Those among us asked who know agree the USA 3-2 loss to Brazil with a second half wear-out advanced soccer in general and bigtime soccer overall with their performance in South Africa’s Federations Cup title match in Outh Africa a week ago. And the U.S. team did not, they agree, slip backward because they were overcome by a Brazilian blitz.   
 

“And, that was the difference, depth,” said Perry Van Der Beck, former Tampa Bay Rowdie star. “Our USA side was outnumbered. They have always been in world competition, but the spread is closing. In this Cup game, Brazil had a sideline full of all starters. We, the USA, had a starting team and subs. Brazil sent them at us in waves, one after one and two after two and there was no dropoff, thus the advance of the score from two-nil in the USA favor to two-three. So, they weren’t just better, they had the numbers of better players. But, we are catching up.’’
 
“Absolutely,’’ said Farrukh Quraishi, an original Rowdie here now in the public relations department and player placement business with his wife, Lisa Brock.“We’ll get there, in time. We have a big country and unlimited resources. America just hasn’t used them all. We will, as soccer gets more important to everyone. And it is. Millions watched the USA and Brazil on television and were proud.”

Though terribly disappointed in the fact that our team was overtaken.
“Couldn’t handle the numbers,’’ said Van Der Beck, who is soon to start assembling a new Rowdie team—yes, that will be the name, thanks to former owner Cornelia Corbett—that will play in the Division II United States team next spring-summer. The owners will be newish Tampan and soccer believer Andrew Nester, and Tampa native and well-known restaurant man, David Laxer. David is the son of the late Bern and Gert. He and his associates will build a neat 10,000 seat soccer stadium at a yet unannounced site but play next season at another unannounced site. The Rowdies may, just may, advance to Division I by the second spring.
Bet they will.
“I’m excited,’’ said Laxer. “Soccer’s coming back. We want to help it to do that, and we will.’’ David’s late dad, Bern, slipped out of his busy kitchen to see as many old Rowdies games as he could. The Laxer Family has always been civic spirited, and helpful as only they could be. They were part of many of our sports successes and now will be in another.
 
“This American team in South Africa in the Fed Cup, was a sleeper,’’ said Van Der Beck. “They were in a grouping with South Africa, Spain, Brazil and Egypt. When they beat Spain in a shutout, it shocked the soccer world. In fact, they have been doing that for a while now. The soccer people have much more respect for the American effort in this sport than do so many of us over here. And, now, this great effort in South Africa! I just hope they can keep it up next year when the World Cup comes around, in South Africa, too,” added Perry.
“They don’t laugh at us any more,’’ said Laxer. “And we are serious here in Tampa. We are going to do our best to give Tampa another sport of which we can all be proud, like we were when the Rowdies played the New York Cosmos and Pele in old Tampa Stadium before a full house. Now, that was fun.’’
 
Was fun. And nationally televised too.
 
Heck, another genuine star of the old Rowdies, Rodney Marsh, has moved back to Tampa to share the times.
 
Perry and Laxer might want to let him throw out the first ball.