Wynalda tell hime Rome to suck his ****!

Ties are harder to take when you're a neutral observer -- no doubt about it. And the injury-faking and "simulation" (i.e., diving) are unsavory parts of the game that American athletes don't indulge in as much. As for low scoring, all I ask for is good chances and quality play. If it's 0-0 and both teams are trying to attack and coming close to scoring, it can still be a riveting game. If it's 0-0 and both teams are sitting back waiting for the other to make a mistake, it's brutal.

 

See Arsenal v Villareal Champion's League Sami-final second leg. Most exiciting nil-nil game I have ever seen.

 

I agree with you that a low scoring game can still be exciting. I'm just pointing out how in one game I saw the things that most Americans point to when making their arguments against soccer. I thought the second half of the Fulham game was exciting, but the fact that it ended in a tie left me wanting some type of decision at the end. Also, you're right it's different as a casual observer. To Portsmouth fans it probably felt like a loss and to Fulham fans it probably felt like a win. I can remember when the Steelers tied the Falcons a few years back it felt like a loss because it seemed the Steelers had the game wrapped up before they lost.

 

There are people watching in the United States who are wondering the exact same thing. I know because I'm one of those people.

I think one of the reasons people tend to be so strident in their anti-soccer rhetoric is because soccer supporters tend to be condescending little shits if you tell them you don't care for the sport. That tends to piss people off for some reason.

I'm not a big fan of soccer. Wouldn't walk across the street to watch an MLS game. I will, however, watch the World Cup because its the kind of event that almost demands you watch it. Kinda like the Super Bowl or Final Four.

 

The defensiveness of soccer fans has been earned over the years.

If people don't like soccer, that's fine. I can't stand to watch the NBA. But I don't go onto NBA threads to post "the NBA sucks." But soccer is fair game for such posts.

 

The diving aspect is something that either already occurs or would occur more if it was beneficial.

For how long has Vlade Divac been called a flopper? Then you have guys in hockey which exaggerate getting tripped to make certain a ref sees it. Kickers flop all over the place in football, as does wide receivers.

The only difference between the diving in football and soccer is the beneficial nature in soccer. Where someone's dive might accentuate a foul, exaggerating it might draw a card on the opposition. In the NFL, if you stay down too long, you are automatically out the next play and coaches will just have none of that.

 

If anyone wants to waste time and read the entire spiel, here you go: http://fulhamusa.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=498&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

BTW, Wynalda called Rome in the first hour of his and apologized for the drunken tirade.

Dear Jim,

You got served.

Signed,

Jim Everett

 

Does soccer really need the US? Let's not forget, it is the most popular sport in the world.

 

I think the "I hate soccer" aspect comes up is that unlike other sports, soccer supports lay on a guilt trip about "the world's sport" and "all the kids play it," and there seems to be a missionary zeal about browbeating people about soccer. And that stuff is gonna draw fire right back. I myself like international soccer matches, but MLS is not even close to that quality of play. And the ESPN nation has 24 hours x 4-5 networks to provide programming for, so yeah, soccer will be bought to fill some of that; you can have only so much poker and cheerleading competition. I'm just saying that "it's on ESPN" is not a very strong supporting argument. And of course niche cable channels will draw a strong niche.

Bottom line: A professional soccer league will not ever be more than a niche. If not even Pele and Beckenbauer and Best could make it gain a foothold here, then Beckham can't be expected to do any better.

 

They only come off as condescending because they're smarter than you.

 

We may only be an NBA strike away from seeing hockey and soccer fight for the third (or fourth depending on your NASCAR leanings) professional sport in the US.

 

Just because the NBA isn't popular on this website, dosn't mean it's not popular in the US.

P.S. Baseball is not the number 2 sport in the US. I repeat, IS NOT