- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: US Soccer's lack of stars
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:01 pm to uway
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:01 pm to uway
A sport where athleticism (ie raw, speed, strength and power) can't trump all else. There in lies America's weakness.
If I put Leonel Messi, Michael Phelps, Adrian Peterson and LeBron James in a police line-up. You'd have, at first appearance a heavy case of "one of these things is not like the other"
If I put Leonel Messi, Michael Phelps, Adrian Peterson and LeBron James in a police line-up. You'd have, at first appearance a heavy case of "one of these things is not like the other"
This post was edited on 8/15/13 at 12:02 pm
0
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:05 pm to Keys Open Doors
Eto'o joined Real Madrid B when he was 16.
Drogba was trained in France and was a late bloomer in Ligue 1.
Our guys just haven't had those opportunities...yet.
Weah was discovered by Wenger and signed to Monaco. His story would be similar to if an American blew up overseas.
Kewell is an interesting story. Australia has had exports in the past, but he was the first star by far.
Drogba was trained in France and was a late bloomer in Ligue 1.
Our guys just haven't had those opportunities...yet.
Weah was discovered by Wenger and signed to Monaco. His story would be similar to if an American blew up overseas.
Kewell is an interesting story. Australia has had exports in the past, but he was the first star by far.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:10 pm to WarSlamEagle
quote:
Eto'o
Drogba
Weah
Kewell
once is not like the others (and I´m not referring to skin pigmentation).
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:13 pm to Dandy Lion
I know whatcha saying.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:18 pm to Dandy Lion
World Class talent from generally lackluster nations?
Don't forget Trinidad and Tobago's Dwight Yorke. A case could be made for Ecuador's Luis Valencia and Paolo Wanchope of Costa Rica.
Don't forget Trinidad and Tobago's Dwight Yorke. A case could be made for Ecuador's Luis Valencia and Paolo Wanchope of Costa Rica.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:34 pm to RandySavage
I believe it's due to the economics of American sport. Most of the top athletes in the U.S. are steered towards the big three sports due to money tied up in football, basketball, and baseball. While there is some competition to Soccer dominance in other nations (mainly basketball in soccer loving countries), it's not the same competition as in the states.
A quote that resonates with truth that I heard a commentator say... "... when you play Brazil, you're playing the 23 best athletes in that country...". That's just not true in the U.S. Imagine if CP3, MJ, or Breesus had focused on soccer...
A quote that resonates with truth that I heard a commentator say... "... when you play Brazil, you're playing the 23 best athletes in that country...". That's just not true in the U.S. Imagine if CP3, MJ, or Breesus had focused on soccer...
This post was edited on 8/15/13 at 12:39 pm
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:39 pm to reddy tiger
... and had coaches who could actually steer their soccer education in the right direction.
We still don't have that.
We still don't have that.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:48 pm to cwil177
When U.S. kids are playing soccer in the streets, like they do the big three sports,that's when you'll see our level of talent start to catch up with other countries where soccer is part of the culture. When Landon Donovan (insert any American soccer star) is put on the same pedestal as Jordan, Aaron, Ruth, Montana, etc., when kids are pretending to score in stoppage time instead of pretending to hit the gw hr, or hit a last second three... that's when we'll start to really see the talent level rise. Unfortunately, it's a cultural thing. It'll take loads of potential earning power and American success on the world stage to bring our culture to soccer.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 12:53 pm to RandySavage
This question has been hashed out so many times before. Randy, you must be bored or trolling.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:11 pm to 225bred
quote:
225bred
God you are such a douche.
Two pages of quality discussion and you come in with that.
This isn't a "why isn't America a soccer power" thread. I understand that.
I just find it fascinating and remarkable that not one single American has ever broken through to be even a mid level star at the Euro/International level.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:16 pm to cwil177
quote:
... and had coaches who could actually steer their soccer education in the right direction.
I could be wrong but do you mean to tell me African nations like Nigera, Ivory Coast, and Ghana have better youth soccer setups/coaches than America?
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:20 pm to RandySavage
quote:
do you mean to tell me African nations like Nigera, Ivory Coast, and Ghana have better youth soccer setups/coaches than America?
In most cases players from those nations don't actually ply their trade there. They move to Europe at an incredibly young age and are brought up in a youth system entirely removed from anything remotely close to what their country could offer.
I have been to Southern Africa many times. There is always the possibility of a star being produced there, but that can probably be attributed to the sport having a near monopoly unlike in the US.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:21 pm to Nimbus2000
quote:
Yes Deuce and Timmy could start for England
I don't care about goalies and highly doubtful/debatable Dempsey is starting over Lampard, Gerrard, Wilshere, Walcott, Ox, Cleverley in the midfield.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:48 pm to RandySavage
Population:
England 50m
France 65m
Germany 82m
Brazil 200m
Argentina 41m
USA 314m
Throw out Brazil from the above and the non-US average is 60m
90% of 60m is 54m
5% of 314m is 16m
So, generously assuming that only 90% of sports-minded kids in those other countries focus mostly on soccer and that even 5% of sports-minded kids in the USA have historically focused on soccer, each of those countries in an average generation has almost 3.5 times as many focused soccer players coming up.
Athleticism is relatively less important, soccer brains at any position are relatively more important than <insert other sport> brains are in any other sport, and it's much harder to develop elite skill with your feet than it is with your hands. All of that adds up to the key ingredient in producing successful soccer players being OBSESSION with soccer.
A small amount of pressure on a huge lump of coal isn't going to produce any diamonds.
The upshot of all of this is that it really only is a matter of time, focus, and a big money league before we do to soccer what we've done to the Olympics. That's why I so greatly enjoy being the underdog now. One day we'll be as spoiled as LSU football fans are (speaking for myself there).
Amazing thing is that Brazil isn't even more dominant than they are, but that's part of the beauty of soccer.
England 50m
France 65m
Germany 82m
Brazil 200m
Argentina 41m
USA 314m
Throw out Brazil from the above and the non-US average is 60m
90% of 60m is 54m
5% of 314m is 16m
So, generously assuming that only 90% of sports-minded kids in those other countries focus mostly on soccer and that even 5% of sports-minded kids in the USA have historically focused on soccer, each of those countries in an average generation has almost 3.5 times as many focused soccer players coming up.
Athleticism is relatively less important, soccer brains at any position are relatively more important than <insert other sport> brains are in any other sport, and it's much harder to develop elite skill with your feet than it is with your hands. All of that adds up to the key ingredient in producing successful soccer players being OBSESSION with soccer.
A small amount of pressure on a huge lump of coal isn't going to produce any diamonds.
The upshot of all of this is that it really only is a matter of time, focus, and a big money league before we do to soccer what we've done to the Olympics. That's why I so greatly enjoy being the underdog now. One day we'll be as spoiled as LSU football fans are (speaking for myself there).
Amazing thing is that Brazil isn't even more dominant than they are, but that's part of the beauty of soccer.
This post was edited on 8/15/13 at 1:50 pm
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:50 pm to RandySavage
If Dempsey had been British, his form at Fulham would have seen a call-up for friendlies and after that all you need to do is impress the Intl. Team manager. I do think in alternate universe land, Dempsey works his way into the English team possibly as a starter but more realistically as a solid sub.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 1:55 pm to uway
quote:
Amazing thing is that Brazil isn't even more dominant than they are, but that's part of the beauty of soccer.
Their problem is you can only put 11 on the field. Brazil's depth is (generally speaking) incredible. Their third team would probably romp anyone else's in the world by 4-5 goals.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 2:06 pm to RandySavage
quote:
Their third team would probably romp anyone else's in the world by 4-5 goals.
Their first team lost to Switzerland yesterday
Posted on 8/15/13 at 2:08 pm to LSUSOBEAST1
guys.
what if LeBron James played soccer.
think about it.
what if LeBron James played soccer.
think about it.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 2:11 pm to LSUSOBEAST1
quote:
Their first team lost to Switzerland yesterday
Yeah but their third team probably would have smoked Switzerland's third team, is what he's saying.
In a country that big with that much focus on soccer, you naturally have a buttload of really good players that smaller nations can't hope to match.
Posted on 8/15/13 at 2:15 pm to uway
tongue-in-cheek
Page 2 of 6
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News