NJ Native Plays for Italian National Team vs. U.S.A.

[95Crash]

Clifton native Giuseppe Rossi could have been big score for U.S., but is starring for Italy instead

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Giuseppe Rossi, Teaneck-born and Clifton-raised, could have been the player to put the U.S. national team over the top, the kind of offensive difference-maker this country has yet to develop despite the millions of kids who play soccer every day.

Rossi, 22, had always indicated his desire to play for Italy, even when he spent time training with Red Bull Academy teams in an unofficial capacity. Whether that was his father's dream or not really didn't matter.

[RSC]

I don't understand why this is a big deal to people. We'll gladly accept Russian hockey players, Japanese baseball players, etc., but when one of "our own" so to speak goes somewhere else to play a higher level of competition, we can't handle it. Hypocrisy much?

[95Crash]

I don't understand why this is a big deal to people. We'll gladly accept Russian hockey players, Japanese baseball players, etc.

Playing on our national teams?

[Satans Hockey]

I don't understand why this is a big deal to people. We'll gladly accept Russian hockey players, Japanese baseball players, etc., but when one of "our own" so to speak goes somewhere else to play a higher level of competition, we can't handle it. Hypocrisy much?

What are you talking about? No one cares that he is playing in Serie A it's the fact that he doesn't want to play for the USA National team that makes him a total douchebag in my eyes. I always cheer against him in Serie A or whenever Italy plays. fvck that guido piece of trash.

[nmigliore]

hahah I loved it.. scored 2 goals against his country, and its even more awesome that hes from Teaneck, NJ.

FORZA AZZURRI

fvck that guido piece of trash.

do you even know what a guido is? hint -- not all italians qualify was one

Edited June 17, 2009 by nmigliore

[Mike441]

if he wants to go play on italy...fvck him. says alot about a man's character when he could be a leader and possibly be something special to finally put HIS country to where it wants to go in the sport...or he could be a follower and take the easy way. wouldn't want him on the team anyways.

[Satans Hockey]

hahah I loved it.. scored 2 goals against his country, and its even more awesome that hes from Teaneck, NJ.

FORZA AZZURRI

do you even know what a guido is? hint -- not all italians qualify was one

Are you from Italy? Do you root for Italy over the US? I know exactly what a guido is, the original meaning and the slang meaning. I'm also Italian myself but I have no desire to ever root for Italy over the USA because I'm an American. Who gives a sh!t if hes from Teaneck, he obviously doesn't care that he was born and raised an American. He is a disgrace in my eyes.

This is the same sh!t that pissed me off when USA played Argentina in an exhibition game at Giants Stadium, tons of people who were rooting for Argentina when they were clearly Americans. It's a fvcking disgrace.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Satans Hockey

[njdevil26]

What are you talking about? No one cares that he is playing in Serie A it's the fact that he doesn't want to play for the USA National team that makes him a total douchebag in my eyes. I always cheer against him in Serie A or whenever Italy plays. fvck that guido piece of trash.

Calm down with the insults man...

His choice of soccer team doesn't warrant ethnic bashing.

The guy has also been playing for Italian National teams and European Leagues since 2003 when he was 16 years old.

He also plays for Villareal after being traded from Manchester United.

Yeah he was born in America, but he is a citizen of Italy. And his parents are native Italians. He was trained throughout his life by Italian soccer coaches... I really don't see a problem with it.

Edited June 17, 2009 by njdevil26

[Satans Hockey]

Calm down with the insults man...

His choice of soccer team doesn't warrant ethnic bashing.

The guy has also been playing for Italian National teams and European Leagues since 2003 when he was 16 years old.

He also plays for Villareal. He didn't go to school in this country either.

Yeah he was born in America, but he is a citizen of Italy.

He is also a citizen here too, and I had a ton of pride being an American when I was a teenager, it's not like he moved over there when he was 5. He's still a douchebag to me and he deserves all the insults that come his way.

[njdevil26]

He is also a citizen here too, and I had a ton of pride being an American when I was a teenager, it's not like he moved over there when he was 5. He's still a douchebag to me and he deserves all the insults that come his way.

Maybe studying politics in college has tarnished my American pride. But I'm going to keep this topic far from a political discussion.

I rooted for Italy too, just as I do every day. I'm an American supporter when the opponent is someone other than Italy.

[RowdyFan42]

AMERICA, FVCK YEAH!!!!

[Satans Hockey]

Maybe studying politics in college has tarnished my American pride. But I'm going to keep this topic far from a political discussion.

I rooted for Italy too, just as I do every day. I'm an American supporter when the opponent is someone other than Italy.

Pathetic, and people wonder why this sport is never going to big in this country.

They didn't make it but would you root for Italy over the USA in hockey at the upcoming 2010 winter Olympics if they had?

Edited June 17, 2009 by Satans Hockey

[njdevil26]

Pathetic, and people wonder why this sport is never going to big in this country.

They didn't make it but would you root for Italy over the USA in hockey at the upcoming 2010 winter Olympics if they had?

I'd be torn hockey-wise. The USA will have some Devils on it and I can't root against Devils.

Italian hockey is horrible. But I root for them when they actually get to play a game.

[Satans Hockey]

I'd be torn hockey-wise. The USA will have some Devils on it and I can't root against Devils.

Italian hockey is horrible. But I root for them when they actually get to play a game.

That's the main problem with soccer in this country, the majority of the fans are front-runners who rather root for the countries their ancestors lived in instead of rooting the US because those countries are better than us in soccer. If we ever get a team that can do some damage the majority of those fans will be jumping on the US bandwagon. The lack of pride in rooting for the US really bothers me. Maybe if you guys saw the jackoffs with Argentina flags wrapped around themselves yelling US sucks at Giants Stadium when they clearly weren't from there it would bother you just as much as it bothers me.

I'm not much of a political person, I don't care if Bush sucked or Obama sucks, it has nothing to do with my pride in being an American. This country is still one of the best in the world to live in and it gave you plenty of chances to succeed in life by working hard in school and at your job. There is a reason all of our ancestors came here many years ago, our country is still great and it should be supported.

[CRASHER]

AMERICA, FVCK YEAH!!!!

PUTTTTTAAAAA SIIIIIII!!!!!

(there was some fun in seeing that movie with Spanish subtitles once )

but seriously... it's a PUTA-ing sport... it's not like he's rooting for the Iraqi Army against us or something, people get WAY too wrapped up in this (and yes it does annoy me that this country has NO pride, just go to Canada to see proof)... but still... it's ONLY sport

I have the same damn issues rooting for a team USA in hockey when it sports garbage like Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Mike Richter, Brian Leetch and Keith Upchuck.......

[njdevil26]

That's the main problem with soccer in this country, the majority of the fans are front-runners who rather root for the countries their ancestors lived in instead of rooting the US because those countries are better than us in soccer. If we ever get a team that can do some damage the majority of those fans will be jumping on the US bandwagon. The lack of pride in rooting for the US really bothers me. Maybe if you guys saw the jackoffs with Argentina flags wrapped around themselves yelling US sucks at Giants Stadium when they clearly weren't from there it would bother you just as much as it bothers me.

I'm not much of a political person, I don't care if Bush sucked or Obama sucks, it has nothing to do with my pride in being an American. This country is still one of the best in the world to live in and it gave you plenty of chances to succeed in life by working hard in school and at your job. There is a reason all of our ancestors came here many years ago, our country is still great and it should be supported.

There's a difference.. And I'd like you to realize that instead of attacking people using ethnic terms.

I would have been pissed at them chanting USA sucks as well. I would never do such a thing because it is wrong to badmouth the country that has provided you with the opportunities that really no other country in the world can give you. If they were speaking in political terms or sarcastic terms then fvck them, really...

But if they're talking about soccer, there's no difference in them chanting USA sucks or us chanting Rangers suck. Because they do.

International sports is a touchy subject because politics are immediately brought into it.

Me rooting for Italy and really being into my heritage as the rest of my family is definitely isn't a knock on the United States. It's a celebration of where my family has come from. That is the foundation for this country by the way. Immigrants starting a new life in this country while introducing their customs.

Stop treating people that root for other soccer teams like pinkos that you feel you have to blacklist.

[Random Poster]

Maybe studying politics in college has tarnished my American pride. But I'm going to keep this topic far from a political discussion.

LOL, you say that and yet you want to keep it from a political discussion? Please.

I'm sorry Andrew, but if you feel that way, i'm sure there's plenty of flights from Newark Airport to Italy. Feel free to board one.

That comment about "tarnishing your American pride" because of some college course(s) probably tought by loony lib professors, really pissed me off. You really need a reality check.

Ah, you're only 21. When i was that age, i said and thought stupid things too.

I rooted for Italy too, just as I do every day. I'm an American supporter when the opponent is someone other than Italy.

Where were you born, honestly. If you say in the United States, you're a disgrace.

[Satans Hockey]

There's a difference.. And I'd like you to realize that instead of attacking people using ethnic terms.

I would have been pissed at them chanting USA sucks as well. I would never do such a thing because it is wrong to badmouth the country that has provided you with the opportunities that really no other country in the world can give you. If they were speaking in political terms or sarcastic terms then fvck them, really...

But if they're talking about soccer, there's no difference in them chanting USA sucks or us chanting Rangers suck. Because they do.

International sports is a touchy subject because politics are immediately brought into it.

Me rooting for Italy and really being into my heritage as the rest of my family is definitely isn't a knock on the United States. It's a celebration of where my family has come from. That is the foundation for this country by the way. Immigrants starting a new life in this country while introducing their customs.

Stop treating people that root for other soccer teams like pinkos that you feel you have to blacklist.

I didn't even use an ethnic term in that last post.

My heritage is English, Irish and Italian. I could give a fvck all what those countries do when the time comes to play the USA cause I was born and raised in America.

I'm hoping our foreign posters see this thread cause I'd like to know their views on it, I'm betting Eaglejelly couldn't imagine rooting for anyone over Germany even if his parents moved to Germany from another country. I also doubt that our foreign posters have to deal with this situation other than the scattered few here and there who root for other countries.

The lack of pride in this country is pathetic. I also hated having to root for Richter over Brodeur in the past olympics but my country is first, team second.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Satans Hockey

[Random Poster]

I would have been pissed at them chanting USA sucks as well. I would never do such a thing because it is wrong to badmouth the country that has provided you with the opportunities that really no other country in the world can give you. If they were speaking in political terms or sarcastic terms then fvck them, really...

But if they're talking about soccer, there's no difference in them chanting USA sucks or us chanting Rangers suck. Because they do.

Yes, there is.

We don't live in the United States of Rangers and make our living, money and enjoy freedoms in the United States of Rangers. It's a disgrace, soccer or not, to say the country that provides you with everything you have "sucks".

International sports is a touchy subject because politics are immediately brought into it.

Well, it shows who puts heritage over nationality.

Me rooting for Italy and really being into my heritage as the rest of my family is definitely isn't a knock on the United States. It's a celebration of where my family has come from. That is the foundation for this country by the way. Immigrants starting a new life in this country while introducing their customs.

The foundation of this country was immigrants coming to America and bringing their culture and heritage with them and adopting themselves as Americans. This country was founded on people willing to be Americans, not like the people who come here today.

If you're born here, you're an American. THAT is your nationality. You're HERITAGE is Italian. If someone doesn't like that order of balance, well....that's why you enjoy the freedom to leave!

If you immigrate here from Italy, celebrate your customs and heritage of being Itlalian. Also understand and repsect where you live, where you make a living and where you enjoy your freedoms and the opportuinities you have. It pisses me off to no end those who immigrate here and wash their hands of anything American like it's a disease.

[MadDog2020]

This guy obviously has dual citizenship... it's like when Hull decided to play for the US instead of Canada... it pissed off a lot of Canadians, but he chose to play for the country he grew up in. This guy decided to play for the country his parents are from. I disagree with it, but at least he has ties to Italy and is an Italian citizen... Becky Hammond played for the Russian woman's basketball team last summer, and has no ties whatsoever to Russia. I don't know how the hell she was allowed to play for them, or why she'd want to.

[njdevil26]

I didn't even use an ethnic term in that last post.

My heritage is English, Irish and Italian. I could give a fvck all what those countries do when the time comes to play the USA cause I was born and raised in America.

I'm hoping our foreign posters see this thread cause I'd like to know their views on it, I'm betting Eaglejelly couldn't imagine rooting for anyone over Germany even if his parents moved to Germany from another country. I also doubt that our foreign posters have to deal with this situation other than the scattered few here and there who root for other countries.

The lack of pride in this country is pathetic. I also hated having to root for Richter over Brodeur in the past olympics but my country is first, team second.

Trust me I understand all of your points... I talk to my cousin Dalia all the time about this issue. She lives in Italy with the bulk of my family and tells me she doesn't understand why Americans talk about their heritage so much. Like if someone says "what are you?" the average American responds "Oh I'm German or Italian or Irish."

I am proud to be an American. I would defend the politics and policies of this country if I had to in a debate. But for me politics and sports are too far separate for me to pick a team based on what country I live in. It's like the fact that I don't feel I have to be a Yankees or Mets fan based on where I live... I hold that in the same light.

So we're talking about completely different philosophies here.

And I know you didn't use ethnic terms in your last post. I was just a little annoyed by the ones in your first post.

[njdevil26]

LOL, you say that and yet you want to keep it from a political discussion? Please.

I'm sorry Andrew, but if you feel that way, i'm sure there's plenty of flights from Newark Airport to Italy. Feel free to board one.

That comment about "tarnishing your American pride" because of some college course(s) probably tought by loony lib professors, really pissed me off. You really need a reality check.

Ah, you're only 21. When i was that age, i said and thought stupid things too.

Where were you born, honestly. If you say in the United States, you're a disgrace.

I am a moderate. I voted for Obama but I wasn't too confident with that pick. Felt better than I would have voting for McCain though.

But who's right nowadays you know? The state of our country is still very vulnerable and only time will tell seeing who has the better policies and plans.

Yes, I went to a liberal arts school and was taught by absolute left wing nut jobs.

I still, to this day, maintain that I was failed in a class freshman year based on my views on a few subjects.

"Studying politics made me hate it" is a phrase that I keep using when I talk about my college education. Not that it made me dislike this country... but it made me sick of how people act and the problems that are facing the world right now.

I am a big advocate of human rights and anti-genocide. I do a lot of donations and work with Darfur groups and read plenty of books on Bosnina, Armenia, Holocaust, Rwanda, and others. That's my interest.

I'm trying to avoid having to deal with our government and country's issues even though that time is running out. So I could talk alot about politics if I had to. Feel free to catch me on AIM or something and I can debate with the best of them. I'm choosing to be ignorant because I don't WANT to care yet.

As far as where I was born... I have a social security card and a birth certificate from the Summit Board of Health. That's all that needs to be said about that issue.

[RowdyFan42]

Yes, there is.

We don't live in the United States of Rangers and make our living, money and enjoy freedoms in the United States of Rangers. It's a disgrace, soccer or not, to say the country that provides you with everything you have "sucks".

You still don't get it, do you? There's a huge difference between saying USA the country sucks and USA the soccer team sucks. It's like Andrew said, politics automatically get sucked into it because we're talking about national teams and not club teams.

There's also a difference between someone who isn't far removed from their ancestral country (as in they were either born there or are only one or two generations away from family members who were, and might even still have living relatives there) and people like you and me whose ancestors have been in the US for a hundred years or more.

If you immigrate here from Italy, celebrate your customs and heritage of being Itlalian. Also understand and repsect where you live, where you make a living and where you enjoy your freedoms and the opportuinities you have. It pisses me off to no end those who immigrate here and wash their hands of anything American like it's a disease.

There's a huge difference between Andrew recognizing that the US has flaws and isn't the utopia you like to think it is -- and, by the way, NO country is perfect -- and "washing [his] hands of anything American like it's a disease."

[njdevil26]

I also certainly don't want to be lumped in with the "hand washers" that don't like anything American. I am not like that.

Anyone that knows me personally knows that I can be a full Italian citizen living there with a house and a job if I even just think about it three times (Beetlejuice!). That's the family connection perk that I have. But I am here, enjoying my freedoms and opportunities for a reason.

It's just soccer to me. So andiamo forza azzurri in that respect.

But if you want to debate about governments and pride, I'm an American.

[Random Poster]

You still don't get it, do you? There's a huge difference between saying USA the country sucks and USA the soccer team sucks. It's like Andrew said, politics automatically get sucked into it because we're talking about national teams and not club teams.

It sure is great when American citizens, especially those who were born here, chant "USA Sucks" because they choose heritage over nationality.

But, you conviently ignored that aspect.

There's a huge difference between Andrew recognizing that the US has flaws and isn't the utopia you like to think it is -- and, by the way, NO country is perfect -- and "washing [his] hands of anything American like it's a disease."

I can see why Leeds enjoys you so much, Rowdy.

I never said it was a utopia. Feel free to point out where i did or any reference to it being one. I'm a proud American regardless if it was a utopia or desert wasteland and that's the whole point. Then again preaching that to libs like you and having you understand anything about national pride is like talking to a wall.

I never said "he" [Andrew] washes his hands of America. I said "those" who do.