11/05/24
July 23, 2008
I like the responsibilities. There are some real jack off soccer fans, and people who berate the word soccer despite it's origins piss me off. I don't like the word, but I don't dismiss it. Though I thought it was of French origin to be honest. Some good stuff there. I'd like to get more folk interested in soccer. I'm debating throwing down the money for a Setanta Broadband subscription. I'm not that interested in Premier League, but they show Championship games as well so I may get to see my Southampton lads play. Can anyone link to a decent description of the new offside rule BTW? I've heard it described several times and have yet to figure it out. (I fully understood the OLD offside rule.) Great post!
posted by Drood at 11:31 PM on July 23, 2008
Good stuff in there. I'll start with #1 on the Bill of Rights. Please, don't ever play another soccer game on a football field. Ever. Can't stand it. Can't watch it. Despise it. I can appreciate #10 on the Responsibility list... Playing humbles you and reminds you that the players we all criticize are still light years better than we will ever be. It also reminds you just what a fantastic game this is and why we are fans in the first place. Because it's beautiful no matter how ugly we make it. Get out and play a little.
posted by tselson at 11:31 PM on July 23, 2008
Yeah, responsibility 10 was good. I used to play soccer at school and was on the school team in the late 70's. But only by virtue of their not being better players:) I enjoy a good kickabout, but yeah, not about to challenge Ronaldinho:) Except possibly in a "who is better looking" contest:) But then with that face, most guys would win that...;)
posted by Drood at 11:36 PM on July 23, 2008
In a footnote, the writer corrects his account that fellow journalist Marc Stein didn't know anything about football by noting that he is, in fact "a Manchester City fan". I would have stood by the original assertion. Boom and boom.
posted by owlhouse at 12:13 AM on July 24, 2008
#9.....Really? That sucks. Does that happen in Europe too? Australia?
posted by BoKnows at 12:53 AM on July 24, 2008
On the BOR article. Sorry
posted by BoKnows at 12:58 AM on July 24, 2008
Truth is, swearing is in the soccer fan's DNA. So is questioning the fidelity of an opponent's mother. I must be a soccer fan, because I'm thinking "horseshit" right now.
posted by joaquim at 10:55 AM on July 24, 2008
I don't know a lot about "soccer", but I would like to put forth a movement in the U.S. to make the name of the sport "futbol". As a country in the Americas, and one that celebrates football, to me it just makes sense. And it should have the slight differentiation between the two pronunciations. As a side ammendment, I submit that if your baseball team has a majority of Spanish speaking players, then they are playing "beisbol".
posted by THX-1138 at 12:34 PM on July 24, 2008
Responsibility 1 doesnt sit well with me. Yeah, I really wish I could support my local team, but fact of the matter is, the MLS, while improving, is still dull and about the quality of the English League 1 (ie. third tier). Yes, in Europe, even those lower tier clubs have devoted fan bases, but there are also essentially no other sports options in Europe. I'm not going to waste my time on bad American soccer as long as there are good baseball, football and basketball games going on in my city. I still much prefer going to a bar at 10 in the morning on a Saturday to watch the Premier League or Serie A, then paying $30 to go see an MLS game.
posted by Chargdres at 04:03 PM on July 24, 2008
#9.....Really? That sucks. Does that happen in Europe too? Australia? Beckham and the Galaxy came here late last year, and got 80,000 for a match gainst Sydney FC. But I can't think of any regular occurences of gouging. Internationals cost more, particularly World Cup qualifiers, but then they could fill the stadium three times over for those. In fact, I can take my two kids to an A-League game, with good seats, and free public transport, for under $50 Australian. It's even cheaper with season tickets. I go to the Swans (AFL), too, and prices are OK there, too. I have been gouged at an AFL finals match in Brisbane, but then we beat them after the siren so it felt worth it.
posted by owlhouse at 06:30 PM on July 24, 2008
Re: price gouging, for the Red Bulls/Galaxy game last week I believe the cheapest seats were selling for about $40 as opposed to $22 at regular price. One thing I'll give the Red Bull FO credit for though is giving season ticket holders an opportunity to purchase extra tickets (no matter the quantity) at the group rate. So the cheapest seats could be had for $14.
posted by goddam at 06:47 PM on July 24, 2008
Thanks, owlhouse and goddam. Scalpers usually demand a premium, of course, but gouging at the ticket window just sucks. Also, thanks for the post, goddam. I enjoyed reading both articles.
posted by BoKnows at 08:14 PM on July 24, 2008
Interesting stuff. I've always been a big fan of soccer, but never found it on TV or been good at keeping up with the European leagues. Really do like the articles though, great post.
posted by boredom_08 at 01:32 AM on July 25, 2008
On no. 9, there's a tedious counter-response related to the origins of the game and the gentleman/players arguments of the 1880s. Anyway. I'm not going to waste my time on bad American soccer as long as there are good baseball, football and basketball games going on in my city. There is likely a high-school or college team in your vicinity that plays well for its level, at a time that doesn't clash with the matches from across the pond. Go and check it out. You'll find that you don't make the same subconscious comparisons between, say, MLS and the big European leagues, and you'll enjoy it more as a result. And 'tiering' is the polite name in most top-tier leagues for the common practice of having to pay extra because of the pack of arseholes, whiners and prancing tits who make up the away side.
posted by etagloh at 03:39 AM on July 26, 2008
via The Offside Rules