soccer... and sand....

[flying_whale]

Difference is, American football and hockey players are playing a contact sport. Soccer is a non-contact sport. Soccer players don't train to take big hits and smash into people all the time. That's not the point of their game, so it's clearly obvious that they're going to get hurt easier than someone with a bunch of protective gear on that's bigger and stronger and totally ready to get slammed to the ground. I guess that in itself could be considered "pussy" for some of you in this thread, but I don't think you should be saying things like that unless you've played an entire competitive soccer game yourself. It's not as easy and physically inactive as it looks.

AGREED! In a game of soccer most pro level players run on average between 5 to 10 kilometers a game at above average speed. On top of that you add the contact with the ball and the contact with the players which also drains lots of energy. Midfielders for example usually run in the 8km per game range will the defenders and forwards usually go between 7 to 8 km per game. that is a lot considering you do that with no breaks and no recovery time after sprints for 45 minutes straights (except for 20 seconds breaks once in a blue moon when there is a foul or an injury).

That's true, but I've seen some plays where the guy very obviously fell down and was laying there trying to draw a penalty. Just the fact that that enters the strategic aspect of the game is terrible. Talk about schoolyard tactics

Actually some statistics say that only 7% of fouls are actually called, compared to the other 93% that are not called but committed. There are lots of times even at high school varsity/jv level when people get elbowed and people elbow on purpose and lots of that shit and even more serious shit that is not called. It happened to me in a game against Eastside Catholic (or O'dea maybe) when I outrun a sweeper and was close to getting 1v1 with their goalie when the faggot sweeper grabbed my long hair and dove and the ref didn't call it either.

I think faking is a good thing, because it keeps defenses on their toes in their penalty box or around it so they really have to avoid and kind of contact that might lead to a PK and this way they can't do shit to you in the box to screw up amazing plays. When knowing this, defenses really have to step up their shit cause they can't afford a goal either, and i think knowing how to treat forwards in the box separates the n00b defenses to the good ones. In my case, call me lame, but if some guy grabs my shirt or touches my legs or feet in the box and i don't have a chance to pass or shoot i will dive down like a snake was crawling up my ass, but i won't fake an injury, if the ref doesn't call anything i will stand up and not protest or anything, that is where it becomes lame imho. Heh, i guess you can blame the fact that i have been an Inzaghi (Filipo) since i was 7

 

[Mephistophiliac]

Wow, that's a pretty high percentage. Shame on the refs

I can see your reasoning for going down in the situation you mentioned towards the end of your post, but I still have to disagree with that whole part of the game. If the referees aren't making the calls they should (granted there will be pushing and elbowing in some situations regardless), why not make an adjustment to the rules or something. To me it doesn't reflect well on the officials to let so many things go.

Also, any guy that pulls hair should demoted to fairy.

 

[Krigloch the Furious]

"soccer's alot like hockey"

 

[flying_whale]

Wow, that's a pretty high percentage. Shame on the refs

I can see your reasoning for going down in the situation you mentioned towards the end of your post, but I still have to disagree with that whole part of the game. If the referees aren't making the calls they should (granted there will be pushing and elbowing in some situations regardless), why not make an adjustment to the rules or something. To me it doesn't reflect well on the officials to let so many things go.

Also, any guy that pulls hair should demoted to fairy.

oh, i forgot to mention that those fouls that are not called, not because the refs ignore them, but because they don't see them.

 

[Mephistophiliac]

I'm too lazy to look it up, how many refs are there in soccer?

 

[flying_whale]

I'm too lazy to look it up, how many refs are there in soccer?

1 central ref, and 2 on sidelines (only in higher levels of soccer, not in high school). However, the 2 on the sidelines are looking not for fouls, but for the ball crossing the outside lines and offsides and player positioning

 

[Mephistophiliac]

Well that explains the missed calls. The ref to player ratio and the size of the field sure does make it easier to have so much go unnoticed. I'll just stick to hockey.

 

[saboona]

check this out
some of them are really funny

and if we're having dirty play we gotta have a Materazzi compilation
he's brutal

 

[Dead Winter]

Soccer is not a contact sport. It is a sport played with finesse and agility, however it is very, very dull. This is a fact. I am not comparing football to soccer, as it's like comparing apples and oranges. But the pads aren't there to keep you from getting hurt...they're there to keep you from getting killed. Taking someone out head first at a full sprint without pads is somewhat dangerous, don't you think? Football was not always played with pads...then people started dying and getting paralyzed around the turn of the century and they decided to wear leather pads. It just grew from there.

Soccer players are very skillful in what they do...but let's face it...they whine way, way, way too much.

There's a reason why soccer is widely considered a girl's game in the US.

 

[Dead Winter]

how the fuck would a soccer player play with a sprained ankles, broken toes, broken ribs, even broken hands.

The same way American football players play with sprained ankles, broken toes, broken ribs, and broken hands. Now maybe you have an idea of the abyss between the two sports. American football is about self-sacrifice for the team...it's actually somewhat of an altruistic sport when played correctly. Maybe you don't understand just how intense American football is, and only until you've played it first hand will you see why we spit at it and can't understand why soccer is so popular.

Again, soccer is played with finesse and agility, and that's about it. It's like ballet with a ball. As far as testosterone is involved, all the testosterone at soccer games come from the fans, not the players.

That said, soccer fans have to be the craziest fans in the world. I'm literally afraid of them.

 

[saboona]

lol at that ballet thing... i dont know man, it might be true about the sprained ankles and broken toes but i just cant imagine a soccer player playing with that injury, he won't be worth shit on the pitch that's for sure, which will be worth for the team. i mean playing against messi or ibrahimovic with a sprained ankle, lol unimaginable. or getting tackled by cannavaro or materazzi when you got a broken toe... there goes your career as a soccer player.

and ofcourse we dont have to argue about the popularity of soccer, there's absolutley nothing comparable to the World cup and second to that would be the Champions league, the most prestigous award.

 

[El Stormo]

1 central ref, and 2 on sidelines (only in higher levels of soccer, not in high school). However, the 2 on the sidelines are looking not for fouls, but for the ball crossing the outside lines and offsides and player positioning

You forgot the 4th ref.

 

[flying_whale]

You forgot the 4th ref.

he is sitting on a bench last time i checked and not doing anything, but do subs and back up the main ref

 

[Shpongled]

however it is very, very dull. This is a fact.

You just completely invalidated every single word you've said in this thread with that one little phrase right there. You of all people should know that is an opinion and not a fact at all.

I think soccer is far from dull. I actually think it's pretty exciting and fun to watch and play. See where I'm going?

 

[Dead Winter]

You just completely invalidated every single word you've said in this thread with that one little phrase right there. You of all people should know that is an opinion and not a fact at all.

I think soccer is far from dull. I actually think it's pretty exciting and fun to watch and play. See where I'm going?

I meant it in the sense that the way the game was invented is quite dull. Ball goes into either goal, the one with the most wins. Soccer is one of the oldest sports and it's so popular because it's so simple....you can be rich or poor and still play it. Dull in the sense that it doesn't require much thinking, not in the sense that it's boring to watch. If it were boring to watch it wouldn't be the most popular sport in the world.

If I invalidated my statements, I don't care. Soccer is like watching grass grow. Who gives a shit if I contradicted myself? For me, it's boring, dull, and stupid.

 

[Dead Winter]

lol at that ballet thing... i dont know man, it might be true about the sprained ankles and broken toes but i just cant imagine a soccer player playing with that injury, he won't be worth shit on the pitch that's for sure, which will be worth for the team. i mean playing against messi or ibrahimovic with a sprained ankle, lol unimaginable. or getting tackled by cannavaro or materazzi when you got a broken toe... there goes your career as a soccer player.

and ofcourse we dont have to argue about the popularity of soccer, there's absolutley nothing comparable to the World cup and second to that would be the Champions league, the most prestigous award.

It's not about whether you're hurt or not in American football. If you've got a job to do, you do it. That's why they pay you millions per year...if you're not hurt so bad you need a stretcher, suck it up and stop being a pussy. Soccer fans and players can't understand it because they come from a sports culture that babies the players, where any physical contact is frowned upon. I'll kiss your ass if you see an American football player faking being hurt. Soccer players can't play when they're perfectly healthy, much less when they're injured. Again, they (at least Italian players) have no sense of self-sacrifice. American football players play with pain because they feel they must. I think it's quite dangerous, but that's how driven they are. Soccer players wouldn't play if they have a runny nose, while American football players would play even if they had pneumonia...been there, seen it. It's not because they're lesser athletes or anything...again they are two different sports. Soccer players are ninnies and sissies with lots of agility. Hence, ballet with a ball.

Your last missive is kinda what this whole thing was about; why is a sport with the biggest douches the most popular? Nothing in the world of sports compares to the popularity of soccer. It boggles the mind.

Also, I understand soccer. I know the rules. I've been to the games, and I've got that shit force-fed to me every day. It's boring and dull, in all senses.

 

[Shpongled]

If I invalidated my statements, I don't care. Soccer is like watching grass grow. Who gives a shit if I contradicted myself? For me, it's boring, dull, and stupid.

You stated is as fact, which is untrue and you know that. That's my issue. I could care less if you like soccer or not, but I've always regarded you as one of the more intelligent and thoughtfully interesting posters on this forum until this thread and particularly that quote. Just seems a bit out of character for you, that's all.

And for the record, YOU more than anyone else should care that you contradicted yourself.

 

[Dead Winter]

I was at work when I posted that post. I was trying to finish before my pants exploded...I was in a rush .

 

[Dead Winter]

and if we're having dirty play we gotta have a Materazzi compilation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpG4AHlZrL4
he's brutal

You're kidding, right? A couple of people talking smack and bumping into each other? I'll show you brutal...

 

[Dead Winter]

Watch this and be silenced.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI1dzNTp-0w&NR=1[/ame]