OT - USA 1 Italy 0

[Carl Spackler]

I think we are far closer to being a "player" than many are believing. We have made it out of the World Cup three straight times that the cup has not been held in Europe. We have been unable to be successful only when the majority of teams in the field have a significant location advantage on us.

(And before anyone says that "home continent" should not matter, it shouldn't matter maybe but it does. The entire Western Hemisphere has won a total of one world cup in Europe, and I don't believe a European team has ever won in South America.)

The Germans should have won in the cup in the U.S. in 1994, and would be the only team to ever win a cup in an opposite global hemisphere going east to west. That team was amazing. (Jerseys were disgusting though) (West to east - Brazil won in S. Korea in 2002 - in the finals against Germany)..... but that 94 Lothar Mathaus german team partied like viking barbarians for the entire July 4th week in New York City and got beat by a crappy Bulgaria team on two very, very late goals in Giants stadium after being up 1-0, playing hungover and/or still drunk and could barely run by the end. I spent a night in Manhattan for a while with those guys. It was a good time, but damn, that german team should have been locked up in a motel in Paterson, N.J. for that week, rather than hanging out in Manhattan all week and partying 24/7. Klinsmann scored five goals in that 94 Cup.

How we do in Brazil in 2014 will be the proof in the pudding if the system is working. Klinsmann will have had almost a full cycle to track players and get them trained.

I really enjoy soccer, but there's nothign like american football. Soccer, I can think become quite popular in teh U.S. All it will take is regular winner internationally. But nothing will ever be like american football.

 

[progrocks]

great story

 

[ZooCougar]

I was at the US/Germany game in 2002 and Germany was lucky to beat us. The stupid Scottish ref missed an obvious handball. When the game was over, the Germans, who all looked three feet taller than our guys, collapsed in exhaustion.

That was a pretty damn good team that year. All of the Europeans that I talked to were certain that the US was on track to be a real power very soon. I tend to agree with what Businesslawyer said we are close, but the World Cup is the most competitive tournament I can think of, even ridiculously talented teams get sent home early.

The Germans should have won in the cup in the U.S. in 1994, and would be the only team to ever win a cup in an opposite global hemisphere going east to west. That team was amazing. (Jerseys were disgusting though) (West to east - Brazil won in S. Korea in 2002 - in the finals against Germany)..... but that 94 Lothar Mathaus german team partied like viking barbarians for the entire July 4th week in New York City and got beat by a crappy Bulgaria team on two very, very late goals in Giants stadium after being up 1-0, playing hungover and/or still drunk and could barely run by the end. I spent a night in Manhattan for a while with those guys. It was a good time, but damn, that german team should have been locked up in a motel in Paterson, N.J. for that week, rather than hanging out in Manhattan all week and partying 24/7. Klinsmann scored five goals in that 94 Cup.

How we do in Brazil in 2014 will be the proof in the pudding if the system is working. Klinsmann will have had almost a full cycle to track players and get them trained.

I really enjoy soccer, but there's nothign like american football. Soccer, I can think become quite popular in teh U.S. All it will take is regular winner internationally. But nothing will ever be like american football.

 

[Kgun7]

Hugh Dallas ... turn a blind eye to the German handball on the goal line, then call Frankie Hejduk on a phantom illegal throw-in!

 

[rich1122]

If you want a lesson on soccer coaching read this - especially the part about how Klinsman has worked with the younger Bradley. He had a very good game and he was coached that way. Something about the fact that he had too much to worry about and he too often made safe passes.

The best soccer analysis you can ever read. There was not one mention that we were outplayed and this was a lucky win.


http://theshinguardian.com/2012/03/...ner-day-for-the-us-runs-the-table/#more-31274