Last night Bill Maher took up soccer and the World Cup, but that was an excuse to extol America—an exercise that seems to be a big sin these days.
He begins by dissing the sport because there is too little scoring, but that remark misses the point of the “beautiful game”, which is skill and tactics. After that he goes all pr0-U.S.A.,, admitting our problems but still proud to be an Americas. The connection with soccer is that many foreigners who come here to watch the World Cup wind up admiring things we take for granted (I love the Japanese guy tasting Texas BBQ for the first time). Unfortunately, most of the stuff Maher uses as evidence for America’s greatness is just that, stuff—consumer goods, air-conditioning, and food. But Maher points out that we have more immigrants than the next four countries combined, and that says something. I would tout the freedoms which we still enjoy, though some of them may have been temporarily interrupted.
Maher’s love of America won’t endear him to “progressives” who really hate the country, but I’m still glad I was born here compared to all the places where I could have been born. And, as usual, Maher is funny.
The guests this week included Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock (Georgia) and comedian and writer Larry Wilmore.
I would’ve thought Canada had as many immigrants as the US
Typical USA: ”we invented the light bulb”; no, Joseph Swan in Britain did. Just one of many firsts falsely claimed by the USA.
I’ve heard other people say they dislike soccer because there is no “action”–i.e., little scoring. But, as you write, they totally miss the point. Some of the same people consider a no-hitter in baseball very exciting, so why don’t they make the connection? I’m not a sports fan, but do watch parts of the Olympics and the World Cup and have been so happy that some of the teams from tiny countries like Curacao and Cape Verde have made an imprint on soccer even when they get few points or none.
I’m a soccer fan and former amateur player, but I could see some modifications that would make scoring easier and add a little more excitement. Perhaps doing away with the off sides rule and instead have a 3-second limit for offensive players in the penalty area, similar to basketball.
And I wish there were a way to get rid of the fake injury histrionics, and the overly enthusiastic goal celebrations that take 5 minutes. Fortunately with the current low scores, those are infrequent.