More Pictures From Past Trips Done in Drawing Style

Some time back, I began playing with some pictures, trying to actually use AI to alter them to looking like charcoal drawing styled illustrations. For the most part, I had to admit that the style and look in most cases appealed to me.

Now here I am, once again doing some old pictures in drawing style. Have to say that some of these came out quite nicely.

Take a look and enjoy. 

July 22nd - This Day in History

 

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

July 22, 2003: Jessica Lynch gets hero's welcome

On this day in 2003, U.S. Army Private Jessica Lynch, a prisoner-of-war who was rescued from an Iraqi hospital, receives a hero's welcome when she returns to her hometown of Palestine, West Virginia. The story of the 19-year-old supply clerk, who was captured by Iraqi forces in March 2003, gripped America; however, it was later revealed that some details of Lynch's dramatic capture and rescue might have been exaggerated.  

Lynch, who was born April 26, 1983, was part of the 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas. On March 23, 2003, just days after the U.S. invaded Iraq, Lynch was riding in a supply convoy when her unit took a wrong turn and was ambushed by Iraqi forces near Nasiriya. Eleven American soldiers died and four others besides Lynch were captured.  

Lynch, who sustained multiple broken bones and other injuries when her vehicle crashed during the ambush, was taken to an Iraqi hospital. On April 1, she was rescued by U.S. Special Forces who raided the hospital where she was being held. They also recovered the bodies of eight of Lynch's fellow soldiers. Lynch was taken to a military hospital in Germany for treatment and then returned to the United States.  

Lynch's story garnered massive media attention and she became an overnight celebrity. Various reports emerged about Lynch's experience, with some news accounts indicating that even after Lynch was wounded during the ambush she fought back against her captors. However, Lynch later stated that she had been knocked unconscious after her vehicle crashed and couldn't remember the details of what had happened to her. She also said she had not been mistreated by the staff at the Iraqi hospital and they put up no resistance to her rescue. Critics–and Lynch herself–charged the U.S. government with embellishing her story to boost patriotism and help promote the Iraq war.  

In August 2003, Lynch received a medical honorable discharge. She collaborated on a book about her experience, I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story, which was released later that year. In April 2007, Lynch testified before Congress that she had falsely been portrayed as a "little girl Rambo" and the U.S. military had hyped her story for propaganda reasons. According to Lynch: "I am still confused as to why they chose to lie and tried to make me a legend when the real heroics of my fellow soldiers that day were, in fact, legendary." She added: "The truth of war is not always easy to hear but is always more heroic than the hype."

Here, from the same website, is the story of another historical event that fell on this date:

July 22, 1942: Deportations from Warsaw ghetto to Treblinka begin

On this day in 1942, the systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto begins, as thousands are rounded up daily and transported to a newly constructed concentration/extermination camp at Treblinka, in Poland.  

On July 17, Heinrich Himmler, head of the Nazi SS, arrived at Auschwitz, the concentration camp in eastern Poland, in time to watch the arrival of more than 2,000 Dutch Jews and the gassing of almost 500 of them, mostly the elderly, sick and very young. The next day, Himmler promoted the camp commandant, Rudolph Hoess, to SS major and ordered that the Warsaw ghetto (the Jewish quarter constructed by the Nazis upon the occupation of Poland, enclosed first by barbed wire and then by brick walls), be depopulated–a "total cleansing," as he described it–and the inhabitants transported to what was to become a second extermination camp constructed at the railway village of Treblinka, 62 miles northeast of Warsaw.  

Within the first seven weeks of Himmler's order, more than 250,000 Jews were taken to Treblinka by rail and gassed to death, marking the largest single act of destruction of any population group, Jewish or non-Jewish, civilian or military, in the war. Upon arrival at "T. II," as this second camp at Treblinka was called, prisoners were separated by sex, stripped, and marched into what were described as "bathhouses," but were in fact gas chambers. T. II's first commandant was Dr. Irmfried Eberl, age 32, the man who had headed up the euthanasia program of 1940 and had much experience with the gassing of victims, especially children. He compelled several hundred Ukrainian and about 1,500 Jewish prisoners to assist him. They removed gold teeth from victims before hauling the bodies to mass graves. Eberl was relieved of his duties for "inefficiency." It seems that he and his workers could not remove the corpses quickly enough, and panic was occurring within the railway cars of newly arrived prisoners.  

By the end of the war, between 700,000 and 900,000 would die at either Treblinka I or II. Hoess was tried and sentenced to death by the Nuremberg Tribunal. He was hanged in 1947. 

The legend of the Pied Piper allegedly took place on this date. This day also marked bad news generally for Jews through the ages. King Phillip the Fair ordered Jews out of France. At Polannoe, the Chmielnick massacre killed 10,000 Jews. Washington took command of American troops. Alexander MacKenzie was the first European to complete a transcontinental crossing of Canada. Wellington defeated the French at the Battle of Salmanca in Spain. Hood attacked Sherman in Atlanta, and over 3,000 Union troops were killed. The US Senate rejected President Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court. Jews from Warsaw began to be transported to Treblinka. Poland adopted a Communist constitution. Cuba nationalized all previously owned American sugar firms. the Beatles released "Introducing the Beatles". Sonny Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson in the first round for the heavyweight championship. Jimi hendrix quit as the opening act for the Monkeys. Greg LeMonde won his third Tour de France. There was a fire at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Saddam Hussein's two sons were killed on this day. This marks the two-year anniversary of the attacks in Norway, the first being the bombing of a government building in Oslo, the second, by the same man, was the massacre of youths on the relatively nearby island Utøya. 77 people are killed in massive floods in China.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 259, St Dionysius was elected as Pope, succeeding Sixtus II. 

• On this day back in 1099 during the First Crusade, Godfrey of Bouillon was elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Jerusalem. 

• The English defeated the Scots at the Battle of Falkirk on this day in 1298.  

• The famous legend of the Pied Piper playing a tune which led the rats out of town allegedly took place on this day in 1376. 

• This day also marked some bad news generally for Jews throughout the ages, beginning on this day in 1306, when King Phillip the Fair ordered the expulsion of Jews out of France. 

• On this day back in 1648 at Polannoe, the Chmielnick massacre killed 10,000 Jews. 

• Skipping ahead to many years later, things had not gotten any better for Jews, as it was on this day in 1942 in the Warsaw Ghetto that some 300,000 Jews began to be sent to the Treblinka extermination camp. 

• On this day in 1456, the Battle at Nandorfehervar (Belgrade) took place, where the Hungarian army under Janos Hunyadi defeated Sultan Murad II. 

• In 1484 on this day took place the Battle of Lochmaben Fair, where a 500-man raiding party led by Alexander Stewart, the Duke of Albany and James Douglas, the 9th Earl of Douglas, were defeated by Scottish forces loyal to Albany's brother James III of Scotland. Douglas himself was captured. 

• The "Tractate Niddah," a talmudic edition, was printed for the first time on this day in 1489. 

• On that same day in 1489, the Treaty of Frankfurt was signed between Maximilian of Austria and King Charles VIII of France. 

• On this day in 1515, the Congress of Vienna settled certain issues between Poland & Holy Roman Empire. 

• Christians captured Tunis, the capital city of modern day Tunisia, during the uprising against Adm Barbarossa on this day in 1535. 

• Willem van Orange moved from Antwerp to Delft on this day in 1582.

• It was on this day in 1587 that a second English colony was established at Roanoke Island, located just off the coast of present day North Carolina. The colony infamously vanished under mysterious circumstances which people still debate to this day. The mystery of what happened at Roanoke remains on of history's great mysteries, and it's a story that still fascinates me many years after first learning of it. 

• On this day in 1627, an English fleet under George Villiers landed on the Rhe [OS=June 12]

• In 1632 on this day, the foundation laid in Madrid for the Buen Retiro Palace for King Philip IV.

• On this day in 1648, 10,000 Jews of Polannoe were murdered in what came to be known as the Chmielnick massacre

• The city of Albany, now the capital of the state of New York, was chartered on this day in 1686. 

• In 1691 on this day the Battle at Aghrim took place, where the combined English and Dutch army defeated France.  

The flag of Brazil.

• Diamonds were discovered on this day in 1729 in Minas Geras, Brazil. 

• In 1731 on this day, Spain signed the Treaty of Vienna. 

• In 1739 on this day, the Ottomans defeated the Holy Roman Empire at Crocyka,Yugoslavia, and subsequently threatened Belgrade. 

Equestrian statue of George Washington near his headquarters at Morristown, New Jersey.

• On this day in 1775 during the American Revolutionary War of Independence, General George Washington, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, received reports by Captain Joshua Davis and Captain Richard Dodge regarding troop movements and supplies pertaining to the siege of Boston. Also, he began reorganizing the army into brigades and divisions. 

• On this day in 1793, Alexander MacKenzie became the first European to complete a transcontinental crossing of Canada by reaching the Pacific Ocean. 

• In 1796 on this day, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, was founded by General Moses Cleveland. 

• The USS Constitution was underway and out to sea on this day in 1798 for the first time since being launched on October 21, 1797.

• On this day in 1812, British and Portuguese troops under the Earl of Wellington (later to be known as the Duke of Wellington) defeated the French forces, led by Marshal Auguste Marmont, at the Battle of Salamanca (in French and Spanish known as the Battle of the Arapiles), south of Salamanca, Spain, during the Peninsular War. 

In 1864 on this day, Hood attacked General Sherman in the Battle of Atlanta, and over 3,000 Union troops were killed. 

On this day in 1898, the Belgica crew see the first to see sunrise at 1600 hours, and became the first to endure an Antarctic winter.

In 1901, Serbia reopened diplomatic relations with Montenegro on this day. 

Flag of the Olympics

The V modern Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden, closed on this day in 1912.

On this day in 1917, Alexander Kerensky became the new Russian Prime Minister. 

On that same day in 1917 during the fighting in World War I, the British bombed German lines at Ypres, with 4,250,000 grenades. 

In 1933 on this day, Wiley Post ended his around-the-world flight, having amassed a rather astonishing 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes. "Public Enemy No. 1" John Dillinger received a mortal wound by FBI agents. just outside of Chicago's Biograph Theatre on this day in 1934. On this day in 1937, the United States Senate rejected President Franklin D. Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court. For the first time ever, a black woman judge (Jane Matilda Bolin-NYC) became a judge on this day in 1939. 

1912 - 5th Olympic games in Stockholm, Sweden closes
1916 - A bomb went off during a Preparedness Day parade in SF killing 10
1917 - Alexander Kerensky becomes Russian PM
1917 - British bomb German lines at Ypres, 4,250,000 grenades
1918 - Lightning kills 504 sheep in Utah's Wasatch National Park

1926 - 105°F (41°C), Waterbury, Connecticut (state record)
1926 - 108°F (42°C), Troy, NY (state record)

1933 - Wiley Post ended his around-the-world flight. He had traveled 15,596 miles in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes.
1933 - Caterina Jarboro sings "Aida," NYC-1st negro prima donna in US
1933 - Wiley Post completes 1st round-the-world solo flight
1934 - Outside Chicago's Biograph Theatre, "Public Enemy No. 1" John Dillinger is mortally wounded by FBI agents.
1935 - Lester Walton appointed minister to Liberia

1937 - Irish premier Eamon de Valera wins elections
1937 - The U.S. Senate rejected President Roosevelt's proposal to add more justices to the Supreme Court.

1st black woman judge (Jane Matilda Bolin-NYC) 1939

It was on this day in 1940 that Dutch Prime Minister De Geer met with Hitler to discuss peace terms. 

Plans for the Pentagon were first presented to the House Subcommittee on Appropriations on this day in 1941. 

On this day in 1943, American forces under General George Patton captured Palermo, Sicily, in southern Italy. 

On this day in 1944, the Soviets set up the Polish Committee of National Liberation. During the days of Communist rule, this day was the National Day of the Rebirth of Poland (Polish: Narodowe Święto Odrodzenia Polski), which was a former national holiday in the former People's Republic of Poland, and was celebrated from 1944 to 1989, commemorating the signing of the PKWN Manifesto on 22 July 1944. 

After six years in exile, King Leopold returned to Belgium on this day in 1950. 

Flag of Portugal

General Francisco Craveiro Lopes was appointed the new President of Portugal on this day in 1951, 

On this day in 1952, Poland adopted a Communist-imposed Constitution. 

In 1960 on this day, Cuba nationalized all previously owned American sugar factories. 

    

On this day in 1963, the Beatles released "Introducing the Beatles." 

On that same day in 1963, Sonny Liston knocked out Floyd Patterson in the first round for the heavyweight championship. 

Jimi Hendrix quit as the opening act for the Monkeys on this day in 1967. 

On this day in 1983, a temperature of -128.6°F (-89.2°C) was recorded at Vostok, Antarctica, which established a world record. Poland's Prime Minister Januzelski lifted martial law. On this dy in 1994, a 23rd (snce July 16th) and final part of Comet Shoemaker-Levy hit Jupiter. There was a military coup on this day in 1994 in Gambia, and President Dawda Jawara fled the country.  

In 1998 on this day, Iran tested medium-range missile, which were potentially capable of reaching Israel or Saudi Arabia.. 

In 2003 on this day, there was a fire at the top of the Eiffel Tower. 

Saddam Hussein's two sons were killed on this day in 2003 after an American strike. 

It was on this day in 2004 that the September 11 Commission's final report was released. The 575-page report ultimately concluded that hijackers exploited "deep institutional failings within our government." 

On this day in 2005, Jean Charles de Menezes was killed by police, as the hunt for the London Bombers of July 7th of that same year had begun. On this day in 2009, there was the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, which lasted up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, and occurred over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean. On this day in 2011, there were twin attacks in central Oslo, the capital city of Norway. The first part of the attack was a bombing of a government building in Oslo. Then the second part of the attack was the massacre of youths on the relatively nearby island Utøya. Overall, 77 people were killed between the two attacks. The man responsible for both attacks turned out to be far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik. On this day in 2012, a car bomb killed 20 people and injured  80 in Madaen and Najaf, Iraq. Pranab Mukherjee was elected President of India on this day in 2012. Finally, it was on this day that at least 77 people were killed after torrential rains fell in Beijing, China.

1940 - Dutch prime minister De Geer meets Hitler seeking peace talks

1940 - Jacqueline Kennedy's parents divorce

1941 - Plans for the Pentagon were presented to the House Subcommittee on Appropriations.

1942 - 4th Russian Pantser army forms with 80 tanks

1942 - Gasoline rationing using coupons begins

1942 - Warsaw Ghetto Jews (300,000) are sent to Treblinka extermination Camp

1943 - American forces led by Gen. George S. Patton captured Palermo, Sicily.

1944 - Soviets set up Polish Committee of National Liberation

1946 - Estelle Bennett, rocker (Ronettes)

1946 - Menachen Begin's opposition group surprise attack on King David hotel

1947 - -8°F (-13°C), Charlotte Pass, NSW (Australian record)

1950 - Frank Worrell completes 261 v England at Trent Bridge

1950 - King Leopold, after 6 years in exile, returns to Belgium

1951 - Gen Francisco Craveiro Lopes appointed Pres of Portugal

l

1952 - Poland adopts Communist-imposed Constitution

1954 - Virgin Islands (US) adopts constitution (Revised Organic Act)

1954 - WTHI TV channel 10 in Terre Haute, IN (CBS) begins broadcasting

1955 - U.S. Vice-President Richard M. Nixon chaired a cabinet meeting in Washington, DC. It was the first time that a Vice-President had carried out the task.

1955 - Phillies longest win streak since 1892 hits 11

1958 - US performs atmospheric nuclear Test at Bikini Island

1959 - Benjamin Britten's "Missa Brevis" in D, premieres

1959 - Earth gas found at Kolham (Slochteren) Groningen

1960 - Cuba nationalizes all US owned sugar factories

1961 - WBNB TV channel 10 in Charlotte Amaile, VI (CBS) begins broadcasting

1962 - 1st US Venus probe, Mariner 1, fails at lift-off

1963 - Beatles release "Introducing the Beatles"

1963 - Sonny Liston KOs Floyd Patterson in 1st round for heavyweight boxing title

1965 - Edward Heath succeeds Alec Douglas-Hume as leader of Brit Cons party

1965 - "Till Death Us Do Part" debuted on England’s BBC-TV.

1967 - 1st major appearance by Vanilla Fudge (Village Theater NYC)

1967 - Atlanta Braves use a record 5 pitchers in 9th inning

1967 - Jimi Hendrix quits as opening act of the Monkees' tour

1968 - Sir John Newsome recommends public schools should take 50% of their intake from the state school system

1969 - Aretha Franklin arrested for disturbing peace in Detroit

1969 - USSR launches Sputnik 50 & Molniya 1-12 communications satellite

1971 - Sudan military counter coup under premier Numeiry

1972 - 10.84" (27.53 cm) of rainfall, Fort Ripley, Mn (state 24-hr record)

1972 - Venera 8 makes soft landing on Venus

1975 - Confederate General Robert E. Lee had his U.S. citizenship restored by the U.S. Congress.

1976 - "Let My People Come" opens at Morosco Theater NYC for 106 performances

1979 - Pat Meyers wins LPGA Greater Baltimore Golf Classic

1981 - Turkish terrorist Mehmet Ali Agca sentenced in a Rome to life

1982 - Academic Text Processing Service forms in Seattle

1983 - -128.6°F (-89.2°C) recorded, Vostok, Antarctica (world record)

1983 - Angels OF Brian Downing error ends his record streak at 244 games

1983 - Dick Smith makes 1st solo helicopter flight around the world

1983 - Poland's PM Januzelski lifts martial law

1984 - Kathy Whitworth wins Rochester Golf International (her 85th win)

1984 - Laurent Fignon wins Tour de France

1986 - House of Reps impeaches Judge Harry E Claiborne on tax evasion

1987 - Said Aouita of Morocco sets 5k record (12:58.39) in Rome

1987 - Soyuz TM-3 launched with 3 cosmonauts (1 Syrian)

1987 - The U.S. began its policy of escorting re-flagged Kuwaiti tankers up and down the Persian Gulf to protect them from possible attack by Iran.

1988 - 500 US scientists pledge to boycott Pentagon germ-warfare research

1989 - Kristin Huxhold, 18, of Missouri, crowned America's Junior Miss

1991 - Jeffrey Dahmer confesses to killing 17 males in 1978

1992 - Colombia drug baron Pablo Escobar escapes prison

1992 - Soyuz TM-15 launches

1993 - NY Yankee Don Mattingly hits his 200th HR

1993 - Soyuz TM-17 lands

1994 - 23rd & last part of Comet Shoemaker-Levy hit Jupiter (since July 16th)

1994 - Doc Gooden admitted to Betty Ford Center

1994 - Mariners play Red Sox as home team at Fenway, as Kingdome is repaired

1994 - Military coup in Gambia: Pres Dawda Jawara flees

1994 - OJ Simpson pleads "Absolutely 100% Not Guilty" of murder

1994 - William Sigei runs world record 10k (26:52.53)

1995 - Space shuttle STS-70 (Discovery 20), lands

1995 - Susan Smith found guilty of drowning her 2 children in SC

1997 - Fire breaks out at Palais de Chaillot in Paris

1997 - The second Blue Water Bridge opens between Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario.

1998 - Iran tested medium-range missile, capable of reaching Israel or Saudi Arabia.

2000 - Astronomers at the University of Arizona announced that they had found a 17th moon orbiting Jupiter.

2002 - Israel assassinates Salah Shahade, the Commander-in-Chief of Hamas's military arm, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, along with 14 civilians.

2003 - Members of 101st Airborne of the United States, aided by Special Forces, attack a compound in Iraq, killing Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay, along with Mustapha Hussein, Qusay's 14-year old son, and a bodyguard.

2003 - In Paris, France, a fire broke out near the top of the Eiffel Tower. About 4,000 visitors were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

2004 - The September 11 commission's final report was released. The 575-page report concluded that hijackers exploited "deep institutional failings within our government." The report was released to White House officials the day before.

2005 - Jean Charles de Menezes is killed by police as the hunt begins for the London Bombers. See 7 July 2005 London bombings and 21 July 2005 London bombings

2009 - The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, occurred over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

2011 - Norway is the victim of twin terror attacks, the first being a bomb blast which targeted government buildings in central Oslo, the second being a massacre at a youth camp on the island of Utøya.

2012 - Car bombs kills 20 people and injures 80 in Madaen and Najaf, Iraq

2012 - Pranab Mukherjee is elected President of India

2012 - At least 77 people are killed by torrential rain in Beijing, China

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/jul22.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/jul22.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Post-World Cup Weekend Funny: Trump Photobomb

So I know that this is Tuesday. That the weekend is pretty much long gone.

Still, this is related to what happened on the weekend. And it really was pretty damn funny.

Take a look:

 

Tom DeLorenzo Faceook post, July 20, 2026:  · Too funny not to share…

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10240279906367254&set=a.10200694965008460

Facebook

⚽️ World Cup 2026: Some Last Thoughts, Including Why I Am Glad Argentina Lost in the Final ⚽️

 

This 2026 World Cup will be remembered for a lot of things. And despite many Americans automatically assuming that this was the best World Cup ever, I do not believe that all of the things that it will be remembered for were good.

First of all, American President Donald Trump seemed to be the phantom menace, always present while not always being visible throughout this tournament. It was clear that he wanted this, like everything else, to be about himself. But he disgraced himself, and his country, by overstepping the boundaries and actively getting involved with a referee's gametime decision to give an American player a red card. Trump explained how he did not feel that it was a real red card. He boasted about knowing a lot about sports - and with that, I actually am not inclined to disagree. However, it seemed questionable at best that he knows a lot about soccer. And if there were any doubts about that, they disappeared less than one minute after boasting about how knowledgeable he is about sports, when he admitted to not really knowing what a red card actually meant. 

Yet, he still could not help himself and got involved to reverse a ref's decision. Belgium, the next opponent that the United States faced in the elimination round, protested, but this went unheeded. So Belgium simply went out and thoroughly dominated the United States in the game, 4-1. After the last goal, Belgian players did a dance that sure seemed to be a mocking imitation of Trump's infamous dance. 

Then Trump made sure that he would be the one presenting both the gold and silver medals after the final match, as well as the championship trophy. And very predictably, much like he did last year for the World Cup Club's Final with Arsenal, Trump hung around far too long, seemingly wanting to be the center of attention when it was the Spanish team's time to celebrate their incredible feat. 

Many people are arguing why he did that. But it hardly seems a mystery, truth be told. It was frankly very predictable and entirely in keeping with who Trump has proven himself to be, time after time. He is a malignant narcissist. Everything always and forever has to be about him. Everybody always and unquestioningly has to heap praise on him. Above all, the cameras and the spotlight always, always has to be on him. That was what everyone, including me, saw coming before the end of yesterday's match. And it was indeed what happened, again very predictably.

If we're being honest, the real wonder is how anyone could feasibly have thought there would be any other possible outcome.

Now, another aspect of this World Cup that is likely to be remembered - and not necessarily fondly - is how Americans themselves handled hosting the World Cup. First of all, they divided each half for what were called "hydration breaks." But that felt like it changed the game so that there could be more commercials, if we are being honest. 

Then there was the relentless talk by Americans about how Team USA was bound to win it all. They were going to produce another new version of the "Miracle on Ice." There were commercials, there were official predictions by so-called sport experts. Most people in the know understood that this was unlikely. After all, the Team USA Men's Olympic Hockey Team in 1980 only had to beat one Goliath, the seemingly unbeatable Soviet team. The American side would have to get past a whole bunch of goliaths, including likely Belgium, Spain, France, and Argentina, in order to win. They did not come close. It was never going to happen. Yet, Americans showed that sense of entitlement that is becoming their trademark.

Speaking of which, many Americans still seemed quite vocal about how boring and generally inferior they believed football/soccer to be to American sports, especially American football. Many pundits started to debate how to improve the game and make it more popular.

Make it more popular? This is far and away the most popular sport in the world. That's not hype, like when Americans say that about American football, or claim that the Super Bowl is the biggest sports event in the world. Soccer is far and away the most popular sport across the entire world, by far. The numbers prove it, and it is not even close. The World Cup Final is estimated to have had 1.8 billion viewers. By contrast, Super Bowl LX in February - which was the second most watched Super Bowl of all time - drew less than 140 million viewers in the world. The World Cup Final is not just a little more popular than the Super Bowl. It literally ran laps around the Super Bowl. That's more than 12 viewers of the World Cup Final worldwide to every one viewer of the Super Bowl worldwide. Apparently, this came as a shock to many Americans, and more than a few seemed appalled by those stats.

Get over it.

As an American, it was frankly embarrassing to see so many Americans show off their sense of entitlement and superiority by repeatedly claiming that Americans sports are superior and, of course, more popular than soccer. Also, to have the audacity to alter the rule of football/soccer in order to supposedly improve it and make it more entertaining. Get over yourselves.

Moreover, I was extremely disappointed that more Americans did not object to Trump getting involved in a game by putting pressure on FIFA to undo a red card. Look, I did not even agree with the call. To me, it was not a red card. But bad calls are part of sports. All sports, so far as I can tell. And this was one of those instances. That so many Americans seem at best unbothered, and at worst actively supportive of Trump getting involved was a major disappointment. This was especially appalling when it came from people who are normally quite critical of Trump. Cenk Uygur seemed supportive, and suggested that anyone criticizing was being hypocritical, because any other nation's leader would do the same. Funny, because it literally has never happened in the history of the World Cup. In fact, I was actually at the 1998 semifinal, when a French player, Laurent Blanc, indeed got an unfair red card that would prevent him from playing in the final. Even the Croatian player who caused it apologized to Blanc after the game, so it definitely was not a deserved red card. Yet, the French President did not put pressure on FIFA to reverse the call. Frankly, I would have been embarrassed if he had, and would have felt it marred the final, or compromised the eventual French victory. Yet here were far too many Americans, seemingly having no problem and accepting Trump's involvement in a gametime decision, even if it came across as yet another example of the blatant corruption which both Trump and FIFA are kind of infamous for. Some Americans even outright began to express an "us against the world" mentality, almost digging the trenches for some kind of war against everyone else that they saw coming. Not a good look.

FIFA itself did not come across looking too good after this tournament, either. That pressure which Trump put on the President of Fédération Internationale de Football Association Gianni Infantino did get the red card reversed, even though it really should not have. Also, there was bad officiating throughout the tournament. 

Which brings me to another point. Or in particular, a team that seemed to benefit from far more bad calls that worked in their favor than anyone else, by far. That would be Argentina.

In this World Cup, I was generally strongly pulling for two teams. First, the French national team, whom I have rooted for in World Cup tournaments since the 1980's. Secondly, I was rooting for whoever happened to be playing against Argentina.

What was my problem with Argentina?

Well, the more that I heard about and from this Argentina team, the less I wanted to hear about them. They seemed to play dirty and tried to get away with as much as they possibly could, then whined if and when they got caught. Every single major controversial call that they were involved with seemed to go in their favor, and this was considerable. They benefited from major controversial calls in four of the five elimination round games that they played in. They were on the ropes and facing elimination against Cape Verde when they got the call in their favor. A few days later, they once again were on the ropes and seemingly about to lose when an Egyptian goal against them was discounted for no good reason. They benefited against Switzerland, who received a red card and had to play a man down the rest of the way. Coaches usually do not call out the refs after games, but the Swiss coat did, and he had a real case. Then there was the matter of those two goals scored by Spain in Sunday's match which were also discounted. 

Maybe you can argue and make isolated points in Argentina's favor for any of those controversial calls. But when you take all of these things together - their often dirty play with refs conveniently looking the other way combined with one controversial call after another going in their favor - you have to see the forest instead of the individual trees. After all, Argentina has benefited from really huge and very controversial calls before, like the "Hand of God" goal. It's hard not to wonder if Argentina keeps getting these calls going their way for a reason.

It sure feels like someone high up wanted Argentina to keep winning. In a tournament that saw the early exit of Germany and Netherlands in the first round of elimination games, then saw all tree host nations as well as Brazil lose in the second round of elimination games, it seemed to me that maybe FIFA officials were very concerned about losing another very high profile team that could generate serious revenue and ratings and merchandise sales, and all of those things. Argentina has the most famous and celebrated active player in the world, plus they are the defending champions and a dynasty, having also won the last two Copa America titles. What a great story if they could win two titles in a row, right? That seemed to be the narrative, and after one game after another where those controversial calls and other things which benefited Argentina seemed to be glossed over, I was seriously sick and tired of them. With each win, I was more than ever a part of that growing "Anyone But Argentina" crowd.

Spain absolutely dominated Argentina in the final. They possessed the ball 68% of the time, and hardly made any real mistakes to hurt their own chances. The Spanish side played with machine-like efficiency and worse down Argentina, like they did all of their other opponents. It's not fun to lose, but Argentina was nasty and unsportsmanlike in their response. None of Spain's previously eliminated opponents responded the way that Argentina did in the Final. There were hard fouls, there were shoves and frankly dirty play. And at the end of the game, there was an ugly incident that betrayed the lack of character on everyone on the Argentinian side. Yes, to a degree, that includes star Lionel Messi. Maybe he was not as despicable as some other members of the team. But he did something right at the end which was taken - rightly, as far as I am concerned - as very unsportsmanlike.

Molina Lucero, an Argentine substitute, threw a punch at Spanish Captain Rodri as he was running to celebrate Spain's victory with his teammates after the final whistle to end the game. Moments later, Leandro Paredes was given a red card for his role in starting a brawl. Other Argentinian players got involved. There was shoving, and there were fists thrown. Reportedly, even an assistant coach, Roberto Ayala, threw a punch at a Spanish player.

Despicable. Reprehensible. Unworthy of a team with such a high international profile, and which received so much help along the way to the final.

Lionel Scaloni, the Argentina head coach, tried to separate the players by dragging García, the Spain defender, away from the fracas. “We are gracious in victory, and we must be so in defeat,” Scaloni said after the game.

Gracious in victory?

Were they gracious after winning the Copa America in 2024 by singing a taunting and racist chant targeting France, a side that did not even participate in that tournament, being a European nation? They had performed that charming little chant after beating France in the 2022 World Cup, and then did it again after beating Colombia in the 2024 Copa America final. Here's a snippet of it, translated by my brother a couple of years ago, when the incident occurred:

"They play for France but come from Angola, they run fast, they like to fuck trannies, their mothers are Nigerian, their fathers are Cambodian but their passports say 'French'." 

Then they were universally condemned for it, so that an Argentinian government official said that Messi and the Argentinian Football Federation needed to issue an apology:

An Argentinean government official said Messi, who is the team captain, and the president of the country’s soccer federation, Claudio Tapia, should apologize after a video was shared on social media showing members of Argentina’s triumphant squad singing a racist chant about French players with African heritage.  

Midfielder Enzo Fernandez said he was “truly sorry” for the incident and his Premier League club Chelsea said it had begun disciplinary action, describing discriminatory behavior as “completely unacceptable.”

Speaking of midfielder Enzo Fernandez, he received two yellow cards on Sunday, which amounted to a red card. That meant that he was ejected from the game, and left his team one man short. Clearly, that did not help Argentina's cause. Perhaps he was used to getting away with it, since Argentina seemed to get away with a hell of a lot during this tournament, and all of the controversial calls seemed to go their way throughout this World Cup. I say that despite Fernandez having been ejected from the game because, frankly, it was clearly a foul and he deserved to be thrown out of the game. Maybe he and Argentina will cry foul, but everyone else with an ounce of objectivity felt that this was not only fair, but frankly long overdue.

Is that what passes for gracious in Argentina?

Not surprisingly, Argentina received worldwide condemnation for their actions at the end of the game on Sunday. Here are some of the comments by former England great Wayne Rooney (taken from an article by Tom Morgan of Yahoo Sports): 

“Does it surprise you? It doesn’t surprise me. We’ve seen this with Argentina before. It’s just not the reaction you want. We’ve seen some of the reaction after knocking England out in the last round.  

“That’s just sad. If you lose a game of football, be graceful and get out of there. It’s really poor from them. That’s a reaction to them being outplayed, out-fought, out-thought on the football pitch, and then they resort to that at the end. It’s poor from those two players.”

Gary Neville, speaking on ITV, singled out Paredes’s behaviour for criticism. “They’re very competitive and I love that element of them, but [Paredes] has just been a disgrace for the last couple of games, and why the referees have allowed him to continue doing what he is doing...”

Others expressed similar opinions (taken from the same Tom Morgan article):

Alan Shearer, the former England captain, described the incident as “terrible”. He said during BBC coverage: “Paredes threw two or three haymakers into someone’s face. He went for them. There is no place for that.  

“We know how much it means to them and we know how much it hurts to lose, but there is a way to lose. Too many times we have seen that from Argentina. The reaction after the final whistle is terrible.”

It seems to be a running theme with Argentina, frankly. Tom Morgan pointed out in his article how there have been seven red cards historically in World Cup Final matches. Four of them went to Argentinians. Are these isolated examples, or part of the wider football culture of Argentina? It makes you wonder if Rooney did not have a point when he expressed a complete lack of surprise at Argentina's pathetic lack of sportsmanship after the game. 

And let's be clear: Argentina absolutely got humiliated in this game. The 1-0 final score is deceptive, because from beginning to end, the game felt a whole lot more one-sided than the final score would suggest. Argentina could get nothing going on offense, and only posted the few shots on goal that they did get in the final minutes of the second session of extra time. They made the wrong kind of history by earning the dubious distinction as the only side not to have a shot on goal in the first 90 minutes. Spain's passing was crisp and efficient, and there was nothing that Argentina could do to take it away. The Spanish side had 20 shot attempts, and 12 of them qualified as shots on goal. If not for some uncharacteristic just misses as well as truly brilliant saves by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez (as well as those already mentioned couple of goals which Spain scored but which were taken away), this game would have been a rout, frankly.

Once again, a snippet from the Morgan article:

Lee Dixon, ITV’s co-commentator, accused Argentina of “anti-football” and questioned how Paredes had remained on the pitch, while Ally McCoist said Spain were “the only team trying to win this game”.

Yes, that is what it really felt like. Let's be absolutely clear: Argentina did nothing all game long. Nothing. Lionel Messi did not bother playing defense at all, and he had zero total shots on goal. In fact, nobody on Argentina had a shot on goal until the final minutes. They hardly seemed to even be in position to get a shot on goal for the vast majority of the game. Spain dominated them that thoroughly.

And yet, despite likely knowing that Spain were the far better team, they could not let Spain have their moment of triumph. Argentinian players and coaches shoved and punched and kicked Spanish players after the final whistle. When the Spanish team finally hoisted the trophy, the Argentinians turned their back on Spain, then walked off the field. Including Messi. 

So yeah, I am glad that Argentina lost. They absolutely deserved it.

Yet the funny thing is, they were still in the game right up until the end. But it did not feel like that was the case because of what they did. Yes, Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez had some incredible saves. And yes, at times, Spain seemed just a tiny bit off, so that what normally would have been goals instead sailed wide. But there was also the matter of two goals by Spain which were taken away. And there was the rough play and the fouls which Argentina kept getting away with, as they have throughout the tournament. Despite getting the apparent help of referees once again, Argentina this time failed to win.

But they were close. Can you imagine if Spain had not scored that one goal that they got? Maybe that could have been taken away by the refs as well, or maybe it goes a little wide or high instead of being brilliant and good. Then the game would have remained scoreless and likely gone to a penalty shootout. What if Argentina would have won that? With all of those non-calls and goals against them being taken away, it would have felt like the refs carried this team to the championship. That they would have continually performed CPR on a seemingly dead Argentina team until they finally showed some signs of life. Frankly, it would have been a bad look. Would have stunk and left a bad taste in people's mouths. It would have lacked legitimacy. And it is conceivable that it might have happened, if not for the one successful Spanish goal.

Thankfully, Spain put this game to rest before the final gun. Before it would have been decided in a penalty shootout, which might have robbed Spain of the title.  

So yeah, I am glad that Spain won it outright. 

Also, given Argentina's frankly extensive history of getting the breaks from refs and showing a complete lack of maturity and sportsmanship, I am glad that Argentina lost this one. Hopefully, this is the last that we'll see of Argentina going so far in such a major tournament for a long, long time.

Here are two links for the articles concerning the controversy regarding Argentina's racist chants after winning the Copa America in 2024:

Lionel Messi asked to apologize for Argentina players’ racist chant by James Robson, July 17, 2024:

https://apnews.com/article/enzo-fernandez-chants-argentina-france-b6ff158f5d9045eafe0b567f2fcd8785

French federation condemns 'racist and discriminatory remarks' by Argentina players following Copa América win Jason Owens Jason Owens Staff writer Tue, Jul 16, 2024, 6:

https://sports.yahoo.com/french-federation-condemns-racist-and-discriminatory-remarks-by-argentina-players-following-copa-america-win-220415472.html

Below are the articles and videos (including a discussion on the Facebook link) regarding the World Cup Final and Argentina's pathetic display, especially at the end:

Ungracious in victory, disgraceful in defeat: Argentina attack Spain with kicks and punches Tom Morgan Mon, July 20, 2026:

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/argentina-throw-punches-fight-end-224244543.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH1CYkkW7q7hLDl3OQuzd2vG2S_19D-ui_y9Eqlg2XSoLickO40TrtYpQjG1YssrwS22KWV8SqJcA2NeSznN9gqyd5fbmEnycD3ds2Sjmi8Vs17ppSohfoExgxUiH4u_Oftq6P5E1GWxFd6mcMQ-XfAv6ORXWTD-iWIv0fCVpK5n

Ungracious in victory, disgraceful in defeat: Argentina attack Spain with kicks and punches - Yahoo Sports

Ugly scenes as Argentina lose World Cup final – video by BBC News Sports, 20 July, 2026:

There were ugly scenes at the end of the World Cup final as Argentina’s Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina were seen throwing punches at Spain players after their 1-0 defeat.   Paredes was then sent off after shoving Spain's Eric García by the throat and wrestling Gavi to the ground. He had already been booked during the match. The antics after the final whistle were quickly condemned by UK broadcasters, with the former England goalkeeper Joe Hart labelling Argentina’s behaviour 'disgusting' on the BBC and ITV's Gary Neville calling it 'a disgrace'    Lionel Messi’s World Cup fairytale ends with pitiful Argentina as final villains  At the World Cup of superstars, a team take home the trophy  Top 30: from half a million World Cup photos, why I love these the most  ‘We had a date with destiny’: De la Fuente lauds Spain players after World Cup victory 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2026/jul/20/ugly-scenes-argentina-lose-world-cup-final-video

Ugly scenes as Argentina lose World Cup final – video | World Cup | The Guardian

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Original audio It was a World Cup final to forget for the Argentinian national team... 🇦🇷😬 Sponsored by @midnite Gamble Aware

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