Photo by ISIphotos.com
Admit it, you hate Giuseppe Rossi.
If you are a U.S. national team fan this morning you are cursing Rossi and have included him in the group along with Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Oswaldo Sanchez and Jared Borghetti in the pantheon of most hated U.S. national team opponents.
I say go ahead and hate him. You are allowed.
Having written more about Rossi through the years than most (I broke the story of Rossi's move to Manchester United from Parma many moons ago) I have written columns explaining Rossi's decision to play for Italy and why he made that choice, and why people shouldn't blame him for his decision.
That does not mean U.S. fans can't hate him.
International soccer is professional soccer, which is professional sports, and in the passionate world of pro sports, hating athletes is a way of life and a sign of respect and it isn't something any fan should be made to feel ashamed of. As Reggie Jackson once famously said, "Fans don't boo nobodies."
Most U.S. fans don't hate Rossi simply because he didn't choose to play fo the USA, the hate stems from the fact that Rossi is a special talent, a once-in-a-generation player who has qualities never seen in an American player before. If it were simply about not playing for the USA then Americans fans would have much more hate for Edgar Castillo, who not only chose another country but chose arch-rival Mexico. As it stands, Castillo goes largely ignored by American fans, an afterthought who only recently came back into the picture now that a FIFA rule change could allow him to play for the United States.
Rossi's defenders are correct that there is some hypocrisy in hating Rossi for his decision but accepting other players who choose the USA over their countries of birth. This is true, but in none of those instances is a transcendant player snubbing their native country for the USA. That doesn't make any of it right, but those are the facts. Ghana is getting along just fine without Freddy Adu and Germany won't miss Jermaine Jones. Yes, the U.S. national team is still pretty good without Rossi, but it wouldn't be a stretch to say the United States would have beaten Italy on Monday if Rossi were wearing an American uniform.
Would it be better if U.S. fans could embrace and appreciate Rossi as an American product the way some African fans embrace their countrymen who choose to play for other countries? Of course it would, but the difference is that in many of those African instances, the native fans have spent years reading about the development of those players so they develop an attachment to them and identify with them. In Rossi's case, U.S. fans heard little about him as he came through the ranks and few were aware of his existence before he broke out with Parma after going on loan from Manchester United.
Hating Rossi is a natural reaction, but folks should temper the hatred. I now people don't always mean what they say when writing anonymously on the internet, but folks wishing death on Rossi and his family have let emotions get the best of them. In the end, we are talking about a game. Rossi's decision will probably cost the U.S. team victories, but it hasn't cost anybody their life.
Nobody HAS TO hate Rossi. If you played against him growing up, or knew him from his Clifton days, and seeing him succeed gives you a sense of pride, then go right ahead and support him and enjoy his success. That said, nobody should criticize the American fans who don't feel the same about Rossi.
If you are a U.S. fan who hates Rossi, I won't tell you not to, but I will say that you can feel free to take some of that energy and spend it on the American players who wore the USA shield on Monday. Tim Howard, Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Bradley and Landon Donovan didn't have the impact Rossi had on Monday, but they all played well enough to make USA fans proud.
Many American soccer fans hate Rossi and will hate him for a long time, at the very least until another American player comes along who is as good as he is. Something tells me Rossi can take it. He should be able to. It is part of the deal that comes with being a professional athlete, and part of the deal that comes with breaking the hearts of an entire country's fans.
Ives, do you know what the mood in the US camp is today? Is Clark suspended for the Brazil match? If he is, (& maybe that’s a good thing…) who’ll replace him? We need to move on now. But one last thing…
Benedict Rossi? All I can say is as soon as Macheda starts scoring regularly for Man U Rossi will become the next Sean Dundee…
Hargreaves did it to us almost a decade ago and DeGuzman did it last year.
Well said, the guy is an exceptionable talent for sure. Just wish he chose the stars and stripes. I can hate him all I want for scoring 2 goals against my country, but I still respect him as a person.
Ah, why waste time with hate. Look, he had a chance to play in one of the two or three most legendary uniforms in the world of soccer, his folks are Italian, he trained with Parma. He learned to play soccer in the US, we should view his success as an affirmation that our soccer culture is maturing to the point that we can produce world class players. If he says something negative about the US or US soccer, I might change my mind, but for now it says good things about the US that he’s out there playing well.
I don’t care that you play for Italy while being an American born and raised citizen. I care when you score and celebrate in the fashion you did. This isn’t the World Cup. There is no bragging rights on the line. Look at Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose. They don’t celebrate emphatically when they score against the country they were born/raised in while playing for another. It’s just not cool. it’s called respect, which you showed you have none of. That is why I have beef with you Rossi. I would’ve loved to see a real American like Gooch bring you down a few nothces, literally. I hope we end up playing Italy again in the World Cup. I would love to see if you score and celebrate again in the same manner.
I sorely wanted him to play with us…but it’s understandable that he chose Italy. He probably was raised by his father to love the Azzurri, and dreamt of playing for them.
Additionally, as a competitor – why would you not want to play in UEFA if you could? You get the sold out Euros, sold out Euro qualifiers, sold out World Cup qualifiers, and the World Cup. The level of competition is immense, and you only get that in Concacaf when you play Mexico or Costa Rica (in Saprissa).
It’s probably the same reason Subotic did what he did.
It sucks, but it is what it is…and we should be encouraged that an American is good enough to play for, and score a brace for, the defending world champs. Surely, there are others out there like him…
Join the I Hate Giuseppe Rossi facebook page
link to facebook.com
Forgive my spelling, I know it is not great.
He did his job for his chosen nation. He reacted as he should have for scoring in FIFA’s second most important competition. Hate’s too strong, but it burns.
“International soccer is professional soccer, which is professional sports, and in the passionate world of pro sports, hating athletes is a way of life and a sign of respect and it isn’t something any fan should be made to feel ashamed of.”
You know though, it kind of is.
Poor Sports.. The guy had a dream at 13 went to Italy.. actually made the NATS squad.
And you are hating on the guy?
It’s the American dream only in reverse
Ives, you need to stop calling him “American-born”, he is American.
You are skewing the argument in his favor by making it sound as if he was born on the runway at JFK during his parents’ flyover…..:).
Ives, you just shifted in my mind from being the provider of an entertaining website to being someone I am invested in more personally.
Three times last night, I composed comments about how much I hated Rossi Three times I didn’t post them. The way I felt wasn’t something I was proud of.
I really like the way you reached out to folks on this. You put a voice to much of what I’m feeling, though I have to say that I’m a bit less forgiving of folks who don’t honor the flag when they’ve benefitted from what it offers.
I’m a Red Sox fan, and “hating” the Yankees is just part of the fun. I have to say that Rossi brought out something visceral in me that transcends what I feel towards the Yankees, and I think part of it really is because he turned his back on his–my–country. But you’re quite right to point out that I only care so much because he took with him something that was really special.
Great column. Thanks.
I hate this guy so much. I don’t wish death or injury to him or his family, but I do hope and pray for revenge. So he stuck a dagger in our hearts at the Confederations Cup. It hurt, mostly because it was him, but it was just the Confederations Cup.
Mark my words as prophecy. We will host the 2018 World Cup. We will knock out Italy in 2nd round at the new Giants Stadium. Rossi will have to watch as his home country celebrates in his home state. Jozy will come up and exchange jerseys with him saying, “Sorry you couldn’t be a part of this G.”
Look,.. they had to bring in an American to finish us off… Because were so talented..
I don’t hate Rossi.
I just think he’s an unrepentant douche bag.
I don’t hate Rossi but think his celebrating both of his goals was in poor taste. He should have followed Podolski’s example of not celebrating his goals against Poland or Henrik Larson refusing to celebrate when scoring a goal at Celtic Park.
Nice to see that he dedicated his brace to his family “watching at home in AMERICA.”
These people need to be deported.
I actually went to school with Giuseppe at school 3 in clifton NJ, he was in my brothers class, he was always a little sissy tho, not wanting to play soccer with me and my friends, i guess he was scared in playing with the bigger boys. Never liked him then and even worse now, really hate his guts…
I sent an e-mail to the office of my congressman and both of my state’s U.S. senators, recommending that the following comprehensive program of retribution be initiated:
1. Immediately revoke the U.S. citizenship and passport of Rossi, and put his name on the “watch list” of unfriendlies and undesirables who are prohibited from entering the country via legal channels.
2. Immediately revoke the citizenship of his parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins. Have homeland security show up at their residences at 3 a.m. and immediately deport the entire extended family to Tierra del Fuego.
3. Seize the assets of all family members and aution them off as soon as possible. All proceeds of the auction go to US Soccer so that we have funds to scour the earth for an uncapped player of Rossi’s ability and recruit him with a promise of immediate citizenship by marriage to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan or some other starlet/harlot.
4. Place an immediate embargo on all Italian imports, including cheese, wine, olive oil, etc. and make it a “terrorist level” offense to consume Italian food in the continental Uninted States.
5. Declare Italy a member of the “axis of evil.”
Yeah, us Canadians have Owen Hargreaves and Jonathan de Guzmán so we understand the pain. No matter how much I may think it is cool that they are successes coming from Canada, I still can’t get out of my head that they are traitorous scum for abandoning their country.
In a slightly different world imagine this team taking on Italy,
………Altidore
Dempsey….Rossi….Donovan
……Bradley…Jones
Boca..Gooch..Subotic..Spector
………Howard
Well put Ives.
Overall I get burned up over anyone living here who cheers for another country, more so one who was raised here who does what Rossi did. It might resonate even more because we have been trying for some time to develop a class soccer player and the one who was homegrown turned his back. That stuff hurts. He could have chosen to be the first of that kind here, but he chose to be one of many in Italy. I see the logic and motive, but I was hoping one of them would choose to stand out than to just blend in.
I hate seeing American stadiums filled with people who came here to escape social and economical hardships only to not accept this country whole-heartedly. You don’t have to agree with everything here, but you still have to get on board with being a part of this country.
Ives, well said, you have a way with words, maybe you should seek a profession in the sports journalism industry!
I know the USA has never beaten Italy, but I think a new international rivalry was born yesterday. Some don’t consider something a rivalry when one team wins all the time, but there is a lot of passion that goes into the USA/Italy games.
I am proud that Rossi has succeeded, having been born and raised in America. I HATE watching him play because he is so effing good! Watching him play is salt in the wound, to say the least. I don’t hate him for choosing the Azzuri over USA. If I had the chance to break the starting XI and win a world cup, I would do the same. I do think he should show some respect to his mother-country.
Enough with the if’s and but’s, the team we have now is the hand we are dealt. If the USA had a full-strength squad 90 minutes yesterday, they would have come away with at least a tie. American fans should be proud that their team has finally shown it’s potential, and it still has star players hurt. Stop dwelling on the negatives and look at the positives.
Rossi is dead to me. More dead to me… than my dead mother.
Oh, great. Thanks a lot, Rastafari. It’s points like that and people like you who take all the fun out of irrational aggression in the name of fandom.
hmm….hate? Yup.
I surely don’t wish death on him but a career ending injury might be pretty amusing. I find this to be perfectly acceptable as a desire. He’s rich and he’s a professional athlete so it’s not like his family will go hungry if he never kicks a ball again. Yeah…some nasty injury that means he never plays again but suffers no lasting pain…othere than the pain we all feel, watching the Italians play.
I feel better.
Contrast Rossi with what Jozy said in his piece on ESPN’s site yesterday, about what an honor it is to play for the national team and the full realization of what that means. The choice Rossi made was a selfish one. At least Podolski (who had been turned down by Poland before) had the class to not celebrate and just play. Rossi could celebrate all he wants but he can’t then turn around and talk about all the people back home (Jersey) rooting for him. Rossi showed he has no class and no integrity.
I’ve been ambivalent for some time, but that kind of changed last night. I thought his celebrations were pretty classless. Most players, when scoring on their country of birth or former clubs, show some respect and tone down their celebrations. Rossi has every right to be happy, but I think he also owes it to the country where he spent over half his life to keep its fans in mind after thrusting the dagger in their hearts.
That’s just my opinion on the matter.
I don’t hate Rossi. I do hate it when professional players get easily stripped of a ball in the middle of the field, take their sweet time getting up, and then watch as the unmarked bandit rifles a shot in.
I also hate it when these same players hang their teammates out to dry by turning 10 foot passes into 50:50 balls. Argh…Benny is so close to being a useful player and at the same time so very far.
I think it is important to celebrate those that don the US jersey! ! ! !
Parentage is such a cheap way to get citizenship.
He’s no Ryan Giggs…
Those who “hate” G. Rossi should direct their anger towards the people who run the MLS and US Soccer Federation who have done little to develop soccer in the US and insist in offering a pathetic league and fool the fans by claiming that the US can compete at an international level. While at it, blame the “specialized” press too, who contribute to the false impression that all is well in American soccer.
I definitely wouldn’t say I hate Rossi. But the fact that a kid who grew up oh, about a mile from me decimated the U.S. team last night definitely hurts.
Diego Maradona, congrats, you are a complete and utter moron. Thank you, drive through.
I did not hate Rossi before yesterday. I do hate Rossi now, however, but for an entirely different reason than most, I think. I never considered him an American or a candidate for the American team. He always wanted to play for Italy. He cheered when he scored. He did his job. He is an opponent. That’s what opponents do. The reason I hate Rossi now, though, is because so many American supporters won’t shut up about how we “lost” him and how good we’d be with him, and how we’d all fart rainbows if he were here, etc., etc. Shut up about him already. He’s a good player, he had a fantastic strike on his 1st goal, end of. Let’s talk about the players we DO have and how we can improve going forward.
There is a lot of advice on here about how people should or shouldn’t hate Rossi.
Let me just say I’m not listening. I’m just gonna go ahead and hate him from now until I die and I’m not really interested in any rational thought about the matter.
I sports hated Adrian Peterson when he chose OU over Texas–it doesn’t mean I wish him harm or that I’m not proud of a local guy doing so well. I don’t see what’s wrong with having a little animosity towards Rossi, it’s pretty simple.
Great point, though Ives: we should point to him and Subotic when our crybaby posters say we can’t develop talented players here. We have.
And “Diego Maradona”–I assume you are fan of a certain international power currently struggling. Glass houses…
you ppl make it seem like we lost to North Korea playing a man up the whole game
John-
Buddy of mine made a funny comment I said ” Rossi is no American… he said “I beg-to differ, Rossi is definitely an American…He was a self-centered, disrespecting little prick in someone else’s country”
I never thought of it that way
I dont hate Rossi. I don’t really care about him.
btw- since when does the Confederations Cup stir up so much passion
American friends of mine went to Portugal for the Euro 2004. They said many of the Italian supporters were born and raised American Italians. It is just how it is for whatever reason. My dad is Irish and I pull for the Irish but if its USA v Ireland, I pull for the US.
Adam the Red–LOL over the douchebag comment
and for all the others, I agree that f***er shouldn’t have been celebrating like he did. Even the arrogant prick Ronaldo toned it down when he scored against Porto or a few years back at against Sporting.
God forbid a man trying to the best for himself, playing on one the best teams in the world.
The jealousy is disgusting. I applaud him for pursuing the more-difficult path of making the Italian team and becoming a better player.
@scott47a
I couldn’t agree more. This is sport, not a parliamentary debate. Passion and “rational thought” cannot coexist in the realm of sport, particularly when it comes to the beautiful game.
I think what would make us all feel better is a coordinate program of hooliganism. Let’s all agree that each and every one of us in the SBI mafia will kick the ass of the next person we see wearing an Italian Jersey of any kind, national or Serie A.
I agree with what Ives has said. I “hate” Rossi, but it’s what you might call sports hate. One would never equate what he did to what Bin Laden does, or any other true enemy of the state. I would never call for anyone to cause him or his family harm, and find it contemptible when reading people who say such things. I just want to see him do poorly now, though I would also like to see him at least show a bit of respect to the country of his birth, even if that respect doesn’t go as far as wanting to represent his own country.
I simply don’t understand the people who say people shouldn’t hate him, since non-native born players have played for the US. First, nobody is saying Italians should hate Rossi; that would be silly, who wouldn’t want a good player choose to play for you. Second, as Ives basically said, has there ever been a player that chose to play for US who was wanted by his native country? The only ones I can think of that might qualify would be Adu, who’s actual worth is yet to be determined anyway, and perhaps Roy Wegerle, but I believe that South Africa wasn’t allowed to play internationally back then due to apartheid. If a non-native player does play for the US, I would have no problem if fans in his native country felt snubbed, why wouldn’t they? But if an American player who’s not wanted by the national team has a chance to play internationally, I’d have no problem with that, I see that as a different thing all together.
If you know him personally, and like him, fine. I don’t know him. All I know is that he doesn’t seem to have that much pride in being American, seeing as he has no desire to help his country, when it really could use what he has to offer, and further, he takes great joy in “hurting” his country that never did anything to hurt or snub him. (I put hurting in quotes, because I don’t in any way equate it with causing real harm to the country, like spying or terrorizing, etc. I’m fully aware that it is just a game)
There’s no need to hate Rossi in my book. Italy made a great sub in 2nd half against a one-man down and very tired USA team.
To me, if you’re going to hate or blame the game on someone is the refs. Team USA showed a lot of pride on the field yesterday and did not back down against the World Cup champions even when the ref made a stupid red card call at the 33 minute mark. Yes, it was a hard foul by Ricardo Clark but not red card worthy.
Team USA just needs to earn respect with the refs against top-tiered teams and as costly as the red card was yesterday, team USA team left their mark and pride on the field.
David Regis!
I just remind my Italian friends that the Americans outscored the Italians 3-1 yesterday.
My grandmother immigrated from Italy, and made sure my father was an AMERICAN.
Rossi is an insult.
I do blame the US players on the field a bit though, especially the likes of Michael Bradley.
That mother f er Rossi should have spent a lot of time picking himself up off the ground after being knocked down.
Hate Rossi? Why not hate USSF and Bruce Arena? That organization, and that manager, did not put in the effort to get Rossi into the US camp.
In fact, Arena drove Rossi away.
It will be interesting to see how USSF and Bradley approach Castillo, since he is in the same position.
I would not have a dislike for Rossi as much as I do know if he would have not celebrated his goal in the manner that he did. He could have put alot of this all to rest if he would of just ran back to the center circle for the restart. Celebrate after the game with your teamates. No tin the face of the country that you developed your early talent in.
If someone does something that hurts me, I shrugg it off.
If someone does something that hurts my kids, I never forgive it. There is nothing rational about it – it just is what it is. It’s a one and done offense.
Rossi didn’t hurt my kids, but he may as well have. I want nothing more than to see the US elimiante Italy from the World Cup complete with US players dancing for joy around a the sobbing crumpled body of Giuseppe Rossi.
Well said Ives.
There’s sports fan “hate” and there’s real “hate.”
This is the former for you guys. As previously noted, we Canucklheads have Owen Hargreaves and Jonathan DeGuzman to similarly kick around.
Personally, all this nationalism stuff is mostly crap, but what the hell. Good for a laff.
We have a winner, shortp:
“I just remind my Italian friends that the Americans outscored the Italians 3-1 yesterday.”
I can’t blame him in the slightest. Quite frankly, if my son had dual citizenship in Italy or Germany or some place like that, I’d get his ass out of the US Soccer system faster than you could say “Traitor.”
Ives,
It’s not about hate, It’s more just dissapointment, like when a family member does something to hurt the family w/out ever even thinking about what the decision means, and really doesn’t care…
it was a greedy, self centered desision on his part, and the entire US soccer community; fans, players and coaches should simply turn their backs to him (not in a personal sense, but in a professional sense). I just have a bad taste in my mouth whenever I think about the dude. He’s a jackass, and we should all say our peice and then be done w/ him for good!!!!
People play for foreign countries other than their home country 99% of the time b/c either they were exiled/escaped from their country of origin(see adu, Renken), or they have dual citizenship and never would have received an opportunity to play for their home country (see Arti Alvarez, Jermaine Jones, Thomas Dooley, etc.)… In my opinion these are people w/ legitimate reasons to play for a foreign country, b/c that foreign country is the only one that player can represent, and should feel honored to do so…
Rossi is in that 1%, the player that could have played for his home country, could have been one of the 1 or 2 best players on the field; However, decided that he wanted to play for a foreign country simply b/c it was a better team w/ a better tradition.
If he had been spurned in some way by the US, okay, I understand. but he wasn’t to my knowledge, he never even played on any youth national teams. I mean it wasn’t ever really a question for him, which I take as a slap in the face… Its like a guy that leaves his devoted wife and kids for a prettier lady w/out ever thinking twice about it or showing any sort of remorse… Like I said, it’s greedy and self centered… To me the international game is about people playing for their home countries, or adopted countries for reasons stated above.
Does anyone really buy that his decision was b/c he feels more Italian than American? If Rossi became a carpenter, does anyone here think he would move to Italy to practice carpentry b/c he always considered himself Italian rather than American??? I think an emphatic NO is the answer, but maybe I’m wrong
In Closing; For Rossi’s sake I hope that when his career is done, he doesn’t attempt to move back to the US and play himself off as some legend of American soccer; although, it really wouldn’t surprise me. That’s it, I’m done.
How does saying “go ahead and hate” someone on your own web site not make that web site a “hate site”?
Why are people asking if Clark is suspended? Red = 1 game suspension.
What moron would choose to play for the US when he could play for Italy.
We skewer Landon Donovan for choosing LA over Europe, but somehow we would want Rossi to accept a spot with the big fish in soccer’s backwater.
Italy has won and will continue to have a good chance to win world and European cups in Rossi’s lifetime. A good world cup for the US is getting to the knock-out round.
I look at Rossi as proof that you can be born and live your formative year’s in Jersey and still become a great soccer player.
Stop hating and start working on your foot skills.
sonicdeathmonkey,
Fifa can rescind the red card and make it a yellow, so he would not be suspended. As they should do
I’m sorry to say but there are alot of delusions on this blog.
Rossi was never ever going to play for the US. His father primed him for the Azzuri. He left the states when he was 13 and has played all of his football abroad, represented the Italians on every youth team (U-16, U-17, U-18, U-21). He has no connection or obligation to the USMNT, so get over it people.
Rather you should be questions why your own version of Rossi, Adu, wasn’t in the line up.
Give it a rest, Ives. If I was in his situation, I would want to play for my father’s country as well. How about hating Demerit for not stepping up on Rossi and allowing him to take a wide open shot?
Here is what Rossi represents: He is a 5’8” kid from New Jersey who just scored two (excpetional) goals for the World Cup holders in a major International Cup competition, is a starting striker for a solid La Liga side, and is building a resume that will surely attract Europe’s top powers. Rossi is definitive proof that the United States of America can indeed produce world class footballers given the right training and coaching, and that they do not need to be the kind of superhuman althetic specimens that we see in the NBA or NFL.
Disappointment, yes. Frustration, you bet. But hate is shortsighted. Yes, we desperately wish he had made a different decision. But he should be held up as an example to any American kid, of any size, that yes it is possible for an American to be a great soccer player and earn a lot of acclaim and money. If Rossi’s example encourages even five American kids to work that much harder and become that much better, then the U.S. National Team will have a bright future indeed.
Tom,
“What moron would choose to play for the US when he could play for Italy?”
oh I don’t know, maybe some American Moron who actually cares that his national team succeeds, rather than calls it a soccer backwater. What kind of idiot thinks like that?
By the way Tom, if Rossi was playing for the US yesterday and not Italy, we most likely win that game. Then who would be the backwater team?
All I’ve got to say is that young Giuseppe better not ever make any plans to visit papa Fernando in Clifton, capiche?
i have expressed my “hatred” for him, which is really intense passion of displeasure. Crap, I have felt like a lone crusader for soccer in this country, because I never lived in US cities where there was any outlet for it. Even now, in a town of 30K between to mid-major cities (Detroit/Toledo), I am the only guy in the sports bar watching the game on ESPN. lol. I WANT soccer to succeed. I want the US to succeed in soccer. So, Rossi goes against EVERYTHING I am working for–at least right now. (more on that in a sec). Yeah, he is a player I love to hate, but in the end, growing up internationally, I know that cultural identity is a fluid thing. People are imposing their own templates upon Rossi (including me, with my “hatred”)
That said, I don’t think the kids is totally un-American, either. Who knows if he will ever do so, but who’s to say he couldn’t come back and be some kind of force for growth of the sport here. (like Beckham, lol–jk, but that probably killed the impact of my point!). There are more then one way to skin a cat. He still is American, he still has some ties here, and who knows, as player (doubtful) or coach, maybe some day he could make an impact.
But until he does that (or until he gives me tickets to the WC), I will go on “hating” him.
>Rossi is definitive proof that the United States of America can indeed produce world class footballers given the right training and coaching, and that they do not need to be the kind of superhuman althetic specimens that we see in the NBA or NFL.
Well said, Adam. That’s why I love what Rossi is doing (except when he plays against my team). There’s no reason that we can’t produce great players here, too, and he is proof; but what about his training and coaching has made the most difference? His father obviously was a huge factor, so instead of shunning the Rossi, why not try to learn from them?
@ diego maradona & HM.
DING DING DING! We have a winner. Those comments are dead on. Those of you who say you hate, dislike Rossi or that he is an “insult” get a clue. Bruce Arena invited Rossi to take part in training camp prior to the 2006 World Cup, but he declined. Arena’s response?
“We’re not chasing around 18-year-old players that can’t get games for their club team and tell me they want to play for Italy.”
Granted *part* of this statement is accurate at the time, however I am increasingly frustrated with U.S. Soccer, the President of the organization, the structure of it, and the entire organization and development (lack thereof) of young, promising soccer talent in the U.S. Don’t fault Rossi for pursuing his dream. Fault USSF and Bruce Arena, Bob Bradley for not having the drive and determination to CHANGE how we identify, recruit, and retain top players and athletes. USSF does not have the right mentality to do this and it starts at the top of the organization.
Thanks for writing this Ives
Those who “hate” G. Rossi should direct their anger towards the people who run the MLS and US Soccer Federation who have done little to develop soccer in the US and insist in offering a pathetic league and fool the fans by claiming that the US can compete at an international level. While at it, blame the “specialized” press too, who contribute to the false impression that all is well in American soccer.
Posted by: Diego Maradona
That’s really a pretty dorky and uninformed comment, the way you have laid it out. Next time give specifics as to what is wrong with the MLS, and also, maybe explain how a 13 year old league in a country entrenched against soccer is doing remarkably well, considering. And also tell me why we need to deride the investors who are spending THEIR cash to make this a business success, and as a by product to us, we might actually have a league on par with the world some day. Or would you suggest they should have folded it in year two? You have enough to worry about coaching your own national team, Diego.
What gets me the most is that for the US, Rossi is a once-in-a-generation player. For Italy, he doesn’t even get the start, and someone with his skill set will come around again in a few years. (Balotelli doesn’t even get called in!)
I think this situation has taught USSF to not make the same mistake again. from now on they will forcefully pursue ALL talented players who have the SLIGHTEST chance of playing for the US.
That being said, as frustrating as it is, we all need to accept that Rossi has made his decision, he is not American. He is an Italian now. The sooner we accept this, the better we’ll all feel.
GIUSEPPE ROSSI IS ITALIAN
HM is right…we should be hating the folks who drove him away. Truly I lay this squarely on the shoulders of Sunil Gulati who could have hired an internationally renowned coach who would have had the gravitas to keep a keep like Rossi. Sunil if you are reading you can still make this right….bring us Klinsmann.
PS…Ives why don’t you ever answer my Klinsmann question…what gives???
Good piece Ives! I don’t hate Rossi. He chose to play for Italy, it was his choice and he is happy with that. We have to move on and develop our own talent. We have come a long way so far and there is more good moments in stored for the US team.
God, All this talk about Rossi’s celebration, you’d of thought he pulled out Old Glory and used it to wipe his @ss in the middle of the pitch. He was celebrating with his team, not flinging poo on Landicakes, sheesh.
Ives and all you other Team Americans:
Get Over It. Rossi is Italian, he plays for the Italian National Team. The sooner you realize this the less you will have to stew in your own hate sweat.
Ghana fans don’t hate Adu who is the complete carbon copy opposite of Rossi. Basically just goes to show that in our desperation for success in soccer, some American fans are willing to adopt a highly hypocritical self-serving stance.
Lots of parraells with Canada too….arguably the two best players of the last generation of Canadians have chosen to play for other countries (Jonathan de Guzman, Holland and Owen Hargreaves, England). Of course, if you look at half the guys who do, or have, played for Canada there’s tons and tons of foreign born, naturalized Canadians in the side now and in the past. I guess it has to cut both ways, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
It hurts more when those guys are players who would REALLY help.
If you’re a soccer player, your dream is to win the world cup. Not to knock on the USMNT, but your chances of winning the world cup is still higher if you play with Italy rather than with the US.
That being said, who in this board would choose the USMNT over Italy, if given the choice, without respect of nationality but to simply reach the ultimate goal of winning the World Cup.
If he came into the sport 10 years from now, the story may be differenct as we all can see the USMNT developing into a very competetive team – albeit not in the level of England, Italy and those who have have asoccer in their blood forever…
I don’t hate him for his decision as I may have done the same
Hate is a strong word, but when he scored that first goal it was probably hate that I felt at that moment. For him, of all people, to score that amazing goal was cruel. It just was. I hope he goes on to a successful career so the US has a shot at them/him again sometime soon to return the favor.
Another poster mentioned the Canadians who’ve become all too familiar with this. To lose out on De Guzman and Hargreaves and see the team struggle when those two players could make a huge difference in the side, that’s got to be tough.
Absolute dirt bag, especially after that classless celebration post first goal.
“Fans don’t hate nobodies” absolutely great.
Greetz from CR Ives
Rossi is now my least favorite american of all time. Has there ever been a worse american?
Right now what’s bothering me the most is how he celebrated the goal. Other national teams (and nations for that matter) would of been highly insulted. In Arg. for instance celebrating a goal against your former club is HIGHLY frowned upon.
I get it Rossi, who wouldn’t want to play for the best team in the world and exceed at the highest level, but please show a little more respect for the nation you grew up in.
I normally don’t pontificate on blogs like this (and i apoligize for the length), just enjoy reading other people’s opinions but this discussion has gotten ridiculous. IMO, its one of the things that will always hold the sport, and MLS, back in this country: the fact that the small passionate following of U.S. Soccer is either ignorant to the fact, or refuses to believe that there are people in this country whose exposure to the game is different than their own.
There are lots of American kids in NY/NJ, around Rossi’s age (I’m one of them) who have a connection to the sport because of their Italian heritage. Growing up they watched the Sunday morning Serie A games with their parents/grandparents on the one or two stations that carry the RAI feeds and maybe attend a game or two when they were back in Italy visiting family (I was lucky enough to be over there during Italy ’90). That’s the only emotional connection the sport we ever had. From a young age, we look at the Azzurri as some type of superheroes. When they came to Giants Stadium in ’94, it felt like Superman had come to Earth.
Its not anyone’s fault that these types of emotions don’t exist towards the US team. Its a federation thats building something from the ground up, and as a fan I’m sure thats exciting to be a part of, but to many Americans, the Italian team is something special.
When Italy plays the U.S. in soccer, I root for Italy. If they were to play in basketball, I’d root for the U.S., because I have no connection to Italian basketball the way I do Italian soccer. This type of thing doesnt make me any less American, because ultimately (and I hate to break it too you) its not all that important. Its not choosing sides in a war or anything. Loving the soccer team is completely unrelated to loving a country. I’ve never rooted against the U.S., but honestly I’m not all that interested in what they do. I buy the tix for RBNY, and the MLS satellite packages but its different. Should I be emotionally attached because I’m American? I don’t know, but I’m not going to fabricate an emotional connection where none exists.
Equating one’s opinion of Italian soccer and U.S. soccer has being reflective of their opinion of the countries themselves is absurd. Rossi can easily (and who knows if he does) consider himself more American as a person but more Italian as a soccer player.
That Rossi is self-centered, or that this was some cold calculating self-interested decision, rather than an emotional one is ridiculous. And if its an insult to you that he wears the blue shirt, its an insult to a lot of people that you hate him for it and are so dismissive of the reasons behind it, and so dismissive of people in this country who love the sport for reasons other than yours.
So call us Eurosnobs and posers and all this other nonsense because and hate Rossi, but then don’t wonder why World Cups and Euro Cups do great TV numbers but you can’t get any of those people watching interested in joining the American game’s “community”, especially when they have the teams of their heritage labelled as cheats and divers and thugs.
Ives, this is more than just a “game”…
No real hate here (although I joined the facebook group). He is an amazing player. So he chose Italy over the US, big deal. I would do the same. Adu chose the US, Jermaine Jones is doing the same. I do, however, think that he showed no respect for his country of birth celebrating that way. Podolski never did that for Germany vs Poland. Luciano Emilio didn’t celebrate when he scored for DC against his former club (olimpia?) in Honduras. It’s just class. Plain and simple. If I were to choose to play for the US, being Ecuador-born but living here most of my life… if I score for the US against Ecuador I just pick up the ball from goal, thank God, take my team mates celebratory slaps and continue with the game. That’s how a classy athlete works.
I have a lot of Italian American friends and an Italian American girlfriend. That being said, there are some Italian American soccer fans out there who seem to forget where their loyalties should lie when it comes to the world’s game.
American citizens should choose America first and their ancestral home second. It doesn’t matter if your parents were immigrants or not. America is your home and it should absolutely 100% always come first in the hearts of every American regardless of ancestry. For instance, even though I’m Irish American I would root for the United States in any match played against Ireland. That’s because I’m American: American First, Irish Always. The same should go for any Italian American player or fan out there. Get your priorities straight.
More than anything, I am just disappointed. He could have played for the country that, in a recent interview, he still considers his home.
“For me, America is home,” Rossi says.
Yeah, I hate the guy. Roy Keane was right when he criticized Patrick Viera for not playing for Senegal. Ryan Giggs never got to play in a major international tournament because he wanted to play for his home nation as opposed to England even though he had the chance to. It’s just… lame and disappointing.
Good Article.
But I still hate the kid
I will cheer for Rossi whenver he plays, except when Italy plays the USA.
I don’t know if I hate him but I do think he’s a low life. When his country called him, he hung up. If he wants to be an Italian that’s fine, then turn in your passport, stay there, live there and don’t come back. At that point I don’t care anymore but somehow I have a feeling that he wants to take as much as he can from both sides and that makes him human crapola and please, stop calling yourself any kind of an American because you aren’t.
Mike
You’ve got it completely opposite. It’s people like you that keep the game from growing. Almost every US fan who is at least 25 y/o was exposed to the game because of foreign influences. We simply had too.
And yes, it does make you unAmerican to not take that exposure to this great game and turn it into a passion for the US team like us US fans have. That’s why we hate Rossi. He symbolic of you Eurosnobs who keep soccer from becoming a great American sport. Rossi cements that terrible notion that soccer is a sport that can’t be American and bring us together.
IMO, if you’re really American, and you’re genuinely passionate about this great game, then you should cheer for the US. You can’t fully appreciate the true passion of soccer if you don’t support the country you love. Otherwise, soccer is just an annual St Patricks Day parade type event, and not a true passion.
Consider Rossi to be a very lucky fella and i am not saying this because i dislike him but think about this, would he do what he did if he was born in Colombia to Italian parents and 22 yrs later, in a match were Italy is playing Colombia, and HE SCORES TWO GOALS FOR ITALY CELEBRATING LIKE CRAZY……I bet he won’t have played that match. Lucky sumbi***, he is not Colombia-Italian and that he scored against Colombia (2 goals for that matter), it would have been DEJA VU 1994 when he arrives at the Bogota International airport……(they wouldn’t have waited like they did with Andres Escobar)…it is just the plain truth no matter how brutal it sounds, sorry i had to write it
I hate him. I also wish injury on him. I don’t want the guy to die, but I do want him to enjoy a career along the lines of Bo Jackson. You know, a fast start, plenty of build-up then WHAM! A hip injury. He’s made enough money to live well in Italy (he’s not welcome in the U.S.) the rest of his life.
Call me a jerk, crazy, or whatever. I will root against this guy as long as he plays.
Off with his head!!! I’m not joking, those celebrations were out of line. Ives why don’t you try being an objective journalist for once when it comes to Rossi and call him what he is.
A backstabbing, whoosy playing, highly talented turncoat for the italians. Just don’t put him in yanks abroad section anymore… We ont like him, he is in no way connected to american soccer any longer. Let us live with what he have. Rossi I hate you- HATE
Hey Ives,
Thanks a lot for the writeup. I am personally happy for Rossi because he has fulfilled his dream, even if it is at the expense of our national team.
If people want to blame Guiseppe for his decision, they should start with his dad for raising him dreaming about playing for the Italian team. But then again, you have to blame every first generation immigrant because 9 out of 10 will raise their children to love the parent’s home country. These people have a very different national identity that others born here after the second generation (usually referred as identity crises).
If we are to be so American, why do we celebrate such heritage festivities as St. Patrick’s Day, Columbus Day, Puerto Rican Day, 5 de Mayo, etc.? Some people just feel stronger about their heritage than others.
We should get used to the idea that the Rossi episode is one of the first of many to come. Let’s just hope that USSF does a better job of recognizing talent and really going after these kids.
Cheers
Rossi is worse than Benedict Arnold, Aldrich Ames, Ethel & Julius Rosenberg, and Tokyo Rose COMBINED!
That is not hyperbole. Nor is it hyperbole to say that Italian Americans who cheer for the Azzuri (like commenter Mike above) deserve to be mocked and ridiculed with various anti-Italian slurs and stereotypes: “A-ah Mikey-ah, get me some-ah spaghetti-ah!”
For all of you saying Rossi is Italian, yes he is through his parents but he is Amrican because he was born in US…..if his parents wanted him to be all Italian, follow the italian culture, eat Italian food, then why come to the US, stay there in Italy and raise your g#$dam% family. I am not against Rossi or whatever but he is a professional, he would have muted his celebration out of respect to his country of birth. Would it be fair it President Obama declares him the enemy of state for what he did…….that would be unfair but respect, i see is something his dad never taught him. I’m Nigerian -American (Born and bred here in Cleveland) and if i was a soccer player playing for Nigeria against the US, & i scored, I would not have celebrated, or rather mildly OUT OF RESPECT to USA, that clown did not do that hence the hating…..fine he can score as many goals as he wants against us but he a professional that you are and do not do anything that would jeopardize your family safety back home…..he is lucky US is not soccer crazy, if he was Mexican-American, I’ll bet my left &*^* his family would have been targeted especially by the mexican mafia…..just had to say my piece of mind about that traitor though i understand.
I am a huge USMNT fan. But I don’t hate Rossi — I think he made a good choice to play for the Azzuri.
America doesn’t deserve him.
When the best athletes in the US begin playing soccer rather than football, basketball, and baseball, maybe we will deserve a player like Rossi. Maybe we will field a team that genuinely ranks among the contenders for the World Cup. How pathetic is it that the shining hope of American soccer can’t get on the field for XEREZ?
People who hate Rossi are deluding themselves. I don’t even agree that he received his best soccer training in the US — he is a product of the second-best club in the world, Man United.
I felt rotten seeing him score on us yesterday, but I also understand soccer in the United States. NEWSFLASH: this is not Italy. Be a little more self-reflective, haters.
Also, Italy is MUCH worse than Mexico in my book. I love to hate Mexico. I just plain hate Italy.
You’ve got it completely opposite. It’s people like you that keep the game from growing. Almost every US fan who is at least 25 y/o was exposed to the game because of foreign influences. We simply had too.
Posted by: Tim
Maybe where you grew up — but I just learned to love soccer by playing it. I wasn’t watching it on TV, because there was nowhere to watch it on TV, at least on normal cable stations.
Good post, Ives. I liked the idea of a US oriundi at first, but Rossi should have done what Podolski did at Euro 2008 (not celebrating against his birth country). Rossi is worse than Blanco in my book.
Heck – I hated the guy next to me at the bar yesterday with the Gatusso jersey. Exchange below:
Him – You support the US?
Me – Yeah
Him – I’m Italian, go Azzuri!
Me – Really? You were born in Italy?
Him – No
Me – Your parents?
Him – No
Me – You’re American, don’t talk to me.
Then I did my best to scream in his ear when Landycakes scored. He got the last laugh but I enjoyed the yell, A LOT!
So do I hate Rossi? Heck yeah! Would I wish harm on him? Heck no! Would I have been upset if he blew out his knee during his celebration yesterday? Not a bit.
RK
I should clarify. I was also first exposed to the game by just playing it, but it was foreign influences that exposed me to the passion that exists for the game.
I don’t hate Rossi. I’d rather focus on the guys who WANT to play for us.
People, he is one player…Get over it. You would still have lost if he was on your side. Get a grip. Italy has 10 Rossis waiting if he doesn’t play. This is a team game.
Do you know what won the game? Mr. M. Lippi.
Taking out the brutal Camoranesi and Gattuso. They were so ineffective. And they used to be, still can be when they’re fit, the best at that position.
Hey aside from losing Hargreaves and Jo.DeGuzman in soccer, Canada has lost Greg Rusedski in tennis and Lennox Lewis in Boxing. Both to Britain. LL won a gold medal for Canada, then he “became” British, “developing” an accent too. And Canada can’t afford to lose top talent like that…we’ve got nobody else…You get over it and support the people who do chose your country, but you still have pride knowing that you developed the guy who left.
Jo.DeGuzman is much like G.Rossi. He left Canada as a teenager to play in Holland. He knew he wanted to play for Holland youth and then senior team straight away, just like Rossi. And his older brother Julian is Canada’s best player. No one “hates” him.
Enough foreigners play for US and Canada…
I don’t hate Rossi, and I agree that he’s an exceptional player. But I have to hate somebody over this, so I choose Rossi Senior. My parents were born in Greece but came to the US for a better life — so they made damn sure I was an AMERICAN, first and foremost. I have no doubt that Rossi’s dream of playing for the Azzurri started with a bug his father put his ear. If Rossi’s father came here for a better life for his children and then, after securing that better life, moved him back to Italy so he could potentially play for the better national team, shame on him. The element of national pride is what separates international soccer from club soccer and it SHOULD play a part in the decision.
There is absolutely NO explanation not to hate him and wish death up on him for playing for Italy unless by some miracle he can prove that he was actually born in Italy, grew up there, etc. Of course, he cant do that, so he stands above any of the other mentioned hated players because he is a traitorous bastard whose parents should be deported.
f*** that scumbag. He is a traitor. There are not many athletes I can truly say I hate, but he is one of them. Truly classless and tasteless, can’t wait for Brazil to take his legs out. For our guys, I am proud of your play yesterday. We were clearly the better team on the field yesterday, we dominated in every aspect until that terrible red. Not only did we play better, we scored with a man down. You guys played with a lot of heart and lets get some results vs the other two
I enjoy rubbing it in the face of Italians that it took an American to beat us!
I’ll be on as many blogs as possible reminding the world he is American. Over and over and over.
And i don’t really blame him for wanting to play for Italy. Kids don’t want to play for losers, they want to play for winners. “hey kid, you can play with the Lakers or the Clippers? Which one?” I think the answer is clear.
The guy didn’t join up with Osama and wage war against the US. He chose to play a GAME for another country where he may find bigger success.
USA v Italy 6/15/09:
Americans = 3 goals; Italians 1 goal
I don’t hate Rossi. Don’t have time or energy for wasted emotion. I just don’t care about him.
Instead, I love and support the players who wear the jersey of the US National Team. They are realizing their dreams and they’ve earned my energy and emotion.
I did not hate Rossi before yesterday. I do hate Rossi now, however, but for an entirely different reason than most, I think. I never considered him an American or a candidate for the American team. He always wanted to play for Italy. He cheered when he scored. He did his job. He is an opponent. That’s what opponents do. The reason I hate Rossi now, though, is because so many American supporters won’t shut up about how we “lost” him and how good we’d be with him, and how we’d all fart rainbows if he were here, etc., etc. Shut up about him already. He’s a good player, he had a fantastic strike on his 1st goal, end of. Let’s talk about the players we DO have and how we can improve going forward.
Posted by: mwc | June 16, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Best post ever.
like usual, you give wayyy too much credit to this kid.. i’d take donavan over him any day
Mike from NJ said it best. To Italians worldwide, the Azzurri are the ultimate dream team. We follow them from infancy. There is no other sport that you watch with your family. I didn’t watch Leaf games or Team Canada hockey games with my family…I watched those with my friends.
The whole family watches the WC and cheers for the Azzurri. It is as much a part of growing up Italian as playing catch is for Americans.
Every Italian had a picture of the 82 team in their house, and now a picture of the 06 team.
Italians were watching WC, Euros, Champions League, etc and skipping work to do so, long before ESPN, FOX or TSN woke up to the sport.
My hate for him stems from his parents desperate need to LEAVE Italy and enjoy the beautiful life that America can hand them on a silver platter.
USA4Life. If you think anything is “handed on a silver platter” to an immigrant with nothing in their pockets you need to be educated…but I guess that costs too much.
If you are of German ancestry and born in the United States there is no choice. You choose to play for the United States. If you are of English ancestry and born in the United States then you play for the United States. See, it’s simple.
If your culture teaches you to love another country’s national team more than the United States and you are an Americdan citizen then your culture needs to be changed.
If your family still lives in the United States because it’s the greatest country in the world then you shouldn’t play for another national team.
Horrible choice by Rossi and horrible parenting by his parents. He had the choice to be honored with a spot on the USMNT and rejected it.
So yep, I’ll keep up with my sports hatred of Rossi. Soccer enemy #1, barely beating out every player on the Mexican national team.
Rossi, Derossi I hate them all. This punk @ss needs to spend more time flat on the pitch in games he plays against us than time on his feet.
We don’t DESERVE Rossi? How moronic is THAT?
And you “death to Rossi” guys are starting to creep me out.
Mike from NJ, I understand your perspective, I have friends in a similar boat. I just don’t share it with you.
Not sure what all the whining is about with Rossi’s celebration. yeah, it made me “hate” him more at the time, but honestly, that kick, that game, from him, deserved that flood of passion. Still hated it, but I don’t really buy into this “he should have shown more respect.” Crap, he plays for Italy, he SHOULD be all for them winning. (and that is why I “HATE” him!
)
The whole Italian National hockey team is Canadian. I don’t hate them one bit, not even if they were to beat Canada. This is a new world people. You can have dual citizenships and can love 2 (or more) countries.
Sorry Mr. TFC!
I would have thought an educated person such as yourself would have seen through my sarcastic analogy, but alas I was wrong.
For that, I sincerely apologize.
Ok lets try it again…..
When his(Rossi’s) parents with nothing in their pockets, made the horrible trip in that 747 eating lobster and sipping champagne from the horrids of Italy…came to America.
They lived out of boxes….that have been shipped from overseas to their 1 bedroom apartment in the horrible crime filled neighborhood(we just call it New Jersey). After a day and a half of searching for a job both parents reluctantly became teachers of the language of their homeland they desperately wanted to leave.
Soon they had a child born in this place that has become worse than where they came from(because they had to work for that silver platter..remember TFC) and begged him to return life to they way it always shoud have been and immigrate back to that other horrible place we call Italy.
And we all know the story from there.
Rossi had a great game, congrats to him… I don’t hate him. I am much more concerned with our player selection and tactics. It seems to me we take one step forward and then one step back, we can’t seem to get out of pool of mediocrity. I think it is to early to crown Rossi as a once in a generation type player. He may just end up being that, but both of his goals yesterday (as brilliant as the first one was) came against a very tired American team that was playing down a man as a result of an overamibitious referee and a young petualant defensive midfielder who still has learned to control his emotions on the field. I for one am starting to worry about Bradley and the direction of this team… they don’t seem to have a clear focus or identity. Let Lippi worry about what to do with Rossi, I want to see us get results against top shelf teams.
Dave
Anyone for Italian food tonight?
I think I am going to pick some home grown basil (from my American garden), local farm tomatoes, and some killer fresh Mozzarella and Modena Balsamic Vinegar from DiPalo’s in Little Italy. And wash it down with a nice California Shiraz.
Ahhh. If only things were are simple as food…
Cheers
If Rossi had not celebrated after scoring the two goals the way he had he would get more respect from me… Those blaming Arena and USSF should know Rossi was never going to play for the USA as a 1st option. Podolski had way more class when he scored for Germany against his native Poland. Rossi is way too arrogant and I am sure karma will bite his butt when he least expects it!
What reason is there to hate Rossi? He’s a good enough player to be a regular feature for the Italian national team, for which he was eligible. Surely it was a no-brainer.
NO I DON’T HATE HIM!!!!!!!
I WISH HIM THE BEST CAREER POSSIBLE BECAUSE HE IS THE POSTER BOY FOR AMERICANS AS TO WHAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM!!!!!!!
NOW I DO HATE THE CRONIES AT THE USSF FOR LETTING THOUSANDS OF ROSSI’S SLIP THROUGH THEIR FINGERS WHILE SUPPORTING AND NURTURING RICH BOYS FROM THE SUBURBS AND THEIR EXCLUSIVELY EXPENSIVE TRAVELING TEAMS THAT LEAVE US WITHOUT THE TALENT TO COMPETE AT THE TOP LEVEL.
ROSSI’S 5’8 & 140 LBS. HE IS NOT SOME FREAK OF NATURE-JUST THE PRODUCT OF EXCELLENT PLAYER DEVELOPMENT. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO BLAME HIS PARENTS MOST NOT BE PARENTS BECAUSE IF YOUR KID HAS TALENT AND DESIRE (and you are not trying live out your childhood lost fantasies through them) YOU WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR HIM/HER AND YOU WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GET IT FOR THEM.
I’d say as of this morning my hate for Ricardo Clark and Bob Bradley far outweighs any hate for Rossi.
I am an Irish man who like the Rossis, emigrated to this country. While Ireland is still my number 1 team, I strongly support the US over any other.
This country has given me so much. If my american born son ever got to Rossi’s level and had to chose to play for either team, I would hope he would choose HIS team, the stars and stripe and not mine.
Screw you Mr. Baker. Of course, he has the right, and we have the right to call him out for being traitor and un-American. It’s as simple as that. Yes, he took a risk. Yes, he’s really f-ing good. Yes, he’s not a monster……but YES, he turned his back on the USA. We get to call him out on it and hate him for it.
It’s called being a fan.
It is hard to see immigrants come to America, happy to take all of America’s benefits, yet not be grateful enough to give back. Rossi’s celebrations were in very poor taste.
I don’t, however, find it any more worrying than the prospect of Jermaine Jones, who admittedly never wanted to play for America and does not like Germany’s insistence on team play, coming over here to use us only because they won’t let him play over there. We deserve better than that, too.
As an American of Italian heritage, and someone who is passionate about football/soccer, I have a certain understanding of what Rossi did and can, to a degree, appreciate and take some pride in it. However, I can’t help but be greatly angered by his dedication of his goals to his family in America. I think that was a move made in poor taste. Do I hate him? ehh… yes, a little, but in the same way I hate any pro athlete, on the field and no where else. Do I wish him dead? No, at the end of the day, like Ives said, this is just a game. Rossi is from Jersey, and is an American, shame on him for thinking other wise, but congrats to him for making it into a team that just won the WC.
I hate Rossi.
Great post Ives; judging by the (largely incoherent) comments at the very least we can say there is some passion on the issue.
Why hate someone for doing what they want? Why hate a player for not consulting fans on what they should do? Why hate a guy because he didn’t consider your feelings above his?
Yeah, hate is part of sports, but it’s the immature part that doesn’t need to be championed. You don’t need to imply that it’s wrong to not really give a crap about Rossi. He means as little to me as anyone on any other national team. He’s an opponent.
And Arena didn’t drive him away. That’s revisionist history trying to sully Bruce’s reputation just because that seems to be a sport for some fans. Rossi was never destined for the US.
All in all… I don’t think Rossi cares and I hardly doubt the Italian press cares that “we” hate him. That much is sure. He will go on and represent and score. We’ll just have to pick up the pieces, develop more players and become serious contenders in 16-20 years time. That’s how long it might take but bear no doubt that it’s possible. We have a deep pool of multicultural players in this country and shall continue having that for the time being. Added to that is American prowess in world sports in general, even if soccer is a second-tier sport here. We have the resources and the man power.
“Passion and “rational thought” cannot coexist in the realm of sport, particularly when it comes to the beautiful game. ”
That’s a crock. You don’t have to be irrational and juvenile to enjoy sports.
I dislike Carlos Ruiz FAR more than Rossi.
hating Rossi is lame. you guys would have made the same decision in his shoes…or boots….
Howard has a Hungarian passport. Gooch is Nigerian. Bocanegra is mexican. Altidore is Haitian. Bornstein is Israeli and Mexican. Torres is Mexican. Kljestan is serbian.
Dammit, these guys should not be playing for the US.
I am a HUGE Nats fan. But I hate Alexi Lalas 100 times more than Rossi. I think it is incredible that he came from here and is as good as he is… gives us a lot of hope. Also, give Jozy a year or two, he’ll break the f— out, I think he could.
gooch altidore Kljestan Bornstein and torres were all born in the states
Derek — your grandmother came from Italy? BFD — you don’t know jack about the immigrant experience. Less than nothing.
When one or both parents speak the language of their homeland and you are immersed in that culture as a child in that household, whether on US soil or not, you’re between two worlds. Rossi is both American and Italian. He’s not some American with distant roots in Italy who eats Prego spaghetti sauce and pasta on Friday nights and thinks “gabbagool” is the right way to say the word.
I know how Rossi feels in this respect and don’t blame him a bit for HIS decision. What a bunch of pimply faced internet hardguys thinks is irrelevant. That means you, Derek.
I really don’t get a lot of what people have been saying on here. Rossi is not a homegrown talent. For him to be homegrown, an American club or academy would have to have played a big part in his development like Bradenton did with Adu. The kid was taught soccer by his father. And when he was 13 he joined Parma. Parma is where he really learned how to play the game the way he does now. So if anything, he’s an Italian homegrown player.
And with the celebration, people keep saying that his celebration was too much. If I was playing for Italy, and my team was losing 1-0 to a squad with 10 men, and the coach throws me in there and I score a fabulous goal like that, I would have celebrated for the next 30 minutes. People keep saying he was being disrespectful, but you don’t know what that goal meant to that kid. You just think about your little feelings. I’m sure there were days when he wasn’t sure if he could make the Italian national team. I mean look at all the talented Italian youngsters who didn’t get this chance. I’m sure Giovinco is at home wishing he had this chance. I’m sure Pazzini would have loved to have been the one who scored that goal.
And all this crap about Podolski having more class. Podolski’s family is Polish. That means his father, mother, grandparents, are Polish, so of course when he scores against Poland he wouldn’t celebrate, because he would feel he was insulting his family’s heritage. Rossi’s family is Italian. That means his father, mother, grandparents, are all Italian. I could understand it if he was playing for the US and scored against Italy and decided not to celebrate. But he is Italian. Just because he was born in the US does not mean that the American side of him is all of a sudden more important than his Italian side.
The great thing about America is that you can come to the US and create a life for yourself, without having to lose your connections with your home country. His parents made the choice to raise their child as an Italian and not an American. A lot of immigrants do that, that’s nothing new. People are just jealous the kid is immensely talented and no US player is his match. GROW UP PEOPLE. Hate him because he scored against the US. The way you would hate Ronaldinho if he scored a brace against the US. Don’t hate him for choosing to play for Italy.
William, try not to call people out and then post something dead wrong:
“When one or both parents speak the language of their homeland and you are immersed in that culture as a child in that household, whether on US soil or not, you’re between two worlds.”
Congratulations you just described the immigrant experience for tens of millions of Americans across numerous generations– the VAST majority of whom chose to identify themselves as soley American. Only in this current generation have we seen large numbers of first generation Americans who simply see this as a temporary economic opportunity, and hope to one day return “home.”
I hate Bob Bradley, Don Garber, and Sunil Gulati more then Rossi
When is FIFA going to change the rules so that you play only for the country you were born in? Enough about parentage and dual citizenship and all that nonsense. The soil you were born on is the soil you represent, that should be it.
Rossi is an idiot and deserves everything he gets. He wanted Italy, so he should stay in Italy – which isn’t teh worst place to be. But, it should never be expected that he will be welcomed in the US. To suggest US fans accept him is lunacy – it would be like suggesting you be friends with a girl who dumped you for another guy.
Also, Rossi is not Pele Ives. To call him a “once in a generation player” is crazy. If you are suggesting he is on the same level as Messi or CR, you’re nuts. He’s got 3 goals in 6 games for Italy, he scored a long range shot and a garbage time goal against a US side down to 10 men. He’s probably going from Villareal to Juventes. This guy is not even one of the best 50 players in the world right now. Could he be the best US born soccer player ever, its a possibility, but he has a long way to go and even that wouldn’t make him one in a generation.
Rossi is not a product of American Soccer. He is a product of Italian soccer. He just happen to be born here.
His important coaching and development happened when he left here at 13.
You should not be hating on Rossi, we should be asking, why aren’t we developing those players here? There are obviously more of him.
I can’t blame him too much…if you have a chance to actually play for one of the best national teams in the world that’s a heck of a draw. That being said, man would it be nice to be able to pair Jozy up front with Rossi… we would be set on the striker front for the next 3 World Cup rotations.
Yes it hurts that Rossi is not on the US’s side, but all things considering, the US is doing pretty good. This is a “rebuilding cycle” for the US and we should be pretty stout by 2014. I believe the ESPN commentators said that the US’s avg team age just a little under 24 while Italy’s team avg team age was around 29?
It was really frustrating to watch Donovan thread two beautiful through balls only to watch MB and Jozy do literally nothing with them. They were less than 7 yards away from goal. MB should have toe poked it or hit it with the outside of his right foot instead of an off balance strike from his left … and Jozy should have absolutely crushed the ball and force the goalie to do something. Hope Jozy can learn a few things from Rossi … he certainly wouldn’t have wasted Donovan’s pass!
If I am repeating someone, whatever, but I was more insulted at his post-goal celebrations than the fact he chose Italy over the US.
He should learn a lesson from Lukas Podolski who didn’t celebrate once when he scored two goals against Poland, the country of his birth, in Euro 2008.
We will be shipping these shirts on Thursday… Who celebrates like that after scoring against his own birth country??? Judas T-shirt – link to store.objectivo.com
well, ives, the difference with rossi and someone like freddy adu is that rossi is born and raised in the states and only moved away to join a professional squad whereas freddy was born and partially raised in ghana but moved to the usa just a life choice. i think the rule should be to live in a certain country for at least half of your life before being able to play for them by the time you make the choice, or in the case of a nomad like subotic, let him pick between the two countries he has lived in the longest.
that being said, i am honestly not that crazy about jermaine jones playing for the usmnt, because i think we need to still have our pride as a nation, instead of going for the best players that the rules and loopholes allow us to (i know everyone else does it, but then thats what pride is: what sets someone apart from someone else.)
i think Rossi in choosing to play for Italy, which is an amazing opportunity, stopped himself from gaining a real place in history. i don’t think Rossi playing for Italy will get to the status of Andrea Pirlo or greats like him. if he had chosen the harder path and picked the US he’d have likely had a lot of fame here, he’s have done quite well and possibly allowed the US to get farther than it will in a shorter amount of time. he would have had a permanent spot in the annals of American sporting history.
alas he chose Italy and is now just one person in the large number or great players there. and i definitely don’t think Italy is winning the World Cup again next year, so he’ll just have to wait.
I don’t get the apparently native born American posters saying “I’d play for _____ over America if I could.” Not only did your parents screw up, but pretty much every other institution failed to transmit any sense of community pride or ability to think beyond the self. Thankfully, contrary to some international opinion, most Americans aren’t selfish pricks.
“Ghana fans don’t hate Adu who is the complete carbon copy opposite of Rossi. Basically just goes to show that in our desperation for success in soccer, some American fans are willing to adopt a highly hypocritical self-serving stance.”
The Truth
——-
That pretty much sums it up.
Rossi scoring two against the US is bad karma for all the same people posting now saying how much they hate him and want to break his legs.
Yet Jones gets snubbed by Germany and realizes he wants to play in a World Cup before he retires and everyone around here starts spazzing out and welcomes him with open arms.
double standard?
I think so.
Why should I hate Giuseppe Rossi? He is Italian, his parents were born in Italy. He speaks italian and has always said he wanted to play for Italy.
He even went to play in Italy when he was 13 years old. Get over it.
Instead of hating Rossi, we should be analyzing how he developed into the player that he is now; and then we should be talking about how to reproduce his success. I know that a lot of his development can be attributed to his time overseas after leaving the U.S. But the fact remains that for 13 years he developed in the United States. USSF needs to use this as a case study and learn what was done right and wrong, and then go and make changes to the US system.
Don’t hate the kid for choosing Italy as he never led us on. But I do hate how he celebrates and shows little respect for the country he was born in and his family still resides in.
Look at Podolski in Euro 2008 against Poland, the country of his birth at 1:30
link to youtube.com
Thats how you celebrate with class…something Rossi did not show. Additionally, in an interview, he dedicated the two goals to his family BACK IN AMERICA. Saying that is totally tasteless. I don’t wish death or injury upon him like some of the lunatics here, but I think a lot less of him than I used to and hope Italy wins neither the Euro or World Cup for the duration of his tenure on the national team.
In addition, Podolski scored in the EURO TOURNAMENT…the second biggest soccer tournament in the world, it would be easier to talk about the heat of the moment for Podolski if he didn’t show what a classy young player he is…Rossi scored in a mickey mouse tournament and celebrated like he just scored the decider in a World Cup game, it just shows you his integrity — especially with that interview…I’ll repeat again, I have no qualms against him for playing for Italy…if that is his dream then so be it…I do however have a problem with the disrespect he shows to the country of his birth.
When has “class” and “Italian NT player” have ever been used in the same sentence?
Ives, the fact that Rossi was unmarked on both goals is only the players fault?
Castillo slipped through the cracks, Rossi thought he was too good to play of us.
A close friend of mine is a first-gen Italian American. He supports Italy first and USA second. Mostly because when he was a kid there was no USA team to speak of or watch. However, I once asked which would he play for if he was a top flight talent; Italy or USA. Without a moments hesitation he said USA. Why? Because he was born and raised here. He’s not in denial that he’s American. That’s what I call class…something Rossi lacks. His little celebration is proof of that.
OK- I admit openly the following is a bit of psyco babble but….
I wonder if Altidores split second reaction/decision to try to pass back over the middle to Donovan was some of that “no individual is above the team” residue that gets forced down our players throats from an early age by the inept instruction our players receive by their video/book trained coaches that make up the overwelming majority of our youth coaches here in the USA.
We always seem to over pass vs. just cranking it up and firing away. (Dempsey excluded) Plus we always are all over anyone who pushes the envelop individually when the result is negative. I can think of 4 or 5 occasions where this happened yesterday.
Any (rational) thoughts?
i hate him fervently and have no respect for him as a player. when i face him in fifa, i always play as if there is a bounty on his legs. my tackles go in late, at an angle, and from behind.
On both of Rossi’s goals he was unmarked. On the first, three mids (Dempsey, Benny, Michael) are in high line with no one defending 20 yards of space behind them. Demerit backs up, the right thing normally, but not this time because none of the three mids are chasing.
On the second goal Spector has to come all the way over from the right sideline to try to catch an unmarked Rossi running down the middle.
Italy never gave Jozy, or Landon, or anybody else unmarked opportunities. My guess is that Coach Bradley never made any adjustments to cover Rossi after he entered.
madmax: Rossi’s first goal was all individual effort. He won the ball, touched, got his head up, and knew he was shooting. The second goal was all Pirlo magic and Rossi just knew where to meet the ball. You also have to consider that at the point the 3rd goal goes in our guys are pretty much exhausted from having to chase the game with a man down.
My fingerpointing at Bradley has more to do with him starting Clark in the first place. MLSers, meaning players who haven’t played club football outside MLS, have NO business in these games. Torres would have given them trouble, I’m sure of it.
As an Italian American, I understand why he chose Italy. I would not have done the same myself. Being born here, I know that I am what I am and have what I have because of this country. What stings most was how he celebrated. I’m happy for his success as he should be. But to act like a wild man like he did knowing full well how much those goals stung the country that he was born to was a bit immature. And immaturity is what I think we can chalk this up to.
As for hate, I’d offer this to my fellow American fans: I was never more moved in my life as a student than when a local holocost survivor visited our school and gave a talk about here horrid experiences in a concentration camp. One student asked her, “do you hate the Germans for what they did to you?” She replied, “Hate? Never. I do not hate. Hate is a disease and one that spreads fast. It’s that disease that killed my family and loved ones. I do not hate anybody, even the Nazis.”
Ives, perhaps the hate you talk of is more of the playful cheeky sort but I’d say that even in sports rivalry, history tells us that we should take care of our emotions. If that woman can be so magnanimous to a lot that deserved it so little I think we can relax a bit about Joe Red.
Perhaps it’s been mentioned by Rossi defenders already, but I think we can smile and be happy that while we might have lost a heartbreaking game at the feet of one of our own we can at least embrace the fact that three goals were scored by Americans on that prestigious stage.
Amazing that this has generated so many posts saying the same things, pro and con, no matter what side you take.
I’m on the side that says we’re being hypocritical if we celebrate Jones’ arrival but deny Rossi his choice. Besides, he was 13 when he went over, and he’s NEVER come back. Arena should have never invited him in 2006 to begin with. Whether he went because of his father, or because of his own desires doesn’t matter. He never said he would come back. How can a thirteen-year-old be a traitor. And blaming his father is ridiculous, too. Some of you can’t seem to hold two conflicting thoughts in your brains at the same time. It’s not an either/or decision. To argue that someone who wants to be an American citizen (Rossi’s father), must also therefor be absolutely committed to EVERYTHING American is ridiculous, almost fascist, nationalism.
If my kids showed the kind of promise he did, and someone from Europe invited them to play there, I’d think long and hard about it. He wanted to play great soccer, and he wasn’t getting what he needed here, apparently, so he left. Big deal.
and to target his goal celebration is laughable. He just scored the first international goal that really mattered in his career, he did it within five minutes of running onto the pitch, it brought his team level after it had been playing disjointedly the whole match.
I don’t have the facts on Podolski’s goal, but I wonder if he had more international experience than Rossi did, therefor he handled it more maturely (though I don’t think Rossi’s reaction was that big a deal, anyway). Did Rossi actually say to anyone that this meant more to him because it was against the US? forgive me if I missed that.
I like the post that says he missed his opportunity to make his mark here. He’ll be lost in the sea of Italian strikers that have gone before and will follow him.
Sure, I wish he played for the US; the team would be stronger for it. But to react as if you’ve been personally insulted is a bit much. I guess I better understand how the word fan is derived from fanatic.
Birthplace is such a cheap way to get citizenship anyway. Rossi is an Italian through and through. Besides, the stupid US coach at the time never invited him, and his dream was always to play for Italy.
rather than wasting energy hating Rossi, we should love this guy:
link to fulhamfc.com
As many of you suggested I just went back to the Podolski video, and find the comparison even more silly. I could’ve scored the goal Podolski made….there was no drama to it; Rossi’s goal was a bona fide blast, an amazing shot. His celebration was fitting.
I hate him! There nothing wrong with that. US fans should hate him
The reason Rossi’s defection (and I’m trying to be charitable with my words here) engenders such visceral reactions is because of something that most of us (well most boys at any rate) have experienced at least once in our lives. A very good player *rejected* us for another team even though he must have known we really needed his talent. He compounds that insult by scoring against us mere seconds after starting. Then, adding salt to the wound, he *celebrates* this rejection. Not once but twice (talk about kicking a kid when he’s down)!
We have all been here before. Whether it was a kickball game or a girl. It hurts. O does it hurt. Add national pride and patriotism to this mix and this is why we “hate” Giuseppi. But we are Americans, and we don’t need easy. And would we really want to win in that fashion? No, we should be grateful for Rossi. He was on ESPN twice today: Around the Horn and PTI. This got the sporting establishments attention. Let’s hope it has some positive effect.
Will the US ever get the chance of getting this kind of talent again?
link to youtube.com
this youtube video shows rossi basically saying that the only way you can become a good player is by leaving the usa.
he is a traitor to the stars and stripes, and believes he owes no favors to his country of birth. he NEEDS to be hated by american soccer fans. there’s no question about it.
Everybody must join the We hate Rossi Facebook group
The US has been dead to rossi longer than the rossi has been dead to US fans.
Truth is, f**k him. We don’t need to threaten him or his family. Its not like they’re responsible for 9/11 or the swine flu.
In the future, there will be more Rossi-type players in terms of talent.
I just hope somebody at US Soccer offices speaks Spanish. It’s easier to talk to the parents that way.
US 1, Brazil 0
Rossi is NOT a product of Italian soccer.
He spent 13 years in the US,
4 In Italy,
3 In England,
2 In Spain,
The kid was nasty BEFORE he went to Parma, or else he would never have gone to parma…. For anyone to act as if he completely learned the game of soccer in 3 years so that he was able to play on the Italian U-16 team is a joke… The kid is a product of US soccer, who continued to excell after arriving in Italy… he’s more of a product of England and Spain then Italy, b/c that’s where he became the star he is today.
also, those saying the US didn’t deserve to have him. What the hell are you all talking about???? how the hell are we supposed to ever be good, if we don’t deserve to keep the kids that we help foster into great players…
THOSE DEFENDING ROSSI, PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE ANYTHING… I understand that most of you are guido’s who’s hair jell has seeped into your brains, but I’m not sure that’s a completely valid excuse. Also, Stop wearing pink shirts, you tools
I dislike Italian-Americans defending Rossi for the same reason it irks me the MNT can’t play a qualifier in the southwestern U.S. I’m not saying immigrants should lose all connection to their country of origin, but shouldn’t there be some loyalty to this great country where they are making a life, especially if lucky enough to be born here? This lack of assimilation can be a slippery slope towards Balkanization.
The same way Sox fans “hate” Johnny Damon for going to the Yankees, the same way Eagles fans “hate” TO (even moreso) when he went to Dallas, the way Portland fans “hate” Clyde Drexler for going to Houston. As a fan of the USMNT it is our duty to HATE Guiseppe Rossi, now that he has scored twice on us & celebrated like hobo winning Powerball just makes us HATE him for 2 reasons rather than just being a traitorous scumbag. Then to see Daniele “#1 Douche Bag” DeRossi (the guy that threw the deliberate elbow to McBride’s face)score and act as if he’d just been told the Italian team are receiving a lifetime supply of motor oil for their beautiful quaffs was disgraceful. Not only should we HATE Guiseppe Arnold & D-bag DeRossi, but the entire Italian men’s national team for being the dirtiest, foulingest, floppingest, bunch of prima donnas ever to darken the pitch.
I hate losing and allowing goals but I would rather have a dual-citizen American score against us than a non-American.
“madmax: Rossi’s first goal was all individual effort. Don’t blame Bradley,”
False the midfield lost defensive shape as i already explained. All three central mids were high with acres of space open in front of goal. Exhaustion is a good reason there was no marking or chase on either of Rossi goals.
However, I can still point fingers at coach Bradley. Exhaustion goes directly to Coach Bradley for selections, and substitutions.
I just saw the youtube interview and now I’m convinced that the Rossi haters are on the lunatic, not just fanatic, fringe. Someone wrote earlier words to the effect that Soccer was much more than a game. I suppose that’s where the difference between us lies: some of us just don’t take it seriously enough, if we think players should be able to go where they want and play the highest level possible. I agree that if you’re going to blame someone, blame dad and the US system. No way a 13 year-old makes that decision by himself.
The truth that really hurts is that Rossi is probably right: he’s a better player because of the route he took. If he stays in the US, he doesn’t get pushed nearly as hard, and his skills don’t develop like they have. and to equate what he learned up to age 13 with what he learned after that doesn’t make a lot of sense.
@ Fugue: I get it better now, for what you’ve written. I cared about that kind of thing when it screwed over my son’s soccer team. I just don’t care about it at US MNT level. The loss pissed me off, that we weren’t better pissed me off, Ricardo’s thoughtless foul pissed me off, Rossi’s goals pissed me off. But Rossi, himself? he’s water under the bridge.
I don’t hate the guy at all. He’s Italian and he plays for Italy. He isn’t now and never was an American. Thanks, Ives, for deciding to remove him and all the other non-Americans from the Americans Abroad news.
So we’re really this delusional, that we think playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team is somehow serving the country itself, like its the armed forces…
Would be funny if it wasn’t so sad…
A reporter should have asked him right after the match if he was proud to be an American.
He is one lucky sumbi***, let’s say he was Colombian-Italian and he did was he did (Italy 3 Colombia 1), do you think his family in Colombia would be safe? He is lucky it was the US he played and scored against, and not colombia…..they (those Colombian drug cartel) would have pulled a Andres Escobar on his a**. I’m just stating the facts
Does anyone notice besides me that Rossi speaks much better Italian than English?
JustinG, couldn’t agree less. Dude was tastefully and sincerely excited to score the go-ahead cracker (and, what, his 2nd goal as a senior?) in the Confederations Cup moments after taking the field, with relatives guaranteed to be watching at home in NY. And on his second, he was VERY reserved. There’s really nothing there, cut him some slack.
Ives,
How much do Italian National Team members get paid for participation with the national team?
How much more does a professional players agent ask for in contract negotiations when the player wears the Azzurri?
How much more fame or adulation is received by an Italian who stars for the national team than an American who stars for theirs?
Put these considerations into the Rossi equation for a pragmatic (American) perspective on a volatile (Italian) issue.
I think it’s great that he made the right decision to play where his blood and heart is.
I was always taught that I was an Italian-American; Italian comes first.
Rossi’s celebrations were perfectly acceptable given that this is the first major tournament he’s playing in for the Azzurri AND his first international goals as an Azzurri. All you folks out there who hate him for choosing Italy over the US – the kid made his choice years ago – let it go. Hate Arena for screwing up yet another thing. Hate him like you hate any other world-class footballer when they play against the US & they school us.
TGUAC – Thank God US Ain’t Colombia….
that should be his theme reference when talking to the media
Oh, how cute.
According to the bio on his website, he “naturally loves returning home to America, his favourite place” for vacation and “would like to buy the house of his dreams in New York or, even better, on the San Diego coast.”
I too hate Rossi, mostly because I’m stuck with the feeling of “what could have been.” What a front line that would have been, altidore, donovan, and rossi
and w/ his goals from the game, well, that just got me more upset.
USA played great against Italy again, and hopefully we will meet them again.
i don’t wish him dead, but i do hope his legs rot off.
Adu was born in Ghana and came to the US when he was 8. Developed in Florida and CHOSE to play for the US. He CONSIDERED playing for Ghana too.
Rossi was born in US, left at 13, wanting to play in Italy. He had a choice too. He always said he wanted to play for Italy. Now he is.
Some people have 2 or more countries that they are linked too through birth, parents, emigration, etc.
Those of you screaming that American born means American 1st would be the first to cry if Adu and any number of other foreign-born Americans left.
I was pretty much apathetic about him until after he scored. The celebration said everything he did not – he is not an American, he is Italian. 100% Italian.
I was extremely pissed off, but it wasn’t until after I read an interview after the game wherein he said after retiring he would like to go “home” to New York or San Diego, and then to dedicate the two goals to his family, in America…..
He’s just using his citizenship to get the best of both worlds. And for that I hate him.
I don’t hate Rossi. I am just sad his dream was to represent Italy and not the USA. I can’t blame him one bit. Home is where the heart is, not where you live. If I moved to another country and my child was born there, said child would definitely be brought up that the USA is our home, even though we live elsewhere.
Kevin at 11:14, you seem to be the first person on this board who really takes the Rossi thing in a perfectly sound and natural way. Congratulations!
If Guiseppe Rossi of evident Italian ancestry had been born in the Netherlands, been a dual citizen and even played in the Ajax youth system(our best), and had then chosen to play for Italy, we would genuinely have wished him the best of luck and also kept in friendly touch.
It is not as if G Rossi would have been a worse player had he grown up only in Italy…. His father and G both GAVE to US football by coaching and playing there while G was a child. They have not TAKEN anything! G Rossi pretty much trained and played with Italians from the age of 13, always wanted to play for Italy, IS evidently Italian and was never even coveted by US trainers unskilled in recognizing talent for national teams until it was WAY to late. Go Rossi!
It feels so, so good to hate him…I’m going to ride this for a while.
My friend is a huge hockey fan and fantastic hockey player. He just moved to England, from Canada, for work.
If his kid starts developing in hockey, where do you think he’ll send him to play? He’d probably send him “home” here, live with grandma, and have a chance to become world class (which would never happen in UK). And IF he had a chance to play for team Canada or UK….which one do you think he’d “chose”?
The Podolski comparison is not the same thing. Like it or not, Rossi’s family clearly view themselves as Italians who happen to live in America. Not every family who moves here from another country is going to assimilate to the degree that they view themselves as American. There are many Americans in Europe who don’t view themselves as European. It’s not for anyone but themselves to decide what their identity is. To try and deign that someone else should believe themselves to be American rallies against the entire belief that you can choose what you want to be in this country. He was raised to see himself as Italian.
Podolski, on the other hand, was born and raised in Poland and half of his family are Poles, while the other half I believe are Aussielders. His family was in the stand cheering for Poland and he gave that as the primary reason he didn’t cheer. He also wanted to represent them at some point, because he viewed himself as Polish. So he viewed himself as a Pole, his family consider themselves Poles, and he wanted to play for them because of his own feelings of identity. Whether you like it or not, Rossi doesn’t view himself as American, his family doesn’t view themselves as American. If you want to dictate what someone should feel…..well go ahead, I’m not going to change your mind. But again, it’s not for anyone but the individual to decide what someone identifies themselves as.
This is probably a dead end thread, but I will post this anyway: I officially recant, I repent of my “hatred” of Rossi. It is just plain silly to hate the guy, even for sport. For what it’s worth. Time to move on.
Come to think of it, watching it again, who wouldn’t celebrate like that after scoring a 30-yard strike like that? And he looked excited, but he still didn’t run to the fans, and he ran straight back to the center circle. He didn’t milk any applause or dive into adoring Italians, he excitedly ran about after scoring an amazing goal. After his second he basically hugged his teammates and that’s about it. all the outrage over over-celebrating must view most celebrations as over-celebrating.
THis is not a case of your aging quarterback or center or favorite power hitter leaving for playing time or money (Favre/Shaq/ any MLB star). It’s fun to hate those kind of players. No, this is a slap in the face. He loves the Azurri? Then you would love the chance to play against them and possibly beat them in these International matches. But you represent YOUR team in YOUR country. The worst part is, the USMNT have been needing a NJ based offensive minded STRIKER ever since Tab Ramos took an elbow to the face courtesy of Dunga. Rossi was that guy, but the little worm decided that if the US is going to ever achieve world class success, it will be without him. Fine. I hope Italy chokes next year.
Btw, if Arena really is partly to blame for this, then that’s just another reason to hate that S.O.B. too.
Let him celebrate all he wants he has the right to do it. He scored two great goals coming from the bench. Doesn’t matter where he was born, he is representing the country that gave him everything football has to offer. At least he showed Lippi he wants to play not like some of the US players.
I think that if they choose to play in another country, then they should first get citizenship in that country. If this country sucks so bad that they need to go represent another country then they should go live and retire there and have their kids grow up there and all. As the son of Mexican born parents(and I say born because one is arabic by background and the other is polish) I was born here and this is my country. I could never ever dream of representing another country. This is the country that gave my parents the opportunity to have a safer and better life. I don’t even care that he scored on us twice, I’m personally offended by his decision to turn his back on the country that gave him his training and gave him the position he is in today. That offends me as an AMERICAN. That said, if he feels no pride toward this flag and country then he has all the right to do whatever he wants. Sadly that’s the materialistic culture we have developed. Finally the worst part is if all these great players would have more pride than selfishness then obviously the USMNT would be sooooo much better and more of the talent would want to stay here thinking we’d have a better chance to win. But since each consecutive talent we produce leaves, then we’re never going to be good, and they will never want to stay. The rule that allows you to play for the country where your parents grew up sadly hurts us most of all seeing as how we are a nation of immigrants.
It’s ‘football’ not ‘soccer’ and Rossi decided to play for Italy because they are a ‘good’ team, the US team will never ever be one of them a lot of your players are extremely poor and would be lucky too get a League 2 club in England and one of your apparent best player Jozy Altidore is a donkey up front, I’m surprised he can even finish his dinner let alone a chance from 8 yards.
I can’t understand the furor and the fuss. Rossi made a professional decision. He is playing for one of the best teams in the world and should be lauded. Soccer in the US is still in its infancy stage and should not expect players such as Rossi to play here professionally. We all strive to do our best and not simply be mediocre. Why should it not be so for him? As for those who call him traitor, it is obvious you are letting your feelings get ahead of you. You are not thinking rationally. I would assume that if you don’t buy American you, also, should be considered an enemy of the state. The kid is talented, he is a gentleman and above all, very respectful. We are jealous, we would like to see him play for us, but we forget that he has been playing in Italy since he was 13. Get over the hate and enjoy the game (if you are a real fan). Let the kid play and enjoy his career. May God keep him focused and his family well.
I can’t believe how many cry babies are out there. What’s with all this hate? I am amazed that those who call themselves soccer fans are so shallow and ignorant. Enjoy the game! Enjoy his talent! One of our own is actually playing for one of the best teams in the world. How can you fault him? He is a professional and should not settle for mediocrity. We would not want less from a doctor, a lawyer, etc. There is so much jealousy concerning him. How many foreigners have taken part with US teams? Giuseppe is not a traitor, as some of you described him, he is caring, respectful and always a gentlmen. I wish I could say the same for all the people who posted these nasty comments.
STOP THE HATE, ENJOY THE GAME.
Giuseppe, may God bless you.
Vendetta! Vendetta!
Hi is entitled to play with the team of his choice given his dual citizenship. It stings that he was born and raised in the U.S. and we cannot benefit from his homegrown talent.
I would be easier if he were playing for an underdog and we could rationalize his decision and not view is as unpatriotic but given that he plays for italy it can come across as both unpatriotic and opportunistic.
Go Team USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Giuseppe is a great player, he should be a man about it and renounce his ties to the US. He made his call to return to the fatherland to play for the national team. He can celebrate and show his pride all he wants once the makes the choice to be only an Italian citizen.
On another note, oh my US 2 BRA 0! It is going to be a long painful 60 minutes watching the real American team trying to hang on!
ok well look you cannot blame Rossi for going to the better team. he just did what he thought was the logical thing to do. He is not American he is Italian. “American” is just a label that means nothing. It means something when you are and want to carry it. I was born in the U.S but that does not make me american. I consider myself canadian and only that. I will not carry a label that i am not proud to carry and do not love.
Rossi is free to decide what he wants to be.
Rossi did not ask to be born here it was just that it happened. He is all Italian and i am happy for the guy. He has a bright future ahead of him.
All of you losers should just shut up and leave him alone. He has decided his fate and there is nothing to do. Sitting here and bitching about the what if isnt going to change anything.
Another thing stop hating mexico. sour pussess!
Another thing Donovan its called a hair transplant! idiot! ohh and while your at it get a brain one two.
I’ve known a score of pro athletes, including Rossi. He is an unselfish, level headed kid. If you knew him, it would be impossible to hate him.
RT