One of many fans excited for the return of football. "ROAR."
If you haven't heard, the NFL's players and owners agreed on a new, ten-year collective bargaining agreement yesterday, ending the 100+ day lockout, and assuring that sports bar owners and fantasy football enthusiasts all over America won't have to commit mass suicide due to lack of Sunday football.
Free agency begins Friday night and Adam Schefter might explode with all the updates he'll be tweeting day and night. Lots of big names will be available including cornerback Nnamdhi Asomugha (please don't make me pronounce that, I can't believe I even spelled it right without checking first); receivers Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, Sidney Rice, Steve Smith and Randy Moss; running backs Cedric Benson, Ahmad Bradshaw, Joseph Addai and DeAngelo Williams; quarterbacks Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselback and...Brett Favre?
YEP!
Favre, who at the end of every season since seemingly the start of this century, has retired, only to return when some team backs up a truck full of money to his house in Mississippi. Brett, you're in that club of all-time greats like Unitas, Montana, Marino, Elway, Manning and Brady. Just stay retired this time and leave Jenn Sterger alone so she doesn't have to go through life thinking all men are creepy.
The USA has Hope, so they'll be back in 2015 for another shot at the title.
Penalty kicks suck.
They should never have to decide the outcome of an epic soccer match like they did today at the Women's World Cup Final. Penalty kicks are completely nerve-racking for players. Goalkeepers are pretty much guessing which way to dive, and the shooters are trying not to think about how they could possibly miss a 24-foot wide net from twelve yards away with only one player glued to the goal line until the ball is struck. In essence, PK's are like a chess match, not a soccer match. Not that intelligence isn't a part of sport, but how many other sports change the way the game is played to decide their champion? Play the game to conclusion. All goals in soccer are climactic. Why not have a "golden goal" overtime that lasts indefinitely and have the ultimate climax to close a tournament? Can you hear me, FIFA?
The United States and Japan locked up in a seesaw battle in which every time the favored Americans went ahead, the relentless Japanese women equalized minutes later. A lot will be made of the missed opportunities the US had early in the game, and that penalty kicks would have never been an issue if the US converts just one of the five or six chances they had in the first half, but they didn't get the bounces. Japan did, and they deserved to raise that trophy today.
Young Alex Morgan, soon to be plastered on countless teenage girls (and boys) walls, put the US up 1-0 in the 69th minute, only to see Japan's Aya Miyama tie it up twelve minutes later after the US defense got a bad bounce on a clearing attempt in the box. The head of Abby Wambach put the US back in front as Morgan threaded a beautiful pass over the Japanese defense and on to the deadly melon of Wambach who easily potted it for her fourth goal of the tournament. With the title seemingly in the Americans grasp, Homare Sawa equalized off a corner kick for Japan with just three minutes remaining, drilling home her fifth goal of the Finals, and clinching the Golden Boot award as leading goal scorer.
Abby Wambach did all she could to help the USA to the title.
After Americans Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd missed the first two penalty kicks, the writing was on the wall. Japan clinched their first World Cup title by scoring the 3-1 win in the PK round. The game is better suited to having a sudden death period to decide the true championship, like hockey does, or any other sport for that matter.
The lovely Alex Morgan celebrates her first Women's World Cup goal.
The USA is on it's way to it's third Women's World Cup final thanks to late heroics again in a 3-1 semifinal victory over France. Striker Abby Wambach once again headed home the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute off a corner kick from Lauren Cheney. Wambach's goal tied her with Michelle Akers as the all-time leading US goal scorer in WWC history.
Alex Morgan, a favorite here at The Wasteland, added her first ever WWC goal in the 82nd minute to seal the deal and catapult the Yanks in to a Sunday match-up with surprising finalist Japan. The ladies from the Land of the Rising Sun knocked off Sweden in the other semifinal 3-1, following their epic upset victory over tournament host Germany 1-0 in the quarters.
Get on that bandwagon, America! Final stop is Sunday at 2 p.m.
Alex Morgan wants you to have a Fanta and watch more soccer.
When you grow up a sports fan in the United States, you're expected to love baseball. After all, it's the national pastime. A passion for football also is a pre-requisite here, and some would argue that the NFL has surpassed MLB as the #1 sports choice in the States thanks to fantasy football and endless coverage from ESPN. I've always been a serious fan of both of America's games, but I've also always been a soccer fan ever since I first started playing as a five-year old kid growing up on Long Island.
Why soccer doesn't have the appeal of other major sports here in the States, I will never understand. Maybe it's the low scoring. Then again, when a goal is finally scored it's the biggest explosive moment in all of sports. Most recently, I'm sure many recall Landon Donovan's goal in extra time to send the US past Algeria and in to the Round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup. Possibly it's the fact that diving and poor refereeing seem to influence the outcome of games all to often. Maybe it's the fact the the US has never been a major power on the world scale, well, at least the US men haven't. That brings me to yesterday...and the US women.
Since FIFA began ranking countries in world soccer, the US Women have never been ranked lower than second in the world, only taking a backseat to Germany over the years. They currently sit at #1. Five Women's World Cups have been contested and the US Women have come away champions twice (1991 and 1999) and finished in third place three times. To put this in perspective, the US Men's highest world ranking was fourth in 2006 and best World Cup finish was third place...in 1930. Around the world, the names Hamm, Foudy, Akers, Chastain, Fawcett, Scurry and Lilly are women's soccer legends for anchoring the Cup champs of '91 and '99...and they're Americans. As for the men, outside of maybe Landon Donovan, most of the world will be pretty quiet when talking about American soccer superstars throughout the years.
Yesterday's quarterfinal between the US and Brazil was a classic. US takes an early lead on an own goal from Brazilian defender Daiane. Brazil evened the score after five-time player of the year, Marta, scored on her second penalty kick attempt. US goalkeeper Hope Solo saved her first attempt, but was controversially found to have left her line early and the save was disallowed. Not the first sign of sketchy refereeing against the US as central defender Rachel Buehler was unjustly red carded for fouling Marta in the box moments earlier. Marta put Brazil ahead 2-1 with her second goal of the game in the second minute of the overtime period. The score remained the same until the waning seconds of the overtime, when midfielder Megan Rapinoe hit the most perfectly placed left-footed pass these eyes have ever seen onto the head of striker Abby Wambach, who proceeded to rifle it into the back of the net, tying the game 2-2, and sending the game to penalty kicks to settle the match. I've watched this goal at least a dozen times since it happened and I'm still in awe. As a former player and fan of this beautiful game, it doesn't get any better. Everytime I watch it I want to charge through a wall. It truly brings tears to my eyes, and that's saying a lot.
Go crazy, ladies!
Following the Rapinoe-to-Wambach crescendo, the US prevailed 5-3 in penalty kicks as Solo again showed why she's the best goalie in the world, as she thwarted Brazil's third attempt by Daiane with a diving save to her right. Ali Krieger converted her penalty kick to clinch the win for the US and send them to a semifinal meeting with France on Wednesday.
Now, Americans are suddenly talking soccer again. I know it won't last, but it should. Everytime someone says that soccer is boring, this clip should be played. If this doesn't make you want to watch soccer, then you shouldn't be watching sports. Memories are what breed legends. Babe Ruth's "called shot." Joe Montana to Dwight Clark for "The Catch." Michael Jordan switching hands while driving through the lane on the Lakers. Al Michaels asking "If you believe in miracles?" as USA Hockey upset the unstoppable Soviet Union in 1980.
If you're not watching, you're missing out. Even if it's soccer.
