I just finished watching the US national team lose to Brazil this afternoon. I think it was a great effort by the US team that was crushed by terrible officiating on the pitch. While I was watching the match it brought to mind a post I had recently read by garth on the soccernista blog. The post discusses his experience of trying to watch some Premiership football in the middle of Idaho.
The post struck a chord in me on how just how narrow and derogatory the view of the game of soccer is among a majority of Americans. I would just like to share a few of the enlightened comments that I’ve received in regards to soccer.
- ”Soccer players are nothing but a bunch of fags running around a field”. Hmm, well somehow sexuality often seems to be an attack from soccer haters, but this one always makes me chuckle. I mean, how much ass slapping do you see in the average NFL or MLB game? Sure seems like a lot to me, yet fans of these sports would probably be prepared to physically fight with you if you referred to the players as homosexual.
- “Soccer isn’t a contact sport” Granted, I see a lot of flopping on the pitch that tries to pass as contact, but the real physical play that comes from a close match can’t be beat. And besides, would all that male/male contact just make the game “gay” anyway, lol.
- “The games take too long and they’re boring” I can watch a soccer match in about 2 hours time. NFL with commercials and all the bullshit they pack into the broadcasts, 3 hours minimum. Baseball can seem like an eternity! Want to talk about boring? Why is it every basketball game doesn’t really get exciting until about the last 10 minutes out of the entire game. NASCAR? Watching guys drive in circles and bump into each other for hours doesn’t seem very thrilling either.
It’s an argument for the ages and this is just my 2 cents worth. Every sport has is pros and cons among spectators, but I guess I just don’t understand the unabashed hatred of soccer by most of the American public…
It has nothing to do with Becks coming to play for MLS. The truth is, I’ve always had a quiet appreciation for soccer, but as many American fans of the game know, the MSM and television coverage leaves much to be desired.
Until a few weeks ago, I wasn’t financially able to justify doing a major upgrade to my television and programming. Now here in the US, if you don’t have at least basic cable, your exposure to soccer (broadcasted in English) was pretty much limited to the World Cup. I would be able to watch the Copa America and occasionally some of the Mexican premier club matches on the Spanish stations.
Since upgrading to a HD set and a ridiculous satellite programming package, I’ve been on soccer overload! I don’t even know where to begin, I was drawn to it immediately and now I’m hooked! I just wish that more HD coverage was available, but right now I’m just amazed with the total amount of coverage available to me now than previously.
Just a few short hours until the Copa America final, I’m picking Argentina!
