On Soccer, Neocons Sound Like Anti-American Europeans

Gary Schmitt's riff on America's victory over Spain is rightfully getting ripped. What I want to add though is how weird it is that the neocons -- the people who are all about invading foreign lands -- would adopt such an isolationist view, especially at a time when the world is beginning to freak out at the prospect of the potential rising of America as a soccer power.

What is so bizarre about this is how much the neocons sound like American-hating Europeans. Both  dismiss American talent, American enthusiasm for soccer, and American understanding of the game. Just as neocons -- and other soccer-hating sports writers of my parents generation -- insist that we don't get soccer and don't care, European soccer writers are right there with them saying that Americans don't get it and don't care.

Take for instance Football 365 a UK soccer site writing in typical British sarcasm: "Perhaps understandably, the three people that care about football in America are quite excited this morning." Gary Schmitt similarly -- using the same fact based analysis that got us into Iraq -- says that:

Thankfully, Americans are not buying it [soccer]. In spite of the fact that one can drive by an open field on Saturdays and usually see it filled with young boys and girls playing soccer, the game's popularity has not moved anywhere toward being a major sport here in the United States. It's grown for sure but not close to where folks once expected it to be given the number of youth that have played the game over the past two decades.

This is what makes being a soccer fan in the U.S. pretty bizarre, on the one hand you are constantly trying to defend the world's game to Americans, while on the other hand you are desperate to stick it to the world and show that the U.S. can beat them at their own game.

Contrary to Schmitt and Football 365, any reasonable observer would expect the U.S. soccer to be exactly where it is today. The US has a league that is rapidly expanding and is gradually expanding its fan base -- this may be a shock to some but there are often more people at DC United games then there are Washington Nationals games. The expansion of satellite tv and cable networks has also meant that -- unlike when I grew up playing -- American kids can watch professional European soccer as well as MLS. Coverage by ESPN -- while still pretty poor -- has expanded dramatically in the last five years -- and American soccer fans rely tremendously on new media for information and commentary.

As for the American team it has more and more players playing in the top European leagues and is becoming more talented and consistent. Just as Mexico -- the country with the most direct knowledge of U.S. soccer is practically in national mourning due to the rise of the yanks. Mexico used to be the dominant team in North and Central America -- they used to be the team representing the region at tournaments like the Confederations Cup -- but not anymore. And they are sick to death about it. As the Reuters UK soccer blog assesses -- which is not exactly a bastion for pro-American commentary -- "the U.S are at least on a level with the second tier nations in Europe -- the Swiss, the Scandinavians." (Contrary to George Vescey's description of the victory over Spain as a "miracle on grass" this was no miracle - a stunning upset, but no miracle. Vescey is still stuck in 90s, in the last ten years the U.S. has evolved into a solid soccering nation. If a country like Sweden (or Mexico) beat Spain it wouldn't be called a miracle.)

Steven Wells -- one of my favorite writers who unfortunately tragically passed away of cancer on Tuesday -- tracked for years the disturbingly high levels of anti-Americanism in the soccer coverage in Britain. His column on British anti-Americanism in soccer simply nails it. I excerpted a few money graphs (but the whole thing is worth a read:

Alas, Englishmen who live in desperate fear of an American soccer planet are legion... there's no shortage of stuck up limey soccer snobs who still think it's frightfully funny the ghastly Yanks play the round ball game at all. Like most prejudices, this hatred disguises fear. Recently a leading English soccer journalist told me he "really hopes football fails in America". Others are less blatant but they make their loathing plain through sarcasm, satire and snidery...

We - a substantial chunk of us, anyway -- are desperately scared that association football will succeed in America. That the USA will become a footballing power. That the yanks will develop a version of the beautiful game as irresistible as jazz, rock'n'roll or the amazing American language (and unless you've checked the English/American phrase books handed out to GIs in 1942, you probably have no idea how much American you speak, limey). Why are we scared? Because as a nation we have a desperate need to feel superior to the vibrant barbarian culture that's replaced us as top global ass-kicker.

Face it, feeling superior to Americans is about all we've got left. But the list of things we actually do better than the Yanks is slim and getting slimmer. Did you know that the bastards even brew decent beer these days? So what have we got left to be smug about? Wensleydale cheese, Ricky Gervais, Theakston Old Peculier and Helen Mirren. And, oh yeah, football. Sorry, the Yanks get it. Not all of them. Not even most of them. But enough of them. Even if Bex bombs. Even if the MLS collapses, American soccer isn't going away. It's time for a new joke.

Comments

[Treeske]

The contra soccer movement does the American kids a big disfavor. The running and coordination that develops with soccer are a lifelong benefit contrary to the lifelong injuries from US football.

[Gainsbourg69]

Thanks to the indifferent attitude toward soccer in this country I, and many hardcore soccer fans, have learned to get my information elsewhere. Usually from an Italian newscast here or a Brazilian magazine there. Such is my addiction to the sport that I taught myself French, Italian and Portuguese just so that I could keep up. Another cool little side effect that comes from watching soccer is that you learn about other countries and you learn to understand the world a lot better. Soccer is all about rivalries. You have to learn history and geo-politics to get in on the rivalries that make the game that much more exciting.

I've been playing and watching (real) football for twenty two years. Watching arrogant sports reporters making fun of the sport I love doesn't bother me anymore. If they don't get it then they're the ones missing out.

We're missing Bradley in the middle so coach Bradley will sacrifice a striker for a defensive midfielder. We may not score. But Brazli won't score either. This has penalties written all over it. Go USA!!!

[jorge4u]

I agree with you. People forget some interesting statistics as to the number of people who watch the sport:

Superbowl-- 90 million people
Champions League-- 250 million
World Cup-- 2 billion

[TheGeoduck]

soccer support in America isn't soft. Other than baseball/softball, it is the most played sport for children. My city of Seattle routinely draws more fans for home games of the MLS Sounders FC (FC means Football Club to those who don't know) than we do of the Seattle Mariners, or ANY professional NBA or NHL team.

[marignymitch]

Everybody, especially neocons, knows soccer and rugby are popular in soft, god-hating, socialist countries.

[CliveS]

I have been saying for awhile. The US will win the world Cup around 2030 and never relinquish it after that.

[Steve Fulton]

"This is what makes being a soccer fan in the U.S. pretty bizarre, on the one hand you are constantly trying to defend the world's game to Americans, while on the other hand you are desperate to stick it to the world and show that the U.S. can beat them at their own game."

Exactly! Exactly. This describes the past 24 years I've spent watching the US National Soccer team. thank you.

[Rudderman]

Pathetic as this behavior is, the fact that neocons belittle soccer is not at all surprising. They're threatened by anything and everything that smells of America becoming a genuine member (as opposed to the bully) of the global community. They still live in the world of, "Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.­" Anything else is just plain un-american. When the US beat Spain, the number of negative postings in the "comments" section of my hometown site, Boston.com, was unbelievable. It was the same kind of bile you see when discussing climate change or universal heath care. Soccer is a minor example of a major left wing conspiracy designed to topple the country.

[BlueFloyd]

imagine neocons openly rooting against america when bush wasin office.???­?

geez, they must not like our president's big ears......­.. or something.­....

[BlackJAC]

Nah, they just hate freedom and want to see America lose.

[Pucky]

I go by schools, and I see a lot of kids jumping rope.

Do you think that will make us a rope jumping power in the next 20 years?

[DasBoot]

Jack Kemp called soccer an un-American sport back in the day because it emphasizes the team, rather than individual achievement like American football. Nuts.

[sagmann]

Basketball also is a team-game.­I would bet that more Dems that Republ play basketball.

[Grunty1]

I'm not really a sports fan, mostly because most sports that are televised are too slow paced. Football and Baseball are the worst (except GOLF of course).

If i were to watch anything, it would be soccer or hockey.

[sagmann]

Don't forget rugby!

[USA1776]

I love that soccer is more popular now in America. basebal is great; fun to watch and fun to play. But I am a women, American football is long, boring and gruesome. It is much more fun to see fit guys in shorts!

[PlaceboStudman]

the rule of sports. On any given day, any team can beat any team. This is as much true for the Wholly American version of NFL Football as it is for European Football, ie soccer.

Why Americans call a game Football when feet rarely touch the ball except for PATs and fieldgoals, I'll never know. We really should call it Hand Ball. But, there, again, Europeans have us beat at THAT game too.

Here's the thing, it's GOOD that the rest of the world underestimates us. This only gives us the cover to continue to improve and rise to a level where we can consistently compete with the European and South American power houses.

The Spain win was not a fluke. Coach Bradley knew Spain's weaknesses and exploited them. He knows our strengths and exploited them too. The true growth in international soccer will come when the USA plays more teams like Spain and Brazil (who we face Sunday in the ConfedCup Final) and then with our bevy of international stars (Tim Howard playing for Everton) the world's game will truly be the world's game, and not just Europe and South America's game.

my prediction, Brazil 3-1 over USA on sunday.

[sagmann]

It's quite strange that we, French, have far more respect for US football (soccer) than the Americans. I've been living in the US for 25 years, with my son, and we are great fans of the US team. We still remember Donovan's first selection, when he was barely 17. It is not a surprise for us to see many US players play in European First League!
And I disagree with your 3-1 prediction. We (Americans) have one of the best defense. I would be quite surprised if any team, including Brazil, is able to score 3 goals against us. I see maybe 2-1, or even 1-1.

[jorge4u]

I agree with you. If Brazil wins on Sunday, it will be more like 2-1 or 1-0. I don't see Brazil scoring the same number of goals they did the first time around.

[PlaceboStudman]

It will depend on who is in goal. If Tim Howard is in goal then we have a decent shot of coming up with a tie during regulation and OT, then go to PKs, where Howard is stellar (did you see those saves he made vs ManU? Nice). If it's the other goalie, then Im not as confident. I love Donovan but I think he's just cresting over the hill of his prime. Josey altidore looked good and Bradley (the coach's son) looked good but I think he's out for the final?

Either way it should be an exciting game. I have my schedule blocked out to watch.