Wild World Cup

The defending champions and the runner-ups in the last World Cup have both been booted out of the games in the first round, because of poor performance. In France's case the players hated the coach, and frankly, the coach is an ass. The players just seemed to have had no enthusiasm or will to play for him. In Italy's case the players were just too old -- so says the coach. The players liked him and played their best -- but youth, in a game of physical strength and endurance, generally has the advantage.

Anyhow, with two past World Cup powerhouses out, how is this going to help the USA team? Well, the USA team is probably the best USA team to compete in the World Cup in recent years. But it is a team of young amateurs whose play is inconsistent. It falls behind weaker teams and struggles to catch up, and to get ahead. It runs the risk of running out of time, or luck, or into bad luck. The two teams favored to move into the second round from their group, did just that, but the play was sloppy. England has played poorly. The USA has played sloppily against weaker teams. The team won the group, but if not for a goal off of a rebound, in injury time, in the last minutes of play, the USA team would have been eliminated from the games in the first round.

France and Italy's early exit, England and Germany's poor performance in the first round, won't be a factor, as to the USA's team chances. The team must improve and perform consistently. It will win or lose on its own.

Go USA and win.