Why soccer is not working in the US:
First- Coverage: The coverage of soccer in this country is such an after thought that it is difficult to take it seriously even as a true soccer fan. i can only image someone new to the sport trying to get into it watching US coverage. The most viewed sporting event in the world and it gets regular interruptions with golf updates (don't get me started about golf as a sport for people who can not play sports...if you don't need to be in shape to do it, it is not a sport). The Superbowl would not be interrupted if there was a natural disaster. Poker championships and domino tournaments (as seen regularly after WC games) get more coverage than soccer on a yearly basis. You need extra cable channels just to see the sport of soccer.
Continuing with coverage comes the commentators:
Pretty haired, i sound like Jesse "the body" Ventura, all around imbecile Balboa (not to be confused with Rocky...that guy could kick my ass, even if i was allowed to headbutt). After Henry of France gave the universal sign for "why can't my teammates thread the fuckin' needle for me" (not to be confused with the universal sign for "i'm choking") Balboa claimed that Henry was finally getting excited and passionate about the game. From constantly defending the drama-queen dives of teams like Italy and Portugal to praising failed soccer techniques circa 1988, Balboa seemed knowledgeable compared to O'Brien: a baseball announcer? Was everyone else in this country who knows anything about soccer busy the day of commentator sign- ups? The Lifetime network could have picked better announcers, unfortunately none of us males would have been allowed to watch if they were airing the games.
This segments nicely into the lone female during the halftime reports: Foundy. She is an amazing soccer player. i am not as amazing a soccer player but i am equally as capable of sounding like an idiot on TV. Can i have a job at ESPN? It would be a nice break from teaching. With sentences spoken reminiscent of an 'English as a second language' student i found soccer knowledge being sucked out of my brain as i made the universal shoulder shrug for "what?" (misinterpreted by Balboa as a complement on his well-groomed fu-manchu).
Next- Heart:
American soccer at the national level lacks heart. The only way to get respect on the field is to earn it. During the '02 World Cup the US did better than anyone expected, getting wins through sheer determination and will, ultimately losing to an impressive German team who made it to the finals. The US started to get some respect and there was buzz surrounding the team this year as we all anxiously waited to see what they would do...and they sucked. All gained from the previous WC was lost.
Why the lack of performance? Heart. With all too many US players coddled and supported by minivan support crews taking them to every practice, bringing orange slices to every game, and giving "you're still MY champ" pep-talks after losses the style of play (in the MLS as well) looks to say: aw, it's just a game. When players from countries like Brazil (and many others) immerse themselves in soccer as an escape from difficult financial/social issues they develop skills and passion lacking in too many (but not all) US players. There are many players with such heart in the US but too often it is the upper- middle-class players with overwhelming support who find themselves with opportunities to be seen. They have the right doors open up for them. This has become an all too common scene in this country in all aspects of our society. Combine this with American coaches of a generation that did not grow up with soccer and it is no wonder that a "US style" of soccer has not truthfully been seen on the international field. We need coaches that understand how WE play soccer and use that to our advantage rather than trying to get our players to play like europeans or south americans.
*(i think a revolutionary coach could find a handful of good finishers in this country and play a 3-4-3 or dare i say 3-3-4, offensive heavy team. Except the fact that you will let in some goals but count on an ability to just score more than you let in. With 3 or 4 up front, compared to the 1 or 2 so common in current national play, you would see an increase in goals scored -reminiscent of earlier soccer- and an offense seeing more one on one challenges against a back line rather than the current one on two or one on three challenges we see today in a defense heavy era.)
Lastly, the G6 World Cup will go on record as the cup that got out of hand- at every level. With record card numbers and too many games heavily swayed by officiating, very little soccer was witnessed due to constant breaks in momentum due to whistles and regular prizes awarded to dives. All who have gone out on the field, at one point or another, have been pushed to their personal limit by repetitive cheap shots, poor sportsmanship, and trash talk within a 90 minute game. Now imagine you made it to 110th minute of an emotional game...your entire inspired career you have been faced with commentary on being the child of poor immigrants from a war torn Muslim country, growing up in a tough town, very close to family...and someone takes the trash talk just a step too far. In a day and age when the lines seem to be constantly moving and fading, someone on a rectangular piece of turf drew the line. He may have just gained an unlikely fan.
Maybe soccer CAN save us all. i hope something can.
3 comments:
Before music, before the written word, for me there was soccer or football as I first learned it as the son of immigrants. From the age of four to today answering the simple question “what is your favorite sport,” has been anything but simple in an “anti-soccer” society. The arguments became more sophisticated from playground rough housing in elementary school to a Philosophy essay in college where I contended Jimmie Hendrix, Shakespeare and Pele confirmed the existence of the human soul (got an A; didn’t hurt that the professor was British).
But, after spending the entirety of my communicative life defending my first true love and passion, I decided just a few short years ago (11 days after the Brazil - Germany final in Japan/Korea 02’) to lay it to rest. My declared maxim - “I don’t need everyone to love it as I do, I actually rather they didn’t.”
I confess, it hasn’t been the best kept oath, as my “punkmunk” friend can attest, but I hope he doesn’t mind I come out of retirement again to add my two sense (pun very much intended); subtlety and cruelty.
Subtlety is the great allure to soccer for those who love it. It would have to be, in a sport where 22 men/women battle for 90 minutes for what often amounts to one good opportunity. In American Football a team just needs to wait its turn to try and score; in Baseball you get at least three opportunities an inning; and Basketball shots are launched every 24 seconds. Soccer does not guarantee you’ll ever get even a prayer of a shot off. This is not a flaw.
What value is there in a touchdown if even the worse teams are good for two or three a game; and why does it need to be worth six points – inflation? – add to that the extra point or field goals for that matter, it’s as though someone decided a reward or opportunity should be granted for getting close to scoring. Imagine if in soccer goals scored from outside the box were awarded more points (don’t get me started on the three-point shot).
Scoring a goal in soccer is precious, that’s why grown men act like drunken cheerleaders on prom night when they get one. But there are so few of them, this is true, which is why one must learn to appreciate the beauty and grace on display between goals. It shouldn’t be difficult, I once heard a commentator revel over a batter’s pre-pitch routine. Is a steroidal beast compulsively adjusting his gear more compelling than a midfielder collecting a driven pass from 100 yards with a single touch? Of course there is little time to comment on such nuances because the game doesn’t STOP for a word from our sponsors.
But Americans for the most part don’t have an eye for subtlety, for good reason it’s still a very young society with a great deal of maturing still to be had. While most of the western world agree that “Citizen Cain” and “La Dolce Vida” are the sublime pinnacle of motion picture story telling, Americans cling to Star Wars (my shot at the “drama queen” comment).
Jazz, an American invention ironically venerated everywhere but, thrives on subtlety and the note not played - the implied note. Most Americans have not yet evolved the ear for such notes and fatten on a steady diet of hook laden pop and slam dunks.
Cruelty, as in life so too in soccer. The best team doesn’t always win, best efforts aren’t always rewarded, the thug is cheered and the protagonist jeered, resolution isn’t always gained on the field, and often a truce is needed. Again, America is still too young and brash to accept this. As in America so too in soccer - this is not a flaw.
Until, 2010 “I don’t need everyone to love it as I do, I actually rather they didn’t.”
This years US team was a bit overhyped, and also had an unfortunate draw with 3 quality teams, including eventual champs Italy. FORZA ITALIA!
And as far as coverage goes, thankyou to comcast for getting ESPN2 HD just in time for the world cup, so I could DVR my games in HD and watch them that night!
This years US team was a bit overhyped but moreso had an unfortunate draw with 3 high quality teams, including eventual champs Italy. FORZA ITALIA! To me, this was THEE group of death.
And as far as coverage goes, thank you to comcast for getting ESPN2 HD just in time for the world cup, so I could DVR my games in HD and watch them that night! Oh, and I think replacing Arena now is the right move for the future. Now if the US can produce a few superstar talents, kids will have roll models, and the sporting press might feature soccer more. PunkMonk, keep coaching! Or perhaps, start spawning! (PS, girls soccer superstars wont cut it..as we already know)
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