Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

June 24, 2010

Team USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think that yesterday was one of the happiest days of my life. While I went crazy twitter’ing the first two games. But yesterday, I headed over to a friends house to watch the game, so I didn’t use the internet. I was just watching, in the moment, focusing on nothing else. Chile’s regular cable programming is only showing less than half the World Cup games (ludicrous, as my friend Matt so aptly puts it, in a supposed soccer-crazed country). To see all the games, you have to have Direct TV, which is separate from normal ESPN and Foxsports channels. Anyway. So I drove over to my friend’s house, Paradero 38 on Gran Avenida. To watch the U.S. boys on his giant flat screen TV, in HD, in all their glory. My friend went to work. Seba fell asleep, because, you know, he cares about soccer so much. And I was left by my lonesome to suffer. WOW, did I suffer. By the 90th minute, I was literally in tears.

Normally, one thing that I really love about Team USA is that their behavior always makes me proud. We are not historically one of the best teams, but I think we have always been one of the best teams when it comes to Fair Play. We don’t usually dive relentlessly (a la Italy and a la France) to draw fouls. We don’t sneak in an elbow to the face of the opposition when we think that the ref isn’t watching. We don’t walk out on our coach, no matter how much of an idiot we might think he is. And we don’t bitch about the reffing when all is said and done.

After the TOTALLY LEGIT goal that was disallowed against Slovenia (the would be game winner, instead we got a tie) I was heartbroken. But I didn’t want to blame not winning on the reffing. The players and coach didn’t either. Yes, of course they were upset. But no one got out of hand with their comments. I believe one of them actually said something along the lines of “Well, the ref wasn’t the one who made us go down 2-0 in the first half.” Total class all the way. I’m proud to say that being bitter and whining about reffing is absolute NOT an American soccer tradition.

But then in this last game, as I saw our qualifying chances slip away as it looked like we were playing to a 0-0 tie with Algeria, which would leave us out of the World Cup, and the ref disallowed YET ANOTHER TOTALLY LEGIT GOAL, I thought to myself, “I’m done being a proud, classy Gringa fan. EFF FAIR PLAY! I will HATE THE WORLD FOREVER if we get knocked out of the World Cup with two goals that would have put us through, having been called back for no good reason.

At the end of the game, the ref added on four minutes of stoppage time. In the 91st minute, Landon Donovan came through in a HUGE way for the U.S. and put one in the back of the net. And just like that, we were through. I screamed until I had no voice left. Total jubilance. And then I cried happy tears.

After 90 minutes, I will admit, I had given up. I thought we were out. I was bitter. But the players hadn’t given up. The players weren’t bitter. They just did what they do and got the job done. And finished number one in their group.

So now let’s talk really quick about something else that I love about the game. The Americans are winning over hearts and mind. In the second game that I watched, the announcers were Mexican and didn’t even try to hard their hatred and lack of respect for the U.S. team. But in this third and final group stage game, a Venezuelan announcer started to get excited toward the end of the game. He said, “I’m just going to say it. I want these Americans to get through! They deserve it, look how hard they’re playing! There. I said it.”

You gotta love a comeback kid. And I think the fact that we had three incredible comebacks, in three games, that we legitimately should have won the second game, but didn’t whine about it and start a scandal, just moved forward, that we play hard for 90 minutes and never give up, I really think those things are winning people over. We might be the Clown College of Football, but everybody still loves us

Some people think this is some kind of Cinderella story. Which, I actually find to be hilarious. We came out first in our qualifying group. We made it to the finals of the prestigious Confederations Cup. We were the first team to break Spain’s two year unbeaten streak. The only team to get a goal against eventual World Cup winners Italy, in the last go-round. We won the Gold Cup. We’ve beaten Mexico solidly and consistently (everywhere except in the Azteca stadium) for the last ten years. Would the U.S. in the finals or even the semi-finals be extremely improbable? YES. Unthinkable, like it used to be? NO.

But to go back to the U.S. bringing the world over to the dark side of soccer, I love it. So many times people don’t separate government from citizens. And the World Cup is a good way to put a face to a country, and realize that even if you hate their politics, they’re still human beings who love and suffer and want to win the World Cup, just like everybody else.

No matter what the outcome on Saturday against Ghana is, I’m so proud of our team right now, and nothing will take that away.

Below, by far, the best World Cup sign I’ve ever seen. It brings a grin to my face every single time I scroll down and look at it again. Credit for the picture to Foxports.

If you don’t get it, watch this Braveheart video around minute 2:15.

PS. I love that we took a movie based on the history of Scotland, put Mel Gibson in it, and made it completely ours. Man, I LOVE being a gringa, with all my little Braveheart.

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18 Comments

Great post! I too love how classy they are as a team and the whole fair play thing. I am not sure about that sign though. It's soccer, I don't want to make it about politics or terrorism or freedom.

Comment by Annje — June 24, 2010 @ 6:41 pm

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Behind every great thing from the USA, theres a great Scotsman lol

Comment by Gardner Hamilton — June 24, 2010 @ 8:41 pm

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Yeah! That was so exciting. I'm going back and forth after every game between “aw, I wish I was already in Chile for this” and “damn that such a good game I'm glad I'm still here to celebrate!” Good times either way.

Comment by hawolf — June 24, 2010 @ 8:46 pm

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That's not political Annje, that's the William Wallace speech from Braveheart watch the video I linked to!

Comment by kyleracine — June 24, 2010 @ 9:51 pm

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So funny that you should bring this up, as I was havinig this convo with my coworker just yesterday. I was trying to explain that I don't necessarily love the US team because they are from the US (it definitely helps, but since I don't have any American blood in me, I don't identify 100%), but rather because the are so effing PROFESSIONAL, like you say. That's what makes it hard for me to get on board with the Chile team; my first image of them from several years ago was of a really really flaite and farandulera team. They have definitely changed for the better, but it's hard for me to get that image out of my head…..first impressions last! Anyways, glad you did post on this

Comment by Leana — June 24, 2010 @ 10:44 pm

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Me pregunto si a estas alturas, la base de fans del fÃºtbol en EEUU habrÃ¡ aumentado, y si por fin los norteamericanos en general habrÃ¡n comprendido que no se necesita un marcador de 3900 contra 3950 puntos para hacer de un juego algo entretenido y emocionante.

Comment by Marmo — June 24, 2010 @ 11:10 pm

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ok ok, I know I know. It's just exactly like the political discourse is all….

Comment by Annje — June 25, 2010 @ 12:35 am

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Yay USA! I am so glad you are through cause you totally deserved it. Justice has been served! Australia is out but that was expected, we also didn't give up, but our initial loss 4-0 to Germany did us in, and that was all our fault so we cannot complain! And Italy is OUT! Hooray! Silly diving Italians! (Australians are bitter against Italy for a dodgy “dive” in our 2004 match that caused us to not get out of the group stage) Ben and I were also saying how refreshing it is watching the teams that don't dive, it really is a bad part of the sport. Spain and Chile tomorrow… Go SPAIN! xx

Comment by Kristyleaperkins — June 25, 2010 @ 12:39 am

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…And look what I found
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn3rOPmR9w

Comment by Marmo — June 25, 2010 @ 2:17 am

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Me ENCANTO. Ame el video. Me hizo llorar. Gracias por haberlo compartido!!!

Comment by kylehepp — June 25, 2010 @ 4:29 am

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I'm 99% sure it was meant as a joke and nothing political. When I read the sign I realized right away that it was the quote from Braveheart and it just made me laugh hysterically because then I re-read the sign and heard it in my head in William Wallace's voice. Love it!

Comment by kylehepp — June 25, 2010 @ 4:47 am

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I've definitely come to stand behind the Chilean team 100%, but I also really disliked them before when they blamed losing on poor reffing, poor field conditions, poor coaching…and all it was was their poor work ethic. But Bielsa has seriously turned them around, and in the process of doing so, converted me

Comment by kylehepp — June 25, 2010 @ 4:48 am

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If you were here you could be celebrating both countries with us!!! Tomorrow I'm going to a Chilean asado to (hopefully) celebrate a Chilean win and on Saturday I (better be) celebrating a U.S. victory at a gringo pub. Can't wait!

Comment by kylehepp — June 25, 2010 @ 4:48 am

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I love the Australian team. I think they are a lot like the U.S. — solid work horses who never give up. I'm really sorry that Germany kicked your ass. Germany is like the super skilled version of the U.S. and Australia They scare me. I'm glad we don't have to play them!

And no response to your go Spain comment

Comment by kylehepp — June 25, 2010 @ 4:49 am

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i am the only person in my office, in my family and in my group of friends that gives a hoot about the world cup…DEPRESSING! i want to scream and hoot like a crazy person but it is significantly less fun when done alone. i heard people in the elevator this morning talking about taking a really long lunch break at 10am. I asked if I could join. They thought I was joking. BLAH wish I could watch with you

Comment by Emita — June 25, 2010 @ 1:37 pm

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Seriously, I had tears in my eyes at the end of your post!!! I'm STILL on a high from that game. My voice was totally gone too!

I agree with everything you said 100%. Of course I want them to beat Ghana, but I'm proud whatever happens. Lucas says he has a feeling that US will win the WC in Rio!!!!! For a crazy Argentine fan that's big!

Comment by GlobalButterfly — June 25, 2010 @ 3:49 pm

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I am glad that you did a post on the World Cup too. I desperately want Germany to LOSE now! The three teams I was going for (please don't hate me – US isn't one!) were Australia (I'm Australian), England (my partner is English), and Argentina (because, well, I love Messi!) and they were all beaten by Germany!! Plus the new ball used in this Cup was made by the Germans and apparantly it doesn't handle the same – and the only team to practice with it prior were Germany!! Tsk tsk.

But I must say, I really admire how the US handled their bad luck. The umpires have been pretty average this year, and instead of going on about it (like I did, haha!) the players just got on with the job at hand.

I am confused though, when you say you took the movie based on Scotland, put Mel Gibson in it, and made it yours – what do you mean? Isn't Mel Gibson Australian? Or are the movie makers American? I know the music was done by a British orchestra (only because my bf Dad was in it, I'm not that up on my movie trivia) haha! Orrr do you mean that you made it yours by the sign!! Oh I get it, sorry it's way past my bedtime here so my brain isn't quite working on full power

Comment by MissLiv — July 5, 2010 @ 3:14 pm

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Haha, Liv, I just meant that we took a movie based on another country's history and turned it into a pretty huge part of American culture. I'd say 9/10 people, of most ages, know that Braveheart speech! I think Mel Gibson is part Aussie part American, but I'm really not sure.

I'm rooting for Holland from here on out. I have some Dutch ancestry so might as well, right?

Comment by kylehepp — July 5, 2010 @ 3:20 pm

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