>Why is football (soccer) in the US not as popular as in Europe or South-America etc.?
This is a very loaded question. Let me try "briefly" address it:
NO. 1 reason is CULTURAL
Born and raised in Greece, I was raised with this sport. As a kid, we used to play it all day long in the summer. During school days, I would always try to do my homework as fast as I could so I can go out to play. I could not wait for Sunday to come around when my father will take me to our city's soccer stadium to see our beloved "Pro" team! Playing as a kid I always used to fantasize about being our town's star players and my dream was to become a pro soccer player and take Greece to the World Cup....(well, it's a long story on this subject, fracture ended my dream early two weeks before I was called for a national try out!!!life goes on). Yes, there was basketball around too. But soccer WAS, IS and always WILL BE the sport...it is in my blood like everyone else's around the world. Here, it is different, this sport is not in the kids's blood. As more Hispanics live here, it will be. The soccer moms have started it. I started my 4 1/2 year old son on a team already (and yes, native Anglo kids now outnumber ethnic kids!). Football and baseball are in the kids' blood here and it will likely always be. But even if you pay me I would not subject myself to go or watch a baseball game, NEVER! (well, I did once, i got free tickets to the new Comerica park in detroit and my son enjoyed the nice rides, I didn't even catch a glimpse of the score!).
You know what's my happiest memory? 1987, my team got the national championship (first time ever a rural Greek team won it....EVER), I flew home from college here in the States during Finals since my "grandpa was dying", we had to win the final game, think S.Korea - Italy drama, attacking 91 minutes long against the fort the other team pulled...until salvation finally happened in the 92nd minute...Pandemonium, the most proud moment of our city! the young rural kids shoved the big buck players of the Athenian teams, sheesh, it just brings tears in my eyes.
After that, the Athenian teams came and bought most good players, our team fell on hard times and now rots in the 3rd division...Long time fantasy is to go back and buy the team and return it to its former glory.
The WC is the only avenue left IMHO where playing for the jersey still matters. Soccer has just become too professional and players go to the bigger $$$, no one cares too much about the jersey, its history, its pride...Too bad.
No. 2 is NOT media friendly.
The game is two halves of 45 minutes action. No commercials, no TV time outs, no foul balls, substitutions on every freaking play...No time to go stay in line to buy a beer or a hot dog, not a family oriented outing, we are talking we take it a lot more serious here....I remember my father had a tendency to slap me every time there was a near goal when I was a kid<g>...I guess the passion passed to me genetically<g>
NO. 3 is the MEDIA people are afraid of it.
99% of the sports journalists know nothing about the sport and are afraid of it since they may not be needed anymore...Self preservation rules...That is the reason why the sport is attacked relentlessly from these people, downright fear about their job and complete ignorance and standard American arrogance. I mean, they have managed to pass the "soccer is boring" mantra...I could never get how such a sport where is non stop action for 90 minutes can be boring vs. a baseball game where you must bribe me to force myself to watch that travesty! Then again, I guess it is in the blood.
NO. 4 is no stars.......yet
Donovan made the cover of SI this week! We are getting there, we got a whole bunch of young kids in the pipeline...maybe if someone scored and took off his shorts to reveal a sports underwear or something<g>
No. 5 is lack of a pro league
Ooops, scratch that. MLS has been huge and we are now seeing the results.
That's it for now...this issue is worthy of a book
Less than 11 hours for the show!
I had a vision my friends.....my crystall ball says
ENGLAND
will win it all
Based on my record, rest assured they will get taken out by the 3 R show tonight<g>
Cheers |
