Even though the U.S. team was still in the running for the trophy, some players went straight to the media.

The whole world would be watching. First up, Iran. They needed a win before they faced the formidable Yugoslavian team. You're dominating. You can also add some satirical news podcasts, with a heavy dose of politics, to your listening diet. This time, it’s the Iran-contra affair, as they tell the story of a secret arms deal with Iran, in violation of U.S. policy. Fast forward four years, and Agoos feared he might once again be left behind. The project goes beyond information-sharing; each episode makes the case to black Americans that their genome is invaluable, their genetic legacy as integral as their cultural one, and that they must become active participants in how both are handled. While Regis was doing that, he was also competing for a starting position against the team's beloved left back, Jeff Agoos. Now it was time to find out which teams they would face. Let's win a World Cup.". That was the year Chastain won the World Cup for the U.S. women's team in a dramatic penalty shootout. Wynalda was that lonely striker, whose only company would be three intimidating German defenders. Meanwhile, Sampson's all-out attack strategy had left the American side of the field vulnerable. To make it, the U.S. would have to survive an initial round of six games and qualify for a second round of 10 games, dubbed the "Hex."
High-stakes poker games were popular.

Hejduk's excitement, of course, was the exception. "We wanted this to be ridiculously special for the players," says Sampson.

June 11, 2018 • What do you do after you've just crashed and burned in a World Cup? The U.S. returned to the locker room down 1-0.

Advertisement Podcasts Worth a Listen: ‘Fiasco,’ ‘Unwell,’ ‘In Those Genes’ A fictitious Kevin Bacon (played by Kevin Bacon), an improvised space opera and a … The yearlong qualification process, thus, became a kind of ongoing audition for the World Cup roster, with Steve Sampson serving as casting director. But the show failed to capture the creepy immersiveness of the original podcast and lasted only one season. He even threatened to fine players who had aired their grievances in the press. It was an added degree of difficulty for players who were battling other teams and trying to outshine one another for playing time. Why are we being secluded? And again, they lost. France, Brazil and England all stayed there and I felt it was good enough for our national team." "It's crazy how that works out, right?" In each case, they had a chance of winning. Of the three games the Americans were set to play, this first one was expected to be the hardest. The next big move by Sampson as he started to whittle the team down was to bench the team's highest-profile player, the closest thing it had to a star, Alexi Lalas. The show remains a shockingly intimate, deeply personal communication of what it means to be alive in a human body. Yet the loss gave the embittered veterans the opportunity they wanted: an opening to vent.

And some returning series whose backlog is worth a binge: The most ambitious space opera comedy is finally back in orbit, having launched its fourth season earlier this month. Eric Wynalda blamed the inexperienced starters. Let's go to the moon. (1997) Stories of when things go wrong. More than anything, 1998 was supposed to be the year that this group of guys, playing this game, finally won over the great uncaring American audience to establish the game they loved as a truly major league sport. Yet, somehow, they tied, 0-0. "Let's climb Everest. Fortunately, the smoking-hot time machine has returned him to a studio at WNYC, where Roger sits down to talk with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner about the 2018 World Cup, including the U.S. team's failure to qualify for the tournament. They'd desperately tried to impress their coach even when they did not understand what he wanted from them. and N.B.A. How could they pull it together in time for their next two games against Iran and Yugoslavia? You might have heard of Jonathan Mann, or perhaps you’ve seen his YouTube channel. Not only had the team lost their first game on the world stage, but they'd also lost their unity. Things go so awry that normal social order collapses. Plus: Expectations soar after the 1995 Copa América and an encounter with Argentinian soccer god Diego Maradona. Jeremy Schaap of ESPN was there that night and he remembers it "as the darkest place I've ever seen in sports."

The World Cup was effectively over. society” that accepts only those who pass a (largely disproved) intelligence test, is ripe material for the humorist Jamie Loftus in this four-part series. Using her “degree in radio production for the first time” and making liberal use of air horns, Loftus charts her journey of joining Mensa, reporting on it from the inside, then getting harassed by its online group and eventually meeting her cyberbullies in person at the organization’s annual gathering.

Twenty two players would represent the U.S.A. at the 1998 World Cup, including both Agoos and Regis.

Originally a Montreal radio show called “Audio Smut,” Radiotopia’s “The Heart” has been through many evolutions. Just two months before the World Cup, the Captain for Life was captain no more. "It sucked," says Lalas. EA Sports FIFA isn't just a best-selling video game; it's an educational tool that is introducing generations to the rules, teams and stars of the sport. [Join The New York Times Podcast Club on Facebook for more recommendations and discussions about all things audio.]. A growing number of TV shows have been inspired by audio hits, iHeartRadio Beats NPR to Become Top Podcast Publisher in July, Podtrac Reports. We had a magnificent training ground. In “The Last Degree,” this fictitious version of Kevin, played by the actor himself, finally finds a best friend in Randy Beslow (voiced by Matt Walsh of “Veep”).

The self-described "epitome of the American sports fan" argues, "What's more American than hating soccer?".
Hejduk remarks to Roger Bennett in American Fiasco. The two previous records were held by, wait for it, Atlanta. The singer/songwriter has been writing and recording a new song every day since Jan. 1, 2009. Midfielder Brian Maisonneuve told a reporter he was reading les pages jaunes ... the yellow pages. Tab Ramos criticized Sampson's decision to bench veterans Lalas, Balboa and Agoos. But exactly who would walk out on that field was the question nagging at every player. counterparts. Because it’s Funny or Die, the plot is solidly absurd — Kevin’s plan to get more friends involves securing the intellectual property rights to “Frog and Toad,” the children’s book series — and is filled with possibly every Kevin Bacon movie reference imaginable. When Lillian Harper returns to Mt. And now, they felt they were losing their minds. Four days later, the U.S. had to play Yugoslavia, but the game was a formality at this point. It requires players to be well-drilled in their roles and understand each other's positions. This 3-6-1 was rarely used in international soccer. "You're 1-nil down. Weeks of the team's internal grumbling, sniping and bad blood was now making headlines back home. We Insist: A Timeline Of Protest Music In 2020. We had really lost of lot of respect from the world and internationally," says striker Eric Wynalda. This is going to be a diplomatic nightmare.'" The U.S. team was hoping for a tie, to stay in the running for the tournament's next round. "Daily Show" alum Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson adapted their hit comedy podcast into an HBO series that hits a broad range of topics. Striker Eric Wynalda had played professionally in Germany, and he knew how good these guys were. Defender Marcelo Balboa remembers his frustration. Absalom, Ohio, to care for her ailing estranged mother, she doesn’t expect to stay long. Here, along with some returning favorites, are others worth checking out. Lest we forget: The team's veterans were on the bench, the newbies were on the field, and everyone had been going stir-crazy in a secluded chateau. “Slow Burn” was given a television adaptation, and Neyfakh now hosts the streaming docuseries for Epix. And today, though Americans were embarrassed that the U.S. men failed to even qualify for the 2018 World Cup, worry not. Their German opponents were waiting there as well. Once inside The Estadio Azteca, the team would battle the triple threat of altitude, smog and the noise of 105,000 frenzied Mexican fans. The World Cup draw determines the matchups for the tournament's first round, the so-called group stage. This is a moment where you know you can come back. The U.S. Women will — let's pray — redeem us once again at the 2019 World Cup. In fact, Harkes was known as "Captain for Life." That's what the entire 1998 U.S. Men's National Team was asking themselves, including the coach. Before facing these opponents in France, however, the U.S. team still had many challenges in the coming months before the World Cup.

The change didn't put Balboa in the best frame of mind for the march toward the World Cup. June 4, 2018 • Fresh off their impressive showing at the Copa America tournament, the U.S. team was feeling ready to take on the world.

Jun 11, 2018. Regis was elated and even teared up during the national anthem in his first World Cup game. He'd been cut from the World Cup team in 1994 at the last minute.