cecil77 said:

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Do you watch the news like an adult? Like ever? Or are you too busy watching the Kardashians?

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Seriously? TV news? Very few people I know bother with TV news anymore.

And I've heard the name Lionel Messi, but no clue what he looks like (until pics on this thread)

Most Americans don't follow any one sport rabidly, and only follow a few at all. Many, many Americans (maybe a third) don't follow any pro sport at all. And I'll bet 25% of Americans don't particularly care about any sport.

So soccer? it's been the young kid sport of choice in the USA for over 40 years, but that's all it is here. The best athletes are siphoned off to football/baseball/basketball. Heck, more good American athletes end up in tennis than soccer. That's why the Netherlands can beat the US in soccer>

So no, I thinks it's ambitious to think that even 5% of Americans would recognize Messi in street clothes, and probably not that many even in his uniform.

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I don't watch NBA, yet I know who Steph Curry is. I don't watch MLB yet know who Judge is. It's called being generally informed.

Ellis Wyatt said:

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aTmAg said:

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So you are admitting that you don't pay attention to anything, yet are blaming others for you know knowing anything?

Do you even listen to news on the radio?

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You seem special. Where are you pulling these ideas from?

Read what I write and don't create your own narrative if you want to discuss something.

"Anything" covers a whole lot more than Euro-trash sports and democrat propaganda. I also don't watch "As the World Turns" or "Yellowstone." I am very informed on the things I am interested in.

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Like the Kardashians?

Get Off My Lawn said:

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Lots of contradictory points here, but 2 stand out:

1. Soccer players specialize as well. And on a team of 11 players vs 5, soccer players spend far more of their game uninvolved with the play than basketball players do (ex: forwards waiting at midfield while the ball is near their goal and sweepers chilling while their forwards attack).

2. Footwork + handwork requires coordination of 4 limbs and a ball vs just footwork which is 2 limbs and a ball. Self-hobbling is a really weird thing for soccer to flex about. "We're better because we don't use our hands*". …no… it just makes the sport different. Your opponent is hobbled in the same way, so it's not some noble or asymmetrical bragging point.

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1. I never said they didn't specialize, I said that they were more well rounded. So that point doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of your statement.

2. Going to agree to disagree with you on that one. Basketball and Soccer both require coordination of all four limbs. They just handle the ball in different ways.

Not sure what you mean by 'flex' and 'braggin point' I am a pretty big fan of both sports. I just think that, on the aggregate, soccer players require more well rounded athletes. That's not a knock on the NBA.


I'd like to add that I think one reason people do not appreciate the sport is they have never seen it played at the highest level but most of us have been to NBA, NFL, MLB, et. games. I had really good seats to a Chelsea game in 2011 and that forever changed how I view high level professional soccer. They are big, fast, very physical, and incredibly athletic. I was a casual fan before that but now when I watch it its totally different.

And, not to knock the MLS, but it's a level or two down. Like the Conference USA is to the SEC or something.

ban non-political soccer posts in Forum 16.

and pot.

everywhere.

agent-maroon said:

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aTmAg said:

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agent-maroon said:

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How does a sport being more popular make it's participants better athletes than those in any other sport?

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Do you understand this math?

Being the best one out of 10,000 is more impressive than the best out of 100.

Now expand that to 7,500,000,000 vs 330,000,000.

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Yes, I understand how popularity contests work. How does that make that sport's athletes better than another sport?

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You clearly do not understand. Because this has nothing to do with a "popularity contest". A LOT more people strive to play soccer than strive to play football. A person who rises to the top of a huge pull of people will tend to be better than one who rises to the top of a much smaller group.

It's why top 6A football teams would crush the crap out of 4A teams. It has nothing to do with popularity.

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It has nothing to do with popularity.

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Then why do you keep throwing that out in the discussion to make your case for a soccer player?

Burt Munro is the best....his records still stand.

agsalaska said:

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Get Off My Lawn said:

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Lots of contradictory points here, but 2 stand out:

1. Soccer players specialize as well. And on a team of 11 players vs 5, soccer players spend far more of their game uninvolved with the play than basketball players do (ex: forwards waiting at midfield while the ball is near their goal and sweepers chilling while their forwards attack).

2. Footwork + handwork requires coordination of 4 limbs and a ball vs just footwork which is 2 limbs and a ball. Self-hobbling is a really weird thing for soccer to flex about. "We're better because we don't use our hands*". …no… it just makes the sport different. Your opponent is hobbled in the same way, so it's not some noble or asymmetrical bragging point.

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1. I never said they didn't specialize, I said that they were more well rounded. So that point doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of your statement.

2. Going to agree to disagree with you on that one. Basketball and Soccer both require coordination of all four limbs. They just handle the ball in different ways.

Not sure what you mean by 'flex' and 'braggin point' I am a pretty big fan of both sports. I just think that, on the aggregate, soccer players require more well rounded athletes. That's not a knock on the NBA.


I'd like to add that I think one reason people do not appreciate the sport is they have never seen it played at the highest level but most of us have been to NBA, NFL, MLB, et. games. I had really good seats to a Chelsea game in 2011 and that forever changed how I view high level professional soccer. They are big, fast, very physical, and incredibly athletic. I was a casual fan before that but now when I watch it its totally different.

And, not to knock the MLS, but it's a level or two down. Like the Conference USA is to the SEC or something.

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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It has nothing to do with popularity.

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Then why do you keep throwing that out in the discussion to make your case for a soccer player?

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I never have. You just are incapable of reading comprehension apparently. Let's try it again:


Do you understand why a top 6A football team would crush a top 4A football team?


Or is that beyond your comprehension?

aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

He's phenomenal.. just a wonder to watch in his younger years and still has some ridiculous plays.

I hate that every time soccer is brought up you get people that rag on it all day. it's just ignorance... I had that opinion too in high school. but then I grew up and learned more and hold new opinions today. Good to know you haven't matured any since high school. I know who to avoid.

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And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Yeah, it's saying that some random coworker of a TexAgs poster I also don't know had an opinion on an athlete that I've only heard about recently in a sport nobody I know ever watches. But that IS something, I guess...

Statistically, Alan Francis is the greatest athlete the world has ever seen and it's not even close.

dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

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She didn't mention it. But what would that have to do with what I said?

I have been playing soccer my entire life. I stopped making fools out of players like this in high school, and I am a very good player. Messi does to the best players in the world what a high school player would do to a group of elementary kids for comparison.

These are guys who have dedicated their lives to practicing and playing this sport, who are paid millions of dollars a year to do it and he makes like them look like this is their first time to play.

You have to have played the sport to fully understand just how brilliant this guy is.

He is the best. No one else is even close.

And in a sport where your competition measures in the billions....it is probably safe to say he is the best athlete as well.

aTmAg said:

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dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

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She didn't mention it. But what would that have to do with what I said?

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Hard to see the "outstanding athleticism" when you're covered in urine and listening to some horns at 150dB?

agent-maroon said:

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Quote:

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And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Yeah, it's saying that some random coworker of a TexAgs poster I also don't know had an opinion on an athlete that I've only heard about recently in a sport nobody I know ever watches. But that IS something, I guess...

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She's clearly more informed than you. But that's not saying much. You seem to be like one of those "man on the street" candidates that people laugh at for thinking Europe is a country.

dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

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She didn't mention it. But what would that have to do with what I said?

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Hard to see the "outstanding athleticism" when you're covered in urine and listening to some horns at 150dB?

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Not really.

dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

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Fans acting poorly never happens at American sporting events?

Honestly I think where this all breaks down is, in America, most people either don't care about soccer or dislike soccer.

Every 4 years, we have this dog and pony show where soccer fans try to convince us of why soccer is such a great sport.

As a result, some of us (I'm guilty as well) respond by ****ting on the sport because we get sick of hearing about how great it is, how we're not cultured enough if we don't follow soccer, etc.

I should dial it back, and maybe I'll take my own advice and do that after this post, but others should dial it back too. It's okay if most Americans don't care for soccer, that shouldn't change your love for the sport.

But don't act surprised when you ask me what I thought about the world cup and I respond with "I didn't watch a second of it."

I don't get all butthurt when I mention baseball and someone tells me how boring it is. I get it, baseball is a boring sport for the casual fan, just like soccer is.

I'm okay with that.

You seem to be one of those individuals that thinks that resorting to insults and questioning other's intelligence somehow improves your argument. You should probably go back over my posts to see if I made any typos and maybe that would convince me.

Enjoy your sport. It will be relevant to the "man on the street" for another couple of weeks in just 4 short years!

agent-maroon said:

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You seem to be one of those individuals that thinks that resorting to insults and questioning other's intelligence somehow improves your argument. You should probably go back over my posts to see if I made any typos and maybe that would convince me.

Enjoy your sport. It will be relevant to the "man on the street" for another couple of weeks in just 4 short years!

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You going to answer the 6A vs 4A question?

Or pretend it was never asked?

How can anyone look at this picture and not agree that Tom Brady is the top Athlete?

HollywoodBQ said:

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Guess there aren't any Black athletes who measure up?

Jesse Owens
Carl Lewis
Bo Jackson

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In terms of accomplishments, Messi is the GOAT. No one has come close to winning as many titles and awards as Messi. He's literally won everything there is to win in soccer.

43rd Street Posse said:

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CDUB98 said:

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43rd Street Posse said:

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CDUB98 said:

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Nah.

Bo Jackson is arguable the best...until his freak injury.

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Bo Jackson definitely the best of my lifetime, but what Jim Thorpe did, across numerous sports, against the best of his time, is simply astounding.

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That's why I said arguably. Jim Thorpe, indeed, is in the argument.

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As a physical specimen, I am not sure any professional athlete of any time period touches Bo Jackson...I remember being crushed that he got injured. He was borderline superhuman at times. To be great at two sports in the modern era is simply unheard of. And his highlights are FILTHY. He only lacks longevity, because of freak injury.

He may very well be the greatest athlete of all time with Jim Thorpe just being the greatest of his time, not to take anything away from him.

Wish I still has my old Bo Jackson posters.

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Jackson was never as good as people thought he was. Herschel Walker was a better running back for that era and there are many other baseball players who were and are better.

Jackson was a great athlete, but he was never an all time great player at any sport.

aTmAg said:

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Ellis Wyatt said:

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aTmAg said:

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So you are admitting that you don't pay attention to anything, yet are blaming others for you know knowing anything?

Do you even listen to news on the radio?

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You seem special. Where are you pulling these ideas from?

Read what I write and don't create your own narrative if you want to discuss something.

"Anything" covers a whole lot more than Euro-trash sports and democrat propaganda. I also don't watch "As the World Turns" or "Yellowstone." I am very informed on the things I am interested in.

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Like the Kardashians?

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That's idiotic and insulting. The only Kardashian I have ever watched on TV was a little bit of Robert Kardashian during the O.J. trial.

I don't like soccer. I think it's a ***** sport. My team won the city championship the only year I played it, then I was done with it. OK?

dustin999 said:

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aTmAg said:

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I have a coworker who was in vacation in Barcelona. She went to a game because, "do what the locals do". She had no clue on who anybody was prior, yet said it was the greatest athletic display she had ever seen in her life. And that was coming from a person who had season tickets to Cowboy games, so that's saying something.

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Guess she went on an off night when they weren't launching urine bombs or getting serenaded by 15,000 vulvas or whatever those annoying horns are called.

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Better chance of that at an LSU game than a Spanish or French top level game.

I went to a game in Madrid (at Atletico) a few years ago. It was a family friendly atmosphere. The English still have to segregate fans, but that didn't seem a big issue in Spain.

No and yes to your questions. I just realized that I'm arguing with someone who doesn't respect me or my opinion about a sport that I care nothing about on the politics forum. Feel a bit foolish for the complete waste of time TBH.

agent-maroon said:

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No and yes to your questions. I just realized that I'm arguing with someone who doesn't respect me or my opinion about a sport that I care nothing about on the politics forum. Feel a bit foolish for the complete waste of time TBH.

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I was wondering why you were still here.

Ellis Wyatt said:

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aTmAg said:

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Ellis Wyatt said:

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aTmAg said:

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So you are admitting that you don't pay attention to anything, yet are blaming others for you know knowing anything?

Do you even listen to news on the radio?

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You seem special. Where are you pulling these ideas from?

Read what I write and don't create your own narrative if you want to discuss something.

"Anything" covers a whole lot more than Euro-trash sports and democrat propaganda. I also don't watch "As the World Turns" or "Yellowstone." I am very informed on the things I am interested in.

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Like the Kardashians?

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That's idiotic and insulting. The only Kardashian I have ever watched on TV was a little bit of Robert Kardashian during the O.J. trial.

I don't like soccer. I think it's a ***** sport. My team won the city championship the only year I played it, then I was done with it. OK?

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Coming from a guy who said "you seem special".

I didn't like it either. Until my kid started playing and I ran across Messi clips trying to find something to teach her. You may want to give a few highlight videos a shot.

Messi Greatest Ever

aT said:

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That's idiotic and insulting. The only Kardashian I have ever watched on TV was a little bit of Robert Kardashian during the O.J. trial.

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I don't like soccer. I think it's a ***** sport. My team won the city championship the only year I played it, then I was done with it. OK?

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Coming from a guy who said "you seem special".

I didn't like it either. Until my kid started playing and I ran across Messi clips trying to find something to teach her. You may want to give a few highlight videos a shot.

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You're the one who started making insinuations because you refused to read what I typed. It's OK that you like soccer. I won't judge you anymore.

When the World Cup was in Russia in 2018, I was in Russia and could see the stadium from where I was staying, and I literally walked the other way. I am not remotely interested. I can watch paint dry at home.

agent-maroon said:

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No and yes to your questions. I just realized that I'm arguing with someone who doesn't respect me or my opinion about a sport that I care nothing about on the politics forum. Feel a bit foolish for the complete waste of time TBH.

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So you understand that 6A teams seem to be better than 4A teams.. that's a good first step.


Do you understand the reason? That it's because 6A schools have more players to pick from? That the top 25 players from a pool of 3000 students will tend to be a lot better than a pool of 1000?

Ellis Wyatt said:

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aT said:

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That's idiotic and insulting. The only Kardashian I have ever watched on TV was a little bit of Robert Kardashian during the O.J. trial.

Quote:

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I don't like soccer. I think it's a ***** sport. My team won the city championship the only year I played it, then I was done with it. OK?

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Coming from a guy who said "you seem special".

I didn't like it either. Until my kid started playing and I ran across Messi clips trying to find something to teach her. You may want to give a few highlight videos a shot.

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You're the one who started making insinuations because you refused to read what I typed. It's OK that you like soccer. I won't judge you anymore.

When the World Cup was in Russia in 2018, I was in Russia and could see the stadium from where I was staying, and I literally walked the other way. I am not remotely interested. I can watch paint dry at home.

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Just so you know, that's like saying "meh.. I don't feel like watching Jordan's last season. I'd rather watch paint dry at home."

Jim Thorpe and it's not close.

2 Olympic medals at multi-task sports, pro baseball, pro football and pro basketball.

I get that athletes have evolved, but it isn't like he wants competing with the best of his time at ALL those respective sports. And he won ALL of them.

Unlike the other great mentioned here, he mastered so many sports at the highest levels that his skill mix had to be elite at strength, coordination, speed, endurance, everything.