The American Spectator

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Penalty Kicks

7.13.06 @ 12:01AM

SOCCER TO ME
Re: Reid Collins' Soccer, Anyone?:

Soccer is Irish clog dancing with occasional goal-scoring.
-- R.L.A. Schaefer
Dubuque, Iowa

Breathtaking... How else to describe Mr. Collins' ignorance on the sport of soccer. I'm not a typical "defend soccer at all costs" person, but just an average reader that has a moderate understanding of the sport. My disbelief is that anyone with such limited knowledge on a subject would actually write about it in such a juvenile way.

He states that to make NFL football more like soccer we need to cut down on scoring. The straightforward idea on how to cut down on scoring is give two points for a touchdown and 1 for a field goal. This would cut down on scoring without modifying rules within the game itself. Many games from this past year would be less than many of the World Cup games' scores. His NBA example is just as ridiculous.

When he states that "Americans are confused by the term 'football'..." I agree that they are, but here is where as a writer you could help inform the reader instead of perpetuating the ignorance. The rest of the world plays "football" with their feet. Here we use our hands for football. And, as a typical American sports fanatic, he makes fun of that which he clearly has no understanding.

By the time he gets to describing the game that he obviously does not comprehend (and more likely has never seen), it is quite clear that we are wasting our time by reading anything Mr. Collins has to offer on the subject. I'm sure his next article will be on the intricacies of brain surgery techniques or the actual application of banking derivatives on the global economy. I'm not saying you have to be an expert to write about a subject, but it helps to have a rudimentary understanding. Just a couple of examples of his ignorance:

"Scoring is no fun"... Does Mr. Collins really believe that soccer players/fans hold to this belief? Has he ever seen what goes on after a goal is scored in soccer?

"Non-Contact"... Maybe at the eight-year-old level, but every game I've ever seen involves numerous collisions and injuries. The rules include tackles (not the NFL type) and shoulder charges which can be quite violent. All without the use of helmets or pads (other than shin guards). Two players attempting to head the same ball in the air leads to all kinds of mayhem.

"The bloodless nature of the play is reflected in the benign attitude on the sidelines. Ever hear of an irate Dad punching out a soccer referee?"... Well, as a matter of fact, most sidelines are quite animated. Lots of anger -- again, usually after the age of 8. And, as a matter of fact:

New Jersey (Soccer) -- Referee James Clay, a 50-year-old with seven years of officiating experience, was slugged in the head and neck after ejecting a Clayton High School player. The player was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. He was released to the custody of his parents. (Contributing source: Philadelphia Inquirer)

Florida (Soccer) -- Parent Xxxxx Xxxxx enters the soccer field to check on his son, who has been injured in a skirmish for the ball. Angry that a more severe penalty had not been levied on the opposing player, Xxxxx confronts the referee and shoves him to the ground. The game is stopped and forfeited by Orange Park High School to Nease High.

South Dakota (Soccer) -- A 42-year-old adult man strikes the soccer referee, who happened to also be the town's mayor, during a match between 11-year-old girls. The coach was sentenced to one year in jail.

"No such thing as multiple fouls before ejection"... One is only given a card (and most time not a red card) for an egregious foul. Players can commit many fouls in a game without being ejected. This mistake of his actually makes me believe that he has never seen a soccer match.

"Size Matters"...It does in soccer as well. Being able to shield the ball from an opponent or bump him off the ball are real advantages. There is also position specialization: goalie, sweeper, striker, and stopper all have benefited from specialization. And just like the other sports not every team has monsters on it but some do.

In conclusion, I must also express my disappointment in your fine publication to include such nonsense in its pages. I can only hope that it was a holiday for your usual authors.
-- Jim Cadden
Endicott, New York

Letter to the Editor

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