The Soccer Thread (Version 13) — Winter World Cup Edition

I think the "for large sections of America" is an important qualifier

 

That's why I included the link to all those professional teams.

There are men's or women's professional soccer teams almost everywhere.

So I think it's facile, and not particularly correct, to argue that "large sections of America" don't care about soccer.

Seems to me the disconnect is between our national affection for soccer, which is pretty healthy, and the performance of our national team, which has improved very little in the last 50 years.

 

Except many of the clubs you cited are lower tier of a sport that doesn't draw that much attention. So the "for large sections of America" still seems appropriate.

 

We have a pro soccer club 12 miles from here. Only hardcore soccer fans know it still exists, because the local newspaper doesn't provide any coverage anymore.

 

Presumably there's enough interest in these lower tier teams that owners invest in them, and they continue to exist.

Again, if you want to argue that soccer in America isn't as popular as the NFL, have at it. I agree.

But soccer can't be dismissed as a punchline, either.

The same tired arguments about the popularity of the game no longer apply.

 

Coupled in the wagering with "It was a 0-0 game. It's boring. I don't get why it's so popular" column, mostly old school writers who are slowly dying off or being bought out.

 

Check the Twitterverse. That argument is trotted out 17 times a minute.

A close cousin: "I got to the baseball game in the seventh inning, and there was no score. So I didn't miss anything."

 

I'm a ref for ayso. I played in high school.
Neither me, nor the announcers know why that goal for Brazil was nullified for offsides.

Their rules official threw out a word salad while not showing the offending offsides on replay. So we still don't know why.

 

Made up for it.

 

I am not dismissing it as a punchline. I love soccer and would rather watch it than college football. But I realize I'm in the minority especially when compared to Americans in the midwest and certain Southern States. And you are naive to think much of this country doesn't think it's not a big deal. I would love soccer to get popular. I'm also a realist when you consider our best athletes go into one of two sports.