Comments on: Kevin Garnett Explodes the “If Only All American Athletes Played Soccer” Myth

By: One name for you

One name for you — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:21:17 +0000

American Football DBs and Rbs could easily switch. You mean to tell me that a 6′3 Urlacher or a 5′9 BARRY SANDERS or 5′10 Walter Payton couldn’t be good on a soccer field. What about a guy like Tebow? Reggie Bush – c’mon man. You guys are drinking the kool-aid. Remember Football has many body types. Quit using 6′5 WR and the linemen as the basis for your argument.

By: will

will — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:10:38 +0000

The argument that I haven’t seen is for the youth in America who waste all their talent and athleticism, when they will soon learn that the simply Cannot hope to make a living off of it, not because of their talent, but because of their height. There is only one exeption to this rule in the NBA.

People complain a lot about how Adu doesn’t have the size to compete on the international level. I don’t personally agree, but I think our offensive ranks could be scary if we had all the gifted runts in this country.

By: Hawk

Hawk — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:08:23 +0000

Nash is a great soccer player, have you seen the vids with the tricks? i.e. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcFM5Rj-XMg
I know it dosnt translate into the real game but still. Credit to him.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:41:19 +0000

Shaq as a keeper…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQeKG9dG6cE

By: Fillippelli

Fillippelli — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:30:09 +0000

I have no doubt that if the better athletes in the U.S. gravitated toward soccer the U.S. would be a dominant force in the sport. I can look just at college basketball and some of the amazing athletes in the 5′10″ to 6′3″ range who, because their jump shot just isn’t consistent enough, their ball handling just is just a lick below remarkable, their just a half-step slow, don’t make it in the NBA. Take just some of these same athletes and get them playing soccer from the time they are 8 and it would be an entirely different situation for soccer in the U.S.

I have been an AC for my son’s U6 and U8 teams and already have seen kids who are clearly excellent athletes and who have already developed decent soccer skills stop playing mid-season to go play flag football or even youth hockey, both of which are extremely popular in my neck of the north east U.S., and are sports their parents often will push them toward because they are more familiar with it.

U.S. soccer is what it is. But to argue that if the better athletes in the U.S. gravitated toward soccer it would not make a striking difference in the quality of players the U.S. turns out is utterly ridiculous.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:58:50 +0000

@Marlon: and Canadian.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:53:44 +0000

Shawn: I was just throwing some names out there. Plus, I heard he was a goalkeeper when he was younger at a Turkish club. I think he could do a decent job.

By: Marlon

Marlon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:30:41 +0000

Steve Nash is pretty good at soccer.

By: Marlon

Marlon — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:30:05 +0000

Dwight Howard is not a person on the list of basketball players we are logically concluding could play soccer well. Daryl is probably right, Lebron should not be on it either. The people who should be concentrated on are the very athletic guards people noted above.

By: adas

adas — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:28:15 +0000

Let’s see Beckham dunk like KG.