Is Madden the most popular sport game in the world?

[bmdsooner]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

I really don't think that Soccer translates well to television, in my opinion, regardless of the rattings becasue, in my opinion, the rattings are drvin by the games MASS appeal to the world as a whole because of it's histopry as much as anything else.

Once again you are generalizing. The big soccer leagues (club teams) draw great ratings on the tube and they are localized leagues setup in a similar fashion the sports here in the US. There is just as much hostility for an upcoming Arsenal/Man United match as there is a Steeler/Browns matchup. There is a local pride involved in your teams just like football. You are just thinking World Cup and missing the point all together.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by bmdsooner

It could be that your limited understanding of the sport, devalues the complexity it truly has. There is more to it than angles, passing and shooting.

My friends who watch play and love soccer have yet been able to explain to me the draw or "stratagy" involved. I don't doubt it is there, but I admit I just don't "get it."

Down and distance, play actions, draws, screens, the differences between body types to play the different positions in football, all the little things that are aparent the first time you watch American football are part of what attract me to this game.

When I see soccer, for the most part you see similar guys running up and down the playign field with very little break in the action passing the ball over and over again for 90min. I HATE to be this general, but to a casual observer this is wha one ses. In American football I also understand it is confusing to people who don't know the game, but when you watch it there isa lot more variety going on. I find Soccer fans will ask what is going on FAR more often than I have had to ask the other way.

Again, my intent is not to bash Soccer. I play Fifa with one of my friends on his PS3. That doesn't change the fact that when I play, my primary goal is to pass the ball a lot and find an open shot and try to take away passing lanes on D. For the most part it looks liek real soccer and that is what also makes me less interested as a casual Madden Gammer is known for throwing every play and going for it on 4th and blitzing every time on d and then quitting becasue they can't win like that.

I actually borrowed his FIFA game for NGC a few years back and was able to play on [the Madden equivilent of All-Pro] and did fairly well, and continuedto be unimpressed with the sport. the annoucers alone kept me at least simi-interested whiel I played, but becasue my friends are Hispanic they watc the game on Telamundo or what ever and all when they score I hear possibly the most annoying in the world. "Goooool!" [but MUCH louder and MUCH longer] I have to admit that alone is a turn off.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by bmdsooner

Yea soccer is easy to play. So is pretty much any sports I have ever tried. Easy to play does not mean easy to master. Golf is easy to play (swing club, hit ball, put in hole) but for some reason a couple hundred professionals have a tough time beating Tiger each week. You can say playing the O-line is easy to play at the beginning level. Find the fat kid and tell him to hit the guy in front of him.

I HARDLY ment soccer being easy to play as an insult but rather a complement ot the logevity to the sport. I am not the only one to say this. When soccer fans talk about the "beauty" of the game they talk about how you just need a few kids and a ball and you have a game you can play anywhere. In a gym, in a street, in your backyard.

Football and Soccer are apples and oranges. You can't really compare why one tastes better than the other becasue they don't taste at all the same. Soccer's simplicity is one of it's strengths. I agree with you completely that it is a HARD game to master. Easy to learn, hard to master. Conversely, Football is hardot even learn.

Football hasa steep learning curve to it. In order to play a pick up game of Football you pretty much have to pass only. In a small pickup game you already have to creat house rules and such. For example, counting "Mississippi" and no scrambling or what ever. Two hand touch, or flags, of full contact?

Soccer, again, you can not even speak the same language and know how to play and have fun. regardless, I don't enjoy it. I also don't like baseball [too slow for my taste.]

[bmdsooner]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

My friends who watch play and love soccer have yet been able to explain to me the draw or "stratagy" involved. I don't doubt it is there, but I admit I just don't "get it."

Not everyone gets soccer, it is not for everyone. Nothing wrong with that.

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

Down and distance, play actions, draws, screens, the differences between body types to play the different positions in football, all the little things that are aparent the first time you watch American football are part of what attract me to this game.

I know plenty of foreigners who do not get American football after watching it a few times. Some are turned off, others want to learn more. It goes both ways. I am sure there is a soccer thread somewhere at this very moment where soccer fans are making fun of football. I can imagine they are wondering why we call it football when the foot to the ball during the game is rare. Probably one really bright dude posting there about how 2 people watched the Super Bowl and 400 billion people watched the World Cup Final.

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

When I see soccer, for the most part you see similar guys running up and down the playign field with very little break in the action passing the ball over and over again for 90min. I HATE to be this general, but to a casual observer this is wha one ses. In American football I also understand it is confusing to people who don't know the game, but when you watch it there isa lot more variety going on. I find Soccer fans will ask what is going on FAR more often than I have had to ask the other way.

Maybe fans of soccer are a more understanding sort. Willing to learn about other sports and everything involved, instead of dismissing it as a sissy sports, etc, etc. Again this would vary amongst whom you associate with. YMMV.

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

Again, my intent is not to bash Soccer. I play Fifa with one of my friends on his PS3. That doesn't change the fact that when I play, my primary goal is to pass the ball a lot and find an open shot and try to take away passing lanes on D. For the most part it looks liek real soccer and that is what also makes me less interested as a casual Madden Gammer is known for throwing every play and going for it on 4th and blitzing every time on d and then quitting becasue they can't win like that. I actually borrowed his FIFA game for NGC a few years back and was able to play on [the Madden equivilent of All-Pro] and did fairly well, and continuedto be unimpressed with the sport. the annoucers alone kept me at least simi-interested whiel I played, but becasue my friends are Hispanic they watc the game on Telamundo or what ever and all when they score I hear possibly the most annoying in the world. "Goooool!" [but MUCH louder and MUCH longer] I have to admit that alone is a turn off.

Because of an annoying announcer? Yea that is something we never have to deal with in football fortunately.





Me thinks the soccer community will just have to live with not having you as a member and that's OKAY.

[PGaither84]

This is a GRATE article:

http://www.atomicsportsmedia.com/art...te-Soccer.html

One of the many good quotes:

Quote:

Children are raised from birth as soccer fans. This is why the rest of the world is so fanatical about soccer. Imagine how passionate people in America would be about football if it was the only major sport—this is how soccer is in the rest of the world. Soccer is the major sport while baseball, basketball, and hockey all take a back seat.

Local pride is the core of ANY sport. The world doesn't wantto watch Soccer more than any other sport beause of Local/Nation Pride, but rather thier stong Local/National Pride FULES the excitment of the match. These two things are mutulally exclusive. The common bond of the game of soccer COMBINED with local/national pride generate large viewership. Americans in genearl have as much National Pride as anyone else but care far les about our role in the world cup than we did about our standings in Olymipic Basketball.

In the end this is a fruitless debate. Americans are just as fanatic about sports as anyone else, however, and this is key, we spread that fantaisism across MANY sports where as other countries focus their attention to one sport. This is fundamental as well in understanding the division. America is a melting pot and our tastes differ, as they should.

I hope you can understand that I am not debating how much better I tihnk football is over soccer or vise versa I am just giving my take on how and why football is the most popular sport in America while soccer isn't even in the top 3, and maybey not the top 5 behind Football, baseball, basketball, NASCAR/Hockey. America is the exception not the rule and many, rightfully, wonder why.

[bmdsooner]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

I HARDLY ment soccer being easy to play as an insult but rather a complement ot the logevity to the sport. I am not the only one to say this. When soccer fans talk about the "beauty" of the game they talk about how you just need a few kids and a ball and you have a game you can play anywhere. In a gym, in a street, in your backyard. Football and Soccer are apples and oranges. You can't really compare why one tastes better than the other becasue they don't taste at all the same. Soccer's simplicity is one of it's strengths. I agree with you completely that it is a HARD game to master. Easy to learn, hard to master. Conversely, Football is hardot even learn. Football hasa steep learning curve to it. In order to play a pick up game of Football you pretty much have to pass only. In a small pickup game you already have to creat house rules and such. For example, counting "Mississippi" and no scrambling or what ever. Two hand touch, or flags, of full contact? Soccer, again, you can not even speak the same language and know how to play and have fun. regardless, I don't enjoy it. I also don't like baseball [too slow for my taste.]

Oh my gosh you make it seem like you need to form a braintrust to form a pick-up game. I played in my share of them, took maybe a minute to sort out the rules. P for K or no P for K, that is the question!

and we go back to reality where soccer is not so simple that people from all countries can get together and start a soccer match at will.

You have to decide things like having offside. In some parts of the world they play w/o goalies and setup areas you have to get past to shoot on goal. Some play where goalies can't catch the ball. I could go on but hopefully you can see the point. If not then I will have you in charge of explaining to non-English speaking players that the goal on one end is two hubcaps and that the out of bounds is the two trees that run parallel to the local Kmart.

[PGaither84]

Quote: Originally Posted by bmdsooner

Because of an annoying announcer? Yea that is something we never have to deal with in football fortunately.

I just wanted to touch on this briefly that in soccer the shooting of "Goool!" is pretty much a tradition, not just an announcer.

I really also don't like getting into the "who is more open minded" debate becasue it is also futile and childish. I think I have been rather openminded and civil not only through out this thread but in my treatment and constant attepmts to learn the game.

I feel that since soccer IS the biggest sport in the world, there must be something there adn that maybe my tastes will someday change. I am still young [20's], and who knows?

[bmdsooner]

Quote: Originally Posted by PGaither84

In the end this is a fruitless debate. Americans are just as fanatic about sports as anyone else, however, and this is key, we spread that fantaisism across MANY sports where as other countries focus their attention to one sport. This is fundamental as well in understanding the division. America is a melting pot and our tastes differ, as they should.

And I will end with this. If you truly believe that then you lead a truly sheltered mindset. I think you need to take some time and learn about sports on an international scene. Most countries, like the US have a couple popular sports that have large followings.

Let's look South for a second. Mexico - National sport is charreadas (think Rodeo). Then followed by Bullfighting and only after that, soccer.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_sport
National sports defined by law

Country	Sport	Year defined as national sport
Argentina	pato	1953[4]
Bangladesh ("national game")	kabaddi	1972[5]
Canada ("national winter sport")	ice hockey[6]	1994
Canada ("national summer sport")	lacrosse[6]	1859;[7] 1994[6]
Chile	Chilean rodeo	1962[8]
Colombia	tejo	2000[9]
Mexico	charrería	1933[10]
Puerto Rico ("autochthonous sport")	paso fino	1966[11]
Sri Lanka	volleyball	1991[12]
Uruguay	destrezas criollas ("creole skills": i.e. gaucho skills[13])	2006[14]

[edit] De facto national sports

Country	Sport
Afghanistan	buzkashi[15]
Anguilla	yacht racing[16]
Antigua and Barbuda	cricket[17]
Barbados	cricket[18]
Bermuda	cricket[19]
Bhutan	archery[20]
China (PRC)	table tennis[21]
Cuba	baseball[22][23][24]
Dominican Republic	baseball[25]
Finland	pesäpallo[26]
Grenada	cricket[27]
Guyana	cricket[28]
India	field hockey [29][30]
Ireland ("native sports")	Gaelic games[31]
Jamaica	cricket[32]
Japan	sumo[33]
Lithuania	basketball[34]
New Zealand	rugby union[35]
Norway	cross-country skiing[36][37]
Pakistan ("national game")	field hockey[38]
Papua New Guinea	rugby league[39]
Scotland	football[40]
Tokelau	kilikiti[41]
United States ("national pastime")	baseball[42][43]
Wales	rugby union[44]

All these countries play soccer and numerous other sports. I think your mind would actually be blown away by how popular cricket is in the rest of the world.

Yep, all those countries and their singular sports.


Edit: as for the shouting of Goooooooooooooooooooooooooal. Nope. That is not something that is tradition. Each announcer has their own way of calling a score.

Andres Cantor is commonly referred to as the annoyuing Goooooooooooooooal guy.

Here enjoy... Andres