USA v. England: Intangibles

Thursday, June 10, 2010 | View Comments
Jun. 04, 2010 - Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA - epa02187204 USA head coach Bob Bradley (C facing) talks to the team ahead of a training session by the USA team in Pretoria, South Africa, 04 June 2010. The FIFA 2010 World Cup is due to kick off in South Africa on 11 June.

in·tan·gi·ble (ĭn-tān'jə-bəl)

n.
Something intangible, especially an asset that cannot be perceived by the senses. Often used in the plural: intangibles such as goodwill and dedication.

Clichéd American football coverage loves to talk about "intangibles". Teams are compared during hours of pre-game buildup that is as much about killing time as it is about actually providing insight into the game in nicely delineated categories, one of which always relates to immeasurable abstract concepts.


The term isn't used in soccer, though the same concepts are often discussed. Soccer actually lends itself to ideas like "will", "togetherness" and "desire" more than most sports; all it takes is a few moments, be it lucky or divinely-inspired, for an underdog to jump up and bite the favorite where it counts. Just last year the Americans proved that with organization and commitment (another "intangible"), even the best team in the world can be beaten by a collection of lesser talents giving it their all.


It's impossible, no matter what the pundits say, to measure these things. Do the Americans have an advantage over the English on Saturday because they appear to have better camaraderie, a strong us-against-the-world attitude, and the confidence that comes from South African success last year? The fan in me says they do. The rational thinker in me is not so sure.


Yes, history would seem to side with the U.S. in the battle of the intangibles. England is a side made up of highly-paid megastars, men for whom a walk to their local market back home is nearly impossible. Coming together sporadically, their status as "teammates" is a matter of circumstance rather than any cohesive spirit. Their coach is a foreigner, their press is insane, and the pressure heaped upon them by a equally hopeful yet derisive public is immense. England's intangibles are, on the surface, in about as good shape as David Beckham's Achilles tendon.


The Americans would seem to have everything going for them in this one area. The underdog's fighting spirit, the supposed closeness, the aforementioned us-against-the-world dynamic; it all gets mention, it's all played up, and it's all supposedly reason to believe the Americans can win.


I'll admit freely and without shame: I get sucked in. I find myself believing in all of those things because my sporting education, both as a player and observer, tells me they exist. The media goes on about them, players talk about them as reasons for their success, and hopeful fans eat it all up with a spoon.


Yum, may I have some more "no one believes in us" please.


In the end though, the Americans will beat or draw England on Saturday because the team is prepared, Bob Bradley puts them in a position to stop England's daunting attack, and more than a few breaks go their way. Will the Yanks try harder than their English counterparts? In a few cases it's certainly possible, but something that small will hardly be the difference. How much more Oguchi Onyewu cares about Jay DeMerit than John Terry does about Ledley King isn't likely to factor into the outcome in any significant way.


But it's no fun to talk about the game while leaving out things like "the will to win", "belief", and "confidence". If we were to only consider player-for-player talent, the resumes of the head coaches, or the historical pedigree of the two sides, it would be nearly impossible to make a serious case that the Americans can win. Thus, we delude ourselves by locking onto the abstract, not exactly ignoring the realities of the situation but choosing to overrate things of which we can't really be sure.


If the U.S. is to pull the upset of England on Saturday, they'll have to outplay Capello's team. How much they'll be aided by "intangibles" is impossible to know.


For now, let's just pretend they'll be enough to lift the Americans to glorious victory.
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