It's something I've dealt with all too often being an Angel fan. However, at the very least there's always next season. Four months will pass and all of a sudden it's time for Spring Training and a chance at redemption. It doesn't work this way with international competition.
When the Men's US hockey team took silver in Vancouver back in February, it stung. Oh did it ever. But there wasn't disappointment. The squad played exceptionally well and advanced farther then everybody thought. It was a bittersweet silver lining, but a silver lining never-the-less.
I'm still searching for silver linings following America's loss and subsequent elimination yesterday.
The US soccer team went to South Africa with one goal: get out of the group stage. After a brilliant-played draw with England, an amazing comeback to draw with Slovenia (a game they should have won after having a goal called back for no reason) and a thrilling last minute win over Algeria, America did just that. In fact, America won their group for the first time since 1930. Because of this, America avoided Germany (who put an absolute beating on England earlier today) and drew Ghana in the round of sixteen. All of a sudden a pipe dream became a reality; the American's could actually win the World Cup.
(Okay, so maybe that's a stretch; but with Ghana in the round of sixteen, and the winner of Uruaguay and South Korea in the quarter-finals it looked as if the American's had drawn the perfect path to the final four).
All of a sudden friends and relatives were calling/texting to ask about Ghana and if they were any good. Customers coming into my work were discussing Landon Donovan's goal against Algeria in the 91st minute to put the US through. For the first time, the sport of soccer was the main topic of conversation in America, and not just the old "does anyone in America even care about soccer" debate. No. This was different. People did care.
Of course, America fell flat yet again, losinf 2-1 to Ghana in extra time. Ghana also beat the US 2-1 to eliminate the US from the 2006 World Cup in the group stages. America looked absolutely flat and coach Bob Bradley made questionable call after questionable call, dooming the US against a younger, faster Ghana squad. And like that, the bright World Cup hopes for America burnt out.
There are a lot of positives to take home for the US squad, no doubt. Landon Donovan had a great World Cup, scoring three goals (including the goal heard 'round the world) and exercised the demons of an disastrous 2006 World Cup showing; also proving that he belongs on soccer's biggest stage alongside the big boys. Michael Bradley and Tim Howard also had very nice World Cup showings. America also solidified what they proved last year that they deserve a place alongside the Spain's and England's of the world, something the rest of the world won't take lightly. And lastly, the US National Team proved that soccer can indeed captivate a "non-soccer loving nation" like America.
Yet despite all that, the loss to Ghana leaves me feeling empty and disappointed; something I didn't think I could feel if the American's reached the round of sixteen. And while it terribly sucks, it also leaves me a bit happy knowing that I can actually expect more out of the US National Soccer team.
I just wish I didn't have to wait four more years.
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