WOLF: Soccer's best isn't good enough here

So much for the argument that Los Angeles would follow soccer if it brought out a compelling matchup.

[JJVB]

Hey Scott, did you hear the soccer game on the Radio? Or were you there?? Cause I was there and the Rose Bowl was not "far from full", it was a bit shy from full actually! Anyways, you probably don't like the game anyways, you were there cause you have to work!

[KTG]

The World Cup Final in 1994 was a full house at the Rose Bowl, drawing more than the Women's World Cup Final in 1999. Anyway, the opinion in this article is more biased than subjective. I would rather like to see mentioning of any buzz about the game in LA (or the lack of it) as the writer's proof of his opinion.

[joeyT]

Wow, the day a reporter's gonna s***-talk a crowd of 81,000 as "not enough" is the day it's about him and not the sport.

[tdjakes]

Wait, he's knocking an attendance of 81,000 for two teams that are giving 70% effort in a preseason friendly?

[JDO]

What an utterly bizarre article. 81,000 show up for a meaningless friendly, and this is somehow evidence that soccer is not popular in Southern California? That's a massive crowd, especially considering neither the Italian nor English leagues can boast being the most popular soccer league in Southern California. You seem to imply that surely if anyone would not come out to a meaningless friendly such as this, they can't really be a soccer fan. This match was light years from being "must see soccer".

And you throw in a caveat that Chelsea attracted 65,000 in Seattle, and seem to suggest this was good. But 81,000 (even if overestimated) is bad? This makes no sense.

And please: "Soccer boosters in the U.S. always pin their hopes that some event will cause us all to come to our senses and embrace the sport."

Where on Earth does this comment come from? This doesn't describe me or any "soccer boosters" I know. Here's a hint: avoid comments like "These people ALWAYS think this". Such genralizations are poor journalism and typically, as in this case, utterly baseless.

You clearly wanted to write an article stating that "soccer's best isn't good enough for Southern California" and charged ahead with such a piece even when the evidence wasn't there to support you.

[US Fan]

One question:
In the same week, out of dozens of baseball games, how many of them had over 81K?

Yeah, I thought so.

[BeeV]

Maybe Scott would be happier covering the Clippers?

[bz in rb]

Scott is a USC beat writter... he just couldn't bring himself to write a positive story about the Rosebowl...

[Football Fan]

The attendance was relatively light only for the first 15 minutes of the match. Gradually, however, people made their way into the stadium and by match end, the Rose Bowl had an attendance of over 81,000 (approximately 90% capacity). Pretty good for a Tuesday (work) night for a game that started at 8:00 p.m.

Also, by comparison, Stamford Bridge(home of Chelsea) has a capacity of 42,055 (per Wikipedia), and San Siro stadium (home of Inter Milan) has a capacity of 85,700 (per Wikipedia). Thus, the crowd at the Rose Bowl was just as large, if not larger, than most European Matches.

[michael]

scott i cant believe they actually pay you to write this garbage, wow i just wasted 2 minutes of my life reading this garbage. i was at the game there was 80,000 plus there what game were u watching???? Its clear you dont know shit about soccer. On a tuesday night, in a recession, for a preaseason friendly for 2 teams that dont represent los angeles what the hell do you expect??80,000 tickets sold is more than dodgers and lakers get per game combined. So instead of bashing soccer, why dont you do your homework an write a decent piece. Seriously

[Matt Phillips]

Chivas and the Galaxy have bases of loyal fans. They have other fans who sometimes show up and fill the HDC.

International matches can draw ninety thousand, depending on who is playing. You can choose to be disappointed that a pre-season friendly didn't draw an actual 81,000 butts in seats, but it is hardly doom-and-gloom stuff.

As for the soccer boosters who believe that one event will suddenly turn the entire nation soccer-mad, such people, if they really exist, are to naive to be noteworthy. This is just more gratuitous, pointless, newsless soccer-knocking disguised as journalism by the fact that you appear to know who Frank Lampard and Jose Mourinho are.

[bad boy]

Scott, first of all, LA is not a melting pot.
Ten Million Mexicans and a few hundred English and Italians does not mean this city is racially balanced or a "melting pot".

Secondly, Kobe Bryant, your idol, could never make it in a 90 minute soccer match up and down the field using only his feet to dribble the ball against ten opponents. this is soccer, a real sport based on skill, speed, strength, and intelligence, not basketball, a pseudo game based primarilly on how tall you are and all the breaks you get from biased officiating.

Thirdly, soccer is loved by most Americans.
It is isnt allowed to expand because the powers that be, i.e. the NBA, NFL, MLB, and you guys the in the media know that the day that soccer becomes the number one sport in this country, these pseudo games will cease to exist and they can kiss their billion dollar monopolies good bye to the true sport loved the world over.

[not bad boy]

I was going to comment, but bad boy beat me to it.

I could never be that clear-headed, logical, articulate, or factual.

[RDS]

I don't agree with any of this article, but I am really sick of reading 'soccer fans want others to embrace their sport' drivel. I am a soccer fan who hopes those who follow other sports stay there and let those of us who enjoy soccer do so.

[dave]

the more people and the media 'beat on' mls and soccer in canada and the usa, the more i am convinced that these people are seriously afraid of the sport-- soccer and its following are not trying to replace NFL, MLB, or the NBA-- we are just trying to have a league that enters the truly 1 and only world sport and make its own unique impact on the world stage
and for whatever reason, some people are frightened by that

[JJVB]

Do we ever get to hear from "Scott" himself?? I was just wondering!
Can't wait to see the Barcelona vs. Galaxy game at the Rose Bowl!! I sure hope Scott isn't there. He should stay at home watching golf!

[Matt Phillips]

The real story of last night's attendance was just brought to my attention on Biggsoccer.com by Dan Loney, the whitty LA blogger, linking to a piece by Fred Robledo in the Whittier Daily News http://www.whittierdailynews.com/sports/ci_12... - please follow that link if you want to know the real story. Scott, you will read that if you have any journalistic integrity. Then, you will do the decent thing and tell the real story of that Rose Bowl attendance in your own inches, along with a duly abject "mea lamo."

[Bad Facts]

Bad Boy,

You're an idiot.

First off all. How can there by 10 million Mexicans in L.A. if there are only 5 million people who live in the city of Los Angeles?

Secondly, if you're talking about L.A. County, there are 5 million total "Hispanics" living in the entire county. And let me give you a newsflash you ignorant fool - not all Hispanics are Mexicans.

Here's the info -

http://www.laalmanac.com/population/po13.htm .

Now onto your second point. In case you were unaware, Kobe Bryant grew up in Italy and played soccer there as a youth and at his high school in Pennsylvania, which I believe is 80 minutes of soccer. I think he can handle an additional 10 minutes.

Now onto your third point - "soccer is loved by most Americans" -- where's your proof.

You see, this is my contention with soccer fans.

They keep saying how popular the sport is and how everyone is missing the boat. Yet, the MLS, outside of Seattle and David Beckham matches, just doesn't draw well compared to every other sport. That's just a fact.

You see, there's a difference arguing with emotion and fact. I'm not going to say soccer is worse than football, baseball, etc... That's just a person's opinion.

However, look at ratings and attendance and soccer is not there. I'm not going to say it will never be there. But I'm also getting tired of hearing the same old tune that soccer is the sport of the future in this country.

When a Galaxy-Chivas match gets 80,000 people, then soccer will be there.

[bad boy]

Bad Facts,

You live up to your name: which is Bad Facts.
Of course the Mexicans are the Majority race in LA. Ten Million, Five Million Mexicans, what really matters is that LA is a city with very little diversity because the Super Majority ethnic group happens to be Mexican. Thats why it really isnt a melting pot. Just walk out your door, and you can see for yourself how Mexicans are by far the Super Majority, far surpassing any other ethnic group in the city and reflects how LA has very little ethnic diversity.
That link you gave is a JOKE. The government always has its numbers wrong because its always lying to us, you stupid fat cow.
Was the government right with weapons of mass destruction??? I bet you believed that one too!
But then again I understand why you believe that because you're a moron!

Here's another thing for you to ponder. Dont compare high school soccer to professional soccer because those are two differnt worlds. That lazy whining complaining Kobe wouldnt last five minutes in a real professional soccer setting.
Remember, you have to be fast, skillfull, strong, and smart to play soccer professionally, of which Kobe has None of those attributes.
His skinny legs wouldnt have the strength to run with world class athletes and he wouldnt be able to kick that ball very far.

The proof that soccer is loved by most Americans is that it is played literally "everywhere" in this country. Its played by adults in public parks, its played in schools, and its played by little league kids everywhere in AYSO (Americam Youth Soccer Organisation), for both boys and girls: thats where we get the term "Soccer Mom" because this sport has exploded and become a family affair where and kids and parents(soccer moms) come and enjoy the day, watching their kids play a real fun sport.

Your example of MLS soccer is not represntative of America's love for soccer because it doesnt have the big money players: the big money players are all in Europe. its a third rate league just like the minor leagues in baseball or the nba development league all have third rate players that dont draw the big crowds or publicity. Cant you understand that, moron!

But Soccer is actively censored in this country by the media, newspapers and radio because big money is already backing the pseudo sports of basketball, football and baseball. If soccer were to rise, those three would surely fall and billions and billions of dollars would be lost because soccer has no equal!

Next time get your facts straight, Bad Facts!!!

[UKfanNTN]

Just because he's a writer doesn't mean he's smart or has a clue about soccer. This past week was great soccer and yes just friendlies!
Relate it to NFL presaeason games or the college spring game but please don't relate it to MLS.
MLS = More Lame Soccer when compared to the type teams we saw this week.
Anytime real soccer fans get a chance to see real creativity and not the Arena/Bradley type soccer -(can you say predictable strategy, no creative scorers, boxed in names and not the best available talent on the field) it's a treat.
We'll get there someday when the MLS will pay for talent and even have a few US players on the rosters when we develop kids that started in the streets and backyards and not working with those that didn't want play football, couldn't make the AAU basketball team, and can't hit a curve ball so they took up soccer.
I played soccer in H.S. my kids have played recreation and travel. I think soccer is the greatest game in the world but at this time we still stink here so please keep bringing us the best players in the world to watch. I'm sure europeans would rather watch the Colts vs. Patriots over NFL Europe games.