Game on kids, Game on

I knew there was a reason I'm coming to the Algeria game. Here's the shakeup:

SLO-4
USA-2
ENG-2
ALG-1

If we lose to Algeria, we're out.

If we tie Algeria and Slovenia wins, we're in (2nd).

If we tie Algeria and England wins, we're out.

If we tie Algeria and England and Slovenia tie, it gets interesting. Slovenia would be through and we'd be tied with England on points. We'd also be tied on GD, which means it would come down to goals scored, in which case we're at a huge advantage: we've scored 3, they've scored 1. So as long as our we keep our tie within one goal of theirs (i.e., we tie 1-1, they tie 2-2), we're in. However, if they manage to tie us in goals scored it goes to a random drawing. Yikes. (If we get through we'd be 2nd.)

If we beat Algeria and Slovenia wins, we're in (2nd).

If we beat Algeria and Slovenia and England tie, we're in. (Could be first if we beat Algeria by more than one goal.)

If we beat Algeria and England wins, we're in (1st and 2nd are up for grabs based on goal differential).

TO RECAP: WIN AND WE'RE IN. TIE AND WE'VE GOT A SHOT.

Holy Crap.

2006 Remembered :: USA v. Ghana

Third Group Stage game in Nuremberg against Ghana and the USA needs a win and some help to go through. We are the victim of horrible officiating and some self-destruction. But in the 43rd minute, Run DMB steals the ball and sends a steaming cross to a streaking Clint Dempsey. The ball is coming right towards us but from our low angle, it's hard to see who the recipient is supposed to be; it's just ball and grass and hope. And then, like a vision, arrives Dempsey to one-time the cross into the back of the net, as Noah would say later, kicking the ball harder than anyone has ever kicked a soccer ball anywhere. We erupt into madness. Our shins are cut on the seats in front of us. Darkness arrives at the edge of our vision from screaming-induced oxygen deprivation. There are tears in our eyes. Noah and I are holding each other. Jeremy and Silver are holding each other. We keep saying, "This is what we came for. This! Is! What! We! Came! For!" The game ends poorly. We walk from the stadium in silence. We ask logical questions about Landon Donovan's geographic and emotional whereabouts. We swear to return. The Dempsey goal is what we came for. It's what we go back for. It's what we wait for against England. We're still here.

And I used to like this band / US-England History

We Are Scientists, a band that formed in Berkley, California and is comprised of Americans have written what they're calling the "unofficial World Cup anthem for England." Creatively titled, "Goal! England" they add their names to the long list of completely indefensible traitors to flag and country. Memo to everyone in the US: You have a soccer team already. We call it soccer. You will never be fully accepted by anyone else. We are your friends. We are your family. Rooting for England is letting the terrorists win.

A brief history of US-English relations:

1775 - Shots fired, don't tread on me, etc.
1781 - Victory at Yorktown, biggest upset since the 2001 Patriots.
1814-15 - victory at New Orleans (thanks, Andrew Jackson)!
1865 - Slavery defeated (nothing to do with England but gave us some much needed credibility).
1917 - Bailed you out of a World War.
1941 - Gave you free planes and stuff so you wouldn't end up speaking German.
1945 - Beat Hitler (Russia was more help than you).
1950 - Beat you in the World Cup.
1989 - Defeated communism for you (you're welcome, Thatcher).
1995 - Made Oasis famous. Otherwise, no one would have liked them.
2003 - Talked you into invading Iraq (we opposed this but, nonetheless, you guys are idiots).
2010 - You meet your old friend, your old colony who keeps working you like a speed-bag. Enjoy. Let's dance.