At what point should the NWSL start thinking of increasing the allowed number of international players per team? With the 2 incoming expansion teams and with Berman teasing possible expansions in the near future, what are your thoughts on teams abilities to find capable players locally? Is the NCAA talent pool deep enough to accommodate 18-20 teams without increasing international roster spots?
Wiegman talked about the difficulty of keeping the WSL a strong league while balancing that with giving minutes to young players.
According to reports, the WSL gives only about 1,800 minutes to players under age 21. That's a start contrast to Liga F's 17,800 minutes and the NWSL's 17,781 minutes.
Funeral and burial costs can be expensive in the US. If a person without the means to pay for a funeral/ without the appropriate insurance is found dead, how does it turn out?
Think of an undocumented person, an unhoused person estranged from family members, or just a poor person, etc.
Who buries them, and how is that paid for?
Note: In other countries I've lived in, people don't typically need insurance or huge expenses for that. Neighbors and friends typically contribute small amounts, and community members volunteer and offer their vehicles. Graves are dug manually, for free by young male neighbors, etc.
How are such expenses covered in the US for people with the aforementioned circumstances?
I'm new to the sport. Have lived in the US for 5+ years but I just never cared about it until recently. I'm teaching myself through YouTube and I notice there's just so many concepts. I know a great deal about soccer, and a fair deal about basketball and baseball. But football sounds like it just has too many concepts and words. I have to go back to videos and notes many times for it to stick. And I'm a dude with multiple college degrees btw, so I'm not a slow learner.
Just wondering...apart from the people who have played it to some degree, does the bulk of the US population *really* understand this game at the deep/ tactical level? Or most people just watch it for the vibes without fully grasping WHY the players do what they do?
Edit: I appreciate recommendations for resources/ pages/ websites/ blogs etc that can help me learn it faster.
Players have become expensive now. Just about any decent player goes for at least €60 million. PL teams (and a handful of other big non PL teams) are splashing the cash. I don't watch too much of the Italian and French leagues. Just curious: how are teams in those other leagues able to keep up with the expensive players, considering most teams in the other leagues don't have that much money from TV rights? Outside of PL teams, and 5-6 other big UEFA teams, and Saudi teams, are other European teams also buying players worth €50 million to €100 million?
I thought I heard Denver fans chant the "Roy Kent" chant from Ted Lasso but with Tash Flint's name. Did I hear that correctly?
Is it possible for an NFL team to be so happy with their roster that they would choose to not draft anyone in a given year? Like just renew the contracts of the existing players if they think they have a perfect squad (whatever that means)?
The list includes 12 NWSL teams, 5 WSL teams and 2 Spanish teams. It's interesting how Club America is ranked below both Washington Spirit and Gotham (they beat both teams). But both teams have notably improved their squads since they faced America. Gotham have signed at least 5 players since then. And Gotham's performances have been more dominant in recent months, more than last year where they were underdogs. But I'd personally still rank América higher than the #26 position. I think América would make the top half in the WSL or NWSL.
With all the players coming in from Spain, England and etc, has the quality of play in men's college soccer improved? It has a reputation for being "kick and run". Has that changed, with the new supposedly better players?
I also heard they want to lengthen the men's college soccer season. Will teams improve their tactics enough to play better? Could men's college soccer realistically become as good as USL?
I'm an American who was born outside the US. I've lived in 3 countries. I like sports but I'm recently just learning about American sports like football and basketball. I grew up with more exposure to sports like soccer and netball. For a long time I didn't know much about American football. Now I'm at a point where I have some understanding of what they're doing. However, I still don't get wowed or emotionally triggered by the sport. I've realized that American football isn't boring. I just lack the nostalgia and understanding of rivalries, traditions and other things. And while I know the rules of play, I'm not yet great at deciphering elite plays/ players from average ones. These are the factors one needs to fully enjoy a sport.
I think many Americans who have grown up with American sports feel the same way about sports that are less popular in the US, like soccer and cricket. They may learn the rules but not still see what makes the sports fun. Knowing what's permissible or not in a game often isn't enough to make you enjoy it. Knowledge of strategies, historic rivalries and the meaning of a win/ loss to certain teams is what makes it fun. And most amateur viewers can't tell elite performances from average ones, which make appreciating the skills difficult.
I'm not saying everyone should like every sport. I'm just saying most arguments of "sport X is boring" are often made because you've not scratched the deeper layers of the nuances of that sport. It takes time to understand not just what you're seeing, but anticipate what could have happened if the athletes had made different decisions. Knowing what to look for when watching sports goes beyond knowing the basic rules of play.
College teams have increasingly been recruiting more foreign students. This is especially true for basketball and soccer programs. NC State men's soccer program recently built a roster with zero American students on it. They've increasingly been signing more European academy players who failed to break into the pro ranks. Some people argue that it's unfair to American students whereas others say coaches are just doing their job which is to win. Do you think the roster caps for foreign students should be capped?
Banda was named match MVP in the game against Malawi, where she scored 1 goal to take her overall tally in the WAfcon to 5 goals (I think she's the leading scorer). She joined Chawinga, Bethi, Alozie and Traore among NWSL players that have been named match MVPs at the WAfcon.
With Zambia failing to qualify, Banda will now focus on continuing her goalscoring form in the NWSL.
The Kansas City Current recently opened KC Current Studios, a space for podcasts, interviews and other content focused on women's sports stories, in particular women's soccer. Podcasters and other content creators will be welcome to produce content there. It's the first of its kind by any women's team.
For all travel nurses who take assignments out of state or anywhere far from home, how often do you go back home? Do you take 3 months assignments and stay home for 3 months? Or 6 months working then 6 off? Especially for those who are married and/ or have kids? Or do you go home monthly on your days off? I'm looking at travel and need ideas on how other travel nurses typically balance their work with family responsibilities.
South African players, Robyn Moodaly and Gabriela Salgado became the first married couple to feature in the same WAfcon game. The two midfielders are also team mates at club level.
Goal's assessment of NWSL players to watch at the WAFCON. I think they've left out some promising starlets but good analysis so far. I'd also appreciate which players you think we should look out for that play in the WSL and other leagues?