Will This Be the Year I Like Soccer?

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I do agree that all the play acting and medical miracles in soccer are pretty annoying. Even more annoying is that the pro guys are role models to the junior guys and you see the kids doing it in their games as well, to emulate their heroes.

Anyway, to answer Aldeth's question, I suspect that this will NOT be the year he likes soccer, although the World Cup is as good a place to start. I know that I enjoy watching the World Cup, usually to see which of the minor teams manages to cause a major upset. When the World Cup finals roll around, Aldeth might like to join a picking competition (a bit like what all Americans have been doing recently with the college basketball) because that can help get you more interested in the results of certain teams that you would otherwise have no emotional attachment to.

 

An excellent idea! We could have a sorcere's place tournament!

 

just saw the last 30 min.s of the chelsea vs liverpool game & it was a very good game.
Saw 4 goals in that time, game ended up 4-4 but chelsea eliminated liverpool by points apparently. 7-5 on aggregate.

 

If you watched Chelsea vs Liverpool tonight you'd love soccer.

"chelsea eliminated liverpool by points apparently. 7-5 on aggregate", yeh thats right, Liverpool were 3-1 from the first leg at Anfield (Liverpool). At the knockout stages of the Champions league (except the final which is played at a neutral venue, this year Rome (what a joke that is))there are two legs, if the scores are level after 90 minutes of the second leg the team with the most away goals will go through. If both teams are equal on away and home goals extra time will be played and then penalties.

Aldeth, if your interested in keeping upto date with English and European football http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/default.stm is usually very good.

 

When will the confusion end? The real name is "Fusball With Bigger Players".

 

Bruno, come on up here and I'll do my best to kick your balls while wearing shoeshoes!

I mean seriously, talk about stereotypes. I'd rant some more, but I've got to get my lead sled dog Katimavak to the vet before I go shore up my igloo.

 

I don't think that one game with 8 goals is going to make Aldeth love soccer.

 

I'm a bit late to the discussion but i think you are missing the real point a lot of people follow football.

I'm a West Ham Untited Fan, Have been since i was born basically, West ham were originally called Thames Ironworks, this was because all of the players were made up of the dock workers from the east end of london (and also where the rivalry between millwall and west ham comes from). West Ham were founded in 1895, and since then supporting the club has been passed on from generation to generation, Older fans who have been going to the Boleyn ground since they were 4 or 5 have spent nearly their entire lives with that saturday bring family friends etc together. As the old generation passes the next takes its place supporting the club regardless of winning or losing its about far more than that, its a tribute to our heritage, its about the highs the lows the memories of the north bank of the chicken run.

It isnt about enjoying the sport for the sport itself, its about loving your club because your father does and his father before him did, it doesnt matter who wears the shirt be it a Tevez or a Quashie, you get behind them, its family. Winning isnt the be all and end all.

It's hard to explain to an american this feeling of passion you have for the club you support, its something they wont understand and this i believe is one of the main reasons Football isn't as popular in the USA as it is in other countries.

 

Tisis very true. Football is as much about history, heritage and a feeling of 'belonging' with your club, as much as anything else. A true fan doesn't choose his club; his club chooses him. I've been a fan of Chesterfield Football Club as soon as I was concieved.

 

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But I'd say the same thing in the US applies to American Football - the same is true here for the die hard basketball and baseball fans. There are very passionate fans in ALL types of sports - I'm sure you've seen the antics of some of the fans at football games - coming in full body paint and costumes, and all the shouting and yelling. While we might not react that way to soccer, it's not difficult for Americans to understand the concept.

 

We have those in England, we don't call them die-hards however, we call them plastics or day trippers, in fact i don't think you would even get away with doing that in the Boleyn.

 

It's just not the same at all, Aldeth. I have no idea how to describe all the passion and heritage around 'your' football team.. the sense of belonging, the fierce rivalries that have been forged over the many years.. so there's no point trying.

 

If it's really so indescribable, how exactly are you so sure that Americans don't experience the same thing with their sports teams? It's not like we'd be able to explain it any better than you could.

 

Bluntly... your history isn't rich enough. And American sports work totally differently - draft picks and new teams appearing randomly. Also, the fact that there's no league structures, relegations/promotions etc... sport in America seems more like an entertainment outlet.. football in Europe and the UK is more like a religion.

 

Well, I've never been to England to witness a live soccer match, so I really cannot refute what you're saying. However, how many live American football, baseball, basketball, and hockey games have you attended? So I don't see how you are capable of comparing the two either.

There is passion and heritage in American sports. People do feel a sense of belonging to their team (even using the word "we" when talking about their team), there is a sense of belonging and there have been rivalaries forged over years - in baseball and football the rivalries stretch back to the early 1900s - so in some cases we have nearly a century to build the rivalry.

Barmy, most of this is flat out factually inaccurate.

Just a few points here:

Draft picks? How is that bad? How else would you propose to distribute hundreds of collegiate athletes equitably among professional teams.

New teams appearing randomly? I cannot even think of an instance where this has happened. Yes, sometimes leauges expand to add new teams, and sometimes teams move, but there's nothing random about it.

As for your comment regarding lack of league structures et al, it's observably false.

About the only thing you said in that post that I agree with is that sports is an entertainment outlet, because for many people it is.

Regarding sports being like a religion, google "Oakland Black Hole" and tell me if you feel the same way about American sports.

Look, I'm willing to admit that I've never been to England and so I could be completely wrong about how big of a role sports plays in the lives of the average Brit. But from what you have written in the last couple of posts, I can tell you that your perception of sports in America is deeply flawed.

 

Woohoo, aggression makes the world go round!

I never said that draft picks were bad - just that we don't have them. It's up to teams to scout around, find the best players at young ages and sign them up. In Europe it's not uncommon for 10 year olds, or less, who show potential to be picked up by a team. It's all about having an extension scouting system. They don't get signed up after leaving college. It would be way too late to try and find new players at those ages!

There definitely is no league structure in the same way as football. None. Here, if you finish in the bottom few places in your league, you are relegated to the next and have to try and fight your way back up... there are 5 professional leagues in England, each with 24 (average) teams.. then LOADS of amateur leagues below this that teams can potentially go down to. So you start to see how extensive it all is. I know that if you finish bottom of the NHL, for example, you stay in the NHL...

I can't be bothered to answer the rest, it's a waste of time. It's all just TOTALLY different. It's so hard to explain, because Americans look at the whole thing in a different way. Bu I promise you that the support of American sports is not in the same league as football. It's nothing to be ashamed of, I don't think any sport in the world is. But in Americas case, as I say, it seems to be because sport is a form of entertainment, and simply not followed or looked at in the same way.

 

I lived with my ex in USA for a year, this is where my support for the Baltimore Ravens comes from, After going to a full season of games i can honestly say the hardcore support of that sport at least are totally different to the ones we have in England.

As Barmy Army says there is no league style equivalent over there, if you don't make it to the play offs then there is nothing more in the season, no fear of relegation no real pain therefore you don't get really get the emotional roller coaster as you do in football.

Examples

in England you have a football pyramid

Premier League
Championship
Division 1
Division 2
Conference
(Conference North)
(conference South)

these are the 5 professional leagues, if you get relegated from the prem you go into the championship and vice versa, after that you also have 2 main domestic cup competitions, the FA Cup and League cup(the conference does not get to enter teams into this) and also for conference and Division 2 are two additional trophies the F.A Trophy and the (sponsors name) Trophy.

Also in europe are similar set ups to this and the best teams from each league enter other competitions.

Champions league (4th place or higher)
Europa League (varies but usually 6th upwards)

Every team plays each team twice for a total of 38 games in the prem 1 home and 1 away(its more in the lower leagues) add in the cup competitions and thats a lot of games.

So in an average season your team will play in the league have a shot at winning at least two cups, and either winning the league trying desperately not to get relegated or chasing europe, there is always something to play for, it builds a bond, when you avoid relegation on the last day of the season or you are flying out to palermo in a midweek european match it is always an experience always something to worth getting excited for.

In america you just dont have this, 16 games and thats it unless your in the play offs, no danger of relegation, no chance to win anything but one title, no chance to beat the WORLDS best teams not just those in your own country or a very close neighbor.

 

There is no feeling like storming a field, or court, or pitch, etc. after a great victory. That's universal (when allowed ).

 

Barmy! It's a bit patronising to say that Americans don't feel passionate about their teams because they don't have a rich history! Are you being serious??

And you're suggesting that draft picks have an impact?? Because English players are more loyal to their clubs?? Give me a break! How many foreign players are in the English league? How many players keep transferring around for huge fees? The English game is every bit a mercenary business like American sport.

Or are you saying the English are more passionate about their soccer because they have more punch-ups over team rivalries?

I don't often stand up and defend American sport, but this discussion needs some serious balancing out. And as one of the few people here who have lived in both USA and England (and been to top level sports games in both countries), but has no bias towards one or the other, I'm in a good position to take a neutral view.

 

I thought you'd chip in old bean lol. You've read between the lines a bit there though. I said AFL doesn't have as rich a history as football in Europe.. which it doesn't. It's not an insult to say that.

Eh? What are you on about? How does loyalty come into this? You've misunderstood a bit what I was saying. I just said draft picks aren't done in Europe. Teams have to find these players on their own, at very young ages and take risks on the most promising youngsters by signing them up ... not get 'handed' players at the beginning of each year.