NFL analyst Ross Tucker woke up on Thursday, went to work, and chose violence.
During the Eagles-Browns preseason game on Thursday night, NFL analyst Ross Tucker marveled at the social media engagement the exhibition game had generated. Specifically, Tucker marveled at the international engagement the game has sparked. These global ruminations led Tucker to believe the time was ripe for the NFL to save the children of the world from the mistaken belief that soccer was the “world’s game” and make sure they knew American football was far better.
“I love that the game is growing internationally,” Tucker said. “I mean, Scott, think of the kids, there are kids out there that think soccer is the best sport. We got to grow this thing internationally so they know.”
Ross Tucker: “I love that the game is growing internationally. I mean, Scott, think of the kids. There are kids out there that think soccer is the best sport. We gotta grow this thing internationally so they know.” pic.twitter.com/vKw220GG5i
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 18, 2023
Tucker continued: “How many soccer tweets do you think I’ll get now?”
“Listen, I just want young people all across the globe to at least know about American football, to at least know that it exists. I played soccer till I was 11, it was great!”
Tucker, a graduate of Princeton University, proved quite prophetic in his assessment that the social media reaction would be decidedly against him.
Ross Tucker scared soccer is outgrowing football? Good, I mean it already has. Soccer is the best sport. https://t.co/iBZJNd7yPn
— Sir Harvey Cruz (@SirHarveyCruz) August 18, 2023
@RossTuckerNFL didn’t sign up for the 1960s soccer bashing broadcast. American football will never overtake soccer.
— ConorD (@CONOR_____) August 18, 2023
hey @RossTuckerNFL really? bashing the most popular beautiful sport that gave us Pele, Maradona, messi… while commenting on a sport that stole the name of the 1st one? that was stupid by you. what is the meaning of soccer btw sucker!
— 🇲 tha Rockin’ Moroccan (@ArbaouiJaouad) August 18, 2023
I’m not sure it’s fair to say that Tucker was “bashing” soccer. It seems he was merely saying American football is better, and most kids worldwide would also believe it’s better if they were exposed to it.
Is Tucker right about that? Yes! American football is better than soccer. Is he right to think it will ever supplant soccer as the world’s sport?
Absolutely not.
Soccer is the “world’s sport,” not because it is the “best sport.” It is the world’s sport because it is the cheapest to play. It requires only objects to serve as goalposts and another object that can suffice as a ball.
That’s it.
It can be played and played at a reasonably high level by people who live in impoverished slums and advanced Western nations alike. American-style tackle football, conversely, is an incredibly expensive sport that is financially inaccessible to 80 percent of the world.
So, sorry to break it to you, soccer guy. But your sport is popular because it’s accessible, not because it is “the best.”But hey, there’s good news: American football is way too expensive to ever take your top spot.