2014 non Freo games

[Unique Name]

I'm a believer that if AFL was the world game we would see equally skillful displays of ball use.
Soccer has the entire world to draw on to find these skillful players.

Just as a point though, I wouldn't mention how easy it is to find people working a soccerball around skillfully and also say that it shows how hard it is to do.

Your second point is countered by your first point. You can find more footage of skillful soccer players because it is the world game and more people play it. This also means there is a lot more competition to become the best and means greater skill is required to make it to the top level.

Watch clips of Pele, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Maradonna, Messi. What they do/did is not easy.

 

[Dockernut]

m.theage.com.au/victoria/former-afl-player-ben-sharp-charged-with-287000-armed-robbery-20150203-135a5o.html

And another... Rookie at WCE in 2005. I wonder what the stats are on ex-players committing a crime per club

See below:

Sydney: One
Richmond: One
Hawthorn: One
WCE: Lots

 

[Taylor]

Your second point is countered by your first point. You can find more footage of skillful soccer players because it is the world game and more people play it. This also means there is a lot more competition to become the best and means greater skill is required to make it to the top level.

Watch clips of Pele, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Maradonna, Messi. What they do/did is not easy.

You can upload a video of Gary Ablett threading the needle from the boundary at full speed, that's just one country worth of players to produce someone that good.

 

[pavsbootlace]

Completely disagree. It requires greater skill to control a ball without the use of your hands than with them. Not saying it doesn't required skill to play AFL but if you spent 10mins on youtube looking at the in game ball control some soccer stars have you couldn't possible believe AFL is more skillful.

And Aussie footy is oval-shaped, which makes it much harder than a soccer ball to control without the use of ones hands. Imagine if....

 

[masai]

Completely disagree. It requires greater skill to control a ball without the use of your hands than with them. Not saying it doesn't required skill to play AFL but if you spent 10mins on youtube looking at the in game ball control some soccer stars have you couldn't possible believe AFL is more skillful.

Talking ball control skills, Hockey >>>>> Soccer.

I know it's not the "world game", but Jamie Dwyer uses his stick to make the ball "talk".

In all honesty, how can it be labelled the world game, when it is not a big deal in India & China ?.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

Talking ball control skills, Hockey >>>>> Soccer.

I know it's not the "world game", but Jamie Dwyer uses his stick to make the ball "talk".

In all honesty, how can it be labelled the world game, when it is not a big deal in India & China ?.

Soccer is a big deal in China. They love the sport even though they aren't good at it.

 

[Clems Knee]

Your second point is countered by your first point. You can find more footage of skillful soccer players because it is the world game and more people play it. This also means there is a lot more competition to become the best and means greater skill is required to make it to the top level.

Watch clips of Pele, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Maradonna, Messi. What they do/did is not easy.

Pele, Ronaldo etc are not representative of soccer players. They are the absolute pinnacle.
Maybe we should just pretend that all footy players are as mercurial as Gary Ablett. That would be just as relevant.
I repeat: soccer has low level entry skills. That is why it is popular, because it is basic and simple, and any fool can play and understand it.

Soccer is a big deal in China. They love the sport even though they aren't good at it.

That makes no sense. If the Chinese loved the game as much as you say,they would be among the best in the world. With a huge population and a government lead program, they would be among the best in the world.
Just like they are in swimming, diving, badminton, table tennis, athletics etc.
Or are you making a racial comment?

 

[yoong]

Talking ball control skills, Hockey >>>>> Soccer.

Yup, more skill required if you have less control (no hand).

I'll propose
Skillwise, Golf >>>> Hockey
Even smaller ball, smaller goal, and the largest playing field of all ball game

Fun to play (arguable), lots of skill required, totally boring to watch as a spectator.

 

[Clems Knee]

Yup, more skill required if you have less control (no hand).

I'll propose
Skillwise, Golf >>>> Hockey
Even smaller ball, smaller goal, and the largest playing field of all ball game

Fun to play (arguable), lots of skill required, totally boring to watch as a spectator.

With golf, the ball isn't moving, which makes it easier. Bit like tee ball compared to baseball.
I reckon ice hockey would be one of the most skilful games. Not only do you need to be able to skate incredibly well, but you need to have the ability to guide or hit a very fast moving puck.

 

[youmewe]

With golf, the ball isn't moving, which makes it easier. Bit like tee ball compared to baseball.
I reckon ice hockey would be one of the most skilful games. Not only do you need to be able to skate incredibly well, but you need to have the ability to guide or hit a very fast moving puck.

Is that what they call opposition players?

 

[yoong]

With golf, the ball isn't moving, which makes it easier. Bit like tee ball compared to baseball.

Have you tried hitting one?
Anyway, my point is more towards that just because a game supposedly required more skills doesn't mean that it's more exciting to watch.

btw, interesting what you can find just typing into google. I thought it'll be behind badminton or basketball, but apparently soccer (football) is the most popular sport in china.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_in_China

 

[Unique Name]

Pele, Ronaldo etc are not representative of soccer players. They are the absolute pinnacle.
Maybe we should just pretend that all footy players are as mercurial as Gary Ablett. That would be just as relevant.
I repeat: soccer has low level entry skills. That is why it is popular, because it is basic and simple, and any fool can play and understand it.


That makes no sense. If the Chinese loved the game as much as you say,they would be among the best in the world. With a huge population and a government lead program, they would be among the best in the world.
Just like they are in swimming, diving, badminton, table tennis, athletics etc.
Or are you making a racial comment?

But Gary Ablett has already been brought up in the discussion by another poster as an example of footy skills. Why can't i bring up the greats of soccer?

Agreed that soccer has a lower entry level skill wise but it has a higher ceiling than footy. Controlling a ball without hands will always be harder. Around 250 million people play soccer (wiki fact, can't be bothered checking if right) yet only maybe 10000 players get to play in the the big leagues around the world and only 50 or so players would be classed as top class elite.

If it was so easy why aren't all the professionals as good as Messi, Best, etc.

Chinese soccer has had more issues with corruption than FIFA and thats saying something. Also Chinese families don't prioritise after school sports as much, prefering the kids to focus on study. This is unless they are picked up in one of the state run sporting programs. Due to poor progress in soccer the chinese focus more on small ball sports (table tennis, Badmington) as well as olympic sports.

However apparantly quite a few Chinese Billionaires are trying to give soccer the kick start it needs, To clean up its image in China and bring them inline with the other big soccer nations.

Also agreed - Ice Hockey skills >>>>>>> probably every other sport.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

That makes no sense. If the Chinese loved the game as much as you say,they would be among the best in the world. With a huge population and a government lead program, they would be among the best in the world.
Just like they are in swimming, diving, badminton, table tennis, athletics etc.
Or are you making a racial comment?

You would think so but unfortunately for China, the government "programs" and popularity hasn't translated into international success. Maybe because of their professional league has taken the control of development of players away from the government to individual clubs (this I am not sure). Having corruption on all levels from players to coaches and umpires doesn't help.

If I was making a racial comment, the missus will probably not be happy and my grandparents will probably be cursing from the grave.

 

[Taylor]

I only brought up Ablett because the best soccer players in the world were brought up.

 

[Kram]

We had a team of Chinese flying school students in our basketball comp years ago. It was funny playing them, totally difference style of playing the game pretty much ran almost a full court press for close to an entire game which obviously led to a heap of fast breaks. Was bloody tiring!

 

[UFO Tatsu]

We had a team of Chinese flying school students in our basketball comp years ago. It was funny playing them, totally difference style of playing the game pretty much ran almost a full court press for close to an entire game which obviously led to a heap of fast breaks. Was bloody tiring!

Played with a few in my time and they aren't half bad. I do notice that they try to drive to the basket a lot rather than run screens and pick & roll plays. Was this the same with that crew?

Basketball is also a very popular sport in China. Can't count how many channels was showing NBA games (ON F**KING REPEAT CYCLE).

 

[Kram]

Played with a few in my time and they aren't half bad. I do notice that they try to drive to the basket a lot rather than run screens and pick & roll plays. Was this the same with that crew?

This was years ago but I very much doubt they would have bothered with stuff like screens it was just run and gun up and down the court the whole bloody game lol.

It was a shame because it was fun to play them and they were pretty good but they were made to stop playing because of the risk of getting injured apparently. The cynic in me thought that it might have been more to do with their school (they were trainees for China Southern Airlines) not being keen on them associating with westerners too much.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Skills or not players purposely crying because they want the game to stop for them is disgraceful.

End topic/

 

[Taylor]

When one of our guys had his achilles tear he got a yellow card because faking is such a problem in the game, that showed me the size of the hole they are in regarding that.

 

[Kram]

One of the weirdest (or funniest?) things I seen years ago at the Mustang bar was some pommy bloke blubbering and pretty much in tears because his team lost some stupid FA Cup match. Geez I get fired up watching footy and even once smashed a dinner plate against the wall but crying like a little girl?? Mate it's just a bloody game ffs...

 

[yyou]

Skills or not players purposely crying because they want the game to stop for them is disgraceful.

End topic/

when that is brought up I always think of Michael Barlow trying to stand on his snapped leg.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

When one of our guys had his achilles tear he got a yellow card because faking is such a problem in the game, that showed me the size of the hole they are in regarding that.

Too be fair to the ump, Robbie Kruse (IIRC) took an obvious dive minutes earlier in the penalty box on the opposite flank. When he goes down again without any apparent contact, I actually do not blame the ump for thinking he has done it again and giving him the yellow. But still a blight in the game how often it is used.

Ironically, my favourite player is Jurgen Klinsmann who was one of the best forwards during the 90s and he was known for his diving as well.

 

[PurpleWizard]

I agree that diving in soccer is disgraceful and there should be bigger penalties in place. But AFL has it's issues with it as well, flogs like Bartel has been doing it his whole career and I'll never forgive his antics against us in round 20 last year.



0.37 and 1.37, and Stevie J 2.45. On a positive note isn't the AFL putting new penalties in place for ducking and diving? if so I'm excited for the change and the end of Bartel's career.

 

[freoextra]

0.37 and 1.37, and Stevie J 2.45. On a positive note isn't the AFL putting new penalties in place for ducking and diving? if so I'm excited for the change and the end of Bartel's career.[/QUOTE]

Was surprised at Bartel's behaviour as I always rated him as a complete footballer.

He then tried to defend his actions by calling us all uninformed. Just goes to show that when you start losing your speed and agility the tempation to do things outside the laws becomes harder to resist.

 

[UFO Tatsu]

This was years ago but I very much doubt they would have bothered with stuff like screens it was just run and gun up and down the court the whole bloody game lol.

It was a shame because it was fun to play them and they were pretty good but they were made to stop playing because of the risk of getting injured apparently. The cynic in me thought that it might have been more to do with their school (they were trainees for China Southern Airlines) not being keen on them associating with westerners too much.

That or maybe they do not want them to socialise and accidently talk about some of their "incidents" they sweep under the floor. The story I hear about the CSA trainee are quite "funny".