I guess I have not done a good job of making my point, but you have helped me make it on a couple of levels. First and foremost, I don't want to come accross as attacking the Academy format. I do hope this model works.
As I have reviewed my posts,I realize I don't want to come accross as a "know it all negative" and I feel that I have.
Look at Dempseys story again. He wasn't recruited by the Texans, he was there watching his brothers tryout when he was noticed playing with a ball on the sideline.
Look at the ages of the players in your own post. They are basically 13-15 when they are exposed to elite club or Academy. My entire point is that all of these players developed probably 7-8 years playing what we might call "street ball" DAILY and that for us is IMO tough to overcome.
13 of the first 15 years of my life were spent in Scotland and Germany and the constant pick-up games going on everywhere(I mean literally everywhere) is what we are fighting here and my fear here is that we may never catch up.
But when you look at the rest of the world and look at their 2nd and 3rd choices in the sports world, I think you have part of the answer. Rugby, cricket, a smattering of Formula 1. I will have to say basketball is starting to come on in certain parts of Europe.
We have so many good and popular sports here in the US, that I realize soccer will never be number one or even two and many of you are right--funding is inadequate.
In short, we do have to do something. I do hope Academy will help develop future US stars and was wrong to attack this attempt.
