I thought that the article was a satire, a joke, something to be taken in jest. But it appears that the author was deadly serious. I think that he should direct his jeremiad on people like him rather than on the game itself. It is only in North America that soccer is the sole pursuit of the wealthy and well off. Almost anywhere else on earth it is a game of teh poor and working class. Soccer isn't a prestige sport, but the only way to truly experience the sport in America is with clubs that require huge financial expenditures on the part of the parents before their kid plays for a decent team. There isn't that pick up and play aspect that is so prevalent in many countries and with many sports such as Basketball and American Football. Having said that I take exception.
It is idiots like this that come in contact with soccer every four years when their local news broadcast clips of the world cup. The fact that a professional football league exist has only just entered the minds of most americans within the last two years with the Beckham circus. Soccer is not a sport only for women; hell, the reason that Americans associate soccer with women is because the macho nature of the game has led to the exclusion of women from traditional powerhouses of soccer all over the world. Isn't it interesting that the best women teams in the world come from places where soccer isn't part of the culture. For years China and America were by far the most dominant force in world women soccer. It is only recently that traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, Germany, England, et al are focusing on the women's game. The culture where soccer isn't a big deal were able to invest equal amount of money and time to developing the women's national team, and since there really isn't any professional league for women worth its salt the country that poured the most money into the women's team reaped the biggest reward. And since the countries that invest equally in both men and women national team were traditionally those where the game hasn't really took hold their women's team were able to crush those from traditional powerhouses who neglect their women's game because in those countries Soccer is viewed specifically as a man's game.
Second it is not a boring game nor is it a game were draws and penalty shootouts are common. In a league game there is never, I repeat, never any penalty shootout. Yes a penalty is awarded for a foul inside of the 18yard box, but a game never goes into a penalty shootout in a league game. Soccer is a contact sport, yes that is true, and referees often blow the whistle too quickly for some slight challenges. But when a tackle is capable of doing this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_VT8m02Izc
then you understand the abundance of caution in a game that has no protective padding for its players outside of an ineffective shin guard. Soccer is a game that features the most injuries. It might be anything from a strain ankle, deep muscle bruising, to tendon tears, and limb threatening bone breaks. Soccer is not for the faint of heart. To label it as a boring game because all your exposure to it is watching your children play it is just freaking ridiculous.
So no, Soccer isn't ruining America. If the author wants to know what is ruining America he should turn the mirror in himself. It is people like himwith a distinct lack of intellectual honesty that have brought America to its knees.
I like soccer, but just because I like soccer doesn't make me want to go out of my way to denounce sports that don't interest me. I don't denounce Nascar, American Football, Baseball, Ice Hockey, or Basketball. Hell I like watching them from time to time, but a more competent argument can be made that anyone of those are ruining America, they are more prevalent, they are games that everyone in America either plays, is aware off, or aspire to be a professional in. These are games where most Americans say that they look up to its players despite numerous scandals; drugs for example. Despite all that I don't think or even entertain the thought that these sports are ruining America.
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