There's no one way to define success. Ryan and I tried to do so last week. John Godfrey attempted to find some truths in a post yesterday. We all succeeded, and failed, in our own way.

But here's the truth: The United States national team played some games in 2012. They won a bunch, including a couple they probably shouldn't have won. They lost fewer, including a couple they probably shouldn't have lost. They tied Russia, which was probably fair.

And none of it really matters. Ultimately, what happens in 2012 isn't important. There's no World Cup. There's no Gold Cup. There's nothing, really, except for some qualifiers that become virtually meaningless as soon as the Americans reach the next round.

That basically means 2012 was about the the "development" of the team, some half-analytical, half-mythical combination of "how the team should play," a statement that has as many answers as it does people with brains. Of course, the only opinion that matters is that of Jurgen Klinsmann, the man responsible for the personnel decision and tactical execution.

So was 2012 a success? Sure, probably in that it was another year, and the team is arguably better—however you want to define that—now than when it started. But beyond vague thoughts, hopes, and dreams, I'm mostly just glad the year is over. We're one step closer to Brazil. Those three games—hopefully more—are really all that count.

(But the Hex will be fun.)