COUNT COUP AFTER YOU'VE HOISTED THE TROPHY.

The United States' women's footie squad are finished in the World Cup.  Ordinarily, that would be reason enough for Cold Spring Shops to continue its policy of benign neglect of the game popular with adolescent males in the third world and eight year old girls here.  Not before we have some fun with the Dutch team.  "Netherlands forward Lineth Beerensteyn said Thursday she celebrated the United States crashing out of the Women's World Cup, saying the beaten holders had 'a really big mouth'." The story continues, "I was just thinking: you first have to show it on the pitch before you are talking."

Yes, the gods of sport are a sardonic lot, and wearing those warmups with four stripes, for the four World Cups, as a form of pregame intimidation is, especially with replay review, letting your tailor write checks your feet can't cash.  Notwithstanding that to much of the world, watching the United States exit the footie tournament is the same sort of high as watching Connecticut exit the basketball tournament.

But then, the Dutch West Indies had to play Spain.  Where the replay review taketh from the Dutch and giveth to the Spaniards, sort of undoing what happened to the Spanish Armada all those years ago.

That gave a U.S. player the opportunity to dish it right back.

Sydney Leroux, who last represented the U.S. in 2017 after winning the 2015 World Cup and Olympic Gold in 2012, wasted no time in reminding the Netherlands' No. 7 that she'd spoken too soon.

"One thing we've learned is wait to talk s--- until after you're on the podium with a gold medal because now ... you're bye too," the 33-year-old Angel City FC forward tweeted shortly after Spain advanced to the semifinals.

United States fans, perhaps even a few who did not mind their side being excused early, were united in watching the Dutch exit.  "The US unquestionably laid an egg in the World Cup. But much like with siblings, only we can talk crap on them. And if you’re going to do it from another country, you’d better be able to back it up."

As if the Dutch hadn't been nyekulturny enough, apparently both they and the Spanish side got caught mocking the New Zealand haka.  (Go to the Daily Mail site if you wish to open the tweets, err, exposts, and replies.)

Football fans have slammed the players making fun of the haka, and many feel an apology is in order.

'The Spanish and dutch players who disrespected haka need to educate themselves and issue an apology. to go to a country, be welcomed with open arms, and then mock māori culture is so awful,' tweeted one fan.

'As a New Zealander & Māori myself, this is so infuriating for me to see. Karma works in mysterious ways, I'm sure she will get something for being disrespectful to such a proud culture!' replied another.

'They come to our country and decide it's a good idea to disrespect our culture like morons? Right ok i see how it is. Disgusting f***ing clowns,' said a third.

A New Zealand academic notes, "They have trampled on the mana of Māori."  He's right, that's unmannerly; although such behavior only gets the Polynesian gods and the gods of sport making common cause.  I wonder what sort of surprise exit will befall Spain.