OT: U17 FIFA World Cup group stage USA vs Colombia
October 12th, 2017 at 10:36 AM ^
October 12th, 2017 at 10:42 AM ^
of OT lately......
October 12th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
Now, back to the soccer talk. Can anyone explain why our younger teams can compete with the big boys, but the USMNT is abysmal?
October 12th, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^
orange slices.
OK OK I will leave. Soccer it up.
October 12th, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
Did we ever come up for the name of the soccer haters? I'm still totally on board with this.
And to answer your question, there's an incredible article about this...
http://americansoccernow.com/articles/the-missing-years-u-s-soccer-s-de…
Enjoy. Or maybe you'll hate it, because it sucks that it is such. But it's an interesting read.
October 12th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
Thanks for sharing the article. I’ll read it later today when I need a break.
October 12th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
Same type of people who argue over cell phones, computers are other consumer choices. Killjoys is pretty accurate.
October 12th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
by the surge in popularity. Let them go figure out the whys and wherefors on their own time. The beautiful game isn't stopping to worry about them.
October 12th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
wasn't really trying to insult the game, I was just kind of kidding around. It has been a lot of OT-Soccer, but the alternatives are really not that great right now anyway.
I do think it could see an increase in popularity, particularly with TV viewership. The game has almost no stoppages, thus it is far more TV friendly. It is a much safer game than football, and that is a major thing right now. It is also a quicker viewing experience, around 2 hours as opposed to 3.5 or 4. As fewer people watch the NFL for various reasons (commercials and length being two of them), I expect more will gravitate toward soccer as an alternative.
I was not trying to be the kill-joy guy, I was just kidding. Soccer is fine.
(There is no reason that they just can't tell everybody how much stoppage time they are playing though. We don't need that last bit of "mystery" in every game).
October 12th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
dodge the thrown rotten fruit, and try to expand on ijohn's comments. I also watch parts of some of the important games involving USMNT and World Cup finals, etc. So, I'm not a soccer hater but do find it somewhat boring. And not 'because I don't understand the game'. I think what many of us "haters" object to is the constant threads on our UM FOOTBALL/SPORTS blog. Especially coming just after being reminded about the restrictions on OTs after football began.
So, we just finished a number of almost daily posts about a bad soccer team losing in a tournament full of bad soccer teams. Now, 1 day later, we get "who do you root for now?" and "U17 FIFA group stage". It just never ends... A subject that is OT and that only a minority of the blog have more than a passing interest in. These posts are better suited for ilovesoccer.com rather than being misplaced on MGoBlog.
Also, I have to disagree with seeing an increase in popularity/TV viewership. Can't see it happening until the US competes at a world level,and that ain't happening anytime soon. Multiple studies continue to indicate that (especially) boys tend to leave the sport at the latter years of middle school. We're a decade +, if ever, before soccer nears major US sport status, even if football declines because of the concussion-related issues.
October 12th, 2017 at 8:36 PM ^
October 13th, 2017 at 4:11 AM ^
it would. Especially if we were playing in a tournament against Trinidad, Bahamas, Dominican Repub, or whatever minor-league countries were being served up to fill ESPN cable time at 3 in the morning. NBA finals, Olympic finals, no problem. Same as World Cup or Olympic soccer semis or finals.
October 12th, 2017 at 8:37 PM ^
October 12th, 2017 at 2:19 PM ^
October 12th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Our Academy system is only 10 years old, and it took several years before we were able to have players coming through who went through the entireity of their teen years in the Academy.
The Academy, or USDA or just "DA" in soccer circles (United States Development Academy) has addressed a lot of the issues that have long been blamed for the the US' player development woes. Namely, they have a fixed training-to-game ratio, and *most* of them do not have to pay anything to play. The MLS, which I've seen a ton of people blaming for the US World Cup elimination, has been instrumental in the Academy system as all MLS teams sponsor Academy teams at ages U14 through U18. It is rare to see a non-MLS Academy team in the DA final four, though there are solid non-MLS Academy clubs who make appearances here and there (I believe a team from Texas did so this year).
Make no mistake - the US success at this U17 World Cup is not a fluke. While they did look second-best against Ghana, a perennial youth power, they found a way to get the job done. They should be favored in every game from here until at least the semifinals. Our U20 teams have made the quarterfinals at the last two U20 World Cups as well. The future is bright, and if we truly do get to host the 2026 World Cup, I would not be surprised to see the US make a run to the quarterfinals or even semifinals with a bit of luck.
TL;DR - About 10 years ago we finally started caring about and standardizing youth development, started putting kids on scholarship, and put professional coaches in charge of the top players.
October 12th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^
If we host the 2026 World Cup, we automatically qualify.
Whoo Hoo!
Suck it, Trinidad and Tobago.
October 12th, 2017 at 2:06 PM ^
This was said by a talking head on ESPN, not an original thought. MLS is partially to blame for the U.S. not qualifying because it's made the other teams in CONCACAF better. More and more players from Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, the Caribbean Islands are playing in MLS. Although not a top domesitc league in the World, still top 2 in North America with Liga MX and offers valuable training and game experience against our US MLS players. We are not only developing our talent, but others in our region as well.
October 12th, 2017 at 11:49 AM ^
has julian green regressed?
October 12th, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^
He was never really that good.
and DEFINITELY not better than Landon Donovan good.
October 12th, 2017 at 11:51 AM ^
U17 World Cup?
Even for me that's a wistful stretch.
Oh well, when your team does not make the NCAAs, I guess you have to watch the NIT.
USA! USA! USA!
October 12th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
US is looking dangerous on the counter attack but less than 10 minutes left.
My guess is PSG's Timothy Weah will be the third sub.
US will likely win group even with a loss due to Goal Differential.
October 12th, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
So the US finishes 3rd in the group but moves on.
October 12th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
For those who've never heard of Timothy Weah, but who have followed international soccer for at least 25 years, Timothy's father may be very well known. George Weah was FIFA's 1995 World Player of the Year and later was named African Player of the Century. LINK to article about Timothy.
October 12th, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^
Weah should have started or come off the bench sooner. Sargent has looked so-so in the group games before.
October 12th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
Looks like we are playing Paraguay or Iran, depending on how the rest of the 3rd placers work out. Paraguay won all three group stage matches against Mali, New Zealand and Turkey. Iran has beaten Guinea and Germany (4-0!). Either way, should be a tough match.
October 12th, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^
Yea, that last goal against really cost us. I can't blame Hackworth for pushing for the win though, especially with U17s. Bummer it cost us a late counter goal. So much for my assertion that we would be favored all the way to the semis. This is going to be a tough slog now.