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Brits may call it "football" but "soccer" is also a brit invention.

Comes from Association football (Asoc. Football).

So apportion blame where it is deserved (Manchester should be blamed for everything! ).

My dad was the roundball sport tragic (but to be fair, he also watched and played golf, and was just as enthusiastic about cricket and thugby) - those genes passed me by.

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 r_squared wrote:
Top most boring sports list that doesn't include snooker, test cricket or darts? Have a word with yourself.

Had to look snooker up. So its like pool?

Similar, but very much harder. Tables are 12'×6' and the balls and pockets are smaller. You're also required by law to wear a waistcoat, and wrapping a cue around someone's head for nudging your pint is frowned upon.

Watching it in the 80s on our 12" black and white portable telly traumatised me so much, I yelp a bit every time I see felt. Watching snooker is like having warm glue poured into your skull via your tear ducts.

As a die hard football (soccer) fan, I'll pretty much watch any game from any nation

I do watch a lot of Major League Soccer, and always find it amusing when the New England Revolution start blasting muskets every time they score a goal! You crazy Americans and your muskets!

On another note, soccer is the fastest growing sport in the USA. The MLS is growing every year, its overtaken the NBA in terms of average attendance, participation numbers are up and the USA gets better at every world cup.

To those American dakka members who don't like soccer, well, I'm sorry, but you'll have to deal with it!

And, China is also seeing a boom in soccer. Could we have a cold war sports occasion in the future? China Vs the USA at the football world cup?

As an American, I have to say I love Football (soccer), but hate American football. It's dull, too long and causes all sorts of stupid behaviour and 3 out of 5 reports anymore are "concussion!".

Thats not to say I don't enjoy playing it but it's a snore-fest to watch. I was fortunate enough to play Soccer when I was in school, and was hooked early. :p

I'm lucky enough that I have on of the best teams in the county here in my city so I get good opportunity to watch and even attend games.

But yeah Baseball and Soccer ftw. I'd even take Ice Hokey over American football.

Cool story! Wish this stuff could happen more often.

Id take football(soccer) over football(american) any day!

 Alpharius wrote:


It was interesting to see some storied clubs get relegated or are about to be relegated too.

Aye, my brother is a life long Villa fan (not sure why, we where in Cornwall at the time he started supporting them in the early 90's and they weren't doing anything special, I think he was just a fan of the Dean Saunders and Dalian Atkinson striking partnership to start) so yeah, been having some fun with him this season, sadly it seems Ipswich blew their chance to get up this year, which was the only positive he was taking from relegation as he'd be able to go see them live next year.

Although he seems to be convinced Villa is a shoe in to win the Championship next year, me, I'm more expecting them to do a Leeds from a number of years back with back to back relegation.

 Alpharius wrote:
I love watching English Premier League Soccer Football, and I really hope Leicester wins it all too!

Fell in love with it while visiting my wife's relatives in England back in '98...

It was interesting to see some storied clubs get relegated or are about to be relegated too.

I really wish that existed for many American Professional leagues too!

One of the things that has always surprised me about American sport is its attitude towards franchises and relegation.

Take NFL for example. America is supposed to be the land of Capitalism, but you guys don't have relegation, have a luxury tax on merchandise and players, and allow a draft system that lets the weak teams get first pick on good players! WTF

Sounds like socialism to me.

In contrast, never in a million years would this happen in Europe. Football in Europe is a ruthless, last man standing system, with relegation and billionaires pumping billions of pounds into the system as they attempt to crush their rivals.

 Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:

 Alpharius wrote:


It was interesting to see some storied clubs get relegated or are about to be relegated too.

Aye, my brother is a life long Villa fan (not sure why, we where in Cornwall at the time he started supporting them in the early 90's and they weren't doing anything special, I think he was just a fan of the Dean Saunders and Dalian Atkinson striking partnership to start) so yeah, been having some fun with him this season, sadly it seems Ipswich blew their chance to get up this year, which was the only positive he was taking from relegation as he'd be able to go see them live next year.

Although he seems to be convinced Villa is a shoe in to win the Championship next year, me, I'm more expecting them to do a Leeds from a number of years back with back to back relegation.

To be fair, Leeds dropped like a bunch of bricks. Its quite shocking how bad they did.

I hope Swansea do better next year, see how we fair against Leicester tomorrow.....

Given that Spurs are in second the collapse of the EPL elite is just baffling. Results in the Champions League recent years showed they were in serious decline but now even their hold on the domestic league is slipping.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

On another note, soccer is the fastest growing sport in the USA. The MLS is growing every year, its overtaken the NBA in terms of average attendance, participation numbers are up and the USA gets better at every world cup.

I have to ask where you're getting those numbers....

I know that soccer is the fastest growing sport among women, but if you ask a lacrosse player or coach (or someone affiliated with it), they'll say that their sport is the fastest growing.....

And then we get to rugby, where we can show consistently large amounts of growth. I think sometimes we're the fastest growing in a given year, other years we're near the top (but this can also be shown world wide as well)

 jmurph wrote:
God, soccer is boring. Even that article bored me. I remember sitting in a Buffalo Wild Wings during the World Cup and people going wild. Did someone score? Nope, just a wild kick towards the goal that missed. You know a sport is boring when people get excited about that. Cut the damn field in half!

Don't feel like I am denigrating the culture- I think baseball is like watching paint dry, too.

Soccer does have top notch athletes, and enthusiastic fans, though! Good on those fans for supporting their team even during the low times. Cleveland is still hopeless, however.

Sorry I couldn't let that sit. How about American Football, I remember watching the superbowl at a Buffalo Wild Wings and people started going wild. "Did someone score?" Nope, just a wild pass towards the end zone that the receiver just missed. You know a sport is boring when people get excited about that.



On the other hand Hockey is fething awesome! the speed, the intensity and the rare bare knuckle boxing match that breaks out makes for some seriously solid entertainment.

Also, kudos to whoever made the joke about the natural habitat of Canadian Hockey teams being the golf Course!!! first time in how many years?

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

On another note, soccer is the fastest growing sport in the USA. The MLS is growing every year, its overtaken the NBA in terms of average attendance, participation numbers are up and the USA gets better at every world cup.

I have to ask where you're getting those numbers....

I know that soccer is the fastest growing sport among women, but if you ask a lacrosse player or coach (or someone affiliated with it), they'll say that their sport is the fastest growing.....

And then we get to rugby, where we can show consistently large amounts of growth. I think sometimes we're the fastest growing in a given year, other years we're near the top (but this can also be shown world wide as well)

Official attendance figures show that average attendance for Major League Soccer has overtaken that of the NBA, and that revenues of the MLS are growing every year at an impressive rate. Participation is up, and new franchises are being introduced.

Soccer is booming in the United States.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

Official attendance figures show that average attendance for Major League Soccer has overtaken that of the NBA, and that revenues of the MLS are growing every year at an impressive rate. Participation is up, and new franchises are being introduced.

Soccer is booming in the United States.

Ohh, you were talking at the professional level... gotcha. Most of what I personally see revolves around youth and amateur participation only

SemperMortis: No doubt on hockey. Hockey is insane!

I am still baffled that golf, darts, billiards, etc. are "sports". In my mind "sports" implies some primary level of athleticism and while those activities certainly require skill, if darts is a sport, so is wargaming!

Do_I_Not_Like_That: The NFL is a product of protectionism to keep out rival competitors. It is designed to keep the billionaire owners from ever considering any kind of alternative. It is completely in line with US capitalism- it protects the big boys and screw everybody else ;-)

 Nostromodamus wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
And it's football. You play with your foot

And your knees. And your head. And your chest. And your hands if you're a goalie.

It more accurately should be called "watch overpaid people run around a field for 90+ minutes spitting and pretending to get hurt". But that's quite a mouthful for the average fan.

Hockey, what soccer could have been.

 Frazzled wrote:

Hockey, what soccer could have been.

Rugby, what soccer actually used to be

 Frazzled wrote:

 Nostromodamus wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
And it's football. You play with your foot

And your knees. And your head. And your chest. And your hands if you're a goalie.

It more accurately should be called "watch overpaid people run around a field for 90+ minutes spitting and pretending to get hurt". But that's quite a mouthful for the average fan.

Hockey, what soccer could have been.

Frazz, who's your nearest Major League soccer team? Houston Dynamo or FC Dallas? I ask this, because when these two teams play each other, the winner gets a cannon that was used in Texas' war against Mexico back in the day!

You crazy Texans and your guns!


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

Hockey, what soccer could have been.

Rugby, what soccer actually used to be

Rugby is growing quite well in the USA. In 10 years time, the USA could be a force.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jmurph wrote:
SemperMortis: No doubt on hockey. Hockey is insane!

I am still baffled that golf, darts, billiards, etc. are "sports". In my mind "sports" implies some primary level of athleticism and while those activities certainly require skill, if darts is a sport, so is wargaming!

Do_I_Not_Like_That: The NFL is a product of protectionism to keep out rival competitors. It is designed to keep the billionaire owners from ever considering any kind of alternative. It is completely in line with US capitalism- it protects the big boys and screw everybody else ;-)

But what happened to dog eat dog capatilism in the USA? In Europe, it's last man standing when it comes to soccer.

The Strong prosper, the weak perish!

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

Hockey, what soccer could have been.

Rugby, what soccer actually used to be

Loved playing Rugby as a kid. It is a superior sport with none of the stopping every 5 seconds and body armor that American Football has.

Frazz, who's your nearest Major League soccer team? Houston Dynamo or FC Dallas? I ask this, because when these two teams play each other, the winner gets a cannon that was used in Texas' war against Mexico back in the day!

You crazy Texans and your guns!

Houston. As a nonTexan I will forgive the insult of confusing me with someone from Dallas.


Has to be a replica of one of "The Twins," or maybe the Gonzales cannon.

 Frazzled wrote:

Frazz, who's your nearest Major League soccer team? Houston Dynamo or FC Dallas? I ask this, because when these two teams play each other, the winner gets a cannon that was used in Texas' war against Mexico back in the day!

You crazy Texans and your guns!

Houston. As a nonTexan I will forgive the insult of confusing me with someone from Dallas.


Has to be a replica of one of "The Twins," or maybe the Gonzales cannon.

I was wrong. It's El Capitan - a civil war replica cannon. Still, kind of funny to have a cannon as the trophy!

At least FC Dallas can actually fire it. If Houston has it they just parade it around, what a waste of cannon.

I got to drunkenly hug the cannon once, I was a happy man.

Wait everyone doesn't have a cannon there?

 jmurph wrote:
SemperMortis: No doubt on hockey. Hockey is insane!

I am still baffled that golf, darts, billiards, etc. are "sports". In my mind "sports" implies some primary level of athleticism and while those activities certainly require skill, if darts is a sport, so is wargaming!

As a comedian once said of bowling, and I will now apply to golf, billiards, and darts:

"Any sport you get better at the more you drink is not a sport..."


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jmurph wrote:
SemperMortis: No doubt on hockey. Hockey is insane!

I am still baffled that golf, darts, billiards, etc. are "sports". In my mind "sports" implies some primary level of athleticism and while those activities certainly require skill, if darts is a sport, so is wargaming!

As a comedian once said of bowling, and I will now apply to billiards and darts:

"Any sport you get better at the more you drink is not a sport..."


Congrats to Leicester!

I guess I don't get the scope of it, but I can understand super under-dog finally set to win the big one. Maybe. Right?

I'm pretty sure Darts is just something to do during a drinking competition.

Nothing says fun like combining alcohol and thrown pointy things!

Nothing says 'staying on topic' like...actually staying on topic!!!

Leicester City inched closer with a victory on Sunday, but looks to have a bit of a test this week, while the Spurs...have a lesser challenge.

However, if LC wins and THS loses (or ties?) - they wrap it up, I think?

Maybe that was pending today's Spurs/West Brom match?

 Alpharius wrote:
Nothing says 'staying on topic' like...actually staying on topic!!!

Leicester City inched closer with a victory on Sunday, but looks to have a bit of a test this week, while the Spurs...have a lesser challenge.

However, if LC wins and THS loses (or ties?) - they wrap it up, I think?

Maybe that was pending today's Spurs/West Brom match?

A quick 101 for you

Leicester are 8 points clear of Spurs with 3 games left.

Spurs have 4 games left, including today's game against West Brom, which has just started.

If Spurs win, they're 5 points behind. If they draw, 7 points behind. And if they lose, obviously, they stay 8 points behind.
after tonight, each team has 3 games left each for a total of 9 points to play for.

If it's a points tie at the end of the season, the winner is determined by goal difference (Spurs have the advanatge) and head to head record (Leicester has the advanatge)

But I can't remmeber which one comes first.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:


A quick 101 for you

Leicester are 8 points clear of Spurs with 3 games left.

Spurs have 4 games left, including today's game against West Brom, which has just started.

If Spurs win, they're 5 points behind. If they draw, 7 points behind. And if they lose, obviously, they stay 8 points behind.
after tonight, each team has 3 games left each for a total of 9 points to play for.

If it's a points tie at the end of the season, the winner is determined by goal difference (Spurs have the advanatge) and head to head record (Leicester has the advanatge)

But I can't remmeber which one comes first.

So...can we get a new teacher please?

 SickSix wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
You're just uncultured.


And it's football. You play with your foot, nearly every other country in the world also calls it football.

Doesn't make them right.

But at least soccer isn't as boring to watch as golf. I would rank top boring sports as:
1. Cricket
2. Golf
3. Baseball
4. Soccer

Fixed. Cricket puts all sports to shame in sheer boredom.

 r_squared wrote:

 DarkTraveler777 wrote:

 r_squared wrote:
Top most boring sports list that doesn't include snooker, test cricket or darts? Have a word with yourself.

Had to look snooker up. So its like pool?

Similar, but very much harder. Tables are 12'×6' and the balls and pockets are smaller. You're also required by law to wear a waistcoat, and wrapping a cue around someone's head for nudging your pint is frowned upon.

Watching it in the 80s on our 12" black and white portable telly traumatised me so much, I yelp a bit every time I see felt. Watching snooker is like having warm glue poured into your skull via your tear ducts.

Reminds me of shooting pool here in the South in my younger, rougher days. Brass knuckles, ax handles, blackjacks, slap jacks,rolled coins, and pocket knives were just much standard pool equipment as the balls and cues. Drunks and billiards don't mix.