As we know most Americans don't care too much for the sport that we decided to nickname soccer.  I named my blog for a reason.  Americans love football.  The kind that is played on Sunday in the Fall and Winter.  The kind played with pads and helmets.  Wait a minute don't they play that all over the world and call it Rugby?  I was raised in the South where Friday night is football night and the players are the heros.  I cannot say that I don't like the sport myself.  I enjoy it and rooted for a team growing up and lived and died with them.  However I played what we call soccer.  I was around 4 when I started playing.  It was always fun but as far as being a professional or a hero to many....  Who was a professional and who was a soccer hero?  We didn't have cable TV or satellite so I had no glimpse into the outside world of football.  When the world cup came to America I watched and was impressed but was not hooked.  Baggio missed that penalty and that was that.  A goaless game settled on penalties. I think that was the introduction to a lot of young Americans like myself to the world of football.  I continued to play and by that time it had become more of a job than a sport.  I think this is the first reason why "soccer" in this country hasn't taken off yet.  I mean it has begun and the MLS, Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN's Champions League coverage along with the new inclusion of all World Cup games and the EUFA Euro Cup is bringing the game to the eyes of a lot of young American athletes.  They need the visual representation of football to give them a dream and a vision of what being an adult footballer looks like.  So the next Lebron James or Tyler Hansborough chooses the beautiful game over basketball.  Those athletes are what American football needs.  We aren't getting the cream of the crop.   

When many of us in America who play "soccer" get to the driving age we hit a major wall of growth in the sport.   Those who have grown up in the "travel" soccer routine and have had good coaching and played non-stop have to settle for playing high school soccer and hopefully college.  This is where we are failing our "soccer" players.  The second reason why American football is failing is the development of the footballers we do have.  There is no successful bridge to the professional club level.  Instead of our professional clubs being rooted within the community they are in the bigger cities where the money can support it.  Away from the small towns and suburb communities where football is being played in this country.  Locally we have a team called the Richmond Kickers who put some money into local travel football teams.  It was the start of raising some local talent.  Keep it locally and give the kids a path to club football.  So when the kids get old enough to compete they can give the club a shot.  This is also where we should be building our professional clubs.  The big clubs didn't start out big.  They all grew out of small beginnings.  If we built teams small we could put in place a tier level that could lead to promotion and relegation.  However following the model of the professional American team concept is what direction we are already headed down.  When watching MLS games I always feel that the emotion is so forced and contrived.  We root for the team because we have one.  To me that is okay because we do have them now.  So that is better than nothing.    

This really had me thinking because I found myself really rooting for Fulham these past few weeks.  This is different than the team I usually root for, Arsenal.  It has me really thinking.  I love the brand of football Arsenal play and have much respect for Wenger and the players he has brought in.  Am I a Wenger fan or an Arsenal fan?  I was rooting for Fulham because I think it is important for American football.  Dempsey and McBride are real heros for Americans.  They are genuine, hard working, and important parts to that team.  The emotion I felt after I saw the score line from today; Portsmouth 0-Fulham 1 had me smiling all day long.  I was overjoyed.  So the question is can you root for one of the big four and also have a team on the side? 

So draw the curtains and have the fat lady sing.  No trophies this season.  It is very disappointing considering that we had our foot in the door.  To me the season never gave me a sense of comfort.  The fast start was nice but I was never convinced.  Flamini was a nice surprise and I don't see him leaving.  Adebayor's barber should close his shop because I will firebomb it the next time he decides to get the lettuce chopped off.  I'm a very superstitious person. 

This week has been heartbreaking.  Well going back to the Chelsea match it has been high drama for the Arsenal.  From Bolton craziness to Liverpool ripoffs.  We have seen it all.  The 2-1 result today to Machester United highlights our need for a goal eater.  Adebayor is great in the air but we need a sharp shooting striker.  I really like our back four when we have Senderos, Sagna, Toure, and Clichy in the lineup.  Oh wait a minute we haven't had that luxury. 

The Eduardo incident will overshadow this season and really can be seen as a turning point.  Not for form or tactics.  We lost a man but we really lost our innocence and a sense of the battle we were in for.  We are building and I already see great things in the future.  We are two players away I believe.  One in the back, one in the front.  We don't need big changes and I think cooler heads will prevail and I see at least one piece of silverware next year.   

So it came and went and the sun rose the next day.  Or so I was told.  It was a rough day.  We had heard the rumours and read all the crap that was spread.  It was numbing and each day that went by without it happening I could see the light at the end of the tunnel at Emirates and the red 14 kit was still there and the captain's armband was in place.  Then the news broke.  I was at home because my air conditioner had decided that it had given me enough comfort this hot Virginia summer.  A few websites splashed the news and then a check of BBC.com and it was confirmed.  Thierry would be given his media day on Monday.   

  Seeing him step out onto the Nou Camp turf with 30000 fans cheering and the flash bulbs going off was hurtful.   It was surreal.  It was like seeing your ex with her new significant other.    

 The skill will be missed; the finishing touch, the pace, and how he could create a chance on goal out of virtually a borken play.  He is special.  I think what seperates him from other special players was his ability to be the face of Arsenal.  His style off the pitch just magnified his greatness on it.  Nobody will deny that his legendary status with Arsenal is sealed.  While one legend left another remains.  Arsene Wenger is still employed with Arsenal Football Club.  Life goes on.

Through an injury plagued year Arsenal still managed to land in the final of the Carling Cup, the quarters of the FA Cup, and still finish in the top four of the league table.  What was lacking was the finishing touch needed to win games.  Dominating possession of the ball will not always translate into three points.  If football scoring was made up of stringing together passes we would be okay.  With Cesc, Hleb, Gilberto, Toure, and Adebayor we played beautiful football.  We didn't score enough goals.  Goals win football matches.  Here lies the problem. 

 Robin van Persie is a player that I believe could have a pretty big year next year.  Before the injury in the Manchester United game he was scoring goals and was showing that if you put the ball at his feet he could be dangerous.  Adebayor creates more goals with his ability to be at any moment a problem in the box and hold possession.  He draws defenders by his sporadic dribbling and pace.  However he lacks that finishing touch.  I could be wrong but it just doesn't seem as if he has the 20 goal season in him we need.  I hope I'm wrong.  Eduardo de Silva scored many goals in Croatia and Wenger obviously knows what he is doing.  The level of competition he was playing against wasn't up to par with the EPL but a player who has a knack for scoring goals cannot be denied if the ball is placed at his feet at a dangerous spot. 

With all the buzz revolving around the loss of Henry and replacing strikers I think one thing is being overlooked.  The backline was suspect at times last year.  I will tackle that situation at a later date. 

Henry will be missed but if he wants to do his thing for Barca we have to let him.  He gave us some great years and plenty of silverware.  A legend who brought us pride and a reason to cheer.  He certainly will give me great motivation for subscribing to Gol TV for the upcoming season.  If we meet him in Champions League football it would be great theatre.  Irony is delicious that way. 

Okay so I'm still a little pissed off at our showing at the Copa America tournament.  Copa America is the second most important Confederations Tournament behind the UEFA Euro Union Confederations Cup.  We get invited and bring an unproven and green squad?  So Landon, Dempsey and the boys don't want to face the best together?  I don't know who made the decision to bring the B squad?  If I was a player on the US side I would want to face the best.  Why play at this level if you don't want to prove yourself against the best the world has to offer?  So they would rather face Canada's bright young stars instead of Messi, Tevez, and Gilberto?  Don't get me wrong Canada is up and coming.  Not to mention they got ripped off in the Semis.  If you think that was offsides you need to really put down the bong. 

You cannot expect to show up to the World Cup after warming up with friendlies and not testing yourself out of the comfortable confines year in and year out.  A team is built when a team like Columbia has you down and your about to pass out from the sub-tropic humidity while Spanish is being yelled at you and your sure they aren't wishing for your happy return.  A hostile environment is going to be anywhere besides American soil for a couple of decades.  You have to know who is going to be there when the competition is stiff and your on the big stage.       

I know what your saying.  "We won the Gold Cup genius!"  Yeah, but they only proved what we already knew.  We can beat the best in our region on our own soil.  Look at what Mexico is doing right now.  They knew where the big stage was and they brought their A game. 

 On the bright side of things.  Our U-20's have shown great form in Canada at the U-20 World Cup.  It is great to see the swagger these guys are bringing to their game.  Adu's hat trick against Poland and Jozy Altidore's two goals in our wonderful win over Brazil helped ease my pain over Copa America. 

The competition in the MLS has been great for these younger guys.  By staying Stateside and getting plenty of time on the pitch they have matured.  However with the eyes of Europe watching over the proceedings in Canada it might mean tickets to some of old Europe's most beautiful cities.  Lets just hope they don't get lost in the shuffle.    

After reading many blogs and listening to numerous football talk shows I have decided to give it a shot.  For a fellow like myself who uses spell check as if it was the very air I used to fill my lungs.  I have done the obvious and started a blog.  As an American who grew up playing soccer.  I believe like many of us who follow the beautiful game in this country and played it growing up that we have been mistreated by our fellow Americans.  After spending a lifetime playing soccer on fields that were half softball dirt, half track gravel, half third string American football team's practice field, and being picked on by even the marching band for having such silly uniforms. I still love this game.  Not to mention having to watch the Special Olympic's All Star Synchronized Swimming Tribute show on ESPN2 knowing full well that they could be broadcasting a great Champions League game. 

 So this is for you; Suzie in Sarasota who knew every word while Jordin Sparks sung You'll Never Walk Alone on American Idol while your friends were talking about how Ryan Seacrest's hair could look that good. 

 This is for you little Johnnie who proudly wears that Man U kit and kicks the snot out of all the kids on the playground and proceedes to slide, both knees, arms raised accross the wet grass while your teacher tries to explain to Mom and Dad how you kiss your crest every time you get a math problem right. 

Many wonder if the arrival of Beckham will mean that Americans will finally pay attention to football.   I say no.  It means that Becks will be on the cover of GQ and maybe appear in a few poorly made action movies.  I'm not saying that the quality will not be there on the pitch.  He will do what he has done his whole career.  Place excellent balls in the box and make everyone around him that much better.  It will not mean much once fall rolls around and America begins a new football season.  He might not even make Sportscenter.  By the time this experiment is said and done more people will know him from commercials than his free kicks.