Add BELIEF to the USA Repertoire

Written by: Gabe

It won’t be our most famous game. It wasn’t an amazing display of skill. It wasn’t even enough to get the USA out of the group stage… but something about our 2-2 draw with Slovenia was special. After (and in spite of) a typically lackluster first half, the American team battled back for three goals (one of which was disallowed). The team, of course, showed determination and focus, but I felt another positive, new vibe. Not just from the players—from myself, the friends around me, the Tweet-o-sphere, even the perennial pessimist Jamie Trecker—came a belief that the team would come back. I am used to throwing games like this out the window at 60 minutes, but there wasn’t much faith lost in the wind. Down 2-1, Tyler (the realist of the two of us) sat beside me and discussed the implications of a tie. The aforementioned Fox man Trecker went so far as to tweet “At the risk of making rash predictions, I do think the USA will get a goal.” Jay Demerit was jumping a foot higher and Steve Cherundolo was a step ahead. Jozy Altidore was winning balls. It was like soccer in the Matrix, and it was fun to experience.