21
How To Kick a Soccer Ball
Previously: Meditations on a Bowling Ball
Amy Jean Porter was in a race between her book deadline and childbirth and one of them won!
Sigh. Why is it so hard to get an offsides call right? Not that I've ever been a linesperson…
I've been a linesman. It's not that hard.
Beautiful, Amy. Although I'll admit to some schadenfreude seeing Maradona's sideline agony during the Big Spanking from Germany.
I'm beginning to think the lack of national exposure for soccer as a whole (and really any women's league) is a marketing issue.
They seem to pursue it from the perspective of "it's the consumer's lack of recognition of the sport" rather than how NASCAR developed itself over the years.
I remember when auto racing was once a niche market until they followed wrestling's lead and made it more entertainment than sport.
What we need is Landon Donovan in Spandex with a handlebar mustache and a boa constrictor around his neck.
I'd be willing to draw that, if Balk and Choire are willing to publish it.
Do American soccer fans really want soccer to become wildly popular here, the sport then enduring all the erosions and economic force humiliations a wildly popular American thing entails? Or are many, despite the complains of no appreciation, secretly comfortable feeling special and unique? Also, as always, Amy's stuff is too great (AND TOO SELDOM).
> Do American soccer fans
The choices are: feel special in obscurity or live and die with the 95% chance that the closest home team (in whatever sport) will finish without tickertape parades. (Or root for winning, always a popular choice.)
How about we just cheer for chemical dispersants?
The quintessential difference between the Old World & the New World.
We like choice.
A friend of mine once spent a year in newly post-Soviet Russia and came back in love. In his newly affected Russian accent (badly so) one time he questioned why we needed 100 different types of bread. Him being of the gay type defending the still Stalinist Russian thinking was ironic before hipsters were.
My response was because I damn well want it.
Not really sure I need more of a reason than that.
Wow. Abe, that comment underscores your lack of awareness of the WAG, and all it entails.
So, you think soccer played around the world in the EPL, Seria, La Liga etc., is a more pure game than the NFL, MLB, NBA? Why is that?
You're welcome.
http://bit.ly/dvnU5p
Ha!
Thanks. I try to try.
Didn't know Hulk Hogan was into soccer. Hooray!
Graceful… http://bit.ly/ad727c
Disclaimer: I do love Gerard Piqué, I don't care how ridiculous he looks in pictures.
These are wonderful.
Loved this.
Soccer is like athletic chess. So fun to play, but only fun to watch if you know the intricacies what's going on.
Thanks for the pictures and words. Here is that von Bronckhorst goal. The best shot I can ever remember seeing. An absolute missile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFczbFGmfh0
If TV networks can't figure out a way to make tons of money off telecasts (difficult because it isn't a watch-paint-dry sport like American football and baseball, which have plenty of dead time for commercials), soccer will remain hidden on cable networks, except for the World Cup, and that will only get attention if the (pretty much crap) US team makes it in.
I just wish I could get a doctor's note to stay home after being up all night watching Premier League matches…
Viva Espana!
I'll admit to getting sucked into the World Cup a bit more this year (a continuation of getting sucked in 4 years ago, when I went from watching USA-Italy at 6am in San Francisco to watching the France-Italy final on the LES). And part of me wishes I played soccer as well (v. ice hockey).
Then again, I'm sort of a sucker for the whole international competition thing, and I'm not so cynical that I don't buy into the notion of coming together as people to celebrate on the world stage. Like the Olympics.