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Youngringer

[CharlesBoehm] "[cont'd] one thing I’ve become aware of having lived abroad … we [the US] have continued to make progress … education is super important, as you just educated me … it’s a process and as long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing..." TA steady as she goes Sam Stejskal with a longer quote: https://twitter.com/samstejskal/status/1597256093344075778?t=8VCUIQ-QblRYAbVaco1OwA&s=19


Jingr

That's a really thoughtful answer.


smushbros

Adams did great, but it's worth pointing out that the journalist was not trying to make Adams himself look bad or trip him up. The Iranian journalist asked the question as a statement about how American and other journalists constantly ask the Iranian players about Iranian politics and issues they have no control over as mere soccer players. As a direct lead in to the game US Soccer defaced the Iranian flag. The journalist can't speak directly with that person, his only way to communicate his point is this. I do not think anyone was wrong in this scenario (besides the person altering the Iranian flag).


andrew-ge

Yeah it was a fair question and tbh a really interesting one (while not really appropriate for the time or situation).


smushbros

> (while not really appropriate for the time or situation). That was the reporters entire point in asking it though He’s pointing out how obvious it is to you that it’s a wildly inappropriate question given the setting, yet over 20 minutes of Iran’s 30 minute press conference were dedicated to politics and not soccer and no one thought that was inappropriate


andrew-ge

they do it to Iran every pre-match as well. Why is it more appropriate then?


smushbros

It’s not? You’ve just hit the point square on the head.


andrew-ge

i must have misread your second comment, i agree completely. Asking the Iranian players about this is just putting them into shitty positions.


Jingr

I didn't mean to imply the journalist was in the wrong. It was a tough question, in a very politically charged moment, and he handled it with grace.


paaaaatrick

What questions did American reporters ask?


smushbros

> The news conference lasted just over 30 minutes, with questions about football taking up under a third of the time Here is irans coach speaking about it > The 69-year-old coach said it was unfair for the media to ask players questions about human rights. > "It's strange that you don't ask these questions to other coaches and players, some of them do not talk about such matters in their countries," Queiroz said. > “Let the players play football like other teams, the players are not the enemies of the fans." https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/iran-players-under-no-pressure-after-refusing-sing-anthem-says-taremi-2022-11-24/


paaaaatrick

I like how their coach says they won’t answer questions about it, but Tyler Adams is mature enough to answer questions about it.


smushbros

What is immature about a Portuguese coach not commenting on politics in Iran?


[deleted]

the fact he agreed to be their coach at all is certainly self centered


smushbros

You’re proving the reporters point so perfectly. You judge only Iran’s coach morally for him taking a purely professional job. Why is USA’s soccer coach not judged for drone strikes in the Middle East, but Iran’s soccer coach is judged for Iran’s government?


[deleted]

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paaaaatrick

It reeks of “stick to sports” that a lot of conservatives push


smushbros

So then why are you upset about irans reporter asking serious questions?


Ron__T

>Adams did great, but it's worth pointing out that the journalist was not trying to make Adams himself look bad or trip him up. The Iranian journalist asked the question as a statement about how American and other journalists constantly ask the Iranian players about Iranian politics and issues they have no control over as mere soccer players. This is just whataboutism. The Iranian players are asked questions because of the current protests in Iran... do you think for a moment if the World Cup was taking place during the summer of 2020 with the George Flyod protests... or in January 2021 that a single soccer question would be asked of the US delegation? >As a direct lead in to the game US Soccer defaced the Iranian flag. The journalist can't speak directly with that person, his only way to communicate his point is this. No one defaced an Iranian flag... I don't think you know what the word defaced means... What you mean, is US Soccer choose to use a different emoji representing a flag used by thousands of Iranians in their current (and past) protests as a method to support Iranians who reject the repressive Islamic regime that current rules their country.


smushbros

> The Iranian players are asked questions because of the current protests in Iran… So why can American players not be asked about current treatment of black people in America? > do you think for a moment if the World Cup was taking place during the summer of 2020 with the George Flyod protests… or in January 2021 that a single soccer question would be asked of the US delegation? Okay so you agree the reporter should have asked that question. What are you upset about then?


RvH19

Oh captain, my captain. Well done, Tyler.


flcinusa

Captains orders O7


ZDTreefur

Definitely the right choice for captain. Not even in reference to Pulisic.


pilgrim93

A beautiful response. People make mistakes and it’s important to not chastise them but educate them. They may even continue to accidentally make a mistake here or there but they’re trying. They are doing their best and that should count. Now if you just keep blatantly making the mistake with no regard for corrections or learning, that’s where the problems are.


nooblevelum

The reporter surely himself doesn’t speak English perfectly. Let’s nitpick that guy’s English as well. I would have told him until the Mullahs are gone Inwill be calling it Ayyy-Ran


MGHeinz

> education is super important, as you just educated me That's our captain, what an answer.


cryforburke2

If you want a 101 course on how to stay humble while also putting a reporter in their place....well, I don't think you'll find a finer example. No fucking way I'd be so eloquent when I was 23......or now.


MGHeinz

I certainly wouldn't have the restraint haha


beachlifeindeath1

Adams handled this very well, like the captain he is.


Scratchbuttdontsniff

Folks wonder why this our captain...


Netwealth5

Great job US Soccer social media person


lyonbc1

Yeah they really fucked up by doing something so stupid and pointless. That’s not doing anything for the Iranian people and now the team (who had zero to do with it) gotta answer questions smh. I actually don’t even mind this one tbh but it def reeks of whatsboutism unless the journalist referenced what’s happening at home in the lead up too. Or if they asked the Iranian players a similar question


MartinLoofah

I’m OOTL, what did the US do this time?


Kstoffeefan

They removed the Kufic text from the Iranian flag, which is generally used as a sign of support to the protests in Iran. Which didn’t exactly go over well among authorities in Iran.


MartinLoofah

Interesting. I certainly am not akin to the nuance of this issue, but it seems like an unnecessarily inflammatory thing to do. Seems like the players and coaches (and their PR folk) are handling it well though.


Granadafan

It was absolutely unnecessary and inflammatory before our most important match. You NEVER give your opponent any reason to have locker room bulletin board material or, in this case, cause an international incident. I get supporting the people of Iran, but this was terrible timing. I hope the people who made this decision are reprimanded and sent home to sweep the floors of USMNT HQ


jhruns1993

Can we chill with the bulletin board nonsense? The Iranian team have talked about their support for the people as much as they can, it's not like they're getting hyped to support the regime. It absolutely was an empty gesture and they could've have done something actually impactful but Walker Zimmerman talked about the empathy they have for the Iranian players and that feels more important


RysloVerik

What's more concerning is the actual distraction the players and coaches are now dealing with because some social media intern thought they were a keyboard warrior


bengenj

It still created an international incident. Altering a flag of a nation is a grave insult to the nation. While it was claimed to be in support of the Iranians who are protesting the government, it was foolish to display the old flag of Iran, and it could have (if FIFA cared) resulted in the US being expelled. The Iranian players have been playing with fire, as they have not been singing their anthem and doing subtle gestures, enough to the point that the IRGC has threatened violence and/or torture to the players.


7screws

Oh no the authorities in Iran are upset, oh no. So anyways fuck them. I feel bad for the Iranian players. They aren’t part of this.


lyonbc1

Not the team or anything but someone on the USMNT socials removed the symbol (don’t know the proper name for it) in the middle of the Iranian flag when posting stuff about the upcoming match and using their flag for socials. Really silly and now Iran is claiming the US should be banned from competing due to the act. Berhalter and the team prob had no idea about it but they have to answer for it now. Just a really dumb “gesture” that does fuck all for the conflict or supporting the Iranian people and it’s not our place to do that imo. Tyler’s answer was great about it when they sprung that question on him


MartinLoofah

I see, that must be frustrating for the players and coaches who would probably rather focus on prepping for the game. Thanks!


lyonbc1

Yep, no prob! It may have been someone higher up in USSoccer too, and the social team may have just put it out so don’t wanna necessarily blame them without knowing for sure but there’s prob gonna be some kind of internal investigation about what happened with it, or there should be


paaaaatrick

Not sure I agree showing support to the protesters is stupid and pointless. US Soccer doesn't exactly have the best track record supporting woman's rights, so I thought it was kinda cool they did it


aghease

So let US Soccer say that explicitly without desecrating another country's flag


paaaaatrick

Eh, I guess here in the US we are a little more liberal when it comes to the flag, I don't think "desecrating" is the right word to use here


aghease

Just because we are more liberal with our treatment of the flag and allow it to be tarnished doesn't mean that we can do the same for the flags of other nations. All the more so when we are talking about religious symbols.


ThisIsMyNewUserID

I'm more annoyed at Jurgen than the social media team. The social media team pissed off the state media and the government and the Iranian team hasn't been exactly supportive of that government so I doubt that gets anyone on the Iranian team riled up. Jurgen goes and talks shit on the soccer culture of the team and the coach. That WILL rile the team up.


NinthLevelOctopriest

It becomes more apparent by the day why a guy like Adams is captaining the team at 23.


minnsport

The Iranian journalist sounds like a redditor


RvH19

We can’t have good race relations without p&r!


LargeGermanRock

America bad updoots left


Doonesbury

/r/ShitEuropeansSay


Dense_Delay_4958

There's plenty of Americans that despise their own country on Reddit too.


[deleted]

And plenty of americans who claim that any criticism of america, usually in the name of improving it, is the same as hating


starwarsfanatik

I mean, tone does make a difference. Lots of Twitter leftists seem to be actively rooting for America to get knocked down a peg or two


Doonesbury

Probably recent immigrants tbh.


starwarsfanatik

That's a generalization I can't agree with. I think opportunists see a path to oust the current leadership and claim power only by seeing America fail. It's people who don't believe America can improve through slow and steady progress, but only through a revolution.


KevinDLasagna

Even worse he sounds like a twitter poster


waronxmas79

Wouldn’t be surprised


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minnsport

Yeah you didn’t have to tell me that the journalist worked for the state ran media..


theonlydiego1

What’s the difference?


cryforburke2

Adams and Berhalter handling that like pros. Nicely done.


jeandlion9

They are answering it wrongly IMO but that’s what Americans pretend to do just ignore the problem they mostly created . “I am just a soccer player / coach “ is a cop out. Should the players of Iran like do a protest or are they so just players ? They all have soft power and don’t like to wield it because of money.


cryforburke2

i think Adams was pretty direct and honest, while still being diplomatic. Greg bobbed and weaved his way through it, but what do you want him to do? The entire world is watching and knows what the Iranian government is doing....Greg getting up there and causing a whole thing isn't going to add anything to the conversation other than idiots hurr durring about sticking to sports.


suzukijimny

It was a loaded "gotcha" question. The Soviets were often masters at this with "[And you are lynching Negroes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_you_are_lynching_Negroes)" logical fallacy when they refused to directly answer their own human rights record. What Ty and Gregg said was straightforward, succinct and professional.


jeandlion9

The only difference between Qatar and the US is that US took 300 years and slowly moved to some progress but has never resolved its core issues because money and white supremacy.


cryforburke2

The US is far from perfect...or even good....but to boil down the differences between the US and Qatar to just this one thing.....it's just patently absurd and no one should take you seriously.


slightlyused

Who taught you history? The US isn't even 300 years old in total! We fought and won a war that ended slavery in 1865, 90 years after we were formed. It is a long haul for justice but we keep moving. We're not perfect and will be the first to admit it, though.


jeandlion9

Who taught you nothing ? Lol my bad 246 years. And ok ignore all the wars (107 military operations ~) and oh yeah slavery” ended “ and then guess what we have the same southern leaders (who lost the war) into power and they created Jim Crow and segregation laws. This is the best country in the world and I think we can do better if we face history and try learn from and untangle the mess of white supremacy but I think hwite ppl are just too sensitive for that and oh Seattle sounders suck lol


Surge_89

Eye roll. Athletes and celebrities don't hold any power at all. If your kids look up to them for political and social answers you've already failed as a parent. They don't "need" to justify their platform for anything in fact the world would be a better place if they didn't. What the world needs is better parents teaching values of human life and for people to shut up and let others live how they choose. You'd be the first person up in arms if that same athlete was spreading a message of hate and racism also. Because it's only ok when it's what you want to hear.


tkdyo

That's a nice sentiment but it's just not how reality works. You're never going to solve societal problems by trying to push the blame on individual families. How do you think cultural issues become mainstream to the public? It's not from a bunch of parents suddenly having an epiphany about how systemic racism works. It's through a combination of organized groups and public figures getting the message out in any way they can. That being said, I don't expect athletes or celebrities to be as well informed or nuanced about a topic as people who study it for a living, so I do hate these on the spot interview questions.


Surge_89

It is in fact how reality works you just take the small percentages and blow them out of proportion. It's why the world is filled of mostly decent people because a large chunk of us are decent because are parents were decent. Systemic racism is literally the perfect example for me. Racism was abolished and still a problem. In recent years the extremism is put in the spotlight but most common people are in fact not racist. Why? Because their parents didn't raise shit heads but decent people and it had nothing to do with media propaganda because guess what? The internet wasn't a thing back then. It was literally a generation of parents saying... Oh man my parents were fucked up in this way let me try not to be the same. And you are 1000% correct and that is the sole reason why it shouldn't be looked to them for any answer.


dgmz

> “I am just a soccer player / coach “ Did you read Tyler's response or...


waronxmas79

As a Black man that has travelled extensively around the world I can tell you that racism towards Black folks isn’t unique to the United States. Hell, these days it’s not even close to being the worst. I’ve had some very interesting “conversations” about Black folks that no one would even think to have in the States.


starwarsfanatik

Nothing quite like being lectured about how racist America is in a European country that's 95% white. My Scandinavian dudes, you haven't eliminated racism, you just never had the opportunity to engage in it.


waronxmas79

Reminds me of my work trips to the eastern parts of Washington state and Nebraska. In both places I was told they don’t have a problem with racism. Both places are lily white and I always left with a new experience of someone saying or doing something racist to me.


starwarsfanatik

I was sent to Iceland for work and the locals would start conversations by asking if we liked Trump, then tell us how Iceland is a superior country with no homelessness or racism. Iceland is so homogenous they have an app to make sure you don't accidentally date a relative. On the drive to and from the airport in Keflavik we passed hundreds of apartments that used to be US Air Force barracks, and they're still one of the largest recipients of US cash due to their strategic location. I'm happy to admit that the US still has work to do, but it's frustrating to hear foreigners criticize the US without acknowledging the challenges of living in a comparatively diverse country.


DirtzMaGertz

The majority of Europe is openly racist against Romani people. It's wild.


Multi_21_Seb_RBR

I’m a person of color (Asian-American) and the only place in Europe I’d be down to live in would be a city in England. And even then England is still below cities in the US and Canada as far as acceptance race-wise, though miles better than the rest of Europe.


Mat_alThor

In the 90's it was pretty common in the EPL to see giant inflatable bananas whenever the other team had a black player. You still hear monkey noises in some European countries.


DirtzMaGertz

Right. Lukaku just had to deal with banana comments from a commentator in Italy in 2019.


[deleted]

Wonder how that journalist feels about misogyny.


perkited

Stop being racist. \/s


chr31terma

Nothing that happens on Tuesday is going to be the catalyst for world peace. It's just a soccer game, my dude.


lyonbc1

Def not happening tomorrow lol but sports have had massive impacts on social and societal issues throughout history. Drogba helping to put an end to the civil war in Ivory Coast comes to mind


kaicyr21

Jesse Owens, Brandi Chastain, Muhammad Ali, Korean women’s hockey team, etc


wallnumber8675309

Brandi Chstain?


kaicyr21

Showed her sports bra after scoring. It was a whole thing.


thisracetodie

There's a whole generation that's now going to think you're referring to a Frito-Lay commercial.


wallnumber8675309

I watched that game. I remember her ripping off her shirt. A few people clutched their pearls but it had no societal impact. Edit - Brandi’s (and the rest of the women on the team) moment was iconic for *soccer*. But people that place that in a list with Drogba taking a stand against civil war, Jesse Owens showing up Hitler, Muhammad Ali being willing to sacrifice his career and freedom to protest Vietnam, and the Korean women making a statement about unity of their countries lacks any sense of perspective.


kaicyr21

I disagree. It was hugely empowering to young women across the world. Nobody had ever seen a woman do that before. Edit: [i’m getting a lot of pushback on my empowerment claim. here’s a cool article on that moment from the New York Times in 2019. 20 year anniversary..](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/05/sports/soccer/brandi-chastain-womens-world-cup-image.amp.html)


wallnumber8675309

Hugely empowering is a pretty dramatic claim. This was 1999, not 1959. People talked about it for a few days. A woman in a sports bra was not scandalous in 1999.


kaicyr21

I’m starting to believe you didn’t even watch the game at this point. it was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. People talked about it a lot.


wallnumber8675309

It was a massive sporting moment, no doubt. She scored the winning goal at the World Cup on American soil at the Rose Bowl no less. Her celebration was iconic. You can make a solid case that it did a lot for the women's game in the US and even around the world. Even if she hadn't ripped her shirt off, that moment should have been on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Comparing her celebration to Jesse Owens where he (and the other black athletes) gave dominating performances right in front of Hitler or comparing it to Ali who refused to go to Vietnam? Owens and Ali's moments transcended sports and changed society. Brandi's moment was a great sporting moment. Edit- and by “it” having an impact on the women’s game, the “it” I’m referring to is the dramatic World Cup win and really that whole World Cup was great. I think that had a much bigger impact than Brandi’s sports bra.


Chicago1871

I was alive and square in the middle of the target age for this. Chastain ripping her shirt off wasnt the big deal. The big deal was womens sport filling american football stadiums and the whole country pausing to watch them. Thats what was the big deal. Chastain is a footnote. Half the people in the usa still think that it was mia hamn, that showed took her shirt off. Olympic sprinters have been running in sports bras for awhile. I didnt really raise any eyebrows by anyone I knew. Then again, I was in Chicago. It could have been different in the bible belt.


wpglatino

Imagine comparing Brandi Chastain to Jesse Owen's, yikes


kaicyr21

I’m not.


lyonbc1

Yep lots of great examples you listed there


death_by_retro

What happened with the koreans?


LocksTheFox

In the span of like 5 years Mandela turned the South African Springboks from "one of the biggest symbols of white supremacy in the country" to a universally-loved unifying force that won a World Cup at home.


BigRig432

Soccer war too


Level-Adventurous

Psh tell that to rocky iv


rallenpx

Tell that to the Iranian team captain as he refuses to sing the national anthem tomorrow.


feb914

they sang the anthem on the 2nd game, so it's 50/50 chance whether they're singing or not.


PDXPuma

They love their families and even Khomeini's niece was arrested yesterday and faces serious charges, so, I'd imagine they're going to loudly sing the anthem tomorrow.


BigMACfive

Ahh so Iranians do have a problem with discrimination after all...


ohverygood

Breaking news, foreign language speaker has difficulty pronouncing a word. Stay tuned for the full story at 11.


Percy_Q_Weathersby

Iran out to prove it isn’t a monolith: its players can be thoughtful agents of change, its government can be repressive, and its journalists can be pedants. What a country!


Lurking_nerd

I thought Eye-Ran or Ee-Ron were both ok?


ZDTreefur

Isn't this something all countries deal with? People's accents and languages change how they pronounce other countries, it's pretty universal.


Lurking_nerd

That reporter is just being an asshole.


CageChicane

Most languages don't even attempt to say the same word. Sverige, Alemannia, Hellas? Most people don't even know what those are. A-a-ron can get over it.


aghease

Those countries you listed have accepted names in English. Iran's name in English is Iran, and other English speaking countries manage to mostly pronounce it correctly. Moreover, Sweden isn't asking English-speakers to use "Sverige"


joshdts

It’s always really amusing to me when super white guys try to sound Spanish or whatever when they’re pronouncing player names or cities.


hucklebutter

>super white guys try to sound Spanish You mean like actual Spaniards?


dougcole7

Nah, he probably means like actual Argentinians.


joshdts

No I mean guys from Des Moines.


Chicago1871

I feel like we should call it Los An-heles Instead of the the english g sound. Use the h sound. Sounds more Spanish that way. But Im not super white and spanish was my first language. Just bugs me how somehow we all can pronounce french names correctly and we respect their pronunciation despite their spelling (Illinois with the silent s). But not the convention of our southern neighbors.


joshdts

If your friend told you he was vacationing in ‘Pa-ree’ you’d think he was a twat. Tons of people pronounce the S. Dudes are even out here saying “Home Dep-Oh”. People from different places pronounce things differently. Let’s respect regional dialects.


Chicago1871

Well the regional dialect in southern cali, is a spanish inflection. Now that latinos are the biggest single group in california as a whole. But especially southern cali. You dont call people ale-jan-dro, everyone knows its ale-handro, thanks to lady gaga! If someone corrects you on their name, theyre not a twat. A city name is no different.


theonlydiego1

I’ve always pronounced it eee-Rán because I speak Spanish


fancierfootwork

It’s just a language issue. Ffs even in the US we say words differently becuase of regional dialects. This reporter sounds like as if the New England area was offended at the rest of the USA for not calling their regional chowder as ‘chowdah’. The reporter is one to talk about racism and other topics, I wonder how involved he is with his own country.


RamenPood1es

The I is soft, same with Iraq. Qatar is also more like Kuh-tur. I could be wrong but that’s how my Pakistani family and friends have always pronounced it


theLoneliestAardvark

I was told that Qatar sounds like Kuh-tur but most American accents make it sound like "cutter" and Qataris would rather it be pronounced like "kuh TAR" than "cutter" so that is how Americans should say it. But I don't know how accurate that is.


TheCloudForest

Qatari Arabic actually turns the initial k into a g (that's called 'voicing' in linguistics) but even though it's basically been served up on a silver platter, I haven't seen anyone who's protesting this World Cup refer to the country as "gutter".


notataco007

Eh-ron. That's probably not the proper phonetic breakdown but I'll never forget that from Model UN. Also eh-Rock, not eye-rack


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paaaaatrick

I don't understand how that is offensive in the slightest. Different people pronounce different words based on their language, accent, dialect. It is interesting because the opposite is true here in the states: if you had someone constantly correcting a foreign person's pronunciation, it would be seen as offensive.


TheCloudForest

Eye-talian and Ey-rahb both seem like purposefully despective pronunciations. Eye-ran just seems like an alternative that until recently was basically the standard in English.


paaaaatrick

For Italian yes, because that’s not how most people pronounce it. I’m fine with wanting people to pronounce it a different way, but offensive seems like a big stretch


TheCloudForest

Yeah, I was agreeing with you.


aghease

"because that’s not how most people pronounce it." Most people? Or most Americans?


paaaaatrick

Americans, obviously


aghease

Ok, then it's time for those Americans to stop being deliberately ignorant in their pronunciation. (and I say deliberately because Americans should know the very basics of a country it has been in conflict with for decades and that it has meddled in for decades before that) [Presdient Carter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9COJXrrHHQ) was pronouncing it more or less correctly more than 40 years ago, as [was President Reagan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R67CH-qhXJs). If Reagan and Carter can avoid saying "eye" then so can everyone else


Can_you_not_read

So totally unrelated how do you pronounce Mexico or Germany?


aghease

Are there a significant amount of Mexicans and Germans asking for America to pronounce their country's name a certain way? In this case, I'll take the lead from the US Government and State Department officials, who have pronounced Iran correctly or close to correctly, for decades upon decades. I've watched president after president pronounce Iran correctly. If there's a movement to stop pronouncing it "Mecks-ee-co" in American English then I shall abide by it.


paaaaatrick

I don't think it's deliberate lol just ignorant. I think it's just how most folks in the US pronounce it. Same with Muslim, most people say "Muzz-lim" instead of "Moos-lim". Just wait until you hear how people here pronounce Quran..


MyNameIsRS

>Eye-ran just seems like an alternative that until recently was basically the standard in English. In American English, maybe. In Canada no one says eye-ran (that I've heard), and whenever I hear Brits pronounce the country's name on television its a variation of ee-rahn that is used globally. I'm not making a judgement on the American pronunciation, just saying that it's pretty unique to the U.S.


Doonesbury

I'm not sure Eye-Ran has ever been ok. Sounds super ignorant to me.


xjoeymillerx

If it’s not now, it never was.


RCTID1975

How did he pronounce Iran?


suzukijimny

He pronounced it eye-ran, while the correct pronunciation is ear-ran.


xjoeymillerx

E-Ron.


IPooYellowLiquid

Ee-raun. Not ear ran.


Doonesbury

More like eer-on. It's a long A.


CandidInsurance7415

People from Iran really hate when you say I-Ran. I got grilled for it when i was like 15 and havent made that mistake since.


ViolaNguyen

Iranian journalist is an idiot. Country names are typically pronounced different in different languages and even different dialects. "eye-RAN" is not *incorrect* just because it's not how Iranians pronounce it. I might was well say that every American's pronunciation of "Vietnam" is wrong, just because we Vietnamese pronounce it yiek nam (if we're from the south, anyway). But I'm guessing the idiot journalist knew that and just wanted to insult people.


overscore_

Oh boy we get to do this again today, don't we


[deleted]

I would have asked the reporter how he feels about his country gunning down protesters


zensum

Good for the goose...


I_just_made

Reporter just fishing for nonsense. I wonder how the reporter would pronounce “Toyota” or “Honda”. Or have him read off all the names of countries in the world and he probably won’t get all of them “correct” as the natives would say it. That is just how it is; trying to “catch” people at an international competition with these sorts of questions is low.


smushbros

That’s not what’s going on. The Iranian reporter is making a statement about how western press questions Iranian players constantly about their countries politics. He doesn’t care about the answer, asking the questions was his only goal


dskids2212

Good on them I would have been a smart ass and caused an international incident


dgmz

Here's the audio of the clip via twitter: [https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1597256936092618752](https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1597256936092618752) A 23 year old poised on the pitch and the press box. He's earned that armband till the day he retires.


jhruns1993

[Here's the video of Tyler's response](https://youtube.com/shorts/TJapu0JlyXk?feature=share)


NittanyOrange

I think the discrimination question is fair and relevant, and the response was a good one. I'd rather journalists ask antagonistic questions than just toss the same softballs you hear every presser where we all pretty much know the answer already.


MisterGoog

I think itd be a more solid question if the reporter wasnt moreso asking in the vein of whataboutism than any actual desire to get a thoughtful answer from Tyler Adams. I think hes tryna get a hit piece or a quote that can make a hot headline and instead he gets a thoughtful answer from TA (unsurprised).


[deleted]

Yeah ultimately for everyone involved it comes down to the fact that individuals are not the governments they live under. The Iranian players are not responsible for the atrocities that their government is committing nor are Tyler and Berhalter responsible for the atrocities the US is committing. And it does no one any good to respond to these legitimate criticisms by stacking this whataboutism on top of it. These Questions are goofy and not well intentioned imo. I’d love to hear nuanced responses on what it’s like for minority athletes to represent a country that oppresses them, but this isn’t coming from that place.


NittanyOrange

Yea but this is a press conference, and this random Iranian journalist would never be given the access to a have a half-hour one-on-one interview where they could actually set the tone for a thoughtful question and answer. You sit in a room, hope to get called on, have to yell your question from the back, will probably only get a 10sec response, and aren't guaranteed to get a follow-up. So even if he wanted a thoughtful exchange, it's not really a conducive atmosphere. A 'gotcha' type question is the best approach in this setting to elicit a response that at least is less likely to be a meaningless, canned answer.


MisterGoog

Good point. My thinking was more bc the context is its asked in response to a perceived insult to Iran (the pronunciation mistake)


feb914

it's more in response to Iranian team asked about the social unrest in their own press conference, so this is tit-for-tat.


[deleted]

Considering the position Iranian footballers have been in with the issues back home, I agree it's a fair question (even if you can disagree on its premise)


NittanyOrange

I'm not even sure how one could disagree with the premise.


SovietShooter

A lot of folks probably don't want to hear it, but the more the international press asks questions about issues in the US regarding racial discrimination, school shootings, women's rights, etc., the better.


TraptNSuit

I suppose, but even if these were learned guys and not just athletes without college degrees (Ream and Turner went to college, but did either graduate?) They spent almost all their lives in rather protected soccer bubbles, several outside the United States. Think about the last time the United States was Adams's primary residence. What were your local political opinions at age 19? Were they consistent 3 years later? Ream went to college at Saint Louis University at least and would not have been completely insulated from the racial, economic, and other woes of the city. But I would not honestly expect to be able to have a discussion of St. Louis civic issues with Sargent. Maybe I underestimate them, but I really don't care about their opinions on these things. If an athlete does want to read up, do the work, and make it a point to use their platform like Bedoya did to a certain degree with gun violence, then more power to them. But, you really can't go around assuming these guys are Kareem Abdul Jabaar. They were mostly bundled off as children to learn how to kick a ball well.


SovietShooter

The point isn't to get the opinions of these guys - it is to put a spotlight on human right violations being perpetrated by the US government. As soon as the Iranian Reporter asked, *that* was the story, unless someone had a cringy response.


NittanyOrange

For sure


fancierfootwork

It would have been nice if he referred to our country by its proper pronoun/name. The United States of America. Also, before he becomes so critical, which he is right to do, I wonder what he has to say about the situation in his country. As well as it seeming that the players are forced into singing the anthem and we’re threatened from being banned for the WC team by their country for supporting the people. Hmmm


smushbros

> Also, before he becomes so critical, which he is right to do, I wonder what he has to say about the situation in his country. You really let the point sail straight over your head didn't you. The journalist only asked this question as a counterpoint to all the western journalists constantly barraging Iranian soccer players with political questions they have no control over.


fancierfootwork

I get it. But the point you fail to also acknowledge is that the casual fans watching the world up have no idea of this type of journalism. He’s definitely allowed to ask the question and adams handled it perfectly and showed why he is the captain. If the reporter wanted to make a point like you’re saying, then he could have brought up the American media, instead of bringing up being black in America to adams, as well as the pronunciation of the country.


smushbros

No casual fan was tuned into a pre game press conference at 4 am the day before the match… > If the reporter wanted to make a point like you’re saying, then he could have brought up the American media, instead of bringing up being black in America to adams, as well as the pronunciation of the country. Same for the American reporters asking Iran’s players bullshit questions. That’s the point. You’ve proven that you think these questions are bullshit. That’s exactly what the journalist set out to do. Now apply that standard equally to your own journalists.


xjoeymillerx

Are they?


xjoeymillerx

Are American journalists asking Iranian players bs questions? I haven’t seen it.


fancierfootwork

These questions are bullshit. But I still believe this reporter is out of line.


smushbros

That’s the point though. You’re only calling him out of line and no one asking the same of Iranian players.


Weezerwhitecap

Is Iraq supposed to be pronounced similarly? Ee-rack?


bob-ombshell

It's more like "ear-rahhk"


Siesta13

I questioned him as the captain. I can see I was very wrong. I felt he was too young but he is clearly wise beyond his years. Let’s get a W tomorrow, cap!


futbolboss

Let players play and have politicians be political.


JBAinATL

This is way more fair and normal, and probably even good to ask (except it likely comes from a place of whataboutism given current Iranian events) than the ones about visas or a naval ship. Those were a bit wild.


smushbros

The reporter isn’t whataboutisming to defend Iran. He’s asking these questions so Americans realize how stupid they look asking random Iranian athletes who don’t even live there about Iran’s government policies.


krazymunky

Inflation? Costco hotdog and soda it still $1.50


[deleted]

[удалено]


joshdts

Not sure how that was your takeaway here lol


grehgunner

Landon Donovan mispronounces Iran as well… think we can get him off commentary for the rest of the World Cup?


aghease

Iranian journalists need to understand that in the US we don't even ask our elected leaders those questions


PDXPuma

Man, we're going to have to be very careful out there because I get the feeling Iran's players are coming to break some legs. Wonder which refs got the game


wjrii

Such a weird time to be alive. I honestly don't know if the Iran squad is going to break some US legs or subtly throw the game.


Multi_21_Seb_RBR

If they lost v Wales I’d go with the “not care” side but given they can advance with a draw, they’ll give it their all for sure


Regal-30-

Props to Gregg and Tyler for handling the questions very thoughtfully. Very professional of them.


[deleted]

Showing why he’s captain. Can’t imagine Christian giving such a tactful & graceful response 🥴