Talking about the same subject in consecutive weeks is something I normally don’t do but this World Cup thing was begging for it. Last week those who claim that they are really into the World Cup took exception to my assessment of the world’s largest event. They will love this week
Let’s start off with my view on the event. I think there are a lot of talented players playing in this thing, and representing your country is the highest honor one can achieve in this sport. As a matter of fact, of the team sports this is the only sport where guys really make a big deal of it. Hockey would be very close, but what is more important, being on a World Cup team or having your name on the Stanley Cup?
I am told that this is the greatest skill level that soccer can provide. That is my first red flag. After watching some of the defensive play, along with goal keeping, this has to be some of the worst on a world level I have ever seen. There is a soft goal per game. There are defensive breakdowns on a regular basis. And this is the best of the best?
I can understand because the offensive skill set that the offensive player is supposed to be the best in the world. And if that is case, why are there so many low-scoring games?
The real question here is how things unfolded with the French team. In case you have not heard, during half time of a game last week, one of France’s top players unloaded on the coach at half time with a profanity-laced tirade for taking him out of the game. The player was later kicked off the team. OK, I am on board with that.
Here is the interesting part. In a show of unity, the entire team elected to boycott practice. The team captain was benched for the following game and the French were eliminated from World Cup competition. They have now been scorned by their country. I got to thinking, would this happen in any team sport in the U.S.? Be it a league, Olympics or in this case World Cup?
The answer is no. Oh, we have seen Terrell Owens show his you know what, Magic Johnson got a coach fired, and we have seen player and manager get nose to nose in the dugout. But never anything like what is going on in the World Cup, and no fan of the sport can defend the actions of anyone involved.
Another reason why the World Cup mentality would not work in the United States is the lack of professionalism. And yet this is a worldly sport? It’s a worldly joke.
Please do not tell me about the money. There are players here who make considerably more at the top level of their games but would never fathom the thought of what has transpired in South Africa.
As for those who could not answer my question of what other countries are in the tournament other than the U.S. and to name other players on the rosters, put this in your hat for safe keeping… Like the Olympics, once it’s over it will go back to the closet for another four years. It will not increase TV numbers for the MLS significantly. There will not be a mass-marketing rush for some obscure player from Uruguay’s jersey. There will not be prime time TV for a MLS game other than the championship on ESPN on a throwaway Sunday night.
It will just go away, and that’s cool. It is a nice tournament that the world watches for one reason. They do not have the option of seeing the Cardinals, Lakers, Cowboys, Red Wings, SEC, Big 12 and all the other real sports that are played on a competitive level. It’s not that they love soccer that much, they are stuck with it. Enjoy it while you can, because when it’s gone you will have four years to figure out who the teams and players will be for 2014.
By the way, it will also give this bogus organization that runs this thing, FIFA, some time to find some quality officiating. Need I go further on that matter? Then again, it’s soccer and it’s the World Cup, where everyone buries their head in the sand for a month.
