The year of losing frequently

Once, this would have been cause for great Stateside hysteria -- the U.S. Ryder Cup and Davis Cup teams spinning out on the same weekend.

But in 2006, losses to the Europeans in golf and the Russians in tennis qualify as merely the latest, almost predictable chapters in what will go down as one of the most forgettable years for Americans in international sport.

Consider the sorry state of the United States so far in 2006:

* Olympic men’s hockey: lost to Finland in the quarterfinals.

* Olympic women’s hockey: lost to Sweden in the semifinals.

* World Baseball Classic: eliminated in the second round with a loss to Mexico, the same country that prevented the U.S. from qualifying for the 2004 Olympic baseball tournament.

* World Cup soccer: finished last in its four-team group, losing to the Czech Republic and Ghana.

* World men’s basketball championships: lost to Greece in the semifinals.

* World women’s basketball championships: lost to Russia in the semifinals.

* Federation Cup: lost to Belgium in the semifinals.

* Ryder and Davis Cups: down the tubes together during one lost weekend.

What, if anything, is left for us to dominate?

NASCAR? In a fictional comedy that no doubt foreshadows the not-so-distant future, Will Ferrell’s character, Ricky Bobby, gets his tailpipe kicked all over the track by a French driver in “Talladega Nights.”

The NFL? Well, there is that, which is why we love pro football as we do. Until the NFL expands to Toronto or Mexico City, Americans will continue to win every game.

Alive and kicking

Bucking considerable odds, Morten Andersen continues his NFL kicking career tonight at the age of 46 as a member of the Atlanta Falcons against the New Orleans Saints.

What are the odds of Andersen, the second-leading scorer in NFL history, amassing the 77 points he needs this season to become the record-holder?

Fellow kicker Gary Anderson ranks as the league’s all-time leading scorer with 2,434 points. Andersen enters tonight’s game in New Orleans, where he began his career in 1982, with 2,358 points.

Sportsbook.com offers the following odds for Andersen breaking the record in 2006: Yes, 5-8; No, 6-5.

In 1982, the Falcons and the Saints were members of the geographically unsound NFC West. The announcers for “Monday Night Football” that season were Frank Gifford, Howard Cosell, Don Meredith and Fran Tarkenton.

Trivia time

When is the last time the United States won the Davis and Ryder cups during the same calendar year?

On the skids no more

The opening act for tonight’s reopening of the Superdome will feature U2 and Green Day onstage together performing a cover version of the Skids’ old punk number, “The Saints Are Coming.”

The bands have recorded a version of the song they plan to sell as a single, with proceeds going to Music Rising, a relief fund for New Orleans area musicians whose instruments were lost or damaged during Hurricane Katrina.

U2 guitarist The Edge told Time magazine that “The Saints Are Coming” is “pure 1978, a song that was a big inspiration to us at the time and couldn’t be more in the sweet spot of what Green Day are about.”

Surprisingly, the Saints are coming into this game with a 2-0 record after road victories over Cleveland and Green Bay. Usually this time of year, a different Green Day tune serves as more appropriate accompaniment to Saints football: “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”

Trivia answer

In 1981, the United States defeated Argentina in the Davis Cup final, 3-1, and beat Europe, 18 1/2 -9 1/2 , to win the Ryder Cup.

And finally ...

Saints players have been overwhelmed by ticket requests for tonight’s game. Reggie Bush said his best offer came from his massage therapist, who “told me she’d trade some massages for tickets. We’ll work that out.”

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mike.penner@latimes.com