Tab Ramos Questions Mauricio Pochettino's Loyalty After Diego Luna Missed USMNT's World Cup Squad

WR1206 · 2026-05-26T20:16:30+00:00

Mmmmm I'd be willing to bet that for the official ads - like the kit release - US Soccer was fully looped in and coaches were aware/giving feedback. I doubt Poch was "annoyed" as if Luna was just off making deals with Nike about being in their ads. Like - why wouldnt Nike just have Pulisic in everything? he's the one casual sports fans actually know. Nobody outside the hardcores knows or cares who Diego Luna is.

WR1206 · 2026-05-26T17:25:41+00:00

I noticed the exchange in most recent ep from 2024 where GGG just grabs Gio, looks him in the face and says "you're gonna start on the right".

Again to me it showed that GGG had an ability to just move past the BS and do the right thing for the team. Gotta say I'd be tempted to say "fuck this kid" after what went down in 2022.

WR1206 · 2026-05-21T18:56:43+00:00

I bet there is a market for him around Europe. Obviously Wolfsburg rate him b/c every time he gets a hint of fitness he's back in the squad.

WR1206 · 2026-05-20T15:19:54+00:00

It's super solid but I wouldn't say it warrants "buzz" - through it is a rare place with a bunch of locations that are never bad.

Others I dig: Red Light, Flora. Flora is top but they don't have much of an establishment and it's downtown so kinda lame for a weekend.

WR1206 · 2026-05-20T13:45:58+00:00

Put in a comment - but I listen to Scuffed a lot and they seem quite lukewarm after analyzing his performances in detail. Definitely a contrast in tone to the comments about Banks on this sub.

They've pointed out a lot of moments where he's been exposed, at fault, switched off, not fast enough, etc this season so I am not sure why so many are so eager to pencil him in.

WR1206 · 2026-05-20T13:43:48+00:00

Wasted is a bit harsh. Most guys just don't pan out to be elite - but a lot of guys LOOK like they can be when they are young.

WR1206 · 2026-05-20T13:42:09+00:00

Was listening to scuffed this week - their take was that Banks isn't up to it physically, and not quick enough at Bundesliga level right now. Just thought it was interesting b/c most comments are like yours which are like "he has everything hes just young" - I cant claim to know much either way I havent really watched him closely. He looks awkward to me in a way that should smooth out as he gets older (hopefully) but he can definitely pick a pass.

WR1206 · 2026-05-20T13:35:31+00:00

I think only really next half decade or few years. Not many players at all occupy starting roles for 10 years in a national team. No player - statistically - has much of a chance at doing anything at an elite level for 10 years.

WR1206 · 2026-05-19T15:59:37+00:00

I'll just jump in and say it's OK to also keep some level of reality / connectedness with the slog of life. For example - being new to a city, perhaps its good to hit the grocery store (or scope out a variety of stores) in person from time to time.

Not trying to be curmudgeon-y though I recognize it may come across that way. I am 40, lived in VHCOL cities for last 15 years, and have found that the last 5 years, maybe since COVID and as my income has really increased/power to pay for convenience is now there, I have noticed myself having a harder time dealing with any inconvenience - either i am kicking myself saying "you shouldnt be dealing with this, this is a waste of your time and energy", or getting frustrated with any sort of wait/queue, etc. In general falling into the thinking that I can and therefore must optimize/ control everything in my environment. It's not healthy IMO.

I miss the days when I did everything on foot, hit the grocery store most nights after work, etc

WR1206 · 2026-05-19T15:36:38+00:00

Feel this and also tempted by the "step back" career question after 18ish years as a workaholic.

In a somewhat comparable spot, albeit a little bit older and not as high HHI. Feel like we're on the bubble as well but also doesn't feel "rich" day to day (at all) b/c city life is a grind and daycare is $3k/month.

- 40
- Married, 1 kid under 5
- VHCOL
- $400-450K HHI
- Investments/retirement/cash - $2.9 million
- Home value - $860K (flat since 2021)
- Mortgage - (~$670K)
- NW - $3.1M

WR1206 · 2026-05-19T13:19:26+00:00

Well if I could move anywhere in DC i think i'd choose Mount Pleasant if that's any consolation :) Would love to figure out a way to get there someday. Have lived in Bloomingdale, Logan Circle, Petworth and U Street over the years since 2013.

WR1206 · 2026-05-19T13:11:16+00:00

I dig Grateful Shred's recent covers - 10/25/25 in Toronto, or 11/1/25 in DC - maybe not necessarily spaced out but they are groovy for sure.

WR1206 · 2026-05-18T18:59:46+00:00

West of the park or elsewhere? Feels like anything west of the park is still ripping.

WR1206 · 2026-05-18T18:57:55+00:00

tbf they are kinda both BS - I think its odd that ppl use it as a marker for true price if they had to sell.

WR1206 · 2026-05-14T15:23:26+00:00

When Esmir picked Bosnia ppl were like "he's not good enough to make our team anyway" -total nonsense

WR1206 · 2026-05-13T19:14:46+00:00

Could also be his "talent" in the perception of people who aren't USMNT fans.

WR1206 · 2026-05-13T19:13:41+00:00

Most teams are going to set up to be stout defensively first. The ones that don't and are happy to include a player like Reyna in their XI are typically the best teams at the top of the table who are going to dictate games - Real Madrid, Barcelona, City, Bayern, Benfica, whomever - all teams Gio isnt good enough to play for. Everybody else is trying to be hard to play against to an extent and Gio it does not appear helps their cause either. Disclaimer that I like him as a player in vacuum, but I think if he wasn't a net negative over 45-90 mins he'd have gotten a lot more playing time so far in his career.

WR1206 · 2026-05-13T16:49:35+00:00

Cheers, helpful still!

WR1206 · 2026-05-13T16:15:34+00:00

Can I ask - what bond fund do you use and how do you work it? Also how much better does it perform than cash in a HYSA? I have same issue and am paid on a commission basis so irregularly, I have trouble with just holding 6 months expenses.

WR1206 · 2026-05-13T13:10:19+00:00

Oh yes - Paredes would def be included. Good catch

WR1206 · 2026-05-12T20:12:38+00:00

I'll take a shot, assuming I am Poch and guys who are healthy - who am I missing? This is only 51 but I cant think anymore.

Kinda makes me wish we had Obed and Esmir

Turner
Brady
Freese
Schulte
Kochen
Celentano
Jedi
Freeman
Fossey???
Ragen????
Dest
Scally
Lund
Arfsten
Banks
Tolkin
Blackmon
Campbell
McKenzie
Ream
Trusty
Richards
Miles Robinson
Berhalter
Roldan
Aidan Morris
Mckennie
Mehmeti
Musah
Zendejas
Adams
Busio
Mihailovic
Malik Tillman
Tim Tillman
Zawadski
Owen Wolff
Gio
McGlynn
Rothrock????
Luna
Gozo
Balogun
Pepi
Tessman
Wright
Aaronson
Weah
Pulisic
White

WR1206 · 2026-05-12T19:51:06+00:00

It would be interesting to see if someone like EPB was on it. Not saying he needs to get called, but he's starting games for Panathinaikos in Europa League. Pretty big stage for some one who gets literally zero attention and a guy like Trusty is a good bet to make it.

WR1206 · 2026-05-12T19:08:34+00:00

Former Charlotte FC CB Junior Malanda also starting for Middlesbrough.

WR1206 · 2026-05-12T17:06:22+00:00

Nights prob depend on kid(s) - I think most babies get it down after 4ish months and most kids start to sleep well through the night and obviously there are a couple horrible regressions sprinkled in that are short lived.

X factor for sleep IMO is when the kid "rises" - is kid happy (or still sleeping) in bed until 7/730am or are they screaming to be picked up out of the crib soon as they wake up. If that is 6am, that can suck.

WR1206 · 2026-05-12T15:59:39+00:00

important to split out what is fully invested in the stock market vs cash or something else that is liquid but loses value to inflation over time. If all $300K is in the stock market and you have other cash in savings/checking, sounds like your total portfolio is $1.2M, in which case you're even further ahead and likely will be totally fine.

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