USA-Ghana - post game

So - that happened.

Wow, what sports drama! Such an amazing start, such a run of necessary toughness. Then, a late goal from Ghana and an even later goal from the US for the final result of 2-1. A ton of positives out of that, to be sure, but also some concerns and some negatives, as well as a few questions. Let's discuss, shall we?

Positives

The emergence of John Brooks. Amazing what a goal will do for you?

The crowd - y'all did yourselves proud, folks. I bet you knew that, but it is always good to hear that it was apparent to those watching on tv as well.

What a fantastic goal by Dempsey, with good work with Jones and Beasley. And props for taking a shot to the nose and continuing on.

Jermaine Jones, well done. That was a fantastic game for you, sir, and it was great to see.

For much of the rest of the squad not reference below, they did well enough to get the result. Beckerman, Cameron, etc. - well done.

Overall mental toughness. That took a lot of focus and concentration to get that result, and for 99 of 100 minutes, it was good enough to get the win. Unless their bodies let them down, that should be a good sign for the rest of the tournament.

The Bottom Line - three points is three points, and we got them, and Ghana didn't. And we did it showing a resolve that really should start to scare opponents. When dialed in, the USA is never an easy out and always dangerous.

Negatives

Injuries. I sure hope that the staff are working extra time to find out why we had a rash of hamstring and other musculature issues. The biggest was to Altidore, and that could be a massive loss. But Besler, Cameron and Bedoya all were struggling. That is a LOT of injury issues in only the first game.

Johannsson. I will give a pass to the first half as that was totally unexpected. But surely, make the necessary halftime adjustments to figure out what will be required in the second half, no? I am not at all confident that he can step in and be a starter against Portugal. Maybe time working on some things will give him a better chance to succeed on Sunday.

I never thought I would say this about this game, but Bradley seemed to struggle at times. Here is hoping it was just one game. Considering the athleticism of the Ghanians, maybe it is a bit more understandable. Then again, Portugal and Germany aren't going to be easier to play against.

Questions

Brooks - some looseness at the back at times. I feel good that the confidence he will take from the goal, as well as the time to plan on starting against Portugal, will improve his performance. This assumes Besler will be held out of that game.

What is Next

On Sunday, June 22, the US takes on Portugal in a rematch of the 2002 opener for both teams, a shock 3-2 win for the Americans. I doubt that they will have time to think about that as the 4-0 shellacking they took at the hands of the Germans today will leave them no room for anything other than blind focus on winning their second game. They simply have no other choice. Tie or lose and they can likely kiss any reasonable hopes of advancing out of the group out the window.

Brooks will likely replace Besler, Johannsson will probably replace Altidore. Wondolowski might - possible, but unlikely, in my opinion, unless after film review, the staff feel that Johannsson played so poorly that they have no choice. Zusi for Bedoya?

Either way, this is a massive game. A win and the US is basically assured of advancement unless Ghana beats Germany and then Portugal - not likely. As discussed above, though, a tie or a loss and Portugal is in even more trouble than they are in now, which is a lot. So even though they picked up a red card and two injuries of their own, Portugal surely is deeper than the US and will be able to bring someone of quality. Then again, they have to be shaken. Question is how will they respond, and how does the US come out.

Now we get to play the injury list watching game, and the waiting game. Sunday all of a sudden is a long way away, isn't it?

But a gutsy, clutch 2-1 win over a team that has knocked you out of the World Cup twice ain't a bad thing to replay over and over until we get there. Enjoy!

USA-Ghana - Pregame expectations

Quick and dirty, here we go.

Motivation and What Is At Stake

It doesn't get any clearer than this. Ghana has ended the US World Cup effort twice in a row. Add on to that the result from this morning (if you know it, you know why, if you don't, then you are avoiding the result to watch the game or . . . why are you reading this article again?) and it is very very simple - win this game and you have a clear path to advancing.

Not necessarily win and you are through - far from it. But win and you have two opportunities to cement your advancement. Tie and the road is tough. Lose and you are most likely done barring some really oddball results.

The Opponent

Ghana is one of the better African teams, generally as athletic as any, with European players, and the organizational and tactical development that comes with that experience. Usually considered with the Ivory Coast as the two most likely to succeed in the World Cup generally, they are like the US in that they realize being in the Group of Death means there is no tomorrow, especially today.

They were a surprise in 2006, but their success in 2010 was not beyond expectations. The fact that they were the African side to advance the farthest was, on the other hand, a bit of a surprise.

But how are they now? Four years and a lot can change. Considering their play in recent African competition (Continental championship and World Cup qualification), they do not seem as strong as they were in 2010. Then again, a lot can change even in the eight months between their last competitive match of note and today.

Big questions for them - how will they handle the heat, and how will they handle the moment? Word has it that there will be a sizable US presence at the game. The heat will probably not hinder them any more than the Americans, and it might even be an advantage. But will nerves get the most of them? This could in fact be a game where the US fan support could make a difference.

Our Lads

So we know the following: Altidore, Dempsey, Bradley, Howard. Most likely Cameron, Jones and Beckerman. Probably Besler or Brooks, Johnson, Beasley? And then the open question - Graham Z or Bedoya.

What I really like about that lineup is the lack of experience. Wait, what? Yes. Lack of experience. Other than a few, none have the weight of losing to Ghana on their conscience, but all know that Ghana kept the US back and will still be motivated to avenge those losses.

I think the biggest question really comes down to unity as a team, and organization at the back. With Howard in goal, if the back six can stay organized and not make the Big Mistake, then it will be up to the attack to get a goal or two. A shutout is not impossible, and if the right defenders play well behind Beckerman or Jones, even likely, so even one goal could be the match winner.

As for unity, here is where I think Klinsmann has it right on the Donovan decision - there is zero question in my mind that the XI that will take the field today will be so motivated, so dialed in, and so ready to excise eight years of frustration with Ghana that it will take the game of the Ghanians lives to win today. Donovan has at times been unfocused, and that is something that simply cannot happen today. Simply put, the entire tournament hinges on a win today.

In the attack, it is hard to put too much on one performance, but that last goal for Altidore against Nigeria has to give you goosebumps. What a striker's goal, no? Get that moment of brilliance today, with an organized defense and the crowd support that we expect, and the US chances have to be good, even without a contribution from Bradley or Dempsey.

I also like Bradley and Dempsey, though. Clint has no fear of Ghana, and he has to take confidence from his goal in 2006 - in a lot of ways, his coming out party for the US. And Bradley seems to have take on a bigger and bigger role for the US the longer he has played for Klinsmann. I almost want to say I guarantee a goal from Bradley today, and I certainly think a goal or an assist from him is a very good bet. (Not that I condone that sort of thing, mind you...).

Bottom Line

I have not wavered from this since December - this is a must win if we want to advance. This game is the tournament. Not that if we win, we are through - far from it. There would still be yeoman's work to be done even with a strong win. But any chance of advancing hinges on three points today.

Give me the right defense, and if they have a good game, it is all there for the taking. I really do have faith that rested, fresh and prepared, we will find a way to score today. Howard will make the Black Stars earn it from the defense, so there you have it. It is on you, Geoff and Co. Do us proud!

Supporters Culture

So while I haven't gotten around to describing my experiences at some of the other USA games I've been at in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, I do still plan to and hopefully the US will keep things relevant going forward after Monday.

Today I wanted to give a few thoughts on what has always been my supporters philosophy, and you should know that it has been tempered by over a decade of active support for club and country, including the aforementioned World Cup efforts.

Is this for you?

First and foremost, this is designed for those who want to get the most out of it. If you are just passing through and having fun, by all means, please keep on doing so. Just know that this article isn't really aimed at you. No, this article is aimed at the people who want to feel the depths of the highs to their fullest, and are willing to go through the valleys of despair that such success will require.

It is also designed for those who love their team with everything they have and want to do anything and everything for it. Again, if you're a big fan, but don't get excited about even the prospect of possibly inspiring the players on the field, no matter how far fetched that idea might be, skip this. But if knowing that in the past, US players have been chanting along with us under their breath during the game, gets your blood flowing, then read on.

Because that did in fact happen. I have tried to track it down, but it was Eddie Lewis who admitted after the 2002 World Cup that during the USA-Mexico game in Jeonju, South Korea, he was chanting along with us. And the idea that we were at all wind beneath the wings of our players in such an important game... *chills.*

Let's set the stage

So assuming you're in since your still reading, let's get real for a moment. Odds are you will never get an insight as clear as that. Especially when the game is going against the players and all seems lost, it will be hard to believe that what you are doing matters. But if you have been watching the World Cup so far, or been to major sporting events, you know that the crowd can very much influence things. This is the challenge to you - to actively choose take a knowing, specific, direct path to support the team, 100%, all the time, no matter whether the team is up by three or down by four.

So let's start with this - if you take on this responsibility, understand that it is in fact a responsibility. People around you will learn to count on you consistently being there, and will lean on your passion and example. And if you lose energy, there will be a negative ripple effect, just as if there would be a positive one.

And you have to always do it, no matter the situation on the field, or how much faith you do or don't have in what the coach or the players are doing. Why? Because you never know what might change to turn things around if they are dark.

Think of it this way - you expect the players to play their hardest, throughout the game, whistle to whistle, right? Then why expect anything less from yourself?

How hard could it be?

And don't kid yourself. It is going to be hard. There will be moments of doubt - in-game moments like many had when they heard Donovan wasn't going to Brazil. You will find the team down by two goals in a make or break game five minutes in. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. It flat out sucks. But in that specific instance, those of us trying to keep the faith got a little lucky - it was so early that the rest of the crowd didn't really give up. Frankly, it was hard to believe. But it also was Game Three of a three game series (long time ago, before MLS went to home and home playoffs). That turned into one of the best rivalries - a true rivalry, not based on geography, but based on the fact that teams, players, fans, organizations flat out didn't like each other and wanted to beat each other more than any other game on the schedule.

Visualize where we were in June of 2002, at the Poland match, losing, and on our way home. Surely, right? I mean, we beat Portugal, tied Korea, but if Korea and Portugal tie, they both go through. No reason to believe that Korea was going to beat Portugal, right? The bitterness of going home after such an amazing start was palpable. You could smell it, taste it, feel it slick on your skin. And then seeing the way others were going negative was sickening and disheartening.

But that is what you need to be ready for, because when that happens, if you really want the payoff, you have to fight through it by staying positive, and helping your fellow supporters to be positive.

Payoff?

And there is no way to know when the payoff will be. It may not even be this World Cup. For us at the Poland game, it was later that night as South Korea simply wouldn't play for a tie, Portugal fell apart (two reds, if I recall correctly), and now it was the USA v. Mexico in Jeonju!

But that actually brings another lesson - we went into that match afraid. Flat out afraid. Why? Because we had a number of players out for injury and yellow card suspension, and Mexico had been one of the better teams in the group stage. The feeling in the room was we were going to get crushed, by our rivals, in the knockout stage of the World Cup.

But enough of us came into the match with the same attitude we had going into the Portugal match - what the hell, we're going to cheer for the boys because that is what we do, and come what may. We can only control what we do, not what happens on the pitch, and we CHOOSE to cheer as hard, as long, as powerfully as we can.

And just like the Portugal match, the mixture of fear and resolve was repaid with a joy that you simply cannot describe. And this is what I am talking about.

Specifics? We don't need specifics!

I don't care what you do. Wear a costume, paint your face, bring a drum, lead a chant, simply wear the jersey or whatever and always respond when the call comes - just do it with an eye towards doing it in unison and in concert with others.

Be positive inertia, be positive energy. Do everything you possibly can to ensure that as many people are supporting the team for as long as possible, as loud as possible, as positively as possible. Just make sure that you help get people riled up before the game - join the march in, have a beverage, etc. Just contribute in whatever way is easiest for you to add as much as possible, for as long as possible.

I guarantee you, at some point, there will be a payoff and it will absolutely be worth it. What does that look like? First off, memories of being with your brothers and sisters in arms - "going to war" with people always leaves fantastic memories. It really is a next-level experience that you will remember for decades. If done right, you will make - or cement - the kinds of friendships that will survive distance and time.

Will you get a special experience with a player? Who knows. How the players respond is another one of those things you can't really expect because you can't control it. But if you look, you will see that at their heart, a number of players want nothing more than to be fans too. Every once in a while, you get someone like Frankie Hejduk, etc. - someone who dives in with both feet. Maybe you will be there when something amazing happens on the pitch and the players come over and celebrate with you. Maybe not.

But picture this - you are in South Africa, "deep deep into the match" against Algeria. It has been 90 minutes of failure and forgettable, with no real hope in sight. Throughout the match, the sense of potential failure has grown until now, faith is thin.

Do you want to be the person cheering like mad that happens to be the person Donovan glanced at before Howard released his pass to start that run? Or the guy who is standing there with his head in his hands, or his hands in his pockets, being indifferent?

You just never know - so make sure you do everything you can so that IF you happen to be at the right place, at the right time, and you happen to be THAT THING, you will know that you did as you ask of the players - you gave it all you had for every moment that mattered, leaving nothing to chance. And remember, Sports Happens - if you are consistent about it, that moment will happen for you. I guarantee it. Whether it is in Jeonju, or Suwon, or South Africa in 2009 OR 2010, or Kaiserslatern in 2006 (if you don't think people take pride at having chanted, "Nine men - we only need nine men!" after tying what turned out to be the eventual champions, you are SORELY mistaken), or a certain match against a recent World Cup victor in Denver in 2013, etc.

Nike, baby. Just do it.

Specific notes

Here are some quick hits that might be worth thinking about:

Look for ways to build camaraderie as much and as soon as possible with people around you. High-fives are easy, but it builds a sense of "yeah, we're doing this" pretty quick.

Drink lots of water - you can't punk out in the second half because you are dehydrated.

Bring cough drops - cheering for 90 minutes ain't easy, and a cough drop halfway through a half helps.

Pace yourself day by day. If you are at the World Cup, it is like the Super Bowl every fourth day - take a day of rest the day after a match - watch from the hotel, etc. But then try to watch as much as possible with other fans, especially in bars, where you can practice chants, etc. You never know - the guy you run into there might be the guy you are standing next to at a later match.

Try to find the critical mass, then support it. When there are competing chants near you, whatever the chant or song is, simply listen to find the one that is gaining steam, and join in.

Be on the lookout for interacting with other fans - either US or from other countries. (I still remember being invited to cheer with the Costa Ricans for the Turkey game - and did well enough to be invited for their game against Brazil...)

Finally, stay as positive as you can, and if you feel yourself going super negative, just silence yourself - no need to bite your lip (although I have at times), but find a way to not be negative energy. Understand, I am not saying be blindly positive. If you are this into the sport, odds are you know enough that you will have a sense when the team might not be doing its best - don't ignore that, just don't fan the flames of discontent.

Bottom line

Bottom line - make the most of it. If you are truly a supporter, then be that to its full extent. Make the most of it, because the more you dive in, the deeper the emotions will be when the payoff comes. And if that is what you are looking for, then pay in every chance you get. I promise you, it WILL be worth it. Again, Sports Happens. It is simply a matter of time. And in the current era of US soccer, it is going to be happening a lot more, a lot more often.

Enjoy!

Father's Day

So today is my first Father's Day, and while I don't want to go on and on about it, I do want to say that it has been a fantastic experience and share a little.

While Janice was pregnant with Kyle, a good friend of mine told me that I was about to experience a level of love that I couldn't imagine, and he was so right.

Background - I always knew I wanted to be a father. I also knew that I had some maturing to do (ya think?) before I was ready for it, but it was always in the back of my mind, and finally late in 2012, it was the right time for Janice and I to start trying. As you now know, we were successful, and Kyle was born on August 12, 2013 after 33 hours of labor.... What an amazing experience!

And that is a good place to start my experience of the "more love than you can possibly imagine." The process of childbirth is its own story, but being an active father in that gave me a chance to see up close and personal how much my wife loves our son, and I was just floored. And then we met Kyle....

We made a great decision early on to take advantage of the fact that Janice and I can both work on a pretty flexible schedule and one of us is working, and the other is taking care of Kyle. As such, we have been able to make sure that one of us is with Kyle at all times.

And day after day since, I am amazed by how much it affects me to see Janice mother Kyle, and how much it makes me smile when Kyle smiles.

In an odd way, I kind of feel like some of the Father's Day stuff is a bit of overkill because, frankly, every day provides a moment of the greatness of being a father....

Either way, to all wishing people Happy Father's Day, thank you. It has been an amazing experience and I look forward to continued amazement.

What expectations should we have for the USA?

What to expect?

So the US is headed into another World Cup. As they have in recent years, they come out of CONCACAF having secured their place in the World Cup relatively comfortably, but this time, something is new.  This is not the “We have to get out of the first round” Bora Mulitinovic side that was borne of hosting the 1994 World Cup, nor is it the Sampson-Arena-Bradley “We are what we are, let’s do the best we can” sides.

No, this time, we went out and paid handsomely for Jurgen Klinsmann of Germany fame, with the specific goal of being more than just “what we are.” It was a transition that had to come at some point, and credit has to go to the Federation for being proactive about it rather than waiting for the average American player to improve to a level where the transition would be relatively easy. No, Sunil Gulati went out and pushed the envelope with this decision.

Raise the Bar

It has been pretty clear for some time that the US mens’ soccer program has been making progress, albeit incremental progress, for years. The 2002 and 2010 editions certainly exceeded expectations, including fantastic results against big teams such as England, Portugal, Mexico and amazing moments against teams like South Korea and Algeria. Even the 2006 edition had a phenomenal match against the eventual champions, Italy, and was more of a run of poor performance rather than a lack of talent.

But with the population of the US, their history in sports in general – including the Olympics, and the overall competitive nature of those crazy Yanks, there has long been a sense that things could and should be better. Maybe a misunderstanding of the lack of depth that the Americans have feeds into that perception, but at the end of the day, if we can have success in random Olympic sports, why can’t we have success in football?

But the huge question is how? And if we think we know how, then how far do we expect them to go, and how soon?

Klinsmann came in for this World Cup cycle, and made it clear that he was here to chance the status quo. A whole new slate of coaches up and down the US soccer program gave him a free hand to have influence all along the development stream. But how soon would that bear fruit?

On top of that, he went aggressively for anyone who might qualify to play for the US, especially in Germany. In a way, it made sense. It takes 6 to ten years to really influence the development of a soccer nation, and to really make an impact, we’re probably talking 15 to 20 (starting with kids in the 5 to ten year old range to teach simple technique and molding them until they are 20 to 25). So that was mathematically impossible, at least to show results for the 2014 World Cup.

Third, he began his process, teaching his philosophy.

The results of the first effort won’t be known for some time, and trying to read into results from those teams at this point requires more insight into the future than I possess. The initial results of the second effort were not good, although if you saw it as a chance early on for him to seek out any possible diamonds in the rough, and use what he knew (Germany football) to compare to the bottom half of the US player pool, it probably was effective at giving him some baseline information.

The results of the third, though, were quite apparent and mostly positive. The US, after struggling on the road at Honduras, ended up tearing through qualifying to top the group, and on that run, saw the team break a little out of their usual two-defensive-midfielders, defend and counter-attack against good teams mold. It included a friendly win at the Azteca – no small feat that, although it was hardly best of the US v best of El Tri.

Which leads us to preparation for the World Cup in Brazil, which included two very intriguing story lines.

Qualifying v. competing in the tournament proper

Every US coach since Mulitinovic has had to focus first on qualifying out of CONCACAF, then on preparing for the competition in the World Cup itself. Two very different types of play. In CONCACAF, you have anywhere from one to three quality opponents – usually Mexico and often Costa Rica, and sometimes a third from the group of Honduras and the like. Most of the time, few of those players have the kind of size and quality that you have in playing in the World Cup, even from the top teams. This leads to a faster, more skilled team designed to break down the Guatemalas and El Salvadors.

Steve Sampson recognized it, but between the transition of MLS hindering the development of certain players, and the whole issue with a certain team captain, he walked into a firing squad in France. Certainly starting against Germany was a tough row to hoe.

Arena got it right once, and did a good job overall the second time, but in this writer’s opinion, the veteran leadership simply wasn’t the same in 06 as it was in 02 and you got a drop in form in the first match that cost them a lot. Oh, and a converted midfielder (without the size and strength of Tony Sanneh) at left fullback against one of the best European teams at the time – recipe for failure. The nice thing, from this writer’s perspective, was the difference in response from the ’98 failure to the ’06 flop – it was more of a “we are better than this, and let’s get to work” rather than the ugliness that was post-98.

Bradley had the amazing run in the Confederations Cup to bolster his side, but he still had to make some transitions that obviously paid off against what was perceived as a very tough opening match, clearly highlighting the point about CONCACAF v. let’s say, England.

Klinsmann, on the other hand, has kept a lot of his team together, even to the extent of including a converted midfielder at left fullback. But a lot of his team, especially the young and quite inexperienced defense, is what he used to get through qualifying – one that was less reliant on defend and counter and oftentimes was more attacking in philosophy.

With one key exception…

Donovan

This has been discussed to death, and for good reason. The most decorated and statistically relevant player in US history, Landon Donovan, was left of the plane for Brazil even though he obviously still is a competitive player and likely one of the best 15 players the US has.

After reading and discussing, this writer is of the opinion that it came down to two things. First, mentality. Donovan is talented, no doubt, but he isn’t the hard, aggressive, competitive player that, say, Michael Bradley or Clint Dempsey is. And that apparently is a huge part of the kind of camp that Klinsmann wants. Personally, it is hard for me to balance that with what Donovan did to win the Algeria game – if that doesn’t personify the “never say die” mentality, I don’t know what does – but again, I am trying to understand and explain what I can about Klinsmann, not justify it.

Second, I think he wants to make sure that it is clear that his captain, Dempsey, has no ghost in the room in terms of “the most decorated player in US history” who might be pacing himself in terms of level of play because he is on the wrong side of 30.

But bottom line, he clearly is saying that he needs the players he feels are able to best help this team right now. It is a pretty bold statement, and may not be the best bet. Frankly, I can see a need for a player like a rested Donovan in the third game against Germany (talk about a chance at redemption). But it is the decision Klinsmann has made.

Conclusion

So with all of that being said by way of landscape – and that is a lot of ground to cover – we come to the question we started with, “how are we to judge Klinsmann in this World Cup?” Without going into much detail, let me say that the “if we don’t get out of the group, it is a failure” is out the window. Simply look at the opponents to know that. The US has never had a tougher task to get out of the group. So what is it? For me, this side should be good enough to win a “must win” game against Ghana. So that is step one.

Next, make the most of it. Play well against Portugal and Germany, and if they make the plays to win it (a free from Ronaldo or some-such), so be it. But make them earn it. Leave everything on the field, and ideally, by trying to play – not by trying to bunker and steal on the counter. Especially against Portugal. If we beat Ghana, tie Portugal and need a tie to advance, bunker until the cows come home against Germany. But that is situational. Ultimately, play well, play like you belong, and if you lose, lose because the other team was better, not because you made a stupid mistake. Lose because they have the best player in the world, not because we brought someone less experienced than Landon Donovan.

Ultimately, if you don’t advance, have it be because the opponents were better, not because you brought youth rather than Landon Donovan.

A Soccer Opportunity - Soccer on the Radio

In case you haven't heard, and from what I've seen on Twitter and Facebook, you haven't, KTCK - the local sports radio 880 pound gorilla known as The Ticket - is broadcasting a "World Cup Kickaround" show that starts at the end of The Hardline and goes for an hour, so basically 7 to 8 pm, Monday through Friday, and then from 11 to 1 on Sundays.

It is hosted by Peter Welpton of Lex And Terry fame (among others) and featuring Andy Swift (former general manager of the Dallas Burn, among other things), and other Ticket personalities such as Bob Sturm of BADD Radio fame.

So first and foremost, if you are into the World Cup, it is worth a listen. It is available on 1310 AM, 96.7 FM, as well as the SportsDayTALK app (iOS and Android).

But it also presents an opportunity to grow the footprint of soccer in Dallas area media. Think about it - we are often clamoring for more coverage of our sport and here is a new totally new avenue to consume. So if you want to make it easier for yourself to hear about and read about soccer, consider doing the following:

When on Twitter, talk about soccer, reference the show and use the following handles: @DFWTicket and @SportsSturm.

When on Facebook, post on The Ticket's Facebook page about soccer.

Tell people you know about it, especially soccer fans. If nothing else, let's make sure that there are a lot of people listening to the show.

Then, if after listening to the show, you like it, consider sending them positive feedback, again via Twitter and Facebook. I say positive feedback because, frankly, they are tuning out pretty much all of the negative feedback they get. Hopefully that makes sense. If not, feel free to email me at Kevin@LindstromEnterprises.net and we can talk in more detail.

Again, first, this is a great way to enjoy the World Cup more. But second, hopefully you can see the chance this presents to do more than just enjoy the growth of our favorite sport - it is a chance to accelerate that growth.

For many of you, you probably have all the past frustrating efforts in mind right now, and I don't blame you. Certainly, we have all had a moment of "this sport is bigger than this!". And if you have gotten bothered enough to try to say something, the response has probably been abrupt at best. So why would now be different?

Simply put, the acceleration of the sport has continued in ways beyond Dallas, and it is starting to penetrate. The fact that this radio show exists is proof of that. But the longer we have things like MLS with crowds like those in Seattle and Kansas City, the demand for the US national teams, etc., the deeper the demand grows. Bear in mind, ratings for soccer on television for events like the World Cup and UEFA Champions League - and even MLS - continue to grow at rates that are very noticeable. NBC's work with MLS over the past two years has been phenomenal. Yesterday's overnight for the World Cup opener was 3.1. For a mid-day sporting event, that is more than solid. No wonder networks are spending billions on soccer television rights in the US these days.

Did you hear about the most recent television deal between MLS and their marketing partner, SUM? The new deal is for eight years and worth $90 million a year. Here is Forbes' article. That, my friends, is real money. There is a ways to go, but that is some significant progress.

So for those reasons, efforts now to ask for more soccer media coverage will be seen in a different light. And the World Cup Kickaround, live on The Ticket weekdays from 7 to 8 pm and on Sunday from 11 to 1, is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the sport we love in a new medium, and potentially, help give it some wings....

2014 FIFA World Cup - general expectations

So I finally filled out my brackets for the World Cup - with only moments to spare...!

While I am a Student of the Game, and have been involved with the game professionally since 2005, I am in no way a deep-throat kind of expert. What I intend on doing in this post is just sharing some general insights based on my past experiences attending, studying and following past World Cups. For what it is worth, that includes an in-depth analysis of past World Cup games, following the World Cup since 1994 and including attending the 2002 and 2006 editions. I worked for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer from 2005 until 2012 and am currently writing for MLSSoccer.com and the Dallas Morning News soccer blog, 3rd Degree.

Home-Hemisphere Advantage

First, let's talk generalities. The strongest of European sides will advance, surely, but the home-field advantage of being on the home continent - or at least, the same hemisphere - will likely still have some impact. Do not underestimate the impact of the larger number of fans who will be able to travel to Brazil from Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and even Ecuador and Chile, and the passion they will bring to the stadiums. That is the one thing that I absolutely miss every time I am not in-country for the World Cup....

Mexico

I like Mexico to advance out of their group for a few reasons.  First, Mexico has traditionally played Brazil well - styles matter in football, and sometimes you run into a team that is your kryptonite. Well, Brazil doesn't really have a kryptonite, but just like the US usually gives Mexico fits, same for Mexico to Brazil. Second, Croatia is a good but not great European side - the travel will hit them. Cameroon is a wild card, but between the transition from Africa over and the fact that they aren't the strongest of African sides at the moment makes me think that this isn't their year to advance. Then again, the weather similarity may work to their advantage. But I still have Mexico advancing.

Chile

Here is the first real test of my Home-Hemisphere Advantage. Chile is a wonderful team, with attacking flair should make Brazil blush at times. Playing well, and in front of a lot of home fans, I think they push both Holland and Spain. Do they advance? It depends on Spain-Holland. If those teams draw on Friday, then I think Chile will have their work cut out for them. If one of those two were to get the full three points, I think Chile will take the second spot at the expense of the loser.

Some call this a group of death and I find that doubtful. Simply put, Australia are not as strong as either the US or Ghana.

Colombia

Another strong South American country, I see Colombia doing well, certainly winning the group. The rest of Group C is quite the enigma. Greece? Mid-level Euro side half a world away, without a lot of attacking power. Japan - lots of athleticism and some playmaking ability, but again, half the world away without some of the quality seen on other teams in the group. Ivory Coast? One of the strongest African sides, this is my pick to advance, but it is a tenuous one as their tour in the US was not as successful as they might have wanted it to be.

Group D - England v. Italy and Uruguay in control

On the Home Hemisphere theory, I see Uruguay making it out of the group. I fear for my England friends that they will be left back at the expense of Italy just because I sense more cohesion and committment - and confidence - from the Azzurri than the Three Lions.

Group E - France, Switzerland and Ecuador

Because of Honduras, this isn't really a group of death, but certainly, you have three quality teams in this group and I have no real idea who will emerge. Ecuador is not as strong as some South American sides, and with France losing Ribery, it is hard to really say that one of the three is going to dominate, leaving us to decide between the other two.

Argentina

What a walk-through group this appears to be for Leonel's side. Iran will be a competitive side, but only to the extent that they won't be Saudi Arabia circa 2002. Nigeria is not at its best. Bosnia-Herzegovina, on the other hand, will be a very dangerous side at the group stage level, but Argentina has the class to draw with them, and do better on goal differential in their wins over the other group teams to come out on top of this group.

(Skipping Group G - saving the best for last)

Belguim

This is Belguim's group to win, leaving Russia to likely hold off South Korea, but when you travel halfway around the world, who knows which team will do better. Cappello will likely get more out of Russia than Bo will out of Korea, hence my lean in that direction.

The Group of Death - Group G

In many ways, this could be its own article, and probably will be. For now, though, know that like Chile in Group B, for Ghana and the US, what happens in the other game will define their ability to advance. If there is a tie between Germany and Portugal, both European juggernauts will make it very difficult for either the African or North American sides to advance. If Germany or Portugal wins, though, and there is a winner out of the Ghana-US match, then they have a chance. Draws all around on Monday is very possible and that would throw things wide open. I do see Germany as the class of the group, with Portugal a clear second and Ghana and the US very hungry right behind that.

The Unexpected

Someone always comes out flat. France in 2002 ring a bell? Who knows who it will be this time, but that will be something to watch for. I think I have highlighted the possible sleepers and surprises, although to be fair, mostly I am leaning on the usual advantage playing close to home has on teams. Either way, it should be fascinating to see, especially with the groups that have three teams with legitimate resumes to advance (A, B, D, E and G).

Put on your big boy pants and get in line now - it is going to be quite a ride!