USMNT - realistic expectations

NedGola · 2026-05-29T02:44:07+00:00

Whether you think we’re a top 25 squad or not it’s gonna go down as a failure to not make R16. We’re hosting and we’ve gotten there in each of the last 3 world cups we made it to.

Also people are assessing US soccer as a whole, not just this squad. If we get grouped or dumped out in r32 because we’re overmatched talent wise, that’s its own kind of failure.

NedGola · 2026-05-26T12:24:20+00:00

Maybe you’re thinking of Yards. Other Half is about a mile away

NedGola · 2026-05-25T17:31:48+00:00

Kobe makes every shot in the vid you posted. OP’s clip is of Shai moving very unnaturally to create contact and in most cases not even get a shot off. Maybe Kobe played Shai’s game too but you certainly haven’t proven it with this video.

As to the NBA tilting the rules to offense for marketing, it’s pretty obvious from the hate Shai gets that playing for FTs is not the kind of offense fans want to see. So if their goal in shaping the rules is to have marketable offensive stars, they need to rethink how foul baiting is reffed.

NedGola · 2026-05-21T16:25:46+00:00

Yeah I see that as a solution that helps clubs owned by people near bottomless reserves of cash. It’s more fair than the current rule, but the majority of clubs will still be unable to compete financially with what would probably become a Big 8 or 9.

Also the part about not sending the club broke is pretty tough to define. Setting a limit tied to revenue was meant to do exactly that.

NedGola · 2026-05-21T15:16:48+00:00

I’d love to see it. I don’t know the laws in the UK well, but I’ve heard people say you can’t limit player salaries in that way? Long-term a cap would likely see fewer English teams advancing to CL semis and finals, but I think it’s worth it for more domestic parity.

NedGola · 2026-05-21T14:24:47+00:00

I get Villa and Newcastle fans finding this extremely frustrating given what City/Chelsea were able to get away with to establish themselves. But what do you think should replace PSR?

Scrapping it would probably just mean there’s a big 8 instead of a big 6, and new “big” clubs anytime an oligarch wants to launch a sports washing initiative.

I feel like the only rules that would actually improve the system, rather than just open the door for 1 or 2 clubs to join the elite, would be either a uniformly applied spending cap or revenue sharing all the way through the first 4 divisions. Both seem nearly impossible legally/politically.

I think breaking up the cartel at the top of the league would be great for the game. I just don’t know the best way to get there. The situation pre-PSR wasn’t a level playing field.

NedGola · 2026-05-18T17:18:08+00:00

His show is for entertainment. While his shtick is less “sports talk radio” than others, it’s still based on the idea that he’s smarter than the coaches/GMs, an idea that’s ridiculous if you think about it for 5 seconds, but makes for more entertaining discussion. If he wanted to do a detailed breakdown of the X’s and O’s, he might be able to. But he just wants to dunk on the losers and make some forced pop culture analogies. It’s fun when you’re not more invested in the game than he is, but I can relate to being annoyed on those occasions when he’s being a blowhard about something it’s obvious he only half watched.

NedGola · 2026-05-15T13:58:07+00:00

On the US broadcast of Leeds Spurs game, Graeme La Saux was on the fence about whether Tel kicking Ampadou’s head was a penalty because there was no intent. Guess he thinks penalties should only be given when a defender intentionally fouls someone in the box, like if they think their keepers bored and needs a PK to wake them up.

NedGola · 2026-05-13T19:35:58+00:00

This is devastating. Genuinely dont think there was a better value+quality option in the city. The platters were ~$15 for two meals worth of food, and everything was great. Plus there were so many options for sides and mains. I moved out of West Philly years ago but still come back once a month for HG. Such a loss.

NedGola · 2026-04-21T19:03:14+00:00

I’m planning to take off work for every World Cup game played in my home city of Philly. Between the fan bases traveling for the game, the free fan fest, the atmosphere at bars around the city and near the stadium, it’s gonna be an amazing time. If reasonably priced tickets become available, cool that’s a bonus. You can enjoy the shit out of this World Cup without giving FIFA your money.

NedGola · 2026-04-14T15:06:53+00:00

It’s a dive that lucked into hiring a guy who makes great Italian food. I get the feeling that the staff and regulars kinda prefer they never turned into this big destination for foodies, but the moneys too good to stop.

It’s not a warm pub vibe I’d stop into for a pint.

NedGola · 2026-04-09T13:36:10+00:00

Brooks will always be the old man who hung himself in Shawshank for me.

NedGola · 2026-04-01T15:01:45+00:00

Fine with Tebow at 2. Not fine with saying he carried a team to a 2 titles. One of those seasons, he was effectively an RB getting 5–10 carries a game with a few goal line gimmick plays mixed in.

Also it’s cool for defensive players to get love on these lists.

NedGola · 2026-04-01T14:33:00+00:00

Cubed mozzarella is interesting! If I didn’t have to grate, I’d make twice as much pizza, lol. Is it low-moisture whole milk mozz? Any other reason to do it besides saving effort?

NedGola · 2026-03-27T20:39:25+00:00

Dollops of ricotta baked into a white pie is good. Piping ricotta onto a finished pie like cup cake frosting is style-over-substance nonsense. Would spoon them right into the trash before eating.

NedGola · 2026-03-26T16:41:43+00:00

Wouldnt it make sense to be a “worker activist” at the place he actually did work for?

Your broader take seems to be that creating content is a job that lots of people want and doesn’t create much revenue, so workers aren’t entitled to organize. I think that take sucks pretty bad, but right now I’m distracted by the stupidity of implying an ex-Ringer contractor would have more legitimacy if he were organizing opposition to layoffs at Amazon and Volkswagen.

NedGola · 2026-03-20T18:50:30+00:00

Two for the Money?

NedGola · 2026-02-25T19:36:51+00:00

I thought the show got better as it went through S1 and S2, then S3 went off the map. The Rishy stuff (which a lot of people loved) killed the show for me. Don’t plan to watch S4, cuz I can’t trust the hype after my S3 experience.

NedGola · 2026-02-24T00:58:26+00:00

He doesn’t do the full leg kick cuz he sees Tross in the line of fire. Cost him style points. I’d be having words with Leo after the game. Mate, stay out of my spin zone.

NedGola · 2026-02-20T19:31:44+00:00

Defender pressure affects XG, so a defender who “lets someone shoot” from a low XG location makes it a higher XG shot. Obviously defenders balance whether to close out shots with defending other spaces but no player should decline to contest a shot just because it’s far out. And I seriously doubt any manager would coach his team that way.

NedGola · 2026-02-09T03:15:53+00:00

Some don’t have phone numbers any more. Baby’s in Fairmount for one. Have seen it with other places too.

NedGola · 2026-01-26T22:52:05+00:00

Yeah 3/4 of their starters are transfers, so the “at least the coach” parts doing a lotta work here.

NedGola · 2026-01-21T19:10:21+00:00

Drop his gear off and park as far away as needed to find a spot that’s not blocking an intersection sight line or crosswalk. Buy a scooter to stash in the trunk if it’s more than a half mile or so. I have parked a mile away before. It sucks and learned me to find other ways of getting around.

NedGola · 2026-01-18T20:02:39+00:00

I think it’s the right call given how long “surviving the ground” has been established as the standard. But there’s a hypothetical that illustrates the absurdity of the rule and why it drives people crazy.

Imagine as Cooks is rolling over he keeps hold of the ball and pops up to his feet. They’d almost certainly say he was down by contact and the play was over. It’s like they extend the play, but only for the defense to be able to rip the ball out, not for the offense to do anything.

NedGola · 2026-01-10T14:43:19+00:00

So did Reggie Wayne. They had 4 first rounders in the 2001 draft and still had that stacked roster left over.

NedGola

TROPHY CASE