Breaking Down the USMNT's June, and How Landon Donovan Can Fit In Again

Its been a great month for the USMNT

Remember back before the Hex when the US was coming off a loss at Jamaica, having only a very underwhelming four points after three matches? Or in February after a loss in Honduras when a column came out questioning Jurgen Klinsmann's leadership, making it appear there could be a problem in the Yank's locker room? That certainly seems like a long time ago, long before the United States pulled off four straight wins and the flood gates have finally opened for Jozy Altidore. After a gutty performance and getting a scoreless draw in Mexico City has turned the tables for the United States. Now the United States are sitting pretty at the top of the Hex, just a couple steps away from Brazil and some are questioning if this is the best the National Team has ever looked. Suddenly the team looks like what was envisioned when Klinsmann took control. The ball is moving around the pitch, chances are being created and dangerous runs are being made. The team as a whole has really started to gel together, they are playing more as a unit. The extended time together has really paid dividends and has created an impressive run of success.

Belgium 4 - USA 2 (Cameron, Dempsey)

Cameron has become very versatile

While letting in four goals is never good, this game was not as nearly as painful as the score indicated. With the starting 11's in for the first half, the United States weathered the chances that Belgium brought and a set piece goal by Geoff Cameron had the two teams 1-1 at halftime. Subs were made and eventually the athleticism of Christian Benteke  and Romeu Lukaku wore down the US and made it a tough 4-2 result. Despite the ugly scoreline, things were learned. Most importantly that the spine of the US defense going forward is the MLS duo of Omar Gonzales and Matt Besler.

USA 4 - Germany 3 (Altidore,Own Goal, Dempsey 2)

Deuce is still in form for the Yanks

When Graham Zusi's picture perfect cross came into the box, and Jozy had cleared his mark, it seemed like you could tell how the entire match was going to go. Altidore struck it true, right into the back of the net and you could feel the pressure that had grown from all the goals he had scored in the Dutch League. Then Marc-Andre ter Stengen's disaster own goal doubled the lead. A pair of beautiful Dempsey goals sent the crowd at RFK into a frenzy with the 4-1 lead. The two late goals by Germany made for a couple nervous moments, but that can be attributed to a lack of focus due to some incredibly unlikely circumstances. The most important take away from this match was the formation and strategy the US used, using Dempsey in a supporting role freed up Altidore to make up runs that devastated the German back line and freed up space in the midfield for Dempsey and Jermaine Jones to work. Also, a solid performance from Brad Evans put him in the lineup for the next match, which proved pretty important.

USA 2 - Jamaica 1 (Altidore, Evans)

Lets all take a minute to thank Brad Evans

For the first time in the Klinsmann era, the US had the same lineup two games in a row, and it worked well in the first half. Again, Zusi to Altidore was the first goal, and it agains was a beauty. The US looked the better team for the entire match, however, they just couldn't get that second goal. When a team can't get that second goal, there is usually an equilizer. Sure enough Jermaine Beckford got a goal late and looked to send the Yanks home with just a point. But then Brad Evans happened. In a World Cup qualifying cycle there is always an unexpected performance in a road game that ends up being huge. Last cycle Conor Casey's two goals against Honduras was that performance, this year? It was Brad Evans.

USA 2 - Panama 0 (Altidore, E. Johnson)

Sometimes you need a Grown Ass Goal

With all the warm and fuzzy feelings from the late win at The Office, the US was set to have a dominant performance at home. With the game coming at Seattle, it was expected to be a spectacle. The crowd, the goals, the win, all of it, and everyone delivered. The fans were fantastic, after the match the players gave praise to possibly the best United States crowd ever. Aside from that, Altidore scored again, the second goal came from a grown ass man, to the delight of his hometown crowd. Even Damarcus Beasley came flying into the box and was just a post away from scoring one of the most beautiful goals in US Soccer history.

Eddie Johnson's backheel to Michael Bradley led to a beautiful arial pass that Dempsey chested down to Altidore. Beasley came flying in on a 50 yard run and collected a beautiful through ball from Altidore, if only his shot ended up just a couple inches to the right, we would be talking about the most amazing goal from the United States.

USA 1 - Honduras 0 (Altidore)

4 Games for Jozy. 4 Goals for Jozy.

Heading into the match, chants of "We're going to Brazil" came from the American Outlaws. Nine points were in the grasp of the team, and the best possible end to the Qualifiers were in sight. The US again kept attacking. They created chances and looked like the more dangerous team. The United States kept searching for a goal that they thought would surely come. It took over 70 minutes, but in the most poetic way possible it came from Altidore. It was another goal that came from steady build up from the midfield, giving Altidore a goal in four straight matches.

Overall Thoughts:

Being one of the giants in CONCACAF, the US always gets compared to fellow giant, Mexico. Part of the feeling that the US is on top can also be attributed in part to their struggles. In 2013, the US has looked full of movement and winning games they need to. Mexico has looked predictable and not as dangerous as a team with Giovani Dos Santos and Chicharito should. The US have gone 5-2-2 in 2013, scoring 13 goals during that time. Mexico has gone 2-1-8 and only scored 9 goals despite playing two more matches. That run included four scoreless goals in World Cup Qualifiers. What the United States is doing so much better is the build up in the midfield. Michael Bradley has teamed up with both Jermaine Jones and Geoff Cameron masterfully. They have sent balls out wide to Fabian Johnson and Zusi or letting Dempsey and Altidore make their runs. This increased movement is what has been promised by Klinsmann when he took the job.

Where does Landon fit in the US attack?

So how can Landon Donovan make a smooth transition back in? With the National Team firing on all cylinders, the most important thing will be putting in Donovan without messing with the rhythm others have found. The good news is that the formation that Klinsmann has started using will work well with Donovan out on the right wing replacing Zusi. Donovan's best goals come from the counter attack, which is still part of the way the United States plays, but is not the focal point like it was with Bob Bradley. Also with Altidore scoring goals, they will want to keep it that way, two of those last four goals came from crosses from Zusi, the one making way for Donovan, in fact over half of Jozy's goals in a USA uniform have come from a high or low cross inbetween the six yard box and the penalty spot. While Zusi clearly can send in a better cross, Donovan can still whip in a low ball into the box for Jozy's and Dempsey's runs, he also has a dynamic that Zusi doesn't have.

Here is the start of first goal against Jamaica. It starts with Zusi taking his man on one-on-one, Zusi can send in a great cross, but he can't cut it inside like Donovan can. In this shot, there is plenty of room between the backline and the midfield, room created due to the runs of the two forwards. With Donovan in the game, another attacking element is created, one that can stretch the centerbacks and give Altidore and Dempsey even more space in the box. Zusi will be a solid right wing for the Yanks for years to come, but for the upcoming World Cup, the way the United States is playing now could be set up perfectly for Donovan's return. Well whether or not Jurgen has planned for this is not certain, but he definitely deserves some credit for the growth this team has displayed.

Breaking Down the College World Series

Beautiful TD Ameritrade Park

My predictions on who would make it to Omaha didn't go so well. I only got LSU, Indiana and North Carolina right. The postseason has been very interesting, the regional round was largely chalk, only Oregon and Virginia Tech were the only hosts to not win their regional. The number 1 seeds in the regional round went a combined 47-7. However the super regionals were completely different. the hosts were only 8-10 and only three national seeds are making the trip to Omaha. Omaha still has plenty of great teams and story lines this year. Even though my hometown team isn't making the trip, I still will watch the games fondly remembering my two trips to the College World Series wishing I was at the greatest event in all of baseball.

Previewing the Omaha 8:

Mississippi State Bulldogs: 9th Appearance (48-18)

How they got here: Got through a tough regional with South Alabama and went to the final day against Central Arkansas, but the Bulldogs got their revenge from losing a weekend series to the Bears earlier this season. Then moved on to Virginia and took down the Cavaliers with a pair of 6-5 wins.

Mississippi State is making their first appearance in Omaha since 2007 with a very balanced team, highlighted by a stellar bullpen. While their starting rotation doesn't have stellar numbers, the bullpen has been there the entire season. Ross Mitchell has the most impressive numbers on the team. He has a 12-0 record without making a start this season to go along with a 1.35 ERA. Jonathan Holder has a 1.31 ERA and leads the team with 18 saves. They also can rely on Chad Girodo and Ben Bracewell to get outs late in the game. At the plate, the Bulldogs are led by a duo with tons of power. Hunter Renfroe and Wes Rea have had success all year against some excellent SEC pitching. Renfroe was taken by the San Diego Padres with the 13th pick and is hitting .360 with 15 homeruns and 61 RBI's. Rea is hitting .288 with 7 homeruns. 6th round pick Adam Frazier will be the table setter for these two, he's hitting .349 and leads the team with seven triples.

What to expect: A little bit of everything, and Renfroe getting intentionally walked.

Oregon State Beavers: 5th Appearance (50-11)

How they got here: Cruised through their regional, had a tough time getting past a pesky Kansas State team who took the first game of the Super Regional, but the Beavers came back and won the next two.

The Beavers are led by their pitching, and have the best weekend rotation in Omaha and possibly the country. The trio of Matt Boyd, Andrew Moore and Ben Wetzler have been elite all season long. All three have ERA's under 2.15 and the three starters have combined for a record of 33-5. Boyd has been the senior leader all season. The sixth round pick has struck out 110 batters this season. Moore has been the freshman sensation this year, with a 1.36 ERA and only allowing a .194 average. The rotation is key for Oregon State making a deep run, with the bullpen having recent struggles, Boyd was brought in to make the save in the final game against Kansas State. At the dish, Dylan Davis and Michael Conforto lead the Beavers. They are the top-2 for the Beavers in RBI's, homeruns, slugging percentage and total bases.

What to expect: Elite starting pitching, and some unusual bullpen decisions.

Indiana Hoosiers: 1st Appearance (48-14) 

How they got here: Tore through their regional, outscoring opponents 26-11, then took on the mountainous task of sweeping the Florida State Seminoles.

This year the closest thing to Cinderella is the newcomers from the hoosier state, but Indiana doesn't play like underdogs. Being the first Big 10 team to make the College World Series since the 1980's could make them easy to over look, but that would be a huge mistake. There are plenty of solid pitchers in the Hoosier's staff, they feature a team ERA of 2.67 and opponents are only hitting .249 against them. Their two best players were both taken by the Minnesota Twins in this year's draft. Ace pitcher Aaron Slegers in the 5th round and 3B Dustin DeMuth in the 8th. Slegers has come on strong this season and taken the top spot in the rotation, his 9-1 record and 2.13 ERA has been among the best in the Big 10. DeMuth has been the leader at the plate for Indiana, and he does it all. He hits .389, has 5 homeruns, and 11 stolen bases. Aside from DeMuth Indiana also has some real power threats. Sam Travis and Kyle Schwarber both have over 50 RBI's and 10 and 18 homeruns, respectively.

What to expect: Indiana has already done more than anyone else in their program's history, but will not be satisfied by going 0-2.

Louisville Cardinals: 2nd Appearance (51-12)

How they got here: Easily made it though their regional, and then upset the #2 seeded Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville.

Louisville will give Oregon State a run for their money when it comes to who has the best starting rotation. Jeff Thomson and Chad Green have been the best 1-2 punch in the Big East, while Dace Kime has recently held down the Sunday spot for the Cardinals. The biggest gem in the Cardinals pitching staff though is closer Nick Burdi. Burdi has hit 100 on the radar gun multiple times this season while piling up 16 saves and 68 strikeouts. In over 34 innings of work, he has posted a minuscule 0.78 ERA. The sophomore will definitely be a top pick in next years draft. The Cardinals standout in the field is also the runner up of the best name in Omaha, Coco Johnson. He is hitting .333 with 8 homeruns and 22 stolen bases. This season, Louisville has shown that they like to put a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. They have stolen 150 bases in 195 attempts, led by Adam Engel who has an incredible 41 stolen bases this season.

What to expect: If the Cardinals jump to the early lead and Burdi gets a save chance, just shut it down.

North Carolina Tar Heels: 10th appearance (57-10) 

How they got here: Its been a marathon for the Tar Heels to get to Omaha, but a 13 inning thriller in the regional led them to a long 3 game series against South Carolina to make their 6th appearance in eight years.

The #1 seed in the tournament has looked a little vulnerable in the tournament so far, but by the end of the game, they've shown why they earned the top national seed. The Tar Heels are solid all around, a 2.52 team ERA, a .305 average, fielding at a .975 clip. North Carolina has all the tools to win it all but have looked incredibly beatable in the past few weeks. The Heels are led by Golden Spikes contender and 6th overall pick Colin Moran. He is hitting .357 on the season, racked up 13 homeruns and 84 RBI's. Moran has been clutch all season and will be a threat no matter what the situation is. The winner of the best name in Omaha goes to Skye Bolt, who is also a solid hitter for the Heels. He is hitting .349 and has 10 stolen bases to go along with 6 homeruns. On the mound, Kent Emanuel has been the leader of the staff with a 2.11 ERA, Trent Thomson has been the top reliever featuring a 1.29 ERA.

What to expect: Expect high drama with these Tar Heels, and probably to win some games the have no business winning.

NC State Wolfpack: 2nd Appearance (49-14) 

How they got here: Methodically mowed down their opponents going 5-0 so far in the postseason.

There's always that one team that doesn't statistically jump out as far a team stats, but always seems to find a way in the biggest moments. That team this year is NC State. Most of the teams in Omaha can do better than the Wolfpack's 3.09 ERA, and their team .279 batting average, but they still find a way to win. In fact, Brad Stone has been NC State's sunday starter and has posted a 5.28 ERA this season. One player who has impressed however, is Carlos Rodon. He is just a sophomore and for his career he is 18-2. He has the ability to be simply dominant, this season he has struck out 170 batters and walked only 42. Like the Wolfpack, Rodon has been more and more dominant as the season has gone on and if he continues to show his stuff in Omaha, even the elite lineups that will face him will have a hard time getting hits.

What to expect: NC State will probably get out hit, and look like they shouldn't be in the game, but they will have a shot to win.

UCLA Bruins: 5th appearance (44-17)

How they got here: Pitched their way through a tough regional, and right by a stingy Cal St Fullerton team.

UCLA is a big surprise to me in Omaha because, well, they don't hit very well. Hitting .251 as a team and having nobody on your team hitting over .300 usually isn't a recipe for success in postseason baseball. Instead they completely rely on pitching and defense, led by the arms of their two 6th round draft picks Nick Vander Tuig and Zack Weiss. Vander Tuig leads the team in innings pitched and strikeouts, all while posting a 2.37 ERA. Weiss has made 41 relief appearances for the Bruins after being a starter for them last season. He has posted a 2.33 ERA in over 38 innings of work. The "top" hitter for UCLA would be Pat Valakia, who is hitting .257 with five home runs and 44 RBI's. As a team UCLA is excellent at manufacturing what few runs they need, this means getting walks, and boy do they have a good collective eye. The Bruins have more walks (264) than they have RBI's (261).

What to expect: Smallball. Lots and lots of smallball.

LSU Tigers: 16th appearance (57-9) 

How they got here: Looked pretty bad in a weak regional, but got through it and out dueled the Oklahoma Sooners.

What great matchups we have on this side of the bracket! Rivals NC State and North Carolina, and the excellent pitching and west coast style of UCLA against the powerful LSU Tigers. LSU certainly knows how to hit the baseball. Just ask Raph Rhymes who is hitting .343 on the year and flirted with hitting .500 for a good bit of last season. But wait, theres more! Freshman all-american Alex Bregman is currently hitting .380, while Mason Katz is at a .366 clip with 15 homeruns. Sean McMullen and Christian Ibarra are also threats to get big hits. The Tigers can also pitch, in the duel of the postseason so far, Aaron Nola was able to out-duel Oklahoma stud Jonathan Grey in a 2-0 win. Cody Glenn and Ryan Eades will also face stiff chalenges for anyone going up against them. Many are comparing them to the 2009 Champion team that tore through Omaha.

What to expect: A solid team top to bottom, but can lay an egg that can keep them from a title.

Who will emerge as the champions this year? Another Pac-12 team? Will an SEC squad reclaim the title? Will the ACC get their first title since 1954?

On one side, it will be an incredible fight between Louisville and Oregon State, but the lack of bullpen for the Beavers keeps them out. While LSU is able to fight past North Carolina to make for a Louisville vs. LSU final, with the Louisville Cardinals winning 2-0.