Now if there was just a version that explained it for American men.
we don't need one because we just don't care.
Yet Major League Soccer just added a franchise in Seattle, and are adding one in Philadelphia in '10, Portland in '11, and Vancouver in '12, at which point it will have 18 franchises. The truth is it's growing more rapidly on its own than any professional sport has in American history. Youth soccer enrollments nationwide are at an all-time high, while Little League numbers dwindle compared to what they once were.
Now if there was just a version that explained it for American men.
we don't need one because we just don't care.
Yet Major League Soccer just added a franchise in Seattle, and are adding one in Philadelphia in '10, Portland in '11, and Vancouver in '12, at which point it will have 18 franchises. The truth is it's growing more rapidly on its own than any professional sport has in American history. Youth soccer enrollments nationwide are at an all-time high, while Little League numbers dwindle compared to what they once were.
I'm impressed with Seattle's first game, more or less because of the atmosphere. It seems like the folks who take that 12th Man mentality with the Seahawks took that seriously with the Sounders (think they have 35-40k for the Sounders opener, fantastic). I also think Philadelphia will be an avid place for soccer as well; they have a huge United fan base from what I know seeing the kind of turnout they put on vs. Barcelona in the '03 Summer tour.
As for the offside rule, I think American men can easily relate to that purse shop example, don't you think?
Seriously, the offside rule is simple to explain, but often times, it's the hardest to spot unless it's really obvious (like a guy being 10 yards behind the last line of defense) because the calls basically have to be on the spot and the offside is more of a matter of inches than it is yards.
Soccer is basically hockey on grass. With a ball instead of a puck. And oh yeah, no sticks but whatever. You get the point. I'm also a little skeptical that MLS's aggressive plan is real growth. I read that in 2008: Other than the bigger markets these clubs are teetering (most of the clubs do not turn a profit). The league is averaging 16K people per game. And that the gazillion dollar man from England barely effected a change in U.S. attendance. I think Simon Cowell or Gordon Ramsey would draw more fans if they played a celebrity soccer game in L.A.
Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey
Amazinz wrote:Soccer is basically hockey on grass. With a ball instead of a puck. And oh yeah, no sticks but whatever. You get the point. I'm also a little skeptical that MLS's aggressive plan is real growth. I read that in 2008: Other than the bigger markets these clubs are teetering (most of the clubs do not turn a profit). The league is averaging 16K people per game. And that the gazillion dollar man from England barely effected a change in U.S. attendance. I think Simon Cowell or Gordon Ramsey would draw more fans if they played a celebrity soccer game in L.A.
I'm skeptical about the MLS too as far as branching out in its popularity. Having Pele, Johan Cruyff, and George Best among others in the defunct North American Soccer League obviously didn't work. Realistically, MLS won't get there or at least, not for a very long time. Unlike the Big Four sports here, MLS is still an afterthought on the world stage. The Premiership, La Liga, and even the leagues in Latin America are thought of as more prestigious as MLS. For what it is, MLS does a solid job of drawing attention from American fans, putting soccer in an Americanized sports structure like the NBA, NHL, and NFL, which many outsiders think is a weird implementation of a soccer league (i.e. presence of divisions, playoff system). From what I heard, some would equate MLS' quality of play with the English Football League Championship (the league below the Premier League in England), which should be considered quite a compliment. Besides, Barcelona want to establish an MLS franchise too (much like Chivas did here in L.A.), which definitely has to be cool.
As far as Beckham goes, I think the American media and fans believe the man should be a miracle worker within a year when it comes to MLS. In short, I think it's an unrealistic expectation that Beckham can transform soccer in the way it's perceived, like what Wayne Gretzky did for hockey (at least in California) or what Michael Jordan did for basketball as a brand that transcends sport. The fact that he wanted to stay with Milan permanently, speaks volumes that one, Beckham can still be a quality player in a European league and two, he still has plenty to play for on a more prestigious stage (i.e. Serie A, Champions League). I wasn't surprised Becks wanted to move back to Europe sooner than later, well before his 5-year deal with the LA Galaxy was up, and I think he needs a year-round environment to keep in form for England, at least.
BTW, Lemmy Kilmister lives in L.A. He can take both Cowell and Ramsay any day.
In the USA, I think it's the women trying to explain soccer to the men because men play football, basketball, and baseball and we let the women play soccer.
Grounded Polo wrote:In the USA, I think it's the women trying to explain soccer to the men because men play football, basketball, and baseball and we let the women play soccer.
Now that I think of it, Landon Donovan looks like a fairy. So does the rest of the Yanks the US fields for every World Cup.
Nobody wants to watch Lemmy running around. Not even for charity.
Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey
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by shmolex » Sat Mar 28, 2009 1:12 pm 
