Jesus Christ MLS
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Anonymous
Ronaldo and Messi as No. 1 and 2 on the Forbes list of the world's highest-paid athletes could encourage American kids to think differently about their sporting career choices. Their respective incomes of $88 million and $81.4 million for the past year eclipsed No. 3 LeBron James' $77.2 million. |
Anonymous
Athletes tend to gravitate towards the sport that their physical attributes are better served. Many, MANY of the positions for football have physical attribute requirements that would make for a bad soccer player. In fact, generally only corners, safeties and wide receivers would have the right physical mix of lean size and speed that would translate to soccer. The rest of the positions are just too big and slow. This is an example of the athleticism one of the greatest QBs of all time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxx_u67eUSA He clearly missed his calling. Basketball, please, only some point guards would fit the mold and forget most baseball players. |
Anonymous
But there's no clear path for them to get to play for Barcelona or AC Milan. They get free college tuition but no real chance to get to that level. |
Anonymous
Cristiano Ronaldo Height 6? 1?, Weight 176 lbs *could* run the 40 yard dash between 4.64-4.70 seconds |
Anonymous
You're proving the point. All of the kids who would make good soccer players are more likely to play in those positions than play soccer. Soccer is not a sport that people pick for their kids if the kid has even a remote chance of going professional. |
Anonymous
And yours is typical of the person who comes in and needs to feel superior to everyone else in soccer, whether it's a constructive contribution to the discussion or not. |
Anonymous
Free college tuition  ? Their parents pay a minimum $4k/year from 8-18 for travel and training fees. I wouldn't call that free. The vast majority will not even get a scholarship and the few that do will be at some 3rd tier academic school. The kid could get into a better college on grades alone. That $ would be better in a 529.
It's correct there is zero path in the US. My kids love soccer and they are in a family with a Pro player and several D1 athletes and I've been beating my head against the wall at how the path is even more convoluted then it was in the late 80s when I played. More snake oil salesmen, more bureaucracy, more politics, more shitty academies, too many watered down leagues and more emphasis on physical attributes/pure size over technical ability. More people are walking around wearing soccer jerseys and watching the World Cup--but that's about all that's changed over the last several decades in this country. Last night's game shows that much. You can't even go to an Academy tryout without a fucking invitation. Way to preclude finding the hidden gem. You have to be full checkbook invested and your nose up somebody's ass to even get a chance. We have only added more barriers along the path. Crazy shit in this country. |
Anonymous
This, right here is the problem in action, folks. Re read this post. |
Anonymous
And Kobe Bryant is 6'6" 212 lbs. these are attributes. Ronaldo lacks NBA attributes. Kobe's size is not a proven soccer attribute. Exactly what is so hard to understand about that? In fact if height was a requirement then Sweeden would be the soccer Mecca of Europe. |