Futbol

[Vrede too]

I think I'll just root for England and anybody playing USA USA USA.

England, Group L:
Croatia
Ghana (I'll root for Ghana)
Panama

United States, Group D
Paraguay
Australia
Turkey
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/world-cup/schedule

Somali referee Artan barred from entering USA

Omar Artan, who was set to be the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals, has been dropped from the list of officials after he was denied entry to the United States.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men's referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey.

No reason for Artan's repatriation has been issued by US immigration authorities, but Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump's administration....

Black, of course:


Omar Artan has been a Fifa referee since 2018

[Vrede too]

Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 today, in Mexico City, largest stadium in Latin America, 80K fans, "a sea of green". I like both, but Mexico a little more since they're a host. I hope Mexico and Canada advance further than USA USA USA.

All times EDT

10 PM - 12:00 AM, FS1/Telemundo
Go Czech Republic > South Korea
1-2
1-1 today

Friday, June 12

3:00 PM Toronto, Canada FOX/Tele/Peacock
GO Canada > Bosnia-Herzegovina

9:00 PM SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California FOX/Tele/Peacock
United States vs Paraguay, go futbol

[Vrede too]

Mexico beat South Africa 2-0 today, in Mexico City, largest stadium in Latin America, 80K fans, "a sea of green". I like both, but Mexico a little more since they're a host. I hope Mexico and Canada advance further than USA USA USA.

All times EDT

10 PM - 12:00 AM, FS1/Telemundo
Go Czech Republic > South Korea
1-2
1-1 today

Friday, June 12

3:00 PM Toronto, Canada FOX/Tele/Peacock
GO Canada > Bosnia-Herzegovina
1-1 today
I'm 1-1-1 so far.

9:00 PM SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California FOX/Tele/Peacock
United States vs Paraguay, go futbol

Sat 6/13

3:00 PM, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
GO Switzerland > Qatar

6:00 PM, New York New Jersey Stadium
Go Morocco > Brazil

9:00 PM, Boston Stadium
Go Haiti > Scotland

[Vrede too]

I think I'll just root for England and anybody playing USA USA USA.

You betray your avatar.

Toronto, Canada
GO Canada > Bosnia-Herzegovina
1-1 today Not a stellar debut.

[GoCubsGo]

I guess I'm too much of a homer.

I want to see the USA do well.

[GoCubsGo]

USA! USA!

That poor Paraguayon player.

[GoCubsGo]

USA! USA!

.

USA! USA!

USA! USA!


Good Friday video night, futbol on one screen, De-Donolding the Kennedy Center on another.

[Vrede too]

I guess I'm too much of a homer.

I want to see the USA do well.

I'm ambivalent. I like seeing Americans get excited about the WC, but Dementia Don and FIFA have kind of ruined it for me.

USA! USA!

That poor Paraguayon player.

I hate it when that happens.

[O Really]

I don't know much about Paraguay, and less about FIFA-level futbol, but Paraguay is a middle South American country with a population about like Arizona and a GDP about the same as Vermont. I don't know where they get their players, but isn't whooping it up over a 4-1 beating a lot like bragging about the kittens you kicked?

[Vrede too]

I don't know much about Paraguay, and less about FIFA-level futbol, but Paraguay is a middle South American country with a population about like Arizona and a GDP about the same as Vermont. I don't know where they get their players, but isn't whooping it up over a 4-1 beating a lot like bragging about the kittens you kicked?

Good point. Otoh, 4 goals is more than the US scored in 4 games in 2022 and it was only favored by half a goal over Paraguay.

I think players have to be citizens. So, there's less cross-border horse trading than at the club level.

Another knock on the WC is that its games are broadcast by Fox Sports. I don't have an opinion on quality, I just detest ownership.

[O Really]

Yeah but wasn't one of those 4 goals by Paraguay?

[Vrede too]

Yeah but wasn't one of those 4 goals by Paraguay?

History will record that as the first USA USA USA goal in the 2026 WC.

I'm 1-1-1 so far.

3:00 PM, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
GO Switzerland (-1.75) > Qatar
The Swiss led from minute 17 on, then Qatar scored an equalizer on a beautiful header in 2nd half injury time. 1-1.
I'm 1-1-2 so far.

6:00 PM, New York New Jersey Stadium
Go Morocco > Brazil (-0.75 - what's the point? Winners will be the same as if it's -0.5)
24 years since Brazil won a WC, its 4th.
Morocco strikes first.
EDIT: Brazil equalizes 9 minutes later, 1-1.
EDIT: No 2nd half scores. Morocco dominated the late minutes, but 1-1. "The Beautiful Game" has lost its luster.
I'm 1-1-3 so far.

9:00 PM, Boston Stadium
Go Haiti > Scotland (-1.5)
0-1
I'm 1-2-3 so far.

12:00 AM Sun 6/14, BC Place Vancouver
Go Australia > Turkiye (-0.75)
Upset! 2-0
I'm 2-2-3 so far.

Sun 6/14

1:00 PM Houston Stadium
Go Curacao > Germany (-3.5). Yeah, right

4:00 PM Dallas Stadium
GO Netherlands (-0.5) > Japan

7:00 PM Philadelphia Stadium
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (-0.25), go futbol

10:00 PM Estadio Monterrey
Sweden (-0.5) vs Tunisia, go futbol

[Vrede too]

Divers Found a Mysterious Nazi Sub off the Jersey Shore. Three Men Died Trying to Learn Its Name.

... Their working theory is that the U-869 fired a torpedo that failed to pick up its intended target, and instead it circled back to strike—and sink—the German U-boat it came from....

Was the torpedo made in Paraguay?

[O Really]

The US kits remind me of something. Can't quite place it. Hmmmm.

[GoCubsGo]

The US kits remind me of something. Can't quite place it. Hmmmm.

Who is that?

[O Really]

Books, games, yada: "Where's Waldo" (or Where's Wally)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/seri ... res-waldo/

[Vrede too]

Books, games, yada: "Where's Waldo" (or Where's Wally)
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/seri ... res-waldo/

Yup

12:00 AM Sun 6/14, BC Place Vancouver
Go Australia > Turkiye (-0.75)
Upset! 2-0
I'm 2-2-3 so far.

Sun 6/14

1:00 PM Houston Stadium
Go Curacao > Germany (-3.5). Yeah, right
1-7 My upset streak ends at 1
I'm 2-3-3 so far.

4:00 PM Dallas Stadium
GO Netherlands (-0.5) > Japan
2-2
I'm 2-3-4 so far.

7:00 PM Philadelphia Stadium
Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (-0.25), go futbol
1-0
I'm 3-3-4 so far.

10:00 PM Estadio Monterrey
Sweden (-0.5) vs Tunisia, go futbol
5-1, ouch

[Vrede too]

Such a beautiful response that I had no right to expect it.

That being said, I grew up a fan of Pelé and Brazilian futbol.

Brazil was tied by Morocco 1-1

I was a huge fan of Cruyff, though never of the Dutch team.

From Cruyff, I became a life long supporter of both the
side and the team culture of FC Barcelona. There were
days in Franco's Spain where the only safe place to be was
inside the Camp Nou. Barcelona's motto "Més que un club"
translates to "More than a club." Barça to me is resistance.
I digress. I also root for Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.

Germany bullied Curacao 7-1
Italy did not qualify after being beaten by Bosnia and Herzegovina, sorry. It's a new record of shame for a former champion.

In the World Cup, I favor Spain, with France usually second.
I loved rooting for Morocco last WC.

Tying Brazil is a coup.

My favorite African side is Côte d'Ivoire.

1-0 over Ecuador on a goal at 90' CONGRATS!

I didn't have a Asian fave until you mentioned Iran. I'd planned on following them for quite a few months now, but never as the representative of a continent, and especially not as a country under direct attack by me and mine. زنده باد ایران.

Their base is in Mexico, makes sense.

[Vrede too]

I'm 3-3-4 so far.

Mon 6/15

12:00 PM Atlanta Stadium
Spain (-2.5) vs Cape Verde, go futbol

3:00 PM Seattle Field
Go Belgium (-0.75) > Egypt

6:00 PM Miami Stadium
GO Uruguay (-1.5) > Saudi Arabia

9:00 PM Los Angeles Stadium
Iran (-0.5) vs New Zealand, go futbol

[O Really]

So even though I certainly liked it better when stadiums were named "Three Rivers" and "Candlestick Park", "Mile High" etc., it does seem that with the rise of sponsored names, that Lumen Field is, at least for the current contract the official legal name of the Seahawk's home field. Why is it they aren't using those names for the World Cup games? Surely it can't be that FIFA sees their product as non-commercial. And probably non-political? Right, that's the ticket.

And did the corporate name sponsors who paid millions for the naming rights get a vote here? ($625 million from SoFi - to be called "Los Angeles Stadium" during arguably one of the biggest events held there.)

More corruption?