In Reply to: I have two contradictory reactions to your points posted by blindness on July 21, 2026 at 15:54:14
I'm sure you have. It was all over the WC broadcasts.
And it's exactly what you're talking about: 3 on 3 soccer in an urban setting. I'm sure there are spots in nyc, Newark, Philly etc where kids are playing close quarter soccer.
But your point about soccer being most like bball (and water polo being like bball) completely resonates with me. And the thing that separates the greats from the okays (in both sorts) is the ability to move without the ball. To read the situation and exploit a space and be smart enough or fortunate enough to have a passer like Messi or doncic or lebron drop the dime.
Unfortunately, I don't think mbappe becomes mbappe without playing a LOT of ball on a field with standard width and sufficient depth. He was a world champ at 19, like lamineyamal. He and the 95 other Frenchmen who played in the WC for various nations grew up in a great lab. Whatever France is doing in the working-class suburbs (the banlieues) of Paris should be fvcking bottled.
Re tackle football... if it gives you a chance to marry Taylor swift, bring on the CTE, baby! Only the good die young, that's what they say. Men have been playing the risk/reward game since Roman Gladiator times.
The game is skewing heavy pass, so there's more finesse and less head banging.
Passing and catching skills can be honed playing flag football, which is just 7on7.
And frankly, the big uglies can get coached uo later in life. So the tackle fb pipeline can find the big coaches at 16 to 18 and they'll be draft ready in 5 to 6 years.
What sports can normal sized people play and excel at? Soccer, tennis, golf all pay well. But the odds are millions to one. Life is indeed a b!tch.
(Great post, thx for taking the time, very informative!)