Big Balls
In 2014, Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando played for the USA in the World Cup. 11 years later, Diego Luna and Emeka Eneli might be on the right path to 2028. And, BYU bans the band at basketball games.
They elbowed him in the face.
» There was so much blood that a change of shirt was needed for Diego Luna. His nose reset on the touch line, cotton jammed in each of Luna’s nostrils, it was a foregone conclusion we could’ve heard the crunch — if the tv cameras wanted us to.
On a chilly Wednesday January 22 in Orlando, two players from Real Salt Lake, Luna and Emeka Eneli, started for the US men’s national team, the first time that’s happened since 2014.
“He’s asking for the ball,” said Kyle Martino. And so Luna obliged, sending a 30-yard pass into space directly behind Costa Rica’s last defender that Brian White collected. The Vancouver Whitecaps striker sent a wormburner past Costa Rica’s goalkeeper for a 1-0 USA lead.
Brings Back Memories» “I wished I was still playing under Pablo,” said Martino of Luna’s current coach at Real Salt Lake, American soccer legend Pablo Mastroeni, who coached Kyle at Colorado and played what Emeka Eneli was playing—a deep-lying 6.
18 Years Ago» Mastroeni’s No. 5-ranked US team faced embattled Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad for this World Cup tuneup in 2006. “We come into every game with the same philosophy,” said Mastroeni. “We play to get a result. [US head coach] Bruce (Arena) always puts guys in roles he knows they can handle.” [The US lost, 4-1.]
In 2014» Against Nigeria, Jurgen Klinsmann got it right again, but this time as US head coach. He selected Kyle Beckerman as one of two holding midfielders ahead of the US back four that was “performing a balancing act” in the run up to the World Cup.
Though the circumstances are different now and the USA has an automatic bid to the 2028 World Cup it’ll be co-hosting, for Luna and Eneli their aim will be the same as Beckerman’s and Rimando’s: make the team.
As for Eneli, he moved back and forth with the game in chilly Orlando. Like Sergio Busquets, the Real Salt Lake midfielder was composed, a rock that abuts the onrushing current; the thud from his cleat into a Costa Rica defender resulting in complete control of the ball.
“All game long he’s been in wonderful positions in possession … lovely awareness to put that back to the top of the box,” said Martino of the pass by Eneli that led to a Caden Clark goal in minute No. 72, increasing the Americans lead from 1-0 to 2-0.
After the game, the team in muddy and bloody white shirts left the bumpy pitch 3-0 winners against Costa Rica. It was a gutsy performance from Luna and Eneli as January camp concluded, one that didn’t escape the sight of USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
“Big balls,” said their national team coach. «
Coach Grime
RUMORS » The Colorado Buffaloes are overrated and thus don’t deserve to be one of the top teams in America, having suffered a humiliating 36-12 defeat at the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio to BYU.
It may be a fact. Colorado athetic director Rick George has yet to extend the contract of head coach Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders—it is set to expire in 2026. There are other issues, too; the school was forced to self-report six recruiting violations to the NCAA, one of which occurred during the Buffs’ weekly coaches show:
The school also agreed to “implement new institutional controls on the football weekly coaches show,” per the school’s report. “The content will no longer be livestreamed. External relations will therefore be able to review and edit content that could be construed as impermissible publicity of (recruits).”
Anyway, rest assured the bad news probably is not over yet. As you saw in the video, there are still opportunities for unhinged players, coaches and hangers-on to shine. To quote the new strength coach, ‘Buckle up…how did you like the bowl game?’ Sports Illustrated has assigned a beat reporter to the program and has already been uncovering rocks. In the meantime, Deion’s kids Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, as well as Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter are all gone to the NFL. What happens next will be one to watch. «
Overthink This Photo 📸
📷 » Reese’s Senior Bowl
The pride of Kearns High, AKA Jeffrey Bassa, invades Mobile, Alabama this weekend. The Oregon linebacker, who had 54 tackles and eight sacks as a senior, will join other locals such as Roy/Corner Canyon prep Jaxson Dart and Bingham’s Junior Tafuna and a host of others at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the pre-eminent showcase for the upcoming NFL Draft. «
Cougar Tale
Some People Say » That the BYU Cougars administration can sometimes be a bit obstinate and obfuscate the truth with its Honor Code. When the school's athletic marketing department forbade the pep band from playing live music at BYU basketball games, however, it raised more than a few eyebrows and brought forth a petition [see below].
As of yesterday January 26, the petition had over 2,500 signatures. The petition to support the reinstatement of the BYU pep band at home basketball games can be found at: change.org. And, it has entrenched itself as a #whatarewedoing candidate. Congrats to BYU’s athletic marketing department! *eyeroll* «
#WhatAreWeDOING Playoffs [Most-voted candidate advances to next round; two candidates per week]
» #1 Candidate: This candidate did not make it on the BVU Show though it most assuredly would have, had I known about it earlier. This is BYU’s marketing dept’s response to the above petition filed by the ROC, BYU’s student section:
Pep bands are as much a part of the fabric as the game itself. For a marketing department to slash such a vital program smacks of sheer stupidity. What’s next, pre-recorded music? Oh, wait; that’s what they’re using…
» #2 Candidate: Life was good for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team after a national-championship clinching victory over Notre Dame. So, the team’s female assistant coach hopped in the golf cart along with head coach Ryan Day and a handful og key players for the short drive over to the press roo—
THUMP! Uh, um … she totaled the golf cart and had to walk over to the press conference.
Advancing to the #whatarewedoing playoff second round thus far:
Frat pledge set on fire
Player pushes his coach
Thanks for reading; be safe and be well. I’ll see ya next time. «