Dos - Zero

Once again the boys from the north tame the southern invaders. It wasn't exactly the beautiful game, but I'll take it. Is there any doubt that this has become THE game to watch in this hemisphere? The goals weren't exactly pretty but you have to give it to young Michael on being the opportunist. Personally, any game Oswaldo Sanchez gets embarrassed is a good game in my book (anyone forget his swipe at LD a few years ago); that second goal by Bradley has to give him nightmares. How about the cheap shots: Marquez on Howard (ejection) and the knocks on LD and Jozy late in the game. They hate us, which is fine because we hate them back. The concern I have is the abundance of cheap shots that seem to be getting worse, but this is where Bob Bradley comes in, "smile, get up, and walk away boys"! This is Bradley's doing...he's no Bruce Arena, and that's a good thing. We still have a young team that at times struggles to figure out who they are on the pitch, but Bob's "score board" attitude works and gives us the confidence and mental fortitude it will take in 2010. Mexico hates us because they no longer dominate North America. Look no further than last nights episode between the Mexican assistant and Frankie Hejduk. Many have voiced the opinion that Surfer Dude should have grown a pair and retaliated, but that's not Bob's way. Competitive and feisty, yes, stupid and reactionary, no. We didn't just beat Mexico on the pitch, we outclassed them even after the game, and THAT is why Mexico hates us.

How do we file for Moral Bankruptcy?

How many billion so far to bail out the bankers, the auto manufacturers, and the rest of the Wall Street gang? $800 billion ready to hand out to the rest of the country to try and get the economy back on it's feet. Amidst all this talk of limiting pay for execs who sink their companies, and the necessity of keeping the auto companies afloat, we seem to have skipped past the gluttonous excess that got us here in the first place. It's all fine and good that we lambast the suits for the fate we're all suffering but let's take a look in the ponds reflection before we throw another stone in. Long ago in this country we lost the ability to ask our ourselves "do I NEED this or do I WANT this" when we're standing at the supersale at Gigantic Boat Inc in the middle of Kansas getting ready to sign the proceeds of our 3rd mortgage on the 40ft Cabin Cruiser with gold pinstriping on the bow. Blaming the guy at Gigantic is as appropriate and non-sensical as suing the pimple faced teenager that sold you the bucket of chicken for your triple bypass. But in the good 'ole USA, you can sue the tobacco company for their product giving you cancer and the police for shooting your uncle when he was caught robbing the Kwikee-Mart and wouldn't "Halt"! Blame whomever you want, but the banker didn't make you sign and the chicken didn't jump down you're throat. I don't know where it began (and no it's not the fault of television or rock-n-roll), but we need to put the parents of the next generation through the rigorous training some of us got from our parents; it's called "NO, you don't need that". And I don't want to hear that you work so hard to give your kids everything you didn't have....BS, you're lazy and you're escaping from something driving the Audio Quattro that you can barely fit in. Grow a pair, push yourself away from the bucket of chicken and give your kids something they're really gonna need, the ability to say NO to the thinsg they don't need and can't afford...especially now since they won't be able to retire!