Stop the Hand-Wringing for a Moment of Appreciation

Well, we're 111 days away from the USMNT's much-hyped World Cup opener against England, and the hand-wringing has gone into full swing.

There are multiple fronts in fans' collective battle against nerves, with issues on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean having USMNT implications.  For starters, there's the looming possibility of an MLS work stoppage, which could mean no competitive games for the likes of Robbie Rogers, Robbie Findley, Brian Ching, and Conor Casey in the months leading up to the World Cup.  There's also the worries about recent Euro arrivals Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden, who have yet to make an appearance for the respective clubs in the weeks that they've been on the Old Continent.  And then there's the big concern about the numerous injuries that USMNT regulars have suffered, and how they will impact both team and individual World Cup preparations.  When you put all of that together, there's definitely plenty to cause a little uneasiness as FIFA's quadrennial showcase draws near.

But let's stop for a second and consider for a second why exactly we are worried (and I definitely include myself in that group): it's a World Cup year and we want our team to be as prepared as possible and at full strength by the time June rolls around.  Simple enough.  But at this point, there's a bigger underlying belief that fuels our concerns, and it's one that I feel most people are hesitant to acknowledge for fear of getting labeled a hopelessly delusional optimist: we worry because we think that, if healthy and prepared, the USMNT actually has a chance to win the World Cup.

Is it a big chance?  Not at all.  But the fact that it exists at all is pretty incredible in and of itself.  Of course, stringing together seven quality performances is a tall, tall task, and I don't want to make it seem like I believe anything else.  But the bottom line is, that slim possibility exists, and that highlights a pretty substantial change in our expectations as fans.  Back in 1990, we were just glad to be there.  In 1994, we were glad we made it out of the group stage.  But it was an incredible run in 2002 and the increasing presence of USMNT players in Europe that has raised the bar at which we've set our standard for a good World Cup.  Last summer's Confederations Cup was just another substantial stride in this upward trend, and we head into this summer's World Cup feeling like we're putting forward our most talented team to date. 

In just 20 short years, we've gone from little more than a relative minnow to a team that can compete against the world's best on any given day.  Today, we love to demand the absolute best from our national team, from the players in a January friendly to the guys all the way at the top.  But at some point, take a step back from those demands to really consider the ascension this team has made in the past decade.  Because it's pretty remarkable. 

Back in 1998, Project 2010 was considered pretty ambitious.  It still is to this day.  But were Carlos Queiroz and company really that far off?  It's 2010, and I honestly believe that our team (assuming they can put everything together) has a chance to hoist the trophy in South Africa (however very small it may be).  Maybe I'm just completely off base, but I think that progress is something all USMNT fans should take time to consider and appreciate.

After you've done that, feel free to resume the hand-wringing.