I live in the Northeast. Soccer is the predominate sport for high school and children. It is very popular here because you can put so many kids onto the field at once, the rules are basically very simple, and the equiptment is quite inexpensive. When this sport is played well it can be very exciting. My gut feeling is that this is the sport of the future. Sorry football fans! I have relatives that live in Texas that swear by football and I am sure the game will continue to florish there for many years to come. In Maine we have very limited resourses. In some school systems here they are desperately trying to keep their football programs alive. The funding is just not there. Just my opinion from another state and perspective.

Soccer is very popular around Austin. In fact, they filmed a soccer movie with Robert Redford here. Zilker Park is the place most folks play. I never developed an affinity for soccer as a sport personally, because I grew up with football, basketball, and baseball and we never played it in school much.

I too grew up with football, basketball and baseball/softball. Soccer is a recent phenomenon. I have really grown to appreciate the sport in the last three or four years. I have three children of various ages who all are skilled soccer players. I joke that I learned this sport through osmosis. Anyway, I really think if you are a sports nut you will come to appreciate soccer. We are very supportive of all our local sports teams from Pee Wee to High School (and beyond actually) and although we coach, our playing days (accept for quick pickup games)are pretty much over.

What part of the country do you hail from now?

Midcoast Maine. We are in the middle of basketball playoffs for our Middle School age son, so I havn't been around much on the Net. I have several neices, nephews and a brother living in Texas.(Well, actually my brother is a retired oil executive who drives around the country in a motor home. But he spends at least 4-5 months in Texas visiting his four kids and grandchildren).

Midcoast Maine. We are in the middle of basketball playoffs for our Middle School age son, so I havn't been around much on the Net. I have several neices, nephews and a brother living in Texas.(Well, actually my brother is a retired oil executive who drives around the country in a motor home. But he spends at least 4-5 months in Texas visiting his four kids and grandchildren). We live in a small town. Our local schools are generally combined with other small towns, sometimes combined with small cities. Our high school has only 300 students. We have an excellent soccer program that has produced over 20 State Champion teams in 30 years. Our boys made the final four this year but were eliminated at the quarter finals. They were last years Maine State Champions in their league. Every year we are finding it more and more difficult to compete because of our small size. While other school districts are growing, we are shrinking. We still seem to be producing competitive kids though. Our neighboring school district has a combined football team of basically any kid in the county who wants to play. There are still a few from our town who travel there to play. I know I have gone on a little too long about this but here in grass root America, soccer seems to be taking over as the sport to play. My question would be . . if soccer replaces (you know I don't REALLY mean replace) football in the local school systems where will all the future football players for college and pro's come from? If soccer overtakes football in popularity, and more young kids (girls and boys) play soccer what will happen to the football of the future? Just curious.

First of all I really don't think that "SOCCOR" will ever take over football, unless the owners and players screw it up like baseball did "the former all-american sport........I have watched football for many years and still follow some clubs like: Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspurs both in England, A.C. Milan in Italy and Celtic in Scotland as well as the Irish National Team in World Cup Play.........but like baseball or golf, you have to be a real fan to watch the game.....when you are not playing... ...American football seems to get everyone involved, man, women and children......i.e. American Football League in Europe with almost all sellouts in England, Spain, Germany and Scotland....How many sellouts for soccor here in the U.S. for the new league???????? Get realistic, american football is as much a show as a sport, and they will figure out a way to keep getting players even if some high schools drop the sport. And we are a capitalistic country.....money still talks and football has the money... ..

Show me the money!

I live in mexico and soccer is very popular here, I think that mexico coud win a word cup. what do tou think?

Tell us why you think that and who is Mexico's competition? I would be very interested in your answer, from one more literate in the world of soccer. And then I have even more questions about soccer . . .

Well, the U.S. qualified for the world cup last week, Mexico the week before, and Jamaica a few minutes ago rounded out the contingent from the CONCACAF (North, Central America and Carribian). Mexico is clearly the leader of that group, but I don't think they're even close in ability to the South American powerhouses, Brazil and Argentina. But anything can happen. I just hope the U.S. can make the second round again.

I assume you're pulling for the USA, who is your second pick if the US doesn't get the cup. And where are the cup finals going to be played?

I like Romania, but I wouldn't mind seeing Mexico go all the way. Yes, I'm primarily a USA fan. The cup's in France, all next summer.

Summers a great time for this, no competition from football and basketball.

http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=miahamm;id=15;htmlcode This puts this topic in the Mia Hamm Web Ring. If you're coming from this webring, please join our discussion of soccer and Mia Hamm and the US women's soccer team. Right now I'm watching the Korea USA gamein the 39th minute of the first half. Tied zip zip.

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Cool interview with Michelle Akers: http://espn.go.com/interact/chat/chatakers990604.html which I found on http://www.michelleakers.com/

20 Hurt in Fights Before Turin Derby TURIN, Italy (Reuters) - Two soccer fans were recovering in hospitals and 18 people including nine policemen received first aid treatment after violence before Sunday's derby match between Juventus and Torino, police said. One fan fractured his foot while trying to climb over a gate at the Delle Alpi stadium. The other suffered a head wound. Police fired tear gas at a group of around 500 supporters who were throwing bottles, stones and flag staves at one another outside the ground about an hour before kick-off. The trouble reportedly started when a small group of Juventus fans tried to reach the ``Maratona'' end of the stadium reserved for Torino followers. Order was restored before kick-off and the match, which Juventus won 3-2, passed off without incident. The derby match had been subject to a row over ticket allocation. Juventus declined to make tickets available to Torino fans, arguing it would mean having to move some of their season-ticket holders in the ``Maratona'' to different seats. The Interior Ministry intervened in favor of Torino and also moved the kick-off time from 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) to 3:00 p.m. to help police control the fans.