AFC North is Ravens to Lose

The NFL off-season is in the books, training camp is upon us, and football is in the air in Baltimore. With the Orioles in the middle of a dreadful season, the excitement of the Purple and Black is just the cure for the dog days of summer here in Charm City. Much of the excitement amongst the fans is due to lofty expectations for the Ravens, not just locally, but nationally as well. I know you can never be certain of anything in the NFL, and that predictions aren’t even worth the breath you spent making them…but given everything that happened in this off-season, the AFC North is the Ravens to lose.

The Ravens were wildly inconsistent last season before finally making it into the playoffs at 9-7. One minute they looked like a Super Bowl contender (33-14 beat down of the Patriots on the road in the 1st round of the AFC Playoff, while other times the Ravens looked like a team that was over matched and undisciplined. The Ravens struggled against the elite teams in football last season, and were swept by the AFC North Champion Bengals (who swept every team in the AFC North). Unlike previous off-seasons, the Ravens went out and acquired legitimate weapons for Joe Flacco, sending a message to the rest of the division, and NFL, that they won’t accept anything short of the Super Bowl. In addition to the acquisitions of Boldin and Stallworth, the Ravens had what many, myself included, believe to be a stellar draft, giving them weapons on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The most important thing that they did, which is the difference between good and great teams, is solidify depth by acquiring Ken Hamlin and Walt Harris to bolster the secondary. Depth was a major problem last season, especially in the secondary, and while their better days are behind them, Harris and Hamlin should are a significant upgrade from some of the defensive backs the Ravens were forced to play at times last season.

Another reason for optimism is the fact that the Ravens look to have improved, while it’s a fact that the other teams in the division looked to have digressed off the field, as well as on it. I truly believe the Bengals are a legitimate contender ,but they keep bringing cancer and problems into the locker room and eventually that is going to catch up to them. Drafting Dunlap and Shipley definitely helped them on the field, but acquiring Matt Jones and his cocaine problem, should do more harm then good. The Bengals have no history of sustaining success for years, so given that and the fact that they have too many players with baggage that could come back to bite them, I think they will take a step back.

Meanwhile, the Ravens biggest rival, the Steelers will be without Big Ben( or little Ben depending which night club female you ask) for at least the first four games this season, handing the reins over to Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon. Once Roethlisberger returns, he is likely to return to a locker room that does not like him or support him. Some Steelers players have been very vocal in their disdain for Roethlisberger, and they are likely to rally around whoever is under center for the first four games of the season, leaving a divided locker room once Roethlisberger returns. To top it off, they traded away the former Super Bowl MVP and big player receiver Santonio Holmes and really did not make any significant strides in improving the team.

With training camp starting in just a few days, fans everywhere will be predicting 11-5, 12-4,10-6 or whatever they think the Ravens record will be. The NFL shows us that you can never assume or predict anything, but given the circumstances that transpired in Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland this off-season, the AFC North looks to be the Ravens division to lose.

Many think the Ravens will be the last team standing in Dallas in February.

This is one prognostication that is alright with me. I just hope it holds true.

What time is it? What’s our name?- The Little Roman

The Conflicted Ed Reed


Ed Reed is my favorite player, but lately he’s been tweaking me a bit. Reed is a fairly quiet guy, reluctant to do interviews and not usually in the headlines for off-the-field reasons. Recently; however, Reed has been regularly appearing on the Fan, bashing the Ravens brass in roundabout ways. Reeds’ scheduled radio appearances were focused on promoting his golf tournament and youth football camp, but they quickly turned into public forums for the star safety to air his grievances with the team and make contradictory statements.

Reed said that he should have never came back last season and that he probably shouldn’t play at all this season, and then says that he could see himself playing for ten more years. Reed claims the Ravens previously took him off the PUP prematurely and without consulting him…he also compares the team’s mistreatment of him to that of the Tennessee Titans when they locked Steve McNair out of their facilities. Reed then compares his relationship with the Ravens to a marriage that’s just hit a minor bump in the road. Oh yeah, and he wants a new contract. Despite all his health issues and erratic statements he wants the Ravens to restructure his current deal which locks him up through 2012.

I’m all for giving players who produce like Reed a pay day. In his eight season he has 46 INTs and 11 defensive TDs, not to mention a highlight reel packed with devastating hits and tremendous special teams plays (despite all the ill-conceived laterals). But if I was Ozzie Newsome I wouldn’t restructure Ed’s deal at this point, it’s just not a sound business move. He has the nerve impingement in his neck that looks like a permanent condition, his hip was just reconstructed, and lately he’s been acting like a flake. I’m not saying that something can’t be worked out financially for Ed at a later date, but right now it’s time to look at things from a business standpoint. The Ravens are one of the best managed teams in the NFL, because they aren’t afraid to make the hard decisions and hold their ground.

At the same time I can’t fault Reed for wanting a new deal; when healthy him and Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu are in a league of their own. Safety is one of the lowest paid positions on the field, but Ed Reed isn’t just another safety, he’s (cliché alert) a game changer. The reality of the NFL and sports in general is that it’s a ‘what have you done for me lately?’ business. Coaches, agents, AD’s, GM’s…they’re like vampires. Athletes are only coveted when they can produce.

I guess I’m a bit torn on the issue. Bottom line, I think Reed has a good heart and will work things out with the Ravens; however, I’m not so sure he’ll physically be able to contribute much this season. I’m just thankful that two drafts ago the Ravens invested third and sixth round picks respectively in Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura; not to mention the off season signing of Ken Hamlin. The Ravens are pretty deep at the safety position and that should get them by, but there’s no replacing Ed Reed.

~ Pat Cary

The Revolution Has Been Televised


$396 Million isn’t exactly a dollar amount most of us will be worth when we pass on. It’s not even a figure most of us will ever be able to wrap our heads around. Well, according to a Forbes Magazine online article today (http://blogs.forbes.com/sportsmoney/2010/07/steinbrenners-death-well-timed-for-estate-tax/) that’s not the amount of money “The Boss” George Steinbrenner was worth but, rather, the amount he will save his family in estate taxes at the time of his death. Mr. Steinbrenner was estimated to be worth about $1.15 Billion when he passed this morning, and, as the article explains, almost all of this monetary worth is locked up in shares of his beloved Yankees.

Whether you loved or hated him, “The Boss” always knew how to make a big splash. He knew how to make a big splash during his years of overspending in the big apple. He knew how to make a big splash in free agency. His comments, over the years, were Page 6 worthy time and again in a city that feeds on the celebrity persona and glorifies the idea that bigger is better. Steinbrenner came along in a time where Television was really just beginning to overtake radio as the main outlet for America’s pastime and, there was no better owner to assist in this transition than “The Boss”. From his multiple firings of Billy Martin, dislike of long flowing locks and decade long feud with Yogi Berra, Steinbrenner was one of a kind.

The simple fact is that, as the most polarizing owner in American Sports history, Steinbrenner thrived in the New York spotlight more so than any other athlete or celebrity really has in the 37 years since he purchased the Yanks for a mere $10 Million dollars. He has turned the Yankees Franchise into the most valuable in American Sports and has done so by shaking the foundation of the game in every way shape or form possible. He was made for New York and New York was made for him.

Free agency wouldn’t be what it is today without “The Boss”, for better or for worse. The way in which media and sports figures interact today has changed, greatly, due to Steinbrenner’s flair for the spotlight. George Steinbrenner modernized not just baseball but, the way in which Professional Sports, in general, operated in these United States.

To get back to that $396 Million…due to a National Loophole, there is no such thing as an estate tax at the current time. This time next year, the tax would have been 55% and, in reality, George’s family may very well have had to sell the team. So, I guess in death, George wins again. He goes out saving his family millions via a loophole. He goes out on the same day as the Major League Baseball All Star Game taking center stage yet again. He goes out the year after his team wins a world series. He goes out with his beloved Bronx Bombers currently sitting in first place (by the way, a World Series win this year would still technically give him 8 as he was the owner of the team on Opening Day).

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’ll miss you George. As much as I’ll miss you for your passion to win and your desire to be the best, I’ll miss you just as much for your antics over the years which turned into things of legend. From illegal campaign contributions to paying Gambler’s to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield to the comedic Seinfeld episodes revolving around your likeness, I will miss you.

And as always, on this special night in baseball, you will make one last big splash and take center stage during an event meant for players but, ultimately, built for you.

It’s been a tough week for Yankees fans but, I’ll sleep well at night knowing that you’re off somewhere firing Billy Martin for leaving a pitcher in too long in an Old Timers Softball game.

~Tim Rescigno

HEY CLEVELAND, GET OVER IT!!!!

Thursday night amongst a ton of hoopla, fan fare, and with the world watching, Lebron James made the decision to leave Cleveland for sunny Miami. James’ decision made him public enemy number one Cleveland and led to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert ripping James on the team’s website. I know it stings but here is my message to the fan of the “mistake by the lake”: Lebron does not owe you anything, GET OVER IT!

I absolutely love and adore my home city of Baltimore Maryland and I was devastated when local product Mark Teixeira chose not to come here 2 seasons ago. Furthermore I would have been absolutely crushed if Cal Ripken had never won a championship for Baltimore and left in his prime. I get it, I understand, but that is life. While I agree it was self centered and narcissistic for Lebron to hold a 1 hour special to announce his decision, I think his decision can not be criticized by anyone. I will break it down this way: my dream is to get paid to do sports talk radio for a living. Currently I have a job that I like with lots of opportunity for advancement. If someone came up to me tomorrow and offered me a job for significantly less money, to pursue my dream I would take it in a second. How many people out there have changed jobs because they felt it was a better opportunity? And how many of those people were willing to take less money work for an organization with a better chance to produce results? Most people change jobs and careers because it is more financially lucrative, yet those are the same people criticizing James for turning down 30 millions dollars to reach the ultimate goal in his profession.

Lebron James wanted to stay in Cleveland and he made that known, but he did not owe them anything. They felt entitled that they could put out a mediocre supporting cast around James, and that he should stay there because its is his hometown and they drafted him into the NBA. Had Lebron left Cleveland for the Kicks or Clippers or some other team that is going nowhere just for the money, fame, and to be the superstar of the team, then Cleveland fans would have every right to be pissed. The fact is, if anyone had their choice of playing with Daniel Gibson, Delonte West and Antwaan Jamison, or playing with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, everyone would choose the latter.  Lebron tried to recruit Bosh to Cleveland, but Bosh refused to play in Cleveland. Lebron was the reason Cleveland was relevant, and while I criticized him for not delivering against the Celtics, I was aware that he was the reason the Cavs had the best record in basketball.  The Cavaliers were irrelevant before Lebron got to Cleveland, and he gave the Cavs seven great seasons with a supporting cast that would not have made the playoffs without him. No free agents wanted to come to Cleveland, which meant that Lebron would have once again had to be in MVP form just to give the Cavs a shot of winning the conference. Why did they lose to the Magic and Celtics in the playoffs the last two seasons? Because they were not the better TEAM, they just had the best PLAYER. Lebron wants to be part of a winning a team, even if it means sacrificing money, shots and points to reach the ultimate goal of winning.

When you go into your job Monday and someone offers you a chance to go to a better company, with better resources, more successful people and the chance top succeed in your profession, look around your office and tell me you wouldn’t grab your things and bolt out the door faster then Usain Bolt in the 100 yard dash.  And in 99 percent of those cases, you would likely be taking a significant pay raise to switch companies.

If you wanted Lebron to stay then you should have gotten some pieces around him. Lebron doesn’t owe the city of Cleveland and the Cavs organization ANYTHING; they owe him for making them relevant for the last seven seasons.

Like Art Modell, Lebron left for greener pastures, and you are left with an inferior product with nobody to blame but yourself for not improving the team.

Get over it Cleveland and take a long look in the mirror.

Listening to “Miami” by Will Smith as we speak- The Little Roman.

Abandoning His Throne

By now, I’m sure most of you know that LeBron James has made arguably the biggest free agent decision in not just NBA but, American sports history. While the sports world has been filled with water cooler talk of where James would end up for not just weeks or months but, years, it took all of about 30 minutes for me to lose all respect for LeBron James and not in the way one might think. I completely respect LeBron as a basketball player and don’t necessarily argue the decision from a basketball standpoint. While many will argue that he can’t be compared to M.J. with this trio now in place in South Beach or ask “how could he string the Knicks and Nets along like this”, I get those points but, still don’t have a problem with the actual basketball decision. I am completely sickened by LeBron James’ actions as a human being on Thursday night and the way in which he announced his decision.

To claim that this 1 hour ESPN special was being done for a good cause (i.e. The Boys and Girls Club) is a slap in the face to the organization and, LeBron and his team of hanger onners should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. This was nothing more than a marketing maneuver to promote his new Vitamin Water Drink. Within minutes of seeing that commercial for the 1st time, I was disgusted just as my fellow correspondent and JAS Announcer, Pat Carey, was when he texted me within seconds thereafter. It was a despicable act of an immature, egomaniacle, 25 year old jerk and his 25 year old friends. They all looked real professional too in their t-shirts, baggy jeans and sneakers (LeBron in his lumberjack shirt and Ugz). This whole sham that we were witness too was the brain child of a bunch of Entourage wannabees with zero PR experience. Now wait for the backlash fellas. There’s no Ari Gold or Eric here to handle things for Vince…this is real life guys and you certainly are not the toast of Hollywood right now. In fact, outside of Miami, LeBron and his team of followers may be the most hated individuals in pro sports at the moment. Earth to team James, even if Vince were real, actors play till they’re 80…what are you all going to do without public support when LeBron is 40 years old and retired?

Finally, I do have to admit that I am a true mark of a Knicks fan. I have loved them since the days of Ewing, Oakley, Mason, Starks and Harper…my frustration and anger here is not for the city of New York though but, much more so, for the city of Cleveland. I wouldn’t have had a problem if LeBron had called a press conference on Thursday afternoon to hold up his Heat jersey with Wade and Bosh and shake Pat Riley’s hand. To have an hour long announcement where you slap your hometown in the face to promote your new drink is as low a sports moment as I have witnessed in my 28 years here on Earth and we all know the past 28 years have had some horrible moments in the world of athletics. To nationally do what you did to a city that has loved you through the days of you wearing your Yankees hat to an Indians/Yankees game or cheering for the Cowboys over the hometown Browns cannot even be put into words. Cleveland has been beyond loyal to you and you have spit on them. Cleveland, just like an unfaithful spouse, you deserved a better person to be your hero and should be happy you found out about LeBron sooner rather than later.

I hope Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is right with his guarantee that Cleveland will win a title before James ever does. I hope you finish your career without a ring LeBron. There’s a right way and a wrong way to quit your job and take on a new one and this was not just the equivalency of not giving your boss 2 weeks notice. This was like quitting on the day you were supposed to give the big presentation to save your company.

I hope you have a conscious LeBron and I hope it’s very guilty right now.

Long live the Queen!

~ Tim Rescigno

Where do we go from here?

After the U.S. lost the most anticipated and watched game in this country’s short history to Ghana this past Saturday, I got to thinking about what will happen now to soccer in the United States.

A little less than 1 week ago, America was in a soccer haze…all anyone could talk about was the miraculous effort against Algeria amidst questions of “how far do you think we can go”? While the loss to Ghana itself was heartbreaking, the future impact to soccer fans may take an even greater blow if the United States Soccer Federation doesn’t make a valiant effort at furthering the sport in this country.

In my opinion, the country’s soccer future remains in doubt until the following 4 issues are resolved in one way, shape or form:
• How do we entice our inner city athletes to partake in “The Beautiful Game”? Jürgen Klinsmann has made one of the better points commonly overlooked by the American Soccer fan, and said it again yesterday. He compared soccer to basketball and, specifically, the Boston Celtics. He talked about how himself and most of the great players in the world came from modest or even poor beginnings. They used the idea that football could drag them out of poverty and into fortune to become the great player he and his associates became. In America, there is no league where inner city youths can look to in hopes of one day becoming millionaires. Those leagues are the NBA and the NFL. No 14 year old living in Compton is going to want to kick around a size 5 ball in the hopes of someday making $40,000/year for the L.A. Galaxy.

• This leads me to my second issue…the lack of a legitimate professional league. I’m sorry but, getting guys like Beckham and Henry to play in the MLS at the end of their careers is not going to win over the American Sports fan. We’ve seen too many aging stars in traditional American Sports hang on for too long to embrace the idea of an over the hill athlete coming to play a sport this country doesn’t care enough about at this time. The lack of truly big name stars, in their prime, and money the average footballer can make in this country needs to change in order for soccer to continue to really grow in this country.

• I’m sorry but, we’ve gone as far as we’re going to go w/Coach Bradley. He did a solid job for us but, what might not be realized to the casual fan is that the U.S. were supposed to make the Round of 16. We were expected to beat both Algeria and Slovenia and, judging by how the world casinos (including Vegas) had the lines 16 days ago, many people thought we would have a decent shot against England as well. Bradley coaches based off of the American Spirit with an American Culture viewpoint on the sport. I’m not knocking this but, unless we’re satisfied w/being the 16th best team in the world, it’s not going to cut it on the International scale. This was the same as Arenas and just about any other coach we’ve ever had. We need a European or South American Mind and someone who can continue to capture people’s interest every few months instead of every 4 years. We need someone, who both on the field and off, will be outspoken and keep soccer more at the forefront than Bradley can.

• We need to figure out a way to capture the attention of the common man/lesser sports fan in this country. When I sat in my office for a Monday meeting, my boss, who is a big soccer fan, asked how many people had watched the game. Of 20 people in the room, 4 hands raised. Now, maybe that’s just my office but, I’m willing to bet it’s something more common than most want to believe, even with the record setting ratings. While the average American will watch football on a Sunday, even with limited or no rooting interest, the average American will not do the same with Soccer. I don’t have an answer as to how to solve this problem but, this may be one of the biggest obstacles this country faces if we ever want soccer to be on par with the major 4 sports.
I’m not saying it wasn’t a fun few weeks because it was…how does this country keep the momentum going for the next 4 years though and not just during the event itself 4 years from now?

Tim Rescigno – New York Giant apologist

Weighing in on the World Cup

Unfortunately for soccer fans, poor officiating has negatively affected too many games at the 2010 World Cup. I am a soccer fanatic and have seen many big soccer tournaments become tainted by poor referee decisions. However, this tournament has gone from bad to worse, and is simply the worst officiated tournament of all time.

The two disallowed goals the United States scored against Slovenia and Algeria were total refereeing disasters. FIFA was saved from a major controversy when Landon Donovan scored an injury time goal against Algeria to send the U.S. through to the knockout stage.

There was the terrible red card awarded to Germany’s Miroslav Klose against Serbia, as well as a number of goals that have counted even though the goal scorer was clearly offside.

Look at yesterdays trainwrecks: England fell behind early 2-0 to Germany, than proceeded to score two goals to tie the game before the half. However, a clear goal on a ball which crossed the line by four feet, was disallowed leaving the English down 2-1 at the break. England was forced to chase the game in the second half, and by pushing up the field, spaces were created in the back of the English defense. The German counterattack was lethal and they capitalized on these open spaces.

Casual fans think that Germany blew out the English, but if the game is 2-2 at the half, there would have been a completely different dynamic. Instead of the English coming out of the half full of confidence and focused on not conceding another goal, they were deflated and forced to seek a goal. The disallowed goal affected the English tactics and changed the shape of the game.

Right after this game, Mexico got robbed against Argentina in their Round of 16 match-up. The first goal of any game is so critical, and the Argentine’s broke through on a play where Carlos Tevez was easily five yards offside. Once again the officials changed the shape of the game. Instead of being able to focus on playing disciplined defense against a potent Argentine side, Mexico was forced chase the game and find a goal. A mental lapse and too much space resulting from open play led to a 3-1 Argentina victory.

Please don’t bother telling me that the better team won both games. The better team doesn’t always win in soccer or any sport. On this stage, teams should lose fair and square. Period.

Let’s bring this back to how poor officiating affected the United States. Blown calls forced the U.S. to expend too much energy as they desperately searched for a late goal against Algeria. This emotional roller coaster left the Yanks out of gas in extra time against Ghana.

I never thought the U.S. would give up that Hail Mary second goal to Ghana. The Ghanaians hadn’t created a chance in more than sixty minutes, and the U.S. were buzzing the entire second half. Furthermore, if the game would have gone to a penalty shoot-out, the U.S. had better penalty takers and a better goalkeeper.

Even though the U.S. gave the nation a thrilling ride in South Africa and attracted many new fans to soccer, the team met only minimum expectations for the tournament. Most experts predicted the U.S. to finish second in group C, and to lose to Germany in the Round of 16. Instead the U.S. won the group, but lost to Ghana in the knockout stage. I knew we were in trouble when Ghana was the last African team standing after the group stage.

I am disappointed that the U.S., similar to my Maryland Terrapins in March, were unable to take advantage of a very favorable bracket (remember that N. Iowa upset Kansas to open up the Terps road to Indy) . There will never be another World Cup in our lifetime where the United States will have such a manageable road to the semifinals.

In the end, the injuries to Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies came back to hurt the United States. Onyewu would have dealt with the long ball which led to the second Ghana goal, and Davies would have given Altidore a better target partnet up front. I predicted that the unheralded and in-form U.S. strikers would step up, but I was completely wrong. The U.S. didn’t get a single goal from any of their forward players.

It’s a shame the U.S. wasted a tournament with Donovan and Dempsey playing so well. Clint Dempsey played the most creative and influential 90 minutes I have ever seen him produce versus Ghana. Unfortunately, like the rest of the U.S. team, Dempsey ran out of steam in the extra session. Donovan raised his profile once again, and will reap the financial benefits with marketing deals and a move out of the MLS to a major European club.

The U.S. just couldn’t stop conceding goals in the early stages of games/extra time, and this theme ultimately led to their demise. The U.S. will play their next game in an international friendly against Brazil on August 10. My analysis on the state of U.S. men’s soccer will be forthcoming in the next week or so.

By the way Tim, great call on picking Higuain to win the golden boot. I think you will end up looking prophetic.

Woodman – emotionally devastated once again

Three Insurance Policies For The Ravens

I realize that the U.S. Men’s National team just pulled off one of the most inspiring victories in their history and are primed to exact revenge on Ghana in the round of 16, but I want to write about Ravens football for a spell. Within the last week the team added three former pro bowlers to serve primarily as backups. This is not the Orioles re-signing Tejada in hopes that he’ll magically return to all-star form, no, this is a team primed for a Super Bowl run taking out insurance policies at critical positions.

Walt Harris is a very good signing for this team. Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington are progressing well through their respective rehab efforts, but everyone knows that football players, especially speed guys, are not quite the same the first year back from an ACL. The Ravens need a proven vet to be available to start at corner. Remember two years ago when the Ravens were forced to start Frank Walker in the AFC Championship game? Or last year when Chris Carr and even Cary Williams saw their names in the starting lineup? That’s a scary scenario for a team looking to make a deep playoff run.

I realize that Harris is turning 36 and coming off his own knee injury, which forced him to miss the entire 2009 season, but he looked good in a tryout with the Ravens and has 13 years of starting NFL cornerback savvy. Harris has some pedigree as well. He was a first round draft pick by the Bears in 1996; has started just under 90% of his career games; and made the pro bowl in 2006. I’m not getting overly excited here, I actually hope the Ravens never need Harris to make a signal start. I’m just satisfied with the Ravens’ options should Webb and Washington not be available.

I’m also pretty happy with the Ravens other pro bowl signings. Ken Hamlin is a hard hitting safety that could step in should Ed Reed not fully recover from hip surgery in time for the season. Hamlin has some left in the tank at 29 and seems to be hungry to prove that he is still a starting safety in the NFL. At very least, he will push Dawan Landry.

Marc Bulger doesn’t come cheap at $3.8 million, but he is a significant upgrade over Troy Smith and Jon Beck. Hey Troy, you still want to get traded to Cleveland? Well I’m sure they’re not interested, but hopefully we can get a sixth rounder for you. I can’t stress the importance of having a competent backup QB, it’s the most important position in sports. Bulger, even as a backup, is well worth the money.

The NFL is a league of attrition, which is why the Ravens front office deserves a hand for their recent signings.

~Pat Cary

Something Special Brewing in South Africa

The first World Cup was played in 1930 and was won by the host country Uraguay. However, in that World Cup the United States of America made a run to the semi finals, marking their deepest run to date in any World Cup. 80 years later, it looked like the most talented group of American soccer players to ever set foot on the pitch, would be sent home disappointed after failing to advance out of the group stage. It looked like another controversial call would doom the US, and fans would be left wondering “what if?” In the 91st minute Landon Donovan put the ball in the back of the onion bag and the Americans not only advanced, but they won their group for the first time since 1930. That goal was special, and it sets up what I believe is going to be special run for the United States in the 2010 World Cup.

When the draw came out many expected USA to advance, however, few expected them to win the group. Winning Group C sets up a much easier road to the final four than finishing second. Let’s examine the draw for a second, and you will see how well things set up for a deep American run.

Second place in group C was England, who will now play Germany (the winners of group D). The Germans have not only one of the greatest soccer pedigrees in the world, they also have one of the most talented teams in the world. While England drew Germany, the United States will play Ghana, which is a much easier matchup. Ghana is talented, young and quick, and they will not be an easy opponent. But, there is a much better chance of beating them then the Germans. Ghana scored two goals in three games so far and both of those came on penalty kicks. They did beat the US in the last World Cup 2-1, but they are without Michael Essien and that was four years ago. Let’s say both England and the US win to advance to the round of 8, England would draw the Argentina/ Mexico winner while the Americans will play the Uruguay/South Korea winner. Argentina has been the most impressive team in this World Cup, and they have the best player in the world on their team (Lionel Messi). Uruguay, did win their group, however, their group was a bit watered down with a dismal French team and the host South Africans. They also had to play a playoff just to qualify for the World Cup. Uruguay is good, but they are no Argentina, and the US will have a much better chance of beating them to advance to the final four.

This World Cup we have seen the Americans come back from a two goal deficit in the second half of a must win game to tie the game. We saw them overcome a horrible call that cost them the win against Slovenia. We saw them tie one of the best teams in the World and one of the favorites to win the World Cup. And we saw them battle back with three minutes to go in their World Cup to score a goal that propelled to victory and winning the group.

Not many teams can overcome what the United States has in this World Cup, and I truly believe they are going to make a special run to the semi finals. This team never gives up, they are talented and their never say die attitude endears them to fans everywhere.

Every American has embraced this team and they should realize just what they are witnessing. They are witnessing the most talented team in American history, on the verge of making a special run in the World Cup.

Can’t wait for Saturday- The Little Roman

Blessing in Disguise for the U.S.

The drama is starting to unfold in South Africa as the final games of the World Cup group stage get under way. Americans will know by noon tomorrow whether or not Team U.S.A will advance to the Round of 16.

Here are a few of my biggest impressions thus far in the 2010 World Cup:

1) South Africa is the first host nation to fail to advance to the Round of 16 – this is indicative of a negative trend for almost every African nation that has failed to capitalize on their home continent advantage.

I attribute these struggles to two major factors: winning in major soccer tournaments is not in their DNA/pedigree, and these nations are not noted for a culture of teamwork and resiliency.

Remember, National teams embody the traits and characteristics of their people and culture. This is why the U.S.A will always fight for each other and never say die. I wouldn’t say that is the stereotype for Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Cameroon, South Africa, Algeria, and Ghana. These nations are better at pointing fingers at each other and sulking, rather than believing in each other and rallying. If anything, most of these nations are experiencing civil war or domestic political unrest. This is reflected in the results of the African nations.

2) The South American nations have adopted Africa as a home away from home. All five South American nations look to advance to the Round of 16, and all appear to be in solid form. Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uraguay all figure to win their group, while Chile look to win their group with a result against Spain. Uraguay has yet to concede a goal, Argentina has flashed glimpses of their attacking prowess, and Brazil has five titles to bolster their belief. It is hard to imagine one of these teams not winning the World Cup.

3) European nations have also struggled at the World Cup. However, the group stage still features one more game, and many of these teams can still advance with a good result. Pre-tournament favorite Spain needs to win against Chile to have a chance to advance. Meanwhile, defending champion Italy and overhyped England have posted some shocking results and desperately need a win to advance. Slovenia, Switzerland, and Greece are hanging by a thread, and 2006 finalist France have crashed out altogether. The two European bright spots so far have been a surprisingly workman-like Holland, and a Portugal side that destroyed North Korea 7-0. All kidding aside, you have to wonder about the fate of the North Korean players when they arrive back home.

4) The French National team is an absolute disaster. I find it humorous and truthful that most Americans view the French as a nation full of thinkers who are more capable of criticism than action. Only Zinnedene Zidane is capable of making the French appear organized and patriotic. Without ZiZu, the French are the titanic minutes before the bow submerged in the Atlantic Ocean. Coming into the tournament it would have been difficult to imagine France finishing at the bottom of their group with only 1 point, but that is the reality.

5) It was a blessing in disguise that the United States only came away with a 2-2 draw against Slovenia. Of course I am bitter about the horrific officiating and the disallowed goal, but a massive come from behind victory would have left the U.S. ripe for a letdown against Algeria. Instead, the U.S. is hungrier and more determined than ever. This spirit and the belief that they have taken from their first two games will help the U.S. maintain the edge and focus they will need to advance. The Americans were too complacent and lacked urgency in the first half against Slovenia falling behind 2-0. A major lesson was learned in that game and it will benefit the U.S. going forward.

The World Cup is a long tournament and the teams that look great now will fade, while teams that have struggled will improve and find their form. Trust me, when I blog two weeks from now, this tournament will have been turned upside down. The U.S. is an interesting wild card, and should pull at least one shocking upset this tournament. Don’t sleep…What do you think the result will be in the U.S. vs. Algeria game?

Last but not least, horrible officiating is par for the course at major soccer tournaments. Officials have a tendency to over-inflate their importance and want to leave their own imprint on the proceedings. Casual soccer fans just have to accept that there are a dozen shocking calls/non-calls at every big soccer event.

Woodman – my blood pressure tomorrow morning will be through the roof.