So I roll out of bed today, and I realize...

[baj1dallas]

the world cup has been really good, other than the refereeing.

 

[AbeBeta]

MLS is a joke.

On that point we agree.

The best US players need to be playing in the quality Euro leagues -- no in some weak low talent league at home.

 

[Hostile]

Being told exactly what to do before every play. Having few decisions to make on your own.

Just a few of the reasons why football is much less complicated.

Blitzes, audibles, check down progressions, hot reads, zone coverages, bump and runs, blindsides, tackling, lines of scrimmage, motion, patterns, schemes, multiple ways to score, trick plays, pure speed as opposed to foot speed.

Just a few of the reasons why I don't agree.

 

[like a dog]

I asked how many plays did soccer teams have. Noticed no one knew. Since the average pro team has 70 or more....
Football is a lot more complicated then soccer- whether some want to admit it or not.

This is ignorant. At the highest level a soccer team may only have about 10 "plays" and these will all be off set pieces. Despite the lack of set "plays" soccer is still an immensly complex game. Every player has a precisely defined role and, if for example, a centerback decides to make a made run on goal his team will suffer. Each player must play within a precisely defined technical role or the team will fail, making soccer technical in a manner more similar to football then to say basketball.

 

[AbeBeta]

Blitzes, audibles, check down progressions, hot reads, zone coverages, bump and runs, blindsides, tackling, lines of scrimmage, motion, patterns, schemes, multiple ways to score, trick plays, pure speed as opposed to foot speed.

Just a few of the reasons why I don't agree.

Hey, I'm not saying football isn't complicated.

But to hear folks who know nothing about soccer (not you) say it isn't complicated is just plain ridiculous. Soccer is about as complicated as you can get given that players a) aren't stopping after every play to have a new play called and b) there is comparatively little communication between the bench and players. Soccer players have to know what to do as the play unfolds. Football players are trying to follow a script -- many are lost if there is the slightest deviation from that.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

How many times in a soccer game does the goalie just punt the ball as far as he can hoping for somethign good to happen

...is that a play?

 

[AbeBeta]

How many times in a soccer game does the goalie just punt the ball as far as he can hoping for somethign good to happen

...is that a play?

Are you serious? do you seriously think the goalie is trying to score? or make such a great outlet pass to free his man?

The guy is clearing the ball out of his own zone -- so you know, the other team can't score. what do you expect him to do with it?

 

[Funxva]

Again, soccer is for kids not athletic enough for basketball, not tough enough for football, and not coordinated enough for baseball.

Soccer players are nacys who flop after any little bit of contact. Come to thik of it, Manu Ginobili's tendencies are starting to make sense, it must be a foreign thing.

Haha, Gotta love this way of thinking.. I would say let me and you play football, and see who's more athletic.

 

[dwmyers]

Are you serious? do you seriously think the goalie is trying to score? or make such a great outlet pass to free his man?

The guy is clearing the ball out of his own zone -- so you know, the other team can't score. what do you expect him to do with it?

abersonic, any one with half a brain can recognize the soccer analog to a punt .

I had a Brazilian as a roommate when I was in grad school, an ex-pro from Brasil, a midfielder. It was funny listening to him talk about English soccer. He hated their style, their unwillingness to work the ball upfield, and their willingness to "ice" the ball if they couldn't control it.

He warped me. I can't talk about formations like a 4-5-1 without twitching..

David.

 

[Funxva]

abersonic, any one with half a brain can recognize the soccer analog to a punt .

I had a Brazilian as a roommate when I was in grad school, an ex-pro from Brasil, a midfielder. It was funny listening to him talk about English soccer. He hated their style, their unwillingness to work the ball upfield, and their willingness to "ice" the ball if they couldn't control it.

He warped me. I can't talk about formations like a 4-5-1 without twitching..

David.

Damn skippy. I hate the punt style of soccer. I love Jugo Bonito.

 

[AbeBeta]

abersonic, any one with half a brain can recognize the soccer analog to a punt .

So you are implying that MBIV has less than half a brain?

 

[The30YardSlant]

Haha, Gotta love this way of thinking.. I would say let me and you play football, and see who's more athletic.

I'm not sure where you are going with this. I played both football and basketball from the age of 6 all the way through HS and still play recreationally, fairly well too if I do say so myself. I'm certainly athletic enough for soccer, as I'm sure you are if you also have played organized football/basketball.

 

[dwmyers]

Damn skippy. I hate the punt style of soccer. I love Jugo Bonito.

It hurts the US game. The Brazilians play a style that is Mike Martz-like. They push the ball upfield with excellent play from their midfielders and they put 3 men in position to score. And if you have 3 forwards, you can have two forwards and a legitimate striker. It makes sense.

In a 4-5-1, what's the lone striker supposed to do? Hustle dates for the opposing side?

Instead, our heritage is the English style, who get rid of the ball at the hint of opposition and play formations about as dated as the single wing.

David.

 

[dwmyers]

So you are implying that MBIV has less than half a brain?

MBIV may put me to shame, braincell-wise, but the question was a "Who was buried in Grant's Tomb?" kind of affair, yea. Not thought through is probably a more accurate assessment.

David.

 

[Funxva]

It hurts the US game. The Brazilians play a style that is Mike Martz-like. They push the ball upfield with excellent play from their midfielders and they put 3 men in position to score. And if you have 3 forwards, you can have two forwards and a legitimate striker. It makes sense.

In a 4-5-1, what's the lone striker supposed to do? Hustle dates for the opposing side?

Instead, our heritage is the English style, who get rid of the ball at the hint of opposition and play formations about as dated as the single wing.

David.

Tell me about it. The league that I play in here, we play possession style soccer. Putting the ball forward then out to the wings or playing through balls past defenders. Only one other team plays like that in our league the rest play long balls all the time.

Our team is first (7-0-1)

THeir team is 2nd (6-1-1)

I'm the leading scorer on my team. (As I'm a striker, it makes sense) the 2nd leading scorer is our central middie.

And I'm sure some people already know, but I play and played 3 sports since I have been young. (Soccer, Football, Basketball). So like I said to HH31, Let's play ball and see who calls Chicken first.

 

[Funxva]

I'm not sure where you are going with this. I played both football and basketball from the age of 6 all the way through HS and still play recreationally, fairly well too if I do say so myself. I'm certainly athletic enough for soccer, as I'm sure you are if you also have played organized football/basketball.

I'm just saying about you're line of reasoning that all soccer players are pansies, or some other such nonsense. Obviously not true at all, though there certainly are pansies in every sport just about.

Just think it's wrong to categorize a certain sport and the people who play it as not tough, when all sports take strength, balance, determination, and athleticism.

Edit:

Ok, obviously I'm not going to convince the haters that Soccer is a legitimate sport, and you all are not going to convince me that I'm a panty-waist for playing it, so let's agree to disagree. And make fun of the deadskins.

 

[Clove]

Favorite sports:

NFL - By far the best sport in history. Lots of strategy, lots of big plays, interesting characters, HARD HITTING, the love is there from me.

Basketball - Exciting, highflying dunks and 3 pointers.. Lots of scoring, the season is a bit too long, but other than that.

NCAA Basketball (playoffs only) Nothing like March madness.

NCAA Football - Interesting matchups, I hate the lopsided victories, but other than that, great matchups are priceless.

Golf - If Tiger/Mickelson and Singh are in the running, it's some really exciting stuff to watch, other than that, a bunch of nobodies are boring.

Baseball - All star events are pretty darn good.. I also like the playoffs, and the highlights are the best for me. Other than that, it's kinda boring.

Hockey - I love the hitting, and some of the fighting and it's pretty cool to see some great skating, but other than that, too much confusion and not enough scoring

Track & Field - Love the 100 meters and super fast events, the marathon is stuff like that is boring.

Nascar - I like the highlights only, and I also like it when another player gets pissed at another for trying to "Kill him" (cause that's what you're doing when you try to wreck another car to win) So I like the little fights

Spelling Bee - Love seeing some of those super nerdy kids doing crazy stuff just to spell a freaking word

Soccer - I love it when the Mexican announcer goes GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL GOALLLLLL GOALLLLLLLL GOALLL GOALLLL

Womens Tennis - I like it when a few Americans are playing or when some hot Russian is playing..

One question though, why is Card Playing on ESPN? Hate that!!!

 

[The30YardSlant]

I'm just saying about you're line of reasoning that all soccer players are pansies, or some other such nonsense. Obviously not true at all, though there certainly are pansies in every sport just about.

Just think it's wrong to categorize a certain sport and the people who play it as not tough, when all sports take strength, balance, determination, and athleticism.

Edit:

Ok, obviously I'm not going to convince the haters that Soccer is a legitimate sport, and you all are not going to convince me that I'm a panty-waist for playing it, so let's agree to disagree. And make fun of the deadskins.

Yes, one thing we can all agree on:

Soccer > Foreskins

 

[burmafrd]

No one is claiming that soccer is not a sport. Of course it is, and a demanding and tough one. A lot of us are just saying we have no love for it, nor interest in it, like most americans. And no one has a right to tell us that we must love it or do anything with it.

 

[dwmyers]

I'm the leading scorer on my team. (As I'm a striker, it makes sense)

My roommate ended up a ringer on the Rice soccer team and I remember their constant search for a good striker. They had one for a few days, my roommate pointed him out. A shorter guy from Iran, built like a 1960s fullback, powerfully muscled. And yes, he could fight his way through the fullbacks (i.e. defenders) and put himself into position to score.

Then he got injured. Too bad, cause the team really looked good when he was at forward.

Anyway, I was just thinking how difficult it is to get a really good striker when HH was complaining about what a bunch of pansies soccer players were.

It also reminded me of the days I'd watch my roommate soak his legs for hours from all the illegal contact he'd get. The other teams saw his ball skills and would try to beat him up to get him out the game.

David.