James Richardson

A dead leg.

One other message just before we get on to Sunday's action.

Now, along with the many other grudges with football, something that's been a real gripe for people is pundits using the term USMNT.

I'm sorry.

It doesn't bother me, but a lot of people feel that since MNT could refer to any nation, it's a bit of an affectation, us using it with the US.

Why don't we say England MNT, etc.

?

James Bauer wrote in on Saturday afternoon and said, it's really simple.

The women's team in the US is far more successful than our men's team.

So when in conversations about the national soccer team, it became important to designate whether we're talking about the men's team or the women's team.

Hence USWNT and USMNT, and thus we've called it USMNT forever.

This isn't some new invention, says James, that you all have discovered and are criticizing.

I think it's the most annoying, arrogant, linguistic pearl-clutching, I think he means criticizing, that I've seen in quite some time.

So there you go.

There is a reason why Americans have developed the habit of calling it USMNT, and because it's what they call it, a lot of us have picked it up too.

I must admit, I'm trying to cut it down because it bothers a lot of people.

I don't want to bother people.

I call them Stars and Stripes or Team USA or what have you.

Get on with your lives, really.

Couldn't help yourself, could you?