Enlighten me soccer people

[Marsh01]

I have given a lot of crap for people watching soccer and some of you have at least made me aware of how important these friendly matches or oddball tournaments are important to the game. I still think the sport blows but respect peoples love for the game (especially since my daughter could be playing college soccer in 7 years).

How though can you cheer or defend a sport that ends a game in a freaking tie? Someone here at work today keeps talking about a game (France was playing maybe) that ended in a tie today? Really? A tie? I'd rather have sex with my grandmother than pour my heart and soul into cheering for a team/game that ends in a tie. Why not keep playing? I just dont get it....

 

[Bortukal]

I have given a lot of crap for people watching soccer and some of you have at least made me aware of how important these friendly matches or oddball tournaments are important to the game. I still think the sport blows but respect peoples love for the game (especially since my daughter could be playing college soccer in 7 years).

How though can you cheer or defend a sport that ends a game in a freaking tie? Someone here at work today keeps talking about a game (France was playing maybe) that ended in a tie today? Really? A tie? I'd rather have sex with my grandmother than pour my heart and soul into cheering for a team/game that ends in a tie. Why not keep playing? I just dont get it....

For one thing, you have to keep in mind the point system, whereupon teams advance out of the group stage based on the number of points earned (1 for a tie, 3 for a win). So in that sense, a tie can be very important.

But the end result isn't everything. I enjoy watching the creativity of the game and seeing plays develop. What I can't understand is our nation's collective love for baseball, a game devoid of any creativity whatsoever. I also don't understand how people who decry a 1-1 soccer result as "boring" get whipped into a frenzy at a baseball no-hitter. Hits and homeruns are the only things that pass for excitement in baseball, save the occasional beanball that kicks off a bench clearing brawl.

 

[Marsh01]

For one thing, you have to keep in mind the point system, whereupon teams advance out of the group stage based on the number of points earned (1 for a tie, 3 for a win). So in that sense, a tie can be very important.

But the end result isn't everything. I enjoy watching the creativity of the game and seeing plays develop. What I can't understand is our nation's collective love for baseball, a game devoid of any creativity whatsoever. I also don't understand how people who decry a 1-1 soccer result as "boring" get whipped into a frenzy at a baseball no-hitter. Hits and homeruns are the only things that pass for excitement in baseball, save the occasional beanball that kicks off a bench clearing brawl.

I never said it was boring but sports are all about winning and it just surprised me that they end games in ties. What is more exciting than sudden death? Extra innings? Overtime?

Ties to me suck and they should at least play it out until someone wins.

 

[Knicks411]

Football has ties. Hockey did.

 

[Noexcuse]

I have given a lot of crap for people watching soccer and some of you have at least made me aware of how important these friendly matches or oddball tournaments are important to the game. I still think the sport blows but respect peoples love for the game (especially since my daughter could be playing college soccer in 7 years).

How though can you cheer or defend a sport that ends a game in a freaking tie? Someone here at work today keeps talking about a game (France was playing maybe) that ended in a tie today? Really? A tie? I'd rather have sex with my grandmother than pour my heart and soul into cheering for a team/game that ends in a tie. Why not keep playing? I just dont get it....

Is she hot?

 

[Marsh01]

Football has ties. Hockey did.

Football at least plays an overtime period and has 1 tie a decade. Hockey doesnt anymore.

 

[Marsh01]

Is she hot?

I'm sure at one time she was yes.

 

[Noexcuse]

I think you are looking at the end result but not how they got there. And as someone else said this is the group stage of the competition. The top 2 teams in each group advance to the next phase which is the knock-out round with no ties. Frankly if I were to change one rule, I would allow more subs than the 3 allowed per game, Often, at the end of games (England-France case in point) the players are so tired they really can't produce the burst of energy needed to score a late winner, especially when both teams go all out for 90 minutes like those 2 teams just did.

 

[Bortukal]

I never said it was boring but sports are all about winning and it just surprised me that they end games in ties. What is more exciting than sudden death? Extra innings? Overtime?

Ties to me suck and they should at least play it out until someone wins.

In a tournament such as Euro, ties are limited to the group stages. After that, it's win or go home. The group stage format is just part of the game. Limiting the group games to 90 minutes helps ensure a more level playing field across the board. If a game ends at 1-1 after 90 minutes and the teams were allowed to keep playing until a winner was decided, the game could last for hours. Those teams would be at a decisive disadvantage in their next group games from being so exhausted. I guess I can see how one could consider it a flaw in the system. But keep in mind that the overall point system discourages teams to settle for ties (unless playing against a hugely superior opponent).

One thing that I love about soccer league play though is the relegation system. It ensures that owners must do all they can to produce a winner to advance to play in a more exclusive league and maintain standing there. You just can't afford to suck year after year as the difference between playing in the top division vs. the next can mean more than $50 million in revenue. Imagine if we had relegation in our sports here. Some years, we could see the Chiefs hosting a home series with the Yankees.

 

[Knicks411]

Football at least plays an overtime period and has 1 tie a decade. Hockey doesnt anymore.

Yeah but they allow for ties. It's more than soccer is so low scoring (and nearly as importantly, every score counts for exactly the same) you are more likely to end with ties.

 

[Noexcuse]

In a tournament such as Euro, ties are limited to the group stages. After that, it's win or go home. The group stage format is just part of the game. Limiting the group games to 90 minutes helps ensure a more level playing field across the board. If a game ends at 1-1 after 90 minutes and the teams were allowed to keep playing until a winner was decided, the game could last for hours. Those teams would be at a decisive disadvantage in their next group games from being so exhausted. I guess I can see how one could consider it a flaw in the system. But keep in mind that the overall point system discourages teams to settle for ties (unless playing against a hugely superior opponent).

One thing that I love about soccer league play though is the relegation system. It ensures that owners must do all they can to produce a winner to advance to play in a more exclusive league and maintain standing there. You just can't afford to suck year after year as the difference between playing in the top division vs. the next can mean more than $50 million in revenue. Imagine if we had relegation in our sports here. Some years, we could see the Chiefs hosting a home series with the Yankees.

Mets

 

[MCC]

For one thing, you have to keep in mind the point system, whereupon teams advance out of the group stage based on the number of points earned (1 for a tie, 3 for a win). So in that sense, a tie can be very important.

But the end result isn't everything. I enjoy watching the creativity of the game and seeing plays develop. What I can't understand is our nation's collective love for baseball, a game devoid of any creativity whatsoever. I also don't understand how people who decry a 1-1 soccer result as "boring" get whipped into a frenzy at a baseball no-hitter. Hits and homeruns are the only things that pass for excitement in baseball, save the occasional beanball that kicks off a bench clearing brawl.

TOTAL agreement here - baseball is the absolute worst. I find it unwatchable. And the few times I've actually played... what a waste.

I find it almost insulting that the players are called "athletes" - they stand around (or worse, sit on a bench) for the vast majority of the game. For non-pitchers, they're up 3-4 times a game but spend the rest of the time on offense sitting on their asses, burning calories only by chewing gum (or delightfully, tobacco). Pathetic, and not worthy of being called a sport.

I understand some people love it, and I'm sure to them it's a cherished pastime, but calling it a sport is an insult to real sports. There may not be many goals in soccer, but the players bust their asses all game (even the goalies have to be explosive athletes and are on their feet the whole game), there's a fair bit of contact, and watching plays develop is a beautiful thing. Goals just give you a good reason to stand up and scream when your team scores.

 

[Knicks411]

Relegation isn't really feasible; you'd need to completely overhaul the MLB system, since every minor league team is affiliated with a major league team.

 

[Bortukal]

Relegation isn't really feasible; you'd need to completely overhaul the MLB system, since every minor league team is affiliated with a major league team.

I know it's not realistic in any of our sports. It would require complete destruction of the current system and the owners would never, ever allow it to happen. It would be pretty cool, though.

 

[BlackKnight76]

SBNation recently did a series where they looked into how relegation would impact college football. They did projections from the last few seasons (obviously it didn't work out too well for SU) but it was definitely cool to see how it may have played out.


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[PoppyHart]

Every once in a while FIFA floats out the idea of extra time for group stage matches. Maybe 10-15 minutes or so, as opposed to the full 30. I wouldn't be surprised if a major tourney experiments with this in the next 6-8 years.

Penalty kicks in group play is probably much further down the road.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I have given a lot of crap for people watching soccer and some of you have at least made me aware of how important these friendly matches or oddball tournaments are important to the game. I still think the sport blows but respect peoples love for the game (especially since my daughter could be playing college soccer in 7 years).

How though can you cheer or defend a sport that ends a game in a freaking tie? Someone here at work today keeps talking about a game (France was playing maybe) that ended in a tie today? Really? A tie? I'd rather have sex with my grandmother than pour my heart and soul into cheering for a team/game that ends in a tie. Why not keep playing? I just dont get it....

Its the differences that make it great. The athletic ability is great. The strategy at this point is to accumulate points to get to the next stage. That's it.

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[CorduroyG]

never got into soccer. never had any desire to play soccer. ill flip on an occasional world cup game but thats it. its a sport thats never appealed to me in the least.

as for baseball, isnt hitting a 95mph fastball 1 of the hardest things to do in sports? if u think baseball players arent real athletes, step into a 90mph batting cage and see how u do. and oh yea, theres this this called defense in baseball, which requires players to run, throw, catch, and sometimes even jump and dive!

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[Knicks411]

I went to the Brazil Argentina friendly on Saturday. So much fun

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

never got into soccer. never had any desire to play soccer. ill flip on an occasional world cup game but thats it. its a sport thats never appealed to me in the least.

as for baseball, isnt hitting a 95mph fastball 1 of the hardest things to do in sports? if u think baseball players arent real athletes, step into a 90mph batting cage and see how u do. and oh yea, theres this this called defense in baseball, which requires players to run, throw, catch, and sometimes even jump and dive!

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Off all the sports highlights, I always find great baseball catches to be the best.

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[MCC]

never got into soccer. never had any desire to play soccer. ill flip on an occasional world cup game but thats it. its a sport thats never appealed to me in the least.

as for baseball, isnt hitting a 95mph fastball 1 of the hardest things to do in sports? if u think baseball players arent real athletes, step into a 90mph batting cage and see how u do. and oh yea, theres this this called defense in baseball, which requires players to run, throw, catch, and sometimes even jump and dive!

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The ability to hit a 90mph pitch in the cage doesn't mean the person is a real athlete in my opinion. Could be a fat slob with great hand-eye coordination but can't run 50 yards without becoming exhausted, or do anything else in terms of speed, strength or flexibility that would be challenging to the average person. Billiards players also have exceptional hand-eye coordination and while I respect what they do and find it impossible to replicate their shots, I still don't consider them to be "athletes".

As to defense in baseball: how many times a game do most of the players exert themselves at all on defense? They spend most of their time standing around waiting for something to happen. The occasional sprints to make a catch are nice, as are the leaps at the wall, but a few seconds of exertion in the field or at the plate surrounded by hours (literally) of standing around or sitting on a bench do not an athlete (or a sport) make.