Wynalda tell hime Rome to suck his ****!

Unless I'm mistaken ESPN shelled out alot of cash for the rights to air the European Cup next summer as well. They ain't doing that for chairty I promise you that. They think people will watch...and they will.

 

Based on the fact that soccer has gained popularity it isn't much of a logical leap to say that better promotion would bring about more interest.

You arguing that the sport has stopped growing, something that every statistical measure disagrees with, is just absurd. You can't say the sport isn't "big" when you the sport gets better ratings on a cable channel when it is opposed to NBA and NHL on basic network channels.

As to Rome, the guy is a nobody and a nothing. A never was and a never will be.

 

It's a bizarre (if fading) phenomenon on the part of some American males who think they can bolster their man resume by expressing more hatred for soccer than the next guy. As you said, it's one thing to dislike or not care about a sport, but this type of hatred is the domain of total posers. Fortunately, it's increasingly rare -- and it's giving way to a new generation of Americans who are merely apathetic to soccer, rather than hostile. That's progress!

 

What would Wonder Woman see in the invisible man?

 

I had front row seats at the Fulham v. Portsmouth game last Saturday. Except for playoff football games I've never been in an atmosphere with such rabid fan support, and it's not like either team is at the top of the premiere league. At the same time, there were things that happened that are usually reasons given for Americans not liking soccer. A) It was low scoring (1-1), B) players would go down for minutes at a time even though they weren't hurt badly, including Pearce for Fuham who had to be helped off the field but was able to come back and score the tying goal and C) it ended in a tie. So, while the game was exciting in the second half and Fulham scored to tie it in stoppage time, I was left with mixed feelings since neither team won. Just my two cents after attending a game in Europe where soccer is held in much higher esteem.

 

Mike Bianchi had something in a column a while back about how "soccer is boring" is one of a sports columnist's "out" pitches, along with "what's wrong with these athletes today" and something else.

It's intellectually lazy. Rome saying soccer is boring on a national call-in show is like him saying that he likes beer and hot blonde chicks. Real original and daring.

You're only watching to check out cute Italians in shorts.

 

On that note, I have no doubt that Brazilian beach volleyball would be the most popular sport in the US, if marketed correctly.

 

I watched that match on FSC. Pearce's injury was legit. He was limping and hobbling the rest of the match.

 

Italians don't do much for me, the ManU guys on the other hand . . .

 

I watched him closely after he came back from injury. He was limping much more when away from the ball than when Fulham was attacking.

 

If it were any other sport everyone would be on his genitals by saying how tough he was to get back on the field and score the tying goal, but because it's football, erm soccer, it must have been a dive.

 

Uh-oh, the ManU fans took a "klattering from the local constabulary" during the halftime break.