Euro Scoccer

[Chicagoan]

Soccer at all levels, from kiddie to Euro, is a huge waste of time, in my personal opinion. The only reason I ever watch sports other than college football and NFL football is because football seasons are not year-round.

[billryan]

I might be going to a Tucson Sugar Skulls game next week. It's indoor football and a friend here has a nephew on the visiting team and offered everyone free tickets. They don't draw much but are starting to paper the house. It's at least two hours each way so it is going to be a last-minute thing. The kid was a three-year starter at a small school and a practice player in the XFL. He's keeping his dream going.

[Carcounter]

Soccer at all levels, from kiddie to Euro, is a huge waste of time, in my personal opinion. The only reason I ever watch sports other than college football and NFL football is because football seasons are not year-round.

The penalty kicks to settle a game just infuriates me. don't know why, but you can't decide a game based on stupid penalty kicks.

[Eduardo]

Unlike MLB who now seems to be changing rules quite rapidly (I can't even explain the current rules to a friend, which frustrates me), it's unlikely this one will change soon given it's such a global sport. I suppose it could happen, but don't count on it.

I also despise the penalty shootout. I suspect players, coaches, owners, and most of the world does as well.

The secret to avoiding this terrible fate of course is to win the game before the final clock runs out. 120 minutes is a long time in a sport where you are constantly moving.

NFL overtime rules used to be just as bad, putting far too much weight on the toss of a coin. It is still imperfect, but at least you now need a touchdown or the other team has a chance with the ball. No more marching a few yards down the field and kicking a field goal to win it. I think I prefer the way they are doing it in college now.

For soccer, I think many people would prefer a sudden death overtime, next goal wins. However people fail to realize how poorly that would go over in the sport. It would likely increase player injuries substantially as games could possibly drag on for hours. Perhaps it could work, with modified rules or fewer players on the field. But in any soccer event (even the world cup) players are often moving on to play more games in another league or tournament shortly after.

MLS had a different (more exciting) shootout more like hockey at one time, where instead of simple penalty kicks the player and goalie were free to move about. However I don't see that being adopted on a global level.

The current rules basically come down to win it in 90 minutes, a chance to win it in 120, or fate will wield her cruel hand. Not to dismiss the skill involved completely, because there are certainly great elements of it in a shootout as well.

But I don't think anyone actually likes to see a game end that way.

[billryan]

I think most Americans would rather see a shootout at the start of the game and skip the two hours of nothingness that most games produce.
I'm not a soccer fan, although I've been to some matches. I saw the Cosmos back in their glory days, went to a World Cup game in the Meadowlands, and an Ireland- Columbia war that was supposed to be a friendly.
A friend once explained that the shootout isn't a reward for being tied after overtime, it's a punishment.
If you can't beat your opponent in the allotted time, you are forced to submit to a shootout.

[FAA]

After 120 minutes of incompetence, you lose the right to play on. We’re finding a winner and getting on with our lives, mates!

[Chicagoan]

I once found myself on an aircraft seated next to an NFL assistant coach. We had a very informative and interesting conversation in the clouds. Of everything he told me, this made the most sense:

In every sport, regardless of whether it's football, hoops, whatever, things occur that are beyond the players' and the coaches' control. In a close game as it nears the final moments, these out-of-control events increase proportionately in their importance. Examples are injury, a bad call by an official, weather delay, etc. Which is why a strong coaching staff will do everything in its power, shoot all the marbles so to speak, to have a lead going into the final portion of the game, a lead that can overcome events that are beyond control.

He said when a game is lost directly because of a bad call, a late injury, etc., the coaching staff must realize that they should never have been in that position in the first place, where an out-of-their-control event can determine win/lose.

Same thing with the soccer penalty kicks to win or lose the game. What could you have done earlier, as a player or coach, to avoid being in that position?

[Carcounter]

I once found myself on an aircraft seated next to an NFL assistant coach. We had a very informative and interesting conversation in the clouds. Of everything he told me, this made the most sense:

In every sport, regardless of whether it's football, hoops, whatever, things occur that are beyond the players' and the coaches' control. In a close game as it nears the final moments, these out-of-control events increase proportionately in their importance. Examples are injury, a bad call by an official, weather delay, etc. Which is why a strong coaching staff will do everything in its power, shoot all the marbles so to speak, to have a lead going into the final portion of the game, a lead that can overcome events that are beyond control.

He said when a game is lost directly because of a bad call, a late injury, etc., the coaching staff must realize that they should never have been in that position in the first place, where an out-of-their-control event can determine win/lose.

Same thing with the soccer penalty kicks to win or lose the game. What could you have done earlier, as a player or coach, to avoid being in that position?

Well, I agree with that 100%. Remember the flagrant interference call on the Saints wide receiver (that wasn't made) Cost them a trip to the Super Bowl. Just awful. Seriously, why not go into sudden death on soccer with fewer players? Could be a solution.

[billryan]

Your solution is to take players off the field, so exhausted players have to cover even more ground?
It's not as if the greatest minds in the soccer world have not considered their options.
I don't remember that many of the Cosmo's goals but I can picture Shep Messing whiffing on the penalty kick that eliminated the Cosmos pursuit of a second straight title as if it yesterday.

[Carcounter]

The NHL does it. Are the hockey players not exhausted?