Lauck Walton

Retired curmudgeon

[Andrew O'Brien @andyobrien]

Finally some news you can use…

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@JonnyWhy49 @JessNoFace The answer to all questions related to FIFA is “money”.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@shornKOOMINS They deserve each other. Chef’s kiss.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@tomrenniesoccer Forecast: Dark Arts - 100% probability.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@JonnyWhy49 @EvCoRadio Yes and no. We’re still top 20 (15 maybe) or so in the world, but the rest of the world has improved too. We have never produced a truly World Class player and it’s tough to break into the more elite class without someone who will make the difference in key moments.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@Nicocantor1 I love your passion. People will feel whatever they feel and it’s fine. Those feelings and passion need to be channeled into moving forward. We’re in the top 20 in the world, now we figure out how to be top ten while every other nation (but one soon) is trying to move up too.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

My take on #Balogungate. Government (Trump) asking for relief - no problem. FIFA allowing (or seeming to allow) the appeal to influence the rules - problem. It’s a great point to argue.

The two teams will be best served by ignoring the chaos to the extent possible.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@ColBennettH4 @schneid3306 Yup. It boils down to the money - and this will create MANY opportunities for graft and corruption.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@argieRSL @Nicocantor1 As with most things FIFA touches, it’s about the money. US, CR7, Argentina, France = $$$$. They’ll be explanations and rationalizations, but they need to sell global broadcasting rights soon and, as we know, the rules, like the cash, are fungible.

[1776 Live @250YearsAgoLive]

Continental Congress HAS SIGNED A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE! 

The UNITED STATES are OFFICIALLY INDEPENDENT from BRITAIN.

LIBERTY BELLS ring out throughout Philadelphia; the streets ERUPT IN ECSTASY.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@zmeunier Iowa’s always been central. Just a fact.

[Chris Bond @cjbond]

“In March, for example, a surgical assistant in Dallas earned $50,456 through arbitration for a prostate removal operation. The surgeon, who accepted the patient’s insurance, earned $1,843. The assistants outearning primary surgeons are sometimes doctors but more often nurses or physician assistants.”

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@ColBennettH4 Yup, but boldly changing goaltenders seems to have a much better hit rate.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@lewisalowe The human mind is built to make these rationalizations. Quit smoking, smokers are evil. Quit drinking, drinking is evil. Change your position on an issue - OMG. 😱

[Stewart Brand @stewartbrand]

Herculaneum fused scroll read in full.
https://t.co/y8RV6tDzvg

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@Iancole197211 @FulhamSense Yes - and there might be some additional compensation to Real for releasing staff before July 1. Hard to say what’s the rationale or whether it’s appropriate. I think the choices at this point are trust the club or pull your hair out.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@ColBennettH4 Yeah. The first time with an expanded field is often dodgy - but in my experience it does raise the floor for the weaker teams over time.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@nbcwashington Please send the NG home. They should get back to their normal lives and families. Patrolling the Reflecting Pool is even more unnecessary than guarding (completely safe) Metro Stations.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@QwinOmaru If we’re not going to send the national guard home (please), at least they get to be down by the River where it’s a bit cooler. I assume they have bug spray - the gnats are insane during summer. Way better than guarding (also totally safe) Metro stations.

[Lauck Walton @LauckWalton]

@TheAthleticFC The timing (50% of the group stage) and the expansion of the tournament seems like the major uncontrolled factors in this analysis. It will be interesting to see how this changes - or doesn’t - over the course of the competition