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.