I have to agree with your assessment of US sports.
Our most popular sports were invented here.

Basketball and baseball are probably the most televised sports in the US, because they play the most games every season, NOT because they are the most popular. I used to like both when I was younger and played them, but I can't stand to watch them now. I get sooooooooo bored. I believe American football is the most watched and popular game in the US, both college and professional.

Hockey was not popular in the US for many years, and was no more than a novelty, but it has become far more popular now. The Colorado Avalanche, the Stanley Cup winnner last year, is our local hockey team, and they have a huge following in Denver.(Denver is a fanatic sports city) I've been to a few games, though the tickets are horrendously expensive(About 30 English pounds for a cheap seat!) The arena is always full, just like the Broncos, our pro football team, and both stadiums have been consistently sold out season after season.

I wonder if you have season-tickets for your football. Here, many people hold season-tickets for the pro hockey and pro football games, and that guarantees them the same seat for every home game except playoff games.

I once had a problem with any sport where the score could stay at 0 - 0 for almost the entire match, but hockey has accustomed me to that characteristic. Low scoring can make any game boring. It takes time to understand and appreciate good defense(if the offenses are performing well). Low scoring still bothers me, though, and I will likely change channels if any game goes on too long without any score.

Maybe there is hope for soccer in the US. Soccer has become a *very* popular sport in US schools in recent years. ESPN shows games at regular intervals. I cannot enjoy soccer games unless it's women playing. Our US Olympic women's soccer team made soccer much more popular in the US than it had been for years, and many of those playing soccer in the schools in the US are girls. I feel that women use more strategy and finesse, and since they lack the brute strength and speed of men, the scores are a bit higher, which makes for a more interesting game. Or maybe I just like to watch sweaty athletic cuties running around on grass in shorts! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]

IMO, soccer probably won't become popular here in the US, until our own men's team becomes a real competitor on the world stage.

Dale

Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[This message was edited by Dale Landry on June 02, 2002 at 13:51.]