One American sports reporter converted; many more to work on, though.

Daily Herald – Suburban Chicago’s source for news
U.S. soccer loss or not, things are different now

By Mike Imrem
So that’s it for the United States soccer side in the World Cup.

(Yes, I have taken to calling it a “side” rather than the more common “team” in North America.)

Gone but not forgotten: A sports fan would have to be pretty stubborn to resist acknowledging the value of the U.S. run.

There was a remarkable performance by American goalie Tim Howard. There was a terrific goal by 19-year-old Julian Green.

Yet in the end Belgium won 2-1 in the Round of 16, with all the goals coming in the 30 minutes of extra time.

Personally, it’s no fun making fun of soccer anymore. I’m going to have to switch to cricket, croquet or maybe even cribbage.

I haven’t exactly been bitten by the soccer bug but have been smitten by this World Cup in Brazil.

Maybe this sport will retreat back into the corner of the corner now, but maybe not. This isn’t a time even as recent as 2002 when soccer essentially went away again after the U.S. lost in the quarterfinals.

Demographics are unlikely to let that happen again. Kids are unlikely to move to other sports when this World Cup ends and leave soccer behind altogether.

The Chicago viewing audience for United States-Belgium grew into Soldier Field. Organizers might have had to move the show onto Lake Michigan to accommodate the crowd if the U.S. had advanced.

Soccer has hunted down Americans. The game still is foreign over here, but so are delicacies like the best champagne, truffles and Heidi Klum.

A large percentage of the Soldier Field crowd consisted of young people who rode public transportation down with or without parents and who are as familiar with corner kicks as onside kicks.

Soccer spies tell me that kids play the FIFA soccer video game and learn the names and club teams of the world’s best players.

In the past young people who played soccer in school and youth leagues proceeded to abandoned the game. Now they’ll more likely enjoy dual allegiances like baseball and soccer, basketball and soccer or football and futbol.

Nobody is more surprised by what I’m predicting here than I am. For somebody who based much of his career on snickering, smirking and sneering, soccer always has been an easy target.

Yet there I was, watching U.S.-Belgium and marveling at the action and athleticism.

No, the attraction wasn’t only nationalism. This game would have been dramatic even if it were, say, Belgium-Argentina.

Earlier in the tournament I found myself screaming “Goooooal!” from the recliner when Costa Rica won and “Ohhh!” when the Netherlands rallied to break Mexico’s heart.

And this guy Messi from Argentina does with his feet can be appreciated as much as LeBron James, Tom Brady and Mike Trout are for what they do with their hands.

Not everyone will agree with that observation. Some Americans young and old will continue to resist embracing soccer.

Look, I’m not saying that I’ll join the crowd that starts attending Chicago Fire games and watching the English Premier League on TV.

But I’ll admit this much: I’ll be interested in what happens the rest of this World Cup and look forward to the next one in 2018.

Soccer always deserved some measure of respect because nothing so popular around the world should be totally dismissed by snobs like me back here.

Yet skeptics always could wonder whether seed spitting is the No. 2 sport overseas if soccer continues to be No. 1. Undeniable, however, is that for the past two weeks at least, soccer has reached mass appeal in the United States, of all places.

Not only that but there is the possibility that the sport finally is becoming what advocates claimed it would be in this country.

Now you’ll have to excuse me while I try to think of some jokes about cribbage.

mimrem@dailyherald.com

Copyright © 2014 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo completed a three-peat as USYSA Region II Champions with a 2-0 win over OP Eclipse in the final. Zoe Swift got the eventual game-winner from Gianna Dal Pozzo’s pass, and Liz Bartels got the insurance goal from Zoe Swift and Rose Lavelle. Megan Geldernick earned her 3rd shutout of Regionals in goal.

On its way to the final, Botafogo defeated Appleton Goalgetters 7-0, Javanon 5-1, Iowa Alliance 3-1, and Carmel United 4-0 in the semi-final. Ashley Handwork won the Golden Boot at the event with 6 goals.

Botafogo will now head to Nationals in Germantown, MD July 21st-26th to defend its national title from 2013.

Team Chicago Academy-Cruzeiro finished tied for 2nd in the U14 “Group of Death” at Regionals. Campton United was able to avenge its 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro from the State Cup semi-final to win the group and advance to the semi-final. Cruzeiro finished out an amazing 2013-14 campaign with a 23-2-5 record in competitive matches, an MRL Premier I Division Championship after going 7-0-0, a IYSA State Cup title, and qualification for the 2014-15 USYSA National League.

Congrats to both teams!

Team Chicago Lightning put the finishing touches on an unblemished record Saturday with a convincing 6-0 victory over the Chicago Dolphins. Behind a brace apiece from Ian Laird and Ryan Mauder, Lightning completed their perfect spring season in NISL, capturing the U9 Platinum South title with an 8-0 record.

It was a truly dominating season for Lightning who outscored their opponents 29-6 during the spring session. It also serves as the highwater mark for a team that has improved steadily each season. Most of the boys have risen through the ranks of Team Chicago’s Pro Academy and have played together the last three years.

The offensive surge this season was led by forwards Ryan Mauder, Logan Houck, and Sam Nichols. Driving the engine of the team through midfield play were Nik Juarez, Alex Stadnyk, Luke Macaluso, Ian Laird and Alex Das. Defense has been the hallmark of the team over recent seasons and anchoring that defense was the duo of Derek Sisbarro and Will Bakosh. Congratulations to the boys and to coach Andrew For a remarkable year.

Team Chicago Academy-Cruzeiro and Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo are headed to the USYSA Region II Championships in Beavercreek, OH this weekend. The runs Saturday 6/20 through Wednesday 6/25 with round-robin play the first three days and semi-finals on 6/24 and finals on 6/25.

Cruzeiro is competing in the U14 Girls age group and will face Ohio South State Cup Champion Kings Hammer on Saturday, Campton United Sunday, and Wisconsin State Cup Champion Waukesha SC on Monday.

Botafogo is competing in the U19 Girls age group, and will face Appleton Goal-Getters from Wisconsin on Saturday, Javanon from Kentucky on Sunday, and Sporting Alliance from Iowa on Monday.

We wish both teams the best of luck!