The Guardian report actually pisses me off, and so does all the snarky commentary on Metafilter (surprise!) regarding the win. So Soccer isn't big in America. So most of us call it Soccer. That doesn't mean the US doesn't "deserve" to win (as one MeFi poster artlessly put it). Hell, how do people expect this country to embrace the sport when all we get is fucking snobbery by its fans? I've loved this World Cup so far and have really enjoyed the games, the fans, and the drama. It's unfortunate to have to read commentary by "fans" and critics who just want to mindlessly bag on Americans. It sounds like the bleating dying whimpers of football establishment whining as the world shifts from Euro dominance to exciting upstarts in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
It sounds like the bleating dying whimpers of football establishment whining as the world shifts from Euro dominance to exciting upstarts in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Don't think of it this way: yeah, the BBC has been playing the rather silly ABC reports which are the classic 'celebration by someone who doesn't know what he's celebrating', but it's impossible, even for people who've sniped at the 'win at all costs' mentality of US Olympic teams, or who joke about the odd status of football in the USA, to deny that the US totally deserves its place in the quarters (or as the ABC guy said, somewhat justifying the Guardian's harping-on, 'the round of 8'). The reason I'm happy about this? Because it pisses off most po-faced, navel-gazing, stat-saturated and frankly ignorant US sports writers. Because it pisses off the jocks on SportsCenter, most of whom probably regard football as a sport for immigrants and sissies, and wouldn't have invited Beasley or Donovan into their fraternity. Because it forces Dubya to engage to some extent with a sport he knows nothing about. Because it reminds you that there's always an America to love, even as there's an American to piss you off. Bizarrely, the US team is loveable, just as Senegal is loveable: this ain't no ego-laden 'dream team' like the ones that play in Olympic basketball (or: France, Argentina, anyone?) but a bunch of players who don't get the props they deserve, even when playing in the big European leagues, and who gel as a team. Most of the time. And may just beat the bloody Germans.
Great comments holgate, I can see your point. You have to think of it though from an American fan's point of view: we get it from both sides. We get stupid remarks from our own sportscasters and we get pithy putdowns from foreign ones. We get sports radio only talking about the US Open (even this morning!) and the BBC laughing that we're idiots. Coworkers baffled that we'd even be interested. Yet right when we're on the verge of putting something together that will shut all these people up we get crap like this. Here's the deal, this morning Brian McBride scored the second goal in our win against Mexico to put us farther than we've been in 72 years. Brian McBride literally lives blocks away from me. On rainy Saturdays I can go to the local soccer stadium and see him play. Every now and then you catch one of the players at your corner pub. They're not being paid millions and living exotic lifestyles ignoring their fans or going on strike, or intentionally beaming each other with a baseball, etc. The sport is actually watchable because it's untouched by the complete callous greed of many other US Professional sports (ok.. baseball and basketball). So to hear all the snide remarks, well, it makes you wonder why Americans don't watch the game - is it because we're too dumb or uncultured or is it because of the ridiculous arrogance of these commentators and fans?
Oh dear, Gary Lineker just reported that Guardian write-up as if it were a real US report. Ah well. Though, actually, I can see the point of that MeFi post: that the US could go on and win the cup, and it'd rank lower on the public radar than Brandi Chastain's sports bra. But that's part of the insane joy of being a football fan: the knowledge that you have to perfect your devotion over that of the part-timers, the semi-believers (who are worse than the unbelievers). But I don't think that US fans can get away with dopamine's holier-than-thou attitude right now: the aim has to be to open your arms to people stumbling into the game, not demand snotty adherance to all-nighters. Now, time for South Korea to live up to the example of the North in 1966.
The Guardian takes the piss out of everyone. Its photo gallery after England beat Argentina was very snide towards England. I shouldn't get too upset about it. Having the piss taken is part and parcel of it, the more successful you are, the more you will have it ripped out of you. It's better than being patronised as plucky underdogs.
Here's the deal, this morning Brian McBride scored the second goal in our win against Mexico err, Donovan scored the 2nd :) the aim has to be to open your arms to people stumbling into the game This is true.
I don't want to jinx this, but does anyone get that whole "Miracle on Ice" vibe from this run that the US is putting on right now? Comparisons: Hockey team made up of unknown young players. Soccer team made up of (relatively) unknown young players (in the eyes of the average American sports fan). Hockey team was not expected to be competitive. Soccer team wasn't expected to make it out of it's own group this time, and was 4 years removed from it's previous humiliation in the World Cup. Hockey team had to beat the favourite (Soviets) in the semi-finals and then beat another surprise finalist (Finland) to win it all. The soccer team will have to beat one of the favourites (probably Italy) and may face a surprise finalist as well (England, Senegal, Japan, if Brazil stumbles). Hockey was very low on the sports radar at the time but grew to the point where everyone was watching and cheering that game against USSR and then Finland. Soccer is still pretty low on the radar, but if the US beats Germany and plays against Italy for the chance at the finals, it will be the top sports story of the day/week/month/year. Yah, I'm probably stretching the comparison too far, but I guarantee you that if the US makes it to the semifinals, sports writers will be tripping over themselves to use the phrase "Miracle on Grass". As a Canadian (we have a soccer team too, but it's more on the level with Monserrat than the USA), I find it hard to cheer for American teams because of the natural rivalry, but I'll be rooting for them all the way in this World Cup. Unless they face England, of course. It's just a heritage thing I can't escape.
But don't think too far ahead. It's Germany next, that's all. Focus. Focus. Focus.
I have to say, I've been impressed by the US. I did expect them to progress to the last 16 (although I doubted after I saw their group) but I didn't expect them to play such attractive football. They probably have the fastest counter-attack of any team in the World Cup. Truly impressive. They fully deserve to be in the quarter-finals and I could well see the team beating Germany.
I just finished watching Belgium-Brazil, and Brazil did *not* look very solid. Belgium were basically one good finisher away from beating Brazil quite soundly with all the chances they got. And the goalie made some great saves too.
I felt pretty bad for belgium. if that header had been allowed we could well be looking at a different result.
