American Sports

[danyel]

And Cricket, why don't you play that? Every country in the world apart from the Americans play that game.

Not really, just former British colonies play it (India, Pakistan, Autralia...).

No country in Latin America plays it, and I don't know much about it but I guess its not popular in Europe either, besides the British countries.

Baseball is just unwatchable, and I've tried, I even learned some of the rules...too boring, too much time between players at bat or between swings.

Football (soccer just for the US) is by far the most popular sport in the planet, played in all continents, played in the pourest countries in the world and in the richest.

[Polandprzem]

Everybody have their own view on sports.

Right now I'm piised off ! :pc2
Icant't go play soccer, I can't run , ride a bicycle and what pissing me off on max is that I can't play baskettball like I could a year ago.
Why?
Because of an injured knee!
**** it.
I love basket aspecialy NBA. Without it , probabably I would be in depression (but it's another story)
My dream is to watch live (in Arena) NBA games (Spurs in the finals- that would be something- huh?)

We've got passion to this game , we love to watch it and love to play it (I think).

And I'm open to every sport. What interest me - I watch it and maybe I'll try to play it.
Oh - not boxing (Hopkins in six)

Peace.

[orhe]

well it might be off topic...

i come from a basketball crazy country (philippines)
we have basketball courts on almost every street (well at least a ring)

due to the fact that the NBA has the greatest players + the greatest games, it has killed our local basketball sports scene.

more NBA coverage = less ticket sales

[jokinen]

Because americans don't give a damn what you think. as a country we are kinda like a George W or the stereotypical texan. We do what we want, we say what we want and if you don't like it, piss off.

and you are proud about it?

Baseball- the most boring sport in the world- SUCKS
American Football - SUCKS
Cricket - SUCKS

Futbol (soccer) - Rules
Basketball - Rules
Rugby - Rules.

[Shelly]

Baseball is just unwatchable, and I've tried, I even learned some of the rules...too boring, too much time between players at bat or between swings.

The only reason to go to baseball games is if you have free tickets and to drink beer.

[tlongII]

Baseball is an acquired taste, but if you grew up playing it every day as I did you would know how great it is. I love it.

American football is by far the most popular sport in America. It has everything we love...violence, power, speed, pageantry, hot chicks, and beer. It is the ultimate game.

My personal favorite sport is basketball though. I've had more success playing basketball than the others so I have naturally gravitated toward it.

Soccer is an excellent sport when played by world-class teams. I was in London during the 2002 World Cup and watching the games in the pubs was fantastic. We just have very little quality games over here.

Rugby sucks. They are a bunch of wannabe football players. Every rugby player I have seen would get destroyed in a pro football game. Until you see pro football up close and personal you have no idea of the magnitude of size, speed, power, and violence in the game. It's unbelievable.

[Useruser666]

I've played on amateur teams for soccer, basketball, baseball, football, and beach volleyball. Basketball was the most fun to play, and at times required more stamina than soccer. Baseball was the most boring from a player's perspective. The funny thing about baseball is the pitcher and the batter are the two only players who are constantly under pressure. The pitcher is like the football quarterback, in the fact they have so many responsibilities to attend to. Hitting people in football was fun, like getting a hit in baseball or making a big catch. I guess basketball, being so fluid and action oriented, is just what drew me to it.

Useruser666 :eyebrow

[smeagol]

Rugby sucks. They are a bunch of wannabe football players

Ha Ha Ha!

Tlongll, most rugby players don't even know what American Football is becuase is is only played in a compe ive league here in the US.

Rugby has a very rich history. It was created in the 1840s in England and is one of the most popular sports in many parts of the world, as diverse as NZ and Australia, France and the British Isles, Argentina and SouthAfrica.

I'm not saying American Football sucks, 'cause I enjoy watching games, but do not state that rugby players are Football wannabees. That statement is simply dumb and ignorant. In some countries such as NZ and Fiji, rugby is a religion.

Every rugby player I have seen would get destroyed in a pro football game.

Nonsense.

And I might add, at the end of the day, who the **** cares.

American football is by far the most popular sport in America. It has everything we love...violence, power, speed, pageantry, hot chicks, and beer

Sad. If you enjoy violence so much, your favorite sport should be Ultimate Fighting.

[Whottt]

For those who don't know American Football started out as Rugby...It was the American Rugby League...Rugby itself is an offshoot of Soccer...The people in our country that would be attracted to Rugby play football instead...

So basically our American Football is our version of both Rugby and Soccer...and out of all the games America has contributed to the World...Baseball..Basketball and Volleyball among them...American Football is by far our crowning achievement.

It is the most physical and direct team sport there is...Debate it if you want but the truth is that Football demands physical clashing...It is the nature of the game, not a side effect..no other sport besides boxing does this.

And the Superbowl is also the most watched event World Wide...so we must be doing something right...it is also the most expensive team sport, which explains why it isn't popular as a league sport in many other countries.

Soccer is a popular game to play here but it is not that popular to watch, and the truth is that baseball hasn't been a popular TV sport for decades...Baseball is what poor Americans played...you don't need a diamond to play it, you just need a stick and a ball...Soccer and baseball both were popular because of they were inexpensive to play...but neither of them are the most exciting game to watch IMO. I thinkt that's the truth...Football is exciting without an emotional or national investment...baseball and soccer aren't.

So the question is not when will we start liking soccer...indeed it is the oldest game, and it's not like we aren't aware of the game.....the question is...when are you guys going to catch up and start playing American Football..We changed the rules from the original Rugby rules to make it more exciting and more physical...IMO the rules worked.

Come...kick our ass in American Football..we lost interest in Soccer long ago...This is the year 2004....

[smeagol]

and out of all the games America has contributed to the World...Baseball..Basketball and Volleyball among them...American Football is by far our crowning achievement.

I don't understand how you come to this conclusion when Basketball and Volleyball are sports that are played in almost every country in the world and baseball, to a lesser degree, also is (it is mainly played in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela and Japan). But American Football is only played in the US.

And the Superbowl is also the most watched event World Wide

Don't have the stats handy, but I believe the Soccer World Cup the most viewed sporting event in the world.

when are you guys going to catch up and start playing American Football

Good question. Don't know the answer.

What I do know is that it seams to be easier for the US to like soccer (one country playing a sport that the rest of the world already does) than the rest of the world starting to play American Football

[Whottt]

I don't understand how you come to this conclusion when Basketball and Volleyball are sports that are played in almost every country in the world and baseball, to a lesser degree, also is (it is mainly played in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela and Japan). But American Football is only played in the US.

Well, I come to that conclusion because it is the most popular of the American games in America.

Technically speaking though it is the most sophisticated and complicated game...

Technically speaking it is the sport that requires the most specalized athletes, it requires, agility, speed and strength at all levels.

It requires players of all sizes and weights...

And given the specialized nature of offense, defense and special teams it surpasses Rugby's 15 man requirement by ineffect requiring about 25-28 different starters.

Don't have the stats handy, but I believe the Soccer World Cup the most viewed sporting event in the world.

It's difficut to find the stats...technically speaking, China having 1/3rd of the World Population is capable of having the most watched event all by itself...

I don't know what the recent World Cup numbers are but I know that SuperBowl xxvii between the Cowboys and Bills held the record last time I checked...

And IIRC the most watched moment in TV history was this past Superbowl when Janet Jackson had her nipslip...I know that nipslip is the most searched event on the internet.

Good question. Don't know the answer.

What I do know is that it seams to be easier for the US to like soccer (one country playing a sport that the rest of the world already does) than the rest of the world starting to play American Football

Well we also pioneered the internet...should we go back to using scratchpads because the rest of the World doesn't have net access?

You don't go back to the horse and carriage...you can long for those days...you can talk about your love of classic things...but generally you move onward and upward...Rugby...and it's offshoots like American Football..and Aussie Rules football are progressions of Soccer...There will still be those who love the classic...but generally speaking... man marches forward...I know America does. Human beings do...you either do it or you become extinct.

America loves advancement newness and progression in all things...we aren't much on traditionalism..We move onwards...and that's what football is to us VS Soccer..

[Whottt]

And just so we are clear on this to the Rugby lovers...America is the reigning two time defending champion in Olympic Rugby which at the time was the defacto World Championships..So all you guys accusing us of being afraid to play it...Fraid not...


You guys haven't even caught us in Rugby yet...so I guess we won't be seeing the gridiron gaining in popularity anywhere else but America for quite a few years.

I do like Aussie rules football though...I wish they would show it here again...See America isn't the only country that alters games...We changed the rules to a form we like better...We don't get upset that noone else like American Football...So I don't see why everyone gets upset that we aren't that big on Soccer..

[danyel]

And the Superbowl is also the most watched event World Wide

I highly doubt that, 2002 world cup final was watched by aprox. 1.5 billion people

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/2002

But its probably the most watched annual event world wide.

[Whottt]

I don't know what the numbers were for the most recent Superbowl...but I am 100% Certain that the Bills Cowboys Superbowl held the record for many years...even in the era when the World Cup was telivised in virtually every nation...how can that be explained?

But if 1.5 Billion watched the last World Cup then I imagine that would put it number 1 now.

And I would be willing to be that the Bejing Olympics will challenge that total...Speaking of which why aren't the Olympics rated higher? They have Soccer and basketball the two most popular sports in the World...So they have sports equally popular in America and the rest of hte world.. and unlike the World Cup every country in the World Participates...

Why aren't the Olympics number 1? Confusing.

But since you mentioned annual events and said the Superbowl is probably the most watched...that still begs the question...since basketball is so popular world wide...allegedly more popular than American football..and since even the NBA has become an international organization with it's large number of international players...how is it that the Superbowl still outdraws the NBA finals?

American Football is a great game...I do not see how you can like Rugby and not football...the lure of both games is the violence...and Football is a hundred times more violent...it is designed to be more violent...

I will always regret that the Soviets never took up the challenge to play American Football as well as they did basketball and volleyball...that would have the been the dream sports events for a lot of Americans...The USSR and America trying to rip each others heads off at the height of the cold war...


By the way...how come you guys in South America and Britain haven't picked up Hockey yet? I mean it's right there with Soccer and Basketball for World Wide popularity....

[smeagol]

I do not see how you can like Rugby and not football

Who are you talking to. I said many times I like American Football. I only said I like rugby better.

[danyel]

Why aren't the Olympics number 1? Confusing

You mean all events added or just a single event?

how is it that the Superbowl still outdraws the NBA finals?

It's 1 game against 4 to 7 games.

By the way...how come you guys in South America and Britain haven't picked up Hockey yet? I mean it's right there with Soccer and Basketball for World Wide popularity....

I guess you do know that it doesnt snow in most South American countries at all, so winter events like hockey arent big at all, although field hockey kinda but just in Argentina.

I think football (soccer) popularity in the US is going to increase in the next years along with the latin american community increasing.

[smeagol]

Well, I come to that conclusion because it is the most popular of the American games in America.

I do not doubt that. But you said of all the sports that America has contributed to the World. So my statement still stands. Volley and basketball have made an impression in other countries and are therefore contributions by America to other parts of the World who did not come up with them (or anything similar).

American Football seems to entertain only Americans (hardly a contribution to the rest of the World).

I don't know what the recent World Cup numbers are but I know that SuperBowl xxvii between the Cowboys and Bills held the record last time I checked...

According to the link below, the last superbowl was viewed by 1 billion people.

www.superbowl.com/features/entertainment/aerosmith

Well we also pioneered the internet...should we go back to using scratchpads because the rest of the World doesn't have net access?

You don't go back to the horse and carriage...you can long for those days...you can talk about your love of classic things...but generally you move onward and upward...Rugby...and it's offshoots like American Football..and Aussie Rules football are progressions of Soccer...There will still be those who love the classic...but generally speaking... man marches forward...I know America does. Human beings do...you either do it or you become extinct.

America loves advancement newness and progression in all things...we aren't much on traditionalism..We move on wards...and that's what football is to us VS Soccer..

Whottt, I don't follow where you are trying to get to.

Are you saying that, for example, because badminton, squash and paddle are offshoots of tennis, we should move on and stop playing tennis in favor of those other sports?

If tomorrow somebody comes up with a revolutionary sport where people bump into each other, beat the out of each other, and score by throwing a ball into a hoop, people should forget about basketball?

America is the reigning two time defending champion in Olympic Rugby which at the time was the defacto World Championships

What are you talking about?

There is a Rugby World Cup. Its has been played since 1987. The trophy is called William Webb Ellis Cup, in honor to Rugby's creator. It is played every four years (much like the Soccer World Cup). The last champion was England (2003).

So I don't see why everyone gets upset that we aren't that big on Soccer..

Again. I'm not upset. I just find it peculiar.

[Whottt]

Smeagol wrote:

Who are you talking to. I said many times I like American Football. I only said I like rugby better.

I was talking to all the Rugby lovers who didn't like football as I had stated in the previous post, where I mentioned America still being the reigning two time Olympic champ in Rugby. Neither of those last two Rugby rants were directed at you in particular.

[Whottt]

You mean all events added or just a single event?

I mean a single event, say gold medal game featuring basketball or Soccer...the Olympic format for Soccer is virtually the same as the World Cup...so why the difference in ratings? In particular since Olympic coverage should be carried in more countries than the World Cup since more countries participate(in all the various compe ions) in the Olympics.

I mean I have to believe that the Olympics are recieving more TV coverage in countries like China and the USSR than the World Cup, thus making it easier for people in those countries to catch the Gold Medal Soccer or basketball game.....so why the difference in ratings?

It's 1 game against 4 to 7 games.

Well there still has to be a penultimate game of the finals...let me put it a better way...why didn't say....Game 1 of the Lakers VS Rockets draw better than the Superbowl...you are talking the most popular basketball team in the World facing a Superstar from the worlds most populous nation...so why don't any 1 of those games outdraw the Superbowl?

I guess you do know that it doesnt snow in most South American countries at all, so winter events like hockey arent big at all, although field hockey kinda but just in Argentina.

So do you think that environmental differences play as much a factor in Northern Countries as they do in Southern? With regards to sports like Soccer?(And BTW we didn't invent the word Soccer, the British did)

Just out of curiosity, what part of the World has won the most World Cups? The Southern or the Norther? How have Canada and Russia done in World Cup Soccer? How popular is it in those countries?

Realize this...most organized sports in America were first organized in the Northern(and thus colder) part of the country...Soccer doesn't lend itself to either a cold weather or indoor environment...That doesn't explain away the popularity of baseball but you still don't play baseball in shorts...

[Whottt]

I think football (soccer) popularity in the US is going to increase in the next years along with the latin american community increasing.

And this is what I don't get...you guys act like we have never heard of Soccer or seen a Soccer game....

We have...we have had the choice Soccer or our other sports for many years now and we choose other sports...

America is made up of people from countries where Soccer is the most popular sport...the modern version of Soccer was invented and exported by the British...we were a British colony...The Indians living here prior to colonization played a game similar to Soccer....we still chose other Sports over it...

The fist pro Soccer club in the World not based in England was in the US...the first international Soccer games played outside of England were played in the US...

Pele himself played pro Soccer in the US and tried to give the game popularity here....he succeeded farily well..but he couldn't put it on the level with football, basketball or baseball...We have had decent Soccer crowds before...we pioneered womens Soccer and drew some amazing attendance records for womens athletic events...

We have had about 2000 different pro Soccer leagues in the US...It's as good as it's going to get barring Freddie Adieu leading us to a World Cup and even then it's still not gonna replace American Football or the NBA.

It's not going to happen...we know what Soccer is..it isn't some mystery to us...we just like other sports better.

Gurantee you that most Americans have seen more Soccer games than other countries have seen American Football games...It's not us that are ignorant of the World and Soccer...it's vice versa...

Latin Americans do like Soccer but a funny thing happens to them when they move to America permanently..they become American....they learn to love American Football real quick...using that immigration logic baseball should still be the most popular sport in America given it's popularity in Latin America...but it isn't.

[danyel]

Even with China being the most populous country in the world a big part of their population is still pour, so I'm not sure most of those families have a TV set over there, probably not.

Soccer olympics isnt that popular for a variety of reasons (U23 with 3 older, many countries not sending their best players, etc.). I have no idea how the ratings in the basketball medal game were, truth is that there arent any serious measurement of ratings globaly so its all just conjetures and predictions.

In the NBA finals of course there is always a last game and a penultimate game but you never know that, do you? except if its the 7th game.

So do you think that environmental differences play as much a factor in Northern Countries as they do in Southern? With regards to sports like Soccer?(And BTW we didn't invent the word Soccer, the British did)

Well, many northern countries, like Russia or Iceland have a shortened period in wich their soccer leagues take place, so I guess it does play a factor.

Just out of curiosity, what part of the World has won the most World Cups? The Southern or the Norther? How have Canada and Russia done in World Cup Soccer? How popular is it in those countries?

Southern: Brazil has 4, Argentina 2, Uruguay 2
Northern: Italy 3, Germany 3, France 1, England 1.

Pretty much tied. But none of those European countries has a shortened period soccer league. You can play soccer in snow, they use an orange ball.

I guess soccer is pretty popular in Russia, no idea about Canada.

I have ever heard of a ice hockey game league being played in Argentina, or even a single match. Ice skating places are not that popular either.

[Whottt]

But you said of all the sports that America has contributed to the World. So my statement still stands. Volley and basketball have made an impression in other countries and are therefore contributions by America to other parts of the World who did not come up with them (or anything similar).

Well we contributed American Football to the world everybit as much as we did Basketball or Volleyball...the rest of the world just hasn't learned to appreciate it....the contribution is the same...the appreciation isn't. It's the best game we invented...both technically and based on popularity among Americans.

According to the link below, the last superbowl was viewed by 1 billion people.

http://www.superbowl.com/features/en...ment/aerosmith

Well then it must be popular with people in countries where it isn't played since there are only about a quarter that many Americans in world.

Whottt, I don't follow where you are trying to get at.

Are you saying that, for example, because badminton, squash and paddle are offshoots of tennis, we should move on and stop playing tennis in favor of those other sports?

No, I'm not saying that...but I'm saying you don't not embrace a newer game just because the rest of the world doesn't...nor should the rest of the world not embrace that game just because it isn't Soccer.

Soccer is an ancient game..and you are not going to like this... but it is a very simple game that while it does involve immense skill...it also is based on a lot of luck and has a very helter skleter nature...gamees like that aren't that popular in American...Hockey..Handball...Field Hockey...even the modern version of Water Polo..which we invented...those games just aren't that popular in the USA...even baseball as it has become more pitching dominated, and thus more of a game of luck, has dropped in popularity.

If tomorrow somebody comes up with a revolutionary sport where people bump into each other, beat the out of each other, and score by throwing a ball into a hoop, people should forget about basketball?

LOL Watch the NBA much? No need for a new sport because that is what basketball is becoming...

What are you talking about?

There is a Rugby World Cup. Its has been played since 1987. The trophy is called William Webb Ellis Cup, in honor to Rugby's creator. It is played every four years (much like the Soccer World Cup). The last champion was England (2003).

What am I talking about? Violence loving American Athletes and sports fans moved on from Rugby to the much more violent NFL long before 1987...when Rugby was the most violent game around we were the best at it and the last Olympic champions...which at the time were the World Championships...then along came the NFL...those types of athletes who play Rugby in any other country, play American Football in America...Plus football requires other types of athletes as well... a lot of our kickers were Soccer players when they were younger...ask them why they chose the NFL..

You won't see us winning any Rugby or Soccer World Cups because our best athletes do not play those sports...if we start winning those as well then the rest of the World has a problem as far as the athletes they are producing...

[danyel]

So why you think it is Whottt that American Football hasnt catched internationaly? I mean it can't be just ignorance, right? how is it that we know about basketball and volleyball and not about american football?

Soccer is still the cheapest sport to play in the world, I think thats probably where its popularity is based.

You don't think soccer is more popular between the hispanic community than in the average population? so how that with the increase in the hispanic population soccer wont become more popular?

Univision Broadcast of Mexico-USA Game the Most-Watched Sporting Event in History of U.S. Spanish-Language TV

Univision press release

Mexican Soccer Broadcasts Break Audience Records for the Univision and Telefutura Networks

In fact, more Hispanic Men 18-49 watched this emotionally charged final match than watched the 2004 Super Bowl, last year’s World Series Final or the 2004 NBA Final.

Another Univision press release


Whottt, Why you always have to act like its a personal attack on you? I dont get it.

Cant we just find it unsual that by far the most popular sport in the world isnt popular in the US?

[Solid D]

You can take all those sports that Whottt is posting about and put them on TV...but if a World Wrestling Federation wrestling event is on the tube, my guess is Whottt will forsake the other sports for WWF every single time. 8)

[smeagol]

Well we contributed American Football to the world everybit as much as we did Basketball or Volleyball...

NO

Again, if American Football was a "contribution to the rest of the World" the rest of the World would embrace it (like they embraced Basketball and Volley). The rest of the world has not embraced it.

In Argentina we invented a game called "Pato". Its played on horseback. Two teams of four players each (much like Polo) try to grab a ball with handles and through it in a goal. To the best of my knowledge, it is only played in Argentina. I would say it is hardly a contribution to the rest of the World.

American Football is a contribution to the US. The rest of the World does not care.

Well then it must be popular with people in Countries where it isn't played since there are only about a quarter that many Americans in world.

You did not get my point. I put up the link to show you that what you said in an earlier post was incorrect. You said:

And the Superbowl is also the most watched event World Wide

And this is incorrect.

Superbowl: 1 billion

2002 World Cup Finals: 1.5 billion (as per Danyel's post with the link).

No, I'm not saying that...but I'm saying you don't not embrace a newer game just because the rest of the world doesn't...nor should the rest of the world not embrace that game just because it isn't Soccer.

Yes, yes you are saying that. You spewed some nonsense about the internet, about how you don't go back to the horse and carriage, about how America loves advancement newness and progression in all things, so lets forget about old sports (soccer, tennis) and embrace the new ones (American Football).

I was talking to all the Rugby lovers who didn't like football as I had stated in the previous post, where I mentioned America still being the reigning two time Olympic champ in Rugby

Please read one of my previous posts about this subject. This statement still shows your lack of knowledge about rugby.