Until Soccer gets rid of ties it just won't fly in the USA

[Band of Brothers]

Everyone seems to be fired up on the World Cup and I have been trying to get into it as ESPN keeps pounding the games into all Americans heads. I have been watching but there is just something missing. I hate ties and goal differential with a passion.

Watching Americans stand around and hope for a tie or can we get in the back door is not in our culture. I watched yesterday and I wanted to see the USA win over Germany but it just fell flat for me. Portugal won and then it was Mardi Gras ...USA advances on a goal difference.

Soccer fans defend the tie and this goal differential thing but this is supposed to be the World Cup of the sport . Play the games until someone wins and Soccer would be more of a major sport here. Hockey finally realized that ties just did not appeal to Americans so they changed it.

Americans want clear cut winners and they also need a goat to finish the story. I know we can't tell the rest of the world to change the rules of the game but when I see guys flopping around being taken off on stretchers only to return a few minutes later I shake my head. They are great athletes but at the end of a tie or this goal differential thing everyone seems content to stand around and pat each other on the back. I know it will get better now that every game from here on out is a elimination game and we love elimination games but ties suck and they will always suck.

It's like dating a hot chick and getting to the door only for her to turn around and shake your hand and say lets be friends. Americans always want to seal the deal and I would'nt want it any other way.

 

[Stokes1931]

There are ties in American football and in hockey, and that hasn't seemed to affect their popularity. Though soccer ties are much more frequent. Once the teams are in this knockout round, there will be no ties.

Back in the day, FIFA called the extra time "Sudden Death", but that was too violent so it was "Extra Time" or "Golden Goal". The penalty kicks were called a "Shootout", but that was too violent, so now there are called "Kicks from the Penalty Mark". Doesn't quite have the ring to it.

 

[SF11704]

While I do agree with you about soccer not being that big in the US I really dont buy that it has to do with 'ties'. I think that this article pretty well identifies why we tend to not be a 'big' soccer country.
7 Reasons Why Soccer Isn?t Big in the U.S. | Mamiverse

 

[Band of Brothers]

While I do agree with you about soccer not being that big in the US I really dont buy that it has to do with 'ties'. I think that this article pretty well identifies why we tend to not be a 'big' soccer country.
7 Reasons Why Soccer Isn?t Big in the U.S. | Mamiverse

I agree with the article but I was mostly talking about the World Cup. The MLS is not followed in the US for the most part . I just thought that if you are going to hold a event that was every four years like the Olympics you should have to win your way to the next round and not back in on a stupid goal differential. Can you imagine if the US had to go to a overtime with Portugal especially after they tied it up with only seconds to go. It would of been great theatre. This is the best of the best and it should be decided on the field by winning.

One more reason Soccer is not a big sport here is no one really gambles on the game. Not enough scoring for our taste either.

 

[Band of Brothers]

The US is also not known for winning in Soccer on a international level. If they were to go on and win lets say a World Cup it might effect more people like when the US Olympic Hockey team won in 1980 against the Russians. More US people got interested in Hockey after 1980 happened. We love winning teams and don't like it when we are not on top of the game.

Baseball

Football

Basketball

All our major sports are for he most part dominated by the USA especially American football and it is #1 right now.

 

[SF11704]

I agree with the article but I was mostly talking about the World Cup. The MLS is not followed in the US for the most part . I just thought that if you are going to hold a event that was every four years like the Olympics you should have to win your way to the next round and not back in on a stupid goal differential. Can you imagine if the US had to go to a overtime with Portugal especially after they tied it up with only seconds to go. It would of been great theatre. This is the best of the best and it should be decided on the field by winning.

One more reason Soccer is not a big sport here is no one really gambles on the game. Not enough scoring for our taste either.

I agree 100% about the World Cup. Just don't want to see ties in an event that is one of the biggest draws in the world. You either win or lose. For me Germany was the only team in the division to 'win' thier way into the next round. But, at least we are there now!

 

[Band of Brothers]

I agree 100% about the World Cup. Just don't want to see ties in an event that is one of the biggest draws in the world. You either win or lose. For me Germany was the only team in the division to 'win' thrir way into the next round. But, at least we are there now!

Yeah but I really would of liked to see the US and Portugal battle it out and finish that game to have a true winner advance. These guys have been waiting four years for this event...four years.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Yeah but I really would of liked to see the US and Portugal battle it out and finish that game to have a true winner advance. These guys have been waiting four years for this event...four years.

Technically, to be fair the US beat Portugal. They beat them in 90 minutes and in 94 minutes (the original four minutes extra time).

 

[Mays-Fan]

What soccer needs is more scoring, so you can have a real OT that won't go on forever. It's total bullshit that a World Cup championship can be and has been decided by a shootout. That's like the World Series being decided by a home run derby contest. Complete crap - zero credibility.

So to get more scoring (I'm talking about 3-2 games or 4-3, not 13-12), I would propose the following:

1) Slightly larger goals, like 1 meter wider and a half meter taller.

2) Limit the goalie to using his hands ONLY on shots on goal, not grabbing crossing passes.

3) Relax the offside rule, or possibly eliminate it altogether.

4) Have a half court rule like in basketball. This will eliminate stall ball passes back to the goalie, and playing keepaway in the defensive end.

5) Fewer players. Even eliminating one would make a difference. Perhaps in OT, start with 10 players, then take one off every 5 minutes.

These are tweaks which don't fundamentally change the core nature of the game.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

What soccer needs is more scoring, so you can have a real OT that won't go on forever. It's total bullshit that a World Cup championship can be and has been decided by a shootout. That's like the World Series being decided by a home run derby contest. Complete crap - zero credibility.

So to get more scoring (I'm talking about 3-2 games or 4-3, not 13-12), I would propose the following:

1) Slightly larger goals, like 1 meter wider and a half meter taller.

2) Limit the goalie to using his hands ONLY on shots on goal, not grabbing crossing passes.

3) Relax the offside rule, or possibly eliminate it altogether.

4) Have a half court rule like in basketball. This will eliminate stall ball passes back to the goalie, and playing keepaway in the defensive end.

5) Fewer players. Even eliminating one would make a difference. Perhaps in OT, start with 10 players, then take one off every 5 minutes.

These are tweaks which don't fundamentally change the core nature of the game.

I think the field should be smaller

 

[Mays-Fan]

I think the field should be smaller

I like that, too. But you would definitely want to have fewer players if you did.

 

[xxERICSMITHXX]

Everyone seems to be fired up on the World Cup and I have been trying to get into it as ESPN keeps pounding the games into all Americans heads. I have been watching but there is just something missing. I hate ties and goal differential with a passion.

Watching Americans stand around and hope for a tie or can we get in the back door is not in our culture. I watched yesterday and I wanted to see the USA win over Germany but it just fell flat for me. Portugal won and then it was Mardi Gras ...USA advances on a goal difference.

Soccer fans defend the tie and this goal differential thing but this is supposed to be the World Cup of the sport . Play the games until someone wins and Soccer would be more of a major sport here. Hockey finally realized that ties just did not appeal to Americans so they changed it.

Americans want clear cut winners and they also need a goat to finish the story. I know we can't tell the rest of the world to change the rules of the game but when I see guys flopping around being taken off on stretchers only to return a few minutes later I shake my head. They are great athletes but at the end of a tie or this goal differential thing everyone seems content to stand around and pat each other on the back. I know it will get better now that every game from here on out is a elimination game and we love elimination games but ties suck and they will always suck.

It's like dating a hot chick and getting to the door only for her to turn around and shake your hand and say lets be friends. Americans always want to seal the deal and I would'nt want it any other way.

Would you feel better if they just called them Wild Card teams?

 

[fordman84]

There are ties in American football and in hockey, and that hasn't seemed to affect their popularity. Though soccer ties are much more frequent. Once the teams are in this knockout round, there will be no ties.

Back in the day, FIFA called the extra time "Sudden Death", but that was too violent so it was "Extra Time" or "Golden Goal". The penalty kicks were called a "Shootout", but that was too violent, so now there are called "Kicks from the Penalty Mark". Doesn't quite have the ring to it.

 

[fordman84]

What soccer needs is more scoring, so you can have a real OT that won't go on forever. It's total bullshit that a World Cup championship can be and has been decided by a shootout. That's like the World Series being decided by a home run derby contest. Complete crap - zero credibility.

So to get more scoring (I'm talking about 3-2 games or 4-3, not 13-12), I would propose the following:

1) Slightly larger goals, like 1 meter wider and a half meter taller.

2) Limit the goalie to using his hands ONLY on shots on goal, not grabbing crossing passes.

3) Relax the offside rule, or possibly eliminate it altogether.

4) Have a half court rule like in basketball. This will eliminate stall ball passes back to the goalie, and playing keepaway in the defensive end.

5) Fewer players. Even eliminating one would make a difference. Perhaps in OT, start with 10 players, then take one off every 5 minutes.

These are tweaks which don't fundamentally change the core nature of the game.

Add another ref and make penalizing flopping and overselling minor contact an infraction.

 

[JDM]

The US is also not known for winning in Soccer on a international level. If they were to go on and win lets say a World Cup it might effect more people like when the US Olympic Hockey team won in 1980 against the Russians. More US people got interested in Hockey after 1980 happened. We love winning teams and don't like it when we are not on top of the game.

Baseball

Football

Basketball

All our major sports are for he most part dominated by the USA especially American football and it is #1 right now.

It's our F tier athletes against other country's A tier athletes. We obviously aren't going to win.

 

[JDM]

Offside sucks; I'll agree with that. But limiting the goalie's use of the hands would absolutely fundamentally alter the game.

 

[xxERICSMITHXX]

What soccer needs is more scoring, so you can have a real OT that won't go on forever. It's total bullshit that a World Cup championship can be and has been decided by a shootout. That's like the World Series being decided by a home run derby contest. Complete crap - zero credibility.

So to get more scoring (I'm talking about 3-2 games or 4-3, not 13-12), I would propose the following:

1) Slightly larger goals, like 1 meter wider and a half meter taller.

2) Limit the goalie to using his hands ONLY on shots on goal, not grabbing crossing passes.

3) Relax the offside rule, or possibly eliminate it altogether.

4) Have a half court rule like in basketball. This will eliminate stall ball passes back to the goalie, and playing keepaway in the defensive end.

5) Fewer players. Even eliminating one would make a difference. Perhaps in OT, start with 10 players, then take one off every 5 minutes.

These are tweaks which don't fundamentally change the core nature of the game.

1 and 5 might work, but I don't really like 5 all that much.

2) How would you even determine if it is a shot on goal or a cross? Most are obvious, but there are enough that are not that I don't think it would be possible.

3) I don't think this would have the impact you think it would. It would just change the way defense is played. I would think it would make break aways much harder because the defense would always be further back to keep the offensive player in front of them.

4) This completely fundamentally changes the core nature of the game. Possession is such a huge part of the game. Teams have to keep possession to create chances. You would actually be making it a lot harder to score because you are compacting the playing field. Teams pack it in defensively when they are clearly outmatched making it much harder for the other team to score. This would just make all teams do the same thing.

 

[JDM]

It would get rid of the offsides trap which is one of the gayest things in all of sports, though.

 

[MarcoPolo]

It would get rid of the offsides trap which is one of the gayest things in all of sports, though.

Yeah, it really ruins hockey too. :rollseyes:

 

[Band of Brothers]

This was a good discussion with good points and ideas. Nice job.