Survival of the Curious

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@dcoopbball Damn shame he's not dribbling with his feet.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@Gee_Unit123 @dannykanell @grok Metcalf competing with Ant for the #9. Iron sharpens iron baby.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@juliaioffe July 2nd, 2026 was much too late. 2017-2018 was the time to be anti-VAR when the suits in boardrooms were deciding it must be used, against the will of their paying customers.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

Not just best athletes. All athletes. That is essentially what is happening in South America and Europe. Random 13 year olds in those places who will grow up to be electricians and consultants have more skill than college level American players. Because they played with 10 kids who ended up being selected for club academies.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@kendallbaker Spatial awareness and thinking several moves ahead.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@Petty_Murphy318 @dannykanell QB / PG though for sure...the thing is we're talking about the peak stars. The thing that would make us unstoppable is if you take all those 6' QBs and PGs playing college ball and turn every single one of them into midfielders competing for a spot on the national team.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@Petty_Murphy318 @dannykanell It's the 6' point guard I would be looking for. 6'4"+ just wouldn't translate to midfield.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@LandL0rd03 @dannykanell I can't imagine you are sitting there thinking that I meant these guys in their current physical shape and at their current level of soccer skill. Surely that's not what you're sitting there thinking, is it?

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

I was wanting to put a smaller, shiftier guy in there first, but with Lamar being so dynamic and Derwin just cleaning up everything behind him, I think you put someone in there that is going to have vision for the long balls and the balls that just cut through lines of defense. Baker fit the size and vision profile I was going for.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@Petty_Murphy318 @dannykanell Whole lotta passing happens in soccer, my guy.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@stugotz790 Back to fightin commies

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@henrywinter What a mess VAR has made of this. I think that's what you mean. It has been messing up the sport for almost a decade now. Glad someone is finally calling it out. Leave it to the Americans to step up and do it.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@ClayTravis cheering for "the rule of law" is as pathetic and European as it gets, isn't it?

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

This could be a stretch, but I think you're missing something else in the big picture. Football purists in Europe have always hated VAR. It was decided by a room full of bureaucrats that it would be used, despite no true fans of the sport wanting it because they knew it would destroy the soul of the game. They were right of course. But in Europe, the rules are the rules.

Soccer comes to America for the first time since VAR was implemented, and it happens to be with an American president and administration known for challenging bad, bureaucratic rules. VAR is clearly and obviously ruining parts of the world cup. America decides to challenge the rules, while Europe just accepts them.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@stoolpresidente

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@funnydanny He deliberately chose to put his leg on top of that ball, and if you think otherwise you're an idiot. If he keeps it on the ground it's a perfect tackle.

[Survival of the Curious @Gembecki]

@EverythingRebs He literally just had to keep that leg on the ground and it's a perfect tackle. Going over top of the ball is an easy red card.

[Zeeshan Sayed @SayedZeesh]

People moaning about the offside when the snicko literally confirms there's a touch from the Croatia player is HILARIOUS.

You don't know better than technology. It's not one of those "clear and obvious" subjective VAR calls. It's a fact. Live with it and keep hating 😘