Thursday April 17, 2008
Midtown indoor soccer
A fierce combination of soccer and hockey, indoor soccer is played on a small enclosed court with some thin astroturf. It’s much more frantic then regular soccer because of the enclosed space and no stopping (the ball’s stays in play if it hits the wall as long as it’s below the black line). Midtown Stadium Indoor Soccer [Flash site; will play Van Halen Jump really loud unless you mute your speakers before entering] in Wynwood (where the indoor skate park used to be), it’s free to watch or $120 per hour to rent the field, less during off-hours and weekends.
Two co-ed teams that played like nobody’s business, the spectators sitting just behind a flimsy net, flinching as the ball hurtles to within inches of their face. All set to club music. Apparently they’re booked through most evenings (open 24 hours!), so you can just swing by and watch some soccer when in the neighborhood. (Thanks Brook!)
Tags: sports
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No matter where you play the game, soccer remains the most idiotic and unfathonably boring sport ever created. How is it even possible to conceive of athletic activities that prohibit the use of an athlete’s hands? It’s like it was invented by (and for) hooved fish.
yes, i agree. considering (american) football requires more than 50 people to play, all of them wrapped and protected with state-of-the-art polyfoam and plastic so as to not get hurt when they are TACKLED TO THE GROUND by a 300lb shaved gorilla. or perhaps baseball, when you see more action when you take a bathroom break.
somehow soccer continues to be the most popular sport in the world, yet people haven’t noticed its idiocy. i’ll give it to basketball, but soccer still reigns as the ultimate team sport.
oh, and the goalies are allowed to use their hands.
Have either of you dim bulbs ever tried playing the sport? Cause if you haven’t how can you say its idiotic? It requires so much coordination and training I bet neither of you can as much as kick the ball in the right direction if you tried. But wait you’re too busy criticizing to do that aren’t ya.
Carolina – I think the wynwooder was being sarcastic. The problem with most Fotbol bashers is that they have never seen a professional game, up close and live. The action, intensity and coordination can never be appreciated via a television screen. Sitting behind this goal from the bleachers and seeing the speed at which the ball comes at the goalie from very very close range is wild! Open 24 hours another reason to troll the wynwood streets after midnight.
Calling someone a dim bulb when it’s painfully obvious to everyone else that they agree with you — ouch.
And Squathole… your attempts to stir up an argument are admirable, but you need to have a slightly less absurd premise then “soccer is dumb.”
Obviously, soccer is great not just as a spectator sport, but because it allows folks of almost any skill level to play. But the real point I was trying to make is that when it’s brought indoors like this it almost becomes a different thing.
Alesh: I certainly appreciate how making it (almost) a different thing would improve it.
Wynwooder: Thanks for winning me the office bet. I bet that my comment would immediately draw the ire of a soccer fan who would sneer at American football. Which, BTW, I also find dull as dirt and an absurd freak show. If those were 4-legged creatures out there, it’d be animal abuse.
But to you and Carolina, I’d say much the same thing you said to me: if you find baseball dull and lacking in action, you don’t know anything about the game. You’re just sitting around waiting for somebody to hit the ball somewhere. Which, many cognoscenti agree, is the single most difficult accomplishment in the world of sports (hitting, that is, not sitting around waiting).
Alesh — my biggest beef with soccer is the no-hands business (yes, I know about the rules for goalies. I was forced to play soccer in school, too). Watching grown men banging soccer balls with their heads is like seeing a circus act. As for kicking, that’s a mule’s specialty.
Then there’s the low scoring factor. And the way an entire match can be settled with a Free Kick. Not very well thought out, and a very unsatisfactory ending.
See you at the ball park.
I played indoor soccer for one whole summer school term, during high school. I had the impression that it was something the coach/teacher dreamed up, but here it is, really a thing people do. Funny.
tito- you got it.
carolina- i don’t know if i should applaud your comment or compliment your lack of understanding.
squathole- i’m dominican. that said, i think i can appreciate the difference between fútbol and beisbol (or pelota) enough to make a distinction between the two. baseball is great when the ball is in play, even greater for the pitcher whose involved in every play. sadly, that only happens less than a dozen times per game on average. as a spectator sport it’s the equivalent of watching a chess game: a lot of strategy, but boring if your not playing it.
as for the no hands business, that is what makes it interesting…
In the second sentence of this article you wrote “It’s much more frantic then regular soccer”. I think you meant to write “than” instead of “then.”
Funny thing is it’s EASY to use your hands. What’s difficult about catching a fricking football and running pre-determined routes which take no thinking whatsoever. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE American Football (GO FINS!) but when it comes to complexity you could teach a monkey to run a route, block in that directions or kneel the ball~
Football is more fluid, more tactical, more intuition and instinct. The field is bigger requiring far greater athleticism (an average footballer runs 4 miles plus per game). I could go on forever really. And to ask why it’s “dumb”, shit pose that question to the billions upon billions of fans world wide and the BIGGEST and greatest spectacle the World Cup.
As for indoor, it’s incredibly fun, you dont need to be a pro or very good to have a blast and the pace is frantic to say the least. I am definitely gonna check it out this weekend and buy myself a pair of indoor boots.
I also noticed that you wrote “the ball’s stays in play “ instead of “the ball stays in play.”
squathole,
your such a baiter. I bet you’d enjoy it more if you weren’t such a klutz.
doctordenim,
you must be knew hear.
A big part of soccer’s popularity is because it’s so cheap to play. Inflate the guts of a sheep, clear out some space and you are all set.
Outfitting a small militia is cheaper than the gear for a football team.
i’m actually thinking of picking up some hockey skates and a stick to play some rollerhockey. apparently there’s a couple of pickup games going on in the area:
http://www.miamirollerhockey.com/
R: You nailed me. I’m not only a baiter, I’m a MASTER baiter.
Tito: “as for the no hands business, that is what makes it interesting“
Now THAT’S an interesting insight. I wonder — Would it be more or less interesting if other senses and functions were prohibited as well? Maybe making it a rule that players had to bounce on one foot? Or run on their knees? How about blindfolding everybody?
No, I don’t think this adds anything. One of the glorious aspects of sports is the physical achievement of human being pushing their bodies and will to their limits in the service of accomplishing a regulated, well-defined goal. Eliminating anything from these human endeavors as advanced as the hands is just wrong.
But what do I know? I’m just a master baiter.
Squat’s a big Chelsea fan…
He sounds like a bitter Newcastle fan actually
Pardon me. Well played, sir.
squathole- soccer is, contrary to what many may say, an equal opportunity discipline. if by playing american football (or what some rednecks call foreplay) you accidentally lose one of your arms, don’t worry; you’ll always have soccer.
“One of the glorious aspects of sports is the physical achievement of human being pushing their bodies and will to their limits in the service of accomplishing a regulated, well-defined goal.”
hello? goal as in GOOOOOOL? it’s the same thing! physical achievements? with elbow/knee/groin/shoulder pads to aid you in hurting others and prevent you from hurting yourself? yeah, great achievement.
Squat’s just salty that Becks got Posh Spice all to himself.
Funny stuff. I like (not love) soccer but I prefer other sports. But soccer fans are the most ultra-defensive people I’ve ever seen.
“well you have to see it up close” , “well you have to this” , “well you have to that”.
I think most Americans like sports they don’t need to be sold on.
Most americans like sports that can be played in a stadium (except soccer).
Hell yeah ultradefensive! If not the score would be, like, baseballish. you should see the italian serie A. THAT I call defense.
Squat – I didn’t make the “no hands” comment. somebody get me a tissue.
Ladies and gentlemen: No need to keep repeating that American football is loutish. I agree. I watch about about 60 minutes of it per year, and and the most action I see is the cheerleaders’ titties bouncing. But that doesn’t make soccer any better, does it?
For that matter, even tho I love baseball, I admit it could be vastly improved upon if players were permitted to carry the bat as they ran the bases.
World cup 1978
Underdog Scotland must win by 2 goals over the Netherlands to qualify for the next round. Archie Gemill is given a yellow card in the 35 minute. He responds by somehow being able to run twice as fast an promptly scores 2 goals. Scotland wins 3-2 but does not make it to the next round. Unbelievingly exciting, but sad.
In a later round Arie Hann of the Netherlands, with his back to the opposing goal and beyond half field suddenly turns and shoots to score one of the most amazing goals of all time. Impossible! Not anymore!
I was 13 years old when I saw these. My country was not represented in the tournament, but my family and neigbors would gather everyday at someone’s house to watch the time delayed games. A great time and great education as everyone had, and gained some knowledge of the countries playing.
In those I days picked favorites based on their play and sportsmanship. I detested Argintina because of nasty play by one of their players who it turns out was also detested by Argintina. Those days are gone for good, but the love of the game, the sweat from running 90 mins and my powerful but inaccurate right foot still exist.
Since making it to the world cup the last few times the US will gain a little more appreciation for football. Unlike the baiters and detractors writing about the game, the younger generation here is getting the opportunity to experience what I did in 1978. Furthermore, It is reassuring to hear American kids saying I want to play like so-and-so from France, Romaina, etc. Recognition that an American doesn’t have to be the “best” In fact, I think it is good that this is one sport that the US is in the 2nd tier. Gives them something to work for. It is also why Football “is not American”. Americans have that stupid notion that they must be No 1 in everything. In football it will be along thime before that happens.
Still, the day the inner city kids realize they can make way more money playing international Soccer than basketball, football etc, that’s the day the US becomes a force. Can’t wait for South Africa 2010.
I being at Midtown Stadium and for those dum people that say “soccer” is boring it will really change the concept since they can play and listen to the coolest music ever!!!!!And you can watch the soccer games in a big projector screen. I go there with my boyfriend (who plays 3 times a week and i always have a good time. This is something that miami needed a cool place where you can meet with friends and play sports at the same time.
Thumbs up for Midtown Stadium!!!!!
www.midtownindoorsoccer.com
Kelly :)
Yeah.
P.S. Since writing this I’ve noticed ads for other indoor soccer stadiums in Downtown and Aventura. It’s a big movement right under our noses.