Are you ready for some futbol?

It's about that time again. The World Cup is set to begin. So, once more, we'll be hearing the following:

• Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Maybe so, but not here in the USA. Okay, so we haven't gotten on board with what the rest of the world likes. SO WHAT! We got the NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the Scripps Spelling Bee. In many countries, soccer is it. Soccer fever just isn't going to happen here.
• Millions of youngsters in the U.S. play soccer, which demonstrates just how popular the sport has become and is ready to take off as a spectator sport. Yes, many play it. But watch it? Not ever going to happen. Got that? Ain't never going to happen. Lots of people ride their bicycles. That doesn't mean we're going to have a "Tour de US" anytime soon that takes the country by storm.
• The U.S. is fielding a good team this year and could possibly make a run. Maybe so. If that's the case, I'll certainly watch, as many will, with interest. But after it's over, it's over. The Olympic hockey team winning the gold medal in 1980 didn't cause a spike in NHL attendance and overall hockey fever. The U.S. women's world cup victory in 1999 was one of the most exciting events I've ever watched, and then I didn't watch another soccer game for years. That particular game caused a brief spike in soccer interest, as a new league was formed. But that league recently folded.
• Soccer is the most exciting sport in the world. Even a 1-0 game is a thing of beauty. Yeah, it's real exciting. You ALMOST have a goal every so often. What sports fan in the U.S. doesn't hope for a 6-3 score in the Super Bowl, a 1-0 score in game 7 of the World Series, a 20-18 score in the NBA finals. Yeah, go defense!
• This will be the year soccer really takes off in the USA as a spectator sport. Uh huh. Kinda like back in the '70's when Pele came ashore and played here in the North American Soccer League. I do believe that league is defunct. Or in 1994, when the U.S. hosted the World Cup, nothing happened. Ever see Major League Soccer games broadcast in prime time? Soccer has been revived many times and it continues to fail as a spectator sport.
• Television ratings in the rest of the world would absolutely dwarf those of American Idol. Yeah, well I'd still rather watch Taylor v. Katherine than Ghana v. Czech Republic.

Once again, the U.S. will be chastised for not "getting it" as to the world-wide popularity of soccer. The thing is, we do get it, we're not interested. I'm not quite sure why we're supposed to feel guilty about that, but so be it.