ESPN Annoints The United States A “World Power”; Jozy Altidore Dumbfounded.
And you wonder why people blast Americans as ignorant on the subject of football.
A slight bit of egg on the face from The Global Leader here in an interview with Hull City player Jozy Altidore. ESPN’s First Take, which is essentially their sports-based edition of an all-inclusive morning show, had Jozy on to celebrate World Cup qualification from CONCACAF. The host, Jay Crawford, then asked a question no one, particularly man in the interviewee’s seat, saw coming: is it safe to say the US has arrived as a world power?
Jozy’s return volley is an absolute classic: In soccer?
(Unembeddable link of YouTube video here, which may not be available outside the US. It’s 50 seconds in.)
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By Chris | October 13th, 2009 at 3:49 pm 
Ok, so… the clip is gone. Can we get an update with the quote, at least?
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Daryl | October 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm Chris, My guess is that the clip is only viewable in the US. Sorry about that.
Exact quote:
ESPN: Is it safe to say the US has arrived as a world power?
JOZY: In soccer?
Genius.
By Ian | October 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm Jozy handled it well. He comes off as realistic without laughing (too much) at the interviewer.
By Chris | October 13th, 2009 at 4:30 pm It said something about copyright, so you’re probably right. I just started grad school over here and I sometimes forget I’m not in Iowa anymore.
Posted from United Kingdom
By OhYes | October 13th, 2009 at 4:31 pm Haha I love his condescending response.
[short pause]
[giggle]
“In soccer?”
By Matt | October 13th, 2009 at 4:48 pm Kind of seems a poor choice to post this when there is much more grave and serious news in the US Men’s National Team world today.
By JuanJo | October 13th, 2009 at 4:59 pm Umm.. no, I mean.. HELL NO.
Posted from 
United States
By Matilda | October 13th, 2009 at 5:06 pm Haha brilliant. I do love Altidore, he seems really down to earth
Posted from United States
By MoMONEY | October 13th, 2009 at 6:10 pm ESPN does this before every world cup. Then people watch and see nothing impresive and assume soccer is a boring/ crappy sport. ESPN has single handedly done more to destroy American Soccer than anyone else. Its why I watch the world cup on the Spanish channel (and because I dont have to hear the passionless American commentators slurping on their own players). Part of me wants my country to do well, but part of me realizes that it could be harmful for the long term future of the game here in the states
Posted from United States
By J'orange | October 13th, 2009 at 6:32 pm ESPN soccer commentary is only good on mute or in Spanish, especially when the US is playing.
Posted from United States
By aleraiders | October 13th, 2009 at 6:57 pm y not???????….may i remind u…2006 world cup champions Italy couldnt beat a 10 man US squad!!!!….confed cup????…only team to beat honduras in honduras….
ok ok…mayb not a world power…but top of the 2nd class….i will tell u this…anyone facing the US will not know what to expect…depending on the group they get and if they advance to the knockout stages…who it is….there not afraid of brazil, spain, or anyone….and thats the first step thats needed
By MoMONEY | October 13th, 2009 at 7:06 pm Sorry but there is a difference between getting results and playing in a manner to be considered a power. Brazil is a power. Germany has refined its philosophy to the point of being a power. Argentina, Italy, Spain- powers. Second class I would put France Holland and the like. Do you think USA is better then them? Or even the likes of Ghana/ Cote d’Ivoire way down the list of ‘tiers’? Im sorry but as much as I want the US to become great, saying they are already almost there just slows down real progress.
Posted from United States
By Joseph | October 13th, 2009 at 7:44 pm Hahaha!! You just made my day by blogging about this question during the interview. I watched it live and when he asked it I was just like come on man. Glad to see Jozy answered it honestly though. However, anyone who takes ESPN seriously when it comes to soccer coverage should know better by this point. Aside from Derek Ray (who we no longer hear from), J’orange is right.
By Tommy Wong | October 13th, 2009 at 8:26 pm Jozy is my favorite player, and I can’t wait for him to usurp Landon Dononvan as the face of the USMNT. Until then…………..moar stanky leg.
Also, can we get a post about critical condition Charlie Davies? Car accident :[
By Daryl | October 13th, 2009 at 9:03 pm Matt,
This was written up and scheduled before we got word of Charlie Davies’ accident.
Tommy Wong,
Brooks has a post up on USA WorldCupBlog:
http://usa.worldcupblog.org/group-e/charlie-davies-seriously-hurt-in-car-accident.html
ESPN has a story here:
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=685080&sec=us&cc=3888
Also, Unprofessional Foul were providing updates here:
http://unprofessionalfoul.com/2009/10/13/qt-charlie-davies-maybe-involved-in-car-crash/
By Utku | October 13th, 2009 at 9:36 pm if the USNT makes it past the 1st round i’ll be surprised
By Rob | October 14th, 2009 at 8:56 am Still Daryl, something should be on the front page about that. So much of this site is supported by American readers, and this is the biggest issue in US Soccer at the moment, not the game.
SUPER CHARLIE DAVIES
Posted from United States
By sandrahn | October 14th, 2009 at 1:39 pm No the US is not a world power in football/soccer but the 2010 wc is outside Europe, Europeans never win outside Europe, and the US did very well in two tournaments outside Europe: the 2002 wc and the 2009 Confed Cup. The US could go further in the tournament than some European big names. Not saying they’ll win it, just saying that European teams do not travel well. Only the top 12 European teams (in terms of trophies won) have ever reached the final of tournament outside Europe (Italy and Germany).
Posted from United States
