Confederations Cup

[chicago_shearer]

I hope the US wins. Maybe it can do something in raising "soccer" profile in the US.

 

They have been saying that for ages.  I actually think the unpopularity of the sport in America is greatly exaggerated.  Yes, it is 5th or 6th choice for most Americans.  So what?  It's a big country.  The sport has a solid fan base of mostly educated, white collar middle class types, first and second generation immigrants and young kids who have been playing in youth leagues.  That will grow steadily over time.  Television coverage of international soccer is already better in America than most European countries.  Turnout is healthy at professional games across the country, especially in urban areas like LA or Chicago.  Last week I went to a game in the South - about a thousand people turned up, the teams were made up of ex American college players, a few journeymen pros from Africa and even a few English players (one guy who used to play for the Man City reserves).  The quality was surprisingly good (and they had a $1 beer night!).  The atmosphere is a bit family friendly and tame, they have their furry mascots, statistics and stupid team names (Raving Rhino, Lightning Hawks etc.) but that is just Americans being Americans. 

 

My point is that it is getting to the point that the "building the profile" argument gets to be a cliche.  There is a very substantial market, they have the money and the facilities, they have the players and talent.  It isn't as if people won't pay attention.  Smaller nations have done much more with much less.  So the expectations should really be a lot higher.  They don't need to overtake the NBA or the NFL before they start taking it seriously.  In fact, I think the popularity argument has become an excuse for an underperforming national side.  When they fail to show up in a major tournament, they can fall back on the "oh well, it isn't very popular, when we grow the sport etc..."  More could be done in stimulating interest amongst working class, inner city youths (i.e., people who don't have first names like Landon & Taylor) but when you look at what the likes of Croatia are able to achieve without a top class domestic league then you wonder what the hell they are complaining about. 

 

Ah s***, smug Lalas dulling my shine.

 

I can't stand him.  No Lalas you ginger clown, it wasn't all hard work and "hustle".  It was more down to the fact that they have a team of reasonably talented players at the moment that can compete to an international standard.  Something that the US national side didn't have during your glory days of getting humiliated by Iran at France '98. 

[ohmelads]

I'd still have Spain down as my favourites for the world cup mind. As much as they may have wanted to win this, the confederations cup is still a dress rehearsal, and pales into insignificance when compared to the world cup.

 

That's not to take anything away from the Americans, who have beaten a great team in great form. It's a big scalp for anybody to beat Spain at the moment. I'd love to see them go all the way and beat Brazil. But the world cup is where these kind of games are death or glory. It's not like the Spanish are devastated and crying in the streets, it's the confederations cup after all and I expect them to turn it on when it matters as they did last year in the Euros.

 

I actually think this defeat might do Spain a lot of good. It'll take them down a peg or two and force them to examine their weaknesses in time for the world cup. They're still the team to beat for me.

[Pandamninator]

ESPN.com had the US victory over Spain as the main news headline with three reporters 'analysing' it. Sometimes you really have to love the Americans.

 

Nothing beat's Around the Horn talking soccer.

 

Although at least they acknowledge they have no idea what the hell they are talking about and just spend the whole time getting muted, although the punishment dished out by Reali was a bit much today.

[Shearer9]

I hope the US wins. Maybe it can do something in raising "soccer" profile in the US.

 

They have been saying that for ages.  I actually think the unpopularity of the sport in America is greatly exaggerated.  Yes, it is 5th or 6th choice for most Americans.  So what?  It's a big country.  The sport has a solid fan base of mostly educated, white collar middle class types, first and second generation immigrants and young kids who have been playing in youth leagues.  That will grow steadily over time.  Television coverage of international soccer is already better in America than most European countries.  Turnout is healthy at professional games across the country, especially in urban areas like LA or Chicago.  Last week I went to a game in the South - about a thousand people turned up, the teams were made up of ex American college players, a few journeymen pros from Africa and even a few English players (one guy who used to play for the Man City reserves).  The quality was surprisingly good (and they had a $1 beer night!).  The atmosphere is a bit family friendly and tame, they have their furry mascots, statistics and stupid team names (Raving Rhino, Lightning Hawks etc.) but that is just Americans being Americans. 

 

My point is that it is getting to the point that the "building the profile" argument gets to be a cliche.  There is a very substantial market, they have the money and the facilities, they have the players and talent.  It isn't as if people won't pay attention.  Smaller nations have done much more with much less.  So the expectations should really be a lot higher.  They don't need to overtake the NBA or the NFL before they start taking it seriously.  In fact, I think the popularity argument has become an excuse for an underperforming national side.  When they fail to show up in a major tournament, they can fall back on the "oh well, it isn't very popular, when we grow the sport etc..."  More could be done in stimulating interest amongst working class, inner city youths (i.e., people who don't have first names like Landon & Taylor) but when you look at what the likes of Croatia are able to achieve without a top class domestic league then you wonder what the hell they are complaining about. 

 

Ah s***, smug Lalas dulling my shine.

 

I can't stand him.  No Lalas you ginger clown, it wasn't all hard work and "hustle".  It was more down to the fact that they have a team of reasonably talented players at the moment that can compete to an international standard.  Something that the US national side didn't have during your glory days of getting humiliated by Iran at France '98. 

Interesting point, I think USSoccer and American professionals should drop the whole underdog attitude they've been using for a while now.  Don't tread on me, etc.  We have consistently been a top 15 footballing nation for a few years now, we need to start acting like it, raising expectations and stop the underdog bullshit.  It works well when you go up against Spain, but when its the only thing that can motivate you you end up getting crushed 3-0 by Costa Rica or getting dumped out of the world cup. 

[leffe186]

Interesting point, I think USSoccer and American professionals should drop the whole underdog attitude they've been using for a while now.  Don't tread on me, etc.  We have consistently been a top 15 footballing nation for a few years now, we need to start acting like it, raising expectations and stop the underdog bullshit.  It works well when you go up against Spain, but when its the only thing that can motivate you you end up getting crushed 3-0 by Costa Rica or getting dumped out of the world cup. 

 

Kinda, but I think they're not actually that good. I think they play well with the underdog spirit because the style of play that favours is a natural fit to the US players. It's when they're NOT underdogs that they play differently and that causes problems. If they're playing against a side that tries to shut up shop and they need to break down, they may struggle. After all, the reason they're a Top 15 footballing nation is partly because they've been doing things right so far, and NOT getting dumped out of the World Cup early.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

To me the US is like one of those midlevel European national teams. Not particularly great, but usually pretty solid, and for that reason they can spring a surprise on many teams.

[Guest ObaStar]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

[Kaizero]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

 

Seinfeld makes a good example of this:

 

Loyalty to any one sports team is pretty hard to justify.  Because the players

are always changing, the team can move to another city, you're actually rooting

for the clothes when you get right down to it.  You know what I mean, you are

standing and cheering and yelling for your clothes to beat the clothes from

another city.  Fans will be so in love with a player but if he goes to another

team, they boo him.  This is the same human being in a different shirt, they

*hate* him now.  Boo!  different shirt!!  Boo!

[madras]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

thats a good post.

 

never thought of it like that before but it does ring true.

[cubaricho]

http://www.skylinepictures.com/Michigan_Big_House_um1_large.JPG

 

Still holds the record for attendance, 112k.

[Guest ObaStar]

http://www.skylinepictures.com/Michigan_Big_House_um1_large.JPG

 

Still holds the record for attendance, 112k.

 

American record? Because stadiums in Brazil have had over 200k and I think for one match in the 50s Wembley also had around that number. Way over capacity tho

[ponsaelius]

Aye the Maracana held nearly 200,000 for the 1950 WC Final.

[Neil]

Eeeehhhhh, maracana! A-haiiiii!

 

[SEMTEX]

Capacity of this bad boy is 107,282. College throwball there is quite an experience!

 

http://api.ning.com/files/Jr8oyRhpCfh99MMaQP25dGZ61ZG3BHsfoTT9LiPSMGP7vs0dU*CKF5*0pc6R1XPFej5X9dqwt0JKd5bjS9FSRgCR2SodkdmM/PennStateBeaverStadium.jpeg

[colinmk]

Hampden had 150,000 before and more than 130,000 quite a few times.

[Guest wshmag]

Hampden had 150,000 before and more than 130,000 quite a few times.

 

must have been a concert on?

[Guest gggg]

Hampden had 150,000 before and more than 130,000 quite a few times.

 

Hampdem and Ibrox must have had 50+ 100,000+ attendances between them, every International, Cup final, Derby between the 30's and 70's.

[Shak]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

 

It's purely because Americans have grown up with their own sports to be honest. They have baseball, basketball, American football and even hockey which are all considered far more important.

 

Same exact reason why the NFL will never be particularly popular in the UK, we've grown up with football, rugby and cricket (or GAA in Ireland) as the main sports, people have to really go out of their way to get into sports from the other side of the pond and very few bother to do so.

 

Your entire post is more or less guff tbh, from the few American sports fans I know most of them seem to have at least one team they follow with real intensity, just as we do with NUFC. They pick up their other local teams in the playoffs I'm sure, but the notion that Americans don't get into their sports until the playoffs is pretty much hilarious.

 

Teams are allowed move city but very few ever do. Nobody has moved an NFL franchise this decade for instance, and its only happened six times in over forty years since the current league setup came into being. Most teams have no reason to move, and never have and never will.

 

Players quite commonly play their whole careers at one team as well btw, most players have one team they'll spend most of their career at before going somewhere else for the last year or two for a bit of a payday. You make it sound like it's just one big merry-go-round of players signing with random teams, when that's clearly not the case.

 

Shearer played for Southampton and Blackburn btw. 

[Guest ObaStar]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

 

It's purely because Americans have grown up with their own sports to be honest. They have baseball, basketball, American football and even hockey which are all considered far more important.

 

Same exact reason why the NFL will never be particularly popular in the UK, we've grown up with football, rugby and cricket (or GAA in Ireland) as the main sports, people have to really go out of their way to get into sports from the other side of the pond and very few bother to do so.

 

Your entire post is more or less guff tbh, from the few American sports fans I know most of them seem to have at least one team they follow with real intensity, just as we do with NUFC. They pick up their other local teams in the playoffs I'm sure, but the notion that Americans don't get into their sports until the playoffs is pretty much hilarious.

 

Teams are allowed move city but very few ever do. Nobody has moved an NFL franchise this decade for instance, and its only happened six times in over forty years since the current league setup came into being. Most teams have no reason to move, and never have and never will.

 

Players quite commonly play their whole careers at one team as well btw, most players have one team they'll spend most of their career at before going somewhere else for the last year or two for a bit of a payday. You make it sound like it's just one big merry-go-round of players signing with random teams, when that's clearly not the case.

 

Shearer played for Southampton and Blackburn btw. 

 

 

Well as I happen to live in the states, I think first hand experience is a bit better than a few fans you know. While they may be a few die hard fans, the majority don't give a shit. At least one team moves or is created every few years. Saying that most players remain at one team is completely false. Look in baseball, its common for most players to play for 4-5 teams in their career

[Kaizero]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

 

It's purely because Americans have grown up with their own sports to be honest. They have baseball, basketball, American football and even hockey which are all considered far more important.

 

Same exact reason why the NFL will never be particularly popular in the UK, we've grown up with football, rugby and cricket (or GAA in Ireland) as the main sports, people have to really go out of their way to get into sports from the other side of the pond and very few bother to do so.

 

Your entire post is more or less guff tbh, from the few American sports fans I know most of them seem to have at least one team they follow with real intensity, just as we do with NUFC. They pick up their other local teams in the playoffs I'm sure, but the notion that Americans don't get into their sports until the playoffs is pretty much hilarious.

 

Teams are allowed move city but very few ever do. Nobody has moved an NFL franchise this decade for instance, and its only happened six times in over forty years since the current league setup came into being. Most teams have no reason to move, and never have and never will.

 

Players quite commonly play their whole careers at one team as well btw, most players have one team they'll spend most of their career at before going somewhere else for the last year or two for a bit of a payday. You make it sound like it's just one big merry-go-round of players signing with random teams, when that's clearly not the case.

 

Shearer played for Southampton and Blackburn btw. 

 

 

Well as I happen to live in the states, I think first hand experience is a bit better than a few fans you know. While they may be a few die hard fans, the majority don't give a shit. At least one team moves or is created every few years. Saying that most players remain at one team is completely false. Look in baseball, its common for most players to play for 4-5 teams in their career

 

Isn't Shak a yank himself? Always thought he was tbh

[Shak]

The problem with soccer in America is that American fans don't have or understand the same passion that Europeans and South Americans and Africans have for the game. With so many sports, people have a favorite team in 4 or 5 different sports and don't follow any of the closely until it gets to playoffs or super bowl or whatever. Teams and franchises constantly change cities and there is no real fanbase that is built like in Newcastle for instance. Players hardly ever remain on one team for more than two-three years and you rarely get players like Shearer, Scholes, Giggs, Terry, Gerrard who spend their whole careers at one club.

 

The only place where the same intensity is replicated is in college sports. Some colleges get 100,000 for their American football games. The universities are the only places where people feel any ties or loyalty to. So soccer or football will never be able to be as big in the US because the groundwork is missing.

 

It's purely because Americans have grown up with their own sports to be honest. They have baseball, basketball, American football and even hockey which are all considered far more important.

 

Same exact reason why the NFL will never be particularly popular in the UK, we've grown up with football, rugby and cricket (or GAA in Ireland) as the main sports, people have to really go out of their way to get into sports from the other side of the pond and very few bother to do so.

 

Your entire post is more or less guff tbh, from the few American sports fans I know most of them seem to have at least one team they follow with real intensity, just as we do with NUFC. They pick up their other local teams in the playoffs I'm sure, but the notion that Americans don't get into their sports until the playoffs is pretty much hilarious.

 

Teams are allowed move city but very few ever do. Nobody has moved an NFL franchise this decade for instance, and its only happened six times in over forty years since the current league setup came into being. Most teams have no reason to move, and never have and never will.

 

Players quite commonly play their whole careers at one team as well btw, most players have one team they'll spend most of their career at before going somewhere else for the last year or two for a bit of a payday. You make it sound like it's just one big merry-go-round of players signing with random teams, when that's clearly not the case.

 

Shearer played for Southampton and Blackburn btw. 

 

Well as I happen to live in the states, I think first hand experience is a bit better than a few fans you know. While they may be a few die hard fans, the majority don't give a shit. At least one team moves or is created every few years. Saying that most players remain at one team is completely false. Look in baseball, its common for most players to play for 4-5 teams in their career

 

Was talking about the NFL, I don't really know much about baseball.

 

Point is that very few footballers over here stay at one club either, I'd wager it's at least as common in the NFL if not moreso.

 

The teams that move tend to do so because the local fanbase doesn't give a shit about them, which is hardly a bad thing in all honesty. Don't see teams like the Bears, Packers or Steelers going anywhere anytime soon.

[stlouismag]

http://www.skylinepictures.com/Michigan_Big_House_um1_large.JPG

 

Still holds the record for attendance, 112k.

 

American record?

 

It's the U.S. record for attendance at a college football game.  There are several other schools (Tennessee, Penn State, Ohio State) that have similarly-sized stadiums, and someone will expand their stadium (Michigan is actually in the midst of a small expansion now as part of a renovation), or cram a few extra people to a game some day soon to beat it.

 

I did my undergrad at the University of Michigan, and grew up only about 25 minutes away.  Here are some fun stats on attendances over the years:  http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/mattend.htm#attendave  The most amazing one (especially given the completely crap year they had last year) is that they've not been under 100k for a home game since 1975.

 

 

[Pilko]

Who fancies a game of pictionary:

 

http://www.agingrebel.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/chalk-outline.jpg

 

http://www.lime-office.com.au/img/productImages/pilot/624908.jpg

[SEMTEX]

Murder Rubber

 

... rubbish.

[ponsaelius]

http://www.banvuvuzela.com/

 

Sign this.