ericblum Page 18 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Red, white, and the blues
How far do moral victories and actual losses go for the United States men’s national team? After failing to defeat The Netherlands at the World Cup, U.S. Soccer needs to take a hard look in the mirror....

So you're telling me there's a chance...
It’s the third straight World Cup the United States men’s national team has played in where it reached the knockout stage. Losses to Ghana and Belgium in 2010 and 2014, respectively, denied the Americans an opportunity to win a game beyond the group stage for the first time at the quadrennial event ...

Let the King hold court on any subject, especially Jerry Jones
Whataboutism is a dangerous game. The comparison of apples to oranges, as opposed to just Honeycrisps and Fujis, appears to be the necessary pivot to distract from an actual issue. Walking and chewing gum at the same time is possible, preferable, and has become an impressive skill in the public eye....

Antonio Brown allegedly chucks shoe at ex, arrest warrant issued
Disgraced former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown is back in trouble with the law — he has an active warrant out for his arrest. It’s allegedly for another domestic violence incident involving the mother of four of his children, per a police report obtained by FOX 13 News in Tampa. ...

Balls of steel
Christian Pulisic put it all on the line to score his first World Cup goal. His body did the work with his legacy hanging in the balance. If the current face of American soccer couldn’t score the goal that separated the United States men’s national team from advancing to the knockout stage in Qatar ...
![Jalen Kitna, son of ex-NFL QB, responds to child porn arrest [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/6d9338a1d8e4f14fc74d6e831a98c53c.png)
Jalen Kitna, son of ex-NFL QB, responds to child porn arrest [Updated]
Jalen Kitna, the son of former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna, was arrested on Wednesday on two counts of distribution of child exploitation material and three counts of possession of child pornography, according to the Alachua County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office....

The College Football Playoff field is set, there’s no way the committee could mess this up, right?
This should be easy, with the second word of this story being the most important: SHOULD. Even with the politics and affinity for the Southeastern Conference and other big-name schools, the College Football Playoff committee can’t mess this one up, right? There are only two scenarios that can unfold...

Deion Sanders to Colorado is the 'fish out of water' comedy I want to see
It’s a comedic style we’ve seen in Hollywood plenty over the years. The fish-out-of-water mentality. Pluck the main character from their established world and place them into a weird situation where any semblance of normality is gone. Legally Blonde nails it. So does The Jerk. My favorite of that ge...

U.S. beats England, 0-0
What psychopath called the long-awaited United States men’s national team’s Black Friday showdown against England a scoreless draw? I’ll have whatever you’re drinking. After gaining my bearings after that stiff cocktail, and realizing Matt Turner nor Jordan Pickford allowing a goal wasn’t just falla...

The biggest World Cup upsets of all time
As Saudi Arabia shocked the globe by defeating Lionel Messi and World Cup favorites Argentina on Tuesday, it provided the most recent example of a tremendous upset victory at the quadrennial showcase. Argentina was No. 3 in the FIFA rankings and Saudi Arabia was the second-lowest ranked team to play...

Girls of Summer
Olivia Pichardo is no stranger to baseball, having applied her trade on diamonds around New York from a young age. A dream that started as a young girl in Queens has just become a reality, reaching another milestone for women in sports. Pichardo will be the first female to play Division I baseball, ...

Messi, who? World Cup favorites Argentina suffers shocking upset to Saudi Arabia
Most American soccer fans went to bed Monday night ready to skip Tuesday’s opening game. Better to get some sleep than watch a blowout when Argentina is going to be in the tournament for a while right? Saudi Arabia entered Group C’s opening match as a +1800 underdog (per BetMGM odds) to win and gave...

USMNT’s Christian Pulisic finally gets his chance
The embarrassment of the United States men’s national team missing the 2018 World Cup had several layers. One of the most understated at the time, and one that luckily has been forgotten about over time for fans of the Stars and Stripes, is how the adorned future of American soccer would always be a...

The USMNT needs a striker in Qatar — can Jesus Ferreira be the answer?
It’s been the longest-standing position battle for the United States men’s national team. It’s been basically a forever chase to find a stable striker. The No. 9 spot has been taken by dozens of Americans, with no real claim to the throne. Brian McBride? Jozy Altidore? Joe-Max Moore? All had tempora...

Does Aaron Long belong in Qatar?
It’s hard to describe why there’s angst around Aaron Long. Does the United States men’s national team have better center backs? Yes. Has he taken the spot of more deserving players? Yeah, but that’s more up for debate. If you’re basing personnel decisions on trust with USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalt...