2010 U.S. team will not be forgotten

A newspaper poll prior to the 2010 World Cup asked readers what they thought of the 2010 World Cup. The most common answer was "It's soccer. Nobody cares."

Let's be blunt: In a country often known for its dominance in sports, performing well in soccer has always been, well, quite challenging to say the least. You can hardly blame us. After all, Americans love to use their hands, something that has helped us produce fine goalkeepers, but also hurt the skill level of the 10 other players on the field.

For a country in which the world's biggest sport is an afterthought, entering the Round of 16 is quite an accomplishment.

Before you moan and complain about their heartbreaking loss to Ghana, remember the Slovenia match. The U.S. were playing in a huge match. They controlled their own destiny. Win, and they move on; lose or tie, and they would be eliminated.

For what seemed an eternity, the two teams were deadlocked at 0-0. Neither could triumph over the other, which worked to Slovenia's benefit. As the clock ticked, American hopes faded.

Then came the 91st minute. The U.S. rushed to the Slovenian goal. A shot was registered, then turned aside by the goalie. A rebound was produced, and who was there? Who else but U.S. star Landon Donovan, exceptional because of the fact that he is, beyond doubt, the closest thing this country has ever had to a soccer superstar. Donovan kicked. The ball sailed into the net. The star was immediately mobbed by teammates.

Now how's that for an ending?

Those who look back at the 2010 World Cup will remember it as the Cup in which Landon Donovan finally demonstrated some leadership in the clutch. His thrilling goal sent the U.S. to the next round, and forever preserved a place for him in history.

Sure the U.S. was immediately taken down by Ghana, but the fact remains that they did well, especially for being one of the few countries in the world that practically ignores the game.

In the spirit of our indifference towards soccer I'm going to wrap up this article now. Great job, my fellow Americans. And don't worry, we still have hundreds of other sports in which we can crush the competition.