Posted on 06/27/2014 11:24:03 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
Love baseball. Lover soccer. Soccer enthusiasm is definitely on the rise in the US, and kids are being drawn away from baseball to lacrosse and soccer.
That said, baseball will survive, but may have to cut back a bit on how many games played in a season. If soccer teams played as often as baseball teams, interest for each individual game would wane - likely even in Europe. The World Cup is so special in part because it’s every 4 years.
Mark Lawrenson, former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland Player. Interesting views, not gospel.
Brazil 2 0 Chile
Columbia 2 1 Uruguay
Netherlands 1 0 Mexico
Costa Rica 2 0 Greece
France 2 1 Nigeria
Germany 2 0 Algeria
Argentina 2 0 Switzerland
Belgium 1 1 USA, OT, Shootout
More or less, this looks fairly good. Of course, he will be off in some.
France in the World Cup, just some humor:
“I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me.” General George S. Patton
“Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion.” Norman Schwartzkopf
“We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it.” Marge Simpson
“As far as I’m concerned, war always means failure.” Jacques Chirac, President of France
“As far as France is concerned, you’re right.” Rush Limbaugh
“The only time France wants us to go to war is when the German Army is sitting in Paris sipping coffee.” Regis Philbin
“They’ve taken their own precautions against Al Qaeda. To prepare for an attack, each Frenchman is urged to keep duct tape, a white flag, and a three-day supply of mistresses in the house.” Argus Hamilton
“The only way the French are going in is if we tell them we found truffles in Iraq.” Dennis Miller
“I don’t know why people are surprised that France won’t help us get Saddam out of Iraq. After all, France wouldn’t help us get the Germans out of France!” Jay Leno
How many Frenchmen does it take to change a light bulb?
One. He holds the bulb and all of Europe revolves around him.
An old saying: Raise your right hand if you like the French.... Raise both hands if you are French.
Next time there’s a war in Europe, the loser has to keep France.
Belgium's results, all time , we did beat them at the 1930 World Cup, 3-0.
Chris Wondolowski sparks soccer frenzy in Kiowa Tribe
Chris Wondolowski, a forward for the United States mens national soccer team, is a Kiowa and the grandson of Oklahoma resident Bill Elliot.
You are a bit older than me, but the bars in Manhattan have been dominated by World Cup fans during the matches. Let the old people, proles and Dominicans keep their stickball game. ;)
Team USA just doesn’t put the ball in the net enough to go much further. Of course I said the same thing about my L.A. Kings at the start of the NHL Playoffs,
You’re such a gent, Clemenza, lol.
That’s why I put Shea in quotes, if you read my post correctly.
I must say that you guys are a little defensive on my tiny little post that soccer is not sweeping the nation, lol.
Manhattan bars have always showed soccer games as well as baseball & football. Many immigrants live in NYC and they are catered to.
What about that guy who bites? I think we could put him to good use.
Maybe if you had better manners and did not try to pee in someone else’s cornflakes nobody would be defensive. I for one never feel compelled to belittle what others find interesting in the world of sport or hobby. It is called good manners.
Oh, stop being so melodramatic. You’re so defensive about this dopey game.
Yep, the dopey game that the New York Yankees, you do know who they are, are all set to invest millions of dollars into. The Yankees want to stay in the running with the Boston Red Sox, who also have millions invested in this dopey game. I follow the money, and what I see is the big MLB and NFL money being pumped into soccer. The Steinbrenners, Glazers, Henrys,Krafts, and Lamar Hunts know were the future is. They talk with dollars, not hot air.
Howard is making me rethink something I once told a friend of mine. I said if my life depended on the outcome of an American match I’d want Brad Friedel in goal. Howard has been excellent.
I don't disagree, but I am also confident that it will survive - albeit probably with a decreased number of teams etc.
One problem that baseball has had, IMHO, is that it takes so long to progress from adolescent baseball to a shot at the majors. I've had several friends play in the minors, and I'm pretty sure some of them might have been successful in the majors, but they met women, wanted to start their life, and got tired of chasing the dream for little money.
On the other hand, if you are from a poor Caribbean, Central American, or South American country, minor league money isn't too bad - in a relative sense. So these players wind up over-represented in the majors. There's nothing wrong with that, and I admire their talent and determination, but if many of the players are culturally unfamiliar, it makes it harder to attract a wide demographic of fans. That's just one potential contributor to your comment about a lack of personalities in baseball.
The other contributor is marketing. Neymar, Messi, and Ronaldo are culturally not American, obviously, but they are featured on advertising targeting youth, including American youth (e.g. the Dr. Dre Beats commercials with Neymar and others).
Who for the last minute of added time against Portugal may as well have been from Lisbon.
Hoping for better against Belgium.
I was one of those guys chasing the dream. However, the stories your friends gave you do not ring true if they played in the last 35 years or so. Trust me, nobody leaves the game voluntarily, you are asked to leave. Your friends left the game like me, the farm director said it was time to go, your not good enough.
The game will survive, but in a less prominent position than what it is used to.
Baseball was the sport of the radio age
Football was the sport of the television age
Soccer is predicted to be the sport of the internet age.
I saw Howard play back in 1996 for a team called the NJ Imperials, who played at FDU - Teaneck in the USISL. Even then you could see something special in the kid.
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