In the recent threads about the World Cup, I have made my feelings on Soccer/Futbol very clear.... While perusing the forums today I came across something written in September of last year that seems to fit into today's World Cup discussion perfectly.
Soccer? Trust Faterson to go completely off topic on this... but, since he did, let me explain a little bit about most American's view of soccer...
In a nutshell, and to be rather blunt, it sucks. It sucks because we, as a nation, suck at it.
Now there are many reasons for that. Primarily, in the USA soccer will always be a second (or even third) tier sport. Our best athletes are not playing soccer... they are playing football (American), baseball, basketball and some hockey. These are the glamour sports. Our heroes played them, and until recently (maybe the last 20 years) we grew up playing them. Soccer as a youth sport has not been around here that long. When talent is recognized in America's youth today it is channeled and funneled into the most lucrative sports we know... Football, Baseball, Basketball and Hockey. Lets not forget auto racing, golf and tennis...
The reason? Plain and simple - Money.
With endorsements, the highest paid soccer player in the world is Beckham (even though he failed miserably with the LA Galaxy... 5 goals in 30 games?) The only athletes to pull in more, salary and endorsements, than your highest paid soccer star are a golfer, a formula one driver and 2 basketball players, one of which is retired. Retired!! With the exception of Eldrick Woods, Michael Jordan makes more in endorsements than any living player of any sport in any country.
Even Forbes notes that Beckham is "far from the best player on the pitch", but he is the most recognizable. Therefore pulling large endorsements. No 'soccer' skill in that, is there? Tiger Woods IS the best golfer in the world. Michael Jordan WAS the best NBA player in the world. Kobe Bryant IS the best NBA player in the world. The fourth person to make more than Beckham is Kimi Raikkonen, Formula 1 driver.
Lets continue down the list...
Tied at #6 LeBron James, NBA ... (If Kobe is 1, then LeBron is 1A) -- Phil Mickelson, PGA -- Manny Pacquiao, Boxing
#9 Valentino Rossi, MotoGP and #10 Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Auto Racing (NASCAR)
These are very, very skilled individuals who excel at their sport first, and pull endorsement money as a result of their skills... unlike Beckham.
As a matter of fact, to round out the top 20 we have Tennis, NBA, Baseball, Golf, NBA, NASCAR, Baseball and finally, Soccer, again.
(To be fair, there is not one NFL player in this list. The highest paid NFL player would rank just under number 20 because of the salary cap instituted by their league.)
So, you see it's very simple. We don't like soccer because we don't PLAY soccer. It's not our idea of a 'sport'. Sure, the kids can run around and have their youth leagues... that just gives the little brats something to do after school and in the summer. They will lose interest soon enough. Most Americans do.
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