Nationals @ Yankees, Game 3

[JMUalumni]

yep. soccer is a euro sport. get that out of here

and the biggest sport in South America and Africa.  Hockey is a Canadian sport, yet people in the US still follow it intensively.  But I guess just because it didn't originate in the US and you don't like it, no one else can follow it?

[sportsfan882]

and the biggest sport in South America and Africa.  Hockey is a Canadian sport, yet people in the US still follow it intensively.  But I guess just because it didn't originate in the US and you don't like it, no one else can follow it?

Most people in US including myself would rather watch golf and tennis over soccer.

Hockey still has Canadian roots but the league is now more Americanized than ever.

The MLS is a garbage league and the hundreds of other random leagues they have around the world are just silly. The whole way they do everything is stupid. The only time I ever watch soccer is the World Cup which occurs every 4 years.

I'm surprised the MLS hasn't folded like the Women's league.

NFL > MLB > NHL > NBA > PGA > ATP > MLS

[Nat of the Living Dead]

and the biggest sport in South America and Africa.  Hockey is a Canadian sport, yet people in the US still follow it intensively.  But I guess just because it didn't originate in the US and you don't like it, no one else can follow it?

I've always been amused by how many American sports fans are threatened by soccer. It has been the most popular and most played youth sport for the past 25 years. With the influx of immigrants coming into the country, plus the MLS, and growing interest in the National teams, soccer is really setting itself up for a big boom in the States. They aren't there yet, but it will be coming and will finally join the rest of the world.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

The whole way they do everything is stupid.

You obviously haven't watched an MLB game.

[DPMOmaha]

You obviously haven't watched an MLB game.

I'm actually intrigued by the UEFA (I think it's that league) system of the worst teams get sent down and the lower teams get to move up the next season.  Though if MLB institued that it would mean bad things for the Nats. 

[hammondsnats]

hahahahahah manny acta is a funny dude.  it sucks he's such a nice guy and has a good personality, i just wish he showed a little more fire and was a better manager.

[JMUalumni]

I've always been amused by how many American sports fans are threatened by soccer. It has been the most popular and most played youth sport for the past 25 years. With the influx of immigrants coming into the country, plus the MLS, and growing interest in the National teams, soccer is really setting itself up for a big boom in the States. They aren't there yet, but it will be coming and will finally join the rest of the world.

Absolutely.  I think it was Bruce Arena (former USA coach) that said we lacked the domestic talent to compete for a World Cup at the time (2004), but that he believed developments in youth leagues and increased participation would result in a internationally competitive team around 2016 or 2020.  I just saw some numbers a week ago that had participation in youth soccer in the US at an all time high, but the main problem is an under-developed MLS.  I've always thought that part of the problem with it catching on the US is the lack of scoring, which is an obsession with many American fans.  That is alright with me, I don't really care if other people watch soccer.  I like the sport, grew up playing it, and have seen many games domestic and abroad.  I do have a problem, though, with people trying to tell me I shouldn't like it because it is American or the plethora of other absurd reasons I have heard people try to say.

[JMUalumni]

I'm actually intrigued by the UEFA (I think it's that league) system of the worst teams get sent down and the lower teams get to move up the next season.  Though if MLB institued that it would mean bad things for the Nats. 

Yeah, that is one of my favorite parts, that there is consequences for losing (and the fact that soccer fans ACTUALLY riot/demonstrate at the team's HQs when their teams are doing poorly).  UEFA is the governing body, and the sending down of the three worst teams happens within each countries domestic leagues.  The other interesting thing that they do is the Champions league.  This is where the the top 4 teams in each league (spanish, italian, english) and other top teams from lesser leagues get entered into a tournament that lasts all year to determine the best team in Europe.  It is easily one of the most profitable and watched tournaments year in and year out.  And very exciting (unless you are a Chelsea fan ).  They also have domestic tournaments that last all year, where every team at all three tiers of that countries soccer leagues are entered into a tournament.  Sometimes it ends up the equivalent of the Potomac Nationals playing the New York Yankees, which makes for some of the best underdog stories in all of sports.

[ColtonWillems]

It's raining VERY hard here on Long Island, I can only imagine it's the same thing going on in the Bronx.

Hopefully they get this one in.

[NatsDad14]

Yeah, that is one of my favorite parts, that there is consequences for losing (and the fact that soccer fans ACTUALLY riot/demonstrate at the team's HQs when their teams are doing poorly).  UEFA is the governing body, and the sending down of the three worst teams happens within each countries domestic leagues.  The other interesting thing that they do is the Champions league.  This is where the the top 4 teams in each league (spanish, italian, english) and other top teams from lesser leagues get entered into a tournament that lasts all year to determine the best team in Europe.  It is easily one of the most profitable and watched tournaments year in and year out.  And very exciting (unless you are a Chelsea fan ).

We got screwed by the refs. That should have been chelsea dominating Man U.

[The Chief]

I've always been amused by how many American sports fans are threatened by soccer. It has been the most popular and most played youth sport for the past 25 years. With the influx of immigrants coming into the country, plus the MLS, and growing interest in the National teams, soccer is really setting itself up for a big boom in the States. They aren't there yet, but it will be coming and will finally join the rest of the world.

Spoken like a true underdog.  To be threatened by something you have to care about it, and I think most Americans simply don't care about soccer.  As for "the boom is coming" - that's what Linux guys keep saying about the Linux Desktop, and have been for as long as Windows has remained dominant.  Variety is great and everyone is entitled to their own preferences, but Soccer, like the Linux Desktop, is nothing more than a niche with a strong minority (in the numerical sense) fanbase.  It isn't and probably won't be a mainstream spectator sport in this country any time soon, if ever.  But look on the bright side...  at least you're not as bad as NASCAR

By the way, I'm referring to Soccer only at the national professional level here.  From what I can tell it enjoys a good deal more popularity at the recreational and K-12 levels.  Not really sure about higher ed.

[JMUalumni]

Chico says they could start around 230-300, but looking at the radar, it isn't looking good.

[The Chief]

I now think there was never any truth to the rumor of Manny being fired, but even so, I don't think they'd fire him coming home after a win and a rainout.

[JMUalumni]

Spoken like a true underdog.  To be threatened by something you have to care about it, and I think most Americans simply don't care about soccer.  As for "the boom is coming" - that's what Linux guys keep saying about the Linux Desktop, and have been for as long as Windows has remained dominant.  Variety is great and everyone is entitled to their own preferences, but Soccer, like the Linux Desktop, is nothing more than a niche with a strong minority (in the numerical sense) fanbase.  It isn't and probably won't be a mainstream sport in this country any time soon, if ever.  But look on the bright side...  at least you're not as bad as NASCAR

By the way, I'm referring to Soccer only at the national professional level here.  From what I can tell it enjoys a good deal more popularity at the recreational and K-12 levels.  Not really sure about higher ed.

I doubt, like you say, that the sport will be mainstream anytime soon, but there are obvious signs that it is growing in the US.  ESPN actually devotes time to some important soccer events nowadays (including coverage of Champions League), whereas they barely showed anything 10 years ago.  At a professional level, soccer is quickly gaining steam at the international level while sorely lagging at the domestic level.  I can see international soccer gaining a lot more popularity in the next 20 years, but sadly doubt that the likes of the MLS will ever be very popular.

As for higher ed soccer, it is much like Lacrosse.  The few teams that dedicate enough resources to the sport dominate every year.  The best soccer talent is signed between the ages of 16-18 and college soccer will most likely only decline over the next few decades.

[The Chief]

Well yeah Soccer has of course made tremendous strides in popularity and coverage here in the last 10 years (much like Linux ).  Funny you mention ESPN, I was just thinking about that short leprechaun guy they have when I wrote the previous post.

[JMUalumni]

Well yeah Soccer has of course made tremendous strides in popularity and coverage here in the last 10 years (much like Linux).  Funny you mention ESPN, I was just thinking about that short leprechaun guy they have when I wrote the previous post.

Haha, Tommy Smith.  He is tame compared to some of the announcers they have in Europe, some of those guys are just over the top.  Depending on your state of mind they are hilarious or really annoying.  Ray Hudson is the most insane one of them all, look him up on YouTube if you want to hear some crazy announcing.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Spoken like a true underdog.  To be threatened by something you have to care about it, and I think most Americans simply don't care about soccer.

I mean threat in the sense that the first thing most critics cite right off the bat is comparing it to whatever their sport of choice is be it baseball, football, skeet shooting, or whatever as if trying to make the sport sound "inferior" which it quite isn't. It's popularity "worldwide" speaks for itself compared to it's popularity on our little red, white, and blue land mass. If they really didn't care, they wouldn't be coming out and speaking for or against it. By the response here, people obviously care one way or another.
 

As for "the boom is coming" - that's what Linux guys keep saying about the Linux Desktop, and have been for as long as Windows has remained dominant.

I apologize, I know nothing about that.

Variety is great and everyone is entitled to their own preferences, but Soccer, like the Linux Desktop, is nothing more than a niche with a strong minority (in the numerical sense) fanbase.  It isn't and probably won't be a mainstream spectator sport in this country any time soon, if ever.  But look on the bright side...  at least you're not as bad as NASCAR

I wouldn't call majority of the world a "niche." If anything, it is the U.S. that is the odd man out in terms of soccer.

 

[The Chief]

I mean threat in the sense that the first thing most critics cite right off the bat is comparing it to whatever their sport of choice is be it baseball, football, skeet shooting, or whatever as if trying to make the sport sound "inferior" which it quite isn't. It's popularity "worldwide" speaks for itself compared to it's popularity on our little red, white, and blue land mass. If they really didn't care, they wouldn't be coming out and speaking for or against it. By the response here, people obviously care one way or another.

It's a niche sport in America, don't try to bring the rest of the world into this as we both know most Americans don't give a darn about the rest of the world.

And of course people with money to make are going to speak up for Soccer - it's a potentially huge untapped revenue stream.  Since we're talking about America...   cash money rules everything around you
 

I apologize, I know nothing about that.

No worries, it does seem like an apt analogy to me though.

I wouldn't call majority of the world a "niche." If anything, it is the U.S. that is the odd man out in terms of soccer.

Again, nobody cares

I really do think most people don't care about Soccer in America though.  You can't compare the people who hang out on a Nationals board to the "average" American sports fan.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

It's a niche sport in America, don't try to bring the rest of the world into this as we both know most Americans don't give a darn about the rest of the world.

And of course people with money to make are going to speak up for Soccer - it's a potentially huge untapped revenue stream.  Since we're talking about America...   cash money rules everything around you
 
No worries, it does seem like an apt analogy to me though.

Again, nobody cares

I really do think most people don't care about Soccer in America though.  You can't compare the people who hang out on a Nationals board to the "average" American sports fan.

That sounds awfully closeminded. (Not you, just in general)

I wonder if they talk about American Football over in Europe in the same terms.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Apparently the mysterious unnamed Nationals bobbleheads coming in August are going to be Adam Dunn on August 8th and Frank Howard on August 22nd. Or did we already know about these?

[hammondsnats]

mike francesca says the yankees are hellbent on getting this game in today.  they'll wait as long as they have to it sounds like.

[Galah]

Apparently the mysterious unnamed Nationals bobbleheads coming in August are going to be Adam Dunn on August 8th and Frank Howard on August 22nd. Or did we already know about these?

Just hope Dunn isn't as ugly as Zimmerman's was - wonder if he'll get a do-over

[JMUalumni]

That sounds awfully closeminded. (Not you, just in general)

I wonder if they talk about American Football over in Europe in the same terms.

From my experiences in Europe, they tend to think of American Football as a American variation of rugby.  One name for Football that gets thrown around, mockingly, is "throw ball".  American Football, which I love, will probably never catch on internationally due to the high cost involved in fielding a team (mainly equipment).  Sports like soccer and basketball have been well received internationally thanks in part to the low cost involved.  All it takes is a goal or a hoop to play either one of those games, which makes it much easier for the poorer countries of Africa and South America to play.  It is a bit annoying how Europeans perceive American football, but I cannot argue that rugby is less physical than the NFL or that rugby players are less crazy than Football players.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

and Europe
and Asia
and probably Antarctica
and is gaining hugely in Australia and North America
it is hands-down the biggest sport on earth, aside from a relative handful of bubbas who would rather watch cars covered with adverts drive in circles all afternoon

and the biggest sport in South America and Africa.  Hockey is a Canadian sport, yet people in the US still follow it intensively.  But I guess just because it didn't originate in the US and you don't like it, no one else can follow it?

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

NFL Europe may have lost a lot of money, but it certainly was popular for a while.  And every time they have a pointy ball game in London, Wembley sells out 92,000 seats.

From my experiences in Europe, they tend to think of American Football as a American variation of rugby.  One name for Football that gets thrown around, mockingly, is "throw ball".  American Football, which I love, will probably never catch on internationally due to the high cost involved in fielding a team (mainly equipment).  Sports like soccer and basketball have been well received internationally thanks in part to the low cost involved.  All it takes is a goal or a hoop to play either one of those games, which makes it much easier for the poorer countries of Africa and South America to play.  It is a bit annoying how Europeans perceive American football, but I cannot argue that rugby is less physical than the NFL or that rugby players are less crazy than Football players.