Raleigh Talk Radio

[muguru]

Yet you seem to be one of the most sensitive guys on here. Strange.

Ha! far from it...not even close, I have as thick a skin as they come...I just have a problem with people thinking I can't have my opinion(which is different from most people's) on certain things.

[Its DJOver]

Yes, but why?? That's what baffles me, I don't get that at all. Different strokes for different folks i guess, but it HAS to be because it's the one sport that almost every country participates in, and the rules are all the same, so everyone in every country can relate to it?? Much like the Englander Galway's dislike for American football. Is that it?? Is that why the world cup is so popular??

TBH I think its countries supporting sports that they invented.  The US invented football, no one else plays it. US invented baseball, which explains the lack of cricket presence in this country. US invented lacrosse, and while it's not huge here, no one else plays it.  A couple of other countries play basketball, but nowhere near the level that we do.

Variations of soccer have been played around the world for centuries.   Hockey is mostly big in the states because of Canada.  Rugby has very little presence in this country.  Cricket as mentioned earlier. 

Bottom line, if a country didn't invent it, it will be extremely hesitant to embrace it.

[Jockey]

I asked Andrew Luck the other day, he just got married, you going to let your kids play football.  This is a very smart guy.  Answer....yes.  Now, he may change his mind, but that's his opinion now.  Life has dangers, some more than others.  I enjoyed football very much...it is tough to get 11 guys to do everything properly to execute as a unit for a play to work.  Something very cool about that, but it isn't for everyone.  There have been other pro football players that won't let their kids play.  Personal decision.

Ching! Ching! Ching!

[Cheeks]

Ching! Ching! Ching!

Yup.  Just the facts. 

How's Canada....how come Mexico wasn't on the list..weird.

[Galway Eagle]

TBH I think its countries supporting sports that they invented.  The US invented football, no one else plays it. US invented baseball, which explains the lack of cricket presence in this country. US invented lacrosse, and while it's not huge here, no one else plays it.  A couple of other countries play basketball, but nowhere near the level that we do.

Variations of soccer have been played around the world for centuries.   Hockey is mostly big in the states because of Canada.  Rugby has very little presence in this country.  Cricket as mentioned earlier. 

Bottom line, if a country didn't invent it, it will be extremely hesitant to embrace it.

For the record we didn't invent baseball. We changed the rules to Rounders. Same with football (originally), we just changed the rules to rugby.

[GOO]

My sibling is good friends with a sports agent who represents a lot of football players, one of the top guys.  So, what does this agent do about his kids and football?  He won't let them play. Zero chance.  All due to what he's seen regarding head injuries.

I'm guessing that muguru played some serious football growing up and lots of it. He was probably a hard hitter.  I have nothing to base this on but circumstantial evidence, but just making some logical deductions...      Ya, this is meant as a joke.

[Galway Eagle]

No, no, you miss understood me...there are plenty of sports which you listed above Lacrosse, boxing etc that are major contact sports. Wasn't saying football is the be all end all of contact sports...but in comparison to soccer..I don't think there is any argument to be made about what is the more contact sport.

Plus, let's be fair Galway, you don't live in the USA and others countries views for the most part on American football are all the same. I think that's because they don't have the sport, at least not in the same context, so it's hard to relate. That has to be why soccer is so popular. Everyone plays soccer.

Apologies for the misunderstanding.

I'm 28 tomorrow and have lived in Chicago or Milwaukee for 26.5 of those years. My jaded view of football developed there not here. But you could be right, I might just be some weird minority that finds football truly the most boring contact sport and second most boring sport (baseball)

[Its DJOver]

For the record we didn't invent baseball. We changed the rules to Rounders. Same with football (originally), we just changed the rules to rugby.

Did not know that thanks.  I think the point still stands that people support sports sports that their country invented/adopted. Soccer was extremely sparse in this country pre 1994 WC/MLS launch.

[muguru]

Apologies for the misunderstanding.

I'm 28 tomorrow and have lived in Chicago or Milwaukee for 26.5 of those years. My jaded view of football developed there not here. But you could be right, I might just be some weird minority that finds football truly the most boring contact sport and second most boring sport (baseball)

You know Galway it amazes me...Just the vibe I get here(and no way of knowing for sure), is that there's a lot of posters here that aren't particularly big football fans. I gotta be honest, as popular as it is, that does surprise me. Then again, it also kind of surprises me how many appear to be big NBA fans, and I'm not a fan at all. I'm a college basketball/football and then baseball guy, and that's it for me. My passion is for CBB though, above all else.

[avid1010]

Youre entiled to your own opinion...i have no problem with parents allowing their kids to play football...i really dont even have a problem with you calling kids and their parents wusses.  Its just who you are.

As far as soccer being boring...11 minutes of live action in a 3 hour football game. 

The tell tale on football is the issues youth organizations are running into when they try to get insurance.  Insurace companies understand risk very well...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm just stating facts...I know TONS of HS kids around here, that quit football and joined the soccer teams instead...tell me why that is. There are only a few possible reasons, and I touched on all of them. No other explanation. It's crystal clear.

Maybe they like soccer more than football?

[brewcity77]

I'm just stating facts...I know TONS of HS kids around here, that quit football and joined the soccer teams instead...tell me why that is. There are only a few possible reasons, and I touched on all of them. No other explanation. It's crystal clear.

A few possible reasons? Because soccer requires more skill, more endurance, is more fun to play, is more fun to watch, the list goes on and on. American football is, for me, the most mind numbingly boring thing to watch. It's nothing but replays, sideline shots, and commercials. Watching paint dry is more engaging.

[Nukem2]

A few possible reasons? Because soccer requires more skill, more endurance, is more fun to play, is more fun to watch, the list goes on and on. American football is, for me, the most mind numbingly boring thing to watch. It's nothing but replays, sideline shots, and commercials. Watching paint dry is more engaging.

Watching guys run back and forth for 3+ hours for a 1-0 game is like watching grass grow.  To each his own.  May be fun to play, but hard on the eyes for many.

[Galway Eagle]

Watching guys run back and forth for 3+ hours for a 1-0 game is like watching grass grow.  To each his own.  May be fun to play, but hard on the eyes for many.

But watching a game for over three hours and only seeing about 11min of action is exciting? I think people way over hype football due to the occasional highlight reel play or the fact that they're usually a few beers in when watching.

[muguru]

A few possible reasons? Because soccer requires more skill, more endurance, is more fun to play, is more fun to watch, the list goes on and on. American football is, for me, the most mind numbingly boring thing to watch. It's nothing but replays, sideline shots, and commercials. Watching paint dry is more engaging.

You think watching paint dry is more engaging then watching football?? And watching soccer is more exciting?? Damn, that's crazy! How in the hell can you enjoy a 1-0 game?? Watching football and the hitting, and the pure athleticism on display, watching guys get jacked up...the amazing catches, the cuts by the running backs, watching a lineman pancake someone..

How is soccer more fun to play?? With all due respect, it's running up and down a field and kicking a ball for however long a soccer game lasts. Sundays during football season, I'm watching football from the time the pregame shows come on, until the Sunday night game ends...I get Sunday ticket so I can watch any game I want..it's football man..the most popular sport in America!

[brewcity77]

You think watching paint dry is more engaging then watching football?? And watching soccer is more exciting?? Damn, that's crazy! How in the hell can you enjoy a 1-0 game?? Watching football and the hitting, and the pure athleticism on display, watching guys get jacked up...the amazing catches, the cuts by the running backs, watching a lineman pancake someone..

How is soccer more fun to play?? With all due respect, it's running up and down a field and kicking a ball for however long a soccer game lasts. Sundays during football season, I'm watching football from the time the pregame shows come on, until the Sunday night game ends...I get Sunday ticket so I can watch any game I want..it's football man..the most popular sport in America!

I would rather watch a 0-0 soccer match than just about any football game. It's painfully boring. I want to watch actual game action. Football has 11 minutes of that in a 3+ hour timespan. Soccer has 95+ minutes of action in 2 hours.

And it's worse for the players because with the offense/defense swap outs, those players are only spending about 5 minutes every 3 hours doing something (factoring a minute for special teams). How is that fun? In soccer, you're actually playing the game those 95+ minutes.

I'm amazed anyone is physically capable of sitting still for an entire football game when literally 93.9% of the time there is absolutely nothing going on.

[Mr. Nielsen]

College football, 12 plus hours every Saturday, I watch! The pride. The color. The sound. The tradition. I can't stand watching the NFL. It's boring!

Anyways, whatever anyone likes, get it all over ya!

[Eldon]

This statement is a joke. Football is the most overrated sport in terms of how much work you actually put in. I saw a study once that showed the QB actually plays a total of about 8 minutes plus the team gets a rest every 10 seconds. Compare that to say soccer where you're actually running the entire time.

Your wussification idea is stuck from when you were busy taping Larry Lester's butt cheeks together. Had you gone to a school with contact sports where you need an ounce of athletic ability you'd realize how far down on the totem poll football is

Serious question: have you ever played football?  It's very tiring.

With respect to soccer, don't forget the 60-90 second breaks that take place every few minutes when a guy is laying on the ground after a flop.

[muguru]

College football, 12 plus hours I watch. The pride. The color. The sound. The tradition. I can't stand watching the NFL. It's boring!

Anyways, whatever anyone likes, get it all over ya!

I guess the vibe I was getting was right, at least several here that don't like the NFL...that blows me away. But, I guess it's no different then me not liking the NBA(will watch the Bucks during the playoffs though), and I think many here like that.

Another thing that i love about football is the off season, absolutely LOVE the draft and free agency/trades. That has to factor in.

[Galway Eagle]

Serious question: have you ever played football?  It's very tiring.

With respect to soccer, don't forget the 60-90 second breaks that take place every few minutes when a guy is laying on the ground after a flop.

Nope every sport I've played at a truly competitive level since 8th grade is Lacrosse, Boxing and Hurling.

The idea that those 8 minutes are remotely as exhausting as 90min+ of soccer just seems far fetched. If you can use breaks as arguments against soccer then the same can be said and then some with football...

[JWags85]

Serious question: have you ever played football?  It's very tiring.

With respect to soccer, don't forget the 60-90 second breaks that take place every few minutes when a guy is laying on the ground after a flop.

Every few min, give me a break. Flopping is a problem actively being addressed at the highest levels of the game and as a result is on the decline. The breaks for fouls far dwarf the increments you claim.

And football is tiring, sure, compared to baseball. The endurance required for football greatly lags behind that needed for soccer, basketball, or hockey. Most football players don't train for extended endurance, the focus on training of fast twitch muscle movements and burst, so longer runs or extended action winds them. I would imagine the converted rugby players who play football don't find it overly tiring.

[muguru]

Okay i will be fair here, since people say I am beating up on soccer...truth is, if it was a matter of life or death, and football, baseball or basketball weren't an option, I would likely choose to watch soccer over say...golf, or cycling, or nascar, or figure skating. So soccer has that going for it with me anyway, which is nice. 

[The Sultan]

So exhausting. Maybe people can watch what they want without judgement?  I know that's a novel concept...

[muguru]

What the hell do you people do on fall Saturday's and Sunday's if you don't like watching football?? 

[Nukem2]

What the hell do you people do on fall Saturday's and Sunday's if you don't like watching football?? 

They watch soccer reruns.