USA set to receive thumping next month..

[Curval]

Sorry if I am a bit late to this discussion, but I'd like to chime in. I LOVE soccer, but I didn't grow up that way. I grew up in rural NC, where I slept, breathed, ate, drank, and screwed baseball. All of it, every day, every second, every year. AAU World Series Champions, 7 of my starting 9 in AAU are pro's now, including Wil Myers who is starting RF for Tampa Bay Rays. I know my baseball and I love it. I have been offered by several local high schools to teach and coach at a Junior Varsity or Varsity level. I have been a Braves fan since I took my first breath. I remember all the division championships, the 95 Series, and the horrible late 2000's. Oh yea, and the "Infield Fly" Wildcard Playoff BS with St. Louis. Every second I have spent around baseball has been a joy.

I also love college basketball. I played in high school and I live in NC, so Duke-UNC rivalry is premiere. I am a Duke fan btw. I watch every Duke basketball game, every year. I remember JJ, McRoberts, Langdon, Battier, Parks, Williams, Boozer, Brand, Magette, Dheng, and Irving. NBA is boring to me, but that's me.

The Carolina Panthers were founded in 1995. I have been a Panthers fan since Day 1. I recall the Collins days, Fred lane getting shot, Wesley Walls, Sam Mills, Kevin Greene, woeful QB years of Peete, Buerlein, and Delhomme. We have been to 1 Super Bowl and it was one of the greatest American football games I have ever seen. I cried for 2 hours when we lost. We haven't been since. I watch every game.

My point is that I love all of these sports. Sure, I could sit here with you and tell you my favorites and why. But, the fact is, they are all great. Some folks don't like baseball, I can understand why. I don't watch all 162 Braves games. I can say that I watch 50 a year, usually 3-5 at Turner field in Atlanta. Basketball requires a certain set of gifts. Football requires strength, stamina, skill, and finesse. Baseball requires excellent coordination, stamina, strategy, understanding, chemistry, and in some cases assumption. These are the things that make these sports great. What makes soccer great is it's simplicity.

The fact is, football is played all over the world. We Americans usually do not grow up watching or playing football. We play baseball, American football, and basketball. In some places hockey. But, football is the greatest sport and it is not arguable. It isn't because I say it is or because of the money, women, fame, etc. It is the greatest because it is easy, cheap, and fun. It requires skills and discipline that most sports do not require. It is played all over the world. And once every four years, the world comes together to play this wonderful game of football. This year it is in Brasil. I hope and truly wish that all of you that dislike, hate, or think poorly of football will watch your native country. Even if it is just one game. Watch your native country and pull for your country to win as if your patriotism actually were in question. Somewhere deep inside you, you will feel it. That urge to want your country to win, the need for victory, the appreciation for what your'e watching, the popularity of this wonderful game, the simplicity of this crazy overpaid nancy sport, the love and admiration of football. Watch it with us.

Best post in the thread.

 

[MiloMorai]

You picked Cleveland?  Lmao.  Attendance is low there because they suck.  Maybe you find baseball boring because you watch suck teams.  You are the exact person I've been waiting for!  You know nothing about baseball and I can help you!!  Ha!

You're mistaking small market vs big market vs boring and you ignored the number of games per season.  Don't cherry pick facts

I umpired for several years.

Last year avg for the Rangers 38,759. So almost 10,000 empty seats per game.

Even the LAD avg 10,000 empty seats. 46,216/56,000

CLE was 8th last year and avg 19,419/42,404

[kilo2]

At present there are currently an estimated 3.5 to 4 Billion people who watch or play soccer regularly. With the FIFA World Cup registering the HIGHEST ratings of any sporting event in the world including the Olympics. In other words, HALF of the entire planets population are soccer fans.

The United States is the only nation in the developed world that soccer is not the dominant sport. All of Europe and South America is soccer. Ironically Australia is the only other nation in which Soccer is not the most popular sport. (I am Australian and a fanatical Arsenal FC fan)

As a Gridiron player (relatively new to the game) I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan (don't make fun of me). And an Aggies fan. That sport is fun too.

But in all honesty, Soccer or football as it should universally be called. Is king. And rightly so.

Damn Arsenal fans they're everywhere.

COYS!

[Plawranc]

Damn Arsenal fans they're everywhere.

COYS!

Tottenham... MIND THE GAP....

[Changeup]

I umpired for several years.

Last year avg for the Rangers 38,759. So almost 10,000 empty seats per game.

Even the LAD avg 10,000 empty seats. 46,216/56,000

CLE was 8th last year and avg 19,419/42,404

81 home games bro.  Champions league Europe drew 19M.  MLB drew 49M.  Soccer has to fill stadiums to make it work economically.  Baseball is less expensive to watch and there are more opportunities to watch. 

I played a little at OU, lol

[perdue3]

Damn Arsenal fans they're everywhere.

COYS!

Arsene Wenger is a genius. Go gunners!

[danny76]

At present there are currently an estimated 3.5 to 4 Billion people who watch or play soccer regularly. With the FIFA World Cup registering the HIGHEST ratings of any sporting event in the world including the Olympics. In other words, HALF of the entire planets population are soccer fans.

The United States is the only nation in the developed world that soccer is not the dominant sport. All of Europe and South America is soccer. Ironically Australia is the only other nation in which Soccer is not the most popular sport. (I am Australian and a fanatical Arsenal FC fan)

As a Gridiron player (relatively new to the game) I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan (don't make fun of me). And an Aggies fan. That sport is fun too.

But in all honesty, Soccer or football as it should universally be called. Is king. And rightly so.

Reasonable argument, my issue is that Soccer is filled with primadonna's that are worried about hurting their hairstyles, golf is not a sport, neither is bowls, bowling, curling, snooker or darts. i will never understand how someone can be a fanatical fan of a place they have no connection with, other than liking the strip, or they saw the guys win one time and thought they would leap at the band wagon.

Rugby is the sport of kings

[perdue3]

At any rate, I believe that the United States will fair poorly but much better than is predicted. I do not see a Knockout Stage in their future, only because of the 4 they are the worst. It is a real shame, because 2 or 3 of the groups are quite poor.

For example, Group E: Switzerland, Ecuador, France and Honduras. This group is very close to toss-up. I believe Switzerland will win this group, as for the 2nd place spot, I have no clue. If the United States were in this group, I believe they would have a legitimate chance of winning the group.

Then there is Group C: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan. Japan is NOT the worst team in this group, but then who is? All of these national teams in Group C are mediocre, as is the United States. If the US were in this group, another legitimate chance would be in their possession.

Finally, Group H: Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea. Per FIFA, Belgium is the best team in this group. You may not think so, but look at the roster: Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, Courtois between the sticks, Lukaku in the front with Dembele. This is a solid squad, but then we look at the other 3. Russia is not the powerhouse of the 70's, 80's and 90's. Shirokov will not make it easy to beat the Russians, but still not nearly as strong as most people believe. Algeria? Fairly good midfield, poor defense and a shady attack. Bentaleb and Taider will keep the Algerians afloat but I see no knockout stage. Then South Korea, the US could easily handle the Koreans. So again we see another group that could see the Americans moving forward.

Sadly this is not the case. The Americans have been paired with a Semi-final favorite, 2 of them. Ghana doesn't allow the United States to beat them, ever. Most of Ghana's starting 11 play in the MLS, so they know the US very well. It will be a tough World Cup for the United States, but I will enjoy watching and I hope some of you burn 90 minutes watching your country.

[BoilerDown]

It'll be all the more magical if the US manages to advance.  I don't think any of the teams are so far ahead that its impossible for the US to win or tie any of the games they play in their group.  Two ties and one win and its almost impossible to not advance.  Writing them off after the US has shown marked improvement every four years for a long while now is silly.  I'll watch every game.

I'll be extraordinarily happy if there's just one more moment 1/5th as good as this one, which I was lucky enough to have watched in a large crowd:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn3rOPmR9w

I watched that in the Purdue Memorial student union in a large crowd just like in that video after my calculus class ended.  It was the nearest TV I knew would be tuned to the game and I knew I didn't have the extra five minutes get home to watch the ending, because I was watching the game during class over the shoulder of another student, who was streaming it on his laptop.  I double-hand overhead high-fived a half dozen people that just happened to be standing next to me, and that I never met before or after that .5 seconds of excitement and elation.  After that experience, I'll never again believe anyone who says the US doesn't care about soccer or the World Cup.

Don't you think the US National Team is tired of hearing how they don't have a chance, no one believes in them, Group Of Death, always lose to Ghana, don't have their leader (Donovan), will finish last in their group?  They will be out there more motivated than ever before, with more talent than ever before, with a coach that understands his team better than any coach before.  They can advance. What's more, they will advance. And when they do, no one will want to be matched up against them in the knockout stage.

[craz07]

I'll tell you why Portugal is God's chosen team.. check this out Cletus.. now you know why..        now i gotta have a wank.. 

[guncrasher]

I'll tell you why Portugal is God's chosen team.. check this out Cletus.. now you know why..      (Image removed from quote.)  now i gotta have a wank.. 

those girls have more plastic than the soccer ball on the field.


semp

[TheCrazyOrange]

those girls have more plastic than the soccer ball on the field.


semp

Top left isn't bad at all.

[craz07]

I have a feeling most are focusing on the bikini lol  

[Changeup]

Top left isn't bad at all.

Top left is dating a Portuguese guy, lmao, she's from Orange County

[TheCrazyOrange]

See Rules #4, #6