Mac the Knife Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 The MLS has announced it has signed 14-year-old Freddy Adu to a 6-year contract, assigning him to D.C. United.Granted, Adu may be mature for his age (he's apparently graduating high school next May, at age 15), but c'mon... 14?No matter how good the kid is, MLS has just jumped the shark ladies and gentlemen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JQK Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 It's soccer... It's common. Stay Tuned Sports Podcast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfannova Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Yeah, sure he's 14, I'm guessing 18 myself, from looking at him.And, in England, kids are picked up at about 12. It's common. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrookedThumb Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Yeah, sure he's 14, I'm guessing 18 myself, from looking at him.Do you think there'll be another Danny Amonte-like controversy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Yeah, sure he's 14, I'm guessing 18 myself, from looking at him.Do you think there'll be another Danny Amonte-like controversy?Possibly! It's working... when was the last time you saw an MLS story on the front page of anything. --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac the Knife Posted November 19, 2003 Author Share Posted November 19, 2003 It's soccer... It's common.Sure, in European countries it is. But in America you never hear of such things.I don't begrudge the kid or his family at all; hell, I'm not even sure if its not a good idea, but 14 seems a little young to me... especially considering that it seems possible if not likely that he'll see MLS action within a year or so.I think its more a PR move than anything for MLS; unfortunately, if the kid isn't a media darling early, it may be one that backfires big time - cries of exploitation, right or wrong, will start cropping up, and if this isn't handled carefully the media will do something all its financial losses to date haven't done - kill MLS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Yeah hes 14 all right, and Le Bron James is 12 www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notch Novelty Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Inter Milan wanted him when he was 11.....It's common in Europe. Reason he is in the MLS is because he couldn't play for the top team till he was 18 anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintsfan Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Yeah in Europe, the college system isn't developed like yours is, (I can't think of any soccer player who has ever been to uni before playing for a top club) and there is no draft system. Players are signed to the highest bidder!! Certainly in England there is nothing to stop a player playing in the EPL when they are 16 at least. Wayne Rooney is getting to be a regular in the England squad and he is certainly not any older than 18 right now! I don't know if the Italian league have different rules however. 2011/12 WFL Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 The whole ado over Adu is kinda strange and odd to begin with. This kid was born in Africa somwehere and his skills were seen by scouts and his family was offered citzenship in the US real fast so he could be on he US Soccer team in the future. I don't know about you but it don't sound to honest to me to begin with. In fact he is only here to play soccer and even if he is 14 saying he shoudl go to school is kinda a joke. I just hope he has some good tutors so he has basic skills. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yh Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 I am vigorously opposed to this signing for no reason other than the fact that I don't want to face the fact that I'm 21 years older than a professional team-sport athlete!!! It's bad enough that 90% of the NFL is younger than me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omnivore Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Actually, he wasn't brought here for anything to do with soccer.They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.That was the first time Bruce Arena (then DC-United coach) saw him and when he was put on the US national program's radar.He's obviously bright - and his mother isn't exploiting him or try to prop herself up, since he's 1) not making more money in the US than he'd make in Europe, meaning he could fizzle out and no one would care by the time he's 18 and 2) She doesn't give interviews and insisted he stay in school.He's obviously mature and until recently, tennis players were notorious for going pro before they turned 15. Figure skaters and other athletes do it too. Its just US team sports are a little different. It'll be more normal for him being with United because he'll be able to live at home, where before, he was living in Bradenton and working at a camp.I don't see it as a bad thing, so long as he can handle the pressure - and it seemed to me that he did.Let the kid play. NCFA-FCS/CBB: Minnesota A&M | RANZBA (OOTP): Auckland Warriors | USA: Front Range United | IFA: Toverit Helsinki | FOBL: Kentucky Juggernaut Minnesota A&M 2012 National Champions 2013 National Finalist, 2014 National Semi-finals 2012, 2013, 2014 Big 4 Conference Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed? www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfannova Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed?Yeah, a sporting orginization fixes an immigration lottery.Did the CIA get in on it too? Are they gonna make Sergei Federov a citizen in a rigged lottery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJR Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed?Yeah, a sporting orginization fixes an immigration lottery.Did the CIA get in on it too? Are they gonna make Sergei Federov a citizen in a rigged lottery? No, when Fedorov needed black-bag type stuff to help him defect, Illitch financed and took care of it. And didn't he become a citizen sometime last year? FantasyHockeySim.com || DetroitHockey.Net || DetroitHockey.Net FHL || cjr.dev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed?Yeah, a sporting orginization fixes an immigration lottery.Did the CIA get in on it too? Are they gonna make Sergei Federov a citizen in a rigged lottery? You dont think favortism was showed here come on? Its too convienant. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintsfan Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Ah! The thorny issue of citizenship!! Well when kenyan athletes are being 'bought'by the United Arab Emirates, when the New Zealand and Australian rugby teams have players from the pacific islands(Samoa, Tonga etc!) in them, when the 'British' world heavyweight boxing champion won olympic gold for canada what does it really matter any more! My own opinion is that as long as the people haven't just emigrated to represent a particular country at sport I don't really mind that much. 2011/12 WFL Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsfannova Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed?Yeah, a sporting orginization fixes an immigration lottery.Did the CIA get in on it too? Are they gonna make Sergei Federov a citizen in a rigged lottery? No, when Fedorov needed black-bag type stuff to help him defect, Illitch financed and took care of it. And didn't he become a citizen sometime last year?I was joking. Just searched for a random Russian hockey name.You dont think favortism was showed here come on? Its too convienant.Sports does NOT influence immigration agencies. Why whould they care, especially about SOCCER?! A sport Americans usually don't care about? That statement was totally ludicrous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omnivore Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 They won a lottery that allowed them to come to the US (mother, Freddy and his brother) that had nothing to do with soccer. He wasn't on anyone's radar until he went to an U-13 boys tennis, when they found out he was 9.When did his family win the lottery before or after he was spotted at a camp. Becuse if it was before then I have my facts wrong. However if it was after then it was fixed. You don't think US soccer can get a lottery fixed?They came to the country in 1997. He was almost 8 then. If he were older, then it'd make sense. I mean, just because they'd heard he was good, I doubt they'd have gone out on a limb for some supposed African kid that was good - i mean, to rig the lottery - because those lotteries always happen. He just became a citizen this year. (Adu) I honestly don't think it was rigged because of his age. No one would buy that he was that good and even if he was, we all know that kids can flame out. I think this is a great deal for him, because he'll get paid now and can do something else if he wants to. I mean, its obvious he can handle the media scrutiny - and MLS could be hurt a lot if he gets slammed by people, so they're gonna protect him and help him thrive.As for the comment someone made regarding the British heavyweight champion (Lennox Lewis) who represented Canada in the Olympics. Lewis was born in the UK, his mother (of Jamaican ancestry) moved to Canada and then he moved there with her. The rules allow you to represent the country you live in the Olympics. Heck, he might have dual citizenship since Canada allows it. But he's British, not Canadian. So, its not so much shenaningans. It happens all the time with other types of athletes. NCFA-FCS/CBB: Minnesota A&M | RANZBA (OOTP): Auckland Warriors | USA: Front Range United | IFA: Toverit Helsinki | FOBL: Kentucky Juggernaut Minnesota A&M 2012 National Champions 2013 National Finalist, 2014 National Semi-finals 2012, 2013, 2014 Big 4 Conference Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KCScout76 Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 What ever the reason - I don't think it's a good idea. The kid is not mentally mature enough. Stupid, just plain stupid - what the H*LL are his parents thinking, besides the almighty $. Our society has gone STUPID!!! I can see, but don't agree, with HS athletes getting into the NBA. The maturity level is different for the two age groups.You can argue my point into the ground, point is the kid may have the physical skills, tough on them growing up. Again, this maybe another case of falsified birth certificates.A few years ago, the kid who pitched in the Little League World Series, then got busted for being too old, his dad should be tossed out of an airplane @ 30,000 feet - no parachute! JERK!Sports are great, too many idiots ruining the "sacred" games.It's got to stop - too many publicity stunts.IMO!!! sorry guys, I got strong values when it comes to kids. Kansas City Scouts (CHL) Orr Cup Champions 2010, 2019, 2021 St. Joseph Pony Express (ULL) 2023 Champions Kansas City Cattle (CL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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