Now that kickball is over….,

Bulldog Bruce

All-American
Nov 1, 2007
5,006
5,974
113
We just don't belong in soccer. It's like the rest of the world to our football or basketball. They might produce a player or two but they can't really compete with us. They don't have enough good players in their developmental leagues to become really good. Even though soccer has grown here with our youth, the other sports teams do get the better athletes so they just don't have enough good competition here when they are developing. You can totally see it in the team ball control.
 

Dawghouse

All-Conference
Sep 14, 2011
1,178
1,044
113
We just don't belong in soccer. It's like the rest of the world to our football or basketball. They might produce a player or two but they can't really compete with us. They don't have enough good players in their developmental leagues to become really good. Even though soccer has grown here with our youth, the other sports teams do get the better athletes so they just don't have enough good competition here when they are developing. You can totally see it in the team ball control.

Every World Cup we get excited and every World Cup we get reminded, we are the Canada of basketball (or hell the Canada of Hockey too).
 

OG Goat Holder

Heisman
Sep 30, 2022
13,306
12,259
113
We just don't belong in soccer. It's like the rest of the world to our football or basketball. They might produce a player or two but they can't really compete with us. They don't have enough good players in their developmental leagues to become really good. Even though soccer has grown here with our youth, the other sports teams do get the better athletes so they just don't have enough good competition here when they are developing. You can totally see it in the team ball control.
Agreed. The best leave for other sports.
 

Howiefeltersnstch

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2019
2,499
3,163
98
We just don't belong in soccer. It's like the rest of the world to our football or basketball. They might produce a player or two but they can't really compete with us. They don't have enough good players in their developmental leagues to become really good. Even though soccer has grown here with our youth, the other sports teams do get the better athletes so they just don't have enough good competition here when they are developing. You can totally see it in the team ball control.
Yup. Last time I checked this was 'Murica. We excel athletically in American sports. With other Americans
 

TheBannerM

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2024
1,356
1,944
113
Argentina’s round of 32 game was only viewed by 2.7 billion (yeah… with a B). So let’s keep acting like soccer is a somehow less significant than American football or baseball. Sure…
I wish soccer fans would stop trying to bully their fellow Americans into liking the sport. We like what we like. That doesn't mean we're right or wrong. I personally have enjoyed the WC and will continue to watch.
 

BulldogBlitz

Heisman
Dec 11, 2008
17,254
23,038
113
I like bike riding. It was my normal mode of transport at state.

I only like watching the tour de France for scenery. Its like im the guy from breaking away who has this glorified view of the Italian racing team, but when he finally meets them on the road, they are pricks. So, I really just watch for the esthetics and dont follow any single rider or group.
 
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theoriginalSALTYdog

All-Conference
Jul 10, 2021
1,710
2,175
113
Argentina’s round of 32 game was only viewed by 2.7 billion (yeah… with a B). So let’s keep acting like soccer is a somehow less significant than American football or baseball. Sure…

in America it is and ALWAYS will be..........
 
Aug 22, 2012
1,135
411
83
We just don't belong in soccer. It's like the rest of the world to our football or basketball. They might produce a player or two but they can't really compete with us. They don't have enough good players in their developmental leagues to become really good. Even though soccer has grown here with our youth, the other sports teams do get the better athletes so they just don't have enough good competition here when they are developing. You can totally see it in the team ball control.
Cape Verde could have beaten Argentina and their country has 600k population. Soccer here is growing so I think we will be more competitive in the future.
 
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She Mate Me

Heisman
Dec 7, 2008
14,302
13,157
113
I wish soccer fans would stop trying to bully their fellow Americans into liking the sport. We like what we like. That doesn't mean we're right or wrong. I personally have enjoyed the WC and will continue to watch.

i watch every WC pretty closely and say I’m going to get into soccer between WC’s.

Best of intentions, but it never happens…
 

Maroon Eagle

All-American
May 24, 2006
18,321
8,149
102
Every World Cup we get excited and every World Cup we get reminded, we are the Canada of basketball (or hell the Canada of Hockey too).
Nah.

The USMNT is the Southern Miss of World Soccer. We do well in our little G6 CONCACAF

When we face a middling team from Soccer’s SEC, a.k.a., UEFA, Belgium— The Mississippi State of World Soccer— we lose badly…
 
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FlotownDawg

All-American
Aug 30, 2012
7,031
7,586
113
People have to remember, our international men's program basically began in 1990. We didn't qualify for any World Cups between 1950 and 1990 and I don't even know if we had a national team that played hardly any games during that period. If we did, it was a bunch of plumbers and carpenters who played for the national team on the weekend. The sport basically didn't exist in America. European countries have been playing the sport for 150 years or more, so they had a massive head start. We didn't start taking the sport seriously until we were given the 1994 World Cup. We have done a lot of catching up in the 36 years we have actually had a functional national team, but we still have a ways to go. We are consistently getting out of the group in the World Cup, and have made it to the knockout rounds every World Cup since 2006 (we of course didn't qualify in 2018). That is an accomplishment, as some powerful soccer nations (looking at you Germany) haven't done that. But our hard ceiling is the round of 16. We've only gotten past it once, in 2002, and that was mostly due to a very lucky round of 16 draw, where we got to play a Mexico team we were familiar with and had already beaten in World Cup qualifying that year. However, this year's team was the most skilled we've ever had at a World Cup. In the past, we've always relied on defend, counter attack and score on set pieces. In the 2022 World Cup, we tied Wales and had to hang on by the skin of our teeth to beat Iran. Now we can actually possess the ball and boss the game in the midfield against lesser teams like that. That is a big step in the right direction. The next step is being able to do it against good European teams. We found out yesterday that we're still a ways off from that.
 

CochiseCowbell

Heisman
Oct 29, 2012
15,186
13,321
113
People have to remember, our international men's program basically began in 1990. We didn't qualify for any World Cups between 1950 and 1990 and I don't even know if we had a national team that played hardly any games during that period. If we did, it was a bunch of plumbers and carpenters who played for the national team on the weekend. The sport basically didn't exist in America. European countries have been playing the sport for 150 years or more, so they had a massive head start. We didn't start taking the sport seriously until we were given the 1994 World Cup. We have done a lot of catching up in the 36 years we have actually had a functional national team, but we still have a ways to go. We are consistently getting out of the group in the World Cup, and have made it to the knockout rounds every World Cup since 2006 (we of course didn't qualify in 2018). That is an accomplishment, as some powerful soccer nations (looking at you Germany) haven't done that. But our hard ceiling is the round of 16. We've only gotten past it once, in 2002, and that was mostly due to a very lucky round of 16 draw, where we got to play a Mexico team we were familiar with and had already beaten in World Cup qualifying that year. However, this year's team was the most skilled we've ever had at a World Cup. In the past, we've always relied on defend, counter attack and score on set pieces. In the 2022 World Cup, we tied Wales and had to hang on by the skin of our teeth to beat Iran. Now we can actually possess the ball and boss the game in the midfield against lesser teams like that. That is a big step in the right direction. The next step is being able to do it against good European teams. We found out yesterday that we're still a ways off from that.

I don't disagree with anything you've posted here, but paragraphs my man, paragrpahs!
 

The Peeper

Heisman
Feb 26, 2008
16,069
11,465
113
People have to remember, our international men's program basically began in 1990. We didn't qualify for any World Cups between 1950 and 1990 and I don't even know if we had a national team that played hardly any games during that period. If we did, it was a bunch of plumbers and carpenters who played for the national team on the weekend. The sport basically didn't exist in America. European countries have been playing the sport for 150 years or more, so they had a massive head start. We didn't start taking the sport seriously until we were given the 1994 World Cup. We have done a lot of catching up in the 36 years we have actually had a functional national team, but we still have a ways to go. We are consistently getting out of the group in the World Cup, and have made it to the knockout rounds every World Cup since 2006 (we of course didn't qualify in 2018). That is an accomplishment, as some powerful soccer nations (looking at you Germany) haven't done that. But our hard ceiling is the round of 16. We've only gotten past it once, in 2002, and that was mostly due to a very lucky round of 16 draw, where we got to play a Mexico team we were familiar with and had already beaten in World Cup qualifying that year. However, this year's team was the most skilled we've ever had at a World Cup. In the past, we've always relied on defend, counter attack and score on set pieces. In the 2022 World Cup, we tied Wales and had to hang on by the skin of our teeth to beat Iran. Now we can actually possess the ball and boss the game in the midfield against lesser teams like that. That is a big step in the right direction. The next step is being able to do it against good European teams. We found out yesterday that we're still a ways off from that.
wake up applause GIF by VfL Wolfsburg
 
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basedawg

Senior
Aug 22, 2012
985
725
93
Thread Jack. I’m looking for an e-bike but I don’t want to spend a ton of money but I also don’t want a Chinese POS.
I don't ride or have an e-bike, but I ride a bike (usually 25-30 miles every other day). My advice is go to bike shop, tell them about how far you plan on riding and the course you ride. Don't buy a cheap bike if you plan on riding consistently.
 

wjr13

Redshirt
Oct 5, 2022
7
35
13
More than twice as many Americans watched a France vs Senegal group game (the 19th highest rated game so far) than the MCWS championship. In case you were wondering how it’s popularly compares to amateur stickball.
You must’ve got cut from your high school baseball team.
 

TheBannerM

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2024
1,356
1,944
113
What's India and China's excuse? They have a larger population than we do yet have a worse men's national team.
 

HotMop

All-American
May 8, 2006
8,222
6,752
113
What's India and China's excuse? They have a larger population than we do yet have a worse men's national team.
India is too busy dominating Cricket to worry about the soccer ball sports.

They actually started a pro league later than us...
The Indian Super League (ISL) is the highest level of professional men's football in India. Established in 2014 and sanctioned by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the competition operates with promotion and relegation.