World cup fever is burning

World Cup fever got its fire to full burn Friday with the tournament draw to finalize the eight groups of four teams to sure up the first round of the most important sports event in the galaxy.

The U.S. was drawn into Group C with England, Algeria and Slovenia for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The U.S. Men's National Football (Soccer) team will be making their ninth appearance in the World Cup tournament dating back to the innaugural World Cup played in 1930 in Uruguay.
Our American side will kick-off its sixth straight visit to the world's largest sports tournament when they face off against England on June 12, 2010 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in the city of Rustenburg.The second match in the first round for the Americans will be on June 18 in Johannesburg against the team from Slovenia.
The first round of the World Cup tournament will be completed when the Americans take on the Algerian national team in Pretoria on June 23.
Making it to the second round of the World Cup referred to as the Round of 16 will depend on how well our American boys do on the pitch in the first round.
England is our biggest concern, not just because they are a powerhouse side and our first opponent in the tournament, but let's get some perspective here -- there is a history between these two nations in world history and on the soccer pitch.
So the first question football (soccer) pundits are asking after the draw is will the U.S. team get a repeat of their 1950 World Cup match-up against England?
The obvious answer is "Only time will tell."
Let's get some perspective here, so a look back for some context is truly in order on this event that came to be known as the "miracle on grass."

The opponents: England vs. USA
The date: June 29, 1950
The city: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
The venue: Estádio Independência


It's the first World Cup tournament berth for the braggadocios team from England that bills itself as the "kings of football." The team came into the World Cup as 3-1 favorites to win it all that year.  The U.S. side was given 500-1 odds at winning the tournament.
But England, the nation that is credited with inventing football (soccer), suffers its most significant defeat on the world's biggest sporting stage.
England's team is made up of top professional players, including Stanley Matthews who was considered one of the best in the world in 1950.
The U.S. team is made up of players who are semi-professional at best -- all of the men worked full-time as dishwashers, mailmen --their captain, Walter Bahr, was a high school teacher. Even their coach, Bill Jeffrey, told the international press the team had "no chance" of winning.
The Americans were not taken seriously until Joe Gaetjens headed home a pass from Bahr in the 38th minute of the first-half goal to set-up the 1-0 American victory.
Around the world newspaper headlines told of the shocking defeat of the best by the underdog Americans. But back at home, British newspapers thought there was some mistake and assumed the 0-1 score being reported surely had to be a mistake. Several newspapers corrected the mistake by reporting England had won 10-1.
Let me assure you, in 2010, Brits won't forget a little thing like a 1-0 loss in 1950 -- they will show up to win. Unless, of course, our boys also show up to win, and they will -- count on it.
And THAT will be the battle royal to set the tone of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.