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21 July 2008

Why Do So Many American Football Fans and Sports Writers Hate Soccer? A Follow Up

Is American football “hate” of soccer overblown?

One of the comments on my piece helped shed some light on the issue for me. In fact, the comment suggested that it is not in fact American football haters, but bitter soccer fans, that are at the center of the problem.

I admit it, as I re-read my article, I did come across sounding pretty damned sanctimonious. I can see how my tone might illicit some negative reaction, but that’s ok, as I said in my response, I can take my medicine.

I still stand behind my statement however. I don’t think there are enough soccer writers in the States to even create a “bitter” atmosphere. In fact, I’ll point you to some mainstream soccer bashing of late - take a look at this relatively lame article on ESPN Page 2 listing the biggest “bandwagons” in American sport. Of course, they take a potshot at soccer.

Another more anecdotal piece of data I’ll offer, is that on many a sports thread, particularly my old haunt, fark, the most trolled sport is soccer. Now it may be the case that fark is not a good statistical indicator of the greater population, in which case the problem resides with my perception and not, as my commentator suggests, with American football fans and sports writers. Here’s hoping that I’m wrong!

2 comments:

Bobbo said...

North American Soccer League was founded In 1968 and out of business 16 years later in 1984. In 1978-79 the Cosmos won the title in front of 75,000 fans,5 years later the league is MIA. Forgive the ESPN writer for which he has been told soccer sucks since boyhood. It's just a big chain reaction. Listening to your friends,schoolmates or whoever bash soccer your entire life might make people jump on the hatewagon. Your a product of your enviorment. Take those same soccer haters and raise them in England or Spain and I bet their outlook is different. Don't blame them blame the Americans in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Grover Clevland and Teddy Roosevelt are to blame.New topic Gruff.

Editor said...

I'll move along to the next topic bobbo - again, you raise some good points...and of course, TR is one of my all time favs - so yeah, I know that he encouraged American football to make Americans tough. With that I think it's time to turn over a new leaf - and a new topic. Just make sure you stay tuned even if my stuff gets a little less incendiary! ha!