re: USA World Cup 2010 predictions

7 hours from CT. Basically only an hour earlier than most EPL matches.

South Africa should be seven hours ahead for the World Cup since they don't observe daylight savings (as far as I can tell). So they'll be eight ahead once we fall back, but seven for next summer.

Then, we'll just go with seven. That's all that matters for next summer. It's the same time difference that we are used to for UEFA Champions League. Since South Africa doesn't do daylight-saving, their time is = to Central Europe Time during the summer.

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Signed,

LHSAA State MVP 1995

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Who was the MVP that year? You? I played back then.

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with davies going out, that hurts. if we dont have gooch, making the knockout round would be overachieving imo


goochs presence is a must have

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This.

Yeah Bradley's enthusiasm is the best on the team. On Wednesday he kept fighting and got the first goal. Occasionally he has his retard moments, see red card vs. Spain.

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he draw will make all the difference. I'll wait until then to make a prediction.

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+1

Guys, take a look at this, from a British writer, no less. It's quite optimistic and she makes a couple interesting points about "Bob Ball" that gave me a bit of pause.

Someone else yesterday on FB made a comment about seeing changes. Look at how Timmy is now getting the ball out to his fullbacks instead of simply booming it down the pitch and hoping for the best. Anyway, take this in the spirit it's meant. It's nice to read something like this every now and again.

From the GuardianOnline

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This was not the most straightforward match for the Americans, but the outcome reveals why they will be one of the teams to watch for next summer. They had already gained safe passage to the World Cup, and when their opponents – who needed to win to secure their own qualification – took a 2-0 lead, Bob Bradley's men would have been forgiven for playing out the rest of the game on auto-pilot. They had even more of an excuse in the 83rd minute when they lost the key defender Oguchi Onyewu to a knee tear and, having used all their substitutes, finished up with 10 men.

But there is a sense of defiance, a born hatred of losing, that underpins the spirit of the team. The Americans equalised with a late flourish of which Sir Alex Ferguson would approve. Little wonder they went a bit loopy. There were so many layers of meaning – a dedication to Davies, a face-saver in front of their own fans, and a confirmation that they finished ahead of Mexico to top what has become a pretty menacing group. That may count for something when the seeds are arranged for the draw for the finals.

This successful qualification guarantees the sixth consecutive World Cup for the USA team, dating back to Italia 90. That is not an achievement that some fairly high- profile nations can match. Not England. Not France. Not Holland. But there is something in the air that suggests the USA team are extra serious about this one.

It was in South Africa, at the Confederations Cup last summer, that they produced perhaps the finest display in their footballing history. They stunned even themselves when they scalped Spain to reach the final, which they lost narrowly to Brazil. The USA duly gave themselves a reference point about playing the best around. They know they can give anyone a scare. They feel they are not as far behind the best as the stereotype would have it.

Right now, anyone who gives you shorter odds for Argentina to go far in 2010 is off their rocker. The USA are in a sense everything that the mishmash under Maradona is not. Their team ethic is exceptional, they are drilled to play to their strengths, and their athleticism and attitude makes them a pretty relentless opponent. If the draw is kind to them, they could go further than they have ever been in their modern history.


Having appeared in the World Cup finals of 1930 and 1950, it took them four decades to reappear on the main stage of planet football. At Italia 90, the USA lost all three matches. The journey since then has been considerable. Do they feel ready for a new surge?

Their understated coach, Bradley, is not one for grand statements but he is naturally pleased with the progress. "We are very proud to win the group," he said. "It took a really determined strong effort by our team and we always talk about when you step on the field, you show people what you're all about."

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British journalism is the best.