Jamaica can beat the top teams too

[Peter R]

Jangle, the gulf is measured by the results. Other measuring sticks are only to appease our egos.

[Me]

US players are demonstrably average.... you flatter them far too much. There is generally little or no gap between Jamaica's best and the US's best.

A top defender in Belgium? LOL!! No other comment required.

Cherundolo excelled in the Bundesliga? Hardly... what to you does "excelled" mean? Is the felllow regarded as a top talent in that league? I don't think so.

Perhaps Dempsey had a good season.... what did he accomplish? How is he regarded by his peers? Does he register on the Actim?
Jamaica has players at least as good as he is.

Donovan is also a good, hard working player... the US commentators however idolize him far too much... many of their mentions of the player are exaggeratedly positive... even on routine plays...which tends to confuse the naive regarding his true abilities. you'd think the fellow was Kaka.
A fit Gardner is better... and entering his 10th season in the EPL.

Tim Howard is a solid keeper... will grant you that... probably among the top 20 keepers in the world perhaps.... better than any Jamaican keeper.

There is no American among the top 100 players in the world.... maybe 1 in the top 200.

There is no and has been no great US footballer... that record appears secure for the forseeable future.

That amounts to the US producing average players.... despite massive investments in football and 10+ million players in organized leagues.

Underwhelming.

The top defender in Belgium is certainly better than anything any of our players have achieved.

Cherundolo has been one of their top players for years and had an EPL bid for him as a result. Donovan is a much better attacking midfielder than Bibi.

Do the US have world beaters? No. There individual players are still better than ours.

[Peter R]

or on par with the great Liverpool? (just helping out here Mr Lazie)

[Mosiah]

It's just amazing how this is the same US team that was minutes away from elimination and now they are odds on favourite to win next year's World Cup!

Would we be having this "gulf" conversation if the USA had walked away empty-handied from this tournament?!? Gulf! HA!

[Mosiah]

Yuh lick yuh head? Top defender in Belgium?!?

[Me]

Yuh lick yuh head? Top defender in Belgium?!?

Compared to top defender where? You H View boy who run Trinidad and Jamaica?

[Peter R]

Don, as a JC man min a have fi "sing" you... I disagree with some of your points vis a vis Zeppo et al.

First I will disagree with Zeppos dismissing the financial aspect of things football and agree with your point.. In fact, I would hazard that if Grenada had money they could be respectable in CONCACAF; to say that developing countries are at a financial disadvantage is really an understatement. And as we all know JA is probably not even developing but backpedalling as we speak.

To me, if you make the World Cup every year for the last five (and will likely continue to do so in the near future) that is consistency in playing with the big boys.

Next thing, posters do not have to be invited to post on the forum. I realize you do not mean that literally, but let's not get xenophobic on the site. I for one welcome the input of posters other than reggaeboyz supporters... it enriches the site and brings us other perspectives we might otherwise ignore, even if we don't like what they (non-reggaeboyz supporters) have to say.

I would actually welcome a "Voyageurs" (or whatever the Canucks call themselves) supporter on the site. I have stated before they are the next sleeping giant. Pray dem don wake up else...

I detect the sarcasm in your "golden moment in the superpower's" comment. It really is a golden moment for them or anyone else who defeated Spain.

Zeppo again is wrong to dismiss Jamaica's performance in the 98 WC... him fi hol him corner pon dat. As you pointed out the USA team were, well, last and did not represent AT ALL.

I do not think the USA is a "woeful underperformer"...we do play them potentially more often than other teams (CFU aside) so comaparisons are bound to occur; if you call them that (underperformer) where does that leave us?

[Assasin]

mi never say "we". The first card for the USA.

[Don1]

The top defender in Belgium is certainly better than anything any of our players have achieved.

Cherundolo has been one of their top players for years and had an EPL bid for him as a result. Donovan is a much better attacking midfielder than Bibi.

Do the US have world beaters? No. There individual players are still better than ours.

A matter of opinion no doubt. Your opinion is flawed in my view but not unreasonable.

I have never seen a US player that has really impressed me. Some are more efficient than others.... but nothing special.

Given their circumstances US players are gross underachievers in the game.

[Don1]

Deconstructing the yankees

Don, as a JC man min a have fi "sing" you... I disagree with some of your points vis a vis Zeppo et al.

Well yuh is mi elda suh mi can tek dat deh singing.. no problem.

First I will disagree with Zeppos dismissing the financial aspect of things football and agree with your point.. In fact, I would hazard that if Grenada had money they could be respectable in CONCACAF; to say that developing countries are at a financial disadvantage is really an understatement. And as we all know JA is probably not even developing but backpedalling as we speak.

No doubt.
We can agree than zeppo is an overzealous yankee with little discernment. While not illegal... such a thing is occasionally offensive.

To me, if you make the World Cup every year for the last five (and will likely continue to do so in the near future) that is consistency in playing with the big boys.

Maybe... but they make the WC from a weak Confed. Given their human and material resources this is a cakewalk.
Merely making the WC should not be seen as any special achievement by the US.
What they do there is the real barometer.
What they have done there is quite underwhelming.

Next thing, posters do not have to be invited to post on the forum. I realize you do not mean that literally, but let's not get xenophobic on the site. I for one welcome the input of posters other than reggaeboyz supporters... it enriches the site and brings us other perspectives we might otherwise ignore, even if we don't like what they (non-reggaeboyz supporters) have to say.

No problem mon.
But when a guy come inna mi yaad an start dis mi an mi peeple dem.... mi nuh ramp fi discipline di bwoy.

Ah suh mi born an grow.

I would actually welcome a "Voyageurs" (or whatever the Canucks call themselves) supporter on the site. I have stated before they are the next sleeping giant. Pray dem don wake up else...

Mek dem come... jus mek sure dem behave demself. If they don't... mi deh ya.
Mi nuh tek bak chat.

I detect the sarcasm in your "golden moment in the superpower's" comment. It really is a golden moment for them or anyone else who defeated Spain.

Well I see the good news even made the front page of the newspaper of record... the New York Times.

As I said it was a good win but one swallow does not a summer make. This is not a team that I find impressive... they bore me.

Zeppo again is wrong to dismiss Jamaica's performance in the 98 WC... him fi hol him corner pon dat. As you pointed out the USA team were, well, last and did not represent AT ALL.

word.

I do not think the USA is a "woeful underperformer"...we do play them potentially more often than other teams (CFU aside) so comaparisons are bound to occur; if you call them that (underperformer) where does that leave us?

"Underperformer" or any comparative is all relative. The US has made a huge commitment to the game in the last 20 years. For a global power their performance in the world's game is relatively poor.... victory over Spain notwithstanding. At this point given their investment... the returns should have been much greater.... but perhaps they are turning the corner.

I see the US as about equal to a Sweden or Austria... well... maybe a tad better than that level... on their day.... like yesterday.

Jamaica is of course a woeful underperformer itself. We know we have the desire and talent to succeed. We have shown that in track and other sports.... and in 1997-98.
What we lack is consistent organization and belief in self. No way should we still be running after vacationing Englishmen with a questionable commitment to the cause. We need to bite the bullet and develop organically... from the ground up.... even if it means sacrificing a World Cup or two to get there.

Track provides the model and the inspiration.

Respek.

[Peter R]

What we lack is consistent organization and belief in self. No way should we still be running after vacationing Englishmen with a questionable commitment to the cause. We need to bite the bullet and develop organically... from the ground up.... even if it means sacrificing a World Cup or two to get there.

Track provides the model and the inspiration.

Respek.

Don yuh seeit? the BIG difference is that track is an individual sport and football is team... so you are correct but it is infinitely more difficult to get a team to gel than to train individuals who are motivated.

Americans are getting their team to perform, we have a group of individuals.

[DweetSweet]

Shame on the posters with simple minds that have allowed Zeppo's red herring to hijack my original post. Its amazing how you all fall for it, every time. I find him easy to ignore, but the ay most of you and the self-hating Jamaicans/Jamericans (like Me, not me) on this site are so easily "vamp-glamored" (True Blood reference...but I digress) like moths to a flame is amusing, as well as tragic.

You apologist self hating Jamericans should learn something from the US folks: accentuate the positive. My opening post was aspirational about our national team. Most US folks will keep the negatives about their country, national athletes and national teams to themselves, and will speak the positives to thy kingdom come. That's about the only thing that they do netter than Jamaicans. Attitude is everything!

[DweetSweet]

Just to get us back on course, positively...

Jamaica can beat the top teams too.....

[Me]

Shame on the posters with simple minds that have allowed Zeppo's red herring to hijack my original post. Its amazing how you all fall for it, every time. I find him easy to ignore, but the ay most of you and the self-hating Jamaicans/Jamericans (like Me, not me) on this site are so easily "vamp-glamored" (True Blood reference...but I digress) like moths to a flame is amusing, as well as tragic.

You apologist self hating Jamericans should learn something from the US folks: accentuate the positive. My opening post was aspirational about our national team. Most US folks will keep the negatives about their country, national athletes and national teams to themselves, and will speak the positives to thy kingdom come. That's about the only thing that they do netter than Jamaicans. Attitude is everything!

Listen this idiot bout self hating. If I was self hating, I wouldn't say that if we address the youths we can close the gap and give our team the chance of achieving similar results.

You mussi think mi name HL, I am one of those who believe that our team can win the gold cup.

Stop move like you on your period.

[Zeppo]

Just to get us back on course, positively...

Jamaica can beat the top teams too.....

Actions speak louder than words.