Whats The Big Deal About The World Cup

[MagnumForce]

For 90 minutes, Football unites the world.

[carmine]

I urge my fellow countrymen to please stop calling the sport 'soccer' as it only further seperates ourselves from the rest of the world.

In the interest of international harmony can we please agree from this point forth to refer to the sport by the more proper name of

'Un-American Football'

Thank You for your co-operation.

do you mean 'gridiron'? that strange game where all those big, brawny, beefcake protagonists have to wear padding and crash helmets to protect their delicate little selves? which is erroneously called 'football' despite the ball spending the majority of the time in the players' hands?

preposterous, dull, tedious joke of a 'sport'.

football, or soccer, is the world game. any person on earth can play it anywhere.

:D You said it for me. No further comment required!

[Donnyboy]

Or maybe the big deal is best personified by this

great clip that!

brings back the memories, it looked like 2 goals were scored against my national team NZ All Whites, the first time NZ every reached the WC

we were in awe of thoses Brazilians, and just one from Italy named Rossi

thats probably why I usually support the Brazilians

[Donnyboy]

football, or soccer, is the world game. any person on earth can play it anywhere.

even at the airport, i love this ad

[smokie36]

Or maybe the big deal is best personified by this

great clip that!

brings back the memories, it looked like 2 goals were scored against my national team NZ All Whites, the first time NZ every reached the WC

we were in awe of thoses Brazilians, and just one from Italy named Rossi

Scotland are in the World Cup look!!!!

Aah the memories are flooding back....

[carmine]

Nice one, That was a brilliant clip. Has'nt Pele already said that he thinks it was the best Brazillian side ever?

Oh well, enough of this....back to the Heskey/Crouch debate!!!

[Yunnie]

From someone who is American.. I despise America sports. I FREAKING dont understand why America football, Basketball, and Baseball is so popular! And dont get be started on Nascar....

American Football - bunch of big guys running around. Only thing football about it is ONLY the kicker.

Basketball - ... err just has never been a sport I liked

Baseball - 9 innings of boring- ness.

Nascar - You can only watch someone drive the same car around an oval track so many time...

Why I like football? far more exciting then above. I cant explain it. It just is.

I have always liked the sports that are rarely played in the US. Sports like Football (soccer), Rugby, Lacross. Issue for me in the US is, barely anyone freaking covers these sports and its at horrible times, so I never get to watch anything.

Sometimes I might watch AFL - buts its a bit more brutal then what I can stand. :/

[CMX]

We Should Celebrate All Sports!!!

Actually, most sports share the requirements, the stamina, the skills, and the intensity needed to kill game animals close at hand, or to win wars hand-to-hand.

They are in good part celebrations of those aspects of the male physique that made a difference in primitive worlds, now long gone. In most, therefore, there is common cause.

Today, where minds are essentially dominant in the earth's undertakings and computers and machines do so much, sports are simply a celebratory legacy of what is ancient history, and fairly useless. We pay gargantuan prices to satisfy these pitiable leftover ego needs; males are best at something, anyway.

On the other hand, there are a lot of sickologists who suppose that watching spectator sports deflects inner anger (except some fans, and we know who you are) and has, in sum, a peaceful result. Almost all in health fields, physical of course but also mental, believe that it is better to participate in sports than to watch them, just as it is better for the physique, the soul, and happiness to participate in life instead of watching TV.

Male bonding too is advanced as a worthwhile advantage of spectator sports having to do with mental health, and I have some relations with whom I can carry on a friendly conversation for a long time because of them. Women, though, would usually rather dance (doing it) than watch (not doing it). A strange gender.

But with regard to the Cup: Its benefits must be pretty much like the Olympics.

[uptheos]

Yunnie: Nascar - You can only watch someone drive the same car around an oval track so many times.

The steering wheel on those cars only turn left. I'm with you mate.

The best World Cup goal surely has to be Maradonna's against England (not the handball), it was pure magic, absolute brilliance.

[kjhbigv]

The good thing about 'soccer' or what I would call 'football' is that many many countries around the world take part...hence the 'World Cup' and that in itself makes it exciting and patriotic, rather than one country playing itself at it's own sport.

I prefer watching 'soccer' more than American Football....I went to an American Football match once and was surprised at how many times the action stopped....4 seconds of activity followed by a load of music and then the team goes off and a giant pizza race takes place, then team back on and then 5 seconds of action, then another competition with the video screen spotting a fan in the crowd and they win a prize, then a change of team and 4 seconds of play and the process repeats itself over and over....that was my experience! Just stop and start, the whole time.

At least soccer, is fast paced, non-stop action.

[carmine]

Well MrMiller i trust you have watched the video on post#29. If you have, i'm sure you are suitably inspired.

[hansum]

Its always American Football fans that need to come out with such lines about football, soccer or whatever they wish to call it.

Youd never get a football fan going on about American football in such a way as its an insignificant sport played by steroid freaks who'll die prematurely so they can compete.

[kevozman1]

Much more skill involved in football (soccer) than the other sports you mentioned

and is a more flowing sport, not like rugby and USA football where the game is

stopped every 15 seconds.

Also when you are young and want to play a sport in a park with a few friends it

is much better to have a casual kick around rather than jumping all over each

like in rugby and USA football.

Football is very international these days with every country in the World having a

national team and I suppose that is why the World Cup is a big deal.

[carmine]

Its always American Football fans that need to come out with such lines about football, soccer or whatever they wish to call it.

Youd never get a football fan going on about American football in such a way as its an insignificant sport played by steroid freaks who'll die prematurely so they can compete.

This thread is starting to get really good!

[hansum]

Actually, as an American myself, I prefer to watch rugby and Australian football over those other sports. Many of the retorts, however, were inane comments from people with narrow minds that likely never played any sports in their lives -at least any sports where they got their clothes ripped and their noses bloodied.

Ive boxed as a boy and i train here.

But ive also played football and i can guarantee getting your legs taken away from you when your sprinting and not expecting it, is far worse then getting punched in the face when you know its coming.

Besides footballers used to play on with bloody noses, mouth, lips etc... its just they arent allowed anymore.

To judge a sport on how beaten up you get isnt really an argument is it.

PS Rugby players are generally poncy middle class boys who'd be too scared to walk around the areas many footballers come from.

[StevieH]

And as far as defending football(soccer)because it is played around the world and the masses like it just proves my point. Any time you get the masses on board with anything they are usually wrong. But that's just one man's opinion.

ah, i see. your original post painted a picture and that last line there just coloured it in.

[Foxman888]

You may not have mentioned them by name but you said - 'Call me old fashioned but what is the big deal about what we call soccer in the USA? I grew up playing and loving contact sports where you get to mix it up with the other team/opponents where physical contact is a part of the game.So it was pretty obvious your talking about the 4 'big' sports in America!

So its ok for you talk down about football, but not ok for others to say why they don't like your favourites??

I'm english, so obviously i love football, its difficult to put your finger on exactly what is that makes so many people around the world love it, for me its just that split second where you can see a goal coming and then it hits the back of the net. The beauty of free flowing football as shown by the Dutch in the 70's, Brazil in 1982, and now Spain i just don't think can be compared to any other sport but thats just me, other people will have different reasons, and some people will never get it but thats ok!

When younger i also played rugby and also American football, although obviously never to a good level, but thoroughly enjoyed it, once you realise the nuances of the game and appreciate the almost chess like tactics you can really get into it, but i can understand why a lot of people, especially those brought up on football, never get it.

As another poster said football unites the world, those moments in a world cup when pretty much the whole country is united is just fantastic, some of my greatest memories are from World Cups/European Championships in a pub with friends, its jam packed and everyone person there is just waiting for that moment of brilliance or goal - just cannot be beaten but then thats only my opinion

[mrmillersr]

 

Well seeing as football is watched and enjoyed by millions the world over every 4 years I would say that you are indeed in a minority.  

As for your snide remarks that it's a game that girls and little kids can play; 

you should do your homework as American 'football' is also played by woman and even have leagues!  

BTW How can you even call it football when you use your hands as well?

And your American football? its rugby played by a bunch of over sized pansies. Real men play rugby without body armor.

And if American 'football' was so great how come it hasn't spread to almost every corner of the world as football has?

It's barely made out of the US, so one could say that numbers would conclude that this game (American 'football' ) is the bunch of crap.

'Mestizo' explains that football is as exciting as watching his grandmother defecate! 

Mestizo' please leave your grandmother to defecate in peace!

Just about sums up the mentality of this anti football crowd!  

For some reason I detect you have a major problem with Americans in general. I never brought up American football or any other American sport for that matter but you certainly went off like a 4th of July firecracker.

And your comment about calling American football players "over sized pansies" says what about your mentality? Not much I'm afraid.

[StevieH]

And as far as defending football(soccer)because it is played around the world and the masses like it just proves my point. Any time you get the masses on board with anything they are usually wrong. But that's just one man's opinion.

do you like the beatles by the way? how about elvis presley? what about beer, coca cola, cheeseburgers, pizza, agatha christie novels and the internet? how about sunshine?

[tigerfish]

"World Cup fever" in Chiang Mai is ridiculous and quite annoying. No idea why people wait 4 years to see a grown man fall down, grab his leg, and roll around in the ground in fake pain for no reason. Which is basically all soccer is. And what, 3 of 5 games are "draws" so far?? *REAL* exciting!! About as exciting as watching my grandmother defecate.

American football is a real sport. Soccer is just.....

american football is a real sport. give me a break!

a sport played by a load of drop outs that only got their college education by either being able to run fast or weighing over 11o kilos.

plus the fact that they wear padding and that the game takes over 2 hour plus to be played. when it should only take 1 hour 10 minutes tops.

try watching a bit of rugby. a real mans game!

[WarpSpeed]

It always strikes me as strange that it's nearly always people from countries that are fairly useless at football are the ones that try to say it's boring ... rubbish .... a girls game .... paid by faries etc etc.

Lets look at Australia, they have aussie rules football! Why? Can't they compete with the rest of the world at this sport? Is this why they call it soccer? So they can have their own football and take it home when they don't want to play anymore? That aside, they are probably consistantly the best nation in the world at Rugby and have some very good Snooker players, swimmers etc.

Now let's look at the Good old U .. S .. of A.

Every sport they have of their own they have a world champion without competing against any other part of the world. Another country which has their own game of football and are not suprisingly very good at soccer. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching American football and I'm not American!

Baseball ..... Erm, I think the girls used to play this but to be fair it may have been under the name of rounders!

I don't agree with the argument that American football is Rugby with lots of body armour but there have been instances where American Football teams and Rugby teams have played each other at both games and the Rugby team has won both games so I suppose that closes that.

Isn't it also strange that everywhere in the world that Football is a sport known and loved? The rules are spoken and understood in English? Strange how two nations, Australia and th US, both English speaking have had to invent their own game under the same name, and are both below average at the sport known and loved by everyone elso in the world? FOOTBALL !!!!!!!

Only a month left folks

Except that the only time England and the U.S. met prior to this in the World Cup the U.S. won in 1950 at the height of Britain's dominance over the sport...And the first hat trick in world cup history was by an American by the name of Bert Patenaude...

As an American that has played soccer for more then 25 years at the highest level attainable for that period I love the game, one of it's endearing qualities is that you don't have to be 6'8" and 250 pounds to be very skilled so it is fairly level playing field for athletes of all sizes and skills and that's also an endearing quality of it. It is a very skillful sport most people can't even walk without tripping on their own 2 feet so try dribbling and controlling a ball at full run sometime.

I also beg to differ on the "no contact" premise, there is plenty of fair contact the only contact called is unfair challenges and what are considered fouls in just as in every sport even American football where it's not legal to rough any player after a play, or hit the quarter back in the head, clipping, etc...

[Microwave]

My heritage is a mixture of every country/culture I've lived in and traveled to over the years. Some sports I understand and like while other sports I don't understand and therefore don't follow. I happen to enjoy playing and watching most USA sports as well as many other sports which are not so popular in the USA, including football/soccer. My point is this: every sport has people who follow it and people who don't. I reckon that each sport has its merits or there wouldn't be fans of each sport. I therefore don't think it's correct to criticize someone for liking or not liking a particular sport. Everyone has their own tastes in sport, and those tastes should be respected and not criticized.

[mrmillersr]

It always strikes me as strange that it's nearly always people from countries that are fairly useless at football are the ones that try to say it's boring ... rubbish .... a girls game .... paid by faries etc etc.

Lets look at Australia, they have aussie rules football! Why? Can't they compete with the rest of the world at this sport? Is this why they call it soccer? So they can have their own football and take it home when they don't want to play anymore? That aside, they are probably consistantly the best nation in the world at Rugby and have some very good Snooker players, swimmers etc.

Now let's look at the Good old U .. S .. of A.

Every sport they have of their own they have a world champion without competing against any other part of the world. Another country which has their own game of football and are not suprisingly very good at soccer. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching American football and I'm not American!

Baseball ..... Erm, I think the girls used to play this but to be fair it may have been under the name of rounders!

I don't agree with the argument that American football is Rugby with lots of body armour but there have been instances where American Football teams and Rugby teams have played each other at both games and the Rugby team has won both games so I suppose that closes that.

Isn't it also strange that everywhere in the world that Football is a sport known and loved? The rules are spoken and understood in English? Strange how two nations, Australia and th US, both English speaking have had to invent their own game under the same name, and are both below average at the sport known and loved by everyone elso in the world? FOOTBALL !!!!!!!

Only a month left folks

You wouldn't happen to be from that country that couldn't even beat the lowly American team could you?

[WarpSpeed]

It always strikes me as strange that it's nearly always people from countries that are fairly useless at football are the ones that try to say it's boring ... rubbish .... a girls game .... paid by faries etc etc.

Lets look at Australia, they have aussie rules football! Why? Can't they compete with the rest of the world at this sport? Is this why they call it soccer? So they can have their own football and take it home when they don't want to play anymore? That aside, they are probably consistantly the best nation in the world at Rugby and have some very good Snooker players, swimmers etc.

Now let's look at the Good old U .. S .. of A.

Every sport they have of their own they have a world champion without competing against any other part of the world. Another country which has their own game of football and are not suprisingly very good at soccer. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching American football and I'm not American!

Baseball ..... Erm, I think the girls used to play this but to be fair it may have been under the name of rounders!

I don't agree with the argument that American football is Rugby with lots of body armour but there have been instances where American Football teams and Rugby teams have played each other at both games and the Rugby team has won both games so I suppose that closes that.

Isn't it also strange that everywhere in the world that Football is a sport known and loved? The rules are spoken and understood in English? Strange how two nations, Australia and th US, both English speaking have had to invent their own game under the same name, and are both below average at the sport known and loved by everyone elso in the world? FOOTBALL !!!!!!!

Only a month left folks

You wouldn't happen to be from that country that couldn't even beat the lowly American team could you?

Seems they couldn't do it the last time we met in the world cup either as we won that one...

[tigerfish]

It always strikes me as strange that it's nearly always people from countries that are fairly useless at football are the ones that try to say it's boring ... rubbish .... a girls game .... paid by faries etc etc.

Lets look at Australia, they have aussie rules football! Why? Can't they compete with the rest of the world at this sport? Is this why they call it soccer? So they can have their own football and take it home when they don't want to play anymore? That aside, they are probably consistantly the best nation in the world at Rugby and have some very good Snooker players, swimmers etc.

Now let's look at the Good old U .. S .. of A.

Every sport they have of their own they have a world champion without competing against any other part of the world. Another country which has their own game of football and are not suprisingly very good at soccer. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy watching American football and I'm not American!

Baseball ..... Erm, I think the girls used to play this but to be fair it may have been under the name of rounders!

I don't agree with the argument that American football is Rugby with lots of body armour but there have been instances where American Football teams and Rugby teams have played each other at both games and the Rugby team has won both games so I suppose that closes that.

Isn't it also strange that everywhere in the world that Football is a sport known and loved? The rules are spoken and understood in English? Strange how two nations, Australia and th US, both English speaking have had to invent their own game under the same name, and are both below average at the sport known and loved by everyone elso in the world? FOOTBALL !!!!!!!

Only a month left folks

agree with your comments.

however i think you will find that if not in this world cup or the years to come, the aussies will be a force to be reckoned with.

[Moonrakers]

[VictorMeldrewBKK]

Well seeing as football is watched and enjoyed by millions the world over every 4 years I would say that you are indeed in a minority.

As for your snide remarks that it's a game that girls and little kids can play;

you should do your homework as American 'football' is also played by woman and even have leagues!

BTW How can you even call it football when you use your hands as well?

And your American football? its rugby played by a bunch of over sized pansies. Real men play rugby without body armor.

And if American 'football' was so great how come it hasn't spread to almost every corner of the world as football has?

It's barely made out of the US, so one could say that numbers would conclude that this game (American 'football' ) is the bunch of crap.

'Mestizo' explains that football is as exciting as watching his grandmother defecate!

Mestizo' please leave your grandmother to defecate in peace!

Just about sums up the mentality of this anti football crowd!

For some reason I detect you have a major problem with Americans in general. I never brought up American football or any other American sport for that matter but you certainly went off like a 4th of July firecracker.

And your comment about calling American football players "over sized pansies" says what about your mentality? Not much I'm afraid.

I have many good American friends and have nothing against Americans. And yes I suppose I did go off like a firecracker but you did call my national sport crap and imply that it is played by girls so as to take the piss somehow, so you reap what you sow. If you start of a topic with insults and are then joined by others with insults such as "football is as exciting as watching my grandmother defecate" then what do you expect?

As for your game, I don't like it but that doesn't mean its crap and so I won't call it as such. And anyway, we all know you just wanted to start a good USA V England slagging match thread, and you did, so I thank you for that. But for me its all a bit of fun, not personal. Also maybe I went off like a 5th of November Guy Fawkes night because England didn't beat USA but that's football.

And my comment calling American football players "over sized pansies" well like I said, you reap what you sow. Maybe its all the steroid abuse we read about associated with the game. BTW you forgot to acknowledge that American foot and hand ball was also played by women.

[VictorMeldrewBKK]

EGGSACTLEY LOL

[Lordfoul]

Not sure why you quoted my post, I made no mention of the sport you are speaking of.

I am trying to bring peace and harmony while you are spewing hate and negativity.

I urge my fellow countrymen to please stop calling the sport 'soccer' as it only further seperates ourselves from the rest of the world.

In the interest of international harmony can we please agree from this point forth to refer to the sport by the more proper name of

'Un-American Football'

Thank You for your co-operation.

do you mean 'gridiron'? that strange game where all those big, brawny, beefcake protagonists have to wear padding and crash helmets to protect their delicate little selves? which is erroneously called 'football' despite the ball spending the majority of the time in the players' hands?

preposterous, dull, tedious joke of a 'sport'.

football, or soccer, is the world game. any person on earth can play it anywhere.

[WarpSpeed]

I won't argue the name game as our football is not comparative in the amount of foot use and that has always been a curiosity of mine as well, but once it was so named another option had to be considered and soccer/football lost out to the popularity of American football, still what about Australian rules football?? That post-dates football/soccer..