Soccer In America

[UNTLifer]

And the loss to Brazil makes the front page of the Houston Chronicle sports page today, while the win against Spain was buried. Interesting.

[Quoner]

Looks like conservatives hate soccer: http://blog.american.com/?p=2481

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

Looks like conservatives hate soccer: http://blog.american.com/?p=2481

Wow...that's the weakest arguement I've ever heard against the game. There are many occasions in any sport where the better team/competitor does not end up winning the game.

[Quoner]

Wow...that's the weakest arguement I've ever heard against the game. There are many occasions in any sport where the better team/competitor does not end up winning the game.

like many of my conservative gomeangreen members we enjoy a little political bantering and bring forth the destructiveness of the socialist left on the American people, including you. Just because you voted democratic does not exclude you from all the upcoming taxes.

[drex]

Soccer is a participant sport at the young age level that does not translate into a spectator sport in the USA. The Hispanis influx into the US might dramatically change the number of spectators in the future.

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

They're talking about this topic right now on the Ticket...good discussion and some good points. I'll summarize when I'm not at work.

[Quoner]

They're talking about this topic right now on the Ticket...good discussion and some good points. I'll summarize when I'm not at work.

Can't listen, but Bob posted this earlier: http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/index.ph...g-about-soccer/

Says we need a superstar to make this thing work.

[BeanCounterGrad'03]

Can't listen, but Bob posted this earlier: http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/index.ph...g-about-soccer/

Says we need a superstar to make this thing work.

That pretty much summed up the discussion on the Ticket...I thought the point about our country looking for the best PG's, running backs, and hitters instead of the best midfielders like they do in every other country was a great point.

[KRAM1]

Soccer is a participant sport at the young age level that does not translate into a spectator sport in the USA. The Hispanis influx into the US might dramatically change the number of spectators in the future.

Perhaps...but, good things are happening for soccer in the US of A these days.

[KRAM1]

Can't listen, but Bob posted this earlier: http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/index.ph...g-about-soccer/

Says we need a superstar to make this thing work.

Thought we were getting in Donovan and the more recentyl Adu, but while Donovan has become the leading goal scorer in US National Team history he is a bit far away from being a superstar on the world stage and at this point Adu could be considered an emerging talent, but hardly a star at any level...a bench player for the National Team, with tons of potential to become that superstar or a bust. Too early to tell.

Yes, the discussion regarding looking for "running backs, etc." as opposed to midfielders has been around a good while, but is definitely true. Let's face it, if a kid has star potential in football and/or basketball how does he turn down the millions for potentially the hundred thousands? That's one reason you see the Tim Howards, Landon Donovans, etc. try their hand in Europe, Great Britain, Spain, Belgium, etc.

And, when American players (other than goalkeepers) make a foreign squad, they often find themseleves riding the bench for long periods of time. You can't be a "designated hitter" and do well in soccer. You have to play on a regular basis. When the MLS grows to be able to compete on a more even keel with the bigger European clubs more American players will stay "home" and to play and actually get the playing time they need to develop.

This is an argument in England these days as to why England has not done that well on the world statge in recent years. They allow too many foreign players into the Premier League thus relegating young promising English players to the Reserve Squads or the ebenh on the senior squad. When National team duty cvomes along, they lack experience and confidence. Lots of talk in England about this these days...same can be said about American players needing playing time.

Great to see and read all the good soccer stories in the press the last few days. Hard to imagine, but there have even been some fairly positive comments on GMG.Com...imagine that.