Soccer – Not For Me

I have apologised to soccer fans four years ago for not being able to get into their sport. I have explained some of my beefs with the sport. I have commented on my struggles to watch games from the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This year was going to be different. I attempted to watch zero games and got 100% fulfilment in doing so.



I accept that there are beefs people have with my game, and that’s ok. It is also ok to refute my claims about Soccer (it’s not football to me).



As stated by David Letterman on his show, “it’s so dull you need to bring something to entertain yourself” referring to the ad nauseum blowing of the vuvuzela. As if 90 minutes for a nil all draw isn’t painstaking enough. The game consists of maybe 2 minutes of excitement. No wonder soccer fans in some countries are so angry after a loss, they haven’t had an outlet for their pent up rage from the working week.



How about these players? They are overpaid pansies. The diving we see in soccer is ridiculous. Some get taken off on a stretcher after a dive only to get up unaided and walk to the bench.



The card system seems inconsistent. Maybe I just don’t know the rules well enough. Some soft ones are given straight red when others just get yellow. It confuses us novices. Then again, the umpires in my game have strange inconsistencies.



In saying all that, I acknowledge the skill involved in playing soccer. Perhaps before you take a shot a my sport think about this, I have played soccer, would you give mine a go??

The Defection

A couple of weeks ago it was hard to avoid the news about Israel Folau’s signing with new AFL franchise, known as Team GWS.

I was actually hoping that the rumours would not come to fruition and he would continue to play rugby league. But he will be an Aussie Rules player as of 2011 and I hope he realises the enormity of the task.

There will be a pressure on him to perform from day 1. He is on pay similar to the biggest stars in our game, yet he is foreign to most of the core skills and will have to severely get out of his rugby league tactical frame of mind. Karmichael Hunt will prove just how hard it will be to adjust.

The high marks he takes out on the wing from a cross field kick are celebrated in rugby league. In Aussie Rules they are nothing special. Anyone can leap over a stationary defender to mark the ball, it’s regulation stuff. Although of all the league players he does get the most height.

Time will tell whether the money was worth it. I can see him going back to rugby league in four years time, and he will be welcomed back with open arms despite what some commenter’s will tell you should happen. They have done as much for many rugby union returners.

I wish him well, the success of the team is riding on him.