If you like the world's game, it's an embarrassment of riches for you over the next month or so. And in two particular cases, just embarrassment, FIFA-style.
For starters, the Women's World Cup kicked off yesterday with hosts France thoroughly dominating South Korea on the way to a comprehensive 4-0 win. Les Bleues are one of the title favorites, with seven players from Champions League winners Olympique Lyonnais on its roster. The U.S. Women's National Team, who are defending their 2015 title, are the other side widely acknowledged as likely to win. Should both teams win their groups, an overwhelming probability, and win their Round of 16 matches, they'd meet in the quarterfinals. Shrewd move, that, on the part of the brain trust at FIFA.
Trying not to be a homer here, and recognizing that the overall quality of the women's game continues to improve by leaps and bounds, I still think it's Jill Ellis' Americans' title to lose. Australia is really good, as are Germany, Brazil, England, Japan, and the hosts. But our ladies are tested, tough, and talented. Pay attention to the final game of the USA's group run, when we play Sweden. Both teams will likely have clinched advancement in a weak group (with Chile and Thailand). The winner of the group will get France in the quarterfinals, while the loser would get a marginally easier route.
The CONCACAF Gold Cup, our regional competition, starts in earnest a week from today. Gregg Berhalter's team dropped a desultory match on Thursday in D.C., losing 1-0 to Jamaica, though they were without their full complement of players. The USMNT plays against Guyana on the 18th before a revenge match against Trinidad and Tobago on June 22. At the very least, Team America should get to the semifinals of this tournament. The very, very least.
Later today, the US Men's Under-20 team take on Ecuador in the quarterfinals of the U20 World Cup in Poland. The young Americans (young Americans, she wants the young Americans...aaaaalllllll right) came back from a 2-1 deficit against tournament favorites France in the first round of the knockout stage. (Foreshadowing?!?) This is the third consecutive U20 World Cup that's seen Tab Ramos' side make the final eight. Third time's a charm, hope the red, white, and blue.
CONMEBOL, the South American federation, hosts its irregularly timed Copa America this month, as well. The tournament starts next Friday in Brazil. The hosts just lost erratic (and annoying, and probably a rapist) superstar Neymar to an ankle injury sustained in a friendly win over Qatar.
The Copa America final at the Maracana in Rio will take place on July 7. And here's where we get to the other (most recent) FIFA gaffe. See, the CONCACAF Gold Cup final is also scheduled for July 7. That's two of the most prominent non-World Cup tournaments in the men's game slated for the same day.
You'd think that, if you didn't know anything about FIFA's clusterfuckery.
While all that is going on, our domestic leagues are taking a break, but both the MLS and NWSL are having highly entertaining seasons. D.C. United and the Washington Spirit pace their respective leagues, but second-year Los Angeles FC is threatening to run away and hide on its way to being one of the best sides in league history.
And in case that's not enough soccer for your entertainment dollar, the transfer window is open across the globe. Real Madrid just signed Chelsea star Eden Hazard. Paul Pogba's rumored to be on the move from Manchester United, as is Romelu Lukaku once Antonio Conte gets ensconced at Inter Milan. Money's gonna fly fast and furious, and the action in the boardroom may be as heated as the on-pitch stuff.
Except on July 7th.
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34 comments:
Interesting use of “distaff” while rightfully pissing on the inequality of FIFA’s decisions. The etymology of the word is based on a separation of what constitutes women’s work from men’s work. That seems contrary to you intent.
Personally, it’s doesn't bother me, but as a social justice warrior you may want to check your bias.
Would love to discuss this over a beer this weekend.
Etymology! Marls is William Safire.
i learned something! thank you, marls.
Happy to help.
PS: Happy Birthday, Roberto
A few things:
The word “footy” as an abbreviation for football, a sport which we call soccer in this country, is effete and of or like a douche
Cool Runnings II
I’m drinking the Kool-Aid on Guyana in that tourney
Marls, if you are going to pick Rob’s bone about what he typed, (a) best not to include a typo and (b) how about you post something for the first time since Gheorghe Michael was alive
I know a couple that went to the Copa. At the Copa, they fell in love.
And happy bday to DJ Robbie Robb
And I think Wham! was better than TR graded them:
GoGo
Everything She Wants
Careless Whisper
Freedom
Edge of Heaven
I’m Your Man
Battlestations
Last Christmas
That’s off 2 albums. Their first album was hot garbage. And their album covers were just the worst. THE WORST. I think it would be hard for me to come up with as many Gheorghe Michael solo songs I like. Although “Faith” is an all-timer.
But Wham! Is not good enough to write in the sand at the beach. Come on.
Other bands with punctuation marks?
? and the Mysterians did “96 Tears”
A) I posted something two weeks ago, albeit filler. I apologize that it did not match up to the literary levels of the bi-yearly Whitney six pack.
B) EAD
The Go! Team
!!!
?uestlove
Good ones
There was a band called Therapy?
I’ve been to therapy but not Therapy.
Tell him Marls! Whitney, that is. Your gentle editing of Rob was much more tactful, but I like the venom.
I was young, and wham! was big. I regret nothing.
marls and zman left some excellent suggestions on sentence of dave yesterday. thanks! footy?
also, just said the word "distaff" in class while teaching 12th Night. Sir Toby Belch comments on Sir Andrew's thinning hair . . .
SIR ANDREW
But it becomes me well enough, does ’t not?
SIR TOBY
Excellent. It hangs like flax on a distaff. And I hope to see a housewife take thee between her legs and spin it off.
we’ve used ‘footy’ on this interwebsite dozens on times, but it’s nice to see whitney actually read something for once.
also, and more importantly, i’m on my way to see fishbone at my local. original lineup and all.
Birthday mini summit with Rob. Good times.
Nice birthday concert. I saw Fishbone on the 96 Warped Tour. Quite a show. I’m gonna assume they still bring it.
played two hours of soccer this morning. had beers over lunch with my wife. napped briefly, because old. beers with marls in the late afternoon. dinner with my wife and one of my kidlets. multiple pbr cans at the fishbone show, where i jumped into the mosh pit during 'party at ground zero' to close the show. that's a solid birthday.
Happy Birthday, Rob. Thanks for the Minneapolis recs.
We’ve never attempted a train station break in together (Marls) but you’re high on my list of non-Greg Gheorghies.
Nadal’s net game though! And I’ve said it here before: drop shots don’t work against him.
nice birthday rob! you sound like a youngster, with that itinerary.
I have posted my cover of george costanza's answering machine song. rock'n'roll hall of fame, here i come.
https://sentenceofdave.blogspot.com/2019/06/believe-it-or-not-george-isnt-at-home.html
people are trying to say that nadal has won 12 french open titles, but that's unpossible so i don't believe it.
Excellent bday, Rob. Savoring the last morsel of your forties.
And Dave’s new tune is so good. He’s the greatest American hero I know.
in charlottesville, going to see twenty one pilots with my kidlets. rock and roll weekend for your boy.
Perfect weather the last few days here in NJ. I crushed it on the grill with some bone-in ribeyes tonight. Added a side salad of chilled grilled asparagus, grape tomatoes, red onion and feta with a drizzle of olive oil.
The fam ate outside with the dog, since we have a couple weeks before the bugs come. After dinner, the kids threw a disc in the backyard, while the wife and I finished our bottle of Pinot. Best quality time we had together all week.
By contrast, zfamily ate hotdogs and hamburgers grilled in a public park along the banks of the Passaic River with twenty-some-odd other families from Cub Scout Pack 6. The bugs were out, if not in TR's yard, but the kids had a good time. There was no booze or dogs.
I was in Richmond last night for the Avett Brothers. Sorry, Rootsy, I still think they put on about as fantastic a live show as is out there. I'll see them again in September.
twenty one pilots put on a terrific show, as well. they create a really cool communal vibe - great connection with their audience. big fun with my girls.
Big Papi got shot? Geez, people.
Is that a portmanteau of "Big Poppa" and "Who Shot Ya"?
no booze or dogs does not a party make.
Apple is phasing out iTunes. My once-impressive music collection grows even more obsolete, if only slightly so, since it was pretty much dead, anyway.
What to do with 2000 CD's and a hard drive with 40,000 songs?
I'm curious to see what you come up with Whit. The iMac at my house is starting to labor greatly, and I'm not eager to pony up the bucks to get another one.
I'm in the middle of a seven day 'paint bender'. Once I pay the crew, I'll have spent more on painting this week than the rest of my life combined. But at least I didn't have to do it myself. I figure the potential for two months of rental income I'd miss doing it myself made paying someone to knock it out in four days an easy call.
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