Soccer's growing popularity in America (yes, political thread).

[ToxicAvenger]

I think there are players in any sport who you know are just naturally gifted and would succeed in any sport they turned their mind to. I agree someone like Michael Vick or Thomlinson would be brilliant at anything they had decided to take up.

i disagree...cricket is a unique game in so far such that no matter how great the atheletic ability there are some in cricket that'd bring ANYONE to their knees...ANYONE
the likes of Brett Lee, Big Freedie flintoff,sharne warne, Rickey Ponting, Shoaib Akthar, Shahid Afridi, Shachin tendulkar...you just CANT match that stuff
i dont care if u are Michael vic or Michael jordan playing cricket...some people were BORN to play the game and cannot be touched...for example!
sharne warne ball of the century

orr fastest 100..a 17 yr old shahid afridi

[ToxicAvenger]

oh i forgot...Wassim Akram..with 2 UNPLAYABLE balls ...even if u r jesus during the 1992 worldcup...rightfully monikered "the left arm of god"

[the_steevo_uk]

i disagree...cricket is a unique game in so far such that no matter how great the atheletic ability there are some in cricket that'd bring ANYONE to their knees...ANYONE
the likes of Brett Lee, Big Freedie flintoff,sharne warne, Rickey Ponting, Shoaib Akthar, Shahid Afridi, Shachin tendulkar...you just CANT match that stuff
i dont care if u are Michael vic or Michael jordan playing cricket...some people were BORN to play the game and cannot be touched...for example!
sharne warne ball of the century

you might be right...I played rugby in Fiji, and recently played a knock around cricket match with a bunch of indian kids, the natural flair both sets of kids had for those given sports leads me to believe that sometimes it takes a unique talent, honestly they made everything look so effortless is was amazing...Shane Warne only comes along once in a generation, if anybody can wrist spin the way he did, as well as mask the subtle changes in delivery it will be a sight to behold...I remember the ashes in 2005 every ball he bowled i was on the edge of my seat.

[ToxicAvenger]

you might be right...I played rugby in Fiji, and recently played a knock around cricket match with a bunch of indian kids, the natural flair both sets of kids had for those given sports leads me to believe that sometimes it takes a unique talent,

growing up in paki..summers we'd wake up and start playing at 8 am and go till 12 or 1 am the next day...hardly even eating...cause that took up time...
then when we grew up we'd play on grounds(20 over games) where the winning team stayed(ie..got to play again...looser had to vacate)...soo we HAD to win if we wanted the grounds to ourselves..
now i live in America and i had forgotton how good kids in those countries...i returned back in 1999 and i remember bowling as fast as i could to a 10 yr old (tape tennis)....i got him in the stomach a few times and pissed him off...i wasn't holding back on account he ws 10...i ws banging em in

after that...he hit me out of the ground quite a few times..and he couldn't have been that strong and ws only 5ish feet...but anything short of perfect length and i'd pull me away on leg

[TrapsMcLats]

I think many of you are missing the point of this thread.  the point is that we have become so over run with dirty little mexican/latin american gremlins and other low IQ foreigners/minorities that ESPN and other TV networks have decided that airing more soccer is a wise business deal.  10 years ago, soccer on tv meant ratings suicide. now, it is seen as a wise move.  you following me?

[the_steevo_uk]

I think many of you are missing the point of this thread.  the point is that we have become so over run with dirty little mexican/latin american gremlins and other low IQ foreigners/minorities that ESPN and other TV networks have decided that airing more soccer is a wise business deal.  10 years ago, soccer on tv meant ratings suicide. now, it is seen as a wise move.  you following me?

You cant keep the world shut out forever. I've always thought it bizarre that the US had its own sports that no one else in the world played and yet called the MLB championship the 'World' Series. Football (or soccer as you americans insist on calling it) IS the world sport. What did you guys think was gonna happen? That you could let people in and they were suddenly going to like Baseball or Hockey or American Football? ofcourse not, almost every country in the world's favourite sport is football, so theyre going to come in and want to watch that. America has spent so long exporting its culture to the rest of the world without getting anything back, well football is one of the things you have to deal with in return. To some extent the fact that rugby is also growing fairly fast is a testament to that as well (though i think that might be more to do with failed American Football players wanting something to do) I dont think theres any doubt that in 100 years the main sport in the USA will be 'soccer', once the standard of the league improves (which it already is doing) its only a matter of time, the money will come flooding in and with that the major sports channels.

[Nordic Superman]

I agree with Toxic's opinion.

Another example is tennis. I'm sorry, but no matter how arrogant you are in regards to American sporting superiority, none would be capable to compete against Federer or Nadal from NFL or NBA or NHL.

As good as Kobe might be suited to basketball, and how impressive his stature you might assume - if he was born again and taught by the best trainers I honestly don't believe he could compete with someone as naturally suited at tennis as Federer.

Beach Bum is entitled to believe a Honda Civic can be directly compared to a Tank but I don't.

[MB_722]

listen to this it's very good.
The B.S. Report: 6/8

Bill Simmons and Rob Stone break down the international soccer scene. How will the U.S. fare in the 2010 World Cup? Was the David Beckham experiment worth it for MLS?

D/L: http://podloc.andohs.net/dloadTrack.mp3?prm=2864xhttp://query-origin.andohs.net/8000A6/content-root3.andomedia.com/origin/mp3/espnradio/sportsguy/simmons090608a.mp3


The B.S. Report: 7/8

Colin Cowherd joins Bill Simmons to discuss his path to ESPN Radio, his new SportsNation TV show, the rise of international soccer in the U.S. and more.

D/L:http://podloc.andohs.net/dloadTrack.mp3?prm=2864xhttp://query-origin.andohs.net/8000A6/content-root3.andomedia.com/origin/mp3/espnradio/sportsguy/simmons090708.mp3
they only talk about soccer near the end.