Move along folks! There's nothing to see here!

And as quickly as it started, the World Cup is now over for the Americans.

There are many, many things we learned from this poor World Cup showing for the Yanks. I guess one of them would be for the next time bring a team of nothing but World Cup rookies since they seem to have the best showings. In 2002 it was a couple of unknowns name Beasley and Donovan that shined bright. This World Cup it was Clint Dempsey and occasionally Eddie Johnson.

People are going to crap all over the officiating in this game just like they did in the Italy game, and while there are legitimate gripes, that doesn't change the fact that we came out with only a lone striker in a 4-5-1 when we needed a win and goals (lots of goals actually). Never mind that even down a goal to start the 2nd half we still didn't bring on any more firepower until 10 minutes in or that despite poor play in the 6 months leading up to the WC, an extremely worthless effort against the Czechs, and a general bad attitude all round, DaMarcus Beasley still got the start and did very little with it (except the assist to Clint Dempsey for the US's only self-created goal of the whole damn tournament).

I will say this, and I think a lot of people know this and will be very shocked if it doesn't happen, but Bruce Arena will not be the coach of the USMNT when they return home if not before they even get on the plain. There are a variety of ways this could happen but regardless of which option is employed the end result is the same. Which is a shame. Bruce Arena is the single greatest reason US soccer is where it is (or at least we thought it was). He has been able to accomplish things that only a handful of people would have been able to do. Unfortunately that legacy has now been tarnished with the US past three performances. In time though we will remember the good much more than the bad.

Arena's tactics never jived, he played unfamiliar formations, and put players in positions that weren't really suited for them or their game; a managerial choice in extreme contrast to what he has used to get the US team where they are. He's always managed to put his players in positions to win except now in this World Cup. The best game the US had was when any preconceived game plans were rendered useless after the US lost 2 men and had to play with 9 against Italy.

But the sole blame does not lie with the coach. Heart and spirit were achingly absent in the opening game against the Czech Republic. Yes, Bruce's tactics hindered us initially but even in a perfect formation with a bulletproof game plan the Yanks still didn't come out to play (see: Beasley, DaMarcus, et al.)

The Italy game will still always hold an endearing place in my memory and in my heart as I'm sure it will in many others. That game was everything US Soccer should be: heart, courage, grit, pride, and an outright refusal ever give up. If only that could have disseminated through out all the US matches.

Many people may disagree, but more than the refs seemingly ruining games I put the blame on FIFA for making their refs ruin games. The officials called the games the way they did per FIFA's orders more than of the own volition. Yes, the PK in today's game with Ghana was dubious, but the US team should be faulted with not adjusting to the way the refs were calling the games. The tight calls and rampant yellow cards were not limited to US matches only. Throughout all the matches such calls were taking place.

This World Cup, more than anything, has just highlighted an old problem that has lingered in the USMNT for many, many years before. No matter how fit we many be, or how skilled on the ball our players may become; above having a significant height advantage over our opponents or being endowed with blazing speed, this simple fact remains that we are still woefully inept at finishing. Until we learn how to put the ball into the net all of these advancements we make will be for not. Clint Dempsey was able to finish today. This type of finish, however, if few and far between. If given a clear chance, we have to put the ball into the net (see: McBride, Brian, with perfect chance against Italy that he boots horribly wide) and when presented with a half-chance we need to convert more than not. Too many headers went awry. Too many shots on the move sailed over and away. Every set piece we have should be dangerous, unlike the beautiful setup the US had that Donovan inexcusably sends out over the touchline without a single US player touching it.

It's been a long 4 years since Japan/South Korea and it will now been an even longer 4 years to South Africa. To be fair, this hasn't been a good year for CONCACAF with Mexico the lone survivor into the 2nd round and very fortunate at that after losing to Portugal their last match. This is a little bit of the problem as well for the USMNT's development. CONCACAF just doesn't provide the level of play that South America and Europe can and that hurts.

We will be able to second guess and look back on this failed campaign for many months to come, but undoubtedly hope will slowly spring up again and when qualifying begins anew so will our high expectations and aspirations. The US team came to this World Cup with expectations and pressure higher and more intense than they've ever had to deal with and for all intents and purposes they choked. We weren't able to deal with the thing that we craved the most. Let this be a lesson we learn and next time around, fulfill the vast potential that our team, and country, has with the passion and pride that is intrinsically imbedded in each of us.