TOP 5: I love tonight!!!

That's right, sports fans, get your popcorn.

7pm ET on ESPN2:

World Cup Qualifying:  United States vs. Mexico

Here's the TOP 5 reasons to watch (and love the US/Mexico rivalry):

1)  Locations:  Not only are the US and Mexico neighbors, but when it comes to their soccer fans, MOST of the Mexico fans in the stadium tonight live in the US, and are rooting against their current country in favor of the country of their ancestry.  This gets my blood boiling, but makes for great intensity!

2)  Hatred:  These teams do not like each other.  In Mexico this year, to lead up to this game, Radio Shack and Blockbuster ran ad campaigns where they distributed voodoo dolls dressed like the US team!  In 2004, the Mexico fans chanted, "Osama, Osama, Osama" in the stadium during the game.  US star Landon Donovan even took a leak a couple years back on Mexico's hallowed Azteca Stadium turf.  Each time they play, there is so much unsportsmanlike conduct.  The last game I remember the Mexico goalie taking a swinging kick at one of our players after he scored a goal...just for good times.  

3)  Frequency:  We play each other on average 1 time per year.  This is often enough to keep the rivalry heated, but also means you have to make the most out of every opportunity.  WE MUST PREVAIL!

4)  Sven:  In addition to having a cool name, he has been one of the top coaches in the WORLD in soccer.  And now he is Mexico's coach.  Here's hoping we beat them soundly and encourage Sven to find a good job somewhere.

5)  2-0:  aka dos y cero.  2001:  The US beats Mexico in WC Qualifying (in Columbus) for the first time in 20 years by the score 2-0.  In 2002, the US faced Mexico in the World Cup Finals for the first time, defeating them 2-0, a staggaring blow to their notion of dominance in the region.  In 2005, the US again defeats Mexico in the finals of WC Qualifying (In Columbus) with another 2-0 win!  In 2007, we defeated them 2-0 once again.  That's right, folks!  Four 2-0 wins in 8 matches with another 2-1 win to boot!

All that leads up to an AMAZING game tonight.  Here's to another 2-0 win for the good guys!