(07-07-2026 09:43 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(07-07-2026 06:49 AM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  The effort and build-up vs Belgium was akin to some recent Rice football bowl game performances.

Excellent summary …

Unfortunately

Liberty Bowl 2013 is best comp IMO.


USMNT did not “barely qualify” for the tournament like Rice FB been doing recently.

USMNT this year was a double digit G conference champ looking to make some noise.

Tulane in last years CFP is another good comp.

ETA: we didn’t really think it was going to happen vs the big boys… but sure wish we’d been more competitive in the last game!

Vargas scores! Switzerland heads to play Messi and Argentina!
SUI win it in penalty kicks at BC Place in Vancouver!



(And my run of “countries that I’ve visited” winning keeps on (mostly) prevailing.)

Belgium was only a layover stop, and little consolation when they beat US, but 6 of the 8 quarterfinalists have been at one time, graced by my presence.


(The 14 countries I’d been to were above ALL 28 of the countries I’d NOT been to in each group across the board, how weird/improbable was THAT?)