Why do people refer to SOCCER as FOOTBALL?

[Im Still Ballin]

I just can't see the logic in this. It is called soccer for a reason.

[Akrazotile]

I dont always respond to OP, but when I do.

I call him a f@ggot.

[Le Shaqtus]

Because football is it's original name.

[iTare]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--32XsUGI3--/770957582315373715.gif

[Rodmantheman]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--32XsUGI3--/770957582315373715.gif

how did that chair not break.

[Im Still Ballin]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/pascalemmanuelgobry/2014/06/13/football-or-soccer-world-cup/
Silenced.

[Im Still Ballin]

[QUOTE] soccer came into existence at around the same time as other forms of football, in particular rugby football. The sport therefore became referred to as

[Im Still Ballin]

[QUOTE]Call soccer whatever you like. But now you know that the word soccer has impeccable historical and European bona fides, and is not some navel-gazing American invention. It is absolutely proper to call soccer soccer. If anything, calling it

[Rodmantheman]

http://blog.sfgate.com/soccer/files/2013/08/soccergridiron.png

[Im Still Ballin]

Don't forget to hit the rep bar soccer nerds.

It appears Jeff agrees with me. After all, the official thread for 2014-2015 is named SOCCER. ****. You guys are delusional

[sweggeh]

http://blog.sfgate.com/soccer/files/2013/08/soccergridiron.png

Ether :roll:

[Im Still Ballin]

Yes. Go ahead.

Completely ignore my compelling evidence.

****ing morons

[LJJ]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.

[Theoo]

GREAT thred , i think whole world well call it soccer , i have email these thred to prime minister of iceland , and we well join you to these cause ,plzzz everyone to ISH hoop plzzzz email your prime minsiters and presidents to change these word , the whole world depend on you make a difference

[iTare]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.
What about boxing?

[Andrew Wiggins]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.


lulz :lol :roll:

[KobesFinger]

FIFA - Federation Internationale de Football Association. Founded in 1904.
The FA - Football Association (England). Founded 1863.

On the other hand...

NFL - National Football League. Founded in 1920.

And your quote is flawed. Sure, it was called association football to differentiate it from rugby football, but people nowadays call it rugby, not rugby football. Therefore there is no need to call it soccer. American football evolved from rugby, so it should be called American rugby.

[Andrew Wiggins]

op is australian and everyone is acting like he's referring to the nfl :lol

[Done_And_Done]

Naval gazing perhaps in North America but virtually nobody refers to the sport as soccer in Europe.

[fiddy]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.
basketball requires more skills than football

[LJJ]

basketball requires more skills than football

:roll:

Tim Duncan didn't start playing basketball until he was 14 and he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time noted to be supremely skilled. DJ Mbenga didn't even know what a basketball was until he was 19, yet he won the most prestigious championship in all of basketball twice.

In football, if you don't have a complete skillset at age 12 you are done. Finished. Too far behind to even play competitively at the amateur level. Name me one football player who was part of a Champions League winning team, even as a part of the deep reserves, who didn't start playing football until he was 19? That doesn't exist in football.

[Rodmantheman]

basketball requires more skills than football

:facepalm

[Demitri98]

Because it is a game almost entirely predicated on interactions between your foot/feet and a ball. Hence "Foot-Ball".

The name soccer came from people using the word "association" in slang as the word "soccer". Over in Europe they refer to football as "association football", hence where the name "soccer" comes from. The name evolved from "association football" to "soccer football" to just "soccer".

It was originally called association football, and as language evolved we chose to call it something else over a long period of time.

No one is in the right or wrong here. It evolved into a different name for some people, and some people stuck to the original. It's all a matter of perspective and what culture you grew up in. If you were British, you'd wonder "why in the bloody hell do Americans call it soccer and not football?". And if you're British it makes sense.

What I'd love to know is which moron decided to call American football "Football". There is little to no interaction between your feet and the ball other than punts and kicks. They couldn't think of a more suitable name?

[Andrew Wiggins]

:roll:

Tim Duncan didn't start playing basketball until he was 14 and he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time noted to be supremely skilled. DJ Mbenga didn't even know what a basketball was until he was 19, yet he won the most prestigious championship in all of basketball twice.

In football, if you don't have a complete skillset at age 12 you are done. Finished. Too far behind to even play competitively at the amateur level. Name me one football player who was part of a Champions League winning team, even as a part of the deep reserves, who didn't start playing football until he was 19? That doesn't exist in football.

durr because dj mbenga played a really prestigious role in all of the championships he won. :facepalm

and duncan one of the most skilled players of all time lmao........most skilled big man doesn't mean shit when it comes to a basketball player overall. he's one of the most skilled big men which is an outlier of a position. any college point guard is more skilled than most nba big men

you can find just as many shitty players on champion's league winning squads who've won and now play on amateur teams

i know english is your second language so let me explain to you that participation ≠ most skilled/most athletic

[ace23]

by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.
Lol

[fiddy]

:roll:

Tim Duncan didn't start playing basketball until he was 14 and he is one of the greatest basketball players of all time noted to be supremely skilled. DJ Mbenga didn't even know what a basketball was until he was 19, yet he won the most prestigious championship in all of basketball twice.

In football, if you don't have a complete skillset at age 12 you are done. Finished. Too far behind to even play competitively at the amateur level. Name me one football player who was part of a Champions League winning team, even as a part of the deep reserves, who didn't start playing football until he was 19? That doesn't exist in football.
common sense disagrees with you

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/sportSkills

[L.Kizzle]

American football should be called hand ball since only the kicker/punter use thier feet.

[plowking]

lulz :lol :roll:

I'd agree with most skill in regards to sport, but athleticism, no. Not close either.

[Im Still Ballin]

Outside of skill, soccer athletes are not impressive. Athletically they ****ing suck.

[deja vu]

It's been called football long before Americans discovered rugby and called it "American football."

As for "American football"....

How the hell you call it football when you use your feet just 1% of the time on the ball? :roll:

Should it be called "handball" then because all they do is carry the ball in their hands?

[Nanners]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.

:roll:

[plowking]

Outside of skill, soccer athletes are not impressive. Athletically they ****ing suck.

You're my bro, naturally, being from Brisbane and all, but you're off point. Athletically they are on the higher side. Running a game out non stop for 90 minutes ain't easy, and in terms of agility they are top notch as well.

Not the best, and a bunch of sports ahead of them in terms of athletes, but still, very high end.

[Im Still Ballin]

Soccer is a skill based game. Nothing athletic about it.

[deja vu]

Soccer is a skill based game. Nothing athletic about it.
Stamina, agility and speed are part of athleticism.

Football (soccer for you) has some of the fastest athletes in the world.

Unless you think athleticism is all about jumping and strength.

[Im Still Ballin]

Stamina is the only impressive athletic aspect of a soccer player. Stamina also is one of the least impressive aspects of the athletic make-up purely because ANYONE can achieve a decent level in a short amount of time.

[KobesFinger]

Stamina is the only impressive athletic aspect of a soccer player. Stamina also is one of the least impressive aspects of the athletic make-up purely because ANYONE can achieve a decent level in a short amount of time.

Co-ordination? Agility?

[Lakers Legend#32]

Soccer was invented for kids who had parents too poor to buy them baseball gloves.

[ThePhantomCreep]

Stamina, agility and speed are part of athleticism.

Football (soccer for you) has some of the fastest athletes in the world.

Unless you think athleticism is all about jumping and strength.

Clowney, a mountain dressed in a football uniform, probably runs a faster 40 than 99% of the Champions League.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Soccer was invented for kids who had parents too poor to buy them baseball gloves.

Baseball was invented as a way of making money out of rounders.

It's called football because people call it football. And you play with your feet.

[Im Still Ballin]

It is SOCCER. End of story.

As i've said before. Bitchmade game for bitchmade people.

Every soccer player I know is a ****ing bitch in real life. Even the good ones that got trials in Europe etc.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

It is SOCCER. End of story.

As i've said before. Bitchmade game for bitchmade people.

Every soccer player I know is a ****ing bitch in real life. Even the good ones that got trials in Europe etc.

Well, you've convinced me. I'm going to change how I, and everyone in the world, says it because you met a football player that one time and he ****ed your boyfriend

[Im Still Ballin]

Well, you've convinced me. I'm going to change how I, and everyone in the world, says it because you met a football player that one time and he ****ed your boyfriend
*SOCCER

[LJJ]

durr because dj mbenga played a really prestigious role in all of the championships he won. :facepalm

and duncan one of the most skilled players of all time lmao........most skilled big man doesn't mean shit when it comes to a basketball player overall. he's one of the most skilled big men which is an outlier of a position. any college point guard is more skilled than most nba big men

you can find just as many shitty players on champion's league winning squads who've won and now play on amateur teams

i know english is your second language so let me explain to you that participation ≠ most skilled/most athletic

It's true. In the NBA some positions, especially PG, are similar to football in terms of skill. And other positions you barely need any skill, you can get in the biggest league on athleticism alone.

In football every position requires the level of skill and familiarity an NBA point guard has.

When you have to resort to stuff like "ooooh, I know English isn't your first language", you know you have just taken that L. You know it too, there is no football player in the world who started playing at 19 who won anything, not even in the smallest role on the most insignificant pro level.

[kurple]

Joleon Lescott is in no way more skilled than any end of the bench PG

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Joleon Lescott is in no way more skilled than any end of the bench PG

DeAndre Jordan is in no way more skilled than a half decent League 1 striker

See how it works both ways

[LJJ]

He's not skilled with the ball at his feet, but he is skilled in a different way.

Lescott has been training his football skills since he was a wee little boy, and no way he could have been a professional if he hadn't.

[Im Still Ballin]

Soccer just sucks and so do the "athletes"

/thread

[Andrew Wiggins]

It's true. In the NBA some positions, especially PG, are similar to football in terms of skill. And other positions you barely need any skill, you can get in the biggest league on athleticism alone.

In football every position requires the level of skill and familiarity an NBA point guard has.

When you have to resort to stuff like "ooooh, I know English isn't your first language", you know you have just taken that L. You know it too, there is no football player in the world who started playing at 19 who won anything, not even in the smallest role on the most insignificant pro level.

:lol omar bravo, once a top mexican player, started playing at age 15

there's several goalkeepers who started the game really late and made it professionally

in football you can see teams with professionals lose to teams made of carpenters and farmers who play part time

you're incapable of making your points without hyperbole which clearly shows your agenda

[LJJ]

:lol omar bravo, once a top mexican player, started playing at age 15

there's several goalkeepers who started the game really late and made it professionally

in football you can see teams with professionals lose to teams made of carpenters and farmers who play part time

you're incapable of making your points without hyperbole which clearly shows your agenda

What are you on about? Omar Bravo was already in the youth system of a professional football organisation at age 14 and started playing football as a little boy.

You've already tried the "you don't even speak English, I can't hear what you are saying" route and now you are resorting to petty lies and fabricating tall tales. Not a good look brah

[Andrew Wiggins]

What are you on about? Omar Bravo was already in the youth system of a professional football organisation at age 14 and started playing football as a little boy.

You've already tried the "you don't even speak English, I can't hear what you are saying" route and now you are resorting to petty lies and fabricating tall tales. Not a good look brah

yea, he started playing seriously at 14, not 15, oooh what a lie :lol

that's extremely late for the "most skillful" sport in the world

"fabricating tell tale" :wtf:

[LJJ]

yea, he started playing seriously at 14, not 15, oooh what a lie :lol

that's extremely late for the "most skillful" sport in the world

"fabricating tell tale" :wtf:

He was scouted at 14, because he was a really good and highly skilled player in his age category. He wasn't scouted and then had to learn how to dribble. So no, he did not "start playing" at 14.

Tim Duncan, Olajuwon, Mbenga. Those guys literally didn't play basketball.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Is Omer Bravo one of the top 5-7 footballers ever? Oh

[Overdrive]

As i've said before. Bitchmade game for bitchmade people.


You'd be on a stretcher by the end of the first half, because you don't know how to dodge a slide tackle.

[Im Still Ballin]

I would drive my knee into his puny skull as he slides beneath me

I'm the man.

[Duggrr]

Why is it that a sport that's more determined on skill than athleticism considered a negative?

[Dresta]

Why is it that a sport that's more determined on skill than athleticism considered a negative?
Because too many Americans are superficial ignoramuses that play to the anti-American stereotypes that dominate around the world. Even Sayid Qutb could rip American sports fans:

Primitiveness in Athletics

'It seems the American is primitive in his appreciation of muscular strength and
the strength of matter in general. To the extent that he overlooks principles,
values, and manners in his personal life, in his family life, and in his social life,
except in the realm of work, and economic and monetary relationships. This
primitiveness can be seen in the spectacle of the fans as they follow a game of
football, played in the rough American style, which has nothing to do with its
name (football), for the foot does not take part in the game. Instead, each player attempts to catch the ball with his hands and run with it toward the goal, while the players of the opposing team attempt to tackle him by any means necessary, whether this be a blow to his stomach, or crushing his arms and legs with great violence and ferocity. The sight of the fans as they follow this game, or watch boxing matches or bloody, monstrous wrestling matches ... is one of animal excitement born of their love for hardcore violence. Their lack of attention to the rules and sportsmanship to the extent that they are enthralled with the flowing blood and crushed limbs, crying loudly, everyone cheering for his team. Destroy his head. Crush his ribs. Beat him to a pulp. This spectacle leaves no room for doubt as to the primitiveness of the feelings of those who are enamored with muscular strength and desire it.'


:roll:

[Overdrive]

I would drive my knee into his puny skull as he slides beneath me

I'm the man.

Good luck with that. If you try to hit a sliding player with your knee you'll most likely injury that knee and ligaments in the other.

[Im Still Ballin]

And he would 100% have a fractured skull.

I like my odds.

[alenleomessi]

i started playing basketball when i started highschool and by the time i was 17-18 i was already better at that sport despite playing football my whole life

embiid STARTED PLAYING BASKETBALL at 15 and few years after that took ncaa by a storm pretty much.. now he is one of the most valued young players in the nba.. good luck with that in football

[Im Still Ballin]

Your point being? I didn't say soccer was easier than other sports. I said it is stupider. Who the **** wants to see average joe athletic humans who are really skilled at kicking a ball around to eachother? Not me thats for sure.

What do I want to see? The big time. The heavyweights. The real deal. Homo sapiens natural "skill" AKA athleticism. Of course you still need some skill because then that would be just straight athletics which isn't sport, more a means of transport.

Soccer is the flyweight, Rugby/NBA/NFL are the heavyweights. Real athletes. Not some everyday jay who's good at juggling a ball like a jester in the act. Humorous. A joke. Its the difference between being skilled at hammering nails in a wall, or being able to slam them in with your own bear hands. Like catching trout in the river. Athleticism.

Soccer is a gimmick.

[alenleomessi]

sounds to me like your father could have used a condom that night.. just my personal opinion. like yours

[Im Still Ballin]

Lol blocked.

Worthless poster with nothing good to say. The rep bar shows that.

[Overdrive]

Your point being? I didn't say soccer was easier than other sports. I said it is stupider. Who the **** wants to see average joe athletic humans who are really skilled at kicking a ball around to eachother? Not me thats for sure.

What do I want to see? The big time. The heavyweights. The real deal. Homo sapiens natural "skill" AKA athleticism. Of course you still need some skill because then that would be just straight athletics which isn't sport, more a means of transport.

Soccer is the flyweight, Rugby/NBA/NFL are the heavyweights. Real athletes. Not some everyday jay who's good at juggling a ball like a jester in the act. Humorous. A joke. Its the difference between being skilled at hammering nails in a wall, or being able to slam them in with your own bear hands. Like catching trout in the river. Athleticism.

Soccer is a gimmick.

Real athletes like Mike Sweetney, Oliver Miller, Eddy Curry, ...

We shouldn't even start talking about white guys that look like the just came from the office to play some ball at the park. Super athletic super skilled basketball players are just as rare as in other sports.

[Im Still Ballin]

Real athletes like Mike Sweetney, Oliver Miller, Eddy Curry, ...

We shouldn't even start talking about white guys that look like the just came from the office to play some ball at the park. Super athletic super skilled basketball players are just as rare as in other sports.
Basketball is obviously the middle. NFL is the extreme.

There is a minimal strength component in soccer. Strength is one of the main aspects of athleticism. You can struggle to bench 135 pounds and still be a pro soccer player. NFL? don't even think about it.

[Overdrive]

Basketball is obviously the middle. NFL is the extreme.

There is a minimal strength component in soccer. Strength is one of the main aspects of athleticism. You can struggle to bench 135 pounds and still be a pro soccer player. NFL? don't even think about it.

Well american football is mainly played with arms and the upper body, leg strength is only required to have keep that fat body on its feet.

O-Liners used to be huge fat asses when I started watching the NFL, because the fat was enough, not even leg strength required - I know it's different now in most cases. WRs mostly have CR7's body type.

I doubt the strongest NFL athlete can accelerate a club football to 100km/h(65 mph).

[Im Still Ballin]

And how many soccer players can squat 500 pounds and run a 4.5 40?

You talk about leg strength? Get the **** out of here. soccer players don't even come close.

[Overdrive]

You're acting like hitting the gym and muscling up on roids is something nobody can do except these beasts. What makes NFL players exceptionally athletic is hand eye coordination at high speeds. You grap 1 cm to the left and full speed, you might lose the superbowl.

[Im Still Ballin]

You miss the point completely. Let me break it down for you.

An NFL player who can squat 500 pounds and at the same time still run a 4.5 40 can lose the bulk, lean down, get more conditioned and be at the level of a pro soccer player fitness wise.

Vice versa? No way. A soccer player couldn't run a 4.5 if he could squat 500 pounds.

This is genetics. Natural athleticism. soccer players just aren't as athletic.

[Im Still Ballin]

I'm not saying a soccer player couldn't potentially squat 500 pounds. What I'm saying is he doesn't have to ability to still be quick. The combination of speed and strength.

[Overdrive]

We'll never know that. Too many ifs. But soccer player usually don't do 40 yard dashes. Full Backs usually go 60-70 yards deep. That's where most those NFL positions already use their quickness. NFL players are highly specialized and get trained to have certain facets of athleticism by the age of 19.

Of course there's a training that allows strength and speed, but I doubt Jerry Rice squatted 500pds or anything remotely close for example.

[ThePhantomCreep]

Real athletes like Mike Sweetney, Oliver Miller, Eddy Curry, ...

We shouldn't even start talking about white guys that look like the just came from the office to play some ball at the park. Super athletic super skilled basketball players are just as rare as in other sports.

What are you arguing? That basketball players look like average Joes? That's pretty funny considering soccer's best player is 5'6" and weighs 150lbs soaking wet. Top tier athletes make you stand back in awe. They don't have you wondering if they need help carrying their luggage.

[tpols]

He was scouted at 14, because he was a really good and highly skilled player in his age category. He wasn't scouted and then had to learn how to dribble. So no, he did not "start playing" at 14.

Tim Duncan, Olajuwon, Mbenga. Those guys literally didn't play basketball.

Thats just because they have rare height.. No guard could pick up basket ball in his teens and make it professionally either. Notice you list only seven footers.

[Im Still Ballin]

Specificity in speed isn't the point. I use the 40 yard dash a base for measurement of speed. You can't tell me that Ronaldo could run a 4.5 if he was able to squat 500 pounds. His genetic make up and ability is too limited. In the speed-strength continuum he falls short.

Basically he is not as athletic.

The average NFL player is more athletic than the average soccer player. This is known. This is accepted. It's common knowledge.

You can't just say NFL players are that way because of specific training and that because of that soccer players could potentially be too. No. It doesn't work like that. Their genetics will limit what they will potentially be able to accomplish, and it is less than an NFL player.

[Overdrive]

What are you arguing? That basketball players look like average Joes? That's pretty funny considering soccer's best player is 5'6" and weighs 150lbs soaking wet. Top tier athletes make you stand back in awe. They don't have you wondering if they need help carrying their luggage.

I'm arguing that any sport has top notch athletes and guys you wouldn't even think they're athletes if they're in suits. OP is acting like club football consists solely of guys who just got kicked out of the nearest pub and decided to play a sport.

btw being small helps in soccer if you can combine it with skill.

[Im Still Ballin]

And soccer's top notch athletes are average if not below compared to the NFL and basketball.

[PHX_Phan]

You can call it soccer, you can call it football. It doesn't really matter. Both these words refer to the same: the biggest sport that is played and enjoyed all over the world and has by far the highest standards of athleticism and skill of any sport.

:lol

Skill, yes. Athleticism? Not even close.

[Im Still Ballin]

And don't give me the "endurance" bullshit. Any athlete can achieve a decent level of conditioning.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Enjoying OP scrambling to find reasons to argue against football and perpetuating almost every single stereotype about Americans.

What's the problem with having different types of athleticism? I'd love to see Gronkowski or Watt play 90 minutes of football. isn't it a shame OP can't appreciate true skill and only likes big muscley blokes who can keep him safe and warm at night.

[ThePhantomCreep]

And don't give me the "endurance" bullshit. Any athlete can achieve a decent level of conditioning.

To be fair, soccer players don't train to squat 500lbs. It's possible many of them have the genetic potential for it. Look at bodybuilders. Some of the strongest dudes on earth, yet many of them are manlets.

Soccer prizes skill above fast twitch capabilities. In many ways that is a virtue. Personally, I think basketball is the perfect marriage of jaw-dropping athleticism, tremendous genetics, and great learned skills which are a requirement for the sport.

[9erempiree]

Soccer is a shit game and this is coming from someone that watches it too. The game is very boring and the ONLY way to watch the game is at the highest level.

In order for the game to be watchable, you have to watch the big clubs, with stars in every position and playing at the highest level.

I can watch other sports and watch two bad teams and it would still be exciting. In soccer you cannot watch two bad teams because the viewing pleasure is horrible.

The concept of soccer is to sit through torture and wait for that magnificent feeling of a goal. If not played at the highest level, then you are just going to sit through an hour and a half of torture.

[kentatm]

I just can't see the logic in this. It is called soccer for a reason.


Soccer is simply the abbreviated form of the term Association Football. It's like how most people say Rugby instead of Rugby Football.

The "CALL IT FOOTBALL" dorks seem to forget that at the World Cup in South Africa the main stadium was called Soccer City.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Soccer is a shit game and this is coming from someone that watches it too. The game is very boring and the ONLY way to watch the game is at the highest level.

In order for the game to be watchable, you have to watch the big clubs, with stars in every position and playing at the highest level.

I can watch other sports and watch two bad teams and it would still be exciting. In soccer you cannot watch two bad teams because the viewing pleasure is horrible.

The concept of soccer is to sit through torture and wait for that magnificent feeling of a goal. If not played at the highest level, then you are just going to sit through an hour and a half of torture.

Doing yet more for yourself here, stereotypical American! Can you watch 9 innings of baseball? How about a full 50 over cricket game (never mind a 5 day test)? It's fine if you need instant gratification, I prefer RedZone on a Sunday evening and generally watch things on DVR to avoid adverts. I also prefer to watch the highest standard of sports I'm not that familiar with. But don't brand an entire sport based on the fact you can't appreciate the intricacies of it.

@kentatm, is it fair to agree that anyone who insists you use one term or the other exclusively is being short-sighted?