The Soccer Problem

I like soccer. I play a lot of FIFA, and I watch soccer from time to time on television. I watched the World Cup in 2006, and I've seen at least part of almost every game this time around. Enthusiasm for the sport has obviously grown in the past decade. The United States won their group. They made it farther than France and Italy. We lost to an up and coming Ghana team in extra time of the knockout stage. The guys on the team proudly represented their country.

The blog has caught World Cup fever. Barstool is on bridge-watch today. By tomorrow he will realize the United States can be proud of what they accomplished, and he will enjoy the rest of the Cup. Still, he will wonder what might have been. Shane hates soccer, but he has discovered that it's a good excuse to daydrink. He said it best the other day, "Be excited that you live in a country that is badass in everything." Mouse takes soccer for what it is, roots for the US in the Cup, and catches every MLS match during college football season just go get Rick. Jack, Rick, and Patrick don't like soccer. They do not enjoy watching soccer. They are probably sick and tired of people trying to get them to open up to a sport they've never cared for. Just like they don't tell people to sit around and care about US luging, they don't want to be told that they should like soccer. I might be way off with people's respective thoughts about soccer, being patriotic, and the World Cup, but I feel like this is a pretty basic summary of our feelings. Please tell me if I'm way off.



(Lebron James is the best basketball player on the planet right now. No honest, aware person who follows the NBA would argue this. Kobe is a great, great player. He is a better shooter than Lebron right now. But if you're picking a 5 on 5 game for your life and Lebron and Kobe are there, you pick Lebron. He's a better defender; off the ball and on the ball. He's a better shot blocker and rebounder than Kobe. He attacks the basket better than Kobe, and he's a better finisher. He's stronger, quicker, and faster. Lebron is a much better passer. Kobe is a better 3 point shooter and free throw shooter than Lebron; he is not a better closer or better in the clutch than Lebron. He has a better supporting cast which gives him more freedom- 1 on 1 matchups, the ability to get more shots, and guys who will pick up the slack when he goes 3 for 13 in the first half during a game 7.)

People across the world debate who's better all the time, Kobe or Lebron. Both of them play in the United States and for the United States. Also playing in the NBA and for the US national team are Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade, and Dwight Howard, all of who I would argue are better than Kobe right now but that's for another day. My point: if you want to root for something the US is the best at and beats the hell out of other countries in, it's basketball.

How much of the basketball did Rick, Patrick, and Jack watch of the 2008 Olympic games? Probably not that much. Maybe Jack watched some; I don't know and I don't care. There's nothing wrong with not liking something. I watched every minute of every game and I loved it. Does that make me patriotic? No, it just means I like basketball and watching guys compete for their country. If other people don't like that, then it doesn't make them anti-American. It doesn't make me better for watching it, either.

And Joe- we own basketball. We have owned basketball, and we will continue to own basketball. Since 1936 our men's national basketball team has competed in 16 Olympics. We've won 13 of 16. We placed second once and our two disasters came in 2004 and 1988 where we won bronze.
In 2008 we went 8-0 with an average victory margin of over 25. We beat the Argentinians by 20 in the semis. We beat Spain twice, by 37 and by 11. We have the best players in the world and luckily, proper coaching and organization in place. So as long as our best NBA players are proud to represent their country, which they currently are, then we will dominate every damn Olympics from now until 3012.



So what's my point to all this? I think we should try to win em all in everything. I hope we win the World Cup in 2014, and I'll watch every game. I can't wait to watch Lebron and Chris Paul dominate France in 2012. I rooted my ass off for the US when they almost beat Canada earlier this year in hockey. For mine and Bill's sake, I hope we win every women's volleyball medal the next time they play. But I won't watch because I dislike volleyball, and I won't tell other people they're wrong for not watching. And even if I think someone is missing out by not watching Lebron pin people and dunk on foreigners, I think it's only the right thing to do not to look down on someone or call them stupid for not wanting to watch a sport they don't enjoy.

Schiv and Joe, I know yall haven't promised harm (at least not yet) to Rick if he doesn't watch the next World Cup. There are going to be people though will try to tell him he's wrong for not watching, and the whole thing will annoy the shit out of him and many, many other good Americans. I can see where he's coming from, and I'll laugh every time he rips on soccer, the Cup, or US soccer players, because it's funny. Maybe something will happen where he will find a reason to watch and root for the US in the next World Cup. Maybe not. But you can't blame a guy for being happy something is over, when it's constantly on tv and tons of people he doesn't like try to tell him he's wrong for not liking it.

10-6.