What would happen if the US's best athletes played soccer?

[Unregistered]

We have no farm system comparable to football, basketball, hockey or baseball. We don't have a good system to bring teenage kids into. There are so few academies and no real competition between them. There is no incentive for the clubs to do a good job training after U12-14

But we have hope. A long time ago two british brother who settled in the heart of the 95 and 495 belt started a club that was going to help America's soccer woes.they developed this global model of brining the best pub coaches from the islands and charging parents alot of money for their schools of excellence they then started a inner city initiative where they would find the best players from the city. They then gave all the average town players access to their network and having year round tryouts so no kid would ever get turned away.they also developed a national model of where they would fly in their best players sometimes they weren't even theirs but it didn't matter as long as they won their own sponsored tournaments so the best kids in the 9 states where they operate could have a chance to show how far they are in their development.America we have hope. I know another man that fought adversity and became this country greatest leader by feeding on people's HOPE...

[Unregistered]

But we have hope. A long time ago two british brother who settled in the heart of the 95 and 495 belt started a club that was going to help America's soccer woes.they developed this global model of brining the best pub coaches from the islands and charging parents alot of money for their schools of excellence they then started a inner city initiative where they would find the best players from the city. They then gave all the average town players access to their network and having year round tryouts so no kid would ever get turned away.they also developed a national model of where they would fly in their best players sometimes they weren't even theirs but it didn't matter as long as they won their own sponsored tournaments so the best kids in the 9 states where they operate could have a chance to show how far they are in their development.America we have hope. I know another man that fought adversity and became this country greatest leader by feeding on people's HOPE...

Looks like the pubs are open already!

[Unregistered]

We have no farm system comparable to football, basketball, hockey or baseball. We don't have a good system to bring teenage kids into. There are so few academies and no real competition between them. There is no incentive for the clubs to do a good job training after U12-14

This is an easy one. As you reach the top of the sports pyramid, the best athletes for that sport are the ones playing.

There isn't another athlete in the US that's playing another sport that should be playing on our WC squad.
There isn't another athlete in the US that should be playing in the MLB all-star game.
There isn't another athlete in the US that should be an All-Pro football player.
Etc...

What else do they play in the Netherlands... or Switzerland... or England?

So the argument "but we have 300 million people and they don't" doesn't work so well. We have 300 million people playing football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, track and field, gymnastics, field hockey, karate, Boy Scouts, cheerleading, etc. They have 10-20 million people playing soccer.

[Unregistered]

It's not about the athleticism; it's all about the culture. If you took the current group of players and put them in Argentina, the Netherlands or Germany to live year round, we'd be a lot more formidable. Please stop with the whole "the US would dominate if Lebron James etc. played." Messi is 5'6" and he'd run circles around Lebron.

[Unregistered]

He would dribble circles around LeBron, LeBron is much faster and stronger than Messi. He is the best athlete in the sport he should be playing. Messi would contribute little to the NBA, just like LeBron probably wouldn't be much of a factor on the pitch at this point.

[Unregistered]

This is an easy one. As you reach the top of the sports pyramid, the best athletes for that sport are the ones playing.

There isn't another athlete in the US that's playing another sport that should be playing on our WC squad.
There isn't another athlete in the US that should be playing in the MLB all-star game.
There isn't another athlete in the US that should be an All-Pro football player.
Etc...

What else do they play in the Netherlands... or Switzerland... or England?

So the argument "but we have 300 million people and they don't" doesn't work so well. We have 300 million people playing football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, track and field, gymnastics, field hockey, karate, Boy Scouts, cheerleading, etc. They have 10-20 million people playing soccer.

Germany 80 mil
England 53 mil
Netherlands 16.8 mil
Belgium 11 mil

To me it's a case of what each countries reigning soccer body decides to do. Germany is a large country but they developed a road map over ten years ago and are seeing the results now. Same with the smaller ones. Countries that haven't done well of late - England, Spain, Portugal, Italy - have have big name professional teams partly calling the shots and recruiting kids and paying them at a young age. Plike someone said -once money gets involved in youth sports all bets are off

[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;1351379


So the argument "but we have 300 million people and they don't" doesn't work so well. We have 300 million people playing football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, basketball, track and field, gymnastics, field hockey, karate, Boy Scouts, cheerleading, etc. They have 10-20 million people playing soccer.[/QUOTE]

Really??? Europeans don't play hockey, basketball, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, handball, volleyball or compete in track, martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, cycling and winter sports?

[Unregistered]

Really??? Europeans don't play hockey, basketball, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, handball, volleyball or compete in track, martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, cycling and winter sports?

Nope. Just soccer, actually. Maybe 1 or 2 per country in those other activities.

[Unregistered]

He would dribble circles around LeBron, LeBron is much faster and stronger than Messi. He is the best athlete in the sport he should be playing. Messi would contribute little to the NBA, just like LeBron probably wouldn't be much of a factor on the pitch at this point.

Wasn't sure if you were disagreeing with me or not, but Messi has certain attributes that allow him to excel on the pitch that not all other top athletes have - quickness (as opposed to raw pace), agility, a certain sixth sense with the ball at his feet, and incredible movement off the ball as well as an innate ability to anticipate what is going to happen before it happens. Those last couple of things guys like Lebron have, but those first two or three skills are part of the unique skillset that make a great soccer player.

[Unregistered]

Wasn't sure if you were disagreeing with me or not, but Messi has certain attributes that allow him to excel on the pitch that not all other top athletes have - quickness (as opposed to raw pace), agility, a certain sixth sense with the ball at his feet, and incredible movement off the ball as well as an innate ability to anticipate what is going to happen before it happens. Those last couple of things guys like Lebron have, but those first two or three skills are part of the unique skillset that make a great soccer player.

The only thing that is incredible about Lebron is his body. The rest of his skillset is just good, not incredible.

[Unregistered]

How many countries have better soccer athletes than the US? Maybe Germany? Maybe some African nations?

We have better athletes playing soccer than pretty much every other country.

Problem is that we try to turn 14, 15, 16 year old "athletes" into soccer players, instead of developing soccer players into better athletes.

There's no incentive for any club in the US to develop young players either. All youth coaches are expected to win and therefore use the most athletic kids.

In Europe/S. America, smallers clubs need to develop talent for the first team, so they have much more invested in developing players and not focusing on wins for youth teams.

[Unregistered]

The only thing that is incredible about Lebron is his body. The rest of his skillset is just good, not incredible.

Might be the dumbest post ever on TS.

[Unregistered]

Might be the dumbest post ever on TS.

I agree with the other guy. Thousands of 5'10" guys out there who have better skills than Lebron.

[Unregistered]

Wasn't sure if you were disagreeing with me or not, but Messi has certain attributes that allow him to excel on the pitch that not all other top athletes have - quickness (as opposed to raw pace), agility, a certain sixth sense with the ball at his feet, and incredible movement off the ball as well as an innate ability to anticipate what is going to happen before it happens. Those last couple of things guys like Lebron have, but those first two or three skills are part of the unique skillset that make a great soccer player.

Yes. The ability to read, adapt & proactively remain many steps ahead of an opponent at the upper level generally is a result of IQ and ultra quick thinking beyond tech ability and physicality. This seems IMO to come from counties that foster this within their culture. They tend to understand the chess game at an upper level in addition to all the other needed abilities to play the game. Most people that I talk to generally identify with only speed and force, very typical. We must keep learning from the rest of the world.

[Unregistered]

I agree with the other guy. Thousands of 5'10" guys out there who have better skills than Lebron.

No wonder some of you are shocked when your kids aren't picked for DAP or regional pools or the #1 team at your club. As though the usual disparagement of everyone isn't enough, now some of you are reduced to criticizing probably the greatest athlete on the planet right now.