Do you think the NBC deal will make a huge difference? There have been a few attempts to get Football going in the US. Wasn't the 94 world cup essentially there to try and big the sport up in the states? To be honest I think it would be an interesting thing to have a strong US league. Surely it would be a good thing for the sport worldwide?
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When will the USA produce a world class player?
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Do you think the NBC deal will make a huge difference? There have been a few attempts to get Football going in the US. Wasn't the 94 world cup essentially there to try and big the sport up in the states? To be honest I think it would be an interesting thing to have a strong US league. Surely it would be a good thing for the sport worldwide?
Yes, but I think its generally changing..football is gaining popularity.
Enrollment in "football" programs in schools is decreasing...alot of the injury concerns are holding some parents back from signing the waivers. There is some talk, some, about schools cutting football programs (where it isn't making money) because of rising insurance costs
MLS is in part, the problem. Single entity team ownership and denial of individual teams negotiating their own tv rights is holding back the league from getting televised. MLS wants a mega deal on a major network (not likely to happen), individual teams in strong markets would stand a much higher probability of getting most of their games televised if they could negotiate their own deals.
For sure I think it will. Despite the "lack of major popularity" I think we have qualified for all but one or two of the WC, and typically show "ok" to "pretty well". The 1994 WC was huge for the sport and in comparison to other countries the sport here has grown in leaps and bounds. Most people know Messi, or Ronaldo but the average person doesn't get to see them play on a regular basis and won't go out of their way to watch it online, or order Bein Sport. A casual sports fan, flipping through the channels on a Saturday morning and stopping for 5 minutes on a Spurs game and seeing Bale blow by two defenders, cut in from the right and drill a ball into the back of the net at the very least to an otherwise "disinterested" person should make them say "well that was interesting" and next saturday they watch for 20 minutes, so on and so forth and next thing you know, they are going to pubs with their friends and having brunch and drinks cheering on their favorite teams/players...only to switch over to college football right afterwards and keep the party going.
College guys are gonna love this.
I basically agree with you, but baseball and hockey are built on models where college is considered an impediment to development. For some reason the NBA flips out about this, but it's totally ok for a 17 yo to join the NHL or sign a contract with an MLB team. Maybe that's since in something like 95% of instances, that player is still 3 years or so away from what we'd call "first-team" action.
I didn't initially include those sports because football's more likely athletes would come from the basketball/"football" pool.
But I think with the NHL you really only see teen signings out of the Canadian Junior leagues. But both the NHL and MLB operate on a farming system. You are right. Baseball is dying though. Some diehard markets will stay the same and grow but on average, it's on the decline. This has impacted the minor league system where they place high school signings until they are ready, so you see more going into the college game. Plus college baseball in the last 5 years or so has started to become more televised....I don't know where I am going with this...I don't know baseball. Boring for the most part.
Unless it involves the teen romance classic "Summer Catch" delightful film.
Adu is on his 412th club...Brazil somewhere. Charlie Davies, another wonder full of potential is rotting on a bench in Denmark.
Reading some of the threads on here over the past few months had led me to assume that Dempsey already was world class.
One must be human to be world class. Dempsey is a Bald Eagle, a demi-god born from the bicep of Zeus, that can change into human form and dominate at any task put before him. An immortal legend whose shoulders carry a greater burden then the great Atlas.
Dempsey on his way to WHL:
Dempsey on his way to WHL:
Dempsey, fuck yaaaaaaarrrrhhhhh!!!!
Dempsey, fuck yaaaaaaarrrrhhhhh!!!!
Believe it or not, that shirt is standard issue. Every American gets one at birth. (Reagan started it)
I honestly believe you.
Its not about the popularity of the sport. It's plenty popular already at the youth level and is massively popular among young adults. Its about development and coaching. Its about kids spending every second of their young lives with a ball at their feet until its like an extension of their body. For many kids in the US, soccer is what they play in the fall after baseball and before basketball/football. Either that or they just simply don't grow up in the culture of the game in the same way Europeans or South Americans do.
The kids in the MLS and independent academies that compete at a high level get a bit better service though, and those organizations are starting to come around in the last ten years or so. My cousins who play u18 level have pretty much trained and played all year round since they were around 14 or 15. They'd be much better if they had been doing so for just a few more years.
Just recently Missouri's high school sports governing body changed the rule that allowed you to play academy and high school in the same year. So now basically the best of the best just stick with their academy all year, which allows them to get more attention and play against better competition more frequently. There are also a lot of international coaches getting involved in these academies, and the fact we have a fairly successful domestic league is absolutely huge. Most of the MLS teams now have pretty decent academies starting around u12s level.
The national team set-up is supposed to be being shaken up under Klinsmann but I'm not sure exactly how.
The kids in the MLS and independent academies that compete at a high level get a bit better service though, and those organizations are starting to come around in the last ten years or so. My cousins who play u18 level have pretty much trained and played all year round since they were around 14 or 15. They'd be much better if they had been doing so for just a few more years.
Just recently Missouri's high school sports governing body changed the rule that allowed you to play academy and high school in the same year. So now basically the best of the best just stick with their academy all year, which allows them to get more attention and play against better competition more frequently. There are also a lot of international coaches getting involved in these academies, and the fact we have a fairly successful domestic league is absolutely huge. Most of the MLS teams now have pretty decent academies starting around u12s level.
The national team set-up is supposed to be being shaken up under Klinsmann but I'm not sure exactly how.
You forgot about beefcake too. USA USA
He wants to do at the college level what Missouri did at the high school level. Basically, allowing college players to play in the off season at a professional/semi professional level without violating the NCAA. I think he also mentioned that he wants the US Soccer Academy based in Bradenton to have greater access and influence in club academies, high school, and college organizations.
Thats good to hear, but what Missouri did is kinda the opposite. They're basically forcing all the best kids out of their high school teams to stay in academy all year round. Which is better for the kids who are good enough. I'm not sure NCAA will ever catch up to the level some of these academies are already at. I've watched NCAA soccer at the highest level for around 5 or 6 years and the quality is awful. A better solution might for the best kids just to forego college and play for their academies but obviously the lure of scholarships is too much for a lot of kids, especially the underprivileged. Also there are so many good academies that are not MLS related and it makes no sense why these kids can't play in those teams in the NCAA off season. Klinsmann has some decent ideas though, its not like he could advocate dropping NCAA soccer entirely.
She must have been a big baby
Unfortunately, the NCAA is a very powerful and wealthy organization. They will most likely get their way regardless. I agree, tried watching college soccer...horrible. It was evident in the U-20 squad. The two centerbacks played college level only. They single handedly cost us the tournament.
Thats a she?
Holy shit
sounds like something the Americans would do along with as the baby is born everyone in the room standing still with their heart of their hand singing 'star spangled banner' at the top of their lungs and when thats finished shouting 'god bless 'MURICA!'