I think that statement in itself is one of the problems with the stigma attached to the World Cup and FIFA by all Americans. Sure there was a flurry of activity and frenzy attached to this years team because of the way they were playing and finishing games, but now that we're out, I mean really, will we mourn this for four years like the Brits will? In my radio market, the top story this morning is about what Zambrano did in the Cubs dugout Saturday, not the soccer loss to Ghana. So, does the US really need to World Cup?
I say, no. I hope I'm not coming across as an arrogant American by saying that. The furor created by this year's Cup and the media hype was simply because we like cheering for an American team, I mean, this is like the Olympics on steroids; all of us cheering for one team, at one time, with one voice. How many times do we get to do that?
But now we move on: Cub fans get to mourn another year down the tubes, as they watch the White Sox surge, and they begin talking about next year, again; Bear fans wonder what this year will be like since they are picked pre-season to finish third in their division; from my sports perspective, I wonder how much Terrell Pryor will mature this year, with the eternal hopes of finishing a season undefeated, a feat we haven't accomplished since 2002? That's Ohio State if you're wondering.
See, the World Cup was fun sure, and I'll still watch through the knock-out round as a curious bystander, but does the US really need the World Cup? I watched a terribly missed call on goal in the England/Germany match, a brutal no-call on an off-side in the Argentina/Mexico match, and then listened to fans from both sides say, as purists, that's the way the game is played. Oh, how about getting the calls right?
Maybe during the fall of 2011 when the NFL is locked out, and World Cup qualifying is in full swing, we might care; but I doubt it, we will have college football.
