[North Woods]

Now our government won't be distracted with the optics of going or not going to Russia in 2018.  Hopefully the ability to remove that likely distraction will be a benefit for the USA.  (Silver lining if you will.)

The problem wasn't the loss to T&T as in soccer any one game can have an unfavorable result.  T&T, at home, had done OK in the Hex as all of the home games were close.  The problem was the USA team was in a position to need a result in game #10.  Should not have happened, but I must confess as I watched the US vs CONCACAF in games this year I always had the impression that the team probably would not do well in Russia.

FWIW - The final USA Hex game was on some obscure network.  In most countries, given that the team had not clinched, that contest would have been on a very prominent national network.  The fact the game was on a network I had never watched before says all you need to know about USA soccer.

Agree it should never have come down to last game. This shows we are not competitive enough especially given the population and resources at our disposal.

Regarding the tv coverage: “The rights to World Cup qualifiers around the globe are owned by the home team’s federation, which may do with them as it wishes.” It’s surprising that a bigger network didn’t buy out the rights to this. But technically not in direct control of USSF.

[North Woods]

Now our government won't be distracted with the optics of going or not going to Russia in 2018.  Hopefully the ability to remove that likely distraction will be a benefit for the USA.  (Silver lining if you will.)

The problem wasn't the loss to T&T as in soccer any one game can have an unfavorable result.  T&T, at home, had done OK in the Hex as all of the home games were close.  The problem was the USA team was in a position to need a result in game #10.  Should not have happened, but I must confess as I watched the US vs CONCACAF in games this year I always had the impression that the team probably would not do well in Russia.

FWIW - The final USA Hex game was on some obscure network.  In most countries, given that the team had not clinched, that contest would have been on a very prominent national network.  The fact the game was on a network I had never watched before says all you need to know about USA soccer.

Agree it should never have come down to last game. This shows we are not competitive enough especially given the population and resources at our disposal.

Regarding the tv coverage: “The rights to World Cup qualifiers around the globe are owned by the home team’s federation, which may do with them as it wishes.” It’s surprising that a bigger network didn’t buy out the rights to this. But technically not in direct control of USSF.