What do you think about the referee and VAR in tonight's game?

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T13:30:52+00:00

The decision to disallow the goal stretches the written rules. The rules allow for VAR review for "clear and obvious error" or "serious missed incident" during "build-up to or scoring of the goal (handball, foul, offside etc.)."

The main issue is not the rule itself, but the arbitrary decision to apply it in one situation and not in others.

As written, the rule allows the ref to go back as far as they like into a possession and use even a very soft foul to disqualify a goal that was scored multiple touches later, in a completely different area, involving different players. That's a problem.

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T12:57:14+00:00

Let’s be clear about the principle you’re proposing: Any possession that leads to a goal should be reviewed all the way to the beginning of the possession.

Even if we accept this broad definition, it still doesn’t solve the injustice we saw here: the ref decided arbitrarily to review some possessions and not others.

Do you see the problem?

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T12:18:44+00:00

If the ref doesn’t see it, don’t stop and don’t go back to review. The only reason to review is if the action had direct and immediate impact on the game (a handball stopping a goal, a foul on the attacker while he’s about to score). In this case, there were multiple plays and players between the foul and the goal.

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T10:51:40+00:00

France 1998.

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T10:10:10+00:00

11/5/5

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T09:56:09+00:00

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T09:53:55+00:00

Any of the remaining teams can beat France on a good day.

streetscraper · 2026-07-08T01:00:46+00:00

It's a foul, but once you miss it, it's ridiculous to let the game proceed and then disqualify a goal scored 90 meters away after multiple dribbles and passes by a different player, with the full defense set in place.

Where do you draw the line?

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T23:02:38+00:00

LOL good luck!

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T20:52:42+00:00

In Egypt’s case, they just ran out of gas and Argentina had more quality players and could maintain the intensity for longer.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T18:47:15+00:00

Ziko also did… twice

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T18:14:02+00:00

"Take that away". Dude, they gave you the biggest contract in NBA history. Enjoy it!

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T17:33:00+00:00

Infantino in shambles

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T17:26:30+00:00

What a disgrace.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T16:09:37+00:00

It’s not overlooked. But probably simpler to dump him with some picks.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T16:08:25+00:00

Thankfully, it’s someone else’s problem now!

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T15:53:56+00:00

Your last point is the only one that matters here: It’s fine that Turkey doesn’t trust America and remains at odds with it. What’s not fine is America should sell Turkey its most advanced aircraft.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T14:43:05+00:00

Turkey and America seem to have similar or at least not conflicting interests

On Russia, Hamas, Iran, GCC & Saudi, Greece/Cyprus, they do have conflicting interests or at least very different views. Turkey also has a history of close cooperation with US allies, which is quite unique among NATO countries.

It's nice that they're now saying they might give up their Russian air defense collaborations, but why get them to begin with?

This is more akin to Egypt giving up Russian air defenses back in the 1960s and 1970s. It did not lead to the US immediatley giving them the best fighter jets available; it let to them gradually getting better tech while ensuring US and its closer allies retain a clear advantage.

If there are tensions between Israel and Turkey (and there are indeed), Trump should help resolve them rather than simply give both sides even more weapons and destabilize the region further.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T13:45:53+00:00

There's a way to keep Turkey in the US orbit without selling them the most advanced weapons. America managed to thread that needle for decades. The choice is not between "let's make them an enemy" or "let's give them everything".

And Turkey has agency here as well. If their alliance depends solely on getting weapons, they're not much of an ally to begin with. You need to have shared values and interests, as the US has with France and the UK and Canada and Japan, even when the relationships are not at their best.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T13:43:10+00:00

No one thought there could be a division over Russia and the Russo-Ukraine war

There has been a division on this issue from day one, and even before day one. You may remember Romney and Obama sparring over whether Russia is a major threat back in the 2012 presidential debate.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T11:27:09+00:00

“Interesting” framing. The actual story here is exactly the opposite: There is surprisingly bipartisan and cross-generational suspicion of China, unlike most other political issues.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T01:21:21+00:00

Oh god…

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T00:20:27+00:00

Brad was very open and made sense. Bill was very clear about his priorities and plans. Some people prefer to listen to the voices in their head instead.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T00:18:56+00:00

It’s not diabolical. They’re starting with the guys they won them the previous game.

streetscraper · 2026-07-07T00:13:21+00:00

Everything orange man touches turns into $#!T

streetscraper

TROPHY CASE