are the americans just missing the point..?

Originally posted by aging blitzer
Sport is getting of your arse and doing something, not sitting on it watching someone else do it.

You're my He-Ro!

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Originally posted by Red Night
I disagree Phlabs. Baseball is a great game. But so is soccer and it is really catching on here in the states.

We have some excellent teams that have fared well against the best club teams from around the world.

The US has produced a number of world class players, including the best goalkeeper in the FA Premier League.

Man U is now desperately t really take off here when the US wins it's first World Cup which probably isn't that far off.

Perhaps we'll get lucky and Italy will score 2 goals on it's self next time?

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Originally posted by Red Night
No, what I'm saying is that the importance of a sport is how many countries play that sport seriously and how many fans the sport has.

Fans = Money.

Brazil is not the richest country in the world and their soccer players make tons.

Partly because they play in Europe, and they are famous in Europe and the rest of the world, which do have money. But I would agree that football is by far the biggest sport in the world.

Fans x Income of fans = Money.

Originally posted by Red Night
And no the importance of a sport is the number of countries that play it and the number of fans that watch it.

That makes Soccer/Football number 1.

Basketball # 2

Baseball # 3

Hockey # 4

Interestingly 3 of those 4 were invented in the Americas.

And let's not forget that this thread started as an attack on americans for playing and watchin ...[text shortened]... did was point out that the attackers were fans of an even dumber, slower, and more boring game.

I have already posted saying that cricket is played in 97 countries and posted a link that lists them.

Which 97 countries is baseball played in? I'm not even convinced that basketball is played in 97 countries and hockey almost certainly isn't, even if you include ice hockey!

Originally posted by Palynka
That's why there was an unification match, wasn't it?

As for Fischer and Spassky, I agree. Much like the NBA Champions, that match had no basis on which to call their champion 'World Champion'. That's exactly my point.

Edit - As for the seemingly anti-American and anti-European rants, I'm sure everyone knows it's all just part of the prodding process. 😉

I'm not sure that the world basketball championships have reached that level yet. They're getting closer, but they may never reach the level of importance to the sport of basketball that the world cup has achieved in soccer/football.

The reason for this is that the World Cup has substantial history. If you tryed to start a World Cup today, you probably wouldn't have the level of enthusiasm. You would probably see the same thing that happens in Basketball and Baseball; player preferring to sit out and save themselves to play for their respective club teams. i believe that Gasol has said he won't play for Spain again.

Spain is the "World Champion", but frankly no one would suggest for a second that the Spanish National Team would have a prayer of winning an NBA title.

Which brings me to a question I have often pondered, how would the Italian National Team do in the Premier League or the Italian Football League?

Originally posted by Ian68
I have already posted saying that cricket is played in 97 countries and posted a link that lists them.

Which 97 countries is baseball played in? I'm not even convinced that basketball is played in 97 countries and hockey almost certainly isn't, even if you include ice hockey!

Include Ice Hockey? Is there another type of Hockey?

Here is a list of Baseball and Cricket countries around the world:

http://www.baseballnews.com/international/allcountries/allcountries.htm

Knock yourself out!

Keep telling yourself that cricket is a world sport. 😴

Originally posted by mtthw


Fans x Income of fans = Money.

Football/Soccer is # 1, no question.

And I think it is safe to say that Basketball is # 2 in the world.

In terms of the equation, I think it is clear that the biggest factor is fans and the income level of the fans is unimportant. England has a high GDP per capita, yet it's cricketeers make a fraction of what that Indian guy makes.

Originally posted by Red Night
I'm not sure that the world basketball championships have reached that level yet. They're getting closer, but they may never reach the level of importance to the sport of basketball that the world cup has achieved in soccer/football.

The reason for this is that the World Cup has substantial history. If you tryed to start a World Cup today, you probabl ...[text shortened]... w would the Italian National Team do in the Premier League or the Italian Football League?

Like I said, that's beside the point. To claim a World title, one must play a worldwide Tournament/Championship/Whatever. This event can have qualifying rounds and a final or ranking qualification and a final, but it must be open to teams from around the world. The NBA is a closed tournament, there are no qualifying rounds to it or ranking systems and therefore, it's champions are NBA Champions and not World Champions.

Why do you need to call your champions anything more than simply NBA Champions?

Originally posted by Palynka
Like I said, that's beside the point. To claim a World title, one must play a worldwide Tournament/Championship/Whatever. This event can have qualifying rounds and a final or ranking qualification and a final, but it must be open to teams from around the world. The NBA is a closed tournament, there are no qualifying rounds to it or ranking systems and theref Champions.

Why do you need to call your champions anything more than simply NBA Champions?

I actually agree with you, you are arguing with some one else. Spain is the World Champion, the Miami Heat are the NBA Champs.

I'm just stating the obvious when I point out that the NBA Championship is the more prestigious title. Pau Gasol doesn't even want to play in the World event next time, because he feels it detracts from his ability to play for the title that really matters.

And as for your list of rules: a lot fo so-called and recognized World Championships don't comply with all of them. But feel free to codify them for the Palynka 'world Championships' of what ever sport you choose.

Originally posted by Red Night
Include Ice Hockey? Is there another type of Hockey?

Here is a list of Baseball and Cricket countries around the world:

http://www.baseballnews.com/international/allcountries/allcountries.htm

Knock yourself out!

Keep telling yourself that cricket is a world sport. 😴

From your link:

" MLB = Countries associated with Major League Baseball.
IBA = Countries associated with the International Baseball Association.
Cricket = Countries that play cricket. "

Do you need me to explain the difference between playing and being associated with? Selling MLB merchandise in a country does not mean that baseball is played in that country.

And I don't why I thought I could have an intelligent discussion with someone who doesn't know what hockey is.

Originally posted by Phlabibit
Perhaps we'll get lucky and Italy will score 2 goals on it's self next time?

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The US gets better every year. We came into this event ranked 4th or 5th in the world. I think that went to our head, and we were probably not that good. Now we're ranked something like 32nd. We're probably better than that.

I would say that on any given day we could beat or tie any team in the world. After all, we tied Italy 1-1 and they went on to win the whole thing.

That's a far cry from the attitude towards american soccer teams 10 years ago, when the general consensus was that we didn't belong and might never belong.

In 2010 look for the USA to be competitive with the traditional power house teams of Brazil, Italy, and Germany.

Originally posted by Ian68
From your link:

" MLB = Countries [b]associated with Major League Baseball.
IBA = Countries associated with the International Baseball Association.
Cricket = Countries that play cricket. "

Do you need me to explain the difference between playing and being associated with? Selling MLB merchandise in a country does not mean that bas thought I could have an intelligent discussion with someone who doesn't know what hockey is.[/b]

Are we talking about field hockey that game that girls play in skirts?

it is mind-numbing arguing with you. There are 110 countries in the International Baseball Federation. I know Cricket seems very important in England. Do they play it seriously anywhere else in Europe? NO

Do they play it seriously in any country that didn't used to be part of the British Empire? NO

Realistically, it is played in four or five countries: England, India, Pakistan/Bangladesh, and Australia.

Originally posted by Red Night
The US gets better every year. We came into this event ranked 4th or 5th in the world. I think that went to our head, and we were probably not that good. Now we're ranked something like 32nd. We're probably better than that.

I would say that on any given day we could beat or tie any team in the world. After all, we tied Italy 1-1 and they went on t ...[text shortened]... USA to be competitive with the traditional power house teams of Brazil, Italy, and Germany.

Italy scored that goal against themselves! Why would you brag about that?

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Originally posted by Phlabibit
Italy scored that goal against themselves! Why would you brag about that?

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It was still 1-1 against the best team in the world. We've won some important games as well.

And I'm not bragging. I'm pointing out the USA soccer is very robust and growing and that we are competitive with th ebest teams in the world.

Originally posted by Red Night
It was still 1-1 against the best team in the world. We've won some important games as well.

And I'm not bragging. I'm pointing out the USA soccer is very robust and growing and that we are competitive with th ebest teams in the world.

It was 1-1 because they scored against themselves. How many other goals did we get?

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