John Nieman
I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, one of the reasons–probably the most important reason at this time– for following sports, is to in some way distract us from the serious cultural divides that beset us now. It takes us away. We can enjoy the purity of athletic competition and excellence.
Unfortunately, those cultural issues are increasingly encroaching upon the world of sport.
Those of us who love soccer were enjoying the afterglow of a marvelous tournament. Sure, there were moments of concern—mostly caused by the unnecessary intervention of Gianni Infantino. There was the ridiculous FIFA Peace Prize, the intervention in the Balogun red card, the imposition of hydration breaks during matches played indoors with air conditioning, and the absurd halftime show of the final.
But these instances were greatly outweighed by the games themselves. While many thought that increasing the number of teams would hurt the competition, in the end it clearly did not and we were able to enjoy moments of pure delight.
And then came the aftermath.
FIFA is a non-profit organization. Let me say it again: a non-profit organization worth around $7 billion dollars with close to 3 billion dollars in cash reserves. There is absolutely no need for private investment. Private investment is like a loan. The investors give you a bunch of money up front, but they expect a return. It is the tool of a cash-strapped business.
In addition, if an entity is seeking private investment it should be transparent and public, open to bids from many different sources. Investing in the world’s most popular sport is a no-brainer. It cannot help but be successful. The sport of soccer did not need investment.
In the way it was handled by Infantino, it appears that a single person in FIFA—Infantino—reached out to a single entity—the Kushner organization—and put a deadline for acceptance on FIFA. This approach only resulted in the benefit of the Kushner organization. And, most likely Infantino himself. The idea that there is even a question as to whether Infantino should be removed as president of FIFA is probably the most depressing part of the whole matter. I long for the latter part of August when the games begin and my mind can be distracted.
Of course, when speaking of the politicization of sport, the mind these days goes quickly to the WNBA. One can’t help but have an appreciation of the opportunism of Sophie Cunningham. She has managed—through Tiktok and YouTube—to go from being a relatively talented substitute forward to become a cultural icon. What started as a much-needed, open discussion about the poor state of officiating in the WNBA has morphed into an anti-woke, anti-transgender crusade with some MAGA overtones. And I don’t expect to hear Laura Ingraham repeating her “shut up and dribble” comment.
It will be interesting how this all plays out. If the end result is better officiating and more eyes on the sport, then perhaps it is worth it. I’m also fascinated by the career trajectory of Ms. Cunningham. At this point, I kind of see her as the Dennis Rodman of women’s basketball. A master of self-promotion with just enough basketball talent to make it worth noticing.
I have to admit that there is something to this. I must sheepishly admit that this is probably only the second time I have referenced the WNBA in this column in the 30-plus years I’ve been writing it.
USMNT renewed Mauricio Pochettino’s contract as head coach. Quite frankly, I’m not quite sure what I feel about this. One thing: I can’t think of any better candidate for the position right now. I’m pretty sure we won’t really be able to assess the decision until the Gold Cup in two years.
Finally, in the aforementioned 30-plus years that I have been writing this column, I have always ended with the Fat Boy Index. It was something I just kind of accepted. I have to say that, for me, GLP-1 is a life-changing experience.
I have been quite open about using it and I have found absolutely no negative side effects in my case. I know it is not for everyone, but I am profoundly grateful to my friends and family who encouraged me to try it. That said, Fat Boy Index: 231.
And, remarkably, we have reached a point where Martha is telling me that I cannot lose any more weight.