For the USMNT, a successful summer is harder than ever to define

A raft of absences and the nature of the Gold Cup means that, aside from a trophy, the US's goals are largely intangible.

In a certain sense, there really is no winning the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Not if you're the United States men's national team, at any rate. While the tournament's name may allude to a glory conferred by the most valuable of precious metals, the whole thing remains among the ugly ducklings of global continental championships.