tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post2047203536539042803..comments2024-03-27T18:24:19.683-07:00Comments on Steve Sailer: iSteve: "How a Soccer Star Is Made"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-66614092249320770332015-07-12T20:55:08.840-07:002015-07-12T20:55:08.840-07:00Ribery is not of Algerian descent. He is indigenou...Ribery is not of Algerian descent. He is indigenous French. He is married to an Algerian though.Truthnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-84006292794515485632015-07-12T20:53:38.939-07:002015-07-12T20:53:38.939-07:00Ribery is not of Algerian descent. He is indigenou...Ribery is not of Algerian descent. He is indigenous French. He is married to an Algerian thoughAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-82986928877344552262010-06-08T12:37:48.682-07:002010-06-08T12:37:48.682-07:00I'd like to see the U.S. move toward licensing...I'd like to see the U.S. move toward licensing coaches the way the Dutch apparently do. There are far too many coaches out there -- in all American youth sports -- who have absolutely no idea what they're doing. Not only does their incompetence put their athletes at a disadvantage moving forward (because they're either learning nothing or, worse, learning incorrect things) it also puts kids at far greater risk of injury. The major sporting leagues need to make a push to systematically understand the skills their sports require and to create systems that teach coaches how to teach those skills. This would greatly improve the quality of our athletics. More importantly, it would also teach kids (and adults) an enormous amount about what it takes to get really good at anything (or at least get as good as you can get, if you don't have the natural talent to be really good. I could have spent my entire youth at that soccer school and I'd still be worse than that five year old at the end of the story.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-2345114119719929202010-06-06T08:40:27.044-07:002010-06-06T08:40:27.044-07:00"FYI second rows or locks are the tallest pla..."FYI second rows or locks are the tallest players on a rugby team, at the top level they tend to range between 6'6'' and 7' and most of them probably couldn't play soccer to save their lives."<br /><br />Yes, they're tall guys, so is Michael Crichton, but this belies a very simple point; they're not LeBron Effin' James!Truthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286755693955361308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-64653070078707361522010-06-05T13:12:57.986-07:002010-06-05T13:12:57.986-07:00"How many very tall players are there is socc..."How many very tall players are there is soccer? Not many. It's a disadvantge to be tall in soccer.6"4 is very tall for a soccer player."<br /><br />It's also tall full stop. It's a decent height for a heavyweight boxer or rower. For the most part it's not a disadvantage to be tall, but it's not that much of an advantage unless your a goalie or you play with your head a lot.<br /><br />The idea that Lebron James would just head the ball over everyone's head is ridiculous. If that were the case then all the rangy specimens who are second rows in the Guiness Premiership (rugby union) would be strikers in the Barclays Premiership (association football or soccer) for a lot more money.<br /><br />FYI second rows or locks are the tallest players on a rugby team, at the top level they tend to range between 6'6'' and 7' and most of them probably couldn't play soccer to save their lives.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-65763007962644928842010-06-04T20:04:12.969-07:002010-06-04T20:04:12.969-07:00Jody,
"I can't believe this conversation...Jody, <br /><i>"I can't believe this conversation is happening at this site."</i><br /><br />I'm well aware of ESPN's obsession with black athletes, which is probably more fruitfully discussed as a psychiatric phenomenon than as part of a sports discussion. I had the misfortune of receiving their egregious magazine briefly. I was perhaps, in my innocence, assuming that Steve's readers weren't mainlining the shit. <br /><br />I think you overestimate their influence, but we can agree to disagree about that. I gotta run, the Diamond League rebroadcast is set for 11 p.m. EDT. Speaking of which, you implied in passing that there are black sprinters that make next to nothing. I know you're a track fan, and, whereas it ain't the NBA, the top dogs male and female do pretty well. According to Ato Bolden, Usain pulled $300k just for showing up as well as promoting the meet in Shanghai. The Russian pole vault diva makes $1 million/year from a Chinese clothing company. Not bad. Later, bro. Peace.Starkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-34067284814074331402010-06-04T16:00:29.438-07:002010-06-04T16:00:29.438-07:00"Oh and Mesi, good luck with him stopping LeB..."Oh and Mesi, good luck with him stopping LeBron's header.<br /><br /><br />Messi is not a defender.<br /><br />How many very tall players are there is soccer? Not many. It's a disadvantge to be tall in soccer.6"4 is very tall for a soccer player.I'll bet the average height of the top players in the last 20 years is about 5"10,especially if you disregard defenders who are a little taller.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-6028306884244987432010-06-04T06:54:23.359-07:002010-06-04T06:54:23.359-07:00Has anyone looked at why African countries almost ...Has anyone looked at why African countries almost never put a decent team together? Or am I missing something? I can't think of any african country dominating european countries in any of the international competitions. I am refering to non-track team sporting events.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-55549936849974695612010-06-04T02:30:38.834-07:002010-06-04T02:30:38.834-07:00To soccer's credit, I do notice that soccer pl...<i><br />To soccer's credit, I do notice that soccer players have the best physiques. No lard asses in soccer.</i><br /><br />I think professional Australian Rules footballers have the best game-sport physiques. (100m sprinters have the best, but sprinting isn't a game.)<br /><br />Aussie rules is pure exhilaration. Aussies consider it the best sport in the world and it's not hard to see why. Players run an average of 10km per game, and while a lot of it is simply light running towards where the ball is, a lot of the game consists of bursts of raw speed. The game is also very physical, thus requiring strength and muscle mass. Players do not wear protective gear yet tackle by 'hip and shouldering' the player with the ball (similar to an ice hockey "check") and also grabbing him and bringing him to the ground or even flinging him around their center of gravity. Players can catch the ball in mid-flight by leaping up and propping the knees on the shoulders of the player in front and hoisting themselves up (a spectacular feat called a "screamer" in local parlance). The ferocious, combative spirit of the game was captured a popular (and inspirational, worth listening to) 80s song dedicated to the sport called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxM8XB61ZvU" rel="nofollow">"Up There Cazaly"</a> contained the lyrics, "Up there Cazaly, in there and fight, out there and at 'em, show 'em your might. Up there Cazaley, don't let 'em in, fight like the devil, you're out there to win." (Again, watch the clip.)Silvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-20722624673469441712010-06-04T01:52:01.958-07:002010-06-04T01:52:01.958-07:00Blacks are over-represented in football but they d...<i>Blacks are over-represented in football but they do not dominate the game. When Cameroon made the World Cup quarter-final in 1990 many Lefties predicted that Africans would win the World Cup, soon.</i><br /><br />They had England on the ropes in that game, too. (Up 2-0, only to lose 3-2.) <br /><br />You get these freak runs every now and then. N. Korea in '66 was another example, up 3-0 in the quarters against Portugal, only to lose 5-3. <br /><br />Cameroon in 90, Bulgaria in 94, Croatia in 98, S. Korea and Turkey in 02. It's highly unlikely you'll ever see repeat performances from any of them again. The World Cup is dominated by the Big Three, Brazil, Germany and Italy. If you're on a run you might get past one but good luck getting past two of them. And there's the ever-hopeful perennial also-rans you have to contend with (Spain, England, Argentina, France). For example, Bulgaria defeated Germany in the 94 quarters but went down to Italy (unlucky not to pull even when the ref missed a hand-ball in the penalty area); Croatia defeated Germany in the 98 quarters but were done by France in the semis. It's just extraordinarily hard for the small countries to get past the big teams.Silvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-14493441735534970602010-06-04T00:10:35.857-07:002010-06-04T00:10:35.857-07:00"I can't believe this conversation is hap..."I can't believe this conversation is happening at this site."<br /><br />why? this site is an american blog written by an american writer, and all day every day, americans are fed pure grade A bullshit by ESPN that black american basketball players would dominate any sport they wanted.<br /><br />i predicted this not 10 threads ago, except i thought it would take until the elimination of the US soccer team and ESPN's now standard "black basketball players would have won!" reaction before people would start up with this bullshit again.<br /><br />you seriously underestimate the relentless brainwashing americans receive on this subject. these fucking morons at ESPN will not let this stuff go no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. they hammer away on this issue like the US news media hammers away on maintaining open borders.<br /><br />they actually think all the black american boxers are playing basketball instead. basketball! of course, it has to be basketball, because in the US, all roads lead to hoops, and anybody only plays any other sport if they can't play basketball.<br /><br />in reality there is not much overlap between basketball and boxing and there are definitely NOT many good boxers in the NBA. not in 2010, not in 1985, not ever. ESPN does not actually want to think this stuff through, and just goes with the standard, totally wrong "Blacks go where the money is."<br /><br />in 1985, mike tyson was making 40 million dollars a year for 30 minutes of work, while michael jordan settled for 700 grand and a grueling 100 basketball game season. what a load of fucking bullshit that "Blacks go where the money is."<br /><br />why didn't magic or kareem or jordan knock out tyson and get 15 million dollars instead of busting their asses for 7 months a year for a pathetic 700 grand? using the ESPN explanation, michael jordan and magic johnson and all the other "super" blacks from the 80s were actually the inferior athletes playing the VASTLY lower paying sport, and the 6-2 220 pound boxers making literally 20 times as much money for 20 times less work were the true superior athletes.<br /><br />what actually happened was the 1987 NFL strike. in 1987, the highest paid football player was making less than 1 million dollars a year. after 1987, salaries started to rise. that's where some potential boxers went. to football. NOT to basketball. 6-2, 220 pound guys who can hit and can take a hit. lots of overlap with boxing in physiology and psychology. most basketball players can't throw a punch to save their lives. they show this every time they "fight". not natural fighters, at all.<br /><br />ESPN would have us believe lebron james could easily, EASILY knockout vitali klitschko. can't you just see this by looking at him? who cares if he can throw a punch or take a punch, JUST LOOK AT HIM! magnificent specimen! CLEARLY would dominate boxing. the history of boxing is filled with 6 foot 8 africans, equally at home on the court or in the ring. LOL.jodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-74774661712076819262010-06-03T23:44:37.504-07:002010-06-03T23:44:37.504-07:00"Bill Simmons recently discussed on his podca..."Bill Simmons recently discussed on his podcast what the US Soccer Team would look like with"<br /><br />right on queue. white non-athlete "analysts" and their fantasy about black american basketball players. sometimes i wonder if these guys are literally homosexual for black hoopsters. i know for certain they are gay for black american football players. just listening to them describe NFL prospects is like reading one of those women's romance novels.<br /><br />clearly, black american basketball players would dominate any sport they wanted. how can anybody not see this? after michael jordan led major league baseball in batting average and home runs, and won the national league MVP, was there any more doubt that black american basketball players would make a mockery of any sport they wanted?<br /><br />send the US basketball team to the world cup instead of the US soccer team. every other team that wins the world cup also uses 11 africans who average 6-7 in height, so why shouldn't the americans?<br /><br />not enough blacks!<br />not enough blacks!<br />not enough blacks!<br /><br />the new american battle cry.<br /><br />and i like the new one, about how all the great black boxers play basketball now instead. LOL.<br /><br />reality is that 40 million black americans can't dominate every sport in the world all at the same time. there are 7 billion other people who are hungry to win at various sports and they'll overwhelm the black americans. black americans can't even dominate every sport played in the US at the same time. baseball pays MUCH more than american football and is MUCH less dangerous than american football, but black americans are leaving baseball. the tried and true "Blacks go where the money is" does not work here. why play a sport for MUCH less money and take on MUCH higher risk of injury if you want to go where the money is? they clearly are not going where the money is. indeed, in track & field, black americans can cover 100 meters in 9 seconds while being paid nothing, but in baseball, when offered 10 MILLION dollars PER YEAR, they still cannot throw ONE perfect game. and what is this, YET ANOTHER perfect game was thrown this week, and the player was not african.<br /><br />sometimes it's simple. black americans are much better on average than any other group at some sports. at other sports, they might still be better on average but less better, and the difference in ability between them and the other groups is not as big, so group numbers make up the difference or even overwhelm the difference. if africans were THAT much better at soccer, and "africans play soccer not baseball" as i was told in a recent thread, then why does an african team not win the world cup every time? there are 1 BILLION africans in africa. that's a lot more than 40 million. maybe, just maybe, africans aren't SO much better at soccer than every other group. when the 2010 world cup ends, and an african team does not win, do we yet again trot out the old "They just aren't interested" despite being told 3 weeks earlier that "They are definitely interested in this."<br /><br />in america today it seems to always be a case of "Blacks aren't interested in sport X." well, there's a finite supply of black americans. if they start "getting interested" in sport X, some will have to leave sport Y. because they picked sport X over sport Y, just like any athlete of any race. there is no bottomless well of untapped black american sports talent. they can't "get interested" in sport A, B, C, and D, and dominate all of those too while also dominating sport E, F, and G. black americans are totally maxed out. in fact, they're overdrawn. the NFL employs probably 250 scrub black american athletes every season, guys would would be outplayed by white americans if the NFL did not enjoy international isolation and was not allowed to fall into the "blacks only" rules which it operates under today. if the US soccer team went "blacks only" it would just get clobbered.jodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-26277684166016725142010-06-03T23:28:16.727-07:002010-06-03T23:28:16.727-07:00it's simply a matter of participation rate. in...it's simply a matter of participation rate. in the US, soccer is the number 5 sport for participation rate. it's behind american football, track & field, baseball, and basketball, while ahead of wrestling, tennis, swimming & diving, and golf. so right in the middle.<br /><br />i do not think there is anything wrong with the way soccer is organized in the US. there is high school soccer and NCAA soccer, which is the same as every other sport and every other sport produces world class athletes and teams for the US. there is also club soccer, which is well run, and operates simultaneously alongside high school soccer and NCAA soccer. this system works well for all other sports.<br /><br />there would be more good black american soccer players if they started leaving other sports for soccer. but it's not true that black americans don't play soccer and are not interested in soccer. they do play soccer and they are somewhat interested in soccer.<br /><br />white americans are definitely not avoiding black americans by playing soccer. they participate at a high rate in every high school sport which black americans like. more white americans play football and basketball than soccer. white americans do not have to "avoid blacks" by playing soccer instead of football and basketball. they leave the city to avoid blacks in the first place. white americans prefer football and basketball and play more football and basketball than soccer on their suburban and rural high school teams. the description of american soccer as "suburban non-athletes" is just standard american bias against white athletes. if white athletes sucked so much, why don't all the other groups just easily blow them away? why don't mexicans and arabs and asians and indians just easily take over american soccer?<br /><br />white americans play every sport. they aren't "avoiding blacks" by playing lots of different sports. they're just playing lots of different sports. they definitely are not "avoiding blacks" by inventing new sports. whites invent sports. it's something they do. blacks don't invent sports. how were whites "avoiding blacks" by inventing new sports 200 years ago? the english weren't "avoiding blacks" by developing boxing. they weren't "avoiding blacks" when they came up with tennis. scots weren't "avoiding blacks" by developing golf and australians weren't "avoiding blacks" by developing australian rules football. white americans were not "avoiding blacks" by developing baseball nor were they "avoiding blacks" by developing american football. canadians were not "avoiding blacks" when they developed ice hockey. the canadian inventor of basketball was not "avoiding blacks" when he came up with hoops. i'm not clear on how greeks were "avoiding blacks" by developing track & field.<br /><br />whites develop new sports today for the same exact reasons they did 200 years ago. to continue to invent new and interesting stuff. rugby, wrestling, cricket, cycling, volleyball, weightlifting, skiing, i'm not clear on how these were all developed so whites could "avoid blacks". whites may as well be "avoiding blacks" by developing new fields of mathematics. if all the africans in the world disappeared tomorrow, europeans around the globe would still be developing new sports.jodynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-6597819483164694652010-06-03T21:38:01.576-07:002010-06-03T21:38:01.576-07:00"Messi is 5-7 and super quick; he is regularl..."Messi is 5-7 and super quick; he is regularly compared to Maradona (ask somebody.) Kobe couldn't stay within 15 yards of him"<br /><br />I've read that Kobe, who loves soccer, routinely scrimmages with pro teams in Italy (where he owns a basketball team) and doesn't embarrass himself. Here's the kicker; Kobe has never played ONE SINGLE ORGANIZED SOCCER GAME IN HIS LIFE. <br /><br />Also I've read that Steve Nash does not play basketball in the offseason, he instead plays soccer in New York and he routinely destroys MISL soccer players.<br /><br />Oh and Mesi, good luck with him stopping LeBron's header.Truthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286755693955361308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-11142633881185358102010-06-03T21:35:34.381-07:002010-06-03T21:35:34.381-07:00Subtlety,not power
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Subtlety,not power<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EE4C_7lHIwAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-17072075552448212652010-06-03T21:24:45.213-07:002010-06-03T21:24:45.213-07:00This is skill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYd...This is skill.<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYd2ftQLaZI&feature=related<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrOyedpeZnk&feature=fvw<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8iQcbCvq_Q<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzFLYED55BM&feature=related<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwilt4kfFMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-59225198926162479312010-06-03T19:52:47.097-07:002010-06-03T19:52:47.097-07:00There aren't many blacks on this list. 7 out o...There aren't many blacks on this list. 7 out of 50 look 100% black with a couple more mulattos.<br /><br />Messi is the best player in the world at about 5'6". Rooney can't be more than 5'8". Ronaldo is tall for a soccer player at about 6'2" I think.<br />Good luck on the NBA players.<br /><br />http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/page/worldcup101-03012010/ce/us/best-players-2010-world-cup?cc=5901&ver=usAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-45414894207492467552010-06-03T19:51:15.903-07:002010-06-03T19:51:15.903-07:00"Can't somebody cook up a sport where whi...<i>"Can't somebody cook up a sport where whites are naturally better than blacks?"</i><br /><br />I can't believe this conversation is happening at this site. You folks really need to get out more. Every year soccer's governing body, FIFA, votes (national team coaches and captains) for the player of the year (male and female). A little more authoritive than ESPN's white jocksniffers, no? <br /><br />For 2009, the top five male players were Lionel Messi, Argentina: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal; Xavi, Spain; Kaka, white Brazilian, and Andres Iniesta, Spain. Eight of the top 10 were white. Check out Wiki's entry "2009 FIFA World Player of the Year." You can click on the names and get pictures of them if you don't believe me. <br /><br />Small point I know, but ladies and gents, it's the world's most popular sport. There are no size barriers to entry and the fastest, most agile and most coordinated guys in Germany, Brazil, Nigeria and the rest of the world give it a try. I bet you can laid, too, if you're real good at it. See, these countries are forced to live without baseball, basketball and football.<br /><br />Kobe and LeBron would make short work of these white boys, according to ESPN. Messi is 5-7 and super quick; he is regularly compared to Maradona (ask somebody.) Kobe couldn't stay within 15 yards of him. Cristiano Ronaldo is blazing, despite low arm carry. At top speed he changes direction, steps over the ball (fake change of direction) and delivers the soccer equivalent of behind the back passes. I'd guess the 255-lb. LeBron would be faked off his feet the first time Ronaldo ran at him, and would watch the rest of the play flat on his back.Starkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-50094544379265195802010-06-03T19:38:29.303-07:002010-06-03T19:38:29.303-07:00"Those poor kids in third world countries pla..."Those poor kids in third world countries playing on the streets are now being scouted earlier and earlier by European clubs, who set up local academies and make sure the kids get proper food and training. MLB does something similar in the Dominican Republic. Very few of these kids learn exclusively on the street any more"<br /><br />All of this nonsense should stop. MLB should be for Americans and European soccer should be for Europeans. What is happeing with all the foreign players is a disgrace.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-18488150920632206672010-06-03T19:35:46.260-07:002010-06-03T19:35:46.260-07:00Soccer is not boring,especially in cup competition...Soccer is not boring,especially in cup competitions when each game is a knock out game. Baseball is a total bore.<br /><br />Euros make fun of our football because they say there is no skill involved. Soccer takes a great deal more skill than football.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-21799756184868383512010-06-03T19:32:50.604-07:002010-06-03T19:32:50.604-07:00"Can't somebody cook up a sport where whi..."Can't somebody cook up a sport where whites are naturally better than blacks? "<br /><br />Soccer. Read above. Also, most sports you can think of.Tennis, golf, middle distance running, swimming,baseball,volleyball to name a few.Oh weightlifting,wrestling,most winter sports. Hockey.Rugby.<br /><br />Football and basketball are not the only sports.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-85363363206375902722010-06-03T19:28:32.251-07:002010-06-03T19:28:32.251-07:00The top soccer players are white. Black players do...The top soccer players are white. Black players don't have the touch and subtlety to play soccer well.There are exceptions. Many of the top black players are Mulatto.<br /><br />Messi,Ronaldo,Rooney,Kaka,Torres,Xavi,Gerrard,Del Piero,Ibrahimovich,Fabregas are all white. Ribery is of Alegerian descent. Also David Villa, Lampard.<br /><br />In the past you had Maradona. Zidane was Algerian. Bergkamp,Platini, Keegan, Best,Cruyff are greats of the past.<br /><br />Drogba is the best African now.Essien is also a top player.<br />But black African teams don't do well in the WC even though their players play in Europe. <br /><br />Egypt has won the African Nations Cup the last 3 times, 4 of the last 7. Throw in Tunisia for another win in the last 7.<br /><br />Black players do not dominate soccer.<br /><br />Just because you are good at BB, doesn't mean you will be good a soccer.Soccer takes skill, not just speed.<br /><br />Did the people talking about bb players playing soccer mention Nash?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-72245665057021969172010-06-03T18:53:20.082-07:002010-06-03T18:53:20.082-07:00Steve, I think a lot of your analysis about soccer...Steve, I think a lot of your analysis about soccer player development in the US falls apart when you consider the sport of tennis. <br /><br />Tennis players must train from a very young age at professional academies in order to have a chance at playing professionally. They can break into the pros at a similar age to soccer players (16) and their careers die around the same time (late 20s). There is in fact a greater risk to playing tennis, of completely failing despite spending your whole life on this, since in order to make money you need to be top 50-100 in the world. There aren't several leagues of several dozen teams in each country to find a job with.<br /><br />Why will lots of parents pay through the nose to send their sons and daughters to tennis academies and not do something similar for soccer?Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04760976352941496561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-82774369159321712352010-06-03T17:25:24.150-07:002010-06-03T17:25:24.150-07:00Tom Regan--"Soccer is not about entertainemnt...Tom Regan--"Soccer is not about entertainemnt, its about group identity. ... Its a gritty, mostly working class sport in which the English get to hate the Germans, who hate the French, who hate the Italians, who hate the Brazilians, who hate the Argentinians etc."<br /><br />Americans have war for that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9430835.post-11795864876123062502010-06-03T14:35:59.520-07:002010-06-03T14:35:59.520-07:00Americans say all the time "we would dominate...Americans say all the time "we would dominate soccer if we really cared about it" which is laughable. NBA players are tall, but they don't have the skills the it takes to play soccer, just like they wouldn't have the ability to play baseball. Being able to use your feet to put a ball where you want it is a unique skill, more so than practically anything in American sports (somewhat comparable to hitting in baseball) and if you don't have it you can't play. If you do have that ability even if your short and asthmatic like Paul Scholes you can be a great player.<br /><br />Americans play a lot of soccer (there is a reason the term is soccer moms) but have never produced any players (outside of some decent goalkeepers). I would say American kids play soccer less than basketball or baseball but more than any other sport including football or hockey. And considering America's population of 300 million, you'd think they'd produce some good players. But America has never produced a player at the level of Hugo Almedia let alone Christiano Ronaldo. And Portugal has less than 10 million people. At any given point I guarantee you there are more boys playing soccer in America than Portugal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com