if soccer was the most popular sport in the United States

[emoney]

The point is that some of our athletic freaks would develop skills a long the line, just like in any other sport. The world isn't ready to see some 6"3 235lbs nikka built like he just did 3 years in prison outrunning Walcott or Lennon.

you don't understand the beautiful game

 

[yseJ]

and I am also talking about that world, which would be 40-50 years from now.

a 223 lb RG3 would not be able to play 90 minutes. He would have to lose a lot of weight unless he was playing centerback. Its just too big.

The GAWD Thierry was 6'2" and 180 lbs in his prime, and he was pretty heavy. And he was a great athlete.

These guys would have to lose a lot of weight. Then they would have to get the right coaching as its not turning up and just running and jumping.

The way America's sports model is set up, its not conducive to producing great soccer players. Its not even conducive to producing great athletes in other sports anymore.

I mean someone mentioned it earlier, Steve Nash didnt start playing bball until the late in HS career and he is a HOFer. Hakeem didnt start playing bball until he was like 16 or 17, and dude is either the first or 2nd most skilled center ever.

Using your hands to control something is natural. Using your feet is foreign as hell, and if you are 6'8" like Lebron it even harder.

Its possible, but it would take a complete overhaul of our current sporting system. We would have to identify potential pros at a young age and teach them the game properly. Then we would have to end HS and college sports a they really are not that helpful. Find a way to make AAU and ODP obsolete and then have our franchises focus on developing talent from young ages instead of when they are nearly a finished article.

Its not as simple as saying, "end the NFL/NBA/MLB tomorrow and see where we are in 30 years." It would take a concerted effort... and even then I still dont think we would kill. Its not like Germany, France, Brazil, Argentina, Holland, etc are just going to halt their operations and wait for the US to catch up. They have their tried and tested methods of developing great talent. We still dont have that.

well said breh, well said

 

[DalMem]

The point is that some of our athletic freaks would develop skills a long the line, just like in any other sport. The world isn't ready to see some 6"3 235lbs nikka built like he just did 3 years in prison outrunning Walcott or Lennon.

Co-sign.

And I'm not even saying that Deion is great because of his athleticism. I just saying if he was able to learn how to play 2 sports at an early age and went pro both, then it shouldn't be too far fetched that he would have went pro in another sport if he learned it at a early age. I'm not say it's a guarantee, but not far fetched.

Deion Sanders is the example of learning the skills and techniques of 2 sports outside of his athleticism.

 

[23Barrettcity]

FIFA rankings mate, what else can I go on?

This man lives under a rock and looks at espn the ocho
You don't know who Lebron is?

 

[Statik]

Its called FOOTBALL not soccer.

 

[mastermind]

I dont think brehs appreciate how difficult it is to control a ball on your first touch. A ball that is fizzed to you very hard so that a defender cannot intercept it, and you just kill the ball, dead, no more movement.

I cant see these 6'7" dudes in the NBA doing that consistently. That is something that is natural. You can develop an adequate touch, but if you dont have a top class first touch you cant be a great player.

 

[Grams]

If american football was the most popular sport in England than Emile Heskey would easily be better than Jerry Rice

Wayne Rooney would be >>>>> Sebastian Janikowski

Rory Delap would be the greatest QB no questions asked

 

[emoney]

What Wilt is saying that if America soley concentrated on properly developing soccer players, we would produce more than enough athletic, talented, skilled, and smart soccer players to compete and possibly dominate on a world stage. We shyt on everyone else when we really try.

what's your definition of dominate the world stage?

do you know how hard it is to "dominate" a sport that is played in every single country in the world? every single country has a national team and a national league

 

[The War Report]

If american football was the most popular sport in England than Emile Heskey would easily be better than Jerry Rice

Wayne Rooney would be >>>>> Sebastian Janikowski

Rory Delap would be the greatest QB no questions asked

Rory Delap throw - YouTube

 

[yseJ]

Co-sign.

And I'm not even saying that Deion is great because of his athleticism. I just saying if he was able to learn how to play 2 sports at an early age and went pro both, then it shouldn't be too far fetched that he would have went pro in another sport if he learned it at a early age. I'm not say it's a guarantee, but not far fetched.

Deion Sanders is the example of learning the skills and techniques of 2 sports outside of his athleticism.

finally something we can agree on. no one is denying deion's athleticism. to me hes still and its feasible that he would be able to play another sport decently. but its far from guaranteed.

the main point was that athleticism doesnt guarantee dominance...and that the way the US system brings up athletes, the main emphasis is on athleticism, and we'd need a cultural and coordinated effort to bring up soccer to higher levels.

I do think that interest in soccer stays rising with each year, and Im happy about it. I see more kids playing the game in parks/school fields.

but the development problem is largely structural. being a complete pro player in the middle of high school is such a foreign concept to us it will be a while even if we really want to build up a great soccer program.

 

[mastermind]

and Theo Walcott is a great example of this.

Even though he is small, he could have been an olympic class sprinter. HE was running sub 12 second 100 meter times at 13, 14 years old.

Theo didnt start to really play football until around that time.

He has made a really good career for himself, but his first touch is still a shambles. He has trouble running with the ball. He cant pass for shyt (got better at crossing tho). And he runs into a lot of blind alleys and has no 1v1 move to get by a defender.

Theo has been in a professional academy since he was 13. When he was a kid the coaches saw his speed and just played balls over the top for him to run on to as he could break any offside line and and defender and just run on to the ball. You cant do that at top class level and he struggles a lot.

 

[SubZeroDegrees]

Only the GAWD Kobe can be that tall and skillful in soccer.



The rest would be the keeper, tbh.

 

[Grams]

Please tell me how that's different from anything that's been said in this thread

 

[emoney]

I honestly want to know what some of you guys definition of "domination" is....does that mean win world cup consistently? what do you mean exactly? (for those making the claim)

 

[DalMem]

finally something we can agree on. no one is denying deion's athleticism. to me hes still and its feasible that he would be able to play another sport decently. but its far from guaranteed.

the main point was that athleticism doesnt guarantee dominance...and that the way the US system brings up athletes, the main emphasis is on athleticism, and we'd need a cultural and coordinated effort to bring up soccer to higher levels.

I do think that interest in soccer stays rising with each year, and Im happy about it. I see more kids playing the game in parks/school fields.

but the development problem is largely structural. being a complete pro player in the middle of high school is such a foreign concept to us it will be a while even if we really want to build up a great soccer program.

That's a lie.