NavyDave's Soccer Thread

[Brave]

Now that the World Cup is over what would be better than re-capping all the best moments ... just to keep the thrill around a little longer. Right ND?

[Art]

Yes. I believe the Tailgate is ready to add a topic now that the Cup is over and the height of excitement is left to fond memories. Whattya think ?

[Brave]

Oh I suppose.

I just thought our sea-faring brother would appreciate a "football" thread in his honor. :laugh:

[NavyDave]

Actually after some of my buds emailed me, then I saw on sports reporters, comcast and behind the lines how other countries feel about us and our success(?) in Soccer, I should be admired.

Imagine us developing the Champ Baily and MJ of Soccer and running the table of the 2k6 World Cup in Germany and a BlackShoe in Ramstein saying "yeah we won it was expected I just came for the beer."

London media: so what does this do for you perception of futbol?

ND: nothing I only have a passing interest in SOCCER and its once every four years that it gets my attention. Its just the fact that we are number one in even the boring sports that makes me proud to be an American."

ND: "And the sport might crack the top 7 someday."

London media: What do you mean?

ND: Well it will never be number one obviously because there are so many different sports that are american made that we grew up with.

1. NFL

2. NBA

3. MLB

4. NHL

5. NCAA Football

6. NCAA Basketball

7. Golf

7a. Figure skating,any track event with women in skimpy clothing

8. Women's Tennis

9. Soccer, Bowling

[Brave]

:laugh: Good one, ND.

Hey, if you combine college and pro football and basketball (they are the same sport after all) and move the track/figure skating one down a spot that would put SOCCER right there at #6, right?

[bulldog]

in a country of 260 plus million people there should be enough diversity to support being a competitive team in soccer as well as the sports listed above.

the US is in the unique position of having both people resources and financial resources.

countries who have traditionally been soccer powers have far fewer people and need all their top athletes to play the sport to be successful.

countries with far larger populations have far fewer dollars to spend on developing athletes.

So, will the US continue to improve?

As long as their is a professional league here I think so. Top American players will go to Europe for seasoning just as the Latin and African players do.

But as we saw in this World Cup that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Besides, if you look around at our major sports, the type of athlete who will excel at soccer is not represented in football, basketball or ice hockey.

So, I don't think we are talking about taking athletes out of those development streams.

You may lose youngsters who would otherwise go into track and field, tennis, baseball and the like but the latter two sports have been in decline at the junior level in this country for some time.

[luckydevil]

I think NCAA basketball and NCAA Football are bigger then nhl and mlb. I would also put college basketball ahead of college football. If College football had a march madness type system then college football would be bigger.

[NavyDave]

I didnt mean that the other sports would hinder Soccer from gaining athletes.

There are plenty of guys who don't have game, or like Woody Harrelson can't jump as well as cant hit the curveball even with Jo Bu's voodoo.

Even when we dominate it on the big stage (and I would love for us to win the World Cup in 2k6 so I can sigh and say its about time and now that we did that we can now dominate the canuck game of pushing rocks on ice, you know be the ugly American while hoisting the World cup trophy) there wont be a Saturday night Soccer fervor like we have for MNF or NFL primetime, except in Latin america ie LA, san diego, and Texas.

And I just dont see that many sponsors like Bud, McD's, Chilis or the Lincoln Navigator backing it unless there are timeouts for 30 second commercial spots.