OK, we have made it very clear on this site...we are about honest conversation about the MNT.
Well, in the spirit of honesty...
OOOOO MMMMMMM GGGGGGG
I am officially pond scum for a day. Wow! I really did not think this iteration of the MNT could muster up the character to even be respectable against the NUMBER ONE TEAM IN THE WORLD...
...my bad (he says sheepishly).
What a day for American football. I spent 2 hours in a side bar in the ass end of nowhere, yelling at the TV and having the rednecks drinking Bud Lights agreeing with me like it was Alabama Football. Nick Sabean is no Bob Bradley...er...or vice-a-versa. WHATEVER.
I finally saw:
1) A defense that sold itself out for EVERY ball
2) An offense that was dangerous enough to get it done
3) And a RED, WHITE and BLUE spirit that reminds me that it doesn't matter what your record in international tournaments are (Russia, you listening?) with the American spirit, hard work and a never say die attitude, we can do anything.
God Bless America!!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
My Thoughts Exactly
Somehow I missed this story a while back and wanted to share it. A solid breakdown position by position. I just wish he would have called Bob Bradley out just a little more.
Let's take The Wolf's Advice...
One of my favorite movie characters is The Wolf, Harvey Keitel's awesome character from Pulp Fiction. After this past weekends triumph over a clearly beat up and underperforming Egypt, I have one piece of advice for U.S. MNT fans...
...Let's not start sucking each others d*cks just yet.
I mean seriously, there were still some major wholes out there and I was really glad to hear John Harkes pointing them out at every opportunity. We are atrocious at left back. Jonathan Bornstein is a joke. Clint Dempsey was relatively invisible, apart from his late heroics, and Bob Bradley's substitutions were suspect at best.
That said, I really like the game Landon played (you don't hear that from me too often.) He's a much better player when he is running at people from the midfield Why don't our coaches realize that? I would love to experiement with a 3-5-2 where we run Altidore and Clint up front, throw landon, bradley and clark in the middle with Benny and Someone else on the outsides (no, not DMB) and then pack the back with Gooch, Boca and Spector. Clark would play back to support the defense, but it would give us more opportunity to move the ball through the midfield.
Anyway, we get a date with Spain. A decent showing will make this a very respectable tournament. I'd limit the excitement about the Gold Cup because we really need to stop using that tourny as the measuring stick for success.
Check back in for some post game comment.
...Let's not start sucking each others d*cks just yet.
I mean seriously, there were still some major wholes out there and I was really glad to hear John Harkes pointing them out at every opportunity. We are atrocious at left back. Jonathan Bornstein is a joke. Clint Dempsey was relatively invisible, apart from his late heroics, and Bob Bradley's substitutions were suspect at best.
That said, I really like the game Landon played (you don't hear that from me too often.) He's a much better player when he is running at people from the midfield Why don't our coaches realize that? I would love to experiement with a 3-5-2 where we run Altidore and Clint up front, throw landon, bradley and clark in the middle with Benny and Someone else on the outsides (no, not DMB) and then pack the back with Gooch, Boca and Spector. Clark would play back to support the defense, but it would give us more opportunity to move the ball through the midfield.
Anyway, we get a date with Spain. A decent showing will make this a very respectable tournament. I'd limit the excitement about the Gold Cup because we really need to stop using that tourny as the measuring stick for success.
Check back in for some post game comment.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Who Are We Kidding?
So I went into the Italy game with the requisite amount of skepticism, watched us play a semi-decent game of football for about 40 minutes, and then watched us get thoroughly manhandled. Then I woke up this morning and accidentally turned on the Brazil game...2-0 in the 20th, and it wasn't even that close. We actually might lose 5-0 to Egypt.Time to get a grip Yanks.
We are going down in RSA, and we are going down BAD!!!!! The 2010 Cup might make France look more like the Gold Cup. We really suck right now. I never thought I would long for the days of having Mike Burns at right back again.
This team has no character, no philosophy, no energy, no skill, no technique...I mean we're Sybil with boots on. I was in Chicago two weeks ago and despite the state I was in, I knew bad football when I saw it. The MLS minor experiment must end soon. Fire Bradley now. He is tactically inept. Drop Bornstein, Kleisjen and DMB (does NOBODY see how bad we are when they are on the pitch) and let's get this sorted soon.
We are going down in RSA, and we are going down BAD!!!!! The 2010 Cup might make France look more like the Gold Cup. We really suck right now. I never thought I would long for the days of having Mike Burns at right back again.
This team has no character, no philosophy, no energy, no skill, no technique...I mean we're Sybil with boots on. I was in Chicago two weeks ago and despite the state I was in, I knew bad football when I saw it. The MLS minor experiment must end soon. Fire Bradley now. He is tactically inept. Drop Bornstein, Kleisjen and DMB (does NOBODY see how bad we are when they are on the pitch) and let's get this sorted soon.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Bring the Swagger
One of the things that struck me about the NBA "Redeem Team" that won the gold in China this past summer, was the amount of confidence and swagger these guys played with. These guys came into the tournament with a huge burden on their shoulders, they were tasked with restoring American basketball as the best in the world once again. Not only did they win, but they did it with an air about them that said, "you're not touching us, we are the best in the world, come get some".
I think for the most part, this is an American attitude, "we are the best in the world, come get some". Even if that statement doesn't ring true in all segments of our existence, you ask any American and they bubble with pride, and boldness when asked about their country and it's place in the world. Sometimes we get a little carried away and make unrealistic assessments of world affairs and let our patriotism clog common sense, but for the most part our arrogance is not far from the truth.
So what does this have to do with football. My question is, when does the USMNT turn the corner, when do we start playing for 3 points every time out, when do we stop saying it is okay to get 1 point in Guatemala, or T&T, when do we finally walk into Azteca and say, "hey Mexico, we are better than you, your altitude, smog, and 90,000 fans don't intimidate us, come get some!" When do we go down to Saprissa and say "Cosat Rica, your fans can stand outside our hotel and party all they want, your fans can continue to throw rubber gloves filled with piss and blood, so what, we are walking out of here with 3 points. When do we say enough is enough, when do we say "we are the USMNT, and we OWN this region!"
Better yet, when is qualifying for the Cup not enough? When does getting out of pool play stop being the goal and starting being an expectation. When do we get to the place, where winning a World Cup is not unrealistic? Yes I am getting ahead of myself a bit here, but to my earlier comments, all I want is to see us play with confidence, I want to see us play with a swagger that is not existence, a swagger that a guy like Clint Dempsey possesses. He is the one who can change the make up and attitude of this team. I say give him the arm band and let him lead.
Check out his goal against Blackburn, http://tinyurl.com/dhxmq4
That is pure determination, that is pure work ethic, that my friends is swagger.
I think for the most part, this is an American attitude, "we are the best in the world, come get some". Even if that statement doesn't ring true in all segments of our existence, you ask any American and they bubble with pride, and boldness when asked about their country and it's place in the world. Sometimes we get a little carried away and make unrealistic assessments of world affairs and let our patriotism clog common sense, but for the most part our arrogance is not far from the truth.
So what does this have to do with football. My question is, when does the USMNT turn the corner, when do we start playing for 3 points every time out, when do we stop saying it is okay to get 1 point in Guatemala, or T&T, when do we finally walk into Azteca and say, "hey Mexico, we are better than you, your altitude, smog, and 90,000 fans don't intimidate us, come get some!" When do we go down to Saprissa and say "Cosat Rica, your fans can stand outside our hotel and party all they want, your fans can continue to throw rubber gloves filled with piss and blood, so what, we are walking out of here with 3 points. When do we say enough is enough, when do we say "we are the USMNT, and we OWN this region!"
Better yet, when is qualifying for the Cup not enough? When does getting out of pool play stop being the goal and starting being an expectation. When do we get to the place, where winning a World Cup is not unrealistic? Yes I am getting ahead of myself a bit here, but to my earlier comments, all I want is to see us play with confidence, I want to see us play with a swagger that is not existence, a swagger that a guy like Clint Dempsey possesses. He is the one who can change the make up and attitude of this team. I say give him the arm band and let him lead.
Check out his goal against Blackburn, http://tinyurl.com/dhxmq4
That is pure determination, that is pure work ethic, that my friends is swagger.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thoroughly Dismayed...
I am reading the paper today, and see that Landon Donovan will return to the Galaxy this week, two days after his loan to Bayern Munich expires. He “expressed interest in staying” though he was used sparingly. Our “best” player signed for arguably one of the best clubs in all Europe, and he was “used sparingly and sent home.”
Yet we still have an over 40 goal keeper leading Villa to a European spot (Friedel), our #1 keeper leading a team to Europe (Howard), a midfielder (Dempsey) supporting a renaissance at Fulham (they are top 10 right now), and on and on and on…
Oh, and if I am misinformed< we missed the opportunity to send Jozy to Europe for serious cash.
WTF is up with US Soccer, MLS and the lot?
R&R
Yet we still have an over 40 goal keeper leading Villa to a European spot (Friedel), our #1 keeper leading a team to Europe (Howard), a midfielder (Dempsey) supporting a renaissance at Fulham (they are top 10 right now), and on and on and on…
Oh, and if I am misinformed< we missed the opportunity to send Jozy to Europe for serious cash.
WTF is up with US Soccer, MLS and the lot?
R&R
'Ole, 'Ole, 'Ole...
Welcome to the Real MNT...a place where we can have honest conversations about the U.S Men's National Soccer Team.
First, a few caveats:
1) We don't think anything less than the best about our boys. These are our boys, and they play their hearts out. We bleed red, white and blue. If you think we are haters, go back to watching WWE on Spike TV you tossers.
2) We don't expect you to agree with us. This blog is not about leading with your heart; it's about thinking with your football mind and calling BS when you see it.
3) This site is not a fan of Frankie Hey-Duck!!!! When you finally figure out how to get a cross into the box, you'll come off our sh*t list. Until then. All jokes lead to Frankie Hey-Duck.
4) We are officially starting the timer on Bob Bradley's tenure as MNT coach...tick tick tick...hope we don't wait for south Africa to make the call.
5) We hope you agree, disagree, challenge, spar and otherwise beat the crap out of our opinions. It proves you care.
Roger and Ryan
First, a few caveats:
1) We don't think anything less than the best about our boys. These are our boys, and they play their hearts out. We bleed red, white and blue. If you think we are haters, go back to watching WWE on Spike TV you tossers.
2) We don't expect you to agree with us. This blog is not about leading with your heart; it's about thinking with your football mind and calling BS when you see it.
3) This site is not a fan of Frankie Hey-Duck!!!! When you finally figure out how to get a cross into the box, you'll come off our sh*t list. Until then. All jokes lead to Frankie Hey-Duck.
4) We are officially starting the timer on Bob Bradley's tenure as MNT coach...tick tick tick...hope we don't wait for south Africa to make the call.
5) We hope you agree, disagree, challenge, spar and otherwise beat the crap out of our opinions. It proves you care.
Roger and Ryan
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