Who ruined Musketeer Madness?

[Pierre Dracot]

Muskieman, you doth protest too much.

Not to mention that I've noticed a marked change in your pesonality; it's certainly for the worse: To say the least, the meanness and the (false) sense of superiority that you've exhibited are unbecoming.

[Mr. Neutral]

Q, another reason soccer is so popular at the grade school and HS level: anybody can play (not necessarily play it well), and it's dirt-cheap for the schools in terms of equipment, etc.

Pierre, you calling someone else out for their "(false) sense of superiority" is like me calling someone else out for their loss of hair. Pot, meet kettle.

Carlos, I don't disagree that top-level soccer players are great athletes, but that doesn't mean I want to watch their game. How many of us routinely watch cycling? Gymnastics?

There's only so much time in the day, and much of the U.S. already has a number of sports ahead of soccer on its "to do" list, so while soccer may be very popular with a niche crowd, it's unlikely to get beyond that in this country, unless the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and NCAA all fold.

And if I never hear another soccer crowd singing "ole, ole, ole", that will be just fine.

[Pierre Dracot]

You will never hear me argue that soccer is or should be popular in the US, or that it's the greatest sport, or that its athletes are better than those of any other sport (which they are), etc. Soccer fans could not care in the least what anyone else thinks. The World Cup, Euro, Champions League, etc., are pure joy to soccer fans. The fact that 240 million Americans didn't know or care, for example, that Italy won the World Cup in 2004 does not diminish it, in the least, the joy that its fans felt at the accomplishment.

I do, however, take issue with the xenophobes, the ignoramuses, and the occasional American exceptionalists. The smart ones among us know exactly who and what I'm talking about. And I'm not talking about Mr. Neutral, who was just being humorous.

I mentioned that, just like before the last World Cup, that the smart money was on Italy--especially at the given odds.

[muskieman]

I am so sorry you feel that way about my post. I guess my little icon at the end didn't portray the tone of my message. I guess I was kind of flumexed with your title and the part about not posting because you had to figure out the site's design and functionality. You seem like an intelligent person and making your first post about what is wrong with this site and how you have been spending your time at other sites didn't fit with you first sentence.

Again I am sorry if I have come across in an negative way.

[Mr. Neutral]

<<The fact that 240 million Americans didn't know or care, for example, that Italy won the World Cup in 2004 does not diminish it, in the least, the joy that its fans felt at the accomplishment.>>

Take a random walk through Europe and ask them which team won the 2005 World Series. I'll give you every dollar I possess, or every will possess, if more than 5% can answer that question correctly. The fact that the Europeans won't know or care does not diminish the joy that White Sox fans around the country/world felt at that accomplishment.

So, please, please, please, drop this "holier than thou", "you're just not sophisticated enough to get it" approach to soccer. Millions of people like it; that's great for them. Millions don't give a crap; that's fine for them, as well.

I don't expect Europeans to know the ins and outs of the AL Central; why should I be expected to know the ins and outs of Champions League? That's just silly.

[Pierre Dracot]

I don't have time, at the moment, to respond in my usual, verbose way. So I'll just say I know that what you say is true. My initial post, by the way, was intended to be tongue in cheek, while at the same time exprssing a little frustration at the site design. I did say, more than once in the thread, that I appreciate MM and consider it a privilege to take part in the forum that it provides.

[Mr. Neutral]

We've found common ground (i.e., no more soccer talk).

[Pierre Dracot]

For the sake of clarification, when I said something to the effect of "everything you say is true," I was addressing myself to Muskieman. In other words, no apology was necessary from him.

[Mr. Neutral]

Like you, I always assume that everything I say is true, hence, no apology was needed.

[muskienick]

Gary,
I find watching women's gymnastics (and volleyball and tennis) a very interesting, stimulating, and rewarding pastime. Strangely, I am not nearly so impressed with the distaff version of basketball (although a simple change of uniform philosophy could alter my view along those lines in a NY-second!).
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Pierre,
I doubt that people on this board have an instinctive dislike for you personally or even feel superior to you intellectually. I further believe that everyone who reads Xavier message boards has learned long ago that you are a soccer aficionado. That is wonderful for you. What we would like for you is to enjoy your interests as we do ours --- i.e. keeping them to ourselves when they do not relate somehow to Muskie sports.