Sleeping Giant: USA Soccer On The Verge

I believe Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto said it best; "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." The USA is again an underdog who's talent is flourishing but has not yet reached it full potential.

The rest of the world and its footballing super powers the likes of Brazil, Spain, and Argentina will fear the giant that is USA soccer in the coming months and more importantly the future after this next World Cup in summer 2010.

Bob Bradley has without a doubt gotten the most out of the USA squad to date. By mixing experience on the backline with a organized attack while letting his talent carry to the team to victories he has found a happy medium that has all but assured the USA a spot in the '10 World Cup.

To this I am truly proud as a American and a passionate follower of the national squad. However, while applauding the brilliant job Bradley has done in turning around the culture that surrounded American national soccer on the men's side which by all means made playing for Canada (no offence) look like a better chance at winning, I am in no way satisfied.

As much of the world already knows, America has some of the most physically gifted and overpowering athletes in the world strictly on a physical stand point. I am not saying that a 320lb NFL player would make a great soccer player but if the likes of some internationally known names such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, or Randy Moss—who are all winner of the genetic lottery—had chosen to play soccer instead of their respective sport, image the shape of the USA national team.

It looks much more like Brazil in terms of truly extraordinary physical gifted and brilliant soccer players.

The start of this transition to what I consider putting a team of "giants" in the overpowering sense of the word out of the pitch has already begun with the youth that is now showing its talent on the international friendly level.

Jozy Altidore is a power that I fully expect to gain some limelight the closer we come to south Africa and beyond. The young striker has suffered from poor situations in his European club career but has lite up the scoreboard when Bradley puts him on the pitch in a USA shirt.

Most recently a hat trick against a physical Trinidad and Tobago side has proved his talents as a soccer player have caught up to his physical gifts as an athlete. 

Its doesn't end with Altidore either, youth in the midfield with Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, and the still young and talented Freddy Adu who still has time to shake off the bust tag.

These players are the future and while not overwhelming right now I warn the world that soccer is growing in the states and to beware I can not go anywhere with out seeing a euro soccer jersey and kids playing on soccer fields.

I am looking forward to watching soccer grow in the up coming years as I grow up with the USA national team.