Then came the 1990s when Stanford started getting decent. Yet there it still was, the patsy-ass schedule, with a few tough games sprinkled in. Although Stanford was one Final Four and one OT loss vs. Kentucky in the Regional final, Stanford had an atrocious record in the NCAAs–often losing to obscure unseeded teams of athletes in early rounds.

You see, Stanford never learned to play the top teams and against the top players (with a couple noted exceptions mentioned above) because it avoided them by design.

OK, fast forward to USA football, and I see Team USA as I did Stanford basketball. Team USA beating up on the CONCACAF is like Stanford beating Cal State Hayward. It is to be expected. The funny thing is that the CONCACAF is no easy task for USA Soccer. Trinidad, Jamaica, and Costa Rica beating the uS is always on the horizon. THe US and Mexico are evenly matched, as the US cannot win in Mexico and the US wins more than it loses in the US. Bottom Line: Team USA is right about where it deserves to be–amongst the leaders of the CONCACAF.

But as Stanford found repeatedly in playing with the big boys, Team USA has learned that playing the elite of Europe and South America is a daunting task both on a team and individual level.

As individuals, TEAM USA has not a single world class player. Not one. Most of our top players wither ride the pine in the top leagues,. play for second tier teams, or play in the second divisions. Of those that do get regular PT, not a single one can be considered among the top 100 players in the world…maybe not even in the top 200. Individual players will NEVER break into the world’s elite unless they play against the best. This mantra is the consensus American view on just about everything. Why should football be any different?

As a team, Team USA plays the Stanford Hoop schedule (Men’s that is). We schedule friendlies aginst third tier opponents. If they are quick or athletic or big, we run into trouble, as we did versus Morrocco. When we play against top teams, we clearly demonstrate how ridiculous the FIFA ranking are.

Believe it or nto, I am optimistic about the growth of football in the US. We are a country that loves sports and football is a great sport. However, we will never make much ground unless we regularly mix it up against the big boys, both on an individual or team level.

Having lived overseas for a long stretch, I am amazed how far behind USA football remains. We are decades away from being perennial contenders. The Montgomery’s and Arena’s of the world did great things to bring their teams into decent level. But to succeed on the highest stage more, much more is needed.

So no surprise: weak league + inexperienced players (at the world level) + weak schedules = a future of 3 games and out for a very, very long time.