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Soccer is really dying , stupid rules are killing it (pg. 5)
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| evil_bastard |
| quote: | Originally posted by phenn
Also, in American football there are never any lulls in the game. |
There are constant lulls. I remember sitting through the Superbowl because there was nothing else on TV, it lasted something like 3 hours and by the end I felt like I'd only seen about 30 minutes of actual 'play', ie people running and generally doing stuff, ie sport. And why do they feel the need for cheerleaders, musical bands, pop singers and people in the crowd selling pretzels or whatever? Surely you must be against that? |
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| Matty V |
| If the US took football seriously and loved it like we do everywhere else in the world, they would probably be one of the best teams in the world |
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| evil_bastard |
| quote: | Originally posted by Matty V
If the US took football seriously and loved it like we do everywhere else in the world, they would probably be one of the best teams in the world |
True, although you could say the same about China, with a population of a billion people. I think a lot of it depends on the coaching and the culture of a particular country, not just the passion. Look at Holland for example, their population isn't that big but they have always produced a stream of top class players. Wealth isn't a major factor either, some of the world's best ever players have come from the slums of South America or Africa (Pele, Maradona, Eusebio etc). |
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| Xavier |
hot dogs get your hot dogs!
American sport has always had the corperate feel. The atmosphere is manufactured, a PA announcer has to tell the crowd to chant eg "Defence" instead of them chanting themselves.
Whilst the fans of an American team do little to prevent the team being relocated a billion miles away.
"dom dom dom heyyyyyy" and "YMCA" is heard when there is a "timeout"
Football in the last decade has changed to move in a business direction but they have no yet been invaded (except in USA) by the patheticness of the food seller, cheer leader culture and any other useless disruption and nuisances. |
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| Dj Smitty20 |
| quote: | Originally posted by evil_bastard
There are constant lulls. I remember sitting through the Superbowl because there was nothing else on TV, it lasted something like 3 hours and by the end I felt like I'd only seen about 30 minutes of actual 'play', ie people running and generally doing stuff, ie sport. And why do they feel the need for cheerleaders, musical bands, pop singers and people in the crowd selling pretzels or whatever? Surely you must be against that? |
EXACTLY!! American football is mostly crap..the Superbowl is always a e game. With Americans, it's more about the entertainment factor, thus with all the halftime shows, scoreboards, advertisements, junk food, etc. With proper football, it's about the GAME and what happens on the field. Hockey used to be like this when it was dominated and run by mostly Canadians, but now the NHL has been taken over by Americans with offices in New York and you have tames like Tampa Bay in Florida winning the Stanley (a British lord by the way) Cup with cheerleaders, cars on the ice between periods. It's just rubbish...that's why I would hate to see football be taken over by Americans...they would ruin just like they are ruining hockey. I pray that that fat Texan does not end up buying Man U. I hate Man U, but they should NOT be owned by an American. |
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| Xavier |
| quote: | Originally posted by Dj Smitty20
I pray that that fat Texan does not end up buying Man U. I hate Man U, but they should NOT be owned by an American. |
What would be nice, is that if he buys and relocates Man united "franchising" style to New York or Houston :stongue: or even Antartica!
What i've noticed is that Americans often use the words "Franchise" instead of "team" or "club". Now that is scary. :nervous: |
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| Xavier |
| quote: | Loyalty to Everton starts early, remains strong
English fans' style of support will be on display at Reliant Stadium
By GLENN DAVIS
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
With Everton's visit to Houston, American soccer fans will get a taste of the passion of the English for the sport.
Everton plays Mexican clubs Pachuca on Thursday and Club America on Sunday in the Copa de Tejas at Reliant Stadium.
The city of Liverpool is the home to two legendary clubs — Everton and Liverpool. Their stadiums Goodison Park (Everton) and Anfield (Liverpool) are about a quarter of a mile from each other.
When you are born you are either a Red (Liverpool) or a Blue (Everton) as family influence plays a huge part in which club you support.
"I can't explain the passion. I don't know," says Scott James, an Evertonian who trains youth soccer players for the Classics Soccer Club in Klein. "When you grow up, your father or grandfather takes you to the game. It's something that happens.
"At my first game, I had a scarf and hat bought by my granddad. I slept in the hat that night. From then on, I had a season ticket."
James was a part of Everton's youth system as a boy. His 60-year-old mother still has season tickets for the club that regularly draws 35,000 fans to home games despite not being near the top of the table.
In the United States, some fans jump from winner to winner — claiming "my Lakers," "my Patriots" or whoever is a winner at the moment. At Everton, you are a loyal fan for life and don't think about changing allegiances. You are in it through thick or thin.
That passion will come to life in Houston for the matches against the legendary Mexican sides as 1,000 Everton fans from around the globe are expected. They include a non-affiliated supporters group called the Indy Blues, who follow the club and have not missed a game in 10 years. The Indy Blues even followed Everton to recent preseason training in Austria.
David France is a lifelong Everton fan who lives in Houston and is the founder of the Everton Former Players Foundation and is the author of nine books on Everton and its history.
Talk about club loyalty, France has traveled from Houston 150 times to catch Everton games on weekends during English League play. Leaving on a Friday, he returns to Houston bleary-eyed on Sunday.
What drives this passion?
"The club belongs to the fans," says France. "The board members and players who put on the shirt are not just passing through."
Quite a difference from the NBA, NFL and Major League Baseball, where decisions are too often made by overpaid superstars.
Dubbed "the people's club," there is something very romantic about the notion of being a lifelong supporter, something that perhaps has been lost on the sporting public in the U.S.
The appearances of Everton at Reliant Stadium are an historic opportunity for fans to connect with soccer in a bigger way. Let's hope a few fans walk away with the same experiences James had when he went to his first Everton game.
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| evil_bastard |
I can't believe that guy has written an article about how amazing it is that people don't change their team!
| quote: | | you are a loyal fan for life and don't think about changing allegiances. You are in it through thick and thin |
| quote: | | there is something very romantic about the notion of being a lifelong supporter, something that perhaps has been lost on the sporting public in the U.S. |
:nervous: |
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| Xavier |
bloody hell, they dont let banners or flags inside the stadium!!!!!
They will never EVER EVER EVER understand the culture!!!
| quote: | Well what a night.
There was a lot of tailgating going on. As is usual for a match in the USA, vehicles were lined up all around the ground in the car park with food and drink flowing. My son and I arrived around six thirty only to have to park a mile away from the stadium. We walked past many a tailgater..Celtic and Liverpool supporters having something before the match.
Once in the stadium there became a problem that the Champions World tour need to sort out. No Flags or banners allowed. Well you can right imagine the "discussions" going on between those that brought them, Celtic and Liverpool alike, and the stewards/staff. Every time someone would try to hang theirs, they were told not to. It appeared one of the staff was going to get us an answer that we could but we never got the ok to hang our flags and banners. None of the banners would have interfered with any advertising as the walls over the railing was blank. The adverts were on boards around the pitch. If this happens at the other tour sites, there is going to be some negative feelings towards coming to America to put on a proper show. Rick Parry needs to sort this out with the tour organizers. As I talked to some lads who were over from Liverpool on an organized tour through the club and they were not happy campers when told not to hang their banners that have been all over Europe. ( They paid 1,500 quid for the full tour and stay at the team hotels, match tickets, air fares, transport to and from, etc included).
Well yes there was a match...
Liverpool were off to the races from the off and Celtic were looking like a second division side. My son and I were in the Kop behind the goal that Liverpool attacked in the first half. Celtic had their lot in the other end. But the supporters mingled about and there was some good banter before, during ( well from our end anyway..they got quiet real soon), and after the match. Two of the Tartan Army were in our end in the front row. We stood the entire match. The first half we were just to the left of the Celtic keeper Marshall's goal in the third row. We moved down to the front row for the second half. Even with "seats" assigned, people moved where they wanted and stood and sang.
The travelling Kop was in full voice from the off with YNWA belting out just when the match started. They did not play Gerry Marsdens YNWA over the tannoy before the match, so we did it ourselves. ( Another thing Parry should sort on the preseason tour). My Mum and brother who have watched the Champions World Tour matches said there is no singing at any of them. I told her maybe the microphones don't pick it up but assured them we would! I called her in the second half and she said she could hear our lot. And the Fox Sports World commentators made comment about Liverpools supporters and their singing. So I let her listen to us sing a few songs. And she heard us roar as Cisse got the 4th goal...
Well back to the match..we dominated from the start. If you get a chance to see the match Celtic hardly had much of an attack until near the end. And as it was at our end of the ground, it gave us a chance to sing a song for Carragher after he made a couple great plays for us.
Didi touched on for a Riise rocket and it was one-nil. Cue the John Arne Riise song. Milan was energetic and looked up when the Milan..Milan...Milan chants got going. But, as has been noted before, he gets a little selfish and a couple of times Owen is in the clear..arm raised and the myoptic Milan runs into a blind alley.
I had just tried the One Michael Owen chant..without any success..as I wanted Owen to know we still right proud of him. Even when the supporters seem to want to chant Milan name more frequently. Michael had just missed a half chance when I did that. And wouldn't you know it, we attack again and Owen lobs the keeper for #2..and NOW the Kop gets the One Michael Owen chant going..
But i'm taking credit for spuring Owen to greatness in front of us.
The Celtic keeper, Marshall, turned and looked around at the Kop. I don't think he knew what it was like to hear our fans. He did this repeatedly.
Igor, once again, had a good match from midfield and the Igor..Igor..Igor chant got going a few times. He linked real well with the front two and got into the box on a number of occasions. Maybe under Rafa, Igor will be a revelation and "some" supporters will have to take him off the useless list they have put him on. He got stuck in and had some good touches going to give Milan and Owen a chance.
Vladi did well and you could see he and Milan still had some understanding from their Euro 2004 exploits. Harry K had a couple of moments especially with Riise overlapping. We attacked more fron down the left. Finnan came up in support as well. But Riise had the better of it. Either Celtic were weaker down that side or what, I can't say as we focused on seeing our lads and not theirs. We finished the first half with a fine rendition of YNWA as we knew there would be changes in the second half.
Kirkland clapped the Kop as he came down our end to start the match as "soon to be Englands #1" got going. Now it was out chance to see Cisse and Sinama. Well first off..Cisse looks like he's got jets under his feet as he blew by the Celtic defenders time and again. He WILL be a Kop favorite. He hit the post early on and of course ended up scoring two goals. He could have had 4. Sinama was a live wire as well. Maybe Rafa will keep the two partnerships of Owen & Baros and
Cisse & Sinama. But I rather doubt it. Cisse and Owen may be the featured pairing before the tour is over. However, Rafa may have seen how Cisse and Sinama linked up because they seemed to play off each other well.
Stevie G came on in the second half and stamped his authority on the match with some of his 30 yard through balls. He and Murphy were paired together. The first half had Biscan and Hamann in central midfield. Warnock also came on and did fairly well. Carra was directing the defense and you could tell he's a "leader" back there.
Well one would never guess what happend. Henchov scored!!!! His ball looped into the far end net and the Kop went wild. Even the players seemed amused and there was a big group of them patting him on his back. As he scored one in training over here, he's now a threat to keep scoring!
During the second half, those that played the first did some extra cool down running. Kewell came by us and even though we chanted his name..he seemed not to notice. Not sure if he was just concentratiing on his fitness or what. But he didn't smile as he ran by us three or four times. Owen and Milan gave us a wave.
Diao fouled one of their's..good call by the ref..he was just a little late. And they scored a pen to at least give the Celtic fans something to cheer about. We hardly heard them the whole match. Kirkland dove to his left, which was the correct choice, and got a right hand to the shot but it was to powerfull for him to stop from going into the net. He got the ball and tossed it back upfield. We sang Liverpool, Liverpool to support the lads and then Cisse scored one of his shortly after, so normal service was resumed.
YNWA was belted out at the end. A few shirts exchanged by Liverpool and Celtic players. Those that played the second half went on a few laps to cool down and we sang Cisse..Cisse..Cisse..when they came by and he gave us a smile and wave. The second time by we belted out YNWA again and all the players clapped. They then went by the bench for some light stretching and as we were leaving, I looked down and Cisse had went to the stands on that side and had tossed his shirt to some of the Liverpool fans who were over there.
We had the Rafa, Rafael chant going both halves and after the match. I couldn't see his reaction from our end but he has to know, he's made a million freinds coming to our club.
Well that's the story of this poor boy..
Your humble correspondent..
One last comment..they were selling a Champions World tour t-shirt with all the sides participating. Now why would anyone buy one of those when Man utd were the side right dead smack in the middle of them all? They did sell a Celtic/Liverpool logo'd only shirt. Now that one might have got some business.
The stadium as 2/3rd full with just around 25,000 there.
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| Matty V |
| Why do Americans not support the same team all the time? |
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| oldskoolraver |
| quote: | Originally posted by erdega
I don't know about anyone else but I find games and soccer in general really boring lately .Mind you I grew up in europe and played soccer a lot growing up but I think it's really time to change the rules and speed up the game and have it be more challenging.
I just find it boring for players to dribble between themselves most of the time and have no aggression. There is no talent displayed and there is tons of stupid rules that kill any type of creativity. Lots of teams are just stalling once they are up and there is nothing you can do about it.
I think bench players should be involved more and the stupid rule of only 3 substitutions should be dissalowed. It would allow players to be fresh and strategy of coaches to be displayed.
I really think they should add more basketball like rules. 30 seconds to get it past half court should be the rule or you lose possesion. No more injury time or whatever it's called. I can't think of anymore right now but anything should be done to make it more faster and skill oriented instead of stupid rules that allow stalling and boring play |
I have trouble saying this in any other way, you are a ing idiot. |
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| Dj Smitty20 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Matty V
Why do Americans not support the same team all the time? |
because too many of them are more interested in concession snacks like nachos and hot dogs that the actual game. |
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