Soccer

"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen) 07/02/2014 at 10:09 • Filed to: None

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So, another 4 years for soccer to be popular again in the USA? I realize there are places, such as Chicago with the Fire and LA with the Galaxy where it will continue to be popular throughout these 4 years, but for much of the US it will not be all that interesting until another World Cup. But I do think it's on the rise, or at least I like to think so, hopefully teams keep developing into something that can compete on a global level. But for now Klinsmann will be searching for talent with dual nationality in a globally competitive league. I completely understand why he is doing this, I think it's the reason we managed to do well. That, and Howard being an outstanding goalie (I may even be understating that, haha).

I will now be watching the Netherlands, they will always be my favorite since that's who I grew up supporting when I lived there from age 4 - 18, but I was ecstatic to be able to go to a bar here in Grand Rapids Michigan and have it be packed to the rafters at 4pm on a Tuesday because of soccer.

spanfucker retire bitch > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:12

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I'd rather hockey become more popular in the U.S. seeing it's a sport I actually give a flying fuck about.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:15

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It's been a blast during this World Cup run. My sister was at Soldier Field in Chicago yesterday watching the match. The entire lower bowl and field were jam packed. I was hoping for a win to join them on Saturday!

As for the rest of the World Cup, I'm with you. I'll be rooting for the Oranje myself. It's not a popular choice with friends, but I really don't care.

If you're ever in Chicago on a weekend, let me know and I'll show you the best soccer bar in the city (hint: It's NOT Fado).

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:16

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Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:17

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BUT Hockey is popular?

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 07/02/2014 at 10:17

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Yeah, pretty much.

spanfucker retire bitch > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:19

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Only in some regions of the U.S.

Until they actually show more than 60 seconds of clips on ESPN, I don't consider it to be very popular in the U.S.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Where have all the lightweights gone? 07/02/2014 at 10:19

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Awesome, I am planning on getting out to Chicago sometime soon, have some friends to visit.

Being in Michigan, I bet Oranje will be a popular choice among those that still care, since it seems 87% of people have a Dutch last name here.

Where have all the lightweights gone? > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:20

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What club(s) do you follow?

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:22

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More than 60 seconds? I regularly watch full Red Wings games. They seem to last more than 60 seconds...

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:23

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GTFAC

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Where have all the lightweights gone? 07/02/2014 at 10:23

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Don't really follow any in the US here. I follow my hometown in the Netherlands; PEC Zwolle. They've been in the Ere Divisie in recent years and haven't done half-bad either.

spanfucker retire bitch > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:24

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Until they actually show more than 60 seconds of clips on ESPN , I don't consider it to be very popular in the U.S.

spanfucker retire bitch > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 07/02/2014 at 10:25

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Sorry sir, I only speak English.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:27

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It is English... I suppose you haven't been here long enough to know GTFAC.

how about an SR20 of your car?

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:28

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Why is ESPN the benchmark for a sport being popular? Hockey get's aired, soccer, I think you need some obscure ESPN5 channel or some shit.

ColoradoTaco > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:28

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I think soccer's popularity will continue to rise, especially with all the concussion worries from football. I grew up playing football but I'm def on the fence as to if I'd want my son playing. I have no idea how many concussions I've had. I know it's at lease 5 because I can remember those specific instances. I'm sure there were more that I didn't even realize I had gotten.

spanfucker retire bitch > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 07/02/2014 at 10:29

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That one I only know because of a thread I saw a couple of weeks ago where someone asked what that meant.

Also, I was obviously being sarcastic. I don't know what GTFAC means, but that's my usual response to those that use acronyms in place of speech.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > spanfucker retire bitch 07/02/2014 at 10:29

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It means Go To Fuck a Camel, not sure why he said that though. Maybe because you don't care about soccer?

ttyymmnn > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:29

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I don't think it's all gloom and doom for soccer in the US. When I was a kid, everybody played little league baseball, and baseball was still king. American football has taken over that kingship, but LOTS of kids are playing in neighborhood soccer leagues these days. I think part of its popularity has come from the fact that it's relatively inexpensive to play (the cheapest pair of cleats can be had from Academy for about $12). All three of my sons play, and while their attention can wander a bit in a 90-minute match, they will watch. I will admit that I prefer to watch international soccer over domestic, though.

spanfucker retire bitch > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:30

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Ahh, but it's still there. Even if it is obscure.

My point is, hockey is not nationally popular, it's regionally popular. Of course you've seen Red Wings games, they're in one of the strongest markets in the entire country. Hockey is only just marginally more popular on a national scale than soccer - at least in regards to any soccer game that isn't the World Cup.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > ColoradoTaco 07/02/2014 at 10:30

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Hmm, that's concerning! It's a concern in soccer too though, some of the headers they do, my goodness! In fact, I know in leagues around here, for younger kids, headers are banned. Soccer players, like football players, have been studied for brain damage and I think the results weren't good...

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > ttyymmnn 07/02/2014 at 10:39

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Yeah, and that's what I was trying to get at, I hope we are on a path that leads to domestic soccer competing on a global level. To a point that a guy like Klinsmann doesn't feel the need to go abroad for many of his players.

I was definitely not trying to spell doom and gloom, just compared to when I lived in Europe, soccer doesn't die off in much of the country as it does here after a world cup run.

Slave2anMG > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 10:39

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I like the international soccer now...been watching some Premier League over the past winter. But we've been told for, what, 25 years that 'this is it! Soccer's going to explode in the US!'...I'm still waiting.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Slave2anMG 07/02/2014 at 10:53

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I doubt it can "explode", talent-levels in MLS and its supporting leagues/farm teams will take a long time to rise. If you look at the $'s, MLS is starting to sign decent TV deals, still not as much as NFL/NBA/NHL, but it is creeping up, so that may be a good indicator.

I want to start seeing some more MLS teams, there are only 19, where most major sports here have 30 or more. Some more MLS teams placed strategically throughout the US would help a lot.

jariten1781 > ColoradoTaco 07/02/2014 at 10:54

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I played soccer (keeper) and football (fullback) at the high school level and got more concussions from soccer. Asshole strikers like to take pot-shots at you if you cover the ball on a break away and occasionally you get a full foot to the head. Sometimes they'll get carded, but the penalty isn't really sufficient if they call it. A free kick in your own box isn't really a game changer.

djmt1 > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 11:18

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Isn't Football/Soccer the third most popular sport in America at the moment. I'm pretty sure the weak link is the MLS but interest levels seem to be rising fast on that with all the new teams and everything.

ly2v8-Brian > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 12:02

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I genuinely only care about this sport when the world cup rolls around. I really only watch Motorsports, Hockey, and American Football. I have seen steady improvement in the US team, which is good, but I will always cheer for Germany in the world cup.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > djmt1 07/02/2014 at 12:44

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It may be very popular, but the amount of money involved in the sport at the highest level is still less than NFL/NBA/NHL, you can always break things down back to finances. I think once you see those numbers start to take away from those three or coming closer to those three, that you can directly correlate it to the popularity and availability of MLS.

djmt1 > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 14:30

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I've met fellow Arsenal supporters from the highs in the Himalayas, deepest African jungles and the remotest Pacific islands, if football can reach places like that it can break the US mainstream. Just give it time as Patrick Stewart said Football is unstoppable. Also on the topic of the MLS, Fuck the MLS for not giving Thierry Henry back and stealing David Villa.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > djmt1 07/02/2014 at 14:34

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lol not familiar with the situation surrounding the MLS and those players. But makes sense that they want to keep them, take them.

djmt1 > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 07/02/2014 at 14:45

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It's nothing serious just a bitter Arsenal fan moaning that his club were deprived of two of the 21st century's best strikers by teams in the MLS.