A Look Back at Some of 2011's Most Heartwarming Moments

With 2011 coming to a close,  I figured it might be a good time to revisit the year that was (I know, quite original).  But for the sake of keeping with the whole "holiday cheer" thing, this post will solely focus on the most heartwarming moments of the past 12 months (with another non-traditional review post coming in the next day or two a la this USSD favorite from 2010).

Before I begin, let me say that it's very likely I missed something in putting this together, so feel free to add to the discussion either in the comments section or on Twitter.  With that being said, let's jump right in.

Japan's World Cup Triumph

Even though it came at the expense of the USWNT (who, by the way, made us feel all warm and fuzzy as well with their ball-don't-lie, there-is-justice-in-the-universe, never-say-die win over Brazil), it was hard not to feel good about Japan's Women's World Cup title. Their tournament triumph was truly a special sporting moment not without its fair share of drama, stellar play, and subplots. While it's hard for an outsider like myself to pinpoint what exactly it meant to the people of Japan, I feel safe in saying that it certainly brought joy and pride (and perhaps most importantly, renewed attention) to a country that was still reeling from the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

It was a remarkable run in the face of much adversity, providing a moment that everyone could feel good about on a human level.


Rongen's Pacific Glory

USSD made it a point to get ahead of the curve and stay on top of things when it came to Thomas Rongen's journey to the South Pacific to coach the American Samoa national team. And the boys from Pago Pago certainly did not disappoint.

While Rongen and company ultimately fell short of the big prize- a spot in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, which also served as the next round of World Cup qualifying- they won many fans, and, as I said then, for one night we were all reminded that sometimes soccer's best stories don't happen in multi-million dollar stadiums with global superstars on the field, but rather off the grid in front of just a couple dozen fans.



American Samoa's historic win over Tonga was their first ever, with their subsequent tie against Cook Islands producing their first ever unbeaten streak; these results allowed them to move away from the foot of the FIFA rankings, and brought an unmistakable sense of pride and happiness to the players who had suffered through so many lopsided losses in years prior. Rongen is now something of a hero, and American Samoans footy fans were given a moment that they'll never forget.


The Jay DeMerit Story

Rise and Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story was a story of one athlete's determination to chase and achieve his dream against the odds, and it has inspired many in the months since its release. But perhaps just as inspiring is the story of the men behind the film, led by Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija, who managed to produce their documentary with plenty of dedication and effort to make up for a modest budget. Just like Jay, they chased a dream knowing full well the challenges that laid in front of them. But they never shied away from those obstacles, instead tackling them head on with creativity and persistence.

That budget itself is also another heartwarming element of this story, as soccer fans from the US and abroad came together to help fund this project. The galvanization of the soccer community was quite special to see, and the final product surely did not disappoint those who supported the cause.

To give a Hollywood ending to the movie that already has its own Hollywood ending, Rise and Shine was picked up by movie theaters across the US, as well as in the UK. A couple of guys set out with a lofty goal in mind and went after it, and it gave us one of the more heartwarming stories of 2011, both on the screen and off.


CD9's Return

For a moment, put aside the discussion of Charlie Davies' MLS season or his future. Instead, think back to that March night when he made his first appearance in 18 months, stepping back onto the playing field after nearly losing his life. Words aren't necessary to express just how incredible a moment that was for Charlie and for all those watching.

Add in the fact that he managed to score twice in his return, and it made for a pretty unbelievable script. Davies' post-game interview communicates best the mixture of emotions that came on that memorable evening at RFK:



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As I said, if I missed something, feel free to chime in.

And here's hoping that 2012 brings the soccer community some more magical moments.

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Thoughts on the January Camp Roster: Another Klinsmann Deviation From the Bradley Era

Jurgen Klinsmann announced a 20-man roster for January's USMNT camp and friendlies against Venezuela and at Panama.  Here is the list:


GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
 
DEFENDERS (7): Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), A.J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), George John (FC Dallas), Zach Loyd (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA) 

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Benny Feilhaber (New England Revolution), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) 

FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)


The roster marks another deviation from the Bob Bradley regime, with Klinsmann opting for a smaller group after Bradley had brought in groups of 24, 30, 24, and 26 in the past four years respectively.

Opting for quality over quantity (in terms of observation opportunities next month), Klinsmann brings in a group that will placate most.  Omar Gonzalez finally gets his shot to impress the national team staff, though it must be said that transfer rumors swirling around him could very well mean that this opportunity goes unused if he does in fact switch sides this winter.  Geoff Cameron, meanwhile, also gets brought in for a look; after a strong 2011 season, he's a player that could provide the type of possession-oriented center back that Klinsmann has been seeking.

It's also good to see Klinsmann reward good form by calling in Michael Parkhurst, who has been a mainstay in an FC Nordsjaelland defense that is statistically the most dominant in Denmark.  George John and AJ DeLaGarza will also get their chance to wow after strong MLS seasons with their respective clubs.  All told, there will be several quality center back prospects in this camp that could very well parlay this opportunity into a more regular role (whether on-field or as depth) with the senior side.

In the midfield, there aren't many surprises, as Shea, Beckerman, and Larentowicz get called back after having already earned several caps in the Klinsmann era.  The Ricardo Clark selection is the one real surprise on this roster, as players based outside of Scandinavia and MLS rarely get released for these non-FIFA match days.  But his presence is just indicative of the struggles he has had since Eintracht Frankfurt was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, as he's been on the outside looking in for months.  Oddly enough, he managed to impress in the Bundesliga, but has fallen by the wayside since the drop and looks in dire need of a new club situation.

In that regard, this call-in could very well indicate that a move for Ricardo Clark (back to MLS) is in fact on the way.  A move to somewhere outside MLS or Scandinavia would make less sense, as Rico's camp presence would keep him away from his new club mid-season.  Then again, perhaps there is no move in the works (I'd be surprised if this were the case, though), and Klinsmann simply wants to get Rico some minutes knowing that there's really nothing for him to lose by leaving his club for a couple of weeks.

It's good to see Sporting KC's Graham Zusi get called into camp after a strong 2011 campaign.  He'll be joined by teammate and MLS Rookie of the Year CJ Sapong, who opened some eyes with his power and ability this year.  With the striker depth chart still far from settled, Sapong- along with Teal Bunbury, Juan Agudelo, and Chris Wondolowski- will have a legitimate chance to work their way into the full team with a strong camp.

There aren't many snubs, and those that are absent probably can be explained away at least in part.  Tim Ream is getting married in January, which is why he's not included (insert snarky remark about his 2011 form here).  Meanwhile, Mix Diskerud and Josh Gatt got no love in Norway, but I wonder if there might be possible transfers in the works.  I think at least one of them would have been a valuable edition to this group, particularly with the lack of outside mids, but alas their left on the outside.  As always, I wonder what Klinsmann's level of communication with that duo is like, particularly Diskerud as the ever-present possibility of a Norwegian defection looms in the background.  But given his presence at the U-23 Olympic camp, I think those fears are diminished (which, by the way, could also help explain his absence from this camp, with Klinsmann preferring not to overwork Diskerud in the offseason).

[EDIT: Caleb Porter has said he wants to do another 10-day U-23 camp in January, another possible explanation for the absence of Mix, Gatt, and other youngsters you might be wondering about. Thanks to the guys at Soccer Over There for the reminder.]

At the end of the day, there is little to complain about with the roster.  It's actually the first Klinsmann roster that hasn't been met with great consternation and/or displeasure.

The two friendlies and camp will give Klinsmann and his staff a good opportunity to log some serious observations.  It will be interesting to see who impresses, and if they are able to work their way into the February national team camp and the World Cup qualifying picture.

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On a side note, it's been a rough December for yours truly, with tons of obligations away from USSD keeping me occupied, but I appreciate all of your continued support and engagement.  Enjoy the holiday season.

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Weekend Highlights: Dempsey, Bocanegra, & Barcelona

Some weekend highlights:


First up, Barcelona won the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup with a comprehensive 4-0 drubbing of Santos. The result only confirms what we already knew: Barcelona have been the best club team in the world in 2011.



Next up, highlights from the UK. Clint Dempsey found the back of the net with a fantastic header and then set up another a minute later with a lovely through-ball, helping Fulham on to a 2-0 win over Bolton:

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=c0d88026-0f43-4cf8-9031-47cac44e03a7" target="_new" title="">PL Highlights: Fulham/Bolton</a>


In Scotland, meanwhile, Carlos Bocanegra scored for Rangers in a 2-1 home win over Inverness:

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On Donovan to Everton, Friedel, and Happiness

For those who missed it yesterday, the big news in US Soccer was that Landon Donovan will be heading back to Everton for a two-month loan (January and February). This comes nearly two years since he suited up for the Toffees in a memorable (and very successful) three-month loan spell that included a Player of the Month honor and several big results over top teams.

The reactions to this news have been varied; while on the whole, everyone seems receptive of this idea, many wonder what exactly the impetus was behind this move. The juxtaposition to Brad Friedel's less-than-flattering comments about Donovan a week ago is something many have pointed to, wondering if this move was born out of a desire to prove Friedel and other haters wrong.

In the same line of thinking, there are some who wonder if Donovan feels his still has something to prove. Might his spell of middling form in the middle matches of the Gold Cup and the onslaught of scrutiny and debate that came after the Friedel comments have opened up some old wounds, despite his success at the club level this season?

There are also some who have postulated that this may have been prodded along by Jurgen Klinsmann, who hasn't had Donovan on the field since September 2nd and has been pushing his MLS-based players to stay active during the offseason with training or loans. With the US attack finally finding its feet for a bit against Slovenia, might Klinsmann be pushing Donovan, implying that he needs to win his spot on the roster?

Those are all theories, but personally I don't subscribe to any of them.

While the timing of this move following the Friedel comments might lend itself to an easy claim of causation, I'm inclined to say that's not the case. While the fact that this deal really came together in the last couple of days doesn't do much to help that perspective, I just can't really get behind the idea that Donovan did anything to initiate this move, and that insecurities contributed.

Let's not forget what happened two winters ago, and in the months that followed: Landon Donovan shut everyone up. He put together a stellar run of form at Everton, kept things going in MLS, and then had a couple of massive performances in South Africa. He showed up when it mattered most and showed that he can rise to the occasion on the big stage and against top talent.

His loan at Everton in particular was the perfect response in the face of the doubt and hate that dogged him since his less-than-ideals forays in Germany in previous years. His gorgeous volley against Hull City in his last match was an emphatic final stroke, a thunderous conclusion that was a figurative bullet through the chest of the monkey that he ripped off his back in the preceding weeks. (See the goal at 9:50 of the video below. Apologies for the ads, it was the only video I could find.)



All things considered, it was a perfect loan spell. The questions were answered. Having proven himself against the best, he could be more secure in himself and his game (if that were a problem in the first place).

Sure, 2011 was not his finest with the national team, and many will point to his benching in the Gold Cup as evidence that perhaps those old insecurities that may have plagued Landon in the past might be creeping back in. But again I have a hard time believing that, particularly when Donovan went on to reassert himself quite well within the Gold Cup itself, playing a pivotal role in the semifinal and final.

With another MLS Cup on his mantle after another strong club season and all of the above considered, I really don't think Friedel's comments (or any similar) had much impact on Donovan's decision. There's no way of truly knowing this, but I'm inclined to think that Donovan isn't so insecure to take those words to heart and feel the need to prove himself once more.

As for Klinsmann, I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted Donovan to stay active, but not out of some quasi-threat that Donovan's spot in the starting XI or squad would be at stake. Rather, it would be because Klinsmann understands all too well Donovan's value- still- to the USMNT, having seen the Yanks sputter without Donovan over the past couple of months. It's a theory that I've outlined before and one that I think didn't get enough play during the whole November call-up/decline fiasco.

With World Cup qualifiers next year and just one more official friendly date to restore some of the confidence that was lost over the past couple of months, perhaps Klinsmann just wants one of his best players to hit the ground running when the USMNT reconvenes for a friendly on February 29th.

That may be the case, but ultimately I don't see it as the main reason for this.

Ultimately- and what far too many seem to be overlooking as a possible motivation- I see this move as someone doing something simply because they want to. It's about utility, happiness; not competition and proving self-worth. Donovan has stated time and time again how much he thoroughly enjoyed his time under David Moyes at Goodison Park. Could it be that, conspiracy theories aside, he actually just really wants to reconnect with old teammates at a club that he loved being at, in front of fans that he appreciated?

Donovan himself said, "The opportunity to return to Everton and play for such a well-respected club and a manager that I hold in such high regard was something that was simply too good to pass up."

I don't see that as just lip service covering up an ulterior motive. I see that as a player who genuinely wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to do something that would make him really happy.

What about him declining a loan last winter, you might say; doesn't that invalidate my theory? Eh, it's not exactly the same situation; circumstances are different, and Donovan isn't coming off of nearly two straight years of continuous soccer. So to compare the two straight up is a little misguided, in my opinion.

As pundits and fans, we love to hyper-analyze these situations and consider all of the possible motivations: Does he want to prove Friedel wrong? Does he feel like he still needs to? Does he feel like his legacy is incomplete? But sometimes the most likely answer comes when we just look at the player as a normal human: maybe he's just a guy doing something that makes him happy while he still has the chance.

Do I think he'll have a chip on his shoulder in light of Friedel's comments, particularly when Everton play Tottenham on January 11th? Absolutely, I do. I don't that was the impetus behind this move, though, but rather simply a post facto motivation that still pales in comparison to his desire to perform for a team and fans that he loves.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there are insecurities that are eating at Landon. Maybe he wonders what might have been had he gone down a different path. But if I had to say, I don't think that's particularly likely, or strong enough to be the biggest factor in this move.

Sometimes, punditry just needs to keep it simple, and in this case I find myself looking past Friedel's comments and instead seeing a player who is eager to rekindle an old relationship with some fond memories.

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Motivations aside, the bottom line is that Donovan is headed back to Goodison Park in the prime of his career. And while this loan will be a little shorter than his last one, he'll still get his fair share of chances to strut his stuff against the big boys. Here's what Everton's schedule looks like between January 4th (the first match for which Donovan will be eligible) and February 25th (the final match day of his loan):

January:
4th: v. Bolton
7th: v. Tamworth (FA Cup)
11th: @ Tottenham
14th: @ Aston Villa
21st: v. Blackburn
28th: [Possible FA Cup Fourth Round match]

February:
1st: v. Manchester City
4th: @ Wigan
11th: v. Chelsea
18th: [Possible FA Cup Fifth Round match]
25th: @ Liverpool

All told, he'll be eligible for 8 Premier League matches, at least 9 total, and possibly 11 if Everton advances in the FA Cup.

He'll get a chance to take on Chelsea once again, having already turned a strong and confident performance two years ago that featured one my favorite moments of his loan spell, along with a couple of other high profile matches. While the hype won't be quite the same this time around thanks to his success in 2010 (the "is he good enough?" factor that had us all very eager and curious isn't there anymore), there will undoubtedly be plenty to look forward to in this short stretch abroad.

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Let's hope Donovan is able to rekindle the form that made him a fan favorite at Goodison in 2010, reminding everyone (Mr. Friedel included) that he can get it done against the best.

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FIFA Club World Cup Highlights: Playoff & Quarterfinals

As promised, highlights from the first three matches of the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup:


Playoff round: Kashiwa Reysol 2, Auckland City 0



Quarterfinal: Kashiwa Reysol 1 (4), Monterrey 1 (3)


Kas - Mon GOALS + PENALTIES www.rojadirecta.es by kehl3

Quarterfinal: Al-Sadd 2, Esperance 1


Esperance Sportive de Tunis - Al Sadd 1:2 by FootballKing1892

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Just a reminder, the first semifinal match (Santos v. Kashiwa Reysol) and the fifth place match (Esperance v. Monterrey) will be played on Wednesday (early in the morning for those of us in the US), while the second semifinal (Barcelona v. Al-Sadd) will be played on Thursday. All matches are being shown on Fox Soccer.

As always, if any of the above videos stop working, just let me know in the comments section or on Twitter, and I'll fix it as soon as I can.

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Weekend Highlights: Gooch, Dempsey, Johnson, and More

Some video highlights from yesterday's Yanks-in-Europe action:

First, Oguchi Onyewu went the full 90 for Sporting Lisbon in a 1-0 victory over Nacional, scoring the game-winning goal with this header:





Next, the Hoffenheim-Nurnberg match featured three Yanks (Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, and Danny Williams); check out the highlights, which includes two gorgeous assists from Johnson and a straight red for Chandler:




In England, Brad Guzan got the start and the win for Aston Villa, with Shay Given sidelined by injury. Guzan made six stops en route to a 2-1 victory. Extended match highlights below:




Last, it wasn't such a great day for Clint Dempsey, who scored an own goal and missed a penalty in Fulham's 2-0 loss to Swansea:




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Highlights from the FIFA Club World Cup will be coming later today as well, barring any unforeseen complications.

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A Look at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup

It's a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short: here's a quick look at the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, which kicked off yesterday in Japan.

Seeing as how this is a site focused on international soccer, it's rare that I dedicate coverage specifically to a club level tournament. But since this is the lone senior-level club tournament administered by FIFA, I figured I'd make an exception.

For those who aren't familiar, the FIFA Club World is a 7-team, single elimination tournament not unlike the Confederations Cup in that it brings together the continental champions from each of the 6 confederations and a host team to duke it out for the title of Club World Champion.

Since its reincarnation in 2005, the tournament has been held in Japan for all but two years, with the 2009 and 2010 editions taking place in the United Arab Emirates. The competition will stay in Japan through 2012, at which point it will move to uncharted territory: Morocco. After the UAE, Iran, and South Africa dropped out of the bidding process, Morocco was the only candidate left standing, and thus won the right to be the first African nation to host the Club World Cup. That will be a welcome change, though, for whichever European club is obligated to make the trip, as it will be far less cumbersome than, say, a jaunt to Japan or the Middle East.

But enough of that; that's a few years away. For now, our attention is on this year's tournament, which is taking place in the cities of Toyota and Yokohama despite some initial concern following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami last April.

Let's take a look at the 7 participants and how they managed to get to this point:


Host Team: Kashiwa Reysol (Japan)

As the host nation, Japan was guaranteed at least one representative in the tournament, with the 2011 J. League champions earning a spot in the playoff round. Kashiwa Reysol won its first J. League title just a year after being promoted to the top flight, clinching that host berth in the process. They managed to hold Nagoya Grampus and Gamba Osaka on the final match day of the season, with first and third place being separated by just two points.

As the host representative, Kashiwa Reysol was put in the playoff round against the OFC representative for a spot in the quarterfinals.


OFC Representative: Auckland City (New Zealand)

Auckland City earned their third trip to the FIFA Club World Cup by winning the 2010-11 OFC Champions League. After winning their group, they managed to outclass Vanuatu's Amicale in the two-legged final, earning a 6-1 aggregate win thanks to a second leg blowout.

While some overlook the OFC representative, Auckland City can pride themselves on being a team that has actually made a dent in the tournament (though that wasn't the case this year, which I'll get to later on): in 2009, they managed to secure fifth place thanks to wins over host representatives Al-Ahli and African champs TP Mazembe, who you might recall ended up losing to Inter Milan in last year's final. Not too shabby, all things considered.


AFC Representative: Al-Sadd (Qatar)

Al-Sadd managed to win the 2011 AFC Champions League, but it wasn't without some serious controversy along the way. (What? Qatar and soccer controversy?! I would have never guessed...) Read all about it here, and see video of the highly contentious victory over South Korea's Suwon Bluewings in the semifinals.

Ultimately, though, it doesn't quite matter how they got here, but rather simply that they did in fact reach this point at all. Now in the field, they'll face a tall task to advance any further. I'm sure plenty of Koreans will be hoping that their campaign is a short one.


CONCACAF Representative: Monterrey (Mexico)

It will surely pain a lot of MLS fans to revisit last spring's CONCACAF Champions League final, in which Real Salt Lake couldn't close things out at home and earn the league's first ever FIFA Club World Cup berth.

Instead, Humberto Suazo scored a goal that stunned the raucous crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium, securing a 1-0 win for the visitors and a 3-2 aggregate triumph.




CAF Representative: Esperance (Tunisia)

After losing in last year's CAF Champions League final to eventual FIFA Club World Cup finalists TP Mazembe (DR Congo), Esperance managed to redeem themselves by doing one better this time around.

They managed to knock off Morocco's Wydad AC Casablanca over two legs to claim their second continental crown and their first trip to FIFA's premier club tournament.


CONMEBOL Representative: Santos (Brazil)

With Brazilian starlets Neymar and Ganso lighting up opposing defenses, Santos managed to win their first Copa Libertadores title since a young forward named Pele was playing for the club way back in 1963. As such, this is their first trip to the FIFA Club World Cup.

Tune in to see Santos if for no other reason than to see the aforementioned pair of youngsters. You'll be seeing plenty of them as Brazil 2014 approaches.


UEFA Representative: Barcelona (Spain)

And last, but not least, Barcelona, who earned their spot with a spectacular 3-1 win over Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final. The victory capped off another stunning season under Pep Guardiola in which three more pieces of silverware were added to an already crowded trophy case.

Barcelona will head to Japan after playing a crucial edition of El Clasico, as Real Madrid currently lead them in the La Liga table by three points. Messi, Iniesta, and company will be looking to repeat their 2009 performance in which they won the club's first ever world title.

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So how does the tournament bracket look? Glad you asked.

The tournament- single elimination, as I mentioned earlier- starts with a playoff match between the host representative and the OFC representative.

As the CONMEBOL and UEFA representatives, respectively, Santos and Barcelona get byes to the semifinal round. So the winner of the playoff will join the CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF representatives for the quarterfinal round. This year's draw pits the playoff winner against Monterrey for a shot at Santos, while Esperance and Al-Sadd will play for the right to take on Barcelona in the semifinal round. The semifinal winners, naturally, will then play in the final at International Stadium Yokohama. There will also be consolation matches held to determine fifth place and third place.

As I alluded to earlier, the tournament has gotten underway, with the playoff round taking place yesterday. Kashiwa Reysol managed to top Auckland City by a score of 2-0, eliminating the Kiwis from the tournament. Here's what the remaining schedule looks like:


December 11: Kashiwa Reysol v. Monterrey; Esperance v. Al-Sadd
December 14: (Kashiwa Reysol/Monterrey winner) v. Santos; Fifth place match
December 15: (Esperance/Al-Sadd winner) v. Barcelona
December 18: Final; Third place match


It's hard to track down official numbers on prize money this time around, but I haven't heard much indicating that things have changed a great deal since last year. In 2010, the champions took home $5 million, second place won $4 million, third place won $2.5 million, fourth place won $2 million, fifth place won $1.5 million, sixth place won $1 million, and seventh place received $500k. Needless to say, not a bad chunk of change for a week's work.

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To wrap up, we'll do what we do best: make predictions that are sure to go wrong.

I'll say that Monterrey and Esperance will move on to the semifinals, with Barcelona and Santos moving on to the final. Twitter explodes as Messi and Neymar duke it out, but Barca ultimately prevails to take home their second Club World Cup title.

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Enjoy the tournament, folks. Impress your friends with some of the knowledge you picked up in this post. We'll have updates on Twitter and a wrap-up following the final.

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Camp Cupcake Gets More Yeast: the Method to the Madness?

(Apologies for the lack of activity this week. Things have been pretty brutal for yours truly, so USSD had to take a back seat. But the dust has finally settled, and I've got plenty to catch up on.)

For those who missed it last week, what has been rumored for a couple of weeks was finally confirmed: the USMNT will play not one, but two friendlies next month as a part of the annual January camp. They will take on Venezuela in Glendale, Arizona on the 21st before heading south to take on Panama on the 25th.

"USSD is back? YESSSSSS!"

It will be the first time since 2006, the final year of the Bruce Arena era, that the Yanks will play two January friendlies, with Bob Bradley opting for just one in each year of his tenure. So it's a not insignificant deviation for Jurgen Klinsmann, whose decision making has left USSD and many others scratching their heads more than a few times thus far.

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Euro 2012 Draw Results

Here are the results of the Euro 2012 draw, held today in Poland:

Group A
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Note: Poland will take on Greece in the tournament opener on June 8th in Warsaw.

Group B
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

Group C
Spain
Italy
Ireland
Croatia

Group D
Ukraine
Sweden
France
England

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Some quick thoughts:

Group B is certainly this tournament's Group of Death, with Portugal, Denmark, and Germany joining the Netherlands.

After snapping their 24 year Euro qualification drought, Ireland get rewarded with a pretty rough group, with Spain, Italy, and Croatia.

England fans will be pretty pleased, all things considered, with how the draw turned out, as their team was placed in a manageable Group D with France, Ukraine, and Sweden. Some will point out the following to go against that: the Three Lions have never beaten Sweden, France is far from the team it was during the disastrous 2010 World Cup campaign, and Ukraine will have the home crowd behind them.  All valid points. It's not that England's group is easy per say, but rather that things could have been a lot worse for them, hence perhaps a little relief.

Group A is the antithesis of Group B, with Poland, Greece, Russia, and the Czech Republic forming the weakest of the four groups.  Poland- who will be making just their second Euro appearance- have a legitimate chance to advance, having avoided some of the heavier hitters, but they'll still have some tough teams to grapple with.  As is the case with Ukraine, they'll have the home crowd behind them, which never hurts.

When Russia was drawn into Group A, there was laughter in the crowd, perhaps because of the historical ties between them and Poland, setting up an interesting eastern European battle in Group A.

In the end, the groups are decently balanced, which was to be expected with a field so deep.

After three group stage match days, the top two teams from each group move on to the quarterfinals.

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Some of the high profiles group stages matches, just to name a few:

Germany v. Portugal, June 9th
Italy v. Spain, June 10th
France v. England, June 11th
Poland v. Russia, June 12th
Netherlands v. Germany, June 13th

For the full tournament schedule, click here.
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Just 189 days until things kick off in Poland.  Get your popcorn ready.

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Euro 2012 Draw Primer & Simulations

USSD emerges from a week-long, post-American Samoa-bonanza slumber to bring you some info on tomorrow's Euro 2012 draw.

The festivities will take place at 12 PM ET and will be aired on ESPNews, ESPN3.com, and ESPN Deportes. The 16 team field has been sorted into four pots and will be split up into four groups when all is said and done, with each group having one team from each pot.

Here are what the pots look like:

Pot 1:
Poland (co-host)
Ukraine (co-host)
Spain
Netherlands

Pot 2:
Italy
Germany
England
Russia

Pot 3:
Croatia
Sweden
Greece
Portugal

Pot 4:
Ireland
Czech Republic
France
Denmark


As co-hosts, Poland and Ukraine get placed in Pot 1 with the two finalists from the 2010 World Cup. Poland is already guaranteed the position of A1 (the placement within the group determines the match schedules), while Ukraine will occupy the position of D1. As such, the tournament opener will feature Poland and will take place on June 8th in Warsaw (the trade-off between the co-hosts being that the final will take place in Kiev).

With all of that in mind, I decided to fire up the USSD Mega Draw Simulator (read: a simple VBA macro to randomly sort in line with the rules; if I knew how to embed it so you all could use it, I would) to produce a mock draw (and another, and another, and another...). Here's what got spit out:

Draw Simulation #1

Group A
Poland
Italy
Croatia
Ireland

Group B
Spain
Germany
Sweden
Czech Republic

Group C
Netherlands
England
Greece
France

Group D
Ukraine
Russia
Portugal
Denmark

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Italy

Some pretty balanced groups all around. Just for fun, here are two more simulations:


Draw Simulation #2

Group A
Poland
Russia
Sweden
Denmark

Group B
Netherlands
England
Greece
Czech Republic

Group C
Spain
Germany
Croatia
France

Group D
Ukraine
Italy
Portugal
Ireland

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Russia (the ol' eastern European rivalry renewed on the big stage)

That sure be an entertaining (and tough) Group C.


Draw Simulation #3

Group A
Poland
Russia
Greece
Denmark

Group B
Spain
England
Portugal
France

Group C
Netherlands
Italy
Sweden
Czech Republic

Group D
Ukraine
Germany
Croatia
Ireland

Tournament Opener: Poland v. Russia

...I'm pretty sure this draw would every England fan's worst nightmare, putting the Three Lions in the Group of Death with Spain, Portugal, and France.

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As you know, there a ton of possibilities, but these should give you an idea of a) just how strong and deep the field is, b) just how hard it will be for both co-hosts to make deep runs in this tournament, and c) just how entertaining Euro 2012 promises to be.

As I said earlier, the draw takes place tomorrow at noon ET. If you can't watch, I'll be sure to post the outcome here soon thereafter, with some live tweeting to go with it.

In the meantime, expect a couple more mock draws to pop up on Twitter. There's no stopping the USSD Mega Draw Simulator!

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