Whiskey Pimp Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Thanks. I don't think that's it though. There are a lot of other sports we didn't invent and aren't good at, from rugby to cricket to volleyball to handball. But only soccer gets the hatred in this country. During the cricket world cup, you don't see us rally against cricket. But during the soccer world cup, euro championship...etc there is a massive anti-soccer reaction from the american public. Any negative thing you can think of, its been associated with soccer: sissy, gay, boring, lame, unamerican, stupid...etc. I can't think of any other foreign sport that gets 1/100th of the hatred that soccer gets. It sucks for people like me who are trying to be open minded about it for the first time. Not sure why Americans would have anything to say during Euro Championships since USA isn't part of Europe. Maybe the reason there are negative comments about it being ghey or sissy have to do with the fact that LA is paying the biggest homo footballer (NTTAWWT) in the world something like $250M to single handedly put the sport on his back and make the entire country love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I love, LOVE soccer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Did you start this thread just to complain? Did you want to play a game of soccer and couldn't find any hate-mongoring Americans to play with you? What does anyone elses opinion have to do with you liking and enjoying something? Started this thread to get some opinions of where the soccer bashing phenomena comes from, in my case in the past I used to diss soccer because it was the in thing to do and soccer was always uncool. It wasn't meant to be a discussion on the merits of soccer, but more of a discussion of where our negative opinion of soccer comes from and why it is at such odds to everyone else. I'm just starting to try and get into soccer with an open mind and have noticed the negativity surrounding it. I've never played soccer though, too much running for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Why do you need the rest of America to like this sport with you? Why can't you just enjoy it on your own? There are definitely some things that I enjoy that a majority of the people that I know do not (and would even ridicule me for). Doesn't bother me though... because I'm a unique beatiful non-gay bird who can fly on my own. CAW!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Why do you need the rest of America to like this sport with you? Why can't you just enjoy it on your own? There are definitely some things that I enjoy that a majority of the people that I know do not (and would even ridicule me for). Doesn't bother me though... because I'm a unique beatiful non-gay bird who can fly on my own. CAW!!! I can't really say I like soccer, I'm really new to it. Trying to get into it though because I enjoyed ESPN's broadcast of Euro 2008. Encountered lots of hate for it so far, which puzzles me. PS. FLY ON birdie ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Soccer, like bicycle riding, is still not cool if you're over 12 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylive5 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I'm pretty sure baseball would fall into this category wouldn't it? Any sport that you can have a snack (sunflower seeds) while playing seems a bit off no? Baseball may be a non-contact sport most of the time.... but it is a violent sport and that satisfactory for most Americans. At one time baseball was extremely violent and was almost a contact sport especially around 2nd base. Ain't nothin' better than watching a guy get beaned or a SS/2nd baseman get taken out to stop a double play. Soccer has it's share of broken bones and blood being let...but nothing compared to the sports Americans love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 But you shouldn't be playing it to be cool. You should be playing it for your own personal enjoyment (or in the rare cases that you are making money off playing it) and stop worrying what America thinks. There's a hugh market for it...much larger than the NFL. So chill on whether America likes it or not and thinks it is a gay sport or not. Why must we like everything the rest of the world does? That's what makes America great. We're not sheep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Baseball may be a non-contact sport most of the time.... but it is a violent sport and that satisfactory for most Americans. At one time baseball was extremely violent and was almost a contact sport especially around 2nd base. Ain't nothin' better than watching a guy get beaned or a SS/2nd baseman get taken out to stop a double play. Soccer has it's share of broken bones and blood being let...but nothing compared to the sports Americans love. Rugby has more blood and broken bones than any of our sports, yet we don't watch it. Boxing has been declining in popularity for decades to being almost irrelevant here, although its more violent than any mainstream sport. And from what I've seen so far, soccer is much more violent than baseball. But then again soccer players do pretend to be injured and dive for penalties...maybe that's why we hate it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 But you shouldn't be playing it to be cool. You should be playing it for your own personal enjoyment (or in the rare cases that you are making money off playing it) and stop worrying what America thinks. There's a hugh market for it...much larger than the NFL. So chill on whether America likes it or not and thinks it is a gay sport or not. Why must we like everything the rest of the world does? That's what makes America great. We're not sheep. So is it one of those "the rest of the world likes it so we must be against it"?? Is soccer like the metric system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Exactly like the metric system or not defending their own countries or wearing funny hats or having funny names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Exactly like the metric system or not defending their own countries or wearing funny hats or having funny names. Does soccer = obama? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMD Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 In addition to the views expressed previously, a reason for negativity about soccer is that it is a world-wide sport that is hugely popular everywhere except here and yet we cannot stand to watch it because nothing ever happens. We do not understand or appreciate the finer nuances of the game (I am guessing here) and it just looks like guys running up and down a field endlessly and NEVER scoring. Perhaps we are too much into instant gratification and such but watching something for a couple of hours to see it end 1-0 is just brutal. It just doesn't seem like a very exciting sport to watch if they never score and they are not supposed to run into each other. It is just guys running back and forth kicking a ball. It's just really, really, really boring to most americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperCharger Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 In addition to the views expressed previously, a reason for negativity about soccer is that it is a world-wide sport that is hugely popular everywhere except here and yet we cannot stand to watch it because nothing ever happens. We do not understand or appreciate the finer nuances of the game (I am guessing here) and it just looks like guys running up and down a field endlessly and NEVER scoring. Perhaps we are too much into instant gratification and such but watching something for a couple of hours to see it end 1-0 is just brutal. It just doesn't seem like a very exciting sport to watch if they never score and they are not supposed to run into each other. It is just guys running back and forth kicking a ball. It's just really, really, really boring to most americans. You forgot gay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I can't really say I like soccer, I'm really new to it. Trying to get into it though because I enjoyed ESPN's broadcast of Euro 2008. Encountered lots of hate for it so far, which puzzles me. PS. FLY ON birdie ;-) I'm trying to figure out what exactly is going on here... How are all of the American soccer haters even finding out that you watch and enjoy soccer? What do you do, go to work and start asking guys about the latest soccer match, and then they turn on you with foaming mouth venom? Explain the situation where your private enjoyment of televised soccer somehow meets up with a national resistance to the sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 In addition to the views expressed previously, a reason for negativity about soccer is that it is a world-wide sport that is hugely popular everywhere except here and yet we cannot stand to watch it because nothing ever happens. We do not understand or appreciate the finer nuances of the game (I am guessing here) and it just looks like guys running up and down a field endlessly and NEVER scoring. Perhaps we are too much into instant gratification and such but watching something for a couple of hours to see it end 1-0 is just brutal. It just doesn't seem like a very exciting sport to watch if they never score and they are not supposed to run into each other. It is just guys running back and forth kicking a ball. It's just really, really, really boring to most americans. Thanks, but you didn't answer my question. We hate soccer because "nothing ever happens"? Most football games would have as much scoring as soccer if each touchdown was worth only 1 point. Here are all NFL games from 2006 with soccer style scoring where 1 touchdown = 1 point: http://ideas.repec.org/zimm/experimental/nfl2006.html Would we hate football if the NFL reported its scores as 3-1 instead of 21-7? A 1-0 baseball game is considered as a masterpiece and highly exciting, but a 1-0 soccer game is considered "really, really, really boring". Is a sport in which NOTHING ever happens and there is NEVER any scoring something that appeals to all other people except us? Do they hate instant gratification? Why can't 95% of the people on this planet see soccer the same way we see it, as nothing and boring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 (edited) I'm trying to figure out what exactly is going on here... How are all of the American soccer haters even finding out that you watch and enjoy soccer? What do you do, go to work and start asking guys about the latest soccer match, and then they turn on you with foaming mouth venom? Explain the situation where your private enjoyment of televised soccer somehow meets up with a national resistance to the sport. Here in the heartland, the average persons opinon on soccer is similar to: http://www.soccersucks.net If you like soccer (or are trying to get into it) you are either seen as unamerica or a mexican or gay. Its pretty much made me consider to stop trying to get into it....Any time I mention it to any of my football buddies, I end up being ridiculed. Never tried bringing it up at work, and wouldn't want to. Edited September 22, 2008 by bconngemini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylive5 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 We have given all kinds of answers and opinions. Yet nothing satisfies. I have come to the conclusion that this is a soccer discussion thread in disguise and not a research paper. Try this from USAToday 2006: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/worl...in-the-us_x.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperCharger Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Here in the heartland, the average persons opinon on soccer is similar to: http://www.soccersucks.net If you like soccer (or are trying to get into it) you are either seen as unamerica or a mexican or gay. Its pretty much made me consider to stop trying to get into it....Any time I mention it to any of my football buddies, I end up being ridiculed. Never tried bringing it up at work, and wouldn't want to. I posted it before and I'll post it again. NATIONALISM Soccer, Cricket, Rugby etc are obviously non-American sports and therefore we don't give them the time of day and could care less about their existance or the existance of their fans. Football could be the worst sport ever contrived but it's AMERICAN and damn it we love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylive5 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ....Any time I mention it to any of my football buddies, I end up being ridiculed. Never tried bringing it up at work, and wouldn't want to. HA! I knew it. You can't talk about your growing interest in soccer with people around you so you started a thread here. That's alright.... there are soccer people here. We understand what you are going through. It's okay to like soccer and still be an American. Honest. I have spent the last 50+ years liking soccer. However, I understood real quick that it isn't something one talks about in polite company. You will get used to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 (edited) Soccer requires minimal physical abilities Dude you have your head in the clouds sometimes. Edited September 22, 2008 by darin3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chester Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I honestly didn't know there was hatred of soccer in America, simply indifference. I might hear somebody say 'soccer sucks' or 'soccer is boring' but never any more than that. I'm a big hockey fan and have heard many more complaints about hockey than soccer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8tank Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 You know who really likes soccer? Retarded kids. What does that tell you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 HA! I knew it. You can't talk about your growing interest in soccer with people around you so you started a thread here. And opened a new account just to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bconngemini Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 HA! I knew it. You can't talk about your growing interest in soccer with people around you so you started a thread here. That's alright.... there are soccer people here. We understand what you are going through. It's okay to like soccer and still be an American. Honest. I have spent the last 50+ years liking soccer. However, I understood real quick that it isn't something one talks about in polite company. You will get used to it. Well, I am cosidering dropping it. Its just not worth liking a sport that causes you to be called a fag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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