Fans of BOTH football's...

[pehawk]

So, can someone please correlate the USMNT to a NFL equivalent for me? I follow the World Cup, only, so my knowledge is limited. I know the USMNT is winning, but I have no context to judge those wins.

I'm assuming they're not the Seahawks, 49ers, Bronco's, Pats. Are they the Rams? Dolphins? A "good" bad team?

 

[Sac]

Soccer is to awesome what the Jacksonville Jaguars are to real football.

 

[Laloosh]

Soccer is to awesome what the Jacksonville Jaguars are to real football.

I actually disagree. I'm not a soccer fan but I really do enjoy World Cup. The skill of some of those players is unreal. It's actually the passing game that amazes me.

I simply don't watch most of the time because 90 minutes with only 1 or 2 scores gets old.

And I'm sorry but I am not knowledgeable enough to provide a football comparison with regard to team quality, OP.

 

[pehawk]

Based on my limited knowledge, it would seem the USMNT is kind of the Rams. An up and coming team, full of defensive toughness. A team that can win in Atlanta one week (which I think they do Sunday) and then drop one to the Jets at home (like last year, IIRC).

 

[knownone]

Rams are a good comparison. I would go with the Chargers.

 

[JGfromtheNW]

The USMNT is above average, ranked #19 in the world right now (out of 207), meaning it is in the 90th percentile of world football. It's pretty hard to compare to the NFL, but I'd say they're a team like the Bears or Saints. They can play with anyone and win on any given day - if the bounces go their way - however there are teams out there that are better player-for-player and have the star power to turn a game on it's head real fast.

It would be easier to compare to college football actually. Picture them as a Wisconsin or Notre Dame. Always in or near the top 25 and can play with anyone on their good days, but lack the star power and overall talent to be elite.

 

[knownone]

The USMNT are somewhere around the Cards - not a bad team per say, some strengths, and will occasionally shock a powerhouse, but not really in contention, either. A few people in the Sports Bar forum made some illusions to the USMNT being on par with some of the traditional Euro soccer power countries, but I think it's nonsense. Klinsmann's a good coach, but I think he has an alterior motive coaching over here. I think he wants Germany to notice him.

Why would he want Germany to notice him? You do realize he chose to stop coaching Germany after the world cup, right?
Klinsmann lives in California and has for 10 or so years, that is why he took the job.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Aren't they the Miami Dolphins? If Miami won the Super Bowl, half the city wouldn't even notice.

That isn't a soccer-hating thing, by the way, as I do enjoy the World Cup. But like, if the Dolphins won it all this year even though half their home games weren't attended fully, I would be ticked as a Seahawks fan desperate for something, anything good to happen to Seattle championship-wise in a major sport. If we won the World Cup, I would be thrilled, but I imagine a country like England that hasn't won the World Cup in fifty years would be pissed.

 

[pehawk]

I think we all know why Klinsman covets that Germany job. Lets put it this way, no way he'd manage Isreal.

 

[knownone]

Klinsmann was already Germany's coach... and he chose to leave.

 

[JGfromtheNW]

The USMNT is above average, ranked #19 in the world right now (out of 207), meaning it is in the 90th percentile of world football. It's pretty hard to compare to the NFL, but I'd say they're a team like the Bears or Saints. They can play with anyone and win on any given day - if the bounces go their way - however there are teams out there that are better player-for-player and have the star power to turn a game on it's head real fast.

It would be easier to compare to college football actually. Picture them as a Wisconsin or Notre Dame. Always in or near the top 25 and can play with anyone on their good days, but lack the star power and overall talent to be elite.

those rankings are completely meaningless. Seriously, anyone who pays attention to the world rankings doesn't really know about football. The USMNT are nowhere near the top 10% of world football. Not even close. The fact is they play a lot of shit teams in this region.

In the world cup, the USMNT will be doing well to qualify out of their group, but anything above that would be absolute gravy. They're not even close to winning a world cup, or even making it past the quarter finals.

Hahaha they're not completely meaningless, but you shouldn't put all your eggs in that basket, no. It's hard to put exact numbers on these teams, especially when it comes to WC and qualifying. Few teams go full strength until it's crunch time with qualifiers and the WC. There are a lot of European teams that don't make it to the WC because the competition is so much better than any where else (especially CONCACAF) and they have limited births. But, to say they are close to top 10-20% isn't a stretch. If the USA gets out of group stages in the WC, they're in the final 16 and are playing top 15 talent. How they do this WC will give us a much better indicator of the competition level they can play at.

BTW, I don't pay attention to world rankings unless it is to provide insight for people who obviously don't watch the sport (AKA this forum). There are plenty of teams better than the US that are ranked below them. To say I don't know football because I cited world rankings is truly ignorant. But, I can't blame you for not having any idea my experience and knowledge of football.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

What happened to Mexico, by the way? Didn't their national team used to be really good?

 

[joeseahawks]

Mexico has had a run of very poor coaches, which might cost them a WC spot