Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have participated in several sports on competitive teams. Wrestling requires the most conditioning (based on my experience), then American football, followed by competitive distance running, then soccer (I was a center midfielder.)

Wrestling careers are quite short.

Soccer careers can last over 20 years.
That does not even include their youth, grammar school and collegiate playing years.

You are supporting my point that soccer is not as demanding a sport as wrestling or as American football. Almost anyone can play soccer. Even those soccer players who engage in intense competition can last decades in the sport because it doesn't require the extreme conditioning and use of one's body as do wrestling, American football, or water polo among other sports.

Lots of unknowledgeable comments about American football on this thread.

Regardless, all athletes--regardless of the sport or the intensity of one's competition--deserve praise and admiration.

I wish that I was more excited about World Cup soccer, but--even as a former soccer player--I prefer to watch other sports more than I do soccer. Different strokes for different folks.

Almost anyone can play football, just look at all of the front yard games that will be occurring on Thursday. If you're talking about professional at the highest level, compare the number of kids dreaming of playing in the premier league and eventually make it to the number of kids who dream of the NFL and make it. The premiere league odds are longer by orders of magnitude.

This. Football doesn't require much skill. I have friends who played football in college WITHOUT ever playing in HS. Being a linesman is not skillful. You just bulk up and block. Soccer, on the other hand, requires intense training from an incredibly early age. If you have not shown talent in soccer by age 10, you are not going anywhere in the sport. You don't just pick it up in high school and go onto a career in the field. I mean, even Tom Brady picked up football later in life because it just doesn't require advanced technical mastery.

Are there some great athletes in football? Of course. But the vast majority of that 53 person roster cannot even run the field, and many are just morbidly obese.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a 7 year old girl soccer is not a sport

I know. Real sports are those where incredibly obese men dress up in tights and smash into one another, stop every 30 seconds to reset (because they cannot play a solid, continuous game), run 100+ commercials per game, and half the team cannot run 50 yards without passing out.

I get what you’re saying. But act the same time, as a PP suggested:

- Mark Andrew’s
- Travis Kelce
- Christian McCaffrey
- Aaron Donald
- Khalil Mack

All of them are superior athlete to every single soccer player in the world. That’s not a dig on soccer, it’s just the fact that some football positions require more complex aspects of fitness than soccer, based simply off the nature of the game.

I probably left out the best example: Saquon Barkley.

He could keep up with them for 90 minutes on the field. But also probably beat them in the 40 yard dash. And still squat over 600 lbs.

I know it pains you guys to hear this but: the best athlete in the world play American football

No. You really do not know what you are posting about.

Total Soccer Players
275,000,000
Pro Soccer Players
128,983

Total American tackle football
5,800,000
Pro player
1,696

Eric Haaland is 6’4” and has a recorded speed of 36km/h which is about a 4.24 in the forty. He very strong. There is just a much bigger pool of players to draw from for soccer. So averages speed, quickness and strength with be higher.

Adama Traore is 38km/h
Alphonso Davies, Mbappe, Phil Foden, Aaron Wan Bissaka all are above 37km/h. Which is faster vs the fastest time ever recorded in the NFL combined. There are freakish athletes playing soccer and there are a lot of them vs football.

Now in the US the best athletes play basketball not football or soccer.

Fewer people play tackle football because it is more dangerous and requires a more specialized skill set. It also requires more specialized equipment. The reason soccer is so popular is that it is incredibly accessible. You need a ball, a surface, and that's about it. That's why children play soccer all over the world, it's practically an innate skill to chase and kick a ball around.

American style football has barriers to entry, like auto racing, gymnastics, hockey, and other sports that require specialized equipment. If children started playing tackle football in the street, their parents would come pull them apart because it would be terribly dangerous. Of course these sports have fewer overall players because it's harder to play. But professional football players are remarkable athletes. To put them down or argue that pro soccer players are, on average faster or stronger, is silly. Pro soccer players are amazing athletes too. Just don't see the point in comparing them and don't think it's necessary.

I don't get the chip on the shoulder some of the soccer fans in this thread have. It's an enormously popular sport. People all over the world watch it and enjoy it, including MANY people in the US. Who cares that some people don't watch it? Their loss.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have participated in several sports on competitive teams. Wrestling requires the most conditioning (based on my experience), then American football, followed by competitive distance running, then soccer (I was a center midfielder.)

Wrestling careers are quite short.

Soccer careers can last over 20 years.
That does not even include their youth, grammar school and collegiate playing years.

You are supporting my point that soccer is not as demanding a sport as wrestling or as American football. Almost anyone can play soccer. Even those soccer players who engage in intense competition can last decades in the sport because it doesn't require the extreme conditioning and use of one's body as do wrestling, American football, or water polo among other sports.

Lots of unknowledgeable comments about American football on this thread.

Regardless, all athletes--regardless of the sport or the intensity of one's competition--deserve praise and admiration.

I wish that I was more excited about World Cup soccer, but--even as a former soccer player--I prefer to watch other sports more than I do soccer. Different strokes for different folks.

I now find football boring. Just too much down time and little scoring. There is very little skill in football. This is why a good athlete can walk on the field in 9th grade and play. It takes maybe a day to show a receiver how to run the route tree, same for any position on the team.

You really do not know what you are posting when you say a soccer player does not require extreme conditioning, etc or the any of your posts. You are really an idiot.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have participated in several sports on competitive teams. Wrestling requires the most conditioning (based on my experience), then American football, followed by competitive distance running, then soccer (I was a center midfielder.)

Wrestling careers are quite short.

Soccer careers can last over 20 years.
That does not even include their youth, grammar school and collegiate playing years.

You are supporting my point that soccer is not as demanding a sport as wrestling or as American football. Almost anyone can play soccer. Even those soccer players who engage in intense competition can last decades in the sport because it doesn't require the extreme conditioning and use of one's body as do wrestling, American football, or water polo among other sports.

Lots of unknowledgeable comments about American football on this thread.

Regardless, all athletes--regardless of the sport or the intensity of one's competition--deserve praise and admiration.

I wish that I was more excited about World Cup soccer, but--even as a former soccer player--I prefer to watch other sports more than I do soccer. Different strokes for different folks.

Almost anyone can play football, just look at all of the front yard games that will be occurring on Thursday. If you're talking about professional at the highest level, compare the number of kids dreaming of playing in the premier league and eventually make it to the number of kids who dream of the NFL and make it. The premiere league odds are longer by orders of magnitude.

I'm a fan of both soccer and American football. One great thing about American football is that it is more accessible because the teams are larger. A kid can take up football as a teen and, with the right level of athleticism, skill, and hard work, be able to play in college or even beyond. Soccer squads are smaller, and the technical skill required to play at a high level can't be acquired in your teens (except for maybe goalies).

Anonymous wrote:Sure lots of people are upset that they didn't skip work yesterday to watch a thrilling 1-1 draw.

Now, I know that my simple American brain isn't able to capture the subtle nuance of each touch and the grace of the 'beautiful' game, even though I watched.

The ball went in the net twice. It almost went in the net maybe 3 other times. At least a dozen players fell to the ground to take a break while grabbing their leg or toe from slight contact. Just like every other soccer match that I've watched.

Riveting.

Baseball is like watching paint dry.

Sure lots of people are upset that they didn't skip work yesterday to watch a thrilling 1-1 draw.

Now, I know that my simple American brain isn't able to capture the subtle nuance of each touch and the grace of the 'beautiful' game, even though I watched.

The ball went in the net twice. It almost went in the net maybe 3 other times. At least a dozen players fell to the ground to take a break while grabbing their leg or toe from slight contact. Just like every other soccer match that I've watched.

Riveting.

Ah, not in my community.

We are a soccer family, generations upon generations. I started travel in the 70s as a young girl. My teens are very into soccer, play year round indoor and out and have since they could stand up. There have been viewing parties. People have taken off work. My older brother, who played pro, took off this week from work to sit in his Liverpool bar in NYC to watch round the clock. It's crazy in his neighborhood.

DC bars are allowed to serve alcohol around the clock during the WC.

I just walked by my 14-year old's virtual school day...to see the Denmark match up on his laptop screen .

World Cup fever is at their high school too with viewing parties in the theater after school ready to go. It will run all day so during study breaks or lunch period the kids can go watch.

Ironically, Germans in Germany have boycotted the World Cup. In Berlin, there are currently no signs the WC is even being played. Crazy--since I lived in Berlin during the 2010 WC where it was mayhem.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/soccer/soccer-mad-germans-turning-their-backs-on-world-cup/2022/11/18/c7349b40-674a-11ed-b08c-3ce222607059_story.html

This year all the major news networks have had WC coverage, even the local Newscasters were wearing special WC pullovers and did segments all day yesterday, the first US match.

Canada doesn't halt everything for soccer, either. I don't find it sad, people are allowed their preferences.

I enjoy soccer though I'm not a super fan. I go to DC United games a couple times a year and almost always watch the World Cup (both mens and womens). I will admit to not being a huge fan of the US mens team because they aren't very good, sorry. But I don't dislike the sport and I think World Cup is soccer at it's best -- I tried getting into EPL at one point but I think I need the stakes of WC soccer to hold my interest.

But I didn't watch yesterday and will not watch a second of this WC because Qatar has behaved disgustingly. It's not just about a culture that is homophobic and oppressive to women. They literally killed migrant workers to build these stadiums. It just feels gross to watch.

Also, I don't get why this thread is full of people putting down American football. I don't care if you like American football or not (I personally really enjoy it) but trying to prove soccer is worth watching by putting down a wildly popular support that a lot of people really enjoy is weird. "Oh, you don't like pad Thai? Well that pizza you are eating is disgusting! It's just crust and sauce and cheese, how unappetizing!" You just sound dumb. Two sports can be good at the same time. Lots of people outside the US like American football, too. Are they idiots? No, it's an entertaining sport.

Also also, while soccer is very much a global sport (unlike American football), there are many countries where it's not the most important sport. Americans prefer a number of other sports, Canadians would put hockey above all else, Indians and Pakistanis love cricket most, and so on. It's not actually uniquely American to be a little ambivalent about soccer or prefer other things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a 7 year old girl soccer is not a sport

I know. Real sports are those where incredibly obese men dress up in tights and smash into one another, stop every 30 seconds to reset (because they cannot play a solid, continuous game), run 100+ commercials per game, and half the team cannot run 50 yards without passing out.

I get what you’re saying. But act the same time, as a PP suggested:

- Mark Andrew’s
- Travis Kelce
- Christian McCaffrey
- Aaron Donald
- Khalil Mack

All of them are superior athlete to every single soccer player in the world. That’s not a dig on soccer, it’s just the fact that some football positions require more complex aspects of fitness than soccer, based simply off the nature of the game.

I probably left out the best example: Saquon Barkley.

He could keep up with them for 90 minutes on the field. But also probably beat them in the 40 yard dash. And still squat over 600 lbs.

I know it pains you guys to hear this but: the best athlete in the world play American football

No. You really do not know what you are posting about.

Total Soccer Players
275,000,000
Pro Soccer Players
128,983

Total American tackle football
5,800,000
Pro player
1,696

Eric Haaland is 6’4” and has a recorded speed of 36km/h which is about a 4.24 in the forty. He very strong. There is just a much bigger pool of players to draw from for soccer. So averages speed, quickness and strength with be higher.

Adama Traore is 38km/h
Alphonso Davies, Mbappe, Phil Foden, Aaron Wan Bissaka all are above 37km/h. Which is faster vs the fastest time ever recorded in the NFL combined. There are freakish athletes playing soccer and there are a lot of them vs football.

Now in the US the best athletes play basketball not football or soccer.

I am really laughing that you think posting the number of pro soccer players vs pro football players disproves PP's point about all-around conditioning. And that one soccer player being very fast is a sign that "average speed, quickness, and strength" is higher across the board for soccer players. This is not logic, friend. It's nonsense. By your own argument track stars are better athletes than soccer players - there are more of them and the fastest one will be faster than any soccer player. Beyond that, soccer players are not stronger than football players, individually or on the whole. They likely have better footwork and are more agile as a group, but strength?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have participated in several sports on competitive teams. Wrestling requires the most conditioning (based on my experience), then American football, followed by competitive distance running, then soccer (I was a center midfielder.)

Wrestling careers are quite short.

Soccer careers can last over 20 years.
That does not even include their youth, grammar school and collegiate playing years.

You are supporting my point that soccer is not as demanding a sport as wrestling or as American football. Almost anyone can play soccer. Even those soccer players who engage in intense competition can last decades in the sport because it doesn't require the extreme conditioning and use of one's body as do wrestling, American football, or water polo among other sports.

Lots of unknowledgeable comments about American football on this thread.

Regardless, all athletes--regardless of the sport or the intensity of one's competition--deserve praise and admiration.

I wish that I was more excited about World Cup soccer, but--even as a former soccer player--I prefer to watch other sports more than I do soccer. Different strokes for different folks.

Almost anyone can play football, just look at all of the front yard games that will be occurring on Thursday. If you're talking about professional at the highest level, compare the number of kids dreaming of playing in the premier league and eventually make it to the number of kids who dream of the NFL and make it. The premiere league odds are longer by orders of magnitude.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious - is anyone else with Verizon Fios having trouble with their World Cup feed freezing? This morning, it was a big problem during the Argentina-Saudi Arabia game, so I switched to the Fox sports app.

-Soccer mom who used to think that watching soccer on TV was boring but was the only member of her family up at 5:00 a.m. to watch the exciting upset.

Yes ours froze. Switched to Telemundo for Tunisia v Denmark 2nd half and it was clear

It's just boring. Being American and being way into international soccer teams has always been some annoying thing certain people do to seem interesting. Slow, non stop flopping, ties (not just wins), and barely any scoring.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have participated in several sports on competitive teams. Wrestling requires the most conditioning (based on my experience), then American football, followed by competitive distance running, then soccer (I was a center midfielder.)

Wrestling careers are quite short.

Soccer careers can last over 20 years.
That does not even include their youth, grammar school and collegiate playing years.

You are supporting my point that soccer is not as demanding a sport as wrestling or as American football. Almost anyone can play soccer. Even those soccer players who engage in intense competition can last decades in the sport because it doesn't require the extreme conditioning and use of one's body as do wrestling, American football, or water polo among other sports.

Lots of unknowledgeable comments about American football on this thread.

Regardless, all athletes--regardless of the sport or the intensity of one's competition--deserve praise and admiration.

I wish that I was more excited about World Cup soccer, but--even as a former soccer player--I prefer to watch other sports more than I do soccer. Different strokes for different folks.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless you are a 7 year old girl soccer is not a sport

I know. Real sports are those where incredibly obese men dress up in tights and smash into one another, stop every 30 seconds to reset (because they cannot play a solid, continuous game), run 100+ commercials per game, and half the team cannot run 50 yards without passing out.

I get what you’re saying. But act the same time, as a PP suggested:

- Mark Andrew’s
- Travis Kelce
- Christian McCaffrey
- Aaron Donald
- Khalil Mack

All of them are superior athlete to every single soccer player in the world. That’s not a dig on soccer, it’s just the fact that some football positions require more complex aspects of fitness than soccer, based simply off the nature of the game.

I probably left out the best example: Saquon Barkley.

He could keep up with them for 90 minutes on the field. But also probably beat them in the 40 yard dash. And still squat over 600 lbs.

I know it pains you guys to hear this but: the best athlete in the world play American football

No. You really do not know what you are posting about.

Total Soccer Players
275,000,000
Pro Soccer Players
128,983

Total American tackle football
5,800,000
Pro player
1,696

Eric Haaland is 6’4” and has a recorded speed of 36km/h which is about a 4.24 in the forty. He very strong. There is just a much bigger pool of players to draw from for soccer. So averages speed, quickness and strength with be higher.

Adama Traore is 38km/h
Alphonso Davies, Mbappe, Phil Foden, Aaron Wan Bissaka all are above 37km/h. Which is faster vs the fastest time ever recorded in the NFL combined. There are freakish athletes playing soccer and there are a lot of them vs football.

Now in the US the best athletes play basketball not football or soccer.