As I wake to news of FIFA corruption arrests, two thoughts come to mind...

[CincyDem]

...the happiest man in America right now might be Roger Goodell. Soccer in the US is growing and might represent a generational challenge to the NFL. I know today it looks like football is invincible as "America's sport" but that's what baseball was for the last generation. Imagine the possibility that soccer could become that for the next generation. I watch my kids and going to the high school soccer games was almost as much of a big deal as the Friday night football game.

...why can't we get this degree of focus and international cooperation on banking corruption. Seems to me that we've spent a whole lot of Justice department time and money to get a dozen or so non-US citizens arrested because they fixed some soccer games. OK...so maybe it's bigger than fixing some games but relative to crimes taking us to the brink of global economic ruin - it feels pretty trivial.

[truebluegreen]

1. My thought as well:

nice that the FBI is busily investigating FIFA....that's really, really important in the lives of Americans.

[scoutiu]

2. yeah...right...

"Soccer in the US is growing and might represent a generational challenge to the NFL." = delusional.

[CincyDem]

6. Delusional. Maybe so. Of course that's what they said about baseball vs. football in the 60s.

Imagine, football being so trivial that the network dropped the last 4 minutes of the championship game...sounds a lot like what they'd do to soccer today.

I have no beef with the NFL but things change and I'm not sure we can translate today's dominance to 2035 or 2040.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. So a hundred million dollar international racketeering ring should be ignored?

The economic issues crowd does not even want to punish massive economic crimes other than the very top crimes? Why? Makes no sense at all. None.
Do you profit from sports, gaming or event promotions?

[questionseverything]

5. 5 libor rigging banks get a fine

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026734134

we just want the top crimes punished too

[Rex]

9. Some have made it a personal campaign to protect the 1% at all costs on DU.

Their agenda is pathetic.

[Rex]

8. What makes no sense is why you want the small fish to fry, yet give a free pass to the big fish.

[brooklynite]

4. Disagree, for this reason...

...First, sports fans have no particular interest in what goes on in the head office. Second, FIFA and CONCACAF have to do with the national team, not the league.

[Rex]

7. But but but...we went after the NFL! Look, Wall Street is immune at a certain level of ownership.

It's going to take a Wall Street non-conformist to clean it up and make them pay a meaningful penalty besides the pennies on the dollar they pay now.

Yes, it is obvious the double standard..thanks for pointing this out and making it into an OP.