i'm tired of that argument, dakota. we should **** or get off the pot. if we abandon international soccer than i could pick another team to root for and have a snowballs chance in hell of my team winning the world cup.
swoly why do you dislike the US team so much? i personally root for mexico even though im a fan of the US team and hope they get over the hump one day.
EDIT: I watch all the U.S. games. I like to watch the U.S., I enjoy seeing them beat other teams. That's what I want. I want them to BEAT other teams. I am just not happy with they way they do it. PK's? Meh. Set pieces? Meh. EDIT: You say you root for Mexico? That's cool with me. I welcome peeps cheering for my team. But, we at least DEMAND better football. Check it: If they win against Trinidad, it is supposed to be a trashing of more than 2 or 3 goals difference, else it's not success. If you read the papers or pay attention to the media in Mexico, it is a total lack of respect for the team that is supposed to beat someone like Trinidad or Jamaica or even El Salvador. If we continue to show NOTHING against the U.S. or the other teams in the hexagonal, it just mounts the frustration. We are trying to see what hasn't been working. Obviously, the management changes in the past couple of years have hurt us. We were doing well (at least better than NOW) with LaVolpe, but that was because he was there for a long time. Aguirre should set them straight with whatever is left of the qualifiers. You should see how BAD they talk about the team whenever we lose. I remember one time in Mexico, even in Azteca Stadium, fans were actually doing "Olé" for every pass the U.S. was making. IN AZTECA STADIUM! That's how much we demand of our own team. Here in the U.S., it's always: "meh, at least we made it to the world cup" or "meh, at least we went to Germany" or "meh, at least we beat Mexico again" or "hey, when does Football season start?" Read a few posts before this one, and you might see some of that sentiment. Here I am trying to point out what was wrong, and I am labeled a "troll." Ok. So be it. Altidore refuses to shoot from outside, and Dempsey's shots are right at the goalie's hands. That's not GOOD! It's not dislike. It's frustration. I am demanding that they at least present better football in the larger stages. It's that against the rest of the world, they never show up. They only show up against Mexico. Sure, they have our number. Sure, we suck against U.S.... it is frustrating. I am hoping U.S. does well against other teams. I've said it before. They only play well against Mexico... over the past 15 years. Are they better than Mexico now? Yes, head-to-head. Do they make any noise in the larger stage? Only against Mexico (see 2002). What good does that do?
NEWSFLASH The US is not Mexico. As much as you want it to be, the country is not going to embrace the national team like they do in most of the rest of the world. The closest was after 1998 when the US was completely embarrassing in France and millions wanted the head of Steve Sampson. It's just not going to happen. The fans of the team demand more, but it's just not going to end up on the front pages. I think that's what kills you and other Mexico fans the most. Our country, as a whole, just doesn't care as much. Yet, we're kicking your ass nearly every time we play. I have played the game for nearly 30 years. I have a great passion for it. I'm also a Houston sports fan. Learning to deal with the fact that the rest of the nation couldn't care less about you is in my blood. FYI...I'm fairly certain that we beat a favorite in Portugal in 2002 as well. And if not for a handball in the goal, we could have beaten Germany (who we've beaten a few times before...Argentina as well). Enough of this crap that we don't beat anyone, that pk's don't count, and made up rules.
I'm going to try to alienate both camps and say CONCA-CRAP fans please stop arguing over who is the least mediocre from N.A. Like it or not, international soccer is pretty much a 5-6 horse race for the big prizes, the rest is just sort of the field.
Mexico does better in the World Cup because it's a pod seed and gets the easier draws. One reason that Mexico not qualifying for the World Cup would help us greatly is it would give us a huge chance of being a pod seed for the 2014 World Cup. Then you guys will have to deal with getting drawn into the tough groups with at least one of the huge European/South American powers.
The last time the US faced Brazil: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hzcwYYtbkow&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hzcwYYtbkow&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
^^^ Also, remember TAB RAMOS? halfbreed, did you mean NOT qualifying, or qualifying? So we'll help you, or won't help you? You mean a PoT Seed? As opposed to what? You mean to say that ANGOLA and PORTUGAL were easy teams to beat in 2006, and that Italy and Croatia were easy teams in 2002? Are you saying that the U.S. could have beat both of those and would have cruised to win the entire Cup? That's a good joke There you go talking about groups and seeds and weaknesses and strengths. Why do you care if you play Ghana, Italy, Japan or Croatia? Who gives a darn about whom you get placed with? Mexico always ends up winning 1 or 2, and tying or losing 1, then going to the second round to lose, which infuriates us even more. SO?
You guys NOT qualifying would help us, I believe. It would likely be enough to cause you guys to lose the top seed you've gotten and allow us to move a little closer. As far as groups go, I'm saying that going into the group as the second best team on talent is much better than going in as the third best team on talent. I'm not saying it's a straight shot to the final and I'm not sure where you got that at all. I'm saying that it's just common sense that playing a team from Pots 2, 3, and 4 is much better than playing teams from 1, 2, and 4. I'm not sure how you can't see that. It doesn't mean it's an automatic qualification and it does take good play to make it out of the group stage but you saying that the seeding doesn't matter is completely ridiculous. Also please note which team in the above video scored "from the run of play." I don't think that Brazil embarrassed themselves by scoring off of an own goal, a corner, a free kick and a PK.
Come on Swoly, you say it's not dislike, but it sounds very much like it. Or are you just playing devil's advocate? Granted the U.S. plays poorly in European WC's, which is still a big learning curve they have to face. Next year will be the 20th year that the U.S. has been active in international soccer after not caring for 40 years. They have hit their plateau as far as CONCACAF is concerned and you are correct that they need to set their goals higher. But I'd rather be in their shoes than Mexico's. If Mexico was that much better on the world stage they would be kicking our @ss every day of the week and twice on Sunday. But they're not. I guess if the question you ask is, "if the US can beat Mexico, how come they can't beat other good teams?". Well then it works both ways. If Mexico can beat the good teams, how come thay can't beat the US? You mention 2002 as only beating Mexico, but we beat Portugal, tied home team and semi-finalists Korea and were robbed by Torsten Fringes left hand which would have sent the game into extra time against the same team that beat Mexico in the 2nd round in France. Arena's problem in 2006 was with sticking with too many of the 2002 squad.
Spain had a little trouble with a game Iraq squad, but still won 1-0 and clinched a semifinal spot. Probably won't see many starters against South Africa (who plays New Zealand later this afternoon) on Saturday.
But... what if we make it as the 4th seed (looks more probable) ? Wouldn't that put us in a STRONG pot and you guys would get a Pot Seed? I didn't forget about Portugal, and that was the other good outcome of 2002. You guys got certainly noticed for that. Seeding doesn't matter. If you're good, you're good. Let's say you're seeded with 2 STRONG teams. If you beat them, then they're out of contention for round 2, and you won't meet them again in the final stages. So what? Argentina or Netherlands could have taken Mexico out last time. Look at what happened with the U.S. ... not going to the 2nd round is definitely a bad thing. Trinidad TIED Sweden! If Mexico can't beat the U.S. because the U.S. has figured out that we suck against counterattacks, then Mexico's coaches are dumb not to see that. Whether Germany, Portugal, Spain, or Costa Rica use that against us is their problem, but U.S. only plays SMARTLY and beats us. Nothing wrong with that. I've never argued that. Kam, do you play football like leroy420 and halfbreed? You don't know why I keep mentioning that? I am NOT saying PK's and CORNERS and DIRECT KICKS don't count. All I am pointing out with that is that it's more "respectable" and "admirable" to score in the run and with accurate passes and smart plays than to wait until the opposing team fouls you or kicks it out of bounds. That's all. I have NEVER said they don't count. The rest of the world will respect you and play you differently for your team to take advantage of it, if you could prove you could score this way instead of with the plays I am talking about. You guys are OK with the U.S. scoring only like that? Is that the sentiment from all you U.S. fans? "Oh, well, at least we scored"? I don't want the U.S. team to be Mexico. I want the U.S. to play better in the field, is all. Don't tell me they have. Again, not one shooter from long distance in the U.S. scares any of the opposing goalies.
I'm not entirely sure how it would work but I've seen that in order for us to have even a chance at a good seeding Mexico would have to miss at least one World Cup or the US would have to make the semis for two World Cups in a row. I think we both know which one is more likely. I think all Americans are disappointed with the way the tournament turned out last time but it's not as bad as it might seem based on the overall standings. We stunk it up in the first game and got drilled. We tied Italy after getting two red cards (with them getting one also). We tied the game against Ghana right before the half only to have the ref award a very dubious penalty to Ghana minutes later. A win in that game would have had us through to the knockout round. I'm not saying we deserved to beat Ghana but the game would have been completely different without that horrible call (which could have been avoided if Bocanegra hadn't cleared the ball back into the area). We would love to have players who strike the ball from distance. Slowly we are getting players who can do that: Bradley, Kljestan, Clark, Torres, Jones. Our strikers have never been the type to strike from distance and it will take a while until we have strikers consistently shooting from distance. However, you have to play with what you have and we are trying to do that. We've played the great teams extremely well over the past two years but have proven that we're a good but not great team. Our performances against Brazil, Argentina, England, Spain and Italy over the past four years prove that we CAN play on the same pitch but that we are still far behind those countries in our development. That's not a bad place to be considering the state of US Soccer 20 years ago.
That sounds fair enough. I want MORE from the U.S., though. That's why it seems like I hate them, while I am only demanding more. USA vs. BRA now http://www.goalsarena.com/live-football-tv-streaming also ESPN360.com free if you watch from an .edu or .mil network.
No you're not!!!! You hate the US soccer team because they've owned Mexico in recent history!!! That's like me saying it only seems like I hate the Chicago Cubs.
I'm really hoping to see an Adu for Beasley sub at halftime. We really need somebody in our midfield who can hold the ball.
Why does torres not play more? While he doesnt have the same creativity that freddy has, hes at least as composed on the ball and plays better defense.
