World Cup - "soccer is boring and stupid" thread

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SUMMARY

This forum discussion centers on the perception of soccer as a boring sport compared to others like baseball and basketball. Participants express their views on the cultural implications of the term "soccer" versus "football," highlighting the differences in terminology across regions, particularly in the U.S. and other countries. The conversation also touches on the reasons behind the lack of popularity of soccer in the U.S., including the structure of the game and cultural preferences for high-scoring sports. Overall, the thread illustrates a blend of humor and serious commentary on sports and cultural identity.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of sports terminology, specifically "soccer" and "football."
  • Familiarity with cultural differences in sports preferences.
  • Knowledge of the historical context of soccer's terminology in the U.S. and abroad.
  • Awareness of the impact of advertising on sports viewership.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical evolution of the term "soccer" and its origins.
  • Explore the cultural significance of sports in different countries.
  • Investigate the impact of advertising on sports viewership and game structure.
  • Analyze the reasons behind the popularity of various sports in the U.S. compared to other nations.
USEFUL FOR

Sports enthusiasts, cultural analysts, and anyone interested in the dynamics of sports terminology and its cultural implications will benefit from this discussion.

  • #61
davenn said:
you can add New Zealand and Australia to the list that term it soccer

perhaps there are more brits living around the parts of auckland I live in, people here look at you funny when you even say the word soccer.
 
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  • #62
wukunlin said:
perhaps there are more brits living around the parts of auckland I live in, people here look at you funny when you even say the word soccer.

Wouldn't surprise me - those Brits really get around :-p!
 
  • #63
micromass said:
The name football is not ambiguous for about 7 billion people. It only is for americans.

Blame the English... :devil:
1889, socca, later socker (1891), soccer (1895), originally university slang (with jocular formation -er (3)), from a shortened form of Assoc., abbreviation of association in Football Association (as opposed to Rugby football); compare rugger. An unusual method of formation, but those who did it perhaps shied away from making a name out of the first three letters of Assoc.
 
  • #64
It's not exactly new, but I have always enjoyed this picture.

handegg.0_standard_709.0.jpg
 
  • #65
It's called football (the Handegg one) because the ball is about a foot long.
 
  • #66
Fredrik said:
It's not exactly new, but I have always enjoyed this picture.
:biggrin:
 
  • #67
Tobias Funke said:
A small typo, just like when I mistyped "football/fútbol/¿fóüdbáílle" as "soccer" and "French fries" as "freedom fries."

Sorry I over did it; I was trying to impress a hot Colombian lady , so I went along with her campaign and I started doing it without thinking about it.
 
  • #68
AlephZero said:
Nobody seems to have mentioned the obvious reason why the USA doesn't "get" soccer. Play doesn't stop every few seconds for the next TV advertising break.
Could be that we don't like sports where the players cry every game rolling on the ground when they get a little scratch.
 
  • #69
Maylis said:
Could be that we don't like sports where the players cry every game rolling on the ground when they get a little scratch.

Could be you daren't play contact sports if you can't wear body armor.
 
  • #70
AlephZero said:
Could be you daren't play contact sports if you can't wear body armor.

this thread is awesome :biggrin:
 
  • #71
AlephZero said:
Could be you daren't play contact sports if you can't wear body armor.

Sports like soccer and basketball are contact sports. Football is a collision sport.
 
  • #72
Yes, you can volunteer to be 'contacted' by a linebacker without those wussy pads first :D
 
  • #73
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Sports like soccer and basketball are contact sports. Football is a collision sport.

The last I checked rugby was pretty similar to (American) football but the players don't insist on getting up like a medieval knight at the joust.
 
  • #74
Curious3141 said:
The last I checked rugby was pretty similar to (American) football but the players don't insist on getting up like a medieval knight at the joust.

While I agree to a certain extent, the big difference is that in rugby, most of the tackles and hits are from the side, or grabbing legs, etc. In American football, the two teams stop, line up facing one another and then (try to) run directly at each other. Most hits and tackles in American football involve two men running nearly head on at full speed. Given the reset after each play, the defense is able to set themselves up and read the play, giving them an opportunity to be in a prime position for making a hit.

I know that there are some brutal hits in rugby, for sure, and the scrum is a super rough place to be as well, but I would wager that the potential for serious injury is higher in American football, given that the contact is typically direct and head-on.
 
  • #75
Seems like simple physics that playing American football without pads would be a disaster, for rugby players or anyone else. Therefore, rugby must not be too similar to American football in terms of collisions. Basically, what Travis_King said (probably...I've never watched rugby).
 
  • #76
Curious3141 said:
The last I checked rugby was pretty similar to (American) football but the players don't insist on getting up like a medieval knight at the joust.

There are more injuries in American football because of the padding. When no one is wearing a helmet, players will have a natural aversion to smashing skulls, seeing as it's counter-productive and will take both players out of play temporarily. When everyone is wearing a helmet, everyone has the confidence to start bashing heads together, but these helmets aren't omnipotent and can't prevent all sorts of gruesome concussions and spinal injuries.

Not to say that rugby players aren't badasses, because they are.
 
  • #77
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Not to say that rugby players aren't badasses, because they are.

Rugby is more of a gentlemans game. There are explicit rules for how/when to tackle (mostly shoulders and waist). In American football nearly anything goes.
 
  • #78
Greg Bernhardt said:
Rugby is more of a gentlemans game. There are explicit rules for how/when to tackle (mostly shoulders and waist). In American football nearly anything goes.

I was thinking of this when I made that comment :smile:
 

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