This Is How NOT To Head A Soccer Ball!!

Ouch!

As American Pro Soccer Forges Ahead, Its Past Deserves a Nod

John Feinstein, a sports columnist for The Washington Post, talks about his love/hate relationship with soccer. Feinstein states that as United States continues to grow as a soccer nation with new stars like David Beckham, we must acknowledge our past with former stars like Pele and Cruyff.

I really want to like soccer again.

Every spring I make a vow that I'm going to make my way to RFK Stadium to watch D.C. United play. I stop channel-surfing and watch for several minutes at a time when I find a Major League Soccer game on television. I read Steven Goff, who has covered the sport so well for years now in The Washington Post, to get a sense both of the MLS and what's going on in the sport around the world.

I'm not saying all this as a set-up for some one-liner about all the 1-0 games or the fact that a World Cup final can be decided by a penalty-kick shootout (which is ludicrous). Essentially, there are two ways people look at soccer: Either as the most wondrous sport ever created or the most boring. The soccer-ites insist that those who don't get the beauty and artistry and athleticism of the game simply aren't paying enough attention. The anti-soccer-ites make fun of the lack of scoring and wonder what's so spectacular about 90 minutes of running and kicking.

Both are right. Both are wrong.

Link to entire article.

Just For Fun: 2006 Nike Commercial

This commercial was part of the 2006 World Cup advertising by Nike. I, personally, think that Nike puts out some of the best soccer commercials. Not only is this one of those excellent commercials it also has some major key coaching points in it like -

1. It shows that even at the top levels a good old 3v3 no goalie game is fun.
2. Dribbling is a major skill.
3. Anything is better with Elvis singing!

Enjoy.