To the finer points of the commentary: "That's what you want from your 12" = approval of the truck-like hit from an inside center. Your inside center is a bit like an H-back mixed with a middle linebacker, but who also needs deft ballhandling skills.

"I'll just see myself out"

That is a team heading for the gutter. Too bad, in a way. Last night, I saw a brief clip from their evisceration of the Raiders in the 2002 Super Bowl, and Jesus did they have a scary defense: Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, just to mention the big names. Plus, they had the…

But he's actually making me CARE about soccer, so therefore is a mortal threat to my manhood.

"Leave the Ritalin to the children, ma'am"

"Flawed"? Because...what? Jason Whitlock has a cramp in his ass for Thayer Evans?

I'm seeing all this BS about CONCACAF being a weak hex, and yes, it isn't the strongest, but I was watching the Euro scores on the ESPN scroll last night and saw, what? Faroe Islands? Andorra? There are patsies in every region.

Full disclosure: rugby player here, but I played football in high school too, and seriously wonder why teams don't lateral more. Yeah, fumbles could happen, but it would SERIOUSLY fuck with defensive coordinators if they had to coach to cover a trailing support player.

I'm going to name names here, because it is 100% truthful — I still have the printed out email from my then-colleague, Kevin Patsel, who as you will read is a complete asshole:

I want to see pretty much all of these. But you had me at David O. Russell. After all, the man directed Three Kings, which has — objectively and assuredly — the single best opening line in movie history.

This is quite brilliant. Come to think of it, Costa Rica doesn't even have a standing Army, period, so a flock of quad runners and a wrist-rocket should suffice.

Nice work, Barry.

I'm sorry, that's quite good

Soon...

"You can't spike a Presbyterian!"

Not a spear, by the way. That was an excellent tackle, and better yet — the defender's head was to the side.

How long before Saban succumbs to an Urban Meyer-type health scare/total systemic breakdown? Or is he inhuman?

Good point*. But that interview was shocking. C. Trent didn't call Phillips a motherfucker, nor did he threaten him. If I'm a Reds PR guy, I pull Phillips aside and say, "Hey, maybe calling a journalist a fat motherfucker isn't the best way to engender his respect. Maybe apologize, cultivate the guy, give reasoned…

Nah, c'mon. TO wasn't certifiably awful until the 9ers traded him away, and he'll always get love here for his game-winning (and brutal) catch to win a playoff game against the Packers