Where there’s a victor, there’s a loser, and sometimes, certain athletes contribute to their team’s shortcomings. These athletes are favorably called bobbleheads.
Team Egypt - Goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir
Featured on this week’s edition of bobbleheads after a huge collapse by the Egyptian national team against Argentina in the FIFA World Cup round of sixteen is goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir. Egypt effectively had the game won, as they were ahead 2-0 with 12 minutes left over the reigning world champions. Shoubir had a very good game up to that point, but then Egypt was shellshocked by an attack, surrendering two goals in four minutes to tie the game up. Shoubir and Egypt looked as if they were just trying to survive to get into extra minutes and regroup, and Argentina became too much, going in for the kill and scoring the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute to advance. To Shoubir’s credit, he played great before the late onslaught, and Egypt had another goal disallowed that would have given them a three-goal lead, but as the last line of defense, it was a day to forget.
Boston Celtics - President Of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens
Usually players and coaches are the ones named bobbleheads, but there was one trade made by an executive during this offseason that frustrated a team’s fanbase. Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics traded away small forward Jaylen Brown — a 5-time All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP — and did not get a substantial package in return. He was traded to the rival Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. The expectations were low for the Celtics last season due to Jayson Tatum’s achilles injury, and veterans Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday being traded away, but Boston held down the fort — thanks in part to Brown having an MVP-level season, averaging less than 29 points-per-game. After the Celtics’ early playoff exit, Brown had some choice words, which could’ve prompted him to be traded. Now, he joins a solid 76ers core group consisting of Joel Embiid (when healthy), Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
U.S. Men’s National Team - Goalkeeper Matt Freese
Team USA picked the worst day to have their worst game of the tournament versus Team Belgium, losing 4-1 in the World Cup round of sixteen. Goalkeeper Matt Freese started off the game well with a good block, and the home crowd in Seattle was alive after U.S. forward Malik Tillman scored to tie the game in the 31st minute, but the team could not recapture the momentum they had built, conceding another goal shortly after. As if four allowed points wasn’t bad enough, Freese had a moment he would like to forget: 57 minutes in, the Americans found themselves down one when Freese channeled his inner Younghoe Koo and kicked the ground instead of the ball, giving Belgium midfielder Hans Vanaken a wide-open opportunity to score.
Alex Joe is a freelance videographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo
