The extremely assertive essay “How Soccer is Ruining America: A Jeremiad,” by Stephen H. Webb employs many rhetorical strategies while also pointing out every possible fault in soccer. The strongest rhetorical strategy that stands out the most in Webb’s writing is his ironic tone. It takes a thorough understanding of the English language, along with a dry sense humor, to portray such irony. Webb argues that “every kid is a winner, and nobody is ever left behind, no matter how many times they watch the ball going the other way” (267), yet his sarcastic tone forces his audience to believe the opposite of what he writes. Webb also builds his ethos strategically through his essay which helps the reader to see the humor in his essay.
Along with his powerfully ironic tone, Webb uses many similes in his essay. While sarcastically comparing baseball to soccer, “The spectacle of your failure was so public that it was like having all of your friends invited to your home to watch your dad forcing you to eat your vegetables” (268), he is stating that baseball is actually a better sport for children to play without writing it in those exact words. Webb believes that the failure caused by a strike out builds the child’s competitiveness which then drives them to try harder next time whereas soccer children are cheered on by their screaming parents whether they score a goal or not. Webb's rhetorical strategies help the audience see his perspective on how soccer is indeed running America into the ground.
Along with his powerfully ironic tone, Webb uses many similes in his essay. While sarcastically comparing baseball to soccer, “The spectacle of your failure was so public that it was like having all of your friends invited to your home to watch your dad forcing you to eat your vegetables” (268), he is stating that baseball is actually a better sport for children to play without writing it in those exact words. Webb believes that the failure caused by a strike out builds the child’s competitiveness which then drives them to try harder next time whereas soccer children are cheered on by their screaming parents whether they score a goal or not. Webb's rhetorical strategies help the audience see his perspective on how soccer is indeed running America into the ground.