SubscribeI get a kick out of you
Jonathan Bornstein, who was the subject of this Times‘ piece over the weekend…
and Benny Feilhaber, who was the subject of this piece from the Miami Herald… (Thanks to Korner friend Ari for this one).
I know soccer is the global sport of choice. Perhaps it’s because all you need is one ball and some land, rather than a lot of expensive equipment. But I must admit, I don’t get it. When my daughter was young, it was almost mandatory that she play soccer, but the combination of running back and forth for extended periods of time with either too much or too little scoring lost its appeal after a few years.
As for me, will someone please explain how the players seem to be “lent” back and forth between clubs? Who does Beckham play for these days?
I can understand your skepticism about soccer, Ron. I played it a bunch as a kid and then kind of forgot about it for years, but then, being the Jewish sports nut that I am, I started following Avram Grant’s team at Chelsea a few years ago when he was appointed manager, and I must say soccer/football (whatever you want to call it) can be very exciting when it’s played at the top level, for example in the English Premier League, Champion’s League, and the World Cup (coming up this summer by the way). True, some of the rules are a bit wacky, both on and off the field, but once you get a handle on them, they can be fun. My favorite is the relegation rule. If a team stinks, they are booted out of the entire league. Good thing they don’t have that for many of the teams I root for in the States, however, or else the Mets, Jets (with rare exceptions like this past season), and Islanders would be playing teams from Timbuktu.
I have to agree with Ari. Americans are facinated by the score most of the time and so am I. I came to football (socer) later in life drawn in by the artistry of the game played at the highest levels. Lots of people can throw a ball 40 yards to somebodies hands, but who can kick a ball to somebodies toe the same way.
The crowd affect is also a draw. It can be crazy but it’s exciting to be in the stands. No beer allowed in the stands @ Premier League games. Hmmmmm.
I love baseball and go to many A ball games locally. 3 hours of no action interupted by occasional great action.
In the book Soccernomics the authors predict the US will field the best teams in the near future. More kids play soccer in the US than in any other country on earth. Sooner or later the mass affect wil manifest itself.