Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time someone brings up the nonsensical argument about the best athletes go to football and basketball etc
You better present the data that shows the results of athletic testing when the kids were young before they chose their sport.

You also need to explain why you only pick wide receivers and corner backs.
All soccer players are athletic and agile. Not just 2 positions.

How are the Charles Barkley, Shaq etc more athletic than any member of any MLS team?

Soccer players aren't training for years to wear pads and run into each other.

The PP put out some sensible data using speed only. You can define athletic however you want and then distort a point of view.

The inescapable fact is that USA does not win World Cup or place large professionals in soccers top leagues. Why is that? the USA has its best athletes in soccer yet they lose solely because of a lack of technical skill and tactics?

Tyreek Hill is a better athlete than any USMNT player. Period. Make of it what you will.

I'll make of you comment that there are levels to soccer knowledge and you're on the lower rungs.

The One Thing all international commentators and analysts agree on about US Soccer National Team is that Athleticism and Physicality is High.
But of course, that's not the holy grail for soccer success at the top levels.

What makes Tyreek Hill a better athlete than Mbappe?
He is a better American Football player.

Can Tyreek Hill score an Overhead Bicycle Kick from a ball crossed behind him?

Your comment:
A. Denigrate the other poster intelligence and knowledge
B. Note that US soccer is “high” at athleticism
C. Note that Tyreek Hill and Kylian Mbappe are comparable in athleticism
D. Ask if Tyreek can match Garnacho’s kick

My reply:
A. Pass
B. High yes elite no. Name the top US athlete in soccer and they are not in the top 50 in world
C. Yes. Unfortunately Tyreek is an American and Kylian is not. That’s the point so thanks for reinforcing it.
D. I very much doubt Tyreek could apply his athleticism in a game to technical skill he has never learned. Much as I doubt Kylian could catch a ball knowing he will be hit and being hit. Again this is not the point. The point is the beat US athletes are not drawn to soccer like the rest of the world is to it.

Christian McCaffrey is an Olympic speed guy and descended from same but he wants to play football not soccer. Mccaffrey has better athleticism than Pulisic etc. simply true.

Name the country/countries considered to be more athletic than America in International soccer?

Swap Mbappe's name for Adams, Pulisic, Aarononson

So you're proving how silly it is to claim the attributes a wide receiver trains to enhance makes him more naturally athletic than another athlete who doesn't train for said attributes.

Being better at Long Jump doesn't make you more athletic than a High Jumper because you can jump further horizontally.

You’ve lost the argument train here. Long jumpers such as Jesse Owes Carl Lewis etc over the years are considered more athletic than high jumpers. So the point is not well made. Maybe triple jump would work better.

At what age are all the athletes tested then given a choice of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer etc?
Where are these results stored?

In Russia they used to do that but the athletes did not get a choice of sport.

You are starting to come across as a denier.

So, if the kids aren't all tested early for athleticism, how do you know the most athletic chose football and basketball over soccer?

American elite athletes choose soccer and then lose their elite athleticism? But that doesn’t happen in other countries. Hmmm

It seems to happen at Fairfax Brave 09G

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The rest of the world has a LOT of factors over the US.
Messi was 32.5 km/h he IS a phenomenal athlete for that reason alone. There are many more reasons that make him great as a player.

Parents telling children that hard work alone will make up for size and athleticism and you can be like Messi is just false. Messi had elite athleticism, HGH gave him reasonable size, and his work and balance and vision are also elite. Elite Athleticism including elite speed is a foundation of what makes Messi great.

Same with Neymar at 34.83 km/h and he can fall down and writhe better than anyone in world.


Xavi is probably the most average of the players you name but he does have pro athlete speed and he has off the chart other talents. He was just asked to possess and control not to run.

Messi being called a person with superior athleticism will sure come as a surprise to him
Xavi being called "average" signals it's time to end this discussion.

Anonymous wrote:The rest of the world has a LOT of factors over the US.
Messi was 32.5 km/h he IS a phenomenal athlete for that reason alone. There are many more reasons that make him great as a player.

Parents telling children that hard work alone will make up for size and athleticism and you can be like Messi is just false. Messi had elite athleticism, HGH gave him reasonable size, and his work and balance and vision are also elite. Elite Athleticism including elite speed is a foundation of what makes Messi great.

Same with Neymar at 34.83 km/h and he can fall down and writhe better than anyone in world.


Xavi is probably the most average of the players you name but he does have pro athlete speed and he has off the chart other talents. He was just asked to possess and control not to run.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realized something important yesterday. My kid begged me to take him to the park in the freezing rain to practice defending goals and run laps. Also on the field was an older kid getting a private training session. The coach was pulling teeth to get this kid to work through drills and the kid had a good attitude, but not the natural talent or the gritty, raw *drive* that my kid has. And that other kid can't do a single thing to gain those things.

Wait until puberty. lol. A lot of boys and girls that used to be like that lose the love of the game when they grow interest in the opposite sex. Also- the tedium of travel soccer and the way it is run so early can really burn kids out by HS.

That said --my Senior is still like your son, but I think the fact that he was injured for a 1.5 years early HS is the reason he still has a burning passion while a lot of boys on his MLSNext and ECNL teams stopped playing around Junior year.

I would love to see verifiable factual data that shows the amount of kids playing MLS Next who voluntarily dropped out of soccer by their Junior year in High School.

It’s pretty common for guys to drop MLSNEXT (and previously DA) at Junior year, for the same reason girls often drop ECNL at that time. Once the college decision is made there is no reason to keep the travel up. Save those dollars, and let someone else get the exposure. For the guys - you can play high school ball for a year which is fun.

Yes, if the plan is to go pro then you keep playing MLSNEXT.

Wait. What?
You're saying kids who get signed to a college team quit playing soccer for one or two years until college soccer preseason begins?

Of course they play. But, they don’t do the distance travel. MLSNEXT doesn’t allow high school play so lots of kids who are already committed by summer before their senior year play high school and join a local club team or play on a lower level team associated with their mlsnext club. For girls, most ECNL teams will struggle to fill u18 roster spots for the non-Florida games. My kids’ team basically disbanded after December of their senior year.

No one wanted to spend money to travel to play meaningless games when the kids were already committed.

If anything - physical training really cranked up as kids were exposed to their respective colleges pre-season workout schedules. It is a very very different game than club ball.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time someone brings up the nonsensical argument about the best athletes go to football and basketball etc
You better present the data that shows the results of athletic testing when the kids were young before they chose their sport.

You also need to explain why you only pick wide receivers and corner backs.
All soccer players are athletic and agile. Not just 2 positions.

How are the Charles Barkley, Shaq etc more athletic than any member of any MLS team?

Soccer players aren't training for years to wear pads and run into each other.

The PP put out some sensible data using speed only. You can define athletic however you want and then distort a point of view.

The inescapable fact is that USA does not win World Cup or place large professionals in soccers top leagues. Why is that? the USA has its best athletes in soccer yet they lose solely because of a lack of technical skill and tactics?

Tyreek Hill is a better athlete than any USMNT player. Period. Make of it what you will.

I'll make of you comment that there are levels to soccer knowledge and you're on the lower rungs.

The One Thing all international commentators and analysts agree on about US Soccer National Team is that Athleticism and Physicality is High.
But of course, that's not the holy grail for soccer success at the top levels.

What makes Tyreek Hill a better athlete than Mbappe?
He is a better American Football player.

Can Tyreek Hill score an Overhead Bicycle Kick from a ball crossed behind him?

Your comment:
A. Denigrate the other poster intelligence and knowledge
B. Note that US soccer is “high” at athleticism
C. Note that Tyreek Hill and Kylian Mbappe are comparable in athleticism
D. Ask if Tyreek can match Garnacho’s kick

My reply:
A. Pass
B. High yes elite no. Name the top US athlete in soccer and they are not in the top 50 in world
C. Yes. Unfortunately Tyreek is an American and Kylian is not. That’s the point so thanks for reinforcing it.
D. I very much doubt Tyreek could apply his athleticism in a game to technical skill he has never learned. Much as I doubt Kylian could catch a ball knowing he will be hit and being hit. Again this is not the point. The point is the beat US athletes are not drawn to soccer like the rest of the world is to it.

Christian McCaffrey is an Olympic speed guy and descended from same but he wants to play football not soccer. Mccaffrey has better athleticism than Pulisic etc. simply true.

Name the country/countries considered to be more athletic than America in International soccer?

Swap Mbappe's name for Adams, Pulisic, Aarononson

So you're proving how silly it is to claim the attributes a wide receiver trains to enhance makes him more naturally athletic than another athlete who doesn't train for said attributes.

Being better at Long Jump doesn't make you more athletic than a High Jumper because you can jump further horizontally.

You’ve lost the argument train here. Long jumpers such as Jesse Owes Carl Lewis etc over the years are considered more athletic than high jumpers. So the point is not well made. Maybe triple jump would work better.

At what age are all the athletes tested then given a choice of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer etc?
Where are these results stored?

In Russia they used to do that but the athletes did not get a choice of sport.

You are starting to come across as a denier.

So, if the kids aren't all tested early for athleticism, how do you know the most athletic chose football and basketball over soccer?

American elite athletes choose soccer and then lose their elite athleticism? But that doesn’t happen in other countries. Hmmm

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I realized something important yesterday. My kid begged me to take him to the park in the freezing rain to practice defending goals and run laps. Also on the field was an older kid getting a private training session. The coach was pulling teeth to get this kid to work through drills and the kid had a good attitude, but not the natural talent or the gritty, raw *drive* that my kid has. And that other kid can't do a single thing to gain those things.

Wait until puberty. lol. A lot of boys and girls that used to be like that lose the love of the game when they grow interest in the opposite sex. Also- the tedium of travel soccer and the way it is run so early can really burn kids out by HS.

That said --my Senior is still like your son, but I think the fact that he was injured for a 1.5 years early HS is the reason he still has a burning passion while a lot of boys on his MLSNext and ECNL teams stopped playing around Junior year.

I would love to see verifiable factual data that shows the amount of kids playing MLS Next who voluntarily dropped out of soccer by their Junior year in High School.

It’s pretty common for guys to drop MLSNEXT (and previously DA) at Junior year, for the same reason girls often drop ECNL at that time. Once the college decision is made there is no reason to keep the travel up. Save those dollars, and let someone else get the exposure. For the guys - you can play high school ball for a year which is fun.

Yes, if the plan is to go pro then you keep playing MLSNEXT.

Wait. What?
You're saying kids who get signed to a college team quit playing soccer for one or two years until college soccer preseason begins?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time someone brings up the nonsensical argument about the best athletes go to football and basketball etc
You better present the data that shows the results of athletic testing when the kids were young before they chose their sport.

You also need to explain why you only pick wide receivers and corner backs.
All soccer players are athletic and agile. Not just 2 positions.

How are the Charles Barkley, Shaq etc more athletic than any member of any MLS team?

Soccer players aren't training for years to wear pads and run into each other.

The PP put out some sensible data using speed only. You can define athletic however you want and then distort a point of view.

The inescapable fact is that USA does not win World Cup or place large professionals in soccers top leagues. Why is that? the USA has its best athletes in soccer yet they lose solely because of a lack of technical skill and tactics?

Tyreek Hill is a better athlete than any USMNT player. Period. Make of it what you will.

I'll make of you comment that there are levels to soccer knowledge and you're on the lower rungs.

The One Thing all international commentators and analysts agree on about US Soccer National Team is that Athleticism and Physicality is High.
But of course, that's not the holy grail for soccer success at the top levels.

What makes Tyreek Hill a better athlete than Mbappe?
He is a better American Football player.

Can Tyreek Hill score an Overhead Bicycle Kick from a ball crossed behind him?

Your comment:
A. Denigrate the other poster intelligence and knowledge
B. Note that US soccer is “high” at athleticism
C. Note that Tyreek Hill and Kylian Mbappe are comparable in athleticism
D. Ask if Tyreek can match Garnacho’s kick

My reply:
A. Pass
B. High yes elite no. Name the top US athlete in soccer and they are not in the top 50 in world
C. Yes. Unfortunately Tyreek is an American and Kylian is not. That’s the point so thanks for reinforcing it.
D. I very much doubt Tyreek could apply his athleticism in a game to technical skill he has never learned. Much as I doubt Kylian could catch a ball knowing he will be hit and being hit. Again this is not the point. The point is the beat US athletes are not drawn to soccer like the rest of the world is to it.

Christian McCaffrey is an Olympic speed guy and descended from same but he wants to play football not soccer. Mccaffrey has better athleticism than Pulisic etc. simply true.

Name the country/countries considered to be more athletic than America in International soccer?

Swap Mbappe's name for Adams, Pulisic, Aarononson

So you're proving how silly it is to claim the attributes a wide receiver trains to enhance makes him more naturally athletic than another athlete who doesn't train for said attributes.

Being better at Long Jump doesn't make you more athletic than a High Jumper because you can jump further horizontally.

You’ve lost the argument train here. Long jumpers such as Jesse Owes Carl Lewis etc over the years are considered more athletic than high jumpers. So the point is not well made. Maybe triple jump would work better.

At what age are all the athletes tested then given a choice of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer etc?
Where are these results stored?

In Russia they used to do that but the athletes did not get a choice of sport.

You are starting to come across as a denier.

So, if the kids aren't all tested early for athleticism, how do you know the most athletic chose football and basketball over soccer?

American elite athletes choose soccer and then lose their elite athleticism? But that doesn’t happen in other countries. Hmmm

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time someone brings up the nonsensical argument about the best athletes go to football and basketball etc
You better present the data that shows the results of athletic testing when the kids were young before they chose their sport.

You also need to explain why you only pick wide receivers and corner backs.
All soccer players are athletic and agile. Not just 2 positions.

How are the Charles Barkley, Shaq etc more athletic than any member of any MLS team?

Soccer players aren't training for years to wear pads and run into each other.

The PP put out some sensible data using speed only. You can define athletic however you want and then distort a point of view.

The inescapable fact is that USA does not win World Cup or place large professionals in soccers top leagues. Why is that? the USA has its best athletes in soccer yet they lose solely because of a lack of technical skill and tactics?

Tyreek Hill is a better athlete than any USMNT player. Period. Make of it what you will.

I'll make of you comment that there are levels to soccer knowledge and you're on the lower rungs.

The One Thing all international commentators and analysts agree on about US Soccer National Team is that Athleticism and Physicality is High.
But of course, that's not the holy grail for soccer success at the top levels.

What makes Tyreek Hill a better athlete than Mbappe?
He is a better American Football player.

Can Tyreek Hill score an Overhead Bicycle Kick from a ball crossed behind him?

Your comment:
A. Denigrate the other poster intelligence and knowledge
B. Note that US soccer is “high” at athleticism
C. Note that Tyreek Hill and Kylian Mbappe are comparable in athleticism
D. Ask if Tyreek can match Garnacho’s kick

My reply:
A. Pass
B. High yes elite no. Name the top US athlete in soccer and they are not in the top 50 in world
C. Yes. Unfortunately Tyreek is an American and Kylian is not. That’s the point so thanks for reinforcing it.
D. I very much doubt Tyreek could apply his athleticism in a game to technical skill he has never learned. Much as I doubt Kylian could catch a ball knowing he will be hit and being hit. Again this is not the point. The point is the beat US athletes are not drawn to soccer like the rest of the world is to it.

Christian McCaffrey is an Olympic speed guy and descended from same but he wants to play football not soccer. Mccaffrey has better athleticism than Pulisic etc. simply true.

Name the country/countries considered to be more athletic than America in International soccer?

Swap Mbappe's name for Adams, Pulisic, Aarononson

So you're proving how silly it is to claim the attributes a wide receiver trains to enhance makes him more naturally athletic than another athlete who doesn't train for said attributes.

Being better at Long Jump doesn't make you more athletic than a High Jumper because you can jump further horizontally.

You’ve lost the argument train here. Long jumpers such as Jesse Owes Carl Lewis etc over the years are considered more athletic than high jumpers. So the point is not well made. Maybe triple jump would work better.

At what age are all the athletes tested then given a choice of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer etc?
Where are these results stored?

In Russia they used to do that but the athletes did not get a choice of sport.

You are starting to come across as a denier.

So, if the kids aren't all tested early for athleticism, how do you know the most athletic chose football and basketball over soccer?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every time someone brings up the nonsensical argument about the best athletes go to football and basketball etc
You better present the data that shows the results of athletic testing when the kids were young before they chose their sport.

You also need to explain why you only pick wide receivers and corner backs.
All soccer players are athletic and agile. Not just 2 positions.

How are the Charles Barkley, Shaq etc more athletic than any member of any MLS team?

Soccer players aren't training for years to wear pads and run into each other.

The PP put out some sensible data using speed only. You can define athletic however you want and then distort a point of view.

The inescapable fact is that USA does not win World Cup or place large professionals in soccers top leagues. Why is that? the USA has its best athletes in soccer yet they lose solely because of a lack of technical skill and tactics?

Tyreek Hill is a better athlete than any USMNT player. Period. Make of it what you will.

I'll make of you comment that there are levels to soccer knowledge and you're on the lower rungs.

The One Thing all international commentators and analysts agree on about US Soccer National Team is that Athleticism and Physicality is High.
But of course, that's not the holy grail for soccer success at the top levels.

What makes Tyreek Hill a better athlete than Mbappe?
He is a better American Football player.

Can Tyreek Hill score an Overhead Bicycle Kick from a ball crossed behind him?

Your comment:
A. Denigrate the other poster intelligence and knowledge
B. Note that US soccer is “high” at athleticism
C. Note that Tyreek Hill and Kylian Mbappe are comparable in athleticism
D. Ask if Tyreek can match Garnacho’s kick

My reply:
A. Pass
B. High yes elite no. Name the top US athlete in soccer and they are not in the top 50 in world
C. Yes. Unfortunately Tyreek is an American and Kylian is not. That’s the point so thanks for reinforcing it.
D. I very much doubt Tyreek could apply his athleticism in a game to technical skill he has never learned. Much as I doubt Kylian could catch a ball knowing he will be hit and being hit. Again this is not the point. The point is the beat US athletes are not drawn to soccer like the rest of the world is to it.

Christian McCaffrey is an Olympic speed guy and descended from same but he wants to play football not soccer. Mccaffrey has better athleticism than Pulisic etc. simply true.

Name the country/countries considered to be more athletic than America in International soccer?

Swap Mbappe's name for Adams, Pulisic, Aarononson

So you're proving how silly it is to claim the attributes a wide receiver trains to enhance makes him more naturally athletic than another athlete who doesn't train for said attributes.

Being better at Long Jump doesn't make you more athletic than a High Jumper because you can jump further horizontally.

You’ve lost the argument train here. Long jumpers such as Jesse Owes Carl Lewis etc over the years are considered more athletic than high jumpers. So the point is not well made. Maybe triple jump would work better.

At what age are all the athletes tested then given a choice of football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer etc?
Where are these results stored?

In Russia they used to do that but the athletes did not get a choice of sport.

You are starting to come across as a denier.