A couple of nights ago, I was watching ESPN coverage of FIFA World Cup results, when the obviously bored female commentator gleefully said… “But let’s get back to hockey.”
Which prompted me to write a comparison about the different team sports… as well as my preferences.
Let’s begin with hockey. I’ll sum it up with a statement sure to resonate with sports fans everywhere. “I CAN’T FOLLOW THE PUCK!” Maybe it’s just me. But I find it difficult to get excited over a sport where I only know they’ve scored, when I see the players celebrating.
For purposes of this discussion, I’ll omit foreign sports like cricket and rugby. Don’t know them… have never watched them.
Now for the other mainstream team sports. But first… this commercial break.
Hey! Still with me? Good! Let’s cover those team sports.
Basketball. Some criticize soccer (over here it’s “soccer”) because of too little scoring. To me, the opposite is true of basketball. In a sport where the final score can be 140-130, individual baskets lose their luster in the grand scheme of things. Shoot… miss… shoot… score. Pass the ketchup.
Also, dunks are not a stretch for a 6’-9” player. Stop putting them on ESPN Top Plays! Finally, the NBA season is 82 games… just a bit too long for my particular taste. Individual regular season games are practically meaningless.
Baseball. America’s pastime. The MLB season is even longer… 162 games. Less of a chance that I’ll watch a regular season game. While playoffs and World Series games are not to be missed, the truth is that the nature of the game itself is S-L-O-W.
Depending on both pitcher and batter, you can sometimes measure the time elapsed between pitches with an hourglass. This is not conducive to “edge-of-your-seat” excitement.
Football. My favorite sport. Seventeen-game seasons make each game critical. The action is fast-paced, even if there are huddles between each play. At least there is a play clock. The drama can be excruciating.
And here’s one that has moved up the charts for me… Soccer.
Other than 0-0 draws, which are annoying and should be outlawed, soccer requires a seasoned, discerning, appreciative fan approach. While scoring is typically low, there are usually plenty of shots on goal. The pinpoint passing… the runs toward goal… the dramatic saves… all of these give soccer its pure excitement. The action is also non-stop.
What can I say… it’s an acquired taste.
MLS and Soccer is Growing within the no longer minorities and not so small college as USA becomes more diverse, soon the Major Sports will have more competition.
Thank you for your comment, Dani. Yes… MLS and the sport of soccer are growing in the U.S. Another factor that should be mentioned is the fact that U.S. sports fans are more given to support sports they feel they dominate globally. One World Cup championship, or even a 2nd place finish, and you would see an exponential jump in fan support in the States. In the subject of diversity, other major sports are being forced to follow suit, if they don’t want to be left behind. You can see this movement already.