GuyWhoLikesSport

The commentariat reaction to the Socceroos’ draw with Paraguay was predictably smug and downbeat. The Athletic said the Bay Area “needs” some “box office” after the game, while other morons on social media wondered about whether the two sides had pulled a “Disgrace of Gijon” and played for a draw.   Nonsense.   Australia tried to win the game. Jordy Bos drove into the box and almost scored in the 89th minute, while Australia took a number of genuine shots from distance, while Paraguay did what they do and tried to break on the counter.  While you expect criticism of Australian and South American football from European and North American…

In Snatch, when Tommy is explaining to Turkish why he put Gorgeous George into a bare-knuckle boxing match, Turkish reacts angrily. Tommy asks him, “who took the jam out of your doughnut?” Turkish replies, incredulously, “You did. You took the jam out of my doughnut.”  He’s each of confused, bemused, and angry.   I’ve never fully understood what it’s like to have the jam taken out of my doughnut. My doughnuts have always been at least half jam-filled as I’ve been one or two of confused, bemused, or angry but never all of them.   Watching the Socceroos first half, however, I understood.   Who took the jam out of my doughnut?   Tony Popovic.   I don’t…

The Socceroos and Matildas do something to this country that no other international team does.   They unite us.   In a time of significant social division, I can think of one other thing in the wider Australian consciousness that does that: hating America.   On Saturday morning, we get a chance to combine them.  The national hatred of America goes beyond their meddling during The Dismissal, their uniparty foreign policy that we have blindly followed for no discernible reason even when other American allies have shown some spine, or even the current American regime.   All of that is a little bit too deep in my view.   The thing…