Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 426548)

My post was not really directed at you, but at the debate that seems to constantly come up when people talk about soccer. All the analysis about why the rest of the world can like a sport where people don't score a lot or why Americans are unable to appreciate the subtleties of the game seems to be just crap. It really just comes down to people liking the sports they grew up with and understand. Take this shit from that NYT blog:

"We in this country prefer pastimes that are rational and quantifiable. Football plays can be drawn up in a playbook and baseball lends itself to statistical analysis. But the rest of the world follows a sport that rewards resilience and neuroticism. Soccer is a sport perfectly designed to reinforce a tragic view of the universe, because basically it is a long series of frustrations leading up to near certain heartbreak."

Seriously? It reinforces a tragic view of the universe? That is why the British and the Brazilians love soccer?

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426546)

I just said that when I watch a competition, I like to see which team is better. And the best way to prove that is to have one of the teams win.

Originally Posted by Fugee (Post 426547)

Red card! Penalties are worse than hockey penalties -- Nigeria has to play for almost an hour down one man. That's harsh.

ETA: In hockey if someone gets tossed, there is often an entertaining fight to go along with it. This was just a stupid leg lift and sort of kick at someone. Snore.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 426552)

In hockey if someone gets tossed it's more likely because there was a blatant cheap shot to the head with a stick or shoulder. How often do players get tossed for a regular scrap? Unless they're third-man in.

And penalties in soccer surely are more sweetly awarded than in any sport*, what with the ref slowly building the drama before pulling the card out of the pocket. Totally entertaining watching the RSA goalie standing there waving his hand both as a plea and a "Noooooooo", and then still getting the red card. I'd love to see an NBA ref do that to Kobe some time. Or Rasheed Wallace.



* The only thing nearly as cool is the now-departed college charging call (putting aside TM's objections) with the ref running the other way with the hand behind his head.

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 426548)

My post was not really directed at you, but at the debate that seems to constantly come up when people talk about soccer. All the analysis about why the rest of the world can like a sport where people don't score a lot or why Americans are unable to appreciate the subtleties of the game seems to be just crap. It really just comes down to people liking the sports they grew up with and understand. Take this shit from that NYT blog:

"We in this country prefer pastimes that are rational and quantifiable. Football plays can be drawn up in a playbook and baseball lends itself to statistical analysis. But the rest of the world follows a sport that rewards resilience and neuroticism. Soccer is a sport perfectly designed to reinforce a tragic view of the universe, because basically it is a long series of frustrations leading up to near certain heartbreak."

Seriously? It reinforces a tragic view of the universe? That is why the British and the Brazilians love soccer?

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 426548)

My post was not really directed at you, but at the debate that seems to constantly come up when people talk about soccer. All the analysis about why the rest of the world can like a sport where people don't score a lot or why Americans are unable to appreciate the subtleties of the game seems to be just crap. It really just comes down to people liking the sports they grew up with and understand. Take this shit from that NYT blog:

"We in this country prefer pastimes that are rational and quantifiable. Football plays can be drawn up in a playbook and baseball lends itself to statistical analysis. But the rest of the world follows a sport that rewards resilience and neuroticism. Soccer is a sport perfectly designed to reinforce a tragic view of the universe, because basically it is a long series of frustrations leading up to near certain heartbreak."

Seriously? It reinforces a tragic view of the universe? That is why the British and the Brazilians love soccer?

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 426551)

So a three-shot penalty shoot-out after a 5-minute sudden-death overtime resolves that question meaningfully in a regular season NHL game?

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426557)

But, Ty's comment about long-term tournament strategery notwithstanding, ties suck.

TM

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 426558)

So does the NBA regular season, which is the rough equivalent of when ties are applicable. Once the playoffs start, there are no ties.

And I consider home and home series isn't much different than an NBA playoff series, just with the results of the first match directly affecting the strategy of the second.

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower (Post 426548)

My post was not really directed at you, but at the debate that seems to constantly come up when people talk about soccer. All the analysis about why the rest of the world can like a sport where people don't score a lot or why Americans are unable to appreciate the subtleties of the game seems to be just crap. It really just comes down to people liking the sports they grew up with and understand.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426559)

Well, you've convinced me. I now feel the same way about soccer as I do about basketball.

TM

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 426560)

I agree with you, but for whatever reasons I find it increasingly hard to care about two sports I grew up with, football and basketball, and spend more and more of my time watching a sport I didn't grow up watching, soccer. I barely watch the NFL at all anymore. I spent the night outside the Boston Garden once to get SRO tickets for the playoffs, and now I just can't really be bothered to care whether they win tonight. I mean, I care some, but just not that much. OTOH, I'm willing to go without much sleep in order to see, e.g., New Zealand-Slovakia.

But I don't think my experience is typical.




God bless 'em, they have to print something or they can't sell advertising.

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski (Post 426562)

For you,maybe being able to openly cheer for North Korea and Iran has a lot to do with it?

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 426560)

now I just can't really be bothered to care whether they win tonight. I mean, I care some, but just not that much. OTOH, I'm willing to go without much sleep in order to see, e.g., New Zealand-Slovakia.

But I don't think my experience is typical.