Comments on: Americans react rather childishly to getting beat(en)…

By: Jose

Jose — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 01:22:32 +0000

Same here, until FIFA takes this game into the 21st century like rugby, cricket, hockey, and every professional sport in existence of consequence, we won’t care except once every four years. Plus, I agree that your team needs to take a long hard look at how it operates as it appears that an indifferent USA will probably win a world cup before England does again…

By: David

David — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:05:42 +0000

Josh, are you telling me that you think over-embellishing challenges and injuries (supposedly) isn’t the case 99% of the time in this sport? I’m quite a fan of this sport, more than any other, but this kind of nonsense tarnishes it as well as keeps it down.

You may not care if the sport takes off here, but I do. And you can tell me it’s the most popular which is definitely not up for debate, but that doesn’t make it flawless. Americans may be looked at as intrusive, but if you can honestly tell me you’re happy with a sport that involves guys flopping around like they just got kicked in the old sack or marbles or sniped from the stands by Rambo along with bogus no goals and ghost offsides calls that can easily be cleaned up, then you are just as bad as FIFA for keeping the sport back.

Add another American rant to the tab.

By: Blahdyblah

Blahdyblah — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:15:46 +0000

It’s a shame that people read anything from NY, the dumbest city on the planet. Soccer is getting bigger here, and the U.S. has some great potential. This world cup was a massive step for us, and we’re only getting better. As for England, I feel bad for you guys. Better luck next time.

By: venga malaga

venga malaga — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 08:16:37 +0000

for 40 years i’ve been a supporter, player and follower of all types of football – domestic, european, international – all of it, its a part of my life.
Right now though, as an Englishman, the Post is right – this sport IS stupid and I fucking hate it. (Until next season)

By: Section1Guy

Section1Guy — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:25:58 +0000

The inevitable stories about LeBron and Chris Johnson are legitimate though. Watch the world cup and see the difference between the American players and guys like Vittek and Cahill…These guys are athletic specimens. They’re also badasses. Our athletic specimen badasses play other sports.

I’ve become a pretty big soccer fan over the last few years. I will never ever ever ever ever understand why the rolling around on the ground is tolerated.

Even the ESPN British commentators are sick of it.

The writers of the article seem to understand that the headline is facetious at best. On the other hand, after you make that distinction to the readers who wouldn’t understand it, you still say oh there goes those silly Americans again.

Soccer will never be the #2 sport here. It will never be the #3 sport here. I absolutely think it can overtake hockey though, and in international competition it has. We got excited for USA-Canada hockey in February, but it was nothing like that youtube video of the Landon Donovan compilation.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:30:55 +0000

US didn’t know soccer until 1994. Stop the hysteria, the US team is playing to its player and management potential. Build the team and the sport patiently for another 20 years and the results will come. It will overtake baseball as a no.2 sport in popularity, and US should be a top 8 World Cup nation on regular basis.
And as to articles as the headline above, the haters already are in the minority…they are a dying breed(literally)…so I wouldn’t pay my attention(although I see the attempt at humor in the headline)…

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:41:39 +0000

Well said, Josh. Contrary to your experience with other American commenters: yes, some of us do appreciate the humour. I found this headline hilarious, because it so perfectly captures the sentiment of some over here–we care if we win, we pretend not to otherwise. (Just wait for yet another article about how great we would be if LeBron James and Chris Johnson only played soccer–another tired symptom the same disease. It’s coming, I promise.)

Personally, I hate that we lost. But, on the other hand, I thank God we didn’t have to play Germany.

By: JoshBurt

JoshBurt — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:19:33 +0000

Jmartin – thanks for the comment. I think something might be lost in translation here. Firstly, you quote “uneducated”, but it’s not a word used in the piece. I feel you might be mistaking a bit of gentle ribbing for something altogether more sinister. I happen to like Americans very much for the most part. As for your point about NFL players getting knocked down then jumping right back up again, this might have something to do with the rather over-elaborate use of body armour in the sport? If the Algerians you used as an example were wearing bullet proof vests and padded Lycra shorts, they mightn’t have made such a meal of things?