soccer is a kids game over here....and girls.....mostly. of course there are guys who play but theyre few and far between.
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Football vs Soccer (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Layce Erayce
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Ya personaly I find this article to be a load of bull.
I've also played american football(be it only for 1 season). Really it just dosent take as much out of you as soccer does. It really just another of those "dash as hard as you can and then go take a break on the bench" games. Dont get me wrong, it is tirying to sprint and then tackle/get tackled by someone(especialy that running is much more difficult under lots of padding) but it doesent beat more or less constant running for 90 minutes.
And every athlete trains. You cant say that soccer players dont work out, you know that just because the football players aim to add more mass dosent mean that going with lesser waits, doing more sets and not dead lifting it wont make you stronger. I, think about, how does having huge muscles really help a soccer player? It would slow them down more than anything, and there fame can already get them supermodels so whatever.
And about soccer being for the destitute is absolutly retarded. Ya, Zidane and his buddies sure are dirt poor. And whats he trying to believe here, all you need to play football is a ball. During lunch me and my pals will usualy go out and have a small game(Ya, Id play soccer insted but Id be like alone). Like soccer, you dont need the exact number of players and perfect pitch just to play it. Gathering enough players to play football is just as hard as finding 22 players to play soccer. If he thinks that playing 6 a-side(or other) counts, then playing football with the same amount should also count.
Off topic: Anybody see the preview to NFL streets? That game looks awesome:cheesy: I need to upgrade my SNES to get that and winning eleven
Back to topic
As for entertainment value, Im sorry I just cant get myself to watch a full match of football. I mean watching all the replays on SportsCentre is much much more entertaining and smaller waist of time. I also love the celebrations I must say... Oh and the super bowl commercials
(EXTREMELY well marketed)
I've also played american football(be it only for 1 season). Really it just dosent take as much out of you as soccer does. It really just another of those "dash as hard as you can and then go take a break on the bench" games. Dont get me wrong, it is tirying to sprint and then tackle/get tackled by someone(especialy that running is much more difficult under lots of padding) but it doesent beat more or less constant running for 90 minutes.
And every athlete trains. You cant say that soccer players dont work out, you know that just because the football players aim to add more mass dosent mean that going with lesser waits, doing more sets and not dead lifting it wont make you stronger. I, think about, how does having huge muscles really help a soccer player? It would slow them down more than anything, and there fame can already get them supermodels so whatever.
And about soccer being for the destitute is absolutly retarded. Ya, Zidane and his buddies sure are dirt poor. And whats he trying to believe here, all you need to play football is a ball. During lunch me and my pals will usualy go out and have a small game(Ya, Id play soccer insted but Id be like alone). Like soccer, you dont need the exact number of players and perfect pitch just to play it. Gathering enough players to play football is just as hard as finding 22 players to play soccer. If he thinks that playing 6 a-side(or other) counts, then playing football with the same amount should also count.
Off topic: Anybody see the preview to NFL streets? That game looks awesome:cheesy: I need to upgrade my SNES to get that and winning eleven
Back to topic
As for entertainment value, Im sorry I just cant get myself to watch a full match of football. I mean watching all the replays on SportsCentre is much much more entertaining and smaller waist of time. I also love the celebrations I must say... Oh and the super bowl commercials
(EXTREMELY well marketed)
Josh said it best, Tork.
It's mainly a kids sport.
The problem is this. Ask any danish, Italian, Spanish, Argentinian, Brazilian child what their goal is if they were to be in sports, and 99 times out of 100, it would be to become a professional football(soccer) player.
Here in the US, you get maybe 4 out of 100 kids who say that.
I'm about to lay something on you guys that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. The United States is without a doubt, as much as I love my country, the most materialstic and money driven society in the world. With that in mind, if a child is a fabulous soccer player but maybe only a very good baseball player, the parent, I can guarantee you, will push the child towards Baseball than Soccer, because you can make a lot more money from it in this country.
Case in point- Alex Rodriguez, Shortstop for the Texas rangers, was a phoenomenal soccer player as well as baseball player in high school, and is probably the best all-around baseball player in the world right now. He is currently in the 3rd year of a 10 year, now get this, 257 MILLION DOLLAR contract.
Here's the rub. Soccer doesn't pay when you make it as a professional in this country. Therefore, the majority of kids who play soccer use it as a conditioning tool for other sports where they hope to achieve an athletic shcolarship and maybe, a professional career.
Nah...in both Canada and the U.S. soccer is the most participated sport among youngsters because it is: inexpensive, easy to pick up and everyone gets to participate. Hockey involves expensive equipment, limited playing time and freezing your ass off while the "kid" first learns to skate nevermind take a slap shot. American football is also very expensive and despite the lame and rather uncreative comments requires much coaching to teach youngsters the basic rules of the game. Basketball; bottom line...I was an Italian kid in New York: given my origin vis-a-vis our average physical structure in terms of height, basketball was not my cup of tea! hence, soccer is popular.
Unfortunately later on, when a gifted athlete is faced with the prospect of scholarships and potential riches soccer in North America, soccer is NOT on his mind/atop his list. The investment into the sport dies when they reach teen-age years. If it is to be brought to another level then they have to invest in coaching staff (from abroad) and universities offering incentives to continue playing soccer rather than throw a fastball or play tight end.
The United States and Canada can probably produce some good players however the coaching can only take them so far. The option is either they are recruited at a young age or happen to end up with a coach with some overseas experience. At present there are 3 Italian-Canadians playing in Serie B. If done right we COULD see more and more North American players.
Unfortunately later on, when a gifted athlete is faced with the prospect of scholarships and potential riches soccer in North America, soccer is NOT on his mind/atop his list. The investment into the sport dies when they reach teen-age years. If it is to be brought to another level then they have to invest in coaching staff (from abroad) and universities offering incentives to continue playing soccer rather than throw a fastball or play tight end.
The United States and Canada can probably produce some good players however the coaching can only take them so far. The option is either they are recruited at a young age or happen to end up with a coach with some overseas experience. At present there are 3 Italian-Canadians playing in Serie B. If done right we COULD see more and more North American players.
To start with, why are we calling the beautiful game "soccer"? Thats a word coined by an ignorant American nation because they got a softer version of rugby to market for a zillion dollars by calling it American football.
Im strongly against this attitude of America's ignorance to sport worldwide. They want to dish out a whole lot of NBA , NHL and NFL to the whole world, sell jerseys, caps, athletic gear when they arent even ready to acknowledge the biggest spectator sport in the world. Its ridiculous. USA 94 showed that a major portion of America's population did not even know they were hosting the world cup. And the saddest part is that a country like the US, which is like an outstanding example for most developing nations to model themselves on shows such a lack of respect to sports and activities that thrive in the rest of the world. And the article in this thread just goes on to prove that.
Im strongly against this attitude of America's ignorance to sport worldwide. They want to dish out a whole lot of NBA , NHL and NFL to the whole world, sell jerseys, caps, athletic gear when they arent even ready to acknowledge the biggest spectator sport in the world. Its ridiculous. USA 94 showed that a major portion of America's population did not even know they were hosting the world cup. And the saddest part is that a country like the US, which is like an outstanding example for most developing nations to model themselves on shows such a lack of respect to sports and activities that thrive in the rest of the world. And the article in this thread just goes on to prove that.
I still don't quite agree, but since both you and Incubo live in the U.S., please take my opinions for what they are, speculation about American soccer from a guy living in Norway that has never been to the United States.
As you said, it is a kids sport, and when all the kids playing soccer right now grow up, I can't believe that at least for many of them the interest will stay with them. The they will want to see MLS on ESPN, buy DC United shirts, go to matches or whatnot. In short, they will pump money and interest into the sport. I mean, the fact that more and more kids are playing soccer every year must mean that the interest will grow altogether, right? Also, even now, Freddy Adu is already getting money thrown at him too, at a very young age.
As you said, it is a kids sport, and when all the kids playing soccer right now grow up, I can't believe that at least for many of them the interest will stay with them. The they will want to see MLS on ESPN, buy DC United shirts, go to matches or whatnot. In short, they will pump money and interest into the sport. I mean, the fact that more and more kids are playing soccer every year must mean that the interest will grow altogether, right? Also, even now, Freddy Adu is already getting money thrown at him too, at a very young age.
Fliakis, down here in India we have this sport called Kabaddi\Khoko, we play it year in and year out . We have championships, and the eventual winners are champions of the event, not of the globe despite the fact that there isnt a single nation in the world who would be able to compete with us on that front simply because we've invented and mastered it over the years.
Its silly to market your home made sports worldwide without caring a damn about other sports that may actually interest the world. And to top it all, go on and claim the winners of your home made sports to be champions of the world when there are no other competing countries. That is extremely disrespectful.
Its silly to market your home made sports worldwide without caring a damn about other sports that may actually interest the world. And to top it all, go on and claim the winners of your home made sports to be champions of the world when there are no other competing countries. That is extremely disrespectful.
Baggio, for the record, "Soccer" is a slang of the official name of football, called "Association Football", which was coined by the British, not America.
Ever play American Football??
If not, then don't call it a "softer" version of rugby, please. Try it sometime, it is far more brutal than rugby. I have a friend of mine who played both American football and Rugby (we played on the same football team in high school) and he quit football to stick with Rugby because he couldn't deal with the constant injuries that he received playing football.
I've seen Rugby on TV many times to try and get a grasp of it, and it is rather enjoyable to watch. However, football players are MUCH bigger, stronger, and faster than their rugby counterparts.
I'm not saying that rugby players are soft, not at all. It's just that if you asked these American football players to play without equipment, there would be at least one death per week.
And the only "true" home made sport that was invented in the US is basketball, by Dr. James Naismith of Springfield, massachusetts. Yet that is now the 2nd most played sport in the world.
Baseball is a derivative of a game that was played in Russia in the 1840's, Hockey was started in Canada, and Football, well, we know that story.
Oh, and one more thing. I never refer to football as "soccer", I am only doing that to differentiate between the two for this thread.
Ever play American Football??
If not, then don't call it a "softer" version of rugby, please. Try it sometime, it is far more brutal than rugby. I have a friend of mine who played both American football and Rugby (we played on the same football team in high school) and he quit football to stick with Rugby because he couldn't deal with the constant injuries that he received playing football.
I've seen Rugby on TV many times to try and get a grasp of it, and it is rather enjoyable to watch. However, football players are MUCH bigger, stronger, and faster than their rugby counterparts.
I'm not saying that rugby players are soft, not at all. It's just that if you asked these American football players to play without equipment, there would be at least one death per week.
And the only "true" home made sport that was invented in the US is basketball, by Dr. James Naismith of Springfield, massachusetts. Yet that is now the 2nd most played sport in the world.
Baseball is a derivative of a game that was played in Russia in the 1840's, Hockey was started in Canada, and Football, well, we know that story.
Oh, and one more thing. I never refer to football as "soccer", I am only doing that to differentiate between the two for this thread.
In my opinion this debate cannot continue because too many of you are bringing in your contempt for U.S. policies into this argument. Statements such as "arrogant" and "ignorant" really have no place in a conversation of this content. It will end up with Sergio and I defending our nations policies and idealism and the others slowly bringing their hidden contempt to the forefront. Reading the posts it is not hard to spot a pattern and the under belly of your arguements.
World Series, National Hockey League, National Basketball League, Major League Baseball. Ask any 8 year old ball player from the Dominican Republic to Kyoto Japan what they dream of...sorry but its all the same be it New York Yankees for the young Japanese player the Montreal Expos for the young Dominican Player or the Florida Marlins for the young Cuban. Unlike football where Spainish kids dream of winning la Liga and the Italian kid dreams of winning the Scudetto in the baseball world there is one league and the rest is training or "pickings" for Major League Baseball. Maybe this self-imposed title of "World Series" is a tad egotistical but at the same time it is lives up to its name because the World's best are playing in the Majors. Bottom line.
There are many reasons why football (soccer) has not caught on in the United States and the reasons outlined by Sergio and I are the main reasons. The amount of money and personnel that schools in the United States allocate to sports and their athletes is unbelievable: close to none is allocated for soccer. So when that soccer playing kid reaches 14 regardless of his love for the game...he is living in a nation where the majority of over 250 million do NOT watch the sport. Most kids at that age want to fit in and not be the outsider thus they will hop on to the popular sports among friends.
The Freddy Adu situation is different. Most of his life he actually spent outside the U.S. so to call him a product of U.S. Soccer is cheating. Some good players have been produced as of recent: Landon Donovan: U.S., Owen Hargraeves (Canadian) but its not an indication of what is to come if things don't change from the ground up.
World Series, National Hockey League, National Basketball League, Major League Baseball. Ask any 8 year old ball player from the Dominican Republic to Kyoto Japan what they dream of...sorry but its all the same be it New York Yankees for the young Japanese player the Montreal Expos for the young Dominican Player or the Florida Marlins for the young Cuban. Unlike football where Spainish kids dream of winning la Liga and the Italian kid dreams of winning the Scudetto in the baseball world there is one league and the rest is training or "pickings" for Major League Baseball. Maybe this self-imposed title of "World Series" is a tad egotistical but at the same time it is lives up to its name because the World's best are playing in the Majors. Bottom line.
There are many reasons why football (soccer) has not caught on in the United States and the reasons outlined by Sergio and I are the main reasons. The amount of money and personnel that schools in the United States allocate to sports and their athletes is unbelievable: close to none is allocated for soccer. So when that soccer playing kid reaches 14 regardless of his love for the game...he is living in a nation where the majority of over 250 million do NOT watch the sport. Most kids at that age want to fit in and not be the outsider thus they will hop on to the popular sports among friends.
The Freddy Adu situation is different. Most of his life he actually spent outside the U.S. so to call him a product of U.S. Soccer is cheating. Some good players have been produced as of recent: Landon Donovan: U.S., Owen Hargraeves (Canadian) but its not an indication of what is to come if things don't change from the ground up.
Sergio. When referring to football (not american), what do your american friends call it? The point im trying to make is irrespective of who coined the word, or invented a sport... the world has to look at a sport from America's point of view. Without a doubt its the US that refers to the beautiful game as soccer more than any other country which just calls it football. Cnn says" and now for some soccer news" BBC says: and now some news from the football world"
An interesting point made earlier is...how can it be the world series??or champions of NHL, NFL and NBA be declared world champs? Sure, the MJ'S, Kobes, Gretzkies and Shaqs are awesome players, but really, does the absence of world opposition give them a right to announce their worth as champions of the entire globe?
You give me American Football as an example of being nething but a softer form of rugby. Ok im sure it may not be as easy as most ppl think. But really, do you actually think rugby is any safer than the NFL? The fact is, the only reason you make the NFL out to be more dangerous than rugby is because its more aerial and head injuries more often than not can lead to death. But trust me, American football players are not any bigger than rugby players. Ok so your friend gave it up. Take an american football player on a rugby field and see how long he lasts? The point here Serge is, whtehr you like it or not, American football is an adaptation of rugby. Why create an elitist version that breaks away from what rest of the world plays? Why be so snobbish and try and show the world....Rugby: This is how America thinks it shud be played. Why cant America be part of the rest of the world as far as sport goes? I dont agree with this isolation.
Why cant yall send out a cricket team like nations in the world do?
The one thing im really happy about is the US sent out a really good football team to the world cup in '02 which shows that the US is atleast working towards being part of this game.
You may or may not agree with me serge, but take yet another example.
Formula 1 racing....i dunno how much you know about it, but this is what the whole world follows...exept America where its the indy cart series as they believe it as kick ass as as racing can be. I read an article somewhere about Michael Schumacher ( one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1) and the highest paid athlete in the world of sport. He was in the US for the Indianapolis GP (which has mostly european or asian spectators), and not a single person recognized him. What do you put that lack of appreciation of other sports and sportsmen down to? Nothing but an ignorance and arrogance of a superpower, which otherwise allows people to live larger than life, with some wonderful opportunities.
Bottomline: The point is, dont stop the NFLs, the NHLs and the NBAs. Spread them across the world. But dont do it, if you arent interested in being part of the rest of world sport.
An interesting point made earlier is...how can it be the world series??or champions of NHL, NFL and NBA be declared world champs? Sure, the MJ'S, Kobes, Gretzkies and Shaqs are awesome players, but really, does the absence of world opposition give them a right to announce their worth as champions of the entire globe?
You give me American Football as an example of being nething but a softer form of rugby. Ok im sure it may not be as easy as most ppl think. But really, do you actually think rugby is any safer than the NFL? The fact is, the only reason you make the NFL out to be more dangerous than rugby is because its more aerial and head injuries more often than not can lead to death. But trust me, American football players are not any bigger than rugby players. Ok so your friend gave it up. Take an american football player on a rugby field and see how long he lasts? The point here Serge is, whtehr you like it or not, American football is an adaptation of rugby. Why create an elitist version that breaks away from what rest of the world plays? Why be so snobbish and try and show the world....Rugby: This is how America thinks it shud be played. Why cant America be part of the rest of the world as far as sport goes? I dont agree with this isolation.
Why cant yall send out a cricket team like nations in the world do?
The one thing im really happy about is the US sent out a really good football team to the world cup in '02 which shows that the US is atleast working towards being part of this game.
You may or may not agree with me serge, but take yet another example.
Formula 1 racing....i dunno how much you know about it, but this is what the whole world follows...exept America where its the indy cart series as they believe it as kick ass as as racing can be. I read an article somewhere about Michael Schumacher ( one of the greatest drivers in the history of Formula 1) and the highest paid athlete in the world of sport. He was in the US for the Indianapolis GP (which has mostly european or asian spectators), and not a single person recognized him. What do you put that lack of appreciation of other sports and sportsmen down to? Nothing but an ignorance and arrogance of a superpower, which otherwise allows people to live larger than life, with some wonderful opportunities.
Bottomline: The point is, dont stop the NFLs, the NHLs and the NBAs. Spread them across the world. But dont do it, if you arent interested in being part of the rest of world sport.