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I could barely sleep last night. 37 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: United States. That's so fi, let's just talk about it 38 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: and yes, this is what I slept in. This is 39 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: I'm out of bed five minutes. First of all, it's 40 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: the greatest soccer environment. I have a couple of people 41 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: that were on the staff at the volume that were there, 42 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: and it's just unbelievable. I thought the crowd really helped us, 43 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: but I thought the first half was the greatest half 44 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: of soccer in the history of the United States men's 45 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: national team. The passing, the fluidity, the aggressiveness dominated possession time. 46 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: I thought it was brilliant. I mean, honestly, at least 47 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: like watching Spain overwhelming opponent and that's what it felt 48 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: like to me. So and the other thing is I 49 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: talked about this with Bruce Arena, the winningest coach in 50 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 1: the history of the United States men's national team, yesterday 51 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: on the hurt is that you know, we always blame 52 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: the coaches because that's easier, that's easier than blaming a 53 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: lack of personnel. But I said, I'm a little hopelessly 54 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: optimistic with this group because I've always believed in all 55 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: sports that the Seahawks are a great example. You have 56 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: to have a majority of your best players either going 57 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,920 Speaker 1: into their prime or into their prime you can't be 58 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: too young. That was our United States men's national team 59 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: last World Cup. Were too old and creaky. And you 60 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: see that at the international level, an old German team, 61 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: an old British team, you know, and they're just not 62 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: that don't quite have it. You want a chunk six 63 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: or seven or eight of your most important players in 64 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: any sport to be going into their prime. Kansas City 65 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: Chiefs last year they felt a little old, Travis Kelcey, 66 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: Chris Jones. So I had really optimistic vibes coming into 67 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: this because I, you know, Western mckennian Pulisic had been 68 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: playing together since they were I mean they met when 69 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: they were like fourteen years old, you know, on a 70 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: bus to some you know, youth tournament, and they were 71 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: just too young to go up against the Netherlands in 72 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: the last World Cup. Now they're in their prime, their 73 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: experienced international play doesn't matter that a you know, polistic 74 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: can come off kind of a bumpy scoring drought with 75 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 1: Ac Milan and it doesn't matter, like it's the experience. 76 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: He's got nagging injuries. By the way, cross your fingers 77 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: him coming out at the break. I think he's fine. Precaution, 78 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: but when you watched last night. What you saw was 79 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: not only just great natural open play, the opposite of 80 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: set pieces. You know, set pieces are important, but to 81 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: be able to singularly go one on one and win those, 82 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: we just haven't been able to do. It looks so 83 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: difficult when you watch really talented people. It could be 84 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: a pianist, it can be a soccer player. Talented people 85 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: make hard stuff look easy, like two or three of 86 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: our goals last night look easy, and it's not. You 87 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: get there. There was, you know against Germany, our our 88 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: I think it was our time goal. It was just 89 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: a one timer and that was a that was a 90 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 1: tough opportunity. Bang hit it cleanly, we score. That's really hard. 91 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 1: Last night it just felt fluid and beautiful and easy. 92 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 1: And that's because we have a chunk of very talented 93 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: players who were who are playing overseas against the world's 94 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: best trying to get the jigsaw puzzle to fit. It's hard. 95 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 1: I mean this this the United States fans national team. 96 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: You know, five four or five months ago, six months ago, 97 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 1: we were struggling offensively and it wasn't because we didn't 98 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: have the talent. You saw it last night. Let's talk 99 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: and Baligan, so he played at the youth level for 100 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 1: both England and US Arsenal. He was a goal scorer 101 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: with Monaco and he chose US back in twenty twenty three, 102 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 1: he chose US. He is your classic goal scorer and 103 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: Polistic can score goals. He's your classic playmaker. Balagan is 104 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: a real striker. Just say the word striker. It just 105 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: sounds powerful, right Like, it's just like just forceful, definitive, 106 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: one timer. It's just the setup guy, the striker. So 107 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: it is just a it's harmony. It's beautiful. And you 108 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: saw Polistic last night, our first couple of goals. It's 109 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: just it's such an It just feels so easy and 110 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: so natural for him. And you know, listen, he's got 111 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 1: to protect himself. I appreciate him getting banged up. I 112 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: think like and one of the legs got banged up 113 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: into saying precaution because we have the depth now and 114 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: when you have a lead, you can slow the pace 115 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: down and just kind of, you know, just just protect 116 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: the lead. That's okay. Paraguay was never going to be 117 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: a goal scoring, dynamic goal scoring opponent. That was it 118 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: was one nothing for them. But Baligan is just He's 119 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: a classic great goal scorer where you may get two opportunities. 120 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: Even against Paraguay, you may just get too you have 121 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: to take advantage of them. And that's I remember years 122 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: ago watching Ronaldo and it's not like Ronaldo's getting twelve 123 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: shots on goal. He just buries a high percentage of 124 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: his opportunities. And so we have this perfect match of 125 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: players in their prime home soil. We play a more 126 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: attacking style. That tells you, Bruce Arena Klinsmann, you know 127 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: a lot of our coaches our best player was our goalie. 128 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: You can't play an attacking style, get burned. We had 129 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: to be a counter attacking team. Set pieces, corner kicks. 130 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: We can do that now, but we can also attack. 131 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: And I know as you were watching it, you know, 132 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: my wife turned to me and she's like, is Paraguay 133 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,120 Speaker 1: just awful? And I said, well, they're more of a 134 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: defensive team. But what we're doing is impressive against anybody, 135 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: and Paraguay is you know. I mean, we've had some 136 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: real battles against teams at that level, so it's not 137 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: just the opponent. We are a very gifted and now 138 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: deeper set of players who have played together thirteen for 139 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: years all in or moving into their promce. And I've 140 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: said before I'm not some nuanced soccer expert, but I 141 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: do think sports has always been about who's got the 142 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: better players, and if you have better players, if you 143 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 1: have at least a competent plus coach or manager, you're fined. 144 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: Andy Reid can't solve last year's Chiefs right There doesn't 145 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: matter how good JJ Reddick was this year. They don't 146 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: have the roster composition the Knicks do. You can only 147 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: do so much. And Mauricio Pochettino, I mean there was 148 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: a little turbulence early with Christian Polisic. Of course, there 149 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: is the world's change for our soccer stars. They're making 150 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: a million plus overseas. They're making a lot of money 151 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: and that's where they're making their money. They're not MLS guys. 152 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 1: So there's the push and pull of international play. But 153 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: you'd always choose that we want our squad overseas competing 154 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: against the very best. It's not a knock on the MLS. 155 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: Maybe is the MLS the eighth best league in the world, tenth, eighth, seventh, 156 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I just thought last night what 157 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: you watched and there's been you know, there's Landon Donovan 158 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: had said recently on a show that, Hey, I you know, 159 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: I think our academy system, our youth development's about money, 160 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: it's not about development. And that may be true. Maybe 161 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: we just have to go out and find alternate ways 162 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: to find our best players. But Balligan is a not 163 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 1: only a find he and polistic together Weston McKinney, that's 164 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: that's those are those are elite players. And you just 165 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: saw the art of it and the fluidity in this, 166 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: in the beauty of it, and it was really staggering. 167 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: I mean, I just I was just smiling. You could 168 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: not wipe the smile off my face. Did I dream 169 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: of soccer last night? I don't think I did. It's 170 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: just magical. It's just magical to watch and listen. You're 171 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: gonna you're gonna face some purists and they're gonna criticize 172 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,880 Speaker 1: you because you know you don't you don't follow the 173 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: team with all their and the copa and their friendlies. 174 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: Just enjoy the heck out of it. It's so great. Listen, listen. Look, 175 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: this country when it comes to hockey goes nuts during 176 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: the Olympics. Don't let anybody divide you or us. Last 177 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: night was magical. It was patriotism, it was beautiful, and 178 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: it was just it was just easy. And that's soccer 179 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: has never been easy for us. It's just never looked 180 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,839 Speaker 1: like last night. Man, I don't I don't even know 181 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: what to do. I don't even I just I had 182 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: to get up and talk. All right, let's all go 183 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: get a bagel.