T1B

I was mostly kidding, in a tail wags the dog type of scenario. Like how ESPN hypes anything it promotes and ignores what it doesn't, the hysteria would reach fever pitch of FIFA allowed for commercial breaks.

poptart wrote:Flopping and faking injuries seems to be part of the fabric of soccer.

That is pussy.

Not really, that take is pretty overblown. At least at the WC level. I don't watch MLS or Premier League.

In any event, the very fact someone can theoretically "fake" injuries with any degree of regularity just proves how physical the sport is. It happens in football as well for strategic purposes, and I presume you don't consider that a "pussy" sport.

One of Brazil's key players just broke his back in a game. That ain't happening in tennis.

War Wagon wrote:Looking at it from a purely sports angle, most global interest is contrived and the only people who really care are those who still have a dog in the hunt. Do you really care enough to watch who wins a 1-0 game between Argentina and Belgium? Probably not.

I don't really have a rooting interest, but I enjoy watching the games, yes. Apparently so do many Americans. The WC is getting very good ratings, even in games not involving the U.S.

To put it in perspective, Netherlands/Costa Rica drew a 4.9 in the U.S....which doesn't even include Univision. The Wimbledon final? A 1.9. And that's the Super Bowl of tennis.

It's a generational thing. Soccer will begin to grow in popularity at a much faster pace and eventually be more popular than baseball. It's going to take another 20 years to do this, but its going to happen.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:I don't really have a rooting interest, but I enjoy watching the games, yes. Apparently so do many Americans. The WC is getting very good ratings, even in games not involving the U.S.

To put it in perspective, Netherlands/Costa Rica drew a 4.9 in the U.S....which doesn't even include Univision. The Wimbledon final? A 1.9. And that's the Super Bowl of tennis.

And the US v Belgium game out drew the World Series. And a 4.9 outdraws every Stanley Cup since cable TV was a thing. There you go. World Cup soccer is more popular than Stanley Cup hockey. Suck it Bettman. Just because.

BSmack wrote:And a 4.9 outdraws every Stanley Cup since cable TV was a thing. There you go. World Cup soccer is more popular than Stanley Cup hockey. Suck it Bettman. Just because.

Apples vs oranges, idiot.

Go Coogs' wrote:It's a generational thing. Soccer will begin to grow in popularity at a much faster pace and eventually be more popular than baseball. It's going to take another 20 years to do this, but its going to happen.

They've been saying this for 20 years.

Go Coogs' wrote:It's a generational thing. Soccer will begin to grow in popularity at a much faster pace and eventually be more popular than baseball. It's going to take another 20 years to do this, but its going to happen.

The same thing was said back when the US was hosting this thing in the 90s. Give it 20 years and it will be bigger than ______.


People keep saying it, yet it doesn't happen. I am of the generation that grew up playing youth soccer, myself included, but I don't have anything to do with soccer today. Now I will rally behind the flag and root for 'Murica and I think that is what is happening here. Hell, prolly the greatest sports moment was hockey and non of y'all care about that today.

Screw_Michigan wrote:

BSmack wrote:And a 4.9 outdraws every Stanley Cup since cable TV was a thing. There you go. World Cup soccer is more popular than Stanley Cup hockey. Suck it Bettman. Just because.

Apples vs oranges, idiot.

The biggest games in hockey, have all been outdrawn by this year's WC elimination games. We're talking US TV ratings. You know what else beats hockey in the ratings/ Any PGA Tournament that Eldrick wins.

The Gallup poll I posted indicates that soccer is favored by Americans over hockey and tennis as viewing entertainment.
I'm not surprised that WC has drawn more than those.

But baseball and basketball are THREE TIMES more popular than soccer, so the amount of "front page" media attention WC has gotten tells me that there is an agenda being pushed.

BSmack wrote: The biggest games in hockey, have all been outdrawn by this year's WC elimination games. We're talking US TV ratings. You know what else beats hockey in the ratings/ Any PGA Tournament that Eldrick wins.

Fine with me. I'm also not the asswipe comparing an international sporting event that happens every four years with an annual North American sporting event.

Go fuck yourself.

Screw_Michigan wrote:

Go Coogs' wrote:It's a generational thing. Soccer will begin to grow in popularity at a much faster pace and eventually be more popular than baseball. It's going to take another 20 years to do this, but its going to happen.

They've been saying this for 20 years.

The issue isn't with the sport itself, it's with the league. MLS = second rate players. We don't watch MLS for the same reason we don't watch Arena league football. We want to see the best compete. But since they're all in Europe, that leaves us with no rooting interest.

I'm not sure our interest in pro soccer will change anytime soon, but Americans do love them some WC.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:To put it in perspective, Netherlands/Costa Rica drew a 4.9 in the U.S....which doesn't even include Univision. The Wimbledon final? A 1.9. And that's the Super Bowl of tennis.

Well... that's just messed up.

Federer may well be the best tennis player ever and Djokovic or however the fuck you spell his name is well on his way to being in that class also. That was a knockdown drag out 5 set match, an instant classic.

Now then, if a Connors, McEnroe or Agassi were in that Wimbledon final, the U.S. numbers would be reversed.

I probly would've caught some of it, but I honestly had no idea it was on.

Left Seater wrote:

Go Coogs' wrote:It's a generational thing. Soccer will begin to grow in popularity at a much faster pace and eventually be more popular than baseball. It's going to take another 20 years to do this, but its going to happen.

The same thing was said back when the US was hosting this thing in the 90s. Give it 20 years and it will be bigger than ______.


People keep saying it, yet it doesn't happen. I am of the generation that grew up playing youth soccer, myself included, but I don't have anything to do with soccer today. Now I will rally behind the flag and root for 'Murica and I think that is what is happening here. Hell, prolly the greatest sports moment was hockey and non of y'all care about that today.

You and Screwy would be near-sided to think the same thing being said 20 years ago isn't any different than someone saying it today. 20 years ago was a pipe dream because soccer wasn't a living breathing profession here in the states. The MLS was in it's infant stages and EPL and other major leagues were not advertised or televised like they are today. 20 years ago, nobody could tell you who the best player in the world was, but now almost every 15 year old who owns an xbox can tell you who Messi and Ronaldo are and who they play for. EA FIFA Euro Soccer is huge unlike any baseball video game. Four years ago, they weren't opening up stadiums for people to watch the US play Algeria when Donovan had that magic goal in the 89th minute. This year was a sight to see. Fans gathered by the tens of thousands to watch the US play. A far cry than anything else I've ever seen.

It's growing and it will continue to grow.

Go Coogs' wrote:near-sided

RACK Shoalzie!

MLS players may be second rate but the U.S. fans are catching up fast to their euro counterparts. http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafe ... do/2187492

chickenlittletart wrote:But baseball and basketball are THREE TIMES more popular than soccer, so the amount of "front page" media attention WC has gotten tells me that there is an agenda being pushed.

Goober McTuber wrote:

chickenlittletart wrote:But baseball and basketball are THREE TIMES more popular than soccer, so the amount of "front page" media attention WC has gotten tells me that there is an agenda being pushed.

I heard on the radio this morning that the Seattle Sound outdraws all but 5 MLB teams. No idea if that's true or not...it came from Colin Cowturd so take it with a grain of salt.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote: it came from Colin Cowturd so take it with a grain of salt.

Did he happen to slam any disadvantaged young balck males for not having fathers around?

Sounders, Sound, whatever.

Dinsdale wrote:Sounders, Sound, whatever.

That's what your boy said. I can only assume his facts are whack if he doesn't even know the team's name.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:.it came from Colin Cowturd so take it with a grain of salt.

That guy is a piece of work. He used to be on Channel 8 in Portland, and would want people to e mail him comments and all. I called him out a couple of times to see if I could get a reaction and he damn near melted through the keyboard. Pretty much told me I was full of shit and not to e mail him any more. I posted some shit on a local chat board he was on and we had a decent flame going for a while, until he bitched out and never came back after a couple others piled on.

The ESPN gig was his shit coming in, because Portland sure don't miss him.

RACK 'spray! Onion Sports is the shiznit.

Dins wrote:near-sided

Similar to being blind-sided in football.

Rumps yells, "Look, it's CAKE!!" and is then banged to the ground by the teet-on-a-swivel nearest him, as Mount Rumpsmore quickly wheels his direction.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:

Goober McTuber wrote:

chickenlittletart wrote:But baseball and basketball are THREE TIMES more popular than soccer, so the amount of "front page" media attention WC has gotten tells me that there is an agenda being pushed.

I heard on the radio this morning that the Seattle Sound outdraws all but 5 MLB teams. No idea if that's true or not...it came from Colin Cowturd so take it with a grain of salt.

It's well known that Seattle is a fag city.
The Sounders draw twice as many fans as the team with the next best attendance -- and they draw 3 to 4 times as many fans as all of the other teams.
They are an aberration.

Average attendance in MLS appears to be 15,000 to 20,000, and they only play 34 games, compared to 162 in MLB, and yet MLB still easily out-draws them per game.

Soccer basically doesn't draw worth a shit.

The front page soccer blast the media has treated America to over the past month does not reflect the true lack of interest folks have for it.

Poptart is way too smart to fall for the full court press propaganda blitz.

Not IN.

poptart wrote:Poptart is way too smart to fall for the full court press propaganda blitz.

Not IN.

I don't really think they're after the crusty-old-man-stuck-in-his-ways demographic, anyhow.

You keep making these nebulous points about soccer and Americans in general. I already stated why I feel the MLS struggles and it has nothing to do with the sport itself. The World Cup on the other hand draws tremendously well so it's easy to understand why they are covering it.

Mgo wrote:crusty-old-man-stuck-in-his-ways

Have I surpassed Wolfman?

poptart wrote:

Mgo wrote:crusty-old-man-stuck-in-his-ways

Have I surpassed Wolfman?

Nothing wrong with setting your goals extremely high, but no.

poptart wrote:

Mgo wrote:crusty-old-man-stuck-in-his-ways

Have I surpassed Wolfman?

No. I've said some nasty things on here, but I wouldn't stoop that low.

Props to someone for getting over on CNN. How the editor let this paragraph go by is amazing. (From Goobs link above)

...Peter Saunders, a victim of sexual abuse from England who met Pope Francis on Monday, told the Boston Globe. "He didn’t say it out loud, but you could see it in his eyes, he’s a closet fan."

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote: To put it in perspective, Netherlands/Costa Rica drew a 4.9 in the U.S....which doesn't even include Univision. The Wimbledon final? A 1.9. And that's the Super Bowl of tennis.

I'm a big Tour de France fan. It's the only 'season' I watch front to back, not sure why other people don't like it, but it's watched by a 1/4 of a million people or so in the US which is a what about a .1 rating? The best part is that I can DVR it and not have to worry about anybody talking about it in public before I watch it.

Just a few things...

Tennis may be a faggoty country club sport, but, it is an absolutely grueling one to play. And for anyone that says it is shit to watch on TV, you obviously were not around to watch any of the Mac/Bjorn Wimbledon wars. Some of the best TV sporting events ever.

Soccer is an awesome sport, but, it will have a tough time catching on in the US because it is a bit too much of an endurance contest. As MV says, put in substitutions and modify the OS rule and it will be fast paced enough to satisfy our ADHD riddled hordes.

As for US lack of interest in Tennis, it pretty much comes and goes with US stars. It was huge in the Connors/MacEnroe days and had a bit of a comeback with Pete Sampras. It will be back again when there is a dominant yank.

Moving Sale wrote: I'm a big Tour de France fan.

If I want to watch people ride a bicycle, I go hit the bike paths, where I'll surely see a bunch of people riding bicycles.

Worst. Spectator sport. EVER.

But the idea it entertains you lends much insight into your sense of "humor."

There are plenty of reasons to like the TDF most of which take more than a ditch diggers brain to understand. Might that be why you hate it?

smackaholic wrote:Just a few things...

Tennis may be a faggoty country club sport, but, it is an absolutely grueling one to play. And for anyone that says it is shit to watch on TV, you obviously were not around to watch any of the Mac/Bjorn Wimbledon wars. Some of the best TV sporting events ever.

Soccer is an awesome sport, but, it will have a tough time catching on in the US because it is a bit too much of an endurance contest. As MV says, put in substitutions and modify the OS rule and it will be fast paced enough to satisfy our ADHD riddled hordes.

As for US lack of interest in Tennis, it pretty much comes and goes with US stars. It was huge in the Connors/MacEnroe days and had a bit of a comeback with Pete Sampras. It will be back again when there is a dominant yank.

Yes, a male American star would revive some interest in the sport among the U.S. masses, but the sport has unfortunately been dumbed-down -- and that doesn't help.

You're right about how grueling tennis can be, but when viewing it these days, it's glorified ping-pong.
No serve and volley.
Even at Wimbledon, you've got a lot (or most?) of the dudes not serving and volleying in the FIRST serve.

The "nuance" has been all but stripped from the game.
A big shame.

The powers of tennis allowed the equipment to get out of hand, and everyone plays with a western (or at least semi-western) grip, and just stands at the baseline and blast away continually.

Not compelling.


Federer is a truly special player, though -- and if he had been an American player, he would have been a HUGE star in America.

He's the most overall "perfect" player I have seen.

smackaholic wrote:Just a few things...

Tennis may be a faggoty country club sport, but, it is an absolutely grueling one to play. And for anyone that says it is shit to watch on TV, you obviously were not around to watch any of the Mac/Bjorn Wimbledon wars. Some of the best TV sporting events ever.

Bjorn Borg was pretty much done when McEnroe was at the top of his game. Mac's most implacable enemy was Ivan Lendyl.

But yeah, it was must watch TV.

Wagon wrote:enemy

That's another element that has nearly vanished.

Mac, Lendl, Connors -- HATED each other with a passion, and it increased interest.

While more friendly and "professional," Sampras and Agassi had some angst as well.


But now, the top guy always act as if they would kneel and blow their opponent right out during the trophy ceremony, if asked to.


Conflict sells.

We need an American Lleyton Hewitt to come along and kick everyone in the nuts.