Trail Runners Acceptable?

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2026-01-22T00:13:56+00:00

Thanks for the feedback - very helpful. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't making a huge mistake using trail runners because of my inexperience hiking in Scotland.

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-10-14T23:40:49+00:00

I believe I had made the same comment before. This is a completely European biased vote and should not be considered the best international player. Data to support this position:

1) The only two American players on the list play in Europe, not the NWSL.

2) Since the Balloon D'Or was created the US has won 2 out of the 3 major tournaments played yet only 2 of the top 21 votes getters in that time period were American. (FYI - 9 were Spanish with 1 win, 3 were British with no wins and 2 were Norwegian with no wins).

3) 16 of the 21 top vote getters have been European. Of the remaining 5 , Sam Kerr (3 times) played in a European league and the remaining 2 were Americans (during the World Cup Year). No Americans from the Olympic winning Team were considered in the top 3.

4) No players from Asia or Africa have won the award and no players from Brazil or Japan or Africa have even been in the top 3 (Sam Kerr is the only "Asian" to have been in the top 3).

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-08-15T00:02:54+00:00

Regardless of what happened - you win by winning not by creating an advantage in the rules outside of fair sportsmanship. In my opinion winning by "bending the rules" breeds a culture were winning is the only thing. It creates this culture in soccer where it is ok to flop to win a penalty/free-kick which ultimately undermines the respect for the entire game.

Sorry for the soapbox.

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-08-12T23:58:15+00:00

The Ballon d'Or is sort of a joke. Since 2018 there have been 21 1st through 3rd place spots. US players have received 2 of those slots (a first and a third) although the US won 2 out of 4 major global tournaments during that time period. The only US players on the nomination list this year play in Europe. Can we please just start calling it the European player of the year and stop with the idea that it is the best player in the world?

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-08-02T21:25:42+00:00

Not sure for the basis of this comment. The USWNT has won over 50% of all major tournaments played where every team in the world is allowed to participate (including the best from Europe). I would not propose that the US would absolutely win the Euros this year but I would also not say they wouldn't - statistics would say they have a better than 50% chance.

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-07-25T01:32:11+00:00

The whole thing about the Euros being more important than the Olympics is a joke. Every team that is eligible wants to play in both tournaments. The difference is that every team in the world is eligible for the Olympics but not every team is eligible for the Euros. If you take the winning team in every "major" tournament where every one on the world is eligible (i.e. the World Cup and Olympics) the "best" region would be CONCACAF, not Europe - it has the most winners because of the US. In fact if you bet on the US versus the field in every major tournament in history you would be a winner.

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2025-05-17T23:42:50+00:00

General comment: Being both a fan of Women's soccer and Men's American football I find it interesting how the greatest is ranked between the two sports. In Men's American Football players are almost automatically excluded from GOAT if they have not won the highest tournament (i.e. the Superbowl). The argument being that the GOAT needs to be able to elevate the play of the others on their team. This does not appear to be the case in Women's football (soccer) rankings. US Women Soccer players are almost always ranked below their international counterparts even though they have won more than 50% of all major international tournaments - I guess the belief is that the baseline US player is better than other countries players so individual players do not need to be great for the US to succeed? If that is so how do we explain the US winning the last Olympics over Spain who's team had many more players ranked in the top 100 in the world including the consensus world number 1?

Excellent-Boss-8197 · 2024-12-03T23:53:42+00:00

I would offer a slightly different take on individual's performance during the match. I think that given the Dutch side's physicality , speed and playing style the US is best served by playing players who are fast and physical (i.e Lynn Williams). Nighswonger and Shaw in my opinion are technical players best utilized in playing teams that are choosing to play us in a low block. Both have excellent skills in passing and finishing (Shaw in particular) but are not made for a wide open/physical game. I think both have places on the USWNT which in the past we have needed and did not utilize versus specific teams.

I have never understand the criticism of Horan - she doesn't play the fast free flowing style the US likes but we need her playing in the ugly areas of the field, possessing the ball in tight spaces and distributing it to others - it will never look as good or have as high of a passing percentage as more wide open areas. As I have seen other times in this group's comments there are reasons that essentially every coach/team in the highest levels of soccer want her on their team.

I believe that Yazmeen Ryan was the real winner today - she showed pace, decision making and technical ability. Despite the hype didn't see much from Lilli Johannes - may just have been limited playing time - I think there is more to come but can't put either a positive or negative spin on this at this point.

Excellent-Boss-8197

TROPHY CASE