Mike Atkinson

I ❤️ Cleveland Sports Go Bucks! #Browns STM #LetEmKnow #FortheLand #IHateBothParties #FuckMAGA

[Jeremy Schaap @JeremySchaap]

On Balogun, via ESPN's @MarkOgden_ , here's former Premier League ref Andy Davies:

"In my postmatch review, I spoke about not only the decision being incorrect, but the VAR process not aligning to protocol, as only slo-mo and still pictures were presented to the referee when asked to review the situation at the screen," Davies said. "Real-time footage should have been considered by the referee, and this was not the case.

"In my opinion, FIFA has reviewed the incident internally and felt that either the judgment to send off Balogun was incorrect, or the correct process to do so via VAR was not followed. But either way, this outcome feels like a pivot from FIFA using a regulation to add credibility to their reasoning. The decision lacks transparency and a credible rationale as to why a red card has effectively been overturned."

To summarize, Davies says the call was wrong and the wrong procedure was used to make it. That's 0 for 2.

But FIFA owes it to everyone--the USMNT, its fans, Belgium, everyone else--to explain the process.

[Mark Valorian @markvalorian]

A critical element that the "rulebook purists" arguing Balogun deserved a red card are conveniently overlooking:

BALOGUN was the one who was challenged from behind.

The Bosnian player played *through* Balogun from behind and placed himself in the path of Balogun's natural step.

When he begins taking that step, Balogun has no idea the Bosnian player would even be in front of him. In that sense, you can't really even consider his move a "challenge." It was simply a step that incidentally landed in the same place the opponent's foot did.

In fact, the reason Balogun's step came down so hard is *because* the Bosnian player challenged into him and knocked him off balance.

This is not "reckless" or "excessive force" by any stretch of the imagination.

The red card was *obviously* unjustified from the outset. The only thing FIFA got wrong here is not immediately suspending the red card after the match.

[Taylor Twellman @TaylorTwellman]

😳🤷🏼‍♂️

[Sam Block @theblockspot]

USMNT vs Belgium at 8 pm ET.

Every human being in the United States of America should watch this match on Monday.

It’s not about loving soccer.
It’s about loving your country.

[Adam Crafton @AdamCrafton_]

BREAKING @TheAthleticFC

Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium with his one-game red-card ban suspended. Extraordinary development.

Story with @Dan_Sheldon_

https://t.co/oQ61J9btzT

[Fuck You I Quit @fuckyouiquit]

Spain first, the rest of the world next. Palantir is direct threat to democracy. Even their employees know it.

[Seth Abramson @SethAbramson]

(🚨) So to be very clear, FIFA rules do *not* allow the USMNT to appeal the Balogun red card *on the basis of claiming the referee erred*.

But.

Under the circumstances, the USMNT should appeal on the very different grounds ESPN just reported on: misapplication of VAR protocols.

[Paul Spacey ⚽️ @PaulSpacey]

Messi gets no card. Balogun gets red.

Make it make sense.

[Mike Atkinson @Led7703]

Hey @FIFAcom @FIFAWorldCup @USMNT

[Alexi Lalas @AlexiLalas]

‘Sup.

[Daniel Oyefusi @DanielOyefusi]

Ball don’t lie🔥🇺🇸

[nathan @npchristman]

@Kwen_C It literally wasn’t https://t.co/b2WqYT8e9V

[Quincy Carrier @Kwen_C]

bet they wouldn’t call that a red card on Messi

[JJ Watt @JJWatt]

Announcers should definitely be informing the audience that Balogun will miss next match, assuming we win tonight.

Massive, massive implications there.

Huge loss.

🇺🇸

[𝕱𝖊𝖗𝖗𝖊𝖙 𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓 @ferretallen]

Imagine if Messi or Mbappe did what Flo Balogun just got a red card for? They might not have even called a foul.

[Taylor Twellman @TaylorTwellman]

Red card for that means you’ve lost the plot. Completely lost the plot. #USMNT

[Mike Atkinson @Led7703]

@usmntonly Fuck this stupid ref, insane to watch that and give a red. Now we’re also fucked for the next game. Insane call

[USMNT Only @usmntonly]

FOLARIN BALOGUN SCORES FOR THE USMNT TO OPEN THE SCORING AND DOES THE LEBRON JAMES CELEBRATION

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅

[Joni Askola @joni_askola]

Don't fall for Elon Musk's gaslighting.

There is a massive, life-or-death difference between well-planned budget cuts and a sudden, reckless halt to promised medical aid.

Musk is actively lying about the fatal consequences of his USAID cuts. The US is not obligated to fund healthcare for the entire planet, but if a nation decides to pull back its global aid, it must be done responsibly. Ripping away funding mid-treatment means you are directly responsible for the preventable deaths that follow.

Instead of owning up to the fallout, Musk is flooding X with dishonest spin. He first challenged critics to name even one person whose death he caused. When people actually did, he immediately moved the goalposts, claiming that any spending cut inevitably causes deaths.

He is a dishonest charlatan trying to hide the fact that his chaotic decisions got thousands of vulnerable children and adults killed. That will be his lasting legacy

[Liam Nissan™ @theliamnissan]

Exactly