That's fair enough though. My brother has always said to enjoy hockey you need to train yourself to see the puck on tv/at the games. I can see why having to learn something like that would some people off trying to get into it. Probs doesn't help that the Blue Jackets always seem to have always been trash (no offence)
Oh, no offence taken; I already said I'm not a fan. I couldn't name a single Blue Jackets player if you held a gun to the stomach of my pregnant wife (not married or expecting, just letting you know how far removed I am from any sort of loyalty to a franchise within a sport I couldn't care less about if I tried.)
I feel like football is something Americans struggle with because of the exact reasons you say. In American-centric sports a player could scratch their chin and there would probably be a stat to account for that action. In football Ronaldo or Messi could make a brilliant run through the midfield that would be the absolute highlight of the game, but that isn't counted as a stat, just a highlight. Doesn't make one better than the other, but in action play isn't continually counted in stats in football, only absolutes. That's changed recently with obsessions with xG (expected goals per 90mins) and defensive stats being looked at more closely, but it's no where near the levels of something like baseball which has a million different ways of evaluating a player. Again, it's not a better or worse way of watching sport, just a cultural difference.
I think Americans struggle appreciating soccer because we're used to sports that have overtly dominant players who consistently net results and are game changers. Like, when a team gets into the red zone in football (NFL,) it's not a matter of if, but WHEN they break the plane and put up points. Or big plays that shorten the field, or amazing catches that make highlight reels for the next week before the next round of games. Soccer, it just feels like both teams are up against insurmountable odds, trying to find that rare window when an attack actually does something to affect the course of the game; those moments are too few and far between to hold [my] attention. When a goal
is scored, it's only exciting because of how unlikely it was, and that's not appealing to me (like the episode of
The Office where the entire conference room is just waiting for the floating DVD symbol on the TV to hit the corner perfectly; rewarding to witness, but the time leading up to could have been better spent.) If that's a cultural thing, fine, I guess. But I don't like basketball for the same reasons; it's too back and forth, and between the flopping/fouls and the constant screeching of their shoes on the court, the game just feels... needlessly protracted? I like sports where I can see a plan unfolding, but dozens of guys standing in a field kicking a ball around or slapping a puck to the mostly likely, open person only to net a couple points over the course of HOURS if they're lucky? I'll wait and watch the highlights.
Funny thing is, my grandfather actually played for Panama's national team back in his day. That alone has made me really want to appreciate soccer, but I just can't do it. My dad now roots for Brazil (because he's a traitor,) and I root with him 'cuz I love the guy. Other than that, I'm out on soccer too.