US Soccer Superstars?

The WSJ just recently published this article on the lack of US supremacy in the futbol world.

The author, Matthew Futterman, states that the US is losing out on excuses on why we do not have a bonafide soccer player (aka a Lionel Messi of our own).  Futterman argues that there is still a long way to go before we see a superstar.  I would agree, but I also believe that Futterman has missed a major point: motivation.

Does anyone watch anything else on Sunday?

It is true that a larger number of individuals are playing the sport, and thousands of kids play each year, however from a younger person’s point of view there is still a lack of wanting to take his/her skills to the ‘next level’.  Why?  Simply because the US does not focus on soccer.  Television is dominated by Sunday football and weekly basketball/baseball/hockey.  There is a huge sport saturation due to the existence of the Big Four.  The youth are watching these other superstars and not the Messi’s or Ronaldo’s of the world.

In contrast, the rest of the world focuses on soccer as its primary sport.  Therein lies the disconnect.  The motivation to be on TV, the veneration by the US masses on a consistent basis, and the promise of money (with the MLS as the main US soccer league, there is little money to be earned compared to the other sports) encourages up-and-coming atheletes to chose a Big 4 sport.

So unless the US starts to focus more and more on soccer (which we are currently seeing due to the halo effects of last year’s world cup), we will still see a lack of elite soccer superstars.

Is Clint Dempsey our current superstar?

Back on the Grass: Our 2011 Wimbledon Preview

Guest Article: Dr. SS Love

Does this guy ever retire?

The freshness of the grass at Wimbledon has begun to tickle my senses as we near what will be two weeks of my life dedicated to watching and analyzing every passing moment in what I would say is THE best spectacle in sports. With so many questions swirling around prior to the French Open, regarding Rafael Nadals current standing as the best player in the tennis world, Novak Djokovic’s new found confidence and unblemished record in 2011, and Roger Federer’s dark horse status, many of those questions have been put to rest as the status quo was back in order with yet another Federer Nadal final. It seems as if all the talk has been about the Williams’ sisters return and whether they can win the title or not and the coincidence that is Mahut-Isner meeting again in the first round following their 11-plus hour epic of a match in the very same round last year. Indeed there are more storylines that should be talked about more, such as Federer’s quest to tie Sampras’ modern era record of 7 Wimbledon titles or Djokovic’s continued quest of becoming world number 1. As we near the beginning of this grand tournament, let me break down the men’s draw and give you my predictions.

The Bush Crush

Guest Article by A. SPLATTER

If I were the BCS, I would be a hater too

With the BCS having stripped the USC Football team of the 2004 National Championship title, and the USC athletic program having exhausted all their available appeals to the NCAA, it seems that the “Reggie Bush saga” will soon, mercifully, be ending. With this sense of closure, however modest it may be, perhaps we are in a better position to answer an important question: how can the NCAA possibly justify those sanctions imposed on USC as a result of the so-called “Reggie Bush saga?” My answer to this question isn’t altogether controversial: they can’t. I suspect most will agree with me. But, if not, in what follows, I’ll try to convince the skeptics of this point.

Is Mark Jackson a Good Hire for the Warriors?

BY: EastCoastBias

The Warriors sure are making things interesting this offseason. First, new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber hired Jerry West and Bob Myers to man the front office. And yesterday, the Warriors hired current ESPN analyst Mark Jackson as head coach. The Warriors typically wait till the NBA draft to shock their fans and leave them scratching their heads.

Are the Mavericks Done?

Now, the Dallas Mavericks will have to win at least one more game in Miami to win their first NBA Championship.  After dropping a nail-biter to the Heat last night, the Mavericks find themselves in a 2-1 hole heading into Game 4.  Dirk Nowitzki was phenomenal per usual, scoring 34 points to go along with 11 boards, but he missed a last-second jumper that would have sent the game to overtime.  That being said, Nowitzki was hardly to blame.  His teammates, on the other hand, deserve a ton.  Only 2 other Mavericks –Marion(10 pts.) and Terry (15 pts.) – even hit double-digits in scoring.

Is James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks, Insane or just madly in love with Isaiah Thomas?

James inherited CableVision from his father, not his father's business sense

Though I often couldn’t care less about the typical drama that ensues with all of New York City professional sport’s teams, I am completely puzzled by the Knicks’ latest decision to not renew Donnie Walsh’s expiring contract or at least offer him his option year.

But before I get into analyzing James Dolan’s insanity or his down-right lack of intelligence, I want to take a look at a little Knicks history from this past decade:

College Athletes Should Get Paid

One of the hotter topics this spring in college athletics has been whether college athletes should get paid. What many people have quietly called for and coaches have secretly long-supported is now being discussed among some of the movers and shakers of college sports. I know there are many arguments against paying student athletes, and honestly, for a long time I was a big supporter of not paying student athletes. But, after thinking about the issues, a number of which I will discuss below, my opinion has changed. While I don’t believe schools will begin paying players anytime soon, I do believe student athletes at all schools should receive a stipend of $3,000-5,000 in addition to their scholarship in order to help cover the true cost of living and allow athletes to participate in the financial success they are helping to generate.