2014 FIFA World Cup

[IanC]

One of my friends is a Birmingham City fan. He travels up and down the whole of England supporting his Blues. Even across Europe when they qualified for the Europa League. They are not even a so called big team in World terms. His passion for supporting his team overshadows anything else in his life. Birmingham City FC is his life. Thats his religion and passion in life.

[GO2HELL]

You at least get it, thank you!

[marble21]

One big reason why soccer can "mean more" is because a lot of clubs were formed by particular sections of a community and a lot of cities have several clubs from different sections. Rangers and Celtic is a huge rivalry because one fan base is mostly protestant and one fan base is mostly catholic. So the sectarianism from outside of football inevitably makes its way into this rivalry during matches by the fans etc.

Another example is Lazio and AS Roma in Rome. Lazio are largely seen as a fascist club and often clash with Roma for political reasons. Obviously, this is international football we are talking about so it is different. But you can see why the sport has such a big influence on a lot of peoples lives.

In my opinion, you just don't get these kind of political and religious backgrounds in american sports teams.

[-kj]

...and keep in mind that we're not talking about club soccer here. We're talking about a national team... in a World Cup semifinal... in their own country... getting taken apart in a historic manner. You don't think people might be a bit emotional about that? Really?

[Jaffa]

It's easy to overlook the place the Brazilian national team holds in their society.

Brazil's a huge nation with massive gulfs between different classes, ethnicities and regions. The one thing Brazilians truly share as a people is football, when their country's team is playing it's a rare unifying experience. A result such as this isn't as simple to brush off as seeing your team lose a game, it's a national humiliation for them.

"The national football team is the symbol of national identity, the only time the nation gets together."

Carlos Alberto Parreira

[OMMF]

Did anyone set up an ESPN bracket?

I was the only one to pick a Germany-Netherlands final. If Oranje wins tomorrow, I'll win the CCSLC group. Hup Holland Hup!

That was my pick from the very beginning as well, with Germany winning it all. They seem SO due for a championship considering how close they've gotten over the the past few World Cups.

Seemed like a lot of people were sleeping on them. Some even said they wouldn't make it out of the group stage.

[Berlin Wall]

Did anyone set up an ESPN bracket?

I was the only one to pick a Germany-Netherlands final. If Oranje wins tomorrow, I'll win the CCSLC group. Hup Holland Hup!

That was my pick from the very beginning as well, with Germany winning it all. They seem SO due for a championship considering how close they've gotten over the the past few World Cups.

Seemed like a lot of people were sleeping on them. Some even said they wouldn't make it out of the group stage.

The prefixes weren't that good actually, especially when Reus got injured. I would've never thought that we'd make it to the final.

[Naoned Pride]

One big reason why soccer can "mean more" is because a lot of clubs were formed by particular sections of a community and a lot of cities have several clubs from different sections. Rangers and Celtic is a huge rivalry because one fan base is mostly protestant and one fan base is mostly catholic. So the sectarianism from outside of football inevitably makes its way into this rivalry during matches by the fans etc.

Another example is Lazio and AS Roma in Rome. Lazio are largely seen as a fascist club and often clash with Roma for political reasons. Obviously, this is international football we are talking about so it is different. But you can see why the sport has such a big influence on a lot of peoples lives.

In my opinion, you just don't get these kind of political and religious backgrounds in american sports teams.

Exactly what I wanted to say. In America, lots of the sports franchises are created by rich people who just wanna have the toy of their own. For my europeanized soccer concept thread, I've researched historical data of the game in the US and I'm astonished when I see the number of teams that lived for 5 to 10 years in a lot of cities. How can you expect people to root for a club that's created by the snap of a finger and can be disintegrated the moment the owner doesn't put money in it anymore ?

In soccer, clubs are institutions. They survive wars and economic crisis. I root for FC Nantes, and our main rival is Stade Rennais. Not only because we are both breton teams - Brittany is for France what Quebec is for Canada - but our cities have always been arch enemies. Nantes has always been a richer city, Rennes lived in its shadow for hundreds of years. Everytime we meet in a game, it's not just about Random Team A against Random Team B: it's two cities colliding to prove which one is the best.

This year, we won on their pitch 3-1 in Sept. 2013, the first derby in 4 years. I was there and went berzerk, provocating and almost getting in a fight on the goddam field itself.

But on the second round, in February 2014, they beat us 3-0, home. I felt ashamed.

When teams meet in football, it's not just a game. Your city might be remembered for the performance of your team. If I go to southern France and say I'm from Nantes, people will go "What a mythic club that is, I love your city". If I were from Rennes, they would probably say "43 years without winning a single trophy ? Losers". Whether you like soccer or not.

[Naoned Pride]

[DarkJourney]

Pick: Argentina over Holland on pk's.

[Naoned Pride]

Perfect:

[AnythingChicago]

Perfect:

So France's 5-2 win over Switzerland is the equivalent of a 346-138 NBA scoreline? Yeah, I'm not buying that.

[Alex Houston]

Once you get passed elementary school, crying about sports is really awkward and unnecessary.

Seriously, people. If you feel the need to get that emotional over something you have no part in, you might need to find some new hobbies and reconsider what you think matters in life.

[DS729]

Perfect:

So France's 5-2 win over Switzerland is the equivalent of a 346-138 NBA scoreline? Yeah, I'm not buying that.

The NBA and NFL sections could use some work. Because, I'm not buying those two.

Once you get passed elementary school, crying about sports is really awkward and unnecessary.

Seriously, people. If you feel the need to get that emotional over something you have no part in, you might need to find some new hobbies and reconsider what you think matters in life.

Sometimes, it's more than "a game".

[-kj]

Once you get passed elementary school, crying about sports is really awkward and unnecessary.

Seriously, people. If you feel the need to get that emotional over something you have no part in, you might need to find some new hobbies and reconsider what you think matters in life.

"Feel the need"? Why, yes, I'm sure these people decided they'd feel that way, just to spite you...

So you also feel there's no need to have joy when a team you follow wins? Why bother following sports at all? There's very little about being a sports fan that's supposed to be cold and logical.

[OMMF]

Perfect:

So France's 5-2 win over Switzerland is the equivalent of a 346-138 NBA scoreline? Yeah, I'm not buying that.

I don't think you can view it as multiples of 7. I think it scales much differently than that.

[Needschat]

One big reason why soccer can "mean more" is because a lot of clubs were formed by particular sections of a community and a lot of cities have several clubs from different sections. Rangers and Celtic is a huge rivalry because one fan base is mostly protestant and one fan base is mostly catholic. So the sectarianism from outside of football inevitably makes its way into this rivalry during matches by the fans etc.

Another example is Lazio and AS Roma in Rome. Lazio are largely seen as a fascist club and often clash with Roma for political reasons. Obviously, this is international football we are talking about so it is different. But you can see why the sport has such a big influence on a lot of peoples lives.

In my opinion, you just don't get these kind of political and religious backgrounds in american sports teams.

The closest you'll get is BYU vs Utah, Church versus State. And that's kind of muted, due to the fact most on the Utah roster tend to be Mormon, too.

[FiddySicks]

The passion in soccer rich cities greatly overwhelm the passion of North American sports fans. You have for example the Yankees Red Sox rivalries. Where when either team loses, fans go home, sleep it off and move on to the next game. For example, my team Celtic, they have a history with another team called Rangers. When those teams play each other, people don't just go and sleep it off, they go out to the streets and start fighting anyone wearing the wrong colours. Back in the day, it was assured that when they played each other, people end up in the hospital, or people die, and then have to live with the agony of that loss for a whole week or until they play again. My grandma who comes from a celtic rich family, married a rangers supporter, was shunned by her entire family for 40 years and seemingly forced to move to canada because of the abuse she'd take for being "a traitor" . Over a :censored:ing soccer team. Like, I get Leafs/Habs fan getting rowdy after a game, but not to the point of shunning/disowning family members, smuggling in meat cleavers into a game with the intention of killing someone who has the balls to wear the wrong colours in a building, throwing potatoes stuffed with razor blades at away fans, or quitting your job just to see your favorite team play a game. In countries like Scotland, England, Brazil etc, they take passion to the whole next level, some even treat a team as the most important part of their life. I have never seen anything like the atmosphere, and the passion of soccer fans on game day anywhere else. I'm not really hating on NA sports fans, I'm just sayin that in some countries soccer is more than just a game, it truly is a way of life

That seems crazy that your grandma's family would shun her for marrying a Rangers fan. Are you sure they didn't shun her because she married a Protestant?

[IceCap]

One big reason why soccer can "mean more" is because a lot of clubs were formed by particular sections of a community and a lot of cities have several clubs from different sections. Rangers and Celtic is a huge rivalry because one fan base is mostly protestant and one fan base is mostly catholic. So the sectarianism from outside of football inevitably makes its way into this rivalry during matches by the fans etc.

Another example is Lazio and AS Roma in Rome. Lazio are largely seen as a fascist club and often clash with Roma for political reasons. Obviously, this is international football we are talking about so it is different. But you can see why the sport has such a big influence on a lot of peoples lives.

In my opinion, you just don't get these kind of political and religious backgrounds in american sports teams.

The closest you'll get is BYU vs Utah, Church versus State. And that's kind of muted, due to the fact most on the Utah roster tend to be Mormon, too.

I'd say that Toronto vs Montreal in the NHL also counts. Like those soccer clubs Naoned Pride mentioned they've survived wars and economic hardships. The rivalry goes back to the beginning of the NHL and the younger of the two teams will celebrate their 100th birthday in three years. For the longest time it was about English Canada vs French Canada. Which also meant Protestant vs Catholic.

[BrianVlietDesign]

Perfect:

So France's 5-2 win over Switzerland is the equivalent of a 346-138 NBA scoreline? Yeah, I'm not buying that.

I don't think you can view it as multiples of 7. I think it scales much differently than that.

Yeah, this does seem a bit off to me. I can't see the math here making sense in comparison.