Anyone else watching soccer on ESPN?

Oh man, instead of studying, I've been wasting my time watching these soccer games. Metro just won with 2-0. They're going to the play offs. Coming up next is Australia against USA women's soccer!What's even better? World Cups is just right around the corner.Let us start betting who will win in World Cups.I'm gonna go for USA... ok, a little on the fantasy-land, but I can always hope

Here are the 27 teams already qualified for the World Cup in Germany next summer:Germany, Argentina, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, USA, Brazil, Mexico, Angola, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Holland, Poland, England, Croatia, Italy, Tunisia, Portugal, Ecuador, Paraguay, Costa Rica, France, Sweden, Serbia and Montenegro.There are another 5 places up for grabs in various play-offs.I predict one of the usual suspects - Brazil, Germany, Argentina or Italy.A few other European teams like Portugal, England, France, Sweden, Holland or Croatia have a shot, I don't think anyone else does.If you wonder why I'm so sure, look at the table in the Wiki entry for the World Cup.Seven countries have divided the 17 tournaments between them - and Uruguay have been non-contenders for years.

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I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then

Ok, I'll probably get ripped apart for this and be called “a stupid American that doesn't understand the sport, and/or only likes sports with high scores” or some other such nonsense...but in all honesty I find soccer to be about the most boring sport in existence to watch (to play is a bit of a different story). I admit, it is partially because of the low scores...but not the actual score in and of itself. Rather it's the fact that they never seem to kick the friggen ball towards the goal. I sit there and watch them move the ball back and forth (and some of the things they can do with the ball by using primarily their feet is truly spectacular...I admit that too) but they never kick the friggen thing towards the net. I scream at my TV: "KICK THE FRIGGEN BALL TOWARDS THE FRIGGEN NET ALREADY!!!!"Gads, how the hell do they expect to score if they never even try? Seriously, how many "shots on goal" do we see in a typical game? Seven? Eight? It's pathetic. Now keep in mind that I love hockey, another low scoring sport, but at least each team shoots the puck towards the net 20-30 time per game. Soccer, on the other hand...I could take a nap, eat lunch, wash my car, and take a shower between shoots. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...KICK THE FRIGGEN BALL TOWARDS THE FRIGGEN NET, and you'll dramatically increase your probability of scoring a friggen point.And just so you don't think that it is the low score that turns me off to the sport, let me also inform you that during the last Winter Olympics I stayed up to obscene hours of the morning just so I could watch Curling. I love Curling. So it’s not the score that bothers me, it’s the lack of any offense. Player “A” kicks it to player “B” . player “B” kicks it back to player “A”, who proceeds to kick it back to player “B”, who might kick it to player “C”, but probably just kicks it back to player “A”, who kicks it back to player “B” who...wait . he makes a move . could he be going for an actual shot . NO . he kicks it back to player “A”, who then kicks it back to player “B” . and so on for a month or two or until a player from the other team wakes up and “steals the ball” and proceeds to . do the same damned thing. Christ, a typical soccer game has about the same level of excitement as watching paint dry.Of course my favorite sport (even more so than hockey, which is number two on my list) is professional Bicycle Road Racing, so keep that in mind before you judge me too harshly. Bicycle racing has everything you could ask for in a sport . .speed, strategy and tactics, sportsmanship, endurance, nuts on bikes doing 60 mph down a hill, sprint finishes, hot babes . God I love it!Ok, so I’m sorry Lam . I hate soccer (but if it any consolation, I hate basketball even more...I would rather subject myself to four consecutive soccer games under a broiling Sun without food and water, than be "forced" to watch just one basketball game from a deluxe box while eating a gourmet meal) . go ahead and rip me a part for not giving two hoots about the most popular game in the World...I probably deserve it.

Flies, you really really need to get into cricket

Well, you probably need to have a bit of tradition before you can enjoy it.The biggest charm of the low scores is that even a very small team can occasionally beat the richest and best clubs in the world. EVEN when they are totally outplayed for 95% of the match. Although there is a move towards tournament-formulas that try to eliminate these kind of surprises as much as possible (again too much money involved...).It's one of those sports where David regularly beats Goliath, and that can be a source of tremendous joy!

Hi Cavediver:This is off topic but I had to reply. Back in grad school I lived with a guy from England for a year. Well, one night we got really drunk (he makes the BEST Bloody Mary's on the planet) and he explained in great detail the "rules" of cricket. I was fascinated (being drunk, I'm sure, played a role) and have actually enjoyed watching some cricket on the ole boob tube (finding it can be quite a chore). I imagine the novelty of the game was what kept me interested though.

Flies, I'm surprised you didn't include golf in your rant...the only time the word sport should be used in association with golf is in the phrase, "Nice putt, Sport. Now let's have the flunkies carry our bags to the next tee, eh?"I admire the athleticism and stamina of soccer, but can't watch it. Come to think of it, I don't watch any sports on TV anymore. In fact, I stopped watching television about five years ago.Now I have a ready answer when people ask me, where do you find the time to {fill in the blank}? Just turn off the glass teat and do something, I say. I've become quite insufferable which of course means I have even more time on my hands .