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 Tyrone Slothrop (Post 426563)

eta: I wasn't watching the game, but I'm not sure how any non-Brazilian could have watch that North Korea game and not have rooted for them.

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 426565)

Well said. And, again, when people who rub themselves to orgasm over a "perfect game" in baseball complain that a scoreless soccer game is boring, I have to laugh. Oh, how I laugh.

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller (Post 426561)

Well, good then.

What's next on the "change TM's mind" agenda?

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426557)

Didn't say that. If it were up to me, there would be no shoot-outs. In hockey, I think it would be cool to have each team drop a man (until you have only 4 guys, one of them the goalie) after each overtime until someone scores. And you just keep playing until someone does.

With soccer, I don't know if there is a better way than penalty kicks because the field is just too fucking big. And I must admit, I was pretty excited when the US women's team hit that penalty kick years back. But, Ty's comment about long-term tournament strategery notwithstanding, ties suck.

TM

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 426567)

The analogy still sucks. It would be better if in the history of the world cup there had been only 20 0-0 draws.

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop (Post 426563)

I'm not sure how any non-Brazilian could have watch that North Korea game and not have rooted for them.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426568)

I hate my job. Go.

TM

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426571)

Does it matter who they're playing?

http://www.yorapper.com/Photos/brazil-soccer-fan.jpg

spree: partial areola peeking out of Brazilian fan's tank top.

TM

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 426570)

So perfect games are exciting because they are rare. And no-hitters?

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426568)

I hate my job. Go.

TM

Originally Posted by Sidd Finch (Post 426565)

Well said. And, again, when people who rub themselves to orgasm over a "perfect game" in baseball complain that a scoreless soccer game is boring, I have to laugh. Oh, how I laugh.

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.) (Post 426574)

A perfect game and, in most cases, a no hitter displays a high degree of skill (combined with some luck) by a pitcher performing as best he (or any of them) can perform.

Rarely is a 0-0 tie displaying something similar in the way of exceptional skill. More typically they result from indifferent display of skill, with two teams not making much effort offensively in an effort to avoid concession of goals.

Your analogy would be closer if you compared it to, say, a 4-0 soccer game in which one team thoroughly dominated on offense while also not conceding goals. But that's not the analogy you're making, and even then would not be a very good one. It would be closer in analogy to a 31-0 NFL shutout.

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall (Post 426571)

Does it matter who they're playing?

http://www.yorapper.com/Photos/brazil-soccer-fan.jpg

spree: partial areola peeking out of Brazilian fan's tank top.

TM

Originally Posted by bold_n_brazen (Post 426575)

Would you prefer to be a fat, stupid, boring secretary?