Once you get to the knockout rounds of any soccer tournament, for a fan, everything starts to feel like a referendum: Did your team advance? Did they do it cleanly? How strong was the group really? How's the bracket shaping up? WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN??
Copa America Centenario is on to the quarterfinals, and the US national team challenges Ecuador on Thursday at Seattle's CenturyLink Field. As you scan the site for talking points, here's my handy-dandy Clint Dempsey face scale of expressiveness for appropriate and expected USMNT fan reaction:
Blowout Victory
You already got one of these against Costa Rica. Slow your roll.
Close Victory
They did it! Quarterfinals in an international tournament! I told you soccer made it in the US! Who want what?!
Oh. Argentina* want what?
Uhm … Ah … Er …
… 'Murica.
#NoVenezuela
(PKs)
[Pushes aside walls of couch cushion fort]
Huh. So this is winning …
Close Loss
Blast! A good run though, with solid takeaways. Foundational effort. We can build on this.
… Right?
RIGHT?!
Controversial Loss
Well. That [EJECTION/(NON-)CALL/INJURY] was bad.
Any case, not our tournament. There's always
the Olympics
Confederations Cup
Russia 2018!
Blowout Loss
Seriously. Letting myself care is the worst.
