Get a life. This makes no sense.... Besides, it's a message board. Get a life. [/QUOTE]

I guess that I got zippy cred, then... :rolleyes:

By the way, congratulations to Mexico and their third place finish at Copa America. They beat Brazil in round play and showed the quality team that they are. It does make a difference to take your best team to an important tournament. While I take my hat off to coach Bradley for trying a risky strategy to get some key guys some experience, I must wonder how we (USA) really match up with the best teams in the world. We (USA) beat Mexico in the Gold Cup who finished third in Copa America - would we have been in that spot or in the championship game with our best, or was the Gold Cup win a fluke? We don't really know at this point. Now we have to wait until the next World Cup to find out - I call that a missed opportunity.

It's not a fluke when we constantly beat them on US soil. Just like us always losing at Azteca isn't a fluke for Mexico.

We always beat Mexico at home. They always beat us in Azteca. If Gold Cup final is played in Azteca, things wouln't look so good for USA.

Mexico always plays World Class teams better than they play USA on US soil--(even with Pro-Mexico crowds) better than we play World Class teams not named Mexico. We are in their heads. The superior talent chokes.

That's just my take.

By the way, I am normally not a violent man but I have some very unpleasant thoughts for Bob Bradley, the USSF, MLS management and babies who wanted to rest before retuning back to Europe for not playing in Copa America. What a wasted opportunity. Mexico sent their best, right after the Gold Cup. Argentina sent their best.

I think that most people in this country realize that we are no Argentina but I think that a whole lot of US Soccer fans have experienced a real reality check in the last year or two. We need to stop designing our team to beat Mexico and start designing our team to beat other World Class teams. The fans are ready for it. Last year's US fans support at the World Cup demonstrated that. Now we just need the USSF and the players to buy into it. I mean REALLY buy into it and not just lip service.

I agree, Yankiboy. I think it was Bradley's decision to rest to use the reserves in the C.A. Very bad choice!! I think it was one of the tournament reps who blasted the U.S. choice for using reserves instead of bringing our best. I'll never figure out what Bradley was thinking on that. He should have treated it like a world cup tournament.

Well, they are trying to keep the clubs happy and quiet...its the middle of the season for us here, as opposed to off-season in the rest of the world...

what's more important, keeping our MLS teams happy, or helping our national team succeed in a annual tournament with the world watching?

Was the world really watching, I doubt most fans in Europe care that much about the CA.

But I agree that the team could have been somewhat better, maybe mixing in those European based players with the younger home-based talent.

Then the MLS lot could have been appeased that they had the likes of Landon Donovan available.

I'm in the minority, it seems, but I still think Bradley did the right thing, given the situation. Copa America 2007 was, basically, meaningless for the US in terms of results. The real goal is more long-term: South Africa 2010. Those kids got some very valuable experience playing in Venezuela against some tough competition.

Say what you want about CONCACAF being weak, the Gold Cup being meaningless, whatever, but the Gold Cup was more important *to the US* than Copa America. It's our home region's championship, plus the opportunity to play in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where players will be exposed to top international competition and get a sneak peek at what it will be like at the World Cup in South Africa.

I agree that it is important for youth and inexperienced to gain experience. Just not on a mainstage like Copa America. Let them see action in exhibition matches against bigger teams. As Bradley himself pointed out before the tournament, the Copa America is a 'stepping stone' to the World Cup and how we performed in that was a huge event in the eyes of other countries. But we blew it!! With respect to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, that's a small tournament, unlike the C.A..