Soccer sucks, but....

[Ginsu Victim]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

[ChadTower]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

...then you didn't really like that sack because you knew it was going to happen when you pulled into the parking lot...

[mountain]

Yeah, but when you walk in wearing the wrong shirt and get your sack yanked off like a paper towel....

...then you didn't really like that sack because you knew it was going to happen when you pulled into the parking lot...

OK...this thread officially sucks!

[RayB]

What a stupid thread. Nearly every sport could be accused of the same thing some of you morons are calling on soccer.

Baseball? Bunch of guys standing around and then occasionally chasing or throwing a ball. WOW.  Homer was right when he said what he did about watching baseball sober.

Football? Throw the ball, bash into each other as fast as possible. It could be called "extreme tag", the principles are the same.

Golf looks dumb and boring too. That's the problem with just casual observation. Anyone with a brain knows golf isn't about "excitement", it's about the precision. So I'm sure the sports I dissed above are deeper than they appear. Same for soccer. When you see a player almost backflip, manage to kick the ball in the process AND direct the ball where he intended all in one acrobatic move, you realize there's more skill than just kicking a ball around.

[massive88]

I went to A&M and never saw any students there get super retarded or violent about the games.  Granted, we didn't allow beer into the stands and I think that was a BIG part of it.

I went to the Texas/A&M game in Austin in 1998 and had beer poured on me by a brave guy two or three tiers up while they chanted "poor aggies".

I went to the Texas/A&M game right after Bonfire with some UT jackass covered head to toe in burnt orange and hornhead logos.  Only comment he got from an Aggie was a handshake and a "congratulations on going to the big 12 championship game this year".

Really classy folks in Austin... when they're not too busy being drunk, smoking pot, or burning flags.

First off, no college anywhere allows beer into the stands.  Its mandated by the NCAA.  I was at both games you describe, the 1998 was when Ricky beat the record, it was at DKR which has only two levels.  If someone hit you with a beer that wasn't allowed in, from the second level while you were on the first, I'd be extremely surprised.

Second, if you think Aggies aren't as big of ---punks--- to opponents fans as Longhorns, Sooners, or any other passionate fan group, you are deluded. As far as being retarded?  This alone covers it.  But I'm sure a group of college students who condone crushing their own nuts to feel empathy for the football team are nothing but honey and daffodils to the opposing teams fans.  Just make sure you aren't one of the most respected coaches in all of college football, else they may call out for your death publicly.

I don't doubt you get accosted in Austin at a football game if you are representing the Aggies, but don't be so naive as to think the Aggies are any better, each school has hundreds of thousands of alumni that are overly tied up in football.

[LLUncoolJ]

When you see a player almost backflip, manage to kick the ball in the process AND direct the ball where he intended all in one acrobatic move, you realize there's more skill than just kicking a ball around.

Yeah, but he missed...and the score is still 0-0.

Baseball is really difficult for me to watch on TV. I can watch if the Cards are playing...sometimes. I also enjoy seeing the Cubs taking a proper beating. But rarely will I watch all 9 innings on TV. Watching it live in the stadium is another story.

I get playing golf...but not watching it. I get playing soccer, if you're a girl or live in a country where there are no other sports. The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

[CheffoJeffo]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

Not this week they don't ...

[CCM]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

I can't stand baseball... boring (to me) to watch live or on TV, but I'm not going to spout off and pretend I know baseball...

[shardian]

U.S. Soccer is on the rise. MLS...not so much. More and more U.S. players are going overseas to play in the big European leagues.


People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Back to soccer though -  the team salaries of some of the bigger European clubs make George Steinbreinner look like a cheapskate.

[CCM]

First off, no college anywhere allows beer into the stands.  Its mandated by the NCAA.

But they sell it at the stadium, right?  Or, at least, did they?  Ah well, no college kid has ever snuck alcohol past a guard in the entire history of the world.  Ever.  

If you have Club Level seats at Heinz Field for Pitt football games, you can buy beer.  I would assume that each stadium has some special section were beer is sold during college games.

[ChadTower]

People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Well that's the point, really... how would US soccer be if guys like Adrian Peterson and LaDanian Tomlinson were playing soccer from age 5 instead of football?  If Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett were goalies? 

[CheffoJeffo]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was is #1 in the world and had won 35 15 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

[ChadTower]

While beating Spain is a serious achievement, and dramatic improvement, that makes them 1-15 over 16 games against Spain.

Let's recognize the improvement but wait until they have won more than once against them before using that as proof of ability.

[massive88]

But they sell it at the stadium, right?  Or, at least, did they?  Ah well, no college kid has ever snuck alcohol past a guard in the entire history of the world.  Ever.  

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  Maybe they could sell it in luxury boxes?  I don't know, I guess they can if you say aTm does it.

People sneak alcohol in constantly.  Beers however?  Not nearly as easy to hide as a flask, vodka in a water bottle or the like.  I've personally never seen beer in the stands, Im sure some sneak it in.  I have seen tons and tons of liquor though.

People now even manufacture shots in what looks like condiment packets, never were that high tech in my day.

[CCM]

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  

That would make sense, Heinz Field is not on Pitt's campus.

[CCM]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was is #1 in the world and had won 35 15 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

Spain was on an international-record 15-match win streak, and was aiming to break Brazil's record of 35 matches without a loss. 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=657100&sec=us&root=us&&cc=5901

That's where I got the 35 from...

[CCM]

While beating Spain is a serious achievement, and dramatic improvement, that makes them 1-15 over 16 games against Spain.

Let's recognize the improvement but wait until they have won more than once against them before using that as proof of ability.

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

[Level42]

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

Of course, over here, you can only play soccer. Only in the US you can choose other sports......

 





Soccer, when played by the best, is art:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxliFuzw4Fk[/youtube]

[ChadTower]

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

Ah... wonder how many in a row against the US is actually is, then.

It does still stand without question that our best athletes are playing other sports.  It's hard to believe someone like Randy Moss wouldn't be world class if he had been playing soccer all along.  Or how different it would have been if Bo Jackson were a soccer player.

Or god forbid Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson.

[CCM]

Spain had 15 wins in a row in international competition, not 15 wins in a row against the US....

Ah... wonder how many in a row against the US is actually is, then.

It does still stand without question that our best athletes are playing other sports.  It's hard to believe someone like Randy Moss wouldn't be world class if he had been playing soccer all along.  Or how different it would have been if Bo Jackson were a soccer player.

Or god forbid Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson.

That doesn't necessarily hold true....  Just because you are naturally gifted at one sport, doesn't mean you would be that good at all sports.

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

[massive88]

Of course, over here, you can only play soccer. Only in the US you can choose other sports......

I think its more a point of desire, and if you are looking for a payday in the US, its Football, Baseball, or Basketball.

The highest paid player in the US Soccer league that is from the US, makes $395,000, which I am pretty sure is really close to the league minimum in MLB.

I dont know what the minimums are in the NFL and NBA, but I do know hardly anyone makes less than half a million, with most making over a million.

If you have Jim Brown, Jim Thorpe, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bo Jackson, Chris Paul, etc type athletic talent in the US, you play one of the majors in this country, and honestly you would be foolish not to.

[Level42]

Do you really think 6/7 year old kids think about that when they start a sport ? IF so, it's even worse than I think.....

[ChadTower]

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Those guys all have world class sprinter's speed and agility.  There's a reason I said Peterson, Tomlinson, and Bo Jackson rather than Brett Favre and Tom Brady.  Of course Orlando Pace wouldn't be a great soccer player but you can bet your ass Steve Smith might have been.

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

[LLUncoolJ]

People laugh when LeBron James says he wouldn't rule out playing overseas. Why? The international game is getting better and better. Their pay is getting bigger and bigger.

Well that's the point, really... how would US soccer be if guys like Adrian Peterson and LaDanian Tomlinson were playing soccer from age 5 instead of football?  If Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett were goalies? 

Agreed...this is where I was trying to go with this.

The US sucks at men's soccer because the best athletes have about 10 better choices.

You do know that the US men's team just beat Spain, right?  Spain was #1 in the world and had won 35 in a row.  And do you know that the US men's team is currently ranked 14th in the world, out of 202?  I wouldn't call that sucking...  Not everyone is going to like every sport, it is just dumb to make statements when you really don't know what you are talking about.

I can't stand baseball... boring (to me) to watch live or on TV, but I'm not going to spout off and pretend I know baseball...

Do they hand out medals for 14th place now? I didn't know that was the new standard for not sucking. Yes, we beat the #1 current team...hooray for us. But in historical context, the US is not an elite program. And as long as our best athletes make millions of $$ and hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

[LLUncoolJ]

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Those guys all have world class sprinter's speed and agility.  There's a reason I said Peterson, Tomlinson, and Bo Jackson rather than Brett Favre and Tom Brady.  Of course Orlando Pace wouldn't be a great soccer player but you can bet your ass Steve Smith might have been.

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

NFL has a salary cap. I'm not sure what Beckham makes, but ARoid makes almost $30M/ year plus endorsements.

[massive88]

That doesn't necessarily hold true....  Just because you are naturally gifted at one sport, doesn't mean you would be that good at all sports.

I seriously doubt Brett Favre would have ever had the speed or footwork to play soccer...

Favre is a good QB, but he is not a athlete on the level of some of the people Ive listed.  

Some would fail at soccer probably, but when you read about Thorpe successfully competing in almost all track and field events, was a lacross star, dominating in football (on offense, defense, and special teams), winning a national ballroom dancing competition, setting a decathalon Olympic record that stood for two decades, gold Pentathelete (including a 3rd place finish in an event he hadnt ever tried before that year) and be drafted in all professional baseball, football, and basketball leagues, its hard to imagine he would not succeed in Soccer if he chose to play it.

Jim Brown was a track star, leading scorer on the basketball team, and possibly the best lacrosse player of his decade.  He also is generally considered the best running back who ever lived.

Everyone should be more familiar with the other guys, putting Paul and LeBron in with the rest may be an exaggeration, but I wanted to put some more current examples  =D

[ChadTower]

hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

Okay that I can tell you isn't right... I live a couple of minutes from where the Revolution play.  Most of their players live right around my town and they end up holding free youth clinics at our town park as part of MLS mandated youth outreach.  My kids have participated in those camps.  The chicks show up in droves and are 5 deep on the sidelines to get at those players.  And believe me these aren't chicks that live in my town - I'd sure as hell have noticed all these 6' models on other days.  

Aroid makes $30mil a year being one of the best to ever play his game in the largest market on the planet.  He is a unique case even in north american sports.

[massive88]

Isn't the highest paid player in MLS David Beckham?  And doesn't he make more money than anyone in the NFL?

Beckhams official MLS salary is 5.5 million, which is double the next guy.  Only 4 guys in the MLS make over 1 million, and one more makes over $500k, none are Americans.

Base salary for Peyton Manning in 2008 was 11.5 million.

Matt Shaub with the Texans most closely made Beckham money (looking at QBs only).  56 total quarterbacks made over 1 million dollars in 2008 on salary alone.

[ChadTower]

Beckhams official MLS salary is 5.5 million, which is double the next guy.  

"official"

The figures thrown around when he signed were well over 100mill for not all that long.

[LLUncoolJ]

hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

Aroid makes $30mil a year being one of the best to ever play his game in the largest market on the planet.  He is a unique case even in north american sports.

The cards are talking about giving Pujols $27M, and STL is hardly a large market.

As far as I know the NCAA rule is that you cant sell alcohol at the stadium if it is on campus, which DKR is.  

Google isn't being completely clear on this.  Seems like it's a school by school thing...

One of my best friends played FB at Okla State. He told me at the Uviversity of Colorado, they sold beer. Said one of the drunks leaned over the rail and stole a teamates helmet off the bench. This would've been the early 90s. I wasn't there, but thats what he told me...take it for what you will.

[ChadTower]

The cards are talking about giving Pujols $27M, and STL is hardly a large market.

Doesn't mean a thing until the checks are signed.  STL may not be a huge market in general but might be the best baseball market in the world.

[LLUncoolJ]

This whole thread is going to suck.  Watch.

This thread's reputation is expanding faster than the universe.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2SSZA0CjdQ[/youtube]

[Namco]

Godammit, can't we just get back to the topic at hand already?

...

... do you think it's hard to get it on with a goalkeeper? I mean, their whole job is to keep you from scoring.

[LLUncoolJ]

Godammit, can't we just get back to the topic at hand already?

...

... do you think it's hard to get it on with a goalkeeper? I mean, their whole job is to keep you from scoring.

Thank you!! Best post (other than mine) so far. Well played sir.

[ChadTower]

I want the original pic back!

[LLUncoolJ]

Google Hope Solo images and it'll be there.

[massive88]

"official"

The figures thrown around when he signed were well over 100mill for not all that long.

Looks like SI had Beckham's total earnings in 2007 to be at 48.2 million, though that's not totally a fair comparison, as hes not a home grown soccer player in the US.

But to put him against US athletes, he would rank 3rd, above LeBron and Floyd Mayweather, and below Tiger and Mickelson.

There is (obviously) no home grown Soccer player in the top 50 paid athletes in the US.

Source:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/index.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/specials/fortunate50/index.20.html

[LLUncoolJ]

looks like it's time to ramp up my stalking effort.

[massive88]

Isnt she the one that tossed her coach and teammate under the bus when he didnt start her like a year or so ago?

Edit:  Yep - http://ebestagent.com/ebestmagazine/news/hope-solo-controversy-compilation/

[CCM]

Do they hand out medals for 14th place now? I didn't know that was the new standard for not sucking. Yes, we beat the #1 current team...hooray for us. But in historical context, the US is not an elite program. And as long as our best athletes make millions of $$ and hot American girls are throwing the beaver at them, I can't see them switching to soccer.

You're right, only the top 3 get medals so everyone from 4 to 202 sucks....