A Challenge...

[DukeOfPork]

My wife grew up in a small town in Arkansas.  Her highschool did not have a football team.  She knew about basketball and baseball...but had never once attended a football game on any level.  No pee-wee games, no Jr. high...no highschool...NOTHING.

The first football game she ever went to was a Razorback game I took her to when we were dating.  She was completely unimpressed and bored.  I tried to explain some of the things to her as the game went on, but she finally just told me, "never mind." and she just "people watched" the rest of the game.  To this day she couldn't care less about going to a football game...She'll go with me occasionally to watch the band or something...but thinks football is stupid and doesn't make sense.  However, she loves baseball and basketball...because she was exposed to it and appreciates  it.

Is football only for the sophisticated?  Is my wife not sophisticated because she doesn't like it or understand it?  No on both of those. 

The point is, if you have been exposed to the sport, you appreciate the effort and training to be able to do the things that are being done on the field.  You understand the strategy and events that take place. 

This is true of any sport: if you do not understand the finer points, you cannot enjoy the game.

When we were dating, my wife simply could not see the point to all of the hubub that goes on in between the occasional touchdown at Hog games.  After several games, I guess she finally got curious enough to ask what the hell a first down was and how do you get one (and why does it matter).

I explained it to her and showed her how she could keep track of it herself with the 1st down marker and everything.

Suddenly, the light bulb went on.  She's been a huge Razorback fan ever since then. 

Much like novice viewers of soccer, she saw all of the action between scores as being fruitless and a waste of time.  Now she sees football as the yard-by-yard grind that it often is.  She sees the nuances when one team appears to be gaining the upper hand in a scoreless game.  She knows when HDN calls a play that she doesn't agree with. 

Soccer is no different.  The nuances will often tell you which team is forcing its will on the other team.  But you have to know what the hell to look for.

[Ugly Uncle]

My wife grew up in a small town in Arkansas.  Her highschool did not have a football team.  She knew about basketball and baseball...but had never once attended a football game on any level.  No pee-wee games, no Jr. high...no highschool...NOTHING.

The first football game she ever went to was a Razorback game I took her to when we were dating.  She was completely unimpressed and bored.  I tried to explain some of the things to her as the game went on, but she finally just told me, "never mind." and she just "people watched" the rest of the game.  To this day she couldn't care less about going to a football game...She'll go with me occasionally to watch the band or something...but thinks football is stupid and doesn't make sense.  However, she loves baseball and basketball...because she was exposed to it and appreciates  it.

Is football only for the sophisticated?  Is my wife not sophisticated because she doesn't like it or understand it?  No on both of those. 

The point is, if you have been exposed to the sport, you appreciate the effort and training to be able to do the things that are being done on the field.  You understand the strategy and events that take place. 

This is true of any sport: if you do not understand the finer points, you cannot enjoy the game.

My wife simply could not see the point to all the hubub that goes on in between the occasional touchdown.  After several games, I guess she finally got curious enough to ask what the hell a first down was and how do you get one (and why does it matter).

I explained it to her and showed her how she could keep track of it herself with the chains and everything.

Suddenly, the light bulb went on.  She's been a huge Razorback fan ever since then. 

Much like novice viewers of soccer, she saw all of the action between scores as being fruitless and a waste of time.  Now she sees football as the yard-by-yard grind that it often is.  She sees the nuances when one team appears to be gaining the upper hand in a scoreless game.

Soccer is no different.  The nuances will often tell you which team is forcing its will on the other team.  But you have to know what the hell to look for.

EXACTLY.

I'm not quite there yet with Soccer...but enough to be able to watch the U.S. get killed today.

I am also going to watch the Brazil game.  Should be good.  Those guys are magicians with the ball.

[DukeOfPork]

My wife grew up in a small town in Arkansas.  Her highschool did not have a football team.  She knew about basketball and baseball...but had never once attended a football game on any level.  No pee-wee games, no Jr. high...no highschool...NOTHING.

The first football game she ever went to was a Razorback game I took her to when we were dating.  She was completely unimpressed and bored.  I tried to explain some of the things to her as the game went on, but she finally just told me, "never mind." and she just "people watched" the rest of the game.  To this day she couldn't care less about going to a football game...She'll go with me occasionally to watch the band or something...but thinks football is stupid and doesn't make sense.  However, she loves baseball and basketball...because she was exposed to it and appreciates  it.

Is football only for the sophisticated?  Is my wife not sophisticated because she doesn't like it or understand it?  No on both of those. 

The point is, if you have been exposed to the sport, you appreciate the effort and training to be able to do the things that are being done on the field.  You understand the strategy and events that take place. 

This is true of any sport: if you do not understand the finer points, you cannot enjoy the game.

My wife simply could not see the point to all the hubub that goes on in between the occasional touchdown.  After several games, I guess she finally got curious enough to ask what the hell a first down was and how do you get one (and why does it matter).

I explained it to her and showed her how she could keep track of it herself with the chains and everything.

Suddenly, the light bulb went on.  She's been a huge Razorback fan ever since then. 

Much like novice viewers of soccer, she saw all of the action between scores as being fruitless and a waste of time.  Now she sees football as the yard-by-yard grind that it often is.  She sees the nuances when one team appears to be gaining the upper hand in a scoreless game.

Soccer is no different.  The nuances will often tell you which team is forcing its will on the other team.  But you have to know what the hell to look for.

EXACTLY.

I'm not quite there yet with Soccer...but enough to be able to watch the U.S. get killed today.

I am also going to watch the Brazil game.  Should be good.  Those guys are magicians with the ball.

If you have FSC, watching the Premier League would do you a world of good.  You're open minded enough that I guarantee you would love the EPL.

[Dudesbrother]

   When do they play? Who won? Easy to pull for America in anything. Even (hold my nose) soccer

I'm going toe to toe this afternoon with my Mexican landscaper. I hope that I have everyone's support.
USA USA USA

[SiriusHog™]

   When do they play? Who won? Easy to pull for America in anything. Even (hold my nose) soccer

I'm going toe to toe this afternoon with my Mexican landscaper. I hope that I have everyone's support.
USA USA USA

haha

[DukeOfPork]

   When do they play? Who won? Easy to pull for America in anything. Even (hold my nose) soccer

I'm going toe to toe this afternoon with my Mexican landscaper. I hope that I have everyone's support.
USA USA USA

Throw a bag of Miss at him.

[werehog]

Soccer is really fun to play, but seriously sucks as a spectator sport. I would like to support the USA team, but their own coach just dumped on them for being cowards and quitters after being skunked 3-0 by the Czechs. That is just about the same as being thrashed 70-17. USA plays Italy next, which will most likely be another major beat down.

[fusbal11]

Soccer is really fun to play, but seriously sucks as a spectator sport. I would like to support the USA team, but their own coach just dumped on them for being cowards and quitters after being skunked 3-0 by the Czechs. That is just about the same as being thrashed 70-17. USA plays Italy next, which will most likely be another major beat down.

not even close---more like 21-0

[ErieHog]

   When do they play? Who won? Easy to pull for America in anything. Even (hold my nose) soccer

I'm going toe to toe this afternoon with my Mexican landscaper. I hope that I have everyone's support.
USA USA USA

USA! USA! USA! USA!   All jests aside, I'd rather watch you and the groundskeeper duke it out than watch Soccer.