betED.com - The View from the Couch - by Gavin McDougald!
June 14th, 2006 - Why we suck ? and always will
If you have been trying to get into the spirit of the World Cup, good for you. It?s been an uphill battle I?m sure, since everywhere you turn you?ve being told how weird you are.
If you haven?t noticed, the North American press isn?t that in love with the ?Beautiful Game.?
Reading the papers or scanning the web or listening to talk radio, the power of the press is full bore against this international competition, unless they are broadcasting the thing of course. Then they are full-bore damp and dewy over the month long tourney. Listening carefully, I swear I can detect ABC?s Al Michaels affecting an English accent as he?s calling the games.
Every four years soccer fans gather in front of TV?s by the billions and pack stadiums to the rafters to see who truly are the best at the world?s most popular sport ? and we here are on the outside looking in. Actually to be more precise, we?re not looking in. More like glancing over curiously on occasion trying to figure what?s all the hubbub about.
At the same time, the rest of the world looks right back at us with bemused detachment over our ignorance of their sport. They also find it quite enjoyable that we North American?s suck at their game. It?s Rest of the World 1 ? North America zip, or rather nil in the footy vernacular.
Of our two colonial countries, the one to the north couldn?t even qualify. Canada?s current FIFA (soccer?s governing body) world ranking is 83rd. That?s a jump up for the great white north that was stuck for the longest time behind that sporting powerhouse, Burkina Faso.
Two of the best soccer players Canada ever produced are making big names for themselves actually. One is playing in the World Cup right now in fact, except for England. Owen Hargreaves was born in Calgary, but to British parents so he chose the greener, more lucrative pastures of playing for his non-home country. The other is the current two-time NBA Steve Nash. Seeing no future in that sport, he moved to basketball. His brother Martin stuck with it however, and even made it all the way to Canada?s national team. If you haven?t heard of him before, don?t kick yourself.
As for the world?s lone remaining super power, (in everything else anyway), the United States made great inroads after a strong showing in the last World Cup, climbing as high as fifth in the ranking. That status might have been a wee bit elevated considering their performance in the opener.
According to the pre-game predictions by ESPN's experts, the worst case scenario for U.S.A. would see them suffering a 0-0 tie against the Czechs.
They got the score half right anyway.
Jan Koller, the Czech's striker scored the game's first goal in almost record time. Tomas Rosicky added two more and that was all she wrote.
These guys toyed with the best America had to offer making the Americans look like boys amongst men. Especially in the case of Koller, who stands 6-foot-8-inches tall. He towered over the competition looking like Shaq against an elementary school team.
And that?s the difference in a tall nutshell. Had Koller been born American, there?s no chance he?d be on the national soccer team. A gifted athlete like him would have been drafted high by both the NFL and the NBA. Growing up over here, which he clearly did quick, soccer would never have been on his radar.
And that?s the exact same reason why soccer is not on ours.
Everywhere but here, futbol is king, therefore all the best kid athletes strive to make their national teams. When was the last time you heard any kid over here pine for the pitch?
When you watch the American team toil in trouble against the best of the world consider this; as good as those Americans are to make the national team, the only reason they are there is because they couldn't hit a curveball, catch a long bomb or drive to the hoop.
It is a beautiful game, and if you are enjoying it, great. But making fun of it is silly really.
It?s just not our game.
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com!
June 14th, 2006 - Why we suck ? and always will
If you have been trying to get into the spirit of the World Cup, good for you. It?s been an uphill battle I?m sure, since everywhere you turn you?ve being told how weird you are.
If you haven?t noticed, the North American press isn?t that in love with the ?Beautiful Game.?
Reading the papers or scanning the web or listening to talk radio, the power of the press is full bore against this international competition, unless they are broadcasting the thing of course. Then they are full-bore damp and dewy over the month long tourney. Listening carefully, I swear I can detect ABC?s Al Michaels affecting an English accent as he?s calling the games.
Every four years soccer fans gather in front of TV?s by the billions and pack stadiums to the rafters to see who truly are the best at the world?s most popular sport ? and we here are on the outside looking in. Actually to be more precise, we?re not looking in. More like glancing over curiously on occasion trying to figure what?s all the hubbub about.
At the same time, the rest of the world looks right back at us with bemused detachment over our ignorance of their sport. They also find it quite enjoyable that we North American?s suck at their game. It?s Rest of the World 1 ? North America zip, or rather nil in the footy vernacular.
Of our two colonial countries, the one to the north couldn?t even qualify. Canada?s current FIFA (soccer?s governing body) world ranking is 83rd. That?s a jump up for the great white north that was stuck for the longest time behind that sporting powerhouse, Burkina Faso.
Two of the best soccer players Canada ever produced are making big names for themselves actually. One is playing in the World Cup right now in fact, except for England. Owen Hargreaves was born in Calgary, but to British parents so he chose the greener, more lucrative pastures of playing for his non-home country. The other is the current two-time NBA Steve Nash. Seeing no future in that sport, he moved to basketball. His brother Martin stuck with it however, and even made it all the way to Canada?s national team. If you haven?t heard of him before, don?t kick yourself.
As for the world?s lone remaining super power, (in everything else anyway), the United States made great inroads after a strong showing in the last World Cup, climbing as high as fifth in the ranking. That status might have been a wee bit elevated considering their performance in the opener.
According to the pre-game predictions by ESPN's experts, the worst case scenario for U.S.A. would see them suffering a 0-0 tie against the Czechs.
They got the score half right anyway.
Jan Koller, the Czech's striker scored the game's first goal in almost record time. Tomas Rosicky added two more and that was all she wrote.
These guys toyed with the best America had to offer making the Americans look like boys amongst men. Especially in the case of Koller, who stands 6-foot-8-inches tall. He towered over the competition looking like Shaq against an elementary school team.
And that?s the difference in a tall nutshell. Had Koller been born American, there?s no chance he?d be on the national soccer team. A gifted athlete like him would have been drafted high by both the NFL and the NBA. Growing up over here, which he clearly did quick, soccer would never have been on his radar.
And that?s the exact same reason why soccer is not on ours.
Everywhere but here, futbol is king, therefore all the best kid athletes strive to make their national teams. When was the last time you heard any kid over here pine for the pitch?
When you watch the American team toil in trouble against the best of the world consider this; as good as those Americans are to make the national team, the only reason they are there is because they couldn't hit a curveball, catch a long bomb or drive to the hoop.
It is a beautiful game, and if you are enjoying it, great. But making fun of it is silly really.
It?s just not our game.
Cheers - Gavin McDougald - AKA Couch
Remember to drop us a line at rants@betED.com to voice your opinion on one of McDougald's articles or on anything else you read at betED.com!
