By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jun 12, 2006 at 12:48 PM
Today's pummeling of the U.S. national side at the hands of the Czech Republic -- ranked number two in the world -- in the opening round of Group E World Cup play doesn't bode well; not for the American future in this tournament nor for the Cup's ability to spur growth of soccer as a sport here.

Jan Koller scored with a header in the fifth minute and Tomas Rosicky added two more goals -- one nine minutes before the break and one midway through the second half -- to shut down the U.S. team, 3-0, Monday in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Of course, the U.S. can still make it through to the next round, but must beat Italy and Ghana to do so and must win convincingly. If they don't, critics will only have more fuel for the argument that the American's top 5 world ranking is a sham. And hopes that a successful run by the team will bolster soccer's popularity in America will be dashed.
Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.