SOCCER

[middsy]

I read somewhere soccer is the number 1 sport in the world, I would fully agree with the statement being a keen player and avid supporter of the game, though what confused me was the fact that I didn't think the game was played in the U.S., as we don't ever play American football, and Baseball is a girl's sport called rounders, I just wondered if someone could verify that Soccer is actually played regularly in the U.S.

Southampton fan.

[TheDude]

Yes, soccer is played in America. We started our own national league (Major League Soccer) about 3 years ago and we have many good national and international players (including Lothar Mattaeus). Soccer is played at every high school and junior high and is one of the more popular organized youth sports. Unfortunately, except for us few Americans who appreciate the beauty of the sport, most are largely indifferent to both national and international soccer. I would like to think that that is changing, but only time will tell.

TheDude
Bundesliga and US National Team fan

[ruadh]

I'm not sure why this is in the Pit, but I guess I should respond accordingly.

SOUTHAMPTON? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

- Celtic & DC United fan

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[ellis555]

US national team has been doing pretty well for itself lately. if memory serves me right, we downed germany and brazil, and lost a tight one to mexico.

ellis

[Bluepony]

Well, Middsey, I guess you haven't seen rounders like we play it here in the States. Having played baseball myself, I can tell you it ain't fun getting hit by a wild pitch from a 5 1/2 ounce leather ball that routinely hits 90-95 miles per hour. Outstanding success is when you can hit this ball safely 3 out of every 10 times you come to bat. Baseball may have had its origin in rounders, but it definitely isn't a gentle children's game.

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"...send lawyers, guns, and money..."

Warren Zevon

[Rodd Hill]

EN-GER-LAND!
EN-GER-LAND!

We'll meet you at the gates
We'll meet you at the gates...

[Contestant #3]

Soccer being #1 means that it is a game that more people are able to play than other games. Little girls can play soccer. Uncoordinated little boys that aren't tough enough to make the football team or talented enough to play baseball or basketball get signed up to play soccer so that they can live the illusion of being an athelete.

Soccer is for wimps and losers.

If one of my boys had ever come home and said "Dad, I want to play soccer" I would have kicked their ass on the spot. I think it's fine if my girls want to play though although I'd have to fight the urge to slit my throat while sitting through an entire game.

Luckily my girls opted for tennis and softball.


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Contestant #3

[pricciar]

Well, I guess we know one thing for sure- Contestant 3's wife isn't one of the proverbial soccer moms that are constantly spoken of by pundits.

pat

[Contestant #3]

Damm straight!

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Contestant #3

[gypsy]

oh yeah, the football wimps wear protective gear up to wazoo.....Many more physical injuries in soccer than in football and baseball combined. It is really good when you are considered great player....and you miss 80% of the time

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Unforgiven

[Contestant #3]

More injuries occur in soccer because the players are bigger sissies and they are frail and dainty to begin with.

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Contestant #3

[dasmoocher]

gypsy--Football wimps? Try playing football without pads. It is a brutal game. What kind of soccer injuries are you talking about? Helmet and shoulder pads won't protect you against twisted ankles and such or whatever injuries soccer players suffer. OK, I know there are more serious hurts than sprains and muscle pulls in soccer; I've played both sports. Soccer as a little kid until I went out for football as a high school freshman. After that, for me at least, I wondered why I wasted my time with soccer. Football was a much more physically and, yes, mentally demanding sport. Kick a ball back and forth or remember 50+ different plays and calls while mind fucking the guy across the line from you. And this was high school ball, imagine what the pros need to know/do.

[ruadh]

647, no offense, but you really aren't a good judge of how demanding a sport is if you haven't played it since you were a kid.

The professional game is VERY demanding physically - it isn't for no reason that teams hate to play more than one game in a seven-day period. As for mentally, tactics are crucial on virtually every level of the game and if you don't believe me I'll happily forward you some of the posts from one of my mailing lists, next time my team loses and the listmembers spend days analyzing what we did wrong.

I really am not bothered by Americans not liking soccer - in certain people's cases, I'd just as soon not have those types of fans at the games - but the negative comments made out of (unacknowledged) ignorance do irritate.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

Ruadh-true, I haven't played soccer since I was a kid, but I have played both sports on an organized level. You state I'm not a good judge of soccer because I haven't played since I was young and then mention that ignorance is irritating. So, have you played football? On any (real)level, I'm not talking about touch or flag If you haven't, how would you know how demanding football is, as compared to soccer? I don't think my comments were that negative. I was replying to gypsy's post about football pussies. And, I qualified my statements by saying "for me at least". Soccer is not a bad sport; I just prefer football.
P.S. My own wacked theory about the lack of interest in professional soccer in the U.S. is: How the hell would you bet on it? An over of 2 goals, under of 1? What the hell is a point spread in soccer? American gamblers can't relate.

[Satan]

Oh, I must admit enjoying the Women's US World Cup Champions, but I think it was more due to patriotism than a sudden love for a sport that doesn't allow you to use your hands... Personally, I like using my hands...

Anyway, I have real issues with this "penalty kick" nonsense. It's like deciding a baseball game with a home run derby, an NBA final with a free throw shooting contest, or a football game with a field goal kicking event.

The solution - PLAY UNTIL YOU DROP!!!!

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Brian O'Neill
CMC International Records
rockuniverse.com/cmc/cmc.html (http://rockuniverse.com/cmc/cmc.html)

ICQ 35294890
AIM Scrabble1
Yahoo Messenger Brian_ONeill

[Big Iron]

Just for the record, soccerphiles, I'm pretty sure that auto racing is a lot more popular than "futbol," and that basketball is gaining fast.

[Omniscient]

Any of you idiots who think football players are wimps for wearing padding...tell you what...how about me and you suit up and have a little hamburger drill, you can take ball or not. I don't care, you will change that opinion after one pop. Don't foget the pads are hard on the outside, they're alot like weapons. And to be fair, we can play some soccer too...I'll score on you just like i did your sister. You'll be praying for the ref to pull out the red card.

I always laugh when soccer fans call football fans uneducated and unaware of the nuances and thats why we don't enjoy it. But, of course 90% of US kids play soccer for years until high school, and understand the game qite well. Yet very very few soccer fans have ever worn a set of pads and squared off against anyone. The ones who have, don't critisize football, and likely don't compare it to soccer.

[ruadh]

647: I don't believe I said anything about football. I wouldn't, since my experience playing it is as limited as yours playing soccer. Point is, I wouldn't downplay how demanding American football is, the way you did with soccer.

As for betting on soccer, the industry is absolutely thriving in Europe. You bet on the result, the first player to score, sometimes other things. I am not a gambler myself, so that's about as much of an answer as I can give.

Omniscient: I have watched plenty of games with plenty of Americans who "played soccer for years" and it's absolute rubbish to say they understand the game quite well. I still find myself having to explain the offside rule, for God's sake. However, I do agree that understanding the game would not necessarily increase their enjoyment.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

ruadh-since this the Pit, I'll kick this sleeping dog. If you have as much experience playing football as I have playing soccer, you must have played organized football for 7 years. Did you learn anything? You say soccer is a VERY (your bold) physically demanding sport. As compared to bowling or billiards, yes. Himalayan mountain climbing is a VERY demanding physical sport. I played soccer at the same age as I played lacrosse. Granted, this was at the youth league level (as far as soccer went), but I can't remember ever getting winded playing halfback (is this still the name for the position?) during an entire soccer game. You can't run more than five minutes a shift playing midfield in lacrosse, depending on the pace of the game. Besides endurance, it is just as challenging to run through opponents with the ball in your stick as it is to dribble the soccer ball. And, they can legally clean your clock (picture checking in ice hockey, since lacrosse is the only native American sport played in the U.S. by schools and a lot of people may not be that familiar with it). I also wrestled in high school and I remember matches were I was on the verge of puking because I was so exhausted after they were over. As much as everybody in the world loves soccer, I still don't think it is that complicated or VERY physically demanding as opposed to other sports that people play. I actually think the simplicity of soccer-get the ball into the opposing goal without your hands-is the beauty of the game. Any group of people with a ball can play. No need for expensive equipment, as with football. As far as the betting on soccer goes, I'm glad the rest of the world has the same vices, but I was talking about AMERICAN gamblers.

[jayron 32]

Try playing football without pads.

They have it. It's called "rugby" and is like football, except you don't get to take breathers every few seconds and you don't get any blockers.

And Connie #3: Is there any way for you to post a message that is not intentionally patently offensive to people. There's no need to lambaste the entire sport of soccer because you don't like it. It doesn't upset me that you make these ignorant staements, what bothers me is that you're going to potetntially ruin the life of some innocent child of yours with misinformed opinions that have no basis in reality. What is truly frightening is a whole 'nuther generation of little Connie's running around.

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Jason R Remy

"No amount of legislation can solve America's problems."
-- Jimmy Carter (1980)

[Contestant #3]

Hey Jason,

I could really care less if I've offended anyone with my opinion on soccer. So what?

That's my opinion on the wimpy sport of soccer and I'm sticking to it.

For people to get offended just shows that they are weak-minded. For example, what if I write that it's my opinion that mayonaise sucks and that it's the worst freaking condiment ever conceived? That someone might actually get OFFENDED by that personal opinion is not my problem...it's theirs.

Next, I don't need someone like you who probably doesn't even have children telling me how to raise them. My personal bias toward soccer will not "ruin" anybody's life. My boys are accomplished atheletes, both currently being scouted in their respective sports... All four of my teenagers are self-confident, successful, and very popular. We've managed this long without YOUR advice, I imagine that we'll do just fine without it.

If you are lucky enough to find a woman that wants to reproduce with you and you have a son, feel free to encourage that he play soccer...I mean hey, not everyone is cut out to play football, basketball, or baseball...

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Contestant #3

[Omniscient]

"They have it. It's called "rugby" and is like football, except you don't get to take breathers every few seconds and you don't get any blockers."

An amazingly ignorant comparison, the two games share very little, and the contact in rugby is incidental compared to football. And curse you for making be back up C #3.

[kknick34]

Soccer is great, I love those 0-0 ties.
Also, why can't soccer put the official game time on a scoreboard?

[ruadh]

Also, why can't soccer put the official game time on a scoreboard?

uh ... at every professional game I've ever been to, they do.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[NicePete]

C#3, bring your ass onto any soccer field and I'll personally show you it ain't a sport for sissies or wimps, despite my being 10 years out of shape. I still have lumps and bruises from 10 years ago, plus my knees are permanently shot. Bring it ON and I'll gladly kick your ass! Or are you skeeeeeeerrred?

Hell, goalies are fuckin' maniacs!

My own personal opinion re: soccer is the reason it's so popular is that its great fun to play. However, it's a lousy spectator sport. I'd rather watch a loaf of bread grow mold than watch a soccer game.

By the way, Connster, I sure do appreciate your presence on the board here. However, I would suggest to you that just because an opinion is unpopular or offensive doesn't make it correct.

See you on the soccer field, you limp noodle!

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"Owls will deafen us with their incessant hooting!" W. Smithers

[Contestant #3]

Frankd6,

I must decline your offer to play soccer. Being the role model that I am, I must not be seen playing such a wimpy game lest I give young impressionable minds the mixed signal that it's OK for real men to play such an abomination of a "sport".

I'm sorry to hear about your broken-down physical state although it does serve to prove my point about soccer players being frail and dainty. Damm, good thing you didn't play football huh?



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Contestant #3

[NicePete]

Well, I did play football too. But that's not the point! Set a good example. Bwaahahahahahahahaha! We KNOW you around here. Set a good example my eye!

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"Owls will deafen us with their incessant hooting!" W. Smithers

[dasmoocher]

ruadh--so soccer becomes more demanding, complicated, and challenging at higher levels? Wow! What a unique sport. I stand corrected. You did answer my question about betting, though [no sarcasm]; it had come up in conversation. Not that this is related, but I was at a baseball game where the two guys next to me were betting on whether the ball ended up on the pitcher's mound or grass after every 3 outs and the players were leaving/taking the field. You can pretty much bet on anything.

[ruadh]

so soccer becomes more demanding, complicated, and challenging at higher levels? Wow! What a unique sport.

I think I've said three or four times that I'm discussing the game on its own merits, not in comparison to other sports. I'm sorry you don't seem to be able to do the same.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

Ruadh-since this is the Pit, I thought one of the purposes of posting here was to jerk another person's chain (didn't you make fun of Southhampton?), maybe I'm mistaken but I'm enjoying it--don't feel sorry for me. You want to discuss soccer on it's own merits but you stated the soccer was a VERY demanding sport; doesn't this imply that you are comparing soccer to other sports that might not be VERY demanding? VERY demanding as compared to what other sports? There are a lot of sports, so why do you rank soccer as VERY demanding on the broad spectrum of sports that people play if you're only interested in it's own merits? ;-)

[ruadh]

[QUOTE]There are a lot of sports, so why do you rank soccer as VERY demanding on the broad spectrum of sports that people play[QUOTE]

Why is it so hard for you to see that I'm not "ranking" it at all?

When you're out on the pitch, you know how much energy you're expending. You know what kind of toll it takes on your body. How football or lacrosse players (etc) feel has nothing to do with how you feel.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

Ruadh--Weak. I still say by that stating soccer is a very demanding sport, you are implying a comparison to the demands of other sports. The word very implies a furtherance (maybe not the right word, but I don't have a dictionary with me; and, I wasn't an English major) of the adjective it modifies. Your adjective-demanding-is referring to sport. Sport refers to all the games people play (damn! I need my dictionary for a more precise definition). Therefore, by saying soccer is very demanding, I say you are placing soccer somewhere along the upper reaches of the bell-curve of the relative demands of the broad spectrum of various sports. No matter how demanding soccer really is, I think you are "ranking" soccer, whether you realize it or not.

[ruadh]

Well, you can think whatever you like. It's ridiculous and wrong, but obviously I'm not going to convince you of that.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

Rest assured, I will think what I like. But, please point out how I'm ridiculous and wrong. If you make a good argument, maybe you will change my mind. I don't think I've been as close-minded as to the virtues of soccer as other posters.

[ruadh]

647, this debate isn't even about soccer anymore, it's about your claiming to read my subconscious. I don't see how I can possibly convince you that something you think is in my head, isn't, except to say that I would know better than you would. And if that's not enough, oh well.

I'm withdrawing from this particular argument. You want to actually talk soccer again, just let me know.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[dasmoocher]

Please don't quit. I'm having fun. Here's another question that you might be able to answer: why are soccer fans so easy to bait? Seriously, Brandi whipping off her top in the women's World Cup-how do you feel if this increases soccer exposure [pun, yes] in the U.S. If you get more soccer on T.V., would you care that it's probably due to the networks exploiting "cheesecake" female athletes as opposed to any consideration of soccer's athletic value.

[jayron 32]

Connie #3 stated:

Soccer is for wimps and losers.
If one of my boys had ever come home and said "Dad, I want to play soccer" I would
have kicked their ass on the spot. I think it's fine if my girls want to play though
although I'd have to fight the urge to slit my throat while sitting through an entire
game.



and later...

More injuries occur in soccer because the players are bigger sissies and they are frail
and dainty to begin with.

but then has the gall to say:

what
if I write that it's my opinion that mayonaise sucks and that it's the worst freaking
condiment ever conceived?

There is a vast difference between expressing distate for a sport and calling its participants sissies, danty, etc. etc. I don't particularly like watching soccer, and I will freely admit it. If you cannot see the difference between expressing distaste for an item or activity and making wild character assassinations of admirers of that item or activity, then you sir are what we call a "lost cause."

To summerize: It is OK not to like something. If people get offended that you don't like something, that's their problem and screw them. It's even okay not to like, and to publicly express dislike, individual people for the actions they commit and the things they say. If, however, you make derogatory and blatantly false statements about entire groups of people whom you obviously don't understand and don't care to, then it is the duty of every decent citizen to get offended and to put you in your place. I could give a damn about soccer, but I also would never claim anything derogatory about its fans and players.

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Jason R Remy

"No amount of legislation can solve America's problems."
-- Jimmy Carter (1980)

[ruadh]

647:

Granted, this was at the youth league level (as far as soccer went), but I can't remember ever getting winded playing halfback (is this still the name for the position?) during an entire soccer game.

"Midfield" is the more common term. And the fact it was youth league strikes me as pretty significant. At higher levels, playing with (and, more importantly, against) more skillful players, it's much more challenging. Whether it's more or less demanding than football, or lacrosse, or whatever, I don't know and frankly don't care. It is a demanding sport and nobody who's played it above strictly amateur level thinks otherwise.

I actually think the simplicity of soccer-get the ball into the opposing goal without your hands-is the beauty of the game.

Yes, it's very simple ... at low levels. Where you aren't concerned about things like formations, man-marking systems etc. At higher levels tactics are crucial and anyone who goes into a game thinking all they have to do is "get the ball into the opposing goal" is going to get slaughtered.

As far as the betting on soccer goes, I'm glad the rest of the world has the same vices, but I was talking about AMERICAN gamblers.

*shrug* you asked how you would bet on soccer. All I did was tell you how.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[middsy]

Soccer, no proper football is a double-hard bastard sport, take your American games, and as someone previously said I can't comment on these as I've never played them, but I imagine they're pretty tough aswell, it's a patriotic thing, y'all think your countries sport is one of the best and I respect that,
They Might Be Giants are the best thing to come out of America!
I'm losing the plot here!

Southampton fan

[bj0rn]

yeah we all know how much everybody loves 0-0 ties.
coming back to that later, first the word football. everywhere exept in the us its got the same meaning, but no...americans understand that as their go headtohead game where you score 6 points with a touchdown, i guess they dont like those zeroes much. well, anyhows...since the word football was taken they used the word soccer to describe what most people understand as football (the same goes for handball, in the us it is known as team handball). now the origins of the us football...thats rugby, so there is the similarity you are looking for. and yes, rugby has got contact without pads.

simply:
first rugby then us football
first football then soccer (but isnt that the same thing...duh)
first handball then team handball

does anyone sense a pattern here?
since the americans didnt invent it they have to somehow make it their own. ok ill grant you basketball (although different older versions of it are know) but that is a sissy sport.

conserning the fact that football is the nr1 sport in the world. im not that sure about that, it could be true now. but only a couple of years ago volleyball was the nr1 sport, belive it or not...but its true.

bj0rn

[ruadh]

Brandi whipping off her top in the women's World Cup-how do you feel if this increases soccer exposure [pun, yes] in the U.S. If you get more soccer on T.V., would you care that it's probably due to the networks exploiting "cheesecake" female athletes as opposed to any consideration of soccer's athletic value.

I wish they'd stop trying to market it to Americans, period. That's how we end up with all these heresies like the shootout and the countdown clock and the eight team playoffs. There is a natural market in America - the Euro expat and Latino populations - and I know for a fact a lot of them aren't going to the MLS games not because the standard of playing is poor (it is, but no worse than in a lot of other countries), but because the MLS has put in all these stupid rules to try to appeal to baseball fans.

Uh, to bring this back to your question, I don't really care who they're exploiting, as long as they leave the rules of the game alone.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[Moonshine]

I think we are all agreed then that, whilst European football may be the most popular game in the world it is about as interesting as watching synchronised swimming, and American football is a game played by ogres with brains the size of peanuts who have a disturbing tendency for wearing very tight pants and touching each others ass at the slightest excuse. That leaves rugby as the only man's game in town, all the rest of you get back to mommy where you belong.

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It only hurts when I laugh.

[dasmoocher]

Moonshine-humorous. But I disagree with "ogres with peanut sized brains" for ALL football players, many of them-yes, and basketball, for that matter. If you can't get 700 on the SAT to play Division I sports, maybe you're stupid or unprepared and need to study. I guess we don't hear that much about Prop-48 casualties in other american collegiate sports because football and b-ball are the money makers with headlines in the press. Another thought, I wouldn't be surprised if those two sports have the highest rate of Prop-48s recruits. As far as rugby goes, it's the one sport I haven't played but wish I had (well, team sport, anyway); it looks like fun. I shredded a knee playing football and lacrosse; and, as much fun as rugby looks, it's not worth irreparable damage now. My knee makes enough funny noises as it is.

[Big Iron]

[[I think we are all agreed then that, whilst European football may be the most popular game in the world]]


Again, I am pretty certain that auto racing is considerably more popular.

[[American football is a game played by ogres with brains the size of peanuts who have a disturbing tendency for wearing very tight pants and touching each others ass at the slightest excuse. ]]


Surely you jest -- why, they're all college men! ;)

[tracer]

647 wrote:

Here's another question that you might be able to answer: why are soccer fans so easy to bait?

Because baseball and football fans can keep spectator fatalities down to less than 10 percent.

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I'm not flying fast, just orbiting low.

[Moonshine]

I think that "most popular" sport can't be defined by just the number of spectators but by the number of people who have actually played at some time, I hear that millions upon millions of people watch the Tour de France (up there in the Top Ten Boring Events) but cycling just can't be that popular. Sure lots of football players aren't dim, (hey, this is the Pit right) but you can't tell me that all those college players with the low foreheads are making some sort of excellent grade average without just a little help from a sympathetic and influential coach right?

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It only hurts when I laugh.

[Contestant #3]

What's up Monty? Still smarting from me making you look like a foolish narc over in the "Responses to bashing" thread in the Pit?

If you haven't read it yet folks, don't hestitate. You'll get a good look at Monty's true colors!


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Contestant #3

[Monty]

C3: no, you piece of crap; I'm not smarting. Anyway, that's a dead issue.

[Monty]

Contestant #3
Member posted 08-19-1999 02:20 AM
For people to get offended just shows that they are weak-minded.

OMG! C3 finally admits to having a weak mind!

[Big Iron]

[[I think that "most popular" sport can't be defined by just the number of spectators but by the number of people who have actually played at some time, I hear that millions upon millions of people watch the Tour de France (up there in the Top Ten Boring Events) but cycling just can't be that popular. ]] Moonshine


What makes you say that? Anyway, I'll bet a lot more people ride bikes than play soccer.

[[Sure lots of football players aren't dim, (hey, this is the Pit right) but you can't tell me that all those college players with the low foreheads are making some sort of excellent grade average without just a little help from a sympathetic and influential coach right? ]]


Picking up on sarcasm isn't your strong suit, I take it. ;)

[Monty]

BI: but are those folks riding bikes as a sport? There are a heck of a lot more autos in use today than just the ones used in racing. Does that mean everyone who drives a car is a racer?

I don't recall exactly where everything else falls in the list but the top two most popular sports are Soccer and Cricket, in that order. Check any reference book.

[Big Iron]

BI: but are those folks riding bikes as a sport? There are a heck of a lot more autos in use today than just the ones used in racing. Does that mean everyone who drives a car is a racer? ]] Monty


Yeah, I thought of that -- good point, but I do think a lot of people do it for the exercise and recreation of it (which makes it a bit different than having a car).

And I'm still pretty sure auto racing is the most popular spectator sport -- NASCAR is going nuts here, and those zany Europeans love racing!

[SatanGreavsie]

In the UK (this forum seems to be a little bit USA-centric!!) angling is the biggest participation sport - and actually accounts for more deaths than any other sport (including parachuting etc etc) as anglers fall in and drown quite regularly!
ANYWAY.....

IMHO Football (soccer that is, not the bastardised Rugby americans play) is the finest sport known to man - it has the World Cup - every continent on the planet (apart from Antarctica!) sends teams to compete for the title of being the best in the WORLD - not just the America's.

Is there an equivalent for "American" football? I think not.

[pldennison]

If that's your criteria, then soccer shares that distinction with, perhaps, track and field and gymnastics, so it hardly has any claims of exclusivity.

And baseball is still more popular than soccer in most of Latin America and in Japan.

[Jahender]

I'm not an super-educated soccer fan, but I think that good soccer i.e., English Premier league or World Cup soccer is interesting: the passes are crisp, the amount of long balls and runs are awesome and the quality of shots on goal are excellent. But I can not sit through five minutes of MLS or Chick World Cup or college soccer without requesting a razor to slit my wrists. I went to a Chicago-NY/NJ last year (two of the best teams if I remember correctly) and I was bored out of my mind.

I think the problem isn't that soccer is boring, it's that American soccer sucks and therefore it is boring.

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The power of accurate observation is frequently called cynicism by those who don't have it.
George Bernard Shaw

[ruadh]

Phil:

And baseball is still more popular than soccer in most of Latin America and in Japan.

How are you defining "most popular"?

(I'll give you Japan, it's Latin America I question.)

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.

[pldennison]

ruadh, in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico in particular, baseball is practically a religion. As excited as soccer fans may get for their national teams, and I have no doubt that they do, baseball is itin those countries.

Thinking about it, it seems to be the portions of Latin America closest to the U.S. in which baseball is the big sport; it probably doesn't hold true in Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

[ruadh]

Fair enough Phil, I knew that about Cuba and the Dominican Republic and I'll take your word for it on the other two.

For "most of Latin America" though, I'm pretty sure soccer comes first.

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Never regret what seemed like a good idea at the time.