World Cup 2022

[Martin Alvito]

Oh no!
This is so sad and quite suspicious imo

The government of Qatar can't be that stupid, can they? The deterioration of US-Saudi relations is fantastic, from their perspective. We have ten thousand troops on the ground over there. If the Khashoggi incident bent US noses as far out of shape as it did, surely killing a beloved journalist born in America would have far greater repercussions, no?

If they hypothetically did this, then they're at China's mercy when it comes to their security as surely as North Korea is. The Saudis have been buddying up with China ever since the schism in US-Saudi relations began. I don't think they can expect any help from that quarter should the Saudis decide to knock them over like Kuwait, which means they cannot afford to have the US turn a willful blind eye. Biden would find defending them a very hard sell after such an incident.

This is so far past inadvisable from Qatar's perspective that I have a hard time conceiving the possibility. I could see MBS ordering a hit at the time. The Qataris? Insane.

I'm taking a previously unknown congenital heart defect, stroke or aneurysm until proven otherwise as a consequence.

 

[BNJ1878]

The government of Qatar can't be that stupid, can they? The deterioration of US-Saudi relations is fantastic, from their perspective. We have ten thousand troops on the ground over there. If the Khashoggi incident bent US noses as far out of shape as it did, surely killing a beloved journalist born in America would have far greater repercussions, no?

If they hypothetically did this, then they're at China's mercy when it comes to their security as surely as North Korea is. The Saudis have been buddying up with China ever since the schism in US-Saudi relations began. I don't think they can expect any help from that quarter should the Saudis decide to knock them over like Kuwait, which means they cannot afford to have the US turn a willful blind eye. Biden would find defending them a very hard sell after such an incident.

This is so far past inadvisable from Qatar's perspective that I have a hard time conceiving the possibility. I could see MBS ordering a hit at the time. The Qataris? Insane.

I'm taking a previously unknown congenital heart defect, stroke or aneurysm until proven otherwise as a consequence.

That's exactly my initial thinking.

Not a chance they'd risk something like that. (don't get me wrong, some people there would probably have thought about it) but extremely unlikely they'd act on it. Particularly when the eyes of the world are on them.

Tbe story will rumble on and on, no matter the results of any autopsy.

 

[Martin Alvito]

That's exactly my initial thinking.

Not a chance they'd risk something like that. (don't get me wrong, some people there would probably have thought about it) but extremely unlikely they'd act on it. Particularly when the eyes of the world are on them.

Tbe story will rumble on and on, no matter the results of any autopsy.

Cui bono says that if there was foul play, it's a false flag Saudi operation.

 

[wm02]

The government of Qatar can't be that stupid, can they? The deterioration of US-Saudi relations is fantastic, from their perspective. We have ten thousand troops on the ground over there. If the Khashoggi incident bent US noses as far out of shape as it did, surely killing a beloved journalist born in America would have far greater repercussions, no?

If they hypothetically did this, then they're at China's mercy when it comes to their security as surely as North Korea is. The Saudis have been buddying up with China ever since the schism in US-Saudi relations began. I don't think they can expect any help from that quarter should the Saudis decide to knock them over like Kuwait, which means they cannot afford to have the US turn a willful blind eye. Biden would find defending them a very hard sell after such an incident.

This is so far past inadvisable from Qatar's perspective that I have a hard time conceiving the possibility. I could see MBS ordering a hit at the time. The Qataris? Insane.

I'm taking a previously unknown congenital heart defect, stroke or aneurysm until proven otherwise as a consequence.

Most likely it is natural causes, but it does make one wonder given his outspokenness.
And if something nefarious happened, it could have been a lone wolf zealot unattached to the Qatari government

 

[BNJ1878]

Cui bono says that if there was foul play, it's a false flag Saudi operation.

Ha! Indeed.

Poor fella though, he seemed a decent sort. Let's hope it was natural causes as opposed to something more sinister.

 

[Pittsburgh Footy]

If it was natural causes, given his age and health, that would be quite coincidental.

Quite

 

[Martin Alvito]

If it was natural causes, given his age and health, that would be quite coincidental.

Quite

Reading what he wrote on Monday, the natural causes explanation seems pretty strong. It turns out it's not that hard to throw one's body into heart attack/stroke via the interaction between fatigue, stress and poor diet/hydration. The Japanese (go figure) even have a word for the phenomenon: karoshi.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Reading what he wrote on Monday, the natural causes explanation seems pretty strong. It turns out it's not that hard to throw one's body into heart attack/stroke via the interaction between fatigue, stress and poor diet/hydration. The Japanese (go figure) even have a word for the phenomenon: karoshi.

It's possible for sure. I think you can quickly rule out any sort of organized thing. Is it possible someone saw his writing and went rogue? I suppose. Feels like it's just going to end up a very sad coincidence.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Reading what he wrote on Monday, the natural causes explanation seems pretty strong. It turns out it's not that hard to throw one's body into heart attack/stroke via the interaction between fatigue, stress and poor diet/hydration. The Japanese (go figure) even have a word for the phenomenon: karoshi.

For those that haven’t seen

World Cup Daily, Day 22

A fun morning with 81 other veteran World Cup journalists—and a surprise visit from OG Ronaldo.

grantwahl.substack.com

“My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you. What had been a cold over the last 10 days turned into something more severe on the night of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could feel my upper chest take on a new level of pressure and discomfort. I didn’t have Covid (I test regularly here), but I went into the medical clinic at the main media center today, and they said I probably have bronchitis. They gave me a course of antibiotics and some heavy-duty cough syrup, and I’m already feeling a bit better just a few hours later. But still: No bueno.”

This bit was very sad

“The older I get, the more I appreciate being able to come to these World Cups and build relationships with media members from around the world. It’s a small but vibrant community. And while I’m not sure I’ll ever make it to 17 men’s World Cups like Enrique Macaya Márquez, damned if I’m not going to try. Check back with me in 2058.”

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[Goat]

If it was natural causes, given his age and health, that would be quite coincidental.

Quite

He was 20 odd days older than me, its got me shook.

RIP.

 

[Martin Alvito]

He was 20 odd days older than me, its got me shook.

RIP.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you're alive, you have plot armor, which you retain until the moment you don't.

I find this is a much healthier way to think about the problem than looking at it through the media's fearmongering lens intended to frighten you into purchasing certain products and engaging in a specific set of behaviors. Like, don't be stupid, but don't live in fear either, yeah?

 

[LinekersLegs]

Good advice.

I don’t say it enough but love you fellow GOT’ers xxx

 

[Billy Dean]

Very sad. He was the guy for USMNT coverage during the Bradley years, because he had an 'in'. Didn't realize that was because he covered the team for the school paper when Bradley was the coach at Princeton and he was an undergraduate.

I used to read a lot of his stuff in SI around that time it was I think. Very sad news.