Hats off to the USWNT

[packs]

That high school game was nothing more than a scrimmage. Major League teams lose to college teams during spring training all the time. You can bet that no one wasted their energy playing a meaningless game while tuning up for games that mattered. For reference, that loss came before matches against Russia and other professional teams. I would doubt the same effort went into each.

The men's team is a disgrace. None of them can hack it on a field with the world's best players. The women's team is the team with the world's best players. Comparisons aren't even close. The women deserve the glory and the money that comes with it. Why should the men be paid to be terrible? Let them buy their own plane tickets.

[Leon]

Again, imo, you are borderline needing your name out here to get into a spirited debate. Be careful.
As a business person, and from a pragmatic thought, the monies earned should be relative to the profits. However., both teams (men and women) SHOULD have equal accommodations.
I sort of preach that the money you make in life is relative to the value you bring to your audience or your employer. Pay is also relative to how many people can do your job at your skill level. That is the way people earn money (in my view). It is why 18 yrs old kids get multi multi million dollar contracts every day in sports. It is why burger flippers (I was one for years when I was younger) can only ever make a certain amount. It is because it doesn't take a rocket scientist, or professional athlete, to flip burgers. And those high paid people are generally (at least supposed to) be good ROIs.

Originally Posted by packs

That high school game was nothing more than a scrimmage. Major League teams lose to college teams during spring training all the time. You can bet that no one wasted their energy playing a meaningless game while tuning up for games that mattered. For reference, that loss came before matches against Russia and other professional teams. I would doubt the same effort went into each.

The men's team is a disgrace. None of them can hack it on a field with the world's best players. The women's team is the team with the world's best players. Comparisons aren't even close. The women deserve the glory and the money that comes with it. Why should the men be paid to be terrible? Let them buy their own plane tickets.

[packs]

I would think there is room for considering why a men's tournament might bring in the money it is. I highly doubt the men's tournament receives some kind of boon from the US team's participation. People pay to see Messi and the like, not the US players. The US team is just in the tournament. The women's team IS the tournament. Their team has won 4 cups, including 2 in a row.

[drcy]

"In many soccer-dominant countries, women weren't traditionally allowed or encouraged to play soccer because it was a 'man's sport.' That philosophy/sentiment hasn't existed in the United States.

That American women do so well in many sports internationally is a social commentary on our country-- and counters the recent 'U.S. as regressive' arguments of some. It also helps, that we're a large country (third largest population).

[Snapolit1]

Why is it that we can field the best women's team in the world for a number of years, yet the men suck? Any theories out there? I suspect many more men have been playing soccer in the US for more years than girls/women.

[drcy]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Why is it that we can field the best women's team in the world for a number of years, yet the men suck? Any theories out there? I suspect many more men have been playing soccer in the US for more years than girls/women.

In many soccer-dominant countries, women weren't traditionally allowed or encouraged to play soccer because it was a 'man's sport.' That philosophy/sentiment hasn't existed in the United States.

That American women do so well in many sports internationally is a social commentary on our country-- and is an argument that counters the recent 'U.S. as relatively (I said relatively not absolutely) regressive towards women' arguments of some. It also helps, that we're a large country (third largest population).

[packs]

Someone mentioned the level of competition earlier, but I think it's actually a good point in a different light. I just don't think there is any major competition among the men in this country when it comes to soccer. I think women are much more competitive soccer players and that's why their team is made of up of higher caliber players that are able to compete globally. We don't have a large enough talent pool of men playing the sport to truly create a best of the best type of team, like say Brazil is able to do so often.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by packs

That high school game was nothing more than a scrimmage. Major League teams lose to college teams during spring training all the time.

Not even close to the same thing.

We're talking about a professional All-Star team (the USWNT) losing to 14 & 15-year olds. The team they played was a U15 boys squad. Anyway that gets dressed up, it's embarrassing.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Not even close to the same thing.

We're talking about a professional All-Star team (the USWNT) losing to 14 & 15-year olds. The team they played was a U15 boys squad. Anyway that gets dressed up, it's embarrassing.

It was a game they played for fun. I don't see why they would have put any effort into it. What pleasure can a professional athlete get out of dominating high school students?

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by packs

It was a game they played for fun. I don't see why they would have put any effort into it. What pleasure can a professional athlete get out of dominating high school students?

What makes you so sure they would have dominated them? There's no evidence of it. They had a chance - and got blown out.

You think the NBA All-Stars would ever lose by 35 to 14 & 15-year olds, regardless of the circumstances? Of course not.

The "it was played for fun" is what defenders of the USWNT say to try and justify losing to a U15 boys team. It just doesn't hold up. Also, the game was intended as a way to stay sharp for international games coming up. So you're saying that, as prep for international games, they just farted around and didn't try hard?

[packs]

You may find this article interesting

https://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes....-very-bad-day/

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by packs

You may find this article interesting

https://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes....-very-bad-day/

Those players on the college all-star team would all have been in the NBA today at the same age they played the Dream Team. I’m not sure you can compare that team to a junior high team of stars.

[packs]

That’s an ok stance to take. My stance is games that don’t matter don’t matter. Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig back to back in an exhibition game. How much weight gets put onto something like that? It's interesting that it happened, but ultimately it doesn't say much about the people involved.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by packs

You may find this article interesting

https://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes....-very-bad-day/

I assumed this would get brought up. That college team had Grant Hill - a Hall of Famer - and multiple all-NBA players on it. That college team would have beaten pretty much every other team in the world by 30.

And they won by 8.

The USWNT lost to a bunch of kids, most of whom will never play pro, let alone at the very, very peak of their sport. And they got blown out.

BIG difference.

[RedsFan1941]

my granddaughter once beat me in nine holes of putt putt golf.