USA vs Mexico

I guess this forum will have to do for my rant on soccer since there is little to no chance of me getting to talk about it on the show. And really, there is not much to say about another weak performance from the US National Team in a big game. At least that was my thinking immediately after the game on Wednesday. But given some time to think it over, I've actually become even more enraged.

I wrote in my previous post how this country does yet get excited for soccer but only for big events. Well here was a big event. USA vs Mexico in Mexico City. A place where the US has never won...

If I may take a minute for an aside. Why wasn't this game on ESPN? I mean, it wasn't even on ESPN the Ocho. Why wasn't this game on something better than Telemundo (in Spanish) and Mun2 (in English)? Mun2, by the way, is a normally Spanish language station that is not part of the basic cable package and was only available for the day via a free preview. It gets better. Telemundo actually offered the English broadcast to ESPN last winter. ESPN refused! WHAT!? Are you fucking kidding me!? What could you possibly have to show at 4pm on Wednesday that would be better than this? The craptastic Sports Nation, starring that asshole Colin Cowherd and some average looking chick? Jim Rome is Burning? Unless he's going to have a reunion with Jim Everett, I don't wanna see it. Okay, I'm done.

...So here was soccer's chance to grab headlines in the US. And they blew it. They blew it because of US Coach Bob Bradley's shitty game plan and his irrational fascination with playing veterans who aren't half as good as the subs behind them. No one thinks forward Brian Ching is an international level player except for Bradley. 87 year old Steve Cherundolo at right fullback? Where was Jonathan Spector, who had just shown himself to be the best the US has had to offer in years at that position with his excellent showing at the Confederations Cup? And when will Bradely begin to understand that the MLS is shit!? Where was Jose Francisco Torres who plays professionally IN MEXICO? If anyone was built to handle the pressure of playing IN MEXICO it's him. And what about tactics? The strategy (what little there was) the US employed appeared to be sit back on D and absorb run after run from the Mexicans and when actually gaining possession to just boot the ball up the field like a freaking six year old. Where upon the Mexicans would regain possession and begin their attack again.

This loss is not world ending for the US. In soccer terms, a road loss in World Cup Qualifying means very little. The US will continue their qualifying run for South Africa. And they will qualify. It's just that now, no one will be watching.

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