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The Spectacle Blog
After the U.S. bowed out of the 2006 World Cup in an embarrassing 2-1 loss to Ghana, I complained about the lack of top-down influence on the U.S. men's national team to anyone who would listen (very few people). I also thought that Landon Donovan, after finishing the tournament with no goals and precious few shots, should not be allowed back into the country -- but all is forgiven now, Landycakes!
After all, Ghana is not exactly a world superpower. Their population is not one tenth of ours. Their GDP is not a third of one percent of ours. If they are humbling our country on the world's biggest sporting stage, it's because our leaders are allowing it to happen. There are enough pure athletes in our country to find 11 world-class soccer players among them, I thought, and if no one else will bother to find them the president himself should take responsibility, by creating a Soccer Czar if need be.
That makes tomorrow's rematch with Ghana in the second round all the exciting: are we still too apathetic and disorganized to compete in the world's game, or can we avenge our 2006 loss?
Here's something I didn't realize in '06: some countries really do have soccer czars. Not just the Chinas of the world, either, but free and soccer-crazed countries. For instance, while reading this New York Times article about France's World Cup experience devolving into nation-wide racial discord (really), I was surprised to learn that France has a "Sports Minister" and a "junior sports minister," both of whom Sarkozy called on the carpet and ordered "to rapidly learn the lessons of this disaster" after France's ignominious World Cup exit.
Is the French national team better off for having these ministers? Or are they just heads for Sarkozy to roll when things go south?
Something else I didn't realize in '06: the U.S. actually has a pseudo-Soccer Czar. Under the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, U.S. Soccer is the official body for overseeing amateur soccer and the national teams. And, via Tyler Cowen, it has an honest-to-God technocrat at the helm.
Sunil Gulati has been the president of U.S. Soccer since 2006. Here's part of his bio:
Gulati graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bucknell University and earned his M.A. and M. Phil. in Economics at Columbia University. He served on the Columbia Economics Faculty from 1986 to1990 before joining the World Bank through its Young Professionals Program in 1991 and serving as country economist for the emerging country of Moldova.
As far as I can tell, though, neither Congress nor the president can influence Gulati or U.S. Soccer. It's a private entity with government recognition.
So here's how we show up the rest of the world, America-style: we win games, maybe even the World Cup. We do it in racial harmony. And we do it without a Sports Minister, junior sports minister, or any other Big Brother-type influence other than our now-beloved Gulati directing things.
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More Blog Posts by Joseph Lawler
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/06/25/us-soccer-technically-czar-fre
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L. Ross| 6.25.10 @ 12:16PM
I understand your desire to dominate soccer. After all, we are the United States, and we tend to dominate most anything we want to. In answer to your unasked question, "Why doesn't the United States dominate the World Cup?" the obvious answer is simply, "We don't want to." Because we don't care.
L. Ross| 6.25.10 @ 12:23PM
BTW, I would not characterize two ties and a win as "winning". Maybe more like "not completely failing."
breffnian| 6.25.10 @ 12:57PM
By this afternoon, half of the teams at the world cup will be out, including France and Italy who contested the title game in 2006. For a second tier soccer nation like the US to advance to the 2nd round is, therefore, a victory, even more so as they also won their group.
ggoblue| 6.25.10 @ 1:04PM
first place in the group....ghana instead of germany tomorrow....
Joe Hamilton| 6.25.10 @ 2:03PM
L Ross ; You obviously know nothing about soccer or the world cup. The US won their group over England .England was considered by the odds makers to be the third best bet to win the WC. You deride the team without mentioning the US team was deprived of 2 legitimate goals by biased referees in the 3 games played so far. In a sport where final scores are usually 1-0, 0-0 ,2-1, the referee can decide who wins . Despite depriving the US of 2 goals, they overcame these obstacles. Many fans around the world admire the fighting , no say die spirit of this US team.
Flee| 6.25.10 @ 3:08PM
Joe, I think L Ross makes the point that we don't care for soccer much here. I don't believe a team would have to win a single game to win their group. If you start to point fingers at the officials I know the sport is going down. As a long time basketball ref I know the influence we can have on a game but I also know the refs are the only people in the gym or stadium without a horse in the race. Do we make mistakes? Of course we do but humans always do and refs and players are all human. Enjoy your game and cheer for your team. Try to appreciate that refs do their best and not all Americans care for soccer. I would rather watch a 1-0 baseball game on a lazy Sunday afternoon than a soccer game of any score.
Leila| 6.25.10 @ 12:46PM
Some important pundits, writing for important online news and opinion outlets, may or may not have once, (when they were small) characterized the outcome of a town league soccer game thus: "We ALMOST won!!"
Don't ask me how I know this. But perhaps, L. Ross, it speaks to your second point.
Philip Tortora| 6.25.10 @ 10:25PM
The World Cup soccer tournament ought to be played every two years, and should double the number of teams involved.
http://philiptortora.blogspot......y-two.html
CrooozAteHer| 6.27.10 @ 11:07AM
Yeah that mighty soccer powerhouse Ghana whooped the USA. Hahaha! Soccer. Lame.
Soccer. What a waste. Well, if you are a wussy Euroweenie or Euroweenie wannabe who can't throw, hit, or catch a ball its not a waste.
irish19| 6.28.10 @ 1:22AM
Obviously you've never played the game.
owyheewine| 6.28.10 @ 10:07AM
ho hum.
Soccer is a totally boring game designed for girly men and mannish girls.
It also seems to attract blind, incompetent, corrupt referees. A perfect United Nations game.
Matthew Steel| 10.6.10 @ 12:51AM
I think there's too much money involved in soccer. Look how rich the clubs and players are, for crying out loud! This is the only soccer I play...:)
Check it out:
http://www.weekendnotes.com/soccer-match-at-aberfeldie-oval/
Matthew