10-11-2017, 12:21 PM
1. The loss last night - and the players' appearing to just "go through the motions" - easily qualifies as the most epic fail in USMNT history. Really disgraceful. I feel sorry for Pulisic who played his arse off and was weeping post-match.
2. The TnT loss was perfectly encapsulated by EMPTY stadium. Nobody on the island gave a $hit about the game, and the U.S. still lost. Nice going.
3. Klinsmann may have been a bad coach - I really don't know - but he had one thing right: favor the U.S. players who compete in Europe in the best leagues (Premier, Bundesliga, La Liga). The competition at that level is light years above what MLS soccer presents. And you have to compete with the best to be the best - a truism. Jordan Morris had the chance to compete with the best, but he took the more comfortable route of "local hero in MLS." He's making a fine living and that was certainly his choice. But until more kids do what Pulisic and Wood are doing - compete in Europe in top leagues - the USMNT will never be the competitive force it should be in soccer.
4. The "silver lining" (and that's not really the right phrase) is what Outsider notes: at least we won't be indirectly supporting corrupt Russian regime with U.S. tourist dollars - though when it comes to FIFA events, there doesn't appear to be a way to compete without advancing corruption. More generally, all those nations that are glad the U.S. lost and is out of the WC, well . . . they can enjoy their U.S.-less competition (including less US media coverage buzz, less US tourist dollars supporting the events that their beloved teams are competing in, etc.).
P.S. How old is the U.S. goalie, anyway?
2. The TnT loss was perfectly encapsulated by EMPTY stadium. Nobody on the island gave a $hit about the game, and the U.S. still lost. Nice going.
3. Klinsmann may have been a bad coach - I really don't know - but he had one thing right: favor the U.S. players who compete in Europe in the best leagues (Premier, Bundesliga, La Liga). The competition at that level is light years above what MLS soccer presents. And you have to compete with the best to be the best - a truism. Jordan Morris had the chance to compete with the best, but he took the more comfortable route of "local hero in MLS." He's making a fine living and that was certainly his choice. But until more kids do what Pulisic and Wood are doing - compete in Europe in top leagues - the USMNT will never be the competitive force it should be in soccer.
4. The "silver lining" (and that's not really the right phrase) is what Outsider notes: at least we won't be indirectly supporting corrupt Russian regime with U.S. tourist dollars - though when it comes to FIFA events, there doesn't appear to be a way to compete without advancing corruption. More generally, all those nations that are glad the U.S. lost and is out of the WC, well . . . they can enjoy their U.S.-less competition (including less US media coverage buzz, less US tourist dollars supporting the events that their beloved teams are competing in, etc.).
P.S. How old is the U.S. goalie, anyway?