2008 Woodie Awards
Connor Ramey: Soccer's global stranglehold
By: Connor Ramey
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Sports
|
These are just a few excuses people give to justify their hatred of soccer, and I'll be honest, I used to be one of them.
For about 10 years, I hated soccer. Maybe it was the running part or the fact that a two-goal lead was indestructible. I would rather do a billion different things than lace up the soccer cleats and strap on the shin guards.
Then my 20th birthday came and everything changed.
I was in Italy at a Juventus soccer game, and I finally saw what the world's fuss was about.
The game was precise, quiet and rhythmic. It wasn't in-your-face, it was poetry in sport form.
Maybe it was the atmosphere.
Stadio Olimpico was filled with Italians of all sizes, waving banners and making sure the opposing team knew where they were. It was a sight.
And I was caught up in it all. I couldn't help but scream and chant with the passionate crowd. They cared to such an extreme, I was infused by it.
For the first time since I wore my Tracy Youth League Soccer uniform 10 years earlier, I actually cared about soccer.
Even though it's the most popular sport in the world, soccer is foreign to Americans. The belief is that David Beckham is a soccer god - he isn't. Try Ronaldinho, Messi or any other player who goes by just one name.
It's not America's citizens' fault, though. The country is pumped full of football, basketball and baseball. They are our sports, and they are the only things advertisers know how to promote.
When was the last time you saw a soccer ad? Without Beckham? Yeah, probably never.
The opportunity to find soccer love is here in California. The San Jose Earthquakes is one of the better teams in Major League Soccer - though the league itself isn't very good.
At Chico State, our soccer teams are very good. The women's team came into the year expecting to win the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship, and under new head coach Felipe Restrepo, the men's team is resurrected and has started the season with an 8-1 record.
Don't write off soccer just yet, it's the most popular sport in the world for a reason - I'm glad I found it again.
Connor can be reached at
sportseditor@theorion.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
JDO
posted 10/01/08 @ 6:47 AM PST
I appreciate your appreciation of soccer, but I'm a bit bewildered by your drastic underestimation of the sport's popularity in America. MLS gets attendance and TV ratings similar to the NHL. (Continued…)
Angelo
posted 10/01/08 @ 7:59 AM PST
Great story. Im a native Brasilian, and just now im in NY to see what the soccer scene was.....until i found out there was barely anything. thats why i support soccer in America and the MLS. (Continued…)
8282
posted 10/01/08 @ 2:06 PM PST
But the NHL is the best league in its sport and 25 out of its 30 arenas don't hold 20,000 people. The attendance comparison is completely off-base.
MLS needs to work on fixing its attrocious officiating if it wants to lure better players to raise the quality of play. (Continued…)
don gagliardi
posted 10/01/08 @ 2:08 PM PST
Hey, Connor, not only are the San Jose Earthquakes a great professional soccer club in Northern California, but the Quakes have some of the best, most passionate fans. (Continued…)
Mark
posted 10/01/08 @ 6:48 PM PST
always like to see converts, and more fans joining the ranks, but a small factual correction...SJ is one of the worst teams performance wise right now, not one of the best. (Continued…)
Post a Comment