Comments on: The Sweeper: I love you so much Jonathan Bornstein http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/ A soccer blog featuring essays, news and photography exploring soccer around the world Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:48:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria | Pitch Invasion http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/comment-page-1/#comment-10009 A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria | Pitch Invasion Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:58:36 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3735#comment-10009 [...] Switzerland (which ranks 94 in population but 13 in FIFA and is in group B in Nigeria), and the US’s new BFF Honduras (which ranks 96 in population but 35 in FIFA and is in Group A in [...] [...] Switzerland (which ranks 94 in population but 13 in FIFA and is in group B in Nigeria), and the US’s new BFF Honduras (which ranks 96 in population but 35 in FIFA and is in Group A in [...]

]]> By: A. Ruiz http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/comment-page-1/#comment-9955 A. Ruiz Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:39:01 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3735#comment-9955 Oh no, costa rica will hate us and we won't be able to win at saprissa. Oh wait...we've never won at Saprissa. Maybe we will have better luck with their new chinese built national stadium, but I'm not sure it will make a difference either way. The road team usually loses in CONCACAF. Oh no, costa rica will hate us and we won’t be able to win at saprissa.

Oh wait…we’ve never won at Saprissa. Maybe we will have better luck with their new chinese built national stadium, but I’m not sure it will make a difference either way. The road team usually loses in CONCACAF.

]]> By: Brad http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/comment-page-1/#comment-9953 Brad Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:17:44 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3735#comment-9953 So, does the United States become the mortal enemy of Costa Rica's for the next few soccer generations because of this one meaningless (to us at least) game? I know I'll probably come across as hopelessly naive here and in the meantime maybe even violate the "laws" of sport and competition, but was I the only US fan who, after a little thought, was secretly a tiny bit unhappy that Bornstein scored the tying goal? In the short-term it was great -- you know they wanted to win so badly for Davies, but since that wasn't looking good after letting up the earlier goals, this was the next best thing. It sure felt like a win, and it was great to finish at the top of the qualifying standings. That said, taking the long view, this game was meaningless to the US -- we aren't going to get a top-eight seed at the World Cup anyway, and we had already qualified. Now Costa Rica will play every match against the US for the next two decades as if it were a World Cup final. I'm just not sure it was worth it. I don't know where this argument ends up logically, because I certainly didn't want them to go out there and let Costa Rica run wild. I'm just saying with the way things played out, I wouldn't have been horribly unhappy if it ended up 2-1. It's with a bit of trepidation that I submit this comment, because I'm not sure if the response will be "you always want your team to win, no matter the circumstances" or if there's room for a more nuanced view. So, does the United States become the mortal enemy of Costa Rica’s for the next few soccer generations because of this one meaningless (to us at least) game?
I know I’ll probably come across as hopelessly naive here and in the meantime maybe even violate the “laws” of sport and competition, but was I the only US fan who, after a little thought, was secretly a tiny bit unhappy that Bornstein scored the tying goal?
In the short-term it was great — you know they wanted to win so badly for Davies, but since that wasn’t looking good after letting up the earlier goals, this was the next best thing. It sure felt like a win, and it was great to finish at the top of the qualifying standings.
That said, taking the long view, this game was meaningless to the US — we aren’t going to get a top-eight seed at the World Cup anyway, and we had already qualified. Now Costa Rica will play every match against the US for the next two decades as if it were a World Cup final. I’m just not sure it was worth it.
I don’t know where this argument ends up logically, because I certainly didn’t want them to go out there and let Costa Rica run wild. I’m just saying with the way things played out, I wouldn’t have been horribly unhappy if it ended up 2-1.
It’s with a bit of trepidation that I submit this comment, because I’m not sure if the response will be “you always want your team to win, no matter the circumstances” or if there’s room for a more nuanced view.

]]> By: Tom Dunmore http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/comment-page-1/#comment-9950 Tom Dunmore Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:23:50 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3735#comment-9950 True Dave, true. But on a night with such fascinating action worldwide, it's still a shock (perhaps because I'm an expat) at just how parochial the British press still is. True Dave, true. But on a night with such fascinating action worldwide, it’s still a shock (perhaps because I’m an expat) at just how parochial the British press still is.

]]> By: Dave http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2009/10/15/the-sweeper-i-love-you-so-much-jonathan-bornstein/comment-page-1/#comment-9949 Dave Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:20:09 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/?p=3735#comment-9949 You expected anything less from the English press? They never view any game as "meaningless," do they? You expected anything less from the English press? They never view any game as “meaningless,” do they?

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