Living here in Ontario, Hockey season is over once Toronto is out of it (which is usually just after the playoffs start)
Soccer is year round.

Toronto is my old home town, hard to be a Leafs fan these days. I remember the indoor soccer leagues in the winter months. We came in 3rd for an international tournament in my youth, fun times.

Big fan. Soccer paid for the majority of my college tuition.

American football? Isn't that the game that some people play when they realize they aren't man enough to play rugby? Try getting someone the size of the Fridge taking you down when you're 150lbs then dusting yourself off for another 89 minutes with no pads, helmets, supports cups, bras and whatever else you guys wear...

Real football, the stuff the English invented, is a world uniting sport. No other game on the planet gets so many people together who then try to kick the s#!t out of each other! Fantastic!

As for baseball, almost worse than watching three day-long cricket matches, (I s#!t thee not! Three damned days!)

Almost got a free ride from UCLA back in the day, snaped my ankle in half in my senoir year of high school. Hard to play soccer when one could no longer walk.

Remember Ron Davies of Wales/Manchester United fame, he was my coach for a while.

geez Roddy, Scotland and Soccer... we really need to share a brew or three at CEDIA. I knew some of you cared!!!!!

My college ball was at little Western Washington University... I played bench! I quit so I could play year round in the tavern leagues... funniest thing was when my team beat a team made up mostly of Western players 4-0.

rlustig... about the coordination thing. I always felt that once people realized they didn't have the stamina to run an entire game of soccer or the coordination to dribble a ball with their feet that they picked up a bat and tried to hit a little ball with it. I was too hyperactive as a kid to sit around and wait for my turn to bat. I don't hate baseball... its a good excuse for hot dogs and beer.

England tomorrow! 6AM my time but worth the wake!

Unfortunately Scotland did not qualify. Shame because they are an entertaining side.

I shall try and see as many games as I can. Luckily for me I can watch live when I get home from work.

I see the USA is playing the Czech Republic on Monday. Good luck, they're pretty good.

I seem to remember seeing the USA playing in the last world cup and they were pretty handy. And 'cos they were underdogs the crowds really got behind them. Great to see.

On another point about 'American' sports though. You seem to have 'World' championships for american football and baseball, but what other countries compete in them? I'm not having a dig, I genuinely don't know.

I do agree however that if you are going to run about with the ball in your hands, you should try it without all the size enhancement.

Cricket is OK, but some test matches go on for weeks, not days!

One thing about us Scotish, we will fight long after the battle is over. Lack of sensibility I guess.

I am reading a book by James Webb, called born fighting. It explain a lot about me, plus my Mum is English so I don't have a prayer.

The World Cup, was unwatchable until they made those two little rule changes 8 years ago. 1. 3 points for a win and 2. if you kick the ball back to the goalie he cannot use his hands. The first forced teams to get over their fear of losing and try to play to win. 2. It forced out of the game one of the most stupid tactics used to waste time by the team with the lead and not play the game. It was almost as boring as the old North Carolina 4 corners offense, which was mercifully legislated out of existance by the time clock.

It will be facinating to see how these games will be officiated. Announcers said that FIFA had informed the Officals that failure to card players for holding shirts, keeping their elboys high, or diving, particularly in the penalty area ( never see that in the NHL, does one?) would result in Officials being sent home. It's a shame you folks in the NW do not get the point how poor officiating can ruin a championship game. In Soccer incompatent linesmen can just ruin the flow of the game.

The score of a game is not what makes it interesting. If that were true why would a perfect game be one of the most exciting to witness? It the ebb and flow of the game, the thrust and parry as two good teams tactically sparr. 1972 was the year I lost all respect for Italy and admiration for Brazil. Brazil is in the lead 2-nill but continues to attack and attack with a blind eye for the score or their defense. Italy never attacks. It couter-attacks and Brazil eventually makes mistakes and Rossi gets his 3 goals. Then again, what could be more boring to watch then England. Ball played long down the wing, run on to and crossed. Ball played long down the other wing, run on to and crossed. Free kick. Set play. Trot out Beckham to do the only thing he seems to do well at all on a pitch. Tampa Bay-Kansas City baseball game has more excitement. Then there is the fine mannors and decorrum of the English football fan ( hoolligan). Once my European friends chided me because of the racial attitudes of many in this country. Now there are bannanas thrown at black players and Ape chants made when a black player touches the ball. It's come to the point that FIFA is debating how to penalize teams should their fans misbehave at this Copa Mondial ( I can now mis-spell in an other language. )

Alan

Good Point about the "World" thing. It's kind of funny how the US was GONE from the world baseball championships early... can't seem to get past Argentina in the world basketball championships.

Alan, the racial thing is a drag and I saw it firsthand in Europe. Reminded of my time as a child in South Carolina. While we aren't immune up here, the NW is a nice little melting pot and my kids are growing up around asian, hispanic and african american children and have no signs of bigotry... they certainly won't get them in my household. Maybe the Italians, Spanish, French, Dutch and Germans are jealous that the players from Africa and Brazil eat up their homegrown boys. I disagree on England's style... there is much more to their attack but I do kind of second you on Beckham... he runs funny! Brazil is always a pleasure to watch... they're beautiful... they're kind of like the NY Yankees for me though, got to admit they're good but I'd like to see another team win.

A friend of mine explained all of the reasons he believes th US will get out of round 1. I must be easily persuaded because I now have faith (we'll see how that faith fares after Monday). He predicts a low scoring draw with the Czechs, a 2-2 draw with Italy and a win over Ghana... 5 points. He figures the Czechs will beat Italy and Ghana and it won't matter who wins between Italy and Ghana...voila'... a first round of 16 match with Brazil... which he and I agreed would be the end of our run.

Thank You HDTV!!! This rocks!

Impaqt

I think that is the point, there is no action in Baseball all you do is wait and see who scores. Hockey and soccer are action full time (let’s face it you can miss 1/2 a baseball game and still not miss anything. Back and forth , so the scores can't be that high

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I love to watch hockey, but the nice thing about soccer is that you don't need special equipment or talents (obviously the more talented you are the better, but anyone can join in a soccer game). This year every Tuesday and Thursday we play a semi organized/pick up soccer game at lunch time. Different guys and gals from different companies that work downtown.

That's five days- thursday start, usually finish on a sunday, but the end is when the light fades on monday! And if you understood it, you'd love it!

One thing about American sports...

Hockey and football both look like a good idea in practice, but why stop a game for the f***ing TV commercials? I went to a live hockey game once and it took HOURS- every time play stopped there was some sponsored activity on the ice. AND, everyone wnet home about fifteen mnutes from the end. It was like the game didn't actually matter that much- all the spectators were there for the hotdogs. And half of them had travelled from Canada to Phoenix! Go figure...

If you think the US football team are crap, you should see their rugby team!!!

the problem is that athletes get paid too much and the team owners want to make too much money. The ticket prices are already too high and TV ends up paying the rest. The issue is that the TV stations get paid by the advertising and so the game is stopped for the TV advertising. In the old days the game continued and the TV station just missed a minute or two, but as the pricing increased and the dependency as well, the stations got what they wanted, they go to commercial and the game is paused for a bit.

Hockey also has a long intermission between the three periods. It is there because it is much higher impact then soccer, the intermission is there to give the athletes a brake and some game play strategy

What about Syracuse's mastery of 6 long sticks on the field at once. That was beautiful to watch - but I'm an old D guy, so it goes without saying.

So move closer to Buffalo, and follow your (most likely) greatest rivals. I have to say there was not one Sabres game this season that was not exciting!