Americans (U.S.A.) ...

[TFC]

We have a holiday home in AZ so have a lot of Amercian friends, would it be right in saying americans hav the attitude, "if its not broke why fix it" hense them not WANTING to accept football.

Or healthcare reform.....

(that should stir things up a little bit.... ;)

 

[badge]

It's a more forgiving sport than baseball for the uncoordinated and it's cheap and outdoors, so it's got a mass appeal to parents.

huh??? are you saying you need coordination for baseball but not football?
you were doing alright until i read that!

 

[AustinBlue]

It's a more forgiving sport than baseball for the uncoordinated and it's cheap and outdoors, so it's got a mass appeal to parents.

huh??? are you saying you need coordination for baseball but not football?
you were doing alright until i read that!

I don't think he's talking about either sport at the level where athletes play. You need a modicum of hand eye coordination to hit and catch a baseball, so really uncoordinated kids look and feel like plonkers when they play if they strike out every time (which they do). I raised 3 kids in the States who are all pretty coordinated, but it's brutal to watch the kids who will never hit a ball have to suffer through the humiliation every time the ball comes their direction. But there are a million "soccer" leagues for kids here where even if they can't kick a ball, they can happily run around in a cloud of other kids chasing the ball and feeling like they are on a team. And for soccer (I use soccer only in this context to distinguish from American Football), it's a tee shirt and a pair of cheap boots. Baseball you need helmets, cleats, bats, special pants etc.

The elite "soccer" leagues here are a different story, with travel all over the country and specialist coaching. But soccer has become popular for parents who want a cheap and easy way to allow their kids to do some sports. For girls, soccer is actually very competitive... and a good way to get college scholarships.

 

[1_barry_conlon]

This came up on the quote section of my google mail...

"If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given us arms."
Mike Ditka

Have attitudes towards football changed now the American team is reasonably good?

He does have a nice restaurant in Chicago though and i'd recommend the rack of lamb chops...done medium on a bed of mash. :-)

 

[bigquinn772]

In my opinion US tv companies hate footy because they cannot show the match around a bunch of advertisements like they do with American sports like baseball, the NFL, ice hockey and basketball.
With our footy the only chance they get to show ads is at half time, when you can just get off your arse and do something else for 15 minutes instead of watching.
With American sports you actually see more ads than you do sports and you have no way of knowing when the ads are coming up.
But ads are what their bread and butter is and is fucking massive revenue here in the US of A

Agree with this 100% mate.

 

[Anonymous]

There's nothing Americans hate more in sport than a draw. This is one of the main reasons for footballs continued unpopularity when compared to other sports.

 

[Andouble]

There's nothing Americans hate more in sport than a draw. This is one of the main reasons for footballs continued unpopularity when compared to other sports.

while this is true, it isn't for me. The shootout getting rid of the 'tie' has been one of the many reasons that I no longer love hockey as much as I did as a kid.

 

[Anonymous]

There's nothing Americans hate more in sport than a draw. This is one of the main reasons for footballs continued unpopularity when compared to other sports.

while this is true, it isn't for me. The shootout getting rid of the 'tie' has been one of the many reasons that I no longer love hockey as much as I did as a kid.

I probably generalised a bit much there :-) For the majority it's true though isn't it?

 

[AustinBlue]

while this is true, it isn't for me. The shootout getting rid of the 'tie' has been one of the many reasons that I no longer love hockey as much as I did as a kid.

I probably generalised a bit much there :-) For the majority it's true though isn't it?

I hear that a lot over here.... Most hate the draw. Most hockey fans I know LOVED it when they went to the shoot-out.

 

[Frank the Yank]

IMHO, I think my fellow Americans tend to ignore "soccer" because they can't imagine a future in it. For instance, when you play baseball, football, basketball or hockey as a youth, you always imagine being good enough to play professionally and make big money like your favorite player. When you play soccer, it is never presented as a future career option because it is well known that you don't make shit in the MLS. As more Americans make it to the EPL, Serie A, La Liga, etc., you may see more interest but, thats the catch. You won't see more interest until you see more American stars and you won't see more American stars because there isn't much interest.

it is what it is

BINGO!!! This is a BIG reason why and I said so much on a previous post. Also, if you have a look at Yank football, baseball and basketbal they all have "feeder" systems. In those sports it is absurd to think an 18 year old can play at the top level. They cannot compete. In football teenagers can and do ahve an impact at the higest level.

Anyway, our best athletes go into the "Big Three" sports coz theres a lot more money to be made......

-- Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:00 pm --

The other reason that soccer hasn't taken off is because Vegas has little to no interest. Football is wildly popular in America in large part because of fantasy sports and betting. American football is relatively boring if you ate not personally invested.

One reason why the NFL aka Yank football is wildly popular is because of gambling. There is no doubt about that. The reason football is NOT popular in America is deffo NOT because its a harder game to gamble on. Its popular in the UK. I can tell you firsthand that the amount of money wagered on football in Asia-especially China and Thailand is HUGE!!!<br /><br />-- Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:09 pm --<br /><br />

USA will win the world cup within the next 16 years !!!

The reasons being that they have a huge number of players at all levels, they spend loads of money at grass roots football (college/school) and they have great coaching in all their sports.

I will take that bet!! People have been saying that the USA will be a power in world football, in 10 years time mid you, since I began playing in 1975!!! Its never happened. Why?? I have discussed the reasons in previous posts. Mostly our best athletes dont play it!!!

Although we qualify every four years because of our shit easy region, I think in the long run that hinders our progress as a footballing nation. Having said that, i would LOVE to see how England/Ireland (you can fucking forget about Scotland or Wales) would do at The Azteca or in San Salvador. It would be interesting but we will never know how they would get on there in competitive matches....