Tim Howard RIPS Christian Pulisic for Skipping USMNT's Match Against Mexico

Before I get into Tim Howard ripping Pulisic for essentially missing a preseason game be sure to check out the latest episode of Pitch Picks. Rudy is betting at a historic 20% on the year so if you fade him odds are you'll make some coin over the weekend. 

Alright let's get it.

I’ll spare you from reading Tim Howard’s full Harry Potter novel of a statement. I’ve met Tim—interviewed him, even—and he’s a great dude, but he’s tripping. Don’t get me wrong, Tim’s a USMNT legend, far more qualified than I’ll ever be to talk about this stuff. But as a fan of the game, there’s no reason to tear into Christian Pulisic the way he did. I get it—the USA vs. Mexico rivalry runs deep. But this was essentially a preseason friendly. It’d be like Dan Marino calling out Tua Tagovailoa for skipping a meaningless preseason game against the Bills.

Tim's point was that even if Pulisic wasn’t playing, he should’ve at least been with the team. And yeah, I see where he’s coming from. It’s common to see injured or unavailable players on the sideline supporting their squad. But here’s the thing—soccer isn’t the same as football. These guys aren’t just hopping a quick flight from Florida to Texas; they’re flying halfway across the world. I don’t blame Pulisic (or any other player) for prioritizing staying fit and available for their club. Honestly, I wish more Arsenal players took a page from his playbook.

Now, if this were a World Cup year, I’d be singing a very different tune. But for a game like this? Nah, I’m good with it. I also trust that Pochettino and Pulisic had a conversation about it, and if Poch gave him the green light, who am I to question it?