What a 12-hour period it was for US Soccer. Like A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Sunday night, a version of the US Men shocked Mexico to win the Gold Cup. Within 7 hours, the World Cup Champion US Women failed in their attempt to win an Olympic Gold, defeated by a disciplined Canada. Two games, back to back, which were like some kind of US Soccer version of Freaky Friday.
USWNT: Fast Car Feelings
Throughout the Olympic tournament, the US Women seemed out of sorts. A team working out how to win when they do not even recognize their own shadow. Unusually vulnerable at the back; leaden up front. So many of the United States’ most creatively menacing players -- Sam Mewis, Lindsey Horan, and Rose Lavelle -- seemed strangely and simultaneously muted. The tiny percentage they were off their games combined to be the narrow difference between glory and defeat.
Yet, the story coming out of this morning’s defeat is that so many of the most experienced players, with the biggest reptuations, appear to have been outrun by time. Alex Morgan no longer appears to have the pace with which she once outstripped all-comers. Megan Rapinoe was a shadow of herself away from the penalty spot, and Carli Lloyd remains all grit and hustle, but to lesser effect. The team’s killer tournament stat was the 9 offside goals they pockmarked throughout the tournament. Like a team of Timo Werners, feeling only the building anxiety and constantly mentally overcompensating.
That the Canadian penalty which decided the game was spotted by VAR only added to American agony. Yet it was fair and deserved. And the United States could summon no response. Like Spain at the 2014 World Cup, who evaporated after going Euro-World Champion-Euro back-to-back-to-back, this United States Women’s National Team Golden Generation is grinding down. They still have bronze to play for. It does not need to be said that any medal is a remarkable achievement. To me, the team’s fallibility at this Olympics only serves to show how remarkable the achievement of so many of these players has been. Like a Pep Guardiola-coached team after a winning run ends, defeat only makes you appreciate the glory more.
The truth is, this US team have won so much, we may even have taken their dominance for granted. The good news is this: there is so much young American talent playing week in week out in the NWSL -- Midge Purce, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman. Fear not. The next iteration of this US Women's National Team is going to be a clenched fist of wonder. In terms of the current squad, there are so many legends who have experienced unprecedented glory, and given our nation so many moments of joy we will remember forever in the process. "Valar Morghulis." For everything there is a season. A time to plant and a time to harvest.
USMNT: “Soccer’s Coming Home”
All Hail Miles Robinson! The 24-year-old rose up to head the US to glory in the 117th minute of the Gold Cup final, giving the team a SportsCenter moment that continues to refurbish their damaged brand in the eyes of the widest possible American sports/Soccer Curious viewing public. From a human experience. It was a lovely moment for an American C Team who handed a strong Mexico side a humiliating loss -- their second in a final in one summer. From a purely footballing perspective, the truth is, many of those players will not pull on a US jersey for a long time, if ever again at all. And that is the problem. CONCACAF organizing competing tournaments forced the best players to pick and choose when they would play. What the US Men truly need to progress at the speed of our dreams is to face up to true powerhouse teams in Europe and South America so that they can experience competing against and even beating them, before they next face that caliber of opponent at the 2022 World Cup. Compare the quality of the football at the Euros to that of the Gold Cup and you realize just how much CONCACAF is the Star Wars Cantina of Global Football. The win Sunday night was really just a sugar high. Don’t get me wrong. It felt amazing. The joy was real. But in terms of propelling the US Men’s Team to the next level…let’s celebrate it, laugh at the win against a great rival, witness Alexi’s heartfelt tears, but always be aware of context and where we need to go to get to where we want to be.
Come and join me and Nick Kroll TONIGHT
One of the true joys of releasing a book is to be able to support America's Indie Bookstores in doing so. They are so much more than book slingers. They are centers of creative community and sources of ideas and dreams that better the towns and cities around them. So, I am thrilled to be able to partner with Los Angeles’ Jewel of an institution, Book Soup, and appear in conversation with Nick Kroll, co-creator of Big Mouth, tonight at 9 PM ET to talk about autobiography, creativity, and adolescence. Nick is also my real-life brother-in-law, so this one is going to be lovely. No matter where you are in the nation, please come raise a glass with us. Sign up to attend via Book Soups website…and join us…and support Book Soup in the process. Courage.
Big Love. Be in touch with any questions.
Courage.
ROG
