why do americans find "soccer" boring?

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
It's not your fault. Most stupid people aren't actually aware of their own stupidity. It's also not an insult, since being stupid isn't really something you can help. Intelligence is in large part genetic.

I will have to buy some new jeans .:'(:'(

Originally posted by sh76
One thing I will agree; that soccer deserves the name "football" much more so than football does.

Other than kickoffs, punts and field goals, "feet" are almost irrelevant in football (Rex Ryan notwithstanding).

Maybe it should be called "ovalball" or "runball" or "throwball."

However, as Shakespeare might say, a great game by any other name would smell as sweet.

Zoneball, downball...

I do think it's funny when people complain about Americans calling football soccer... like they're the only country to do so. Australia - to the rest of the world it's Aussie rules, in Aus it's football. What do they call the other football? Soccer. Ireland - Gaelic football to he rest of the world, in Ireland - football. The other football - soccer.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
It's not your fault. Most stupid people aren't actually aware of their own stupidity. It's also not an insult, since being stupid isn't really something you can help. Intelligence is in large part genetic.

I would like to insult you too but i dont think you would understand me .

Originally posted by Trev33
Zoneball, downball...

I do think it's funny when people complain about Americans calling football soccer... like they're the only country to do so. Australia - to the rest of the world it's Aussie rules, in Aus it's football. What do they call the other football? Soccer. Ireland - Gaelic football to he rest of the world, in Ireland - football. The other football - soccer.

Aussies are the salt of the earth ,they can call our great game of football what they like .

Originally posted by phil3000
I would like to insult you too but i dont think you would understand me .

You're right. I don't speak moron. Maybe whodey can translate.

Once again soccer is short for association football. This nick was created by europeans.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
My second remark pertains to sports in general. People (generally) want to see great offensive games. That's not to say they don't appreciate great performances, but the crowds go nuts when someone scores, in any sport.

Well, maybe you've hit the crux of why people from the USA find football, rugby, cricket and other "old" sports boring. They want, nay demand, instant gratification, a goal a minute or bust, and those sports don't give it to them. In the rest of the world, we've learned that the work-up to a bang is often more interesting than the bang itself, and when it comes, a score is all the more rewarding because it has a strategic history and you can see where it's been coming from.

In cricket, a run doesn't just come from a single thrown ball. It may look like that, and all the balls before it may look like just wasted time, but that's only true if you disregard that the whole of that time, the same few bowlers and the same fielder have been trying to psych one another out. Compare that to baseball: one batsman can only have a handful of pitches thrown at him. If he doesn't hit, either he gets four balls or he gets three zeroes. Short-term gratification is built into the rules. In cricket, long-term attention is.

You say that people in general want to see great offensive games. Well, this is partly true. What you ignore is that a great offense can be met with a great defense, and the result of that is much more interesting, to a grown-up mind, than mere spectacle. You confuse the immediate reaction to the release with the enjoyment of the preceding tension.
A score is good fun, but it is only truly great if it has been preceded by a justifying strategic plan. There is room for such plans in football. Because of the short games and the demand for frequent scores, in American Football there is only truly room for tactical plans. Those are fine, but they're not on the level of the strategy you can find in European sports. It's a pity people from the USA are not capable of enjoying that.

Richard

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
Well, maybe you've hit the crux of why people from the USA find football, rugby, cricket and other "old" sports boring. They want, nay demand, instant gratification, a goal a minute or bust, and those sports don't give it to them. In the rest of the world, we've learned that the work-up to a bang is often more interesting than the bang itself, and when ...[text shortened]... sports. It's a pity people from the USA are not capable of enjoying that.

Richard

How are football, hockey or baseball "a goal a minute"?

We don't need a goal a minute. We need that there be a realistic chance of someone scoring at any given time and the game not to be essentially over just because it's 2-0. Otherwise, it's just boring.

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
Well, maybe you've hit the crux of why people from the USA find football, rugby, cricket and other "old" sports boring. They want, nay demand, instant gratification, a goal a minute or bust, and those sports don't give it to them. In the rest of the world, we've learned that the work-up to a bang is often more interesting than the bang itself, and when ...[text shortened]... sports. It's a pity people from the USA are not capable of enjoying that.

Richard

Well said

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
You're right. I don't speak moron. Maybe whodey can translate.

Maybe you dont speak it but you certainly put it down in words .

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
Well, maybe you've hit the crux of why people from the USA find football, rugby, cricket and other "old" sports boring. They want, nay demand, instant gratification, a goal a minute or bust, and those sports don't give it to them. In the rest of the world, we've learned that the work-up to a bang is often more interesting than the bang itself, and when ...[text shortened]... sports. It's a pity people from the USA are not capable of enjoying that.

Richard

Absolute nonsense. Talk us through the goal (or score) per minute in baseball, football, hockey and golf - which are all huge sports in the US. The only sport that fits that description is basketball.

Why does every civil discussion about cross culture sports invite big headed Europeans with a superiority complex?

Originally posted by phil3000
Well said

And very easily debunked.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
Absolute nonsense. Talk us through the goal (or score) per minute in baseball, football, hockey and golf - which are all huge sports in the US. The only sport that fits that description is basketball.

Why does every civil discussion about cross culture sports invite big headed Europeans with a superiority complex?

Dont tell me you are suprised at the out come to the "why do americans find soccer boring " thread .
Its not are fault we are superior ,after all if it wasn't for us europeans you wouldn't have a country to have any sports in .

Originally posted by phil3000
Dont tell me you are suprised at the out come to the "why do americans find soccer boring " thread .
Its not are fault we are superior ,after all if it wasn't for us europeans you wouldn't have a country to have any sports in .

Well of course, we were derived from European migrants. And while there certainly are some Americans who live up to negative stereotypes, your ignorant chest thumping fits perfectly. You are the European version of a dumb American redneck hick. Don't think that your continent or your country are immune.

The real answer isn't so much about culture, it's about exposure. It's not that Americans are incapable of appreciating soccer, it's that we just don't grow up watching it. Too many other sports already saturate the airwaves with playtime and marketing and already have a huge fan base. That doesn't leave much room for other sports to break through.

Originally posted by USArmyParatrooper
The real answer isn't so much about culture, it's about exposure. It's not that Americans are incapable of appreciating soccer, it's that we just don't grow up watching it. Too many other sports already saturate the airwaves with playtime and marketing and already have a huge fan base. That doesn't leave much room for other sports to break through.

That it is less interesting is also probably a factor.