Morning gloat: Soccer haters pummeled with World Cup greatness!
by Steve Davis on Jun 4, 2010 9:05 AM EDT
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I had this wonderful, giddy moment last night. I met a friend for a quick cold one at my favorite spot and we overheard a middle aged dude a few seats down bitching about the World Cup, how he just couldn’t wait for the damn thing to be over.
And it hit me: the tables have totally turned on soccer haters. At least for the time being.
Before, the anti-soccer brigade had all the leverage. They represented the “in” crowd, with big media on their side.
No more! The World Cup is cool right now. People don’t regard it as that cute little foreign oddity anymore – like some exchange student spending the semester here. At a bigger level, you cannot consume media now without bumping into a face full of World Cup.
It is absolutely all over ESPN right now, as the self-proclaimed worldwide leader has a major investment in South Africa 2010. Newspapers in the know are full of World Cup stories. Vanity Fair’s recent cover was just filled with pretty boy soccer beefcake, etc.
I told my friend: “How great is that? Dudes like this are getting absolutely beaten about the head with World Cup! They are just getting pummeled by it!”
And it must be terrible for them. In my mind, I pictured the ugliest of the soccer haters in my life, blood pressure spiking, spilling their morning coffee at the site of another World Cup piece. … And then they go yell at kids about getting off the damn lawn!
Maybe that makes me a sorry person for feeling that way. I mean, Churchill told us about being “magnanimous in victory,” and all that, right?
Well, I don’t see my attitude changing, so I guess it is what it is ….
As you revel in the glory of our victory, you might want to add to your stores of World Cup knowledge with a couple of recent SI.com pieces from your favorite, jubilant soccer writer. This one is a quick history of the
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Agree 100%
Although I’m always more happy when soccer gains new converts rather than simply pissing people off (Jim Rome aside. I’m happy for soccer to keep pissing that guy off). That’s one reason (aside from my love for the team) I’m hoping the US puts in a good showing this year. It will get more casual American sports fans invested in the sport.
Not mediocre. Right about average
I like my relatives to know that I played a real sport, so this is good
They all were puzzled with the whole soccer over baseball thing through high school and college, so I do enjoy pointing out to them that, yes, soccer is a real sport played by real athletes. Good luck explaining it to my grandmother, who still doesn’t get it. We just lie to her and tell her we played football (sort of true). They aren’t haters… they just don’t get it. Though, as my baseball coach put it, baseball’s not a sport, it’s a pastime.
"Voetbal is pas totaal als je wint"- quote that my youth coach used to throw around, it's been co-opted by Nike, translated roughly it means "Football cannot be total without the win"
Pastime
“Baseball’s not a sport, it’s a pastime.” More like a waste of time! No one knows how long those games are going to go on, and no one knows how many commercial breaks are going to happen. How many commercial breaks are going to happen in soccer from beginning to end? 1.
by patrickhattrick on Jun 4, 2010 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions
What a ridiculous argument
the best part of baseball is the fact there is no clock. It’s what makes it so fascinating. When you call baseball a waste of time you are no better than people who dismiss Soccer in the same way.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jun 4, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I would be ok with a shot clock
like they had at the last SEC tournament. I think Joe West was right.
"Voetbal is pas totaal als je wint"- quote that my youth coach used to throw around, it's been co-opted by Nike, translated roughly it means "Football cannot be total without the win"
A shot clock for baseball?
I don’t think I understand.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jun 4, 2010 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions
they were calling it that
it was a clock controlling the time in between pitches. It worked really well.
"Voetbal is pas totaal als je wint"- quote that my youth coach used to throw around, it's been co-opted by Nike, translated roughly it means "Football cannot be total without the win"
Well as a former pitcher I will
have to say I find that to be an appalling idea. Baseball is great because it’s not being controlled by a clock. A game could last 2 hours it could last 7. One inning could take 5 minutes and another an hour. That’s what I love about it. I hate when sports make changes to try to appeal to fans of other sports. If people don’t like baseball for what it is then fine. Life goes on.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jun 4, 2010 2:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I like it as an ex center-fielder/ 2-3 hitter
because it speeds the game up and doesn’t let the pitcher wait around and get his courage up to throw a strike,
"Voetbal is pas totaal als je wint"- quote that my youth coach used to throw around, it's been co-opted by Nike, translated roughly it means "Football cannot be total without the win"
Yeah well batters
spend just as much time adjusting their gloves and spitting on their hands and digging into the box as pitchers do “getting courage up to throw a strike”. That’s part of the game.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Jun 4, 2010 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I believe there’s a shot clock in blernsball.
by ChestRockwell on Jun 4, 2010 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions
we overheard a middle aged dude a few seats down bitching about the World Cup, how he just couldn’t wait for the damn thing to be over.
And it hit me: the tables have totally turned on soccer haters. At least for the time being.
I think you’re right and it’s f’n great! I am so surprised these days about how many people I’m running across who are really psyched for the thing to get started. To me it means that there is A LOT of importance on a good showing from the U.S. That means getting out of the group. Extending this tourney for the U.S. by one game has never been more important IMHO. Do that, and we’ll get another hyped match that this country can get pumped for and when the casual fans see an important match like a quarterfinal, they will be much more likely to feel the patriotism and competitveness to want us to keep going and the disappointment if we lose.
Steve: Any insider updates on Jozy? I’m sure it’s coming later today but I’m worried, I’ve got my Altidore away kit and I don’t want to be that guy with a jersey for a guy who isn’t playing!
by I need more Esteban on Jun 4, 2010 10:49 AM EDT reply actions
Are you staying in the city or in one of the parks?
bcos the parks are sweet. We didn’t leave the hotel in the cities.
"Voetbal is pas totaal als je wint"- quote that my youth coach used to throw around, it's been co-opted by Nike, translated roughly it means "Football cannot be total without the win"
I agree wholeheatedly with your sentiment
However, I have discovered one annoying unintended consequence as we become increasingly saturated with soccer coverage: it will actually be difficult to go through the day without hearing the scores of the days matches before I can get home to watch them on TiVo.
It is only a minor annoyance for sure, and when you have to go out of your way to avoid hearing the results of the days matches it is a good indicator that coverage of the sport is headed in the right direction.
yeah good point
I’m glad I work a lot of afternoon/evening shifts
by I need more Esteban on Jun 4, 2010 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Sports reporters
Was funny to hear the “Sports Reporters” radio show here in DC last night suddenly having to try to sound intelligent about a game they know little about. The non-soccer media are desperately trying to becoming more informed because they are beginning to realize that there is a growing group of people out there who do care and will call them on limp criticism of the world’s game.
Agree fully that the USMNT needs to show well this year. (and anyways, we’re due for a good cycle)
Go USA!
Becoming a non-hater
I remember Luis Arroyave, the Chicago Tribune soccer writer before he got a job covering nightlife, wrote an angry blog post after many soccer bashers lashed out at Beckham when he came to MLS. He called the haters ‘dinosaurs’ who couldn’t get with the rest of the world and were afraid of soccer’s growth because they knew so little about it. Now, it seems, they have quit trying to stop the inevitable, soccer’s growth in America, and started trying to blend in and go with the flow. This is monumental. It may even lead to Jim Rome shutting up! (OK, so maybe that’s a little over-optimistic, but still)
by patrickhattrick on Jun 4, 2010 12:16 PM EDT reply actions
I've been following/interested in soccer for more than 20 years....it's always so great to talk to people who "get it".
I keep waiting for this overwhelming wave of soccer fans to rise up in support of all kinds of soccer at all levels. There is nothing like the WC to get people involved in the game and the more coverage we see on major networks, on the internet, in our newspapers and magazine the more fans we will see following. The tricky part is sustaining this AFTER the big contests are over. It is hands down – one of the greatest games to watch and support. I love watching and sharing my soccer love with anybody that’ll listen. Haters??? gonna hate….don’t care!!
How many more days???
"Are those new tarps? Or did they paint 'em?" Mark Ellis
Now they need some convincing wins to continue this momentum
A world cup flop could discourage some of those on the fence. But a trip to the finals or semifinals could produce a lot of excitement… Not to mention winning the thing.
Great minds talk about ideas, small minds talk about people" - Eleanor Roosevelt
It's cool that people are catching the "fever" but...
…I don’t give a rat’s ace about new converts or trying to make the “casual US sports fan” like my game. If you like it, then like it. If you want to learn/understand more, then I am happy to help. But I’m not going to waste my time trying to convince anyone to like my game.
Great article. I can’t wait to work from the pub more often than not (thanks, Wifi!) over the next month and enjoy as many matches as possible!
The more interest there is in the public
There more coverage there is in the media. It’s one thing to enjoy watching a game, it’s another to hear quality commentary, analysis, lunch room chat, etc.
Great minds talk about ideas, small minds talk about people" - Eleanor Roosevelt
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