World Cup doesn’t make soccer cool
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t get what the big deal is.
Okay, so the World Cup is going on. That’s great. But why does everyone suddenly care about soccer?
It’s not like soccer matters any other time. It’s not like most Americans can name many soccer players who aren’t David Beckham or even many teams that aren’t Manchester United.
And forget about teams that play in this country. Last time I heard about American soccer, it was the Detroit Rockers and I was 12.
I’m also convinced that 12 is the highest possible age that 90 percent of the people living in this country can reach and still think soccer is anything but boring.
Yet here we are, and all my sports-fiend friends are interested in forcing me to watch soccer games whenever we hang out. They can’t seem to do anything while a game could be playing on TV.
Sure, summer has a huge sports void. Baseball is only interesting in the highlights and basketball and hockey playoffs dwindle out early.
But, I have to say it – soccer just plain sucks.
The field is too big, there are too many players and nothing happens for way too long at a time. At least if the players could run each other over we’d have a game reminiscent of hockey or football, but that’s not allowed either.
Just because countries compete against each other doesn’t mean soccer isn’t a snore. But for some reason, just like the Olympics, people seem to think the chance to rub it in Europe’s face elevates sports like figure skating and softball to prime-time levels.
I can go watch people run back and forth on a huge piece of grass at my local kindergarten and be about as entertained as when watching the World Cup. I don’t need it on every TV in sight during the summer, too.
Reruns are boring enough.
Phil Hornshaw can be reached at news@cm-life.com
