Ok soccer fans, should I be bothered by this? Just found out this guy scored 2 of the goals in the US’ loss to Italy. He was born and raised in NJ, family still lives there. Yet he turned down an offer to play for the US national team so that he could play on the Italian team. His parents are Italian imigrants. Not sure how long they have been in the states.
A part of me understand his desire to play for the Italian team. But the other part of me thinks he should not receive a friendly welcome when he returns to the states.
I don’t really care for soccer, but I do understand the frustration. I feel the same way when the WBC comes around and all the players who make millions here go back and play for other countries.
Ok soccer fans, should I be bothered by this? Just found out this guy scored 2 of the goals in the US' loss to Italy. He was born and raised in NJ, family still lives there. Yet he turned down an offer to play for the US national team so that he could play on the Italian team. His parents are Italian imigrants. Not sure how long they have been in the states.
A part of me understand his desire to play for the Italian team. But the other part of me thinks he should not receive a friendly welcome when he returns to the states.
Yeah, I get that. That’s the part of me that understands his decision. But it seems when you have the opportunity to represent your country it’s a little different?
Yes, he is a traitor. If not for the lack of pride America as a whole has for its national sports teams, he wouldn’t be welcome back to New Jersey again.
If this had happened opposite, and an Italian with dual citizenship turned down his national team to play for America, he would never be welcome in his home town again.
And the answer is no, not really. We have so many athletes that do the same thing in reverse. Just look at Freddy Adu who was born in Ghana and plays for us. If you want to boo Rossi fine by me but I don’t really blame him for his decision. At least his connection to Italy is very strong in the fact that both of his parents are Italian immigrants and he started playing for Parma’s youth team in Italy at age 13.
And as for the WBC thing that bothers Ninercentral, why wouldn’t they play for their home countries (that many of them probably still live in during the offseason)? The WBC would be garbage if they didn’t.
Now what really bothered me was A-Rod representing the U.S. in the 1st WBC and then switching to the Dominican for this latest one. Once you choose you ought to be forced to stick with that choice (this is pretty much the rule in soccer).
[QUOTE=arn;414932]Traitor. A trader trades things.
And the answer is no, not really. We have so many athletes that do the same thing in reverse. Just look at Freddy Adu who was born in Ghana and plays for us. If you want to boo Rossi fine by me but I don’t really blame him for his decision. At least his connection to Italy is very strong in the fact that both of his parents are Italian immigrants and he started playing for Parma’s youth team in Italy at age 13.
And as for the WBC thing that bothers Ninercentral, why wouldn’t they play for their home countries (that many of them probably still live in during the offseason)? The WBC would be garbage if they didn’t.
Now what really bothered me was A-Rod representing the U.S. in the 1st WBC and then switching to the Dominican for this latest one. Once you choose you ought to be forced to stick with that choice (this is pretty much the rule in soccer).[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=thelew1014;414933]How old was Adu when he came to America?[/QUOTE]
8, which is a difference from 13 no doubt but I’m sure there are plenty of other examples.
Heck we just got Jermaine Jones (of Schalke) to switch his eligibility from Germany to the U.S. even though he was born in Germany and to my knowledge grew up there and plays there (his father is American). He’ll be eligible to play in like September or something.
Generally people switch sides because they’re not good enough to crack the Sr. squad. If you’re good enough and you switch sides, you’re a traitor. Rossi is a traitor and should have to fight stonecoldken in a cage match.
[QUOTE=Normmm;414925]Ok soccer fans, should I be bothered by this? Just found out this guy scored 2 of the goals in the US’ loss to Italy. He was born and raised in NJ, family still lives there. Yet he turned down an offer to play for the US national team so that he could play on the Italian team. His parents are Italian imigrants. Not sure how long they have been in the states.
A part of me understand his desire to play for the Italian team. But the other part of me thinks he should not receive a friendly welcome when he returns to the states.
And the answer is no, not really. We have so many athletes that do the same thing in reverse. Just look at Freddy Adu who was born in Ghana and plays for us. If you want to boo Rossi fine by me but I don’t really blame him for his decision. At least his connection to Italy is very strong in the fact that both of his parents are Italian immigrants and he started playing for Parma’s youth team in Italy at age 13.
And as for the WBC thing that bothers Ninercentral, why wouldn’t they play for their home countries (that many of them probably still live in during the offseason)? The WBC would be garbage if they didn’t.
Now what really bothered me was A-Rod representing the U.S. in the 1st WBC and then switching to the Dominican for this latest one. Once you choose you ought to be forced to stick with that choice (this is pretty much the rule in soccer).
The difference is that I believe Adu considers himself to be a US citizen and plays for the US. Rossi considers himself a US citizen but plays for Italy.
Each country gets to make its own rules on who is elgible to play in what sport for international competition. All Jews worldwide have Israeli eligibility in all international sports. Germany has some of the most relaxed eligibility rules. Chris Kaman is like 1/8th German, born in America and played for Germany in the Olympics. Some people have a ton of pride in their heritage. I don’t have anything against Rossi.
That is such a bull argument. Rossi could’ve started the past couple years for the US squad, but no he rides the bench an entire half for an old Italian squad. If most of the guys on this Italian squad were in their prime, Rossi wouldn’t see the light of day.
Yeah, he’ll eventually start, but the current Italian squad isn’t that far ahead of the US. Had it not been for a bs red card on Ricardo Clark, that would’ve been a different game in South Africa.
Of course, I can’t complain, Jermaine Jones is coming over to the US squad from the German squad, and he’ll be a better than going forward than Rossi could’ve been.
8, which is a difference from 13 no doubt but I'm sure there are plenty of other examples.
Heck we just got Jermaine Jones (of Schalke) to switch his eligibility from Germany to the U.S. even though he was born in Germany and to my knowledge grew up there and plays there (his father is American). He’ll be eligible to play in like September or something.
I’m pretty sure Jones has lived here, plus he was born an American Citizen due to his father being in the service and stationed in Germany.
I would have no problem with a guy playing for another country if he didn’t get as much playing time and he was going to a national team where he would start or get a lot more minutes. That’s essentially what Jones is doing. Rossi could’ve got all the opportunity in the world here though.
I think this would be a bigger deal if it happened in a real sport like tiddly winks, 4 square, or beer pong.
I guess the most popular sport in the world doesn’t count as a sport? :rolleyes: