Why isn't football / soccer that popular in North America, United States / USA ?

[tubuler]

First off. The USA mens soccer team doesn't suck. They are better than most national teams except for the big european powerhouses and Brazil and Argentina.

Second, soccer isn't a big spectator sport in the US because all the best teams and players play in europe. If the best of the best played in the US then americans would care about professional soccer. But they don't. So we don't give a fuck.

 

[titsrock]

The US Men's Team is a legit #12 in the WORLD. That's not THAT bad. Our ladies are the best in the World.

I really don't like the quality of MLS. I've tried to watch several games this year and last year and the "action" isn't interesting.

However, I am looking forward to seeing the new Women's Pro League next year. I hope that becomes a nice niche sport here. Women need something else other than the WNBA to "aspire" to...

 

[lkc2much]

The US Men's Team is a legit #12 in the WORLD. That's not THAT bad. Our ladies are the best in the World.

I really don't like the quality of MLS. I've tried to watch several games this year and last year and the "action" isn't interesting.

However, I am looking forward to seeing the new Women's Pro League next year. I hope that becomes a nice niche sport here. Women need something else other than the WNBA to "aspire" to...

The US Mens team is not #12. FIFA ranks USA #28. Go see the official FIFA rankings. And that's below the strong European teams but also below many other European tems like Ukraine, Romania, Scotland, Bulgaria,....and it's below Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire, Israel.....

What are you talking about? And even if it were #12, it's a #12 that will never make it to the worldcup semifinals.

I love this country but let's not fool ourselves. They suck.

But it's Ok. USA doesn't have to be #1 on everything....

 

[Vanilla Bear]

The US Men's Team is a legit #12 in the WORLD. That's not THAT bad. Our ladies are the best in the World.

I really don't like the quality of MLS. I've tried to watch several games this year and last year and the "action" isn't interesting.

However, I am looking forward to seeing the new Women's Pro League next year. I hope that becomes a nice niche sport here. Women need something else other than the WNBA to "aspire" to...

Sorry to disappoint you, but the German soccer ladies are the best in the world.
USA are a close second with Brazil and maybe Sweden.
Well, actually Germany and the USA are pretty equal. Right now the US women are ranked #1, but thats because they had more point games and easier rivals than the German ladies.

 

[lkc2much]

And btw, regarding the Women's team, that's a whole different story. I love the US Women's team.

But football (soccer) is a sport where the Women and Men level of competitiveness is like from here to Pluto.

 

[titsrock]

^^
FIFA rankings are notoriously Full of Shit. They've put the US in the Top 5 before several recent World Cups (98 and 02 cups I believe). I don't care what FIFA says. I'm making the statement based on what I've seen. There are 11 quality teams that the U.S. would be severe underdogs to either Home or Away. For everyone else...we have a good chance to beat.

Rankings have nothing to do with how a team performs in the World Cup, btw...

 

[titsrock]

And btw, regarding the Women's team, that's a whole different story. I love the US Women's team.

But football (soccer) is a sport where the Women and Men level of competitiveness is like from here to Pluto.

That's actually not true. Competitiveness and Skill are very similar when talking about the top Mens and Womens teams. Obviously the Men are taller, faster, stronger, but that's hardly worth mentioning. THe "quality of play"--the linkup play, the cleverness, the off ball runs, the set pieces...a Good Women's team executes in the same manner as a good Men's team. It's obviously at a slower pace, that's all. But who cares. You can SEE the plays and the passes develop with the Women whereas with a top Men's side..the play happens so fast it's a wonder how the players actually see the people they pass to. The other thing I don't like about the Men's game is there's too much HEADING going on. Soccer/Football is a much better game when it's a ground game. There's also hardly any Diving in the Women's game.

Male12: The Germans (Team Fraulein) were #1 Before Olympics...but since your ladies got worked over by Brazil and since the U.S. won the Gold...U.S. is LEGIT #1. Scoreboard US!

 

[lkc2much]

^^
FIFA rankings are notoriously Full of Shit. They've put the US in the Top 5 before several recent World Cups (98 and 02 cups I believe). I don't care what FIFA says. I'm making the statement based on what I've seen. There are 11 quality teams that the U.S. would be severe underdogs to either Home or Away. For everyone else...we have a good chance to beat.

Rankings have nothing to do with how a team performs in the World Cup, btw...

I know that FIFA rankings are puzzling. But that's based on statistics. And the world goes by that OR by world cup standings. Otherwise it is completely subjective.

If you go by all-time worldcup standings, USA is #24.

If you go by the last world cup in Germany, the USA was #27 our of 32 teams. Pretty bad.

The numbers are cold and harsh. Not a good team. Just not a good team. But again, Michael Phelps just won 8 fucking gold medals....

 

[titsrock]

Soccer is static. Things change. The U.S. have quality and depth and YOUNG talent. THe 2006 WC was bad for the U.S. I'm not going to argue with you there. We sucked. But since Bob Bradley took over and since some old guard players "cleared out"...we've had some nice results.

The U.S. is in the unfortunate position of only having 1 SOLID regional rival (Mexico) and a bunch of "weak" regional teams--Canada/Cuba/Guatemala/TrinidadTobego etc....

We've had good recent results against Sweden, Argentina within the past 12 months....

 

[lkc2much]

Soccer is static. Things change. The U.S. have quality and depth and YOUNG talent. THe 2006 WC was bad for the U.S. I'm not going to argue with you there. We sucked. But since Bob Bradley took over and since some old guard players "cleared out"...we've had some nice results.

The U.S. is in the unfortunate position of only having 1 SOLID regional rival (Mexico) and a bunch of "weak" regional teams--Canada/Cuba/Guatemala/TrinidadTobego etc....

We've had good recent results against Sweden, Argentina within the past 12 months....

I wanted to say your positive attitude may be needed if the level of the sport is to improve. But I just don;t agree it's the #12 team. That's what the world cup is for. That's what matters. Not random games. By the way, the US just beat Cuba 1-0. I can think of at least 20 teams that would have scored more than 1 goal against Cuba.....

I rest my case.

By the way, I love women soccer. When there was a league, I had season tickets. And I'm excited is coming back.

I'd give you rep for your optimism but I get this message that I "need to spread some rep before giving it to titsrock again" :glugglug:

 

[titsrock]

I'll have to watch that game. Replay? Was there a Hurricane Ike downpour? Let me go see the starting lineup too. Was it mostly MLS talent?

I'm watching Florida/Miami.

I'm going to support a Ladies Pro team. Haven't figured out which one. I will probably pick a team that has some players I like: Lori Chalupny, Amy Rodriguez (USC player now), Heather Mitts, Hope Solo....

 

[L3ggy]

Hope Solo....

Daughter of Han Solo?

 

[lkc2much]

Daughter of Han Solo?

Maybe. But check her out!! I wacked off to her so many times....


http://www.hopesolo.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/hopesolo.jpg

 

[lkc2much]

The fact that Beckham is saying what he's saying in Italy doesn't help at all

 

[calpoon]

who cares what beckham says? he's a shit.

 

[rwill25]

I don't watch soccer mainly for what harm it might do to my eyes.

I want to see my kids someday!

 

[rodgod22]

May have been said on thread earlier, but ...

Football/soccer became globally popular due to the influence of the British mercantile empire at a time when the U.S. wanted pretty much nothing to do with the British mercantile empire.

 

[calpoon]

that's a good point RG22. American definitely wants to distinguish itself from it's big brother England. For better or worse.

 

[titsrock]

that's a good point RG22. American definitely wants to distinguish itself from it's big brother England. For better or worse.

Eh. In what respect? Maybe we started our own sports as a rejection of British colonial imperialism...but we "kicked out the Brits" long before sports became a phenomena.

The U.S. recently laid a thumping on Mexico again. That was a great game for the U.S. Mexico (a team I root for in non-U.S. matches) looks old, slow and out-of-sync. Rafael Marquez is a washedup thug and needs to be OFF Los Tricolores.

From what I saw of France, I would put money on the U.S. beating France in the U.S. for sure and maybe outplaying them in Paris. The French team is a complete embarrassment under DumbassDomenech.....

I looked up the most recent FIFA rankings--U.S. is at 20, and I still cling to my statement from Sept...the U.S. is a threat to beat anyone HOME or AWAY OUTSIDE the Top 12...and I might not put France in the Top 12 at the moment...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_rankings

 

[lkc2much]

For some here the question of football/soccer popularity in the U.S. is irrelevant. You watch U.S. sports. But I think the question is relevant. If you were in high school and EVERYONE else was into something (say a video game) and you didn't like it, or you sucked at it, you would feel at least not OK with it. No matter that you had your own video games and that, when you won on a video game that only you play you called yourself the world champion.

So it's kind of relevant. It is the one massively popular and relevant aspect of global popular culture where the U.S. has not much to provide and no leadership at all. IMHO