I can tolerate Doc’s once every four years rant about soccer. For this OG expat of the Republic of Cincinnati the Bengals and Bearcats FB & MBB have become must watch sporting events. All other sports have become “for entertainment purposes only”, and soccer can be entertaining. I really don’t even bother with the Reds anymore
The Argentina/Saudi Arabia match just concluded. Incredible match. SA upsets Arg 2-1. Still plenty of diving, questionable end of game time clock continuation, and an SA player literally almost had his head taken off during play by his own teammate’s knee. No, he didn’t dive. He was knocked out cold and carried off the pitch. And yes, I do realize the irony when I say a Saudi almost had his head taken off given, well, you know…
Doc, I usually love your stuff. This time though you could’ve just mailed it in even more and said something more straight to the point, something similar to “I don’t like soccer. Now get of my lawn!” And the posts here…how many different ways for seasoned midwesterners to tell us all they don’t like soccer either, because it’s different. And I don’t like different anymore.
After the U.S. soccer match today, I thought I would lick my imperceptible shin wounds tonight by watching the 3rd episode of Yellowstone season 5.
Bad idea.
More of the same uninspiring mess as episodes 1 and 2.
Beth Dutton, just like the USMNT, flopped through her performance with poor dialogue not unlike Christian Pulisic incessantly complaining to the Arabic FIFA ref that didn’t know English. Wow.
Install game clocks, for gawds sake. Put 'em up everywhere. Hell-o, put up 20, all over the place, in every corner, nook, and cranny. What's the frikin' problem with having clocks?
It's ludicrous nobody knows how much time is left. It's bush league. It's about as sophisticated as the shepherds of old, who knew it was time to bring the sheep home because the sun was coming up. Imagine the excitement there'd be, watching the final minutes and seconds tick off the clock in extra time, your team up or behind a point. No visible clocks are the dumbest thing in sports since footballs were made from pig bladders, baseball let people sit in the outfield, andf the NCAA banned dunking cuz of Lew Alcindor. Good God, is it that hard to figure out it might make sense for the players to know when the game is ending? The fans might just appreciate it, too. But no. let's keep everyone clueless as to when the game ends. Brilliant thinking. I think I'll go blow on my vuvuzela till my brain melts. What a great game.
I'd like to add a display for showing accumulated stoppage time. Isn't it bizarre that the stoppage time is a mystery to everyone in attendance until its announced at the end of the half? Crazy and kinda shady if you ask me. Alternatively...and I know this might seem fairly radical...maybe STOP the clocks when play stops? Wouldn't need "stoppage time" then, right? 🤯
I apologize. When I saw the words cricket and soccer in your article I didn’t bother. Not a fan. I guess I’m old and time is too precious to waste on things I know little or care very little about, but I respect your opinion!
Wow, Doc.. way to lay waste to that “soccer-intolerant” rep, haha.
As a kid, I played every sport.. none of them particularly well, alas. My lone soccer season was spent on a winless team when I wasn’t playing baseball. Fortunately I made the last regular season game, when our coaches fought it out at midfield. Good times..
Soccer is an acquired taste, for sure. Growing up without it limits my interest now but I am trying to respect the fans around me who love to engage and are willing to explain some of the nuances.
Very entertaining slant, Doc! You haven't lost the edge that makes your thoughts must read sportswriting!
OK Boomer. All kidding aside, it's incredulous. As a college basketball junkie I spend my 2-hour benders with the full expectation of roughly 100-120 shots - and that's not even counting the free throws of which there well may be 25-50 more. And an OT (of which I am certain will last precisely 5 additional minutes - at least in clock time - could easily tag on another 20 shots). By then, if the game is competitive, I am often spent - though I frequently watch two, three and on occasion even four on an otherwise grey winter day. And I could count on my fingers - maybe on one hand - the number of times I've ever seen a player feign bodily injury for the sake of a few breaths. Can you even scarcely imagine doing that for 2-3-4 shots?
Soccer, it's not you ... it's me. I've tried. I've really tried. The truth is, I'm just not that into you. I know your virtues and beauty, but I am just a different point in my life now ... the senior part. The truth is, soccer, I just don't have that much time left to invest. I hope you understand. I wish you nothing but the best.
As a life long hockey player/coach/official, I find the "diving" to be well, diving! It's abhorent. With FCC in town, I'm trying to get into it...but with the diving and lack of action, it becomes too tough to swallow.
You might have read that, but the stat is 6,500 migrant workers have died in 10 years, not just construction workers. The Middle East relies heavily on migrant workers from poorer Asian countries. Supposedly 10,000 migrant workers die annually in the Middle East. As Major Strasser said in "Casablanca", life is cheap there. Tragically.
Try this replay of highlights of Saudi Arabia’s upset of Argentina
https://youtu.be/H6zHbVQjeaw
I can tolerate Doc’s once every four years rant about soccer. For this OG expat of the Republic of Cincinnati the Bengals and Bearcats FB & MBB have become must watch sporting events. All other sports have become “for entertainment purposes only”, and soccer can be entertaining. I really don’t even bother with the Reds anymore
The Argentina/Saudi Arabia match just concluded. Incredible match. SA upsets Arg 2-1. Still plenty of diving, questionable end of game time clock continuation, and an SA player literally almost had his head taken off during play by his own teammate’s knee. No, he didn’t dive. He was knocked out cold and carried off the pitch. And yes, I do realize the irony when I say a Saudi almost had his head taken off given, well, you know…
Doc, I usually love your stuff. This time though you could’ve just mailed it in even more and said something more straight to the point, something similar to “I don’t like soccer. Now get of my lawn!” And the posts here…how many different ways for seasoned midwesterners to tell us all they don’t like soccer either, because it’s different. And I don’t like different anymore.
After the U.S. soccer match today, I thought I would lick my imperceptible shin wounds tonight by watching the 3rd episode of Yellowstone season 5.
Bad idea.
More of the same uninspiring mess as episodes 1 and 2.
Beth Dutton, just like the USMNT, flopped through her performance with poor dialogue not unlike Christian Pulisic incessantly complaining to the Arabic FIFA ref that didn’t know English. Wow.
Install game clocks, for gawds sake. Put 'em up everywhere. Hell-o, put up 20, all over the place, in every corner, nook, and cranny. What's the frikin' problem with having clocks?
It's ludicrous nobody knows how much time is left. It's bush league. It's about as sophisticated as the shepherds of old, who knew it was time to bring the sheep home because the sun was coming up. Imagine the excitement there'd be, watching the final minutes and seconds tick off the clock in extra time, your team up or behind a point. No visible clocks are the dumbest thing in sports since footballs were made from pig bladders, baseball let people sit in the outfield, andf the NCAA banned dunking cuz of Lew Alcindor. Good God, is it that hard to figure out it might make sense for the players to know when the game is ending? The fans might just appreciate it, too. But no. let's keep everyone clueless as to when the game ends. Brilliant thinking. I think I'll go blow on my vuvuzela till my brain melts. What a great game.
I'd like to add a display for showing accumulated stoppage time. Isn't it bizarre that the stoppage time is a mystery to everyone in attendance until its announced at the end of the half? Crazy and kinda shady if you ask me. Alternatively...and I know this might seem fairly radical...maybe STOP the clocks when play stops? Wouldn't need "stoppage time" then, right? 🤯
Having read the comments about soccer from all of you, I have one thing to say; Kroger is having a sale on hair dye, prunes, and Limburger cheese.
Sorry JP..I tried to tell ya last week..nobody likes soccer
I apologize. When I saw the words cricket and soccer in your article I didn’t bother. Not a fan. I guess I’m old and time is too precious to waste on things I know little or care very little about, but I respect your opinion!
Wow, Doc.. way to lay waste to that “soccer-intolerant” rep, haha.
As a kid, I played every sport.. none of them particularly well, alas. My lone soccer season was spent on a winless team when I wasn’t playing baseball. Fortunately I made the last regular season game, when our coaches fought it out at midfield. Good times..
Soccer is an acquired taste, for sure. Growing up without it limits my interest now but I am trying to respect the fans around me who love to engage and are willing to explain some of the nuances.
Very entertaining slant, Doc! You haven't lost the edge that makes your thoughts must read sportswriting!
OK Boomer. All kidding aside, it's incredulous. As a college basketball junkie I spend my 2-hour benders with the full expectation of roughly 100-120 shots - and that's not even counting the free throws of which there well may be 25-50 more. And an OT (of which I am certain will last precisely 5 additional minutes - at least in clock time - could easily tag on another 20 shots). By then, if the game is competitive, I am often spent - though I frequently watch two, three and on occasion even four on an otherwise grey winter day. And I could count on my fingers - maybe on one hand - the number of times I've ever seen a player feign bodily injury for the sake of a few breaths. Can you even scarcely imagine doing that for 2-3-4 shots?
Soccer, it's not you ... it's me. I've tried. I've really tried. The truth is, I'm just not that into you. I know your virtues and beauty, but I am just a different point in my life now ... the senior part. The truth is, soccer, I just don't have that much time left to invest. I hope you understand. I wish you nothing but the best.
As a life long hockey player/coach/official, I find the "diving" to be well, diving! It's abhorent. With FCC in town, I'm trying to get into it...but with the diving and lack of action, it becomes too tough to swallow.
I read 6,500 migrant workers were killed while building this stadium??
You might have read that, but the stat is 6,500 migrant workers have died in 10 years, not just construction workers. The Middle East relies heavily on migrant workers from poorer Asian countries. Supposedly 10,000 migrant workers die annually in the Middle East. As Major Strasser said in "Casablanca", life is cheap there. Tragically.
Not for the love of the game but the love of the $$$
Damn Doc, you were proving why I only subscribed to the Enquirer to read your “musings”. Great read...