US Soccer and Omaha

Ok, so I'm going to venture onto something that isn't exactly on most basketball head's minds but I'm going for it regardless...

I've been a huge fan of the US National Soccer Team for a long time. And now it's starting to be like being a Detroit Lions fan (wait, I am). This whole plan the US Soccer Federation put into place a while ago has become amusing. The original plan was for the US to win the World Cup by 2010. After watching the terrible performance this past week in the Confederations Cup, I threw up in my mouth. We have a zero percent chance of even making the second round of the World Cup if we play anywhere near the way we played against Italy and Brazil. I know Italy and Brazil are two world powers but we weren't close.

It's embarrassing to watch guys like Demarcus Beasley play against these teams. He shouldn't even be on the pitch (yes, my soccer lingo). He hasn't gotten any better since he and Landon Donovan were supposed to be the next best thing after finishing 4th at the U20 World Championships a few years back. If you watch other sports, guys get better as they get older, i.e. Lebron, Peyton Manning, Greg Maddux, but this isn't the case with US Soccer. Beasley and Donovan are perfect examples of that, they peaked at 20 and 21. They haven't gotten any better and are very predictable.

As I was talking to our soccer coach the other day (after we both stopped watching the Brazilians kick our dog) and he was talking about the fake confidence that the US has. They walk out of the tunnel like they have actually beat someone. Congrats, you've beaten Honduras, Trinidad, and Columbia, countries that are more known for their drug trade than soccer. We will never even have a chance to win the World Cup unless these things happen:

1) Kids are forced to be creative. Our teams have zero creativity and it shows against the quality clubs. There is too much coaching at the younger ages and kids are told to reign in the fancy dribbling and creative passing. There is too much emphasis on winning when the kids are 6, 7, and 8 year olds. Obviously, the US isn't Brazil or Italy in soccer but we can actually look at how basketball is in the US. Kids in basketball are forced to be creative because they play "streetball" and are forced to make adjustments on the fly without the help from coaches. The system in soccer is much too structured, let them play and figure things out for themselves.

2) There needs to be more development at the National Team level. Guys can't peak at ages 20 and 21, and if they do they shouldn't even be in consideration to have the honor of having the US on their jersey. It should be a rule, if you aren't play for your club teams then you aren't playing for the National Team (Thanks, Jon Lowery for the idea). There is no way someone who isn't getting any burn has the fitness or the timing to be at the highest level for the US to be successful against the best teams in the world.

3) The biggest argument that I get when I talk to people is that soccer isn't the main sport in the US. That is blantantly obvious to everyone, soccer doesn't get the best athletes in the US, basketball and football do. They could at least do a better job at the younger levels to attempt to get better athletes, instead of the uppity rich kids we have playing now. If you were a kid, do have dreams of playing in the NBA or the NFL? It's certainly not going to be easy, but there has to be an attempt.

4) And last but certainly not least, there needs to be change at the top. There is never new blood. If things don't change, things will always be the same. Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley are both native Americans and have been somewhat successful in regards to pushing things to another level but they aren't great coaches. Why not try to bring Jurgan Klinsmann (I know, I butchered the spelling) over to coach. Yes, he lives in Huntington Beach, CA but he played and coached in Germany. He knows what it takes to get to the next level because he has been there as a player and a coach. Hire him now.

Now onto the great play we have seen in the College World Series. I haven't exactly kept up on the games as much as I have in the past because I actually have to work now but it certainly has been exciting. After watching last night's Texas-Arizona State game, it has certainly refreshed my mind into watching college baseball as much as I can. What a game. The Sun Devils go up by one in the 9th after a underused frosh triples to score a guy from second. The Augie Garrido led 'Horns didn't back down from the challenge in the bottom of the 9th. Cameron Rupp hit the furthest homer I've ever seen in Omaha, over the batter's eye in center, to tie it up. Next pitch, Connor Rowe hit a screamer over the left field bleachers to end the Sun Devils' dream season. The #1 ranked Hook 'em Horns now face the #3 ranked LSU Geaux Tigers in a best of three series starting on Monday. Two of the best programs in the country going at it in a winner take all series, can't get any better than that.

It's too bad that the famous Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha will be gone after this year. They are building a new downtown stadium for the Series to continue in Omaha. I'm a big time traditionalist and I understand there are times to build new things but you certainly won't have the same feel in the new stadium. It's kind of like the old Yankee Stadium. Yes, the new one is great and has all the things you would want but why change something that is history. It's what makes Wrigley and Fenway great.