O’Donnell: Synthetic drama intended to hold audience for U.S. in ’26 World Cup
BILLIONS OF MEDIA WORDS IN SCORES OF LANGUAGES are being written and broadcast about the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Some regional wars aren't covered with such blanket intensity.
It's even rivaling the impending Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding for people-peeping interest among the American mainstream.
Around Chicago, it's enough to make a trendy pastimer forget about the pitching woes of the Cubs or the Lazarus-like resurrection of the thawed White Sox for cross-passing summer interludes.
BUT BEYOND THE ANALYTICAL HEAT WAVE, three certainties hover as the United States participates as a host nation for only the second time in the 96-year history of the grand global event:
· A winner will emerge from the championship game on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.;
· The United States Men's National Team won't be it; and,
· Any drama or longer match count generated by that USMNT isn't enough for the profit residuals of Fox Sports and its many affiliated sponsors.
THE DECISION OF U.S. COACH MAURICIO POCHETTINO to rest nine regulars during a meaningless match against Turkey (or “Turkiye,” to more proper contemporary semanticists) Thursday night was exactly the sort of artificial theater the Fox side of the tournament needed.
Before the start, the U.S was assured of advancing out of group play into a knockout stage opener vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday (Fox, coverage begins at 5 p.m.).
So the Turks won 3-2 in the 97th minute on a traffic-aided goal in as close to a buzzer-beater as world-class futbol can offer.
ATTENDING MEDIA POUNCED ON POCHETTINO afterward, some American jingoists essentially asking how he could possibly move the USMNT forward with a record of 2-1 rather than a chip-shot 3-0.
The 54-year-old Argentine, who has been playing and coaching the game at impressively high levels since his teens, responded with flared nostrils and abject scorn.
He even called such scoffing media “petty.”
(In full truth, his decision was analogous to an NFL coach, playoffs-assured, sitting regulars in Week 18 to prepare his shock troops for the money minutes ahead.)
BUT THE PRIME TURF WORD WAR certainly juiced interest in the impossible dream phase of the USMNT's hunt for a sustained July.
On Friday, overseers of the U.S. Soccer Federation were so unhappy with Pochettino that they renewed him as head coach of the team for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, to be crescendoed in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
SO STRATEGIC “PETTY” APPARENTLY PAYS and billions of media words in scores of languages can't change that.
Nor can the updated 28-1 odds against the U.S. winning the '26 World Cup.
Now if only there were a fate-driven path for Pochettino and side to keep renewing their way to MetLife Stadium in three weeks.
STREET-BEATIN':
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Lost in the NBA draft shuffle was that Ayo Dosunmu signed a five-year, $112M extension with the Timberwolves after being dealt by the Bulls last February. Two conclusions: 1) Brad Underwood's Illinois is amassing a platinum standard for talent acquisition; and 2) If “The Shawshank Redemption” included a prison-yard basketball team, it would have been the Bulls of Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley (with a whole lot of wall-chipping to escape.) …
Two events passing in the night: The Chicago Historical Society's unveiling of parts of that documentary on Sox legend Dick Allen Thursday evening was packed; the “Horace Grant Day” tribute at Reggie's in the South Loop drew a cameo by Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson and foxhole Grant friends including brother Harvey, Craig Hodges, Dave Corzine, Jeff Sanders and 1990 World Series MVP Jose Rijo. …
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.