Ruud is right

I think Ruud isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and that's being kind, but his response to Platini's idiotic, asinine, and plain stupid statements on what players should or shouldn't do in response to racist taunts directed at them, is dead fucking on point.

Yes, tell the refs, then walk the fuck off.

Platini's a naïve tool. He doesn't grasp the enormity of the problem.

Considering the Dutch incident already, he's about to find his shoulders are about to get much heavier.

Happy Pills?

Is it me, or do the US Men look miserable out on the field? I don't mean the way they're playing, but their lack of joy at playing. Donovan hinted at his occasional lack of passion recently, but it feels like no one on that team is having fun.

Taylor Twellman mentioned during yesterday's broadcast that the boys might be tired. They're definitely playing like it now. The mood of the team just seemed dour. It's a sharp contrast to their smiling, positive coach.

I makes me wonder if Jürgen turns into Mr. Hyde during practice. Grinding them down behind the scenes.

Okay, enough German S/M Nazi fantasies. :)

I gotta agree with Twellman. They look like they need a day or two off. It wouldn't surprise me if Guatemala pulls off the upset on Tuesday.

Really, England?

You're doubling down on John Terry, aren't you?

Seriously?

You're gonna make me root against you in the Euros, aren't you?

Fuckers.

Maybe his hurt hammie will help keep him from embarrassing the team.

Now can we build this thing?

Start digging, dammit!

Been too damn long, and fans have been put through too damn much.

So much to unpack, but I'll keep it simple this time.

Suarez's actions today prove that not only is he a racist, he's a complete asshole.

I don't condone Evra taunting him after the game, especially after he made several attempts to put the issue to bed, but seriously, what the fuck Luis?

I don't care if "negrito" is part of Uruguayan culture, and is supposed to be a term of endearment. In the context it was used, it was not meant as such, and in the context of Uruguayan culture it is still arguably racist.

Memín Pinguín, anyone? He's a negrito.

Qatar - featured on 60 Minutes

I'm among the many that went "WHAAA???!!!" when Qatar was picked to host the 2022 World Cup.
This feature on 60 Minutes sheds a little light on the country. I'm still not convinced they were a better choice than the U.S. or even Australia, but this helps me understand why it was considered.

Oh, San Jose.

Today is the "I hope both teams get food poisoning and shit all over the field" Cup.
Of course I will watch because I'm not just a soccer fan, but an American soccer fan.

If you put a gun to the head of one of my daughters to make me pick a team, before I beat you to a bloody pulp, I'd pick the Dynamo. I will say however that every time I see those two stars over that Houston badge it takes me back to the bitterness of the move. I put in a lot of work to try and keep the team here, and the pain and disappointment of not being able to do that still bugs me to this day.

The current version of the Quakes ain't helping to ease that pain.

I ran into David Alioto before the first regular season game before the Dynamo and Quakes. I'd mentioned the conflicted feelings I had because I personally knew those players now on Houston. I had no problem cheering for the new Quakes to beat the Dynamo, but at the time I had no ill will towards the individual players and coaches on Houston. Alioto looked at me like I'd grown a second head. He mumbled something about "they've moved on" and "they're just players" and other shit that most sports execs say about players that makes them into units of business rather than actual humans (a pet peeve of mine, btw). In that moment, I felt like he didn't get it. He hadn't spent the time we had as fans helping grow this league, and in that moment it showed, badly.

Fast forward to this season:

"I think for a long time, we didn't embrace our history and heritage as a club."

That was said by David Kaval, current president of the San Jose Earthquakes, during the broadcast of the last regular season game. WTF? If you're talking about this new Lew Wolff owned team, then yeah, I agree with you, if you mean longer than that, then I gotta ask where the fuck have you been? The team got renamed from the Clash as a fucking tribute to the history of the club. Johnny Moore? Remember him? Throwback jerseys? NASL Team reunions? Bringing back Krazy George? All this happened before this current version. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone has a clue in the front office. Please do something that shows me you've got a grasp of what's going on here.

I'll be honest, a lack of money has been the main thing that has kept me away from watching live games, but even if I had the extra income to go, I'd pause in giving the current regime my money. Personally, I don't plan on going to another game until I see construction start on the new stadium.

BTW, Lew, David, why haven't we had a US Men's game in the Bay Area in several years? I get that Buck Shaw is too small, but we've got other places here. I remember a kick-ass friendly with Japan at a packed Phone Company park. That was that last one I attended here in the Bay Area. If I knew now what I didn't know then, I'd have sucked up my pride and gone the the friendly at Spartan back in 2007. We haven't had one since then. What's up with that?