12/22/24
May 02, 2008
LA Galaxy reserve team uses ticket agent to fill out game day roster: They didn't want to play short-handed. Anybody here know how to play this game?
No, it's not. It's just not the best league in the world. If that's what you're looking for, you might want to go to Spain, Portugal, England, Italy, France, Germany, Brazil or Argentina. That said, stories like this aren't going to help show off the league for what it is, which is a perfectly good second-tier league with a improving international reputation (again, it's not going to become a top-tier league anytime soon, but it is improving) and a growing domestic cultural footprint. They have a long string of (mostly very fixable) problems, but the people who are screwing up on the little things have to get the hell out of their own way. The Galaxy seem to be a very poorly run team, which is a true shame, because even without Beckham, they could easily and quickly be the flagship side for the the whole sport in the USA. As it is, Alexi Lalas (or whoever) is running them into the ground, and it's left to the Houstons, Chivases, Torontoes, Washingtons and Columbi of the league to carry the flag for North American soccer. Come on, guys. Pick it up. I want to believe.
posted by chicobangs at 12:12 PM on May 02, 2008
USA Soccer can be the best in the world in no time... As soon as I get hold of my own soccer facility, indoor or outdoor, I will prove my point with a vengeance. Every time I have been able to start my developmental soccer team that will be the ambassador of what USA soccer level can be, and should be, and not in 5 or 10 years, NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! TODDDDAAAAYYY! Some jealous zealot has found a way to stop me from continuing the program. So I have dedicated my efforts to doing everything I can to own my facility where I will again start my developmental soccer teams, and using my unique training and developmental soccer program, which is based on 28 years of soccer research and development, I will show the world what top level soccer should be about, and I will start with a team right here in USA. The good news is that I am getting very close to getting such a facility, and actually, I should say facilities. I have already attempted to contact LA Galaxy’s executive and management staff members to offer my professional finishing services, and they have never returned any of my calls or e-mails. I have met with the Director of Soccer Development of Chivas USA, but during our meeting he said they have no funds available in their budget to bring me on board to work with their players as a finishing consultant, to teach them how to score goals. I have made many other efforts to help the MLS or the USSF efforts, but no one is truly interested in improving the level of soccer here in this country, aside from propagating their own political power and their personal egos in the top level organized soccer entities here in this country, while thousands of existing soccer players in all levels here in the USA, just rust away in their efforts to improve their natural soccer talents, and develop other talents they were not even aware they had, and since I started playing organized soccer here in the USA in 1970, as a ten year old, I have not seen this trend change as of yet, and that is sad.
posted by phason at 12:46 PM on May 02, 2008
1. They are talking about their "minor league" team, right? Seriously, I'm asking because If they are, I didn't even know that a "JV" squad/league existed for MLS. If they are talking about the main squad, that truly is pathetic. If this is just their JV squad, who really cares. The point is to get those guys some field time to be able to eventually contribute to the big club, right? 2. Hey, Chico-what's with not showing the Revs any love? Their championship game futility notwithstanding, they have to be considered one of the cornerstone franchises in the league. 3. Phason, why is it that any US soccer talk immediately brings out your bellyaching about some vast conspiracy that is denying you the opportunity to raise the level and notoriety of American Soccer. If Pele couldn't get this county's head out of their crevices and appreciate the beautiful sport, what makes you think you can? It is going to take more than one man to change Americans' attitude towards Soccer. We all, as fans, have to promote the sport to the uneducated and help them understand it so that they may become passionate about it. The MLS still has a way to go, but they are getting better. What they need to do is to find a way for the World Wide Leader to give them some of the pub force that they throw behind Arena Football. A little extra coverage on Sportscenter would do wonders. Just my 2 cents
posted by crqri at 01:04 PM on May 02, 2008
The MLS Reserve League is essentially a JV or minor league system for the MLS, but it is very poorly run. The MLS barely has the funds to run senior teams, and have never truly invested in the kind of youth and reserve development that you see in every other major football league in the world. Reserve teams often scrimmage USL teams, and regularly get pounded, not so much because they don't have talent, but because so little focus is placed on them. Alexi Lalas said it the best not too long ago, "The MLS does not have a monopoly on crap soccer." I'm not saying that the MLS is the worst league in the world, nor am I saying that there are bad teams and bad games played all the time, everywhere. The MLS is fact has done an excellent job of selling a sport that most Americans are plainly suspicious of, and the push to get soccer specific stadia has been a boon for the league. Nevertheless, the quality of MLS play is still "crap". Tactically the games are sub par, and talent-wise, when washed up players like Juan Pablo Angel or never has been players like Luciano Emilio can be regularly imported into the league and become first rate stars, there is a problem. From a PR standpoint, the MLS has been generally a success based on expectations. From a footballing standpoint, it is still not where it could be.
posted by Chargdres at 01:25 PM on May 02, 2008
0. CRQRI, it is going to take the proper approach to soccer development to improve soccer here in the USA, and I have that development program. Actually, there has been a level of conspiracy as you put it, but those facts will hopefully come out in a book that I am going to write in the near future, which I am sure you will not be bellyaching to read. I consider myself a fan of soccer, and aside from doing all I can as one individual, I am actually directly involved in improving the level of the game here in the USA...all I ever see you do is talk. Pele did manage to help improve the interest of many young players get into the game here in the USA, and he helped increase the awareness of the game here in this country. At least he did his part, what have you done to improve the game, aside from just talk? Once I get started with my developmental soccer teams, you should consider yourself privileged to be able to see the level of soccer that we will bring to the soccer field, once we setup an exhibition game that will be televised.
posted by phason at 01:26 PM on May 02, 2008
"all I ever see you do is talk." Actually, all you ever see me do is write, but that's just semantics. It's been my experience that people who go on the attack in such a manner, it is usually because a particular nerve has been struck. But, seeing as how I love to antagonize: Dreamers talk, doers do. Successful people are fortified by their adversity, and use it as motivation, others are convinced that their failures are due to conspiracies and blame everyone else. I was blessed with an engaging personality, but absolutely ZERO athletic skills. As such, I am a Salesperson/Entrepreneur and not a professional athlete. That much being said, I promote the love of the sport to my sons, have volunteered for their teams and league, and introduce the love of the sport to all those whom I hear deride or are curious of it. In short, I practice what I preach. I am not discounting Pele's contribution to the US, but when the Cosmos brought him on, they were doing so to have him BE soccer, a fatal error by the team and the league. None of the current leagues, even today, are built on the backs of just one player (and before anyone mentions the NBA and MJ, remember it took Bird and Magic to even get to Jordan). That is the same mistake MLS is doing now with Beckham. My question to you is: if you are so confident in the superiority of your system, why haven't you actually done something more to get it off the ground. Again, all I ever "see" you do is complain. If your product is as good as you say, you should have waiting lists of people dying to learn. Sometimes, businessmen will give away their product as a trial and are able to get customers by referrals and from success. Maybe you should start by running a few free clinics? Maybe something at the local Y or Boys & Girls Club. If the greatest player in the history of the sport can come up from abject poverty, learning how to play by kicking boulders, imagine what you can do in the lives of some of those kids! "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step", and I sincerely hope you realize your dreams, but until you genuinely put in the effort to get them started, stop using SpoFi as a bully pulpit for your conspiracy theories and self promotion. I am sorry to everyone else for detracting from the original topic. GO REVS!!! We'll win one eventually.
posted by crqri at 02:11 PM on May 02, 2008
They play soccer in North America? Who knew?
posted by Spitztengle at 02:26 PM on May 02, 2008
crqri, I stand corrected about the Revs. They certainly are carrying more than their share of the league's PR weight as well. I just started typing, came up with a sexy pluralization of "Columbus," and stopped thinking. My bad. Phason, if your plan is sound, I hope it works out. The more people there are pushing in the same direction, the better off the sport will be on this continent.
posted by chicobangs at 02:51 PM on May 02, 2008
CRQRI, Factually, if we searched this forum for the total number of my writings verses yours, you would come on top. Yes, I do seldom write, to promote the fact that today's soccer players in the USA are able to be the best in the world, not in 5 or 10 years but today. I write less than you do, and if we got together and compared home many hours you and I have spent on the soccer field teaching and developing local USA soccer youth, I have a feeling I would probably have more hours compared to yours. I have spent a lot of time on the soccer field to be able to develop the training program that I always refer to, so yes, I have been very active on the soccer field, and hopefully will continue to be even more shortly, once I get the faculties that I referred to in my last post. I have trained many soccer players here in this country, but the problem is that in general, the norm is that after I leave a team after I was with them on average of one month or two months max as coach or technical trainer, the next coach that team would hire, would prevent my players from continuing to do what I thought them, because their technical movement I thought them goes against today's standards, the standards that most coaches use here in this country, which kills and stifles potential soccer talent, so those new coaches had no clue what my players were doing, but because it was not familiar to them, they immediately stifled their progress by forcing today's standards down their throat, and preventing them from doing something different. So in order for my program to be successful to the point of being able to document it via the media, I do have to own and run my own facilities, so that I can develop my players for a longer period of time without external intervention, to allow them to reach a certain level of play, and to enable us to setup top media covered exhibition games to introduce the new form of technical movement to the rest of the world, to show its superiority to today's soccer standards...and by having my own facilities, I know that no one can find a way to stop me, as they have before. Ask anyone, even outside of soccer, who has developed a new approach to an existing standard, how hard it is to introduce it the world, and they will tell you it is no easy task. So every time I read or hear someone make statements that soccer here in this country is not up to par with the rest of the world, I can't help but to respond and write that today's soccer player here in the USA is able to be the best in the world, and can be in less than a few months, with the proper format of technical training. If I could funnel the money that went to David Beckham's way, towards getting the necessary soccer facilities that I need to build, I could create 100's of players here in USA that would be double the player that David was, or is today, and that is not meant to take anything away from David's past, present, or future soccer achievements in today's level of soccer. My statement's are not attacking anyone, they merely state that the knowledge is already here to help today's USA soccer players in becoming the best in the world, and if that knowledge is coming from one man, what difference does that make, the fact is, the knowledge is available. I repeat, I will be getting the necessary facilities I have been working so hard to get sometime this late summer, then I will be able to start my developmental teams, and they will start training without any interruption, and this will happen hopefully by end of this year. So instead of trying to attack my efforts, come on board, and let me know if you want to become one of my certified soccer technical trainers, so that you can promote a brighter future for today's USA soccer players. I know that our USSF has opened up many youth soccer academies throughout the country, in order to start improving our soccer youth talent levels, but because the people running those facilities are certified with today's coaching standards, our youth's soccer progress is not going to excel anytime soon...but if you introduce a program that is based on principles of physics and scientific research, then maybe we can get them developed much faster, and in less than a year. So if you want to continue to attack my statements or my efforts, join the crowd, but nothing is going to stop me from moving forward and helping today's USA soccer players from becoming the best that they can be, which I believe they deserve, and because they are our future, and why shouldn't they have the best opportunities available to them? And why should old soccer standards continually be shoved down their throats?
posted by phason at 03:13 PM on May 02, 2008
Dear Peter, Thank you again for destroying a perfectly good thread with your sales pitch. While it is wonderful that you are clearly very committed to the sport, this is not a forum about your qualificiations, but rather about interesting stories in sports. There are places, on the web and elsewhere, that are appropriate for selling your services, however this is not one. If you have insight or opinion that is actually relevant to the thread, that is fine, but if you are only here to tell us all how wonderful you are, please go away. Best Wishes, Chargdres
posted by Chargdres at 03:48 PM on May 02, 2008
Thank you again for destroying a perfectly good thread with your sales pitch. While it is wonderful that you are clearly very committed to the sport, this is not a forum about your qualificiations, but rather about interesting stories in sports. Bingo.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 03:59 PM on May 02, 2008
Good for the ticket agent. Something similar happened to me once. I rang the Derby County front office earlier this season enquiring about tickets. I asked "What time does the game start?". They asked me "What time can you get here?". Boom and Boom.
posted by owlhouse at 05:38 PM on May 02, 2008
Given the fact that this was a reserve team, I really don't think it's that big of a deal. Most lower level teams carry the bare minimum of players in order to cut costs, so if only a couple are out due to injuries they run into trouble. When I was working my way through college, one of my jobs was helping take care of the field at a park where a Northern League baseball team played. One week the visiting team asked if any of us had played any ball, when I said I had, I was "drafted" to play outfield. The situation was that some of the players were delayed due to a bus issue, and they were one short to start. I played 1 1/2 innings, fielded one grounder, and never got to bat. They gave me $50. Which to this day enables me to claim a pro career! There's now a ticket agent that will be claiming the same.
posted by dviking at 06:08 PM on May 02, 2008
Peter apparently has a persecution complex. Owlhouse: Well played sir. Ba-dum-tish indeed.
posted by Drood at 07:21 PM on May 02, 2008
It is obvious that there are very few out there who are actually trying to improve the level of our young soccer players in this country...Yet there are too many more out there pushing their stagnant opinions and their egos without any soccer improving substance... I actually created a thread with a positive soccer message and substance, you guys create threads wth conitnuous sarcasm and negativity, and most of your threads have absolutely no substance what so ever. The soccer players here in this country will reach the level they deserve, and I will continue to remind everyone of that fact...so get used to it. If I were you I would try and learn from players like David Beckham and other top players who are in the MLS and other foreign players who will be coming soon, at least they do bring something extra to the game. You guys need to get a clue to what soccer is about before you post your pathetic comments, they are a waste of my quality reading time.
posted by phason at 08:56 PM on May 02, 2008
You guys need to get a clue to what soccer is about before you post your pathetic comments, they are a waste of my quality reading time. 38 years in soccer, hotshot, I played in England and Scotland as a 16 year old and South Korea as an 18 and 19 year old...12 years as coach of a men's amateur team and 3 seasons coaching kids with the main focus being player development. Currently in process of creating a foundation to help underprivileged kids and their families with all costs associated with playing on a team. We're also developing a program to help the single parents of some of these kids with job training and placement. This is all volunteer work, of course. Some of you may remember I wrote about doing this when I first joined spofi. The sarcasm and negativity you receive is warranted, considering how you come in here talking about you, you, you, and some pie in the sky program of which you obviously aren't competent enough to get off the ground. Come back when you've actually done something. In the meantime, you're doing nothing but creating ill will, which is pretty hard to do with this group when you're talking about soccer development for kids. Stop writing and start doing.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:44 PM on May 02, 2008
Texan_lost_in_NY, I commend your volunteer work with underprivileged kids and their families...that is always a positive thing. The sarcasm and negativity people dish out is not warranted, and I should have guessed you have a British background...you guys can't stand having someone state that they know more than you when it comes to soccer, that is exactly what is keeping soccer here in USA backward in development. I am not talking about me, me, me...I am talking about the soccer players here in the States who love the game but do not have the opportunity to get the proper technical training. Just because I say, I have developed a training program that is 10 to 15 years ahead of everyone else, does not mean I am talking about myself, but about using this innovative program to give our kids the proper training that they are not getting out there today. I hope you enjoyed your early soccer career, I know I did, I loved every minute of it. Don't worry, the American kids will become the best in the world and it won't be due to any British coach or technical trainer, you guys have had enough time here in this country to prove what you are capable of, and it is time for something new, so just get over it. I saw the Barcelona and MAN U 0-0 game a few days ago...after close to two hours of effort, neither team managed to score a goal, and Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty...so you tell me, how is that possible, and I tell you I know why, no player on that field knows the true physics of the soccer ball, and they have no clue as to why they are missing the goal, or hitting the goal post...but my American kids after they undergo my training program will know why, and they will score, and score, and score. Right now, I am in a good mood, I just completed one of my major projects...so I wish you and everyone here at SpoFi a great Friday evening.
posted by phason at 11:48 PM on May 02, 2008
Anyway... Here's a list of the rules for the Reserve Division. I don't know how reserve divisions work in other leagues, but in MLS there's no real set roster. It's a game to game deal. Yeah, there's a core group of reserves that won't sniff an MLS game this year, but the rosters are also filled out with first team players coming back from injury and bench players that need some extra work. Today the Red Bulls had 3 players in a reserve game saw time in the game against Toronto last night. Like the article mentioned, this is something that LA should have foreseen. Then again, with Lalas running things over there, anything is possible.
posted by goddam at 12:09 AM on May 03, 2008
We need a "Summon Phason" card.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:20 AM on May 03, 2008
phason, What are your methods? Why not get them on video and share them with us? Honestly, I'm interested to know what you've thought of that no other American team/coach/trainer/player is doing. And what facilities do you need? A field? A ball? Maybe a goal or two? Why not travel around and put on week-long soccer camps around the country? I see former MLB players peddling their hitting/pitching techniques on late-night infomercials, why don't you do the same? If you eventually want people to buy into your ideas, you're gonna have to show your cards and prove that you're worth the investment. Comparatively, I'm an artist. I do airbrush work, I paint on canvas, I've done renderings for local architects, I've painted large-scale murals for schools, I've even done some signage for local businesses. But to get those jobs, I had to bring my portfolio and lay it all on the table. If I didn't do that and went into a meeting with a "Just trust me with your money" attitude, I could easily expect the same type of response that you're getting here.
posted by BoKnows at 09:03 AM on May 03, 2008
Is phason really John Beck? I always wondered what happened to him.
posted by owlhouse at 09:38 AM on May 03, 2008
What are your methods? Don't get him started Bo, he'll never go away. We have had this exactly same discussion with him more than a few times before. Everyone is out to get him. Guy is a shukster of the highest order, and it almost seems that along the line he actually began to believe his own crap.
posted by Chargdres at 10:06 AM on May 03, 2008
Phason: I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you're promoting your own efforts at the expense of soccer discussions. The most effective way to promote your project here would be to write an occasional subscriber column when you have something new or noteworthy to report.
posted by rcade at 11:42 AM on May 03, 2008
Gullit's just showing the frustrations of dealing with a completely alien environment. The idea of reserve matches is weird enough in the context of North American sport -- that's what the minor leagues are for -- and the idea of needing to travel 1,000 miles to play in the stiffs is just mind-blowing. The European leagues have large enough squads and sufficiently tall pyramids that getting the stiffs out in front of 500 die-hards and a Jack Russell isn't a problem. (In Spain, of course, the reserves play in the Segunda División B.) Having to bring in people from the front office just means that a different and more appropriate approach is needed for the US game, perhaps with collegiate opposition. You can say that MLS has the pace of the Mediterranean game combined with the skill of the northern European game, and it wouldn't be unfair. You can say that the big franchises are still run at times like the Beazer Homes League, and that wouldn't be too unfair either. Point is, you can't expect to replicate structures that are a long-term fixture in other countries.
posted by etagloh at 12:00 PM on May 03, 2008
"Coach Ruud Gullit bemoans amateur nature of Galaxy"... In the above Gullit article that this discussion thread is about, it is obvious he is being honest in his opinion about the level of soccer in this country. He repeats what I have said before on other forums, not just this one, that the American soccer player lacks proper soccer development from AYSO, to competitive clubs, to high schools, and to college soccer levels. Gullit is not the only one who has made such a statement, there have been others... I have been aware of this for quite some time, that is why I keep writing about my soccer developmental program, as a solution to this problem. Soon, as I have stated in one of my earlier comments, I will have the facilities I need to implement this developmental program, hopefully sometime this summer I will be able to start managing these facilities, and then after a few months I will be able to create my developmental teams. The only way to introduce my approach to soccer development is to put a team on the soccer field, and then people will come and watch. They can then decide for themselves if the level of soccer of my kids is productive and entertaining at the same time, or not. It has taken me 4 years of effort to get to the point of being able to manage these facilities, so to all those who are throwing some great advice as how I should market my program, all I can say, is that I have been there and done that, and of course, the effort has finally paid off. You have no idea how excited I am to be able to finally have a venue to implement my soccer developmental program, and the good news is that these facilities are located throughout other States, not just California. Of course, once I get started, I plan to find a way to hire a camera crew to document my efforts, on and off the field. I plan to build research facilities where we will continue research into soccer and other sports where the principles of physics that I use can be implemented, and those facilities will create those cool slow motion athletic movement videos, and we will publish our research in medical research journals, like that of http://www.jssm.org... I want to share my findings to all interested individuals, and I want to do it in a very professional manner, so that all individuals irregardless of their background or education level can appreciate the power of this new approach to sports development. I have witnessed how everyone is passing the buck to everyone else to develop our American soccer youth, but very few have the knowhow, or have done any research to truly be capable to property develop our youth to a level that will surpass the other countries. That is why Gullit has made the observation of the lack of developed players that he has seen from our colleges when they step unto a professional soccer field. The LA Galaxy has done a great job to market the name 'LA Galaxy', and they have had previous soccer successes as a professional soccer club, it should be a no brainer to start also having some success on the soccer field today to match the popularity of their club's name. But it not as easy of a task as it seems. Let us switch to Chivas USA, the club has also done a great marketing job, and many people recognize their name as well. Imagine if they knew how to take local Hispanic soccer players and developed them into top professional players; imagine how many Hispanic fans would come watch a professional club made up of local talented Hispanic players. They would have to build another stadium just to hold that many fans. I have offered my services to both clubs, because I believe I can help them in developing great soccer players. At least I am trying to help... But realistically I do not have the level of marketability that I need to persuade them, even though I offered them different means of testing and proving my technical development abilities in just a period of a week, and still they were not interested. So that aside, with my upcoming opportunity to manage the soccer facilities that I have been waiting for, I will now have the opportunity to create the marketability I need, and my services will still be available, and maybe by then I might be offered a head coaching job with one of the MLS teams, and then I can show the American public the power of our local dormant soccer talent.
posted by phason at 01:56 PM on May 03, 2008
I will write not claiming to be a huge soccer fan. I follow it somewhat and my 7 yr old is very interested in it. (so I guess I'll be getting more into it). Anyhow, it does sound like a joke that they're "calling friends" to play in a game. I hope the sport does take off in America and I think it will.
posted by brandy at 08:37 PM on May 03, 2008
P.S. I commend Peter for believing in something and being passionate about it. I think he just might have enough passion to make it happen. Keep trying!! You obviously have some experience.
posted by brandy at 09:51 PM on May 03, 2008
I wish people would learn some basic facts before spouting off. These sorts of articles seem to exist to reinforce certain preconceived notions and they draw the negative nellies like honey draws flys. It's a freaking reserve division match. It is not at all surprising that they had to improvise to make up a full squad, for a match that simply doesn't mean anything except as a chance to give the reserve players a chance to play. MLS did not even have a reserve division a little more than three years ago! Most of the guys playing these matches are making an absurdly small amount of money. The wonder is that we have this reserve system at all; you really expect this thing to be huge in its third or fourth year? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLS_Reserve_Division Some people simply have no patience. If it can't be the best in the world starting yesterday, it's "crap". I've been watching the soccer scene here in North America over the part thirty or forty years and the changes and improvements we have seen over this period of time have been simply amazing. In spite of this, we have to put up with this constant bitching that it's "crap" and not good enough. Screw that - we're making progress and we continue to make progress. I can remember back in NASL days when we were told that it would never be financially viable to have a reserve system and there weren't enough good American players to form a full team anyway. Now we regularly qualify for the World Cup every four years and we've got hundreds of American players playing overseas, including some in the top leagues. Twenty years ago that would have been considered impossible. MLS has also improved a lot in the past three or four years. If you are judging MLS quality by a match that you watched back in 1996 or 2000, you aren't giving the league a fair assessment of where it is at the moment. If you want soccer to succeed in this country, putting your money where your mouth is by supporting your local MLS (or USL) club is the thing to do. People support "crap" lower division, minor league or college teams all over the USA and all over the world, because there's more to being a supporter than jumping on the biggest bandwagon.
posted by dave2007 at 03:30 AM on May 04, 2008
there's more to being a supporter than jumping on the biggest bandwagon. I love that!! You are so right Dave2007!!
posted by brandy at 12:19 PM on May 04, 2008
I saw the Barcelona and MAN U 0-0 game a few days ago...after close to two hours of effort, neither team managed to score a goal, and Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty...so you tell me, how is that possible, and I tell you I know why, no player on that field knows the true physics of the soccer ball... Big mystery here...he didn't have his body over the ball correctly and struck it well below the mid-spot. Doesn't take a lot of science to figure that out. If this is what you want to teach kids, you're going to lose them. Kids want to play the game, that's what they do. You'll lose their attention in the blink of an eye if you start talking about the physics of a soccer ball. And....you might have taken a clue from my user name...I'm a Texan...I'm not British...not that there's anything wrong with that....
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 12:35 PM on May 04, 2008
Texan lost in NY, It seems you have it all down, you know the physics of the soccer kick, and you have faith in your approach to soccer philosophy, so that is great, I am happy for you. Plus the fact you are Texan means you have a great future, you might even become President of this country one day, you never know...it takes confidence to be a good President, and you seem to have all the confidence the big state of Texas can offer... As long as your heart is the right place and you keep an open mind, I have a feeling you will do well in your soccer efforts. Remember, the more we work together, even if we share different philosophies and ideologies in the world of soccer, the better we can improve the soccer game so that we can both sit back and enjoy watching our youth develop into talented soccer players and soccer entertainers, because don't forget, the soccer game is also an art. Progress involves allowing people to have differences of opinion, and finding a way to compromise those differences. Just as a note, attempting to lean over the soccer ball with the top part of your body will actually increase your chances of kicking the ball over the goal not keep the ball lower...today's simple and stale kicking standard which has not changed to date is not based on any principles of physics what so ever, hence players have no clue how to master the soccer ball in a consistent manner when it comes to horizontal and vertical direction. Once I have a chance to create my developmental youth soccer teams, I would love to setup a friendly match with one of your youth teams, assuming you will have one at that time, and we can see whose players are more accurate in passing and finishing, yours or mine. We can review the game over some pints of beer; it will give us a chance to get to know each other, becuase I grew up in Texas also, and I played pro soccer in England as a trialist for QPR in 1980's, so we do have some things in common; especially, a passion for the game.
posted by phason at 03:32 PM on May 04, 2008
Just as a note, attempting to lean over the soccer ball with the top part of your body will actually increase your chances of kicking the ball over the goal not keep the ball lower...today's simple and stale kicking standard which has not changed to date is not based on any principles of physics what so ever, hence players have no clue how to master the soccer ball in a consistent manner when it comes to horizontal and vertical direction Sorry, I'm a trained physicist (Australian National University 1982) and a former semi-professional football player, qualified state level referee and coach. I also manage to keep across quite a bit of research on the mechanics of football players and the football itself, which the top clubs in Europe and elsewhere have access to, and often fund directly. I'm intrigued about the 'breakthrough' or 'new insight' that you may have, phason. Can you provide details or do I have to pay to join one of your seminars?
posted by owlhouse at 04:58 PM on May 04, 2008
Owlhouse, Let me know how I can contact you, and once I start managing the soccer facilities that I have referred to in this thread, and setup my research program I will contact you and we can attempt to collaberate on various research, not just in soccer, but in other sports where the mechanics of physics are involved. You have to reallize the research you referred to, like the top clubs in Europe and elsewhere are engaged in, are missing one important fact. They are attempting to evaluate and research the movement used in today's standard soccer kick by top soccer players...if you keep analyzing the existing then you will never progress to an alternative movement, not any time soon. Looking forward to speaking and/or meeting you soon. My e-mail is p1234land@yahoo.com....
posted by phason at 06:05 PM on May 04, 2008
How did a thread about the Galaxy and MLS become a 15-page essay about how one Spofite is being persecuted, and why has it become his personal correspondence thread? Is his personal email address redirecting to this thread somehow? More importantly, how can we ensure that this doesn't happen again?
posted by chicobangs at 11:03 AM on May 05, 2008
It happened the last time he ventured out too Chico. Every now and then the gates come down on a football thread, the lights flash and the Phason Express hammers through and derails. Maybe the Pope's suggestion that he turn his loquaciousness to the column section might appeal.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:05 PM on May 05, 2008
Every now and then the gates come down on a football thread, the lights flash and the Phason Express hammers through and derails. That sentence reminds me of these commercials. Of course phason's rants are neither cool, refreshing, or intoxicating.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:58 PM on May 05, 2008
Every now and then the gates come down on a football thread, the lights flash and the Phason Express hammers through and derails. That sentence reminds me of these commercials. Of course phason's rants are neither cool, refreshing, or intoxicating. There is about as much body and substance in a Coor's Light as in his rants though.
posted by tommybiden at 02:26 PM on May 05, 2008
Okay, fine, great. He's done it before. He's a unique snowflake. The world owes him lunch. Great. My question was a serious one. People have been time-outed and banned for less.
posted by chicobangs at 02:33 PM on May 05, 2008
Chico, that is kinda the point I was making when I first posted here. I wasn't "attacking" Phason's ideas, as he claimed, rather his need to post whenever a thread regarding American Soccer is started. Phason, the fact that I do have more posts than you proves our point against you. I have more posts because I am a sports fan an I like to engage in conversation regarding my various interests. It is apparent from this thread that you are known for one particular reason, an not a positive one at that. We have offered suggestions because we don't want to keep reading your self promoting materials. In short, Put your money where your mouth is. Once your clinics/Academies/training facilities, etc, are open, give us the link to your site and let us see what you are espousing. Once your book is published, PM me the Amazon link and I will decide if I feel it is worth my time. Until then, there are many other means of increasing awareness and support. Please find them and use them.
posted by crqri at 03:39 PM on May 05, 2008
I love the way some of you people appoint yourselves as judges, and then how you love to preach from the pulpit, I find it entertaining. Actually, I believe that after so many posts, individuals should be temporarily time-outed, so they can spend some time away from the keyboard, go live a little more of the real life, and then when you have some fresh ideas, you should be allowed to come back and post another 100 or more posts. People who seem to post a lot without interruption, I believe it eventually effects their judgment, and their objectivity. It seems they take everything a bit too personal, and they start to feel like they are the king of the hill, and they believe they have to delegate their opinions unto everyone, otherwise they do not feel that adrenaline high anymore. It is a shame what free speech can do to people who do not know how to use it or control it properly, and wisely. See you people at the next American Soccer thread.
posted by phason at 06:51 PM on May 05, 2008
"What we've got here is...failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men". -The Captain
posted by BoKnows at 07:10 PM on May 05, 2008
People who seem to post a lot without interruption, I believe it eventually effects their judgment, and their objectivity. It seems they take everything a bit too personal, and they start to feel like they are the king of the hill, and they believe they have to delegate their opinions unto everyone, otherwise they do not feel that adrenaline high anymore. What an excellent paragraph! Brief, to the point, clear, perfectly understandable! I suggest you read it yourself. You seem to type with your eyes closed, which does no one any good.
posted by chicobangs at 12:23 PM on May 06, 2008
Fresh off the wire: The MLS is poor quality unwatchable football with second rate managers and executives. Details at 11.