World Cup/Soccer for Dummies and soccer silliness

[Freed Roger]

I can think of about a thousand things I would rather do than watch the world cup such as clean the gutters, watch the lifetime network with my wife, or count the leaves on the trees in my yard.

That's going a little overboard, no?

Wait, isn't the World Cup airing on the lifetime network?


/ducks and runs

[jim]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

For a baseball reference, I'd compare it more to the turnover from Opening Day to the Playoffs.

And yes, all of the US team plays professionally, and that's the norm for the vast majority(if not all) of the WC nations.

[StL Dan]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

For a baseball reference, I'd compare it more to the turnover from Opening Day to the Playoffs.

And yes, all of the US team plays professionally, and that's the norm for the vast majority(if not all) of the WC nations.

Is Landon Donovan really as good as I'm hearing? Whever I see him play, he's giving unbelievable effort, but I rarely see him dominate at his position. This is not a slam...just a question.

[BiggestCoxFan]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

For a baseball reference, I'd compare it more to the turnover from Opening Day to the Playoffs.

And yes, all of the US team plays professionally, and that's the norm for the vast majority(if not all) of the WC nations.

Is Landon Donovan really as good as I'm hearing? Whever I see him play, he's giving unbelievable effort, but I rarely see him dominate at his position. This is not a slam...just a question.

The media has convinced me that he's the best American player.

For an analogy, the smartest retarded person.

[robbotis]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

For a baseball reference, I'd compare it more to the turnover from Opening Day to the Playoffs.

And yes, all of the US team plays professionally, and that's the norm for the vast majority(if not all) of the WC nations.

Is Landon Donovan really as good as I'm hearing? Whever I see him play, he's giving unbelievable effort, but I rarely see him dominate at his position. This is not a slam...just a question.

The media has convinced me that he's the best American player.

For an analogy, the smartest retarded person.

Oh, come on, Donovan is real good.
Is he a top 20 player in the world? No way, not even close. But there'd be a spot for him on just about any team.
He, Dempsey, and Howard are World Class players. The rest of the US squad varies from close to awesome(Bradley, Oneywu) to he's really playing in the World Cup?(Bornstein, DeMerit, Findley).

[jim]

I don't want to derail the other thread ... I'd like to keep serious discussion in there and just have this for the dummies who don't follow soccer.

How often to teams play per week?

[Freed Roger]

Thrill has surely started his World Cup drunkgasm already.

so here's his prior primer on how this soccer stuff is organized

[thrill]

Ok thrill, so 2 years before they do these qualifying tournaments. How much does the teams change during that time? We have like 6 guys off of our team 2 years ago - I assume the turnover is less.

Are these guys pros?

Yeah they all have professional teams they play for. Barring injury, none of the key players have turned over for the last two years, however a lot of the bench players have rotated in and out as well as there being a lot of turnover since the last World Cup in 06.

How often to teams play per week?

Internationally about 10-15 times a year. The club season is generally around 40 games a year if you count league play, exhibitions or tournaments. The really good teams who go deep in international club tournaments play about 50+ a year. Basically you average about 1.5 games a week in the club season.

The media has convinced me that he's the best American player.

For an analogy, the smartest retarded person.

Don't be ignorant for the sake of humor. It makes you sound like an idiot.

Is Landon Donovan really as good as I'm hearing? Whever I see him play, he's giving unbelievable effort, but I rarely see him dominate at his position. This is not a slam...just a question.

Well soccer isn't quite like basketball where you can dominate a position easily. There are a handful of players in the world that can, and Landon is not one of them.

To understand how US fans and media evaluate Landon Donovan, you first have to understand US fans and media. We're a very passionate, dedicated group and were starved for a lot of things. Respect, attention and talent come to mind. Because of how starved we are for those things, people have naturally latched onto Donovan since he is our best player. He could play on any team in the world and be very good as long as he's used correctly as a part of the team, but at the same time, he's not a physical force like a Ronaldo, Drogba or Rooney and he's not a magician like a Messi, Xavi or Sneijder. He isn't the most charismatic guy either.

People in the US soccer community react to Donovan in different ways. Some people overrate him because they are so desperate for the respect, attention and talent that other nations and their players get so they find our closest approximation and anoint him elite because they're fooling themselves. Some people underrate them because they want the same respect, attention and talent that other nations get but they recognize that Landon isn't a world elite so instead of appreciating him for what he is, they lash out at him for what he isn't. In reality, Landon Donovan is a very good player. He's got his weaknesses, but what he does, he does well. He's got excellent speed and can do things with the ball at full speed that most people can't. He's an excellent passer with excellent vision. He's an above average finisher for a midfielder.

[StL Dan]

when does the u.s. produce a bona fide, international stud - a messi or a rehahldeno (sp?)

i would think there is a prodigy out there somewhere in this land considering the number of soccer nutty kids are playing the game year round these days

everywhere i turn, there are kids kicking a ball instead of throwing or hitting or tackling it