Your Letters & Pictures

From Coach Josh about the beatiful game in the US.

GIANNI,

Good morning. Hope all is well. You have inspired another reply. Not
everybody does this for or to me. But you write about the beautiful
game in the US. I agree (mostly) with all points, but feel the need to
add and slightly disagree:

The Men's games:

1) David Beckham is not problem. His team is owned
by a Billionaire, and Beck's $$$'s are coming from other places.

2) I read an article during the spring about average height of the
2006 World Cup Teams vs. the Average Height of each Countries' population.
Only the US and Holland (tallest country per capita) did not field
teams that were dramatically taller. This is like a country showing
up in the NBA with a team of 6 feet tall. Soccer will change when
some, not all, of the best athletes, like all other countries, show an
interest and begin to play soccer.

On a personal note: I was at the US vs. Chech game in Gelsenkirken.
The first cornerkick for the US was laughable.
Only two or three US players were as tall as any of the Chechs.
Other countries are sending their Manu Gianoble's and Tony Parkers,
Allen Iverson's and Jason Kidd's to the World Cups.
You only need to look at the player introduction from the 2006
World Cup Final to see this.
We are sending everyday average Americans, who have shown well,
not great, in the last 3 Cups, to the World's largest most publicized
THEATERS. We need more FIRST CLASS ATHLETES for this STAGE.
We need better RECRUITING and CULTIVATION of HUNGRY kids.
The product is here.

Women's Games: Look no further than the acceptance and value
placed on women in the US compared to other countries.
Americans highly value equality, for the most part. Little girls have
very well organized leagues and teams. They are not second class
in society and particularly in SPORT/ Athletics.

I thank you for your inspiration this morning. We miss your friendly
face at practice. When you have some time please come and watch
practice(s) and a game(s). We are trying to create PLAYERS who will
entertain the FANS in on our small THEATER.




Josh McKay
University of San Francisco
Assoc. Head Men's Soccer Coach