The Only In Our Dreams Team

[CycloneBBallMan]

This article is awesome to think about. What if the USA's best athletes always grew up playing soccer just like the soccer powerhouse countries do? Check out the dream
team we would put together...


When it comes to international soccer, the United States has a built-in competitive disadvantage.
England, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, even South Korea, all benefit from being able to chose from the finest athletes their respective countries have to offer. The USA picks from the best and brightest athletes that happen to play soccer.
But what if that weren’t the case? What if the U.S. Soccer Federation had the choice of the country’s best athletes? If we had players with the speed of a running back or the dexterity of a small forward or the coordination of a major-league shortstop, how different would the international soccer landscape look?
Here’s an attempt to collect the best American athletes who would make up a fantasy 2010 World Cup team.

Read more: World Cup preview: The Only in Our Dreams Team - KansasCity.com


This team in my mind would easily win every soccer event. Can you think of anyone who was left out?

 

[GrindingAway]

tl;dr (at least all of it)

The answer is though that we would destroy everyone.

The real question though is even with all that would anyone in the US care?

 

[LeSchmick]

Whenever this discussion comes up, I can understand why people think Americans are arrogant dbags. "If only we had our best athletes, we'd destroy all of you hahahaha." Besides, I would never want Dwight Howard, KG, or Peyton Manning playing soccer. That would be a disgrace.

 

[CycloneBBallMan]

Whenever this discussion comes up, I can understand why people think Americans are arrogant dbags. "If only we had our best athletes, we'd destroy all of you hahahaha." Besides, I would never want Dwight Howard, KG, or Peyton Manning playing soccer. That would be a disgrace.

Sorry didn't know this article would offend you so much..:dull:

 

[Marc936]

Whenever this discussion comes up, I can understand why people think Americans are arrogant dbags. "If only we had our best athletes, we'd destroy all of you hahahaha." Besides, I would never want Dwight Howard, KG, or Peyton Manning playing soccer. That would be a disgrace.

yeah, peyton manning is an awesome QB, but i dont think he would be good at any other sport.

 

[LeSchmick]

Not offended, but I can understand our arrogant perception.

 

[LindenCy]

I think that is pretty cool. Not sure about the other positions, but imagine if we had Howard in goal. Wait, we do! :smile:

 

[The_Architect]

It's true though. Same can be said for boxing and why American heavyweights suck. Our best athletes grow up playing other sports.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I think this idea is extremely presumptuous - just because they're great athletes doesn't mean they'd be great soccer players. Especially Dwight Howard at goal, where agility is significantly more important than size. Same with Lance Armstrong - just because he's great on the bike doesn't mean he'd be great in the midfield. I buy the "if our best athletes..." argument, because to an extent it's true. But just throwing names out there is rather assuming, because while those D-backs would probably be great as backline defenders, the thought of
Peyton Manning on the soccer pitch is ridiculous.

 

[Bewilderme]

Still a fun thought, fun police.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Rick Rielly did a piece like this on Sportcenter that I caught the other day. He had most of ones that the article listed had. I'm just glad these guys focus their energies on sports that matter.

 

[nickwc]

if i was putting together a soccer team with the best athletes in the USA, a lot of those guys wouldn't be on my team.

 

[nickwc]

jason kidd? sloooow

 

[ianoconnor]

That team would be beaten like a red-headed step child.

 

[Angie]

For copyright issues, we need to just post the first few lines of an article and a link. Thanks - info is still available at the link.

 

[clone26]

Our best soccer athletes are playing soccer much like our best basketball athletes are playing basketball.

Look at it from the other side. Can you see Christiano Ronaldo or Ronaldinho being great basketball or football players? I can't.

 

[Clone9]

I think a lot of defensive backs and wide receivers would have the skills needed to be good at soccer. They have the quick feet, hip rotation, and body control that would be good intangibles in soccer.

How'd you like to kick a corner to Randy Moss? He could get up and get a head on the ball for sure.

 

[MNclone]

While I agree with the concept that if America put their best towards soccer, they would be much more of a force. But to put together a hypothetical team and declare that they would dominate is completely ridiculous.
Just because our famous athletes have devoted a lifetime to their sports, and have found great success at it, doesn't mean that they could have put their time into another sport and been just as successful.

 

[pulse]

If you take the idea of our best athletes playing soccer, then yes I think we'd be one of the world's great teams. However, I think the article itself is stupid with the comparisons. There's a reason why you don't see 6'1 250lbs defenders in soccer. Personally one of my favorite teams is Germany. I'd like to think if we could get better U.S. athletes we'd look more like Germany as far as height, strength, and speed.

 

[IowaStateClones]

I think this article is sort of embarrassing. It is saying that anyone that is an athlete can play soccer and be good at it. That team would get demolished by any world cup team. This is like saying lets take the best soccer players out of the world cup teams and put them in football pads and they would win the super bowl. This is the kind of stuff that shows a lot of americans don't know a thing about soccer