The US Soccer team has balls

This team would make Steve Colbert proud. Not only do they have balls, they have guts. I watched the second half of yesterday's Bundes Brawl against the Italians again. I wanted to see it again sober. I was slightly intoxicated the first time around. The US performance was heroic and legendary. It was one of those rare moments in sports that were unbelievable, inspirational, thrilling, and courageous. We have all heard the stories about the guts, courage, and toughness of the old school football and baseball teams. We are all aware of the Miracle on Ice. Yesterday's game was on that level.

The US soccer team. The 5th best in the world, yet the most underestimated. The team that didn't show up for game 1. The team that got bloodied before losing 2 men. They fought to the end. They scored a goal with 9 men before it was taken away. They showed what Americans working together are capable of. I said it to my friends during the game and I will say it again here. We will be talking about this game for the next 50 years, and that's a good thing.

:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:

I don't disagree with most what you have said, the US played very well. But the US has only in the FIFA rankings the 5th place. That doesn't mean that they are the 5th best team in the world as these rankings are generally seen as..well garbage. It has something to do with how the teams earn these points.
When one is objective, the US would have problems making the top 15.
And for the record, I actually see the US better than many non-US fans. They have improved a lot and I really thought that they could surprise many people.
Game 1 showed that they are just not there yet. It wasn't only them not "showing up", the Czechs were just much better in that game.
Game 2 was how I expected them to be. They don't have the individual class but they used their strengths and actually played how they should play to have a chance.

They probably deserved a win but on the other side, the Italians got a goal disallowed that was not offside. And that was when they played with 10 against 11 I think. It could have gone both ways.

since CONCACAF is arguably the easiest region (besides Mexico and the US, no one gets any respect, even fellow qualifiers Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago. Since the US gets to play softies over and over in qualifiing (through no fault of our own, it's simple geography), we get an artificially high ranking.

If the US had played against the Czechs the way we did against Italy, this would be a much, much different group. When we come to play the way we are capable of, we can beat almost anyone on a level field (like everyone else, we'd need Brazil to have a really bad day, like maybe going to the wrong stadium) Sure, we can't beat Argentina, England, Spain or the like when they are at their best, but on any given day, we probably can now. The difference between us and them is that when they have a bad day, they still have the talent to beat other good teams, we simply don't. We need to come to play hard and together, or we are not even in the top 25.

We didn't deserve a win, we still haven't scored a goal (ever in Europe, by the way) but sometimes it takes luck, and skill to capitalize on other's mistakes. if you put the ball inside the box often enough, and well enough, eventually you get the breaks, and it's important to note that finally the US was in that position. You make your own luck, regardless of refereeing or conditions, and for the first time in a long time, the US made their own luck, good and bad. It was enough.

Not that it neccasarily will be, because Ghana look quite strong. The USA doesn't match up to the big European countries (even Italy when they aren't so disorganised and feeble) or Brazil/Argentina but they are still as strong as several sides who will be going through into Round 1 (Sweden, Ecuador, Mexico, Ukraine).

in any other Group (save maybe the Germany/Holland one) one of the teams that is going home from E would have gotten through, maybe both. Italy is fine, and is going through, but if they beat the Czechs, and the US-Ghana game ends in a win for either team, the Czechs, the number two team in the world, are going home. Since FIFA does the rankings and the groupings, strange to put three top 8 teams in the same group, knowing that one won't get through (and now it looks like one of the top 5 teams (on FIFA's ranking) maybe two of the top five, if Italy and Ghana win, won't get through. You'd think someone in Geneva would be sitting around thinking about a better way to do either the groupings or the rankings, wouldn't you?

and how great is it to have the US in the Group of Death as one of the feared members, instead of the sacraficial lamb?

Northzax's predictions: Italy 1-0 Czech Republic. USA 2-Ghana 1.

I honestly mean no offence, but the USA is not the fifth best team in the world and the Czech Republic is certainly not the second. The Czechs are not bad, but does anyone honestly think that they are better than Argentina?
As for the groups, there is always one unlucky one... or three.

And Argentina is very young. Here is the ranking procedure. http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/statistics/rank/procedures/0,2540,3,00.html

But the Italian team got handled today, and our guys aquitted themselves very, very well. Outstanding performance
all around. I particularly think Dempsey and Onyewu were exceptional. Cherundolo did well also. In the end, it was
about winning matchups, and we easily took 9 of the possible 11 matchups on the field. That's how you win
a world cup match against a team like Italy. Take it right to them!

...I think Onyewu might be this team's best player. By the time the next World Cup rolls around, he's going to be regarded as one of the best center-backs in the world.

Hell, it was shown on a Saturday afternoon. Lots of people were loafing around, or hanging out in bars (according to my informed sources), and so a lot of people saw it. Whether you know the game or not, it was plain that the US team was giving everything against the Itailians (and against a very screwed-up ref, who seemed to have it in for them).

Every true sports fan appreciates a noble, gutsy effort - and the apparent athletic skill of the players.

we love the underdogs (as long as we're the underdogs, that is!)