@the-gipper said:

Baseball is very exciting.  Every pitch, every at bat can bring something exciting.  Soccer CAN be somewhat exciting...on the rare occasions when the teams actually attempt to attack the goal (but like I said, those times are rare)  It could be more exciting with one simple rule change.

Baseball is nice to spend a relaxing 2 or 3 hours, get out to the stadium have a few hot dogs, popcorn and a cold beer  it's just the nature of the game. It's not American football with hard hitting action every play.  Enjoy it, besides you know when every inning starts and ends.

Now sock-her is nice to, go take a shower.....don't worry you won't miss any scoring!  

Recess for big kids. 

@mld-woody said:

Because nothing happens in baseball

Plus the flopping is overblown thanks to a few bad cases

Plus the NFL and NBA flop

But it's alright. The sport can die a slow death in the background

So, having record attendance is  a sign of having a slow death?  

The only thing wrong with baseball is that it does not do enough to promote its stars, to get their names and faces in the spotlight. (like the NBA does) 

There is no more likeable star than Francisco Lindor.  He should be as big a star as many/most NBA player, and as any NFL QB.   

@mld-woody said:

I wish I could watch an exciting, team sport. Like baseball...

....bahahahahahaha

Baseball is very exciting.  Every pitch, every at bat can bring something exciting.  Soccer CAN be somewhat exciting...on the rare occasions when the teams actually attempt to attack the goal (but like I said, those times are rare)  It could be more exciting with one simple rule change.

@mjp28 said:

And there's no flopping in baseball.  

Because nothing happens in baseball

Plus the flopping is overblown thanks to a few bad cases

Plus the NFL and NBA flop

But it's alright. The sport can die a slow death in the background

@mld-woody said:

I wish I could watch an exciting, team sport. Like baseball...

...bahahahahahaha

The Indians just had a 9 run 3rd inning.......that's about 7-10 games in sock-her years.

....... 

Oh correction CLEVELAND 17 cin 0 bottom 4 2 outs..... that's a whole season or two in sock-her. 

@mld-woody said:

I wish I could watch an exciting, team sport. Like baseball...

....bahahahahahaha

Or Michigan Wolverine football?

....bahahahahahaha

@dutch-oven said:

Soccer is almost as lame as Fox News. 

I even find the soccer highlights boring.......except maybe people throwing beer all over each other in a boring 2-1 game.

Interest is nil for me like those nil - nil games.  Zzzzzzzoooooo.

@mjp28 said:

Will somebody score already so we can all go home?

 a real world cup match has broke out with 6 goals in 70th minute.Pavard's strike was just plain nasty.wake up,the flop cops are coming

Z

@mjp28 said:

That should be an interesting wager. .......

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/world-cup/news/world-cup-final-sets-usa-television-record-with-265-million-viewers/

Exactly mjp. Same way foreigners will watch the Super Bowl, and nothing else NFL. 

My pal's son (age 39) regularly watches British Premier League. The legion of kids that are playing soccer will doubtless tune into the Final.

BTW, the Final is Sunday 7\15  11AM EDT- not a lot of competition with any other sporting events in the USA. The people who will be tuning in want to watch the match. Or will tape it. There's "Breakfast at Wimbledon" for tennis.     

put simply, A LOT. 

Let's start with the elephant in the room, I am from Pittsburgh. BUT I, too, know what it means to root for a once-proud franchise that has been mismanaged and is far too often the but of jokes. YES, I can relate... I root for the Pirates ?. Everyone knows how deep the roots of football are in NE Ohio, the baseball roots are every bit as rich in Pittsburgh (My grandfather actually played as an amateur in old Cleveland Municipal Stadium for his mill team AND batted against Satchel Paige, not bad eh?). Wether it's me rooting for the Pittsburgh Pirates or you rooting for the Cleveland Browns we both are fans who recognize that our teams aren't as competitive as other teams but who cares, we love 'em!

Then there is living in Columbus, this is where it gets painful...

Long story short, I'm a Columbus Crew SC fan. I've been a season ticket owner since I moved here in 2011. All of my other sports fan loyalties were set in stone but this soccer team was new to me. A team of my own in my new home, it was love at first sight. I'll skip the details but as some of you are aware our a**hole owner is trying to move the FIRST team in the league all the way to Austin, TX. He had only owned the team for 2 years when he made the announcement, he hates our city and never for ONE. SOLITARY. SECOND. every intended to keep this team here. All of the things he says about our city and our fans are infuriating. I can only imagine the things he says about Columbus are just like what Art Modell said about Cleveland and your fans 23 years ago.

They said our cities can't support our teams. LIE!

They said our fans aren't supportive. LIE! LIE! LIE!!!

These past few months have been hell for the fans of Crew SC. But that is why I wanted to post this here. They say you can never really understand someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. When it comes to the Browns I may be on opposite side of a rivalry BUT respect will always be front and center with me.  So fight on Cleveland, you're incredible.

P.S. - Every Browns/Steelers game I've every seen in Cleveland everyone has been very nice to me, so thank you!

@the-gipper said:

And, oh, by the way....if the WC Final does not get at least 18 million viewers here in the US....Hoorta owes me a bottle of wine.🥷

That should be an interesting wager. .......

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/world-cup/news/world-cup-final-sets-usa-television-record-with-265-million-viewers/

@the-gipper said:

The NFL is secure, no doubt.   Just think what a big boost in interest there would be in the league if the sleeping giant should awake.

“‘Let’s reawake this sleeping giant, the Cleveland Browns,’” Dorsey said.

Dorsey came to the Browns after helping rebuild the Kansas City Chiefs.

Before Dorsey arrived in 2013, the Chiefs had a 2-14 record in 2012 and just one winning season over a six-year stretch. However, in Dorsey’s four years as general manager, the Chiefs qualified for the postseason three times.

Admittedly, Dorsey is a football lifer who loves “everything about this great game,” and when the opportunity to lead the Browns came about, he jumped at the chance to write the next chapter in team history.

“This is one of those iconic franchises, and to me, this has got to be one of the most unique fan bases in the National Football League,” Dorsey said. “To me, that’s exciting. I’ve always liked the history of the game of football, and then, when you mention the Cleveland Browns to me, it brings back vast memories.

“I just can’t wait to try to build and establish this thing and move this thing forward. You know what we want to do? We want to be competitive every year. We want to be in the AFC North. We want to compete with these guys, year in and year out, and we’re going to do that. I can tell you that.”

Very well might be the best hire Jimmy Haslam has ever pulled off..Have we ever got the story of how Haslam pulled it off? with Sashi still sitting in Dorsey's GM seat?..All I ever read, was Dee went complete batchit on missing on AJ McCarron deal?  

“‘Let’s reawake this sleeping giant, the Cleveland Browns,’” Dorsey said.

Dorsey came to the Browns after helping rebuild the Kansas City Chiefs.

Before Dorsey arrived in 2013, the Chiefs had a 2-14 record in 2012 and just one winning season over a six-year stretch. However, in Dorsey’s four years as general manager, the Chiefs qualified for the postseason three times.

Admittedly, Dorsey is a football lifer who loves “everything about this great game,” and when the opportunity to lead the Browns came about, he jumped at the chance to write the next chapter in team history.

“This is one of those iconic franchises, and to me, this has got to be one of the most unique fan bases in the National Football League,” Dorsey said. “To me, that’s exciting. I’ve always liked the history of the game of football, and then, when you mention the Cleveland Browns to me, it brings back vast memories.

“I just can’t wait to try to build and establish this thing and move this thing forward. You know what we want to do? We want to be competitive every year. We want to be in the AFC North. We want to compete with these guys, year in and year out, and we’re going to do that. I can tell you that.”

No team USA and the time zones will keep American football securely in the popularity lead for now.

I was watching the Atlanta United FC President and others on CNBC concerning the future of team sports. The WC is coming to the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026 plus the NBA is doing well internationally.......it might be different in 10 to 15 years from now. We'll see......

@the-gipper said:

Scoring goals isn't really the point.....it is having them play the game so that they attempt to attack the goal....which happens so rarely.  A great save is as good as a goal....but when the goalie so often just has to act like a potted plant, that is when it becomes a cure for insomnia.

Yes and when some games end 0-0, 1-0, 1-1  scoring doesn't seem to be the main attraction here it's basically chasing a ball around the field that you can not touch and the occasional kick in the shins or rare bicycle kick. Sorry not exactly must see TV. 

And until this very minute I never knew the actual players on the field (many look to me to just be standing around or running around):

Players are divided into two basic classifications: goalkeepers and field players. Field players consist of forwards, midfielders and fullbacks. Coaches can mix and match the number of players at each position, as long as there are 11 players on the field. Sample formations include 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 4-2-4, etc. and are listed fullback-midfielder-forward, respectively (see diagram on other side). 

Positions

 Goalkeeper: Keeps the ball out of the goal and organizes team defense. Uses hands and arms within the penalty area. Possesses sure hands to catch, deflect, or punch shots away from the goal. Also called goalie or keeper.

 Forwards: Attack the opposition to create scoring opportunities. Take the majority of shots. Also called attackers.

 Midfielders: Enable the transition from the fullbacks to the forward. Constantly in motion, both defending and attacking. Also called halfbacks.

 Fullbacks: Provide last line of defense before the goalie. Stop the opposition before a shot is taken. Some coaches assign a single defender, called a sweeper, who plays closest to his own goal behind the fullbacks.

@nero said:

I'm not trying to convince anyone to watch soccer, but if anyone wants to give it another shot... Watch the Belgium - Tunisia that ended 5-2 and was played today. 

I think it'll be a better fit for you if you only get to like goals.

Scoring goals isn't really the point.....it is having them play the game so that they attempt to attack the goal....which happens so rarely.  A great save is as good as a goal....but when the goalie so often just has to act like a potted plant, that is when it becomes a cure for insomnia.