The beautiful game

[markem]

I like this thread. I'm a rabid soccer fan, but I am so tired of the obvious flops - getting to be too much like American football. Watching soccer on TV is very hard because so much happens off the ball that has a direct impact on how the play of the ball unfolds. Live games are so much better, but you have to learn to see the entire field and pick out what is happening off the ball.

All sports have their problems. Tennis - what's with the constant arguing with the umpire about line calls? It's almost like you are using that to delay the match to get rested ... oh!. What's with this wholesale substituting in hockey? In soccer, you run (none of this mamby-pamby skating chit) for 90 minutes and each team gets, at most, three substitutes and you can't bring that man back on! You get the drift.

On the other hand, I like it and, like my cigars, that's all that matters in the end. The fact that my cigars and love of soccer makes me superior to everyone ... oh, wait, no it doesn't.