OT: World Cup

[weevilcatch]

I've been to a few bars as well as work at a brewery during the weekends and I have "Americans" asking for the channel to be changed to the games. Maybe it's just Houston but we have a very diverse city.

Yeah, soccer is going away...ever. I don't see it ever being the #1 sport here, but those like me who enjoy ALL sport are growing in number. Of course people will still have their favorite, but watching marquee games of soccer here will continue to grow.

 

[weevilcatch]

Watching the hi end soccer (EPL) and a couple others is not too bad. The problem being that there are sooo many leagues and so many players. I can't keep up with all of it.

What concerns me is the NFL is in trouble. I thought the CTE issues would be the downfall but the protest issues may do it in before the CTE stuff works it's way through the system. The owners are realizing the damage now.... season ticket renewals are abysmal and the players still want to do their protest thang. This year is going to be interesting. I do enjoy looking at all the empty stadiums while these guys still play football. Do any of them equate ticket sales, concession sales, tv ratings with a paycheck?

They'd rather be social warriors than warriors of the gridiron I guess. "Cut off your nose to spite your face" I don't guess they've ever heard of that, or just don't understand what it means.

 

[weevilcatch]

I would love for little Croatia to win but France prolly has the dogs to win it.

That and Croatia have played one extra game than France (with the three ET games vs. Denmark, Russia and England) and have one less day of recovery.

Modric has taken his game to another level these past two knockout games which is incredible because he is already so good.

Modric is the Golden Ball winner for me, no matter what happens in the final. He has been incredible.

Golden Ball - Modric
Golden Boot - Kane
GK - Courtois (probably give it to LLoris or Subasic)
Young player - M'bappe

 

[weevilcatch]

Yep. I don't care if other people like soccer, but I don't get what is even remotely exciting about it. I'm sure that it will continue to be forced down Americans throats as time moves forward though. They can try to sell it all they want, but I ain't buying.

And honestly don't blame you for not buying. Boring is relative, and like I've said many times, there are people that will watch all 162 games of their teams baseball season.

Lawd hab merthy.

There have been Super Bowls I didn't watch because they were boring. There are Monday Nigh Football and Sunday Night Football games I don't watch because it is two shit teams. I didn't watch Alabama-LSU national championship because watching teams hand off and get stuffed, then throw a pass into the training staff and off the water jugs is boring. The 1st 3 quarters of a basketball game in January is boring.

Point being, I'm not tuning in to watch Browns-Bengals on a Sunday afternoon. I'm not tuning in at 11am to watch Illinois-Purdue in October. I'm not watching Lakers-Warriors in early November. I'm not watching Orioles-Blue Jays coming up. But I'll watch marquee games, and I'm certainly going to watch most of playoffs, etc.

As far as the WC MM, the excitement comes from watching players represent their country with passion and zeal. You can see how much it means to the players and fans. The players compete for their people, and I find that incredible. The drama that unfolds from a sport where physical prowess is secondary to the ability to communicate, analyze and think leaves it open for anything to happen. You can get dominated (Russia vs. Spain) and still believe you have a chance, that has great appeal to many.

 

[DrinkToIt]

I guess once every four years ain't THAT bad but what's going to be stupid is when Fox tries to parlay the world cup matches with MLS matches in hopes that you will stay interested and they can score some cheap ratings.

They will fail..... miserably.

This already happened... after the World Cup in 1994. Since MLS started we've had several World Cups and MLS has continued to grow.

MLS games are already broadcast nationally and have been for years. In Seattle and Atlanta they are regularly filling up their NFL stadiums.

Guys. Soccer is here and isnt going anywhere. Champions League games fill bars at 2pm and the Euro Championships will do the same in 2 years. I just dont get the hate. Especially during the slowest time of the year for sports when its the middle of baseball season.

It's like some weird repressed jealousy. There have been plenty of exciting and intense games this world cup and the insistent denial of that by some here is just perplexing. Soccer isnt going to take away the NFL or the NBA or MLB.

 

[2300 Nueces]

If the NFL ever crumbles or they change the rules to 7v7, I can see a lot more money going into soccer and this is when it will take off.

 

[DrinkToIt]

If the NFL ever crumbles or they change the rules to 7v7, I can see a lot more money going into soccer and this is when it will take off.

Romelu Lukaku and Vincent Kompany are as big as NFL players. Pogba and Mbappe are leaner but tall and fast and incredibly athletic. Not that Lukaku and Kompany arent...

We have the athletes here, they just arent as developed or polished or have the mind to play soccer at the elite world level.

Theres a lot that soccer offers that the NFL doesn't but American football is so entrenched here historically and culturally, it will be difficult to change in the minds of American youth en masse.

But the sports still have different skill sets. WRs, TEs, DBs and RBs are the most likely to be soccer players from a sheer body/athletic standpoint but even then, it just wont translate for everyone.

Not every 6'2 225 guy out there can make it in any sport for a variety of reasons.

Both sports can coexist and be popular without hissing amongst fans. And I'm totally fine with that even if some of us fear it.

 

[weevilcatch]

Romelu Lukaku and Vincent Kompany are as big as NFL players. Pogba and Mbappe are leaner but tall and fast and incredibly athletic. Not that Lukaku and Kompany arent...

We have the athletes here, they just arent as developed or polished or have the mind to play soccer at the elite world level.

Theres a lot that soccer offers that the NFL doesn't but American football is so entrenched here historically and culturally, it will be difficult to change in the minds of American youth en masse.

But the sports still have different skill sets. WRs, TEs, DBs and RBs are the most likely to be soccer players from a sheer body/athletic standpoint but even then, it just wont translate for everyone.

Not every 6'2 225 guy out there can make it in any sport for a variety of reasons.

Both sports can coexist and be popular without hissing amongst fans. And I'm totally fine with that even if some of us fear it.

I think this is spot on and one thing a lot of Americans struggle to grasp. When Messi takes a 40 yard diagonal out of the air off his thigh, then before it hits the ground takes a touch with his left foot perfectly into space and then finishes with his right back across the keeper...that is insane amounts of coordination, balance, flexibility, athleticism, etc. Oh, and a taller, stronger and heavier guy was on his back.

I also don't think many people realize that there are guys like Jerome Boateng that are 6-4 200 pounds. Roman Torres is 6-2, 215. Ronaldo is 6-2, 185, Bale is 6-1, 190 and both can run 21-22mph. I'm quite certain they probably don't know that little 5-8, 140 pound Christian Pulisic can dunk a basketball.

By the by, Kylian M'bappe of France would be the fastest player in the NFL...unless there is someone that runs 27-28 mph that I don't know about.

My point being, I agree with you. The players still have to be properly developed and that's not happening. Here is a list of NFL stars that played soccer till age 15-18

Marcus Mariotta
Wes Welker
Chad Johnson
Odell Beckham, Jr.
Andrew Luck
Jay Ajayi
Jake Butt
Dwight Freeny
Gosder Cherilus
Pierre Garcon

I'm sure there are more, but that is all I can think of right now.

I would imagine most of these guys ultimately chose football for 1 of several reasons. (1) As OBJ said, in order to become a pro he would probably have to go overseas and he had that opportunity...didn't want to leave his family. (2) NFL, College, HS coaches do a better job of finding and recruiting talent to their sport than soccer does. I coach soccer and not ONCE have I been contacted by anyone about possible youth national team or MLS kids. (3) 95% of the population is being ignored. Recently got in a debate with some clown that said DA was the only way and HS was a waste of time. You think if someone (MLS, USSF) would put some time and energy into the FREE development of HS soccer they might get an OBJ, Ajayi, Welker, etc.? But they don't, you have to pay gobs of money to be "seen." Utterly ridiculous

 

[2300 Nueces]

I think this is spot on and one thing a lot of Americans struggle to grasp. When Messi takes a 40 yard diagonal out of the air off his thigh, then before it hits the ground takes a touch with his left foot perfectly into space and then finishes with his right back across the keeper...that is insane amounts of coordination, balance, flexibility, athleticism, etc. Oh, and a taller, stronger and heavier guy was on his back.

I also don't think many people realize that there are guys like Jerome Boateng that are 6-4 200 pounds. Roman Torres is 6-2, 215. Ronaldo is 6-2, 185, Bale is 6-1, 190 and both can run 21-22mph. I'm quite certain they probably don't know that little 5-8, 140 pound Christian Pulisic can dunk a basketball.

By the by, Kylian M'bappe of France would be the fastest player in the NFL...unless there is someone that runs 27-28 mph that I don't know about.

My point being, I agree with you. The players still have to be properly developed and that's not happening. Here is a list of NFL stars that played soccer till age 15-18

Marcus Mariotta
Wes Welker
Chad Johnson
Odell Beckham, Jr.
Andrew Luck
Jay Ajayi
Jake Butt
Dwight Freeny
Gosder Cherilus
Pierre Garcon

I'm sure there are more, but that is all I can think of right now.

I would imagine most of these guys ultimately chose football for 1 of several reasons. (1) As OBJ said, in order to become a pro he would probably have to go overseas and he had that opportunity...didn't want to leave his family. (2) NFL, College, HS coaches do a better job of finding and recruiting talent to their sport than soccer does. I coach soccer and not ONCE have I been contacted by anyone about possible youth national team or MLS kids. (3) 95% of the population is being ignored. Recently got in a debate with some clown that said DA was the only way and HS was a waste of time. You think if someone (MLS, USSF) would put some time and energy into the FREE development of HS soccer they might get an OBJ, Ajayi, Welker, etc.? But they don't, you have to pay gobs of money to be "seen." Utterly ridiculous

Youth sports in America are "pay to play." Soccer is played in the dead of winter in the high schools in the usa. Soccer skill is different than football or baseball or even basketball.

For example, Luka Modric is 5'8" in platform heels. He's a stud in soccer because he has more eye to foot dexterity than other dudes. Eye to foot dexterity (first touch) is built by touching the ball prolly 5,000,000 times from the age of 3 to 16.

In addition to the dexterity, they are playing against other boys on the dirt patch that are just as skilled on a daily basis. Guys that are 5'8" aren't getting looks in football, baseball, or basketball in the US. Our society isn't as conducive to building eye dexterity as it is to building size and mass.

In the US size and strength come first, then skill. Tom Herman won't touch a player unless he has the frame to build muscle. Soccer is completely different. Developmental coaches in the EPL and Bundesliga don't give a rats ass if you have a 3.0 forty if you can't touch the ball correctly. Dexterity comes first, speed and strength are secondary. America values different athletic characteristics than the soccer world. It's going to be difficult to change this in the schools and culture.

Edit: I find it amazing that even in US Youth soccer the fastest and strongest kids are the priority when I can kick a soccer ball faster than any human can run.... It's really that simple, a fat kid with excellent touch is better than the fastest/strongest kid if his skill is less than the fat kid. I get it, fitness is important and that can be attained easier than first touch.

 

[clob94]

Weird repressed jealousy? Come on now. It's not that. You know what it is.......

We as Americans are just "different" than the rest of the world. We always have been. That's what makes us America. That's why when the sh!t hits the fan, everybody runs behind us...... and because of this "aggressive" behavior that has been ingrained in our society.... we like "hard" sports..... sports with contact.... sports where we get to dominate our opponent in physical fashion. Don't believe me?

We rowed across a river in the dead of winter with icebergs forming at the mouth in order to sneak into an enemy encampment and slaughter the enemy with knives...... while they slept.
That was in 1776.

Our lust for violence and bad-assery has only grown since then.

Soccer is called the "beautiful game". Americans don't want beautiful games.......

We want to bash your fvcking skull in while we're soaring on eagles wings and pounding a budweiser down with one hand while holding a brisket over a bonfire with our bare other hand, and joyfully howling at the red white and blue fireworks shooting from our a$$ and bullets flying out of our d!ck holes.

We're Americans. We're different.

This already happened... after the World Cup in 1994. Since MLS started we've had several World Cups and MLS has continued to grow.

MLS games are already broadcast nationally and have been for years. In Seattle and Atlanta they are regularly filling up their NFL stadiums.

Guys. Soccer is here and isnt going anywhere. Champions League games fill bars at 2pm and the Euro Championships will do the same in 2 years. I just dont get the hate. Especially during the slowest time of the year for sports when its the middle of baseball season.

It's like some weird repressed jealousy. There have been plenty of exciting and intense games this world cup and the insistent denial of that by some here is just perplexing. Soccer isnt going to take away the NFL or the NBA or MLB.

 

[weevilcatch]

We want to bash your fvcking skull in while we're soaring on eagles wings and pounding a budweiser down with one hand while holding a brisket over a bonfire with our bare other hand, and joyfully howling at the red white and blue fireworks shooting from our a$$ and bullets flying out of our d!ck holes.

'Murica!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is some funny...and very accurate shit right here.

 

[weevilcatch]

Youth sports in America are "pay to play." Soccer is played in the dead of winter in the high schools in the usa. Soccer skill is different than football or baseball or even basketball.

For example, Luka Modric is 5'8" in platform heels. He's a stud in soccer because he has more eye to foot dexterity than other dudes. Eye to foot dexterity (first touch) is built by touching the ball prolly 5,000,000 times from the age of 3 to 16.

In addition to the dexterity, they are playing against other boys on the dirt patch that are just as skilled on a daily basis. Guys that are 5'8" aren't getting looks in football, baseball, or basketball in the US. Our society isn't as conducive to building eye dexterity as it is to building size and mass.

In the US size and strength come first, then skill. Tom Herman won't touch a player unless he has the frame to build muscle. Soccer is completely different. Developmental coaches in the EPL and Bundesliga don't give a rats ass if you have a 3.0 forty if you can't touch the ball correctly. Dexterity comes first, speed and strength are secondary. America values different athletic characteristics than the soccer world. It's going to be difficult to change this in the schools and culture.

Edit: I find it amazing that even in US Youth soccer the fastest and strongest kids are the priority when I can kick a soccer ball faster than any human can run.... It's really that simple, a fat kid with excellent touch is better than the fastest/strongest kid if his skill is less than the fat kid. I get it, fitness is important but that can be attained easier than first touch.

Excellent stuff! A few things that came to mind.

Football at the youth level is maybe $200...baseball and basketball are the same. At least in my area. When you get to be 10-12 years old then you have to pay a bit more to find better competition, but even then Football and Basketball are free at the Junior High level.

This can be the same for soccer. Texas is one of the few states that plays soccer in the winter, and it is stupid. If I had anything to do with USSF I would start conversations with School Districts about starting Soccer in the fall and Futsal in the Spring. Obviously you would miss out on a bunch of kids in Texas with soccer in the fall, but Futsal is more important to development anyway and that is when you'd have the football kids.

Also, there are far greater numbers of kids that play soccer/basketball than soccer/baseball. So in Texas, I would love to see the soccer season moved back about a month. Start practice Jan. 3 instead of first Monday after Thanksgiving.

Something needs to be done though. Ignoring 95% of your soccer population is just plain ignorance.

 

[DrinkToIt]

Weird repressed jealousy? Come on now. It's not that. You know what it is.......

We as Americans are just "different" than the rest of the world. We always have been. That's what makes us America. That's why when the sh!t hits the fan, everybody runs behind us...... and because of this "aggressive" behavior that has been ingrained in our society.... we like "hard" sports..... sports with contact.... sports where we get to dominate our opponent in physical fashion. Don't believe me?

We rowed across a river in the dead of winter with icebergs forming at the mouth in order to sneak into an enemy encampment and slaughter the enemy with knives...... while they slept.
That was in 1776.

Our lust for violence and bad-assery has only grown since then.

Soccer is called the "beautiful game". Americans don't want beautiful games.......

We want to bash your fvcking skull in while we're soaring on eagles wings and pounding a budweiser down with one hand while holding a brisket over a bonfire with our bare other hand, and joyfully howling at the red white and blue fireworks shooting from our a$$ and bullets flying out of our d!ck holes.

We're Americans. We're different.

While entertaining, and you almost always are, this is a steaming pile of you know what. My point still stands. Soccer isnt threatening football or baseball, but you sure would think so based on the willful ignorance displayed by many American sports fans.

 

[LongfellowDrew]

Weird repressed jealousy? Come on now. It's not that. You know what it is.......

We as Americans are just "different" than the rest of the world. We always have been. That's what makes us America. That's why when the sh!t hits the fan, everybody runs behind us...... and because of this "aggressive" behavior that has been ingrained in our society.... we like "hard" sports..... sports with contact.... sports where we get to dominate our opponent in physical fashion. Don't believe me?

We rowed across a river in the dead of winter with icebergs forming at the mouth in order to sneak into an enemy encampment and slaughter the enemy with knives...... while they slept.
That was in 1776.

Our lust for violence and bad-assery has only grown since then.

Soccer is called the "beautiful game". Americans don't want beautiful games.......

We want to bash your fvcking skull in while we're soaring on eagles wings and pounding a budweiser down with one hand while holding a brisket over a bonfire with our bare other hand, and joyfully howling at the red white and blue fireworks shooting from our a$$ and bullets flying out of our d!ck holes.

We're Americans. We're different.

But we only have one sport that dominates our opponent physically that is part of our culture. Baseball and basketball are our other two main sports and those to me are not nearly as physical as football. We don’t even watch rugby here.

 

[DrinkToIt]

But we only have one sport that dominates our opponent physically that is part of our culture. Baseball and basketball are our other two main sports and those to me are not nearly as physical as football. We don’t even watch rugby here.

That's because his post was mostly satire.

 

[clob94]

That's because his post was mostly satire.

Yes there was obviously some satire in there..... but you have to understand, there's truth in there as well. We are different. We are unique. The rest of the world is not like us. Think about it...... the most popular sport in the world is soccer. Soccer gets top billing in almost every country in the world. Canada has their hockey... for sure... and that makes them a little unique, but hockey is loved in other countries. Our form of football is ours and ours alone. There's something different about being an American and it does translate in some ways in our sports...... especially football.

 

[weevilcatch]

Yes there was obviously some satire in there..... but you have to understand, there's truth in there as well. We are different. We are unique. The rest of the world is not like us. Think about it...... the most popular sport in the world is soccer. Soccer gets top billing in almost every country in the world. Canada has their hockey... for sure... and that makes them a little unique, but hockey is loved in other countries. Our form of football is ours and ours alone. There's something different about being an American and it does translate in some ways in our sports...... especially football.

And "our" brand of football is becoming more and more boring. 3-1/2 hours for 6-8 minutes of action. There are more minutes of commercials than actual play. It is pitiful and needs to change.

Also, Billionaire owners and players with a short shelf life and salary cap...and no guaranteed contracts is complete bullshit. Salary cap seems communist to me. The draft is a freaking joke as well and super communist.

 

[clob94]

I must say..... the draft being called communist is a first for me.

And "our" brand of football is becoming more and more boring. 3-1/2 hours for 6-8 minutes of action. There are more minutes of commercials than actual play. It is pitiful and needs to change.

Also, Billionaire owners and players with a short shelf life and salary cap...and no guaranteed contracts is complete bullshit. Salary cap seems communist to me. The draft is a freaking joke as well and super communist.

 

[weevilcatch]

I must say..... the draft being called communist is a first for me.

Clob, the idea that you can't choose who you want to work for and the idea that the "weaker" teams are allowed to pick in front of the "better" teams is egalitarianism...at least to me.

You're a very intelligent person, and I am always open to different interpretation so please tell why you think it is not a communist ideal. Genuinely curious.

 

[2300 Nueces]

Clob, the idea that you can't choose who you want to work for and the idea that the "weaker" teams are allowed to pick in front of the "better" teams is egalitarianism...at least to me.

You're a very intelligent person, and I am always open to different interpretation so please tell why you think it is not a communist ideal. Genuinely curious.

The revenue sharing is communist. Allowing the worst team to pick first, well it's a stretch but it's not taking from a "have" to give to a "have not" when none of the players have signed. I personally can't stand having the same teams win all the time, except when it comes to the Horns. The Spanish Liga is so top heavy, it's not that interesting. Same can be said for Bayern Munich.

 

[weevilcatch]

The revenue sharing is communist. Allowing the worst team to pick first, well it's a stretch but it's not taking from a "have" to give to a "have not" when none of the players have signed. I personally can't stand having the same teams win all the time, except when it comes to the Horns. The Spanish Liga is so top heavy, it's not that interesting. Same can be said for Bayern Munich.

That's why they have Champions League, League Cups, etc.

I don't mind the revenue sharing because it is part of an agreement of all teams. NFLPA sucks, and I don't feel they look out for their own. I wish they would strike again and get guaranteed contracts and demand to get rid of the BS salary cap.

This is also why I didn't take part in the vilifying of Eli Manning when he refused to play for the San Diego Chargers. It is his career, his life...and if he didn't feel he would have a long career for the Chargers then damnit, allow him that.

I can't stand the "he should just be grateful he gets to play..." That is so freaking irritating.

You're a whiz marketing major...internships, top of your class, etc. How many of you would've chosen Toys 'R' Us six months ago over Amazon when both were offering you an amazing package to come work for them?

Imagine being a QB and having no say in being drafted by the Cleveland Browns? LOL. Imagine being a SS and having no say in being drafted by the New York Yankees. It just doesn't make sense to me.

I know I have some radical viewpoints and some of them may be "perfect world only" type stuff. But I don't think it makes them invalid.

 

[westx]

Horrible call be the ref that looks like a linebacker. He screwed Croatia on the free kick gift to France.

 

[Mister Moses]

Those damn NFL commies!

 

[clob94]

France is just gutting them like a fish.

 

[weevilcatch]

France is just gutting them like a fish.

Croatia played 90 more minutes than France in the knockout rounds...and had 1 less day of rest. I didn't see 4-2, but certainly didn't see any way Croatia would have much left.

 

[weevilcatch]

Those damn NFL commies!

They absolutely are Moses. Tax payers pay for their stadiums, the owners make hundreds of millions, pay the players like shit, don't offer guaranteed contracts, gouge fans for tickets, parking, concessions, etc., and have a "draft." The commissioner of the league makes 10x that of the league average.

 

[clob94]

Croatia played 90 more minutes than France in the knockout rounds...and had 1 less day of rest. I didn't see 4-2, but certainly didn't see any way Croatia would have much left.

Did you pick up your aggy card while you were away bro? That sounds like an excuse.....

 

[weevilcatch]

Did you pick up your aggy card while you were away bro? That sounds like an excuse.....

LOL, come on man!!!! Don't do me like that

They ran an extra 8 miles per player than France and had one less day of recovery. Croatia won't use it as an excuse, I certainly wouldn't, but as someone watching you could see they had tired legs. They certainly didn't quit but they made mistakes (mentally) that they didn't in the other games.

France were incredible and went through Argentina, Uruguay, Belgium, Croatia. No easy feat!

 

[weevilcatch]

Golden Ball - Modric
Golden Boot - Kane
GK - Courtois (probably give it to LLoris or Subasic)
Young player - M'bappe

Well, I got this right anyway. Although nothing was quite a surprise.

 

[LonghornMM]

Glad its over.

 

[weevilcatch]

Glad its over.

LOL, I was wondering when this was coming.

 

[DrinkToIt]

Horrible call be the ref that looks like a linebacker. He screwed Croatia on the free kick gift to France.

I said it before, Griezmann is a world class flopper. Neymar could learn a thing or two.

 

[DrinkToIt]

Glad its over.

So painful... what else was on? Mid season baseball? Wimbledon? Come on man.

I wish we had this every summer. Well in 2 years it's the Euros so theres that at least.

 

[LonghornMM]

So painful... what else was on? Mid season baseball? Wimbledon? Come on man.

I wish we had this every summer. Well in 2 years it's the Euros so theres that at least.

Yes baseball, which is still 100x better than soccer. Glad this crap is only on once every four years. Looking forward to the best sport in the history of sports, football, starting up! Now we're talking a real sport.

Hook'em!

 

[weevilcatch]

Yes baseball, which is still 100x better than soccer. Glad this crap is only on once every four years. Looking forward to the best sport in the history of sports, football, starting up! Now we're talking a real sport.

Hook'em!

Yeah, I'm going to disagree. Baseball is one of the most boring sports to watch on TV. And it is getting worse.

One thing though, I really don't understand your absolute HATE for the sport MM. I mean, it comes through the computer screen on fire you hate it so much. But alas, I'm sure there are many in Europe that have the same feelings about our football. I love them both.

I'll say another thing...if football and baseball don't do something about their seat prices and concessions they're in for a real bad time in the near future.

If parents can't afford to take their kids to games, kids won't develop a love for it. They'll find time for something else and when they become paying adults, going to games as "entertainment" won't even register with them.