The Best Football Team in America

[Imran Siddiqui]

Spiffor, it still has that reputation, unfortunetly.

[Spiffor]

Tuberski :
By your theory, tennis is #1 in the US , or , ....

Imran :
Gah, I wanted to provoke you into saying something like "SOCCER !1!!1 :mand "

[Sten Sture]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
You had the same thing back in the 70s, yet soccer didn't really take off and hasn't.

I don't disagree with the past, I'm not even saying that the MLS will take off. It is unavoidable - the major sports are just too expensive for schools with tight budgets to afford. Do the math, soccer is just a helluva lot cheaper, and if the middle schools and high schools don't support kids playing baseball and football, who is going to populate the college ranks and pros? It could be a long time, but I doubt it. And I think the US results in the World Cup will be irrelevant.

[orange]

the only time Americans ever gave a **** about soccer is when that chick took her shirt off.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Spiffor
Tuberski :
By your theory, tennis is #1 in the US , or , ....

Imran :
Gah, I wanted to provoke you into saying something like "SOCCER !1!!1 :mand "

Scoring + violence= Attendance.



ACK!

[Urban Ranger]

As far as spectator sport goes, handmelon is boring. You have people standing around for long stretches of time, then something happens for a few seconds, then everything stops again for eons. OTOH, football is continuous, unless there's a dead ball.

Plus, there's a lot more skill involved in football. Brute strength doesn't work here. No, you are not allowed to beat up the ball carrier to take the ball away.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Tuberski
Scoring + violence= Attendance.

I can't wait to see the bloodball tounrament begin

[Sten Sture]

Originally posted by Spiffor
OK thanks

I thought Football was considered in the US as a game for sissies, whereas real men player American football.

That is true, but is a problem for the US games going forward. The average size of offensive linemen in the US game is now close to 300 lbs. The game is so power dominated that most kids know they don't have the slimest hope of playing the game at the professional level. Basketball suffers from some similar problems. If you don't have 3sigma genes to make you huge, you are at a tremendous disadvantage. Most kids realize early that they are not going to be 6'6".

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Tuberski
Scoring + violence= Attendance.



ACK!

Yeah right, what's with the protective pads? Lets see some real injuries there.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It is unavoidable - the major sports are just too expensive for schools with tight budgets to afford. Do the math, soccer is just a helluva lot cheaper, and if the middle schools and high schools don't support kids playing baseball and football, who is going to populate the college ranks and pros? It could be a long time, but I doubt it.

I don't follow your soccer determinism (or Hegelianism if you prefer) . People don't really 'get' soccer. They watch it, and don't notice nuances and get bored of it. People that play it when young start losing interest when older. Soccer may be cheaper, but people in the US don't see anything special. I mean, it is the sport that anyone can play, right? I think that diminishes it. People watch American football and say, wow... that 300 lb lineman just ran a 4.5 second 40 meter dash, or that basketball player just jumped 8 feet, or that baseball player hit a 90 mph fastball. Things they could NEVER do, but they think they can do soccer (which, frankly, they never could) and thus it loses the luster.

And of course, preconcieved notions on how boring and unskillful the game is. Not that different from UR's observations on American football. Inbound prejudices that are keeping people from understanding and loving the game.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The game is so power dominated

Don't forget speed dominated. I'm sure Mike Vick could win a few events in the Olympics (he was on the VTech track team as well). People see these freaks of nature and are in awe. They tune in to watch these supermen do battle on the gridiron.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
And of course, preconcieved notions on how boring and unskillful the game is. Not that different from UR's observations on American football. Inbound prejudices that are keeping people from understanding and loving the game.

Hm.

I'd say there's a lot more skills involved in football than US handmelon. The only skill intensive post on a handmelon team is the QB (and probably the kicker). What skill is needed for the blockers?

Don't forget the football forwards have great speed as well.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


Yeah right, what's with the protective pads? Lets see some real injuries there.

What does violence have to do with injuries?

Movies are violent and few people are injured making them.

I suppose you don't watch movies because the people aren't really injured....



ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

You make my point for me, UR.

I'd contend (being a big fan of soccer) that American football players have more skill than soccer players. Offensive linemen are one of the most skilled positions, you have to hit your blocks JUST right, especially on complicated pulling assignments and trap blocks. It requires great skill to pull that off and outsmart your defensive counterpart that the same time. You need quick feet, strong upper body, and an awareness of the defense at all times. The best offensive linemen are more valuable than anyone else on the team. WRs need skill in running crisp patterns and catching the ball in traffic. RBs need skill in finding holes in the line and exploiting them. Defensive players need great amounts of skill in decifering the offense and then trying to break it.

If the offensive line doesn't require skill why do teams ALWAYS pick offensive linemen very high in the draft? A great offensive lineman (especially a great left tackle) can make your team good for at least a decade.

[Sten Sture]

I agree with Imran on the skill aspect, the American game is all set pieces that are elaborately coreographed. The planning required is unparalleled in modern sport. It is the most military of all sports - which is why I call handmelon "war" rules football.

But the injury danger makes parents not want their kids to play the game. How many american soccer professionals are the kids of american football players? Quite a few.

I am being Calvinistic about the american destiny, which is an eggageration of my belief, but I do think that the #1 & #2 rank of football and baseball will be under severe pressure.