John McEnroe

Soccer came 67th in the American sporting appetite.

I crap you not, Dan Patrick, tractor pulling came in 66.

The Economist has just revealed that...

Soccer of all kinds, Premier League, Champions League, NWSL, the women's game, Liga MX, all those types is now the third most favorite sport in the United States.

I don't know where tractor pulling is now, but I hope this World Cup can finish the job and make America a truly self-confident, joyous, just honest, football-loving nation, which is what we are.

What is a reasonable expectation for Team USA?

In my heart?

I mean, we love a winning team in the United States.

That's why we love the US women.

They kick ass, they take names, they win things.

They're a dream team, which is what we want.

And the men's team has forever been a dream on team.

It's an agony.

We have won, in our nation's history, one knockout game in men's World Cup football, which is always mind-blowing when you think about it.

Again, Uchi and Inouye, if you would like to play for this US team, get your shin pads on, baby.

But this team is the most skilled individually that we've ever had, most accomplished in the club game.

We don't know what they'll come together as as a collective until they play the first game, which they will tomorrow against Paraguay.

These teams are cultures.

They play friendlies because they qualified as hosts, which is like being an NFL team, trying to judge them just after pre-season.

How will they come together?