USMNT’s happy quandary, plus NFL CB could face life in prison
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.
Good morning! Don’t be afraid to bench someone today. Inside:
Lessons: Headline
The U.S. men’s national team is in a place wholly unknown tonight: playing a World Cup game that means nothing, in a good way. The Americans are 2-0 in the Cup, the first time that’s happened since 1930. They’ve won the group.
And yet, we find some consternation over strategy, of all things. Who should coach Mauricio Pochettino play tonight? Should the stars keep the momentum going or take a rest?
Or maybe there’s a happy medium. Just look south of the border last night:
- Mexico, having sewn up the top spot in Group A, elected to sit multiple starters with no tangible results at stake. Despite that, the team walked out of group play with a perfect 3-0 record after a 3-0 win over the now-eliminated Czech Republic. It was the best-case scenario. They even gave Mexican goalkeeping legend Guillermo Ochoa a proper send-off
- U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed he is playing it (mostly) safe tonight, which I would argue is the logical choice. Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Folarin Balogun, all on yellow cards, will not play. Christian Pulisic, who missed the Americans’ win over Australia with a calf injury, is available, though it’s unclear whether he’ll start or come off the bench. Read that full update here.
Jamie Squire / Getty Images
I urge USMNT fans to simply enjoy the next few days. There is peace in this accomplishment, no matter the result tonight against Turkey. In a week, the Americans will play in a knockout match, almost assuredly against Bosnia-Herzegovina, in which there will be a raucous home crowd and the U.S. will be a heavy favorite. Tickets on the secondary market for this game are going for minimum $2,400 a pop, and that’s in the nosebleeds.
Does it impact the team’s path if the backups get valuable playing time in a loss? No! Not at all! What a reality. Just enjoy it.
Speaking of other realities:
More on today’s World Cup schedule later. Let’s turn to some serious news:
News to Know
Kimberly P. Mitchell / Detroit Free Press
Arnold faces multiple felonies
Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested yesterday in connection with a robbery and kidnapping in Tampa, Fla., last February, police announced. Arnold is facing multiple felony charges, and they stem from an alleged attempt to lure three people to an apartment in Largo, Fla., as part of a retaliation scheme for a previous alleged robbery. Police had previously arrested six other people in the ongoing investigation. If convicted, Arnold could face life in prison. Read our full report.
Reaves re-signs with Lakers
Austin Reaves is staying in Los Angeles on a four-year, $185 million deal, sources told The Athletic, which impacts both the team’s outlook and the entire free-agent market. Franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić has made it clear to officials he wants Reaves in the backcourt with him. As for LeBron James? Very, very unclear.
FCS risers get early access
Any team making the transition from FCS to FBS will no longer have to wait to qualify for postseason play, the NCAA ruled yesterday, a source told The Athletic. Before, teams would either have to wait two years to play in a bowl game, or receive an exemption if there weren’t enough bowl-eligible teams. So, new FBS school/former FCS powerhouse North Dakota State can do anything this year. Read our full story.
- In other NCAA news: The organization proposed a new offseason football schedule that would limit both the number of official practices held and shorten the transfer portal window. More here.
More news:
📰 Find more news here 24/7.
Watch Guide
📺 World Cup: Group play
4 p.m.-10 p.m. ET on Fox, FS1 and Telemundo
Six more matches today with plenty at stake. The only game that doesn’t have an impact on the next round? U.S.-Turkey at 10 p.m. See the full group standings.
📺 WNBA: Sparks at Tempo
7 p.m. ET on Prime Video
Two teams clinging to .500 seasons and playoff hopes. The Sparks could be primed for a run after that thrilling 30th anniversary game Sunday, though.
📺 MLB: Yankees at Red Sox
7:10 p.m. ET on MLB Network
This is always a good rivalry, but boy, are these teams in opposite states right now. New York sits atop the AL East, 17 games above .500. Boston is in the cellar, 32-46, in need of a rebuild. The Sox have a ton of players on our new trade deadline Big Board, too.
Pulse Picks
Joe Sohm / Visions of America / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
More than 100 MLB players anonymously ranked the best and worst organizations in the league. See who “won.”
The NHL trade market is exploding. Our offseason trade board wondered who’s next to go.
I really appreciated this Ken Rosenthal column on MLB’s new proposal for how players enter the league. It runs counter to actually growing the game, Ken wrote.
Yaxel Lendeborg grew up a Steph Curry hater, as he admitted in his post-NBA Draft news conference. Now they’re teammates.
Also, we have grades for every second-round pick of the NBA Draft. One of these names is a sleeper.
Brendan Sorsby might not get much help from the NFLPA in his ongoing battle to play football anywhere. Mike Jones explained why.
Maybe my favorite piece of ‘90s nostalgia content this week: The decade’s best college football players.
Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova went from friends to teammates to foes to bitter rivals in a span of two tennis careers. Now, in the later stages of life, they’re supporting each other through cancer diagnoses. I thought this was really beautiful.
Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Giants president Buster Posey’s awkward news conference addressing the Pride Night controversy.
Most-read on the website yesterday: Our World Cup bracket projection.