​Remember not so long ago when everyone was all fired up about the USMNT? All of the debris scattered from an atrocious showing against Belgium that ended in a 4-1 defeat obscures the fact that Americans were once riding very high.While pretty much everyone else has moved onto something else, Folarin Balogun was asked on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday about the complex situation that ended in FIFA rescinding his suspension and allowing him to play in the forgettable display against Belgium.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“I was in shock,” he said, “It was just an unfortunate situation and I think, you know, put a lot more pressure on us than we needed.”On the shoulders of that, take legend Mad Dog Russo shared his unique perspective on “First Take” a day later.“I knew as soon as that decision was made, the U.S. was gonna lose that game,” Russo boasted.Just when you were ready to put all the ugliness out of your mind and focus on something else, the content machine has mobilized to deliver one last gut punch.First off, it’s absolutely ridiculous to suggest that having Balogun on the pitch made it more likely the USMNT would lose. If there’s been a worse display of soccer during the knockout stage of this World Cup than the one put on in Seattle then we missed it. Even worse, Balogun saying that the added pressure got to his team and created too much of a challenge accidentally reveals the sad truth about this team.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThey wilted. This is their best player admitting that they couldn’t handle the heat so they got out of the kitchen in shame. Points for honesty, sure but how often do you hear an athlete essentially fess up to shrinking in the moment. Not often in the big four professional sports.To some, I guess, this is endearing. For me it’s more of an indictment. It’s just another stone on the scale to suggest that we’ll remember the ugly end more than the fleeting fun.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —