European sports are superior

Originally posted by trev33
actually no, basketball and cricket were the two sports that i was always one of the first picks. it doesn't change the fact that it's the most boring sport in the world to watch.

it's not that great to play either actually, unless it's the basketball thing at an arcade and you're up against some people.

Basketball has been perfected! With the addition of trampolines... YouTube&NR=1

This table tennis video is also entertaining. YouTube I wonder if he got the point?

Probably one of the most underrated sports.

D

Originally posted by trev33
it doesn't change the fact that it's the most boring sport in the world to watch.

If two Irish teams are playing, it probably is.

Originally posted by trev33
actually no, basketball and cricket were the two sports that i was always one of the first picks. it doesn't change the fact that it's the most boring sport in the world to watch.

it's not that great to play either actually, unless it's the basketball thing at an arcade and you're up against some people.

golf is probably the most boring spectator sport that i can think of, that snooker and swimming, table tennis is amazing!

Originally posted by Palynka
If two Irish teams are playing, it probably is.

i like watching the 'dunk competitions but other than that it's just the same carp over and over and over AND over again. but you're right irish basketball, i don't know why it was on tv but i watched about 5 minutes of it before falling asleep.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
golf is probably the most boring spectator sport that i can think of, that snooker and swimming, table tennis is amazing!

i could never understand why watching golf was so popular, especially at the actual tournaments i mean what do they see? at least on tv you can follow what is going on. i would watch the ryder cup and maybe bits of the 4 mayors but nothing more.

i used to play a lot of snooker so i quite like watching it.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
They need to do something to make it a bit easier to score in soccer. It gets too boring when some games are decided 1-0.

Actually one of the 50 or so reasons why real football is the most popuar sport in the world is due to the low scoring games.

Because it's hard to score your average weaker team almost always has a chance against a much better team as they can set out to just defend for the whole game! In real football theirs a much better chance of a suprise result that in just about every other sport in the world!

Originally posted by Ragnorak
To be honest, that just shows a total lack of appreciation for the sport.

In soccer, great defence can cancel out great attacking. Instead of viewing soccer as "shuffling the pieces back and forth", if you understood the subtleties of soccer, you'd view some 0-0 games as masterful defence winning out. In chess, beautiful play (nice attacks floundering ositioning.

No goals, but unbelievable to watch (for a true soccer fan) nonetheless.

D

I don't want to see a game where defense wins out more often than not. To me, that indicates a flaw in the game design, and not necessarily a masterful defense.

As for chess, drawn games are not well represented in classic games collections. Brilliant attacking wins, however, are quite popular.

But to each his own.

Originally posted by Jamesqt
Actually one of the 50 or so reasons why real football is the most popuar sport in the world is due to the low scoring games.

Because it's hard to score your average weaker team almost always has a chance against a much better team as they can set out to just defend for the whole game! In real football theirs a much better chance of a suprise result that in just about every other sport in the world!

I prefer to see superior talent flourishing, and not brought down to the lowest common denominator. Also, I prefer to see a sport that does not provide so much incentive to play a purely defensive game.

I think I'd like soccer a lot with a bit smaller field and less players. Probably cut each in half - 5 or 6 players, and a 50-60 yard field.

Maybe even remove that silly rule allowing the goalkeeper to use his hands.

But, to each his own.

Originally posted by trev33
i could never understand why watching golf was so popular, especially at the actual tournaments i mean what do they see? at least on tv you can follow what is going on. i would watch the ryder cup and maybe bits of the 4 mayors but nothing more.

i used to play a lot of snooker so i quite like watching it.

Have you ever played golf? If you had you would probably understand more about why it is so imoressive to see what the best players can do. When I was playing baseball, I used to laugh at golf and could never understand what was so tough about the game. I figured in baseball, a pitcher is throwing a baseball 100 mph from 60 feet away and you have a round bat you are expected to hit the ball, away from 8 other players in front of you while 50,000 people are screaming at you.

Then there was golf. The ball is laying there, motionless. You have a stick with an oversized head on it that you have to swing and move the ball, while everyone around you has to stand still and be quiet. How hard can that be, right? Then I tried the game.

It is the single, most difficult game to master of any that I have played. The margin for error is miniscule. The risk/reward decisions you face call drastically alter the outcome of your round. It is a great game, and it is even tougher in the US where the greens are actually hard, smooth and fast, the fairways are better manicured than the European greens, and then you have to combat the elements to boot. It is an extremely humbling game. In fact, less than 1% of all people who ever play golf, ever break 100 legitimately (that means without cheating, by the rules of golf).

That is why they watch the game, and are awed by what the best at the game can produce.

Originally posted by shortcircuit
Have you ever played golf? If you had you would probably understand more about why it is so imoressive to see what the best players can do. When I was playing baseball, I used to laugh at golf and could never understand what was so tough about the game. I figured in baseball, a pitcher is throwing a baseball 100 mph from 60 feet away and you have a roun ...[text shortened]... lf).

That is why they watch the game, and are awed by what the best at the game can produce.

i've played a few times and still like messing about on the driving range sometimes, haven't been for ages but it was a nice way to relieve stress. saying that i wasn't any good. if i hit the ball 200 yards i was happy. it's a very frustrating game. on the driving range you don't think or care where your hitting it you just swing, sometimes it goes away to the right, sometimes down the middle and sometimes it only goes about 2 metres. no one cares. on the course if you play a bad shot and hold up play you get looked at and judged by the other players waiting behind you.

but watching it in person? yeah you get to see the odd shot from the top players but it's not like you're at a soccer game or baseball game where you get to see quite a long if not everything. if i ever had the opportunity to see one tournament live i would go just to see them play once but i don't understand why people like going to them all the time. why not just watch it on tv where you can follow what is going on better?

Originally posted by SwissGambit
I think I'd like soccer a lot with a bit smaller field and less players. Probably cut each in half - 5 or 6 players, and a 50-60 yard field.

yeah, they should also intend some sort of smaller version of your football for us europeans to like, maybe have about 7 players or so on each side and instead of tackling to get the ball back each team wears something like a small towel on their side for the opponent to rip off and end the play. plus instead of having 4 downs for each 10 yards i think they should only have 4 downs for the entire drive and play on a smaller field.

Originally posted by trev33
i've played a few times and still like messing about on the driving range sometimes, haven't been for ages but it was a nice way to relieve stress. saying that i wasn't any good. if i hit the ball 200 yards i was happy. it's a very frustrating game. on the driving range you don't think or care where your hitting it you just swing, sometimes it goes away to th ...[text shortened]... all the time. why not just watch it on tv where you can follow what is going on better?

Obviously watching on tv gives you better angles of overviiew, plus you get simultaneous coverage of multiple holes, but maybe I can give you an analogy you can appreciate. Would you have rather seen the Rockies in the World Series at the ballpark or on the tv, even though you get better coverage and camera angles plus instant replay? The answer is....live baby!! Am I right?

Originally posted by trev33
yeah, they should also intend some sort of smaller version of your football for us europeans to like, maybe have about 7 players or so on each side and instead of tackling to get the ball back each team wears something like a small towel on their side for the opponent to rip off and end the play. plus instead of having 4 downs for each 10 yards i think they should only have 4 downs for the entire drive and play on a smaller field.

See, in American football, the field size works out well, because it is so much more natural to use your hands to maneuver the ball than your feet, and people can actually score more than once in a game.

[Hell, I don't even much like US football, but this was too hard to pass up.]

Originally posted by bill718
As an American, I guess I'm not supposed to say this, but I think European sports are superior to those played in America. Success in soccer (European Football) depends mostly on positioning, speed, and brains, not brute force, as in American football, the same can be said of rugby. Cricket is a wonderful game, and much more interesting to watch than America ...[text shortened]... to this of course, but I think the American sports community has much to learn from Europe. 😏

Perhaps the same could be applied to world affairs

Originally posted by smartrrrrs
Perhaps the same could be applied to world affairs

Wouldn't that be a defensive struggle that was perpetually into overtime??