Cool Hand Lucroy

Good discussion. Lots of great ideas here. I think @OldSchoolSnapperis right on about scoring and US culture. A lot of our system is also geared to games. Games, games, games. This is a huge problem in youth sports in general. You don't need kids under 12 (maybe even 14) playing games. They need reps. 3v3. Triangles. Maybe 7v7 in tight spaces. That's what the European countries do, by and large, and it's what creates elite skill development. We spend so much time traveling to tournaments, and it's truly a nightmare. Why? IMO it's mostly so grown-ups can brag and get in arguments. I'd rather have skills training or skills competitions, and I think the same is true about basketball. You can see the Euro system making gains in that sport too.

Slonina needs to make a move somewhere he can play. Maybe the Championship. I have hopes for him if he can get actual minutes. The talent is there. Chris Brady is also really young, and MLS isn't a bad spot, so maybe there's some opportunities there. I think it's time to move on from the Matts. What happens there and with Ream aging out will probably steer the ship. I think Balogun will be a huge weapon, so if they can be solid at the back, that's a great start.

Good thoughts here and across this thread. The Balogun controversy certainly impacted the vibes, but I think the biggest thing it did was make Belgium's plan quite easy. They just decided to not let Flo do anything, and the US was, somehow, not prepared to work in alternative ways. Had Flo remained suspended, I wonder if the team would have committed to a different approach, an approach I think might have been more successful. That's all hindsight obviously. I think Balogun in the starting XI ended up hurting them, but we'll never really know how things would have worked with Pepi. I fully expect US Soccer to extend Poch and claim victory. And for 2030 to look similar, but you never know since so much can change during these four year cycles. In any case, I hope @OldSchoolSnapperat least got to enjoy Seattle, despite the massive letdown on the pitch.

Belgium were tactically much stronger, I thought. They took Balo away and just dared anyone else to do something. Nobody did. When Gio (who can't crack a mediocre Bundesliga side) is subbed for Dest at halftime, you know you've reached the throwing stuff at the wall phase. Big picture, we have seen too many World Cups like this. Feeling good about producing some moments like Donovan's goal, Tim Howard's valiant effort, or the blowout of Paraguay or draw against England. Then, you come up against a decent European side in the R16 and lose by multiple goals, never looking like a threat. I have deep worries about US soccer as a federation. I watch Leeds every week. Aaronson is super important for them. He does a lot of things even in a league where he is undersized. He also brings an attacking element that would fit right in. He didn't play well against Turkiye, but he's also just not valued by the big club. It's weird. Weah, same thing. He was awful vs. Turkiye, but a lot of it was just not being able to time up his runs and avoid getting caught offside. Easily explained by rust. Again, I know those guys weren't going to save us, but this team seems to want a kind of "flash" that's just not that important to winning games in the latter stages of the tournament. This game needed an Aaronson (I would've subbed him in for Pulisic) or Weah to create space, and they weren't even given the last-ditch, good-guy sub reserved for Wright and Arfsten. I'm just not sure the federation understands development or roster construction. It's like they're playing to not get criticized. Anyway, this is a great final 8 no matter what happens tomorrow. And the tournament has been excellent. Sad to watch the hosts play the worst game so far, but lots of good football left to enjoy.

Easy, 5-run win. Just what the Uecker ordered given the current stretch of games and state of the bullpen.

Efficient, low-stress saves are the best saves. Good work from the bullpen tonight, too. Nice comeback win.

My favorite part about that was how everyone, from Ortiz to Levering to the center fielder had no idea that was out until it hit the batter's eye. And it wasn't a wall-scraper. Nobody expected it! Baseball!

Seems pretty clear to me this is one of those offensive slumps every team goes through at various points of the year. And in the midst of it, they've still managed to win a lot of games. They'll have to correct it, but this team won five in a row three days ago. Deep breaths.

You meant Frosty Boys, right?

3 in a row!

Mis, Harrison, Gasser, Drohan in the rotation right now. Sproat about to go on the shelf. Crow and Henderson looking reasonably close to coming back. Woody was okay yesterday, I guess. It's getting a little bit dicey, but they may only have to hold on for a couple of weeks. I'm not as up on the prospects as some here. I know Hardin is probably the highest pedigree choice, especially with Letson struggling at AA. Could Pannone take a spot start? Or Stallings (the K numbers look pretty good, at least)? Throwing one of those guys in Cincy doesn't seem like the worst idea. I know that place is a bandbox, but that lineup has also been pretty bad all year. Sometimes, you just need to eat innings.

I feel like I have seen more banger goals from outside the box than I ever have. Austria just absolutely blasted one. "Goal of the tournament" is going to be very competitive.

Definitely agree with all the folks mentioning Rengifo to IL. As soon as he got that little knock (the World Cup has me talking in soccer terms), a whole lot of people were thinking the same thing I was. "This lets us call up a top prospect without DFAing him." Seems like the org is smart enough to have that thought too.

I remember a lot of talk after the draw about "Turkey is a bad draw for anyone, should they win the playoff." They might well be. But Australia looked solid in defense, aside from a late lapse or two, and incredibly clinical and athletic on the counter. They also looked completely unafraid. Should be fun. Totally agree about Pulisic as well. I don't really buy the "he has to be great" narrative. Chris Richards and Balogun seem to fit that bill more for me. Front and back. The middle, though thin, has been the cornerstone of this national team for a long time.

Balogun and Gio both delivered absolutely choice goals. Completely lethal. The way this groups of midfielders can dominate the center of the park, having competent finishers is such a big deal. Balogun was my one big reason for optimism. When you have questions at the back and lack a clear striker, it's really hard to get points for all your possession. But even with a 38-year-old as part of your central pairing and a largely unproved keeper, you're still alright if you put away chances. That will have to keep up, but you're absolutely right. That was a US team playing with all the tough togetherness of past editions AND with talent and athleticism all over the space. "What if our best athletes played soccer?" It would look something like that.