North Carolina Tar Heels

[hedge]

"everyone across the globe that competitively swims has to have a certain amount of disposable income."

What about Tarzan?

That was horrible.

Consider it a "welcome back" post...

[aTm]

I think that's a factor, but its not so simple. Paradoxically a world class power in a sport generally also has to be rich as well. The sport has to generate enough money, facilities, and coaches to sustain itself. Secondly it always also helps to have a big population playing the game, and in that sense it can help to have a richer playing pool. In the US we have way more people playing organized sports in general just because we can. The US is missing some things, but has other advantages, leading to a middling, but still pretty good soccer program.

The biggest problem with men's soccer in this country is there is a very wide gap in the developmental system at the point where most athletes in this country develop at american universities. Most major universities dont even field a men's soccer team. In Texas, which along with California, and New Jersey, and a few other states is a hotspot for talent, there is only one major college that even has a program. So basically the USSF has to fill the gap with a residency program at IMG Academy to try and boost development at the high school level for the elite kids, a handful of players lucky enough to find their way to the professional clubs academy ranks as kids, and a handful that end up at the elite college soccer programs with good coaching are able to bridge the gap from high school/youth development academy to playing professionally as an adult. This hole doesn't exist in the women's game, as pretty much every college has a program and the coaching here is probably the best pool of women's coaching worldwide.

Title IX and a historical lack of interest in the sport are a bigger problem than the number of players or the income level of the players, IMO.

[eCat]

I'm sure you guys have heard of or seen this but if you haven't

"Every man has a plan until he gets punched in the mouth" - Mike Tyson

[youtube]FIRT7lf8byw[/youtube]

[hedge]

Love the commentary...

[eCat]

Love the commentary...

the guy works for a zoo (he was pig hunting in this video) and the zoo is considering what disciplinary action they are going to take against him for this

the guy was just trying to save his dog

[AlabamAlum]

Smacking an animal like that is completely reasonable.

[eCat]

I doubt the animal even felt it after a couple of seconds

it was a helluva punch though, I'll give him that

[Bklyn]

The punch was ok. The kangaroo must've been a joey. A bull kangaroo is bigger and crazy muscular. It's a much harder animal to run up on and hit him with a 2 piece.

A bull kangaroo probably wouldn't take the time to headlock a dog, though, so I doubt having to box one is much of a concern.

[eCat]

The punch was ok. The kangaroo must've been a joey. A bull kangaroo is bigger and crazy muscular. It's a much harder animal to run up on and hit him with a 2 piece.

A bull kangaroo probably wouldn't take the time to headlock a dog, though, so I doubt having to box one is much of a concern.

dag, was Kangaroo 101 an elective at your college?

[Bklyn]

Heh...kicked it a few times in Australia before wife and kids came on board. I loved passport stamps and expensive watches before these dependents got in my life and sucked all of my disposable income.

One of the times I was down there, I went to one of the national parks. There were a few wallabies I saw, but there were a shitload of kangaroos. When I saw a bull kangaroo in real life at the national park, it was crazy. He was chilling under a tree while the female kangaroos and young ones hopped around. As I walked closer, the bull got up and hopped away and it was sobering. It was about 6'5" tall.

[eCat]

fucking kangaroos are gym rats

[eCat]

[Bklyn]

WTF was that?

[eCat]

I don't know but I laughed when I saw it so I posted it

[hedge]

It's good to throw those out there every now and then...

[Jungle Rat]

Excellent

[Bklyn]

Obviously, this dude knew the vendor...and was pissed at the vendor...

[Cletus]

The last Bulls game I went to featured this kiss cam incident. My son thought and still thinks it was the greatest thing he's ever seen. I still don't have the heart to tell him it was all fake. I must say, it was pretty amusing.

[youtube]SSSBXPda50w[/youtube]

[eCat]

Obviously, this dude knew the vendor...and was pissed at the vendor...

damn, they were committed to the bit

[Bklyn]

I don't think the vendor knew he was gonna get hit so hard.