Why is soccer a popular sport everywhere except in America?

[HemiBeers]

Funny story when my son played his first soccer game at 6. He was in the 4-6 age group that played on a 100 foot field with hockey goals and no goalie. He was big for his age as well. The first period 'kick off' no one was in front of him so he nails the ball into the goal. Pfffft this shit is easy! Then next kick-off the other coach remembered that he did this and puts a little girl 10 feet in front of him. I knew what was coming. He nails the ball and blasts her in the face. Good strategy coach! Little girl was hysterical, but I had to walk away because I was laughing so much. I know I'm a terrible person but it was a great Three Stooges moment.

 

When my son was 5, his team was in a similar event. They were playing the only team they hadn't beaten that year and time was dwindling. A kid who was in his last year in that age group, and bigger than the rest of them, was "driving" with the ball, when he got close to the goal, who was personed by a girl, he booted the hell out of the ball, it hit her square in the stomach and bounced directly back to him. As she crumbled into a shrieking heap, he calmly went around her and scored the winning goal with ease.

 

I felt bad for the girl because I'm sure that hurt, but WE WON!. The parents from the other team filed a protest which was denied. They thought the game should have been immediately stopped for an injury.

suck it up princess and have an orange slice.

 

yeah kids find out real quick whether they're up to play goalie or not. My kid loved playing goal both in soccer and hockey and had a pretty good hockey run through high school. as a hockey goalie dad, it was pretty nerve racking for me...expensive AF as well.

Edited June 9, 2018 by HemiBeers

[Rick N. Backer]

Because the US has NFL Football, baseball, basketball and NHL hockey. There's too much competition.

 

That pretty much sums it up. You left out the part about it being extremely boring to watch though. Too much going back and forth without anything exciting happening.

Like hockey.

 

Hockey has hitting.

[Rick N. Backer]

Funny story when my son played his first soccer game at 6. He was in the 4-6 age group that played on a 100 foot field with hockey goals and no goalie. He was big for his age as well. The first period 'kick off' no one was in front of him so he nails the ball into the goal. Pfffft this shit is easy! Then next kick-off the other coach remembered that he did this and puts a little girl 10 feet in front of him. I knew what was coming. He nails the ball and blasts her in the face. Good strategy coach! Little girl was hysterical, but I had to walk away because I was laughing so much. I know I'm a terrible person but it was a great Three Stooges moment.

 

When my son was 5, his team was in a similar event. They were playing the only team they hadn't beaten that year and time was dwindling. A kid who was in his last year in that age group, and bigger than the rest of them, was "driving" with the ball, when he got close to the goal, who was personed by a girl, he booted the hell out of the ball, it hit her square in the stomach and bounced directly back to him. As she crumbled into a shrieking heap, he calmly went around her and scored the winning goal with ease.

 

I felt bad for the girl because I'm sure that hurt, but WE WON!. The parents from the other team filed a protest which was denied. They thought the game should have been immediately stopped for an injury.

suck it up princess and have an orange slice.

 

yeah kids find out real quick whether they're up to play goalie or not. My kid loved playing goal both in soccer and hockey and had a pretty good hockey run through high school. as a hockey goalie dad, it was pretty nerve racking for me...expensive AF as well.

 

My son was a goalie when he was a mite. I "casually" guided him towards playing out.

[Rick N. Backer]

For me, it is beyond boring. The ball seems to go out of bounds every 10 seconds. And the skill set necessary to succeed in soccer (running and kicking a ball) pretty much every kid masters by 5, which is probably why most athletic kids here move away from soccer before they're 8. The "flopping" is something anyone with an ounce of self respect should find embarrassing.

[BenjaminW]

"As of 2012, thirty percent of American households contain someone playing soccer, a figure second only to baseball."

 

- wiki

*insert soccer mom joke*

[Fordgalaxy]

1. Football (or sawker as you Yanks insist in calling it) is the World game. Only the money men care whether the US gets involved, the rest of us do not give a flying ferk.

2. The footballers rolling around are not soft, they are cheats.

3. There have been 6-6, 5-5, 4-4 drawn games.

4. Baseball is like watching paint dry. NFL is poor man’s rugby. NHL seems built around the fights.

5. 3.2 billion people worldwide watched the 2014 World Cup.

6. Many Baseball games last over 3 hours, some over 4.

7. Baseball’s fan base is mainly old men.

8. Less than 5% of NFL fans have ever been to a game.

1. True.

2. True.

3. Still like kissing your sister, just more times.

4. Sometimes. With pads. True.

5. 1.8 billion people in the world are Muslim. You gonna join them too?

6. Soccer just seems like it lasts that long.

7. Not at all.

8. Any proof of that?

[JohnnyBlaze]

"As of 2012, thirty percent of American households contain someone playing soccer, a figure second only to baseball."

 

- wiki

 

Yeah I can imagine that’s partly influenced by mums not wanting their babies (elementary school to junior high age kids) to get hurt playing American football. Not saying they don’t get hurt playing soccer but I think this thought must influence many.

Football is also very expensive, hard to coach, and, frankly, too often run by jerks.

 

I can see that too

[edhunter]

1. Football (or sawker as you Yanks insist in calling it) is the World game. Only the money men care whether the US gets involved, the rest of us do not give a flying ferk.

2. The footballers rolling around are not soft, they are cheats.

3. There have been 6-6, 5-5, 4-4 drawn games.

4. Baseball is like watching paint dry. NFL is poor man’s rugby. NHL seems built around the fights.

5. 3.2 billion people worldwide watched the 2014 World Cup.

6. Many Baseball games last over 3 hours, some over 4.

7. Baseball’s fan base is mainly old men.

8. Less than 5% of NFL fans have ever been to a game.

 

*sigh* After all that, you're still English.

 

And one ref for the entire field. No wonder everyone flops like they're dying. He never sees a damn thing.

[Texas King]

For me, it is beyond boring. The ball seems to go out of bounds every 10 seconds. And the skill set necessary to succeed in soccer (running and kicking a ball) pretty much every kid masters by 5, which is probably why most athletic kids here move away from soccer before they're 8. The "flopping" is something anyone with an ounce of self respect should find embarrassing.

 

OK. Now tell me, are you a fan of baseball and American football?

[Tom Sawyer]

For me, it is beyond boring. The ball seems to go out of bounds every 10 seconds. And the skill set necessary to succeed in soccer (running and kicking a ball) pretty much every kid masters by 5, which is probably why most athletic kids here move away from soccer before they're 8. The "flopping" is something anyone with an ounce of self respect should find embarrassing.

 

http://i66.tinypic.com/32zhobq.jpg

[goose]

The only soccer events I really enjoy are the Euro and World Cups. The like idea of watching and cheering with a billion other people around the globe, and the David vs Goliath stories that develop. Belgium and Ireland had great runs last time.

[HemiBeers]

Funny story when my son played his first soccer game at 6. He was in the 4-6 age group that played on a 100 foot field with hockey goals and no goalie. He was big for his age as well. The first period 'kick off' no one was in front of him so he nails the ball into the goal. Pfffft this shit is easy! Then next kick-off the other coach remembered that he did this and puts a little girl 10 feet in front of him. I knew what was coming. He nails the ball and blasts her in the face. Good strategy coach! Little girl was hysterical, but I had to walk away because I was laughing so much. I know I'm a terrible person but it was a great Three Stooges moment.

 

When my son was 5, his team was in a similar event. They were playing the only team they hadn't beaten that year and time was dwindling. A kid who was in his last year in that age group, and bigger than the rest of them, was "driving" with the ball, when he got close to the goal, who was personed by a girl, he booted the hell out of the ball, it hit her square in the stomach and bounced directly back to him. As she crumbled into a shrieking heap, he calmly went around her and scored the winning goal with ease.

 

I felt bad for the girl because I'm sure that hurt, but WE WON!. The parents from the other team filed a protest which was denied. They thought the game should have been immediately stopped for an injury.

suck it up princess and have an orange slice.

 

yeah kids find out real quick whether they're up to play goalie or not. My kid loved playing goal both in soccer and hockey and had a pretty good hockey run through high school. as a hockey goalie dad, it was pretty nerve racking for me...expensive AF as well.

 

My son was a goalie when he was a mite. I "casually" guided him towards playing out.

Smart move. My kid was an average hockey player then at about 8, he volunteered for goalie on his house team (everyone got a shot at it if they wanted to). Soon discovered he had a knack for it and loved it. That year in the playoffs, he did a perfect run...4 games, 4 shutouts. *Sigh* Oh no, now we need to take this goalie thing more seriously.

 

Started on his high school team as a 14 year old freshman. Played until senior year until the concussions started adding up. No lasting affects thank goodness.

Edited June 10, 2018 by HemiBeers

[Tony R]

1. Football (or sawker as you Yanks insist in calling it) is the World game. Only the money men care whether the US gets involved, the rest of us do not give a flying ferk.

2. The footballers rolling around are not soft, they are cheats.

3. There have been 6-6, 5-5, 4-4 drawn games.

4. Baseball is like watching paint dry. NFL is poor man’s rugby. NHL seems built around the fights.

5. 3.2 billion people worldwide watched the 2014 World Cup.

6. Many Baseball games last over 3 hours, some over 4.

7. Baseball’s fan base is mainly old men.

8. Less than 5% of NFL fans have ever been to a game.

 

*sigh* After all that, you're still English.

 

And one ref for the entire field. No wonder everyone flops like they're dying. He never sees a damn thing.

Not true. At all.

 

[HemiBeers]

In soccer, if you take one pee break, you risk missing all the scoring.

[edhunter]

This would make soccer electrifying...

 

 

[Principled Man]

I wouldn't watch a game of baseball if I had a gun to my head.

 

Totally respect that point of view.

 

Baseball is unique among the top spectator sports. I think that you have to have played it to fully appreciate its greatness.

 

I get more emotionally charged by football (The Packers), but if I could be a pro sports star player, it would be a baseball player. I loved playing baseball....

[Fridge]

There isn't enough of this to satisfy the Yanks with low attention spans

 

 

 

Being serious, I'm not the biggest Association Football (to give it its proper name) fan, but I don't understand how a game which is structured round TV adverts and drones on for 3-4 hours with endless razamatazz and other nonsense can be considered more interesting...the very fact that you have to have Cheerleaders and half time entertainment proves the game is a tad boring.

 

For me, Rugby Union will always be the king of sports...none of that poncy armour and padding needed ;-)

[goose]

There isn't enough of this to satisfy the Yanks with low attention spans

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7XLyDtwEHE

 

 

Being serious, I'm not the biggest Association Football (to give it its proper name) fan, but I don't understand how a game which is structured round TV adverts and drones on for 3-4 hours with endless razamatazz and other nonsense can be considered more interesting...the very fact that you have to have Cheerleaders and half time entertainment proves the game is a tad boring.

 

For me, Rugby Union will always be the king of sports...none of that poncy armour and padding needed ;-)

Aussie rules football is good fun as well.

[pjbear05]

I think it will pick up, depending on venue. This International Champions Cup coming up next month is bringing a lot of the big Euro league clubs over. Here at Hard Rock we're getting Man U, Man City, Real Madrid, and FC Bayern, and the matches elswhere don't look to shabby, either.

 

Word on the street is Steve Ross is pushing hard to get some of the 2026 World Cup games scheduled for HRS, so we will see.

 

Gotta go, Tunisa v England about to go down! Ole, ole ole ole....

Edited June 18, 2018 by pjbear05

[goose]

I think it will pick up, depending on venue. This International Champions Cup coming up next month is bringing a lot of the big Euro league clubs over. Here at Hard Rock we're getting Man U, Man City, Real Madrid, and FC Bayern, and the matches elswhere don't look to shabby, either.

 

Word on the street is Steve Ross is pushing hard to get some of the 2026 World Cup games scheduled for HRS, so we will see.

 

Gotta go, Tunisa v England about to go down! Ole, ole ole ole....

Those matches sound killer!

 

I've been loving the World Cup so far. Some great upsets!

[laughedatbytime]

Any game that can end in a tie is pointless and what's this crap about "stoppage time"? Either there is a time limit or there isn't.

They don't stop the clock they keep it running. So any time lost for injuries etc is added on at the end to the official 90 minutes.

If they stopped the clock, they wouldn't have to add time on at the end. That's just idiotic to run it that way.

They'd have to hire a timekeeper so European games would cease for the entire month of August. There's really not much choice to do otherwise.

[laughedatbytime]

I think it will pick up, depending on venue. This International Champions Cup coming up next month is bringing a lot of the big Euro league clubs over. Here at Hard Rock we're getting Man U, Man City, Real Madrid, and FC Bayern, and the matches elswhere don't look to shabby, either.

 

Word on the street is Steve Ross is pushing hard to get some of the 2026 World Cup games scheduled for HRS, so we will see.

 

Gotta go, Tunisa v England about to go down! Ole, ole ole ole....

IRoss needs to sell the Dolphins to devote all of his energies to bring the WC to Miami and the stadium which will have changed its name 15 times before the tournament even starts.

[OldRUSHfan]

The game known as 'Football' Named by the British to begin with, is a game that as far as can be discovered, began in China, and has a similar game in Japan. this has been found out back to 2 to three centurys before Christ was here...

[goose]

For the non-soccer followers that may be curious about how the World Cup is progressing, here's where things stand so far in group play:

• Each group has four teams, which are awarded 3 pts for a win, 1 pt for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. The two teams with the most points via wins/ties/losses in their three round-robin matches advance. If there is a tie, goals for/against are used as a tie-breaker.
  
• Group A is locked up. Russia and Uruguay will advance having won their first two matches.
  
• In Group B, it looks like Iran punches its ticket with a win, while Portugal can advance with a tie or win in that match. Spain advances with a win or a tie and a loss by Iran.
  
• Group C is all but decided, with Australia having an outside chance with a Danish loss and a big Aussie win over Peru.
  
• The Croats have secured their spot in Group D, and Nigeria only needs a tie to punch their ticket, for all practical purposes.
  
• Group E is a toss up, with Brazil and Switzerland at 4 pts and Serbia at 3. The Swiss face a poor-performing CostaRican team, while Serbia most likely needs to win over Brazil.
  
• In Group F Mexico's Team Tricolor punched its ticket today with its second win, while Germany and Sweden are tied points-wise, but Germany defeated Sweden head to head.
  
• With its two wins, Group G will see Belgium advancing, and Team England controls its destiny with one win in as many matches.
  
• Group H is still up in the air, but Japan and Senegal have put Colombia and Poland behind the 8-ball with their respective wins.
  

[laughedatbytime]

For the non-soccer followers that may be curious about how the World Cup is progressing, here's where things stand so far in group play:

• Each group has four teams, which are awarded 3 pts for a win, 1 pt for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. The two teams with the most points via wins/ties/losses in their three round-robin matches advance. If there is a tie, goals for/against are used as a tie-breaker.
  
• Group A is locked up. Russia and Uruguay will advance having won their first two matches.
  
• In Group B, it looks like Iran punches its ticket with a win, while Portugal can advance with a tie or win in that match. Spain advances with a win or a tie and a loss by Iran.
  
• Group C is all but decided, with Australia having an outside chance with a Danish loss and a big Aussie win over Peru.
  
• The Croats have secured their spot in Group D, and Nigeria only needs a tie to punch their ticket, for all practical purposes.
  
• Group E is a toss up, with Brazil and Switzerland at 4 pts and Serbia at 3. The Swiss face a poor-performing CostaRican team, while Serbia most likely needs to win over Brazil.
  
• In Group F Mexico's Team Tricolor punched its ticket today with its second win, while Germany and Sweden are tied points-wise, but Germany defeated Sweden head to head.
  
• With its two wins, Group G will see Belgium advancing, and Team England controls its destiny with one win in as many matches.
  
• Group H is still up in the air, but Japan and Senegal have put Colombia and Poland behind the 8-ball with their respective wins.
  

USA! USA! USA!