11/21/24
March 11, 2009
Religious Professor: Soccer is Ruining America: "Soccer is running America into the ground, and there is very little anyone can do about it," writes Stephen H. Webb, a professor of religion and philosophy at Wabash College. "Any sport that limits you to using your feet, with the occasional bang of the head, has something very wrong with it. Indeed, soccer is a liberal's dream of tragedy: It creates an egalitarian playing field by rigorously enforcing a uniform disability."
Methinks his tongue is firmly planted in his cheek.
Evidence that watching soccer does develop one's sense of irony.
posted by owlhouse at 12:12 AM on March 12, 2009
I really don't know whether it's an exceptional trolling effort, or an exceptionally subtle piece of irony. I actually lean towards it being a trolling effort, or rather, a Standard American Soccer Flame that comes off as a troll, because this is someone who writes with all seriousness that "multiculturalism is killing higher education as sure as the Romans killed Jesus".
He's apparently a Catholic convert. He can take it up with the Brazilians, Italians, Mexicans, Spanish, Argentinians, Portuguese...
posted by etagloh at 03:14 AM on March 12, 2009
"What other game, to put it bluntly, is so boring to watch?"
Uh, how about baseball? Throw a pitch; if it's not hit, then we wait 20 or 30 seconds for the next pitch.
American football: Run a play, then wait 30 or 40 seconds for the next play.
At least with soccer or hockey, there is continuous activity. Play might go up and down, up and down, but at least we get to see action, not players standing around for the next bit of action.
"How could anyone enjoy a game where so much energy results in so little advantage, and which typically ends with a penalty kick out, as if it is the audience that needs to be put out of its misery."
Unless you're at the high school level, where we try to instill the values of winning at all cost instead of actually teaching the game, there are few overtimes or shootouts. You can be sure a 7 p.m. match will be finished by 9 p.m. Baseball, basketball -- it can go on forever once we hit overtime.
posted by jjzucal at 06:02 AM on March 12, 2009
The last paragraph suggests the author might not be quite as serious as the comments here.
. . . before I put in a video for the kids to watch while I work in the evenings, they need to have spent some of their energy. Otherwise, they want to play with me! Last year all three of my kids were on three different soccer teams at the same time.
posted by yerfatma at 07:49 AM on March 12, 2009
Yeah, I vote the guy is having a laugh.
If not, then I assume the argument outlined in the OP about limiting one to using their feet can be applied to basketball where kicking the ball is against the rules. That rule is just in place to keep out foreigners who may try to use their so-called juggling skills—learned playing that communist game of soccer—to be better than Americans.
posted by scully at 08:10 AM on March 12, 2009
The guy must really hate surfing. Use of the hands is discouraged, and, curiously enough, use of the head is not recommended. So it's even more restrictive than soccer.
The real soccer article that needs to be written is about the imbecilic international spectacle that involves a player falling to the turf, writhing in deathly agony while the game is halted, a crack medical team in cute little matching smocks comes trotting out with a stretcher - and sometimes a priest to administer last rites (just kidding).
They dramatically carry the player off, spray some mystery icy aerosol on his leg and a minute or two later he's totally fine and right back in the game.
Why don't they do his hair as well while they have the spray can in their hands?
This sort of sham is as shameful as professional wrestling. And the Euros wonder why we Yanks don't take them seriously. The Italian team flopped its way to the World Cup. No question they are a talented team, but what a wretched way to prevail.
Give me a gruff, manly steroid taker over a writhing wimp any day.
International soccer fans, attend a Division 1 American collegiate Women's soccer game sometime. Get as close to the field as you can. So you can hear what the game actually sounds like. You will not believe the ferocity of the contact, and the sound of it will make you queasy. People weren't designed to survive those sorts of collisions.
The players go down hard, their airbags do not deploy, they just get back up and keep playing. There is no writhing around, no stoppage time. Just pure guts and grit. You have to lose a limb to stop one of those games.
posted by beaverboard at 08:30 AM on March 12, 2009
First off, let me qualify what I have to say, by saying that I am an American, but I have an extensive background of soccer/football. I played on a national championship team, and my little brother played for the olympic development team.
Having said that, I couldn't agree more with beaverboard. The oscar-worthy performances are the worst of any sport. It's amazing how many near-death experiences happen in each game, and then the player recovers back to a world class athlete in a matter of moments.
The other part of the game that just makes me cringe, is every goal is immediately protested by the goalie (sometimes before the ball even crosses the line). I wonder if there has ever been a legitimate goal scored? It's embarrassing to watch grown men act this way.
But, I still enjoy the sport, I just wish the historonics would go away. It's part of the culture of the game, but a part that doesn't need to be there.
posted by jagsnumberone at 12:18 PM on March 12, 2009
I just feel sorry for those people out there who have lost their thumbs and can no longer pray.
posted by JJ at 01:06 PM on March 12, 2009
Diving? Don't know what you mean.
posted by JJ at 01:09 PM on March 12, 2009
I just feel sorry for those people out there who have lost their thumbs and can no longer pray.
Amen to that!
Hey, people are allowed to have their opinions, whether you agree with them or not. I played soccer, baseball, football, basketball, hockey, water polo, and ran track when I was growing up. At some point in my life, I just decided that I didn't like soccer. It can be exciting when adults are playing, but at the youth level, it's usually 2-3 good players passing the ball back and forth between eachother. Also, I can never remember anyone explaining the rules to me, and this was before soccer was ever on TV in America (late 80's). Even though I didn't like playing soccer, I have to admit that it is pretty exciting to watch players at the world cup level. At that level everyone is involved in the game, so no one is just standing around (unlike youth soccer). However, I do have to say that soccer, hockey and baseball are neck and neck in the boring department. I'm mainly a basketball fan, so maybe I am spoiled by all the points that get scored, but 1-0 is not a game that I want to pay to watch.
posted by docshredder at 03:49 PM on March 12, 2009
People may start feeling differently about youth soccer in America if I can just get the funding to establish my soccer academy that will cause a paradigm shift in the U.S. soccer landscape.
posted by holden at 05:45 PM on March 12, 2009
People may start feeling differently about youth soccer in America if I can just get the funding to establish my soccer academy that will cause a paradigm shift in the U.S. soccer landscape.
An early nominee for comment of the year. Positively brilliant, holden !!
posted by tommybiden at 06:01 PM on March 12, 2009
"People may start feeling differently about youth soccer in America if I can just get the funding to establish my soccer academy that will cause a paradigm shift in the U.S. soccer landscape."
Brilliant. I was halfway through the comment thinking "great, he's back again" and then saw the name at the end and my brain broke.
You got me, Holden. Well played sir.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:26 PM on March 12, 2009
Touche, Holden. Now post it three or four more times, y'know, for authenticity.
posted by tahoemoj at 09:23 PM on March 12, 2009
Nicely played, holden. But you also need to add 3 or 4 paragraphs for each post.
posted by BoKnows at 09:41 PM on March 12, 2009
In case anyone is in dire need of a refresher or just curious. You are welcome.
posted by BoKnows at 09:56 PM on March 12, 2009
Holden, thanks for remembering me....and BoKnows for linking others to some of my past articles...I am glad someone is keeping tab on my soccer related educational posts... I must say some of Stephen H. Webb's comments in his How Soccer is Runiing America...article...do have some merit...like the low score of today's soccer and the constant running without any results...but then the rest of his comments are like Holden's and his kind...makes me feel angry that I left my boots in Texas after I moved to California...I am sure by now you know why cowboys where boots...you probably own several yourself, more than likely you are wearing your pair right now. And like Tahoemoj said, please continue to post it three or four more times, y'know, for authenticity... And BoKnows, make sure you also save the link to this article for future reference... Anyway, you guys crack me up...I needed a laugh, thanks...this foreclosure business is keeping me so busy, I rarely have the opportunity to follow your guys' frivolous comments anymore...so it was a pleasure to see that you guys haven't forgot about me... As always, I'm just around the corner...
posted by phason at 12:44 AM on March 13, 2009
BoKnows - lesson learned.
posted by BoKnows at 01:14 AM on March 13, 2009
Thanks JJ for the best laugh i've hade in ages
posted by Folkways at 10:41 AM on March 13, 2009
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:51 AM on March 13, 2009
The bloody British, you take their tea and flag away and they run back to their tiny island...if it wasn't for the Monty Python's Flying Circus TV comedy show I wouldn't even know the British existed...
Guys your comebacks are fun to read...but don't try too hard, you might get a hernia...and your face will look like that guy who just got hit with one of those missed shots on goal that I keep referring to when I refer to today's soccer player's lack of true ball control...but then again, I guess that is the kind of frenzied and frustrated type of soccer, or pardon me, football you lads like to watch...
posted by phason at 12:48 PM on March 13, 2009
Two or three more posts now. Y'know, so we know it's really you.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:29 PM on March 13, 2009
Tahoemoj, OK...no problem, I'll post a couple more times but you guys will have to come up with some good comebacks first, but please be gentle...
I am still in process of raising money for my soccer training facility, so if anyone here is a diehard fan of soccer and wants to see the game improved, like more skill, more creativity, more goals, less violence, feel free to contact me and we can discuss donations, monetary or even vacant land or facility type donations...
The foreclosure market has brought in some great revenue for my family and me so we are gaining ground in generating our own monies that one day I can use to initiate my own facility...but it would be great if I could expedite it with donations from others...
Every time I watch a top level soccer game these days, and see all the missed passes, crosses, and yes, the missed shots on goal...and the unnecessary violence, it keeps my desire going forward in doing something to improve the game, which can be improved, and should be...it has a much greater potential to entertain us.
I cringe every time I take my 8 year daughter to her club soccer team's practice here in Southern California, as the club's coaches are great guys, and of course certified with the FIFA standard soccer knowledge, so they teach the girls aggression, how to push their opponent off the ball, they teach them the old standard form of kicking the soccer ball, and they coach the girls like most coaches, directing every part of their move on the field, and if the girls look confused because most of the time, an 8 year old girl will look confused, especially when it comes to running into open space, keeping the ball wide, penetrating the defense, etc...so they make the girl run laps, do sit-ups, or they sub them out...well this the typical training scenario of top soccer youth clubs here in this country, no wander we have a problem in finding talented soccer players...
The people who truly love this type of training, are the local doctors, it is their job security...from all the broken bones, twisted ankles, sprained knees, etc...And the ambulance companies, who transport these kids to the emergency...basically the complete medical group of individuals in handling these types of accidents...
In summary it is all about winning, at all cost, so the coach and club can put their trophies on display, and include their victories on their resumes. So that they can then apply to high school and college coaching positions, and then eventually the MLS...
But when the coaches take the time to look behind them, they have a hard time finding any talented soccer players, and they look so perplexed...and that is when they say it is about culture, the culture in Europe and in South America, etc., is just different and more conducive to developing talented soccer players...and what is scary, they actually believe in these statements.
posted by phason at 02:45 PM on March 13, 2009
The foreclosure market has brought in some great revenue for my family
I smell a Disney Feel-Good film deal here! Ladybugs meets Wall Street.
posted by yerfatma at 04:44 PM on March 13, 2009
I'm guessing that because I've been away for a while I've missed something and that rising to phason might be something the rest of you have not only outgrown but come to find amusing when other people do it, but even so, I feel I have to ask... WTF?
Phason, are you on meds you forgot to take? Did you swallow a bucket of ellipses and then vomit them out all over your posts? Do you really believe that your daughter's soccer training is some sort of conspiracy of the medical community?
posted by JJ at 05:56 PM on March 13, 2009
I feel just like Nostradamus!
posted by tahoemoj at 06:56 PM on March 13, 2009
Man, the internet has really revealed to me the depth of crazy that's running around these days. Have you taken a look at some of the other articles and essays on that website? Sweet merciful crap.
The whole ''soccer is communist'' model falls on its face when the subject of relegation is brought up. But of course, all of these experts have only known of soccer recently. So of course they've figured it all out.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:21 PM on March 13, 2009
makes me feel angry that I left my boots in Texas after I moved to California...I am sure by now you know why cowboys where boots...you probably own several yourself, more than likely you are wearing your pair right now
I live in Texas, and I have no idea what that sentence means.
posted by dviking at 08:40 PM on March 13, 2009
Move to California and EVERYthing will make sense, dviking.
posted by JJ at 09:04 PM on March 13, 2009
so they teach the girls aggression, how to push their opponent off the ball
I don't really want to get involved in this again, but:
Every American coaching manual I've seen plays down the real importance of tackling. 'How to push their opponent'? Do you actually know what you're friggin' talking about? Pushing is illegal in football, last time I checked. If you can't get your terminology right, it's no wonder no-one can understand what the hell you are saying.
posted by owlhouse at 09:33 PM on March 13, 2009
Well, I just got home and bahhahahahahwahhah. That is great stuff.
posted by BoKnows at 12:21 AM on March 14, 2009
This guy is an intelectual idiot I would say a term I really want to say but the language would probalby not be appropriate. I am so sick of the people who slam what is the most athletic sport in the world. Plus just because a sport is low scoring does not make it boring. If scoring is what makes a sport exciting than why is Cricket not the most popular sport in America? I think part of the professors problem is he would not be able to play soccer and could not take the work that it takes to play soccer (or football as it would be more properly called). I ran on the cross country team in high school and ran marathons in college and the only time I would be worn out in phys ed class is when we played soccer. Plus his arguments are really stupid. What does politics have to do with anything in sports plus it appears most peoples problem with soccer is one it did not come from the US and two the embarassment of us calling a game football when you rarely use your feet while the rest of the world actually calss a game football where you use your feet. Also if only American invited sports are worthwhile then Volleyball must be the greatest game in the world since it is the only purely widley played American invitied Sport. Baseball derived from an English game called rounders. American Footbal derived from Rugby and Basketball was invented by a Candaian.
posted by frankk55 at 03:36 AM on March 14, 2009
Also if only American invited sports are worthwhile then Volleyball must be the greatest game in the world since it is the only purely widley played American invitied Sport. Baseball derived from an English game called rounders. American Footbal derived from Rugby and Basketball was invented by a Candaian. Ummm, interesting use of capitalization and creative spelling. On second thought, I'll have two of whatever he's having.
Frank, welcome to SportsFilter.
posted by dviking at 12:53 PM on March 14, 2009
I said be gentle...
I have never read more bs(that's what boots are for)...well I take that back, most your guys comments are bs...but you already know that. I thought I would see more creative comments, but I am extremely disappointed in you guys, you let me down.
Soccer/football is the best sport in the world...and it has a lot of room to improve...
Soccer is one of the oldest team games in the world...and hopefully it will continue to be so...
Soccer gave birth to rugby, and rugby gave birth to American football...
All sports have their purpose, otherwise they would not exist, I just prefer soccer...I have played most of the team sports, and I enjoyed all of them, except I found soccer to be the most challenging...
There are no written manuals on soccer that will enlighten you to see what I see as far as the future for soccer...the only way you can envision the true potential of this game, is to stop for a second, and think...
You can attempt to attack me verbally as much as you like, but that shows you own frustrations with your own limitations...that is something you have to deal with on you own.
posted by phason at 03:43 PM on March 14, 2009
phason on stunned.
posted by tommybiden at 03:55 PM on March 14, 2009
This thread has become the Brian Urlacher Old Spice commercial where he gets revenge on Ren Fair dorks, but he does it by exercising mortgage foreclosure laws instead of muscles. "Who's laughing now? I am!"
posted by rcade at 03:59 PM on March 14, 2009
rcade, you are right this thread is getting really boring...but it has been fun seeing all of those Ren Fair dorks come out of the woodwork... PH
posted by phason at 04:15 PM on March 14, 2009
And Phason spent so much time putting random Internet strangers in their place that his youth soccer academy took too long, and the youths all grew up with inadequate passing skills and narrow balls. Fade to black over the sounds of mournful violins and abject wailing.
posted by rcade at 04:26 PM on March 14, 2009
As intellectual and enlightened as you are, phason, you should know by now that you made your bed here and if you choose to visit, you will sleep in it. I've only been a member here for about 17-18 months, but I know that when a US/soccer thread rolls in, I expect from you, some manner of plug with an attempt to raise money or location for So**erkick. It's become laughable.
I think most here appreciate your passion and love for the game - I do. And I think most here have a similar feel for our respective favorite sports. Again, I do. What I don't appreciate is the idea that you use this forum for personal gain. It's not my forum, I don't make the rules here, nor do I have the authority to enforce them, but I think you should have figured out by now that no one is taking you seriously. Chances are, you probably won't get any intelligent discussion regarding your snake oil.
I'm not attempting to attack you verbally in order to deal with my own frustrations or limitations (whatever that means). I'm just trying to enlighten you to see what I see for the future of phason/Sportsfilter...the only way you can envision the true potential of Sportsfilter, is to stop for a second, and think...
posted by BoKnows at 04:32 PM on March 14, 2009
BoKnows..
What personal gain do I have in raising awareness to the lack of soccer development here in the United States, and the World's soccer development overall?
I have a non-profit soccer charitable organization called Soccerkick, Inc...read in between the lines "non-profit"...for which I am asking for donations in respect to funding or land/bldg type donations for my first training facility...so what possible gain would I get from this, only the fact that I am attempting to complete the mission of this organization.
Just like you said, it is not your forum, and you don't make the rules here, or have the authority to enforce them...now let's assume you did, what would you do?
I can only assume some of you do like the game called soccer, football, or futbol...so if someone like myself after many years of conducting proper scientific research found out that many of today's soccer standards are not based on any proper scientific research, and attempts to share that on this particular forum, or any other forum, there is always going to be a backlash of attacks, that is human nature, humans hate to change after they fall into a comfort factor...I understand that extremely well, but my mission is to continue to spread the word, and I will continue to do so...regardless if you believe that I am being taken seriously or not that is just your one man opinion...I am up for the challenge, but so far no one has been able to come back with a differing view without being aggressive...what I would enjoy is to have a mutual and friendly online discussion, even though we may have differing opinions...that part of online discourse I can't control, but I am hoping I can come across a truly educated individual in sports research, who would be willing to discuss this topic in a non-aggressive format.
This game will evolve with me or without me...but I am passionate about making statements that this game can improve beyond what most people believe that it can...because I have been there and done that, so why not give soccer players out there a chance to get this information into their hands to give them the opportunity to experience the true potential passion of this game, because the standard soccer developmental academia will not give them this information, they are not aware of it as of yet...so how could they...instead most soccer players continue to battle the art of mastering the soccer ball without the proper knowledge to achieve that goal...so what is wrong with my efforts to share that with them, if I know such information exists out there to help them?
I admit that I make remarks in order to spark discussion, but my statements don't include any type of lies, or hoaxes, or bs, or self promotion...only to benefit the growth of the game itself.
I can be just as aggressive, self indulging, or as ignorant as any of the comments here or any other forum...as you know words taken too seriously can be very damaging if one allows them to...but aside from sparking discussion on a topic, I always assume I can have a friendly, and fun discussion, without resorting to such negative discourse...but if anyone of you truly do surf the Internet out there, you can see that aggressive dialogue, seems to be the norm...it is always some group, trying to isolate one individual or another group of individuals into a battle of words...till those words turn into threats and four letter words. Why that is, I don't know, I don't think even trained psychologists know...aside from maybe our cave ancestors mentality, if you weren't born in our cave, you don't belong here, so the cave people residing in a cave next to them, would be considered enemies...you would think we graduated passed such limited thinking, but sometimes I truly wonder.
There are many team and individual type sports out there, that participants can enjoy playing, and fans can enjoy watching. I think that is a good thing. Each of those sports were created for a reason, and have evolved according to the efforts of the people participating in them, some put more effort into it than others, but each sport has grown and evolved on its own, and will continue to do so, as we humans do ourselves. But there have always been growing pains, and that is natural.
All I am attempting to do is to raise awareness in the reality of an improved development of the sport called soccer, and I hope to find someone out there who believes in my message to join me and my efforts to improve this game and take it to another higher level...and do this now, not in 5, 10, or 20 years.
This comment is a short summary of what I am trying to doso I am curious as to how many more aggressive comments that this comment will generate, or maybe to my surprise, there might be some intelligent non-aggressive comment responses. I do have a basic faith in the goodness of humanity, even though it might be just a small needle in a haystack, that needle is the hope to our survival
posted by phason at 06:03 PM on March 14, 2009
......my statements don't include any type of lies....... self promotion.... Bullshit.
This comment is a short summary... Bullshit.
posted by tommybiden at 06:14 PM on March 14, 2009
Well tommytrump, since your profile states that you lived in Canada, I have an interesting story to share with you...
I was a trying out for Montreal Manic, a soccer pro franchise from the old NASL days located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in mid 1980's, and after a recent recovery from a soccer injury that I incurred during pre-season training there and playing in the sweeper position, I managed to organize my defense to prevent the opponent from scoring one goal, it was a game of the Manic Reserve team vs a selection team of the best players in Quebec, and we won...
Oh how about the time when I was 15 years old and my club team called the Pirates located in Dallas, TX leased an expanded van after painting houses for a summer to raise the money for the trip, and we drove up to Toronto, Canada, and entered ourselves in the Robbie Tournament there, in the senior youth division, and we managed to defeat some top teams from Canada, and the USA to bring home the trophy...
Just wanted to share a factoid with you that happened in Canada, and that is no Bullshit.
I love making my statements on the soccer field, here on the Internet you can say anything, but can you walk the talk.
PH
posted by phason at 06:42 PM on March 14, 2009
Who let him out? Drive a stake through his heart and put a brick in his mouth.
posted by Howard_T at 06:43 PM on March 14, 2009
Howard,
Be careful, that skull they found with the brick in its mouth might be one of your relatives...http://news.aol.com/article/vampire-in-mass-grave/375073...you wouldn't want to mock one of your relatives.
PH
posted by phason at 06:54 PM on March 14, 2009
Phason, you are a madman. When you stole that cow, and your friend tried to make it with the cow! I want to party with you, cowboy.
posted by rcade at 06:57 PM on March 14, 2009
phason,
Personal gain is not always of monetary value, maybe you just want the notoriety, I'm not sure, but the way you have approached the subject here has been always with the inclusion of requests for money and/or facilities. But you never release any specifics of your developmental programs. To me, that says you are not in this solely for the good of the game and it's growth, you are in this, in some part, for you.
Just like you said, it is not your forum, and you don't make the rules here, or have the authority to enforce them...now let's assume you did, what would you do? I would direct you to the wiki. Specifically this:
*SportsFilter is not the place to promote your site.
While you haven't self-linked, you have been promoting your ideas/organization a plenty. How about just giving an opinion on the post and holding back your organization's mission.
The rest of your comment is just mumbo-jumbo. You seem to have quite a grasp on the world today, its tendencies, its quirks. I'm sure I could learn a lot from you, but right now I just don't have any money to donate.
posted by BoKnows at 07:00 PM on March 14, 2009
BoKnows,
You are right, but what does it hurt once in a while to ask for funding or donations for my cause...
I was tempted to put my digital animation videos of my new kicking approach out on YouTube, etc., but my fears are that someone who has some brains will take the idea and attempt to make the instructional video or book and state that they discovered it...then I will have to get an attorney, and loose my money to defend my right to the discovery, and how do you prove you discovered a specific movement of a body part?
Any type of a professional production that I would love to do for an instructional video, which obviously requires upfront funding, that I don't have right now, and again we are talking 300-500,000 plus dollars...
I have been searching for a coach agent, but I have not been able to find one, at least one that is trustworthy...I have had three entities e-mail me stating they can get me into the national team of China, a club in India, and now recently a club in Denmark, all ended up to be scammers. I am 48 years old and I believe I still have the athletic ability to demonstrate my kick to be able to teach it properly, and as I get older, that ability will diminish I am sure, unless I have a facility where I can constantly train, and we come back to square one, how do I get my own facility...
Just a few months ago I handed Don Graber, who was one of the speakers invited to talk about sports organization and operation at a local university here is southern California, my Soccerkick, Inc. business card, telling him I have a solution in regards to develop talented soccer players here in the USA(because during his speed that evening he specifically stated that one area the MLS needs to improve, and USA soccer in general, is the development of talented soccer players)...has he or anyone from his MLS called me, of course not, why should he, I don't have a team that I can bring to the table to show him what I am talking about, but at least give me a call to discuss if we could setup some type of a test where I can take a handful of players, put them through my training program, and then he can have his MLS development staff assess the power or lack of, of my developmental training program...
I offered my services a finishing consultant to Bruce Arena, the new coach of LA Galaxy, and about a few months ago, I got an official response from him, thanking me for my interest to help out, but that he already had a full coaching staff, and wished me luck in my endeavors...
I have not had the opportunity to speak to Bob Bradley, the head coach of the US Men's National team, to see if would be interested in my finishing consulting services for his team...
But I am not giving up...there is got to be someone out there who feels that the United States should have already won a World Cup long time ago; especially, with all the great athletes and resources we have here, there is no excuse for not bringing the World Cup trophy to this country.
We just need an extra edge on the soccer field, and I have the solution for that extra edge, convincing others of that, has been my biggest challenge to date.
My main question is, why is everyone afraid of giving me a chance to prove what I say I have done, and can do for them? My training program can make a difference in a soccer players kicking abiity in just one week...but yet LA Galaxy, Chivas USA, etc., are not willing to give me that opportunity, and of all teams they need it the most.
I still believe that on one of the doors I will knock on next, will be the entity that is going to give me that opportunity.
posted by phason at 08:44 PM on March 14, 2009
Rcade,
I would love to party with you, but in my last visit to Dallas I was not in much of a party mood, because my mother had sudden bleeding in her brain, and no one knew if she would survive, but thanks to God she did, she is presently in a 24 hour nursing facility right now going through rehab...
In your profile you state that you follow sports in the Dalls/Ft. Worth area in North Texas...please explain this to me.
As you know there is a lot of heated soccer competition in Texas, like who has the best soccer club, who is the best soccer coach, etc., coaches and clubs have even sued in each other over soccer related issues...
In the summer of 2007 I attended a coaching license "C" school here in s. California at the Home Depot Center, to upgrade it from my National 'D' License...during the application process I was trying to get some official proof of my soccer playing and coaching experience, so when it came time to get such documents from Texas, where I grew up playing soccer as a youth, then high school, and then at the University level...I contacted the North Texas Soccer Association, and some other local associations where I was a 'registered' coach and player for many years, to get them to send me a letter with the official letterhead stating that fact, but all of the assocations refused, without giving me a reason, accept that they would have to go to their archives, and they were in storage, so I came back and said I could send you scanned documents I have kept, like my coaching and playing registration documents with their letterhead, to verify the dates of my soccer participation, and even after sending them those documents, they never sent me one letter to me...and they knew who I was personally, and they also knew my family personally, since we had the first soccer camps in North Texas in 1970, etc...but they would not lift a finger to type something out for me...how sad is that. Talk about rivalry...compared to one phone call I made to Madrid, Spain to their national soccer assocation, and in a 3 days I had an official letter from them that arrived in my mailbox of which teams I signed for when I played soccer there back in the 1980's...
Unlike Texas, the soccer associations here in California had no problem verifying my soccer playing and coaching activities here in this state...
Let's be honest, soccer creates a lot of heavy duty competition in all levels, and I am sure it is the same in most sports.
But if we stand back from all of that crap for just a second, the thing that shines the most is the beauty of the sport itself...
posted by phason at 09:14 PM on March 14, 2009
Dude. I am one of the admins. There's a limit to how much we want to learn about each other in any given discussion, and you shot past it a couple thousand words ago. We got it. You want to run a soccer academy and have big plans for soccer and a variety of obstacles have stood in your way.
Whenever you get started on these subjects, it kills all other attempts at conversation. Too much information.
posted by rcade at 09:33 PM on March 14, 2009
So, its sounds like you want to start big. You have digital animations, you need a 300,000 dollar instructional video, a chance to help the LA Galaxy, Chivas USA, etc...
Shouldn't you start small? Like with your daughter's team? Or youth in general? I have never heard of any developmental training program that doesn't have to prove its worth prior to its introduction to professional athletes. Why would Tiger Woods allow some no-name to change his swing? Why would Martin Brodeur give an unknown the chance to implement a new goalie style? They wouldn't. Not without that person having proven techniques that work "in the field" not just on paper or with an animation.
Some major blockbuster movies have been made for less than 100,000 dollars, so IMO, I think your bar is set too high. You could be out there now, instructing kids (the future of the game, right?) and creating credentials for yourself as an instructor. But if your choice to better the game, is to create buzz, and get the message out via the internets, telephone, forums, blogs, etc...then you're not really do-ing it. You're just talking about it.
posted by BoKnows at 09:36 PM on March 14, 2009
BoKnows,
I thought I already answered that issue...what do you thing my 30 years of research has been about...coaching and training all ages group soccer players, and both sexes...and that is how I insured my new theory works, because I was able to implement it over and over again, and it worked each time.
I have coached and/or techincally trained youth, college, and even individual professionals here in the USA, Canada, and Spain...during those 30 years...aside from playing the game itself.
After consulting with experts with PhD's in Biomechanics, Physics, etc., and doing research inside human athletic research labs, where I was able to verify data by measure, etc....which also proved my new athletic movements that I discovered...only then did I publicly try and market it, but as you can see it has been a battle up the hill all the way...
My bar is not set too high, but in order to properly market something you do need some investment capital...and that is what I have been trying to raise...and continue to do so...
posted by phason at 09:52 PM on March 14, 2009
..... in order to properly market something you do need some investment capital...and that is what I have been trying to raise...and continue to do so...
Perhaps you should look for financing on a venture capital site, not a sports discussion forum. And, what's with all the ....... ?
posted by tommybiden at 10:12 PM on March 14, 2009
BoKows,
Plus I have testimonials of past soccer students who have had success with the kick, etc., but the video was shot by me, and it is not the most professional level type videos...I used a good digital camera, but I didn't have a mic boom, so the volume level compared to the noise level is not good, etc.,, but you can hear it, but still it is not what I need to walk into an office and do a truly professional presentation...
Overall, with testimonials from my past students, including my digital animation, and actual video demonstration of the kick, and with all of the documented research I have done, nothing beats bringing a video of a game with your player or team in it, where they are utilizing the skill that you are trying to say you can bring to the club...and that I believe is the only way I can really market it...by having a team that performs the new kick in their passing and finishing, and winning a majority of their games over and over again...consistently.
I wish I had a camera crew following me during all of my past coaching of players and even during my own games after I thought myself the technique, where great performances occurred on the field in such games and many victorious tournaments using my kick...but unfortunately my research was silent and in the background, now this fact is haunting me.
But it is not just the kick that I have developed, I have also done research in what is the best way to give a player the highest level of endurance possible from a cardiovascular conditioning perspective without having to run long distance type training, which some of you might know can create havoc on the knees and ankles when training is done on bad turf, etc, and I have developed other types of athletic training which minimize injury, and maximizes on the field movement efficiency for both the field players and the goalkeeper...I have new training for the goalkeeper that will totally minimize any pain associated with constant falling to the ground, etc...it took my younger brother, and professional goalkeeper himself, years to finally accept one of my goalkeeper training tips...now he is finally utilizing it in his daily goalkeeper training program, because he sees its benefit...so it is an overall new developmental training program with many facets to it, not just the kick, even though the kick in soccer is obviously the most important facet of the game.
Sorry for the long paragraphs...it is hard to put it all into one word, like soccer.
posted by phason at 10:34 PM on March 14, 2009
TommyTrump....
My use of the ....is meant to say I can keep going, but I'll stop here.
If it annoys you my apology...
Many venture capitlists never played soccer in their lives, so they wouldn't give a damn about my new discoveries.
So I try to focus my comments withn sport oriented forums, hoping a venture capitalist is a member of such a site.
There, I used two dots, or periods, just for you. This third and fourth period is just a bonus gift to you.:)
posted by phason at 10:40 PM on March 14, 2009
Well, phaso (see BoKows above - we need our n's)
You seem to have an answer for everything, enough that I know I can never dissuade you from attempting to reach your goals. Your training method may go down as the best thing ever or not, this is something that Bo does not know.
Personally, I like soccer the way it is. I enjoy watching and playing the game. I don't see need for any improvement in technique (nor can I fathom what that could possibly be) or in development. You say that you have done your trial and error and that all you need is some manner of big name to prove you're worthiness, well I hope that happens for you. But if you continue to face the closed doors, all you can do is continue to implement it anywhere you can. Whether that is age 8 or 28, I think you should take whatever is offered. But again, I'm not sure this is the place for it. Why not write a column? You can do that here and you will face no negative feedback whatsoever, but you could still get your message out.
But sir, I am done with this discussion, and all future discussions involving your methods. You can chalk me up as a non-believer and a skeptic.
phason=BoNotKnow
posted by BoKnows at 11:21 PM on March 14, 2009
Rcade,
Your are corrrect...this actual thread was about a guy who said soccer is running America into the ground...which in itself is an odd statment, but believe it or not this guy did have some actual valid points in the body of his article in reference to soccer, so it was a good link to a sports article to introduce a discussion on.
What is trutfully running America into the ground is greed, greed, and greed.
Just look at history of great civilizations that ended up disintergrating and collapsing...it always comes back to greed.
Greed for money, power, and domination.
posted by phason at 11:30 PM on March 14, 2009
Wondering if the Fox News Channel put in a call to Professor Webb to determine just how serious he is.
posted by Newbie Walker at 11:37 PM on March 14, 2009
Plus I have testimonials of past soccer students who have had success with the kick, etc.
So, if it's as good as you say, these players are now all proud owners of a World Cup medal, presumably?
Greed for money, power, and domination.
And sex, let's not forget sex.
posted by owlhouse at 01:49 AM on March 15, 2009
Owlhouse,
I wish it was that simple...
Let's assume I can improve a young soccer player's touch on the ball in less than a month...
Let's assume those players on the team start winning every game in their league's schedule...
Let's assume those players then win their next scheduled tournament...
After their success, I leave that team as their hired technical trainer, because my research is done...
Now another coach comes in after me, and he sees everyone kicking the soccer ball totally different from what he is used to, and as we all know he is used to that famous old standard theory of leaning over the ball with your chest, support foot right next to the ball, etc...so he forces the kids to change back to that old standard, and by sitting the ones who do not want to change on the bench, till they conform, because who wants to sit on the bench...
This has happened to most of the players who improved with my soccer kick...they are forced by their next coach after I leave the team to conform back to the old standard...so you tell me how could they become the proud owners of a World Cup, obviously we have not won that cup yet...
So the only way I can guarantee this change to happen and to be maintained, is to create my own team that I can keep training for longer than a month or a couple of months, but up to year, and more...Without allowing anyone to interfere with their daily training using my program, this team we will blow everyone off the field by scoring goals and basically outperforming their opponents, from game to game, to game...so after a few years of this type of performance that greed for money, power, and domination will take over my opponents, and since my opponents won't be able to defeat me on the soccer field by using their old standards, they will be forced to either accept my training program, or come up with something better than what I have, to defeat me. I hope if they do come up with something better, it will be something under the umbrella of the rules of soccer, meaning not more increase in violence on the field...
So without my own facility, I won't be able to make any sustaining changes...
For example, I gave some tips to a professional soccer player who I found training one day at an indoor facility in Dallas, TX...he was from Brazil, so I watched him for a few minutes, and I was able realize what he was trying to improve on...it was lateral accuracy in his shooting. I decided to approach him and ask him if he would be interested in any tips to help him with his effort, and I was surprised that he said yes. So after showing and demonstrating to him my kicking process and the principals of physics of the ball that it is based on, and how to use this approach to control lateral direction and accuracy of the ball, he actually tried it, and it worked for him first try. After a year or so, we met up again, and I asked him if he was still implementing my kicking technique in his game, and he said yes, but what was interesting is that he said when he tried to explain to his professional coach in Dallas this new technique, the coach just couldn't understand it...can you guess the nationality of this coach...yes...he was from England...and as we all know, the English are staunch believers in standards, and they hate change. So even though the Brazilian player understood it and used it, he could not convey the kicking process to him, because if you don't have an open mindset...it is like talking to a wall.
Just imagine coaching over 43 soccer teams which was all part of my research and each time being able to convince the team to train using my training program, believe me, this was not a simple task. Because after the kids went home that day after I introduced the new theory to them, I had to skillfully negotiate the immediate attacks from some parents who had some coaching background or were from a specific country and were hung up on the old standards, they would question what I was doing, and so they should. It was no easy task to console them so they would not hinder my team's progress by pulling their child off the team, but after they saw their child's level of improvement go up...most of them accepted the new training program, why shouldn't they, their kids were also winning every game.
posted by phason at 05:17 AM on March 15, 2009
Owlhouse,
That is a great story, allow me to replace the title of this story which is "A fire-breathing dragon lives in my garage" with "The widely accepted standard kicking theory that everyone never questions", now go back and read the story again and each time it refers to the dragon, replace it with the 'standard kicking theory'...and now the story will apply beautifully.
posted by phason at 12:55 PM on March 15, 2009
Actually, phason, I think the point of the story is that the burden of proof rests with you.
posted by owlhouse at 04:59 PM on March 15, 2009
People may start feeling differently about youth soccer in America if I can just get the funding to establish my soccer academy that will cause a paradigm shift in the U.S. soccer landscape.
Sooooo, anybody heard from Bishop lately?
posted by cjets at 06:06 PM on March 15, 2009
Sooooo, anybody heard from Bishop lately?
Last time I saw him, he was at the retirement home, visiting The Old Man.
posted by tommybiden at 06:34 PM on March 15, 2009
Owlhouse,
Your right, the burden of proof does rest with me...
posted by phason at 10:24 PM on March 15, 2009
(I received an email from a regular reader of Spofi, he has had trouble verifying his email address in order to post his comment. I told him I'd pass it along. It's not directed at anyone in particular, and would have fit in right under here in the thread - according to the time stamp on the email)
Here's why I like our American football (and don't like soccer): In football, your team puts all it's collective efforts into moving the ball towards a score, then usually ends up with 7 points, 3 points, or, at least, might leave their opponent with a difficult position. And there's plenty of pressure to succeed, for failure gives the ball to the opponent in an easy position. In soccer, your team puts all it's collective efforts into moving the ball towards a score, then usually ends up watching just one member (even the most average player) of the opposing team kick the ball 50 yards behind them, leaving them with no positive result at all, just chaos, given that the opposition is facing the same near-hopelessness. (Hell, they don't even have possession.) Success isn't merely difficult in soccer; it's unusual to the point of being near-miraculous. Thus the excitement, I guess. But not for me. Knowing ahead of time that my team's efforts are so likely utterly futile gives me nothing but aggravation, eventually cooling into a sense that Im wasting my time on a pointless endeavor.
posted by BoKnows at 10:37 AM on March 18, 2009
This kind of screed used to piss me off, but I'm starting to enjoy the willful idiocy of some Americans about soccer. The sport's great on TV -- the World Cup is not to be missed -- and the skills required should be completely evident to this clown, since all three of his kids play. Even then he can't see what's right in front of him.
So to Webb and anyone else proudly dismissive of soccer because they played something else in childhood and it's anti-American to ever try new things, I hope you never learn.