Something amazing happened on Wednesday afternoon at about 4 p.m. You were probably at work and missed it, or maybe you’re just like most Americans and don’t follow soccer. Well, the U.S. Men’s soccer team beat Spain 2-0 in the second round of the Confederations Cup in South Africa. If you don’t know, that’s a pretty freaking big upset. Prior to the game, Spain hadn’t allowed a goal in the tournament, held a record tying thirty-five game unbeaten streak and had won fifteen straight games.
Did I mention that they are currently the #1 ranked team in the world FIFA rankings? USA is generously ranked #14 and had rarely ever showed up for big tournaments in the past. Obviously, this isn’t the World Cup, but regardless of their effort in the championship on Sunday, USA and its supporters should be overjoyed with this recent effort and excited for next summer’s World Cup.
Greatest wins in U.S. soccer history:
-1950 World Cup First Round 1-0 over England.
-1992 World Cup First Round 2-1 over Columbia.
-1998 Gold Cup Second Round 1-0 over then #1 Brazil.
-2002 World Cup First Round 3-2 over Portugal.
-2002 World Cup Second Round 2-0 over Mexico.
Now you can add:
-2009 Confederations Cup Second Round 2-0 over Spain.
NBA: As expected, Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin was the #1 overall pick. Prior to the draft, the rest of the picks were still up in the air. Hasheem Thabeet, the 7 foot 3 monster from Connecticut via Tanzania went to Memphis. The first to go from the bright group of guards was James Harden at #3 to Oklahoma City. My boy Jonny Flynn got picked #6 by Minnesota. I was really hopeful that the Knicks would get him. They missed out on Flynn was well as Stephen Curry (Golden State #7), Tyreke Evans (Sacramento #4) and Spanish Phenom Ricky Rubio (Minnesota #5). Rubio and Flynn will be a nasty combo for the Timber Wolves. The Knicks didn’t get a guard, they picked Power Forward Jordan Hill out of Arizona. Former player of the year, Tyler Hansborough, went to Indiana at #13.
Confederations Cup: Just days ago, the U.S. squad seemed to be treading water and on the cusp of drowning after 3-1 and 3-0 losses to Italy and Brazil respectively. Somehow they managed to get into the second round after Egypt defeated Italy 1-0, the U.S. beat Egypt 3-0, and Brazil spanked the Reigning World Cup Champions Italy 3-0. Due to the fact that the U.S. scored more goals than Italy, the Yanks got move on. The U.S. followed with a stunning 2-0 win over Spain. Goalie Tim Howard seemed to do cartwheels to keep the Spaniards off the board and 19 year-old and Spanish League benchwarmer Jozy Altidor scored the game winner. Now they face a rematch with Brazil in the championship game after the Brazilians bested South Africa 1-0.
Confederations Cup Championship: Sunday @ 2 p.m. EST on ESPN.
MLB: Manny Ramirez is playing for the former Springfield Isotopes (Simpson’s joke) in Albuquerque while he prepares to return to the Majors after his 50-game suspension ends. Also, if you did know, he still won’t talk about the suspension. I guess it’s just Manny being Manny. Do the Dodgers even need Sideshow Bob to come back? Interleague play wraps up this weekend. Key Match ups include Philadelphia at Toronto, Boston at Hotlanta, Cubs at White Sox, Florida at Tampa Bay and the Yankees at Mets. Me likey Subway series.
NFL: Terrell Owens is already ruffling some feathers less than a month before training camp opens. No, not his Buffalo Bills team mates. Owens is on a reality show called The Superstars on ABC and his team mate, model Joanna Krupa, berated him for getting his foot caught in a net during an obstacle course. She added, “I can’t believe that he calls himself an athlete.” Wow, that’s harsh. Someone needs to tell Joanna Krupa (whoever she is) that she’s on a game show. Terrell Owens is used to dropping footballs, not climbing rope ladders. Last time I checked, there weren’t any rope ladders present during NFL games, but I might not be looking hard enough. Oh yea, in other news, Chad Ocho Cinco guaranteed that the Bungles would make the playoffs. Yea right!!!!!
Golf: The US Open finished up on Monday at Soggy Bethpage. Lucas Glover won the 1,350,000 purse after finishing the tournament at -4. Tied for second place at -2 was Phil “Always a bridesmaid” Mickelson, David “Where have I been?” Duval and Ricky Barnes. This is Mickelson’s fifth second place finish in the US Open. I guess that’s better than not making the cut every time. I haven’t even finished second in the US Open ever. So, he’s got me beat.
Tennis: I don’t watch tennis. The excessive grunting and the screeching of rubber tennis shoes is kind of off-putting. But, that won’t stop me from blindly writing about Wimbledon. Roger Federer is still rolling in the second round. He beat someone named Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in straight sets 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. Andy Roddick defeated Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2. In women’s action, Dinara Safina beat Rossana de los Rios 6-3, 7-5. Venus Williams beat Kateryna Bondarenko 6-3, 6-2. The action now moves on to the third round. Exciting! 
*Do you like any sports that you want me to cover next week or any sports stories you want me to mention? This is your article, not mine. Have at it. Throw me an email cosburn@thefatherlife.com
30 year old freelance writer and The Father Life‘s resident beer columnist and sports editor. He also writes about fine beverages for drinkingmadeeasy.com and Chilled Magazine. On top of that, he writes about college and professional lacrosse for insidelacrosse.com. He’s also written for Genesee Valley Parenting Magazine, the Democrat and Chronicle Newspaper and ESPN.com. “Osburn on Tap” appears monthly in THE FATHER LIFE. For questions, comments, or if you have a story idea for Chris, throw him an email cosburn@thefatherlife.com. Also, follow him on twitter http://www.twitter.com/chrisosburn
Whoops, 1992 was an olympic year. The first round win over Columbia was actually in 1994. ’92 was the year of the “Dream Team” in olympic basketball.