Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument is out of my league, but since it has somehow become a DC vs Philly comparison for some reason, who are players that left the dc area choosing Philly Union over DCU and made it to US national U21, U23 and senior men's teams?
or became high level professionals

Does that matter?? Whether they left DCU to go to Philly?? Bottom line is Philly is just a better academy. Period. And so are almost all of the other MLS academiss in the country

So the argument you're making is Philly Union is the best option for DC area kids and you must avoid DCU or leave DCU and go to Philly.
Yet there are no success stories of players going to Philly Union academy from DC area

What's your logic and rational since you're not using precedent of successful examples?

Aaron Heard specifically left the DMV to avoid DCU and went to Philly Union then to St Louis FC and then on to Bayern Leverkusen in Germany where he is today. He was a youth national team player and intentionally didn't go to DCU for all the reasons that have been outlined. . This isn't about Philly. MANY other players left the DMV to avoid DCU. Do the research, it's all out there if you want to find it.

😆
Aaron Heard went from Bethesda to Philly Union for a year
Was in St Louis for 4

So St Louis developed him

That said, one kid out of thousands who left the dmv in 2019 for a year at Philly is your logic and benchmark examples of why all dmv kids must go to Philly? haha

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

No, those facts just show that DCU is not a good academy.

No, those facts just show people with nothing to do can come up with all kinds of circumstantial irrelevant nonsense to fees their biased narrative agenda crusade

Toothless

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

The facts show DCU is not an elite academy and subpar.

The lack of MLS academy graduates to top professional levels shows no MLS academy is elite
Unless we're going by the ECNL etc translated definition of elite

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument is out of my league, but since it has somehow become a DC vs Philly comparison for some reason, who are players that left the dc area choosing Philly Union over DCU and made it to US national U21, U23 and senior men's teams?
or became high level professionals

Does that matter?? Whether they left DCU to go to Philly?? Bottom line is Philly is just a better academy. Period. And so are almost all of the other MLS academiss in the country

So the argument you're making is Philly Union is the best option for DC area kids and you must avoid DCU or leave DCU and go to Philly.
Yet there are no success stories of players going to Philly Union academy from DC area

What's your logic and rational since you're not using precedent of successful examples?

Aaron Heard specifically left the DMV to avoid DCU and went to Philly Union then to St Louis FC and then on to Bayern Leverkusen in Germany where he is today. He was a youth national team player and intentionally didn't go to DCU for all the reasons that have been outlined. . This isn't about Philly. MANY other players left the DMV to avoid DCU. Do the research, it's all out there if you want to find it.

😆
Aaron Heard went from Bethesda to Philly Union for a year
Was in St Louis for 4

So St Louis developed him

That said, one kid out of thousands who left the dmv in 2019 for a year at Philly is your logic and benchmark examples of why all dmv kids must go to Philly? haha

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

The facts show DCU is not an elite academy and subpar.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

No, those facts just show that DCU is not a good academy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument is out of my league, but since it has somehow become a DC vs Philly comparison for some reason, who are players that left the dc area choosing Philly Union over DCU and made it to US national U21, U23 and senior men's teams?
or became high level professionals

Does that matter?? Whether they left DCU to go to Philly?? Bottom line is Philly is just a better academy. Period. And so are almost all of the other MLS academiss in the country

So the argument you're making is Philly Union is the best option for DC area kids and you must avoid DCU or leave DCU and go to Philly.
Yet there are no success stories of players going to Philly Union academy from DC area

What's your logic and rational since you're not using precedent of successful examples?

Aaron Heard specifically left the DMV to avoid DCU and went to Philly Union then to St Louis FC and then on to Bayern Leverkusen in Germany where he is today. He was a youth national team player and intentionally didn't go to DCU for all the reasons that have been outlined. . This isn't about Philly. MANY other players left the DMV to avoid DCU. Do the research, it's all out there if you want to find it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument is out of my league, but since it has somehow become a DC vs Philly comparison for some reason, who are players that left the dc area choosing Philly Union over DCU and made it to US national U21, U23 and senior men's teams?
or became high level professionals

Does that matter?? Whether they left DCU to go to Philly?? Bottom line is Philly is just a better academy. Period. And so are almost all of the other MLS academiss in the country

So the argument you're making is Philly Union is the best option for DC area kids and you must avoid DCU or leave DCU and go to Philly.
Yet there are no success stories of players going to Philly Union academy from DC area

What's your logic and rational since you're not using precedent of successful examples?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

4 facts were presented that proved what in the context of measurable tangible elements comparing dcu to the other 31 academies objectively?
And do these facts show all the other 31 academies are doing substantial better development to produce professional level players for their hundreds of kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fact: in the past 12 months Philadelphia Union signed 7 players from its academy to pro deals either with Union II or the first team. DCU has signed only two players from its academy to pro deals in the last THREE years. Turner and Akinmboni. Hopkins was early 2022. Fletcher was never in DCUs academy. Even if you included Fletcher in DCUs statistics, it produced less than half of what Philly Union did in triple the amount of time.

DCU produced more players when it was pay to play. Should tell you something about what the priority is at DCU. And it's not the players.

Fact: Because DCU doesn't have a second team to complete their player development pathway, other MLS clubs have petitioned the league to take away DCUs homegrown rights because it doesn't have a full pathway to develop pros. Why have rights over top players when you don't really have the commitment or ability to fully develop them like all of the other MLS academies provide. It is a valid and sound argument.

Am I wrong in saying several DCU academy players go to or get time at Loudoun United who plays in the USL league which is the level above MLS Next Pro which is the 2nd team for MLS clubs?

Yes you're wrong. That WAS the case when DCU and Loudoun United had a partnership. That ceased about two years ago when MLS decided to create a second league, MLS Next Pro to keep all of the players in house. This is why you don't see the academy practicing at segra anymore and also why you don't see players playing with Loudoun anymore directly from the DCU academy. Now all MLS academies in the US have their own second teams EXCEPT for DCU. Which is why DCU is a dead end for pro soccer.

Guess can't trust IG that keeps showing DCU players over past 2 years going back and forth to Loudoun up to recently.

MLS Pro is older than 2 years, no?

If DC is a dead end for Pro soccer, then no DCU academy former kid in the past five years are currently playing professionally, correct?

Anonymous wrote:The original point of this thread is whether DCU is a strong academy or not. I have only joined this conversation recently as I educate myself on options based on how my kid is developing and invitations we have received.

Since I have been on here, the DCU proponent has used a “prove it argument” so he could easily dispel one facet of every argument in order to move the goal posts and create 197 pages of conjecture. Perfect legal strategy for the supporter of a club owned by an attorney.

When finally pinned down with 4 easily provable facts they tried their theory and someone came back with the facts again. It has been radio silence since then and the story has shifted to other “arguments.”

The last one is most damning and lasting for me and explains a lot as a newcomer. DC United, with territorial rights provided by the MLS to all of the top players within 75 miles, feels it is in competition with an ordinary pay-to-play club that has recently provided DCU its most productive assets. Instead of collaborating with the club or even acquiring its development braintrust, they have decided to spend their time with the clubs who will “play ball” their way which appears to not be very productive. I am not saying BSC are choir boys and girls, but man, that is crazy work and “Daniel Snyder-like” petty.

BSC is a club with 1/1000 of the resources of DCU shares MoCo with Potomac, Achilles and Armour while DCU has 3-4 states and the District that basically bend the knee to DCU.

I only care about parents being educated on their choices. In DCU’s own words, the launch of the full-time residency in 3 age groups “elevates the Academy to professional standards…”. If you have to elevate to professional, you are operating at an amateur level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This argument is out of my league, but since it has somehow become a DC vs Philly comparison for some reason, who are players that left the dc area choosing Philly Union over DCU and made it to US national U21, U23 and senior men's teams?
or became high level professionals

Does that matter?? Whether they left DCU to go to Philly?? Bottom line is Philly is just a better academy. Period. And so are almost all of the other MLS academiss in the country

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fact: in the past 12 months Philadelphia Union signed 7 players from its academy to pro deals either with Union II or the first team. DCU has signed only two players from its academy to pro deals in the last THREE years. Turner and Akinmboni. Hopkins was early 2022. Fletcher was never in DCUs academy. Even if you included Fletcher in DCUs statistics, it produced less than half of what Philly Union did in triple the amount of time.

DCU produced more players when it was pay to play. Should tell you something about what the priority is at DCU. And it's not the players.

Fact: Because DCU doesn't have a second team to complete their player development pathway, other MLS clubs have petitioned the league to take away DCUs homegrown rights because it doesn't have a full pathway to develop pros. Why have rights over top players when you don't really have the commitment or ability to fully develop them like all of the other MLS academies provide. It is a valid and sound argument.

Am I wrong in saying several DCU academy players go to or get time at Loudoun United who plays in the USL league which is the level above MLS Next Pro which is the 2nd team for MLS clubs?

Yes you're wrong. That WAS the case when DCU and Loudoun United had a partnership. That ceased about two years ago when MLS decided to create a second league, MLS Next Pro to keep all of the players in house. This is why you don't see the academy practicing at segra anymore and also why you don't see players playing with Loudoun anymore directly from the DCU academy. Now all MLS academies in the US have their own second teams EXCEPT for DCU. Which is why DCU is a dead end for pro soccer.