Soccer's Sense of Arbitrary Cruelty Comes for the US Today

Soccer is not fair. Let's get that out of the way.

If it was, the citizens of Santiago and Lebu, and everywhere else around Chile wouldn't be cursing and spitting at every instance of the words "cross bar." Close only matters in horse shoes and hand grenades. Luck and skill go hand in hand in this football.

We're extremely close to the new "biggest game in the history of U.S. soccer." After three years of his Teutonic tinkering, Jürgen Klinsmann's side has transformed itself into a team capable of beating just about anyone, if a myriad series of things breaks their way. Will the defense continue to bend, not break? Will Michael Bradley silence his critics while doggedly covering more ground than anyone on the pitch? Can Tim Howard continue to do Tim Howard things?

When luck and skill converge, the U.S. can accomplish everything on the field. Spot Tim Howard a one-goal advantage in the first minute again, clear away the balls you should clear away, and you are in good shape.

I fully expect the US to play valiantly and, ultimately, lose to Belgium this afternoon. Belgium will probably score midway through the first half and it will be disappointing, but spirits will remain high. The US will have a few chances, surely. The kind of chances that cause everyone at your viewing party to tense up and let out a guttural "oh" when they ultimately amount to a misplayed cross or a kick-save. Those will be disappointing, too. Around 5:45 on the East Coast, the game will be over, over quicker than you imagined it would be. Soccer is not fair.

Critics of the game, those who question its intentions, will gloat. Pundits and commenters will question whether the game has finally arrived in this country and what the loss "means." A few extra viewers will tune in for an MLS game to see the boys from Brazil running around again. Then in a few years the dance will start over again. The players will be slightly different, but it will all sound and look very familiar.

But first things first, the U.S. must stand up to a country that is over 300 times smaller, but has produced a world-class soccer team, albeit one that doesn't play that well, had an easy group, and hey, anything can happen. They will play hard because they are a team that plays well for their coach who believes in them.

Fuck that. I believe, too.

Today is the day they stomp arbitrariness in the throat.