Posts Tagged ‘gold cup’

Tuesday Lunch: Lack of USMNT Support in USA a Disgrace

Posted: June 28, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Matt Ream

 

In the buildup to the Gold Cup final on Saturday, I was attending a wedding instead of tailgating at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California with my brother and friends. I was nowhere near a television so I was forced to use my phone as a way to stay updated on the pre game coverage. I almost constantly checked Facebook and Twitter, and texted my brother multiple times to figure out what was going on.

 

Among other things was the news that a Mexican fan had thrown a full and unopened bottle of Bud Light destined for the back of my brother’s head while he was engaged in a beer pong game, only to be thwarted by the quick reflexes of a nearby member of the American Outlaws, who managed to deflect it into my brother’s back. Maybe it was a good thing I was not there, as I could have been one of over 20 people arrested (surprisingly only a small amount of people were arrested at the game last night, apparently throwing beer bottles and other things into crowds before and during the game isn’t a crime), likely for confronting the asshole who did that. It really never changes – Mexican fans always seem to behave in the same inappropriate and disrespectful manner toward US supporters and the US national team.

 

Back to my story –

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Monday Lunch: CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI

Posted: June 27, 2011 in professional sports, sports, usmnt
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gold_cup_2011By Evan Ream

 

Ever since the Gold Cup ended, I have been waiting for CONCACAF or FIFA or whoever to release a Best XI; for whatever reason I love them. Unfortunately, none has come and none seem to be forthcoming so I have decided to make my own in a standard 4-4-2 formation. Here are my picks:

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Monday Lunch: 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final Game Report

Posted: June 27, 2011 in professional sports, sports, usmnt
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By TSL Staff

 

Even though the result of the match SUCKED ASS, AO Davis and TSL (minus Jamaal, that loser who did not attend) had a great time supporting the US. Here is our trip documentation, from the road trip down to Los Angeles, to the delicious pancake puppies that tried to make up for the US’ loss.

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Monday Lunch: A Letter to US Soccer from a Concerned Fan at the Gold Cup Final

Posted: June 27, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Russell Jordan

I was asked on Twitter to send my story to this email, so here it is. My Twitter handle is @RussaldoAO.

My name is Russell Jordan; I am the president and founder of the American Outlaws Davis chapter. Myself and seven other American Outlaws Davis members made the drive from Davis to Pasadena for the Gold Cup Final this past Saturday. (more…)

Friday Lunch: Clint Dempsey’s Unfinished Accomplishment

Posted: June 24, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, usmnt
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By Evan Ream

 

Clint Dempsey has played 76 times for USA. In those 76 games, he has scored 22 goals including two goals against both England and Brazil and another against Spain. Dempsey is one of three players (Brian McBride and Landon Donovan are the others) to score in two different World Cups. Dempsey has scored three goals in the Confederations Cup and five in the Gold Cup. He has added five more in World Cup Qualification. But most of all, Clint Dempsey has never scored against Mexico.

 

Right now, Dempsey is playing the best soccer of his career. He has taken over from Landon as our go to guy. The only person that has stopped Dempsey during this Gold Cup has been himself (see highlights of the USA vs. Guadeloupe game). Dempsey is now the USMNT’s fifth all-time leading goal-scorer and is just three away from sole custody of fourth place. If Dempsey’s career ended today, one day before the Gold Cup Final, he would surely be a US Soccer Hall of Famer; yet, his career wouldn’t be complete. Fans would remember that there was something missing, and that something is a goal against Mexico.

 

If my memory serves correctly (and it may not) Dempsey has played against Mexico five times and failed to score a goal. (In comparison, Landon has four career goals vs. Mexico). Dempsey will likely get more chances to play Mexico after tomorrow and he will certainly score more goals for the national team, but if he wants to be remembered as a USMNT legend, he has to take his chances tomorrow and score one (or more) against his biggest rival. For so long Dempsey has stood in Landon’s shadow; it’s his time to break out and scoring against Mexico would be breaking out in the biggest fashion. Good luck Deuce.

Monday Lunch: Projecting the Hexagonal

Posted: June 20, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Evan Ream

 

With the Gold Cup winding down with just four teams remain in the competition; I wanted to take a look at the next exciting event in CONCACAF that is just over the horizon: World Cup Qualifying.

 

The Hexagonal format has been in place since qualification for the 1998 World Cup. It takes the top six teams in CONCACAF and pits them against each other in 10 home and away fixtures with the top three teams automatically qualifying and the fourth place team earning a playoff spot against another federation.

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Monday Lunch: Why Spain’s Demolition of the USMNT Might Be the Best Thing That Could Have Happened

Posted: June 6, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Evan Ream

 

Spain beat USA 4-0 Saturday. It could have been 10-0 and the disgrace would have been just the same. For the first time since I have been watching the USMNT (since 2005), they were outclassed in every single facet of the game. If that wasn’t enough, no one on the USA side seemed to even care; they sleepwalked through the entire game. USA was absolutely terrible, and it was the best thing that could have happened to them.

 

Imagine a scenario much like the one in the Confederations Cup semifinal when USA beat Spain. Back in 2009, USA won their game and then went into the Brazil game overconfident and blew a two-goal lead in less than 45 minutes. If USA had gotten a result against Spain this time two things could have happened:

 

Less likely scenario: USA gets a result and gains confidence and plays with a lot of confidence and a little desire en route to their 5th Gold Cup title.

 

More likely scenario: USA goes out and says to themselves, “We got a result against Spain, and were only playing (insert CONCACAF team X)” and gets upset. This may not have happened in the group stage, but it likely would have happened when it mattered, in the knock out rounds.

 

This is all purely speculation, but you can see those scenarios happening, right?

 

Now since USA lost 4-0 and were completely outclassed all day, I can only imagine one scenario happening: USA go out like a pissed off Keyser Soze and absolutely tear apart everything and everyone in their way to prove that they’re a top side. 2-0 isn’t good enough. USA put up a couple of four and five spots against some smaller teams and puts in a convincing performance against Mexico in the final.

 

Once again, this could very well not happen, but you can imagine it right?

 

When was the last time USA played with the passion to prove their doubters wrong? I believe it came in the World Cup where they played some of the best soccer ever seen by USMNT supporters. I think the talk about the USMNT jumping the shark that happened after the Spain game is completely wrong and uncalled for. Don’t believe me? Tune in on Tuesday to see USA beat Canada 5-0.

 

Note: this month with the Gold Cup happening, I will be shifting away from MLS as I don’t think I can watch enough games to provide good enough commentary.

Friday Lunch: 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup MEGA Preview

Posted: June 3, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports
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By Evan Ream

The 11th CONCACAF Gold Cup will kick off this Sunday with Costa Rica taking on Cuba. USA will look to match Mexico’s five Gold Cup titles, while Mexico will look to go two ahead of the US. Canada, the only other champion with 1, also brought a strong squad that they hope to contend with. For a look at the tournament bracket go here. Here are my picks for the tournament:

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Tuesday Lunch: Landon Donovan and the Quest for 200 Caps

Posted: May 31, 2011 in professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Evan Ream

 

Mohamed Al-Deayea of Saudi Arabia holds the record for the most international caps with 178. Next comes Claudio Suarez of Mexico who has 177. Cobi Jones is the highest American cap-earner with 164, good for seventh place. Landon Donovan currently sits in a tie for thirtieth place with 130 caps. Landon is 29.

 

Right now, Landon Donovan is in the prime of his career. He is MLS’s leading goal scorer with eight goals in eleven games. Landon’s career has been like clockwork; he has made 130 appearances for the national team in 12 years while never suffering a major injury or a complete loss of form (oh wait 2006 actually DID happen). Donovan has been chugging along: as consistent as ever for three World Cup Cycles now. The question is: what will his numbers look like when he is done playing? Can Landon be the first ever men’s player to earn 200 caps? Using the blueprint from the last World Cup Cycle (in each different year in a World Cup cycle, you can expect a similar number of games to be played), let’s take a look:

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Monday Lunch: Gold Cup Thoughts and Predictions

Posted: May 23, 2011 in freddy adu, landon donovan, mls, professional sports, soccer, sports, usmnt
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By Evan Ream

USA’s 2011 Gold Cup roster, along with the roster for the game against Spain, was announced today. All the usual faces such as Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are on the list, but there were a few surprises. Here is the Roster in numerical order:

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