It’s been said over and over again.  And the US’s 4-2 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup Finals just drives the point home once again.  Soccer is not America’s game.  However, it was more than just a faltering US team that allowed Mexico to comeback and take the Gold Cup that reminded the rest of us that soccer just isn’t the NFL.  It was the fact that despite being played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, this matchup might as well have been an away game for the USA.  The LA Times reports:

It was imperfectly odd. It was strangely unsettling. It was uniquely American.

On a balmy early Saturday summer evening, the U.S soccer team played for a prestigious championship in a U.S. stadium … and was smothered in boos.

Most of these hostile visitors didn’t live in another country. Most, in fact, were not visitors at all, many of them being U.S. residents whose lives are here but whose sporting souls remain elsewhere.

Welcome to another unveiling of that social portrait known as a U.S.-Mexico soccer match, streaked as always in deep colors of red, white, blue, green … and gray.

“Obviously … the support that Mexico has on the night like tonight makes it a home game for them,” said U.S. Coach Bob Bradley, choosing his words carefully. “It’s part of something we have to deal with on the night.”

It wasn’t just something. It was everything. I’ve never heard more consistent loud cheering for one team here, from the air horns to the “Ole” chants with each Mexico pass, all set to the soundtrack of a low throbbing roar that began in the parking lot about six hours before the game and continued long into the night.

Of course, playing the final game of the Gold Cup in Pasadena, CA does beg one question.  What exactly did the US think was going to happen?  If America really wanted home-field advantage they might have considered putting the game in Kalamazoo, MI or Jackson, TN.  I’m sure neither of these cities were options but stay with me on this one.  Not only does Mexican soccer have a monster following, but a huge percentage of people living in California are of Mexican descent – some first generation.  Who else were they going to be rooting for?

My point is that creating an environment where American soccer can grow and evolve has got to be the number one goal of soccer officials in the US.  It has to be nurtured like the fledgling sport that it is.  Holding the Gold Cup Final against Mexico in southern California and calling it a home game was only going to reinforce the idea that the US is the ugly, un-loved step-child of world-wide soccer.

In a game that must have felt like sweet revenge, the US Soccer Team beat Panama 1-0 on a Clint Dempsey goal to make it to the Gold Cup Finals for the fourth year in a row.  Now the US team will meet Mexico in the finals this Saturday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.  ESPN reports:

The United States has shut out its last three opponents since the 2-1 loss to Panama on June 11. The U.S. had never lost in the group stage of the tournament, or to Panama in international play until the shocking defeat.

Dempsey, who also scored in the Americans’ 2-0 win over Jamaica in the quarterfinals, said the team proved its resolve in the hard-fought rematch with Panama.

“I think we showed our quality in being able to grind out a result,” Dempsey said, “even though it wasn’t our best game.”

Most sports fans realize that soccer has but a toe-hold on the American sports conscious.  It has long been panned as silly, boring and even un-American.  However, the more wins the US team can put up, the more recognition soccer will get.  And one day, maybe “the beautiful game” will be a part of our national fabric just as it is in dozens of other countries around the world.

At least we know there won’t be any labor strikes or lockouts like we have to endure every few seasons with other big-time sports.  And one can watch it year-round, in a dozen different leagues.  It’s just too bad it takes 80 minutes of play to score a goal.  Hey, there’s always give and take.

[PhotoSource: Reuters]

Something seems off about this year’s US Gold Cup Team.  After losing to Panama 2-1 for the first time in nine meetings just a couple of days ago, the US just eeked past Guadeloupe to make it into the Gold Cup Quarterfinals.  Anything can happen in a tournament, of course.  But getting beat early only to then limp past weaker competition is not a good sign the home team.  According to CBS Sports:

Jozy Altidore scored in the ninth minute off an assist from Michael Bradley, and the United States hung on to beat Guadeloupe 1-0 on Tuesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup.The U.S. finished second in Group C with six points, and will face Group B winner Jamaica in the quarterfinals in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

The second-place finish broke a string of 10 straight first-place finishes in group play.

The United States needed only a draw to advance after Panama and Canada drew 1-1 in Tuesday night’s early game. Altidore made that a moot point with his go-ahead drive from 25 yards, his second goal of the tournament.

So one loss and a tie would have gotten our boys into the quarterfinals.  Stellar.  One could say that the US was just playing down to its competition, but that’s a lazy cop-out.  The fact is they had an easy streak of teams they should have run over and they didn’t.  Now things get tougher against the Jamaicans.  If the US can barely beat a town in Mexico, what chance do they have against the ghost of Bob Marley?  I’m kidding, Guadeloupe is actually an archipelago in the Leeward Islands…but it’s still tiny.

[PhotoSource: The Kansas City Star]

For the first time in 9 attempts, the land of really long canals and drug-trafficking dictators has beaten the US 2-1 in Gold Cup play.  Over the past several years, the US team has continued to legitimize its place among some of the world’s better teams.  This loss in group play doesn’t exactly help the teams reputation.  Yahoo Sports reports:

Luis Tejada scored in the 19th minute, Gabriel Gomez converted a penalty kick later in the first half and Panama stunned the United States 2-1 on Saturday night to advance to the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup.

Despite the loss, the U.S. can clinch a spot in the quarterfinals by beating Guadaloupe in its final Group C stage match Tuesday night in Kansas City.

Tejada finished a sequence that began with Nelson Barahona’s free kick, tapping in a rebound after U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard lunged to get on a hand on Armando Cooper’s header from left of the net. American Tim Ream’s foul set up Gomez’s penalty kick, which the Panamanian lifted over the diving Howard for a 2-0 lead in the 36th minute.

Clarence Goodson scored in the 68th minute for the US, but though it added to the drama of the game, it wasn’t enough.  For the US to solidify its place as the soccer/football power in the Western Hemisphere, it’s going to have to beat teams like little Panama every time, not just 8 out-of-9.  Until then, look for the rest of the world to continue poking fun of the US and its desperate efforts to stand among the elites of the world’s game.

[PhotoSource: The Washington Post]

Mohamed bin Hammam was vying to become FIFA’s next president until he suddenly withdrew due to allegations of corruption within the organization.  Bin Hammam was attempting to unseat incumbent Sepp Blatter who has been FIFA’s president for the past 13 years.

The Qatari challenger to 13-year incumbent Sepp Blatter has been accused of arranging bribes for up to 25 presidential voters on a campaign visit to the Caribbean this month.

“Recent events have left me hurt and disappointed — on a professional and personal level,” Bin Hammam wrote on his personal website. “It saddens me that standing up for the causes that I believed in has come at a great price — the degradation of FIFA’s reputation. This is not what I had in mind for FIFA, and this is unacceptable.

“I cannot allow the name that I loved to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. The game itself and the people who love it around  the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election.”

Bin Hammam’s statement is interesting.  He makes it sound like he’s been personally wounded by some smear campaign.  However, he’s dropping out of the race before any actual hearings take place.  If he’s really “standing up for the causes” that he believes in, why not this one.  I understand not wanting to drag FIFA and soccer through it all, but wouldn’t FIFA be stronger for it if bin Hammam was actually innocent of the charges?  I just find the timing odd.

“I have a special thank you to my friend and colleague Jack Warner for his unlimited support,” Bin Hammam said. “I am sorry to see that he has to suffer because of me, but I am promising him that I will be with him all the way through thick and thin.”

Bin Hammam decided to try to become the first Asian president in FIFA’s 106-year history after playing an important role in Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

Buying votes is a time honored tradition in many nations – including the United States.  Perhaps bin Hammam doesn’t really see anything wrong with his actions.

[Source: The LA Times]

He was booed mercilessly afterwards.  Again, tape that thing to the top of the bus.  Don’t let your drunk-ass players wave it around 10 feet above a busy street.

If you follow Chad Ochocinco on Twitter, you quickly realize that the former/current NFL wide receiver is probably suffering from ADHD.  He’s always going somewhere, talking about what he’s planning on doing or where he’s eating.  Most of it doesn’t make a lot of sense.  What is clear, though, is that Ochocinco is a shameless self-promoter.  And in the following case, it looks like he’s fancying himself the second coming of Beckham – the overly hyped celebrity Beckham, not the actual footballer.  According to the AP:

Chad Ochocinco will try to play a different kind of football during the NFL lockout.

Never short on publicity-grabbing ideas, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver is set for a four-day tryout with Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer starting Tuesday.

The club said Wednesday that after the tryout, it would determine whether to extend the trial period.

“We’re always searching for players who can help our team and bringing in new talent,” Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes said. “We know that Chad is an exceptional athlete and that he loves the sport of soccer, and he did play a lot when he was younger. We’re excited to see how his skills will translate once he arrives next week and begins training with our team.”

Ochocinco, who even changed his name from Johnson to in a somewhat bizarre effort at self-promotion, is looking for the next thing that will keep his name in the news and propel him to the top.  That said, I’m sure he’ll be dedicated to actually playing for Sporting Kansas City.

“Due to the NFL lockout, I’m excited to be able to follow my childhood dream of playing for a Major League Soccer team,” Ochocinco said.

But that statement is really pushing it.  When the NFL lockout ends, so does Ochocinco’s contribution to his new team.  So is this really about playing soccer, or just the celebrity behind being a ‘two-sport’ athlete?  Hey, he’d be like Bo Jackson, only not as good but with a big mouth.

[PhotoSource: ESPN.go.com]

Special thanks to Deadspin for the video and story.

A professional soccer player in Colombia faces up to three months in jail for kicking an opposing team’s lucky owl, which had been been hit by a ball after landing on the field Sunday. The owl died Tuesday.

The owl was considered a good luck charm for the Atlético Junior squad in Barranquilla and lived in its Metropolitan Stadium.

Luis Moreno, a Panamanian player for Deportivo Pereira, was met with chants of “Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!” after kicking the owl and had to leave the stadium under heavy police guard, according to the Daily Mail in London.

So what was Moreno’s excuse for booting the injured owl?  He wanted to see if it could fly.  I’m guessing a post soccer career as a veterinarian is out of the question.  Of course, serial killer is always a growth industry.

Special thanks to Big Lead Sports for the heads up.

For the first time, Arsenal has just beaten Barcelona in Champions League play 2-1.  At one point, Arsenal trailed 0-1.  The winning goal came in the 83rd minute by Andrei Arshavin after Robin Van Persie tied it up only six minutes earlier.

Arshavin’s kick was from eighteen yards out after a beautiful pass from Samir Nasri.  For a complete analysis and a minute by minute replay of the match, check out The Guardian UK.

[Photo Source: ESPN]