World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

[RaceBoarder]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Don't laugh, but I think some of it is just in the blood. I think the best athletes in Denmark could practice baseball for 10 years straight and not beat a good HS team from Texas. Maybe 25 years. In the US we're dealing with kids who still primarliy have learned the game from external sources, yet a kid with parents from mexico might have started kicking a soccer ball at age <1, and every uncle and cousin in the family has played and they play at gatherings etc. their teachers played, neighbors, every kid on the block etc.

A kid in Spain can say his grandfathers played. In spain or Mexico soccer is part of recess, birthday parties, gym class etc. In the US, most club kids practice 2 times a week and play on Saturday. And even if they practiced 8 days a week, I'm not sure they could beat a good HS team from Spain. Imagine taking 22 kids in Spain at age 5 and teaching them football, our football. Could they beat a JV team from Florida if they focused only on football for 10-12 years? I don't think so.

This is the key thing... Think about hockey players and how they comment about learning tricks/tactics/skills while out playing pond hockey after school... Same thing here... When you are immersed in a sport, you will pick up on and develop skills that can't necessarily be taught...

I can speak directly to this from my own experiences with snowboarding... I was just some kid from IL who had a natural talent for the sport... Never got any real coaching till I was 17... Decided to run with what I had and make the most of it... Once I started to realize what kind of competition I was up against at the national level, I realized I had no chance against kids from Colorado, Park City, and New England... They were totally immersed in the sport for years... Even with logging over 90 days on snow per year while at NMU, there was no way I was ever going to catch up... The situation with soccer is no different... By the time "elite" talent is recognized here in the US, they are behind the ball when compared to Europeans with the same "natural" talent..

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Exactly. The USA is far more ready today for a World Cup than in 1988. Moreover, it appears that the USA would have 10+ years to prepare if selected for the 2026 Cup, so I wouldn't worry at all. There will be several big markets that will likely have new/modified stadia in between now and 2026, and my guess is that any of those stadia would be capable of hosting a World Cup match.

As for being ready today, I would guess the following stadia would be on the list:
- Seattle (CenturyLink)
- New York (MetLife)
- Dallas (Cowboy's Stadium)
- Washington (FedEx Field/RFK)
- LA (Rose Bowl)
- Houston (Reliant)
- Boston (Foxborough)
- Chicago (Soldier Field)

Obviously a few of those would need temporary grass, but the field size should be fine for World Cup matches. I'm sure I'm missing a few, and I would wager that by 2026 that list would double (triple?) in size.

You also have the new Vikings Stadium, new 49ers Stadium, Lucas Oil, Lincoln Financial...

You could most likely also add Raymond James (Tampa) to the list. I know they held a CONCACAF qually last June there, and there is a pretty good amount of room on the sidelines for the extra.

So has Ford Field in Detroit.

Very true. I wouldn't be surprised that by 2026 we have 25-30+ stadia capable of hosting World Cup games.

Hell, we really haven't even touched the College Football stadiums that are World Cup ready.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

So has Ford Field in Detroit.

Hell, we really haven't even touched the College Football stadiums that are World Cup ready.

Assuming that FIFA would want to stay in big cities, that limits what college football stadia would work (although, I did include the Rose Bowl). But you're right, there are probably another 15-20 college football stadia (perhaps more?) that could theoretically host a World Cup match.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

To be honest, I don't like our chances at hosting a World Cup. If it was about stadiums and infrastructure and profit then we would be hosting in 2022 after the wonderful 2018 World Cup in England. But FIFA isn't like that. It's run by crooks who seek to line their pockets with bribery and corruption. And guess who FIFA doesn't want sniffing around their business? The FBI.

I completely agree about FIFA basically being corrupt. However, at least under the current rules, I do think the US has a very good chance at hosting in 2026 if we submit a bid because I think CONCACAF is the overwhelming favorite to host then. Of course, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if FIFA changed their rules for UEFA to host in 2026, and then I think CONCACAF gets pushed back at least a few more cycles.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Don't laugh, but I think some of it is just in the blood. I think the best athletes in Denmark could practice baseball for 10 years straight and not beat a good HS team from Texas. Maybe 25 years. In the US we're dealing with kids who still primarliy have learned the game from external sources, yet a kid with parents from mexico might have started kicking a soccer ball at age <1, and every uncle and cousin in the family has played and they play at gatherings etc. their teachers played, neighbors, every kid on the block etc.

A kid in Spain can say his grandfathers played. In spain or Mexico soccer is part of recess, birthday parties, gym class etc. In the US, most club kids practice 2 times a week and play on Saturday. And even if they practiced 8 days a week, I'm not sure they could beat a good HS team from Spain. Imagine taking 22 kids in Spain at age 5 and teaching them football, our football. Could they beat a JV team from Florida if they focused only on football for 10-12 years? I don't think so.

Reminds me of a cartoon I saw. A woman married to a soccer player is pregnant. She is holding her stomach and says to him, "I think I can feel him kicking!" Of course the soccer player has a big smile on his face.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Assuming that FIFA would want to stay in big cities, that limits what college football stadia would work (although, I did include the Rose Bowl). But you're right, there are probably another 15-20 college football stadia (perhaps more?) that could theoretically host a World Cup match.

Final game at Michigan Stadium in front of 100,000?

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Final game at Michigan Stadium in front of 100,000?

If we were to be hosting in 2014, I would guess that Cowboy's Stadium would host the final in front of 105,000.

I just don't see a non-major city hosting a World Cup game, but I suppose it is possible.

 

[bigmrg74]

Final game at Michigan Stadium in front of 100,000?

I don't believe Michigan Stadium is wide enough for a pitch.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

I don't believe Michigan Stadium is wide enough for a pitch.

That would certainly complicate matters.

 

[Craig P.]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

But you're right, there are probably another 15-20 college football stadia (perhaps more?) that could theoretically host a World Cup match.

Fewer than that, I'd think. In fact, I'd bet the number of "reasonable" college stadia is in the low single digits. The main issue is that none of them are built wide enough.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Fewer than that, I'd think. In fact, I'd bet the number of "reasonable" college stadia is in the low single digits. The main issue is that none of them are built wide enough.

Perhaps. Off the top of my head, I can only think of two: Rose Bowl and Stanford Stadium. I would guess that the Cotton Bowl would probably work as well, but I'm not sure. I would think though that there are a handful of others that have the appropriate pitch and capacity.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Perhaps. Off the top of my head, I can only think of two: Rose Bowl and Stanford Stadium. I would guess that the Cotton Bowl would probably work as well, but I'm not sure. I would think though that there are a handful of others that have the appropriate pitch and capacity.

But why choose Standford Stadium when you have Levi's Stadium? or in the case of the Cotton Bowl, you have Cowboys Stadium...
Interesting to see that Chicago didn't make the cut for the 2018/2022 WC Bid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_2022_FIFA_World_Cup_bid

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

But why choose Standford Stadium when you have Levi's Stadium? or in the case of the Cotton Bowl, you have Cowboys Stadium...
Interesting to see that Chicago didn't make the cut for the 2018/2022 WC Bid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_2022_FIFA_World_Cup_bid

Soldier Field kinda shot themselves in the foot when they remodeled it... They have the smallest capacity in the NFL (well 2nd lowest since Oakland is going to tarp off a ton of seats for the 2013 season)... At just north of 60K, that is tiny when compared to other venues... My understanding is that FIFA wants venues that are in the 70K+ neighborhood for games... They want even more for Semis/Finals...

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Soldier Field kinda shot themselves in the foot when they remodeled it... They have the smallest capacity in the NFL (well 2nd lowest since Oakland is going to tarp off a ton of seats for the 2013 season)... At just north of 60K, that is tiny when compared to other venues... My understanding is that FIFA wants venues that are in the 70K+ neighborhood for games... They want even more for Semis/Finals...

Only two of the venues in 2014 will have 70k+, and several are below 50k. 2018 will likely feature a half dozen or so stadia that are in that 45k range. I think FIFA would be more than happy with Soldier Field.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Only two of the venues in 2014 will have 70k+, and several are below 50k. 2018 will likely feature a half dozen or so stadia that are in that 45k range. I think FIFA would be more than happy with Soldier Field.

Provided it has natural grass ..... not sure what they did with the playing surface when they remodeled it.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Provided it has natural grass ..... not sure what they did with the playing surface when they remodeled it.

Soldier Field is natural grass...but, of course, that wouldn't have been a deal breaker either, as natural grass could always be brought in for an event like the World Cup.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Landon Donovan reported to be included on the 23-player roster for Gold Cup, according to si.cnn.com.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

Soldier Field kinda shot themselves in the foot when they remodeled it... They have the smallest capacity in the NFL (well 2nd lowest since Oakland is going to tarp off a ton of seats for the 2013 season)... At just north of 60K, that is tiny when compared to other venues... My understanding is that FIFA wants venues that are in the 70K+ neighborhood for games... They want even more for Semis/Finals...

Well, what do you expect when certain leagues have these asinine rules about media coverage being dependent upon the number of seats being sold at a stadium?

 

[MountieBoyOz]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

While I still want a Word Cup in the U.S. sooner rather than later, UK deserves it first.

 

[Fighting Sioux 23]

Re: World Soccer XXIII - "Pay" Up Pompey?

While I still want a Word Cup in the U.S. sooner rather than later, UK deserves it first.

Well, England is the only real possibility from the UK (although a potential joint bid could be possible), but I don't think they necessarily "deserve" it before the USA. UEFA will have hosted 3 Cups since CONCACAF in '94. Certainly CONCACAF "deserves" a cup before a fourth UEFA cup, no?