124 Years Ago Today...A Rivalry Started

The American Football Association gathered together local soccer players of the New Jersey area to create our first national team.  The team played on this day 124 years ago on Clark Field against the Canadian National Team.  The Americans lost 1-0 to the Canadians on that day, but would avenge the lost a year later 3-2.

The game is considered a huge moment in American and Canadian soccer history, but is not considered to be the first international game of either the United States Soccer Federation or the Canadian Soccer Association,  the USSF was founded in 1913 and the CSA in 1912.  According to the USSF, our first international game was in Stockholm, Sweden in 1916, where the Americans were victorious 3-2.  The CSA also won their first official match at Brisbane, Australia; 3-2 in 1924.

How the Kit Could Be Better

I like the design of the jersey and its influence from the 1950s kit.  But I think it could be better and here is how I would change it.

Home Kit

Away Kit

2010 USA World Cup Kit Leaked?

What do you think?  Some definite inspiration from the 1950 USA Kit.

The 20th Anniversary of the Goal Heard Round the World

Watch here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymQ-fIwVnV8#watch-main-area

Quite possibly the most important moment in the history of American soccer, turns 20 today.   Bad haircuts and short shorts cannot take away from the greatness of this game.  Was Caliguri's shot really that good?  Was it the sun in the T&T keeper's eyes?  Was it...who gives a shit it was our first qualification for the World Cup in 40 years.    This game was so important for both countries, obviously because T&T have never qualified for a world cup and the 40-year drought for the States.  The sold -out National Stadium in Port-of-Spain provided that setting with 30,000 T&T fans all wearing red.  The day of the game, the T&T government decided to make the next day a national holiday no matter the outcome of the game.      So here to the US team on that day, to Paul Caliguri putting the Yanks threw with a spectacular goal (unlike the cheating French), and to T&T have a happy holiday tomorrow.

Can Ireland and Bosnia really help us?

Using the same formula that FIFA used for the 2006 World Cup (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_FIFA_World_Cup_seeding), I have the United States ranked 9th of the 23 teams that have qualified for the 2010 World Cup. 

1. Brazil        59.7
2. Germany   59.3
3. Italy          56.7
4. Spain        56.0
5. England    52.3
6. Argentina  49.7
7. Holland     43.7
8. Mexico     42.0
9. USA         38.0
*The October 2009 ranking is used until the November 2009 is released.
*South Africa will be ranked, and that will drop the US actually to #10.