VIDEO - "Vince Lombardi on Clint Dempsey"

Starting your morning with this cool, fan-made video combining the powerful words of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi and the power play of legendary "football" Clint Dempsey.


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"Party in the USA"

We're sorry everyone, but we couldn't help it....


And begin!


I hopped off the plane at Genoa
With a dream and my jersey
Welcome to the land of pizza excess (Whoa)
Am I gonna win in?

Jumped in the cab
Here I am for the first time look to my right
And I see the stadium sign this is all so crazy
Everybody seems so famous

My tummy's turning and I'm feeling kinda home sick
Too much pressure and I'm nervous
That's when the  Klins-mann turned on the radio, and a Dempsey song was on
And the Dempsey song was on, and the Dempsey song was on

So Timmy puts his goalie hands up
They're playing my song
The shots knocked away
Nodding my head like Yeah
Moving my hips like Yeah
Timmy puts his goalie hands up 
They're playing my song
I know I'm gonna score at Italy away
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.

Get to the stadium in my team bus
Everybody's looking at me now
Like who's that Clint that's rocking kicks?
He's gotta be from out of town

So hard with my Outlaws not around me
It's definitely not a Nagadoches party
'Cause all I see are calcios
I guess I never got the starting line up

My tummy's turning and I'm feeling kinda home sick
Too much pressure and I'm nervous
That's when the D.J. dropped my favorite tune, and a Pia song was on
And the Pia song was on, and the Pia song was on

So I put my goalie hands up
They're playing my song
The shots knocked away
Nodding my head like Yeah
Moving my hips like Yeah 

I got my goalie hands up
They're playing my song
I know I'm gonna score at Italy away
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.

Feel like getting the ball (getting the ball)
Jozy back to the goal tonight (goal tonight)
Nothing stops me any time (any time)
The Jozy plays me the ball and I feel alright!

So I put my goal scoring hands up
They're playing my song
The shot in the back of the net
Nodding my head like Yeah
Moving my hips like Yeah  

I got my goal scoring hands up
They're playing my song
I know I'm gonna score at Italy away (scoring away)
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh
It's a party in the U.S.A.

So I put my  my goal scoring hands up 
They're playing my song
The goals fly away (flying away)
Nodding my head like Yeah (nodding my head like Yeah)
Moving my hips like Yeah (moving my hips like Yeah)

I got my  my goal scoring hands up 
They're playing my song
I know I'm gonna be ok (I'm gonna be okay)
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh (Yeah)
It's a party in the U.S.A.
Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh-Yeah-Eh (Ha-Ha-Ha)
It's a party in the U.S.A. (party in the U.S.A.)


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The 2011 Free Beer Movement "Person of the Year" is...

Was there really any doubt that Clint Dempsey wasn't going to run away with this award? 

As some of our commentors pointed out during the voting, it seemed a bit one-sided. Not just because of their own qualifications, but the over-whelming case that could be made for Sir Deuce.

With nearly 40 goals for Fulham in the English Premier League and counting Clint Dempsey has made the biggest splash of any American aboard, ever. Dempsey's soccer ambassadorial work for the United States has made him the most recognizable face for the red, white, and blue in any corner of the world (sorry Howard and Donovan).

But what makes him our choice for Free Beer Movement "Person of the Year" isn't so much the goals and the quality play that he brings to the field, but the audacity of what his brings to the field. His playing style, his take-no-prisoners attitude is the American way. Grit. Determination. Mixed results.

Think Dempsey's attempted scorpion kick during the 2011 Gold Cup. Think his towering header against Arsenal last week. Both near misses that were marked by both an insane amount of effort and incredulity. 

And the beer side? Clint Dempsey, he of Modelo beer sponsorship and he of bottle-opening-on-his-boot goal celebrations has put American soccer on the map in a way that no other player could. A clear message that the suds play an important role in his life.

We love the beer connection in Dempsey's goal scoring life and his on-field exploits only further our mission to spread American soccer.

We could buy hundreds of thousands of beers 'round the globe and have only the fraction of an impact that Deuce has had on building American soccer at home in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Raise a pint for FBM's 2011 "Person of the Year"!

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Americans Abroad: Dempsey Becomes American All-Time Leading Scorer in EPL

Photo Credit: AFP

The Deuce was on the loose this afternoon after the Nagadoches (Texas) native bagged a rebound goal to give his Fulham side a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. The goal, Dempsey's 37th in England makes him the all-time leading goal scorer for Yanks in England. Brian McBride, who also played for Fulham (and one of the stadiums bars is named after) now sits in second with 36 goals.

Dempsey was in "I-don't-give-a-shit-mode" all game and nearly had a goal minutes earlier when a nice cut in the box gave him space, but his curling ball struck the crossbar with Liverpool's Pepe Reina was nowhere near being able to stop it.

Video of Clint's goal:

 

  

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FBM Founding Father - Rodney Marsh

It's important to remember that all revolutionary movements are built upon the work of visionaries before their own times. For Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams and the rest of the colonial propagandists during America's War for Independence they could look to philosopher John Locke and other Enlightenment writers.

The Free Beer Movement is quite the same. The idea of the FBM didn't start with us (credit where credit is due) and it's a cold hard fact that beer and soccer were lovely bedfellows many moons ago.

Think Frankie Hejduk was the first ever to drink a beer with fans? Thought Clint Dempesy's commercial (and accompanying web game) with Cerveza Modelo was groundbreaking? While the Free Beer Movement is certainly impressed with the beer and soccer combos of today, Deuce is not the first to break the beer-barrier nor is our honorary FBM spokesperson the first to slam suds with supporters (say that three times fast).

Set the way-back machine to 1980 and meet Rodney March. He was a striker for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the original North American Soccer League and although Marsh is an Englishman we're taking him as one of our own. During the heyday of NASL he made over 100 appearances (from 1976-79... with a brief return to England and Fulham) for the Rowdies and scored 53 goals.

But what makes Marsh stand out in our mind is this spot for Miller Lite. It's all thing terrible (much like the Dempsey spot), but we're not going to spit at a commercial crossing beer and soccer. Here we've got fossilized (aka YouTube archives) evidence of beer and soccer history.

Drink in its glory:



There you have it, folks, FBM history unearthed. A FBM Founding Father.

More to come....


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Snorting the Endline - Freddy Montero's Home Run Shot

A long, long time ago we tried to start a soccer website; thought we were writers or something....

It was called "Snorting the Endline" named after Robbie Fowler's infamous goal celebration and one of our favorites of all-time. That site failed miserably. I mean who would want to read our ramblings!?!?!

The name, however, will live on in a new feature we're bringing to the Free Beer Movement. American soccer culture is just as much about what happens on the field and some of the greatest contributions to this culture are the creative celebrations that occur during the aftermath of scoring a goal. Some are premeditated while others are spur-of-the-moment.

We want to capture all of them in recognition of their contribution to American soccer culture. Welcome to "Snorting the Endline."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Freddy Montero is friends with Seattle Mariners shortstop Jack Wilson who, apparently, used to be quite the soccer player. Before the Sounders match against Colorado Wilson and Montero were chatting when the infielder made a request for a baseball-esqe celebration should the forward score.

Montero did score. In fact, he got the game-winner, in the 83rd minute. That's when he broke out the fictitious bat and ball. Similar to Clint Dempsey's home run swing when he scored for the New England Revolution at RFK Stadium (back in 2007 when it was still used for baseball and had a spot for home plate), but this time Montero got a pitcher, Osvaldo Alonso, in on the celebration (not seen on camera).

Baseball may be America's pastime, but soccer is America's future. Nice to see Montero playing tribute to a truly American sport in a global game.

Play ball!




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Adventures in Modelo Especial's Shootout With Clint Dempsey

We stumbled across this beer and American soccer marketing gem and couldn't resist having a little fun with it. Found while reading SI.com a banner ad caught our eye, "Modelo Especial Shootout with Clint Dempsey."

Hey! We love beer! We love the Deuce! First though was... do you think the Dempsey used to sling back Modelos with his bros in Nacogdoches?

Even if he didn't we're willing to bet that his sister wedding last weekend was fully stocked by Modelo.

On to the game!

Dempsey appears on screen with a funky beat (and some sweet threads... think that's DryFit?) that will quickly get tiring (particularly as he starts kicking our ass). We'd like to imagine that Deuce approved the beat with the marketing guys.

Demps: "Yeah that's dope!" He starts a little free-styling and it quickly gets awkward among the all-white, 50+ group of men in the boardroom.

Clint welcomes us to the "Modelo Especial Shootout". Thanks Clint!

Things immediately take a turn South when Dempsey wastes no time in throwing down the challenge, "Think you have what it takes?"

Adding a wink to make it extra intimidating. 

Now we're questioning our abilities, but we'll keep positive.

We enter the arena.... which arena we're not sure. Either way we're happy that Modelo has secure real grass and apparently lure 60,000 for this marquee match up.

Bam! Game on. We're ready to show Dempsey that this will be just like shooting on pal Tim Howard, but we'd better read up on "How To Play" first. Click.... nothing! Oh nos! Oh well... how hard could this be?

Before you know it... Deuce has shed all those shanks from the Guadeloupe match and we're looking more like Robert Green.

You'd think that Dempsey would be all Southern Gentleman about it, but he just keeps pouring on the pain. Words hurt!

"You don't look so good? You feeling OK?" he taunts us each time he lashes in a free kick. Each goal punctuated with his trademark kiss and point to the sky.

He is unstoppable.

"Seriously? You can't even get one? You gonna go home with a goose egg?" he pours on the hate. There's that wink again!

Please Clint... we're embarrassed enough.

But know we're not going home with a goose egg. Let's do this.

(Cue whole day wasted)

Give it a shot yourself.


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Free Beer Movement in Action - The USMNT are CLASS ACTS!

Editor's Note: We LOVE to hear about your Free Beer Movement in action. Whenever and wherever you're buying beers to bring the beautiful game to soccer newbies we want to here it. Send your stories to us at freebeermovement(at)gmail.com. We'll even send you one of our FBM stickers for your troubles!


By Andrew Ruppar / Jacksonville, FL

Andrew's game face.

To be fair, I would be a fan of the USMNT no matter who takes the field, but after the last game against Panama, for this fan it was a victory. For my birthday weekend, I drove down from Jacksonville, FL that day to catch the Tampa match with my girlfriend (her first match). We arrived at the game, as early as we could to have fun with all the arriving fans and supporters. I posted comments and pictures of the "pre-game community" and another group of friends ended up piling their family into the car to make it down just before kickoff for their first match as well. However, this story isn't about before the game or the score.

Its not hard to find stories about today's top athletes being less-than role-models for the fans. Some player maybe snubs a kid with a pen or blows up at someone getting too close with a camera. As a player you just cannot sign every ball or stop for every photo request, and hey...everyone, athletes included, sometimes just have bad days. That is what made that night so amazing, and I could not be happier that this is the team and players that I get to support. After Tampa, the broadcasters, blogs, and social media portals instantly start chiming in with their post-game and player feedback, and it was a common assessment that this was one of those "bad days".

Dempsey posing with wedding guests.

After the game, I made it back to the hotel lobby restaurant. It became an impromptu meeting point for other fans all making their way back after the match. Supporters were meeting and greeting and finding out who came the farthest or who were the newest. Everyone was happy to just be sharing a few post-match pints and we were already talking about how things will play out in the next round of the Gold Cup and watching the highlights on Fox Soccer Channel. (As it turns out, it just happened to be the same hotel shared by the team and I am sure there are VIP entrances where they could be bussed in and make it to their room without having to bump elbows post game with the fans.)

Now, I would like to think I played it off well and maybe gave a casual stone-cold "what's up" nod while walking past a player or two, but I have seen the pictures and I was grinning like an 11 year old girl at a Bieber concert. Suddenly, I notice that Howard, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Agudelo....I had to stop counting...are hanging out with the fans. Lines and lines of kids with balls, families with cameras, American Outlaws with jerseys, and I am not kidding, at one point a large Indian-style wedding gets out at the hotel and some lucky couple has the guys in their wedding album, all walking right up to the players who without missing a beat sign and pose for anyone asking. This goes on for hours (or whatever the official team curfew is...which ever is less Bob). After that game, they could have easily walked up to their rooms or even just come down for a brief post-match meet-and-greet and no one would have thought any less. Instead, most of the players parked themselves down at the tables right in the middle of all of the surprised fans.

Pints for players? Yeah, that's definitely
 the FBM way as well. (Cherundolo and Howard)

Now, I know that normally the FBM is about getting a beer for a new fan and "Build American soccer, one beer it a time" and I have bought a few of those rounds, but I thought it was equally appropriate that night, when you happen to run into players like Howard, Cherundolo, and the Deuce, you put a nice cold one down on their table as well.

I don't think any of the supporters I ran into that night talked about the game, we all just talked about the games coming up (and who for the LOVE OF GOD has a spare pen), and maybe that is the difference between a fan and a supporter. I know that plenty of people have things to say about match and players, but after watching those guys both on and off the field, I could not have been more proud that this was my team. It might have been one of those "bad days", but for me and plenty of surprised fans old and new, that night was one of the best.

Andrew and "The Legend"

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Just in Case You Need More Evidence of Clint Dempsey's Awesomeness

If anything is remembered in soccer history from last night's match between the United States and Canada it won't be because it was both National Team's Gold Cup opener or the first win in America's march to reclaiming CONCACAF's title, or even Jozy Altidore finally finding the net after MONTHS.

No, it will be for this little bit of audacity from the man from Nacogdoches, Texas, Clint Dempsey and his attempted scorpion kick of a deflected cross. He even managed to get a corner kick out of it.



While, just like in the movies, the original is always better, Dempsey's creativity, desire, and passion to play makes him the most fun, fascinating, and, sometimes, frustrating player to watch on the USMNT.

In the end, though, its attempts like these that show his head is in the game and, above else, he just wants this game more than a lot of players. That's certainly not meant as criticism to the people he shared the field with, but there's no comparison to a Deuce that "wants it".

There's was to be no denying the playmaking midfielder. In the 62nd, with the same focus and little bit extra that separates Dempsey from the pack, he got the goal he was looking for.



Another "above and beyond" effort from Clint on Altidore's pass to snag the ball before it passed him by and he was able to tally his first 2011 Gold Cup goal.

This is why my first kid (boy or girl) will be named "Dempsey" (no joke... wife signed off on it).


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VIDEO - Clint Dempsey: Texas to the Thames

U.S. Soccer's continued to profile Fulham FC midfielder Clint Dempsey in their "MNT in England" series. Today Deuce talks about the influence of his childhood in Texas has made him the player his is today, his life in England, and more.



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VIDEO - An American Midfield in London

U.S. Soccer's Studio 90 has got a cool profile of USMNT midfielder Clint Dempsey about his time abroad playing for London's Fulham FC.

In his time at the Cottagers, Dempsey has had to impress five different managers (and another one on the way) and was crucial in keeping Fulham from relegation a few years back scoring a game winner against Liverpool. The profile shows how deep the appreciation from players, managers, and fans for Clint goes.

This past English Premier League season he was Fulham's leading scorer and became the teams all-time leading scorer en route to the honor of being named the team's "Player of the Season.".

Obviously Dempsey is one of the United States most dangerous and creative players on the squad that will face Spain TOMORROW and into the Gold Cup in June.



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World Cup Punditry: With Robert Green's Shattered Mental State

For awhile now we've gone on and one about how this site isn't about game previews, reviews, punditry, or analysis, but this opportunity was just too good to be true. We're unabashed supporters of the game and how to grow it through beer, but certainly not your run-of-the-mill news and views site. However, we're making a special exception because we were able to land a great guest to be able to fill the gap that we normally are too drunk or too lazy to do ourselves.

Today we're taking World Cup questions with a very high profile figure. He'll answer your questions and provide some great perspective on the game in a way only he can.

Ladies and gentlemen (although we suspect mostly gentlemen), please welcome Robert Green's Shattered Mental State. He will now take your submitted questions.

Dear Robert Green's Shattered Mental State,

One of the biggest surprises this World Cup is the high-flying start of Germany. Before the Cup there were a lot of questions of how Coach Joachim Loew would meld his young stars with the veterans. Are those questions gone after such a performance against Australia? Do they have to be counted as contenders now?

Tommy Erickson, Newark, New Jersey

Tommy,

I had it. It was right there in my hand. Dempsey shot it from like 40 yards out. A wish. A hope. I moved to my right to gather it. It was there. And then.... it wasn't. Everything moved in slow motion after that. I looked and it seemed so close. Like I could reach out and grab it again. But... nothing. It trickled away.....

---------------------------------------------------

Dear Robert Green's Shattered Mental State,

Ghana was able to land a historic win against Serbia on Sunday. What a performance! And with out their star Michael Essien none-the-less. Are the Black Stars the early surprise team of the tournament? Will they make it out of the group?

Eric Vanderbeek, Champagne, Illinois

Dear Eric,

It trickled away.... like my international career. No. Capello will still start me against Algeria. He knows my track record. This is just an aberration. I had a great club season with West Ham. I mean I single-handedly kept them in the Premier League. That goal was a fluke.

------------------------------------------------

Dear Robert Green's Shattered Mental State,

With the exception of Germany, European teams have looked shaky in this World Cup. Is this going to be another tournament where those teams struggle away from their own continent?

Maggie Mae, New Orleans, Louisiana

Dear Maggie,

I mean who is Fabio going to go with? David James? Ha! This guy's nickname is "Calamity James". He's got more howlers than a Costa Rican jungle. Joe Hart? Listen... "Blondie" might be the future of England, but I'm the "now" of England. Right? Right?

----------------------------------------------

Dear Robert Green's Shattered Mental State,

Maradona in a suit and a tie! Messi and Argentina looked very dangerous even if it was only a 1-0 win over Nigeria. Has "Mr. Chupacabra" finally put the pieces of Argentina together?

Jose Garcia, Buenos Aries, Argentina

Jose -

It could've happened to anyone. I mean the very next day Algeria's Faouzi Chaouchi let a ball skip past him. It happens to the best of us. THE BEST OF ENGLAND. 'Cause that's what I am. I am!

----------------------------------------------

Dear Robert Green's Shattered Mental State,

I mean... What. The. fuck? How could you let that goal in? It was RIGHT THERE! I'll be waiting outside your house for you to come home from the World Cup, Robbie.

Your Biggest Fan,

Leonard Bellingham, Wolverhampton, England

Dear Leonard,

I'm sorry you feel that way. I tried. I really did. It must be that new ball. No. Take responsibility. I'm 30, man, and you have hardships in life and prepare for them. I'm strong enough to move on. At a younger point in my life it would have affected me more.

OK. I lied. I can't handle this. This IS affecting me. The newspapers, the cameras, the Internet.... the pressure!

(Sobbing uncontrollably).

Please no more questions!

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Ummm.... ha ha! Thanks to Robert Green for taking the time out of his busy schedule to answer a few fan questions.

Until next time.

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"Clint Dempsey... this is the stuff dreams are made of!"

Posted with no explanation needed.

Who We're Buying a Beer For...

Here we go again with stupid beer pictures!

We're only honoring one person this week. We hope our FBM readership doesn't mind (thanks, mom!), but we had a hard time coming up with a sufficient list. There were plenty of players we could've put on this list like Freddy Adu's first goal for Aris FC in Greece or Juan Fransisco Torres' game winning "JOLAZO" in his comeback game for Pachuca. We could've bought Landon Donovan another beer (think we owe him at least a six-pack by now) for his man-alive performance for Everton against league giants, Chelsea. Sorry boys... no beers this week (seriously what does Freddy have to do to get some love?)

We could've honored the soccer hooligan choir ("Hardchorus") put together by Puma Football that mocked people's devotion to the beautiful game even on Valentine's Day, but that was yesterday and we're dealing with breaking news sorta stuff all the time here (yeah, right!).

Honestly, we're not trying to punt here (to use an American football term), but we've had a hard time brainstorming anything else that moves American soccer forward further than Clint Dempsey's wife, Bethany Dempsey, has this past week.

The American WAG was the buzz of the U.S. soccer world this week as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (All Caps? Is it a proper noun?) was released. Mrs. Dempsey joined other ladies of the soccer world (including Peter Crouch's disproportionately hot fiancee) in having their loved one's jersey painted onto their nude body and posed for pictures in the venerable publication's annual skin fest.

How is anyone supposed to top that?

Our weekly list is supposed to honor those individuals that help move American soccer forward. Sometimes we feature great goals and/or play by our boys at home and overseas. Occasionally, we find off-beat stories that only marginally connect to our topic at hand, but we'd find it hard to believe that anyone connected to soccer in the U.S. moved the dial more that the injured USMNT midfielder's wife did.

While some of this is tongue-in-cheek and we might be laying on the sarcasm a bit thick... there's something to be said that the last time there was anything of soccer-related substance on the pages of SI was Grant Wahl's article on the US-Honduras game back in October. More recently the magazine featured a four hundred word write up on the World Cup draw, a five hundred-word profile on Benny Feilhaber's rebound with the USMNT, and a series of "odd news" briefs from the last decade of soccer in the decade in review issue (really no mention of the massive growth in the sport? Just a write up of some one getting a yellow card in a game for farting? Nice, SI).

Dempsey and Co. however graced several pages of the swimsuit issue and got a massive online photo and video push from SI. Great for soccer, maybe, but do you think the website even made a half-ass effort to link the galleries to the soccer news portion of their website? Something like "Like what you see here? Check out more "hot" soccer coverage with "Soccer at SI.com"? Nope.

Maybe we're being to hard on Sport Illustrated. The same week that this soccer fluff came out Grant Wahl, the magazines part-time soccer, part-time college basketball writer, announced he was moving to a full-time soccer beat as SI beefed up its coverage before this summer's World Cup.

Either way, as we, and many other sites have said, it's a tough media world out there for American soccer. Anything that can break through the embargo on the domestic game is fine with us and deserving of beer-buying. Even as her husband works his way back from injury the fairer-half of the Dempsey clan can still make waves (no pun intended... well we suppose now it is that we've written it) in the SI mag.

We're still of the mindset that any American soccer news is good news for American soccer so Bethany Dempsey is our gal of the week. We won't even disgrace the honor by making some stupid joke about not needing any beers to make her look good....

Who We're Buying a Beer For...

1) Clint Dempsey

No one has done more for American soccer this week than USMNT and Fulham FC midfielder Clint Dempsey has by launching what many are calling the "goal of the season" in

the English Premier League.

Funny enough, some intrepid writers have likened Dempsey's strike to the first shots at Lexington and Concord (notice how we're being accused of firing first... damn fish-and-chips-eaters!) and a warning to the English National Team. Add Landon Donovan's impressive debut for Everton this week against Arsenal and the British newspapers are going to lose their shit real soon.

By now as a soccer fan you've probably seen the wonder-strike, but we're sure you won't mind watching it again. Take a took:

100105_STO_FUL
by 1513BB92024

Around the world this clip has put American soccer on the map again. But, alas, for mainstream sports fan it was probably missed.

Mike Cardillo of the brilliant soccer blog (EPL and USMNT), That's On Point, laments the big miss for ESPN to capitalize on Dempsey's goal:

What's actually a little more outrageous is the fact that Clint Dempsey's absolute Gol-azo-azo-azo for Fulham vs. Stoke City on Tuesday was left out of the "Sportscenter" top 10 plays. Imagine if that goal came on Telemundo. Andres Cantor might have pulled a play out the Mick Shrimpton playbook.

You'd think, mind you think, the goal in-and-of itself would be worthy of inclusion -- the next day a play from Sevilla/Barca made the list. But since it was an American, it seemed a slam dunk -- no pun intended for the other clips on the list, especially since it's on the short-list of Premier League "Goals of the Year." (Maybe John Harkes, who won the award back in 1990 with Sheffield Wednesday blocked it.)

Alas, Dempsey's strike will live on in the Inter-tubes, which isn't all that bad.

Yet it holds to a bigger point, which I've made a million times in this space, so if you want to skip ahead no hard feelings.

In the year 2010, ESPN is sports in America. When it comes to soccer it continues to talk out of both sides of its mouth.

On the one hand it's acquired some Premier League rights, the World Cup, USMNT games (mostly), etc. At the same time the Worldwide doesn't have anchors that can get through a highlight with the correct names, or simply ignores the best goal by an American in Europe, perhaps, ever. (Obviously it wasn't better than a pedestrian NCAA basketball dunk.)

You'd think that John Skipper would realize that, hey, we own the rights to these events. Shouldn't we try to drum up interest through osmosis? Wouldn't Dempsey's great goal -- by an AMERICAN -- plant some seeds in the back of the casual fans minds for the World Cup in less than six months? Wouldn't it help familiarize people with perhaps America's most important or at least enigmatic player for the campaign in South Africa?

Look, the most ESPN I watch is on the machines at the gym. So do a lot of people, I'd assume. Wouldn't a glimpse of Dempsey's rainbowing volley subliminally help draw eyeballs to the set in June? Wouldn't it help dispel the notion that Americans can't play at a high level?

I won't even mention MLS's presence on ESPN. Sure it gets microscopic ratings, but wouldn't some casual talk about the league or, gasp, HIGHLIGHTS, help increase interest. Treating MLS like the Pro Bowling and Pro Billiards leagues is an embarrassment. (Of course, the league's rating are that, too.)

Maybe this is an overreaction. Maybe since the game was on Setanta in the midweek (more on that later) somebody missed it. It's possible. The game was 3-1 at the time in the 85th minute, after all.

Again it's goals like the one scored by Dempsey that capture the imagination and make people fall in love with the game. Nothing sends the imagination soaring more than a crack from distance. Half of YouTube and every other tube site is devoted to goal highlight compilations.

For the major sports force in the country to swing-and-miss on a the very definition of a highlight is part of the reason why the best American soccer player is filming ads for the Mexican lottery.

So like sands through the hour glass our ESPN vs. soccer community world continues to turn. Grab a beer and sit down because 2010 is going to be a wild ride.

2) Wayward former USMNTers Freddy Adu and Eddie Johnson

Remember those names? Currently answers to the fictional National Team game show question, "Which two Americans were expected to change the face of U.S. soccer in the mid-2000s, but failed miserably and we're quickly dropped from consideration?" Adu and Johnson now find themselves as teammates on the Greek club Aris Thessaloniki FC.

Honestly, we find it pretty bizarre that they both happened to land on their feet at an obscure soccer team in Greece (at least obscure to us... apparently their the fifth best supported team in the league and regular participants in the Europa Cup. Thanks Wikipedia!). More bizarre:



Yes, that's Adu being welcomed by Aris supporters at the airport, in droves, chanting his name.

Count the FBM as skeptical for the pairs' career move, but if it works out the Nats and American soccer are better for it. As newspaper columnist George Will once said, “The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised.”

So for us its either a 40 oz. for some dead homies OR celebratory drinks on us to their success.

3) Landon Donovan

The USMNT and LA Galaxy playmaker was on the list last week, too, but the on loan to Everton midfielder made his shock English Premier League debut this past weekend. LD didn't just get a trot out to test the water wings in the British soccer pool, but was thrown to the lions by earner a start from manager David Moyes against top side Arsenal.

Donovan wasted no time is getting into the mix assisting on the Toffee's opening goal and working tireless on the left flank of the Everton attack.

One commenter on The Shin Guardian said:

"I was amazed at how comfortable Donovan looked–almost as if he’d been playing all season for Everton. What a great day for Lando and US soccer.

With the continued success of Dempsey at Fulham, Tim Howard at Everton, Jay DeMerit at Watford, and Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan at Aston Villa, Donovan can add his name to successful American abroad to make up for the mixed performances other intrepid Americans that have plied their trade across the pond. Every successful American performance in England and Europe helps push the U.S. brand further into the hearts and mind of scouts and coaches.



Even the normally anti-American English soccer press was force to say nice things about LD (from Major League Soccer Talk):

“With Louis Saha’s clever runs and Tim Cahill’s waspish presence augmented extremely well by the expert dribbling of Landon Donovan on an eye-catching debut, Everton caused Arsenal serious concern from the off,” Amy Lawrence, The Guardian.

“With Arsene Wenger’s side missing Alexander Song, they struggled to impose themselves in midfield allowing Everton debutant Landon Donovan, in particular, to take advantage. The American gave Gunners left-back Armand Traore a torrid time throughout, and it was from his corner that Everton opened the scoring,” Ian Hughes, BBC Sport.

“With 25 minutes to go and the Emirates pitch turning white, Moyes turned to Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, a man more accustomed to the adverse conditions. He replaced Donovan who will have warmed his manager with an industrious first outing on English soil,” Everton FC match report.

“Donovan looked lively on his Blues debut, the American offering an outlet wide on the right as he came in for Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.The American will feel he could have done better on the equaliser however when he failed to clear the ball enabling Andriy Arshavin, back after a foot injury, to slip it inside to Eduardo who rolled a pass into Denilson’s path whose shot took a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Osman to wrong-foot Howard,” David Randles, Liverpool Daily Post.

“But Everton have improved dramatically since [the beginning of the season] and the introduction of MLS loan signing Landon Donovan for his debut gave [Everton] an extra creative edge,” The Sun.

And we couldn't agree more. Which is why he's getting another run out on this week's beer shopping list.

Photo Credits: The Original Winger (Dempsey, Johnson, and Adu)

Yankee Doodle Landy and Our "Declaration of Soccer Independence"

Dateline: June 12th, 2010

Like it? Yeah? We made it. We're pretty awesome.

Channeling the spirit of Joe Gaetjens, American Soccer Freedom Fighter:

"When, in the course of World Cup events, it becomes necessary for one soccer nation to dissolve the playing bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the Beautiful Game, the separate and equal station to which the laws of FIFA and of nature's God (Charlize Theron) entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of soccer pundits around the world requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all players are created equal, that they are endowed by Pele with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of more goals. That to secure these rights, soccer is instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of Bob Bradley. That whenever any form of soccer becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the USMNT to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new soccer, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form (other than England's 4-4-2), as to them shall seem most likely to effect their formation and width. Sunil Gulati, indeed, will dictate that soccer long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that American soccer fans and media are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of Sepp Blatters and Jack Warners, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their national team duty, to throw off such soccer, and to provide new center-backs for their future goalkeeping. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these American soccer fans; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present English National Team and Premier League is a history of repeated injuries and hard tackles, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these USMNT and Major League Soccer. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world."

Original Piece: "Yankee Doodle" by Archibald Willard (1836-1918)

This quote works, too:

"Today, we celebrate our independence day!" - President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman in "Independence Day")