Travis Smart

Oregonian living in Eastern Iowa. #ScoDucks

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

Oh... Oh my God

[GameVerse @TheGameVerse]

Gaming as an adult:
> Have a 20+ game backlog
> Launch the same game every night
> Stare at the main menu
> Close the game
> Go to bed

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

I really do think getting away from Memphis will be good for Ja.

[Ben Golliver @BenGolliver]

Ja Morant on Portland: “It rains a lot. I got took fishing in the rain. … Lately, I’ve been kind of into nature. That’s a bonus for me. I’m not hiking! But I can go walking, ride a bike, I’ve been kayaking.”

[The Heretical Liberal 🇨🇦 @Rob_ThaBuilder]

Regardless of where you stand on Balogun-Gate, the whole reaction to both sides highlights some very key differences in the American vs European mindset.

In the American mind, "getting it right" is the most important thing. Thats how justice is served, is by getting to the correct result based on the play on the field.

The European mind is different though. They have an instinct towards bureaucracy and are obsessed with process. The Process must be respected. Respecting process is more important than the specifics of what happened on the field.

And thats why you get this wild take thats fairly common where a Euro will say something like "He didnt deserve the red card, but once it was given it cannot be overturned!".

To the American mind, justice is served by getting the call right, regardless of process. To the European mind, justice is served by respecting process, regardless of the result.

Its a fascinating look into the psyche of both, and if I'm permitted a little armchair psychoanalysis of both groups, id say the reason lies in their history. The Europeans spent centuries as the peasant class of Europe, essentially being forced to accept whatever shit the aristocracy piled up on them. There was no "appeals" process, they took what they had too, because there was no other option. In this environment, a certain "acceptance of one's fate" or immunity to overt injustice likely seeped into the national psyches. No one had success by "fighting the power", the power imbalance was simply too great. What eventually saved them though, was process. Rules-based orders were the only thing that gave them a semblance of power vs the aristorcracies of their upper classes. And so they came to revere Process as the Ultimate Good and working OUTSIDE process as the Ultimate Evil.

The Americans, on the other hand, never developed their national psyche in the world of Kings and Aristocrats. Class was far less rigid in the new world, and risk-taking WAS highly rewarded there. "Fighting the power" to "do what was right" WAS greatly rewarded during the American Revolution when a few great men "fought the power" and were gifted with what would become the most powerful, prosperous country on Earth. And so a certain disdain against "process" took hold, a general feeling that "process" was only as good as long as it provided fair and just outcomes. As opposed to the European model, where "process " was the only thing that had given them anything close TO "fair and just outcomes".

So in that context, the massive gap between both sides makes sense

Or maybe this is all nonsense and its just anti-American, pro-Euro tribalism, who knows 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow]

Welp this settles it.. I was a little worried I was gonna have to suppress some “this doesn’t feel right” guilt while celebrating THE SHIT AHT OF AMERICA but now I know..

THE DECISION WAS MADE BY AN INDEPENDENT VOTING COMMITTEE

🗣 CONSCIENCE CLEARED BABY

NOW WE GO FLO 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Owen Tooelve @owentooelve]

together we can achieve anything

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@geoffschwartz Trump is an expert troll

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@DiceElDani Seem pretty scared to me Pal

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

That’s not how Americans think buddy. We are not soft like you Euro’s and we want to win when the opponent is at their absolute best. We love competition

[Piers Morgan @piersmorgan]

Americans like @stoolpresidente furiously defending this outrageous Balogun scandal would be saying the complete opposite if it was Belgium who’d done this to them. And they know it.

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@TrueFactsStated Traitorous loser

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

As they say down in SEC country if you ain’t cheating you ain’t trying.

[Soph ⚾️ @sophiebluejays]

Imagine being proud of openly cheating? Only in America.

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@UwDienstwillige Soft Euro’s don’t believe in real competition anymore

[Andy Herman @AndyHermanNFL]

U.S. got screwed with the red card in the game. Said f it. We ball. Outscored Bosnia despite being a man down. Balogun shook hands with the official anyway. Handled it like a total pro. Was told there were no appeals. Said f it. We ball. Bring on Belgium anyway. We’ll still win.

We’re told today he can play. We say cool. Everyone else shows 0 class whatsoever. F it. We ball. See you tomorrow.

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@WasEinHumburg None of us give a damn

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@BookitWithTrent Jesus Christ please stop lmao

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

Nobody does litigation better than us lil homie

[The Touchline | 𝐓 @TouchlineX]

🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: The Royal Belgian Football Association has released a statement in regard to Folarin Balogun being able to play against them.

"The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time)."

"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction."

"However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."

"Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5:

"If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed."

"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026."

"The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.

"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options."

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

In no way shape or form is Oregon this high on the list.

[Leading Report @LeadingReport]

Most patriotic states in America, ranked by WalletHub:

1. Virginia
2. Montana
3. Vermont
4. Colorado
5. Oregon
6. North Dakota
7. Washington
8. Maryland
9. Minnesota
10. New Hampshire
11. Utah
12. Alaska
13. Kansas
14. Hawaii
15. Wyoming
16. Iowa
17. Nebraska
18. Idaho
19. Kentucky
20. New Mexico
21. Georgia
22. Missouri
23. Delaware
24. North Carolina
25. Wisconsin
26. Maine
27. South Carolina
28. Nevada
29. South Dakota
30. Michigan
31. Massachusetts
32. Connecticut
33. Oklahoma
34. Tennessee
35. Arizona
36. Ohio
37. Illinois
38. Pennsylvania
39. Mississippi
40. California
41. West Virginia
42. Rhode Island
43. New Jersey
44. Indiana
45. Texas
46. Florida
47. Alabama
48. Louisiana
49. New York
50. Arkansas

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

Japan are our best and most true allies.

[Asian Dawn @AsianDawn4]

🇺🇸🇯🇵 I've noticed a lot of trolls insulting Japan for celebrating America's 250th anniversary, calling Japan an "American colony."

During the Cold War, the United States had over 100 bases in Europe. Now, there are 31 permanent bases in Europe, including Germany and Italy. Compare that to Japan, which has 15 major U.S. military bases.

The definition of being a colony would include resource extraction, economic control, and political control.

Japanese industries get paid by the U.S. for services. Toyota, a Japanese company, has surpassed all of America's car companies and is currently receiving huge tax breaks for opening more American factories, enjoying a 2.4:1 sales advantage over General Motors globally.

This wouldn't happen if Japan were an American colony, e.g., the British policies targeting Indian businesses during their occupation.

U.S. occupation of Japan ended in 1952. U.S. occupation ended in West Germany in 1955.

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@BillClinton Be so for real

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

@espn @SportsCenter Knew we would #FreeBalogun

[Travis Smart @tsmartbowler]

Let’s go!

[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