Every four years I find myself in this same position....trying to justify the game in the face of ignorance.

I work in sports television in Canada. During an evening Sportscentre update, one of our talent referred to Australia as Austria. It wasn't a slip of the tongue.....he saw the AUS in the scoreboard and thought it was Austria. When his mistake was pointed out to him off-air he responded by saying "noone cares anyway".

I mixed another show that is a panel discussion concept featuring a bunch of prominent sports reporters from various main circulation newspapers. Their little segment about the World Cup was completely dismissive and ignorant. "Soccer is boring"...."There's not enough goals"...."The vevezulas are distracting".

So I feel the need to get a bunch of shit of my chest.

Firstly...I played competitive sports when I was a kid....soccer and hockey were my best sports. I can say from experience that the physical pain endured in soccer far outweighs that in hockey. Many in North America don't understand this.

In soccer, your shoe has a top layer of leather (no padding) with a bottom full of cleats. Getting stepped on or clipped on your feet (very common) is an extremely painful experience but the pain goes away very quickly. This is why players spend time on the grass after getting tackled. It's not because they're not tough.

Diving/simulation is a problem in soccer....granted. But this kind of gamesmanship is present in many North American sports as well....basketball and hockey are good examples. North American sports analysts call it 'veteran smarts' or 'IQ' when a player flops on a charge. But in soccer, it's used as evidence to invalidate the quality of the game.

And about the lack of goals....why is it that Americans can find pleasure in watching a 'pitcher's duel' in baseball but not find pleasure in watching a 1-0 score in soccer? Imagine if a foreigner, unfamiliar with baseball, were to say 'this game was boring because one team got no hits and the other got one hit'? A baseball fan would be quick to point out that a game such as this would probably be very entertaining for those who KNOW about baseball.

Which leads to me to another point. Why does everyone feel the need to throw in their two cents when they clearly don't understand the game in the first place? Personally, I don't like auto-racing and golf. But when the US Open or the Indy 500 take place...I don't go running my mouth off about how inept those sports are. I realize that the reason I don't appreciate those events is because I don't understand the nuances, strategies and histories of those traditions.

The true meaning of ignorance is 'placing judgement on something you don't understand'. This is the character of North American perspectives on soccer. And because these sports 'journalists' need to disguise their lack of familiarity with a sport they're paid to cover....they resort to commenting on the vevezulas, lack of goals and diving. Every four years....same shit.

Rant over.

Fuck the plane you flew in on.

Fuck them shoes.

Fuck yo socks with the belt on it.

Fuck yo gay ass Harry Potter accent.

Fuck them cheap ass cigars.

Fuck yo Yuck Mouth teeth.

Fuck yo hair piece.

Fuck yo chocolate.

Fuck Guy Richie.

Fuck Prince William.

Fuck The Queen.

THIS IS AMERICA

My President is Black and my Lambo is blue, nigga.

Now get the fuck out my hotel room.

And if I see you in the street I�m slapping the shit outta ya.

- Young Reezy

___________________

Mar-A-Lago delenda est

>Fuck the plane you flew in on.
>
>Fuck them shoes.
>
>Fuck yo socks with the belt on it.
>
>Fuck yo gay ass Harry Potter accent.
>
>Fuck them cheap ass cigars.
>
>Fuck yo Yuck Mouth teeth.
>
>Fuck yo hair piece.
>
>Fuck yo chocolate.
>
>Fuck Guy Richie.
>
>Fuck Prince William.
>
>Fuck The Queen.
>
>THIS IS AMERICA
>
>My President is Black and my Lambo is blue, nigga.
>
>Now get the fuck out my hotel room.
>
>And if I see you in the street I�m slapping the shit outta
>ya.
>
>- Young Reezy

________
http://twitter.com/aehorton
http://instagram.com/aehorton

I don't

Most Americans and Canadians wouldn't know a good soccer match if they saw one.

They'd rather watch a shitty MLS match that had seven goals than the Spain v Switzerland game that had one (thoroughly enjoyable). They don't know what's quality in between goals.

I'm generalizing, of course. But I work for these sports tv things. Trust me....they don't get it. They're also a little scared of it cause it's outside their comfort zones (from programmers to producers to talent). In my country it's all about hockey....the States is more diverse. But neither of em got the least bit of a handle on soccer.

--------

.

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I don't hear the US Curling Team's wives throwing hissy fits left & right because nobody gives a damn about curling. Shut up and watch your sport. Why do we have to watch it for you to get enjoyment?

>They'd rather watch a shitty MLS match that had seven goals
>than the Spain v Switzerland game that had one (thoroughly
>enjoyable).

americans would actually rather watch the Spain v Switzerland game than any MLS match ever. I mean I get the point you were trying to make, but that was a horrible example.

but your talking about 'soccer fans' in North America. I wouldn't condescend to this group. I belong to it.

I'm talking about the general sports demographic in NA....and the source of my rant is the know-it-all sports guy on tv who constantly dismisses soccer in the form of a defense mechanism cause it's the one sport he doesn't understand. They're aplenty.

go on. . .I'll wait.

---------------------------------
Photo zine(some images NSFW): http://bit.ly/USaSPhoto

"This (and every, actually) conversation needs more Chesterton and less Mike Francesa." - Walleye

>go on. . .I'll wait.

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---------------------------------
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"This (and every, actually) conversation needs more Chesterton and less Mike Francesa." - Walleye

Automatic.

As in, instantly.

No sports fans get bitchier than soccer fans. And the
first thing they say is "its the most popular sport in
the world."

If its so popular, how come soccer fans care so much about
what everyone else think?

Shouldn't they, by some logic, not give a fuck?

I mean, I don't really fuck with Golf either. I ain't never
heard a Golf fan get MAD AT ME for not liking it. Golf fans
are swaggerific like that...they basically like:

"Oh word? You don't like it? Seriously, who cares. My
dick prolly smaller than yours, and I don't care
about that. Fuck makes you think Ima care about you liking
my sport? Hush, nigga."


Seriously -- Tennis fans, Hockey fans, etc. All can be
defensive at times, but not NEARLY as cry baby and bitchlike
as Soccer fans.


>Firstly...I played competitive sports when I was a
>kid....soccer and hockey were my best sports. I can say from
>experience that the physical pain endured in soccer far
>outweighs that in hockey. Many in North America don't
>understand this.

Odd, just about everyone says this about their sport.

Thankfully, I don't need the sports I like to be more
or less dangerous than any other in order for them to be
enjoyable. I enjoy them because I enjoy them.

>In soccer, your shoe has a top layer of leather (no padding)
>with a bottom full of cleats. Getting stepped on or clipped
>on your feet (very common) is an extremely painful experience
>but the pain goes away very quickly. This is why players
>spend time on the grass after getting tackled. It's not
>because they're not tough.

Odd, because I know soccer purists who bitch and moan
about how pussy a lot of modern players are more than
"north americans" do.


>Diving/simulation is a problem in soccer....granted. But this
>kind of gamesmanship is present in many North American sports
>as well....basketball and hockey are good examples. North
>American sports analysts call it 'veteran smarts' or 'IQ' when
>a player flops on a charge. But in soccer, it's used as
>evidence to invalidate the quality of the game.


No, "floppers" in the NBA actually have a terrible reputation.
Taking a charge can be seen as a good thing when its done at
the right time, but people who consistently fake are not
highly regarded in basketball.

And the consequences of flopping in an NBA game aren't nearly
as great. Ole boy on Uruguay flopped in that South Africa
game and got the goal keeper a RED CARD. That completely
ruins any chances that RSA had(which were slim already)


>And about the lack of goals....why is it that Americans can
>find pleasure in watching a 'pitcher's duel' in baseball but
>not find pleasure in watching a 1-0 score in soccer?

Odd, because most people can't, which is why the juiced
ball era brought so many fans back to the game.

In the rare instances that a pitcher does draw fans, its
usually because he can throw 100 MPH or something physically
amazing like this Strasberg kid

Imagine
>if a foreigner, unfamiliar with baseball, were to say 'this
>game was boring because one team got no hits and the other got
>one hit'? A baseball fan would be quick to point out that a
>game such as this would probably be very entertaining for
>those who KNOW about baseball.


Actually, AMERICANS complain about baseball all the time.
LOTS of people say its boring and long, etc.

That's what's interesting.

What do Baseball fans do?

They shut the fuck up and keep watching, for the most
part.

The league management did introduce the home run derby,
interleague play, the all star game rule, things like
that to make the sport a bit more exciting.

But overall -- its baseball. Its gonna be baseball.

And in America, its always going to have fans.

>Which leads to me to another point. Why does everyone feel
>the need to throw in their two cents when they clearly don't
>understand the game in the first place? Personally, I don't
>like auto-racing and golf. But when the US Open or the Indy
>500 take place...I don't go running my mouth off about how
>inept those sports are. I realize that the reason I don't
>appreciate those events is because I don't understand the
>nuances, strategies and histories of those traditions.


Sounds like a personal problem. If you work with dickheads,
change jobs. If you hang with dickheads, maybe you need
to think about why that is.


>The true meaning of ignorance is 'placing judgement on
>something you don't understand'. This is the character of
>North American perspectives on soccer. And because these
>sports 'journalists' need to disguise their lack of
>familiarity with a sport they're paid to cover....they resort
>to commenting on the vevezulas, lack of goals and diving.
>Every four years....same shit.


Fam, if I don't feel it, I don't feel it.


I'm not saying its lesser, but I'm not gonna act like
I enjoy some shit out of some cultural relativism
bullshit.

When it comes to Soccer, I watch some world cup games,
usually in social settings where I can drink and act
loud.

I've caught some EPL matches. I can dig a lot of those.


I would, never, ever, ever, watch a soccer game by myself
if I wasn't doing some shit along with...I'd have to be
writing, or reading the paper, catching up on e-mail, or
whatever.

And if it comes up in conversation (my views on Soccer, that is),
Ima tell you how I feel, B. It ain't hate. Its my opinion.

Those are the breaks.

You ain't gotta be mad. Just do you.

I'm gonna do me.


----------------------------


O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "Cosmic Slop"

This is an opus... I'll try to respond but no promises.


>If its so popular, how come soccer fans care so much about
>what everyone else think?
>
>Shouldn't they, by some logic, not give a fuck?

It's not that I'm complaining of north American's not watching soccer. It's the disrespect and critique...on air....in the industry...by people who don't know the game. The Sport Media industy in France don't cover the US Open (golf) and than criticize it every year. They ignore it. Nothing wrong with that. But in NA, I've never heard a tv journalist openly critize any sport EXCEPT for soccer.


>Odd, because I know soccer purists who bitch and moan
>about how pussy a lot of modern players are more than
>"north americans" do.

Same in American football, basketball, hockey. But alot of tv sports

>No, "floppers" in the NBA actually have a terrible
>reputation.
>Taking a charge can be seen as a good thing when its done at
>the right time, but people who consistently fake are not
>highly regarded in basketball.

Yah...flopping is when you exagerate the impact. But even 'taking a charge' is a form of simulation/diving. You plant your feet...wait for someone to bump into you....and then let youself fall backwards without moving your feet to recover balance. So.....you're rewarded for letting yourself fall down. hohoho.

Face it...simulation is a part of charging fouls in basketball. If a defender tries to stay on his feet...shuffling his feet to keep his balance...he's called for blocking. These are the kind of observations a non-basketball fan might make to dismiss the sport's legitimacy. It would be bullshit then and it's bullshit when it's done to soccer.

My post was a response to hate. Not an instigation.


>Actually, AMERICANS complain about baseball all the time.
>LOTS of people say its boring and long, etc.


Your not clever in your substitution of context. There is a big difference in NA perception of baseball and soccer and you know it.


>And if it comes up in conversation (my views on Soccer, that
>is),
>Ima tell you how I feel, B. It ain't hate. Its my opinion.


You don't HAVE an opinion cause you don't know it. (see: ignorance)

it's a huge difference

but it's the only one.


http://card.mygamercard.net/lastgame/rjcc.png

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

Cause soccer is simple, instinctual and universal.

Baseball got numbers within numbers between numbers.

Example....'The score is 5 to 3. We're in the bottom of the sixth...there's two out....runners on first and third....the count is 1 and 2....

There's a quantifiable way of explaining the state of things in a given game. In soccer, the momentum of a game isn't quantifiable in the same way. You have to 'watch'.

In baseball (and in Amer. football) there's nothing happening literally 80-90% of the time.

________________

https://i.imgur.com/ZkkZekl.gif

------

12 play and 12 planets are enlighten for all the Aliens to Party and free those on the Sex Planet-maxxx

XBL: trkc21
Twitter: @tyrcasey

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


XBox 360 Live gamertag - Keystonejenks

Baseball is better to watch? It's a nice sport to have on in the background, but a random baseball game (ie two teams I don't care about) cannot keep my interest for an entire game. And I love baseball.

______________________________
<<<<<< Long Live the 'Stache!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


XBox 360 Live gamertag - Keystonejenks

________________

https://i.imgur.com/ZkkZekl.gif

----
bshelly

"You (Fisher) could get fired, Les Snead could get fired, Kevin Demoff could get fired, but I will always be Eric Dickerson.” (c) The God

.

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www.somethinginthewudder.com

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He's gonna be at Woody's tonight if you want to meet him.

He's the guy with the moustache.

.

https://soundcloud.com/matt-koelling-666011203

www.somethinginthewudder.com

https://twitter.com/nostrabombus

https://www.facebook.com/matt.koelling.96

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Don't blame me. The words 'pussy' and 'bitch' aren't funny in themselves.

'This guy's a pussy'

'This guys' a bitch'

'He got bodied'

'OE....I'll see you tonight.'

.

https://soundcloud.com/matt-koelling-666011203

www.somethinginthewudder.com

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Wishing the best that life has to offer for you two.

.

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Save these icebreakers for your wedding.

.

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www.somethinginthewudder.com

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where 50% of the game is lost in passing back in forth midfield, and NOBODY is attacking the goal. This is how half of the opening round games of the world cup have gone. This is the best of the best?

November 8th, 2005 The greatest night in the history of GD!

center holds it, holds it... holds it *sigh*

- Kent Brockman

http://cruftbox.vox.com/library/post/how-soccer-is-viewed-in-the-us.html

I laughed.

But I like watching soccer like that. Position shifts in the field. Possession and Control. Spacing and Stretching. OLE!

A good example of an element of soccer that NAs don't really understand or appreciate.

------
“There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn.” -Albert Camus

>A good example of an element of soccer that NAs don't really
>understand or appreciate.

Which is a very common misunderstanding. I mean, these aren't even the 32 best national teams in the world--not close.

But like most sports, the best games are in the best pro leagues. Champions League soccer is soccer at it's best.

______________________________
<<<<<< Long Live the 'Stache!

YOU HAVE TO WATCH THE WHOLE TIME

baseball and football are made for TV.

you get a break every play.

you look away in soccer once in 60 minutes, you might miss THE ONLY SCORING PLAY IN THE GAME

if you're not already a huge fan and understanding the sport, that's a huge request on your attention span.

you can watch for a half hour and see maybe two or three real scoring opportunities, and 7 guys rolling on the turf clutching something.


it is what it is.

http://card.mygamercard.net/lastgame/rjcc.png

www.engadgethd.com - the other stuff i'm looking at

________________

https://i.imgur.com/ZkkZekl.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHM-gj8kjh4&feature=related

but as i mostly say whenever this topic comes up in OKS the rest of the world loves football we don't really need the US to like it. I do however understand why you're ranting, being surrounded by non football fans. Im a londoner so i don't have to deal with your problem but trying to force convince these people is pointless.

Its kind of similar to the rants people have in the lesson about why nobody loves their favourite indie/underground artist. Your enjoyment of something shouldn't be dependent on that of your peers.

I just want these glorified script-readers to refrain from the misinformed editorial comments about the legitimacy of soccer.

If you don't know about it....don't try to comment. Simple.

Oh wait. I couldn't give a shit what other people think about the sports I love. Their loss if they don't like it.

My movies: http://russellhainline.com
My movie reviews: https://letterboxd.com/RussellHFilm/
My beer TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeertravelguide

and this is coming from a european guy, who's learned to love american sports, but whose primary love will always be for soccer/futbol

if you like the game, just enjoy it, period.
it's really not that difficult to ignore he haterzzz
I understand you might be more exposed in your field of work, but suck it up

plus, you gotta admit, the beginning of this world up hasn't exactly been an entertainment bonanza
this Argentina/South Korea game is doing more than its part to change the trend though

also I think its common practice to hate on a sport you don't understand. YOU might not partake in that, but it is common practice. as popular as racing is, most people in America say "What's the point? It's just a bunch of car going around in a circle."

(well, at least American players) I played for 7 or 8 years as a kid - very competitively (select teams and what not).....I vividly remember being told I was too aggressive several times when I played and it frustrated the hell out of me bc that's just my nature - I can't be passive in sport.

I really wish Soccer would have been a Spring sport so I could have continued to play in high school. One of my best friend's growing up got a full ride to play Div 1 soccer and I was much, much better imo at soccer than him. Plus, I just loved playing and the sport is tailor made for my skill set (explosive speed/power w/ a low center of gravity and plenty of endurance).

I think soccer is a sport that is much more enjoyable to play than watch....I am enjoying the hell out of the world cup - but it's hard for me to follow soccer outside of the World Cup. I am gaining more interest tho....

But like others said, your rant does you and your sport no service...

Soccer's become the "everyone gets a trophy!" sport for a lot of parents- it was one of the first where the whole asinine "we're not keeping score" trend emerged.

---------------------------------
Photo zine(some images NSFW): http://bit.ly/USaSPhoto

"This (and every, actually) conversation needs more Chesterton and less Mike Francesa." - Walleye

i've been in/to games where they had to call it early because the parents were about to/did fight. and the kids are looking like wtf?

<--- Big Baller World Order

basically saying that the reason it was so popular with parents and kids alike is because in youth soccer, kids can literally go the entire game without having an opportunity to look bad.

they dont have to get an at bat, where the entire game's attention is focused on their ability to hit the ball.

they dont have to shoot a basket, where everyone is watching them shoot.

they can run around in the mob, back and forth, occasionally kicking something, and never have to get embarrassed.

*Jews you*

"this is okp tho, reading is completely optional" (c) desus

Proceed with caution. I am overtly racist.

<-- In Pigpen we trust

I don't really care if this country doesn't care about or understand soccer. In fact, in many ways I prefer it.

But there's always that sports columnist, or tv talking head, or guy in the bar, who likes nothing more than to ignorantly rank on soccer for minutes on end, using the same tired points over and over again.

I don't like or understand cricket or auto racing, and I'll certainly make jokes about both. But never would I spend the time these assholes do harping on their hate incessantly.

________________

https://i.imgur.com/ZkkZekl.gif

The World Cup makes a lot of soccer haters ANGRY. Like visibly dismayed and sotrming out of the bar angry.

I don't understand this. I don't know any non-racing fans (which is like everyone I know except a couple people) who get like this during the Daytona 500.

------

12 play and 12 planets are enlighten for all the Aliens to Party and free those on the Sex Planet-maxxx

XBL: trkc21
Twitter: @tyrcasey

their husbands did the cooking.

Bobby Hill: Why do you have to hate what you don't understand?

Hank Hill: I don't hate you, Bobby.

Bobby Hill: I was talking about soccer.

Hank Hill: Oh. Oh, yeah, I hate soccer. Yes.

somehow means you don't understand it.

I grew up playing that game from 4 through 14, I *understand* the way the game is played & it's rules, it's actually maybe the simplest spectator sport to understand there is.

If you showed baseball, hockey, basketball, football, or soccer to someone who just landed on this planet which do you think they'd be able to grasp the overall concept of first?

I understand it, I just don't happen to find it that interesting outside of some World Cup or maybe a bit of EPL but like O_E said I wouldn't choose to watch a random game on TV with my full undivided attention ever.

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you replied to?

.

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www.somethinginthewudder.com

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was about investing so much energy in something you hate. If that ain't you, no need to give us a history of your childhood.

Understood?

for my point, since the 'understand' concept gets trotted out regularly (as it has several times in this post).

My reply was a general response to that thought more than me speaking to smuts individually.

This is something that happens fairly frequently in this & other forums on OKP with often much looser connections than in this example.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!?

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this got pointless after reply 2, maybe earlier, my bad

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I agree with your post in principle, but this is just too emo.

Some obnoxious TV personality is completely ignorant regarding a game you love? Who cares? If I gave a shit about what any Sportscenter personality thought about a sport I like, I'd spend way too much time being mad for no reason.

I understand it might be tougher in your line of work, but you aren't going to change anyone's mind by getting so emotional about it. Just let them jerk off to the World Junior Championships or Degrassi reruns or whatever and do you.

------

12 play and 12 planets are enlighten for all the Aliens to Party and free those on the Sex Planet-maxxx

XBL: trkc21
Twitter: @tyrcasey

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I had a few people I was ready to convert, but they're checking out quickly.

1. Day 1 ties didn't help (their words, not mine)

2. See post subject

3. Almost impossible to get wrapped up when the entire Cup is during normal working hours.

I'm actually thinking that the Game 3s are the best time to introduce new people. Nearly every game has tangible stakes and there will be several gut-wrenching outcomes. You're able to tell them that Team A needs this, this and this to happen in order to move on and that certainly helps in making them realize how crucial every possession is.