We’re back this week, now that the insanity of the opening rounds of the World Cup are over and we can focus a but.  As I write this Brazil is facing off against South Korea in the knock-out rounds, Croatia having earlier advanced against Japan on penalty kicks.  South Korea now carries the flag for all of Asia; Brazil is…well, Brazil is Brazil, and carries the flag for Brazil.  Don T. can speak to the more accurately but I suspect that a Brazilians two favorite teams are Brazil and whoever is playing Argentina.  And that Argentines feel similarly.

Anyhoodles, as usual we’re looking back on the week that was and reversing things that happened on the football field or on the pitch, since we should really pay some attention to the most popular spot in the world having its biggest moment.

Also it gives me my first pick, which is that the US defenders maybe mark some of the Dutch players as the latter closed on goal.  I haven’t seen Dutch that open outside of the Red Light District in Amsterdam!  Seriously, mark your goddamn man.  I had no expectations that the US would, or even should have, won that game, (the Dutch are simply better), but that’s no reason to let them take wide open shots at poor Matt Turner.

Oh well, something to work on for 2026, I guess.  In the end 1-0-2 in the opening round was…well, probably what we could have expected. Better, considering they tied England, but worse, considering they were one poorly timed tackle from beating an absolutely woeful Wales.

Yours in the comments.  Go back and change the past!