I know there's getting to be a lot of talk around here about why soccer just doesn't resonate with Americans. I've left comments with others, but I want to try and clear up a few things for those still lingering.
Yes, it's hard to project what NFL players, among other athletes, could do if they put their efforts into soccer instead of another American sport of more popularity.
The reason I bring up the NFL and not other sports is because I think it's the identity that America is assuming. Baseball used to be our national pastime and basketball is ok, but the NFL is what it's all about. Don't believe me? Go look at the ratings.
It's the NFL, closely followed by college football. And the play in the NFL is the most comparable for players with soccer. You run around on a field and use athleticism to maneuver a big ball. One is primarily with hands and the other uses feet.
So what is it about the NFL that's so intriguing to Americans?
I believe the NFL is the most intriguing of the mind, and not as much the physical. They say football is 80 percent mental and 40 percent physical. Huh, lol. Yes, I know, the math is off...or is it.
For many, they consider the need to give more than 100 percent. But when you think about it, emphasis on think, the NFL has such a huge playbook, your study in the classroom is as important, if not more, than your play out on the field. It's strategy, and then there's a lot of scoring.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Watching a bunch of guys pass the ball around on the ground before actually making a move is not very fun to most. To the soccer purist, they say you just don't get it.
But there's not much to get. It's simple, and hardly any scoring occurs unless you get some lopsided matchups. It's like watching a pitchers duel.
Americans like offense, and soccer is just a different element. I can appreciate the skill of soccer as much as the next guy, but for anyone to say that we wouldn't fare much better if our best NFL players were in soccer is insane.
Think if Devin Hester was as good at soccer as he is at making moves past defenders from one end zone to the other. The speed, combined with the skill, would be amazing.
There are plenty of examples to show how America could dominate soccer if it was more appealing than football, but it's a moot point. I don't see us ever seeing that change, unless they change a couple of rules in soccer. But too many stubborn traditionalists can't see the light.
I, for one, might enjoy it more if they changed one rule, and that's offsides. Many times I see the forward break right when the ball gets passed, and they call offsides because he's got one foot ahead. It's absolutely ridiculous, and it stops the action and stops my interest.
It just kills the moment of excitement, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So if you just get rid of it, we won't have to worry, plus it would increase the scoring a lot.
And that penalty kick has to be changed. I actually think that wherever the foul happens, that's where the kick should come from. No more of this inside the box, place it on a specified marker. They should set everyone where they were and give the free kick from the exact point of the foul.
These are a couple of other things that I think could make it more exciting and fun to watch.
But the NFL is our identity, and it's so cerebral. The strategy of the NFL puts soccer to shame. It's not even close, so don't try to argue. And that's another reason NFL rules in America.
Unlike a lot of sports, the NFL has a way of showing that you don't always need the best talent to win. A well-coached, planned-out scheme can win. There have been countless occasions where the inferior team won because of a well-coached game.
And in America, soccer just isn't going to get it done, monetarily, for the average kid growing up.
Let's face it, until they change a few things in soccer, it will never come close to the appeal of other American sports, much less the NFL, for the average American.
People say that we're getting better in soccer, but that just isn't true. Our best athletes aren't in soccer, and until they change the appeal of soccer, Americans will never take interest.
I think that even if they do change some of the things in soccer, and it becomes much more appealing, the NFL will always be No. 1.
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5 months ago
Hey steve, I agree with you on the tight offside calls, they are complete bullshit. I've seen it so many times where a ref calls one team for offside for merely having their foot ahead, but not the other side. I'm pretty sure the Italians paid off the refs to call offsides against their opposition during the past Euro '08 matches. And I like your idea for free kicks, it would help keep all the diva divers honest instead of flopping anytime they get near the box.
I also agree with you that the NFL is part of america's identity, soccer is like that for other countries especially in S. America and Europe where its almost a religion. I don't think that soccer should try and change some rules for america just like I don't think that american football should change some rules to get bigger outside america. People like what they grew up with man. If you didn't grow up with a sport it's boring to you. Such is life.
from 5 months ago
thanks for the response. actually i think they should change at least those 2 rules regardless of trying to make it more interesting for Americans. I worked at a popular YMCA for many years, actually ive worked at different kids camps for 20 years, but a friend of mine who also worked at the YMCA, who is the best counselor ever IMO but also proven by his notoriety with all the kids and counselors and parents, has come up with making better rules for games that were partially created. he came up with a better version of a game called mat ball. and my point is that just because Soccer is what it is, doesnt mean it cant be made better. people evolve. i mean when they first create sports or any games for that matter arent they always tweaking the rules to improve the game. what if they never changed basketball rules, we would still see guys throwing in a peach basket. do you understand where im coming from. they need to change those 2 rules, and i wish i could tell the committee for international Soccer. Ill first tell them dont be stubborn old fools and think a couple changes couldnt completely improve the game.
you know the funny thing is in the winning eleven soccer game on the PS2 they give you an option not to have offsides, now in the game it wont work like it would in real life, cuz the game doesnt have the human mind to make adjustments defensively. but in the real world you would have to strategize more. The NFL is built on strategy and playing like it was chess, not necessarily just throwing out a bunch of talented players and let them go. its all about coaching and strategy in the NFL as we can see. usually the best consistent coaching wins not the best talent. In NBA its not much about strategy cuz theres only a few players on the court and 1 2 or 3 stars can change a team in a heartbeat. just look at Cavs and Celtics, they both stunk then 1 superstar for the Cavs and 3 starts for the Celtics and their playing for the title. and MLB is more individual than team. theres not a whole lot of strategy in being up there to hit the ball. yeah maybe its bunting to move a runner or somn but the manager is only needed to make a lineup and rotate. but the NFL is 11 guys on each side right in your face trying to out manuever each other. And the challenge of the mind game with the NFL is what intrigues so many. yes we see great plays or catches but its more mental than physical. in Soccer its alot more about ability than mental. but in the NFL they have a lot of great talent to accomplish the mind aspect of it. The funny thing was when Dmac goes to minicamp and they give him a notebook and pen to take notes, and then a large playbook. thats one reason its so intriguing, anyone has a chance. plus the NFL is set up to be as even as possible between all the teams. you know that your team if they get good players and coaching and go from worst to first. you just never know what can happen, ala the Giants beating the Pats in the Super Bowl. in soccer you either have the talent to win or you dont. theres not a whole lot of mind going into it, the USA cant out do the Brazilians because of a mental edge, its just pure ability nothing much more. thats why i say we could dominate and our best athletes are not in soccer. its just not appealing to american theres no intrigue, i think it kind of insults their intelligence.
but anyway they need to change those 2 rules in soccer and evolve and stop being stubborn old ignorant fools who dont realize what their talking about. sports had to evolve from before theres no reason it cant now.
5 months ago
if they get rid of the penalty kicks that would be stupid, that would allow players to pull down someone on a breakaway and not have to worry about their keeper stopping a pk, plus, it wouldn't be fair if a foul occured within 10 yards of the goal b/c then the wall would have to set up in the goal.
soccer is getting better in the US, the mls is starting to see better players, more americans are going overseas, soccer players are just as athletic as football players.
and rules don't need to be changed to get americans more interested in the game, american youth needs to realize they will get more money and fame if they play soccer in europe than they will if they play football in america.
from 5 months ago
you didnt read. just look at Gems response where he said he liked the idea of the free kicks. the free kicks would come wherever the foul was made, that means anywhere on the field. so if like a guy is just inside the box on lets say to the right thats where he kicks it from, its still technically a penalty kick. and if the guy is like 5 ft from the goal when the foul is called then thats where they place it too. have you ever played ultimate frisbee, when you drop the frisbee it starts right where the drop was and the other team takes it. sometimes the soccer player is like at the corner of the box where the foul is made and when they kick a penalty kick its like making it easier for them. to me you take the ball from the infraction and dont place the ball somewhere else.
from 5 months ago
i just don't see a point to taking the pk away, it is one of the most exciting moments in sports. if the goalie happens to save it, that is such a huge boost for your team, and if you score, it is demeaning for the other team.
do you wanna take free throws out of basketball? that is even worse than pk's, just as many basketball players dive when driving to the lane or do head fakes then lean into the jumping player so they can get to the line. oh, and everytime a player gets a wide open layup, or three or something, they'd get murdered if there were no foul shots
while you're at it, take penalty shots out of hockey, everytime a player gets on a breakaway he will be penalized
penalty kicks are there to deter from taking penalties in the box. from what i assume you are saying, the change would be allowing players in the box after a penalty occured, which would be ridiculous if the penalty occured in the middle or in front of goal.
and if you are saying that the penalty shot would just occur somewhere else, and no one would still be allowed in the box, that would be dumb too, what would they do from the corner? how is it fair for the goalie from a few feet in front of the goal?
if you did this, there would have to be a minimum distance from which a free kick could be taken.
i wouldn't mind shrinking the penalty area, that would be a better idea, like cutting it down to where the actual shot is taken from and then being no wider than the 5 yard box, if not thinner, that would be a better idea than just ridding the game of pk's altogether
5 months ago
i grew up with a father and grandfather who are/were obsessed with football. I played football in high school at their urging, and I was half-decent. Looking back, I wish I played soccer instead. I played inter-mural soccer since I was about six years old up until I was a teenager, and I loved it more than anything.
Thinking about it now, I really don't care about football. I'm not knocking people who do, especially since my dad could still kick my ass any day, but I think I'm gonna start going to MLS games, especially when the team comes to Philly in two years. I just goddamn love soccer.
from 5 months ago
well your the minority. Soccer might actually be more fun than Football to play, but watching is zzzz.
its probably a little easier to get a soccer game going. ive seen more soccer leagues going on than football. you dont need a whole lot to get a soccer game going, but football is more elitest.
im sorry though im sittin here watching croatia vs turkey it goes into overtime 0-0, thats why Americans cant stand it, give me scoring. like i said take away the offsides and thatll make it much more interesting.
5 months ago
TJ did you not read. and your completely false saying take free throws away. do you even realize what your saying, your getting all hyped up for nothing and making foolish statements.
but saying when the guy scores a goal they get pumped, well gee its not that hard to score when its a guessing game wheres the skill in that. you want penalty kicks, fine then dont make it a guessing game make it take skill vs skill.
you need to chill and read before you post your making irrelevant talk lol.
5 months ago
Actually offsides were made to make soccer better, it would be so stupid to have a forward besides the goalkeeper and then a player pass the ball and then score. Any football is worst in that they stop every minute! I still dont get why you want take out penalties.
Also you said that there are less upsets in soccer than football, frankly that is so untrue. I hope you finish watching the Turkey and Croatia game because Turkey was missing half of their starters and able to win after that dramatic finish.
I like football(I watch almost every Ravens games) and I love soccer. They are different, soccer does not need to change the rules because it will make it more excited for Americans that used to high scoring games. Soccer is about tactics because you better make sure you score a goal and not let the other team score b/c that can be the game.
from 5 months ago
apparently your not understanding the PK thing either. kicking from wherever the infraction is if close enough is the same as a PK, just because you dont take the ball and place it on that dot right in front of the goal doesnt mean it doesnt play out like a penalty kick. why is this so hard to understand. and you say they made offsides to make Soccer better, exactly how. you didnt explain it very well, you left lots of ?s in your statements. you need to clarify. but there are so many times that a good scoring opportunity is taken away cuz of an offsides call. i would love to see this tested out before you make these statements because theres always ways to make it better. so are you the kind of stubborn old man who cant evolve and find new ways to make a sport better. didnt sports need constant rule changing in their infancies. should we still have a peach basket for basketball, should we just neglect technology to make things better. you see things change and you must learn to adapt. but i get so tired of the offsides calls and the PK, which is basically a guessing game and not a test of skill vs skill. because many times a penalty kick called can be wrong and its like giving a free goal which is very hard to come by in soccer. im sorry i have a life and dont enjoy watching 120 minutes of soccer with a 0-0 score. yes i did watch that croatia, turkey game and my wife mentioned the same thing. you mean theyve been running around all this time and havnt scored, and then to finish up with the great PK guessing game, yeah like that really says who played better. sheesh.
4 months ago
I don't really understand the offside thing I guess... I mean they were offside, because as you said they were a step ahead. I think we should commend the ref for getting the call right. If they don't call it on the other team that is an entirely different matter. The kicking thing though, I think I understand what your saying, if they get hit hit 1 ft in the goal and on the extreme left they just spot there correct? I guess I can understand that thoughts on that, though I am curious if the would cause an increase in fouls then.....hmmm.....I don't know. I think the part that really makes the NFL so big in the US, is the fact that our country is so big. We don't really have the 60 neighbors places like Turkey does. (don't know the actual number or anything so went with an exaggeration) So, we don't have a lot of teams close by to play, and we don't have the whole national pride thing going on. We have been lucky for the most part because not a lot of wars have been waged on US soil, but imagine if we had a soccer team in 1814...we would so want to kick some serious British ass. So, when Poland and Germany line up it is really a battle of national pride. Though once again I'd like to thank you for writing the article and giving me something to read. I always enjoy reading the thought of another, and well the fact that you articulate your article and comments brings me great joy :)
about 1 month ago
This article just sounds so "typically american".
I am not trying to sound offensive or anything, but football(I'm european, live with it) is the most popular game in the world. FIFA must be doing something right. The rule changes you are suggesting are valid suggestions, but at least removing the offsides rule completely will not and should not happen.
"the original Sheffield Rules had no offside rule, and players known as "kick throughs" were positioned permanently near the opponents' goal." That is from the Wiki page about football offsides. That kind of play where there are constantly one or two players near the opposing goal waiting for that long pass would be the most effective and therefore the only offensive tactic used. Given there would most likely be more goals, but part of the game would be lost. I realize it is the part you hate the most, and probably understand the least. The passing and building up momentum to actually make a goal attempt.
from about 1 month ago
i completely understand anything your talking about. but heres one thing you are majorly mistaken. soccor is not the most popular in the world, its the most popular outside the U.S. this is about what is greatest in America. and are you kidding me, NFL is not only #1 the only thing close is College football. Soccer isnt even in the picture, its way down the list. this is about whats popular in America. and in the same way you say typically american about me, shows how typically Euro you are. BTW my mother was born and raised in Ireland where soccer is highly regarded. so i know all about you euros.
now i understand your offsides rule thing and keeping the flow of the game. but there has to be something to make it better. im sorry watching 120 min of no scoring just doesnt do it for me and most americans feel the same. the excitement and history of the NFL or american football in general is soo far above the soccer genre its not even funny or close or anything else. i love listening to Colin Cowheard on morning Radio who would just tear into the soccer nut, not to say we cant appreciate it but it just gags compared to NFL. and not only does the NFL far surpass soccer in the U.S. it also creams even our national pasttime baseball and the basketball. now if you dont believe me go check all the ratings in football compared to other sports. a meaningless college football game had a higher rating than a MLB playoff game. and soccer LOL, less than the baseball. in fact i would venture to say a regular college football game would surpass the ratings of world cup soccer game between U.S. and like mexico.
but like the super bowl you can forget it nothing comes close, nothing.
about 1 month ago
"Football" is only about tactics at a coaching level--the players hardly do any thinking at all. Defensive players read plays and react to offensive motion and quarterbacks scan the field to make a pass. Otherwise, "football" players are simply cogs in the machine the coach has created.
Real football players are like quarterbacks, except they're everywhere on the pitch. In a way, they are their own coaches too--they always need to think ahead for passes and attacking movements that will score goals. Football players design their own plays and this is why it is more interesting than "football." The thinking in football occurs on the pitch and the viewer can see it happening thusly providing entertainment through creativity, versus the thinking in "football" which occurs off the field leaving the viewer with the entertainment of the consequences. The ends justify the means in "football" while the most enjoyable part of football are the means justifying the ends. Like life, because everybody ends up dying, or--er, something....
from about 1 month ago
im sorry buddy but you too are greatly mistaken. Darren Mcfadden was asked what was different about the NFL than college, and he was like, the playbook and studying it. its like going back to school. soccer players just see and react. NFL players have to study 100s of plays to know when and how to react. if their off then a play is blown it could cost you the game. if a soccer player misses a pass so what it can easily be regained. the cerebralness of studying the playbook and gameplanning by coaches and players is monumentally far superior to soccer players. even the so called dumb players of the NFL have to still know about couple hundred different plays, and the QB, huh, we wont even go there. i know soccer its reactionary theres no real prestrategy. if you have the best players like Brazil, you will usually win. in NFL you can have mediocre players and win on pure strategy and gameplanning.
the great John Madden had a Raiders team with players that no one else wanted and won a SB. and that kind of thing happens alot, with good coaches and management and stability you can win in NFL with just average players. but of course you usually have at least a couple greats. in soccer you must have good to great players to win a world cup. theres no way your winning a world cup with average players. thats why U. S. never wins they always have average players compared to some of the great countries, cuz all their best athletes want to play in NFL, or MLB, or NBA, its a culture and where they see the money. they dont see the money in america. and they usually never know anything outside their little neighborhood, and soccer isnt on the top of the list.
2 days ago
i think this article is absolutley stupid
2 days ago
thats a shallow response, at least say why.
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