[Doctor 2Brains]

Well, check out Limbaugh on the subject. I figure if I stand with him I’m on good ground.

[sevinufnine]

If’n you say so. I’ll see what he has to say on the Internet. don’t have time to listen to long talk shows. maybe I can find something about it on drudge?

[VanDeKoik]

I think it’s in part due to how many discussions you see where it always dissolve into:

Foreigners mocking Americans because our team doesn’t preform at the level of a Germany or Brazil, and therefore we are somehow bad people as a result.

Some hipster self-hating American dweeb lamenting that we call it Soccer while the rest of the world calls it Football (Australians and Canadians call it Soccer too).

American fans not just being Americans, but trying to adopt the mannerisms and cultural habits of European soccer fans. Thankfully the soccer riot hasn’t caught on.

In the end, many conservatives just feel totally alienated from the experience. They want to cheer on the U.S., but when you have to act like something you aren’t to join in the fun, you kinda tune out.

[sphinx]

With soccer, if there is a rush to the net and no goal, then oh well, back to kicking the ball in a circle somewhere in the midfield...

Baseball is slow, but not boring. It is built on anticipation. Instead of having to watch a bunch of ants milling about until something happens, you again get to watch a mini-conflict between pitcher and hitter, and there are definite and potentially game-changing outcomes each time.

That's an odd juxtaposition. Soccer is all about anticipation. With regard to passing the ball around, think of chess or fencing: you are not going to beat a well-positioned defense, so you maneuver to create a momentary lapse, then strike. This, by the way, is going to be the death of the current U.S. team, which cannot hold the ball in midfield against quality opponents.

I grant that baseball is all about anticipation as well. I like it too. I'm coming to think that football and basketball are for instant gratification crackheads.

[Steve_Seattle]

American football and basketball have been harmed by excessive breaks for TV commercials and various other timeouts. (I could hardly stand to watch the NCAA basketball tournament, where it took about 25-30 minutes to play the last seven minutes of some of the games.) So soccer has the advantage of being RELATIVELY continuous.

But much of that continuity consists of relatively boring midfield passing, balls kicked back to one's own goalkeeper, and - of course - all of the flopping, which even disgusts most soccer fans. The amount of high-excitement play in soccer can usually be boiled down to about two or three minutes of actual playing time. In American football, however, any play can result in a game-changing touchdown or turnover or sack or big gain, so I think the moment-by-moment excitement in American football is greater than in soccer.

[mylife]

Rush actually talked about yesterdays match with Germany.

[mouske]

“...fueled by Team USA’s success in the 2014 World Cup...”

Success? They have won 25% of their games...

Soccer is dumb.com. - Hank Hill

[1rudeboy]

I do not disagree. I simply am bemused by some of the arguments:

American tells European that soccer is un-American.
European reminds American that they suck at it.

All in good fun, and fair play [pun intended]. The point where it becomes absurd is when the American claims the European is trying to "shove soccer down his throat."

[noexcuses]

bingo

Golf!!! (bingo is fun too)

[Fuzz]

“American football and basketball have been harmed by excessive breaks for TV commercials and various other timeouts.”

The continuous play with no commercial interruptions is one of the things that makes it enjoyable for me to watch.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The continuous play with no commercial interruptions is one of the things that makes it enjoyable for me to watch."

That does somewhat compensate for other factors. Such as, per current Major League Soccer stats:

2.72 = average goals per game (total, both teams).
1.36 = average goals per game (per individual team).
33% = percentage of games ending in a tie.

In American football, this would be equivalent to a preponderance of 10-7 or 14-7 or 7-0 games, with a lot of 10-10 and 7-7 ties. A 42-28 game would be almost unheard of.

[Patriot365]

Soccer - a transplanted euroweenie non-sport, where little Sara can play with little Johnny and no one gets hurt and everyone gets a trophy.