Ferguson
Full Member
USA v. Barbados
ESPN are televising this match on Sunday, and they keep promoting it during the Euros.
It got me thinking that part of the reason why soccer can't be taken seriously over here is that so many of our competitors over here are just so awful.
I mean the U.S. seems to qualify for every World Cup automatically because Mexico is the only decent competition among our neighbors. In fact I think the USA-Mexico match is the only match which really generates any passion over here.
All these weak Caribbean nations and minnows from Latin America don't inspire much rivalry. Canada's national team seems to be thrown together without any practice and little in the way of facilities and preparation if their best player is to be believed.
At least when it comes to hockey there are rivalries between the Canadian cities and the American cities like Detroit or Buffalo that are near the border. And when the U.S. plays Canada in hockey the rivalry is there to be felt even though we usually end up losing.
But in soccer we have one rivalry with Mexico, and in the end we both get to qualify for the World Cup.
Russia? Nah, that was always done via the Olympics or in hockey. Iran or Iraq? Maybe for them, but I don't think most Americans feel competitive towards the citizens of those countries.
Americans loved to see our hockey teams beat Russia and Canada on the world stage, but I don't think there is a nation in the world including Mexico which could inspire similar passion and make soccer become an important sport in the U.S.
ESPN are televising this match on Sunday, and they keep promoting it during the Euros.
It got me thinking that part of the reason why soccer can't be taken seriously over here is that so many of our competitors over here are just so awful.
I mean the U.S. seems to qualify for every World Cup automatically because Mexico is the only decent competition among our neighbors. In fact I think the USA-Mexico match is the only match which really generates any passion over here.
All these weak Caribbean nations and minnows from Latin America don't inspire much rivalry. Canada's national team seems to be thrown together without any practice and little in the way of facilities and preparation if their best player is to be believed.
At least when it comes to hockey there are rivalries between the Canadian cities and the American cities like Detroit or Buffalo that are near the border. And when the U.S. plays Canada in hockey the rivalry is there to be felt even though we usually end up losing.
But in soccer we have one rivalry with Mexico, and in the end we both get to qualify for the World Cup.
Russia? Nah, that was always done via the Olympics or in hockey. Iran or Iraq? Maybe for them, but I don't think most Americans feel competitive towards the citizens of those countries.
Americans loved to see our hockey teams beat Russia and Canada on the world stage, but I don't think there is a nation in the world including Mexico which could inspire similar passion and make soccer become an important sport in the U.S.