<p>Golf here.</p>
<p>Personally, I haven’t heard anyone in the media say soccer is going to take over america in over 20 years. I hear a lot of internet posters and sports radio callers comment on it to complain. Sorry, but there is a REAL fan base for soccer in the United States. Some of it is demographics as the country absorbs more latin and other soccer enthused immigrants. But most of it is home grown. Go see a game in most MLS or USL cities and you will find the vast majority to be people born in the US with english as thir first language. Soccer specific stadiums are being built all over the country. You can now watch soccer pretty much every day on a wide variety of television outlets. TV ratings are going up. Argue and disparage all you want, but soccer is here to stay. It is not “taking over”. But it is certainly much more porular than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Soccer doesn’t have to be the most popular sport to survive and thrive. 50 years ago baseball was the most popular sport. 30 years ago the NBA finals were shown on tape delay at 11:30 after the nightly news. Things do change. You don’t have to like soccer, but you don’t have to disparage those who do. There is a lot more evangilizing on how bad soccer is vs. how good it is, yet it still continues to grow and thrive. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Those of us who like it will continue to watch and enjoy. Much more fun to participate in the joy than getting upset about the growth of the sport.</p>
<p>^^^^Texas has become a hotbed for youth soccer. When I was in middle school, I played soccer in a league with only a handful of teams. When my D2 was in middle school, there were 63 girls teams in her age group alone competing in the club soccer league. That doesn’t even count the recreational leagues. A couple of years ago, 7 of the 11 national champions crowned in youth competitive soccer came from North Texas. </p>
<p>Soccer is big here even if it doesn’t dethrone King Football.</p>
<p>Toneranger, I agree with you about the horns! I have tried to watch it, even went to a city-wide World Cup party, but can’t stand it because of that constant buzzing sound…it sounds like a swarm of bees!
I’ll try turning off the sound for the next game…</p>
<p>I like it when they take their shirts off.</p>
<p>^^^^That guy from New Zealand did it after he scored a goal and got a yellow card for it. If he gets another yellow,he’s in trouble. Not a smart move on his part.</p>
<p>I would rather watch turtle races.</p>
<p>Shirts off: Preferably that guy from Portugal.</p>
<p>As a former sweeper with the British/German/American mindset towards contact and fouls, I would love to see the rule Rick Riley proposed in his latest column:</p>
<p>that if a player is on the ground after “contact” longer than 45 seconds or so, he needs to be taken off the field and out of the game. If it’s more than two minutes, it’s to a hospital.</p>
<p>Soccer is supposed to be a rough game, properly played. The diving is one of the aspects of playing that made me switch to rugby.</p>
<p>All I know is that I’ve watched almost every WC game played thus far (live and DVR). Follow the LA Galaxy, watch many EPL games (thanks FSC). Basketball (playoffs or otherwise) not a game. Stanley Cup, kept up with goings on, watched as many games as I could. Never miss an Anaheim Angels game. Pro football bores me. College football I can get fired up for, but I have no particular allegiance. NASCAR/IndyCar, snoozefests. Formula 1, never ever miss a race (bring on San Antonio GP, I’m there). Golf? Please, nothing so boring.</p>
<p>What does this say about my sports preferences? I don’t know. I’m born and bred in the USA. Played in my younger days all of the “American sports” with varying degrees of success. In my early 50’s, the above are where my interests have settled. Don’t know why really, it just is.</p>