crashing the box
US Men’s National Team
The Kobayashi Maru (or Why International Football Sometimes Feels Like a No-Win Scenario)
“I don’t believe in the no-win scenario.” – Captain James T. Kirk; STAR TREK II: The Wrath of Khan” As the World Cup draw for 2014 in Brazil approaches, I’ve taken note of a curious pastime many of my sport journalist colleagues have been whiling their time away with over the last few weeks: the … Continue reading
Why Olympic Soccer Matters (or March Madness for Futbol Geeks)
In the long shadow of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship this summer, that nuisance of an association football tournament – the Olympics – will buzz around soccer clubs’ ears begging for them to release their players for the competition. Just another age-specific tournament that FIFA can’t stand because it threatens their monopoly by daring … Continue reading
A Little Love for La Liga ( or Why I Just Can’t Stop Loving Spanish Futbol)
La Liga is a hot mess. I have to accept that. As a child growing up in Texas, it was the game in Spanish. It was a strange, curious, and compelling sport shown on Univision or Telemundo. It was a game where every goal didn’t count. It was a game where 22 men made a … Continue reading
Bring a Medal Home (or U23 Coach Caleb Porter has the US soccer story to watch in 2012)
“Am I saying I want to see them to bring a medal home? I think that would be asking too much if you look at all the teams.” - Jurgen Klinsmann, US Soccer Senior Team Coach Am I simply too American? Am I too jingoistic? Or am I simply too romantic? Klinsmann’s aforementioned statements about … Continue reading
National Squad as Hometown Team? (or The Sound and Fury of Preston Zimmerman)
A hastily scribbled thought in response to @PZimmerman88 and his Twitter rant… The furry from Preston Zimmerman’s Twitter rant was profound. “I thought it would be cool getting Klinsmann as US National team coach, but I think it’s actually worse than when Bradley was coach….”, Zimmerman blasted from his account. This was succeeded by a … Continue reading
