Unapologetic About Soccer

June 11th, 2006 | junk

Update - I apparently did did some poor cleanup of post thoughts and omitted some words out of that first sentence that make my stance on soccer sound far more harsh than it is…

Replace: “I’ve never enjoyed soccer in any form. I disliked playing (if you can call it that) as a kid and I’ve been keen on watching it on TV.”

With: “I’ve never really enjoyed soccer, not in every form. I disliked playing (if you can call it that) as a kid but I’ve been keen on watching it on TV.”

However I’ve grown tired of the soccer-snobbery that abounds at World Cup time, which is every 32.4 months minus leap-year or something like that if I remember correctly. And I refuse to apologize for that. I don’t necessarily take pride in the fact that I don’t enjoy it, it’s not a measure of me as a person whether or not I enjoy a sport, but if I chose to watch a match or two so be it, there’s no need to apologize. And while I usually enjoy Airbag, and have no real problem with his post, but the comments in response are damn snobby. I suggest all the “You’re sooo right Greg” commenters rush back to their “I’m too hip” clubhouse…the meeting’s ready to start. Sport is good, it’s great entertainment, it’s big business, two flavors in one. Soccer is no less mass-marketed than American sport and the punks in the stands at matches are by no means on some higher-plane of understanding than a NASCAR fan, so cut out the “ignorant Americans don’t get it” and I won’t talk about hooligans and banana-throwing. I’ve always tried to be a peacemaker, heck I made World Cup icons for you. I even have all the logos ready to do individual teams, but now I just think I’ll pass…you’ll all think I’m just trying to jump on the bandwagon anyway.

If you are going to watch the World Cup I suggest telnet at telnet ascii-wm.net 2006.

Just to be clear, soccer is no more or less meaningful or culturally significant than say bowling or cycling. Strike that, I love bowling…especially the skills challenges where they wing the ball at a chair their kid’s sitting in and at the last minute it bounces in for a strike. Yes I have to say I nearly adore bowling, but that’s another post.

thanks google images

Comments

Jorgeq

I’m sorry you feel that way. I grew up on it and I enjoy every aspect of it. Thanks for the icons though.

jharr

I have no problem with the sport, just the people - Americans to be exact - who wear their fandom of it like a cross.

bsb

I fail to see how American soccer fans differ in that regard from fans of any other major American sport. If you don’t believe me, come to Nebraska where the Cross is swathed in Husker Red year round.

You’re dead wrong that soccer isn’t as culturally significant as other sports, at least in most other countries. The influence that a sport has isn’t on a par with other sports. Here’s a somewhat trivial example: name the last time you heard a curling metaphor used in public. Now name the last time you heard a football (American-style)/baseball/basketball one.

The first time I read this post, I was a little upset. Sure we American soccer fans get a little preachy. But this is the sport’s big day (month). Complaining about fans’ exuberance is like getting mad at the political junkie who loves to watch all those debates and conventions every four years. Because American soccer fans are a distinct minority, though one that is increasing in numbers, there is a natural inclination to defend the sport to the Jim Rome-listening mouth-breathers who equate the merits of the sport with competitive eating or marathon origami sessions. (Strike that: my guess is that competitive eating sits much higher on the Rome scale than does soccer).

Sunny

I disagree. Soccer is more culturally significant because in this world cup when Togo takes on S.Korea, it must be the first time that a group of Togans must have met the Koreans. No other sport makes that possible. But if you concentrate on the hooliganism or racism and project that onto the entire soccer culture, well your point is probably valid. Look further than that and its a beautiful game.

Thanks for the icons. They are lovely.

jharr

I’m fine with fans being excited, I have nothing against that. Just stop acting like you are somehow better than those fans who don’t care. I in no way desire or have the ability to reduce your enjoyment of the game. Like I said in the post, I intend to watch some and see what all the excitement is about. And no there isn’t a sports scale. No one sport matters more than another, if that were the case those track jerks would be running this place.

Culturally to me it’s like music. I’m a jazz fan, and I really don’t care for current pop music. And whether I like it or not, pop music has a much broader cultural impact. Now it’s not hip or cool, but that’s just the way it is. I’d love more people to listen to jazz, but they choose not too. And some of the things I hate about pop music exist in jazz as well: the attitudes of the performers, selling out, the over production, etc. So next time the World Jazz Cup is on, I invite you to come check it out. If not that’s fine too, you can stay at home with your crappy music and I’ll wear my jazz snob jersey (it’s green with a Mingus Dew logo).

I didn’t know Torgo played soccer, how is that possible with those giant knees? <- joke.

bsb

So what you’re saying is that an asshole soccer fan is an asshole? No disagreement there.

You can’t beat a good Torgo joke. Nice work.

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nick s

Assholes are assholes, but cultural significance? Well, I can’t think of any other major event that Japan and South Korea has co-hosted recently.

JB

Orange slices for everyone!

steve smith

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Unapologetic About Soccer