Not sure what you're basing that on but, as a black British person living in England, I can tell you that's not the case at all. Our classification of black is the same as in the States. Typically people of African or Caribbean background. If you're talking about an Indian or Pakistani person, you call them Asian not black.
USSF would do wonders if they could encompass Bobby Wood not to mention Jozy in their promotion to show all the diversity of the game in the US.
I have roommates from these countries right now. Italy, China, Holland, Germany, Philpines, Jamaica, Mexico, Argentina, Morroco, Nigeria, Dominican Rep, Guatemala, England. Americans from San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Virginia South Carolina, Florida. I have been living in this traveler house for the last week in Miami. It's amazing how we are coming together, we all try to be color blind and hang out with each other. I am very optimistic about the future without crazy nationalist people. Of course most of these people are students with some type basic education, great to be at a place where people doesn't "hate" foreigners.
If the education is "right" there shouldn't be problems. How hard is it to teach your kids and students to be decent people?
Educated people can be "ignorant" and that's a shame. Cultural tolerance begins at home at an early age. It used to bug me when people said "you don't look Salvadorian" but now I don't care, usually it's someone Mexican which I find ironic. Culturally I feel more American anyway. Personally I love the diversity on the U.S team regardless of black, latino, mixed, anglo, whatever. It's all silly to me anyway. People from Norcal feud with people from Socal, people in the south don't care they dislike CA in general. Some people on the other side of the world don't care they'll dislike Americans altogether.
the education you seemed to indicate was "university" which is a common stereotype that only poor whites or white trash are racist. Sure some are. Perhaps many. I know from my experience I didn't have many problems with such types back home in Louisiana. I'm not saying educated individuals are somehow snotty snobish closet racists but some are. Education should open your mind but it can just as well keep you closed off.
This is true, lol. I've got friends in LA now, and I used to visit my brother down at UCLA, and I used to think that all the NorCal/SoCal business was nonsense. It's actually a thing. And having stepped out of my bubble a little bit more, things can get even more provincial. East Bay, North Bay, and South Bay? Distinct cultures, only 20 miles apart if that.
How Diverse Is Soccer In The United States, Really? http://the18.com/news/how-diverse-s...ocial&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=article Hoenig goes on to say, "In every other major sports league, at least half of the players are a single race or ethnicity: More than three-quarters of NBA players, 70 percent of WNBA players and 65 percent of NFL players are Black. Major League Baseball is the only other sport close to that measure of diversity: 60 percent of MLB players are white...If two MLS players were selected at random, there’s only a 32 percent chance that they would be of the same race or ethnicity." That's compared to a 66% chance in the NBA that two players selected at random would be of the same ethnicity. All of that said, one can't help but acknowledge that this picture of the diversity of soccer does suggest that the development systems, opportunities and role models for African Americans in American football and basketball are clearly much stronger than in soccer – or, for that matter, baseball. So, it seems U.S. soccer remains perched at a tipping point when it comes to diversity: on one hand fighting outdated stereotypes about who actually participates in the sport and what it means to be a soccer player in America; on the other hand, up against some very real hurdles that stand in the way of attracting a broader demographic to the sport – especially when it comes to rising through the development system and finding coaching opportunities. It will only be through a combination of addressing both sides of the issue – the image and the reality – that soccer will pass this tipping point.
Nice to see that Soccer's clearly the most diverse league there. The percentages there most closely match the demographics of this country. Although, I'm not sure how to score that "other" category. Who goes in there? Mixed-race people?
While its interesting for someone to quantify and actually study the point, I always get the sense they dumb down the data to make a point. I would like to see the actual data to see how he decides someone as African-American or just African. Soccer is truly an international game so there are many Latinos but not Latino-Americans. MLS has many non-American's that are from Africa or the Caribbean. Are they considered Black and African-American or Other? Baseball is not an overall world game but mostly a Caribbean/Latino and Asian game but may not be American. Basketball has many players from Europe and mostly considered white but how does he consider Basketball European players of African descent. MLS has inherently more international players because they literally have designated International roster spots not to be more diverse but to enhance team talent. I think the people who do these studies are trying to make a political social justice issue out of more of a logistical and international sport culture issue.
Interesting. I agree with a lot of these points in regards to African American kids and why they do or don't choose soccer. All throughout grade school my classes were pretty much 50-50 hispanic and black yet there were very few black kids who played soccer.
Interesting that one panelist saying that MLS has 12% African-American players which is their representation in the overall population. Also the recent U20 US Qualifying roster had 9/21 players of African-American descent which was about 43% of the team.
That was part of the charm with Brazil in the old days: a team that dominated while being very diverse. You saw Africans, Middle Eastern, Indian folks rooting for Brazil because of what they represented. That was also important for France in '98, where the right-wing political discourse was pushed aside for a few years, with the WC a winning moment for the pro-diversity movement. The situation in the early 90s had become quite bad, that movie La Haine (Hatred) a reflection of it. Sadly, it's slowly getting there again. Of course ideally we could all preserve our cultures in our little isolated enclaves, but in reality we're a species evolved to move around _and_ to be tribalistic like the chimps. So even if we managed to stay put, each little enclave would be amassing weapons for a glorious final party. Frankly, I think we're goners. Just a matter of time.
but was it really that diverse? wasn't Pele 1 of the first Black players on the squad? I can't imagine he and others of a darker shade had it so easy
By comparison it was. Until the early 90s it was quite common for people to be mad when the NT of a country had in it people who were not members of the majority ethnos of that country, even if born there. That presented a number of problems with multi-ethnic countries, and those that were kept that way by force (like Yugoslavia). Some would even argue the seeds of separation were often born in soccer games.
I recall reading of say Black players in England during the 70s and 80s and all the harasssment and jeers they got even on international duty. Not sure what exactly changed that or if it was just the change of time that cause idiots to fade
Alternatively...................all one has to do is watch the USYNTs: A pretty damn interesting Starting X for US soccer U20s right now. [Couldn't think of a goalkeeper] ------------Ebobisse---------- Akale-----Zelalem----Lewis ------Adams----McKennie----- Olosunde--EPB----CCV-----Cannon ---------------?? Bench: Trusty Robinson [Injured right now, or I'd maybe put him at LB over the out-of-position Olosunde.] Redding Williamson Jones [FIFA clearance imminent] Elney Sabbi There are a lot of black or African-American players in our pool. I didn't even include Robinson of Everton or McKinze Gaines of Wolfsburg or Isaiah Young of Werden Bremen or Vic Mansaray of Seattle. The list goes on ad naseum. Somebody with more time on their hands can write a good latino lineup with Saucedo, Perez, Vasquez, Jonathan Gonzalez, Aaron Herrera, Danny Acosta, Hugo Arellano, Marcello Borges, etc. And a good lineup of white kids.............and there's players from a Pacific-Islander background like Taitague. What's great about US youth soccer right now is there's an influence all sorts of environments, cultures, backgrounds, etc. Its VERY, VERY diverse. Its so diverse that we never really talk about it as being so diverse. Its just the way it is. Its natural.
The goalie is Klinnsman Jr I guess when people say African American they don't mean first generation kids born to African/Caribbean parents. 1st 2nd generation kids have made up a large part of the US team over the years anyway, imo it doesn't matter what race they are. Even Pulisic could have chosen Croatia if he wanted to. It's going to a while for the U.S to have a larger talent pool considering the sport is still pretty new in terms of development/academies.
The residents of Crescent City, CA, 7 hours north of Sacramento, are offended that Sacramento and San Francisco are referred to as NorCal.
I went up to Del Norte for a HS football game (I was on the team, I don't go out of my way to watch HS football randomly!), so I know all about the State of Jefferson, etc.