Adu's Debut...

NY_Skinsfan · 04-06-2004, 07:45 PM

Anybody here watch the DC United's home opener on saturday. Freddy came in in the 60th minute...nothing special. I was very suprised to see the other players trying so hard to get the ball to Freddy. Doesn't make for a good soccer if you just try to get one person the ball all the time...it's a team sport. Although, i think the other team members wanted to show what this "kid" can do in open space one on one.

God, I wish I lived down there...New York sucks.

Any soccer fans here...any comments?

Daseal · 04-06-2004, 08:39 PM

I'm a soccer fan and unfortunatly by the time I got home on Saturday I had missed the game. My step-sister is big into the NOVA soccer scene and is currently looking at a lot of full schoolarship options to play soccer, and she's only a Junior.

The reason I mention her is she has actually met Freddie and she says he is an excellent guy. Just watching this kid gives me goosebumps. His ball control and field vision are so amazing. Simply a prodigy! The players know the reason they sold out was because of Freddie.

When he was 10 he got offered 750,000 to go play for A.C. Milan. For those that don't know it's one of the powerhouse teams in the Premier Italian League. One of the best soccer teams worldwide. That's just incrediable to me. Offering a 10 year old a spot on one of the best teams in the world. This guy is the real deal and I look forward to watching him mature! Maybe the US can actually go somewhere in a World cup in say 4-8 years 8)

skinsfanthru&thru · 04-06-2004, 09:30 PM

as much as I used to love playing soccer and still enjoy watching it somewhat like during the olympic's, the sport just won't ever be on par with the other major sports in this country. Adu is amazing to watch and absolutely deserves the comparissions to Pele, but even if he gets people somewhat interested in soccer again, the interest will fade away within a few years again just like after the women's team won a few years ago.

Daseal · 04-07-2004, 02:35 AM

Unfortunatly Soccer will probably never gain much in the way of momentum in the states. It's a great sport, but it's definitly more of a sport you play rather than watch. I hate to watch baseball, but I enjoy playing it every now and then!

Soccer takes an amazing amount of staminia (no TV timeouts, no timeouts really, you get stoppage time every now and then, but only if there's a bad injury or something of the like.) We play basketball/football/etc from an early age, most countries play soccer. but it definitly doesn't have the excitement to spectators as football does!

SmootSmack · 04-07-2004, 03:25 AM

I've been following Adu the past couple of years. He has all the makings of a true superstar but it will be interesting to see if he can turn the sport around. It's possible though, golf has become more popular because of Tiger. Particularly in expanding the demographic fan base.

It's interesting to note with all the question about teenagers entering the NBA and underclassmen playing in the NFL, DC United not only has 14-year old phenom Freddy Adu but also Santino Quaranta and Bobby Convey who were just 16 years old when they debuted a few years ago.

Yeah it was pretty apparent that DC United wanted to get Adu the ball on Saturday but who can blame them. The kid is awesome. But he should have started. People came to the stadium to see Adu and the whole league's existence is depending on him really. Though as I understand it should Adu accept an offer to play elsewhere (Europe for example) the MLS would get a nice chunk of change. The MLS is weird though in that one group, AEG, owns not only DC United but also the LA Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, San Jose Earthquakes and Metrostars. That'd be like Snyder owning the Redskins, Bears, Broncos, etc.

Daseal, I love watching baseball. Just watched a 15-inning Twins-Indians game. Long as hell but I was hooked

NY_Skinsfan · 04-07-2004, 03:45 AM

From what I understand, in the Premiere League the players have to be at least 18 to play, not sure of Italy or Europe....But Freddy will not sign a contract to go overseas if he is just going to play on the junior teams for four years...So we have him for at least four years...Also it would be nice to see Freddy do for soccer what Tiger has done for golf, but I can't see that happenig.

I am really looking forward to Germany 2006, this is where I hope he will shine...We came really close in the last world cup. A player like Freddy can be that extra spark that can put us over the edge...Pele was 17, I believe, in his first cup...Freddy will be 17 also.

SmootSmack · 04-07-2004, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY_Skinsfan

From what I understand, in the Premiere League the players have to be at least 18 to play, not sure of Italy or Europe....But Freddy will not sign a contract to go overseas if he is just going to play on the junior teams for four years...So we have him for at least four years...Also it would be nice to see Freddy do for soccer what Tiger has done for golf, but I can't see that happenig.

I am really looking forward to Germany 2006, this is where I hope he will shine...We came really close in the last world cup. A player like Freddy can be that extra spark that can put us over the edge...Pele was 17, I believe, in his first cup...Freddy will be 17 also.

I hadn't realized that about the Premiere League. Is that the league where teams get rotated in and out depending on their success the previous year?

NY_Skinsfan · 04-07-2004, 04:02 AM

I believe so...

NY_Skinsfan · 04-07-2004, 04:13 AM

I was down in DC a during the minicamp weekend...I was at the bar in the hotel and started chatting with a German fellow about soccer...He claims to have been friends with Franz Beckenbauer (sp?)...one of the greatest German players ever...anyway he was telling me that the pro teams in Germany have junior teams all the way down to uder 8. I am not sure how they can spot talent in a 7 year old but they sure start training them young.

The one thing I hope Freddy will do is keep the interest of all the young kids in this country...If they grow up still playing and watching soccer, the sport might have a chance. The problem is people, as daseal said, like to play it rather than watch it...

I am one of the few people who actually would rather see a 1-0, 1-1, or 2-0 game rather than 110-98 like in basketball...whenever i watch basketball the last 3 minutes seem to take forever...I hate that. Just finish the game already

04-06-2004, 07:45 PM	#1
NY_Skinsfan Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Albany, NY Age: 51 Posts: 838	Adu's Debut... Anybody here watch the DC United's home opener on saturday. Freddy came in in the 60th minute...nothing special. I was very suprised to see the other players trying so hard to get the ball to Freddy. Doesn't make for a good soccer if you just try to get one person the ball all the time...it's a team sport. Although, i think the other team members wanted to show what this "kid" can do in open space one on one. God, I wish I lived down there...New York sucks. Any soccer fans here...any comments?

04-07-2004, 03:25 AM	#5
SmootSmack Uncle Phil Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 45,256	I've been following Adu the past couple of years. He has all the makings of a true superstar but it will be interesting to see if he can turn the sport around. It's possible though, golf has become more popular because of Tiger. Particularly in expanding the demographic fan base. It's interesting to note with all the question about teenagers entering the NBA and underclassmen playing in the NFL, DC United not only has 14-year old phenom Freddy Adu but also Santino Quaranta and Bobby Convey who were just 16 years old when they debuted a few years ago. Yeah it was pretty apparent that DC United wanted to get Adu the ball on Saturday but who can blame them. The kid is awesome. But he should have started. People came to the stadium to see Adu and the whole league's existence is depending on him really. Though as I understand it should Adu accept an offer to play elsewhere (Europe for example) the MLS would get a nice chunk of change. The MLS is weird though in that one group, AEG, owns not only DC United but also the LA Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, San Jose Earthquakes and Metrostars. That'd be like Snyder owning the Redskins, Bears, Broncos, etc. Daseal, I love watching baseball. Just watched a 15-inning Twins-Indians game. Long as hell but I was hooked __________________ You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

04-06-2004, 08:39 PM	#2
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	I'm a soccer fan and unfortunatly by the time I got home on Saturday I had missed the game. My step-sister is big into the NOVA soccer scene and is currently looking at a lot of full schoolarship options to play soccer, and she's only a Junior. The reason I mention her is she has actually met Freddie and she says he is an excellent guy. Just watching this kid gives me goosebumps. His ball control and field vision are so amazing. Simply a prodigy! The players know the reason they sold out was because of Freddie. When he was 10 he got offered 750,000 to go play for A.C. Milan. For those that don't know it's one of the powerhouse teams in the Premier Italian League. One of the best soccer teams worldwide. That's just incrediable to me. Offering a 10 year old a spot on one of the best teams in the world. This guy is the real deal and I look forward to watching him mature! Maybe the US can actually go somewhere in a World cup in say 4-8 years 8)

04-06-2004, 09:30 PM	#3
skinsfanthru&thru Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Age: 44 Posts: 3,813	as much as I used to love playing soccer and still enjoy watching it somewhat like during the olympic's, the sport just won't ever be on par with the other major sports in this country. Adu is amazing to watch and absolutely deserves the comparissions to Pele, but even if he gets people somewhat interested in soccer again, the interest will fade away within a few years again just like after the women's team won a few years ago.

04-07-2004, 02:35 AM	#4
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	Unfortunatly Soccer will probably never gain much in the way of momentum in the states. It's a great sport, but it's definitly more of a sport you play rather than watch. I hate to watch baseball, but I enjoy playing it every now and then! Soccer takes an amazing amount of staminia (no TV timeouts, no timeouts really, you get stoppage time every now and then, but only if there's a bad injury or something of the like.) We play basketball/football/etc from an early age, most countries play soccer. but it definitly doesn't have the excitement to spectators as football does!

04-07-2004, 03:45 AM	#6
NY_Skinsfan Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Albany, NY Age: 51 Posts: 838	From what I understand, in the Premiere League the players have to be at least 18 to play, not sure of Italy or Europe....But Freddy will not sign a contract to go overseas if he is just going to play on the junior teams for four years...So we have him for at least four years...Also it would be nice to see Freddy do for soccer what Tiger has done for golf, but I can't see that happenig. I am really looking forward to Germany 2006, this is where I hope he will shine...We came really close in the last world cup. A player like Freddy can be that extra spark that can put us over the edge...Pele was 17, I believe, in his first cup...Freddy will be 17 also.

04-07-2004, 04:02 AM	#8
NY_Skinsfan Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Albany, NY Age: 51 Posts: 838	I believe so...

04-07-2004, 04:13 AM	#9
NY_Skinsfan Impact Rookie Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Albany, NY Age: 51 Posts: 838	I was down in DC a during the minicamp weekend...I was at the bar in the hotel and started chatting with a German fellow about soccer...He claims to have been friends with Franz Beckenbauer (sp?)...one of the greatest German players ever...anyway he was telling me that the pro teams in Germany have junior teams all the way down to uder 8. I am not sure how they can spot talent in a 7 year old but they sure start training them young. The one thing I hope Freddy will do is keep the interest of all the young kids in this country...If they grow up still playing and watching soccer, the sport might have a chance. The problem is people, as daseal said, like to play it rather than watch it... I am one of the few people who actually would rather see a 1-0, 1-1, or 2-0 game rather than 110-98 like in basketball...whenever i watch basketball the last 3 minutes seem to take forever...I hate that. Just finish the game already

Adu's Debut...

Parking Lot