I disagree with several points, football is relatively low scoring considering 21-7 is really 3-1, basketball scores are unique, hockey is relatively low scoring as well. I believe it is a case of action, football and hockey are hard hitting and fast paced, (football plays last about 10 seconds but contain alot of action).Soccer seems boring especially if you really don't see it often and don't understand the game, it's usually a chess match of building up an attack and striking not much different than a football drive down the field and a pass into the endzone.I was born in London and lived in Fulham and Cardiff as a kid, I root fot both of those teams in league play and England and Wales in international play. The UK and many other countries have many towns with semi-pro teams and leagues similar to the minor leauges for hockey and baseball, soccer has a base that does not exist in the States. If each state had a league of semi-pro teams that people could route for and identify with it would allow a root for a good professional league. That's what it needs, but will probably never get.Soccer is also cheap to play, a ball and 2 shirts for a goal are all that are needed, thus the ability for even very poor children to play not disimilar from basketball in the states. Pele used I think a rolled up paper or something like that in his bare feet when he was a kid.As far as the crying goes, I couldn't agree more. It's ashame it's part of the game, though it happens in every sport including hockey and football where an attempt to draw a foul is not uncommon (pass interference, holding etc).I agree with the last point also...it's not an advertisers dream, though on-screen advertising occurs, pay per view is the way to go. In England, Sky has most of the premier league matches on pay per view.My overall sense is that the United States is set in its ways about sports, that isolationist attitude that we are good at the sports we play and really don't need anymore, coupled with the above point of not having a home team to root for and massive exposure of the sport from a young age will guarantee soccer being a secondary diversion, similar to volleyball and other olympic sports. :)Sorry for the long post, but being a brit in the states most of my life I'm very passionate about the sport and have taken alot of bashing from friends and co-workers about it (sissy sport, boring etc...), though all in good fun. :)Ian.

/continues hijackThat was awful! Socceroos having 25 pentalties against 9 from Brazil, what was that???!!I'm looking forward to the Socceroos vs Croatia early tomorrow morning. GO SOCCEROOS!!!

I'm going for either Australia or Argentina, as I'm half Aussie and Argentine.It's good when both countries are in the World Cup!James

I love football (european), but I have to agree with you about the crying babies. It's starting to get ridiculous and takes away from the game.James

>I disagree with several points, football is relatively low scoring >considering 21-7 is really 3-1, basketball scores are unique, >hockey is relatively low scoring as well. I believe it is a case of >action, football and hockey are hard hitting and fast paced, >(football plays last about 10 seconds but contain alot of action).Hockey is not particularly popular in the US either. Don't know why either; I like hockey too and I'm from the Deep South.American Football is relatively low scoring true, but I think the action more than makes up for it.I don't think it is an isolationist attitude. Also, I think soccer is massively exposed to young people in this country. They just quit playing as they go up in years. The big money and fame is in the other sports.So, obviously there are a lot of factors involved as to why soccer isn't popular in America.A fellow employee of mine is also from England, and we give either other good-hearted grief over soccer. But he did say that "the world doesn't care if Americans like soccer". And I think that may be the crux of it - the world likes having a sport that Americans do not dominate and do not pay attention to.

Does all this football stuff have anything to do with this thread or FSX?????!!!!Hope this helps,Jimhttp://www.hifisim.com/Active Sky V6 Development Team Active Sky V6 Proud SupporterHiFi Beta TeamRadar Contact Supporter: http://www.jdtllc.com/AirSource Member: http://www.air-source.us/FSEconomy Member:http://dot.kelder.net:8080/fseconomy/

No matter what the reason, it's really ashame it hasn't taken off here. I know more children play soccer than any other sport in the states but then there is no supporting structure to allow them further paths to take after high school or college unless they are good enough to play in a foreign league which is only a select few. Hopefully things will change in the future.Ian. Still nothing new about FSX to stay on topic.

>>3) No breaks: This is more of a media problem. There is no>possibility of commercial breaks during a half, so the game is>not American TV friendly.>This is by far the best thing about watching soccer on tv, no stupid annoying commercials every 40 secs. One thing I can't stand anymore is commercials.Watching live soccer is fun, I've seen a couple of Fire games here in Chicago and that was just as fun as seeing a football game live.Anyone that says soccer is played by sissies has never played the sport. I've played football in high school and soccer up to 8th grade. I would have to say soccer was 10 times more wear and tear on the body than football.Worst sport ever to watch live and on tv is the NBA.

>And I>think that may be the crux of it - the world likes having a>sport that Americans do not dominate and do not pay attention>to. What international sport do the American dominate? Athletics maybe?The really strange thing with Americans and sport (from a non American point of view) is that they only really compete against themselves. I am not America bashing, but that is the way it seems to be.

The World Cup in -86(?) was what turned me off watching. Trying to play the referee to get a decisive freekick and then have 10 players in the defence, well that

Heartbreaking game for the Aussies, I was rooting for them to no avail. Ian.