USA and the World Cup

tHE vAGGABOND

http://www.time.com/time/columnist/stein/article/0,9565,260792,00.html

Very Funny!

Tellox

The only way Americans are going to learn another country's name is if it attacks us.

how very true

yankinlk

"Look, we'll watch the World Cup when we win the thing and not a second before."

I totally agree. But when they win, they will win at least twice in a row....and won't that just really really piss you off.

NeRb666

still bitter about losing to Iran in 98 methinks

yankinlk

LOL. nope. I like most Americans had never heard of soccer in 98 m8.

BKtje

gah is that guy serious or taking the piss?
kinda stuck up? all americans arent like that? are they?

Mills

It's for exactly this reason that I'd hate to see them win it, I'd sooner see any of the remaining sides win than America, because the people there just wouldn't care, it wouldn't mean anything to them...... did anyone see the pictures from the stadium and from Seoul today when Korea scored the golden goal? Those are fans who deserve something to celebrate.

paddymee

He is taking the piss out of the US in this article. Try reding it all. With an open mind.

I know it's hard on this Board, but please try to hold back the America bashing until it's warrented.

I'm happy to say I read this article in Tokyo while at the games :-)

Paddy

Sand

Yeah hes definitly taking the piss and some of its quite funny. I liked this part especially....

We don't throw ticker-tape parades for beating Iran at stuff, because if we did, we'd be short on ticker tape. The only thing we could possibly lose to Iran at besides soccer is subjugating women.

This was also good:D

When we trumpeted globalization, we were pretty clear that we meant other countries acting like us, not vice versa.

Tara

Oh jesus.

As an American....the article only goes to prove that we can poke fun at ourselves. And that "we" don't take ourselves as serious as others would think.

No, soccer/football is not as popular in the states as the rest of the world, but maybe the efforts of this US team will make some efforts to change that. (in my opinion it won't, but that is another topic)

All I ask is that you realise that not all 270million of us are alike. Some of us do appreciate football and the efforts of this team.

Guy Incognito

A big to that.

I especially like this bit:

We have the same problem with the Olympics. We like those new fake sports we force the Olympic committee to include so we can win, like beach volleyball, snowboarding and major-motion-picture production. But unless the games are held either in America or Utah, we're not going to watch people pole vault. Unless they get hurt doing it. Then we'll watch it over and over again.

So true!

SheroN

I hope americans don't get into the football to be honest, if they do, how long before the game is divided into quarters and there's burger breaks every 10 minutes. ffs

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

yankinlk

Just for the record, I would give anything for Ireland to still be in it instead of the US as it would be a helluva lot more fun to see it won by the irish

America will never be into soccer you guys...

the time problem. all american sports have a finite amount of time down to the hundreth of a second, with pauses for ball out of play etc. Added time is a difficult concept just as a 60 minute "american football" game taking the bones of 4 hours to play is hard for you lot to understand.

BEAT

I hope the USA makes it to the final match and has the attention of all americans to watch, and then they lose to a country that actually cares for the sport...I am suprised the USA made it this far. Sad to see mexico lose to the USA, sadder to see Ireland lose though
The article was hilarious though, great sense of humour that guy.
Have to appreciate the sarcasm.;)

CHRISTYG

Seriously, though, what proportion of the American public would you think would take any interest even if the USA made the final? I say less than 1 percent- which for a nation of- what- 250 million people is sad! I can see a back-page headline on July 1 in- take as random, for no other reason than it's the first name I thought of, the Dallas Herald- of "USA win soccer World Cup" buried away between baseball results, and other, more American sports.

Tara

From reports at home coverage has increased since the Mexcio match and the team is now front page news. Prior to their quarter-final qualification the amount of coverage depended on where in the states you lived. Some areas of the country would have more interest than others.

Interest would be higher than 1% as well. Don't be so quick to judge. There are large communities within the states that would have a huge interest in football.

CHRISTYG

Is it true that the match takes place in the really early hours U.S. time so only the truly committed soccer fan will get up to watch?

Tara

Matches at 2:30 AM and 7:30 East Coast time; California is another 3 hours behind that.

dougal

A friend of mine from New Jersey has travelled over for the whole month to support the states. There is a dedicated following over there and it is the most participated sport over there and that is not just with kids.

I think what they need is a superstar player to attach to - If the next Pele was American then it would start to take off. Stardom is very important over there - look at Tiger Woods!

Hairy Homer

'The intrinsic problem with soccer is that a goal can occur at any time, including breaks for nachos, beer or the bathroom.'



Love it.

This guy's good.

And that's why American sports (with the possible exception of basketball which is their equivalent of soccer) have no staying power when it comes to interesting the rest of the world.

Thank God there's one part of modern popular culture that the Yanks haven't been able to dominate, globalise, homogenise, rebrand etc.

Though I wish them well in their quarter final. How can you fail to warm to a team full of guys with names like Scooby Schwartz and Clinton McBride.


I got those right, didn't I?

Pigman

Originally posted by Hairy Homer


And that's why American sports (with the possible exception of basketball which is their equivalent of soccer) have no staying power when it comes to interesting the rest of the world.

I've always thought Baseball was the American cultural equivilant to 'saccer'?

frood4t2

Originally posted by Pigman


I've always thought Baseball was the American cultural equivilant to 'saccer'?

Until recently baseball was king, IMO American Football is now the king of sports in the US.

Anyway, once I regained faith in the US after the Portugal win, I got up to watch the games against Korea, Poland, and Mexico. I was away hiking for the German game , but I got a friend to stop in and give me the match results the next evening. So here's at least one Dedicated American Soccer Fan.

Really tho, a Korea or an Ireland :cool: would be more deserving of a cup than the US because its fans crave it so much more. We wouldn't care too much if we won it all.