1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Soccer - "The Un- American Activity"

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Boom_70, Jul 4, 2006.

  1. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    JR's got it nailed.
     
  2. Pastor

    Pastor Active Member

    Yup. Big bad football players. They are the toughest ever.
    [​IMG]
     
  3. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    Wrong. Hockey players wear pads, they're definitely not as tough as soccer players.
    You think Chris Pronger is tough, he's nothing compared to Claudio Reyna.
     
  4. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    Oh, and more fodder for the soccer haters:

    Donovan has come back and KILLED in the MLS, scoring all three goals in two Galaxy wins, when they were winless their past 10 games.
     
  5. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    OK, this whole argument about who's tougher has gone beyond ridiculousness (do the soccer backers and football backers just want to whip out their weiners and get it over with?), but I will say there's no way in HELL a 380-pound offensive lineman walks off under his own power after 90 minutes of soccer. Sheesh, some of these guys strain to finish the 12-minute run. Just like you wouldn't put Landon Donovan across the line from Walter Jones and except a fair fight. But if Landon Donovon were a foot taller and 200 pounds heavier, he'd be playing for the Seahawks, and if Jones were the size of Donovan, he'd be playing for the New York Red Bulls. And if the queen had balls, she'd be king.
     
  6. JR

    JR Well-Known Member

    Anyone ever played full contact squash?

    Now, that's a sport for real men (and women).
     
  7. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    If the 380 pound linemen truly had to run up and down the field for 90 minutes (not half-ass it and loaf it) like a normal, competitive soccer game, they'd be having heart attacks up and down the field.
     
  8. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    Real toughness and character comes from playing "Smear the Queer."  ;) :D
     
  9. Pastor

    Pastor Active Member

    Just to point out, one of those goals was scored against the hapless Red Bulls who have two wins all season, were missing quite a few players to injury and suspension, and it was the Reds 3rd game in seven days.

    Donovan plays well when he is in his comfort zone.
     
  10. Boomer7

    Boomer7 Active Member

    In addition to Reyna, Pablo Mastroeni and Carlos Bocanegra would also seem to fit the bill as Latin Americans. So you're being disingenuous, but you're also touching on a valid point that U.S. Soccer has to address -- namely, the fact that this country's youth development system too often ignores kids in inner cities or "ethnic communities."

    My problem with Toobin isn't the article (haven't read it) but the fact that he brought his kid into the press box for the U.S.-Latvia game in Hartford. That's just obnoxious.
     
  11. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Actually, that's just not true. Have you ever covered any pro football? There are some lard-ass offensive linemen who can't take the strain of playing, and they typically don't last the season, but the more typical offensive lineman: he's carrying way too much weight, and can't be relied upon to run 80 yards with the ball (although you do see it on fumble recoveries), but he is in remarkable cardiovascular shape, considering how much unhealthy weight he has to carry. The physical act of getting into a three-point stance and exploding on the snap is anaerobic activity most people on this board couldn't keep up over four quarters and with all the pulling, picking up stunts and drive blocking they do, they actually need a decent level of aerobic conditioning. Would Walter Jones be able to do the 90 minutes of the kinds of runs that Landon Donvan has to do? Of course not. He's not built to run the way soccer players are. Those guys are in incredible shape. But he could sort of stay in the game--at least at a staying moving level--and not die of a heart attack. He's in a lot better shape than you probably realize.
     
  12. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    And compared to Aussie Rules football, hockey players are pansies. And rugby players mock the Aussie footy players for being wimps.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page