This is all kinds of

Fun to play around with.  It is a World Cup Draw generator.  The draw for World Cup 2014 in Brazil will be this Friday.

In the past, supporters of the USMNT have always bemoaned their group draws, complaining of a rigged system, and that it always seemed that Mexico always got a much easier group.  The fact of the matter is that in the last World Cup the USMNT actually got a pretty easy group:  An underachieving England side, Slovenia, and Algeria.  The USMNT actually won the group, which was pretty impressive, but lost in the round of sixteen.

Meanwhile, many of my El Tri supporter friends are their usual humming confident selves again after thrashing the Kiwis to make it to Brazil, and are predicting great things for their nation in next year's tourney.

That is almost the kind of attitude I think USMNT supporters should have.  Frankly, I am completely over the whole "Poor little USA" schtick.  You know, the "We always get a crappy draw, and never get the calls" poop.

I do believe that the USA has been extremely unlikely in the past to get the benefit of the doubt in tournament matches (except when they play Mexico, strangely), and they have been screwed over in the draw, too.  But, now is the time to shut up, stop whinging, and play football.  The USMNT will never get any respect from FIFA until it wins a meaningful trophy.  And, you know what, they might not even get any respect then, either.

(I love to ruminate over a future football world dominated by the USMNT.  What drama! The nation and team that every other nation and team would hate! We would be like the Dick Cheney of world football, everyone desperate to beat us and destroy us.  Hey, FIFA! Think of the ratings for that?)

As I have played with the generator these past few weeks, and realized what our possible draws would look like, I have come to the conclusion that it is pretty darn silly to fret about what group the USMNT will get.  The fact of the matter is, it is going to be tough no matter what.  We are going to have to play at least two very good sides in the group, and possibly three.  And, it could be a hostile environment down there, as well.

Shut up.  Do not worry about it.  And play football.  Moreover, I am confident that that is the attitude that our brilliant coach, Jürgen Klinsmann, is instilling in to his players right now.

It is much more important to worry over which incendiary Brazilian supermodel will be pulling the names out of the tombola.

Will it be Gisele ... 

... or Adriana conducting the draw on Friday?

Tchau!