World Cup

[Halldan]

Folarin Balogun cleared to play for USMNT as desperate Belgium appeal fails​

Folarin Balogun cleared to play for USMNT as desperate Belgium appeal fails

Belgium’s appealed FIFA’s decision on Folarin Balogun’s red card.

nypost.com

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

It's really unfortunate because now if the US advances any further there will be many calls for it being tainted or cheating. What's sadder is the US Men's team didn't ask for any of the controversy that's erupted in the last 24 hours or so. It's not their fault.

This won't be the popular opinion, but maybe it's best to sit him - or at least not start him. They would be underdogs against Belgium with or without Balogun.

If they sit Balogun and win then that ends the controversy. I guess that's what it comes down to: playing with a disadvantage and lose, or playing with a disadvantage and winning without any further controversy. If he plays and the US wins, we'll never hear the end of it - trust me, I'm a Patriots fan and even I can't believe idiots still bring up "deflategate": the most overblown sports story of the 21st century.

 

[Seton75]

FIFA is corrupt. I think we bribed the right guy in this case. Would not be the first or last time that will happen.

There is no truth to the rumor that trump took 100k off of the 5 mill trump gold card...

 

[HALL85]

I hope they win the appeal, and he is ruled out for the game.

I want the USA to win as much as anyone...but if he plays, if we win, the win is tainted; if we lose, the world will simply say that we got what we deserved.

Either way, this mess has taken the focus off of what has been a terrific World Cup for USA thus far, and I would rather we win tonight, without Balogun, and then move on to the next match. No questions asked.

Just seeing that FIFA rejected the appeal. Balogun plays.

By the way, is there a more corrupt organization than FIFA?

NCAA is pretty darn close, but they also have FIFA beat by a mile when it comes to incompetence.

 

[HallB]

Everyone was up in arms over the red card to Balogun and now his red is removed (rightfully so) and everyone is up in arms over it. It was a bad call then, and it was the right thing to do now so the best goal scorer on USA was not suspended for a knockout round game. My take is that if Belgium won vs. USA without Balogun then that would be an asterisk victory.

 

[Halldan]

Belgium sends warning to US after Folarin Balogun cleared to play at World Cup​

Belgium sends warning to US after Folarin Balogun cleared to play at World Cup

Questions have been raised about the integrity of FIFA’s decision.

nypost.com

 

[hallsoccer03]

It's really unfortunate because now if the US advances any further there will be many calls for it being tainted or cheating. What's sadder is the US Men's team didn't ask for any of the controversy that's erupted in the last 24 hours or so. It's not their fault.

This won't be the popular opinion, but maybe it's best to sit him - or at least not start him. They would be underdogs against Belgium with or without Balogun.

If they sit Balogun and win then that ends the controversy. I guess that's what it comes down to: playing with a disadvantage and lose, or playing with a disadvantage and winning without any further controversy. If he plays and the US wins, we'll never hear the end of it - trust me, I'm a Patriots fan and even I can't believe idiots still bring up "deflategate": the most overblown sports story of the 21st century.

This is the worst take and I’ve seen it more than a few times now… the red card should have never happened… the VAR process was not followed correctly in giving the red card. Should there not be a process to correct things that the procedure laws were not followed?

Also Belgium are not the favorites… USA is… they are at home and probably at the stadium where they would have the best home field advantage…

3 things can be true… the red card was not justified…. The suspension should be suspended…and the way this all came about happening is incredibly shady by FIFA

 

[hallsoccer03]

Everyone was up in arms over the red card to Balogun and now his red is removed (rightfully so) and everyone is up in arms over it. It was a bad call then, and it was the right thing to do now so the best goal scorer on USA was not suspended for a knockout round game. My take is that if Belgium won vs. USA without Balogun then that would be an asterisk victory.

I think the biggest issue is the way that FIFA did this and the lack of transparency which I get

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

This is the worst take and I’ve seen it more than a few times now… the red card should have never happened… the VAR process was not followed correctly in giving the red card. Should there not be a process to correct things that the procedure laws were not followed?

Also Belgium are not the favorites… USA is… they are at home and probably at the stadium where they would have the best home field advantage…

3 things can be true… the red card was not justified…. The suspension should be suspended…and the way this all came about happening is incredibly shady by FIFA

Straw Man. They didn't teach you about fallacies at The Hall?

I never once said the red card was legit, so don't put words into my mouth, got it?

I was merely commenting upon how the situation looks. And it doesn't look good. It doesn't look good when a president - no matter what side of the political aisle one is on - calls upon the corrupt president of fifa and gets it all cleared. He has already gone on record for taking credit for the reversal, so what else are we left to believe?

The "worst take" is the one not willing to admit how bad those optics are. It effectively changes the narrative of this team for a great number of people. Our team was one of the feel good stories of this World Cup. Now that's all pretty much done. That's not a worst take, that's reality.

 

[HALL85]

Straw Man. They didn't teach you about fallacies at The Hall?

I never once said the red card was legit, so don't put words into my mouth, got it?

I was merely commenting upon how the situation looks. And it doesn't look good. It doesn't look good when a president - no matter what side of the political aisle one is on - calls upon the corrupt president of fifa and gets it all cleared. He has already gone on record for taking credit for the reversal, so what else are we left to believe?

The "worst take" is the one not willing to admit how bad those optics are. It effectively changes the narrative of this team for a great number of people. Our team was one of the feel good stories of this World Cup. Now that's all pretty much done. That's not a worst take, that's reality.

If they beat Belgium tonight with Balogun, this story will be in the rear view mirror, the second the game against Spain begins.

 

[hallsoccer03]

Straw Man. They didn't teach you about fallacies at The Hall?

I never once said the red card was legit, so don't put words into my mouth, got it?

I was merely commenting upon how the situation looks. And it doesn't look good. It doesn't look good when a president - no matter what side of the political aisle one is on - calls upon the corrupt president of fifa and gets it all cleared. He has already gone on record for taking credit for the reversal, so what else are we left to believe?

The "worst take" is the one not willing to admit how bad those optics are. It effectively changes the narrative of this team for a great number of people. Our team was one of the feel good stories of this World Cup. Now that's all pretty much done. That's not a worst take, that's reality.

Listen big guy, did I say that you thought it was legit.. the issue is you care so much about people calling it cheating. It’s not cheating. Card shouldn’t have been given, suspension was taken away which should have never happened. So don’t go putting words in my mouth, got it?



How damn soft are you that you say “maybe it’s best they sit him, or at least don’t start him”.. why do that, because some other fans and countries don’t like it? That’s so damn soft. And it’s even softer to worry about how USA was a feel good story and now they aren’t. Who frigging cares.. I don t care what other countries and fans think.

and the worse take is not admitting how bad the optics are… keep reading down buddy because I literally say that the card shouldn’t have happened, the suspension should have been lifted and the way it went about was shady as hell from FIFA. You are worried about some stupid *** narrative on the team which is a joke

 

[Hall-O-Daze]

If they beat Belgium tonight with Balogun, this story will be in the rear view mirror, the second the game against Spain begins.

I guess we'll see. Not saying you're wrong, but i could just as easily see a victory be like pouring gasoline on an already combustible situation. Again, as a Patriots fan, sometimes these stories never really go away no matter how ridiculous they are or even if you win the Super Bowl. We'll find out soon enough.