Okay let's define it

[T.K.]

Ok massive it is time to put a measure on success for this Gold Cup. What would the Reggae Boyz have to do in this tournament for it to be considered a success? What benchmarks are we setting?

For me, I will consider the tournament a success if we accomplish one of three things:

1. Beat the United States for the first time in our history.

2. Make it to the finals of the Gold Cup.

3. Win the Gold Cup.

The reason I think these three measures are important is because it would be milestones for the program. The accomplishments above would be something that this generation of players can claim as their own. I think as well it would be something we could build off.

Beating the US would demonstrate that we've taken a really crucial step in our development. Many times we have come close but fallen short. Sometimes it takes that one win to set expectations for future versions of the RBZ to do the same. Psychology is a hell of a thing and I think this monkey off our back would do wonders. As well with the US team being ranked #12 it would do wonders for our rankings and take care of our work permit issues. This would be the 2nd highest ranked team we would have ever beaten. This would be the highest ranked team we have ever beaten on the road.

Getting to the final.....while it would mean we would fall short it would not take away from the fact that no other Jamaican team in history has done it. It would set a new standard for the program when playing the Gold Cup.

Winning the entire Gold Cup would be unreal for us. It would now raise the bar to such a level that we will be expected to perform and win a Gold Cup in a Confederations Cup year. Pressure is a good thing. Without it we'd have no incentive to take the next step. There is the old saying that "you're either improving or getting worse". By winning an off-year gold cup it will set the standard that we are expected to now find a way to beat the likes of the US and Mexico at full strength to get to the confed cup.

So that is how I see success for us this go-round. If we are able to do one of those three things I listed above I think it will be an overall positive for us that we can take with us in the future. Anything after that will be gravy. - T.K.

[Muadib]

Yuh evah try eat rice and peas and chicken without gravy ?

Gravy is a neccessary part of the meal !

The only question is if yuh want it on the rice or on the chicken..

[T.K.]

Yuh evah try eat rice and peas and chicken without gravy ?

Gravy is a neccessary part of the meal !

The only question is if yuh want it on the rice or on the chicken..

LOL....too funny. - T.K.

[Lazie]

Sorry T.K., for it to be a success we NEED to WIN the Gold Cup. Getting to the finals would be okay. Beating the USA? Well to win the GC we have to beat all comers, but why single out the USA? What if they got eliminated before facing JA?

The only thing I'm looking for is winning the trophy.

[T.K.]

Sorry T.K., for it to be a success we NEED to WIN the Gold Cup. Getting to the finals would be okay. Beating the USA? Well to win the GC we have to beat all comers, but why single out the USA? What if they got eliminated before facing JA?

The only thing I'm looking for is winning the trophy.

The reason I single out the US is because 1. We've never beaten them before and 2. It woud be the highest ranked team we have ever beaten on the road. From my viewpoint reaching a new milestone for the program would be a success.

If the US were to get eliminated before the Boyz then that would mean that we would have an easier path to the final. Reaching the final would be one of those other milestones for the program.

I would love it if we were to win the trophy but I don't think that should be the only measure of success for us at this time in our development. We still have a few steps in between that would show progress. We're not at the level yet where winning the GC is the only standard. We still have a ways to go to get to that point. Just the way I see it. - T.K.

[Lazie]

The reason I single out the US is because 1. We've never beaten them before and 2. It woud be the highest ranked team we have ever beaten on the road. From my viewpoint reaching a new milestone for the program would be a success.

If the US were to get eliminated before the Boyz then that would mean that we would have an easier path to the final. Reaching the final would be one of those other milestones for the program.

I would love it if we were to win the trophy but I don't think that should be the only measure of success for us at this time in our development. We still have a few steps in between that would show progress. We're not at the level yet where winning the GC is the only standard. We still have a ways to go to get to that point. Just the way I see it. - T.K.

Who wanna mek excuses can try dem best. Looking at the rosters, most teams involved in WCQ isn't taking their strongest team so I would like to hear a convincing excuse if we don't win.

[Hortical]

I believe in realistic expectations and I am looking for the team to overachieve in the Gold Cup. Success is making it to the semi-finals.

Winning the Gold Cup would be like expecting someone who has a GED to win the Noble Prize in Bio-Chemistry.

[T.K.]

Who wanna mek excuses can try dem best. Looking at the rosters, most teams involved in WCQ isn't taking their strongest team so I would like to hear a convincing excuse if we don't win.

Lazie come on man. I am not one to make excuses. I was just looking at our situation realistically. We are not one of the stronger teams in the region so I think to have "winning the gold cup" as our only standard of success is magical thinking. I don't care what squads the other teams are bringing, no one outside of Jamaica is talking of the RBZ as being one of the favorites to win the GC. There is a reason for that.

Do I think we have our best shot at winning this GC ever? Yes. Do I think that we are so good that we should win this gold cup? No.

I don't see where I am making excuses at all. - T.K.

[Jangle]

I agree 100% with TK. While winning the GC is the ultimate prize, I think that once we reach the finals, that in itself would be a major accomplishment. Whichever way we fans want to spin it, we are nowhere near the level of consistency as the US, so we must temper our expectations and be realistic. This team gives us the best chance at winning and the timing is right.

[Lazie]

I believe in realistic expectations and I am looking for the team to overachieve in the Gold Cup. Success is making it to the semi-finals.

Winning the Gold Cup would be like expecting someone who has a GED to win the Noble Prize in Bio-Chemistry.

Oh, so you're saying they're not good enough?

[Lazie]

Lazie come on man. I am not one to make excuses. I was just looking at our situation realistically. We are not one of the stronger teams in the region so I think to have "winning the gold cup" as our only standard of success is magical thinking. I don't care what squads the other teams are bringing, no one outside of Jamaica is talking of the RBZ as being one of the favorites to win the GC. There is a reason for that.

Do I think we have our best shot at winning this GC ever? Yes. Do I think that we are so good that we should win this gold cup? No.

I don't see where I am making excuses at all. - T.K.

What others in the region think isn't important. If we cannot win this watered down competition, we might as well tek up curling.

[Assasin]

Just go and play. Don't set expectation too high.

things will happen. At the end we will judge. It is all about respect.

Brazil won the CONFED cup but the US won respect. We just have to do what we know they can do and then we can judge.

[Lazie]

I agree 100% with TK. While winning the GC is the ultimate prize, I think that once we reach the finals, that in itself would be a major accomplishment. Whichever way we fans want to spin it, we are nowhere near the level of consistency as the US, so we must temper our expectations and be realistic. This team gives us the best chance at winning and the timing is right.

Oh oh ... when I've said time and again the team nuh good enough you're one that try to convince me otherwise. Now teams like USA, Mexico and Costa Rica not showing up with their strongest team, unuh still not brave enough to raise the bar on this team?

What unuh want, respect or the trophy? Maybe y'all need to listen to Landon Donovan for a change.

[Lazie]

Just go and play. Don't set expectation too high.

things will happen. At the end we will judge. It is all about respect.

Brazil won the CONFED cup but the US won respect. We just have to do what we know they can do and then we can judge.

Oh oh .... unuh a sound like Carlos Tevez now. When the time come to show where yuh stand unuh a talk bout respect?

[Jangle]

hehehe