For those of you who missed it yesterday, Good Feed has started handpicking the best comments of the day and giving them a little limelight lovin.’
And while yesterday’s most lively discussion was around porn, today’s hottest topic centered on—shockingly—soccer.
Okay it’s not that shocking. My fellow blogger, Ryan O’Hanlon, wrote an awesome post praising Barcelona’s beautiful playmaking in the face of American apathy toward that other football—and his post stirred up quite a bit of healthy debate.
Steve wrote a pointed defense of soccer-fans’ enthusiasm:
The problem with Americans who dislike football is that they are adamant about the “lack of legitimacy” the sport possesses. Some Americans want their own sports and can’t stand football because it’s not “their” sport, or because it’s “a European thing.” In the end, most Americans who dislike football do it in a disrespectful and demeaning manner, so how can you blame football fans for vehemently defending their sport? Believe me, you [Daddy Files] are the exception to the rule, and it’s appreciated that you respect that people have different likes. Still, your post begs the question of why do handegg fans feel the need to express their dislike for football?
To which Aaron Gouveia—who’s also quoted in the story— responded:
I guess there are some people who dismiss soccer as a sport simply because it didn’t originate in America. I think those people are idiots and I haven’t met any of them, but I’m sure they’re out there. Where the sport originated has nothing to do with whether or not I like it. That’s determined purely by my own personal experience as I’m watching the game.
And, I should add, I LOVED playing soccer when I was younger. I worked at the World Cup in 1994 and practiced with Nigeria’s team as a high school student. But for me, playing it is a billion times more enjoyable than watching it.
You ask why Americans feel the need to express their dislike for the NFL. But I’d ask you why soccer fans are so quick to take on an air of superiority and condescension when asked about American football. It works both ways and it’s probably a vicious cycle, chicken-or-the-egg scenario. Two passionate sets of fans defending the sports they love.
What’s great about this dialogue is that unlike some less diplomatic sports fans, these two—among many of the other commenters—were able to have an actual conversation about a subject that sometimes has the power to incite brawls. (Trust me, I’ve seen it happen.) Which is why we love you guys.
Want to see your opinions featured on the front page? Start commenting! We don’t want to resort to schoolyard baiting but we’ve got some pretty thorny stories like this and this and this.
Come on. You know you want to.
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