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I'm curious because of the general sentiment I typically see on the internet is very negative. I remember during the WC this summer virtually every news story on sports sites and general sites like NBC that had comments allowed was filled with Americans hating the sport. Ditto any time soccer is mentioned on mainstream TV.
Is this just an internet thing? If someone was to walk into a sports bar in America and ask around what people think of soccer what would the reaction be?
I don't think Americans really think about it enough to hate it.
Instead, the reaction is really to the weird, hectoring way soccer is brought to our attention. Personally, I think the vitriol you see comes after some Soccerphile begins to whine, "Why donnnnnnn't Americans love soccer? Everybody else in the wooooorrrrlllllldddddd doessssssss." Because this meme is embedded in just about every news story about the World Cup, from some puling commentator talking about how America is woefully behind in this game to the tired wheeze of "The rest of the world loves it why don't you?" This is typically followed by a bunch of rote discussions about how Americans are chauvinists, culturally inferior, blah blah blah, all because we prefer one kind of ball game over another. It's really lame and weak when you think about it.
So what if soccer is beloved in Senegal or Argentina? We like what we like, and don't really care for soccer being crammed down our throat as some culturally-superior alternative. We don't particularly like cricket either, a sport that's beloved by untold millions of Indians, Pakistanis, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, etc. etc. Yet they're not whining about it. Is that sufficient explanation for you?
I don't think Americans really think about it enough to hate it.
Instead, the reaction is really to the weird, hectoring way soccer is brought to our attention. Personally, I think the vitriol you see comes after some Soccerphile begins to whine, "Why donnnnnnn't Americans love soccer? Everybody else in the wooooorrrrlllllldddddd doessssssss." Because this meme is embedded in just about every news story about the World Cup, from some puling commentator talking about how America is woefully behind in this game to the tired wheeze of "The rest of the world loves it why don't you?" This is typically followed by a bunch of rote discussions about how Americans are chauvinists, culturally inferior, blah blah blah, all because we prefer one kind of ball game over another. It's really lame and weak when you think about it.
So what if soccer is beloved in Senegal or Argentina? We like what we like, and don't really care for soccer being crammed down our throat as some culturally-superior alternative. We don't particularly like cricket either, a sport that's beloved by untold millions of Indians, Pakistanis, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, etc. etc. Yet they're not whining about it. Is that sufficient explanation for you?
That's bizzare. How exactly is soccer being crammed down your throat when its never on TV or in the news or anywhere else? America gets virtually zero exposure to soccer except maybe during the olympics or world cup from what I've heard.
That's bizzare. How exactly is soccer being crammed down your throat when its never on TV or in the news or anywhere else? America gets virtually zero exposure to soccer except maybe during the olympics or world cup from what I've heard.
Not really. I mean, have you read the threads on soccer here? Have you bothered to listen to the discussions that come up every four years during World Cup time? The air is rife with those very questions.
To be absolutely honest, Americans are completely and utterly apathetic about the sport itself. It's the nagging we can't stand.
That's bizzare. How exactly is soccer being crammed down your throat when its never on TV or in the news or anywhere else? America gets virtually zero exposure to soccer except maybe during the olympics or world cup from what I've heard.
Soccer fanatics frequently post condescending threads implying that somehow US sports fans are somehow missing "it". Present company excluded of course.
Soccer fanatics frequently post condescending threads implying that somehow US sports fans are somehow missing "it". Present company excluded of course.
Exactly. And it's really a stupid argument, one where there's never going to be a winner. You might as well argue whether Blue or Green is a better color.
I mean, I can watch a soccer game without hooting my disapproval. At the same time, by the time I get to the 70th minute, I'm thinking, "Will this thing NEVER end?" And by the 88th minute, I'm thinking, "Somebody hit somebody already."
That's bizzare. How exactly is soccer being crammed down your throat when its never on TV or in the news or anywhere else? America gets virtually zero exposure to soccer except maybe during the olympics or world cup from what I've heard.
It's not being crammed down our throats. Many of us love the game. I'm a big Arsenal fan myself and always try to catch every match of the WC and Euros. Don't pay too much attention to the malcontents.
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