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Serious question though - how often are sporting events that you really want to watch on live TV during the middle of a workday? Because for soccer fans in America, that's a pretty regular occurrence. If you follow North American sports pretty much exclusively, they're not playing important games at like 2:30 PM on a Wednesday. But if your team is progressing in the Champions League, that's when their game is going to be on in America.belljr said:
This is a good post, but, Jesus -- I got stuck with playing soccer growing up. Would have loved the insurance and public funding for American football.
LLWS down?
When you don't like something, any mention of it becomes a bother.
Why? I don't understand this at all. It's not like you hate it like you would an ex-wife or something, is it? It's just a sport you don't enjoy. Nobody forces you to watch any of it, you can just change the channel. Hell, even if you just want to watch a sports highlight show you have several options beyond ESPN these days.
People hate the feeling that the sport is "being forced down their throats". At least that is what the very few remaining bashers tend to say.
I can't watch ESPN anymore and it's mainly because of their non-stop baseball coverage. Don't care about the sport so don't really want to see any highlights or coverage of it.
To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I expect it from the French, but the rest of the world? Man up...To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
But as a hockey fan you obviously know that there's other 24 hour sports options now, right? I mean even if Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports and ESPN News are all talking about the sport you hate at the same time, you can turn to the NBA/MLB/NFL/NHL Network for their programming, or watch streaming sports programming, or whatever.
yeah, but I haven't watched a single pitch all season and sure hope I don't have to.Aren't you in a fantasy baseball league with me?
It could be easily fixed by the governing bodies at large if they'd hand out retroactive yellow cards for diving (it's obviously tough for a ref to pick up sometimes), but that would make sense.I expect it from the French, but the rest of the world? Man up...To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
I read a piece somewhere by a European guy who visited the U.S. and was astounded at the derision shown towards diving. He said after he thought about it, he thought that Americans believed the game should be played fair and square and the best or strongest team should win -- because Americans were the strongest power and always won. The people he came from innately believed that they were never the stronger party and that subterfuge was not only excused but applauded. He might have been full of crap but it was an interesting theory.To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
some countries it happens much more than others. You will see plenty of dives in Italy, Spain and Mexico, but not anywhere near that in England, Germany and US.I expect it from the French, but the rest of the world? Man up...To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
For the same reasons, I think it's tough for Americans to have teams drawn randomly. In the NFL, you can get a bye/or home-field advantage, the NCAA tourney seeds teams 1-64, etc. etc., but in the World Cup, you're seeded based completely (supposedly...) randomly. The US performed very well in 2013, winning the hex, and we got boned hard in the WC draw.I read a piece somewhere by a European guy who visited the U.S. and was astounded at the derision shown towards diving. He said after he thought about it, he thought that Americans believed the game should be played fair and square and the best or strongest team should win -- because Americans were the strongest power and always won. The people he came from innately believed that they were never the stronger party and that subterfuge was not only excused but applauded. He might have been full of crap but it was an interesting theory.To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
If we still have a chance to advance at that point there is NO WAY I'm not taking a long lunch or taking a half day off.NewlyRetired said:
Thankfully it was a no name jersey - wife picked them up on the cheap I think. But Gator is right, I should sell the little *******, I'm a Georgia Tech grad and he openly roots for UGA when they play (he roots for GT too but one of my redneck relatives convinced him to root for UGA).
For fun yesterday I regrouped the 32 teams going serpentine style based on the current world rankings. Even though I recognize the flaws in the rankings, from strictly a strength standpoint, those groups didn't work out too badly as long as you don't object to a bunch of teams from the same confederation sometimes being in the same group.For the same reasons, I think it's tough for Americans to have teams drawn randomly. In the NFL, you can get a bye/or home-field advantage, the NCAA tourney seeds teams 1-64, etc. etc., but in the World Cup, you're seeded based completely (supposedly...) randomly. The US performed very well in 2013, winning the hex, and we got boned hard in the WC draw.I read a piece somewhere by a European guy who visited the U.S. and was astounded at the derision shown towards diving. He said after he thought about it, he thought that Americans believed the game should be played fair and square and the best or strongest team should win -- because Americans were the strongest power and always won. The people he came from innately believed that they were never the stronger party and that subterfuge was not only excused but applauded. He might have been full of crap but it was an interesting theory.To some extent, it's a cultural difference where diving/theatrics aren't as frowned upon/looked down on as much in other parts of the world.
I think it's dumb too.
My son asked for a Patriots jersey last Christmas and got it. I cry a little each time I see him wearing it. I hope he doesn't catch the Brady from wearing it too much. At least his other jersey is a Steelers jersey (his actual favorite team).
these type of stories are exactly why i love it. US national pride is nothing compared to most countries. most muricans would be hard pressed to find the netherlands on a map.
Great story. My first two *best* memories of the World Cup:
1. 1994 Quarterfinals: Defending Champion Germany vs Cinderella Bulgaria in East Rutherford. I remember 'some guy' named Hristo Stoichkov scoring a brilliant free kick goal over the German wall to tie the game deep into the second half. They scored the winner shortly thereafter. It was a great sporting moment for me to watch David slay Goliath on such a grand stage. That game, and that moment, really turned me onto the sport. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgIuADN0gz0
2. 1998 Quarterfinals: England vs Argentina. Two hated rivals facing off yet again in the World Cup. Im at a pub in Europe at a packed bar full of drunk Englishman singing "Football's Coming Home" throughout the match. Three goals in the first fifteen minutes, including a wondergoal by 18 year old Michael Owen sends the place into an absolute frenzy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV7XxkqLjDE&feature=kp English fans truly believe this is their year. Then Argentina equalizes. Simeone goads Beckham into tripping him. Red Card. Lose on penalties. Place is utterly deflated. The next day one of the English newspapers runs with the headline "Our Ten Heroes" and Beckham is derided for years. For one half it was among the best environments I ever enjoyed for a sporting event.
These matches (and moments) helped crystallize my love for the game, which has now turned into a large part of my sporting interest.
masters.. British open ...us open. I just dvr it.my buddies take off for March madness for 2 full days. I don't do that either.
This is my plan. Half day to watch the first game at the pub with friends, going to a party for the second game, hitting the third game again at the pub with the group. I do have a 3 pm central conference call after the Germany game so I'm going to have to stay relatively sober during that one.
Here's my ditch schedule for the group stage:This is my plan. Half day to watch the first game at the pub with friends, going to a party for the second game, hitting the third game again at the pub with the group. I do have a 3 pm central conference call after the Germany game so I'm going to have to stay relatively sober during that one.
