OGS World Cup Writers React To USA's Thrilling Win
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 3:00PM 
By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
If I knew more about soccer, I'd try to twist something romantically savvy into my prose about what Landon Donovan and the United States accomplished in South Africa today.
But no one ever says it's a great day to be among the literati. On a day like today, after an effort like Donovan's, people say things like, "It's a great day to be an American."
No sports columnist and surely no blogger will be able to wield a pen mightier than Donovan's right foot today. But since the celebration of USA's 1-0 group-clinching defeat of Algeria is still only a couple hours old, emotions are fresh, and so is the team of OGS World Cup writers. Here's what they had to say after the Americans won their group for the first time since 1930, and advanced to Saturday's knockout round:
+ Mike Mudd
Wow, America craved some drama from this U.S. team and boy did they get it. I had oozed confidence in my Group C preview that England and the U.S. would advance easily out of this seemingly barren group. And I admit I couldn't have been more wrong. The correct two teams moved on, but not without putting both countries' fans on life support for a week. The U.S. showed the type of soccer today it will need to win a second-round game, and I think they have a good shot at winning one with this renewed confidence. I have always thought Landon Donovan is the best home-grown field player this country has ever produced, and his goal today to save the team just backs up my contention. It wasn't easy, but it some ways, the way this U.S. team earned its trip to the next round, it may in the long run bring forth more fans. Because at the end of the day, everyone loves a win pulled out of the fire and the drama of sports.
+ Jake Yadrich
For 90 minutes, it seemed as though the United States were going to get jobbed again by the refs. The U.S. were attacking hard, creating multiple chances but never cashing in. For the last 10 minutes of the game, I was actually praying for a Slovenia goal since it looked like the Americans were boned ... but Landon came through, and gave me the most memorable sports-viewing experience of my life. As a Kansas grad, I never thought anything would top Mario Chalmers' 3-pointer against Memphis in 2008, but even that has to take a back seat to today's events.
+ Mike Marshall
With all the pressure you could imagine, the country watching, some trying to understand how a 0-0 match could be dramatic, only to be shown a veritable Hollywood finish in added time, these guys never quit. It made me proud to see this level of sustained performance finally resulting in a win (think Germany in the 2002 Final). Damn. This World Cup Christmas just keeps on giving.
+ Mike Dick
This is why we love football. A couple of minutes from going out, the Americans get the late goal and win the group. Cue the massive, collective orgasm. The glut of chances nearly went begging, but great vision and distribution from Tim Howard and good, continued running and the finish by Donovan gave the U.S. what they deserved.
+ Jeremy Brown
More amazing than the awful officiating and an unlikely finish as group leaders, there is actually international sympathy for Americans. And an added benefit of the USA's win was the collection of post-game shots of hot crying Algerian women.
+ Bruce Sholl
It goes to show what kind of team the Americans are by looking at how they responded to adversity today. This was the second game in a row where a goal was disallowed because of questionable refereeing. FIFA seems intent on letting these kinds of game-altering decisions stand with no real consequence, so what's the real cost for a ref if he sways a game one way or another? Add to that the downright dirty play by the Desert Rats, who were intentionally trying to take USA's players out of the game and you can see what kind of team the world thinks we are. These guys didn't let it get into their heads; they kept their focus and played until the end of the match, looking for any opportunity to shift the balance.
That is what makes our country strong -- a willful determination to see things through, even when they aren't going our way -- and why Algeria is going home, why no one likes them, why they have shitty uniforms and why they live in a desert. Throughout their history, stronger, more motivated countries like the Romans, the Arabs, the Ottomans, the Spanish and the French have taken claim to their land, their government, their resources and now we their football team ... and their pride.
Reader Comments (2)
Did I TELL you that USA would win the group or WHAT?
http://ow.ly/22qDG
BTW, great entries mates. OGS rules.
S'all'm sa'in.
Leave it to Mike D to tout the keeper. Great pass on that goal, though