Sports

USA has been ousted by France at the FIBA World Cup

Published

3 years ago

October 3, 2019

USA was looking forward to grab the gold at the FIBA world cup this year but not everything went according to plan. The team got ousted by France after being nearly unbeatable.

This is the first time the team failed at capturing gold at a major international event since the 2006 world championships. France beat the team 89-79, in the quarterfinals. USA has now kissed goodbye to the gold.

In the quarter final match, Evan Fournier scored 22 points, Rudy Gobert scored 21 and 16 rebounds. It is unbelievable that the win streak of USA came to an end. The team had won 58 consecutive tournament games in FIBA and Olympic competition with NBA Players.

US was about to create history by winning three consecutive world cups after winning three Olympic golds. But France stole that dream away by beating the team. In the tournament that took place in China, now the team can only finish in the fifth spot.

Gobert is disappointed by the loss. He said that the team had come here to win the gold. But in the end If you do not win then it doesn’t count.

The turning point in the game was when Americans came scoreless on the six consecutive possessions. They did not take control and France took over from there.

Their season sadly came to an end. And even though many are speculating about who was there on the team and who wasn’t. But Coach Pop believes on how to focus on what you have.

In the first half France was 21-12, even when Gobert found his way to the line many times he couldn’t capitalize on it. Even after the free throws Gobert had for US and the lead into the fourth the team came up short.

The loss is hard on the team that is used to winning matches and tournaments.

Sports

Why USL2 is the Coolest Soccer League in the USA

Published

5 hours ago

May 21, 2022

Jonathan Grilli

Soccer continues to grow in popularity in the USA. The most obvious signs of this are in the MLS (Major League Soccer), which has expanded to 28 teams, with two more franchises scheduled to join by 2023. New teams such as LAFC, Austin FC, and Charlotte FC, who broke the MLS attendance record in their first game, have been well received by their local communities. In addition, they have helped to raise the profile of the sport with some clever branding and community engagement.

Cult following

The MLS has also picked up many new fans from abroad. The creation of fan groups, inspired by European “Ultras”, has resulted in a unique atmosphere. At first, this seemed manufactured, but it has taken on a life of its own. Many MLS teams are adopted by the local Hispanic communities, but they have also gained popularity amongst the LGBT communities, with rainbow pride flags now a regular feature in stadiums across the country.

Community spirit

However, it’s not just the Major League that has developed a cult following. In the lower leagues, there are some incredible soccer communities developing. The USL2 (United Soccer League Two) is a hotbed of cult teams, cool branding, and community spirit.

One such team is the Minneapolis City Soccer Club. The club is known as the Crows, and this is reflected in their logo, which was on a shortlist of five in a vote for the best crest in the league. Their Citizens support group are among the most loyal in the division and their groundbreaking soccer shirts are sought by collectors across the globe. The community-run club previously competed in the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League), winning the North Conference in 2018, 2019, and 2021. They stepped up to the USL2 in 2022.

A new look for West Virginia

Another new name to appear in 2021 was West Virginia United, which reached the conference playoffs. West Virginia has always lacked any major league sports teams but has a thriving college sports scene. It is also becoming a major destination for sports and casino gambling in the east of the country thanks to its five West Virginia online casinos, which offer online sports wagering. This growth in the gambling sector is expected to have a knock-on effect on the sports scene as more revenue is generated in the region. Like Minneapolis, West Virginia has also nailed their branding with a super cool logo that pays pay homage to the blue ridge mountains. The rebranding coincided with a kit deal with major sports brand Puma.

The ink has yet to dry but we are incredibly excited about this one! We have penned our new apparel partnership with @PUMA !! We couldn’t have imagined a better partner to display our badge and colors #WVUTD 🟢🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/MiBWqsvUVx

— West Virginia United (@wvutd) May 7, 2021

The team began life as West Virginia Chaos in 2003 before merging with the youth teams of Charleston FC and Fury Soccer Club to form West Virginia Alliance FC in 2018. They joined USL2 in 2019 and it is hoped that the latest change of name will be permanent as the club looks to provide a stable first-team environment in the fourth tier of the US soccer, as well as a development team in the USL Academy system.

Cool branding

Surprisingly, West Virginia United did not make the final shortlist for the best new crest in the USL2 poll. Nonetheless, they were up against some stiff competition, most notably, winners One Knoxville SC who made a brilliant video to show how their crest was designed.

Magic behind the crest! pic.twitter.com/7nnZNadUOF

— One Knoxville SC (@OneKnoxSC) August 19, 2021

Other teams featured in the vote were Louisiana-based Blue Goose SC, Ballard FC of Washington, and Vermont Green FC, but these teams are about more than just branding.

In the tier above (USL1), there are also some cult clubs including Forward Madison FC, the self-styled “world’s second favorite team.” They made an instant impact after launching in 2019 thanks to their smart social media work and colorful kit designs, but it is USL2 that is leading the way in the fast-growing world of cult community soccer clubs.