USA Cup not the World Cup Anymore

The decision to select Qatar and Russia to host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022 was greeted with a lot of derision and frustration among the US soccer community. But the question isn't why Russia and Qatar were selected but why should we care? The World Cup and FIFA are petty tournaments handled by old corrupt bureaucrats who are tottering into failure at the end of their long and feckless careers. It is time the world moved on from FIFA and it is up to the US to begin a new type of sports entertainment, one only the US can stage.

Do you know what every NFL stadium is doing in June? Nothing. Do you know what every college football stadium is doing in June? Nothing. Do you know what that means to every city, state, and college that has an huge investment in a grand arena: no revenue lots of expenses. Do you know how many stadiums are idle in June that could stage international soccer matches, not 1 like Qatar, or 20 like Italy, Germany, Russia, or England, no, the US has 100's of major stadiums that could stage international quality tournaments, simultaneously and, more importantly, we are the only place where it can be done.

It is time for a new format for international soccer. A format where everyone can come every year. Not just the Netherlands but the Netherlands Antilles too; not just England, Brazil and the Cameroon but Malta, Ecuador and Zambia. Every one is invited, every year to play against everyone else. There are only about 160 countries in the world. If everyone came to play and the tournament was started with a four game round robin round that means hosting 320 soccer games over a two week period or roughly 20-30 games per day, roughly the number of MLB games being played and certainly no where near the number of NCAA Division 1 Football games that occur on a typical Fall Saturday.

The US should not be meekly creeping up to the cool kids table and asking to sit down. The US should lead the world by doing what only the US can do, staging a truly world class event for the world's sport; not just every four years but every year. FIFA likes to talk about soccer being the World's sport and then spends the bulk of their time figuring out how to eliminate countries from playing. Things that do not change remain the same. The system was always corrupt and designed to make sure the pie was divided among the good old boys who played by their rules. But that doesn't work any more. The US and the world wants more from soccer and the world will respond to our leadership. Let's not change FIFA let's show them for what they truly are: irrelevant.

Sunil Gulati should not be blamed for poor performance in bidding for the Cup but he does deserve criticism for having a limited and narrow view of what is possible for US Soccer. He should have spent more time watching soccer in the streets of the major cities of the US visiting the bars and street level wide screens with the young people of America and less time hob nobbing with a bunch of old people in Jo'berg.

What. The. F%(!

Qa f'in tar???

Do we need anymore evidence that FIFA is dirty?

CONCACAF/CONMEBOL tournament would work - Grant Wahl - SI.com

I love the idea of the combined tournament.

CONCACAF/CONMEBOL tournament would work - Grant Wahl - SI.com

Euro 2012 Qualification Begins: Where to Watch The Games

In case you can't imagine a weekend w/o soccer to watch...

Euro 2012 Qualification Begins: Where to Watch The Games: "

It hasn’t even been two months since Andres Iniesta’s golaso in Johannesburg yet meaningful international football returns with Friday’s slate of Euro 2012 qualifiers. No doubt Spanish supporters are looking forward to the defence of their 2008 title but can English fans summon the passion after their bummer summer? The four home nations plus Ireland begin European qualification against a mix of minnows and middle-of-the-pack squads. Wouldn’t anchovy be a more apt term than minnow? Often times we don’t want to eat anchovies, just as we often don’t care to watch our boys go out for a jog against an also-ran, but we know deep down that eating anchovies is good for us, just as doing well against the smaller nations builds confidence and form for more important matches. Five matches to keep an eye on this Friday.

Republic of Ireland at Armenia, 11am ET, ESPN3.com, Republican Stadium, Yerevan

Ireland play their first meaningful match since Thierry Henry’s crime against humanity. Dreams of being drawn as the 33rd nation for this past summer’s World Cup dashed, the Irish look to now qualify for an international tournament for the first time since 2002. While Russia and Slovakia loom with talent such as Shay Given at keeper, John O’Shea at right back and a midfield of Glenn Whelan possibly partnered with rocket-footed Darron Gibson the Irish should have their sights set on advancement. Armenia are typical minnows, although they have enjoyed some good results at home, defeating Belgium last year, drawing with Portugal in 2007 and well, only losing to Spain 2-1 last year. Friday’s match could see the full debut of former Real Salt Lake (still embarrassing to write that name) forward Yura Movsisyan. Movsisyan has lived in the United States since age 14, but chose to play immediate first-team football for Armenia rather than fight for a potential place under Bob Bradley.

Bulgaria at England, 3pm ET, Fox Soccer Channel, Wembley Stadium, London

Advancement from a group featuring the Bulgarians, the Welsh, the Montenegrans and the Swiss should be assured even for an English side at a crossroads. No Frank Lampard means no free kicks menacing fans seated in the upper echelons of Wembley. John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Peter Crouch will also miss out. Wayne Rooney will be there, searching for his first goal for England since his icing on the cake in the 5-1 cathartic thrashing of Croatia a year ago. He won’t be seeing his Man United counterpart across the pitch as Dimitar Berbatov has retired from international football. While the inclusion of Adam Johnson and Theo Walcott will give the team more pace and more threats, Don Fabio will have to forge a defence from the likes of Michael Dawon and Matthew Upson. And while few keepers outside Gianluigi Buffon are crucial to their country’s success, England have yet to settle on a #1 for qualification. This will be the first Euro qualifier at Wembley since Steve McClaren’s last stand; rain is not in the forecast for Friday.

Northern Ireland at Slovenia, 2:45pm ET, no TV or online in US. Stadion Ljudski vrt, Maribor

When last we saw Slovenia they were sluggishly surrendering against England in their sharp mountain-range shirts. Gray-haired defender Stephen Craigan will anchor a Northern Ireland side that split their matches with Slovenia in qualifying for this past year’s World Cup. Jonny Evans should be beaming with pride as his younger brother Corry has been shortlisted for the match. The Ulstermen seek their first-ever European Championship qualification but are up against it in a group that includes Italy and Serbia. Crucial points could come from matches against their neighbours to the far north, the Faroe Islands.

Scotland at Lithuania, 2:15pm ET, no TV or online in US., S. Darius and S. Gir?nas Stadium, Kaunas

Lithuania has produced many fine athletes. Unfortunately, they’ve all played basketball. However, Lithuania enter Friday’s match riding the wave of their triumph in the esteemed Baltic Cup over Estonia and Latvia. While Scotland narrowly missed out on qualification for Euro 08, their campaign for South Africa was dismal. George Burley was rightfully sacked, but new gaffer Craig Levein has already suffered an embarrassing defeat in only his second game in charge, 3-nil to Sweden three weeks ago. The Tartan Army will hope grinning Kenny Miller, with five strikes in three matches, can find the same form abroad. Scotland will need the confidence of early results in a fairly easy group that contains only one real power in the tiki-taka horde of Spain.

Wales at Montenegro, 1:30pm ET., no TV or online in US, Podgorica Stadium, Podgorica

Montenegro, as an independent nation, is only four years old and only played its first international match in 2007, a 2-1 victory over Hungary. Their talented young star, Stevan Jovetic of Fiorentina, suffered a brutal knee injury in early August and will miss the rest of the year. This will be their first attempt at Euro qualification and a rematch of their 2-1 victory over the Welsh a year ago. Craig Bellamy, playing at home for Cardiff City, will feature in the attack. All eyes will be on Gareth Bale, who has set this young season ablaze with his scintillating start for Spurs. The most anticipated games in the group will be those against England, on March 26, 2011 in Cardiff and on September 6, 2011 in London. Gavin and Stacey will be a house divided.

Other games on ESPN3.com this weekend:

• Kazakhstan v Turkey, Noon


• Andorra v Russia, 12:30pm


• Faroe Islands v Serbia, 1pm


• Sweden v Hungary, 2pm


• Slovakia v Macedonia, 2:30pm


• Estonia v Italy, 2:30pm


• Belgium v Germany, 2:45pm


• Greece v Georgia, 2:45pm


• San Marino v Holland, 2:45pm


• Liechtenstein v Spain, 2:45pm


• France v Belarus, 3pm


• Portugal v Cyprus, 3:45pm

Related posts:

1. Euro 2012 Qualification Preview: England v Bulgaria


2. England and the Mikel Arteta Debate: An Undecided Stumble into Euro 2012 Qualification


3. World Cup 2010: This Is Where It All Begins

"

Why you will hate the new CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Format

Interesting. This change would make things a bit tricky for the US in terms of qualifying, moreso than in the past. However, the biggest issue, for me, is the fact that we'll be losing out at the Mexico games which are so much fun. Oh well.

Why you will hate the new CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying Format: "

Photo by ISIphotos.com

In case you haven't heard by now, CONCACAF is preparing to change its World Cup qualifying format dramatically, doing away with the old Hexagonal final qualifying round in favor of a two-group final round that gives eight teams a chance to battle for the three (or four) automatic World Cup berths the region receives.

So why will you hate it?

Under the new format, the final eight teams in CONCACAF qualifying will be placed in two four-team groups, with the winner of each group qualifying automatically and the two second-place teams playing off for the third automatic qualifying spot.

So why will you hate it?

No USA-Mexico. No trip to Azteca for the United States and no visit to frigid Crew Stadium for 'El Tri'.

Sound crazy? Too bad it's happening.

FIFA is expected to ratify the changes, which will go into effect for the 2014 World Cup qualifying cycle. U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati acknowledged on Tuesday that the changes are likely to go through, and his only remark about the lost USA-Mexico qualifiers was to make clear the two rivals would still find ways to play each other.

No, it won't be the same. Not even close.

The United States and Mexico could still meet in the Gold Cup, and in friendlies, but chances are they would be kept in seperate qualifying groups under the new CONCACAF format, meaning no more of the heated qualifiers that both side's fans spend years looking forward to.

So why is CONCACAF making these changes? It's making them to give more of the region's smaller teams a chance to play against the big boys. The new system will consist of three group stages (eight groups of four, then four groups of four, then a final two groups of four), up from the current system's two group stages. It will mean 32 teams will have a chance to play in a group stage, instead of the 16 that used to play in group stages. It also means eight teams have that chance to survive the final round, up from the six that have made up the Hexagonal in the past.

The changes make sense if you're from a smaller country, but for Mexico and the United States it means more games against smaller nations and likely means the elimination of the big-money qualifiers against each other. If CONCACAF sticks to a stringent seeding process, and you have to believe the region will do its best to keep Mexico and the United States away from each other, then the days of Americans making the trip to Mexico City and Mexicans braving the cold in Ohio are over.

The likely tradeoff for the region's powers is that there is less of a chance of facing an early-round group of death (which is what we saw when Mexico, Honduras, Canada and Jamaica wound up in the same second-round group in 2008). There is some added danger in that a top power getting off to a slow start in the final group could find itself forced into a playoff for a World Cup place. When you consider how slowly Mexico started in the last Hexagonal qualifying cycle it isn't out of the realm of possibility.

The bright side? If there is one it's that there will be more early-round group matches to play and potentially give experience to younger players. Chances are there will be a few cupcakes in the first group stage where Bob Bradley can give a look to some inexperienced players. It also means more qualifying matches, which could conceivably help the FIFA rankings of CONCACAF's powers.

Is that worth the tradeoff of losing USA-Mexico qualifiers? Not really, but it's the system we're facing.

What do you think of this development? Hate the changes, or are you liking the idea of three group stages?

Share your thoughts below.

"

4 more years

Not sure I agree with this, but Bradley will remain on our bench through Brazil 2014

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/08/30/us.bradley.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

EPL Weekend Viewing Guide, Gameweek 3

What games will everyone be watching this weekend?

EPL Weekend Viewing Guide, Gameweek 3: "

Granted I haven’t been writing this column for years, but for the first time in my tenure, there simply isn’t a 4-star drop-everything match. So enjoy the late summer fine weather, hang out at the beach or lake or your local soccer field. Queue up the DVR as there are some interesting early-season games, though, and once again, all 10 are available on television: 6 live, and 4 delayed.

**** Must-see. Cancel all other activities. Do not even DVR as even in America you might hear the score!

*** Strong match; worth watching live; DVR a must if you can’t see live

** Flip through quickly to see the goals, red cards, injuries, and perhaps watch the last 5 minutes + injury time if close

* Only if you’re a die-hard

Matches shown in chronological order:

Saturday, August 28 (all times EDT)

** Blackburn v Arsenal, 7:45 am, ESPN2 & espn3.com

Arsenal will want to start securing 3 points away from home.

*** Chelsea v Stoke, 10:00 am, Fox Soccer Plus & foxsoccer.tv & again 8pm Fox Soccer Plus

Chelsea are just scintillating to watch, even if this game is likely to be another blow-out. Drogba’s unselfishness may play dividends down the road. There are going to be some awful teams at the bottom again this year, so Tony Pulis need not hit the panic button yet.

** Tottenham v Wigan, 10:00 am, Fox Soccer Channel & Fox Deportes

This game perhaps should have been 1-star, but Defoe was so incredible in this fixture last year, it’s worth a look at the goals, etc. I am not sure if there is an adjective in the English language that can adequately define Wigan’s defending. WHL will be in full voice after Spurs advanced to the Champions League group stage Wednesday night.

** Wolverhampton v Newcastle, 10:00 am, foxsoccer.tv & 6 pm (delayed) Fox Soccer Plus

These two sides are in the top half of the table, so does this match deserve an upgrade to 3 stars? Naaaah; at least one will likely be in the relegation battle as we progress.

** Blackpool v Fulham, 10:00 am, foxsoccer.tv, & Sunday 9am (delayed) Fox Soccer Channel

I thought Fulham was absolutely terrific at times against Man United. Yes, this one is away from Craven Cottage where they have traditionally struggled. And we finally get to see Bloomfield Road as a Premier League venue, upgraded from 12,555 to 16,220 seats.

** Man Utd v West Ham, 12:30 pm, Fox Soccer Channel

West Ham continue to have trouble defending, and they simply cannot put the ball in the net. (They needed an injury-time goal from Parker to advance past Oxford United in the Carling Cup this week.) Meanwhile, Scholes and Berbatov have started strong for the Red Devils; Rooney & Nani not so much.

Sunday, August 29

*** Bolton v Birmingham, 8:30 am, Fox Soccer Plus & foxsoccer.tv

These two are fighting for a Champions League spot at the moment. Will that continue past, say, Week 5? Probably not, but a terrific start for each side. Worth watching.

** Liverpool v West Brom, 10:00 am, foxsoccer.tv; 5pm (delayed) Fox Deportes; 7pm (delayed) Fox Soccer Plus

Presumably the Baggies visting Anfield finally gives the Reds a seriously winnable match.

** Sunderland v Man City, 10:00 am, foxsoccer.tv; 5 pm (delayed) Fox Soccer Plus

City will need all 3 points to justify their expenditures and title hopes. They looked strong enough on Monday night to do so.

*** Aston Villa v Everton, 11:00 am, Fox Soccer Channel

This is the match the schedule-makers singled out as best-of-the-week, with national television in both the UK & the USA. But Villa went from sublime to sub-standard in their visit to St James Park last week. And Everton is off to another slow start.

Early contender for goal of the season

I watched this one at Slainte with Julie. I like going to soccer bars with my cousin. I don't like going to soccer bars where I'm the only Spurs supporter and there are 20 Arsenal supporters who don't even have a game to watch in the 2nd half (since they were up 15 million to zero). Thankfully, my liking of going to bars with my cousin trumps my hatred of the Arsenal crew, so I will continue to go. As Julie noted, at least the person to my right (Julie) and the person to my left (random dude) were very easy to deal with.

Crystal Palace Baltimore

On Saturday I ventured north to Baltimore to watch a USSF Division II professional soccer match between Crystal Palace Baltimore and the Montreal Impact. Our blog colleague Peter was serving as fourth official for the game which made it a special event. His mother and grandmother attended as well to cheer for the boys in gold.

Saturday was a spectacular day for soccer, warm and sunny and little to no wind. The game was played at Calvert Hall's field. A multi use high school stadium which was in excellent shape.

When we arrived the game was 1-0 Montreal. Montreal scored three more goals in the first half. Palace tried to compress the field leaving a square back line that Montreal had no problem penetrating. Baltimore's back players did not have the quickness to defend against the Impact's front runners. For their part the Palace attack was ineffective and disjointed--numerous attempts at running the ball on the left were run into the end line and on the right the outside midfielder was unable to get past his defender leading to many Montreal counterattacks. A fifth goal was scored by Montreal in the second half but they used the lopsided score to rest their starting front line.

All in all while the match was not very competitive the level of play was entertaining. Probably not at MLS standards but certainly higher than a Division I college game. US soccer still has a ways to go but these developmental leagues can serve as a step in the progression towards building a base of professional talent broader than the MLS by itself.

Just cause...

EPL Weekend Viewing Guide, Gameweek 1

The season has come - I'm looking forward to getting underway. I'm hoping to wake up bright and early on Saturday while up in Saratoga for Spurs/Man City and then listening to Liverpool/Arsenal on my way home from the same location. What are everyone else's plans?

EPL Weekend Viewing Guide, Gameweek 1: "

After a terrific summer of World Cup matches, vuvuzela-free Premier League soccer is back! And I will be back too, with your weekly guide to Premier League matches. I intend this weekly column for two different audiences: First, for the person who needs no assistance figuring out which games to watch, they just want to know when and where. Hopefully we’ve assembled the places the US EPL supporter can watch, on the tube or on-line. Second, for those who would like a bit of editing, I’ll try to recommend the must-see matches and why. That might mean introducing you to a great second city derby or reminding you of a rematch of a game that had special import from last year or earlier this year. My ratings system is intended for neutrals; of course, every match is a 4-star must see for someone!

I’ve removed the HD designations this year, as I’m told all matches will be recorded by Sky UK in HD, but, alas, not every carrier has made HD channels available. In NYC, where I watch on Time Warner Cable, we do have HD versions of ESPN2 & Fox Soccer Plus (FS+), but we are told we have to wait til September for an HD version of the main Fox Soccer Channel (FSC). We will typically again get a Saturday 7:45 am (eastern time) match on ESPN2 (and a 10 am ESPN2 match for weeks without an early kickoff), simultaneous 10 am matches on FSC & FS+, and a live 12:30 match on FSC. The 8:30 am Sunday kickoff (no game this week) will again be on FS+ with the 11am on FSC. I think there are only 5 Monday night matches currently scheduled, and they will all be on ESPN2. Then other matches will be shown delayed around 2 pm on FSC & FS+, with one match embargoed all the way til Sunday morning. Fox has been advertising these delayed matches as “debuts.”

Enjoy the matches! Here is my first Premier League viewing guide for the 2010-11 season:

My ratings system:

???? Must-see. Cancel all other activities. Do not even DVR as even in America you might hear the score!

??? Strong match; worth watching live; DVR a must if you can’t see live

?? Flip through quickly to see the goals, red cards, injuries, and perhaps watch the last 5 minutes + injury time if close

? Only if you’re a die-hard

Matches shown in chronological order:

Saturday, August 14 (all times EDT)

???? Tottenham v Man City 7:45 am, ESPN2 & espn3.com

In the reverse fixture that came on last season’s penultimate week, Spurs traveled north and won the 4th-place and final Champions League spot on Peter Crouch’s late goal. No team has more fun-to-watch wingers than Spurs, in Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale, and City’s extraordinary roster of stars (Tevez, Adebayor, new signing Kolarov at left back, Toure, Boateng, and on and on) may make them compelling television all season. Plus a very tough first-team keeper choice for Roberto Mancini: Ireland’s #1 (Given) vs. England’s new #1 (Hart).

??? Aston Villa v West Ham United, 10 am, FSC

Villa’s fortunes have changed markedly with this week’s resignation of Martin O’Neill. Caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald still has some terrific players to work with. And the likes of Agbonlahor and Ashley Young should be reaching their prime. James Milner is still there (for now) and will be tough for West Ham to handle. Meanwhile, the Hammers were simply awful last year, and stayed up only because Hull City, Pompey & Burnley were worse. (Full disclosure: I’m a 20-year West Ham supporter and suffered mightily last year.) West Ham should be better in midfield this year, with Pablo Barrera and Thomas Hitzlsperger joining Parker, Behrami, Dyer, and Collison, and with Avram Grant realizing that Julien Faubert is a winger, not a right back. Goals were at a premium, though, with Carlton Cole struggling with injuries, and Diamanti played in the wrong positions. It will certainly be, ahem, interesting, to see Robert Green’s reception in away matches, and his defense has not improved enough to keep clean sheets.

??? Blackburn v Everton, 9:55 am, FS+ and foxsoccer.tv (also 8 pm delayed FS+)

This one would have been two-stars, but I’ve upgraded it to 3 for Everton’s new away kit alone! If you haven’t seen it yet, take a look on Saturday as it gives a whole new look to the Premier League. Not many changes for David Moyes, whose squad got off to a terrible start last year, but were as hot as any team in the league last spring, beating Chelsea, and both Manchester squads. The Landon Donovan effect? Can Jermaine Beckford keep scoring in the EPL as he did for Leeds? A healthy Arteta would give Everton a strong chance for Europe again. Thy should score plenty of goals, even away from Liverpool. Blackburn will have a tougher time scoring again this year, but a Sam Allardyce team will have plenty of strength and guts and power.

? Wolves v Stoke City, 10 am, foxsoccer.tv; 2 pm (delayed), FS+

? Bolton v Fulham, 10 am, foxsoccer.tv; 2:30 pm (delayed), FSC

? Sunderland v Birmingham City, 10 am, foxsoccer.tv; Sunday 10:30 am (delayed), FS+

? Wigan v Blackpool, 10 am, foxsoccer.tv; no television coverage

Fox only had room for 7 of 8 matches, and with the bookies giving Blackpool an 80% chance of being relegated, they appear to have made the right choice. (Wigan are tipped 3rd for relegation.) For the die-hard, available on-line at foxsoccer.tv.

??? Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion, 12:30 pm, FSC

Great to see the Baggies back up so quickly, and they will probably again play attractive, positive soccer. Di Matteo may have a rude return to Stamford Bridge, though, and if Chelsea pick up where they left off in May, they may be pumping in 7-8 goals Saturday afternoon. (Granted, Chelsea have not looked good pre-season.) Chelsea will have far bigger matches than this one, so we’ll reserve more words for the Champions in later weeks. But they start with about as easy a schedule as one could possibly imagine, and Ancelotti will want 15 points from their first 5 (WBA, @Wigan, Stoke, @West Ham, and Blackpool) before their September 25 showdown at Eastlands.

Sunday, August 15

???? Liverpool v Arsenal, 11 am, FSC

What a terrific Sunday tea-time starter for the season, as these two perennial contenders try to retain/regain their Champions League positions and even contest for the title. Fabregas is still Arsenal’s captain but Arsenal has some questions from the back, notably at keeper, where they continue to look for a Champions League caliber #1, and there are question marks about who replaces Gallas. Will Chamakh get time up front immediately? Can Walcott cement a regular spot in the starting eleven? For Liverpool, the bigger changes are in management, with Rafa finally replaced by Hodgson. The near straight-up Joe-for-Yossi switch is their biggest player change, with healthy and productive Torres & Gerrard the key to their season. Aquilani may be set to show the most improvement under new management and it’s hard to imagine Liverpool having the type of bad luck they had last year (e.g., beach balls creating goals).

Monday, August 16

??? Man United v Newcastle, 3 pm, ESPN2 & espn3.com

A tough opening match for the Toon. It will be interesting to see what opening day lineup Sir Alex throws out, with so many options. We don’t get very many Monday games this year, but this should be a fun one.

"

US v Brazil

Not sure if people got to see the US v Brazil game but here are some of Bernardo's thoughts.

First off- I really missed watching a soccer game without those stupid vuvuzelas.

Secondly- Brazil = wow. That Brazil team would have smoked the one they brought to South Africa. That was the Brazil this World Cup was missing and I'm glad to see it back. It won't be long before Neymar is FIFA player of the Year.

I have mixed feelings about the way we approached the game. I get giving Bradley and our squad one last hurray but it was painful to watch. I couldn't tell if it was because our players didn't care or because those players will never remotely be in the same class as that Brazil squad. I thought we had all agreed that Klestjan and Bornstein never put US jerseys on again and once we have a new coach that will be the case. Hopefully we have a new set of players coming up through the ranks because it was obvious that we can go no further (if not regress) with this bulk of players.

One bright spot on the US team was backup goalkeeper Brad Guzan. He is ready to be our number 1 and I wouldn't be suprised if that were the case in Brazil 2014.

1st Annual Hunter FC EPL Pick the Table Tournament

It's a little wordy, yes, but the EPL season is right around the corner. So here's the deal: predict how the 20 EPL teams will place at the end of the season.


FAQs:

Deadline for picks?
Unofficial: beginning of the family party.
Official: Before the league kicks off August 14th.

How will the scoring be done?
I'm not sure. I propose we make it as complicated as possible using a formula of algorithms, matrices, and the zodiac signs to determine the winner. If that doesn't work, I think we should discuss a system that factors in extra points for picking the champ, the top 4 finishers and the three relegated teams.

Don't you think there should be some additional side bets for fun?
Yes. For instance, everyone picks a team purely based on their name and whose ever team finishes ahead of the others wins one Shrute buck.

Saving a Friendly

So, as most of you know, Inter Milan and Manchester City played in Baltimore on Saturday Night. As some of you know, I was teetering on the edge as to whether or not I wanted to go. It was “under consideration” from the day the game was announced until 4:53p on Saturday. At that point, my friend, Mo, called me and said that there were some comp tickets available from the referees and that I could go for free. Needless to say, that made the decision quite easy.

So, I started to walk to the stadium a little after 6 with the idea of meeting Mo and another guy whom I ref with, tailgating, and going into the match. I was about half way there when I got a call from Mo with these words “we are in a major bind.” Since I knew getting the tickets had been an issue for most of the week, I just figured that something had come up with the tickets and that I was not going to be able to go. This would have been disappointing, but certainly not Earth-shattering. So, I asked what was up. He goes “ok, where are you, close to the stadium??” I said, “I’d say I’m about half-way between the stadium and my house, why what’s up?” Mo: “Ok, I need you to do this, I need you to go home, pack your referee bag and put everything you have in it, shirts, shorts, socks, everything.” Me: “Uhhhhh”. Mo: “We’ll meet you at your house.”

Now, I’m not an idiot, I know that I’m not working an international friendly, but I will say that for a fleeting second that thought did cross my mind. I was really confused. So, I got another call asking for directions to my house when I asked, what the hell is going on? He went on to explain that one of the referees had brought the wrong kits and they had no backup kits to use. That’s when I started laughing. Out of the 4 referees, we had 3 FIFA’s or former FIFA’s plus my friend Jason (the guy you all saw out in Denver.) I knew Jason hadn’t forgotten his stuff and if he had, he could have just gone home and got it (he lives almost as close as I do). So, here I am, a lowly Grade 7 referee providing a uniform to a FIFA official so that an international friendly could go off as scheduled.

So, that’s about the end of the exciting part of the story – my bag got to the stadium by 6:45. Kickoff was not until 8:00, so they had plenty of time. I watched the game (great seats by the way, $70 for $0). We met with the referee crew after the match and they were all very appreciative that I was able to help them get out of a bind. Mo said, “I don’t think you realize how much you helped yourself today, they are definitely going to remember who you are.” I’m not sure if I helped myself, but I certainly didn’t hurt myself and I will admit that it was pretty cool seeing my stuff on the field, as nerdy as that may sound.

The Celebration of the Day

Those crazy Icelandic fishing fools...

Commissioner Don Garber believes all signs point upwards for MLS - Grant Wahl - SI.com

Baltimore's Own with a weekly column. Some interesting thoughts from the Commissioner.

Commissioner Don Garber believes all signs point upwards for MLS - Grant Wahl - SI.com

From The Sports Guy's Mailbag

Q: Soccer still isn't going anywhere in America for this reason: People like me, who only watch soccer whenever the World Cup is on, are hated by actual soccer fans. They would rather have us not watch soccer at all rather than start watching soccer and rooting for the U.S. during the World Cup. It kills them to see people watching who don't normally. I have heard people say things to other people along the lines of "you don't even know the rules" and "if you don't know what's going on then don't watch." Ironically, diehard soccer fans here are actually hurting soccer's progress here in the U.S..
-- Brandon P, Zanesville, Ohio

SG: You just introduced a premise called "The Cult of Status Quo." Sometimes when people become die-hard fans of something that isn't mainstream -- a writer, a band, a player, a TV show, a sport or whatever -- they want to keep that thing the way it is over seeing that thing take off. Why? Because it's cooler to like something that isn't mainstream popular. Because mainstream popularity begets bandwagon fans and people who aren't as sophisticated about that product. Because it's more fun to love something before it takes off than after it takes off.

Hence, it's easier for original fans to dump on newer fans over tolerating them and hoping they advance the cause of whatever they like. I notice this every time I mention the UFC or poker -- there's this bizarre (and totally dismissive) backlash, as if I'm not allowed to watch those sports or even mention them because I'm not a real fan. Well, how do you become a real fan? By liking a sport without disliking the core people who like it. So it's a self-perpetuating cycle, and as weird as this sounds, the original fans like it that way. It maintains their ownership of the product. When the product outgrows them (specifically in the case of a creative entity), that's when the core fans start throwing around phrases like "jumped the shark" and "sold out," mostly because they're bitter it's not just them and the product any more.

With soccer, die-hard American fans love the World Cup itself, but they hate everything that comes with it; the World Cup drudges up the same storylines they've learned to despise ("soccer can't take off unless X, Y or Z happens," "our best athletes don't play soccer," "it can never be big here unless there's more scoring" and "they should get rid of offsides," to name four). I don't blame them for reacting negatively to that stuff, but you wouldn't call them welcoming, either. And they have taken a ton of crap over the years, which tends to harden the line between real fans and everyone else. I can tell you that over the past 15 months, when I wrote about soccer a few times and it became clear that it was more than a bandwagon thing, and that I was actually starting to understand what I was watching -- the feedback from die-hards has been tremendous (and much appreciated). They just need to be a little less condescending with neophytes.

For fun, I asked David Hirshey (soccer historian, author of the World Cup Companion) and Michael Davies (TV producer, World Cup blogger) for their takes:

Hirshey: "The question of authenticity among fans is hardly soccer-centric. I started watching 'Mad Men' after the third episode had aired. I have a friend who became obsessed with the series once the first season DVD came out. Now he never misses an episode. Are we bandwagon jumpers? Sure, if you want to view it that way. Me, I just want everyone to love soccer the way I fell for it back in the late 1960s -- when you had to walk ten miles (OK, blocks), in the snow, just to hear the score of a Man U.-Arsenal game. Does being a fan for the past 40 plus years make me any more legitimate than someone who embraced the sport this summer because Landon Donovan scored a dramatic goal in the World Cup or Diego Forlan has great hair? Absolutely not. Are there still so-called 'diehards' who want soccer in this country to remain a kind of secret Skull and Bones society where membership is passed down through generations? Sadly, yes. I say DeJong them in the chest and tell them to get over themselves."

Davies: "I completely agree that many diehard soccer fans in the U.S. have learned to become just as annoying and condescending as diehard soccer fans in England and all over the world. Globalization is a wonderful thing. But that doesn't seem to be the main premise of the Q from Zanesville. What BP is actually arguing is that soccer still isn't going anywhere in the U.S. And whatever Glenn Beck says, it's just tough to argue against the empirical data -- TV ratings, website traffic, bar tabs. They're all going up during and around soccer games. That seems to indicate that however annoying or casual the fans are, or however annoying they are to each other, they are still watching. Yes, the World Cup more than anything else. But U.S. interest in the English Premier League and Champions League and the ratings and website traffic surrounding those leagues is growing significantly too. There are even people who watch Major League Soccer. And that may be the biggest miracle of all. And the biggest proof that soccer must be going somewhere here. It's like Daniel Kellison's [former executive producer of 'The Man Show' and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'] heterosexuality test -- any man can have sex with a model. But only the most heterosexual of men can bring himself to have sex with a truly unattractive woman. The fact that American soccer fans can sit through 90 minutes of MLS is proof of a love of soccer beyond anything the rest of the world can possibly fathom."

zlatan ibrahimovic ajax amazing goal vs nac breda

Today's "Goal of the Day"

It's painful. So very painful.

I now know where The Onion gets their inspiration.

New FIFA Rankings out

So here are the new FIFA rankings.

Apparently, England showed well in this WC as they move up a spot to 7. Seriously? Ghana, however, was a missed PK from being in the Semifinals and they are 23rd?

Does anyone at FIFA watch soccer?

And the Winner of the 2010 Hunter FC Pick Classico is...

Final Standings
Peter 49
Mike 40
Julie 37
Mark 34
Keith 34
Dad 22

Winners from the knockout round with 21 points each...drum roll...were:



Winners from the group stage with 28 points each....drum roll...were:

My World Cup Best XI

Ok, I tried putting together a line-up, but the truth is mine would have a goalie, 8 midfielders and 2 forwards.

So here are my top 10 mids:

Honorable Mention: Michael Bradley (USA)
10) Dos Santos (Mexico)
9) Lionel Messi (ARG) He plays where he wants and made the most impact in his midfield role.
8) Cesc Fabregas (ESP) He was so good (and is my fave player period), he makes it in his super sub role.
7) Kevin Prince Boateng (Ghana)
6) Thomas Muller (Germany)
5) Landon Donovan (USA)
4) Bastian Schweinsteiger (where else?)
3) Wesley Sneidjer (Holland)
2) Ineista (Espana)
1) Xavi (Espana)

World Cup Thoughts

Just a summary on my thoughts about the 2010 cup.

The single biggest surprise to me was the depth and even more importantly the breadth of support for the US MNT. The crowds at all the venues I was at, in Baltimore, at the Arlington Draft House and even at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, supportive and excited. The television ratings for viewership has to be revised to account for the people who are not at home when they watch the games. Advertisers should be ecstatic because you can't fast forward through the commercials when you are in a bar, movie theater, or casino.

FIFA is an old and decrepit institution that needs to be replaced. The sport deserves better and would do a lot better without it than it does with it. Wouldn't it be nice if some 21st Century company like Google or Yahoo! took over the game the way the television networks took over the NFL in the 20th century. The world wide viewership fits the world wide web. Having said that I thought the Disney channels did a fine job of televising the games.

Why Germany stopped playing after they beat Argentina will remain a profound mystery. But also congrats to Spain who seem to have overcome their predilection to lose games at the worst possible moment. This world cup they reserved their loss for a preliminary round game. In the final, I was supporting the Dutch for historical reasons but they did not distinguish themselves. A lot fewer Dutch players should have been on the field at the end of the game then were there.


South American soccer is faltering.

Kung Fu Yellow Card

I was watching this with about 25 referees/mentors, etc. Pretty easy red card. I think the referee was screened on the play (upon looking at it again). I have to imagine that if he saw this clearly he would have sent this hacking clown off the field. He's a disaster waiting to happen, I hope he costs Man City sometime this year.

Campeones Del Mundo: Espana

Great Q&A: Landon Donovan & Grant Wahl

Link Here: Q&A with Landon Donovan - Grant Wahl - SI.com

A few excerpts:

On the reaction returning home and specifically about THE goal...

Donovan: I haven't been out a lot yet. The one thing that was really clear to me was I've heard the same comment from almost everybody: Thank you for inspiring our country. It gives me goose bumps to say it. You've been around us for a long time and you know this is what we do. It's our job, what we do for a living. So we don't think of it in that way. It was my job to continue running and get in front of the goal and hit a six-yard shot into the goal with an empty net. So for me it's an easy play, something that happens over and over in my career. But the reality for everybody else is that was a moment where people could get away from everything, get behind their country and their team and went from--as I saw in the [YouTube] videos -- devastation to pure joy in one moment. Everybody has said, "Thank you for inspiring us." People I've known for a long time have sent me letters and presents saying, "Thank you so much for allowing me to share that moment with my kids or my granddad." It's just really cool.

If Bob Bradley or US Soccer decide to move on from each other...

Donovan: I'm a little skeptical of foreign coaches in our league and in U.S. Soccer just because of how different our league is and our players are than other players around the world. So in theory sometimes it sounds sexy to have a guy like Ruud Gullit or in this case, who knows? You could bring in [Fabio] Capello and I'm not sure you would get the results you wanted because there's so much to our league and our players than people realize. So it would be a little risky to do that unless you find the right person who really cares and understands and wants to learn about our league and our players.

Donovan: I had a really good experience with Jürgen. I like Jürgen a lot. I know his name gets thrown around a lot and was before Bob was hired. We'll see. If Bob's here I will be very happy. Jürgen was a guy I like a lot and respected. If he were hired I'd also be happy.

On the WC Final...

Donovan: I would like to see Spain win. I like the way the Holland plays, but I think for so long Spain has played the right way. You want that to be rewarded because you want that to be emulated by young players, by other teams. You don't want a team that just bunkers in for 90 minutes to win it. To that point it would be fine to see the Netherlands win too, but I just hope Spain wins.

I'm pulling for Holland (obvi), but if any other team were to win, I'd want Spain for this same reason.

Viewing the World Cup

Not sure where to view the World Cup this year. It seems like this should be a year to view it outside. Here in DC we have a zero chance of precipitation, although given the past month that isn't a surprising forecast.

There are two good choices, in Dupont Circle and Fairfax City. Dupont Circle has the advantage of probably attracting national press so making it to TV is a possibility. It's downside is getting there isn't necessarily half the fun. Fairfax has the advantage of being the home of one team I coached and Julie played for that team so there is a historical association. Also Auld Shebeen provided a nice place to watch Germany lose (grr...) to Spain.
So where are people going to watch the Netherlands win their first World Cup?

Paul

Keith: you forgot to mention paul
me: and i'm going with the octopus
Keith: like you always do

Suarez... discuss

I've been reading a lot of articles/comments about the validity of Uruguay being in the semifinal while Ghana has gone home. Obviously, this discussion has been brought about due to the way the game ended on Friday afternoon. I have pretty strong feelings on this issue, but I wanted to see what the rest of Hunter FC had to say.

The question is simple, did Suarez "cheat"?

Bradley on Fulham shortlist

Rumors are going to run amok for the next few weeks/months. As such, I will not be posting anything I see about any of our American boys. That said, this would be ground-breaking if it were to happen. It's something to keep an eye on. I really hope he gets a chance to manage somewhere in Europe, even if it's not in the premier league.

Bradley on Fulham shortlist: "

 

photo by Joe Toth/ISIphotos.com

When it comes to Americans, It appears Fulham is interested in more than just players.

U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley is on Fulham's shortlist to succeed manager Roy Hodgson, who joined Liverpool late last week. 

While Bradley is not considered the favorite to land the job, he would make history for becoming the first American to land a head coaching job with a European club if he wound up as the Cottagers' coach.

Sven-Goran Eriksson and Mark Hughes are also reportedly being considered, with Eriksson currently Fulham's top choice.

What do you think of Bradley possibly coaching Fulham? Think he would succeed? How much do you think this could help open the door for other American coaches in Europe?

Share your thoughts below.

"

rooting for teams

The New York Yankees are a team I despise. Admittedly, they are the greatest team in baseball, ask a Prince how many championships they've won, I don't know, but I think it's a lot, more than anybody else, maybe twice as many. Even though I hate them, I can think of some times when I've rooted for them.

Growing up, there was a kid on Syracuse Street in Williston Park named Gavin who had connections to tix. I can recall two times in the Reggie/Munson years when I got to games with him. I rooted for them then. In 2001, after 9/11, they had a great run, coming back to win games in the 9th inning of World Series. I rooted for them then. Even in the late 90's, guys like Jeter and Paul O'Neill, made me think, I hate them, they're evil, they're fans are evil, but these guys are cool, it's OK for me to like THESE Yankees.

It was excellent for the Netherlands to knock out those Brazilian favorities. I love Ruud in the ESPN studios, he is much better than they guy I remember with dreads who was friend with that Frank guy in dreads who spit on the Rudi guy in the world cup. But this isn't clockwork orange. This isn't a "cool" Dutch team. They whine when they get subbed, they act like they're hurt when they're not, they stall, they're "disciplined", meaning they win 1-0, instead of 3-1, and they have a great player who plays for Arsenal (ok, that last one's just me).

Anybody want to jump on my German bandwagon? Because THESE Germans play futbol the way it's supposed to be played. They show the English how old and feeble Jon Terry is. They show Maradona how to truly insult somebody. And they fill up Capital City Square the bestses of vibes. Go Deutschland!

SBI's 23 for 2014 (and other players to watch)

This is an article that does not need to be printed. However, it does provide some names for people to track over the years if one is interested. Plus, I can put this article on the blog and check it in 2014 to see how Ives did.

SBI's 23 for 2014 (and other players to watch)

U.S. national team fans shed tears and let out screams after the USA's loss to Ghana last weekend, but for some, the thoughts turned quickly to 2014 and what they might have to look forward too.

So what might the U.S. national team look like in 2014? It should be a stronger attacking side than in 2010, with many of the key players expected to return. There are major question marks in defense, and there continues to be uncertainty about the forward position, but there is no denying that the American talent pool is deeper than it has ever been, and the number of young prospects emerging seems to grow by the day.

Here is the 23-man squad I can see the United States taking to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, along with a look at all the positions in question, with players to watch for:

SBI's Projected USA World Cup Roster for 2014

GOALKEEPER- Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Chris Seitz

DEFENDERS- Oguchi Onyewu, Jonathan Spector, Jonathan Bornstein, Tim Ream, Omar Gonzalez, Ike Opara, Kevin Alston, Kofi Sarkodie

MIDFIELDERS- Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Jose Francisco Torres, Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan

FORWARDS- Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, Yura Movsisyan

Some thoughts on some of the picks:

There are a total of 10 players on this squad who weren't on the 2010 team. That might not seem like enough turnover, but the 2010 was a young team, especially in midfield.

Here are some player thoughts:

Seitz- Okay, the memories of his awful start to the season are still fresh, but he's now starting to show the qualities that made him a "Goalkeeper of the Future" label wearer since he came into MLS. The pipeline for goalkeeping prospects has dried up and Seitz is young and playing games.

Sarkodie- He's an exciting fullback who can overlap well and deliver dangerous crosses. He'll be in MLS by 2011 and is one of the most exciting college prospects around. Yes, he's our long-shot young player on the squad.

Ream/Opara/Gonzalez- All three are quality prospects, and while Gonzalez is arguably the best pro right now, both Ream and Opara have more upside for the international game. Ream's technical skills are unmatched in the pool and Opara is a freak athlete who should have no trouble adjusting to the challenges of the international game.

Kljestan- He's skillful and desperately needed a move away from Chivas USA to maximize his ability. Anderlecht is a respected European club where Kljestan's skills can be honed.

Movsisyan- Much like Herculez Gomez, Movsisyan went from top goal-scorer, to ice cold, to out of MLS, to succeeding in a foreign league. He's young and should only get better with time. He's not an American citizen yet, but he's in the process of securing citizenship.

Here is a closer look at the positions in the pool:

GOALKEEPERS

Tim Howard will be the starter. Don't buy the retirement talk. He will be there in Brazil in 2014.

Don't forget about- Dominic Cervi. He's been on the bench in Europe for two years, but if he could get some steady playing time over the next four years, he could push his way into the conversation.

Long-Term Prospect- Bill Hamid. He might be too young, but there's no denying he's the best young goalkeeping prospect in the league.

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Will Oguchi Onyewu still be around in 2014? My money is on him being around. If not, it will be interesting to see who the United States turns to for some veteran leadership at centerback.

Don't forget about- Geoff Cameron. No, Dom Kinnear is probably not going to play Cameron at centerback in 2011, but there's no denying Cameron looked great there in 2010. If Cameron can move to Europe and play central defense, he could definitely be in the mix for the national team.

Long-Term Prospect- Gale Agbossoumonde. Currently at Portuguese power Sporting Braga, Agbossoumonde is likely a long-shot for 2014, but it's exciting to consider a centerback with his physical tools moving to an established European club at age 18.

FULLBACKS

Left back remains an area where depth isn't a luxury. There are several quality right back prospects, which makes you wonder whether Spector will make a permanent move to left back on the national team (assuming he's not moved to central defense). If someone like Alston could make the move to left back, things would clear up quite a bit.

Don't forget about- Sean Franklin. The Los Angeles Galaxy fullback is fast and has shown improved technical ability. Playing for Bruce Arena can only help him and he should push Kevin Alston for best young American fullback honors (if Kofi Sarkodie doesn't steal the crown).

Long-Term Prospect- Eric Lichaj. He's just 21, is paying his dues in England and very well could play his way onto the 2014 roster. Sarkodie fits in this category, but he made our 23.

WING MIDFIELDERS

The top of the pool is pretty strong with Donovan and Dempsey likely to be around and Bedoya and Holden also in the mix. Robbie Rogers is another popular name, but he needs to work on his game to be seriously considered for this squad.

Don't forget about- Bobby Convey. Remember him? The guy who played a role in 2006 at age 23? He'll be 31 in 2014 and is enjoying a standout season for the San Jose Earthquakes. If he can stay healthy and continue playing well, he'd give the national team pool one of its few natural wing options.

Long-Term Prospect- Brek Shea. Whether he develops into a forward, or continues to be a marauding winger, Shea has loads of talent and potential. He's still just 20, but is starting to really blossom with FC Dallas.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

There is no Mesut Ozil on the horizon, at least not one that we've seen emerge yet, but there are plenty of talented young players with upside. Will any unseat veterans like Bradley and Edu? That's tough to project at this point. The chances of that happening in 2018 seem more likely.

Don't forget about- Freddy Adu. He's just 21, and is still one of the most skilled players in the American pool, but his club situation remains unsettled as he looks to be on the way out at Greek club Aris FC. Seems crazy to think we could "forget" about a 21-year-old, but at this point it's tough to project him onto the 2014 team until he settles at a club and establishes some longevity and success.

Long-Term Prospect- Charlie Renken. The prodigal playmaker fell off the radar after being sidelined by knee surgery, but there has been raving about Renken for some time. If he can stay healthy, and find some playing time sooner rather than later, he just might be able to crack the roster. Luis Gil and Sebastian Lletget are others in this category, as is Mikkel Diskerud. One intriguing player is Tony Tchani, who could develop into a difference-maker. He still needs to secure his citizenship though, assuming he wants to play for the United States.

FORWARDS

Charlie Davies needs to come back and be the old Davies for this position to look much better than it does right now. There are a lot of question marks here. Can Marcus Tracy stay healthy? Will Mike Grella continue to develop? Will Yura Movsisyan get his citizenship and keep scoring goals in Europe? It's tough to envision Dempsey not making a permanent move to forward by 2014.

Don't forget about- Chris Pontius. The D.C. United striker hasn't had the best sophomore campaign, but the tools are there for him to develop into a quality striker. Marcus Tracy is also a player to consider as long as he can overcome his lingering knee injuries.

Long-Term Prospect- Tristan Bowen. The Los Angeles Galaxy striker is just beginning his pro career, but he's already showing some impressive characteristics and could be part of the youth movement in 2014. He isn't alone though, with Juan Agudelo, Jack McInerney and Joseph Gyau also on the radar as potential stars of the future.

What do you think about the above 23-man roster? Which player do you like seeing on the team? Which player do you think was the most glaring omission?

Bill Simmons - 20 Questions Article

This Bill Simmons article is required reading for Hunter FC Blog Members. It's the kind where you click the link and actually print the article.

Enjoy,
MH

8 down, 8 to go

Meant to post this earlier...

MH Player Evaluations

At Janus, we use the following five point rating scale for our performance reviews. On a percentage basis, 80% of employees/players should be 3’s or 4’s. Your starters and best players should be 4’s. There should be very few 1’s and 5’s.

1 Needs Immediate Improvement - Performance is unacceptable and needs improvement
Bornstein (1’s generally do not have the potential or ability to maintain employment.)

2 – Below Target - Performance does not consistently meet expectations
Gooch (Was he replaced due to injury or performance – either way he was missing), Clark (has potential, but was by far the weakest starter, needs significant experience before returning to this level)

3 - Meets & sometimes exceeds target - Performance meets and sometimes exceeds expectations
Timmy (Although having more talent, he was not as sensational as previous American Goalies in the World Cup), Altidore (we are in a results oriented business and our biggest threat scored no goals in four games), Findley/Gomez/Buddle (Findley creates opportunities for himself and Buddle can finish, but Findley can’t finish, and Buddle can’t get open. Gomez has the most potential.)

4 – Exceeds target - Performance consistently exceeds expectations
Clint Dempsey (great player, scored loan goal against England), Maurice Edu (confident, massive presence, game-winner against Slovenia), Bocanegra/Demerit (strong, great in the air, we would have been in big trouble if either of these two could not play), Cherundolo/Felihaber (my biggest surprises, both created chances and played better than they are), Michael Bradley (significant leadership qualities for such a young player, future captain, learned from Confederations Cup experience (no cards), great goal against Slovenia, very close to a 5 performance).

5 – Significantly exceeds target - Performance consistently far exceeds expectations
Landon Donovan (Threatening, fit, determined, scored three of the team’s five goals)

US vs Ghana (MH)

I believe that Joe Gibbs said this in the press conference immediately following every Redskins loss. "They made plays and we didn't." I'm still bitter and hope to watch every quarterfinal. Except Ghana and Uruguay. When I look back at the US Ghana match, I only need to read this article, because it was this simple: Four shots, Ghana made their two, and the US missed their two.

Conversation with Sunil

From the Washington Post. Interesting highlights:

The first goal has to be to get through the first round; we did that ... with two minutes to spare.

It is also a missed opportunity to stay in the American public's eyes for another four, five six days, maybe 10 days, when interest is at an all-time high.

*Gulati said the USA has no plans to participate in the 2011 Copa America in Argentina.

US player grades for WC

Howard= C+ Didn't really have a great tournament in my opinion for how great a keeper he is. I'm still glad he's our guy but needed one or two more spectacular saves for us to have a chance.

Cherundalo= B We need more creative backs like this in our system. But his physical deficiencies were abused against Ghana. I look forward to the days when we have his skills in a Maurice Edu body.

Bornstein= C I've never been a fan, but he played pretty well when called upon. I'm hoping we never need him again.

Guch= C Had good moments but definitely had some bad moments. If he's playing centerback in OT, I think he wins that long ball that resulted in Ghana's winning goal.

Bocanegra/Demerit= C All the heart in the world, but showed their weakness in conceding that last goal. For us to really make the next step, our defenders either need to be physically dominant (Edu) or more skilled (Cherundalo) and hopefully a blend of both.

Dempsey= B- Was typical Dempsey in this tourney= flashes of genius and times of absenteeism. Was a handful in many games when we moved him up top.

Bradley= B One of our best players and he had a great tournament. Bradley and Edu need to be center midfield from here on out.

Clarke= F This better be the last time I see him in a US jersey in any meaning game. Ever.

Donovan= B- I'm happy his demons were exorcised. He too was absent for long periods of time though. Regardless, the Algeria goal should make him a national hero.

Gomez/Buddle/Findley= D Our biggest question mark up from the beginning still went unanswered. Neither of these guys could do anything and we were a better team when dempsey was up top.

Altidore= B- No goals but was crucial in setting up a couple. There were many times he was too much for defenders to handle which resulted in many chances and free kicks.

Bob Bradley= B He's done a great job improving us from 4 years ago. I'm not sure he can do anymore for us though. Klinsmann sounds like he wants to be our coach, lets grab him quick.

Purple & Orange

It's clear this is a male-dominated blog because there has been no discussion about the shoes in this World Cup (til now).


From an article on Yahoo.

40% of all players across the competition (around 294 total) are wearing these (Mercurial Vapor Superfly II) including Franck Ribery, Carlos Tevez, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and 14 other US players.

According to Nike:

An average person's vision is 99 percent peripheral. Less than 1 percent is considered foveal, or focused vision. To spark increased focus of peripheral vision Nike designers analyzed the color spectrum to identify two high-contrast colors, so that when a player is running with these boots the colors trigger a stimulus to rapidly tune peripheral vision. Mach Purple and Total Orange provided the perfect blend to create this effect and performance advantage.

Oh and they look pretty on TV.

Just another Landon Donovan Goal

Things I've done since 12:00 yesterday:

- Watched a replay of THE GOAL at least 20 times.
- Watched the ENTIRE MATCH a 2nd time last night.
- Watched countless youtube videos of reactions from bars across the country.
- Cried/Hugged/Yelled/Screamed

Also, please know that I'm watching the last 5 minutes of the match as I write this (3rd time I've done that tonight.)

I try not to overdo it with sporting events. The odd football win in October, the extra innings win in June, the OT winner in a hockey game in February - those are fun events that should be enjoyed. A stoppage time winner to stay in the World Cup - that's an event that NEEDS to be celebrated and remembered. My buddy sent me a text a few minutes afterward saying "this is why we follow sports." Well yes, this is exactly why we follow sports - it's for moments like these where it's quite alright to high-five/hug people you've never seen before, you will never see again, but whom you'll never forget.

So, we move on to Saturday. This is a game I will be missing since I will be reffing a professional game that no one in the world will care about (including, possibly, the players themselves.) So, I'm really f'in hoping that we win on Saturday because I want to see this team play again. I want to see what we can do at our second crack at a WC Quarterfinal. So, let's go on and beat Ghana, get a little revenge for 2006, and let's get to the quarterfinals.

Compilation of live reactions US v Algeria

http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/across-the-u-s-an-explosion-of-joy/

USA > England, Slovenia, Algeria

"Did that really just happen?" is what I said to Dad/Uncle Den/Barbara's Guardian after the hugs died down following our game winner. He assured me that it did.

After Dempsey's shot rang off the post middle of the second half, I started to prepare myself (much like Julie commented) that this just wasn't our day and we would be going home without losing a game in this World Cup.

As injury time began, I started to think that there's no way the soccer gods could let this happen to our team. There's no question we've been screwed throughout our trip to SA, and the soccer universe must find a way to correct itself.

"Donovan, go long!" it what I envision Howard saying in the 91st minute as he threw a pass Joe Montana would have been proud of. The USMNT's version of the hail mary would set the scales of soccer justice back to level.

Ghana thinks its lucky to be playing the USA instead of England in the next round, they are mistaken.

Howard
Cherundalo Gooch DeMerit Boca
Donovan Bradley Edu Dempsey
Altidore Findley

From around the internets...

There is sooo much great stuff recapping this victory:

1) Wonderfully written NYT article (gave Joe Scarborough chills)
2) Teared up reading this NPR story - reminded me this was about way more than soccer.
3) My work buddy who was at the game:

We may never leave this stadium. And I may never have a voice again. There may be no better place on earth. #worldcup #uswins

4) Tribute to #9:

5) More terrific photos.
6) I rag on Donovan a lot for his PR skills. I take it all back:


Basically the next time someone says they don't like or follow soccer, I'll say, that's too bad.

Group C: #1 US #2 England

This game took years off my life. Years and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

There was a point late in the game- our captain Boc was completing another great tackle...I was preparing myself mentally and emotionally for the fact that we weren't going to make it through...when all I could think was, "we played our hearts out." That's what this team does and it's tough to beat that. And if/when you do, there's no way US fans won't be proud of their team.

When you think about our team today, there were soo many who had standout performances:

Bradley- so solid, so much poise, so proud I have his jersey. I loved all of our players' approaches to free kicks. On each kick, one of our guys would step up and tell the others, "I got this." Demps did it, Landon did it and Bradley did it and he took one heck of a strike.
Edu & Feilhalber- If they were one player, they'd be the greatest midfielder on the planet.
Jozy & Gomez & Buddle- never feared having the ball, brought so much energy and life to the team. They were unlucky at times and blew chances at others, but man, for not having heard of 2 of them before 3 months ago, they brought it.
Our D- each one came up with at least one monumental play- Boc's world class clearance late in the game comes to mind.
Howard- clean sheet and his throw was effectively an assist.

I learned that I really do like Beasley. There was this one lady at the Draft House who was obnoxious throughout the game but once Beasley came in, whenever he touched the ball would yell, "Beasley, you suck!" I realize people were tense and she obviously followed the team, but she got into a screaming match with another lady. And I didn't remember how much I liked the Beas until I noticed that it was very nearly me.

But none of that mattered once stoppage time hit.

The moment Donovan scored was the best sports experience I've ever had and is something I'll remember for the rest of my life. Mark, to answer your question, yes I had tears in my eyes. It was a roaring explosion of joy. I hugged my dad, Keith, and Ashley for probably 2 minutes in individual and group hugs. We went from being on the brink of elimination to winning our group... in 12 seconds. That's how long it was between Howard's (phenomenal) throw and Donovan burying the biggest goal in US soccer history (so far). To quote Pete's text: I have no words.



Bring on Ghana...
Timmy
Dolo Demerit Boc Spector
Donovan Edu Bradley Benny Demps
Jozy

US vs Algeria

Watched the first half at home. Very, very frustrating. Lucky they hit the bar, we couldn't finish, and there was another goal disallowed due to poor refereeing (I agree with my Dad on this one - there is bias, and corruption, and the world's not as perfect as some would like to believe).

Left for work at halftime. Listened to the first 20 of the second in the car. It was more frustration. By 75 minutes I made my way into the waiting area outside the Board room. There were three others watching the match live waiting for our meeting to start. One guy didn't know we were playing Algeria. One guy was biting his nails. I couldn't sit, but I did.

At the 88th minute we were called in. I couldn't be more upset, at the loss, at the England win, at the refereeing, at the fact I was being removed from a television at this specific time. Waiting for the meeting to start, we explained to some Board members what was happening, that we were about to be eliminated, and they promptly exited for a quick water break to catch the end. They could do that. I could not.

And then it happened, the noise I was listening and secretly praying for, it happened: a loud, unified, I don't care there's a board meeting going on next door scream.

It was awesome, the rest of us left the room, ran (in suits) the 20 feet to the TV, and got there in time to see a pile of Americans celebrating next to a corner flag. It was awesome. We watched the end. I high-fived the Board's attorney. It was awesome.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I wonder if some of you had tears in your eyes as I did Friday when Bradley tied the match against Slovenia. I am so happy the US won, but I'm disappointed in today's work life balance. I would have given anything to be in South Africa, the Arlington Draft House, or some Baltimore pub with friends. I surely would have enjoyed the Bulldog.

But it's all good. Just unbelievably, magical, hollywood, good.