Article

2006-06-14 Fifth Column

Soccer Mad World asks: Why don't Americans care?

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Posted by 3dc 2006-06-14 10:21|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Because soccer is a defensive sport. Americans love a winner and winners are on the offensive.

Posted by Yosemite Sam 2006-06-14 10:25|| 2006-06-14 10:25|| Front Page Top

#2 LOL. Any fatso can play an American sport ;-)

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 10:35|| 2006-06-14 10:35|| Front Page Top

#3 I was looking the Yahoo photo galleries. I am impressed that The Cup games and events are going so smoothly and everyone looks like they're having a very good time. Congrats to Germany for putting on a good show, and I hope you make scads of money for all your troubles.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2006-06-14 10:40|| 2006-06-14 10:40|| Front Page Top

#4 Because soccer players:

1) Fake being injured. (this one is HUGE)
2) Defend all the time, kick the ball out of bounds intentionally, etc, instead of trying to do score. A team will get lucky, score one goal in the first five minutes, and then spend the remaining 85 minutes of the game defending.
3) Are mincy prima donnas in their personal lives.

Anything else? Those are a good start.

Posted by gromky 2006-06-14 11:02|| 2006-06-14 11:02|| Front Page Top

#5 Try this on for size:

http://www.mises.org/freemarket_detail.asp?control=55&sortorder=title

Posted by Ernest Brown 2006-06-14 11:03|| 2006-06-14 11:03|| Front Page Top

#6 Because real football is when you can hear Joe Theisman's leg break under the weight of the linebackers. Real football is direct contact. That's why the Aussies can claim pride in their version as well.

Soccer is for possers, for wannabees. Its for primitives who play territorial games. Its for show and bravado without pain.

When they read the lineup of an American professional team, at least the large majority of them attended some sort of advanced education.

Posted by Churong Thang9876 2006-06-14 11:08|| 2006-06-14 11:08|| Front Page Top

#7 They should be happy we don't care, they have something that's their own.

Always whining, they are.

Posted by Whereth Flomoque5693 2006-06-14 11:09|| 2006-06-14 11:09|| Front Page Top

#8 Most cultural critics would probably blame America's preference for high-scoring games on its short attention span.

proven true so many times by people who complain about the low scoring in soccer.

there is so little scoring in soccer, and the reason is simple: soccer players are trying to do what is virtually impossible.

or in other words...it takes skill to play soccer.

The tactics and plays that constitute football, basketball, and baseball, by contrast, are feasible.

Sure, you gotta lower your expectations if you can't play soccer.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 11:20|| 2006-06-14 11:20|| Front Page Top

#9 Soccer? Isn't that hockey without the speed, scoring or ready made weapons?

Posted by ed 2006-06-14 11:34|| 2006-06-14 11:34|| Front Page Top

#10 Wow, you've sold me, now when are you going to learn how to race on a bike ?

Posted by wxjames 2006-06-14 11:37|| 2006-06-14 11:37|| Front Page Top

#11 Metric football.

Posted by Fred 2006-06-14 11:37|| 2006-06-14 11:37|| Front Page Top

#12 Boring, Rafael. Might as well stand in line at the john for an hour and pick up the "game" where you left off.

Posted by ed 2006-06-14 11:38|| 2006-06-14 11:38|| Front Page Top

#13 "Soccer was invented by European ladies to keep themselves busy while their husbands cook supper." -Hank Hill ;)

Has a professional soccer player ever had an appendage amputated so they wouldn't miss the next game ala Ronnie Lott?

Hockey and American football is all I need. After all, I'm American. We're all just ignorant savages with a lust for violence, right? I will watch women's soccer on occasion, but just because I like Betty's.

Enjoy your soccer. Just don't foist you're collective inferiority complex on me by whining that I don't care about it.

Posted by psychohillbilly 2006-06-14 12:19|| 2006-06-14 12:19|| Front Page Top

#14 I think it's viewed as a child's sport in America. Millions of kids play it in elementary school (ergo, the "soccer mom" driving them to practice in the minivan).

Most American adults experience with soccer is watching their 8 year old kids kicking the ball around pathetically.

Then as they get older most of them quit and the ones who are athletically inclined go into basketball, football, and baseball.

I did the same thing ~30 years ago. Played right forward, scored one goal a year in each of three years. My primary role was to cross it to the talented kid on the team who played left forward and happened to be left handed/footed. He scored 2-3 times a game. I must have had a zillion assists but who tracks that at that age?

Now when I see World Cup soccer, I think "Hey, check it out" the same way I do when I see bobsledding. Watch for a few minutes on the off chance of a spectacular goal (or crash, if its bobsledding), then change the channel.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2006-06-14 12:26|| 2006-06-14 12:26|| Front Page Top

#15 Rafael, shouldn't they be more offended that the Germans allowed ~~Buttwiper~~ Budweiser [aka that watery Amurrican crap, not the good Czech (?) stuff with a similar name] to sponsor the Cup instead of a good German beer? Really, WTF is up with that??

Posted by Desert Blondie 2006-06-14 12:44|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 12:44|| Front Page Top

#16 My primary role was to cross it to the talented kid on the team who

Interesting. There's a dad in our Cub Scout Pack who grew up in England. I thought he'd love soccer. He said the same thing.

He thought baseball was the best sport for kids because most sports are pretty boring most of the time, certainly Little League, but in baseball every kid gets an equal opportunity to step up to the plate, be the center of attention, and have the chance to hit it out of the park. (Though he does think cricket is better than baseball. Just rounders, a girl game, doncha know?)

Equality, opportunity, achievement. Just like soccer. Riiiiight.

Soccer makes Canada's oldest sport, Curling, look exciting.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-06-14 12:50|| 2006-06-14 12:50|| Front Page Top

#17 DB, good German beer doesn't need the extra advertising ;-)

I think I'll take one last shot at American sports fans: When you watch hockey (a Canadian sport) on TV, do they still highlight the puck for you on the screen?

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 12:59|| 2006-06-14 12:59|| Front Page Top

#18 Couldn't say. We're all far too busy polishing our curling stones. ;->

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2006-06-14 13:06|| 2006-06-14 13:06|| Front Page Top

#19 Rafael - Well, the tiny remaining fan-base is aging, so it helps.

Seafarious - Them's rocks, friend, not stones.

Posted by Angolung Thoter3849 2006-06-14 13:11|| 2006-06-14 13:11|| Front Page Top

#20 In one of the few TV advertisements for the oncoming World Cup, in a heavy French accent, a visibly aged Eric Cantona invites viewers to support America's team. The problem is, most Americans have no idea that this guy, who speaks to them from the TV screen in barely understandable English, used to be a world-famous soccer star.

Yeah, this'll fire me right up. Was Woody Allen busy?

Posted by tu3031 2006-06-14 13:18|| 2006-06-14 13:18|| Front Page Top

#21 Followup to #4, item 1...

Imagine a football game with 22 punters...

Posted by Angolung Thoter3849 2006-06-14 13:23|| 2006-06-14 13:23|| Front Page Top

#22 Yep--I'd much rather watch hockey too. At least hockey as some good hitting going on even if it can be as low-scoring as soccer. Plus the powerplay/penalty-killing situations make it more interesting when the teams aren't evenly matched.

I can't get into soccer because it's too low scoring, but conversely I can't get into basketball because it's too high scoring. Seems to me the only part of a basketball game worth watching is the last 5 minutes.

Posted by Dar">Dar 2006-06-14 13:50|| 2006-06-14 13:50|| Front Page Top

#23 I think it's viewed as a child's sport in America. Millions of kids play it in elementary school (ergo, the "soccer mom" driving them to practice in the minivan).

That's because it is a child's game. I did like than chick flick tho, Bent Like Beckham.

Posted by 6 2006-06-14 14:02|| 2006-06-14 14:02|| Front Page Top

#24 Rafael - howsabout those of us Americans who don't give a rat's ass in hell about pro sports, period?

Should we somehow care? Why?

For that matter, isn't is odd that people in other countries demand we love soccer and try to push it off on us, but we don't insist that other countries have to go ape about American football, basketball, ice hockey, NASCAR, and baseball? (Yes, I know some other countries play baseball, basketball, and ice hockey, but most don't.) I'm unaware of Americans demanding, for instance, that ~~Europe~~ other countries love American football, field their own teams, and stay glued to the TV during the playoffs.

What's with the soccer-empire-building? Isn't that a little hegemonic?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2006-06-14 14:03|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html] 2006-06-14 14:03|| Front Page Top

#25 For that matter, Rafael, maybe you should be happy we don't care too much about pro soccer.

If Americans cared about pro soccer the way Americans care about pro football, we'd beat the pants off you ~~just like we do in other fields~~.

So why not keep soccer to yourselves? Enjoy being best at something.

I mean that in the friendliest, non-sports-fan way, of course. ;-p

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2006-06-14 14:09|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html] 2006-06-14 14:09|| Front Page Top

#26 Rafael,

In Sports Illustrated magazine about 40 years ago they did an article on why Soccer was not popular in the US. They summed it up with one quote from a Soccer broadcast (could've been the World Cup, I don't remember)
The quote?

"And Germany takes an insurmountable 1 - Nil lead!"

Personally, I can appreciate the artistry of soccer players in the same way I appreciate jugglers. How many times have you seen a great play with passing and dribbling end up in a shot 10 feet over the cross bar? Much ado about nothing. Probably 75% of all goals are dumb luck like the one England "scored" on an own goal header by the opposition. Yep, insurmountable 1-nil lead.

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2006-06-14 14:22|| 2006-06-14 14:22|| Front Page Top

#27 Why can't the world appreciate the pinacle of athletic acheivement that is Football (not eurotrash football, or by it's proper name, soccer)? The four downs, the ability to actually pass the ball to make spectacular plays, the concept of accuracy and rioting only when your team wins the championship seems completely lost on them. Instead, one has a bunch of metrosexuals running around the field, kicking a ball endlessly and with such bad aim that they can't get it into a goal that must be 6 yards wide and 4 yards tall. For god's sake, the basket in basketball is barely wider than the ball? How can they have such terrible aim? They must have all been dropped on their heads as children to be enthralled by endless 1-1 ties. OOOHHH! But on special occassions they settle it with PENALTY KICKS! EXCITING! Shiny ... oh look a puppy!

And apparently they haven't discovered the magic of large clocks to keep the time (shhh, Yanks and Canucks, don't tell them about how they really work - it be like telling a kid that Santa doesn't exist). Apparently, they can't read the time so have to depend on the ref to do it.

Posted by elbud 2006-06-14 14:32|| 2006-06-14 14:32|| Front Page Top

#28 LOL, Barb.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-06-14 14:38|| 2006-06-14 14:38|| Front Page Top

#29 Ok, there is one thing this Yankee Imperialist Pig enjoys about watching soccer. I like it on Univision when the Mexican guy screams "GOL!!!"

Too bad he only does it, what, once or twice during a match. Otherwise it's about as exciting as watching golf.

Posted by Desert Blondie 2006-06-14 14:39|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 14:39|| Front Page Top

#30 Imagine a football game with 22 punters...

It's my constant wet dream!

Posted by General Bob Neyland 2006-06-14 15:01|| 2006-06-14 15:01|| Front Page Top

#31 American high school women ignore soccer so the bulk of athletes in America also ignore soccer. Convince high school girls that soccer is sexy and maybe you'll change the American mindset, otherwise it won't happen.

One thing about soccer though, its the only sport to have started a war, however pathetic the soccer war was it happened.

Posted by rjschwarz 2006-06-14 15:06|| 2006-06-14 15:06|| Front Page Top

#32 DB, I don't think he's Mexican, I think he's Brazilian.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2006-06-14 15:10|| 2006-06-14 15:10|| Front Page Top

#33 DB, I don't think he's Mexican, I think he's Brazilian.

(the sexist pig part of me comes out...)
Hey some of those painted Brazilian lady fans are really cute! And, we don't see fan calandar in the US the way the soccer folks have them. SI swimsuit edition doesn't even come close....

Then again we don't put up brothels for 50,000 with imported sex slaves to service our fans during the sports finals either.

(I still don't understand what that has to do with the sport.)

Posted by 3dc 2006-06-14 15:27|| 2006-06-14 15:27|| Front Page Top

#34 General Bob Neyland LOL, a Tennessee fan is about. Don't forget the single wing and punting on first down Bob. :)

Though to give the Coach/General credit, people did not score on his teams. I think in '39 they went the regular season without giving up a point.

Posted by Laurence of the Rats">Laurence of the Rats 2006-06-14 16:16|| 2006-06-14 16:16|| Front Page Top

#35 Aw, crap, I thought he was Mexican. My bad!

Posted by Desert Blondie 2006-06-14 16:51|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 16:51|| Front Page Top

#36 Rafael:

"LOL. Any fatso can play an American sport."

"Sure, you gotta lower your expectations if you can't play soccer."

"When you watch hockey (a Canadian sport) on TV, do they still highlight the puck for you on the screen?"
**********************

You gotta love soccer fans after all the artistic sensitive people like, HUGO, Castro, and this guy just love scoccer Rafael!

»:-)

Posted by RD 2006-06-14 17:26|| 2006-06-14 17:26|| Front Page Top

#37 Rugby is a hooligan's game played by gentlemen.
Soccer is a gentleman's game played by hooligans.
but HURLING is a hooligan's game played by hooligans. With sticks.
:D

Posted by eLarson 2006-06-14 17:39|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 17:39|| Front Page Top

#38 Header from the article:
WHO ARE WHITE SOX PLAYING?

Now there's a sensible question. (Answer today: the Texas Rangers, in Arlington, TX.)

Posted by eLarson 2006-06-14 17:42|| http://larsonian.blogspot.com]">[http://larsonian.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 17:42|| Front Page Top

#39 howsabout those of us Americans who don't give a rat's ass in hell about pro sports, period?

I don't give a rats ass about pro sports either. I make the exception every 4 years for soccer, and the olympics.

Should we somehow care? Why?

Well, with regards to soccer, you should. Your team has consistently qualified since 1990. Your team is getting better and better. Your trainers are one of the best (Germany has hired US trainers for this world cup). That's something to be proud of on the world stage.

we'd beat the pants off you just like we do in other fields.

Well now Barbara, see, you'd make the perfect soccer ~~hooligan~~ fanatic!! Now put that energy into supporting your team!! They played well vs. the Czechs.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 18:25|| 2006-06-14 18:25|| Front Page Top

#40 Rafael, their own coach said they sucked vs. the Czechs! Were we watching the same game?

They play Italy next....face it, they're going to get slaughtered.

Posted by Desert Blondie 2006-06-14 18:45|| http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com]">[http://azjetsetchick.blogspot.com] 2006-06-14 18:45|| Front Page Top

#41 DB, they had a few good chances as I recall, the result is a bit mis-leading. I thought they played well considering they were up against one of the teams favoured to be in the final (vs. Germany). It's a tough group to be in.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 19:04|| 2006-06-14 19:04|| Front Page Top

#42 we have a team? what is this "soccer" you speak of?

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-06-14 19:43|| 2006-06-14 19:43|| Front Page Top

#43 That's true Frank. I don't like the term soccer. I simply refer to it as The Beautiful Game.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 20:33|| 2006-06-14 20:33|| Front Page Top

#44 I'm with Rafael on this one. It's a beautiful game.

Posted by Matt 2006-06-14 20:41|| 2006-06-14 20:41|| Front Page Top

#45 Rafael, I actually do know America has a pro soccer team. I just don't care - any more than I care about other pro sports.

Richmond, Virginia, (where I live) has a pro soccer team - the Richmond Kickers (Rob Ukrop is one of their stars, and a very nice young man); D.C. has a team. I would suppose lots of American cities have them.

I. just. don't. care.

I'm glad people who like sports do care. They pump a lot of money into the economy, and it's a better hobby than smoking crack.

I personally just don't care.

On the other hand, very few of those sports fans give a rat's patootie about my interests, so we're even.

(Though I wish to god they'd SHUT UP, particularly during the various playoffs.)

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2006-06-14 20:41|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/page/15bk1/Home_Page.html] 2006-06-14 20:41|| Front Page Top

#46 GO CUBS!!!!

GO BEARS!!!!!!!

Posted by anonymous2u 2006-06-14 20:47|| 2006-06-14 20:47|| Front Page Top

#47 Ms. Barb, would that be 707 E. Franklin St? Give my best to Marse Robert.

Posted by Besoeker 2006-06-14 20:52|| 2006-06-14 20:52|| Front Page Top

#48 Why don't Americans care? This may be part of it.

Posted by mcsegeek1 2006-06-14 21:14|| 2006-06-14 21:14|| Front Page Top

#49 Well Barbara, thankfully some Americans do care. (Though these may be the wives of some players.)

Another reason why I like the World Cup: brings out the best in some people. Take that Ahmad!

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 21:33|| 2006-06-14 21:33|| Front Page Top

#50 The Beautiful Game
You must be referring to Women's Beach Volleyball.

Posted by ed 2006-06-14 21:39|| 2006-06-14 21:39|| Front Page Top

#51 Beach volley, Holly McPeak. Now we're talkin!

Posted by Besoeker 2006-06-14 21:42|| 2006-06-14 21:42|| Front Page Top

#52 mcsegeek, what an idiotic website*, but thanks for the link.

Soccer apologists say the reason it is not popular in the US is because it wasn't invented in the US. First....Second, basketball was the creation of a Canadian, yet is very popular in the US. Third, football was the creation of a Canadian, yet is very popular in the US.

I knew the bit about basketball, but football??? Heh. Heh heh. Heh heh heh. :-)))

*proof: Soccer games count the time that has elapsed, rather than the time remaining. This is stupid for a number of reasons. First, soccer games don't refer to time anyway, so why even keep it? Second, why the concern on the past? The score already reflects all important information of what has already happened in the game. In soccer, this is most likely irrelevant anyway, since the score is most likely 0-0, er, nil, nil. The focus should be on the result - which depends on the future. Thus, time should count down. Can you imagine NASA counting up (from, say, when JFK made his speech about landing on the moon in a decade)? How stupid would that be? uh huh. whatever you say.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 21:45|| 2006-06-14 21:45|| Front Page Top

#53 Rafael - most of us don't bear any ill will on the soccer nuts. What we are irritated about is the sneering "it's the game of the world. You should learn to appreciate it" attitude by room temp IQ "elitists". If Arabs et al don't like baseball or NFL football, no problem, I understand. I don't like soccer, and never will. No problem. But it's an extension of "progressive" and "tranzi" you may not get, not being here

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-06-14 21:45|| 2006-06-14 21:45|| Front Page Top

#54 Amers tried to like soccer, but just can't. Its a kid's game, its girls' game, its something most men play as a last resort when absolutely nothing else is available. 40,000 hookers coming to Germany in order to watch non-female women work their loins the PC = socially correct, non-prenup non-marital legal way while still earning a profit.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2006-06-14 21:45|| 2006-06-14 21:45|| Front Page Top

#55 Frank, I don't think that was the intent of the article (or my sneering), but I'll give it another read, in the original. People play whatever they want to play. I don't much care if you (or Barbara) don't care, but I reserve the right to counter some of the criticism laid against the sport. Like they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...to each his own...or whatever.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 22:04|| 2006-06-14 22:04|| Front Page Top

#56 Interestingly, for all the trivia fans out there, the World Cup hosted by the U.S. in 1994 still holds the record for total attendance for the entire competition, and this was even before the expansion to 32 teams. Ironic. Or was it all those Brazilians and Latin Americans? ;-) ...or Mexicans

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 22:18|| 2006-06-14 22:18|| Front Page Top

#57 any criticism was teasing. Hell, I'm a NASCAR nut. I can't explain it to those not so inclined. We co-exist

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-06-14 22:18|| 2006-06-14 22:18|| Front Page Top

#58 I thought the US lost to the Czechs 3-1? Apparently the Czechs were ranked 2nd, which I understand is pretty good. I saw bits of the game, but my nap was a higher priority, I'm afraid.

In the US soccer is a participation sport, not a watching sport (except for us soccer parents). While some of the trailing daughters' coaches were fathers who'd played team sports and learnt the rules of soccer just ahead of the girls, others had played themselves not so long ago and were passing down the joy of the game. We're spoilt for choice with professional, amateur and participatory sports in this country and, with people now continuing to play soccer for fun through university and in adult leagues well into their thirties and forties, there doesn't seem to be a need to pay to watch others. It's the same with the Olympics, to be honest; I don't think the share numbers were anything like they used to be, and I'm not at all certain the advertisers got their money's worth.

Barbara has the right of it: we like what we like and don't proselytize, and it's rude of others to push watching their sport as the epitome of worldliness. Not that I particularly care -- I don't watch anything unless I know at least one of the players personally.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-06-14 22:42|| 2006-06-14 22:42|| Front Page Top

#59 Well, Poland's out. Out of the remaining allies*...I choose...Ruuuuuuuuuuuule Britannia!

*heck, even Australia's in this one, first time in ages.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 22:43|| 2006-06-14 22:43|| Front Page Top

#60 Raph,

I played soccer as a kid. Had a damn good time at it to. Unfortunately in the states when I got into high school it was either football or soccer in the fall - no contest - I played football. Now, if soccer would've been a spring sport at the HS level I would've dropped baseball (I hated track) to play it - more running, more action on the field, actually would've helped my conditioning for football and wrestling the next year. If my family had the cash I prolly would've got into organized hockey - but that was privately financed when I was growing up in Michigan - though we played pick up a lot in the winters. The other sports were community sponsored and only cost my mom like 30 bucks for the enrollment, hockey was like hundreds of bucks for skates, equipment, and ice time. BTW - I'm watching the cup finals right now - no highlights on the puck anymore which I always thought was stupid. I'm actually pulling for Edmonton even though they beat my Wings. I can't stomach pro hockey teams south of the mason-dixon - sacrilege.

As for soccer, a lot of Americans (who never played it) actually got into the women's team a couple years back but overall there is just not enough interest in it. The rest of us who have played it appreciate the stamina it takes to go that long but I certainly don't want to be belittled by the foreign press for not being more into it. We "get it", we also get F-1, and tennis but we're not so into it. We are glad you enjoy it but maybe we enjoy more "gladiatorial" contests - oh well. Baseball could be considered as slow as soccer but most of us are raised on it & we understand the dynamics and are more willing to sit through a three hour game.

Frank - is Biff gonna take the checkered at Brooklyn this Sunday? My boy Gordon is snake bit.

One final thought - my favorite all-time sport is actually professional wrestling because it's the only real true sport left. I mean, if Vegas doesn't lay odds on it you know it's legit. ;)

Posted by Broadhead6 2006-06-14 22:57|| 2006-06-14 22:57|| Front Page Top

#61 Biffle's having a tough year. Next is at Michigan - I'm a sentimental Mark Martin fan, but I'd say Kahne or Kenseth has been making a move up

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-06-14 23:07|| 2006-06-14 23:07|| Front Page Top

#62 I can't stomach pro hockey teams south of the mason-dixon - sacrilege.

Yeah no kidding. Raleigh a hockey town? C'mooon. But looks like it's gonna be Raleigh, because no team ever came back from a 3-1 deficit since Toronto did it in the '40s(?).

I've been slowly re-discovering soccer probably since 1994, around the time the pro teams in Toronto started sucking (baseball, hockey). Maybe it's the age, but there's also no connection with the players nowadays. I mean, Wendel Clark was Wendel Clark back then. Felix Potvin. Doug Gilmour. Smithie. Don't know any of the guys now.

MLS is expanding to Toronto next season. I don't expect tickets to be in the $100 range, so I'll gladly see more games.

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 23:36|| 2006-06-14 23:36|| Front Page Top

#63 Raf,

Since you follow soccer you prolly know we got an MLS down here now - DC, LA, KC, etc. I'm not sure on how those players stack up against any euro premeire leagues but it does seem to be getting more popular if slowly. Heck, if the WNBA can get on regular t.v. you know it's only a matter of time for soccer. Actually, indoor soccer is kind of a big thing up in the northern U.S. - my buddies back home even belong to an after-work league. I played once while I was on leave, that's kind of a cool cross between hockey and soccer, good physical training session - that's for sure.

BTW- Oilers pulled it out in OT.

Posted by Broadhead6 2006-06-14 23:47|| 2006-06-14 23:47|| Front Page Top

#64 you prolly know we got an MLS down here now - DC, LA, KC, etc

That's the same MLS coming to Toronto, BH :-) They're expanding to Toronto, the first Canadian city in the league, iirc. Can't wait :-)

Posted by Rafael 2006-06-14 23:58|| 2006-06-14 23:58|| Front Page Top

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