Bit of a rant, so apologies if this is unfocused nonsense. I’m just venting.
This clip has been doing the rounds for the last few days and has (rightly) attracted much complaint and derision. It’s pathetic behaviour and thankfully nothing came of it that would seriously change the match. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is rife within the game and should be punished far more strictly than it is. Now, I’m not about to go on some rant about how this sort of gamesmanship, see also: diving, should be stamped out (it should) as that’s been done to death and until FIFA grows some and starts booking offenders or punishing them retrospectively, there’s not a lot that can be done about it.
No, what’s got my goat about this incident is the seemingly endless supply of commentators who come out of the woodwork every time someone tries to con the ref by rolling around a bit too much. And the number one thing they all start out by saying it ‘See this is why soccer will never be a mainstream sport in the U.S.’ And, frankly, it’s utter, utter bollocks. Not because it’s necessarily untrue, but because it’s a lazy, knee-jerk argument that doesn’t really hold up to scrutiny.
I’ve no problem with pointing out that such play-acting is pretty pathetic and does tarnish the sport. But it’s as if soccer is in some way a threat. That the people that trot out such mindless drivel are worried that somehow soccer might become mainstream like it is in the rest of the world. Why, honestly, does it matter? There are at least four major sports in the U.S. And many other countries have alternate sports. It’s not like you get a finite amount and then close up shop and find reasons to bar entry to any other sporting activities. But that’s exactly what it sounds like.
In all honesty, it seems to be some bizarre attempt to rationalise how a sport can be so popular everywhere else, just not here. But, again, why does it matter? If you’re not keen, move on. I have never been able to get my head around watching the NBA but I’ve never railed against it with even an ounce of the venom some people spit at that evil influence, soccer. As if, somehow, it will corrupt the youth or something.
And let’s not even start on the snide comments to the effect that somehow the sport is less than manly. Frankly, that says more about the insecurities of the detractor than any sport ever could. Especially when the vast, VAST majority of people espousing such views haven’t played a contact sport lately, if ever. I could trot out a myriad of ham-fisted, ill-thought out reasons why the NFL, Baseball, tiddlywinks will never be a major sport in the rest of the world but I just don’t care enough and I’m mystified as to why anyone else would.
Like every sport ever, there is gamesmanship, there is barefaced, underhand, blatant cheating. ‘Twas ever so. People just do that kind of thing in the name of competition. Steps can be taken to remove it, but no system (so far) is perfect. But that’s not what that comment’s about, is it?
I guess what I’m saying in essence is: if you’re not interested, just shut up. There’s no huge desire from the average soccer fan to make it the number one sport in the U.S. Personally, I just want the team I support to do well and enjoy watching it and I like other sports just fine, it’s not like one has to be best over all others. You don’t like it, don’t get it? Don’t watch. You don’t care, I don’t care. By all means express your dislike for the sport if the occasion calls for it, but this strange desire to hunt out reasons why and then shout it from the rooftops as if you’ve just discovered some hitherto unknown, life-altering fact (HINT: you haven’t) is a bit perverse, no?
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