Hail GFOP!

I type with fingers still shocked and reeling after a night of Fever Dream, searing surprise and barely-controlled chaos. The US Men destroyed rival Mexico 3-0 in a game which saw four red cards, Weston McKennie’s “wardrobe malfunction,” and the game called early because of Mexican fans’ repulsive homophobic chants – but none of those are the cause of the startling set of emotions every football fan in this nation is no doubt experiencing in this moment. I still cannot believe this happened. Seconds before kick off, news broke that after a six-month global search, belatedly overseen by a new director of football handpicked from England, who scanned the world and interviewed over 10 candidates – we are doing this: six-months after his contract expired, Gregg Berhalter is going to return to be the new manager of the US Men’s National Team. Triple GGG 2 Electric Boogaloo.

The news broke in the kinetic cinematographic style of a last scene of Godfather movie in which characters tumble in fast-cut speed while opera plays loudly over a dramatic climax. Patrick Vieira was said to be one of 10 managers in a pool filled with global possibility. Jesse Marsch’s agent then announced Racine, Wisconsin’s finest, who had been favored to take over, was no longer a candidate. Jonathan Tannenwald then ratcheted up the drama by tweeting a new manager could be named as early as Friday. Who was controlling this story? As the US were set to kick off, Paul Tenorio unfurled the astonishing news-break: Cousin Gregg had won US Soccer’s version of Succession. “If it is to be said, so it be, so it is.” Gregg Berhalter is American football’s Billy Martin.

The fan response? Well there are 934 of them here as I type at 6 a.m. ET. Take a read yourself. The sentiment is largely not positive. It is also in stark contrast to Christian Pulisic, two-goal hero on the night, who declared post-game, "Today is a testament of the work that [Berhalter] put into this team." 

That is all we know until US Soccer holds their press conference, which I have to believe will be this afternoon. Matt Crocker, the new Sporting Director who arrived from Southampton, who has reportedly led a process that involved hiring global headhunters Sportsology, will explain the thinking that led to him to decide after six months of scandal, turbulence, investigation, front-office overhaul, and search, he decided to channel Roger Daltrey and go “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” To return to a manager who conjured three goals in an entire World Cup campaign culminating in a Round of 16 exit after which the opposing manager flexed at our lack of tactical sophistication. We had the chance for a fresh start – away from the footballing and personal baggage and trauma – which includes this awful, painful agony – and did not take it. Of all the coaches in the world who were available, we are back where we began. There is so much more we need to find out as to why.

Three more quick thoughts:

i. If it turns out that it was the players who rejected other managers and demanded Berhalter’s return, that is a bold gambit for many reasons. But with the World Cup coming here in 2026 – which will be on the Men’s side, the biggest transformative event ever to take place on US soil – the players themselves will be the face of our campaign. We are a player-led team now.

ii. Keep an eye on the length of Gregg’s contract. I believe it will extend all the way to World Cup 2026 and not just through Copa 2024.

iii. Perhaps the saddest and most deflating aspect of the whole experience: The lack of noise outside of our fervent US Soccer Bubble. This news felt so seismic. Yet, outside of our football-loving community, it was so quiet, it was shocking. This news barely made a dent on America’s consciousness. I would venture, most Americans have no idea who Gregg Berhlater is, never mind that he has come back to life like Jon Snow. This was one of those numbing nights, when our sport feels so siloed and small. There is still so much growing to do.

We will Amp Live on Sunday 🇺🇸🍻 That is right, in the wake of Sunday’s CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada we will Do it Live! Come and listen in as we Pod right at the Final Whistle. And our favorite part of these Pods on AMP, you can ask your questions live. Download the AMP and get involved. That link will also allow you to listen via laptop. Or just tell your Alexa,“Hey Alexa, play Men in Blazers” and you can listen in live.

2. To the game itself: USA 3 Mexico 0 🇺🇸🇲🇽

I podded at the final whistle so you can hear our instant reaction, game breakdown and analysis LISTEN HERE. Here’s the topline:

The United States gents, so many of whom have so much to prove as they seek new club teams this summer, were motivated, hungry and clinical. After difficult seasons it was phenomenal to see the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Sergino Dest and Yunus Musah revel in their football again, both individually, and collectively. It was also magnificent to witness Folarin Balogun take the field in a US shirt at last, and to see Ricardo Pepi replace him and score a goal that suggests this pool can have depth and options at No. 9. Having said that: Mexico were truly shambolic. On and off the field this was a night of shame for Mexican football. An insipid performance against their dread rivals. A manager, Diego Cocca, lost at sea just six games into his tenure. A tactical mismatch with his squad, letting the United States own the flanks unfettered, without a challenge.

I am elated for Christian Pulisic. To see him score his first goal, and charge off, roaring, before attacking the corner flag like a Hershey, Pa.-Jamie Vardy was to watch a gent back in his Happy Place, letting the stress, pain, and pressure of a lost season, fall off his shoulders. In the Tim Howard-Clint Dempsey days, the US team acted like a shelter from the storm for our Big Dogs – a familiar, restorative experience away from the frenzy of the Premier League grind. For Christian, pulling on a US jersey feels just like that and it is magical to witness.

b. Weston McKennie delivered a moment which will be remembered for decades, and cut into pre-game hype video for every big United States broadcast in the run up to the World Cup. The sight of Weston barreling into the melee to defend his teammates, having his shirt ripped off the shoulder like Madonna in her Papa Don’t Preach era, then swaggering off, nipples out, kissing his US Soccer Crest to all four corners of the stadium was iconic. A gesture that will live eternally like Gooch’s stare, and Matt Miazga’s patronizing head pat. A symbol of American dominance in a rivalry that has become utterly one-sided in our favor.

c. My favorite moment of the night was Ricardo Pepi’s back-breaking third goal. It was a lovely piece of Dest engineering and confident finishing. Yet, its true beauty lay in the emotions he must have experienced. A kid who missed out on the World Cup entirely, dragged himself back up and delivered a prolific club season, and then last night, carried it on with the national team and showed, after watching Balogun soak up the spotlight, this is going to be no Flo-Solo-Show. But more than that: Pepi hails from El Paso, Texas. The borderlands. The surging joy he and his proud family must have savored together. LISTEN TO THIS CLIP in which Pepi spoke to my friend Herc Gomez on VAMOS before the game. The 20-year-old described how excited he was – both to play Mexico and then to score against them. The language he uses: “Of course to score against them.” I adore that confidence. That tenacity. And to back up words with action is humanly immense. You can listen to that full interview on VAMOS RIGHT HERE.

One final point on the night: Canada are our true Regional Rival now 🇨🇦

The reigning Kings of CONCACAF clipped Panama 2-0 in a game of clinical moments rather than true dominance. Alphonso Davies needed just seven minutes to stroll on and announce his joyful dominance with this stunning piledriver-finish. Bring on Sunday night’s final (8.30 PM ET on Paramount+)

Share the Raven: If you enjoy this newsletter, please share it with as many of your football-curious friends as possible. Men in Blazers is based on community and word of mouth and we are immensely grateful to you for helping grow it. It is such an honor to do what we do at MiB as the sport’s profile is surging in our nation. We never take it for granted.

3. Listen to this before that game: My interview with Folarin Balogun

It was incredible to spend time with Flo Balogun – who likes to be known as “Balo.” A gent who has just pledged his international career to the United States, joining an English-American cadre which has quietly become the heartbeat of our team. As a British-American myself, I felt so much joy in the pride he articulates in this moment. A humble, emotionally intelligent gent whom I hope will score bagfuls of goals in a US jersey. LISTEN HERE to our Pod, in which we discuss his coming of age in the Arsenal academy, his decision to represent the USA, and why he feels the time to win is right now, a comment that feels very prescient in the wake of last night’s game. AND WATCH THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL. 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

4. Bud Light Sweepstakes win loads of Stuffffff

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You’ve long known about the GFOPs at Bud Light’s support of the game we all love. Now they’re giving us the chance to give away some exclusive prizes only to those of you reading this newsletter. Entering is easy: just head to budlight.com/MIB to enter for your chance to win signed gear, exclusive Bud Light merch, and more.*

5. Premier League fixtures are OUT. Season Kicks off in just 56 days.

Put the date in your book: Friday Aug. 11, 2023. The league we love is back. Manchester City will begin their push for a record fourth consecutive Premier League title away to City-icon Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. Well played, Premier League Scriptwriters, well played.

The outstanding fixture of the opening weekend will be at Stamford Bridge, where Mauricio Pochettino begins his Chelsea tenure by welcoming Liverpool on Sunday, Aug. 13. Battle not to be mid. Everton start their relegation funeral pyre by losing at home to Tim Ream and Fulham. MORE HERE

6. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. On City’s Triumph. Barney Ronay: Manchester City’s European ascent is a total victory for politics in football.

ii. Some incredible writing here: Jonathan Liew on what the Saudi golf takeover tells you about what is next for football. And it is not pretty at all.

iii. Mbappe’s refusal to extend his PSG contract has led to the Transfer Scramble of Scrambles. 🇫🇷 There are so few teams that can afford him. And most of the ones that could, had their plans already. Will those plans now be ripped up, and how does that impact all of the other players below him in the food chain? Miguel Delaney examines the Mbappe options

iv. The prospect of Messi in Miami: Joy, Disbelief and Concern.

v. Jude Bellingham unveiled at Real Madrid. Hard to believe a 19-year-Old has this much poise.

vi. Incredible story about vomit and Jack Grealish’s Mum’s bag.

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Summer is here and so is the Men in Blazers Summer Sale. Up to 75% off select items, including our Most Important Least Important Tee, our Logo Tee, and ‘72 Crewneck Sweatshirt. Our way of saying thank you for making football memories with us over this last season and getting prepped for a busy summer of football. Discounts will show automatically in your cart prior to checkout.

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8. The Women’s Game by Meg Swanick

a. Bring on the Weekend

Every so often the Soccer Gods smile on SoCal, bestowing Cali-derbies before raucous Cali-crowds. Cue Saturday, as the San Diego Wave host their LA neighbors, Angel City FC, in one of the final star-studded matches before the FIFA World Cup. San Diego look to stay atop the NWSL pack, with a home-stadium victory etched into place by star-spangled striker Alex Morgan, freshly returned from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. (Saturday, 4 PM ET, CBS). Later that day, a momentous mid-table battle brews in North Carolina. Two tough teams with unbridled potential straddle the playoff line, jousting to fight above it. North Carolina Courage vs. Orlando Pride is sure to entertain, as a seismic set of Brazilians pervade both teams: Orlando’s Adriana comes off a hot Florida-brace toppling Portland’s Thorns last week, and Carolina’s Kerolin unfurled a hattrick in Chicago, soaring to the top of the golden boot race. (Saturday, 7 PM ET, Paramount+).

b. Attendance, viewership on a steady rise in NWSL

America’s top flight women’s soccer league is now in its 11th season and evident growth in investment, sponsorship, club expansion, and attendance are tangible dividends showcasing the value of women’s sport. This season’s opening weekend broke records across the league, with a 50% increase in average opening weekend attendance compared to last year. With new figures released this week, that buzz has maintained itself well-into the season. NWSL announced a 48% increase in average regular season attendance compared to 2022, at the halfway point of the season. That number sits alongside a 21% bump in CBS viewership, and a whopping 50% increase in viewership on streaming platform Paramount+. With a World Cup still looming and national team stars from the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Japan (among others) sprinkled across the league, numbers at the end of year may soon surpass what is already worth celebrating.

c. FIFA finally settle World Cup broadcast deal for key European partners

Just five weeks from the World Cup’s first pass of a ball, broadcast deals remained in a state of flux for several of the World Cup’s most pivotal participating nations. That includes contenders for ultimate glory in Germany, Spain, France, Italy and the UK. While originally threatening a European “blackout” due to broadcast offers deemed insufficient, FIFA announced this week that deals have been struck to air the games across Europe. The show will go on (screen). More here.

Watch our new digital series, THIS WEEK IN NWSL, in which we recap the week that was and look ahead to this week’s biggest matches. This digital series is designed so that you can get a recap of the league’s biggest storylines in around three minutes. (And savor bangers on bangers.) WATCH, SHARE, SUBSCRIBE.

And a massive week for The Women’s Game here on MiB next week as we await the USWNT World Cup Roster Drop (look for some special content around that). And we record Episode 3 of Road to the Cup with Becky Sauerbrunn, our Pod following that human wonder as she attempts to go back-to-back-to-back. CATCH UP ON LAST EPISODE HERE 

9. Not Football and All the Better For it

i. Thanks to all of you who have sent me comments, articles and analysis of Luke Combs’ country remake of Fast Car. This article is wonderful. I loved this notion from GFOP @buddyofmine who has clearly read Reborn in the USA and understands the centrality of Tracy Chapman’s music in my life “Somewhere in England a young kid is becoming the next @rogbennett.”

ii. How did classic, austere children’s writer Beatrix Potter become an icon of the anti-hustle culture movement? Would Tom Kitten rise and grind? I don't think so.

iii. MiB was not consulted on this: LA Live To Be Renamed Peacock Place.

iv. Big week for dramatic funerals: Dead woman comes back to life at own wake. AND Man ‘fakes his death’ before ‘arriving at his own funeral’ in a helicopter to teach family a lesson. Last one feels like a re-telling of the Berhalter re-hire.

v. The good people at Long Reads put together this important collection: Outer Dark: A Cormac McCarthy Reading List. RIP Legend.

vi. It's not just you, Somehow, Airline Customer Service is Getting Worse. Air Travel is such a great example of human nature: we can soar through the sky, but we're going to make it the worst possible experience.

vii. The Slice of Our Union Is Strong: Everything you need to know about the pizza industry. Sometimes I think it is only pizza, coffee, and football that brings me joy.

viii. Worth a click for the photo alone: Andy Warhol piloting John Denver’s experimental bi-plane: Christopher Makos’s best photograph.

ix. Forteen-year-old becomes youngest graduate at Santa Clara University, gets hired by Elon Musk. College, internships, tutoring work, and now a full-time job all before the age of 15. Freddy Adu of his generation.

x. Today in headlines that sound fake: Cops in New Zealand seize record meth haul hidden inside jugs of maple syrup sent from Canada.

xi. If you post a delicious bagel sandwich on the internet, do you have to say where you got it?. Ultimately, the annoying content you put out is the annoying content that will be returned to you. I think Plato said that.

xii. I love this song and am grateful for it helping me get through this week: Shovel by Merci, Mercy.

That is it for today. It has been a week of gratitude in my home. My dog. Martin Scorsese found an old bottle of Aleve in a closet. Any dog owner knows how fatal that can be for their hound. He has been in hospital for the last week getting emergency kidney treatment and returned home last night, right before kick-off. We watched the game together, his little legs shaved off from where the IV had been. I am telling you this as I watch him charge around in my garden. He is a living, breathing reminder that we should take nothing for granted. Let everyday feel great for the little things it contains. And savor every single memory we can make together.

Big Love

Courage

Go, Go USA!

ROG

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