U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!

The fireworks didn't end on the Fourth of July. Americans had more reason to celebrate on Sunday evening as the U.S. Women's National Team won the World Cup with a resounding 5-2 win over Japan in Vancouver. For those keeping score at home, the last 40 days have seen the USWNT win the World Cup, the men's team won games on the road against soccer superpowers Germany and the Netherlands, and the FBI took on FIFA corruption. There's just no arguing it: the United States is the #1 soccer country in the world right now.

During the World Cup Final, midfielder Carli Lloyd shined as the brightest of the American stars, scoring a hat trick within the game's first 16 minutes, leaving the Japanese team shell shocked. The final of her three goals was an all-timer, as she caught the Japanese goalkeeper off her line and booted the ball in from midfield. It was an epic moment that instantly made Lloyd a legend. The only thing that could ramp up the goal's epicness? Hearing it called by a Spanish language announce team...

I'M MOVING PAST THE FEELING

Sometimes you don't need anything more than a singer and a guitar. To commemorate the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation naming Arcade Fire as the Best Canadian Band of All-Time, CBC brought in Father John Misty to play an acoustic solo cover of "The Suburbs." The result is stunningly gorgeous and captures the songs haunting undercurrent.

VERBAL GLUTTONY

While the World Cup grabbed headlines this holiday weekend, a sporting tradition unlike any other (for a reason) took place on Coney Island. The annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Championship on the Fourth of July saw eight-time defending champion Joey Chestnut taste defeat at the hands of Matt Stonie. But the actual competition was not the event's highlight (it's pretty gross, really). Announcer George Shea's  absurdly bombastic eater introductions served as the best part of the festivities. One intro began "He was born outside of time..." Shea used the phrase "the David Blaine of the bowel." He even rapped an introduction. But in a sea of wordy highlights, the gem of the lot has to be the line, "Three days ago he broke up with girlfriend and euthanized his dog to leave a void of emptiness inside him that he could fill today with hot dogs and buns." 

PUBLIC ACCESS AWKWARDNESS

Since Stephen Colbert hasn't been able to stretch his hosting muscle for months as he awaits the debut of his incarnation of The Late Show on CBS, he decided to make a trip to Monroe, Michigan to rectify the situation. He traveled across state lines to guest host an episode of the public access talk show Only in Monroe. In addition to delivering the news and interviewing the show's regular hosts, Colbert sat down for an extended interview with Michigan native Eminem. It was a painfully awkward affair that calls to mind early The Colbert Report interviews when guest would come on and not realize they were being asked questions by a character. So... great interview or the greatest interview?

KING KUNTA

We may only be a little over halfway through 2015, but it's pretty safe to say that Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly will go down as the most socially relevant album of the year. The rapper explores the modern black experience with a poetic rawness that commands attention. He also makes sure his music videos are loaded with thought-provoking imagery. The new beautiful black and white clip for the song "Alright" finds the MC floating above sidewalks, swaying on top of light poles, riding in a car carried by cops, and ultimately getting gunned down. Listening isn't enough for Lamar, he needs you to be thinking.