2018 World Cup

Quote: Keeneone

I am thinking France will win the final. They are very talented and young. The extra day of rest likely helps them. Croatia has been solid and workmanlike.
I had a small Golden Boot wager on Mbappe. He would need a hat trick to tie Kane.

Current line.... France minus 200, Croatia plus 170..(to win the cup)

I agree with you, the extra day of rest and the fact Croatia looked well spent after the long England game makes us like the favorite....Good luck..

As a footnote...Tennis is also exciting when you have a wager on it...

Quote: FinsRule

I think soccer is much more exciting and enjoyable to watch than basketball, football or baseball. (Not hockey) The game is always moving. It lasts under two hours which is a huge plus. The lack of scoring just makes each goal hugely important.

The first 45 minutes of a basketball game don't really matter. The last 3 minutes last 20 minutes.

A close baseball game lasts 4 hours now. There's tons of time between pitches, and tons of breaks.

There's about 12 minutes of action in a 3 hour 15 min football game.

I think the notion that Americans don't care about soccer is outdated.

I totally agree
The excitement is in the scoring chances
The problem with US sports is the down time
Players standing around doing nothing between innings a the catcher slowly puts on his gear then everybody waits as the pitcher warms up.
The end of basketball games with time out after time out. It can take 15 min to play out the last min.
The commercial time outs. Everybody on the football field is ready but they cant start yet because of a TV time out
I hate TV timeouts in football and basketball. Stopping the athletic action just to sell a product. sheesh

I appreciate being able to watch 45 min of action without being interrupted with a geico car insurance commercial every 10 min

Go Croatia, tiny country winning it all is a great story

I think soccer is a great game to watch. So much better than a one-hour American football game that takes 3.5 hours, where much of that hour is between plays. I've been to Chelsea and FCB games and the energy of the fans was infectious. I simply never got into. If I moved anywhere else in the world, I'd become a fan of somebody.

I find soccer events, like the World Cup, exciting to watch. I am not sure if I will become a "day to day" fan. I have seen a World Cup Game--Italy v. Mexico (1-1) at RFK Stadium in the group stage of the 1994 event. It was exciting; the folks I was with were mostly born in Italy...

This World Cup has been interesting because I am doing some remodeling and the crew is mostly of Mexican descent. I have had two TVs going most game days--one on a Spanish channel and one English. Since I don't really know squat about the game (which is as much Spanish as I know, too), I have found that listening to the cadence and excitement of the Spanish language broadcast is more enjoyable than the English one. The English speakers just seem a lot less excited. Part of that is the cadence of many Spanish speakers--much faster than our English--sometimes I catch words but the phrases past too fast. I am learning a little more everyday...

I root for the teams with the fewest tattoos. Can’t stand those things.

Go Senegal 2022!

Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Quote: beachbumbabs

Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

My son in law played soccer professionally in Brazil, and remains an avid fan of the sport.

Last summer, he and my daughter were walking in Marseilles, when a concerned local rode up to them on a bicycle and said, “Excuse me sir, Do you want to be a target?” “What?” “That shirt you’re wearing is making you a target.” He was wearing a PSG shirt. “You can’t wear that shirt”. My son in law took his advice, and quickly found a store that sold shirts. As soon as he walked into the store, the shocked salesman took one look at him and said with alarm, “You can’t wear that shirt”. “I know, that’s why I’m here.” True fanatics.

I won a few beers on France. So see you in 4 years
Any future bet available? I will take any South America team to win.

Quote: Tanko

My son in law played soccer professionally in Brazil, and remains an avid fan of the sport.

Last summer, he and my daughter were walking in Marseilles, when a concerned local rode up to them on a bicycle and said, “Excuse me sir, Do you want to be a target?” “What?” “That shirt you’re wearing is making you a target.” He was wearing a PSG shirt. “You can’t wear that shirt”. My son in law took his advice, and quickly found a store that sold shirts. As soon as he walked into the store, the shocked salesman took one look at him and said with alarm, “You can’t wear that shirt”. “I know, that’s why I’m here.” True fanatics.

I know we have had at least a few deaths involving the Redskins/Cowboys rivalry (when the teams actually mattered...) and I am sure there have been many other incidents but, in general, the level of violence around our sports is quite civilized when compared to the hooliganism that permeates soccer.

Quote: FinsRule

I think soccer is much more exciting and enjoyable to watch than basketball, football or baseball. (Not hockey) The game is always moving. It lasts under two hours which is a huge plus. The lack of scoring just makes each goal hugely important.

The first 45 minutes of a basketball game don't really matter. The last 3 minutes last 20 minutes.

A close baseball game lasts 4 hours now. There's tons of time between pitches, and tons of breaks.

There's about 12 minutes of action in a 3 hour 15 min football game.

I think the notion that Americans don't care about soccer is outdated.

I could get into soccer more but I can't stand all the draws (ties). I think they're ridiculous. one of the great things about sports is the emotion you feel as a player and a fan. and I can't see a draw as being emotionally satisfying. I get that a draw can make a big difference in the standings at certain times. but still. draws are not my thing.

Entertaining final. France wins. The game had a little of everything. There were great goals, cheapies, and the replay review worked to make a correct call. Croatia tried hard but Les Bleus where just better today. France has a bright future with this team.
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Hopefully the US will make it to Qatar in 2022. The US also needs to find a few new young stars to help market the sport to a wider audience. Howard, Dempsey, Donovan have had their moments. Maybe Christian Pulisic can drum up some interest in the coming years.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!

Le football suce. Aussi excitant que de regarder la peinture sèche.

Quote: terapined

I totally agree
The excitement is in the scoring chances
The problem with US sports is the down time
Players standing around doing nothing between innings a the catcher slowly puts on his gear then everybody waits as the pitcher warms up.
The end of basketball games with time out after time out. It can take 15 min to play out the last min.
The commercial time outs. Everybody on the football field is ready but they cant start yet because of a TV time out
I hate TV timeouts in football and basketball. Stopping the athletic action just to sell a product. sheesh

I appreciate being able to watch 45 min of action without being interrupted with a geico car insurance commercial every 10 min

Go Croatia, tiny country winning it all is a great story

What everyone is saying about U.S. sports is not untrue, but the appeal of the sports is the strategy.

I grew up watching baseball and football, and the interesting aspect of these sports is learning what's going to happen given the set of circumstances. For example: With the defensive team trailing by one run, there's a runner on second with two out, and the count is 3-0 to the 8th batter, I can be pretty sure of what's going to happen. Or, your team is ahead by a touchdown, it's 3rd-and-4, and you're on your opponent's 35 yard line with less than 30 seconds before halftime. In those circumstances, something very likely will happen, and as a fan, it's interesting when something unexpected happens. From a player's perspective, you have to be thinking about how to execute in those types of situations. Like if I'm the right fielder, what will I do if the ball comes to me? For someone not too interested in those sports, it might seem like just another break in the action.

I started following basketball in college, and I got free tickets to see the games (via student fees). It's a different experience watching the game from start to finish with a rooting interest because you can see the flow of the game. But yes, if I don't have as much vested interest, I can understand just tuning in for the last 4-5 minutes of the 4th quarter. It's interesting when coaches call a play during the timeout before the final possession, and the play works!

Regarding the World Cup Final, I was happy to see a 6-goal match! Though I would have also been content with 5 goals. ;)

The problem with soccer is simple, it is the offsides rule. Defensive strategy in all major sports is to be between the offensive player and the goal. In soccer not so. Your team will in a coordinated fashion attempt to have an opponent free and clear so that at the moment the ball is passed to him he is now wide open on the goalie, but this is deemed offsides. Most offsides plays are just so by inches. I am sure the original intent of the rule was to prevent 'goal hanging', but it has evolved into complex strategies which suck the life out of offensive attempts. The rolling on the ground for no apparent reason is the second problem. I was watching MLS last night, and a player was nearly hit in the face. It was clear on replay that there was no contact. He stayed down clutching his face for 2 minutes. Until that player is thrown out and issued a multiple game suspension soccer still languishes in the American public's eyes, for good reasons.

I still periodically watch, because I am still amazed at the skill in controlling a ball without using hands...

Skill is swinging a 2.6 inch wide baseball bat 80 mph and smashing a three inch baseball mid-air as it hurtles toward you at 95 mph, and sending it into the bleachers.

Quote: SOOPOO

The problem with soccer is simple, it is the offsides rule. Defensive strategy in all major sports is to be between the offensive player and the goal. In soccer not so. Your team will in a coordinated fashion attempt to have an opponent free and clear so that at the moment the ball is passed to him he is now wide open on the goalie, but this is deemed offsides. Most offsides plays are just so by inches. I am sure the original intent of the rule was to prevent 'goal hanging', but it has evolved into complex strategies which suck the life out of offensive attempts. The rolling on the ground for no apparent reason is the second problem. I was watching MLS last night, and a player was nearly hit in the face. It was clear on replay that there was no contact. He stayed down clutching his face for 2 minutes. Until that player is thrown out and issued a multiple game suspension soccer still languishes in the American public's eyes, for good reasons.

I still periodically watch, because I am still amazed at the skill in controlling a ball without using hands...

I agree with you about the faking, and to a bit of an extent about the offsides rule (which also exists in hockey. Thought the rules for offsides are different, they are there to accomplish the same goal).

But I think soccer's biggest 'problem' is also one of its most attractive features -- 45 minute halves without breaks for commercials. This alone could compel me to watch an entire half. By the same token, you will never get the big bucks form corporations if they can't advertise during breaks in the action. That is why the major US sports are major US sports.

As Terapined said, American football is a prime example. Lots of 'lost time' between plays and excessive commercial timeouts. They even monkeyed with the timing rules (winding the clock when the ball is set after a player goes out of bounds being the main one) a few years back so that they could jam more commercials into a broadcast. However, the revenue that these advertisements generate is what fuels the sport.

I can't see the same 'fuel' generated for soccer in the US. You could put the most compelling sport out there (not saying soccer is the most compelling), but without big corporate support, it will never have the following American football does here.

There is no doubt that all of the gambling aspect to football makes it the most popular sport in the U.S. yes, there is gambling available to All Sports, but none compare to the wagering that goes on in football inclusive of fantasy, pools, etc.

Soccer has wagering, but it still doesn't garner the interest that football does... but it certainly adds to the interest level. Heck, turtle racing could become interesting to people if you can wager money on it.

I'm not sure why people like betting on events with a spread. The team you are betting on is not trying to win by a certain amount, or lose, but not by a lot.

So your money, is not aligning with the team's goals.

An exception can be baseball, where there is no clock.

I'll make another exception for teasing a football game down to a spread of less than 3, or betting a football game with a spread less than 3.

Quote: FinsRule

I'm not sure why people like betting on events with a spread. The team you are betting on is not trying to win by a certain amount, or lose, but not by a lot.

I'm not so sure about that...and we shall certainly have more eyes on the spreads this fall. Good luck.

Quote: WatchMeWin

There is no doubt that all of the gambling aspect to football makes it the most popular sport in the U.S. yes, there is gambling available to All Sports, but none compare to the wagering that goes on in football inclusive of fantasy, pools, etc.

Soccer has wagering, but it still doesn't garner the interest that football does... but it certainly adds to the interest level. Heck, turtle racing could become interesting to people if you can wager money on it.

It seems rational to look at the wagering in other countries. For the member who mentioned corporate involvement one need only look at the wages paid to the soccer players in Europe and the endorsement contracts some of those players get. There is in fact big corporate money involved in soccer with today's rules in other parts of the world.