OK Soccer fans....help me out!
- Thread starter 50 Mile Radius
- Start date
Here's someone elso who agrees with me about the diving and fake injuries being a major part of North America's lack of interest in soccer. It's from a blog on TSN's web site.
Down about diving
By Paul Romanuk
June 16, 2006
With all due respect to every other sporting event on this globe we call home, the World Cup of Soccer is the alpha dog in the room -- no question.
The Summer Olympic Games are big, but fall short when it comes to generating the type of passion we see during the World Cup. You just don't get a group of Brazilians doing the samba up and down one of the main streets of a city -- faces painted, women in crop tops -- getting ready for that big Olympic pole vault final. No. The World Cup, if you're lucky enough to be there, is like the Super Bowl every day for a month. If you're even just lucky enough to be in a city like London or Amsterdam or Rio - the buzz and the intensity is both inspiring and smile inducing. Papers filled with coverage, flags all over cars and shops and talk in the pubs and cafes of little else.
Here's a question: Why has this sport -- the most popular sport in the world by far -- never really been properly embraced in Canada and the United States?
I know, I know - your kid plays soccer. Millions of kids play soccer in Canada and the USA. So what. Millions of soccer Moms and Dads standing around in their Birkenstocks with a double soy latte and chatting with other Moms and Dads on a nice sunny day while a pack of kids sort of chases a ball around a pitch doesn't constitute embracing a sport. It is something the kids can do because it's cheap and safe and gets you outside in the nice weather -- unlike lacrosse or hockey, for example.
I think one of the biggest reasons soccer has trouble advancing from toe hold to foot hold in the consciousness of the Canadian or American sports fan can be summed up in one word, and that word is diving. As I sit here writing this, according to FIFA statistics there have been 109 diving calls so far in this World Cup. Italy are the worst culprits, having being caught nine times so far. The thing is, to soccer aficionados I've spoken with, while not exactly condoning the dive, they acknowledge it to be "part of the strategy of the sport." My friend, that just doesn't cut it with a North American sports fan. Not now, not ever. Is there the occasional embellishment in hockey or basketball? Yes, of course. But it is frowned upon and is never anywhere near the operatic proportions of thrashing and rolling and face and leg grabbing that we see from soccer players. I can't count the number of times during this World Cup where I've found myself going: "Get up! Get up ya suck!" After watching some guy roll around for 10 seconds as though he's been impaled. You know the drill - out come the stretcher guys, the trainer with the magic sponge and a can of numbing spray. After a few moments our hero gets up and bravely waves everyone away and, he's back and ready to go. It's embarrassing. If I was one of the stretcher guys, running out onto the pitch in 30 degree heat for the fifth time that afternoon only to be waved away, I'd be tempted to give the guy a boot in the ribs myself.
"There pal, now that's what it's like to be hit. Don't make me run out here again."
In baseball a 95mph fastball hits you and you get up and jog to first base. In football a 300lb lineman crushes you and, unless you have something broken, you get up. In hockey you have a shoulder separated by a hit and you skate to the bench. I'm not saying soccer players don't get hurt when they're tackled (If you doubt me, try this: Go out and dash across the lawn as fast as you can and have someone run over and kick your legs out from underneath you. It hurts). But, here's the thing -- after you're knocked down, get up. Be a man, be an elite athlete -- get up.
Down about diving
By Paul Romanuk
June 16, 2006
With all due respect to every other sporting event on this globe we call home, the World Cup of Soccer is the alpha dog in the room -- no question.
The Summer Olympic Games are big, but fall short when it comes to generating the type of passion we see during the World Cup. You just don't get a group of Brazilians doing the samba up and down one of the main streets of a city -- faces painted, women in crop tops -- getting ready for that big Olympic pole vault final. No. The World Cup, if you're lucky enough to be there, is like the Super Bowl every day for a month. If you're even just lucky enough to be in a city like London or Amsterdam or Rio - the buzz and the intensity is both inspiring and smile inducing. Papers filled with coverage, flags all over cars and shops and talk in the pubs and cafes of little else.
Here's a question: Why has this sport -- the most popular sport in the world by far -- never really been properly embraced in Canada and the United States?
I know, I know - your kid plays soccer. Millions of kids play soccer in Canada and the USA. So what. Millions of soccer Moms and Dads standing around in their Birkenstocks with a double soy latte and chatting with other Moms and Dads on a nice sunny day while a pack of kids sort of chases a ball around a pitch doesn't constitute embracing a sport. It is something the kids can do because it's cheap and safe and gets you outside in the nice weather -- unlike lacrosse or hockey, for example.
I think one of the biggest reasons soccer has trouble advancing from toe hold to foot hold in the consciousness of the Canadian or American sports fan can be summed up in one word, and that word is diving. As I sit here writing this, according to FIFA statistics there have been 109 diving calls so far in this World Cup. Italy are the worst culprits, having being caught nine times so far. The thing is, to soccer aficionados I've spoken with, while not exactly condoning the dive, they acknowledge it to be "part of the strategy of the sport." My friend, that just doesn't cut it with a North American sports fan. Not now, not ever. Is there the occasional embellishment in hockey or basketball? Yes, of course. But it is frowned upon and is never anywhere near the operatic proportions of thrashing and rolling and face and leg grabbing that we see from soccer players. I can't count the number of times during this World Cup where I've found myself going: "Get up! Get up ya suck!" After watching some guy roll around for 10 seconds as though he's been impaled. You know the drill - out come the stretcher guys, the trainer with the magic sponge and a can of numbing spray. After a few moments our hero gets up and bravely waves everyone away and, he's back and ready to go. It's embarrassing. If I was one of the stretcher guys, running out onto the pitch in 30 degree heat for the fifth time that afternoon only to be waved away, I'd be tempted to give the guy a boot in the ribs myself.
"There pal, now that's what it's like to be hit. Don't make me run out here again."
In baseball a 95mph fastball hits you and you get up and jog to first base. In football a 300lb lineman crushes you and, unless you have something broken, you get up. In hockey you have a shoulder separated by a hit and you skate to the bench. I'm not saying soccer players don't get hurt when they're tackled (If you doubt me, try this: Go out and dash across the lawn as fast as you can and have someone run over and kick your legs out from underneath you. It hurts). But, here's the thing -- after you're knocked down, get up. Be a man, be an elite athlete -- get up.
Avery said:
I repectfully disagree. While diving has something to do with it, soccer has trouble advancing from toe hold to foot hold in the consciousness of the Canadian or American sports fans because Canadians and Americans are so shit at it and the fact that countries such as South Korea, Japan, some of the African nations and even Iran while a fraction of the size and/or population of the US or Canada are so much more advance in the sport. 1 word comes to mind - embarrassment.
Soccer Puts Me 2 Sleep
I tried to watch three soccer games in the last three days and fell asleep during all of them,while i did find it amusing at times to see them faking being hurt,i could not help but think these guys that flail around in agony pretending that they are hurt must suffer from a severe lack of pride.there is a certain amount of pride in most sports,with playing through an injury or not letting the other team know you are hurt.I don't know what it is with soccer but it seems to lack this.remember ryan smyth getting his three or 4 teeth knocked out,and comming back to finish the game or jason smith playing with a broken bone in his ankle a few years ago,i could go on and on about diffrent canadian hockey players with more pride in their little finger then most teams in the wold cup,makes me proud to be a canadian.i think the biggest attraction with the world cup maybe is the partying, drinking,mingling with people from diffrent countries,other then that thats the only attraction i see,maybe the attmosphere of being there,other then that the sport is boring and to many cry babies for this cowboy.
I tried to watch three soccer games in the last three days and fell asleep during all of them,while i did find it amusing at times to see them faking being hurt,i could not help but think these guys that flail around in agony pretending that they are hurt must suffer from a severe lack of pride.there is a certain amount of pride in most sports,with playing through an injury or not letting the other team know you are hurt.I don't know what it is with soccer but it seems to lack this.remember ryan smyth getting his three or 4 teeth knocked out,and comming back to finish the game or jason smith playing with a broken bone in his ankle a few years ago,i could go on and on about diffrent canadian hockey players with more pride in their little finger then most teams in the wold cup,makes me proud to be a canadian.i think the biggest attraction with the world cup maybe is the partying, drinking,mingling with people from diffrent countries,other then that thats the only attraction i see,maybe the attmosphere of being there,other then that the sport is boring and to many cry babies for this cowboy.
I watched the England - Trinidad-Tobago match last night. I thought it was fun. Lots of running and stuff going on. I was quite surprised how Trindad-Tobago was able to hold England scoreless for 85 minutes. Even though England outshot them 3 to 1 it was always exciting to see Trindad-Tobago take a shot on goal.
but what is David Beckham famous for anyway?
but what is David Beckham famous for anyway?
sparkymacker said:Something can not be classifed as a sport unless there is a chance of the particpants being horribly injured or killed.QUOTE]
That's the dumbest thing i've ever heard someone say. You're telling me Golf, Tennis, basketball, baseball, curling, skiing among others, are not sports? How often do you see someone get hurt in these games? Unless it's something minor like a sprained ankle or a pulled muscle.
Sure there might not be as many injuries in soccer, but when it does happen it can be very serious. I've experianced 2 cases first hand - a broken leg and blind out of one eye for 2 weeks.
Sure soccer may seem boring, but not everyone has a thirst for violence like the North Americans, and yourself, do. As someone already mentioned, soccer is base more on strategy and not just taking some guy out and hoping for the best.
Just my 2 cents. Don't know if that made ANY sense lol
O Jogo Bonito
It is truely the Beautiful Game. The whole world competes every 4 years for the coveted prize; the World Cup. There is no other sport that each country has such a distinct style all their own. It's the only sport in which a country's culture can be seen in their style of play. To those who are not fans of the sport it will seem a slow game. To those of us who truely love the sport we see strategy, creation of space, amazing footwork, unpredictable tempo change, and a perfect balance of teamwork and individual dazzle. Watch the Argentina vs Netherlands game Wednesday at Noon in its entirety and you will witness moments of pure magic. Or if you want to see a romp watch Brazil manhandle Japan Thursday at Noon. Hmmmm check the messageboard on our website to put in your prediction for the A vs N game!
By the way. Golf is not a sport. It is a game like bowling, darts, billiards and baseball. If you dont believe me, ask me......
It is truely the Beautiful Game. The whole world competes every 4 years for the coveted prize; the World Cup. There is no other sport that each country has such a distinct style all their own. It's the only sport in which a country's culture can be seen in their style of play. To those who are not fans of the sport it will seem a slow game. To those of us who truely love the sport we see strategy, creation of space, amazing footwork, unpredictable tempo change, and a perfect balance of teamwork and individual dazzle. Watch the Argentina vs Netherlands game Wednesday at Noon in its entirety and you will witness moments of pure magic. Or if you want to see a romp watch Brazil manhandle Japan Thursday at Noon. Hmmmm check the messageboard on our website to put in your prediction for the A vs N game!
By the way. Golf is not a sport. It is a game like bowling, darts, billiards and baseball.
If you dont believe me, ask me......
http://www.torontosun.com/Sports/FanFare/2006/06/15/1633622-sun.htmlgordfurb said:
I believe Paul Romanuk has lived in Europe for at least a couple years now. He does a good job of expressing how we get reminded every four years that we don't like soccer. We have seen it; we just don't like it. Large numbers of kids have been pushed into playing it over the last 30 years or more -- saying they don't understand it is simply incorrect. They just won't cross the road to watch it. No one cared when Canada did make it to the World Cup. And since every attempt to start a pro league in Canada has been progressively less successful than the previous one (NASL, CSL, USL), it appears even the people who pretend to be excited during the World Cup also get turned off. Somehow I doubt this board will be flooded with threads about the Whitecaps any time soon.Avery said:
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Sports/Columnists/Dalla_Costa_Morris/2006/06/15/1635231.html
Divin' Divas
Soccer (er, football) mania . . . or not
Last week Conan O'Brien was explaining how there's other cards besides yellow and red that the referee will show to players. For example, the purple one means "we can see your scrotum".
Last edited:
If the players want to pretend they are hurt, force a substitution and make them sit out for a significant amount of time, ie 30 minutes. If they really are hurt this isn't really a punishment as the time will allow them to recover and if they are seriously hurt they wouldn't be able to return anyways. The timeout would only really punish the fakers. It would discourage any of the significant players from faking though because they would be hurting their own team.
sick of hockey
It is the middle of summer for fucks sake - except in Edmonpuke where it is always winter.....
Sure some players dive.....names like Gretzky....huge diver and now if someone comes near you with their stick in the new NHL, the fucker dives and draws a penalty.
You try being on the field and running/walking/sprinting for 90 minutes - these guys are true athletes. Even hockey players only play 20 minutes a game, NBA guys are wimps, NFL players are only on for a few downs at a time and then the fat fucks need oxygen.....and don't even get me started on those fucking blobs known as baseball players.
Soccer is the best game there is!
It is the middle of summer for fucks sake - except in Edmonpuke where it is always winter.....
Sure some players dive.....names like Gretzky....huge diver and now if someone comes near you with their stick in the new NHL, the fucker dives and draws a penalty.
You try being on the field and running/walking/sprinting for 90 minutes - these guys are true athletes. Even hockey players only play 20 minutes a game, NBA guys are wimps, NFL players are only on for a few downs at a time and then the fat fucks need oxygen.....and don't even get me started on those fucking blobs known as baseball players.
Soccer is the best game there is!
Guy Caballero's threat
Guy Caballero, Owner and President of SCTV
http://sctvguide.ca/episodes/sctv_s41.htm
by Tom Powers, St. Paul Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/14741693.htm
http://sctvguide.ca/episodes/sctv_s41.htm
Maybe non-fans do know soccer
by Tom Powers, St. Paul Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/14741693.htm
Last edited:
