I still have no words

I almost cried watching that video. There was so much emotion leading up to that match, and to see us just get beat, flat beat, continues to be really tough pill to swallow. I actually thought this opening paragraph from nymag summed up this emotion pretty well:

"I woke up yesterday feeling a little like I got dumped. Watching the tournament without America in it was like being the one left behind in the apartment you used to share with your ex. You just keep walking around looking at spaces that seem to have grown larger and more empty somehow, driving yourself crazy with thoughts like, "I remember when Landon was kneeling at that spot. Things seemed so grand and full of promise then." Or, "It was just yesterday when Benny and Jozy were over there in the grass kicking the ball around. Why can't we go back and make it all right?"

I just have this really immense feeling of loss right now. While the reality always was that the 2nd round was an expectation, and everything after that gravy, that somehow still doesn't console the the harsh reality that this team, that we poured so much energy into, no longer exists.

And on top of that, we really deserved to lose. We fucked up on the first goal, and were outclassed on the second. For all the fight and effort we put into the 2nd half, when we did play well enough to win, coming away with only a penalty is a bottom line that can not be escaped. We have no one to look to but ourselves for that - no one can finish a breakaway or put a quality shot on goal other than the players, and the blame for that starts and ends there. And the real slap in the face came with how Ghana got that 2nd goal - almost the exact same play that Jozy could not finish in the 2nd half was the shot which they could. They did it, and we didn't. And that really sucks.

And so, the break-up process begins. I'm sure in the coming months this feeling will dissipate, and we will remember the amazing come-backs, the quality goals, and the heart that every player left on those fields. While we can question landon and clint and michael and tim's ability to come through under the heaviest of pressure, we cannot question their fight and spirit. Dempsey, Donovan and Bradley ran themselves dumb in that game, and they deserve credit and praise for that. Landon Donovan - you were our emotional leader, and you did it in South Africa. I'm going to miss all of them - Boca's play in the center, Demerrits heart, Bradleys work ethic, Donovans streak routes, Jozy's thuggery up top. Hopefully we can still be friends.

I'm also really fucking tired of losing to Ghana. That needs to stop.

So, I'm looking forward to your stories when you get back, having a passport again, hopefully not losing our shirts on the QF tickets, seeing if Holden and/or Torres can become a dynamic presence in the midfield, and if anyone wants to finish a goddamn chance on net up top next to Jozy. Also, can we start playing like the germans? While we do not posses their touch, their organization, especially on the break, is amazing. Quick passes with purpose, multiple moving parts, true teamwork. More of that. Less of this.

I love all of you.

Although maybe not ricardo clark.