viva fifa!

[EagleSmack]

When you're four you can play soccer for a team.

Once you hit 8 or 9 most kids leave to play baseball, football, hockey, etc.

I need only to look at my town and see what happens. The leagues are huge up until the kids are of age to play the other sports. After a certain age the town fields one team per age group and plays other towns whose soccer leagues also see a rapid decline in kids playing soccer.

 

[gopher]

I met with a couple of buddies of mine tonight - one of whom has several grandchildren and grand nieces & nephews. All of them play soccer and it is their primary sport. Both of my friends have coached and worked as administrators in public playgrounds. They agree that soccer is the # 1 sport among kids in Gopherland and throughout the USA as well. It is not a secondary sport among youths. Bear in mind also that Hispanics are the largest growing part of the population and they love soccer. Therefore, we can expect its popularity to grow even more.

 

[EagleSmack]

I hope it does get more popular but let me ask you this.


How many people go to a HS football game on a Friday night in Minnesota? How many people go to a HS soccer game?


How many people go see the UM Gophers football?





How many go see UM Gophers Soccer?

 

[Blackleaf]

Is that why it was called the Group of Death?

Oh, wait. It wasn't. It was the Group of Suck-A$$ Has-Beens.

It was the only group in which three of the four teams, put together, have won the World Cup seven times, most recently in 2006 (Italy four times, Uruguay twice, England once), and the only group to have three teams ranked in the world Top 10.

USA was in a group in which one team has won the World Cup three times, most recently in 1990, and in which just two of the teams (Germany and Portugal) are ranked in the world Top 10.

Statistically England's group was the toughest, and the USA scraped out of their group, having won just one match, merely on goal difference over Portugal.

Pointless World Cup fact of the day

This is the first time ever that all eight group winners have reached the Quarter Finals.

 

[EagleSmack]

BL... the English suck at soccer. The whining limeys were in the easiest group and could not even get out of it. It's over... the Brits suck at this game.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

BL... the English suck at soccer. The whining limeys were in the easiest group and could not even get out of it. It's over... the Brits suck at this game.

Here's an idea for a joke, Eagle. Next World Cup, first match, our team ought to walk out onto the pitch wearing. . .

Some folk'll get the joke. I calculate the Engerlish won't.

 

[EagleSmack]

The brits have never been known for their intelligence.




And what about the ... pitch... it is a soccer field.


This is a pitch...

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Here's the perfect pitch. . .

Perfect pitch. Imprint notes in your brain. Absolute pitch - YouTube

 

[gopher]

Blackie,


How many go see UM Gophers Soccer?

We don't have a men's soccer team and the NCAA does not promote it like it does with football.

Still, there are more registered youth soccer players than football because it is much more of a participatory sport as opposed to being one of just being a spectator.

 

[EagleSmack]

We don't have a men's soccer team and the NCAA does not promote it like it does with football.

That is correct... University of Minnesota does not even have a Men's Soccer team.

The NCAA does not promote it because the interest is not there. If it was and there was money to be made you bet they would promote it.

The state of Minnesota does not even have a pro soccer team.

Still, there are more registered youth soccer players than football because it is much more of a participatory sport as opposed to being one of just being a spectator.

Absolutely. I've no doubt. At the early youth level the participation is enormous. But once kids become of age the participation drops off dramatically because youths can now play baseball, football, and hockey.

I have two sons. Both played soccer up until they could play Little League Baseball and Youth Football. The early age youth leagues were enormous and all in town teams. There were about 10 teams at each level UNTIL they were old enough to play football and baseball. Then because of the lack of players the town can only field one or two teams tops (each age group) and they play other towns that are in the same boat. And I have a hunch the same goes for most towns in Minnesota.

Don't get me wrong, I hope the sport grows in popularity. My youngest switched from football to soccer his Sophomore year in High School. He was clearly a better soccer player than a football player and I loved watching him play.

The bump in enthusiasm is because of the World Cup.

 

[gopher]

Eagle,

Pardon me, I put the name Blackie when it was you who posed the question - admittedly a good one.


You say there is no interest in soccer - bear in mind that was said about womens NCAA sport and that money should not have been invested in it through Title IX. Today, womens softball World Series has a huge tv audience and attendance at NCAA FF basketball is at an all time high. Thus, interest was generated through increased financing and good promotion.

Do the same for soccer and watch those crowds significantly increase.



Minnesota does have a minor league pro soccer team. Attendance in those games used to be quite high for the old Kicks of the NASL. But people went to those games to get drunk and not watch the matches. Attendance at the present minor league games vary. However, if the new stadium we are going to have next year in down town St Paul can be converted to a soccer field attendance will spike considerably.

Glad to know your kids love soccer. And by the way, surprisingly, many of Minnesota's bet soccer players come from the farming areas, not just the cities and suburbs!

 

[EagleSmack]

Eagle,

Pardon me, I put the name Blackie when it was you who posed the question - admittedly a good one.

NP

You say there is no interest in soccer -

I did not say No interest in soccer. I said the interest isn't there meaning that there is a lack of interest. Sorry I should have been clearer. I have an interest in it through my son who loves it. The level of interest is not even close to the other major sports.

bear in mind that was said about womens NCAA sport and that money should not have been invested in it through Title IX. Today, womens softball World Series has a huge tv audience and attendance at NCAA FF basketball is at an all time high. Thus, interest was generated through increased financing and good promotion.

Do the same for soccer and watch those crowds significantly increase.

I don't think so. We can pretty much walk into any collegiate soccer game and watch for free. A Championship series will always gather more attention. Women's Hoops is popular in some states. UCONN and Tennessee come to mind as I believe they are the only ones that can fill a home game regularly. Perhaps that has changed.

Minnesota does have a minor league pro soccer team. Attendance in those games used to be quite high for the old Kicks of the NASL. But people went to those games to get drunk and not watch the matches. Attendance at the present minor league games vary.

If there was a lot of interest they would already have a pro team.

However, if the new stadium we are going to have next year in down town St Paul can be converted to a soccer field attendance will spike considerably.

Average New England Patriots Game...

Average New England Revolution game...

Glad to know your kids love soccer. And by the way, surprisingly, many of Minnesota's bet soccer players come from the farming areas, not just the cities and suburbs!

Well one kid does. The other stopped when he could play baseball and football. My youngest loves it. He can't get enough of it. He used to play it for 3 season but spring interfered with HS track so he plays Fall for his HS and Summer League.

We don't have many farms out here.

 

[gopher]

quoting Eagle ~ "I did not say 'no interest' ".


Pardon, my error, not yours.






Full stadium? Here was Giants Stadium in Jersey back in the days of the old NASL:

78,000 back in those days to see Pele, Beckenbauer, Bogicevic, Chinaglia, & others.




We have always had the interest and we could have had much more. But for the utter stupidity of the idiots who ran the NASL, we would have had a league that would rival anything in Europe. Those morons were only interested in the big bucks. They over expanded the league and watered down the level of competition to that of a minor league. The games got so bad that each became a snooze fest and the best players fled to Europe. Some of the older players stayed and played in the Cosmopolitan League (this was the new name for the German-American soccer league --- a semipro league that played an excellent brand of soccer back then). The late 70s/early 80s were a great time for soccer fans in NY. I am telling you a truth that tears at my heart - the owners of the NASL literally f.....d soccer's chances of growing to a level that would have rivaled MLB & the NFL. How sad, how very sad for the sport.

 

[Blackleaf]

quoting Eagle ~ "I did not say 'no interest' ".


Pardon, my error, not yours.






Full stadium? Here was Giants Stadium in Jersey back in the days of the old NASL:

78,000 back in those days to see Pele, Beckenbauer, Bogicevic, Chinaglia, & others.




We have always had the interest and we could have had much more. But for the utter stupidity of the idiots who ran the NASL, we would have had a league that would rival anything in Europe. Those morons were only interested in the big bucks. They over expanded the league and watered down the level of competition to that of a minor league. The games got so bad that each became a snooze fest and the best players fled to Europe. Some of the older players stayed and played in the Cosmopolitan League (this was the new name for the German-American soccer league --- a semipro league that played an excellent brand of soccer back then). The late 70s/early 80s were a great time for soccer fans in NY. I am telling you a truth that tears at my heart - the owners of the NASL literally f.....d soccer's chances of growing to a level that would have rivaled MLB & the NFL. How sad, how very sad for the sport.

America has often been the retirement home for footballers.

Pele, Beckenbauer (part of the West Germany team that lost against England in the 1966 World Cup Final) were getting on a bit as footballers when they went to play in America.

Pele was 34 when he joined New York Cosmos in 1975; Beckenbauer was 32 when he joined them in 1977 and 38 when he re-joined then in 1983.

Even MLS is something of a retirement home for great footballers who are getting on a bit. England midfielder Frank Lampard, a former Chelsea great, may be about to join the new New York City FC at the age of 36.

MLS, though, is starting to attract young players from Europe, South America and elsewhere, and that's what it needs to do to become a strong league.

Here's an idea for a joke, Eagle. Next World Cup, first match, our team ought to walk out onto the pitch wearing. . .

Some folk'll get the joke. I calculate the Engerlish won't.

It won't surprise me at all if they come out wearing that sort of stuff. After all, America is a nation which plays a cissy, safe version of rugby in which they spend most of the time just standing around doing nothing but still think they should wear a ton of kevlar body armour, shoulders pads which would put the 1980s to shame and bigger helmets than solders wear on the battlefield.

And it won't be the first time you wear helmets whilst playing football. I remember a few years ago watching a football match in America on TV and all the players were wearing helmets. In fact, many Yank schools today force kids to wear helmets when playing football.

Americans are soft when it comes to sport. Most Yanks would never cope on a rugby league pitch.

So it won't surprise me at all if you come out wearing those helmets whilst playing football.

Football helmets currently available to buy in America: http://www.worldsoccershop.com/departments-player-equipment-headgear.html

 

[captain morgan]

Too bad that the Brits didn't have helmets when the Americans gave them the bum's rush outta North America... It's proven to reduce head injuries you know

 

[gopher]

Blackie,


America has often been the retirement home for footballers.

Japan was always the retirement home for older baseball players. Today the JBL is thriving. Ditto for European basketball leagues which have always been the retirement home for aging American players and coaches. These leagues succeeded while the NASL failed because of the actions taken by league management. Had the morons who controlled our league used any sense at all that league would be thriving and could rival any league in Europe. Today, the USA would be in FIFA's top 5 and likely win the World Cup.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

They have a support group for Engerlish head-injury sufferers. It's called the UKIP.

 

[EagleSmack]

America has often been the retirement home for footballers.

Now we're better than the Anglash


The limeys suck at soccer as was shown to the world.

 

[gopher]

watched Germany > France 1-0


Frenchies did not appear too intense and commentators were wondering why they didn't fire up as usual. Throughout the match I kept saying to myself that the USA belonged in this semi-final match and I know we could have won it. Ah well, mebbe next time ....

 

[Walter]

Deutschland, Deutschland ueber Frenchman.