Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

This fight is for everything.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

One of our two political parties is a cult whose leader admires Vladimir Putin.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Let’s finish the job.

The problem people have with Biden’s age is the color of the VPs skin.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

So many bastards, so little time.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

There is one struggling party in US right now, and it’s not the Democrats.

It’s a new day. Light all those Biden polls of young people on fire and throw away the ashes.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

When the time comes to make an endorsement, the pain of NYT editors will be palpable as they reluctantly whisper “Biden.”

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Late Night Open Thread: Cheering the Women’s World Cup

Late Night Open Thread: Cheering the Women’s World Cup

by | 48 Comments

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Okay, apologies, I wimped out on individually-posting the Women’s World Cup games the way I did for the other WC, because it turns out there’s only so much scheduling I can endure. (Due respect to WaterGirl, for setting up the links in the sidebar.)

But here’s some random stories that I thought might be of interest, to those of you following the WWC…


The Wall Street Journal has its eye on the real prize:


Reader Interactions

48Comments

  1. 1.

    Alison Rose

    I like that ad. Prove the jerks wrong who say the women’s game isn’t as exciting.

    But it’s frustrating that people will pay attention during the WWC, and then forget women’s soccer exists otherwise. But alas! Here’s hoping we get one last Cup for Pinoe <3

  2. 2.

    gene108

    Canada’s “No nickname” is better than the “Stars and Stripes” the USA has.

    Just total lack of effort by USWNT marketing department.

  3. 3.

    Martin

    I never watch the mens World Cup, always watch women’s. The men constant flopping drives me fucking crazy. Just play the goddamn game. Women are much more sportsmanlike which makes it more enjoyable for me.

    Doesn’t hurt that the US is, as usual, clear favorites. Title IX has been so good for the US, and it doesn’t get the appreciation that it deserves.

  4. 4.

    HumboldtBlue

    I’ve been watching previews for two hours, and it dawned on me that women’s football wouldn’t look anything like this in 2023 if it weren’t for Title IX. I can’t think of a more important piece of legislation in the sporting world that has seeded and grown so many sports played by women.

    It wasn’t even called the Women’s World Cup in 1991 in China, it was some bullshit name like the FIFA women’s tournament of fish and chips or some such nonsense, and they played for the M&M trophy, I kid you not.

    Eight nations are making their debut at the cup, including poor Vietnam who got drawn with the US, the Netherlanders and Portugal. They’ll be lucky to score.

    Ireland are debutantes as well, as are, surprisingly, Portugal.

    Marta, at age 37, is back for Brazil and Rapine and Morgan both have the chance to make history and tie Pele as players who have won three world cups. If the US do win it — and that’s no given, the rest of the world has caught up — they will be the first football team to ever win the cup three times straight.

    ESPN has a great breakdown of each team and each group. This is gonna be a great tourney, so many good teams, so many experienced and skilled players.

    No haka from the Ferns.

  6. 6.

    HumboldtBlue

    Seven teams have played in all nine cups — Nigeria, Japan, Brazil, Norway, United States, Germany

  8. 8.

    HumboldtBlue

    @gene108:

    Nigeria surprised me, Japan didn’t, Japan were winners in 2011, lost in the finals to the US in 2015 and the quarterfinals four years ago.

  9. 9.

    JWR

    @Martin:

    Title IX has been so good for the US, and it doesn’t get the appreciation that it deserves.

    Current SCOTUS: “We’ll get right on that!”

  10. 10.

    guachi

    Women’s Tour de France also starts soon, on Sunday. Current World Champion Annemiek van Vleuten, 40, is in her final season. Marianne Vos, one of the greatest female athletes of all time, will also be riding. Several good Americans will be riding such as Veronica Ewers and Megan Jastrab.

    Women’s cycling needs support. It’s only been a few years since there were minimum salaries greater than zero.

  12. 12.

    HumboldtBlue

    The Ferns have played very well against one of the teams with a shot to win the cup. They have played most of the half in the Norway end and have applied good pressure. Fatigue and fitness will tell in the second half.

    @mrmoshpotato:

    How is no one nicknamed Kicks Sepp In The Bladder?

    Well, that happened in 2015 when he was banned from FIFA for corruption.

  14. 14.

    Anne Laurie

    @HumboldtBlue: Nigeria surprised me

    In a lot of areas (especially commerce), Nigeria dominates the English-speaking African continent the way the United States does North America.  I’m not an expert, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Nigeria has been able to ‘buy’ the best players from other countries — the way American baseball teams have consistently ‘bought’ Latin American (& now Japanese!) players whose own countries can’t promise them anywhere near the same amount.

  15. 15.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Anne Laurie: ​

    Yes, Nigeria i the regionals economic power, but their team is homegrown. They have dominated African football and their squad plays in the Euro leagues and US universities as well as pro teams so they are exposed to much better — much better NOW — training and coaching.

    GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL

    Great goal, excellent counterattack and what a great cross.

  16. 16.

    guachi

    @mrmoshpotato: Peacock+ will have every stage. You can probably catch the first and last stage on CNBC. But every stage will be on Peacock+. Usually women’s World Tour races get 90 minutes of tv per stage, with a minimum of 45 minutes (the minimum is a requirement if your race is World Tour level)

    Peacock+ is $4.99 for the ad version and you will only get one or two ads at the very beginning so it’s really like no ads.

  17. 17.

    HumboldtBlue

    New Zealand is bossing this match. Dominating play, Norway look like they’re running in sand.

  18. 18.

    HumboldtBlue

    I learned about the USWNT’s pregame huddle and chant today.

    Now you can too. Bonus, in French no less.

    Guess I’ll carry this until the east coast wakes up.

  21. 21.

    Pete Downunder

    Aussie Matildas play Ireland in Sydney starting soon. Big excitement here (stadium sold out) when at all other  times soccer distant fourth to rugby league, rugby union andAussie rules in popularity.  Woman’s rugby now a big deal here also.

  22. 22.

    HumboldtBlue

    Penalty for the Ferns. And Norway have been woeful.

    AND SHE MISSED!

    @eclare:

    Yeah it is.

    @Pete Downunder:

    Key stats:
    – Have made it past the group stage four straight World Cups; one of five countries to do so in each (USA, Germany, England and Brazil)
    – Seeking to be just the second team to win the World Cup when they are hosting it (1999, USA)
    – Kerr: 63 goals with the Australian national team in all competitions; she is the all-time leading goal scorer in men’s or women’s Australian soccer
    Realistic chances: Semifinals
    Australia is dusting off its highest hopes for the Matildas. After saying for years that he was building the Matildas to peak at the right time, it would appear Gustavsson has done just that. With wins against high-ranking opposition, an attacking style of football and a squad as deep as it is versatile, making the final four doesn’t feel unrealistic. Throw in the support of the home crowd, and the Matildas could well be on their way to a best-ever World Cup finish. — Lordanic

  23. 23.

    Pete Downunder

    @HumboldtBlue: ​
      We have high hopes for the Matildas, and Sam Kerr is amazing, but I think most people are realistic that as #10 in the world we won’t be in the finals

  24. 24.

    Pete Downunder

    Breaking news here – Sam Kerr has calf injury and will miss at least first two matches.

  26. 26.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    @Pete Downunder: ​  Wait till Australia sees Ireland’s Katie McCabe, perhaps the greatest dirtiest player in sporting history (video)​ 🤣

  27. 27.

    VeniceRiley

    Watched NZ win live. Fine job.

    Rooting for England. They did a brilliant job in the Euros. Their coach is a winner.

  33. 33.

    Cheryl from Maryland

    I went to high school in SW Virginia during the early 1970s.  No organized sports for girls, heck I could only wear dresses at school until girls were allowed to wear pants in my junior year.  Title lX improved my life at college – I was invited to join a sports team (badminton – don’t laugh), we had uniforms, we had away games with overnight travel,  we had an invitational tournament.  It broadened my life; it gave me physical strength; it helped my confidence.  So to see the Women’s World Cup or Le Tour Feminine or the WNBA and think about how much has changed since Title lX took effect is very gratifying.  Plus these are kick ass sports to watch.

  35. 35.

    JML

    @JWR: Sad truth, but they might be coming for Title IX. The roster size and cost of football causes a lot of difficulty in staying in compliance with Title IX, and you’re seeing colleges dropping football (especially at the D-II level) partly because of finance partly because of Title IX. I expect an angry football person to sue when the football program is dropped somewhere, be curiously well-funded, and the whole thing will get turned into a challenge of Title IX.

  37. 37.

    Ramalama

    OK that ad was brilliant. And now I’m going to start watching soccer football finally and it will start with the women.

    Aside, I loved Ted Lasso. AND I loved this novel about soccer and this legendary coach (sung by Morrissey as) Thankly Mr Shankley – the novel is called Red Or Dead. ALL about British soccer. It probably annoys some people to read it because it has a …unique style but I read it twice, loved it so much.

    But I never watched a single game.

  38. 38.

    Central Planning

    Who comes up with the team nicknames? My brain noticed many nicknames have feminine words in them – queens, girls, lioness. I checked out the 2022 FIFA nicknames for the men’s teams and did not notice something similar. There are devils and eagles and at least one lion.

    What could be the thought process behind that? Is that intentional? Or something else?

  39. 39.

    Geminid

    @Central Planning: I saw that some people are calling Turkiye’s national woman’s volleyball team the Sultanesses (it may roll off the tongue more easily in Turkish). That could just be a nickname given them after they won the FIVB world championship Sunday. They beat the USA team in the semis and then China’s team in the finals. The tournament was held in Arlington, Texas.

  40. 40.

    Yutsano

    Thread needs the unofficial national anthem sung by some pixie who is also an amazing breast cancer survivor.

    Also: nadeshiko for the Japanese women’s team is interesting. It’s one of those cultural concepts that’s hard to explain, but basically it means ideal woman. Also a fun little anime about Mars.

  41. 41.

    lee

    We are soccer fans in this house. We watch both men’s and women’s world cups.

    Whenever the USWNT comes to play at our local stadium (usually once a year) we always have seats.

    The US team does not have a nickname. Stars & Stripes is just stupid. I can’t believe someone came up with that stupid shit. If anything make the nickname accurate and call them ‘Guns & Ammo’. My opinion ‘The Lionesses’ the the best nickname of the lot.

  42. 42.

    lee

    @JML: ​
    I’ve heard this same thing in other parts of the internet. I 100% expect the GOP to come after Title IX very soon. I would not be surprised if there is already a video of a RWNJ talking about this.

  43. 43.

    Paul in KY

    @guachi: I have been disappointed with the technical quality of the Peacock Tour coverage. It constantly goes out and about every 3 mins or so I have to reclick on it to get it to start again.

  44. 44.

    Geminid

    @lee:The whole “controversy” over transgender people competing in women’s sports can serve as a Trojan Horse to subvert Title IX. And to mix metaphors, a lot of ostensible champions of women athletes are crying crocodile tears over their plight.

  45. 45.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Central Planning:

    Is that intentional?

    Yes.

    I checked out the 2022 FIFA nicknames for the men’s teams and did not notice something similar.

    I’m not sure where you looked because the Cameroonian men are the Indomitable Lions, the Nigerians the Golden Eagles, the Algerians are the Lions of the Atlas, Costa Rica are Los Ticos etc.

    Nearly all the national teams have a nickname, almost always associated with something unique to the nation or its location. It’s a carryover from the naming of club teams and provides a national team with an identity.

    Oddly enough, the US does not use one, we are just the USWNT or USMNT, although the traveling supporters chose to call themselves “The Outlaws” and are a bit cringe-inducing.

  46. 46.

    Central Planning

    @HumboldtBlue: Thanks for the reply. I wasn’t trying to imply that there weren’t masculine-based terms in the men’s teams, but it seemed like there were far less masculine ones for the men’s team vs the feminine ones on the women’s teams. There are a some that (to me) don’t think have a specific gender: devils and eagles. It could also be that I don’t know what the masculine/feminine terms are for those animals.

    Thanks again for the reply. This is one of those things that makes me wonder why things are the way there are.

  47. 47.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Central Planning:

    but it seemed like there were far less masculine ones for the men’s team vs the feminine ones on the women’s teams.

    That’s because the men’s teams were formed far earlier than the women’s teams and to differentiate the two squads, many nations adopted the feminine of their current mascot.

    Los Ticos/Las Ticas, Indomitable Lions/Lionesses, etc.

    Not every nation does it that way, the US doesn’t have nicknames for their teams, they are just USWNT and USMNT and the Aussie men are the Socceroos and the women the Matildas, but it serves to keep the national identity while noting the difference between the two squads.

  48. 48.

    billcinsd

    @JML: At my university, Title IX caused the school to have to add a men’s sport because of imbalance between the school population and the sporting population. Not that this will stop the MAGAts

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