The Beautiful Game Thread

[Bruins]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

Because it's not an argument worth having since nobody's going to convince the other side of their point. But, since you asked...

The problem isn't that no American announcer is good enough, the problem is that no American announcer is as good as the really good English ones.

Why would I want to hear Gus Johnson when I could be listening to Martin Tyler, who's one of the best in the entire world at his craft regardless of the sport? What possible reason is there for that?

Gus was... fine. Surprisingly mundane for large stretches, but he was pretty darn good at conveying the excitement of close chances. But he's not Martin Tyler. And by using Gus Johnson, you're denying me the chance to hear Martin Tyler call a gigantic match. And that doesn't make me happy.

That's the same attitude that stunts the growth of the game here in the States. On all aspects.

"Oh, the Europeans are just better, why would I waste my time with anything American?"

Sure, they've been doing it longer. Sure, they're probably better currently at it. But if you're a fan of the sport, shouldn't you want it to succeed and grow on your own soil? It's never going to if you continue to write it off and not give it time to develop.

[Bellsprout]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

That's the same attitude that stunts the growth of the game here in the States. On all aspects.

"Oh, the Europeans are just better, why would I waste my time with anything American?"

Sure, they've been doing it longer. Sure, they're probably better currently at it. But if you're a fan of the sport, shouldn't you want it to succeed and grow on your own soil? It's never going to if you continue to write it off and not give it time to develop.

Now it's just a philosophical disagreement.

Bold statement, you're not going to like it, but after thinking about this it's what I've come to: I do not care if soccer ever truly succeeds in this country. Europe does a perfectly fine job with it, we don't need to rule everything.

If MLS, for example, were to become the dominant league, literally the only thing it would do for me is allow me to sleep more. Otherwise, it really doesn't affect anything for me where the best players play. I'll watch them in England, I'll watch them if they all go to Australia, I don't care.

[eyeamg0dly]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

I think we want the MLS to be considered a top league in the world because of the income it generates. However I don't think it is designed to do this. Instead it is to build our national team by giving experience to american players.

I don't think it would be difficult to lure big name players to play here and improve the league this way, however it would also mean stunting the growth of young american players.

So I do agree with the notion that we don't have to be the best at soccer.

[ZM Punk]

I think we want the MLS to be considered a top league in the world because of the income it generates. However I don't think it is designed to do this. Instead it is to build our national team by giving experience to american players.

I don't think it would be difficult to lure big name players to play here and improve the league this way, however it would also mean stunting the growth of young american players.

So I do agree with the notion that we don't have to be the best at soccer.

It would be a lot more difficult than you think. With Technology the way it is unless I want to watch a match in person I can watch as much European soccer as I want. Hell, I can watch as more soccer than most American sports unless I have League Pass or something.

[Matt10]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

Now it's just a philosophical disagreement.

Bold statement, you're not going to like it, but after thinking about this it's what I've come to: I do not care if soccer ever truly succeeds in this country. Europe does a perfectly fine job with it, we don't need to rule everything.

If MLS, for example, were to become the dominant league, literally the only thing it would do for me is allow me to sleep more. Otherwise, it really doesn't affect anything for me where the best players play. I'll watch them in England, I'll watch them if they all go to Australia, I don't care.

I feel the same way, as a viewer and lover of the game. If I was still playing for the league a couple years ago - I'd hate to hear the truth in what you're saying, because that means I'd get paid less.

Now, it doesn't matter how far the MLS goes or who respects soccer in this country. I do not care if Tim Cahill, Robbie Keane or Thierry Henry plays here; it doesn't matter one bit. The one thing that I love though is the growth of the youth in the sport, but that is as far as it goes. I'll root for Sporting KC just like I root for the Chiefs and Mizzou Tigers.

[Krebstar]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

A keeper in Peru collapses from heat exhaustion, and an opponent then scores. I'm sure someone out there will defend it.

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[Bruins]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

A keeper in Peru collapses from heat exhaustion, and an opponent then scores. I'm sure someone out there will defend it.

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Undefensable, IMO.

[Matt10]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

I saw this. The comment afterwards by the player was the worst: "Football is for the living."

Now let's see the good side, and a figure of what sportmanship amongst players should be like.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bS1LuSiRrLI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

*I know DiCanio is more known for his more disrespectful acts, but this one is the main one that comes to my mind when thinking sportsmanship.*

[Leon]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

^

Disgusting comment. I'd suspend him if I were the manager. No class at all.

[Bruins]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

This. This this this.

• MLS is the most competitive league in the world. In its 17 seasons, MLS has had nine different clubs win the championship. That's the same number of title-winners Spain has seen since La Liga was established in 1929, and four more than the Premier League has seen since its founding in 1992.
• MLS is stable and growing. The many financial difficulties seen in European and South American leagues are well documented, from Portsmouth and Rangers to Valencia and plucky little Real Oviedo. Meanwhile, the value of MLS clubs has continued to rise; the total number of clubs in the league has nearly doubled since 2005; and most MLS clubs now play in their own soccer-specific stadium. Plus, MLS now boasts the 7th-highest average attendance in the world, among soccer leagues.
• The quality of play MLS is vastly underrated. There's a reason foreign scouts keep a keen eye on MLS: They know the level of play is better than people think. Beyond the obvious Henrys and Keanes and Nestas, there is world-class talent in such players as Graham Zusi, Boniek Garcia, Dwayne De Rosario, Kyle Beckerman, and Mauro Rosales, not to mention newcomers like Diego Valeri, Daigo Kobayashi, and Diego Calderon. And that doesn’t take into account recent exports like Geoff Cameron, Roger Espinoza, Brek Shea, Kei Kamara, and Andy Najar, who didn’t miss a beat when they moved abroad.
• MLS will develop the long-sought "American Messi" soon. No, the academy system is not perfect. It's not turning out world-class geniuses like the Barcelona or Ajax academy do. But give it time. It's still in its infancy. Plus, MLS's Homegrown initiative hasn't done too badly, bringing up the likes of D.C.'s Bill Hamid and Andy Najar, Toronto's Ashtone Morgan, New England's Diego Fagundez, and Philadelphia's Zach Pfeffer.
• The world is embracing MLS's innovations. Many critics have complained about MLS's decidedly un-European playoff structure and lack of a single table. But the truth is, the European leagues are embracing playoffs. Sometime after MLS's inception, nearly every top European league has instituted a playoff of some kind, from the promotion playoffs in England, Germany, Holland, Turkey, etc., to the Greek playoff system for their second Champions League spot. Then there is the debate over the so-called international schedule. Well, a few weeks ago, Bayern Munich President Karl-Heinz Rummenigge suggested that Europe would do well to consider a spring-to-fall schedule, rather than the traditional fall-to-spring one.
• North America has a true supporter culture. Go to a match in Seattle or Portland or Salt Lake or Kansas City or Montreal or Philadelphia, and you'll join in a soccer experience every bit as vibrant as matches around the world. A growing legion of supporters who chant, raise their scarves, and create tifo is embracing a bold, creative, accepting, and uniquely North American soccer culturalism. It's not only about supporting our clubs and our players (full disclosure: I'm a Chivas USA fan), but also about supporting the soccer community's many cultural endeavors, from helping fund Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story, to subscribing to Howler Magazine & XI Quarterly, to singing along to Branden Steineckert's RSL anthem.

I highly suggest reading the whole essay, here:

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/02/25/commentary-turning-18-mls-its-supporters-are-entering-brave-new-era

[jvalverde88]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

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[jvalverde88]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

Spoiler

[Anners]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

The world is embracing MLS's innovations. Many critics have complained about MLS's decidedly un-European playoff structure and lack of a single table. But the truth is, the European leagues are embracing playoffs. Sometime after MLS's inception, nearly every top European league has instituted a playoff of some kind, from the promotion playoffs in England, Germany, Holland, Turkey, etc., to the Greek playoff system for their second Champions League spot.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/articl...-brave-new-era

This I disagree with. I know England had playoffs in the 80s because Leeds lost a playoff game after winning 1-0 with about 10 minutes to go in extra time (the story has been told many a time if a team goes ahead in extra time in my family...). Also, I know for definite playoffs have been around in British sport for a long time, particularly for the sport I mainly follow, Rugby League. You can probably tell that comment irked me a little there...

To stop being so pedantic, I found the article enjoyable to read. The MLS over here is given a little bit of bad publicity but it's a lot more competitive than most European leagues which is a breath of fresh air to be honest!

[Leon]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

Balotelli Commissions Statue of Himself.

This guy...

[ImTellinTim]

Re: The Beautiful Game Thread

Imagine if when we are gone, future archaeologists find it and give it the same importance as David or Venus de Milo.