|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject: An American perspective on Soccer...... |
 |
|
It seems every four years some US sports columnist can't help but dump on the worlds most popular sporting event.
| Quote: |
If the government really is serious about identifying illegal immigrants, it soon will be provided a unique opportunity to record their whereabouts.
All the Department of Homeland Security has to do is monitor the city-by-city television ratings of this month's World Cup soccer tournament. Agents should be dispatched to any area in which the ratings reflect an unnaturally high level of interest. That likely signals a concentrated pocket of illegals.
No one who actually is from here cares about the most over-hyped, mind-numbingly boring event in the world. Nevertheless, ABC and ESPN will combine to broadcast all 64 games live and in high definition starting on Friday. High definition means that over the course of a 90-minute contest, both scoring chances can be viewed with crystal clarity.
There's no word yet on whether any of the games will be presented "commercial free." The networks usually make a big deal out of doing that. It's their way of telling us how important the World Cup is. Remember, there were no commercial interruptions when man first walked on the moon.
It makes sense, too. After 20-minute stretches of televised World Cup nothingness, an action-packed commercial definitely would seem intrusive.
Thirty years after soccer was supposed to be the next thing here, ESPN and ABC will attempt to "educate" as well as entertain American viewers during the World Cup, according to an article in Sunday's paper. The arrogance is astounding. The networks still are subscribing to the tired old chestnut that Americans aren't interested in soccer because we don't understand it.
All that tactical beauty is somehow slipping past us. We aren't smart enough to understand the nuances involved in the most popular game in the world.
In fact, just the opposite is true. We don't like soccer because we do understand it. And it's awful.
It's time to quit apologizing and tell the truth. When it comes to soccer, we're right, and the rest of the world is wrong. If they want to dance in the streets of Cameroon or Belgium over this stuff, fine. But the sport does not suit American taste, and we should stop feeling guilty about it.
Look, Americans are an industrious people. We use our hands. We catch footballs. We throw baseballs. We hit golf balls and tennis balls by gripping a piece of equipment. It is unnatural for us to put our hands behind our backs and try to "pass" a soccer ball to a teammate by bouncing it off our heads. We aren't circus seals, and no one is going to toss us a fish if we do it right.
It also offends our sense of fair play to watch a lone referee try to police an area the size of Rhode Island and then get blamed for the outcome by whichever team loses. And regardless of how passionate we are about our sports teams, we draw the line at pipe bombs.
Many spectators in soccer-crazed countries warm up for a big match by hitting their neighbor in the head with a brick. And as soon as little Nigel or Fiona is old enough, mum and dad take them out back and practice squishing them against a chain link fence.
No matter which country wins, rest assured that thousands will die in worldwide rioting. I'm going to pick up the satellite feed of The Hooligan Network, direct from Europe. They show split screen: the soccer game on one half, fans clubbing each other on the other.
Yes, America may be the only country that doesn't go goofy for soccer. We also are the only remaining super power. Don't you see a connection there?
In fairness, soccer is a great activity for little kids. It allows them to run around outside before their motor skills are fully developed and they can move onto something else. It's not bad at the high school level, either, because individual abilities vary greatly at that age, and weird play often occurs as a result.
Beyond that, it's unbearable. As the World Cup rolls around again, I refuse to apologize for saying I'd rather have a colonoscopy than watch a minute of it. Soccer is the rest of the world's problem. Let's not even fake it anymore.
Who cares if the French or Chinese think we are uncivilized? What's the big deal if opponents from the Middle East shake hands after a match? Their countries will be at each other's throats again the next day, anyway.
Perhaps ABC and ESPN will garner decent ratings when the tournament begins. For at least one government agency, the demographics of that audience could prove very interesting.
[email protected].
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Wangja
Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:08 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Who cares what the Americans think about the sport of the world?
Do they care what we think about American football? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
dbee
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Location: korea
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 7:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
Who cares what the Americans think about the sport of the world?
|
... exactly.
I find this 'bringing soccer to America' theme equally as boring as the OP does. I think bbcnews.com must have ran, like 3 stories already about how soccer isn't catching on in America.
Frankly speaking, I couldn't care less whether soccer catches on in America or not. As long as they make an early exit from the tournament - I'll be more than happy with the state of soccer in the US.
Besides, I was in the states when the US won the womens world cup. And soccer was everywhere. The Americans are like the Koreans, they don't support soccer - they support America. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
rawiri
Joined: 01 Jun 2003
Location: Lovely day for a fire drill.
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| What a whanker!, Like baseball is the most compelling sport on the face of the planet. This guy isn't doing much to dispel the stereotype of the ignorant yank, football is the most popular sport on the planet. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Satori
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Above it all
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: An American perspective on Soccer...... |
|
|
| Alias wrote: |
| The arrogance is astounding. |
Indeed it is...
| Quote: |
When it comes to soccer, we're right, and the rest of the world is wrong. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
huck
Joined: 19 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Even though I love soccer, I still liked what this college football columnist had to say....(Liking something does not necessarily mean agreeing with it).
| Quote: |
Q. Please help me in my lunchtime battle with my co-workers about soccer (I need someone smarter than me to beat them). They say the World Cup is the best sporting event. Help me! I need good ammo to battle them! - DO
A: That�s what I�m here for.
Republicans, democrats, liberals, conservatives, gays, bible thumpers, black, white, Hispanic, men, women, children, cats, dogs � we�re all united as one America on this one issue: soccer sucks.
Let me guess, your soccer hooligan co-workers fired out a �you just don�t understand� line at you when it comes to the World Cup. That�s the last bastion of the desperate when it comes to sports arguments. We do understand. Nothing happens for 86 minutes, and then, once in a while, someone gets to take a shot on a goal that�s as big as Arkansas.
I still want to know exactly what makes the sport so great, and no one can explain it properly. Ask me why American football is the best sport in the world and I can go on for 25 minutes about the intricacies of each position, the combination of violence, speed, athleticism, skills, the style of the game with the ability for something huge to happen on every snap of the ball, and the pacing with a nice flow with pauses in between the action allowing just enough time to analyze, second guess, and look forward to the next play without coming to a screeching halt. We get soccer, we just don�t like it.
I�m guessing you�ve also gotten the �it�s the biggest thing in the rest of the world� whine. Whatever. Tell the rest of the World Cup entrants (other than Germany) to get a real gross national product and then call me. Just because a lot of people prefer something, that doesn�t make it right. A billion Chinese people still use chopsticks.
Go to any remote part of the world that has a TV and you�ll find a Friends rerun. We do entertainment better than anyone else, and we know good sports from bad. There�s a reason football is America�s most popular sport; we know better.
Look, if you�re into soccer, knock yourself out. Everyone likes what they like. Just quit beating us over the head because we don�t buy into the boredom.
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Beej
Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Location: Eungam Loop
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:02 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I am an American and a big sports fan. Played a lot of various sports up through high school. I wasnt a soccer fan until I started living overseas. I like the world cup but don't really get into the European leagues.
What I like about the World Cup is the emotion of the fans who really seem to care a lot for their teams. I like the international aspect pitting country vrs country. And i like the fact that these days most countries are good and many countries have a shot at winning this thing.
I do have problems with the actual game. Once a team gets down two scores, its very hard to come back. Its just too damn hard to score.
Look at the games so far. England beat paraguay and yet england didnt even score a goal( the ball bounced off a paraguayan players head). Some victory. Trinidad and tobago TIE Sweden and act like they won the championship after the game.
FIFA wants the USA to like soccer because of money. Hence the world ranking of 5 for the USA team. Soccer will never be popular in the USA even if they win a World Cup. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jinju
Joined: 22 Jan 2006
|
| Posted: Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Does it really matter though? What HORRIFIED me on my visit to the US recently was the absolute, horrifying EMPTYNESS of the culture there. I hadnt been back to North America for over 4 years and the things people talked about, the TV shows, the shallowness of how news is covered, the Jerry Springerization of everything in that country. Even the sports. What once seemed cool to me now simply bored the crap out of me. People were surprised I didnt know the latest music idols or latest movie stars and I just laughed. Its all so trivial. Sports is sort of a great symbol for that. The sports popular in the US are simply put, one big stinkin pile of crap. Ill include Canada in this as theres really not much of a difference. Baseball, basketball, NFL, hockey. Its all shit. So really, who gives a crap what some columnist who spends his whole life writing about trivial shit no one really cares about outside his culture-deprived country writes about the World Cup? Just enjoy it and let them have their idiotic sports. If they have to slam sports people actually care about to make their marginal sports seem relevant, let them do it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 12:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
| huck wrote: |
Even though I love soccer, I still liked what this college football columnist had to say....(Liking something does not necessarily mean agreeing with it).
| Quote: |
Q. Please help me in my lunchtime battle with my co-workers about soccer (I need someone smarter than me to beat them). They say the World Cup is the best sporting event. Help me! I need good ammo to battle them! - DO
A: That�s what I�m here for.
Republicans, democrats, liberals, conservatives, gays, bible thumpers, black, white, Hispanic, men, women, children, cats, dogs � we�re all united as one America on this one issue: soccer sucks.
Let me guess, your soccer hooligan co-workers fired out a �you just don�t understand� line at you when it comes to the World Cup. That�s the last bastion of the desperate when it comes to sports arguments. We do understand. Nothing happens for 86 minutes, and then, once in a while, someone gets to take a shot on a goal that�s as big as Arkansas.
I still want to know exactly what makes the sport so great, and no one can explain it properly. Ask me why American football is the best sport in the world and I can go on for 25 minutes about the intricacies of each position, the combination of violence, speed, athleticism, skills, the style of the game with the ability for something huge to happen on every snap of the ball, and the pacing with a nice flow with pauses in between the action allowing just enough time to analyze, second guess, and look forward to the next play without coming to a screeching halt. We get soccer, we just don�t like it.
I�m guessing you�ve also gotten the �it�s the biggest thing in the rest of the world� whine. Whatever. Tell the rest of the World Cup entrants (other than Germany) to get a real gross national product and then call me. Just because a lot of people prefer something, that doesn�t make it right. A billion Chinese people still use chopsticks.
Go to any remote part of the world that has a TV and you�ll find a Friends rerun. We do entertainment better than anyone else, and we know good sports from bad. There�s a reason football is America�s most popular sport; we know better.
Look, if you�re into soccer, knock yourself out. Everyone likes what they like. Just quit beating us over the head because we don�t buy into the boredom.
|
|
Yeah, that guy's a real convincer. Eloquent. Enlightened. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
manlyboy
Joined: 01 Aug 2004
Location: Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I thought the piece was intended mostly as tongue-in-cheek parochialism, and in amongst the jibes he actually raised a few valid criticisms. I'd call him one-sided and irreverent, but I'd stop short of labeling him arrogant and ignorant. Why do soccer fans get so defensive when people call their sport boring? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm not a soccer fan but I wouldn't go as far as he did. Yeah it was arrogant, but still made me chuckle once or twice.
I really liked the so "both scoring chances can be viewed with crytal clarity."
Lighten up soccer fans. I don't get upset when people attack hockey and its violence (unless it's Jinju doing the attacking. But that's mostly cuz he annoys the hell out of me) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| manlyboy wrote: |
| I thought the piece was intended mostly as tongue-in-cheek parochialism, and in amongst the jibes he actually raised a few valid criticisms. I'd call him one-sided and irreverent, but I'd stop short of labeling him arrogant and ignorant. Why do soccer fans get so defensive when people call their sport boring? |
As an American, I'm not convinced it was tongue in cheek. I am pretty sure his comments, all of them, were sincere.
Maybe I'm wrong, but back home I have seen too many people at the local bar and behind the announcer's desk that actually do think like that, seriously...
| Quote: |
Act 1, Scene 1
flotsam turns on CNN...
Ernie the Announcer: And forget the fussball folks--those Frenchies actually dip their bread in their coffee!! And the coffee's already mixed halfway with milk!!  !! They call it a cafayalay, by golly. Hey there, Pierre would you like some coffee with those freedom fries??
(Guffaws from Stan the weather man.)
Stan: A little to much juh nay say kwa in your cup of morning Jacques, eh Ern? Jeepers, you're a riot buddy.
Ernie: Thanks pal. You too. chuckle-chuckle
Gleaming, chlorine smiles: Exeunt. |
...and for some reason I can't put my finger on, I just can't take them, seriously. Seriously. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:37 am Post subject: Re: An American perspective on Soccer...... |
|
|
| sports columnist wrote: |
| It is unnatural for us to put our hands behind our backs and try to "pass" a soccer ball to a teammate by bouncing it off our heads. We aren't circus seals, and no one is going to toss us a fish if we do it right. |
| sports columnist wrote: |
| And regardless of how passionate we are about our sports teams, we draw the line at pipe bombs. |
| sports columnist wrote: |
| Many spectators in soccer-crazed countries warm up for a big match by hitting their neighbor in the head with a brick. And as soon as little Nigel or Fiona is old enough, mum and dad take them out back and practice squishing them against a chain link fence. |
| sports columnist wrote: |
| No matter which country wins, rest assured that thousands will die in worldwide rioting. I'm going to pick up the satellite feed of The Hooligan Network, direct from Europe. They show split screen: the soccer game on one half, fans clubbing each other on the other. |
| sports columnist wrote: |
| In fairness, soccer is a great activity for little kids. It allows them to run around outside before their motor skills are fully developed and they can move onto something else. |
OUCH! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
sounds to me that the Americans are jealous!
I mean they dont have an Event of such a grand scale! and also they are not good enough to even be recognised in the worlds greatest event!
the Worldcup is bigger than the olympics and the americans just cant stand the fact that they suck at it!
I think its best they take their loss and pack their bags back to USA and leave the real football to the big boys!
aint no second round for these boys!!
go find a baseball to throw!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
flotsam
Joined: 28 Mar 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 2:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
| more !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
