While I wouldn't say our grouping is ideal it isn't a "worst case, doom's day scenario" that some people are making it out to be (not here, on other message boards and twitter).
Looking at the groups, let's sub the US into where they would be if they had been put into that group:
A - Brazil, Croatia, USA, Cameroon
B - Spain, Netherlands, Chile, USA
C - Columbia, Greece, Ivory Coast, USA
D - Uruguay, England, Italy, USA
E - Switzerland, Ecuador, France, USA
F - Argentina, Bosnia, Nigeria, USA
G - Germany, Portugal, USA, Ghana
H - Belgium, Algeria, Russia, South Korea
Of those above groups, the US's current group is third or fourth most difficult. Group B would have been the true group of death, as would have Group D. Group F would have been difficult along with Groups A & C. Groups E and H I think the US might have had a better than average chance.
Basically the US was going to have a very hard group the moment CONCACAF were put into Group3 with the Asian teams.
Summary: The Group the US is in isn't the group of death because of the other teams in it. It is the group of death because it has the US in it. They are the best team out of Group 3. So really the unlucky teams are Germany, Portugal and Ghana...
I think the US has a fighting chance. Nate Silver has them at ~ 40% I think?
Matches I am most looking forward to:
USA vs Ghana (grudge match hoping for revenge from 2 last world cups)
Ghana vs Germany (brother vs brother version 2.0)
Spain vs Netherlands (Championship rematch)
Italy vs Uruguay (crazy Suarez vs crazy Balotelli)
Argentina vs Bosnia (Messi against one of my favorite players Spahic)
Mexico vs Brazil (just hoping to see Mexico get crushed here honestly)
USA vs Germany (hopefully this match is for something, meaning the US can advance and Germany needs it for first place or something like that but coach vs former mentor is a great story line)