Happy July 4th!

[Zjuggernaut]

Re: Happy July 4th!

I'd also like to point out that America isn't that bad. We might not win World Cups, but we're always there. Not bad for a country that doesn't give a rat's ass.

I wasn't referring to the USA football team. I was referring to MLS. Your league is sh*t.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Only wiry compared to fat men in body armour. They could rip apart any NFL team in a fight.

Well, that depends. Are the NFL players going to be disarmed first? Admittedly, they have a bad habit of shooting themselves in the foot (thank you, Plaxico Burress or whatever the **** your name is) but the NFL guys are going to have way more heavy weaponry.

NFL is basically Rugby except one guy can throw the ball forward.

Nah, only one guy usually does. The rule is that you have to be behind a certain line if you want to make a forward pass. Ahead of that line it's laterals only. Though admittedly, it doesn't happen often. Also, the difference is less the throwing than it is the stopping play every so often and the elimination of that whole scrum deal and a few other things. Plus the rigidly defined offense and defense.

I just did

Sorry, I meant to say "you can, but you'll be wrong."

And juggernaut... you know, I honestly don't care. I'm sorry, but I really don't. Not sure why, when I can argue about stuff I don't care about until I'm blue in the face... but I just can't work up an inclination, sorry.

 

[Zjuggernaut]

Re: Happy July 4th!

And juggernaut... you know, I honestly don't care. I'm sorry, but I really don't. Not sure why, when I can argue about stuff I don't care about until I'm blue in the face... but I just can't work up an inclination, sorry.

Doesn't concern me. You had a little forum BF and I just told you what I meant. I couldn't give a damn whether you care or not.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Well, that depends. Are the NFL players going to be disarmed first? Admittedly, they have a bad habit of shooting themselves in the foot (thank you, Plaxico Burress or whatever the **** your name is) but the NFL guys are going to have way more heavy weaponry.

No weapons, no armour. Mano e mano. Or whatever the saying is.

Nah, only one guy usually does. The rule is that you have to be behind a certain line if you want to make a forward pass. Ahead of that line it's laterals only. Though admittedly, it doesn't happen often. Also, the difference is less the throwing than it is the stopping play every so often and the elimination of that whole scrum deal and a few other things. Plus the rigidly defined offense and defense.

So it's like some sort of beurocracy? I can see why you'd want to watch that!

Sorry, I meant to say "you can, but you'll be wrong."

At least we're not so arrogant as to hold the World Series. A tournament of only domestic American teams.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

No weapons, no armour. Mano e mano. Or whatever the saying is.

So we have all our lardasses just sit on the little ****ers.

So it's like some sort of beurocracy? I can see why you'd want to watch that!

I assume you were trying to spell bureaucracy? No, it's very easy to tell the difference. Football has fewer desks, suits, and paperwork; more pads, balls, and tackling. If on barely on the last one.

At least we're not so arrogant as to hold the World Series. A tournament of only domestic American teams.

While I admit the Blue Jays suck, I think the city of Toronto will have words to say with you on the subject of their being American. And calling it a tournament only makes you sound more ignorant. It's a SERIES. Seven games, two teams, one winner.

The only thing resembling a tournament is if you take the whole season and the Division Series and the League Championship Series and all together.

If it makes you feel better, the little league World Series is international. And so is the World Baseball Classic.

And the teams playing in the World Series are quite multinational.

EDIT: Wait, what's baseball doing in this discussion? If you thought that the World Series was football, that's REALLY pathetic. I'm sorry, man, it just is.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

So we have all our lardasses just sit on the little ****ers.

They'd a) have to catch them first, and c) have to subdue them, before they could be sat on. A lot of our AFL players go to America to play NFL after they'v retired. What does that say about the NFL, apart from that it's overy funded?

I assume you were trying to spell bureaucracy? No, it's very easy to tell the difference. Football has fewer desks, suits, and paperwork; more pads, balls, and tackling. If on barely on the last one.

Bureaucracy is the stupidest word ever, yes, but gridiron has about as many rules as one. Makes the game more annoying for anyone watching it.

While I admit the Blue Jays suck, I think the city of Toronto will have words to say with you on the subject of their being American. And calling it a tournament only makes you sound more ignorant. It's a SERIES. Seven games, two teams, one winner.

The only thing resembling a tournament is if you take the whole season and the Division Series and the League Championship Series and all together.

If it makes you feel better, the little league World Series is international. And so is the World Baseball Classic.

And the teams playing in the World Series are quite multinational.

EDIT: Wait, what's baseball doing in this discussion? If you thought that the World Series was football, that's REALLY pathetic. I'm sorry, man, it just is.

Whatever. One Canadian team in an otherwise all American baseball league doesn't make it any more of a world series. Not to mention it was called the World Series before the Blue Jays joined.

And I know that the World series is baseball, I was just using it as an example of Americans thinking that they are the world.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

They'd a) have to catch them first, and c) have to subdue them, before they could be sat on. A lot of our AFL players go to America to play NFL after they'v retired. What does that say about the NFL, apart from that it's overy funded?

"A lot" is obviously relative, since I've never heard of them. And yeah, catching them is what running backs are for. And it's definitely a bad sign if your primary strategy is running.

Bureaucracy is the stupidest word ever, yes, but gridiron has about as many rules as one. Makes the game more annoying for anyone watching it.

Could be worse. At least the rules are pretty straightforward, unlike soccer. Most of the extra stuff is things like "no, you can't kick the guy trying to catch the ball in the balls and break a bottle over his head." "No, you can't grab his facemask and try to break his neck."

Whatever. One Canadian team in an otherwise all American baseball league doesn't make it any more of a world series. Not to mention it was called the World Series before the Blue Jays joined.

Well, it used to be two, but the Expos sucked so bad and had so few fans they got moved to DC. If it makes you feel better, Canada doesn't really care about baseball anyway.

And I know that the World series is baseball, I was just using it as an example of Americans thinking that they are the world.

No, more that when the Series was founded it was called either the Championship of the United States or the World's Championship Series because no one else cared.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

"A lot" is obviously relative, since I've never heard of them. And yeah, catching them is what running backs are for. And it's definitely a bad sign if your primary strategy is running.

One of them played in the superbowl a couple of years ago.

Could be worse. At least the rules are pretty straightforward, unlike soccer. Most of the extra stuff is things like "no, you can't kick the guy trying to catch the ball in the balls and break a bottle over his head." "No, you can't grab his facemask and try to break his neck."

How are the rules to soccer less complicated than gridiron? No touching the ball with your arms or hands, dont be offside, no tripping, and get the ball into the net to win.

Gridirons all, only throw backwards, unless you're a specific player behind a specific line, and kick the ballsometimes, but only when you get it over this line first, unless you want less points for it. Also beat the **** out of everyone, but don't do anything on this list.

Well, it used to be two, but the Expos sucked so bad and had so few fans they got moved to DC. If it makes you feel better, Canada doesn't really care about baseball anyway.

Soooooo, why call it a World Series?

No, more that when the Series was founded it was called either the Championship of the United States or the World's Championship Series because no one else cared.

Exactly. No one else cares about baseball. Cricket, on the other hand.....

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

One of them played in the superbowl a couple of years ago.

So, what, he was one of the roughly 160 guys on the two teams? Seriously, man, according to a random website there are only six NFL players born in Australia.

How are the rules to soccer less complicated than gridiron? No touching the ball with your arms or hands, dont be offside, no tripping, and get the ball into the net to win.

Offside, exactly. And how does soccer define offsides? Okay, so, if you're behind the last defender but still in front of the goalie and you get a pass, but not if you dribbled it right on by and if the moon is full and it's more than three weeks before the vernal equinox... Seriously, I played soccer for years and I don't understand the way the offsides rule works. At least in football it's simple: cross the line of scrimmage before play begins, you're offsides.

Same with the tripping bit. One bit of tripping is okay, but then, oh, that was much too overt. At least football has a few designated hardline things you can't do, like grab the other guy's facemask.

Gridirons all, only throw backwards, unless you're a specific player behind a specific line, and kick the ballsometimes, but only when you get it over this line first, unless you want less points for it. Also beat the **** out of everyone, but don't do anything on this list.

No, any player can make a forward pass if they're behind the line of scrimmage. And you can punt it whenever you want, or go for a field goal whenever you want (what you're thinking of is that if you get three points for a field goal, but only one for the point after touchdown kick). And yeah, football has a list. Soccer it's just, "hey, the ref get's to wing it, just decide what the hell he thinks looks bad.

Soooooo, why call it a World Series?

This. Seriously. The Washington Redskins have played in Landover, Maryland since 1997. Then there's all the examples from Wikipedia about other leftover names.

Exactly. No one else cares about baseball. Cricket, on the other hand.....

We've been over this before. Even fewer people care about cricket than baseball.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

So, what, he was one of the roughly 160 guys on the two teams? Seriously, man, according to a random website there are only six NFL players born in Australia.

Ok, so I may have exaggerated. But if you can play NFL as a retired AFL player, it can't be that physically demanding.

Offside, exactly. And how does soccer define offsides? Okay, so, if you're behind the last defender but still in front of the goalie and you get a pass, but not if you dribbled it right on by and if the moon is full and it's more than three weeks before the vernal equinox... Seriously, I played soccer for years and I don't understand the way the offsides rule works. At least in football it's simple: cross the line of scrimmage before play begins, you're offsides.

What? Offside in soccer is easy. If the ball gets passed to you and there isn't a defender between you and the goalie, then you are offside.

Same with the tripping bit. One bit of tripping is okay, but then, oh, that was much too overt. At least football has a few designated hardline things you can't do, like grab the other guy's facemask.

If the ref thinks you got close enough to the ball to qualify it as not intentional, then it's just collateral damage.

No, any player can make a forward pass if they're behind the line of scrimmage. And you can punt it whenever you want, or go for a field goal whenever you want (what you're thinking of is that if you get three points for a field goal, but only one for the point after touchdown kick). And yeah, football has a list. Soccer it's just, "hey, the ref get's to wing it, just decide what the hell he thinks looks bad.

Whatever. My understanding of gridiron is basically Rugby, but with body armour and forward passing. I don't even like Rugby that much.

This. Seriously. The Washington Redskins have played in Landover, Maryland since 1997. Then there's all the examples from Wikipedia about other leftover names.

But it's still not a World Series, unless it is so loosely defined as that it happens on this world, but that seems stupid. My summary based on that: Americans are either arrogant or stupid.

We've been over this before. Even fewer people care about cricket than baseball.

Fewer Americans care about cricket than baseball. Cricket is easily more popular.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Ok, so I may have exaggerated. But if you can play NFL as a retired AFL player, it can't be that physically demanding.

Yeah, some positions are really light duty, like kicking. Others, like, say linebacker, aren't.

What? Offside in soccer is easy. If the ball gets passed to you and there isn't a defender between you and the goalie, then you are offside.

And it's even simpler in football. "Don't cross this line till the quarterback starts play."

But it's still not a World Series, unless it is so loosely defined as that it happens on this world, but that seems stupid. My summary based on that: Americans are either arrogant or stupid.

But it was the championship of every major professional league in the world at the time it was started. The fact that they're no longer the only ones is... immaterial.

Fewer Americans care about cricket than baseball. Cricket is easily more popular.

You know what? I'll give you that. But take away the billion+ Indians, and suddenly nobody gives a damn. At least baseball's fanbase is slightly less lopsided, with 10 million Dominicans, 11 million Cubans, 128 million Japanese, 28 million Venezuelans and all the scattered others to counterbalance only 300 million Americans.

You Aussies and Pakistanis and Brits and West Indians and South Africans don't even BEGIN to approach parity with India. Basically, the sports fans are "India with a couple other dudes hanging around the back of the crowd."

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

You know what? I'll give you that. But take away the billion+ Indians, and suddenly nobody gives a damn. At least baseball's fanbase is slightly less lopsided, with 10 million Dominicans, 11 million Cubans, 128 million Japanese, 28 million Venezuelans and all the scattered others to counterbalance only 300 million Americans.

You Aussies and Pakistanis and Brits and West Indians and South Africans don't even BEGIN to approach parity with India. Basically, the sports fans are "India with a couple other dudes hanging around the back of the crowd."

Since I've stopped caring for the other arguments, I'll just address this.

So your strategy is to ignore Indians because it makes your argument look better? Not to mention the fact that Pakistan and Bangladesh make up for 320 million of that. Britain and Australia? There's another 100 million. Besides, not all Americans like Baseball, which is probably a similar ration to Australia and Englands with cricket, but the subcontinent? Faaaark.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

No, I'm pay a very much great deal of attention to India, is my point. India enjoys cricket in large numbers, India HAS large numbers. Hence, large numbers of cricket fans are Indian, in fact, probably the majority.

Hence, numbers-wise, your "only Americans care about baseball" argument makes an equal amount of sense applied to cricket as "only Indians care about cricket. The UK and Australia total 80 million, not a hundred, and while Pakistan and Bangladesh do total about 360 million, 406 million is still significantly less than half the population of India. Not that ALL Indians are cricket fans, but the population of India can be estimated, while the population of Indian cricket fans can not be.

Meanwhile, my four randomly selected countries that have decent baseball-playing populations have a total population of roughly 177 million, which is noticeably more than half the population of the US. I didn't put any thought into choosing them beyond "do I know of them as a baseball-playing country?" and yet they ended up making a sizeable counterbalance to the US.

Just using those countries, the baseball-playing countries are 36% non-US, while your countries are 26% non-Indian, assuming you count Pakistan and Bangladesh as non-Indian. Which I will.

EDIT: Wait, you made my argument for me. Okay, so India ****ing LOVES cricket, and you're pointing out that not all Americans LOVE baseball. Very good. That means the imbalance of cricket being a Indian sport is even more apparent, since they love it so much more than the rest of you, and so much more than the US loves baseball (especially considering that football is the most-watched sport these days).

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

No, I'm pay a very much great deal of attention to India, is my point. India enjoys cricket in large numbers, India HAS large numbers. Hence, large numbers of cricket fans are Indian, in fact, probably the majority.

Hence, numbers-wise, your "only Americans care about baseball" argument makes an equal amount of sense applied to cricket as "only Indians care about cricket. The UK and Australia total 80 million, not a hundred, and while Pakistan and Bangladesh do total about 360 million, 406 million is still significantly less than half the population of India. Not that ALL Indians are cricket fans, but the population of India can be estimated, while the population of Indian cricket fans can not be.

Meanwhile, my four randomly selected countries that have decent baseball-playing populations have a total population of roughly 177 million, which is noticeably more than half the population of the US. I didn't put any thought into choosing them beyond "do I know of them as a baseball-playing country?" and yet they ended up making a sizeable counterbalance to the US.

Just using those countries, the baseball-playing countries are 36% non-US, while your countries are 26% non-Indian, assuming you count Pakistan and Bangladesh as non-Indian. Which I will.

EDIT: Wait, you made my argument for me. Okay, so India ****ing LOVES cricket, and you're pointing out that not all Americans LOVE baseball. Very good. That means the imbalance of cricket being a Indian sport is even more apparent, since they love it so much more than the rest of you, and so much more than the US loves baseball (especially considering that football is the most-watched sport these days).

.... So you agree that Cricket is more popular than Baseball?

On a side note, there's a baseball club right near my house. Saw them playing yesterday. Way more popular than it should be around here. I don't understand that.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Back on the actual subject of this thread, my family had my birthday and that of a few other people today. Since normally we do this on the 4th of July, but didn't this year, we played with fireworks today. In the interests of late America-celebrating:

Now back to your regularly scheduled irrelevant tangent:

Exactly my point. Baseball isn't a huge sport anywhere but the US: but it's played and enjoyed widely. Canada doesn't really care, but I'd bet you damn near every high school and college has a team. Mexico probably has a bunch, too. Australia, obviously.

Meanwhile, cricket is damn near unknown outside a few countries, but is immensely popular in absolute numbers for the same reason that Hinduism is the third largest religion (admittedly, it's third after Christianity and Islam, the only religions that really matter all that much overall): because there a a **** of a lot of India.

And that's the thing. I admit that baseball is boring as all **** to watch. I barely watch it. But it is really fun to play. Don't ask me why, but it is. Just today I played catch with my nine-year-old cousin for almost two hours.

 

[Skotekal]

Re: Happy July 4th!

In my city there are no high school baseball teams as far as I know. In fact, cricket is played more, sadly enough. For some reason all the East Indian kids play it. Won't find a white guy playing at all. :lol: Baseball is a much better sport. Its almost as if someone was watching a cricket game and said "I have to fix this garbage".

And to me, all sports are boring unless played. Excluding soccer/football. I hate that game in every single way.

 

[Arseface]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Back on the actual subject of this thread, my family had my birthday and that of a few other people today. Since normally we do this on the 4th of July, but didn't this year, we played with fireworks today. In the interests of late America-celebrating:

Now back to your regularly scheduled irrelevant tangent:

Exactly my point. Baseball isn't a huge sport anywhere but the US: but it's played and enjoyed widely. Canada doesn't really care, but I'd bet you damn near every high school and college has a team. Mexico probably has a bunch, too. Australia, obviously.

Meanwhile, cricket is damn near unknown outside a few countries, but is immensely popular in absolute numbers for the same reason that Hinduism is the third largest religion (admittedly, it's third after Christianity and Islam, the only religions that really matter all that much overall): because there a a **** of a lot of India.

And that's the thing. I admit that baseball is boring as all **** to watch. I barely watch it. But it is really fun to play. Don't ask me why, but it is. Just today I played catch with my nine-year-old cousin for almost two hours.

You're saying that England Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, the West Indies (which is technically several countries), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are a just few countries? How many countries play international baseball?

And Cricket is fun to play. Fun to watch as well. I could play Cricket all day.

In my city there are no high school baseball teams as far as I know. In fact, cricket is played more, sadly enough. For some reason all the East Indian kids play it. Won't find a white guy playing at all. :lol: Baseball is a much better sport. Its almost as if someone was watching a cricket game and said "I have to fix this garbage".

And to me, all sports are boring unless played. Excluding soccer/football. I hate that game in every single way.

How is baseball a better sport? It's way more monotonous, way too commercial, and waaay more lopsided when it comes to batting/fielding.

As someone who understands both sports enough to give an educated opinion on the differences, Cricket is better.

 

[Walker]

Re: Happy July 4th!

In my city there are no high school baseball teams as far as I know. In fact, cricket is played more, sadly enough. For some reason all the East Indian kids play it. Won't find a white guy playing at all. :lol: Baseball is a much better sport. Its almost as if someone was watching a cricket game and said "I have to fix this garbage".

And to me, all sports are boring unless played. Excluding soccer/football. I hate that game in every single way.

What city? do you mind if I google it like crazy and try to find a high school or club team of the right age?

But yeah, the only people I've seen playing cricket around here are the occasional Indian/Pakistani or Carribbean fairly recent immigrants.

You're saying that England Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands, the West Indies (which is technically several countries), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are a just few countries? How many countries play international baseball?

The last Baseball World Cup featured 22 teams. The last World Baseball Classic featured 16 teams in the tournament, though I didn't bother to check how they decided who qualified and what tournaments lead up to them.

So, both international baseball tournaments featured more teams than cricket, apparently.

And Cricket is fun to play. Fun to watch as well. I could play Cricket all day.

I've watched some youtube cricket. I have to disagree.

How is baseball a better sport? It's way more monotonous, way too commercial, and waaay more lopsided when it comes to batting/fielding.

How is it lopsided? In baseball, the fielders actually have to do something more complex than "catch ball, throw back?"

As someone who understands both sports enough to give an educated opinion on the differences, Cricket is better.

As a completely biased, partisan observer... yeah, not gonna happen.

Also, apparently at the last WBC, Australia curb-stomped Mexico and held their own against Cuba. Not bad. Cuba's a pretty damn good team.

Also, your softball team isn't bad either, from the last Olympics before the bull****EurocentricIOCbull****decision.

EDIT: Also, I'm sad. I care about two baseball teams ("care" being relative, when halfway through season I haven't seen a single game) the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals. In the last Classic, the O's had one guy playing for Italy, two for USA, and two for Venezuela. The Nats had one playing for Canada, two for USA, and one for Puerto Rico. That is a pathetic showing, because my teams suck.

On the other hand, Melvin Mora, who played for Venezuela, is ****ing awesome.

 

[Sean]

Re: Happy July 4th!

OKAY, shut up. None of this is about Fourth of July, Arseface obviously has you beat just give up. Posting more of these responses on a thread that had to do with a holiday eight days ago, and posting about something like cricket and complaining about other sports is so pointless, make your own thread if you take it that seriously.

 

[droded]

Re: Happy July 4th!

Ultimate Frisbee beats both hands down anyway.