[Squawks]

Our basketball team in the Olympics? Did you actually see the roster? It's laughable. Same goes with the Baseball Classic. Back then when we had a REAL team (with MJ and MJ) every single game was an onslaught with 30+ margin. They don't put our best American players on the world teams these days.

Good to hear that you know what you want and may not have to compromise anything. Studying abroad is a nice idea - knock down two birds with one stone.

[Juve29]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

Actually i read quite a few articles sayiing that in reality, the US doesnt have the best sports like we all think. I believe our basketball team lost, our US baseball team lost, and football isnt really played anywhere else but here.

In regards to italy. Im not putting hofstra down, i mean im excited about making that move. But while im there, i want to sign up to study abroad in italy. I dont want to just pack up and move to italy right now, i first want to gain the experience of being on my own before living in another country. All im sayin is that eventually i want to do it, and whether it be in the next 6 months or 2 years, it will happen. I feel as if i am missing something, and if i dont do this, i will always look back and regret it

You seem to know what you want and that's a good thing. Maybe you'll go there for a few months and comeback, only time will tell. What's important is that if you have the desire to do something, you do it.

My advice to you is to travel to Italy for a few weeks on your own and see how you like it.

One more thing, you mentioned that your mother speaks to you in Sicilian, make sure when you go to northern Italy to lose the Sicilian accent northern Italians are not to crazy about Sicilians you're better off speaking with an English accent.

[vladinecko]

one of our universities in pittsburgh has a campus in italy (about 3-4 blocks from vatican) and people here rave about it (my buddy just came back a couple weeks ago). maybe there is a college in NYC area that offers a similar program. this way, you could have it all!

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by BadBob

You may not be too welcome outside of the Mezzogiorno especially North or the Po river. Be sure you understand this before moving to Italy.

When i was 18 years old, i went to italy for my graduation present. When i was in northern italy, a few of the older people gave me nasty looks when i told them i was sicilian. They also asked me what i was doing up here? I politely told them im visiting from USA. But yea, that whole italian/sicilian thing is pretty stupid

[Juve29]

The north wants to separate from the rest of Italy. Sicily wanted to separate from Italy but with time they finaly understood that it wasn`t such a good idea.

[txusa03]

I think it is excellent if you are able to study abroad. It will give you another perspective in life beside the US one. I think everyone should travel outside US and stay in another country for 3-4 month just to see other culture and lifestyle. Not a bad plan

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by BadBob

Well, if they sling terrone at you be sure to reply with polentone with an outstretched middle finger.

Don't Italians do that thumb and two fingers thing?

[Juve29]

My Italian is pretty good but it does happen on occasions that I speak with a Sicilan accent and believe me they notice it right away. Apparently Sicilians (southern Italians in general) are more welcomed now; it’s not as bad as use to be.

[shimshimhada]

Originally Posted by BadBob

She's an American.

Yeah, but wouldn't the regional hand gesture be more effective?

[SteveMD]

Originally Posted by Squawks

In regards to you wishing that the U.S. should put more emphasis in "soccer" - perhaps that would be nice as soccer is actually more entertaining (at least compared to baseball) to watch.

But, truthfully, "soccer" in the U.S. has the stigma of being the sport for pansies. That's why in the U.S. we have the world's best baseball team, basketball team, and "football" team. We even have the best athletes as we've been continuously winning the most medals in both olympics. Seriously - all the "guys" in highschool go for football, baseball, or basketball - NOT volleyball or soccer. It would be very interesting, however, to see how good the U.S. would *really* be if they had as much enthusiasm in "soccer" comparable to the rest of the world.

I think what most Americans do not grasp is that the international soccer teams are not simply 'All Star' teams, which in the US are an excercise in fantasy sports done for a bit of fun half way through the season to please the fans and sell some TV ads.

Each nation's soccer teams play many games throughout the year, during regular league play, in friendly games and also tournaments. For example, England will play 7 more games this year against other countries. In about a year, the qualifing games will start for the next World Cup and qualifiying for the European Cup starts in August.

It is simply more than just a bunch of guys thrown together for a home run derby and a meaningless game which is why there is such pride and patriotism with the national soccer team. Ask an Italian who won the World Cup and he/she will say "We did", not "the Italian football team".

National pride.

And although England hasn't won anything since 1966, they have come close and joining your fellow countrymen in the streets of London during a big tournament is something that will never be equalled (and I saw my Ravens win the SuperBowl in Tampa in 2001).

If it's not in the blood, you'll never figure it out. And...with the exception of American Football which is only really played here at any decent professional level, I would not bet the ranch on any US baseball or basketball team (comprising solely of US citizens) walking away with any international tournament.

Don't kid yourself.

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by SteveMD

I think what most Americans do not grasp is that the international soccer teams are not simply 'All Star' teams, which in the US are an excercise in fantasy sports done for a bit of fun half way through the season to please the fans and sell some TV ads.

Each nation's soccer teams play many games throughout the year, during regular league play, in friendly games and also tournaments. For example, England will play 7 more games this year against other countries. In about a year, the qualifing games will start for the next World Cup and qualifiying for the European Cup starts in August.

It is simply more than just a bunch of guys thrown together for a home run derby and a meaningless game which is why there is such pride and patriotism with the national soccer team. Ask an Italian who won the World Cup and he/she will say "We did", not "the Italian football team".

National pride.

And although England hasn't won anything since 1966, they have come close and joining your fellow countrymen in the streets of London during a big tournament is something that will never be equalled (and I saw my Ravens win the SuperBowl in Tampa in 2001).

If it's not in the blood, you'll never figure it out. And...with the exception of American Football which is only really played here at any decent professional level, I would not bet the ranch on any US baseball or basketball team (comprising solely of US citizens) walking away with any international tournament.

Don't kid yourself.

:rocks:

[flush01]

lemme tell you how its ganna be... in 4 years you will be engaged or married for sure, and you ain't ganna go to world cup because of that ... lemme know in 4 years if i was right

[Squawks]

In response to SteveMD: please elucidate how these international soccer teams are not indeed "all-star" teams. Does David Beckham play for England in the regular soccer season? Hah. Italy-hated "French" star Zidane even played for Juventis. National pride my ass.

It is pretty obvious that there is a number of basketball and baseball players that who are not U.S. citizens let alone U.S.-born. That doesn't take away from the simple fact that Americans still exceed in athletics. But, regardless, the Olympic basketball Dream Team (at least the good ones in the past) were made up of U.S. folk. I would easily bet the ranch on a basketball team consisting ONLY US citizens winning internationally. Any other NBA follower can easily see this.

If I'm the only one who thinks the U.S. is positioned nearly on top of the world (if not already on top) in terms of worldwide notoriety in sports, then perhaps I should just stick my head back in the barn of denial with the rest of the nation.

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by flush01

lemme tell you how its ganna be... in 4 years you will be engaged or married for sure, and you ain't ganna go to world cup because of that ... lemme know in 4 years if i was right

Yea ive thought about that, but...nahh i doubt it will happen

[eimSD]

Hey Bella, you should check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067...987355?ie=UTF8 .

I just finished the section on Italy, now I want to go too. (My only exposure to Italy was the 1 day we spent in Milan last year, driving my new car from Munich to Paris.)

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by eimSD

Hey Bella, you should check out this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067...987355?ie=UTF8 .

I just finished the section on Italy, now I want to go too. (My only exposure to Italy was the 1 day we spent in Milan last year, driving my new car from Munich to Paris.)

wow looks interesting.. ill have to pick it up. Thanks!

"The world is a great book, of which they who never stir from home, read only a page"

[flush01]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

Yea ive thought about that, but...nahh i doubt it will happen

you dont see yourself getting married by 26 ?

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by flush01

you dont see yourself getting married by 26 ?

I thought i was gonna be married by the time i was 24. But thats in 18 months from now..so.. i highly doubt it.

[flush01]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

I thought i was gonna be married by the time i was 24. But thats in 18 months from now..so.. i highly doubt it.

haha you still feel bad about that brake up eh... dont worry, sh!t will get better

[BellasBmw]

Originally Posted by flush01

haha you still feel bad about that brake up eh... dont worry, sh!t will get better

HAHA actually no... I just always thought id be married by then. Even when i was younger. Im over the breakup

[flush01]

Originally Posted by BellasBmw

HAHA actually no... I just always thought id be married by then. Even when i was younger. Im over the breakup

my bad about the "haha"

[SteveMD]

Originally Posted by Squawks

In response to SteveMD: please elucidate how these international soccer teams are not indeed "all-star" teams. Does David Beckham play for England in the regular soccer season? Hah. Italy-hated "French" star Zidane even played for Juventis. National pride my ass.

It is pretty obvious that there is a number of basketball and baseball players that who are not U.S. citizens let alone U.S.-born. That doesn't take away from the simple fact that Americans still exceed in athletics. But, regardless, the Olympic basketball Dream Team (at least the good ones in the past) were made up of U.S. folk. I would easily bet the ranch on a basketball team consisting ONLY US citizens winning internationally. Any other NBA follower can easily see this.

If I'm the only one who thinks the U.S. is positioned nearly on top of the world (if not already on top) in terms of worldwide notoriety in sports, then perhaps I should just stick my head back in the barn of denial with the rest of the nation.

Yes of course they are 'All Star' teams but not in the same sense as an All Star team is here in the US. These guys play together as an organised team on a regular basis. I can name most of the line-ups for England going back to the early 70s. Some of the most capped players have played over 100 games for their country - Peter Shilton played in goal for England for 20 years from 1970 to 1990 - 125 games. Claudio Suárez has played for Mexico over 170 times.

People are as passionate about their national football team as they are for their local team because the national team is a fixture, another team to root for regularly with national pride on the line. That is why the plazas in Rome were filled with thousands of people, why tens of thousands turned out into the streets in Mexico City and large cities and towns all across the globe. In the US, there is no sport that does this.

I'm not sure about your point regarding Beckham. David Beckham does play for England during the regular soccer season at the same time that he plays for Real Madrid at club level. International games are played between regular club level league games usually on a weekday, occasionally on a Saturday. Beckham has played about 95 games for England.

I guess my point is that in soccer, national teams play often, not once a year in some hyped meaningless fiasco or at the Olympics. They are not a bunch of prima donnas playing only if the 'financial terms' are good. Being asked to play for your country in Soccer is a huge acheivement in any player's career and few (if any) have ever said no.

We differ regarding the outcome of an international tourney in basketball or baseball. I hate the former, I love the latter even though we have the Orioles (season tix - 15 years), but I still think that it would not be a slam dunk (pardon the pun) for any US team. The biggest challenge IMO would be assembling a team in the first place. You would probably have to buy a couple dozen Hummers rolling on 24s to get them out of bed never mind play for their country.

National pride. Not how many Benzs are in my episode of 'Cribs'.