US Soccer's Astonishing Stupidity

[jc203]

Individuals may have different opinions about equal pay for men and women on their respective national teams, and it is well known that the men get way more $$$ in subsidies from FIFA. But FIFA doesn't have to deal with American public opinion. I can't think of a legal position more out of tune with the times than the filings in the women's national team lawsuit for equal pay which assert that:

The job performed by players on the women's team requires less skill, effort and responsibility than the one performed by players on the men's team... A reasonable juror could conclude that the job MNT player requires materially different skill and more responsibility than Plaintiff's job does, while also taking place under materially different working conditions.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/11/us/us-soccer-federation-court-document-trnd/index.html

[26mi235]

Coke, a sponsor of the US Soccer Federation has told them this is a big mistake. I wonder if all the sponsors get together and give them an ultimatum to drop the suit and apologize or lose their funding.

[Atticus]

The job performed by players on the women's team requires less skill, effort and responsibility than the one performed by players on the men's team... A reasonable juror could conclude that the job MNT player requires materially different skill and more responsibility than Plaintiff's job does, while also taking place under materially different working conditions.

The writer has obviously never seen the teams play. The USA women play a MUCH better game than the USA men. The men try to use force and speed. The women play with intelligence, technical skill, finesse, superb chemistry and artistry. The men are blunt instruments.

[gm]

The writer has obviously never seen the teams play. The USA women play a MUCH better game than the USA men. The men try to use force and speed. The women play with intelligence, technical skill, finesse, superb chemistry and artistry. The men are blunt instruments.

Would love to see the teams play each other.

[26mi235]

Not a good match because the raw speed and power of the men is too great.

By the way, the soccer position is that a good high school sprinter should be paid more than SAFP, etc. I do not think that they thought through what they are saying and how it is likely to be taken legally and in the court of public opinion, especially since the men have not won squat while the women are Olympic and World Champions many times over.

[Trickstat]

Not a good match because the raw speed and power of the men is too great.

By the way, the soccer position is that a good high school sprinter should be paid more than SAFP, etc.

Very true. It's also like Wimbledon or the US Open paying more money to a man who goes out in the first round than they do to the winner of the women's final.

[Trickstat]

Not a good match because the raw speed and power of the men is too great.

When I was 17, the girls at school challenged us boys to a game of field hockey. They fancied their chances as they had played a lot more. On a slightly bumpy grass field, the boys won comfortably because we could hit the ball harder and run quicker. Would have been closer on astroturf?

[Pego]

Would love to see the teams play each other.

I can't believe you said this.

[Atticus]

Would love to see the teams play each other.

??!!
An all-star team of HS boys could beat the women and it would be a super-ugly game! Speed and power trump all else. even though the women's team is light years ahead of the men's on an international gender scale.
What would happen if the best women runners in the world went against the best HS boys? No contest.

[bambam1729]

??!!
An all-star team of HS boys could beat the women and it would be a super-ugly game! Speed and power trump all else. even though the women's team is light years ahead of the men's on an international gender scale.
What would happen if the best women runners in the world went against the best HS boys? No contest.

Actually that already happened. I heard (though very 2nd hand) they lost to the US U-15 boys in a scrimmage somewhat recently

[Atticus]

Actually that already happened. I heard (though very 2nd hand) they lost to the US U-15 boys in a scrimmage somewhat recently

Bingo. And the boys aren't half as 'good' as this USWNT!

[Master403]

Actually that already happened. I heard (though very 2nd hand) they lost to the US U-15 boys in a scrimmage somewhat recently

There is this

https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/a-dallas-fc-under-15-boys-squad-beat-the-u-s-womens-national-team-in-a-scrimmage/

1) Not U.S. U15, but U15 from one club in Dallas

2) 2017

3) Not particularly relevant to original post

[gm]

I can't believe you said this.

There's no sarcasm font available, unfortunately.

[Cooter Brown]

nm

[Conor Dary]

??!!
An all-star team of HS boys could beat the women and it would be a super-ugly game! Speed and power trump all else. even though the women's team is light years ahead of the men's on an international gender scale.
What would happen if the best women runners in the world went against the best HS boys? No contest.

They are lightyears ahead of the rest of the world because the rest of the world doesn't take women's soccer seriously. And that's in Europe...though it has improved. And forget third world countries who are basically in the 19th century when it comes to women's sports.

And we have our semipro system of well funded high school sports and college scholarships that have developed the women's team. No other country in the world has anything remotely like it. Certainly not in the UK. When I was in England in 1999 the Brits found the Women's WC kind of a big joke and couldn't understand why anyone went to games. They have a team now but it is massively underfunded.