HardWorkPersonalAccountability - English Mutant Soccer Turmoil - HardWorkPersonalAccountability - soccer is a pretty shitty sport
the only reason it is popular is because poor people can play it
if they changed the rules a bit, it could be great in America
Explain its popularity in rich European countries
tradition
also, most of you euro brahs are unaware but a majority of American youth grow up playing soccer
it is only during junior high and high school that the best athletes move on to different sports
it isn't like most Americans are ignorant about the game
be honest ... soccer could use some rule changes to make the game more fluid and exciting
The game couldnt be any more fluid. The scoring is relatively low and its maybe not the most immediately gratifying sport out there because of that, but over the course of a season it beats out any other sport for entertainment value imo. I'm all for goalline technology, video replays etc but never in a million years would I want to fuck with the actual rules of the game in order to make it easier for people with ADD to watch it. Its great as it is.
Strongly disagree with the average American knowing much about the sport too, its treated as a method of tiring out little kids in the US. soccer moms, orange slices, everyone gets a trophy etc. The majority of Americans that talk shit about Soccer know virtually nothing about the sport.
I'm 37 years old and I took my son to a red bulls game last night. I've never been to a soccer game before. To my surprise, I really had a good time. The game was exciting, the crowd was cool and energetic, and it was over in 2 hours. No TV timeouts to make it drag. 20 bucks for the tix each, 10 to park.
I think I just became a fan, or gay. Or both. 
Gunny Highway - I'm 37 years old and I took my son to a red bulls game last night. I've never been to a soccer game before. To my surprise, I really had a good time. The game was exciting, the crowd was cool and energetic, and it was over in 2 hours. No TV timeouts to make it drag. 20 bucks for the tix each, 10 to park.
I think I just became a fan, or gay. Or both.
Welcome to the dark side :)
hockey sucks
american football is garbage
... see how easy it is to write dumb statements
I like the sport, as much as football, no, but its fun to watch soccer and the amount of skill those guys have is very impressive. 
I thought the British dont even know what the NFL is?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_International_Series
the parallels between soccer in the US and football in the UK are pretty striking
Hipster college students! That's all it was! Come on Murica, if we start watching soccer the commies and terrorists will win!
"Strongly disagree with the average American knowing much about the sport too, its treated as a method of tiring out little kids in the US. soccer moms, orange slices, everyone gets a trophy etc. The majority of Americans that talk shit about Soccer know virtually nothing about the sport. "
This is no longer true (the method of tiring kids out)...although the majority of Americans knowing virtually nothing about the sport still is.
The league my son plays in is ran by a bunch of cheeky fellows with horrible teeth and a helluva lot more knowledge about the game than any American I have ever met. Hell, its even called a football club.
I played from 5-17 years old and these kids on 7U are running drills better and more efficiently than what I ever remember.
I'm sure its no where near as serious as the rest of the world, but the days of soccer moms and using it just to teach teamwork are fading away quickly.
I agree with SeattlesbigDprolapsedME. There's money to be made on the youth teams now and better coaching is coming in. I played from 5 to 15 yrs old and my son's team is insanely better than I remember my old teams being.
I think the problem with talent in American Soccer is, that what you're seeing is the best players whose parents can afford club/academy soccer. Which is where the better coaching is. It's not like football or basketball where a poor kid has a shot at being a pro. Maybe you can become a soccer pro coming up in a Rec league like the YMCA, but I'm pretty sure your chances aren't very good. I'm sure there are some poor kids that slip through and make it, but it's no where near the amount football and basketball have. IMO until every kid has a chance regardless of their resources, like football and basketball, we will constantly have a middle of the pack national team.
Baseball, at least where I live, is becoming a lot like soccer in that it costs to have access to better coaching and competition.
Same here Bob..
Baseball is quickly turning into girls softball in the way that your high school teams mean nothing. Its the club you play for, which costs a ton of cash and requires a ton of time from the parents. If you have a kid that is extremely poor and can no way pay, but is a REALLY good player...sometimes you get a club that will sponsor him/her.
I have a friend that played pro baseball for close to 15 years, and retired in a nice area near San Diego. His son's team, which is 12U, is made up of children of retired athletes. Not only are they physically gifted, but they are backed with limitless money and resources. No way a recreational league from downtown can compete.
They have their own hitting facility complete with private hitting and pitching coaches. Although this is a bit extreme, even travel teams with less money are doing similar things.
My little league coach used to lean over me with a lit cigarette when trying to show me how to swing.
Obama had to hide those kids somewhere might as well be a soccer game.