The Final. | burgundy's Blog

Reece Davis quoted Lou Holz the other day after the US National Team defeated the mighty Spanish squad.

It went something like this. "You don't have to be the best team in the world, you only have to be the best team in the stadium."

We have everything we need. We have the coaching. We have the players. We have the drive. At the end of the day, just like Spain, Brazil will still be the mighty Brazil and we, yes WE, once again will be the upstart Americans who are widely regarded around the world as spoiled and feeble in their attempts to play the world's game.

Spare me. Until Brazil plays a game in Rio where 80% of the fans in attendance are Argentines then they have no earthly idea of the stern stuff our boys are made.

Sweden, England, Denmark, Belgium, France and Spain - all countries, 5 years ago, who would have laughed at anyone who said an American would be playing in any of their leagues. Yet, the overwhelming majority of our players ply their trade and earn their money in Europe. Some of those players are lauded for their greatness (Tim Howard), their presence (Gooch), their grit (DeMerit) or their strength (Capdevila knows who we are talking about).

Forget the advice or the "this is what Coach Bob should do" stuff. Coach Bob knows exactly what he is doing - just ask the Spanish press (As in particular) that ridiculed him for daring to believe in his players. Guess they aren't really laughing now as they line their birdcages, stuff their cleats, clean their windows or wrap their kids' textbooks with all of those papers that had Spain playing Brazil in the final.

That's what a coach does. A coach believes.

He does. I do. You do. We ALL do.

So when if you catch a glimpse of Jonathan Spector smiling as he defends against Robinho; when Ricardo Clarke stares down an oncoming Kaka' with a gleam in his eye; when Jay DeMerit hunkers down against O Fabuloso with a huge grin on his face; or when Landon smirks while he spins Dani Alves like a top - understand it for what it is; pride.

It is the U in USA that matters the most - UNITED.

USA 3 - Brazil 1.