Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ssc-bee.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!mtuxo!mtunh!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!ssc-bee!thill From: thill@ssc-bee.UUCP (Tom Hill) Newsgroups: net.sport Subject: Re: World Cup History (or what's wrong with the USA) Message-ID: <411@ssc-bee.UUCP> Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 16:44:33 EST Article-I.D.: ssc-bee.411 Posted: Thu Oct 31 16:44:33 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 06:26:40 EST References: <834@utai.UUCP> <235@Navajo.ARPA> Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA Lines: 58 > Just out of curiousity, anyone have any theories why the US has never > had any real success in sports like soccer?? It seems that a lot of > non West-Hemisphere countries have been getting really good in sports > that can be considered "American"---basketball, volleyball, etc... > > does something like national funding, etc, make a difference?? > > and anyone know anything about letting "professinals" play in the > Olympics?? It doesn't seem to me that there is that much of a difference > between someone who is govt-supported, gets money for side endorsements, > or accepts money outright... > > jeff hmmmm Well being from the NW (we have more soccer players per-capita than anywhere else in the country) I have my own theory as to why the US never has performed well in International soccer. 1. We don't take it seriously enough. In other countries they treat soccer like Texas treats football. Kids in Europe and South America get soccer balls instead of a nerf or a baseball mitt. 2. Soccer is a matter of international pride in to other countries. Brazil wanted to go to war in 1978 when Argentina stompped Peru(?) and they thought that Peru's players had thrown the game (this allowed Argentina to edge Brazil in points). 3. Europe uses the US soccer leagues (now only the MISL survives) as a way to (a) keep players in shape during the off season. (b) give inexperienced players time to mature (c) let older players play a few more years when they can no longer compete sufficiently in Europe. Numbers 1 and 2 are what got us to this pathetic state and number three is keeping us there. I can hear the flames now on number 3, "but there are limits to the number of foreign player who can play on each MISL team!" True, but foreign players who have their cards don't count toward that quota so the number of European players is higher than we are led to believe. Our young players need something to shoot for and currently there is very little to pin a young person's hopes on. Here in the NW we have leagues that run year round (Men's, Women's, and Coed). Leagues are also broken down into over 30 and 40 classifications not to mention the indoor soccer clubs that are beginning to spring up. I hope that soccer continues to grow in this country. It is a great sport to play and in my 16 years of competitive soccer I have only seen two severe injuries (ie one broken leg and one knee requiring surgery). Oh well I have digressed far enough. Comments? Tom Hill