Blake Marchant

[HEATT @0xHeatt]

Ivan Perisic is the most complete and the most underrated player in history of football.

- plays left foot, right foot, head
- high jump, fast run, direction change
- endurance [highest distance covered at 2018. World Cup]
- highly competitive
- winner mentality
- player for big matches

People think I'm crazy for saying I'll miss Perisic even more than Modric.

[Patriot2929 @Patriot2929x]

Portugal vs Croatia

The decision to disallow Joško Gvardiol’s late equalizer for Croatia against Portugal relies on a fundamentally flawed and contradictory interpretation of the rules of football. The official ruling states that a microscopic sensor spike inside the ball registered a touch from Igor Matanović, constituting a "pass" that put Mario Pašalić offside. This logic falls apart under intense scrutiny when evaluating intent, physics, and the game's established precedents.

1. Completely Clean Initial Onside Positioning

First and foremost, when Ivan Perišić initiated the original ball into the box, every single Croatian player was in a completely legal, onside position. The entire sequence built toward a legitimate scoring play. Stripping away a critical goal based on a microscopic, invisible inflection point later in the sequence violates the spirit of fair play.

2. Contradictory Logic Regarding Intent

The VAR interpretation relies on a paradox. The officials claim that the touch from Portugal defender Renato Veiga was "irrelevant" and a mere deflection because he was not the intended recipient and was oblivious to the ball hitting his back. Yet, they simultaneously label Igor Matanović's headbutt attempt as a "pass" to Mario Pašalić. Matanović was clearly making a direct attempt on goal, not trying to pass. If the referee rules that a player's deliberate intent does not matter for Matanović, they cannot logically turn around and use a lack of intent to excuse Veiga.

3. The Precedent of Defender Liability and the "Block"

Ruling that Renato Veiga's touch was irrelevant directly contradicts basic football rules regarding defensive liability. Consider an identical physical scenario on the pitch: an attacker fires a shot or cross full force at a defender who has his back turned and has no idea the ball is coming. If that ball hits the oblivious defender's back and goes out of bounds over the goal line, the attacking team is awarded a corner kick. The defender is held fully liable for the touch simply by taking up space on the field.

Veiga did not stand in the 18-yard box by happenstance; he placed himself there deliberately to block the path to the net and take up critical space. If the microchip dictates that Matanović's goal attempt counts as a conscious play on the ball, then Veiga's body placement must be counted as a defensive block.

4. A Loose Ball Interception, Not a Pass

Because Matanović's action was a clear attempt to score, the resulting collision with Veiga’s back was a physical block that completely disrupted the ball's original speed and trajectory. Once the ball deflected off a defender who was actively acting as a human shield, the phase of play changed. Mario Pašalić did not receive a calculated, deliberate pass from his teammate; he intercepted a loose ball resulting directly from a defender’s physical block. Therefore, no offside offense occurred, and Joško Gvardiol’s goal should have stood.

#croatia #portugal @FOXSports
@barstoolsports
#fifa #portugalvscroatia
@FIFAWorldCup

[SethOfficial @UTD_Seth001]

🚨Thierry Henry blasts the referee and VAR after Croatia's last-minute goal against Portugal was ruled out:

🗣️ “I don't understand that decision at all. For me, the referee and VAR have completely ruined what should have been one of the greatest moments of this World Cup.

You cannot overturn a goal of that magnitude unless the evidence is absolutely clear. I've watched the replay several times, and I still don't see enough to confidently rule it out. If it's taking that long to draw lines and freeze frames, then it isn't obvious.

The referee has allowed technology to become the star of the match. Fans didn't come to watch VAR—they came to watch football. Croatia thought they had earned a dramatic equaliser through courage and determination, only for it to be taken away by a decision that will divide opinions for years.

This is exactly why people are losing faith in VAR. Instead of correcting obvious mistakes, it's making microscopic decisions that nobody in the stadium can understand. That's not what football is supposed to be.

I feel for the Croatian players because moments like this stay with you forever. You celebrate, you believe you've kept your World Cup dream alive, and then it's all erased in seconds. For me, the referee and VAR have got this completely wrong.”

[The Sporting News @sportingnews]

For the first time in Olympic history, Team USA won the gold medal in both men's and women's hockey in the same year 🇺🇸

[Aunty Kitty @wake_up_girl_3]

The moment the U.S. Men’s Hockey team brought the Gaudreau kids onto the ice… that said everything about who these men are.

Champions aren’t just defined by gold medals. They’re defined by heart. By loyalty. By remembering the people who helped build the journey.

In the middle of the biggest celebration, they made space for family. For love. For legacy.

I’m not even ashamed to say I’m crying. That was bigger than hockey. 🇺🇸 ❤️

That’s character. That’s brotherhood. That’s what real men look like.

[MLFootball @MLFootball]

WHEN #EAGLES FANS WERE BOOING JERRY RICE SO HE PULLED OUT HIS RINGS AND STARTED FLASHING THEM.

🐐🐐🐐
https://t.co/8wdl3SxpjG

[Hoop Central @TheHoopCentral]

JOHNNY FURPHY POSTER MY GOODNESS

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[NBC Olympics & Paralympics @NBCOlympics]

CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD! 😱

SYDNEY MCLAUGHLIN-LEVRONE IS A 400M WORLD CHAMPION! #WorldAthleticsChamps

[World Athletics @WorldAthletics]

2ND FASTEST OF ALL TIME ‼️

@GoSydGo storms to a championship record of 47.78, to win her first 400m global title 👑

That's the first time in 39 years that we see a sub-48 performance 🤯

#WorldAthleticsChamps

[Blake Marchant @marchant_blake]

@NFL_DovKleiman @nytimes Noooo ESPN will ruin it!!!

[Tyrese Haliburton @Hali]

Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.

Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to “come back stronger”. What a cliche lol, this shit sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through. It feels good to let this shit out without y’all seeing the kid ugly cry.

At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle. I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player. And honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.

Indy, I’m sorry. If any fan base doesn’t deserve this, it’s y’all. But together we are going to fight like hell to get back to this very spot, and get over this hurdle. I don’t doubt for a second that y’all have my back, and I hope you guys know that I have yours. I think Kobe said it best when in this same situation. “There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever.” And that’s exactly right. I will do everything in my power to get back right.

My journey to get to where I am today wasn’t by happenstance, I’ve pushed myself every day to be great. And I will continue to do just that. The most important part of this all, is that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for every single experience that’s led me here. I’m grateful for all the love from the hoop world. I don’t “have to” go through this, I get to go through this. I’m grateful for the road that lies ahead. Watch how I come back from this. So, give me some time, I’ll dust myself off and get right back to being the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.

-0

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

[Showtime Luka @showtimeluka]

Look at Cason Wallace holding T.J. McConnell arm. Such a joke.

[John Ashworth @CoachAshworth]

If Caruso or Dort ever had to guard SGA and played defense the way they do they’d foul out in the first quarter

[Mike Jagacki @Mike_Jagacki]

The Pacers completely flipped their identity in Game 6—
And it broke OKC’s offense.
Held them scoreless for nearly 7 minutes and to their lowest 3-quarter output all year.
Here’s how Indiana changed everything defensively 🧵

[Indiana Pacers @Pacers]

this angle of Pascal Siakam's poster dunk is incredible.

[Indiana Pacers @Pacers]

OMG.

[Indiana Pacers @Pacers]

WHAT A SEQUENCE 👀

Tyrese Haliburton picks it off and sends a spinning no-look dime cross-court to Pascal Siakam, who absolutely PUNISHES the rim 😱

[Barstool Sports @barstoolsports]

The NBA Media doesn’t give the Pacers enough credit @mostlysports

[Blake Marchant @marchant_blake]

@HaterReport_ Pathetic. Talk about the game and stop making it about yourself

[Blake Marchant @marchant_blake]

@_Facci I’ll be in your shoes on Friday coming from Utah! And it will be my birthday too!