World Cup fleecing of U.S. is inexplicable

(06-18) 20:07 PDT -- Through decades of disappointment in World Cup play, American soccer has provoked a wide range of reactions: scorn, laughter, sadness, rage. Friday brought forth a new element: sympathy.

Even the most ardent Slovenian fans know the United States got robbed of a 3-2 victory, one that practically would have assured the Americans of advancement into the next round. The crime of inept officiating was just that obvious. And you have to love the aftermath: As the Americans cried out for an explanation, they waited hours to get one that made no sense.

What exactly was the foul that wiped out Maurice Edu's goal? Just spit it out, OK? Perhaps even admit that an error was made. But that's not how it works in soccer. Koman Coulibaly, the French-speaking referee from the African nation of Mali, refused to identify his call when he was surrounded by mystified U.S. players. He was not required to do so, apparently, and he sure as hell didn't (a language barrier doesn't prevent someone from holding up fingers representing the offending player's number). FIFA, the always-laughable organization in charge, didn't offer a word.

And you wonder why so many Americans are turned off by soccer. We try to love it, we really do. Then comes the assault of goal-free games, shameless diving, lamely issued yellow and red cards, preposterous suspensions, amateurish officiating and a ruling body that seems to savor the drone of plastic horns drowning out every other sound in the stadiums.

Listen, I can hang with all of this. I'm that crazy about the international game (or just crazy, period), and I've even come to accept the vuvuzelas. But mainstream-sports fans are supposed to sit home and think the World Cup is rip-roaring fun?

Endless replays were dissected on Edu's non-goal, without an answer in sight. First of all, you don't call anything in a set-piece situation unless you spot someone blatantly kicking an opponent or bullying him to the ground. It's a wild, massive scrum; there's just too much happening. If anything, Michael Bradley was being held by a Slovenian who appeared to be applying the Heimlich maneuver - but even that shouldn't have been called. Anyone bothering to consult the official match report, on FIFA's Web site, noted that a foul was called on Edu - when, in fact, replays showed his advance was clean.

It's a good thing England was so shockingly awful against Algeria, trudging off with a 0-0 draw, or this call effectively could have sent the U.S. home. If there's any consolation for the American players, it's that their second-half comeback from a 2-0 deficit, featuring other near goals, was thrilling and unforgettable. Great work, especially, on the world-class goals scored by Landon Donovan and Bradley. Such a shame Edu was denied his share.

Wow, are they bad

It's difficult to fathom the depths of England's descent, but I loved Alexi Lalas' comment on ESPN afterward: "How about this? They aren't that good." The players are most assuredly excellent individually, with their club teams throughout the year, but as a collective, England stages a 90-minute theater of the absurd, a team gripped by fear and uncertainty. It is extremely hard to make Wayne Rooney a nonfactor on the pitch; it would be something like a basketball team telling Michael Jordan, "See if you can set a few screens." England has managed to do it. Rooney has been a complete nonfactor in each of the first two games ... What's with the nebulous nature of stoppage time? Why does no one (but the referee) know how much time is left? It actually makes sense, in a civil type of way. A visible clock would lead to blatant stalling, or create absolute panic on set pieces. If time is running out and a corner kick is at hand, the referee just lets it happen, on its own time. Games tend to end in a mood of proper closure. Besides, when you add additional time during stoppage time, the notion of a clock becomes untenable.

Now, about Ron Artest and his "psychiatrist" (actually a sports psychologist), whom he thanked so gratefully after the Lakers won the NBA title: Astoundingly - and all the Lakers agreed - Artest was the most consistent, reliable player on the floor Thursday night. His three-pointer with 1:01 left was the shot of a lifetime. As strange as he has been over the years, Artest couldn't be more deserving of his first career ring ... The defense was tenacious, but that was a terrible, choke-filled game until Derek Fisher hit that gorgeous three-pointer for a 64-64 tie. The last six minutes were worthy of the occasion ... The Celtics' odds had severely diminished, but still: Rajon Rondo taking the last shot from three-point range? Wrong guy ... A pure shooter keeps his cool: Sasha Vujacic often has been a joke in L.A., right down to some stinging criticisms from coach Phil Jackson, but he hit the two free throws that clinched that game ... Just as Kobe Bryant shed his Celtics demons, so did Pau Gasol, who had been outplayed and verbally humiliated by Kevin Garnett during the '08 Finals. Gasol was a churning emotional furnace all night, and those fires stoked a victory ... Quick word on the Pac-10 adding two teams: Maybe you don't think it's such a bad thing, adding Colorado and Utah. You might not feel that way if, as rumored, Cal and Stanford get placed into a six-team division with the Oregon and Washington schools. Then you'll be calling for the head of Commissioner Larry Scott.

E-mail Bruce Jenkins at bjenkins@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle