Cigar Weekly

BigO · 06-13-2014, 12:50 PM

BTW, the Dutch are kicking the champion Spaniards in the gonads 5-1 right now. I don't wonder how the Dutch manage to field a team, but I often wonder how countries like Croatia and some of the tiny nations in Africa manage it. The odds of fielding a credible team given the small population and the resources devoted to supporting them would seem to be against them.

flipflop · 06-13-2014, 04:49 PM

It's called history along with access.

The Dutch have played soccer and done speed skaking for over 100 years. Except for the occasional anomaly (Bert Blyleven) there's not much else to play, except team handball.

The sub-Saharan Africans have played soccer since colonial days in the 1800s. Basketball is taking hold in places like Sengal and Angola, but if you are not 6-10 or above, no one will hear of you.

I drove by Sprayberry HS field today 5-6 times and there were baseball games being played. Go by parks in the inner city and basketball is damn near a 24-7 game.

HS players in the area are already doing drills and training for the upcoming football season.

Now go down streets, parks and vacant lots in places like the Netherlands and Africa and every locale has kids playing soccer. All it takes is a ball. No other equipment is necessary. Not even shoes. Hence the popularity of the game and the skill development.

06-13-2014, 12:50 PM	#41
BigO Publisher/Owner El Chefé BBQ Guru Herf God Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta. Posts: 55,765	BTW, the Dutch are kicking the champion Spaniards in the gonads 5-1 right now. I don't wonder how the Dutch manage to field a team, but I often wonder how countries like Croatia and some of the tiny nations in Africa manage it. The odds of fielding a credible team given the small population and the resources devoted to supporting them would seem to be against them. __________________ Every time you think you've become too cynical, the world finds a way to teach you that the real problem is that you haven't become cynical enough Free speech is free speech is free speech. There is no qualifier. If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention. Never attribute malice to that what can be explained as stupidity. Unborn lives matter too.

06-13-2014, 04:49 PM	#42
flipflop Contributing Editor CW Butt Whisperer Herf God Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Marietta, Georgia Posts: 50,560	It's called history along with access. The Dutch have played soccer and done speed skaking for over 100 years. Except for the occasional anomaly (Bert Blyleven) there's not much else to play, except team handball. The sub-Saharan Africans have played soccer since colonial days in the 1800s. Basketball is taking hold in places like Sengal and Angola, but if you are not 6-10 or above, no one will hear of you. I drove by Sprayberry HS field today 5-6 times and there were baseball games being played. Go by parks in the inner city and basketball is damn near a 24-7 game. HS players in the area are already doing drills and training for the upcoming football season. Now go down streets, parks and vacant lots in places like the Netherlands and Africa and every locale has kids playing soccer. All it takes is a ball. No other equipment is necessary. Not even shoes. Hence the popularity of the game and the skill development. __________________ "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats." -- H. L. Mencken "I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you." -- Ghengis Khan

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