My god the summer is going slowly. To help us all pass the time and do something else besides endlessly comparing Adu and Messi, and checking transfer gossip multiple times per day, I thought we could do something equally as useless, but more entertaining. It's simple. Just pretend every professional athlete in the US had chosen to play soccer. Then chose your starting eleven (subs optional) to represent the US in our own little dream world. Athletes from all sports are valid for the team (including golf, so yes everyone, John Daly is an option). Here's my team. Goalkeeper Tim Duncan: Gigantic calming presence. Corner kicks also wouldn't be a danger as he would go up and catch all of them. Rightback Champ Bailey: Supremely athletic fullback would never get beat off the dribble. Centerback Ben Wallace: Unstoppable presence in the air. Would talk ******** and intimidate with his afro. Also would likely be suspended everyother game. Centerback Brian Urlacher: Bigger faster stronger version of John Terry Leftback Brian Leetch: Sentimental pick would be pure class on the left. Rightmid Terrel Owens: Fast blackman #1. Rummenigge on steroids. Midfield Mike Modano: Great vision, strong, and flowing hair. Perfect central mid. Midfield Allen Iverson: Great competitor who would dominate the midfield as well as being the most tatooed soccer player in the world. Leftmid Charles Woodson: Fast blackman #2 Striker Michael Vick: Dominant. Striker Randy Moss: Has as much flair, speed and good looks as Ronaldinho & Ronaldo. Also jumps really high. SUBS Goalkeeper Randy Johnson: Comedy value alone. And could throw the ball the entire length of the field to Moss on counter attacks. Defense Kevin Garnett: Tall and scary. Utilityman Vince Carter: Could fill in at defense or as a targetman if a late goal was needed. Midfield Derek Jeter: Despite my dislike for him he would probably be a great leader in the center of the park That's my team. Of the starting eleven there are 6 football players, 3 basketball players and 2 hockey players. No baseball players, but then again 2 of them made my bench.
Hi my name is Asafa Powell. I just broke the world record in the 100m a few weeks ago. I am now unofficialy officialy the fastest man in the world.
This is a fun, absolutely meaningless thread -- nothing more, nothing less. That said, Jeter's my #10, if Vick can't play the position, no question about it. If anything, this could provide a great debate as to what predominant skills in these athletes' respective sports apply to soccer from an American perspective, and what positions they might have played. I'll have to brainstorm my first XI plus five subs at some point -- but no mention of Lance Armstrong? Arguably the best athlete on the planet, has tremendous sense of guts, and he is a champion in every sense of the word.