The Soccer Tournament

[awhom111]

I know that I am not the only person over the years who had hoped that there would be a Duke alum team in The Basketball Tournament, but given how few players would probably be available at this time, it is understandable.

The debut of the soccer version this year did present an opportunity since it was being played close to the home base. I was hoping for a formal squad announcement, but this is the team page:
https://thetournament.com/tst/teams/duke-sevens/

By virtue of not being one of the more famous teams, all their group stage games are on YouTube:

Thursday, 2:15pm ET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6zuBK-QZaQ

Thursday, 9:45pm ET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6JlIojKMC4

Friday, 2pm ET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUKFrYMVHc

A top two placement would mean a game Friday night on Peacock. Their group includes two teams affiliated with in-state pro teams.

[UrinalCake]

Carla Overbeck will also be an assistant coach on the USA Women's team, a fascinating combination of former top players. She currently serves as an assistant on the Duke women's team. This is such a cool event, bringing together players from all over the world in a unique 7-on-7 format. It is organized by the same people who put together the 3-on-3 basketball tournament with the same $1M winner-take-all prize.

[awhom111]

Carla Overbeck will also be an assistant coach on the USA Women's team, a fascinating combination of former top players. She currently serves as an assistant on the Duke women's team. This is such a cool event, bringing together players from all over the world in a unique 7-on-7 format. It is organized by the same people who put together the 3-on-3 basketball tournament with the same $1M winner-take-all prize.

Playing on that team is Schuyler DeBree. Other former Duke players rostered on other teams include Mitch Kupstas, Robert Moewes, Brandon Williamson, Spencer Wadsworth, and Darrius Barnes. Barnes is employed by Charlotte FC so it makes sense to play for their team. Among the rule changes are kick-ins instead of throw-ins or he would be pretty lethal on the smaller field. DeBree was part of 5-0 and 12-0 losses as I guess Wrexham was tired of being the good guys.

Duke was quite poor in the first game, losing 5-0, but they won 5-2 in the night game. That means that they will advance with a win in their last group game, which would earn them a 7:30pm ET game on Peacock on Friday night.

[UrinalCake]

It was disappointing to see the women's team get so thoroughly trounced. I don't want to start a whole debate on the level of play/physicality of men versus women, but I'll just say I was hoping they would be more competitive.

The tournament as a whole has been a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully Duke's team can advance.

[Bluedog]

It was disappointing to see the women's team get so thoroughly trounced. I don't want to start a whole debate on the level of play/physicality of men versus women, but I'll just say I was hoping they would be more competitive.

The tournament as a whole has been a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully Duke's team can advance.

For those unaware (me included as I had to Google it), I guess the USWNT has a team of former players in this tournament and they just lost to Wrexham 12-0. The game before they lost 5-0. Here are highlights:
https://www.nbcsports.com/video/soccer-tournament-extended-highlights-wrexham-12-us-women-0

Apparently there's no offsides in this tournament. That has to change the strategy considerably. As well as no throw ins.

I give props to the US Women for fielding a team in this tournament and not being afraid of the potential outcome. That takes some courage for sure.

I think this is why many view them as "different sports" and looking at records across genders doesn't make sense. You can still appreciate the greatness of a women's team/player though on its own merits, and there are some great ones. I grew up a tennis player and in the professional ranks, the difference is stark but I still admire the awesomeness of the top women players -- they are incredibly fit, coordinated, strong, great moving ability/endurance, etc. but should not be compared to the men. It's just a different game.

[TheTrain]

It was disappointing to see the women's team get so thoroughly trounced. I don't want to start a whole debate on the level of play/physicality of men versus women, but I'll just say I was hoping they would be more competitive.

The tournament as a whole has been a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully Duke's team can advance.

The USWNT that won the World Cup lost a friendly to FC Dallas U15 team...it's a different game
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/new...n-a-scrimmage/

[devilsadvocate85]

3-1 win this afternoon - on again tonight 7:30pm eastern on Peacock

[BigWayne]

The USWNT that won the World Cup lost a friendly to FC Dallas U15 team...it's a different game
https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/new...n-a-scrimmage/

My wife always tell me about the time in college when she had a great women's basketball team that dominated the school intramural competition.
They thought they were such hot stuff, that they challenged a team of guys.
She said it took about once or twice down the court to figure out they had no chance, simply because of the physical disadvantage of being women vs. men.
Biology matters.

[Skydog]

My wife always tell me about the time in college when she had a great women's basketball team that dominated the school intramural competition.
They thought they were such hot stuff, that they challenged a team of guys.
She said it took about once or twice down the court to figure out they had no chance, simply because of the physical disadvantage of being women vs. men.
Biology matters.

No, that is a myth. We men actually win because we are smarter.

(hopefully my remains will be identifiable.)

[awhom111]

Duke ends up losing to a team with much bigger names after a tie game in regulation meant a score to win situation in target score time.

It was disappointing to see the women's team get so thoroughly trounced. I don't want to start a whole debate on the level of play/physicality of men versus women, but I'll just say I was hoping they would be more competitive.

The tournament as a whole has been a lot of fun to watch. Hopefully Duke's team can advance.

They did at least score a goal in their last game. Lindsey Harris is a hero for facing so many shots over the three games.

[OldPhiKap]

No, that is a myth. We men actually win because we are smarter.

(hopefully my remains will be identifiable.)

This is funny.

It was nice knowing you!

[LasVegas]

The whole beat down the USWNT got was upsetting to my young daughter. I don’t see how they believed anything good would come from it. I keep seeing quotes about being “brave” but I fail to see how getting demolished makes you brave. Just an overall terrible experience for my household! The world tells young girls all too often that they are less than and it pained me to see my daughter feel that way because the team she looks up to set themselves up for failure.

[awhom111]

The whole beat down the USWNT got was upsetting to my young daughter. I don’t see how they believed anything good would come from it. I keep seeing quotes about being “brave” but I fail to see how getting demolished makes you brave. Just an overall terrible experience for my household! The world tells young girls all too often that they are less than and it pained me to see my daughter feel that way because the team she looks up to set themselves up for failure.

I wonder about the difference between this tournament and the basketball version and whether blowouts seem worse or not. In basketball, all of the teams now are players still mostly in their primes and active professionals as the tournament got more popular and more standardized. In the early years, there was an all-women's team of former college players who were no longer active and a lot of not particularly serious men's teams and the results went about as expected.

[UrinalCake]

The women took a risk by entering this tournament - the had the potential to do well and bring positive attention to the women’s game, but also the possibility of getting demolished and providing evidence to the notion that female athletes are somehow not as legitimate. Unfortunately there will be some who take away the latter. But progress always requires risk, and if leaders never put themselves in a position where they could potentially fail then they would also never make any positive change. The message I told my daughters was that yes the team got beat but at least they had the courage to go out there and try. With that said it certainly would have been nice to have more players who were still in their prime so it would be closer to a fair fight.

[Skydog]

The whole beat down the USWNT got was upsetting to my young daughter. I don’t see how they believed anything good would come from it. I keep seeing quotes about being “brave” but I fail to see how getting demolished makes you brave. Just an overall terrible experience for my household! The world tells young girls all too often that they are less than and it pained me to see my daughter feel that way because the team she looks up to set themselves up for failure.

Most welter-weight boxers/UFC fighters would get destroyed by middle-weights who in turn would get destroyed by heavy-weights. That doesn't make welterweight boxers any less courageous or less athletic or welterweight fights any less exciting. Sugar Ray Leonard was a legendary welterweight boxer but would have been crushed if he got in the ring with most heavyweights. Still a legend.

Same with college athletes vs pros - just because Duke b-ball can’t compete with the San Antonio Spurs that doesn't make Duke basketball less compelling. In the same way - women soccer players are great athletes, they just have different body types than the men.