Letso Mpho
28 March 2008
column
Gaborone — Staff Writer LETSO MPHO looks at the study by American scientists led by Ben-Naim that soccer is the most exciting sport in the world. He entirely agrees to the observation, but ...
Now that I got your full attention, I cannot assure you that soccer is more soul-fulfilling than sex. Though I broached the subject, I cannot vouch for anything. However, I put a 'greater' wager on the fact that soccer fanatics will settle for soccer. But before we jump to some conclusions, please read this;
In 2006, a team of United States scientists led by Eli Ben-Naim of the Los Alamos National Laboratory decided to study sport. Something out of the ordinary, isn't it? They analysed the results of over 300,000 games of different sports such as soccer, hockey, basketball and American football since 1888. The outcome disclosed that soccer was the most likely to produce an upset - that is when the least expected team (the underdog) becomes a victor.
Moreover, they revealed that an upset meant that the level of competitiveness was massive, so consequently keeping the level of excitement elevated. Soccer triumphed as the most exciting sport, that is - but not American football. Before I got to be acquainted with that finding, my money was on the extreme sports because they are more life risking and they defy the rules of gravity. But if you are in love with soccer - say for the 'flair' you have seen from Pele or Maradona, then you must be purely puzzled. English soccer was the most exciting competition because it comprised more upsets than any other competition. This may sound like pretty good news to soccer lovers, isn't it? Certainly soccer is the most popular sport in the world. All applause goes to the Brazilian legend, Pele who rose to stardom during the time when television unearthed. The world flocked to watch him and the dazzling Samba boys elevating soccer to the top of the charts, and now it is a global commodity of course.
However, one may ask that; since when was 'upsetting' a measure for joy? Conceivably, there is more to the reasons of soccer being the most exciting sport than just 'scores' of upsets twinned to the highs of happiness - but nevertheless. However, there is still a small number of spectators who attend a sporting event for other simple reasons - escaping boredom at home amongst other motives.
Ben-Naim said that if there are no upsets, then every game is predictable, therefore boring. Nonetheless, I personally still find Ben-Naim's interpretation most spot on. Like Barrack Obama's 'change' philosophy, humans tend to get bored when events are repeated simultaneously without any amusement or a 'force' of change. Possibly, Ben-Naim also meant to say that it is change that people are looking for. People like to be amused in some occurrences. And yes, of course an upset will always keep people on the edge of their seats - in this case, spectators swearing 'passionately'.
In most parts of the world, soccer is a part of culture. Even so some people still find soccer boring, mostly North Americans. Soccer does not enjoy a greater audience in America, and it is of lesser attraction to them. Americans are said not to be 'just' fond of it because 'they did not grow up with it'.
Only a small fraction of females watch soccer - except the world cup, and most females are said to be watching in the presence of their male companions. And this could be the reason why soccer is not as appealing to females as sex is? - the study is not conclusive. A hypostatical situation will be that females watch soccer to see players who fullfil their fantasies of 'hunks'. An insight of this nature will score more points for sex than it will for soccer, won't it?
Moreover, who will doubt that most females find penalties-taking the most exciting and staging a far much awaited 'upset' than that of the actual game itself. And it is not a surprise that some people will turn on a game to solely watch a penalty showcase.
The period of soccer dominating charts over the last decade is said to be on the decline - even the English soccer. With the widening gap between the weaker and stronger teams, the upsets are gradually declining, hence compromising the 'excitement' or principally the 'upsets' that Ben-Naim studied. Stronger teams are becoming very dominant.
In Spain there are Real Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona, in Italy there are Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan while in England there are Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. The same observation extends to other major leagues around the globe. In France, Lyon is just about on course for a seventh consecutive league title. Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United also accomplished three consecutive domestic titles in the past few years. Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich, FC Porto and Rangers have also dominated successively. In African continental competitions, Egyptian side Al Ahly has been in charge and is indeed even greater than the 'gods'.
When FIFA President, Sepp Blatter said that all other clubs are simply playing not to be relegated, he was dead right. The weaker teams seldom mount any massive impact unless winning 'just' solely insignificant bouts. However, in the current situation, there is the slimiest possibility of a smaller team overcoming strong opposition to win a major trophy - therefore other means of revamping the declining excitement in soccer may be found within the nature of the game itself. But this cannot prove that the dominant teams will be less dominant - but may be caught in a 'no man's island' situation with a few change of the game rules.
As it stands, soccer is among few sporting activities with the least amount of goals that can be accumulated within a match. A game of soccer needs more goals and attractive play. The matter of fact is that goals in a soccer match are less than one out of 10 scoring chances. On the other hand, soccer fans seem now content to score least amount of goals in a bout. Customarily, less number of goals are already expected, whereas more goals could furnish more excitement.
Usually soccer is the sport with a larger playing field, many players who are playing with the intent of putting the ball behind the posts, which is strictly guarded by a goalkeeper and at least five defenders. The odds of an opposing team putting the ball in the net are in most cases slim, and getting slimmer than before, therefore a large number of matches end in stalemates - resulting in disappointment and resentment. Moreover, with more other rules of very 'rigid' offside traps, chances of scoring are becoming increasingly slim.
And how boring can it get when a weaker opponent 'sits at the back' to stop a much stronger team from scoring so as to eliminate huge embarrassment. Literally, this behaviour has in most encounters compromised the 'upsets' with nil draws. And because of the inabilities to score, efforts on goal end up in near misses, which also frustrates the audiences into thinking 'it should have been a goal' forgetting that in that particular sport goals do not come in 'bundles'. Other sporting events encourage more advances and keeping tallies of scores, unlike in soccer where a mere goal can win a match even if the team's display was below par.
Once, Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger said that a team should be rewarded an extra point for winning a game by three goals or more - and was speaking explicitly about the fact that some teams needed to score a goal and sit at the back without making advances to attack opponents but just 'sitting' to see the match through. In contrast, former Sunderland manager, Alan Durban said that if people wanted to be entertained, they should go to the circus, as his job is to grind out results.
Though it is understandable that the winning team should get three points, the manner in which some of the teams strive to get the points is killing the spirit of the game, while some teams resort to going for goals and not playing attractive football.
But what can the sport of soccer solely do with Ben-Naim's 'upsets' - and without the 'excitement of great football, attractive football, and entertaining football?'
Just the slightest disagreement I have with Ben-Naim's findings; it is not just the 'upsets' we are after, it is also the 'flair' we are anticipating. Playing attractive football will also make soccer interesting and make people be interested in watching matches. More goals in a soccer match will relive the sport, and remember, soccer is battling against sporting genres, some of which defy the rule of gravity.
However, if you think that soccer is 'OK' as it has been, then yes, soccer must be really better than sex.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Mmegi/The Reporter. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
