The Disappointing Nelson Valdez

Nelson Valdez is a Paraguayan International soccer player and a regular contributor to their Men's National Team. He was pitched to the Seattle Sounders FC supporters as a talented goal soccer who would add to their already dangerous attack. Despite being over 30 he supposedly still had some in the tank. The front office believed in him so much that they made him the second highest paid player on the team. Having seen plenty of older international players arrive in MLS and have success on what was kinda like a retirement tour. Hearing all this the Rave Green fans bought what they were sold. Success was expected. Instead Nelson Valdez has been a complete and total disappointment.

Valdez has yet to record a goal or an assist for the Sounders in an MLS match during the 2016 season. During the 2015 he also disappointed with only 2 goals and no assists in 12 MLS matches. These are even more depressing because Valdez plays forward. Despite it being obvious I will say it anyways, that is really bad for an offensive player. His most consistent skill is being a step or two late to the spot. He has shown his shots are poorly aimed and rarely dangerous. He does seem to have a lot of heart, constantly hustling and tryng to make an impact. He just isn't able to convert effort into quality play.

The other thing that has stood out about Valdez is his inability to stay healthy and on the playing field. He is constantly hurt. He has only played 12 of the 20 MLS games possible. He is averaging 49.8 minutes per game. It is hard to find success at soccer when you are never playing. You can't get in a grove or develop chemistry with your teammates. It is also hard to earn playing time when you aren't producing.

During his time in Seattle Nelson Valdez has been a disaster of a signing. He has provided zero benefit for the team while costing more than anyone but Clint Dempsey. His poor health (or fitness if you want to speak soccer nerd) and poor play has kept him off the field. With the recent coaching change and new transfer window signing the team is in a period of transition. It is a perfect time for the the Sounders dump Valdez by trading him for a bag of balls.

Men's Gymnastics has Gotten a Tough Shake

One of the showcase Olympic sports is gymnastics. Both the men and the women draw in viewers with a combination of athletic prowess, artistic beauty, and dramatic twists. You never want to look away during a routine of a contender because any single trick can wow and a single slip or fall can sink a competitors shot at a medal. The women's side of the sport is the pinnacle of a large and widely participated in amateur world. Girls start participating in gymnastics at a young age and the sport stays popular through high school. Yet for some reason on the men's side gymnastics can't match this. It doesn't managed to hold a place in American culture outside Olympic years. There isn't a large pool of participants practicing the sport. The male athletes aren't celebrated. This is a shame.

In Washington, my home state, there are few, if any, high school men's gymnastics teams. For a young man to compete in the sport he would have to seek out a club team, private coaching, or something similar. Most school based coaching drops off after elementary school and young boys are channeled into team sports, wrestling, or track and field. This makes it hard for young athletes to participate in the sport. It also prevents young men from becoming fans of the sport. None of their friends or brothers are gymnasts and probably their only exposure is a sisters practice. The lack of school sponsored men's teams and the prominence of the girls gymnastics teams, has led to a common belief that gymnastics is a girls sport and feminine. Male gymnasts get grouped with male cheerleaders as wimpy or soft. That is a wrong belief.

Male gymnasts should be sports heroes. The men have some of the most chiseled physiques in the sports world. The guys are ripped from head to toe. They perform athletic feats that very few of us could even dream of doing. The best of them should be plastered over Sports Center, SI, and anywhere fans watch or read about sports. Even if you don’t like gymnastics or understand it you should recognize the top competitors as some of the best athletes in the world like you would a tennis champion or great golfer. Male gymnastics has gotten a tough shake.