How Soccer Explains Conservatism

From American Thinker

Conservatives should give more than a passing nod (or smirk) to the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Many conservative Americans may not share in the disappointment of avid U.S. soccer fans, but this is a mistake. Derision of the game by high-profile conservatives notwithstanding, soccer is a ready-made vehicle for transporting conservative values throughout the world. There is no sport where the conservative principles of self-reliance, independence, and less government are more at play than in the game of soccer.

Many red-blooded, patriotic Americans remain faithful to American football. But as conservatives like to remind liberals, there isn’t less pie when more individuals prosper — the pie just gets bigger. The same will be true in American sports if these real football fans can see fit to allow soccer a respected place our culture.

Conservatives agree that government impedes progress and should be involved as little as possible in the economy and the conduct of peoples’ lives. Soccer’s few rules ensure exactly this environment. Coaches exert less influence on soccer players during matches than in many other team sports. These constructs place more responsibility in the hands of the players. The rules that allow for this self-determination are simple: no timeouts, few substitutions, and even the disapproval of using replay technology.

With no timeouts, there is little opportunity for players to get significant direction from the coach. The game moves too quickly to defer to decisions from the sidelines, so if something is going poorly on the field, the players are responsible for implementing strategies to adjust their game.

With only three substitutions allowed (and no departing player may return to the field), teams have to use what assets they have. There is no opportunity to have overly specialized players take over specific aspects of the game, and the fluid movement of players and positions mandates that each player be able to do the job of any other on the pitch. This power speaks directly to the core conservative principle of allowing people to choose their own destiny.

Finally, employing replay technology is as antithetical to the spirit of soccer as it is to conservative principles. Dealing with incorrect or even unfair calls is part of the game, just as it is in life. Referees who make game-changing poor calls are punished by the marketplace; their opportunities for future work are proportionate to the quality of their officiating.

h/t to Nobama