The 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup came to its inevitable conclusion last weekend.  It featured the traditional match-up of the two confederation super powers, United States (#22) vs. Mexico (#28), opponents that have played against each other in this final five times since 1991.  There were a lot of lessons throughout the tournament, particularly for Bob Bradley’s squad, but if it proved one thing, it’s this:
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MLS is a tightly managed league with particular attention to holding teams accountable to a realistic salary cap.  They have learned from all of the  failures of the NASL and their spree of signing major players before they had a viable income stream (Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Chinaglia).  Major League Soccer has now been around for 15 years and have a stable base of fans.  To help grow the game and bring in star talent, the league introduced a salary cap exception known as the Designated Player, where only a portion of their salary counts towards the team’s salary cap.

And that is how we got Thierry Henry in New York. [Read Column]

I’m glad and overjoyed that the World Cup is attracting so many new fans into the fold.  When I watch a match, I’m looking at the players, ball movement, and formations with the eye of someone that has played for 20 years.  What must it be like for the mind of a newbie, watching all of this frenetic running, often with little to show for it on the scoreboard?  Well, fear not, faithful readers.  I am going to share with you the secret of soccer.  Not just the secret of soccer, but of winning, championship soccer.  It’s the first word that Captain Kirk says at the start of every episode …

Space.

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There are a tangible host of great things about the World Cup other than just the football on the pitch.  There is the revival of pre-WWI levels of nationalistic fervor (before it became uncool for Germans to yell “We will destroy you!”).  There is an obsession with body painting hot girls in team colors (I’m not posting pics … Google).  There is a highlight of how different cultures celebrate (Africans = vuvuzelas, Brazilians = dance, English= head butting and profanity).  There is watching a third world soccer nation be tore apart with ruthless vigor by an international power (see Germany v. Saudi Arabia 1998, see Portugal v. North Korea 2010).

And there is the chance for as yet undiscovered or un-showcased talent to make a grand splash on the world stage.  Here is a quick list of players that have made an impact on their soccer stock as of the Round 16.  Of course, this is purely in my opinion.  And I’m an idiot. [Read Column]

An actual email, from an actual reader (one of my 5 loyal followers): [Read Column]