How boring would this place be with group think.

I think it is more debate. Not arguing.
Arguing is too negative a word.

I welcome debate. I’m usually clueless. But I hope everyone takes it as friendly debate and me just trying to add humor as well as alternative point of view. Some that I don’t even have. Just to make discussion.

quote:
We DEPENDED on our keeps (Keller, Friedel, Howard) to play Herculean to keep us in matches/tourneys.

I think this is a piece that is missing

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Posted by MattA

Member since Nov 2019

1979 posts

Posted on 6/19/24 at 10:43 am to BamaCoaster

quote:
think the earlier teams of the late nineties to mid 2010’s were certainly easier to cheer for. They were outmatched nearly every outing, perpetual underdogs, but they played with heart. They played together. And, in a grandiose sense, they played for their country. McBride, C. and J. Jones, Stewart, Reyna, Cherundalo, etc…they would bleed for each other out there. We DEPENDED on our keeps (Keller, Friedel, Howard) to play Herculean to keep us in matches/tourneys. I don’t see anybody on our squad who has the same consistent heart/character.

I’m with bama. The old squad would have beat the snot out of the current group in a bar fight.

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Posted by YNWA

Member since Nov 2015

7133 posts

Posted on 6/20/24 at 2:54 pm to MattA

Old squad was before "pay to play" like we have now in the youth system. America isn't winning anything, or even coming close, until they fix the youth system. Which they won't because there's too much money being made in it.

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Posted by Broski

Member since Jun 2011

78722 posts

Posted on 6/20/24 at 2:55 pm to YNWA

quote:

Old squad was before "pay to play" like we have now in the youth system

Wait what?

The old squad was almost exclusively pay to play.

This current squad is the first one where the new youth academy influence kind of had an influence.

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Posted by YNWA

Member since Nov 2015

7133 posts

Posted on 6/20/24 at 3:26 pm to Broski

quote:
The old squad was almost exclusively pay to play.

Technically yes. Donovans class was. Although he didn't start like that when he was in elementary school.

The fees to play have become outrageous. We are getting kids who can afford to play, not necessarily the best.

Everyone, for the most part, starts out in soccer when they are very young. It's one of the first sports kids can actually participate in.
Kids get priced out and then have to choose football or basketball.

Pay to play has become a status symbol for most neighborhoods. "My son is on Baton Rouge United and we have to travel to Miami this weekend for a tournament." Even though the kid is like 8 he's treated like he's going to be the next Messi but he's not because (A) the coaching is crap (B)he's being forced into this by his parents (C) he's not touching a soccer ball outside of practice or a match.
You don't see kids with a ball at their feet, all day outdoors, like you do in other countries.

We are missing out on so much talent because of pay to play.

Look at Mo Salah. He used to travel 9hrs a day just to train.
Most of theses great players, that Dribble circles around American players, have gotten their because they wanted to get out of the situations they were in, and poverty, growing up. American youths don't have that desire when their parents basically buy them a spot on a youth club team.

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