Why America sucks at soccer

16 July, 2010

Good.is is a great website, with typically great content, but I stumbled upon an article titled “Will America’s Obsession With College Keep It From Winning the World Cup?” (link). The entire piece is a failure. It argues what the title implies, that elite soccer players in the U.S. should forgo college to focus on the game. In part, it notes:

Our basketball players have access to AAU-type systems that often allow them to develop their individual games, travel the country, and play against the top competition in the country. (They only go to college because the NBA requires them to for at least one year.)

With the implication that this is a good thing. Because, yes, we want these kids going pro immediately with no college education. How many college athletes go pro? Some tiny number¹, even in a sport like baseball with hundreds of teams across the Major and Minor leagues. And there are what, 10 domestic professional soccer teams? How would this not be setting up a ton of kids for failure. It would be like a Maurice Clarett factory.

After how stupidly LeBron handled something as simple as accepting a new job, I think we can all agree that getting elite athletes as much education as possible is a great idea.

DOUBLE BONUS IRONY UPDATE

The same author who wrote the “pfft, college” article also wrote a piece titled: “Could the World Cup’s Legacy Be Universal Education?”

#1: 1% according to CSM