ESPN Trying Their Best To Push Soccer

[HacheMan]

To be clear, the last thing I'm doing is critiquing other countries for loving the sport of soccer.

After all, Caucasian-Americans are Germans, English/British, Belgian, Irish, Swedish, Swish, Norwegian, Russian, etc.

We all come from the same group & places. Brothers basically.

But the bottom line is the best athletes in the world reside in the United States...Period.

At one point only Caucasians played & dominated basketball.

Then African Americans started playing and I don't have to go into detail there.

It would be the same with soccer as it was with basketball if it came to that.

Guys who run 4.3 40yd dashes, quick as lighting, physically superior, who would blow by Latin & European players...

 

[EzMoney012]

I wasn't always a soccer fan. But after watching the world cup, and a few matches of opening week of the premier league (including an exciting man city game this morning even though it wasn't on ESPN) I would say they are turning me into a fan!

 

[pocketrockets]

No ego. Maybe the world can't handle truth, like you obviously.

Lol, you come up as a loser. Stay that way, don't ever change cheersgif

 

[pocketrockets]

To be clear, the last thing I'm doing is critiquing other countries for loving the sport of soccer.

After all, Caucasian-Americans are Germans, English/British, Belgian, Irish, Swedish, Swish, Norwegian, Russian, etc.

We all come from the same group & places. Brothers basically.

But the bottom line is the best athletes in the world reside in the United States...Period.

At one point only Caucasians played & dominated basketball.

Then African Americans started playing and I don't have to go into detail there.

It would be the same with soccer as it was with basketball if it came to that.

Guys who run 4.3 40yd dashes, quick as lighting, physically superior, who would blow by Latin & European players...

I agree that the black brothers are better athletes, is just DNA, but whites you could argue have better technique/discipline? Brazil is full of blacks, so is France and England, and all African countries, truth is, blacks make around 30% of french squad, 20% of english squad, 40% of brazil squad and 100% of Nigeria and Cameroon squad. Africa has never reached semifinals.

We Caucasians make up for our lack of athleticism with other virtues. Shades of gray my friend.

 

[Ricboff]

lol -
maybe you take soccer a little too personally then. my opinion isn't worth any more than anyone elses. but I'd say comparing soccer athletes to NFL athletes is equally laughable

are you including those fat boys that protect the quarterback? what do you call them again, 'linemen'? how long on the pitch before those 'elite athletes' fall to one knee with exhaustion? ....20 min?

 

[NickPappagiorgio]

As I said earlier in the thread, If just a small percentage of American Athletes would grow up concentrating on soccer, rather than football, basketball, or baseball, then the U.S. would dominate it with athletes who are far superior.

But basically other than Hispanics, nobody cares about playing it here, and that's the ONLY reason the U.S. hasn't become dominant in the sport.

Its all about money Hache, if someone is a world class athlete then they are going to try and play another sport since there just isnt any money playing in the MLS. And for the record, the US has been trying for over 20 years to become relevant in soccer, without much success.

 

[Ricboff]

Do US athletes dominate baseball, pitching maybe, but hasn't the US batter been surpassed at the top of the hill?

yeah, I hear ya. Was scratching my head when that chap inferred USA 'dominates' baseball. They belong with the elite group, but sure as hell don't 'dominate'.

World Cup Baseball:
2006- Japan over Cuba
2009- Japan over S Korea
2013- Dominican Repulblic over Puerto Rico

Olympic Baseball:
2000- USA over Cuba
2004- Cuba over Australia
2008 - S Korea over Cuba


hmm, dominate?

 

[pocketrockets]

yeah, I hear ya. Was scratching my head when that chap inferred USA 'dominates' baseball. They belong with the elite group, but sure as hell don't 'dominate'.

World Cup Baseball:
2006- Japan over Cuba
2009- Japan over S Korea
2013- Dominican Repulblic over Puerto Rico

Olympic Baseball:
2000- USA over Cuba
2004- Cuba over Australia
2008 - S Korea over Cuba


hmm, dominate?

LOL

 

[HacheMan]

Take away baseball.

All of top top athletes are in football & basketball pretty much...

 

[pocketrockets]

[h=2]Results[edit][/h]For a list of national team appearances, see National team appearances in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Year	Host (Final phase/game)		Gold medal game		Bronze medal game		Number of teams
Gold	Score	Silver	Bronze	Score	Fourth place
1950	Argentina (Buenos Aires)	Argentina	64–50[SUP][16][/SUP]	United States	Chile	51–40[SUP][16][/SUP]	Brazil	10
1954	Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)	United States	62–41[SUP][16][/SUP]	Brazil	Philippines	66–60[SUP][16][/SUP]	France	12
1959	Chile (Santiago)	Brazil	81–67[SUP][16][/SUP]	United States	Chile	86–85[SUP][16][/SUP] Overtime	Taiwan	13
1963	Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)	Brazil	90–71[SUP][16][/SUP]	Yugoslavia	Soviet Union	69–67[SUP][16][/SUP]	United States	13
1967	Uruguay (Montevideo)	Soviet Union	71–59[SUP][16][/SUP]	Yugoslavia	Brazil	80–71[SUP][16][/SUP]	United States	13
1970	Yugoslavia (Ljubljana)	Yugoslavia	80–55[SUP][16][/SUP]	Brazil	Soviet Union	62–58[SUP][16][/SUP]	Italy	13
1974	Puerto Rico (San Juan)	Soviet Union	82–79[SUP][16][/SUP]	Yugoslavia	United States	83–70[SUP][16][/SUP]	Cuba	14
1978	Philippines (Manila)	Yugoslavia	82–81 Overtime	Soviet Union	Brazil	86–85	Italy	14
1982	Colombia (Cali)	Soviet Union	95–94	United States	Yugoslavia	119–117	Spain	13
1986	Spain (Madrid)	United States	87–85	Soviet Union	Yugoslavia	117–91	Brazil	24
1990	Argentina (Buenos Aires)	Yugoslavia	92–75	Soviet Union	United States	107–105 Overtime	Puerto Rico	16
1994	Canada (Toronto)	United States	137–91	Russia	Croatia	78–60	Greece	16
1998	Greece (Athens)	Yugoslavia	64–62	Russia	United States	84–61	Greece	16
2002	United States (Indianapolis)	Yugoslavia	84–77 Overtime	Argentina	Germany	117–94	New Zealand	16
2006	Japan (Saitama)	Spain	70–47	Greece	United States	96–81	Argentina	24
2010	Turkey (Istanbul)	United States	81–64	Turkey	Lithuania	99–88	Serbia	24

<tbody>
</tbody>

 

[pocketrockets]

1988 Details	Seoul	Soviet Union	76–63	Yugoslavia	United States	78–49	Australia
1992 Details	Barcelona	United States	117–85	Croatia	Lithuania	82–78	Unified Team
1996 Details	Atlanta	United States	95–69	Yugoslavia	Lithuania	80–74	Australia
2000 Details	Sydney	United States	85–75	France	Lithuania	89–71	Australia
2004 Details	Athens	Argentina	84–69	Italy	United States	104–96	Lithuania
2008 Details	Beijing	United States	118–107	Spain	Argentina	87–75	Lithuania
2012 Details	London	United States	107–100	Spain	Russia	81–77	Argentina

<tbody>
</tbody>

 

[akphidelt]

Completely agree. After watching the best players in the world this summer, it's safe to say they are not the most athletic group out there. The only sport I think they can compete in outside of soccer is gymnastics or figure skating. Otherwise people who play more physical sports would destroy them if they grew up playing soccer.

Unfortunately for soccer fans in America it is a sport we have children play until they're old enough to play real sports.

 

[pocketrockets]

and American football is not even an argument, only Canada has a competitive league and gives it importance. Have you seen the Mexican league? so sad.

 

[pocketrockets]

laughable arguments, akphidelt, this thread and the thread about Robin Williams make you look like quite the ignorant... and I'm not one of the guys that started bashing you for the Sterling thread, I hate racism, but actually think anyone can say whatever in privacy. Like the fact you are not a sellout and have a mind of your own but open your eyes.

 

[akphidelt]

laughable arguments, akphidelt, this thread and the thread about Robin Williams make you look like quite the ignorant... and I'm not one of the guys that started bashing you for the Sterling thread, I hate racism, but actually think anyone can say whatever in privacy. Like the fact you are not a sellout and have a mind of your own but open your eyes.

Suicide is selfish, Sterling would lose easily and a new owner would be in by the start of the season, and soccer players are not the most athletic athletes in the world. Pretty straight forward arguments.

 

[SunDodger]

Lol, the amount of ignorance about soccer is precisely why most of you Americans suck at it. All sports are great and have their own challenges.

Comparing soccer to frisby is just plain dumb and not a good look for a forumsville mod.

I agree completely, pocketrockets.

This thread is a classic example of why I have to go over to covers to find an intelligent conversation about soccer.



Typical American fans only like sports that were invented in the US, and have lots of scoring.

 

[FairWarning]

I agree completely, pocketrockets.

This thread is a classic example of why I have to go over to covers to find an intelligent conversation about soccer.



Typical American fans only like sports that were invented in the US, and have lots of scoring.

I heard today that the Fire haven't scored two goals in a game since June. After seeing teams just play keep away in the knockout rounds of the World Cup, give me some sort of scoring.

 

[SunDodger]

You want scoring, then get up early and watch the power teams of the EPL on NBCSN. They show teams like Chelsea, Man. City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man. U. all the time.

BEIN Sports shows Real Madrid and Barcelona of La Liga all the time.

Fox Sports 1 shows the UEFA Champions League, where the best teams from all over Europe play in a big tournament.



Don't expect to see quality soccer in the MLS. It's just not there. The salary cap for an MLS team is $3.1 million, not counting DP's.

Man. City's team payroll for this year is more than $200 million. That's more than twice the payroll for the entire MLS.

 

[Defying]

I was never upset. I just feel strongly about it, as you do ...

I think soccer is the worlds sport because it's simplicity, cost to play ect... I'd also argue that it's popularity is because so many can play it at a high level.

 

[ERockMoney]

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define an athlete, which can cover so many different characteristics, skills, etc. Looking at things like conditioning, stamina, endurance and movement soccer players would qualify as the top of the food chain. Obviously, there is much more to being an athlete, but on these fronts there is no question.

The average soccer player covers roughly seven miles in one match and as high as ten for midfielders. There is very little movement in the big three American sports with the exception being basketball. Baseball is a sedentary sport where the best hitters for average/infielders move as much as a soccer player in one match over the course of half a season.

Football players also move very little during a game with WR/DB’s leading the way at about 1-1.3 miles per game. There is plenty of brute strength, strategy and power taking place at the line of scrimmage, but still very little movement. There are different disciplines, contact, strategy and skill sets required, of course.

Most non-US sports fans are astonished at how little action takes place in American sports. There is roughly 11 minutes during an NFL game where the ball is in play, yet a game takes about three hours and ten-twenty minutes to complete. Where does the time go? Roughly 75 minutes of watching sidelines, huddles, players standing around, etc., 60 minutes of commercials, 22 minutes of the crowd, cheerleaders, location footage, 17 minutes of replays, 12 minutes of half-time and 11 minutes of actual play.

Basketball players cover around 2.5-3.5 miles per game, which aligns with tennis, although tennis can have a higher cap on five-set, tight matches of 6-7 miles.

The whole 4.3 40 yard dash concept isn’t really relevant. Speed doesn’t necessarily make you good at a sport and that type of measurement suggests high speeds at short intervals, which doesn’t really equate to soccer. If the US wanted to take over I would assume they already would have as soccer players have some of the highest earnings potential of any athletes, much greater than the NFL or MLB. In fact, the sports with the highest earnings potential aren’t dominated by US athletes, with the exception of the NBA. The US certainly has athletes succeeding in some of these sports, but I wouldn’t say dominating or they are few and far between, like Mayweather in boxing. Men’s tennis has incredible earnings potential, I don’t follow it, but are there any relevant US tennis players? Golf provides strong earnings potential and there are certainly strong US golfers, but I wouldn’t think we dominate the sport.

Personally, I love soccer and football for what they are and I appreciate the talent and skill required to reach the highest levels. Two completely different animals, but enjoyable nonetheless.