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Like most Americans, I grew up playing football, basketball and baseball in season. And I attended high school, college and professional games. That's all I knew. That's all any of us knew.
Now I am told that more youngsters grow up playing soccer than football in this country. Would you believe it?
Soccer. The older generation, my generation, thinks it is a boring sport. No excitement. No home runs, no slam dunks, no long touchdown passes.
Well, that's what I used to think about hockey. Until I got slam dunked by the Stanley Cup, about 10 years before the Blackhawks turned Chicagoans into hockey fans.
I've written it before on this blog and I'll write it again: the Stanley Cup is more exciting than the World Series, Super Bowl, Final Four and the NBA finals. Even more exciting than the Kentucky Derby, Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500 and the World Cup.
But, like hockey, I've become a soccer fan in my later years. I got turned on by watching the English Premier League, the European Champions League and the World Cup.
This brand of soccer isn't boring. Unlike major league baseball games that last four hours or more or NBA or NFL games that test a viewer's patience while snoozing through one timeout after another in the closing minutes, the clock never stops running in soccer, even for injuries or substitutions or fouls.
It is a different style of play with the world's best players pitted against each other in front of crowds that number over 70,000 in Europe's grandest arenas. Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal are the Yankees, Celtics, Lakers, Colts and Patriots of professional soccer.
For Americans who grew up on a diet of football, basketball and baseball, soccer is an acquired taste, as hockey as been for so many Chicagoans who were turned off by the Bill Wirtz era and were persuaded to leap back on Rocky Wirtz' bandwagon.
The game of hockey didn't change, only in Chicago. Montreal was still winning Stanley Cups (more world championships than any professional team except the New York Yankees). Wayne Gretzky was the Michael Jordan of the sport. The Stanley Cup didn't lose any of its pizzazz.
The controversial 2-2 draw with Slovenia notwithstanding, the United States is gradually becoming more competitive in world soccer, just as the U.S. has become a significant factor in international hockey, in the same class with Canada, just as the Europeans have raised the caliber of their game and become competitive with the U.S. in men's basketball.
It will take more time, of course, but soccer is receiving more exposure in this country, thanks to ESPN's coverage of the English Premier League. The Champions League playoff, pitting the best teams in Europe, features the best players in the world, including headliners from Brazil and Argentina. All of them are on display in the World Cup.
If you are a true sports fan, you have to appreciate the best athletes in the world, whether the sport is basketball or soccer or hockey or downhill skiing or Formula 1 auto racing.
Cell Phone Alerts
THE WORLD CUP IS PRETTY COOL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE BILINGUAL, YOU CAN WATCH IT ON ESPN AS WELL AS THE SPANISH NETWORKS!
THE AMAZING THING IS, WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER FOR AN ATHLETIC EVEN, WORLD CUP, OLYMPICS, BUT OFF THE PLAYING FIELD THERE IS STILL ALOT OF TURMOIL BETWEEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!
I READ AN ARTICLE THAT SOUTH AFRICA DID NOT WANT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO COME TO THE WORLD CUP BECAUSE THEY FEARED FOR HIS SAFETY AT THE EVENT!
WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?
THE WORLD CUP AND THE OLYMPICS SHOW THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER, IF WE WOULD TRY TO DO SO!
Taylor,
It seems like your topics of discussion have ran out of gas. Soccer, c'mon you can do better than that?
Soccer is not the subject we want to talk about, at least not me. I want to talk about the controversy of this past week.
The Sammy vs. Curtis Sr. title fight of words. (SMILE) I know, I know, you don't wanna talk about this, but I do. To me, Curtis not only won the bout, he showed class, poise and a wicked sense of humor at devouring Sammy who seemed to be an “it my way or the high way” kind of guy. Now, some would say that Curtis did not provide any ideas, but I say he did offer ideas- as questions. I think bloggers just weren’t listening.
For the record, I think both mean brought passion for the "Public League in crisis" issue. However, I think Sammy, and maybe others; did not like the fact that Curtis Sr. did not offer much of ideas.
Or, was it that he knew more than he led us all to believe he knew or wanted to share. Remember, he did say his Dad worked for the CPS for many years, maybe he knew it was all for naught?
My point is, I think Sammy's frustrations with the attack on his "boy" Calvin Davis was getting to him, and that an obviously smart guy like Curtis Sr. did not give him what he wanted the way he wanted. All, without the name calling.
It seems people failed to realize that there have been several references to things Curtis Sr. "actually" did to make his own contribution to helping kids and others, but nobody heard all of that.
In my opinion, I think you blew an opportunity to tame a situation, but also keep the flame alive at the same time by cooling Sammy off and asking Curtis Sr. exactly why he did not offer in ideas for CPS to use, or maybe he ideas but just did not like the idea of turning them over to a school system that’s corrupt and has a "buddy ball" system set up to hire former greats whom lacked great ideas as directors. Just a thought.
Please, Pleez:
I guess it's a split decision. Sammy out pointed Curtis on my scorecard. Curtis threatened to sue Sammy but never really validated his own status, work, or accomplishments. He had no answers.
For 30 years, it has seemed like every kid in America has been playing soccer. And for 30 years, the great bulk have quit at about junior high age and completely lost interest in the sport. I used to think soccer would really catch on here, but finally came to the opinion that it never would.
Carl,
Excuse me, but I think you guys here suffer from memmory loss. Because, I read each and every post both men (Sammy & Curtis) posted last week, and he never threatens to sue, nor threatens anyone. It was very apparent he was advised of his "options" if Sammy's "tort behavior" continued, but he never said he "was" going to sue anyone.
Taylor has worn too much off on you guys, taking someone's words and flipping those words around for one own purpose is not a good thing.
That's too bad, but like my buddies have said, sometimes when people make up things about you, those who do so really don't bring much to the table. Despite our differences, one thing is for sure, Curtis seems to stay away from that type of behavior and I will too, before you all flip my words around.(Smile)
Oh, I forgot to mention. Most blogs are set up up for opinions or comments, not proving something to people who have proven nothing themselves. Besides, anybody can "shoot" at someone from behind a rock. Sammy never used a crdible e-mail. These are Taylor's words, but Sammy is a stand up contributor, pleez. Curtis won, has valid e-mail(taylor never accused him otherwise) and he invited Mr. Sammy, as Curtis would say, to a toe-to-toe on his work. The record shows Sammy folding. And yet, Carl says he won, its not even a fight if your breaking the rules of the fight and the ref (Taylor) allows it. What a shame. Shame on you Carl.
Sorry Pleez,
Split decision, Sammy. I'm a relatively new blog participant (with a valid email) who doesn't want to make any enemies. I read the entries during the bout and it's just my opinion that when Sammy called Curtis names like fake and a bloghead (which was wrong), he had challenged him to state what qualified him to be an expert, and to identify his work. There was no specific answer. That's when the legal issues were mentioned. Taylor was forced to respond due to legal recourse being brought up on his blog. Those with something to lose/risk sometimes write anonymously. That gives value to the information and opinions they share. Sammy had previously identified his work and probably couldn't risk it further. This is just my opinion, and will be my final comment on Sammy and Curtis. I'm a neophyte blogger who can live with whatever your response is. I respect the opinion of others even when I don't agree but I do enjoy a good debate. That's why I found the battle somewhat entertaining. The funding issue in education is a very serious one.
Peace.
Carl, thanks for putting the final the touches on that part of the discussion and not allowing it become a petty argument with no real point of contention.
Thanks Darnell. Your comments are on point as well. It's time to move forward from that issue.