Why “Take Me Home, Country Roads” as the USMNT Anthem Is a Monumentally Stupid Idea
About this episode
Tom Gulley critiques the idea of using 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' as the anthem for the USMNT, arguing it misrepresents American soccer culture.
John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is a HILLBILLY song. But making it the unofficial anthem of the United States Men’s National Team? Tom thinks that’s one of the dumbest ideas in the history of EVER. On this episode of The Tom Gulley Show, Tom unleashes a blistering rant on the bizarre obsession with forcing a song about West Virginia onto a national team that represents fifty states and millions of fans. Why did this happen? Who thought this was a good idea? And why are so many people pretending it somehow represents American soccer culture? Tom dives into the history of soccer songs around the world, the manufactured nature of “Country Roads” in U.S. soccer circles, and why borrowing traditions instead of creating authentic ones misses the entire point. He also looks at the disconnect between soccer culture in America and the people trying to define it, while offering his own thoughts on what a true American soccer identity should sound like. If you love the USMNT, follow international soccer, or are tired of groupthink masquerading as tradition, this episode is guaranteed to spark a reaction. The Tom Gulley Show streams Monday through Thursday and features long-form…
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