Why US fans dislike soccer...

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:16 pm

We suck at it.

How the fuck are we supposedly the 5th best team in the world?
No heart.
No grit.
No poise.
No fucking scorers.

Where the hell was this Landon Donovan fellow? I thought he was some sort of stud. He was for the most part invisible, when I did see him he was blasting free kicks 30 yards beyond the pitch. Fucking pussy loser. Who the fuck is this piss poor coach who can't get his team up to compete in the first game. We get blown out by the Czechs who failed to win another game. Against Italy we allegedly dominate the play, yet tie 1-1 with an own goal by Italy being our only tally, this sport has no chance in this country at this rate.

So we play Ghana with a chance to somehow move on. A team who has yet to score a goal can move to the next round by beating a puny western Africa nation that has never made it into the world cup. No problem right? Guess again. See in these nations where soccer is a religion, the players play with such heart and passion. Ghana outplayed us most of the match. The penalty kick was a pussy call in a mostly pussy sport. They flailed and flopped about the pich at every opportunity, this appears to be a time honored tradition of this "sport".

Fuck soccer...for at least four more years. By then Pussy Donavan will have hung it up and perhaps Freddie Adu will have his chance to bring our national team to prominence.

I still say the offsides rule is bullshit.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:29 pm

SoccerFan will always follow their sport. It's really no different than the followers of hockey. The casual fan has to be turned off with wimpy diving and acting. That's the one thing I can't stand about soccer...especially from the European and Latin players. I don't care if the Americans aren't as good as the other countries, I just want to see some effort and determination. It's irritating to see the progress of US soccer progress and regress from each World Cup. I don't know how much of an impact Adu will have in 2010 so I don't think there's that much hope in 4 years. They just aren't a soccer factory. There are plenty of kids playing the sport...I don't know why they don't produce more quality players. The best athletes aren't playing soccer so they are just getting the best of the rest. I'll still watch the rest of this tournament and I'll watch '10 tourney but between then, I pretty much ignore soccer entirely.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:07 pm

There are plenty of kids playing the sport...I don't know why they don't produce more quality players

When our high schoolers are merely competing in soccer to fulfill one of their varied athletic interests, other countries are eating, sleeping and breathing soccer. This is all they focus on. As long as this trend continues (which it will as long as the world is intact) then we will continue to be inferior.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:16 pm

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world because most of the world is poor, and all you need to play it is a ball or human head to kick back and forth.

The problem with soccer is that the rules corrupt the sport:

* The offsides rule prevents cherry-picking, but also kills breakaways and long passes.

* The tackle means a less-skilled player can almost always negate the fancy moves of the more-killer player.

* The free kick and corner kick are harmless about 99.9 percent of the time, so kicking someone to the ground is preferable to getting beat by a good move.

* There are no penalities or consequences to stalling. Get a one-goal lead and a team can easily spend the next hour playing keep-away, which is about as exciting as watching the bacon slicing at Kroger's.

Soccer needs to reinvent itself and try something different.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:18 pm

If Ghana is able to get past Brazil (hey, could happen) and/or Italy reaches the semifinals or the final, our showing won't look as bad.

No doubt we put ourselves in a hole to start this tournament though. We never got into the all-out attack mode we played in two years of qualifying until this last game.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:21 pm

Uncle Fester wrote:* The free kick and corner kick are harmless about 99.9 percent of the time, so kicking someone to the ground is preferable to getting beat by a good move.

Wrong.

About a third of the goals in this tournament have been scored off set plays.

* There are no penalities or consequences to stalling.

I think you have a point with this one, Fester. Any player who is carted off the field on a strecher should have to say out (and their team forced to play a man down) for 10 minutes. That would prevent a lot of time wasting by faking injuries.

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:27 pm

It amazes me that the MVP of MLS last year and a guy who scored 27 or so goals was left off the US team. With Taylor Twellman on the US team instead of some of these older guys maybe they would have shown more offense. It's nice to have guys like Reyna, McBride, and Donovan for name recognition but surely there are younger and better players. I guess if the best our country has to offer can't make the team then we just aren't that good.....

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:17 pm

Landon is just too small to compete at an INTL level. He proved this by being a non-factor in Germany for half a season and Germany sending him back to dominate the MLS.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 7:52 pm

I love soccer. I love playing it. I love watching it.

USA soccer will give us nothing to love or hang our hats on until soccer is a major sort in this country....which will not happen. While most of what SoCalTrojan said was harsh, it is also true.

In all honesty, us soccer fans will basically just have to hope for something like the 1980 hockey Miracle to happen and hope it is in our lifetime that we can see it.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:09 pm

SoCalTrjn wrote:Very well said
Soccer Geek will try to say that Americans just dont undertsand soccer, the fact is that we understand soccer but we also understand football and realize that football is 10 times as exciting to watch.

It's not one or the other, idiot.

Nishlord · Post by **Nishlord** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:13 pm

My God, there ain't half some bitter, pissy-knickered cunts on this thread.

All I can say is that;

1) The US were unlucky to be drawn in an absolute bitch of a group. They will do far better in 2010.

2) Proper Football has taken stronger root in America than the NFL, NBA, and MLB have combined in the entire world. The NFL and NBA have been given exposure to the whole world. The whole world doesn't give a fuck.

3) The Latinoisation of America has ensured that Proper Football will be one of the top sports in the US eventually

4) Finding someone in the UK who could tell you who won the Stanley Cup, World Series, Super Bowl or NBA Finals is about as easy as finding Jess a girlfriend.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:23 pm

Addressing your topic headline there is a big reason why we dislike soccer in this country.

IMO, soccer has become an activity rather than a sport. Just look at the AYSA philosophy page, it says volumes about soccer in the US:

AYSO's five philosophies separate us from the pack:

Everyone Plays, Balanced Teams, Open Registration, Positive Coaching, & Good Sportsmanship.

Everyone Plays
Our program's goal is for kids to play soccer-so we mandate that every player on every team must play at least half of every game.

Balanced Teams
Each year we form new teams as evenly balanced as possible-because it is fair and more fun when teams of equal ability play.

Open Registration
Our program is open to all children between 4-1/2 and 19 years of age who want to register and play soccer. Interest and enthusiasm are the only criteria for playing.

This isn't a sport. This is an organized excersize program for all kids. Sports are about winning and losing. This is about everyone getting a trophy and making sure no one stands out above anyone else. Hell, we have all heard of these leagues where they don't even keep score.

The U.S. Soccer page states that soccer "participation" is second only to basketball in kids ages 19 and under. That is great, but again the wording speaks volumes. These kids are participating, not competing.

Now, don't get me wrong, there is a place for activities for the youth of our country. I am all for letting everyone who signs up get time on the field or what not, but let's not kid ourselves and call it sports or competition.

These things add up over time so that by the time former youth participants like myself become older, we don't view soccer as a "sport." Sure soccer itself is a sport, but we tend to view it here as an activity. I participated in soccer for 15 years, but I don't really care about soccer at all. I don't watch it on TV, I don't attend MLS games (even though I have access to free tickets), and I don't follow the WC.

I have heard the arguement many times that I just don't understand soccer and I think that is a load of crap. I understand the game very well, I just don't care for it. I have also heard that the US would like the game more and we would follow it if we were better at it. Again I disagree, the woman are very good at it, but we don't care. We are very good at some of the other olympic sports, but we don't care.

Finally takes like Nish's show the desire to be unique. UK'ers don't care about the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc just as we don't care about Soccer, Rugby, or Cricket. We each hold onto that which makes us unique. Soccer in the US=NFL Europe. And the increase in the Latino population in the US isn't growing soccer as he claims. Rather that growth is in baseball. Youth soccer participation here in Houston is almost entirely white, while baseball participation is much more diverse. Latinos here in Houston aren't turning out either for the Dynamo, but they make up a large portion of the crowd at Astro games.

Dislike is prolly to strong, indifferent seems about right.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 8:49 pm

Nishlord wrote:4) Finding someone in the UK who could tell you who won the Stanley Cup, World Series, Super Bowl or NBA Finals is about as easy as finding Jess a girlfriend.

This explains why soccer in the US is not popular. As a whole, our country isnt good at it. People in the UK dont like baseball, football, basketball or hockey b/c they arent good at it. The rest of the world likes soccer b/c they have been playing for over a century and they didnt grow up playing American sports.

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:03 pm

The thing about the US is we don't give a flying fuck if Limeys know who won in any of our pro leagues. It's shitholes like England who get their noses out of joint and use terms like "proper football" to describe a truly pussy game. As has been noted in this thread, the best athletes in our country play sports that matter, and by matter I mean get you paid, or get you laid. Soccer is for the kids who can't hit, throw, tackle, or shoot a hoop...either that or their mommies don't want them to bruise their precious babies. Any kid can excel in soccer at its lower levels. The same cannot be said for baseball, football, or basketball.

Fuck the rest of the world. They can have soccer greatness, it's all they have. One tattered ball and an entire village of barefoot savages is entertained. Congrats, I guess.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:05 pm

^^^^^^^

See previous post. If we went out and won the WC this year, soccer would get a small boost, but it would still be the minor sport it is today. As a country we are very good at track and field, swimming, and extreme sports, but that doesn't make us any more likely to support or care for them.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:31 pm

Left Seater wrote:IMO, soccer has become an activity rather than a sport. Just look at the AYSA philosophy page, it says volumes about soccer in the US:

AYSO's five philosophies separate us from the pack:

AYSO's rules apply to high school teams?

They didn't when I played in both city leagues and high school, and sure as hell don't now for all leagues nor colleges. Btw, we kept score when I first started playing in elementary school, so I'm not sure that I buy into that crap. If that's what's going on, I'll agree that's stupid. I don't have kids and haven't been around kids leagues a lot these days. I do know enough that high school teams sure as hell don't let everyone play in every game, much less for an entire half.

For some kids, there's no doubt it's only an activity, just like every other sport is an "activity" for some kids. Some kids are going to do better than others, just like in every other sport.

But to say the sport isn't competitive among teams in this country -- especially among older kids (high school) -- is an absolute joke, Lefty. Does every kid who plays in Little League end up on their high school baseball team? Same shit.

Like I've said in other threads, the sport is making gradual strides here, and has come a LONG way even since I played in high school in the early '80s. It's not going to suddenly "take off," but has been growing steadily.

As a national team, it took us nearly 60 years to even qualify for the World Cup -- in 1990 -- the first time since the early '30s when only a handful of national teams were even fielded. There are more than 150 nations that don't even qualify for the World Cup -- including large ones ('sup Russia, China?), so to say we suck because we didn't get out of the first round in this tournament is ignornace, pure and simple.

The days of us never even qualifying are over. Since 1990, we've qualified for every tournament. We had a bad run in 1998, a great run in 2002 and another fairly poor showing this tournament. Granted, the success of our national teams will help with the interest, but it's a catch-22 (interest/"well, we don't do well") that's been slowing turning over the last few decades.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:47 pm

I don't think success in soccer would change a damn thing in terms of fan interest. I assume there is a pro soccer league in the U.S. and that the players are probably pretty good. Does anyone care? Does anyone go to the games?

And a serious question for Nish: Do English soccer fans actually watch the game as it is played or is it more an excuse to get hammered, sing songs, get in fights, and converse with seat neighbors?

Seems like a 90-minute game that ends 1-0 or 0-0 would afford a lot of time for fans to stretch their legs, walk around, read books, do their taxes, etc.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 9:51 pm

Radio,

HS soccer uses National Federation rules in all states except Texas. Texas HS's play by NCAA rules as do all NCAA teams. Youth league soccer does field teams for players of HS age that are not affiliated with a HS. These teams use a varity of rules.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:16 pm

Nishlord wrote:4) Finding someone in the UK who could tell you who won the Stanley Cup, World Series, Super Bowl or NBA Finals is about as easy as finding Jess a girlfriend.

Aren't you the same guy that runs like 13 NFL Fantasy drafts every year?

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:17 pm

Left Seater wrote:^^^^^^^

See previous post. If we went out and won the WC this year, soccer would get a small boost, but it would still be the minor sport it is today. As a country we are very good at track and field, swimming, and extreme sports, but that doesn't make us any more likely to support or care for them.

good points.

Another reason soccer sucks...[B]4 SHOTS ON GOAL IN 270 MINUTES PLAYED

Mr T · Post by **Mr T** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:30 pm

IndyFrisco wrote: In all honesty, us soccer fans will basically just have to hope for something like the 1980 hockey Miracle to happen and hope it is in our lifetime that we can see it.

If adu picks the US over Ghana for 2010 and we get rid of Bruce. We might have a chance in 2010 or 2014.

Mr T · Post by **Mr T** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:33 pm

Uncle Fester wrote:I don't think success in soccer would change a damn thing in terms of fan interest. I assume there is a pro soccer league in the U.S. and that the players are probably pretty good. Does anyone care? Does anyone go to the games?

No one should care about the MLS. It is a gay ass league. The US should not suit up anyone for the national team that plays in the MLS.

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:41 pm

No one should care about the MLS. It is a gay ass league.

How so? Normally professional athletes represent the best a sport has to offer. So if quality teams = fan interest, that theory is blown out of the water.

I remember an indoor soccer league many moons ago. I even remember one of the players -- Steve Zungel (?) -- who was actually kind of entertaining to watch. They had a penalty box, power plays, and actual shots on goal during the game. It wasn't half bad.

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:44 pm

Mr T wrote:
Uncle Fester wrote:I don't think success in soccer would change a damn thing in terms of fan interest. I assume there is a pro soccer league in the U.S. and that the players are probably pretty good. Does anyone care? Does anyone go to the games?
No one should care about the MLS. It is a gay ass league. The US should not suit up anyone for the national team that plays in the MLS.

Freddie Adu plays in the MLS......but with him we have a chance right???

Mr T · Post by **Mr T** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:02 pm

He wont be next year.

MLS=Minor League Soccer

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:30 pm

You can't compare the MLS to any of the top leagues in Europe.

The MLS has been around about a decade and the top leagues in Europe have been around since the early part of the 20th Century. It's like comparing NFL Europe to the NFL.

Again, catch-22. The top players in the world aren't going to be playing in a league here for chickenscratch when they are signing for multi-million dollar contracts in Europe. Likewise, the league here is never going to be anywhere near top-notch without the best players, which draws fans and sponsors. The MLS has helped develop players in this country, but it's not going to turn us into top contenders overnight, when we have decades of catching up to do. Frankly, we've come pretty far in that many Americans who have started out in the MLS have signed with major teams in Europe -- many more of whom are now playing in Europe than before the MLS was formed -- which can only make our national team better in the long run.

As to Freddie Adu, Ghana was trying HARD to get him to play for them. He has dual citizenship, I believe. Bruce Arena chose not to put him on the roster because he's too immature and has not been lighting it up in the MLS like everyone thought he would. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on our national team in 2010 though.

And another point to the "we suck" crowd in here: I guess "we suck" in baseball as well, right? We couldn't even get to the semis of the WBC. Yet, that is truely our game.

I don't remember a discussion about how meaningless baseball has become in this country or how there's absolutely no interest in baseball nor will there ever be, following that performance by our "best" in that tournament.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 11:37 pm

SoCalTrjn wrote:We don't suck in baseball, we sucked in a tournament that was played before the regular season in MLB. US players werent in shape, pitchers couldnt throw more than a few innings and the hitters were no where near close to even early season form, hell most werent in preseason form.
Have that world baseball thingy in the middle of summer and see how things differ

Actually, having it after the baseball season is over would be a better comparison. Leagues in Europe end shorly before the World Cup.

socal · Post by **socal** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:01 am

AYSO is only one organization. There are plenty of other youth football associations out there for more competitive sorts if you've got deep pockets.

As was mentioned earlier, the rest of the world plays this game almost exclusively. They're deeper and vastly more talented. Argentina's current roster has 12 members born after 1979. The U.S. has six.

Despite an exasperating performance, the U.S. has come a long way. This setback will only make us stronger. Just add a new coach, some new blood, a better draw, and better luck with referees, we'll be more competitive.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:05 am

Solid points RF, but basically what you're saying is that MLS is a developmental league for European soccer. Much like NFL Europe is a training stage for the NFL. I'm not saying that's either bad or good, just the way it is.

As for baseball, and let's also include basketball ...we got punked in those international competitions as well...

The U.S. trys to throw an "All-Star team" together and doesn't get near the preparation time needed to succeed in a team sport. The days of just having superior individual athletes and being able to get over the rest of the world in team sports are over. They've caught up, and in many areas, have surpassed us

On some of these international teams that we are facing, that's their full time job for the most part, and they've developed into cohesive units over a period of time. It really shouldn't be any surprise when we get beat the fuck down in these contests.

The only sport that we Americans truly own anymore is our own brand of football, NFL and College. Since that is my major passion as a sports fan, I can live with that.

That said, anyone who pisses on any other sport just because that ain't their favorite flavor, is pissing in the wind. I despise hockey, but you won't see me dropping into the hockey forum and taking a dump.

We're not talking about Bud Lite vs. Miller Lite here.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 1:05 am

War Wagon wrote:We're not talking about Bud Lite vs. Miller Lite here.

Good thing, since my grandfather worked for the Miller Brewing Co. for 35 years. :wink:

I agree with everything you just posted, Wags.

Yeah, I guess the MLS is, on a certain level, is a developmental league for U.S. players. But before, we had no league at all -- no real venue to develop American players. Slowly, and gradually. We'll get there, but it's going to take some time. I've also heard talk about some of the older, more well-known European players coming here to play in the MLS once this WC is over. If they do, it won't be for the money, but because they want to help contribute to interest in the sport here, via name recognition. I hope it happens. Chelsea is supposed to play in Chicago later this summer, against a team of MLS all-stars. That game will probably be sold out, whereas 20 years ago, highly unlikely.

SoCalTrjn,

A few of your suggestions have been talked about for years, if not decades, especially the faking injuries bullshit. Critics of the game are always seeking ways to improve it. Part of the problem is that change in this game -- because of tradition and politics -- is very slow. They have and will tweak the rules, but it will be gradual, at best. In my lifetime they've made only two major rule changes that I can think of ... and two relatively major changes in how the WC is played. Nish my know of more. Unfortunately when it comes to rule changes, FIFA makes the U.N. look efficient most of the time.

Harvdog · Post by **Harvdog** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:50 am

Barca is coming to Houston. We get to see the Dynamo play and then Barca against a good team from the Mexican First Division. A chance to see Ronaldinho is worth it.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 4:22 am

Harvdog wrote:A chance to see Ronaldinho is worth it.

'swhatimsayin.

And that's just one player from Brazil. Have any of you actually watched Brasil play in this tournament?

Japan got up on them 1-0, with about 10 minutes left in the first half. Brazil went into halftime 1-1, with LITERALLY, seconds left, in stoppage time.

Then they went on to win, 4-1.

I'd try to describe an anology, but there simply isn't any. It would be like Duke ('sup rozy?) being down by 23 at the half, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, and hitting a 3 at the buzzer, only to win by 40.

It's not about one single player. It's about teamwork and unselfishness. As much as I HATE favorites, I have to RACK the FUCK out of Brazil for that. They are the epitomy of unselfishness, when it comes to the World Cup, along with some outstanding individual play.

Not to mention the intimidation factor.

Go Ghana. FUCK Brasil and all of those samba dancin,' care-free motherfuckers. I'm sick of it.

Harvdog · Post by **Harvdog** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 12:24 pm

RadioFan wrote:
Harvdog wrote:A chance to see Ronaldinho is worth it.
'swhatimsayin.

And that's just one player from Brazil. Have any of you actually watched Brasil play in this tournament?

Japan got up on them 1-0, with about 10 minutes left in the first half. Brazil went into halftime 1-1, with LITERALLY, seconds left, in stoppage time.

Then they went on to win, 4-1.

I'd try to describe an anology, but there simply isn't any. It would be like Duke ('sup rozy?) being down by 23 at the half, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, and hitting a 3 at the buzzer, only to win by 40.

It's not about one single player. It's about teamwork and unselfishness. As much as I HATE favorites, I have to RACK the FUCK out of Brazil for that. They are the epitomy of unselfishness, when it comes to the World Cup, along with some outstanding individual play.

Not to mention the intimidation factor.

Go Ghana. FUCK Brasil and all of those samba dancin,' care-free motherfuckers. I'm sick of it.

I have Tivo'd every game. Brazil is what soccer is all about. They have the best set of skilled players in the world. They also have a plan and use such imagination when setting up an attack. They can score from anywhere on the field. The 3rd goal against Japan was proof. They were kicking it around and boom......a 50 yard pass that hit the striker in stride and he burries it in the corner. Amazing.

I am not a fan of Brazil. I love to watch them play. Argentina is a close second. I too hate them. If Holand had the imagination of Brazil they would have 3 WC titles.

socal · Post by **socal** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 3:43 pm

"To be the best, you've got to beat the best."

American Dream Still Out of Reach
By Grahame L. Jones
Times Staff Writer

June 23, 2006

NUREMBERG, Germany — It is the players you feel for, the veterans who have spent a decade or two chasing an elusive dream, firm in the belief that one day, surely, soccer's World Cup trophy would be held high by an American.

It will not come true in the near future.

That dream died here Thursday as the U.S. lost to Ghana 2-1, eliminating the American team from the World Cup, just as it died four years ago in South Korea, and four years before that in France.

As a nation we are still learning to play what Pele described as "the beautiful game." Not beautifully. Not as well as others yet, true, but better than we once did. There was a 40-year gap between the U.S. appearance in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil and the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

It was a black hole, a lost generation.

But since 1990 the U.S. has qualified for the World Cup five times in a row and even reached the quarterfinals in 2002, spurring hope for this year's team.

Had the U.S. won Thursday, it would have played world champion Brazil in the tournament's second round. And that game, against the magical Brazilians, regardless of the result, would have edged soccer in the U.S. in the right direction — closer to the sports it strives to match, closer to football, closer to baseball, closer to basketball, in public opinion.

The audience would have been huge, the interest immense.

Instead, the nation now turns its attention elsewhere. In the ESPN age there is always something else: the NBA draft comes next week, in July NFL training camps open, and baseball's pennant races will soon heat up.

But soccer in the U.S. suffers from more than only a lack of public attention. Most of America's best athletes continue to head for the NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL where the financial rewards are far greater.

Another problem is that in the four-year cycle between World Cups, the U.S. team doesn't play enough strong opponents in Europe, or in South America, against Brazil and Argentina. They tend to stay in their region and play Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama, teams that are not good enough to raise the level of their competition.

Fortunately, the American soccer dream constantly reinvents itself, springing up with each season, when youngsters from New Jersey, just like Claudio Reyna, or from North Carolina, just like Eddie Pope, or from Illinois, just like Brian McBride, first step onto a soccer field.

And so you feel for the likes of Reyna, Pope and McBride, who have pursued the dream honestly and to the best of their ability for a dozen years and three World Cups.

They have gone through the countless training camps, the sacrifices it takes to keep their bodies in shape, the endless drudgery of air travel, the tricky qualifying games in not so fan-friendly places as Mazatenango, Guatemala; San Pedro Sula, Honduras; St. George's, Grenada; and San Jose, Costa Rica.

The U.S. team, whether under coach Bob Gansler in 1990, Bora Milutinovic in 1994, Steve Sampson in 1998 and Bruce Arena in 2002 and 2006, has always tried to foster a positive relationship with its fans and the media. The players are accessible and outgoing. They are ambassadors. For the sport. For the future.

Today, that future looks murky again. Arena is mulling other options. Some players have announced their retirement. The younger generation is disappointed by the team's first-round exit from Germany '06.

This time the dream dissolved at the feet of a Ghana team flying its own colors and those of all Africa. It died because of a questionable refereeing decision, because of injury to the most influential American player and because, in the end, the Ghanaians simply were the better side.

True soccer fans will remain fixed in front of their television sets for the rest of the World Cup, but fans who are wrapped only in the flag will move on. For them, the inglorious exit of the Americans signaled the time to leave.

That's too bad, because only by following soccer at its very highest level can Americans ever appreciate the game's artistry, its subtle nuances, its raw athletic energy.

Watch the Brazilians, the Argentines and the Dutch in full flow in 2006 and you cannot help but come away with the realization that this is a sport that matches the beauty Pele once described. That is progress, and if right now soccer in the U.S. takes a step back to move two steps forward, then so be it.

In two years' time, the U.S. once again will set out on a World Cup qualifying quest. Players not yet well known to fans will be wearing the red, white and blue. They will run where Reyna, Pope and McBride once ran.

Like them, they will dream the dream and believe.

South Africa 2010. It's not that far away.

*

Grahame L. Jones has covered soccer for The Times for the last 30 years and has reported on every World Cup since 1982.

See You Next Wednesday · Fri Jun 23, 2006 5:29 pm

The USs biggest problem is our lack of true playmakers. Players with the creativity and vision to make other teams worry about. WE have plenty of players who have some high level of technical ability, yet can't seem to create shots for themselves. And I think the reason is obvious, soccer in this coutnry is too organized. When was the last time you saw kids playing a pick-up soccer game? Do you think Ronaldinho or Wayne Rooney or Michael Ballack picked up there game chaning ability in the youth teams? No, they learned that extra something kicking a bal for fun with freinds, trying new things, crazy things. Out kids are put on teams, taught how to trap the ball, pass the ball, shoot the ball, dribble the ball in the most rote ways possible. What we are missing is the street. Why can Africa produce stronger teams? Why can outh America produce strong team? because growing up the kids fashion soccer balls out of whatever and play free flowing soccer anytime of the day. They don't set up cones and dribble around them, they don't set up one-two passing drills. They play. That is where they develop the creativity and the extra imagination that the US lakes entirely.

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 5:41 pm

good point. allen iverson didn't learn his skills at a summer bball camp.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:11 pm

SYNW,

I totally disagree. You look at the street ballers in basketball. Great talent, but the fact they are so helter skelter and UNorganized, they could never play in the NBA, at least most of them.

The best athletes in the USA are not playing soccer. Plain and simple. The best athletes in most every other country ARE playing soccer.

Hell, even here in Southern Indiana, every day during lunch, the Mexicans that work in the turkey slaughter plants all play soccer during their break. They played so much that the plant owner put a soccer field out there and everything for them. It is their passion. It is not even an afterthought for most Americans.

See You Next Wednesday · Fri Jun 23, 2006 6:28 pm

Indy,

I don't mean we need to go completely to streetball. But there needs to be significantly more of that element of the game in the US squad and it is just totally lacking.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:53 am

See You Next Wednesday wrote:The USs biggest problem is our lack of true playmakers. Players with the creativity and vision to make other teams worry about. WE have plenty of players who have some high level of technical ability, yet can't seem to create shots for themselves. And I think the reason is obvious, soccer in this coutnry is too organized. When was the last time you saw kids playing a pick-up soccer game? Do you think Ronaldinho or Wayne Rooney or Michael Ballack picked up there game chaning ability in the youth teams? No, they learned that extra something kicking a bal for fun with freinds, trying new things, crazy things. Out kids are put on teams, taught how to trap the ball, pass the ball, shoot the ball, dribble the ball in the most rote ways possible. What we are missing is the street. Why can Africa produce stronger teams? Why can outh America produce strong team? because growing up the kids fashion soccer balls out of whatever and play free flowing soccer anytime of the day. They don't set up cones and dribble around them, they don't set up one-two passing drills. They play. That is where they develop the creativity and the extra imagination that the US lakes entirely.

You are a dumbfuck.

The U.S team didn't "create" shots for the simple reason that they don't know how to play together as a team.

Conversely, other teams did "create" shots, because they do.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Sat Jun 24, 2006 2:37 pm

poptart wrote:nowhere near the same level of athlete as American ballplayers

You're kidding, right?

Guys who stand around for the better part of 4 hours a day are more "athletic" than guys who run nonstop for an hour and a half?

Have some more herbal tea, pop.