Comments on: Soccer and Tennis Back on the Rise in US!!…Gotcha

By: pacmanxu

pacmanxu — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:47:40 +0000

I’m surprised that someone getting a PhD has such a weak ability for reading and comprehension. This article was a commentary on where tennis and soccer land in the hierarchy of sports popularity in the United States of America, not whether I’m a fan or not. I referenced our country 11 times in my writing. This is a reflection on the American populace, not me. And none of what I said can be denied. Look at TV coverage, ticket sales, merchandise, revenue, player endorsements, etc. and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Every sport will always have it’s hardcore fanbase. Even bocce ball has people that Tivo it when it’s on once a year.

Every times we have a little success in these sports, a hardcore fan in the media tries to make us believe that it will rise in the ranks of popularity. American sports fans as a whole know what they like, and it’s not soccer or tennis (anymore).

I like both sports. I watched all of the US men’s games against Spain and Brazil in the CONFED Cup. That’s not going to make me want to watch the MLS every week. I was a huge fan of Sampras, Agassi, Lendl, and Stephan Edberg. I used to get up early in the morning just to watch Wimbledon and the French and US Opens. Those times are gone. It’s a two-man sport. Excellence is interesting, but all there is to look forward to is Federer vs. Nadal. The other players just aren’t that good…if they were, Federer or Nadal would lose to them once in while. I’m not going out of my way to watch Djokovic vs. Murray.

Soccer is what it will always be in the US, and we’re past the golden age of tennis.

America has spoken. It doesn’t matter whether I like them or not; this is how it is. Instead of attacking me, give me some facts about these sports that prove I’m wrong and that support their popularity in America is more than what I’ve said…you can’t.

Logic and facts rule reason…not emotion. Boom…roasted.

By: grhii

grhii — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 02:07:59 +0000

Ouch! The sister just torched your ass! You going to take that?

By: Katie P.

Katie P. — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:58:29 +0000

Written like a true non-fan of either sport. What I don’t understand is why you have to be a fan of one and nothing else. Soccer and tennis aren’t going to “unseat” baseball, football, basketball. But, I like watching all of them just as much. Because I watch for the sport and not for the soap opera of it. You watch for the ongoing stats and player stories…and maybe a little bit of the game.

What comes first for you? The personality or the sport? If it was the latter, this conversation wouldn’t be happening.

By: grhii

grhii — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:34:04 +0000

I could not agree more on soccer, but you knew that already!

But your point on Federer is a good one. I touched on that same issue lightly in a Quick Hits column after he won his personal Grand Slam. Had Federer played at the same time as Aggasi and Sampras in their primes he would have been third on the totem pole, and might never have sniffed a title.