The Merseyside Struggle (some unexpected, others... very expected)

Hail GFOP! 

I type with fingers propelled by a sense of expectant delirium bordering on insanity. Close your eyes, and I swear you can hear the universe’s cosmic energy scream, “How the hell is the Premier League going to top itself this week?” Last weekend’s Cup overfloweth, with its Brazen Water Bottle Spikin’ American Glory at Leeds, Manchester City vulnerability, and United snapping back from the Dead. And the Transfer Window is poised to Slam Shut™, which signals the true and proper battle to commence. In truth, I am doubly buzzing with anticipation as I am poised for my annual return to Chicago trip which is happening next week. A precious 48 hours in which I will inhale all of the deep dish pizza, Al’s Italian Beef, and Harold’s Chicken Shack the city can throw my way. I love that place with all of the passion of Studs Terkel, Koko Taylor, and Joey Cora. Comiskey here I come. White Sox resurgence guaranteed. 

It has been a slightly crazy yet deeply meaningful week at Men In Blazers. We have spent a ton of time with a number of truly courageous human beings who have confronted FIFA on the issue of Qatar. Yesterday, I had a morning with Tim Sparv, one of the most intelligent and insightful footballers I have ever met. Read this and you will understand. I cannot wait for you to hear this FIFA series we are working on. It has been exhausting work, but it feels so bloody important as we build it, and I hope it listens that way too. 

One more thing I am quite excited by: We are finally on TikTok. It has been a crazy experience, experimenting with a platform with such an adrenaline-propelled algorithm. TikTok has Brenden Aaronson Heat Map energy. We are experimenting with the format and dropping some content which is only on that platform - like my Champions League Draw reaction on which Premier League club is most in danger of crapping out in the group stage. Please follow us here - and any feedback or ideas you have, we love to hear it.

If you have Pre-Ordered our Book: Submit proof of purchase here to get a Limited Edition Patch and an invitation to join our Oct. 11 Celebration for the book release, which should be quite Epic. Support your Indie Bookstores America 🇺🇸

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2. To The Football

i. Liverpool vs. Bournemouth (Saturday 10 AM ET, P’Cock)

Are these the Darkest Days for Merseyside Football? As many of you have devilishly pointed out, one Liverpool club is in shambles, the other half is right on par with expectations. You decide which is which.

To quote Aristotle for floundering Liverpool, “One swallow does not a summer make, but three bad results do convey a real wobble.” Klopp’s squad, undermined by an enormous injury list, the lack of the Mané that binds, a propensity to leak the first goal… and Witches… suddenly look slow and old. There have been hundreds of articles written comparing this flat August to the dead battery that was the beginning of the 2020-21 season (How we laughed when Villa won 7-2… but remember how Liverpool ended?) and Klopp’s seventh season Dortmund deflation which saw them wilt like a souffle. Has the failed quadruple chase demoralized the club and made them feel distinctly “Vincible?”

My take: They prob going to shake this off and win the Champions League final. Let’s talk after this game against patsy Bournemouth, who drag themselves in off the canvas after consecutive 4-0 and 3-0 slappings dispensed by Manchester City and Arsenal. I am braced for a Great Cherry Massacre. 

More: Why have Liverpool made such a slow start?

ii. Southampton vs. Manchester United (Saturday 7.30 AM ET, USA)

Was Monday night’s defenestration of Liverpool merely a Get-Up game, or the beginning of a Resurrection? Hasenhuttl will put his faith in suddenly potent Che Adams, as well as his cherished record of being “the Premier League manager with the most Euro-surname beginning with H.” Ten Hag will hope to be able to drop more F-Bombs at the final whistle. His marquee signing Casemiro has been granted a work permit, meaning he is available to drag his perfectly square body onto a Premier League field for the first time. The Brazilian winner has declared he is the “happiest man alive” after joining the club. Completely wrong attitude. He’ll have that kicked out of him in short order.

iii. Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace (Saturday 10 AM ET, P’cock)

Defending Champions City will seek to shrug off the bug in their system last weekend against Newcastle. Few teams have demonstrated their ability to play quickly from back to front via Zaha more than Palace, who won this fixture 2-0 last season. Rubberneckers Delight. 

iv. Chelsea vs. Leicester (Saturday 10 AM ET, P’Cock)

A buckling Brodge takes his stale Leicester down to “his Chelsea,” reeling in the wake of being stomped on by the groin-girding tight denims of Jesse Marsch. Winner gets to keep Wesley Fofana. #FreeChristianoPulisic 

v. Arsenal vs. Fulham (Saturday, 12.30 PM ET, NBC Proper)

Perfect Record meets bloody good one. The Gunners unleash their tasty Jamaica-esque warm-ups. The new kit release actually hits harder when the team is good. Who’d have thunk? Fulham are also soaring. Just three games in and it feels like they have already harvested more points than they did in the entirety of their last two relegation-doomed seasons combined. Proper London Derby test for both clubs. Fulham fans’ confidence levels no doubt soaring by news that I am interviewing Aaron Ramsdale next week… 

vi. Brighton vs. Leeds (Saturday 10 AM ET, USA)

Two of the brightest young managers in the Premier League collide. Unfortunately for Jesse Marsch, he will find it impossible to work out any way to beef with that bearded choir-boy Graham Potter pre-game, and so will be deprived of a way to work himself into that Jordan-esque, “I took it personally” mindset which propelled him to glory against Tommy Tuchel last weekend. Expect a lot of pressing, counter-pressing, counter-counter pressing, and please God, American Glory.  

More: Full Premier League Viewing Schedule Here

3. Men in Blazers. When not enough is too much. 

What a week it has been at Men in Blazers World HQ. Monday, on the Men in Blazers Podcast, Rog and Davo saluted Major Leeds Soccer's 3 - 0 victory over Chelsea Football Club. Plus, both guys say a lot of very nice things about Arsenal Football Club. 

PS. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL where we feature a weekly video version of the Pod. The only place you can truly gauge how much joy Rog gets from watching Jesse Marsch's Badger-pressing and tight jeans. WATCH HERE and smash that subscribe button. 

ii. Tuesday, we dropped a piece of content we are truly proud of. The second episode of American States United, Presented by ESPN+, our new Pod series with some of the biggest Baby Eagles stars abroad. This week, Rog sat down with USMNT and Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah (LISTEN HERE) to discuss his life's journey from Italy to England to Spain, his decision to represent the USMNT, and how he forges human connections through football. American States United is presented by ESPN+, the platform which enables you to follow the most of our Young American players’ fights for the No. 1 and No. 9 position. Sign up now at espnplus.com/GFOP and you can watch Yunus and Valencia take on Atletico Madrid at 4 p.m. ET this Monday.

iii. Wednesday, a new edition of MiB Do It Live! on Amp with special guest Tom Bogert aka American Fabrizio Romano aka Tommy Scoops aka the best thing out of Jersey since the Aaronson Brothers. We chop it up about the Pulisic sitchu and which young Americans are next to file those semester abroad papers. And a reminder that we're live on Amp every Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET during this Premier League season. Come listen to us live and actually get to hear yourself on the Pod, asking questions. Just download the Amp app and come be with us, GFOPs. Being with you is the highlight of our week. 

iv. Thursday, a new episode of The Women's Game with Andi Sullivan and Tierna Davidson, Presented by Paramount+. LISTEN HERE as the members of the Stanford soccer mafia discuss the mental challenges of overcoming injury, Alex Morgan's blistering form and Lo’eau LaBonta’s hurtin'-to-twerkin', amazing goal cele. 

Talking of the NWSL, what a weekend we have upon us as we enter the business end of the campaign. Only a top of the table clash between the first place Portland Thorns and second place San Diego Wave Saturday night at 10:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+. And Houston Dash, who are level with both of the aforementioned teams on points, will face the struggling Washington Spirit. That one kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET... guess where... Paramount+. Try Paramount+ free HERE by using promo code ITALY. 

4. More Football, Did Ya Say?

i. Champions League Draw was yesterday. You can see our breakdown of the tacky chintz of an event and determination of which English team won’t make it out of the group stage here. 

Favorable Europa League draws for Arsenal and United.

More: Group by Group Breakdown and predictions.  

PS. European Nights Season 2 starts next week. All Hail Rory Smith 🇪🇺

ii. No World Cup teams are yet to endorse the PayUpFifa campaign to compensate migrant workers. 

iii. Economic levers and buying players who can’t play: Explaining Barcelona’s unexplainable summer. 

iv. In Ukraine’s tough industrial heartland, where mining is life, FC Kryvbas won’t compromise for anyone. The front line is 40km away & the area is shelled daily, but they won’t be moved from their city ahead of the new season. 🇺🇦

You don't have to wait until next week for your fix of European football. Serie A is back starting TODAY on Paramount+, like a nice espresso outside on those red and white checked table cloths at Satriale's. Inter try and stay perfect as they take on Lazio at 2:45 p.m. ET today. And Saturday, it's the Old Lady of Turin (Juventus) against the Old Man of Rome (Jose Mourinho). It goes down at 12:30 p.m. ET. And Sunday, top of the table Napoli take on purple-clad Fiorentina at 2:45 p.m. ET. It all goes down on Paramount+. Did we mention that you can try Paramount+ free HERE by using promo code ITALY. 

5. Next Week at MiB Towers

Sunday. Episode 2 of our Pod series: MiB x Todd Snyder: Conversations on Creativity. This episode focuses on leadership, Todd's rise to the top of the fashion game and what he learned along the way. Catch up with Episode 1 HERE. This is a podcast we hope will help you not only dress better, but also teach you life lessons about creativity, collaboration, and rolling the dice on your own career.  

Tuesday, it is the return of the one and only... European Nights, Presented by Paramount+ with The New York Times’ Chief Soccer Correspondent Rory Smith, the Anthony Gordon to my Solomon Rondon.

6. Not Football, and All the Better For it

i. The 30 Richest Athletes in the World. Proof that Rich does not the Arlison make. 

ii. The Pain That Is Unlike All Other Pain. Epidural-less childbirth vs. Everton Fandom. Choose your adventure. 

iii. Mutual metabation: the future of dating is virtual reality. I have a friend who had a really intense four month relationship with another penguin on Club Penguin but her parents wouldn't let her put any of her personal information on the internet so it was all using a fake name and age and fake facts about herself and like four months in it became clear that she was inadvertently catfishing him and she was sadly banned for life from Club Penguin. May that be a cautionary tale for all of us.

iv. How Does NYCHA Keep Its Ancient Boilers and Elevators Going? It Makes Its Own Parts. "Six hundred thousand residents depend on elevators that are old enough to have ferried Biggie Smalls and heating systems that kept kids warm as their fathers stormed the beaches of Normandy."

v. Can the American Mall Survive? Abercrombie is poised for a comeback. I can feel it in the air. This book is AMAZING btw.  

vi. El Santo: Celebrating Mexico’s Biggest Horror Icon. Love this guy so much. One of the most formative pieces of media in my life.

vii. The utterly delightful site dedicated to classifying plastic bread tags. This guy should come check out the floor under my oven. Probably a bunch of rare ones down there.

viii. Your Doppelgänger Is Out There and You Probably Share DNA With Them. Didn't believe in doppelgangers until I found this MMA fighter who looks so much like a leaner, meaner me. It shook me to my core. 

ix. What Does It Mean to Win at Saving Lives? - Competitive lifesaving looks a lot like swimming ... until it doesn’t. Here’s a look inside one of the world’s most bizarre sports. Honestly can't believe I watched fourteen seasons of Bondi Rescue without learning about this.

x. Hazy summer photographs of 80s American life. Nothing says 80s American summer like a Boston 12-year-old smoking cigs out on the stoop. I love these images so much.

xi. James Bond Villains Ranked from Worst to Best. The Glazers are No. 1. Mourinho doesn’t make the list because he is technically an antihero.

xii. California Banned Gas Cars. Now It Needs a Plan for Fewer Cars. Radical idea here, rhymes with shmublic shmansportation. 

xiii. I love this Song: Green Thumb by Jet City Sports Club.

xiv. I read an Incredible Book this Week: The Last White Man: A Novel by Mohsin Hamid. Long time listeners know just how much I admire Mohsin. His appearance on our podcast is one of my Top 10 all-time. This book is audacious. Mohsin remains the most optimistic and brilliant writer of our time. Savor this taut beauty and try to channel Hamid-energy. Grab your Copy here. 

That is it for today. I am going to end with a lovely Raven we received (THANK YOU for all your correspondence! I try and reply to each one: [email protected]) from GFOP Chris Thiel, who wrote:

Rog,

Listening to the pod this morning, "Badger-Pressing and Cheese Curds," and pulling out the bags for the fall coaching season, I came across one of the scarves that our parents created a few years back for Duglegur SC. Inspired by your film about Icelandic football and the concept of “Duglegur,” that “unshakeable commitment and will to succeed," we named our youth team Duglegur SC. We have been through some ups and downs and ultimately prevailed at the Milwaukee Kickers Rec. tournament A great group of kids who took on a great name and had a lot of fun. 

Thanks again,

Chris

Chris. I am blown away by your story. It is a reminder that the conversations we have together day in day out occasionally carry an impact that transcends mere empty words frittering away into the vapor of the Universe, and it feels deeply meaningful. Thank you GFOPs for the honor of holding this conversation with us on a daily basis. To Duglegur. To more meaning and memory created together.

Big Love

Courage

ROG