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William D. Randall's Blog (of no particular interest to no one in particular)
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"We Have Just Begun to Fight...." Winston Churchill "Audentes Fortuna Juvat" - "Fortune Favors the Bold"
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Monday, June 12, 2006
0-1 = It's Early, 0-2 = Damm, 0-3 = Scheibenkleister! In a tournament were an early loss can seal the fate of a loser, Team USA better get their act together because it will not get any easier. While todays loss was not as bad as the 5-0 pounding given to the Stars-&-Stripes in 1990, a 3-0 loss by an experienced squad is just humiliating. Besides, only one team has advanced after losing in the opening round (Turkey). Now, I will not claim I am a soccer expert in any sense of the word. I can't tell the difference between a striker and a midfielder, or what triggers a corner kick or a free kick, but like many Americans I understand the basic concepts of soccer from my YMCA Youth Soccer days. 1. No hands, 2. Get the ball into the net, and 3. Run like hell for 90 minutes. Today the U.S. mastered two of the three basic concepts of the game but failed to follow the most important one. SCORING!!! A 3-1 loss would have been a lot more palatable and a lot easier to explain. But like many of the US Men's National Teams that have played in international events, todays team treated the opening game more like a vacation then a serious game. Team USA busted their butt to beat Mexico, aka: "El Tri", to make it into the World Cup, yet it is "El Tri" who is dominating. UGH! Take Team USA in the World Baseball Classic for example. Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico, and Cuba played some of the most exciting games of the tournament, while Team USA portrayed the typical American problem of believing the other teams are going to bow down to the Red, White, and Blue. Don't even get me started on the Men's Basketball and Hockey Teams (Primadonas). It is a lot like the classic bumper sticker "Keep Honking, I'm Reloading." While many of our elected officials complain about other countries, the international teams have been improving to the point where they can compete on the same level as us. Or maybe we have become soft and lazy without having to compete with an international superpower like the old USSR. I'm more of an internationalist then others. I believe that Sport is where the modern war is fought, not just on the beaches of some distant shore. If this country really wants to gain respect in the world, we must do it on the field of play and not through bullets and bombs. That means investing in youth sports programs, recruiting talent, and creating a healthy competitive atmosphere both domestically and abroad. I think we have a decent shot at a draw with Ghana, but Italy is a whole other matter.....WDR
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