The All-American World Cup Side

My starting eleven would look a good bit different

If you have listened to your fellow countrymen discuss the World Cup you've undoubtedly heard this argument: "if America actually used its top athletes for soccer, we could win the World Cup. Easy."

This is a sore loser's attitude towards not being as successful in the tournament as many fans would have like to be, even if the U.S. did perform better in 2014 than most experts prospected before the tournament. Instead of accepting where we are as a nation, ranked solidly in the top 16 teams in the world, many Americans use this excuse as a band-aid to the real dilemma.

It will take time and money to build the infrastructure necessary to compete with the elite squads. Soccer is growing in this country, and the time may come where we are listed among the favorites to win soccer's highest prize. For now it's a dream we entertain every four years. And to be honest, we may never be at the same level as some of the teams such as Germany, Brazil and Spain.

Some of that is the lack of interest from American youth (though interest is growing with each passing generation), but most of that is cultural. Until the passion of soccer is ingrained into our beings as it is across other countries, we will remain standing like wallflowers while the cool kid favorites dance every four years.

In the mean time, what if we did put everything we had into the game? What if our top athletes did play the beautiful game? It's not guaranteed that our guys would have the skill set to play at the top level, but that's the fun in writing: I can be a dreamer. To be a professional athlete, you have to have a certain baseline amount of athleticism.

Here is the squad I would have taken to Brazil, assuming the top American-born athletes chose soccer instead of their respective sports.

Goalkeeper- There is arguably no better person on the planet to have in goal than the man who was the stronghold for this year's team. Tim Howard became a legend in the last month and for his performance against the Belgians should never have to buy a drink in an American bar again. But for his backup... I have long said Kevin Garnett is the perfect goalie because lanky people are good at sports. Also up for contention are Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis. Imagine any of these three's length and trying to put a ball in the upper 90 past them.

Defensemen- Typically on the outside of 4-4-3 lineup the leftback and rightback are a bit faster and smaller than their centerback counterparts. Give me two of the elite safeties in the NFL who already demonstrate defensive prowess: Richard Sherman and Eric Berry. Both run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash and posses quick hips required for turns to keep up with teams looking to make crosses from the wings.

The first centerback is one of the following tight ends from the NFL: Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski. Jimmy Graham gets the nod because he has avoided injuries in his career. The second starting centerback is LeBron James, though coach Reaves would urge him to press forward as much as the game would allow.

With the Jimmy and James tandem, the two in the middle will force oppoents to get past over 13 feet and 500 pounds of defense if they were able to get the cross off or during set pieces (which would probably be more frequent with my squad. Increased size/strength = increased believablity in opponent's flopping.)

Kobe with the strong left foot

Midfielders- Players here must have the ability to play defense as well as be the driving influence to setting up offensive plays.

On the right side of the pitch is Cam Newton. Again his combination of height and speed, along with his growing vision is seeing the entire field while passing make him a sensible choice. Chris Paul's court vision, though smaller and a little slower, make him a viable backup option.

Kobe Bryant starts on the left side for my team. Born in Italy, he grew up around the game and has long been a supporter of the beautiful game. Because of his background of playing he makes an easier transition to setting up crosses and passes with his left foot than many other Americans. He also is the sort of leader you want on both ends of play.

In the middle is Andrew Luck, who has proven to be a natural athlete and leader in the NFL during his first two years, providing another big body to have in the middle during set pieces as well.

Forwards- Here is where our athleticism frustrates opponents to no end. Our front line not only is tall - good for finishing crosses with headers but also an envious collection of speed for all other countries.

The three starters: Falcons receiver Julio Jones (6-3, 4.39 40-yard-dash), Arizona Cardinal cornerback Patrick Peterson (6-1, 4.34) and Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson (6-5, 4.35). And off the bench you have a choice of Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook and for short bursts of speed New York Jets running back Chris Johnson, who boasts the fastest 40-yard dash ever at the NFL combine (4.24 seconds).

As impressive as this team is, there are still spots up for grabs on the 23 man roster for the World Cup, but we just rub it into the rest of the world's faces by winning with only 16 players.

SEC Media Days, Cam Newton Street, Hold the Joe But More Kobe Please

We find ourselves in the middle of the beginning of the unofficial kickoff of college football. A little wordy, huh? It is easier to call them the Southeastern Conference Media Days, where coaches begin to make excuses for why their team will not live up to expectations (Steve Spurrier and Joker Phillips), respond with numerous wild card answers (John L. Smith and Les Miles), or simply fulfill an obligation to their conference (Nick Saban). 

No matter how your coach answers, the SEC Media Days are the biggest of their kind for the most competitive league in any sport so enjoy the make-believe camaraderie and hopefully we get a coach to drop gems like Missouri's T.J. Moe, "They say girls are prettier here, air's fresher, and the toilet paper is thicker."

Couldn't agree 'Moe', T.J.

This lonely student's sign reads: Protect the Paterno statue.

Some Students Ask for More Joe Please:
In more Joe Paterno news, students -- a population of two -- are camping out in order to protect the statue, which remains erect outside Beaver Stadium.

An anonymous flight from Ohio read "Take down the statue, or we'll take it down for you" (a hopeful me desires for this news to be true).

I wish I would have made note of this in my last post, but the chances of the statue being vandalized is somewhere around 100%. This is all the more reason to take the thing down from its current location and follow my instructions. Students from Penn State have tweeted that "these few students do not represent the entire campus population."

All the more reason for the "protesting" students to take advantage of their parent's investment -- because it does not last forever -- in room and board, and go back to their dorm and hold their own Paterno-crazed pity party.

Cam Newton Way Should be a toll road if plan comes to fruition:
He has NFL records. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Year. He has a statue at his alma mater (Can you even call it that when he only spent eight months there and did not receive a degree from there? Or Blynn Junior College? Or Florida? I digress.). But getting a road named after him? You must be out of your mind.

He is a 23-year-old admittedly "very immature" quarterback. And while -- speaking from experience-- this is to be expected for a man of his age, let's give him some time before we Georgians give him such an honor. For one, it would cost the residents of Scarborough Road in South Atlanta money, time and effort to change their address. Residents also report to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they are not ready to name a street after a person with a scandaled past.


A second hearing is still on the agenda where the proposition will likely be shot down. If the road does pass a second vote, can we all agree it should at least be a toll road?

Give me more Kobe
NBA Commissioner David Stern has come forward saying that at the next olympics it is possible we see the 23-and-under rule enforced. Within these parameters, USA basketball would still be able to use NBA professionals with onlythree players over the age of 23. This would help protect players in the NBA from participating in the Olympics and coming home injured a la Blake Griffin and Kyrie Irving.

If Stern gets his way, you won't see Kobe or LeBron in USA unis anymore.

Thirty-three-year-old Kobe Bryant thinks the same way I do about the Commissioner's proposal, "It's a stupid idea," Bryant said. I could not agree more with the Olympic gold medalist.

Whether or not to play should remain up to the players, who risk injury and fatigue in the next 82-game season. Some argue that NBAers in international play makes for a competitive disadvantage for the rest of the world.

Um... is that not the point of competition? To be the best? In addition to winning another gold this summer clips such as these will be recorded for all Americans to "Ohh" and "Ahh" over.

Kobe also told a Y! reporter earlier this week that it is "possible" he retires at age 35. Say it ain't so. Sure Bryant is made fun of for the number of shots he takes, but a 1 1/2 years ago he ranked as the ninth best player of all time (and his stock is only rising). Of course, he may be modeling his career even more so like his idol Michael Jordan by testing retirement and coming back as a player-manager down the road.

Changing of the Guard

Either the Celtics or the Lakers will not be playing in the NBA Finals for only the fourth time in the last eleven years. So are both teams done? Is this the last we will see of the NBA's two most storied franchises for a while? Is a new regime of the NBA elite upon us?

Some are saying they are too old. The Celtics have been teetering on the line of too old and the peak of their star players careers, while the Lakers seem too have serious locker room issues. Mr. Laker himself, Magic Johnson has called for the Lakers team to be "blown up" because the issues behind the scenes can not be fixed. The "blow-up" theory has been mentioned  the best option to solve the aging Celtics problems, too.

Slow down. I do not think it is time to start over for either of these franchises. The most obvious reason is the way the contracts in Los Angeles and Boston are set up. The Celtics older players that are calling to be moved are too much a part of the history of the Celtics, a la Derek Jeter and the Yankees last summer. The big three all have huge contracts limiting to where, if they even could be moved. Yes the team is older, but they were just a few plays from advancing to at least a game seven with the Heat. All-Star PG Rajon Rondo, the grease that keeps the Boston machine running, dislocated his elbow and was limited to playing with one arm for the last two games.

Unless the Lakers can figure out a trade deal in which Andrew Bynum is sent to Orlando for Dwight Howard, there are very few moves that can be done to increase the talent on the already most talented starting five. The bench will be shaken up a little bit if they want to advance further in the playoffs next year. They are built to win now and it is too late to start to rebuild a new team around Kobe Bryant. Another factor that played a key role in the Lakers early exit is fatigue. The core of the Lakers has played 44 more games than the Dallas Mavericks over the past three postseasons. Add in an Olympic run and FIBA World Championship run, Kobe was too tired late this season to will his team to victory.

Stick with what you have at least for one more year Los Angeles and Boston. You have a good thing going and "blowing up" your teams would be too risky. Fix the depth on the bench, get some rest this summer, and you will both be good to go for another deep postseason run.