July 17, 2011
The D&C is the Wambach & Chronicle for a day.
The players are getting ready for the biggest game in many of their careers.
The US team may not want to admit that they are the favorites today as they have played the hard luck kids role this far. But, the fact that they are 3-0 versus Japan in 2011, including a pair of 2-0 wins in the run up to the World Cup and there is no doubting who should win today.
But, as a cool USMNT YouTube video once said, sports are not a math equation. The favorite doesn't always win.
That is not happening today. This US team will get the job done. Players like Hope Solo and Abby Wambach will not allow that happen.
Japan is playing for more than a World Cup trophy as they try and lift the spirits of their homeland as they continue to recover from the tsunami and the earthquakes that devestated the island nation earlier this year.
However, I have a belief that the US will end Japan's Cinderella ride today as they claim their third World Cup title.
But, that's why they play the game..........
More US-Japan:
- Jeff Kassouf has his preview up at Fox Soccer and news & notes from yesterday at Equalizer Soccer.
- Jeff also looks at the impact social media has had on the World Cup coverage. And on that topic, Abby Wambach is on twitter and has over 11,000 followers in less than a day with only two tweets.
- Ray Curren has his match preview up at All White Kit.
- The USA 10 Kit has their game day guide.
- The Shin Guardian has a finals primer.
- ESPNW talks about all the friends & family that are in Germany to support team USA.
- ESPNW has five things to watch for today.
- ESPNW looks at what a win today would mean for the next generation of soccer playing girls and women in the US.
- The USA 10 Kit looks at how the USWNT is writing a new chapter in US Soccer history.
- The Free Beer Movement wants to go to kareoke night with Pia Sundhage.
- I love Steve Davis cracking on the bandwagon jumpers who think they know what is best for soccer in the US.
- Beau Dure wonders about whether the boost that this World Cup run could give WPS moving forward.
- Hope Solo talks about what Pia Sundhage as brought to the US team.
News & Notes:
- The Rhinos fell 2-1 in Orlando last night in a FSC match that saw coverage cut off midway through the second half due to a lightning delay.
- The MISL team in Syracuse will be known as the Silver Knights.
- When I read that 5 North Koreans had tested positive for PEDs, I joked to myself that they would blame the lightning strike that they blamed the US loss on. Well, they did.
- The USA 10 Kit has a great post about some US player development myths.
- Is Cary, NC in the mix for MLS expansion? They would appear to need either a new stadium or a major expansion of their current one.
- Jozy Altidore is off to Holland.
- I can soooo see this happening.
- Dear Vancouver , waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Be happy that you now have an MLS team to support.
- Support the Fort , indeed.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to jamesrweise@gmail.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
