The Barnyard

I saw a U-18 keeper get her skull fractured.

Thats a fairly ignorant statement. I played both my whole life. Basketball may be physical for post players but there's not much difference in physicality. I was injured many more times playing soccer than basketball in my life. Flops and fakes are abound in basketball as well. People that never played soccer always think its not very rough but once you get too the higher levels it gets very physical.

LMBO!! Mike, my friend, you need to come watch some practices and matches with me. I was at a local college practice tonight and wish you could have seen the last drill. Blood, snot, sweat, sprains, and the trainer looked like he was working triage in the ER on a full moon night.

Ouch. For goalkeepers the game can be very physical, especially at the lower levels when the players don't necessarily have the skill to control the ball well enough to avoid a fast-charging keeper. When I played keeper in HS, I seemed to average about one collision a game.

As to play on the field, yeah plenty of players take dives and look ridiculous, but it's not fun when people slide into your legs at a full sprint. I would rather they tackle me with their arms than take out my legs with theirs.

played both for many years and in no way is basketball more physical, no way....slap on the wrist is a foul, think about it. Maybe a cleat to your leg or ankle would change your mind

Im just glad it wasn't Alex Morgan that had the knee to her face. She looks far too good

To put it in perspective for folks, I've coached football at the school level for 12 years, and soccer for going into my 5th year. I helped put more soccer players into an ambulance with concussions, broken ankles, or significant spinal cord injury last regular season alone, than all 12 years of football combined. Many people choose not to take an interest in soccer and learn it to grow an appreciation for the level of skill and physicality it takes to play the sport at a high level.

That's certainly their right, but I've won many of my football players over by inviting them to come watch a practice in the spring, and more often than not, they get hooked and decide to play. They're blown away by how they get to have full contact with someone, with nothing but protection on their shins. In fact, I had a football player call me last week before practices start and tell me he wanted to give up his final season of football in his senior year to devote to being the best soccer player he could be by early February when we start practices.

Again, not bashing anyone who doesn't care for soccer, because there are sports I don't particularly care for, BUT I try to at least learn enough about them to have an appreciation for the hard work that's put in.