@hoorta said:

There's the problem mjp. 5 world class players. Not enough YET. Interest has nothing to do with it- elite talent sure does. 

The problem is that World Cup always increases the american viewers' attention toward soccer, so it is a step back for those who are keen on watching it grow in the US.

@mjp28 said:

 Altidore said.

Gonzalez 

Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Tim Howard,

There's the problem mjp. 5 world class players. Not enough YET. Interest has nothing to do with it- elite talent sure does. 

@diehardbrownsfan said:

Even Jarts is more exciting.

Maybe Dodge-Jarts...

@the-gipper said:

Move this to the soccer board oh wait we don't have a soccer board well then just move itMove this to the soccer board oh wait we don't have a soccer board well then just move it

We're discussing the future of football or is it futbol?

One thing for sure there is some uncertainty in the air......well about AMERICAN football, I guess we have to wait that plays out.

And everyone flocking to futbol, hmmmmm. I don't really hear that much public outcry about it, the World Cup, generally any country with a bunch of guys with short pants gets in.

So what happened?    Who did they lose to? Well.....

http://www.businessinsider.com/united-states-misses-world-cup-2017-10

......... (briefly)  After qualifying for seven straight World Cup tournaments, the Americans will now have to wait until at least 2022 before they can play on the biggest stage in soccer. Once the game went final and the reality of the situation began to dawn on the players, they were quick to share their disappointment in their play.

"If you don't look at yourself after this individually, then you're f----- up in the head," Altidore said.

"I just want to say sorry to the fans, all the U.S. fans that were pulling for us, that wanted to go to Russia, that believed in us," Gonzalez said. "We let down an entire nation today."

It's likely that we've seen the end of many stalwarts of American men's soccer, including Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Tim Howard, and that as a result of this subpar stretch of performances, talk of "big changes" to U.S. soccer once again come to the forefront.

What those changes may be remains unclear, but the United States will have four years away from the most important international competition in the world to make and implement them.

@mjp28 said:

Team	Odds
Brazil	15/4
Germany	9/2
France	5/1
Spain	7/1
Argentina	8/1
Belgium	11/1
England	16/1
Portugal	25/1
Uruguay... Uruguay but no USA, really? What's happening with this upswing in interest in soccer?	28/1
Colombia	30/1
Croatia	33/1
Russia	33/1
Poland	40/1
Mexico	66/1
Switzerland	70/1
Denmark	80/1
Sweden	80/1
Egypt	150/1
Nigeria	150/1
Peru	150/1
Senegal	150/1
Serbia	150/1
Iceland... what little Iceland but no USA, USA, USA?	200/1
Australia	250/1
Costa Rica	250/1
Japan	250/1
Iran	300/1
Morocco	300/1
South Korea	300/1
Tunisia	500/1
Panama	1000/1

Move this to the soccer board oh wait we don't have a soccer board well then just move itMove this to the soccer board oh wait we don't have a soccer board well then just move it

@londonbrown said:

Just read an article on this and it’s by a coach in USA

https://thesetpieces.com/features/should-heading-the-ball-be-banned-until-the-professional-level/

I've done some reading up on the concussion and CTE story along with some TV shows on PBS on the subject and it appears that it is a subject that needs to be addressed even in soccer. Stats I've seen in competition or practice in soccer can have serious consequences. 

........ As the world continues to learn more about the serious consequences of brain damage, further regulation of heading is a change which seems more inevitable than idealistic. Once we get past the initial shock, the benefits of player development and player safety go hand in hand.

The dangers of concussion are no longer a secret. Coupled with the advantageous aspects of effectively enforcing the ball to return to the ground as soon as possible, it’s clear that the banning of non-penalty box heading until the professional level is, if you’ll excuse the pun, a no-brainer......

@orion said:

I'm pretty sure that whacking a fast moving soccer ball with your head is NOT gonna be good for your brain.  The elimination of the header is in soccer's future.

Just read an article on this and it’s by a coach in USA

https://thesetpieces.com/features/should-heading-the-ball-be-banned-until-the-professional-level/

@mjp28 said:

What and only the women will play tackle football? 

Well.....here is a place where  "Grab them by the pussy"  is acceptable. 

@texasag1969 said:

Then go back to page one.

I am really glad I went back to page one.. Yo yo ma!!!

@domcucch1994 said:

I can get behind this..

Behind this? Yeah it is a little different than the men's game but hey its football. 

@texasag1969 said:

Then go back to page one.

Nah I think im gonna get a cannoli instead...

@domcucch1994 said:

I can get behind this..

Then go back to page one.

@mjp28 said:

What and only the women will play tackle football? 

I can get behind this..

@domcucch1994 said:

Two hand touch is the future of football bitche$!!

What and only the women will play tackle football? 

@mjp28 said:

Hey we boomer kids were tough.....not like these weenie Millenials and their video games. 

Besides I kind of liked Lawn Darts, sounds less lethal than let's say  Lethal Weapon 4. 

This was our only game, usually played in the lobby of a Spartans, Uncle Bills or other department store.  

@tour2ma said:

Was always fun to see how far you could bury the nose of a Jart* in the lawn... either by throwing it up or down..

______________________________________________________________________________________________

* Why "Jart"? They were lawn darts so why not "Lart"? Did J stand for jugular?

Hey we boomer kids were tough.....not like these weenie Millenials and their video games. 

Besides I kind of liked Lawn Darts, sounds less lethal than let's say  Lethal Weapon 4. 

While football is on the decline, any talk of it being out on the outs in highly exaggerated. It's still by wide margin the preferred sport of my generation (who will soon have the buying power) and still the favorite of the generation after me. Sure, it may not be the absolute dominant sport it used to be, but I don't think we're even 20 years away from seeing any seismic shift in preferences. One thing that's really important to note is that many folks in my generation aren't watching on traditional TV either. This does a good job discussing that: http://deadline.com/2018/02/super-bowl-ratings-eagles-patriots-this-is-us-nbc-1202278181/. So when it's stated that viewership went down, they are talking in terms of traditional TV's. That's a really flawed metric to use.

To the point of safety, I think you gotta realize by in large fans don't care. I can't put my finger on a study I read recently but it was something like 80+% of people noted that the new data on CTE, injuries etc had NO impact on them watching football. Hell, if I'm being really honest I can't say it does for me. I'm definitely down to support safety measures, but it's not as though I feel "bad" for the guys either. I certainly don't wish evil on people but you gotta know bad things are gonna happen to your head mashing it against people for 20+ years. 

Point is, I think we're decades (at minimum) before we see anything else than football dominating the landscape of american sports. It's gotta be realized that my generation (and beyond) are cutting the cord but still want football, which means not having stupid directv dominant the online sphere. 

@diehardbrownsfan said:

Remember Jarts?

If ya ever spear that loop in half with a Jart? Don't let your sister beat ya with it like a belt for ruining the game...MoM, I didn't do it on purpose!!(really?,double your pleasure, double your fun)

@diehardbrownsfan said:

New 'Jarts' non lethal type:

  So now they knock ya unconscious.  

https://www.duluthtrading.com/store/product/lawn-darts-85574.aspx?tall=N&src=GPSHPMN&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-uzVBRDkARIsALkZAdmetVyI3uMfXBMgud4cd14ZkD5BWSwBVzVdMJKcEPg9pMT2gkxXkYUaAixdEALw_wcB

@orion said:

...and some kids threw them really lousily. 

Was always fun to see how far you could bury the nose of a Jart* in the lawn... either by throwing it up or down..

______________________________________________________________________________________________

* Why "Jart"? They were lawn darts so why not "Lart"? Did J stand for jugular?