Monday July 20, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4353

houston, we have no problems at all

This is starting to get good.

Really good.

The headline at ESPN's website said it all. I had to do a double-take just to make sure I read it right.

MLB's hottest two teams set for Fenway clash

Huh?

What?

"Aren't the Orioles at Fenway Park this week?" I asked myself.

Indeed they are.

And the Birds are red hot. Maybe not quite as hot as the scorching Red Sox, but the Orioles arrived in Boston late Sunday night armed with a 7-game winning streak and their sights set on reaching .500 in Beantown.

The Red Sox have won 13 in a row and just swept Tampa Bay over the weekend. The good news for the O's is they will not see Cy Young candidate Sonny Gray (12-1, 2.48 ERA) this week, as he just waltzed past the suddenly struggling Rays on Sunday in the 6-1 Boston win.

Sunday's 5-2 win in Houston was once again all about pitching for the Birds, as Brandon Young did what Brandon Young does -- 7 innings pitched, 7 strikeouts and just 1 earned run.

The O's offense was once again "meh", but that's OK when the pitcher is throwing like Young did on Sunday. Dylan Beavers (two) and Coby Mayo (two) combined for four of the team's six hits, with Mayo hitting his 13th homer of the campaign in the victory.

It's on, now.

The Birds are back in it at 49-51.

Far be it for me to say "I told you so", so I won't say it.

But they're back. And everyone knows it. Now it's just a question of what deadline deals can they make to bolster their lineup and their bullpen?

Mike Elias, the ball is in your court, brother. Don't let us down.

Ryan Fox's putter didn't let him down on Sunday at Royal Birkdale and the result was a thrilling one-shot win at the British Open that included a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Fox nipped Cameron Young by a shot and Sam Burns by two shots in the season's final major championship. That left golf with two new major winners in 2026, Aaron Rai at the PGA and Fox at the British.

Si Woo Kim had a chance to win his first major on Sunday, but the talented South Korean lost his golf swing on the back nine and stumbled home in 3 over par to open the door for Fox, who nearly missed the cut after 36 holes, finishing at even par on Friday afternoon to make it by one shot.

From there, Fox, like Burns did on Friday, poured in everything he looked at on Saturday en route to a 62 that got him near the top of the leaderboard heading into Sunday's final round.

On Sunday, it was Fox's head that earned him the Claret Jug just as much it was his golf clubs doing the deed. Twice on the back nine he was hit with vicious bad breaks and both times he responded like....well....a champion.

First, on the par 3 15th hole, he hit a wonderful iron on the 241 yard hole that hit the face of the bunker and stayed in, but the ball's bounce left it near the lower lip and he actually had to play backwards instead of towards the green and the pin. He then hit a nifty 10 yard pitch shot to within 5 feet and made the putt for bogey four.

On the very next hole, he bounced back with a great birdie to once again tie for the lead.

And then at 17, he hit a 320 yard iron shot off the tee that was struck perfectly and bounded down the fairway. And bounded some more. And then a little more. And on the last roll, it dipped into a menacing fairway bunker that prohibited him from going for the par 5 green in two shots.

He would have had a 225 yard shot in. Instead, he had to lay up out of the bunker. And even though he "only" made par there, it was a moment of steadiness once again. Others might have lost their head at that second twist of bad fate, but not Fox. He just moved on to the 18th from there and pounded another drive right down the middle.

And it was at 18 where he finished off his master class with a 176 yard 8-iron to 12 feet.

When Sam Burns missed his birdie putt at 18 that would have temporarily tied him with Fox and Cam Young, the stage was set for Fox to win it outright. And that he did, as his putt just snuck in the left edge to deny Young a shot at his first major title and, potentially, PGA Tour Player of the Year honors as well.

Speaking of Player of the Year and all, Scottie Scheffler went 2026 without a major victory, but continues to lead the Fed Ex Cup points race and shoulda, coulda, woulda easily won at Royal Birkdale if not for a remarkably poor putting display.

This stat is mind-boggling. Over the four days, Scheffler missed 16 putts inside of 10 feet. The next closest guy (who played all four rounds) missed 6 of them.

Scheffler ranked 1st, 2nd or 3rd in nearly every pertinent shots gained category. But ranked as the 68th worst putter out of 78 players who played all four days.

Everyone can say "if I only made a few more putts..." in any golf tournament.

Scheffler can say , "if I made a few more putts I would have won by six shots."

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup final: the machine wins

Machine versus magic had a winner, and it was the machine.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to claim its second World Cup title, and they did it the exact same way they played the entire tournament.

They sucked the oxygen out of the game. Argentina, the escape artists of this World Cup, didn't register a single shot until extra time. The defending champions went the full 90 minutes of a World Cup final without one attempt at goal, becoming the first team on record to go shotless through the opening 70 minutes of a final.

And yet, Argentina very nearly suffered through it and weathered the storm all the way to penalties, where you'd have liked their chances with Emiliano Martinez in goal.

But a late red card proved fatal. After going down to ten men Argentina battled, but from that point it felt inevitable that Spain would find the goal to end it. Thirty seven seconds into the second half of extra time, substitute Ferran Torres finally did.

How It Played Out --

The first half was a staring contest. Spain passed with their usual precision, Argentina sat in their block and refused to engage, and the two teams combined for three shots, the fewest on record in a single half of a World Cup match.

All three shots belonged to Spain. Lamine Yamal's deflected effort in the fifth minute was the closest thing to a chance. Argentina later lost starting center back Lisandro Martinez to injury before the break, with the veteran Otamendi coming on as a replacement.

The second half was when Spain started turning the screw. Emiliano Martinez got down to deny Oyarzabal, spilled but recovered an Olmo strike, and pushed away a fizzing Cubarsi drive.

Luis de la Fuente went to his bench around the hour mark, sending on Torres and Pedri, then Nico Williams and Mikel Merino at 75 minutes. The pressure kept building, and Martinez kept answering, robbing Torres and Laporte from close range.

Then came the moment that decided the final. In the third minute of stoppage time, seconds after Williams stung Martinez's palms on the break, Enzo Fernandez clattered into Cubarsi chasing a loose ball and was shown a second yellow card. A needless, silly challenge with extra time looming, and Argentina would have to survive 30 more minutes with ten men.

They almost did.

Spain thought they'd scored in the 96th when Williams tucked home a rebound, but the goal was ruled out for a Merino foul on Otamendi in the buildup. Merino then flicked a Williams cross inches past the post.

But 37 seconds after the restart in the second half of extra time, the dam broke. Spain worked the ball down the right, Porro's cross found the back post, Williams kept it alive with a clever knockdown, and Torres rifled it into the roof of the net.

Fittingly, Torres became the first substitute to score in a World Cup final since Mario Gotze's winner in 2014, also to beat Argentina.

Argentina threw everything forward, Otamendi went up top, and Giuliano Simeone blazed their best chance over the bar off a Messi corner in the final seconds. The full time numbers told the story: 20 shots and 1.94 expected goals for Spain, two shots and 0.2 xG for Argentina.

The Difference Makers --

Emiliano Martinez was the main reason Spain didn't win this in regulation. His 10 saves through 90 minutes were the most on record by a keeper in a World Cup final, and several were spectacular. He kept a completely overrun team within one moment of penalties.

For Spain, the substitutes were pivotal. Pedri was a game changer off the bench, bringing a level of assertiveness through the middle of the attacking third that Spain had lacked, turning possession into sustained danger. And it was two more subs, Williams and Torres, who combined for the winning goal.

As for Messi, the magic finally ran out. He touched the ball just 22 times through 70 minutes, smothered by Rodri and the Spanish midfield, in what was almost certainly the final World Cup match of his career. He became just the second player ever to appear in three World Cup finals, joining Brazil's Cafu.

An All-Time Run

This Spain team will go down as one of the great World Cup champions. They conceded exactly one goal in eight games. They never trailed in the knockout rounds. They extended their unbeaten run in regulation to 38 games and added a World Cup to their 2023 Nations League and Euro 2024 crowns.

The run exemplified collective effort. They allowed only 2.3 expected goals across the entire tournament, an average of 0.3 per match, the lowest recorded rate by any team at a men’s World Cup.

Their one goal conceded across eight matches set a new record for a World Cup champion.

Spain scored fourteen goals through seven different players. Three times in the knockout rounds a substitute delivered the decisive goal. Laporte, Cubarsi, Rodri, Cucurella and Porro turned every game into a slow suffocation.

They had the best goalkeeper, the best young player and the official tournament MVP, but their championship never felt dependent on any one of them.

The comparisons to Spain’s golden generation are now unavoidable.

The 2008-12 group remains the standard. It won two European Championships with a World Cup in between and featured Xavi, Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Iker Casillas, David Villa, Xabi Alonso, Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos.

This team is not there yet in sustained greatness. But the comparison is no longer ridiculous. And this team is still very young.

World Cup Best XI --

Goalkeeper: Unai Simón, Spain

Emiliano Martínez’s performance in the final was the best single-game goalkeeping display of the tournament, and Cape Verde’s Vozinha produced its best underdog story. But Simón was the goalkeeper behind the greatest defensive tournament in World Cup history.

He was calm with the ball, dependable when called upon and his anticipation and sweeper instincts were key to keeping Mbappe under wraps in the semifinal. Spain conceded one goal in eight games, and Simón deservedly won the Golden Glove.

Right Back: Pedro Porro, Spain

Porro was a constant source of width and progression down Spain’s right side. He combined especially well with Yamal and defended aggressively. He delivered the back-post cross that began the winning goal in the final and scored against France in the semifinal.

Center Back: Pau Cubarsí, Spain

Cubarsí entered the tournament as a teenager and left as a World Cup champion and the official Best Young Player. His passing allowed Spain to break lines from the back, while his anticipation and recovery speed helped erase the rare moments when opponents escaped the press. He played the position with a composure that made his age almost impossible to believe.

Center Back: Dayot Upamecano, France

France’s tournament ended badly, but Upamecano was excellent through most of it. He handled large spaces, won physical battles and gave France the freedom to push players forward without constantly exposing the defense. Spain finally broke France’s structure in the semifinal, but that did not erase his previous seven games.

Left Back: Marc Cucurella, Spain

Cucurella played every minute of Spain’s tournament and provided the ideal balance on the left. He pressed high, covered enormous amounts of ground, supported the attack and rarely lost his defensive position. Spain’s ability to control both sides of the field depended heavily on the reliability of its fullbacks.

Midfielder: Rodri, Spain

The official Golden Ball winner and the foundation of the champions. Rodri controlled the speed and location of Spain’s games. He protected the defense, recycled possession and consistently made the correct decision under pressure. Spain had plenty of more spectacular players, but none was more essential to how the team functioned.

Midfielder: Jude Bellingham, England

Seven goals and one assist from midfield, including braces in consecutive knockout games. Bellingham became England’s most dangerous player, driving through midfield, arriving in the box and producing goals when the attack stalled. His tournament confirmed that England’s team increasingly belongs to him.

Midfielder: Elliot Anderson, England

The least glamorous selection in the team, but one of the most consistent players in the tournament. Anderson gave England balance beside all of its attacking talent. He won duels, covered ground, moved the ball cleanly and repeatedly helped England control the middle of the field. He did not produce Bellingham’s highlight moments, but he made many of them possible.

Forward: Lionel Messi, Argentina

Eight goals, four assists and another trip to the final at 39 years old. Messi scored or created the crucial goal in every knockout round before Spain finally shut him down. Even without the storybook ending, this was another extraordinary World Cup.

Forward: Erling Haaland, Norway

Haaland scored seven goals in five appearances and led Norway to the quarterfinals. His two late goals against Brazil produced one of the defining upsets of the tournament. Norway could play directly, counterattack or build patiently because every approach eventually had the same destination.

Forward: Kylian Mbappé, France

Mbappé won the Golden Boot with ten goals and added four assists. His two goals in the third- place game inflated the final total a little, but he was still one of the tournament’s most devastating attackers. He also moved past Messi to become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, with 22 goals before his 28th birthday.

Tournament MVP: Lionel Messi

FIFA gave the Golden Ball to Rodri, and that is an entirely defensible choice.

Rodri was the most important player on the champion. He embodied everything Spain did well and controlled games without requiring goals or assists to demonstrate his influence. There is no Spain championship without him.

My choice is still Messi.

Messi finished with eight goals and four assists, directly contributing to twelve of Argentina’s nineteen goals. He scored the equalizer that saved them from elimination against Egypt. He created the opener against Switzerland. He assisted both late goals against England.

At 39, he was still the player every opponent built its defensive plan around. Argentina reached the final because it repeatedly survived long enough for Messi to change the game.

Mbappé deserves consideration as well. Ten goals and four assists is a staggering tournament, and becoming the all-time World Cup scoring leader at 27 is absurd.

But two of those goals and one assist came in a 6-4 third-place game that felt closer to an exhibition than a defining World Cup moment. France needed Mbappé most in the semifinal, and Spain held him scoreless.

Messi was quiet in the final, but the final should not erase everything required to get there.

Spain won because it had the best team.

Messi was the tournament’s best player.

Sunday July 19, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4352

that's six straight

Here's my prediction: By this time next weekend, you'll all be back on the bandwagon.

Sure, a few of you will jump on reluctantly, giving way to not wanting to publicly admit you were wrong. But for the most part, those of you who hop on the O's bandwagon over the next 7 days will be thrilled to do so.

In case you didn't see last night's thriller in Houston, the O's won 4-2 and the hero was none other than.......Tyler O'Neill.

Yep, that Tyler O'Neill.

Our favorite whipping boy throughout the '26 campaign came through on defense (in the 10th) and offense (in the 11th) and the Birds dumped the Astros for their 6th straight win.

You know things have turned around when Tyler O'Neill is starting to percolate.

He saved the game with a remarkable throw from centerfield in the bottom of the 10th inning, then provided a two-run single in the 11th to finalize the scoring at 4-2.

Tyler O'Neill, huh? Funny the way it is, as Dave Matthews sings.

Trevor Rogers was solid once again on the mound, although anyone who had him for Under 5.5 hits, Over 6.5 strikeouts and Under 1.5 walks (know anyone?) was thoroughly dismayed to see him come out for the bottom of the 7th inning. For once, I a friend of mine was hoping Craig Albernaz would do the dumb thing and lift him after six innings and only 70-some pitches.

Rogers was good, though, limiting Houston to just one earned run. The Baltimore bullpen did its job once again, with five different relievers combining to allow only two hits over the game's final 5.2 innings.

From the "nitpicker's file", it's fair to point out the O's had just 5 hits in 11 innings.

"You're not going to win games with only five hits..." they'll say. Even though they did last night, right?

Gunnar was -- yet again -- hitless in five at bats.

"The O's can't make the playoffs if Henderson hits .220 all season." That might be right. But they're in the playoff race now and he's hitting .220.

And the Birds winning the game wasn't the only slice of good news for our orange-feathered-friends on Saturday. Kyle Bradish was somehow canoodled into signing a 5-year, $90 million contract extension. Great news for the O's. Weird news, perhaps, for Bradish, who was on the fast-track to a 5-year, $150 million deal if he simply put up one more high quality season as a starter in 2027.

That said, I've never had the opportunity to turn down $90 million. Maybe you simply can't pass up that kind of dough when it gets thrown at you.

So, O's doubters, you're probably starting to get a little nervous. That's 48-51 now after yesterday's win and a huge trip to Fenway Park looms after finishing off the sweep in Houston this afternoon. Then the Braves come to town for a weekend series in Charm City.

What better way to officially re-enter the championship race than to fend off Houston, Boston and Atlanta in succession?

Just one note about the bandwagon. It's "middle seats only" for those of you coming back now. The aisle and window seats have been scooped up by those of us who didn't quit on the team.

With 18 holes remaining at the British Open, there are storylines and more storylines at Royal Birkdale, where the biggest news wasn't what one of the game's stars shot on Saturday, but what one of the game's biggest stars said after his third round.

We'll get to Rory McIlroy in a minute.

On the course, it was the Ryan Fox show, followed by some stellar play from American Sam Burns, who is once again in position to win a major championship.

Fox posted an 8-under round of 62 in the third round and will play with Burns in today's final pairing.

Si Woo Kim is also at 8-under and, like Burns and Fox, looking for his first-ever major victory. Kim is having a remarkable season on the PGA Tour, but this win today would be the biggest moment of his career.

Ryan Gerard is also having a very nice year on TOUR but this, today, is uncharted territory for him. Whether he has the "bottle", as they say in the U.K., for a moment like the one he faces this afternoon will be the story of the day for him.

Lucas Herbert, who posted 62 on Friday, hung in there nicely on Saturday and is 7-under with Gerard. He was once a young Australian prodigy who slumped to the point where he needed LIV money to rescue his career. A win for Herbert today would mark a massive rebirth for him.

And then there's Bryson DeChambeau.

The controversial American battled his rear end off on Saturday, chipping and putting like a complete madman. A bogey at #18 dropped him to 6-under par, but he's well within striking distance heading into today's final round. Can he cobble together something in the 64 or 65 range and get some help from Burns, Fox, Kim and the others ahead of him? He very well might.

Friday's controversial two-shot penalty on DeChambeau was still topic number one on Saturday, where a number of respected veteran players were asked for their opinions on what happened in the second round.

Scottie Scheffler took the high road. Rory McIlroy did not.

"I don't have much to say about it," Scheffler said after his round. "Actually, I do have a lot to say. But I don't know how to say it just yet, so I'll keep it to myself for now."

"Look, I'm not going to stand up here and defend Bryson," McIlroy stated after he was finished on Saturday. "I'm not particularly fond of him. I think there's no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing. Again, it's like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don't think it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified for sure."

In DeChambeau's defense, he put the controversy behind him on Saturday with a compelling, wild ride around Royal Birkdale. He turned 75 into 69 with some deft handiwork around and on the greens, saving par all day from precarious positons that easily could have ended his pursuit of the Claret Jug.

Speaking of the trophy, the guy who won it last year should easily be winning this event once again, but his putter is more ice cold than Gunnar Henderson's bat.

Of the 78 players who made the cut at Birkdale, Scheffler ranks 73rd in strokes gained putting. For the uninitiated, that's terrible.

Scheffler has played 54 holes of golf at Royal Birkdale and has a grand total of three bogeys. THREE. He made two on Thursday in the opening round, none on Friday and one on Saturday.

If he can somehow have a magical day with the putter today and, like Bryson, get some help from others above him on the leaderboard, Scottie could perhaps make a run at his 5th major championship win.

Other Americans lurking who could also make a run include Jackson Suber (-6), Xander Schauffele (-4) and Cameron Young (-3).

Of those, Young is the most explosive. Suber has never contended at a major so today's final round will be new grounds for him. Schauffele, like Scheffler, has fought a balky putter this season. But Young, who won the Players and the Cadillac Championship, might be poised for a big run today.

It would take something like 62 or 61, even, for Young to have a shot at winning, but he's capable of pouring in birdies in droves.

Our hope here at #DMD?

We'd love to see Burns hold and finally win that major championship.

He's knocked on the door enough now. And that fiasco at Oakmont CC still looms in everyone's memory, where he was forced to play from two completely undesirable, underwater locations on the back nine of the final round at the 2025 U.S. Open.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup final: machine vs. magic

In the end, the 2026 World Cup comes down to a battle of heavyweights.

Two of the most prominent nations in international soccer for the past two decades. The reigning champion of Europe against the reigning champion of South America. A matchup that has never before happened in a World Cup final.

The two teams were supposed to play each other in the Finalissima in Qatar in March, but the regional tensions canceled that match. Instead, they will meet in the World Cup final.

On one side you have the machine. Spain doesn't demolish you, they slowly close every window in the room until there's no air left.

On the other side you have the magic. Argentina spends ninety minutes looking dead, then Lionel Messi finds his moment and the whole balance shifts. Machine versus magic. It's the perfect final.

It kicks off at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Spain is playing in only its second World Cup final, sixteen years after winning its first. Argentina is appearing in its seventh and attempting to become the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1962. Only Italy in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962 have ever successfully defended the men’s World Cup.

It is a remarkably fresh matchup for two countries with such intertwined soccer histories. The country that birthed Messi and the country that refined him.

Spain and Argentina have met fourteen times, with six wins apiece and two draws, but only once in an official competition. Argentina won that 1966 World Cup group-stage meeting 2-1. The most recent game was considerably less competitive, a 6-1 Spanish victory in a 2018 friendly that Messi missed with an injury.

This version will be remembered through Messi and Lamine Yamal.

The 39-year-old king against the 19-year-old heir. Two left-footed geniuses developed at Barcelona. One playing what could be the final game of the greatest international career ever assembled, the other attempting to win a European Championship and World Cup before he is old enough to legally buy a drink in the United States.

There is even the now-famous photograph from a 2007 charity calendar in which a 20-year-old Messi helped bathe an infant Yamal. The photo now seems so prophetic that you would think it must be an AI-generated deep fake.

But this final will not really be Messi against Yamal.

It will be Spain’s machine against Argentina’s mística.

The Machine --

Spain hasn't been the fireworks show it was at Euro 2024. It's been something quieter, and possibly scarier. La Roja have suffocated teams out of games, limiting chances, hogging the ball for long stretches, and striking the moment a crack appears.

Through seven games they've conceded exactly one goal. They haven't lost a match in regulation in nearly two years, a 37 game unbeaten run.

The semifinal against France was that whole idea distilled into ninety minutes. Spain took the lead just past the 20 minute mark when Digne was too complacent and Yamal attacked his clearance in the box, drawing a foul for a penalty that Mikel Oyarzabal calmly buried.

They doubled it in the 58th with a goal that was a small masterpiece. After a long spell of possession building out from the back line, Pedro Porro played a give and go with Dani Olmo, took the return in stride, and side footed it past Mike Maignan. Yamal thought he'd added a third with a curler, but the offside flag pulled it back.

What happened at the other end mattered just as much. France arrived with Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, the most dangerous attack in the tournament, and Spain held them to roughly a third of an expected goal from ten shots.

Aymeric Laporte, 19 year old Pau Cubarsí and Rodri spent the afternoon reading French passes before they arrived, stepping in front of entry balls, killing every counter at the source. It was defending as theft.

The scary part is, Spain has been managing bodies all tournament. Yamal has been playing through groin and hamstring trouble. Nico Williams has fought muscle problems all year. Pedri has been in and out with fatigue and form issues.

The attack has gone flat for stretches, a scoreless draw with Cape Verde to open, a grind past Portugal. The reason none of it has cost them is that the defense never blinks. You can't score on Spain if you can't get the ball, and you can't get the ball.

The Magic --

Argentina is the exact opposite kind of team, and somehow it's worked just as well.

The defending champions have turned survival into an art form. They haven't led a single knockout game in the 90th minute, not once, and they're still standing.

They needed extra time to get past Cape Verde.

They came from two goals down in the 78th minute to beat Egypt.

They needed extra time and a Julián Álvarez stunner to escape Switzerland.

Then, in the semifinal, they did the most Argentina thing imaginable.

England took the lead in the 55th minute, and it was a lovely goal. Harry Kane dropped deep into midfield to start the move, Morgan Rogers delivered from the right, and Anthony Gordon arrived to finish. For half an hour England sat on it. Thomas Tuchel pulled Gordon, Reece James and Declan Rice and tried to see the game out behind a defensive wall.

That's when the dam broke.

Enzo Fernández smashed in an equalizer from twenty yards in the 85th minute. Then, in the second minute of stoppage time, Messi beat two defenders to create the space for a floated cross to the back post and substitute Lautaro Martínez headed Argentina into the final.

Messi set up both goals. Of course he did. Messi magic continues. The numbers around him have gone from historic to one-of-a-kind.

He's Argentina's leading scorer here with eight goals. He's now, as of this run, the leading scorer and assister in the entire history of the World Cup with 21 and 12. At 39, in what is almost certainly his last World Cup, he is playing in his third final.

That's the veteran savvy Argentina leans on. Much of this group won it all in 2022, and they seem to genuinely not engage until they fall behind. Then they turn it on and play their best soccer. It should be terrifying that a team can be this passive and this dangerous at the same time.

How They Match Up --

The shape of this game seems simple.

Spain will have the ball. Argentina will have to suffer, absorb, and pick the right moment to strike.

Whether Spain's control turns into actual chances, and whether Argentina's suffering turns into one clean counter, is the whole match. Spain wants to pin Argentina deep and distort the defense with movement. That's how they broke France, who didn’t pressure their center backs enough to stop passes slipping through the first line.

Olmo was superb at finding those windows. Expect Spain to hunt the same seams, with Olmo and Oyarzabal drifting into the gaps between Argentina's lines.

Even at less than full health, Yamal is the single biggest problem on the board. England never tested Argentina with a true cut in right winger. They started Morgan Rogers, more of an attacking midfielder, and never turned to Bukayo Saka, the one England player who most resembles Yamal.

Argentina has to be careful on its left side. Nicolás Tagliafico is going to need help, because handing Yamal a clean one on one is how you lose a final.

Then there are the 50/50 balls. Rodri owned the midfield against France especially in the air, and Spain seemed first to every loose ball. Argentina similarly out-fought England, and is simply going to have to repeat that effort against Spain, which is not a given.

Discipline matters here too. Argentina played with extreme passion and aggression against England, teetering on the knife's edge of losing players to cards. Giuliano Simeone alone could have had several yellows in the first half. Careless fouls near your own box can be gasoline against a team talented.

At the other end, the biggest tactical riddle is Messi's movement. Does Rodri shadow him in central areas, or do the center backs pick him up so Rodri can push higher and press? If Messi can drift into the space Marc Cucurella leaves when he steps forward, Argentina has its opening.

And when the counter is on, everyone knows where it starts. Messi to Álvarez. Álvarez already has a knockout counter goal in this tournament, the extra time winner against Switzerland, and he's exactly the kind of runner who can punish Spain's high line the way Spain fears most.

Who Has the Edge? --

From a purely analytical standpoint, it's Spain, and it isn't especially close. They're younger, they're deeper, they've been the better team for two years, and they've built the sturdiest defense in the tournament. The oddsmakers agree. DraftKings has Spain at -150 and Argentina at +130 to win the cup.

But Argentina just refuse to die.

There's a word for it down there, aguante. The idea of enduring anything, refusing to break, holding on well past the point where holding on makes any sense. This team is aguante in cleats.

The funny thing is, Argentina has carried the same black magic through this World Cup that Messi's old rivals at Real Madrid used to carry through the Champions League.

That sense that the scoreboard is only a suggestion and the ending is already written. Spain is the better team. That has stopped mattering to Argentina four times already.

Machine versus magic, one more time. Sunday, we find out which one wins.

For a deeper dive into the tactics and matchups you can find my in-depth preview here: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/analysis/spain-vs-argentina-world-cup-final-preview/

Saturday July 18, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4351

laughably obvious

We didn't have wind, rain and chaos at the British Open yesterday, but we did have a guy quite clearly break the rules and then pitch a fit like a 9-year old who was told "no cartoons before bed" for 30 minutes after the second round at Royal Birkdale.

That guy, of course, was Bryson DeChambeau, who was, at one point, 7-under par and in second place until rules officials summoned him to an area short right of the 5th green after his round was complete.

What followed was one of the more bizarre sequences in major championship history.

DeChambeau spent a half-hour pleading his case with the rules officials, who were intending to penalize the 2-time U.S. Open champion for "inadvertently improving the area of his intended backswing on the 5th hole when he was playing his second shot."

I'm not sure what was more laughable: The rules officials inserting the word "inadvertently" into the rules enforcement or DeChambeau complaining about the 2-shot penalty he received.

It was clearly intentional.

DeChambeau stomped his way into the area, directly behind his ball, in a very obvious effort to "smooth out" the tall grass that would have impeded his back swing on his second shot from the rough.

If you watch that whole sequence and don't believe DeChambeau was "intentional" about the way he walked into the area, then you probably also believe Mike Tyson didn't purposely bite Evander Holyfield's ear, twice, during their 1997 fight.

How DeChambeau could defend himself is beyond me.

Now, "intent" is a very difficult thing to prove, of course.

But, as Seve Ballesteros once told Paul Azinger at the 1991 Ryder Cup after Azinger and alternate-shot partner Chip Beck played the wrong ball in Saturday's afternoon session, "Cheating and not knowing the rules are two different things."

I'm not sure DeChambeau was trying to cheat, yesterday.

However, he most certainly broke the rule.

Whether he knew the rule or not...is anyone's guess.

But there was a very clear violation of the rules and it certainly appeared like DeChambeau very intentionally tried to get in there and improve the intended path of his backswing.

Instead of just taking the penalty like a gentlemen-competitor, you know, the way Cameron Young accepted his penalty in the Cadillac Championship back in March, DeChambeau whined and complained and threatened to not continue playing in the tournament if the two-shot penalty was enforced.

That, of course, would be even more silly than acting like he wasn't trying to improve his swing path yesterday.

He's 5-under par through two rounds. The leader is 8 under par. And, here's the oddest part of the whole thing. DeChambeau was a complete afterthought heading into this event, a nod to a missed cut at this year's Masters, PGA and U.S. Open. The national golf media even jokingly called it, potentially, the "Bryson slam", if he failed to make the cut at Birkdale.

And now here he is, three shots out of the lead through 36 holes. He didn't just make the cut...finally. He's in the hunt. He actually has a chance to win.

But everything's murky now because of what happened on Friday. Sure, he might go on to win. The golf gods will decide some of that, I suppose. But if he doesn't win, this story will be hashed, re-hashed and triple-hashed for the rest of the year.

There's no need for that, though.

It was a penalty. Plain and simple. As the headline above reads, it was laughably obvious.

The sooner he gets over what happened and moves on, the better.

It's likely DeChambeau can't do that, though. He loves the "everyone's against me" angle.

In this case, though, everyone's against him for good reason. He broke a rule and then didn't want to be penalized.

Wouldn't we all like that sort of privilege?

Our incredibly talented R&D department at #DMD has developed this "show all" video, below, of what DeChambeau encountered on Friday (tall grass) and how he tried to navigate his way around it (by stomping on it).

In the actual golf tournament itself -- yes, there is one, despite what Bryson thinks -- Australia's Lucas Herbert is the owner of a 2-shot lead at the halfway point after posting 62 yesterday morning.

He coulda, shoulda, woulda posted a record-setting 61 if not for a pesky missed 4 footer at the last hole. Twenty minutes after Herbert posted his 8-round of 62, American Sam Burns followed suit with one of his own.

Burns, who is three shots behind, is still looking for his first-ever major championship, as is Herbert. In addition, the guy playing with Herbert in today's final pairing, Jackson Suber of the U.S., is also in search of his first major victory.

Ryan Gerard of the U.S. is at 6-under and lurking as well.

Speaking of pesky missed putts, Scottie Scheffler would be winning the tournament at Royal Birkdale by four shots if he could putt the four to eight footers.

Scheffler just can't get the ball in the hole. Everything else about his golf game this week is submlime. He's driving it on a string, hitting his irons close, and chipping and scrambling like a reincarnated Seve Ballesteros.

But the defending British Open champion can't buy a putt on the greens.

He's either going to make them all over the weekend and win by three or miss them all like he's been doing and lose by four.

Others just off the pace with a legitimate shot at the Claret Jug include Si Woo Kim (-5), Jon Rahm (-4), Tommy Fleetwood (-4) and Ludvig Aberg (-3).

All of the post-round talk on Friday centered on DeChambeau, obviously, but the leaderboard reflects an interesting mixture of proven and unproven that should make for a thrilling final 36 holes at Royal Birkdale.

Gas prices are going down but bandwagon prices are starting to go up, particularly here in The Land of Pleasant Living. The O's are now winners of 5 straight games after last night's thrilling instant classic victory in Houston, 3-2.

My advice? Buy those bandwagon tickets now before they double in price and then you really won't be able to afford them.

The O's are starting to turn it around.

Last night's hero was Taylor Ward, who smacked his 7th homer of the season in the top of the 8th inning to take the Birds from 2-1 down to 3-2 ahead. The bullpen handled things from there and the second half of the season started with a nice win, on the road no less.

Oh, sure, nitpickers will point out that the O's offense managed just five hits on the night.

It was another 0-fer evening for Gunnar, who was hitless in four at-bats. Basallo (0-4) and Beavers (0-3) met the same fate as Henderson.

"Dean Kremer was lucky," they'll say. "He allowed seven baserunners in four innings on the mound. That's not good."

That's correct. Those numbers pan out. But the O's won, 3-2.

Don't look now -- but go ahead, please, if for no other reason than to see it for yourself -- but the Birds are 47-51 and there's starting to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

This is going to be fun. By "this", I mean the second half turn around where the O's sling themselves back into the A.L. playoff race.

A lot of doubters are going to pay a pretty penny to get back on the bandwagon.

I just wanted to give those of you who donated to Liam O'Donoghue's golf club fund an update on where we are with that project.

I'm excited to report that Liam is getting fitted for his clubs next Tuesday. Once we get an idea of the length he needs along with the lie angle of his irons, I'll be purchasing them and getting the irons built to his specifications.

We're also going to be scheduling some lessons for Liam and I'll get some pictures and videos of all of that once it takes place.

Liam and his parents are very appreciative of everyone's support, as am I. Thank you again to those who participated in our fund raiser over the last two weeks!

Friday July 17, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4350

what happens from here?

I guess baseball's second half technically started last night in Philadelphia where the Mets beat the Phils, 4-1, but in reality the second half of the season begins this evening as everyone returns from the All Star break to begin the final stage of the 2026 MLB campaign.

So what happens from here?

We'll take you through it all and tell you what to expect.

Of course, we're doing this two weeks in advance of the trade deadline, so there's a chance (or two) that someone we're not bullish on right now makes a couple of moves that boosts their post-season chances. Milwaukee fired the first shot earlier this week by acquiring pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. from Houston.

And our Orioles? As we wrote here a couple of days ago, we anticipate they'll buy rather than sell at the deadline. With the injuries to Akin and Helsley, it's likely Mike Elias adds an arm or three for the bullpen at the very least. Another right handed bat? That makes sense, too.

Would any of that make a difference for the O's? Maybe. They haven't played all that well and, yet, they're right there in the playoff hunt. It wouldn't take much to lead them into October baseball given how watered-down the A.L. has been in 2026.

So......what happens from here? We tell you below.

A.L. West --

Texas (Currently in 1st, 49-47) -- The division no one really wants to win. The Rangers have somehow managed to be the best of a bunch of "meh" teams, but they have the fixins to be decent if everything comes together. They'll likely make a move or two at the deadline to help themselves. Predicted finish: 85-77.

Seattle (2nd, 48-49) -- One of the mysteries of the '26 season is Seattle. It's just not happening for them, yet. But don't count them out. They have too much talent, particularly in the power department, to not make a meaningful second half run. Predicted finish: 87-75.

Houston (3rd, 47-51) -- Are they going to be sellers? Dumping McCullers Jr. this week would indicate a soft "yes" on that question. If they do sell, the bet here is they gut their roster and send a few stars to some starving teams. Predicted finish: 75-87.

Athletics (4th, 41-55) -- They were flying high and surprising people until they lost their last 9 games prior to the All Star break. They do have some young talent, for sure, but not nearly enough pitching to make a run for it. Predicted finish: 74-88.

L.A. Angels (5th, 38-59) -- There are three sports guarantees these days: Joey Chestnut will win the hot dog eating contest, the Ravens will lose to the Bills and the Angels will be terrible and out of it by the All-Star break. It's amazing how awful the Angels have been for a decade. Predicted finish: 64-98.

A.L. Central --

Chicago (Currently tied 1st, 50-45) -- Probably the best story in baseball thus far, just because absolutely no one saw this coming. It isn't going to happen, of course, at least not this year, but how cool would a Chicago vs. Chicago World Series be? The bet here is the White Sox get the old Cleat of Reality in the second half. Predicted finish: 80-82.

Cleveland (Tied 1st, 51-46) -- I thought they'd bottom out when Jose Ramirez went down with his hand injury, but they've managed to hang on nicely in his absence. He should be back in August and that will connect nicely with a second half run for the Guards. Predicted finish: 89-73.

Minnesota (3rd, 48-49) -- We expected more from these guys and maybe a deadline deal or two will help. They are just like the Orioles. Perplexing and yet hopeful moving forward. We're going to "buy" on these guys in the second half. Predicted finish: 84-78.

Detroit (4th, 44-52) -- Talk about failing to fulfill your promise, huh? Everyone pretty much hand-delivered the Central to them at the beginning of the season and they have been lousy from the start. Even the return of Tarik Skubal isn't going to help them over the last two months. Predicted finish: 74-88.

Kansas City (5th, 38-59) -- They win the contest for "Most Disappointing Team in Baseball" through the first half of '26. As we saw in Baltimore last weekend, they stink. They have some pieces they could move at the deadline that would kick-start a mini-rebuild for them, but will they do it? Predicted finish: 63-99.

A.L. East --

Tampa Bay (Currently in 1st, 56-38) -- The Rays are doing it yet again, huh? No one thought much of their chances going into 2026 and here they are, with a 3-game lead at the break. Aranda and Caminero will continue to lead the way. Predicted finish: 1st, 94-68.

New York (2nd, 54-42) -- Give the Yankees credit. They've managed to hang in there without Aaron Judge. They're likely going to make a move or two at the deadline just to make sure they're still relevant when he returns. Predicted finish: 2nd, 91-71.

Boston (3rd, 46-48) -- After an awful start, they won their last 9 games prior to the break to give themselves some hope. I think their bubble bursts from here on in, though. They have the pitching, but their bats will quiet down. Predicted finish: 5th, 76-86

Baltimore (4th, 46-51) -- A 4-game winning streak prior to the break has given them a little hope for a second half rebound. We all know the questions that loom. Can the starting pitching continue to shine? Will Gunnar ever get it together? How will the loss of Alexander impact them? They'll make a second half run that gives them a shot at a wild card spot. Predicted finish: 85-77

Toronto (5th, 45-51) -- The defending A.L. champs are sputtering along doing nothing special, but they can't keep playing like this, right? Uh, yes they can. Not enough pitching and their offense is too hot and cold. An unreliable bullpen leads to a drab August and September in the home of the greatest band to hail from Canada (RUSH). Predicted finish: 77-85.

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N.L. East --

Atlanta (Currently 1st, 55-40) -- They're good, but they've started to show signs of wear and tear over the last few weeks. We'll see them in Baltimore next weekend, remember. Can they hold off the Fightin' Phils? We don't think so. Predicted finish: 94-68.

Philadelphia (2nd, 54-44) -- They're not going to stand pat at the deadline. With the Braves starting to fall back and the Phils starting to turn it on, they're going to make a move or two to put themselves over the top. Predicted finish: 97-65.

Miami (3rd, 52-45) -- If Kansas City is the most surprising team in a "bad" way, Miami is the most surprising team in a "good" way. They are legitimately in the hunt and could be a factor over the next two months. Predicted finish: 86-76.

Washington (4th, 48-49) -- They're actually playing quite well for what they have. And the future is starting to look brighter in D.C., even if the reflecting pool isn't. They won't be in the hunt this year, but '27 might be a different story. Predicted finish: 75-87.

New York (5th, 41-57) -- Pete Alonso is definitely getting the last laugh here, huh? All that money spent and they're out of the playoff race before the World Cup ends. Predicted finish: 70-92.

N.L. Central --

Milwaukee (Currently 1st, 59-37) -- What a great season they're having thus far. If McCullers Jr. stays healthy, that's a huge addition for them over the last two-plus months of the regular season and into the playoffs. They are the Rays of the N.L. No one really knows any of their players, but they're very good. Predicted finish: 96-66.

Chicago (2nd, 54-42) -- Having a really nice year and they're loaded with talent. If they get some pitching help at the deadline, watch out. Could also use one more big bat for the stretch run. Predicted finish: 93-69.

St. Louis (3rd, 50-45) -- Give the Cards credit. All they ever seemingly do is dump decent players and not replace them and, yet, here they are, well in the hunt for a playoff spot. Like the Cubs, they need a little pitching help and maybe another bat at the deadline. Predicted finish: 87-75.

Pittsburgh (4th, 50-47) -- They're actually hanging around nicely, despite a very ho-hum roster. Having Paul Skenes throw every 5th day doesn't hurt, even though he's not having the kind of season most people expected of him. It won't be enough this year, but the Pirates are trending "up" these days. Predicted finish: 80-82.

Cincinnati (5th, 43-52) -- We thought they'd be better than this. They just don't have anything "great" on their roster. Their pitching is OK, their offense is OK and their defense is OK. It all adds up to watching the post-season on TV again. Predicted finish: 70-92.

N.L. West --

Los Angeles (Currently 1st, 61-36) -- Maybe that 3-game home sweep at the hands of Arizona shook them up a little bit? OK, maybe it didn't. As expected, the Dodgers are already in cruise control and in complete command of the National League West with an 11.5 game lead. They'll add a quality piece or two at the deadline because they love to win and that's what's expected of them. Predicted finish: 99-63.

Arizona (2nd, 49-47) -- Sweeping the Dodgers last weekend in Los Angeles gave them some hope, I suppose. But unless they add a few pieces over the next couple of weeks, they're going nowhere fast. Predicted finish: 78-84.

San Diego (3rd, 48-48) -- Hard to believe they're no better than .500 at this point with all that talent they have. They'll add a pitcher and a bat at the deadline and make a post-season run. Predicted finish: 84-78.

San Francisco (4th, 41-55) -- Lots of folks (including us, here) thought the Giants would be better. They in no man's land at this point. Blow it up and start over or stand pat and go 65-97 and have no one interested in them over the last two months of the season? Predicted finish: 65-97.

Colorado (5th, 39-59) Nothing to see here. And nothing to move at the deadline, either. They're in one of those multi-year ruts that is really hard to climb out of without drafting a game-changing player. Predicted finish: 62-100.

faith in sports

Sam Burns is one of the best men on the PGA Tour. He's not only a high quality golfer, but he's an devoted Christian who is more than happy to share his testimony with the world.

He recently appeared on the wildly popular podcast, Bible Caddie Classic, and shared wisdom about faith, identity and life on the PGA Tour.

The clip below is just 10 minutes in length but it's filled with great stuff.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday July 16, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4349

where's the wind, rain and hats flying off?

It feels weird this week not having Orioles baseball to opine about here at #DMD.

The Birds will be back at it tomorrow, of course, as they start a road trip that takes them first to Houston and then on to Fenway Park for a key mid-summer series with their division rivals in Boston.

But this week is always strange without any kind of meaningful baseball to follow.

And, no, I don't count the All Star Game as "meaningful", in case you're going to race to the Comments section and write, "But, but, but, the All Star Game!"

No matter what you think about the O's and their first half play, it's undeniable that they're right in the thick of the A.L. wild card race as the trade deadline looms.

One team in their own playoff pursuit made a deal on Wednesday, with Milwaukee acquiring oft-injured starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. from Houston. The Brewers are also apparently interested in obtaining a left-handed bat to boost their offense. Any chance an O's coach can teach Tyler O'Neill to hit from that side of the plate?

The Birds are likely going to do some modest buying at the deadline, I'm guessing. Unless something really weird happens and they go on one of those goofy skids where they lose 10 of their next 12 games, the O's are going to be a few games under .500 at the end of the month and well within wild card striking distance on the week of the deadline.

In other words, it's inevitable that Mike Elias is going to buy rather than sell.

No GM worth his or her salt really wants to sell at the deadline. Selling at the deadline sorta-kinda says "I haven't done my job very well, the team stinks, and we have to think about waving the white towel on this team and this season and start over."

When you buy, you're saying there's reason for optimism. "We just need another piece or two and we could make a run."

So, I fully expect Elias and the O's to buy at the end of the month. I'm not sure what they're going to have to give up to acquire the talent they want, but I can't see them doing anything other than buying.

I know they didn't play well in the first half of the season, but they're still in it. That, if nothing else, makes the next month and a half worth following.

So, I got up at 5:00 am today to watch the British Open and when I got to the TV coverage, it looked like they moved the tournament to somewhere in the middle of Nebraska.

Blue skies.

A perfect mixture of lush green fairways and brown, dried out rough.

Perfect putting surfaces, both in color and contrast.

And the patrons were in shorts and tee shirts.

The flags behind several of the greens were hardly moving.

This.......is the British Open?

It can't be.

Isn't the British Open the tournament where the wind howls, the rain comes down sideways, everyone's miserable, and half the players in the field vow to quit golf once they get to the locker room?

Sadly, this is the weather they're expecting all weekend in Southport, England.

Sunny, warm and not much wind.

I wanted to watch the British Open and instead the John Deere Classic took its place.

Now, don't get me wrong. The golf course is difficult. Thomas Detry and Robert MacIntyre were the early leaders this morning and they were only able to manage a tidy score of 3 under par to share the clubhouse leader in the morning wave of players.

Scottie Scheffler got off to a great start, with four early birdies offset by a single bogey. He was the leading American as #DMD went "live" this morning.

I couldn't help but feel a little dismayed, though, as I peeked up at the coverage every couple of minutes.

I wanted to see hats flying off in the wind and rain pelting the TV camera lens. I wanted to hear announcers talking about a "proper front coming through the course sometime soon" and umbrellas bounding down fairways.

Instead, we got a mid-summer day in New York City.

But it's still a major championship at one of the greatest courses in the world.

I'm sure the players are thrilled to be playing in the conditions they've found at Royal Birkdale today.

I wanted to see chaos, but it appears like we won't get any of that over the next four days.

For those of you who are interested in soccer and, in particular, soccer here in the U.S., our soccer guru, Randy Morgan, has an incredibly thoughtful piece below today on the reasons why U.S. soccer is still bumbling along and not yet reaching "elite" status within the ranks of international soccer.

If you're a soccer buff, you'll love his entry below.

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orioles minor league player of the week

It’s time to highlight the O’s farm system a little bit and announce our DMD Orioles’ Minor League Player of the Week. This week several prospects made this an incredibly difficult decision, but ultimately we have selected AA Chesapeake Baysox lefty Luis De Leon.

De Leon, 23, got the nod this week thanks to his stellar performance against the Akron RubberDucks (Cleveland Guardians) on July 11. The lanky 6-foot-3, 168 pound lefty earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors thanks to his eight inning shutout performance in the win.

It wasn’t just eight shutout innings, he carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning before a two- out single by Bennett Thompson. When it was all said and done, he tossed those eight shutout innings while allowing two hits, one walk and striking out five. It only took him 93 pitches and it was the longest start by any pitcher in the entire minor leagues last week.

De Leon is on a bit of a heater, as he has now not allowed a run over his last two starts spanning 13.2 innings pitched, and has struck out 14 and surrendered just three hits over that stretch.

Currently ranked the 4th best prospect in the O’s system (per MLB Pipeline), De Leon has been a bit of a hot and cold pitcher this season. Over 17 starts, he has a 4.76 ERA with a 1.400 WHIP over 70 innings pitched. He has struck out an impressive 11.1 batters per nine innings, but is also issuing .56 walks per inning, which is not what you want.

Signed in 2021 out of the Dominican Republic for just $30k, De Leon does have impressive stuff. He owns a 95-98mph sinker with good run, a four-seamer along the same speed range and a pretty sharp slider. His issue is obviously his command, but the upside is undeniable if he can get more consistent with his command and delivery.

Be sure to check back in all season as we will continue to highlight top performers from the O’s farm system!

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

the 10 reasons the usmnt still isn’t elite

After the somewhat embarrassing World Cup loss to Belgium, the hot takes started flying.

Everyone searching for the answer to why the US men have not made more progress in the 32 intervening years since the last time we hosted the World Cup.

As I sat down to outline and write my thoughts for this list, I quickly realized I have much more to say on this than can fit in one post on this site. It ended up turning into a long essay or short book called Why the USMNT Will Never Be Argentina (But Could Maybe Be France).

If you are interested in that extensive read on the issues with the US system and how we can attempt to improve it, part one is up on my site today: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/usmnt/why-the-usmnt-will-never-be-argentina

Below I have the much shorter list of my top ten reasons why the USMNT has not cracked the elite international tier.

First off, the US has certainly improved at men’s soccer over the last thirty-plus years. That part should not be controversial.

The current USMNT has more players at major European clubs, better academy products, greater tactical sophistication, a thriving 30-team domestic league and significantly more depth than the teams many of us grew up watching. It can mostly dominate CONCACAF.

It can comfortably beat respectable international teams (one of which went on to knock out Germany). At this World Cup, it won more games than at any other World Cup and and finally won another knockout game.

Then Belgium beat it 4-1.

The problem is no longer whether the United States can produce a good national team. The problem is why a country with 340 million people, unlimited resources, and several decades of increasingly serious investment still cannot consistently compete with the world’s elite, or even the tier just below that.

There is no single explanation. Here are the top ten reasons in my opinion, in order of importance.

1. Culture and Institutional Knowledge

This is the biggest one, and also the hardest to fix.

A 2025 study found that the founding date of a country’s football association predicts its current world ranking more strongly than either population or GDP. Football knowledge compounds across generations. Parents teach children. Former players become coaches. Clubs develop scouting instincts. Entire countries learn what a talented six-year-old looks like before anyone has invented a metric for it.

The United States has a long soccer history, but not an unbroken one. Professional leagues repeatedly collapsed. The national team disappeared from the World Cup for 40 years. The sport kept restarting instead of accumulating knowledge.

Argentina does not need to manufacture that knowledge. It is inherited.

2. American Kids Do Not Play Enough Soccer on Their Own

Elite players are not created entirely during organized practices.

They are created in driveways, schoolyards, parks, streets, cages, living rooms, and pickup games where no adult is stopping the action every four minutes to explain spacing.

Research into German professionals found that future elite players accumulated more unstructured soccer than organized training through much of childhood.

American youth soccer has become exceptionally good at organizing children. Practices, tournaments, uniforms, apps, hotel blocks, private lessons.

What it has not created is the part that happens for free.

In most of the United States, the scheduled practice is not the tip of the development iceberg. It is the entire iceberg.

3. Pay-to-Play Selects Customers Before Players

The economic model is backward.

In Argentina, France, Germany, and most serious soccer countries, clubs invest in talented players because those players may eventually strengthen the first team or generate a transfer fee. The player is the product.

In the United States, families often pay thousands of dollars for access to coaching, competition, and scouting. The family is the customer.

That changes everything. Clubs need to retain paying players. Winning youth tournaments becomes advertising. Moving a talented kid to a better environment can mean losing revenue.

MLS academies have improved the top of the pyramid and are generally free. But most players reach those academies through an expensive middle tier. The free door exists. The hallway leading to it still has a toll booth.

4. The Coaching Is Good at the Top and Inconsistent Everywhere Else

The best American academies now employ legitimate professional coaches. The gap is lower down.

Millions of children still begin the sport with well-meaning volunteer parents who may have little playing experience and limited technical knowledge. That is not an insult to the coaches. It is evidence of the cultural problem.

An Argentine volunteer has often spent a lifetime inside the game. An American volunteer may be learning it one practice ahead of the players.

The United States has improved coaching education, but quality remains concentrated in the expensive parts of the system. Elite countries do not merely have great coaches at national academies. They have informed coaching and football knowledge throughout the pyramid.

5. The Development System and Domestic League Are Not Fully Aligned

US Soccer, MLS academies, MLS NEXT, ECNL, independent clubs, high schools, colleges, private trainers, and unaffiliated immigrant leagues all occupy parts of the American development landscape. They do not always share incentives, standards, calendars, or even definitions of success.

MLS deserves enormous credit. It survived. It built stadiums, created academies, provided professional minutes, and dramatically increased the number of competent American players. But the league was designed first for stability, parity, and franchise value. It was not built primarily to collect, develop, challenge, and sell young players.

Argentina’s clubs must develop players to survive. France’s clubs rely on academy production and transfer revenue. Smaller European leagues give young players important minutes and then move the best of them upward. Their domestic leagues are integrated into a broader development machine.

The American landscape remains a collection of partially connected institutions. MLS is becoming more developmental, but it is still caught between being an entertainment business, a destination for aging stars, and a talent exporter.

There are many good programs. There is not yet one unified machine.

6. The Country Is Enormous

Uruguay can search for players across a country with roughly the population of Utah. Croatia is comparable to Oklahoma. Greater Paris produces an absurd number of professionals from one densely populated region.

The United States must scout 3.8 million square miles.

That makes everything more expensive. Better competition requires travel. Better coaching may be several hours away. MLS academies can thoroughly cover their local markets, but enormous portions of the country remain nowhere near one.

Size should be an advantage because it provides more potential players. But without a dense, coordinated scouting system, it also creates more places for those players to disappear.

7. Europe Still Has to Finish the Best American Players

The American pipeline can now produce professionals, but it still struggles to produce elite internationals entirely on its own.

The most ambitious prospects generally need to leave for Europe, where every training session and roster decision is shaped by ruthless global competition. That final stage transforms promising Americans into Champions League-level players.

But an outsourced finishing system has limits. Players may leave too late, choose the wrong club, sit on the bench, or never receive the technical foundation required to survive there. The United States is producing more good players than ever. It still does not produce enough players who can dictate a World Cup knockout game against Belgium, France, Spain, or Argentina.

8. The System Looks for Talent in the Wrong Places

American soccer has become much better at developing the players it finds. It is still not particularly good at deciding where to look.

The most visible players are usually already participating in expensive clubs, regional showcases, and national travel leagues. That creates a circular system of scouts looking where the organized players are, and organized players going where the scouts look.

France searches the banlieues. Argentine clubs search neighborhood teams and baby fútbol leagues. Their systems deliberately enter poorer, densely populated communities because that is where many of the most obsessive and gifted players are playing.

The United States largely waits for those players to purchase admission into the system.

9. The Latino Soccer Population Remains Partially Disconnected

This may be the most frustrating failure because the culture already exists.

The United States does not need to create soccer obsession from scratch in every community. It has millions of Latino families in which the sport is already watched, understood, discussed, and played across generations.

But much of that soccer ecosystem remains disconnected from the primary scouting and development pipeline. Unaffiliated leagues, language barriers, transportation costs, club fees, and a lack of trusted relationships keep talented players outside the system—or make them more visible to Mexico than to the United States.

France built infrastructure around the places where people were already playing. American soccer too often asks those places to come find it.

10. Our “Best Athletes” Usually Do Not Play Soccer

There is some truth to the cliché.

Soccer competes with football, basketball, baseball, hockey, track, and several other sports for athletic talent, coaching attention, television coverage, and parental ambition. An explosive American kid who might become a devastating winger or striker is often pushed toward another sport long before soccer’s development system gets a serious look at him.

Elite soccer countries do not usually face that level of competition. A gifted Argentine or Brazilian child is overwhelmingly likely to devote himself to soccer. A gifted American child has a menu.

But this is nowhere close to the primary reason the US is not elite.

Soccer development is not a contest to identify the fastest, tallest, or most explosive athletes and teach them the rules. Lionel Messi is 5-foot-7 and would not fit the preferred physical archetype in any major American sport. France’s best overall athlete may be Victor Wembanyama, a 7-foot-4 basketball player who would be almost comically unsuited to elite soccer.

The best soccer players are highly specialized athletes whose balance, touch, anticipation, spatial awareness, and decision-making have been developed from early childhood. Dropping an NFL wide receiver into an academy at 18 would not create Kylian Mbappé.

The United States would benefit if more of its best young athletes chose soccer. It would especially benefit at positions where size, speed, explosiveness, and coordination carry an obvious advantage.

But the country already has more than enough athletic raw material to produce an elite national team. The larger failure is that it does not identify, train, and develop enough of the soccer talent it already has.

Conclusion --

The USMNT is no longer a scrappy underdog hoping to survive entirely through effort, athleticism, and goalkeeping.

It has improved.

But improvement is not the same thing as reaching the elite. The United States has built better academies, hired better coaches, exported more players, and invested more money. What it has not built is the century of accumulated knowledge beneath Argentina, or the unified development machine behind France.

Part two of Why the USMNT Will Never Be Argentina (But Could Maybe Be France) will examine what America actually can build and why even that may be much harder than it sounds.

Wednesday July 15, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4348

wednesday with greg

#DMD's Greg Trehane pops in for an all-Orioles chat with Drew, covering a wide variety of subjects including the team's first half, what ultimately happens with Mike Elias, the "old days" when the team and a local radio station waged war on one another and more.

Greg also throws in a golf question (kind of a mandatory thing around here) and a Ravens question for good measure.

Greg: "What was the most surprising thing in a good way and surprising thing in a bad way about the Orioles in the first half of the season?"

DF: "Surprising in a good way has to be Blaze Alexander. He was an afterthought, pretty much. No one really knew anything about him when he came over in the off-season trade. And now, there's an argument he's performed at a level higher than his ceiling would suggest he could reach. He seems very much like an "Orioles way" kind of player in that old school description.

Surprising in a bad way has to be Gunnar, sadly. I know the power numbers are OK, but nothing else is really any good at all. We expected he might become a mini-Mike-Trout and instead he's basically morphing into a mini-Alex-Bregman. The answer was going to be Colton Cowser through the first month of the season, but that two-day stretch that started with the game-winning homer against the Rays changed things for him."

Greg: "Will Mike Elias be in charge of the Orioles this time next year?"

DF: "Wow, that's a big question. I'll fence-sit on this one and just say it depends on what happens between now and the end of September. If they somehow squeak their way into the post-season and perhaps -- gasp! -- win a playoff series, it would be incredibly difficult to make a change with him.

But if they sputter along over the final two-and-a-half-months and finish something like 76-86 and fail to make the playoffs, I think he's probably gone. I see Rubenstein being cut from the same cloth as Bisciotti in that he's not just going to willy-nilly fire people for the sake of doing it. But if they don't make the playoffs, that decision gets made a lot easier."

Greg: "Did you happen to see where your former boss at WNST was given a media pass for the All Star Game in Philadelphia? Is he slowly getting back into good graces with the Orioles?"

DF: "I didn't see that, but good for him if that's true. Unlike most media people, who would probably rather eat a snail than cover an All-Star Game, he sees value in doing it. I don't know why. That's his call. It wouldn't interest me at all, honestly. Even when I was on the air and would have received press access to an All Star Game, I wouldn't have gone. It's about the most boring sports event ever created."

Greg: "That brings up a good follow up question. What do you get out of covering the All Star Game? Is there a benefit?"

DF: "Nothing? I guess that's the answer. I mean, maybe you get some free swag and there's probably a fancy media party on Monday night, but I don't see any merit in covering the All Star Game. But I'm saying that in full recognition of the fact that some people do see merit in covering it and reporting on it."

Greg: "And do you think this is a sign perhaps he's getting back in the good graces of the Orioles?"

DF: "I have no idea. Probably not. The league runs the All Star Game. I assume the Orioles have a small amount of "pull" on who gets to cover it and who doesn't, in terms of Baltimore media, but, again, if no one from Baltimore is going up to Philadelphia to sit in the press box and report on the game, maybe that opens up a seat for someone like WNST. I don't really know the application criteria any longer, so it's hard for me to say much more on the subject."

Greg: "On a scale of 1-to-10, just how frosty was the relationship between the Orioles and the station back in those days when you were part of the on air staff?"

DF: "Overall, probably an "8". I mean, they still credentialed the station at all times, which I give the Orioles full credit for. They never, ever said, "No one from that station is allowed in the press box." So they do deserve credit for that.

I tried my best to be open and friendly with them, even when things were heated, but it ultimately didn't really work. They thought I was too hard on them and I thought they were getting by unscathed based on their on-field performance and their attendance woes. We were never going to see eye to eye, I don't think. But, like I used to say on the air, I was born and raised an Orioles fan. They were my team. We all did the Eddie Murray bat-on-the-shoulder batting stance when we played Wiffle Ball in someone's back yard in the 1980's. I was there at 1:30 am on the night (morning) they returned from Philadelphia after winning the 1983 World Series.

All I ever really wanted is for the Orioles to be good again and for people to go to the games. There was a three period year starting around 2005 or so where nearly every single morning in baseball season I'd open the mic and talk about the Orioles losing 7-3 in front of 8,700 people at Camden Yards. It was maddening."

Greg: "Looking back now, did you guys take it a little too far? The vitriol and dislike for them, I'm saying."

DF: "Maybe. But you have to remember, they fought back. It wasn't like we did everything to them and they did nothing in return to us. They actually initiated the entire "friction" of the 2000's by trying to misrepresent an advertising package they agreed to with us. So, in that way, they really did throw the first bunch. That said, I think we learned a valuable lesson there about having a local team involved in on-air advertising with us."

Greg: "Sorry to interrupt, but let me stop you there. What lesson did you learn?"

DF: "That it's probably not a good idea to accept advertising dollars from one of the professional teams in town. It might be different with colleges, for some reason. I'm not even sure why. It just "feels" like it's OK to actively endorse and promote a college team. But taking advertising dollars from a pro team creates a murky picture of sorts.

The team might say, "Wait, we're giving you $50,000 a year to promote us and your morning show and afternoon show are crushing our players left and right and ridiculing us for our low attendance? Why are we spending $50,000 with you?" That's a slippery slope. At least that's what I think we learned if we honestly looked deeply into how everything unraveled between the Orioles and the station."

Greg: "And there was nothing that could fix or repair the relationship?"

DF: "Well, that whole thing went a little above my paygrade. Yes, I had a squabble with them about my media credential in the 2009 and 2010 seasons but the real truth of the matter was I didn't really care all that much. I had a newborn son in 2007 and, frankly, not having to go to the ballpark once or twice every homestand was actually a relief for me.

I had lunch with the P.R. Director at the time and we tried to hash out a better relationship. I think he knew we weren't quite the evil hell-raisers that some of the organization's big wigs thought we were. But he also had a job and a salary to protect. And I understood that, too.

So, I never really got all that hot and bothered about it. It wasn't something I think we were ultimately proud of, but we drew our line in the sand and they drew their line in the sand and that was that. We might have said we were "proud" to stand up and speak for the people in town who didn't have a microphone, but I don't think we were proud to have the baseball team in town hating us and trying to bar us from the stadium. At least I wasn't proud of that."

Greg: "What was your most memorable run in or conflict that you can share?"

DF: "Jay Gibbons approached me once while I was sitting in the dugout with Peter Schmuck and said, 'Hey, man, are you ever going to stop shi**ing on me?' I couldn't even believe he would say that to me. Here it is, 4:00 pm or thereabouts, and you're standing there in your uniform bickering with a sports talk host?

I looked up at him and said, 'Are you serious?' and he said, 'Dead serious. Are you ever going to stop?'

I said something like, 'Jay, it's (June 11th), you're hitting .206. You have 4 home runs. You signed a $25 million deal in the off-season. The team is terrible. You haven't had a hit that matters all season. And you're mad at me? Am I supposed to go on the air and tell people that Jay Gibbons didn't really go 0-for-4 last night? That was just their imagination running wild?'

He mumbled something and continued playing catch with Javy Lopez or whoever it was. Peter laughed and I just shook my head.

J.J. Hardy and I had a funny exchange one year during spring training. I asked him if I could record a quick 5-minute interview for the morning show and he sat down at his chair and said, 'Sure, I'll do it, but I'm not going to stand up for it. You'll have to kneel down here next to me if you want me to do it.'

I just said, 'Nah, man. I'm good,' and walked off. I didn't need an interview with J.J. Hardy nearly enough to kneel down in front of him."

Greg: "Do you think the fractured relationship with the Orioles is a key reason why the station is no longer part of the all sports landcape in town?"

DF: "No, I don't. I think the station changed forever on the day 105.7 The Fan opened their doors. There was simply no competing with them. They had a better signal. A bigger budget for talent and shows. More national advertising dollars coming in. And they had a more refined relationship with the Orioles and Ravens because of their signal and their "status" as the big boy in town.

If any one specific thing started the decline of the old radio station as an all-sports entity, it was the emergence of a legitimate FM competitor."

Greg: "What's going to be the key to this year's British Open? The guy who wins will do what better than the rest of the golfers?"

DF: "It will come down to the wedge game. The guy who wedges it the best wins. There's no rain in the forecast and they haven't had rain for two weeks in Southport. It's going to play dry, firm and fast. Guys are going to be hitting wedges and scoring clubs into more than half the holes. The player who nip his wedges in there tight and make the putts will win. I think it might wind up being something around 20 under par as the winning score."

Greg: "Early thoughts on the Ravens for the 2026 season?"

DF: "It should be a cakewalk to the division title. The fun starts there. They always used to say 'The Masters doesn't start until the back nine on Sunday.' Well, for the Ravens, it's, 'The Ravens season doesn't actually begin until the playoffs roll around in January.' As long as Lamar stays healthy, they're going to cruise to 13 or 14 wins and easily capture the division title.

Then.....January comes along and that's when it counts. Can they get past the Bills? Will they have to face Mahomes and the Chiefs? If they get past those two, they're headed to the Super Bowl, I presume."

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton. Brooks Koepka was #6. Kurt Kitayama was #5. Justin Thomas was #4. #3 was Wyndham Clark. #2 was Tommy Fleetwood.

#1 is...............

It's not going to be found here. Instead, you'll have to check out my VideoCast with Mac Webster below, as we preview the British Open and I give you my eventual winner and Mac gives you his winner and favorites as well.

I will tease it all with this.

I think you're going to be very surprised with my name at #1.

Like, incredibly surprised.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup semifinal preview

Argentina and England is a game with ghosts.

The Hand of God. The Goal of the Century. Antonio Rattín’s dismissal at Wembley. David Beckham’s red card. Diego Simeone’s theatrical fall. Michael Owen announcing himself to the world. Beckham’s redemption four years later.

Few international matchups carry this much history. Even fewer have produced so many moments that have become inseparable from the history of the World Cup itself. Now, after twenty-four years without meeting in this tournament, Argentina and England will renew the rivalry with a place in the final on the line.

Lionel Messi is attempting to become the first player ever to captain his country to consecutive World Cup titles. England is one win away from its first World Cup final since winning the tournament sixty years ago. Jude Bellingham has emerged as perhaps the best player in the knockout rounds. Harry Kane is trying to add the one trophy that would permanently change the way his career is remembered.

This will also be the first time Messi has ever faced England at the senior international level. Argentina-England kicks off Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern from Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz) Stadium. The game will air on FOX and stream through FOX One and FOX Sports.

Both teams arrive after draining extra-time victories in the quarterfinals. Argentina needed 120 minutes to finally put away Switzerland 3-1. England survived Norway 2-1 behind two more goals from Bellingham, including the winner in extra time.

Neither team has a rest advantage. Neither will be particularly fresh.

At this point, nobody is supposed to be.

History --

Argentina and England have played five times at the World Cup. England has won three. Argentina has won two, although one of those officially counts as a draw because Argentina advanced on penalties in 1998.

The first controversial chapter came in the 1966 quarterfinal at Wembley. Argentina captain Antonio Rattín was sent off by German referee Rudolf Kreitlein, for “violence of the tongue”, despite the ref speaking no Spanish. England won 1-0. Argentina called the match the “robbery of the century.” England went on to win its only World Cup.

The 1986 meeting carried an additional political weight. It came only four years after the Falklands War, known in Argentina as the Malvinas War, in which Argentina and the United Kingdom fought over the disputed islands. The match was not literally a continuation of that conflict, but in Argentina especially, victory over England carried a significance that extended well beyond soccer.

Twenty years later, Diego Maradona delivered two of the most famous goals ever scored within four minutes of each other.

The first was the Hand of God, a blatant handball Maradona later described as being scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.” The second was the Goal of the Century, a sixty-yard run through the England defense that remains one of the defining highlights in the history of the sport.

Argentina won 2-1 and eventually lifted the trophy.

The rivalry was renewed in 1998. Michael Owen scored one of the great individual goals in England history, David Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone and Argentina advanced on penalties after Sol Campbell’s apparent winner was disallowed.

Four years later, Beckham converted the penalty that gave England a 1-0 group-stage victory and a measure of personal redemption.

The teams have not played at a World Cup since.

The players involved Wednesday were either children or not yet born for the most recent meeting. There is no recent tactical history between the managers or familiarity from repeated international matchups.

But they will understand the weight of the shirt and the history attached to the opponent. Argentina and England have met fourteen times in total. England has six wins, Argentina has three and five have ended in draws. None of those previous meetings featured Messi.

How Argentina Got Here --

Argentina has not arrived unscathed. After looking dominant in the group stage they have had to scratch and claw their way through the knockouts.

In the group they were comfortable and overwhelming. Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0 and Jordan 3-1, controlling possession and generating enough chances that none of the games ever felt seriously threatened.

The knockout rounds have been considerably more chaotic.

Cape Verde pushed Argentina into extra time in the Round of 32. Egypt opened a 2-0 lead in the Round of 16 before Argentina rallied for a 3-2 victory. Switzerland then survived for more than ninety minutes despite playing the final portion of regulation down a man after a red card for a dive. Argentina eventually broke through in extra time behind a brilliant Julián Álvarez goal, then added another to close out the 3-1 win.

Through six games, Argentina has scored seventeen goals and conceded six. Messi has eight goals and remains the center of everything. Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández provide enough additional scoring that opponents cannot simply build the entire defensive plan around one player.

But Messi is still the straw that stirs the drink.

Argentina’s most important tactical adjustment over the last two matches has been the return of Leandro Paredes as the deepest midfielder.

Against Egypt, Paredes played the full match at the base of the midfield, completing 115 passes. Lionel Scaloni kept him in the same role against Switzerland, with De Paul, Fernández and Mac Allister operating ahead of him in a narrow midfield.

Paredes gives Argentina a more natural organizer in front of the defense. He drops toward the center backs to begin possession, changes the direction of attacks and provides the short passing option that allows Fernández and Mac Allister to move higher. His presence also gives De Paul more freedom to drift toward Messi and provide the running that the 39-year-old no longer does without the ball.

The tradeoff is mobility. Paredes is excellent when Argentina controls the pace. He is less comfortable when the game becomes stretched and he has to defend large spaces against midfielders running at him. Switzerland found moments to break through the center, and Paredes looked exhausted by the end of extra time.

England does more midfield running than anyone Argentina has faced. Making Paredes' ability to control Bellingham, Kane and Elliot Anderson between the lines a key factor determining whether Argentina can keep the game at its preferred tempo.

Scaloni also faces a decision at striker. Álvarez has started next to Messi the past two games and probably remains the favorite after scoring the quarterfinal winner. His pressing, movement into the channels and willingness to run beyond the defense make him a more natural complement to Messi.

Lautaro has made a strong case for a larger role. He provides a more traditional presence inside the box and has been dangerous arriving against tired defenders. Starting both Álvarez and Lautaro would give Argentina more attacking power, but it would likely require sacrificing one of the midfielders or moving Messi into a more formal No. 10 role.

Against an England midfield built around Rice, Anderson and Bellingham, removing a midfielder would be a considerable gamble.

Argentina’s defensive numbers are excellent. They have allowed only 0.52 expected goals per ninety minutes, the second-best mark in the tournament behind Spain. They are also one of only two teams that has not conceded a single shot from inside the six-yard box, though their path has been considerably weaker than England’s.

Argentina may have produced stingy defensive statistics, but this will be the first time their back line has faced a combination like Kane and Bellingham.

How England Got Here --

England’s tournament has been less controlled, but the path has been more difficult.

They opened with a 4-2 win over Croatia, drew Ghana 0-0 and beat Panama 2-0 to win the group. Kane scored twice in the closing minutes to rescue England from a potential upset against DR Congo in the Round of 32. They then survived a wild 3-2 game against Mexico, boosted by two Bellingham goals and he scored another brace to carry them past Norway.

The performances have not always been convincing. There have been long stretches when the attack has looked too static and disconnected. Kane has dropped into midfield without anyone running beyond him. The wingers have received the ball in isolation. Rice and Anderson have sometimes occupied similar spaces rather than complementing each other.

Then one of England’s stars changes the game.

Kane has six goals. Bellingham has six. Beyond them Thomas Tuchel has a collection of attacking options that can completely alter the shape and pace of the match from the bench. While Kane was the story in the group stage, Bellingham has been the key in the knockouts. His equalizer in the quarterfinal came from another perfectly timed run into the box. His winner came after reacting faster than everyone else to a loose ball in extra time.

Bellingham is one of the best players in the world at recognizing when defenders have turned their attention toward Kane or the ball. He begins outside the danger area, waits until the defender loses sight of him and then attacks the space at full speed.

He can also create the opportunity himself. He is strong enough to carry the ball through contact, athletic enough to turn a harmless midfield possession into an attacking transition and technically good enough to combine with Kane in tight spaces.

Stopping Kane is difficult.

Stopping Kane while accounting for Bellingham’s movement behind him is the real problem. Bellingham now has six goals in the tournament and has put himself in the conversation for Player of the Tournament. England would not be in the semifinal without him.

Anderson has been almost as important in a much less visible role.

He covered 14.8 kilometers against Norway, the most of any England player, while completing 87 of 93 passes. He provides the running that allows the rest of England’s midfield to function, helping Rice defensively, moving forward to connect with the wingers and immediately pressing when England loses possession.

Anderson is not simply a defensive worker. He can receive under pressure, turn out of trouble and play early passes into Kane or the wide attackers. Tuchel has increasingly allowed him to move higher while Rice remains behind the ball, reversing the roles many expected before the tournament.

He finished the Norway game with severe cramping after the extraordinary workload. Argentina will want to make him defend long possessions and test how much he has left after playing 120 minutes.

Rice is expected to start after being removed at halftime against Norway. He had been managing an illness along with discomfort around his hamstring and lower back, but England is optimistic that he will be available next to Anderson.

The largest attacking question is whether Tuchel goes back to Saka. Madueke started against Norway but struggled to get involved and was replaced at halftime. Saka immediately provided more control on the right, combining with Bellingham and helping England sustain possession closer to Norway’s penalty area.

Madueke is more direct and willing to attack his defender immediately. Saka gives England a better combination player and another attacker who can move inside when Kane drops away from the box. Against Argentina, Saka’s ability to retain possession and make the correct decision probably gives him the edge. Madueke would then become another dangerous option against tired legs.

What Will the Game Look Like? --

Argentina ranks sixth in the tournament with 60.1% possession. England is eleventh at 57.2%. Argentina is tied for the most goals per game and ranks second in expected goals behind France. England ranks seventh in goals and sixth in expected goals.

The attacking numbers suggest two aggressive teams.

The pressing numbers suggest something different.

Argentina and England rank 21st and 22nd in possessions won in the attacking third. Neither has spent the tournament chasing the ball with an exhausting high press. Both are more selective, increasing the pressure when an opponent plays toward the sideline, receives with his back to goal or produces a poor touch.

That selectivity should become even more pronounced after both teams played 120 minutes in the quarterfinals.

Argentina will want to circulate the ball through Paredes, slow England’s midfield runners and gradually create openings for Messi. England will be comfortable defending in a middle block, then trying to accelerate as soon as Rice or Anderson wins possession.

This game could be decided by which team successfully changes the tempo.

The Kane and Bellingham Problem --

The most difficult tactical question for Argentina is how to defend Kane and Bellingham at the same time.

Kane rarely remains on the shoulder of the center backs. He drops toward midfield, receives with his back to goal and tries to draw a defender out of the line. If Cristian Romero or Lisandro Martínez follows him, Kane can lay the ball off and Bellingham can attack the space that defender vacated. If they maintain their line, Kane may have time to turn and bring England’s runners into the attack.

Paredes should have the first responsibility when Kane drops centrally. That would allow Argentina’s center backs to remain in position for Bellingham’s run. But Paredes cannot simultaneously pressure Kane, follow Bellingham and protect the entire area in front of the defense.

Argentina will need coordinated handoffs. Paredes can meet Kane between the lines. De Paul or Mac Allister must track Bellingham’s initial movement. Once Bellingham enters the penalty area, a center back has to take responsibility for him without losing Kane.

The worst outcome would be hesitation, with two defenders following Kane while everyone assumes someone else has Bellingham. His equalizer against Norway demonstrated how quickly he punishes that confusion.

Romero’s instinct is to step forward and attack the ball before the striker can turn. That aggression can disrupt Kane, but it can also create exactly the space Bellingham wants. Scaloni could add a third center back, giving one defender the freedom to follow Kane while the others protect the box. The cost would be sacrificing either De Paul or another midfielder, weakening Argentina’s ability to control possession.

Whatever the formation, simply assigning Paredes to Bellingham would not work. Paredes must protect the zone in front of the defense. Everyone else must recognize when Bellingham leaves it.

England’s Messi Problem --

England faces a similar dilemma with Messi.

Trying to man-mark him with one player rarely works because he does not remain in one position. Messi will drift into the right half-space, drop alongside the midfielders and occasionally disappear from the attack before suddenly receiving at the edge of the penalty area.

England will probably try to surround him rather than assign a permanent shadow. Rice and Anderson can protect the central lanes, while the left winger and fullback close the passing route from De Paul or Molina. Stones and Guéhi should avoid following Messi too far into midfield, because doing so would open space for Álvarez to run behind them.

The critical moment comes when Messi receives near the box. Step toward him and he can slip Álvarez or Mac Allister behind the defense. Stay deep and he can open his body for a shot. Send a second defender and another Argentina midfielder becomes available.

England must make Messi play through traffic without becoming so obsessed with him that it loses track of Argentina’s other attackers. They must also avoid conceding unnecessary fouls near the penalty area. England’s physical advantage could be useful in an open game. Giving Messi repeated free kicks from twenty-five yards would erase much of that advantage.

Who Has the Edge? --

Argentina is the defending champion. They have Messi, a proven big-game goalkeeper and a group that has shown resiliency winning every major international trophy together.

They are comfortable suffering until they find their moment.

England has more depth of talent, younger legs, and a formidable attacking duo.

Bellingham is the matchup Argentina is least equipped to handle. His power, speed and movement directly attack the limitations of Paredes and Argentina’s aging midfield. Kane can create the openings, while Gordon and Saka stretch the narrow defensive structure. Argentina has not faced an attack this complete.

England has not faced anyone like Messi.

If forced to choose, I would give England the narrowest possible edge. Their midfield running and attacking depth are well suited to expose Argentina if the game becomes stretched. Rice and Anderson also give them two players capable of surrounding Messi without completely abandoning the rest of the midfield.

But England has repeatedly reached this stage carrying the weight of everything that came before.

Argentina has spent the Messi era turning that kind of pressure into mythology.

England may be better equipped to control the matchup.

Argentina has the one player who has spent his career proving that control is not always enough.

Tomorrow here at #DMD, Randy looks "The Top 10 Reasons Why The U.S. Men's Soccer Team Still Isn't Elite."

Tuesday July 14, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4347

"here's where it happened"

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I decided to walk 18 holes yesterday morning at Argyle Country Club over in Silver Spring.

Make that, because I love golf and a friend was in need, I decided to walk 18 holes yesterday.

Well, truth be told, it was because I love golf, a friend was in need and I wanted to relive an incredible memory. That's how I wound up at Argyle yesterday.

I didn't play, though. I was a caddie. On the bag for the first round of the Maryland Open, in fact.

There was a time when I would almost routinely make the field and compete at the state's biggest golf tournament. But as the great S.E. Hinton once wrote, that was then, this is now. I haven't played in four years, mainly because I don't even bother trying to qualify in the spring because I'm too busy coaching to get my game in shape and tee it up in one of the 18 hole qualifiers in April or May.

I didn't scan the field name-by-name yesterday, but I assume there weren't any 63 year olds in this year's Maryland Open. It's certainly a young man's game, now, as I witnessed yesterday in the group I was in. All three guys hit drives and took on angles off the tee I'd never even consider if, somehow, I were playing instead of caddying.

I love golf and I wanted to help a friend, that much is true. I also wanted to see Argyle again. I hadn't stepped foot on the property since June 14, 2021. That was the date I qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. As we stood on the first tee waiting to go out at 7:50 am, I looked to my left and saw the 18th green.

It was the first time I'd seen it since the day I made the putt on the 4th playoff hole to earn a spot in the field at Omaha CC.

I was eager to actually get there later in the day to, just for a brief moment, relive that experience and the euphoria I felt when my birdie putt coasted into the hole from 16 feet.

But we had golf to play, now, and my friend was counting on me to do my job. So off we went.

As we moved along and I dutifully called off yardages to the hole and covers over bunkers, I remembered moments of my own journey in 2021. We reached the 4th green, where my player had 10 feet for birdie, and I remember nervously rolling in a six footer for birdie there back in 2021 on almost the same line my player was facing for his putt.

We got to #6, perhaps the hardest hole on the course, and my guy split the fairway with a 300 yard drive "right off the Tour" as I like to say. My mind drifted to 2021 and the double bogey I made on that hole, a wayward tee shot and chunky chip leading to a six which, at the moment in 2021, moved me to 1-over-par for the day.

But something happened to me there, on number six, on June 14, 2021. For one of the rare occasions in my tournament-golfing-life, I didn't get fazed by that self-created-misfortune.

"Eh, I'm fine," I remember saying to myself. "Just keep plugging along..."

I immediately made birdie on the next hole. Yesterday, the flag was in the exact same spot -- back right on the 195 yard par 3 -- it had been in 2021. Like, eerily in the same location.

As we moved through yesterday's round, my friend was hanging on much like I did in 2021. He wasn't playing great, but, like he almost always does, he was putting great. Other players would have most certainly made a handful of bogies yesterday from the locations my guy had to play from off the tee.

But, much like I did in '21, he just kept plugging along. To say it was impressive is an understatement. Golf is never about "how", rather, it's always about "how many". And on every hole, at least the first 15, he just kept making par after par after par.

This might sound dumb -- or, as it were, "read" dumb -- but there's something extraordinarily fulfilling about not having your "A" game and cobbling together a score of 72 or 73. In some ways, here comes the dumb part, it's just as exhilirating as shooting 67.

Golf, as I explain to my high school players all the time, is always going to produce chaos. It's waiting for you on every hole. You can split the fairway with a tee ball, then bury your ball in a greenside bunker. Chaos.

You can hit your tee ball in the rough and find a lie so bad you'd swear your worst enemy stepped on it just seconds before you got there. Chaos.

You can hit a great drive, a fine iron shot and leave yourself with a relatively simple 15 foot birdie putt. But then you burn the edge and the ball won't stop rolling, eventually settling 8 feet past the hole. You've gone from a hopeful birdie to a "must make" par, but you have 8 feet to negotiate now. Chaos.

So, when you shoot 67, those chaotic moments rarely come around. You are, to borrow a familiar phrase, on "cruise control". Everything comes easy. Your drives never find a divot in the fairway. Your lies in the rough are sitting up nicely. You never even face one of those nervy six footers for par because your par putts are all tap-ins.

I'm not saying those rounds of 67 are unenjoyable. They're quite fun. And easy on the heart.

But that round of 72 or 74 that could have been 78 or 80? That's what golf is really about. How do I stay in this round even though I'm on the verge of falling apart? How do I not allow the course to beat me today? Do I have the "bottle", as they say over in the U.K., to keep my head in this long enough to produce a representative round of golf?

A missed 10-footer at the 16th hole led to my friend's first bogey of the day on Monday. And even that one almost fell in the front left edge. It was almost a shock to not see it drop in the hole, since every other par putt he needed had managed to go in.

I'm not one of those guys who, as a caddie, feels like he has to earn his (her) keep. My friend is an extraordinary player. He doesn't need much from me, that I know going in. I'm not there to somehow "be the difference". I'm just there to carry the bag, shoot some yardages and help on a putt if asked.

He made a nice par at 17 and now, here we were, heading to that 18th hole. The one I wanted to see. The green and the putt I'll never forget.

Funny enough, in that U.S. Senior Open qualifier back in '21, I actually played the 18th hole three times that day. I made birdie on my final hole of the day in regulation play, hitting a 6-iron to about eight feet and rolling in the putt to finish at 69 for the round. I then waited around roughly six hours before discovering my score was good enough to get me into a playoff. Three players for one spot. The winner of the playoff got to play the U.S. Senior Open.

I should have ended the whole thing right away. I stiffed a wedge on the first playoff hole to eight feet. But I missed the putt.

On the second playoff hole, we moved over to #18, which goes right back to the clubhouse. I had 20 feet for birdie, then had six feet for par, somehow. But I lined up my par putt and somehow, mainly by the grace of God, I believe, rolled that in to stay alive. One of the other two in the group bowed out of the playoff with a bogey there.

On the 3rd playoff, back down #1, I again had a putt to win from about 20 feet and didn't make that one. I knew my time was running short. No one gets three birdie putts in a playoff and misses them all and then, somehow, lives to tell the story with a smile on their face.

"I have to win on this hole," I remember telling myself that day as we walked back to the 18th tee again. "He's going to make a putt at some point."

I hit a great drive and, as I told the people from the USGA afterwards, "the best 6 iron of my life" to 16 feet, right below the cup. That could have been hyperbole, of course. I made a hole-in-one at #4 at Grandview once with a 6-iron in my hand. But that six iron at Argyle was far more important than a hole-in-one at Grandview on a Memorial Day weekend in 2006.

With my player facing an 8 foot par putt at #18, I said to myself, "You've made this putt a thousand times at Mount Pleasant on the practice green. Just keep your head down and make good contact."

Like most players, I tend to "peek" at a putt to see where it's headed just after impact. That little peek tends to open the putter face just a hair, often leading to a putt that will come up an inch or two short of the hole.

That day, I didn't peek. I struck it cleanly and waited for a second to look up. When I did, the ball was six feet from the hole and gently starting to move to the right, just as I hoped. And then it fell in and that was that. I was heading to Omaha.

Yesterday as we trudged up the 18th hole, I was tired. Argyle is a relatively short course, at just over 6,500 yards, but it has its fair share of hills and such. I've walked harder courses, sure, but on this day, with my age and my occasional barking left knee, it was a fair test. I was glad the round was ending, for sure.

My guy hit a terrific drive and then a wonderfully struck 7 iron that somehow came up six yards short of the green. We were both mystified at the ball's final resting place until we felt a significant breeze in our face as we to the crest of the hill. It wasn't really there when he hit the shot, but it must have come up just as the ball started to sail in the direction of the green.

"A gust from the gods" is what Romeo called it in "Tin Cup".

It's funny how that gust always seems to come at you and is never at your back, huh?

My friend hit, like he almost always does, a deft, "professional" chip that left him with a sneaky, tricky two footer for par. The hole location was in the front right portion of the green. On my day back in 2021, the flag was "back-middle-left", which is to say it wasn't really in the middle of the green, but it wasn't exactly in the back, either.

Moments before my friend hit his chip shot, the idea of walking over to where I made my final putt in 2021 quickly entered my mind.

"As soon as everyone's finished here, just go over and stand there," I told myself. "Take it in again. Try to remember what it was all like that day."

One player in the group finished. Then the other. And now it was my friend's turn to wrap up his round. A par here and he finishes in 73, a legitimately "great" score for where he left himself throughout the day both off the tee and around the greens.

99 times out of 100, my friend makes that putt with ease. And I mean that. If you set 100 balls there, he's making it 99 times. Not because it's easy, per se, but because he's a great putter. Sure, it was 2 feet, but if you mishit the ball even slightly, it's darting to the right and you're missing it low of the hole.

"Just keep your head down and make good contact," I said to him.

It entered the cup with authority, the way it always does with him. I've seen a lot of impressive rounds of tournament golf in my life. I'm proud to say I've authored some of those myself. In fact, I'm sort of a specialist at turning 77 into 73.

On this day at Argyle, where two dozen players broke par and 64 was the best score, a round of 73 was far from "great" for my friend. But if you looked at the scorecard, only, you have no idea at all how great that 73 really was. It coulda-shoulda-woulda been 76 or 77 for a "normal" player.

I took pride in being part of it, even though, as I wrote above, I didn't do much of anything to earn any kind of "role" in the round. I just did what a caddie is supposed to do. I carried the bag, shot the yardages and gave advice or information when asked for it.

The players all shook hands on the 18th green and I offered a few words of encouragement to my friend.

We got out to the car once the scores were signed for and then it hit me.

I forgot all about "soaking in the moment" on the 18th green.

I didn't go over and look at the spot where I made the winning putt. I didn't even think about it, honestly.

I just.....forgot.

I was so wrapped up in that nasty little two footer to end the round that I lost my way.

Thomas Wolfe once wrote: You Can't Go Home Again.

In other words, you can, from time to time, circle back to the place you once were, but it's never quite the same.

Five years later, my life and my golfing life, are not the same. I went "home" yesterday, for a fleeting four hours, and it all looked mostly the same as it did in 2021. But new, pressing business was at hand and the memories I had from five years ago were easily forgotten.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton. Brooks Koepka was #6. Kurt Kitayama was #5. Justin Thomas was #4. #3 was Wyndham Clark.

#2 Tommy Fleetwood -- This is the story everyone wants to write. Tommy Fleetwood, from Southport, England, wins the British Open at a course he used to sneak on as a kid.

Buckle up, by the way, if you're not a fan of sappy stories, because that one about Fleetwood is going to be played, played and replayed this week and this weekend, especially if the jovial Englishman is in the hunt.

As you can see, I'm buying stock in the story.

But not because Royal Birkdale is in Southport and Fleetwood hails from the same small town.

I think Fleetwood can win because it's his time. He's arguably "the best player without a major title", although Ludvig Aberg might want to argue that one with you.

Fleetwood is a sublime driver of the golf ball and a wonderful iron player. He is, like everyone else who plays golf, dependent on his putter to come through and help him win.

When Tommy putts well, Tommy contends.

I suspect he's going to be right there on Sunday, primed to finally get into that major championship winner's circle.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

question of the week

Is it time for a change at the top?

Not to be a Debbie Downer after the recent four game winning streak, but I’m not buying that this team has really turned any kind of corner (and I wrote most of this before the win streak). Even with the winning streak heading into the break, the team is still a longshot to make the playoffs or produce any kind of prolonged postseason run.

Let’s start with what the numbers say about the team at the All-Star break.

Through 96 games, the Orioles scored 439 runs, or 4.57 per game, which is fractionally above the major league average of 4.52.

They hit .238/.319/.399 with 115 home runs, and their 102 OPS+ says the offense has been marginally better than league average once you account for the park. They walked 367 times, the fourth-highest total in baseball. They also struck out 870 times, the fourth-highest total in baseball.

The pitching is the softer half.

Baltimore’s 4.32 ERA ranks 20th and works out to a 98 ERA+, a hair below league average. The 4.23 FIP is essentially league average, which suggests the run prevention has been roughly what the peripherals deserve rather than a case of bad luck.

The staff has struck out 8.0 per nine against a league mark of 8.5 and walked 3.5, and the resulting 1.357 WHIP is meaningfully worse than the league’s 1.309. The Orioles have allowed 464 runs, 4.83 per game, and have thrown two team shutouts all season, tied for the second fewest in baseball.

Before the Cubs series, the bullpen ranked 18th in the majors with a 4.25 ERA, and that was with Ryan Helsley already on the injured list.

Put it together and the run differential is minus 25. A team that scores 439 and allows 464 should win about 46 games in 96, which is precisely what the Orioles have done.

There is no hidden good team here waiting to be uncovered by better sequencing. This is a mediocre baseball team, plain and simple.

Which brings us to the harder question. Whose fault is that?

I mostly give Craig Albernaz a pass. The first-year manager has done nothing to inspire confidence, and I’m not really sure what he brings to the table, but it is difficult to look at this roster and conclude that the man filling out the lineup card is the main reason it is not working. The issue is the players, the development, the absence of impact pitching, and the organizational philosophy that produced all three.

Absent something behind the scenes we do not know about, you might as well let Albernaz finish the year and see whether he grows into the job. Evaluate him in October, and if the answer is that this club needs a more veteran, more polished voice, make that change then. It is not the change that matters most.

The change that matters most is higher up.

It has become fairly clear that 2023 was the exception and not the rule. The trajectory of this franchise mirrors the trajectory of its own stars with uncomfortable precision. The team experienced a fast rise toward something like stardom, a moment almost touching the sun, and then a slow slide back to the middle.

Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Colton Cowser and Grayson Rodriguez have all followed some version of that arc. Rutschman is the one who has climbed back out, and his third All-Star selection this month is a genuinely earned reward for a full winter of work.

To a lesser degree, Coby Mayo, Heston Kjerstad and Jackson Holliday tore up the upper minors and have never sustained anything in the big leagues. Samuel Basallo looks like the exception as of now, but Orioles fans have thought that before.

The record under Mike Elias speaks for itself. Since taking over in November 2018, his teams have gone 54-108, 25-35, 52-110, 83-79, 101-61, 91-71, 75-87, and now 46-51. That is one division title, one wild card berth and zero playoff wins. Not zero series. Zero games.

Swept by Texas in the 2023 ALDS, swept by Kansas City in the 2024 wild card round. All the tanking, all the losing, all the years of asking a fan base to swallow a rebuild in exchange for a consistently competitive team, and this is the return. There is no way to grade that as anything other than a failure.

Saturday added a data point that will look familiar to anyone who has been paying attention. With the seventh overall pick, the highest the Orioles have held since Holliday in 2022, Elias took prep outfielder Eric Booth Jr. He may well be terrific. He was also the fourth straight top pick spent on an outfielder, and the eighth straight spent on a position player.

In eight drafts, Elias has never taken a pitcher in the first round. Meanwhile the 2026 rotation was built almost entirely by trade and free agency, Zach Eflin is gone for the year, Keegan Akin is headed to an elbow specialist, and Helsley’s elbow has cost him most of the summer. The gap in the pitching pipeline is not an accident. It is a policy.

Which is why it would be a serious mistake to hand this front office the trade deadline.

The August 3 deadline arrives with the Orioles two games out of a wild card spot in an American League where almost nobody is any good. Elias has said the building is “in the mindset of going for it in 2026,” and he has said his own job security “definitely would not be any type of factor” in his decisions.

Bob Nightengale has reported that Elias is telling clubs he is willing to move prospects. Take him at his word if you like, but understand the position he is in. A general manager in year eight of a mandate that has produced one playoff berth in the last two seasons, working for owners who have already spent, has every incentive in the world to do something dramatic and none to do something patient. Those incentives are not aligned with the long-term health of this franchise.

Set aside the conflict of interest and there is still no track record here that suggests you want Elias making these particular decisions. He is a good seller. He turned Dylan Bundy into Bradish and Jorge López into Yennier Cano and Cade Povich, and last July he converted a fire sale into a pile of prospects.

He has never once shown he can make a win-now move that moves the needle. If the price of keeping him away from the deadline is that the Orioles stand entirely pat, so be it. Doing nothing is a defensible outcome. Doing something desperate is not.

The counterargument deserves a hearing. Elias inherited the worst organization in baseball and rebuilt the infrastructure from the ground up, and the industry spent five years praising him for it. The Orioles have had their share of injury issues, though they were not all unpredictable. The team is two games out of a playoff spot.

Firing a president of baseball operations in the middle of July is not going to magically turn the team around. Reporters and bloggers around the O’s have differing opinions on how to handle the situation. Reasonable people are looking at the same club and landing in different places, and that in itself tells you something about how muddled this thing is.

However, muddled is not where we are supposed to be right now. Now where we were promised after “lift off.”

When Elias and Sig Mejdal arrived, they represented a real shift toward analytical player evaluation, and the Orioles badly needed it. That was 2019. Analytical evaluation is table stakes now. Every front office in the sport has it. The question is no longer whether you use the tools, it is whether you use them to find an edge that other clubs have not, and there is no evidence this regime has found one in years.

They have consistently hired managers whose primary qualification appears to be a willingness to implement whatever comes down from the Warehouse. Their development system has produced a generation of hitters who peaked in Triple-A and a pitching staff assembled almost entirely from other organizations’ work.

So, in my opinion, the time is now. The draft has concluded, the trade deadline is approaching and the All-Star break provides a moment for reflection and a natural ending point.

So if they give Elias his walking paper, then what comes next?

It should be a reset, not a rebuild.

The young core is still cheap for a few more years, and that is an asset, not a burden. The obligation now falls on ownership. David Rubenstein needs to prove his group is willing to spend, willing to do what it takes to get two top-of-the-rotation starters this winter. Not one. Two.

That is the minimum needed to transform this roster into a real contender, and it is available for money rather than prospects. If this ownership group is not willing to write those checks, then there is no honest option but to blow it up, trade Alonso, Henderson, Rogers and Bradish, and start over. And if it comes to that, nobody should be expected to care about this team for the next five to ten years. Maybe the fans come back. Maybe they don’t.

Short of that, you roll with these guys for another year or two and hope that a new philosophy, and maybe a new voice, can extract something closer to their potential. You find a GM who can combine the analytics with the practical abilities and determination to sign the necessary free agents to put the team over the top.

Someone whose top concern is winning baseball games and not winning awards and plaudits from his colleagues. Someone who can identify a manager that inspires this team, elevates their performance to meet their promise and has the experience to steal wins in critical games instead of coughing them up.

As far as approaching the deadline with either a lame duck in charge or a void at the top. The team should be cautious. There is no need for dramatic moves. No desperation move is going to realistically put this team in a position to win anything meaningful this year. And there are no pending free agents that are so valuable they must be dealt.

Now, if a club puts an over-the-top offer on the table for Adley Rutschman, you would have to at least listen, provided the return helps in the near term and is not just a stack of lottery tickets. Basallo is more than capable of catching every day. But even that would leave a hole in a lineup that already has too many of them, and that is not a trade you go looking for.

Maybe you sell high on Trevor Rogers after he strings together some stellar starts. Or maybe someone offers you something worth taking for Taylor Ward. But outside that, there isn’t a need to make a splash.

The bottom line is this. The manager is not the problem. The players are underachieving, but they are the players this organization drafted, developed and chose to build around. That is not a coaching failure. That is an organizational failure, and organizational failures get fixed at the top.

Let Albernaz finish the season. Keep Elias away from the deadline. And when the year ends, make the change that in hindsight probably should have been made at the end of last season.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup semifinal preview

After a World Cup filled with upsets, late goals and traditional powers like Brazil and Germany crashing out earlier than expected, the bracket has somehow produced an impossibly loaded final four.

France. Spain. Argentina. England.

This is the World Cup equivalent of Duke, UNC, UConn and Kentucky all advancing to the Final Four as 1 seeds.

These were the four pre-tournament favorites. These are four of the eight nations to ever win the World Cup.Every possible final is tantalizing.

Of the four, only France won their quarterfinal comfortably.

France eventually pulled away from Morocco for a 2-0 win behind second-half goals from Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. Morocco felt like they were holding on for dear life, just hoping to score the first goal on a counterattack. Once the dam broke, France seemed inevitable.

Spain needed another late intervention from Mikel Merino to escape Belgium 2-1. With the winner coming off a rebound from a long range Pau Cubarsi shot that was spilled in front of goal by Belgian backup keeper Senne Lammens, who had just come on for an injured Thibaut Courtois. Spain once again exerted their stranglehold on the game, with 68% possession, limiting Belgium to just one good chance in 90+ minutes.

England survived Norway by the same score, winning behind two more goals from Jude Bellingham. The game winner coming in extra time on a similar rebound putback as the Spain winner.

Argentina was pushed into extra time despite a 72nd minute red card to Switzerland’s Breel Embolo for diving. Argentina finally found the winner in the 22nd minute of extra time on a stunning curler from Julian Alvarez. Then added the insurance goal nine minutes later to close out the 3-1 win.

That sets up two rivalry games in the Semifinals.

Argentina-England carries decades of World Cup history, national tension and some of the most famous moments the sport has ever produced.

Spain-France is the more recent rivalry, a matchup that has repeatedly helped determine European supremacy over the last five years.

There are legacies on the line everywhere. Lionel Messi is trying to win another World Cup at 39.

England’s golden generation is attempting to end nearly sixty years of waiting.

Kylian Mbappé one victory away from playing in his third World Cup final before turning 28.

Spain’s young core with a chance to follow its European championship with a World Cup trophy. Before we even get to Argentina and England, Spain and France will put more talent on the field Tuesday afternoon than most World Cup finals.

The Spain-France showdown kicks off Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Eastern from Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will air on FOX and stream through FOX One and FOX Sports.

Recent History --

There will not be many surprises between these teams.

The players know each other from international competition, the Champions League and La Liga. Several of the most important individual matchups are between teammates or frequent club opponents. The managers have also seen recent versions of this game play out in several completely different ways.

France defeated Spain 2-1 in the 2021 Nations League final, coming from behind through goals from Karim Benzema and Mbappé. That game provided the French blueprint. Allow Spain to hold the ball, remain dangerous without needing long spells of possession and attack as soon as space appears.

Spain got revenge in the Euro 2024 semifinal. France scored first through Randal Kolo Muani, but a 16-year-old Lamine Yamal produced an outrageous curling goal before Dani Olmo added the winner. Spain controlled the remainder of the game, won 2-1 and went on to claim the European title.

Then came last summer’s Nations League semifinal, which temporarily abandoned all defensive responsibility. Spain raced to a 5-1 lead before France nearly completed a ridiculous comeback, with the game ending 5-4.

Yamal scored twice, while Nico Williams, Merino and Pedri also found the net for Spain.

It was the highest-scoring game in Nations League history.

Spain has now eliminated France in consecutive semifinals. France, however, has been the defining World Cup team of this era. A victory Tuesday would put them into a third consecutive final and their fifth in the last eight tournaments.

That is what is at stake here. Spain has owned the recent matchup. France is trying to extend one of the greatest runs in World Cup history.

How Spain Got Here --

Spain’s tournament started with one of the stranger results of the group stage, a scoreless draw against Cape Verde despite generating plenty of chances. Since then, the results have been nearly flawless.

They beat Saudi Arabia 4-0, Uruguay 1-0, Austria 3-0 and Portugal 1-0 before finally conceding their first goal of the tournament in the quarterfinal against Belgium. Through six games, Spain has scored 11 and allowed just one.

The quarterfinal was a good microcosm of their tournament.

Spain controlled most of the possession, took the lead through Fabián Ruiz and generally limited a talented Belgium attack. Charles De Ketelaere equalized before halftime, but Belgium finished the game with only 0.34 expected goals, meaning the quality of their total chances amounted to roughly one-third of an average goal. Merino then came off the bench and scored the winner in the 88th minute.

Spain has not looked as explosive as it did during Euro 2024. The attack has gone through some frustrating stretches, particularly against Cape Verde and Portugal. Their biggest stars are playing, but several do not appear to be at full capacity.

Yamal entered the tournament dealing with groin and hamstring problems. He has gradually improved, but we have not consistently seen the unstoppable version who dominated France in the Nations League last year.

Pedri was dropped from the starting lineup against Belgium after showing signs of fatigue, with Fabián taking his place next to Rodri. De la Fuente has acknowledged that Pedri has not yet found his best form or ideal role in this version of Spain’s midfield.

Nico Williams has endured an even more difficult year of recurring groin and muscular injuries. He finally returned for the final twelve minutes against Belgium and helped create the pressure leading to Merino’s winner, but asking him to start and play seventy or eighty minutes against France would be another matter.

The reason Spain has survived those issues is its defense.

Rodri has been outstanding controlling the space in front of the back line. Aymeric Laporte has provided the experience and distribution expected from him, while 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí has looked remarkably comfortable defending some of the best attackers in the world.

Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro have been solid at fullback, and Unai Simón has rarely been asked to make a difficult save.

Before the quarterfinals, Spain had allowed only 1.49 expected goals across five games. Their possession receives most of the attention, but the ball control serves a defensive purpose too. Opponents cannot create chances if they cannot get the ball.

That formula has carried Spain to its first World Cup semifinal since winning the tournament in 2010. The problem is that France is uniquely equipped to punish the few moments when Spain loses control.

How France Got Here --

France has looked like the best team in the tournament. There appears to be no specific type of game they need in order to win.

They can overwhelm you. They can counterattack. They can defend deep. They can patiently circulate possession. They can win an ugly 1-0 game or turn the match into a track meet.

France won all three group games, beating Senegal 3-1, Iraq 3-0 and Norway 4-1. They followed that with knockout victories over Sweden, Paraguay and Morocco without conceding a single goal.

They enter the semifinal with six wins, 16 goals scored and only two allowed.

The quarterfinal against Morocco was their most complete performance. Morocco remained organized and competitive for nearly an hour, but France did not panic or start forcing the game.

Mbappé finally broke through in the 60th minute, Dembélé added another six minutes later and France finished with 3.69 expected goals while allowing only 0.14. It was a 2-0 game that could have been considerably worse.

Mbappé has eight goals. Dembélé has five. Between them, they have scored more goals than the entire Spanish team. But this version of France is scarier because the attack does not end there.

Michael Olise has become the connective piece, drifting between midfield and the front line, drawing defenders toward him and slipping passes behind the back line. Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola give France two different options on the left. One can start, run at tired defenders and then be replaced by another elite winger.

France can also bring additional attackers such as Rayan Cherki, Maghnes Akliouche or Jean-Philippe Mateta off the bench without dramatically lowering the talent level.

That embarrassment of attacking riches is the biggest difference between France and everyone else.

It also helps explain why their stars look fresher than Spain’s. France has been able to rotate attacking players without losing its identity, while Spain has spent the tournament carefully managing Yamal, Nico and Pedri. France also played its quarterfinal one day earlier, giving it an additional recovery day.

Aurélien Tchouaméni is expected to return after missing the Morocco game with an adductor injury. He should rejoin Adrien Rabiot at the base of midfield, behind an attacking group likely consisting of Dembélé, Olise, Doué and Mbappé. William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano will anchor the defense, with Jules Koundé and Lucas Digne at fullback.

There are more creative midfields in the tournament. There may be more technically elegant defensive units.

There is no other team with this many ways to hurt you.

What Will the Game Look Like? --

Spain will probably have more of the ball.

That does not necessarily mean they will be controlling the game.

Didier Deschamps is unlikely to ask France to out-Spain Spain by chasing possession. France has become more comfortable building attacks through Olise and slowing the tempo when necessary, but the most favorable matchup is obvious.

Spain wants to push its back line high, squeeze the field and keep France trapped in its own half. France has Mbappé, Dembélé and Doué waiting to attack the acres of space behind it.

France will likely defend in a compact 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 shape, with Tchouaméni or Kone and Rabiot protecting the middle. They will allow Spain’s center backs to move the ball and become more aggressive once passes enter midfield or go toward the sidelines.

Once possession changes, France will look immediately for Olise between the lines or for an early pass into Mbappé’s path. The combination between Olise and Mbappé has been one of France’s most dangerous weapons. Spain’s high line is excellent at catching opponents offside, but every step forward carries enormous risk against a player with Mbappé’s speed.

For Spain, the most important player is Rodri.

He will be responsible for setting the rhythm in possession, helping Spain escape France’s first wave of pressure and stopping counterattacks before they reach the back line. If Rodri spends the afternoon comfortably receiving the ball and turning forward, Spain can establish itself around the French penalty area.

If Olise can find space behind him, France will be running directly at Spain’s center backs. That is the game inside the game. Spain needs Rodri high enough to sustain attacks but deep enough to protect against transition. France needs Olise close enough to help its midfield but advanced enough to take advantage when possession changes.

The matchup on Spain’s right side may be the most dangerous area on the field. Pedro Porro likes to get forward, and Yamal naturally drifts inside onto his left foot. That can leave Cubarsí defending a huge amount of space behind them. Asking any center back to deal with Mbappé in that situation is terrifying, even one who has played as well as Cubarsí.

Spain can reduce that threat by keeping the ball and counterpressing immediately after turnovers. When Spain loses possession, the nearest three or four players attack the ball before France can lift its head and find the forward pass. That pressure has smothered most opponents.

France is not most opponents.

Saliba, Tchouaméni, Rabiot and Olise are all capable of escaping that pressure with one pass. If they break the first wave, Spain may suddenly have five players caught ahead of the ball.

At the other end, France must decide how aggressively to defend Yamal. Lucas Digne will need consistent help from the left winger and Rabiot. This may favor the selection of Doué over Barcola, since the former has a bit more defensive bite.

Giving Yamal a pure one-on-one matchup is dangerous, even if he has not looked completely healthy. Sending too much help creates openings for Dani Olmo and Oyarzabal in the middle.

Spain will try to pin France’s wide attackers deep, forcing Dembélé and Doué to spend energy tracking the fullbacks. If Spain can turn France’s front four into a second defensive line, it can gradually suffocate the French attack.

France will happily accept some of that pressure if Mbappé remains high enough to provide an escape route.

I do not expect France to park eleven players behind the ball. Deschamps will concede some possession, but he will want enough pressure on Spain’s midfield to generate turnovers.

Dropping too deep would allow Rodri and Spain’s attacking midfielders to settle twenty yards from goal, which is how Spain eventually turns possession into a series of quality chances. France will pick its moments.

Spain will try to eliminate the moments entirely.

It’s not likely to be the end to end shootout that last summer’s Nations League semifinal became. I expect more of a tactical chess match in this version.

If you forced me to pick a side, I would have to say France looks more complete right now. Either way, whoever wins this is likely the odds-on favorite to win in the final.

Monday July 13, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4346

a good break and a bad one

OK, so the Birds didn't quite get to 49-48 at the All-Star break like I thought they might.

But they did go 3-for-3 against the Royals and sit at 46-51 at the conclusion of the proverbial first-half of the 2026 season.

There's a lot of baseball remaining, friends. And with most of the rest of the American League sputtering along like the Birds, it's looking more and more like 84 or 85 wins might be enough to snag one of the three A.L. wild card spots.

It might be time to panic, but it's certainly not time to give up. Not yet, at least.

In fact, it might be time to believe. 40 wins over the last 65 games? That can happen.

The three wins over the Royals featured decent starting pitching from Rogers, Bradish and Baz. Better than "decent", actually. And the bats started to come alive, right on time.

Yes, yes, yes, I know it's the Royals. And they're terrible. But here's hoping what we saw from the O's vs. Kansas City is the start of second half pattern and not just a short-term revival against a lousy club.

Unfortunately, it wasn't all good news from the Royals series. Blaze Alexander broke a bone in his hand on Sunday after being hit by a pitch. It's likely an 8-12 week injury, which means Alexander will miss the rest of July and all of August, at a minimum.

It would be unfair to categorize Alexander as the teams' "best player", but he's certainly a guy who is going to be hard to replace. How will the O's handle it? Is there a chance they do something really radical and move Gunnar Henderson to third base and Jackson Holliday to his natural position at shortstop?

The odds of the Birds doing that are slim. It's far more likely they'll just give Coby Mayo the full-time gig at third and leave Gunnar and Holliday where they are, currently. But it would be cool to see Mike Elias and Company do something completely outside the box while they have this opportunity.

Maybe pick up a veteran second baseman at the trade deadline and let Gunnar go to third and Jackson move to short?

Oh, yes, the deadline. It's coming fast. Alexander's injury might force Elias to make a push for some non-pitching help. And even though Tyler O'Neill somehow did something productive last week, it still feels like the Birds could use at least one more legitimate bat, if not two.

Or maybe Gunnar Henderson can lift his game in the second half? That would also work as a reasonable solution.

It would be awesome to see Holliday get his game together as well. It's not all about those two, but if they can hit on all cylinders in the second half -- no pun intended -- the Birds might be able to make a move in the A.L. playoff race.

We'll be doing some first-half grades here this week at #DMD.

For a team that's five games under .500, there have actually been several players who are enjoying successful seasons thus far. Sure, there are some who are struggling, but there's been just as much good as there has been bad for the most part.

True as truth can be, Tom Kim was going to be my #3 golfer on the British Open Top 10 countdown this morning. That is, until he won yesterday's Scottish Open.

Now, I feel like I have to pull a Christian Pulisic and sub him out.

I just don't think Kim can win two consecutive events, particularly of the magnitude of the Scottish Open followed by the British Open.

It's true, he's playing very well. And because golf is, generally, a 3-week sport, it stands to reason he could still have his chakras in line at Royal Birkdale this week.

But I can't give him the same chance to win at Birkdale that I would have if, let's say, he would have finished T5 at the Scottish.

So maybe I'll do what they occasionally do in horse racing. Maybe I'll do a 3 (see below) and I'll have Tom Kim in there at 3A. I don't want to write Kim completely off. It's just logic that's telling me to do so.

Now, the guy you're going to see at #3 was originally not on my Top 10 list because I also assume he can't win back-to-back major championships. It's just too friggin' hard to do that unless you're Tiger Woods.

In fact, only four players since 1990 have won back-to-back majors.

I gave you one already -- Tiger.

Who are the other three? And, no, you can't use Google.

Oh, come one, who am I kidding? You won't get this, so I don't know why I'm putting you through the paces.

Nick Price in 1994 (British/PGA)

Padraig Harrington in 2008 (British/PGA)*

Jordan Spieth in 2015 (Masters/U.S. Open)

So, you see, it's really hard to win back-to-back majors. But I have the guy who won the U.S. Open at #3 today. And Tom Kim will fill in at 3A, if you will.

*If you're wondering why there's an asterisk in 2008, it's because Harrington won those two majors without Tiger Woods in the field. Most golf historians assume Harrington wouldn't have won both of them had Tiger played in those tournaments, alas, he was unable to play in both after having surgery on his leg following the 2008 U.S. Open triumph at Torrey Pines.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the whole "golf is a 3-week sport" thing, here it is.

And this is just for us amateurs. It's not for guys like Scheffler, McIlroy, et al.

You play well for 3 weeks.

Then your game declines for 3 weeks. All the while, you're fighting it, trying to get back to the form you had when you were playing well for 3 weeks.

You then take 3 weeks and try to fix your game. You try new swing thoughts, change your stance, your grip and so on, hoping to find the cure for what's ailing you.

You start to play a little better in the next 3-week span, mixing in some inconsistent rounds with a good round or two that serve to repair and restore your confidence.

And eventually, you're back to the 3-week period where you actually play well.

So...yes...for 3 weeks out of 12, you play good golf.

What a sport, eh?

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton. Brooks Koepka was #6. Kurt Kitayama was #5. Justin Thomas was #4.

#3 Wyndham Clark -- This guy is on quite the heater over the last month. In his last six tournaments, here's where he's finished: 1st, 3rd, T11, 1st, T5, T13.

And there's no reason why he can't win this week at Royal Birkdale, unless you don't think a guy can win back-to-back major titles "just because".

Clark is driving the ball as well as anyone in golf and he's led the TOUR in shots gained: approach and greens in regulation during his 6-tournament spree.

When his putter is on, like it was at Shinnecock last month, he's a tough, tough out.

I think it's fair to say he's "found something" since switching over to his new swing coach, former Baltimore CC Director of Instruction, Pay Coyner.

And while I think it's a tough ask for someone to win the U.S. Open and British Open in back-to-back months, I'd say Clark has a great chance of doing it this week.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 4-2

Season Record: 46-51

AL East Standing: 4th (11.5 GB of TB, 2 GB of WC)

Player of the Week: Kyle Bradish - 6.2 IP 1 R 2 H 2 BB 5 K

The Orioles enter the All-Star break with some positive momentum, finally doing the one thing they had failed to do seven times already this season, winning four games in a row.

It took a three-game sweep of the last-place Royals to get there, and it came on the heels of two listless nights against the Cubs that dropped Baltimore into last place in the AL East. The week ends with the O’s at 46-51, eleven and a half games behind Tampa Bay and, courtesy of a thoroughly mediocre American League, only two games out of the final wild card spot. It is the first home series the Orioles have won since May.

Tuesday’s opener against Chicago was a redux of the season. Shane Baz turned in his seventh quality start, six innings of three-run ball on 100 pitches, and got nothing for it. Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd shut the O’s down for six innings.

Alex Bregman drove in two, with an RBI single in the third and a fielder’s choice in the fifth, and Pete Crow-Armstrong singled home a run in the fifth. Michael Busch’s sacrifice fly off Anthony Nunez made it 4-0 in the seventh. Adley Rutschman delivered a two-out, bases-loaded, two-run single off former Oriole Jacob Webb to pull the O’s within 4-2, but Gunnar Henderson struck out to end the inning and Dansby Swanson’s RBI single in the eighth restored the margin.

The Birds finished Tuesday's series opener with six hits, all singles, and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Wednesday was no better. Dean Kremer allowed just six hits in five innings, but four of them were solo home runs. Pete Alonso’s two-run shot, his 20th, had given the O’s a 3-1 lead before Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly went deep on the first two pitches of the fifth and Crow- Armstrong followed inside a four-batter span.

The Cubs then hung five on the bullpen in the seventh, capped by a Seiya Suzuki three-run homer, to lead 9-3. The Orioles at least made it interesting.

Tyler O’Neill homered as a pinch-hitter and Taylor Ward singled in a run in the seventh, then Coby Mayo launched a 420-foot drive into the second deck in left in the eighth and O’Neill followed with a 433-foot shot to left-center. Jackson Holliday had four hits out of the nine hole, but the O’s fell 9-7.

Thursday’s finale was moved to an afternoon start ahead of the weather, and the Orioles took it 3-2 on three hits. Trevor Rogers continued to look like the good version of himself, giving up one run over six innings.

O’Neill homered in the second for the game’s first run. With the score tied in the eighth, Jeremiah Jackson pinch-hit for Dylan Beavers and doubled into the right-center gap to score Henderson and Alonso.

Tyler Wells picked up the win despite surrendering an RBI double to Suzuki, and Andrew Kittredge worked the ninth for his second save as the rain arrived at Camden Yards.

The Royals arrived at Camden Yards on Friday and the Orioles took advantage of their struggles.

Baltimore strung together four singles in the second, with Holliday and Henderson driving in runs, and Blaze Alexander answered a two-run Kansas City fourth with a 436-foot homer to put the O’s back in front.

Brandon Young carried a 3-2 lead into the eighth on just 77 pitches before Isaac Collins led off with a game-tying homer. Alonso opened the bottom half with a single, and Samuel Basallo hooked a slider from lefty Matt Strahm just inside the right- field foul pole for his 15th homer, with an exuberant bat toss to celebrate. Rico Garcia got the win and Kittredge closed out the 5-3 win.

Saturday belonged to Kyle Bradish, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh before Jac Caglianone led off the inning with a single to center. Bradish finished with one run on two hits over 6.2 innings, walking two and striking out five, and dropped his ERA to 3.61.

The offense handled the rest, with four of the O’s six hits leaving the yard. Basallo drove in the first run in the second after an Alonso leadoff double. Alonso then hit a 420-foot two-run homer in the fourth. Mayo led off the fifth with a 440-foot blast that struck the second-deck facade at 110.4 mph off the bat.

Ward added his first home run at Camden Yards this season in the sixth, and Henderson added a homer in the eighth, his first since June 19, to cap the 6-1 win.

The O’s completed the sweep on Sunday, cruising to an 8-2 win. Baz struck out nine but needed 104 pitches to get through 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits without a walk.

The bullpen picked him up, with five relievers covering the final 4.1 innings without giving up a run. Leody Taveras put Baltimore ahead with a two-run homer off Seth Lugo in the second, and after Lane Thomas tied it with an RBI single in the third, the game stayed level until the sixth.

Then Alonso, Taveras, Jackson and Henderson all drove in runs off Matt Strahm. Basallo tacked on a solo shot in the seventh to seal the win. Henderson finished with three hits, Alexander had two and scored twice, and Taveras drove in three. Grant Wolfram got the win.

Unfortunately the sweep came at a cost. Blaze Alexander was hit on the left hand in the ninth inning, and postgame imaging revealed a non-displaced fracture.

Four straight wins is four straight wins, and after eight tries this season, the Orioles will take it.

The break gives them four days off before they open the second half Friday in Houston. It does not change what the first half was, and it does not make the decisions in front of the front office any easier. If anything, it makes them harder.

Player of the Week --

Several Orioles made a case in a week that ended far better than it started.

Pete Alonso was the most complete offensive performer, going 6-for-22 with two home runs, a double and five RBI while posting a .976 OPS. He hit his 20th on Wednesday and a 420-foot, two-run drive on Saturday for number 21.

Tyler O'Neill did his damage in a hurry, hitting three home runs in just 13 at-bats, including a pinch-hit shot Wednesday and a 433-foot drive later in the same game. He slugged 1.000 for the week.

Taylor Ward got there a different way, drawing eight walks in 26 plate appearances for a .538 on-base percentage and a 1.009 OPS, and his sixth-inning blast Saturday was his first home run at Camden Yards this season.

Shane Baz merits a mention for two starts that deserved better. Baz worked 10.2 innings, struck out 12 against three walks and allowed four earned runs for a 3.38 ERA, and came away 0-1. His nine-strikeout, one-earned-run afternoon Sunday was the sharpest stuff he has shown in weeks, even if a 104-pitch slog through 4.2 innings kept him from a decision.

The award goes to Kyle Bradish, who was phenomenal Saturday night and gave this team the kind of start it has lacked this season.

Bradish carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Jac Caglianone lined a single to left-center, and he finished with one run on two hits across 6.2 innings, walking two and striking out five on 96 pitches. That is a 1.35 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP for the week, and his season mark dropped to 3.61.

This is a rotation that has spent the season either dominating or detonating, with very little in between, and a bullpen that has been asked to cover far too many innings behind short outings. Bradish handed the ball to Albernaz with two outs in the seventh and a five-run lead. That is what a healthy front-line starter looks like.

Down on the Farm --

Norfolk remains a difficult watch, but the pitching showed some promise this week. Nestor German was excellent on Saturday, tossing seven shutout innings against Syracuse with six strikeouts and only five baserunners, and he did it against a lineup in which every hitter had major league experience. It was his second consecutive scoreless outing.

Less encouraging was Cade Povich, who was hammered for seven runs on six hits and four walks in 3.1 innings. At the plate, Christian Encarnacion-Strand was the standout, hitting .333 with two home runs, two doubles and seven RBI in 15 at-bats for a 1.279 OPS.

Heston Kjerstad had his best week in some time, going 5-for-13 with a double and two RBI for an .862 OPS. Enrique Bradfield Jr. hit .231 with a triple, two walks and a stolen base, and Jud Fabian went hitless in six at-bats while drawing three walks.

Creed Willems remains on the injured list, which has taken some of the interest out of the Norfolk box scores.

Chesapeake had some solid performances on the mound. Luis De León was extraordinary Saturday at Akron, throwing eight scoreless innings with five strikeouts while allowing just two hits and a walk. It was the longest outing of his professional career by two full innings.

Juaron Watts-Brown followed with five innings of one-run ball and eight strikeouts, and Joseph Dzierwa opened the week with five innings of one-run, three-hit ball without issuing a walk.

The Baysox lineup was carried by Douglas Hodo III, who hit .286 with two home runs, six RBI and two stolen bases for a .994 OPS, and by Dom Keegan, who slashed .353/.450/.529 with a triple and four RBI. Frederick Bencosme chipped in two doubles and a .412 on-base percentage. Aron Estrada had a quiet week, managing four hits in 22 at-bats.

Dzierwa and Ike Irish represented the Orioles at the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Dzierwa, the second-round pick out of Michigan State last summer, has been the single most encouraging development in this system all year, and he is the highest- drafted pitcher of the entire Elias era. There is a lesson in there somewhere.

Tomorrow here at #DMD, Randy looks at Craig Albernaz and Mike Elias and wonders if the O's should stick with them or part company with one or both of them.

Sunday July 12, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4345

and then there were four

In their heyday, Genesis was, let's say, an interesting band.

They helped launch the theme-based prog rock scene by delivering such albums as Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Selling England By The Pound. I don't know how to say this without offending some people, but not everyone could "get" Genesis in their infancy.

You had to really settle in and follow along with the words, music and order of songs in order to understand just what the heck they were trying to do.

Then Peter Gabriel left the band in 1975 and everything pretty much changed. Like, immediately.

They brought in veteran guitarist Steve Hackett and even put out a couple of albums thereafter, including Wind And Wuthering, which was an acceptable piece of music, I'd say.

But in 1977, Hackett left the band.

In 1978, they released an album that is still, to this day, on my personal Top 10 of all time: And Then There Were Three.

The album title was a reference to the three remaining band members, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks.

If you get the chance to go on YouTube today and hear the whole thing for yourself, I think you'll like it. I've included one of my favorite songs below, just to give you a taste.

Unlike Genesis, the key number for the World Cup and the Orioles from Saturday was four, not three.

There are now four World Cup teams remaining. None are a surprise. In fact, in a complete rarity, the teams listed 1-to-4 in FIFA's soccer rankings are all still alive.

Argentina escaped Switzerland last night with a late pair of goals to win, 3-1. They'll face England next Wednesday, who got past Norway, 2-1, in Saturday's quarterfinal opener in Miami.

On the other side of the bracket, it's France vs. Spain on Tuesday.

There are no patsies or underdogs remaining in the field. Everyone is special. Any of the four could win, although I suspect the wagering houses probably feel like England is the longest-shot of the four.

Saturday's semifinal between Switzerland and Argentina was greatly impacted by a heroic call from the officials and VAR. They kicked a Swiss player out for diving.

Well, technically, Breel Embolo didn't get kicked out just for diving. He had picked up a yellow card earlier in the game. Then, later on, he was fouled by Leandro Paredes of Argentina, who was actually given a yellow card himself for the tackle on Embolo. But upon further review, Embolo was well into his dive before Paredes made contact with him.

Was it a dive? Definitely.

Should he have been yellow carded for it? Probably.

Is it a shame he was kicked out of the game because of that? For sure.

But if you've watched the World Cup this summer and you've learned anything at all, it's all about the fouls. The referee blows his/her whistle so much throughout the 90 minutes they have to keep a replacement whistle in their pocket.

Every 30 seconds, there's a foul. And those are just the ones that are called.

Guys get fouled and they collapse like Lincoln at Ford's Theater. And that's what it is, really. Theater. They're on the ground, writhing in pain, never to get up again and walk without the aid of a cane. 30 seconds later, they're good as new.

So, while I think it was unfortunate the Swiss player got kicked out, I get it. At some point, the refs have to be able to say "enough is enough".

Playing with only 10 men for the game's final 50 minutes proved to be too much for the Swiss. They finally caved in late in the second extra-time session, then yielded a meaningless goal just before the whistle blew to lose, 3-1.

Well, that goal wasn't meaningless if you had Argentina minus 1.5 goals and the "over" 2.5 total goals total. If you know what I mean.

But those two late tallies pushed Argentina into the proverbial Final Four. Whether they fully deserve to be there after escaping three (mostly) lightweights in Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland is up for debate. But they've made it to the semifinals, which can only mean one thing.

We only have three games remaining to see Messi and Pulisic in those Michelob Ultra commercials.

I'm sure you as thrilled about that as is the rest of the world.

And speaking of "four", that's how many homers the Birds hit on Saturday night in a 6-1 romp over the hapless Royals. Don't look now, the battlin' Birds have won three straight games and are going for their first 4-game win streak of the season in today's series finale.

Taylor Ward, Pete Alonso, Gunnar Henderson and Coby Mayo all homered last night, with the Birds managing just six hits overall in support of another outstanding start by Kyle Bradish.

Speaking of hits and not having many, the Royals collected just two of them last night. I know we're down in the dumps here in The Land of Pleasant Living about the O's and their first half woes, but at least we're not fans of the Royals. Kansas City is now 38-58 on the season and headed directly for a 65 win season -- if they're lucky.

Bradish, meanwhile, continues to shine for the O's in 2026. He improved to 6-9 with last night's win and lowered his ERA to 3.61. If he pitched for a legitimate team in the first half of the season, he'd be 10-5 or something like that. I don't want the O's to deal him when I write this, so please understand I'm not advocating a trade within the next four weeks.

But if the Birds were serious about blowing up their roster and "starting over", Bradish would definitely fetch them some legitimate, quality prospects in return. He's the real deal. And then some.

It's hard to get worked up about the last two wins over K.C. because the Royals are sooooooooo bad. But you play who they put on your schedule and everyone in the A.L. gets to play Kansas City at some point. Better to beat them than to lose them.

For the Birds, though, the telltale sign moving forward will be the next 12 games after the All-Star break.

With today's win pretty much already in the books, that leaves the O's at 46-51 at the break.

When they return, 9 of their first 12 are on the road, including a key series in Fenway against the suddenly-red-hot Red Sox.

Things are starting to look a little brighter in Birdland. Get this one out of the way today, get some R&R for four days, and then come back loaded for bear next Friday in Houston.

This 2026 baseball season is far from over. Good things can still happen. As the great Ted Lasso said: Believe.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton. Brooks Koepka was #6. Kurt Kitayama was #5.

#4 Justin Thomas -- I don't make a lot of my major championship picks on "I have a feeling" about this guy, but that's the category Justin Thomas fits into this coming week.

I just "have a feeling".

Some of that is based on his play at the Scottish Open, where he sits at 5-under par heading into today's final round. In other words, Thomas is already over there, he's playing "links golf" and he's apparently handling it all well.

He doesn't have a career top 10 at the British, that's true, but he's made the cut in the tournament five of the last six years and his game in 2026, overall, is trending up after battling injuries throughout most of 2024 and into 2025.

His '26 numbers are good. He's made 11 of 12 cuts and is generally "green" in most of the key statistical areas (green means above or better than the TOUR average in any given category).

His biggest challenge has been hitting greens in regulation and getting the ball close to the hole on those shots. He'll have to remedy that this week at Birkdale.

But the fact that he's headed in the direction of perhaps a Top 15 at the Scottish Open tells me his game is starting to percolate.

And it just "feels" like Justin Thomas, who has 16 career TOUR wins, is destined for something special to happen sometime soon.

Why not Birkdale? Why not a Claret Jug?

Saturday July 11, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4344

tough week for our american stars

First it was Christian Pulisic, and some of his teammates, in the aftermath of last Monday's egg-laying-spectacle in Seattle.

Yesterday it was Scottie Scheffler in Scotland.

It turned out to be a bad five days for two of America's brightest stars in their respective sports.

Pulisic is still getting beat up for his dismal performance in the 4-1 drubbing on Monday night. He played 60 minutes before being subbed out, either because he asked for it or Mauricio Pochettino had seen enough of his best player (?) getting the ball knocked away from him over and over.

A number of national media outlets have taken the U.S. soccer star to task this week, ranging from claims of a divisive, mercurial personality to an injury prone athlete whose star has risen more because no one else around him is good enough to challenge for the crown.

It hasn't helped Pulisic that virtually every other star in the World Cup has stepped up big time over the last three weeks.

When England needed a goal, Harry Kane came through.

Argentina needed a last-gasp miracle vs. Egypt, so they turned to Lionel Messi and he produced some of the most magical soccer the World Cup has ever seen.

No one can stop Erling Haaland of Norway. It seems like he's the only one who scores for them. But isn't that the point of it all?

Everyone knows France is going to get the ball to Mbappe, but no one can put the clamps on him nonetheless.

Time and time again, the best players have stepped up in this World Cup.

Pulisic, however, didn't follow suit.

It's fair to point out he was outstanding in the first half of the 4-1 World Cup opening win over Paraguay. For a brief spell, he played the role that was expected of him. The ball, and the offense, went through him.

Then came the calf injury.

He didn't play in the win over Australia and saw a brief 20-minute spell in the meant-nothing loss to Turkey. He was present in the 2-0 win over Bosnia, yes, but he certainly didn't stand out in that game and was replaced with a few minutes remaining as the Americans brought in defensive help to salt away a key win.

And then, last Monday night, he was really off in the 4-1 humbling defeat to Belgium. Now, let's at least recognize that virtually no one on the roster played up to their potential in that defeat. Pulisic wasn't the only one who laid an egg. But the rest of the players aren't Christian Pulisic, either.

When the U.S. needed him most, he was pretty much a non-factor. Like, a total no-show.

As Pulisic's star rises, the inevitable marketing connections accompany him. He's been seen in beer commercials with Messi for the last three weeks which, as some have noted, is about the only way he and Messi should ever be seen in the same room with one another.

It all comes with the territory, as the saying goes.

You're the star, you're the fair-haired-boy in the commercials and the advertisements, and you're the one who wears #10, symbolic of a team's "best player".

And when you stink it up, especially in the U.S., you're going to get raked over the coals.

Scottie Scheffler is doing something this week he hasn't done in four years. He's leaving his rental house early after missing the cut in this week's Scottish Open. Yesterday's round of 2-over-par ended his consecutive cuts streak at 78.

Scheffler didn't play poorly at the Scottish Open. He was 2-under on Thursday and 2-over yesterday, but his even-par score for two days wasn't good enough to play on the weekend.

And so, another American star is suddenly in the spotlight for failing to perform.

The comparisons between Pulisic and Scheffler aren't legitimate, though. Scheffler is the best golfer in the world. Pulisic is a very good player but hardly anywhere close to "best in the world" status.

Still, Scheffler's missed cut at the Scottish has caused quite a stir in the golf world.

"He can't putt!" armchair golfers were claiming on Friday as Scheffler made bogey at his final hole of the day.

"I knew that golf swing would eventually catch up to him," someone on Twitter wrote on Friday night.

"Not the way you want to go into a major championship," another guy opined.

One missed cut and suddenly the whole world is falling apart around you, huh?

For the record, nothing about Scheffler's statistical data is "off". He's the TOUR leader in FedEx Cup points and is ranked 1st on the entire PGA Tour in several categories, including shots gained: total, greens in regulation, scrambling, scoring average and birdie average.

That he's only won once this season is surprising, but he's lost two events in playoffs and has finished Top 5 or better in 6 of his last 8 tournaments.

A putt made here and a putt made there and he might have 3, 4 or even 5 wins. The other guys try to make putts, too, remember.

Scheffler's consecutive cuts streak ending at 78 also reminds everyone how incredible it was to witness Tiger's streak of 142 consecutive cuts made.

It's mind boggling to even think about.

142 consecutive tournaments without missing a cut.

78 is amazing.

142 is beyond any description.

Seven years without missing a cut.

Unreal.

As for Scheffler and his golf, missing the cut at the Scottish Open gives him the opportunity to head to Southport, England and set up shop a few days early in preparation for next week's British Open at Royal Birkdale.

He hasn't played Birkdale in his life, so some extra prep time there certainly can't hurt, right?

Could it all add up to a 5th career major championship next week? I wouldn't count him out.

Brandon Young was once again outstanding last night, going 7 innings and allowing just 3 earned runs in a game the Birds won over Kansas City, 5-3.

It was 3-3 in the bottom of the 8th when Samuel Basallo hit a 2-run homer to put the Birds ahead for good.

Andrew Kittredge made it interesting in the 9th when he allowed a base hit, but he was able to close things out for the O's, who have now posted a modest 2-game win streak with a pair of games remaining with the Royals before next week's All Star break.

We're going to pretend for a minute the O's win these next two against the lowly Royals to finish out the proverbial first-half of the season at 46-51.

And now let's do what we love to do here. Let's look ahead to the next couple of weeks to see just how the Birds are going to climb back into the playoff race.

They return to action next Friday, July 17, with a 3-game weekend series in Houston.

From there, they head to Boston for three games at Fenway Park.

Then it's home for three vs. the Braves.

And then they're back on the road for three at Detroit.

That almost closes out the month of July.

A total of 12 games. 9 away and 3 at home.

Can they go 8-4 in those 12? That would be awesome if they could.

A 7-5 mark would be OK.

If they go 6-6, they haven't done anything except tread water.

But given what we've seen from their starting pitching over the last few weeks, there's no reason to think the Birds can't go 8-4 in the next 12 games.

And if they do.......we're right back in this thing.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton. Brooks Koepka was #6.

#5, Kurt Kitayama -- I get bullish on players from time to time and I tend to cling to them for a while. Two years ago, you'll recall it was Sepp Straka. Last year, it was Chris Gotterup. This year, at least in the majors, it's been Harris English.

But Kurt Kitayama is also moving up on my "bullish" list, too.

And I think he has a great chance to play well next week at Royal Birkdale.

Kitayama has made 14 of 16 cuts this season.

All of his statistical numbers are excellent this year except one, and it's a big one. He's 111th on TOUR in shots gained: putting.

But he's 3rd in total driving and 4th in greens in regulation. In other words, he's a fairways-and-greens machine. And he hits the ball a long way. All he needs is a good week with the putter.

A lot of guys can say that, of course. "If I putt well this week, I can win." And that's true for a lot of players. But very few of them have the ball striking numbers of Kitayama. If he hits like he's been hitting next week at Birkdale, he just needs to make some putts and he could very well have a chance to win.

Friday July 10, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4343

so...what is the magic number?

We have lots of questions to get to and answer on this Friday here in The Land of Pleasant (stormy) Living.

That was a nice way to end a not-so-nice series with the Cubs on Thursday, as the Birds generated just three hits but still managed a 3-2 victory at Camden Yards. Three hits and a win. That doesn't happen often.

The good news? Trevor Rogers really does look like the Trevor Rogers we saw in 2025.

As you'll see in one of the questions below, Rogers gets mentioned prominently in today's edition of #DMD.

The bad news? Almost everything else about the series with the Cubs.

And now the Royals are coming to town and that should mean at least two wins for the orange and black if not a full 3-game sweep of the visitors from Kansas City.

But we also thought we were gonna sweep the Nationals a couple of weekends ago, remember?

On to the Mailbag we go.

Bart asks -- "DF, I'm curious about your opinion on Pochettino and should the U.S. go all out to keep him around for World Cup 2030?"

DF says -- "For sure. I realize he didn't have to guide them through CONCACAF qualifying and that certainly made getting the U.S. team "ready" for the World Cup far easier, but at some point we have to turn the club over to someone who is highly qualified and stick with them for at least two World Cup cycles, if not longer.

This is a little similar to the Ryder Cup, except that is played every two years. For some reason, the U.S. gives their captain a one-off shot at running the team and then, win or lose, they just move on to another captain. I don't get that at all. The Europeans are going with Luke Donald for a third straight Ryder Cup in 2027. As they should.

I thought Poch did an admirable job overall. Sure, their group wasn't exactly a bunch of high-flyers, but they won the first two when they needed to win them and they beat a commendable Bosnia team in the first knockout game. Belgium was a fiasco, but I don't put much of that or, any of it, really, on the coach.

I'd be disappointed if the USSF doesn't go out of their way to keep him around for four more years, although I assume he will not be the coach moving forward. I'm sure he'll get a nice offer from a European club and it will come down to money and he'll be gone."

Rich asks -- "If July 20 (give or take a day) leaves two weeks before the MLB trade deadline, what do you think the Orioles magic number is in terms of a wild card spot for them to be either buyers or sellers at the deadine? And if you could only move one player at the deadline, who would you trade?"

DF says -- "I'm not sure why you picked two weeks out, unless you're thinking most of the best deals occur early, a couple of weeks before the actual deadline. If not, I think you can go up to one week before the deadline before you make "the call".

Using your logic of two weeks, I'd say the O's have to be within 4 games of the final wild card spot in order to not be sellers.

I think it's probably the same if you run it up until a week before. They have to be within 4 games of the final wild card spot, otherwise, you might as well consider selling off whatever you can. Remember, it's not just the games, but how many teams you have to jump over as well. If you're 4 games out but you only have to jump over two teams, that's one thing. But if you're 4 games out and you have to get past five or six teams, that's a different story.

The one player I'd move in order to get the most in return would be Trevor Rogers. I think someone would definitely give up something of value to receive a solid, dependable left handed starter. I realize he's been good-to-be-very-good over the last 12 months, but you can't pawn off a schlub and expect to get two or three good prospects in return. You'd have to give up Rogers to get something of value.

I like Rogers. I just don't think there's anything else of real value that we can move other than him."

Jason asks -- "Hey Drew, 12.4 handicap golfer here and have a question for you about putting and hope you can help. Feel free to use this on the website Q & A if you want. So almost every round I play includes at least four three putt greens, if not five or more. I can not figure it out. My friends I play with say I should be a 6 or 7 handicap but I can't stop three putting. Do you have any drills or exercises I should do to help with my putting?"

DF says -- "It would help a little if I knew how you're three putting. Are you leaving most of your first putts considerably short of the cup or are you running them well past the hole? Is your speed good but your aim and green reading what's hurting you?

Anyway, I'd probably answer the question the same way. I actually just taught this drill at the Calvert Hall Golf camp this week.

I call it the "Bet Your Life" putt. How close do you have to be to the hole in order to mythically "bet your life" that you'd make that putt? Most people would laugh and say "6 inches".

I'd challenge you to go to the practice green and try to figure out what your "Bet Your Life" distance is. Is it 18 inches? Two feet? I know, for me, it's probably around 2.5 feet. Once you get to three feet or more, you start to say to yourself, "Yeah, I just don't know that I'd bet my life on making this 3 footer."

So......I would then, as a drill, practice the living daylights out of that "Bet Your Life" distance and then never miss a putt again from that length. It might be boring, but I'd putt 50 of them from two feet and make all 50 in a row.

And then, the second part of the drill is the one that will help your three putt issues. Double the length of your "Bet Your Life" distance and practice 50 of them at a time. And you have to make 35 of the 50 from that distance or you start over. You can't leave the green until you've made 35 of 50 putts from whatever your "Bet Your Life" distance is, times two.

In other words, you make 50 in a row from two feet. Double that putt to four feet and make 35 of 50 from that distance. Once you've mastered that four foot difference, double that distance and make 35 of 50 from eight feet as a practice drill.

If you do the drill right, you'll make every putt from two feet and 35 of 50 from four feet and then 35 of 50 from eight feet.

The more of those you make in practice, the more comfortable you're going to be on the course when you face those pesky two footers and four footers for par. The key to the whole drill is identifying how far away your "Bet Your Life" distance is and never miss one of those again. Let me know if this helps! I hope it does."

Tim G. asks -- "I followed along on X a few days ago when you were arguing with the guy about soccer players not being "real athletes" and it made me wonder how you would rank the top five sports in terms of athleticism (baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer)."

DF says: "Great question! I don't really know how to do this since every sport has their own athletic "values" that some of the other sports don't necessarily have.

But I know this: The sport that requires the most athleticism is definitely hockey. Those guys (and gals) are #1 with a bullet.

After that, I'd probably say football and basketball are neck and neck. Certain positions in football require more athleticism, obviously. I'd say soccer and baseball are next. There's a misnomer that baseball players aren't athletic and that's most certainly not true.

Baseball, in fact, is the one sport where hand-eye coordination is probably greater than in any other athletic endeavor.

If you've been watching the World Cup for the last three weeks and you don't think soccer players are supremely athletic the way they run, jump, cut and use their bodies for both power and positioning, then there's no helping you."

Glen asks -- "My golf group at Greystone has a question for you and the Morning Dish. We have a player, let's call him "Mike", who is 33 years old. His last five rounds from the back tees at Greystone are 80, 85, 78, 80, 83. He has been playing golf since 2020.

We all went to the LIV event in Virginia last year and on the ride home he said "If I quit my job and played golf every day like those guys I could be a pro golfer in two years."

Last Saturday someone in the group brought that up and he double downed and said, "Give me two years and I could be a pro golfer."

What do you think the odds are he could be a professional golfer in two years if he quit his job and just golfed every day?"

DF says -- "I'm sorry to say this. Mike has a zero percent chance. He can play golf every day for two years and he's not going to earn a living playing on one of the professional golf tours.

Now, could he become a scratch golfer in two years with the right training and instruction? Sure, that's possible. But there is a huge difference between a scratch golfer and someone who plays professional golf and makes money from it.

I've shared this story here before. In the early 2000's, I went down to Florida for a couple of weeks to enter a bunch of tournaments on something called the Moonlight Tour. It's now called the OGA Tour, whatever that means. Anyway, the Moonlight Tour included one day 18 hole events and two day 36 hole events. It was filled with players of all ages who were trying to "find their way" in professional golf.

I was a +1 or +2 player at that point. I could go weeks at a time shooting nothing higher than 72 at Mount Pleasant, Cliton Park, Pine Ridge, etc. I decided to go down to Florida and just do two weeks down there to see where I fit in.

I entered 7 events. I played five, one-day tournaments and two, two-day tournaments. These events were on real Florida golf courses, form the back tees. In those 7 events, a total of 162 holes, I was 11 over par. I shot 69-70 in one of the two day tournaments and finished 8th out of 18 players!

I came back home with a new respect for "professional golf", even on something as minor-league as the Moonlight Tour in the Tampa/Orlando area.

My financial numbers might not be exactly accurate, but they're close. I think it cost me $1,000 to enter the 7 events and I made $770 in prize money.

I learned my lesson very quickly and, fortunately, it didn't cost me an arm and a leg to see where I stood.

Your friend Mike would discover the same thing. Do you know how many high level "scratch" golfers there are in this country? Thousands of them. Thousands and thousands. And those are the guys (and gals) who can't make money playing golf, remember."

Brian Preller asks -- How about a Baltimore/Maryland overrated and underrated segment for a future edition of The Dish? I'll give you these five things and you can decide if they're overrated or underrated: Ocean City, Crabs, Deep Creek Lake, Fells Point, Annapolis

Thanks, Drew!"

DF says -- "Hmmmm, I'll get in trouble for this one. They're actually all underrated except for crabs. Crabs are waaaaayyyy overrated. Too much work, not enough yield, dangerous (is there anything worse than slicing your finger on a crab shell?) and just not very satisfying. You have to eat 15 of them to even remotely feel "filled up".

I love Ocean City. I'm not a fan of the Boardwalk, per se, but I don't ever venture down there. In general, though, I love Ocean City life. I'd open a coffee shop down there in a heartbeat in my next life.

Deep Creek is also awesome. I love the late summer and early fall in Western, Maryland. Deep Creek is a great, sleepy little place in those months. There isn't a whole lot to do, I'd say, but that's the charm of it. There's just enough to do to keep yourself busy.

I think Fells Point is also very underrated. Park your car, walk around, get good food and drink. It's not as lively as it was 25 or 30 years ago, but nothing in Baltimore is, right?

And I love, love, love Annapolis. The downtown portion near the Naval Academy is soooooo awesome.

Sorry, crab lovers. Crabs are big time overrated. Everything else, though, is underrated in a big way."

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8. At #7, it was Tyrrell Hatton.

#6 Brooks Koepka -- I continue to be bullish on Koepka, mainly because I think putting is usually the one facet of the game that doesn't play a huge role in winning the Claret Jug. Koepka isn't a bad putter. But he's been having a tough time on the greens in the U.S. this year.

He did get off to a good start in yesterday's Scottish Open (4 under par), so that also bodes well for him.

I'm bullish on Koepka because I think he's a guy who still has a lot of good golf left in him and the British Open seems like the kind of event he can still win.

And while he wouldn't openly admit it, I think the career grand slam is very important to Koepka, He's halfway there. He needs a British Open and a Masters. He can still win both of them, in my opinion.

The British Open is all about the weather draw and the way each player handles the nuances of the course. We won't know about Koepka's weather draw until next week, but I don't see Royal Birkdale being a problem for him.

I'd love to see Koepka win next week for his 6th career major championship.

faith in sports

I hope you'll take 7 minutes today to watch the video below. It's the full recap from last week's FCA Competitors Camp at Liberty University.

I was blessed to help run the golf camp, with 24 golfers joining us for five days of instruction, faith and fellowship.

We're a year away from returning and I'd say to you, today, if you have a son or daughter ages 10 to 18 and they're an athlete of any skill level, please consider sending them to Competitors Camp next summer.

If you have a young, junior golfer, reach out to me and I'll introduce them to our FCA Maryland Golf program. Our next free junior clinic is Wednesday, July 22 at Pine Ridge driving range from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.

The video below is awesome. It shows you exactly what our camp at Liberty is all about.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our Friday "Faith in Sports" segment.

Thursday July 9, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4342

you are much appreciated!

I guess we should formally thank the Chicago Cubs for pushing us over the edge and convincing Mike Elias and his staff we should sell at the trade deadline in early August.

Wait.........

Not so fast. There's a lot of baseball left between now and then.

The "much appreciated" in the headline was for all of you who offered contributions yesterday to our fund for new golf equipment for Liam O'Donoghue, the rising junior at Calvert Hall who lost his left arm in a terrible car accident back in May.

We're at $870 and counting thanks to your generosity! And it was all done right here at #DMD. I sincerely appreciate every dollar sent.

The next step is to purchase a set of clubs for Liam and get him fitted for them. I'll get that done next week. We're also going to arrange for some lessons for him as well. I've invited him out to the free monthly FCA junior clinic on Wednesday, July 22 at Pine Ridge.

On yesterday's final day of camp at Eagle's Nest CC, Liam got to swing the driver for the first time and made really good contact. He's such a good athlete! For kicks, we had the other 13 boys hit their driver using just their right arm and they got a taste for how difficult it is to do. Everyone had a new-found respect for Liam!

I'll be back next week with an update on Liam's clubs and will hopefully get him out to a FCA clinic sometime soon and post pictures and videos here of his progress. Thank you all again, for contributing and supporting Liam's return to golf!

Now, back to the O's and Cubs and that "thank you" we owe the Cubs after last night's 9-7 Chicago win at Camden Yards.

The Birds are now 42-51 and have just four games remaining before the All-Star break. By the way, in case you didn't hear, today's game has been moved from 6:35 pm to 1:35 pm due to forecasted inclement weather this evening in the Baltimore metro area.

That just means your dinner won't get spoiled when the Birds give up two runs in the top of the 9th to lose 5-3 today.

Actually, if I were to wager on this game today, I'd actually take the O's. They're not losing three of three to Chicago. Alas, I would never bet on (or against) the Orioles. They're far too unpredictable.

After today's game, the Birds host lowly Kansas City for a weekend 3-banger and then comes the All-Star break. A win today and a sweep of the Royals will put the Orioles at 46-52 at the break.

My fear, and your fear, probably, is that 46-51 is just close enough to .500 to keep Mike Elias in the "buying" mode at the break instead of the rightful "selling" position he should be adopting.

You know me. I'm not giving up or quitting until the schedule says I have to do it. If we still have hope, we should keep on playing hard to see if we can generate a miracle.

But I do understand how trade deadlines work and, at some point, you, as the GM, have to push aside what your heart tells you and go with your brain, even if there's two months of baseball left to play.

Here's the truth: These O's should be sellers at the deadline.

It would be way different, say, if they were getting guys like Westburg, Mountcastle and a starting pitcher or two back in mid-to-late July and could reasonably think, "If those four guys come back and they're able to play at a high level, we could get back in the playoff race."

Those guys aren't coming back, though. Mountcastle might be but there's beyond zero evidence to suggest he'll be of any help against any team not hailing from Toronto.

The only way the Birds improve in August and beyond is via the trade deadline and "buying" rather than selling. I just don't think that's prudent at this point.

The problem, though, is there's really no one of value to sell. No one is taking Tyler O'Neill. What's Blaze Alexander going to fetch you?

If Chris Bassitt would have made 18 healthy starts by late July and was sport something in the 4.50 ERA range, you might have been able to pawn him off on someone. But he's hurt. And his value is gone.

There's no reason to get rid of any other starting pitchers, especially when you're already starting-pitching starved as it is.

Maybe someone would take Mayo, Beavers or Cowser, sure. They're young and have value. But they're also largely all three unproven players at this point. Teams who are buying need "proven", not unproven.

Taylor Ward might be of interest to people but he wouldn't net you anything of value. You'd just be getting rid of him to get rid of him.

The only way Elias makes any kind of significant impact at the trade deadline is if he gets rid of someone of true value, like Rutschman, Henderson, Bradish, Rogers, etc.

And I just don't see that happening.

That could also be the reason why Elias winds up buying at the deadline instead of selling. With nothing to sell, why nost just buy and roll the dice one final time?

---

orioles minor league player of the week

It’s time to highlight the O’s farm system a little bit and announce our DMD Orioles’ Minor League Player of the Week.

This week several prospects made this an incredibly difficult decision, but we shifted gears this week from a weekly performance to highlighting the two Baltimore prospects that will be playing in this year’s MLB All-Star Future’s Game: OF/1B Ike Irish and LHP Joseph Dzierwa.

This year’s MLB All-Star Future’s Game will be played this Sunday, July 12 at noon EST at Ciizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The game will air on NBC and the Orioles’ very own Melanie Newman will be part of the broadcast team.

Irish, 22, is no surprise to be on this year’s roster. He is simply tearing it up at High-A Frederick. The O’s 2025 first round selection out of Auburn University is hitting .260 with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, a robust 47 RBI, 53 runs scored and has also added 18 stolen bases as well.

Thanks to drawing 42 walks and seven hit-by-pitches, Irish is also boasting a .378 OBP and a .847 OPS.

Currently ranked as the second best prospect in the O’s system by MLB Pipeline, Irish is liking forcing the organization’s hand to bump him up to AA Chesapeake after his Future’s game appearance.

Joining Irish in Philly on Sunday is 22-year old lefty Joseph Dzierwa. A fellow 2025 draft pick (2nd – 58 overall) out of Michigan State University, Dzierwa began the year as teammates with Irish in Frederick before being promoted to AA after making South Atlantic League hitters look silly.

While in Frederick, Dzierwa went 5-1 with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.811 WHIP over 40.2 innings pitched. He also struck out 50 batters over those eight starts and walked just 10.

Since being promoted to AA, he has continued to be a dominant force on the mound. Over nine outings (seven starts), Dzierwa has gone 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA, 0.971 WHIP, 56 strikeouts and has walked just 11 over 45.1 innings pitched.

Jumping multiple levels in your first full professional season as a pitcher is not very common, but if the 12th ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline) continues to pitch like this, he may very well get a few starts at the AAA level later in the season.

Good luck to Irish and Dzierwa as they represent the Orioles in this year’s MLB All-Star Future’s Game on Sunday in Philladelphia!

Be sure to check back in all season as we will continue to highlight top performers from the O’s farm system!

This contribution was provided by our Orioles minor league correspondent, Josh Michael.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9. Brian Harman was #8.

#7, Tyrrell Hatton -- As much as this pains me to do, Hatton is on my list and will probably be a guy I throw a dollar or two on next week at Royal Birkdale.

I'm not a fan.

First, he's a LIV player, so I immediately think of him more as a charlatan than someone I'd root for to win a major championship.

Second, I don't like his volatile personality on the course. It's a terrible example for impressionble junior golfers. I've never been a Tyrrell Hatton fan because of that, mainly.

Once he jumped ship to LIV, that cemented it for me.

All that said ------ the dude is a really nice player. He totally could win next week's British Open. He drives it straight, is a sublime iron player and has some of that Ian Poulter in him where he seemingly rolls in every big putt he leaves himself with.

His upright golf swing looks a little wonky, but the ball has no idea what the backswing looks like. He is an outstanding ball striker.

Whether he has, as they say over there in the U.K., the "bottle" to win a British Open remains to be seen. His record at the Open Championship is decent, but nothing more than that. He generally either misses the cut or finishes somewhere around T15.

I look at Hatton a little bit like this generation's version of Lee Westwood, minus the temper. Westwood was a high quality European player two decades ago who flirted with winning several major championships but never got it done. Hatton's golf swing is similar. But his overall quality is a tick or two higher than that of his fellow countryman.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Tyrrell Hatton triumph at Royal Birkdale next week.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup quarterfinals preview

The Round of 16 is complete, and for American fans, it could feel like this World Cup has reached a natural stopping point.

The US is out. Canada is out. Mexico is out. All three host nations are gone before the quarterfinals, ending the local party earlier than any of the home crowds would have wanted.

Canada were beaten soundly by Morocco. Mexico went toe-to-toe with England at the Azteca but came up just short. The US had a chance to make a real statement against Belgium and instead were put firmly in their place.

So the tournament has lost some of its home-soil appeal, but that does not mean it is time to check out.

There are only eight teams left. Four games in the quarterfinals. Two semifinals. One final. The bracket has thinned out, the stakes are obvious, the stars are still here, and every remaining team has a clean storyline.

The Round of 16 gave us the end of the host-nation dream, the end of Brazil and Portugal, another Messi miracle, another Haaland takeover, another England survival act, and a final eight that splits almost perfectly between established powers and countries chasing something they have never done before.

And now the quarterfinals are set:

Match Storyline --

France vs. Morocco: Reigning powerhouse vs. Africa’s standard-bearer

Spain vs. Belgium: Defensive perfection vs. one more Belgian run

Norway vs. England: Haaland’s moment vs. England’s burden

Argentina vs. Switzerland: Messi’s last dance vs. the bracket menace

That is a pretty spectacular final eight.

For anyone who came into this tournament mostly focused on the US, or the novelty of a World Cup in North America, here are eight reasons to keep watching.

8. The Tournament Is Simpler, Sharper, and More Dramatic Now

The group stage is fun, but it is chaotic. There are too many games to track, too many scenarios to calculate, and too many teams that casual fans barely recognize.

The Round of 32 was exciting, but it was also new. It took some adjustment. It felt a little strange to have another knockout round before the usual last 16.

Now the tournament is simple.

Eight teams. Seven games left. No more scoreboard watching. No more “best third-place team” math. No more wondering which results matter.

Win and move on, lose and go home.

The US run is over, and it ended in sobering fashion. The Americans were good enough to dominate weaker teams, good enough to win their group, good enough to beat Bosnia shorthanded, but not good enough to handle Belgium when the tournament reached the level where mistakes get punished immediately.

That is disappointing, but it should not end the viewing experience.

In some ways, this is the best time for casual fans to jump back in. You do not need to know the entire tournament history. You do not need to watch three games a day. You do not need to understand every tactical debate.

You just need to know the stakes.

7. The First-Time Winners Are Not Just Cute Stories

There are four teams left that have never won the World Cup: Morocco, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland.

None of them should be treated like a novelty act.

Morocco are probably not a Cinderella anymore. At some point, when you reach the semifinal in 2022, knock out the Netherlands in 2026, beat Canada 3-0, and reach back-to-back World Cup quarterfinals, you are just good.

They are organized, confident, and completely comfortable making more famous teams uncomfortable.

They also carry the hopes of an entire continent. No African team has ever reached a World Cup final. Morocco came closest four years ago. Now they get another shot, and fittingly, it comes against France, the same country that ended their 2022 run.

Belgium are a different kind of first-time hopeful. They are not some scrappy underdog. They have been around the top of international soccer for years. But that is exactly what makes their story interesting.

The old Belgium golden generation never finished the job. They were always talented enough to win a tournament and always found a way to fall short. This group may not have the same aura as peak Belgium, but after beating Senegal late in the Round of 32 and then hammering the US in the Round of 16, they are very much alive.

That 4-1 win over the Americans was not a fluke. Belgium created the better chances, punished the US mistakes, and looked like a team that understood the level of the moment better than the hosts did.

Norway are the easiest sell. They have Haaland. That alone makes them dangerous. But they are not just a one-man team. Martin Odegaard gives them a creator to pair with the most ruthless finisher in the world, and now they have the belief that comes from knocking out Brazil. For a country that had never won a World Cup knockout game before this tournament, that is an enormous shift.

Then there is Switzerland, the least glamorous and possibly most annoying team left in the bracket. They are the type of team nobody wants to play. Organized, experienced, defensively solid, and perfectly happy to turn a game into a coin flip if that is what the moment requires.

Colombia had been one of the most dangerous non-favorites in the tournament, and Switzerland still dragged them through 120 scoreless minutes and beat them on penalties. That is the beauty of the final eight. The famous teams are famous for a reason. But the challengers all have real arguments too.

6. France and Argentina Are Chasing Dynasty Status

There are two different dynasty stories still alive.

France are trying to reach a third straight World Cup final. That is a rarefied level of consistency in a tournament that is built to destroy plans. One bad bounce, one red card, one penalty shootout, one goalkeeper standing on his head, and four years of work can disappear.

France won it in 2018. They reached the final in 2022. Now they are in the quarterfinals again, with Morocco standing between them and another semifinal. This is not just a talented generation. This is one of the great national-team runs of the modern era.

And the thing with France is that they still feel like they have another gear. They have Mbappe. They have Dembele. They have Olise. They have waves of athletes and attacking options. They can win a game 3-0, or they can grind through Paraguay 1-0 without ever looking truly panicked. That is what great tournament teams do.

Argentina’s chase is different. They are trying to become the first repeat World Cup winner since Brazil in 1962.

Repeating is brutally hard. The target on your back is bigger. The emotional peak of winning the first one is almost impossible to recreate. The squad gets older. The opponents adjust. The margins shrink.

Argentina have already felt all of that. Cape Verde pushed them to extra time. Egypt nearly knocked them out. Messi had to rescue them again. This has not been a smooth title defense. But that may actually make the story better.

Argentina are not cruising toward history. They are staggering, fighting, clinging, and somehow still moving forward. Every round feels like it could be the end. Every time it looks like the magic is running out, Messi finds a little more. France look like a machine chasing history.

Argentina look like a legend refusing to let go.

Both are worth watching.

5. Spain’s Defense Is Chasing History

Spain have played five games in this World Cup and still have not conceded a goal.

That is absurd.

There is always a temptation to define Spain by their possession and passing. Death by a thousand sideways passes until suddenly someone is walking the ball into the net. That is the stereotype.

But this version of Spain has been defined just as much by what they do without the ball. They are organized, disciplined, and suffocating. Rodri and Pedri have quickly won balls back and stopped transitions. Laporte and Cubarsi have kept them organized and calm at the back.

They make games feel small. Spain do not just beat teams, they slowly remove oxygen from the match.

Their 1-0 win over Portugal was not exactly the kind of game that will bring casual fans sprinting back to soccer, but was the kind of game that wins tournaments. Spain did not panic. They did not open themselves up. They kept Portugal under control, waited for the moment, and found the winner in stoppage time.

No men’s World Cup champion has ever gone through the entire tournament without conceding a goal. Spain are still three games away from doing something that has never been done.

The irony is that Spain’s 2010 champions were already famous for winning ugly. They scored only eight goals in the whole tournament and won every knockout game 1-0. This group has a chance to do something even more extreme defensively.

For fans who like offense, France may be the team. For fans who like chaos, Norway and Argentina have delivered. But if you want to watch a team attempt to turn the World Cup into a tactical chokehold, Spain are the team to follow.

4. Heavyweights on a Collision Course

One of the fun parts of the Round of 16 was that the bracket did not completely break. Brazil are gone. Portugal are gone. The hosts are gone. Germany and the Netherlands were already gone. So yes, there has been plenty of chaos.

But the top of the bracket still has the potential for monster matchups.

France and Spain are one win away from a semifinal that would feel worthy of any final. France have the overwhelming attacking talent. Spain have the best defensive record in the tournament and the midfield structure to control any opponent. It would be a fascinating clash of styles: French explosiveness against Spanish control.

On the other side, Argentina and England are both one win away from reviving one of the great international rivalries. Argentina-England has World Cup history, political history, Maradona history, penalty shootout history, and enough lingering tension to make the buildup feel enormous before anyone even mentions the current players.

Of course, that assumes Morocco, Belgium, Norway, and Switzerland cooperate. They may not. Morocco already knocked out the Netherlands in the Round of 32 and then beat Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16. Belgium just hammered the US 4-1.

Norway knocked out Brazil. Switzerland just sent Colombia home on penalties. None of these teams are here by accident.

But for the neutral fan, that is the perfect setup. You can root for the heavyweight semifinals, or you can root for the Cinderella stories. Either way, there is something to watch.

3. Champions vs Dreamers

Every quarterfinal matches a former World Cup champion against a country trying to win it for the first time.

France have won it twice. Morocco have never reached a final.

Spain have won it once. Belgium have never won it.

England have won it once. Norway have never reached this stage before.

Argentina are the defending champions. Switzerland have not been this far since 1954.

That gives every game an easy frame. History against hunger. Old money against new money. The countries that expect to be here against the countries trying to make this the greatest soccer moment in their national history.

That is especially useful for American fans who may not know every player or every tactical wrinkle. You do not need a deep scouting report to understand the stakes.

France are trying to become a dynasty. Morocco are trying to become the first African team to reach a World Cup final.

Spain are trying to turn defensive dominance into another trophy. Belgium are trying to finally win the tournament that their golden generation never could.

England are trying to end 60 years of baggage. Norway are trying to ride Haaland into completely uncharted territory.

Argentina are trying to repeat as champions. Switzerland are trying to ruin the storybook ending. That is a great bracket.

2. The Stars Are Still Here

One of the fears with an expanded World Cup was that the tournament might become too bloated. More teams, more games, more mismatches, more chances for the bracket to get weird before the best teams finally met.

But at this stage, the star power is undeniable.

Messi is still here. Kylian Mbappe is still here. Erling Haaland is still here. Harry Kane is still here. Spain still have their absurd collection of young talent. France still have the most frightening attacking group in the tournament.

The Round of 16 made that clear.

Haaland scored both goals as Norway stunned Brazil 2-1, knocking out the five-time champions and giving Norway its first ever World Cup quarterfinal appearance. This is the kind of thing that makes the World Cup different from club soccer.

Haaland scores constantly for Manchester City, but doing this for Norway is something else entirely. This is not a super team built around him. This is a country that has never been a World Cup power, now suddenly three wins from a trophy because it has one of the most terrifying forwards alive.

It was mostly Bellingham who carried England in this round, helping them survive a wild 3-2 game against Mexico at the Azteca, but Kane stepped up to bury the eventual game winning penalty. England were pushed hard, the atmosphere was ridiculous, and they had to play most of the second half down a man. It was exactly the type of game England could have lost in a dozen different ways. Instead, they survived.

Mbappe and France did not need fireworks against Paraguay. They needed one goal, one professional defensive performance, and one more step forward. That is almost scarier. France have not always had to hit top gear in this tournament, but they keep advancing, and they still look like the team with the highest ceiling.

Then there is Spain, who edged Portugal 1-0 on a stoppage-time goal from Mikel Merino, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup run and possibly closing the book on one of the great international careers.

It was not a classic. It was not Spain at their prettiest. But knockout soccer is often about control, patience, and one ruthless moment. Spain found it.

This is not a tournament where the famous names disappeared early and left casual fans searching for a reason to care. The biggest stars in the sport are still right in the middle of the story.

1. Messi’s Last Dance Is Still Alive

There are not many players in any sport who can make a game feel historic just by stepping onto the field. Lionel Messi is one of them.

At 39 years old, Messi is still dragging Argentina through the highest-pressure games in the world. That sentence should not make sense, and yet here we are.

Argentina looked dead against Egypt. Down 2-0 late, with Egypt playing fearlessly and the defending champions staring at one of the most shocking exits in World Cup history, it felt like the tournament was about to lose its biggest story.

Then Messi did what Messi has done for almost two decades. He bent the game back toward himself.

He helped create the first goal with a pinpoint cross, then he scored the equalizer with a blazing half-volley. Argentina found the winner in stoppage time. Somehow, they survived.

This comes after Argentina had already been pushed to the brink by Cape Verde in the Round of 32. For two straight knockout games, Argentina have not exactly looked like a machine. They have looked vulnerable, stretched, and at times almost overwhelmed by the moment. But they still have Messi.

This is almost certainly the last time we will see Messi on this stage. Every Argentina game could be his final World Cup game. Every free kick, every corner, every touch around the box now carries that extra weight.

And the craziest part is that this is not some ceremonial farewell tour. He is not being carried by a younger generation while everyone politely applauds the legend. He is still the main character.

He is still deciding games. He is still adding to a World Cup resume that already looked complete four years ago.

If you are a casual sports fan, that is reason enough to keep watching. You do not get many chances to see one of the greatest athletes ever try to extend the final act of his career one game at a time.

The hosts are gone, and for American fans that stings. This World Cup was supposed to be the moment where the home teams carried the event deep into July. Instead, the quarterfinals will go on without them.

But the World Cup was never only about the hosts. It is about the biggest stars, the strangest upsets, the heavyweight collisions, the countries that believe this might finally be their time, and the legends trying to write one more chapter before the lights go out.

The Round of 16 closed the North American portion of the dream.

The real tournament is still very much alive.

Wednesday July 8, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4341

looking for important help

I witnessed first-hand one of God's great miracles this week.

I saw it with my own two eyes.

You can see it, too, in the video below.

Two months after he was involved in a horrific car accident that claimed the lives of two of his friends and resulted in the total loss of his left arm, I saw Calvert Hall rising junior Liam O'Donoghue hit a golf ball. Liam is one of 13 boys who is attending the Calvert Hall Golf junior camp I'm running at Eagle's Nest CC this week.

I've seen a lot of things in my golfing life.

Watching Liam stand on the driving range this week and "re-learn" how to play golf using only his right arm and hand is one of the greatest things I've witnessed.

"You and I are going to enter new territory this week," I said to Liam on Monday morning when he arrived with the other boys for day one of camp. "I've never taught someone how to hit a golf ball using only one arm. And you've never had to learn how to hit a golf ball with one arm. So let's learn together."

As you see from the video below, Liam is already figuring out how to make solid contact using just his right arm and hand.

In an interesting teaching twist, I remarked to Liam on Monday that I often practice short 50 yard shots using only my right arm and hand. So when I stood up there with him and showed him that you can hit a golf ball using just your right arm and hand, it reinforced to him that it can certainly be done by anyone.

My goal is to get him to hit a driver by the time the camp ends this week.

He can already hit a wedge and other irons. The driver will be a challenge because it requires a little more speed and body movement, but we'll figure it out together.

Now..........I need some help. Some important help.

I'd like to buy Liam a new set of golf clubs and get them dialed in for him with a more upright lie angle to help him strike the ball more cleanly from the vertical stance and posture he has to use for balance purposes.

We'll take him to Golf Galaxy in Towson and put him on the launch monitor to figure out what flex his driver shaft needs to be given his injuries.

This is a project worth taking on because Liam would love to be able to play golf again sometime in the future.

And I want to help him.

I'm looking to raise some money here to help purchase new clubs and even potentially get him set up with a lesson or two from an instructor in the area who works with military "Wounded Warriors" who want to play golf and overcome their injuries in the process.

Whatever we raise, we'll spend on Liam's pursuit of golf. New clubs, lessons, etc.

My Calvert Hall Golf program is first up with a donation of $100.

I'm not asking you to donate $100.

I'm asking you to donate $10. Or $20. Or $25.

Whatever you can donate will go to the purchase of Liam's new irons, new woods and a lesson or two with an instructor who can fine tune Liam's swing given his new body.

Can you help? It's important.

You can Venmo me your contribution at: MarylandJuniorGolf

Note that it's MarylandJuniorGolf in what appears to be all one word. No spaces.

Once we get the clubs purchased, I'll post some pictures and videos here with Liam and his new irons and woods. Wait until you see his smile!

I hope you feel this is a worthy cause. No one should have to endure what those four boys went through that night in Baltimore County. Sadly, two of them lost their lives. And the other two are trying to learn to live with a "new normal".

I'm hoping the #DMD community will help me as I try to help Liam. It's important help.

Take a look at day one of Liam at Calvert Hall Golf camp!

One of the more interesting arguments we've heard in the wake of the U.S. soccer debacle on Monday night is the ongoing "best athletes don't play soccer" nonsense.

Who are the best athletes in U.S. sports these days? LeBron? Lamar? Who else? Name them? Rattle them all off.

What evidence is in place to suggest that if LeBron James would have "tried soccer" at age 18 that he would be leading the U.S. to a World Cup title in 2026?

None. No evidence at all.

Michael Jordan was famously a great athlete. Remember him? He tried to play baseball. He couldn't do it.

Hundreds of high quality, professional athletes have thought they could compete in the world of professional golf. None of them have come close, at all, to being good enough to make a living playing professional golf.

Just because Lamar Jackson can run fast and dodge oncoming defensive players does not mean, in any way, that he'd "automatically" be a great soccer player.

If you took all of the best athletes from Ghana and gave them ice skates and a hockey stick, would they be good enough to beat the U.S. and Canada in hockey in, say, 10 years? No chance.

20 years? No way.

30 years? Nope.

There's a reason why no 21 year old from Iceland or Greenland or Russia has ever won the U.S. Open golf championship. Golf isn't important in those countries.

The United States has been taking the sport of soccer seriously for about 40 years now. Youth soccer and club-level, elite soccer started being a thing in the U.S. in the mid 1970's. But it didn't fully blossom into a stepping stone for professional soccer until the 1980's.

We are, right now, realistically only two generations into the pursuit of being a world soccer power.

Claudio Reyna was a high quality U.S. player in the 1990's and 2000's. His son, Gio, has been part of the U.S. program for the last 6 years.

Two generations of soccer is where we are right now.

That's not nearly enough to beat programs like Argentina, England, Brazil, Spain and so on.

They're better at soccer than we are.

We have the best 24 American soccer players playing in the program right now. But our 24 aren't better than the best 24 in Belgium or Portugal or Germany.

We Americans tend to think the U.S. should just willy-nilly be great at soccer because, you know, we just decide to be great at it.

Newsflash: We might not ever win the World Cup.

Portugal has never won it.

Neither has Mexico. Japan hasn't won it. The Soviets have never won it.

It's hard to win the World Cup.

Everyone in the U.S. just assumes we don't win because "we don't have the best athletes playing soccer".

I know this is a gut punch, but here's the truth: We think we're the best at everything in the U.S., but we're not the best at soccer. We're just not.

You can trot "the best athletes" out there all you want, but there's no proof that Lamar Jackson, Steph Curry or Freddie Freeman would be better at soccer than Christian Pulisic or Malik Tillman or Chris Richards.

We lost to Belgium because Belgian soccer has far better training and coaching than we do here in the States and they're generationally-advanced over us.

We would have lost to Spain for the same reason.

Now, was Monday's game a bit of an outlier? I tend to think so. If that game gets played five times, I don't think the U.S. loses 4-1 again. That was about as bad as they could possibly play, as a group, on Monday night.

But on the whole, the U.S. isn't ready to beat one of the international powers in a knockout game in the World Cup. We'd need a miracle of sorts to pull off that kind of win.

That said, the best soccer players in the country were on the roster for World Cup 2026. For four games, that roster was good enough. Monday night, it wasn't.

America has to just accept that we're not as good as other countries in soccer. Someday, maybe we will be. But that day is still off in the distance, for sure.

OK, well that's 50 losses now for the O's after last night's 5-2 defeat at the hands of the visiting Chicago Cubs. In case you stopped following a while back -- which, based on last night's attendance, a lot of you have -- the Birds only have 42 wins.

They're 92 games into a 162-game season.

Flyers fans, there's no need to rush for your calculators. We can do this math without the need for machinery.

There are 70 games left in the regular season.

In order for the Orioles to reach 86 wins, which should/could net them a wild card berth in the A.L., they have to win 44 of their remaining 70 games.

Got that? They need to go 44-26 between now and the end of the season.

It's far from "crunch time" right now. It's July 8, after all. But they can only lose 26 more times between now and the end of September. That seems like a tall task for a team that has only won 42 games in 90 tries thus far.

Last night's loss to the Cubs was just another entry in the "frustrating losses" department.

Shane Baz allowed just six hits and three earned runs in six full innings of work. He wasn't Cy Young or anything like that, but three runs and six hits over six innings should be good enough to get your team a "W", particularly at home.

Alas, Baz got the loss to fall to 4-9 on the season.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore offense mustered just six hits themselves on the night. Adley Rutschman had two of them.

It's not really getting any better.

When the offense sputters, the pitching is good enough to win a game.

When the pitching stinks, the bats come through but the other guys score too many runs.

It's hard to explain, but these Orioles just can't put it all together.

26 more losses. That's all they can afford. Let the countdown begin.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren. Padraig Harrington was #9.

#8 is Brian Harman -- Why not? He was a winner at Royal Liverpool in 2023, sorta-kinda out of nowhere. And his game always seems to perk up for the majors.

He's having an excellent 2026 season, with 14 cuts made in 17 tournaments entered.

But all of his data is "down" or concerning.

He doesn't drive it very far.

His accuracy numbers need to improve.

He's struggling with the putter, too.

But he was doing all of that in '23 and still won the Claret Jug at Hoylake.

Brian Harman is a battler. When his chakras are in line, he's a tough out.

I see no reason why he can't play well next week at Royal Birkdale. If he can master Royal Liverpool, he can master Birkdale.

The British Open is about patience and resiliency and just staying in it while others get frustrated with the bad weather, tall grass and so on.

Brian Harman isn't going to quit. He'll hang in there and fight, fight, fight.

Don't be surprised if you see him battling for a second British Open title next weekend.

Tuesday July 7, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4340

embarrassingly overwhelmed

Any way but that way. Right?

If the U.S. loses 1-0 to Belgium on a goal in extra time, everyone applauds the effort and endorses the 3-week run made by the American squad in the 2026 World Cup.

If the Americans fall behind 2-0 at the half, but score a goal in the 70th minute and then "leave it all on the field" in the final 20 minutes before bowing out gracefully, 2-1, very few people are genuinely disappointed.

If the U.S. battles hard for 120 minutes and it ends in a 1-1 tie and then Belgium wins in penalty kicks, we'd be howling about how "penalty kicks is no way to decide a big game like that" and wouldn't really think twice about the loss.

Any of those scenarios would have been just fine.

Here's the one thing that wouldn't be cool: Getting run out of the gym. Like, totally. The one thing we couldn't have happen was getting boatraced in our own ballpark on a day when the entire nation paused for two hours to watch it all unfold in high definition.

Just don't get clobbered.

In the end, it was 4-1 in favor of Belgium and could have been 6-1.

It will also be remembered as a loss after we were gifted a punished player who was back in the lineup despite the rules saying he shouldn't have played.

In other words, we were even the benefactor of some shady s**t by FIFA and still couldn't win.

What a kick to the family jewels the whole night was.

Beating the likes of Belgium was always a tough ask. Sure, this U.S. team rose to the occasion in the group stage and then produced a workmanlike performance against Bosnia in the first round of the knockout stage. They weren't imposters in their first four games.

But they played like imposters on Monday night in Seattle.

When the time came to step up and play with the adults, the U.S. instead stuck with their anime and posted TikTok videos like they were 14 years old.

Listless.

Apprehensive.

Weak.

And, in summary, simply nowhere near good enough to compete with a team like Belgium.

Funniest of all? Belgium is a good team for sure. But they're not an "elite" international soccer program. They needed an absolute mind-boggling miracle last week just to get past........Senegal.

For the U.S. last night, it was an awful performance almost across the board.

Malik Tillman had a decent game.

In a limited 30 minute run, Sebastian Berhalter was OK as well.

And that, honestly, was about it. Everyone else did very little to help the American cause.

The team's biggest names were flat from the beginning.

Pulisic: Looked scared.

Balogun: Nothing from him, really.

McKennie: Looked out of it from the opening whistle.

Dest: Was he on Nyquil or something during the game? He offered nothing whatsoever.

And the goalkeeper, Matt Freese, was shockingly out of his element. He looked like the JV 'keeper who gets called up for a varsity game because the varsity 'keeper got caught vaping in school and is suspended for three days. Other than one spectacular save in the game's first minute, Freese was, if we're being honest, dreadful.

Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino said afterwards, "I don't know why we played the way we did, but we looked nothing like the team from the earlier games."

Well said. And very accurate.

Almost every player in dark blue looked out of it.

But why?

How?

Were they just outclassed? Or was there more to it?

One thing I wondered early on, after the first 15 minutes when the Americans looked lifeless and trailed 1-0, was how much the whole Flo Balogun saga created a distraction for the U.S. team over the 4th of July weekend?

Would he play?

Would he not play?

When will we find out?

If he doesn't play, what will do we with his position?

If he does play, now the pressure shifts all to us.

Something seemed "off" from the opening whistle. Were the Americans feeling the heat of going from a tournament darling to a team people wanted to see lose because of the odd decison by FIFA to reinstate Balogun for the game?

The U.S. got favor from FIFA for sure. Here in America, we called it "doing the right thing", since Balogun shouldn't have been red-carded in the first place. But around the world, folks saw it for what it was. Apparent favoritism. And, suddenly, folks were rooting against the Americans in a way they hadn't before.

I'm not sure if that bothered the U.S. players or not. But "something" wasn't right.

Would they have been better off with the "us against the world" mentality if Balogun would have remained suspended? Maybe. Would you rather do the hunting or be the one everyone is hunting?

I'd rather do the hunting.

Without Balogun, the Americans would be forced to hunt.

But with him back in the lineup, they moved into the "hunted" role. Maybe that was part of what we saw on Monday night.

Perhaps Belgium got the bit between their teeth after they felt jilted by FIFA's decision to allow Balogun to play. That's certainly plausible, right?

"Everyone wants the U.S. to win this game, even FIFA." You can just hear the Belgium coach ramping them up with that rhetoric before the game on Monday.

The explanation could also be the very obvious and simple one. The U.S. men's soccer team is very capable of beating teams at their level or a notch or two below their level. But when it comes to stepping up in class and running a mile and a quarter race when all they've done before is run 6 furlongs........they just can't do it.

The U.S. can beat Paraguay and Australia and even Bosnia. But they're not beating teams like Belgium or Norway or Spain or Portugal. They're just not ready for that kind of prime-time-action.

I do wonder, though. Did the whole Balogun fiasco somehow change the way the U.S. viewed themselves? Did they go from having no pressure and playing with house money to suddenly having the weight of the world on their shoulders and being in one of those "nothing to gain, everything to lose" situations once FIFA caved in and gave them their star player for the game against Belgium?

If they win, everyone says, "You only won because you got Balogun back." If they lose, everyone says, "You crybabies got your top goal-scorer back and still couldn't win."

Us against the world is easy to pull off.

When it's everyone against you, though? That one requires nerves of steel. And the Americans didn't have any of that last night.

Remember what we saw from England on Sunday night in Mexico? They went into the lion's den and took every bite and scratch humanly possible from El Tri and lived to tell about it while advancing to the quarterfinals via one of the most intimidating sports facilities anywhere in the world.

That, on Sunday night, was nerves of steel.

The Americans had Belgium in Seattle on Monday evening and couldn't even tie their shoes right, let alone win a soccer game.

When it came time to show what they were made of, the U.S. squad crawled into the fetal position at midfield and begged to get picked up by their Aunt Connie.

Monday night's fiasco will take a long time to unpack. The Americans had the World Cup on their serve, at home, and couldn't beat even one team above their paygrade.

If they would have won last night and then lost 2-0 or 3-1 to Spain on Friday, no would have batted an eye at that kind of result.

No one, save for perhaps the players themselves, thought the Americans were a final four or championship game contender. Getting to the quarterfinals was always their expected ceiling.

But that's water under the bridge now.

The questions from the game do need to be answered.

Why couldn't they get a solid performance out of Pulisic? He was a total non-factor.

What was the true story behind the goalkeeping issue within the U.S. team? Matt Turner was usurped by Matt Freese, a MLS journeyman of sorts. The right decision? Or was there more to it than just "we went with the guy we thought gave us the best chance to win"?

Where was the depth in the roster? The Turkey loss provided some chilling questions about how effective the team's bench could be. And in Monday's loss to the Belgians, the only guy who subbed in and was even remotely competitive was Berhalter.

Gio Reyna played the second half and disappeared like Casper the Ghost.

No one came in and gave the Americans any kind of spark. Then again, when the goalkeeper ventures out 25 yards into the field of play and loses the ball, leading to an empty net goal and a 3-1 deficit, the lack of energy moving forward is understandable.

Tim Ream and Jedi Robinson were both out of their element on Monday. Ream wasn't that much of a surprise. We always knew he was a potential problem in the back if the match-ups weren't favorable. Robinson, though, should have showed a lot more than he did. He looked scared from the first minute of the game.

The final whistle blew just before 10 pm last night. The American players lowered their heads. Some pulled their shirt over their face. They were all distraught.

No one expected a stinker like that. Not last night, anyway. But that's what we saw. And now the autopsy begins on how the Americans laid an egg like that on the biggest stage in American soccer history.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 was Alex Noren.

#9 Padraig Harrington -- I know what you're thinking and, yes, you're right. Harrington's old. He plays senior golf. In fact, just this past Sunday, he won the U.S. Senior Open for the 3rd time in 4 years.

You can doubt him at your own peril, though. I fully believe Harrington is capable of competing and perhaps even making a run at the title at Royal Birkdale.

Yes, it would be a crazy story. But wait.

Here's a little trivia for you. Back in 2008 when Harrington won the British Open at Birkdale, do you know who led the tournament by two shots heading into the final round? Remember who it was?

It was Greg Norman, that's who.

And guess how old Norman was in 2008? He was........53.

Harrington is 54. He still hits the ball well. He's very capable of putting together four rounds of competitive, solid golf at Birkdale next week. If there's any tournament or venue where he could catch lightning in a bottle, it's the British Open at Royal Birkdale.

Asking him to win might be a bit ambitious, sure.

But something in the Top 20 or, perhaps, even the Top 10? I could see that happening.

If you're a golf junkie and you know about Harrington and his play over the last four years, you're not laughing at his inclusion on this list. Padraig Harrington can still compete.

He's at 300-1 to win, by the way. You've done a lot of dumber things with $10, haven't you?

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. vs. belgium instant reaction

For most of this World Cup, the US had been able to dream.

They dominated Paraguay. They handled Australia. They navigated the dead rubber against Türkiye. They survived the chaos against Bosnia.

They looked organized, athletic, dangerous, and, at times, genuinely like a team that might be ready to make a real run on home soil.

Then Belgium showed up and put them in their place.

Belgium 4, United States 1.

That is harsh, but it is also the reality of what happened. The US was good enough to dominate weaker teams. They were good enough to punish opponents that could not match their athleticism, could not play through their press, and could not handle their front-foot energy.

But when the level jumped, when the opponent had elite players, real technical quality, and the composure to punish every loose touch and every bad decision, the US was not ready for primetime.

This was the fear all along. Not that this team was bad. They are not. Not that this tournament was a failure. It was not. But that the gap between being the best version of the US and being a true top-tier contender was still there.

Belgium exposed it.

The opening half hour was about as rattled as the US has looked in quite a while. They looked like deer in headlights. The touches were heavy. The passes were rushed. The midfield was overrun.

Christian Pulisic could not get into the game. Sergiño Dest looked like he was trying to win the match by himself every time he got the ball. Weston McKennie, Malik Tillman, and Tyler Adams could not get any clean rhythm through midfield. Belgium pressed, challenged, and waited for the mistakes to come.

How it Happened

They did not have to wait long.

The first goal was a complete breakdown in responsibility. Belgium switched the ball left to Leandro Trossard, Alex Freeman blocked the initial cross, and then everything fell apart.

The clearance dropped right in between three US defenders at the edge of the box and as they stared at each other Nicolas Raskin attacked the loose ball aggressively. Raskin slid the ball across goal, De Ketelaere tapped it in, and Belgium had a 1-0 lead after nine minutes.

It was the kind of goal that is so preventable. Freeman could have cleared the first ball better. Someone, anyone, could have taken ownership once the ball dropped in the box. Instead, everyone hesitated, Belgium acted, and the US was chasing.

That was the story of the night in miniature.

To their credit, the US did find a way back into the game. Malik Tillman, who has been one of the clear bright spots of this tournament, delivered another special set-piece moment. After Balogun won a free kick in a dangerous area, Tillman stepped up and whipped a shot that took a slight deflection off Hans Vanaken and wrong-footed Thibaut Courtois.

Out of nowhere, after barely creating anything for the first half hour, the US was level.

For about two minutes, it felt like maybe they had survived the storm.

They had not.

Belgium immediately went back in front, and this one was less about chaos and more about a matchup they had clearly identified. They picked on Tim Ream repeatedly in the first half, especially with direct balls and back-post attacks.

On the second goal, Youri Tielemans found Trossard wide on the left, Trossard pulled both Jedi Robinson and Dest toward him near the byline, and then floated a perfect cross to the back post. Ream was underneath it, De Ketelaere went over him, and Belgium was back ahead.

That one was not a freak accident. It was poor defending on the point of attack, a dangerous cross allowed too easily, and then Ream simply getting dunked on at the back post.

The US did settle in over the final 15 minutes of the first half. Balogun had a difficult chance near the six-yard box after Freeman flicked on a long throw. The Americans finally started to play with a little more bite. But even then, the numbers at halftime told the truth.

Belgium led 2-1 and had created 1.90 expected goals to just 0.42 for the US. The scoreline was close. The actual game was not.

Pochettino made the obvious change at halftime, bringing Gio Reyna on for Dest. The US switched to a straight 4-2-3-1, gaining some extra foothold in midfield.

Reyna gave the US a cleaner connector in possession, and the Americans looked more settled after the break. Jedi Robinson finally started to get forward. The ball moved a little quicker. Belgium dropped off a bit. For 10 or 12 minutes, it felt like the US had a path back into the game.

Then Matt Freese lost his mind.

That sounds harsh, but there is no other way to describe the third goal. Freese actually did the hard part. He read the long ball over the top, came way out of his box, got there before De Ketelaere, and settled the ball cleanly. All he had to do was put his foot through the ball and send it somewhere safe.

Instead, he hesitated. De Ketelaere poked it away, Vanaken collected the loose ball from nearly 35 yards out, and with Freese scrambling back toward goal, he hit a low shot that skipped past Ream and into the net.

It was a brutal mistake. Not just because it made the score 3-1, but because it came right when the US had finally started to look like the better team.

The Americans were growing into the second half. Belgium was not exactly hanging on, but they were not dominating the way they had early. The game was still there.

Then it was gone.

After that, the US huffed and puffed, but Belgium always looked more likely to kill the game than the US did to make it truly uncomfortable. Sebastian Berhalter came on and nearly scored with a terrific half-volley from distance.

Balogun forced Courtois into a save from a tight angle after a Reyna ball over the top. Freeman got to the end of a corner but could not keep his header down. There were moments. There was effort. There was some late pride.

The final goal came in stoppage time, and by then it was mostly academic, but even that goal felt symbolic. Richards gave it away while trying to play out, and the ball fell to Romelu Lukaku. Of course it did. Lukaku cut inside and finished into the bottom corner to make it 4-1.

Four goals conceded. Three of them deeply avoidable.

That is the part that will sting most. Belgium was better, but the US also helped them.

The first goal was a diffusion-of-responsibility disaster.

The second was poor wide defending and Ream losing an aerial battle at the back post.

The third was an inexplicable goalkeeper mistake.

The fourth came from trying to dribble out of pressure when the game was already over. Against Paraguay or Australia or even Bosnia, maybe you can survive one or two of those. Against Belgium, you cannot.

The final numbers were ugly. The US finished with 56% possession, but that was misleading.

They had just 47% in the first half before the game state forced them to chase. Belgium won the expected goals battle 2.15 to 0.67. They outshot the US 15 to 7, put seven shots on target to the Americans’ two, and created four big chances to zero.

That last number is the one that matters most. The US had the ball. Belgium had the chances.

For all the talk about tactics, and there will be plenty to dissect, this was also a technical and psychological gap. The US midfield did not handle pressure well enough. The passing was sloppy. The first touch was off all over the field.

Pulisic never found the pockets where he could turn and run at defenders. Dest forced the issue. McKennie was active but not clean. Adams had to cover too much ground. Tillman had the free kick, but even he struggled to impose himself in open play the way he had earlier in the tournament.

Belgium looked like a team that understood the moment. The US looked overwhelmed by it. That does not erase the good that came before. This tournament still had real positives.

Who Stood Out for the US in this World Cup?

Alex Freeman was one of the biggest. He was a fairly late arrival to the national team setup in the lead-up to the World Cup, and he more than proved he belongs.

He is such an interesting modern defender because he can play that hybrid right-sided center back/fullback role, but he has enough athleticism and attacking instinct that he does not feel limited to one niche.

If the next coach wants to play a back four, he can probably be a true fullback. If the next coach wants to keep a back three, he looks like a natural right center back in that system. At 21 years old, with a move to one of the big European leagues already in motion, he may have been the biggest long-term discovery of the tournament for the US.

Malik Tillman also took a major step. His two free kicks will be remembered, and they should be. Becoming just the second player in World Cup history to score two direct free-kick goals in one World Cup is a ridiculous accomplishment.

But he was more than just the set pieces.

Tillman gave the US poise, creativity, and flexibility throughout the tournament. He could play deeper next to Adams. He could push higher into the attacking midfield line. He could help defensively without completely sacrificing the ability to create. At 24, he is not a finished product, but the ceiling is obvious.

Folarin Balogun was probably the best US player in the tournament. He did not get his goal on Monday night vs. Belgium, but he led the team in scoring and gave the US a type of striker it has rarely had.

Athletic, technical, aggressive, and confident in front of goal. For years, the US has had hard- working strikers, useful strikers, physical strikers, and promising strikers. Balogun looked like a real international-level scoring threat. That matters. In the biggest games, you need someone who can turn a half chance into a goal. He showed he can be that player.

What Comes Next?

There were other positives too. Pochettino did give this team a tactical identity. For all the frustration on Monday in Seattle, this was probably the best tactical setup we have ever seen from a US team at a World Cup.

The back-three system unlocked Freeman, gave Jedi room to run, allowed Dest to play high, and created better attacking spacing than this program has had in a long time. The press had real teeth. The attacking transitions were dangerous. The US did not spend this tournament just trying to survive.

But ultimately, the grade for Pochettino’s tenure is a passing one and nothing more.

The biggest question now is whether he is back. The assumption has always been that this was a short-term job for him and that he would want to return to club coaching after the World Cup.

If the reports of an extension offer are accurate, maybe US Soccer will try to convince him to stay. I would still be surprised if he does. Pochettino is still relatively young for a coach and won’t want to spend too much time away from the club game.

There were positives, absolutely. But there was no breakthrough. The US beat the teams it should beat, had some great moments, and then got handled when the opponent stepped up in class.

That is progress, but it is not a revolution.

Hopefully the US will be equally ambitious in their next coaching choice if he moves on. There is another high profile club manager who just left his most recent post that would make for a very intriguing candidate.

Projecting four years out is always difficult. A lot will change between now and the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Players will rise. Players will fall. Injuries will happen. Some young prospect no one is talking about enough right now will probably force his way into the conversation. But the broad shape of the core should still be there.

Pulisic, McKennie, Balogun, Tillman, Adams, Jedi, Dest, Richards, Freeman, Pepi, and Berhalter should all still be in or around their prime years.

Behind them, there will be another wave pushing for spots, whether that is Cavan Sullivan, Zavier Gozo, Adri Mehmeti, Julian Hall, or whoever emerges next from the youth pipeline. The talent base is not going away.

The next real competition is the Gold Cup next summer. There may be another Copa America opportunity in 2028, especially with rumors that the US could host again. Then comes qualifying for 2030, and with it the start of another cycle of hope, frustration, roster debates, and questions about when this team will finally take the next step.

That is where this loss leaves us.

The US is no longer a plucky underdog hoping to steal a result. They are past that.

They have real players. They have depth. They have athleticism. They have guys who can play at a high European level. They can dominate teams below them. They can win knockout games. They can create moments that feel different from the old version of this program.

But against Belgium, they were reminded that there is still another level.

The top teams do not just have talent. They have composure. They punish mistakes. They survive bad stretches. They do not panic when the game gets weird. They do not need 10 good chances. They need two mistakes and one moment of quality.

Belgium had all of that.

The US did not.

So the dream ends in Seattle, not with a heroic defeat or a narrow escape, but with a pretty clear message. This team is better than it used to be. It is more talented than it used to be. It is more fun than it used to be.

It is still not ready to compete with the big boys.

Not yet.

Monday July 6, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4339

do you believe in miracles?

It's way too early to be creating excessive hyperbole about tonight's U.S. / Belgium game at the World Cup in Seattle.

This isn't a semifinal or anything like that.

But the headline sorta-kinda fits, because this game, tonight, could do for U.S. soccer what the Americans beating the Soviets in the 1980 Olympics did for U.S. hockey at the time.

It wouldn't be a miracle if the U.S. wins tonight. In fact, there's a soccer-based argument that the Americans should beat Belgium this evening.

But I do believe the impact of the game is similar to the 1980 Olympic hockey shocker.

People in the U.S. are starting to fill the soccer bandwagon right now. If the Americans win tonight, seats on the bandwagon will not be available for next weekend's quarterfinal battle against either Spain or Portugal.

One big thing to look for this evening is what the U.S. gets out of its three best players; Pulisic, Balogun and McKennie. If you've watched any of this World Cup so far, you routinely see the biggest names in international soccer coming through in the most critical of moments.

Last night it was Bellingham and Kane for England in their win over Mexico. Earlier in the day it was Haaland for Norway in their victory over Brazil.

On Saturday, Mbappe's penalty kick lifted France to a win. Messi has been amazing in Argentina's run.

The best players are all coming through. That's what the Americans need tonight. They have to get big performances from Pulisic, Balogun and McKennie.

Randy Morgan handles all of the heavy lifting in his preview of tonight's game below. He covers every possible angle of the game. If you're a soccer junkie, I'm sure you've been thrilled with Randy's outstanding coverage of the entire tournament. We've led the media in Baltimore when it comes to World Cup coverage, that's for sure.

The only other thing I'll say about tonight's game is the obvious: There are pivotal moments in a sport's "life", if you will. Soccer in this country has been a "thing" for about 50 years now. The NASL emerged in the 1970's and hung around for a decade or so before they ran out of money. The indoor game took over for another 12 years or thereabouts until MLS was formed in the mid 1990's.

Over the last 30 years, soccer has grown in leaps and bounds in our country, even if the men's national team has labored along without much success. The women's national team has been a world beater, though. The men? Not so much.

But a couple of years ago the U.S. Soccer Federation hired Mauricio Pochettino to be the new men's head coach and with that came a robust level of expectations. No one thinks the U.S. is actually going to win the World Cup this time around, but a lot of people are anticipating a run to at least the quarterfinals, particularly given the expanded field of 48 for this year's tournament.

That run to the quarterfinals gets stamped with a win tonight.

This tournament is, by far, the best display of soccer we've seen from a U.S. men's team since...well...maybe in all of our lifetimes, really.

American teams in the past have survived and advanced based on guts and guile and a fortunate bounce or two.

This 2026 team is playing soccer. They're finishing chances. They're suffocating opposing defenses with relentless, smart pressure. They've discovered how to protect a lead while, at the same time, still trying to move forward with the ball and keep the other side honest.

But a loss tonight would extinguish a lot of the positives we've experienced over the last two weeks.

And with the big news about Folarin Balogun yesterday, this game, tonight, could suddenly turn into a joyous celebration.

We've waited a long time to see something similar to what we saw in Lake Placid in 1980. This evening in Seattle, soccer gets their spot on the national stage to show how far the sport has come.

#dmd's british open top 10

It's sad in a way that a decade ago they moved the PGA Championship to May. Why? Because now the British Open is the last major of the golf season.

Sure, we still have three solid months of warm weather left here in the U.S., plus October is usually really nice in the Mid-Atlantic, but the last golf major on the calendar also means we're on the other side of summer now and cooler temperatures will be in our midst sooner than we'd like.

In the old days, the PGA was in August and everything just seemed, I don't know, "better" that way.

Let's get to golf, shall we?

They're contesting this year's "Open Championship" -- as they call it over there -- at one of the greatest courses on the Open rotation, Royal Birkdale in Southport, England.

Some of golf's greats have triumphed at Birkdale, including Arnold Palmer (1961), Lee Trevino (1971), Johnny Miller (1976), Tom Watson (1983) and Jordan Spieth claimed the 3rd of his 3 majors there back in 2017 with a late-final-round surge past Matt Kuchar.

On a personal note, people often ask me during casual conversations this question: "What's your favorite course you've ever played?"

I've been fortunate to have teed it up at some amazing places; Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Mount Pleasant, Royal Lytham and Royal Liverpool. But my answer is always "Royal Birkdale". I played Birkdale in July of 1991, the Tuesday after Ian Baker-Finch triumphed for his only major win. It's still the best course I've ever played.

This year's final major has three big questions and they're all fairly obvious:

1. Can Scottie Scheffler defend his title from a year ago and snag one of the four majors in 2026 and the 5th of his career?

2. Can Rory McIlroy sew up Player of the Year honors with his 2nd major triumph of the season and also move past Nick Faldo on the career majors list with his 7th major championship win?

3. Can Jon Rahm or Dustin Johnson move within a PGA Championship of the career grand slam by winning at Royal Birkdale?

The British Open is July 16-19. And, yes, you can feel comfortable still calling it the "British" Open, no matter what they want us to call it.

Jim McKay called it the British Open. So, to me, it's always the British Open.

Here's our Top 10 for Royal Birkdale.

#10 Alex Noren -- The 43 year old Swede starts our Top 10 list, having played well at Birkdale nine years ago with a final score of 4-under-par and a T6 finish.

Noren is one of those players who always seems to be lurking around but never quite pulls in first to the finish line. He made the cut at the Masters and PGA this year, then missed the cut at the U.S. Open last month.

His 2026 PGA Tour season is decent enough. He's made 12 of 16 cuts overall with four Top 25 finishes. It's not like he's breaking scoring records or anything. He's just a solid journeyman European player, the very kind who winds up playing well out of nowhere and hovering on the first page of the leaderboard at the British Open.

There's nothing about his game, statistically, that stands out. His data is some-good, some-bad. He's never been a great driver of the golf ball. Like most guys who don't hit it far, he does hit it straight. That should help him at Birkdale, which is why he played well back in 2017.

This isn't a pick based on numbers or stats. It's a "hunch" pick. Noren is a European who knows how to play courses over there. He's going to keep the ball in play. If he putts and chips decently next week, he has a chance to make some noise.

A win would be a little bit of a big ask, yes. But there's no reason why he can't be the 36-hole co-leader and be in one of the final two or three groups on Sunday at Royal Birkdale.

The odds on a Noren victory are currently 100-1.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. vs. belgium preview

The deeper this tournament goes, the stiffer the competition becomes.

The US handled the group with room to spare. It did the job against Bosnia in the Round of 32, even after one of the more infuriating red card decisions you will see. Now comes the real test.

The US men will face Belgium tonight in the Round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle, with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. Eastern / 5:00 p.m. local. The match will air on FOX and Telemundo, with streaming available through the usual FOX and Telemundo options.

And yes, we have been here before.

The US met Belgium in the same round in 2014, when Tim Howard delivered a superhuman performance with a World Cup-record 16 saves. Despite the barrage, Chris Wondolowski had a chance to win the game in the final moments of stoppage time but he put his shot over the bar.

Belgium survived, took over in extra time, and won 2-1 behind goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku before Julian Green pulled one back late.

It was one of the most memorable and most painful US World Cup games. They were outplayed for long stretches, somehow nearly stole it at the death, then ran out of gas in extra time as Belgium’s attacking depth took over.

Twelve years later, Belgium is still relying on some of the same names, and that may be the reason this time will be different for the US. De Bruyne is still here. Lukaku is still here. Belgium is still talented, still dangerous, still carrying the weight of a golden generation that never quite got the trophy it was supposed to win.

But this is not 2014.

This US team is not just trying to survive. It has spent most of this tournament playing on the front foot. It has pressed aggressively. It has created chances. It has won games with a confidence and clarity that has not always existed for this program in World Cups.

For the first time in a long time, a knockout game against a European power does not have to be treated like a miracle chase.

That does not mean the US should be favored. Belgium is the strongest team the Americans have faced in this tournament by a clear margin. It also does not mean Belgium should feel comfortable. The US is the best team Belgium has seen in this tournament too.

Belgium has more proven top-end talent. The US has looked more convincing. Belgium already beat the US 5-2 in a March friendly. The US team that takes the field Monday night should be much stronger than the one that played that day. Belgium has world-class attackers. The US has the athleticism and structure to make this game uncomfortable.

For this US team to prove it has truly reached another level, they need to win this game.

This is the test.

How Belgium Got Here

Belgium won Group G, but it was not exactly a smooth ride.

The opener was a 1-1 draw against Egypt. Belgium had more of the ball, finishing with 54% possession, and narrowly winning the xG battle 1.35 to 1.08. Both teams created two big chances.

Egypt struck first in the 19th minute, and Belgium had to chase the game for most of the night. Lukaku came on in the 66th minute and immediately changed the feel of the attack, helping force an own goal by making a hard run across goal on a dangerous cross.

That may be a sign of what the US sees from Belgium on Monday. They have plenty of talented attackers, but Lukaku gives them the most reliable focal point.

The second game was even more frustrating. Belgium drew Iran 0-0 despite controlling the match. They had 70% possession, 23 shots to Iran’s seven, seven shots on target to Iran’s three, and a 1.79 to 0.62 edge in xG. Nathan Ngoy’s red card in the 66th minute changed the final half hour, but Belgium had already spent most of the game failing to turn control into goals.

They won 57% of the duels and still could not find the breakthrough.

The final group game brought an offensive explosion. Belgium hammered New Zealand 5-1 in the group finale, finally looking like the version of Belgium everyone expected. The xG was 3.64 to 0.24.

Belgium put 10 shots on target to New Zealand’s two. They created four big chances and allowed none. Leandro Trossard had a massive game and Belgium turned what had been an underwhelming group stage into a first-place finish thanks to the goal outburst. Belgium and Egypt finished tied on points, but Belgium won the group because of that final- game cushion.

Then came Senegal in the Round of 32, and that may be the most useful game to study for this matchup.

On paper, Belgium survived and advanced. In reality, Belgium was close to going home. Senegal led 2-0 deep into the second half and looked, for most of the night, like the better team. Through the first half, Senegal held only 49% possession but produced 1.83 xG to Belgium’s 0.16 and created three big chances to none.

A lot of that came from the huge early Sarr chance off the post, but it was not a fluke. Senegal’s athleticism, directness, and willingness to attack Belgium before it could reset caused real problems.

Belgium’s midfield gave the ball away too often in the first half. Some of it was pressure. Some of it was sloppy passing. Some of it was the kind of casual tournament play that gets teams knocked out when the opponent is good enough to punish it.

At halftime, Lukaku came on and gave Belgium a better outlet. In the 55th minute, Rudi Garcia made a surprising move, bringing on Nicolas Raskin and Dodi Lukébakio for stars Doku and De Bruyne. That pushed Tielemans higher and gave Belgium a more direct left-footed option on the right wing. It also changed the energy of the game.

Still, even into the 85th minute, Senegal looked as likely to score the next goal as Belgium did. This was not a slow-building inevitable comeback. It was a late escape.

The full-game numbers, including extra time, were pretty jarring. Senegal finished ahead 3.58 to 1.74 on xG. Both teams had 19 shots and five shots on target. Senegal had six big chances to Belgium’s three. Senegal won 54% of the duels. Belgium did win 65% of the aerial duels, and that eventually mattered, because once the game got stretched and desperate, Belgium’s size, set-piece danger, and attacking depth gave them a way back.

That game should give the US both confidence and warning.

The confidence is obvious. Senegal’s athleticism bothered Belgium. Their pressure forced turnovers. Their directness exposed the Belgian back line. Their wide players found space. Sadio Mané, playing mostly tucked in from the left, created three chances, produced two big chances, and was fouled four times.

That role is not identical to Christian Pulisic’s role for the US, but it is close enough to matter. Belgium can be hurt there.

The warning is just as obvious. Senegal did a lot right and still lost. Belgium has too much quality to assume one good half, or even 85 good minutes, is enough. If the US switches off, if it stops pressing in coordinated waves, if it starts giving away set pieces, if it lets De Bruyne or Tielemans pick their heads up, Belgium can turn a bad performance into a win very quickly.

That is what talented teams do.

What the March Friendly Tells Us

The easy version is to say Belgium beat the US 5-2 in March, so Belgium should be confident. The more useful version is that the March friendly matters, but only so much.

Neither team was the same. The US was missing Chris Richards, Sergiño Dest, Tyler Adams, and Alex Freeman. Those are not minor absences. Richards, Adams, and Freeman especially change the defensive structure of this team.

Richards gives the back line athleticism and composure. Adams gives the midfield a true ball-winner and transition shield. Freeman gives Pochettino the hybrid right back/right center back profile that makes the whole system work.

The US also started Tim Weah at right wingback, used only two true center backs, and had Tanner Tessmann dropping deeper to form something closer to a back three in possession.

That is a slightly different setup than the one Pochettino has leaned on in this tournament.

Belgium was not at full strength either. Thibaut Courtois missed that game, though Senne Lammens, the Manchester United starting keeper, played well in his place. Belgium also started Charles De Ketelaere over Lukaku and was missing Trossard and Tielemans.

So that friendly is not a perfect preview. But it still matters because of what Belgium did to hurt the US.

The final score was ugly, but the game was not quite as one-sided as 5-2 suggests. The US was the better team in the first half. They created the better chances, including two big chances to Belgium’s zero, despite having only 41% possession. Pulisic and Balogun caused the Belgian defense problems. The US found space in transition. They got McKennie loose on set pieces. They made Belgium uncomfortable.

Even the full-game stats were not a complete disaster. The US finished with 52% possession. Each team created three big chances. Each team had six corners. Belgium did have 10 shots on target to the US’s five and 11 more touches in the opponent’s box, so this was not imaginary.

Belgium absolutely took control in the second half. But the scoreline also included an unfortunate handball, some low-percentage finishing, and a stretch after the hour mark when both teams started making mass substitutions.

There were a mass of substitutions around the 60th minute, reducing the relevance of the remainder of the game. Belgium led 3-1 at that point and after that the game got looser and uglier.

The main concern from that friendly was how Belgium created their danger. Doku tormented the US, especially Weah and Johnny Cardoso. He was a threat every time he got one of them singled up and was able to go one on one.

The US continually failed to apply quick enough pressure to cutbacks. They lost track of midfield runners behind the ball. They were late closing down shots from the top of the box. They allowed Belgium to turn wide possession into central danger too easily.

Those are exactly the things that cannot happen tonight.

The good news is that the personnel should be better suited to handle it. Dest is not a pure defensive stopper, but he understands the fullback role better than Weah. Freeman’s recovery speed and defensive instincts should give the US more cover on that side. Adams gives them a much better chance of cleaning up cutbacks and second balls. Richards gives them someone who can battle Lukaku, help on Doku, and still defend space behind the line.

The question is what version of Doku Belgium has available.

He has not been at his best in this tournament, dealing with an illness during the group stage, then missing the Iran game after the birth of his child. He was then subbed off against Senegal while Belgium was chasing the match. But anyone who watched the March friendly knows how quickly he can become the whole problem.

The US cannot leave Dest on an island against him. That does not mean double-teaming him recklessly and opening everything else. It means the nearest midfielder has to be ready to help. Freeman has to recognize when to slide over. Richards has to be prepared to defend the next action if Doku beats the first man.

And the US cannot get so obsessed with Doku that it forgets about Trossard.

Trossard leads the tournament in chances created, though a large chunk of that came against an overmatched New Zealand team. Still, he is dangerous. He finds pockets. He combines well. He is comfortable drifting inside and letting the fullback overlap around him. If everyone is tilted toward Doku, Trossard can quietly become the player who unlocks the game.

Belgium has multiple ways to hurt you. That is what separates this matchup from Paraguay, Australia, Bosnia, and Türkiye.

What Belgium Wants This Game to Become

Belgium under Rudi Garcia has generally been flexible, but the broad shape is familiar. In possession, it can look like a 4-3-3 that morphs into more of a 3-2-5.

Tielemans often drops deeper to initiate the attack, sometimes next to Vanaken or Raskin, while the fullbacks push high and the wingers stay dangerous in wide areas. Out of possession, Belgium can settle into more of a 4-4-2 defensive shape.

They will press when the ball starts from the back. They are not a passive team. If Matt Freese, Tim Ream, Richards, and Freeman are slow or careless building out, Belgium has the players to jump passing lanes and turn one bad touch into a chance.

But Belgium’s press is not always airtight. If the first wave gets broken, they can leave gaps in midfield. When that happens, they often drop into a mid-block just below midfield and try to regain structure. That middle phase may be where the game opens up for the US.

The Belgian midfield has quality, but it is not the most athletic midfield the US will ever face. De Bruyne is still a genius with time and space. Tielemans can still dictate tempo and hit dangerous passes. Vanaken gives them size and composure. Raskin adds more bite. But this is an area where Adams, McKennie, and Tillman should feel like they can compete physically.

They need to do more than compete. They need to win this part of the field.

If De Bruyne has time, he can still punish you. He does not have the same range he once did, and he is not going to cover ground for 90 minutes like he did in his prime, but the ball off his foot is still different. Give him a pocket near the top of the box, and he can hit a shot from distance or slide a pass into a runner before the defense even realizes the window is open.

Tielemans is similar. He needs space to operate. He is not physically overwhelming. But if the US lets him receive comfortably, turn, and pick out diagonals, Belgium can start moving the American block from side to side and isolating the wingers.

The US midfield has to make both players uncomfortable.

That does not mean sprinting at them wildly and getting bypassed with one pass. It means identifying danger earlier than they did in March. It means closing the shooting lanes at the top of the box. It means tracking late runners on cutback passes. It means not letting Belgium’s wide play pull the back line apart while De Bruyne or Tielemans arrives into the exact space the US just vacated.

Belgium will also take long-range shots if they get the opportunity. De Bruyne, Tielemans, De Cuyper, and even the center backs are willing to hit one if the US line drops too far and no one steps out. That may sound like a lower-value attacking plan, but in a knockout game, one deflected shot from 22 yards can change everything.

The other thing Belgium will do, especially when pressed, is go long.

They can look for De Bruyne drifting into space. They can look for Lukaku as the target. They can look for De Ketelaere if he starts or comes on. That is where the aerial duels and second balls matter. Belgium won 65% of the aerial duels against Senegal, and even in a game where Senegal was better for long stretches, Belgium’s ability to compete in the air gave them a path back into the game.

If Lukaku starts, Richards becomes one of the most important players on the field.

Lukaku is not the same player he was at his peak, but he is still strong, still smart, still capable of pinning a center back, and still dangerous if he gets service in the box.

Belgium may decide he is fit enough to start because De Ketelaere did not offer much against Senegal. De Ketelaere had just 16 touches in the first half before being subbed off, and Belgium looked more coherent once Lukaku gave them a true reference point.

If Lukaku is out there, Richards has to battle him physically without getting dragged into fouls. He has to move him off his spots. He has to make the long balls less clean. And just as importantly, Adams, Tillman, and McKennie have to be ready for the second ball.

Lukaku does not need to win every duel cleanly. If he can just create chaos, Belgium’s runners can feed off it. That is the game within the game. Belgium will try to use its stars to create isolated advantages. The US has to keep those moments connected.

Balogun Suspension Reversed

In a stunning late reversal, on Sunday FIFA announced that the Folarin Balogun suspension had been rescinded for a one year probationary period:

“By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”

Without Balogun, the US would have been forced into a compromise. Ricardo Pepi would have been the cleanest replacement, but he does not stretch the game in the same way. Haji Wright would have brought more size and chaos, but not the same touch or pressing fit. A false-nine look with Pulisic or Reyna would have added creativity but removed the central outlet that helps the US get out under pressure.

Now they won’t need to worry about any of that. They can maintain the lineup that has won each game its played in this tournament and leverage Balogun’s athleticism and composure against a suspect Belgian back line.

We may never know exactly what kind of influence was wielded to undue the suspension. Apparently there was a call from the White House. At the end of the day, the red card was a horrible decision to begin with. So Belgium can cry all they want, but it seems justice has been done here.

How Will the US Approach the Matchup?

I do not expect Pochettino to suddenly tear up the plan.

The US has built its tournament around controlled aggression. The wingbacks get high. The back line plays bravely. Adams gives the midfield a defensive anchor. Tillman helps link the buildout to the attack. McKennie pushes into the half-spaces and crashes the box.

Pulisic drifts inside from the left and turns ordinary possession into danger. Balogun runs the line and gives the whole attack depth. The front line presses. The team tries to win the ball back immediately after losing it.

That is who they are now. The question is not whether the US should press. It has to press. Sitting deep and inviting Belgium to attack with Lukaku, De Bruyne, Trossard, Doku, and Lukébakio for 90 minutes is not a plan.

The question is how the US presses.

Against Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia, the US could often suffocate opponents and keep the game in their half. Belgium will not be pinned back that easily. They have enough technical ability to play through pressure, enough size to go over it, and enough speed out wide to make the US pay if the press is disconnected.

So the press has to be aggressive but not emotional. The front line has to direct play into traps. The midfield has to be close enough to jump on second passes. The back line has to be high enough to compress the field, but not so high that one Doku run or Lukaku flick turns into a clean break.

That is a tough balance. That is why this is the test.

The US may also have to weather longer spells of possession than it has against most opponents in this tournament. Paraguay sat. Australia sat. Bosnia sat. Türkiye had more of the ball against the rotated US, but that game barely mattered.

Belgium will not sit back and wait for the US to have the ball all night. They will push forward. Their fullbacks will get high. De Cuyper especially likes to join attacks and create width. Belgium will try to make the US defend real possession.

That creates danger, but it also creates opportunity.

This game will not look like the Bosnia game. There should be more space. Belgium’s back line is not the most athletic. Their midfield can be stretched. Their center backs can be vulnerable to balls in behind or over the top to athletic runners.

Senegal found joy by getting Belgium’s wide players and fullbacks turned around. The US should be able to do the same if it executes. And now, critically, the US has the player best suited to punish that space.

Balogun’s availability means the US can play through and over Belgium. It can attack on the ground with Pulisic, Tillman, McKennie, Dest, and Jedi Robinson, while still threatening the ball behind the center backs or into the channels.

That combination is what makes Pochettino’s attack dangerous. If Belgium steps up, Balogun can run behind. If Belgium drops, Pulisic and Tillman can receive between the lines. If Belgium collapses toward Pulisic, Jedi can overlap. If the left side pulls the defense across, Dest can be isolated on the right.

That is how the US creates the kind of layered problems Senegal created, but with a more complete attacking structure.

Pulisic needs to be aggressive. His matchup may look a lot like Mané’s did for Senegal. Tucked in from the left, receiving between the lines, driving at defenders, drawing fouls, and forcing Belgium to collapse. If Pulisic can create the same type of panic Mané created, the US will have chances.

Jedi Robinson has to be relentless. His overlapping runs are not just about getting crosses in. They force Belgium’s right side to make choices. If the right back stays with Pulisic, Jedi can get around the outside.

If the right back follows Jedi, Pulisic has the inside lane. If the right-sided midfielder tracks Jedi too deep, Tillman or Adams may get more room underneath. That is how the US turns movement into space.

Dest has to be brave but smart. He is one of the few US players who can beat a defender one- on-one and change the geometry of the field. But every time he goes, the US has to know where Doku is.

That does not mean Dest should be scared. If Dest spends the whole game pinned next to the back line, Belgium wins that matchup by default. The US needs Dest’s attacking quality. It just needs Freeman and Adams ready behind him.

McKennie needs to get forward. This feels like a game where his box runs and set-piece presence will matter. Belgium lost him multiple times on set pieces in the March friendly. The US has to take advantage of corners and free kicks in the final third.

Against better teams, you do not get unlimited chances from open play. A McKennie header, a Richards knockdown, a Ream back-post touch, one loose ball in the six-yard box could be the difference.

Tillman may be the key to linking everything together. He was strong in the March friendly and has become one of the most important players in the tournament for the US. His deeper role gives the US more composure next to Adams, but he also has the quality to receive under pressure and turn defense into attack.

If Belgium’s midfield leaves gaps, Tillman is the player who can find them.

And Balogun has to keep Belgium honest. He does not need to score twice for his availability to matter. He needs to stretch the back line. He needs to make hard near-post runs. He needs to drag center backs into the channels.

He needs to press with the same intensity the US has shown all tournament. He needs to make Belgium defend facing its own goal instead of standing comfortably in front of the box.

If he does that, the whole US attack becomes more dangerous.

Where the Game Will Be Won

The first key is the midfield battle.

The US should have the athletic advantage with Adams, McKennie, and Tillman. They need to press that edge. Belgium cannot be allowed to play at walking pace through De Bruyne and Tielemans.

The US has to make them run, make them turn, make them defend, and make them play under pressure. De Bruyne can still pick out the pass that breaks a game open, but he should not be allowed to stand over the ball and survey the field.

The second key is the US right side.

Doku was the major problem in March. He may not be in top form now, but the US has to assume the dangerous version is still in there. Dest needs help. Freeman should provide some of that help. Adams will need to shade over at times. McKennie has to recognize when to recover.

The goal is not to eliminate Doku completely, because that probably is not realistic. The goal is to make every Doku action happen under pressure, with cover behind it, and without opening easy cutbacks into the middle.

The third key is horizontal defending.

Senegal had success by stretching out to Belgium’s wide players and getting its wingbacks close enough to prevent Belgium’s wingers from receiving comfortably. The US needs a version of that.

If Doku and Trossard are allowed to receive wide, turn, and attack with momentum, that is a problem. If they are receiving with Dest or Jedi already tight, with a midfielder nearby and a center back covering behind, that is a different game.

The fourth key is transition.

Belgium’s back line and midfield will turn the ball over. Senegal proved that. The US has to be ready to attack those moments immediately. Not every possession needs to become a track meet, but when Belgium loses the ball with its fullbacks high and its midfield stretched, the US has to go.

That means Pulisic driving. McKennie running. Jedi and Dest sprinting into space. Balogun getting into the box. Tillman making the first forward pass.

That is where the best chances may come.

The fifth key is set pieces.

Belgium showed vulnerability on dead balls in the March friendly. The US has enough size and timing to cause problems. McKennie, Richards, Ream, Balogun, and even Freeman can be targets. Pulisic, Tllman, Berhalter and Reyna, all can deliver dangerous service.

The US cannot waste corners. It cannot take short corners that go nowhere. It cannot let Belgium clear the first ball and then fail to counter-press the second.

At the same time, the US has to defend its own box cleanly. Belgium has too much size to give away cheap fouls. Lukaku, Onana, Mechele, Theate, De Ketelaere, there are too many bodies that can turn one restart into chaos. The US has been good enough defensively in this tournament, but Belgium is the first opponent that can punish a single lost runner or slow close out.

The Outlook

This is the biggest game for the US men since the 2002 quarterfinal against Germany, if not ever.

That may sound dramatic, but it is true. The US has been to Round of 16 games since then. It has played knockout games with plenty of emotion and stakes. But this is different. This is a home World Cup. This is a team that has already won a knockout match.

This is a chance to reach the quarterfinals for only the second time in the modern era. This is a chance to turn a fun tournament into something that gets remembered for decades.

Belgium is absolutely good enough to end it.

They have the better résumé. They have the bigger names. They have attackers who can punish one mistake. They have already beaten the US this year. They survived Senegal even after being outplayed for long stretches, which is both a criticism and a compliment. Lesser teams go home in that game. Belgium found a way.

But this is not a game the US should enter hoping to hang around.

The Americans have been the more convincing team in this tournament. Their best performances have been cleaner, more coherent, and more repeatable than Belgium’s. They have pressed better. They have defended transitions better than they did in March. They have found a system that fits the players.

Press with purpose. Win second balls. Do not leave Doku isolated against one defender. Close down De Bruyne and Tielemans before they can pick passes or shots. Track runners on cutbacks. Use the wingbacks to stretch Belgium.

Get Pulisic attacking from the left half-space. Get McKennie into the box. Let Balogun run the channels. Make Belgium’s center backs defend movement instead of just standing in front of them.

This will not be Paraguay. It will not be Australia. It will not be Bosnia.

Belgium will have stretches. Belgium will create chances. Belgium will probably make the US uncomfortable in a way it has not been for most of this tournament.

That is fine.

The US does not need a fairy tale. It needs a performance.

For years, US fans have talked about wanting to see this program tested against the best teams in games that matter. Not friendlies. Not moral victories. Not “we played well for 60 minutes.” Real games. Real stakes. Real consequences.

Here it is.

Belgium ended the 2014 run in extra time. Monday night in Seattle, the US gets another shot.

This time, survival should not be the goal.

This time, with Balogun back in the lineup, the US should send Belgium home.

Sunday July 5, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4338

balogun reinstated for monday vs. belgium

It looks like our President is also trying to "make American soccer great". I would add in "again", except I'm not sure we've ever really been great at international soccer.

Alas, with President Trump's apparent intervention, the powers that be at FIFA today reinstated U.S. forward Folarin Balogun for Monday's game vs. Belgium.

This is a tricky situation and a very slippery slope.

Balogun was suspended for the game after receiving a red card in last Wednesday's 2-0 win over Bosnia. The red card carries with it an automatic one game suspension.

However, early Sunday afternoon, FIFA announced they would allow Balogun to play, citing a little used amendment to their rules that essentially allows for an overrule of the red card suspension and, instead, the implementation of a one-year probationary period.

All that matters now is that Balogun can play tomorrow night vs. Belgium.

The Belgians are beside themselves, of course. They've been preparing for three days to play the U.S. without Balogun up top in the striker position and now they have to reset and configure their playing style to combat his speed and strength.

As much of a U.S. "homer" as I am, and I'm a big one for sure, I can absolutely see why FIFA's decision has been met with such scrutiny.

If this 2026 World Cup was in, say, Brazil, or Australia, this might not look so muddy and fuzzy.

But it's being played in the U.S. And with that, it certainly looks like favoritism, particularly when it comes nearly three full days after the incident in Wednesday night's game.

It's one thing if last Thursday morning the folks at FIFA say, "No, no, no, we're not going to suspend him for Monday's game vs. Belgium."

But doing it now? It looks shady.

And, just put yourself on the other side. If the U.S. were playing England in London and Harry Kane received a red card the game before and was set to miss the U.S.-England game and he were to be reinstated the day before ------- we'd be climbing up the Empire State Building with those two goofs from last week and screaming so loud they could hear us in the U.K.

None of this takes away from the fact that the initial penalty of a red card last Wednesday was complete rubbish. Everyone with a brain knows that was not an ejectable offense. But they did eject him and a one-game suspension was the punishment.

Until it wasn't.

So, as an American soccer enthusiast, I'm thrilled that Balogun is playing tomorrow. The U.S. just went from having a half-chance to win to, realistically, likely being favored now to win in Seattle on Monday evening.

But I certainly see the other side of it. It looks nefarious.

---

gears shifted?

Don't look now.

Oh, who cares, good ahead and look.

Our battlin' Birds have won three straight and are on the verge of a rare 3-game road sweep in Cincinnati. Last night's 8-5 win over the Red Legs drives the O's record to 42-48 and provides just a glimmer of hope that maybe the club is shifting gears and headed for a nice second half run.

Pessimists, doubters and people who never played sports before will poo-poo the streak, but stranger things have happened than seeing the Orioles turn around a dismal first half of the season into a competitive second half of the campaign.

The pitching continues to be solid, although Brandon Young did get nicked for four early runs last night.

The offense sputters like an old car on occasion, but Sam Basallo is headed to a 25 homer-season and Adley Rutschman, when he plays, continues to provide solid work with the bat. Blaze Alexander leads the team in hitting, by the way, with a slash line of .302/.358/.427 on the year.

I know what you're probably thinking. Is it "Blaze" Alexander or Blake Alexander?

Right. I get it. No one knows the dude. He was brought here in an off-season trade engineered by the team's head of baseball, the embattled Mike Elias.

He's been the team's Mr. Everything thus far in '26, filling in admirably wherever asked, including third base and second base, along with some risky stints in the outfield.

What do the O's need to make a second half run?

In general terms, they need to win a lot more games than they lose. That's the easy requirement.

Specifically? They need a whale of a second half from Jackson Holliday. Don't look now, but he's stinking it up, as his .187 batting average and .288 on-base-percentage both indicate.

Holliday hasn't looked like "1/1" all season. Not even close. He needs to step up.

We're so tired of asking Gunnar to step up we're stepping back from that one and letting whatever happens, happen. He was 1-for-5 again last night in Cincinnati and is still scuffling at the plate, hitting .226.

The O's can't win meaningful games in September unless Henderson is a key part of the revival. Here's hoping he turns it around.

And the Birds need their starting rotation to keep on producing the kind of starts we've seen from them over the last 5-6 weeks.

Today is virtually "Guaranteed Win Day" in Cincinnati with Kyle Bradish on the mound for Baltimore. He's been outstanding this year.

If Trevor Rogers is back to being Trevor Rogers, now we might be cooking with gas.

Baz has been good. Brandon Young has been good very good. Trey Gibson has shown moments of good stuff, but they need him to settle in and improve in the second half. Maybe Dean Kremer emerges with a solid second half and Gibson heads to the minors to get his act together.

The bullpen is decent when it's not taxed.

Sure, the Ryan Helsley elbow issue is a concern, but they can close-by-committee and be successful with that concept.

This little 3-game win streak puts a pep in everyone's step. Or at the very least, it should. Baseball is a season of runs. You need to produce more winning ones than losing ones. If the O's can turn this streak into something that reaches 7 or 8 wins in a row, that gives them a huge lift heading into the final 70 games of the season.

I'm on board. The beer is starting to get cold.

One of the TV's in Eagle's Nest was airing the U.S. Senior Open yesterday and as I sat down for an Arnold Palmer after a sweaty morning round, a friend said, "Didn't you just play in that a couple of years ago?"

I laughed.

It's been FIVE years.

Man, time sure does fly.

"No, it was 2021," I replied.

"OK," my friend said. "I thought it was two summers ago."

The connection to 2021 and 2026 is very real, though, because the weather in Columbus, Ohio this week has mirrored what we encountered in Omaha back in '21. In fact, ironically, what we're feeling in Baltimore this week is almost identical to what I dealt with in Omaha.

I'm a "hot" guy, meaning I don't ever complain about the heat. I'm not much on cold any longer. I have a saying anytime I hear someone complain about hot summer temperatures: "You can't hurt your back shoveling heat."

That week in Omaha, though, was beyond hot. It was even beyond "really hot". It was blazing hot, with "real-feel" temperatures at 107 for Thursday's first round and 106 for Friday's second round.

As I recall, four players showed up on Monday and Tuesday for their practice rounds at Omaha CC, walked either 9 holes or 18 holes, and withdrew from the event due to a combination of the heat, the extended forecast and a difficult, hilly golf course.

We were allowed to wear shorts for the practice rounds, so that helped. A little.

But it was long-pants-only for the competitive rounds of the U.S. Senior Open and that certainly added a layer of challenge to it all.

Yesterday at Scioto CC in Columbus, they even started the third round early to negate the heat and some afternoon thunderstorms that were expected in the area. In case you care, Stewart Cink is the tournament leader.

I haven't tried to qualify for the Senior Open since 2024. The qualifier for the event has changed to dates starting in mid-April and I don't play any spring golf due to my coaching obligations at Calvert Hall. There's simply no use in trying to qualify when I haven't practiced or prepared.

That said, I do want to give it one more shot to qualify for a second time. I'm going to make a concerted effort in 2027 to practice in the winter and have my game ready, hopefully, for the first-stage of qualifying next April.

If nothing else, this week's weather has reminded me of the great trip I had to Omaha CC in July of 2021. My family went along, a good friend caddied for me, and I got to play practice rounds with some true legends of the sport, including Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen, Billy Andrade and Mike Weir.

All four of those guys reinforced to me a lesson I always share with other amateurs who talk about "turning pro" when they reach 50 and trying to play on the Senior (Champions) Tour: Keep your day job.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

round of 32 recap

The first ever World Cup Round of 32 is complete, and if there was any concern that adding another knockout round would water down the drama, those concerns should be put to rest.

This round had a little bit of everything. The hosts all advanced. Several favorites rolled. Several others survived by the thinnest possible margin. Germany and the Netherlands are gone. Cape Verde nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. Messi, Mbappe, Kane and Haaland all delivered in huge moments. And the bracket now has a much clearer shape heading into the Round of 16.

In other words, the expanded knockout round did exactly what FIFA probably hoped it would do. It gave us more games, more jeopardy, more chances for underdogs to dream, and more moments where the biggest stars in the world had to actually drag their teams across the line.

Paraguay Stuns Germany

The biggest result of the round was Paraguay taking down Germany.

A team that the US blew off the field in the opening group game, played Germany to a 1-1 draw through 90 minutes and extra time before prevailing 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The Germans looked to have avoided disaster in extra time when Jonathan Tah headed in a goal to give them the lead, but it was called back by VAR for a foul on the Paraguay keeper.

A shocking loss for the Germans, who may have thought they had resolved some issues by advancing from the group stage for the first time since their 2014 World Cup trophy. Instead they are once again out before the Round of 16, and there is sure to be some soul searching for the historic soccer power.

For Paraguay, it is a massive moment. The country declared a national holiday following the victory. They went from being a dangerous but limited Round of 32 opponent to one of the stories of the tournament. Their Round of 16 reward was France, where they fell yesterday, 1-0, but Paraguay certainly got more out of the tournament than almost anyone expected.

Cape Verde Nearly Pulls Off the Impossible

As big as Paraguay’s win was, it would have taken the back seat had Cape Verde pulled off the impossible and taken down Argentina.

The reigning World Cup champions survived 3-2 after extra time, but barely. Cape Verde twice erased one-goal deficits, pushed the defending champions deep into extra time, and for a few minutes it genuinely looked like they might be on the verge of one of the most unbelievable wins in World Cup history.

Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament and record-extending 20th career World Cup goal. Cape Verde answered through Deroy Duarte in the second half.

Lisandro Martinez put Argentina back ahead early in extra time, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to level it again in the 103rd minute with one of the goals of the tournament, a stunning curler from the edge of the box.

Then, in the 111th minute, Argentina finally found the winner when a Messi corner created chaos and Cristian Romero’s header deflected in off Diny Borges.

Initially it looked like Messi would get the assist on the game-winner, which would have made him the all-time World Cup assist leader, in addition to scorer, however it was officially ruled an own goal, so that will have to wait.

Cape Verde leave the tournament with no need for moral victory clichés, because this was more than that. They were one of the stories of the World Cup. A nation of roughly 500,000 people drew Spain in the group stage, reached the knockouts in its debut appearance, and then pushed the defending champions to the edge.w That is the kind of run people will remember long after the bracket moves on.

All Three Hosts Advanced

The other big headline from the Round of 32: all three host nations made it through.

Canada opened the round by beating South Africa 1-0, Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0, and the US beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0. That means the tournament moved all three home teams into the Round of 16, which is a pretty ideal outcome for FIFA and for the atmosphere of the event.

Canada’s win was historic, giving them their first knockout-stage win at a World Cup. Their prize was Morocco, which knocked out the Netherlands, and it turned out to mark the end of Canada's run as they fell on Saturday, 3-0, in Houston. It was still a nice run for our friends to the north, who played most of this World Cup without their best player, Alphonso Davies.

Mexico’s Round of 16 reward is England on Sunday (tonight) at the Azteca, which is one of the best matchups of the round. The altitude, the crowd, and the momentum around El Tri will all be real factors.

By nature of this tournament, Mexico has their “quinto partido”, but they will need another huge win to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since they last hosted in 1986.

The US, meanwhile, had the most dramatic host-nation win. The Americans beat Bosnia 2-0 despite going down to 10 men after Folarin Balogun’s red card. Balogun scored the opener, Malik Tillman added a huge late free kick, and the US earned its first World Cup knockout win since 2002.

Among the three hosts, the US also looks like the best bet to reach the quarterfinals. That does not mean they have an easy game. Belgium are still a tough opponent and Balogun’s suspension is a real problem. But the market has USA-Belgium as basically a coin flip, with Belgium only a slight favorite to advance.

That is a much better position than Canada faced before their loss to Morocco, and Mexico, who are a slight underdog against England.

The story before the tournament was whether the hosts could avoid embarrassment. All three were in the last 16, and all three have at least a plausible path to something more.

The Stars Keep Delivering

One of the best parts of this tournament so far is that the biggest names are not just hanging around. They are deciding games.

Messi remains the headliner, because at this point every Argentina game feels like another entry in the final chapter of the greatest career ever. He is already the all-time World Cup goals leader, and after the Cape Verde win he has 20 career World Cup goals and seven in this tournament alone.

Mbappe, who will probably surpass him as the all-time goal leader at some point, answered in his own way. France cruised past Sweden 3-0, and Mbappe scored twice to keep his Golden Boot chase alive and reinforce what has been obvious all tournament: France are the most complete attacking team in the world. They do not need Mbappe to do everything, but when he is scoring at this rate, the whole thing starts to feel inevitable.

Harry Kane rescued England from a much uglier story. DR Congo scored early and had England in real danger, but Kane scored in the 75th and 86th minutes to turn a potential disaster into a 2-1 win. It was not convincing from England, but knockout soccer does not care how clean it looks.

Kane did exactly what elite strikers are supposed to do, delivering with outstanding class when his team needed it the most.

And then there was Haaland. Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1, with Haaland scoring the winner in the 86th minute to give Norway their first ever World Cup knockout victory. The reward is Brazil in the Round of 16, which is a brutal draw, but Norway are not just happy to be here and should give Brazil everything they can handle.

With Haaland and Martin Odegaard, they have enough top-end talent to challenge anyone.

That has been the theme of the tournament. The expanded field has created more openings for surprise teams, but the superstars are still the superstars. When the game tightens, when legs get heavy, when panic starts to creep in, the teams with Messi, Mbappe, Kane and Haaland still have the ultimate cheat code.

France’s Path Opens Up

The biggest bracket winner from the Round of 32 was probably France.

They did their part by hammering Sweden 3-0, but the bigger news was what happened around them. Germany lost. The Netherlands lost. That removes two of the bigger names from France’s side of the bracket and left them with Paraguay in the Round of 16. They will now face Morocco in the quarterfinals.

If France gets past Morocco, they are still likely to meet Spain or Portugal in the semifinal, but their route to that point got a little lighter, making them the current betting favorite to win it all (around +175).

Argentina Still Has the Cleanest Favorite’s Path

France may be the favorite, but Argentina still might have the cleanest path of the true contenders.

While the Cape Verde game was a warning sign, it would have been more bad luck than poor execution. Argentina did finish the game with 2.26 xG to 0.47, suggesting they were undone by some outstanding finishes from Cape Verde.

They were dragged into extra time by a debutant, they had to defend desperately late, and they leaned heavily on Messi again. But the bracket still sets up nicely.

Argentina get Egypt in the Round of 16, then the winner of Switzerland-Colombia. That is not easy, but compared to Spain-Portugal, Mexico-England, USA-Belgium, or Brazil-Norway, Argentina will take it. They avoided the most dangerous landmines and still have a realistic path to the semifinals without facing another top-five favorite.

The most interesting potential matchup is Colombia. That would be a rematch of the 2024 Copa America final, and Colombia have looked like one of the most dangerous non-favorites in the tournament. They are athletic, organized, and have enough attacking quality and familiarity to go toe-to-toe with Argentina.

If Argentina sleepwalks through that game the way they did for stretches against Cape Verde, they could absolutely be punished. Still, the path is there. And as long as Messi is playing like this, Argentina remain very much alive.

England Gets the Azteca Test

England survived DR Congo, but the next challenge is a completely different thing.

Mexico at the Azteca is not just a soccer game. It is altitude, noise, pressure, emotion, and a host nation that suddenly believes this tournament could become something historic. England will have more talent on paper, but this is exactly the kind of spot where that can stop mattering if they start slowly again.

Against DR Congo, England were flat for long stretches and needed Kane to bail them out late. Against Mexico, a slow start could turn the entire stadium into a storm. Mexico have not conceded yet in the knockout stage, they are riding the energy of the home crowd, and the market has England favored but not by much.

This is the kind of game that tells us whether England are a real contender or just a talented team waiting for the usual England anxiety to arrive. They have the players to win the tournament. But winning a World Cup means surviving environments like this, not just handling games where the spreadsheet says you are better.

The Round of 16 Is Loaded

This is where the tournament starts to feel real. The group stage is about survival. The Round of 32 was about adjusting to the new format and avoiding disaster. Now the bracket has thinned out enough that every game has weight.

France look like the favorite. Argentina still have the clearest route among the top teams. Spain and Portugal will remove one contender from the field.

The Round of 32 gave us chaos, scares, stars, and one true heavyweight casualty.

Now the real tournament begins.

Saturday July 4, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4337

49-48 is still possible

Happy 250th Birthday to our great nation.

Yes, it's still great, no matter what some people in the country believe.

In some ways, in fact, it's greater than it's ever been.

Ask the millions of foreigners who are visiting here in June and July for the World Cup what they think about it. Most of them would stay longer if they could.

Sure, we have some problems here. We've created a lot of our own issues, though, because we've been led to believe everything gets solved in our favor by having (more) money and power.

This was basically predicted in the Bible by Paul in one of his letters to Timothy.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 -- But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God and having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

I don't know if we're in "the last days" that Paul refers to in that verse, but I hope we're not. It is strangely uncomfortable, though, to see how accurate his predictions about mankind would become. Not just here in the U.S., mind you, but everywhere.

Our calling, as 2026 rolls towards 2027, is to do our best to prove Paul wrong.

We do live in a great country. It's certainly not perfect, but it's a far better place than we're led to believe by politicians, musicians, athletes and TV newspeople, all of whom tell us how the place is being run into the ground while they make $15 million a year and own four different houses in spots we could only dream of visiting for a long weekend.

I am absolutely not trying to make a play on political words when I say this, but America is GREAT. Can we make it even greater? We sure can. There are still people looking for work, people who are homeless, and people who are not experiencing how great the United States is...and we should be doing our best to help them.

But don't let any of that take away from the fact that we live in the greatest country in the world.

OK, so with last night's win in Cincinnati, the O's can still reach that 49-48 record before the All-Star break that I wrote about here last week and again yesterday morning.

Don't count those Birds out just yet.

Yes, they're reeling me back in.

I know I'm totally getting the cart before the horse, and 49-48 is almost certainly not going to happen, but here I am, on Saturday, writing about a -- sit down for this one -- TWO GAME WINNING STREAK for Craig Albernaz's group.

Two more games in Cincy this weekend could potentially move the Birds to 43-48.

But they could also be 43-50 by Sunday evening. Such is life with these O's, who were held to just four hits last night in the 3-0 win over the Red Legs.

The good news? Cincinnati also managed just four hits, including two off of Baltimore starter Trevor Rogers, who has actually looked like last season's Trevor Rogers over the last few weeks.

Sam Basallo hit a homer for the O's in last night's win. Nothing else of note really happened. It was a clean, workmanlike win over a Reds team that was supposed to be much better than they have showed through the first half of the regular season.

Then again, the O's were supposed to be much better, too.

Two more games in Cincinnati give the Birds a chance to gain a little momentum heading into the final two series' before the All-Star break against the Cubs and Royals.

Let's rally!

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. soccer update, part two

What the win over Bosnia means

This was a solid, if not spectacular, win. The US did not create a ton of chances. The final xG was roughly 0.9 to 0.25, with two big chances to zero. That is not a demolition. But against a stubborn, defensive-minded opponent in a knockout game, especially after going down a man, it was more than enough.

The US gave Bosnia almost nothing before the red card and still limited the danger after it. They did not panic. They did not collapse. They did not let the bad call become the story of their tournament.

Germany and Netherlands are on flights back home after being upset in this round. England and Belgium required late turnarounds to survive. Argentina was pushed to the limit by Cape Verde, a nation of almost 600,000 people. Knockout soccer is weird and cruel and often stupid. The US avoided the trap.

By winning this game, the US held serve with pre-tournament expectations.

Pochettino has now done the minimum of what this home World Cup demanded. The US won its group comfortably. It took care of business against a lesser opponent in the first knockout round. It has three wins in a single World Cup, the most ever for the US men. Those are real accomplishments.

But his legacy as USMNT coach will be defined by what happens next.

Like it or not, that is the reality. This team was not built just to beat Paraguay, Australia and Bosnia at home. It was built to change the ceiling of the program. To do that, the US has to beat a European power in a knockout game and get to the deepest stage it has ever reached in the modern era.

In 2002, the US got to the quarterfinals by beating a familiar rival in Mexico. Then they nearly upset Germany, only to be denied by a combination of Oliver Kahn, missed chances, and some extremely questionable officiating.

Maybe this team has already survived its questionable officiating moment.

Maybe now comes the breakthrough.

Belgium will be a different level. They knocked the US out in 2014 in extra time despite Tim Howard's record 16-save masterpiece. They beat the US badly in March. They have high-end attacking talent, tournament experience, and the ability to punish mistakes in a way Bosnia simply could not.

The US will also have to do it without Balogun, who has been one of the best players in the tournament for them and provides a vertical threat, a finisher, and a striker who can punish elite defenders. Pepi, or whoever Pochettino chooses, will have to rise to the moment.

I’ll have a deeper dive on Belgium and what they bring to the pitch this weekend.

For now, the US is still alive. They survived a bad referee. They beat a stubborn European opponent. They defended like grownups after going down a man. They got a goal from their striker. They got an all-time free kick from Malik Tillman.

And they earned the game everyone wanted.

USA-Belgium.

Home soil.

Revenge for 2014.

Quarterfinals at stake.

This is the moment.

Friday July 3, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4336

it's not work when you're having fun

What a week I just had.

Well, five days of it, at least.

I'm so blessed.

Last Sunday, I arrived on the campus of Liberty University to help run the golf program within the national FCA Competitors Camp. We had 24 golfers. There were 1,500 boys and girls in the camp overall, learning skills in sports like basketball, baseball, ice hockey, football, archery, track and field, softball and.........golf.

When we started the golf program four years when the camp was held at Kutztown University near Reading, PA, we had 11 golfers. We thought we were the cat's meow.

"11 kids who want to learn more about golf and God? Sign us up!"

The camp outgrew Kutztown after almost three decades there. Liberty University welcomed FCA with open arms. Last year at Liberty, in the first year there, 1,100 campers were on hand. We had 16 golfers. This year that number increased to 24 and, sadly, we had to leave several others on the waiting list or they wound up choosing another sport at this year's camp.

Next year? We're hoping for at least 8 more to get us to 32, but we need to make sure the golf facility at Liberty can handle that many.

I'll pause for a second to give you a quick story about something that happened on Monday. Because I didn't ask for permission to post his name, I won't do it here. But if he winds up reading this and wants to confirm his identity, that's perfectly fine by me.

On Monday, I'm inside the incredible Liberty University golf facility clubhouse getting a drink of water and see a man in an office who looks like he's the course superintendent. I stop in to say hi and introduce myself and he says something like, "You just never know who you're going to run into..." and introduces himself.

He is XXXXXXXX here at #DMD. You read his commentary quite often in the Comments section. Talk about a freakin' small world, huh? I'm at Liberty University, five hours from home, standing next to a water fountain on a Monday afternoon in late June and the only other person in the building at that very moment is XXXXXXXX.

Now you tell me. Is that God's providence, or what?

So, we shared small Orioles and sports talk each day when I was in taking a water break. It was great to put a name with a face, for sure. And the work he and the others have done with the Liberty golf facility is amazing. They have a 6-green golf course there that is routed in such a way that you can play 18 different legitimate holes. They actually have a scorecard for the course!

Teaching young boys and girls the skills of golf is a complete treasure. I love doing it.

Nearly every kid at this year's camp was either a current high school player trying to go from JV to varsity or they were a rising 9th grader hoping to make their team this fall or next spring. I didn't know any of the campers personally except for two; my own children were there with me for the week, which was even better.

My Calvert Hall assistant coach and fellow FCA Maryland Golf supporter Brian Hubbard was also there, so I had my two children and one of my closest friends with me for a week of Golf and God. How much better can it get?

Next year maybe my wife will come along to volunteer and we'll board the family dog for a week. We're already talking about that.

Anyway, we spent the better part of four days in the searing heat teaching golf and those boys and girls soaked up every word, no pun intended.

"Aaron" had a problem with early extension and was hitting that dreaded "lateral" shot that darts quickly to the right. He said, "I need to stop shanking it, Coach" and I said, "Rule number one of the shanks is we don't EVER say that word. Got it?"

Anyway, I used a very simple practice technique with Aaron called the "Belt Loop drill". You stand behind the player and you loop one of your fingers inside their back belt loop. "Imagine I have a bungee cord right here instead of my finger. And on the way down to the golf ball, the person behind you pulls the bungee cord so your lower body and rear end actually moves backwards instead of thrusting out towards the ball."

You tell them to take a practice swing in slow motion and on the way down, you pull their belt loop gently towards you so they feel that sensation. It gets their lower body back away from the ball so their hands can move freely and easily through the hitting area. There's no more early extension that forces the shoulders and clubhead out, away from the body, which results in the hosel of the club hitting the ball first.

It's an incredible revelation to the player the first time they do it and hit a ball flush. Aaron's very first "real shot" with the belt loop "lesson" in his brain produced this incredible 120 yard pitching wedge that Scottie Scheffler would have been proud of. He turned to me and said, "Holy smokes! Did you see that?" and his smile told the whole story. Ten minutes later, I walked back over to him and he was still flushing every shot. Even the other kids couldn't believe it.

"Coach, show me the belt loop drill," Josh asked. "I want to see if it can help me."

And it did. It helps everyone. It's one of the best drills I use for a player who is capable of hitting the ball decently because they have good hand-eye coordination but still hasn't quite figured out what makes a good golf swing work the way it does.

But the best thing about FCA Camp at Liberty? The boys and girls are there just as much for the faith component as they are the sports component.

There's chapel every night for two hours. Campers bring their Bible. They leave their phones outside of the arena. There's music, fun and games and a 50 minute "sermon" every single night. And the entire camp is there, worshipping and celebrating the great gifts provided to us by God and Jesus Christ.

For the fourth straight year, we were honored to have Heiden Ratner serve as our main worship leader. I've seen a lot of speakers and religious leaders in my life. Many of them are truly memorable in the way they deliver and present "the word" to their gathered congregation.

Heiden Ratner is the best I've ever seen at connecting with young people. The best. Ever.

He brings the Bible to them. He features stories and events that they can understand and weaves them in such a way that you can't help but feel blessed.

On Monday night, he told the story about Jesus visiting with the woman from Samaria who was dispensing water from a well to the townspeople and she scoffed at Jesus, saying, "Aren't you a Jew? You know you're not supposed to be seen near me, an unclean Samaritan woman."

Jesus said, "I'm thirsty, give me a drink."

Again, she said, "You're a Jew, asking me for a drink? How can that be?"

And Jesus replied, "“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

The woman replied, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?"

In Monday's account, Heiden added in a remarkable twist about the woman saying, "I'll give you water but what will you carry it in? Do you have a bucket?"

To which Jesus simply replied, "I am the bucket."

As the scripture goes, Jesus said to her when she asked about the living water, "Everyone who drinks this water you're giving out will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Heiden used that verse on Monday night and made an incredible, indelible point to every boy and girl (and adult) in the arena. "You'll never be thirsty if you drink from the bucket Jesus gives you."

Kids all week were talking about "The Bucket". I must have heard a dozen of them, at some point over four days say, "I am the bucket!"

If you're interested in learning more about Heiden and the great work he's doing out in Las Vegas with his WALK church, just visit: www.heidenratner.com.

Music also plays a central role in the camp.

The band this year was led by Zach Bowsher and it was just amazing to hear them play every night with incredible faith-based music that had every camper in the arena on their feet singing.

They played their new original song, "I've Got Joy", which I've included below.

And best of all? I mean, like, really the best thing of all? I got to be a small part of it and left there feeling more thankful and blessed than I deserve.

Seeing the work of God and Jesus unfold right there in front of you for a week is really amazing. We spent the five hour car ride home talking about how to make next year's camp even better.

To those of you who have supported my work in FCA and with FCA Maryland Golf, I thank you once again. I hope this entry today gives you a small glimpse into the way your support is used to help spread the mission of bringing every coach and athlete closer to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

OK, so a week or so ago I tossed out the idea that the Orioles could finish 49-48 at the All-Star break if things worked out favorably for them over the following three weeks.

To remind you, here's how I saw them reaching that 49-48 mark.

3 games @ Angels (2-1)

3 games vs. Nats (3-0)

3 games vs. White Sox (2-1)

3 games @ Reds (1-2)

3 games vs. Cubs (1-2)

3 games vs. Royals (3-0)

Well, so far, not so good. They went 1-2 vs. all three of those first three teams.

They currently sit at 40-48.

The Birds would have to win 9 straight (well, ten really, since they won on Wednesday already) to hit that 49-48 mark.

I don't see that happening.

But the good news is two of the three teams are "meh". Cincinnati has 40 wins and the Royals only have 35. If ever there were two teams to sweep, it's those two.

The Cubs are good, yes. But that doesn't mean the Birds can't squeeze two wins out of that series.

I don't think 49-48 is realistic at this point. But 46-51 might be. They should be able to somehow cobble together six wins over these next three series' before they break for the All-Star Game. Right?

So there you go...46-51 it is. Who's with me?

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. soccer update, part one

Our intrepid soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, was in San Francisco for Wednesday's pivotal knockout stage game between the U.S. and Bosnia.

Here's his game re-cap along with a few other nuggets. Tomorrow at #DMD, he'll break down what lies ahead for the Americans in advance of Monday's showdown with Belgium.

---

Job done. Moving on to the next round.

The performance on Wednesday night was more workmanlike than free-flowing for most of the game and was absolutely not helped by an embarrassingly bad performance from the referee. But in the knockout rounds, that part does not really matter. Win and advance. That is the whole assignment.

Just ask Germany. Just ask the Netherlands.

Or even England and Belgium, who both barely escaped their own first knockout tests. At this stage of a World Cup, style points are nice, but survival is what counts. The US survived, beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0, won a knockout game at a World Cup for just the second time in the modern era, and kept their tournament alive.

From the outset Bosnia looked to frustrate the US attack and hope they could find one lucky counterattack or set piece to get on the scoreboard. Despite the red card, despite the frustration, despite the weird game state, the US overcame and advanced to the round of 16. The headline moment will be Malik Tillman’s free kick.

After the US went down a man, after Bosnia finally started pushing bodies forward, after the crowd at Levi’s San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (except in Santa Clara, an hour south of San Francisco) went from tense to furious to fully alive, Tillman stepped up in the 82nd minute and buried a free kick from just outside the box to put the game away.

It is probably the most technically impressive goal the US men have ever scored at a World Cup. It will certainly go down as one of the great moments in USMNT history, especially if they move deeper in this tournament.

Down a man. One-goal lead. Entire stadium holding its breath.

And Tillman just bent it over the wall and in.

That is the kind of moment that lives forever.

How They Lined Up --

There were no real surprises in the US lineup. Mauricio Pochettino went back to his first-choice group after rotating heavily in the dead-rubber loss to Türkiye.

Matt Freese started in goal, with Antonee Robinson, Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Alex Freeman across the back. Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman formed the midfield base, with Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest underneath Folarin Balogun.

On paper, it was listed more like a 4-2-3-1. In practice, as we have seen throughout the tournament, it often looked like the same flexible attacking shape the US has used when the game tilts in their favor. Jedi and Dest provided width. Freeman was comfortable stepping into the right-sided buildup role. Ream and Richards helped initiate attacks. McKennie pushed high to press and crash the box. Tillman floated between deeper buildup and attacking combinations.

Bosnia made the more interesting tactical adjustment. Instead of the 4-4-2 they had shown earlier in the tournament, they came out in a 5-3-2/3-4-2-1 shape that often collapsed into a back five. They started only one of their young, dynamic wide attackers, with Esmir Bajraktarević beginning on the bench, and clearly came in trying to make the game compact, ugly, and frustrating.

Their line of engagement was mostly around midfield. They were not parking the bus on top of their own six-yard box, but they were not interested in turning the game into an open track meet either. The front two would engage selectively. The midfield stayed narrow. The back line tried to squeeze the vertical space between the lines. At times, when their wider midfielders jumped out toward the US wide center backs or wingbacks, the shape almost looked like a 5-1-4.

The plan made sense. Bosnia wanted to deny the US the easy central lanes, survive the first wave of pressure, and find moments through Edin Džeko, Ermedin Demirović, set pieces, or long balls.

The problem for Bosnia was that the US never really let them breathe.

The US Controlled the First Half --

The US held 62% of the possession in the first half, connecting on nearly twice as many passes as Bosnia (234 to 122) and it was not merely empty possession. It was not passing the ball around the back for the sake of control. With 66% of those passes coming in the opponents half and 28% in the final third. The Americans were probing. They were turning. They were trying to play into the box, finishing the half with 18 touches in the Bosnia box to just one touch for Bosnia in the US box.

There were combinations on the edge of the area. There were balls into the channel for Balogun. There were attempts to get Dest in behind. McKennie got loose down the wing. Ream slipped one into the channel for Tillman. Freeman hit a switch to Jedi just outside the box. Pulisic drove at defenders. Balogun kept looking for little pockets between the center backs.

The US did not create a ton of clear chances early, but they were stressing the defense. More importantly, they were making Bosnia defend under constant strain.

That pressure showed up without the ball too. The US pressed high for the entire first half and repeatedly trapped Bosnia in their own end. Bosnia’s only outlets were hopeful long balls toward Džeko and occasional US fouls that provided temporary relief and allowed them to push bodies forward and launch free kicks towards the US box. For long stretches, they had no real way to play through the American pressure.

That was a credit to everyone, but especially Adams and McKennie. Adams was everywhere in midfield, winning balls, stepping into challenges, and keeping possessions alive before Bosnia could turn them into counters. McKennie worked tirelessly, pressing the back line one moment and dropping back into midfield the next. That work became even more important after the red card, but it was already driving the game in the first half.

The US back line also deserves a lot of credit for the way the press functioned. Richards, Ream, Freeman and Adams were excellent dealing with long balls and loose balls. This was critical because pressing high only works if the players behind the press can clean up the first escape route. The US could be aggressive higher up the field because the rest defense was balanced and the center backs handled their business.

There was one real scare. In the 10th minute, a miscommunication off a long goal kick turned into Bosnia’s best first-half moment. Freese made the initial stop on Demirović but parried it back into a dangerous area, forcing a clearance for a corner. The ensuing corner nearly went straight in, and Freese had to scramble back and make a diving save.

That was basically it for Bosnia before halftime.

The rest of the half belonged to the US, even if the scoreboard took a while to reflect it.

Balogun had a goal waved off in the 31st minute after Tillman picked a defender’s pocket just outside the box and McKennie quickly slipped him in. Balogun finished it beautifully, low into the corner, but he had just drifted offside. That moment woke up the crowd a bit, which had been a bit subdued for most of the first half.

A trend that would become a major frustration later in the game was the lack of control from the referee. There were multiple occasions in the first half where he could have set a standard for the game with yellow cards for cynical fouls by the Bosnians, but he seemed to forget the yellow card existed as a concept.

McKennie broke past two players in the eighth minute and was taken down in a dangerous spot. Freeman took a late kick to the back of the leg in the 25th minute, the ref played advantage, but never came back to give the expected card. Balogun went down in the box in the 30th minute after contact from Dedić. It was not the clearest penalty in the world, but we have absolutely seen weaker ones given. Then in the 37th minute, Balogun was tangled up again in the box by Muharemović on a cross that was probably over his head but still looked like a UFC takedown.

The most obvious missed yellow came in first-half stoppage time, when Pulisic beat his man on the left and was pulled down by the shirt. That is a yellow card almost every time. Somehow, not this time.

The referee did not create the first-half story, but he was already losing control of the standard. Bosnia were allowed to foul just enough to slow the US down without paying the normal price for it.

Still, the breakthrough finally came in the 45th minute.

And like so many of the US goals in this tournament, it came from pressure.

In a move that started with Bosnia on the ball at midfield, the US gradually forced them toplay back to their keeper, inching their press higher and higher. Balogun and Tillman corralled the keeper to force a panicked long ball. Tim Ream was first to the ball and instead of just clearing it, took an excellent touch and played the ball first time into Adams. Adams’ first touch was an outstanding slipped pass to Tillman, who immediately looked for Balogun in the box.

The through ball was cut out, but it deflected off another Bosnia defender and fell right into Balogun’s path. One-on-one with Nikola Vasilj, Balogun made no mistake, calmly slotting it under the keeper with his left foot.

Yes, there was some luck in the final bounce. But that is the kind of luck you earn by applying constant pressure and forcing defenders into emergency actions. When you spend an entire half making a team uncomfortable, eventually something breaks.

The US went into halftime up 1-0, and honestly, Bosnia were lucky it was not more. Deep into stoppage time, Adams dinked a lovely ball to Dest, who picked out Balogun for what should have been a second, only for the striker to hit the top of the bar.

The first half ended up stretching to the 56th minute because of the hydration break, injuries to Adams, Vasilj, and others, the goal, and several smaller stoppages. By the end of it, Bosnia looked like a team hanging on.

The Red Card Changed Everything --

Bosnia did claw back a little more possession early in the second half. They made a triple change in the 51st minute, bringing on Bajraktarević, Benjamin Tahirović and Ermin Mahmić, with Džeko forced off in what became the end of his World Cup. That gave them a little more energy and a little more willingness to step forward.

But even then, they were not producing much danger. Before the red card, the US still looked more likely to extend the lead than Bosnia looked to equalize. Bosnia had a hopeful long-range effort from Katić. Ream had to cut out a cross. There were a few moments that hinted at pressure, but nothing that felt like sustained danger.

Then came the 64th minute.

Balogun and Muharemović came together in what looked like a 50/50 challenge. Balogun was knocked off balance and, as he came down, accidentally stepped on the defender’s foot/ankle. It was unfortunate. It was painful. It was probably a foul. You can make the argument for yellow.

A red card was absurd.

By the letter of the law, yes, serious foul play includes a challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality. That language gives referees room for interpretation. But that is the whole point. There is supposed to be judgment involved.

This was not Balogun flying into a challenge. It was not a tactical foul to stop a dangerous break. It was not violent conduct. It was not malicious. It was not an out-of-control lunge. It was a coming together between two players, with Balogun off balance, and an accidental step as he landed.

No one who has watched a lifetime of soccer would look at that play in real time and think, “That player needs to be sent off in a World Cup knockout game.”

The referee wilted in the moment. VAR gave him the chance to make the biggest possible decision, and instead of applying common sense, he hid behind the harshest possible interpretation of the law.

It was a horrendous call on a night where the referee had already allowed Bosnia to get away with multiple fouls that should have brought yellow cards. That is what made it even more infuriating. You cannot swallow your cards all night, then suddenly discover the strictest version of the rulebook for an accidental landing.

The red card changed the game.

It also takes Balogun out of the next match, removing a critical piece of the attack against the toughest opponent the US have faced in the tournament. That may end up being the more damaging part of the decision. Because Balogun has been enormous in this tournament. He scored the opener. He had the offside goal. He created multiple dangerous moments. His movement stretches defenses. His finishing gives the US a real threat at striker. He has looked like exactly the kind of center forward this program has been searching for forever.

And now, he is gone for the biggest game of the tournament. Apparently there is no appeals process in the World Cup. One dumb ref gets to throw a wrench in the entire tournament run.

Brutal.

The US Bent, But Never Really Broke --

After the red card, Pochettino had no choice but to change the game. The US dropped into two banks of four with Pulisic left up top to apply whatever pressure he could. Bosnia naturally pushed higher and started to stress the US defense with crosses into the box. But even with the man advantage, Bosnia did not create enough.

That is probably the most encouraging part of the whole performance. This was not a game where the US got completely shelled for 30 minutes and held on for dear life. Bosnia had more of the ball. They sent in crosses. They took a few shots from distance. They forced the US to defend. But they never truly put Freese under siege.

The back line was excellent. Ream, Richards, Freeman and Jedi all had important moments stepping out to contest crosses, blocking shots, winning headers, and dealing with balls into the box. Adams and McKennie kept working in front of them. Tillman and Pulisic still found enough quality touches to relieve pressure when the US needed it.

Freese had a few shaky moments, including one late cross he failed to claim cleanly, but ultimately he did what he needed to do. Bosnia finished with just 0.25 xG and zero big chances. That is a pretty remarkable defensive outcome considering the US played the final forty minutes down a man.

The US just continued to battle. They won 59% of the duels on the night, 62% of aerial duels, and that percentage actually increased in the second half.

And the US still found moments to attack.

In the 78th minute, they actually put the ball in the net again after a nice passing sequence around the box. McKennie found Tillman, Tillman slipped it through to Pulisic, and Pulisic bundled it home, only for the flag to go up. It was clearly offside, but it was a reminder that even down to 10 men, the US still had more attacking quality when they got into the final third.

Then came the moment.

In the 80th minute, Jedi launched a long throw into the corner. Bosnia dealt with it poorly, just booting it high and allowing the US to regain possession in the attacking third. Even down a man, the US counter-pressed well enough to turn a throw-in into a sustained attacking moment.

Bosnia looked tired. Dest received the ball near the top of the box, made a sharp turn, and Radeljić grabbed him to stop the attack. Finally, somehow, the referee found his yellow card for Bosnia.

The foul set up a free kick just outside the box. Tillman stood over it. And then he delivered the defining moment of the night. Right foot. Over the wall. Keeper got a touch but could not keep it out. 2-0.

Levi’s San Francisco Bay Area Stadium exploded.

That goal was more than just insurance. It changed the emotional weight of the final minutes. Instead of the US hanging on with one mistake away from extra time, Bosnia now had to score twice. That breathing room was massive.

From there, the US saw it out. There was even some good old-fashioned dark arts from Freese near the end line after light contact, which was exactly the kind of thing every other country in the world does in those moments and no one should apologize for. McKennie came off in the 95th minute to a deserved standing ovation. Pepi and Berhalter came on late. Bosnia had a couple of long-range shots whistle wide in stoppage time, but again, nothing that really forced Freese into a major save.

Full time -- USA 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0.

Survive and advance.

Tillman, McKennie, Adams and the Back Line --

Tillman was the man of the match. The free kick will be the highlight, but his whole performance was outstanding. He was composed on the ball, clever in tight spaces, dangerous when pressing defenders, and willing to do the dirty work. He finished with six ball recoveries and won nine of his 15 duels, which captures how important he was on both sides of the game.

His development in this tournament has been one of the biggest stories for the US Coming in, there were fair questions about how Pochettino would balance Tillman, McKennie, Adams, Reyna, and the front line. Tillman has answered them. He gives the US poise, ball security, pressing, and now one of the biggest goals in program history.

McKennie and Adams were also outstanding. McKennie’s work rate was absurd, especially after the red card. He pressed. He recovered. He battled. He helped connect attacks. He gave the US the kind of emotional and physical presence you need in knockout games.

Adams was just as important. His ball-winning and pressure in midfield kept returning possession to the US in the first half, and his quick first touch helped start the sequence for Balogun’s goal. There are games where Adams’ value shows up more in the structure than the box score, and this was one of them. He allowed the US to play aggressively without falling apart behind the ball.

The back line was exceptional. Richards, Ream, Freeman and Jedi dealt with Bosnia’s long balls, crosses, and late pressure, while also helping initiate the attack. Ream’s touch and pass into Adams before the opening goal was a veteran play. Freeman continues to look completely at home in a role that asks a lot of him. Richards gives the whole group confidence. Jedi’s engine is ridiculous.

Balogun’s night was complicated only because of the red card. Before that, he was excellent again. He scored. He had a goal disallowed. He got into dangerous spots. He gave Bosnia’s back line problems. He continued to show why he is so vital to this version of the US Which makes his absence an enormous problem.

Pepi came on late and had some decent touches, but he also missed a chance to put an exclamation point on the game in stoppage time when he could not quite control a good ball into the box. He will need to be stronger than he was against Türkiye. That is not meant as a criticism as much as reality. If Balogun is out, Pepi probably becomes one of the most important players in the biggest USMNT game in a generation.

No pressure, right?

Tomorrow here at #DMD, we'll look at what Wednesday's win means for the Americans and how it helps them prepare for Monday's game vs. Belgium.

faith in sports

As I mentioned above, "Bowsher" was the music group that performed all week at the Liberty University FCA camp. They are a Virginia-based band that plays at various venues and camps throughout the area.

They were a perfect fit for our FCA camp this year.

One of their original songs is called "I've Got Joy". I hope you enjoy it below.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday July 2, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4335

u.s. rolls on with an impressive performance

For one night, at least, the United States looked like a soccer playing nation.

Oh sure, they looked like that in the 4-1 win over Paraguay and the 2-0 triumph over Australia. And even in the 3-2 loss to Turkey in the final group stage game, the U.S. had moments of impressive play.

But those group games can be played with a somewhat carefree attitude because you usually have another game to prove yourself.

It's only until your team reaches the knockout stage where you have to put your best foot forward and keep it there. One mistake, one bad goal, one missed opportunity...and you could be heading home.

Last night in Palo Alto, California, the Americans looked like soccer players. They looked the part. And their 2-0 win sends them on to face a Belgium side that needed a miraculous comeback from 2-0 down with 5 minutes remaining in the game to defeat Senegal yesterday, 3-2.

The U.S. will have to prove themselves again next Monday in Seattle.

Last night was one of the more memorable U.S. World Cup games I can remember.

Bosnia-Herzegovina was no pushover. They defended well early on -- albeit with more than the occasional tug of the shirt or late tackle -- and clearly had a game plan of frustrating the U.S. offensively and hoping to pinch a goal on the counter attack.

A less savvy team might have fallen for that trick. Bosnia was quick to move forward as soon as they got the ball in an open space. They only "sat back" long enough to lull the Americans to sleep.

But the Americans didn't bite. They worked to possess the ball. And when they lost possession, they kept fighting to get it back, muddying up the middle of the field long enough to keep Bosnia from moving forward with any style or flow.

Finally, just before halftime, Folarin Balogun struck for a goal and the party was officially "on".

The play started with the team's elder statesman, Tim Ream, breaking up a play near midfield and getting the ball to Tyler Adams. Since we've occasionally sniped at Ream here for his pedestrian play and questionable decision-making, let's take an extra second or two to laud him for his performance last night, particularly in the final half hour when the U.S. were forced to play a man down after the ejection of Balogun.

Last night might have been the best (important) game I've ever seen from Ream. He picked a great night to have a great night.

Ream got the ball to Adams who then fed Balogun for the game's opening goal just before the end of the first half.

The U.S. maintained that 1-0 lead into the second half but then Balogun, as we referenced above, was sent off on what can only be described as an "awful call". Did Balogun foul the Bosnia defender? He did, sure. Was it a yellow card-worthy infraction? I mean, "maybe" you could have handed out a yellow card there?

But to throw him out of the game via the red card?

It's one thing if the play happens in Bosnia's offensive end of the field and a scoring opportunity was thwarted by Balogun stepping on the player's foot. Maybe you yellow card him for that infraction, yes.

But it happened in the U.S. side of the field and it was very obvious on replay that Balogun wasn't even looking at the player he fouled when the play unfolded. It most certainly wasn't intentional.

Alas, the red card came out and the entire World Cup trip was now in danger for the Americans. They not only had to play a man down for the rest of the game, including overtime if it came about, but they also just lost their top goal scorer for the final 30 minutes of the Bosnia game plus the next game, if they could hold on and win this one.

What followed from there was one of the more inspirational 30 minutes of soccer we've ever seen from a U.S. team.

Time and time again the Bosnia squad peppered the American goal box with crosses and passes and on every occasion, the U.S. was situated perfectly to get the ball out of harm's way. There were a couple of chances that leaked through and forced Matt Freese to make a save, but on the whole there was nothing to worry about until after Malik Tillman scored in the 82nd minute to put the U.S. up 2-0.

Thereafter, Bosnia came at the U.S. with everything they had.

The final 8 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of stoppage time were exhausting. The ball was in the U.S. end almost the entire time. But it kept coming back out as the Americans defended with a style and expertise we haven't really seen from them over the last couple of decades.

This team, on this night, wasn't going to be denied.

And so, they move to face Belgium in a game the U.S. should be in from the start, even without Balogun available due to his suspension for the red card from last night's game.

There's a lot soccer left and the bracket starts to get tighter now. The U.S. has to get past Belgium and then will face either Spain, Austria, Portugal or Croatia for the right to move into the proverbial "Final Four".

For those who like to do a little advance dreaming, if you will, the powerhouse the U.S. would potentially face in the semifinals would be France.

I think we'll stick with just worrying about Belgium at this point. Having to win that game without Balogun will be a supreme challenge, but the Americans beat Australia without Pulisic, so we know this squad does have some depth about it.

The dream is still alive, though, make no mistake about it. The U.S. is moving on in the World Cup.

I was on the golf course at the FCA camp yesterday at Liberty University and didn't see one pitch of the O's afternoon game, but it looks like Dean Kremer settled in nicely after giving up the lead-off home run.

Tyler O'Neill even made a contribution at the plate with a home run.

That's when you know it's your day. Kremer returns after two months on the injured list and spins a gem over six innings of work and O'Neill contributes to the win with a dinger.

Ain't the beer cold?

It was only one win, yes. But it was a much needed 6-1 victory. It not only avoided a painful 3-game home sweep at the hands of the White Sox, but it gets the O's back on track before they head out to Cincinnati for a 3-game series that starts tomorrow.

And seeing Kremer look like a real pitcher was a big deal, too, on Wednesday.

If he returns and stays healthy and can do moving forward what he did yesterday, that's huge. Alas, those of us who have watched him for the last four years are admittedly -- and with good reason -- skeptical that Kremer can return and get people out on a consistent basis.

One can only hope, though, right?

Wednesday July 1, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4334

ok, hit the panic button

There's a World Cup soccer game tonight for the U.S., in case you didn't know.

We might just over-cover that contest here today and act like what happened at Camden Yards last night was just a dream.

Or a nightmare, more like it.

Yes, the U.S. World Cup game is tonight against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Our man on the scene -- and that's the truth, he will be in San Francisco tonight for the game -- is Randy Morgan and you can find his preview of the big game below.

I'm getting ready to go out and deal with temperatures of 100 degrees at our golf camp at Liberty University.

Randy gets to cover a pivotal U.S. soccer game.

And I get to teach kids the sport of golf in sizzling weather.

Both of those, I think, are more enjoyable than chronicling what's going on with the Orioles.

It's time, officially, to panic.

Some folks hit the panic button six weeks ago. Some pressed it earlier this month. I like to wait those things out. I like to see things unfold and then unfold some more before I make that kind of call.

Go ahead and press the panic button. Last night's 9-3 loss to the White Sox was the final blow.

Last week here, I opined that a soft schedule and inevitable "market correction" would have the Birds at 49-48 at the All-Star break in ten days or so. And, at 49-48, the Orioles would be in prime position to make a second half playoff run.

Well, if we're being technical about it, the O's can still go 49-48. All they have to do is win ten straight games. Last night's loss leaves them at 39-48.

I know what you're thinking and I agree. There's beyond zero chance this outfit is winning 10 straight games.

It's starting to get ugly now. With the fan base, I mean.

After losing two of three to the Nationals, the Birds have now dropped two in a row to the White Sox. Fans have been booing this week as the Birds squander chance after chance to beat up on some of the "lesser" teams on their schedule.

Craig Albernaz hears the boos. So, too, do the players. They're all saying the right things, but you can tell it's starting to bother them a little bit. Albernaz says some of the outside noise "can creep into a guy's game" if he lets it. That's what happens when you make millions of dollars and can't hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and only one out. The people paying your salary start to get irritated.

You need a silver lining or two to perk you up this morning?

Gunnar Henderson had two more hits last night to get his average up to .227.

The Orioles bullpen was actually very good in relief of Trey Gibson, who got torched for 7 runs in the 3rd inning last night.

And.......the Birds didn't make an error in the field, which is really a rarity these days.

So there you have it.

A 9-3 loss to Chicago, where only a few things were worth mentioning.

It's time to panic.

Things change quickly. Ten days ago, the Birds were taking 2 of 3 from the Dodgers and coulda, shoulda, woulda swept the 2-time defending champs.

But then they squandered the series finale to the Angels, coughing up a 5-2 lead in the 8th inning of that one. That set the tone for the Nats series in Baltimore, where they also dropped two of three.

And now they need to win this afternoon's game against the White Sox to avoid an almost unthinkable home sweep at the hands of a team that just two years ago was winning 41 games all season.

This......is not good.

What is good, though, is the excitement level for tonight's U.S. soccer game.

The Americans are favored and should win and advance to the next round, but we've seen some upsets in the early stages of the knockout round, so let's not count those chickens just yet.

I'll call it a 3-1 U.S. win with goals by Balogun, Dest and Pulisic.

Randy Morgan handles all of the heavy lifting below with his extensive preview of what you'll see this evening.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. vs. bosnia game preview

After three group stage games, a dominant win over Paraguay, a professional win over Australia, and a meaningless last-second loss to Türkiye with a rotated lineup, the real tournament starts now.

The US men will face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night in the Round of 32 at 8:00 pm eastern (5:00pm local) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

On paper, this is close to the best possible draw the US could have hoped for. Bosnia is not a European heavyweight. That does not mean this is a free pass.

Bosnia did not stumble into this game by accident. They got here the hard way. They beat Wales in Wales in the UEFA playoff semifinals, then beat Italy in Bosnia in the playoff final to qualify for the World Cup. Both games required late equalizers and penalty shootout nerve.

Then, once they got to the tournament, they drew Canada on home soil, held Switzerland nearly even for 74 minutes before the game got away late, and then beat Qatar to grab four points and earn a place in the knockout round.

That is not the profile of a team that is going to be overwhelmed by the moment. This is a limited team in some ways. They are not loaded with elite speed and they are not going to pass the US off the field.

But they are organized, physical, stubborn, dangerous on set pieces, and very comfortable playing the kind of game where the favorite has most of the ball and slowly starts to get frustrated.

That is exactly the kind of game the US has to avoid.

What Bosnia Wants This Game to Become --

Bosnia’s plan is not complicated, but it has been effective.

They defend in a 4-4-2 shape, with two forwards up top, two compact banks behind them, and a clear willingness to concede the ball if it means keeping the game in front of them.

They are not always in a full bunker. Against Canada and Switzerland, they were often in more of a mid-block than a pure low block, with their line of confrontation around midfield. They will press at times, especially when the ball goes backward or when an opponent tries to build slowly from the center backs, but they are not going to chase the US all over the field.

The numbers from the group stage tell the story pretty well. Against Canada, Bosnia had just 39% possession but still got out of the game with a 1-1 draw, losing the xG (expected goals) battle only narrowly, 1.25 to 0.98. Against Switzerland, they had just 38% possession and were out-created 2.01 to 0.24 on xG, but that final number is a little misleading because the game was still scoreless until the 74th minute and then completely opened up after a red card in the 80th.

Against Qatar, Bosnia won 3-1 despite actually losing the xG battle 0.77 to 0.64, which is a good reminder that this team is not built to dominate games through volume. They are built to survive stretches, take advantage of moments, and make opponents regret mistakes.

Going the other way, everything starts with Edin Džeko. Yes, he is 40 years old. No, he is not running in behind the US back line all night. Bosnia will use him as the outlet over the press, the target on crosses, and the magnet on set pieces. When they cannot play through pressure, they will go over it.

Džeko does not need to win every long ball cleanly. He just needs to make the first contact, help Bosnia get to second balls, and allow their wingers to join the attack before the US can reset.

That is where Esmir Bajraktarević and Kerim Alajbegović become important. Bosnia does not have a ton of pure pace, but those two can carry the ball, hit crosses, take shots from distance, and turn a half-cleared ball into danger.

Alajbegović’s goal against Qatar was a reminder that Bosnia has players capable of producing a moment. Bajraktarević can be direct on the right, and the US will know him well because of his time with American youth national teams and club connection with Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi at PSV.

Then there is Sead Kolašinac on the left. The former Arsenal defender is one of the few remaining links to Bosnia’s 2014 World Cup team, and he still gives them physicality and experience. He can defend deep, battle in the air, and get forward when Bosnia has a chance to overload the left side.

The danger is that Bosnia turn the game into a grind, survive the first 25 minutes, steal a goal from a corner or free kick, and suddenly the US is chasing a knockout game against a packed defense. That is how games get weird. That is how favorites go home.

Where the Game Will Be Won --

The US will have more of the ball. Bosnia will try to stay compact. The US will press aggressively when Bosnia builds from the back.

Bosnia will try to bypass that pressure by playing directly into Džeko, then winning second balls and getting the ball wide. The US will try to pin Bosnia in, force clearances, win those second balls, and turn long stretches of pressure into chances.

For the US, the first key is the press. Against Paraguay, and in the first half against Australia, the US did an excellent job suffocating weaker build-outs. They forced long balls and they won the long balls and immediately attacked again.

Plenty of teams can press Bosnia into a clearance, but the better teams will keep the ball in Bosnia’s half after the clearance. That is where Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Tyler Adams, and Malik Tillman have to be sharp.

If Bosnia’s escape valve is Džeko, the US has to win the first header or clean up the second ball. If Bosnia’s wingers are trying to break out, the US wingbacks have to counter- press immediately without leaving the back line exposed.

Just as important, the US needs to be dangerous in the moments before Bosnia gets set. If Bosnia has all ten field players behind the ball, this becomes a slower, more crowded, more frustrating game.

But when the US wins the ball off a press, or collects a second ball after Bosnia goes long, there will be a few seconds where Bosnia’s midfield is stretched, the fullbacks are not quite in line, and Džeko or the second striker are still ahead of the ball.

Those are the moments where the US should attack quickly through Balogun, Pulisic, Dest, and Jedi Robinson. Not recklessly. Not forcing a hero ball every time. But quickly enough that Bosnia has to defend while facing its own goal instead of sitting comfortably in two banks of four.

The second key is width. Bosnia wants opponents to attack around them. They want the ball forced wide, then crosses coming into a crowded box where their center backs and Džeko can defend.

The US cannot just spend 90 minutes passing side to side and clipping hopeful balls into traffic. That is not the point of having Pulisic, Dest, Tillman, McKennie, Jedi Robinson, and Balogun on the field.

The US needs to use width to move Bosnia, not bail them out. That means Pulisic drifting into the left half-space and then exploding at defenders. It means Jedi overlapping to pull the right back away and create the inside lane for Pulisic.

It means Dest isolating defenders on the right and forcing Bosnia’s left-sided midfielder to help, which can open pockets for McKennie or Tillman.

It means Balogun making diagonal runs into the channels instead of standing between the center backs waiting for service.

The third key is scoring first. That is obvious in every knockout game, but it feels especially true here. If Bosnia scores first, they can sink deeper, slow the game down, foul when needed, and make the US prove it can break down a compact European defense under pressure.

If the US scores first, Bosnia has to come out. That is when the game opens up for Pulisic, Balogun, Dest, Jedi, and the rest of this attack.

The US has done a great job starting each game with high energy and playing on the front foot to score early goals. That would be a huge advantage if they can replicate the same against Bosnia.

They don’t need to force the game in the first five minutes, but they do need to play with urgency. They need to keep the tempo high, keep Bosnia pinned back, and make every clearance feel like temporary relief. This is not a game to let Bosnia breathe.

The US Advantages --

The good news for the US is they should have more weapons to hurt Bosnia than teams like Canada and Qatar or even Switzerland and Italy.

Italy had skill but did not stretch Bosnia enough. They played too many longer balls into the strikers, never consistently pinned Bosnia deep, and did not force the back line to defend enough runs into the channels.

Canada created pressure, but they were missing Alphonso Davies and did not have a consistent attacking focal point until Cyle Larin came off the bench. Switzerland eventually broke Bosnia open, and the lesson there was important: speed and movement in the wide channels caused real problems once the game opened up.

The US should be able to borrow from the best parts of those approaches while avoiding the worst parts.

A healthy Pulisic is a different kind of problem than Bosnia has faced so far. Switzerland had speed and directness. Italy had technical quality. Canada had athleticism. But none of them had a winger quite like Pulisic, especially when he is sharp and confident.

He can receive in tight spaces, beat the first defender, draw fouls, combine around the box, and turn a normal possession into an emergency for the back line.

Dest gives the US another one-v-one threat on the opposite side, helping to pull Bosnia out of their shape. If Pulisic is the only player constantly forcing help, Bosnia can tilt the field toward him. If Dest is also beating defenders on the right, Bosnia has to stretch. That is where gaps appear.

Balogun is also a crucial piece. He has the strength to deal with a physical back line and the speed to punish them if they get pulled too high. His runs into the channels should be a major part of the plan. Embolo caused Bosnia problems for Switzerland with his physicality and movement. Balogun can give the US a similar outlet, but with more speed to threaten in behind.

Set Pieces Could Decide It --

This is the part of the game that should make any US fan nervous.

The US will probably have the field tilted in its favor. That means corners. That means wide free kicks. That means chances to punish Bosnia without having to break them down from open play every time.

They need to take advantage.

At the same time, they cannot give Bosnia cheap free kicks in dangerous areas. That is the easiest way to let an underdog into a knockout game. Džeko, Kolašinac, Katić, Muharemović, and the rest of Bosnia’s bigger bodies do not need many chances to make one count.

Against Canada, Bosnia’s goal came from a set piece. Against Qatar, Džeko helped create the second goal by attacking a cross at the back post. This is who they are.

The US has enough size and athleticism to handle it, but they have to be switched on. No unnecessary fouls. No lost runners. No hesitation from the goalkeeper. No soft marking at the back post.

On the other end, the US has to be more efficient. They cannot waste eight or nine corners and then complain that Bosnia is hard to break down. In a game like this, a set-piece goal might be the difference between a comfortable night and an hour of pure stress.

Outlook --

This is the kind of game the US should win. They have more talent. They have more athleticism. They have more attacking variety. They are playing at home. Their best lineup should be rested after the group finale rotation. And tactically, they have the tools to give Bosnia real problems if they execute.

But as the first few days of this round have demonstrated, things can get frustrating quick if the execution is not at its top level.

Bosnia is not a pushover. They have already survived Wales, Italy, Canada, and long stretches against Switzerland. They are not going to be intimidated by the crest on the shirt or the crowd in the stands. They will defend, battle, foul, cross, crash the box, and try to drag the US into the mud.

The US has to be mature enough not to let that happen. That means no cheap set pieces. No casual defending after turnovers. No wasted corners. No slow, predictable possession. No frustration if the first 20 minutes do not produce a goal.

The US does not need to play the perfect game. They just need to play with the same energy and clarity they showed in the best stretches of the group stage.

Press hard. Win second balls. Attack quickly before Bosnia gets set.

Create overloads that force defenders to make choices.

Get Pulisic and Dest attacking defenders. Let Balogun run the channels. Make Bosnia defend facing its own goal instead of standing comfortably in its box.

Do that, and the US should be moving on.

If you’re interested in a deeper dive into the tactical matchup, you can read that here: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/usmnt/usmnt-vs-bosnia-preview/#tactical- deep-dive

Tuesday June 30, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4333

ravens season just around the corner

At this point, we should start looking at the 2026 Ravens schedule and formulating our own personal thoughts on what they might be able to accomplish this coming season.

The Orioles aren't doing their part to keep football on the back burner. So maybe we should move it to the front burner.

That first game in Indianapolis seems like one of those kind the Ravens will pull out in the 4th quarter with a couple of touchdowns to take an uneasy 17-12 lead and turn it into an eventual 31-12 victory in Jesse Minter's debut.

It should be a 2-0 start the following Sunday in Baltimore. The Saints are going to be lousy in 2026. You never look a gift horse in the mouth, the saying goes. But this opener vs. New Orleans is definitely a gift.

The game in Brazil against Dallas might be a doozy. There's no telling how either team is going to react to the travel and climate change, so I'll refrain from opining on this one just yet. But on the whole, all things being equal, we already know the Ravens have a much more talented roster than the one they're boasting in Dallas this coming season.

Then it's the Titans in Baltimore to either go 4-0 or 3-1. Tennessee's lousy. A 5-win team, maybe 6 max. They're not coming to Charm City and winning.

OK, so is that enough for now?

You don't really think I'm going to go through the entire Ravens schedule. Do you?

It might be more interesting than pontificating about another Orioles loss, though. Am I right?

Last night's summary is easy.

Shane Baz did his part, getting the start and going 7 innings and allowing just 4 hits and 2 earned runs. He did walk 4 guys, which isn't cool, but he more than kept the offensively-inept Birds in the game through 7 innings.

Right on cue, the Orioles got a good starting effort, but the bats were nowhere to be seen and the bullpen imploded, allowing 6 runs in the final two innings of the 8-2 loss to the White Sox.

When it rains, it pours.

If this time last year you would have whispered, "I saw the 2026 script. The White Sox will come to town in late June above .500 and in first place in the Central and the O's will be below .500 and scuffling through the first half of the season", I would have thought you were nuts.

As Ted Lasso said in one episode, expectations for the O's were higher than a giraffe's nose coming into the season.

But this has been a borderline disaster thus far.

On nights when the O's starting pitching is terrible, their offense scores a bunch of runs but they lose, 9-7.

On nights when the O's starting pitching is good, their offense goes in the tank and they lose, 6-2.

There are some nights, though, when the pitching is good and the offense does just enough to keep things close and then the bullpen can't get anyone out.

This 2026 Orioles team is an enigma of the highest proportions. They can't get it right.

The starting pitching has actually be good-to-very-good for the entire month of June. You can look it up on the internet if you don't believe me.

The offense has been spotty, at best.

And the bullpen is now starting to wear out. You can see it happening right in front of you. They're no longer reliable on a nighly basis.

At least Gunnar had two hits last night. That's a plus.

But it was yet another home loss for the O's. That's three straight now.

Maybe doing the Ravens week-by-week-schedule-predictions isn't such a bad idea for content after all.

Week five at Atlanta. That should be a win for the purple birds. The Falcons haven't been good since they coughed up that 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl a while back.

Is it football season yet?

On the heels of his playoff loss to Viktor Hovland yesterday morning at The Travelers, golf media types are starting to mumble about Scottie Scheffler's 1-win season to date.

It's true. He won back in January and hasn't won since.

But that doesn't mean he's not playing great golf. He's just "off" a hair and that's why he has one win instead of four or five at this juncture of the season.

Consider this fact. In his last 92 starts on the PGA Tour, Scheffler has finished in the top 3 or better 43 times.

That didn't say top 20 or top 10. It read: top T.H.R.E.E.

Imagine if you had a golfer who finished top 10 in 43 of 92 starts. That's almost half the tournaments. 43 of 92 would be remarkable. In the top 10.

Scheffler has finished 1st, 2nd or 3rd in 43 of the last 92 starts he's made.

It's mind boggling.

His tee-to-green data is off the charts good. He's still the best "hitter" of the golf ball, either from the tee or the fairway, in the entire world. His putting numbers aren't terrible, either. He's just missing one putt here and there this season that he would have made in the same scenario last season.

It might very well come to pass by season's end that Scheffler A) doesn't miss a cut all season, B) leads the TOUR in earnings, C) leads the FedEx Cup standings heading in the playoffs and, D) only wins one time.

I don't think that's going to happen. I assume Scheffler will win at least one more tournament this year, if not two.

But I bring all of that up to say: If he doesn't miss a cut, leads the TOUR in money and FedEx Cup points, wins once, and has a dozen other Top 5 finishes, could he still win Player of the Year honors?

Fitzpatrick has three wins right now, Matthew that is, and Wyndham Clark has two, including a major.

Is Scheffler's season better than their respective seasons even though he only has won one time? One of Fitz's wins was the team event in New Orleans with his brother. It's a win and all, but not a "real" individual tournament victory.

Clark has played great golf since early June and just another excellent finish in Connecticut. He might be making a serious push for Player of the Year honors, particularly if he contends at the British Open and wins one of the early FedEx Cup playoff events.

But all Scheffy needs is a win or two in the next five weeks. A victory at Royal Birkdale and a second Claret Jug would seal the deal for his Player of the Year award, I'm guessing.

Even in his loss yesterday, the amazing four year run of Scottie Scheffler rolls on.

Monday June 29, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4332

pride not apparent on the field

Cheese and crackers...we just lost 2 of 3 at home to the Washington Nationals.

Come on man.

By "we", of course, I'm talking about our Baltimore Orioles. If you're a fan in the good times, you have to stick around in the bad, too. I've been watching those guys since the mid 1970's. I'm with them. Hence, we're "we".

But that said, this is starting to get tough.

Tough to be a supportive fan, I mean.

Something's missing.

I know what you're thinking. "That might be Drew's dumbest statement ever. And he's had some dumb ones along the way."

But something's missing with this team. Lack of fundamental baseball abounds. Everyone makes mistakes, yes, but the mistakes this particular team makes are astounding.

Whether that's in the field with the glove, running the basebaths or failing to deliver even solid contact of some kind into the outfield with the bat, something is just "off" with these guys. Did the whole thing start to crack in spring training? Were the fundamentals not reinforced to them in Sarasota?

Are the wrong people teaching the fundamentals? Is the message not being delivered the right way?

These are important questions as the losses mount and decision time looms within the next 5 weeks or thereabouts. Can this season be saved?

On the surface, it would appear the roster has enough quality personnel mixed in to succeed. I know all about Tyler O'Neill and how he is struggling mightily. Some of the bullpen arms that were almost unhittable in April and May have started to show signs of wear and tear now that we've reached the halfway point of the season.

I'm not naive. There's some "bad" scattered in amongst the good.

But for the most part, the talent level on the roster is adequate enough to win.

So why aren't they winning more?

We all know Gunnar's have a bad season to date. But why? Who is working with him on it? Who in the organization is in there with him trying to figure it out?

The same goes for Jackson Holliday. He did have a home run yesterday, and he missed a month at the start of the campaign, but his offensive numbers aren't impressive, either. Why? He was a former #1 draft pick. He's supposed to be really good, right? So why isn't he?

Why can't Jordan Westburg ever be healthy? Adley Rutschman also seems like he's always being bothered by some sort of ailment. Should the O's bank on him as their long term fixture at catcher or peacefully move him on and get something of value for him before he becomes a free agent next year?

These are a few of the important questions about the 2026 Orioles that need answered.

Some people in town think the guy who oversees the entire baseball operations should be fired. That might not be as outrageous of an idea as it sounds. Someone, after all, ultimately has to pay the price for ongoing failures.

However, if that happens and a change is made, how long will the next guy/gal need to fix what Mike Elias was responsible for during his tenture?

Are things so bad that Elias needs to go? If your answer is "yes", are you ready for yet another rebuild? You know, one of those 2-3 year kind of deals where everyone just nods and goes with the flow while the team wins 70 games and refuels with new players and new energy.

This is a tough time to rebuild.

You'd be asking an already-patient fan base to dig in for another short period of time and continue to pay major league prices to watch an inferior, "not worth my time or my money", product.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to sit through three of those summers.

I don't particularly care for this summer, at least not yet, but at least I can still watch the games and think to myself, "This team should be better. I know they can be better. Once they figure out what's ailing them, they're going to go on a run."

I say that a lot.

But it never happens.

I thought the uptick might start this past weekend with the Nationals in town for what should have been a 3-day-all-you-can-hit-and-score feast on their lousy pitching staff.

Instead, the freakin' Nats won 2 of 3.

And now another up-and-coming team is buzzing into town at 43-39, as the White Sox -- tied for the Central Division lead, if you can believe that -- visit Baltimore for their only trip to Charm City in 2026.

Chicago has more wins now (43) than they had in the entire 2024 season (41). They started showing small signs of improvement last year and have now fully blossomed into a "decent" team through the midway point of the campaign. Will they win the division? That's unlikely. But you now have to actually compete and give it your all when you play the White Sox.

Following these three games with Chicago, the Birds are in Cincinnati for a 3-game this coming weekend.

OK, let me just say it here as an official declaration:

What the O's really need in the next 6 games: 5-1

What would be acceptable in the next 6 games: 4-2

What wouldn't help but wouldn't really hurt in the next 6 games: 3-3

What the O's simply can't do in the next 6 games: 2-4 (or worse)

With each passing week, the Concern Meter starts to tick more rapidly. What was a slow start turned into a "slow first month" and then moved into a "slow first half".

It's almost July 1 and the O's have yet to hit on all cylinders. Not for a week, even.

Something is definitely missing.

They need to figure out what it is. Like, quickly.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

World Cup Group Stage Recap

The largest group stage in World Cup history is finally done. Forty-eight teams, twelve groups. 72 games, and a million different third-place scenarios. A bracket that required a flow chart, an engineering degree, and possibly a small prayer to understand. And after all of that, we are down to 32 teams.

The good news is that the expanded field did not ruin the tournament. If anything, the group stage was more fun than expected. There were blowouts, late collapses, surprise qualifiers, old stars refusing to go quietly, new teams announcing themselves, and plenty of goals. The goals per game rate in the group stage finished at 2.99, well above any World Cup since 1970.

The forgiving new format means all of the heavyweights are still here. France, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, England, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Colombia, and the United States all advanced. Some looked great. Some looked vulnerable. Some looked like they were trying to make this much harder than necessary.

So before the knockout rounds begin, let’s reset the field.

Group Winners and Runners-Up

Group Winner / Runner-Up

A Mexico / South Africa

B Switzerland / Canada

C Brazil / Morocco

D United States / Australia

E Germany / Côte d’Ivoire

F Netherlands / Japan

G Belgium / Egypt

H Spain / Cabo Verde

I France / Norway

J Argentina / Austria

K Colombia / Portugal

L England / Croatia

The eight third-place teams to survive were: Ecuador, Sweden, Senegal, Algeria, DR Congo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Paraguay, and Ghana.

That is the new reality of the 48-team World Cup. Finishing third no longer automatically means you are going home. For teams like Paraguay, Bosnia, Ghana, and Senegal, that meant a lifeline.

For teams like Uruguay, Scotland, Iran, and South Korea, it meant an agonizing few days of scoreboard watching before the door finally closed.

Then there were the stories that just make the World Cup the World Cup.

Cabo Verde getting through as a runner-up. Morocco backing up 2022 by going unbeaten in a group with Brazil.

Côte d’Ivoire getting out of a difficult group. Japan surviving the Netherlands- Sweden-Tunisia goal carnival.

Canada and South Africa turning Group A/B survival into a knockout-stage matchup.

This is where the expanded field delivered. It gave more countries a real moment without completely watering down the top of the tournament.

Best XI of the Group Stage

Goalkeeper: Vozinha, Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde getting out of the group is one of the great stories of the tournament, and Vozinha was central to it. They did not overwhelm anyone, but they stayed organized, stayed alive, and got enough goalkeeping to turn three draws into a historic knockout spot.

Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Joshua Kimmich, Dayot Upamecano, Aymeric Laporte Hakimi was outstanding for Morocco, who again look like far more than a one- tournament fluke. Kimmich was one of Germany’s most important players even with the stumble against Ecuador. Upamecano has helped hold together a France team that has so much attacking talent it would be easy to overlook the defensive work behind it. Laporte gets the nod from a Spanish defense that did not concede a goal in the group stage.

Midfielders: Pedri, Bruno Guimarães Pedri has been exactly what Spain needed him to be. The attack still has another gear to find, especially with Lamine Yamal not fully igniting yet, but the midfield control has been there. Spain can still put teams in a blender for long stretches, and Pedri is the biggest reason why, leading them in chances created and possession won in the final third.

Bruno Guimarães was the standout in Brazil’s midfield. Vinicius Jr. will get the headlines, and deservedly so, but Brazil’s improvement over the course of the group stage was not just about the forwards. Bruno gave them control, bite, and progression through midfield.

Forwards: Lionel Messi, Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé

Yes, this is basically a 4-2-4. No, I do not care. Good luck telling one of these four they are out.

Messi was the player of the group stage.

Vinicius Jr. looked like Brazil’s most dangerous player and one of the few attackers in the tournament who can tilt an entire defense by himself.

Mbappé remains Mbappé, which means every French attack has the possibility of becoming terrifying in about two seconds.

Dembélé’s explosion against Norway was one of the signature individual performances of the group stage and a reminder that France are not just Mbappé and everyone else.

Player of the Group Stage: Lionel Messi

I did not expect this.

Messi was always going to be one of the biggest stories of the tournament, because he is Messi and because this may really be the last time we see him on this stage. But there is a difference between being a story and being the best player in the tournament. Through the group stage, he was the best player in the tournament.

The biggest question for Argentina coming into this tournament was whether Messi could still be a game-breaking force against top international competition, in the heat of a World Cup, four years after he completed the sport in Qatar.

The answer has been a resounding yes.

He has not just been a ceremonial presence or a late-game specialist. He has been nearly unstoppable. He has forced teams to defend Argentina differently. And even when Argentina rotated in the final game, he came off the bench and still scored, taking a two goal lead in the Golden Boot race.

That changes the entire tournament. Argentina with “still pretty good Messi” is dangerous. Argentina with “maybe still the best player here Messi” is a top tier favorite.

Re-Ranking the Contenders

This is a power ranking, not a title odds ranking. That matters because the bracket path is not equal. Some teams have a cleaner road than others. Some teams are better but sitting in a more brutal section. So this is “who has looked the best and who I would trust most on a neutral field tomorrow.”

1. France

The most talented team in the tournament and, through the group stage, the most convincing.

The scary thing is they have not needed everything to click at once. Mbappé can take over a game. Dembélé can take over a game. Michael Olise can take over a game. The midfield concerns that felt like the one possible weak spot have not really been an issue yet, and the back line has been solid enough behind all that attacking firepower.

France just look overwhelming. They can beat you with pace, combinations, individual brilliance, depth, or simply by making you defend wave after wave of elite attackers until something breaks.

2. Argentina

Argentina entered the tournament as defending champions, but the Messi question was real. Could he still do it at this level? Could he still be the center of a World Cup contender? Could he still decide games against elite athletes in a tournament that demands so much physically?

So far, yes. Emphatically yes.

Argentina look composed, balanced, experienced, and still capable of producing the one moment of genius that swings a knockout game. They are not as overwhelming as France, but they may have the clearest identity of any contender. They know exactly who they are.

And as we will get to, they also have the cleanest path.

3. Spain

Spain have not exploded yet, but I am not sure that is a bad thing.

They missed some of their star attacking punch in the opening game and have not quite looked like the full-throttle version of themselves going forward. Lamine Yamal still has another level to reach, although it looks like Nico Williams may continue to be limited due to injury.

The front line has not been as ruthless as France or the Netherlands. But the midfield has been exactly as advertised. Spain control games. They squeeze the air out of opponents. They give up very little. Along with Mexico, they were the only group winners not to concede a goal. That travels in knockout soccer.

If the attack finds another gear, Spain can absolutely win the tournament.

4. Netherlands

The Netherlands have been one of the most entertaining teams in the tournament. They scored 10 goals in the group stage and at times looked like they could generate chances whenever they wanted.

The concern is pretty obvious. They also conceded four against Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. Against better teams, those gaps will be punished.

Still, the attacking form is real. Cody Gakpo, Brian Brobbey, Denzel Dumfries, and that whole front group look confident, direct, and dangerous. If they can tighten things up behind them, they are a real threat.

5. England

England looked best in their first game, beating Croatia 4-2 in one of the more impressive opening performances of the tournament. Since then, it has been a little less convincing, but not enough to panic.

They still have an absurd amount of talent. Jude Bellingham can dominate games. Harry Kane is still Harry Kane. Bukayo Saka has more time to work his way closer to 100%.

The depth is still there. The ceiling is still there.

The concern is that England often seem to find a way to turn abundance into anxiety. The bracket is not exactly forgiving either. More on that below.

6. Brazil

Brazil have gotten better every game, which is what you want to see from a team adjusting to a new tournament rhythm. The 1-1 draw with Morocco was not a disaster, and the wins over Haiti and Scotland were exactly the sort of professional performances they needed.

Vinicius Jr. has looked like a superstar. Neymar’s return gives them another layer of creativity. Bruno Guimarães has helped stabilize the midfield.

But the Raphinha injury is a major blow. Brazil have enough attackers to absorb almost anything, but Raphinha was not just another winger. He gave them directness, work rate, and balance. Losing him lowers the margin for error.

7. Germany

Germany looked outstanding through two games. Then they played their starters against Ecuador and lost, which is not ideal, though who knows how the stakes affected the performance.

It was not just a weird scoreline where Germany dominated everything and got robbed. Ecuador created more chances too, which makes it a little harder to dismiss as bad luck, though again, Ecuador had much more to play for.

Germany still have a ton of quality, and their first two performances showed how dangerous they can be when the attack gets rolling.

But that Ecuador game put a flashing yellow light over the whole operation. The other problem is the bracket. They are probably staring at France in the Round of 16 if both teams handle business. That is a brutal reward for winning your group.

8. Colombia

Colombia deserve more attention than they are getting. They won a group over Portugal, only failing to beat them head to head because of a very close offside call. The defense held up better than expected, and they have enough technical quality in midfield and attack to make anyone uncomfortable.

They may not have the same top-end star power as the teams above them, but they have been cohesive, difficult to break down, and confident on the ball. That is a dangerous combination in a knockout tournament.

9. Norway

Norway are hard to rank because of how they approached the France game. They looked excellent in their first two matches, then essentially punted the group finale against France. That makes them difficult to evaluate.

But Haaland is Haaland. In a single-elimination tournament, having the best pure striker in the world is a pretty nice starting point. Norway may not control every game, and they may have defensive issues against top teams, but no opponent is going to feel comfortable giving Haaland 90 minutes to find one chance.

10. Portugal

Portugal have been disappointing. That may feel strange to say about an unbeaten team that finished with five points and a +5 goal difference, but the standard is different for a squad with this much talent. A draw with DR Congo, a blowout of Uzbekistan, and a draw with Colombia is not exactly a disaster. It is also not what Portugal should be producing with this player pool.

The Ronaldo question still hangs over this team. Is he elevating this talented roster or dragging them down?

That does not mean he is the only problem, but at some point Portugal have to ask whether they are still maximizing the whole team or continuing to orbit around a player who is no longer their best attacker. They have too much creativity and too much attacking depth to look this ordinary.

Just missed: Morocco

Morocco should not be overlooked. They drew Brazil, won their other two games, and once again look like a team that knows exactly how to make life miserable for more talented opponents.

The problem is their reward. They get the Netherlands. If they win that, their path probably gets even nastier. But at this point, 2022 was not a fluke. Morocco are just good.

The Bracket

That setup matters as much as the power rankings.

France may be the best team in the tournament, but their path is not easy. They get Sweden first, then likely Germany in the Round of 16. If they survive that, the Netherlands or Morocco could be waiting in the quarterfinal. That is an absurdly difficult start to the knockout rounds.

Germany are in the same boat, just from the other side. Paraguay is a manageable Round of 32 opponent, but France looming next is brutal. Winning the group was supposed to buy them a cleaner path. Instead, it may have put them directly into the tournament favorite.

Spain’s path is also tricky. Austria is a winnable opener, but after that it could be Portugal or Croatia. Portugal have not looked great, but they still have enough talent to beat anyone. Croatia are old, stubborn, and basically designed to annoy better teams in knockout soccer. Spain may be better than both, but neither is a comfortable Round of 16 opponent.

England’s path is fascinating. DR Congo is a game England should win, though they have shown they can make life difficult as an underdog. After that, they likely get Mexico at the Azteca, assuming Mexico get by Ecuador.

That means going up against one of the strongest home field boosts in the world. Survive that, and Brazil could be waiting in the quarterfinals. So yes, England are still one of the best teams in the field, but they are not exactly strolling into the semifinals.

Brazil have Japan first, which is dangerous but manageable, then probably Norway or Côte d’Ivoire. That is not easy, but it is cleaner than what France, Germany, Spain, or England are staring at.

The United States got about as reasonable a draw as they could have hoped for. Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 is a winnable game. If they advance, Belgium or Senegal awaits. That is difficult, but not impossible. The quarterfinal would likely be Spain, Portugal, or Croatia, so the path gets real in a hurry. But there is at least a plausible route to a deep run without immediately running into France, Argentina, Brazil, or England.

Who Has the Best Path?

It has to be Argentina.

Argentina have Cabo Verde first. Then the winner of Australia and Egypt. Then their most likely quarterfinal opponent comes from Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia, and Ghana.

Colombia are dangerous, and Switzerland are never easy, but compared to the other contenders, that is about as clean as a World Cup knockout path can get.

If Argentina make the semifinals, then the bracket probably turns into England or Brazil. But they do not have to see either until then. They do not have France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, or the Netherlands on their side. For a defending champion with Messi playing like this, that is a massive opportunity.

That is how tournaments are won sometimes. You need talent. You need health. You need stars. You need a little luck.

Argentina already have the first three. The bracket may have just handed them the fourth.

Sunday June 28, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4331

give me liberty...

OK, let's use some of that high school education real quick.

Who said, "Give me liberty or give me death?"

And please, don't Google it. You either know it or you don't.

I'm excited to be spending the next few days on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, helping run the national FCA golf camp. We'll be using Liberty's golf training facility for the camp, which includes their very own golf course on the 110 acre piece of property bordering the campus.

I guess that's how you know your college takes golf seriously, huh? They build you a golf course and an entire facility for your players to practice on and sharpen their games.

We get to use it this week at the FCA camp and I'm beyond excited to have our 24 campers experience everything that Liberty has to offer them.

Speaking of the camp, I'm also looking forward to once again getting to watch and hear Heiden Ratner run the camp's faith chapel every night at 7 pm in the school's arena. There will be 1,500 total campers at this year's camp, along with an additional 1,000 adults serving as instructors, administrators and huddle leaders.

Ratner, a former JMU basketball player who runs the W.A.L.K. church that he started in Las Vegas, is one of the most gifted speakers I've encountered in my six-plus decades on this planet. I find myself getting fired up every night to get a good seat for chapel so I can take in his evening message.

If you're someone who prays, I'd appreciate it if you'd add me and the entire FCA camp to your prayer list today and throughout this coming week. The weather is expected to be a little concerning down here, with temperatures in the mid to upper 90's. Please pray for the safety of our campers and the success of our respective programs as we try to bring the young boys and girls closer to God while experiencing growth in their sports as well.

Below you'll find a clip of Heiden discussing the opening of his W.A.L.K. church. I think you'll agree he's amazing.

There was a time when losing to a scrub team like the Nationals was a worry, but when you're below .500 and also bordering on "scrub", it's probably almost expected. Last night's 4-3 loss to D.C. dropped the Birds to 39-45 on the campaign.

That 49-48 record at the All-Star break I referenced here earlier in the week is looking like it might have been a pipe dream.

The Birds wasted yet another fine start from Brandon Young (5 innings, 7 hits, 2 earned runs) in losing last night, with Sam Basallo grounding out to end the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th.

Gunnar Henderson was 1-for-5 to continue his June swoon. He did keep the game alive with a 10th inning single, but that was about all he did. Henderson is now hitting .223 on the year with a .294 on-base-percentage. It's not getting any better, sports fans.

Since we're Silver Lining fans here, it's worth mentioning the Birds were down 3-1 in the 8th inning last night before rallying to tie the game at 3-3 thanks in part to one of the few guys on the club who makes some sort of contribution almost every night, Pete Alonso.

Tyler O'Neill was -- you probably already can figure this one out -- 0-for-3 and continues to have Mendoza laughing at him, as the veteran right fielder is now hitting just .184 on the season.

By the way, not that we really care at all about the Nationals, but not only are they 42-42 on the season but they're an impressive 25-17 on the road so far in 2026.

They actually have some solid young ballplayers on their roster. If they can spend a few bucks in the off-season and add a quality free agent or two, they might be on to something down there.

The Birds, meanwhile, are still wallowing. It's not time to panic just yet, even though a lot of you reading this probably think it was time to panic six weeks ago. The Orioles are 4 over par through 9 holes and the cut is going to be 2 over par. They just need to make a few birdies over the next three months and they'll be fine.

But can they do that?

With each passing series, it's starting to look like the answer to that question is: "Probably not".

Oh, and for those still with me here, it was Patrick Henry who authored the quote "Give me liberty or give me death."

But you knew that.

Saturday June 27, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4330

phil finally beating tiger? (sadly)

Alan Shipnuck just can't get himself enough of Phil Mickelson.

That probably didn't read the way I wanted it to read.

Shipnuck, who has been golf's go-to-source for juicy nuggets on guys like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, produced an explosive story on Friday that sent shock waves through the sports world.

It all centered on Mickelson and some of his, ummmmm, personal exploits over the last five years.

Writing for a golf website called Skratch.com, Shipnuck uncovered some previously-not-known facts that included Mickelson producing a picture of his naked body on his cell phone and showing it to Pat Perez's wife during a wine infused night the week of a PGA Tour event in New Jersey.

Perez's wife contends Mickelson also told her to "meet me in my room when Pat falls asleep tonight", a story Phil apparently only slightly recalled when Pat Perez pressed him on it a year later.

The crux of the story centered on Mickelson being dismissed by three golf clubs in San Diego, all of which witnessed inappropriate behavior from the 3-time Masters champion. One of those, The Farms, came to light three weeks ago when Mickelson was removed from the club after "non-consensual contact" with a female employee. The other two came to light via Shipnuck on Friday, who detailed how Phil was also dismissed from The Bridges and Madison Club.

Perhaps the most startling story sniffed out by Shipnuck had Phil paying a club employee $500 to drive around the course for four hours with Phil's cell phone in the cart so his wife, Amy, would think he was playing golf when she checked his whereabouts on her phone tracker. While that was happening, Mickelson was reportedly at a nearby home entertaining a lady friend that was not his wife.

Mickelson's camp mostly denied everything Shipnuck included in the story. This isn't the first time the writer and golfer have clashed over published content. But it's by far the most damaging thing Shipnuck has ever written about Mickelson.

"Some of the allegations circulating about Mr. Mickelson are false, and others revisit mistakes he has already acknowledged, publicly or privately. Stacking the disputed claims next to the ones he has owned does not make them credible. It instead contributes to a false and misleading narrative," Mickelson's representatives wrote in a statement.

"Mr. Mickelson's priority is to become the husband, father, and man his family deserves. Right now, that means giving his full attention to a private family health matter. He understands that parts of his life are public, but his family's private matters are not."

If the previous stories about Phil's gambling and insider stock trading legal woes didn't scare off his vast number of sponsors, this report on Friday most likely will.

What's it all mean?

It means Mickelson's absence from the professional golf world over the last four months now makes total sense. He withdrew from the Masters back in April citing a "family health matter" and hasn't been seen or heard from since. Whether that "family health matter" is connected to the story on Skratch.com yesterday is anyone's guess. But it certainly appears as if Phil's wild side has finally caught up with him.

The internet was filled with people on Thursday jokingly saying, "Well, Phil was finally better at something than Tiger. Giving the kid the cell phone to drive around the course for four hours is something Tiger wouldn't have thought of back in the day."

If the Shipnuck story is 100% accurate, then Mickelson is a complete and utter maniac.

If it's 75% true, Phil's still crazy.

The wager here is that most, if not all of it, is true. Phil's reputation for gambling -- whether with golf or his personal life -- has been well known for a long time. He even once gambled with his freedom, accepting an insider stock tip that eventually forced him to return nearly $1 million or face possible prison time.

And here we all thought Tiger was a train wreck, huh?

Phil makes him look like amateur night in some ways.

Someone else on the internet yesterday posted a column about Arnold Palmer and his rumored affection for women-other-than-his-wife during his illustrious PGA Tour career. "Arnold had a woman in every city," he wrote on Twitter. "But word never got around because there wasn't such thing as cell phones and the internet in those days. If Arnie were playing in today's pro golf world, he'd be getting exposed just like Phil."

That might be true. But that doesn't excuse Mickelson and Woods for their conduct.

The two best golfers of the last 25 years were always pretty far apart when it came to wins, prestige and money earned. But we're now finding out they were similar to one another in ways no one really knew.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

usa vs. turkiye recap

It wasn’t the perfect ending to the group stage, but in the big picture, it probably does not matter.

The US had already won the group. Türkiye had already been eliminated. The Round of 32 opponent was set. There were no real tournament stakes on the line and no reason to draw sweeping conclusions from a rotated lineup in a dead rubber.

But still. Losing on a goal in the 98th minute is never fun.

Türkiye scored at the death to beat the US 3-2 in Los Angeles, stealing a game that had no impact on the standings but still delivered plenty of entertainment, a few useful data points, and one final gut punch before the Americans move on to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

How It Played Out --

The game started about as well as possible for the US. Just three minutes in, Sebastian Berhalter swung in a corner that found Auston Trusty completely unmarked at the back post.

Trusty brought the ball down calmly and fired a left-footed finish inside the near post to make it 1-0. Despite the rotated lineup, the US was off to another fast start.

For a few minutes it looked like Türkiye, still scoreless through its first two games, might be ready to fold. Instead, they responded almost immediately. Arda Güler, who was easily Türkiye’s most dangerous player, equalized in the 10th minute after a slick move through midfield.

He started the move, slipped into space, continued his run, and finished off Barış Alper Yılmaz’s square ball to make it 1-1. It was Türkiye’s first goal of the tournament, and it seemed to settle them into the game.

The US nearly went back in front around the half-hour mark after another set piece caused chaos in the box. Berhalter’s corner eventually found Mark McKenzie, who finished from close range, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Less than a minute later, Türkiye went the other way and punished the US. Güler played a sharp ball through the lines, the move ended with Orkun Kökçü’s shot glancing in off Yılmaz, and suddenly the Americans were down 2-1.

That was probably the most frustrating stretch of the game. The US had the ball in the net at one end, had it taken away, and immediately conceded at the other. Türkiye had done almost nothing in front of goal through two full games, then scored twice in the first half against the US backups.

The first half was choppy from the American perspective. There were some good moments, especially from Berhalter, McKennie and Trusty, but the press was not nearly as connected as it had been with the first-choice group. That should not be shocking.

Pressing is one of the things that suffers most when you change a large portion of the lineup. The timing is not quite the same. The angles are a little off. One player steps, another player hesitates, and suddenly good teams can play through you.

The second half was much better, which may be the most encouraging part of the night. Against Paraguay, the US had the game won by halftime and understandably took a step back. Against Australia, they again did most of their best work early and then had to manage the game after the break. In this one, they actually came out of halftime stronger.

Berhalter tied it in the 49th minute with the best moment of his US career so far. After Türkiye failed to fully clear a long throw into the box, the ball popped out to Berhalter around 20 yards from goal. He ran onto it and drilled a low first-time shot through traffic and into the net.

It was an outstanding strike, and it capped what was probably his best performance in a US shirt. He became the first US men’s player to record a goal and an assist in the same game in the modern era.

Berhalter is still not a perfect fit for everything this team wants to do. He is not a dynamic ball progressor by dribble, and he is not going to slice teams apart as a passer from deep the way the very best midfielders can.

But he does have useful qualities. He competes. He covers ground. He delivers good set pieces. He can hit the occasional diagonal ball that springs an attack. And now he has shown he can step into a loose ball and bury a chance from distance.

The game changed when Pulisic came on in the 58th minute. Pochettino gave him just over a half-hour, and that was enough time to remind everyone what this team looks like with its best attacker on the field.

Pulisic immediately gave the US more directness, more danger, and more belief in the final third. Reyna nearly picked him out with a gorgeous ball over the top in the 63rd minute, leading to a chance from a tight angle that forced a save.

A minute later, Pulisic had another close-range look that was somehow pushed onto the post by the Türkiye keeper. That is the difference Pulisic makes. Even when the final product is not there, the whole game tilts differently when he is involved.

Defenders have to react to him. Space opens for everyone else. Attacks that looked a little slow or predictable suddenly look dangerous.

The US shape looked slightly different against Türkiye, especially late in the game. It was mostly the same basic structure Pochettino has used throughout the tournament, but in possession it sometimes looked more like a 4-2-3-1 than the normal 3-4-3, especially after Pulisic and Alejandro Zendejas came on.

There was a little more traditional attacking-midfield spacing, a little more width from the forwards, and a little more variety in how the US tried to break Türkiye down.

For most of the second half, the US looked like the team more likely to find a winner. That is what made the ending so irritating.

After Auston Trusty suffered an injury late with no subs left, the US looked content to grind out the final minutes for a 2-2 draw. That would have been a perfectly fine result. Not exciting, not important, but fine.

Then, in the final seconds of the game, Güler worked himself out of a tight area, nutmegging Pulisic in the process, then Can Uzun latched on to his cross and sent a ball through Matt Turner's legs and past three defenders before Kaan Ayhan finished from close range, and that was that. Türkiye stole it at the final whistle. A totally meaningless loss that still felt bad in the moment.

Who Helped or Hurt Their Stock for the Knockouts? --

As far as individual performances, Weston McKennie showed why he is one of the starters, looking like a class above most of the rest of the B-team lineup. He wore the armband, brought energy, and showed strength on the ball. His ability to drive into wide areas, hold off defenders, and still make something happen remains one of the more underrated parts of his game.

Trusty also helped himself. Assuming the late injury issue is nothing serious, he looks like he should probably be the first center back off the bench if something happens to one of the starters. He used his body well, looked solid defensively, and seemed mostly comfortable on the ball. He also hit some useful progressive passes and, of course, scored the opening goal. That is a pretty good night for a player trying to prove he can be trusted in a knockout-round emergency.

On the other side, Tim Weah had a rough one. Some of that may have been role-related. Weah still looks much more natural on the right, where he can run at defenders, get to the end line, and whip crosses into the box. In this game, he never really found a rhythm. He was caught offside multiple times, killing potentially dangerous attacks. He took a few poor touches on long balls that could have put him in behind. And he got bodied too easily by the Turkish back line on several occasions.

That does not mean he is suddenly out of the picture. He is still a useful player, and he still makes sense as a replacement for Dest if Pochettino needs a more direct option on the right. But this was not the kind of performance that forces a lineup rethink.

Ricardo Pepi was in a similar category, though not as concerning. It was not a bad game exactly, but he did get “little-brothered” by the Türkiye center backs at times. He showed some decent hold-up play, and he had moments where he linked things together, but he did not provide the same physical threat that Balogun has brought in the first two games.

That difference matters in this system. Balogun stretches the line, fights through contact, and gives the US a more explosive outlet. Pepi can still be valuable, but this game was a reminder that he may be better suited as a change-of-pace striker than a like-for-like replacement.

Gio Reyna had a few nice touches and moments around the box, but this probably did not change his status much either. Like Pepi, it was not a bad performance, but it also was not the kind of performance that screams for more minutes in the knockout rounds. He remains a useful bench option if the US needs a passer to unlock a packed defense, but Tillman still appears ahead of him in the pecking order.

What’s Next? --

Ultimately, this was a weird game to evaluate because the result matters less than almost anything else that happened. Would it have been nice to go unbeaten through the group? Obviously. Would it have been nice to avoid giving up three goals to an eliminated team that had not scored in the tournament? Yes. Would it have been nice to close out a game where the US looked like the better team for most of the second half? Absolutely.

But the actual priorities were pretty simple: avoid injuries, avoid suspensions, get Pulisic some minutes, keep the starters fresh, and maybe learn something about the bench.

On those terms, the night was mostly fine. The US still had arguably the most successful group stage in their history, finishing the group with two wins, one meaningless loss, first place secured, and a Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia-Herzegovina waiting on July 1. That is the real story.

The group stage mission was accomplished before this game even kicked off.

Now the tournament changes. No more dead rubbers. No more rotated lineups. From here on out, every mistake can end the World Cup.

The US got through the group. They got their stars rest. They got Pulisic back on the field. They avoided any disaster scenarios.

That is what matters.

Friday June 26, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4329

baseball gonna (finally) get smart

This is setting up to be quite an off-season scuffle between the owners and players in Major League Baseball.

Get your popcorn ready.

And you also might want to figure out what you're going to do with that extra money you're going to save next spring if there's no baseball in April.

This could take a while.

The owners fired the opening, albeit unofficial, blow yesterday when they entered into discussion a new provision in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that would cap free agent movement to a standard contract of no more than five years. If a free agent elects to remain with the team he most previously played for, the cap on that new contract would be six years.

To soften that provision, the owners have (loosely) offered to increase the per-season minimum salary from $780,000 to $1 million for any player with two or more years of service.

The league/owners also proposed eliminating deferred contracts as well as the qualifying offer but didn't ask for any changes to its arbitration system.

There are lots of other nuggets on the table that will be sorted out over the next (however many) months, but the biggest topic will most certainly be the 5-year maximum for "new" free agents and 6-year maximum for teams that are able to retain their own free agents.

Baseball has, by far, the dumbest salary configuration in all of sports.

Well, that is, unless you're a player on a MLB roster. Then it's the best salary configuration ever created.

Every dollar is fully guaranteed, regardless of your performance, production and statistical data. It's the greatest gig ever invented for an employee.

"You mean you're signing me for 5 years, $100 million because I just hit 32 homers and knocked in 120 runs, but if I don't ever do that again, I still get the $100 million?"

"Where do I sign?"

The owners will likely never be able to rid themselves of that albatross around their necks. That's likely one point that the players will never budge on, no matter what happens in other areas of the CBA.

But limiting a new free agent to five-years at least articially caps what a team will "likely" spend on a player. In other words, 5 years at $60 million is a lot better than 8 or 9 years at $60 million per-season.

The MLBPA countered with a talking point of their own that will reach the bargaining table after this season. Players who reach five years of service time by age 30 would become eligible for free agency. Currently, players of any age need six years of service time before becoming a free agent.

So the swap is simple.

The owners want a cap on contract length of either five or six years, max. The players want to reach free agency one year sooner and get rid of the qualifying offer process as well.

There will be a lot more wrangling between the two parties, that's for sure.

The MLBA is not happy anytime the owners try to take something away from their constituents or modify their existing agreement, even in a slight, modest way.

"Anybody who's banking on major league baseball players cracking, it's never happened. It's not going to happen," said MLBPA interim Executive Director Bruce Meyer.

This will get ugly far in advance of a deal being struck, that's for certain.

But for once, finally, it appears as if the owners have smartened up a bit. Maybe it was that outrageous Anthony Rendon contract that finally got them to wake up.

Right on cue, just as they had the nation primed to fall head over heels in love with them, the U.S. men's soccer team laid an egg last night in the final game of group play against Turkey.

I'll keep repeating this for the folks in the back of the room.

The game itself didn't mean anything. But the performances of individual players...did.

Starting 9 different guys from the last game against Australia, the U.S. had the luxury of seeing some new faces and, at the very least, giving them the opportunity to impress the coaching staff.

If we're being honest, there wasn't much to be impressed about.

The defensive backline was suspect for 80 of the 90 minutes. And "suspect" is a kind way of putting it.

If you want a more accurate description, they were awful.

Slow to react, ball watching and lack of physicality were the calling cards for Scally, McKenzie, Robinson and Trusty. They were wildly overmatched.

And Matt Turner, who stepped in as the goalkeeper last night, wasn't particuarly sharp either.

Repeat: The game itself didn't mean anything. But the performance of individual players...did.

Weston McKennie had a good first half. That was about it. Sebastian Berhalter was also a nice complimentary piece and even scored an early second-half goal to tie the game at 2-2.

Those two looked like varsity players. No one else did much of anything.

Brendan Aaronson showed an occasional flash of "something" in the first half but badly missed on a glorious chance from about 12 yards out early in the second half. You have to score there when you're getting limited playing time and you're trying to show the coaches you're capable of adding some quality, even in a substitute role.

Tim Weah and Ricardo Pepi looked like junior varsity players who got called up to varsity because two guys got caught using their phones during a math test. Both of them are one-footed and one-dimensional. It's a toss-up as to which of them is more ill-suited for the World Cup moment.

Weah couldn't dribble around a fallen tree and Pepi is brutally chaotic in the goal box. If the ball doesn't fall right on his foot and his path to the net isn't open and clear, he has no clue what to do next. How those two play international soccer for a paycheck is more mysterious than Forrest Gump getting a full ride to Alabama.

Fortunately, unless something really weird happens in the knockout round, I can't imagine we'll see them playing meaningful minutes moving forward in the tournament.

Gio Reyna lumbered around for an hour or so until he was subbed out midway through the second half. His uninspired play was unsettling. Maybe that's why he's not a starter with the full 11?

Christian Pulisic came on in the 2nd half and broke a sweat. He had a nice scoring chance about two minutes after he entered the game but took one touch too many and couldn't get the ball into the net.

It was good to see him back in there, but Pulisic was far from his dazzling self. He even got nutmegged on the final sequence of the game that led to Turkey's winning goal.

The whole night was a throwback to 2022 and 2014 and 2010. In other words, last night resembled the way U.S. soccer looked in those three previous World Cups. Competitive, occasionally feisty, but hardly worth getting concerned about if you happened to draw the American team in your group or bracket.

Last night is what we've endured for two decades or more. Bland soccer.

Fortunately, I keep reminding myself, the game didn't matter. The Americans will face Bosnia-Herzegovina next Wednesday in the knockout stage of the World Cup. One loss and it's over. A win and on they go to the next round.

Based on what we saw last night in L.A., the U.S. better hope everyone's healthy for Wednesday night and none of the starting 11 gets hurt in the game itself.

What we took from last night's loss more than anything else was this: There's very little depth on this squad. The drop-off from the "A" team to the "B" guys is very obvious.

Moving forward, the U.S. will be favorites against Bosnia-Herzegovina and if they play the way they did against Paraguay and Australia, they should make easy work of their next opponent.

That's why last night's game can be swept under the rug as "one of those nights". The outcome itself didn't matter, even if some individual performances did.

But all in all, group play was a huge success for the Americans. Their dream of winning a World Cup is still alive.

I see where the Orioles Friday night promotion involving an "alternative celebrity" has created some waves here at #DMD and elsewhere on the internet.

I'm not going to ignore the story or try to soft-peddle my way around it. The truth is, before I even render an opinion on it, I guess I'd like to know what the Orioles think the benefit is to having a drag queen entertain people at the game tonight.

Was Lamar Jackson not available?

Michael Phelps?

Rick Dempsey?

How about Jesse Minter?

Is the appearance of a drag queen directly tied into the "Pride Month" theme? I assume that's the case. If so, I still don't get it. How many people in the stadium know of and support, say, Lamar Jackson or Jesse Minter?

If 30,000 people are there tonight, how many of them are Ravens fans or supporters?

And if 30,000 people are there tonight, how many of them are part of the LBGQT community?

Who are the Orioles trying to captivate tonight with the drag queen promotion?

I'm asking a legitimate, honest question. I'm not trying to ruffle anyone's feathers, per se. I'm trying to figure out how the Orioles came to making the decision they made. Who, exactly, are they appealing to?

It's interesting, by the way, that we have Pride Month but we have Memorial Day and Veterans Day. But I guess that's a topic for another day, so to speak.

Now, you can assume what my position is on tonight's promotion. I think it's totally out of place. I don't want to say anything else other than that. But it's out of place.

There are a lot of other things the Orioles could have done tonight to generate enthusiasm and excitement in the stands. What they decided to do is a total head-scratcher.

faith in sports

I found this nugget while trying to locate some footage of Alex Tuch, who joined the Capitals from the Sabres this week in a huge trade for the D.C. team.

It's not about the Capitals. It's about the Stanley Cup champions. No, not the Flyers. They haven't won the Stanley Cup since (checks notes) 1975.

This one is about the Carolina Hurricanes, who have a locker room full of Christian believers, including the three men you'll see showcased in the 7 minute video below.

I hope you'll give the video a watch today. You're going to find some very interesting men sharing their faith.

Thank you, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday June 25, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4328

the error of their ways

In golf, they have a lot of fancy statistics that can tell you a lot about expected results in any given tournament.

"Total driving" is a critical stat because it combines the two most important elements of a player's game off the tee -- accuracy and distance.

"Proximity to the hole" is another important one because it showcases how close a player hits the ball when he registers a green in regulation. If I hit it on average 25.5 feet from the hole and you hit it on average 35.5 feet from the hole, I'm going to score better than you. Or, at least, I should expect to score better than you.

Why do I bring those up today?

Because there has to be a statistic in baseball to tell us how many games the Orioles have squandered this year because their team defense sucks.

The internet lit up yesterday afternoon when the Birds squandered that 7-6 loss to the Angels in 10 innings.

Manager Craig Albernaz was one of the goats for pulling Trey Gibson from the game after four innings of work. A lot of folks were up in arms over that decision. We all know how that stuff works, of course. If Gibson would have surrendered 3 runs in the 5th, those same people would have crushed Albernaz for leaving Gibson in too long.

And if the bullpen shuts down the Angels after Gibson was removed, no one says a word about Albernaz's decision.

Alas, the bullpen couldn't hold a 5-2 lead, as Garcia and Kittredge teamed up for a woeful 8th inning of work, where the Angels scored three times to tie the game at 5-5.

But the fun was just beginning.

After snagging a 6-5 lead in the top of the 10th, the O's turned the game over to Keegan Akin, who got the first two hitters out before he was involved in a Keystone Cops moment with Pete Alonso that essentially hand-delivered the game to Los Angeles.

On a slow roller to 2nd that shoulda, coulda, woulda been the 3rd and final out, Alonso failed to get over to first base in time and Akin couldn't get there quickly enough either. The throw from Jeremiah Jackson to Akin hit the Angels' Nolan Schanuel, who inadvertently kicked the ball into right field. The tying run scored and Schanuel was able to scamper into 3rd base.

A swinging bunt and a missed tag by Sam Basallo ended the day and the road trip with a thud and a 7-6 loss.

It looked like a JV team in the bottom of the 10th inning.

And that's not the first time this year month week the O's defense has looked ragged. It's always someone. Whether it's Tyler O'Neill throwing a ball wide of Basallo and the rookie catcher just standing there like a statue or Leody Taveras dropping a liner that almost coughed up another game, the Orioles defense is laughably suspect.

Except no one's really laughing.

It's one thing to bite, fight and scratch and lose a one-run game because the other guys hit one where they needed to. Or their best reliever comes in and throws heat and no one can touch him.

But these games the O's give away with their shabby defense are a joke.

Who is going to fix it?

Why is it almost July 1st and it seems like, at least weekly, the Birds are coughing runs and a game or two with their minor league defensive efforts?

As the kids like to say these days.......WTF?

The Capitals won't lack for offense in the '26-27 season, that's for sure. They might win a lot of games 6-4, but goals and scoring will presumably not be an issue next season after Washington added Alex Tuch from the Sabres yesterday in a sign-and-trade deal that brings the high scoring forward to D.C. on a 8-year deal.

Tuch, 30, was one of the top unrestricted free agents available this summer. The veteran winger, who grew up in western New York, negotiated with the Sabres, but neither side was able to bridge the gap on a new deal.

On Tuesday, the Caps and Blues completed a deal that brought Jordan Kyrou to Washington in exchange for Connor McMichael. With Tuch and Kyrou now in the fold, most NHL experts believe the Caps rise to "contender" status right away.

There are still some question marks for the Capitals, particularly on the defensive end of the ice. But the addition of Tuch and Kyrou gives them two bonafide goal-scorers to mix in with the likes of Ovechkin, Wilson, Dubois, Strome and Protas.

Is it mid-October yet?

Randy Morgan handles our "official" USA vs. Turkey preview below, but I'm going to be "that guy" for just a second and say it's kind of a bummer that tonight's game means absolutely nothing to the Americans.

Yes, I'm thrilled that the U.S. doesn't have to sweat it out tonight. It's like having an 8-shot lead heading into the final round of a golf tournament. There's not a lot of tension in the air. But it's better than clinging to a 1-shot lead and having a heart attack over every 3 foot putt.

But it's a little bit of a bummer that you only get three of these Group stage games and we now find out that one of them doesn't matter at all.

It's a good kind of bummer, though. Right?

The next game for the Americans that will matter comes next Wednesday evening. And there will be tension in that one, because a loss ends the U.S. hopes for an unlikely World Cup title on their home soil.

Will Christian Pulisic be ready for the first win-or-go-home game next Wednesday? That's the one and only question everyone is asking.

He was hurt in the Monday practice before the team's World Cup opener on Friday, June 11. Pulisic was able to piece something together long enough to play the opening 45 minutes vs. Paraguay, but he was subbed off at halftime of that 3-0 win and then didn't suit up for the 2-0 win over Australia on June 17.

The American star could play tonight. He told FOX Sports on Wednesday he's 100% and "ready to go" this evening vs. Turkey. But why play him tonight when the game doesn't matter? Give him another game of rest, which means Pulisic would get almost 3 full weeks "off" in advance of the U.S. playing next Wednesday night in their first knockout game.

One would assume he'll be back and 100% for that one.

Of course, the U.S. also has to get through tonight's contest with Turkey without any key injuries or red cards that would impact them for the Wednesday knockout game.

It's true tonight doesn't matter. Turkey has nothing to play for, either, as they've already been eliminated from the knockout stage. But it's still a night where the U.S. has to put their best foot forward and make sure nothing crazy happens that could derail them in the next round.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

USA vs. Türkiye: The Knockouts Await

The United States enters its final group stage match in an unfamiliar position, with nothing left to prove in the group. After wins over Paraguay and Australia, the US has already clinched the top spot in Group D.

Türkiye, meanwhile, has already been eliminated after opening the tournament with losses to Australia and Paraguay. That leaves tonight’s game at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles a rare World Cup dead rubber.

The standings are done. The knockout round is next. The only real question is how Mauricio Pochettino wants to handle the bridge between the two.

The match kicks off this evening at 10:00 p.m. Eastern / 7:00 p.m. local time in Inglewood and will air on FOX and Telemundo.

Normally, a final group stage game involving the US would come with calculators, stress, tiebreaker charts, and everyone pretending they understand the fair play points scenario. Not this time. The US is safely through as group winner, and Türkiye is playing only for pride. That does not make the game irrelevant, but it makes it a different kind of test.

How Will the US Approach the Game?

For Pochettino, this is less about chasing three points and more about managing a tournament. The US has put itself in an excellent position. Now the priority has to be making sure that position is not damaged by an unnecessary injury, suspension, or red card in a game that cannot improve their standing.

That should mean heavy rotation.

At a minimum, I'd expect him to sit anyone carrying a yellow card. Four US starters went into this match a single booking away from trouble: Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson and Folarin Balogun. In this World Cup, yellow cards get wiped clean after the group stage, so a lone caution just disappears once the knockouts start.

But a second yellow in this game vs. Turkiye would bring a one game suspension that would be served in the Round of 32. There's no upside to risking that in a game that means nothing.

Christian Pulisic should probably stay on the shelf too. He missed the Australia game with a calf issue, and while his return to training is encouraging, there is no reason to push him here. Having him ready for the Round of 32, that is all that matters.

Pulisic does not need a tune-up against an eliminated Türkiye side. He needs to be healthy next Wednesday in Santa Clara.

Think of this game like a week 18 game for the Ravens with playoff seeding locked up. They’re not risking Lamar Jackson to maintain momentum. I expect the US to take the same approach with key stars.

The good news is that the US has enough depth to make this game useful without making it reckless. Gio Reyna, Haji Wright, Joe Scally, Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson, Max Arfsten, Alejandro Zendejas, Brenden Aaronson, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah and others could all use real minutes. Some of them may be needed in a much bigger spot over the next few weeks.

That is where this game can still have value. The score is secondary. The information matters.

Reyna is probably the most interesting name. He already gave the US one of the best moments of the tournament with his goal off the bench against Paraguay, and this could be a chance to see what he looks like with a larger role in Pochettino’s current setup.

Reyna is not the same kind of player as Pulisic or McKennie or Tillman, but he can see and play passes that most players do not. If the US runs into a packed-in opponent in the knockouts, Reyna could be one of the few players capable of changing the rhythm of the game with one touch.

Haji Wright also has something to gain. Balogun has clearly looked like the first-choice striker, and Pepi has a clean role as the more traditional backup. Wright is the changeup. He is bigger, more awkward, more direct, and more chaotic.

That may not be the version of the attack Pochettino wants from the opening whistle, but it could be useful if the US is chasing a goal late and needs to turn the game into something uglier.

This is also an important chance for the wide players and defenders on the edge of the rotation. Zendejas can show whether he can bring a one-on-one threat off the bench. Arfsten and Scally can give Pochettino a look at alternative wingback options.

McKenzie and Miles Robinson can make their case as the next center back up if Richards, Ream or Freeman cannot go.

Tim Weah can continue building his role as a vertical runner who gives the attack a different shape.

The other thing to watch is the shape and the tactics. Through the first two games, the US has leaned into a clear identity, with three center backs, aggressive wingbacks, a high press, and a willingness to play on the front foot. It has worked. Paraguay and Australia both spent long stretches pinned back, unable to build cleanly, and forced into the kind of uncomfortable defending that eventually wears teams down.

The question is whether Pochettino uses this game to reinforce that system or test a Plan B. There is a good case for keeping the shape the same. If the bench players are going to be used in knockout games, it is helpful to see them in the actual roles they may be asked to fill.

If Arfsten is the backup left wingback, let him play as a left wingback. If McKenzie is the center back most likely to enter a knockout game, let him play in the back three. If Reyna is going to be used as a second-half creator, let him operate in the same attacking framework as the rest of the group.

There is also a case for experimenting.

The US has controlled its first two opponents, but the tournament will not stay this forgiving forever. If the Americans make a deep run, there will probably come a point where they cannot press and dictate the game for 90 minutes.

Against a true heavyweight, they may need to defend deeper, absorb pressure, and counter. This game gives Pochettino a rare chance to test a different look without risking anything in the standings.

Looking Ahead to the Knockouts

The reason this all matters is because the knockout path is starting to look very real.

As the winner of Group D, the US will play a third-place team from Group B, E, F, I or J in the Round of 32. The expanded format makes this more confusing than it should be, but the current picture is favorable.

Based on The Athletic’s projections, Bosnia is by far the most likely opponent, followed by Qatar, Senegal, Algeria, Austria and Ecuador.

In simpler terms, the US is most likely getting the winner of Bosnia-Qatar unless that game ends in a draw or the third-place matrix gets weird.

That is about as good as the Americans could have reasonably hoped for. It does not mean the game will be easy. Knockout games rarely are. Bosnia would be dangerous.

Qatar would likely be organized and stubborn. Senegal has enough talent to make anyone uncomfortable.

Ecuador would be a brutal draw relative to what you normally expect from a third-place team. But the US should be favored against any of those teams, and probably heavily favored against several of them.

The Round of 16 picture may be opening up too. Belgium looked like the most dangerous potential opponent in that portion of the bracket before the tournament, but they now look more likely to finish second in their group.

That could leave Egypt as the more likely Round of 16 opponent, possibly coming through a matchup with Czechia, Algeria or South Korea.

That is the kind of break you need in a tournament. It does not guarantee anything, and the US cannot afford to start thinking about the quarterfinals before it handles the Round of 32. But if the bracket holds this way, the Americans could avoid a true World Cup favorite until the final eight.

At that point, there is probably no hiding. Spain may be waiting. Someone of that caliber almost certainly will be. But you take that every single time. If the US gets to a World Cup quarterfinal, the opponent is supposed to be great. That is the cost of staying alive.

What to Expect From Türkiye

Türkiye, for its part, is hard to know what to expect from. This is a talented team that arrived with real dark horse buzz and has instead produced one of the more disappointing performances of the group stage.

Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız and Ferdi Kadıoğlu give them plenty of quality on paper, but none of it has translated into results. Through two games, Türkiye has zero points and zero goals.

That makes them dangerous in a different way. Sometimes eliminated teams finally loosen up and play their best soccer once the pressure is gone. Sometimes pride kicks in. Sometimes frustration does. A team with Türkiye’s talent could absolutely decide it wants to make a statement by beating the hosts on the way out.

It is just as possible they are already thinking about their party plans next weekend in Ibiza or Mykonos. That is what the US should be hoping for.

Not because the result is important, but because the last thing this game needs is an angry, physical opponent turning a meaningless night into a card or injury problem.

The best version of Thursday is a professional, controlled game where the US gets useful minutes from the bench, avoids drama, and moves on.

For the players who do start, motivation should not be an issue. They are competing for knockout-round trust. They are trying to prove they can be more than emergency depth. They are trying to show Pochettino that when the tournament gets tight, he can look down the bench and see options rather than question marks.

That is the real story of this game. The US has already won the group. The bracket has become inviting. The tournament has shifted from getting through the first phase to preparing for the part that actually defines legacies.

So no, Thursday night does not matter in the standings.

But it matters in all the ways that determine what comes next.

Wednesday June 24, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4327

wednesdays with greg

Occasional #DMD contributor Greg Trehane is hopefully shifting to "regular contributor" with the addition of new content here called "Wednesdays with Greg".

The first entry can be found below.

It's mainly a glorified Q & A with me, but it gives me the chance to take a small creative breather, if you will, while allowing for Greg (and anyone else who comes along) to expand his role. Greg is an ardent fan of the Ravens and O's and, like Randy does here with soccer, he'd like to be considered a bit of a NFL expert. We'll give him more space in football season to showcase his football knowledge.

Greg reached out to me on Tuesday afternoon with his questions for today's debut edition of "Wednesdays with Greg".

He didn't ask about last night's O's game, obviously, which was a Blue Oyster Cult for the Birds. They managed just three hits against some dude, Ryan Johnson, who sounds more like a NASCAR driver than a Major League pitcher. It ended up 5-1 in favor of the Angels.

Two steps forward, one step back for our battlin' Birds.

And on we go with Greg's questions.

Greg: "Who is the MVP of the Orioles at the halfway mark of the season?"

DF: "Hmmmmm. Is there one? The MVP is probably Pete Alonso. I think he's fulfilled almost every expectation we had for him thus far. He's hitting with power. His average, OBP and other numbers are all fine. I know he has scuffled with runners in scoring position but other than that, he's been fine."

I think there's always a distinction between "MVP" and "best player". Like, honestly Kyle Bradish has probably done his job better than anyone else on the team. And there's almost no doubt Leody Taveras or Blaze Alexander have been the only guys to play "above" their expected level. I realize their bars were lower than others, but they've definitely played "up", if you will.

Right now, Alonso is the MVP. But if Bradish continues to pitch like he has, I think he'll definitely get some consideration."

Greg: "A two part question about golf. What did you make of the big announcement from the PGA Tour about the realignment of their business model starting in 2028? And what player or players stands to benefit from it the most?"

DF: "I don't think you're going to see a dramatic change in anything from the 35,000 foot level. The best players will still be on TV every week and they'll still be vying for spots on the Ryder Cup team and so on. They didn't change anything for those guys. What they did do, as expected, is create more drama around the "fringe" players who are fighting for their careers in August every year.

There are really two factions on the PGA Tour. You have the top 30 players, all of whom are bathing in money and living the ultra-high life. And then you have the rest of the TOUR who are working their butts off to get to that Top 30 level. And somewhere around the Top 100, you have a smaller group who make a really nice living but need to keep playing better in order to maintain their status on TOUR.

The designation of those 24 "Championship Series" events is nothing more than the Signature tournament schedule they've already created. But since they're losing FedEx as their big sponsor, they had to come up with some new way of keeping the public interested and also keeping the players and other sponsors happy.

The only way to keep a professional golfer happy is with one thing: money.

I do like the insertion of a match play event at the end of the season to determine the "champion golfer of the year" (to borrow a familiar term). And I like the idea of relegating guys who finish at a certain spot in the points standings and promoting guys to the PGA Tour who play well in the secondary events and deserve their crack at the big money.

As for "who benefits" and "who loses out", well, the same small group of guys will ultimately benefit. Scheffler, Rory, Xander, Morikawa and so on. The best players are always going to make the most money. As for who gets shut out, that's obvious. All of the LIV guys who will be without a place to play by next year take the biggest hit. Guys like Rahm, Bryson and D.J. will be missing out on the new model unless they plead their way back to the PGA Tour and cough up a bunch of "penalty money".

Greg: "I think in all of my years of reading DMD I don't know the answer to this question. Are you a Phil Mickelson fan? I know you're a Tiger fan? But what about Phil?"

DF says: "That's a complex question. From a golf standpoint, I always liked Phil. He was great for the PGA Tour. There were very few guys who could go toe-to-toe with Tiger and hang in there. He didn't beat Tiger very often, but he definitely didn't back down, either.

I think somewhere around that 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles he started to become a "different" guy. That episode where he threw Tom Watson under the bus was a really bad look for him. You played poorly. So did everyone else. Just own up to it and move on. Take the heat and say the right things and leave it at that. That scene soured me on him.

Then the LIV thing really bugged me. They (LIV) needed one player to drive the stake between themselves and the PGA Tour and force players to pick a side, if you will. They obviously went after Tiger first and he turned them down. Phil was #2 on their list. They knew if they got him they were on to something. Phil could do their recruiting for them. There's some irony there, I guess. Everyone always says Tiger's "all about the money" but he turned LIV down and Phil wound up whoring himself with those guys from Saudi Arabia. Weird how that all turned out.

And what rankled me about all of that was Phil couched it as something he did "to make the PGA Tour wake up and create a better business model for the players" when, we all know, he did it because he got $200 million. He wouldn't have jumped ship for $20 million or $40 million. He needed to get his money first. The by-product of that was enormous. And the PGA Tour did, in fact, change their business model to accommodate the players who stayed. So Phil did help the TOUR. But only because he was able to cash in for himself.

The off-course stuff about the insider trading and the recent issues with the country club employee in San Diego don't really impact my view of him. Those are all "personal" matters he has to deal with on his own terms.

I didn't like what he did to Tom Watson, who was a steward of the sport and one of the reasons why Phil was able to play the Travelers Championship for a $1 million paycheck every June or July. And I thought the jump to LIV was a really telling "look" from him. He didn't care what his decision did to everyone else on the PGA Tour. He wanted his $200 million.

I think the inability to win the career grand slam did something to Phil. It made him feel unfulfilled. Tiger did it (3 times over), Jack did it, but Phil couldn't do it. And I assume he always wanted to be mentioned in the same breath as those two guys, somehow. As the years went on and he couldn't win that U.S. Open, I think that did something to his self esteem. He became bitter at the wrong things and wrong people."

Greg: "Big news from the Capitals (today) with the trade of Connor McMichael and a 1st round pick to the St. Louis Blues for Jordan Kyrou. Thoughts on the trade?"

DF: "I'm fine with it. I like Kyrou. I know he had a down season in '25-26 and that's one of the reasons why St. Louis was willing to let him go. There were a few stories out there that maybe he wasn't the best guy in the locker room, but a new, fresh start might be just what he needs.

On the other hand, I do like Connor McMichael. Like Kyrou, he had an "off" season in '25-26. It feels like the Caps might be giving up on him a little early, career-wise, but you have to give up something to get something. It all comes down to what those two do in their new cities. If McMichael scores 32 goals next season and Kryou scores 22, St. Louis won the deal. If it's the opposite, Washington won the deal.

The fact that Kyrou's contract is manageable and the Caps have him under control for the next few years also helps make it a nice trade for them. And they need more offense. With Ovi probably only playing one more season, they need to start thinking about '27, '28 and beyond.

My summary is 'I'm fine with it but I wish they could have pawned off Beauvillier or a couple of other lesser players instead of McMichael to get Kyrou.' But I understand why they did it."

Greg: "Overall impressions of the World Cup after almost two weeks?"

DF: "I think it's been awesome to have 3 or 4 games on TV every day! I've thoroughly enjoyed coming home and having a 7 or 8 pm game and then an 11 pm or 12 am game to watch. The expanded field has helped create that, obviously.

I also think there's a lot more action than I remember in previous years, which might have something to do with the fact that there are some teams with inferior quality who tend to give up more scoring chances and, ultimately, more goals.

It's great that the U.S. is a "story", in a good way, and didn't stub their toe in their first two games. Granted, they got the benefit of an easy group, as we can now see, but if they can produce some kind of magical run to, say, the semifinals, that would do wonders for the sport of soccer in our country.

I've marveled at guys like Messi and Ronaldo who continue to play at an incredibly high level despite their age. This is the World Cup where Messi has solidified himself as the greatest soccer player ever (to date). He needed one more tournament like this to earn that distinction."

Greg: "I know you're a big music buff. Any thoughts on the Rush tour so far? And do you have any new artists or groups we should add to our summer listening habits?"

DF: "I love, love, love the fact that RUSH is changing the set list up every night. That's so against-the-grain for them. In their past tours, it was very cookie cutter. They played the same 18 songs every night. It felt very mechanical when you were there in the audience. I can't wait to see them in October in D.C.

The female drummer is drawing rave reviews. I've gone to YouTube and played several songs from the current tour and, at least to my ear, I can't hear a difference between her work and Neil Peart's work. I'm sure she'd tell you she can't hold a candle to Neil, but it sounds like she's spot on in every song I hear.

I don't have anything "new" I've been listening to. In fact, I've kind of gone the other way and re-discovered Van Halen with Sammy Hagar. I was always a David Lee Roth guy, but the more I hear Hagar and really get into those albums with him, the more I'm enjoying that era of Van Halen music.

I've also been listening to a lot of O.A.R. in advance of seeing them on July 24 at Merriweather. They are one of the most underrated bands of the last 25 years. Those guys are really, really good."

Greg: "Reach into your golf bag of instructional tips and help a 12 handicap like me. Give me your one best piece of swing advice for someone looking to hit the ball better."

DF: "It's tough to answer that without seeing you swing the club. Do you hit slices, hooks, etc.? But the one thing I stress to every junior I teach is it all starts with three things that have to be done correctly: Your grip has to be right, your posture has to be right and your alignment (stance) has to be right. If one of those three things are off, you're in trouble.

A neutral grip is best.

A small amount of knee-bend is preferred, but nothing too extreme. Assume the posture you'd assume if you were taking a foul shot in basketball.

And make sure your feet, knees and shoulders all match-up. It's an aim sport. You have to aim "down the line" properly. I subscribe to most players being a hair "open" at address, which means they're actually aiming slightly left at address. I don't see many people play good golf from a closed (aiming right) stance but I see a lot of people play good golf if they're open at address.

Those are the three things I'd urge you to get solid on right away: Grip, stance and posture.

From there, anyone can build a good golf swing if those three things are in order."

Tuesday June 23, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4326

questions, questions and more questions

Down below -- "beneath the fold" in newspaper terms -- you'll see our U.S. Open wrap-up videocast with Mac Webster. We chatted about what transpired at Shinnecock Hills over the weekend and also fielded three questions from #DMD readers and Twitter followers.

You'll also see we're tackling some other questions here today.

They're all relevant.

Feel free to chime in with your own answers in the Comments section as you see fit.

Via e-mail, Dan P. asks me this one.

Drew, my friends in my golf group and I have a question for you. Our handicaps are 8.2, 9.9, 12.3 and 14.7. If the four of us played a scramble at Shinnecock tomorrow (the day after the U.S. Open, Monday), could we break par?

DF says: "Well, I'd like to know a little something more about the skill sets of the four players. Is the 8.2 handicap the "long ball" of the group who can't chip and putt? Is there a guy in the group who is great on the greens?

But, on the whole, just taking the handicaps for what they are, I'd say there's almost no way you'd shoot 69 or better playing the course in U.S. Open conditions like the players encountered on Saturday and Sunday. You're playing from 7500 yards? Are you also playing in the wind they dealt with as well? If so, then there's no way the four of you would shoot a scramble score of 69 or lower.

I'm not trying to diminish the golfing prowess of the four of you, but I just don't see how you guys would pull it off. 73 or 74? Eh, maybe. But I'm thinking you guys would be looking at something closer to 76 or 77 at best."

J.J. asks: Now that the USA is guaranteed to be in the next round of the World Cup and will also get an inferior opponent for their first game, how crushing would it be to not win at least one game in the next round? If they get Bosnia or Qatar or Ecuador and don't win what does that say about the progress soccer has made in the USA over the last 4 years?

DF says: "I'm not trying to fence sit on this one. I do have an answer. But some of the answer depends on Christian Pulisic's health. I'm assuming he will NOT play against Turkey. Or at the very least, will only play enough minutes to "get a run in" as they say in soccer.

Now, to your question, specifically. With a healthy Pulisic, losing in the first round of the knockout stage would definitely be a big-time downer. They're playing at home, will be facing, as you noted, an inferior opponent, and should be fairly big favorites (-175 or better?) in that game.

The bigger question should be, 'What happens if they lose in the second knockout game? Will that kind of "run" in the World Cup be enough to continue to promote the sport on the international level here in the U.S. and fund it the way it needs to be funded to be competitive at the World Cup in future years?'

I think everything points to nothing but great strides for U.S. soccer. This is, by almost anyone's standards, the best the Americans have looked in a World Cup in a long, long time. Granted, it's only been two games. And Paraguay and Australia are certainly not comparable to France and Argentina.

But it's not only about the wins. It's about the style of soccer they've displayed. And in one of those games, they were missing the best American-born soccer player of the last 50 years. I fully expect them to win two knockout stage games at the very least. From there, the world is their oyster. It obviously gets tougher as the games come and go."

John Grossmiller asks: "Here's a question for your Q&A column at the Morning Dish. Is it me or is there no off-season buzz at all for the Ravens? Did they have their off-season mini camp already? I'm totally serious. It feels like there's no coverage of the Ravens."

DF says: "I haven't really thought about it but now that you've mentioned it, yes, it does seem like there's not a lot of summer buzz. But there are reasons for that.

For starters, the Ravens have taken a page from the Orioles book from 10-15 years ago and essentially distanced themselves from the "regular media", instead supplying the internet and their fan base with their own content. So, radio stations and podcasters and The Baltimore Sun have essentially said, 'Well, if you don't want us there, we won't come out in the off-season.'

I also think there's so much saturation (over saturation?) in the actual season that people in the community need a little bit of a break, if you will. It's football-football-football-football from September through January when the Ravens eventually lose in Buffalo in the post-season every season. People around here just get so overwhelmed with it that they actually need to take a breather from it in the spring.

Additionally, I believe it's fair to suggest that the overall interest level in the Ravens has dropped off a little bit over the last few years. Don't get me wrong, they're still a darling of the city. But it doesn't "feel" like the fan base is quite as rabid as it was a decade ago."

Ben asks: "Hey Drew, I see your prediction of a 49-48 record at the All Star break for the Orioles. What do you think their record has to be at the trade deadline in order to be buyers and not sellers?"

DF says: "It's not really about their record at the end of July (the actual trade deadline this year is August 3rd). It's more about where they are in the standings, how many teams they have to pass, and what the front office thinks their real, honest to goodness chances are of making any noise in the post-season should they even qualify.

So I don't have any way of knowing those things. But what I will say is this: If they're within 3 games of the wild card spot in the week leading up to the deadline, I think they have to nibble in the direction of "buying". But if they're more like 5 or 6 games out -- or higher -- then perhaps they have to sell...if they have anything of value to sell, that is.

I suppose someone might take Taylor Ward. No one is taking Tyler O'Neill. Maybe they could get a little something for Kittredge or Akin or Cano? Or even Helsley? They could definitely pawn Trevor Rogers off on someone who needs a lefty. I don't see any other pitchers on their roster that could be moved. You're not getting rid of Bradish or Young or Baz. No one would take Bassitt, I don't think.

Oh, and speaking of buying at the deadline, what, exactly, would you be looking for? More pitching? More bullpen help? It's not like they have a lot of needs, but another arm or two in the bullpen would never be turned down I suppose. What the O's need, more than anything, is for the guys on their current team to play better."

Bart asks: "Of all the main college sports I don't think I've ever seen DMD cover college baseball. And it seems to me like it's that way with a lot of the national media. Why don't you give more love for college baseball?"

DF says: "There was that great scene from Ted Lasso where Nate opines on everyone's play on the team and when he gets to Dani Rojas he says, "You say football is life. Well, your defense is death." And everyone in the room oooh's and ahhh's because Dani got burned by Nate and Dani smiles and says, "Tough...but fair."

That's how I would answer your question and your opinion about college baseball coverage. Tough, but fair.

I don't know why no one in the country -- media wise -- really cares about college baseball. But you're right. No one does. ESPN covers it like it's a big time thing because they have the rights to the College World Series. But if ESPN didn't broadcast the games they wouldn't care, either.

That said, I'm not sure why more people aren't interested in college baseball. I do think it has something to do with the fact that once June rolls around, people move into "summer mode" and care less about virtually everything for three months.

I also think it has something to do with the fact that no one watches college baseball in the regular season. There's ZERO build up for the college baseball tournament and World Series. It's just suddenly on ESPN every night for three weeks.

With college football and basketball, you're dragged along for the four month regular season and then the playoffs and March Madness comes along and you're invested because you've followed it.

No one, except family members of the kids on the team, are following college baseball's regular season."

u.s. open wrap-up with mac webster

Mac Webster and I put the finishing touches on the U.S. Open in the videocast below.

We touch on Wyndham Clark's win, the behavior of the fans, what it means for his Ryder Cup chances and a whole lot more.

Mac was at Shinnecock Hills on Saturday following Clark's group, so he has some first-hand knowledge of the scene up there and how bad the heckling really was in the third round.

We took some questions from the audience, if you will, including a conversation about Ludvig Aberg.

I brought up the notion that perhaps the New York area has now struck out as it relates to having major tournament golf up there on Long Island. We discuss whether the people who attend the events can be trusted.

With one more major on the 2026 calendar, there are two wide open races: The FedEx Cup champion and the Player of the Year chase.

Right now, you have Scheffler with only one win but a gazillion Top 5 finishes, including a 2nd at the Masters and a T4 at the U.S. Open.

Matt Fitzpatrick has three wins on the year (one was a 2-man event, granted) and a playoff loss at the Players as well.

McIlroy, Rai and Clark are the three major winners to date. If one of those guys wins at Royal Birkdale next month, they'd have to be the odds-on favorite for Player of the Year, right?

Anyway, check out Mac and I below for a great wrap-up to Wyndham Clark's triumph at Shinnecock Hills.

Monday June 22, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4327

you can spell it "windham" now

As promised, it wasn't a walk-in-the-park for Wyndham Clark on Sunday in the final round of the U.S. Open.

The course bit back in a big way and eventually reduced his 6-shot overnight lead to just one-shot throughout most of the back nine.

But for the second time since 2023, Clark buckled down when the shots mattered the most and came up with a gritty final 90 minutes of golf to win the U.S. Open for the second time in his career.

It wasn't a popular win at Shinnecock Hills. The crowd was almost entirely against him all weekend, bowing to equal parts disdain for Clark and enthusiasm for Scottie Scheffler and his pursuit of the career grand slam on his 30th birthday.

But they weren't just "against" Clark. The crowd, similar to what the Europeans faced at another Long Island venue at the Ryder Cup last September, was out of hand. Ugly at times. It got so bad that Scheffler and his caddie, Ted Scott, admonished a drunken group on the 16th tee after Clark badly pulled his tee shot into the left rough.

For those who are unaware, Clark was involved in an incident last year at the U.S. Open where he damaged two lockers at Oakmont CC in Pittsburgh after playing poorly and missing the cut.

From that, he's been branded the TOUR villain, for whatever reason.

He didn't drive a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and nearly kill himself in the process.

He didn't involve himself in an insider-trading ordeal where he was forced to repay nearly $1 million -- and avoid prison -- after receiving a stock tip from a company big wig.

He didn't move his ball out of the rough at Torrey Pines and claim it was in an embedded lie in advance of the rules official getting there to see the process to completion.

And let's not forget that Clark took questions about his incident. And took more questions. And then, again this week, fielded and answered more questions.

Tiger's response is always, "It's in the police report."

Phil's response was: "I run into a lot of high level business people in my life. I can't remember every single conversation I had with them."

Reed's reply when called out for cheating: "I did everything by the book. I brought in a rules official. He said I did everything right."

Those three basically avoided questions about their issues.

Wyndham Clark has addressed his issue over and over. The dead horse even called in and said, "OK, that's enough now."

Clark lost his temper and damaged two lockers. And there is a price to pay for that sort of behavior. But to be harangued and berated by fans at Shinnecock all weekend while trying to play for the national championship was completely disgraceful.

Fortunately, his golf answered the call.

Or, more appropriately, his short game and putting answered the call.

Time and time again on Saturday and Sunday, Clark bailed himself out of some precarious situations by chipping the ball to 10 feet and making the putt. And he did it on a course where the greens were starting to get that eery looking "beige" tint to them by Sunday afternoon.

Sam Burns did his best to make Clark's Sunday stroll nerve-wracking and tense. Burns climbed to within one shot by the time everyone made it to the back nine and if not for a 16-footer at the 18th hole that barely missed going in, we might have had ourselves a playoff early Sunday evening.

That's two straight hard luck defeats in the U.S. Open for Burns.

Last June, the rules officials conspired against him in the final six holes at rain-soaked Oakmont.

This time around, it came down to just one putt. One stroke. Somewhere. Anywhere. At any point on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, Burns just needed one putt that he missed to instead fall into the hole.

Clark, of course, could always say the same thing. He had a two shot lead on 17 tee on Sunday and then promptly three putted the penultimate hole, pulling a 5-footer left of the cup to give Burns hope.

The 18th hole wasn't a picnic for Clark, either. His drive found the right rough and his 190 yard 9-iron (uphill, mind you) came to rest 52 feet from the hole in the front of the green.

But, just like he did at L.A. Country Club in 2023, Clark brushed his first putt to within tap-in range to win the nation's golf championship for the second time in his career.

As I wrote here yesterday, it's one thing to win a U.S. Open. It's a career-defining moment for those that do it.

It's another thing, entirely, to win it twice.

Is Clark the modern version of guys like Andy North and Lee Janzen? They were both two-time U.S. Open winners who had rather pedestrian TOUR careers other than those two massive wins.

Or is he more like a Curtis Strange, Ernie Els or Brooks Koepka type?

Maybe it's the immediate reaction of another U.S. Open win, but it certainly feels like what Clark has done (twice) in the last four seasons is much more like Strange, Els and Koepka kind of golf.

North and Janzen both seemed like flukes, sorta-kinda.

Clark has tamed the game's best players twice on an unknown course on the West Coast and an iconic layout on the East Coast.

On both occasions, he was the guy no one wanted to see win. In 2023, it was Rory and Rickie on his heels. This time around, it was Scottie and Burns looking to turn the tables on him.

And yet, in '23 and '26, Clark prevailed. And he did it with perseverance and heart. It wasn't always pretty. And it was certainly more dicey down the stretch than I'm sure he would have preferred. But he came through with a gutsy effort that showed he's among the game's elite major championship players.

It's not easy to win.

It's even harder to win when you know everyone is against you.

I became a Wyndham Clark fan yesterday. He made a mistake last June and accepted responsibility for it. Which, as it turns out, is precisely what a champion is expected to do.

Our battlin' Birds shoulda-coulda-would swept the Dodgers in L.A. over the weekend, but had to settle for 2-out-of-3 after yesterday's 12-1 throttling of the 2-time defending champions.

If not for Friday night's 9th inning fiasco where Tyler O'Neill threw the ball past Samuel Basallo and his cement shoes, the Birds would have won all three games in L.A. Then again, they were another big hit from losing on Saturday night after taking a 3-0 lead into the 9th and nearly giving that game away, too.

But, like Meat Loaf once said, two out of three ain't bad.

And after the heartbreak of Friday night, it showed some resilience by the Birds to come back and win on Saturday and Sunday.

The team's "issues" are still there, front and center.

It's now almost July 1. The halfway point of the 162-game schedule comes up this week. And Gunnar Henderson is hitting .223 and his on-base-percentage is a woeful .294.

I wasn't worried in April. I wasn't even all that worried in May. When June rolled around and he was still stinking it up at the plate, I said, "If it's still like this on July 1, let's talk."

We're less than a week away from July 1. We should be concerned at this point.

A lot less was expected of Coby Mayo, granted, but he's also stinky-poo at the plate. Mayo's defense has helped cover up the loss of Jordan Westburg, yes, but his .188 batting average is minor-league'ish.

And then there's Tyler O'Neill. There's no need to list any stats. It is what it is.

The starting pitching was solid in Los Angeles. Trey Gibson was "decent" on Friday night after a rough first inning. Trevor Rogers looked like Clayton Kershaw on Saturday night, allowing 1 hit and 0 runs in 7 innings of work. And yesterday, again, Brandon Young was more than acceptable, going 5 innings and allowing one earned run.

The bullpen wasn't good on Friday, but O'Neill and Basallo didn't help, either.

There was another hiccup on Saturday evening, but Leody Taveras conspired to help the Dodgers by dropping a liner in right field in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Overall, though, the Birds did well in the pitching department over the weekend against one of the N.L.'s better offensive teams.

Now, should we talk about the team's defense?

Or should we just stick with the positive notes?

The defense is junior varsity level stuff. That's all we'll say.

But there's good news.

The Birds will stay in the L.A. area and play the "bad" Southern California team for the next three days. Yes, the Angels are the hosts and the O's have a great chance to carve into their 37-42 record.

They just took 2 of 3 from the real team in L.A. We have to take at least 2 of 3 from the Angels, if not all 3. Right?

Just for kicks, because I know how much you all like looking ahead, here's what the O's have in front of them over the next 3 weeks.

3 games @ Angels (2-1)

3 games vs. Nats (3-0)

3 games vs. White Sox (2-1)

3 games @ Reds (1-2)

3 games vs. Cubs (1-2)

3 games vs. Royals (3-0)

That would be a record of 12-6 in the next 18 games and a 49-48 record at the All-Star Break.

You heard it here first, guys and gals.

The beer will be cold by mid-July.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 3-3

Season Record: 37-42

AL East Standing: 4th (10.5 GB of NYY, 2 GB of WC)

Player of the Week: Kyle Bradish - 7.2 IP 1 R 5 H 2 BB 12 K

The Orioles treaded water once again this week. At least this time it was against a division leader and the best team in baseball. The Birds spent the week on the West Coast for the first two legs of a nine-game trip, dropping two of three in Seattle before impressively rebounding, taking two of three at Dodger Stadium to finish the week at 3-3.

The week brought several outstanding performances from the starting rotation, but the bats were largely quieted by an excellent Mariners staff and Ryan Helsley struggled mightily in his return from the IL.

Tuesday's opener in Seattle was a quiet night at the plate. Logan Gilbert struck out a season- high 10 over seven innings and combined with two relievers on a three-hitter as the Mariners took the opener 3-1.

Taylor Ward led off the game with a double and scored when Samuel Basallo singled him in with two outs, but Gilbert then retired 16 in a row until plunking Pete Alonso to begin the seventh.

That was the inning Seattle broke a 1-1 tie, as Cal Raleigh, back from a month-long absence with an oblique strain, lined a bases-loaded, two-run single off reliever Grant Wolfram to bring home Victor Robles and Colt Emerson. Julio Rodríguez added an RBI single. Brandon Young took the loss despite delivering the quality start, allowing three runs in six innings.

Wednesday belonged to Kyle Bradish, who turned in arguably his best start of the year. He struck out a career-high 12 over 7.2 innings of one-run ball, allowing five hits and two walks. Gunnar Henderson built the early cushion in the third with his 15th homer, a two-run shot off George Kirby that followed a Blaze Alexander single.

Alonso's infield hit and a two-out Leody Taveras triple made it 3-1 in the sixth, an inning in which Tyler O'Neill also robbed Raleigh of a home run in right. Alexander, who finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a steal, helped manufacture a fourth run in the seventh before Jackson Holliday tacked on a solo homer in the ninth.

The lone blemish came from Ryan Helsley, activated and pitching for the first time since April 28, who served up back-to-back homers to Dominic Canzone and Cole Young on his first two pitches of the ninth before closing out the 5-3 win.

Thursday was the flip side. Bryan Woo shut the Orioles out over seven innings, allowing three hits with nine strikeouts, and Baltimore was blanked for the first time all season in a 3-0 loss.

The damage was all done in the first, when Josh Naylor singled and moved up on a Taveras error, Canzone walked, Young doubled one home and Emerson singled in two more. Shane Baz settled in after the rocky open, retiring 15 of his final 16 and finishing with nine strikeouts across seven innings, but the offense never solved Woo.

The Orioles looked poised to steal Friday's opener against the Dodgers before a brutal ninth. Trailing 3-0 behind Roki Sasaki, the O’s erupted in the sixth on back-to-back homers from Gunnar and Alonso, then took a 5-3 lead on Jeremiah Jackson's two-run single in the seventh.

Helsley couldn't hold it however. Mookie Betts opened the ninth with a solo homer, and Dalton Rushing lined a single to right to plate the tying run. Ryan Ward then scored the winner when O'Neill's throw home sailed wide of Basallo, a walk-off 6-5 loss that pinned the blown save on Helsley.

Saturday was a reminder of what the rotation can be at its best. Trevor Rogers carried a one- hitter through seven scoreless innings, striking out six, and the Orioles scratched out just enough against Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Alexander drove in two with a double, Coby Mayo added an RBI in a 3-2 win. Shohei Ohtani's solo homer in the ninth made it interesting, but Yennier Cano closed it for the save.

Sunday was a laugher. The Orioles piled up 15 hits and four home runs in a 12-1 rout to take the series, with long balls from Alonso, Colton Cowser, Ward and Alexander. Cowser did the most damage with four RBI, Alonso drove in three, and Alexander capped a big series with three more hits.

Young needed only five innings to earn the win, and Keegan Akin and Wolfram combined for four scoreless behind him. By the late innings the Dodgers were overmatched enough to send infielder Miguel Rojas to the mound.

A few Orioles made their case for Player of the Week in a week that produced two of the rotation's best starts of the season alongside a pair of standout weeks at the plate.

Colton Cowser put together one of the more productive lines of any Baltimore hitter, batting .375 with a 1.036 OPS across 19 plate appearances. He reached base at a .474 clip on the strength of three walks and saved his best for Sunday, driving in four runs and homering in the 12-1 rout at Dodger Stadium. It was another strong week as Cowser has rapidly turned his season around.

Blaze Alexander was even better, leading the team with a 1.088 OPS while hitting .389 with a homer, two doubles, four RBI and a stolen base. Alexander has made the most of his opportunity recently, boosting his season average to .312 and OPS to .809.

On the mound, Trevor Rogers turned in the single most dominant start of the week. The left- hander carried a one-hitter through seven scoreless innings on Saturday, walking two and striking out six against a dangerous Dodgers lineup. For a pitcher who entered the night at 3-7 with a 5.86 ERA, it was a welcome reminder of the ceiling that made him the staff's anchor a year ago, and in most weeks it would have been enough to win this award.

This was not most weeks. Kyle Bradish gets the nod for what was arguably his finest outing since returning from Tommy John surgery. On Wednesday in Seattle he struck out a career- high 12 over 7.2 innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits and two walks while throwing 65 of his 100 pitches for strikes.

The start graded out to a game score of 75, and the degree of difficulty only sharpened it, coming against a Mariners club fighting for the AL West lead. After two rough outings to start June, this start got Bradish back on the strong form he showed for most of May.

Down on the Farm --

At AAA Norfolk, the story was power hitting. Jud Fabian put on a show, launching three homers and driving in six while posting a 1.548 OPS, the kind of week that keeps his name in the mix whenever the Orioles go looking for outfield help.

Veteran infielder José Barrero was even louder, going 8-for-23 with five home runs and 10 RBI, a video-game line even if it comes from an org bat rather than a true prospect. Enrique Bradfield Jr. reached base at a .320 clip and swiped two more bags.

On the mound, Dean Kremer continued working his way back toward the majors with a tidy 3.2- inning, one-run start, walking two and striking out five. It was a step in the right direction for a pitcher the Orioles may need sooner rather than later. Nestor German also offered a strong week of length, fanning nine across 10.1 innings with a 0.97 WHIP.

AA Chesapeake leaned on its pitching. Joseph Dzierwa was the standout, spinning six innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts against just two hits and a walk, good for a 0.50 WHIP. Sebastian Gongora picked up a pair of wins over 10.1 innings, striking out eight and putting up a 1.74 ERA.

The bats did their part, too. Aron Estrada drove in five, Thomas Sosa added two homers and five RBI, and Frederick Bencosme chipped in two long balls of his own, while Ethan Anderson led the group with seven hits and a pair of homers.

Also worth noting at Chesapeake was Dylan Beavers, who is working through a rehab assignment. The outfielder went hitless across nine at-bats but drew four walks, a rusty but patient first step toward rejoining the big-league club.

Sunday June 21, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4326

market correction forthcoming?

Before we dive into sports, let me just wish all of the Dads out there a very Happy Father's Day.

I hope you get to spend time with or talk with your children at some point today. Being a father is one of the greatest gifts God ever gave me. If you're a Dad, I assume you feel the same way.

Now, let's get to the golf.

I'm most certainly not, in any way, "anti" Wyndham Clark.

But come on, man. That was ridiculous yesterday.

Clark turned a 75 and what would be a wicked final round of the U.S. Open into an even par round of 70 that graced him with a 6-shot lead heading into today's closing 18-hole test at Shinnecock Hills.

On any given hole, the 2023 U.S. Open titleist looked like an amateur who didn't even belong in the field. And then, 20 minutes later, he'd hit a shot that Nicklaus or Woods would have been proud to claim. And on the holes he botched with bad swings, Clark somehow got up and down for par. Time and time again.

Because it's the U.S. Open, the golf tournament is still far from over.

There are a host of guys at 1-under-par, including Scottie Scheffler, who has four career major wins and needs a U.S. Open victory to become the 7th player in the history of golf to win the career grand slam.

But "all" Clark needs, most likely, is a round of even par 70 today and he'll have his second U.S. Open triumph. Even something like 71 or 72 should be enough. There just aren't that many birdie holes out there at Shinnecock.

All that said, it still feels like there's some market correction due to come calling on Clark at some point. He's led a charmed life for three days. Six under 64 on Thursday when he actually got the better end of the weather draw. A one-under round of 69 on Friday. And then the aforementioned 70 on Saturday that easily could have been 75 or higher if not for an ultra-cooperative putter.

Maybe it's just Wyndham Clark's week and he'll coast into the winner's circle this evening around 6:30 pm.

It happens like that every decade or so. Tiger once boatraced the field at the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, winning by 15 shots.

Martin Kaymer was the leader from start to finish at the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. No one came close to him.

And that might be how it goes today for Wyndham Clark. He has most certainly played the best of everyone. He ranks in the Top 10 in most of the shots gained stats this week, including proximity to the hole. He's 4th in putting. And 1st in scrambling. That's how you piece together four days of great golf and win a major championship.

If Clark plays today the way he has the first three days, it's game-set-match.

Or the course might bite back today. Scheffler worked his way into the final group with a dazzling back nine that included three straight birdies at 14, 15 and 16. He's capable of mounting a charge today, of course. And without the massive winds on Long Island that they had on Thursday and Sunday, today could be a day where someone is able to shoot a low number and rally from off the pace.

The USGA will either set the course up next-to-impossible today and tuck every pin location or they'll make the place look like the John Deere Classic and offer birdies and low scoring with the hope that the entire country will have a reason to stick with the golf instead of switching over to World Cup soccer in the late afternoon.

Either way, it's all in Clark's hands. If they set up the course ultra-difficult, he could always implode and shoot something like 76. But the harder the course, the less likely it would be that any challengers would be able to post something in the high 60's.

If they set it up easier to make a game of it, all you're doing is inviting Clark to shoot 67 and still win by four or five shots.

One thing that's starting to be revealed is Shinnecock's status as one of the Open's "great" courses. While it is a remarkable piece of property and a wonderful golf course, it's also starting to show itself as a place where everything has to be just right to produce a challenging, stiff test of golf.

The USGA is always trying to figure out a way to make the U.S. Open a stressful-but-competitive four day test. They go to places like Oakmont, Shinnecock, Pebble Beach and Winged Foot because all four of those places have earned their rightful spot among America's best golf courses.

But Shinnecock, at least this week, is only playing tough because they had 35 mile per hour winds on Thursday morning and Saturday morning. The course has yet to make it to the point where it's impossible to make a par, which was the hopeful scenario heading into the first round on Thursday.

The greens are fast. But because of the wind and the concern for balls not staying on the putting surface, they're not madly out of control. Clark and others poured in putts left and right on Saturday afternoon.

They widened the fairways this week, which has definitely impacted scoring to some degree. The rough has dried out to the point where players are getting "fliers" out of it. Xander Schauffele hit a 177 yard gap wedge from the wispy rough into the 10th hole yesterday, for example.

The final hole is 480 yards. Scheffler had 107 to the flag for his approach shot into the 18th green yesterday.

Don't get me wrong. Shinnecock is a great course. But it hasn't stood up to the players the way I thought it would this week, mostly because of the things the USGA controls (fairway width) and doesn't control (weather).

Maybe the 156 guys who made the field are just too friggin' good. Perhaps there's just not a course in the U.S. that can "contain" them.

If so, that's fine.

But here's hoping that that Shinnecock fights back a bit today and Wyndham Clark has to sweat bullets down the stretch to win his 2nd career major.

I'm a soccer guy, yes, even I don't want to watch World Cup soccer this afternoon.

A lot has been made of the 2-stroke penalty assessed to Joaquin Niemann during Thursday's opening round. He is now the answer to the trivia question: "Who was the first player ever penalized by the USGA for throwing a club in U.S. Open?"

For those keeping score at home, Niemann eventually carded an "11" on the 6th hole. He actually made a mess of the hole by posting a 5-over par "9" there, then found out after the round he would have to tack on two additional shots for the "11".

To give Niemann full credit, he didn't sulk or brood after he learned of the penalty between his first and second rounds (his first round actually ended on Friday morning because of the weather on Thursday). Instead, he went out and made 7 birdies in Round 2 and actually wound up with a 65 that helped him make the 36-hole cut.

But the controversy raged on Friday night and even into Saturday.

"Why Niemann?"

"Why now, in the U.S. Open?"

"Are others going to be held to the same standard?"

It's all part of a decision made by the USGA last December to more "closely monitor player conduct" in all of their events. It's fair to point out that professional players are certainly not the only ones guilty of misconduct on the course. It's everywhere these days, including at the junior, high school and college levels.

Niemann was the first player to be punished by the new rule, which states: "If a player’s (or their caddie’s) behavior is so far removed from what is expected in the spirit of the game of golf, in accordance with Rule 1.2b, the chief referee, in consultation with the championship director, may apply a penalty of two strokes or disqualification, taking account of the frequency, impact, intent and severity of the misconduct.”

While he handled it well afterwards and his golf was fine thereafter, Niemann wasn't totally convinced he deserved the penalty: “I knew I had a misbehavior, but I feel like everybody had some, and it’s never going to anything major like two-shot penalty, you know?” Niemann said. “So, yeah, I mean, he start talking to me. They consider with the whole committee that it was a right decision to give me a two-shot penalty, which I kind of, like, a little bit – obviously I was trying to argue back and try to don’t get those two-shot penalty."

Niemann continued: “But, yeah, I mean, it’s their decision, and I feel like, yeah, I wouldn’t be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way, so yeah, I mean, I agree.”

The two-shot penalty is now golf's version of a technical foul in basketball or a yellow card in soccer.

If you misbehave, you get penalized.

Me? Personally? I love it.

Club throwing and general misconduct aren't good for the sport. Anyone who has played competitive golf has lost their cool at some point, myself included. But you have to put your best foot forward as a player and understand your conduct and decorum are not only part of the "spirit of the game", they're also part of your quest to be the best player you can be on any given day.

As I explain to my players at Calvert Hall, keeping your composure on the course is actually a skill, just like hitting a driver or putting is a skill.

Some people can do it easily, others have to work hard to keep themselves from losing their cool. But maintaining your composure when things don't go your way is a skill that any high quality player should have in his or her arsenal.

As for Niemann, I like that he handled it well.

That tells me a lot more about him than the club throwing incident.

Saturday June 20, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4325

as expected: a win, but not a cakewalk

Randy Morgan handles our official recap below, but we'll chime in here with a little appetizer for you before Randy brings the full meal to your table.

The main objective of Friday's U.S. World Cup game was accomplished. The Americans won. That the final score was 2-0 and the U.S. defense posted a rare -- for them -- shutout was icing on the cake. A win by any score was really all that mattered.

But the secondary elements of the win were also critical.

The U.S. beat the Aussies without its star player, Christian Pulisic. And they took what their opponents handed out in the game's final 20 minutes and gave some back themselves. They weren't going to bullied around, in other words.

True to form, as soon as it became apparent to the Australian squad that a win wasn't in the cards for them, they took to cheap-shotting their way up and down the field. They managed to drag Folarin Balogun into a senseless yellow card, but it was good to see the 21 year old stand up for himself in the game's winning moments.

Defender Chris Richards also got slapped with a yellow card for an ugly incident in the waning moments. But in both cases, the U.S. players simply weren't going to get trampled on by the losing team.

Pulisic's absence was a concern for about 10 minutes. Then the U.S. went up 1-0, followed by another goal in the last minute of the first half to post a 2-0 lead, and that was the end of the concern.

As they did against Paraguay last Friday, the U.S. controlled most of the game. Their tempo in the first half was equal to what we saw against Paraguay, even if the Australian defenders were more staunch and sturdy in the opening 45 minutes. The second half wasn't quite as clean, but Australia's quality is far superior to that of Paraguay's.

Weston McKennie was once again one of the best players on the field for either team. Four years ago, he looked like a player who wanted to share the spotlight with the likes of Pulisic and Tyler Adams. Often times that would lead him to do things either outside of the scope of his role or simply over his head, style wise.

We're not seeing that from him, now. McKennie is the workhorse who is willing to get dirty and do whatever it takes to get the ball into dangerous spots in the attacking third.

Both Malik Tillman and Alex Freeman have been incredibly competent in the first two games, even if both of them have had 5 or 10 minute spans where they looked out of place. Freeman scored a timely, important goal yesterday and Tillman was one of the best players in the first half of the Paraguay game.

Those two guys are the "guts" of this new look U.S. team. They might not be ready to star for Manchester City or PSG just yet, but they are each a pleasure to watch from both an energy and anticipation standpoint. What they lack in experience they more than make up for with their dedication to the role they've been given. They're hardly ever out of place.

Balogun is a star-in-the-making, plain and simple. He looks like the kind of player other countries have always had and we never had.

We said here yesterday the game wouldn't be a walk in the park. And it wasn't. But make no mistake about it, the better team won on Friday in Seattle.

That said, there were a few "nitpicky" considerations from the second half. The U.S. had a tough time containing both Volpato and Irankunda in the final 45 minutes, particularly when one of them was able to get into the same part of the field to match up with U.S. defender Tim Ream.

The U.S. also missed out on a couple of legitimate goal-scoring chances that would have salted the game away at 3-0 and 4-0. Those aren't quite as concerning when you're already ahead 2-0, but you'd like to see your offensive players finish quality chances when they come their way.

And, as mentioned above, the Australians did a nice job of dummying the game down to their level in the second half, grabbing, clutching and kicking instead of trying to play quality soccer. The U.S. did a reasonable job of ignoring it for the better part of 20 minutes or so, but they finally caved in and mixed it up late in the game.

So the question that looms now is the obvious one. How far can this U.S. team go?

If they play the kind of soccer they've played in the first two games of group play, they can go far.

If Pulisic is healthy and returns for the knockout stage, they can go far.

If they get the right draw in the knockout stage, they can go far.

What's "far"?

That depends on those three "ifs" above.

Wyndham Clark is 7 under par and threatening to run away with the 2026 U.S. Open, but let's not start etching his name in the trophy just yet.

There's a lot of golf left to play at Shinnecock Hills.

And if Clark's going to win, he'll have to turn back a half dozen of the game's best players along the way.

Matt Fitzpatrick trails by four shots.

Xander Schauffele also trails by four.

Collin Morikawa is five shots behind.

So is Sam Burns, who is owed one, big time, by the golf gods after what the USGA did to him on the back nine last year at Oakmont CC.

Then there's Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler positioned nicely at even par through 36 holes.

Clark might win. But that's a big "might".

He's going to face a tough two days at Shinnecock, as will everyone else. The winds are going to pick up and the course is going to dry up and play firm and fast over the final two days. The target score is likely somewhere around 3 under par. That gives Clark a little bit of breathing room and four shots to play with, but as Dustin Johnson showed yesterday, there's tragedy waiting to occur on just about every hole on the course.

If Clark continues to drive the ball the way he has thus far, he'll have to make a bunch of unforced errors to let everyone else inch up the leaderboard. Thus far, he hasn't made many mistakes.

But the thinking here is no one dominates Shinnecock Hills. Not for four straight days, anyway. He has won the war over the first two days, Clark has, but the course will turn the tables at some point.

Today is a critical 18 holes for Wyndham Clark. Anyone can win one U.S. Open, as Steve Jones, Michael Campbell and -- is it too soon? -- J.J. Spaun all proved. But you have to be an extraordinary player to win two of them. Maybe Lee Janzen is the one outlier of the "2 wins group", but anyone with multiple U.S. Open wins is a total rock star.

If Clark holds on to win this U.S. Open, he'll have two more than Phil Mickelson and one fewer than Tiger Woods.

What would I suggest you do right now, wagering wise?

I'd throw a few bucks on Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tom Kim and Sam Burns. Schauffele has six Top 10 finishes at the U.S. Open in his career and is leading the event in almost every putting category through 36 holes this week. "X" is primed to win a U.S. Open.

Fitzpatrick is playing great golf in 2026. He certainly has the game to win another U.S. Open. His putting needs to improve a little bit over the final two days. But can he win? He sure can.

Tom Kim? We haven't heard from him in two years. He could be this year's version of last year's J.J. Spaun. No one thought Spaun could win a major. No one probably thinks Tom Kim can, either. But he can.

And Burns is right back there again, where he was last year through 36 holes, contending for the U.S. Open title. It's always about the driver with Burns. He's a great putter and a nice iron player. But his driver will fall asleep on him for a few holes here and there, which is how he got in trouble last year at Oakmont CC.

One thing for sure: It's going to look like a U.S. Open over the final 36 holes. Chaos will reign supreme.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

USA-Australia Instant Reaction: Job Done Again

Two games. Two wins. Six points. Knockout round secured.

Read that again, because it has never happened before for the US men.

For the first time in the modern version of the World Cup, the US men have secured the top of their group with one game to spare. Another dominant first half put the Americans up 2-0 at the break and they rode out the second half to secure the win.

Later in the night, Paraguay held on to beat Turkiye despite going down to ten men in the first half, securing the US at the top of the group. Although there were some shaky moments in the second half, the US once again took care of business and outclassed a weaker team. Earning themselves a crucial break before heading into the knockout rounds.

This was not quite the same fireworks show as the Paraguay game. It was not as sharp or complete. But it was another game where the US was clearly better than its opponent for most of the night, built a first half lead, and did enough after halftime to secure the win.

How They Lined Up --

The lineup had one significant change from the opener, with Ricardo Pepi coming in for the injured Christian Pulisic. That forced a slight shift in the shape.

Against Paraguay, the US looked more like a 3-4-3 with Balogun up top and two tucked-in attacking midfielders behind him. Against Australia, it looked more like a two-striker setup, with Pepi joining Balogun on the front line and McKennie pushing into advanced areas.

The idea was pretty clear. Australia was always likely to sit deep, keep bodies behind the ball, and force the US to break down a compact block. Pochettino wanted an extra target in the box and a little more physical presence around the center backs.

Australia also made the strange decision not to start Nestory Irankunda, who had been one of their most dangerous attacking players in the opener and immediately gave the US trouble with his speed when he came on after halftime.

That ended up mattering, because for most of the first half Australia had almost no ability to threaten in transition.

How It Unfolded --

The US did give them one early chance. In the opening minute, Alex Freeman played a loose ball across the back line that Mohamed Toure jumped on, driving into the box before shooting straight at Matt Freese from a tight angle. It was a slightly nervy start, but after that the US settled in and took control.

The Americans dominated possession, pressed effectively, and kept Australia pinned deep for long stretches. The touches were not quite as clean as they were against Paraguay.

You could feel Pulisic’s absence in tight spaces, especially when the US needed someone to receive the ball under pressure, turn, and immediately put defenders in emergency mode. But even without him, the US still had enough quality and athleticism to overwhelm Australia for most of the first half.

Dest and McKennie were especially active early. They combined down the right side to create the first real US chance, with Dest getting a shot blocked from a dangerous area. McKennie then got free on a corner and powered a header toward goal that was blocked.

Tillman was involved. Jedi kept pushing down the left.

Balogun looked dangerous every time he drifted into a channel. The US was not carving Australia open every two minutes, but they were clearly asking all the questions.

It didn't take long. Eleven minutes in, the US went ahead with a goal that rhymed with their opener against Paraguay. With Australia pulled up just a touch, Antonee Robinson slipped a ball around the edge of the defense for Folarin Balogun to run onto in the channel.

Balogun blew past his man to the end line and cut it back across the six for an on-rushing Ricardo Pepi, forcing Australian defender Cameron Burgess to scramble and poke it into his own net. Yes, it goes down as an own goal. But like the own goal against Paraguay, that is not an accident.

That is what happens when you attack with pace and purpose. You make defenders sprint toward their own goal. You make them solve problems at full speed. You put them in positions where one wrong step, one bad angle, or one desperate touch ends up in the back of the net.

Balogun has become a game-changer for this team. There were long stretches of my life watching the US men where the striker position was basically a combination of hard work, hope, and vibes. Balogun is different. He has real acceleration. He can threaten in behind. He can hold up against physical center backs. He forces defenders to backpedal. He makes opposing teams defend the entire depth of the field.

Maybe peak Jozy Altidore is the closest comparison, but even that feels different stylistically. The US has just not had many forwards who can change the geometry of a game like this.

He probably should have had a goal of his own early in the second half, when Tyler Adams slipped him in behind and he looked to be through on goal. But Balogun slowed down, took a heavy final touch, and allowed Alessandro Circati to recover and block the shot. That was a missed chance to put the game completely to bed. Still, in the first half especially, Australia’s big center backs just could not handle him.

The second goal came just before halftime, and it was another massive moment for Alex Freeman. Dest and Tillman combined nicely on the right to win a free kick in a dangerous area.

Antonee Robinson played a disguised pass on the free kick to Dest at the top of the box, and his deflected shot looped high into the air. Freeman reacted first, sprinted in behind the defense, and nodded it past the keeper. The flag went up initially, but VAR showed he had been kept onside by Jacob Italiano, and the goal was given.

That made it 2-0, and it felt fully deserved. At halftime, the US had nine shots and 1.2 expected goals. Australia had two shots for just 0.12 xG (expected goals). This was not quite the avalanche we saw against Paraguay, but it was another first half where the Americans looked bigger, faster, more aggressive, and more confident than the team across from them.

Freeman deserves a lot of credit again. He had a few shaky passes early, including the mistake in the first minute, but he recovered quickly and put together another strong performance. His physical tools are obvious.

He is big, strong, fast, and comfortable defending in space, which is exactly what this system requires from the outside center backs. He also made one of the most important defensive plays of the first half, cutting out a dangerous low cross at the near post when Australia looked like they might have a tap-in chance. Then he followed that up by scoring the goal that effectively decided the game.

For a player who was not exactly a household name a month ago, the Baltimore-born Freeman is quickly becoming one of the stories of the tournament for the US.

Chris Richards was excellent too. This is why his return matters so much. He gives the back line a different level of confidence. He won headers. He cleared danger. He organized. And when Irankunda finally came on and gave Australia some real pace in the second half, Richards made a huge play to cover for Tim Ream and prevent a potentially dangerous break from turning into something worse.

That second half, though, is where the concern comes in.

The US did not collapse, and it felt worse in the tension of the moment than the stats or a brief re-watch would suggest. Australia finished with only three shots and 0.35 xG, so this was not a game where the Americans were hanging on for dear life. But the second half dropoff is starting to become a trend.

It happened in the friendlies against Portugal, Belgium, and Germany. It happened against Paraguay. It happened again here.

In the friendlies, there was an easy explanation. Mass substitutions. Experimental lineups. Disjointed second halves. That is what friendlies are for. But now we have seen it in both group games.

The US comes out flying, presses like crazy, overwhelms the opponent, and then the energy drops after halftime. Maybe that is inevitable when you play with this much intensity in the first half. Maybe it is just game management with a lead. Maybe it is a substitution pattern issue. But against better teams, it could become a real problem.

Australia made three changes at halftime, including bringing on Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, and they started pressing higher. The US handled it well for the first 10 or 15 minutes of the half, but then the game got sloppier. Passes started missing. Touches got loose. Australia began to win more second balls. The field tilted back toward the US goal for a stretch, even if the Socceroos still did not create a ton of clear chances.

The best chance came when Irankunda got in behind Ream down the right and cut the ball back to Cristian Volpato, who blasted his first-time shot over the bar.

Later, Australia got a dangerous sequence in the box with a looping cross, a cutback, and a blocked shot in traffic. It was not constant danger, but it was enough to make you think about what this might look like against a team with more quality.

The referee did not help matters. Felix Zwayer was too hesitant to give Australia cards for persistent fouling, and the game got chippier as the half went on. There were several challenges that could have brought yellows for Australia earlier.

Instead, the temperature kept rising until Balogun and Harry Souttar got tangled up late, leading to a brief scuffle and yellow cards for both. Balogun’s yellow is frustrating because it was avoidable, but it also felt like a product of a game the referee allowed to get too physical for too long.

That matters because the US now have to think about cards in the final group game. Cards reset after the group stage, but any player that picks up a second yellow in the final group game would be suspended for the first knockout game.

So Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, and Balogun are all players you would rather not risk if there is any chance they could miss the Round of 32. Adams, Robinson, and Richards feel like near locks to sit against Türkiye, especially with the US already through.

Balogun may sit too, even if the suspension risk is a little easier to manage with a striker than with Adams or one of the key defenders.

If the US have the group clinched by then, Pochettino can rotate heavily. Even if the group is still technically on the line, he has to balance the value of finishing first against the risk of losing important players for the knockout round.

Christian Pulisic almost certainly should not start either way. Give him the extra recovery time. Maybe he gets a late cameo if the staff wants him to test the calf. But after two wins in two games, there is no reason to force it.

As for the individual standouts, Balogun and Freeman will get the headlines, and deservedly so. But Weston McKennie was quietly excellent in the first half. He created danger in the box, combined well on the right, pressed aggressively, and helped give the US some of the chaos that Pulisic usually provides in those attacking pockets.

Dest also caused all kinds of problems. He set up the free kick that led to the second goal and took the deflected shot that Freeman eventually finished. When the US needed creativity without Pulisic, Dest was one of the main sources.

Malik Tillman had a little less of the spotlight than he did against Paraguay, but he still had several nice moments connecting play and worked his butt off to win back balls on defense.

Adams was his usual metronome in the middle until things got stretched. Jedi created the first goal with that ball in behind. Freese was not asked to do much, but he handled what came his way.

That is probably the biggest takeaway from these first two games. The US are not just getting one or two great individual performances. They are getting contributions everywhere. Different players are stepping forward. Different patterns are producing chances. Different game states are being managed. That is what good tournament teams do.

Now, to be clear, there are levels to this. Paraguay and Australia are not the teams the US will eventually have to beat if this run is going to become something truly special. The second-half lulls need to be cleaned up.

The sloppiness under pressure needs to be addressed. The game management and substitution timing may need to be tweaked. A better opponent may punish the US for the kinds of mistakes Australia could not turn into goals.

But that is a conversation for another day.

For now, the US have done exactly what it needed to do. It beat Paraguay. It beat Australia. It has six points from six. It has booked its place in the knockout rounds. It has likely set itself up for a favorable Round of 32 matchup, possibly against a third-place team depending on how the rest of the group and the bracket shake out.

This was not a perfect performance. It was not as thrilling as the opener. It probably will not be remembered the same way.

But in some ways, that makes it more encouraging. The US did not need its best player. It did not need everything to be perfect. It did not need a wild, emotional, once-in-a-generation performance. It just needed to be better than Australia, and it was.

Comfortably.

Two games. Two wins. Six points. Through to the knockouts.

For once, the US did not make us suffer to get there.

That alone is worth celebrating.

Friday June 19, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4324

not the u.s. open we expected (yet)

Thursday at Shinnecock Hills started out as expected. Chaotic.

But it wasn't the wind that caused the problems. It was fog. Like, a lot of fog. Fog so bad people couldn't see where their golf ball was going.

There was some wind later on in the morning. But by the time the afternoon tee times started hitting the first tee, the first round of the U.S. Open looked a little more like the Travelers or the John Deere Classic and less like one of the toughest tests in golf.

Wyndham Clark finished as the first-round leader at 6 under par. He played 16 holes on Friday before darkness set in and halted the opening round, then returned this morning to play his last two holes and post his 64.

Dustin Johnson was right there with him until a disastrous turn of events at the 6th hole, where he made an all-time sloppy double bogey from just off the green in two shots. Johnson fell from 4 under to 2 par with that faux pas, but he returned early this morning and made two birdies to finish at 4-under par.

Matt Fitzpatrick is right there at 3-under par, along with Sam Stevens at 2-under, who played in the morning wave and was the leader for a few hours until Clark and D.J. starting their attack on the course in the afternoon.

World number one Scottie Scheffler had a hot and cold day. He couldn't get anything going but gritted his way to a 2-over par round of 72 that kept him well in the tournament.

If not for Clark's 64 to start things off yesterday, we'd really have a tightly bunched leaderboard.

Have no fear, though.

The golf course is going to toughen up over the next three days.

Bowing to the possibility of 40 mile per-winds on Thursday, the USGA made the unprecedented move of not putting any hole locations in the front of the greens at Shinnecock. They also altered seven other hole locations that were going to be put in treacherous spots, opting for safety over potential carnage.

If the wind isn't going to blow 30-40 MPH over the next three days and the powers-that-be can set up the course the way they want, there won't be low scores available to anyone.

Don't be misled. They want wind at the U.S. Open. But it can't be howling at 30 MPH or 40 MPH. That won't fly. But if they can get tough conditions and they can set the course up the way they want, 4 under par is going to be an ideal score come late Sunday afternoon.

Shinnecock will bear her teeth at some point over the next three days, you can bet on that.

Bowing to player complaints over the last two decades, the USGA will never make the U.S. Open look like it did back in the 1980's when even par was a treasured score and 75 was more than acceptable. To wit, the average fairway width at Shinnecock Hills in the 1986 U.S. Open was 27 yards. 40 years later in 2026, it's 59 yards.

There was a time when the rough grew high, the greens grew crusty and dangerous by Saturday, and no one cared. But along the way, members of these prestigious clubs also complained about their course getting wrecked for the remainder of the summer. And, so, the USGA eased up a little bit and the U.S. Open became a litter tamer and a lot less chaotic.

But it's still difficult. If you miss the fairway off the tee your chances of making a par fall to roughly 50%. If you miss the green, your odds are probably a hair less at something like 40%.

For now, Wyndham Clark is having his way with her, but that won't last long. Clark might very well win. His golf has been splendid over the last month. But he's not going to be shooting 12 or 14 under par to win the U.S. Open.

17 players managed a score of 1 under par or better on Thursday, with some of those 17 not yet completing their first round.

My guess? 10 players will be under par at the end of round two later today.

And six players will be under par heading into Sunday's final round.

It's only going to get harder.

So much for the O's enjoying prosperity, huh? The Birds wallowed through another listless offensive effort on Thursday in the get-away-game in Seattle, falling 3-0 to the Mariners.

There's not much else to say.

Tavares, Holliday and Cowser had the O's three hits on Thursday. Three hits. That's it.

Shane Baz was the hard-luck loser, going 7 innings and allowing 3 earned runs. He struck out 7 along the way. But you're probably not winning a game on the mound when your team scores you......ZERO runs.

And now it's on to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers for three games. I know we all assume the worst. But this is what the Orioles are. They're a team that loses two of three at home to San Diego, two of three in Seattle, and then wins 2 of 3 or even sweeps the Dodgers in a 3-game series.

Or they get roasted 7-1, 10-4 and 4-0 in Los Angeles.

With this team, you just never know.

Perhaps the most disappointing and perplexing thing about this O's squad of late is how much the starting pitching has rebounded and how the offense just continues to Jekyll and Hyde its way through every week.

I wrote here in early June that I thought the Birds could make a run of it in the American League if the starting pitching improved.

"The offense will come along, don't worry about that," I wrote.

Well, the starting pitching has improved. Brandon Young has been awesome. Kyle Bradish had one or two spotty starts but other than that he's been excellent this month. The same for Shane Baz. Even Trevor Rogers has righted himself of late. The Birds are getting reliable starts for the most part.

The offense is just no good. When Leody Taveras is your go-to-guy, you're in trouble.

So now, I'll just flip the script as we prepare to enter July.

"If the offense just improves, the Birds will be fine."

"We know the starting pitching is going to be decent."

Now watch. The offense will be good and the starting pitching will hold up and the Birds' bullpen will implode next month.

It's always something.

Today marks a massive opportunity for the U.S. soccer team to grab hold of their group and pretty much guarantee themselves a spot in the knockout round of the World Cup. Australia is the opponent, and as Randy Morgan pointed out here yesterday, they are not to be taken lightly.

The biggest topic, of course, is the condition of American star Christian Pulisic. Loose reports out of Seattle indicate he's "fine" and will be ready to go for today's 3 pm contest, but you never know how much of that information is being presented to make the Australian's create a game plan to stop him.

For the U.S., it's critical they once again get off to a good start or, as they say in soccer, "on the right foot". An early goal and a lead will force the Aussie squad to change their tactics and preferred style. Likewise, an Australian goal to take the lead will force the Americans to shift their profile as well.

As a fan, you're either buying stock in what you saw last Friday in the opener against Paraguay or you're uncertain of which U.S. team we'll see vs. the Australian squad today (3 pm, FOX).

This is not going to be a lay-up, I suspect.

But I'm buying stock.

That said, I suspect we're going to see something a lot closer than last Friday's 4-1 result. Paraguay was simply not ready for the pace of the game the U.S. presented to them.

The Australians will be ready.

I'll call it a 2-1 U.S. win, with goals from Balogun and Pulisic (penalty kick). It's 2-0 before the Aussies score in the 75th minute to make a game of it, but the Americans hold on for the win.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

world cup first-round recap: expanded field delivering chaos

With the first-round group stage games completed, the first lap of the 2026 World Cup has delivered just about everything you could ask for.

Goals. Upsets. Superstar performances. Goalkeeper heroics. Favorites looking terrifying. Favorites looking completely stuck. And, perhaps most importantly, a much more open tournament than many expected.

The quick data baseline tells the story:75 goals in 24 games, 3.13 goals per game, 16 wins, 8 draws, 17 of 24 games with both teams scoring, and only one 0-0. For context, in the previous 32-team format from 1998 through 2022, the World Cup group stage averaged about 2.54 goals per game. That was 852 goals across 336 group-stage games.

So this is not just a slightly lively start. It is a materially more chaotic one. The expanded field was supposed to create the possibility of more mismatches, and it has. Germany beat Curaçao 7-1. Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1. The US beat Paraguay 4-1. Norway beat Iraq 4-1. England beat Croatia 4-2.

But the bigger story is that those games have not all looked like tidy, professional 2-0 wins where the favorite scores early, controls the ball, and slowly bleeds out the clock. They have looked more like track meets.

Even many of the weaker teams are finding a goal before getting overwhelmed. Curaçao scored against Germany. Tunisia scored against Sweden. Paraguay scored against the US. Croatia scored twice against England. Iraq equalized against Norway before Haaland and company pulled away.

The mismatches are still real, but they are not sterile. They are open. They are volatile. They are fun.

The group results at a glance

● Group A: Mexico 2-0 South Africa · Korea Republic 2-1 Czechia

● Group B: Canada 1-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina · Switzerland 1-1 Qatar

● Group C: Brazil 1-1 Morocco · Scotland 1-0 Haiti

● Group D: USA 4-1 Paraguay · Australia 2-0 Türkiye

● Group E: Germany 7-1 Curaçao · Côte d'Ivoire 1-0 Ecuador

● Group F: Netherlands 2-2 Japan · Sweden 5-1 Tunisia

● Group G: Belgium 1-1 Egypt · Iran 2-2 New Zealand

● Group H: Spain 0-0 Cape Verde · Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay

● Group I: France 3-1 Senegal · Norway 4-1 Iraq

● Group J: Argentina 3-0 Algeria · Austria 3-1 Jordan

● Group K: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo · Colombia 3-1 Uzbekistan

● Group L: England 4-2 Croatia · Ghana 1-0 Panama

The Expanded Field Has Been More Chaotic Than Weak --

The natural concern with a 48-team World Cup was always dilution. More teams meant more mismatches, more overmatched debutants, more games where the favorite could cruise and the underdog would be thrilled just to lose honorably.

That has not really been the feel of the tournament so far.

Yes, the blowouts are there. But the underdogs have not looked terrified. They have not all sat in a low block for 90 minutes praying the score stays respectable. In a lot of cases, they have come out willing to press, willing to counter, willing to attack the space left behind by aggressive favorites, and willing to keep playing even after falling behind.

That is how you get 16 of 23 completed games with both teams scoring. That is the real stat of the opening round. It is not just that there are goals. It is that goals are coming from both sides.

Some of this may be tournament structure. With 12 groups and eight third-place teams advancing, goal difference and goals scored could matter a lot. A team down 3-0 still has incentive to chase a goal. A favorite up 2-0 still has incentive to keep pushing. The result is a group stage that has not felt cautious. It has felt like teams understand that every goal may end up mattering.

The concern was that the new format would water down the World Cup. Through one lap, it has mostly just made it weirder.

That is a good thing.

CONMEBOL Has Stumbled Out of the Gate --

If there is one confederation that has underperformed expectations so far, it is South America. Coming into the tournament, there was a pretty easy case that CONMEBOL teams were being undervalued. The qualifying gauntlet in South America is brutal. The travel is difficult. The altitude swings are extreme. The opponents are familiar, physical, and experienced. Just surviving that process usually says something real about a team.

But that has not translated into a strong opening round.

Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by Morocco. Paraguay were completely overwhelmed by the US. Ecuador lost to Ivory Coast. Uruguay needed a late equalizer to salvage a point against Saudi Arabia. Argentina took care of business against Algeria, but they were the clear exception, not the rule.

Colombia did improve the report card with a professional 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, but through one full round the South American sides are still only 2-2-2.

That is not a disaster, but it is a clear disappointment.

The most concerning part is not just the results, but how some of them looked. Paraguay did not lose a fluky game to the US. They were run off the field. Ecuador did not announce themselves as a dark horse. Uruguay looked more like a team that escaped than a team that imposed itself. Brazil had moments, but Morocco were not at all overwhelmed by the name on the shirt.

This is not the time to bury CONMEBOL. It would be foolish to overreact to one game in a World Cup. Argentina lost their opener in 2022 and then won the whole thing. Spain lost their opener in 2010 and then won the whole thing. One game can lie.

But the first impression is real: outside of Argentina, the South American teams have not looked like the tournament bullies. They have looked mortal.

Asia and Africa Have Justified the Extra Spots --

The other side of the CONMEBOL story is the early performance from Asia and Africa. Again, it has not been perfect. Senegal lost to France. Tunisia were blown out by Sweden. Iraq and Jordan both lost by three. South Africa dropped the opener to Mexico. But the overall picture has been much stronger than those losses suggest.

South Korea beat Czechia. Australia beat Türkiye. Japan drew the Netherlands and looked fully capable of winning. Saudi Arabia took a point off Uruguay. Iran and New Zealand played one of the wildest games of the first round. Qatar took a point from Switzerland.

On the African side, Morocco drew Brazil and looked more than comfortable. Ivory Coast beat Ecuador. Egypt drew Belgium. Cape Verde produced the shock of the tournament so far by holding Spain. DR Congo took a point from Portugal. Ghana beat Panama. That is a lot of credibility in one round.

This is the version of World Cup expansion that actually makes sense. Not because every extra team is going to be great. They are not. Some teams are going to get hit. But because international soccer is deeper than it used to be, and there are plenty of teams outside the traditional power centers that can make life miserable for favorites.

The gap is still there. France, Germany, Argentina, England, and the other heavyweights have more high-end talent. But the gap between “favorite” and “comfortable win” is not as wide as it used to be.

The first round has made that clear.

Tomorrow here at #DMD, Randy looks at the big first round upsets and the game's stars who came through with massive performances in their country's opening game.

faith in sports

Kirk Cousins has had quite a NFL career. He has bounced around to a handful of teams and made a lot of money. But he's never been to a Super Bowl, something he gets criticized for now and again when analysts start picking apart his accomplishments.

Cousins, however, is one of the NFL's best men in the locker room. He's been a faithful servant of God throughout his NFL tenure and constantly speaks openly about his faith with teammates and anyone in the league willing to be mentored.

Matt Forte of Sports Spectrum sat down with Cousins last week to talk about his NFL journey and how his belief in Jesus has helped shape him both professionally and personally.

The video below is one of the best I've ever seen in the Sports Spectrum series. I think you'll love it. Cousins is an extraordinary man.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday June 18, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4323

if i could choose just one winner

The U.S. Open starts today on Long Island.

By the time you read this, there will likely be first round carnage occurring.

They're calling for winds of between 20 and 45 miles per-hour most of the day. If it gets much past 45 or so, they're probably going to have to consider not playing at some point this afternoon.

It's an outdoor sport and all, yes. But you can't play golf if the ball won't stay still on the greens, which, the experts say, will likely happen if the wind blows over 35 mph.

Players will have to mark, re-mark, mark again, and so on when the ball is on the putting surface. That's no fun. And it takes away from the competition. That said, I'm sure the USGA will do everything in its power to forge ahead and play on, like they did last year on the final Sunday at Oakmont when they insisted on finishing the final round despite obvious evidence of casual water throughout the fairways on the final five holes.

If the forecasted winds hold true over the next four days, you could see something well over par wind up winning the golf tournament. Like, 8 over for four days might be a good score. But that all depends on the weather, which can shift overnight up there on Long Island.

All things being equal, who do I want to win?

Well, for some -- ahem -- "personal reasons", I'd love to see Harris English, Russell Henley, Hideki Matsuyama, Chris Gotterup, Shane Lowry and Dustin Johnson play well. If one of those guys wins, let's just say I'd be thrilled. But even if they hover around the leaderboard and finish well on Sunday, I'd be smiling.

But other than those guys, and purely for "golf" reasons, who would I like to see win this weekend? I'm glad you asked.

As I discussed on the U.S. Open preview with Mac Webster, Scottie Scheffler is the no-brainer "feel good" story this year at Shinnecock Hills. A win for Scheffler and he becomes just the 7th man to ever secure the career grand slam. And he would have done it just five seasons, remember. He would have won all five since 2022. That's golfing your ball, as they say.

I love Scheffler's approach to golf.

He swings his swing, with his unique footwork and steep move into the ball setting the stage for sublime iron play. His short game is borderline spectacular. When he's "on" with the putter, he can't lose. When he puts "just OK", he can still win any event he enters.

And he's great for golf. Yeah, he did appear in the police blotter once, but that was a colossal overreaction and misunderstanding. Other than that, let's just say he's close to choir-boy-status on TOUR.

If you let me script it and I could pick one player to win, it would be Scottie.

Now......

What if you said to me, "You can pick anyone but Scottie"?

That opens it up quite a bit.

George's head will probably start leaking fluid when he reads this, but my "next" pick after Scheffler would be Rickie Fowler.

I've never been a card-carrying-member of the Fowler Fan Club, per se, but I have immense respect for what he has done to promote the sport within the ranks of junior golf.

Sure, he's been paid handsomely by mortgage companies and phone companies and athletic apparel companies to carry their water while he's hanging out with juniors and amateurs, but, like Scheffler, he's been a wonderful ambassador for the sport. He's made a gazillion dollars on TOUR. He hasn't won as much as he would have liked, but he hasn't short changed the game or the TOUR in terms of the way he has helped drive young players to golf.

If it's not Scheffler, I'd love to see Fowler finally win that elusive first major championship. It would be a nice career-capper for him, although he's far from done in the world of professional golf.

And if I could give you one more, in case you say "No Scheffler and no Fowler, sorry", then I'd go with Justin Rose. He's a two-time playoff loser at Augusta National, remember. No one should have that kind of heartache without adding in something positive along the way.

Yes, he won the U.S. Open at Merion in 2013. He does have a major in his career, in other words. But I was so impressed with him after his loss to Sergio at the Masters in 2017 and Rory in 2025. He stood there and dealt with it the right way, which isn't easy to do when you've basically played as well as the other guy for all 72 holes but still didn't come out on top.

Justin Rose is a remarkable player and an amazing servant to golf. He's a gracious winner and a respectful loser. Whenever the Europeans beat the U.S. in the Ryder Cup, which is often, he's one of the only players on their team who isn't a flaming a-hole in the aftermath of their triumph.

In fact, I'll make a change here, on the fly.

Let's go Scheffler first, Rose second and then Fowler third.

Maybe that will settle George down a little bit.

OK, so now starts another O's three-game winning streak, I'm guessing. The Birds finally won a game last night, 5-3, in Seattle, to break a 3-game losing skid.

Kyle Bradish threw a gem on the mound and Gunnar and Holliday homered in the win.

This topsy-turvy play from the O's has to end at some point if they're going to seriously contend for a playoff spot. At some point, they have to put together an 8-2 run over a 10-game stretch and then something like 15-5 over a 20-game span. They just can't keep going 5-5 and 9-11 like they've been doing recently.

If they get that kind of start from Bradish moving forward, that's one win every five days at least. He was awesome last night, his best start in a couple of weeks, going 7.2 innings and striking out 12 while allowing just 5 hits and 1 earned run. When he's "on" his game, Bradish has the best stuff on the team, bar none. It just needs to be on display more often.

Henderson hit his 15th homer of the season, which is good, but that's the only thing he did all night at the plate. His slash line is still borderline awful: .225 batting average, his on-base-percentage is .293 and his OPS is .713.

Oh, and Tyler O'Neill non-fans had a field day on Wednesday night. The oft-injured right fielder went 0-for-4 and is now hitting .184 on the season. Hang in there, though, folks. We only have him for one more season after this one.

And, while we're Debbie Downer'ing you to death, you might not have noticed Jackson Holliday's work at the plate. It's also terrible.

Holliday is hitting .195 and his on-base-percentage is .281. We need more from him, too.

The series finale is today at 4:10 pm EDT with Shane Baz opposing Seattle's Bryan Woo.

And then it's on to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers, where the Birds will probably do a very O's-like thing and reel us all back in by taking 2 of 3 from the 2-time defending champions.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

usa vs. australia world cup preview

After the dream start against Paraguay, the U.S. Men's National Team heads into its second World Cup game on Friday with a chance to turn a great opening performance into real control of the group.

The US could not have scripted a better start to its home World Cup than the 4-1 win over Paraguay. The stars looked like stars. The system looked coherent. The press looked vicious. The home crowd seemed to matter.

For the first time in a long time, a US World Cup game felt less like survival and more like dominance.

But tournaments are not won on opening night and the second game of a group rarely looks like the first.

The next step is Australia, and this is exactly the type of game that can get uncomfortable if the US does not bring the same intensity.

Australia may not have the top-end talent Paraguay has.

They do not have a Pulisic-level attacker or a midfield full of players from elite European clubs. But they are organized, physical, confident, and coming off a 2-0 win over Türkiye that changed the complexion of the group.

The game will be played tomorrow, Friday, at Seattle Stadium, better known as Lumen Field, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 p.m. local time. The match will air on FOX and stream on FOX One.

The group standings are simple. The US and Australia both enter with three points, with the US on top thanks to goal difference. Paraguay and Türkiye are both chasing.

That makes this more than just a chance to take a big step toward advancement. It is a chance to take control of the entire group. With the change in tiebreakers for this tournament, prioritizing head-to-head results, if the US beats Australia and then Türkiye loses or draws against Paraguay later that night, the US would clinch the top spot in the group before even playing the final game.

That would be massive.

Winning the group is not just about pride. It is about setting up the cleanest possible path into the knockout rounds and avoiding the kind of stressful third game where every goal in every stadium suddenly matters.

It would also give them a chance to preserve players like Christian Pulisic, who took a knock against Paraguay, or Tyler Adams, who needs to avoid another yellow card. After the Paraguay win, the US put itself in a position to make the rest of the group stage much easier. Friday is the chance to actually do it.

Lessons From Paraguay --

The lesson from the Paraguay game is not complicated.

Keep the press on.

That was the story of the opener. The US overwhelmed Paraguay in the first half with pressure, speed, and energy. Paraguay could not breathe. They could not build. They could not get out.

Every clearance felt temporary. Every loose ball seemed to find an American player. The US kept winning the ball back in dangerous areas or forcing Paraguay to retreat into emergency defending around their own box.

That constant pressure did two things. First, it created chances. When you live around the opponent’s box, good things eventually happen. Maybe the final touch is clean. Maybe it takes a deflection. Maybe a defender panics. Maybe a clearance falls to the wrong player. But the more often you put defenders under stress, the more likely they are to break.

Second, and maybe just as importantly, it drained Paraguay emotionally. By the end of the first half they looked like a team that had spent 45 minutes chasing shadows. The third goal was the perfect example. Tyler Adams had a simple passing lane in midfield. Malik Tillman had acres of space and time to pick out the pass as Paraguay looked uninterested in moving quickly.

Balogun still had to deliver the finish, and he absolutely did, but the buildup told the story. Paraguay no longer had the energy or sharpness to get tight. The press had worn them down. That should be the formula again.

Australia will almost certainly be comfortable playing without the ball. They managed just 28% possession against Türkiye. They will not panic if the US controls the game for long stretches. They just beat Türkiye in a game where they spent long stretches defending deep, absorbing pressure, and looking for the right moment to strike.

So the US cannot let Australia’s defensive comfort turn into actual comfort. There is a difference between a team sitting deep because that is its plan and a team sitting deep because it is being suffocated. Against Paraguay, the US forced the latter. They need to do it again.

The back line matters here too. One of the underappreciated parts of the Paraguay win was how well Alex Freeman and Chris Richards handled long balls. Paraguay repeatedly tried to bypass the press by going direct, and the US back line consistently won first contact, cleaned up second balls, and immediately restarted the attack. That is what allows a high press to become a siege.

If the opponent can go long and win the ball, the press becomes risky. If the opponent goes long and immediately loses it, the press becomes demoralizing.

Australia will test that. They are going to go long far more often and far more deliberately, with Mohamed Touré as a genuine aerial target. Winning those headers will not just be about defending. It will be about keeping the press alive and keeping Australia pinned in.

What Australia Showed Against Türkiye --

Australia’s opener against Türkiye was a reminder that styles make fights, and pretty soccer does not always win. Türkiye had most of the ball. Türkiye had most of the shots. Türkiye spent most of the game probing around Australia’s defensive block. And Australia won 2-0. That is the warning sign.

Australia is not trying to impress anyone with possession numbers. They are not trying to build out beautifully from the back and play through the lines. They are trying to stay compact, protect the middle, force the opponent wide, survive crosses and half-chances, and then punish the one or two moments when the game opens up.

That worked perfectly against Türkiye. Nestory Irankunda scored the opener after Australia found him in space on the break, and Connor Metcalfe finished it off later with a counterattacking goal from distance. Goalkeeper Patrick Beach also had a massive game, making several key saves after being surprisingly selected over veteran Mat Ryan. So there are two ways to read that game.

The optimistic read for the US is that Türkiye did enough to create danger and just lacked the speed, precision, and ruthlessness to finish the job. They had the ball. They found shooting opportunities. They forced saves. They just could not break Australia before Australia found their moments.

The cautious read is that Australia is perfectly happy to let you think you are in control until suddenly you are not. They can defend for long stretches. They can survive pressure. They can frustrate a more talented team. And if they score first, they become very difficult to play against. That is why the first goal is so important.

If the US scores first, Australia has to open up. They cannot simply sit in their block for 90 minutes and hope for one break. That would create more space for Pulisic, Balogun, Dest, Jedi Robinson, McKennie, and Tillman to attack.

The US has more speed and athleticism than Türkiye, and if Australia has to chase the game, that becomes a major problem for them. If Australia scores first, this could become a grind in a hurry.

They would sit even deeper, take even fewer risks, slow the game down, foul when they need to, and try to turn the final hour into a frustrating exercise in U.S. possession around the horseshoe.

That is not where the US wants to be. This team has more creativity than past versions, but no team wants to spend an entire World Cup game trying to break down eleven players behind the ball while the clock keeps moving.

Australia is built to punish exactly the spaces this US setup leaves behind. Their attack runs through the pace of Irankunda, with the larger Touré up top as a target to play off, win the long ball, and bring others into it. The template is obvious for them. They want to go direct, win the knockdown, and spring Irankunda into the grass behind the US wingbacks before the back line can reset.

That makes him the player the US needs to worry about most. He is young, fast, confident, and coming off the type of goal that can announce a player to the world. Australia will likely look for him early and often whenever they win the ball. He gives them the exact outlet they need against a team like the US that wants to press high and push wingbacks forward.

That makes Alex Freeman one of the key players in this game again. Freeman’s pace and recovery speed were already important against Paraguay, but they may be even more important on Friday.

If Irankunda gets loose in transition, Freeman is probably the player best suited to chase him down, engage physically, and keep the play from becoming a clean break at the US goal. Richards will also be crucial in reading when to step up and when to drop, especially if Australia tries to pair Irankunda’s speed with Touré’s size and direct running.

The hope is that Irankunda does not get singled up with Tim Ream very often. Since he tends to play on the left so that he can cut in to shoot on his right, the US may be spared that matchup for most of the game.

Jordan Bos gives Australia another danger man on the wing, often over or under lapping on the same side as Irankunda. He wants to carry the ball forward, arrive from deeper positions, and turn a defensive shape into an attacking move before the opponent has fully reacted. That makes his matchup with Sergiño Dest especially important.

Dest’s width and creativity are a huge part of how the US can stretch Australia, but every time he pushes high, Bos becomes a potential outlet into the space he leaves behind. If the US gets its rest defense right, Dest can pin Bos back and force him to spend most of the game defending. If the spacing gets loose, Bos is good enough and direct enough to make the US pay.

Winning the first ball will matter against Australia. Winning the second ball may matter even more. Australia will not need many chances to make this game uncomfortable. They are going to look for those direct balls into the channels, flick-ons, knockdowns, and broken-field moments where the US back line is turned around and the midfield has to sprint back toward its own goal. Adams has to be excellent in those moments.

Tillman has to bring the same defensive bite he showed against Paraguay. The wingbacks have to pick their moments carefully. That does not mean the US should play scared. It means the rest defense has to be locked in. The press can be aggressive, but it has to be connected.

The wingbacks can fly forward, but the back three and Adams have to be positioned to kill counters before they become real chances.

The U.S. will need to find Harry Souttar on set pieces. The 6’ 6” center back is a real attacking weapon on corners, wide free kicks, and second balls around the box. Australia does not need to create a beautiful move to hurt the US. They can win a corner, load the box, and suddenly turn one restart into the biggest chance of the game.

That means the US has to defend aggressively without giving away cheap fouls in bad areas. Against a team like Australia, a needless foul near the sideline can be almost as dangerous as a turnover in midfield.

These two sides actually met just last October, with the US coming from behind to win 2-1 in Colorado on a pair of Haji Wright goals after Jordan Bos had put Australia ahead. But it is hard to read much into that result.

Both teams looked almost nothing like they do now. Pulisic captained that night but limped off early, the US rolled out a heavily rotated lineup, and Australia was still sorting out its own roster under Tony Popovic. The two opening games in this tournament tell us far more about who these teams are today than a friendly built around experimentation.

Can the US Sustain the Energy? --

One of the more interesting numbers from the opening round was distance covered. Through all games completed by the end of Tuesday, the US was third in the tournament in distance covered at 119.9 km, just behind Austria and France. Australia was eighth at 116.6 km. Paraguay, by comparison, covered 114.3 km in the game against the US.

That lines up with what the game looked like. The US did not just outplay Paraguay. They outran them. They were faster to loose balls, more committed in pressure, and more willing to keep making the extra run. It was a full-team effort, and it helped produce one of the best US World Cup performances in recent memory.

The question is whether the US can do it again, in a noon kickoff, with the temperature climbing toward 80 degrees in Seattle on Friday. While this is not quite the brutal heat of the Mid-Atlantic or Texas, it is still a midday game right after the US emptied the tank for ninety minutes.

Australia ran plenty in its opener too, so this is not a clear fitness edge for either side. Both teams can cover ground. Both will have to manage it. The home crowd at Lumen should give the US a real lift, but emotion only takes you so far, and the press has to be smart as much as it is energetic and Pochettino has to use his substitutions effectively.

The one personnel question is Christian Pulisic, who came off at halftime against Paraguay after a knock to the calf. His status was updated Wednesday as “day-to-day.” If he is right, he starts and runs the show. If there is any doubt, Pochettino has to weigh this game against a tournament this group still believes it can make a run in.

Either way, the bench already proved it can change a game, with Gio Reyna curling in a goal off the bench, Tim Weah offering direct running, Ricardo Pepi keeping the line honest, and Haji Wright giving them a different, more chaotic look if Australia is dug in late. That depth matters in a game that may demand patience for an hour before it finally opens up.

What to Expect Friday --

I expect the US lineup to look very similar to the Paraguay game, assuming Pulisic is healthy. Balogun should lead the line again after his two-goal opener. Pulisic and McKennie should occupy the attacking half spaces, with Pulisic drifting into dangerous areas and McKennie crashing the box.

Dest and Jedi Robinson should provide the width, with Adams and Tillman behind them. Ream, Richards, and Freeman should stay together across the back line with Freese in goal.

The biggest tactical question is how aggressive Pochettino wants the wingbacks to be early. Dest and Jedi are crucial to breaking Australia down; the US needs width and overlapping runs to stretch the block so Pulisic, Tillman, and McKennie can find pockets between the lines.

But Australia's best attacking route may be the space behind those same wingbacks, where Irankunda is most dangerous. That does not mean Dest and Jedi should be cautious. It means the structure behind them, with Freeman's recovery speed, Richards' athleticism, and Adams' positioning, has to be right.

For the US attack, the path is clear. Keep the press suffocating and do not let Australia settle. Attack quickly before they get all eleven behind the ball, because the best chances may come in the few seconds after the US wins possession, where Balogun's speed and Pulisic's directness can be devastating.

And do not get impatient. Australia wants the US frustrated, firing low-value crosses into a packed box and long shots from distance. The US has to keep moving the ball, keep changing the angle, and trust the quality of Pulisic, Dest, Tillman, Reyna, and McKennie to eventually find the gap.

This is the type of game the US should win, but it is not the type of game they can assume they will win. Australia already showed against Türkiye that they are more than capable of making a more talented team uncomfortable. They will defend. They will run. They will compete. They will believe they can steal this.

But if the US brings the same energy it brought against Paraguay, the same aggression in the press, the same confidence on the ball, and the same ruthless edge in the final third, they should have too much.

The opener was the statement.

Friday is the chance to prove it was not a one-off.

Win this game against Australia, and the US can stop worrying about surviving the group and start thinking about what kind of run this team is capable of making.

Wednesday June 17, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4322

part two of our u.s. open preview

Below is part 2 of our conversation with Mac Webster. I hope you enjoyed part 1 earlier this morning. We both make our winning predictions in part 2!

---

is messi the real, actual g.o.a.t.?

I don't think we'll settle this debate today here at #DMD, but let's at least kick-start it and get the ball rolling. OK?

There are a number of players in my lifetime that you, me and others might consider the proverbial G.O.A.T., which, I think you know, stands for "Greatest Of All Time".

Now, that's quite a heavy crown to wear.

If we're ONLY talking about team sports here, let's just rattle off a handful of names real quick.

Tom Brady.

He could be the G.O.A.T.

Michael Jordan.

He could definitely be the greatest, ever.

Wayne Gretzky.

Kobe Bryant.

Those two would get some votes, too.

And when I say G.O.A.T., I'm talking about the greatest of all time, period. Like, in every sport. Who is the greatest "team sport" player of our lifetime?

It might very well be Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer star.

After watching him personally dismantle Algeria last night with a 3-goal performance, I'm allowing recency bias to completely guide me on this one.

Who ever meant more to their team than Messi has meant to the various teams he's played with/for over the last 15 years?

Who has been "better" at their sport than Messi in soccer?

I'm asking. I don't know if there's a right answer here, but I'm going to submit to you the answer is "Messi is the G.O.A.T."

He's played in SIX World Cups. Six. That's 24 years worth of soccer at the highest level possible.

He had 3 goals last night. He has 16 career World Cup goals. He guided Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022.

Most soccer players dream of scoring one World Cup goal. Just one. They're forever etched in the history of their country if they score once in the World Cup.

Messi has 16 career goals. And by the way, he's 39 years old...next week.

Not that anyone cares about MLS, but he single-handedly took the Miami club from stinky-poo to the best "side" in American soccer.

I think Michael Jordan was amazing.

He made others around him better.

The same for Tom Brady. And Peyton Manning. They were both legends.

Wayne Gretzky is regarded by everyone with a hockey brain as the best player in NHL history.

But are any of those guys -- or "were" any of those guys, as it were -- better at their sport than we've seen from Messi on the soccer field?

Nope.

It's Messi.

He's the greatest "team sport" player we've ever seen.

Right?

---

I sat down earlier this week for a 2-part U.S. Open preview that you can watch today in its entirety. Part one, that you'll see below, will "air" this morning.

It was originally supposed to appear here yesterday. And then part 2 would have run here today. But we had a production snafu with part one.

So, here it is, a day later, below.

My guest is a local man of sorts, Mac Webster, who once starred for Gilman's golf team before playing collegiately at Boston College.

Mac now lives and works in Manhattan, New York. But we catch up occasionally to talk golf. He's a great guest and someone who really knows his golf.

Part one is below. Check here later today at #DMD for part two.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English. #6 was Sam Burns. #5 was Russell Henley. #4 was Justin Rose. #3 was Viktor Hovland. #2 was Matt Fitzpatrick.

OK, before I get to my #1, let me just go over a few things about the U.S. Open that begins tomorrow at Shinnecock Hills.

Even though he only has one win this season, Scottie Scheffler is still very much the favorite. And with a win this weekend, he'll become the 7th male to ever win all four major titles in his career.

I think the winning score will be somewhere in the 4 or 5 under par range.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an amateur/college player hang around and make some noise. Jackson Koivun perhaps?

Is this the year someone like Patrick Cantlay or Ludvig Aberg finally breaks through? I don't think so. Which means one of those two will probably win.

And finally, before I get to my top pick.

You want two longshots? Tom Kim and Jacob Bridgeman.

Now, to my number one guy.

#1 Hideki Matsuyama - He hasn't missed a cut this season. 14 for 14.

In half of those events (7), he's finished in Top 25.

The U.S. Open has been very kind to him over the years. He has four, Top 10 finishes. And he's only missed ONE cut in 13 career U.S. Open starts.

He has some concerning data this season, namely his work off the tee. His distance and accuracy numbers are both down a tick, yet he hasn't missed a cut in 2026, as I noted above.

All he needs is a decent week with the driver and Matsuyama can win the U.S. Open.

One other reason I'm bullish on someone like Matsuyama winning this week? I contend that most of the really great players in golf don't win one major -- they win more than one. If you look at today's modern roster of great players, that "mostly" holds true.

Rory, Scottie, J.T., Jordan, Dustin Johnson, Rahm, Morikawa. Xamder. Bryson -- they've all won two or more.

I think 'Deki is right there with some of those guys. He's every bit the player that Bryson, D.J., J.T., Rahm and Morikawa are, in my opinion. And I just don't see him going through his whole career with just that one Masters title to his credit.

I could be wrong. Maybe he winds up being Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Henrik Stenson and winds up only winning one major.

But I just think his quality is too good for that.

Tuesday June 16, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4321

another one bites the dust

This is five days old, but I haven't yet referenced it here since the news broke late last week that 100.7, a FM radio "star" in Baltimore, will be changing formats sometime in the near future.

The station was purchased by a new owner and will be flipping to "Contemporary Christian" music, a far cry from the classic rock we've heard on 100.7 for the last two-plus decades.

I don't listen to terrestrial radio all that much any longer.

I'll occasionally tune in to 105.7 to hear what those guys are saying.

And if I'm in the car and the O's or Ravens are playing, I'll flip over to 98 Rock or WBAL to catch those games.

I was, at one point a while back, a devoted listener to Towson University's radio station, WTMD. It's still on my radio pre-set, but I can't remember the last time I punched button "4" on my car radio.

100.7 was button "2". Classic rock is probably my favorite genre of music.

And now, it's gone.

Or, I guess, it's going.

My car radio listening habits are 90% golf and 10% Bruce Springsteen, both of which I access via Sirius/XM satellite radio.

There's a classic rock station or two on Sirius/XM as well, and they get my attention on occasion. But there's a huge difference between classic rock on your local radio and classic rock on satellite radio. At least to me there's a huge difference.

There was a time, three decades ago (wow!) when WHFS was the greatest radio station in the country. And even that fell victim to finances, advertising and someone coming along with a better mousetrap and better format.

And now, 100.7 is going bye-bye as well.

For someone who grew up on the radio, loved the radio, worked on the radio and ushered in my morning sports show with "Raised on the Radio" by The Ravyns, it's especially unsettling to hear the news about 100.7.

Another little piece of our life has been removed and replaced.

It's a real bummer.

It's been a long time since FOX found a niche in the sports world.

I don't think they're horrible at football or baseball. They're not nearly as good as CBS when it comes to football and NBC has them beat when it comes to baseball. But in fairness, when FOX gets the Super Bowl and/or the World Series on occasion, they do perform admirably in those two efforts.

They famously tried their hand at golf a decade ago and it was a disaster. Like, a total disaster.

Why do I bring this up?

Because I think FOX has provided outstanding coverage of the World Cup since the tournament kicked off last Thursday. They were at their best last Friday in the U.S. - Paraguay game. They treated that like the Super Bowl. And they pulled it off.

They're using a variety of different broadcasters for the games and most of them are sporting some kind of foreign accent. I don't know if that's a sales-job or it just happens to be that the best soccer broadcasters all hail from anywhere-but-America, but it's very apparent FOX is keen on making this World Cup "feel" international.

And they've done an outstanding job thus far.

It has helped that week number one of the tournament featured some outstanding games, a lot of goals, and only one or two snoozers. And even yesterday's 0-0 draw between Cape Verde and Spain contained several spine-tingling moments. Neither team scored, but the 90 minutes didn't elapse without action and intensity.

So, for all the grief they sometimes get, I thought it was fair to point out here today that FOX has done a very nice job thus far with its soccer coverage.

Oh, and speaking of soccer and the U.S. team, it appears that all systems are go for Christian Pulisic to return to the lineup and play in Friday's second game of group play against Australia.

The star offensive player was subbed out at halftime of last Friday's 4-1 win over Paraguay after injuring his calf in the opening half.

But he was seen training on the sidelines yesterday and U.S. midifielder Tyler Adams told the media, "Relax, everyone, he's playing on Friday", so it seems like Pulisic will be back on the field for the big showdown against Australia, who won their World Cup opener over Turkey on Saturday, 2-0.

The controversy over Major League Baseball forcing players to wear "Pride themed" hats continued recently in San Francisco, where several Giants players wrote Bible verses on the hats or, in one case, simply wore the Giants' "regular hat" instead of the Pride hat when he appeared on the mound.

Major League Baseball has now stepped in and informed players who alter their cap or don't wear the approved cap for that game that they will be subject to disciplinary measures from the league.

There's a storm a brewin'.

San Francisco's Landen Roupp, a 27-year-old right-hander, started and pitched 4.2 innings last Friday night with "Gen 9:12-16" on the front of his cap. Roupp spoke to reporters after the 5-1 loss about his decision, and he was adamant that "there's no hate at all. It's just what I stand for, and what I stand on: I believe in God."

"It's just about God's covenant and a promise that he makes to us that, you know, his faithfulness and his mercy. That's just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that," he added. "And I'm thankful we live in a country where, you know, we have the freedom to believe what we want, and express what we want."

JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker made relief appearances in the loss with Bible verses on their hats.

When asked how he'd explain to people who might be offended by his decision, Roupp added that "As a believer, I would push them to read the Bible. God has blessed me in so many ways, and I don't think I'd be here right now if it wasn't for him."

Also in the loss last Friday, reliever Sam Hentges took the mound without the Pride Night hat. He wore San Francisco's traditional black cap with orange lettering. The following day in San Francisco, he spoke to reporters about the decision.

"It's just something that I feel like I was forced to support when I don't morally support it. There wasn't hatred behind it. I think that's kind of something that's misinterpreted," he said. "I don't hate the LGBTQ community. It's just something I believed and talked with teammates and family, and they supported it."

The Giants issued an apology over the weekend after the word started to spread on social media about the players and their various decisions to alter the approved team cap.

"The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community. Baseball should be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued. We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization's commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all. We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players, and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration."

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English. #6 was Sam Burns. #5 was Russell Henley. #4 was Justin Rose. #3 was Viktor Hovland.

#2 Matt Fitzpatrick - Everything about Fitzpatrick's game dovetails perfectly into a 2nd U.S. Open title for him this week at Shinnecock Hills.

He has three wins this year so far.

He's 14 for 14 in tournaments entered and cuts made.

His statistical data, except for one category, is off the charts good.

And he knows how to win the U.S. Open, having done it in 2022 at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

The only blemish on his data this season? Putting. He ranks 102nd in shots gained: putting. Other than that, every other category has Fitzpatrick "in the green", including two critical categories for a major championship, shots gained: off the tee (he's 33rd) and shots gained, approach (he's 4th).

If he can continue that trend of hitting the ball long and in play and then hitting the green from there, he's going to be tough to beat this week at the U.S. Open.

Yes, he'll need to putt well. But if there's any major where you're not going to make a ton of birdies and, thus, just two putting and moving on to the next hole is often good enough, it's at a U.S. Open.

I love, love, love Fitzpatrick's chances this week at Shinnecock Hills. Don't be surprised if he claims major title #2.

Monday June 15, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4320

is manny giving us a preview?

Watching Manny Machado lope and lumber around Camden Yards over the weekend really got me to thinking.

And, no, this wasn't the first time I witnessed Manny back in Baltimore. But it was the first time I got to see him while considering the prospect of giving someone like Gunnar Henderson $300 million or more in the next couple of years.

I'm starting to wonder...

Is it really worth ponying up that kind of money for any player not named Shohei Ohtani?

Maybe the likes of the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers have it right after all.

Draft 'em, teach 'em, groom 'em, play 'em and then pawn 'em off on someone else before they get too expensive.

Then just keep doing that. Lather, rinse, repeat.

In fairness, the Rays aren't always cheap. They've tried to play smart-ball at times and signed a young player or two in advance of their free agency, the way the O's did with Sam Basallo last fall.

The Red Sox have done the same thing with a couple of their hot-shot prospects.

Now that particular business model might make sense. There's a huge difference between giving Basallo upwards of $70 million now and forking over $300 million or $400 million for Basallo in the not-too-distant future.

Watching Machado in Baltimore this weekend should give us pause. And the funny thing? He actually had a fairly decent Friday and Saturday at the plate before taking the collar yesterday in a 0-for-4 performance that lowered his batting average to a laughable .175 for the season.

But there was also that grounder on Friday night that he almost-tried-to-field, the kind he would have casually scooped up in his sleep when he was playing in Baltimore 8 years and 35 pounds ago.

It's more than fair to point out that "Manny being Manny" doesn't necessarily connect with "Gunnar being Gunnar" in the same way in, say, 5 years when Henderson is in the middle of his 6-year, $300 million dollar deal in Baltimore.

Maybe Henderson will still be fit and athletic at that point. Maybe he'll try hard every single night. Maybe he'll earn all of his money.

Now in his 15th big league season, which is hard to believe, Machado is like a golfer on the 15th hole who is tied for 34th with four holes to play and is just making swings for the sake of making them. If he makes a birdie or two and finishes T27, he'll make an extra $48,000. If he makes a bogey or two, he drops to T38 and makes $48,000 less. In the end, what's $48,000?

Machado looks like that golfer. "If I field this ball or don't field this ball, I'm still going to the Hall of Fame."

"If I get a hit here or don't get a hit here, I'm still in year three of an 11-year, $350 million deal."

The O's coughed up big money for Pete Alonso in the off-season. So far the results there are mixed, at least performance wise, although Alonso quickly became an acknowledged clubhouse leader who, if nothing else, at least gives off the impression he's respectful of the money he was given by his new employer.

And maybe Manny was like that when he first got to San Diego, too.

Perhaps what we're seeing now is just the inevitable decline in a player who has done almost everything a major leaguer could do in an illustrious career.

But I would expect more -- a lot more -- from a varsity letterman.

I wonder if the O's were watching Machado this weekend the same way I watched him? He's not the first guy who cashed in on a mammoth free agency deal and then eventually stopped caring. At least Manny plays, unlike, say Jacoby Ellsbury, who stole $178 million from the Yankees or Anthony Rendon, who pilfered $245 million from the Angels.

Both of those guys were injured more than they were healthy. At least Machado is on the field nearly every night.

But even with that, are the Padres getting their money's worth? The answer there would be, apparently, a big, fat "no".

Is signing Gunnar to a long-term deal the wisest move the O's could make?

Or should they look at the model implemented by the Rays and, more recently, the Brewers, and consider that path to potential success?

Peter Angelos was once very famously raked over the coals by everyone in Baltimore -- including me -- when he said about the prospect of signing free agent pitcher Roy Oswalt, "That's a lot of money ($18 million per-season) to give someone who only works once every five days."

We all laughed. And frowned, too.

Maybe the old man wasn't as nuts as we thought.

Not about Oswalt, per se.

But more about the money, in general. At some point, when you get a gazillion dollars, you simply stop caring as much.

It takes a very special person/athlete to make $30 million this year and $30 million the following year and, then, in year three, still give a hoot as much as they did in those first two years.

Manny looks like a guy who no longer cares all that much.

He always a little bit of that look when he was here, but the talent was so good and his play was so sublime that we brushed it under the rug as "Manny being Manny".

But now, he's not even hiding it. He cares, maybe. But only a little bit.

And perhaps the O's should be thinking about that as they approach the witching hour with Gunnar over the next 12 months.

There's a nasty CBA fight coming this winter that might help shape the future financial landscape of baseball, anyway. Maybe the negotiating table between the owners and the players will do the O's dirty work for them.

But all things being equal, perhaps an old friend who lollygagged around for three days this past weekend is showing the Orioles and their current ownership group that life without Gunnar might make more sense than anyone is willing to admit.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English. #6 was Sam Burns. #5 was Russell Henley. #4 was Justin Rose.

In full disclosure, up until he won yesterday in Canada, Bud Cauley was my "sleeper" U.S. Open pick and would have been here, today, at #3. Now, I'll go ahead and remove him, since there's just no way he can win two weeks in a row. So I'm going to throw in a player who had a chance to win last year at Oakmont CC and has started to show signs of a resurgence of late.

#3 Viktor Hovland - Hovland is one of us. Really, he is. Earlier last week, speaking at the Canadian Open, Hovland told reporters, "I'm on about my 5th golf swing of the year this week. But I'm really starting to like this one."

The 7-time TOUR winner finished in the Top 5 in Canada, which might just mean he's ready to once again compete for a U.S. Open title. He was in the hunt on the back nine last year before he got beat by J.J. Spaun.

And despite his admitted swing battles in 2026, he's actually having a decent campaign overall. He's made 10 of 12 cuts and has 5, Top 25 finishes. The talent is there. He just needs to put it all together.

Statistically, he's a nice fit for Shinnecock. He's in the back half of driving distance on TOUR at 301 yards per-drive, but that shouldn't factor in this week at fast-and-dry Shinnecock, where he'll have no trouble getting 20 extra yards out of his tee ball.

His biggest issue is an "off" greens in regulation number, where he's just 65% of them. That needs to be closer to 68% or even 70% this weekend at the U.S. Open. There's the stat you have to watch with him. If after the first two days Hovland is hitting 68% or more of the greens in regulation, he has a puncher's chance of contending.

In other words, in each round, if he just hits one or two more greens in regulation, that could be the difference between a round of 72 and a round of 70 or better. The margins are thin out there. Just hit one or two more greens and you're contending.

I love Hovland's game, even as inconsistent as it occasionally becomes. I don't see him going through his entire career without a major championship. It's in there, somewhere. Maybe it comes out this week at Shinnecock Hills.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 3-4

Season Record: 34-39

AL East Standing: 4th (10.5 GB of NYY, 2 GB of WC)

Player of the Week: Pete Alonso - .346 AVG 3 HR 8 RBI 4 BB

The Orioles continued to be mired in mediocrity with a seven-game homestand resulting in a losing week. The O’s dug an early hole against the AL West-leading Mariners, dropping the first two before battling back to salvage a split. The momentum carried into Friday, but the bats went quiet over the weekend as San Diego took the final two.

The series opener with Seattle was undone by one bad inning. Trey Gibson, recalled from Norfolk earlier in the day to replace the injured Chris Bassitt, carried a 1-0 lead into the fifth before it unraveled. Ryan Bliss tied it on a one-out sacrifice fly, Cole Young's single chased Gibson, and reliever Anthony Nunez walked Julio Rodríguez to load the bases.

Josh Naylor then lifted a fly just over the wall in right for a grand slam.

The O's got within 5-2 in the seventh on a wild pitch that scored Coby Mayo, but the rally stalled and Seattle won 6-3.

Tuesday did not get any better. The O’s took an early lead on a Leody Taveras sac fly, but a three-run homer from Mitch Garver put Seattle ahead in the fourth. The Birds clawed back in the ninth when a one-out homer from Mayo made it 4-3 and Jeremiah Jackson came around to tie it on Samuel Basallo's dribbler down the line.

The Mariners escaped a bases-loaded jam to send it to extras, where Randy Arozarena led off the 10th with a two-run homer off Rico Garcia. The O’s answered with a Leody Taveras RBI single, but Tyler O'Neill struck out to end a 6-5 loss.

Wednesday belonged to Brandon Young. The right-hander spun seven scoreless innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts to improve to 5-1, and the O’s are now 9-1 in his starts this season.

Pete Alonso's leadoff homer in the sixth opened the scoring, Colton Cowser walked, stole second and scored on a Taveras double, then Blaze Alexander added a two-out ground- rule double for a 3-0 lead. Holliday capped it in the seventh with a grand slam, as the O’s won 7- 2.

Thursday's finale was a slugfest. Cole Young led off the game with a homer, the first of three Seattle would hit off Kyle Bradish. Baltimore answered with a six-run third against Bryan Woo, with Cowser homering to lead off, followed by a bases-loaded wild pitch that brought in a run, an Adley Rutschman double that scored two, and a two-run shot from Alonso that capped it off.

Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone went back-to-back in the fourth and Rodríguez added an RBI single to pull Seattle within 6-5, but Rutschman's run-scoring single in the fifth restored the cushion. Bradish lasted only four innings, but Tyler Wells followed with three hitless frames for the win, and Andrew Kittredge worked the ninth for his first save in a 7-5 victory that earned the split.

Friday brought Manny Machado back to Camden Yards, and the Orioles carried the momentum from the Mariners series. After giving up one in the first, the O’s built an early lead with a Basallo two-run homer making it 3-1 after the first. Holliday and Rutschman added sacrifice flies while Alonso chipped in a two-run single across a three-run second.

Gunnar Henderson hit his 100th career home run in the fourth, part of a three-hit night. The 386-foot solo shot moved him into a tie with Cal Ripken Jr. on the Orioles’ before-age-25 home run list, trailing only Boog Powell, Manny Machado and Eddie Murray.

Shane Baz went five innings, and Nunez, Keegan Akin, Yennier Cano and Kittredge held San Diego to one hit over four scoreless innings of relief in the 7-3 final.

On Saturday the long ball turned against them as Jackson Merrill and Samad Taylor each hit a two-run homer in the first inning, staking the Padres to a 4-0 lead. Alonso answered with a solo shot and Taveras added an RBI triple, but Randy Vásquez held Baltimore to two runs over five innings.

Trey Gibson allowed only three hits in 4 1/3 innings but walked five, and was pulled after a pitch struck Xander Bogaerts in the helmet. San Diego loaded the bases off Akin and pushed across two more in the fifth. Gavin Sheets, Rodolfo Durán and Manny Machado tacked on solo homers in the seventh, eighth and ninth in a 9-3 rout.

Trevor Rogers was solid in the series finale on Sunday but still took the loss. The lefty allowed two runs over six innings but the Orioles managed just two runs against Walker Buehler and the San Diego bullpen.

San Diego went up 2-0 in the second when Durán's slow grounder hit the second-base bag and skipped into the outfield for an RBI double, with Fernando Tatis Jr. following with a run-scoring single.

Jeremiah Jackson’s solo homer in the fifth got Baltimore on the board, but Durán’s two-run homer off Garcia made it 4-1 in the seventh. Henderson’s RBI single later cut it to 4-2 before Tatis’ ninth-inning sacrifice fly set the final margin.

The Orioles outhit the Padres 10-8 but went 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base in the 5-2 loss that closed the homestand.

Despite the losing record, there were several candidates for Player of the Week.

Blaze Alexander posted the best rate line on the roster, going 8-for-15 with two doubles for a .533/.556/.667 mark in spot duty. The sample is small and the role part-time, but Alexander has quietly been one of the more reliable contact bats whenever his name is in the lineup recently.

Gunnar Henderson had a solid week at the plate, reaching base at a .469 clip while drawing a team-high seven walks. The on-base work was excellent and the 100 home run milestone is notable, but the power stayed mostly dormant, with just the one homer and two RBI.

Tyler Wells was the week's quiet stabilizer out of the pen. With the rotation leaking innings, Wells covered four frames with one hit, five strikeouts and no runs. In a week where bullpen length was at a premium, that kind of clean middle relief is more valuable than it looks in a box score.

The strongest mention, and the closest thing to a co-winner, is Brandon Young. His Wednesday gem was the best performance of the homestand. Seven scoreless innings on two hits with five strikeouts to snap a four-game skid that was threatening to bury the week.

The O’s are now 9-1 in his starts, which is no longer a fluke so much as a trend, and on most weeks one outing that good and that timely takes the award. The only thing working against him is the math of a single start against seven days of everyday production, and the reality that the offense, not the rotation, was what carried this team when it carried at all.

So the award this week goes to Pete Alonso, whose numbers are finally climbing into the range the O’s expected when they shelled out big bucks for him in the offseason.

After a slow and heavily scrutinized start to his Baltimore tenure, Alonso looked every bit the middle-of-the-order force this week, slashing .346/.438/.731 with three home runs and a team-high eight RBI.

He homered in three different games, drove in runs against both Seattle and San Diego, and reached base at a .438 clip even while the lineup around him went cold over the weekend. His two-run shot capped the six-run third that flipped Thursday's finale, and he was a constant in a week where consistency was otherwise hard to find.

Down on the Farm:

The headline at Norfolk was the rehabbing Ryan Helsley, who took a step toward returning from the elbow inflammation that has shelved him, throwing two scoreless innings with five strikeouts and a hit.

The swing-and-miss was there in a small sample, which is the most encouraging sign possible for a bullpen that has badly missed his late-inning presence. If the arm bounces back clean, a return to Baltimore may not be far off.

On the position side, Heston Kjerstad had a hot week at the plate, hitting .350 over the week, even if the ball stayed in the park. Creed Willems managed just three hits but drew five walks for a .400 on-base mark, the kind of patient line that keeps tracking him as one of the system's more interesting bats.

It was a quieter week for a couple of others, with Enrique Bradfield Jr. scuffling to a .111 average despite swiping two more bags and Jud Fabian managing only one hit, though he too kept the walks coming. On the mound, Jose Espada and Christian Herberholz turned in the steadiest starts, each working into the fifth with five strikeouts and a single earned run.

At AA Chesapeake, Douglas Hodo III was the standout, hitting .312 with two homers, five RBI and a pair of steals for a 1.165 OPS, a complete week at the plate and on the bases. Anderson De Los Santos matched the five RBI with a homer of his own, and Griff O'Ferrall led the way for average at .333 with two steals.

Aron Estrada chipped in a home run and three RBI, while Ethan Anderson had a cold week by the batting average but still reached at a .261 clip on four walks, a reminder that the approach is holding even when the hits are not.

The pitching at Chesapeake was led by a workhorse outing from Joseph Dzierwa, who went a full 10 innings across the week, striking out 10 against two walks with a 1.80 ERA and a win.

Luis De León was every bit as sharp in a shorter burst, spinning five hitless innings with seven strikeouts and no runs. It was a rougher turn for Juaron Watts-Brown, who was tagged for four earned over three innings after a strong run earlier in the season.

Sunday June 14, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4319

"we understand why we deserved it"

Baseball, man.

Can't steal a base when you're ahead 8-2 in the top of the 9th inning.

Can't slide hard into second base when you're losing 7-0 in the bottom of the 8th.

And, apparently, you can't take umbrage with a moron from the Padres drilling Gunnar Henderson with a pitch.

That's what Craig Albernaz said, basically, after the Birds got roasted, 9-3, on Saturday.

It all started when O's wild man Trey Gibson beaned Xander Bogaerts in the 5th inning. It was scary, yes. Bogaerts was very fortunate to not be seriously hurt.

But there's almost no chance at all that Gibson was trying to hit Bogaerts.

In the bottom of the 9th, the Padres got their revenge by hitting Gunnar Henderson in the ribs with a pitch.

Henderson was miffed. And rightfully so. San Diego tricked to nick him in his previous at-bat but failed to make contact with the O's shortstop. They finally got to him in the 9th.

Cooler heads prevailed, but there was tension in the air as Gunnar made his way to first base. To give the umpire credit, he did eject the San Diego pitcher and their manager.

After the game, Craig Albernaz was asked about the situation by reporters.

"Trey hit Bogaerts in the head and their dugout didn’t like it at all," the O's first year skipper said. "Obviously, it definitely wasn’t intentional. It was a two-seam that slipped out of his hand."

Albernaz contiuned. "I get there why they’re mad, the ball hit him in the head and he had to come out of the game. I’m not saying the ball to Gunnar was on purpose, but it was done the right way. And that’s why there was no gripes from us and Gunnar was fine with it and just took it to first base."

Holy moron alert.

"I'm not saying the ball to Gunnar was on purpose, but it was done the right way." Wwwwhaaaaatttt?

Of course that pitch to Gunnar was on "purpose". You said so yourself when your next words were, "but it was done the right way."

What, exactly, is "right" about hitting a dude on purpose with a baseball?

These fossils and their antiquated "unwritten rules" are a joke.

Your best player (well, sorta kinda) was drilled with a pitch and it was quite intentional and you're OK with it?

It's like the scene from Tommy Boy when Chris Farley sees Dan Akroyd, who is trying to buy Callahan Auto Parts in a slimy way, in a TV commercial and says, "Hmmm, he seems like a nice guy."

Your franchise player gets blasted in the ribs in a 9-3 game and the best you have is "it was done the right way?" #clownshoes

What should Albernaz have said, you're wondering?

How about something like: "Look, we were all concerned about Bogaerts. Trey certainly didn't mean to do that. But hitting Gunnar like that in the 9th inning wasn't cool. I was not pleased. I'm still not pleased. We're not going to accept that here. We don't appreciate that kind of baseball."

You can say anything except, "Well, yeah, we knew we had that coming to us, so we were cool with it."

And, by the way, it's always the guy who didn't get plunked who has a reasoned response.

Gunnar wasn't happy on his way to first base.

And I have to assume he wasn't all that thrilled with his manager basically saying, "Yeah, well, at least they did it with some professionalism and didn't aim for Gunnar's head."

We're only 72 games into the Craig Albernaz era so it's far too early to etch an opinion about him in concrete.

But he seems awfully soft.

You had the incident in Toronto with the base running calls. You had the Mariners hitting a few of our guys last week and nothing was said about it. He got into a mid-week tiff with the team's 21 year old catcher and "sent a message" by refusing to start him for three straight games.

I don't know, man. The dude doesn't seem like he wants to stand up for his players.

The manager in baseball already has very little to do. The least you can do is fight for them along the way and show them you care.

The Phil Mickelson story in San Diego is sad, but hardly surprising. Mickelson has been a lightning rod for controversy for almost a decade now.

Whether it was insider trading, hopping in bed with the Saudis, or the reported gambling issues of his, Mickelson hasn't been able to stay out of the spotlight.

And now, this.

If you missed it, Mickelson was escorted out of The Farms on Thursday, a private club in the San Diego area that he, along with Xander Schauffele helped fund and establish a while back. His membership was revoked in the aftermath of the incident in question, which involves Mickelson apparenly making inappropriate contact with a female employee of The Farms earlier this year.

I wasn't there. I have no idea what happened. I also know a police report of some kind wasn't and hasn't been filed as well.

So, since I wasn't there to witness the incident, I'll stop well short of calling Mickelson "guilty" here or elsewhere.

But I do know his downward spiral over the last five years or so has been tough to watch.

I was never a dyed-in-the-wool Mickelson fan, but I also wasn't a hater, either. He's a great player. Perhaps the 2nd best player of the last 30 years behind Tiger.

I don't like seeing someone fall on hard times unless they wear a certain orange and black hockey jersey about 75 miles north of Baltimore.

It's hard to imagine that "something" didn't happen at The Farms. I mean, sure, a female employee could have done what was done once upon a time at Duke and made up a damaging story out of nowhere.

But her word against Phil's word would likely never hold up.

There had to be a witness or two who said, "Oh, yeah, I was there that day. I saw it all. Phil was definitely out of line."

If there aren't witnesses, the story is far more murky.

Mickelson is a lot of things. His career has been littered with great accomplishments and lengthy stories about his ego and his need to be the brightest light in the room at all times.

Why would Phil, of all people, create a firestorm at the club he helped build? It seems odd.

But it also seems like something that's been happening to Mickelson for quite some time, now. He needs to get things straightend out.

And quickly.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English. #6 was Sam Burns. #5 was Russell Henley.

#4 Justin Rose - Maybe it's just because I like Justin Rose so much that I always try to speak a major championship win into existence for him.

But I go into every major thinking, "I wonder if this course and this tournament fits Justin Rose?"

The answer almost every time is: yes.

Shinnecock Hills is no different. I can absolutely see Justin Rose winning this U.S. Open.

The only area in the stats department where he's off that's concerning is in scrambling. And that's only because his putting stats are a little down. If he hits the ball well at Shinnecock and doesn't have to rely on his work in the rough around the greens, that should take care of those scrambling concerns.

He's driving the ball fine and hitting a lot of greens in 2026. The recent switch to new irons hasn't really impacted him at all, although it is worth noting he missed the cut at the Canadian Open this weekend.

But the biggest reason why I like Rose at the U.S. Open? He's a gamer. And he almost always seems to play "up" in big events.

He has a win at the U.S. Open (2013) and four other top 10 finishes. And while he's missed the cut in his last three U.S. Opens, it's a little bit more about horses for courses next week. He'll find Shinnecock Hills to remind him of Royal Birkdale and other European venues where he has played well over the years.

And the fact he's driving the ball so well tells me he's going to be in the mix for a second U.S. Open title.

Saturday June 13, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4318

who was that u.s. team?

Wow.

Double wow, even.

The U.S. thrashed Paraguay last night in their World Cup '26 opener, 4-1. Frankly, it coulda, shoulda, woulda been something more like 6-1 or 7-1. But after racing out to a 3-0 lead at halftime, the Americans moved into neutral for the final 45 minutes and just kept the ball in front of them en-route to a relatively easy win.

Our resident soccer guru, Randy Morgan, will offer his insights below as well, but it's hard to imagine anyone watched last night's game and wasn't overly impressed with what the Americans produced.

The opening half was, in my opinion, the best 45 minutes of offensive soccer I've ever seen from a U.S. team in a World Cup game.

It was the men against the boys.

And while I realize Paraguay isn't Argentina or Brazil, soccer wise, it was incredibly enjoyable to watch an American soccer team put together the kind of movement, flow and anticipation that we saw during that 3-goal first half uprising.

Christian Pulisic delivered a virtuoso performance in the first half. Nearly every touch he had in the attacking third wound up creating some kind of offensive threat or scoring chance. Folarin Balogun connected on a pair of goals, the second of which was unlike anything we've seen from a U.S. striker in quite some time.

The only downer of the night? Pulisic was subbed out after 45 minutes for a "minor knock" as they call it in soccer. In other words, they didn't want to risk it any further but there's apparently no immediate cause for concern moving forward.

It goes without saying, but true to form, we'll say it anyway: If the Pulisic injury is serious enough for him to miss a game or games, the American hopes are just about kaput. They can't win meaningful games in this tournament without him.

The last 25 minutes of the game got interesting last night when Paraguay took advantage of some disjointed U.S. coverage in their defensive third to score and make it 3-1. But the Americans tightened their belt from there and put the game away to snag the full three points.

Next up, it's Australia on Friday, June 19.

American grades (1 worst, 10 best)

Freese -- (7) Couldn't do anything on the one goal he allowed. For the most part wasn't asked to do much.

Richards -- (8) In the mix offensively and solid defensively.

A. Robinson -- (7) Got caught napping a couple of times in the second half but was mostly steady.

Ream -- (7) Pushed up regularly to do a nice job of denying counter-attacks.

Freeman -- (8) Had a sensational first half and then a professional second half in his WC debut.

Adams -- (7) Pesky throughout, as always, but the senseless yellow card wasn't a highlight.

McKennie -- (8) Was the fine tuned engine the U.S. relied on throughout most of the night.

Dest -- (7) Botched an early chance with a heavy touch near goal but was mostly respectable.

Tillman -- (8) Drifted in and out a bit as the game went but when he was "on", he was really on.

Pulisic -- (9) Absolutely remarkable in the first half. Every touch generated potential magic.

Balogun -- (9) The first goal was a gift from Pulisic, but the second one was a total touch of class in his WC debut.

Berhalter -- (6) Heavy touches and a couple of missed defensive assignments had him looking a bit out of place.

Pepi -- (6) passed up a glorious chance a few minutes after he got in, which was odd to see from a goal-scorer.

Weah - (7) put himself into a good spot several times but couldn't put the ball away.

Reyna -- (8) scored a last second goal on a great finish that probably aggravated Paraguay more than losing 4-1.

Three Stars of The Game

1. Pulisic -- It's been a long time since we saw a U.S. player generate that kind of offense on a big stage.

2. Balogun -- Two goals in his World Cup debut. A magical night for him.

3. McKennie -- Did powerful work in the midfield without much fanfare.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English. #6 was Sam Burns.

#5 Russell Henley - OK, so it's true. Russell Henley doesn't hit it "anywhere" off the tee. He averages 293 yards per-drive, which puts him near 150th on TOUR in driving distance.

Well, do you remember who won the PGA Championship last month? Another guy who doesn't hit it anywhere off the tee. Aaron Rai.

So, I'm not falling for that trap this time around. I think Russell Henley can absolutely win the U.S. Open. He's great in every category except driving distance. Oh, and get this. He's FIRST on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy. He's going to hit 70% of the fairways next week, which should give him plenty of opportunities to make pars and the occasional birdie at Shinnecock Hills.

Henley is a high quality player. He's vastly underrated. And he could be this year's J.J. Spaun from 2025.

He's at 40-1 to win, which is a fair number in my opinion.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

randy's instant reaction from u.s. soccer win

Wow. What a performance.

Coming into the game there was plenty of excitement and reason for optimism, but past World Cup performances also left plenty of room for apprehension. This team answered every question they could in the opening game. It was a total domination for nearly the entire 90 minutes as the US came away with a 4-1 win.

For those of you tuning back in for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, it is not always this easy. In fact, in the World Cup, it is almost never this easy, even for the best teams.

This was not some overmatched minnow showing up for the experience and happy to be there.

Paraguay qualified out of South America, the hardest continent in the world to qualify from. They have real talent. They had Miguel Almiron. They had Diego Gomez. Most importantly, they had Julio Enciso, their most dangerous attacking player, available and looking healthy after some pre-tournament questions.

And none of it mattered for most of the game.

The US was the better team athletically, technically, tactically, and emotionally. They were sharper on the ball, faster to loose balls, more aggressive in the press, and more dangerous every time they got into the final third.

The final numbers tell the story pretty clearly: 65% possession, 16 shots to 9, 6 shots on target to 1, 4 big chances to 1, and a ridiculous 53 touches in the opposition box compared to just 9 for Paraguay.

That last number may be the most telling. This was not a game where the US got a couple of lucky breaks and hung on. They lived in Paraguay’s box for most of the game.

The lineup was mostly as expected, with the same group that started the final friendly against Germany, except with Chris Richards returning to replace Miles Robinson and anchor the back line.

Richards’ return was important, not just because of his individual ability, but because it allowed the rest of the team to play on the front foot with confidence. After a brief scare in the first minute, when Paraguay created a shot from a sharp angle that forced Freese to be alert, the US took control and never really let go.

The opening goal came quickly and set the tone. It started with a deft forward pass from Alex Freeman, then Weston McKennie turned an ordinary transition moment into opportunity.

McKennie carried the ball forward, progressed the attack, and found Christian Pulisic, who immediately put Paraguay on their heels. Pulisic beat defenders, forced the back line to collapse, and eventually the ball was turned into the net by Damian Bobadilla.

Yes, the final touch was lucky. But you make your own luck by putting defenders under pressure and making them defend emergency situations in their own box.

That was basically the theme of the first half. Pulisic was too much for Paraguay to handle. He came inside, went outside, dropped deep, ran in behind, combined with Balogun, and repeatedly turned small openings into dangerous moments.

His club form or health or whatever lingering worries existed coming into the tournament were answered in about 20 minutes. Paraguay simply did not have an answer for him.

The second goal was the kind of goal this team has not always scored in past World Cups.

Antonee Robinson played an exceptional pass around the defense and into the channel for Pulisic, who outraced the Paraguayan back line and cut it back toward Balogun. There was another fortunate deflection involved, but again, that is what happens when you attack with pace and purpose. Balogun coolly slotted the finish into the corner to make it 2-0 and give the US real breathing room.

Balogun’s performance was exactly what you want from a World Cup striker.

He showed strength. He worked hard. He battled for loose balls. And when the chances came, he looked like a top-class finisher. His second goal was the highlight of the first half and probably the moment when this went from “great start” to “holy crap, this is happening.”

Malik Tillman, who was excellent all game, was left in acres of space in midfield and slipped a perfectly weighted ball into Balogun’s path. Balogun still had plenty to do, but he made it look easy, beating two defenders and hammering a left-footed finish into the upper corner just before halftime.

It was the kind of ruthless finish the US has been missing for most of my lifetime watching this team. No hesitation. No extra touch. No “almost.” Just an emphatic World Cup goal.

That made it 3-0 at halftime, and I am not sure it is an exaggeration to call it the best half the US men have played at a World Cup since 2002. It may have been the most complete World Cup performance from the US since then, full stop.

One of the most encouraging parts of the performance was that it was not just the stars. Everyone did their part.

Tillman was outstanding on both sides of the ball. He started as the deeper midfielder next to Tyler Adams and then, after Pulisic came off at halftime, moved into the more advanced role that Pulisic had been occupying as an attacking midfielder/tucked-in winger. That type of versatility is incredibly valuable in a tournament, especially when you are managing minutes, injuries, and game states.

McKennie was active and aggressive. Adams covered ground and helped keep Paraguay from building anything through midfield. Antonee Robinson was his usual high-energy self down the left. Freeman looked completely comfortable in a massive spot and then added the late assist for Gio Reyna.

Dest gave Paraguay problems on the right. Richards looked solid in his return. Even the subs brought the right energy. Sebastian Berhalter and Ricardo Pepi both made hustle plays after coming on, which is exactly what you want to see in a game where it would have been easy for the intensity to drop.

That may have been my favorite part of the whole performance. The US looked passionate and energized in a way we have not always seen lately. Players were flying around the field for almost the entire game. They looked like a team that understood the moment and wanted to make an immediate statement.

The one big concern is Pulisic. He came off at halftime after taking a kick to the calf, and while that created some immediate panic, his postgame comments made it sound like it was hopefully just a knock. The US has a week before the Australia game, so if there was ever a time to be cautious with him, a 3-0 halftime lead in the opening game was it. Still, until he is back on the field, that will be the main thing hanging over the next few days.

Paraguay did pull one back in the second half, and it came in frustrating fashion. A long ball was not dealt with cleanly, Almiron helped keep the play alive, Enciso made the right unselfish pass, and Mauricio finished to make it 3-1.

It was a reminder that World Cup games rarely stay comfortable forever. There are almost always moments where you have to survive something. The US did not defend that sequence well, but the broader defensive performance was strong enough that it felt more like a warning than a real collapse.

Then Gio Reyna put the perfect final stamp on the night.

The fourth goal was a beautiful passing sequence, started on the right side with Freeman and Weah combining before Freeman found Reyna in space. Reyna took the chance brilliantly, curling a sublime outside-of-the-foot shot into the far corner. It was the kind of goal that makes you remember this team has real difference-makers beyond the starting eleven.

In past tournaments, the US often needed every ounce of effort just to hang around. In this game, they brought a player like Reyna off the bench and he produced a moment of pure class.

That fourth goal could matter too. In a 48-team World Cup, goal difference may end up being extremely important, and a 4-1 win puts the US in a tremendous position. It was the most goals the US men have ever scored in a World Cup game and their largest margin of victory since 1930.

For a program that has produced plenty of brave performances, gritty draws, and narrow escapes, this was something different. This was domination.

The job is not done, of course. It never is after one game. But this result changes the entire complexion of the group. If the US can win one of its final two games, they will be nearly guaranteed to advance.

A win against Australia would put them in position to win the group with a win, and maybe even a draw, in the final game.

Next up is Australia, a team that probably does not have the top-end talent Paraguay has, but could still be difficult to break down. They will likely be organized, physical, and more than happy to turn the game into a grind if the US allows it. The challenge now is bringing the same energy and urgency into the second game. That is often harder than it sounds after an emotional opening win.

But for one night, there is no need to overcomplicate it.

The US opened its World Cup with one of the best performances in program history. They scored four. They overwhelmed a real South American opponent. Their stars looked like stars. Their role players delivered. Their bench added quality.

And for the first time in a long time, a US World Cup game was not a white-knuckle survival exercise.

It was fun.

It was dominant.

And it was exactly the kind of start this American team needed.

Friday June 12, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4317

well done, kendall

You might have seen this story making the rounds earlier this month.

It generated a lot of discussion both locally and throughout the nation.

As it turns out, it can even be labeled a "sports story" since the young lady in the spotlight was a high-level athlete at North Harford High School.

Kendall Chandler was the valedictorian at her graduation on May 29.

A week or so before her graduation date, Chandler was honored for her athletic and education accomplishments in Harford County by receiving the heralded Cesky scholarship. She will attend Messiah University this fall.

When she was given the Cesky award at a dinner to honor the recipients, Chandler spoke openly about her faith and the impact Jesus Christ has had on her young life.

The video of her acceptance speech drew rave reviews and was widely circulated on the internet and through "real" media.

So how would Kendall handle graduation day? There were some rumors that the school might have perhaps nicely asked her to "temper" the faith commentary during the valedictorian speech.

Oddly enough, a student (public or private school) is not under any restrictions when it comes to speaking about or expressing their faith (via prayer, etc.) while in school. As long as their public professions are voluntary and not part of any kind of pressure from a teacher or administrator, a student is free to openly discuss their faith in school.

So what would Kendall do?

Cave in?

Or speak from her heart?

As you might have seen on the local TV stations and in the Baltimore Sun, Kendall spoke from the heart.

And her valedictorian speech was wildly approved by her fellow students.

There were some folks who bristled at the idea of Chandler using her platform to openly talk about Jesus and religion. That's not a surprise, obviously. People are always looking for something to complain about, even when it's a young adult trying to make the world a little better.

In her graduation speech, Chandler admitted she often chased the wrong things in high school, and that she pursued “these medals around my neck because I thought I needed them to validate my hard work.”

But her effort to find validation and fulfillment from her school and athletic achievements didn’t happen, as Chandler told her classmates. “We can run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

“Our value is not in these medals, it is not in these cords. It is not in our titles. How do I know that? Because I am the living testimony of a living, loving God who loves us all so very much,” Chandler said to a rousing ovation.

Well done, Kendall Chandler.

Thank you for standing up and speaking the truth. Thank you for not bowing to pressure. Thank you for doing what you knew was right.

And thank you for glorifying God and Jesus Christ when it would have been much easier to just talk about yourself.

For as much as us adults have goofed up the world over the last (XXXX) years, there are definitely Kendall Chandler's out there who are going to be part of cleaning up the mess in the future.

Here come the O's. Again. Another night, another win for the Birds, this time by a final of 7-5 over the Mariners.

The victory improves their record to 33-37, with San Diego in town starting tonight for a 3-game series.

Oh, and as we told you yesterday here, Samuel Basallo's 3-day "reprieve" came to an end last night when he started the game.

Kyle Bradish? Eh, not so good. Again. He surrendered a lead-off homer, settled in and was decent for an hour, then got knocked around for four more runs in the 4th inning.

The good news of the night came from the bullpen, though, where four pitchers allowed just two hits and no runs over the game's final five innings.

The Baltimore offense wasn't anything to write home about. Adley Rutschman had 2 hits and 3 RBI. No one else had more than one hit.

Gunnar? 0-for-3. Again.

Pete Alonso hit his 15th homer of the season. His power numbers are fine. Even "excellent", one might say. But when runners are in scoring position, he's allergic to getting a big hit. Hopefully he figures that part of it out over the next month or so.

This Padres series is a big one. At some point, the O's have to get out of this rut where they play 5-5 baseball over every 10-game stretch.

They're 2-2 on this brief homestand. Three wins over the weekend would move them to 36-37 and on the cusp of getting to that elusive .500 mark.

Then they head out west for three games each against the Mariners, Dodgers and Angels. A 6-3 road trip? Just what the doctor ordered.

But first, it's Manny, Gavin Sheets and the Padres. We need 2 of 3 from the Birds, if not all 3 of these games. And for those looking to make a buck or two this weekend, bet Sheets to hit a homer at Camden Yards. He always hits the ball well in Baltimore.

You're welcome.

As Rod Stewart once sang, tonight's the night, as the long-awaited World Cup in the United States kicks off with the U.S. squad hosting Paraguay in Los Angeles.

Given the expanded 48 team field (I'm not a fan, by the way, but no one asked me), there's less pressure to outright win that first game of Group play, but the U.S. doesn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth and not triumph in tonight's opener against an underdog opponent.

The game can be seen on FOX starting at 9 pm.

Randy Morgan handles all of in-depth soccer stuff here and does an amazing job. I'll be looking forward to his review of the game and hope it's a "good" one. As in, he's reviewing a U.S. win.

The key to the game, from my vantage point, is for the Americans to get off to a good start. "On the right foot" as they like to say in soccer these days.

Over the last couple of tournaments, the U.S. side has developed a bit of a habit of giving away a soft goal here and there. Goals are hard enough to come by in the World Cup without handing them to your opponent on a silver platter.

Falling behind in soccer also often leads to "chasing the game", as they say, and in order to successfully do that you usually need good offensive players who can capitalize on one mistake. I'm not so sure that's our strength with this U.S. team.

I'm hoping for a clean sheet (shutout) and at least one American goal. Soccer is a little bit like golf in that the real goal isn't "how?", it's "how many?". If you hit 14 greens and shoot 74 and I scrape it around and hit 10 greens but make a few more putts and shoot 73, my day was better than your's.

If the U.S. wins 1-0 tonight in a snoozer, it's better than a 1-1 draw or 3-2 loss.

I'll take 1-0, even if it puts me to sleep.

A win is important tonight, mostly because it means the U.S. won't be thrust into a dire situation next Friday against Australia.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup. #7 was Harris English.

#6 Sam Burns - One thing about making all of these picks for next week is they're playing a big event this week in Canada and I'm guessing the winner in Toronto will not win the U.S. Open. It's just too ambitious to go back-to-back.

So, I have Sam Burns at my #6 for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. But if he wins the Canadian Open -- he's the first round co-leader at 6-under par -- I wouldn't use him in any win bets at the U.S. Open.

I might still have him in Top 20 and Top 10 wagers, mind you. But he's not winning in Toronto and then winning again the next week at Shinnecock. At least I don't think he is.

But I do think he's someone to watch next week. And I have two reasons for that.

Well, three, really.

The first one is the obvious one. He's a terrific player. He does just about everything as well as anyone on TOUR not named Scottie or Rory. He does get a little flinchy with the driver here and there, which is what got him in trouble last June at Oakmont CC. But his golf game is complete and he can play with anyone.

The second reason is he fits the narrative of "best player without a major". He might not actually be that guy. It might be Ludvig Aberg with that distinction right now. But Burns is certainly one of them in the conversation. He's an outstanding player. He is, sorta kinda, like Patrick Cantlay. Good enough to win any week. But he doesn't win nearly as much as you thought he would.

And the third reason? He's owed one from last June, where the rules officials helped conspire against him in the rain and the slop at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he was denied casual water relief by two buffoons on the 13th hole that totally changed that hole for him and the tenor of the event, which he was leading at the time.

The golf gods owe him one. I believe in wrongs getting righted. I think Sam Burns has a great chance at Shinnecock Hills next week, where he's listed at 55-1 to win.

faith in sports

With the American World Cup effort beginning today, what better way to usher it in than to introduce you to the man between the pipes for the U.S. team, goalkeeper Matt Freese!

In the video below, Freese speaks about his rise to the top goalkeeping spot for this year's World Cup squad and how his faith and belief in Jesus Christ has helped him along the way. Note: This video was taped BEFORE the American roster was set.

Please give this 20 minute video a slice of your day and learn more about this awesome young man. He's doing God's work both on the field for the U.S. team and off of it as well.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our Friday "Faith in Sports" segment here.

Thursday June 11, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4316

dodge city

Look, the O's won on Wednesday night, so we probably should just blow the trumpets and have a small celebration.

Jackson Holliday provided the fireworks with a grand slam and the team's new ace, Kyle Bradish Trevor Rogers Brandon Young improved to 5-1 with a 3.04 ERA after another sterling effort.

But those stories don't sell newspapers or generate clicks.

Craig Albernaz and Samuel Basallo involved in a mid-June tiff? Now that, definitely, sells.

Albernaz earlier in the week suggested perhaps the 21-year old catcher wasn't the toughest cookie in the jar, referencing his injuries and the need to "learn to play through pain".

Basallo shot back with a veiled swipe at the skipper, saying he can't control when he gets taken out of games.

The first-year O's skipper was asked about Basallo's availability in the wake of not starting since Sunday's loss to the Blue Jays in Toronto.

"Oh, it’s my decision," Albernaz told reporters after the O's beat the Mariners, 7-2, last night. "At the end of the day, I’m the manager of the team and everything falls on me and it’s been my decision. Sometimes, you have to make decisions where it’s not popular decisions, but it’s ultimately what you feel like is best for the team and the players moving forward, and that’s something that I don’t take lightly. In Sammy’s case, to Sammy’s credit, he’s ready."

Then, because no one in the room really believed anything he said, Albernaz doubled down on his fondness for the (disgruntled?) catcher.

"Sammy’s such a great player, smart kid. I keep on talking about -- everyone talks about -- the talent and the physical tools are there, but he’s such an upright kid, smart kid, especially for 21 years old and being a catcher. It’s a lot on his plate. So with Sammy, we’re playing the long game with Sammy, and we’re here to love and support him."

Hmmmmmmmmm.

Let me sift through those comments and ask the obvious question.

If Sammy is such a great player...(which you claim he is)

And such a smart kid...(which you claim he is)

And if the talent and physical tools are there...(which you claim they are)

Then...........

Why. Isn't. He. Playing?

You're starting that journeyman Sam Huff character at catcher because your 21 year old catcher needs some rest? Really? You expect us to believe that?

Why not just lobby for the club to bring Caleb Joseph back while you're at it?

I have no idea what's really going on between Albernaz and Basallo. Maybe the manager thinks the kid is a little soft and wants to toughen him up.

Maybe Basallo barged into the manager's office after the "learn to play with pain" comment and laid into him with a verbal thrashing.

I don't understand why you'd drag this out for three days, but the O's once upon a time suspended a TV broadcaster for two weeks because of a benign compliment he offered about the Tampa Bay Rays. In other words, there's history with the O's and their uncanny knack for overreacting.

Basallo didn't see any action last night in the win over Seattle.

He'll be in there tonight, though. You can bet your paycheck on that. After getting peppered with questions after last night's game, there's no way Albernaz has the cajones to keep Basallo on the bench tonight.

But something's going on with those two. You just don't sit out a 21-year old star-in-the-making because he needs to catch his breath after an arduous two months of playing baseball.

And the reason you absolutely know something's "off"? Because Albernaz couldn't stop talking about how much he loved Basallo's game and how smart he is and all that other stuff he offered in response to the media inquiries. No one talks about someone like that unless they're trying to patch things up.

If everything between the two was honky-dory, Albernaz would have been brief and concise: "Guys, you're poking around at something that's not there. He'll be back in the lineup tomorrow. Next question?"

The Dodge City routine is very telling.

Something's definitely "off" between the manager and his young, promising catcher.

But Albernaz better be careful. They've invested a lot more money in the young guy than they have in the manager.

#DMD reader and occasional contributor M.C. sent this one in for me to ponder and I figured I'd answer it and give you the opportunity to add your two cents as well.

"Drew, if you created a Mount Rushmore of Baltimore/Washington sports, I'm wondering who you think would be on it? I'm not including University of Maryland sports or any colleges for that matter. Just from a pro sports angle, who would be your top 4 in your life from Baltimore and DC combined?"

DF says: "Well, the first two are very obvious, I'd say. Ray Lewis and Cal Ripken Jr. They're the two most recognizable athletes from the Ravens and Orioles over the last 40 years.

I realize some people would push for Frank Robinson. He was a great player, no doubt. But from an "iconic" standpoint, he can't touch Cal. Brooks Robinson could also be argued, but, again, I don't think he's as iconic as was Cal.

I'd be hard pressed to not include Johnny Unitas. Again, if you're talking "iconic" Baltimore sports legend, Johnny U. is the pick from the "old Colts". There's just no other way around it.

And if we're adding Washington D.C., you'd have to add Alex Ovechkin. From an "iconic" standpoint, in D.C. far more than Baltimore, he's the most visible D.C. pro athlete in the last 50 years.

That's saying a lot, I know, when the Redskins/Commanders have had a variety of big time players on their team(s).

Ovechkin is the leading goal scorer in the entire history of the NHL. Again, using Baltimore bias, we, here, would say "Brooks over Ovi" or "Frank Robby over Ovi", but Ovechkin is every bit as iconic in D.C. and parts of Maryland than Eddie, Palmer, Brooks or Frank were to baseball fans in Baltimore.

Including D.C. in this was the tricky part, perhaps intentionally. It's hard to not include Ovechkin. He's arguably one of the top 5 hockey players in the history of the sport and most certainly the best goal scorer the NHL has ever produced."

Jonathan Glosser asks -- "Hi Drew, love the Morning Dish. I don't know how you do it every single day but keep on doing it. I have a question about the current state of Baltimore sports radio. Why is it that we only have one full sports talk station? I know WBAL still does some sports but mostly it's just 105.7 the Fan and that's it. Is the market just too small for two stations? Thanks!"

DF says -- "Good question. I guess it comes down to two things. First, you have to put the content on a station that has an exceptional signal. I realize in today's world of streaming and the internet, people will make the argument that you don't need a great signal at the station. You can just put it up on the internet for people to hear.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. The radio station needs a strong signal to survive. That's one reason why 105.7 has been successful. They can reach a lot of people. And that helps them sell advertising.

Now, the second part of that is the subject you touched on. Is our market just too small to allow for two all sports stations? I'd say the answer to that is most likely "yes".

If you want to do a local station "the right way", you need at least six on-air people and three producers, if not four.

And if you're doing it right, those salaries, just for on-air talent, will run you upwards of $750,000 for those nine total folks.

But before you say, "$800,000? That's all?", you have to keep in mind the station needs a general manager, several sales people, someone to program the station and, likely, a full-time engineer. Those salaries and commissions will run you another $500,000 or more.

You then have facility rental, FCC monies, insurance and so on. I have no idea what the "bottom of the barrel" expenses would run you, but I'm guessing you can't run a real, quality radio station for anything less than $1.750 million these days.

Could you shoestring the whole operation and do it for $1.250 million? Eh, maybe. But you'd be sacrificing quality by hiring cheap producers and sales people.

So if it costs you $1.750 million to run, you need to sell $2 million worth of advertising just to "make" $250,000.

If you want to sell $2 million, that means you need to peddle roughly $5,500 a day of advertising. From 6 am to 6 pm (which is the only time you can actually "charge" for a commercial), you'd have 12 hours of available radio and 16 minutes per-hour to sell. That's a total of 192 one-minute commercials. If you sell them for $50 a piece, you'd do $9,600 per-day in advertising revenue.

But that's selling EVERY minute available (16 minutes per-hour, remember) for 12 straight hours. Every day, five days a week. You can't really charge anyone real money for a commercial on Saturday and Sunday.

Anyway, if you sold every commercial available minus the 104 days you can't sell anything at all, you'd make a total of $2.505 million in advertising revenue.

And that's pending your ability to sell every commercial at $50 each.

You might be able to sell 50% of the commercials at full rate, but you'd be selling others in "package deals" and discounting them to $25 or $35 per-spot.

If you made $2.505 million in sales revenue, you'd likely finish up making a station profit of somewhere around $400,000 or so.

But the reality of it is you'd probably be looking more at making something around $100,000 or $200,000 once you paid all the employees, expenses and so on.

That's a long way of basically saying, "The juice just isn't worth the squeeze."

Dan G. asks -- "I'm 31 and fairly new to golf and I honestly don't have any recollection of Tiger because I didn't start playing until I got out of college. My dad wasn't a golfer but my granddad was and he talks a lot about Jack Nicklaus. Maybe for a DMD article some day you could enlighten your audience to what they did well and didn't do well. Thanks Drew."

DF says -- "Great question, Dan! It's hard to say either of those guys did something poorly, but funny enough, they both fought something different in their respective careers.

Jack was never known as a great chipper of the golf ball. His short game was "fine" by PGA Tour standards, but it was definitely the weakest part of his arsenal.

One of the reasons for that was obvious: He didn't miss many greens. And therefore, he didn't need to be deft at the short game.

He was a great driver of the ball and a wonderful iron player. He was an excellent putter.

Tiger was almost the opposite, tee-to-green. Woods drove the ball far past anything Jack ever produced, but Tiger wasn't as accurate off the tee. In fact, that's one of the biggest reasons why he left Hank Haney and went to Sean Foley in the late 2000's. And Foley, while taking 10 yards or so of distance away from Tiger off the tee, got him to hit the ball much straighter.

Woods was a sublime iron player. His short game was fantastic. And he was the best putter in major championship golf the sport has ever seen.

And Tiger, because of his distance, chewed up the par 5's. If the tournament course he was playing on had four par 5 holes, Tiger started almost every event at something like 10 or 11 under par. In other words, he was going to play the par 5's in 10 or 11 under. He just had to figure out how to play the other 56 holes in 5 or 6 under and he was winning the event.

They were both magical players, obviously.

I think based on their full body of work that it's pretty easy to summarize the two of them: Tiger was a better golfer than Jack. Tiger 2000 would beat Jack 1975 every single time. That's when the two of them were at the relative height of their games.

No one ever played golf as well as Tiger did in that 2000-2005 half-decade.

But Jack had a better career. He won more majors, had more runner-ups in majors and was a thoroughly dominant force on the TOUR for 20-some years.

Yes, Tiger won more tournaments overall. But only by nine, remember. He finished with 82 and Jack had 73.

It's kind of funny to realize that in the great history of "modern" golf that there's really no argument at all who the Top 2 players are in the sport.

You'd argue for hours about the Top 2 NFL quarterbacks of the last 50 years or the Top 2 baseball pitchers of the last 50 years.

But in golf, it's Tiger and Jack or Jack and Tiger. No one else even comes close."

---

orioles minor league player of the week

It’s time to highlight the O’s farm system a little bit and announce our DMD Orioles’ Minor League Player of the Week.

This week several prospects made this an incredibly difficult decision, but ultimately, we have selected Frederick Keys 1B/OF Victor Figueroa.

Figueroa, 22, had himself quite a week for the first place Keys. The left-handed hitting, right- handed fielding Figueroa hit .333 (6-18) with every single one of his hits going for extra-bases, which included four round-trippers. In addition, he drove in 10 RBI and scored five runs on the week.

Don’t blame yourself if you have not heard the name before, as Figueroa is not currently ranked in the Top 30 Orioles’ prospect list per MLB Pipeline. Perhaps though, you should get familiar with him.

Over 49 games this season for the Keys’, he has hit .278 with a .361 OBP and .969 OPS! The 6-foot-5, 240 pounder has hit an Orioles’ minor league leading 15 home runs, with nine doubles, two triples, 45 RBI and has scored 34 runs as well.

Like many sluggers, he does struggle with the strikeout, having been punched out 62 times in 202 plate appearances this season, but he also takes a walk, drawing 23 free passes so far in 2026.

Part of the trade with the San Diego Padres last summer that saw the Orioles send Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano west, Figueroa was one of the prospects returned to Baltimore.

He may not currently be considered among the top prospects in the system, there is no denying production, and if he continues to produce these types of power numbers, he will undoubtedly be on his way to AA Chesapeake sooner rather than later.

Be sure to check back in all season as we will continue to highlight top performers from the O’s farm system!

This contribution was provided to #DMD by our Orioles Minor League Correspondent, Josh Michael.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry. #8 was Chris Gotterup.

#7 Harris English - I've been "on" Harris English at majors for a year now, expecting him to finally break through and win one. I don't want to be "off" of him this week and finally have my convictions pay off. So he's my #7.

But, really, of all the majors English could and should win, the U.S. Open is the one.

The tournament fits his profile.

He's far from a journeyman, per se. He's won $42 million in his career and has 5 victories on TOUR. But he is quiet about his work and is fairly unassuming. There's nothing flashy about him. He just beats his ball into the fairway, hits the next shot on the green, and rarely makes a mistake with the putter.

That all adds up to cuts made and money earned.

He's precisely the kind of guy -- like J.J. Spaun a year ago -- who will just hang in there long enough for his quality to overcome everyone else's quality.

The only statistical category where he's struggling this year is proximity to the hole. And I don't see how that separates him from everyone else at Shinnecock Hills. Hitting the green will do just fine there. If you're 35 feet or 25 feet, it's basically the same thing.

Everything else about his data stands out. He drives it far, relatively straight, and hits his irons very well. His putter is cooperative enough most weeks to help him make the cut and make something useful out of the tournament.

I "feel" like Harris English is a major champion-caliber player. I can not believe he's listed at 100-1 in most betting circles. I'd snag him at that price today if I were you.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

world cup preview: u.s. vs. paraguay

After years of buildup, the wait is over. On Friday night, the U.S. Men's National Team kicks off its home World Cup, and for all the noise of the last several months, the roster debates, the injury scares, the up-and-down friendlies, it all comes down to ninety minutes against Paraguay to get the tournament started on the right foot.

The game will be played Friday, June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium, better known as SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with kickoff set for 9:00 p.m. Eastern / 6:00 p.m. local time. The match will air on FOX and stream on FOX One.

This is not technically a must-win game, because the expanded World Cup format gives teams a little more margin for error. But for all practical purposes, this is the game the US needs to win if they want this tournament to become anything more than a stressful group-stage grind.

Paraguay are a solid team. They are a South American team that will not be overwhelmed by the moment. But if the US has any ambition of winning the group and setting up a manageable knockout path, they need three points here.

The good news is that the final two warm-up games provided more reasons for optimism than concern, even if neither performance was perfect.

Warm-Up Match Recaps:

Senegal (3-2 win)

In the first of the two warm-up matches against Senegal (FIFA rank 14), the U.S. was clearly the better team in the first half, controlling the run of play and creating the bulk of the danger on quick builds and in transition.

The second half got disjointed in a hurry after both teams made massive substitutions, with the US replacing almost the entire team at halftime. That's to be expected in a friendly of this sort, but made it hard to read too much into the final 45 minutes.

In that first half, the US played some of its sharpest attacking soccer under Mauricio Pochettino. Christian Pulisic answered any lingering questions about his club form with a goal and an assist and a constant stream of danger. Ricardo Pepi looked sharp up top, showing great vision to tee up the opener and a deft touch on the second. And Alex Freeman continued to make his case, flashing real recovery speed on the back end and dropping an excellent pass to set up a goal going the other way.

Tactically it was the back three again, with Jedi Robinson and Sergiño Dest as the widest players and the team pressing high. The US looked vulnerable in transition, especially when the wingbacks were high and the back line had to defend large spaces, which led to most of the danger on the day for Senegal.

That's part of the trade-off with this approach, the press wins balls in good areas, but can allow the team to be caught on counter-attacks, especially when they lose the ball in the middle of the field.

Alex Freeman made a strong case for the starting eleven, as he continued to look like one of the big stories of the roster, showing the recovery speed and physical tools that make him an intriguing fit as the right-sided center back in this system. Miles Robinson had some moments on the ball that highlighted the need for Chris Richards to return to the lineup as soon as possible.

Germany (2-1 loss)

This was the one that looked like a dress rehearsal for the opener, and Pochettino more or less rolled out what should be the starting lineup for Friday, likely with Chris Richards in place of Miles Robinson.

The Americans started slow and got punished early, with Kai Havertz heading home off a set piece in the opening minutes. Set up by a clever pick from Nico Schlotterbeck on Tim Ream that sprung Havertz wide open. Matt Freese was hesitant to come off his line, leaving Havertz with a simple header with ample space to shoot.

However, the U.S. settled after the goal and took the upper hand in the latter stages of the first half, leveling things through an absolute thunderbolt from Jedi Robinson off a Pulisic corner and generating several other good looks, with constant pressure on the German goal towards the end of the half. Leroy Sané restored Germany's lead after halftime, and that was the difference.

The big tactical takeaway was that the midfield question seems to have an answer. Tillman dropped deeper alongside Tyler Adams, with Weston McKennie pushing up into the attacking- mid role in the half-space, suggesting that will be the setup for the group stage matches. That allows McKennie to get into the box and be a target for crosses and to create chaos around the penalty area like he did for Juventus this season.

Freeman, again in this game, looked like he belongs at this level, at times simply out-muscling elite German attackers. Pulisic was all over the place in the first half, stressing the German back line and Tillman's touches stood out once more. It appears he is ahead of Gio Reyna in the pecking order now, bringing more bite defensively while offering similar poise and creativity on the ball.

Set-pieces were the largest concern coming out of this game. The US will need to do better on both sides of the ball. Poor set-piece defending is an easy way to let a lesser opponent into the game and the US will need to do better on their own set pieces if they want to take down some of the elite teams in this tournament.

They had ten corners to just two for Germany but weren’t able to produce anything other than the miraculous blast from Robinson.

Paraguay Preview

What We Learned in November

The good news is that the U.S. has already seen this Paraguay side recently, and the result was a positive one.

The two teams met in a friendly back on November 15 in Chester, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. came away with a 2-1 win behind a Gio Reyna opener and a Folarin Balogun winner.

What makes that result more impressive is that the Americans did it while missing several of their key players — Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, Tillman — and still controlled the game. The 2-1 final flattered Paraguay a bit.

The U.S. ran 56% possession, racked up 23 touches in the opponent's box to Paraguay's 11, and created three big chances to one. This was more of a dominant performance dressed up as a one-goal game. However, Paraguay did demonstrate how they can be dangerous and those lessons apply to Friday’s game.

Defensively, Paraguay set up in a 4-4-2 with a line of confrontation around midfield, content to sit rather than press high. Expect more of the same in the opener. They'll likely look to stay compact, frustrate the U.S., and pick their moments to break. The one way Paraguay can hurt this team is on quick transitions, the exact soft spot that showed up in the Senegal friendly.

Paraguay equalized in November after a simple direct ball exposed poor spacing in the US back line. That is the exact kind of goal the US cannot concede on Friday.

That same approach is likely the template again for Paraguay. Under Gustavo Alfaro, they are not going to be naive. They qualified out of CONMEBOL, conceding only 10 goals in 18 qualifiers. That included a nine-match unbeaten run and wins over Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, demonstrating their defensive stubbornness and resiliency.

Injury Questions

The biggest injury news for this game comes on the Paraguay side, where they will likely be without one of their best attackers, Julio Enciso, who was stretchered off in tears in their final warm-up against Nicaragua. That is a major break for the US. Paraguay still has dangerous pieces, as we'll get to, but Enciso is their most dynamic attacker in tight spaces and their best bet to create something out of nothing.

For the U.S., the story is Chris Richards. He tore two ankle ligaments playing for Crystal Palace on May 17, and missed both send-off friendlies. He's been working his way back into team training, but his fitness for Friday is still in doubt.

Richards was supposed to be the anchor of this back line, so if he can't go, the partner for Ream becomes the most important call Pochettino makes all week.

Miles Robinson got the start against Germany but didn’t have a convincing performance. Mark McKenzie started the Senegal match and seems the more likely replacement if Richards can’t go. Neither inspires the confidence Richards does, and against a team that wants to counter, the center-back pairing needs to be switched on for all ninety minutes.

What to Expect on Friday

I expect the US starting lineup to be the same as the Germany game with the exception of center back. That means Balogun leading the front line, with Pulisic and McKennie tucked in as the attacking mids in the half space.

Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson as the wingbacks providing the width in attack. Adams and Tillman as the deeper lying midfielders, with Tillman pushing farther forward in attack and occasionally rotating with McKennie. And then Ream, Richards (or McKenzie), and Freeman across the back line with Freese in goal.

Those wingbacks will be a key to this game for the US attack. Dest is likely getting the nod over Tim Weah because his flair and creativity on the ball are better suited for the kind of compact defense Paraguay will try to play.

Weah is more valuable when he can stretch the line and get in behind or send in dangerous crosses. On the other side, Jedi Robinson will work tirelessly to make overlapping runs that open up space for Pulisic to operate in. He also showed he can be dangerous if he gets a chance in front of goal.

On the Paraguay side, even with Enciso sidelined, there is enough quality to punish a careless back line. A few names stand out for them. Miguel Almirón is the one the US has to track most closely. Back at Atlanta United after six years at Newcastle, he is Paraguay's main creative outlet, the player who finds pockets of space and drives attacks forward, exactly the kind of moment Pochettino's high line tends to invite.

Antonio Sanabria is the poacher to watch inside the box. He enjoyed a breakout qualifying campaign and has a habit of scoring big goals, including the winner against runaway group leaders Argentina in Asunción.

In midfield, Brighton's Diego Gómez is the engine that makes Alfaro's side tick, press-resistant and tidy on the ball, and dangerous enough that he scored the match-winner that stunned Brazil during qualifying. Captain Gustavo Gómez anchors the defense and doubles as a real set-piece threat at the other end, which matters given how shaky the US looked defending dead balls against Germany.

For the US, the path to winning is pretty clear.

First, they have to win in transition. Defensively, this is the obvious danger in Pochettino’s setup. The wingbacks push high, the team presses aggressively, and the US wants to create danger through quick builds and turnovers. That can be exciting, but it also leaves a lot of grass behind the first wave of pressure.

Paraguay will absolutely test whether the US back three and Adams can handle those moments.

On the flip side, the US will look to take advantage whenever they can catch Paraguay out of their shape to quickly exploit cracks in the defense. Balogun could be a key in those quick attacking transitions.

Second, the US has to be more dangerous from set pieces, while not giving away cheap ones.

The Germany goal was a flashing warning sign. In November the US got their first goal after recovering a poor clearance on a corner kick and quickly getting a second cross in. The US will likely have the field tilted in their favor, they need to take advantage if they get a large number of corners or free kicks.

Paraguay will surely be looking to take advantage of any free kicks they get within range of the US goal. Diego Gómez and Miguel Almirón can deliver the ball for them and Antonio Sanabria gives them a target.

Third, the US needs to show patience breaking down Paraguay when they sit deep. Paraguay’s block tries to suffocate the central spaces. The danger is that Paraguay’s block turns the game into U.S. possession around the horseshoe, with the ball going wide and crosses coming into a packed box.

The US need to leverage the creativity and lock-picking ability of Pulisic, Dest, Tillman and McKennie to find high quality chances instead of getting frustrated and lumping in low quality crosses or long range shots. With these players and a sharp Pulisic, they have the quality to find those gaps, they just need to work the ball enough to exploit it.

Finally, the US needs to score first. Paraguay is dangerous enough in transition even in a neutral game state. If they go up 1-0, the game could become deeply uncomfortable. They can sit deeper, slow everything down, foul intelligently, and force the US into the kind of anxious possession that has undone them in past tournaments.

If the US scores first, Paraguay has to open up, and that is when Pulisic, Dest, Jedi, McKennie, and Balogun can find more space. However, if the US can’t open the game up early or falls behind they do have some options off the bench to spark the attack. Gio Reyna gives the U.S. another passer who can unlock a packed defense with one touch or one disguised ball between the lines.

Tim Weah offers a very different kind of threat from Dest, with more direct running, more pace in behind, and the ability to turn the game into a series of foot races if Paraguay’s legs start to go. Ricardo Pepi is probably the cleanest like-for-like change up top if Balogun needs to come off, and he has looked sharp enough in these warm-up games to deserve a role.

Haji Wright gives them the more chaotic option, a bigger body who can attack crosses, occupy center backs, and make the game uncomfortable if the U.S. is chasing a goal late. That depth matters in a game like this, because Paraguay’s whole plan is to keep it tight long enough for the favorite to get frustrated.

This is the type of game the US should win, but it is not the type of game they can casually walk through. Paraguay is too organized, too experienced, and too comfortable in ugly games for that. The US has the better talent, the home crowd, and a system that seems to be coming together at the right time.

A fast start in front of a home crowd would do wonders, for a group that projects to be tightly contested with Türkiye, and also for the belief heading into a tournament where this team is hoping to make a run beyond the usual expectations. Win this match cleanly and they set themselves up for a battle at the top of the group.

For years, we have talked about this tournament as the moment for this generation. Friday night is when the talking finally stops.

Wednesday June 10, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4315

midweek stuff

That was a tough one last night at the ballpark.

After a 9th inning rally and two chances to win it with Gunnar and Pete at the plate, getting beat 6-5 in 10 innings was a pretty sour way to go pick up a "L".

Tyler O'Neill struck out swinging to end the game with the tying run at second base. I thought you might want to pile on with the rest of Baltimore on that one.

Oh, and in case you're not counting, that's four straight defeats for the Birds.

The good news -- sort of -- was that Trevor Rogers wasn't terrible. He wasn't Trevor 2025 or anything like that, but he pitched into the 6th inning and only surrendered three earned runs and six hits.

We might be a tad over-hyped about his start, but it was better than what we saw from him in May.

Baby steps, right?

Coby Mayo also homered again. That it came in the 9th inning with the game in the balance was also encouraging. His defensive skills have been surprisingly impressive this season. If the kid can get the bat going, he might be a keeper.

As for the aforementioned Gunnar Henderson. Yikes...

It was an 0-for-5 night at the dish for Gunnar, who is now hitting .220 on the season.

He was also involved in a base-running faux pas in the bottom of the 9th that might have cost the O's a win after failing to take off from first on a 3-2 pitch to Pete Alonso with the bases loaded and two outs. Alonso made contact with the ball and it looked for a second like Samuel Basallo might cross home plate with the winning run, but Henderson was thrown out on the force at second base to keep the game tied at 4-4.

After the game, manager Craig Albernaz soft-peddled his way around the obvious question -- Why wasn't Gunnar running on that pitch? -- by talking about "teaching moments" and other stuff that didn't really answer the question head on.

Gunnar just isn't the same Gunnar we saw in '24 and some of '25, that's for sure.

We're almost starting to feel like maybe we should just ignore Henderson for a week or so and see if things turn around for him while we're not paying attention.

It's not concerning yet. But it's c-o-n-c-e-r-n, I guess . In other words, we're close to it becoming concerning.

I'll be there tonight for "Bark at the Park" Night. I'm hoping the O's don't, you know, play like dogs.

I intended to mention this in yesterday's edition but never got around to it. It's not an earth shattering story or anything like that, but it's sports-related and we produce sports content here, so, you know, I thought you might be interested.

During Monday's "longest day of golf" at Woodmont CC, I took a mid-day break in one of the beautiful white adirondack chairs situated behind the 9th green.

There were four chairs there. I took the one at the far left. A minute or two later, two men sat down in the chairs to my right, leaving the one next to me empty, but occupying the other two.

I wasn't eaves dropping.

But I overheard their conversation, mainly because they were loud and didn't seem to care that a complete stranger 8 feet to their left could hear every word they were saying.

I did not know either of them. But I quickly figured out they were both there to watch their son(s) play in the U.S. Open qualifier.

Later, after I pieced together what I heard from one of the dads, I was able to determine his son's identity. There's no need to divulge it here. It was, in my consideration, an "off the record" conversation in that I certainly didn't ask if it was OK to listen in and, even more, publish their son's name and his college experience at a sports website.

So, the young man will remain nameless.

But his story is fascinating.

His college team made it to the NCAA championship but failed to make the match play portion of the event.

"24 hours after the portal opened, we had three offers," the dad said to the other. "Two hundred grand, a hundred and fifty grand and seventy five grand."

"What did you tell the guy who offered you 75?" the other one wondered with a slight chuckle.

"I just said, "We're in a different league than that, I'm sorry," the dad replied.

"Then we got a three hundred thousand offer and I told (his son), 'We don't want to wait too long on that one or they'll offer it to someone else. So we called Coach (XXXXXXX) back and said, 'You got us, we'll take the offer.'"

The other father chuckled. "Did you ever think we'd be sitting here and our kids would be getting 200 and 300 grand to play golf?"

"It's unreal," the dad shot back. "I thought we might be able to squeeze another 50 out of them, but at that point I just wanted him to sign so we can move his stuff out of (XXXXXX) and get him situated in his new place at school."

A minute or two later, they parted company. One of them headed to the 1st hole as his son started his second round and the other went to hole number ten for his son's round.

I sat there in amazement.

Now, granted, as I learned when I pieced together who it was, $300,000 for a player of that caliber seems more than fair. But college golf is pretty much a zero revenue sport unless you're one of the Top 10 programs in the country and you're getting paid to wear Nike, adidas, Under Armour or some other apparel.

But $300,000 for a guy to play college golf? That's freakin' great work if you can get it.

I had the opportunity to sit down with our soccer guru, Randy Morgan, and go a little in-depth with him about the opening weekend of the upcoming World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

We also talk about sleepers in the tournament and the chances of an American uprising as the U.S. side looks to win at least one game in the knockout stage, if not two or more.

We'll continue to publish World Cup content here over the next six weeks, including both written and audio/video.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger. #9 was Shane Lowry.

#8 Chris Gotterup - Everyone was bullish on Gotterup earlier this year when he won twice. If you were here last year, you know Gotterup was a #DMD favorite long before he became a household name on TOUR.

Yes, he's cooled off a bit since winning in January and February.

But he's having a terrific season nonetheless. Gotterup has missed just one cut in 14 starts and ranks 8th in the FedEx Cup standings.

His driving accuracy stats aren't great (51% of fairways hit) and because of that, his proximity to the hole numbers are also "off" a bit. But all he needs to do is hit one or two more fairways in each round and he's golden.

I love Gotterup's game, particular at the one "lunch pail" major, where you just grind out pars and work your rear end off to shoot one or two under par.

He's currently at +4000 to win the U.S. Open. I'll be factoring him on my Top 20, Top 10 and win cards next week.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 1 day to go

Today's featured team: Spain

Group: H — Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

How they Qualified: Won UEFA Group E. Spain officially qualified after a 2-2 draw with Turkey, finishing unbeaten at the top of the group. They won their first five qualifiers by a combined 19-0 before finally conceding in that last match, and they stretched their unbeaten run to 31 matches in the process.

Best World Cup Finish: Champions (2010). Spain are making their 17th World Cup appearance and have now qualified for every tournament since 1978.

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $1.43 B

FIFA Rank: 2

Odds to Win Group: -475

Odds to Advance: -10000

Odds to Win Cup: +450

Key Players:

Lamine Yamal — Winger — Barcelona (Spain). Yamal is the reason Spain feel different from every recent version of Spain. They have always had midfielders. They have always had control.

They have not always had a wide attacker who can turn that control into terror.

Transfermarkt values him at $235.2m, making him Spain’s highest-valued player, and even that somehow undersells how central he already feels to the whole project. He was one of the breakout stars of Euro 2024, became the youngest scorer in European Championship history, and now arrives at the World Cup as the player who can make Spain both the best possession team in the tournament and one of the most dangerous attacking teams.

The only concern is fitness, with Spain taking a cautious approach after recent hamstring and groin issues, but Luis de la Fuente has sounded optimistic that he will be ready for the opener.

Pedri — Midfielder — Barcelona (Spain). Pedri is the player who makes Spain feel like Spain again. Transfermarkt values him at $176.4m, and his importance is not just that he is brilliant, but that his brilliance is exactly the kind Spain are built around.

He receives in tight spaces, plays one-touch combinations, breaks pressure, finds the pass before the pass, and gives Spain the kind of midfield rhythm that most countries simply cannot replicate. If Yamal is the lightning, Pedri is the current running through the whole team.

Rodri — Midfielder — Manchester City (Premier League). Rodri’s value is listed at $58.8m, which is almost comically low relative to his importance when healthy, but that is mostly because his recent injury history has changed the market math. On the field, there may not be a more important midfielder in world soccer.

Spain can play without him because their midfield depth is absurd, with Martín Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz, Mikel Merino, Gavi and others all capable of filling major roles, but the highest version of Spain still has Rodri giving them structure, defensive cover and big-game calm at the base of midfield. He is the player who turns beautiful possession into safe possession.

Playing Style and Outlook:

Spain come in at number one because they are the cleanest team in the tournament. France may have more overwhelming attacking depth. England may be deeper in certain areas. Argentina may still have the champion’s belief. But Spain are the team where the pieces make the most sense together.

This is not just a vibes pick based on old Spain mythology. This is a team that won Euro 2024, then rolled through World Cup qualifying, then arrived here with a midfield group that looks like it was designed in a lab to suffocate tournament games.

Spain are no longer just a possession team that passes the ball around and waits for someone to solve the final third, an issue that plagued some of the post-2012 versions of Spain. This version has the control and the thrust.

The biggest reason is Yamal. He changes the whole geometry of Spain’s attack. When Spain had Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and David Villa, they could dominate through the middle and still find a cutting edge.

The later versions often had the domination without quite enough fear factor.

Yamal restores that fear factor. He can receive wide, hold width, beat the first defender, slip a pass through the channel, or come inside and score. He is the kind of player who forces a team that wants to stay compact to stretch just a little wider than it wants, and that is all Spain need. Give Pedri, Rodri, Zubimendi, Olmo, Ruiz or Merino an extra yard in midfield, and the whole structure starts to crack.

That is why Spain are so difficult to play against. You cannot simply sit deep and concede the ball, because they have enough creators to move you around until the gap appears. You cannot press recklessly, because their midfield is the most press-resistant unit in the tournament, and you cannot overcommit to Yamal, because Nico Williams, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Mikel Oyarzabal give them enough variety from the other side and through the middle to punish that imbalance.

The midfield is the biggest separator between Spain and France. France have the bigger names in attack and maybe the more frightening center backs, but Spain have arguably the best midfield in the world. A healthy Rodri gives them a Ballon d’Or level number six. Pedri gives them a midfielder who can control the ball in impossible spaces. Zubimendi would start for almost anyone else.

Fabián Ruiz was excellent at Euro 2024. Mikel Merino gives them a more vertical, physical option. Gavi gives them edge, running and nastiness. Dani Olmo can slide between midfield and attack.

It is not just depth. It is depth with different tools.

That matters because World Cups are often won by teams that can solve different types of games. Spain can win the game where they have 65% of the ball and patiently break down Cape Verde or Saudi Arabia.

They can also win the game where Uruguay turn it into a fight, because they now have more speed, more size and more bite than the prettiest versions of Spain. They are not a team of 11 small technicians anymore.

Pau Cubarsí gives them a young, elite passing center back. Robin Le Normand gives them physical defending. Marc Cucurella, Alejandro Grimaldo and Pedro Porro give them different fullback profiles.

At goalkeeper they have a wealth of riches with possibly the two best goalies in Europe this season, David Raya of Arsenal and Joan Garcia of Barcelona, likely backing up entrenched starter Unai Simón. The squad is balanced in a way that makes the ranking feel less like a bet on one superstar and more like a bet on the whole machine.

The only concern for Spain is whether they have enough true penalty-box certainty at striker. Álvaro Morata has aged out of this version of the team, and Spain are now relying on combinations of Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Olmo, Yamal, Nico Williams and others to supply the goals.

That can work, and in some ways it makes them harder to defend because the front line is fluid. But in a tight quarterfinal or semifinal, when the opponent has survived the first 70 minutes and the game starts to feel heavy, Spain may still want one ruthless No. 9 who turns one half-chance into a goal.

That is the one thing France have with Mbappé, Norway have with Haaland, England have with Kane, and Argentina has with Lautaro or Julian Alvarez.

The other concern is transition defense. Spain’s best version keeps the ball so well that it prevents counters before they happen, but the World Cup field is full of teams built to punish one bad turnover. France can do it. Brazil can do it. England can do it. Portugal can do it. Even Uruguay in the group stage can do it with Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez and a Bielsa-style willingness to make the game uncomfortable.

That final group match is a decent test because Uruguay are the kind of opponent that can make a beautiful team prove it also has teeth. However, the group draw is favorable enough that anything short of first place would be a disappointment. That is one other reason Spain edge France out for the top of the list. Whale France will have to fight it out with one of the best teams from Africa in Senegal, and a Norway led by Erling Haaland, Spain’s path to the top of the group is much easier.

Cape Verde are a great story as a first-time World Cup team, but Spain should handle them without breaking much of a sweat. Saudi Arabia can be organized and dangerous in moments, but Spain should control that match as well. Uruguay are the real opponent, and that game could shape Spain’s knockout path. Win the group, and Spain likely enter the knockouts with momentum and the kind of draw a tournament favorite expects. Finish second, and things can get much more difficult much faster.

The broader question is whether Spain’s Euro 2024 rise was the start of a new cycle or the peak of it. I lean strongly toward the former. The core is almost absurdly well-timed. Yamal is still a teenager.

Pedri is still young enough that it feels impossible he has already been around this long. Cubarsí is just getting started. Nico Williams is in his prime runway. Zubimendi, Olmo, Ruiz and Merino are in the middle of their careers. Rodri, if fit, is still the adult in the room.

This is not an old team trying to squeeze out one last tournament. It is a team that already won a major tournament and somehow still looks like it has another level to reach.

That is what makes Spain the pick at number one. They are not perfect, but they are the team with the fewest structural questions. France need the midfield to glue together. England need the talent to translate into tournament control. Brazil need consistency. Argentina need time to keep being kind. Spain already have the clearest identity, the best midfield, one of the most dangerous young attackers in the world, and a manager who has already shown he can turn all of that into a trophy.

Spain can win this World Cup because they can dictate the terms of almost any match. They can slow you down, move you around, press you into mistakes, and then suddenly have Yamal or Nico Williams turn the whole thing vertical. They are still recognizably Spain, but no longer trapped by the old idea of Spain. This version has the passing. It has the control. It has the edge. And for the first time in a long time, it has the winger who can make all that control feel terrifying.

---

35 Most Interesting Players to Watch

1 - Lamine Yamal - Spain - Winger

There was really only one way this list could end.

Mbappé at No. 2 is the safer superstar, the player with the World Cup trophy, the Golden Boot, the 12 career World Cup goals and the most obvious path to being the best player in the tournament. But Lamine Yamal is the player who makes this World Cup feel like it might be introducing the next era of the sport. That is why he lands at No. 1.

Mbappé may be the surest bet to decide the biggest matches, but Yamal is the dazzling new force, who may just have the highest ceiling of any player we’ve seen since a certain other dribbly, left-footed Barcelona right- winger.

Yamal is 18 years old, already valued by Transfermarkt at $235.2m, already has 25 caps and six goals for Spain, and already feels like the most important attacking player on the best team in the tournament. That last part is the wildest thing.

It would be one thing if he were a teenage sensation on an overmatched team, the kind of player you watch because the future is obviously coming even if the present still belongs to someone else. But Spain are not a future project.

They are European champions, my No. 1 team in the field, and maybe the cleanest tournament team in the world. And Yamal is not some exciting side story. He is the player who changes the whole shape of their attack.

At Euro 2024, he was already doing things that felt made up. UEFA named him Young Player of the Tournament after he played 507 minutes, scored once, had a tournament-high four assists, and also led the tournament with 32 dribbles.

He became the youngest player ever to appear at a European Championship, the youngest scorer in tournament history, and then assisted Nico Williams in the final against England the day after turning 17. That is not normal teenage promise. That is walking into one of the highest-pressure environments in world soccer and immediately becoming one of the defining players of the tournament.

It’s an impossible burden to be measured against perhaps the greatest player of all time, but given his profile and his similar upbringing in the Barcelona system, the Messi comparisons are inevitable. And the crazy thing is, at this point in his career, Yamal is possibly even ahead of where Messi was.

By the end of his age-18 season, Messi was already clearly special, but still mostly a rising Barcelona phenomenon. He had 25 appearances and eight goals in 2005-06, after nine appearances and one goal the year before, while Barcelona won La Liga and the Champions League.

Yamal, by contrast, has already been a full-on centerpiece with 149 official matches and 49 goals for the club before turning 19, in addition to 25 Spain caps and six goals. He is coming off a season where he led Barcelona to a second consecutive La Liga title, scoring 16 goals and delivering 11 assists, earning the Player of the Year award from most publications.

But it’s not just about the stats. Yamal is arguably a more complete player than Messi was at the same age. Whereas Messi was an incredible dribbler and finisher, Yamal brings those qualities but adds an other-worldly passing touch for such a young player. He already has a near- patented outside of the boot with his left foot pass, that constantly catches defenses off guard and lands perfectly weighted for an on-rushing attacker.

Messi had the aura, the dribbling, the low-center-of-gravity magic, and the obvious sense that something historic was coming; Yamal has all of that same “this should not be possible at this age” feeling, but with a far bigger role earlier for both club and country. Messi had shown the superstar potential by age 18, Yamal is being asked to realize that on the game’s biggest stage and lead his team to the Cup.

The reason he is so terrifying is that he gives Spain the one thing their more sterile post-2012 versions sometimes lacked. Spain have always had midfield control.

They have Pedri, Rodri, Zubimendi, Fabián Ruiz, Gavi, Dani Olmo and enough technical midfielders to make most countries feel like they are playing a different sport. But Yamal gives that control a cutting edge. He receives wide on the right, pauses just long enough to freeze the fullback, and then the whole field opens.

He can go outside, come inside, slide the reverse pass, whip a ball to the back post, or curl one into the far corner. He is not just a winger who beats defenders. He is a winger who makes defenders start solving problems before he has even touched the ball.

That is what makes him different from almost every other young player in the tournament. His game already has manipulation in it. He does not just run fast or dribble well, though he does both. He changes tempo. He makes defenders commit their weight the wrong way.

He plays with the confidence of a player who knows the whole stadium is waiting for him to do something and somehow seems more comfortable because of it. Most teenage stars play like they are trying to prove they belong. Yamal already plays like the game belongs to him.

The injury is the only thing that really complicates this. Spain’s excitement around him comes with some anxiety because his season was affected by groin trouble and a serious hamstring injury sustained in April.

That is the one reason this tournament is not simply a coronation watch. Wingers like Yamal depend on explosion, balance, confidence and that tiny half-step that lets them turn a fullback from comfortable to desperate. If he is 90 percent instead of 100 percent, it matters. Spain can survive that because the team around him is so good, but the truly frightening version of Spain needs Yamal fully sharp.

That is also part of what makes him such a compelling No. 1. There is a little uncertainty here. Mbappé’s World Cup story is already written in permanent ink. Messi’s is too. Haaland’s is about whether Norway can give him a real platform. Pedri’s is about whether Spain’s midfield can own the tournament.

But Yamal’s story still feels like it is being written in real time. He could be the most exciting player in the tournament. He could be the player who turns Spain from favorite into champion. He could also be the player everyone is watching with a little nervousness every time he accelerates down the right side.

Spain’s group gives him a perfect runway if he is healthy. Cape Verde should be a match where Spain dominate the ball and Yamal gets plenty of chances to isolate defenders. Saudi Arabia may sit deeper and force him to create in crowded spaces.

Uruguay bring intensity, athleticism, nastiness and enough transition threat to make Spain prove they can handle a game that is not played entirely on their terms. The group is not just about Spain advancing. It is about whether Yamal looks ready to become the face of the tournament.

There are players in this tournament with greater legacies. There are players with more goals, more trophies, more scar tissue, more proof across multiple World Cups. But there is nobody with a more interesting combination of talent, team context, age, pressure, uncertainty and possibility.

Yamal is not No. 1 just because he is young. He is No. 1 because he is young and already central to a team that can win the World Cup. He is No. 1 because every Spain match might include the moment everyone will remember for years to come. He is No. 1 because the story is not just whether he can someday become the best player in the world. It is whether that someday is actually now.

If Spain win the World Cup, it will probably be because their midfield controls the tournament, their structure holds up, and their depth solves problems over seven matches. But the image everyone remembers may still be Yamal on the right wing, ball stuck to his left foot, defender backing up, stadium rising, and that sudden feeling that something impossible is about to happen.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

randy's six best world cup bets

Betting on soccer, especially a World Cup, can be fickle. A red card, a penalty, a goalkeeper standing on his head for 120 minutes, or one weird bounce off a defender’s shin can swing a result and upend a tournament run.

So the goal here is not simply to pick the five teams I think are most likely to do something. It is to find the places where the odds do not quite match the actual path. In a 48-team tournament, that matters even more than usual.

The bracket is bigger, more third-place teams survive, and a team’s knockout draw can swing dramatically based on one result in the final group game. Before getting to the picks, it’s worth covering a few basic soccer betting quirks.

The biggest difference is that most standard soccer bets have three possible outcomes: Team A wins, Team B wins, or the match ends in a draw. That is why you will often see a team listed as “to win” at a better price than you might expect. You are not just betting against the other team; you are also betting against the draw.

It is possible to avoid this by betting the “Asian handicaps” (basically the spread) or by betting the “Double Chance”, where you get a team to win or draw, but the odds will be adjusted accordingly.

It is also important to know exactly what market you are betting. In soccer, many game-specific bets are graded only on the 90 minutes of regulation plus stoppage time unless the bet explicitly says “to advance,” “to lift the trophy,” or “including extra time and penalties.”

That distinction matters a lot in knockout games. A team can be the better side, survive extra time, win a penalty shootout and advance, while still not cashing a simple 90-minute moneyline bet. For the bets below, I am mostly looking at tournament futures, which are more straightforward, but it is always worth reading the fine print before placing any soccer bet.

Beware of individual player bets as well, as books will often list players to score or have shots on goal, who are popular names but may not even be in the starting lineups. So it's always good to check the announced lineups before any player bets. This could be pertinent in the final group games where teams already set to advance may rotate their squads and rest some key players.

With that in mind, here are my six favorite bets for the 2026 World Cup, in no particular order:

Portugal to Win the World Cup -- +900 at FanDuel

Portugal came in at six in my rankings, but anyone among that top six is capable of winning the tournament. I think this is one of the most talented teams in the tournament with the ability to take down multiple top-end opponents in a row. They have arguably the best midfield in the tournament and talent throughout the roster, however they are still priced a full tier below Spain, France and England, and I’m not convinced that gap is justified.

They also have a top tier goalkeeper in Diogo Costa, which makes them dangerous in a knockout tournament. Some teams have one clear way to win. Portugal have several. They can control possession. They can play through midfield. They can attack quickly into space. They can generate chances from wide areas.

They can bring real players off the bench instead of just names to fill out a roster. That matters in a tournament where teams are playing every few days and where the extra knockout round will test squad depth more than ever.

If Spain and France are the two best teams, Portugal is not far behind them. If England is being priced like a superpower based on talent and reputation, Portugal deserves to be in that conversation too.

At this number, I’d rather take the deeper, more balanced team than chase a shorter favorite through a tournament that is almost guaranteed to get weird.

Ecuador to Reach the Round of 16 -- +175 at Bet365

This was a tough choice because Ecuador to win Group E at +400 is also tempting. Germany is the favorite, but this is not peak Germany. Ecuador are good enough defensively and athletic enough across the field to make that final group game uncomfortable.

Still, I prefer Ecuador to reach the Round of 16 at +175. It gives us more ways to win. Ecuador were one of the best stories of South American qualifying. Finishing second in CONMEBOL behind Argentina is not some cute little accomplishment. That is a serious resume.

More importantly, they did it with one of the best defensive records on the continent. In World Cup betting, that is exactly the kind of team I want to back at plus money. You do not need Ecuador to turn into Brazil. You need them to be organized, hard to break down, athletic in midfield, and clinical enough to take advantage of a few moments.

Morocco made a run to the semifinals in 2022 with a stiff defense and a capable counter-attack. Ecuador could easily replicate that formula.

Their group gives them a clear path. Germany is the biggest name, but they should have a clear edge over Ivory Coast and Curaçao should not trouble them. If Ecuador take care of business in the first two matches, they may enter the Germany game with a chance to win the group but without needing a result just to survive.

And even if they finish second, the likely Round of 32 matchup is not some impossible heavyweight. The 2nd place path would probably match them up against Norway or Senegal, tough teams, but a matchup that either favors Ecuador or gives them even odds. If they win the group they would get a third place opponent who they would almost certainly be favored against.

There is also a soft factor that I think the market may be underrating. South American teams should feel a little more comfortable in this tournament than most European teams. The travel is easier, the fan bases should show up well in the United States, and the atmosphere for teams like Ecuador and Colombia may feel more like a home game than a neutral site.

At +175, Ecuador do not need to be a dark horse semifinal team. They just need to get through the group and win one winnable knockout game. For a team with that defensive profile, that price feels too generous.

Japan to Win Group F -- +300 at Bet365

Japan are one of my favorite teams in the tournament from a pure soccer perspective, and this is the right way to bet them.

The safer play would be Japan to advance, but the payout is not nearly as interesting. The more aggressive play is to win Group F, where the market is still treating the Netherlands as the clear favorite. The Netherlands should be favored, but I do not think they should be treated like a team Japan cannot catch.

Japan have built on their 2022 World Cup breakthrough in a meaningful way. That run was not just a fluke where they happened to catch Germany and Spain napping. This is now a deep, tactically flexible, technically sound team with players scattered across high-level European leagues. They can press. They can sit deeper. They can shift shapes. They are comfortable without the ball but not helpless with it.

That combination is extremely valuable in a group stage because they can adjust to the opponent instead of playing the same game three times and hoping it works.

That matters in Group F. The Netherlands have the most talent, but they are not unbeatable. Sweden snuck in the back door to the World Cup after a disastrous qualifying campaign. Tunisia are disciplined and annoying, but they will likely struggle to score enough to win the group. If Japan can get a result against the Dutch in the opener, this bet becomes live immediately.

The case here is that Japan are good in ways that tend to translate to tournament soccer. They are organized, experienced, adaptable and dangerous in transition. They also do not carry the same public betting tax as the bigger European names. The Netherlands are always going to attract respect because of the shirt, the history and the recognizable names.

Japan are still too often treated like a fun underdog rather than a legitimate top-15ish team capable of winning a group. At +300, I’ll pay to find out if the market is still one tournament behind.

Colombia to Reach the Quarterfinals -- +280 at DraftKings

Colombia to reach the Round of 16 at +110 is perfectly reasonable, but I’d rather take the bigger swing at +280 to reach the quarterfinals.

This is a bet on talent, form, and bracket leverage. Colombia are in Group K with Portugal, DR Congo and Uzbekistan. Portugal are the favorite, but Colombia have a real chance to steal the group. That is the difference between this being a decent bet and a very interesting one. If Colombia are simply locked into second place, the path gets more complicated.

But I do not think that should be the assumption.

Colombia finished third in South American qualifying, reached the 2024 Copa América final, and have a star in Luis Díaz who can decide a knockout game by himself. They also have enough veteran structure around him to avoid looking like a one-man team.

The Portugal game in Miami is the swing point. On paper, Portugal have the deeper squad. In practice, that game could feel a lot more like a Colombia home game than a neutral-site match. If Colombia win the group, the whole bracket opens up. And even if they do not, they are talented enough to make life miserable for almost anyone in a one-off knockout game.

At +280, we are getting paid for the possibility that Colombia are not just “the other good team” in Portugal’s group. They may be one of the ten best teams in the tournament, and if the bracket breaks even slightly in their favor, the quarterfinals are very much in play.

USA to Reach the Round of 16 -- +125 at Bet365

Ok, this may be somewhat of a homer pick, but I think it is actually a good value.

The U.S. do not need to make a miracle run for this to cash. They need to get out of the group, which they should, and then win one Round of 32 game, where they are likely to be favored or very close to it unless the bracket breaks in the worst possible way.

That is a very different bet than asking the U.S. to reach the quarterfinals or semifinals. Those bets require you to believe this team can beat a real heavyweight. This one mostly requires you to believe they can avoid disaster in the group and then beat a team from the next tier down. At home, with this roster, that is a reasonable ask.

The expanded format helps. The top two teams in each group advance, and eight third-place teams also go through. That means the U.S. have a lot of paths into the knockout rounds. Winning the group would be ideal, and they should have a real chance to do that. Finishing second would not be catastrophic, likely leading to a second round match against Egypt or Iran. Even third place might be enough depending on the results elsewhere.

The Chris Richards injury question is the obvious concern. He is their best center back and the U.S. defense is completely different without him. But this bet is not entirely dependent on Richards being 100 percent for the opener. The U.S. have enough talent and enough home-field advantage to get through this group, and the most important version of Richards is the one available for the knockout game.

The other value angle is simple line shopping. If one book is hanging plus money on the U.S. to reach the Round of 16 while other markets are treating them more like a favorite to get there (FanDuel has them at -130 to reach the round of 16), that is exactly the kind of discrepancy bettors should be looking for. Not every good bet needs a grand theory. Sometimes the number is just wrong.

At +125, the U.S. do not need to become a world power overnight. They just need to win the kind of game this generation is supposed to win at a home World Cup.

Spain to Reach the Final -- +245 at FanDuel

I love Spain. They are my top team in the tournament, and if I had to pick one team to win the World Cup straight up, they would probably be the choice. They have the midfield control, the wide attackers, the young superstar, the tactical identity and the recent trophy to justify being treated like the best team in the world.

The reigning European champions check almost every box. They have tournament experience, midfield control, elite wide attackers, tactical identity and a manager who has already shown he can guide this group through a major competition.

The only real concern is the bracket.

Spain may have to beat another elite team before the final, and this is not a bet without risk. But every path to a World Cup final is going to require beating someone good.

At +245, I’m willing to back the team I think has the highest floor and maybe the highest ceiling in the tournament. If Spain play their game, they are good enough to make the whole bracket revolve around them.

Tuesday June 9, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4314

a long day indeed

I was worn out on Monday evening and I didn't even play.

Golf's longest day got the best of me and my old legs at Woodmont CC in Rockville.

Imagine for a second there's some sort of tryout over a month long period in the world of baseball, where you show up at a couple of ballparks and face real, live pitching. If you can hit the ball into various spots in the field and/or over the outfield wall, you'd be permitted to play in a real MLB game against the likes of Shohei, Skenes, Cole, Bradish, etc.

Or, you show up at a college football stadium somehwere and kick a bunch of field goals. If you make 40 in a row, let's say, you get the chance to kick for the Atlanta Falcons in a real game on a Sunday during the NFL regular season.

That's what golfers faced yesterday at 10 sites across the country, including Woodmont CC.

Depending on your location and strength of field, roughly 90 players showed up at your course and the low four finishers over 36 holes earned the right to play in the U.S. Open next week at Shinnecock Hills.

How friggin' cool is that?

Golf's the greatest sport ever invented for a variety of reasons, but one of them is the meritocratic approach the powers-that-be have installed. You show up with your clubs and say, "I want a chance to prove I'm better than everyone else" and they say, "OK, sure, the first tee is right over there. Have at it."

You'd never get that chance in the NFL or the NBA. You might think you're able to defend SGA or Steph Curry, but you'd never get the opportunity to prove it.

You think you're as good at golf as Rory McIlroy? All you have to do is make it through local and final qualifying and you can tee it up with him in the U.S. Open.

As the late, great Charles Markwood Eckman would often say: It's a very simple game.

Except it's not simple, really. It's hard. VERY hard, in fact, as the golfers who showed up to tackle Woodmont found out yesterday.

The course was fast and firm. The greens were treacherous. The pin locations were borderline comical. There were, in my almost-professional opinion, only two "easy" holes on the layout, and even both of them featured dire consequences if you happen to hit your tee shot off line at all.

I was there, as I mentioned here yesterday, to support my 16 year old Calvert Hall player, Landon O'Hara, who made it to Rockville after successfully navigating his way through the local qualifier at Turf Valley CC back in mid-May.

Landon handled the 36-hole walk with relative ease. Me and my old, beat-up knees? Not so much.

But it was a joy to watch him compete. And learn.

He hit a number of outstanding shots along the way. He hit, in my very fair estimation, only one "terrible" shot all day. He missed some other shots, of course, because it's golf and that's what happens. And when you're playing Mount Pleasant or Pine Ridge on a Monday afternoon, you miss the fairway and it's not a big deal. Miss the fairway at Woodmont in U.S. Open qualifying and you're in big trouble.

But on the whole, he hit far more good shots than off shots. Far more. And he handled himself well on the biggest stage he's ever played on. One of his playing partners, Will Gordon, has made 127 career starts on the PGA Tour and has made $3.7 million in his career.

Will "looked" like a professional golfer. And at times, so, too, did the 16 year old kid, despite being probably 6 inches shorter and 100 pounds lighter.

The best sign of the day was the way the two rounds went. Landon opened with an 86, far below his own level of expectations. His front nine was decent (plus four), but then he ran into some issues with the driver in the second round and was finding the rough more often than his game needed.

But he bounced back in a big way in the second round with a 78. He drove it better and scored better, which speaks to his resiliency and how quickly he learns and adapts during a round (day) of golf.

I couldn't have been more proud of him. As I said to him, it was always about learning and gaining experience first and scoring second. He learned a lot yesterday. And that was one of many attempts at making the U.S. Open he'll have in his lifetime.

Four spots were awarded at Woodmont CC on Monday. Four very fortunate and talented players will get to go on next week to see if they are, in fact, as good as Scottie Scheffler or Jon Rahm.

They call Monday "golf's longest day" because of the 36-hole process and the fact there's golf on both coasts of the country, but they should tweak that, just a little: It's actually golf's longest, best day.

I didn't see one pitch of the Orioles game last night, but that's three losses in a row now after the 6-3 home defeat to Seattle.

It looked like, based on the box score and play-by-play, Trey Gibson had a nice go of it until the Mariners erupted for five runs in the 5th.

The Birds only had six hits on the night. You're not winning many games with that kind of performance at the plate. Taylor Ward and Blaze Alexander each had two of the six hits.

Josh Naylor had a grand slam for Seattle.

And that's how you lose, 6-3. Back at it tonight.

A few of you e-mailed me about Blake Treinen of the Dodgers and the incident with his hat last weekend in Los Angeles. I never want to be accused of dodging an issue.

I might carefully back out of an issue or tread lightly, but I won't dodge you guys (and gals) completely.

I see everyone's point in this situation.

I certainly understand where Treinen's coming from.

For those that don't know, the Dodgers created a special hat to wear to celebrate Pride Night, complete with a rainbow colored "L" and "A" on the front. It was subtle and tastefully done, but it was there nonetheless.

Treinen, a devout Christian, discreetly flipped the hats before entering Friday night's game, leaving the "Pride hat" in the bullpen and wearing his own, regular Dodgers had to the mound.

The pitcher didn't comment afterwards but it was obvious what message he was sending.

He didn't feel comfortable supporting the evening's festivities.

Every team in Major League Baseball except the Texas Rangers has some sort of game promotion during Pride Month to help show support for their respective LGBTQ communities. Not every team makes their players wear something on their uniform, though.

Treinen clearly didn't want to wear the hat. I would say, in general terms, that's his right.

Or is it?

I mean, the Dodgers supply "work clothing" to their players and expect their players to wear the appropriate attire to work.

If the Dodgers gave out a mustard colored jersey tomorrow, Treinen would have to wear that, right? What's the difference between the hat and the mustard colored jersey?

We all know what the difference is, obviously.

But the question of what the team can force the players to wear is the one everyone's talking about.

How would you feel at your place of employment if they distributed a tee shirt that read "I have gay pride!" and told you that was to be worn at the company SummerFest this Sunday?

It's a slippery slope, for sure.

On one hand, most folks would say to Treinen, "Dude, just wear the freakin' hat for 15 minutes."

On the other, Treinen (and others) don't feel comfortable wearing it. So should they have to?

I definitely see both sides of the debate.

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Our #10 was Daniel Berger.

#9 Shane Lowry -- The former British Open champ's form is just "off" enough that it makes a lot of sense that he'll be a significant contender next week at Shinnecock Hills.

He hasn't had a Top 10 since March.

The U.S. Open rewards guys who drive it well and scramble well.

Lowry is doing neither of those particularly well this season.

But he does everything else decently enough. His strokes gained numbers are good. His iron play is fine. He's putting it well.

He just needs a week where the driver cooperates. Maybe it's Shinnecock Hills?

He doesn't have a great track record of late at the U.S. Open. He missed the cut last year at Oakmont, after almost winning the event at that same course back in 2016.

So why now?

Because Lowry generally plays "up" in the biggest events. And I like the linksy-style of golf he'll see at Shinnecock Hills. It won't be exactly like his home course in Ireland -- Royal Portrush -- but it will look and feel similar to him.

I won't have many foreigners on my Top 10, but Lowry's in there. His wagering number is fair at +5500. And 55-1 would offer you a nice return on your investment if he comes through with a win.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 2 days to go

Today's featured team: France

Group: I — France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

How they Qualified: Won UEFA Group D. France clinched qualification with a 4-0 win over Ukraine, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice, Michael Olise adding a goal, and Hugo Ekitiké scoring his first for the national team.

Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1998, 2018). France also reached the final in 2006 and 2022.

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $1.84 B

FIFA Rank: 1

Odds to Win Group: -215

Odds to Advance: -5000

Odds to Win Cup: +475

Key Players:

Kylian Mbappé — Forward — Real Madrid (Spain). Mbappé is still the central figure. Transfermarkt values him at $235.2m, the highest mark in the France squad, and he already has 12 World Cup goals before turning 28. He won the Golden Boot in 2022, scored a hat trick in the final, and now enters this tournament as captain of a team that may be even deeper than the one that nearly repeated four years ago.

If France win the World Cup, the simplest version of the story is probably still Mbappé being the best attacker in the tournament.

Michael Olise — Winger — Bayern Munich (Germany). Olise may be the clearest example of how frightening France’s attacking depth has become. Transfermarkt values him at $176.4m. He gives France a left-footed creator from the right side who can slow the game down, beat a defender, deliver the final ball, or come inside and score himself.

Mbappé is still the superstar who bends the whole field, Olise is the player who can make France feel impossible to load up against. Double Mbappé, and Olise can punish you from the other side. Keep the shape balanced, and Mbappé gets room. That is the kind of problem only the very best teams can create.

William Saliba — Center Back — Arsenal (Premier League). France’s attack gets most of the attention, but Saliba is the player who makes the whole thing feel safe enough to win the tournament. Transfermarkt values him at $117.6m, after he just helped helm a historically good Arsenal defense en route to a Premier League title and Champions League final appearance.

In a group with Senegal’s transition threat and Norway’s Haaland problem, France need a center back who can defend space, win duels, and still play out cleanly. Saliba gives them that modern defensive platform.

Playing Style and Outlook:

France come in at number two here, but the reality is there is very little separating them from the number one team, but there is a clear top two. France boasts one of the most staggeringly deep and talented attacking groups in World Cup history.

Headlined by Kylian Mbappe, the leading scorer in La Liga and the Champions League this season, followed by the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembele, then Michael Olise, who was arguably the best winger in Europe this season where he led the Bundesliga in assists, then Rayan Cherki, second in assists in the Premier League and a fixture on Premier League Best XIs, then Désiré Doué, one of the best young talents in the world, not to mention Bradley Barcola and Marcus Thuram, regular starters for the French and Italian champions.

It is an absurd range of attacking profiles and no matter how Dider Deschamps deploys them, multiple exceptional players will be left on the sideline. The attacking quality can’t be denied, but the defensive back line is also among the best in the tournament.

Deschamps will pick two of William Saliba, one half of the dynamic duo that led Arsenal’s historically good defense this season, Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool and Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munich. No matter which two of those three anchor the back line, they will have athleticism to spare, as well as immense experience in high intensity, top quality, competition.

At the full back position there are more attack minded options like Theo Hernandez and Malo Gusto or more defensively solid options like Jules Kounde. Either way, the back line will be solid and dynamic.

Coming off another strong season at AC Milan, Mike Maignan could be another ace up France’s sleeve in the net. He is certainly capable of standing on his head to turn any single game in their favor.

The midfield composition is the reason I have France slightly below Spain. While Spain boasts arguably the best midfield in the tournament, the French midfield is less settled. They have called in a 35 year-old N’Golo Kante from semi-retirement at Fenerbahce to help anchor the midfield.

The other names that fill out the unit are solid players at good clubs, Tchouaméni, Rabiot, Kone, Zaïre-Emery, but none are among the top midfielders in Europe or the world. If we assume Rayan Cherki will play in an attacking midfield role, then Deschamps only needs to find a reliable duo to pair behind him at the base of the midfield, whether those two can provide enough structure behind the attack to keep matches from becoming transition chaos will be the question of the tournament for France.

If the midfield can hold up, France become a truly haunting opponent with the attacking talent they possess. France have enough talent now that it feels lazy to reduce them to one player, but Mbappe is perhaps the biggest game-breaker in the tournament.

Mbappé changes the geometry of every match. Opponents have to drop earlier, cover more space behind the fullback, shade help to his side, and still worry that none of it will matter if he gets one step. The difference in 2026 is that France no longer feel like they need Mbappé to create every dangerous moment.

That depth is the main story. France left out Eduardo Camavinga after an injury-disrupted season, picked Jean-Philippe Mateta over Randal Kolo Muani after Hugo Ekitiké’s Achilles injury, and still have a front line that would be the envy of almost every country in the tournament.

The squad includes 10 players from the 2022 World Cup final and three holdovers from the 2018 champions: Mbappé, Lucas Hernández and N’Golo Kanté. That is a ridiculous mix of continuity and renewal.

The tactical question is how aggressive Deschamps wants to be. France can play a 4-2-3-1, a 4-3-3, or slide into a more conservative shape when the match demands it. The temptation is to overload the lineup with attackers. That version could overwhelm teams. But Deschamps has never been a coach who simply throws all the attackers on the field and hopes the talent sorts itself out.

The long-running criticism of Deschamps is that his football can be pragmatic and conservative, especially after a Euro 2024 run where France reached the semifinals but often looked labored and dependent on moments rather than rhythm.

That criticism is fair, but it also misses why France are so dangerous in tournaments. Deschamps is not trying to win style points. He is trying to get France to the final weekend, and his record is ridiculous: World Cup winner in 2018, Nations League winner in 2021, World Cup finalist again in 2022. He has already confirmed this will be his final tournament as France coach, which adds a real last-dance quality to the whole thing.

The group is difficult for a top seed. Senegal are one of the strongest African teams in the field, and the opener in New Jersey has obvious 2002 history attached to it, when Senegal stunned defending champion France in the opening match of their first-ever World Cup.

Iraq are the weakest team in the group on paper, but they are experienced, emotional, and back at the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Norway are the real complication.

A final group match against Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard is not the kind of game most favorites want before the knockouts. Though it will be a treat for fans to see Mbappe and Haaland dueling head to head in a World Cup.

That said, France should still win the group. They have too much speed, too much depth, and too many ways to hurt teams. Against Senegal, they may need to manage transitions and avoid turning the match into a track meet.

Against Iraq, they may need patience and set-piece quality against a compact defensive shape. Against Norway, the whole thing may become a fascinating contrast in styles, with France’s defensive depth and attacking speed against the most ruthless striker in the tournament.

The knockout question is whether France can find fluency without losing control. That has been the recurring Deschamps tension. When it works, France look terrifying, compact enough to survive pressure, explosive enough to punish one mistake, and deep enough to change the match off the bench. When it doesn’t, they can look oddly passive for a team with this much talent, waiting for Mbappé or one of the wingers to solve a problem that the system has not solved.

This squad should have fewer excuses than almost any France team under Deschamps. Mbappé is in his prime. Dembélé is coming off the best stretch of his career. Olise and Doué give them new creative layers. Saliba, Konate and Upamecano are center backs most countries would build around. Tchouaméni, Zaïre-Emery and Koné give the midfield enough athleticism to survive modern tournament games. The bench is absurd.

France can obviously win the World Cup. They can win it because they have the best combination of star power, depth, experience and knockout-game muscle memory in the tournament. In attack and defense this team is arguably better than the 2022 version that lost the final on penalties.

Can the midfield glue it all together? That is the question. The concern is that Spain may be cleaner, England may be deeper in midfield, and Argentina may still have the champion’s belief. But if France find even a little attacking rhythm around Mbappé, the rest of the field has a serious problem.

Deschamps has already won the World Cup as a player and a coach. This is his chance to leave with one more final act: three straight World Cup finals, two titles as manager, and a France team that turns a golden generation into something even bigger than 2018.

---

35 Most Interesting Players to Watch

2 - Kylian Mbappé - France - Forward

Mbappé is only 27 and already owns a World Cup trophy, a World Cup Golden Boot, a Best Young Player award, 12 World Cup goals, the all-time record for goals in World Cup finals, and a hat trick in perhaps the greatest final ever played.

He enters this World Cup looking to add to that already lengthy resume and etch his name among the greatest players of all time. The 2022 World Cup ended up being Messi’s World Cup, his crowning jewel.

But a few breaks of the ball the other way and it easily could have been Mbappe’s masterpiece. He will look to rectify that with a loaded France team this time around. Transfermarkt lists Mbappé at $235.2m, with 96 caps and 56 goals for France, and he enters the tournament as France’s captain and the center of Didier Deschamps’ final World Cup squad.

He is the focal point of the devastating attack described above. So Mbappé is no longer carrying a thin attack, he is simply the best weapon in an arsenal full of them.

He is coming off a difficult club season at Real Madrid, but the production is still ridiculous. He led La Liga with 25 goals and added five assists, and also led the Champions League with 15 goals. Even in a year where Real Madrid’s season became complicated, Mbappé’s baseline remains superstar output.

There was a hamstring injury in late April that put a little scare into the buildup, and he was booed on his return to Madrid’s lineup, but none of that changes the World Cup reality: if Mbappé is healthy, he is still one of the two or three most dangerous players on Earth.

What makes Mbappé different is that he can ruin a game plan without needing France to dominate. He can play on the left, drift central, lead the line, run beyond, or wait for the one moment when a center back steps too high.

He forces opponents to defend 10 yards deeper than they want to. He changes how fullbacks attack. He makes every French clearance feel like the beginning of a counterattack. Deschamps has always been willing to play pragmatic tournament soccer, and Mbappé is the perfect weapon for that approach because he turns caution into threat almost instantly.

The World Cup legacy is already absurd. He won it in 2018 as a teenager, nearly dragged France back from the dead in the 2022 final with a hat trick against Argentina, and already has 12 World Cup goals. Five more in this tournament would take him past Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16. That is the kind of storyline that sounds fake until you remember who we are talking about.

France’s group gives him three very different problems to solve. Senegal can run, defend and get physical. Iraq may sit deep and force France to be patient. Norway bring the Haaland comparison directly into the group stage, which is a gift for everyone watching and probably a nightmare for both coaching staffs. Mbappé does not need to win all three games by himself, but he is the player who can turn any one of them from tight to over in about 15 seconds.

That is why he lands at No. 2. There are other players with better stories, younger players with more mystery, and maybe one player in the tournament who feels like the more dazzling new force. But Mbappé is the safest bet to matter when the stakes get highest.

If France win the World Cup, it will probably be because their depth held the structure together and Mbappé supplied the moments that nobody else in the tournament can reliably supply.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

when are the o's getting healthy again?

The Orioles have been surprisingly healthy recently, despite scares for Basallo and Bassitt.

Nevertheless, the O’s are carrying ten players on the IL, among the most in baseball, and there are several key players among them. So with the team finally clawing back toward respectability, the obvious question is when help is actually walking through the door. Let's work through the three that matter most.

Start with Dean Kremer, who made just two starts before straining his right quadriceps in a workout and has not pitched since April 18.

He sits on the 60-day IL, eligible to return June 19, and updates were essentially nonexistent until this week, when Albernaz revealed he had thrown live batting practice.

That is a genuine step forward and hints at a looming rehab assignment, but it will not be a short one.

A pitcher who has been off a big-league mound since mid-April needs to build arm strength back up the slow way, which realistically pushes any return toward late June at the earliest and more likely into July. The rotation has started to come together recently.

Brandon Young has been steady, and the staff no longer screams for reinforcements the way it did when Eflin went down.

However, there are still questions among the starters, and the recent injury scare for Bassitt, in addition to his poor performance, highlight how the Orioles could use Kremer back. While he is not a top of the rotation arm, Kremer has been quite reliable at setting the bar for the back end of the staff, and this rotation could certainly use that stability.

Dylan Beavers is the closest and the simplest injury case. The outfielder has been down since mid-May with a right oblique strain, the kind of injury that is notorious for lingering and resisting timelines.

He was technically eligible to return on May 21 and blew well past it, which tells you everything about how cautiously the club is treating it. The good news is Albernaz says Beavers is hitting in the cage, and for an oblique that is the meaningful checkpoint, since rotational swings are the last thing to come back.

A rehab assignment is the next step, even if the club won't commit to how close he is to joining an affiliate. Realistically, that points to a return in the second half of June. His .243/.331/.369 line was not setting the league on fire before the injury, but a healthy Beavers lengthens the outfield mix and should provide some relief to the defensive woes hampering the team.

Ryan Helsley may be the one Birdland misses the most. The closer has not pitched since April 28, when elbow inflammation shut him down, and the back of the bullpen has been a different animal without him. The trajectory is finally moving the right way.

He completed his first bullpen session on May 30 at Camden Yards and threw again in Toronto, and the club has floated a rehab assignment once the team returns home for the current homestand. Helsley himself said a few weeks ago that he is targeting sometime next month, which puts a realistic big-league return somewhere in mid-to-late June. Though I still have my worries he may ultimately end up with the dreaded Tommy John surgery.

The encouraging part is that he is throwing without setbacks and Rico Garcia has filled in capably with four saves' worth of runway. The frustrating part is that a high-leverage arm signed to anchor the ninth has given the team a grand total of a few weeks of work. When he comes back, it reshapes the late innings in a way nothing else on this roster can.

So where does that leave us? Beavers should be the first one back, likely before the end of June. Helsley and Kremer are both tracking toward July, with Helsley the more impactful and the more straightforward of the two.

The temptation is to treat all of this as a wave of reinforcements coming to rescue the season, but I would pump the brakes. The most important returnee is Helsley, because a real closer changes how this team finishes games and nothing in the current bullpen replicates that.

Kremer is a useful piece to help stabilize the rotation and Beavers could help solidify the outfield.

After the injury carnage that defined the early going, the encouraging truth is that this club has dug itself back toward .500 without most of these names. Getting them back should be a bonus, not a lifeline. And given how the season started, a bonus is something Orioles fans have more than earned.

Monday June 8, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4313

those baseball rules, man

Before we get to what transpired in Toronto yesterday, there are two things we simply must cover here today at #DMD.

Make that three things.

One of them was a Sunday brain fart on my part.

Let's start with something else real quick and get back to my mistake.

The greatest band to ever hail from Canada made their much-awaited return to the stage last night in Los Angeles, as RUSH, minus the late, great Neil Peart, buzzed through a 3-hour show that had the internet buzzing in delight.

The opening song, much to everyone's surprise, was Xanadu, off of the Farewell to Kings album.

I'll be there in Washington D.C. in October to see Geddy, Alex and their new drummer. Can't friggin' wait.

Now, back to my June 8 brain freeze, if you will.

I thought the Capitals won the Stanley Cup on June 8, 2018. I was all primed to write about it here today and remind you of that fact, along with the other convenient fact that the Philadelphia Flyers haven't won a Cup since 1975. LOOOOLLLL

It turns out the Caps actually won the Cup on June 7, 2018. Blame it old age, I guess. I could of sworn it was June 8.

That was one glorious night.

The Caps and Vegas Golden Knights played to a 0-0 tie after one, then Vegas scored three times in the second period while Washington tallied twice.

But in the final stanza, it was Devante Smith-Pelly with the tying goal and Lars Eller with the eventual game-winner, as the Caps hoisted the Stanley Cup in Sin City.

For those Flyers fans familiar unfamiliar with what "hoisting the Cup" means, I've left you with a quick video summary below. You're welcome.

So, it was June 7, not June 8, when the Caps beat Las Vegas to win the hockey title.

But I do know what did occur on June 8.

June 8, 1984, to be exact.

That was a Friday. And it was the day the Baltimore Blast beat the St. Louis Steamers, 10-3, in the 5th game of the best-of-7 championship series in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

I still remember the whole day and night.

I had to "work" the game, of course, which meant I had professional things to focus on while Joey Fink and the rest of the offense poured it on in the 4th quarter to break open a tight 5-3 game and deliver Charm City its first-ever indoor soccer title.

The first post-game party was at P.J. Cricketts, a favorite watering hole of Blast players and fans throughout the 1980's.

We then moved to what used to be Burke's, where Paul Kitson had secretly organized a "less than legal" restaurant and bar opening until the sun came up.

I remember asking Kitson when he made the arrangements for the private event given that we won Game 4 on Wednesday and Game 5 was Friday, just two days later.

"I called from the airport in St. Louis on Thursday morning," Kitson said with a laugh.

When I raised my eyebrows as if to say, "Wow, really? You called the day before when the title wasn't clinched yet?", he quickly shot back.

"Come on Sunshine," he said, using the nickname he had for me. "You knew after we won on Wednesday we weren't losing Game 5 at home."

OK, so I'm actually going to do something strange here today and I'm sorta-kinda going to side with the umpires from yesterday's game in Toronto.

Anyone who visits #DMD regularly knows that's tough for me to do. I'd rather compliment The Beatl --- oh, wait, never mind. I'm not allowed to have an opinion on them any longer. I forgot, I signed an agreement of sorts here so people's feelings wouldn't get hurt.

Anyway, back to the umps from yesterday's 6-4 loss in Toronto.

I have no idea if they got the calls right or not.

But I can see where they might have been right based on the way the rules read in Major League Baseball.

And therein lies the real problem. The rules in baseball are nuts.

Just like the rule that suggests you shouldn't give an error to a guy when he loses the ball in the lights, the rules about running out of the baseline are archaic and confusing.

You can't run out of the baseline to avoid a tag.

Except, you can run out of the baseline to avoid a tag if you started to run out of the baseline before the guy thought about tagging you.

Or something like that.

And all of that goofyness about "trying to help Gunnar Henderson by getting out of his way" was even more funny.

I agree, by the way, that Ernie Clement Jr. might have actually been trying to make sure he didn't get beaned in the face with the throw from Henderson. I do think that might have been true.

But do you know how he avoided getting hit in the face with the throw? By -- wait for it -- running out of the baseline.

The one on Jackson Holliday in the 9th inning was a little more clear cut, I thought. That one, I can live with. He definitely ran outside of the baseline.

But the other one involving Henderson and Clement......I just don't know about that one.

All that said, though, I'm going back to my original point.

It's not the fault of the umpires that the rules are complex and often confusing in Major League Baseball.

They're just trying to interpret them as best they can.

As for the game itself, it didn't quite match that Saturday afternoon collapse the Blue Jays authored in Baltimore last weekend, but it was similar, score wise. In that game, the Birds trailed 5-1 in the 9th. In yesterday's series finale, the O's led 4-0 in the 6th before the Blue Jays -- umpire aided, perhaps -- rattled off 5 runs to take the lead.

It ended 6-4 for the second straight day, as the O's fell to 31-35 on the season.

Taylor Ward hit his 3rd home run of the season and Colton Cowser continued his nice run of late with another homer.

Gunnar Henderson went 0-for-4. It's just not happening for him at the plate.

The good news?

A 7-game homestand awaits, with Seattle coming to town starting tonight and the Padres of San Diego visiting over the weekend.

A 5-2 mark in those 7 and we're back to closing in on .500 once again.

My guess? The beer will be VERY cold in Bawlmer this week. Win, win, loss, win, win, win, loss. Just like that: 5-2 in those 7 games.

Oh, and as promised, the beer in these parts was VERY cold on June 7, 2018 as well.

Flyers fans, take this in...

#dmd's u.s. open top 10

It's hard to believe, but after next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, we'll be three-fourths of the way through the 2026 major championship campaign in professional golf.

We've had one surprise thus far; Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship in May.

And one not-a-surprise; Rory McIlroy at the Masters in April.

The U.S. Open is the toughest of all tests because it's generally played on a long, venerable golf course with lots of character on the greens and a week of weather that can potentially make the layout play very firm and fast.

This year's trip to Long Island marks the 5th U.S. Open played at Shinnecock in the last 40 years. No "shockers" or no names have ever triumphed at Shinnecock. Ray Floyd won in 1986, Corey Pavin was the winner in 1995, Retief Goosen won in 2004 and Brooks Koepka was the winner in 2018.

It's not a tournament or a course for the meek of heart.

You either golf your ball, stay patient and make a minimal amount of mistakes or you head home with your tail between your legs.

One thing I tend to look at during the last two major championships is who has played reasonably well throughout the current season. I tend to believe the eventual U.S. Open winner is someone coming in on good form, whether that means a win or two earlier in the season or a win and/or a top finish in the last two or three events he played leading up to the Open.

There are occasional surprises who creep up, like last year when J.J. Spaun outdueled Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Sam Burns and Adam Scott over the final 9 holes to win at Oakmont CC.

Could a Spaun clone win this year at Shinnecock? Sure. And who might that be? Someone like Harris English or Chris Kirk or another veteran with a good track record who just never quite broke through with a signature, major win in his career.

As you'll see below, the format I'm following this year is pretty much based on 2026 play. I haven't listed Scottie Scheffler in my Top 10 because, like Tiger in his heyday, I could just write "Scottie's gonna win" and that's that. I'll definitely have Scheffler on several of my wagering cards at Shinnecock Hills, including Top 20 and Top 10 wagers along with a win bet or two.

Let's start off with our #10 for the U.S. Open.

#10, Daniel Berger -- He fits a little bit of the "Spaun Clone" theory I reference above. And Berger has an interesting record when it comes to Shinnecock and courses like Shinnecock that feature poa annua greens.

He finished 6th in 2018 when Koepka won at Shinnecock.

And he finished 7th at Torrey Pines in 2021 when Jon Rahm won. And Torrey, as you might know, features poa annua greens.

There's also a bit of a historical link between players who play well at Colonial CC in Fort Worth and those who play well at the U.S. Open. Berger has won previously at Colonial CC, in case you were wondering.

Berger's 2026 season has been solid, notwitstanding some lousy play at The Memorial this past weekend where he was +9 and missed the cut. That was only the 3rd cut he's missed in 14 starts in '26. Berger has a 2nd place finish, one other Top 5 finish and 2 other Top 25 finishes this season. He doesn't have a win yet, but he's 46th in FedEx Cup standings and handling his business quite well week-to-week.

After Rai's shocker at Aronimink, where the shortest guy off the tee in the field wound up winning, I'm not going to put a whole lot of stock in driving distance at Shinnecock. If the weather holds and it's hot, sunny and the place is baked out as most think it might be, everyone who hits a solid driver in the fairway will be getting 20 or 30 more yards than normal anyway.

Berger's not short by any means. He's also not overly long off the tee. But he hits it plenty far enough. And he hits fairly straight, ranking 45th or so in driving accuracy.

Asking Berger to win at Shinnecock might be a big ask, but he can definitely be this year's Sam Burns from 2025, where he hangs around for three days and has a puncher's chance of winning on the back nine.

He comes in right now at a shocking number of 180-1. I wouldn't call that disrespectful to him, but it's a pretty surprising number for a guy with Berger's talent and TOUR track record.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 3 days to go

Today's featured team: England

Group: L — England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

How they Qualified: Won UEFA Group K. England went eight wins from eight, and Reuters noted that they did not concede a single goal in qualifying. Harry Kane scored twice in the final qualifier, a 2-0 win away to Albania.

Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1966)

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $1.54 B

FIFA Rank: 4

Odds to Win Group: -280

Odds to Advance: -10000

Odds to Win Cup: 7-1

Key Players:

Harry Kane — Striker — Bayern Munich (Germany). Kane is still the player England are built around. He is England’s talisman and entering the tournament as the country’s record scorer with 78 goals in 112 appearances, coming off a third straight Bundesliga scoring title with 36 league goals.

Transfermarkt values him at $70.6m, but the real value is tactical: he is England’s finisher, penalty taker, captain, and one of their best creators when he drops off the front line.

Jude Bellingham — Midfielder — Real Madrid (Spain). Bellingham is England’s highest- valued player at $164.6m, and probably the player with the highest ceiling in the squad. The tactical question is exactly where he plays. Whether it’s as a deeper midfielder, roaming No. 10, or something in between is one of the unresolved issues in Tuchel’s England.

But if Bellingham is used correctly, he gives England ball-carrying, box arrivals, pressing, edge, and a level of big- game personality few midfielders in the tournament can match.

Declan Rice — Midfielder — Arsenal (Premier League). Rice is the balancing piece. Transfermarkt values him at $141.1m, and he may be the player who decides whether England can fit all the attacking talent together without becoming too open. He can sit, carry, win second balls, defend transitions, and take some of the set-piece responsibility.

If Kane and Bellingham are the headline pieces, Rice is the one who makes the whole structure feel less like a collection of names and more like a team.

Playing Style and Outlook:

England are the most talented team in the tournament that still somehow feel unsettled. The squad value is enormous, the qualifying record was perfect, and the top-end talent is obvious. The question with England has rarely been whether they have enough good players. It is whether they can turn those players into a clear tournament identity before the pressure arrives.

Thomas Tuchel has already made it clear he is not just picking the 26 most famous names. Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Trent Alexander-Arnold were all left out of the final squad, while Ivan Toney earned a surprise recall and Kobbie Mainoo made it in. Tuchel then framed the decision around chemistry, admitting the squad might lack the “wow factor” of some previous England groups but saying the priority was building the right collective.

That is the right idea, but it also raises the stakes. If you leave out Foden and Palmer, the team has to look coherent. England cannot have the usual post-tournament conversation where everyone wonders why the manager could not fit the best attackers together. Tuchel has made the choice of structure over star-stacking, defined roles over pure talent accumulation. Now the team has to justify it.

The base shape is likely to live somewhere between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3, but the real shape depends on Bellingham. If Bellingham is the No. 10, Rice probably needs a cleaner partner next to him so England do not get stretched.

If Bellingham plays as an No. 8, England can use Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon or another attacker in more advanced spaces. If Tuchel wants more control, he can lean into Rice, Mainoo and Bellingham. If he wants more running and width, Bukayo Saka becomes even more crucial on the right.

Kane is the other tactical key. England are at their best when Kane’s dropping movement creates lanes for runners. That can mean Saka attacking from the right, Gordon running beyond from the left, Bellingham arriving through the middle, or Eze/Rogers combining between the lines. But there is always a danger with Kane that England become too drawn toward him.

If he drops and nobody runs beyond, the attack slows down. If Kane stays high and England cannot connect midfield to attack, they can look blunt.

That dependence was visible in the spring, when Kane missed the March friendly defeat to Japan through injury and England looked badly short of a reference point without him. It is not just the goals. It is the leadership, the passing, the calm, and the way he gives everyone else a reference point. Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are useful alternatives, but neither replicates the full Kane package.

The encouraging part is that England’s defensive base should be real. Eight qualifying matches, eight wins, zero goals conceded is a significant accomplishment, even if the group competition was weak by European standards.

Jordan Pickford is tournament-tested. Marc Guéhi, John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah and Dan Burn give Tuchel different center-back profiles. Reece James, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Nico O’Reilly give him more fullback variety than England have had in a while. The defense may not have one obvious, locked-in back four, but it has options.

The group gives England a serious test right away. Croatia are not as fresh as they were in 2018, but they still have Luka Modrić, tournament muscle memory, and a long history of making more talented teams uncomfortable.

Opening against Croatia is not a gentle warm-up, it is a direct test of whether England can control a veteran team that knows how to slow games down, survive pressure and make opponents impatient. Croatia also carry the obvious history from the 2018 semifinal, when they beat England 2-1 after extra time.

Ghana are the wild-card match. They made a late coaching change, bringing in Carlos Queiroz after firing Otto Addo. They have Antoine Semenyo, Thomas Partey, Iñaki Williams, Jordan Ayew and enough athleticism to make England defend transitions seriously. They also have goalkeeper questions and limited time under Queiroz, which makes them dangerous but hard to trust.

Panama are the match England should win, but they are not quite the same novelty side England beat 6-1 in 2018. Panama have risen under Thomas Christiansen and are aiming for their first World Cup match win after strong regional results, including a Nations League runner- up finish and Copa América quarterfinal appearance.

England should have too much, but if they enter the final group match needing a result, Panama will be organized enough to make it more difficult than the rankings suggest.

The ceiling is obvious: England can win the World Cup. Kane, Bellingham, Rice, Saka, Pickford and that defensive pool are good enough to beat anyone. They have the squad value, the qualifying record, the manager, and the recent tournament experience. Since 2018, England have been to a World Cup semifinal, a Euros final, a World Cup quarterfinal and another Euros final. This is no longer a team hoping to learn how to go deep. They have been close enough that the only satisfying ending left is winning.

The concern is that this still feels slightly unfinished. Tuchel has made bold squad decisions. Bellingham’s role is not fully settled. Kane dependency remains real. Saka’s fitness and rhythm matter. The left side needs the right balance.

The center-back pairing has options but not one obvious answer. Those are not fatal flaws, but they are the kinds of questions that become very loud in a semifinal against Spain, France, Argentina or Brazil.

That is why England land at No. 3. They are not the safest team in the field, and they may not be the most coherent yet. But they have as much winning upside as anyone.

If Tuchel’s chemistry bet pays off, if Kane is healthy, if Bellingham finds his best role, and if Rice holds the whole thing together, England are absolutely capable of ending the 60-year wait.

---

35 most interesting players to watch

3 - Pedri - Spain - Midfielder

Pedri might be the cleanest answer to the question of why Spain feel like the team to beat. Lamine Yamal is the headline, Rodri is the former Ballon d’Or winner, Nico Williams gives them width and explosiveness when healthy, and Mikel Merino and Fabián Ruiz give Luis de la Fuente different midfield profiles.

But Pedri is the player who makes Spain look like Spain. He is the one who controls the game and makes it all come together like clockwork.

He is still only 23, which feels almost impossible given how long he has been central to both Barcelona and Spain. Transfermarkt values him at $176.4m, with 40 caps and five goals for the national team. Pedri is a nearly unfathomable combination of Barcelona legends Xavi and Iniesta with a little Luka Modric thrown in.

He has Xavi’s sense of rhythm, that rare ability to make the simple pass feel like the most important one on the field. He has Iniesta’s balance and softness in tight spaces, the way he can receive with bodies around him and still make the game feel suddenly calm.

And Modric’s ability to turn a defensive moment into an attacking one without ever seeming hurried. Pedri does not copy any of them exactly, but he borrows enough from all three that watching him can feel like watching a modern remix of the best midfielders of the last 20 years.

He is easily the best tempo setting midfielder in the world, controlling games from the middle of the field with a full range of skills. The ball sticks to his feet like glue. You will almost never see him dispossessed and he rarely misses a pass. That was already clear when he was still a teenager at Euro 2020, where he completed 92.3% of his passes for the tournament and an almost absurd 65 of 66 in the semifinal against Italy.

Pedri can just as easily beat a defense with a line splitting pass or a snaking dribble. He is the player pulling the strings in the final third for a Spain team arriving at the World Cup as the odds-on favorites. Pedri does not just keep the ball, he constantly changes the speed and angle of the attack.

On top of all that, he is a relentless worker on the defensive side of the ball, finishing third among midfielders in La Liga in ball recoveries this season and sixth in possessions won in the final third.

The club form is important because the old concern with Pedri was never talent. It was durability. He has had too many seasons interrupted by muscle injuries, and Spain have already lived through the frustration of not getting the fully healthy version at the wrong time.

This season has been a much better reminder of what he looks like when he is available and in rhythm. He finished with 2 goals, 12 assists across all competitions and 2,107 La Liga minutes for Barcelona in 2025-26, with a 90.45% passing accuracy in the Champions League. That is not gaudy attacking production, but it is exactly the profile of a midfielder who controls games without needing every move to end with his final touch.

What makes Pedri so valuable for Spain is that he lets everyone else play faster without making the team feel rushed. He can receive under pressure, turn away from the first defender, play the obvious pass when that is the right answer, or pause just long enough to let Yamal or Williams isolate a fullback. Spain can still press, counterpress, and attack quickly, but Pedri gives them the ability to decide when the game should speed up and when it should calm down.

This version of Spain is more direct, more athletic, and more dangerous wide than the Spain teams that sometimes passed opponents to sleep without creating enough. They are built around tactical discipline, adaptability and a deep system rather than dependence on one superstar. Pedri fits that perfectly. He is not the whole attack, but he is the player who connects all the most dangerous parts of it.

Spain’s Group H path — Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay — gives Pedri three very different midfield tests. Cape Verde may sit in and force Spain to break down a compact debutant. Saudi Arabia have recent World Cup giant-killing history and will try to pounce on any Spanish mistakes. Uruguay are the real measuring stick, because Federico Valverde and Manuel Ugarte can turn midfield into a running fight.

Pedri probably will not lead the tournament in goals, and he may not even be Spain’s most viral player by the end of the group stage. But if Spain win the World Cup, it will be because the whole thing moved through him: the tempo, the control, the little half-turns, the passes before the assist, the game-turning tackles, and the quiet stretches where Spain make elite opponents feel like they are chasing shadows.

He doesn’t pop off the screen like Haaland, Mbappe or Yamal, but Pedri is quietly the most decisive player in this tournament.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to return to the A.L. playoffs after missing the post-season in 2025.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 3-3

Season Record: 31-35

AL East Standing: 4th (8 GB of TB, 1.5 GB of WC)

Player of the Week: Adley Rutschman - .360 AVG 1 HR 2 2B 1 3B 7 RBI

The Orioles looked to be carrying the momentum over from their 5-2 record the previous week, taking two of three from Boston in Fenway and then blowing out the Blue Jays to open the weekend series.

Unfortunately just as the O’s reached the cusp of taking hold of a Wild Card spot things unraveled over the weekend. The Birds dropped both weekend games to finish 3-3 on the week, merely treading water and remaining four games under .500.

The Orioles opened the series in Fenway on Tuesday with Shane Baz on the mound. He turned in seven innings of four-hit ball for his second consecutive quality start and the first back-to-back wins of his season. After surrendering a leadoff triple to Jarren Duran, Baz settled in and retired ten straight at one stretch.

Pete Alonso provided the offense in the third, launching a two-run shot over the Green Monster to put Baltimore ahead 3-1. Coby Mayo added a solo blast, and Blaze Alexander drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Wilyer Abreu and Marcelo Mayer scratched out Boston's two runs on sac flies of their own, but it wasn’t enough, and Rico Garcia struck out a pair in the ninth for his fourth save for a 4-2 win.

Things didn’t go as well on Wednesday, as Chris Bassitt lasted just three innings, surrendering an RBI single to Abreu in the first and a two-run homer to the Boston outfielder in the third before exiting. Albert Suarez then gave up a five-run fifth, capped by Mickey Gasper's two-run triple and run-scoring doubles from Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Caleb Durbin.

Payton Tolle cruised through six scoreless innings for Boston. Adley Rutschman's RBI triple accounted for the lone Baltimore run in an 8-1 defeat.

Thursday's rubber match was over almost before it started. The O’s sent twelve men to the plate in a six-run first that featured five hits, three walks and a hit batter, with all but one run coming with two outs.

Taylor Ward set the tone by lacing the game's first pitch 402 feet to center for a double, then capped the frame with an RBI single, part of a three-hit afternoon. Rutschman singled home a run to extend his on-base streak to 15 games, and Coby Mayo cleared the bases with a double for three RBI. Leody Taveras chipped in a run as well.

Staked to the lead, Trevor Rogers carried a no-hitter into the fifth, retiring the first eleven he faced and finishing with 5.2 innings of one-run ball. Samuel Basallo doubled home a run in the fifth and Colton Cowser added a sacrifice fly to make it 8-0. Contreras drove in both Boston runs, on a sixth-inning single and a 403-foot homer in the ninth.

Brayan Bello took the loss after allowing eight runs over five innings, and the O's left Boston with an 8-2 win and the series.

The O’s kept the good vibes going on Friday. Adley Rutschman put together the best game of his season, going 4-for-4 with a homer, two doubles and five RBI to anchor a 13-3 demolition. Brandon Young worked into the seventh, allowing three runs on seven hits across 6.1 innings, continuing a run of solid starts.

Coby Mayo added a two-run shot, Jeremiah Jackson chipped in two hits and two RBI off the bench, and Colton Cowser collected two hits and a run. The O's broke the game open with a five-run sixth and tacked on seven more over the final two frames against a tiring Toronto bullpen.

Saturday flipped the script. Kyle Bradish struggled with his command after several exceptional outings, lasting just four innings while allowing five runs on nine hits with three walks. Toronto did the bulk of its damage in a four-run third, capped by Ernie Clement, who tripled, homered and drove in three.

Pete Alonso kept Baltimore close with a two-run homer, and Cowser and Blaze Alexander added solo shots, but the offense managed only six hits and went hitless with runners in scoring position losing 6-4.

Sunday's rubber match was the one that stung the most. The Orioles broke a scoreless game with a four-run fifth against Kevin Gausman, getting a solo homer from Cowser and a two-run blast from Taylor Ward. Shane Baz carried that 4-0 lead into the sixth having allowed just three hits, but the inning unraveled.

Yohendrick Piñango led off with a homer, and after Henderson’s error and a ridiculous no-call on Clement’s path to second extended the inning, Toronto strung together hits from Kazuma Okamoto, Andrés Giménez and an infield single from Nathan Lukes that deflected off Yennier Cano, plating five runs.

Only one was earned. Valenzuela tacked on a solo homer in the eighth off Rico Garcia as the Blue Jays completed the 6-4 comeback.

A six-game week split between Boston and Toronto produced no shortage of candidates for Player of the Week, with the Orioles homering nine times across the two series and getting contributions up and down the order.

Blaze Alexander kept his strong stretch going, picking up where a hot May left off. He hit .333 with a 1.107 OPS over the week, collecting two doubles and a homer with three RBI and a stolen base across 12 at-bats. Alexander has forced his way into regular playing time with this kind of production, and he is making it difficult to sit him.

Pete Alonso continued to anchor the middle of the order, hitting .304 with two homers and four RBI in 23 trips. His two-run shot over the Green Monster on Tuesday provided the difference in a 4-2 win and pushed his team-leading RBI total to 38, and he added another two-run blast in Saturday's loss to Toronto.

Colton Cowser kept his recent turnaround going, homering in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday on his way to a .353 average and a team-best 1.106 OPS for the week. His two homers and four RBI in just 17 at-bats were a welcome sign for a bat that has run hot and cold this season.

Shane Baz made a strong case for the award, who turned in two of the better starts of his season. Across two outings he logged 12.2 innings with nine strikeouts, a 2.13 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, splitting the decisions at 1-1. He was sharp at Fenway on Tuesday with seven innings of four-hit ball and just as good on Sunday in Toronto, carrying a 4-0 lead into the sixth before the inning fell apart around him on an error and a disputed call. Of the three earned runs he allowed all week, only one came in that Sunday start. He deserved better than the loss that dropped him to 3-6.

However, this week the award goes to Adley Rutschman, who carried the heaviest load and produced over a full slate of starts. Rutschman hit .360 with a 1.047 OPS in 25 at-bats, racking up nine hits, two doubles, a triple, a homer and a team-high seven RBI.

The centerpiece was Friday's 4-for-5, five-RBI, four-run explosion in the 13-3 demolition in Toronto, the kind of complete offensive game the Orioles have waited on all season. Adley had slid a bit after a hot start to the season, but this week he really got back on track.

Down on the Farm:

The headliner at Triple-A Norfolk was catching prospect Creed Willems, who continued one of the better stretches in the system. Willems hit .389 with a 1.198 OPS over the week, adding two homers, three RBI and a .476 on-base mark across 18 at-bats.

He keeps tracking as one of the more interesting bats in the organization, and the production has not slowed regardless of level.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was the hottest hitter in Norfolk, going 8-for-17 with three homers and five RBI, while Heston Kjerstad had a quieter week as he works to recapture his timing, hitting .259 with a pair of doubles but no walks or home runs in 27 at-bats. On the mound, Trey Gibson looked the part of a pitcher knocking on the big-league door, spinning 6.1 innings of two- run ball with six strikeouts and a single walk.

Double-A Chesapeake was where the bats really came alive. Ethan Anderson led the charge with a monster week, slashing .381 with three homers and six RBI and an .857 slugging mark that paced the affiliate.

Aron Estrada was right behind him, hitting .333 with two homers, a triple, four RBI and a steal, while infielder Frederick Bencosme chipped in a .389 average with two homers and four RBI of his own.

Thomas Sosa kept hitting as well, going 7-for-14 for a .500 week. The pitching matched the offense in spots, with Joseph Dzierwa turning in 6.2 innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts and Sebastian Gongora picking up a win on six innings of one- run, six-strikeout work.

The week was not without its rough outings, but the top of the prospect board did plenty to keep an eye on.

Tomorrow here at #DMD, Randy looks at the O's long list of injured players and gives us an idea of when they might be ready to return to action.

Sunday June 7, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4312

these next few weeks...wow!

This is setting up to be a June to remember, sports wise, here in the good old U.S.A.

Even here in The Land of Pleasant Living, as summer kicks into full gear and the lines at the Bay Bridge build, we're in store for a great month of June.

Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets and the rest of the Padres are here this coming weekend for a 3-game series in Baltimore. Any chance we get to boo Manny can't be passed up, right?

Before that, the Mariners are in town for four games. I'll be making my 2026 ballpark debut on Wednesday night, in fact.

This is a big week for the Birds. No matter what happens in today's series finale in Toronto, they'll have a chance to hit the .500 mark in that 7-game homestand against Seattle and San Diego. The ballpark, I bet, will be buzzing this week.

The World Cup is set to start this Friday, June 12, when the U.S. hosts Paraguay at 9 pm EDT in Los Angeles. Because of the expanded tournament field, the American squad should have no trouble an easier time of it making it to the knockout stage of the event, but anything more than one win after group play would be a bit of a surprise.

Our soccer guru, Randy Morgan, has done an outstanding job of previewing the upcoming World Cup here over the last month. He'll continue to provide insight for us throughout the coming weeks. If you're looking for my summary of the U.S. team, it largely remains unchanged from every World Cup squad I've seen our country produce over the last 40 or so years.

We're always good-to-excellent in goal. Our defensive capabilities are generally more than enough to win games. Our midfield play is usually good, but never great. And our ability to finish chances and score goals is always the most frustrating part of the team.

Nothing much has changed for the U.S., soccer wise. We defend well and have trouble scoring goals. That's been our method of operation for just about forever. I suspect it won't change this time around, either.

As is almost always the case, we'll probably be on pins and needles in all three games and will do something dumb, like tie Australia 0-0 in the second game or something like that, to set up a "win or tie" scenario in the final game against Turkey in order to advance to the next round.

We can never just skate in free and clear, win two games right off the bat, and secure our spot in the knockout round. We always have to make it interesting. Here's hoping we get a few homer calls and some home cookin' from the refs along the way, huh?

The U.S. Open golf championship is now just 11 days away. We'll begin our Top 10 here tomorrow. I have a unique, special interest in this year's event that you can read about below. But, in general, I love the U.S. Open because it's the one event every year where a par isn't an automatic thing and the last man standing is usually the one who didn't break under pressure.

This year's event is at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island, where the last two U.S. Opens there have featured some interesting moments on the putting greens. In 2004, they had to water them in between groups on Sunday because they were simply too burned up and too fast. No one could keep the ball on the putting surface.

And then in 2018, the same thing pretty much happened on Thursday and Friday but they didn't water the greens. And it was a putting fiasco for 36 holes. That was the event, you might remember, where Phil Mickelson, knowing he wasn't going to make the cut, hit his ball while it was still rolling after hitting a 10-foot putt that raced past the hole and went off the green.

Logic -- and hope -- tells us the USGA has figured out a way to not let the greens get out of hand this year. That said, if it's 95 degrees and even a little breezy up there next week, there might not be anything they can do about the putting surfaces getting out of control.

Anytime the U.S. Open is at Shinnecock, the greens are always part of the sub-plot. It's going to be a wild four days on Long Island.

Speaking of the upcoming U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, I have a unique rooting interest, but it starts tomorrow at Woodmont CC in Rockville, where one of my Calvert Hall players, Landon O'Hara, will be in the field vying for one of the spots into next week's tournament.

O'Hara has played every match for me in his first two years at Calvert Hall and was an All-Conference player both as a freshman and sophomore. This past season, he set a program record (at least since I've been keeping the stats, let's say) for points in a season.

You might recall he made it into the field at Woodmont CC tomorrow by surviving an 8-for-1 playoff at Turf Valley back in mid-May.

The Baltimore Sun did an outstanding preview of Landon's appearance in the final qualifier. You'll have to buy a copy or get it online (paywall warning), but I was thrilled to talk with Ed Lee from The Sun about Landon's progress and chances a couple of days ago.

"No matter what happens tomorrow at Woodmont, you're going to be a better golf because of it," I told Landon last week. "These kinds of events are all part of the journey to playing golf at the highest level you can possibly play."

I reminded him I was 58 when I finally broke through to play in a significant tournament, the 2021 U.S. Senior Open. Sometimes those opportunities come quickly, sometimes they take a while. Mine, well, it took a while.

This will be a big task for him tomorrow, but for the last two years, all he has ever done is played "up" and handled every big task thrown his way.

Made a stacked Calvert Hall team as a freshman and played every match. Check.

Won a championship as a freshman and made All-Conference as a freshman. Check.

Played in the #1 spot on the Calvert Hall team as a sophomore and advanced to the U.S. Open finals. Check.

Finished 2nd in the MIAA Individual Championship as a sophomore. Check.

Shot 2-under to qualify for the 2026 Maryland Open and Maryland Amateur. Check.

Anything he's wanted to do in golf, since he first started playing, he's been able to do. He's won more tournaments in 8 years of competitive golf than you and I have made right turns on red in 2026.

Oh, and he's a polite, awesome young man and a McMullen Student at Calvert Hall. His parents, Chris and Heather, have done more than remarkable job with him.

But he's also a great competitor. Nothing fazes him. The stage will be big for him tomorrow, but he knows that. And I'm sure he's going to handle it the same way he's handled everything else I've seen from him in golf.

I can't wait to be there and watch him compete.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 4 days to go

Today's featured team: Argentina

Group: J — Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

How they Qualified: Finished first in CONMEBOL qualifying. Argentina went 12-2-4, scored 31 goals, conceded only 10, and finished with 38 points, nine clear of Ecuador. They had already clinched in March 2025, becoming the first South American team to qualify.

Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1978, 1986, 2022). Argentina are the defending World Cup champions and are trying to become the first team to repeat since Brazil in 1962.

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $960.2 M

FIFA Rank: 3

Odds to Win Group: -265

Odds to Advance: -10000

Odds to Win Cup: 9-1

Key Players:

Lionel Messi — Forward — Inter Miami (MLS) Messi is 38, headed to his sixth World Cup, and still the emotional and tactical center of Argentina’s title defense. He still bends defensive shapes, still sees the pass earlier than everyone else, and still gives Argentina the one player in the tournament who can make a knockout game feel like it is moving at his speed.

Julián Álvarez — Forward — Atlético de Madrid (Spain). Álvarez is probably the most important bridge between the 2022 team and whatever Argentina becomes next. Transfermarkt values him at $105.8m, tied for the highest mark in the squad, and he gives Scaloni the ability to play with a striker who can press, run channels, combine with Messi, or operate alongside Lautaro Martínez.

In a team that may have to manage Messi’s legs and protect against transitions, Álvarez’s work without the ball is almost as important as his finishing.

Alexis Mac Allister — Midfielder — Liverpool (Premier League. Mac Allister may not have the same headline value as Messi or Álvarez, but he is one of the players who makes Argentina’s midfield work. Transfermarkt values him at $94.1m, and his blend of control, pressing, final-third timing and tactical intelligence gives Scaloni flexibility.

He can play deeper, push higher, help protect Messi defensively, or connect the midfield to the front line. Argentina’s whole identity depends on that kind of balance: enough structure to stay compact, enough quality to let the stars decide games.

Playing Style and Outlook:

Argentina are no longer burdened by the chase to reclaim the World Cup and add the final piece to Lionel Messi’s legacy. In 2022, every match was part of Messi’s last great unresolved question. Now the question is different: can they defend the title with the same edge, hunger and clarity to defend that title and become the first repeat Champions since Brazil in 1962.

That is harder than it sounds. Argentina are still excellent, still experienced, and still one of the most coherent teams in the tournament. However, defending a World Cup is a different challenge from winning one. The emotional burden is lighter, but the tactical burden may be heavier. Every opponent knows what they are. Every match comes with the champion’s spotlight. And the player who defined the last run is now 38.

The good news is that Scaloni has not had to tear the team apart. Argentina’s final 26-man squad retains 17 players from the 2022 World Cup-winning team, including Messi, Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez. Ángel Di María is gone after retiring from international soccer following the 2024 Copa América, but this is still very much the same core. It is continuity, not reinvention.

The base shape can move between a 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 4-2-3-1, but Argentina’s real identity is less about the formation graphic and more about the relationships. Messi floats into the right half-space or central pockets. Álvarez gives them pressing and movement. Lautaro gives them a more traditional penalty-box striker. De Paul still does a lot of the running and dirty work around Messi. Mac Allister and Enzo give them passing range, tempo and control.

The fullbacks provide the width depending on the matchup, while Cristian Romero and Nicolás Otamendi still bring the aggression and edge at center back.

That balance is why Argentina remain so difficult to play against. They can keep the ball and slow a game down, but they are not just a possession team. They can counter. They can press. They can turn a match into a scrap if they need to. They are also one of the rare elite teams that seems completely comfortable winning ugly. That was a huge part of 2022. They had Messi’s genius, but they also had the ability to suffer through long stretches, protect a lead, and make opponents feel the weight of every duel.

The qualifying campaign reinforced that this was not a one-tournament fluke. Argentina finished first in South America with 38 points, scored 31 goals and conceded only 10. They also produced one of the great rivalry results of the cycle, beating Brazil 4-1 without Messi or Lautaro. That match showed the depth of the project. Álvarez scored early, Enzo added the second, Mac Allister got the third, and Giuliano Simeone finished it off.

That may be the key to the whole tournament. Argentina need Messi, but they cannot be only Messi. If he is healthy and sharp, he is still the player who changes everything. If he has to manage minutes or pick his spots, they need Álvarez, Lautaro, Enzo, Mac Allister, Nico Paz, Thiago Almada and the rest of the attacking group to carry more of the load. Scaloni’s squad suggests he understands that.

He has selected some younger pieces like Valentín Barco, Nicolás Paz, Giuliano Simeone, José Manuel López and Thiago Almada, which gives Argentina a little more future-facing energy around the old core. Paz in particular is coming off an excellent season as the attacking creator for a surprise Como team, who secured a Champions League spot from Serie A.

The biggest tactical question is how Scaloni balances the front line and who he pairs with Messi. Álvarez gives pressing and mobility. Lautaro gives finishing and box presence. Almada gives creativity. Garnacho or Simeone can give more direct running. Nico Paz gives another technical between-the-lines option.

If Scaloni plays two true forwards with Messi, Argentina can overwhelm teams. If he wants more midfield control, one of those attackers probably has to sit. That is a good problem, but it is still a real one.

The midfield is more settled. Mac Allister, Enzo and De Paul still feel like the core, with Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso and others giving Scaloni different ways to change the rhythm. Lo Celso’s return is especially interesting because he missed the 2022 World Cup through injury after being a major part of the pre-tournament plan. He gives Argentina another passer and another player who understands Messi’s movements instinctively.

Defensively, Argentina are experienced and mean enough to win knockout games, but not invulnerable. Emiliano Martínez remains one of the great tournament goalkeepers, and Romero gives them aggression and recovery defending. Otamendi’s experience still matters, though his age is a caveat against faster opponents. The fullback spots are functional more than spectacular. That is probably fine if the midfield protects them. It becomes more dangerous if Argentina get stretched and have to defend repeated transitions.

The group is manageable, but it is not a complete stroll. Algeria are a dangerous opener because they have enough experience and technical quality to make Argentina work, and first matches for defending champions have a way of getting weird. Austria are probably the real tactical test. Ralf Rangnick’s team will press, run, and try to make Argentina uncomfortable in buildup.

If Argentina handle that match cleanly, they should win the group. Jordan are the debutant and the clear underdog, but Argentina would like to have their business handled before that match so they could manage some minutes.

The ceiling is obviously another World Cup. Argentina have the goalkeeper, the center-back edge, the midfield balance, the attacking options, the tournament experience and Messi. That is enough to beat anyone. The concern is that repeating is brutally hard, and the margins at the top are tiny. Spain, France, England and Portugal all have deeper or younger squads in certain areas.

But Argentina have something most of those teams are still trying to build: belief that has already been proven under the worst pressure. This team has won a Copa América, a World Cup, and another Copa América under Scaloni. They know who they are. They know how to suffer. They know how to close.

That is why they belong this high. Argentina may not be the most talented team in the field from 1 through 26, and they may not have the same fresh energy as some of the other contenders. But until someone proves otherwise, they are still the champions — and they still have Messi.

---

35 Most Interesting Players to Watch

4 - Erling Haaland - Norway - Striker

Erling Haaland has been one of the best and most exciting players in club football for almost half a decade now. He rapidly rose to prominence in Germany at Borussia Dortmund before taking the Premier League by storm at Manchester City, where he became the fastest player to score 100 goals and set the record for most goals in a season with his 36 in the 2022-23 campaign. Now, the giant Norwegian is finally getting his World Cup.

That alone makes him one of the central figures of the tournament. He has already won Premier League titles, Champions League matches, Golden Boots, scoring records, and basically every argument about whether he is one of the best finishers alive. But until now, the one thing missing was the global stage that turns a great club player into a true global icon.

Norway’s qualification run was the kind of thing that makes the whole tournament more interesting. They went perfect in UEFA qualifying, and Haaland was the obvious force behind it: 16 goals in eight matches, including two in the 4-1 win over Italy that sent Norway to their first World Cup since 1998. He scored in every qualifier, with that total twice as many as any other player in Europe. That is not just good form. That is a player dragging a long-dormant national team into relevance.

The numbers are almost cartoonish. Transfermarkt lists Haaland at $235.2m, No. 1 in the world by market value, with 49 caps and 55 goals for Norway. He is not a great striker waiting for his national team to figure out how to use him. Norway have already built a system that feeds him, and he has already turned that system into goals at a ridiculous rate.

At this World Cup, Norway are not just “Haaland and hope.” Martin Ødegaard gives them the creative brain. Alexander Sørloth gives them another big forward who can occupy defenders. Antonio Nusa gives them a wide runner with real one-on-one threat. Sander Berge and Patrick Berg give them enough midfield structure to keep the attack from becoming too direct. But all of that ultimately bends toward the same point: can they get Haaland the ball in places where one touch can end the discussion?

That is the frightening part. Haaland does not need a team to dominate possession. He does not need 12 touches in the buildup. He can spend 20 minutes looking almost absent, then make one run across a center back and change the whole match. That makes Norway dangerous against almost anyone, because even a better team can play well for an hour and still find itself behind because Haaland won one race, attacked one cross, or turned one half-chance into a goal.

In a group with France and Senegal, Norway will need Haaland to be at his best to avoid a third place finish and a difficult second round matchup. The France match will be the one everyone circles, with Haaland going head to head with Mbappe, the player he is most directly compared to. The two have become the new Messi and Ronaldo in many ways.

However, the Senegal match might be the one that decides Norway’s tournament. France are the favorite to win the group. Iraq are the team Norway have to beat. Senegal are the direct rival for position, and they have the athleticism and defensive experience to make Haaland work for everything. If Haaland scores there, Norway probably move from fun story to legitimate knockout threat.

Norway may not be a true contender in the way France, Spain, England, Brazil, Portugal or Argentina are. Their defense still has to prove it can survive elite opponents, and their depth is not at the same level as the favorites. But no team with Haaland can be treated like a normal underdog. He gives Norway a way to skip steps. He turns a decent chance into a goal, a tight game into a panic, and a country that had not been to a World Cup in 28 years into one nobody will want to draw in the knockouts.

The World Cup has been waiting for Haaland. Now he finally gets to find out what happens when the sport’s biggest stage meets its most ruthless finisher.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

Saturday June 6, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4311

"it's in...stan stamenkovic has ended it"

Even now, 42 years later, people still talk to me about the Blast's championship in 1984.

And inevitably they bring up Joey Fink's 5 goal performance in the title-clinching game in Baltimore.

But I always make sure to point something out.

"Game 5 wasn't anywhere close to the best game of that series," I'll say. "Game 4 was the best game in that series."

42 years ago today, June 6, 1984, was Game 4 of that MISL Championship series.

For those too young to remember how the series went down, the Blast actually fell in a Game 1 shocker in Baltimore, 7-3. We were the heavy favorites in the Finals thanks to a 34-14 regular season mark and a run of 21-3 to end the campaign, followed by playoff series wins over New York and Cleveland.

Game 2 against St. Louis was no bargain, either, as the Blast hung on for an uneasy 5-3 home win that featured an injury to All-Star forward Paul Kitson. As we headed to St. Louis for Game 3 and Game 4, there was definitely concern about this feisty Steamers team that was suddenly giving us all we could handle.

Game 3 was on national TV on Saturday afternoon and it was the "Fink and Manning Show", as Joey Fink scored three times and Scott Manning made 30 saves in a 5-2 win that got Kenny Cooper breathing a little easier.

Game 4 was the best game of the series and, as someone who saw every game the Blast played from 1981 through 1998, arguably the most exciting game in the history of the franchise other than Game 4 of the '83 series against San Diego.

It was nip and tuck throughout. The Blast led early and maintained a 3-2 lead at the half, but the Steamers scored twice early in the 3rd quarter to go up 4-3. It stayed that way until late in the game when Stan Stamenkovic found Pat Ercoli at the far post for a header that tied things up at 4-4.

Stamenkovic had been having, for him and his standards, an "off" series, mostly because every time he touched the ball either Steve Pecher or Larry Hulcer put their foot up his backside. Back then, there was a real "let 'em play" mentality with the refs once it came around to playoff time.

But his nifty pass to Ercoli evened things up and sent the game to overtime.

I don't know about you, but I have this weird ability to remember certain things in my life with incredible clarity, while not being able to remember other things that happened far more recently.

The Game 4 overtime goal is something I can still remember and see and even "hear", now, 42 years later. I was in the booth with Al Trautwig and Lou Tilley doing the stats work for them on the Channel 13 broadcast. Trautwig was, of course, a national broadcaster with ABC while Tilley was the lead sports anchor at WJZ. They were terrific together doing indoor soccer.

In overtime, to our left, Mike Stankovic picked up a loose ball and fought off a defender, slashing and crashing his way to the top of the penalty area, where he unleashed a shot that was blocked, but the ball magically found its way right back to his left foot, where he cracked one that actually beat goalie Slobo Ilijevski, but it crashed off the goal-post and bounded straight out to Stamenkovic at the top of the box.

Stan settled-and-shot all in one quick blur and Trautwig called it like this: "It's in! Stan Stamenkovic has ended it."

Jim Nantz has his famous 18th hole sayings at Augusta National, many of which are etched into the history of golf lore.

"One for the ages..." (Tiger's first Masters win in 1997)

"As grand as it gets..." (Tiger's grand slam clinching win in 2001)

"The return to glory..." (Tiger's win in 2019)

"McIlroy has his masterpiece..." (Rory's win in 2025)

But that quick summary of Stamenkovic's game-winner in St. Louis is something I'll never forget.

The great announcers all have a way of just saying the right thing at the right time, as I pointed out with Nantz above.

But Trautwig's call is even harder because it's happening in the flow of the game. In that very moment, as he's calling the action, any number of things could have happened.

"It's in! Stan Stamenkovic has ended it," was all that needed to be said.

Game 5 was much easier, as the Blast poured it on late with a bunch of empty-net goals to win the title at home, 10-3.

But Game 4 was incredible. Scott Manning was again terrific in goal with 25 saves. Pat Ercoli -- who, honestly, should have been the series MVP, not Manning -- had an early goal off a nifty feed from Stankovic and then sent it to OT on the Stamenkovic far post feed.

And then, "the Magician" did indeed end it with his left-footed shot into the roof of the net over Ilijevski.

I remember it like it was yesterday. But I can't remember to take the clothes out of the washer and put them into the dryer before I leave to play golf on a Friday morning.

Weird...

June 6, 1984. One of the greatest games in Blast history and perhaps the defining moment in the legendary career of Stan Stamenkovic.

The Orioles announced a new promotion after Friday's 12-3 win in Toronto. Anyone who wants to get back on the 2026 bandwagon can buy two seats for the price of one as long as you put down a deposit on a 2027 13-game mini-plan.

Act now while supplies last.

The Birds are back, baby.

If you're not willing to admit that just yet, it's probably only because you hated on them so much in April and May that you can't stand to be laughed at when you fill out the "Bandwagon Return" form on the internet.

Adley Rutschman went 4-for-4 on Friday evening and Brandon Young continued his fine pithing of late, allowing just 3 earned runs in 6.1 innings of work. The only down note on the night was Sam Basallo leaving with discomfort in his mid-section, which we all know could mean some sort of muscle pull or strain.

Other than the Basallo news, though, nothing at all was bad about Friday night.

And don't look now, but the O's are just two games under .500 and making noise quickly in the A.L. East, where they are now in 3rd place and taking dead aim on the Yankees, who are in for the fight of their life while they figure out how to stay alive for two months or more while Aaron Judge spends time on the injured list.

As I wrote here earlier in the week, you can feel it coming. The Birds are back.

Mike Elias and Craig Albernaz have been keeping receipts, you can bet on that.

And the most glaring and obvious "thing" of it all? The Birds are closing in on .500 and will start making a run at the Rays soon enough and they're doing it all while their starriest of star players, Gunnar Henderson, continues to produce a woeful start to his '26 campaign.

Henderson is hitting .217 and his on-base-percentage is .276. Those are numbers that would generally have a veteran player worried about getting DFA'd.

If Henderson gets hot at some point this summer -- which you assume he will -- the rest of the American League is in big trouble.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 5 days to go

Today's featured team: Brazil

Group: C — Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

How they Qualified: Finished fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying to take one of South America’s direct spots. It was not a vintage Brazil campaign: they went 8-4-6 with a plus-7 goal difference, a major drop from the dominant 2018 and 2022 qualifying cycles.

Best World Cup Finish: Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). Brazil are still the only five-time World Cup winners and are chasing their first title in 24 years.

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $1.07 B

FIFA Rank: 6

Odds to Win Group: -350

Odds to Advance: -10000

Odds to Win Cup: 8.5-1

Key Players:

Vinícius Júnior — Winger — Real Madrid (Spain). Vinícius is the player who gives Brazil their clearest path to looking like Brazil again. Transfermarkt values him at $176.4m, the highest mark in the squad, and under Carlo Ancelotti the plan should be pretty simple: give him structure behind the ball, then isolate him on the left and let him terrorize fullbacks.

If Vinícius is merely good, Brazil are a contender. If he is the best attacker in the tournament, they can win it.

Raphinha — Winger — Barcelona (Spain). Raphinha is not as famous as Vinícius or Neymar, but he is the player who gives Brazil the most complete attacking balance. Transfermarkt values him at $94.1m and he has been a vital cog in Barcelona’s back to back La Liga title campaigns.

He gives Brazil end product, defensive work, set-piece quality and a right-sided threat that keeps the attack from becoming too tilted toward Vinícius.

Gabriel — Center Back — Arsenal (Premier League). Gabriel may be the most important non-attacker in the squad. Transfermarkt values him at $88.2m, and he gives Brazil a left-footed center back who can defend the box, win aerial duels, play out under pressure and attack set pieces.

He has been the centerpiece of Arsenal’s top defense in Europe this season, leading them to the Premier League title and Champions League final. His pairing with Marquinhos is central to the more balanced Ancelotti version of Brazil.

Playing Style and Outlook:

Brazil are still Brazil, but they do not enter this World Cup with the same invincible glow that has surrounded them in the past. In some sense they’ve yet to regain their world-beating aura ever since the embarrassing 7-1 loss to Germany on home soil in the 2014 World Cup.

Since winning the trophy in 2002, Brazil have exited in the quarterfinals in four of the last five World Cups, with the 2014 semifinal humiliation the lone exception and its own kind of trauma. The pattern has been familiar. Dazzling pieces, big expectations, then one knockout game where the attack stalls, the structure cracks, or the emotional weight becomes too heavy.

The talent is still enormous, the shirt still carries its own gravity, and the betting market rightly has them in the inner circle of contenders. But the last two decades have turned Brazil into merely one of the contenders instead of the perennial favorite.

That is why Carlo Ancelotti matters so much. Brazil did not hire him to make them more Brazilian in the romantic sense. They hired him to make them more practical. His track record is impeccable, the only manager to win titles in all five of the top European leagues, with a record- setting five Champions League titles.

This version of Brazil is likely to be more measured, more balanced and more comfortable winning in multiple ways than some of the recent Brazil teams that looked spectacular until the first truly uncomfortable knockout game. They generally set up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, with patient buildup designed to release the front three into better attacking zones rather than forcing the game too early.

The attacking structure starts with Vinícius on the left and Raphinha on the right. That gives Brazil two very different wide threats. Vinícius is the chaos agent. The winger who can wreck a fullback and bend the whole defensive shape toward him. Raphinha is more complete, bringing pressing, combinations, set piece delivery, and the intelligence to attack the back post in the right moments.

That balance gives Brazil an attack that still functions when the opponent sits deep, fouls, doubles Vinícius and dares someone else to solve the game.

The central attacking role is less settled. Rodrygo and Estêvão are both out injured, which removes two of the more natural high-end attacking options. João Pedro was left out. The central-forward competition looks to be between Matheus Cunha, Endrick, Neymar and Igor Thiago, with each offering something different. Cunha gives mobility and combination play.

Endrick gives youthful explosiveness and finishing upside. Igor Thiago gives a more traditional striker profile. Neymar gives creativity, set pieces and aura, but also the biggest medical and tactical question on the roster.

Neymar is a subplot that will follow Brazil everywhere. Ancelotti recalled him after more than two years away from the national team, and Neymar said he felt physically strong after working back from serious injuries.

However, he suffered a grade-two calf injury in late May, was ruled out of Brazil’s final friendlies, and is likely to miss the World Cup opener against Morocco. That probably makes the cleanest version of Brazil one where Neymar is a situational weapon rather than the central focus. That is probably for the better, as Brazil need Vinícius to be the lead attacker, Raphinha to provide the other-side threat, and Neymar to add creativity in carefully managed moments.

The midfield is another sign that Ancelotti wants control and protection. Casemiro is back in the picture and gives Brazil a familiar defensive anchor. Bruno Guimarães gives them ball progression, bite and the ability to play through pressure.

Lucas Paquetá, Danilo and Fabinho give him different blends of control, legs and defensive security. This midfield demonstrates the new more pragmatic approach. They may not bring the “beautiful game” flair that Brazil is know for, but they can win duels, protect the center backs, and get the ball to the attackers in positions where they can actually hurt people.

Defensively, Brazil may be sturdier than they have been in years. Gabriel and Marquinhos give them a serious center-back pairing. The issue is still the space around them. If the fullbacks push high and the wingers stay aggressive, Brazil can leave pockets in transition. That is where Ancelotti’s pragmatism matters.

This team cannot afford to defend like every attack will end in a goal. It has to be compact enough to survive the moments when it loses the ball. The group is favorable, but it gives Brazil a real test right away. Morocco are the kind of opponent that can make favorites miserable.

They are compact, experienced, athletic, dangerous in transition, and not remotely intimidated after reaching the 2022 semifinals. The opener at MetLife forces Brazil to be serious immediately. If they beat Morocco, the group should open up. If they draw, they are still fine. If they lose, the old anxiety arrives before the tournament has even settled in.

The match with Haiti may be one of the most lopsided of the tournament, and may be an opportunity for Ancelotti to manage minutes, test the center-forward hierarchy, and build attacking rhythm.

Scotland are more awkward than glamorous. They will be physical, organized, direct and dangerous on set pieces. Brazil should have too much talent, but Scotland are the kind of underdog that can turn a group finale into a grind if Brazil get impatient.

Brazil should win Group C. The market has them heavily favored to win the group and almost automatic to advance. Winning the group will not satisfy any Brazilian fans, nor will simply winning a few knockout games. Brazil will be judged by how they compete against the other elite sides in the latter rounds of the tournament.

Ancelotti is here to break the pattern of early departures. Brazil do not need to be the most fun team in the tournament. They need to be the most adaptable. The ceiling is the trophy.

The concern is that we have said some version of that before. This time, the difference has to be structure. Brazil still have the magic. Ancelotti’s job is to make sure they finally have the platform for it to matter.

---

35 most interesting players to watch

5 - Leo Messi - Argentina - Forward

He was the top player on this list for the 2022 World Cup, and he delivered in every way, leading Argentina to their first World Cup trophy since 1986, winning the Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament) in the process, and cementing his legacy as the greatest player of his generation and arguably the greatest of all time.

Many suspected that fairytale ending may be his final game for his country, but Messi was not done yet.

After eight Ballon d’Ors, four Champions League titles, ten La Liga titles, Olympic gold, two Copa America trophies, a record 192 career La Liga assists, over 900 career goals (a record 672 for Barcelona, the most for any player for a single club) and finally a World Cup, Messi decided to “take his talents to South Beach” (or Ft. Lauderdale).

Now, after parts of four seasons in MLS, Messi is back for his record-tying sixth, and almost certainly final, World Cup.

Does he have one more magical run in him?

Messi enters this World Cup with 198 caps and 116 international goals. He is 38, turns 39 during the tournament, and remains the player every opponent will build its defensive plan around.

The club form is still there. Messi has not just been coasting through MLS as a ceremonial star. Heading into the World Cup break he has a league-leading 20 goal contributions (12 goals and 8 assists) in 14 matches for Inter Miami. MLS is obviously not near the same competition level as the top European leagues, but Messi is still putting on a weekly show every time he laces them up.

The burst is reduced, the defensive work is managed, the minutes have to be protected, but the final-third brain and quality is very much intact.

Messi is no longer the player who has to carry the ball past four defenders every time Argentina need a solution. He does not need to be. As proven in 2022, this Argentina team is deeper, younger and more balanced than the teams that once asked him to perform miracles just to drag them through a tournament.

Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Nico Paz and others give Lionel Scaloni real options around him. Messi is still the center of gravity, but he does not have to be the whole solar system anymore. The expanded field in this World Cup may also give Messi some opportunities to rest if Argentina can take care of their business early in the group stage (not that he will necessarily agree to that).

Tactically, Argentina can use Messi all around the front line The important thing is not where he starts, but where he receives. If Messi gets the ball between the lines with runners ahead of him, Argentina become terrifying very quickly. He can still disguise the slipped pass, still bend the free kick, still play the extra touch that freezes a center back, and still finish with the best in the world.

There is a tradeoff, of course. Argentina have to defend around him. They have to manage the spaces he leaves when he stays high. They have to decide how much of the attack should still flow through him versus how much should run through the next generation. That balance may define the tournament. Too much Messi dependency, and Argentina risk becoming predictable. Too little, and they are ignoring the one player in the field who can still see passes no one else sees.

For Messi the legacy question is different now than it was in 2022. Back then, everything was framed around what Messi still lacked. Now there is nothing missing. This is bonus time, but bonus time with stakes. Argentina are trying to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to repeat as World Cup champions. Messi is trying to add one last chapter to a story that already had the perfect ending. With 13 goals and eight assists in the competition, Messi is three goals short of Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup scoring record.

That is why he belongs this high. Messi may no longer be the best player in the world every week. But no player in the tournament carries a bigger emotional charge, and very few still carry a greater capacity to decide a match with one touch. If Argentina repeat, this becomes one of the great late-career epilogues in sports. If they fall short, it is still one more chance to watch the greatest player of his era try to bend a World Cup to his will.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

Friday June 5, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4310

"put your head back on and let's go"

Sports has always been about entertainment.

Oh, sure, the two teams or two opponents are always trying to win. Winning comes first to the participants.

But the front office has to prepare for a season without any idea at all whether the "product" will be a winner or a loser.

Our local baseball team, for example, has been top of class over the last two decades when it comes to give-away items and promotional nights at the ballpark. They've done that for two reasons, mainly. The team has mostly been lousy, so they have to give people a reason to come out and watch an inferior product. And, in line with that, you have to give someone a reason to choose spending XX dollars on your event/product over, say, a movie, restaurant or some other activity.

Today is the anniversary of one of baseball's wackiest game day promotions ever. On June 5, 1974, the Cleveland Indians hosted "10 Cent Beer Night" at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Things were fine until late in the game when, almost on cue, fans started to get a little too rowdy. When the crowd of 25,000 plus started a small-scale riot in the 9th inning when beer sales were put to a halt, the umpires forfeited the game to the Texas Rangers.

These days, teams like the Orioles are much more sophisticated. They'd never do 10 cent beer night, because they make waaaaaayyyy too much money charging you $12.00 for a beer that costs them roughly $2.50. Instead, they get a sponsor to pony up $100,000 and slap their corporate logo on the sleeve of a Hawaiian shirt and people stand in line for four hours just to get one.

Bobbleheads are also the rage in professional sports. I never got the whole bobblehead craze, that said, I chase a little white ball around in a big field of grass and enjoy doing it, so I get it. What's good for me isn't always good for you and vice versa.

That brings me around to my days in the indoor soccer business.

We, like every other team back then, were always trying to come up with ways to keep the fan base interested in our home schedule. We gave away the things you'd normally give away; tee shirts and pennants, big plastic cups and coffee mugs. Anything with our Blast logo on it was good advertising for us, we thought.

Eventually, though, you run out of things to give-away. Or, at the very least, you run out of "good" things to give-away.

One year we gave away a real, authentic soccer ball to every kid who came to the game. That was a great idea and we did a gross gate of $98,000 that night. The problem was the soccer balls cost us $20,000. Yes, we had a sponsor help defray the cost, but still.

Then, almost by accident, we stumbled upon the greatest promotional night in Blast history.

It came with a price, mind you. A price not related to "cost" per se. But it came with a price.

We brought to town the one and only, "San Diego Chicken".

I had seen clips of the Chicken on various sports shows over the years and was always intrigued by his presence in baseball. Big crowds filled stadiums, especially in minor league baseball, to see the act of Ted Giannoulas, who helped develop the character for a San Diego radio station in 1974.

I got Ted's information from a minor league baseball team and reached out, only to find you didn't actually speak with Ted about the engagement and the proposed trip to Baltimore. You spoke with his manager. The initial call went something like this:

"The Chicken has a $6,000 appearance fee. Paid to him upon arrival in Baltimore. First thing you do when you see him is give him the check for six grand." (OK, no problem with that. Spending $6,000 on him is like buying 10,000 key chains at 60 cents apiece.)

"The Chicken needs to fly first class from Greensboro to Baltimore." (Where he was two days before, entertaining folks at a minor league hockey game. Fair enough. First class from Raleigh to Charlotte seems a bit much, but whatever.)

"The Chicken needs two hotel rooms. One for him. And one for the costume. The costume picks up quite an odor over the course of a month or two of doing these kind of gigs." (Yikes, that must be one smelly costume if you can't even be in the same room with it.)

"And there can be no other promotional events going on at the game that night. You can't give anything away. You can't have another person or character there. It has to be The Chicken and that's it." (Fair enough. We didn't plan on doing anything else anyway.)

So, as it turned out, we played the Dallas Sidekicks that night. It was a Friday. We spent a considerable amount of money on radio and TV ads (back then, $10,000 on advertising for one game was "a lot") and I even had the star player of Dallas, Tatu, call into one of the morning shows on MIX-106 to playfully engage with the show hosts about coming to Baltimore and having The Chicken in attendance.

Much to our delight, a crowd of 12,000 packed the arena on that Friday night.

The Chicken was there early, around 4 pm, to check out the arena and see some of the areas where he could pull off his stunts and other activities.

That's when we hit the first snag.

I walked him out to the arena field and there were, as always, youth soccer players involved in a game.

"What are they doing out there?" he asked.

"Playing soccer," I said.

"I know that, dumb ass," he shot back. "They're not supposed to be here."

"I don't follow you," I said. "Why not?"

"Because I need to go out on the field and get an idea of what I'm going to be doing tonight," Ted replied. "I need full access to the benches and the penalty box and everything. I can't do that with these kids running around."

I opened the gate to the field.

"We're just going to go out there and walk around," I explained. "They won't care. Do whatever you need to do."

"OK, but this isn't cool. I don't want to deal with these kids," Ted said.

We eventually got back to the locker room area and I gave him the schedule of events for the night. What time the lights went down, when the music would start playing, and so on. The Chicken was going to be introduced with the team.

"Wait," he said as he read through the script. "I'm getting introduced after the players? No, no, no. That doesn't work."

When I asked why, he quickly got irritated. "Maybe you don't understand what's going on here. These people who are coming to the game tonight are here to see me. I'm the show. I'm the star. I get introduced first. Everyone else can come out after me."

I didn't feel like arguing with the guy, so I got a hold of my game-day promotions person and informed them of the change. "The Chicken is getting introduced first."

And so we started.

The introductions went fine. The Chicken danced around the field. He engaged with Tatu and a couple of other Dallas players, lifting his leg and acting like he was peeing on them. Of all the things he did that night, I think feigning as if he was peeing on the players was the funniest of them all, but maybe that's just my Glen Burnie sense of humor coming out.

Anyway, I headed upstairs to the press box once the game started, fully confident that The Chicken was going to be just fine all on his own.

Not so much.

In between the first and second quarter of every home game that season, we had a contest, sponsored by a car company, where a fan tried to kick a ball from midfield through a tire that was hanging from the goalpost. If they successfully accomplished that (near impossible) feat, they'd win a car, which we always drove out onto the field right then and there.

It was then I heard the frantic call from one of my staff members on the walkie-talkie.

"Drew, where are you?" he asked.

"In the press box, what's up?" I replied.

"You need to come down to the locker room," he said. "The Chicken is quitting."

"Oh, what the hell..." I said. "OK, I'll be there in a minute."

I quickly made my way down to the locker room that The Chicken was using and, sure enough, there he was, with just the bottom half of the costume on, toweling off his torso.

"Ted, what the hell's going on?" I said.

"Nothing much," he replied. "I'm just getting packed up."

"What's wrong?" I said.

And then he exploded.

He reached into his travel bag and pulled out the check I had given him.

"Do you see this check?" he screamed. "Do you see this f***ing check right here? It's paid to the order of The Chicken. THE CHICKEN!! It's not paid out to the PA announcer, who has a big f***ing mouth. It's not paid out to the cheerleaders. It's not paid out to the car dealer!! It's paid out to me!!! The Chicken!!! I told you. I am the f***ing star of the show!"

"Ted, calm down," I said. "The people are having a great time. This is an awesome night."

"Well that's great, but I'm done!" he screamed. "I'm not having this. It's disrespectful to ME and to The Chicken!! So, nice meeting you and I'm out."

Now I was starting to get pissed. All of the other stuff, the hotel rooms, the first class airfare, the "give him the check as soon as gets there"...I could deal with all of that because that's what entertainers do. And he was right, sort of. He was the show that night. But we had other things we did that were also a smart part of it and we couldn't just not do the car giveaway or tell the loud mouth PA announcer to take it down a notch.

"Ted, come on man, let's go," I said as the music to commemorate a Blast goal played and the crowd roared. "Look, we just missed a goal."

"Nope. Done," he countered.

Then I erupted.

"TED, LISTEN TO ME. PUT YOUR F***ING HEAD BACK ON AND GET OUT THERE AND ENTERTAIN THOSE PEOPLE OR I'M RIPPING UP THAT SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR CHECK!"

"I never have this problem in minor league hockey," he said as he slipped the head back on.

"I'm the show," he reminded me as he walked out of the locker room.

He went back out and did his thing for the rest of the night, but I wasn't quite sure he was ever fully into it the way he was before the car giveaway snafu at the end of the first quarter.

After the game, I went back down to bid him farewell.

"Tough night," he said, shaking his head. "I hope the people liked it."

"They loved it," I confirmed. "You were awesome."

"There's just too much going on with these indoor soccer games," he said in a soft voice. "In hockey or basketball or baseball, it's just the game and me. I'm the reason people come out."

"Ted, you were awesome. I'm serious. It was a great night," I said, trying to reassuring him.

I then felt the rich irony of me, the guy who gave him six grand, trying to make him feel better about his value. It should have been the other way around.

"Do you think I was worth six thousand dollars?" he should have been asking me.

Anyway, once he departed, I went upstairs to our office on the 3rd floor, where the staff would generally meet for a quick debrief and a cold beverage to talk about what went right and wrong from an operational standpoint.

"How was he?" someone asked.

"A complete disaster," I replied. "He has a bigger ego than Tatu and Mike Stankovic combined."

Everyone laughed as I told the story about Ted wanting to quit and me yelling at him.

Someone asked if I'd consider having him return someday.

"Never again," I said. "There's no chance I'd ever bring that maniac back to Baltimore."

Three years later, we did do it all again, although this time I assigned another staff member to be his "guide" for the night.

"Good luck with this one," I told the guy. "And if you don't already hate me, you will after this Saturday's game."

He was, again, a pain in the rear end throughout the day and night. But, just like the first time, his performance was spectacular.

One thing about The Chicken: He was worth every penny you paid him.

It took a toll on you, mentally, but the expenditure was an almost-fair-trade for what you went through.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 6 days to go

Today's featured team: Portugal

Group: K — Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

How they Qualified: Won UEFA Group F. Portugal sealed qualification with a 9-1 win over Armenia, with Bruno Fernandes and João Neves both scoring hat tricks while Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended. The result put Portugal top of the group on 13 points, ahead of Ireland.

Best World Cup Finish: Third Place (1966)

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $1.14 B

FIFA Rank: 5

Odds to Win Group: -215

Odds to Advance: -5000

Odds to Win Cup: 10-1

Key Players:

Vitinha — Midfielder — Paris Saint-Germain (France). Vitinha is the player who can turn Portugal from a team full of attackers into a team that actually controls the tournament.Arguably one of the top two or three midfielders in the world right now. Transfermarkt values him at $129.4m, tied for the highest mark in the current squad, and his role to receive under pressure, connect the back line to Bruno and Bernardo, and keep Portugal from becoming too frantic in possession.

If Portugal win this World Cup, there is a good chance Vitinha is the midfielder who makes the whole thing feel grown-up.

Bruno Fernandes — Midfielder — Manchester United (Premier League). Bruno is Portugal’s most direct chance creator. He can be a little more chaotic than Vitinha, but that is also the point. Portugal need someone willing to play the early pass, arrive in the box, take set pieces, and turn possession into actual shots.

Transfermarkt values him at $47.0m, but his value to Portugal is bigger than that because he gives Roberto Martínez end product from midfield.

Nuno Mendes — Left Back — Paris Saint-Germain (France). Mendes is one of the best fullbacks in the world and one of the reasons Portugal’s shape can be so aggressive. Transfermarkt values him at $88.2m, and his ability to defend elite wingers, carry the ball forward, and overlap or underlap on the left gives Portugal a two-way weapon that most teams simply do not have.

With Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceição and others ahead of him, Mendes’ ability to balance the left side may be just as important as any winger’s production.

Playing Style and Outlook:

With our number six ranked team, Portugal, we have entered the territory of the true contenders to win the tournament. The last few teams in the rankings could surprise everyone and with a magical run to the trophy, but the truth is, the winner is almost certainly coming from these top six teams.

Of those top six, Portugal is the only nation that has yet to win the World Cup, with their best showing a third place finish back in 1966.

This time Portugal are probably the deepest team in the tournament. They have arguably the best midfield trio in the World Cup. That does not automatically make them the best team, but it does make them one of the hardest to prepare for. Roberto Martínez has high-end options everywhere.

Diogo Costa in goal, Rúben Dias and Gonçalo Inácio at center back, Nuno Mendes and João Cancelo at fullback, Vitinha and João Neves in midfield, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva between the lines, and a front line that can include Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonçalo Ramos, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, João Félix, Francisco Conceição, Francisco Trincão or Gonçalo Guedes.

That is an absurd amount of choice, and the challenge is turning it into a team rather than a menu. Martínez’s squad announcement made clear how flexible he wants Portugal to be. He defended carrying extra fullback cover because of the travel, heat and time-zone demands, highlighted the versatility of Diogo Dalot, João Cancelo and Matheus Nunes, and pointed to Bruno, Bernardo, João Félix and Trincão as players who can operate between the lines, with Leão, Neto and Conceição providing width.

The base shape should still be something like a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, but Portugal can bend it in a lot of directions. Vitinha and João Neves give them a PSG-style midfield platform, with small- space passing, counterpressing, and the ability to control the middle without needing a traditional destroyer.

Bruno can play as the advanced midfielder or drift slightly wider. Bernardo can tuck inside and help Portugal overload midfield. Mendes can fly forward on the left. Cancelo, Dalot or Matheus Nunes can change the right side depending on how much width, ball progression or defensive cover Martínez wants.

The Ronaldo question is still the unavoidable headline. Ronaldo will be playing in his sixth World Cup at age 41, and Martínez has been pretty clear that he is judging him on current form rather than mythology. Portugal cannot let this become a tribute tour. Ronaldo still gives them penalty- box movement, finishing, aerial threat and enormous presence.

But Portugal’s most convincing recent performance may have been the 9-1 win over Armenia without him, when Bruno and João Neves both scored hat tricks. That was a reminder that this squad is bigger than its most famous player.

Portugal’s best option may be to use Ronaldo as a weapon, but not as the entire attacking concept, maybe even a late threat off the bench. Against teams that defend deep, his box presence still matters. Against faster opponents, Ramos may give more pressing and mobility. If Portugal need width, Leão and Neto can stretch the pitch. If they need more control, Bernardo and Bruno can both come inside.

The pieces are there for Martínez to adjust from match to match without weakening the starting XI.

The March friendlies were useful in that sense. Ronaldo missed that window with a hamstring issue, but Portugal drew 0-0 with Mexico at the Azteca and then beat the United States 2-0 in Atlanta. Those games were further evidence that Portugal are built to function even when the Ronaldo storyline is removed. The World Cup will almost certainly require multiple versions of this team.

The defense is strong but not flawless. Rúben Dias is still the leader, Diogo Costa is one of the better goalkeepers in the tournament, and Mendes gives Portugal elite recovery speed on the left. The question is the right side and the balance in front of the center backs.

If Portugal push both fullbacks and play Bruno high, even a midfield with Vitinha and João Neves can get stretched. That is where João Palhinha’s absence from the current squad picture is notable. Portugal may have more ball-playing and mobility than pure midfield security. The group is favorable, but the order is important.

DR Congo are athletic and dangerous enough to take advantage if Portugal are too loose.

Uzbekistan are tournament debutants and should be the weakest team in the group, but they are organized enough that Portugal will need patience rather than just assuming the talent gap solves everything.

Colombia are the real test. Luis Díaz, James Rodríguez, Daniel Muñoz and that whole attacking group can absolutely punish Portugal in transition if the final match in Miami becomes open.

Portugal should win Group K and they are the clear betting favorite, but Colombia are good enough to push them. However, Portugal have the deeper squad, cleaner structure, and more ways to win.

The bigger question is whether this is finally the Portugal team that converts talent into a World Cup run. They have had stacked squads before. They have had Ronaldo before. They have had tournament experience before. What feels different now is the midfield. Vitinha and João Neves give them a level of control they have not always had, while Bruno and Bernardo give them creativity without needing to build everything through one superstar.

The ceiling is winning the tournament. That is not an exaggeration. Portugal have the squad value, depth, goalkeeper, defenders, midfield control, wide players and finishing options to beat anyone.

The concern is not talent. It is clarity. Can Martínez pick the right front line? Can Ronaldo’s role be productive without becoming restrictive? Can Portugal stay balanced when the game gets stretched? Can they handle a knockout match where they dominate the ball but need one ruthless moment?

If the answers are yes, Portugal are absolutely in the inner circle of contenders. If the answers are no, this could look like several past Portugal teams that were loaded, impressive, and somehow out before the final weekend.

---

35 most interesting players to watch

6 - Michael Olise - France - Winger

Michael Olise is an example of the absurd and laughable depth of the French attack. At 24 years old, he is already one of Bayern Munich’s best players, coming off a season where he was in the conversation for best winger on the planet. Olise is now valued by Transfermarkt at $176.4m, and is probably at best the third attacker most fans would name in a French front line that includes Kylian Mbappe and reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

Olise is not just a depth piece for France. With 15 caps and four goals for France, he provides a valuable second or third option if defenses focus too much on Mbappe or Dembele. As a left- footed winger, Olise usually starts from the right, and brings France touch, patience, deception, set-piece quality and that calm final pass that can turn a crowded box into an open shot.

In a France team built around Mbappé’s gravity on the left, Olise gives Deschamps a way to attack the other side without the whole possession feeling like it has to tilt toward one superstar. His club season has pushed him from “nice option” into “how do you leave him out?” territory. Olise netted 25 goals and 28 assists in all competitions for Bayern this season, leading the Bundesliga in assists and finishing second to teammate Harry Kane in goals + assists, and led the league in Big Chances Created.

Olise’s game-changing ability could be one of the decisive factors in the late stages of the tournament. The group and early knockouts set up well for France. They will be heavily favored against Iraq, Senegal and Norway, but those are three very different games.

Iraq may defend deep and force France to break down a low block. Senegal have the athletes to make the game physical and chaotic.

Norway have Haaland and Ødegaard, which means France may need to control the ball and avoid turning the match into a transition shootout. Olise helps in all three versions because he can play fast when the counter is there, but he is also comfortable when France have to be patient.

The larger question is whether this becomes his tournament or merely his introduction. Mbappé is still the main character. Dembélé is the Ballon d’Or winner. Doué is the rising star. But Olise might be the cleanest fit for what France need around them, a right-sided creator who can press, combine, deliver, and score without demanding that the attack revolve around him.

Given his outstanding club season, if France win the World Cup powered by an breakout tournament from Olise, he could be on the short list for the next Ballon d’Or.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/

faith in sports

With the World Cup on the horizon, what better way to get you acclimated to the U.S. roster than sharing the faith testimony of U.S. player Mark McKenzie.

This is the full 44 minute video below, so you might need to do it in pieces, but it's a great watch and gives you some awesome insight into the pressures being felt by the U.S. team as they get ready to play on home soil.

McKenzie also talks about growing in his faith and how his personal story has helped him navigate his way through the crowded U.S. player pool into a spot on this year's World Cup team.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday June 4, 2026

#DMD

Issue #4309

points to ponder

Well, that didn't go as planned last night at Fenway Park.

I was having a bite to eat with a friend and the TV in front of us was airing the O's game. He's a fan. I'm a fan. Discussion naturally turned to the Birds and their recent improved pitching and overall play.

In one of those weird moments you occasionally experience, I was about to say, "One guy I really like is that Blaze Alexander kid."

But we got onto another subject in that moment and I held the thought. The very next batter lofted a routine fly ball into centerfield that suddenly became no-so-routine. It bounded 20 feet over Alexander's head, scoring two runs and leading to an uprising that took the game from 3-0 to 8-0 in the 5th inning.

Some things, I guess, are better left unsaid.

For the record, I do like Alexander. He's versatile. He hustles. He's scrappy. I realize guys like him are like coffee shops in Los Angeles; there's one everywhere you look. But I like Alexander, last night's defensive gaffe notwithstanding.

There are a lot of things about baseball I love and a few that I despise.

One of the things that drives me absolutely batsh*t crazy is the official scorekeeper's refusal to give a professional player an error when they deserve one.

There were two fly balls misjudged in last night's game and, on both occasions, the offensive player was rewarded with a hit and the defensive player was not tagged with an error. #clownshoes

"I lost it in the lights," might be the excuse.

"That's a shame," the scorekeeper would then say. "Next time, pay more attention to it off the bat and don't lose it in the lights and I won't give you an error for that."

Even worse, maybe, is the guy at the plate somehow gets credited with a hit, like Taylor Ward last night. The official play-by-play released by MLB reads: "Reached on an infield single to shortstop".

No, that's actually not what happened.

"Reached on a fly ball that was misjudged and/or misplayed by the shortstop, resulting in the batter standing on first base."

That's what happened.

Too wordy?

No problem. Here's something a little more concise: "Ward reached on error by the shortstop."

I have never for the life of me understood why the scorekeeper's are so petrified of handing out errors when they're deserved. They happen all the time. It's baseball. Mistakes in the field occur. Just ask the Rays, they had 34 errors in the 3-game series in Baltimore last week.

Oh, and Chris Bassitt left with back tightness after allowing 3 runs in three innings of work. Albert Suarez came in and was successful for one inning, but got lit up in the 5th, thanks in part to Alexander's gaffe in the outfield.

You have those kind of games along the way, remember. Let's not get overly amped up about getting roasted by a lousy Red Sox team last night.

I do still believe this: The tide is turning. In our favor.

Because I look for weird things or occurrences that have happened in sports, I stumbled upon this nugget yesterday.

Today, June 4, is the anniversary of Don Drysdale's 6th consecutive shutout in 1968.

You read that right.

Six. Straight. Shutouts.

Not six straight complete games.

Six straight complete games that were also shutouts.

These days, I don't think you'll ever again see a pitcher in either league throw six complete games IN ONE SEASON.

So far in '26, there have been seven total complete games, by seven different pitchers.

Last year, there were 29 complete games in total along with 13 shutouts. For the entire season.

The league leaders in complete games last year? There were three guys with two each.

Drysdale threw six straight shutouts in 1968.

Now, it's fair to point out that accomplishment came at a time when men were men. I get it. Pitchers actually took personal pride in throwing a complete game. Jim Palmer, you probably know, had 211 of them.

You read that right: 211 complete games.

Palmer started 521 games in his Hall of Fame career and pitched all 9 innings (plus) in 40.4% of those games!

It's almost unthinkable, right?

Speaking of the Dodgers and pitching, Shohei Ohtani last night allowed 2 hits and no earned runs in six innings of a 7-0 win in Arizona. Ohtani's now 6-2 and his ERA so far in '26 is 0.74. His bat might not be clicking on all cylinders yet, but his pitching arm sure is.

And since we're on the topic of streaks and such, we all know Joe DiMaggio holds the streak for the most consecutive games with a hit at 56.

Pete Rose chased after that record in 1978 when he produced a hit in 44 straight games.

Since Rose's run, no player has made it to 40. Paul Molitor of the Brewers had a hit in 39 consecutive games in 1987.

Here's something wild. In the history of baseball, how many players do you think have had a hit in 30 consecutive games or more?

Think about that for a second.

In baseball history, all of those seasons, all of those games, all of those (great) players and hitters, how many times has someone had a 30-game hitting streak? That's basically one month of getting a hit every single night.

The answer is 37.

The real oddity though? Only one guy has done it twice.

Rose didn't do it.

Musial didn't do it.

Even DiMaggio didn't do it twice.

But Ty Cobb did.

Cobb had a 40-game streak in 1911 and then a 35-game streak in 1917.

One other funny note from the hitting streak department.

Rod Carew never had a 30-game hitting streak.

Neither did Ichiro.

Neither did Wade Boggs or Tony Gwynn.

If you asked a baseball historian to rattle off their Top 10 Greatest Hitters of All Time, those four names would almost certainly be on the list.

They didn't reach 30 games. But Ryan Zimmerman did. So Dan Uggla. Someone named Willy Taveres did it for Houston in 2006.

Weird, huh?

One last note on streaks and it's a personal one of sorts. I made three birdies in a row yesterday for the first time in 2026, making a "3" at the 5th hole at Eagle's Nest, a "2" at #6 and a "4" at #7.

Three birdies in 18 holes is generally good for any level of golfer. Three in a row is pretty cool, but it's the same as making one at #4, #12 and #16. They all count the same, no matter where they fall on the card.

My personal record is five in a row. I've done it three times. They're like holes-in-one, you remember them distinctly. The first time I did it was a Clifton Park, #1 through #5. Ironcially, #6 is an easy par 5 and I hit the green in two shots and then three putted for a par.

I birdied the first 5 holes of the 2004 Baltimore Fall Publinx at Mount Pleasant. I then made par at #6, bogeyed #7 (from the freakin' middle of the fairway) and then birdied #8, #9 and #10. I was 7 under standing on #11 tee. Then reality set in and I finished with a round of 4 under 67.

The most recent run of 5 birdies in a row was in 2016 at Briarwood GC in York, PA. And I missed an 8-footer for birdie at 18 that would have given me six in a row.

I bring all of this up to say: I looked up the PGA Tour record for most consecutive birdies made in one round. It's NINE!!

Two guys -- Mark Calcavechhia and Kevin Chappell -- once upon a time made 9 straight birdies in a round of golf.

Earlier this season, Chris Gotterup made 8 consecutive birdies.

Tiger's record on TOUR is "only" six in a row. Somehow I figured he'd have done better in that category.

There's never been a perfect round of golf, where someone birdies (or eagles) all 18 holes. The chances of that happening appear to be slimmer than slim. No one's even come close, in fact. There was a player in Australia a few years back in some sort of mini-tour, minor league event who made 14 birdies in 18 holes, but 18-for-18 is just not attainable. Apparently...

Oh, and speaking of Kevin Chappell, at the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion GC in Philly, I happened to see Chappell practicing bunker shots and wandered over to watch and, potentially, chat with him.

Earlier that week on my morning radio show, I listed Chappell as my "dark horse" candidate to perhaps win the national open golf championship. Chappell was a former All-American at UCLA who was one of those college hotshots that everyone thought was going to be an ass-kicker on the PGA Tour. His career wasn't off to a great start and I thought he could sneak up on people that year at Merion.

He thumped a couple of bunker shots softly onto the practice green and then looked my way.

"Let's go Kevin," I said. "I picked you as my dark horse to win this week."

He didn't say anything.

I fumbled with something in my pockets.

Then he splashed another ball out of the bunker and turned to me: "Good for you," he said.

And that was that.

He got out of the bunker, knocked the dirt off his shoes, and wandered off to his next practice challenge.

A stranger, standing next to me, heard the exchange.

"He seems like a pleasant fellow," the man said.

We laughed and went on with our journey to watch golf.

	RANDY MORGAN on World Cup 2026
As World Cup 2026 approaches, our #DMD soccer reporter, Randy Morgan, previews the teams we'll see this summer as the tournament makes its way to North America.

countdown to the world cup - 7 days to go

Today's featured team: Netherlands

Group: F — Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

How they Qualified: Won UEFA Group G. The Dutch finished unbeaten with 20 points, three ahead of Poland, and sealed qualification with a 4-0 win over Lithuania. Tijjani Reijnders, Cody Gakpo, Xavi Simons and Donyell Malen scored in the clincher.

Best World Cup Finish: Runners-Up (1974, 1978, 2010)

Transfermarkt Roster Value: $897.3 M

FIFA Rank: 7

Odds to Win Group: -130

Odds to Advance: -1400

Odds to Win Cup: 20-1

Key Players:

Virgil van Dijk — Center Back — Liverpool (Premier League). Van Dijk is 34 now, and he is not quite the same overwhelming athlete he was at his peak, but he is still the organizer and emotional center of the Dutch team. Transfermarkt values him at $21.2m, with 90 caps and 12 goals, and his importance is bigger than the number.

In a team that can look dangerous in possession but occasionally loose in transition, Van Dijk is the player who gives the whole thing authority, anchoring one of the best back lines in the tournament.

Frenkie de Jong — Midfielder — Barcelona (Spain). De Jong is still the midfielder who makes the Netherlands feel like a Dutch team. Transfermarkt values him at $52.9m, and when he is healthy, he gives Koeman press resistance, ball progression and control in the first two phases of buildup.

The Netherlands have more direct runners and more vertical threats than some past versions, but De Jong is the one who can dictate the pace of the game.

Cody Gakpo — Forward/Winger — Liverpool (Premier League). Gakpo is probably the most reliable attacking piece in the squad right now. Transfermarkt values him at $76.4m, and he has 19 goals in 48 caps for the national team.

He can start wide left, drift central, attack the back post, take penalties, deliver set pieces and give the Netherlands a goal threat that does not depend entirely on a traditional No. 9.

Playing Style and Outlook:

The Netherlands may be the best team in the tournament just outside the true favorites. That sounds strange for a country ranked seventh in the world, with a nearly $900 million squad and a long tournament pedigree, but that is where they are. They are not carrying the same hype as France, Spain, England, Brazil, Argentina or Portugal. They are also probably better than most of the teams being treated as dark horses.

Ronald Koeman’s team is built around a pretty logical 4-2-3-1, though there is enough flexibility in the back line and fullback roles that it can look different depending on the opponent.

Their projected lineup has Bart Verbruggen in goal, Denzel Dumfries, Jurriën Timber, Van Dijk and Micky van de Ven across the back, Ryan Gravenberch and De Jong in the double pivot, Reijnders as the advanced midfielder, Gakpo on the left, Malen on the right and Memphis Depay up front.

That may not be the exact lineup, but it captures the idea of a strong defensive spine, two midfielders who can play through pressure, fullbacks who can provide width, and Gakpo as the most dependable attacking outlet.

The best version of the Netherlands is controlled without being slow. De Jong and Gravenberch can help them build, Reijnders gives them late runs and more goal threat from midfield, and Gakpo gives them a player who can turn possession into something dangerous.

They are also a real set-piece team, which matters in tournament soccer. Van Dijk scored with a header from a Teun Koopmeiners corner against Norway in March, and Gakpo, Memphis, Koopmeiners and Reijnders all give Koeman delivery options.

The March friendlies were useful because they showed both the promise and the caveats. The 2-1 win over Norway was a solid performance, but Norway were without Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, which is a pretty significant asterisk. Still, the Dutch showed they can come from behind, with Van Dijk scoring from a corner, and Reijnders finding the winner after a quick midfield turnover and a Dumfries cross.

The Dutch have one of the best and most dynamic back lines in the tournament. Van Dijk is the centerpiece but van de Ven brings size and speed as his center back partner while Dumfries and Timber (or Ake) complement each other well.

Dumfries will fly up the right side and get heavily involved in the attack while Timber and Ake both provide a steady presence on the opposite side, with enough quality on the ball to drift inside at times, providing an extra midfielder.

The striker question is the biggest issue. Memphis is the all-time leading scorer for the national team and still has the penalty-box instincts and set-piece quality to matter, but he has been dealing with fitness issues. Wout Weghorst gives them a useful late-game option, Donyell Malen has been hot to close the season for Roma, and Gakpo can play centrally if Koeman wants a different profile, but there is no obvious world-class No. 9 here.

That is probably the main reason the Netherlands are a step below the top tier of favorites. The defense and midfield look like contender-level units. The attack is good, but not quite as terrifying.

The group is manageable, but it is not a free pass. Japan are the toughest opener they could have drawn from this group because they are tactically organized, comfortable defending without the ball, and dangerous in transition. That first match in Dallas may tell us a lot.

If the Netherlands can control Japan without getting caught by Kubo, Doan or Japan’s wingback runs, they probably take command of the group immediately. If Japan get a result, Group F becomes much more interesting.

Sweden are the more physically dangerous opponent. With Viktor Gyökeres, Alexander Isak and Anthony Elanga, they have enough attacking talent to make any back line uncomfortable, even one led by Van Dijk. The Dutch should have more midfield control, but Sweden can turn a match into a more direct, aerial, second-ball contest than the Netherlands would prefer. That second game in Houston is probably where Koeman will most need Van Dijk, Van de Ven and the midfield screen to stay connected.

Tunisia are the game the Netherlands should win, they would prefer not to enter the game needing a result. Tunisia will likely sit compact, defend in numbers and try to counter. That is where the Dutch need patience, width and set-piece execution. It is also where the striker issue could show up if they dominate territory but do not turn it into clean chances.

The market has the Netherlands as clear Group F favorites. Japan and Sweden are good enough to make this competitive, but the Netherlands have the best blend of defensive structure, midfield control and attacking options in the group.

The larger question is whether they can actually win the tournament. Koeman recently said the Netherlands have enough quality to beat anyone, even if they are not widely viewed as one of the top favorites, and that is probably the correct framing. They can beat anyone, but they may not be quite complete enough to beat three or four elite teams in a row.

Last World Cup they made a good run only to be knocked off in penalties by Messi’s Argentina, the eventual winners. That puts them in a fascinating spot. They have a world-class defensive leader, real midfield quality, a dangerous wide scorer in Gakpo, and enough tournament experience to navigate difficult moments.

If the No. 9 spot produces and the attack finds one more gear, this is absolutely a semifinal-caliber team. If not, they may once again look like the Dutch sides of the past, good enough to scare everyone, just not quite ruthless enough to finish the job.

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35 most interesting players to watch

7 - Harry Kane - England - Striker

Harry Kane has been England’s sure thing for so long that it is easy to forget how rare that is. England have had brilliant attackers, famous captains, and tournament icons, but they have almost never had a No. 9 this reliable for this long. Kane enters this World Cup as England’s all- time leading scorer, with 78 goals in 112 appearances, and he is still the player Thomas Tuchel will build the attack around.

He also arrives in outstanding club form. Kane has scored an absurd 64 goals with 8 assists across all competitions this season, notching hat tricks in each of his final two matches before the World Cup, leading Bayern to a German Cup trophy in his final game of the season.

That is not just “veteran striker still hanging around” production. That is a 32-year-old who is still one of the top two or three strikers in the game today.

What makes Kane especially important for England is that he solves two problems at once. He is still their best finisher, but he is also one of their best connectors. With Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers, Nico O’Reilly, Declan Rice and others around him, England do not need Kane to run away from defenders all tournament.

They need Kane to pin center backs, drop into midfield at the right moments, play the pass that releases a runner, and then still be in the box when the move comes back around.

England’s attack can look brilliant when Kane drops and the runners fly past him. It can also get a little crowded if too many creators want the same central spaces. Tuchel’s job is to make sure Kane’s playmaking adds structure rather than slowing the attack down.

Kane is good enough to be the focal point of a World Cup winner, but England need the players around him to stretch the field so he is not constantly receiving with his back to goal in traffic.

The legacy piece is impossible to ignore. Kane has won the Golden Boot at a World Cup, broken the England scoring record, and now collected trophies at Bayern. But with England, the story is still unfinished. The missed penalty against France in 2022 is not the whole story of his international career, but it is still part of the mythology. So are the near-misses at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.

That is what makes this World Cup feel like the defining Kane tournament. England once again have enough talent to win it. Kane is still good enough to lead them there. And if they finally do end the long wait, it is hard to imagine the final chapter being written without their captain and record scorer right in the middle of it.

Check out the full countdown at: https://jrmorgan18.github.io/World_Cup_Website/