One of the biggest upsets in recent memory happened this week when nobody was watching. The United States men’s national soccer team defeated the world’s top-ranked soccer team, Spain, 2-0.

The country - OK, fine, the small number of people who care about soccer in a country that creates games and calls ourselves world champions - was still reeling from the U.S. loss to Brazil a week earlier, when it seemed that the Brazilians were just toying with the U.S. team.

However, a different team showed up on Tuesday. Behind some awesome goalkeeper play, the U.S. was able to win. It ended a 35-match win streak by the Spanish that continued for more than two years.

The U.S. is not a men’s soccer power. In the one game that the entire world plays extremely well, the U.S. has mostly been a no-show. Though I do not think that the national team’s winning ways will continue in this week’s Confed Cup final, I hope the team can at least ride some of the momentum of its past win.

I may just tune in.

- Russo

No Gold medal for the Golden girls. In an upset, in my mind anyway, Japan knocked off the USA Softball team 3-1 to win the gold.
It will be a long time before team USA can recapture thier Olympic glory as softball will not be an Olympic event again until 2016 if then.
However, the USA women's soccer team struck gold with a 1-0 win over Brazil.
Maybe too much was placed on the softballer's shoulders while the soccer's gals snuck in under the radar?
Redemption for goalie Hope Solo!
Sports don't you just love them?

Lenn


Sportsmanship is something you usually hear about at a young age.  I realize the older a person gets, sports becomes more competitive and we sometimes forget that sportsmanship is an essential part of the game. My wife and I recently attended her cousin’s soccer game which reminded me about how fun sports can be. Her cousin is only six-years-old. He’s learning the game so he doesn’t take it that serious and he has a lot of fun. Just watching he and his teammates play soccer made me think again about how the objective of sports is to win but also have fun.

I realize these are six-year-old kids and they don’t even keep score. But I know how competitive I am playing softball and especially sand volleyball. Yeah, I do let my temper flare every once and awhile. I try not to say things that I’ll regret, but it happens.

I usually attend sporting events such as state tournaments where there is a lot at stake. Teams want that state championship but someone has to come out on the losing end. With that comes disappointment. I sure most everyone understands that. But a lesson I took away from that one soccer game is sportsmanship and it reminded me again why I like sports so much.

Jerome

I was blown away when I saw that ESPN was saying British soccer star/pop icon David Beckham reportedly signed a $250 million dollar deal to come to Los Angeles and play soccer for Major League Soccer’s L.A. Galaxy. That’s Alex Rodriguez money, and even if you could clone a sports league and you made 10 MLS’s you still wouldn’t have the wealth, prestige and power of the New York Yankees.

http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2007/01/11/ap3322586.html

http://www.forbes.com/business/2007/01/10/david-beckham-soccer-biz_cx_pm_0111beckham.html

So, is this deal for real? Or are the “endorsement opportunities” just a catch in Becks’ contract with adidas that says if he moves to America and helps adidas sell more shoes, balls and shinguards they’ll pay him the same money that he’d earn playing in Spain or England? 

Or, do the opportunities encompass his wife’s money-making ventures – “music” and “acting” and looking pretty — as well?

Interesting. I’ve long thought that with the increase in Latin Americans moving to America, soccer was bound to take over in a city with a large Latino population sooner rather than later.

But does the combination of Beckham, Hollywood and Mexico make a quarter of a billion dollar-type sense for an aging, pretty boy soccer player that wasn’t that diverse a talent even at his absolute prime? He was, and is, a brilliant passer and free kick specialist, but he is definitely an older, limited talent trying to do something in a country that has typically rejected the game on a mass audience level.

I’d be a little edgy if it was my 250 million. But maybe he’s worth a quarter-bil in L.A.

I have no idea, but something tells me that by the time Beckham is done playing soccer the worth of the American deal will be substantially less than what the hype machine has got it at right now.  

Either way, it’s a big deal for the game in this country. Or is it? After the first few sell-outs to see a quasi-movie star play a game that they’ve never found that engrossing to begin with will the American general public tune out?

- Padraic