Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

An unpunished coup is a training exercise.

Nikki Haley, who can’t acknowledge ‘slavery’, is a pathetic shill.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Republicans don’t trust women.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

In after Baud. Damn.

In my day, never was longer.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Democrats have delivered the Square Deal, the New Deal, the Fair Deal, and now… the Big Joe Biden Deal.

Not all heroes wear capes.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

He imagines himself as The Big Bad, Who Is Universally Feared… instead of The Big Jagoff, Who Is Universally Mocked.

“That’s what the insurrection act is for!”

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

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Randinho wrote at Balloon Juice from 2010-16.

"Hi, everyone, my name is Randy Paul. I normally blog at my own blog, Beautiful Horizons. John has graciously accepted my offer to blog about the upcoming soccer World Cup..."

Twitter: @randinho

Randinho

Some Football Notes Before the Euro 2016 Quarter-Finals

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So, one competition is over (Cope America) and another (Euro 2016) is starting the quarter-finals . Here are a few thoughts.

1.) Leo Messi is getting heat because he wants to quit the international game. I really believe that the anger is misdirected. To begin with, Messi has one title that no Brazilian footballer has: an Olympic gold medal. Bear in mind that Argentina’s trophy drought for titles in competitions without age restrictions goes back to 1993, when Messi was six. Also, there appears to be more to it than that.

2.) Brazil, while Tite has a good record, why not, FFS, consider someone outside of Brazil? I had this discussion with my brother-in-law, who said, “No, we made football great.” I pointed out to him that they keep recycling the same coaches in and out. I also pointed out to him some of the requirements that UEFA has of its coaches to get a license and that CONMEBOL is just starting to implement requirements. He was astonished. Swallow your pride, Brazil. it’s taken a pretty big beating recently anyway.

3.) Speaking of Brazil, how did the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) let Eder slip through their fingers to Italy? He’s been a revelation for the Azurri.

4.) Speaking of the Azurri, Antonio Conte’s tactical wizardry is impressive. I write this and Arsenal fan, but it appears that Chelsea made a good choice.

5.) From 2008 to 2012, what made Spain’s midfield dominant was iniesta AND Xavi, not Iniesta AND Fabregas.

6.) Jürgen Klinsmann is getting heat for Argentina’s whipping of the USA in the Copa America, but did anyone seriously believe that the USA would win? In any case, I believe that Klinsmann deserves credit for this. They will never be great if they don’t have the best teams challenge them.

On a housekeeping note, I will be working during the start of the three games today, tomorrow and Saturday. I will schedule open thread posts, but sometimes they don’t post. I’ll correct it as soon as I can if it happens.

Some Football Notes Before the Euro 2016 Quarter-FinalsPost + Comments (19)