Why I don't care about the USMNT, or the state of U.S. Soccer

[Unregistered]

As they say, "the fish rots from the head down". In my view the head of the fish is club dominated youth soccer. I hope more than a few people were paying attention when John Smoltz stated in is HOF speech that kids should not be playing sports year round.

- Cujo

Pretty sure Smoltz was talking about baseball generally and pitching specifically. That pitchers do not train properly by over pitching and not throwing enough. Pretty sure he wasn't talking about soccer.

Nice try Cujo. I know you miss the days when you were the smartest soccer guy in the room. Now move along and let the folks that actually know what they are doing have a chance.

[Unregistered]

I hope the USMNT does well. But I am not terribly concerned about the sport.

In fact I do not like watching most sports. I rather just play myself.

[Unregistered]

I don't care about the sport,I don't care about USMNT but I care to spend a few of my brain cells to start a thread about how much I don't care??
I am no Freud but did stay at a Holiday Inn and do suspect the OP did care at some point???

[Unregistered]

Pretty sure Smoltz was talking about baseball generally and pitching specifically. That pitchers do not train properly by over pitching and not throwing enough. Pretty sure he wasn't talking about soccer.

Nice try Cujo. I know you miss the days when you were the smartest soccer guy in the room. Now move along and let the folks that actually know what they are doing have a chance.

Cujo is upset that no one talks about how much baseball and tennis and basketball Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo played into their mid teens before reluctantly giving them up to focus on soccer as adults. We need more kids emulating their track.

[Unregistered]

I hope the USMNT does well. But I am not terribly concerned about the sport.

In fact I do not like watching most sports. I rather just play myself.

Edit:with
How's that working out for you?

[Unregistered]

Pretty sure Smoltz was talking about baseball generally and pitching specifically. That pitchers do not train properly by over pitching and not throwing enough. Pretty sure he wasn't talking about soccer.

Nice try Cujo. I know you miss the days when you were the smartest soccer guy in the room. Now move along and let the folks that actually know what they are doing have a chance.

Hmmmn. Baseball is a sport. Soccer is a sport. But soccer is different right. As for being the smartest guy? Nah. Never thought that especially since you are in here. If you think playing year round is the right thing to do for your kid be my guest. I did that with my daughter and she got burned out.

Not to mention that all these year round players on the USMNT has clearly paid off.

Everybody needs to take a break. Ever notice how even the professionals have three months of down time.

[Unregistered]

Cujo is upset that no one talks about how much baseball and tennis and basketball Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo played into their mid teens before reluctantly giving them up to focus on soccer as adults. We need more kids emulating their track.

The key is mid teens. By U14/15 I think sport specialization is ok for the right player but they still need a few months off. Under that age kids should be playing multiple sports.

This is the problem with you soccer newbies. You think that you can defy and rewrite principles of development that have worked for years because you are smarter than everybody else.

[Unregistered]

Pretty sure Smoltz was talking about baseball generally and pitching specifically. That pitchers do not train properly by over pitching and not throwing enough. Pretty sure he wasn't talking about soccer.

Nice try Cujo. I know you miss the days when you were the smartest soccer guy in the room. Now move along and let the folks that actually know what they are doing have a chance.

Whatever.... *yawn*.

- Cujo

[Unregistered]

Hmmmn. Baseball is a sport. Soccer is a sport. But soccer is different right. As for being the smartest guy? Nah. Never thought that especially since you are in here. If you think playing year round is the right thing to do for your kid be my guest. I did that with my daughter and she got burned out.

Not to mention that all these year round players on the USMNT has clearly paid off.

Everybody needs to take a break. Ever notice how even the professionals have three months of down time.

Thanks for confirming your ignorance by correlating baseball pitching and soccer.

Not sure what you are implying about the USMNT. They are the best we have and all of them get paid to play for a living. Seems to have worked out pretty well for them.

They certainly have nothing in common with your burned out daughter. Burned out usually is code for disillusioned or lazy. Thanks for sharing!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for confirming your ignorance by correlating baseball pitching and soccer.

Not sure what you are implying about the USMNT. They are the best we have and all of them get paid to play for a living. Seems to have worked out pretty well for them.

They certainly have nothing in common with your burned out daughter. Burned out usually is code for disillusioned or lazy. Thanks for sharing!

Clearly you were never an athlete. If you were you would know that sports has a mental component that is just as important as the physical element. It doesn't matter whether it is throwing a baseball, kicking field goals, shooting free throws, or taking Direct Kicks.

Mentality develops after the technical and fitness aspects are in progress. It is important for players to take time off from a competitive sport to recharge. Virtually everybody believes this outside of tiger parents.

- Cujo

[Unregistered]

Clearly you were never an athlete. If you were you would know that sports has a mental component that is just as important as the physical element. It doesn't matter whether it is throwing a baseball, kicking field goals, shooting free throws, or taking Direct Kicks.

Mentality develops after the technical and fitness aspects are in progress. It is important for players to take time off from a competitive sport to recharge. Virtually everybody believes this outside of tiger parents.

- Cujo

Exactly right. Everyone needs to time to heal physically and emotionally after a long season. Working out and getting a few touches is preferable, but continuing to play in games year round is foolish.

[OB1]

Who needs a stinking vacation!!! We can work 80 hour weeks, focus solely on work 24x7. All of these posting must never take any breaks to relax, refocus and re-energize.

Burnout is real. It happens for athletes. It happens in the adult workforce.

There are times when a parent must say no to a soccer activity. Time away from the sport is important.

Ski, Swim, Sail, play tennis, hike, climb, read, whatever activities one enjoys and get temporarily immersed into.

Over specialization in anything is never good.

[Unregistered]

Hmmmn. Baseball is a sport. Soccer is a sport. But soccer is different right. As for being the smartest guy? Nah. Never thought that especially since you are in here. If you think playing year round is the right thing to do for your kid be my guest. I did that with my daughter and she got burned out.

Not to mention that all these year round players on the USMNT has clearly paid off.

Everybody needs to take a break. Ever notice how even the professionals have three months of down time.

Golf is a sport. Track is a sport. Surfing too. Not all sports are alike.

Pitching a baseball, especially with developing athletes is a far different situation than playing soccer. If you cannot see this then I cannot help you.

Even 1 sport athletes get plenty of down time. The fall season ends in Oct/Nov. Spring starts in March. 99% of players take the summer off. Do you really think that there is an epidemic of "burn out". More likely, your kid reached their ceiling and developed other interests. Instead of accepting that, you want to blame someone for her "burn out".

Funny how Brazilians who play on the street, on the beach, in a hallway of an apartment never claim burn out.

[Unregistered]

Who needs a stinking vacation!!! We can work 80 hour weeks, focus solely on work 24x7. All of these posting must never take any breaks to relax, refocus and re-energize.

Burnout is real. It happens for athletes. It happens in the adult workforce.

There are times when a parent must say no to a soccer activity. Time away from the sport is important.

Ski, Swim, Sail, play tennis, hike, climb, read, whatever activities one enjoys and get temporarily immersed into.

Over specialization in anything is never good.

Nice Straw Man! Thanks Capt Obvious.

[Unregistered]

Golf is a sport. Track is a sport. Surfing too. Not all sports are alike.

Pitching a baseball, especially with developing athletes is a far different situation than playing soccer. If you cannot see this then I cannot help you.

Even 1 sport athletes get plenty of down time. The fall season ends in Oct/Nov. Spring starts in March. 99% of players take the summer off. Do you really think that there is an epidemic of "burn out". More likely, your kid reached their ceiling and developed other interests. Instead of accepting that, you want to blame someone for her "burn out".

Funny how Brazilians who play on the street, on the beach, in a hallway of an apartment never claim burn out.

You presume too much. My kid played in college. Successfully. But she did decide to play other sports at age 16. 1 sport athletes are frequently playing year round in multiple leagues.