USA Soccer vs The World

Every four years during the World Cup, there is the inevitable debate about why the United States is not more successful in international soccer. Considering the size of the country and our sports-obsessed culture, we would figure to be dominant in soccer as well. The common answer is that the most popular sport in the world is not the most popular sport in the USA and that our best athletes play in other sports. However, if all our best athletes played one sport, we would decline in other sports.  What is the tradeoff?  What are the other sports?

Looking at several rankings, the most popular sports in the world are:

Soccer
Cricket
Tennis
Basketball
Baseball
Hockey
Volleyball
Ping Pong/Table Tennis
Golf
American Football

Using international governing bodies rankings (like FIFA and FIBA) as well as various individual rankings (like ATP and PGA players countries of origin), below is how countries rank in the ten sports above (click to enlarge):

The United States has the most top ten rankings with seven. Also, the USA has the top ranked team in four sports, no other country has more than one. We have six teams in the top five, no other country has more than three.

What about the more all-encompassing world sporting event, the Olympics? Well, when looking at the total medal count in the past three winter and summer games, we have not been too shabby either:

Therefore, before we get all bent out of shape that USA Soccer is only ranked #13 and backed into being one of the 16 teams remaining in the World Cup, keep in mind our overall sports dominance.

Well, except cricket. According to the USA Cricket team’s Wikipedia page, “There are only five official cricket pitches in the United States and only three of the players on the cricket team are born in the United States.” That’s not a wicked googly.

Hoo's Going to London

As the Olympics draw near at the end of the month, I found even more reasons to root for the red, white, and blue. The following UVa athletes will be competing for gold in London:

• Lauren Perdue, Swimming, 4x200 Freestyle Relay
• Matt McLean, Swimming, 4x200 Freestyle Relay
• Paige Selenski, Field Hockey
• Michelle Vittese, Field Hockey
• Becky Saurbrunn, Soccer
• Will Coleman, Equestrian

Meanwhile, these fellow Hoo’s will be representing different countries, but still look out for them as they follow their flag into Olympic Stadium.

• Somdev Devvarman, India, Tennis
• Katya Bachrouche, Lebanon, Swimming, 800 Freestyle
• David Karasek, Switzerland, Swimming, 200 Individual Medley
• Yannick Kaeser, Switzerland, Swimming, 200 Breaststroke

U! S! A! Go Hoos! Go!

World Cup Fever

Usually the fanfare of the World Cup is met with yawns here in the US, but after our strong showing in the Confederation’s Cup last year and our matchup in the first game, there is more attention this time around.

On Saturday the United States takes on England in one of the most anticipated games in the history of American Soccer. The Three Lions are the heavy favorites, but we’ve heard that one before, see: 1776. ESPN has been rolling out the commercials for a while, and even the two ambassadors have been eloquently talking trash to each other. Luckily the other two teams in the group are not as tough (Algeria and Slovenia), so we should advance to the knockout round, unlike last time.

This is also the first time I’ve been in an office pool for the World Cup so I have even more invested in it. After a little research, I noticed some interesting trends. Only twice has a team defended their title, and that was almost 50 years ago, so Italy’s out. No Confederations Cup winner has won the World Cup the following year, so Brazil is out, except that they have won every other WC since ’94, which is an easy trend. Only one time in 12 has the Euro winner gone on to win the World Cup two years later, so Spain is out, despite more than half my pool picking them. Only Brazil in ’94 won as the top ranked FIFA team, which is more of a reactionary ranking to the winner’s of the WC, so more reason to doubt the Green and Yellow this year. This hilarious post helps relate American sports teams to the World Cup teams, which helped me pick some of the smaller teams.

Can you name all the teams in this year’s Cup in 5 min? (Only missed 3). How about all the winners? (Was kind of easy since there aren’t many options). And finally all the host countries? (Missed two).

If USA doesn’t pull off the huge upset and wins the whole thing, then hopefully Spain does because I will be here and watching this from a balcony during the final. Viva la Furia Roja!

Miracle on Ice II?

30 years to the day after the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid, the United States Men’s Hockey team sits on top of the Olympic Hockey world for the time being after pulling off a huge upset last night. After the 5-3 victory of favored and host Canada, the U.S. is the top seed going into the tournament portion of the competition. While this matchup paled in comparison in significance politically to the Soviet Union upset, and wasn’t in the medal round yet, it’s still a sweet victory. Hockey is Canada’s sport and since it’s hosting the games, a gold medal is more important to them than any other combined. The loss ends a 50 year drought for the USA vs Canada as well. It does not help Canada that the rest of the game’s have not gone their way either, see below. I think the best part is that Sidney Crosby deflected in the first US goal. USA! USA!