I wasn't, but even if I did, that would be a comparison and not a generalisation. I never implicitly do anything, but I guess one has to know me to know that Ok so we agree on that then. I was replying to those that thought otherwise. I wasn't going through the reasons for it. Sure those reasons you gave are great, but not part of my root point. I'm not sure how English football is bad for the game of football. It's different, if other leagues want to play in another style then they are perfectly entitled to do so. How English football is going to be singlehandedly responsible for damaging the game of football is beyond me. As much as the SAmerican style of play relects the hotter conditions as do to some degree, the Latin leagues in Europe - so to does the English style. If you've never been here, you'll at least know of the stereotypical UK weather. As British stereotypes go, it's one of the better ones. It's rarely massively hot here and the football can go at an alarming rate. I don't blame you If Lecce were playing Bologna, I would do the same as the Italian style can become incredibly dull at that level. It's all about what rocks your boat. But I wouldn't say that the Italian style is bad for the game because I don't like it (well maybe if they'd get a new national coach). True, a little beside the point. But again I was defending the league as a whole. But yes you're probably right.
I saw the Southampton and Liverpool game. Once again, this proves people exaggerate on how fun the English Premier League is. This game was just like the Premiership games I watched over the years. The defenders were constantly making self-errors. In the first goal, the defender lost it right to Heskey. Whenever a player got the ball, he was given a ton of space with no pressure. When a long ball was lofted, the defender instead of going up to challenge, just backed off. The crosses would sail out of bounds a whole lot.
You watched a Southampton match and thought this wouldn't happen? It appears there maybe more to learn about the EPL than you'd first thought. And if it's so bad then don't watch it. Each to their own. The SJ/Burn match doesn't make me want to get a season ticket either.
I'll still watch just because it's soccer. I'm also looking for more excuses to why MLS is more fun to watch.
Re: Re: Patience Hmm... I thought it was a pretty good match. But SJ and Dallas can both play better.
My opinion, and it is just that, is that if the EPL or the England national team have success, more countries will go more to the English style of play. Since I don't like this style as much, I hope that doesn't happen. In general terms that is. Actually, I generally would prefer Lecce v. Bolognz or Espanol v. Rayo Vallecano, but that's just me. It is obvious that I don't have major disagreements with your view of football.
somehow, we've turned a nice post praising american soccer progress, into a nationalistic competition about what leagues are better (sigh).
But it is, and he surely did. Is that a chip on your shoulder or did somebody pee in your apple juice?
I was only going to quote a bit of this, but the whole post deserves repeating. I'm getting real sick of our constantly bristling at the suggestion that we have a bit more to learn about soccer from the rest of the world -- including England. The fact is, we do. That doesn't diminish what has been accomplished in the past decade, including the growth of all our pro leagues, not just MLS in the last 6 years. And it doesn't make our game any less fun to watch from my point of view. As a born-and-bred Yank I have a question. If "all American sports" are based on explosive speed, why does it take 3 hours to play a one-hour game of pointy? And where's the explosive speed in a home run? Aside from the ball blasting off the bat, the hitter gets to round the bases at a trot, while the other team just stands around smacking their gloves. Speed is relative, especially in the small arenas of the NBA and NHL. I'll take golf any day. Fly fishing? Don't get me started. Tennis anyone? It's all about the women, and what they wear and dont wear on the court. And who cares how fast anyone runs 100 meters when there's no ball at his feet? I've seen purse-snatchers in Manhattan could set a world record in the dash! As Woody Allen famously remarked, "A sport is something you do with a ball."
I don't think you can call England's team the "England national team" from a political point of view. After I watched them barely lose to Brazil I was thinking that the result might have been different if it had been a "British national team" with Giggs.
I am the first person to praise MLS' pace of play, but you have been putting the crack pipe in your mouth too often if you think this is true. I hope you are being sarcastic.