2-1 Trinidad & Tobago. Disappointing. On paper it was a very winnable game. They only needed to draw to be qualified as well.
There are many theories on why it happened, both relating to the overall soccer culture found within the US and the staff and team that went to Trinidad & Tobago. Here are my thoughts.
1. There was no passion from most of the players.
2. There was no leadership from any veteran players.
3. Bruce Arena didn't push the right buttons this time.
4. It has little to do with MLS being seen as a retirement league for the aging foreign players.
5. It has little to do with the MLS being a closed league versus a pro/reg league.
6. It has little to do with the saturation of sports that kids are exposed to when they're young
7. It has little to do with the lack of inner city kids playing the sport due to their poverty.
8. It has much more to do with the soccer development pyramid.
9. It has little to do with lack of fan passion.
10. MLB, NBA and the NFL aren't stealing players away.
11. The anti-Americanism has surfaced, full head, once again from foreigners commenting on this event.
If anyone has disagreements, especially with #s 4-10, leave a comment and explain why.
EDIT: You can't make this stuff up. This hits on my #11. One discussion went that the pay to play system is proof of greedy capitalism, locking out a lot of potential talent, which is parallel to America's healthcare system where you have to pay to receive care. The people involved all agreed that this is why America's soccer system fails - or at least why USMST lost to T&T - it's because of greed. Evil capitalism. Unlike in countries like Trinidad & Tobago where healthcare is free (though it needs much work it's on the right path, said a Trinidadian) and since Trinidad & Tobago has no pay to play it's proof that all is right in such countries, hence the USMNT losing.
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