Magox

Maybe because it's the World Cup? Maybe that doesn't mean much to you, but for the rest of the world it means everything in the world of sports. Just think if the Superbowl was held only once every four years, and multiply that by 10. That's the World Cup. It makes it a wee bit more special in the eyes of the vast majority of the world than any other sport. For these men, this was their ultimate dream, to make it to the world cup. Starting at the age of 4-5, travelling as kids to games across the state and country, training trying to be the best of the best day in day out, just to have an opportunity to be selected for a tryout with the national team. I remember what an awesome achievement that it was for me being selected 2nd team all state in soccer. I traveled across the state, even had to travel an hour to go to practices three times a week. The sacrifice made by my parents and by me was all worth it to be selected to the All State team.. So for these men, magnify that by 10. Even then, once your name is called to the national team, the qualification phase to get into the World Cup is a two year process. Not only do you have to perform at a high level during the practices or games that you play in the qualification phase, but there is tremendous pressure for you to perform well and not get benched for the professional team you play for. Because every game you play for your professional team, you are still being evaluated. And if you get benched for an extended period of time, guess what? The coach most likely won't select you for the next phase of the qualifications. Because in their view, you aren't as fit as you need to be and that your game skills aren't being tested. It's a grueling process, and to be selected to the team means that you were selected over the best your country has to offer, and for 2/3 of our World Cup team, it is the FIRST time they ever made it to the biggest show in all of sports on this planet. That alone is a huge achievement in itself. So now that you finally make the team, you not only dream of making it, but scoring that goal with time running out to win the game. That's the dream. That's what you been playing for all of your life, to have that opportunity arise, and to actually achieve what was the wildest of improbable fantasies, and you call this pinnacle moment, not just for this young man, but a DRAMATIC moment that helps lift this team in the World Cup, which puts the US in a great position to possibly advance in the "Group of Death", a team that has knocked us out of the previous two World Cup's, that gives a lot of pride to many American's, and in your view his celebration was "embarrassing". No, what's embarrassing is your penchant to act like a tool. Ya'know, I was actually feeling kinda bad for you yesterday because of how you were being beat up by everyone, grant it, you were in the wrong, but still. But rather than just obsessively continue to let your public disdain for Futbol go, what do you do? You double down on being dense. And no, his teammates weren't thinking that, only you and the rest of the people who dislike Futbol were thinking that.

What an amazing goal!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a marvelous goal by Dempsey! World Class! The defense looks solid, but we are unable to maintain possession to get the counter attack going with any consistency. But make no mistake, there are openings to be had.

This is the only quote from paragraph 2 That's extreme? Only in the mind of a bankrupting socialist would they consider that to be extreme. In paragraph 3, there is no quote. And in paragraph 4 well, there is no paragraph 4, because Mother Jones issued a correction. Keep searching, you still haven't found anything.

I think one of the encouraging signs is that league is looking to establish an official Division two league, which obviously would help develop players. Ultimately, what they will need to do is have each professional team set up their academies so that they can recruit these 13-17 year old kids, provide schooling and training much like they do in Europe and South America. That has to be the goal, and I'm sure we'll get there. In my view, within a decade of forming something along this lines, will propel us to a perennial top 8 team, year in and year out.

Wow! I knew Essien was coming back from an injury but Boateng is a surprising. He is an important part of that team and Essien at one time was considered to be one of the premier Central midfielders in the game.

If Someone of Patrick Peterson's physical and athletic ability began playing soccer even if it's here in the US at the age of 4, and dedicated himself like other pros, he most likely would be playing in Europe, I think there is little question of that.

So which view in your view was extreme from that article? And I guarantee you that your views are much more extreme in the eyes of the American public than mine. That's specially funny coming from the resident PPP socialist

So they were from the Occupy Wall Street crowd?

Good for you, and thank you for your marvelous contribution to this thread.

I just read the first link, and there isn't anything in there wacky owhatsoever other than the author's OPINION. Point to a quote he made or a position he made that backs up what you had been saying. And no, an opinion from a wackobird doesn't count. For crying out loud, the author somehow thought that: Was contradictory to: Which btw, I believe that second observation is spot on. Just stop, do yourself a favor and stop embarrassing yourself. Refute an opinion????? You want him, to get you a link, to refute an opinion? I read it and I posted it above. Nothing wacky in there at all, as a matter of fact, the second paragraph is spot on! Love it!

Germany looks scary! Extremely impressed with them, if they play like this I don't see anyone beating them.

Well they need a tonic, because the country views the liberals as a bunch of overreaching incompetent goobs. Point to me Brat's "extreme social views".

In other words, you got nothing. You just made **** up to fit your narrow viewpoint, and when called out on it, and I do that to you often, in which you NEVER have a substantive answer, EVER, you dodged and deflected and came up with some six degrees of separation excuse believing that somehow it bolstered your argument. The only thing you bolstered is that you are a twit who knows no other way of making his case other than creating bogeyman arguments. Weak

Try to focus, and for once, answer the damn the question. What is a Brat disciple? And what makes you think he is prone to say something cookoo?

Some brat disciple? So what is a brat disciple and what makes you think he is prone to say something in regards to women, equal rights or race that would be cookoo?

It appears to me that the Europeans, generally speaking are having a tougher time coping with the heat and humidity, this could bode well for the US vs. Germany and Portugal.

Pretty much everything you said is incorrect. And you sound angry.

When I first saw Robben play, what stood out to me was his elite speed. That guy would be a nightmare to cover if he's running at ya

World class beat down! Netherlands played in the second half with so much pace. Spain basically folded like a cheap suit. It will be interesting to see how they respond next game.

Well for starters you said You didn't say the very best of the best. Having said that, and don't mistake this for me believing we are at this level, but we did beat Spain vs their A team in a sanctioned match in the semifinals of the Confederations cup, and this was during their epic record 15 game winning streak. And we tied Italy during the WC in 2006, with a man down. So yeah, I reject your comment that we aren't getting close. And in regards to depth. Are you kidding me????? And we've more then held our own against a number of teams in Europe. The point is, that on any given day, we have the talent level to either play to a draw or beat any team. That wouldn't have been the case back in 1996.

Spain vs Netherlands Next Two of the best in the world.

I don't claim to have the solution, but what I do know is that both extremes aren't the answer.

US level of play is considerably better than it was in 1996 and the depth of talent isn't even comparable. In regards to the level of play vs Europe, we hang pretty close to even with most of the European games in head to head match ups. So, I have to disagree with you here. In regards to your last point, yeah, once they hit 16, that's when the cream of the crop separates from us, but we are making strides.