An epic soccer blog

Blogging, blogging … and we’re blogging.

Yeah, it’s been awhile. Sue me. Between writing full-time for a living and all of the officiating I’ve been doing lately, I barely have enough time to squeeze in the sporting events I want to watch, much less write about them. But I have found something that has inspired me, so I’m blogging.

The U.S. soccer team recently completed the Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious tournaments in North and Central America (if you can call any CONCACAF tournament “prestigious”), finishing runner-up after losing 4-2 to the hated Mexicans in the final. Depending on which way you look at it, the Gold Cup is either the beginning of a new cycle leading up to the next World Cup, or in the case of the way the U.S. seemingly looks at it, the winding down and ending of the latest four-year cycle.

Since the U.S. didn’t win the Gold Cup, it didn’t earn an invitation to the 2013 Confederations Cup. That would have been a key tuneup leading into the World Cup because it features eight of the best teams in the world. That would be great competition for the U.S. as it prepares for the 2014 World Cup. Without that invite, the U.S. will have to rely on qualifying to get a feel for the team it wants to send to Brazil, and since the U.S. has a bye into the third round of CONCACAF qualifying, it will be a while before those real games begin.

Note: The U.S. will play meaningful soccer between now and then at the U-23 level with the Olympics. That team is beginning preparations for the 2012 Olympics in London. It’s not the full national team by any stretch of the imagination, but it should give us a look at some of the young guys who will be vying for playing time. In addition, because FIFA allows for three “overage” players to join the roster for the Olympics, there’s a good chance many of the players heading to London also will make the squad for Brazil in 2014.

Here’s a look at my best guess of what the 23-man roster will look like in Brazil, with a clear understanding that there likely is a player or two who none of us have ever heard of (see Altidore, Jozy in the 2010 World Cup) at this point will emerge and make the squad:

Goalkeepers (3)
Brad Guzan – The biggest question with Guzan, who will be 29 at the time of the next World Cup, isn’t whether he’ll continue to be a mainstay on the national team. It’s when does he take the mantle from Howard as the No. 1 guy. Kasey Keller started the ’06 Cup at age 36. Brad Friedel could have started the ’06 Cup at age 35. Guzan has to think this is the last run for Howard, but you never know. Guzan will be 33 at the 2018 Cup, so he’s hoping for one shot. At any rate, he’s clearly the No. 2 guy, even though he’s still backing up Friedel at Aston Villa.

Tim Howard – Although Howard will be 35 when the team begins play in Brazil, it’s clear that he is the best keeper in the country, and one of the best America has ever produced. It’s highly unlikely that anyone will challenge him for that spot over the next three years.

Sean Johnson – Johnson has emerged as the best young keeper in the country, and at age 25, he’ll be ready to make his World Cup debut. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, the comparisons to Howard are natural. Will Johnson develop into a world class keeper like Howard? That remains to be seen, but he does look like the keeper of the future for the red, white and blue. Howard first made his debut as the No. 3 in the ’06 World Cup at the age of 27. Johnson should be ready in ’14.

Defenders (8)
Gale Agbossoumonde – A dynamic young center back, the Boss isn’t ready right now at only 19 years of age and with limited professional experience. Give him three years of development, and the 6-2, 190-pounder will be ready to team with Omar Gonzalez and/or Tim Ream to hold down the U.S. central defense.

Joe Amon – I’m taking a flyer on the youngster from the U-17 national team. The right back has been the most impressive player to me for the U.S. in the U-17 World Cup. He’s not that big (5-7, 130), but he reminds me a lot of a mixture of Steve Cherundolo and Damarcus Beasley. He’ll turn 20 during the 2014 World Cup, which might be a little too young to make this squad. But there are always a few surprises, and this is a kid worth taking a chance on.

Carlos Bocanegra – He’ll be 35, and he won’t be the captain anymore. He likely won’t be a starter either, or at least he shouldn’t be. If he is, that’s an indictment that the back line hasn’t improved much between now and 2014. However, his experience and versatility (the ability to play both central defender and outside back) make him a worthwhile player to keep around.

Timmy Chandler – How crazy is Timmy Chandler’s story? He’s not even listed on the senior national team’s player pool, but many people believe his absence was the difference in the U.S. defeating Mexico in the Gold Cup final (his club squad requested he be left off the roster due to "exhaustion"). His presence certainly was missed after right back Steve Cherundolo injured his ankle early in the contest and had to be replaced. The German-born defender’s recent rise in the Bundesliga and stellar play in a March friendly burst him onto the international scene, and at just 21 years of age, he appears poised to help usher in a new era of U.S. defenders.

Maurice Edu – Edu’s versatility is his strongest selling point. He made the 2010 World Cup roster as a defensive midfielder, where he didn’t get much of a shot playing behind Ricardo Clark. He had a similar experience playing behind Jermaine Jones at the Gold Cup. Unlike both of those players, though, Edu is still relatively young (he’ll be 28 at the next World Cup) and can be a solid defender. Because of his much needed versatility and defensive prowess, and due to a stacked midfield, he best fits here.

Omar Gonzalez – At 6-5, 210 pounds and 22 years of age, Gonzalez is the defender of the future. He’ll take the torch from Onweyu as the next Eddie Pope, a label that Gooch never was able to live up to. He’s been a known commodity in the U.S. program for years, and he’s done nothing yet to limit the hype. There’s a strong chance that he could anchor the U.S. defense for the next two or even three World Cups.

Eric Lichaj – Lichaj is the left back of the future. He’ll be 25 in Brazil and should be set up for a run at the next two World Cups. He played very well in the Gold Cup, and if he can start getting regular playing time at Aston Villa in the Premier League, he could develop into the best left back the U.S. has ever seen.

Tim Ream – Played well at times in the Gold Cup as a central defender and will only improve as he gets more professional playing time. He’s a prime candidate for a European transfer in the next two years, and at only 23 years old, he looks like he could pair with Omar Gonzalez as a strong central tandem for years to come.

Midfielders (8)
Freddy Adu – Long hailed as the savior of American soccer, Adu was basically written off for dead after the 2008 Olympics, when he essentially disappeared (save for a cameo appearance on the U.S.’ “B” team that played in the 2009 Gold Cup). That all changed this year, when after bouncing around from club to club in Europe, he received a surprise call-up for the Gold Cup, where he played well as a substitute in the semifinals and again as a starter in the final. In fact, he played so well in those two games that he resuscitated his career by showing he is probably the best technical player in the country. It’s hard to remember that he’ll only be 25 in 2014, and he likely will compete for a starting spot.

Michael Bradley – A frustrating player, Bradley at times shows brilliance, challenging Donovan and Dempsey as the best player in the country, and other times seemingly disappearing and making little impact in the game. A central midfielder, Bradley adds a good deal of punch offensively (see his header for the first goal against Mexico in the Gold Cup final) but doesn’t seem to provide as much help defensively as you would like from that position. However, at only 26 in Brazil, he should be reaching his prime and theoretically could have overtaken Donovan and Dempsey as the Yanks’ best player.

Clint Dempsey – How much does Deuce have left in his international tank? He’s 28, and he’ll be 31 in Brazil. It’s safe to say that he’ll be past his prime. However, he continues to improve every year he plays in the Premier League. He’s legitimately challenging Landon Donovan to become the best player in U.S. history. He’s an above-average finisher, which for the U.S. makes him appear elite. I include him as a midfielder because that’s where Bob Bradley loves him. I continue to say that the U.S. would be best served with him starting up top, as recent matches show the offense plays much better when he pushes up to a forward position.

Mixx Diskerud – It’s funny; I’m all about the U.S. national team, but if you weren’t born here, doesn’t matter. Diskerud is a Norwegian-born player who spent time with both Norway and U.S. youth teams before deciding to play for the stars and stripes. Welcome aboard. When you’re as electric on the ball as he is, you can play for my country any day of the year. It’s no secret that the U.S., especially in the midfield, is aging. Diskerud, who will be 23 at the time of the World Cup, is the best of the next generation of U.S. playmakers.

Landon Donovan – See Dempsey above. Donovan is a year older than Dempsey, and he’s likely entering his last run at a World Cup, or at least his last one where he’ll make a serious contribution. How well will he hold up over the next three years? Will his skills begin diminishing, or will he still be playing at an elite level? There’s no question: the better Dempsey and Donovan play, the better the Yanks will play.

Benny Feilhaber – Like Diskerud, Feilhaber wasn’t born in the U.S. (he’s Brazilian by birth), but he’s chosen to play for Team USA. Feilhaber played for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics and had his breakout performance in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where the U.S. finished runner-up to Brazil. He also was a sub during the 2010 World Cup. He was supposed to become a regular in the midfield with Bradley, but an injured ankle knocked him out of the Gold Cup. Should he be able to stay healthy, he should be able to maintain a slot on the roster.

Stuart Holden – Can Holden finally stay healthy? The Scottish-born Premier League player was limited at the 2010 World Cup thanks to a broken leg he suffered a few months before the tournament, while a torn ACL he suffered in March knocked him out of the Gold Cup. He’s an ideal pairing with Bradley in the central midfield, but his versatility to play on both the left and right wings also makes him a great player to have on the roster.

Brek Shea – There’s no question that Shea, who will be 24 at the time of the World Cup, has a future on the senior national team. He’s a talented left winger who also is versatile enough to play left back (a major position of need) and can even spell at forward at times. He’s got a history on the U.S. youth teams, and he’s one of the top scorers in MLS this season. It’s a long shot that he can break through during this cycle, but there’s always a surprise or two on the final roster. I’m throwing my money in Brek Shea’s direction as being that surprise.

Forwards (4)
Juan Agudelo – He’s just 18 and doesn’t have much international experience, but he’s already overtaken Jozy Altidore for the top striker spot for the U.S. He’ll be 21 in Brazil, and hopefully he’ll already have moved on to Europe or will use a big World Cup to parlay his way into a contract in one of the better leagues in the world.

Jozy Altidore – The jury is still out on whether or not Altidore can be an elite finisher. The good news: he’ll be 24 in 2014, so he should be coming into his prime. If he can get some quality club playing time over the next few years, Altidore might be able to develop into more than just a big target. It’s clear that if the U.S. wants to take the next step, it needs both Agudelo and Altidore to continue developing.

Teal Bunbury – Bunbury certainly doesn’t have much experience (just two caps), but at 6-2 he has everything you want in a forward: size, speed, strength. The Canadian national hasn’t proven yet in his two MLS seasons that he can be an elite scorer, but at just 21 years old he’s well on his way to becoming one and earning his way into a bigger league.

Charlie Davies – I’ll be honest: this might just be wishful thinking. Davies, if you remember, was well on his way to a stellar U.S. national team career (scoring four times in 16 appearances) when it was derailed by a horrific car crash in October 2009. Davies was lucky to survive, but he’s put in a great deal of work to get back to an elite level. He missed out on the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Gold Cup rosters, but he’s improved enough to lead MLS in goals (eight as of this posting on June 27, 2011). The jury is still out on if Davies has fully recovered his burst, but the guy knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, which is a skill that is desperately needed on Team USA.

As far as a starting lineup, all of that will depend on what type of lineup Bob Bradley chooses to use. He used mainly a 4-5-1 during the Gold Cup; however, I believe he feels more comfortable with the traditional 4-4-2. With four true strikers on this roster, I believe he’ll be able to employ that lineup.

My guess on starters would be: Howard (GK), Lichaj (LB), Gonzalez (CB), Ream (CB), Chandler (RB), Bradley (DM), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (RM), Holden (AM), Agudelo (F) and Davies (F). The top reserves would be Agbossoumonde (CB), Bocanegra (LB), Adu (MF), Diskerud (MF) and Altidore (F).

Now for the candidates who were given consideration but won’t make the squad:

Goalkeepers
Cody Cropper – Just 18 years old, Cropper certainly won’t be ready by 2014, but he might just be the best young keeper prospect in the country. He has great size at 6-3 and 200 pounds, and he should get good experience at Ipswich Town in the English second division. He wasn’t the starting keeper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but he should be a fun prospect to watch develop.

Marcus Hahnemann – A quality keeper, he’s been stuck as a backup basically his entire career. He’ll be 42 in 2014, and though keepers have proven they can play much longer than other players, his international career is likely over.

Zak McMath – The best thing for young keepers is playing time, which McMath isn’t getting during his rookie year in MLS. He was an All-American in college who is just 19 years old, and at 6-2 he’s long and lanky with a great keeper build. He started over Cropper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but it will be interesting to see which one develops into a “keeper” on the national squad.

Nick Rimando – An undersized keeper, it could be argued that Rimando made the most of his limited ability, but he’s never really been more than a No. 3 option for the national team, and he’s likely to be passed by several young prospects by the time the World Cup rolls around.

Defenders
Kellyn Acosta – Just 15 years old, he’s the youngest player on the U-17 national team. He’ll only be 18 at the start of the ’14 World Cup, and he likely won’t be ready. It’s much easier to make an impact as a young player on the offensive end than it is on the defensive end, where savvy and pure technical defending are key. But he is a left back, a position of weakness for the U.S.

Jonathan Bornstein – I hate to write off a guy because of one bad game, but his abysmal performance against Mexico in the Gold Cup final will be hard to forget. He was serviceable at left back in the 2010 World Cup, but I believe his time has passed.

Zach Carroll – Tall, lanky 17-year-old has the build of a classic central defender. He’ll likely fill out his 6-3 frame to more than 200 pounds (185 right now) and should be a name to watch for years to come.

Steve Cherundolo – This one hurts. I like Cherundolo. A lot. He defends very well for such a little guy (5-6, 145), and he adds a lot of punch offensively when he pushes up the right flank. However, like Bocanegra, he’ll be 35 in Brazil, and I don’t think the roster has room for two veteran defenders who likely won’t see the field that much.

Oguchi Onyewu – I won’t beat a dead horse or waste too much time, but unfortunately it appears Gooch’s international career is finished. Or at least it should be. Shame on Bob Bradley if he doesn’t turn over that role to Omar Gonzalez.

Jonathan Spector – The once young super prospect who signed with Manchester United at 17, he’ll be a 28-year-old who has constantly underachieved during his career. A decent option at right back, he’s never quite lived up to his billing, and he just misses the cut this time around.

Midfielders
Alejandro Bedoya – Bedoya, like the two guys who follow him, has seen plenty of time with the senior national team (13 caps), and at age 27 in 2014, it’s certainly not out of the question for him to land another spot on this squad. However, the emergence of Diskerud and Shea likely will keep him off the team.

Jermaine Jones – Jones will be 32 in 2014, and that’s certainly not too old to play in the defensive midfield (just ask Pablo Mastroeni). However, in the 10 appearances Jones has made since choosing the U.S. over his native Germany have shown that he and Bradley just don’t function well together. They’re essentially the same player, and since Bradley is five years younger (and the coach’s son), it’s likely that he’ll continue to get the nod over Jones.

Sacha Kljestan – Like the two guys above him, Kljestan was on the Gold Cup roster. He’ll be 28 during the next World Cup, and since he didn’t make a huge difference in Mexico, his spot likely will depend on an injury to Holden or Feilhaber, or a stunt in development of Diskerud and Shea.

Dillon Powers – The 20-year-old Notre Dame midfielder is probably the best U-20 midfielder in the country. And as you’ll see from this list, he’s really the only young guy expected to get a look. It’s not that there aren’t talented young players in the midfield, it’s just that there is a great deal of talent in the mid-20s to upper-20s age range at the position. Powers should be the leader of the next generation of American players when he gets his chance in 2018.

Forwards
Justin Braun – It’s no hidden secret that forward is a place where it doesn’t take much to get a look on the national team (see Chris Wondolowski’s inclusion on the 2011 Gold Cup roster). However, Braun and Bunbury are similar players (though Braun is an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier). Bunbury also is three years younger and projects to be a better player in three years.

Conor Doyle – Doyle, 19, has become a star on the youth national team who at 6-2 has the look of being the latest in a long line of “the next Brian McBride” (for some reason, we’ve yet to have a next Brian McBride). He’s playing professionally for Derby County of the English second division, and it likely won’t be long before he moves up to the Premier League. The son of an Irishman, Doyle has played on both U.S. and Irish youth teams, but he committed this month to continuing his senior national career in America.

Robbie Findley – Findley made the World Cup squad in 2010, but he wasn’t able to make much of an impact, even when he was starting. He hasn’t had much of an impact on the international level since, and it appears his time has come and gone.

Alfred Koroma – Koroma scored two goals in two games as a sub for the U-17 team in its World Cup, then earned a start in the third game. At 6-foot, he’s reminiscent of a young Eddie Johnson. As both Altidore and Agudelo have shown, if you can score the ball, you can get early chances for Bob Bradley.

Kelyn Rowe – Rowe, 19, isn’t a professional yet (he plays for UCLA), and while he might ultimately become a midfielder, right now he projects as a forward in a forward-needy country. When you score three goals in three games as a forward on the U-20 squad, it catches people’s attention. He’s in consideration for a spot on the Olympic squad and some young players are going to use that tournament to jumpstart their hopes of landing on the 2014 World Cup squad.

All that said, this is simply one person’s opinion, and it has been shown over the past five years that my opinion typically doesn’t line up with Bob Bradley’s opinion. Still, it will be interesting to look back on this post in three years when we’re at the World Cup and see just how much changed over that time span and see how accurate my projections were.

My 5K journey

We all have quirks about ourselves that aren't pleasing to think about or talk about. Don't deny it. We do. And I don't mind talking about *some* of mine. One of my biggest quirks is that, basically, I'm a lazy person. There, I said it. Like you already didn't know!

For some weird reason, the laziness didn't carry over into my job, but for the most part, I'd rather just sit and veg out than do anything strenuous (mentally or physically). I guess I'm a victim of the remote control/video game generation.

Conversely, I don't like to waste energy. When I'm sitting on the couch, doing nothing, essentially I'm wasting my life away. But it doesn't feel that way. Instead, it feels wasteful to exercise when I'm not really accomplishing anything. Riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill? Waste of my time.

I've said all of this to set up the fact that I hate to run. Hate it. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything when I'm running around a track or through my neighborhood. I leave from one place and end up back at that place, exerting energy and wasting time. It's not the same for all exercise. Running up and down a basketball court, in an attempt to throw that ball through a hoop, for some reason I feel like I'm accomplishing running. But running? Meh.

Not only does it feel like I'm not accomplishing anything, it feels terrible when I'm doing it. I hate not being able to breathe, and no matter how hard I concentrate, it doesn't take long before I sound like Darth Vader merging into an asthmatic, wheezing my way around the block. I hate that my legs scream at me with every step that I take. Why does it have to hurt? Isn't running supposed to be good for you?

I starting running several weeks ago when a buddy of mine asked me if I would run a 5K with him. I've run in the past. In high school, I was a decent runner. Could run two miles without much of a problem. Actually ran a mile in less than six minutes, which wasn't nearly good enough to make me a competitive runner at a track powerhouse program, but was better than most high school kids. But I didn't enjoy it. So, eventually, I stopped doing it and focused my exercise attention on more fruiful activities such as basketball.

But I'd never run a 5K before, and I thought, sure why not? Then, I started running and began thinking, WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO? It's very difficult to go from not running for YEARS to trying to get into shape to run a 5K in just three weeks. Very difficult. I ran a mile a day for the first week, and my body just rebelled. I ditched my training plan, which was to work my way up from a mile a day the first week to two miles a day the second week and three miles a day leading into the 5K, and decided to take a week off and then work my way up to the 5K on the final week.

I came back with fresh legs and ran my best mile time yet in less than 7 minutes and 30 seconds, not nearly as good as I was more than a decade ago, but still not a bad effort. Then I ran two miles in 17 minutes and 8 seconds, and actually felt pretty good about the way things were going. Thought I would try three miles the next day, but again, the legs rebelled and I didn't even finish running all of two miles, but still finished in 18:26, which wasn't terrible considering I walked about a quarter of a mile.

Strangely enough, as much as I hate running when I'm running, I'm starting to enjoy the way my body feels after I'm done. Like I said, I'm pretty much a lazy person, and my body doesn't get too much physical use, especially since it's the offseason from my basketball officiating (which starts back up next week!). So it actually is starting to feel good that my muscles are being used often.

I don't really know what to expect in the morning. I haven't run 3 miles yet, much less 3.2, and I don't know if I can finish the whole thing without walking. That's my first goal. I think being in a competitive race, where it's not just me and the road, will help me have some adrenaline and push me to continue running when I want to quit. But I really don't know how my body will react. My legs are sore today, even though I didn't run, after the two straight days of running two miles. I know that doesn't sound like much, but I really have only put about two weeks of training into this thing, so my body is not ready to respond to all-out training. I initially set a goal of finishing in less than 30 minutes, and I still think that's a goal that I can meet. However, after running 17:08 on Wednesday, I've started to think that if I can keep that pace up, that I might be able to finish in under 25 minutes. That's what I'm considering an "impossible" goal, but I think you need to push yourself and challenge yourself when you are competing.

What I'm hoping is that this isn't just a one-and-done thing. Once I actually finish a 5K and have an established standard, I truly believe I'm going to want to compete against myself to do it better the next time. And hopefully, if I keep pushing myself and doing it more and more, I'll get even better and start to enjoy it more. After all, I do need to exercise. I went to the doctor earlier this week and had lost 10 pounds from where I was three months earlier. But I'm still 17 pounds heavier than where I really need to be. Hopefully, with a positive result in the morning, I'll keep heading down this road and see the pounds shed off.

Grrrrrrrrrowl!

Boy, these girls have a TON of energy! And by "these girls," of course I mean the pups, who as I type are growling and fighting one another on two-thirds of the couch. Make that the whole couch; nevermind that I'm here too.

*BIG SIGH* Grrrrrrowl! That's Sandy. Lots of deep, gutteral growling. Of course, her bark is just that. Ryley, on the other hand, you just never know. And when she starts barking, you KNOW she means business!

Elizabeth and I had a busy day, spending about 12 hours away from home while the girls were cooped up in their room. We had the annual Granger Birthday Bash at Elizabeth's parents. Since there are a number of June-July-August birthdays in the family (unfortunately, yours truly NOT included), we get together for one big party. We enjoyed plenty of burgers and a whole lot more cake!

Afterward, Elizabeth and I went with one of her brothers, his wife and our niece to watch Despicable Me (terribly cute) and then to go shopping at the mall for the niece's birthday. Then we finished up the evening with supper together, where there were TOO many laughs to go around (strike that: can you EVER have TOO many laughs?).

So, when we got home, we had some pretty amped puppies. They were excited to see us, which for them means running back and forth from the couch and the chais lounge to see me and Elizabeth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Eventually, though, Elizabeth left us to go downstairs and work out, leaving the two girls and me in the living room. Talk about some entertainment! First of all, they pull toy after toy from their room into the living room. No joke, they're toddlers. It's funny stuff! Then, they fight over the toys. Or really, I should say, Sandy bullies Ryley with the toys. Whichever toy Ryley has, that's the one Sandy wants. And it's the one Sandy takes. So Ryley moves on to another toy. And Sandy takes that one too. Again, lather, rinse, repeat.

I had a blast today at the movie, but honestly, I don't need to leave the house to get some good, quality entertainment with these two pups!

Why today?

Of all days this week, today was the one that was super busy. Of all the days! That stuff happens when you have a nearly two-hour press conference!

The Saints made their stop in Alexandria today for their Victory Tour, and as a Saints fan, I had to make a detour to see it. I mean, the freakin' Lombardi Trophy people. I don't think you understand! The Lombardi Trophy!

Unfortunately, because of the afformentioned busy day at work, I simply didn't have time to battle the crowd and stand in line to get pictures. I would have loved to have my photo taken with the trophy. Instead, I snapped a few shots of the trophy (without me in front of it), as well some close ups of one of the Saints Super Bowl rings, and Michael "The Beer Man" Lewis who was signing autographs. (Aside: Honestly, you couldn't get one real player to show up??? When's the last time Beer Man returned a kick for the Saints? I mean, I know he's an employee and an ex-player, but it's not like he was a member of this Super Bowl team!)

It was a nice, neat experience. I wish I had 30 minutes to an hour more during my day to actually have enjoyed it and gotten my picture taken with the Lombardi Trophy, but it is what it is. Still a pretty cool experience, and a reminder, that WE DAT!!!!

The Summer of Betrayal

Note: This blog was the brainchild of one of my best friends, who told me that text messages and tweets weren't doing justice to my feelings on this subject. Be prepared. I have a feeling this is going to be a long, long rant. Don't blame me. Blame Kyle.

Really, LeBron? Really? I hope when the smoke clears and all is said and done, you will be able to live with the decision you made this week. I really do.

LeBron James, perhaps the biggest superstar in the NBA, decided to leave the Cleveland Cavs this week to join the Miami Heat. On the surface, this isn't that big of a deal. Players change teams all the time. Heck, even superstars change teams sometimes. Only, this is a big deal. It's a really big deal.

For the record, I have no ties to Cleveland, but I certainly have felt like a Clevelander this week. I wasn't a Cav fan before LeBron James, and I'm not a Cav fan today. Unfortunately, though, I'm no longer a LeBron James fan either, and I feel as though I've wasted a decade of my life with this guy.

Unlike Cavs fans, this isn't about my team. It's not about my city, my region or my state. But, like them, it is personal to me, just for a completely different reason. You see, I've invested a decade of my life being a fan of LeBron James. A decade. Gone. In the blink of the eye. Well, a little longer than that, but just long enough for James to utter the words: "I'm taking my talents to South Beach."

You see, I've been on the LeBron James train longer than anyone I know. Before he was "The Chosen One," as he was dubbed by Sports Illusrated. Before he was "King James," as he was dubbed by, well, himself. Before LeBron James became LeBron James and won the hearts of millions of fans, he won me as a fan.

I first heard about LeBron during the summer after his sophomore year in high school, which was in 2001. I'd just completed my sophomore year of college. LeBron had just led his high school to its second straight state title and had won the first of three state Ohio player of the year awards. He was tearing up the summer AAU circuit and was quickly developing a reputation as the best high school player in the country -- not in his age group, but out of all high school players. It wasn't long before James cemented that reputation, earning his first of two straight national player of the year awards the next year. All of that to say this: Before LeBron was starring on national TV, before many people knew who he was, I was beginning to believe. I was beginning to believe in LeBron James, in his potential greatness, in his ability to amaze, in the chance that he could become the greatest player in basketball history.

Unfortunately, I've lost that belief. I've never forget when it happened, exactly when LeBron uttered those now infamous words about taking his talents to South Beach. At that precise moment, LeBron quit. He gave up. No longer will he ever be considered the greatest basketball player ever, something I convinced myself over the past 10 years was destined to happen.

I refuse to say I bought into his hype. Hype is manufactured. LeBron's basketball talent is real. Very real. No one has possessed his physical gifts: a power forward's body at 6-8 and 250-plus pounds with a point guard's game. The only player before him was a man named Magic, but Earvin Johnson wasn't nearly as explosive as James. LeBron's physical gifts are truly amazing, but until this week I've conditioned myself to look past all of his flaws because I wanted to believe in LeBron's greatness. I can't kid myself anymore.

When LeBron decided to leave Cleveland, his hometown team where he was the savior of the franchise for the past seven years, for Miami, he gave up on being a leader. He decided to be a follower. He followed Chris Bosh to join up with Dwyane Wade with the Heat. Once he puts on that uniform, he'll follow D-Wade. Miami is D-Wade's team. Just like Cleveland was LeBron's. You can't have two alpha male leaders. Inevitably, one will rise and the other will shrink. LeBron's decision is essentially his saying that he's willing to shrink.

On the surface, I should be cheering an athlete who's willing to put his ego to the side, who's willing to take less money in the pursuit of the ultimate goal of winning. I get that argument. I understand the people who are making that argument. It's not my argument to make. LeBron is taking the easy way out. He's admitting he wasn't good enough to lift the Cavs to any championships, and it was time to run away. And because he ran, he's giving up any hope of ever being considered an all-time great. He's no MJ, no Bird, no Magic, no Kobe. His physical gifts will allow him to be considered one of the top 10 or 15 players ever, but he's missing some inner drive to be the best. And that's why he tucked tail and ran to Miami.

All of a sudden, it was like a light that was flipped, and the blinders were taken off of my eyes. I'd made excuses for LeBron over the past few years. About how his teammates were good enough. About how he had to be perfect nearly every game for the Cavs to win. About how his willingness to pass up the final shot for an open teammate was in the best interest of the team, not because he lacked a killer instinct to be a great closer. About how he was a good guy that didn't have a huge ego. All of those things were wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

LeBron had many choices during this free agency debacle. He could've stayed at home and continued to be Cleveland's savior. He could've answered the call of the Big Apple and teamed with Amar'e Stoudemire with the Knicks. He could've gone to Chicago, where he would've played in MJ's shadow, but teamed with D-Rose and Boozer. All of those were legitimate options where he could have remained the alpha dog and continued moving his legacy forward to becoming one of all-time greats, if not the best player ever. But he chose the one move, Miami, where he didn't have to be the guy, where he didn't have to shoulder all of he burden, where it would be easy to just chase rings, something he's said for years he didn't want to do. He wanted to build something. He failed.

He also failed with the method in which he delivered the news. Who goes on national TV, with a one-hour special no less, to rip the heart out of a city that has been devastated for years by its sports teams? Who does that to his hometown, his home state? Someone who's all about me. Someone like LeBron James. Unfortunately, LeBron totally miscalculated what's about to happen next. He thinks he's going to head to South Beach, have some parties, live it up with Bosh and D-Wade, and win title after title. And all of that might be true. But he's also going to be hated, despised. He's now a villain.

LeBron always has wanted to be beloved. He's always been beloved. He's the hometown hero. The savior. Worshiped. Idolized. At least he was, up until he uttered those seven words. The stage was set. News had leaked he was heading to Miami. A big party had been set up on South Beach. ESPN spent all day talking about the pending decision and how much of an effect it would have on Cleveland. LeBron could've swept in and become an even bigger savior than he was before. But he didn't. Instead, he publicly mocked his hometown, told his fans they were lucky to know him but that they were totally unimportant. He's bigger than Cleveland. He's better than Cleveland. He doesn't need them.

And now they hate him. Now he's not welcome in his own home. He has no clue what awaits him when the Heat travel to Cleveland. The vitriol will be on a level we may have never seen before. But it goes well beyond Ohio. LeBron has been villified nationally. He's now worshiped in Miami and hated everywhere else. His decision to join with Wade and Bosh to create some superteam has made the Heat the most hated franchise in the NBA. Just like that, overnight, Miami has replaced New York, Boston and the Lakers as the team to hate by everyone else in the nation. LeBron doesn't understand what he's done. But he will find out soon. Very soon.

World Cup reaction

Sunil Gulati is on the clock. The man who runs the U.S. Soccer Federation failed to get his coach after the last World Cup and had to name Bradley as the interim coach. Then Bradley notched a ton of wins against mediocre competition, and Gulati had no choice but to give him the full-time gig. Gulati must take decisive action and get rid of Bradley soon. Then he needs to go get a world-class coach -- either his first choice in 2006, Juergen Klinnsman, or someone else with experience winning at the World Cup.

Bradley is lucky that the USA is not a soccer-mad nation. If it were, Bradley would be getting roasted for his poor tactical decisions at the Cup. There are so many questions that I don't even know where to start:

What did Robbie Findley do to deserve more than one start, much less a third against Ghana?

What more could Edson Buddle have done to earn even a SHOT up top?

Why did we end EVERY game with Clint Dempsey playing striker, yet not start him up top ONCE?

What did Rico Clark do to earn a start against Ghana? Had Maurice Edu not taken that position?

Bradley simply relied too heavily on his strategy, going back to it again and again even after it failed to work. We had no second striker to place next to Altidore, and yet he kept giving Findley and Gomez opportunities (although he didn't give Buddle much of an opportunity).

Perhaps the five best players on the roster (Howard not included, although I don't think he had a GREAT Cup) were Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Edu and Feilhaber ... and yet Bradley was never flexible enough to rely on them all to start a game. There were major holes on this roster when it was set up, and they were holes that scared me entering the Cup. We didn't have a striker who could score consistently (and the four forwards combined for ZERO goals at the Cup), and the defense was a major weak point that caused the U.S. to fall behind early in three of its four games. Maybe you can argue that Bradley took the best 23 he could, or maybe you can argue that his construction of this roster wasn't very good. The jury is still out on that one, I believe.

One thing that can't be lost is the positive in how Bradley's team fought. We need to use that for the next manager to build upon. This team fought hard the entire time and was a break or two away from advancing to the quarterfinals and having a legit chance to make it to the semifinals. But, in the end, this performance was an underachievement and failure for the second straight Cup.

There are some good things to build upon for 2014. Howard will be back, and at 35, will still presumably have another Cup in him as one of the premier keepers in the world (at least that's his reputation). The midfield is going to be very, very strong again. Donovan (32) and Dempsey (31) should have another Cup in them, although I'd like to see Dempsey moved to forward. Michael Bradley, at 26, should be in his prime and could be emerging as the successor to Donovan as the greatest player ever to wear a USA uniform. Feilhaber (29), Edu (28), Holden (28) and maybe Jose Torres (26) could return, and there is plenty of depth waiting for their chances in Sacha Kljestan (28), Alejandro Bedoya (27), Sal Zizzo (27), Robbie Rogers (27), Freddy Adu (25) and maybe even Jermaine Jones (32), who we missed as a defensive midfielder in this year's Cup. The midfield appears like it will again be the strength of this team.

Altidore, at 24, should continue to develop, as he gets more and more games and opportunities to play in Europe. As much as was expected of him this year as the team's top striker, it's hard to remember sometimes that he's only 20 years old. I'd like to see Dempsey moved up top to pair with Altidore, but Charlie Davies, who will only be 27, could be the missing piece if he can return to form following a near fatal car crash last year. It's hard to think of what might have been should he have been healthy in South Africa. I would also expect Lee Nguyen (27) to make a serious run at making the roster at forward. It should be wide open because I wouldn't expect Gomez or Buddle to get another chance, and Findley would have to make some major improvements to get another chance, even though he'll only be 28 in 2014.

The defense will face some major restructuring, and I'm not sure how many of the seven defenders from this Cup will be back in four years. Bocanegra, the captain, and Cherundolo -- the two outside backs -- will each be 35. DeMerit will be 34, and Onyewu will be 32. That's a very old back line. Goodson didn't get off the bench and it's tough to see him in Brazil in four years. Spector (28) and Bornstein (29) could be the two outside backs in four years, and there's some good young talent looking to crack the team. Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce, who will both be 29, just missed the 2010 roster. Omar Gonzalez, who at 21 right now is one of the brightest young defenders in the nation, could be the center back of the future for the next eight years. Other young players hoping for their shot on the national team are Gale Agbossoumonde (18), Eric Lichaj (21), Ike Opara (21), Kevin Alston (22) and Tim Ream (22).

There are also plenty of young players that none of us have heard of. Honestly, who thought four years ago that Michael Bradley would not only be on the World Cup roster this year, but would be starting? Nobody. We just don't know what will happen four years from now, but what we do know is that the U.S. can't stand pat now. It's time to take the next step and bring in a world-class coach to take us to the next level.

Quick update

Our time in Lincoln-Omaha has come and gone, and we head home to Alexandria today. It was great saying hello and goodbye to Rosenblatt Stadium after 60 years as home of the College World Series. We had a great couple of days at the stadium and saw two great games. Today, we begin our lengthy trek home. It should take us about 16 hours, including a pit stop to watch Team USA against Ghana in the World Cup. Hopefully, we'll arrive home sometime before midnight!