Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

Iplayboard,

They were likely playing longball and teams weren't adjusting. Is he really runs a sub 11 100m in track he's likely faster than almost everyone in the NBA and almost everyone in the NFL as well. A well coordinated defense could get him, but most teams pull their defense up too much and give him the opp. You'd need to pull your keeper out and sag your back line farther back to adjust for this. Most coaches can't or won't do this. Having someone with this much speed on the pitch can really alter the game for your team.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

"
I too am done with this thread.
"

good, continue to exist in your arrogant ameri-centric viewpoints.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

[ QUOTE ]
They will run timed sprints and do an endurance test but endurance can be built up and pace isn’t essential if their skilful enough.
Are these NFL combine numbers published?

[/ QUOTE ]

They're available all over the Internet. The NFL Network even airs some of the events. There's a whole thread here discussing what it means for, e.g., Calvin Johnson to run a 4.35 second 40 yard dash.

Are the soccer numbers published? Does the general public know how fast, e.g., Theo Walcott is in the 40 (or 100 or whatever they are timed at)?

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

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[ QUOTE ]
look at manu ginobili. you think he didnt want to play soccer? and sasha pavlovic, tony parker, peja, nash. THEY FCKN WERENT GOOD ENOUGH.

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You have no fckn idea if this is true or not, you just made it up.


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ok, obv i made this up but it was more to counter the point that in america all the best athletes gravitate to hoops/fball bc they can make the most money and taht these great athletes, if they so chose, would dominate soccer.

dont you think that all the great foreign nbaers would want have initially wanted to play soccer? since soccer is life for those societies. since soccer is considered a great way to make a ton of money and get fame and glory in their homeland.

why would they move away from the sport that will get the most respect from their country and family? esp when that sport is soooooo much easier to play and dominate?

pls explain this.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

Victor,

Simple logic is amazing. Do you really mean that people would prefer to be a hero at their national sport, stay in their home country and make money than going to a foreign country, learning a new language, playing a 2nd tier sport, and getting paid less? Really? Wow.

I think if you asked Manu "Would you give up all your rings to wear that baby blue in 08?" He'd say something ghey like "No I love basketball and my team." But would think "Fek Yes. R U INSANE?"

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They will run timed sprints and do an endurance test but endurance can be built up and pace isn’t essential if their skilful enough.
Are these NFL combine numbers published?

[/ QUOTE ]

They're available all over the Internet. The NFL Network even airs some of the events. There's a whole thread here discussing what it means for, e.g., Calvin Johnson to run a 4.35 second 40 yard dash.

Are the soccer numbers published? Does the general public know how fast, e.g., Theo Walcott is in the 40 (or 100 or whatever they are timed at)?

[/ QUOTE ]

No

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

I'm surprised nobody has brought up the different types of muscle tissues that develop when you consistently use them in a certain way. If you play more endurance sports, you develop tissue (slow-twitch I believe, but don't quote me on that) that can withstand a general strain over a long period of time. If you play sports that require quick bursts of energy followed by some rest, you develop fibers (fast-twitch, but again don't quote me) that support this. After a long enough time, when you develop enough of one type of muscle tissue, your ability to perform at a high level in activities that are generally the domain of the other type of tissue diminishes.

The point of all this is that there are different types of athletes. What Americans generally consider to be athletic are the guys that are quick, can jump high, etc. This is why they don't consider soccer players to be equivalent athletically. It is because their bodies have been conditioned for a different set of activities. If there were an "MLS Combine," all the NBA and NFL guys would be put to shame just like if you put soccer players in the NFL Combine.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They will run timed sprints and do an endurance test but endurance can be built up and pace isn’t essential if their skilful enough.
Are these NFL combine numbers published?

[/ QUOTE ]

They're available all over the Internet. The NFL Network even airs some of the events. There's a whole thread here discussing what it means for, e.g., Calvin Johnson to run a 4.35 second 40 yard dash.

Are the soccer numbers published? Does the general public know how fast, e.g., Theo Walcott is in the 40 (or 100 or whatever they are timed at)?

[/ QUOTE ] I read Theo's sprint time somewhere and it was really really good. Maybe I can find it again.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

[ QUOTE ]
Iplayboard,

They were likely playing longball and teams weren't adjusting. Is he really runs a sub 11 100m in track he's likely faster than almost everyone in the NBA and almost everyone in the NFL as well. A well coordinated defense could get him, but most teams pull their defense up too much and give him the opp. You'd need to pull your keeper out and sag your back line farther back to adjust for this. Most coaches can't or won't do this. Having someone with this much speed on the pitch can really alter the game for your team.

[/ QUOTE ]


hahaha, this reminds me of a game in high school. local press actually followed soccer pretty well and we had a good team that started off like 12-0 or something. well we had a really fast forward that we fed the ball to and he scored a lot. we were set to play revere and the coach said in an article something like "oh all they have is the fast guy mark. he has no skill and we will shut him down."

this was a stupid comment since our best players were in the midfield but whatever it was even stupider when the game started and we realized his teams plan to stop mark. offsides fckn trap. hahahahahaha. our boy scored 3 goals before half.

Re: Do Americans Overestimate How Great Other Athletes Would be at Soc
 

Victor,

Exactly. They use the exact opposite strat. Shadow him and let your sweeper and marking back sag back on him as far as they wanna go. GL feeding him longballs.