US vs Czech Official World Cup Game Thread

[SANguru]

that was horrible.. the US didn't even show up...

[Lambeau]

I've been to 49 diff countries but not to watch soccer in any of them! Too many other enjoyable aspects to discover while there. I live in the wilderness of Northern Wisconsin with the nearest big city Mpls/St. Paul being almost 4 hours away. Here in my area the kids still play in baseball leagues with no soccer for them around here. The reason soccer is as popular as it is in the cities is because the talent required in the younger ages is minimal so all kids can participate. At least they're being active while doing that & it's a great thing. The skill required to hit a baseball, not everyone can do. So yes, typically the kids playing baseball are going to be your kids that are athletic/coordinated.

I find it boring because there is almost no scoring! It's really no different than watching runners in a marathon with a goal coming about on average 2 or 3 times a game?

At 43 years old I still pitch in my semi-pro baseball league in which most players are half my age and college baseball players. You can't imagine how difficult it is to pitch to these kids and still be competitive at that age and at that level. I also run marathons/triathlons and do mountain bike races. To me, playing soccer would be such a let down excitement-wise compared to giving 110% in pitching or in a triathlon.

So, why is it that soccer is not accepted here like football or baseball? What is your opinion on that? Trust me, your "football" is NOT the "sport king" here in America!

Originally Posted by tijanaw

Suprising comments coming from someone who's been in the Armed Forces for 22 years and probably well travelled. I don't know part of the country you live in but soccer is taking off in every city that I've been to in the US. It's really hard for me to understand how you can find it boring . As far as being manly, get on a soccer field and play a 90 mns then tell me if it's any less manly than basebALL or football. BTW it's Football not soccer. It is, will be and will stay the SPORT KING.

[Juanted]

You've never played soccer, have you?

Originally Posted by Lambeau

I've been to 49 diff countries but not to watch soccer in any of them! Too many other enjoyable aspects to discover while there. I live in the wilderness of Northern Wisconsin with the nearest big city Mpls/St. Paul being almost 4 hours away. Here in my area the kids still play in baseball leagues with no soccer for them around here. The reason soccer is as popular as it is in the cities is because the talent required in the younger ages is minimal so all kids can participate. At least they're being active while doing that & it's a great thing. The skill required to hit a baseball, not everyone can do. So yes, typically the kids playing baseball are going to be your kids that are athletic/coordinated.

I find it boring because there is almost no scoring! It's really no different than watching runners in a marathon with a goal coming about on average 2 or 3 times a game?

At 43 years old I still pitch in my semi-pro baseball league in which most players are half my age and college baseball players. You can't imagine how difficult it is to pitch to these kids and still be competitive at that age and at that level. I also run marathons/triathlons and do mountain bike races. To me, playing soccer would be such a let down excitement-wise compared to giving 110% in pitching or in a triathlon.

So, why is it that soccer is not accepted here like football or baseball? What is your opinion on that? Trust me, your "football" is NOT the "sport king" here in America!

[tijanaw]

Originally Posted by Kaefer

You've never played soccer, have you?

He Probably has not!

[tijanaw]

Originally Posted by Lambeau

I've been to 49 diff countries but not to watch soccer in any of them! Too many other enjoyable aspects to discover while there. I live in the wilderness of Northern Wisconsin with the nearest big city Mpls/St. Paul being almost 4 hours away. Here in my area the kids still play in baseball leagues with no soccer for them around here. The reason soccer is as popular as it is in the cities is because the talent required in the younger ages is minimal so all kids can participate. At least they're being active while doing that & it's a great thing. The skill required to hit a baseball, not everyone can do. So yes, typically the kids playing baseball are going to be your kids that are athletic/coordinated.

I'm not even going to start b/c I personally feel in order to have a discussion about a certain subject, you have to know something about it therefore, I'm not going to sit here and try convincing you that anyone that has ever touch a soccer ball will tell you this. It requires tremendous athletic qualities and amazing body coordination. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that not only in the cities, but soccer is popular in the farthest, most remote areas of the globe.

Originally Posted by Lambeau

I find it boring because there is almost no scoring! It's really no different than watching runners in a marathon with a goal coming about on average 2 or 3 times a game?

You comparing it to running a marathon make me so much more aware of your ignorance of this beautiful sport. IT JUST DOES NOT COMPARE.

Originally Posted by Lambeau

At 43 years old I still pitch in my semi-pro baseball league in which most players are half my age and college baseball players. You can't imagine how difficult it is to pitch to these kids and still be competitive at that age and at that level. I also run marathons/triathlons and do mountain bike races. To me, playing soccer would be such a let down excitement-wise compared to giving 110% in pitching or in a triathlon.

At 43 years old, I can't imagine a semi-pro baseball player being so unaware of the changes going around the world and especially your lack of recognition and lame description of a sport that has changed, defined nations and moved generations before and after you.
Thank you for not trying to play soccer because might run into some inner city kids that will just give you the lesson of your life.

Originally Posted by Lambeau

So, why is it that soccer is not accepted here like football or baseball? What is your opinion on that? Trust me, your "football" is NOT the "sport king" here in America!

Well to correct you, it's not my sport KING, It's the world sport KING, bigger than you and me or this country. And that sir, you can't do anything about.

[Mr. D]

Nice hype on the USA. Nice result after hype...........

[Thunder22]

I don't see the problem here, so the guy doesn't like soccer, so what, I don't like peas, i'm sure that there is some big "pea coalition" somewhere that will debate me on it, but you know what? i'm still not going to like peas

[JV]

Originally Posted by gresch

I don't see the problem here, so the guy doesn't like soccer, so what, I don't like peas, i'm sure that there is some big "pea coalition" somewhere that will debate me on it, but you know what? i'm still not going to like peas

I thought the point of your thread was to get the people into the game who would chime in posting about it? Then again, it was you who started the thread so some level of dissention must be welcomed

JV

[Lambeau]

Yes I have played soccer. In college on weekends my dorm would get together and play dodgeball, softball, soccer or flag football and by far soccer was the most boring, un-exciting activity compared to the rest. It was the least popular among ALL of us. So, WHY IS IT THAT SOCCER IS SO UNPOPULAR HERE IN AMERICA??? None of you have addressed that. My ideas are that Americans need excitement and action that soccer (and now hockey as the ratings fall) just does not provide that. They have even attempted to increase scoring in pro hockey by limiting the gear the goalie wears but to no avail as the TV ratings continue to slip.
Here's a quote from another blog that says it very well...

"I'm glad the U.S. lost, and I hope it continues to lose regularly in the FIFA World Cup. The last thing America needs is for soccer to gain in popularity here. The biggest threat to keeping soccer unpopular is a successful U.S. team. Do we really need another sport popularized here? No. Many have tried. There's even attempts at variations on popular sports, like the XFL or Arena Football. Has anyone been to an Arena Football game? I did once...keyword ONCE. American (and by American, I mean the U.S. and Canada) sports have more action, more scoring, more defensive opportunities, more intelligence and more strength, and even bravery. Ever see two soccer players intentionally run into each other at a full sprint? It happens intentionally almost every play in Football. It happens in Baseball in the big plays. As far a intelligence goes, Baseball is played at multiple levels of strategy, requiring physical skill to implement. Football and Basketball too. Soccer? Well, there is some, but if you really know Baseball and Football, there is not comparisons at all."

Here's another theory...

"Here's my theory as to why soccer is unpopular here. Little kids, even me, can run and kick a ball? Am I right? Sure we won't be able to run forever, but for a decent amount of time. That's why a lot of little kids play soccer in U.S. to start out with, it's easy and doesn't take much skill for them to play. As the kids grow up, they switch to more difficult sports which are also more popular and hard-work demanding in the U.S.--football, baseball, and basketball for example are the 3 main sports around here which I would think that are the most played sports. Also, if you are really, really poor, soccer is the easiet to pick up. Get a can and trashcans and you are off in some of the Spanish areas. As for the other 3 sports, including ones such as hockey, golf, or tennis, they just are to difficult to find stuff such as cans to play with for those sports. Sure you've seen stickball, but believe me, kicking a can is a lot easier than stickball."

[Thunder22]

Originally Posted by JV

I thought the point of your thread was to get the people into the game who would chime in posting about it? Then again, it was you who started the thread so some level of dissention must be welcomed

JV

it was, but if the guy doesn't like soccer/footbal, i'm kind of curious as to why he would even bother with the thread... i was hopeing to put it to bed and let those who are interested in the world cup get back to talking about the games... (no biggy, just trying to avoid it going down the crapper)