For Those Of You That Hate/Love Soccer...

[corndo]

The US match received an extremely impressive 5.2 television rating on Saturday, beating all expectations.

... I guess someone is watching. Lovers 1, Haters 0

[jvegashawg]

I'm not a huge soccer fan.  But I'll watch the World Cup.  Similar to the Olympics for me.  I'd never sit down and watch many of those Olympic Sports at any other time, but once every four years on a large world stage it's interesting.   

[hogsanity]

I dont hate soccer.  I hate the implications made that if you dont like soccer you are anti-world.  I dont expect the people of Trinidad & Tobago to care about the NFL or College Fb the way we do, but I dont think less of them because of it either.

What i do hate about soccer is how it is being used with small kids to take competiton out of their sports.  Heck, many youth soccer leagues do not keep score.  I know winning is not everything, but.............

[fusbal11]

I dont hate soccer.  I hate the implications made that if you dont like soccer you are anti-world.  I dont expect the people of Trinidad & Tobago to care about the NFL or College Fb the way we do, but I dont think less of them because of it either.

What i do hate about soccer is how it is being used with small kids to take competiton out of their sports.  Heck, many youth soccer leagues do not keep score.  I know winning is not everything, but.............

Here's the deal--- most of the children just want to play and have fun.  The parents are the one that make the games more competitive than they should be by putting pressure on the kids and demanding wins and demanding only the skilled players play.   Not every child that plays soccer is going to move on to high level competition.  When the time comes they are free to try out for a competitive or "classic" team.
Soccer ---from the highest level down has and will continue to encourage  fun fair play for the beginning levels of soccer.  The game is for everyone and should be organized as such.  Players at the lower levels should be taught individual skills, fair play and comradory, rather than be coached by some "parent" who's only objective is to win and teaches only tactics that will ensure victories at the given level that he or she is coaching.  Good players are lost or turned off to the sport by these measures.  Players blossom at different ages and furthermore, team tactics are seen more through relative drills more than a coach designing set plays for his or her son or daughter or star player. 
So, be patient, because it is a difficult game to master, and I feel our youth leagues are taking the right approach  in developing soccer here in the America

Go USA
GO ITALY

[hogsanity]

I dont hate soccer.  I hate the implications made that if you dont like soccer you are anti-world.  I dont expect the people of Trinidad & Tobago to care about the NFL or College Fb the way we do, but I dont think less of them because of it either.

What i do hate about soccer is how it is being used with small kids to take competiton out of their sports.  Heck, many youth soccer leagues do not keep score.  I know winning is not everything, but.............

Here’s the deal--- most of the children just want to play and have fun.  The parents are the one that make the games more competitive than they should be by putting pressure on the kids and demanding wins and demanding only the skilled players play.   Not every child that plays soccer is going to move on to high level competition.  When the time comes they are free to try out for a competitive or “classic” team.
Soccer ---from the highest level down has and will continue to encourage  fun fair play for the beginning levels of soccer.  The game is for everyone and should be organized as such.  Players at the lower levels should be taught individual skills, fair play and comradely, rather than be coached by some “parent” who’s only objective is to win and teaches only tactics that will ensure victories at the given level that he or she is coaching.  Good players are lost or turned off to the sport by these measures.  Players blossom at different ages and furthermore, team tactics are seen more through relative drills more than a coach designing set plays for his or her son or daughter or star player. 
So, be patient, because it is a difficult game to master, and I feel our youth leagues are taking the right approach  in developing soccer here in the America

Go USA
GO ITALY

I agree, whatever sport or activity a child is involved in they should be taught how to play.  That includes technique, and how to win and lose with class.  I coach a 7-8 yr old baseball team.  I dont let them whine about umps, and I dont let the coaches do so in front of the kids either, we play by the rules, and we play to win, but I also tell them, when we lose, leave it at the park. 

[litmachog]

I used to hate soccer until my daughter started playing classic soccer and not that I've learned the game, it is interested and facinating.

It's a great game and I love the World Cup.

[fusbal11]

I dont hate soccer.  I hate the implications made that if you dont like soccer you are anti-world.  I dont expect the people of Trinidad & Tobago to care about the NFL or College Fb the way we do, but I dont think less of them because of it either.

What i do hate about soccer is how it is being used with small kids to take competiton out of their sports.  Heck, many youth soccer leagues do not keep score.  I know winning is not everything, but.............

Here’s the deal--- most of the children just want to play and have fun.  The parents are the one that make the games more competitive than they should be by putting pressure on the kids and demanding wins and demanding only the skilled players play.   Not every child that plays soccer is going to move on to high level competition.  When the time comes they are free to try out for a competitive or “classic” team.
Soccer ---from the highest level down has and will continue to encourage  fun fair play for the beginning levels of soccer.  The game is for everyone and should be organized as such.  Players at the lower levels should be taught individual skills, fair play and comradely, rather than be coached by some “parent” who’s only objective is to win and teaches only tactics that will ensure victories at the given level that he or she is coaching.  Good players are lost or turned off to the sport by these measures.  Players blossom at different ages and furthermore, team tactics are seen more through relative drills more than a coach designing set plays for his or her son or daughter or star player. 
So, be patient, because it is a difficult game to master, and I feel our youth leagues are taking the right approach  in developing soccer here in the America

Go USA
GO ITALY

I agree, whatever sport or activity a child is involved in they should be taught how to play.  That includes technique, and how to win and lose with class.  I coach a 7-8 yr old baseball team.  I dont let them whine about umps, and I dont let the coaches do so in front of the kids either, we play by the rules, and we play to win, but I also tell them, when we lose, leave it at the park. 

Sounds great.  It's a shame you are in the minority, and that goes for all sports including soccer.
+1 for you though

[3kgthog]

In the grand scheme of things what other sports were on at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon? That might help to explain a little bit of the ratings.

[Hoggy Hogalot]

You know what i like about the world cup- no comercials or time outs

[LA HAWG]

You know what i like about the world cup- no comercials or time outs

AMEN

[hogsanity]

Just for the record, soccer played at the highest levels is beautiful in the play by the best players, just as NFL, MLB and even the NHL.  I just never developed a taste for the game. 

[bigred7987]

if your not out there to win why do you play...thats the only thing I hate about soccer...Hockey wised up and did away with the ties

[Bill_Smith]

I dont hate soccer.  I hate the implications made that if you dont like soccer you are anti-world.  I dont expect the people of Trinidad & Tobago to care about the NFL or College Fb the way we do, but I dont think less of them because of it either.

What i do hate about soccer is how it is being used with small kids to take competiton out of their sports.  Heck, many youth soccer leagues do not keep score.  I know winning is not everything, but.............

Might want to check -- at least in Fayetteville -- they're not keeping score below a certain age in all sports.

As a youth coach, I think the most absurd thing is trying to tell the kids -- male or female -- that we're not keeping score.  The kids keep score, and no matter how many times you tell them it's not about winning, it is. 

[Bill_Smith]

In the grand scheme of things what other sports were on at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon? That might help to explain a little bit of the ratings.

Actually, that makes the ratings more impressive.  Unlike other World Cup nations, whole offices aren't closing for the games.

My understanding is they are matching apples to apples (soccer to soccer, that is) in contrasting the ratings, then looking at the broader any sport references.

[Bill_Smith]

if your not out there to win why do you play...thats the only thing I hate about soccer...Hockey wised up and did away with the ties

Disagree -- unless a winner must be determined for championship purposes, ties in many sports are preferable to the circus-like atmosphere of silly OT schemes.

Look, if you've gone four quarters, do you really want to play arena football to settle the game?  Shootouts and PKs for soccer and hockey?  That's a skills contest, not a match.

After a point, even basketball OT becomes an endurance contest or a battle against fifth fouls.

[GBPackerFan]

In the grand scheme of things what other sports were on at 2:30 on Saturday afternoon? That might help to explain a little bit of the ratings.

From what I heard, and I may have misheard it, the USA v. Italy game had the highest ratings out of anything the entire weekend.  That includes Game 5 of the NBA finals.  Which I found crazy.  But, I may have just misunderstood what I heard.

[hawkeyefan17]

I watch the World Cup every four years when it comes around. As I said in a previous post I had some college friends from Kenya and Jamaica that really got me to respect and watch the game. I watch an MLS and English Premier League game every so often but I am by no means a die hard fan or anything.

I will watch tomorrow morning when the U.S. plays Ghana.

I root for the U.S. obviously, and England.

The ties in soccer do drive me nuts. I watched Mexico vs. Portugal this morning and the annoucers kept saying how Mexico would be happy with the 2-1 loss...my first thought as you might imagine was how can you be happy with a loss but Mexico was fine with it...very strange the way the World Cup standings work.

[fire_hog]

The ties in soccer do drive me nuts. I watched Mexico vs. Portugal this morning and the annoucers kept saying how Mexico would be happy with the 2-1 loss...my first thought as you might imagine was how can you be happy with a loss but Mexico was fine with it...very strange the way the World Cup standings work.

Think it's kinda like the Steelers going into week sixteen assured of their playoff seeding. If they rest some starters, experiment with some new plays, and don't get anyone hurt, it's a good week, even if they lose.

Go USA. Go England. (Wayne Rooney is a beast)

[Hogward R. Murrow]

Jesus Christ, Father in Heaven. Not another soccer thread.

[Hogward R. Murrow]

Ok, to be fair and objective, here is what it would take for me to watch soccer.

Reduce the field to 100 yards. Put a timer and break it into 4 quarters. Make the ball somewhat oblong and have.........oh, oh, that's football

seriously:

reduce the field to half, go both ways (like most soccer players). Allow them to use hands on other players, not the ball.  No more freaking ties.  And count the danged clock down. More like arena football.  Mix in some bloody noses, and I might watch one game.

[abq]

So, did the US team win? They really shouldn't worry about that though, it's all about having fun. Then they can dance and sing and trade hairstyle secrets.

[CiriusPorker]

Ok, to be fair and objective, here is what it would take for me to watch soccer.

Reduce the field to 100 yards. Put a timer and break it into 4 quarters. Make the ball somewhat oblong and have.........oh, oh, that's football

seriously:

reduce the field to half, go both ways (like most soccer players). Allow them to use hands on other players, not the ball.  No more freaking ties.  And count the danged clock down. More like arena football.  Mix in some bloody noses, and I might watch one game.

FYI.

You can use hands on other players in soccer.

Bloody Noses?  Apparently you haven't watched the World Cup, because it has gotten very bloody lately..check out US v. Italy.

Ties?  Most sports had ties at one point.  They were maintained in soccer because the game is played non-stop.  Having overtime in a seasonal game would only kill the players.  Trying playing non stop soccer for 90 minutes, then add 30 minutes of overtime...and if still a tie, penalty kicks.  If they did this for every game, players would be collapsing left and right.  Believe me, the tie for most games unless its elimination stages is better.  Those games will go on and on to agonizing lengths in a tie sometimes...  besides points are awarded for ties

3 points for a win
1 point for a tie
0 for a loss...it helps distinguish rankings without votes, and yet keeps players from collapsing after playing nonstop.

[bigred7987]

have a 5 minute stoppage time and if nothing after that..PK time...soccer needs to do away with the tie here in America if they hope to be successful. 

[ste4236]

Don't follow soccer at all, but root for the US in everything and will actually watch the US Soccer games, despite my ingnorance in the sport. Just found out today if we win and Italy wins, we move on!

Can we pull a Miracle like hockey???
I know, i know... probably not

[hoggystyle78]

Not a big soccer fan, but have been watching some of the games, including all of the USA's matches. Not real exciting for me, but hey, it's only every 4 years or so.