Liverpool FC Forum

[aCe']

Altidore didn't play more than 2-3 games all season as well

haha yea.. he was actually the first name i had in mind dont know how i missed him in my post... great athlete but i think he still needs a little bit of coaching that he'll hopefully get in europe now... think he'll probably end up on loan in a german club or something.. last i heard was that villarreal loaned him to another Spanish club but dont think hes been getting any playing time recently...
Good little side and the good thing about them is that the squad has many players who arent that old but have plenty of experience at the international level...

[JoeTerp]

According to the overnight figures from major TV markets, the USA-Brazil match on ESPN yesterday earned a 2.74 rating. The complete numbers will be available tomorrow, but this game seems certain to join World Cup games against Germany (2002), Ghana (2006) and Colombia (1994) in the top four for all-time viewership for a USA game. So if I understand the system correctly, around 3 million households were tuned into the USA-Brazil match on ESPN.

The top major markets:
1. Miami-Fort Lauderdale
2. Las Vegas
3. New York
4. West Palm Beach
5. Hartford-New Haven
6. Atlanta
7. Richmond
8. Washington, D.C.
9. San Francisco
10. San Diego

[update] These figures are for ESPN only and do not include Univision (spanish language channel) which usually attracts a big audience for major international matches.


Only New York and DC have clubs in the top division.

[JoeTerp]

Altidore didn't play more than 2-3 games all season as well

haha yea.. he was actually the first name i had in mind dont know how i missed him in my post... great athlete but i think he still needs a little bit of coaching that he'll hopefully get in europe now... think he'll probably end up on loan in a german club or something.. last i heard was that villarreal loaned him to another Spanish club but dont think hes been getting any playing time recently...
Good little side and the good thing about them is that the squad has many players who arent that old but have plenty of experience at the international level...

I would like to think that Altidore has the quality to play in La Liga for a bottom table team. The idea would be to find the right club for him where he can play. I don't think the US has ever had a player that had his combination of size, speed, and skill, even though we have had players that were bigger, OR faster, OR more skillful.

[meissler]

I'm from the US so I guess I'll just say what I thought of the game.  I didn't feel comfortable once, even when we were up 2-0 at halftime.  We were never going to win the game with the little possession we had.  Every time we got the ball we just seemed to try to kick and chase it.  When we did try to pass, only one man close to the ball would be open, and the man with the ball either couldn't get it to him or didn't have the vision to find other open players.  It was pretty evident how poor our first touch is too.

Still though, we beat Spain and had a 2-0 lead against Brazil.  I can't be really upset about it.  I was watching with my dad and the US actually made me really excited, something that team hasn't done in quite some time.  The first goal I was kind of in shock, just sayin "are we really beating Brazil?"  The second goal me and my dad went absolutely crazy.  I never went so crazy over the US team before.

A lot of people over here were saying how the whole run could really get football going over here, but it's not going to.  I can't find the article I read, but it basically said it will never spread because the US isn't the best at it like we are in the biggest sports over here.  It's tough because we have the MLS, but the quality of play just isn't what you get in England.  My city is actually going to have a team next year, but no way I can watch them and actually enjoy it after watching Liverpool.

[Alex G.]

I have a question for the U.S. mates here, we all Know that the spanish population in USA is really big, (if I´m not wrong they are the first minority passing the black population) around 45 million from 340. What is the influence of the spanish people in the country to increase the interest on soccer?
I mean, those people watch the TV, and they are potentially a big masse of football fans.

[The Good Yank]

I have a question for the U.S. mates here, we all Know that the spanish population in USA is really big, (if I´m not wrong they are the first minority passing the black population) around 45 million from 340. What is the influence of the spanish people in the country to increase the interest on soccer?
I mean, those people watch the TV, and they are potentially a big masse of football fans.

It's hard to say Alex.  While football has definitely grown in my lifetime (I'm 36), and that's not saying much because I remember in the late 70's nobody played and it wasn't on TV.  I've seen things as more of a slow rise in popularity over a generation.

The Hispanic populations are more in urban areas and I don't really see how often, or what types of programs are available to Hispanic kids to get to do anything other than playing in the street.  As Joe said, the game here is more of a suburban thing.The kids (mostly white) play on Saturday mornings and may have a training session once per week.  Not exactly a fast track for developing talent at an early age.

To be honest I see more Hispanic people more interested in Baseball than I see interested in football.  Sure the Hispanic population has some interest in football, but I don't think it has the growth potential that I think your question alludes to.

[Toffeehater]

Altidore has had a good tournament and does look like he can become a good player , his first touch needs to be worked on though. USA have really over performed in this tournament , fecking beat spain and  pushed brazil all the way , a couple of years with maybe 3 or 4 more quality players coming through they could be a force

[meissler]

I have a question for the U.S. mates here, we all Know that the spanish population in USA is really big, (if I´m not wrong they are the first minority passing the black population) around 45 million from 340. What is the influence of the spanish people in the country to increase the interest on soccer?
I mean, those people watch the TV, and they are potentially a big masse of football fans.

I don't think they have much of an impact on the game here.  If anyone is going to have an impact it's going to be this generation impacting their kids.  The only teams I follow are my city's sports teams and Liverpool.  The reason I absolutely love my city's teams are because that's what I was exposed to growing up.  I can't imagine not watching hockey, football, and baseball. 

The problem is although a lot of kids play soccer in the states, their parents don't watch the MLS.  That's probably because the parents didn't play when they were younger and have no interest in the game, or because the level of play isn't great.

Another reason soccer isn't big here is we can't watch the Premier league without paying extra.  It will be interesting to see what happens this upcoming season.  I just read that ESPN signed some deal and they will show about 65 live games which I am pumped for.

[heimdall]

I'm from the US so I guess I'll just say what I thought of the game.  I didn't feel comfortable once, even when we were up 2-0 at halftime.  We were never going to win the game with the little possession we had.  Every time we got the ball we just seemed to try to kick and chase it.  When we did try to pass, only one man close to the ball would be open, and the man with the ball either couldn't get it to him or didn't have the vision to find other open players.  It was pretty evident how poor our first touch is too.

Still though, we beat Spain and had a 2-0 lead against Brazil.  I can't be really upset about it.  I was watching with my dad and the US actually made me really excited, something that team hasn't done in quite some time.  The first goal I was kind of in shock, just sayin "are we really beating Brazil?"  The second goal me and my dad went absolutely crazy.  I never went so crazy over the US team before.

A lot of people over here were saying how the whole run could really get football going over here, but it's not going to.  I can't find the article I read, but it basically said it will never spread because the US isn't the best at it like we are in the biggest sports over here.  It's tough because we have the MLS, but the quality of play just isn't what you get in England.  My city is actually going to have a team next year, but no way I can watch them and actually enjoy it after watching Liverpool.

I'm sorry what team sports are the US actually best at. I can only actually think of two, American football and Basketball, and in Basketball there are other countries which push you damned close. I am also fairly certain that if you retrained the Aussies, Kiwis or South Afrians to play American football instead of Rugby then they'd give an All star American team a really good match.

I'm not trying to belittle USA here, you guys are obviously very good at athletics and swimming but just becuase you hold a world series does not actually mean you are the best in the world. 

[meissler]

The big sports here: American football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.  I guess everyone assumes we're the best at american football because there isn't a big tournament or anything.  Baseball is America's pastime, so it doesn't matter that we're not the best.  Basketball we're the best if we actually try (I'm not going to get into an argument about basketball, I hate it) and hockey we're def not the best, but the NHL is a big league.

So, I guess I shouldn't have said that we're the best at a lot of sports.  I would have been better off saying those markets are just huge and it's way too hard for football to gain any popularity when all anybody talks about it one of the big four.

[JoeTerp]

I don't think Americans care too much if their stars are international, just as long as they play on American soil. Many baseball and Hockey stars that play in the US are not from here, and a sizable number of NBA players too. But I don't think an argument can really be made that MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL and all not far and away the best leagues in their respective sports on the planet. I know that it is annoying that we don't play other club teams from around the world, but I would put my mortgage (if I had one) on the champions of those leagues beating any other team from a league outside the US.

As for how this relates to the US, it makes our domestic football league THAT MUCH MORE unpopular. Not only is football not too popular of a sport, but our domestic league is cr@p in comparison to the rest of the world, and even if your into rooting for American's overseas (like Lance Armstrong at Tour de France or our athletes at the Olympics), none of them are superstars either.


And as for the hispanic population. The ones that are into football, mostly follow the mexican league. Also, if you have ever seen the US play a home WC qualifier, you will see that in fact there is no such thing as a home WC qualifier because 75% of the fans in the stands will be cheering for the away country. But that is the history of immigration to this country, it will be another decade before a lot of those kids that were born in America grow up and they will be the perfect combination of growing up in a football household and growing up American.  But has also been pointed out a lot of Mexicans are more into baseball or boxing, and some of the other countries that have significant populations in America like Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic, are not exactly football powerhouses either.  Also we have no infrastructure for scouting these poorer, ubran, Latino talents and giving them the coaching that they would need to properly develop their game.

[heimdall]

I don't think Americans care too much if their stars are international, just as long as they play on American soil. Many baseball and Hockey stars that play in the US are not from here, and a sizable number of NBA players too. But I don't think an argument can really be made that MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL and all not far and away the best leagues in their respective sports on the planet. I know that it is annoying that we don't play other club teams from around the world, but I would put my mortgage (if I had one) on the champions of those leagues beating any other team from a league outside the US.

As for how this relates to the US, it makes our domestic football league THAT MUCH MORE unpopular. Not only is football not too popular of a sport, but our domestic league is cr@p in comparison to the rest of the world, and even if your into rooting for American's overseas (like Lance Armstrong at Tour de France or our athletes at the Olympics), none of them are superstars either.


And as for the hispanic population. The ones that are into football, mostly follow the mexican league. Also, if you have ever seen the US play a home WC qualifier, you will see that in fact there is no such thing as a home WC qualifier because 75% of the fans in the stands will be cheering for the away country. But that is the history of immigration to this country, it will be another decade before a lot of those kids that were born in America grow up and they will be the perfect combination of growing up in a football household and growing up American.  But has also been pointed out a lot of Mexicans are more into baseball or boxing, and some of the other countries that have significant populations in America like Puerto Rico, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic, are not exactly football powerhouses either.  Also we have no infrastructure for scouting these poorer, ubran, Latino talents and giving them the coaching that they would need to properly develop their game.

So USA always win the Ice Hocey at the Olympics then do they, that's news to me?? And on the extremely rare occasions that you play Baseball or Basketball against other countries don't they end up dangerously close affairs. I know you guys won the basketball in the Olympics last year but the previous Olympics was someone else wasn't it? I could be wrong on that btw and can't be bothered to look it up so apologise if I'm wrong.

The only sport where you guys are clearly the best is American football but then as the name suggests you are the only country playing it (well in any serious sense at least), kind of like the Irish claiming to be world champions at hurling or the Australians at Aussie rules football.

I would however agree that the individual leagues are the strongest by a long way, no dispute there.


Anyway I'm really not trying to sh1t on USA's parade here but it's kind of like Norwegians being outrageously proud of their success at winter sports when they are one of the few countries who actually take it seriously.

Football is the great measuring stick between nations in terms of sport and I think it's good for the game that the USA are getting better.

[JoeTerp]

I never said that American players were the best at Ice Hockey, all I ever said, and something that you agreed with, was that the best Ice Hockey League is in (North) America.

I would say that we are clearly the best basketballing nation, we just had a serious problem of motivation to actually get our best players to want to play for their country for a 6 year period or so; coupled with extreme arrogance that the team did not have to practice together before tournaments or bother to learn the rules of international basketball.

And Americans take very little pride in the triumphs of our basketball team. It is only a case of tremendous disgrace if the team loses, and "simply doing your job" if you win. There might have been a little bit more celebration this time but that was only because we didn't win in Athens.

Its funny how the entire popularity of the sport in this country rises and falls with the success of its national team. England failed to qualify for the Euros, and the Prem has only gotten stronger in the same time period. Also, the cart is very much before the horse in terms of its relationship. If anything, the system should work in that domestic football becomes popular which helps you grow the game and develop better players which increases your chances for success on the pitch on the international stage. But No. We ask our team to somehow win the World Cup (seriously, lots of people would still see being beaten finalists at SA 2010 as "first losers") with very little support for the home product, and then once you do that, we promise we will start paying more attention.

[heimdall]

I never said that American players were the best at Ice Hockey, all I ever said, and something that you agreed with, was that the best Ice Hockey League is in (North) America.

I would say that we are clearly the best basketballing nation, we just had a serious problem of motivation to actually get our best players to want to play for their country for a 6 year period or so; coupled with extreme arrogance that the team did not have to practice together before tournaments or bother to learn the rules of international basketball.

And Americans take very little pride in the triumphs of our basketball team. It is only a case of tremendous disgrace if the team loses, and "simply doing your job" if you win. There might have been a little bit more celebration this time but that was only because we didn't win in Athens.

Its funny how the entire popularity of the sport in this country rises and falls with the success of its national team. England failed to qualify for the Euros, and the Prem has only gotten stronger in the same time period. Also, the cart is very much before the horse in terms of its relationship. If anything, the system should work in that domestic football becomes popular which helps you grow the game and develop better players which increases your chances for success on the pitch on the international stage. But No. We ask our team to somehow win the World Cup (seriously, lots of people would still see being beaten finalists at SA 2010 as "first losers") with very little support for the home product, and then once you do that, we promise we will start paying more attention.

That's a shame if it's like that, I guess it all just needs to reach critical mass and become popular, I have a feeling it will happen at some point.

BTW Fair point about the basketball, a case of best individuals but not necessarily best team always.

NHL is very very good but to be honest I don't know too much about the Swedish, Finish etc ice hockey leagues but I suppose their best players all come to the NFL.

[Bad Bob]

NHL is very very good but to be honest I don't know too much about the Swedish, Finish etc ice hockey leagues but I suppose their best players all come to the NFL.

All the best hockey players in the world play in the NHL, mate.  Swedes, Finns, Russians, Czechs, Slovaks, Canadians and Americans all lace up in North America.  It's the one sport of the Big 4 North American sports that has a truly international flavour (although baseball and basketball are playing catch-up, a little).