Has anyone else noticed...

...just how many years does it take before we both end up drifting toward sports that were practically invisible to us yesterday, while things like soccer and even basketball slowly fade into the background of our interests?
Did we suddenly lose the knack for spotting rising stars, or has the coaching establishment just gone quiet? Were those last few graduates from the legendary Little Red Schoolhouse really the final ones this country will ever produce, or is there actually some new talent waiting in the wings?
Who’s actually to blame here? Is it US Soccer? The coaches? The players? The fans? Or is it just globalization doing what it does best to the world of soccer?

I keep an eye on NBC just to see what's going on over there. Empty stadium seats, mediocre club rankings, fewer and fewer players moving up to the big European clubs... There’s plenty of talent, but they waste it because of poor coaching. They think they can just coast on raw skill without putting in the work to get to the next level.
It's exactly the same here.

On the flip side, some new stars have emerged. Over there, you've got Janica Kostelic, Karolina Shprem, Ljubichic... over here: Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Marko Tipsarevic... They managed to grab everyone's attention away from soccer, mostly because our soccer clubs have been such a disappointment lately.
I'm not trying to downplay their success; I'm just remembering when Yankee Stadium or Dodger Stadium would be packed for league games against teams like Vardar, Osijek, or Zelj... back when only a few thousand people were watching Bojan Krizaj slalomming through courses.

For me, rugby has always been the undisputed number one sport.
Back in the day, and even now, I find myself watching almost exclusively when I actually make the trip out to live games.

I just don't find the other sports nearly as engaging to watch—well, at least not unless I'm going specifically for the atmosphere and the crowd energy.

Look, we all have soccer running through our veins, no doubt about it. But honestly, how often do we actually get the chance to celebrate scoring against the big clubs?

silentharbor6 said:Look, I get it—soccer is basically running through our veins, nobody is disputing that. But honestly, do we actually get many chances these days to celebrate scoring against the absolute giants of the game?

Are you seriously trying to tell me that teams like Leverkusen, Shelbourne, or Zenit aren't major clubs? 😕

Wait... you talking to me?

😲

young.but.dead said:It's just soccer...

🙄

young.but.dead said:True, but honestly? I still get more of a rush watching the US national soccer team score a goal at the World Cup than I would if Janica Kostelic or Karolina Shprem won three Olympic golds in a row.

Looks like we found ourselves a new Ivica Olić fan. Welcome to the club, kid!😁 😎

nimblemarlin17 said:Looks like we've found ourselves a new Ivica Olić fan. Welcome to the club, kid. 😁 😎

Honestly, if you aren't an Olić fan, I guess there's really no point in even hanging out on this subforum.😁😎

David Phillips said:Rugby was always my number one sport.
Back in the day, and even now, I pretty much only watch it if I actually make it out to the games.

The other sports don't really interest me to watch, though I used to go to them more just for the atmosphere and the fans.

Rugby! 🙏 🙏 🙏

There isn't a single rugby club in the Los Angeles area or anywhere near it. 😢

nimblemarlin17 said:Looks like we've found ourselves a new Ivica Olić fan—welcome to the club, kid! 😁 😎

😂 🤣

young.but.dead said:Soccer is still my number one, followed by hockey.

Totally 👍 agree
with you.

young.but.dead said:For me, seeing the US score a goal at the World Cup is a bigger celebration than if Janica Kostelic or Karolina Shprem won three Olympics in a row.

Total 👍 agreement 👍 here.

I actually have the exact opposite experience (referring back to that first post). For me, basketball and skiing used to be my go-to sports, but now? They’re totally out. Basketball especially—just doesn't do it for me anymore. Skiing, though, I’ve actually grown to enjoy watching lately... As for soccer, I used to find it incredibly dull; honestly, I thought you just watched a ball fly around for 90 minutes waiting to see if it would end up in that thing called a goal. But now, there's this sudden thrill because every single attack feels like it could result in a score. Tennis has also started growing on me recently, although I wouldn't call myself a fanatic who sits through a full three or four-hour marathon... I'll catch about half an hour here and there, or just check the score every so often to see who's leading.

Kenneth Martinez3 said:I actually feel the exact opposite—looking back at my first post—basketball and skiing used to be my go-to's, but now (especially basketball) they're just not really doing it for me anymore. I guess I can still get into watching skiing, though... and football? Honestly, I used to find it so boring—just watching a ball fly around for 90 minutes waiting to see if it hits that thing called a goal... but lately, it’s become genuinely interesting because any single attack could change everything. Tennis has also started growing on me recently, although I wouldn't call myself a fanatic who sits through a full three or four-hour match... I'll catch about thirty minutes here and there, or just check the score periodically...

It looks like you're following the sports where our athletes have been making waves lately...

Basketball isn't your thing anymore since our guys aren't exactly dominating right now
Skiing is still alright because of Janica
And tennis is starting to click because Ljuba can only really compete with Roger Federer

swiftmoose22 said:I see you're only following the sports where our athletes have actually been relevant lately...

Basketball is dead to you now because our guys are basically nothing on the global stage.
Skiing is fine since we have Janica.
And suddenly tennis is interesting just because Ljuba might pull an upset against someone like Roger Federer.

Spot on. It just goes to show that whether we realize it or not, the media pulls all the strings.

Personally, I’d much rather be out there playing sports than sitting on my couch watching them. But when I do watch, it's strictly to see Americans competing on the world stage.🙂 That's not to say I'm a die-hard fan of any specific sport; I don't bet on games, so I try to keep an objective perspective across the board.😁

Look, the topic itself is fine, but still... For the longest time, I honestly found it kind of cringe when people who don't give a damn about tennis, billiards, skiing, or handball suddenly start acting like die-hard fans just because someone finally pulled off a decent result. But hey, what can you do? You can't fight human nature. Who in their right mind could resist the urge to jump for joy when our guys actually win? It doesn't matter if the sport is total garbage or if you haven't watched a single minute of it all year—when we win, we celebrate. Period.😁 😁

David Phillips4 said:I get the point, really—but still... I used to find it kind of cringey when people who don't care about things like tennis, billiards, skiing, or handball suddenly become die-hard fans the second there's a decent result... But hey, what can you do? Who actually turns down the chance to cheer when our guys win, no matter how niche the sport is or how much you usually ignore it?😁 😁

honestly, you're the perfect example 🙂

silentharbor6 said:...that as the years go by, we both seem to be drifting further toward following sports that were practically under the radar—maybe even third-tier interests—just a few years ago, while staples like soccer, and eventually basketball, slowly fade into the background of our attention?
Have we suddenly lost that knack for spotting rising stars, or has the entire coaching infrastructure just failed us? Are the final remnants of that legendary "Jugo-shkole" style of coaching truly the last ones we'll see from this part of the world, or is there hope for a new generation of talent to emerge?
Who's actually at fault here? Is it US Soccer? The coaches? The players? The fans? Or is it simply the unstoppable force of globalization—specifically in the world of soccer?

Honestly, I’ve never been a soccer fan in my life, and I don't think I ever will be—not when it comes to the way the game is played here.

Tyler Anderson8 said:honestly, you're basically the walking definition of this 🙂

Alright, fine, what can I say? At least I'm man enough to admit it...😉

MezaZG said:I've never watched football in my life, and I don't plan to—not in a place where soccer is king.

I'm not really following what that sentence means...😕

I tend to follow a little bit of everything... I try to stay informed on most things...
I actually have a buddy who used to be on the American national curling team🙂