OT: Huge story breaking out of Italy

[SUfanNC]

The reason why your catching hell from me is because you took a thread about US winning a game that most people in the world would assume we lose and insert your opinion and it takes away from the fact that US won a solid match against a major soccer power. The worst part is I heard this opinion about not getting top athletes on ESPN during world cup. Like I said I could careless if you like or don't like the game but you came in here flying your opinion flag when everyone else was talking about the game.

 

[edowd26]

The reason why your catching hell from me is because you took a thread about US winning a game that most people in the world would assume we lose and insert your opinion and it takes away from the fact that US won a solid match against a major soccer power. The worst part is I heard this opinion about not getting top athletes on ESPN during world cup. Like I said I could careless if you like or don't like the game but you came in here flying your opinion flag when everyone else was talking about the game.

I said I was happy the U.S. won. Then like a human being I offered an opinion that could have been completely ignored. Instead people took it out of context a few times, then hurled insults like teenagers. This is a forum, where opinions tend to come out now an again, if you don't like them... ignore them. I am not a troll, I stand by what I said, but lets not confuse what I said with these players not being superb athletes and great at a sport I still think its exceptionally difficult to play. I tried to play it when I was a child, trying to coordinate my legs with running and dribbling was something I was unable to do well. People who can do it, are very talented athletes.

I didn't mean to take away from the USMNT accomplishments, beating a world class team is great for the country and its fans.

 

[dollarbill44]

Being a guy who is literally obsessed with any level of basketball and football and baseball, I would argue that soccer players are probably on par with athletes in any other sport (besides perhaps basketball simply because it's flat out incredible to see 7 footers run around with such incredible coordination. However, all sports are different. I'd be surprised if most basketball players could sprint up and down a soccer field for 90 minutes pretty much non-stop, much less do this while kicking a ball with perfection with both feet and making passes with their feet that are more accurate than most NFL Quarterbacks are passing the ball with their arm.

I love all sports and am amazed at the athleticism and skill it takes to reach the professional level. That said, I always laugh when people use the sprinting for 90 minutes argument to argue in support of soccer. It is a preposterous assertion that soccer players sprint for 90 minutes. They don't even run for 90 minutes. They sprint for short periods (5-10 seconds). They jog a great deal. They walk a fair amount. There are stoppages as well.

Yes, it takes great physical stamina to play soccer at a high level, but let's keep it in a realistic perspective. Human beings are actually physically incapable of sprinting for even 45 seconds and most max out at about 30 seconds. If you don't believe me, watch the 400 meters at the next Olympics. The fastest 400 m runners in the world are not flat out sprinting the whole way around the track. They sprint the 1st 100m, settle in at about 85% for 200m and flat out sprint the final 100m and then catch their breath for the next 2-3 minutes.

 

[SUfanNC]

They definatly do not sprint or even run the whole time. You can catch your breath when the ball is on the other side of field or not near you but you are constantly moving and when your tired it is tough to dribble the ball and run. You need a ton of endurance to be still going by the end of the game. There is something to be said for the fact they play once a week sometime twice in a week but rarely.

 

[qdawgg]

. I think most factors are innate, but with repatition canbe enhanced.

repetition

 

[edowd26]

repetition

you were waiting for something. You're welcome.

 

[djcon57]

But it was an exhibition right? So it really meant nothing? I still dont get soccer and why they play these meaningless games that are put on ESPN when there were conference basketball tourneys on this afternoon.

You realize college basketball, in general, gets ratings, right?

 

[qdawgg]

you were waiting for something. You're welcome.

Thank you for not making me wait very long.

 

[edowd26]

Thank you for not making me wait very long.

were you/are you a soccer player?

 

[qdawgg]

were you/are you a soccer player?

No. Started watching both National Teams when I was in H.S. and they both were only moderately interesting to watch, for whatever reason just liked watching them play from the first game I saw.

 

[edowd26]

No. Started watching both National Teams when I was in H.S. and they both were only moderately interesting to watch, for whatever reason just liked watching them play from the first game I saw.

Ok.

 

[jekelish]

Keeping in mind I was born in 1980 so I didn't witness the Miracle on Ice, I can honestly say I've never seen a single other team inspire anything like this:


The passion for soccer in this country is a lot stronger than many think.

 

[edowd26]

Keeping in mind I was born in 1980 so I didn't witness the Miracle on Ice, I can honestly say I've never seen a single other team inspire anything like this:


The passion for soccer in this country is a lot stronger than many think.

I did witness this, and I did react similarly, but not so much for the love of the sport as much for the love of my country. Inspiring moments certainly exist, but I think the passion is tied into nationalism at that level. I will say the popularity is certainly growing for our international team, is MLS also growing (honest question, I have no idea).

 

[Marsh01]

Keeping in mind I was born in 1980 so I didn't witness the Miracle on Ice, I can honestly say I've never seen a single other team inspire anything like this:


The passion for soccer in this country is a lot stronger than many think.

I understand your point but the Miracle on Ice is on its own planet and nothing any olympic team from here till eternity will ever duplicate what those guys did. It was, is and always will be the #1 greatest USA team accomplishment and possibly the greatest sports moment this country will ever see. Trust me for those who were alive to see it.

 

[jekelish]

I understand your point but the Miracle on Ice is on its own planet and nothing any olympic team from here till eternity will ever duplicate what those guys did. It was, is and always will be the #1 greatest USA team accomplishment and possibly the greatest sports moment this country will ever see. Trust me for those who were alive to see it.

I know, that's why I said that I've seen. I wasn't even born yet during Miracle on Ice...though I was born almost exactly 9 months later, so I very could have been a byproduct of the celebration.

And edowd...MLS is definitely growing, both in terms of level of play and fan interest. Just look at some of the beautiful soccer only stadiums recently constructed, or the fact ESPN has a game of the week, etc. MLS is still a pretty poor league by international standards, but it's leaps and bounds ahead of where it started.

 

[edowd26]

I understand your point but the Miracle on Ice is on its own planet and nothing any olympic team from here till eternity will ever duplicate what those guys did. It was, is and always will be the #1 greatest USA team accomplishment and possibly the greatest sports moment this country will ever see. Trust me for those who were alive to see it.

What made that so great was 2 things:

1. The Russians were blowing out the NHL all star teams by 4-5 goals. The Americans were amatuer hockey players that just graduated college- very few of whom ever acutally made it into the NHL.

2. The United States was in a pretty big funk, being embarassed in basketball by the Russians in the summer Olympics. Iran Hostage crisis, oil embargo, Jimmy Carter. Lots of terrible things. It gave the entire nation something to be proud of. I was -4.

 

[SUfanNC]

Keeping in mind I was born in 1980 so I didn't witness the Miracle on Ice, I can honestly say I've never seen a single other team inspire anything like this:


The passion for soccer in this country is a lot stronger than many think.

That video was awesome and there is something about that music that gets me everytime. That music might be tied to best sports movie.

My favorite is the kid watching on computer in his basment

 

[SUfanNC]

Miricale on Ice is the pinnacle of sports for this country for sure but I think the point is there are more fans of US soccer than you would think

 

[jekelish]

And the popularity of the sport will continue to grow, particularly with the rapidly growing Hispanic population in America. The ratings for the last World Cup blew anything prior (soccer-wise) out of the water. As we continue to improve as a national team interest will continue to grow, and more great athletes will play the sport. Joy Altidore could play virtually any sport, but he's a case where an elite athlete chose to play soccer. We will see more and more of that.

 

[Marsh01]

What made that so great was 2 things:

1. The Russians were blowing out the NHL all star teams by 4-5 goals. The Americans were amatuer hockey players that just graduated college- very few of whom ever acutally made it into the NHL.

2. The United States was in a pretty big funk, being embarassed in basketball by the Russians in the summer Olympics. Iran Hostage crisis, oil embargo, Jimmy Carter. Lots of terrible things. It gave the entire nation something to be proud of. I was -4.

Back in 2009 my wife and I did a 4 day trip to Lake Placid and one of the things we did was take a tour of the Olympic facilities. Well we were the only ones on the tour that day and it was done by a man named James Rogers. He basically was one of the people who was responsible for the olympics to he held in Lake Placid. This guy must have liked us because the one hour tour turned into a 3 hour personal history of everything that was the 1980 olympics.

I saw that noone on the tours has ever seen. I got to actually wear a gold medal that the hockey team received around my neck, got to touch and see many of the pieces of equipment that were used. Memorabilia that has been locked away since 1980 he gave us access too. He showed up private videos that were taken of the Olympics that I have never seen. Throw in all of the stories this guy told and it was probably one of the best sports days as a fan I have ever spent on this planet.

 

[SUfanNC]

how does the olympics work for soccer as far as who gets to go?

 

[BayonneOrange]

Make sure you tune in on June 18th when Ireland BEATS Italy at Euro2012!!

 

[djcon57]

how does the olympics work for soccer as far as who gets to go?

It's a weird BS "Under 23" team + 2 (or 3) over 23.
They have Olympics qualifiers.

basically in like 84 or 88, the World Cup bitched and forced it to change the tourney to some weird hybrid.

Most of the valid stars will not be playing.

I think Landon is playing for us...and guys like Shea, Agudelo, and, I think, Jozy.
Beckham playing for "Great Britain"...which was a whole ordeal of course since N. Ireland and Wales have separate FIFA teams vs England. But i believe England got the OK to just bring their under 23 team

 

[bnoro]

It's a weird BS "Under 23" team + 2 (or 3) over 23.
They have Olympics qualifiers.

basically in like 84 or 88, the World Cup bitched and forced it to change the tourney to some weird hybrid.

Most of the valid stars will not be playing.

I think Landon is playing for us...and guys like Shea, Agudelo, and, I think, Jozy.
Beckham playing for "Great Britain"...which was a whole ordeal of course since N. Ireland and Wales have separate FIFA teams vs England. But i believe England got the OK to just bring their under 23 team

Pretty much the team that beat Mexico last night plus Donovan, Deuce, and Tim Howard would be my guess. Jozy's under 23 so he would qualify, I'd expect Timmy Chandler and Brek Shea to play, Terrence Boyd might get some play as well in terms of senior players getting time there. Mix Diskerud and Agudelo looked real good last night, hopefully our Olympic team makes a nice run.

 

[Noexcuse]

Make sure you tune in on June 18th when Ireland BEATS Italy at Euro2012!!

Tough Group which also includes Spain (!) and Croatia. Group B is the true Group of Death though with Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and Denmark. England has a relatively easy group but is in a bit of disarray at the moment with injuries, personality issues and a new coach.