*** Official USA vs Belgium World Cup Game Thread ***

[|Zach|]

USA vs Belgium | 3PM CT | ESPN | Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil

Knock out stage. Trying to make the jump from the 16 teams to 8 teams where the winner of this game will play the winner of Argentina vs Switzerland.

No ties...someone has to advance. Detailed preview here via Shinguardian.

[Friendo]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Another interesting part of AAU, according to basketball coaches around here at least, is that it actually HURTS a lot of kids' games to constantly be playing AAU and touring all the time, especially at a young age.

They don't work on fundamental aspects of their game. Thus you get freak athletes who can make beautiful plays, but they can't shoot free throws for shit, run set plays, or have horrible footwork underneath.

exactly! balance in ALL things Grasshopper

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by Friendo

it's a fine balance--I used to correspond with a youth Coach in England who told me their problem has been that they were too top-heavy with the structure/Academy system, esp early on. Parental meddling, over the top coaching, etc--just like you see here. The really creative players learn it on the playground (just like hoops here). I used to tell the kids that I coached that the best development takes place on your own after practice. Look no further than the NBA Championship this year for the balance however---structure & discipline definitely have a place (Spurs & their foreign players), but the game HAS to be fun in order for the little ones to catch fire. That is the danger to me....that in chasing success on the world stage we'll get too caught up like England did on results. The results will come with the right balance.

Well-taken point. We need both more kids playing soccer out on dirt playgrounds for the pure fun of it AND more ways to get those kids into legitimate developmental programs. For years in the U.S. there weren't all that many of the former (because soccer was either Orange Slices & Running Around or it was academies on some bourgeois lacrosse type yuppie shit; either way, structure > fun), and not a lot of the latter (because, again, the cost).

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by sedated

Altidore going down hurt.

I'm curious if Bradley was as bad at attacking as so many have said, or if JK was right and being timid is just a trait that the US has to get over.

Bradley was terrible at everything.

He couldn't pass (vs. Ger he put the ball forward to a man with THREE ****ing red shirts surrounding him), he couldn't keep possession, and the only "heady" play he made was his center chip to for the goal vs. the Waffles...

[Kansas City Kid]

Soccer is basically cross-country with a ball mixed in. It is far down the pecking order from real sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, badminton, bowling, racing, rasslin', yachting, skiing, swimming, curling, hunting, fishing, etc., etc., etc....... and just above staring at the back of someone's head and trying to get them to turn around as far as excitement.

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by Kansas City Kid

Soccer is basically cross-country with a ball mixed in. It is far down the pecking order from real sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, badminton, bowling, racing, rasslin', yachting, skiing, swimming, curling, hunting, fishing, etc., etc., etc....... and just above staring at the back of someone's head and trying to get them to turn around as far as excitement.

k

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Friendo

it's a fine balance--I used to correspond with a youth Coach in England who told me their problem has been that they were too top-heavy with the structure/Academy system, esp early on. Parental meddling, over the top coaching, etc--just like you see here. The really creative players learn it on the playground (just like hoops here). I used to tell the kids that I coached that the best development takes place on your own after practice. Look no further than the NBA Championship this year for the balance however---structure & discipline definitely have a place (Spurs & their foreign players), but the game HAS to be fun in order for the little ones to catch fire. That is the danger to me....that in chasing success on the world stage we'll get too caught up like England did on results. The results will come with the right balance.

1. A Ball and a wall.

2. 3 v 1.

[NewChief]

Worst troll job ever.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Kansas City Kid

Soccer is basically cross-country with a ball mixed in. It is far down the pecking order from real sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, badminton, bowling, racing, rasslin', yachting, skiing, swimming, curling, hunting, fishing, etc., etc., etc....... and just above staring at the back of someone's head and trying to get them to turn around as far as excitement.

Shut up bitch! If not, Zach (the "Julie the Cruise Director" of U.S. Soccer) will kick you off the soccer ship!

[|Zach|]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Shut up bitch! If not, Zach (the "Julie the Cruise Director" of U.S. Soccer) will kick you off the soccer ship!

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

Rep for you Sir...

[Friendo]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

1. A Ball and a wall.

2. 3 v 1.

yep--or 5 v 2 one touch

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Friendo

yep--or 5 v 2 one touch

Oh, and miles and miles of Indian runs.

Sorry, that part isn't as much fun.

FTR - in HS the soccer team ran with the HS cross country team in the summer when we couldn't coordinate with coach. That cross country team placed 1st and 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th at state.

[Friendo]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Oh, and miles and miles of Indian runs.

Sorry, that part isn't as much fun.

FTR - in HS the soccer team ran with the HS cross country team in the summer when we couldn't coordinate with coach. That cross country team placed 1st and 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th at state.

heh--fun memories--we figured out we did 6 miles a day in practice-2nd only to cross-country. don't know if you recall Kevin Donnally (Dolphins & Panthers) but his older brother Rick who played football at our HS (and later for the Chiefs & Steelers) once came out to play pickup with us. lol--nobody would come near him when he took a clumsy chop at the ball with those tree-trunk legs.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

It is funny...obviously this was a problem now that we are out of the Cup but...I wouldn't have guessed it was something we would have huge problems with going into Brazil, no?

Not a major problem heading in. We all expected Bradley to take his game to another level.

[The Bad Guy]

Originally Posted by Kansas City Kid

Soccer is basically cross-country with a ball mixed in. It is far down the pecking order from real sports like football, baseball, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, badminton, bowling, racing, rasslin', yachting, skiing, swimming, curling, hunting, fishing, etc., etc., etc....... and just above staring at the back of someone's head and trying to get them to turn around as far as excitement.

Cool story, bro.