If you want to see the US play on a level playing field internationally...

[southlandshari]

Turn on ESPN2 right now - USA vs. Guatemala in a World Cup qualifying match. Halfway through the first half its USA 1, Guatemala 0.

Yes, yes, I admit, the title of this thread may not have led most of you to believe it was about soccer. But admit it. Though politics have crept into sports in far too many ways, athletics are still one of the few places that men and women can still compete on skill and savvy and see the best competitor win.

More discussion on the match here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=215x11552

[Gloria]

1. I recall sittingin Giants Stadium, late 70's -early 80's when the Cosmos

hosted all these INCREDIBLE matches with great foreign teams. It was truly a sight to behold...the national flags waving and everyone having a great time.

Meanwhile, Imus was on the radio in NYC mocking soccer and there was practically no coverage. I remember the night when 35,000 of us showed up in the rain, only to have the sports news tell us that all baseball games had been called off and there was no sports action that night!!

BOY, was I PISSED. I got so mad that I wrote a letter to the New York Times which was published in the sports section, in which I ranted about the crappy coverage and stupid attitude of the sports media...Soccer, you see, was no good because all them furriners played....

[southlandshari]

2. I'm not surprised by your story

Soccer still doesn't get as much interest as I think it deserves here, though we've come a long way in the past couple of decades. In terms of skill, athleticism and sheer endurance, there are few sports that rival it no matter where you are in the world.

I grew up in the Deep South where football rules supreme. Don't get me wrong, I still love college football. But I have grown to love - and respect - soccer during the past few years. Being married to someone from another country who grew up playing the game doesn't hurt!

I remember the 2002 World Cup - and staying up all night on more than one occasion to watch great, human competition! I have hope for the future - even here in my small Alabama town, far more children are signing up to play soccer than are flag-tag football or even t-ball, long the mainstays of little league action!

[Gloria]

3. That's great to hear. Hell, back in the 80's Tulsa had a team

I sat at the 50 yard lines, in the section next to where the players' families sat. I had season tickets for a number of years and was surrounded by people from France, Turkey, Italy, you name it, real soccer fans. It was really wonderful...

[Kire]

4. Damn

I love a good soccer match, but West Wing's on. :cry:

[southlandshari]

5. Spoiler below

Gooooooaaaaalllll!

USA 2, Guatemala 0 early in the second half!!

It is nice to be able to feel national pride about SOMETHING after the last five years!

[southlandshari]

6. It's over! (Spoiler)

Final:

USA 2, Guatemala 0

And it really could have just as easily been 4-0. It was a great match for the home team.