Why isn't there a single great soccer player from the US?

[ThaBoyBam]

no one runs a 4 flat 40 and that doesn't guarantee he'll be running for TD's either. It also doesnt guarantee a scholarship if he is. You serious dude?

The amount of kids running in the 4.4 - 4.6 range are a dime a dozen.

I am serious. That was just an extreeme example. The point is, a kid who could instantly have impact on a football field, but would have to put in work in soccer, would likely choose football. There's like 100+ D-1 schools.

Even disregarding that, If a kid can easily grasp football, but not soccer, they will likely choose football. Of course, this is just my opinion, but it makes sense.

I'd go out on a limb to say that Lacrosse suffers for this as well.

 

[kingofnyc]

I am serious. That was just an extreeme example. The point is, a kid who could instantly have impact on a football field, but would have to put in work in soccer, would likely choose football. There's like 100+ D-1 schools.

Even disregarding that, If a kid can easily grasp football, but not soccer, they will likely choose football. Of course, this is just my opinion, but it makes sense.

I'd go out on a limb to say that Lacrosse suffers for this as well.

this is the shyt i dont understand as well from yall soccer heads

what makes soccer such a difficult sport to play & football easier to play ???

 

[AITheAnswerAI]

I think it will eventually replace those sports, it's just a matter of when

The more news that comes out about brain trauma with football, the less mothers you'll find allowing their kids to play football. I would never allow my son to play football, the risks outweigh the rewards.

I think Americans like football too much. I mean when a kid is athletic and shows promise, by the time he enters high school, I don't think there would be too many parents that would kick him out of the house if he joined the football team. So if there is any difference, you might see NFL rookies looking less polished because they have less experience due to parents being apprehensive when the kids were younger.

And as for basketball, nikkas aren't switching to soccer, I mean I just don't have go into that any further.

I mean, this whole trauma thing, most of us played in high school and some of us in college, and for the most part we're perfectly fine. I think there will be enough parents who are pragmatic enough about it that the NFL won't suffer.

 

[phillycavsfan]

Not really too trustful of random internet survey's consisting of 1,500 respondents. How about this litmus test- if the MLS was growing so much in popularity, then:
1.) Why was viewership down 30% YoY
2.) How many kids have you met that were avid MLS fans?

How about some more objective statistics?
Via US Youth Soccer- kids participating in soccer leagues:
1995 - 2,388,719
2000 - 3,020,442
2005 - 3,050,465
2007 - 3,123,698
2008 - 3,148,114
2009 - 3,094,868
2010 - 3,036,438
2011 - 3,025,551
2012 - 3,020,633
Looks like excitement may be tapering off, or even damn near diminishing

1) Don't see the the 30%. I do see ESPN and MLS agreeing to a 8 year deal worth over 600 million so ratings must be just fine.

2) A 4 percent fall in youth soccer participation between 2008 and 2012 isn't bad when tackle football participation has fallen 5.4 percent in the same time span and basketball and baseball have fallen 7-8 percent. Seems like youth sports participation is falling across the board.

Plus the top youth league, the US Soccer Developmental Academy, has grown exponentially in that same time period, building 79 youth facilities across the country in the past 6 years.

 

[ThaBoyBam]

this is the shyt i dont understand as well from yall soccer heads

what makes soccer such a difficult sport to play & football easier to play ???

Footwork and the rules. Like I said, in football, if a kid has speed, you can put him back there to return punts and he could potentially bounse asap on the competition. Whereas in soccer, he has to learn footwork., amongst other things.

For example, this,



would be easier to grasp, than this,



You could put a kid on the football field and he could shine day one if he's crazy athletic. That wouldn't happen in Soccer. Not saying that football isn't skilled. I know it is. But, based off of pure athleticism, a kid could be dominant in football based off blazing speed. Can't say the same for Soccer.

 

[Malta]

I think Americans like football too much. I mean when a kid is athletic and shows promise, by the time he enters high school, I don't think there would be too many parents that would kick him out of the house if he joined the football team. So if there is any difference, you might see NFL rookies looking less polished because they have less experience due to parents being apprehensive when the kids were younger.

And as for basketball, nikkas aren't switching to soccer, I mean I just don't have go into that any further.

I mean, this whole trauma thing, most of us played in high school and some of us in college, and for the most part we're perfectly fine. I think there will be enough parents who are pragmatic enough about it that the NFL won't suffer.

No, people aren't going to risk their kids health if more and more news comes out that playing football can lead to brain damage. What will happen is that those kids you're talking about that show great athletic promise will get steered towards other sports at an early age, whether it's basketball, baseball or soccer. By the time that kid is in HS, he may be a great soccer player and playing football will never cross his mind. Boxing used to be the biggest sport in the US, then Baseball, now it's football, eventually something else will take footballs place, history has proven that much.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...rops-nfl-concussion-crisis-seen-causal-factor

Just because you're fine now doesn't mean anything, they found early signs of brain damage in a high school football player, the exact same kind that NFL players exhibit.

 

[Trip]

I am serious. That was just an extreeme example. The point is, a kid who could instantly have impact on a football field, but would have to put in work in soccer, would likely choose football. There's like 100+ D-1 schools.

Even disregarding that, If a kid can easily grasp football, but not soccer, they will likely choose football. Of course, this is just my opinion, but it makes sense.

I'd go out on a limb to say that Lacrosse suffers for this as well.

Speed doesnt mean immediate impact in anything other than track. Overall, football practice is the most demanding at that level anyways...to say he wont have to put in work is total oversight.

 

[Carlos Huerta]

this is the shyt i dont understand as well from yall soccer heads

what makes soccer such a difficult sport to play & football easier to play ???

My man - no disrespect, but no matter what anyone says, you're still gonna think it's wack. You've repeatedly admitted that you know nothing about the sport, yet you're in most of the soccer threads dissin?

 

[ThaBoyBam]

Speed doesnt mean immediate impact in anything other than track. Overall, football practice is the most demanding at that level anyways...to say he wont have to put in work is total oversight.

I understand what your'e saying. But, a kid with blazing fast speed could:

1. Catch a ball; and

2. Out run everyone.

In football. Not taking away anything away from pigskin. But, at the lowest level, an athletic kid could shine brightly in football. Probably could shine in soccer too. But, he/she would have to put in work outside of their natural athletic ability to achieve the same level of success in Soccer. Look at it like this, JV soccer or starting varsity in football?

 

[Carlos Huerta]

No, people aren't going to risk their kids health if more and more news comes out that playing football can lead to brain damage. What will happen is that those kids you're talking about that show great athletic promise will get steered towards other sports at an early age, whether it's basketball, baseball or soccer. By the time that kid is in HS, he may be a great soccer player and playing football will never cross his mind. Boxing used to be the biggest sport in the US, then Baseball, now it's football, eventually something else will take footballs place, history has proven that much.

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_...rops-nfl-concussion-crisis-seen-causal-factor

Just because you're fine now doesn't mean anything, they found early signs of brain damage in a high school football player, the exact same kind that NFL players exhibit.

Couldn't agree more. It's happening all around me. Most of my friends in their 30s with kids aren't putting their kids in football and some of these guys even played in college. Things are a changin..

 

[Miggs]

There are 200+lbs soccer players though, and Peterson is around 215-220lbs, he's not much heavier than Danny shyttu.

Forget the RBs, the guys that would be more in line with the build of soccer players are WR, DBs and PG/SGs from the NBA. If the talent pool that makes up those positions had played soccer from the jump with America's bigger, faster, stronger motto we'd be a lot better than we are now

Stop this non sense man....Soccer is way more technical than just how big or fast you are....To assume Lebron or Adrien would be greta soccer players because of what they do in there restrospective sports is a fools errand breh...Chad Johnson basically showed that speed and athleticism means nothing if you dont have the skills,and to assume theyd HAVE those elite level skills cuz they are great running backs is ludicrous...

USA with a team full of Lebrons would be just as average as they are....

 

[Miggs]

I understand what your'e saying. But, a kid with blazing fast speed could:

1. Catch a ball; and

2. Out run everyone.

In football. Not taking away anything away from pigskin. But, at the lowest level, an athletic kid could shine brightly in football. Probably could shine in soccer too. But, he/she would have to put in work outside of their natural athletic ability to achieve the same level of success in Soccer. Look at it like this, JV soccer or starting varsity in football?

Basically why no african nation has ever won shyt at the top levels....fast,athletic but lack alot of cohesion and skills...

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

A spin kinda question - when did soccer start gaining momentum globally? Like I can see why we're behind now, I'm just wondering why it didnt catch on in the beginning? Or is it we simply didnt care to about it enough to create the systems that they have in other countries. Were the big three sports already too popular? I mean hockey is even isolated among a small group, yet we've found a way to be at least competent in that.

 

[Malta]

Stop this non sense man....Soccer is way more technical than just how big or fast you are....To assume Lebron or Adrien would be greta soccer players because of what they do in there restrospective sports is a fools errand breh...Chad Johnson basically showed that speed and athleticism means nothing if you dont have the skills,and to assume theyd HAVE those elite level skills cuz they are great running backs is ludicrous...

USA with a team full of Lebrons would be just as average as they are....

Where did I even say anything about LeBron?

Did you even read the post or did you just skim through it

 

[Miggs]

Where did I even say anything about LeBron?

Did you even read the post or did you just skim through it

Nah i basically saw your name and went IN....i aint got time to read posts...