I'm Wet and I'm Cold, but Thank God I Ain't Old

It's not very often that a World Cup qualifying match gets the kind of advance publicity in the United States that tomorrow's encounter between the Red, White, and Blue and El Tri has generated, but then again, the U.S. is coming off its best-ever showing at a FIFA Tournament with a runner-up finish during June's Confederations Cup and looking to avenge a 5-0 throttling at the hands of our arch-rivals last month in the Gold Cup Final.

The fact that just last month Mexico pulled off a curb-stomping of the U.S. that Ed Norton would have been proud of is no reason for alarm, though. The resemblance between the lineup that Bob Bradley penciled at Giants Stadium and the one that will take the field tomorrow at the Azteca Stadium will only be slight at best.

Tomorrow, the U.S. will have the fantastic opportunity to re-awake the spirit of "Old Rough and Ready" himself, Zachary Taylor, and walk into Mexico ready to emerge victorious. I'm not sure where "entering into your archrival's national stadium, looking around at 114,000 screaming fanatics who would like nothing better than to see you eviscerated, and then emerging victorious" ranks on the "lifetime experience" list for an athlete, but hopefully the U.S. will be able to answer that question tomorrow evening.

Go get 'em, boys.

Boiling Heat, Summer Stench, 'Neath the Black the Sky Looks Dead

If this was a sports movie, and it sure felt like one for the first 46 minutes yesterday, it played to a conventional script for those who love Sisphyean futility.

The plucky underdogs stepped out onto the field with a team that many expected to embarrass them (just as the Brazilians had done to the U.S. only 10 days before by a 3-0 scoreline), but through a combination of opportunistic scoring by Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan in what were really the only two clear cut U.S. chances in the first half and bend but don't break defense led by Onyewu, DeMerit, and the stellar goalkeeping of Tim Howard, the U.S. of A. went into the break yesterday leading the legendary Samba Kings of Brazil, the only nation to have won the World Cup 5 times, by a 2-0 score.
The entire complexion of the match changed mere seconds after the teams had returned for the second half, however, as Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano snapped a left-footed shot past Howard in the 46th minute to bring the favorites within a single goal which seemed not to be a possibility but an eventuality.

It's hard to accurately describe that feeling that arises when you realize that something is inevitable, but from the moment that Fabiano scored, it was obvious to anyone watching the match that the Red, White, and Blue were already dead in the water.

When the tying goal came 28 minutes later, via Fabiano once again, one of the guys I was exchanging emails with as I watched the match summed up the fate of the U.S. in four words "Samba Kings will win" and I had no doubt he was right.
I say that you have to love Sisphyean futility to enjoy what happened yesterday if only for the fact that the audience for the Final likely included a large number of non-regular soccer viewers who were tuning in to see the U.S. take on the world's best and when those fans see their national team lose a (for soccer) seemingly insurmountable 2-0 lead, I'm not sure if that does more to help or harm the support of the U.S. Men's team in advance of next year's World Cup.

The angel on my shoulder tells me that the mere fact that the U.S. made it to the Final is on-balance positive for soccer in the U.S., but part of me believes that Patton was right when he told us that "America loves a winner".
I do know one thing, however. At least Cris Carpenter is happy.

I Am Not the Actor, This Can't Be the Scene

Congratulations to Mr. John Middleton for correctly naming "Brain Damage" by Pink Floyd as the Tuesday Song of the Day.

As many of you know, or will learn, the U.S. Men's National Team pulled off quite the upset today in South Africa with a 2-0 victory over the current #1 national team in the world, Spain, or as some like to call them "La Furia Roja". Let it never be said that Running Down a Dream does not try to reach a multi-cultural audience.
Courtesy of goals from Jozy Altidore and East Texas-native Clint Dempsey, the Red, White, and Blue will face either Brazil or host South Africa in the Confederations Cup Final on Sunday in Johannesburg.

If they do face the Brazilians, the U.S. will obviously remember the 3-0 pasting given to them by the Samba Kings last Wednesday, but for a team that just snapped Spain's world-record 35 game international unbeaten streak, it seems that, as the gentlemen from The Lonely Island know, Kevin Garnett was right.

Anything's possible.

You Just Want to Be On the Side That's Winning

If you've seen any sports coverage since Monday, you've surely become acquainted (or re-acquainted) with the name of Giuseppe Rossi, the American-Italian striker who was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, yet plays for the Italian Men's National Team based on his dual citizenship.

Rossi tormented his birth nation on Monday with two goals, including a fabulous strike from 25-30 yards out that arced past a helpless Tim Howard into the upper left corner of the American goal.

In the aftermath of the match, there has been the usual banter about whether we should allow athletes born in America to play for other nations, even if those athletes do possess dual citizenship based on the nationalization status of their parents at the time of their birth. I don't fault Rossi for choosing to play with one of the better national teams in the world (even though they lost today to Egypt 1-0), especially since former U.S. National Team manager Bruce Arena went on record as saying that "he wasn't going to chase around some teenager" regarding Rossi's decision to play for his parents' homeland.

I say all that to say this: I may not fault Rossi for his decision, but there are others out there among the American soccer fanbase who feel a wee bit different. The shirt you see below is what happens when rabid soccer fandom meets creative graphic design.

Giuseppe, don't take the "Judas" tag too hard, though. It was placed on a guy some people used to know as "Robert Zimmerman", and I think he's done okay for himself.

We're Threading Hope Like Fire

"Only in America, ladies and gentlemen. Only in America."

The following has absolutely nothing to do with A) Don King or B) boxing but who doesn't love Don King in a sequined denim jacket that resembles the American flag?

I quote the most well (or worst) coiffed man in boxing in response to the following paragraph in ESPN's game report for last night's World Cup qualifying match between the United States and Honduras, which the U.S. by a score of 2-1, by the way.

A crowd of 55,647 attended the first-ever qualifier at Soldier Field, site of the 1994 World Cup opener. While the game was played on American soil, the dominant support was for Honduras, a Central American nation of about 7.6 million. Fans in blue and white appeared to outnumber red-clad American supporters by a 4-to-1 margin, and in the final minutes some fans threw a few cups filled with liquid at Howard.

"It's just the way it is," Dempsey said. "Maybe one day we'll have more U.S. fans."

Only in America, folks. Only in America.

A quick consultation of Google Maps for directions between Chicago and Tegucigalpa reveals the following phrase: "We could not calculate directions between Chicago, IL and Tegucigalpa, Honduras."

I'll repeat that: Google Maps could not even calculate the directions between Chicago and Honduras and their fans outnumbered U.S. supporters by an estimate of 4 to 1.

A few points before we move on, though:

• I know American people don't really dig the whole "soccer" thing.
• I know that the vast majority of the Hondurans at Soldier Field last night were probably naturalized Americans who have Honduran heritage.
• I hate to engage in stereotypes here, but I feel safe in saying that people from Latin American nations care a wee bit more about soccer than Americans do.

With all that said, my goodness folks. That paragraph is pretty depressing to read. I'm sure that Jig or Lance could regale you with stories of feeling outnumbered by supporters of the Mexican men's national team when they went to watch a friendly between the U.S. and Mexico here in Houston about two years ago, but a 4 to 1 margin screams of two things: 1. apathy and 2. a lack of national support that probably means the U.S. won't be winning the World Cup between now and, oh say, THE END OF TIME.

I cannot imagine a similar scenario taking place in another country, even if it is a sport that the U.S. dominates on the world stage. If the "Redeem Team" from the Beijing Games were to travel anywhere else in the world to play in an Olympics qualifying match, I'm going to venture a rough guess that the crowd in the arena would not be, oh, 4 Americans for every German or Italian or Ghanian or Australian.

Again, these could be the rantings of someone who has drank of the soccer kool-aid to a degree that would make Jim Jones proud (too soon? Probably not.), but I have a feeling that Don King would agree with me when I say that things like this could happen "only in America."

Talk About Us Instead, Talk About Why Did It End

Perhaps you dreamt that the coverage of The Beautiful Game had disappeared from the pages of Running Down a Dream, but you were wrong, my friends, oh so wrong.

Last night in Nashville, the U.S. Men's National Team secured a spot in the Beijing Olympics with a 3-0 victory over our neighbors to the north, Canada, also known by some as "America's Hat".The preceding picture probably destroyed whatever Canuck readership I had for this blog, but judging from the visitor location map to your right, I think I'm going to be okay without that portion of my audience. Well, at least for a few days.

Anyway, here's a video of all 3 goals from the match, including two free-kick goals from your friend and mine, Freddy Adu.

You know what? Judging by the venom that I receive for soccer posts, I'm just going to combine my weekly Liverpool post into this one simply to spite all of you.

The draw for the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals was last Friday, and the results look a little something like this:

• Manchester United (England) v. AS Roma (Italy)
• FC Barcelona v. Schalke (Germany)
• Chelsea (England) v. Fenerbahce (Turkey)
• Arsenal FC (England) v. Liverpool FC (England)

Yes, that's right. Liverpool somehow managed to draw Arsenal in the Round of 8, and if the Reds progress past the Gunners, they have the joy of (most likely) meeting Chelsea for what would be their third Champions League semifinal clash in the last 4 years with the Blues.

I'm not saying Man. U. paid off anyone at UEFA, but if you see some European guys with new dental work in the near future, well, you know where the cash for that came from, don't you?

Sometimes It's Hard to Know Where I Stand

A few notes from, as Luke Reeves might say, the world of "obscurity"...

Liverpool captured their first Premier League win of 2008 with a 3-0 defeat of Sunderland courtesy of second-half goals from Peter Crouch, Fernando Torres, and a late-penalty (pictured below) by skipper Steven Gerrard. After a January that saw the Reds draw against Wigan, Middlesbrough, and Aston Villa, lose a last-minute heartbreaker to West Ham United, it's not an overstatement to say that this win against Sunderland was sorely needed. Now, the Reds face familiar rivals Chelsea FC on Sunday at Stamford Bridge in London. There's one thing I can guarantee you following this match: Either John Middleton or yours truly will be writing derisive messages to the other party while most of you roll your eyes in boredom. That's really why you come here, isn't it?

Also, on Wednesday the U.S. Men's National Team faced off against archrival Mexico at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Sure, they called this an international "friendly", but when these two get together, that term really shouldn't be applied. For goodness sake, I think some bad blood is still simmering over the Mexican-American War. When Zachary Taylor is historically involved and the conflict only ended 160 years ago, I think it's asking a bit too much for two teams to stage a "friendly".

Take that, Santa Anna.Perhaps I've reached the limits of my insight on this matter, but my esteemed colleagues at the Jig and Twig were able to score tickets and provide a first-hand account of the madness. You can find Jig's account here, and Lance's thoughts here. As I've always said, it's good to know people in high places.

Gol de Mondragon (MEX) Gol de Altidore (USA)
Uploaded by DJKALIN24

The match ended in a 2-2 draw, and probably should have seen the U.S. earn a 3-2 victory courtesy of a goal by Nacogdoches native Clint Dempsey, but he was judged to be off-sides and the goal was disallowed. Even through the internet, I can hear my Dad muttering the words "of course, they're always off-sides."

If you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy a Jozy Altidore jersey. The kid's going to be a star. A star, I tell you!