The Icing on the Cake
Soccer has the power to cast other-worldly spells on people.
For non-soccer fans, it can be difficult to understand why scoring a single goal warrants a celebration normally reserved for a nation’s revolution. This passion, intensity and patience are qualities that make the beautiful game special. Without diving into a comprehensive analysis of soccer, this sport has a connection to the psychology of chess. In soccer, like chess, the back-and-forth dynamic enhances the match and deepens the resolve and strategy of both competitors. This is why, after hours of playing without a major breakthrough, that one move or goal validates every previous positive and negative act.
And that goal or checkmate represents so much more than the game alone. The sports we enjoy tend to reflect our personalities and mentalities towards life. In the Euro 2016 match between Iceland and Austria, the men in blue pulled-off a spectacular goal at the very end that sent the Austrians back to, well, Austria. However, the goal was only the second best part of this sequence.
Do you think soccer is important to this Icelandic announcer?
That’s beautiful.
There’s No Coming Back From 4-Nil
Argentina 4 – United States 0 (played in Houston, Texas)
The same roster, the same “tactics” and the same result.
If Jürgen Klinsmann isn’t fired now, when?
The Jürgen Klinsmann Experiment reached its peak level of misery last night. The Copa América Centenario semifinal loss against Messi & Co. should’ve lit the final piece of wood in the fire beneath Mr. Klinsmann’s seat. Hopefully, the incompetent senior leadership at U.S. Soccer will finally act accordingly. The group responsible for hiring and firing has yet another opening (and possibly the last and best chance) to finally fire Mr. Klinsmann based on uninspired performances lacking purpose and creativity and drastically unrealized expectations throughout his 5-years as USMNT manager before the United States devolves towards a third consecutive underwhelming World Cup.
The United States is far better than what they’ve shown under the management of Mr. Klinsmann and five years has been more than enough time.
As Americans have proven for 22 years since this country hosted the World Cup and started Major League Soccer two years later, the United States is excited for this growing sport and are ready to see its best eleven take a step towards respect on the world’s best fields. In fact, the ambition should extend to being feared. That’s not happening. Perhaps surprisingly, the impatience in the USMNT is not rooted in enduring necessary growing pains, but instead in the Groundhog Day syndrome.
Living the same day/watching the same underwhelming team over-and-over-again isn’t fun.
At least the movie has Bill Murray.
One criticism that cannot be kicked at USMNT head coach Jürgen Klinsmann is inconsistency. Mr. Klinsmann has been, to a fault (or two or three), relentless in his approach and supposed vision. As has been written about and examined many times on this blog, U.S. Soccer needs to move on from its current manager, most of its roster, current style of play (there’s a style of play?) and hire a manager with a proven track record of success at the highest club or national team level.
A list of potential replacements will be the focus of a separate blog post.
Jürgen Klinsmann, given time, was supposed to build and mold a USMNT that could compete with the best in the world. Last night was Mr. Klinsmann’s litmus test five years in the making. When he started with the USMNT in 2011, genuinely competing against Argentina and the like was the main reason for his hiring. Hosting and playing the second best team in the world (Germany is still the best), hands across America quickly covered the faces of the game’s discouraged viewers.
Not again…
Yes, Messi was Messi (whose beautiful assist and subsequent free kick strike made him his country’s all-time goal scorer) and Argentina played very well, but the Americans didn’t even make the game competitive. The first Argentinian goal, headed past a visibly startled Guzan in the third minute with Beckerman day dreaming nearby, was a perfect encapsulation of the match: Argentina was ready at every touch of the ball with spontaneity and vision, while the Americans couldn’t decide whether to pressure or back off, play or watch.
The end result was a comprehensive 4-nil domination by South America’s footballing royalty.
Like Lavezzi, U.S. Soccer needs to use its head or Groundhog Day could get Russian subtitles in a couple years.
Cleveland’s Fun: Believe It or Not!
“The Win” is where Cleveland is at now, but “The Decision” is where the city was not too long ago.
How did Cleveland’s faithful make the transition?
Basketball aside, the healing peacemaker was surprisingly not an intermediary at all. Instead, the conciliatory trigger was a state of mind. Specifically, the Ohio state (small “s”) of mind. More specifically, the “OH-” state of mind. Outsiders may laugh and roll their eyes at the passionately proud nature of Ohioans, but there’s a lot to be happy about.
That list can wait for another day.
For instance, when The Ohio State Buckeyes play that team up north or in a national championship, a win is not the only thing on the line. The entire identity and emotional well-being of its citizens are at stake.
People from Cleveland and beyond read the LeBron James re-dedication letter from July of 2014 to his hometown in northeast Ohio, but movie watchers saw an entertaining abridged version of his sentiment in the movie Trainwreck. Granted, LeBron’s scenes are about the only appropriate moments in the film (true story) and are also the most clever and endearing.
Destination Cleveland: Why haven’t there been a collection of creative tourism videos in the following video clip’s spirit featuring northeast Ohio’s favorite son and a skeptical traveler?
A Ted Mosby cameo could be cool too…
Right. Right!
Cleveland Rocks!
It’s unanimous: The Cleveland Cavaliers are the NBA Champions!
Favorite son LeBron James, who was forgiven for “taking his talents to South Beach” based on his personal letter rededicating himself to his hometown and the people in northeast Ohio, led the Cavaliers to Cleveland’s first professional championship since 1964 (more than half a century) by making NBA Finals history.
The Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors (regular-season record 73 wins) in game 7 in Oakland 93-89 in dramatic fashion. At 92-89, LeBron attempted to put an exclamation point on the title and went for a spectacular dunk with around ten seconds left, but was fouled by Draymond Green and fell awkwardly.
Not again…
Akron’s superstar was on the court, curled up in agonizing pain having fallen on his right wrist (shooting hand). This ending was almost “too Cleveland.” After missing his first free throw, he managed to put in his second shot to give the Cavs a four-point lead. Stephen Curry had a chance to put up a 3 with about four seconds left, but nobody fouled him and he missed anyways.
The voice of Al Michaels popped into every fan cheering for Cleveland and answered in booming fashion, “Yes, I do believe in miracles!”
LeBron James was his MVP-self (third player ever to earn triple-double in game 7 of an NBA Final), Kyrie Irving proved he’s the best point guard in the NBA, Kevin Love showed up on the boards when it mattered, Tristan Thompson was a beast down low, J.R. Smith hit clutch shots on the perimeter and Richard Jefferson was a force off the bench.
For the first time in NBA Finals history, a team trailing 3-1 came back and won the championship. That statistic alone will keep the people of Cleveland smiling for generations.
“You remember the time when…”
For so many reasons, that was the only way Cleveland should have and could have won the NBA title. With their backs against the wall, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the basketball giants in the Golden State Warriors with three-straight wins (twice in Oakland).
We all witnessed Cleveland’s hometown king raise an entire city from a place of heartbreak and lifelong struggles to renewed belief and an almost incomprehensible victory that extends far beyond sports.
The Drive.
The Shot.
The Fumble.
The Curse.
Last night, today and tomorrow, Cleveland will be known for The Win.
Congratulations to my fellow Ohioans with connections to Cleveland!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 