Entry #45: May 15, 2006

Camp Buehring, Kuwait (Somewhere near the Iraq border)

For those of you who know me well, you’ll recognize the fact that I am a soccer fanatic. I grew up playing the sport (and wasn’t that too bad at it, either, I might add). One of the reasons I chose Germany as my first duty station in the Army was that I knew that World Cup 2006 would be played in Deutschland during my tour. As luck and fate would have it, I am deployed during the biggest affair to hit European soil since French women discovered the razor blade. Nonetheless, I will follow Team USA from this beach without an ocean as they look to best their 2002 quarterfinal run.

Team USA is led by Bruce Arena, the most successful coach in US history. Since it’s the evening, and I have little more to do, I’m gonna lay my thoughts out on the team and their chances in the Copa Mundial (that’s World Cup to those of y’all who sing the national anthem in English).

The strength of this team lies in its midfield. Led by 4-time World Cup player and team captain Claudio Reyna—known in England as Captain America—the Americans have a midfield that has few equals in its tenacity and athleticism. It has a wealth of players with an immense resume of overseas experience and who reign as stars of MLS, the domestic soccer league in the States.

The starting forwards will likely be Landon Donovan and Brian McBride. Even those of you who don’t follow soccer might recognize the name of Landon Donovan. He’s pretty much the American soccer equivalent of Michael Jordan—he’s the most talented and most marketable of the American players. However, the man on whose shoulders the US’s scoring output will ride on is McBride. He’s been a mainstay up top for the Americans since the 1998 Cup and is a hard-nosed, workaholic forward. McBride is the guy whom I modeled my own game after. He’s the kind of guy you want wearing the same color of jersey as you.

The defense can either be the biggest plus or the greatest minus on this squad. It’s got tremendous talent, but is lacking Cup experience. There could be as many as three first time players starting on defense. Heading the backline will be Eddie Pope, who will be playing in his third Cup. The guy I think who will have a breakout month in the land of lederhosen will be a beast of a defender in Oguchi Onyewu. Look for him to get signed by one of the giants of soccer after the Cup.

Our opponents will be Italy, Czech Republic, and Ghana. It’s arguably the toughest draw in the Cup, the Group of Death as it’s affectionately known. Many of the traditional followers (I like to say old farts) of soccer expect us to be bounced out in the first round. I reckon we’ll do a bit better than that. Italy is full of ravioli—which is to say itself. They’re fattening (big-headed) and just a collection of dough (that’s expensive players). I think we’ll beat them 2-1. The Czech Republic game will set the tone for the Cup. They’re our opening match. Even though they’re number two in the FIFA rankings (by the way the US is #4 so FIFA is about as accurate as Shawn speaking in a Southern accent), the US matches up well with them. Expect a draw. Ghana is a real wild card. They have one of the best players in the world in Michael Essien. This game will determine whether the US finishes first or second in its group. I think the teams will tie in a gut-wrenching game. The Americans finish second behind the Czechs.

The problem with finishing second in this group is that the lucky squad gets to face Brazil—who have a 99.9% chance to win their group—in the Round of 16. That’s almost a guaranteed loss. However, if the US beats Ghana to finish at the top of the table, look for them to make another run to the quarters. I will miss cheering on the Red, White, and Blue over a pint of Guinness. I guess Gatorade with extra powder will have to do. And so the Soldier’s life continues…