SLU Men's Soccer Thread

[Taj79]

skip --- you know how I feel about soccer.  You can't say my post is arshole-out-of-the-blue.  

[slufanskip]

14 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

skip --- you know how I feel about soccer.  You can't say my post is arshole-out-of-the-blue.  

So why do you post? Everything you said could also be said about the men’s basketball team. Yet somehow we still support them.

It’s like you’re trolling the soccer fans. 

Your understanding of the soccer landscape nationally is flawed. 

[courtside]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

I enjoyed the women's game today.  But a thrice-time undefeated champion in  the A10 MUST move on or what does it matter?  We are a girl's soccer power in the A10. Which could be seen as a big fish in a tiny pond.  Shields and company now need to do more.  First Davidson.

The men need to give up the ghost as far as anything meaningful in the national consciousness.  I don't care that Georgetown won a national title last year just like I don't care Umass won a Frozen Four this year.  The sports don't matter to me.  But that's me .... as we all know by now.  If you can't beat Fordham, George Washington, and dominate the A10, competing with the likes of Maryland, Virginia, Stanford, North Carolina and Indiana are pipe dreams.  I don't care that Fordham made an Elite Eight ..... that's like Abilene Christian making a Sweet Sixteen.  Or Loyola.  happens.  Not only are we not even going to the Dance, we didn't win our lowly conference as predicted.  Just another men's soccer failure.

Do you refer to the SLU Men’s basketball team as Boys basketball? It’s Women.

I am not sure I understand the reference to Georgetown soccer and UMass hockey. Georgetown is both a Men and Women’s soccer power. UMass won the National Title in Men’s hockey and they were runner up two years ago.

As has been mentioned, I don’t think you have strong understanding of the college soccer landscape. 

If you are having a conniption about SLU’s soccer programs, wait until you hear about its Men’s hoops team. Same coach five seasons, and zero top 3 regular season league finishes. And, he’s been considered a popular success by many. 

 

 

[Taj79]

I admit, I am the ugly American when it comes to soccer.  Soccer is booooring and the only way I go or watch is if my kid or family member is playing.  SLU is family.  As I said, I enjoyed the women's game, watching the second half, mainly because they won, it's the alma mater ands it was Dayton.  I turned on the men for the second half and was quickly reminded why I never went to those games as an undergrad.  It's just not me and I hereby promise not to post on them anymore.  I don't mean to troll any soccer fans.  I do like the stands at Hermann and all the propaganda on them.  But that, again, is ancient and inconsequential history.  That's a ghost as bad as "Easy Ed" in basketball.

My reference to Georgetown and Umass is along the lines of "even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes."  But both sports are irrelevant to the general American public.  They do have a cult following for sure, but mainstream?  Not really.  Ditto lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball, tennis, etc.  Of course, just my opinion.  Remember when SLU hockey was all the rage?

I don't have a strong understanding of national soccer, I'll admit that.  But I am willing to bet I reside in the majority on that account.  The only reason it reaches my consciousness is because of the school I went to.  Otherwise, meh.

Boys basketball (there I evened it out) is entertaining even when on the losing end at times.  UCLA did not lose to Gonzaga --- they ran out of time and possessions.  I am well aware of Travis Ford's record and believe that his seat should be getting warm.  The glow of the great Jordan and Hasahn recruitment is over.  The five-year grace period, to recover from the depths of [dead] is over.  I for one feel it has been both a revelation and a failure.  A failure because as pointed out, no top three (hell with that championships) finishes and no post season wins.  But it is entertaining as hell.

Sports is really just another option for my disposable entertainment dollar.  Soccer is not entertaining.  TO ME (singular opinion).

 

[courtside]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

I admit, I am the ugly American when it comes to soccer.  Soccer is booooring and the only way I go or watch is if my kid or family member is playing.  SLU is family.  As I said, I enjoyed the women's game, watching the second half, mainly because they won, it's the alma mater ands it was Dayton.  I turned on the men for the second half and was quickly reminded why I never went to those games as an undergrad.  It's just not me and I hereby promise not to post on them anymore.  I don't mean to troll any soccer fans.  I do like the stands at Hermann and all the propaganda on them.  But that, again, is ancient and inconsequential history.  That's a ghost as bad as "Easy Ed" in basketball.

My reference to Georgetown and Umass is along the lines of "even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes."  But both sports are irrelevant to the general American public.  They do have a cult following for sure, but mainstream?  Not really.  Ditto lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball, tennis, etc.  Of course, just my opinion.  Remember when SLU hockey was all the rage?

I don't have a strong understanding of national soccer, I'll admit that.  But I am willing to bet I reside in the majority on that account.  The only reason it reaches my consciousness is because of the school I went to.  Otherwise, meh.

Boys basketball (there I evened it out) is entertaining even when on the losing end at times.  UCLA did not lose to Gonzaga --- they ran out of time and possessions.  I am well aware of Travis Ford's record and believe that his seat should be getting warm.  The glow of the great Jordan and Hasahn recruitment is over.  The five-year grace period, to recover from the depths of [dead] is over.  I for one feel it has been both a revelation and a failure.  A failure because as pointed out, no top three (hell with that championships) finishes and no post season wins.  But it is entertaining as hell.

Sports is really just another option for my disposable entertainment dollar.  Soccer is not entertaining.  TO ME (singular opinion).

 

In no particular order:

If someone repeatedly posted in SLU basketball threads saying how much they dislike basketball, and SLU Men's basketball, many people on the board would respond negatively or ignore, and consider you a board troll. Of course you mean to be a troll. That's what you have been doing. It's okay to step up and own it.

It's one thing to want more success of a SLU sport. It's another to negatively say a sport is boring to you, or not as popular as other sports (you really don't have a good grasp of various sport popularity) as if the kids should only follow the most popular crowd. And yet, here you are again, reading threads, commenting, watching what you dislike so much and find boring. Blink twice if the person next to you still has a gun to your head.

"Inconsequential" What is the cut off date that schools can honor past success? Is there a particular year when history is allowed to begin? 

I will just let your sexist mysogony speak for itself. 

Yes, every college basketball game is played exactly the same as the UCLA vs Gonzaga game. 100% of the time.

You mentioned Georgetown and UMass to say they got lucky one time. When it gets pointed out to you that neither is a one hit wonder in soccer and hockey, as you are not aware of the landscape, you curmudgeonly say oh those sports aren't popular anyway. It's pretty interesting because American Football has the highest ratings in the U.S., yet here you are.

You then say you don't have an understanding of soccer, while quickly (again) pivoting to saying with convincing authority that your opinion is of the majority. Seems to be quite the battle going on in your head.

This was a lot of words to say you want to be accepted by the popular kids. You want to be an included supporter of the teams that win the most. Or more simply put, you could have said that you wished SLU Men's Basketball won more games, as opposed to trolling one of the more successful sports at SLU. Maybe start a new thread for one of those things.

Perhaps supporting one of the several schools you mentioned in your various posts would be a better fit for you.

SLU has two soccer teams. This is one of the two main soccer threads. That's it. Two threads, clearly labeled. Many people who read this thread and/or post in this thread would be happy and willing to have an objective soccer discussion with anyone of sincerity. 

 

 

 

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

I admit, I am the ugly American when it comes to soccer.  Soccer is booooring and the only way I go or watch is if my kid or family member is playing.  SLU is family.  As I said, I enjoyed the women's game, watching the second half, mainly because they won, it's the alma mater ands it was Dayton.  I turned on the men for the second half and was quickly reminded why I never went to those games as an undergrad.  It's just not me and I hereby promise not to post on them anymore.  I don't mean to troll any soccer fans.  I do like the stands at Hermann and all the propaganda on them.  But that, again, is ancient and inconsequential history.  That's a ghost as bad as "Easy Ed" in basketball.

My reference to Georgetown and Umass is along the lines of "even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes."  But both sports are irrelevant to the general American public.  They do have a cult following for sure, but mainstream?  Not really.  Ditto lacrosse, field hockey, volleyball, tennis, etc.  Of course, just my opinion.  Remember when SLU hockey was all the rage?

I don't have a strong understanding of national soccer, I'll admit that.  But I am willing to bet I reside in the majority on that account.  The only reason it reaches my consciousness is because of the school I went to.  Otherwise, meh.

Boys basketball (there I evened it out) is entertaining even when on the losing end at times.  UCLA did not lose to Gonzaga --- they ran out of time and possessions.  I am well aware of Travis Ford's record and believe that his seat should be getting warm.  The glow of the great Jordan and Hasahn recruitment is over.  The five-year grace period, to recover from the depths of [dead] is over.  I for one feel it has been both a revelation and a failure.  A failure because as pointed out, no top three (hell with that championships) finishes and no post season wins.  But it is entertaining as hell.

Sports is really just another option for my disposable entertainment dollar.  Soccer is not entertaining.  TO ME (singular opinion).

 

.... Then stay out of the thread.... Nobody cares that you don't like soccer. Some of us are interested in following the team. What a stupid run of post. 

[Taj79]

@Rise —- agreed.

[slufanskip]

7 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@Rise —- agreed.

Taj, you make me laugh. Definitely worth a good post

[Taj79]

@courtside —- pomposity is your middle name.  I make over the top statements and am wrong.  You counter with over the top statements and are obviously right.  I am sincere —- soccer is boring.  And I know that is a damning statement if ever there was one on this board.  

[Billiken Rich]

11 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@courtside —- pomposity is your middle name.  I make over the top statements and am wrong.  You counter with over the top statements and are obviously right.  I am sincere —- soccer is boring.  And I know that is a damning statement if ever there was one on this board.  

I'm not a soccer fan although happy to see the Billiken women at least do well.  Soccer is boring to a non-fan but it's a hell of a lot more exciting than non-playoff baseball honestly.  

[courtside]

32 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@courtside —- pomposity is your middle name.  I make over the top statements and am wrong.  You counter with over the top statements and are obviously right.  I am sincere —- soccer is boring.  And I know that is a damning statement if ever there was one on this board.  

Is there anything specific in there?  A generalized gaslighting trolling subject change isn't a sincere specific discussion. 

Trolls gonna troll. Rinse repeat. 

You have been pretty clear in your posts. Your interest is for SLU to be successful at something, anything, in order for you to feel good, feel popular, feel important. Because, that is what matters to you.

Unlike some of the other sports, soccer has been more reliable in that regard over the years.

As others have pointed out, and, as you have pointed out yourself, you don't really understand the landscape of multiple sports about which you posted. 

Many people here don't care if you find soccer, or any of the other sports you disparaged, boring or interesting. That's the part you still seem to not understand. If you don't like something or find it boring, you have a few different options:

1) Ignore a thread or topic.

2) You can engage in a respectful sincere discussion about it.

3) You can be a repeated troll.

You have made your choice here, again and again. The only person that seems bothered here is you.

 

 

 

 

 

[slufanskip]

2 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@courtside —- pomposity is your middle name.  I make over the top statements and am wrong.  You counter with over the top statements and are obviously right.  I am sincere —- soccer is boring.  And I know that is a damning statement if ever there was one on this board.  

It's boring to the people who don't understand the game.  Personally I've never found football very exiting. I watch for 3 hours and get literally 15 minutes most of action and much of that is an off tackle run.  Baseball can be boring to those who just want scoring and don't love to watch a 1-0 pitchers duel with some great defensive plays. The NBA does anything besides the last 5 minutes actually count? 

Your opinion of soccer's popularity though is wrong. It's growing in the US and has been for decades and I'm sure we don't need to discuss the worldwide popularity. The MLS has most teams averaging over 20k in soccer specific stadiums with few over 25k. Atlanta is 50k plus and Seattle is 40k. And it's not like people are going because it's cheap, the average ticket is approaching $50. 

I don't know why I'm writing this though as your mind is made up. You don't like it and find it's boring so the rest of the country must clearly agree with you. If you're talking old farts who never played soccer ... you're probably right. 

[BilliesBy40]

22 hours ago, RiseOfTheBillikens said:

.... Then stay out of the thread.... Nobody cares that you don't like soccer. Some of us are interested in following the team. What a stupid run of post. 

You’re responding to a guy who creates a new thread after every SLU men’s basketball game to provide his “recap”. He’s the most self-important poster on the board, which anyone paying attention has known for years.

[TheChosenOne]

I am being lazy and don’t want to scroll thru the thread since it looks like it has gotten a bit aggressive, for those of us who are interested in soccer but did not follow it this season, could someone with knowledge provide a breakdown how this season went for the boys and how things look moving forward? I see the record and the results, so more just overall thoughts for those of us who didn’t follow it.

[Taj79]

@skip --- you obviously love soccer and I know that.  

I agree with you on baseball and football.  I haven't seen a complete baseball game in likely a decade (in person or on TV) and football can be ignored easily ----- mowing the grass, playing with the grandkids, going to bed at a decent hour on Monday and Thursday nights.  The NBA has been dead to me for at least two decades.  I think a few of those teams should be contracted.  

I have long heard about the growing popularity of soccer in America.  I remember when Pele played in NY and Franz Beckenbauer came over from Germany.  That would turn America's disinterest and apathy in European football.  My frat brother's son starts for the Seattle Sounders.  Oh well ..... just preaching to deaf ears with solid different opinions and again, my apologies.  

Someone please answer The Chosen One on the boy's program.

[Taj79]

@courtside ---- now you are pontificating about topics which you must be an expert in ---- my feelings, my self worth, my need for popularity.  And here I thought our sessions on your analysis couch were patient-to-doctor privileged.  Silly me.  

[courtside]

26 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@courtside ---- now you are pontificating about topics which you must be an expert in ---- my feelings, my self worth, my need for popularity.  And here I thought our sessions on your analysis couch were patient-to-doctor privileged.  Silly me.  

Again, this is gaslighting, a subject change distraction to make this about me, which, it isn't.

You are the only one here trolling, factually incorrectly posting about a variety of topics, making negative generalized statements unsupported by facts, which, several people have responded to say so. 

If you want/need the attention, some would prefer you start a new thread and post there. You had multiple opportunities to post sincerely and respectfully about the thread topic here. Had you done so, a wide variety of capable people would have responded sincerely. You chose not to do that. 

So, maybe just start a new thread about whatever it is you need or want.

 

 

[slufanskip]

29 minutes ago, Taj79 said:

@skip --- you obviously love soccer and I know that.  

I agree with you on baseball and football.  I haven't seen a complete baseball game in likely a decade (in person or on TV) and football can be ignored easily ----- mowing the grass, playing with the grandkids, going to bed at a decent hour on Monday and Thursday nights.  The NBA has been dead to me for at least two decades.  I think a few of those teams should be contracted.  

I have long heard about the growing popularity of soccer in America.  I remember when Pele played in NY and Franz Beckenbauer came over from Germany.  That would turn America's disinterest and apathy in European football.  My frat brother's son starts for the Seattle Sounders.  Oh well ..... just preaching to deaf ears with solid different opinions and again, my apologies.  

Someone please answer The Chosen One on the boy's program.

So you're saying basically all pro sports are boring? except hockey maybe? which imo is boring on tv and great in person. 

However, we don't have solid differing opinions. just different. 

You've long heard about the growing popularity because it's happening. The idea that soccer was going to replace football is really just a silly argument to make a non valid point. So haters can just claim "I keep hearing soccer is going to pass football in popularity in America" Well, it hasn't happened therefore soccer isn't growing. How ridiculous and silly. 

Soccer really started growing in the 70's as youth leagues exploded. In the 80's the major outdoor league folded and America seemed to have this short lived (thankfully) obsession with indoor soccer. As that died the MLS came into play just after the US hosted the World Cup in '94 with record setting attendance averaging almost 70k per game. (Not bad for a sport America presumably wasn't interested in) The MLS has slowly grown, the USA is producing more young talent than at any time in their history. Cities are paying and waiting in line to get an MLS franchise while agreeing to build soccer specific stadiums which are selling out in many cities. The failure to recognize the growth and increasing popularity is really just a refusal to be open minded about something in which you're not interested in. Also many polls have soccer 3rd in the USA in popularity among millennials and Gen Z.  Why? because they grew up playing the game. More so than any other sport. 

Now we'll get to the women. ( I know, I know, the women don't count, they can't compete with the men. ) But, have you ever been to see the USWNT play? Not even an important game, just a friendly against some mediocre team. Thousands of young girls in the jersey's of their hero's screaming and going crazy. When the women played at Busch before the World Cup, that game was one of my favorite sporting events of all time. It was so much fun and watching the kids, boys and girls was amazing. Name the other women's sport that gets that kind of attention and has that much fan support. 

As you old fogies die off the day will come when soccer is a top 3 sport in the US. It may be another 50 years away, but it's coming. I predict one day soccer and basketball will rule the sports world. The NFL is just a criminal enterprise and MLB can't get out of it's own way. 

 

[dennis_w]

10 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

So you're saying basically all pro sports are boring? except hockey maybe? which imo is boring on tv and great in person. 

However, we don't have solid differing opinions. just different. 

You've long heard about the growing popularity because it's happening. The idea that soccer was going to replace football is really just a silly argument to make a non valid point. So haters can just claim "I keep hearing soccer is going to pass football in popularity in America" Well, it hasn't happened therefore soccer isn't growing. How ridiculous and silly. 

Soccer really started growing in the 70's as youth leagues exploded. In the 80's the major outdoor league folded and America seemed to have this short lived (thankfully) obsession with indoor soccer. As that died the MLS came into play just after the US hosted the World Cup in '94 with record setting attendance averaging almost 70k per game. (Not bad for a sport America presumably wasn't interested in) The MLS has slowly grown, the USA is producing more young talent than at any time in their history. Cities are paying and waiting in line to get an MLS franchise while agreeing to build soccer specific stadiums which are selling out in many cities. The failure to recognize the growth and increasing popularity is really just a refusal to be open minded about something in which you're not interested in. Also many polls have soccer 3rd in the USA in popularity among millennials and Gen Z.  Why? because they grew up playing the game. More so than any other sport. 

Now we'll get to the women. ( I know, I know, the women don't count, they can't compete with the men. ) But, have you ever been to see the USWNT play? Not even an important game, just a friendly against some mediocre team. Thousands of young girls in the jersey's of their hero's screaming and going crazy. When the women played at Busch before the World Cup, that game was one of my favorite sporting events of all time. It was so much fun and watching the kids, boys and girls was amazing. Name the other women's sport that gets that kind of attention and has that much fan support. 

As you old fogies die off the day will come when soccer is a top 3 sport in the US. It may be another 50 years away, but it's coming. I predict one day soccer and basketball will rule the sports world. The NFL is just a criminal enterprise and MLB can't get out of it's own way. 

 

as an old fogie i agree, fewer kids are playing football and i have not seen a pickup baseball game in decades

 

[Billfan7]

 

4 hours ago, Taj79 said:

@courtside —- pomposity is your middle name.

Wow.  Projecting much?

[Gremio14]

2 minutes ago, Billfan7 said:

 

Wow.  Projecting much?

I don’t know why any of you guys are engaging this Taj fellow. He gets his jollies dogging soccer. Good for him....he’s a hater....just ignore him. He knows nothing about the game as was made obvious by his “Bills had no chances” statement of Thursday.  

[courtside]

For the 4th time in the past 7 seasons, Fordham will play in the NCAA Men's Tourney. 

[courtside]

17 year old former Billiken, Patrick Weah, made his MLS debut last night with Minnesota United FC. 81st minute, in a 1-0 loss to Austin FC.

[BilliesBy40]

1 hour ago, courtside said:

17 year old former Billiken, Patrick Weah, made his MLS debut last night with Minnesota United FC. 81st minute, in a 1-0 loss to Austin FC.

So he was 16 when he arrived at SLU? That’s wild

[Reinert310]

4 hours ago, courtside said:

17 year old former Billiken, Patrick Weah, made his MLS debut last night with Minnesota United FC. 81st minute, in a 1-0 loss to Austin FC.

Is Timothy Weah Patrick’s brother or cousin? Timothy is playing at Lille in France’s top league and has made several National Team appearances.