Headed to Citi Field in a few hours for the Minnesota-New York game. Thought I'd shed some light on the two teams, the match-up and the new Mets stadium.
Without further ado...
There were rumors this week that the Mets and Mariners had mutual interest in a deal involving Cliff Lee. The Mets however were reportedly reluctant to pull the trigger on a trade if it included big league talent like Jon Niese, Ike Davis or Angel Pagan. Wait, what?
Jon Niese is a good young pitcher but he also couldn't make it through five innings against Detroit Tuesday night after being staked to a 10-0 lead.
Ike Davis is a fan favorite in the Big Apple, already inspiring a "We like Ike" Dwight D. Eisenhower-esque campaign after just a few months in the show. The hefty lefty was the Metropolitans first-round choice in 2008, drafted 18th overall out of Arizona State. He could be a middle of the line-up masher for the next 10-15 years, and is having a fine rookie season to date.
Angel Pagan is a light-hitting outfielder, with some speed. He's hitting at a .304 clip currently but has just four home runs and is very expendable.
But since when did the Mets decide to be the Yankees? Not the free-wheeling spenders but the "we want to build from within and not continue to mortgage our future types?" Oh wait, maybe a decade-and-a-half worth of huge deals that yielded little results can cause a shift in philosophy but the Mets still have money and we are still talking about Cliff Lee.
While the Mets have been playing very good ball of late, winning seemingly every time ace Johan Santana doesn't pitch, putting Lee and Santana at the top of a rotation would be exactly the formidable one-two punch that fellow NL clubs like St. Louis (Carpenter and Wainwright), San Francisco (Lincecum and Cain) and rival Philadelphia (Halladay and the aforementioned Cliff Lee) have or should have tried to keep intact.
In case you needed reminding, since apparently Mets executives do, here are Lee's numbers from last postseason with the Phillies: 5 starts, 40.1 IP, 4-0, 27 H, 6 BB, 33 K's and a 1.56 ERA.
Now there is a guy I want on the mound come October and if the Mets are serious about contending and making noise in a pitching-packed NL postseason then they should, too.
****
Speaking of Santana, he got roughed up by his former mates yesterday (five earned in six innings, of a 6-0 loss), and even without his services the Twins just keep on chugging.
While the monster contract doled out to catcher Joe Mauer shows that even Minnesota is capable of opening up its wallets a bit the Twinkies are still a model of efficient, calculated success.
At 41-33, they own a game and a half lead over the red-hot White Sox (winners of 11 in a row) and the Detroit Tigers. Both teams spend more money than the Twins do ($108 million and $122 million respectively) but Minny's 2010 payroll is just under $98 million allowing them to keep some of their home grown talent in house and to be competitive consistently.
Beautiful new Target Field only increases the chances of that happening. The Twin Cities new jewel, a downtown, outdoor stadium, has been filled at 99 percent capacity so far in its inaugural season and with a good team in a fantastic place for summer it should be a good ride for the Twins again this year.
****
I got my first taste of Citi Field Wednesday evening when the Tigers were in town to take on the Amazing's. It feels absolutely huge, but the spacious concourses, and fabulous concessions made it a great experience. Every one of these new ball parks is a sight to behold and this one is no slouch.
I've heard about big it was and after watching so many games at Long Beach's Blair Field and following the Giants at AT&T Park it was hard for me to imagine a diamond that played much bigger than those two but Citi really is a cavernous place.
High walls and really deep alleys make it a pitcher's haven and even with Wright and Bay expected to produce a lot of power it seems like the Mets are building around pitching and winning close, low-scoring games.
****
It's only late June but both teams are locked in close division races. I mentioned the three-team battle ensuing in the AL Central but the Mets are 42-32. That puts them 1.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves and two games clear of the two-time defending NL champion Phillies.
Needless to say in a long season, every game is still important. The Twins needed 163 games to edge out the Tigers last October after their disastrous finish and with an historic collapse of their own in the not so distant past the Mets need to keep grinding each day.
****
I'll have much more from the game, so stay tuned at twitter.com/philomis for more Twins-Mets info. There will also be plenty of World Cup tidbits and Giants-Red Sox stuff as Lester and Lincecum duel it out by the bay.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
So you're telling me there's a chance
That's one of my favorite lines from a long list of classic Dumb and Dumber quotes.
Lloyd asks Mary the chances of "a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together?"
Mary tells him they are one in a million. Lloyd is ecstatic.
That's how the U.S. men's soccer team and it's supporters feel on the eve of a monumental tilt with the Black Stars of Ghana.
The Yanks were given a gift when English goalie Robert Green flubbed Clint Dempsey's shot near halftime in their opening match in South Africa.
But then their luck turned. After making an epic comeback to even the score with Slovenia, drawing to 2-2 after being down a pair at intermission, Maurice Edu's game-winner was disallowed and the red, white and blue was on the brink of another early exit.
In Wednesday's third and final qualifying game the Americans had another goal waived off but didn't waiver and Landon Donovan's goal in extra time sent the U.S. through to the round of 16.
****
What number 10's magical strike really did was give the U.S. new life. Staring elimination straight in the face the "cardiac kids" not only found the tally they so desperately needed but in doing so clinched the top spot in Group C and really found themselves excited about their "one in a million moment."
****
The last Vegas-based odds I saw before the World Cup began had the Americans as 66-1 to hoist the golden ball. Overseas it was even higher, going off at 125-1. A Sam Bradford-led renaissance in St. Louis, where the hapless Rams win the Super Bowl next February is a 200-1 possibility at the moment.
There all parallels. Both the Rams and the U.S. would have to beat out 31 other foes and the mere mention of it brings both snickers and looks of disbelief.
But once again Donovan's goal changed everything.
Not only did the U.S. win their table by finishing with more goals than the Three Lions but they also won the lottery in terms of who they will face en route to the "Final Four."
Make no mistake, a run to the semi-finals would be very much like Butler or George Mason making it. But for the Americans the three teams they are now matched up against in the "Sweet Sixteen" that remain alive in South Africa are like an eight seed, a nine seed and a 13 seed.
To be in a foursome with Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea while world soccer powers Argentina, Germany and England are opposite them, plus rival Mexico, well, the United States simply may NEVER have this kind of opportunity to at least make the semi-finals of the planet's biggest sporting event.
****
There is no getting around the fact that the U.S. team could already be back in the States. They did not play exceptionally well and could have very easily found themselves on the outside looking in but this situation is not at all new to them.
Just last summer, on South African soil and in many of the same stadium's, the Americans looked outnumbered and uninterested for their first two games before a 3-0 triumph against Egypt and a bizarre sequence of tiebreakers saw them sent through to face reigning European champion Spain.
They made the most of that opportunity knocking off the best team in the world 2-0 before taking an identical lead against the most decorated world soccer side, Brazil, in the Confederation's Cup final.
The Brazilians brilliance shone through in the second half and the Americans came up short but it was an important lesson on focusing on the task at hand and realizing that when presented with that "chance" anything is possible.
****
Tomorrow's game against Ghana is that chance multiplied by one hundred. What Donovan's goal set in motion was a chain of events that could change the course of American soccer history.
The Black Stars are a young team but a determined one. They sent the red, white and blue packing four years ago with a 2-1 win to close out group play and carry the hopes of an entire continent on their back, Five African teams made this World Cup, the first ever on the continent, and they are the only one still playing on home soil.
Uruguay has looked very good so far and La Celeste has won two World Cup titles - albeit not recently - and they use an up-tempo, attacking style that could cause problems for an unsettled American back line.
South Korea is still a relative unknown to the soccer world but has nothing to lose and so much to gain having advanced to this point already. The U.S. has surprised as an underdog but often scuffled against equal or lesser opponents.
Nothing will be guaranteed against any of these teams but when the anthems are done tomorrow evening in South Africa a "one in a million chance" will be a dream much closer, and much more plausible, for the Americans to realize.
Lloyd asks Mary the chances of "a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together?"
Mary tells him they are one in a million. Lloyd is ecstatic.
That's how the U.S. men's soccer team and it's supporters feel on the eve of a monumental tilt with the Black Stars of Ghana.
The Yanks were given a gift when English goalie Robert Green flubbed Clint Dempsey's shot near halftime in their opening match in South Africa.
But then their luck turned. After making an epic comeback to even the score with Slovenia, drawing to 2-2 after being down a pair at intermission, Maurice Edu's game-winner was disallowed and the red, white and blue was on the brink of another early exit.
In Wednesday's third and final qualifying game the Americans had another goal waived off but didn't waiver and Landon Donovan's goal in extra time sent the U.S. through to the round of 16.
****
What number 10's magical strike really did was give the U.S. new life. Staring elimination straight in the face the "cardiac kids" not only found the tally they so desperately needed but in doing so clinched the top spot in Group C and really found themselves excited about their "one in a million moment."
****
The last Vegas-based odds I saw before the World Cup began had the Americans as 66-1 to hoist the golden ball. Overseas it was even higher, going off at 125-1. A Sam Bradford-led renaissance in St. Louis, where the hapless Rams win the Super Bowl next February is a 200-1 possibility at the moment.
There all parallels. Both the Rams and the U.S. would have to beat out 31 other foes and the mere mention of it brings both snickers and looks of disbelief.
But once again Donovan's goal changed everything.
Not only did the U.S. win their table by finishing with more goals than the Three Lions but they also won the lottery in terms of who they will face en route to the "Final Four."
Make no mistake, a run to the semi-finals would be very much like Butler or George Mason making it. But for the Americans the three teams they are now matched up against in the "Sweet Sixteen" that remain alive in South Africa are like an eight seed, a nine seed and a 13 seed.
To be in a foursome with Ghana, Uruguay and South Korea while world soccer powers Argentina, Germany and England are opposite them, plus rival Mexico, well, the United States simply may NEVER have this kind of opportunity to at least make the semi-finals of the planet's biggest sporting event.
****
There is no getting around the fact that the U.S. team could already be back in the States. They did not play exceptionally well and could have very easily found themselves on the outside looking in but this situation is not at all new to them.
Just last summer, on South African soil and in many of the same stadium's, the Americans looked outnumbered and uninterested for their first two games before a 3-0 triumph against Egypt and a bizarre sequence of tiebreakers saw them sent through to face reigning European champion Spain.
They made the most of that opportunity knocking off the best team in the world 2-0 before taking an identical lead against the most decorated world soccer side, Brazil, in the Confederation's Cup final.
The Brazilians brilliance shone through in the second half and the Americans came up short but it was an important lesson on focusing on the task at hand and realizing that when presented with that "chance" anything is possible.
****
Tomorrow's game against Ghana is that chance multiplied by one hundred. What Donovan's goal set in motion was a chain of events that could change the course of American soccer history.
The Black Stars are a young team but a determined one. They sent the red, white and blue packing four years ago with a 2-1 win to close out group play and carry the hopes of an entire continent on their back, Five African teams made this World Cup, the first ever on the continent, and they are the only one still playing on home soil.
Uruguay has looked very good so far and La Celeste has won two World Cup titles - albeit not recently - and they use an up-tempo, attacking style that could cause problems for an unsettled American back line.
South Korea is still a relative unknown to the soccer world but has nothing to lose and so much to gain having advanced to this point already. The U.S. has surprised as an underdog but often scuffled against equal or lesser opponents.
Nothing will be guaranteed against any of these teams but when the anthems are done tomorrow evening in South Africa a "one in a million chance" will be a dream much closer, and much more plausible, for the Americans to realize.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Perfect Patriotism
Patriotism feels too often forced.
Holidays, war and tragedy can do that to us.
Sports are scheduled, so to say they bring out completely spontaneous acts of national pride would be false, but they sure can bring a bar to its feet.
Such was the case Saturday morning.
At the Harp Inn, an Irish Pub in Costa Mesa, Calif., the fervor and sheer size of the crowd watching the USA/England match was stunning.
The small sign on the far wall reads "maximum occupancy: 147" but by the time the game was in full swing more than 350 raucous revelers were packed in an area half the size of a goalie box.
The action on the field was fast-paced and had it's share of twists and turns but one event just before the whistle blew stood out above all else: The American national anthem.
One of my absolute favorite You Tube videos is of the entire crowd at Rexall Place belting out "O Canada" before an Oilers-Ducks playoff game in 2006. The anthem singer quickly bows out as the crowd simply takes over in a passionate chorus. I had chills watching it the first time and goosebumps watching it again as I pasted the link into this post.
I have no connection to Canada, it's a tremendous anthem, but I feel no attachment to it.
Something magical happened that reminded me of that video yesterday morning. With the volume of the game not audible above the crowded bar, the Star Spangled Banner began to play in South Africa as the players were shown standing with their hands on their hearts.
All of the sudden, 90 percent of the bar, or all of American supporters began to sing. It started out as a swelling sound and began to be an enthusiastic yell.
People were smiling and laughing, some were crying. But I'll never forget that sound.
More than 300 soccer fans gave me the greatest sense of patriotism I've ever known and it was truly remarkable. I'm not proud of a lot of my country's past nor do I agree with a lot of what we are currently involved in but for those two minutes I was enthralled with the words and passion of the red, white and blue.
****
As for the game itself the British certainly had the most quality chances but the U.S. has to feel as though they had the biggest "oh, what could have been" moment when Jozy Altidore sprung free down the left flank and his scoring attempt was deflected by the keeper off both the goalpost and crossbar before caroming away.
The Yanks were mere inches from taking a 2-1 lead and could have scored a huge upset and registered a massive three points.
****
The first two things I screamed after the pandemonium finally quieted a bit and I shook myself from utter shock following the American equalizer were "that would have been bad in high school" and "what in the name of Bill Buckner just happened?"
For a U.S. side desperate for some consistent play on the world's biggest stage their goal, and Green's gaffe, were a welcome break. It doesn't matter how you score, just that you do, and considering the gift they were given by the British blunder was enough to earn a tie they will certainly take it and move on accordingly.
****
In the other net, Tim Howard was unequivocally the man of the match. After not sleeping at all the night before the game and spending six-plus hours at the bar, I've read none of the press or seen any of the highlights.
This may have already been echoed by many but the U.S. could have finished that game in a three or four goal hole if not for the brilliance of one of the world's best keepers.
Add to the mix the fact that Howard took a boot to his arm and chest in the first half and the Americans certainly have a hero to ride as far as he can take them over the next few weeks.
****
Getting a point had to be exactly what coach Bob Bradley and the red, white and blue were playing for. Anything more would have been gravy. But the U.S. is still in a precarious spot. They really need decisions in their next two games and ultimately a win and a draw may be necessary to get them through.
Assuming England win's out they will finish on top of the group with seven points. If Slovenia beats Algeria then the U.S. would need to also beat Algeria and at least earn a draw with Slovenia to finish with five points or one more than Slovenia would have.
Here's how that would look:
England 2-0-1 (7 pts)
USA 1-0-2 (5 pts)
Slovenia 1-1-1 (4 pts)
Algeria (0-0-3) (0 pts)
If Algeria upsets Slovenia then the same could be said for their chances and what the U.S. must do but ideally these two sides will draw and the Americans could advance even without a win if they can stay out of the loss column.
But a Slovenia win would make Friday morning's showdown a winner-take-all affair.
****
I own many different hats and jersey's for my favorite teams and plenty get attention especially considering I'm a bay area native living in enemy territory in southern California but the amount of people that stopped to ask me about the game, yelled at me from their cars or simply made a comment as they passed by me in the hours that followed the match as I walked around the beach yesterday afternoon was staggering.
People wanted to know the score, talk to me about the game or most entertaining, a handful actually thought I had netted the lone American tally.
I'm not sure what that says more about the state of soccer in the lower 48. On the one side, in an official blue jersey exactly like the ones the U.S. wore and with a beard and sunglasses on I do look a lot like Clint Dempsey.
But the U.S. and England had just finished playing halfway around the world and except for cheesy TV commercials most athletes don't wear their jerseys around in public just for fun.
It made for some interesting exchanges and I was definitely thrilled with the number of passers-by that had something soccer related to say. Not an everyday occurrence by any stretch of the imagination.
Until next time.
Holidays, war and tragedy can do that to us.
Sports are scheduled, so to say they bring out completely spontaneous acts of national pride would be false, but they sure can bring a bar to its feet.
Such was the case Saturday morning.
At the Harp Inn, an Irish Pub in Costa Mesa, Calif., the fervor and sheer size of the crowd watching the USA/England match was stunning.
The small sign on the far wall reads "maximum occupancy: 147" but by the time the game was in full swing more than 350 raucous revelers were packed in an area half the size of a goalie box.
The action on the field was fast-paced and had it's share of twists and turns but one event just before the whistle blew stood out above all else: The American national anthem.
One of my absolute favorite You Tube videos is of the entire crowd at Rexall Place belting out "O Canada" before an Oilers-Ducks playoff game in 2006. The anthem singer quickly bows out as the crowd simply takes over in a passionate chorus. I had chills watching it the first time and goosebumps watching it again as I pasted the link into this post.
I have no connection to Canada, it's a tremendous anthem, but I feel no attachment to it.
Something magical happened that reminded me of that video yesterday morning. With the volume of the game not audible above the crowded bar, the Star Spangled Banner began to play in South Africa as the players were shown standing with their hands on their hearts.
All of the sudden, 90 percent of the bar, or all of American supporters began to sing. It started out as a swelling sound and began to be an enthusiastic yell.
People were smiling and laughing, some were crying. But I'll never forget that sound.
More than 300 soccer fans gave me the greatest sense of patriotism I've ever known and it was truly remarkable. I'm not proud of a lot of my country's past nor do I agree with a lot of what we are currently involved in but for those two minutes I was enthralled with the words and passion of the red, white and blue.
****
As for the game itself the British certainly had the most quality chances but the U.S. has to feel as though they had the biggest "oh, what could have been" moment when Jozy Altidore sprung free down the left flank and his scoring attempt was deflected by the keeper off both the goalpost and crossbar before caroming away.
The Yanks were mere inches from taking a 2-1 lead and could have scored a huge upset and registered a massive three points.
****
The first two things I screamed after the pandemonium finally quieted a bit and I shook myself from utter shock following the American equalizer were "that would have been bad in high school" and "what in the name of Bill Buckner just happened?"
For a U.S. side desperate for some consistent play on the world's biggest stage their goal, and Green's gaffe, were a welcome break. It doesn't matter how you score, just that you do, and considering the gift they were given by the British blunder was enough to earn a tie they will certainly take it and move on accordingly.
****
In the other net, Tim Howard was unequivocally the man of the match. After not sleeping at all the night before the game and spending six-plus hours at the bar, I've read none of the press or seen any of the highlights.
This may have already been echoed by many but the U.S. could have finished that game in a three or four goal hole if not for the brilliance of one of the world's best keepers.
Add to the mix the fact that Howard took a boot to his arm and chest in the first half and the Americans certainly have a hero to ride as far as he can take them over the next few weeks.
****
Getting a point had to be exactly what coach Bob Bradley and the red, white and blue were playing for. Anything more would have been gravy. But the U.S. is still in a precarious spot. They really need decisions in their next two games and ultimately a win and a draw may be necessary to get them through.
Assuming England win's out they will finish on top of the group with seven points. If Slovenia beats Algeria then the U.S. would need to also beat Algeria and at least earn a draw with Slovenia to finish with five points or one more than Slovenia would have.
Here's how that would look:
England 2-0-1 (7 pts)
USA 1-0-2 (5 pts)
Slovenia 1-1-1 (4 pts)
Algeria (0-0-3) (0 pts)
If Algeria upsets Slovenia then the same could be said for their chances and what the U.S. must do but ideally these two sides will draw and the Americans could advance even without a win if they can stay out of the loss column.
But a Slovenia win would make Friday morning's showdown a winner-take-all affair.
****
I own many different hats and jersey's for my favorite teams and plenty get attention especially considering I'm a bay area native living in enemy territory in southern California but the amount of people that stopped to ask me about the game, yelled at me from their cars or simply made a comment as they passed by me in the hours that followed the match as I walked around the beach yesterday afternoon was staggering.
People wanted to know the score, talk to me about the game or most entertaining, a handful actually thought I had netted the lone American tally.
I'm not sure what that says more about the state of soccer in the lower 48. On the one side, in an official blue jersey exactly like the ones the U.S. wore and with a beard and sunglasses on I do look a lot like Clint Dempsey.
But the U.S. and England had just finished playing halfway around the world and except for cheesy TV commercials most athletes don't wear their jerseys around in public just for fun.
It made for some interesting exchanges and I was definitely thrilled with the number of passers-by that had something soccer related to say. Not an everyday occurrence by any stretch of the imagination.
Until next time.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
1776 & 1950, Final Tally: USA 1, England 0
It's been 16 years since the U.S. men's soccer team played a game this big.
Sure they have gone up against better opponents and even played games with more on the line but in just under nine hours their opening match of the 2010 World Cup against England will top all of them from the past decade and a half.
On July 4th, 1994 in the round of 16 the upstart Americans fought valiantly before falling 1-0 to Brazil on the Stanford Stadium pitch.
It was Independence Day and the United States was hosting the World Cup for the first (and only) time. Soccer fever was running rampant across the nation that summer and the U.S. was on the brink of something truly spectacular.
Add in the most decorated side the world has seen and you had a script that frankly seemed too far-fetched even for a feel-good sports flick.
But the Brazilians with all their flair and skill squeaked past the Yanks on their way to World Cup royalty at the Rose Bowl nearly two weeks later.
America had been captivated for almost a month.
Fascinated with the millions of fans from the world over, so fervent and enthusiastic. Mesmerized by the beautiful game being played out so eloquently right in front of their eyes and in their own back yard.
They were stunned by the news of Columbian Andres Escobar's death just days after his own goal was the difference in an American opening round win.
Sure many Red Sox fans had probably dreamt about hunting down Bill Buckner eight years before but he was still kicking.
Americans were faced with a stark reality. What they were witnessing was much more than just a game to everyone else.
By the time Brazil was victorious, baseball, the national pastime, was less than a month away from a labor strike that would see the first fall come and go without a World Series in 90 years.
But even without baseball the NFL was growing in popularity. Hockey was a major sport in the North American psyche. Michael Jordan was off playing baseball between his three-peats. None of it mattered.
If you roll all of that into one, all of that passion and excitement then you can really only truly begin to understand what soccer means on the global stage.
In 1994, Americans saw that for the first time and the confluence of events that brought that Brazil/USA match together meant it could mean something in the states too but the red, white and blue fell tantalizingly short.
The women's national team gained notoriety by winning it all and Major League Soccer has managed to stay afloat since its inception in 1993 on the eve of the World Cup.
But despite millions of kids playing soccer all over the country from pro leagues to AYSO, the sport still takes a major back seat to many other athletic endeavors in the U.S.
****
But an opening round game that pits an eager American side against Mother England provides exactly the type of dramatic recipe and anticipation that makes it once again - for the first time in 16 years - capable of reaching far beyond the white lines.
60 years ago this month the U.S. pulled off the Miracle on Grass beating the Brits 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup despite being as big as 500-1 underdogs. (To put 500-1 odds in perspective, England beating the U.S. 8-0 is going off at 500-1. Most sportsbook's simply won't go any higher than that since the risk simply outweighs the reward.)
30 years later was the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid where the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union.
Earlier this year the national pride swelled when the U.S. hockey team upended the Canadian's on their home ice, but fell short in a repeat attempt with the gold medal on the line.
The stakes simply aren't that high. Both teams should advance out of group play and into the elimination stages but beating England has been something Americans have prided themselves on since they tossed tea into the Boston Harbor more than two centuries ago.
****
American soccer is one of the true places where we can still relish the underdog role. We've been to the top of the mountain in nearly every sport but we've barely begun to scale the pinnacle of football glory.
The Sons of Sam took a few sizable steps last summer. After falling flat in their first two games of the Confederation's Cup they managed to beat Egypt in their last match of the group stage and advance due to some bizzare tiebreaking procedures.
But I'll never forget the feeling of disbelief in the Venetian sportsbook during the shocker that followed as the U.S. soundly beat Spain, the number one team in the World, to advance to the finals against Brazil.
And I'll always remember the euphoria when Clint Dempsey put the Americans ahead 1-0 after 10 minutes and the hysteria when Landon Donovan netted another 17 minutes later to push the lead to two goals.
I have this distorted video that plays in my mind after Donovan's ball tickled the twine where at least sixty people crowded into a small, dark Costa Mesa pub leap to their feet in unison as if the ground had suddenly swelled from under them.
I'm convinced that I jumped at least four feet into the air. I felt like I wasn't coming down.
****
I did come down, and what a crash it was. After gliding into the locker room still two goals clear of the mighty Brazilians and faced with the ridiculous reality that yes, in fact, the U.S. could win after such a horrific start in South Africa, the whistle blew for the final forty-five and Fabiano struck fear into our hearts.
Less than a minute after the intermission it was 2-1. And the whirlwind of yellow speed and skill simply ensued from there. When the dust settled Fabiano had tallied another, Lucio had scored the winner and the South American champions had certainly been slighted on another shot that clearly crossed the U.S. goal line.
It was a stunning defeat in the sense that for an hour or so what had seemed so probable fantastically felt in great doubt. But in the end the better team won, but with that match and the brilliant defeat of the European champion Spaniards squarely in the Americans rear view mirror, a return trip to South Africa in a year definitely felt like a tremendous opportunity.
Despite some treacherous spots in CONCACAF qualifying and a series of injuries to significant players the U.S. side finally stands on the precipice of possibility.
ESPN's slogan for this tournament is: "One game changes everything." A win does little to bolster the American's chances of actually winning the World Cup, something that seems still out of reach even for the biggest of dreamer's but it could rally the country like never before and push this team closer to raising that gold statue than ever in history and that's not something to belittle.
Only eight hours until kickoff now, the excitement is reaching unprecedented levels.
Enjoy the game, it's been 16 years since they've had one of this magnitude, maybe this time they can continue the trend of upending the Brits.
It's the most patriotic thing they can do, long live the red, white and blue!
Sure they have gone up against better opponents and even played games with more on the line but in just under nine hours their opening match of the 2010 World Cup against England will top all of them from the past decade and a half.
On July 4th, 1994 in the round of 16 the upstart Americans fought valiantly before falling 1-0 to Brazil on the Stanford Stadium pitch.
It was Independence Day and the United States was hosting the World Cup for the first (and only) time. Soccer fever was running rampant across the nation that summer and the U.S. was on the brink of something truly spectacular.
Add in the most decorated side the world has seen and you had a script that frankly seemed too far-fetched even for a feel-good sports flick.
But the Brazilians with all their flair and skill squeaked past the Yanks on their way to World Cup royalty at the Rose Bowl nearly two weeks later.
America had been captivated for almost a month.
Fascinated with the millions of fans from the world over, so fervent and enthusiastic. Mesmerized by the beautiful game being played out so eloquently right in front of their eyes and in their own back yard.
They were stunned by the news of Columbian Andres Escobar's death just days after his own goal was the difference in an American opening round win.
Sure many Red Sox fans had probably dreamt about hunting down Bill Buckner eight years before but he was still kicking.
Americans were faced with a stark reality. What they were witnessing was much more than just a game to everyone else.
By the time Brazil was victorious, baseball, the national pastime, was less than a month away from a labor strike that would see the first fall come and go without a World Series in 90 years.
But even without baseball the NFL was growing in popularity. Hockey was a major sport in the North American psyche. Michael Jordan was off playing baseball between his three-peats. None of it mattered.
If you roll all of that into one, all of that passion and excitement then you can really only truly begin to understand what soccer means on the global stage.
In 1994, Americans saw that for the first time and the confluence of events that brought that Brazil/USA match together meant it could mean something in the states too but the red, white and blue fell tantalizingly short.
The women's national team gained notoriety by winning it all and Major League Soccer has managed to stay afloat since its inception in 1993 on the eve of the World Cup.
But despite millions of kids playing soccer all over the country from pro leagues to AYSO, the sport still takes a major back seat to many other athletic endeavors in the U.S.
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But an opening round game that pits an eager American side against Mother England provides exactly the type of dramatic recipe and anticipation that makes it once again - for the first time in 16 years - capable of reaching far beyond the white lines.
60 years ago this month the U.S. pulled off the Miracle on Grass beating the Brits 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup despite being as big as 500-1 underdogs. (To put 500-1 odds in perspective, England beating the U.S. 8-0 is going off at 500-1. Most sportsbook's simply won't go any higher than that since the risk simply outweighs the reward.)
30 years later was the Miracle on Ice at Lake Placid where the U.S. Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviet Union.
Earlier this year the national pride swelled when the U.S. hockey team upended the Canadian's on their home ice, but fell short in a repeat attempt with the gold medal on the line.
The stakes simply aren't that high. Both teams should advance out of group play and into the elimination stages but beating England has been something Americans have prided themselves on since they tossed tea into the Boston Harbor more than two centuries ago.
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American soccer is one of the true places where we can still relish the underdog role. We've been to the top of the mountain in nearly every sport but we've barely begun to scale the pinnacle of football glory.
The Sons of Sam took a few sizable steps last summer. After falling flat in their first two games of the Confederation's Cup they managed to beat Egypt in their last match of the group stage and advance due to some bizzare tiebreaking procedures.
But I'll never forget the feeling of disbelief in the Venetian sportsbook during the shocker that followed as the U.S. soundly beat Spain, the number one team in the World, to advance to the finals against Brazil.
And I'll always remember the euphoria when Clint Dempsey put the Americans ahead 1-0 after 10 minutes and the hysteria when Landon Donovan netted another 17 minutes later to push the lead to two goals.
I have this distorted video that plays in my mind after Donovan's ball tickled the twine where at least sixty people crowded into a small, dark Costa Mesa pub leap to their feet in unison as if the ground had suddenly swelled from under them.
I'm convinced that I jumped at least four feet into the air. I felt like I wasn't coming down.
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I did come down, and what a crash it was. After gliding into the locker room still two goals clear of the mighty Brazilians and faced with the ridiculous reality that yes, in fact, the U.S. could win after such a horrific start in South Africa, the whistle blew for the final forty-five and Fabiano struck fear into our hearts.
Less than a minute after the intermission it was 2-1. And the whirlwind of yellow speed and skill simply ensued from there. When the dust settled Fabiano had tallied another, Lucio had scored the winner and the South American champions had certainly been slighted on another shot that clearly crossed the U.S. goal line.
It was a stunning defeat in the sense that for an hour or so what had seemed so probable fantastically felt in great doubt. But in the end the better team won, but with that match and the brilliant defeat of the European champion Spaniards squarely in the Americans rear view mirror, a return trip to South Africa in a year definitely felt like a tremendous opportunity.
Despite some treacherous spots in CONCACAF qualifying and a series of injuries to significant players the U.S. side finally stands on the precipice of possibility.
ESPN's slogan for this tournament is: "One game changes everything." A win does little to bolster the American's chances of actually winning the World Cup, something that seems still out of reach even for the biggest of dreamer's but it could rally the country like never before and push this team closer to raising that gold statue than ever in history and that's not something to belittle.
Only eight hours until kickoff now, the excitement is reaching unprecedented levels.
Enjoy the game, it's been 16 years since they've had one of this magnitude, maybe this time they can continue the trend of upending the Brits.
It's the most patriotic thing they can do, long live the red, white and blue!
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