stitchface

Bayern replacing Nagelsmann with Tuchel? Seriously?

Cancel Spring Training! It's meaningless exhibition games!

Sounds like he is definitely considering. The Harry Kane math can't be too hard.

This is probably about right. It seems like some coaches recruit well enough to have an all superstar team that can succeed without much coaching and perhaps some other coaches are just tactically better and can coach an average team to more wins. It's not like they have much time to prepare for the games though.

I wonder what Gio thinks about his parents? I'd be pushing them away and hard.

First place teams get a first KO round bye? This format is going to result in a lot of sitting stars (see NBA). It's stupid to play that many games for that few eliminations. Hell, at least make the third-place teams play-in instead of deciding on weird tie-breakers. This is just classic FIFA, crank out more games. 32 teams advancing is asinine. I dislike the new format also but I don’t think there will be any more sitting than there currently is. Teams already prioritize finishing first which won’t change. I would think there’s even less incentive to rest guys in the final group game because you can still get a bye. Whereas now a team might have clinched a knockout round spot but they might not care if they finish 1st or 2nd depending on the matchup they get. With the bye no team is going to want that extra game. I guess there could be a situation where a team has clinched a knockout spot but can only finish 2nd or 3rd in their group and they don’t care which spot they get.that seems pretty unlikely though since not every 3rd place team would advance. sorry, that was a bit of a rant - I would suggest they should get byes to make the groups meaningful.

I have a feeling this year is going to be one of those wacky years with a double digit seed in the Final Four. No team has shown to be really dominantly good all season except maybe Houston, and they haven't had much competition (their good wins are Virginia, St. Mary's and Memphis). UCLA has been good all season, this might be their year. Unless they lose to Illinois in the Elite 8. The East bracket, though, is chock full of teams that are either mediocre for the season but hot right now (Duke, Memphis, Kentucky), suffered injuries lately or just poor play lately that make them not as good as their seed (Tennessee, K-State), or have just won a ton of close games all season and haven't looked good in efficiency metrics (Purdue, Marquette, MSU). It's got big "FAU vs Providence in the E8" vibes. Hard to lose to a team you won't be playing.

First place teams get a first KO round bye? This format is going to result in a lot of sitting stars (see NBA). It's stupid to play that many games for that few eliminations. Hell, at least make the third-place teams play-in instead of deciding on weird tie-breakers. This is just classic FIFA, crank out more games. 32 teams advancing is asinine.

it's ok because 72 of those games will be nearly meaningless

from ESPN Tournament Challenge rules: "If a Canadian resident is determined to be a potential prize winner, they must correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question within a pre-determined time limit."

has the lower seed won every game so far?

This is why Conte sucks. Sure, you can’t just invent a win. But you sure as shit can actually try to win a game that you have to win. You don’t have to set up in a 3-5-2 (or 3-4-3) with two of those midfielders being wingbacks. Throw an extra attacker on there and go with a 4-2-3-1. I’d much rather have my team go for the win and get bounced losing something like 3-2 or drawing 2-2 because they gave up a couple goals on the counter instead of the limp dick display Spurs put out yesterday. And the subbing on a defender for an attacker at the end was hilariously pathetic. It’s like he thought there was a third leg in the tie and was trying to keep it close. Very strange. Sorry for you. It's basically why no one watches italian soccer. Spurs need to stop hiring these types of managers and find one who has a plan. I'm always amazed by hiring of defensive managers who excel at small clubs but have no attacking ideas.

I can now confirm both Gio Reyna and Pulisic are still alive and at their respective clubs.

of course, Illinois gets arch-nemesis Penn State to open the tournament. I guess the good news is they avoid Purdue until the final if they somehow get there.

I love this. People (mostly slow hitters) have talked up the "strategy" (yawn) of getting a pitcher off his pace by adjusting your jock between every pitch but the real entertainment is, you know, watching actual baseball happen. And giving pitchers the ability to screw with timing while also doing it in a matter of five seconds is something that makes the game a better spectating experience for those of us "in the know" while also not boring us to death with circles around the mound and endless adjustments of batting gloves. I seriously do not understand a single person who is against the pitch clock. My "come to Jesus" moment was the pandemic when I went back and watched old World Series games. They were so much more fun! I didn't realize I missed that pace of baseball until I was so desperate for baseball that I went back and realized why I started to love the game in the first place. Not the best analogy, but kind of like the shot clock in basketball. The NBA and college baseball had a serious problem with the end of games and the 4 corner offense and the natural progression of (un)intentional fouls at the end of games. it was prolonging games and causing people to tune out. I think it was a necessary rule change. I'm not sure it's going to help get more eyes on games though. So Paul O'Neill is to baseball as Dean Smith is to basketball?

" I know most here are either Illinois fans AND Michigan haters"

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beltrad01.shtml

I think this is the year Heyward rediscovers his old form.

Didn't see this but I have often had this thought - a player commits two yellow card fouls on the same play but gets one yellow. The red Correa got for Athletico yesterday was absurd.

Both GKers made awful mistakes to give away a goal. Liverpool falling apart in the second half. Assuming they don’t turn it around, this will be the fourth time in the last 6 seasons Real bounced them from the UCL. Final in 2018 and 2022 plus the QF in 2021. They won it in 2019 and lost to Atl Madrid in 2020. Liverpool looks so lost.

Crazy first half at Anfield. The right side of Liverpool's defense is so suspect.

when was the last time a Pep coached team had 36% possession for a game. and won. with regard to Champions League, the two-legged ties really do the knockout rounds no favors. all of these first games are so uninteresting.

Sure know how to pick ‘em don’t I? hey, look, the blind squirrel found a nut!

amortization. this is why Fernandez got an 8.5 year contract