Soccer sucks, but....

[LLUncoolJ]

That Hope Solo is some primo stuff.



I just found out she plays for some team here in STL. It would take a whole team of her and free beer to get me to go to a soccer game, but I'm just saying. Soccer usually adds about 2 dozen reasons it sucks every day on top of the 7 story existing stack. But she knocks the stack down a few inches. I'm thinking about becoming a stalker.

***Edit***   OK, sorry, I was mislead by Google. Here is a correct pic.  I still may stalk her.

[Level42]

American football sucks.

Football is the best sport to watch in the world.

[ChadTower]

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

[LLUncoolJ]

Ever notice how third world countries kick ass at soccer? That's only sport they have. If they had a choice between soccer and lawn darts...they would kick ass at lawn darts.

[CCM]

ummm, why do you have a picture of Gina Carano in a thread about soccer?

[FrizzleFried]

Football (soccer) is the boringest sport to watch in the world.

I agree!

[FrizzleFried]

Soccer sucks for all the same reasons hockey sucks.

Very little strategy, the players are magnetically attracted to the ball/puck, and all the action is repetitive and at the goals.


ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz..................

Very little strategy in hockey?   Uh... sure.

[Ginsu Victim]

Hey, you're right! That's MMA's Gina Carano! I didn't even notice!  

Edit: He fixed it....

[Dartful Dodger]

I like soccer.

It gives girls something to do during baseball season.

[mountain]

I thought this thread was about this

Still...Soccer sucks and apparently Spain sucks at playing sucky soccer teams like the The United States.

 

[LLUncoolJ]

I thought this thread was about this

Still...Soccer sucks and apparently Spain sucks at playing sucky soccer teams like the The United States.

 

The thread is actually about Hope Solo being hot. But you got to love a minute by minute account of a soccer game. If it weren't for that link, I'd have to go outside and watch my tomato plant grow.

[Dartful Dodger]

What's funny about that is the rest of the world will be talking about this game for years...

...but in the USA this game will have been forgotten before the weekend.

[Kevin Mullins]

Ummm.... I think I oughta just keep my mouth shut in this thread.
It's always nothing but a big back and forth argument anyways.

Me - American Football
Spouse - Soccer (Holland)

[Flake]

Soccer sucks for all the same reasons hockey sucks.

Very little strategy, the players are magnetically attracted to the ball/puck, and all the action is repetitive and at the goals.


ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz..................

Ditto.  Just an awful sport to watch really..........just terrible........

[hypernova]

What's funny about that is the rest of the world will be talking about this game for years...

...but in the USA this game will have been forgotten before the weekend.

What game?   

American football sucks.

HEY.  HEY.  HEY.  Them's fightin' words, mister!

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

So prophetic...

[shmokes]

I never watch soccer, but I've watched a few games at the actual stadium and had a ball.  I think it's a great sport.  Tennis is my favorite to watch, though, both in person and on TV.

[Xiaou2]

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

     

 That comment alone keeps this thread from sucking.   


Edit:   (That comment.... and that hot dark haired fox!    )

[Level42]

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

Ahh yeah, it's so funny, press the button and you get exactly the response that you expect

So, which third-world soccer team has recently won any significant international price. Also, what does American football require more than a badly shaped ball, a couple of lines and two goals ? Oh, I forgot that the sissies who play it need all their parts protected because they're scared of bruses.

Very little strategy, the players are magnetically attracted to the ball/puck, and all the action is repetitive and at the goals.

Which shows how little you understand about it.

American football is popular in the US because it's a great sport to put a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin----load of commercials on TV during a game, mainly because the play is dead after every couple of seconds. Talks about BORING !

HAH !



The entire world plays soccer except for a couple of nations.

O by the way, congratulations to the US soccer team that just beat Spain (current European champion).

And let's continue with the cliche's. It's fun

[shardian]

Soccer and Hockey are fun to watch if:

1. You know the rules
2. The teams playing are skilled
3. The game is close so both teams are attacking

When a good team gets up on a bad offensive team, both sports get incredibly dull.

I tuned in to the last 2 games of the stanley cup finals. The parts I watched were awesome.

And for the record, Indoor soccer is the most fun sport I have ever played. I also went from wheezing from a lap on a track to running 3 miles in 6 weeks of playing.
Semi-Pro hockey is the most entertaining sporting event I have ever attended. I wish we still had a semi-pro team.

[ChadTower]

I never watch soccer, but I've watched a few games at the actual stadium and had a ball. 

Soccer would be a very uneventful game without a ball.   

[massive88]

American football is popular in the US because it's a great sport to put a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin----load of commercials on TV during a game, mainly because the play is dead after every couple of seconds. Talks about BORING !

American Football is the best TV sport period.  It doesn't matter if you like it or not, no other sport has the same pacing and violence to make it appeal to the greatest number of people like football.

[ChadTower]

I usually stay way out of these debates because they're stupid... but the concept that a sport is popular because it allows tons of commercials makes no sense.  People hate the commercials and complain about them all the time.  It actually works in the opposite manner.  The networks are able to cram in so many commercials without losing viewers because of the popularity of the sport.

Or, for people like me, we watch it on Tivo and there are no commercials and no halftime.     Record four games at once and flip among them at will or watch them later on if you managed to not spoil the results.  Sunday during football season in my house is an event unto itself.

[CheffoJeffo]

Bunch of damned heathens ... get offa my lawn!

No strategy ... pfft ... no brain.

Football is the best sport to watch in the world.

+1

Go Seleção!

American football is popular in the US because it's a great sport to put a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin----load of commercials on TV during a game, mainly because the play is dead after every couple of seconds. Talks about BORING !

American Football is the best TV sport period.  It doesn't matter if you like it or not, no other sport has the same pacing and violence to make it appeal to the greatest number of people like football.

American football is popular in America because it is broken down into 30 second bits, after which the preceding 30 seconds are then explained to the viewer. It is the ultimate sport for the lazy fan.  

As for "best TV sport period" -- compare 100 million viewers for the Superbowl (half of which just want to see the commercials) with over 1 billion viewers for the World Cup.

It may be, however, the best sport for TV, with its relentless stoppages in play and related advertising opportunities. You watch how Tide gets your whites whiter, I'll watch Macon streak down the right side.

[Ginsu Victim]

MMA is pretty much the only sport I care to watch.

[LLUncoolJ]

This is how you know if your sport sucks:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGPxgTmHJaE[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0yX_1O3sRY[/youtube]

[shardian]

2. The teams playing are skilled

Your videos violate rule #2. Funny as hell though, especially the second one.

[Ginsu Victim]

That dude in the first video pulled an Eddie Guerrero.

[ChadTower]

Guys do that in every sport, particularly hockey.  Hell Sidney Crosby himself gets accused of diving, Lemieux used to get accused of it, and the Lady Byng trophy may as well be renamed Lady Gretzky.

[Ginsu Victim]

All I care about is that I found an excuse to post that Eddie vid

[massive88]

As for "best TV sport period" -- compare 100 million viewers for the Superbowl (half of which just want to see the commercials) with over 1 billion viewers for the World Cup.

Thats a ridiculous argument, as American football isn't near as popular world wide as Soccer, which has little to do with how good of a TV sport it is.  Give half the world a rooting interest in the NFL, and it would blow away soccer's viewership.

Nearly double your world cup figure watched the Olympics, because it has even more of a widespread appeal.  That doesn't mean that swimming relays are a better TV product than Soccer, or football, or basketball, or even baseball.

More people watched Transformers 2 last night than saw The Wrestler, does that make it a better movie just because it was able to garner a larger audience?

Stoppage in play may not be your thing, but for TV its perfect.  It gives ample time to the lowest common denominator to digest what they saw, see it again from other angles, and have commentary on it.  And the violence in football cannot be matched by any other sport.  Those two together make it the perfect TV sport.

Watching live?  Id say Soccer is better, due to your reasons.

[shardian]

Hrm... she's cute but not sure if it justified a thread.

Apparently, the OP had a pic of Gina Carano up initially. Gina Carano made American Gladiators watch worthy.

[shardian]

Football is awesome live...if you have good seats. The worst "live" game by a landslide is baseball.

[ChadTower]

Football is awesome live...if you have good seats. The worst "live" game by a landslide is baseball.

Golf.  Golf.  Golf.  Effin golf.

[mountain]

Football is awesome live...if you have good seats. The worst "live" game by a landslide is baseball.

Football is awesome live...if you have good seats. The worst "live" game by a landslide is baseball.

Golf.  Golf.  Golf.  Effin golf.

Golf...for sure.

You have to love the game of baseball to be able to watch it live or on TV.

[massive88]

Watching live?  Id say Soccer is better, due to your reasons.

You've never been to a Big 12 game when a sweet, sweet BCS ranking is on the line, have you?  Where there's so many damned people they've got hundreds of them sitting in folding chairs on the side of the field?

Besides, with a live football game, you can keep an eye on substitutions, see if that player is truly hurt or not, throw a beer can at the coach, all the crap you can do with any other live sport.  That play clock flies by pretty fast...

I went to every Texas football game for 5 years in a row (sadly just shy of 2005), and for me, personally, nothing is better than an OU/Texas game.  But that is filled with all sorts of personal bias, the hate of the Sooners that I have personally been subjected to for 10 years now, the fights Ive been involved in before and after the game, I could go on and on.

But thats personal opinion, subjectively with the non-stop action Id go with probably Basketball, Soccer, or Hockey as the best live sports.  Doesnt mean I dont love football the most.

[Dartful Dodger]

Mexico VS. Portugal

[Ginsu Victim]

OU/Texas makes people crazy. There has been a lot of violence (mostly in bars) because of that rivalry.

[massive88]

OU/Texas makes people crazy. There has been a lot of violence (mostly in bars) because of that rivalry.

Yeah, watch your nutsack.

[CheffoJeffo]

Stoppage in play may not be your thing, but for TV its perfect.

I'm reasonably sure that I said exactly that.

[ChadTower]

OU/Texas makes people crazy. There has been a lot of violence (mostly in bars) because of that rivalry.

Violence in bars in Texas and Oklahoma!  OMG! 

If it weren't OU/Texas it would be tastes great/less filling.  Those dudes just want to brawl.

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

[ChadTower]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

...then you didn't really like that sack because you knew it was going to happen when you pulled into the parking lot...

[mountain]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

...then you didn't really like that sack because you knew it was going to happen when you pulled into the parking lot...

OK...this thread officially sucks!

[RayB]

What a stupid thread. Nearly every sport could be accused of the same thing some of you morons are calling on soccer.

Baseball? Bunch of guys standing around and then occasionally chasing or throwing a ball. WOW.  Homer was right when he said what he did about watching baseball sober.

Football? Throw the ball, bash into each other as fast as possible. It could be called "extreme tag", the principles are the same.

Golf looks dumb and boring too. That's the problem with just casual observation. Anyone with a brain knows golf isn't about "excitement", it's about the precision. So I'm sure the sports I dissed above are deeper than they appear. Same for soccer. When you see a player almost backflip, manage to kick the ball in the process AND direct the ball where he intended all in one acrobatic move, you realize there's more skill than just kicking a ball around.

[massive88]

I went to A&M and never saw any students there get super retarded or violent about the games.  Granted, we didn't allow beer into the stands and I think that was a BIG part of it.

I went to the Texas/A&M game in Austin in 1998 and had beer poured on me by a brave guy two or three tiers up while they chanted "poor aggies".

I went to the Texas/A&M game right after Bonfire with some UT jackass covered head to toe in burnt orange and hornhead logos.  Only comment he got from an Aggie was a handshake and a "congratulations on going to the big 12 championship game this year".

Really classy folks in Austin... when they're not too busy being drunk, smoking pot, or burning flags.

First off, no college anywhere allows beer into the stands.  Its mandated by the NCAA.  I was at both games you describe, the 1998 was when Ricky beat the record, it was at DKR which has only two levels.  If someone hit you with a beer that wasn't allowed in, from the second level while you were on the first, I'd be extremely surprised.

Second, if you think Aggies aren't as big of ---punks--- to opponents fans as Longhorns, Sooners, or any other passionate fan group, you are deluded. As far as being retarded?  This alone covers it.  But I'm sure a group of college students who condone crushing their own nuts to feel empathy for the football team are nothing but honey and daffodils to the opposing teams fans.  Just make sure you aren't one of the most respected coaches in all of college football, else they may call out for your death publicly.

I don't doubt you get accosted in Austin at a football game if you are representing the Aggies, but don't be so naive as to think the Aggies are any better, each school has hundreds of thousands of alumni that are overly tied up in football.

[LLUncoolJ]

When you see a player almost backflip, manage to kick the ball in the process AND direct the ball where he intended all in one acrobatic move, you realize there's more skill than just kicking a ball around.

Yeah, but he missed...and the score is still 0-0.

Baseball is really difficult for me to watch on TV. I can watch if the Cards are playing...sometimes. I also enjoy seeing the Cubs taking a proper beating. But rarely will I watch all 9 innings on TV. Watching it live in the stadium is another story.

I get playing golf...but not watching it. I get playing soccer, if you're a girl or live in a country where there are no other sports. The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

[CheffoJeffo]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

Not this week they don't ...

[CCM]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

I can't stand baseball... boring (to me) to watch live or on TV, but I'm not going to spout off and pretend I know baseball...

[shardian]

U.S. Soccer is on the rise. MLS...not so much. More and more U.S. players are going overseas to play in the big European leagues.


People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Back to soccer though -  the team salaries of some of the bigger European clubs make George Steinbreinner look like a cheapskate.

[CCM]

First off, no college anywhere allows beer into the stands.  Its mandated by the NCAA.

But they sell it at the stadium, right?  Or, at least, did they?  Ah well, no college kid has ever snuck alcohol past a guard in the entire history of the world.  Ever.  

If you have Club Level seats at Heinz Field for Pitt football games, you can buy beer.  I would assume that each stadium has some special section were beer is sold during college games.

[ChadTower]

People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Well that's the point, really... how would US soccer be if guys like Adrian Peterson and LaDanian Tomlinson were playing soccer from age 5 instead of football?  If Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett were goalies? 

[CheffoJeffo]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was is #1 in the world and had won 35 15 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

[ChadTower]

While beating Spain is a serious achievement, and dramatic improvement, that makes them 1-15 over 16 games against Spain.

Let's recognize the improvement but wait until they have won more than once against them before using that as proof of ability.

[massive88]

But they sell it at the stadium, right?  Or, at least, did they?  Ah well, no college kid has ever snuck alcohol past a guard in the entire history of the world.  Ever.  

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  Maybe they could sell it in luxury boxes?  I don't know, I guess they can if you say aTm does it.

People sneak alcohol in constantly.  Beers however?  Not nearly as easy to hide as a flask, vodka in a water bottle or the like.  I've personally never seen beer in the stands, Im sure some sneak it in.  I have seen tons and tons of liquor though.

People now even manufacture shots in what looks like condiment packets, never were that high tech in my day.

[CCM]

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  

That would make sense, Heinz Field is not on Pitt's campus.

[CCM]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was is #1 in the world and had won 35 15 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

Spain was on an international-record 15-match win streak, and was aiming to break Brazil's record of 35 matches without a loss. 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=657100&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901

That's where I got the 35 from...

[CCM]

While beating Spain is a serious achievement, and dramatic improvement, that makes them 1-15 over 16 games against Spain.

Let's recognize the improvement but wait until they have won more than once against them before using that as proof of ability.

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

[Level42]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

Of course, over here, you can only play soccer. Only in the US you can choose other sports......

 





Soccer, when played by the best, is art:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxliFuzw4Fk[/youtube]

[ChadTower]

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

Ah... wonder how many in a row against the US is actually is, then.

It does still stand without question that our best athletes are playing other sports.  It's hard to believe someone like Randy Moss wouldn't be world class if he had been playing soccer all along.  Or how different it would have been if Bo Jackson were a soccer player.

Or god forbid Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson.

[CCM]

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

Ah... wonder how many in a row against the US is actually is, then.

It does still stand without question that our best athletes are playing other sports.  It's hard to believe someone like Randy Moss wouldn't be world class if he had been playing soccer all along.  Or how different it would have been if Bo Jackson were a soccer player.

Or god forbid Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson.

That doesn't necessarily hold true....  Just because you are naturally gifted at one sport, doesn't mean you would be that good at all sports.

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

[massive88]

Of course, over here, you can only play soccer. Only in the US you can choose other sports......

I think its more a point of desire, and if you are looking for a payday in the US, its Football, Baseball, or Basketball.

The highest paid player in the US Soccer league that is from the US, makes $395,000, which I am pretty sure is really close to the league minimum in MLB.

I dont know what the minimums are in the NFL and NBA, but I do know hardly anyone makes less than half a million, with most making over a million.

If you have Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bo Jackson, Chris Paul, etc type athletic talent in the US, you play one of the majors in this country, and honestly you would be foolish not to.

[Level42]

Do you really think 6/7 year old kids think about that when they start a sport ? IF so, it's even worse than I think.....

[ChadTower]

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Those guys all have world class sprinter's speed and agility.  There's a reason I said Peterson, Tomlinson, and Bo Jackson rather than Brett Favre and Tom Brady.  Of course Orlando Pace wouldn't be a great soccer player but you can bet your ass Steve Smith might have been.

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

[LLUncoolJ]

People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Well that's the point, really... how would US soccer be if guys like Adrian Peterson and LaDanian Tomlinson were playing soccer from age 5 instead of football?  If Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett were goalies? 

Agreed...this is where I was trying to go with this.

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

I can't stand baseball... boring (to me) to watch live or on TV, but I'm not going to spout off and pretend I know baseball...

Do they hand out medals for 14th place now? I didn't know that was the new standard for not sucking. Yes, we beat the #1 current team...hooray for us. But in historical context, the US is not an elite program. And as long as our best athletes make millions of $$ and hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

[LLUncoolJ]

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Those guys all have world class sprinter's speed and agility.  There's a reason I said Peterson, Tomlinson, and Bo Jackson rather than Brett Favre and Tom Brady.  Of course Orlando Pace wouldn't be a great soccer player but you can bet your ass Steve Smith might have been.

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

NFL has a salary cap. I'm not sure what Beckham makes, but ARoid makes almost $30M/ year plus endorsements.

[massive88]

That doesn't necessarily hold true....  Just because you are naturally gifted at one sport, doesn't mean you would be that good at all sports.

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Favre is a good QB, but he is not a athlete on the level of some of the people Ive listed.  

Some would fail at soccer probably, but when you read about Thorpe successfully competing in almost all track and field events, was a lacross star, dominating in football (on offense, defense, and special teams), winning a national ballroom dancing competition, setting a decathalon Olympic record that stood for two decades, gold Pentathelete (including a 3rd place finish in an event he hadnt ever tried before that year) and be drafted in all professional baseball, football, and basketball leagues, its hard to imagine he would not succeed in Soccer if he chose to play it.

Jim Brown was a track star, leading scorer on the basketball team, and possibly the best lacrosse player of his decade.  He also is generally considered the best running back who ever lived.

Everyone should be more familiar with the other guys, putting Paul and LeBron in with the rest may be an exaggeration, but I wanted to put some more current examples  =D

[ChadTower]

hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

Okay that I can tell you isn't right... I live a couple of minutes from where the Revolution play.  Most of their players live right around my town and they end up holding free youth clinics at our town park as part of MLS mandated youth outreach.  My kids have participated in those camps.  The chicks show up in droves and are 5 deep on the sidelines to get at those players.  And believe me these aren't chicks that live in my town - I'd sure as hell have noticed all these 6' models on other days.  

Aroid makes $30mil a year being one of the best to ever play his game in the largest market on the planet.  He is a unique case even in north american sports.

[massive88]

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

Beckhams official MLS salary is 5.5 million, which is double the next guy.  Only 4 guys in the MLS make over 1 million, and one more makes over $500k, none are Americans.

Base salary for Peyton Manning in 2008 was 11.5 million.

Matt Shaub with the Texans most closely made Beckham money (looking at QBs only).  56 total quarterbacks made over 1 million dollars in 2008 on salary alone.

[ChadTower]

Beckhams official MLS salary is 5.5 million, which is double the next guy.  

"official"

The figures thrown around when he signed were well over 100mill for not all that long.

[LLUncoolJ]

hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

Aroid makes $30mil a year being one of the best to ever play his game in the largest market on the planet.  He is a unique case even in north american sports.

The cards are talking about giving Pujols $27M, and STL is hardly a large market.

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  

Google isn't being completely clear on this.  Seems like it's a school by school thing...

One of my best friends played FB at Okla State. He told me at the Uviversity of Colorado, they sold beer. Said one of the drunks leaned over the rail and stole a teamates helmet off the bench. This would've been the early 90s. I wasn't there, but thats what he told me...take it for what you will.

[ChadTower]

The cards are talking about giving Pujols $27M, and STL is hardly a large market.

Doesn't mean a thing until the checks are signed.  STL may not be a huge market in general but might be the best baseball market in the world.

[LLUncoolJ]

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

This thread's reputation is expanding faster than the universe.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SSZA0CjdQ[/youtube]

[Namco]

Godammit, can't we just get back to the topic at hand already?

...

... do you think it's hard to get it on with a goalkeeper? I mean, their whole job is to keep you from scoring.

[LLUncoolJ]

Godammit, can't we just get back to the topic at hand already?

...

... do you think it's hard to get it on with a goalkeeper? I mean, their whole job is to keep you from scoring.

Thank you!! Best post (other than mine) so far. Well played sir.

[ChadTower]

I want the original pic back!

[LLUncoolJ]

Google Hope Solo images and it'll be there.

[massive88]

"official"

The figures thrown around when he signed were well over 100mill for not all that long.

Looks like SI had Beckham's total earnings in 2007 to be at 48.2 million, though that's not totally a fair comparison, as hes not a home grown soccer player in the US.

But to put him against US athletes, he would rank 3rd, above LeBron and Floyd Mayweather, and below Tiger and Mickelson.

There is (obviously) no home grown Soccer player in the top 50 paid athletes in the US.

Source:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/index.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/index.20.html

[LLUncoolJ]

looks like it's time to ramp up my stalking effort.

[massive88]

Isnt she the one that tossed her coach and teammate under the bus when he didnt start her like a year or so ago?

Edit:  Yep - http://ebestagent.com/ebestmagazine/news/hope-solo-controversy-compilation/

[CCM]

Do they hand out medals for 14th place now? I didn't know that was the new standard for not sucking. Yes, we beat the #1 current team...hooray for us. But in historical context, the US is not an elite program. And as long as our best athletes make millions of $$ and hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

You're right, only the top 3 get medals so everyone from 4 to 202 sucks....

[CCM]

I want the original pic back!

I agree!!!  I love me some Gina goodness!

[LLUncoolJ]

Do they hand out medals for 14th place now? I didn't know that was the new standard for not sucking. Yes, we beat the #1 current team...hooray for us. But in historical context, the US is not an elite program. And as long as our best athletes make millions of $$ and hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

You're right, only the top 3 get medals so everyone from 4 to 202 sucks....

yeah, it's sports...not school class ranking.

[ChadTower]

Meh.

Meh-ing that gets you called teh ghey.  teh vrey vrey ghey.

[drventure]

Gotta go with Chad on that.

Lordee, that's hot 

[LLUncoolJ]

holyshit!! So hot she's got me speaking jibberish.

Pole vaulting...now that's a sport.

[FrizzleFried]

Meh?  TURN IN YOUR MAN CARD!

[Dartful Dodger]

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...

There are a couple of Americans highly ranked in the Special Olympics too.

[CCM]

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...

There are a couple of Americans highly ranked in the Special Olympics too.

wow, I don't even know how to respond to that..   



Anyway, who gives a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- what sports everyone likes...

[LLUncoolJ]

Meh?  TURN IN YOUR MAN CARD!

'Meh' in reference to the original athlete in comparison to this one.

The pole vaulter (Allison Stokke) sadly was caught at the right angle in the right lighting in that photo, but she is still a cute girl.

So this is her not looking good? Cripes man...say what you will about PBJ, but he did bring this chick to my attention.

This is her without makeup and in poor lighting.

[Justin Z]

I just gotta add . . .  as a former soccer-hating American (the soccer-hating part, not the American part), and as is true about us yanks a lot of times about a lot of things . . .  it's amazing how much your perception of a subject will change when you confront your own ignorance about it and actually learn something.

Additionally, having played basketball, baseball, hockey, and most recently in my life -- after learning to love it -- soccer, I find soccer to easily be the most physically demanding of the four.

ETA: And Hope Solo is hot but don't forget Heather Mitts!  She's pretty much a ten.

[CCM]

ETA: And Hope Solo is hot but don't forget Heather Mitts!  She's pretty much a ten.

You can't throw that out there and not post a picture!!

[massive88]

Amy Taylor beats all the other soccer players.

[Ummon]

Most sports are lame to watch. (Now billiards, that's a different story.) But many sports are fun to play, depending on who's playing and the logistics of things.

[LLUncoolJ]

On a sidebar to the original subject, being the Star Wars dork that I am, if my last name were Solo and I had a little girl, it would be hard to resist naming her Hanna.

[Ei Ei]

Sports are lame to watch?

It's a slow burn. You need to get interested at a young age to enjoy them, otherwise you can never understand the fixation.

[protokatie]

Wow, you guys are all talking about random sports but completely miss the best sport ever invented! Competitive tag-team sexual intercourse! (Or am I the only one to dig that? If that is the case, guess I will have to tag out; who's next in the "ring"?)

[danny_galaga]

I never watch soccer, but I've watched a few games at the actual stadium and had a ball.  I think it's a great sport.  Tennis is my favorite to watch, though, both in person and on TV.

Yeah, best tennis match i ever watched was on the telly in our new house. Wimbledon final, Goran Ivanisevic vs Patrick Rafter. Couldn't really root for one over the other. Both likable guys. Brilliant game 

[danny_galaga]

American football is popular in the US because it's a great sport to put a ---Cleveland steamer----load of commercials on TV during a game, mainly because the play is dead after every couple of seconds. Talks about BORING !

American Football is the best TV sport period.  It doesn't matter if you like it or not, no other sport has the same pacing and violence to make it appeal to the greatest number of people like football.

Rugby, if you want pacing and violence. Or boxing i suppose...

[danny_galaga]

 Give half the world a rooting interest in the NFL, and it would blow away soccer's viewership.



Stoppage in play may not be your thing, but for TV its perfect.  It gives ample time to the lowest common denominator to digest what they saw, see it again from other angles, and have commentary on it.  And the violence in football cannot be matched by any other sport.  Those two together make it the perfect TV sport.

Watching live?  Id say Soccer is better, due to your reasons.

I don't think you realise that many people around the world have charitably made an attempt to watch gridiron. But the constant stopping and starting every few seconds is a real hurdle. This has happened with cricket too. Many people around the world have made a charitable attempt at watching it, but the constant boredom is a real hurdle 

What a stupid thread. Nearly every sport could be accused of the same thing some of you morons are calling on soccer.
 When you see a player almost backflip, manage to kick the ball in the process AND direct the ball where he intended all in one acrobatic move, you realize there's more skill than just kicking a ball around.

 

[Dartful Dodger]

I bought FIFA 09 for the PS3 this weekend.

Even pretend soccer sux.

I didn't post this on Monday because I figured I'd do some Bing searching to see if we were playing it right.  We were.

I had soccer for my PS1 in college and we created full teams and there was one button to slide tackle/pass, another button to shoot and you would use a combination of buttons to perform bicycle kicks.

This PS3 version is like playing Mortal Kombat.  You have to memorize a combination of buttons just to make the ball go towards the net.

If I wanted a game to be overly complicated for no other reason than to make it overly complicated, I'd play real soccer.

It doesn't let you create new teams, but it had the county in Ireland my mom was from, although it would have been fun to create my dad's county.

Also I couldn't figure out how to create a league that consisted of teams from different leagues.


I paid 50 bucks for this game so I'll play it a few more times.  I'll post a retraction if by some chance after I get the hang of it, it stops suking.

[Justin Z]

I got FIFA '09 for the Wii and thought it sucked also so I don't think it's just you.  You are right, needlessly complex.  There's a game in MAME called Hat Trick Hero that I think is hilariously fun.  Not only do you get to punch and karate kick your opponents and not get called for fouls if the referee isn't nearby, you can pass, head, bicycle kick and shoot the ball all with the same button.

Arcade simplicity at its finest = fan-frickin'-tastic.