2014 FIFA World Cup

[TorinK92]

^Agree completely, I have to imagine it's not unsimilar up here in Canada, except far fewer of us (although still a lot) were cheering on the states, but I suppose that just piles on the bandwagon side of that debate.

Maybe if we get a team in the Finals the next 4-8 years we can see how we relate to that.

How good do you think Fraser Aird is?

[CS85]

For those who are actual, ya know, soccer fans, what would prove out as a litmus test for the nation's "Fannery" or whatever?

What signs would have to occur for it to be on the come? MLS audiences growing? Insane demand for the sport regularly on major networks? Or baby steps?

[-kj]

Summary: "People are enjoying something that I'm not! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I should make sure they know I don't like it!"

Also...

I'll just go back to not caring about soccer now.

[Nyk33]

I still have no idea why people that don't like soccer feel to need to throw it in our faces that they don't like it. If you don't like something that is fine and that is your prerogative when it comes to entertainment but you are just being a prima donna running around telling everyone to "PLEASE LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME!"

I have no love for college sports with a passion yet I have never actively gone into a March Madness or a BCS Championship Game thread and bitched and moaned about how I don't like anything involving collegiate sports.

That's not a fair comparison. College sports are still sports that have been fully embedded in American society: Football, baseball, and even hockey, etc.). Because I know those sports I feel like I can deposit an opinion that's relative to the discussion/argument/whatever.

This has absolutely nothing to do with my point. It doesn't matter if a sport is enjoyed by a few millions or a few hundred if you go to a thread or a forum specifically for fans of that thing and try to be a whiny prima donna and gather attention for yourself then that is stupid.

I don't know anything about soccer nor have any desire to, and while it's stupid as hell to post on a forum dedicated to the topic (which I've felt I've been relatively behaved about here), on facebook I can post whatever the hell I want...and even then it descended into a cluster .

The red portion is basically the point I was trying to make.

My post was never addressed your facebook issues because I don't care about what is going on in your facebook. Just stop trying to be an attention whore.

[CS85]

Just stop trying to be an attention whore.

Whatever dude. You're not worth my time.

Edit: Mods - I took the high road. Hope you're happy.

[AnythingChicago]

For those who are actual, ya know, soccer fans, what would prove out as a litmus test for the nation's "Fannery" or whatever?

What signs would have to occur for it to be on the come? MLS audiences growing? Insane demand for the sport regularly on major networks? Or baby steps?

Of course, after the World Cup it'd be great to see a spark of interest from Americans in both domestic and international soccer leagues, and I think that an immediate, sizable uptick in interest in the sport is very possible. The MLS is growing rapidly, drawing larger crowds, building fan bases, creating expansion franchises and signing big name former European superstars, so the setting is ripe for a dramatic increase in interest in soccer that is played right here in the US.

However, after thousands of Americans have been hooked to their TVs watching match after match of World Cup action and learning about all the big-name players and their respective European clubs, a true litmus test as to how well the sport is catching on in the states will be how much of an interest is gained in the major European leagues. We can measure this in jersey sales, TV ratings for leagues such as the English Premier League, but most intriguingly in the attendance numbers for the multitude of friendly matches that feature European sides being played in the United States this summer. The International Champions Cup will be played here later this month (as will around a dozen friendlies mainly between EPL and MLS sides) and will include many of the big name European teams and many of the big name foreign players who many oohed and ahed over at this year's World Cup. If these matches draw markedly large crowds, it'll be a sign that the sport is truly catching on beyond the one month "patriotic masturbation" that is the World Cup.

[Nyk33]

I'm going to cover the American soccer fandom here, from one end to the other.

To those who are like "oh soccer sucks, won't care for four years" kindly bow out of the conversation. I saw a lot of this on display back during the 2010 hockey tournament. The US beat Canada handily in the round robin portion of the tournament and a lot of "we beat you Canada! Suck it!" comments resulted. Then when Canada beats the US in the Gold Medal game? "Oh well, we don't care anyway, enjoy your victory in a sport no one but you cares about."

This is why American sports fan have the rep they do on the international stage. If you care enough to chant "USA! USA!" and brag when the US national team is doing well then you can't play the "oh well don't care" card when you lose. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Now here's why the bold statement above is sad. I know that these asshats are the loud, obnoxious minority. The Americans may not have made it to the elite eight but I would say that America came of age as a soccer nation this World Cup. The team made it out of a group no one gave them a chance in. The fanbase was large, passionate, and vocal. I'm not saying MLS is going to supplant the NFL or anything, but it really seems to me that the US team and fanbase made the statement "we're going to be here for a while, so get used to it" this World Cup. So good on ya, Yanks. I wish you well in the future.

That is probably a big component of why American fans usually aren't liked in FIFA World Cup competitions but there are others such as the United States foreign policy that tends to rub people the wrong way

Even if Americans were to start referring to soccer as "football" and they started to produce World Cup winning teams that were eventually able to surpass Brazil in WC wins people will still hate them because of how they view America's foreign policy from invading other nations, wiretapping foreign governments, putting in Guantanamo Bay, etc.

[Seadragon76]

Another litmus test, in my eyes, for the US in soccer is being able to have decent success in World Cups.

This is the first time ever the Americans have reached the knockout round in back-to-back World Cups. The next logical step is repeating what they did in 2002: Reaching the Quarterfinals.

Right now, it's baby steps because I get the feeling that the 2018 team will be far different then this one.

As for me: I'll still watch the games. The World Cup is great fun to watch. Plus, you have four really good quarterfinal matches on tap for Friday and Saturday, I'll watch the games even though my horse is out of the race.

[dfwabel]

For those who are actual, ya know, soccer fans, what would prove out as a litmus test for the nation's "Fannery" or whatever?

What signs would have to occur for it to be on the come? MLS audiences growing? Insane demand for the sport regularly on major networks? Or baby steps?

Of course, after the World Cup it'd be great to see a spark of interest from Americans in both domestic and international soccer leagues, and I think that an immediate, sizable uptick in interest in the sport is very possible. The MLS is growing rapidly, drawing larger crowds, building fan bases, creating expansion franchises and signing big name former European superstars, so the setting is ripe for a dramatic increase in interest in soccer that is played right here in the US.

However, after thousands of Americans have been hooked to their TVs watching match after match of World Cup action and learning about all the big-name players and their respective European clubs, a true litmus test as to how well the sport is catching on in the states will be how much of an interest is gained in the major European leagues. We can measure this in jersey sales, TV ratings for leagues such as the English Premier League, but most intriguingly in the attendance numbers for the multitude of friendly matches that feature European sides being played in the United States this summer. The International Champions Cup will be played here later this month (as will around a dozen friendlies mainly between EPL and MLS sides) and will include many of the big name European teams and many of the big name foreign players who many oohed and ahed over at this year's World Cup. If these matches draw markedly large crowds, it'll be a sign that the sport is truly catching on beyond the one month "patriotic masturbation" that is the World Cup.

The litmus test is not the TV product itself, rather it is the EA Sports FIFA game.

Total viewership for the Barclays Premier League triples this year on NBC as opposed to its final year on Fox Soccer. That's good. But is better ratings than MLS national TV games. That's kinda bad. Plus, La Liga and Serie A are on BeIN Sport, which is less than 12MM homes, while the Bundasliga has one final season left on GolTV, which really dropped off since they were taken off DirecTV. They will move to FS1 in 2015.

The North American tours of the major European clubs have done well for the last five plus years, even before the Champions cup was created.

Another litmus test, in my eyes, for the US in soccer is being able to have decent success in World Cups.

This is the first time ever the Americans have reached the knockout round in back-to-back World Cups. The next logical step is repeating what they did in 2002: Reaching the Quarterfinals.

Right now, it's baby steps because I get the feeling that the 2018 team will be far different then this one.

As for me: I'll still watch the games. The World Cup is great fun to watch. Plus, you have four really good quarterfinal matches on tap for Friday and Saturday, I'll watch the games even though my horse is out of the race.

You got it. They have to keep progressing, but Copa America in 2016 will be the first test.

[IanC]

Why do those people who don't like soccer have to ram it down everyones throat?

I don't like Basketball or Baseball yet I don't feel the need to voice it on a particular thread on a forum and spam it everywhere. If you don't like the sport then fine I have no problem but to persist on moaning about it on a thread about the sport is just making yourself come across as moronic. If you want to make a point of how much you detest the sport then make another thread about it and leave those alone who do enjoy the sport.

Looking forward now to the Quarter Finals.

Colombia have been the most exciting team so far and are going to give Brazil problems.

France V Germany gave us two excellent games in the 82 and 86 world Cups so expecting some more from them.

Costa Rica the suprise team against a Netherlands side which can be beat.

Argentina V Belgium. Memories of Maradona going past about 6 players in 1986 semi final.

[DarkJourney]

Proud of Tim Howard and the rest of the United States National Team. Proud of Wondo too. You did America proud. Long Live Soccer.

Quarterfinal Picks:

Brazil over Colombia

France over Germany

Holland over Costa Rica

Argentina over Belgium

[Berlin Wall]

I go with:

Colombia over Brazil

Germany over France

Holland over Costa Rica

Belgium over Argentina

[ninersdd]

Cameroon is being investigated for match fixing: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/02/sports/soccer/cameroon-investigating-match-fixing-accusations-against-its-world-cup-team.html?_r=0

[Rockstar Matt]

I would like to point out that for 15 or so minutes in extra time, we showed the whole world a glimpse of our potential. We had Belgium (one of the best teams in this WC) on the ropes in that short little time span. We had excellent possession and sustained offensive pressure resulting in several good chances. Julian Green's goal was spectacular and world class. Bradley's ball on that assist was excellent as well.

Once the US learns how to play like we did in the last 15 minutes for a whole game and not little spurts, watch out world. We're definitely on the rise and we're definitely here to stay. We'll be a consensus top 10 team by the time 2018 rolls around, mark it down.

I also feel like it's not a matter of if the US will win a World Cup, but more a matter of when we will. The influx of new young talent (world class talent) being developed stateside and abroad will make us one of the best teams consistently and will eventually result in a Cup.

I believe that we will win.

[Sport]

^Yes. The talent level in the US has risen, Klinsman has been able to recruit a lot of dual-nationality players, and the coaching for youth soccer has gotten so much better. When I was 6 years old my dad coached my soccer team. He had never watched a soccer game in his life. We went undefeated because he used hockey strategies. He still loves to talk about that.

Coaches today actually played the game growing up and there's a lot more of them. Hell, I grew up playing pickup soccer in backyards more than any other sport.

[Sport]

I say this as someone who was never an anti-soccer person but certainly wasn't a fan of the sport. I was a once every four years guy, but that's changed since about 2009.

I don't think this is a case of "well the world cup is over so now America can stop caring about soccer". That used to be true, but it's losing more validity with every passing "Successful" world cup.

Going back to the Confederations Cup in 2009 is when I first noticed a lot of people following the national team outside of the World Cup (that was the tournament when they beat Spain and held a 2-0 lead on Brazil in the final, but ultimately lost). Since their relative success in 2010 there's been a lot more attention devoted to the US national team in tournaments and friendlys (friendlies?) than I can ever remember. It's people my age (mid 20's) who are leading this charge. Notice how most of the anti-soccer editorials out there were by people over 40?

MLS is not the best soccer league in the world and this fact has kept me from getting into it, but I love watching the US men's national team and I think in the next four years there will be even more attention paid to the goings on with the national team and the MLS, which has become profitable and capable of attracting good talent, will benefit from that. It's here to stay and it's only getting bigger.

[GFB]

I would like to point out that for 15 or so minutes in extra time, we showed the whole world a glimpse of our potential. We had Belgium (one of the best teams in this WC) on the ropes in that short little time span. We had excellent possession and sustained offensive pressure resulting in several good chances. Julian Green's goal was spectacular and world class. Bradley's ball on that assist was excellent as well.

Once the US learns how to play like we did in the last 15 minutes for a whole game and not little spurts, watch out world. We're definitely on the rise and we're definitely here to stay. We'll be a consensus top 10 team by the time 2018 rolls around, mark it down.

I also feel like it's not a matter of if the US will win a World Cup, but more a matter of when we will. The influx of new young talent (world class talent) being developed stateside and abroad will make us one of the best teams consistently and will eventually result in a Cup.

I believe that we will win.

For all those people who have been extremely vocal of their displeasure with Bradley in this World Cup... You heard crickets from those people about him QB-ing the entire attack for the last hour of the Belgium game.

The most disappointing player for me was Graham Zusi... I understand he brings that great service in the final third, but come on, you have to be able to keep possession to get it into the final third. And defensively, he was about as useful as a traffic cone. I would have loved to have seen Mix get in there if we were going to have a midfielder not play defense.

And holy cow, Julian Green! Talk about changing the complexion of a game... You look at the "surprise" players Klinsmann picked for the squad and they all brought something to the table: John Brooks vs Ghana, Yedlin being a playmaker and holding his own against one of the most talented players alive in Eden Hazard, and Julian Green's electric 15 minutes vs. Belgium. It looks like the only players JK probably should have left off are Brad Evans and Wondo...

It'll be interesting to see how the team comes together over the next 3 years... You have the development of the current young players, the veterans from this team who stick around for one more shot, and then the influx of upcoming young talent. Add to that the arrival of Costa Rica as a power, Mexico's recent revival from the dead, and an all-around improved CONCACAF, and we have a long, but exciting wait until Russia.

The best thing that could happen to the USMNT in the next year or two? Gideon. Zelalem. Time to bust out the snake oil, Jurgen.

[Nyk33]

MLS is not the best soccer league in the world and this fact has kept me from getting into it, but I love watching the US men's national team and I think in the next four years there will be even more attention paid to the goings on with the national team and the MLS, which has become profitable and capable of attracting good talent, will benefit from that. It's here to stay and it's only getting bigger.

The things working against MLS's favor when it comes to the talent level is that the league is less than 20 years old while the game has been going strong for more than a century in Europe at the club level. MLS also has a salary cap that the big European leagues don't have so high class talent are going to go there first.

[GFB]

For those who are actual, ya know, soccer fans, what would prove out as a litmus test for the nation's "Fannery" or whatever?

What signs would have to occur for it to be on the come? MLS audiences growing? Insane demand for the sport regularly on major networks? Or baby steps?

This is actually a great question... but I don't think you can quantify it in numbers. Sure, you can hope the MLS grows and gains fans and becomes a better league. You can also hope that the English Premier League picks up a little in America, but those things are icing on the cake for me.

You know what it is for me? It's asking my friends who are like you (in that they have no real passion for the game) if they want to go play soccer or get tickets for a "pro" soccer game. A few years ago, the responses I would have got would have been "lol, what?" or "Why would we do that? Let's do something else..." Now, I've been noticing that it's no longer the reply... going to a soccer game is now a viable option on a list of things to do on the totem pole. It might even be higher than going to a Pistons' game at this point.

I don't expect my non-footballing friends to suddenly pick an MLS team or jump on the Premier League bandwagon... but the shift in mindset from "Ugh, soccer," to "Oh, that could be fun," among the masses of traditional-American sports fans towards soccer is a sign that the long-awaited rise in America has begun.

[twi]

MLS is not the best soccer league in the world and this fact has kept me from getting into it, but I love watching the US men's national team and I think in the next four years there will be even more attention paid to the goings on with the national team and the MLS, which has become profitable and capable of attracting good talent, will benefit from that. It's here to stay and it's only getting bigger.

The things working against MLS's favor when it comes to the talent level is that the league is less than 20 years old while the game has been going strong for more than a century in Europe at the club level. MLS also has a salary cap that the big European leagues don't have so high class talent are going to go there first.

The "off season" schedule is a deterrent as well. It's a necessity for now based on what else happens in this country sporting-wise but is 180 degrees opposite from most of the world.