03-05-2005 21:14									#1
	European Attitudes to American Soccer Increase the size of your Attachments

Just wanted to ask a question on how Europeans view American soccer. For a while, I had the impression that it was one of disdain and kind of snide looking down the nose stuff. On another forum, an American in Europe has told me that this is incorrect and most Europeans treat American soccer, players, and fans as the same as any other country and it is only those on the internet, who are most subject to US hype that react with disdain and put downs about American soccer fans.

I'm just curious to know how US Soccer is seen in your neck of the woods. Is American soccer seen as ridiculously hyped from a country that has no knowledge of the beautiful game, or is it just seen like any other country in the world not from Europe (ie, no different than South Korea for example).

	03-05-2005 21:17									#2
	Re: European Attitudes to American Soccer Increase the size of your Attachments

quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui Just wanted to ask a question on how Europeans view American soccer.

Americans steal our sports! Damn cultural imperialism!

	03-05-2005 21:18									#3
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First the Canadians... next, THE WORLD!!!

	03-05-2005 21:19									#4
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I have the impression that the US will come to dominate international soccer play. It could take several decades, though.

	03-05-2005 21:19									#5
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What's soccer?

	03-05-2005 21:20									#6
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US Soccer? It's treated like something isoteric that only exists on paper, and for shame. ( Basically, an anachronstic view, since US soccer is everimproving )

	03-05-2005 21:20									#7
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Association football, silly.

	03-05-2005 21:20									#8
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quote: Originally posted by DanS I have the impression that the US will come to dominate international soccer play. It could take several decades, though.

...and you're allowed to pick up the ball with your hands.

	03-05-2005 21:20									#9
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quote: Originally posted by DanS I have the impression that the US will come to dominate international soccer play. It could take several decades, though.

No, because this is a team sport. Being the only superpower doesn't matter here

	03-05-2005 21:20									#10
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I don't know too much about the subject, how we see americans in soccer. When it comes down to it, Europe is where it's at. Yes yes Brazil, and lots of other non-euro countries, but the bottom line, here's where its at, period.

The US? What's that, is that a country? I can't point it on map.. they have soccer there? Who, what, where?

	03-05-2005 21:21									#11
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quote: Originally posted by Japher First the Canadians... next, THE WORLD!!!

Let's just steal their games and change the names. That seems to piss them off, which is cool.

	03-05-2005 21:22									#12
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quote: Let's just steal their games and change the names. That seems to piss them off, which is cool.

And then force them into a greed driven lock out!

	03-05-2005 21:23									#13
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I haven't noticed any snide comments, on the French TV in the rare occurences American Football have been mentioned. From my little understanding, it seems we're much more interested in African and South American football than in US (or Asian) ones.

	03-05-2005 21:23									#14
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From my experience (never having attended one, but having seen loads of games on the telly), American sports fans are a bit strange. They're quiet when the game is! This will appear perfectly normal to Americans, but for fans of football especially, it seems odd that you don't cheer and sing songs to encourage your team/slag off the other team when they aren't playing that well. Even in the most boring footie matches, the crowd drowning out the commentators with (often lewd ) chanting is quite common, but American crowds are so well behaved. Please can some North American sports fans prove me wrong!

	03-05-2005 21:24									#15
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Well, to give a somewhat serious answer, I remember that the USians sold themselves quite well during some world championsship. OTOH - wasn't there a time when they really tried to make soccer (rather "artificially" IMO) great in the US by "buying" old Euro and Latin American stars? When was that....

	03-05-2005 21:24									#16
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quote: American crowds are so well behaved

Go to a Raiders game... especially when they are playing the Broncos.

	03-05-2005 21:26									#17
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quote: Originally posted by DanS I have the impression that the US will come to dominate international soccer play. It could take several decades, though.

that impression is wholly wrong.

	03-05-2005 21:26									#18
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Yes, because loudly chanting rude things, and booing during even more loudly during someone elses national anthem is the way to go, plus riots are cool if 3+ people are killed. Euro fans

Nah, soccer has it's own culture and fans and all the life to it. You can never fully suck all soccer in you, but soccer will fully suck you into itself. That's it.

	03-05-2005 21:26									#19
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quote: American crowds are so well behaved

Or to a Pacer's game.

I think the US just has better security, and is well needed. Us stupid American's get so competitive the heckeling and rockous cheering is discourage as it generally throws players from their game, or can cause one of the players to attack you. Still, there are a few in every game. The drunk guy rooting the Red Sox in Yankee Stadium.

	03-05-2005 21:30									#20
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American crowds are very well behaved. It's that concept called "sportsmanship" with which the barbarians are unfamiliar. Following a sportsman's code (minus the Yankees fans, etc.) is not a bad thing, IMO.

	03-05-2005 21:31									#21
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quote: Originally posted by Japher Go to a Raiders game... especially when they are playing the Broncos.

Thanks to the Raiders fans a lot of bars don't even have football anymore.

****ing Raiders

	03-05-2005 21:31									#22
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I have to admit I'm always pleasantly surprised when the likes of Imran talk about football, I did used to have a very low opinion of Americans knowlegde of the game, though this was probably just steroetyping.

Although it wasn't helped by the memory of a documentary I watched on Chester FC when they were bought by a Yank (Terry Smith), the guy did not know the first thing about football but kept interferring and eventually appointed himself manager, predictably enough Chester were relegated that season.

	03-05-2005 21:32									#23
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Ouch... that's perhaps the worst management of a team I've ever heard of!

	03-05-2005 21:34									#24
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US soccer is viewed like chinese playing basketball.
or greeks playing hokey

	03-05-2005 21:34									#25
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The game iisn't about management, though

	03-05-2005 21:38									#26
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quote: Originally posted by C0ckney quote: I have the impression that the US will come to dominate international soccer play. It could take several decades, though. that impression is wholly wrong.

The long-term trends are very auspicious for us. Our guys just have to keep improving themselves and avoid becoming sidetracked.

	03-05-2005 21:38									#27
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A lot of Americans play soccer as kids, but most high school teams are full of latin players, and the white and black kids just play the other sports.

	03-05-2005 21:40									#28
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quote: Originally posted by DanS The long-term trends are very auspicious for us. Our guys just have to keep improving themselves and avoid becoming sidetracked.

That, of course, goes for all teams.

	03-05-2005 21:42									#29
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quote: Originally posted by Kidicious A lot of Americans play soccer as kids, but most high school teams are full of latin players, and the white and black kids just play the other sports.

Yeah, most youth soccer players are not soccer fans when they grow up. By the time I was in high school, most of the people I played soccer with did not follow the game.

I think if the US plays its cards right and tries to keep more kids as soccer fans, we can be a Top 10 squad... though I wonder if it'll happen in my lifetime.

	03-05-2005 21:42									#30
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quote: Originally posted by BeBro That, of course, goes for all teams.

This is different. The underlying infrastructure for domination is being built, slowly but steadily.

Mark my words.