Posted on 12/02/2010 10:36:46 AM PST by Free ThinkerNY
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says FIFA made the "wrong decision" in awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar over the United States.
The U.S. Soccer Federation spent millions of dollars on its bid. Former President Bill Clinton was highly involved in the process and participated in the closing presentation.
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
“I mean, it wasn’t going to be in Chicago, right?”
I would think it might have (do they have an MLS team?). When the US hosted in 1994, they played games in Giants Stadium here in NJ, as well as several other locations (Florida, California). You need to have a good number of stadiums to host it, and we were decent candidates because many will need to build stadiums if selected, while we already have (and use) them. The best thing about the US hosting in 1994 was that every team had natives living here to support their teams. That being said, I don’t think the sport will ever thrive here, and I’d watch regardless of where they play. Having them play in Qatar will probably allow Americans to watch many games that they may have otherwise missed due to work, etc.
“In the vernacular of the sport - He’s nil for two....!”
He has a brace of failures...
: )
The man is a farce.
You need to take a look at who actually makes the decisions. The majority of that thoroughly corrupt cabal is non-European (gee, even one American).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Executive_Committee (copy-and-paste it yourself)
“When played at a high level it is almost always a beautiful game.”
That is a critical distinction; much of the MLS is too slow, and the talent level is often lagging far behind the European leagues’. The recent MLS final was definitely worth watching, and any World Cup game (even if it is San Marino vs. Malta) is worth watching. To all the soccer-haters: 2 COMMERCIAL-FREE 45 minute halves...the game will usually be over within 2 hours of starting (unlike NFL games, where you spend 3 and 1/2 hours watching 4 fifteen minute quarters)...
TAKE COVER!
I'm with you when it comes to the excitement of low-scoring games, though -- as long as the offensive chances are there. I'm a huge hockey fan, and one of the most exciting games I've seen in the last 15-20 years was that epic 1-0 classic from the 1994 playoffs between the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo won the game in the fourth OT period at nearly 2:00 AM. Dominik Hasek made 70 saves for the shutout, while Martin Brodeur made 49 saves in defeat.
Didn’t FIFA have to modify the rules for World Cup soccer to allow the games to be played on smaller fields in some of the U.S. venues in 1994? I seem to remember Giants Stadium being a very tight fit for a soccer field — especially in the corners.
That’s my other thing, there are really few world-class strikers today that are guaranteed money, it’s amazing how many great scoring opportunities are missed, and it’s not even close.
“I also get tired of the anti-soccer drivel I read on this site.”
For all of the smack people talk now, I grew up a few miles from where the Cosmos played, and soccer is still immensely popular here in NJ. The difference is that the European leagues are more popular than MLS, but people will still pay a pretty penny to watch those European games live in bars/clubs. This includes many Europeans, not just the Brazilians or other South Americans as many believe (in fact, most of South America’s best talent plays in Europe anyway).
This past World Cup I would go to bar in Newark to watch some of the games around lunchtime, and the diversity (I hate that word) of the fans was incredible: a complete cross-section (students, suits, etc.) of all ethnicities and ages as well (though exclusively male), out for a long lunch to watch something they enjoy, then heading back to wherever they worked. It was great.
Football shares one of soccer's annoying characteristics . . . they're the only two timed sports I can think of where the clock still runs even after the whistle has blown. Can you imagine how short an NHL game would be if the clock still ran through the faceoffs?
But, but, this means that they don’t want to make the One the affirmative action president of the world. What a blow!
I think Seattle has one of the more successful franchises; we have the “Red Bulls” (the former Metro-Stars) and they just moved into a smaller brand-new stadium nearby. They’re struggling, but they should grow slowly.
Maybe........
The U.S.A. will win a World Cup...someday. The talent is up and coming.....
It’s not 98%.....
“children of liberal anti-football parents are playing it by the tens of thousands.”
Some parents don’t see a point in having their sons break bones in a pile of sweaty men (with injuries that can stay with them for the rest of their lives), when they can get a great cardiovascular workout (without resting on the bench between sets of downs). Some soccer fans think the NFL is for ghetto thugs...
(Crouching deeper into foxhole)
They are seriously talking about bringing back the Cosmos, and they would play in New York. That's what the MLS needs, a good "New York Derby."
Arrogance, thy name is Barack.
They did, and it worked. Unfortunately, they had the first final to end with a shoot-out, blowing a good chance to win over some fans...
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