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FIFA World Cup 2014

#2,381
Kaa said:
So, just to spark some conversation, what would you true soccer fans recommend for the U.S. to become a serious player in the soccer world? Not trying to be funny, or antagonistic, simply curious.

Is it simply a matter of time as the sport slowly grows here? Is it all about the money? Please opine.
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We did better than England Spain Portugal isn't that serious enough for you
 
#2,382
More lucky guesses

0-1
1-1
1-0
1-1

I didn't realize how low-scoring the first 90 minutes are in the Round of 16 and I suspect that the Quarterfinals will be no different.
Columbia has talent and form, Brazil waited too long to round into form, I'm afraid.
France-Germany both have talent and form - but if Germany couldn't push more than one past the US, I don't know how they do it against France.
I guess I falling into the Messi deserves a Cup camp - I just hope more of teammates decide to think the same way.
The best country to not win a Cup is going to hold onto that title - Costa Rica in a shootout.
 
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#2,389
Tituscrow said:
Easy there Kawai. (Most of) the guys here have been talking football in the football threads for years. They know me and I know them.

Dial it back a notch, kiddo.
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I didn't say anything even mildly confrontaitonal , compared to your "Please refrain from using made-up words to try and sound cool."
So I haven't posted in the football threads, does that give you the perogative to say the above kind of thing?
 
#2,390
chuck norriss said:
We did better than England Spain Portugal isn't that serious enough for you
Click to expand...

That says more about England, Spain and Portugal than it does about the US. The US seems to be treading water somewhere toward the bottom of the Top 20 teams. That is a better place than we were in the 1970's and 1980's but roughly where we have been since the 1990's. The next step is to crack the Top 10 - teams that consistently are the clear #1 or #2 in their WC group and are favored to get to the Quarters not fortunate to get to the Round of 16. I don't think it is realistic for the US to ever be thought of as a Top 5 in any particular year, I would see success for the USMNT as something more like this Belgium team who was the #1 in their group, and is not outclassed by any other team in the tournament - underdogs with a chance.

The key is the improvement of coaching at all levels and the improvement of the development system. That is happening as more and more coaches at all levels have played the game. The expansion of MLS and higher player salaries will also encourage promising athletes to stick with the sport as will the promise of decent salaries and training opportunities overseas. I'm not sure where MLS gets most of its American players - if it is from college, I'd like to see that head toward more of system like baseball or hockey where kids who are serious about the sport can chose between a serious minor league or college. Maybe the future is to have more academies dedicated to a sport as is done in tennis and skiing.
 
#2,391
Tituscrow said:
I find 'futbol' even more offensive than 'soccer'.

Please refrain from using made-up words to try and sound cool.
Click to expand...



This was posted on Reddit the other day - I'd be interested in hearing what you, Bill, and other people from "football" nations think of this:


"The historic hatred of the word soccer by many British people has almost nothing to do with Americans using the term, it due to the origins and the use of the word, the 'class' of those that tried to impose the word, and the attitude of those that used soccer towards the game.

The UK is a country which up until the the late 1970's was dominated by it's class system. This class system should not be confused with an Indian style 'caste system' because there was social movement through the classes. The British 'class system' was a culture of people deliberately separating themselves due to a perceived status based on type of work and level of wealth. Back then someone who was 'middle class' would avoid social interaction with someone who was 'working class', or be seen to like the same things as a 'working class' person.

Association Football is a game created by England's urban 'working class' during the late 19th Century, which over time became popular with the rest of the UK's 'working class'. It also became popular with small amounts of the 'middle class' and 'upper class'. It was during that early period that the word soccer first appeared, but used by the 'upper class'. The absolute etymology of soccer is disputed. 10 years ago the BBC ran a series called "Balderdash & Piffle" where they worked with the Oxford English Dictionary to explain the history of English words. This authoritative programme advised that the likely source of the word soccer came from 'upper class' going to 'Fee Paying Schools' & elite Universities. During the late 19th Century these rich 'upper class' youths had a fashion for shortening their favourite pastimes and ending them with -er. So Rugby Football=Rugger, Association Football=Soccer, and Buggery=Bugger.

Over time Soccer became the term that the Upper Class used for Association Football while the working class called it Football. The class system dominated British culture up to the late 1970's. This domination included our TV & Radio. Everyone, including 'working class' people, were expected to use 'Queens English' when on TV & Radio. The fake 'Queens English' you hear from working class people being filmed back then is ridiculous. One impact of this is that TV, Radio, and books commonly referred to 'football' as soccer, because that's what the 'Upper Class' demanded.

So yes, books and TV would have referred to the game as soccer up to recently, but that was because the 'upper class' that controlled the media demanded the use the term. As result of this the typical 'working class' British football supporter hated the term soccer which was being forced upon them by the 'upper class'. My father was a union man and shop steward, and he would go into a red faced rage when he heard footballers using the term on TV. He considered them class traitors.

I think people in the UK under the age of 30 find it hard to believe that the class system was so absolute in the UK, but I can tell you it was.

Best personal example I can give is when I went to University in 1990. Most of the people at my University were from state funded schools and of 'working class' or 'middle class' backgrounds and called the game Football. The small number from 'fee paying schools' (upper class backgrounds) called the game soccer and always said the word with a sneer as if it was peasants game. One of my friends had gone to a 'fee paying school' and told me that football was banned at the school, and in fact up to approx 1985 you were punished if you were caught playing 'soccer'. The punishment was caning! (being beaten with a stick) So at least up until the early 1980's some schools for upper class children that called the game 'soccer' banned the game and if you were caught playing you were punished with a beating.

That's why so many Brits, me included, hate the term soccer."
Click to expand...
 
#2,395
dangnewt said:
That says more about England, Spain and Portugal than it does about the US. The US seems to be treading water somewhere toward the bottom of the Top 20 teams. That is a better place than we were in the 1970's and 1980's but roughly where we have been since the 1990's. The next step is to crack the Top 10 - teams that consistently are the clear #1 or #2 in their WC group and are favored to get to the Quarters not fortunate to get to the Round of 16. I don't think it is realistic for the US to ever be thought of as a Top 5 in any particular year, I would see success for the USMNT as something more like this Belgium team who was the #1 in their group, and is not outclassed by any other team in the tournament - underdogs with a chance.

The key is the improvement of coaching at all levels and the improvement of the development system. That is happening as more and more coaches at all levels have played the game. The expansion of MLS and higher player salaries will also encourage promising athletes to stick with the sport as will the promise of decent salaries and training opportunities overseas. I'm not sure where MLS gets most of its American players - if it is from college, I'd like to see that head toward more of system like baseball or hockey where kids who are serious about the sport can chose between a serious minor league or college. Maybe the future is to have more academies dedicated to a sport as is done in tennis and skiing.
Click to expand...
That's the information I was looking for.
To address one point, wouldn't having more "football" academies a la tennis & skiing, make it less accessible for lower income areas, almost creating a "soccer" v. "football" situation like the class system mentioned in England?
From what I understand, the appeal of the sport is the fact that anyone can play it, all you need is the ball. So a lot of less fortunate kids can play it as well as someone who is higher on the economic ladder.
 
#2,397
Kaa said:
I didn't say anything even mildly confrontaitonal , compared to your "Please refrain from using made-up words to try and sound cool."
So I haven't posted in the football threads, does that give you the perogative to say the above kind of thing?
Click to expand...

You missed my point.

I have been yanking the chains of the regular football chat contributors for years. They know the sarcasm behind my comments. We give it and we take it. They (try to) give as good as they get, if it makes you feel any better.

The offence you took is rooted in the fact that you have no idea how we've talked in all the previous threads.

Anyway, most of the posters here will disappear for another four years until the next World Cup, so...whatever.

And I still say 'futbol' is a stupid word.
 
#2,400
Tituscrow said:
You missed my point.

I have been yanking the chains of the regular football chat contributors for years. They know the sarcasm behind my comments. We give it and we take it. They (try to) give as good as they get, if it makes you feel any better.

The offence you took is rooted in the fact that you have no idea how we've talked in all the previous threads.

Anyway, most of the posters here will disappear for another four years until the next World Cup, so...whatever.

And I still say 'futbol' is a stupid word.
Click to expand...
Good luck England see you in four years maybe you won't choke again
 
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