American Soccer Fans Apparently...

[heironymouspasparagus]

USA showed some grit today, after going 2-0 down during the 30 minute overtime following scoreless regulation... so close to tying it up...

and now, for a final parting shot at the turdblossom Englishman who wrote the hack piece for the WSJ... 

Couldn't watch 'cause that pesky job kept getting in the way, but saw highlights!  That goalie is amazing!!  He really, really, really, really was amazing!

Did I mention the goalie was amazing??

The whole team has done a great job just getting to that point and to keep Belgium in check as long as they did - wow!  Kudoes to the whole gang!  Those guys did NOT lose - Belgium just barely won!

[Conan71]

Scratch my plans to brew any Belgian beers any time soon.   

[heironymouspasparagus]

Scratch my plans to brew any Belgian beers any time soon.   

Don't be a sore loser...US team did great, I think!  They certainly didn't "lose" that game....

[Red Arrow]

Scratch my plans to brew any Belgian beers any time soon.   

Or...
Get brewing.  Every gallon you brew is a gallon of Belgian style beer that you didn't buy that was made in Belgium.

[Conan71]

Or...
Get brewing.  Every gallon you brew is a gallon of Belgian style beer that you didn't buy that was made in Belgium.

Good point.  I'm starting my Oktoberfest lagers this weekend.  Maybe I can do a Belgian in the next week or so.  Marshall's did a Belgian style IPA that was incredibly good.

[guido911]

May have to rethink my aversion to soccer a little.

http://www.cru.org/ministries-and-locations/ministries/athletes-in-action/tim-howard-the-keeper.htm

[rebound]

May have to rethink my aversion to soccer a little.

Tim Howard is simply a stud, both on and off the field, and those of us that have been fans for years already knew that.  I'm really happy to see him and the US team get the kudos they deserve.  But are you suggesting that his level of religiousness influences whether or not you like the sport?  I guess whatever it takes as long as people watch, but that makes no sense to me.

[TulsaRufnex]

Tim Howard was on my EPL fantasy league team last season-- the "Yankee Toffees"... but, then again, so was Luis "The Biter" Suarez... oops.  

Anyway...... Happy 4th of July!....and here's a 1976 USA versus England match in which most of the "USA" players weren't actual US citizens... you'll see Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia, and... wearing jersey #4 for the USA... none other than the original founder of the Tulsa Soccer Club, Keith Eddy.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Eddy

"The English national team defeated a team of NASL All-Stars 3-1 in the USA Bicentennial Cup on May 31, 1976. The game, at Philadelphia's JFK Stadium, was part of the four-nation tournament that also included Italy and Brazil (who won the round-robin with a 3-0 mark). International stars like Pele and Bobby Moore played for the "USA" team."

[guido911]

But are you suggesting that his level of religiousness influences whether or not you like the sport?  

When it comes to this boring sport, that's about what it takes. Need to have something to cheer for while the equivalent of this is happening.

[rebound]

When it comes to this boring sport, that's about what it takes. Need to have something to cheer for while the equivalent of this is happening.

I was thinking about the whole popularity/watch-ability thing this weekend while I was watching the games at my folks house in SW OK.   My family is a big soccer house, but my folks are not (even though I and my brother both played league soccer for several years when we were kids).   During the Argentina/NED match, my daughter blurts out "Look at how  they are playing Messi!  Look at that space!  They're afraid of him!"   And honestly, I wasn't really watching at that level and I'm not even sure it realized Messi had the ball right then.  But that little moment brought a lot of it into focus for me.  Since the actual goals in soccer are few, it is the process of play and the anticipation of a score (rather than the actual score) that makes watching the game so enjoyable.  But to do that, a person really does need a solid appreciation of the fundamentals of the game, and even an understanding of how a particular player plays the position.  And they have to pay attention for 45 minutes virtually non-stop.    I think that we are achieving that critical mass of fans who have that level of expertise, and it's great to see the popularity jumping the way it is,  but I understand where you are coming from.  Most non-fans are at a catch 22.  How do they get the knowledge to appreciate the games without basically forcing themselves to watch initially?   

In contrast, my parents are die-hard Texas Rangers fans and rarely miss a game on Television.   And even though I played for years in leagues and high school,  I simply can't watch the games anymore.  Going to a game?  Yeah, maybe.  But watching one on TV is almost painfully boring.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I was thinking about the whole popularity/watch-ability thing this weekend while I was watching the games at my folks house in SW OK.   My family is a big soccer house, but my folks are not (even though I and my brother both played league soccer for several years when we were kids).   During the Argentina/NED match, my daughter blurts out "Look at how  they are playing Messi!  Look at that space!  They're afraid of him!"   And honestly, I wasn't really watching at that level and I'm not even sure it realized Messi had the ball right then.  But that little moment brought a lot of it into focus for me.  Since the actual goals in soccer are few, it is the process of play and the anticipation of a score (rather than the actual score) that makes watching the game so enjoyable.  But to do that, a person really does need a solid appreciation of the fundamentals of the game, and even an understanding of how a particular player plays the position.  And they have to pay attention for 45 minutes virtually non-stop.    I think that we are achieving that critical mass of fans who have that level of expertise, and it's great to see the popularity jumping the way it is,  but I understand where you are coming from.  Most non-fans are at a catch 22.  How do they get the knowledge to appreciate the games without basically forcing themselves to watch initially?   

In contrast, my parents are die-hard Texas Rangers fans and rarely miss a game on Television.   And even though I played for years in leagues and high school,  I simply can't watch the games anymore.  Going to a game?  Yeah, maybe.  But watching one on TV is almost painfully boring.

It will be interesting to see if she maintains that interest for say, another 5 - 7 years (don't know how old she is now but that isn't relevant).  Like how the ad says girls in 4th grade are almost all interested in science and math, but have that driven out of them by high school....keep us posted.  Will check back in 2019....

[TulsaRufnex]

Wrestling Legend "J.R." Jim Ross Calling The Brazil-Germany Highlights
http://screamer.deadspin.com/here-is-j-r-jim-ross-calling-the-brazil-germany-firs-1601968953

[Hoss]

Wrestling Legend "J.R." Jim Ross Calling The Brazil-Germany Highlights
http://screamer.deadspin.com/here-is-j-r-jim-ross-calling-the-brazil-germany-firs-1601968953

I stopped watching that bludgeoning at the half.  Soccer needs a mercy rule..at least today it did.

[guido911]

[DolfanBob]

I haven't seen that much whining since the "Brazilian" wax job in the "40 year old Virgin"