US SOCCER

[clenz]

The problem is that in the Big 4, the best players in the world are playing in the US. That is not true and cannot be true for soccer because financially, MLS cannot compete. If you look at the transfer fees (before the salaries) that some of these teams have been paying this offseason, they are insane. Add to that, the salaries and forget about being able to get the top players to play here in their prime.

Do you think that the NFL would be as popular with the European Football League Players and the NFL guys in Europe, MLB with the AAA players with the MLBers in Europe or NBA with one of the European teams while the NBA players were there? Of course not.

The advantage that the big 4 US sports are that they are North American games - so of course the best players stay here.
But if you look at say Basketball or Hockey in Europe, or Basketball in many places, or Baseball in Japan, these are still wildly popular even though the best players come to the US. And quality is improving in all those places.


It is a chicken and egg thing - soccer in the US won't be popular unless the best play here (or some of the best), but they can't play here until it gets more popular.

Again, the soccer snobs don't help the situation if they also don't support the local teams.

The big names are starting to appear on rosters. They are older, but they are appearing. There was an article not long ago that quoted Kaka as saying more and more Euro players are wanting to come to America to play

[dbackjon]

The advantage that the big 4 US sports are that they are North American games - so of course the best players stay here.
But if you look at say Basketball or Hockey in Europe, or Basketball in many places, or Baseball in Japan, these are still wildly popular even though the best players come to the US. And quality is improving in all those places.


It is a chicken and egg thing - soccer in the US won't be popular unless the best play here (or some of the best), but they can't play here until it gets more popular.

Again, the soccer snobs don't help the situation if they also don't support the local teams.

The big names are starting to appear on rosters. They are older, but they are appearing. There was an article not long ago that quoted Kaka as saying more and more Euro players are wanting to come to America to play

So what's stopping you from finding a MLS team to support?

[DSUrocks07]

MLS has grown steadily, if not exponentially, in popularity since its founding. Keep in mind it's only been around for 20 years.

MLB- 1869
NHL- 1917
NFL- 1920
NBA- 1948

MLS- 1996


Time is a beautiful thing.

^This

If MLS is still at its current level of popularity 40 years from now, then the idea that it will "never compete" will hold credence. But to declare it DOA now its extremely shortsighted.

[DSUrocks07]

Plus the fact that Euro clubs have an international fanbase. (We are the foreigners to them) shows how big the sport is and that EPL and UEFA clubs are already at the level of the Big 4 on the world stage.

The juxtaposition of that to MLS will diminish as time goes on. Were folks dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the Big 4 in their first 20 years of existence?

[Skjellyfetti]

It is a chicken and egg thing - soccer in the US won't be popular unless the best play here (or some of the best), but they can't play here until it gets more popular.

It's not a chicken or an egg thing.

The salary cap is what prevents MLS from bringing in world class talent at their prime. Simple as that. They've tried to help this out by introducing the "designated player rule" - but, this has just allowed older players past their prime to come.

However, it's shown how wrong your argument is: teams ARE willing to pay a lot of $$ to bring in players (see: NYCFC sigining David Villa and Frank Lampard before they've even played a game).

To bring in world class players at their prime - they'll have to be playing with and against other world class players to give them a better chance of making their national teams. The "designated player rule" allows 2 per team. Maximum. It will never happen until that's changed.

Again, the soccer snobs don't help the situation if they also don't support the local teams.

I don't have a local team.

I grew up in Alabama. Soccer is only for fags and if there was ever an MLS team in Alabama they would probably blow it up before the commies could infiltrate their state.

It's also why I've never had an NFL team. I was pretty equidistant from New Orleans and Atlanta... but, never could find myself giving a shit if either team won or lost growing up. Still can't. In college - I tried to be a Panthers fan... but, still couldn't find myself giving a shit.

If I lived in a city that had an MLS team - I would support them for sure. Whether they sucked or not. But, I haven't. And, there's not a single team in the league I give a shit whether they win or lose.

[BDKJMU]

But for the sport at the pro level to ever be as popular as the Big 4, much less the Big 3, people need a hometown/home state/home region team to root for. Something that neighbors, co-workers, family, friends came all come together and root for the hometown team at the water coolers, the bars, at social gatherings. To root for OUR team. You're not going to get beyond soccer nerds to come together to root for foreign teams.

Example here in the Philly area pro sports fans root for the Eagles, Sixers, Flyers, and Phillies. For a large chunk of them to be gathering at the dozens to hundreds of local sports bars, to be gathering at each others homes, to be talking about it at the water cooler, rooting for pro soccer team its going to have to be the Union or some future equivalent.

He's right - Soccer will never approach the Big 4 until the home teams get popular. The market for people willing to follow a foreign team is small, even if the soccer market continues to grow.


It would help if the American Soccer Snobs could lower themselves to also support MLS teams.

This is a 1st- DBack and I agreeing on something. You'all mark this down.

[dbackjon]

He's right - Soccer will never approach the Big 4 until the home teams get popular. The market for people willing to follow a foreign team is small, even if the soccer market continues to grow.


It would help if the American Soccer Snobs could lower themselves to also support MLS teams.

This is a 1st- DBack and I agreeing on something. You'all mark this down.

LOL - I was thinking the same thing

[BDKJMU]

Again, the soccer snobs don't help the situation if they also don't support the local teams.

I don't have a local team.

I grew up in Alabama. Soccer is only for fags and if there was ever an MLS team in Alabama they would probably blow it up before the commies could infiltrate their state.

It's also why I've never had an NFL team. I was pretty equidistant from New Orleans and Atlanta... but, never could find myself giving a **** if either team won or lost growing up. Still can't. In college - I tried to be a Panthers fan... but, still couldn't find myself giving a ****.

If I lived in a city that had an MLS team - I would support them for sure. Whether they sucked or not. But, I haven't. And, there's not a single team in the league I give a **** whether they win or lose.

[MSUDuo]

Oh, would you look at that. Donovan scores the go ahead goal against Bayern Munich.

2-1 MLS

For now

[grizinidaho]

81 pages of soccer??? Fuck soccer...and no it isn't futbol it's soccer

[grizzaholic]

81 pages of soccer??? Fuck soccer...and no it isn't futbol it's soccer

Here. I got something for ya

[JoltinJoe]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

[clenz]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

It's not quite that extreme here, as football is a religion in the state of Iowa, but there are a lot of top flight athletes playing soccer.

[bandl]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

My wife won't let my sons play football...

[Grizalltheway]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

My wife won't let my sons play football...

She won't let you wear pants, keeps your balls in her purse, and now THIS??

[bandl]

My wife won't let my sons play football...

She won't let you wear pants, keeps your balls in her purse, and now THIS??

No no, you're thinking of Andy. I have 2 boys AND I have a company that services (hehe) lawns AND I can legally make liquor. Seriously, how much more manly can you get?

[UNI88]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

Numbers are down in clubs and leagues across the country. Teaching proper technique is critical to reducing the number of concussions. The league my son plays in uses USA Football's Heads Up Football approach. Coaches can quibble with some of the nuances but it is a huge improvement over how I was taught and provides consistency across varying programs. Our club will also be using Riddell's Insite helmets this year. Riddell gave us 12 helmets that we'll have one team use. The system includes a control box that will tell the person monitoring it if a player has had an impact or series of impacts that warrants checking it out. We're doing what we can to make football safer and we're also trying to get the word out to the Moms in our program and league about our efforts so that they'll feel more comfortable with their kids playing football.

I love both football and soccer and think that kids should play the sport that they love. My 13 y/o weighs less than 85 lbs and will be 90-95 lbs as a HS freshman. My guess is that he will be 170-175 lbs as a senior so he has a growth spurt coming. I personally think that he is better off playing soccer in high school until he hits that growth spurt rather than playing against kids that weigh 50-300% more than him.

And as a youth coach, I love getting a soccer player on my team. They're usually much more comfortable playing in space than others and thus make good linebackers and defensive backs.

[Ibanez]

She won't let you wear pants, keeps your balls in her purse, and now THIS??

No no, you're thinking of Andy. I have 2 boys AND I have a company that services (hehe) lawns AND I can legally make liquor. Seriously, how much more manly can you get?

Do you have a beard?

[bandl]

No no, you're thinking of Andy. I have 2 boys AND I have a company that services (hehe) lawns AND I can legally make liquor. Seriously, how much more manly can you get?

Do you have a beard?

Yes! Shit, I haven't shaved in about a month and only that was just a trim as the hairs on my jaw were making my neck tickle.

Haven't worn a tie or a button up shirt or any collared shirt in 4 months. Except for flannel shirts. That just makes me awesomer.

Pants? Fuck that, I wear cargo shorts at all times so I have a place to keep my dip, buck knife, a raw steak and my flask of moonshine.

[JoltinJoe]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

Numbers are down in clubs and leagues across the country. Teaching proper technique is critical to reducing the number of concussions. The league my son plays in uses USA Football's Heads Up Football approach. Coaches can quibble with some of the nuances but it is a huge improvement over how I was taught and provides consistency across varying programs. Our club will also be using Riddell's Insite helmets this year. Riddell gave us 12 helmets that we'll have one team use. The system includes a control box that will tell the person monitoring it if a player has had an impact or series of impacts that warrants checking it out. We're doing what we can to make football safer and we're also trying to get the word out to the Moms in our program and league about our efforts so that they'll feel more comfortable with their kids playing football.

I love both football and soccer and think that kids should play the sport that they love. My 13 y/o weighs less than 85 lbs and will be 90-95 lbs as a HS freshman. My guess is that he will be 170-175 lbs as a senior so he has a growth spurt coming. I personally think that he is better off playing soccer in high school until he hits that growth spurt rather than playing against kids that weigh 50-300% more than him.

And as a youth coach, I love getting a soccer player on my team. They're usually much more comfortable playing in space than others and thus make good linebackers and defensive backs.

That's what my friend tells me, that proper coaching and advances in equipment, can significantly cut down on the concussion risk. But parents don't seem to be hearing that message.

As for me, my son is a good athlete who can, at best, aspire to be a college athlete, but that's where it's going to come to an end for him. He's on the smaller size, so football really isn't the best choice for him. He's got a chance to play college soccer and I like the fact that soccer is a game that many adults continue to play into their 40s and 50s in men's leagues. I know many folks here were legitimate college football players who might have the genetic material to hope for a professional career, but for my kids, I am trying to encourage participation in sports that they can enjoy for the rest of their lives on a recreational basis --and which they might have a chance to play in college, if they want.

My older son is a fencer. He's got very quick reflexes, but he lacks the foot speed of my younger son.

[Grizalltheway]

She won't let you wear pants, keeps your balls in her purse, and now THIS??

No no, you're thinking of Andy. I have 2 boys AND I have a company that services (hehe) lawns AND I can legally make liquor. Seriously, how much more manly can you get?

Hodor keeps putting me on ignore, so I have to make fun of you, instead.

[grizinidaho]

81 pages of soccer??? **** soccer...and no it isn't futbol it's soccer

Here. I got something for ya

Love it haha, surprised he didn't fall over from the impact of that kiss.

[grizinidaho]

I have a nine-year-old who plays travel soccer in a town that also offers football at that age.

I don't know if this holds true across the US, but in this area, the best athletes at this age are playing soccer. Parents are holding their kids out of football because of the concussion issue (ironic, since soccer also has a concussion issue, albeit not as severe). In fact, the parents of the absolute best athlete in my son's class recently took their son out of football and moved him to soccer, and he is going to play soccer this fall.

I'm friends with one of the coaches of the local Pop Warner, and he says it is a trend that kids in this area are moving away from football. The rec soccer league is overflowing, and there are now two U10 travel teams representing the league.

My wife won't let my sons play football...

Sounds like my first wife...

[UNI88]

Numbers are down in clubs and leagues across the country. Teaching proper technique is critical to reducing the number of concussions. The league my son plays in uses USA Football's Heads Up Football approach. Coaches can quibble with some of the nuances but it is a huge improvement over how I was taught and provides consistency across varying programs. Our club will also be using Riddell's Insite helmets this year. Riddell gave us 12 helmets that we'll have one team use. The system includes a control box that will tell the person monitoring it if a player has had an impact or series of impacts that warrants checking it out. We're doing what we can to make football safer and we're also trying to get the word out to the Moms in our program and league about our efforts so that they'll feel more comfortable with their kids playing football.

I love both football and soccer and think that kids should play the sport that they love. My 13 y/o weighs less than 85 lbs and will be 90-95 lbs as a HS freshman. My guess is that he will be 170-175 lbs as a senior so he has a growth spurt coming. I personally think that he is better off playing soccer in high school until he hits that growth spurt rather than playing against kids that weigh 50-300% more than him.

And as a youth coach, I love getting a soccer player on my team. They're usually much more comfortable playing in space than others and thus make good linebackers and defensive backs.

That's what my friend tells me, that proper coaching and advances in equipment, can significantly cut down on the concussion risk. But parents don't seem to be hearing that message.

As for me, my son is a good athlete who can, at best, aspire to be a college athlete, but that's where it's going to come to an end for him. He's on the smaller size, so football really isn't the best choice for him. He's got a chance to play college soccer and I like the fact that soccer is a game that many adults continue to play into their 40s and 50s in men's leagues. I know many folks here were legitimate college football players who might have the genetic material to hope for a professional career, but for my kids, I am trying to encourage participation in sports that they can enjoy for the rest of their lives on a recreational basis --and which they might have a chance to play in college, if they want.

My older son is a fencer. He's got very quick reflexes, but he lacks the foot speed of my younger son.

We do need to do a better job of letting parents know what we're doing. Our club's next newsletter will be heavily focused on safety. We are preparing an article on the Insite helmets to run in a local newsletter and we're going to take our league's Football Moms concept down to our Flag Football parents to get them the message. It isn't going to be easy but anything worthwhile usually takes some effort.

I don't even worry about my kids playing college athletics. I just want them physically active. I want their academics to be strong enough for them to be able to go to school where they want and it will be icing on the cake if they end up playing college athletics. I get what you're saying about playing later in life. Most former football players have trouble walking and are getting joints replaced while the soccer players are still going in their 40's.

[Skjellyfetti]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRqypM7jb5Y[/youtube]