if that match had ended in a draw, there would be no soccer coverage in the US for at least 4 years.

as it stands, it's easy to call this the greatest moment for US Soccer in my lifetime.

I don't know that I quite agree with your first statement. I think MLS would continue to grow like it is.

I also feel that Americans as a whole would feel like they have something to prove if they lost to 2 blown ref calls. It's the American Way.

a failure to advance due to 2 blown ref calls would convince average fans that even if we earn it, we would not succeed.

the cynical part of me says, culturally, we're inclined to succumb to sullen defeat when our sense of entitlement is violated

the team, at least, proved that untrue

because they *did* have something to prove, more and more

totally gets that, and is ecstatic about it. The will to fight is, I think, more commonly found in the players than the fans.

they can actually *do* something about it though

which is the one thing that will always prevent me from really being on board with spectator sports. Just too passive in the long run.