Every World Cup, the Same Media Story

I'm SO over articles like this one from MSNBC "Hate soccer? Other reasons to watch World Cup", by Johnette Howard (http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37451958/ns/sports-world_cup/)

It's the same story every time: Why isn't soccer big in America? They point out all the same clichés about soccer's global popularity, how unique the stars are, how crazy the fans are, the differences between it and American sports...and the headbutt! Oh, they can't omit the headbutt (BTW, anyone who thinks Zidane is synonymous with the headbutt is part of the reason I've taken to this blog...Yes, I know, a crazy event -- Unbelievable. But it would be like thinking Michael Jordan is synonymous with gambling compared to his incredible basketball achievements).

Back to my point...

There's still this chunk of mainstream media that thinks there's this audience out there that views soccer as if it's a spaceship full of aliens that just landed in the center of a baseball diamond. And that they need to explain this strange and exotic sport to them.

Now I'm not saying there isn't a good discussion to be had about cultural differences in the US and how soccer fits in, or doesn't fit in (as a matter of fact, I'll likely put my 2-cents in later), but these pre-World Cup pieces that come like clockwork are the ones that are getting old.

Here's the bottom line: The people that aren't into soccer today, won't be tomorrow or next year or in 2014. So stop trying to impress them.

(and PS Johnette, we don't want them following the game anyway)