The DVD of the USA's World Cup adventure arrived today and I'm really looking forward to seeing it - Jen didn't get to see any of the games and has only seen one of the goals so it'll all be new to her.

I think everyone who'd be reading this will know that the USA did surprisingly well in the 2002 World Cup - beating Portugal 3-2 and only losing out to some dodgy refereeing against Germany in the quarter final.

I was really sad about it at the time because they'd played some really good football and were actually beginning to spark interest in the sport back home - maybe next time. If their younger players are anything to judge from they're certainties to do at least as well in Germany 2006.

And as for promising stars who might find their way to European football...

• Taylor Twellman
  
• Damarcus Beasley
  
• Ben Olsen
  
• Clint Mathis
  
• Tim Howard
  
• Nick Rimando
  

...and that's not even mentioing that six (count 'em) USA first team players (Brad Friedel, Kasey Keller, Joe-Max Moore, Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride, Jovan Kirovski) played in England this year - not bad for a nation that doesn't take this sport seriously, and I haven't even begun with the players from the squad currently employed in Germany, Italy, Spain, France and Holland.

No, employed as professional footballers.

Idiot.