The world's game
It's called football outside the U.S., and it's wildly popular.
Kenny and I got a sense of soccer's international appeal during a long layover in Nairobi Airport July 1. We watched the England-Portugal match in a snack bar/lounge jammed with people from all over. We listened to exclamations of excitement in English, French, German, Swahili and I don't know what other languages. And, to me, it was a pretty dull contest -- scoreless through overtime and decided by penalty kicks.
I watched yesterday's World Cup championship game between Italy and France, except for when I was dozing. Although each team scored an early goal -- France on a cheap-call penalty kick -- it was still 1-1 after overtime and decided by yet more penalty kicks.
They need to juice up the offense in these games so that the outcome is settled during actual play. What they do now is like a baseball game tied after nine innings and then decided by a home-run contest between each team's five biggest sluggers.
One good move would be to eliminate the offsides penalty. This rewards the defense for not getting back. Italy lost what seemed to me to be a perfectly well executed goal in the second half because the scorer was a half-step faster than the defenders. This rule is like not allowing a breakaway dunk in basketball.
But what do I know? The rest of the world loves football.
Comments (12)
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But what do I know? The rest of the world loves football.* Doug
Right! Stick to the NFL Doug or go buy season ticket s for the FrankHotdog German Barbarians of the NFL eastern division. In Fact Doug! I can get you season discounted tickets for their newest team in the leaque. The Moscow Reds. Their first season opener will be play against the Franks Barbarians at the Krusk memorial stadium. The game is being billed as the Battle for the eastern front. This leaque is full of traditions. I have reserve you seats on the 4 th bunker to the right of the mine fields.
Posted on July 10, 2006 9:21 AM
One thing I'd recommend is to keep it over there.
It's on the level of our baseball contests, boooorrrrrriiiiinnngg....and I've never seen a bigger bunch of babies play sports. It seemed like every time someone went down, here comes the stretchers.
Anyway we got enough sport attractions to keep us occupied here and don't need another one to detract from the "American" ones, the ones that Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin invented.
Posted on July 10, 2006 10:27 AM
Doug, if there was no offsides, everyone would just stand around the opposing goal with a few people in the midfield battling for the ball and it would probably be even more boring.
What they really need to do is shorten the field by at least twenty yards.
I think it's the world's most popular sport because it's something almost anyone can do. (kick a ball as opposed to hitting a ball with a stick. You don't have to be big or especially fast provided you are smart and understand the game. And the real kicker-it costs almost nothing-no equipment other than a ball or cow bladder etc.
Posted on July 10, 2006 10:34 AM
Savage, you clearly know something of this sport. When will the U.S. (men) win the World Cup?
Posted on July 10, 2006 11:32 AM
When will the U.S. (men) win the World Cup?*Doug
Never Doug! Unless they follow the former East German government game plan and the Barry Bonds agenda for greater health in the 21 st century.
Can't you see it Doug! Our boys playing in short hot red and white flaming blue pants and cleaning the Polish men's transgender team clock.
Doug! Are you aware of the new twins who are running the Polish government and their first law was to outlaw the Polish Soccer men's team?
Posted on July 10, 2006 12:15 PM
The Polish soccer team is transgendered? Can they compete for both the men's and women's World Cup?
Posted on July 10, 2006 12:27 PM
Doug, there are no "cups" in women's football.
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)
Posted on July 10, 2006 2:45 PM
Football is not a perfect game and, as you can see in the final World´s Cup, not always win the bests or the strongests... because of that we love football
Posted on July 10, 2006 3:00 PM
The problem Doug is that for the US players to develop and compete in the World Cup they need to play against world class players regularly, ie the European leagues. The conflict is then how can we develop interest in the sport here at home without having a league HERE with world class players (such as what the MLS is trying to do) which is probably needed if the US is ever going to develop a significant soccer culture. We saw this conflict play out with Patrick Donovan during this World Cup when some sportswriters critized him for not playing in the European leagues and taking it "easy" here at home in the MLS, when all he's tring to do is create interest here.
I think we will eventually be able to compete, provided of course the world doesn't blow up or flood first.
Posted on July 10, 2006 3:09 PM
The Polish soccer team is transgendered? Can they compete for both the men's and women's World Cup?* Doug
Yep and maybe No Doug! It appears that the youngest Twin of the Polish rulers by 5 minutes, decided to divide the leaque into 2 systems. One is called the Pope Catholic leaque and the other is a farm system team of transgenders name the Sissy leaque. In fact just this weekend the Sissy leaque had a coming out parade in downtown Warsaw. The parade was called off when two Bishops were found to be members of the Red Cardinals team. It was reported that the team cheerleaders a group of Alter boys were found carrying team symbols of the Bishops and traded off for future draft choices in the Pope leaque. A settlement committee of the Pope is considering how much each Alter boy is worth on the free market in the ruthless World Cup leaque.
Posted on July 10, 2006 4:32 PM
Connie, you've convinced me I really don't understand soccer.
Thanks for commentary, Savage. Do you understand what Connie's talking about?
OK, JM, makes sense to me.
Posted on July 10, 2006 5:05 PM
Connie, you've convinced me I really don't understand soccer.* Doug
Don't worry Doug! Neither do I nor the Polish Twin! However the comment below by Jon has really thrown me. Somewhere in my limited sports educational efforts, I was not aware that Thomas Jefferson invented the Duke Le Cross team and Ben founded the Roller Derby in South Philly in Rocky 3.
the ones that Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin invented.* Jon
Posted on July 10, 2006 8:26 PM