General Soccer Thread

[BottenFieldofDreams]

So, Berhalter? I’m fairly casual on the National side, but this feels like a disappointment. Was this a failure in creativity or ambition? Or are more inspiring names not interested?

Feels like US Men’s leadership could run the Cardinals.

[Tambourine Man]

So, Berhalter? I’m fairly casual on the National side, but this feels like a disappointment. Was this a failure in creativity or ambition? Or are more inspiring names not interested?

Feels like US Men’s leadership could run the Cardinals.

I don't know enough to really comment, but it's incredibly not sexy. Our C team managed a draw with Jamaica tonight. I was busy watching MLS.

Speaking of, the only time my Roku lags/buffers is watching MLS coverage. The Apple app is fine otherwise, as is every other app I use. ANyone else?

[Tambourine Man]

So Messi is just tooling around at a Publix. A man of the people.

[BottenFieldofDreams]

It’s awesome that the Vietnamese women qualified for the WC. I still have a T-shirt from the SEA games soccer tournament about 10 years ago and had fun rooting on both the women and men’s teams at restaurant parties.

I’m not looking forward to the US humiliating them. I guess winning 16-0 is part of the game, at least that’s what people tell me. But if the US players try to give patronizing hugs of comfort at the end like they did with Thailand last time, I hope Vietnam players kick them in the crotch.

Here’s a profile from NYT, it’s pretty inspiring. But the juxtaposition from that inspiration to being bludgeoned by the Americans is going to be harsh. Watching Sophia Smith celebrate the 11th US goal of the match like a late inning playoff home run is going to be hard, and I’m a big fan of hers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/16/spor ... uswnt.html

[BottenFieldofDreams]

Hmm. That post is pretty pissy. I still believe we shouldn’t have to become the “he’s already dead!’ kid from The Simpsons in a competition like this. But whatever. I seem to be in the minority whenever I pick up this argument.

The image of the devastated Thai goalkeeper, and one of the US women that bashed her face in (so to speak) trying to comfort her has stayed with me. Celebrating the 12th goal as much as the first also feels perverse to me. Plus, I have connections to the entirety different universe underdog this time.

But it’s sports. These are adults. They’re showing up to play, and they’re showing up for this possibility. If I was coach, I would call of the dogs. Rotate the formation. Something. Who knows, maybe the Thai goalkeeper would have been just as upset by that. Some opponents would be.

[thrill]

I have conflicted feelings on the matter and therefore choose to not care one way or the other. Goal differential matters, they had to qualify to get there knowing they would be one of the least talented teams, I would have complicated feelings about either outcome personally (a team continuing to dominate mine and a team "going easy" on mine), etc.


I definitely read that this morning and thought you were really on one (emotions wise).

[BottenFieldofDreams]

It’s really great that Vietnam is there. I read about it and see, for example, the captain is from one town over from where my wife was born and raised in the Delta. Which is to say way, way more than she’s from a town of 500 in rural Missouri or something (not to mention an Olivia Moultrie type: rich parents (my brother knows) home schooled for soccer reasons, training pitch at home, personal coaches). It’s inspiring. I’ve spent lots of time there. Connects with me personally as well as on the sports underdog level that I’ve always been drawn to.

But then it hits you that they are going to be absolutely clobbered so hard you question, at least a little, the humanity in it. Easy to get emotional, at least for me. Like I said, it really is a dramatic juxtaposition.

[BottenFieldofDreams]

Good check in point for any mindful or emotional progress I’ve made in the last four years.


edit: the line is USA -40000

[BottenFieldofDreams]

I wouldn’t begrudge anyone from anywhere taking the opportunity—hell our Men’s team is built on this—but it’s certainly an interesting lineup full of Joneses and Smiths for the Philippines.

[BottenFieldofDreams]

"You have to remember: It's the group stage, so goal differential matters," she said. "And two, I think that you are taking away people's ability to celebrate maybe their first goals in the World Cup ever. And I just don't think that we would ever see that on the men's side of like, 'Don't celebrate.' I think that the most sportsmanlike thing we can do is treat Vietnam, if we're in that position, like any other opponent that we would play."

I absolutely, undoubtedly would make that argument on the men’s side if the US was playing Vietnam or some other developing nation. If it’s NWSL or a professional league, run up to the press box and shout into the microphone. It’s not some patriarchal demand for ladylikeness. I will push back on the notion that doing backflips over the bodies you’ve devastated with your -40000 odds is not, in fact, the most sportsmanlike thing.