It was a thrilling match although I didn't see all of it. The US progression in soccer has been a roller coaster ride for many decades. It's gaining popularity, but many are impatient that it's not taking off. The mistake is that many have unreasonable expectations, thinking that a single event (hosting the World Cup in '94 or signing Beckham) would propel soccer into national prominence. It takes a lot of little steps.

My knowledge of soccer is limited, but I don't think the US performance could be called a fluke. I don't think they are the second best team in the world, but they are good enough to compete with the best, and I think that was the message of this past week. Next year's World Cup will be interesting.