Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

The quadrennial festival of kvetching about the new World Cup ball is in full force again this year, but the LA Times reports that this time the kvetchers might have more of a point than usual:

“It’s very weird,” Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano said. “All of a sudden it changes trajectory on you. It’s like it doesn’t want to be kicked … like someone is guiding it…. It’s supernatural.”

Teammate Julio Cesar was more succinct. “It’s horrible,” the Brazilian goalkeeper said….”It moves around so much … this ball can go anywhere,” said Marcus Hahnemann, the backup U.S. goalkeeper. “You can’t judge it. And it’s taking the skill away from the game…. You can’t pinpoint a pass anymore.”

….”The ball’s terrible,” U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said. “You’re going to hear that now, you’re going to hear that next week and next month.”

This sounds great! I can hardly wait until some pipsqueak team like, say, the United States, ends up beating Argentina on a bizarre fluke play where the ball suddenly starts acting like Sean White on a halfpipe and dives into the net a full body length away from the astonished goalie. Sounds like great TV.

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate