re: Soccer players that could play in the NFL/NBA

Iniesta, Xavi, Deco, Danny Murphy, could all be either quarterbacks or point guards. All four have tremendous anticipation and vision. They see/saw the field as it is, knew where the space would be, and put the ball there for team mates to run onto or pick up.

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I see very few players in the NFL or NBA who could be good soccer players. I see very few soccer players who could play football or basketball.

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You don't watch enough football or basketball, apparently. When trained for a specific sport from an early age, athletes are athletes. And we have the biggest, fastest, strongest athletes in the world. If America cared about soccer, it would dominate in a way no one ever has.

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And we have the biggest, fastest, strongest athletes in the world. If America cared about soccer, it would dominate in a way no one ever has.

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You can´t teach dominion of the ball. You either have it, or you don´t. It can only be enhanced. It is not a taught skill.

Some people love music, but only plunk on a piano. No matter the hours of lessons and practicing.

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Of course not, it's a natural skill that elite athletes possess. And elite athletes is something America is not in short supply of. Why do you assume the athletes in this country wouldn't have the skills, when honed properly, to manipulate a ball with their feet instead of their hands?

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It´s got nothing to do with this country. I´m not assuming people here don´t have that skill. I´m simply saying, there are plonkers in Brazil, in Spain, the world over. People assume that these NFLers or NBAers would be world class footballers, had they been indoctrinated with the sport at an early age, and I´m saying possibly some, but certainly not anywhere near all.

We aren't the only country with these NBA sized players, yet you still don't see many really tall guys playing soccer.

You realize muscle fibers can switch types with training?

But for the most part, I agree with you.

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Piqué would probably have been a good QB

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I'd say since he used to be a keeper he would play basketball.

Howard, Guzan, and Friedel all played bball and claim it helps them a lot in their keeper role.

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You don't watch enough football or basketball, apparently. When trained for a specific sport from an early age, athletes are athletes. And we have the biggest, fastest, strongest athletes in the world. If America cared about soccer, it would dominate in a way no one ever has.

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Sure, but none of that teaches technique on the ball, which has no athletic requirement. At the highest level, technique on the ball is the most important skill. It can be taught from a young age, but no amount of athleticism can overcome technical deficiency.

I'm skeptical of the claim that if America cared about soccer, it would dominate. Spain, which produces smaller, very technical players, has dominated the sport in a way that has never been seen. They dominate because they value possession and the ability to keep the ball over any other skill. They don't out run teams, they don't out muscle teams, they play perfect possession football. I doubt any team ever would dominate the sport in that fashion. If America puts an emphasis on athleticism before skill, we will continue to be a poor man's England. But if we value technique over athleticism, we can actually succeed because our athletic players will have the technical skills to flourish, and our less athletically gifted players will have learned ways of keeping the ball and contributing because they were taught to value the ball from a young age.

People say we need better athletes and at the same time say we need more technical players and to play less boom ball. Well, by playing a tiki taka style you are not letting your athletes use their athleticism to their advantage. Of course, technical ability trumps athleticism but I don't see how people don't realize this. Spain hasn't been as great as they have because they have elite athletes. The key is finding some middle ground.

This wasn't directed at you crazy4lsu.

No. Its not.