Add this to list of erie coincidences

 

It's odd how looking forward to this summer's clash of country and colony, of friends and foes, that there are so many little bits and pieces leading up to great clash. But this is just weird. 

If you haven't already read the tiny bits here and there, well the current dramafest going on over the Terry-Bridge affair scandal is not too unfamiliar. In fact, the guy pictured above hugging the bearded homeless man, who for some reason actually gets a nickel for his opinions, was the Terry of the 90's. For the United States. 

He captained the Red, White, and Blue through qualifiers and a thrilling Copa America run that defeated Argentina and Mexico, on the way to a France 98 appearance. Only, months before the World Cup, Harkes was dropped from the team for "personal and leadership issues". It was never openly stated why he was dropped, but losing your captain in a sketchy, "Why is he not here and why is Wynalda so pissed?" kind of way is not a good morale booster right before you board the plane. 

The odd thing is that everyone was not-so-subtly reminded of this historic event when Eric Wynalda (the Wayne Bridge here) masochistically reopened the wound on live television on his Fox Football Fone-in show.

"There's a lot of similarities between what happened to us in '98 and what's happening now to England," Wynalda told the AP. "It's an unfortunate time for England, because I know how that can affect a team firsthand. Obviously, we all know how we did in the World Cup in '98." - Eric the Idiot

Now, maybe it's OK because it's something to talk about. I mean, the football media love talking about anything but football. Speeding tickets, car accidents, Posh's latest fashion charity, and personal lives. Nothing is untouchable. But what if there is the risk of ruining your own chances at the world's biggest stage? Nah, screw it! We are heartless tabloids! We want to make money! The World Cup can fuck itself!

But the thing that irks me more is how Wynalda decided to blurt out the little history he had with this "situation" that he feels he can relate to so well. I mean, I'm not going to call it attention-whoring, or even sympathy diving. But, how do you think it makes Harkes feel, when now coach Sampson comes out and says, "well, you know, it's true." I don't think just because you were the victim and goat-bearer of the reason behind the 98 utter failure, you are allowed to get sympathy points. In fact, for the amount that I hated John Harkes before this whole mess, I think I hate Eric Wynalda a little bit more.