I've had way too many discussions with folks about the excitement level of soccer, whether it will become America's "5th Sport".
I love soccer, have since I started playing it 40 years ago. Still play, coach, and watch enthusiastically. If you like to watch, great, grab a seat and we'll watch together. Don't "get it" or find it boring, then that's great too and enjoy whatever sport tickles your fancy. I've learned long ago that it isn't a zero-sum game. You can not like soccer and I can like it and we both can be happy.
I do regret that so many folks have the belief that our 'best and most athletic' don't play, so we can't catch up to the rest of the world. The US teams are almost always bigger, stronger, and more fit than their counter-parts. That doesn't translate to soccer at the highest levels. Yes, at U-10, the skill level can't usually overcome the 3 kids who are just way ahead of the rest physically. This difference is closed as all the kids grow up. At some point, the physical attributes serve only to help the technical abilities. If physical and athletic prowess was such an advantage, then the African teams wouldn't consistently lose early at international matches. Also, this idea that people like our best football and basketball players would somehow make great soccer players doesn't wash with the game. You can't be 6'8", weigh 250 lb, and be able to run for 90 minutes. Never going to happen.
The US didn't so so well this time mainly because the players' first touches are poor to crap, almost every time. If you can't keep the ball, even in tight spaces, then I don't care how fast you are, how strong you are, or how high you can jump. You will simply tire out at some point, just chasing the ball. The skill of being able to keep the ball, even for 1-2 minutes to settle the game down, allows one team to dictate how the game will be played. The US doesn't need bigger, stronger, faster players - they need BETTER players.
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Great sentiment, awful song. I do own a pickup truck though.
