Problem - No lead changes: Most Americans say they don’t like soccer because of the lack of scoring. I don’t like it because there are no lead changes. Although, I will admit, more scoring would increased the possiblilty of lead changes. Some of the most exciting sporting events I have ever seen had a lot of lead changes. This is simply not possible in soccer as it stands now. Solution - Make all games sudden death: Since it is statistically impossible (I’ve ran the numbers, take my word for it. Any lead changes are a statistical anomaly) for the team that scores first to lose, make the team that scores first the winner. If the game ends in a nil-nil draw, it counts as a loss for each team. Problem - Offsides is too restrictive: I understand the need for the rule and I know it used to be even more restrictive but it is still ridiculous. Solution - They need to institute some sort of hockey style blue line where anything goes once the ball is beyond that point. This would negate the use of the extremely wussy offside trap and allow for a freer flowing game which would increase scoring chances and allow for more lead changes. Problem - Vuvuzelas: Vuvuzelas don’t add to the watching experience, they take away from it. There is no fan creativity involved in blowing a stupid toneless horn. Fans that have their act together with songs or chants are far more creative and actually contribute to the watching experience. Solution - Bullets fired to the heads of offenders from high-calibre pistols at an extremely close range.
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
Problem - whiny players falling to the ground at the slightest possible touch from a member of the opposing team followed by refusal to get off the ground until a foul is called. Solution - the second a player falls to the ground an official races to him, laces a prime t-bone around his neck, and a hungry tiger is let loose from mid-field.
mar350 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Problem - whiny players falling to the ground at > the slightest possible touch from a member of the > opposing team followed by refusal to get off the > ground until a foul is called. > > Solution - the second a player falls to the ground > an official races to him, laces a prime t-bone > around his neck, and a hungry tiger is let loose > from mid-field. New Problem - In the rare chance that the player is actually injured, he can’t outrun the tiger and instead of losing his ACL, he loses three of his limbs. New Solution - Introduce bionics to the sport.
stranger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > New Solution - Introduce bionics to the sport. evolution at its finest!
Since it is statistically impossible (I’ve ran the numbers, take my word for it. Any lead changes are a statistical anomaly) for the team that scores first to lose Really? Can I see the numbers please?
You’ll have to run the numbers for yourself but here’s the data. There have been 42 games completed so far in the World Cup. There have been 2 lead changes. That’s not an average of 2 lead changes per game, that’s a total of 2 freaking lead changes in 42 freaking games. -Greece won 2-1 after Nigera scored the first goal -Denmark won 2-1 after Cameroon scored the first goal. The team that scores first does not lose. I’ve noticed an easy was to distinguish a dive from an actual ingury. If the player hits the ground and rolls four times, it’s a dive. Truly ingured players don’t roll because that would hurt even worse.
murders&executions Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Solution - Bullets fired to the heads of offenders > from high-calibre pistols at an extremely close > range. This is really the only viable solution to many of life’s problem.
For those complaining about low scores, how about we have a Pinball moment every so often in the game where all off a sudden numerous balls fall on the field? It will be fun to watch the goalie defend against 4 or 5 balls simultaneousl coming at him.
murders&executions Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You’ll have to run the numbers for yourself but > here’s the data. There have been 42 games > completed so far in the World Cup. There have been > 2 lead changes. That’s not an average of 2 lead > changes per game, that’s a total of 2 freaking > lead changes in 42 freaking games. > > -Greece won 2-1 after Nigera scored the first > goal > -Denmark won 2-1 after Cameroon scored the first > goal. > > The team that scores first does not lose. > > I’ve noticed an easy was to distinguish a dive > from an actual ingury. If the player hits the > ground and rolls four times, it’s a dive. Truly > ingured players don’t roll because that would hurt > even worse. The US tecnically went up 3-2 over Slovenia (although the goal was disallowed when it shouldn’t have been). Also, isn’t everytime a team scores a lead change (thus, meaning only games finished nil-nil don’t have at least one lead change)?
That’s the most innovative idea I’ve heard since sliced bread!
i’d like to see a ‘Hooligan Challenge’ of some sort since each team/country has different fans. at half-time maybe they can setup like 10 board games ranging from othello to monopoly to chutes and ladders. that should settle some arguments
jcole21 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Also, isn’t everytime a > team scores a lead change (thus, meaning only > games finished nil-nil don’t have at least one > lead change)? If a team is up 2-0 and the other team scores to bring it to 2-1, it’s not a lead change. If the second team then ties it up at 2-2, there is no leader at that point, so I could see it argued as either a lead change or not one.
You’ll have to run the numbers for yourself but here’s the data. There have been 42 games completed so far in the World Cup. There have been 2 lead changes. That’s not an average of 2 lead changes per game, that’s a total of 2 freaking lead changes in 42 freaking games. ==> Well, every game is independent of each other, so we can’t just apply that rule only to WC. There are tons of other big events that run every year (EPL, Champions League, etc and other big ones in South America). I don’t see how lead changes make the game more interesting. Maybe its an American thing, so just because you like lead changes, doesn’t mean soccer sux. I understand your point though, I watch American sports too, basketball, football, NCAA games, but they have their own interesting aspects. Being an Indian, I seriously hate watching cricket, but I can’t do anything about it. If you like lead changes, maybe you should watch beach soccer or futsal or something. The only way leads can change frequently is if the pitch size is smaller. -Greece won 2-1 after Nigera scored the first goal -Denmark won 2-1 after Cameroon scored the first goal. The team that scores first does not lose ==> huh? That doesn’t make sense to me at all. The teams that scored (Nigeria and Cameroon) ended up losing. Or maybe I don’t get what you are trying to say. And also, you can’t base your analysis on such a small number of data points. There have been tons of games where leads have changed and teams have won unexpectedly. I’ve noticed an easy was to distinguish a dive from an actual ingury. If the player hits the ground and rolls four times, it’s a dive. Truly ingured players don’t roll because that would hurt even worse. ==> 4 times? How were you able to get that number? Were you counting everytime there was a dive? Sorry, I am just wondering. I would like to know how you collected the data. But, this is one aspect of football that is really pissing me off these days. I seriously wish they would incorporate video replays to make decisions. The time spent on arguing would be much more than getting the information to make the right call.
Defending champion Italy gets knocked out of the WC by Slovakia. Another European football powerhouse bites the dust. I guess Euros are very sensitive to the Vuvuzelas.
The two games I highlighted were the only two with lead changes out of the 42. As exhibited by 40 out of the 42 games, the team that has scored first has not lost. It is impossible for the team that scores first to lose. I totally agree with the video replay. I think all disallowed goals should be reviewed. With goals being so infrequent, a bad call on a disallowed goal carries far too much wieght.
When the US scored that goal in stoppage time, why didn’t Algeria (is that who they played?) just take the ball and kick off at the center. Time was still going, don’t they have a right to make a desperation play?
I can certainly understand why futbol fans (sorry, I can’t call it football and don’t want to offend anyone by calling it soccer) become defensive when Americans criticize the sport, but if you want the sport to grow it’s important to listen to the opinions of potential new fans. Every sport evolves if it wants to survive and often that evolution is the result of fresh perspectives. While we can be ignorant, obnoxious boobs at times, Americans do occasionally have good ideas so you might want to actually consider them instead of automatically dismissing them because of the source. I mean honestly, does anyone really enjoy seeing grown men rolling on the ground like someone shot them when they were only bumped? You see skateboarders faceplant on concrete and get up with less dramatics.
I can certainly understand why futbol fans (sorry, I can’t call it football and don’t want to offend anyone by calling it soccer) become defensive when Americans criticize the sport ==> 1) And why shouldn’t it be football? I know American football also has its history and tradition, but I can’t see the link between using the foot in American football and calling it the same. It makes more sense to call it handball than American football. I find this really ignorant or jealous that the whole world embraces the game except American sports lovers and they maybe can’t stand it. I don’t mean to call you out, but just generalizing here. But since it’s been known that way, I am not going to argue, unlike people who can’t understand why traditional football should be just left the way it is, maybe besides adapting some technological changes necessary to improve the game. but if you want the sport to grow it’s important to listen to the opinions of potential new fans. Every sport evolves if it wants to survive and often that evolution is the result of fresh perspectives. ==>2) Are you being serious here? Sport to grow? You realize it’s already the world’s biggest event and played in pretty much every country on earth. And tons of leagues and players and viewers etc. Again, are you being serious? Grow in what sense? Grow in America? Otherwise what? The game is gonna crumble? I can bet that even of the necessary changes aren’t made to the game, its going to be followed the same way that it is right now. I doubt 5-10M Americans who follow the game will make a big impact on the growth of the game. While we can be ignorant, obnoxious boobs at times, Americans do occasionally have good ideas so you might want to actually consider them instead of automatically dismissing them because of the source. I mean honestly, does anyone really enjoy seeing grown men rolling on the ground like someone shot them when they were only bumped? You see skateboarders faceplant on concrete and get up with less dramatics. ==>3) I totally agree with you here. Like I said, some changes should be made to improve the game definitely, in the sense of making of fair, not changing the rules. In this aspect, I like American sports, because I think they believe in more fair play that soccer/football and actually implement the rule. I wish Fifa would really consider this, but knowing that they have a douchebag in Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, they probably wouldn’t until they resign.
The answer to how to fix soccer is easy. Require every team to put together a cheer leading squad of the hottest women from their home countries (dibs on Italy). The girls could occupy 99% of screen time, with the actual soccer game occupying the remaining 1% in the form of instant replays of anything exciting that actually happens. Problem solved.