Why Soccer Sucks

[wilt the stilt]

I have been making this argument for years to soccer fans. Their sport sucks because they can't even end the game on the field. They have a shoot out. What a freakin' joke. Syracuse and UConn played 6 ot's and lo and behold the game was concluded on the court. When soccer purists tell me that the players would get too tired so we need a shootout I get in their faces and say any game that can't be won one the field is fundamentally flawed. Ccan you imagine ending the Syracuse- Uconn game on a 3 point"shootout"

Soccer is a freakin' joke.

[Upton]

1. The Syracuse, UConn game

meant virtually nothing...both teams will be in the tournament, UConn will probably still retain a #1 seed.

As for soccer, you obviously don't understand the nuances of the game...the pressure last Wed. of the shootout deciding the Arsenal/Roma Champions League tie makes these meaningless conference tournaments look like elementary school clashes.

[wilt the stilt]

2. if the game can't be won on the field

something is wrong. I have a friend and his argument if you have humans judging(skating) it's not a sport. I agree. Games have to be won on the field playing that game. not some ridiculous "shootout" format.

[Upton]

5. Meanwhile your example

of the Syracuse/UConn game was decided by a bunch of bench players because the officials had JUDGED the starters to have fouled out.

In fact the whole act of calling fouls is extremely subjective, and free throw shooting determines the outcome of games....that in itself is ridiculous.

[wilt the stilt]

6. whether it is bench players or not is irrelevant

the game was still being played as it was designed. Referees are part of any sport and juat as influential as referees in soccer. moot point

[Threedifferentones]

24. You knew you were going to get flamed for this post

Please don't pretend you were not just trolling and that you can actually prove one sport is better than another. I could easily say that soccer is the only "real sport" since the others allow for copious substitutions. Of course soccer can't go on forever, at the pro level you only get 3 substitutions in a ninety minute game that is often played on a field over 100 yards long.

Hockey also ends with penalty shots after a point. Basketball fouls are OBVIOUSLY the most subjective of any major sport; it is a non contact game in which the participants are constantly contacting.

Your whole fucking thread is a moot point because the games that are fun to watch are generally the ones your peers also care about. You don't like soccer because Americans don't care about it, so you never had any social incentive to learn to appreciate it. That's fine, but it does not make soccer any less of a game.

Both varieties of football blow basketball away for me, it's a shame Americans do not appreciate the beautiful game like the rest of the world.

But, having said that I'd rather watch my college team play in the NCAAs any day than watch the greatest football game ever between two teams I care nothing about.

[wilt the stilt]

30. Your points are off base

Hockey ends shootouts when it goes to the championship level. Fouls are subjective but all refereeing is subjective. Are you telling me that you haven't been outraged by official's calls in soccer. The premise is that soccer had to develop a bizarre way to end a game because it does not truly have a way to end it. This is a flaw in structure. I do like basketball but it's no different than baseball. Baseball games can go into the 20th inning and they play to a logical conclusion. Sometimes they have guys pitching who are not pitchers There is a logical way to end a game.

[Threedifferentones]

31. "Logical?"

I said: "Of course soccer can't go on forever, at the pro level you only get 3 substitutions in a ninety minute game that is often played on a field over 100 yards long." I would also add that sports live off of TV contracts and TV will only cover for so long.

Soccer could choose to allow many more substitutions and keep playing until someone scores. There is a "sudden death" OT you know, it does not just go straight to PKs. That's the lore of the golden goal.

Pro American football's overtime is much less fair than college, but the players can only endure so much work, and the TV stations will allow only so much time.

How on Earth can you use logic to prove a preference for ending a game is somehow wrong? You can try all you want, and I am sure you can come up with all sorts of interesting reasons why changing the game to force an is stupid,but ultimately it is just a preference: Soccer fans like keeping the goals rare, and that means sometimes the game won't end before fans and players alike are exhausted. So, there is a way to force an end. In American football, teams often win the OT toss and kick a field goal to win before the other team even gets the ball. That is also logical, though I could insist it makes the game in question unfair and worthless...how can a game be illogical if it follows prepared rules?

Clearly what you mean by "logical" is "appealing to my sports expectations."

I know its easy to see the traditions you grew up with as obviously better, but its pretty obnoxious when Americans insist their fandom is somehow superior because the rest of the world's favorite sport is "stupid." It's a game, of course it is arbitrary!

[wilt the stilt]

32. I agree with you on football

there is also a flaw in sudden death. no question about it. The other problem with football is the fact that there are rule changes evry year. Baseball and golf have practically no rule changes. I still bitch at the DH and that is an abomination.

My point is any game that changes the design of the game in order to end it is flawed.

[petronius]

28. Where do you think shootouts occur?

:shrug:

[wilt the stilt]

29. your points have nothing

to do with the premise of the point of discussion. we are speaking of design of the game to a concluding resolution not whether one particular game is more important than another due to it's relative importance to history.

[wilt the stilt]

33. why they play- read this and why the game has integrity

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/sports/ncaabasketball/14rhoden.html?_r=2&ref=sports


Sports of The Times
A Reminder of Why the Game Matters




There are moments in time, moments in sports that we never forget. Moments emblazoned on our hearts and on the consciousness of a community.



For fans who were at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night/Friday morning, the quarterfinal classic between Syracuse and Connecticut was one of those moments. Syracuse prevailed, 127-117, in the longest Big East tournament game ever played and one of the longest college games ever played: a six-overtime marathon.

This was not a classic case of execution — five players missed an opportunity to hit a game-winning shot — and in terms of an N.C.A.A. tournament berth there really wasn’t much on the line for either team. Instead, it was the game itself, an exhibition of will, emotion and fortitude, that gave the matchup meaning. It reminded us why we continue — despite scandals and hypocrisy that so often occupy our attention in sports — to embrace games.

Whether it’s Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer playing the Wimbledon final at dusk last summer or the Immaculate Reception by the Steelers’ Franco Harris in 1972, memorialized by a statue of Harris at the Pittsburgh airport, there are unforgettable moments that lift the spirit.

Calvin and Janet Hill know the feeling.

[Goblinmonger]

3. Doesn't that assume

that there is no skill, strategy, or endurance involved in the shootout process, all of which would be untrue. The shootout is on the field of play. It's just a different format. Pull the wrong guy after the 70 minute wall they hit and you could lose the shootout. Save the wrong guy for the 2nd shootout round and you're hosed.

[wilt the stilt]

4. That is equivelent

to the end of a 3 OT game. we decide have a one on one game of basketball to end it. one on one is not the game and either is a shootout. these are team sports and not individual encounters. teams win not individuals.

[Streen]

7. ?

Really? You're discounting soccer because of a tiny piece of it?

I hate football because of the kickoffs. Baseball sucks because of fouls.

Next time the World Cup comes around, watch the shootouts. Then you'll see why they're part of the sport.

Unless you think taking your time to hit the ball to the right place despite an obstacle isn't a sport.

[madinmaryland]

9. Welcome to DU and the Sports Forum!!

:hi:

[Streen]

34. Ha, thanks!

I actually forgot I posted here until I realized, "Oh yeah, I wrote that thing that one time." Thanks for the welcome!

[Dr. Strange]

10. I think that's part of his problem.

Yeah, it's a tiny piece of the game, but it's being used to decide on the winner. Personally, I have mixed feelings about it.

I think the NHL does a decent job with it. I have no problems with a tie, so I don't think the NHL really needed to adopt the shootout rule. But once the playoffs start, NO SHOOTOUTS. Decide the game on the field/rink/court, and take however many extra periods, minutes, or plays are needed to complete the game.

[Streen]

35. Yeah, but...

What's the point, though, of keeping it on the field if not for the players to prove their intelligence and skill when the going gets tough? A shootout does the same thing, just in a different setting from the regular norm of play.

Considering shootouts are only there in soccer to decide limited games, I'm fine with watching them. I've even learned to like them. All you need is one good goalie and a crafty player and you got some fine watching. And, I mean, the agony is fun when you're screaming at your team to score before the ref's whistle and you realize it's not over yet. It's fun.

[wilt the stilt]

36. it's not the game

the point of this whole discussion is that in order to get a result you have to change the basic game. there is something wrong with a a game that has to change the actual game in order to get a winner.

[sniffa]

8. Almost as big of a joke as hockey

[GOPisEvil]

11. Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and most of them stink.

I'm sure you like something I think sucks. Why shit on what some people like? It's pointless.

[RL3AO]

12. You can't compare basketball or even hockey to football

In basketball and hockey you get constant substitutions and commercial breaks, not to mention that the court/rink is about 1/8th the size of a full size pitch.

Over a 90 minute football game, players can run over 7 miles, with only one 15 minute half time break. There are no commercial breaks every 5 minutes to give players breaks. If you kept playing until someone scores, you would just have players pack in more defensively since they don't have the energy to make a 50 yard run to try to score and risk getting caught on the counter-attack where they would have to sprint back 50 yards. I'm not a fan of shootouts, but until you come up with a realistic fix, it won't change.

[wilt the stilt]

14. doesn't matter

if one run 7 miles the game is not being won on the field. you made my point something is wrong with the game.

[RL3AO]

15. So because 1/100 games are decided by a shootout is the reason a sport sucks?

[wilt the stilt]

16. fundamentally flawed

a game has to be won on the field playing the game the way it is designed. Any change in the rules in order end a game means that the design is flawed.

[RL3AO]

17. So keep playing until someone scores, or dies of heat stroke/dehydration?

[wilt the stilt]

18. it's called subs

I'm hearing wuss. A big part of sports is conditioning. Havlicek used to beat his opponents by superior conditioning. Rip hamilton prides himself on his conditioning. That at the end ofthe game he will prevail. this is part of sports.

[RL3AO]

19. You can only have 3 subs.

So 8 players have to go the entire game.

[wilt the stilt]

22. so what

[Upton]

20. So, it makes more sense

to have basketball games become free throw shooting contests...where the winner is often decided by who shoots best during a stoppage in play from the "charity stripe"?

Rather selective with your outrage aren't you?

[wilt the stilt]

21. it is still in the rules of the original game

your point is meaningless.

[Upton]

23. Oh yeah?

What about the seemingly endless commercial breaks we are subjected to in your average basketball game, watch 2 hours and only 40 minutes is actual playing time ...is that in the "rules of the original game" too?

[wilt the stilt]

25. nothing to do with the rules of the game

ridiculous argument

[madinmaryland]

27. I'm outraged, as well you should be, by players in various sports that CHEAT!

[MrSlayer]

13. Yes any sport that would decide it's championship with a shootout is a joke.

I hate the shootout in hockey but at least they have the decency to put it away at playoff time. This isn't the only reason soccer sucks but it's one of them.

[nickgutierrez]

26. Anybody that pulls a blanket rule out of their ass to shit on somebody else's tastes...

...is an idiot.

[BlooInBloo]

37. Failed to get to the root-cause design flaw of soccer....

which it shares with hockey (they're really the same sport, in the abstract): passing is too hard (i.e. a very large percentage of passes are not received by their intended target).

EDIT: That design flaw leads to the need for the shootout, among other things.

[T_i_B]

38. Passing too hard?

Sounds to me like you just can't play.

[trotsky]

39. Great point.

Never thought of that - but you're absolutely right. And it happens at all levels of both games - from pee wee hockey to the World Cup.

[bconngemini]

40. Soccer sucks America wins

There is a reason why soccer is not called ‘football’ in America…soccer sucks. American football is far better and far superior than the world’s so-called most popular sport, which for some reason is also called
‘football.’ If this is confusing don’t worry about, Americans already have it figured out.

American sports fans decided to call this ridiculous sport ‘soccer’ a long time ago, and gave the term 'football' to a far better, more appealing sport.

I am not writing this to offend anyone, or to attract more readers. The fact is that soccer is boring and it simply makes no sense. The goal is bigger than a two-car garage, but yet nothing happens for 86 minutes! Guys are running (and walking) all over this massive field, yet nothing ever happens.

Most Americans view soccer as just a big game of keep away. Why the rest of the world continues to play this sport is beyond comprehension. I will always fail to understand what makes soccer so great and so fun to watch. Soccer fans shout at me ‘you just don’t understand.’ I agree.



* I don’t understand how a sport can have an ‘offsides’ penalty when that is the only way a teams can have an offensive advantage.


* I don’t understand why professional athletes can’t put a round ball in a goal the size of Rhode Island.


* I don’t understand how anyone can get excited about one goal being scored during 86 minutes of play.
I don’t understand why soccer players are so fragile. One minute they are being hauled off on a stretcher and ten minutes later the same guy is scoring a break-away goal!


* I don’t understand how 100,000 fans can start a fire and riot after a 1-0 contest. Maybe they looked elsewhere to cure their boredom.


* I don’t understand why David Beckham has to look like a girl.


* I don’t understand how European soccer fans in the year 2006 can yell racial slurs to black athletes. It is also horrible to see FIFA not do a damn thing about it.

[redqueen]

41. No, that's why you don't like it. It's still *The* Beautiful Game,

despite whatever flaws you or whatever other people might not like about it.

All other sports pale in comparison. IMO of course. :)

[ProfessorGAC]

43. IMO. The Opposite

Just sayin'.

And BTW: Soccer fans should stop saying players run 7 miles a game. If you actually watch a game, most of the players are running 1/4th of the time. I've watched games. I've watched closely. That means they're RUNNING 1.75 miles.

That's 100 trips up and down an NBA court. Which is about 3/4ths of the trips an NBA player makes. Now who's the endurance athlete?
GAC

[redqueen]

44. I don't care. Oh... and footy (soccer) players are sexier.

And so are the fans... IMO. :)

[ProfessorGAC]

46. No Objection From Me

Different strokes, and all that. I figure whatever someone likes, they like. I was just piling on.

GAC

[abqmufc]

42. critique fails to recognize NHL and NFL...shootouts and ties.

Fine you don't like the beautiful game. But I think the fact its the rest of the world would argue with you. You are correct a shootout is a let down. But what else can be done without changing the game? First most games allow the score to end as a tie...just like American football and hockey used to do. Only major finals or cup competitions go into extra time (a full 30 minutes) if no goals in that extra time then yes a PK shootout is done. But then this is what the NHL does and I don't see folks complaining about hockey!

What draws most fans to the beautiful game is the loyalty of clubs and players and the passion. You don't see players (traditionally) jumping from a club to its arch rival as you would see with a Red Sox becoming a Yankee. Of course there are exceptions. I've go to games all over the planet and nothing compares to a football match in England.

[abqmufc]

45. Many would disagree

I've followed the game for decades. For the past 5 years I make my annual pilgrimage to Manchester, England to see my beloved team Manchester United Football Club with a sell out crowd of almost 80,000 a match. I've seen matches all across the States. MLS games that have attendance of 10,000 - 15,000 (in chicago and DC). I've US mens national and womens national teams at sell out games. I've seen some of the biggest clubs in Europe play here in states in front of sell out crowds.

My point you may hate it.....but it will be the biggest sport in this country in matter of decades...the growth in attendance is proof in that.

So bash it, hate it, and don't ever come to a pitch and I'll stay clear of your throw ball games, and your boring baseball.

[wilt the stilt]

47. I don't believe soccer will be the most popular sport here

ever. It just doesn't turn the average american on. Now I agree that football is boring when you go to the game. You just can't see it very well in person. That being said it is by far the best television sport. It just fits the idiot box perfectly. For my money there is no better game to watch and play than basketball. It is the one sport that has caught on in the world. It has penetrated every culture very well. You can say all you want about soccer but it just hasn't penetrated the U.S. culture. Basketball has the perfect blend. Speed of game, speed of the players and great athletic moves and drama. I played basketball until I was 46 and it's a blast to play. My son has really gotten into playing and he feels the same way. Tons of creativity plus team play. A sport where you develop your own moves. Soccer is probably similar in that regard. The one problem with soccer is that you have defined roles and only a few players score while in Basketball everyone is expected to contribute to the offense.

Baseball can have a lot of drama but I understand why people think it is boring. It is just extremely difficult to play. One of the troubles with soccer is if you get down 2-0 or 3-0 it is almost impossible to come back. The other team just packs it in and let's face it it is very difficult to score.

One other observation with Soccer in America is that in America it is filled at this time with mediocre athletes. It is primarily a suburban white person sport and let's face it white suburban kids are not the cream of the crop. Can you imagine the top football running backs playing soccer. Soccer misses all the top Black athletes and if you won't get them until they start paying 20 million a year.

[BlooInBloo]

50. "a matter of decades" - WOW! That soon???

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[AndrewP]

48. Then don't watch it.

[nolabels]

51. We mostly don't, but we do wish they would stop wasting valuable media time covering it

Bowling, ping-pong or even skeet shooting would be more entertaining :shrug:

[redqueen]

52. Obviously their audience disagrees.

Sorry, but you few are not the audience. You're the indignant few, who don't want to acknowledge the sport is gaining in popularity.

I will enjoy your growing frustration as it continues to gain fans. :)

[nolabels]

53. I am fifity and when i was in my teens soccer sucked

At that rate i will be long gone before soccer ever gets popular in the USA :P

[flvegan]

49. Invasion of the idiots.

That's what I'm writing this off as.