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Alexi Lalas really knows how to push the buttons of the players on the current U.S. Men's National Team.
About a month ago, in early July, Lalas exchanged a series of barbed tweets with U.S. defender Geoff Cameron, which started after Lalas pontificated about the USMNT's starting lineup:
OK, let’s play. Does Cameron start? RT @RobStoneONFOX I don't care. I'm still treating the day as a buildup to #ARG vs #USA
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) July 5, 2014
@RobStoneONFOX If you put him at RB then no Yedlin. If you put him at DM then no Beckerman. If you put him at CB then no Gonzalez.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) July 5, 2014
@AlexiLalas do you have a soccer camp this summer? I would really love to go since apparently your a soccer expert
— Geoff Cameron (@GeoffCameron) July 5, 2014
Beginners session is full. RT @GeoffCameron You have a soccer camp this summer? I’d really love to go since apparently your a soccer expert
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) July 5, 2014
While Lalas's initial remarks seem innocent enough, he does seem to have a knack for angering the players he comments upon. Maybe it's his tell-it-like-it-is style. Or perhaps it's just hard to take seriously an analyst who wore this ensemble as a player. Either way, Lalas got into it again last week with another member of the 2014 USMNT squad.
This time, Lalas traded punches with German-American midfielder Jermaine Jones, who has been in rumored contract talks recently with the Chicago Fire. This move comes after Jones spent the tail end of last season on loan at Besiktas in Turkey. With his future as a pro in Europe uncertain, Jones has wavered over a contract in the MLS and many think the cause is money. Specifically, not enough money for Jones to sign on the dotted line.
When Lalas commented on Twitter that perhaps Jones needs the MLS more than the MLS needs him, it quickly turned into a snarky exchange between the two American players:
At this point, I’m not sure if @Jermainejunior realizes that he may need @MLS more than MLS needs him.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 7, 2014
Thanks @AlexiLalas because your opinion and predictions are always right like saying we "will be kicked out in the club of death"! Hahaha
— Jermaine Jones (@Jermainejunior) August 8, 2014
Honestly, I had no idea that @Jermainejunior was in a #ClubOfDeath. I take back everything I said. @MLS you need to save him! #SaveJermaine
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 8, 2014
OK people, you decide: If you were @MLS, what yearly salary would you pay @Jermainejunior?
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 8, 2014
As I’ve said all along, I think $3 million gets the deal done. Of course as @Jermainejunior pointed out, I can be wrong.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 8, 2014
Relax, no problem with @Jermainejunior. Hope he signs for lots of $. He’ll give us plenty to talk about and @MLS needs more personalities.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 8, 2014
This exchange followed the pattern of many others, in that as soon as the player in question engages with Lalas, he eagerly takes them up and seems to enjoy the controversy. Which, to be honest, we're not sure makes us like him less. It is, after all, highly entertaining. Either way, as Lalas points out, Twitter is indeed an amazing machine for fans of the game to catch a glimpse of what in past years was probably kept tucked politely away behind the scenes.
This twitter is an amazing machine.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) August 8, 2014
