Adu is a citizen

[korme]

And with that, I bid you adu.

I seriously thought this was a thread about someone was named "Bid Adu". I was thinking that's kind of cool.. heh

[bbor]

Originally posted by Shorty3281
And with that, I bid you adu.

I seriously thought this was a thread about someone was named "Bid Adu". I was thinking that's kind of cool.. heh

Much Adu about nothing?

[GoldenEagle]

But I think you are overlooking the fact that America does have a domestic soccer league, and one of growing quality. It will have to be the center of soccer in the US, no doubt about it.

I have always disagreed with the "shove dwon your throat" style of approaching soccer. It is not how I learned to appreciate the game. Instead I think MLS should do a "Soccer 101" type thing during one of its brodcasts. Have announcers point out different things, have players say why a player did this or that, have a ref explain a call. It would all go to show the beauty of the game.

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
I think soccer needs one magical superstar to make the game explode in America.

You mean like say, Pele playing for the New York Cosmos?

I think soccer will become a little more popular, but it just doesn't have the history (no storied franchises, no legends, etc.) that some of the other sports have here in the US, and there are already so many other sports to follow. And the sport just isn't, well, American. I think it's worth noting that football (American style), baseball and basketball were all invented/developed in the US.

[GoldenEagle]

Correct me if I am wrong, but didnt Pele sell out Giants Stadium? And this was past his prime.

The greediness of its owners brought down the NASL before it had the chance to be a great. MLS has learned from those mistakes.

[cuervo72]

He very well might have. But I'm sure in the 70's soccer fans thought the same thing they do now, that the US was ripe for a soccer boom and that soccer would be huge in a few years. I know things take time and the MLS is doing ok, but I'm still skeptical that the US will ever be soccer crazy.

[GoldenEagle]

They did think that. Although I am not an expert on the NASL (someone may be), who wouldnt think that when your drawing 80,000 fans per game? But it became a forigener league and people just lost interest.

[GoldenEagle]

A picture of Mr. Adu....

The picture didnt work, you can download below if you want.

And some links to articles about him

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/socce...-focus-adu.htm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ins...7/wahl_soccer/

http://www.msnbc.com/news/850564.asp?0cb=-71n5737&cp1=1

[TroyF]

Blacky,

I'm with you. I'm turning to the dark side. I actually watch one or two games a week on Fox Sports World. I visit soccernet every few days to check out the scores and am actually taking a personal interest in some games. I'm afraid. Very, very afraid. It truly is CM's fault.

TroyF

[sabotai]

Is anyone else reminded the Simpson's episode where they had all this hype around a soccer match, and then they went to the match and saw how boring it was, so they rioted. And the Mexican announcer was all into the passing of the ball back and forth between players...

Classic.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by sabotai
Is anyone else reminded the Simpson's episode where they had all this hype around a soccer match, and then they went to the match and saw how boring it was, so they rioted. And the Mexican announcer was all into the passing of the ball back and forth between players...

Classic.

Any exposure is good exposure.

[GoldenEagle]

Dola.

Another link about Adu.

Here.

[Jets80]

Lets all just come clean. Soccer sucks. Its a boaring boaring sport. The only reason it is so popular around the world is because ITS ALL THEY HAVE!!! If these 3rd world contries had enough money to buy more sporting goods then just 1 BALL they might be able to enjoy some real sports like Football, Basketball, Baseball and NASCAR. Maybe if they had TV's they could watch a fight on pay-per-view. Id'e like to know why a 13 year old kid who can probably be a superstar in some other country wants to come America where poeple wont even know his name. And personaly I could give 2 craps about him unless he decides to become a place kicker in the NFL.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by Jets80
Lets all just come clean. Soccer sucks. Its a boaring boaring sport. The only reason it is so popular around the world is because ITS ALL THEY HAVE!!! If these 3rd world contries had enough money to buy more sporting goods then just 1 BALL they might be able to enjoy some real sports like Football, Basketball, Baseball and NASCAR. Maybe if they had TV's they could watch a fight on pay-per-view. Id'e like to know why a 13 year old kid who can probably be a superstar in some other country wants to come America where poeple wont even know his name. And personaly I could give 2 craps about him unless he decides to become a place kicker in the NFL.

Harsh. Very harsh.

Have you ever watched a soccer game? Have you seen any boars running around?

[Jets80]

No, I dont watch soccer. But im sure the boars stand around an kinck a ball from time to time. The clock runs backwards, a riot breaks out and the game ends in a 0-0 tie.

[GoldenEagle]

There is nothing wrong with a 0-0 tie. In fact, I have seen some very exciting 0-0 ties.

I think we should take after the French in our sports. Its not about the offense. But then again, the French don't play D either.

[condors]

jets80 i have never seen an american football game but the jets really suck i mean they run for 5 seconds and take the next 30 off how boring is that

(the above post was sarcasam)

jets80 you feel the need to say something sucks that you don't know about is just ignorant, i am not saying you have to like it but there is no need to put it down

[Neuqua]

At first I was never a fan of soccer, but a combination of CM and a trip to England this past summer completely changed my outlook on the game. I honestly can't say if the sport will ever hit it big here but that won't stop me from watching it. I think that if people gave it a chance and learned a thing or two about the game that they could see how exciting it can be.

Jets80 seems to feel like whatever he believes is always true. I've noticed that in several posts of his. He believes he "says the things everyone else is afraid to say."

Um, no.

Neuqua

[GoldenEagle]

That is the problem. Americans are vastly uneducated about soccer.

[kcchief19]

Apu is already a citizen. I saw the episode of The Simpsons where it happened.

-------------

I'm not going to rain on the parade of all the soccer fans out there by bashing the sport. But what I find fascinating about soccer is that EVERY kid in the country plays soccer until they are 12 or 13 and then only handful keep playing.

I have theories, most of which revolved around this formula:

Americans love high scoring games --> youth soccer games are high-scoring affairs --> as the kids mature, learn the rules and get better, scoring goes down --> as scoring goes down, more people stop playing/watching --> virtually nobody watches pro soccer in this country.

Yeah, if the U.S. pulls off the world's biggest miracle (or we get the fix in) and this country ever plays for a World Cup, everybody in the country will become a soccer fan for about four hours. After, party's over.

[stkelly52]

KC chief: I think you have totally hit on why American's don't like soccer. Every other major sport has adjusted their rules to make it easier to score more points. I was just watching Man U play last night in the dorm that I run (filled with foreign raised kids who love futball) and they were talking about how Manchester United was being dominated by Bolton. The score was 1-0. I just can't see how that is "dominating" Then Man. U. tied the game in the fianl minutes, and everyone was still saying how Man U had been "dominated". These kind of low scoring affairs will not entertain the American public.

[rexalllsc]

Originally posted by Jets80
Lets all just come clean. Soccer sucks. Its a boaring boaring sport. The only reason it is so popular around the world is because ITS ALL THEY HAVE!!! If these 3rd world contries had enough money to buy more sporting goods then just 1 BALL they might be able to enjoy some real sports like Football, Basketball, Baseball and NASCAR.

I would argue that Soccer is much more of a sport than NASCAR.

[GoldenEagle]

Originally posted by stkelly52
KC chief: I think you have totally hit on why American's don't like soccer. Every other major sport has adjusted their rules to make it easier to score more points. I was just watching Man U play last night in the dorm that I run (filled with foreign raised kids who love futball) and they were talking about how Manchester United was being dominated by Bolton. The score was 1-0. I just can't see how that is "dominating" Then Man. U. tied the game in the fianl minutes, and everyone was still saying how Man U had been "dominated". These kind of low scoring affairs will not entertain the American public.

I think since America is uneducated on the aspects of the game, they really don't understand it. Have no fear though, I am writting a book entitled "Soccer for the Average American."

Also what Jets80 does not realize is that soceer has out drawn all the sports he listed, except for the NFL, recently. Just food for your thought.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
... has out drawn all the sports he listed, except for the NFL, recently.

Umm ... would that be paid admissions? In the U.S. ?

[GoldenEagle]

Sorry for the misclarification.

What I meant was in terms of TV ratings. The World Cup soccer game between Germany and the US outdrew the NBA finals, MLB Wolrd Series, NHL final, and NASCAR. All this desptie being on at 8 AM!

But know that I think about, the MLS Cup drew 61,000+. That is more than any individual NBA final, MLB final, NHL final, and maybe even the Superbowl.

Now, I know what your saying. Those venues sold out and couldn't fit anymore people, but so did the MLS Cup.

Now, is the MLS Cup comparable to the SuperBowl? Of course not. But something to consider when you say soccer is not popular.

Like it or not, soccer is on an up-trend. All the evidence supports this. MLS had its highest tV ratings and its most gate money this past season. Teams are seliing season tickets at record-breaking paces.

I think its only a matter of time before soccer makes a big splash in America, and Freddy Adu will be a big part of that.

Just think, if you have young kids, what will you do when they say, "I want to be like Freddy?"

[rexalllsc]

Originally posted by GoldenEagle
Sorry for the misclarification.

What I meant was in terms of TV ratings. The World Cup soccer game between Germany and the US outdrew the NBA finals, MLB Wolrd Series, NHL final, and NASCAR. All this desptie being on at 8 AM!

But know that I think about, the MLS Cup drew 61,000+. That is more than any individual NBA final, MLB final, NHL final, and maybe even the Superbowl.

Now, I know what your saying. Those venues sold out and couldn't fit anymore people, but so did the MLS Cup.

Now, is the MLS Cup comparable to the SuperBowl? Of course not. But something to consider when you say soccer is not popular.

Like it or not, soccer is on an up-trend. All the evidence supports this. MLS had its highest tV ratings and its most gate money this past season. Teams are seliing season tickets at record-breaking paces.

I think its only a matter of time before soccer makes a big splash in America, and Freddy Adu will be a big part of that.

Just think, if you have young kids, what will you do when they say, "I want to be like Freddy?"

The US-Germany game was the most exciting sporting event I've watched since the World Cup of Ice Hockey that took place in 96 or 97.

[GoldenEagle]

It was a very exciting game. Some of my friends who have never watched soccer watched the game with me, and they moaned just like me whenever the US blew a chance. Like me they were also outraged when the handball was not called.

What was the final score? 1-0. My point is soccer can be exciting even if low scoring.

[cmp]

There isn't any player no matter how good they possibly may be that would get me to watch soccer. I'm sorry, it's just a very boring sport to me. It has nothing to do with not having the attention span for it. I watch and enjoy hockey and golf, soccer I cannot stand though.

[kcchief19]

OK, I only get testy when people start distorting facts or making them up.

From mysoccer.com

ESPN's Friday morning telecast of the U.S. vs. Germany quarterfinal match on June 21 at 7:30 a.m. ET, seen in an average of 3.77 million television homes based on a 4.36 rating, is the network's most-watched and highest-rated soccer telecast ever, according to Nielsen Media Research data. Also, the telecast is ESPN's most-viewed program ever in the second quarter of a year (April - June).

Yes, the biggest soccer event for the U.S. of the year BARELY outdrew the audience for the golf's Greater Hartford Open two days later. The ratings for that game are about 1/4 quarter the ratings for the World Series and the NBA. Heck, game 7 of the NBA Western finals drew a 16.9 rating.

The most-watch and highest-rated soccer telecast in the U.S. EVER didn't even outdraw the 2003 NBA All-Star game PREGAME SHOW (4.8 vs 4.36).

Did they pack 61,000 in for the MLS Cup? Sure. What were the ticket prices? The most expensive ticket for the Cup was $70. Tickets for the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup trip last year were being scalped for $1,000. $70 would get you, however, a ticket in the outfield at face value in Anaheim for last year's World Series. $70 will get you a dog and a beer at the Super Bowl.

The moral of the story is for soccer fans not to try to build soccer into the greatest sport in America because it is not, and the facts only serve to make soccer the butt of jokes on talk radio and Internet message boards.

Soccer is and will forever be a niche sport in this country unless this country changes in a radical way. Don't let that bother you. Personally, I like a good pitcher's duel, but the people have spoken and they would rather see Luis Gonzalez pump his way to a 50-homer season.

Hockey is a niche sport. The WNBA is a niche sport. Feel free to boost soccer and feel free to jake jabs at other sports. God knows I'd rather watch a WNBA game before I watch the trash the NBA subjects us too, but it doesn't do the WNBA good for me to start talking about how more people saw the WNBA Finals than the Super Bowl, when it simply isn't true.

[GoldenEagle]

Keep in mind that the game was also shown on ABC in the bottom corner of what they were broadcasting. And I do believe that TV show saw a significt jump in ratings.

You also have to keep in mind Galavsion's ratings. When you combine those three ratings, the rating was something like a 10.

I will find a link later to support the evidence.

If you don't like soccer, great. I have never said soccer is the greatest sport in America, but I believe it deserves a chance in America's sport market. People look at soccer with a misunderstanding, because their local talk show host made a joke about it.

Until that changes soccer will not get a fair shake.

And many more people saw the World Cup final than the SuperBowl, if you look at it from a world view.

[stkelly52]

The reason why the ratings for the US vs. Germany game were so high was because the US was playing. As soon as the US lost no one even cared. Heck the ESPYs nominated the US soccer team for team of the year, and ignored Brazil entirely. People in America will care about any sport as long as their team is winning. I remember sitting around my USAF dorm in 98 watching Olympic Equestiran (sp?) and everyone was cheering because the US won it's first equestrian medal in years (perhaps ever?). After the event was over, none of us cared about equestrian. So using the US-Germany game as a guide to gage US interest is flawed. A better guide would be the Brazil-Germany final. Only real soccer fans watched that game.

[Alf]

Originally posted by Jets80
No, I dont watch soccer. But im sure the boars stand around an kinck a ball from time to time. The clock runs backwards, a riot breaks out and the game ends in a 0-0 tie.

Isn't that Hockey ?

[Anrhydeddu]

The most amazing thing about this thread is that I am agreeing with kcchief and to the spirit of what Jets80 is saying, and not with my historical buddy, Golden Eagle. Go figure.

[GoldenEagle]

Maybe we can get involved with a historical discussion about soccer?

[3ric]

An article about Freddy on soccernet.com:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=261276&cc=5739

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally posted by rexalllsc
The US-Germany game was the most exciting sporting event I've watched since the World Cup of Ice Hockey that took place in 96 or 97.

It was 1996. It was a great, great, great event. The final between US and Canada was fantastic. Mike Richter put on perhaps the best display of goaltending I have ever seen. He stopped some 50 shots from the likes of Gretzky, Lemieux, etc. Hull was great, as were the Hatcher brothers. The whole tourney was a delight. Great US-Canada fights. The US-USSR game in Montreal where the crowd booed the US team and the next day Don Cherry said "This is the first time I have ever been ashamed of being Canadian." And then went on a long diatribe about how the US defends the free world and was always there for Canada when the sh** went down. Good times... Good times...

I like soccer too. Living in Brussels it's all I have really, outside the internet radio. I adapted. When in Rome and all. It's good fun. The World Cup games were fantastic. I have adopted Everton (well, they were chosen for me) to support in the Premiereship. It's all good. Granted soccer is no hockey or football, but it beats the snot out of baseball or basketball.

[condors]

soccer is popular in philadelphia the match with manutd and barcelona sold out the link in under 2 hours (50k+ areana)

[Katon]

Being low-scoring isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means that every goal is important in a way that isn't true in, say, basketball. As to the oft-repeated argument that us poor Europeans only like soccer because we don't have anything better, that's not true. We have cricket, rugby. . . OK, bad examples. Seriously, we do have a few other sports that haven't made it in the US and we also have basketball and hockey leagues. If I wanted to go to a basketball or hockey game, I could; I prefer soccer not because it's the only option, but because it's the best option.

[MrBug708]

Man U plays America in June here I believe. I think I'll be able to get on the field on a photographers pass

[moriarty]

That would be awesome. Say hi to Becks for us.

Now if we can just get Liverpool to tour here ... then again, with their current style, their games wouldn't exactly improve the interest in soccer in the States.

(edited for spelling)

[ISiddiqui]

they might be able to enjoy some real sports like Football, Basketball, Baseball and NASCAR.

How the Hell is driving around a track for 500 miles more exciting than a soccer match? And Basketball? LOL, any sport where you can just watch the last 5 minutes of a game and not feel like you've missed anything doesn't qualify as exciting to me. Maybe if they made basketball games 5 minutes long?

--

I think Adu is the 'player'. The guy that is going to bring the fans to soccer. I'll compare him to Magic and Bird in the NBA during 1980s. Basketball WAS a niche sport back then. People tend to forget that, but Magic and Bird came into the league... and then Jordan, and voila, success. Adu can be that player, and then we can build on that.

I think the Donovan and Beasely are going to be the first wave to bring soccer into America's consciousness, then Adu is just going to slam it home.

And with the increase in Hispanic population, it is almost inevitable soccer will pass hockey in 10 years. Basketball is next.

[Neuqua]

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
And with the increase in Hispanic population, it is almost inevitable soccer will pass hockey in 10 years. Basketball is next.

While I do think soccer will eventually pass hockey in popularity, I don't think there's any chance of it catching up to basketball. While many people may start to dislike the NBA because of its "me me me" players, events such as March Madness will always be a great American event. And also, basketball is just as easy as soccer to play so schools won't be dropping their basketball programs any time soon.

Soccer is great. But basketball is the greatest sport ever invented ( )!

[GoldenEagle]

There are more soccer fans than I thought on this board. Impressive.

[aquavit]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
Soccer is a fine sport to play while growing up, but it just doesn't translate to a spectator sport once you're done playing. I don't see anything to change that fact.

Right, soccer is just the most watched sport in the world. Whether soccer takes hold in the US is debatable but saying it doesn't translate to a spectator sport is wrong. Perhaps you don't like watching it but that's not the prevailing view.

[aquavit]

Originally posted by kcchief19
The moral of the story is for soccer fans not to try to build soccer into the greatest sport in America because it is not, and the facts only serve to make soccer the butt of jokes on talk radio and Internet message boards.

kcchief is right on and soccer fans should LISTEN. Other than the World Cup, soccer's TV ratings are poor. We are talking hockey poor. The MLS Cup really only sold out because New England made the championship this year and it was in Boston. Right now it is a comfortable niche with an underrated domestic league and it's own cable channel (Fox Sports World). Don't try to make it into something it's not though because there is no reason it's doing fine as it is. It's growing slowly and I would point to signs such as the absolutely gorgeous new stadium opening in LA this summer that it's here to stay.

Back on topic, I thought Adu was just a lot of hype but after seeing the highlights of the US under 17 national team qualifing games... Damn, the kid is special. SIGN HIM UP MLS!

[GoldenEagle]

I don't think anyone on here was trying to make MLS into the NFL or English Premier League. But they are people out there who do that.

Freddy has gone on record as saying he wants to play in MLS from 15-18 and then move abroad.