Anonymous wrote:PP, Impatient? How does that explain baseball, the most boring sport on earth?

And golf.

Kids soccer is more exciting, soccer has never and will never take off here because of the fake drama, the refs suck, and the overdose of it, the leagues are watered down.

PP, Impatient? How does that explain baseball, the most boring sport on earth?

Personally, I think it's beautiful because you watch and enjoy it for the sporting and playing, not the scoring. As a slight side note, I think that one of the reasons that it hasn't caught on in America like it has in, well, pretty much every other corner of the world is because we Americans tend to be pretty impatient about sports (and in general, really) compared to almost all other nations. America tend to gravitate towards high(er) scoring games - like basketball, football, etc. But many soccer matches - the best ones uaually - are no scoring or very lowing scoring games. It about the passes, the dribbling, the teamwork, the anticipation, the constant movement that glides across the field. And if you just think about the pure athleticism of the players - having to be constantly running for two 45 periods while playing - well, that's just amazing.

American soccer is not beautiful. Has it gotten better? Yes.

I played for 20 years myself. My brother played professional in the States---was an All-American, etc. He was trained by several Europeans (former pro.play ers over there) from a very young age before it was such a mainsream sport over here. My sister and I played in a league called the 'boys' club" because girls really didn't play much in the Washington area. The name was changed to "youth club" by the time I was in about 5th grade (late 70s). My coach started WAGS (washington area girls soccer).

There is so much ugly politics in who gets picked for our State and National teams. This will always be part of our biggest problem in this country...that and the fact there is no 'drama' or 'flash' in soccer.

Anonymous wrote:The men are quite beautiful, no?

That's exactly what I was going to say. And the soccer hair is mesmerizing, no?

The men are quite beautiful, no?

Go Argentina!!!!!

Well, if you are limiting yourself to "games", then I think you would have to put soccer in the beautiful category. Baseball? Pleasant on a summer day, sharing time with a young child...but not beautiful. Football? God no. Violent, aggressive...not beautiful. Basketball? Definitely amazing at times, but I'm not sure I'd say beautiful...but that's partly because it's nonstop scoring. But soccer, yeah I'd say beautiful. The way some of these guys run with the ball as if it's attached to their feet, the way they can pass with pinpoint accuracy to teammates 20 yards away while another player slide tackles them. And of course, these goals. These goals are beautiful.

Ahh the Brazil x Chile game today was classic Brazilian football--the 'beautiful game,' as Pele would say, at its best!

OP,
Same story. My son loved it from age 5. I was prepared to hate it. It was so boring on TV. Then I went to a DC United game. It was amazing! Go to a good game and see if you come around. My son is starting his sixth year of travel soccer so we are in deep.

Sure, it's beautiful and all that, but I'd rather have a root canal than sit and watch it.

If you watch really good players at work, the way they dribble, and pass the ball, and just move on the field, is absolutely beautiful. I also find that Latin Americans almost dance on the field, whereas Europeans, even when playing very well, don't have the same moves. In my opinion, the beautiful game really, is mostly played by those rare football players, those who come around once every few decades.

Am trying to understand why they say this. I am working hard to develop a better understanding of the sport which seems to have captured the heart of my DS, if not the world.

Thanks.