# Wouldn't Soccer And Ice Hockey Be More Exciting Spectator Sports Without The Goalie? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 31, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969 "2012-07-31T16:35:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/101 "2012-08-13T04:24:42Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > My goodness, we did wake up grumpy today, didn’t we? No, she woke up informed, unlike you. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/102 "2012-08-13T05:42:47Z")
> [@Docta\_G](#): > > No, she woke up informed, unlike you. Not having ever claimed to be informed, I will gladly admit that I have been informed by this thread, and what’s more, I’m not grumpy about it. Thanks to all who participated. Not having a goalie would probably not work at all well for soccer. It still bores me, but that’s my problem, not yours. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/103 "2012-08-14T17:11:29Z")
See ya. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/104 "2012-08-14T18:20:39Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > 1. More importantly, and the question I was really asking, given the fact that soccer does have rapid possession changes on average (assuming we agree that 12 and 19 seconds on average is “rapid”), do you experience that feeling of excitement building during those short duration possessions, or do you get that feeling from some other aspect of the game that isn’t dependent on a possession? There is, without a doubt, build-up between possessions. This isn’t even that dissimilar from a close NFL game where field position matters. If one team is having 20-30 second (or longer) moves that end in missed shots or a bad final pass while the other team is having 10 second lumps down-field it’s clear which side is building the pressure, exposing weak spots in the defense, and generally controlling play. I would also add that while NFL possessions as a whole are longer, the individual plays are quite a bit shorter than a soccer movement (what I would consider the equivalent of a play) - certainly no more than 20 seconds for even the longest of running plays with most being more like 7-8 seconds. Imagine, if you will, the NFL without first downs - after every play the other team gets the ball for a play. Obviously the flow is broken up because of the play-clock and snapping, but even with such short “possessions” you would clearly be able to tell who was winning, right? There would be a steady build-up as one team built up successful plays while the other failed. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/105 "2012-09-25T14:37:14Z")
I know this thread is a little old, but yesterday’s [xkcd](http://xkcd.com/1112/) is too perfect not to share here. Don’t miss the mouseover text! ---
**Author:** ![Claptree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Claptree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claptree)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/106 "2012-09-27T03:17:27Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > a) Read the other posts > > b) \<2 seconds **per player** \* \<10 passes per possession = \<20 seconds **PER TEAM** So, the ball, while being passed, is unpossessed? A pass can take a few seconds to reach its destination, especially if it’s a long cross. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/107 "2012-09-27T04:56:36Z")
Yeah, it counts as being “in individual posession” only while you can say “ok, Player X has it”. Depending on who you ask, if there’s four feet around it it’s “disputed” or counts as “in posession of the guy who received it”. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/108 "2012-09-27T17:53:57Z")
> [@RedFury](#): > > Why is it so many Americans think high scoring = “exciting”? A freaking 0-0 tie can be (and often is) the most nerve-wracking match you’ll ever watch. I mostly watch U.S. Div. I college soccer. 0-0 ties are usually the result of both teams packing the box, playing not to lose, which is boring to watch and feels like a waste of everybody’s time in the end. The biggest problem I have is when it goes into OT, it’s the same rules…no changes to attempt to break the tie. And in the tourneys when a winner must be decided, it comes down to a shootout where the goalies’ guesses as to where the shooter will kick pretty much determine the outcome…not unlike having a session of rock/paper/scissors for the win. My fix would be to remove a player from each team every 5 minutes in OT until someone wins, golden goal or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/109 "2012-09-29T17:26:10Z")
I hate ties, but the idea of changing the game just because it isn’t “high scoring” is simply retarded. You know, some of the greatest hockey players of all-time have been goalies: Jacques Plante, Glenn Hall, Terry Sawchuk, George Vezina, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Martin Broudeur, Tony Esposito, Bernie Parent, Tom Barrasso, Grant Fuhr – I could sit here all day and name them. Plus, you get a cool mask that you can custom decorate. Besides, without goalies, there’d be no Jason Vorhees. (And right now the lockout is making me extremely cranky) ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/110 "2012-09-29T17:41:37Z")
> [@Claptree](#): > > So, the ball, while being passed, is unpossessed? A pass can take a few seconds to reach its destination, especially if it’s a long cross. That time is included in the spot checking I did as well as the official stats compiled by the leagues linked to in previous posts. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/111 "2012-09-29T23:53:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I hate ties, but the idea of changing the game just because it isn’t “high scoring” is simply retarded. > > You know, some of the greatest hockey players of all-time have been goalies: Jacques Plante, Glenn Hall, Terry Sawchuk, George Vezina, Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Martin Broudeur, Tony Esposito, Bernie Parent, Tom Barrasso, Grant Fuhr – I could sit here all day and name them. Plus, you get a cool mask that you can custom decorate. Low-scoring is one thing, but a nil-nil tie after 90 min. of regulation and 20 min. of OT with no changes in play is extreme, I think is the point. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/112 "2012-09-30T17:52:34Z")
I didn’t say otherwise. Which is one reason I can’t stand soccer, and one reason I’m glad the NHL added the shootout. (Hopefully if they decide to do away with it, they’ll simply go to just OT until someone scores) Some people can’t stand shootouts, but I absolutely love them – nothing is more knucklebiting, “can’t look!”, exciting than a good shootout. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/113 "2012-09-30T18:32:52Z")
> [@NetTrekker](#): > > Low-scoring is one thing, but a nil-nil tie after 90 min. of regulation and 20 min. of OT with no changes in play is extreme, I think is the point. At the Euro 2012 championships. out of 31 games played, 2 went to penalties. Doesn’t sound too extreme to me. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/114 "2012-10-07T15:07:59Z")
Just answering the thread title question: hell no. And this is from someone who doesn’t like low-scoring sports. But having a last line of defense is vital when your scoring zone is so large, and you can score with just the ball (unlike American football). ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969/115 "2012-10-07T19:34:00Z")
> [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](#): > > to move to Olympic sized rinks I missed this one the first time around. Even though you mentioned that people have suggested it as a way to increase scoring, there have been suggestions that a larger rink could be safer. (There’s been a LOT of controversy about head injuries in the NHL, for those who don’t keep up with such things) It’s an interesting theory, and one that might be worth looking into. Personally, I’ll sacrifice high-scoring for high action. That is, if we ever SEE any hockey this season. ☹ (At least, not in my area, they don’t show any of the AHL games on TV) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wouldnt-soccer-and-ice-hockey-be-more-exciting-spectator-sports-without-the-goalie/629969.md?page=5)