Posted on 06/04/2002 10:08:50 AM PDT by GulliverSwift
I remember watching an episode of the Simpsons where the family saw an advertisement on TV for an exhibition soccer game at Springfield Stadium. The whole family was excited: "Yeah!!!"
So they went to the game, and all the characters, Crusty, Moe, the Simpsons, etc, were there. The teams were South American and you could hear the announcer calling the play-by-play with a Spanish accent.
The crowd was excited and cheering at first. And the Mexican announcer was excited the whole time as he said,
"He kicks the ball to Sanchez! He kicks the ball to Rodrigez! He kicks the ball to Sanchez! He kicks the ball to Rodrigez! He kicks the ball to Sanchez!"
The announcer's voice was shouting with anticipation as he described the exciting action of Sanchez and Rodrigez passing the ball back and forth (sounds like great World Cup action). The crowd was excited at first, but after four minutes, they fell silent. Then Homer shouted out, "Boring!!!"
To any of you Eurotrash, now you know why we can't stand soccer, or "football" as you Euro-femmes call it. It's BORING. Our football, the real football, is an improvement on the feminine type. Basketball is inovative, baseball is inovative, but soccer.... You kick the @$#&% ball back and forth for two hours--lots of drama!!!!.......and the score is 1-0.
Whew, with action like that, I don't know if I can keep from fainting!
The only reason why soccer is around the world is because of British and Spanish colonialism. We booted the Brits out before the bland game could be invented, and Brits being the boring females that they are, invented a game where you are required to kick a ball for 30 minutes before scoring a point.
So you may be wondering why the soccer "craze" hasn't caught on in the only country where men have more swimming clothes on their body than women. It's because we've got games that actually took creativity and innovation to invent.
If we wanted to be bored with something that's two hours and results in a score of 1-0, we'd watch a featherweight boxing match. Or a debate between Al Gore and George Bush.
Who do I want to win? Portugal or the U.S.?
I DON'T CARE!!
I speak, of course, of the soccer mom.
Regards, Ivan
Wow ... it's worse than I thought.
Americans are so used to instant and multiple gratifications that they don't have the patience for a truly overall, beautiful game.
I understand that, gees I'm the same way sometimes.
Watch the stands and watch the crowds that are at the game. They are looking at the overall picture.
You actually do:
I find it disgraceful that so few Americans on this forum are actually raising their voices in support for the team, particularly since they have a tough match tomorrow against Portugal, one of the best sides in the tournament.
American players have done well in England too - not too long ago you had a player who was on Manchester United, no less.
Regards, Ivan
I don't understand why that is either, when I have been to America, I see kids playing a lot of soccer. Why this love as a child doesn't translate to adult fans is odd.
Regards, Ivan
Coby Jones, Brian McBride, Earnie Stewart, Claudio Reyna, Frankie hejduk, Jeff Agoos, Eddie Pope, Casey Keller and Brad Friedel ... just to name a few off the top of my head ...
GO USA!!
Yeah, that's the way it goes here. Oh well, I'll be staying up tonight to watch this game. And contrary to Gulliver's assertion, I actually know all the players on the US squad. I do believe we have a chance to get a point if Figo and Costa are out of form, and Friedel is on top of his game....hell, maybe Mathis can even get a goal for us.
It is that they need him on a pedastal to cover him and sell papers... I almost think he begged off becuase he was saving himself for the next two games which is an even worse sin to an American-being a quitter.
The Oilers countered with the trick knee defense. If the situation was third down and long, one of the Oilers would grab his knee, fall over, and wait for the trainers (and the extra defensive backs) to come running out. Cheating is always bad, but it is especially bad when it is against your favorite team.
What I don't like is that the liberal media tries to foist soccer down our throats. See this thread about how liberals love soccer and conservatives don't.
I said I don't care who wins the World Cup, and I certainly do not.
So the place has a great feel to it, but then I noticed that baseball in this setting allows people to socialize in much the same way as sitting in a sports bar. You leave the game with a sense that it was great fun to either see the home team win or to be with friends.
Not so with soccer, basketball or American football. Those games require one's attention for almost the entire duration.
In a baseball park like SAFECO Field, you can strike up a business discussion and feel relaxed at the sametime. All of a sudden Ichiro will steal a base and the crowd will roar, and you're like, "Oh, there's a baseball game here!".
I've done a 180 as far as my baseball attendance. Now I think of going to the ballpark with friends, coworkers or family. It's become fun again. It's also distinctly American.
But the news has been the NCAA baseball regional thats in town.
Oh for God's sake. Footie is not a left wing, right wing thing. I am to the right of Atilla the Hun and I love footie. So do many Conservatives. It's a good excuse for a flag waving display.
You need to find a better excuse than this lame nonsense about the lefties to ignore the fact that America's team is actually in the World Cup. Why a Brit has to beat your head in about supporting your own team is beyond me.
Ivan
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