I disagree that the goal, while high quality, was one at which you would simply shrug your shoulders; the US defense, while they did a good job overall last night, was in a shambles for the three or four possessions leading up to the goal. They were getting pulled out of shape repeatedly, and that shape breakdown and…

Understood, I apologize for the poor word choice. Also for the fact that I screwed up my timeline, I thought that the issues came to light after the ‘15 WC, not before. I totally understand where you were coming from now.

I’m not really sure what you’re getting at, to be honest. From what I recall, Ellis didn’t actually get rid of Solo, US Soccer did for a year, and then Ellis simply refused to call her back up. This is speculation, but I think a big part of the reason Ellis never called her back up after Solo’s suspension was over was…

While completely forgetting that Solo is an accused domestic abuser.

I think it was the relatively-high heat that was really getting Italy yesterday, combined with their apparent lack of bench depth that was getting to Bonansea. She hasn’t had much of a break across a schedule that is far more rough than her league season, and they’d already lost one of their front three to an early…

Send this in via an email for Dead Letters and maybe the pissbaby can be you!

I was at the draft when Greg Oden got drafted, and I ended up chatting with him for a couple minutes after the fact. Seeing what happened to him after that was rough, he was such a nice (clearly fifty-year-old) kid.

His best first touch was the one off his face.

I appreciate the well-thought-out response, it’s clear that you have given it a lot of thought. I have to admit that my idea of it is probably colored by my own experiences; while the academy route wasn’t really in existence 30 years ago as it is now, my parents were very anti-club travel teams when I was my…

My daughter is at the threshold in our town where we have to decide between keeping her recreational or trying to send her the academy route. It was never even a discussion in our family, an eight year old does not need to be doing that, period.

There is no doubt missing the WC hurt the men’s team financially, but I still see most of their friendlies on mainstream cable even when not in a WC cycle. I don’t often see the women’s team outside of the WC.

All of them named Dan.

It’s not a bad place to return to for a long weekend, maximum. :)

I’m originally from that town myself and have rarely been more disturbed by it. And that’s saying something.

Possibly even better for Hendo: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jun/02/moving-scenes-liverpool-champions-league-final-jordan-henderson

I did that back in February, and it was coldly raining the whole ride! I think I got an even more authentic experience.

And in a story like this, the ballpark figure clearly is the best kind.

And for all that, they were a centimeter away (or a world-class goal from the most unlikely source, depending on which game you think was more important) from not winning the most difficult of their domestic trophies this year. Guess they’ll need to spend another couple hundred million this summer to make sure that…

Anyone who pokes at my comment history will see that I’m a Liverpool fan, but the more I think about it, the more I think what Spurs did yesterday is actually even more impressive than what LFC pulled off on Tuesday. Spurs did it in one half and away from home, and after looking like a considerably worse side for…

On the subject of kits, if New Balance don’t put Allison’s special kit up for sale and/or get him to wear it in the Final, they are absolutely insane.