Would America be the best if...?

Question

Our Soccer/football was more popular and our best atheletes choose soccer over other sports like Basket ball and football? This country has a lot of great atheletes.

Answer 1

It is true that we have a lot of great athletes, but players play the game they are best at. Some of the athletes we have, if brought up playing soccer instead, would indeed be successful. The problem is, most of those players have body types that make them exceptional at the sport they play.

Even then, we would not be the best simply because our youth system is far inferior and the current "Americanized" format of league play in the MLS actually works to stunt growth. Teams can push real hard at the beginning of the season and get a lot of points, and lose most of the second half of the season and not even try to win games but still make the playoffs. Furthermore, the teams that just are no good and have no shot at making the playoffs have nothing to play for in the second half of the season. There is no threat of relegation, and there is no incentive to have a good record at this point because there are have not been any cups/tournaments that allow teams in based purely on record.

In my opinion, the MLS needs to eliminate the playoffs completely and switch to a European league format. We already have the domestic cup, and now we have the SuperLiga tournament with Mexican club teams.

Answer 2

David Beckham can earn up to 250 million dollars over the next 5 years. I think this is a step in the right direction. That type of money will draw more talent into the MLS and it might draw more attention of the American public. Even non-soccer fans are going to want to see David play because of the phenomenon the media has made of this deal.

BUT, this will draw more attention to soccer and may bring in more international talent, but there is still no league for the developement of young talent. If America really wants to field some great soccer team then the NCAA has to take another look Title 9. Many colleges have cut Men's Soccer because they have to have an equal amount of sports scholarships for men and women. But, football, basketball, and baseball remain the biggest male sports in college and are the college's biggest money makers. Just look how women's soccer has flourished in international play, because women soccer remains one of the biggest sports in college.

Now, if the MLS wanted to invest in famr league, much like the minor league's in baseball, then I think soccer can be a huge sport in the US. This would allow budding talent coming out of high school a place to go after graduation because scholarships are limited. This minor league, added with the chance of multi-million dollar contracts, would be the best thing for US soccer.

Now, if we could develope young talent and soccer becomes a viable sport in the US, then I do think we could have one of the best teams in the world. We played Italy, the Cup winners, to a 1-1 tie. So, I think the talent will start coming out as big paychecks are being paid. If we could just get a great coach to harvest this talent, then I think we will be a competive squad.

Answer 3

I don't know if u would be the best but i am sure that u would be much better than now.
I can give an example with alpine skiing. After Bode Miller appeared in skiing Americans are getting better, there are many young and good competitors and now may be u are in top 2 nations in this sport.
I think that Beckam might help a lot for popularity of football (soccer)

Answer 4

I think that if soccer was not looked at as a sport that can be played by the people not good enough to play the one you mentioned before that we woul better as nation in soccer. i also think that the mass sports media plays a big part, if children saw soccer players on televison like you do others and they recieved all the hype and comercials and endorcements the kids would emulate soccer players as well. the final aspect would have to be the parents, most seem to see the sport of soccer as something kids can do until they become old enough to play the others. so if they saw the same opertuinites in soccer that they see in the "big 3" they wold be more likely or at least not push the others as hard.

Answer 5

Yes we produce a lot of great athletes who play soccer/football when theyre young but the most athletic go into other fields(basketball, football, baseball) when college starts. This makes it difficult as other countries best athletes pretty much exclusively go into soccer. But international football is VERY COMPETITIVE, much more than basketball due to this, we would be a contender for every WC but I dont know if we could be the best. We would still have to compete with the Brazils, Argentinas, Englands, Italy's, Germany's, Spains, France, Nigeria who also produce great athletes and devote their attention to soccer..

Answer 6

Your system of bringing athletes through high school-college-draft for NFL is a fantastic idea, it means youngsters are playing at a high level from an early age and also do other sports like athletics. which wouldnt hurt a soccer player to have that kind of pace.The only thing is there is a lot more technical skill in soccer that just cant be taught .look at the brasilians.I reckon the u.s would definetley be up there though

Answer 7

if the country and its people focused most of its attention on soccer, then the usa would be like any major soccer country. if people grew up watching soccer because their parents watched soccer and so on, and if soccer was embedded into your culture and tradition, then yea. If the USA was like was a major soccer country like England, then I definitely think we could be a very good team. You can't rightfully say who would be the best, but I definitely think we'd be a lot better than we are now.

Answer 8

I certainly believe so. We have the highest population in the world besides China and India.

Our youth leagues in this country our spectacular and we produce the best athletes in the world, so no doubt, we would be a top 3 country in the world.

Answer 9

yeah american soccer would be better but its better not to say "what if?" because we can change it get more media attention to it (that's the biggy is right there)
Take the NFL w/vince young and reggie bush u saw how the media helped in making this rookie players stand out from the NFL?

Answer 10

maybe because you would have more skilled players but were would the coaching come from. Would they have the right type of league to be the best. Overall they would even be better then right now but i can't see us being the best.