will high school soccer ever overtake american football in popularity?

[skipcromer]

to say that size is the only factor just isn't correct

Ya, he never said that, in his past post he even specifically said size was not the only factor.

You are arguing with your imagination.

[Finger Laker]

"gridiron is mostly about size"

"Too many USA sports are about size, and less about skill:
Gridiron = height, weight, no real need for endurance; what, they run for 2-3 seconds and then rest for 5 minutes?

Basketball = height"

"A sport based primarily on size eliminates a large percentage of the population of players who may be more SKILLFUL than the larger ones. But we'll never know that with gridiron with its emphasis upon SIZE."

"gridiron = mostly size, a little bit of skill (pass, catch, one kicker)"

"gridiron takes the award for the sport requiring SIZE as its primary attribute."

the basic premise is pretty clearly that size overides skill in football and that soccer is the only sport where a skilled person of less than superhuman size can get a fair shake because size isn't as important

it's just not true

in both sports it pays to have both - there are certain positions where you have a particular attribute that helps out

if you're 5'7 160 and can control a soccer ball and have nice touch your pure skill isn't going to get you much opportunity if you can't run fast enough to keep up with the game or out move a defender

in the NFL you can be a 6'5" 350 pound lineman, but if you have poor footwork, technique or understanding of your assignments your not going to play very long

you can be a 6'5 receiver with great hands, but if you don't know how to run a route, can't create separation, etc then you will be easily contained by that more skilled and smaller 5'10 CB who will outskill you from any real opportunity

it's a shallow argument to state that size is the driving factor in those sports, when it's only a part of the equation

there is way more depth and complexity than just that and to state otherwise is pretty disingenuous

[Finger Laker]

a pretty neat program, for those interested, is Dhanni Tackles the Globe

he's an NFL linebacker who travels the globe trying to pick up the games that the local cultures play and embrace - it was pretty interesting not only in how it shows sport and culture intertwine, but how difficult it is to be elite at any sport regardless of your overall athleticism ... the best are so well trained and conditioned for that specific task it really is amazing and I don't understand the need to slight any of them

[Wingfoot]

The serious injury rate in NFL to European footie must be 20 to one.

Level of violence is several magnitudes greater.
Over a hundred HS kids die playing football each year.

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by enigmaingr

In Texas, it's a capital offense to suggest that something could be better or more popular than football.

Closer to the Mexican border I could maybe see it, but by large, hell no. I've seen high school soccer games with more people on the field than in the stands.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

The serious injury rate in NFL to European footie must be 20 to one.

Level of violence is several magnitudes greater.
Over a hundred HS kids die playing football each year.

Id like something to back up your last statement.

[mongoslade223]

No.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

The serious injury rate in NFL to European footie must be 20 to one.

Level of violence is several magnitudes greater.
Over a hundred HS kids die playing football each year.

20 to 1 is a little ridiculous. Your basically betting that for every injured European soccer player that there is about half an NFL team injured?

If you check injury list on soccer teams, they are often on par with football teams in far as numbers.

A lot of NFL injuries are not because of hits or they are not due to the impact of the hit anyway. Many of them are movement of joints which cause torn ligaments and what not. Take Tom Brady's injury for example, he was hit on the play but the main reason for the injury was because his foot was planted and his leg moved in ways it should not. That happens to soccer players all the time. I should know because it has happened to me. I have dislocated my knees several times in soccer matches.

Soccer players suffer from ACL tears, MCL tears, sprained ankles, torn hamstrings, muscle tears, and other leg injuries that happen due to the 8-10 miles of stop and go running that take place in a game. They also suffer from head injuries such as concessions or even broken jaws. Jimmy Conrad of the Kansas City Wizards has had his jaw broken twice in the last 4 years alone due to impact to the head from elbows, others players heads, and knees.

If you watch a lot of soccer you will see soccer players get pulled to the sideline to either get stitches or even staples in their head due to huge gashes suffered while going up in the air for a 50/50 ball. It happens all the time expect they dont go to the locker room for examination. They get a quick stitch job or some staples and go right back to playing.