What soccer needs to be interesting is...

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docmirror

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1) A 'backcourt' type of rule. i.e. once the ball is taken across the centerline by the attacking team, they cannot pass it backward across the line again or they give up possession. Maybe lose a player for 1 min.

2) Hockey style penalties for infractions. I'm tired of the attacking team being hacked at and the only thing that happens is there is a reset with possession. Make it 2 min for tackle from behind, or holding, etc.

3) Get rid of the goal area(inside box). Just do goal kicks from the penalty point. Leave the big box.

4) Revise the offside rule. Not sure how it would work, but offside is so badly called, it needs to be simplified or modified of some kind.
 
My wife hates it when I invent new rules for basketball...

Soccer would be interesting well... I'm not coming up with much. I used to go to the local Mexican league games to watch the bench clearing brawls and fights In the crowd.
 
docmirror said:
1) A 'backcourt' type of rule. i.e. once the ball is taken across the centerline by the attacking team, they cannot pass it backward across the line again or they give up possession. Maybe lose a player for 1 min.

2) Hockey style penalties for infractions. I'm tired of the attacking team being hacked at and the only thing that happens is there is a reset with possession. Make it 2 min for tackle from behind, or holding, etc.

3) Get rid of the goal area(inside box). Just do goal kicks from the penalty point. Leave the big box.

4) Revise the offside rule. Not sure how it would work, but offside is so badly called, it needs to be simplified or modified of some kind.
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Scoring. That's why there are so many riots at soccer games outside the US -- the score is 0-0 and the fans are bored. :) There aren't riots at US soccer games because nobody is there.
 
ColoPilot said:
Scoring. That's why there are so many riots at soccer games outside the US -- the score is 0-0 and the fans are bored. :) There aren't riots at US soccer games because nobody is there.
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... and the reason is that soccer is a boring game to begin with. But then so are many "spectator sports". More fun to watch the crowd than watch the game. My .02.

Dave
 
For it to be popular here?, they need to stop the game every 5 minutes at most, for at least 2 minutes, so they can play a ton of commercials :mad2:
 
As a Euro guy living in the US (and not particularly into soccer I should add) I often hear that soccer is too boring for American tastes and that nothing happens. I almost choke with laughter when I hear that because I wonder if I'm the only one who's been to Football and Baseball games here? Talk about nothing happening….

Baseball game goes on for 5 hours. They take 20 minutes to pitch between each hit and it's a lot of ritual BS and pontification going on. Each inning has no points and it just drags on and on. If I'm not right, then how come half the stadium turns up late for a game and leave early "to beat traffic"? Can't be that exciting (and you're not missing much) if they're always doing that, right?

American Football. Yeah, real exciting for about 20 seconds each time and half a yard. They never play longer than 20 seconds before some referee blows the pipe and there's a 5 minute commercial break. On a running track, the soccer players would run circles around footballers as athletes - they actually work the pitch all the time (without breaks every 20 seconds) and are fit.

Flame away! ;):devil::ihih:
 
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Soccer is hockey on a large field, without ice or sticks, and the fighting is all in the stands. Then there is the lack of scoring, referees who tweet and wave their hands without recourse to instant replay or discussion; no wonder they get beat up afterwards when they make a bad call.

The fields are too large, the "plays" are even less organized than basketball. Just a bunch of guys running around kicking the ball.

But then again, soccer is one reason the remote control was invented, so we can watch something exciting, like the announcers whispering at golf . . . . Zzzzzzz . . .
 
Lacrosse. There is a sport. Scoring. Speed. Hitting. History.
I wish we lived someplace where lacrosse was played when my daughter was younger. She picked it up too late and played soccer instead. Oh well. At least she is not playing softball. Soccer tournaments- one, maybe two games a day when she was younger then the parents are off to the bar. Softball... all day.
I will say that while women's soccer does not have the speed of men's soccer you do not see the fake falls as much. At least when you are not playing Brazil. It seems to be a point of pride for girls to tough out tackles while boys put on Oscar worthy performances.
 
stratobee said:
As a Euro guy living in the US (and not particularly into soccer I should add) I often hear that soccer is too boring for American tastes and that nothing happens. I almost choke with laughter when I hear that because I wonder if I'm the only one who's been to Football and Baseball games here? Talk about nothing happening….

Baseball game goes on for 5 hours. They take 20 minutes to pitch between each hit and it's a lot of ritual BS and pontification going on. Each inning has no points and it just drags on and on. If I'm not right, then how come half the stadium turns up late for a game and leave early "to beat traffic"? Can't be that exciting (and you're not missing much) if they're always doing that, right?

American Football. Yeah, real exciting for about 20 seconds each time and half a yard. They never play longer than 20 seconds before some referee blows the pipe and there's a 5 minute commercial break. On a running track, the soccer players would run circles around footballers as athletes - they actually work the pitch all the time (without breaks every 20 seconds) and are fit.

Flame away! ;):devil::ihih:
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No one goes to a baseball game to watch the game, who do you think we are? I used to go to the Mississippi State baseball games all the time, I don't recall who we ever played, if we won or lost or what, I don't recall ever caring. Riding the umpire, the opposing teams pitchers in the bullpen and partying in the left field lounge is why we went.

The only sport I care to watch is boxing, but boxing's glory days are in the past.... for now.
 
Why would getting rid of the 6 yard box make things more interesting? Beside using it for goal kicks, it's the area to which indirect free kicks inside the 6yd area are moved to provide adequate distance and serves as a positioning tool for the goalkeeper throughout the game. Plus, if all kicks were taken from the penalty spot, it would get beat to hell and turn into a divot.

Offside is a necessary rule. Not sure it should be revised, but I'll say that some digital technology would be useful in helping correct those close calls.

Would backcourt really help the game? The point of passing it back is to help stretch the defense so an attack is more feasible.

Finally, I agree soccer can be boring to watch unless you really care who's playing or it's a really exciting match. Personally, I think changing any of those rules would either take the practicality or enjoyment out of how the sport is played.

Oh, but intentional diving(aka 'simulation') in the box should be a straight red. Can't stand that crap!
 
Soccer is so boring that 96% of the world's population play, watch, and love it to the point of going nuts over games. Whatever.
 
What soccer needs to be interesting is to get off the couch and play. I'm not a fan of any team sport, but if I had to play a pickup game of the common ones I'd choose soccer. Anyway watching is the problem, not the content you are watching.
 
Hank S said:
The fields are too large .
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This!

I played and enjoyed indoor soccer when I was younger. Also played but hated outdoor soccer. It was just as boring to play as it is to watch.

If they made the fields smaller, it would likely increase scoring and increase the interest. It's all about scoring with Americans. That's why baseball, as boring as it is, still trumps soccer by a wide margin.
 
ebykowsky said:
Why...
Oh, but intentional diving(aka 'simulation') in the box should be a straight red. Can't stand that crap!
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Because I want it that way. goal kick from the penalty line, I don't care.

I think we also need a way to improve shooting, so I might change the scoring rules. Give two points for a direct shot taken from outside the penalty box. Or something to minimize the 'set play' stuff.

A few years ago, there was this big push to card diving. It lasted maybe a week, then it all went back the way it was.
 
docmirror said:
Because I want it that way. goal kick from the penalty line, I don't care.

I think we also need a way to improve shooting, so I might change the scoring rules. Give two points for a direct shot taken from outside the penalty box. Or something to minimize the 'set play' stuff.

A few years ago, there was this big push to card diving. It lasted maybe a week, then it all went back the way it was.
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Real time fishing tournaments on tv. Talk about exciting, not.
 
You know, if you removed the ball from the sport of soccer, you would reduce the average goal count by about two.
 
Witmo said:
Real time fishing tournaments on tv. Talk about exciting, not.
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First y'all start criticizing soccer, then you move on to tournament fishing. The only hobby of mine you haven't yet started to try to correct in this thread is flying!
 
docmirror said:
Because I want it that way. goal kick from the penalty line, I don't care.

I think we also need a way to improve shooting, so I might change the scoring rules. Give two points for a direct shot taken from outside the penalty box. Or something to minimize the 'set play' stuff.

A few years ago, there was this big push to card diving. It lasted maybe a week, then it all went back the way it was.
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The goalie should be able to use his hands in either penalty box :yes:
 
ebykowsky said:
The goalie should be able to use his hands in either penalty box :yes:
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Ectually, if I want to improve scoring we should change the goalie rule. Let's see, during the first half the goalie can use only the left or right hand. During the second half, the goalie can use only the OTHER hand. (left in first half, right in second or vice versa)

Touch the ball with the wrong hand, and a penalty kick. Oh - and we'll make the goalie wear a bright red arm band on the banned hand. I liked typing that. :lol:
 
It was funny when I was a kid and lived in Germany where everyone there eats, breathes, and poops soccer (football).

I lived on a US military base and we played football and baseball.

I got to be on both sides of the lessons:

One was them trying to teach me soccer. Not just how to play, since I couldn't, but how to watch and appreciate it. The individual skills involved are really high. Yeah, scoring is low, but there is a flow to a good game that takes a little experience to feel.

The other lesson was me trying to explain football and baseball. For example: The snap, the handoff, the the 8 yard run for a first down, and the crowd cheering. "Did he score a point?", "No", "Then why is his side cheering?" And if you really want to have fun, try to explain a force play or the infield fly to someone that's never seen baseball.

Personally, I enjoy watching a baseball game. Maybe it's because it was one of the few sports I was halfway good at when I was a kid. There isn't really a flow, like soccer or hockey, but there is strategy. And it's a game of advantages and situations - you try to take advantage of a situation the other team gives you, and you try to create your own situations to take advantage of. And it may be the only game that doesn't have a clock or a total score that decides when it's over. It's over after each time has an equal number of chances to take advantage of the other.
 
steingar said:
Soccer is so boring that 96% of the world's population play, watch, and love it to the point of going nuts over games. Whatever.
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What percentage of the world's population loves to fly?

'nuff said.
 
steingar said:
Soccer is so boring that 96% of the world's population play, watch, and love it to the point of going nuts over games. Whatever.
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This!

Riots in the US are tame compared to the Soccer riots overseas.

Remember that Brazilian player who scored on his own net and got murdered when he went home.

Yeah, it's a big deal.
 
Men's soccer games are OK to watch until the first goal is scored. Then as soon as the team that's up gains possession, they just kick it alllllllll the way to the other end of the pitch. Then it takes 2 minutes to work back up the field, then the team that is up gains possession and kicks it alllllll the way to other end of the field. Repeat ad dozium.

Women's soccer seems to be like there's blood in the water. The team that scores never seems to be satisfied with only having a 1-0 lead, and they want to obliterate the other team 8-0.

As far as offisides goes, make it like hockey. Draw a line 25m from the end line, and an offensive player can't cross that until the ball does.
 
meh, soccer. I respect the game and the athleticism of the players, I just can't watch it. and I played it for years as a kid.

I think like any sport, the more you know about it the more you appeciate it. baseball is a key example. I just don't care to know any more about soccer.
 
ebykowsky said:
First y'all start criticizing soccer, then you move on to tournament fishing. The only hobby of mine you haven't yet started to try to correct in this thread is flying!
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I'm not criticizing fishing or soccer as pursuits. I'm just saying as far as tv viewing, it's as exciting as watching paint dry. Watching unedited hours of straight and level flying would also be quite boring, Red Bull racing, not so much.
 
You should try watching Ocean Yacht racing....very dull to the non-sailor, but I can watch it for hours.
 
bartmc said:
My wife hates it when I invent new rules for basketball...

Soccer would be interesting well... I'm not coming up with much. I used to go to the local Mexican league games to watch the bench clearing brawls and fights In the crowd.
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The only rule there should be about basket ball is men can't play it. Its a game for girls. ;)
 
I think the Brits have figured out a solution to this problem many years ago. They invented Rugby.
 
I play a bunch of indoor soccer, and my fiance has played outdoor her whole life, so I get to see it played a whole bunch lately.

I REALLY like the idea of a back-court type violation. It is pretty sickening to see the team in the lead play an ugly form of 'keep away' for a half hour. I realize that the better teams manage to beat it sometimes, but the result is a very-tired 'losing' team and a well rested 'winning' team. I think this oft makes for a game that is decided early on a single goal.

There are 2 rule changes that I've thought about and really like:
1- Leave offsides the way it is, except add another provision: offsides doesn't apply if the ball is kicked from inside the 18 yard box.

Offsides penalties once the ball is in the box never prevent the purpose of the rule (keeping a single offender doing a hail mary type play), and just disrupt play for no real reason.

2- Loosen the throw-in rules. At the moment, kicking the ball out of bounds intentionally in a LOT of situations is actually a pretty significant advantage. In time watching pro soccer (and adult womens :/), it seems that the throwing-team wins the throw in only about 60% of the time or less, yet the defense gets a chance to reset.

I think this could be alleviated by getting rid of the 2 feet on the ground/2 hand over head type rules to move that to more of a 70% advantage, which would dissuade a defending team from burning the clock by constantly kicking it out of bounds all the way up the sidelines.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I think the Brits have figured out a solution to this problem many years ago. They invented Rugby.
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Indeed... On that topic, have you seen the top gear episode where they are playing rugby with cars?
 
Sac Arrow said:
I think the Brits have figured out a solution to this problem many years ago. They invented Rugby.
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+1,000,000!

I discovered Rugby when my son started playing in high school and it rocks! I'm into sports photography and took my best action shots of all time at his rugby matches.
 
steingar said:
Soccer is so boring that 96% of the world's population play, watch, and love it to the point of going nuts over games. Whatever.
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Just goes to show that 96% of the world's population are easily amused.
 
Skyscraper said:
This!

Riots in the US are tame compared to the Soccer riots overseas.

Remember that Brazilian player who scored on his own net and got murdered when he went home.

Yeah, it's a big deal.
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Someone lost money on a bet.
 
colojo said:
+1,000,000!

I discovered Rugby when my son started playing in high school and it rocks! I'm into sports photography and took my best action shots of all time at his rugby matches.
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The only sport with team dentists and orthos.
 
Skyscraper said:
This!

Riots in the US are tame compared to the Soccer riots overseas.

Remember that Brazilian player who scored on his own net and got murdered when he went home.

Yeah, it's a big deal.
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While I cannot say for certain that has never happened to a Brazilian, I am 99% certain you are referring to the own goal scored by a Columbian against the US in the 1994 World Cup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrés_Escobar
 
If you don't like football, watch something else. Surely there is more important things to do than try to improve a game you don't care about.
 
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