US Out of World Cup, Now What?
The US is out of the World Cup and the collective American appetite for the world’s game immediately returned to where it was pre-Cup, non-existent.
The US had a chance to make a run. People were watching, people were excited, we even knew a couple of the player's names. They had our collective attention. And then they did what American soccer does. They under-performed. An uninspired game, a loss against a team they were favored to beat, and people started watching baseball again.
Team USA needs a deep run if they ever hope to permanently capture anyone’s sporting attention, and even that might not work. While the country would certainly get excited watching a World Cup title team, the basic core of soccer is fundamentally anti-American. It lacks what Americans love about athletes and athletics.
It isn’t the lack of scoring. The scoring chances provide excitement (some) to keep people interested. It isn’t even the horrible officiating. As bad as NBA, NFL or MLB officials might be, they are practically infallible compared to their soccer counterparts. A poor decision by a referee in the early minutes can decide the game. Go ask Mexico. Go ask England. Go ask the US. Kudos to soccer for having a gigantic playing surface and then placing one referee to officiate the entire thing. THAT’s very impressive. And to make it even more foolproof, give the referee no replay system to review game altering decisions. Even the worst officiating in sports isn’t why soccer will never be more than a 3rd tier sport in this country.
Soccer will never be mainstream here for one simple reason. Being a puss is a crucial, and worse yet, an effective part of soccer strategy. Diving, crying, complaining and faking are as fundamental to soccer as speed, stamina and skill. Worse yet, it’s everywhere. Every team does it. The best players do it. Pretending you have a broken leg, only to pop up and play on 30 seconds later isn’t met with derision and scorn, it is applauded and encouraged.
Think about it. Think of the athletes that are celebrated in this country. Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, Ray Lewis, Michael Jordan. Guys that may or may not be great human beings (most aren’t), but they’re all tough. Even if you hate Kobe Bryant, you admire his will, his tenacity, his competitive spirit. His willingness to play while hurt or sick. Think Bob Gibson pitching on a broken leg. Tiger winning the US Open on one leg. Jack Youngblood playing in a Super Bowl with a broken leg. Guys putting aside real, painful injuries to play. That’s what people like to see, what they like to celebrate. Americans like grit.
Ray Lewis was involved in a pair of murders at some level, and he’s on the cover of video games and selling products. Michael Jordan might be the most self-involved human on Earth not named Eldrick and people love him and want to “Be Like Mike”. Kobe Bryant can’t order room service for the rest of his life, but you can’t walk 10 feet without seeing a Kobe jersey. Tiger Woods sexed 73.9% of Las Vegas, but when he plays golf, people watch. Because they’re tough.
Soccer isn’t tough. Quite the opposite, in fact. Weakness, softness and mis-direction are integral to being a successful soccer player. Being able to fall to the ground while screaming and throwing your arms in the air is as important, if not more so, than great skill with the ball or a deft passing touch.
Throw flags on people’s backs, and I’ll watch. Give me some people waving US flags in the crowd and I’m in, but if soccer ever wants to be something other than a ‘once-every-four-years’ diversion, they are going to need to find their inner man, not their inner actress.
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Perfect analysis, Tr'Elvis!!
Perfect analysis, Tr'Elvis!!
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