ATLLonghorn

I saw a question on Twitter the other day. It was "What was the dumbest game your team won?" I started thinking about how I could probably name one from 2002 (my Freshman year) to 2009 (the end of the good times) and I had a thought that in that time period typically our teams weren't the ones that committed dumb mistakes. Most of our losses were games where we just got our asses kicked, but usually when games were close and came down to a razor thin margin of a couple of plays we'd be the more composed team. The differences between Strong and Herman are one coach was a defensive coach while the other was an offensive coach, one guy didn't kiss the "right" peoples asses and was good to other people while the other kisses the right ass and is an insufferable prick otherwise. The lack of discipline instilled in players, the nepotism of hiring shitty coordinators you know. The inability to make adjustments in game. It's all the same. The packaging is all that is different.

THIS.

Before the 7 in 11 days with the Phillies to end the season we have Boston, Arizona, SF, Washington, St Louis. The Phillies have the Marlins, Mets, Nationals, Marlins again and Mets again. That's a significant advantage for them in theory, but they're just .500 against those teams. If they stay consistent there and we can tread water with our brutal stretch the final 11 days of the season favor the Braves heavily. Also, Toussaint starts tomorrow so we get Touki vs Mookie and dammit I love a good rhyme.

Newcomb in his three starts against teams with winning records since nearly no-hitting the Dodgers: 13.1 innings, 18 earned runs allowed. There were solid starts against the Marlins and Nats mixed in there, but his inconsistency presents a problem for the team going forward. He's clearly capable of being dominant, but not nearly consistent enough to rely on. When the roster expands they're going to need a backup starter ready to go when he pitches whether it's Touki, Wilson or someone else.

I wish it was the Nats chasing us and shitting the bed constantly because I have nothing against the Phillies, but they're hanging by a thread right now. The Braves are 42-21 against the NL East this season. The Phillies are 25-28. The Phillies have an advantage of having more games with the Marlins and Mets left but that hasn't worked out well for them so far.

...I know.

Gall's ascension has been crazy. He went from the Austin Aztex in 2015 to the 3rd division of Swedish soccer the next year to a mid-table team in the top flight for two years before transferring to Malmo at midseason this year. I know that the Swedish league isn't exactly known for it's prowess (21st in the UEFA coefficient) but Malmo is the top team in that league.

Bielsa Ball is a high pressing, fast attack system. I'm curious to see if it will hold up over the course of the 90 game or whatever schedule they play in the Championship

I'm casually following Leeds this year because Bielsa is Tata Martino's mentor. I enjoy watching them play.

The other night I watched NAIA football between SAGU and Evangel because I missed college football and you want to take games away from us? You're a savage, man.

I take back my optimism. We've scored one run in two games against the fucking Marlins. We suck again.

MLS is consistently shitty in its application of VAR.

Something that I didn't notice until I talked to a co-worker from Philly the other day, I knew we played 7 of our last 10 against the Phillies, but I didn't know the Phillies had to go to Coors for a four gamer in between while we get the Mets. That's such a huge advantage for us. As long as we don't shit the bed in our seven game stretch against Boston and at Arizona for the first time I actually like our chances to win the division.

Little things good and bad add over the course of the year and I think that while it's not really getting attention now getting two eight inning starts out of Gausman during this crazy gauntlet stretch they've been on allowing the important bullpen guys a day off will end up paying off huge the last few weeks of the season.

So yeah I get that MLS is miles and miles behind the best leagues in the world in terms of quality, but if you have a sense of humor about yourself it's a truly wonderful, bat shit crazy league.

Never seen anything like this in MMA

I feel like this game is going to be closer than it should be because Deschamps wants France to play a...pragmatic (boring, defensive) style of soccer which plays into Croatia's hands a bit. Croatia played an extra game in the knockout stages because of all the extra time games and have to be fatigued at this point. I'd love to see Deschamps do something out of the box and replace Matuidi (who is redundant with Kante in the midfield) with Dembele and just let him and Mbappe challenge the Croatian back line with their speed and skill. I'm not doubting Croatia at this point, but you have to think eventually they're going to run out of gas, but they've been so resilient in this tournament that if France gives them any opportunity they'll seize it. If France just comes at them early they can take control and never look back, but I think it's going to be a much more reserved, measured game which at least gives Croatia a fighting chance.

Booting a ball off the post into your own face in celebration of a goal that is going to give you a harder path through the knockout stage is pretty fitting

after googling, you are correct, so it's completely on his match producer who failed today.

Colombia scores a goal which means the second is spot is decided on fair play points Ten minutes later JP Dellacamera mentions it for the first time on the broadcast Ten more minutes later he says "We don't know about the yellow cards in the Japan game" So two things: 1) The match producer should've IMMEDIATELY made sure he knew that fair play was in play 2) I don't fully blame him for not knowing the yellow card situation in the Japan game, but he's not in the stadium. He's in a studio in Los Angeles. Every resource should've been available to him and his producer to find out. That was an atrocity in broadcasting by Fox.

He's been alright. Better than most.

Four years to the day after he scored one of the great world cup goals of all time James Rodriguez subs out in the first half with an injury. Brutal.

Just chiming in to say I hate all of Fox's commentators except for Derek Rae. Stu Holden wouldn't be bad if his balls dropped. Dellacamera and Meola are brutal to listen to.

It puts the group G&H teams at a major disadvantage so there'd have to be some work arounds. If you move the R16 back a couple of days and stipulate those teams can't play the first day I don't think it would be that bad, but if a Group A team draws a Group G team and there's no extra rest they'd have three more days of rest.

I wish this was logistically feasible because it would be a lot of fun.