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Won't happen, so long as the current culture within soccer remains.
The United States is one of the last places on Earth where men act like men; limp-wristed, effeminate psuedo intellectualism has not caught on en masse here like it has in most of Western Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. When grown American men see "athletes" rolling around, often literally crying to bring about a yellow card, we collectively vomit. These people look like children, not men. It's disgusting to watch.
I like soccer, yet can only stomach the Premiereship, and even that gets gross sometimes. The Italian League and La Liga both play too soft, and the men act like female children. I've tried to get my buddies to watch soccer, but within five minute there is generally a grown man rolling around as though he's in the grip of a seizure upon receiving a light push. People generally like athletes for their macho, hard-working, honest approach. Soccer players almost universally do not have these qualities.
It's not about the game being "boring." That designation is spawned out of ignorance of the game. The problem is getting Americans to expand their knowledge to see what is really happening on the pitch, and that won't happen within the current FIFA culture.
Won't happen, so long as the current culture within soccer remains.
The United States is one of the last places on Earth where men act like men; limp-wristed, effeminate psuedo intellectualism has not caught on en masse here like it has in most of Western Europe, particularly in Italy and Spain. When grown American men see "athletes" rolling around, often literally crying to bring about a yellow card, we collectively vomit. These people look like children, not men. It's disgusting to watch.
I like soccer, yet can only stomach the Premiereship, and even that gets gross sometimes. The Italian League and La Liga both play too soft, and the men act like female children. I've tried to get my buddies to watch soccer, but within five minute there is generally a grown man rolling around as though he's in the grip of a seizure upon receiving a light push. People generally like athletes for their macho, hard-working, honest approach. Soccer players almost universally do not have these qualities.
It's not about the game being "boring." That designation is spawned out of ignorance of the game. The problem is getting Americans to expand their knowledge to see what is really happening on the pitch, and that won't happen within the current FIFA culture.
Yeah right, American pro athletes act like whinny little spoiled cry babies all the time. Hardly "Macho". The only major American sport where the athletes don't act like that is hockey. As for diving, it happens all the time in basketball. Just watch someone try to draw a charging foul. You can label soccer players as "wussies" all day long, but I can point out example after exapmple of pro fotball players sitting out games due to injured or sprained pinkie fingers. I thought those dudes where supposed to be "manly"?
No offense, but you seem like one of those sports fans that has been zombified by the American sports media. Ya, know...the "I only like soccer when ESPN tels me to" crowd. And, how exactly are soccer fans insecure and "need" Americans to like it? That is complete elitist b.s. The world fanbase of soccer makes all those cute little niche sports you mentioned below look completely insignificant.
No offense taken. But if your reading comprehension were up to snuff, you'd note that the title of this thread is "Why has soccer never caught on in the United States?" So the entire sentiment behind the thread and the OP is one of undignified pleading. And, during my world travels, I'm always amazed how often this question comes up with incredulous Europeans and Latin Americans. The answer is pretty simple. Americans have their sports that they like, and really don't give a rip about soccer one way or another. In that sense, my previous post on the subject was rather apt and to the point. But let me spell it out for you: If Americans found soccer to be all that interesting they would be watching it in droves. But they don't because they have a lot of sports that they like already.
And, quite frankly, your notion that somehow I only watch sports that ESPN promotes is baloney. I mean, I mentioned lacrosse, didn't I? Last time I checked, ESPN doesn't show much lacrosse at all.
By the way, the word 'elitist' is really one of those words lazy people misuse upon encountering someone who is confident in his own preferences. If anything, you are the elitist, my friend, for not understanding why the United States (And to be honest, Canada as well) just doesn't give a rip about soccer in any year but during the world cup. I mean, I can practically hear the mewling right now in your indignant little vowels. "Why oh why can't these Americans, the hoi polloi that they are, understand my beautiful little game? Because they don't go ape over it, they must just be knuckle-dragging robots." I mean, if that's not elitism, then what is?
Your protestations aside, it really bothers you, or you wouldn't be on this particular thread at all. At least be honest and admit that much.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DuckCommander
Will Americans ever fully embrace soccer? Why or Why not?
Americans do embrace soccer, but I believe the problem lies in our bombardment with at least three and possibly four major sports that are all more entertaining than soccer.
The rest of the world doesn't really have the diversity of athletic expression that North Americans enjoy and I think that until we get rid of football, basketball, baseball and hockey, this part of the world will never have real soccer hooligans.
No offense taken. But if your reading comprehension were up to snuff, you'd note that the title of this thread is "Why has soccer never caught on in the United States?" So the entire sentiment behind the thread and the OP is one of undignified pleading. And, during my world travels, I'm always amazed how often this question comes up with incredulous Europeans and Latin Americans. The answer is pretty simple. Americans have their sports that they like, and really don't give a rip about soccer one way or another. In that sense, my previous post on the subject was rather apt and to the point. But let me spell it out for you: If Americans found soccer to be all that interesting they would be watching it in droves. But they don't because they have a lot of sports that they like already.
And, quite frankly, your notion that somehow I only watch sports that ESPN promotes is baloney. I mean, I mentioned lacrosse, didn't I? Last time I checked, ESPN doesn't show much lacrosse at all.
By the way, the word 'elitist' is really one of those words lazy people misuse upon encountering someone who is confident in his own preferences. If anything, you are the elitist, my friend, for not understanding why the United States (And to be honest, Canada as well) just doesn't give a rip about soccer in any year but during the world cup. I mean, I can practically hear the mewling right now in your indignant little vowels. "Why oh why can't these Americans, the hoi polloi that they are, understand my beautiful little game? Because they don't go ape over it, they must just be knuckle-dragging robots." I mean, if that's not elitism, then what is?
Your protestations aside, it really bothers you, or you wouldn't be on this particular thread at all. At least be honest and admit that much.
What does bother me is idiotic assumptions such as "nobody cares about soccer in this country". That is completely asinine, and when I hear it I call people out on it. It is the number 1 participation sport in the country as a whole and number 2 organized participation sport among adults (behind softball, and no...I don't consider bowling, poker, pool and golf sports). So, obviously someone is playing it. And, the professional league (MLS) is the number 3 most attended professional sports league in the country. So, obviously somebody is watching it. And, yes...it is absolutely ELITIST to assume that the soccer world somehow needs Americans to like it. Especially when they already do. If the world was somehow "begging" the US to like soccer like you stated, logic would dictate that FIFA would have awarded the world cup to us.
I agree with cpq35223, because speaking for myself i don't give a damn if Americans take to football or not.
I mean most Brits can't stand Gridiron Or Baseball, because to be candid, there's very little actual on field action in these games.
The average amount of on field action in an NFL game is about 13 minutes, thats why it's not popular outside of North America and never will be.
Also the never ending commercials, and for people who don't know, they actually stop games to show commercials!
Soccer has minimum scoring. Action includes battles to move the ball and those little battles then include guys who flop for a card against the opponent...to move the ball...and still no score.
americans just like to be different at everything think there right, and the rest off the worlds wrong! lol
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