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PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

I'm boycotting the 2022 World Cup in Qatar unless the US makes it

I'm boycotting the World Cup. I'm boycotting the World Cup unless the U.S. makes it, in which case I might still boycott it. I think it's actually beneath the United States to play in a World Cup in stadiums that were built by little slaves.

OpinionSoccerHotSarcastic
The US did make the 2022 World Cup, and PFT (along with the rest of the sports world) definitely watched and covered it.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Cristiano Ronaldo is not a top three Ronaldo

It's time that we have an honest conversation about Ronaldo. I don't even think he's a top three Ronaldo. You've got Ronaldo, you've got Ronaldinho, who is named Ronaldo... Fat Ronaldo. He's number six overall Ronaldo.

The ranking of players by name is subjective, though most soccer experts would place Cristiano Ronaldo in the top three players of all time, regardless of name.
Push
Big CatBig Cat

Christian Pulisic stunk in his Chelsea debut and might not be ready for the bright lights

I watched the whole game. He stunk. Is he not ready for the bright lights? They came in... he came in and it was 1-0, and then Manchester United scored three goals... I'm just going to say, as someone who was ready to declare this the biggest moment in USA soccer history, yeesh.

Pulisic's debut was statistically poor, though judging his career on one substitute appearance is the joke. He eventually became a solid player for Chelsea, winning the Champions League.
Loss
Big CatBig Cat

Lionel Messi is dead

Messi's dead. Messi is dead. Dunzo. Listen, it's a team sport. Go back to Argentina, Messi. Okay? It's a team sport. Argentina stinks. Messi's great. Yeah.

Messi went on to win the Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup in 2022, proving he was very much not 'dead'.
Push
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the future of American soccer at age 34

Zlatan is going to save soccer in America. He is. He's the future of American soccer. He's 34. And he's the future.

Hot TakeSoccerHotSarcastic
Zlatan was a huge success in MLS but clearly not the long-term future given his age; he returned to Europe shortly after.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

LeBron James should play for the US Men's Soccer team

LeBron actually should play for us. If you were to take the best NFL athletes... could the Chiefs qualify for the World Cup under the instruction of Andy Reid?

LeBron James never played professional soccer; this is a classic sports hypothetical.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

Bruce Arena and the US Soccer front office need to be fired immediately

I'm going to say Bruce Arena. That guy's been around forever. Get the fuck out of here, man. ... GM, clean house.

Bruce Arena resigned three days after this episode aired (Oct 13, 2017).
Push
Big CatBig Cat

Panama might beat the US Men's National Team on Friday

It would be funny if Panama, if just... God forbid. Panama wins on Friday. God forbid the U.S. men's team didn't make it into the Yogo Benito Championships next year in Russia.

PredictionSoccerHotSarcastic
The US actually beat Panama 4-0 on Friday, Oct 6, 2017. However, the larger prediction about them missing the World Cup came true when they lost to Trinidad & Tobago a few days later.
Win
Big CatBig Cat

It would be hilarious if the US Men's Soccer team failed to qualify for the World Cup

It would be hilarious if the US didn't make the World Cup. It would be very, very funny. It would be so fucking funny. We could make jokes all summer long and be like, when does the US play?

The US lost to Trinidad and Tobago and failed to qualify, leading to exactly the jokes Big Cat predicted.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

Celebrating a tie in soccer is un-American and makes me want to puke

The amount of celebration over a tie makes me want to puke... Very un-American. We play to win the game. That's why we've won every war we've ever been in. That's America.

In sports culture, celebrating ties is often seen as negative, though strategically in soccer it is often necessary. The claim about winning every war is factually debated but fits the character.
Loss
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

Christian Pulisic will make soccer the biggest sport in America

This guy, he is going to make soccer the biggest sport in America. This is the guy. It actually already happened with Freddy Adu, and then John Harkes, and then DeMarcus Beasley, but it's happening again before our eyes.

PredictionSoccerHotSarcastic
While Pulisic became the most successful American male player ever (winning a Champions League), soccer has not overtaken football, basketball, or baseball in US popularity.
Void
Big CatBig Cat

Soccer needs scandals like the Kardashians or star players fighting fans to blow up in America

I really do think, though, that soccer, if soccer wants to blow up in America, they need to start just doing the things that are classic American sports. Someone needs to date a Kardashian. Someone needs to maybe tweet a picture of their penis by accident. Go into the stands and fight a guy.

Soccer has grown in popularity via other means (Messi arrival, access to European leagues), but the 'celebrity drama' factor Big Cat mentions remains a huge driver for the other major US sports.
Void
PFT CommenterPFT Commenter

The German soccer team's aggression always comes too late in major matches

And once again, the German subs were a little bit too late. A little too late. And I noticed that their aggression didn't come until a little bit later, too. Usually the Germans are a little bit more aggressive early on.

This is a satirical historical reference framed as sports analysis.

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