Ross Wilkers

Reporter: @washtechnology. The business of #GovCon & #GovTech. Eyes & ears on DC, Wall St & Main St. Has Signal. rwilkers AT ⚽️💸📺🎾

[Oliver Holt @OllieHolt22]

Some arguing Mbappe’s two goals last night shouldn’t count in Golden Boot race. Well, Just Fontaine, who holds all-time single World Cup record with 13, got 4 of those goals in 1958 3rd Place game. It’s always been part of the deal

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

This take is wrong. France were playing for a medal.

[talkSPORT @talkSPORT]

😬 "If he does win the golden boot, I think that's wrong!"

Tony Cascarino insists Kylian Mbappe's World Cup golden boot shouldn't count after scoring in Bronze Final! 😱🥉

#fifaworldcup #worldcup2026 #mbappe #france #soccer

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

France being an embarrassment tonight should not be seen as an excuse to end the bronze medal game. #Fıfaworldcup2026

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

Everyone who has won a bronze medal says they are to be proud of and the kind of thing one can show to their grandchildren one day. Both Croatia teams that won bronze in 1998 and 2022 returned home to mass celebrations. Work harder.

[Danny Kanell @dannykanell]

Having a game to determine who finishes 3rd place shouldn’t be allowed past 6th grade

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

@AlanBalutis @Frank_Konkel 😬

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

Nobody under age 40 wants to own a house like this.

[Andrew Kaczynski @KFILE]

Fascinating WSJ story showing that many Booomers are not only not downsizing their homes, they're instead upsizing and getting large ones. Empty-nest baby boomers own 28% of U.S. homes with three bedrooms compared with 16% for millennials with children.

https://t.co/RXhHleMFAA

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

Certainly an intentional strike to the head. But the hand was open instead of closed, intent to injure appears low and it did not devolve into a fist-fight. Tough one for the disciplinary committee.

[Tom Brady @TomBrady]

Dork

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

@jayhauck68 We'll have to see if he does indeed get let go, but it is an option. We have a few before an American coach is ready.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

I would extend Poch to the 2028 Copa America.

[Pardeep Cattry @pcattry]

NEW:

US Soccer CEO JT Batson said they’re still in “active discussions” over the possibility of bringing Mauricio Pochettino back to the #USMNT job and says furor over Foladin Balogun’s red card a is a sign of growing soccer culture

https://t.co/qfH0w2Dnu3

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

Tony Reali should be hosting Jeopardy right now.

[Dan Patrick Show @dpshow]

🚨 @TonyReali will guest host the DP Show for two days in August!

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

That's because Dan is the man. One of two people alongside Emily Chang of Bloomberg that I watched & studied intently to learn how to do our podcast.

[David Shepard @SheponAir]

After criticizing Dan Patrick for how he handled the aftermath of WNBA Comissioner Cathy Engelbert @TheBackPage explains what he has learned SINCE!

"I don't think I fully appreciated the love that still exists for Dan Patrick and how much adoration he still at this stage of his career

Full Interview https://t.co/kPTpHbJutX

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

He's not good anymore. But I will still watch this, only because has-beens do make for interesting retrospectives.

[Netflix @netflix]

“You don’t do a documentary with a guy that wins nothing.”

MOURINHO, a new three-part documentary series, premieres August 11.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

The referees used replay

[TSN @TSN_Sports]

Marina Mabrey took an arm to the face from Liberty's Betnijah Laney-Hamilton 😬

A flagrant 1 foul was assessed to Laney-Hamilton. #WNBA

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

@davejsports Not enough officials in the grassroots

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

I am tired of it too, but I also do not trust my fellow fans to let go of referee decisions that are not favorable to their teams. Plus, everyone who is anti-replay forms their opinions on the referee decisions by watching the replay.

[Andrew Wiebe @andrew_wiebe]

I am, farther removed from the moment, willing to acknowledge that Embolo made his own bed 😳🤣 … however, I think I’m suffering from video review fatigue and a feeling that critical decisions are increasingly being made via tech/sans game feel.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

@EricKrakauer That means all of us in the public, fans and media, have to be more constructive with the referees. I trust media more than fans.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

One alternative is to just let the various postmatch tribunals deal with simulation outside the penalty area.

[Christina Unkel @ChristinaUnkel]

Embolo decision is consistent with Almirón decision. FIFA is treating these situations as mistaken identity but it’s really “Simulation” VAR can recommend. The controversial part is VAR is not just changing the player but
is changing the offense. We are in re-refereeing zone.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

You asked for it

[Bill Simmons @BillSimmons]

VAR sucks all kinds of ass. I’d almost rather have the refs from the 2006 NBA Finals than this Big Brother letter of the law after the fact crap. Nobody likes this.

[Ross Wilkers @rosswilkers]

@EricKrakauer Incongruity in the wants at hand. We want the referees to make zero mistakes and also show discretion.

[FullcourtBuzz @Fullcourt_Buzz]

@EricKrakauer VAR didn’t seem to work for the two calls inside the 18 for Egypt.

Guess by the book works but VAR is based on convenience.