Soccer state of mind..

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

So yesterday we got in talks about how soccer players would be at kickball. So i started talking to a guy I work with about it and he mentioned that he has a website and blogs about soccer, so i told him id give him a plug on here for you soccer fans..

http://www.soccerstateofmind.com

[JellyDogg]

Yup, just as I suspected... not a single thing on that site about tagging up.

[crAsh]

Nice of you, Kev.
Ha...I expected this to be a continuation of that thread about how soccer players can't play kickball...

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

Yup, just as I suspected... not a single thing on that site about tagging up.

trust me , i had a long debate here at work today about it

[kim dude]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

[JellyDogg]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

In my experience quite often, at least when it comes to baseball. Regardless of their general knowledge of various other non-soccer sports, soccer players tend to have a disdain for baseball. They don't like it, they don't watch it, they don't learn it.

[Trey it Up]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

In my experience quite often, at least when it comes to baseball. Regardless of their general knowledge of various other non-soccer sports, soccer players tend to have a disdain for baseball. They don't like it, they don't watch it, they don't learn it.

Most soccer players I know played baseball as kids.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[crAsh]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

In my experience quite often, at least when it comes to baseball. Regardless of their general knowledge of various other non-soccer sports, soccer players tend to have a disdain for baseball. They don't like it, they don't watch it, they don't learn it.

My elementary school must've been advanced.
We definitely had to learn the rules of baseball before completing the third grade.

Virginia Beach City Public Schools. Ahead of the Curve.
ha

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

well the discussion yesterday was based on a poster saying that if a MLS team showed up and played a good circuit team they would score a lot just because they can kick. I disagree for many reason which we wont get in to. I think you can have the yankees show up and play and they would loose as well. However, if you teach these athlets the game they MAY be very good at it but you just dont know. To say they would be great cause they are a pro in something is just ridiculous. You can only be so good in kickball. You can only throw a rubber ball so hard ,run 60 ft so fast ,kick ,bunt and so on... If some of us in the game have days in events where we are productive at every at bat but a few ,catch every ball, perfect base running and spot on throws. Then how much better can a MLS player be? Ill bet anything if you lined up 10 MLS players for a day at a circuit event that no more than 1 of them would kick .1000 on the day.Bad at bats happen for everyone. Soccer players miss wide open nets,batting champs strike out,Michael Jordan missed free throws, PGA players miss 2 foot putts. Too think all MLS players would be dominate is just a stupid ass statement.

From my experiance in kickball soccer players(college players) can kick, they are decent bunters but not great and horrible base runners. Their arms and hands depends on how they grew up. But i have seen a fair share of fast guys/girls with good legs that cant catch a cold.

If someone said to me that they had a university of Miami baseball/softball player that wants to play or a soccer guy or girl i would take the baseball/softball player. If you all think that being a kicking team will dominate this game then you need to re think your game plan.

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

BUT..... I do think if you find females that have had a good soccer career they ccould be good for a circuit team because finding stud girls that are mentally tough is difficult.

I have not heard of it yet but if a known circuit team picked up one of these girls in the ncaa womens softball world series i bet she would be amazing if taught and coached properly. Ncaa softball is just like kickball. Same dimensions of the diamond and so on. And its not that hard to teach bunting

[Kolanko_25]

To say they would be great cause they are a pro in something is just ridiculous. You can only be so good in kickball. You can only throw a rubber ball so hard ,run 60 ft so fast ,kick ,bunt and so on... If some of us in the game have days in events where we are productive at every at bat but a few ,catch every ball, perfect base running and spot on throws. Then how much better can a MLS player be? Ill bet anything if you lined up 10 MLS players for a day at a circuit event that no more than 1 of them would kick .1000 on the day.

This is laughable. If I'd said professional tennis players would be elite at kickball just because they play a pro sport then you got me, but we're referencing professional soccer players. They have devoted their entire life to footwork, kicking skills, and conditioning. There's a reason they get paid to play a game and we post on message boards. Every tenth of a second counts in the speed of this game and their overall team would be far superior in that aspect. They would kick the ball so much further than you're accustomed too. If you moved your outfield back they would hit the gaps in the shallow areas. I don't get why all the sheep out there think baserunning would be such a huge obstacle for them. Let's run with it anyway and say it was -- it would still be of minor concern to them because they'd be blasting kicks out of the infield all day anyway.

I don't expect anyone to agree with me here because after all I play for a west coast team nobody's heard of and I'm responding to a player on the most decorated team in kickball, but I think you need a reality check on this one.

[dp3]

(*Before I go all Negative Nancy, please know that I've played soccer my whole life, and that I love it.)

I was unaware that ability to kick the ball was the only thing that made someone good at this game.

A lot of the soccer players I know (except for me...I'm awesome at everything) are pretty oblivious when it comes to other sports. I know guys who are AMAZING soccer players, but don't know jack about baseball or other American sports.

I also am not sure why we think that soccer players are the equivalent to Olympic sprinters. In my experience, playing soccer preps you to run distance more so than a 60 foot sprint to 1st. You think a MLS player is going to be able to run that much faster than the current leadoff guys on the Circuit?

I'd love to see an MLS team on defense, with half of them throwing like total nancies and the other half trying kick-outs every time. They'd get blown out in historic fashion.

...and finally, let's remember that we're talking about MLS. Many of us personally know one or a few MLS players. I don't personally know professional athletes in any other sport. If they were truly elite, they'd be playing abroad. Playing in the MLS for soccer is like playing in the CFL for football.

I'll take a team of NFL players over a team of MLS players any day.

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

To say they would be great cause they are a pro in something is just ridiculous. You can only be so good in kickball. You can only throw a rubber ball so hard ,run 60 ft so fast ,kick ,bunt and so on... If some of us in the game have days in events where we are productive at every at bat but a few ,catch every ball, perfect base running and spot on throws. Then how much better can a MLS player be? Ill bet anything if you lined up 10 MLS players for a day at a circuit event that no more than 1 of them would kick .1000 on the day.

They would kick the ball so much further than you're accustomed too. If you moved your outfield back they would hit the gaps in the shallow areas. I don't get why all the sheep out there think baserunning would be such a huge obstacle for them. Let's run with it anyway and say it was -- it would still be of minor concern to them because they'd be blasting kicks out of the infield all day anyway.

This is why you are wrong. There is only so far and hard a KICKBALL can be kicked. Yes they may be able to hit a gap or go deep but to think they can do it everytime is just stupid.I dont know what league you play in or what you have seen but i dont give aff...if you shoot kickballs out of a cannon against some of the top circuit defenses they will make plays. If we played with a SOCCER ball it be aa different story MAYBE because how the ball travels. Comparing how someone kicks a soccer ball to a kickball is like comparing a wiffle ball to a baseball. Barry bonds all juiced up can only hit that wiffle ball so far. Probably just as far as the drunk kids the play in wiffle ball tourneys around the country (i have) can hit it. And i would say the wiffle ball champs are better than barry bionds at hitting the wiffle ball cause its NOT baseball.


I can care less about their foot work, Whats next are we going to say hockey players could be pro golfers cause how they swing their stick?

Again, im not saying soccer pros would not be good at kickball. But you are trying to say they would be so dominate teams would get crushed and it be a hit fest.

[Kolanko_25]

1. Kicking the ball is not the only thing that makes a good player/team, but yeah it is half the game right? What else do you do on offense? Oh yea the baserunning is gonna kill them -- I fogot... I think I'll take people who have spent their entire life excelling at this one skill over amateurs (even if you've played 500+ kickball games in your career).

2. Comparing soccer players to olympic sprinters - no, but I bet 95% of mls players would make it to first base in under 2.8 seconds consistently. I'd imagine the best kickball teams out there might have half their lineup that can do that time after time. Agreed every teams lead off guy should definitely be able to do that. I'm talking about overall team speed from top to bottom. MLS teams spend their days training and conditioning while we sit behind desks and play league ball or get some time in at the gym after work. Not even close to the same.

3. Defense - I think MLS goalies would excel on defense. The rest would be a huge question mark and I acknowledge they would struggle.

4. The whiffle ball/baseball is not a good analogy to kickball/soccer ball. Even if there is a max distance the kickball can travel, they could strike line-drives consistently that your infield would not even have a chance to handle.

5. Footwork = perfect bunts = no play at first

6. MANY hockey players are phenomenal golfers. True the swings are not the same, but there are transferable skills associated

7. Never said the circuit team would get crushed. I think the circuit team would hang and make it a game, but I give the nod to MLS.

I hope someone gets a game set up. If the MLS team gets a manager to teach them the basics then my money is on them and I will be able to retire based on the response from these boards!

[dp3]

I just can't get past the idea of them playing defense. Who is going to pitch? The goalie, I assume? If all of what you say is true, I expect any game involving a MLS team to be one of the highest scoring games ever played, as neither team will be able to record outs.

[Kickbot]

Well, this is the nerdiest thread I've seen in a while. Kolanko, please just get an MLS team to play a Circuit contender so we can settle this.

Until then, I'm going to go back to watching Bubba Watson celebrate his recent Stanley Cup win.

[krabbas]

I love that ever since a circuit video got put on an ESPN show we've had threads debating implementing instant replay and breaking down hypothetical charity games against professional sports teams.

[Kickbot]

I love that ever since a circuit video got put on an ESPN show we've had threads debating implementing instant replay and breaking down hypothetical charity games against professional sports teams.

Dream big!

[Dematas]

I love that ever since a circuit video got put on an ESPN show we've had threads debating implementing instant replay and breaking down hypothetical charity games against professional sports teams.

Dream big!

Yeah, isn't it all about promoting the circuit and comp kickball?

[Trey it Up]

Panik had a pro soccer player for a few seasons. He could occasionally kick bombs, but he was at best the 5/6th best kicker on our team.

He also kicked a ridiculous HR over Kim Dude's head and ran directly to 2b and then back home.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[elj00001]

I would take an MLS team over the best circuit team 100% of the time. You look at the LA Galaxy and take Landon Donovan and David Beckham and all their other players and have them play kickball, they would be the best players by far. They are pro soccer athletes and they would lay down perfect bunts and they all have great speed and would be able to kick the ball further then anyone of us and place the ball in the gaps too. Top to bottom, they would all be stacked with no weakness. Look how far goalies kick a ball, they would dominate in kickball. On defense, they would be solid too. Of course I think the best circuit team could score a few runs on them but in the end, the mls team would win easily. This thread is laughable that people think they could win but I love all of their confidence.

[Karl]

soccer girls are hot. call me maybe.

[dp3]

The "Pro-MLS team" arguments have been 100% about their ability to kick the ball, and 0% about the other vital facets of the game.

Someone please address how an MLS team plans to get off the field on defense. Additionally (and you can dismiss this argument all you want), I'd love to see you explain to David Beckham the tag-up rule.

[McNugget]

Soccer girls are definitely got and I agree with the wiffle ball theory when it comes to the MLS kickball debate.

[elj00001]

The "Pro-MLS team" arguments have been 100% about their ability to kick the ball, and 0% about the other vital facets of the game.

Someone please address how an MLS team plans to get off the field on defense. Additionally (and you can dismiss this argument all you want), I'd love to see you explain to David Beckham the tag-up rule.

They would get off the field defensively just like any other circuit team would if not better. You take the best goalies in MLS with their great arm strenth of throwing the ball far down the fied and right there you will have great pitching, charging and catching which are all the main infield positions. The OF would be easy with any of the MLS players speed and catching ability. I am not saying circuit teams would not score cause they would put up a few runs, but an MLS team would dominate.

[Dematas]

The "Pro-MLS team" arguments have been 100% about their ability to kick the ball, and 0% about the other vital facets of the game.

Someone please address how an MLS team plans to get off the field on defense. Additionally (and you can dismiss this argument all you want), I'd love to see you explain to David Beckham the tag-up rule.

They would get off the field defensively just like any other circuit team would if not better. You take the best catchers in MLS with their great arm strenth of throwing the ball far down the fied and right there you will have great pitching, charging and catching which are all the main infield positions. The OF would be easy with their speed and catching ability. I am not saying circuit teams would not score cause they would put up a few runs, but an MLS team would dominate.

Man, I feel like you are way off here, I could be wrong though.

[Kickbot]

I think an NBA team would do better than an MLS team.

[Kickbot]

Also, you'd be hard pressed to get any pro athlete to make a sincere effort to play kickball well

[Kolanko_25]

Also, you'd be hard pressed to get any pro athlete to make a sincere effort to play kickball well

100% agreed here. While the kickball team would play like game 7 of the world series (as they should). This would be the only factor I'd worry about with my money on the line

[Kolanko_25]

A monster homerun in baseball travels 500+ feet. The absolute farthest a whiffle ball could travel is ~ 100 feet.

A pro soccer player can kick a soccer ball ~ 200+ feet. For the whiffle ball analogy to be an accurate comparison then a kickball should barely be able to make it out of the infield...

[Kickbot]

Give us a hypothetical description of the first inning of this game.

[Dematas]

Well, until a top circuit kickball team plays a pro or semi-pro team in either soccer, baseball, football, basketball or whatever, we won't know what the result will bring. What we do know is that it will bring much needed exposure to the circuit and comp kickball and I believe that is what the goal is or should be.

[JimmyB]

I'm sure there would be some struggles on defense or learning the intricacies of the game, but (in my opinion) anyone trying to come of with reasons why a pro soccer team could not beat a circuit team are just reaching.

Whether you care to admit it, they would all be as fast as the fastest guy on 95% of the circuit teams, they would all be able to make great contact on the ball, and they are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

There's a reason the people on meatballs (no disrespect intended, you guys are the #1 team, which is why I am using you) are not professional athletes. Are there any people playing circuit kickball who's real job is pro athlete?

Sure, maybe it would be close the first time they played, and maybe a circuit team could pull off an upset or something, but do you guys really believe that people who've played soccer in college+ have an immediate advantage on offense over those who have not?

[kwido03]

My background: I played soccer 4 years in college and actually went to the school for baseball. I just chose to play one sport and soccer it was.

Anyways I still think Kickball wins this game. It would probably be close but the problem isn't offense. It's defense. Remember we are talking about a stud kickball team as well. Defense is what separates the good teams from the really good teams in kickball. We are assuming in this case that the kickball team has this figured out. The soccer team would be so far off. Sure they have goalies and athletes who can throw, run, and kick. But there are a lot of really good athletes playing kickball who have taken a long time to learn how to make consistent plays and there really still aren't that many. If it was so easy then kickball tournaments would have more winners. The top ten in kickball or so dominates the sport for that reason. Understanding the sport, making consistent plays, knowing when to take a pitch or kick, pitching and working batters, the chemistry of a team who has practiced for a long time means everything. Speed would be an obvious issue but it is not as big of an issue as I think. Outside of the fastest guys on the soccer team the gap isn't that much IMO. Then add in the practice the kickball team has put in to get to first faster as soon as they bunt or how to go from first to third immediately on even a slightly off throw. Knowing the game and practicing it can make you faster than you are in a way because you are thinking quicker than the average fast soccer player.

Also I think baseball has a better chance of giving you quick success in kickball compared to soccer on an average. If I had to put together a team last minute I would rather have all baseball players than soccer. We may struggle to score but we would be able to play tough D the whole day.

Soccer players are not going to paint the lines all day and put down perfect bunts and then tag up correctly and move through the lineup as easy as some people think against great pitching. Only saying this to add to my opinion, but I lead my conference in scoring my senior year and shooting and kicking hard was my thing my whole life. It took me awhile to kick confidently and to get an understanding of how to attack a pitcher in kickball. To be patient at bat and when to not. To bunt correctly (well I still suck at it). The best teams with great bunters sometimes only get 2-3 guys on against a good pitcher. I am still learning even more so as teams get better. Again my opinion is kickball wins in a one game scenario. Play a season with them and it is a completely different story. But I would still take a baseball team after a season over a soccer team.

[Kickbot]

Kickball is like 20% physical, 80% decision making, communication and preventing or recovering from errors.

[P1NKY]

I actually think it's a bit naive to assume that because someone is a soccer player that they don't understand other sports. If that's the ONLY thing they've ever played in their life that's fine but how often is that the case?

In my experience quite often, at least when it comes to baseball. Regardless of their general knowledge of various other non-soccer sports, soccer players tend to have a disdain for baseball. They don't like it, they don't watch it, they don't learn it.

Nail on the head......

[P1NKY]

I think an NBA team would do better than an MLS team.

Do NBA players even know what DEFENSE is?!?!?

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

A monster homerun in baseball travels 500+ feet. The absolute farthest a whiffle ball could travel is ~ 100 feet.

A pro soccer player can kick a soccer ball ~ 200+ feet. For the whiffle ball analogy to be an accurate comparison then a kickball should barely be able to make it out of the infield...

you are such a nerd. Wiffle balls go futher than 100 but lets not get you all worked up.

In an earlier post you said that all the MLS players would get to 1st in Under 2.8... Well i know all my males can break 2.8 with me being the slowest at 2.73. Trust me i timed it. tons of times over the years. call me a dork but i dont care.. we won over 20k last year .

You say that infielder "couldnt even handle" a liner from a soccer player. That statement makes you truly a retard.

[MEATBALLKEVIN]

I'm sure there would be some struggles on defense or learning the intricacies of the game, but (in my opinion) anyone trying to come of with reasons why a pro soccer team could not beat a circuit team are just reaching.

Whether you care to admit it, they would all be as fast as the fastest guy on 95% of the circuit teams, they would all be able to make great contact on the ball, and they are PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES.

There's a reason the people on meatballs (no disrespect intended, you guys are the #1 team, which is why I am using you) are not professional athletes. Are there any people playing circuit kickball who's real job is pro athlete?

Sure, maybe it would be close the first time they played, and maybe a circuit team could pull off an upset or something, but do you guys really believe that people who've played soccer in college+ have an immediate advantage on offense over those who have not?

well we have golf pros,tennis pros,pro wrestlers. the word pro is used too loosely know a days. We r kickball pro cause we get paid. Thats all it takes to be caled a pro.

But to think just cause they are soccer pros they would be great is ridic..


Lets take the 11 fastest DB's in the nfl and put them on a soccer field . Would they win? No. But they would be faster overall

Strongest man in the work against a small lightweight champ. The strong man would get lit up.

The 5 tallest people in the world against a NBA team...

ping pong champs on a tennis court...

The poiunt im making is i dont give a fuck they are soccer pros. They are not on their field and cant be the best circuit team. wouldnt happen. Kolanko is blowing them thinking their balls are gonna hit every gap and be kicked 100 mph ,the ball will turn to stone and no one can catch it. Its ridiculous. I bet some MLS players would even swing and miss sometimes. They would foul out,pop up and everything else cause they are HUMAN not some robot with a huge cock like this guy is making it out to be

[-BK-]

I would take an MLS team over the best circuit team 100% of the time. You look at the LA Galaxy and take Landon Donovan and David Beckham and all their other players and have them play kickball, they would be the best players by far. They are pro soccer athletes and they would lay down perfect bunts and they all have great speed and would be able to kick the ball further then anyone of us and place the ball in the gaps too. Top to bottom, they would all be stacked with no weakness. Look how far goalies kick a ball, they would dominate in kickball. On defense, they would be solid too. Of course I think the best circuit team could score a few runs on them but in the end, the mls team would win easily. This thread is laughable that people think they could win but I love all of their confidence.

You're way overestimating how hard it is to place a kickball in the right spots... Our first inning on offense we'd bunt them to death. We would mercy rule an MLS team by the 3rd inning. Defense is what wins in kickball and there's no way they shut down a top 5 offense...

(Keep in mind I'm talking about their first kickball game playing against us)