One of the highest-paid athletes in American sport is...

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:50 pm

Nishlord wrote:The big mistake MLS have made is chasing after morons like Truman who hate Sahkah as much as they hate paying child support and washing their own genitals, and not a) bringing up and promoting the home-grown talent (because there's not one European player that can make a lick of difference) and b) cementing their relationship with the Latino community, seeing as they're going to be the dominant race in the US this century.

I couldn't agree more. I would add to that that MLS needs a promotion/relegation system as well. Let teams earn their way into MLS, the same way teams can earn their way into the Premiership. I guarantee with a promotion/relegation system, within 2 years Truman would not have to worry about soccah being played in Arrowhead Stadium and the many fans here in Rochester would be enjoying the MLS matches they have actually WANTED to see.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 9:59 pm

To whomever said that it is not in the interest of the Euros to have footie make it into the realm of major league sports, I say STFU, you dumb shit.

America is damn near as big a market as all of Europe combined. And I'd guess that we have more expendable income to piss away. You can damn well bet it is in the financial interest of Europe for it to catch on.

I suspect that within a decade or two we will see some interplay between clubs from both sides of the pond. And I hope Oakland gets a club as their hollies would surely buttfukk the euro hollies squarely in their toofless moufs.

I suspect we may also see NBA in europe even sooner. Maybe it will resurect some interest in that currently horrible league.

Nishlord · Post by **Nishlord** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:25 pm

The NBA were looking into European expansion 20 years ago. The opportunity has passed. Ain't no Michael Jordan no more.

I don't get Smackaholic's point. The only way that European football could make money from the US is merchandise and TV revenue. The only way that can happen is though football being a major sport in the US. The only way football can become a major sport in the US is though having a shit-hot league. If the US had a shit-hot league, it wouldn't be watching any other league.

The only outside interests that would benefit from that would be Latin and South America. Univision's ratings during the World Cup pissed all over ESPN's. I bet Copa America and Libertadores games get equally high figures. If the MLS had spent that money on Brazillian, Argentinian and Mexican players, the sport would boom.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:36 pm

Nishlord wrote:The NBA were looking into European expansion 20 years ago. The opportunity has passed. Ain't no Michael Jordan no more.

I don't get Smackaholic's point. The only way that European football could make money from the US is merchandise and TV revenue. The only way that can happen is though football being a major sport in the US. The only way football can become a major sport in the US is though having a shit-hot league. If the US had a shit-hot league, it wouldn't be watching any other league.

The only outside interests that would benefit from that would be Latin and South America. Univision's ratings during the World Cup pissed all over ESPN's. I bet Copa America and Libertadores games get equally high figures. If the MLS had spent that money on Brazillian, Argentinian and Mexican players, the sport would boom.

The NBA not having a jordan is my point. It sux arse, but, it is still better than minor league euro bball. The NBA needs something and the Euros would like it (I think). Question is, what court would they use. I kinda like the conical lane of Euro bball. Keeps the big guys honest and moving. I think it is a big part of why we have our asses handed to us lately.

As for footie getting big here, what better way than to give americans a chance to whoop up on frenchies in a sport. Even the sahkah haytahs may tune in to see that. I would definitely watch a turkish team square away with one from philly or oakland, just for the hoolie violence.

Nishlord · Post by **Nishlord** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 10:49 pm

Ha.

The mistake the NBA made was that they assumed that because kids in London and Paris were wearing NBA gear was because they liked the sport, when in actual fact it was because Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys were wearing it.

The biggest dent any American league has made on Europe is the NFL in the mid-80s. No-one is ever going to make such an impression that big ever again.

In the end, it all boils down to how people watch sport, not what sport it is. Americans watch it in short bursts. Everyone else watches it in larger portions. Watching NFL and MLB games live does my fucking head in, because I end up watching as many commercials as I do sport. Hockey is the nearest thing out of the the Big 4 US sports to football in the 'uninterrupted action' stakes - which helps to explain why it's the 4th popular sport.

And the Eastern Euros are the big hooligan nations, now.

Cuda · Post by **Cuda** » Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:07 pm

Nishlord wrote:
The mistake the NBA made was that they assumed that because kids in London and Paris were wearing NBA gear was because they liked the sport, when in actual fact it was because Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys were wearing it..

That's also the only reason the NBA players wear it.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:32 am

Nishlord wrote:Ha.

The mistake the NBA made was that they assumed that because kids in London and Paris were wearing NBA gear was because they liked the sport, when in actual fact it was because Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys were wearing it.

The biggest dent any American league has made on Europe is the NFL in the mid-80s. No-one is ever going to make such an impression that big ever again.

In the end, it all boils down to how people watch sport, not what sport it is. Americans watch it in short bursts. Everyone else watches it in larger portions. Watching NFL and MLB games live does my fucking head in, because I end up watching as many commercials as I do sport. Hockey is the nearest thing out of the the Big 4 US sports to football in the 'uninterrupted action' stakes - which helps to explain why it's the 4th popular sport.

And the Eastern Euros are the big hooligan nations, now.

So who is king of the hoolie pile, then? I'll bet russkie hoolies with a few quarts of bad wodka in them put on a pretty good show.

Nishlord · Post by **Nishlord** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 4:53 am

Yeah, pockets of Russia are pretty grim on the hoolie front - it's all that neo-Nazi backlash shit that's going on there - but Poland is where it's really at.

FIFA are already talking about hosting the 2014 World Cup in America if Brazil doesn't lash out on new stadiums. This can not be allowed to happen.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 12:05 pm

Saw on ESPN that Claudio Reyna is going to play for the Red Bulls...another big name past his prime for the MLS to latch onto. I can't believe Tony Meola is still playing and hasn't joined all of his other former World Cup teammates in the booth like Wynalda, Balboa and Harkes. Shoot, Lalas is the GM of the Galaxy if I'm not mistaken.

The MLS continuing their attempting to be like the Euro leagues...the top 4 from the MLS will play against the top 4 of the Mexican league this summer in a pseudo-champions league.

http://www.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp ... &fext=.jsp

socal · Post by **socal** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:18 pm

Nishlord wrote:FIFA are already talking about hosting the 2014 World Cup in America if Brazil doesn't lash out on new stadiums. This can not be allowed to happen.

Yes, it must happen.

FATALFART · Post by **FATALFART** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 12:36 am

Nishlord wrote:Yeah, pockets of Russia are pretty grim on the hoolie front - it's all that neo-Nazi backlash shit that's going on there - but Poland is where it's really at.

FIFA are already talking about hosting the 2014 World Cup in America if Brazil doesn't lash out on new stadiums. This can not be allowed to happen.

brazil doesnt seem like a country that can build a lot of stadiums

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:06 am

FATALFART wrote:brazil doesnt seem like a country that can build a lot of stadiums

They already have more than enough. The question is whether they're willing to spend the money to modernize some stadiums and build a few new ones, which is what is required to host a WC. Germany spent billions to host it last year, as did Greece to host the European championship in 2004. The investment usually pays for itself in the long run though sponsorships, tourism and other uses of the facilities, such as club teams. The U.S. has a huge advantage for hosting major international events such as the WC and the Olympics because modern facilities are already here and are routinely upgraded or traded in for newer models.