So Im not the best at being concise when Im irritated. My TL;DR version of this comes first so you can skip the rest: Michael Wilbon is laughably wrong. Michael Wilbon is a perfect example of the old guard in American soccer culture. He seems to have an opinion about the game whenever he is asked to present on it or when a major tournament rolls around. You can go back to the World Cup in 2006 when he marginalized the biggest sporting event in the world AND the United States involvement in said tournament because it was Soccer and only deserves a minute on it. Yes, that was an abysmal showing from the USMNT but nonetheless, we had made it to the dance. His outrage (and I get that he is on a produced talk show that is designed to stir up emotions and opinions - which I am buying into right now, for what it is worth) is laughable. For the casual fan who only maybe knows the names Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, this has probably been the single most shocking month in US Soccer history (spoiler alert: in reality, its not. Id say the 1930 World Cup run to the Semis was probably more so...) and therefore, I understand why Wilbon is so worked up. He sees the best American player being left home from the biggest tournament. Yes, Landon has been fantastic but can one truly say hes better than most anybody else on the roster? Maybe Green? Maybe Davis? But the guard has to change and weve covered this already. So now you have Klinsmann saying that theres no way the USA can win this World Cup. While I try and not speak in absolutes, hes right. I agree with Alexi Lalas in that our expectations should be to get out of any group we are dealt (he said this back in December before the draw) and this draw is the most brutal ever for the US) but expectations are sometimes exceeded and sometimes not met. In 2010, Landon Donovan gave us one of the most iconic and memorable moments in US Mens Soccer. He scored a winner in stoppage time in a match against ALGERIA to send the US to the knock-out rounds. Algeria is not Germany. The group we were drawn into was probably the easiest group the US has been a part of and we were very close to making a complete mess of it. Were not an elite team though we are a very good team. There is always the probability that any team could hoist the trophy come July but realistically, the US most likely wont be that team. AND THAT IS OKAY. What the rest of us know that Mr. Wilbon doesnt (on top of Klinsmanns resume... which... Swing and a big-assed miss on that one, Wilbon... hasnt won anything LOLZ) is that Soccer is a story of journeys and development. The World Cup is a measuring stick and a celebration, not an end all destination that is reached and then nothing more happens. Its a very big sign post along the journey but World Cup success does not indicate which teams are actually Elite (though it does tend to correlate). So here is where I really take issue with Wilbon. The man marginalizes the sport seemingly every chance he gets, doesnt seem to understand supporter culture/the USMNT, and is in no position to tell ANY soccer coach or player to get the hell out of America. Saying Klinsmann hasnt Won anything is flat out WRONG. As a player, he hoisted the World Cup trophy. As a national team coach, his Germany side outperformed expectations and placed 3rd in 2006. As the USMNT Coach, hes won away to Italy, away to Mexico, beaten Germany, taken the USMNT on the longest winning streak in our national team history, WON the first piece of silverware for the team since 2007 by WINNING the Concacaf regional final (The Gold Cup), qualified on top of the Hex, and convinced talented (and possibly soon-to-be elite) players to play for the USA over teams that are already Elite. Not only is Mr. Wilbon wrong in his comments, hes wrong in the manner in which he made them. You dont tell someone to get out of the USA - a place where he and his family have lived for YEARS and consider Home - just because youre upset about something. You dont disrespect the resume of someone as decorated as Jurgen Klinsmann, and you dont get to serve as any voice of reason with regards to a sport you marginalize so often. If covering the World Cup is that big of an issue and involves lashing out in an unprofessional manner, I hear Cambodia is an excellent place to take a sabbatical every 4 years, Mr. Wilbon. We can all Unite and Strengthen just fine without you. So now that thats all said, Im just gonna quote Ian Darke to close this out: GO GO USA!
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 03:29:03 +0000
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