If you can only afford to order one video from the new Reedswain series on the 2002 World Cup, make it "Team USA: Coming of Age." My copy just arrived this afternoon, and, believe me, I got goose bumps all over again when I viewed it. What a fantastic job they did on this one! With shipping costs, my bill came to $36.70.
How long? I think it's about an hour. I had to stop it a couple of times for lengthy phone calls. It includes game clips AND some interviews, with excellent commentary. It's rather expensive, but it's something you're going to enjoy for years.
I watched it yesterday as well. It was pretty good, though I really didn't need to see the "Speed Skating" celebration again (makes me really wish Mathis had done some sort of shadow boxing bit for Roy Jones, but that's another matter). It was simply a chronological video, with excerpts taken from each game. They showed maybe 4 quick interviews after games--McBride after Portugal, Reyna (twice) and O'Brien after Korea. I guess it was just clips taken from the English broadcasts. To be honest, this could have been done by most folks at home. During ABC's broadcast of one of the semifinals, they showed a short highlights package attached to music and interspersed with play-by-play and slow-motion, etc. That was pretty cool, and I was expecting something similar in this video. To that end, I was pretty disappointed. I would really love to see a production company make a quality highlights video--something similar to those NFL videos. I guess I was expecting something with a little more effort and interesting commentary. As a barebones summary of the games, it's ok.
I just saw the tape yesterday and came away with a few thoughts. As a whole the difference between winning and losing is sometimes razor thin. I don't know if they intended to show that but the impression I got was a team that was just flat out lucky to get as far as they did. This is a different impression than I remember by watching all of each match. The highlights tend to be somewhat out of context. This is particularly so in the Germany game. Judging by the hightlights you get the impression that Germany won the game pretty handily and were unluckly not to have been 2 or 3 up. The highlights do not show a US team dominating play except for a 10 minute stretch late in the first half. It does not evoke the on their heels, back against the wall, feeling the Germans had throughout most of the game. It does not dipict the relief the Germans felt in surving a game they should have lost. That is the real story of the US in 2002. Its unfortunate the video does not convey that message.
saw it here, too: http://www.soccer.com/IWCatProductP...1&Section_Id=1069&Product_Id=68781&showcase=t
Interesting cover image -- it's Donovan thinking he's equalized against Poland. Reyna, on the other hand, has seen the ref make a bizarre call against Donovan.
If you're going to buy from Reedswain, you might as well buy it through the BigSoccer store. You're getting it from the same place but BigSoccer gets a commission out of it. https://www.bigsoccer.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2926&
That was the British view of things during the WC. The Brits are in denial about the U.S.'s ability--we are making progress to Project 2010. It just pains them to see that.
It's not the view of all Britons. I have an English buddy who watched most of the USA and England games with me during the World Cup, and he was truly impressed by our national team's performance. He compared them with England several times, pointing out the skill and creativity that England often lacked. BTW, I just want to echo skipshady by saying, "Get the DVD in the BigSoccer store!!!" It's $30. TEAM USA - COMING OF AGE (DVD) @ $29.95