Orange slices for everyone, or the I Hate Soccer thread

I'm going to the Irish bar tomorrow to watch U.S.-England, and I'm going to cheer in Portugese alongside my Italian greyhound seeing-eye dog.

 

I want to love soccer. I really do ... I enjoy the game, and see a lot in the strategy, and the low-scoring nature only increases the intensity.

The only thing that keeps me from doing it are soccer fans.

There's the in-your-face, if you don't like soccer you must be some kind of jingoistic Neanderthal that doesn't appreciate the beauty of a 0-0 game types.

And there's the suburban minivan mommy who would call me every other week and say "you know, if you covered soccer like you do football, it would be just as popular." They're the ones who cite youth participation numbers to "prove" that soccer will soon be the most popular sport in America.

And there's the "I have to play soccer year-round for this travel team and quit ALL of my other high school sports" people. Soccer didn't singlehandedly create the mindset that athletes must play year-round travel sports and specialize in one sport, but soccer is by far the biggest offender in the slow death of high school sports to club teams & specialization.

I just find it hard to give in to those people.

 

crimson, you don't have to "give in" to those stereotypes. If you enjoy watching, watch. If you don't, don't. But don't let your enjoyment of it be swayed by others.

 

Ya, I love the NFL despite the existence of Steelers fans. (Had to, Inky; couldn't resist)

 

Many people talk about how much they hate the NBA and brag about how much they hate it and how terrible it is -- occasionally on NBA threads here -- even though the last time they watched a game Anthony Mason or maybe even Walt Frazier were playing starring roles for the Knicks. It doesn't bother me, even though it makes as much sense and is as accurate as me (who has never watched an entire soccer game) talking about the lack of fundamentals in FIFA or how boring the game is.

But I'll watch some this year because of the host country and I'll keep my rabid anti-soccer thoughts in my own cold, dark, lonely heart. Well, except for this little comment on this little thread, I guess.

 

Football is way more weird of a game than soccer is if you think about it.

I just don't understand how American soccer haters are right while 2.5 billion people around the world are all wrong.

 

And the columnists who write their stereotypical "Soccer sucks" columns right around this time display their ignorance as much as their laziness.

 

I dont like NASCAR or soccer, but will pay attention to the World Cup. GO AMERICA!

 

For many, it's "(fill in the blank) sucks" and in this case, the blank happens to be filled by soccer.

Pretty tired.

 

I frequently watch international soccer, and I'll watch as much of the Mundial as I can. The only soccer fans I try to tune out are those who think M.L.S. is anywhere near that level and who think Americans have a duty to embrace soccer.

 

I do the same with Formula 1 racing and tune out those that think NASCAR is better.

 

How original.

Feel better now?