Why do Americans get so much crap for not being soccer fanatics ... - Cyburbia Forums

Dan · 2009-11-03, 07:04 PM

... but not Canadians, Australians, or the Irish? I never hear about doubt-filled, self-loathing Canadians who ask themselves "Why isn't soccer in Canada as popular as hockey? The rest of the world seems to enjoy it. Maybe it's because it's not violent enough for us." I never hear about Europeans that call Australians "unsophisticated" for preferring Aussie Rules and cricket to soccer.

Meanwhile, Americans get called to task all the time for not incorporating soccer into their lineup of preferred sports. "Americans have short attention spans, and can't appreciate the subtlety and dance that takes place on the soccer field." "Americans only like sports where teams can score a lot and accumulate a large number of points." "Zee Americians are all, yes, how you say, stupide, and they no can appreciate a sport of brain like soccer, yes, rather than a sport of zee brawn, no? Pick up ze merde of my poodle? No! Zat ezz for zee Nord de Afrique people to do, yes?" There's a legion of books on the topic, and no shortage of sportswriters that try to answer the question.

So, what's the deal? Why don't Canadians, Aussies, the Irish, and other nationalities that are not collectively known for being soccer fanatics get called on it as well? Why just Americans?

The One · 2009-11-03, 07:40 PM

ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyawn.........glorp....snarff.......huh? Football? yeah I saw several games this weekend.....Denver Lost, but they'll be back

.......huh? You meant Soccer!

BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! No, kick the can/rock hasn't been very big in this country since before World War I

Note to Kick Ball fans: The One has attended live soccer matches, Canada vs. Qatar and Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy ten years apart....I'm due for another match soon......

Possible answer: It's the ONLY thing the rest of the world has on us and the other countries you mention.

Howard Roark · 2009-11-03, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan

... but not Canadians, Australians, or the Irish? I never hear about doubt-filled, self-loathing Canadians who ask themselves "Why isn't soccer in Canada as popular as hockey? The rest of the world seems to enjoy it. Maybe it's because it's not violent enough for us." I never hear about Europeans that call Australians "unsophisticated" for preferring Aussie Rules and cricket to soccer.

Meanwhile, Americans get called to task all the time for not incorporating soccer into their lineup of preferred sports. "Americans have short attention spans, and can't appreciate the subtlety and dance that takes place on the soccer field." "Americans only like sports where teams can score a lot and accumulate a large number of points." "Zee Americians are all, yes, how you say, stupide, and they no can appreciate a sport of brain like soccer, yes, rather than a sport of zee brawn, no? Pick up ze merde of my poodle? No! Zat ezz for zee Nord de Afrique people to do, yes?" There's a legion of books on the topic, and no shortage of sportswriters that try to answer the question.

So, what's the deal? Why don't Canadians, Aussies, the Irish, and other nationalities that are not collectively known for being soccer fanatics get called on it as well? Why just Americans?

Well footy is pretty popular in Ireland, fairly popular Australia; Canada has never fielded a good team (no chance for a national rally)

Why do we get called out more?

America is a giant and eager target compared to the rest.

Americans abroad have tended to make fun of footy, which is kinda asking for it.

It have become (not fairly) a manifestation of Europe’s perceived notion that we do not get the rest world, the other manifestation is making fun of our beer… while drinking some very similar stuff (Carlsberg is still the best seller)

That being said…

Come On You Spurs!!!
And
U-S-A! U-S-A!

Howard Roark – fan of many styles of football

natski · 2009-11-03, 08:19 PM

Sorry to say Dan, but Australians are soccer fanatics- its the most played sport in Australia, we have a league here and we will be playing in the world cup in South Africa.

A lot of people here follow the English premier league as well.

'Football' in Australia is split between three codes- League, Union and Australian Rules, i dont think there is a favouritsm of one of these codes in oz.

Additionally, Cricket is a gentlemens game- way more sophiscated than soccer!!!!

I have no idea why other countries may pick on the USA compared to everywhere else- but they have no reason to pick on us!!!

DetroitPlanner · 2009-11-03, 08:26 PM

Dan I was in a pub in Ireland during a football game (not rugby, not irish or american football). They are nuts for soccer there. I kept getting asked which team I was rooting for, to which I sheepishly had to reply, heck I don't even know the rules to the game.

CJC · 2009-11-03, 09:06 PM

I think this is appropriate for this thread:

http://timcrockett.net/2009/07/30/why-i-love-soccer/

mgk920 · 2009-11-03, 10:42 PM

I kind of think that it is several factors:

1 - The USA is a huge nation that is well populated with immigrants from fútbol-mad countries and their descendants;

2 - Many USAians seem to take pride in their ability to stare down their noses at the game, despite its simplicity, constant action on the field and über-popularity among the younger crowd, saying that it is 'so slooooow and borrrring....' (neglecting the dreadfully slow pace of the typical baseball game) - yet another part of the USA's curious NIH ('Not Invented Here') syndrome;

3 - Never having an established world-class club play system (the MLS is just a stutter-step start);

4 - Not having, until fairly recently, a national team that is befitting of a nation of its size and world-wide power and prestige.

Despite all of that, the USA mens' national team came astonishingly close to playing Brasil for the championship in the 2002 World Cup and may have, for the first time EVER, just a couple of weeks ago qualified for a World Cup (South Africa - 2010) as one of the eight 'seeded' teams in first-round group play.

Mike

Masswich · 2009-11-03, 10:49 PM

Actually, I probably pay more attention to MLS than the NHL. I find hockey boring and, as for baseball, let's just say I like it despite its boredom.

southsideamy · 2009-11-03, 11:14 PM

Dan: I've lived in Toronto and traveled around Canada and I have to say that Canada is soccer crazy. Yes, hockey is probably more popular with the long-term Canadians, but Canada is a country of immigrants - a majority of immigrants since the 1970's have been from Europe, Africa, Asia -- from countries where soccer rules.

My own husband immigrated from Scotland to Canada when he was 10 - he knows his way around a hockey game, but soccer is his true love.

If hockey is #1 in Canada, soccer is a solid, rivaling #2. Canada may not sport a great national team, but they always have young Canadians playing in European clubs.

I can't speak for Australia or the Irish.

Chet · 2009-11-04, 04:01 AM

I love me some futbol! My favorite little east side tavern - The Nomad World Pub - plays all the big euro games. Forget trying to get a seat during World Cup - you'll be lucky to get in the door! And my favorite bartender in the universe, Lizzie, makes ther BEST Bloody Marys!

TexanOkie · 2009-11-04, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan

"Americans have short attention spans..."

Umm, see "baseball".

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan

"Americans only like sports where teams can score a lot and accumulate a large number of points..."

Umm, also see "baseball".

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan

"Zee Americians are all, yes, how you say, stupide, and they no can appreciate a sport of brain like soccer, yes, rather than a sport of zee brawn, no?

"Baseball", again. Football, too, while it definitely requires brawn, takes a whole lot of mental strategy (if at times only from coaching staff and team leaders). I mean, heck - football requires almost as much strategy as militaries require conducting war.

In short, Americans' general dislike of soccer (or at least their ambivalence toward it, professionally - soccer's still one of the biggest sports the U.S. population plays for recreation) is largely historical/cultural.

The One · 2009-11-04, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by natski

Sorry to say Dan, but Australians are soccer fanatics- its the most played sport in Australia, we have a league here and we will be playing in the world cup in South Africa.

A lot of people here follow the English premier league as well.

'Football' in Australia is split between three codes- League, Union and Australian Rules, i dont think there is a favouritsm of one of these codes in oz.

Additionally, Cricket is a gentlemens game- way more sophiscated than soccer!!!!

I have no idea why other countries may pick on the USA compared to everywhere else- but they have no reason to pick on us!!!

She has the socks to prove it

chupacabra · 2009-11-04, 01:06 PM

Quote:

football requires almost as much strategy as militaries require conducting war.

My HS football coach said that one time. He obviously didn't have the experience to make an accurate assessment. I sure hope you never say something like that to an infantry officer.

People like to ding the US about soccer because the US is (for most of the dingers - Brits, western Euros, antipodeans) the hegemon, but one that is familiar to them and generally on their side. The US is a big easy target for them and the fact that the US doesn't care about professional soccer is a quick way to 'Other' the US.

wahday · 2009-11-04, 02:17 PM

I think the rest of the world gives us a hard time about our stance vis-a-vis soccer, er, futbol because the rest of the world loves it and we don't so much (personally, I do, but as a national pastime? we're not so interested). This just highlights a feeling some around the world have of us as elitist, go-it-your-own, we-do-things-our-own-way mavericks.

And there is some truth to our contrary nature. I have always thought that many of our cultural attributes/activities are a direct response/reaction to how the British do things. Things like:

Driving on the right side of the road
Turning cricket into baseball
Turning rugby into football
Holding our forks with the left hand

When I was a kid, I LOVED this show they aired on PBS called "Soccer Made in Germany." They showed all the European clubs. Growing up, we also had a former member of the Welsh national football team living in our town. He pretty much single handedly created a bustling little league for soccer and so all of us kids were crazed for it. Baseball and football were popular, but in my town, the big high school team to watch was soccer. We were state champs a few years after I graduated.

Unfortunately, Chris Jones passed away a few years ago. But every time I play a pick up game, I hear his words in my head "Yes, I like that!...and you go!"

I got to see the Seattle Sounders play DC United this summer in Seattle. Sounders fans are CRAZY for the sport. I showed up in my sounders shirt only to find about 10,000 others with more complete uniforms than me. The place was packed and it was a great game. They tied, which is great against DC United, but really should have won as they definitely outplayed them

TexanOkie · 2009-11-04, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chupacabra

My HS football coach said that one time. He obviously didn't have the experience to make an accurate assessment. I sure hope you never say something like that to an infantry officer.

Football doesn't have near the stakes associated with war maneuvers, but I think I'll stand by the analogy.

Hink_Planner · 2009-11-04, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mgk920

2 - Many USAians seem to take pride in their ability to stare down their noses at the game, despite its simplicity, constant action on the field and über-popularity among the younger crowd, saying that it is 'so slooooow and borrrring....' (neglecting the dreadfully slow pace of the typical baseball game) - yet another part of the USA's curious NIH ('Not Invented Here') syndrome;

I think this is very true. We like to be the best at things. If we aren't the best, it doesn't matter. It really comes down to our inability to believe that anyone but us could be right. Baseball is the worst sport in the world to watch. But Americans watch it. Cricket is even more interesting to watch than baseball, but we don't watch Cricket.

No reason can be given to degrade soccer/football without also looking at baseball, as slow pace, low score, low action, are all things that baseball is king at.

I love going to baseball games, I don't know many people who don't. I won't watch baseball or golf on tv because they are boring to me. Soccer for me is fun if you go or to watch... and they don't make me watch 600 tv timeouts. I think our culture is really just too lazy to change what we like. Baseball is ours. Soccer is not.

CPSURaf · 2009-11-04, 03:06 PM

Out of all the sporting events I have attended through my lifetime, nothing has been more thrilling then attending championship soccer matchups (world cup 94/world cup 98). It is an experience all of its own.

I didn't play soccer because it was big when i was little (and my father didn't want to push the "husky" gentlemen onto the field, instead opted me for baseball). However, my mom and dad are really into it. It kinda helps that my uncle owned a soccer club in central america for about 10 years and was head of FIFA El Salvador for a good 10 years as well, thus enabling me to attend cool world cup matches and see this sport in all its glory.

I watch the world cup and the qualifying matches pretty well and follow both the USA national/El Salvador national team pretty well. When Real Madrid is playing in the League of Champions i will watch (speaking of which, my dad's greatest regret in life is giving up season tickets to Real Madrid when he was stationed in Spain, these tickets are now worth thousands of dollars)

I just think Americans can't really get into soccer for a few reasons:

1) MLS sucks. It really does. Doesn't have the star power that the folks enjoy in Europe with the Primer League, La Liga, etc. To me the MLS is like Arena League, just the hacks that can't make it to the big time of the european leagues.

2) We haven't won a cup. There, said it. One can argue that hockey is enjoyed by a lot of folks in the state, but certainly hit its pinnacle when the USA accomplished the miracle on ice in 1980.

3) America needs a superstar to rally around. Jordan did it for the NBA. Tiger did it for golf, the US needs a "feel good" story of someone to come up from nothing and be a "game" changer that basically knocks the socks off the competition in Europe and then we can point and say "see, this guy is gold!" (and sorry Feddy Adu is not it).

Futbol is great game. I wish more people would get involved.

mgk920 · 2009-11-04, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chet

I love me some futbol! My favorite little east side tavern - The Nomad World Pub - plays all the big euro games. Forget trying to get a seat during World Cup - you'll be lucky to get in the door! And my favorite bartender in the universe, Lizzie, makes ther BEST Bloody Marys!

I went to a local BWW here in Appleton to watch the France-Italy WC final in 2006, got there about an hour before game time (mid-afternoon in the USA's central time zone), got a seat at the bar and ordered some food and high-quality adult beverage. By gametime the place was PACKED and it was a decidedly pro-Italy crowd.

Definitely a great time, too!

Mike

southsideamy · 2009-11-04, 06:14 PM

Americans may change their obsession with football (the one with 12 players and the weird shaped ball) in favor of soccer. Did anyone see the article in the New Yorker by Malcom Gladwell comparing NFL football to dogfighting? The article focused on the repetitive brain injuries that football players suffer and how they are urged to use up their bodies/brains. LINK: http://http://http://www.newyorker.c..._fact_gladwell

Gladwell makes a good case for less dangerous sports....like soccer.

digger · 2009-11-05, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Why do Americans get so much crap for not being soccer fanatics ...

Why are you letting it bother you?

hilldweller · 2009-11-05, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by southsideamy

Americans may change their obsession with football (the one with 12 players and the weird shaped ball) in favor of soccer.

I hope not, or else I might have to move to Canada

wahday · 2009-11-05, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by southsideamy

Americans may change their obsession with football (the one with 12 players and the weird shaped ball) in favor of soccer. Did anyone see the article in the New Yorker by Malcom Gladwell comparing NFL football to dogfighting? The article focused on the repetitive brain injuries that football players suffer and how they are urged to use up their bodies/brains. LINK: http://http://http://www.newyorker.c..._fact_gladwell

Gladwell makes a good case for less dangerous sports....like soccer.

I just finished reading that article. Pretty interesting. I am skeptical, based on all the investments made in American Football, that it will fade based on "medical evidence." What a pesky inconvenience when there is lots and lots of money to be made.

I think about boxing, for example. We have known for a long time that repetitive head injuries from this sport causes all sorts of problems later on (slurred speech, Parkinson's, etc.) and that has changed very little in the sport. Again, there is a lot of money hanging in the balance and those folks don't let go of their death grip on profit very easily...

Oh, your link was a bit funked out. Here it is again.

2009-11-03, 08:19 PM	#4
natski Cyburbian Registered: Jun 2005 Location: In my own little bubble Posts: 1,963	Sorry to say Dan, but Australians are soccer fanatics- its the most played sport in Australia, we have a league here and we will be playing in the world cup in South Africa. A lot of people here follow the English premier league as well. 'Football' in Australia is split between three codes- League, Union and Australian Rules, i dont think there is a favouritsm of one of these codes in oz. Additionally, Cricket is a gentlemens game- way more sophiscated than soccer!!!! I have no idea why other countries may pick on the USA compared to everywhere else- but they have no reason to pick on us!!! __________________ "Have you ever wondered if there was more to life, other than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?" Zoolander

2009-11-03, 08:26 PM	#5
DetroitPlanner Cyburbian Registered: Mar 2004 Location: Where the weak are killed and eaten. Posts: 3,242	Dan I was in a pub in Ireland during a football game (not rugby, not irish or american football). They are nuts for soccer there. I kept getting asked which team I was rooting for, to which I sheepishly had to reply, heck I don't even know the rules to the game. __________________ Two coneys and Chilli fries, a Day on Belle Isle with your family, running to the corner for a Faygo and Better Made's thats Detroit Love. - K. Kilpatrick:-o

2009-11-03, 09:06 PM	#6
CJC Cyburbian Registered: Feb 2007 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 1,422	I think this is appropriate for this thread: http://timcrockett.net/2009/07/30/why-i-love-soccer/ __________________ Two wrongs don't necessarily make a right, but three lefts do.

2009-11-04, 04:01 AM	#10
Chet Cyburbian Registered: Aug 2001 Location: Off the tarmac Posts: 8,484	I love me some futbol! My favorite little east side tavern - The Nomad World Pub - plays all the big euro games. Forget trying to get a seat during World Cup - you'll be lucky to get in the door! And my favorite bartender in the universe, Lizzie, makes ther BEST Bloody Marys! __________________ Your daily moment of Zen:Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just leave me the hell alone.

2009-11-04, 02:17 PM	#14
wahday Cyburbian Plus Registered: May 2005 Location: New Town Posts: 1,524	I think the rest of the world gives us a hard time about our stance vis-a-vis soccer, er, futbol because the rest of the world loves it and we don't so much (personally, I do, but as a national pastime? we're not so interested). This just highlights a feeling some around the world have of us as elitist, go-it-your-own, we-do-things-our-own-way mavericks. And there is some truth to our contrary nature. I have always thought that many of our cultural attributes/activities are a direct response/reaction to how the British do things. Things like: Driving on the right side of the road Turning cricket into baseball Turning rugby into football Holding our forks with the left hand When I was a kid, I LOVED this show they aired on PBS called "Soccer Made in Germany." They showed all the European clubs. Growing up, we also had a former member of the Welsh national football team living in our town. He pretty much single handedly created a bustling little league for soccer and so all of us kids were crazed for it. Baseball and football were popular, but in my town, the big high school team to watch was soccer. We were state champs a few years after I graduated. Unfortunately, Chris Jones passed away a few years ago. But every time I play a pick up game, I hear his words in my head "Yes, I like that!...and you go!" I got to see the Seattle Sounders play DC United this summer in Seattle. Sounders fans are CRAZY for the sport. I showed up in my sounders shirt only to find about 10,000 others with more complete uniforms than me. The place was packed and it was a great game. They tied, which is great against DC United, but really should have won as they definitely outplayed them __________________ Arts and Community Development

2009-11-03, 07:04 PM	#1
Dan Cyburbia Administrator Registered: Mar 1996 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 8,964 Blog entries: 3	Why do Americans get so much crap for not being soccer fanatics ... ... but not Canadians, Australians, or the Irish? I never hear about doubt-filled, self-loathing Canadians who ask themselves "Why isn't soccer in Canada as popular as hockey? The rest of the world seems to enjoy it. Maybe it's because it's not violent enough for us." I never hear about Europeans that call Australians "unsophisticated" for preferring Aussie Rules and cricket to soccer. Meanwhile, Americans get called to task all the time for not incorporating soccer into their lineup of preferred sports. "Americans have short attention spans, and can't appreciate the subtlety and dance that takes place on the soccer field." "Americans only like sports where teams can score a lot and accumulate a large number of points." "Zee Americians are all, yes, how you say, stupide, and they no can appreciate a sport of brain like soccer, yes, rather than a sport of zee brawn, no? Pick up ze merde of my poodle? No! Zat ezz for zee Nord de Afrique people to do, yes?" There's a legion of books on the topic, and no shortage of sportswriters that try to answer the question. So, what's the deal? Why don't Canadians, Aussies, the Irish, and other nationalities that are not collectively known for being soccer fanatics get called on it as well? Why just Americans? __________________ Growth for growth's sake is the ideology of the cancer cell. -- Edward Abbey

2009-11-03, 07:40 PM	#2
The One Cyburbian Registered: Mar 2004 Location: The Space Between Your Ears Posts: 5,290	ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyawn.........glorp....snarff.......huh? Football? yeah I saw several games this weekend.....Denver Lost, but they'll be back.......huh? You meant Soccer! BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!! No, kick the can/rock hasn't been very big in this country since before World War I Note to Kick Ball fans: The One has attended live soccer matches, Canada vs. Qatar and Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy ten years apart....I'm due for another match soon...... Possible answer: It's the ONLY thing the rest of the world has on us and the other countries you mention. __________________ Stephen King's inspiration: While browsing through an attic with his elder brother, King uncovered a paperback version of an H. P. Lovecraft collection of short stories that had belonged to his father. The cover art—an illustration of a monster hiding within the recesses of a hell-like cavern beneath a tombstone—was, he writes, “the moment of my life when the dowsing rod suddenly went down hard ... as far as I was concerned, I was on my way.”

2009-11-03, 10:42 PM	#7
mgk920 Cyburbian Registered: Mar 2004 Location: Appleton, Wisconsin Posts: 2,573	I kind of think that it is several factors: 1 - The USA is a huge nation that is well populated with immigrants from fútbol-mad countries and their descendants; 2 - Many USAians seem to take pride in their ability to stare down their noses at the game, despite its simplicity, constant action on the field and über-popularity among the younger crowd, saying that it is 'so slooooow and borrrring....' (neglecting the dreadfully slow pace of the typical baseball game) - yet another part of the USA's curious NIH ('Not Invented Here') syndrome; 3 - Never having an established world-class club play system (the MLS is just a stutter-step start); 4 - Not having, until fairly recently, a national team that is befitting of a nation of its size and world-wide power and prestige. Despite all of that, the USA mens' national team came astonishingly close to playing Brasil for the championship in the 2002 World Cup and may have, for the first time EVER, just a couple of weeks ago qualified for a World Cup (South Africa - 2010) as one of the eight 'seeded' teams in first-round group play. Mike

2009-11-03, 10:49 PM	#8
Masswich Cyburbian Registered: Nov 2002 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 519	Actually, I probably pay more attention to MLS than the NHL. I find hockey boring and, as for baseball, let's just say I like it despite its boredom.

2009-11-03, 11:14 PM	#9
southsideamy Cyburbian Registered: Jul 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago Posts: 354	Dan: I've lived in Toronto and traveled around Canada and I have to say that Canada is soccer crazy. Yes, hockey is probably more popular with the long-term Canadians, but Canada is a country of immigrants - a majority of immigrants since the 1970's have been from Europe, Africa, Asia -- from countries where soccer rules. My own husband immigrated from Scotland to Canada when he was 10 - he knows his way around a hockey game, but soccer is his true love. If hockey is #1 in Canada, soccer is a solid, rivaling #2. Canada may not sport a great national team, but they always have young Canadians playing in European clubs. I can't speak for Australia or the Irish.

2009-11-04, 03:06 PM	#17
CPSURaf Cyburbian Registered: Feb 2007 Location: The "Greater" Bay Area! Posts: 1,498	Out of all the sporting events I have attended through my lifetime, nothing has been more thrilling then attending championship soccer matchups (world cup 94/world cup 98). It is an experience all of its own. I didn't play soccer because it was big when i was little (and my father didn't want to push the "husky" gentlemen onto the field, instead opted me for baseball). However, my mom and dad are really into it. It kinda helps that my uncle owned a soccer club in central america for about 10 years and was head of FIFA El Salvador for a good 10 years as well, thus enabling me to attend cool world cup matches and see this sport in all its glory. I watch the world cup and the qualifying matches pretty well and follow both the USA national/El Salvador national team pretty well. When Real Madrid is playing in the League of Champions i will watch (speaking of which, my dad's greatest regret in life is giving up season tickets to Real Madrid when he was stationed in Spain, these tickets are now worth thousands of dollars) I just think Americans can't really get into soccer for a few reasons: 1) MLS sucks. It really does. Doesn't have the star power that the folks enjoy in Europe with the Primer League, La Liga, etc. To me the MLS is like Arena League, just the hacks that can't make it to the big time of the european leagues. 2) We haven't won a cup. There, said it. One can argue that hockey is enjoyed by a lot of folks in the state, but certainly hit its pinnacle when the USA accomplished the miracle on ice in 1980. 3) America needs a superstar to rally around. Jordan did it for the NBA. Tiger did it for golf, the US needs a "feel good" story of someone to come up from nothing and be a "game" changer that basically knocks the socks off the competition in Europe and then we can point and say "see, this guy is gold!" (and sorry Feddy Adu is not it). Futbol is great game. I wish more people would get involved. __________________ "there's the right way, the wrong way, & the max power way!" -"isn't the the wrong way" "yess, but faster!"

2009-11-04, 06:14 PM	#19
southsideamy Cyburbian Registered: Jul 2006 Location: Suburban Chicago Posts: 354	Americans may change their obsession with football (the one with 12 players and the weird shaped ball) in favor of soccer. Did anyone see the article in the New Yorker by Malcom Gladwell comparing NFL football to dogfighting? The article focused on the repetitive brain injuries that football players suffer and how they are urged to use up their bodies/brains. LINK: http://http://http://www.newyorker.c..._fact_gladwell Gladwell makes a good case for less dangerous sports....like soccer.