2014 FIFA World Cup - Brazil

[Bucky32]

Also this: FIFA tells U.S. to be ready if Qatar gets stripped of 2022 World Cup - BuzzFeed

Last month, FIFA president Sepp Blatter admitted that choosing “high-risk” Qatar as the host of the the World Cup was a “mistake”, and the international federation is currently performing an investigation into possible corruption surrounding Qatar’s successful bid.

So far, five of FIFA’s six main sponsors have publicly issued statements of concern relating to the Qatar bid, with Visa’s chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio stating that he would expect FIFA to take “aggressive action” if any of the claims proved to be true.

Meanwhile, Qatar has denied any wrongdoing, including claims of bribery. FIFA’s report is set to come out next month.

 

[tAFKaT]

Why is soccer the only sport people go out of their way to tell you how much they hate it?

 

[Mike80]

This isn't in regards to any of OSUK's posts, but it amazes me how many people I've seen on social media commenting on articles saying something to the tune of "Don't care," "Boring," "Wake me up when the real football season starts." Like that's OK that you feel that way, but why even say anything? You literally can't bear coverage for one month every four years? Jesus.

Soccer is a lot like the Olympics with me - there are some events/aspects that I like and I hope the US does well, but it just doesn't matter very much.

Part of the reason I think you're seeing pushback by people saying they hate it, it's boring, etc, is because for a while now (my perception), when someone says they don't really care for soccer, there is a very vocal minority in this country that says "Why not?" or "How can you not like soccer?".

For me it's not just the game itself, and the game itself is fun to play, but the flopping in league play is a bit much. Flopping is one of the multitude of reasons I don't pay attention to the NBA that much.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

 

[Bucky32]

Part of the reason I think you're seeing pushback by people saying they hate it, it's boring, etc, is because for a while now (my perception), when someone says they don't really care for soccer, there is a very vocal minority in this country that says "Why not?" or "How can you not like soccer?".

Yes. There is a contingent of American soccer fans that try way too hard to push the sport upon others instead of letting it grow organically. There is no doubt the sport has experienced incredible gains in this country in the last 30-ish years, but it seems as though these same fans overestimate its popularity and look at you funny if you don't like soccer. It's possible the sport will never gain widespread acceptance here. I'm fine with that.

For me it's not just the game itself, and the game itself is fun to play, but the flopping in league play is a bit much. Flopping is one of the multitude of reasons I don't pay attention to the NBA that much.

I've heard this refrain often. Flops like the one in today's game are inexcusable. Full stop. I know people who try to get into the sport but are quickly turned off by the flopping combined with poor officiating and are pushed right back to meh. But is that really any different than a bullshitty pass interference call in the NFL that costs a team a game? Or a phantom foul in the NBA, where there is also a fair amount of flopping combined with poor officiating? Just some food for thought.

 

[Mike80]

Yes. There is a contingent of American soccer fans that try way too hard to push the sport upon others instead of letting it grow organically. There is no doubt the sport has experienced incredible gains in this country in the last 30-ish years, but it seems as though these same fans overestimate its popularity and look at you funny if you don't like soccer. It's possible the sport will never gain widespread acceptance here. I'm fine with that.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I don't respond well to the whole full-frontal assault.

I've heard this refrain often. Flops like the one in today's game are inexcusable. Full stop. I know people who try to get into the sport but are quickly turned off by the flopping combined with poor officiating and are pushed right back to meh. But is that really any different than a bull[Mark May]ty pass interference call in the NFL that costs a team a game? Or a phantom foul in the NBA, where there is also a fair amount of flopping combined with poor officiating? Just some food for thought.

I think a lot of it has to do with a lot of the country growing up with the NFL and NBA, and not with soccer. I think the growth you are seeing for soccer will reverse this trend eventually however.

 

[tAFKaT]

American football has its own version of flopping. When defensive players fake injuries to slow down a high tempo offenses. Is that not basically the same as flopping and diving?

 

[Mike80]

American football has its own version of flopping. When defensive players fake injuries to slow down a high tempo offenses. Is that not basically same as flopping and diving?

This is what I'm talking about when it comes to that vocal minority. You're comparing it directly to "American Football" when no one has really done so.

No one, and certainly not me, is defending football players when they flop compared to soccer players when they do it. However, you don't see someone in the NFL go down and flop like an Italian soccer player (if you catch my drift and see the connection) without being roundly criticized and fined in some cases.

It's a stigma against soccer as a sport. Unfortunately time and again we see the players confirm the stigma with their actions.

Edit to add: In the NBA, the flopping got so bad that they had to institute fines and eventually technical fouls and suspensions. Have they done that in soccer? I somehow doubt it.

 

[Bucky32]

I think a lot of it has to do with a lot of the country growing up with the NFL and NBA, and not with soccer. I think the growth you are seeing for soccer will reverse this trend eventually however.

True. Soccer is trying to breach the stratosphere of the Big 4 sports here popularity-wise. But it's also a rather foreign game to many Americans, i.e. they don't know the rules, terms, etc. For some reason many Americans react with hostility instead of simply ignoring it. I don't get it.

 

[Mike80]

True. Soccer is trying to breach the stratosphere of the Big 4 sports here popularity-wise. But it's also a rather foreign game to many Americans, i.e. they don't know the rules, terms, etc. For some reason many Americans react with hostility instead of simply ignoring it. I don't get it.

Since all of the Big-4 are showing growth now, I don't know if it's ever going to breach the Top-4 soon. However, since the US is the 3rd biggest country in the world now by population, I think there is room for a Big-5 type set up. I think we can both agree that for the foreseeable future, the NFL, NBA and MLB are going to be lightyears ahead of soccer in this country. It might eventually catch the NHL as a major sport though.

 

[tAFKaT]

This is what I'm talking about when it comes to that vocal minority.

No one, and certainly not me, is defending football players when they flop compared to soccer players when they do it. However, you don't see someone in the NFL go down and flop like an Italian soccer player (if you catch my drift and see the connection) without being roundly criticized and fined in some cases.

It's a stigma against soccer as a sport. Unfortunately time and again we see the players confirm the stigma with their actions.

Could you point out where I wrote you had to like soccer? I don't give shit if you like it or not. I was just pointing out that kind of gamesmanship exists in all sports.

 

[Mike80]

Could you point out where I wrote you had to like soccer? I don't give [Mark May] if you like it or not. I was just pointing out that kind of gamesmanship exists in all sports.

You didn't. However, you immediately went to a comparison no one was making to prove your point and using the tried and true "Well in the NFL...." schtick that everyone who doesn't like soccer gets thrown at them.

However, since we're trading videos:

 

[tAFKaT]

You didn't. However, you immediately went to a comparison no one was making to prove your point and using the tried and true "Well in the NFL...." schtick that everyone who doesn't like soccer gets thrown at them.

However, since we're trading videos:

Can you blame us? The go to reason for people hating soccer is diving. That is some tried and true schtick.

 

[Mike80]

Can you blame us? The go to reason for people hating soccer is diving. That is some tried and true shtick.

I don't really even get the point of your original comment to be honest. No one was attacking soccer but you certainly felt the need to defend it. Which again proved my point about the vocal minority in this country that I was trying to make.

 

[tAFKaT]

I don't really even get the point of your original comment to be honest. No one was attacking soccer but you certainly felt the need to defend it. Which again proved my point about the vocal minority in this country that I was trying to make.

I am little confused, could you please quote the comment?