My Thoughts on the World Cup

[bigoil]

They are selling interference.

I find the sport amazing, wish football and soccer weren't the same time (though I doubt I would have been tall enough to win many headers ).

The shots and passes they make are incredible as are the saves.

[bigG]

I lived in some soccer places, so I know the basics with regard to rules. So, when my son's 5th grade team needed a coach, I signed the contract for big bucks. Nothing better than seeing a shy little girl get leveled and take it like a man. My boy still loves soccer and he always reverts back to me first speech to the 5th grade troops: "we have one goal...(point to goal), there it is...put the ball there and we win."

Not my only strategy, but we didn't come close to losing. Not everyone can play great soccer; but everyone can hustle, think and sacrifice for the team.

I'll watch some cup matches; I kind of laugh at the acting. Happens in wrestling, too, when coaches tell their kid to stay down after the kid wasn't taken to the mat on a pillow.

[TomM]

It is my opinion that we (meaning most of us in the US) have a very poor 'soccer' literacy level.  i.e.; We don't know much about soccer.
I like this phrase:
"People don't know what they like, they like what they know."
I have applied this to wrestling for a long time.  (Not sure where I heard it... I think it was at an education conference long ago.)
That being said, we don't know much about soccer, and therefore 'don't like it' in general.  The more you know about it, perhaps the more you will like it.
My experience was basically twofold (now three fold)...
1) played it in physical education in high school and tried to play it as an intramural sport in college with some guys (I could not keep up with the college guys.) And I was humbled by the skill and the conditioning it took to 'keep up' at all.  I was not even in the mix.
2) Coached a ninth grade team.  The kids were very skilled and experienced.  With not much of a soccer coach (me) they were able to go 9-0-1 on the season.  The tie was a result of me holding our star out of the first half of a game for good reason.  We trailed 3-0 when he entered the game in the second half and we tied 3-3 as a result.  I held him out because he missed practice during the week for a hockey try out.  I was young and not very understanding (and perhaps not too wise) then... We should have gone 10-0...
3) Currently take my appreciation for the skills and conditioning needed and the excitement exuded by the die hard fans and make an attempt to understand and enjoy the sport.
I am off to watch the 3pm game today (against Belgium) with some friends.  Looking forward to it.
I think if a person understands the sport, all the 'cryathlete' stuff is a non factor.... something to be ignored.. just as we do with the sports we are most familiar with and enjoy.