Having grown up playing ethnic club soccer in the States, then a couple years of professional :football: in Ireland, I found myself refereeing for more than thirty years – everything from pros to youth – and I can tell you that over that period of time attitudes of Americans have changed.As Moms and Dads coached, cheered on, or officiated their kids, they began to understand and love the game. Soccer has never been more popular in the U.S. …. and while we don:t have a rabid fan base, as does the rest of the world, we have a growing and knowledgeable one.
Dogsniff, yeah, it’s as bad as the riots after Michigan State games if they lose…or win! Flippin’ cars over and lightin’ ’em on fire, throwing bricks at police…..Good times…..
sports, the American/Roman way to keep the idiots diverted while we steal their ….
Bread and Circuses: we still Lions, Tigers, Bears, etc. and a Coliseum to play the Games in. problem today is there are too many Christians and not enough Lions.
sports a religion to give men something to talk to each other about, otherwise.
Football is sooo boooring- Pass or run with the ball, bash each other, cuddle in the huddle patting each other on the rear, and then do it all again- can take 15 minutes or so to play the last 2 minutes. Soccer may have too much action for many people to follow. Soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and basketball are more exciting to watch (my opinion) than watching a bunch of padded hulks.
Linquist, I never knew you were a football player and ref.I lettered in high school playing Soccer. It is one of my favorite sports.I tried American football but kept getting killed by others. I was 6’ and 140lbs. Our quarterback was 6’4" and 205. He was hard to tackle. I tackled him but decided that another sport was better.I played overseas when we lived in (back then) West Pakistan. I learned the “English” style of playing. I was the goaltender. I always believed the BALL was mine and I was going to get it from you one way or the other.I did not just stand there and let you kick it at me. I played the angles and would charge you if you led the dribble too much.In the US Soccer when I played was in its infancy. Brazil with Pele was the rage. Actually got to see him play the Washington DC team called the DARTS one time. We all got to go on the field and meet him. Even took some shots while I defended the goal. I think he was impressed. I played the angles coming out to cut down the shot and stopped several. But boy did they sting.Our High School coach was our English Lit teacher and he had played for Leeds when he lived in England before coming to America. Our Junior year we were undefeated. I had a 98% stopping average. I also did corner kicks and all penalty shots. I had learned how to head on the ball kicking it with my toe using English to make it curve. Our Senior year we missed the Championship by one goal. We had the edge and only needed a tie to continue. Zero Zero was the score. 15 seconds left. We were pressuring the others all in their zone. I was out past the goal box about 30 yards. They booted the ball out and my fullback instead of chesting the ball kicked the ball while it was in the air. It went backwards over his head and going over mine. I raced back diving at it catching it with my fingertips hoping to flick it over the cross bar. I heard it hit the bar and as I landed on the ground just in front of the line I watched that damned ball hit the ground, just inside the line and bounce into the net.We lost One-Nil. My fullback cried all the way back to our school. I consoled him the whole time. I just loved the game. Win Lose I just love to play it.
No activity that can end in a “Nil-Nil tie” will ever be fully embraced in the US.We like our sports to have scoring, even if it’s low. Baseball games have extra innings until someone scores and the tie is broken, and hockey has shoot-outs to resovle ties.But a “0-0” soccer game? No wonder fans riot.
Soccer can be a very exciting game. It’s the maniacal fans that cause almost all of the problems. I say almost because there is still racist language used by players, and, occasionally, a lunatic player bites an opponent. But don’t judge the sport by the spectators.
Aren’t fans of American Football, and baseball, and basketball, and hockey, bad enough when their team loses? Or even wins? “WHAT?! We lost?! Let’s riot!!!” and “WHAT?! We won?! Let’s riot!!!” We get hooliganism already without yet another sport for people to follow like it was the meaning of life.
I will say this about soccer…if there’s an Italian team involved, there’s better theater than in any other sport when a player acts a person dying a horrible death from injuries caused by a foul. It’s even better than Pal-Yat-Chee.
“After youth league and high school, no one cares.”
“Soccer in the United States is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, commonly known as U.S. Soccer. The organization governs all levels of soccer in the country, including the national teams, professional leagues, and the amateur game. With over 13 million Americans playing soccer in the United States, soccer is the third most played team sport in the U.S., behind only basketball and baseball/softball.”– U.S. Census Bureau, Participation in Selected Sports Activities: 2009, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s1249.pdf
There are over 5000 adults registered in the North Texas Premier Soccer Association, playing in leagues from “Open” to “Over 50”.
@Tim_BThank you for that statistic, Tim. Not every kid in America is tall enough, or big enough, or has the eye/ hand coordination to play basketball, football, or baseball. But every kid can run and kick a ball. Not every kid will grow up to be a Pele or a Maradona but they will have learned sportsmanship and to play as part of a team. And, hopefully had an enjoyable experience. As as past National Referee, Referee Instructor and Referee Evaluator for USSF and AYSO , I am proud of what the sport has done to develop youngsters – boys and girls ! Yes, it is a kids game – played by men and women around the globe.Note to parents: You can outfit an entire high school soccer team for the cost of 1 football player. Take that to your next school board budget meeting !
Varnes almost 11 years ago
Well, at least they reached their goal….
Varnes almost 11 years ago
Maybe they’d enjoy Fut Ball more….
Linguist almost 11 years ago
Having grown up playing ethnic club soccer in the States, then a couple years of professional :football: in Ireland, I found myself refereeing for more than thirty years – everything from pros to youth – and I can tell you that over that period of time attitudes of Americans have changed.As Moms and Dads coached, cheered on, or officiated their kids, they began to understand and love the game. Soccer has never been more popular in the U.S. …. and while we don:t have a rabid fan base, as does the rest of the world, we have a growing and knowledgeable one.
Linguist almost 11 years ago
Precisely my point ! Sorry if it was misconstrued, but that’s why I used the word ‘rabid’ !
Varnes almost 11 years ago
Dogsniff, yeah, it’s as bad as the riots after Michigan State games if they lose…or win! Flippin’ cars over and lightin’ ’em on fire, throwing bricks at police…..Good times…..
Linux0s almost 11 years ago
“Ohhh, I thought we came to watch a ‘slacker’ game.”
jreckard almost 11 years ago
Well he’s put his best foot forward.
Varnes almost 11 years ago
Richard, deja vu….
cdward almost 11 years ago
If you can get people to watch golf, baseball, and even poker on TV, then yeah, they’ll watch anything.
Q4horse almost 11 years ago
Its a lost cause, there is only one sport in america that’s worth watching and we play it with a ball that is not perfectly round.
puddlesplatt almost 11 years ago
right arm!
Lyons Group, Inc. almost 11 years ago
Try and get them more and more to love rugby. Now that’s a great game!
emptc12 almost 11 years ago
Here’s a really long article about soccer from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/print/2006/06/soccer/soccer-text
Refer also to the foot balls made by children for their own play, from materials at hand.
Beleck3 almost 11 years ago
sports, the American/Roman way to keep the idiots diverted while we steal their ….
Bread and Circuses: we still Lions, Tigers, Bears, etc. and a Coliseum to play the Games in. problem today is there are too many Christians and not enough Lions.
sports a religion to give men something to talk to each other about, otherwise.
KSfarmgirl almost 11 years ago
Football is sooo boooring- Pass or run with the ball, bash each other, cuddle in the huddle patting each other on the rear, and then do it all again- can take 15 minutes or so to play the last 2 minutes. Soccer may have too much action for many people to follow. Soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and basketball are more exciting to watch (my opinion) than watching a bunch of padded hulks.
shanek almost 11 years ago
If a soccer game is played in a forest and no one is around, is it still boring?
tobobobo almost 11 years ago
You can stop calling it Soccer for a start. It’s Football – you use your feet. It’s FIFA not FISA.
pshapley Premium Member almost 11 years ago
The reason soccer isn’t popular here is because TV will not televise a sport that you have to show 45 minutes of play with no commercial breaks.
YokohamaMama almost 11 years ago
What I want to know is why the American game is called football when almost no players actually touch the ball with their foot?
dflak almost 11 years ago
Soccer will never catch on in the US. You can’t stop the action every 3 minutes for 5 minutes of commercials.
Vet Premium Member almost 11 years ago
Linquist, I never knew you were a football player and ref.I lettered in high school playing Soccer. It is one of my favorite sports.I tried American football but kept getting killed by others. I was 6’ and 140lbs. Our quarterback was 6’4" and 205. He was hard to tackle. I tackled him but decided that another sport was better.I played overseas when we lived in (back then) West Pakistan. I learned the “English” style of playing. I was the goaltender. I always believed the BALL was mine and I was going to get it from you one way or the other.I did not just stand there and let you kick it at me. I played the angles and would charge you if you led the dribble too much.In the US Soccer when I played was in its infancy. Brazil with Pele was the rage. Actually got to see him play the Washington DC team called the DARTS one time. We all got to go on the field and meet him. Even took some shots while I defended the goal. I think he was impressed. I played the angles coming out to cut down the shot and stopped several. But boy did they sting.Our High School coach was our English Lit teacher and he had played for Leeds when he lived in England before coming to America. Our Junior year we were undefeated. I had a 98% stopping average. I also did corner kicks and all penalty shots. I had learned how to head on the ball kicking it with my toe using English to make it curve. Our Senior year we missed the Championship by one goal. We had the edge and only needed a tie to continue. Zero Zero was the score. 15 seconds left. We were pressuring the others all in their zone. I was out past the goal box about 30 yards. They booted the ball out and my fullback instead of chesting the ball kicked the ball while it was in the air. It went backwards over his head and going over mine. I raced back diving at it catching it with my fingertips hoping to flick it over the cross bar. I heard it hit the bar and as I landed on the ground just in front of the line I watched that damned ball hit the ground, just inside the line and bounce into the net.We lost One-Nil. My fullback cried all the way back to our school. I consoled him the whole time. I just loved the game. Win Lose I just love to play it.
yimhere almost 11 years ago
Looks like the world’s first remote penalty kick….
Potrzebie almost 11 years ago
needs hotties.
Can't Sleep almost 11 years ago
No activity that can end in a “Nil-Nil tie” will ever be fully embraced in the US.We like our sports to have scoring, even if it’s low. Baseball games have extra innings until someone scores and the tie is broken, and hockey has shoot-outs to resovle ties.But a “0-0” soccer game? No wonder fans riot.
Rickapolis almost 11 years ago
Soccer can be a very exciting game. It’s the maniacal fans that cause almost all of the problems. I say almost because there is still racist language used by players, and, occasionally, a lunatic player bites an opponent. But don’t judge the sport by the spectators.
Ernest Lemmingway almost 11 years ago
Aren’t fans of American Football, and baseball, and basketball, and hockey, bad enough when their team loses? Or even wins? “WHAT?! We lost?! Let’s riot!!!” and “WHAT?! We won?! Let’s riot!!!” We get hooliganism already without yet another sport for people to follow like it was the meaning of life.
prrdh almost 11 years ago
Sorry…you can press ‘fast forward’ all you want, but the likelihood of something happening in front of you is still negligible.
prrdh almost 11 years ago
I will say this about soccer…if there’s an Italian team involved, there’s better theater than in any other sport when a player acts a person dying a horrible death from injuries caused by a foul. It’s even better than Pal-Yat-Chee.
hippogriff almost 11 years ago
Notsoastute: Canada got it first. Lacrosse, not hockey, is their official national sport.
Tim_B almost 11 years ago
“After youth league and high school, no one cares.”
“Soccer in the United States is governed by the United States Soccer Federation, commonly known as U.S. Soccer. The organization governs all levels of soccer in the country, including the national teams, professional leagues, and the amateur game. With over 13 million Americans playing soccer in the United States, soccer is the third most played team sport in the U.S., behind only basketball and baseball/softball.”– U.S. Census Bureau, Participation in Selected Sports Activities: 2009, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s1249.pdf
There are over 5000 adults registered in the North Texas Premier Soccer Association, playing in leagues from “Open” to “Over 50”.
Your assumption is wrong!
DrJKnows almost 11 years ago
Change the channel to Roadrunner Hunting
Linguist almost 11 years ago
@Tim_BThank you for that statistic, Tim. Not every kid in America is tall enough, or big enough, or has the eye/ hand coordination to play basketball, football, or baseball. But every kid can run and kick a ball. Not every kid will grow up to be a Pele or a Maradona but they will have learned sportsmanship and to play as part of a team. And, hopefully had an enjoyable experience. As as past National Referee, Referee Instructor and Referee Evaluator for USSF and AYSO , I am proud of what the sport has done to develop youngsters – boys and girls ! Yes, it is a kids game – played by men and women around the globe.Note to parents: You can outfit an entire high school soccer team for the cost of 1 football player. Take that to your next school board budget meeting !