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Originally posted by HighLordDave


And we have far too many other sports competing for time and money (football, baseball, hockey, backetball and NASCAR) for soccer to be of much interest to us.

Yes, I know, but that said - for me personally at least - the US were a nice surprise to the tournament

@Thorin - Number of Cups:
Brazil - 4
Germany - 3
Italy - 3
Argentina - 2
Uruguay - 2
England - 1
France - 1
If you add up the cups, you will find that Europe has won 8 Cups and so have South America.
More stuff from the top of my head: Czechoslovakia (as it was then) and Holland are the only two unlucky countries to have reached a World Cup final twice and not have won it.

The trick for us will be to use this year's showing at the World Cup to do better next year and not fall off the face of the football world. Personally, I can't understand why soccer isn't more popular over here; sure, games run for an hour and a half without interruption, but a Winston Cup race doesn't stop for commercials, and NASCAR has no problem with TV ratings.

I think the US could be very, very good. After all, we have a population of 270+ million; that's 55% more people than Brazil (174 million), 225% more than Germany (83 million), 630% more than Argentina (37 million) and 357% more than the UK (59 million; all population figures are courtesy of the CIA's World Factbook). Statistically speaking, because of our larger talent pool, we should have more good players, and by extension, we should do better in competitions, especially considering that we have more disposable income to throw at sports than almost any other nation on the planet and our sports and training facilities are the best in the world (unlike say India or China).

What we lack over here is a cultural commitment to do well at soccer. However, with more kids playing soccer than Little League, maybe soccer will start to do better and develop as a commercially-successful sport.

Originally posted by HighLordDave
I think the US could be very, very good. After all, we have a population of 270+ million; that's 55% more people than Brazil (174 million), 225% more than Germany (83 million), 630% more than Argentina (37 million) and 357% more than the UK (59 million...What we lack over here is a cultural commitment to do well at soccer. However, with more kids playing soccer than Little League, maybe soccer will start to do better and develop as a commercially-successful sport.

True, your ideas are good. I guess if China really invested in soccer, their over a billion population (which is 370% bigger than that of the USA) could amount to a lot of skill. btw, I've heard of countries which have no problems showing commercials during soccer matches - what they do is they display seconds-long commercials during a match on the bottom part of the screen & mute match sounds so that everyone can hear it.
I agree, though, that the US could become very good at soccer, but it would take a lot of investment for that to change.

@HLD - I agree A common (respectful) joke over here is there are not enough 'goals' in football for the Americans to get excited. Will the US get a kick out of a 1-0 result, will they lose interest at a 0-0 draw? Football is not about the amount of goals scored...(a respectful question since the popular sports in the US are usually high scoring)

Americans love offense. We complain that football teams who play solid defense and run the ball are boring. Even though baseball is the only sport with the notion of a "perfect game" (27 batters, with none of them getting on base), we are building ballparks that are conducive to home runs and offense because the essence of baseball, the interaction between the pitcher and batter, isn't good for TV. When a team only scores 64 points to win a playoff game, we say the state of basketball is deplorable.

Americans like cars that go fast, big players that are flashy and scores that are high. The idea of 1-0 games being the norm is antithetical to the American sports mentality.

There is no reason why Americans shouldn't be good a soccer. We devote hundreds of millions of dollars to sports each year; the University of Miami's football budget alone was $13 million last year when they won the National Championship. More kids are playing soccer, so there is a growing pool of players for college athletics and professional leagues to draw from. The problem is that unless games get more exciting (ie-they score more often, as Yshania suggests), it will never catch on.

Thanks CE and Lost One.

If USA population starts getting mad at football like us, I agree, for the reasons you said, it would become probably the strongest nation ever, and by far...
I mean, see basketball!!!
But they would really need to get football-crazy like us!!!

Maybe I'll watch the final after all...
Collina is a great referee, but hey, he's not God!!!
He's honest, that for sure, he already had this reputation here and this wasn't easy!

Originally posted by HighLordDave
Americans love offense. We complain that football teams who play solid defense and run the ball are boring.

Alabama College Football

The only coach to get away with solid defence and running. Bear Bryant. Ever coach since has been beaten to death in the Alabama press. A lot of fans left and now cheer for Florida. A team that will (if given the chance) run the score up.

Originally posted by HighLordDave
I think the US could be very, very good. After all, we have a population of 270+ million; that's 55% more people than Brazil (174 million), 225% more than Germany (83 million), 630% more than Argentina (37 million) and 357% more than the UK (59 million; all population figures are courtesy of the CIA's World Factbook). Statistically speaking, because of our larger talent pool, we should have more good players, and by extension, we should do better in competitions, especially considering that we have more disposable income to throw at sports than almost any other nation on the planet and our sports and training facilities are the best in the world (unlike say India or China).

There are a few problems... One, there is (or at least was some ages ago in my youth) an attitude problem - football (as in American...) is a game for men, while Soccer is a game for women and sissies. I played for the sissies, unfortunately Two, there aren't that many soccerfields available in the US - most fields either have lines going across far too often or a big diamond drawn all over it

In Australia we have a lot of sporting success,our population is only 19 million. ..came 4th in olympics,win rugby,cricket,netball, swimming,triathlons.. many others..


Playing devils advocate here....
(
We cant understand why Americans dont play Rugby and play gridiron instead (more padding less manly ?).
We think we do better than Americans at sport per capita
)

Finally, the break is over.

Not going to miss the match tonight.

Damn right!

About aussies, At99, your 110% correct.

Lets see.

Swimming
Triathlon
Rugby League
Rugby Union
Cricket
Netball
Hockey
Darts (we now have the World Champion)
Water Polo
Women's Beach Volleyball
Tae Kwon Do
Archery
Shooting
Kayaking and Rowing

Face it Aussies rule the world of sports and games.
And we only have 19 million.

Cricket i wouldn't be so sure.
We just gave you guys a beating!

Hockey honestly i say the Dutch and the Germans are the best.
Pakistan South Korea and Australia.
The last 3 are in no particular order.

Back on topic, so it will be a Germany Brazil final?
How boring!
Oh yeah when is the final?

Final, ummm soon

Don't underestimate S.Korea though.

Annoying TV guide, doesn't tell you who is playing today/tonight

What the semis are on today?
I thought it was tomorrow?
Germany vs South Korea today/

Originally posted by CM
What the semis are on today?
I thought it was tomorrow?
Germany vs South Korea today/

Well, it depends on your timezone

In Japan, and Australia the game is "tonight"...

Ok yeah then it is today.
Around 1:30 my time then.

Kick off in 90min. Unfortunately, I've a seminar at university in 2h which I just can't skip. I sincerly hope this is this is the last WC that will take place in East Asia.

*sigh* And I just got back on

*Wonder if I can get that TV closer to my computer...*