Comments on: Review of Soccer in a Football World

By: This Is American Soccer, US Soccer, MNT, WNT, and MLS » Blog Archive » the barometer

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:39:19 +0000

[...] the historically minded, Culture of Soccer’s David Keyes does his usual thorough job, this time discussing the history of American soccer via David [...]

By: Etyhan

Etyhan — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 08:36:33 +0000

Etyhan…

This was one time where I have to agree to disagree…

By: This Is American Soccer » Blog Archive » The Barometer: Treading Water Edition

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:29:07 +0000

[...] the historically minded, Culture of Soccer’s David Keyes does his usual thorough job, this time discussing the history of American soccer via David [...]

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:22:49 +0000

A great asset you have in America is the Hispanic population who are a natural constituency for soccer. I think the game will be OK in America, it will take time to grow steadily, but it will grow.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:19:48 +0000

I read somewhere that Americans played cricket once and it was quite popular. Apparently there is a description by a writer of Abraham Lincoln attending a cricket match during the civil war. Anyway, I think Amercians wanted to assert their difference from the ‘old’ world and hence took to new sports, or invented their own, even though they were based on English sports like rugby and rounders, in the case of American ‘football’ and baseball.

By: Keddy

Keddy — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:07:42 +0000

You’re getting me addicted to soccer DK. I’m billing you the therapy charges ok.

Speaking of which, there was a small piece in one paper here today about the recent (30 years) history of soccer in Seattle. I was surprised that the attendance didn’t drop off much when the baseball team came in ‘77 & was at an impressive (esp. for today) 22 grand. The Sounders now for sure aren’t close to that. Anyways, here’s hoping the MLS comes here.

Also, the Sonics (our basketball team) is trying to be hijacked by some rich Oklahoma dudes. I hope they don’t leave. They really want to though and already have an areana. Point being that, if they leave & MLS comes, I guess soccer would be……#3 in terms of pro leagues here I guess. It would still compete with the UW (college), so maybe soccer might be the 4th biggest team here. I don’t know. All I know is it’s time to kick some Dallas boooooooty on the 4th to get to the Open Cup final!!! Send your love to our ballers out in the wild green forests of the northwest on your free time ok.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/stevekelley/2003847485_kelley22.html

By: Lee

Lee — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:41:08 +0000

I did quite a bit of research of my own into this area, specifically in researching how and if soccer could break into the ‘Big Three’ of American sports. This book probably mentions the ‘formative years’ of 1870-1930 that really defined what sports would be at the forefront of American culture. The end of this period, of course, is when the ASL was tripping over itself, sadly.

The future of pro soccer in America has a lot riding on the administrative side of the MLS. Let’s hope they keep making smart decisions and don’t lose sight of the big picture of MLS standing alongside MLB, NBA, and the NFL.

By: Jason.Burke,Murphy

Jason.Burke,Murphy — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:27:36 +0000

Having seen the documentary on the Cosmos, I think the shoot-out was actually a very good idea. Everyone in the rest of the world complains when a match is decided by penalty kicks. The shoot-out requires more skill, gives the keeper a better chance, and is very dramatic.

All that said, I think the MLS is right to keep the game like the rest of the world’s. It would be up to a European league to implement the shoot-out.

(Everyone besides Germany has a good reason to change the PK– Germany.)