World Cup/Soccer for Dummies and soccer silliness

[StL Dan]

Basically our best players would be bench players for other teams around the world.

That's not meant to be offensive, it's just the truth.

For the record, i love soccer and played it for 18 years. The World Cup is an exciting time and i certainly hope to us do well. If i'm not mistaken, this is the best team we've fielded in years, possibly ever.

I wish Alexi Lalas would grow out all his hair again for the broadcasts. It would make what he is saying much more entertaining.

Anyone know whatever happened to Coby Jones? He was one of my favorite players at the time.

Here's to an upset on saturday!

Coby Jones was another guy that I just kept waiting for to do something huge for Team USA on the international stage. cue: price is right "you lose" sound bit

[Fat Strat]

Yeah, I disagree with that as well. The guys TT mentioned could probably start on every team in the Cup. A few other guys (Bradley, Altidore) would be starters for MOST teams -- at least over half. With 5-6 players that are better than most, that's why we're in the top half of the rankings for the Cup. It's certainly not because we have a couple elite talents.

Of course, just because they would start doesn't mean that they would be the best players on those teams. You can fit 11 guys on the field at one time...


I think that Dan asked when America was going to produce a true world class superstar caliber soccer player. I don't think that America can right now. America plays the game differently than South America and parts of Europe. Speed, strength, agility, that kind of thing we have if the right kid picks soccer. What we don't have is the culture, competition, and the coaching to teach a player like that how to be elite.

I'll use a basketball analogy. It's kind of like US is playing an old school style basketball game with a bunch of Jerry Wests on the court whereas Spain, Brazil, etc. is a bunch of Lebron James and Dwayne Wades. Does that kind of make sense? It's almost like Spain, Brazil, etc. are playing a completley different version of the same game.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

We have very different interpretations of the phrase "ride the bench", it seems.

[jlandrus23]

Why are we talking about the World Cup when we know the USA is gonna win it anyway?

[thrill]

Basically our best players would be bench players for other teams around the world.

That's not meant to be offensive, it's just the truth.

No.

Yea, pretty much.

Go ahead and list all these teams that wouldn't have a spot for Dempsey, Donovan, a healthy Onyewu, and Howard. Unless by "other teams" you meant a small handful.

Tim Howard is considered one of the best keepers in the world, yes, but as far as the other your mentioned, one plays for the MLS, one rides the bench for Fulham, and one rides the bench for Milan.

Howard is the really the only stand-out player out of the four you mentioned. On the world stage at least.

Clint is an automatic starter for Fulham and is THE reason they were in the final of a major European tournament. I think you're mistaking your soccer lingo. "Pitch" means "field." "Bench" means "bench," not "field." You meant to say "one rides the pitch."

Yes, one plays for MLS. He's the best player in MLS, and in and of itself, while I understand what you're getting at, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I also shouldn't have to explain how he played at Everton, what that means and why he's one of the only players England fears.

Also, riding the bench for Milan is incredibly misleading. He was injured. He blew out his knee. Would he have played major minutes for Milan barring injury? Probably not, but that's not how one should evaluate talent.

Also, feel free to address TT's question and list what teams in the World Cup Dempsey and Donovan wouldn't start on. I can name only a couple, but apparently you think you can do much better than that.

[go birds]

Basically our best players would be bench players for other teams around the world.

That's not meant to be offensive, it's just the truth.

No.

Yea, pretty much.

No, he's right. You have no idea what you're talking about.

But hey, you know a couple dudes that played like 12 years ago and want to know what happened to them, so you're obviously more of an expert than TT and I.

How very condescending of you by the way.

I was gonna let it go, but i'm gonna say something.

This is why some of us feel like we can't PM the mods when we have a problem with something or someone.

There's no doubt you're very knowledgable about this stuff. If you'd like to enlighten me on our players, i'd be more than happy to read and then i would stand corrected.

Admittedly, i'm no expert on US soccer or even world soccer, but from what i understand, the US does not have what could be considered superstars. Hence what i said. Afterall this is a topic about the World Cup for the casual fan. I suspect many people on this board couldn't even name any of the starters on our national team. The same people who can't name anyone will watch the US play, cheer them on, and then forget about it when the US gets knocked out. They will then go about their business as usual.

But what do i know, i'm just some noob who can name players from 12 years ago.

[go birds]

Basically our best players would be bench players for other teams around the world.

That's not meant to be offensive, it's just the truth.

No.

Yea, pretty much.

Go ahead and list all these teams that wouldn't have a spot for Dempsey, Donovan, a healthy Onyewu, and Howard. Unless by "other teams" you meant a small handful.

Tim Howard is considered one of the best keepers in the world, yes, but as far as the other your mentioned, one plays for the MLS, one rides the bench for Fulham, and one rides the bench for Milan.

Howard is the really the only stand-out player out of the four you mentioned. On the world stage at least.

Clint is an automatic starter for Fulham and is THE reason they were in the final of a major European tournament. I think you're mistaking your soccer lingo. "Pitch" means "field." "Bench" means "bench," not "field." You meant to say "one rides the pitch."

Yes, one plays for MLS. He's the best player in MLS, and in and of itself, while I understand what you're getting at, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I also shouldn't have to explain how he played at Everton, what that means and why he's one of the only players England fears.

Also, riding the bench for Milan is incredibly misleading. He was injured. He blew out his knee. Would he have played major minutes for Milan barring injury? Probably not, but that's not how one should evaluate talent.

Also, feel free to address TT's question and list what teams in the World Cup Dempsey and Donovan wouldn't start on. I can name only a couple, but apparently you think you can do much better than that.

I stand corrected.

[thrill]

Basically our best players would be bench players for other teams around the world.

That's not meant to be offensive, it's just the truth.

No.

Yea, pretty much.

No, he's right. You have no idea what you're talking about.

But hey, you know a couple dudes that played like 12 years ago and want to know what happened to them, so you're obviously more of an expert than TT and I.

How very condescending of you by the way.

I was gonna let it go, but i'm gonna say something.

This is why some of us feel like we can't PM the mods when we have a problem with something or someone.

There's no doubt you're very knowledgable about this stuff. If you'd like to enlighten me on our players, i'd be more than happy to read and then i would stand corrected.

Admittedly, i'm no expert on US soccer or even world soccer, but from what i understand, the US does not have what could be considered superstars. Hence what i said. Afterall this is a topic about the World Cup for the casual fan. I suspect many people on this board couldn't even name any of the starters on our national team. The same people who can't name anyone will watch the US play, cheer them on, and then forget about it when the US gets knocked out. They will then go about their business as usual.

But what do i know, i'm just some noob who can name players from 12 years ago.

I don't like emoticons, but I probably should have added a little winking guy at the end so it would come off more good natured.

[jim]

What does a guy have to do to get yellow carded? What kinds of things? How about red?


Also, I don't know one players name on the US team.. Who are the say, top 3?


Also, someone said you only get 3 substitutions per game. Why all the players on the team then?

[Fat Strat]

The names you need to know:
Landon Donovan
Clint Dempsey (scored today)
Jozy Altidore

Then you'll hear us talking about Gooch Oneywu, Tim Howard, & Michael Bradley (the coach's son).


You get a yellow card for hard, deliberate tackles (sliding in on the other player) that "play the body" instead of playing the ball. In other words, if you slide into someone's knees or ankles and take them out, then you're going to get a yellow card. If you slide from behind you'll almost always get carded and might just skip straight to a red card.

Other card worthy fouls (a few of many):
* Intentionally using your hands (DeMerit did this today)
* Language against the ref
* Excessive pushing, grabbing, etc. Usually you'll get warned for this a time or two and then they'll card you.

One of the reasons why playing the body instead of the ball is a cardable foul is that it's such an easy way to injure a player and ruin careers. You can imagine how important a player's legs, ankles, and knees are to this sport, so the rules help protect players from serious injury. Also, usually if you're sliding into someone's ankles they've already beaten you and you're taking drastic measures to stop a run/shot, etc.

All the yellow cards I got (I played fullback) were when I was beat and had to do something drastic to save a break away and sure goal. And yeah, each time I was intentionally trying to take out the player and got called on it.