1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

I’m not talking about the value of a college education. Although that’s another point I’d probably argue against. And I agree for second tier athletes that it’s a great thing. But for the true professional athletes, it’s an inefficiency.

The Division 1 scholarship and roster limit is 105 players. (36 in DIi, which tends to break those down in partial scholarships and a lot of jobs around campus to supplement). (D3 doesn’t offer athletic scholarships but like D2, they get creative with other types of scholarships and other funding). So probably half the DI roster and close to 100% of DII and D3 realize they aren’t playing in the NFL. A lot of those players probably do value the education possibilities. Look at how many take advantage of five years and start work on or get their masters. NIL is a bonus for those players. College isn’t just preparation for the NFL, NBA etc., it’s bodies maturing and a lot of fundamentals. The same things kids are drilled on in any sport from when they start.

I have heard folks drone on about parent coaches. I was one of those. I started with peewee girls soccer and didn’t know any more than the kids. (A couple of weeks into the season was Soccer Appreciation Day. I signed up for the adult game. Pretty early on I had a player dribbling towards me and my DB fundamentals kicked in and I squared him up. At the last second I pulled back my arms from wrapping him up but the shoulder square took him down anyway and I learned what a foul and a free kick were). But by the end of the season, I had completed training through a program that was available:through our regional recreation commission. By the time my kids moved on to higher levels and much better coaches, I was certified in socccer, basketball and football. (I spared my daughter on softball as her coaches had all been playing in leagues for years and knew and appreciated the game much better than I ever would). I am in my seventieth decade and I wouldn’t be surprised if kids are now playing with adult coaches that play(ed) themselves and a fair number that get training like I did.

39 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

Theres been mention of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as well. So now you may go cry in a corner. Nobody likes your boy and his goofy grandpa styles.

You've become a caricature of yourself.

1 hour ago, HazletonEagle said:

Been listening to the newest 6ers calls with media. They credit Gansey, and Jameer Nelson for coming to Philly. Not once have I heard anyone say they wanted to play in the sane city as Jalen Hurts. He continues to not draw talent in free agency.

Sane city? Interesting faux pas for making an argument that new NBA players not saying they were coming to Philly for any lead player in another league. Did the fail to mentioning wanting to play in the same city as Luzardo or Wheeler? You’ve taken your anti-Hurts trolling to a new level of dumb.

2 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

You've become a caricature of yourself.

A caricature of a caricature?

3 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

A caricature of a caricature?

Fonzi!

28 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

The Division 1 scholarship and roster limit is 105 players. (36 in DIi, which tends to break those down in partial scholarships and a lot of jobs around campus to supplement). (D3 doesn’t offer athletic scholarships but like D2, they get creative with other types of scholarships and other funding). So probably half the DI roster and close to 100% of DII and D3 realize they aren’t playing in the NFL. A lot of those players probably do value the education possibilities. Look at how many take advantage of five years and start work on or get their masters. NIL is a bonus for those players. College isn’t just preparation for the NFL, NBA etc., it’s bodies maturing and a lot of fundamentals. The same things kids are drilled on in any sport from when they start.

I have heard folks drone on about parent coaches. I was one of those. I started with peewee girls soccer and didn’t know any more than the kids. (A couple of weeks into the season was Soccer Appreciation Day. I signed up for the adult game. Pretty early on I had a player dribbling towards me and my DB fundamentals kicked in and I squared him up. At the last second I pulled back my arms from wrapping him up but the shoulder square took him down anyway and I learned what a foul and a free kick were). But by the end of the season, I had completed training through a program that was available:through our regional recreation commission. By the time my kids moved on to higher levels and much better coaches, I was certified in socccer, basketball and football. (I spared my daughter on softball as her coaches had all been playing in leagues for years and knew and appreciated the game much better than I ever would). I am in my seventieth decade and I wouldn’t be surprised if kids are now playing with adult coaches that play(ed) themselves and a fair number that get training like I did.

My point is that what works for American football is not a model to work for soccer.

American football is very unique for 2 reasons. One is the sheer, immense standalone popularity and profitability of the junior league (NCAA D1). Two, which dovetails off one, is the disconnect with the professional league. Despite the NFL's best efforts, professional football is a highly insular and domestic sport. No one says American football isn't competitive enough because we aren't doing X, Y, or Z with our 12 year olds. Each level of American football exists in a complete competitive disconnect with the next, in contrast to the vertical integration of soccer clubs. And that's completely fine because there is no such thing as international competition and the 32 franchises that do compete with each other do so with rigidly equitable constraints....99.9999% of scouting begins at 18 at major NCAA programs in preparation for draft-eligible players.

That works for football. It's incredibly inefficient for literally every other sport. But because football is king, that model bleeds into other sports.

You think QB play around the league wouldn't be better if franchises could buy a bunch of 14 year olds and train them up for a decade under their scheme, coaches, etc for their NFL team?

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

My point is that what works for American football is not a model to work for soccer.

American football is very unique for 2 reasons. One is the sheer, immense standalone popularity and profitability of the junior league (NCAA D1). Two, which dovetails off one, is the disconnect with the professional league. Despite the NFL's best efforts, professional football is a highly insular and domestic sport. No one says American football isn't competitive enough because we aren't doing X, Y, or Z with our 12 year olds. Each level of American football exists in a complete competitive disconnect with the next, in contrast to the vertical integration of soccer clubs. And that's completely fine because there is no such thing as international competition and the 32 franchises that do compete with each other do so with rigidly equitable constraints....99.9999% of scouting begins at 18 at major NCAA programs in preparation for draft-eligible players.

That works for football. It's incredibly inefficient for literally every other sport. But because football is king, that model bleeds into other sports.

Football isn’t a skill savvy sport like soccer, baseball, or hockey. We often hear of great NFL players who never played football until they were 19, 20, or 21. Our LT is the perfect example. That doesn’t happen in practically any other sport. At least it’s far less likely to happen.

I’m not disagreeing with your point but I think that may play a factor. You can take a raw great athlete as a young adult and make him an elite level NFL player.

3 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Football isn’t a skill savvy sport like soccer, baseball, or hockey. We often hear of great NFL players who never played football until they were 19, 20, or 21. Our LT is the perfect example. That doesn’t happen in practically any other sport. At least it’s far less likely to happen.

I’m not disagreeing with your point but I think that may play a factor. You can take a raw great athlete as a young adult and make him an elite level NFL player.

Absolutely agree.  Football has a far more accelerated learning curve than other sports, outside of QB.  Yet another reason why professional meddling and perfecting the development and utilization of 9-16 year olds (outside of safety) just is not a priority in football.  In other sports, it directly impacts the success of your country on the international stage.

10 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

You think QB play around the league wouldn't be better if franchises could buy a bunch of 14 year olds and train them up for a decade under their scheme, coaches, etc for their NFL team?

How many teams have the same coaches and schemes for a decade?

How is this more beneficial to a kids development than being able to play in high school and college instead of just practicing/training under some franchise's rotating coaching staff?

15 hours ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Someone made a good point last night.

Soccer at the youth club level is becoming very political and expensive so almost any kid below the upper middle class is going to be pushed more towards basketball, football, etc because their parents don’t have the means or time to commit to it. Basically like lacrosse or hockey.

Even so, kids are forced to focus on one sport at way too young of an age. Michael Jordan and LeBron James are hands down the two best basketball players over the past 35 years and each of them played another sport until they were 16/17. They weren’t told at 12 to only focus on basketball.

Kids are pushed to the other sports because they're better, more fun to play, and our culture cares about them more. Kids grow up seeing football, basketball, baseball on TV the most, their heroes are those guys, that's what they want to play. Cost I think is a very small part of it.

6 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

You think QB play around the league wouldn't be better if franchises could buy a bunch of 14 year olds and train them up for a decade under their scheme, coaches, etc for their NFL team?

Football, like you said, is such a unique sport and this is a great example. If you have 3 players. 1 is a QB, 1 is a WR, and another plays on the D-Line it’s practically like they’re playing 3 different sports.

If you find a 290lb guy who runs a 4.55 at age 20 and he’s never played football before, you can take a flyer on him and in 2-3 years he could be playing at an elite in the highest level of the game. QB is very different though.

Another funny contrast for us Americans...

In my mediocre athletic career, I was always taught that footwork is important in maintaining proper body mechanics (be it pitching or edge rushing or running a route). But that was one small piece of the puzzle. The vast majority of our sports are all about eye-hand coordination. Soccer is, obviously, all about the feet.

At a young age, Americans are throwing, catching, swatting, putting bat on ball, stick on puck. Europeans, South Americans, and Africans are kicking. The developmental differences are that fundamental.

A hilarious thought experiment would be 11 on 11 random but fit 35 year old Americans versus European counterparts in flag football and then in soccer. Both matches would be absolute murder.

3 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

Kids are pushed to the other sports because they're better, more fun to play, and our culture cares about them more. Kids grow up seeing football, basketball, baseball on TV the most, their heroes are those guys, that's what they want to play. Cost I think is a very small part of it.

I grew up playing soccer yet watched the other 3 sports much more.

Football is actually the one sport I’ve always enjoyed watching more than playing.

I never played organized tackle football but at the youth level it looked so boring unless you were a lineman, QB, or RB. My size would have required me to be a WR/DB.

Even playing rec flag football in college and as an adult in my 30s was mostly boring.

Griddle 2026-07-08 2/8

⬛⬛⬛⬛🟨🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Still not as good as getting Hurts in 1, but I’ll take it

3 hours ago, HazletonEagle said:

Been listening to the newest 6ers calls with media. They credit Gansey, and Jameer Nelson for coming to Philly. Not once have I heard anyone say they wanted to play in the sane city as Jalen Hurts. He continues to not draw talent in free agency.

They are worried about the 2nd hand smoke from his cigars.

2 hours ago, Mike030270 said:

When Bill Belichick and the Patriots divorced in 2024, Sean Payton considered presenting Broncos owner Greg Penner a proposal for the ages: Hire Belichick as head coach until he reached 15 wins, enough to break Don Shula's career record of 347. Payton would temporarily step down to assistant head coach and run the offense, then move back after Belichick became the all-time leader. In the end, it was too complicated -- and maybe too fanciful.

This is such a BS "look at me” story. I’m not surprised considering it’s Sean Payton

1 hour ago, LeanMeanGM said:

This is such a BS "look at me” story. I’m not surprised considering it’s Sean Payton

BountyGate and SpyGate coaching together: magical!

3 hours ago, UK Eagle said:

Erling Haaland is reportedly being paid upto $1.1m per week, Vinicius is on around $500k per week. You can compare career lengths on each sport and most football careers are 10-15 years vs NFL which is a lot shorter - the top salaries aren't comparable because of how skewed the NFL is. The real question should be how likely will I succeed at one sport vs another, with the earning potential of each. Is it worth the grind to be a PS player in the NFL?

I mean that's the same argument about salaries being skewed, how many players are making what Haaland is making?

Then you have that the NFL season is half as long as a season of la liga, premier league, etc.

So to get to Haaland status you need to be playing serious soccer from age vs say Joe Burrow playing serious football starting in high school. So you save probably 8 years of time and money. I'm sure he played pee wee, or middle school football but neither is serious and not comparable to a soccer academy.

The odds of an American becoming Haaland's level (or even starting for a high end european club) are probably far lower than making it to the NFL. Pulisic is the best American player ever, and is getting nowhere near top tier money. Neither did Tim Howard or Clint Dempsey.

2 hours ago, Sack that QB said:

Kids are pushed to the other sports because they're better, more fun to play, and our culture cares about them more. Kids grow up seeing football, basketball, baseball on TV the most, their heroes are those guys, that's what they want to play. Cost I think is a very small part of it.

I think cost is a big part. Probably a third of America is cut out because people in the lower middle class and below can't afford it. Where do a lot of NFL and NBA players come from? Low income areas. That's why the sports are so great, there are so many rags to riches success stories because it's possible.

But your overall point is correct. Soccer just isn't popular here. In most of the best soccer countries, all they have is soccer. Look Canada (hockey), Japan (baseball) and Australia (rugby), whenever there's another choice of sport that sport is more popular than soccer.

Look at how successful women's soccer is here in America. That's because the only other path towards pro sports is the WNBA, so a lot of our most talented women play soccer while our most talented men play anything else.

Ignore fit and how they'd fit into soccer. If you were to ranked the finest, most elite American athletes right now...how far down the list would you have to go before you got to Christian Pulisic? And then how much further would you continue to go to get to their second best soccer player?

What do you think the Spanish or Argentine soccer teams would look like if their 500 best athletes were not eligible? Would they even qualify for the WC?

Blame the cost structure of American youth soccer, colleges, cultural interest...the reality is that the talent just isn't going into the sport, despite the widespread participation of 5-9 year olds.

I don't follow soccer, but this transient interest this week has provoked a deep dive. And it appears there is a consensus that the American team is often inferior athletically in comparison to international squads. Ironically, the biggest exception to that is the son of an NFL wr (who was more of a technical less athletic slot guy himself) who just wasn't interested in football. And it's sort of a fluke of his own interest that he's playing for the USMNT instead of WR in the SEC right now.

But it's just interesting that they are regarded producing inferior athletes. Common sense will tell you that other sports are cherry picking the top athletes away from US soccer. This best pure athlete on the team is someone that 99 times out of 100 funnels into football.

19 hours ago, Freshmilk said:

Except that weak team, without its best player, made the US look like chumps. And that same team is on an 18 game unbeaten streak. So maybe weak in public statements, but not so much on the field. Heck, even the US goal was an own goal by Belgium. I'll watch again in 4 years if the US makes the World Cup.

I think that was his point.

3 hours ago, eagle45 said:

Another funny contrast for us Americans...

In my mediocre athletic career, I was always taught that footwork is important in maintaining proper body mechanics (be it pitching or edge rushing or running a route). But that was one small piece of the puzzle. The vast majority of our sports are all about eye-hand coordination. Soccer is, obviously, all about the feet.

At a young age, Americans are throwing, catching, swatting, putting bat on ball, stick on puck. Europeans, South Americans, and Africans are kicking. The developmental differences are that fundamental.

A hilarious thought experiment would be 11 on 11 random but fit 35 year old Americans versus European counterparts in flag football and then in soccer. Both matches would be absolute murder.

Add baseball and basketball, and I'll take the US 3-1.

Yay, I get to not care about soccer for another 4 years. I figured they had a chance to at least advance to the next round but oh well.