World Cup

[PaladinFan]

Surprised to have not seen a thread on this already. Tournament has been wildly entertaining and the two matches with the US have been great to watch.

As an aside, Furman could not pay for publicity it has gotten during the lead up to the World Cup and the tournament itself with its ties to American Captain Clint Dempsey. No stronger recruiting tool for small colleges, IMO, than to show that athletes can come to your university and go on to great things. Dempsey is the face of American Soccer right now.

[Laker]

Not much talk about the World Cup or the College World Series. People must be in summer mode. So many different possibilities for the US to move on.

[OL FU]

For the first time, I watched a soccer match from beginning to end. That god for bourbon.:)

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Go Germany

[tribe_pride]

Not much talk about the World Cup or the College World Series. People must be in summer mode. So many different possibilities for the US to move on.

I think it started going big time on the other FCS site so nobody started one here.

[bonarae]

I think it started going big time on the other FCS site so nobody started one here.

While I am one of the few people that frequent both, I don't have much for soccer so I didn't start a thread like this.

[clenz]

I thought about one but i already started the official soccer thread here and no one wants to talk so I've kept it on cs

Sent from my S4 using Tapatalk so if there is typos deal with it.

[344Johnson]

Go Germany

I think Germany will win this thing. Muller is God's gift to uncoordinated people who yearn to be athletes everywhere.

[FormerPokeCenter]

video/
http://elitedaily.com/humor/what-would-it-look-like-if-a-football-coach-coached-soccer-video/

[NHwildEcat]

The US will beat Germany 3-2.

[citdog]

For the first time, I watched a soccer match from beginning to end. That god for bourbon.:)


http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/i/partypictures/09_07_12/paint.jpg

Soccer is ALMOST as boring as the wnba. I'd rather do the above than watch either.

[344Johnson]

The US will beat Germany 3-2.

Lol I would ask if I could have some kool aid but I'm afraid of what else you put in it.

[TheRevSFA]

Go Germany

Spoken like a true American

[clenz]

Spoken like a true American
Yep...

Real American's hope that their country loses...

[Laker]

This biting crap has to stop. It isn't his first time. Suarez needs to be neutered.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/luis-suarez-appears-to-bite-yet-another-opponent-during-italy-uruguay-match-175855668.html;_ylt=A0LEVyyHLqpTgDkAiW1XNyoA;_ylu= X3oDMTEzdDJkMGM2BHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDNARjb2xvA2JmMQR2dG lkA1ZJUDQ0Ml8x

[clenz]

If FIFA had any balls (which they don't) it'd be a MINIMUM of the WC with a 1 (maybe 2) years from international caps.

Since FIFA controls all football in Europe I think he needs to be hit with a ban during the coming EPL season.

3 strikes on biting, throwing racial slurs at players on the pitch, and the intentional hand ball in the 2010 world cup proves he is a complete low life cheating scum bag.

However, FIFA is corrupt and banning him won't help fill their coffers

[NHwildEcat]

Lol I would ask if I could have some kool aid but I'm afraid of what else you put in it.

Just some faith. I expect greatness from the Men's National Team, if we as a country continue to expect mediocrity we will never move into the top tier of soccer globally.

- - - Updated - - -


If FIFA had any balls (which they don't) it'd be a MINIMUM of the WC with a 1 (maybe 2) years from international caps.

Since FIFA controls all football in Europe I think he needs to be hit with a ban during the coming EPL season.

3 strikes on biting, throwing racial slurs at players on the pitch, and the intentional hand ball in the 2010 world cup proves he is a complete low life cheating scum bag.

However, FIFA is corrupt and banning him won't help fill their coffers

I think a life time ban would be good.

[344Johnson]

Just some faith. I expect greatness from the Men's National Team, if we as a country continue to expect mediocrity we will never move into the top tier of soccer globally.

- - - Updated - - -



I think a life time ban would be good.


We probably never will be an elite country in soccer.

Lifetime ban would be excessive... But the dude needs done serious punishment for sure.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

We probably never will be an elite country in soccer.

Lifetime ban would be excessive... But the dude needs done serious punishment for sure.

Take a non essential player and trade a red card for some teeth.

[NHwildEcat]

We probably never will be an elite country in soccer.

Lifetime ban would be excessive... But the dude needs done serious punishment for sure.

Top 10 regularly is all I ask. 13th currently sure as hell isn't bad. But I'd prefer to be in the Top 10...gave the chance at a couple semi-finals here in the future.

Our expectations as a nation have just been too low. This is the best team we have had at a World Cup and yet we aren't even at full strength. If they can move on, and get Jozy back, depending on match-ups we could make some noise...

[bkrownd]

The US will continue to improve, and will definitely contend in the future. There are just too many advantages here, and we are not so cut off from the rest of the world anymore.

Does anyone else remember watching "Soccer Made In Germany" on PBS? I watched that as a kid on those slooooow sunday mornings around 1980.

[clenz]

The US will continue to improve, and will definitely contend in the future. There are just too many advantages here, and we are not so cut off from the rest of the world anymore.



This is exactly right.

The US has been playing soccer just about as long as anyone in the world, however, most of Europe started professional club teams in the 1870s-1880s (the teams I follow, Tottenham and Bayern Munich, were founded in 1882 and 1900 respectively) where as the MLS is only 19 years old. Essentially the US is about 90-110 years behind the rest of the world with the sport of soccer.

Europe, Asia, and Africa have sports acadamies - kids are "bought/drafted" at 7-8 years old and start playing professionally while having a "crude" schooling at the academy. Andros Townsend, of Tottenham, is 22 years old and been with the club through the juniors academy (http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/about-the-academy/) since he was 8. That type of set up will never fly in America, though the AAU/camp circuit for basketball and football is kind of close.

American's have completely ignored soccer's existance until about 10 years ago. Soccer is now the fastest growing sport in America and the MLS outdraws (per game) many MLB and NHL teams with 3-4 new teams scheduled start play in the MLS by 2020, and a couple more in the works. Having said that the MLS is probably on par with the 3rd or 4th level of pro soccer in England.

95% of American's still ignore soccer for the most part yet it's growing at an astonishing rate

In pretty much every other country that is serious about soccer (pretty much every other country in the world except Canada and Russia who are both hockey and maybe Australia and New Zealand where it's rugby and Aussie Rules Football) they draw from their top athletes. America rarely lands one of our "elite" athletes. Before you freak out, yes, our country produces good talent and our players are still "top tier" athletes. However, the top of the top aren't playing soccer. Imagine the athletes that go play D1 football/basketball and especially those in the pros on the pitch.

All of that should spell absolute doom for American soccer - yet America has a longer current streak of WC made than England, a longer all time streak of WC made than England, more all time WC appearances than Portugal (10-6)...and all of that while missing the world cup every year from 1954-1990.

I'm not sure what you want to consider elite but the US is currently 13th out of 209 FIFA international clubs. That means the US is in the top 5% of teams in the world...all while spending less on soccer than 90% of the countries over the last 100 years.


If, for some ungodly reason, the US doesn't advance people will be down on the team. However, when you look at it the team is WAY a head of where it was 4 years ago and still trending up. 3 weeks ago the number of people thinking the US would advance was very very low and if you would have offered them a draw with Portugal they would have taken it in a second.

The US is in VERY good shape moving forward, regardless this outcome. The US is currently on par with England, if not having passed England, FWIW.


If you want to compare it to another sport, look at baseball. The US was the dominating king for ever because we were the only ones playing it. There are now countries all over the world who take the sport very seriously and have blown by the US.

[344Johnson]

This is exactly right.

The US has been playing soccer just about as long as anyone in the world, however, most of Europe started professional club teams in the 1870s-1880s (the teams I follow, Tottenham and Bayern Munich, were founded in 1882 and 1900 respectively) where as the MLS is only 19 years old. Essentially the US is about 90-110 years behind the rest of the world with the sport of soccer.

Europe, Asia, and Africa have sports acadamies - kids are "bought/drafted" at 7-8 years old and start playing professionally while having a "crude" schooling at the academy. Andros Townsend, of Tottenham, is 22 years old and been with the club through the juniors academy (http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/academy/about-the-academy/) since he was 8. That type of set up will never fly in America, though the AAU/camp circuit for basketball and football is kind of close.

American's have completely ignored soccer's existance until about 10 years ago. Soccer is now the fastest growing sport in America and the MLS outdraws (per game) many MLB and NHL teams with 3-4 new teams scheduled start play in the MLS by 2020, and a couple more in the works. Having said that the MLS is probably on par with the 3rd or 4th level of pro soccer in England.

95% of American's still ignore soccer for the most part yet it's growing at an astonishing rate

In pretty much every other country that is serious about soccer (pretty much every other country in the world except Canada and Russia who are both hockey and maybe Australia and New Zealand where it's rugby and Aussie Rules Football) they draw from their top athletes. America rarely lands one of our "elite" athletes. Before you freak out, yes, our country produces good talent and our players are still "top tier" athletes. However, the top of the top aren't playing soccer. Imagine the athletes that go play D1 football/basketball and especially those in the pros on the pitch.

All of that should spell absolute doom for American soccer - yet America has a longer current streak of WC made than England, a longer all time streak of WC made than England, more all time WC appearances than Portugal (10-6)...and all of that while missing the world cup every year from 1954-1990.

I'm not sure what you want to consider elite but the US is currently 13th out of 209 FIFA international clubs. That means the US is in the top 5% of teams in the world...all while spending less on soccer than 90% of the countries over the last 100 years.


If, for some ungodly reason, the US doesn't advance people will be down on the team. However, when you look at it the team is WAY a head of where it was 4 years ago and still trending up. 3 weeks ago the number of people thinking the US would advance was very very low and if you would have offered them a draw with Portugal they would have taken it in a second.

The US is in VERY good shape moving forward, regardless this outcome. The US is currently on par with England, if not having passed England, FWIW.


If you want to compare it to another sport, look at baseball. The US was the dominating king for ever because we were the only ones playing it. There are now countries all over the world who take the sport very seriously and have blown by the US.


Remember... Apples to oranges comparing world cup appearances. Much tougher to qualify via UEFA than CONCACAF

[PaladinFan]

Remember... Apples to oranges comparing world cup appearances. Much tougher to qualify via UEFA than CONCACAF

I don't disagree with you, but CONCACAF has given a pretty good account of itself this tournament.

[clenz]

Remember... Apples to oranges comparing world cup appearances. Much tougher to qualify via UEFA than CONCACAF
46 years without appearance and we still have more

46 years

[PaladinFan]

A question I keep returning to for the last week or so - Is Clint Dempsey the most successful athlete ever produced by an FCS school?

Not sure the true definition of "most successful," and it is hard to find a one to one comparison across different sports, but I'm hard pressed to think of any other athlete in sport that has maintained Dempsey's level of success, both in soccer and name recognition, at the world's highest level for as long as he has.

[Laker]

The US will continue to improve, and will definitely contend in the future. There are just too many advantages here, and we are not so cut off from the rest of the world anymore.

Does anyone else remember watching "Soccer Made In Germany" on PBS? I watched that as a kid on those slooooow sunday mornings around 1980.


Yes! I remember watching that on Sunday mornings back in 1982 when I was teaching in Kerkhoven, MN. I wrote in for their free booklet on German soccer. With my German ethnic background I was quite interested in it.

[344Johnson]

A question I keep returning to for the last week or so - Is Clint Dempsey the most successful athlete ever produced by an FCS school?

Not sure the true definition of "most successful," and it is hard to find a one to one comparison across different sports, but I'm hard pressed to think of any other athlete in sport that has maintained Dempsey's level of success, both in soccer and name recognition, at the world's highest level for as long as he has.

Simply put...... No.

[TheRevSFA]

Simply put...... No.

Care to elaborate? Is it because he plays Soccer and not football or basketball?

[clenz]

Care to elaborate? Is it because he plays Soccer and not football or basketball?
Most famous FCS athlete?

Kurt Warner and Jerry Rice come to mind without putting ANY effort into it.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Most famous FCS athlete?

Kurt Warner and Jerry Rice come to mind without putting ANY effort into it.

Close, I think the weird multiplier here is the worldwide Soccer phenomenon. We in the United States cannot get our heads around it. Walter Payton is another one of those "all time" people but if you are only into American football, then you probably think that but do you think someone in Germany knows who Jerry Rice is?

I don't know if it can be quantified, actually. How can you measure "success" among athletes in different sports?

[344Johnson]

Care to elaborate? Is it because he plays Soccer and not football or basketball?

I like soccer a lot more than basketball. Jerry Rice is widely considered one of the best to ever play the game. Clint Dempsey is just a good player who is from the United States.

Name recognition around the world... Clint probably has him beat.

[Laker]

German wins 1-0 but the US goes on to probably play Belgium- Portugal tops Ghana 2-1

[TheRevSFA]

Most famous FCS athlete?

Kurt Warner and Jerry Rice come to mind without putting ANY effort into it.

The question wasn't most famous, the question was most successful. Who made it further on the global scale? Probably Dempsey but you could argue Rice

It is comparing apples to oranges, though.

[PaladinFan]

The question wasn't most famous, the question was most successful. Who made it further on the global scale? Probably Dempsey but you could argue Rice

It is comparing apples to oranges, though.

It was open ended on a definition. Rice is a good one to look at.

I'm less convinced on Warner. Interestingly, Dempsey's professional soccer career is already as long as Warner's NFL career (12 years).

[BisonFan02]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10462720_729407187117111_95092304775880649_n.jpg

[Bisonoline]

I like soccer a lot more than basketball. Jerry Rice is widely considered one of the best to ever play the game. Clint Dempsey is just a good player who is from the United States.

Name recognition around the world... Clint probably has him beat.

Who gives a ****? Its soccer.

[OhioHen]

Name recognition around the world... Clint probably has him beat.

Dempsey isn't even the best, most important, or most well-known (worldwide) player on the team: Tim Howard beats him easily on all three counts.

[PaladinFan]

Dempsey isn't even the best, most important, or most well-known (worldwide) player on the team: Tim Howard beats him easily on all three counts.

That's not the question. The question is Dempsey's status in the panoply of athletes produced by FCS schools

[NHwildEcat]

Who gives a ****? Its soccer.

Your commentary isn't needed here. Bye.

[344Johnson]

Who gives a ****? Its soccer.

Billions of people around the globe... Can you say the same about football? Nope. You can't.

[Bisonoline]

Billions of people around the globe... Can you say the same about football? Nope. You can't.

Dont care what they or you think of football compared to soccer. Thats the point you dont get. What you think is relevant is irrelevant to others. You can pound the soccer pud all you want but it wont change that fact. This is almost like trying to reason with lakes on the FBS thing. LOL

[clenz]

Dont care what they or you think of football compared to soccer. Thats the point you dont get. What you think is relevant is irrelevant to others. You can pound the soccer pud all you want but it wont change that fact. This is almost like trying to reason with lakes on the FBS thing. LOL
Here's the thing.

If:
You don't care about soccer
You don't care about others caring about soccer
You don't care about others caring that you don't care about soccer
You don't care about others not caring that you don't care about soccer
or any other situation that involves you not caring about soccer

why are you frequenting a thread dedicated to the sport?

The only people worse than soccer snobs are the anti-soccer snobs. The assholes that can't help but tell others how much they hate soccer, how dumb they think it is, how dumb you are for liking soccer, how irrelevant they think it is, etc...


I don't give a flying **** if you don't like the sport. If that's the case then stay the **** out of the threads.

Simple concept, really.

[Bisonoline]

Here's the thing.

If:
You don't care about soccer
You don't care about others caring about soccer
You don't care about others caring that you don't care about soccer
You don't care about others not caring that you don't care about soccer
or any other situation that involves you not caring about soccer

why are you frequenting a thread dedicated to the sport?

The only people worse than soccer snobs are the anti-soccer snobs. The assholes that can't help but tell others how much they hate soccer, how dumb they think it is, how dumb you are for liking soccer, how irrelevant they think it is, etc...


I don't give a flying **** if you don't like the sport. If that's the case then stay the **** out of the threads.

Simple concept, really.


Oh you are taking this serious??? Alrighty then----------

[344Johnson]

Oh you are taking this serious??? Alrighty then----------

Along with millions of Americans and billions of people worldwide...

[OhioHen]

That's not the question. The question is Dempsey's status in the panoply of athletes produced by FCS schools

But it does speak to the point that Dempsey isn't as well-known as you imply. Dempsey is "known" at a world level, but would not be among those listed as "the greatest all time" by anyone.

IF (yes that's a BIG if) someone elsewhere in the world knows of American football, Jerry Rice will definitely be on a list of players they know. I would submit that based on level of exposure, a higher percentage of Germans who know anything about American football would identify Joe Flacco as significant in his sport than those who would name Dempsey as such in his.

[Catatonic]

Watching Chile against Brazil on Univision. 1-1 in overtime. If you are going to watch soccer, watch it with Latin American announcers. Adds to the excitement. Lots of worried Brazilian fans right now.

[Laker]

Watching Chile against Brazil on Univision. 1-1 in overtime. If you are going to watch soccer, watch it with Latin American announcers. Adds to the excitement. Lots of worried Brazilian fans right now.

I was hoping that Chile would win- they certainly had their chances. Brazil seems to have their number.

[344Johnson]

Me and the Brazilian exchange student in high school were and remain very close. He said during extra time none of them could watch. I didn't even ask about the shoot out.

Amazing how insane these fans are.

[Catatonic]

Me and the Brazilian exchange student in high school were and remain very close. He said during extra time none of them could watch. I didn't even ask about the shoot out.

Amazing how insane these fans are.

i attended a World Cup qualifying game between Brazil and Argentina a couple of years ago. Never seen anything like it. I have been to some really big SEC games and one NCAA national championship game but the crowd in River Plate stadium put em all to shame. Streamers, fireworks, non-stop yelling and jumping. Crazy!

[PaladinFan]

Costa Rica played like warriors out there last night. Down a man for much of the game, held off one onslaught after another to get the match to penalties and win it.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

GO BELGIUM!!!!!

http://www.33ff.com/flags/XL_flags_embossed/Belgium_flag.gif

[TheRevSFA]

GO BELGIUM!!!!!

http://www.33ff.com/flags/XL_flags_embossed/Belgium_flag.gif

once again, spoken like true "American" you are

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

"Americans" don't play it watch soccer.


So thank you

[TheRevSFA]

"Americans" don't play it watch soccer.


So thank you

okay Ann Coulter...

[Gil Dobie]

Not a bad showing by the Yanks, 1 win in their 4 matches.

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

okay Ann Coulter...
Sure thing Ru Paul

[TheRevSFA]

Sure thing Ru Paul

I'm not sure how I'm a gay black drag queen but whatever.

you can go back to ranting and raving about how Americans don't play soccer

[344Johnson]

Best team won.

[Laker]

Best team won.

I wasn't able to post this earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtXycQ6Idi8