Comments on: Top Freshman to Watch in College Soccer http://blog.3four3.com/2009/09/08/top-freshman-to-watch-in-college-soccer/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:49:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Gary Kleiban http://blog.3four3.com/2009/09/08/top-freshman-to-watch-in-college-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Gary Kleiban Thu, 24 Sep 2009 06:27:32 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=119#comment-134 Hi Michael, Maybe I should have been more careful at selecting the correct words to use. Instead of using, "This country does a horrible job of IDENTIFYING ...", It would have been more accurate to say, "This country does a horrible job of SELECTING ..." Big difference. And that's really the point I was trying to make. The country may do a decent job of identification, but from the identified pool the wrong selections are made. You see, my contention is two-fold: 1) By excluding the other california players selected in the "top 100" list, I wanted to go on record that these 4 are the real thing. In addition, it's crazy to think that the "top 100" completely missed 2 of these players. (50% failure from my perspective). Not only that, but of the remaining california players that made that list, most do not belong. 2) Just because these players have gone to a national team camp does not mean they are ultimately SELECTED to represent the country. Instead, we've seen mediocrity selected year after year. Again, in this specific case all four of these players should be permanent fixtures. Yet we have mediocrity being selected. Finally, all we really have to ask ourselves is the following question. "What world class player has ever represented our country?" The answer is NONE. And it's not that we don't have players with world class potential. We do! They are not being selected. Thanks for keeping me on my toes! I appreciate good feedback like yours. Hi Michael,
Maybe I should have been more careful at selecting the correct words to use. Instead of using, “This country does a horrible job of IDENTIFYING …”, It would have been more accurate to say, “This country does a horrible job of SELECTING …”

Big difference. And that’s really the point I was trying to make. The country may do a decent job of identification, but from the identified pool the wrong selections are made.

You see, my contention is two-fold:
1) By excluding the other california players selected in the “top 100″ list, I wanted to go on record that these 4 are the real thing. In addition, it’s crazy to think that the “top 100″ completely missed 2 of these players. (50% failure from my perspective). Not only that, but of the remaining california players that made that list, most do not belong.

2) Just because these players have gone to a national team camp does not mean they are ultimately SELECTED to represent the country. Instead, we’ve seen mediocrity selected year after year. Again, in this specific case all four of these players should be permanent fixtures. Yet we have mediocrity being selected.

Finally, all we really have to ask ourselves is the following question. “What world class player has ever represented our country?” The answer is NONE. And it’s not that we don’t have players with world class potential. We do! They are not being selected.

Thanks for keeping me on my toes! I appreciate good feedback like yours.

]]> By: MichaelC http://blog.3four3.com/2009/09/08/top-freshman-to-watch-in-college-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-128 MichaelC Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:31:30 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=119#comment-128 any yet you didn't find anyone who had not already been found so I wonder why say, "This country does a horrible job of identifying elite players, or those with elite potential." any yet you didn’t find anyone who had not already been found so I wonder why say, “This country does a horrible job of identifying elite players, or those with elite potential.”

]]> By: Brian Kleiban http://blog.3four3.com/2009/09/08/top-freshman-to-watch-in-college-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-57 Brian Kleiban Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:42:11 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=119#comment-57 Michael, we found them by watching them play over thousands of minutes over a 5 year process. Their games have grown considerably over that time where most of their peers are the same players they were 4 years ago. ZERO GROWTH! Other published lists base their picks on resume or reference alone and DO NOT know what to look for nor have they even seen these players perform. There is no credibility! These four are truly special and are all starters and key figures on their college teams now as freshmen. Michael, we found them by watching them play over thousands of minutes over a 5 year process. Their games have grown considerably over that time where most of their peers are the same players they were 4 years ago. ZERO GROWTH! Other published lists base their picks on resume or reference alone and DO NOT know what to look for nor have they even seen these players perform. There is no credibility! These four are truly special and are all starters and key figures on their college teams now as freshmen.

]]> By: MichaelC http://blog.3four3.com/2009/09/08/top-freshman-to-watch-in-college-soccer/comment-page-1/#comment-56 MichaelC Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:24:34 +0000 http://blog.3four3.com/?p=119#comment-56 Huh, "This country does a horrible job of identifying elite players, or those with elite potential." Then you roll off a list of players with National, Youth and High School accolades. How astute of you, where did you ever find them? Huh, “This country does a horrible job of identifying elite players, or those with elite potential.” Then you roll off a list of players with National, Youth and High School accolades. How astute of you, where did you ever find them?

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