James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 11/10/2026It was thrilling in person. Nothing cagey about that one. Teams throwing haymakers. And I was left encouraged. My fear was that Spain would be able to hold the ball and limit US chances. They couldn’t manage it. Ball just don’t go in sometimes. Wilson had a strong match and bad luck. 060
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 09/10/2026I don’t need wide parity (beyond 5-6 teams per year), nor do I mind expansion. I’m most concerned about the floor. If the floor keeps being raised, great. The bottom NWSL teams need to be able to out compete all but the top 10-15 European teams. If they can’t do that, it’s a drag on the whole league 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 08/10/2026This is going to be the model. Sign an undervalued player, play them 1-2 years and get performance out of them. Sell them for funds to increase the cap. 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 08/10/2026Again, MLS as a real estate play sabotaging the actual soccer. North Texas isn’t a developmental squad. It’s an “anchor tenant” for an “entertainment district” in Mansfield, TX. Same reason DC doesn’t even have an MLSNext side. Owner is waiting for public handouts from Baltimore. 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 08/10/2026This pleases me, a former Orioles fan who probably stayed angry for a whole year about Jeffrey Maier in ‘96. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 05/10/2026This is excellent. I lived most of it and someone less than half my age has captured its spirit. I could not more strongly recommend reading this piece. 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 04/10/2026He says it’s a joke. But this is totally serious. There are loads of Mexican-American fans that support both sides separately. And wear green to US-Mex matches, but will cheer US good play. Beating Mexico regularly and solidly is one way to bring more hardcore soccer supporters into the fold. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Clearly a young team. But I do like that the mistakes that have tended to lead to Chilean chances have been misplaced passes or losing the ball in bad spots but made because players are being aggressive and trying to play. Love seeing young players play with that confidence. 001
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026When you beat a side that is openly cheating too, you‘ve got some juice. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026That is far from the top technical form in handling a brolly that the English player is usually known for. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Washington post-Valley Forge was Clausewitz before the man himself. Understood the link between political leadership, the army, and the people. And he worked to keep each link in that chain strong. And he walked away like Cincinnatus, which is like +50 bonus points. 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 17/09/2026This is a woman that only won her 2024 race by 3 points. Cook has it with the new boundaries as R+6. So she’s on her way out as of now and clearly desperate. A quarter of her district is non-Cuban Latinos. Add it all together with a craven opportunist and you get this farce. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 13/09/2026When they are forced to carry play, they can’t do it. Same problem in the last two title matches. A lot to be laid at the feet of the manager. 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 02/09/2026NWSL: “Don’t even attempt to evaluate this move. Please do not be interested in your team and how it manages its roster. We will not furnish you any information whatsoever. Whatever you do, do not talk, speculate, or get excited/angry about the NWSL - EVER!” 030
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 20/08/2026I like single elimination and when MLS did that they ended up with the best teams in the later stages and final. But MLS is stuck trying to deliver more content and wants to get each team a home match. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Plus, it makes the lower seed, the weaker team, need to WIN. Which creates more scenarios where they can’t just bunker, have to open up, and more goals. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Home and away, total goals. Higher seed advances on a draw. No extra time or penalties until the final. No away goals. Higher seed chooses whether they want the first or second match at home. It’s straightforward, gets everyone a home match, and heavily incentivizes regular season results. 110
Reposted by James LambertLyndsay @lyndzaroo.bsky.social · 13/08/2026Trinity on playing in DC 💛 “I can’t even fathom Audi not being my stadium right now.” 🫶🏼 1578
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 12/08/2026How much of this is driven by the cap? You sign a young player for peanuts. They perform strongly and raise their value and demands for salary on a second contract. So then you need to unload the player after two years so you get value before they walk at the end of the contract for nothing. 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Just having the votes to elect someone like him and not a voice for the older, smaller, investors is a big statement. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 03/08/2026Having a commissioner coming from an ambitious club is a good sign… 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 02/08/2026It is kind of wild that teams like Boavista or Botofogo can get away with not paying more than once. Why would you sell to a team like that? 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 02/08/2026People in the SG or people like the leadership of the franchise? 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 31/07/2026That’s a big gap on the roster staring Tara Rudd in the face. 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 29/07/2026We just do not learn, do we? This will be the 5th (!!!) time we have done this. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 29/07/2026It also helps when you are playing against Nigeria’s keeper! At fault on all three goals. Just at sea! Also: WAFCON dancing is undefeated. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Garber must believe he finally has the votes on the competition committee to advance this. I had hoped they would have made these changes two years ago to run up to the World Cup. But better late than never. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 28/07/2026“Sogut said United is better than last season’s squad that finished in last place.” #SquadGoals 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 27/07/2026And another assist for Trin. Heading for the @andre-carlisle.bsky.social 10/10 club. 1130
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 26/07/2026One you watch in the morning and early afternoon. The other in the late afternoon and evening. Full days of football! 040
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 26/07/2026Even getting people to turn on an MLS match one or two times is a huge win. The level of play is so much higher than many that quit on the league before remember. And so many of the atmospheres in stadium are good. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 26/07/2026I loved Ben Iroha. One of those small moves that turned out well that DC U seemed to always be making in the early years. Heck, Roy Wegerle was the same sort of move. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 23/07/2026Completely agree with you Kim. Long term, MLS has to become the top league in the world and buy everyone else’s talent to break Europe’s hold on the game. Like the NHL does. Only the US has enough large markets to support a 30 team elite league with parity and still make money. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 23/07/2026I love this strategy by the Spirit. Sign young, high upside players. Create a loan army if you need one. And then have talent on smaller contracts to backfill the team when the NWSL cap forces you to move successful players on. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Spain = game state monsters. Spirit = game state wimps. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026There was one youth World Cup, can’t remember which one, where if a team committed a foul they were not allowed to touch the ball in any way before the restart, so as to speed it up. In the group phase, reds left and right for tapping away the ball. Knockouts? Not one. Faster play. 000
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026These are all silly games. Just raise the cap and let the ambitious clubs, of which Gotham is one, drag the league forward with Racing kicking and screaming. And pay the women what they are worth. 120
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026I still today marvel at that ‘97 MLS Cup crowd. Almost 58K sellout in a two day long driving rainstorm. No one left until the trophy was awarded and the celebrations were underway. You could see steam and spray coming off of the supporters section! “Hey, this could actually work in America!”” 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026The best guy. I spent a whole day drinking with Eddie Pope on the day of the 2010 US World Cup opener against England. Day into night. Guy was definitely as cool and kind as Batogato says. 020
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Not an auspicious start. But I was determined and came back on August 18th to see United beat the league-leading Galaxy 2-1 at home. Harkes and Pope score. 24K in the house. Bouncing RFK. Stuck with them as they steamrolled to the first Cup. It was in my blood. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026I was hooked after living in Germany for the ‘94 World Cup and ‘96 Euros, which the Germans won. So I came home and the same week went to the July 31, 1996 DC United v. Kansas City Wiz match. It was a Wednesday. Muggy DC summer. Attendance 9457, but in reality much less. United lost. 110
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 14/07/2026It’s the absolute highest level of professionalism. They just hold it and hold it. No bad turnovers. Score and then strangle out the match. 010
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 13/07/2026We have so many problems we just aren’t close to solving because our society rewards those who put themselves first always, without apology. And they put themselves ahead of any goal or solution. The process of rewarding themselves and feeling like insiders is enough. It’s the lack of true ambition. 061
James Lambert @nothingemeritus.bsky.social · 13/07/202620 years ago I would have told you that US soccer is going places because when Americans put their minds and money to something, we tend to excel. The culture you nail here is part of my loss of faith in American soccer in the medium term and American society in general. 150
