Other Games - 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup Edition (+ warm-up matches): Villa-watch

[adrenachrome]

I used to wear chinos and button down Polo shirts when I lived in Wichita, KS in the mid 1990's.

The reason?  I hate clothes shopping and in pre-internet times, I found that I could drive to the East Town Mall(Buick Regal GS and then Pontiac Firebird Formula, thanks for asking)  and park at a store called Dillards and be in and out within 5 minutes because I knew where these items were located.

True story.

You can tell a lot by the car somebody drives. In your case I can't decide if you were a detective in the local Wichita PD who then left and went on to successfully run his own private detective agency or a pimp?

I am fairly sure that I was a computer sytsems programmer back then.

I didn't even have a British drivers license at that time, so I had to learn over there.

The octogenarian driving instructor would say things like "Tom, give me some kinetic energy" and "this damn pizza driver behind can't drive for shit, you have to impede intelligently".  He was well chuffed when he asked "Which direction are we driving in, Tom" and I correctly answered. He said how do you know and I said from the position of the sun.

I have to say that I loved the sound of the Pontiac Firebird engine which was music to my ears.

When I returned to the UK many years later I bought a Honda Civic. Kinda lost interest in cars after that.

Thank you for attention to this matter.

[Jane]

How busy is it going to be at 1am here, tomorrow? Might need a little sleepie soon.

[Ian.]

Jogging bottoms should be banned unless only worn indoors.

Another Grandad outing himself. If you’re under 30 joggers are fine, utterly unacceptable at any other time or age.

Ha ha! Give over, I’m not a grandad just yet, although I did get into a local cup final recently cheap as they offered me OAP discount which I’m never going to be aloud to forget. I put it down to my very cool flat cap, which my kids now call my grandad hat.

I agree with SE, it’s like men have given up. However some have spent hundreds, thousands of pounds on tattoos and then their joggers look like cheap pyjamas from Primark.

[ChicagoLion]

Jogging bottoms should be banned unless only worn indoors.

Another Grandad outing himself. If you’re under 30 joggers are fine, utterly unacceptable at any other time or age.

Ha ha! Give over, I’m not a grandad just yet, although I did get into a local cup final recently cheap as they offered me OAP discount which I’m never going to be aloud to forget. I put it down to my very cool flat cap, which my kids now call my grandad hat.

I agree with SE, it’s like men have given up. However some have spent hundreds, thousands of pounds on tattoos and then their joggers look like cheap pyjamas from Primark.

Tattoos!
Now you have done it

[Dogtanian]

How busy is it going to be at 1am here, tomorrow? Might need a little sleepie soon.

I’ll be here, but don’t let that put you off! 

[Hopadop]

I used to wear chinos and button down Polo shirts when I lived in Wichita, KS in the mid 1990's.

The reason?  I hate clothes shopping and in pre-internet times, I found that I could drive to the East Town Mall(Buick Regal GS and then Pontiac Firebird Formula, thanks for asking)  and park at a store called Dillards and be in and out within 5 minutes because I knew where these items were located.

True story.

You can tell a lot by the car somebody drives. In your case I can't decide if you were a detective in the local Wichita PD who then left and went on to successfully run his own private detective agency or a pimp?

I am fairly sure that I was a computer sytsems programmer back then.

I didn't even have a British drivers license at that time, so I had to learn over there.

The octogenarian driving instructor would say things like "Tom, give me some kinetic energy" and "this damn pizza driver behind can't drive for shit, you have to impede intelligently".  He was well chuffed when he asked "Which direction are we driving in, Tom" and I correctly answered. He said how do you know and I said from the position of the sun.

I have to say that I loved the sound of the Pontiac Firebird engine which was music to my ears.

When I returned to the UK many years later I bought a Honda Civic. Kinda lost interest in cars after that.

Thank you for attention to this matter.

I had a friend whose dad had a Firebird, which seemed incredibly exotic in the days of Sierras and Cavaliers.

He had a newsagents just off Birchfield Road, which is probably why he wasn't the subject of a long running and much loved American 70s TV show.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I used to wear chinos and button down Polo shirts when I lived in Wichita, KS in the mid 1990's.

The reason?  I hate clothes shopping and in pre-internet times, I found that I could drive to the East Town Mall(Buick Regal GS and then Pontiac Firebird Formula, thanks for asking)  and park at a store called Dillards and be in and out within 5 minutes because I knew where these items were located.

True story.

You can tell a lot by the car somebody drives. In your case I can't decide if you were a detective in the local Wichita PD who then left and went on to successfully run his own private detective agency or a pimp?

I am fairly sure that I was a computer sytsems programmer back then.

I didn't even have a British drivers license at that time, so I had to learn over there.

The octogenarian driving instructor would say things like "Tom, give me some kinetic energy" and "this damn pizza driver behind can't drive for shit, you have to impede intelligently".  He was well chuffed when he asked "Which direction are we driving in, Tom" and I correctly answered. He said how do you know and I said from the position of the sun.

I have to say that I loved the sound of the Pontiac Firebird engine which was music to my ears.

When I returned to the UK many years later I bought a Honda Civic. Kinda lost interest in cars after that.

Thank you for attention to this matter.

My third guess would have been a test pilot given your location and dress. Thinking about it more, I don't think I've ever seen a pimp wearing chinos. Ignoring your questionable fashion sense , back then you had impeccable taste in cars. The Pontiac Firebird Formula is a thing of beauty. I'm both impressed and rather jealous and I'm not even that interested in cars.

[pauliewalnuts]

I used to wear chinos and button down Polo shirts when I lived in Wichita, KS in the mid 1990's.

The reason?  I hate clothes shopping and in pre-internet times, I found that I could drive to the East Town Mall(Buick Regal GS and then Pontiac Firebird Formula, thanks for asking)  and park at a store called Dillards and be in and out within 5 minutes because I knew where these items were located.

True story.

You can tell a lot by the car somebody drives. In your case I can't decide if you were a detective in the local Wichita PD who then left and went on to successfully run his own private detective agency or a pimp?

I am fairly sure that I was a computer sytsems programmer back then.

I didn't even have a British drivers license at that time, so I had to learn over there.

The octogenarian driving instructor would say things like "Tom, give me some kinetic energy" and "this damn pizza driver behind can't drive for shit, you have to impede intelligently".  He was well chuffed when he asked "Which direction are we driving in, Tom" and I correctly answered. He said how do you know and I said from the position of the sun.

I have to say that I loved the sound of the Pontiac Firebird engine which was music to my ears.

When I returned to the UK many years later I bought a Honda Civic. Kinda lost interest in cars after that.

Thank you for attention to this matter.

I had a friend whose dad had a Firebird, which seemed incredibly exotic in the days of Sierras and Cavaliers.

He had a newsagents just off Birchfield Road, which is probably why he wasn't the subject of a long running and much loved American 70s TV show.

WHen I was a student in the late 80s, we spent a few summers travelling around the US. We got about by doing driveaways (you deliver someone's car the other side of hte country for them).

Usually they were shite boring cars (although occasionally big enough to sleep in, to save money).

The one time we had a 5 litre early 80s Camaro. It looked brilliant (like something off Dukes of Hazzard), had an engine the size of a fucking house, but had shite spongey handling that was about as involving as pushing a supermarket trolley around.

[yammers]

Folarin Balogun has had his one match suspension suspended for 12 months under some special clause under rule 10.5!

[PeterWithesShin]

They really don't even try and hide they are corrupt. Anyone think a Ghana player would have the same outcome.

Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban was suspended by Fifa.

The 25-year-old striker was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won their last-16 tie 2-0.

Fifa said that the ban will be suspended for a year.

"In line with article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," it said in a statement.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

[Flamingo Lane]

Folarin Balogun has had his one match suspension suspended for 12 months under some special clause under rule 10.5!

That's a disgrace.

[PeterWithesShin]

US President Donald Trump thanked Fifa for "reversing a great injustice" in a post on Truth Social.

Trump wrote: "Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was among those who demanded the decision to be reviewed.

Asked about the USA's World Cup performance during a news conference, Rubio said: "It was great. They got screwed with that red card.

"There needs to be an appeal process for that. It's probably too late for that."

[Gareth]

In plain sight…..

[PaulWinch again]

Basically sets precedent to render red cards irrelevant. I know they let Ronaldo through and that was scandalous, but this is mid-tournament.

[Somniloquism]

The US will struggle to beat Belgium with their best striker suspended.

I expect Infantino is already on the phone to get that decision overturned.

With Belgium it will depend upon whether they still think a midfield of De Bruyne and Tielemans works.

Called it.