2014 World Cup

[Ed Anger]

Gee, thanks.

You aren't keeping them from soccer too, are you? I did say football and soccer.

But fuck soccer. Get them into baseball or basketball. Raise Americans, not wannabe europeans. 

The girls play soccer. I'll have to see what the rest are in to when they get a bit older.

[DGuller]

But the trend is disturbing.  From 1954 - 1986, the US didn't qualify.  They have qualified in every tournament since 1990.  It is now generally expected that the US will qualify, and that it is no surprise if they reach the round of 16.  The US has such a huge population and market that if the sport becomes more popular over there, in the long-run the US has potential to become a powerhouse.

I think the most popular sport for really young kids in the US is soccer. Basically because it is so easy to toss a ball onto a field and have small kids chase it for an hour. But once kids get a bit older they move into football, baseball, and basketball.

You want me to scare you? There has been a shitload of safety concerns regarding head injuries in football, and participation is dropping considerably at around the 10-12 age range. It is a very small movement, but some high schools have even made moves to drop teams. Football is the king of American sports, and if kids move away from football, some will go to soccer. That won't impact the next world cup, but in 10 years it might.

It seems like if brain damage is your concern, then playing a sport where hitting a ball with your unprotected head is standard play is not a good alternative.

[FunkMonk]

I don't get the optimism about the future for the US. Maybe in 8 or 12 years, but not in 4. The team is not good save for 1 bona fide star in Tim Howard, and he may be retired by the next world cup. Clint Dempsey is also be winding down.

The optimism about winning the World Cup is delusional and mainly coming from people who have very little experience in the game. Winning the World Cup, realistically, is a couple decades away at the earliest. It will take that long to develop youngsters into players who have the technical skills required to truly be considered at least a "dark horse."

Or we can just look at foreign players who are eligible to play for America and steal them, like Julian Green. 

[FunkMonk]

It seems like if brain damage is your concern, then playing a sport where hitting a ball with your unprotected head is standard play is not a good alternative.

Eh, heading the ball isn't really the problem. Doing it properly is completely safe and doesn't hurt at all. It's heading the ball when someone else, who also wants to head that very same ball, jumps into you going 20 mph and smashes his head into yours that's the problem.

[sbr]

It seems like if brain damage is your concern, then playing a sport where hitting a ball with your unprotected head is standard play is not a good alternative.

Eh, heading the ball isn't really the problem. Doing it properly is completely safe and doesn't hurt at all. It's heading the ball when someone else, who also wants to head that very same ball, jumps into you going 20 mph and smashes his head into yours that's the problem.

It's not about how much it hurts.  The current thinking and research is about the number of blows to the head, even if they are "minor".

[Josquius]

I don't get the optimism about the future for the US. Maybe in 8 or 12 years, but not in 4. The team is not good save for 1 bona fide star in Tim Howard, and he may be retired by the next world cup. Clint Dempsey is also be winding down.

I know there is young talent coming along, but there is a lot of talent going away too. It isn't likely that in 4 years a guy we have never heard of is going to come along and put this team on his back and play with true international superstar talent. I think in 4 years we are going to be right where we are now. Hoping to get out of the group stage (expecting if the draw isn't too tough), and then get some breaks to possibly get into the quarterfinals. The same place we've been for the past 3 WCs.

But the trend is disturbing.  From 1954 - 1986, the US didn't qualify.  They have qualified in every tournament since 1990.  It is now generally expected that the US will qualify, and that it is no surprise if they reach the round of 16.  The US has such a huge population and market that if the sport becomes more popular over there, in the long-run the US has potential to become a powerhouse. 

That's more down to FIFA increasing the amount of teams in the finals and changing how qualification works to make the world cup more global rather than the US suddenly becoming better.
It is expected that the US will always qualify because they only other consistently good team in North America is Mexico, and there are 3 guaranteed spots for North America and one potential.
Until the 80s there was usually just one slot for North America, which Mexico usually took.

[Norgy]

I believe Haiti qualified for the 1974 WC and got spanked in every game. 0-7 against Poland stands out.

[Monoriu]

I don't get the optimism about the future for the US. Maybe in 8 or 12 years, but not in 4. The team is not good save for 1 bona fide star in Tim Howard, and he may be retired by the next world cup. Clint Dempsey is also be winding down.

I know there is young talent coming along, but there is a lot of talent going away too. It isn't likely that in 4 years a guy we have never heard of is going to come along and put this team on his back and play with true international superstar talent. I think in 4 years we are going to be right where we are now. Hoping to get out of the group stage (expecting if the draw isn't too tough), and then get some breaks to possibly get into the quarterfinals. The same place we've been for the past 3 WCs.

But the trend is disturbing.  From 1954 - 1986, the US didn't qualify.  They have qualified in every tournament since 1990.  It is now generally expected that the US will qualify, and that it is no surprise if they reach the round of 16.  The US has such a huge population and market that if the sport becomes more popular over there, in the long-run the US has potential to become a powerhouse. 

That's more down to FIFA increasing the amount of teams in the finals and changing how qualification works to make the world cup more global rather than the US suddenly becoming better.
It is expected that the US will always qualify because they only other consistently good team in North America is Mexico, and there are 3 guaranteed spots for North America and one potential.
Until the 80s there was usually just one slot for North America, which Mexico usually took.

But the US did much better than Mexico in the qualification process for this WC.  The US came on top.  Mexico had to play a playoff with, who is it, New Zealand?

[Grey Fox]

That is right.

[Monoriu]

That is right.

Then it is problematic.  Decades ago Mexico consistently did better than the US.  Now, the US is at least on par with Mexico. 

[Grey Fox]

Trust me, they saw it has big problem too.

[Liep]

I just took a 'which legendary world cup scandal are you?'

I got the french meltdown.

[Admiral Yi]

I found a radio station airing the US match on the drive home.  They had an American play by play man paired with some old crusty Scottish fart doing color.  I thought the American was pretty good.  The Scot called him "J.P."  Anyone know him?  Flip?

[Grey Fox]

That's his name, John Paul Dellacamera.

[DGuller]

And the Scottish dude was probably Hispanic (if you're thinking of the same guy I'm thinking of).