Is soccer un-American?

[JJ Place]

In The Week, soccer has been accused of being un-American. I think it is not un-American; it's as important as NASCAR (America) as it is to bowling (rest of world. I swear). It came along a bit too late -- what with football which doesn't even make sense why it's called that because only 1/10 of the time, maximum at a football game is spent kicking a football.
What do you think?

No, i't's not.

[DEFCON-1]

It's not unamerican, just boring

[Intestinal fluids]

If the US wins the World Cup, the rest of the World will be required to call it Soccer.

[The Imperial Navy]

If the US wins the World Cup, the rest of the World will be required to call it Soccer.

[Birnadia]

Soccer's 0-0, 1-1 or 1-0 outcomes don't sit well with Americans, who like to think that work accomplishes something...

soccer is a European sport because it is all about death and despair. Americans would never invent a sport where the better you get the less you score....

Even the strong chance that any given game will end in a tie makes it attractive for parents reluctant to impart life's difficult lessons to young kids....

Soccer is truly Seinfeldesque, a game about nothing...


In short, a powerful component of character building is missing from youth soccer, an important component of character is missing from pro soccer, and a sense of purposefulness is missing from the entire sport.

....what?

[Volnotov]

Saying something is un-American is un-American.













Oh wait.

[Central Frankonia]

Well in World cup not all countries play but only the 32 selected by unknown criteria

The critieria are very simple
you have to win the qualifying games on you home continent.

[Thurask]

Are the players roided-up gorillas? X
Is there more product placement than the average summer blockbuster? X
Are there scantily-clad women dancing at the half-time shows? X
Are the half-time breaks longer than the actual games? X
Are the scores at least 4 points per team? X
Does anyone else in the world care for it? ✓

Therefore, soccer is un-American.

[The Plutonian Empire]

Soccer isn't un-American per se, but calling it "football" IS un-American.

[West Guiana]

Well in World cup not all countries play but only the 32 selected by unknown criteria

The critieria are very simple
you have to win the qualifying games on you home continent.

Ya, but the US didn't qualify for the world cup on their home continent. I believe they qualified in Euorpe, because the only large soccer counties on the North American continent are all in Latin America, because many Americans and Canadians could care less about soccer and more about their primary sports. USA- Baseball(MLB), Football(NFL), Basketball(NBA) & kinda Hockey(NHL) Canada- Hockey(NHL) and some like Football(CFL).

This years world cup was the first soccer game I've watched with out flipping to another channel. I like watching the NFL, faster pace more intense and funner when you've got a fan of the other team near by.

[Valanora]

You are wrong. America, Mexico, and Honduras qualified in that order in the CONCACAF Hexagonal, which is the last stage of Qualifying for the confederation continent that America belongs to (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean). Costa Rica finished fourth in the hex and played Uruguay in a home and home playoff, which Uruguay won to advance to the World Cup.

[The Plutonian Empire]

If the US wins the World Cup, the rest of the World will be required to call it Soccer.

I support this.

[Thurask]

Well in World cup not all countries play but only the 32 selected by unknown criteria

The critieria are very simple
you have to win the qualifying games on you home continent.

Ya, but the US didn't qualify for the world cup on their home continent. I believe they qualified in Euorpe, because the only large soccer counties on the North American continent are all in Latin America, because many Americans and Canadians could care less about soccer and more about their primary sports. USA- Baseball(MLB), Football(NFL), Basketball(NBA) & kinda Hockey(NHL) Canada- Hockey(NHL) and some like Football(CFL).

This years world cup was the first soccer game I've watched with out flipping to another channel. I like watching the NFL, faster pace more intense and funner when you've got a fan of the other team near by.

Qualification for the World Cup under CONCACAF rules means getting to the fourth round and being part of the top 3 teams.

[West Guiana]

You are wrong. America, Mexico, and Honduras qualified in that order in the CONCACAF Hexagonal, which is the last stage of Qualifying for the confederation continent that America belongs to (North America, Central America, and the Caribbean). Costa Rica finished fourth in the hex and played Uruguay in a home and home playoff, which Uruguay won to advance to the World Cup.

Well, there that states my knowledge of soccer .01% correct most of the time.

[Intangelon]

Soccer is a bit off-base, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it Un-American.

Besides its a perfect illustration of what the war in Afghanistan is like.

Counter-intuitive, difficult to follow and annoyingly likely to end in a draw?

Brilliant!

[Zirconim]

Yes, definately.

[Intangelon]

In The Week, soccer has been accused of being un-American. I think it is not un-American; it's as important as NASCAR (America) as it is to bowling (rest of world. I swear). It came along a bit too late -- what with football which doesn't even make sense why it's called that because only 1/10 of the time, maximum at a football game is spent kicking a football.
What do you think?

No. I read that blurd in The Week and literally laughed out loud.

IIRC, the argument was that, in "soccer," a lot effort is expended in low scoring games -- as opposed to American sports where effort "is rewarded" by scoring.

Apparently, Glenn Beck and other right-wing nutjobs also have been scorning the World Cup because .... (as far as I can tell because the rest of the world likes it, so it must be bad). See, e.g., link, link.

Someone should tell these nimrods that, for example, the AYSO has existed since 1964 and currently has more than 650,000 players. The MLS and WPS are alive and attracting more fans everyday. There are milions upon millions of U.S. soccer fans. Last weekend's United States vs. England match attracted 17.1 million American viewers, making it the most-watched first-round game in the history of American World Cup telecasts, and beating the average 16.4 million viewers racked up by the first six games of the NBA finals. Etc, etc, etc.

US football and Basketball are socialist games. I like that argument (from your first link). I hadn't thought of it that way, but it's true: the best of the new crop of talent (from each, according to their ability) gets "drafted" by the teams who did the worst in competition last season (to each, according to their need).

[Offenheim]

How can a sport be un-any nationality?

Besides, I'd argue that soccer is the MOST American sport. Most other codes enforce equality through various measures (salary cap, drafts, player movement restrictions). In soccer, the biggest, richest and most famous clubs usually win.

It pretty much works that way in all our other sports as well.

[The Imperial Navy]

If the US wins the World Cup, the rest of the World will be required to call it Soccer.

I support this.

You have been thwarted. *Grins*

[Shia Majority]

Im happy Soccer doesn't have all the cheerleads and bullshit. That's one thing I hate about Football here in the states.


Also, 'Nailin Palin doesn't play, so Soccer is indeed un-American.


Law.

[George W Bush AOED]

Im happy Soccer doesn't have all the cheerleads and bullshit. That's one thing I hate about Football here in the states.


Also, 'Nailin Palin doesn't play, so Soccer is indeed un-American.


Law.

How can you hate cheerleaders?

So, until very recently was not un-American. Now it is. Ghana has been added to the Axis of Evil.

[The Imperial Navy]

*Facepalms and drinks a Coke*

Hey, I KNOW my teams going out tomorrow. I don't really care. In fact, i'm looking forward to it, so the newspapers and media shut the fuck up.

[Arkinesia]

Of course it's not unAmerican. It's 1) played in the Americas and 2) soccer moms are about as American as you can get.

I always knew Palin was unAmerican.

Hockey moms are from up north if you know what I mean

Soccer isn't really an American sport on its own. The fact that you can draw, for instance, and the slow pace of the game. Futsal is better in the latter regard.

[Shia Majority]

Im happy Soccer doesn't have all the cheerleads and bullshit. That's one thing I hate about Football here in the states.


Also, 'Nailin Palin doesn't play, so Soccer is indeed un-American.


Law.

How can you hate cheerleaders?

How could I not Mr. President. They add absolutely nothing to the game.

[George W Bush AOED]

Im happy Soccer doesn't have all the cheerleads and bullshit. That's one thing I hate about Football here in the states.


Also, 'Nailin Palin doesn't play, so Soccer is indeed un-American.


Law.

How can you hate cheerleaders?

How could I not Mr. President. They add absolutely nothing to the game.

The game? Girls jumping around are better than the game.