Hunter Smith

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. - Prefontaine

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Sargent has been excellent today. Holding up everything for us. Hope he’s okay. #USMNT

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

If one of Messi’s most valuable skills is that it looks like the ball is glued to his foot when dribbling, Antonee Robinson is whatever the opposite of that is…looks more like a yo-yo. #USMNT

[Taylor Twellman @TaylorTwellman]

It’s not my cup of tea but I’m also enamored with how 🇪🇸 consistently play their opponents in a way that always puts them on their heels. They never “concede” their ideas due to the opponent. An identity. Amazing how they accomplish this all the time. #WorldCup2022

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Someone must have forgotten to tell Spain how difficult Concacaf is 🤡

[ESPN FC @ESPNFC]

DOMINANCE FROM SPAIN IN THEIR OPENING WORLD CUP MATCH 🇪🇸👏

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

It’s almost like ESPN/ABC respected the game enough to actually provide meaningful analysis and not treat their viewers as if they are all <10 yrs old or as if every game is the 1st soccer game they’ve ever watched. They actually knew how to promote it on the front end too.

[L W Johnson @HelltownBeer]

Last 3 World Cup openers...

3.07m 2022 FS1
1.7m 2018 FOX
4.4m 2014 ESPN

We'll have Yesterday's games this evening.

[Brian Kleiban @b_kleiban]

Pregame I talked about intent. Do we want to be attack minded and creative or “same ol same ol” destroyers? Jordan Morris in instead of Gio shows clear intent. Big body. Bruiser. Helps on set piece defense. Playing not to lose. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Calling this the most talented generation in #USMNT does not square with the 11 players we saw on the field at the end of the game. A few support that assertion but several certainly do not.

[3four3 @3four3]

The #USMNT

6 total shots
1 shot on target

while having 59% possession.

Against a modest Wales.

One of the major issues should be self evident - little capacity to create in the final 3rd

This is what happens when your central midfield consists of all destroyers, no creators

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Re: stepped up pressure from Wales. Berhalter: “I thought the guys handled it well…” How did we handle it well if they got the goal they needed to cause chaos in this group??? “Handling it well” would have been knocking in 1 or 2 more on the counter and sealing it. #USMNT

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

What an embarrassing 2nd half. Berhalter made scared substitutions…the team played scared. Now we’ve made this likely a goal differential battle which is a terrible position to be in. #USMNT

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Better coverage and analysis in 10 min of ESPN FC than hours of Fox coverage. I’m begging ESPN or NBC to outbid Fox for everything post-2026 World Cup. ESPN’s promo material alone from 2002-2014 was miles better.

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

“There’s nothing as disappointing as the #USMNT missing the World Cup.”

Me:

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

This is about as bad of a value proposition as you could think up when comparing to the price to watch other, higher quality leagues.

[MLS Moves @MLSMoves]

So the MLS package on apple tv is $14.99 a month or $99 for the year. If you have Apple TV already it’s $12.99 a month or $79 for the year.

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

#MOT

[NBC Sports Soccer @NBCSportsSoccer]

COMEBACK COMPLETE!

From 3-1 down to 4-3 up, Leeds take the lead!
📺: @peacock
#MyPLMorning | #LEEBOU

[11 Yanks @11Yanks]

I brought @b_kleiban to the channel to talk about:
-USMNT hopes in Qatar
-What we need to do to get to the next level w
-Why things aren't working under Berhalter
-The role of the media
-Who should coach the team for the next cycle?
https://t.co/QKh8UeKp9I

[3four3 @3four3]

"Pro/rel is boring and non-competitive since only a few clubs end up winning the league every year."

If you have this take, but watched [or cared about] the Leeds match today, that's clearly not true.

Because Leeds has ZERO chance of winning the league.

Why did you watch then?

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

Yet we will absolutely hear that the reason other guys aren’t chosen/playing is because they aren’t getting enough minutes in Europe…or in the case of John Brooks, we’ll hear several bad justifications for why he isn’t (or no justification at all).

[Subscribe to GrantWahl.com @GrantWahl]

Both USMNT starting centerbacks (Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long) bounced from the MLS playoffs today. Their next competitive game will be November 21 in the World Cup against Wales.

[Hunter Smith @Hunter_Smith_]

We so often describe the pool as 30-40 players, but the reality is while we argue about which ones of those 30-40 should go to the World Cup, many of the ones that would actually take us to another level have been filtered out long before that point.

[3four3 @3four3]

"The pool" in a highly significant way depends on who is CHOSEN to be elevated to the National Team platform(s).

And that depends on the profile preferences of the technical staff, along with some non-sporting agendas/influences.

The pool is NOT fixed.

https://t.co/Cus7xkEeHr

[Brian Kleiban @b_kleiban]

Not good in any facet. Most worrying is of course the drum I've been beating the entire cycle.

ZERO CREATIVITY in mf. The MMA will not create. They can destroy.

Kellyn? Luca? Nope.

Add that with our massive tech/tact limited back 5 🤦‍♂️

More creators, less destroyers.

[Leeds United @LUFC]

🙌 WHAT. A. GAME.