Really crushed by the USA defeat yesterday. Not so much that we lost, but that we had the game going completely our way and we let the Brazilians back in–like they need an invitation. It seemed like none of our players wanted to be the hero. Each expecting someone else to get to a soft pass. To mark up their man for them. The second goal, though a scramble, was clearly Onweyu’s fault. He let his man get goalside and as the all bounced off the cross bar, there his man was, nodding the ball into a yawning net.

The final goal? Not sure what a wing midfielder/forward (Dempsey) is doing marking the tallest Brazilian on the pitch, but it was a horrible idea. And since when did a goaltender stop putting a defender on the back post? Seriously, that’s something I learned at St. Norberts about 30 years ago.

Ugh. Great goals by us in the first half. We just don’t know how to close it out. Bummer after the way we got back into the tournament. We need some midlfield help. Guys who can really control the tempo and hold the ball up I know we were without Bradley…kinda surprised Torres didn’t get a shot.

Okay, I am sure all the soccer haters will love this post.

So for them…..I think Pronger with the Flyers is a great fit. The Flyers are a hack organization, and Pronger’s tendency to play dirty and cheap fits in. Some of you may have loved him. But I never liked the guy. I’ll admit he’s got skill. But he’s not a leader. And much more so than Brett Hull, I think he’s an incredibly selfish player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt5rBWarx6A

Go Blues.

Enough with Joe Thurston already. He is a career minor leaguer that makes constant mistakes on the bases that a 5 year old laughs at. While the Cardinals may not have won the game yesterday, any shot they had went out the window with his outright stupidity.

Hey at least we know Moe knows how to work his cell phone. The team traded from a surplus which is one of the advantages of an improved farm system. Hopefully other guys will start to heat up with the addition of DeRosa.

If the Blues are going to make a major move it should be for offense. The need for goal scoring outweighs what they would get from Pronger at this point. He will fit right in with the Flyers that is for sure.

Boom, Boom, Boom, Another one bites the dust. And another one gone, another one gone, another one bites the dust, eh! I always liked Billy Mays from those ESPN360 commercials, which is why I had to send my old friend death to bring him down here as well.

Another ugly loss by the Cards last night. Although it’s amazing how we are still tied not only for the division lead, but for the #2 seed as well. First round HFA would sure be amazing, eh?

The Mark DeRosa trade was encouraging, but I also think we really need to call up Brett Wallace. After watching Thurston and the Greenes, what do we have to lose? At least if Wallace has growing pains, we know he has plenty of upside (like Perron, Berglund, and Oshie of the Blues). It’s reached the point where I’m missing Scott Seabol and Tripp Cromer.

I still think there is a place on our bench for Thurston, but TLR and Oquendo have to get in his face and tell him that if he blows another base running brain fart, then he’s going straight to single A.

If Glaus would ever get healthy again we would not have to worry about Joe Thurston. Then again, the Cardinals are a one-man team…without both of those two-run homers they would have lost Saturday afternoon.

Trouble in Wrigleyville? That’s what you get when you have the likes of Pinella and Bradley on your team. What did they expect?

Garry, I agree on the Confederation Cup final yesterday. It was really painful to watch. You can’t give up a 2-nil lead in the second half.

I was amazed at Brazil’s mastery in the air. They dominated head balls, which is not something they are usually known for. Brazil is tradionally a one-touch pass machine. When that didn’t work in the first half because the U.S. choked up the middle, they switched tactics and starting lobbing in crossing passes over all tose bodies from the outside. Kudos to them for making such a stark change in their attack. It obviously worked.

Despite the occasional excitement that the U.S team gives us, we will never be a powerhourse team. Brazil (and for that matter Spain in the semis) dominated our butts. They found more room, made better passes, had WAY better ball control, and their team speed was incredible.

On the flip side, has there ever been a better American player than Donovan? He was superb the entire tournament, and you can tell by the way Spain and Brazil played him that he is well respected in the sport. A shout out to Tim Howard in goal as well. He was something special to watch. He’e earned the right to be in every game including the World Cup next year.

The U.S. has the best athletes in the world, but they don’t play soccer, or at least not enough of them do. Football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc. There are so many other options for American kids, all better televised and covered by the media, that American soccer may never make that breakthrough…

“Wrigley Field is just a bar.” God, I love Ozzie Guillen.

To chief bromden…exactly how can a pair of TWO-run homers be the result of a one-man team? Did Pujols do two laps for each ball he hit out? Gotta give guys like Skip their due…he’s been pretty consistant at the plate all year even after moving to an unfamiliar position. Let’s not forget we are still a first place team and would lead the wild card.

Do you know what is more fun then watching the Cardinals win? It’s listening to the Cubs broadcasters when the Cubs are losing or after they lost. It’s like somebody just called them and told them their dog died.