1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Welcome and Clay Travis wins and losses. For those of 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: you who have not listened before, We've done a lot 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: of these, I think over forty now, and the idea 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: is these are long form conversations, not a lot of 5 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: commercial breaks, but that will be just as good if 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: you listen to them today as if you listen to 7 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: them in five or ten years. And we're exploring the 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: idea of the wins and losses that exist over the 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: course of someone's career, can be in sports, business, media, 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: can even be a big story in general. Um, just 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: a really fun conversation allowing you to be a little 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: bit more in depth than you might be able to 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: on television or certainly in a quicker radio interview. And 14 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 1: our guest today is a guy that I have been 15 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: watching since I was a very young man. Alexei lawllis 16 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: one of the most famous American soccer players of all time, 17 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: recently returned from World Cup. I guess technically it was 18 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: the one world, right, It's twenty two, all the years 19 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 1: run together out in Qatar, which I believe is the 20 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,759 Speaker 1: way you're supposed to pronounce it. Alexei, have you recovered 21 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: from being on the road for that long in Qatar 22 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: in the Middle East for the most recent World Cup. Well, 23 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: I can keep my years straight. What is going on 24 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: with you? Are you okay? My man? Holy I'm getting 25 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: to be an old man. Like I know, we just 26 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 1: moved into a new year. But they all run together. Well, look, 27 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: I know we live in interesting times and it's been 28 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: a hell of a we'll say, the last three years 29 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: or something like that. But yeah, soo in November December 30 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: we were in Qatar, and yes we decided to call 31 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: it Qatar and uh a wonderful success from a Fox 32 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: perspective and a broadcast perspective, but also from a soccer perspective, 33 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: one of the great World Cups, especially when it comes 34 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: to the final, and look you you followed sports finals 35 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: can often be real left downs, and this was anything 36 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: but as a matter of fact, there's a lot of 37 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: people that believe that that's final with France and Argentina 38 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: and ultimately Messy holding up that trophy was the greatest 39 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: final in World Cup history. So all in all, well, 40 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: but went along and off the field and I'm back 41 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: and I am safe and sound, and I can't I 42 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: couldn't be more happy to talk to you, I'm really excited. Yeah, 43 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: I think there's a strong argument to be made that 44 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: that is the greatest soccer game potentially of all time. 45 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: And I think certainly when you consider the number of 46 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 1: people who watched probably the most watched soccer game of 47 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: all time, which is a good combo as well. And 48 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: so you let's start for wins and loss as we 49 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: start early. So you you obviously came to prominence in 50 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: the nineties as soccer started to take off in the 51 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: United States. But I'm curious when you were a kid 52 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: growing up, were you a soccer exclusive player? Did you 53 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: play other sports? When did you start to realize, hey, 54 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: I'm pretty good at soccer and maybe focus on it. 55 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: I'm just curious how you came to become, uh, such 56 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 1: a lightning rod in many ways for American soccer. Yeah. 57 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: So I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit. I 58 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: grew up in this seventies and eighties and uh, you know, 59 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: MTV and bubble Um and Little Caesar's and all that 60 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,359 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. And I grew up in Michigan. Uh. 61 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: And I know you're wiss from Michigan. It is the 62 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: law there. If she hasn't told you that you also 63 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: have to play hockey no matter what I am. I 64 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: am from a generation that played multiple sports. I you know, 65 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: I'm not gruffy old manning it because the world has changed, 66 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: because the sports have changed with specialization. But yeah, from 67 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: a young age, I was playing all different types of sports. 68 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: I actually played more hockey growing up than I did soccer, 69 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: but eventually I just gravitated to it. I loved the 70 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: international aspect of it. I loved the creativity and the 71 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 1: way that you were given autonomy in a way that 72 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: other sports don't have it where you know, let's be honest, 73 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: when you're watching a soccer game, once that whistle blows, 74 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: the coaches have very little to do with ultimately what happens. 75 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: And you can't say that for a lot of sports. 76 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: And so I loved that that responsibility, Like I said, 77 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: the autonomy, being able to do whatever I wanted once 78 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: that whistle blue? Did you get? Do you think you 79 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: could have been in an hl uh professional hockey player 80 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: if you had gone all in on hockey? Oh? Absolutely? 81 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: And I played at a very high level. I was 82 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: freaking awesome. I loved it, But you know, I grew up. 83 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: I grew up you know, skating on ponds, uh and 84 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: flooding the uh you know, the the driveway and doing 85 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: all that kind of stuff. So yeah, I was huge. 86 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: I'm a huge Red Wings fan, always have been. UM. 87 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: So hockey was a huge part of my life. And 88 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: you know, the the hockey culture in Michigan is something 89 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: to behold. And so it's obviously very very different than 90 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: what soccer was, and I loved many many parts of it. 91 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: But like I said, I also you know, my father's 92 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: from Greece. He he was a professor, and my mom 93 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: to a writer, and you know, this is what happens 94 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: when you get a kid who comes over from university 95 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 1: to the States, a Greek kid, and marries a girl 96 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: from Jersey, and so this is what you get. Um. 97 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: But you know, soccer was there, and you know I 98 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 1: grew up also going back and forth between Detroit and Athens, Greece, 99 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: and so I also got that that sandlot type of 100 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: existence that we associate so much with baseball and other sports. 101 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 1: But in Athens, where I was the kid, I was 102 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: the red ed kan kid. I would go down to 103 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: the corner to the sand lot and just kind of 104 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: sit on the side until Eventually a kid didn't show 105 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: up in goal and say let's throw the American goal. 106 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: And then I worked my way up, learned some swear 107 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: words in Greek, and then they let me play on 108 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: the field. And you know that that type of existence 109 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 1: and that type of a background and childhood within sports 110 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:21,760 Speaker 1: really really helped, whether it was playing hockey or whether 111 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: laying soccer. And I definitely think that playing other sports, 112 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,720 Speaker 1: and in particular playing hockey, really helped my soccer. Did 113 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: it toughen you up the fact that you play? I mean, 114 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: it's interesting. I didn't know the hockey background, but you 115 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: played a very physical style of soccer. Do you think 116 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: that that was partly connected to having grown up playing hockey, 117 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: which obviously is super physical. Sure, you know absolutely the 118 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 1: the movements in hockey, obviously, the ruggedness and the physicality 119 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: that's involved in hockey. I I definitely used that in 120 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: the soccer that I was playing, you know, with the 121 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: understanding that there are there are rules and things that 122 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: you can and cannot do. But I looked at my 123 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: my physical attributes as something that could help me in 124 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: different ways. And uh, you know, the hockey players, you know, 125 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 1: they are a very different breed in terms of the 126 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: way that they think about the sport, the way that 127 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: they think about themselves, I guess, even the way that 128 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: they think about the world. Also, there's plenty of hockey 129 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: players that you will see actually warming up playing soccer. 130 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: And obviously the international connections is probably the most closely 131 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: associated with soccer of the sports out there. With the 132 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: international aspect that that started a while ago, but really 133 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: is dominant right now when it comes to the NHL 134 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: and that sport. I mean, it is a very very 135 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: international league and it's a very very international game. Were 136 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: you a defender in UH in soccer and in hockey 137 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: or did you play all positions? Like, at what point 138 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: did you become a defender in UH in soccer it's 139 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: kind of specializing or was that something that UH that 140 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: was a late thing or was it something that fit 141 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: your personality? How did that end up happening? So I 142 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: played on the wing from a hockey perspective, out there 143 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: on the left wing, and I was right hand sells 144 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: on the off wing, so I could cut in and 145 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: do that kind of stuff. And even from a soccer 146 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 1: when I was playing soccer, I was a much more 147 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: of attacking player. And what happened is I went to 148 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 1: Rutgers University State University of New Jersey over their exit 149 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: nine off the turnpike because it was the only place 150 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: that I could get into. And the coach said, listen, 151 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: we're going through a rebuilding type of years here. Have 152 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: you ever played defense? And I completely lied to him 153 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: and said, oh yeah, I played lots of defense, but 154 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: I would do anything to actually get on the field. 155 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: And the rest is history, as they say, from a 156 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: defensive perspective in soccer, but it was. It was an 157 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: opportunity that I saw. And you know the reason why 158 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: I ended up at Rutgers University. Like I said, I 159 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: was getting rejected at all these places. I was coming 160 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: from Michigan. My dad was desperate and he called up 161 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: the coach and said, hey, listen, I got this kid 162 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: a six four. He's done some things in soccer. He's 163 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: an okay student. And the coach said, well, let me 164 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: see you. We drilled the sixteen hours out to New Jersey. 165 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: We met with him for a couple of hours. He said, 166 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: I can invite you to preseason. I can us the 167 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: agriculture school, and I was like, signed me up. Problem. 168 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: We drove sixteen hours back. I packed and then they 169 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,960 Speaker 1: came back and my dad basically slowed the car down 170 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: enough to kick my ass out Exit nine over there 171 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: in New Brunswick in New Jersey. And uh, you know, 172 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: I I fell into a really really interesting and very 173 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: very different environment scholastically and athletically than I had ever 174 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: been exposed to. You're a smart guy. Could you not 175 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: get into Michigan or Michigan State or they didn't have 176 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: athletic programs that focused on soccer? How did you end 177 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: up at Rutgers? You said that was the place you 178 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: could get into. What was the story there? I just 179 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 1: got rejected in a lot of places, and Michigan didn't 180 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: have at that point, Michigan didn't have a varsity soccer 181 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: prog progetic you can believe it. This was the late eighties, 182 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: and um, so you know I was desperate and that 183 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, you're my I have a seventeen year old 184 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: daughter right now who's going through the college process, and 185 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: it is completely You've got a few years before that play, 186 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 1: but it is it is completely different than back certainly 187 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: back in the eighties when when I was doing it, 188 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: And so I just needed somebody to say yes, it 189 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: didn't really matter where. And from a soccer perspective though, 190 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: you know, the New Jersey area, in the in the 191 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: New York metropolitan area the huge hotbed, and so what 192 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: ended up happening was I was surrounded by much better 193 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: quality and the strength of schedule that we played put 194 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: me on a national footing and platform. So from a 195 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:24,560 Speaker 1: soccer perspective, it was everything that I hadn't had and 196 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: really kind of set me up to have success later on. 197 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: What was soccer like in Michigan? You you you grew 198 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: up outside of Detroit. For people who don't know the 199 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: geography there, that's where my wife is from Oakland County. 200 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: We actually got married in Birmingham at the community house. 201 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,040 Speaker 1: For people who have been to Birmingham, Michigan, it's a 202 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: fantastic place. But were you primarily like now, soccer is 203 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 1: a very travel culture, right, there's a lot of travel teams. 204 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: It's very competitive to get on that team or that 205 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: team or this team. Was that the case in Michigan 206 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: at the time, or were you primarily playing high school? 207 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: Middle school? Like? What was the process by which soccer 208 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: evolution occurred then in the nineties in Michigan? So I 209 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: had been exposed to it, like I said, when we 210 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: were going back and forth to Greece. But then, you know, 211 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: I did everything from a very young age that a 212 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: lot of the kids still do today. I did mom 213 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: and dad coaching and orange peels and juice boxes at 214 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 1: half time. And then even back then, there were some 215 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: travel leagues, and yes, I played on a travel team 216 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: and we started to get at a at a higher level. 217 00:10:25,160 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: But I'd be lying to you if I if I 218 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: looked at or played soccer with an eye to the future. 219 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: It was just something that I did. My parents, like 220 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 1: I said, they did not have an athletic background, and 221 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: as long as it kept me out of trouble and 222 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: it was something that I was good at, they were 223 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: cool with it. And as long as I kept up 224 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,079 Speaker 1: my studies to the extent that I that I could. 225 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: So yeah, it just it was something that just fit 226 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: from a young age. But it was wild West back 227 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: then compared to what the kids have now. And I 228 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: know I found old saying that, but it warms the 229 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: cockles in my red headed American heart too to see 230 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 1: what this generation has at its disposal. I I don't 231 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: begrudge them at I think it's wonderful. Makes me incredibly 232 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: proud that they don't have even close to, you know, 233 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: the problems. And like I said, that wild less type 234 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: of existence that was soccer back then, even from a 235 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 1: young age, in terms of youth soccer to high school 236 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: soccer to college soccer. I did play high school soccer, 237 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: which even that in and of itself is a talking 238 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: point when it comes to sports nowadays, as how many 239 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: kids are specializing and you know, playing club soccer and 240 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: playing a travel team and not even being allowed to 241 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: play high school soccer. But I've benefited immensely from playing 242 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 1: high school soccer. And I'm not just talking about as 243 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: a soccer player, but as a student and as a person. 244 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: I remember a story, and we're talking to Alexi Lallis, 245 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,839 Speaker 1: this is wins and losses. I remember a story about 246 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: Barry Larkin, who was one of my favorite baseball players 247 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: growing up. He went to the University of Michigan undergrad 248 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: UH and I believe it's I believe it's been publicly 249 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: out there for a while, but both shim Beeckler, who 250 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: was then the coach of Michigan had a lot of success, 251 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,559 Speaker 1: would show up at Barry Larkin's baseball games and call 252 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: him a woos because he wouldn't come play uh football. 253 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: Because Barry Larkin was an elite athlete. I think his 254 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: son later played n B A. I mean, they got 255 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: some good genes there. You said you played hockey and 256 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: then you made the switch over to a soccer You're 257 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: a big guy six three six four, so maybe it helped. 258 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: But did you get trash talked at all for being 259 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: more interested in soccer than uh than uh than than 260 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: playing hockey in Michigan at the time. And I want 261 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: to read this to you as part of that because 262 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: I said I was gonna do it earlier on the 263 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: Clay and Buck Show. I was reading the Babylon b 264 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: and I thought this was funny, and I bet you 265 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,960 Speaker 1: even would laugh a little bit. Uh in a NHL 266 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: player says if he wanted to support the Gays, he'd 267 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: be playing soccer again. That was that was the NHL 268 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: getting They had that controversy over whether the guy would 269 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: wear the LGBT uh story proverrov or not. But did 270 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: you get picked on at all in the eighties for 271 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: being like, yeah, hockey's kind of this macho sport. I 272 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: love it. You say, you were good at it, could 273 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: have been a potentially an NHL player, and yet you 274 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: got drawn to soccer. Did you have any of that 275 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: Barry Larkins syndrome where guys would be like, why are 276 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: you being a woos and choosing soccer? Yeah? I mean, look, 277 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 1: I lived through the age where it was starting to 278 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: transition into a much more for lack of a better word, 279 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: acceptable type of sport for uh, you know, for for 280 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: young athletes. Because when we were kids, Alexei and you're 281 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: a little bit older than me, but not that much, 282 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: soccer was considered a woos sport for kids to play. Right, 283 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: I played high school soccer, and if in Tennessee, if 284 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 1: you compare that to say, playing high school football, like 285 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: I would have been considered a whoos for being a 286 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: soccer guy, and that was even more prominent. I would 287 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,319 Speaker 1: imagine when you were playing uh and started to make 288 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: that transition into becoming a professional soccer player. Yeah, And 289 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: so what it made what what was good is that 290 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 1: when you got your ass kicked by a soccer player 291 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: like myself, it was really embarrassing if you were shooting 292 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: your mouth off. But you know I heard it all. 293 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: I heard like you said, it's through us. Is it's 294 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: for it's for girls, it's it's not for guys. It's communist, 295 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 1: a bunch of guys running around in tight shorts and 296 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: nobody ever scores, and there's no physical nature to it. 297 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:14,679 Speaker 1: And it's not you know all it's you know, it's 298 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: all of those different things. I absolutely heard I I 299 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: laugh at them, I ignored them in you know, my 300 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: size certainly certainly helped out. And you know, as as 301 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: you know, as you can attest to sometimes from afar, 302 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: you can have a perception of what it is and 303 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: then when you actually see it played or play it yourself, 304 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: it can change that perception. But look when I when 305 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: I look at this generation now that grows up, they 306 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: look at soccer as anything else in terms of their 307 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: their palates that they have of sports, whether it's to 308 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,840 Speaker 1: play or whether it's to watch. So the perception of 309 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: soccer has dramatically changed in the US. I think, you know, 310 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: I think for the better. But you know, it's still 311 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: it's still not King and in terms of history and 312 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: in terms of popularity, but it's it's a whole different 313 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: ball game, and it's a whole different sport than it 314 00:15:03,200 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: certainly was when I was growing up. Yeah, there's no doubt. 315 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: And I think that's interesting because for people out there, 316 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: depending on the age and as they listen to us. UM. 317 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: The analogy I would make is, when I was a kid, 318 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: and obviously I was a huge sports fan, the only 319 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: international athletes I knew were tennis players, right. I knew 320 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,800 Speaker 1: Boris Becker, I knew Ivan Lindell, Stefan Edbergh. Like we 321 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: could run through all that era of great tennis players, um, 322 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: and you saw the Americans compete against them. Nowadays, I 323 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: would say tennis by and large is not anywhere near 324 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: as much talked about as it would have been in 325 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: America when I was a kid growing up. But when 326 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,960 Speaker 1: I take my kids to elementary school and when I 327 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: go pick him up Alexei, I am stunned by the 328 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: amount of international soccer jerseys I see American second, third, 329 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: fourth grade kids in the Nashville area where I live. 330 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 1: They all, because of the fiefa video game, have favorite players. 331 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: They all have an opinion on Messy versus Ronaldo. Right 332 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 1: in the same way that Jordan lebron Is discussed. There's 333 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: a lot of debate about who the greatest soccer player 334 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: is of all time. It's amazing to me in a generation, 335 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 1: how that has changed so significantly. I bet even to 336 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: you if you go back to when you started playing soccer, 337 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: that's kind of staggering how much knowledge there is internationally 338 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 1: about the game now embedded in our society. Yeah, I 339 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 1: mean it's insane. You hit hit a bunch of a 340 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: bunch of things, including, like you said, the fief of 341 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: video game, and that was a game changer in terms 342 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 1: of the education of players, of teams, of leagues, of tactics, 343 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: and everybody was playing it, and therefore everybody, whether they 344 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: realized it or not, was gaining an appreciation and an 345 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: education for what it for what it is. The other 346 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: part is, I mean, when you when you when you 347 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: want to watch soccer in the United States, there are 348 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: people that I have friends, I have friends that are 349 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: over in Europe that are jealous of the amount of 350 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: soccer that we have at our disposal that they are 351 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,120 Speaker 1: able to watch on a continual basis. And I can 352 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 1: pull up any game from anywhere in the world. And 353 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 1: so you have a generation now. When I was growing up, 354 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 1: we were literally trading VCR v VHS tapes from you 355 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: know that we're bootlegged from games and programs from over 356 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: in Europe in order to get it, or we were 357 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: going to the local soccer store to pick up what 358 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: was the bible for US American soccer people, which is 359 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: a magazine called Soccer America, and that's where we got 360 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: our information. And so it is completely changed. And like 361 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: you said, this generation right now doesn't see soccer any 362 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: differently than other sports out there, either in terms of 363 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: their fandom or in terms of playing it. Okay, you 364 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: mentioned being a redheaded kid in Greece, uh, sitting on 365 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: the sideline watching all those kids play, um, and I 366 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 1: want to kind of go back to that time and 367 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: and build on it a little bit. So your family, 368 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 1: your dad, I think you said was was Greek and 369 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: raises you here. What are the chances you play soccer 370 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: if your dad is not Greek? If you don't have 371 00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:12,280 Speaker 1: that that interaction and that experience in your life of 372 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 1: being over there in Europe, in Greece, sitting on the 373 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 1: sideline watching those kids play in the dirt, how much 374 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: do you think that impacted your decision to embrace soccer 375 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: as the sport that you would pursue at the highest level. 376 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 1: I definitely think it impacted me, but it was it 377 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,440 Speaker 1: was a function of being a kid. Obviously, the culture 378 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: over there in Greece is rooted in soccer, and it 379 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 1: was a function of being lonely and trying to make friends, 380 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: and this was the avenue that you used over there. 381 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: And I still so, yes, yes, absolutely that happened. But 382 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: I'm also still from a time where the advent of 383 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 1: you soccer and a y s O and all these 384 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: different leagues and the realization from a lot of, let's 385 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: be honest, a lot of parents and a lot of 386 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: schools and a lot of communities that this was a 387 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: way to get people active that didn't cost as much 388 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: as other sports. You didn't have to be big to 389 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: play it. And so I think that really lent itself 390 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: to what you know, to what was going on in 391 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 1: a consistent basis and why I gravitated to it. But yeah, 392 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: I mean if my father wasn't Greek, I still think 393 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: that I would have been involved in soccer and been 394 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: exposed to soccer. But having that, you know, that organic 395 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 1: type of experience from a very young age, absolutely that 396 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,400 Speaker 1: that impacted me. I'm curious what you would say about this. 397 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: I've argued this for a while, and you obviously would 398 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: be an expert on this. So I think a lot 399 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: of people will enjoy it basketball when it used to 400 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: be a huge insult to say to someone, Oh, he 401 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: plays like a Euro. If you're a basketball fan and 402 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: you listen to me, you'll remember it. It used to 403 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: be an insult. Oh he's a big man, but he 404 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 1: doesn't want to bang inside. He wants to step outside 405 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 1: and take threes. Then what ended up happening was the 406 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: European style of basketball conquered in America because America, we 407 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: were teaching basketball like, hey, it's football, right, Like you're 408 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: a defensive end, you do this, you're a quarterback, you 409 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 1: have this role. And what became the way that basketball 410 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: was taught was soccer like in that you played a 411 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: one to five right a point guard to a center, 412 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: but you had to be able to handle the ball, 413 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: and you had to be able to play every single position. 414 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 1: And it's a much more beautiful style of basketball and 415 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: much less regimented. And I think Americans have come to 416 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:36,439 Speaker 1: embrace actually the way that Euros play basketball. But the 417 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 1: European style of basketball is just an outgrowth of the 418 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: way that Euros played soccer. Do you see that connection. 419 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: Would you buy into that thesis in terms of the 420 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 1: evolution of the sport? Yeah, I mean the way that 421 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: and even just in terms of my my lifetime. The 422 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: way the game is played I'm talking about soccer right 423 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: now is fundamentally different than anything that I grew up playing. 424 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: You know, to your point about um, you know basketball, 425 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 1: if you be the interesting thing there, the irony is 426 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 1: that it was almost a return to what basketball once 427 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,680 Speaker 1: was if you ever watched Hoosiers or something like that, 428 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: you know, the emphasis on passing the ball, the emphasis 429 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 1: on being able to shoot the ball that we've kind 430 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: of went away with, and understandably so, because dunking and 431 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:25,479 Speaker 1: show time and all that kind of stuff, that's what 432 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: people wanted to see. But the problem was that no 433 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: matter what, no matter what, it's successful, somebody will come 434 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: up with something that is able to take it down. 435 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: And I think, very very quickly from a basketball perspective, 436 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:39,119 Speaker 1: they said, oh, fine, this guy can't dunk or this 437 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: guy doesn't do the showtime stuff, but it will step 438 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: back even though he's a big man and be able 439 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 1: to drain threes. And that is points on the board, 440 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: and that can change a game, and that can keep jobs, 441 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 1: and that can win championships, and so that becomes valuable 442 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: in the game today from a soccer perspective. Right now, 443 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: possession of the ball and the ability for individuals to 444 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,159 Speaker 1: keep that ball is huge, and that comes down to 445 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: individual technique that has started at a very very young age. Certainly, 446 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: Europe has a long history of recognizing that it's all 447 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 1: fine and well to be, you know, a huge star 448 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: and to score a bunch of goals and stuff like that. 449 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 1: But the fundamentals, and that applies to any sport. The 450 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: fundamentals in life are essential and they will always be essential. 451 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: They are ever green, regardless of what style are you 452 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 1: going to play. If you don't have the fundamentals, you're 453 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: already lost. Because you have that, you know that base 454 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 1: that is not there. So this leads into the other part. 455 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: I was gonna get you to break down the number. 456 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: I'm sure you see it all the time. The number 457 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 1: one criticism that I see of soccer in the United 458 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: States every four years as it cycles up and everybody's 459 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 1: paying a lot of attention that sports fans make is 460 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 1: they say, oh, the reason the United States doesn't dominate 461 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: is because our best athletes don't play soccer. My argument 462 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 1: is you're missing the boat and curious how you would 463 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 1: analyze this. Our athletes who play now soccer for the 464 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: US are wildly talented, but if you just looked at 465 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,680 Speaker 1: raw athleticism, it isn't what is the focus here in soccer. 466 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: Because what they do so well with all these academies 467 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: in Europe and everything else is they find kids who 468 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: are ten, eleven, twelve years old, they put them into 469 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: those academies and they have had hundreds of thousands of 470 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: touches and technique, experience and talent that most American players 471 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: do not get in our country. And what's fascinating about 472 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 1: it to me is we have this idea of Europe 473 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 1: as like socialist and not very capitalistic necessarily, which isn't 474 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:51,640 Speaker 1: always true, right, But they are incredibly incredibly competitive and 475 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 1: you know, will get their best talent and develop it 476 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: in a way that doesn't necessarily happen in the United States. 477 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: So it's not raw at letticism that the United States 478 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: is missing, it's the amount of technique and talent and 479 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: repetitions that the Euros and other places have gotten their 480 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: best talent through. How would you assess that that. I'm 481 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: sure you hear that conversation all the time. Oh, if 482 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 1: we put Lebron and if we put you know whoever 483 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: the best athletes are in the world into our soccer 484 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: academies in the US, we would win championships. I don't 485 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,400 Speaker 1: buy that necessarily. I think it's about the repetition. Yeah, 486 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 1: I mean so, first off, just from a pure numbers perspective, 487 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: I know how much you love Dad. If you were 488 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: to put you, if you put everybody that played a 489 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: sport and just had them playing soccer, the chances are 490 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: are you had your best that you would have more 491 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: better players out there, and certainly more competition because more 492 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: players will be playing against each other. That's that's undoubted. 493 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,360 Speaker 1: When it comes to someone like Lebron James. For example, 494 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: how or how how talks Lebron James six eight? Okay, 495 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: so he's six eight. There are no six eight players 496 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: that are dominated eating soccer. So just know that when 497 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: we say our best athletes, you have to qualify that 498 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: with an understanding, in an agreement about what an athlete 499 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,400 Speaker 1: actually is. If I if you didn't know who Leo 500 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: Messi was and you saw him walking down the streets 501 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: there in Nashville. You wouldn't have no idea that there 502 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: goes arguably the greatest soccer player ever to play the game, 503 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 1: because textually he just looks like a guy that's walking 504 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,200 Speaker 1: down to his I don't know his insurance agency. Messi 505 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: is five eight, right, is he five ft eight? Basically 506 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 1: for people out there who may not know his size 507 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 1: and stature, you would never know that Messi was the 508 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: greatest soccer player in the world. Whereas if you see 509 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: Lebron James, he's six ft eight. He stands out right 510 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: shock ain't hiding anywhere. So soccer players like hockey players. 511 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,439 Speaker 1: I always say, Alexie, I'm sure you'll appreciate this. Like 512 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 1: I used to see all the Nashville Predators out back 513 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,120 Speaker 1: in the day, the hockey team. A lot of them 514 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: weren't very well known because hockey wasn't the biggest sport 515 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: in Nashville, and so they'd be having beers hanging out 516 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: at the bar, and every now and then I would 517 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: see a guy who didn't know who they were and 518 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: like bump into him, and you know, I would be like, 519 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: oh my god, this guy is about to get utterly wrecked. 520 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: Because he had no idea. He had just bumped into 521 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 1: a hockey player who fought sometimes for a living, because 522 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: they're relatively average sized dudes, right, and they don't look 523 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: like that much different than the regular guy would have 524 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:24,120 Speaker 1: in the bar. Yep. And and also, you know, when 525 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: you're talking about the development of American soccer players, there 526 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 1: there is a stunt thing that happens, and it's and 527 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: it started to dissipate over the years because there are 528 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 1: developmental academies and obviously the professional game has increased and 529 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 1: there are many more pathways and opportunities out there. But 530 00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: there comes a point where players say, either I don't 531 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: want to play anymore because I don't see any future. 532 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,119 Speaker 1: And when we say future, usually it is tied to 533 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:50,880 Speaker 1: you know, the next level, or going pro or making 534 00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: a lot of money, or you know, dating somebody, whatever 535 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: it ends up being. But you know, that's still aspirational, 536 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 1: even though we recognize that even in all sports, it's 537 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: a very minute amount of people that are actually able 538 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: to do that. But not having that for so many 539 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: decades that was detrimental to the sport. And it started 540 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: to change now because they can see opportunities even if 541 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: it's just stars in their eyes that is an incredible 542 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 1: driving force. But I will say this, as we continue 543 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: to grow, I think there's a real kind of moral 544 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: question that we have to answer, and that is what 545 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: is our responsibility to these young athletes that we are specializing, 546 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: that we are at times having them by pass school 547 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: for what is our responsibility? Because we focus so much 548 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 1: on that ninety minutes the soccer game is ninety minutes, 549 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: sometimes we forget about the other twenty two and a 550 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 1: half hours. And I would submit to you that we're 551 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: not just creating better in this case, we're talking about soccer, 552 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 1: better soccer players, but we're hopefully we're creating better young 553 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 1: men and women that are going to lead what I 554 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:50,719 Speaker 1: feel is the greatest country in the world. And advocating 555 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: that responsibility that would that would pain me, and that 556 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: would hurt me, and I think ultimately you would be 557 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,280 Speaker 1: letting yourself down. You'll be letting your country down, You'll 558 00:27:59,280 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: be letting the play years down and these these people down, 559 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:04,960 Speaker 1: and you'll be letting the sport down that leads in 560 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,840 Speaker 1: Alexei Well, I think that's really well said because I 561 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: argue with my kids all the time and I think 562 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,120 Speaker 1: this is true for anybody out there who's a dad, grandpa, 563 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: or if you're a kid out there listening to this 564 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 1: discussion right now, You've got to make sure you use 565 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: the ball, that the ball doesn't use you right. And 566 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 1: and that's a big part of anybody, no matter what 567 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:26,440 Speaker 1: sport you're pursuing, no matter what your talent level might be. 568 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,080 Speaker 1: And it brings me back to you going to Rutgers. 569 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: Was that a for you when you went there for college? 570 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 1: Was that a culture shock to you? I know you 571 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 1: traveled back and forth to Europe some, but you're going 572 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: from Michigan. Now you're suddenly at Rutgers basically kind of 573 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 1: in the outskirts of the New York City, you know environment, 574 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:47,760 Speaker 1: that could be a culture shock. Was it for you? 575 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: Or did you immediately thrive when you got to college, 576 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 1: not only in athletics but in the classroom. So you know, 577 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: I grew up, like I said, in the suburbs of Detroit, 578 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 1: and I went to a small prep school there and 579 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: I suddenly I myself in the you know, the State 580 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: School of New Jersey thirties thousand uh kids, like you said, 581 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: right outside of New York, and I'm thrown into this, 582 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: you know, this this very very different environment. I will 583 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: tell you that what I did, and maybe this is 584 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 1: just a coping mechanism, is I didn't speak to anybody 585 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: for about the first month that I was on campus. Uh, 586 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: And I scared the crap out of a lot of 587 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: people off the field. But on the field that actually 588 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: worked out okay, because I was playing with a bunch 589 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: of kids from New York and New Jersey and basically 590 00:29:32,760 --> 00:29:35,479 Speaker 1: they looked at Michigan as it might have been for them, 591 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: as the other side of the moon. So I was 592 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: as alien and foreign as you could possibly be coming 593 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 1: from Michigan. And that I wasn't saying a word. It 594 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,479 Speaker 1: just scared the crap out of them. And that actually 595 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 1: benefited me in terms of establishing a starting position. But 596 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: you know, it was just it was I mean, New 597 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: Jersey in and of itself is a trip and and 598 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: takes a little getting used to. But I consider myself 599 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: and adopted New Jersey and out and uh, you know, 600 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:03,000 Speaker 1: I had a wonderful time. And like I said, it 601 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:06,120 Speaker 1: changed everything for me in terms of the soccer and 602 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: you know, the the education and the different people that 603 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,960 Speaker 1: I was meeting. Uh, it was. It was good. I'm 604 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: it was a little bit daunting and scary to begin with, 605 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: but you know, you adapt and kids adapt, and you 606 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: know it's either sink or swim, and like you know, 607 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:23,600 Speaker 1: I'm not a great swimmer, but I figured it out eventually. Okay, 608 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: So the World Cup is in the United States, and 609 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: I was playing soccer in high school at the time 610 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: that it was here. It was a big story, but 611 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,640 Speaker 1: I feel like it kind of snuck up on people 612 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: a little bit. Right When did you start to think 613 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: in your head, Hey, maybe I could be on this 614 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: US team? Was there a lot of conversation about ninety four? 615 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: We're talking right now about this in three I got 616 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: the year right this time. It's not very far until 617 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: twenty six, which there will be the World Cup basically 618 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: in the United States. I know it all so be 619 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: in Canada and in Mexico, but there's a tremendous amount 620 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: of talk about it and has been for many years. 621 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,959 Speaker 1: Was that the case going into ninety four? Uh, I 622 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 1: don't recall. I was young. What kind of conversations were 623 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: there about soccer? Then? When did the US even have 624 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 1: the ninety four World Cup awarded? I don't know. The 625 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: backstory there. Yeah. So I mean, look, Clay, the reason 626 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 1: I'm talking to you today on this show is because 627 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: of the World Cup. And for those that don't remember 628 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: or weren't around, it was the first time that the 629 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 1: US ever hosted the World Cup. And it was significant 630 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: because the US, like we've been talking about, you know, 631 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: it was not and maybe you even argue today it's 632 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: not necessarily certainly not relative to other countries and cultures 633 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: a soccer country, and so this was taking it to 634 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: a different land and obviously taking it to a different 635 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: uh market, The soccer scene even back in was very, 636 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: very different, and uh, this was an opportun tunity that 637 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: I think everybody recognized to kind of plant a flag. 638 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 1: And I still to this day meet people that were 639 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: watching or at games in the World Cup that said that, 640 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: tell me, that's when everything changed for me. That's when 641 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: I fell in love with the game, or that's when 642 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: I knew that this game had a future if you 643 00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: were already in love with the game. And I'll just 644 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: tell you the story to give you, you know, some perspective. 645 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,880 Speaker 1: A couple of weeks before the World Cup in I 646 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,320 Speaker 1: got on airplane with the rest of my world Cup team. 647 00:32:28,360 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 1: We were getting ready for the World Cup. I sat 648 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: in my middle seat as we did as we traveled 649 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: back then, back in Economy, I sat down next to 650 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: an older woman. We struck up a conversation. She said, 651 00:32:38,760 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: what do you do? I said, well, I play soccer 652 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: and she said, well, what's your job. I said, well, 653 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,320 Speaker 1: I play soccer And she said what do you What 654 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 1: do you do for money? And I said, well, I 655 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 1: play soccer. And two weeks later I'm in front of 656 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 1: a billion people playing in the World Cup. And that's 657 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:56,800 Speaker 1: just to give you an idea of, you know, the 658 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: mindset and the landscape back then. Now it is. It's 659 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: a saying goes, you come a long way, baby, and 660 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: we have on and off the field. But that was 661 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: a seminal moment, as was the Women's World Cup. We'll 662 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: remember Brandy Chastain and how that was important for the 663 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 1: women's game and for the game in general. And that's 664 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: why when the World Cup is coming back to the US, uh, 665 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: it's just huge because it's coming back to a country 666 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: and a culture that is a soccer country. We are 667 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: a soccer country. We don't need to apologize for anything. 668 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, we need to lean into it. 669 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: We're gonna do it in an American way, and that's 670 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: a good thing. That's not anything to be embarrassed about. 671 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: And I'm telling you right now, play it's gonna be 672 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: bigger than anything is ever that anybody has ever seen 673 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,200 Speaker 1: on the field and off the field. It's gonna make 674 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: more money for FIFA and everybody that's involved than's ever 675 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: been made. And I think it's gonna be a real 676 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: moment and yet another seminal moment. And I'll be really 677 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,520 Speaker 1: really proud when I'll be fifty six years old and 678 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: it's coming back to our shows. Okay, So I want 679 00:33:56,640 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: to ask a couple of questions about that, or you 680 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:06,480 Speaker 1: would have made what in terms of rough income off 681 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:08,840 Speaker 1: the field? On the field, what is a start? What 682 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: is a soccer player on the US men's team making 683 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: in nineteen four? Like, what would the range have been? Oh, 684 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 1: I was probably making a couple of thousand dollars a 685 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: month and they paid for uh an apartment and you know, 686 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 1: we trained actually two years leading up to the World 687 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: Cup to be ready for the World Cup. But what 688 00:34:29,080 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: it did do was give me a platform and I 689 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:34,080 Speaker 1: went from there and then went over to Europe and 690 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:36,520 Speaker 1: played in Italy, which at the time was the you know, 691 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:39,520 Speaker 1: the biggest and most expensive league in the world. And 692 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 1: obviously my uh, you know, my salary was raised significantly then. 693 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: But that's the type. You know. I lived the power 694 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 1: of what a World Cup can do to an individual, 695 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: and it changed my life forever. I milked it for 696 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:54,120 Speaker 1: all it was worth, both on and off the field. 697 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: I remember, I remember some of it. I burned it 698 00:34:56,920 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: both then for many many years. Because of that, you know, 699 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 1: I knew that this was the moment, that this was 700 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: our moment, this was my moment, and like I said, 701 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:08,839 Speaker 1: you need to be able to recognize that opportunity and 702 00:35:08,880 --> 00:35:11,279 Speaker 1: grab it with both hands, don't let anybody take it 703 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: away from you, and use it and milk it for 704 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: all it's worth. So you would have been making prior 705 00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: to the World Cup less than fifty k a year 706 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: to play soccer. That's probably fair, and almost everybody on 707 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: the US men's team would have similarly been making that 708 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,560 Speaker 1: that kind of sense to kind of put it into 709 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: context for people out there, um, you know, compared to 710 00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: Christian Pulistic who might be making twenty million dollars a 711 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:38,440 Speaker 1: year now, I don't know what his exact salary is, 712 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 1: probably not far off from twenty million a year with 713 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: all his endorsements and everything else. Christian Pulistic is you know, 714 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:49,719 Speaker 1: by himself making like scores of magnitude more, which is 715 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:52,360 Speaker 1: an interesting marker in the growth of the game itself. 716 00:35:52,680 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: Then the entire US men's soccer team would have been 717 00:35:55,440 --> 00:35:58,839 Speaker 1: making For instance, in yeah, we weren't making a lot 718 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:00,520 Speaker 1: of money. And there were some play airs that were 719 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 1: already playing in Europe that obviously we're playing that they 720 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: were getting getting more money. But for those of us, 721 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: you know, like myself and if you remember Kobe Jones 722 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,560 Speaker 1: and Tony Nola and these types of these types of players. 723 00:36:11,719 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: Now keep in mind, the United States men's national team 724 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: had actually played in the nineteen ninety World Cup. I 725 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:19,400 Speaker 1: was a fan. I was bumming around Europe with a 726 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:21,839 Speaker 1: couple of my high school buddies, getting drunk and going 727 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: to the World Cup games, painting my face, never imagining 728 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: that four years later I would be representing my country 729 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: in the World Cup. That's how quickly things changed for 730 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: me on the field and obviously off the field with 731 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 1: what was going on. But the money didn't come later, 732 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:38,319 Speaker 1: and the and the money only came because of the 733 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:40,480 Speaker 1: World Cup. And to your point, you know, I had 734 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,360 Speaker 1: to star in a World Cup to be given the 735 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,120 Speaker 1: opportunity to go and play in Europe and go and 736 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,279 Speaker 1: make a living at one of the great leagues in 737 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: the world. Over in Italy. There are players today that 738 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: are growing up that don't even play a single game 739 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:57,120 Speaker 1: in Major League Soccer and already have people from Europe 740 00:36:57,239 --> 00:37:00,000 Speaker 1: scouting them, bringing them over, paying them a lot of money. 741 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 1: And again I don't say that. I say that as 742 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,040 Speaker 1: a form of respect and progress and incredible pride that's 743 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:10,279 Speaker 1: going on right now, but that all these pathways exist now, 744 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: that MLS exists, right now that MWSL for the women exist, 745 00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:19,000 Speaker 1: All of those things came out and started in What 746 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:21,359 Speaker 1: was it like to make the team? How did you 747 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,800 Speaker 1: make the team in and how would it compare, say 748 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 1: to today's tryouts and US men's team uh process, I 749 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: have no idea, but I imagine it's quite a bit different. 750 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: So I can tell you exactly where I was. So 751 00:37:34,719 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 1: we trained down in uh, well, you know a lot 752 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: about the coast out here, so a little further down 753 00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:41,439 Speaker 1: from the coast, I'm here in Los Angeles in Manhattan Beach. 754 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:43,799 Speaker 1: But wait, you know, further down the coast there's a 755 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:45,719 Speaker 1: place called Laguna Beach. You might have heard of it. 756 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 1: So we used to train down in Mission Viego, California. 757 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: That's where our training center was, and it was basically 758 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,439 Speaker 1: this what but nowadays would be like a reality show 759 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:58,239 Speaker 1: survivor type of thing where they just kept for two 760 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:00,800 Speaker 1: years prior to the World Cup. They us kept bringing 761 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 1: people in and you would start out at the Holiday 762 00:38:03,719 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: Inn on off the of the five up a La 763 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:09,040 Speaker 1: Paz Road there and they would give you a room, 764 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,920 Speaker 1: a tryout for the week, and some meal vouchers and 765 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,919 Speaker 1: if you made it, you continued on to the next 766 00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:15,839 Speaker 1: week and if you can do not enough weeks, they 767 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:18,080 Speaker 1: might sign you and give you a month to month 768 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,359 Speaker 1: type of contract. So at the end of this two 769 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 1: year trial and reality show, you were just hoping that 770 00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: ultimately you were named to the to the list of 771 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: twenty two players. We were in the parking lot and 772 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 1: the final cuts were going to be made. Um I 773 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: vividly remember no news is good news, and so if 774 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,279 Speaker 1: they don't want to talk to you, get in your car. 775 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 1: Because we were at the beach and we had just 776 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,680 Speaker 1: gone for a beach run as a team, and you 777 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:44,320 Speaker 1: had to get in your car and go home, and 778 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: if they didn't want to talk to you, that was good. 779 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: I remember seeing players in that parking lot get cut 780 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:51,919 Speaker 1: and not realize their dream of going to a World Cup. 781 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:53,960 Speaker 1: Now you know as well as I do. You've you've 782 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:57,319 Speaker 1: dealt with professional players. We can be incredibly ruthless, and 783 00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:00,120 Speaker 1: we can compartmentalize. It doesn't mean we don't have up 784 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:02,719 Speaker 1: the they or empathy, but the reality is all I 785 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 1: cared about in that moment was myself. My roommate was 786 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 1: one of the last cuts. How about going back to 787 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,200 Speaker 1: that apartment and happened to having a deal with that. 788 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 1: But you know what all I cared about was being 789 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:15,279 Speaker 1: on that team because that was where the opportunity. It 790 00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:19,160 Speaker 1: was how many guys got cut? Roughly in the parking lot? 791 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:21,440 Speaker 1: Would it have been ten twenty? Like how many many? 792 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 1: Three or four? Because we have been going through the 793 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:26,480 Speaker 1: years and so you could not even make it through 794 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,160 Speaker 1: a week. They might say, listen, it's great, but you 795 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 1: are getting moved on. And so it was just you know, 796 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:33,120 Speaker 1: next meerson up and people came through, some really really 797 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 1: good players came through and it's you know, it's like 798 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:38,799 Speaker 1: a tryout or anything. It's it's it's down to you know, 799 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 1: a subjective type of assessment from a human being. And 800 00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:44,319 Speaker 1: the coach said, I like this guy. I don't like 801 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:47,200 Speaker 1: this guy. And eventually either you were left standing at 802 00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 1: the end of it all or you weren't. You're out 803 00:39:49,560 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: in Manhattan Beach. You just mentioned a great place if 804 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,359 Speaker 1: you haven't been out to the l A area. Um. 805 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:58,240 Speaker 1: Another friend of ours, Matt Winer, lives in Manhattan Beach, um, 806 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,880 Speaker 1: and he's got to be a good friend. Mind. And 807 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: I'm fascinated by the fact that Liner came through being 808 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:08,759 Speaker 1: a kids celebrity basically, right, nineteen or twenty year old 809 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:12,320 Speaker 1: superstar kid who played for USC And he's a totally 810 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,960 Speaker 1: normal dude now right, like you would enjoy hanging out 811 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,239 Speaker 1: chatting with him. Everybody who's listening to us right now, 812 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:19,440 Speaker 1: I think we'd like having a beer with him. I 813 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:23,600 Speaker 1: think you're yeah, and I think you're the same way. 814 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:26,800 Speaker 1: But I'm curious for you. You mentioned the World Cup. 815 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:33,040 Speaker 1: You basically became super famous overnight, right. You had been 816 00:40:33,120 --> 00:40:35,800 Speaker 1: grinding away trying to make the team as you just said, 817 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:39,520 Speaker 1: make it through the parking lot there. Uh, make the team. 818 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 1: What was it like? There's this great story, I'm sure 819 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:45,120 Speaker 1: you've heard it where all of the friends cast go 820 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 1: out to dinner in Las Vegas and the producer or 821 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 1: creator of that series is like, this is the last 822 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:54,120 Speaker 1: time that you will all be able to eat together 823 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:57,920 Speaker 1: as normal humans for the rest of your life, because 824 00:40:57,960 --> 00:41:02,160 Speaker 1: that show comes on overnight. Instantaneously, all six of them 825 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:06,160 Speaker 1: become massive superstars. Did you have a moment like that 826 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,480 Speaker 1: in your life where you're like, nobody knows who I am, 827 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:13,399 Speaker 1: and then the World Cup starts and suddenly it's like 828 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:16,480 Speaker 1: everybody on the planet knows who you are. And if so, 829 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:19,600 Speaker 1: what was that like? Oh? Wow? So if I ever 830 00:41:19,600 --> 00:41:22,200 Speaker 1: write a book, I probably you know, the preface will 831 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:26,640 Speaker 1: be uh setting a scene of after the last game 832 00:41:26,680 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 1: that we played as a US in that ninety four 833 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,640 Speaker 1: World Cup. We lost to Brazil, who eventually went on 834 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:33,520 Speaker 1: to win the World Cup, and there was an after 835 00:41:33,600 --> 00:41:36,600 Speaker 1: party and I'll never forget in the middle of the night, 836 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:40,480 Speaker 1: sitting at a bar and on one side of me, uh, 837 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:43,560 Speaker 1: you know his large rule ric uh you know, uh 838 00:41:43,719 --> 00:41:47,880 Speaker 1: from from Metallica and just doing shots of tequila and 839 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:52,440 Speaker 1: Yagelmeister with with the guys from from Metallica and looking 840 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:55,160 Speaker 1: around going what the hell is going on? You know 841 00:41:55,200 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 1: this is back when they were drinking and this is 842 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,320 Speaker 1: a long time ago and everything. But you know, again, 843 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:03,680 Speaker 1: my life confundamentally changed overnight because of the power of 844 00:42:03,719 --> 00:42:06,879 Speaker 1: the World Cup. Now, I also looked a certain way, 845 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,879 Speaker 1: and I cultivated an image. You know, nowadays the kids 846 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:12,280 Speaker 1: call it brands, but you know, I was thinking about 847 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,759 Speaker 1: my brand well before. You know, I grew up. You know, 848 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:16,759 Speaker 1: I've done a lot of music, and I grew up, 849 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,480 Speaker 1: you know, watching the MTV generation and everything like that, 850 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:21,920 Speaker 1: so I knew that. You know, I've always considered myself 851 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:24,360 Speaker 1: a performer, uh and an entertainer, and that's not a 852 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:28,680 Speaker 1: pejorative actually, you know, you you you trained for what 853 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:31,280 Speaker 1: for your sport, right, which is the same thing as rehearsing. 854 00:42:31,400 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 1: You go on a field, which is the same thing 855 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:35,239 Speaker 1: as the stage. You're in front of an audience, which 856 00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:38,240 Speaker 1: is the same thing as a crowd. You wear a uniform, 857 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:40,600 Speaker 1: which is the same thing as a costume. And I 858 00:42:40,600 --> 00:42:45,200 Speaker 1: have always believed that performing and performance is a huge 859 00:42:45,239 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 1: part of athletics, and I love that I gravitated to that, 860 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 1: and so the way that I looked, you know, it resonated, 861 00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:53,880 Speaker 1: and you know, people knew who I was, and I 862 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:55,440 Speaker 1: had a lot of you know, huge red hair, a 863 00:42:55,480 --> 00:42:57,319 Speaker 1: big red goatee and all that kind of stuff, and 864 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: it was very comfortable for me. But it was you know, 865 00:43:00,440 --> 00:43:03,319 Speaker 1: it was by design, and it was something that you know, 866 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: like cultivated over over that time and continued and used 867 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:09,879 Speaker 1: to my advantage both on and off the field. But yeah, 868 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: it was. It was nuts and it was wonderful, and 869 00:43:12,239 --> 00:43:15,840 Speaker 1: I you know, they were wonderful times. I've since you know, 870 00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:19,239 Speaker 1: grown and gone into different things, and obviously I wish 871 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:21,040 Speaker 1: I could still grow that hair, but that's you know, 872 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:24,600 Speaker 1: that's not gonna happen anytime soon. But man, oh man Clay, 873 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,360 Speaker 1: it was. It was a wonderful time to to be 874 00:43:27,440 --> 00:43:30,920 Speaker 1: alive and then go through that craziness. It's hard to 875 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, equate it with anything, but you know, I, 876 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:38,680 Speaker 1: like I said, I didn't find it problematic in anywhere way, 877 00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 1: safe or form. And the thing that I find the 878 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 1: thing that I find so interesting about it is most 879 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:49,320 Speaker 1: people become famous over time, right, so you can adjust 880 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:53,000 Speaker 1: to the way that your life might change. There are 881 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:57,600 Speaker 1: relatively few people who become instantly very very famous. And 882 00:43:57,640 --> 00:43:59,840 Speaker 1: to your point, your six ft four, you've got to 883 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:04,960 Speaker 1: big red goatee. Uh, you're very flamboyant and noticeable, uh 884 00:44:05,000 --> 00:44:07,640 Speaker 1: you know, on the field. But also you're big enough. 885 00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:10,719 Speaker 1: You were talking about Messi earlier. When you're five ft eight, 886 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: you don't really get noticed. Six ft four guys in 887 00:44:13,320 --> 00:44:16,799 Speaker 1: general kind of get noticed, right, And so what would 888 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:19,319 Speaker 1: you tell yourself? Because we talked wins and losses, I'm 889 00:44:19,320 --> 00:44:20,840 Speaker 1: sure there's some things you did and you're like, that 890 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:22,560 Speaker 1: was the dumbest thing I could have ever done. You 891 00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:24,879 Speaker 1: had to learn it. What do you wish you could 892 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:28,760 Speaker 1: have told yourself, if anything, right before that World Cup 893 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:32,640 Speaker 1: that you were gonna learn over that ensuing seven six 894 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:36,000 Speaker 1: eight years as you became more and more of a 895 00:44:36,040 --> 00:44:40,800 Speaker 1: prominent public figure. I mean, I think that I had 896 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:42,680 Speaker 1: a pretty good head on my shoulders. I mean I 897 00:44:42,760 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 1: made mistakes on and off the field, just like everybody else, 898 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,040 Speaker 1: and I have regrets, not not a lot of them, 899 00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 1: but I certainly do. I mean, look, Clay, let's be 900 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:53,360 Speaker 1: on if the worst thing in your life. If somebody 901 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: wants to take a picture with you or tell you 902 00:44:55,719 --> 00:44:58,719 Speaker 1: how great you played, or uh, you know, to get 903 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:01,239 Speaker 1: an autograph, then you live a charmed life. And if 904 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,000 Speaker 1: you're an asshole, all right, that can't deal with that, 905 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: then I can't relate to you, okay. And I'm not 906 00:45:07,320 --> 00:45:09,840 Speaker 1: saying that that we don't have bad days, or or 907 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,440 Speaker 1: that I probably at some point wasn't, you know, as 908 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,279 Speaker 1: accommodating as a as I should have been. But I've 909 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,560 Speaker 1: always tried to remind myself even even when that happened. 910 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:20,640 Speaker 1: And in that moment, I'm not the smartest guy, but 911 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:22,360 Speaker 1: at least in that moment, I was smart enough to 912 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:26,480 Speaker 1: know that if if this is if this is your 913 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 1: life changing, okay, and this is ten fifteen thirty seconds 914 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:34,400 Speaker 1: that this person is going to spend with you, and 915 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:36,279 Speaker 1: it might not be fair, but that's what they're gonna 916 00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:39,080 Speaker 1: judge you on for the rest of your life. I 917 00:45:39,160 --> 00:45:41,640 Speaker 1: want to make it good. I want to make it positive, 918 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:43,080 Speaker 1: you know. And it's not that I have to go 919 00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:46,160 Speaker 1: around chasing people to make sure that they loved me. 920 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:50,120 Speaker 1: But again, it's just a small little picture and moment 921 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:52,040 Speaker 1: in their life, and I want to make sure that 922 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:54,600 Speaker 1: that happens. And so I would just reiterate and remind 923 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,759 Speaker 1: myself from a young age never ever lose that. And 924 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:00,040 Speaker 1: I like to say that that I haven't. But I 925 00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:01,680 Speaker 1: went on and you know, I did things on and 926 00:46:01,760 --> 00:46:04,200 Speaker 1: off the field that you know didn't work out or 927 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:06,400 Speaker 1: you know that I failed, or that I would consider 928 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,279 Speaker 1: you know, a loss, and made mistakes going forward, I 929 00:46:10,320 --> 00:46:12,279 Speaker 1: try to limit them. I tell my kids all the time. 930 00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:13,880 Speaker 1: I you know, I don't I don't mind that you 931 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:15,759 Speaker 1: make mistakes. I just don't want you to make the 932 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:18,279 Speaker 1: same mistakes over and over and over again. And so far, 933 00:46:18,320 --> 00:46:21,560 Speaker 1: so good. Was there anybody you met during that time 934 00:46:21,560 --> 00:46:24,680 Speaker 1: you mentioned doing shots with Metallica, but which is pretty awesome. 935 00:46:25,040 --> 00:46:26,719 Speaker 1: Was there anybody you met and you were like, I 936 00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:32,719 Speaker 1: can't believe that you know who I am? Um, let's see. Uh. 937 00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:36,920 Speaker 1: I remember sitting outside of UM about to do Letterman 938 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:39,759 Speaker 1: and Bill Murray came up and sat down and say, hey, 939 00:46:39,800 --> 00:46:41,320 Speaker 1: you know, he started to tooth the ship about it, 940 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:43,000 Speaker 1: and I was like, this is gonna be filmed. This 941 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:45,240 Speaker 1: has gotta be you know, they don't have candid camera anymore. 942 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:47,640 Speaker 1: But yeah, that was that was a little weird, even 943 00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:48,880 Speaker 1: you know, when I was talking about you know, the 944 00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:52,040 Speaker 1: shots of Metallica, there was there were celebrities all over 945 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:56,799 Speaker 1: the place. Robin Williams came in um, but it always weird, uh, 946 00:46:57,080 --> 00:46:58,759 Speaker 1: you know, for for those that don't know, the ninety 947 00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:00,759 Speaker 1: four World Cup was there was sult of a lot 948 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,239 Speaker 1: of lobbying and uh, you know, just a lot of 949 00:47:04,280 --> 00:47:07,280 Speaker 1: effort on a lot of people's parts, including Henry Kissinger. 950 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:09,920 Speaker 1: And so before we played our first game, which by 951 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:12,040 Speaker 1: the way, was in the Silver Dome Rest in Peace 952 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:15,879 Speaker 1: in Pontiac, Michigan, ten minutes away from where I grew up, 953 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:20,040 Speaker 1: indoors in that dome there, Henry Kissinger came around and 954 00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:22,359 Speaker 1: shook our hand in the locker room before we went 955 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:25,239 Speaker 1: out there, and I just was like, wow, this is 956 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:27,160 Speaker 1: this is amazing, you know, and I'm you know, I'm 957 00:47:27,160 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 1: a love a lover of American history and history and this, 958 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:32,400 Speaker 1: you know, this was this iconic person who meant so 959 00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:35,319 Speaker 1: much to the world and obviously to our country, but 960 00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:38,319 Speaker 1: and also from a soccer perspective what he meant, so 961 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,200 Speaker 1: that was, you know, that was mind blowing type of stuff. 962 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:43,040 Speaker 1: And it and never and it just never stopped. You 963 00:47:43,080 --> 00:47:45,440 Speaker 1: I never see this to amaze me, how many people 964 00:47:45,800 --> 00:47:48,560 Speaker 1: that you wouldn't sink are into the game, are into 965 00:47:48,640 --> 00:47:50,560 Speaker 1: it and the knowledge that they have and they come 966 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:53,040 Speaker 1: up and you know, I'm just this star struck as anyone. 967 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,480 Speaker 1: So we're talking to Alexi Lawless. This is wins and losses. 968 00:47:56,719 --> 00:48:00,640 Speaker 1: I am Clay Travis. Appreciate everybody out there listening. Um, Alexei, 969 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:05,920 Speaker 1: when you look you step off the field in you 970 00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: guys have just lost to Brazil, who goes on, as 971 00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:11,640 Speaker 1: you said, to win the World Cup that year. If 972 00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:14,839 Speaker 1: I could have immediately transported you now all the way 973 00:48:14,920 --> 00:48:20,799 Speaker 1: up to three, has soccer evolved and grown in a 974 00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:23,040 Speaker 1: way that you would have thought that it would have 975 00:48:23,560 --> 00:48:27,080 Speaker 1: over you know, that's almost thirty years now, as we 976 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:29,759 Speaker 1: get ready for six, what do you think would have 977 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:32,520 Speaker 1: surprised you about where we are sitting here right now 978 00:48:32,560 --> 00:48:35,759 Speaker 1: in three? What do you think might have disappointed you? 979 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:39,680 Speaker 1: How would you analyze that path in terms of the 980 00:48:39,719 --> 00:48:42,839 Speaker 1: impact of soccer in the United States and what you 981 00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:46,960 Speaker 1: guys playing in ninety four did to help seed the 982 00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:51,319 Speaker 1: area and the ground basically that we're standing on today. Yeah, 983 00:48:51,640 --> 00:48:56,400 Speaker 1: I don't think that I would recognize my country relative 984 00:48:56,440 --> 00:48:59,239 Speaker 1: to soccer. Uh. And that's a that's a in a 985 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:03,640 Speaker 1: good way. I think I would be blown away. Uh. 986 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:06,680 Speaker 1: And I can tell you while we had ambition and 987 00:49:06,719 --> 00:49:10,720 Speaker 1: aspirations for things to change and for revolution and growth 988 00:49:10,760 --> 00:49:13,960 Speaker 1: and explosion, I don't think any of us at that 989 00:49:14,040 --> 00:49:18,439 Speaker 1: point envisioned what we look like in three right now. 990 00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:21,279 Speaker 1: And look, I know we kick ourselves for what we 991 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:24,640 Speaker 1: aren't both on and off the soccer field. Uh, But 992 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:26,520 Speaker 1: the reality is we also have to take a step 993 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:28,719 Speaker 1: back and pat ourselves on the back for how far 994 00:49:28,840 --> 00:49:31,080 Speaker 1: we have come. It is night and day, Clay, what 995 00:49:31,120 --> 00:49:34,080 Speaker 1: the what the game looks like now? And we're America. 996 00:49:34,239 --> 00:49:36,640 Speaker 1: So we want it all and we want to win everything, 997 00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:39,640 Speaker 1: and we want to be the best. And I get 998 00:49:39,680 --> 00:49:42,120 Speaker 1: that that's what makes us great, and that's ultimately what 999 00:49:42,239 --> 00:49:45,799 Speaker 1: has made us gained so much in such a relatively 1000 00:49:45,840 --> 00:49:48,719 Speaker 1: short period time. If you look at, for example, you know, 1001 00:49:48,880 --> 00:49:51,680 Speaker 1: Major League Soccer, Okay, and what they have done over 1002 00:49:51,719 --> 00:49:55,040 Speaker 1: the last thirty years, it's unprecedented. If you look at 1003 00:49:55,080 --> 00:49:58,280 Speaker 1: soccer in the United States just in terms of the growth, 1004 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:01,560 Speaker 1: unprecedented when you put up against other leagues, other sports, 1005 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:05,120 Speaker 1: other countries. Now, there's still plenty to do, and so 1006 00:50:05,440 --> 00:50:08,640 Speaker 1: you know, you look at the infrastructure, the soccer stadiums 1007 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,319 Speaker 1: that have come online, the billionaires that are invested in 1008 00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:13,760 Speaker 1: the game, the men's and the women's game, the players 1009 00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:16,920 Speaker 1: that we that we are producing, the broadcast that we 1010 00:50:17,160 --> 00:50:20,040 Speaker 1: that we do, all of those different things. It makes 1011 00:50:20,040 --> 00:50:22,960 Speaker 1: me feel incredibly proud and excredibly excited for the future 1012 00:50:23,000 --> 00:50:25,319 Speaker 1: because if you extrapolate it out and say, all right, 1013 00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:27,080 Speaker 1: this is what we've done in the last thirty years, 1014 00:50:27,120 --> 00:50:29,080 Speaker 1: who knows where we could be in the next thirty years, 1015 00:50:29,840 --> 00:50:32,000 Speaker 1: Which leads to a question you kind of hinted at it. 1016 00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:34,760 Speaker 1: The women have won World Cups, a lot of people 1017 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:38,759 Speaker 1: look around and say, the next step, obviously is to 1018 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:41,480 Speaker 1: advance to the you know, the semifinals, right where the 1019 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:44,560 Speaker 1: US has not been in the modern era. Do you 1020 00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:47,920 Speaker 1: think that the United States in your lifetime or in 1021 00:50:47,960 --> 00:50:50,640 Speaker 1: the lifetime of people who are listening to this interview 1022 00:50:50,719 --> 00:50:55,319 Speaker 1: right now, will win a World Cup? Well, if you're 1023 00:50:55,360 --> 00:50:57,360 Speaker 1: if they're really old listening to it, it could be 1024 00:50:57,400 --> 00:51:00,360 Speaker 1: some problems. But I do think it, and you're a 1025 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:05,279 Speaker 1: lifetime let's presume you've got forty years left. Yes, absolutely, 1026 00:51:05,320 --> 00:51:07,080 Speaker 1: and thank you for giving me forty years. I love it. 1027 00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:09,600 Speaker 1: I will take it right now sign on the dotted line. Yeah, 1028 00:51:10,000 --> 00:51:14,640 Speaker 1: um yeah, I think I absolutely believe. Okay, so everything 1029 00:51:14,719 --> 00:51:17,879 Speaker 1: is impossible and so until somebody actually doesn't. And I 1030 00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:21,240 Speaker 1: know when we do, when we do World Cups, people 1031 00:51:21,239 --> 00:51:22,799 Speaker 1: ask me this question all the time. Can we win it? 1032 00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:24,560 Speaker 1: Can we win it? Yeah? Absolutely can win it. It's 1033 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:26,799 Speaker 1: it's seven games. You don't even have to win all 1034 00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:29,960 Speaker 1: seven all seven games. That doesn't matter what your whether 1035 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,399 Speaker 1: your Brazili, United States. You need a little bit of luck. 1036 00:51:32,440 --> 00:51:34,680 Speaker 1: You need the soccer gods smiling on on you to 1037 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:37,760 Speaker 1: a certain extent at different times, and things can happen. 1038 00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:40,920 Speaker 1: Is huge. Obviously hosting it, I think that that will 1039 00:51:40,960 --> 00:51:43,800 Speaker 1: have an incredible draw and power for this. What should 1040 00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:45,640 Speaker 1: the goal Sorry to cut you off, but what should 1041 00:51:45,640 --> 00:51:50,520 Speaker 1: the goal in Oh, to win the World Cup? That's 1042 00:51:50,560 --> 00:51:56,600 Speaker 1: the goal. Absolutely, yeah. And you think the US would 1043 00:51:56,600 --> 00:51:59,080 Speaker 1: be good enough to be able to win the World 1044 00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:02,319 Speaker 1: Cup because you everything's probability, right, and you're you're you're 1045 00:52:02,360 --> 00:52:05,080 Speaker 1: talking about that in the larger context, everybody out there 1046 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:08,359 Speaker 1: who's a sports fan understands that. You know, it's hard 1047 00:52:08,360 --> 00:52:09,920 Speaker 1: to win the Super Bowl, it's hard to win the 1048 00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:11,839 Speaker 1: n C Double a tournament. There's lots of people trying 1049 00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:15,640 Speaker 1: to do it. We know will be there in uh. 1050 00:52:15,680 --> 00:52:18,680 Speaker 1: And and so the goal is to win the World Cup. 1051 00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:22,200 Speaker 1: If I told you the US will advance to the 1052 00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:24,760 Speaker 1: round of eight, will get obviously out of the group, 1053 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:27,560 Speaker 1: will win one match, would you sign on to the 1054 00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:31,120 Speaker 1: round of eight right now? Uh? Listen. We went to 1055 00:52:31,120 --> 00:52:33,239 Speaker 1: the quarterfinals in two thousand and two when we were 1056 00:52:33,360 --> 00:52:36,000 Speaker 1: handball away from going to the semifinals. So getting to 1057 00:52:36,160 --> 00:52:39,600 Speaker 1: the upper echelance of a World Cup can happen. I 1058 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:41,759 Speaker 1: know some people when I say that the that the 1059 00:52:41,760 --> 00:52:44,160 Speaker 1: goal should be to win the World Cup in six 1060 00:52:44,640 --> 00:52:47,560 Speaker 1: or when I said it in you know two, you know, 1061 00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:49,839 Speaker 1: they say, oh, that's being you know, disingenuous or you're 1062 00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:52,279 Speaker 1: being delusional. No, that's not that's not the case at all. 1063 00:52:52,640 --> 00:52:55,960 Speaker 1: I just I believe and not and and again this 1064 00:52:56,000 --> 00:53:00,200 Speaker 1: isn't blind faith. This is a belief that any thing 1065 00:53:00,280 --> 00:53:04,680 Speaker 1: can happen, even impossible things can happen. And am i 1066 00:53:04,680 --> 00:53:06,880 Speaker 1: am I taking all of my money right now and 1067 00:53:06,960 --> 00:53:08,960 Speaker 1: going to Vegas and putting it all on the US 1068 00:53:09,160 --> 00:53:12,880 Speaker 1: in terms of smart money. No, but things can happen. 1069 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:16,279 Speaker 1: And it's not completely out of the realm of possibility. Hell, 1070 00:53:16,560 --> 00:53:19,680 Speaker 1: we're America. We've seen our hockey team do something that 1071 00:53:19,760 --> 00:53:22,880 Speaker 1: said that people said this is impossible to do. So 1072 00:53:23,000 --> 00:53:26,279 Speaker 1: any absolutely anything can happen. And I don't think that 1073 00:53:26,360 --> 00:53:30,359 Speaker 1: it's ridiculous to think that the men's team in given 1074 00:53:30,400 --> 00:53:32,919 Speaker 1: what they are now, what they will be in six 1075 00:53:33,320 --> 00:53:35,439 Speaker 1: can't find a way to do things that we haven't 1076 00:53:35,480 --> 00:53:38,000 Speaker 1: done before. And yes, to challenge for a World Cup? 1077 00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:40,719 Speaker 1: Would you take the round of eight? If I gave 1078 00:53:40,719 --> 00:53:42,840 Speaker 1: it to you right now? You said you'd take forty years, 1079 00:53:43,239 --> 00:53:46,120 Speaker 1: uh lifespan sign on for right now? Would you sign 1080 00:53:46,160 --> 00:53:49,920 Speaker 1: on to the round of eight? Yeah, but I'm greedy, 1081 00:53:50,000 --> 00:53:52,359 Speaker 1: So yeah, I take it. But you know I want 1082 00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:58,120 Speaker 1: I want quarterfinals at the very least. All right, So um, 1083 00:53:58,320 --> 00:54:01,880 Speaker 1: Christian Pulistic let me. So. There's a lot of scandals 1084 00:54:01,920 --> 00:54:05,320 Speaker 1: now around the US soccer team, and on some level 1085 00:54:05,800 --> 00:54:08,520 Speaker 1: I kind of take that as a sign of how 1086 00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:11,920 Speaker 1: much more people care, because I bet if you went 1087 00:54:11,960 --> 00:54:15,799 Speaker 1: back in time, I bet there were twenty scandals that 1088 00:54:15,880 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 1: never went public that you're like, boy, I'm glad there wasn't, 1089 00:54:19,200 --> 00:54:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, social media. I'm glad that we didn't have 1090 00:54:21,480 --> 00:54:24,719 Speaker 1: everybody on Twitter. You know, I'm glad. And that's the case, 1091 00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:27,600 Speaker 1: by the way, for anybody that was on any team 1092 00:54:27,800 --> 00:54:31,520 Speaker 1: on basically any level for much of the nineties, the 1093 00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:34,839 Speaker 1: eighties into the early two thousands. I always think it's 1094 00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:37,600 Speaker 1: funny you talk to athletes, they're like, man, you'all spend 1095 00:54:37,640 --> 00:54:40,319 Speaker 1: a lot of time talking about this scandal, but you 1096 00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:43,120 Speaker 1: didn't even hear about the four bigger scandals that never 1097 00:54:43,200 --> 00:54:46,040 Speaker 1: went public. Right. Anybody who's on a pro athletic team 1098 00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:49,680 Speaker 1: right now, uh is nodding along because a small measure 1099 00:54:49,840 --> 00:54:53,800 Speaker 1: of the actual controversy ever goes public. When you see 1100 00:54:53,840 --> 00:54:56,919 Speaker 1: the controversies that are out there, like the geo controversy 1101 00:54:56,960 --> 00:54:59,800 Speaker 1: that is out there, does it make you think, Okay, 1102 00:54:59,800 --> 00:55:02,480 Speaker 1: this is a sign of the growth of America as 1103 00:55:02,520 --> 00:55:04,919 Speaker 1: a soccer country and we just have to get used 1104 00:55:04,920 --> 00:55:10,440 Speaker 1: to these interpersonal, dynamic conflicts. Or does it make you think, hey, 1105 00:55:10,600 --> 00:55:14,560 Speaker 1: maybe the US soccer culture in some way is more 1106 00:55:14,600 --> 00:55:17,640 Speaker 1: toxic than other countries. How would you assess it? As 1107 00:55:17,680 --> 00:55:20,720 Speaker 1: someone who has been all over the world playing soccer. Alright, 1108 00:55:20,760 --> 00:55:23,839 Speaker 1: so we're not more toxic than other soccer countries. Uh, 1109 00:55:24,040 --> 00:55:28,040 Speaker 1: And we don't have you know, more nepotism or old 1110 00:55:28,080 --> 00:55:31,200 Speaker 1: boy network or people working in the industry, you know 1111 00:55:31,320 --> 00:55:35,279 Speaker 1: type situation in any other countries. Everybody's got that, okay, um, 1112 00:55:35,320 --> 00:55:36,799 Speaker 1: you know for for those that are that you know, 1113 00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:39,120 Speaker 1: maybe maybe don't know. Over the last couple of weeks, 1114 00:55:39,120 --> 00:55:42,440 Speaker 1: we've had this, you know, this huge controversy and uh 1115 00:55:42,200 --> 00:55:44,439 Speaker 1: uh you know, and this uh, this crisis, if you will, 1116 00:55:44,880 --> 00:55:48,360 Speaker 1: with uh with Geoana, one of our our young players, 1117 00:55:48,440 --> 00:55:51,799 Speaker 1: and his father and mother comes find out we're you know, 1118 00:55:51,960 --> 00:55:57,160 Speaker 1: basically calling up and inappropriately calling up members and ultimately 1119 00:55:57,239 --> 00:56:00,000 Speaker 1: friends that are in charge, whether it's Greig Berhalter are 1120 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:03,360 Speaker 1: head coach or Ernie Stewart who's the head of the federation, 1121 00:56:03,840 --> 00:56:06,319 Speaker 1: relative to their son not playing, and really when you 1122 00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:08,080 Speaker 1: when you look at it and read it, you know, 1123 00:56:08,160 --> 00:56:11,720 Speaker 1: basically blackmailing him with the story from thirty one years 1124 00:56:11,719 --> 00:56:14,600 Speaker 1: ago where he kicked his wife when they were both 1125 00:56:14,960 --> 00:56:19,319 Speaker 1: in college, and ultimately, you know, there was there was 1126 00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:21,440 Speaker 1: you know, seven months apart, and they went to therapy 1127 00:56:21,440 --> 00:56:22,960 Speaker 1: and all this kind of stuff and then they worked 1128 00:56:23,000 --> 00:56:25,839 Speaker 1: it out and they were married now for twenty five 1129 00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:28,239 Speaker 1: years and they have four kids, and this story came out. 1130 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:32,799 Speaker 1: It was an unnecessary self inflicted wound. That's what the 1131 00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:35,160 Speaker 1: way that I look at it, and from a soccer perspective, 1132 00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:38,319 Speaker 1: can we withstand it? Yeah, but it's not what you 1133 00:56:38,360 --> 00:56:42,160 Speaker 1: know why. So initially I was incredibly sad for everybody 1134 00:56:42,200 --> 00:56:46,600 Speaker 1: involved because people didn't deserve this. Uh, Greg burt Halter's wife, 1135 00:56:46,920 --> 00:56:49,680 Speaker 1: Rosaland didn't deserve this and Greg Burhulter didn't deserve this. 1136 00:56:49,800 --> 00:56:55,600 Speaker 1: Then I got Then I got angry because again, look, 1137 00:56:55,640 --> 00:56:58,120 Speaker 1: you can make a bunch of different arguments as to 1138 00:56:58,160 --> 00:57:00,799 Speaker 1: whether to continue on with Greg Burr Halter as the coach. 1139 00:57:00,840 --> 00:57:02,680 Speaker 1: And for those that don't know, paper Halter was a 1140 00:57:02,719 --> 00:57:05,040 Speaker 1: coach this past World Cup. He might have done well 1141 00:57:05,040 --> 00:57:06,480 Speaker 1: if you if you think so, he might not have 1142 00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:08,880 Speaker 1: done well. But you can make an argument that he 1143 00:57:08,920 --> 00:57:12,000 Speaker 1: shouldn't continue on. But in no way, shape or form 1144 00:57:12,200 --> 00:57:15,680 Speaker 1: should part of that argument be this story that was 1145 00:57:15,719 --> 00:57:18,320 Speaker 1: put out there in order to hurt him, and you 1146 00:57:18,320 --> 00:57:20,600 Speaker 1: can't put it back. That genie is out, you're not 1147 00:57:20,640 --> 00:57:23,320 Speaker 1: putting it back. And so that's where the anger in 1148 00:57:23,400 --> 00:57:26,080 Speaker 1: me came about. We'll get through this, you know, this 1149 00:57:26,120 --> 00:57:28,520 Speaker 1: too shall pass. But in the American soccer, as is 1150 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:30,400 Speaker 1: the case probably in a lot of sports and a 1151 00:57:30,400 --> 00:57:33,320 Speaker 1: lot of industries, out there. You know, we eat our 1152 00:57:33,360 --> 00:57:36,920 Speaker 1: own and it's disappointing, it's sad, it's angering. But again, 1153 00:57:37,240 --> 00:57:38,919 Speaker 1: this is kind of stuff that you have to go through. 1154 00:57:38,920 --> 00:57:40,680 Speaker 1: And to your point, you know a lot of sports 1155 00:57:40,760 --> 00:57:43,720 Speaker 1: deal with this on a consistent basis. How do you 1156 00:57:44,000 --> 00:57:49,000 Speaker 1: balance critique in the world of soccer where you know 1157 00:57:49,360 --> 00:57:53,440 Speaker 1: everybody and sometimes you've known people for generations, you might 1158 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:59,560 Speaker 1: know their parents, uh. With also simultaneously those personal relationships, 1159 00:58:00,080 --> 00:58:02,360 Speaker 1: and then have a job that requires you to comment 1160 00:58:02,480 --> 00:58:05,400 Speaker 1: on their performance in a public way. And the reason 1161 00:58:05,480 --> 00:58:06,960 Speaker 1: I bring it up, I'll give you a good example. 1162 00:58:07,400 --> 00:58:10,120 Speaker 1: We had Charles Barkley on and he's no longer friends 1163 00:58:10,120 --> 00:58:12,880 Speaker 1: with Michael Jordan's they used to be best friends. But 1164 00:58:12,960 --> 00:58:16,280 Speaker 1: he has to comment on Michael Jordan's role as a 1165 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:21,600 Speaker 1: GM or as an owner, and Jordan's got super upset 1166 00:58:21,600 --> 00:58:26,160 Speaker 1: about that. Uh And Barkley said, ultimately that's painful to him, 1167 00:58:26,200 --> 00:58:29,360 Speaker 1: but the job requires that he be honest. I'm sure 1168 00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:32,360 Speaker 1: that's happened sometimes in your life where somebody has said 1169 00:58:32,720 --> 00:58:35,320 Speaker 1: You've got a great private relationship with them, but they 1170 00:58:35,360 --> 00:58:38,040 Speaker 1: have a public job. How do you balance that in 1171 00:58:38,120 --> 00:58:41,640 Speaker 1: terms of what you do? Yeah, I mean, well that 1172 00:58:42,000 --> 00:58:45,120 Speaker 1: to me that that says that Michael Jordan's stought. Okay, 1173 00:58:45,200 --> 00:58:48,120 Speaker 1: I never thought i'd say that, But I mean, that's 1174 00:58:48,120 --> 00:58:52,200 Speaker 1: that's soft because he is Charles Barkley is doing his job. 1175 00:58:52,560 --> 00:58:55,000 Speaker 1: I'm sure you know the same. You know, you've probably 1176 00:58:55,040 --> 00:59:08,280 Speaker 1: had experienced this too. I have had um girlfriends, boyfriend uh, wives, husband's, mother's, father's, grandparents, friends, acquaintances, coaches, 1177 00:59:08,640 --> 00:59:11,280 Speaker 1: every single you know, one of these people at certain 1178 00:59:11,280 --> 00:59:14,479 Speaker 1: point has come up to me, either to my face, uh, 1179 00:59:14,680 --> 00:59:18,240 Speaker 1: through text, over a telephone or behind my back, doesn't matter. 1180 00:59:18,280 --> 00:59:20,960 Speaker 1: But at some point I have had those conversations. The 1181 00:59:21,000 --> 00:59:23,240 Speaker 1: best ones actually are where it's face to face in 1182 00:59:23,280 --> 00:59:25,040 Speaker 1: the humb in the human because you need you just 1183 00:59:25,080 --> 00:59:27,240 Speaker 1: need to let them get it out, and oftentimes that's 1184 00:59:27,280 --> 00:59:29,680 Speaker 1: all they want to do. I've had one. I remember 1185 00:59:29,680 --> 00:59:32,720 Speaker 1: once I said something about a player and his father 1186 00:59:32,840 --> 00:59:36,080 Speaker 1: cornered me in the bar after the game and started screaming, 1187 00:59:36,120 --> 00:59:38,080 Speaker 1: yelling and going off. By the end of the night 1188 00:59:38,360 --> 00:59:41,400 Speaker 1: we were having drinks at the bar. Okay. So, and 1189 00:59:41,560 --> 00:59:45,520 Speaker 1: that's wonderful. But I, like Charles, I have to do 1190 00:59:45,600 --> 00:59:48,440 Speaker 1: my job and I have to say things that at 1191 00:59:48,440 --> 00:59:50,680 Speaker 1: times can be critical. I like to think that I 1192 00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:52,840 Speaker 1: do it in a fair way, and I like to 1193 00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:54,680 Speaker 1: think that I do it in a balanced way in 1194 00:59:54,800 --> 00:59:58,080 Speaker 1: terms of also making sure that it's not all negative. 1195 00:59:58,320 --> 01:00:01,120 Speaker 1: But if I see something that I agree with or 1196 01:00:01,200 --> 01:00:04,680 Speaker 1: deserves criticism, I'm not doing my job. I'm not earning 1197 01:00:04,680 --> 01:00:07,120 Speaker 1: my money, or I might not get another job if 1198 01:00:07,120 --> 01:00:08,680 Speaker 1: I don't do it. And that's what I want to 1199 01:00:08,720 --> 01:00:11,360 Speaker 1: watch out of, you know, an analyst when it comes 1200 01:00:11,400 --> 01:00:13,920 Speaker 1: to sports. That's what it does, the job and the 1201 01:00:14,040 --> 01:00:16,960 Speaker 1: role demands. And I got no problem. And you know, 1202 01:00:16,960 --> 01:00:19,680 Speaker 1: there's people now, even in my life that I you know, 1203 01:00:19,760 --> 01:00:21,480 Speaker 1: grew up playing with that I was, that I was 1204 01:00:21,600 --> 01:00:24,600 Speaker 1: friends with that you know, they might act differently around, 1205 01:00:24,640 --> 01:00:27,640 Speaker 1: but the best ones are the ones that recognize, Hey, 1206 01:00:27,800 --> 01:00:29,680 Speaker 1: he is doing his job. And while it may be 1207 01:00:29,720 --> 01:00:32,040 Speaker 1: painful in that moment to have to to have to 1208 01:00:32,120 --> 01:00:35,160 Speaker 1: hear that, I would rather he do that than pull punches, 1209 01:00:35,200 --> 01:00:37,880 Speaker 1: because then he's not doing his job. Not everybody's like that, 1210 01:00:38,080 --> 01:00:41,240 Speaker 1: and some people take offense, and maybe some relationships their damaged, 1211 01:00:41,280 --> 01:00:44,400 Speaker 1: and a may even some relationships are completely severed. But 1212 01:00:44,560 --> 01:00:46,920 Speaker 1: I'm okay with that because i'd rather, I'd rather do 1213 01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:49,280 Speaker 1: this job the way the job needs to be done. 1214 01:00:50,800 --> 01:00:52,880 Speaker 1: What's it like to be on the road for the 1215 01:00:53,000 --> 01:00:55,680 Speaker 1: length of time in foreign countries. You'll get to be 1216 01:00:55,760 --> 01:00:58,480 Speaker 1: back in the United States and twenty six. What is 1217 01:00:58,560 --> 01:01:01,560 Speaker 1: covering the World Cup like? And how does it compare 1218 01:01:01,600 --> 01:01:05,080 Speaker 1: to playing in a World Cup? So it's very different 1219 01:01:05,120 --> 01:01:07,919 Speaker 1: than playing, But there is that level of competition. There's 1220 01:01:07,920 --> 01:01:11,920 Speaker 1: the internal competition with yourself, there is a competition with 1221 01:01:12,000 --> 01:01:15,160 Speaker 1: the other talent that is involved, and there's a competition 1222 01:01:15,240 --> 01:01:17,520 Speaker 1: relative to being at the highest stage. This is the 1223 01:01:17,520 --> 01:01:21,840 Speaker 1: World Cup. Is the greatest groundhog Day from a soccer perspective, 1224 01:01:21,840 --> 01:01:24,320 Speaker 1: for for a former soccer player that you can have. 1225 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:27,800 Speaker 1: But it is a ritual. It is a routine and 1226 01:01:28,120 --> 01:01:30,320 Speaker 1: I've done so many of these now and you know, 1227 01:01:30,560 --> 01:01:32,640 Speaker 1: some younger folks will come and ask me, and I 1228 01:01:32,680 --> 01:01:35,840 Speaker 1: tell them, stick to ritual, stick to routine, because that's 1229 01:01:35,840 --> 01:01:38,200 Speaker 1: what what's gonna get you through. I mean, we're having 1230 01:01:38,200 --> 01:01:41,520 Speaker 1: at times four games a day and you're just cranking 1231 01:01:41,600 --> 01:01:43,400 Speaker 1: through this. You've got to take care of your body, 1232 01:01:43,640 --> 01:01:46,080 Speaker 1: You've got to take care of your mind. Um, and 1233 01:01:46,120 --> 01:01:48,040 Speaker 1: you have to you have to love it. I mean, 1234 01:01:48,200 --> 01:01:50,840 Speaker 1: I know you've seen this phenomenon in our in our 1235 01:01:50,840 --> 01:01:53,720 Speaker 1: in our industry, right, there are so many people that 1236 01:01:54,000 --> 01:01:57,640 Speaker 1: use television, use broadcasting, use media as a way station 1237 01:01:57,800 --> 01:02:00,920 Speaker 1: until something better comes along. And I get it, I 1238 01:02:01,080 --> 01:02:04,880 Speaker 1: understand that, but I think ultimately, uh, that will manifest 1239 01:02:04,920 --> 01:02:08,520 Speaker 1: itself in your performance and you will be cheating yourself 1240 01:02:08,560 --> 01:02:10,560 Speaker 1: and you will be cheating the viewer. And I don't 1241 01:02:10,560 --> 01:02:13,520 Speaker 1: want to cheat anybody. I'm a junkie for what I do, 1242 01:02:13,600 --> 01:02:16,160 Speaker 1: and I want to be surrounded by like minded people. 1243 01:02:16,200 --> 01:02:19,960 Speaker 1: I want to be surrounded by junkies that love the game, 1244 01:02:20,200 --> 01:02:23,240 Speaker 1: that love the broadcast aspect of the game, that love 1245 01:02:23,320 --> 01:02:26,479 Speaker 1: debating and talking about it, and that bring it day 1246 01:02:26,520 --> 01:02:28,760 Speaker 1: in and day out. And look, we've both been surrounded 1247 01:02:28,760 --> 01:02:31,400 Speaker 1: by some grapes in the industry. And when you see 1248 01:02:31,440 --> 01:02:33,880 Speaker 1: them work and you see that what goes on behind 1249 01:02:33,880 --> 01:02:36,760 Speaker 1: the scenes, it is incredible because it's not what you 1250 01:02:36,920 --> 01:02:40,360 Speaker 1: ultimately see on the screen. It's that Iceberg type of 1251 01:02:40,400 --> 01:02:42,880 Speaker 1: theory where this this incredible base and all of this 1252 01:02:42,920 --> 01:02:45,680 Speaker 1: work that goes on, but that's what makes that tip 1253 01:02:45,720 --> 01:02:48,080 Speaker 1: of the iceberg that you do see on screen, that's 1254 01:02:48,120 --> 01:02:50,320 Speaker 1: what makes it good. And if you don't do the 1255 01:02:50,360 --> 01:02:52,600 Speaker 1: work and you don't have that base, then your tip 1256 01:02:52,680 --> 01:02:55,040 Speaker 1: of your iceberg is not gonna look as good. It's 1257 01:02:55,080 --> 01:02:57,120 Speaker 1: a well said and I tell everybody out there. And 1258 01:02:57,160 --> 01:02:59,080 Speaker 1: one of the reasons I love doing these conversations is 1259 01:02:59,080 --> 01:03:02,080 Speaker 1: because there's lots of younger people out there who see 1260 01:03:02,080 --> 01:03:05,560 Speaker 1: the success, but they don't have any idea all of 1261 01:03:05,600 --> 01:03:07,600 Speaker 1: the work that goes into it. In fact, I think 1262 01:03:07,600 --> 01:03:10,680 Speaker 1: that's really incredibly common in the United States and particularly 1263 01:03:10,680 --> 01:03:13,439 Speaker 1: around the world today. Um, but I always say before 1264 01:03:13,480 --> 01:03:15,960 Speaker 1: I do my radio show, I got three hours of 1265 01:03:16,080 --> 01:03:20,200 Speaker 1: radio every day. I'm spending so much time feeding my 1266 01:03:20,280 --> 01:03:24,440 Speaker 1: brain with information every day so that I have a 1267 01:03:24,600 --> 01:03:28,160 Speaker 1: depth of knowledge to whatever topic I'm discussing. Because if 1268 01:03:28,200 --> 01:03:31,520 Speaker 1: I haven't done all that research, then whatever I'm saying 1269 01:03:31,640 --> 01:03:34,360 Speaker 1: on the air, ultimately you can tell that there's no 1270 01:03:34,440 --> 01:03:37,840 Speaker 1: foundation supporting it. And so uh A part of that, 1271 01:03:38,000 --> 01:03:42,920 Speaker 1: massive part of that is the passion you have. Passion still. Uh. 1272 01:03:42,960 --> 01:03:45,960 Speaker 1: There are viral videos of you out there crying when 1273 01:03:46,000 --> 01:03:49,919 Speaker 1: the U S wins soccer matches that uh that that 1274 01:03:49,920 --> 01:03:51,880 Speaker 1: that we end up winning. I imagine sometimes you want 1275 01:03:51,880 --> 01:03:54,240 Speaker 1: to cry when the US loses in a match that 1276 01:03:54,320 --> 01:03:57,280 Speaker 1: you feel like they could have won. Um, how do 1277 01:03:57,360 --> 01:04:00,560 Speaker 1: you how do you corral that passion, right, Because I 1278 01:04:00,560 --> 01:04:03,760 Speaker 1: think about this all the time there, especially when it's 1279 01:04:03,760 --> 01:04:05,600 Speaker 1: one thing when you're playing you have to learn how 1280 01:04:05,680 --> 01:04:08,840 Speaker 1: to manage it. It's another thing when you're commenting on it, 1281 01:04:09,160 --> 01:04:12,960 Speaker 1: reacting to it. Uh, what is that experience like in 1282 01:04:13,120 --> 01:04:16,120 Speaker 1: your mind? Because that's the way that many fans feel. 1283 01:04:16,440 --> 01:04:18,560 Speaker 1: How do you harness it? What does that do for 1284 01:04:18,600 --> 01:04:22,560 Speaker 1: you as a as an analyst? Yeah, I mean you 1285 01:04:22,560 --> 01:04:27,240 Speaker 1: you do, I think have to understand and like you said, 1286 01:04:27,280 --> 01:04:30,160 Speaker 1: harness it. But I also think that you know, it 1287 01:04:30,320 --> 01:04:33,960 Speaker 1: was a There's always been a debate as to especially 1288 01:04:33,960 --> 01:04:36,280 Speaker 1: when you're talking about you know, oftentimes I'm talking about 1289 01:04:36,400 --> 01:04:38,640 Speaker 1: the United States men's national team or the U S team, 1290 01:04:38,640 --> 01:04:41,360 Speaker 1: the women's team, men's team, whatever, and do you use 1291 01:04:41,520 --> 01:04:45,360 Speaker 1: we right because I'm an American and this is my team. Um, 1292 01:04:45,640 --> 01:04:47,440 Speaker 1: and you know, listen debate as to whether you do 1293 01:04:47,600 --> 01:04:50,360 Speaker 1: or not. And we really came down ultimately, and this 1294 01:04:50,400 --> 01:04:54,520 Speaker 1: has happened over years where absolutely I want to I 1295 01:04:54,560 --> 01:04:57,120 Speaker 1: want to recognize that there is a connection. I want 1296 01:04:57,120 --> 01:04:59,920 Speaker 1: to recognize in the people that I'm watching that I'm here, 1297 01:05:00,440 --> 01:05:02,680 Speaker 1: that there is an emotion, that there is a history 1298 01:05:02,720 --> 01:05:05,560 Speaker 1: that there that they are moved. I want to be 1299 01:05:05,640 --> 01:05:08,560 Speaker 1: moved by the people that I'm watching. And so it's 1300 01:05:08,560 --> 01:05:10,120 Speaker 1: not that you know, you should come on and blubber 1301 01:05:10,160 --> 01:05:13,120 Speaker 1: every single time you're on air. But if you feel that, 1302 01:05:13,240 --> 01:05:16,120 Speaker 1: don't be afraid to show it. And yes, there's times 1303 01:05:16,120 --> 01:05:18,480 Speaker 1: where you need to be stoic, and yes there's times 1304 01:05:18,480 --> 01:05:21,960 Speaker 1: where you need to regulate what what is going on 1305 01:05:22,040 --> 01:05:24,880 Speaker 1: in terms of your emotion. And if it impacts the 1306 01:05:24,920 --> 01:05:27,560 Speaker 1: effect for you to be able to articulate things or 1307 01:05:27,600 --> 01:05:30,400 Speaker 1: to be clear or to give information that you need, 1308 01:05:30,760 --> 01:05:34,320 Speaker 1: then that is problematic. But seeing human beings until they 1309 01:05:34,400 --> 01:05:37,280 Speaker 1: replace us all clay with that with robots, um, I 1310 01:05:37,320 --> 01:05:40,160 Speaker 1: want to see the humanity. I want to see that 1311 01:05:40,160 --> 01:05:43,280 Speaker 1: that person, male or female out there has a connection 1312 01:05:43,600 --> 01:05:46,080 Speaker 1: and it is feeling something visceral and it's able to 1313 01:05:46,120 --> 01:05:48,720 Speaker 1: transmit that back to me and you can see it 1314 01:05:48,920 --> 01:05:50,919 Speaker 1: and you can hear it, and when it is there, 1315 01:05:51,280 --> 01:05:54,120 Speaker 1: it's just it's a it's a it's a beautiful thing. 1316 01:05:54,200 --> 01:05:56,240 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you what there there there is a 1317 01:05:56,280 --> 01:05:59,720 Speaker 1: whole generation that is coming up that wants my job, 1318 01:06:00,160 --> 01:06:02,919 Speaker 1: you know, and they can pry it from my cold, dead, 1319 01:06:03,040 --> 01:06:05,520 Speaker 1: red headed hands. I'm gonna hold onto it as long 1320 01:06:05,560 --> 01:06:08,280 Speaker 1: as I possibly can. I love what I do. I 1321 01:06:08,320 --> 01:06:11,160 Speaker 1: can certainly get better at what at what I'm doing, 1322 01:06:11,440 --> 01:06:15,560 Speaker 1: but it is incredibly I'm incredibly lucky and fortunate to 1323 01:06:15,600 --> 01:06:18,120 Speaker 1: be able to do this. It is not lost on me. 1324 01:06:18,360 --> 01:06:19,960 Speaker 1: I know, in this day and age, you've gotta you know, 1325 01:06:19,960 --> 01:06:22,000 Speaker 1: admit your privilege or whatever and stuff like that. But 1326 01:06:22,120 --> 01:06:24,160 Speaker 1: so I am incredibly privileged to be able to do 1327 01:06:24,200 --> 01:06:26,040 Speaker 1: what I can do, and hopefully I can do it 1328 01:06:26,080 --> 01:06:30,400 Speaker 1: for many, many more years. So you're gonna be calling 1329 01:06:30,520 --> 01:06:34,480 Speaker 1: and analyzing games for decades into the future. I think. 1330 01:06:34,520 --> 01:06:37,320 Speaker 1: I think you're really good at what you do. Christian 1331 01:06:37,360 --> 01:06:40,880 Speaker 1: Pulistic A big part of whether we have a chance 1332 01:06:40,960 --> 01:06:43,600 Speaker 1: to ever win a World Cup in the next decade 1333 01:06:43,680 --> 01:06:46,200 Speaker 1: or so, I think will be directly tied to his 1334 01:06:46,320 --> 01:06:49,760 Speaker 1: development many other players as well. Do you think Pulistic 1335 01:06:49,800 --> 01:06:52,280 Speaker 1: is going to be the greatest American soccer player ever? 1336 01:06:52,520 --> 01:06:54,840 Speaker 1: Is that too early of a question to even ask? 1337 01:06:55,280 --> 01:06:58,000 Speaker 1: And how much of his growth is a player is 1338 01:06:58,040 --> 01:07:01,680 Speaker 1: directly tied in in your mind to the overall potential 1339 01:07:01,720 --> 01:07:05,640 Speaker 1: success rate for the US going forward. I think his 1340 01:07:05,760 --> 01:07:10,280 Speaker 1: resume maybe the greatest that we have ever had. Um 1341 01:07:10,400 --> 01:07:14,440 Speaker 1: his impact on the game, you know that that remains 1342 01:07:14,480 --> 01:07:16,880 Speaker 1: to be seen. I mean, look, he had a he 1343 01:07:16,960 --> 01:07:19,959 Speaker 1: had a good World Cup, not a great World Cup, 1344 01:07:20,200 --> 01:07:22,200 Speaker 1: and we expect big things from him, and I think 1345 01:07:22,240 --> 01:07:24,600 Speaker 1: rightfully so one of the most talented players that we've 1346 01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:27,520 Speaker 1: ever seen. But he's also you know, he's very shy 1347 01:07:27,560 --> 01:07:31,120 Speaker 1: and he doesn't necessarily like the spotlight. Um he's not, 1348 01:07:31,520 --> 01:07:35,480 Speaker 1: you know, a gregarious social type of bigger than life 1349 01:07:35,560 --> 01:07:38,760 Speaker 1: type of personality. I think he's going to get better. 1350 01:07:39,000 --> 01:07:41,360 Speaker 1: He's kind of grown out of I know he's injured 1351 01:07:41,440 --> 01:07:43,040 Speaker 1: right now, but there was a time where he was 1352 01:07:43,040 --> 01:07:45,320 Speaker 1: getting injured a whole lot. I hope that he continues 1353 01:07:45,360 --> 01:07:47,840 Speaker 1: to h to grow out of that. And I'm you 1354 01:07:47,840 --> 01:07:51,760 Speaker 1: you know, Clay uh. Staying healthy is a skill in sports, 1355 01:07:52,040 --> 01:07:54,920 Speaker 1: and some players have it and some players don't. Christian 1356 01:07:54,960 --> 01:07:58,280 Speaker 1: has yet to shown that he is can consistently stay healthy. 1357 01:07:58,320 --> 01:08:00,200 Speaker 1: But when he is on the field, he and do 1358 01:08:00,280 --> 01:08:02,200 Speaker 1: some magic stuff. But I don't think he's ever going 1359 01:08:02,240 --> 01:08:06,320 Speaker 1: to be the focal point, the Lebronish type of player, 1360 01:08:06,560 --> 01:08:10,120 Speaker 1: the messy type of player for the US in that 1361 01:08:10,200 --> 01:08:12,480 Speaker 1: he's gonna be surrounded by players that might take more 1362 01:08:12,800 --> 01:08:14,720 Speaker 1: of the spot late, but he will have his moments 1363 01:08:14,760 --> 01:08:18,320 Speaker 1: when all of sudden done, you said earlier, hockey soccer 1364 01:08:18,400 --> 01:08:22,040 Speaker 1: for you, growing up, hockey and soccer fans are somewhat familiar, 1365 01:08:22,880 --> 01:08:26,160 Speaker 1: mirror images almost sometimes of each other, because, as somebody 1366 01:08:26,160 --> 01:08:28,880 Speaker 1: who did a national sports talk show runs out Kick, 1367 01:08:29,439 --> 01:08:31,519 Speaker 1: we talk a lot about football, we talk a lot 1368 01:08:31,560 --> 01:08:36,559 Speaker 1: about basketball, certainly in baseball, and whenever we mentioned hockey 1369 01:08:36,680 --> 01:08:39,519 Speaker 1: or soccer, people are always like, hey, talk about us more, 1370 01:08:39,560 --> 01:08:41,559 Speaker 1: talk about us more. And then as soon as you 1371 01:08:41,600 --> 01:08:44,160 Speaker 1: start talking about him, they say, oh, you don't know 1372 01:08:44,200 --> 01:08:46,920 Speaker 1: what you're talking about. One of the interesting things I 1373 01:08:46,960 --> 01:08:50,640 Speaker 1: think about growing the game of soccer and it's fandom 1374 01:08:50,840 --> 01:08:55,400 Speaker 1: is in the United States uniquely, soccer fans are elitist. 1375 01:08:55,560 --> 01:08:59,840 Speaker 1: They're probably over educated, they probably have uh, you know, 1376 01:09:00,080 --> 01:09:03,360 Speaker 1: higher income, and the rest of the world, soccer is 1377 01:09:03,400 --> 01:09:06,520 Speaker 1: the sport of the common man. In the United States, 1378 01:09:06,560 --> 01:09:10,160 Speaker 1: soccer is the sport of the elitist fan. I would say, 1379 01:09:10,160 --> 01:09:12,640 Speaker 1: and I understand there's some criticism out there whenever you 1380 01:09:12,720 --> 01:09:14,559 Speaker 1: make this, but this is what I see. You know, 1381 01:09:14,800 --> 01:09:17,439 Speaker 1: the Joe six pack is in the crowd at a 1382 01:09:17,439 --> 01:09:20,519 Speaker 1: football game, at a basketball game, at a football game. 1383 01:09:20,680 --> 01:09:23,559 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily know that he is at soccer. How 1384 01:09:23,600 --> 01:09:27,320 Speaker 1: does soccer interestingly become more of a common man sport 1385 01:09:27,600 --> 01:09:30,840 Speaker 1: and less of an elitist sport in America when it's 1386 01:09:30,840 --> 01:09:34,600 Speaker 1: the exact opposite basically everywhere else. Yeah, so I'm so 1387 01:09:34,640 --> 01:09:38,280 Speaker 1: glad you mentioned this because it drives me nuts as 1388 01:09:38,280 --> 01:09:40,439 Speaker 1: soccer people, and I'm probably you know to your point, 1389 01:09:40,479 --> 01:09:43,120 Speaker 1: the hockey people are the kind of the same in 1390 01:09:43,200 --> 01:09:46,520 Speaker 1: that I want as many people into the tent as possible, 1391 01:09:46,800 --> 01:09:48,720 Speaker 1: and I don't want to do anything that is going 1392 01:09:48,760 --> 01:09:51,360 Speaker 1: to create a barrier to entry. I want I want 1393 01:09:51,400 --> 01:09:53,280 Speaker 1: people to love this game as much as I do, 1394 01:09:53,360 --> 01:09:56,200 Speaker 1: and until they actually see it and bring it bring 1395 01:09:56,240 --> 01:09:58,760 Speaker 1: into the tent, it's not going to happen. And so 1396 01:09:58,840 --> 01:10:01,080 Speaker 1: I want to be there welcoming people in. And yes, 1397 01:10:01,120 --> 01:10:04,839 Speaker 1: to your point, we as soccer people can be incredibly elitist, 1398 01:10:04,880 --> 01:10:08,679 Speaker 1: incredibly snobby, and it can be a deterrent to people 1399 01:10:09,120 --> 01:10:11,800 Speaker 1: uh coming coming into the game going forward. We can 1400 01:10:11,840 --> 01:10:14,439 Speaker 1: also be incredibly insecure, and I think that just comes 1401 01:10:14,479 --> 01:10:17,360 Speaker 1: from not being king and having to fight and crawl 1402 01:10:17,760 --> 01:10:21,760 Speaker 1: and scrape for absolutely every little inch of you know, 1403 01:10:21,800 --> 01:10:25,760 Speaker 1: whether it's UH media coverage or attention or ultimately what 1404 01:10:25,800 --> 01:10:28,760 Speaker 1: it comes down to is credibility. But whether it's on 1405 01:10:28,800 --> 01:10:31,519 Speaker 1: out kick or anything else, you're a business. You are 1406 01:10:31,520 --> 01:10:33,960 Speaker 1: going to give the people what they want until the 1407 01:10:34,080 --> 01:10:36,920 Speaker 1: data tells you that they want something different. And it 1408 01:10:36,960 --> 01:10:40,000 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that you don't try different things. It doesn't 1409 01:10:40,040 --> 01:10:42,880 Speaker 1: mean that you don't recognize that your viewership and your 1410 01:10:42,920 --> 01:10:47,040 Speaker 1: readers have a palette out there that has expanded. But ultimately, 1411 01:10:47,080 --> 01:10:48,760 Speaker 1: you want to make sure you get clicks. You want 1412 01:10:48,760 --> 01:10:50,960 Speaker 1: to make sure that you have people that are subscribing. 1413 01:10:51,000 --> 01:10:52,960 Speaker 1: You want to make sure that you're giving them what 1414 01:10:53,000 --> 01:10:55,879 Speaker 1: they want, and so were we cannot be a charity. 1415 01:10:56,160 --> 01:10:58,599 Speaker 1: We have to show that this is a sport on 1416 01:10:58,640 --> 01:11:01,160 Speaker 1: the field that is worthy of your time and off 1417 01:11:01,160 --> 01:11:04,320 Speaker 1: the field is worthy of your business. And to the 1418 01:11:04,360 --> 01:11:07,479 Speaker 1: extent that we, you know, put our put our noses 1419 01:11:07,520 --> 01:11:09,640 Speaker 1: in the air, or do things in the way that 1420 01:11:09,720 --> 01:11:12,439 Speaker 1: we act, or the things that we say that drive 1421 01:11:12,600 --> 01:11:16,040 Speaker 1: people away, that is the worst possible thing that we 1422 01:11:16,080 --> 01:11:19,800 Speaker 1: can do. I don't want to be um exclusionary. I 1423 01:11:19,880 --> 01:11:22,839 Speaker 1: want to be as inviting as possible as a sport 1424 01:11:22,880 --> 01:11:26,000 Speaker 1: for everybody in America. And I sure as hell don't 1425 01:11:26,000 --> 01:11:29,960 Speaker 1: want people to feel intimidated or scared about but the 1426 01:11:30,040 --> 01:11:33,960 Speaker 1: vernacular that we use, or the you know, the the 1427 01:11:34,000 --> 01:11:37,080 Speaker 1: supporters groups, and the culture that we have and the 1428 01:11:37,120 --> 01:11:39,360 Speaker 1: way that we talk about the game or dress or 1429 01:11:39,479 --> 01:11:42,559 Speaker 1: or book it ourselves, that that cannot be a hindrance 1430 01:11:42,600 --> 01:11:46,280 Speaker 1: and too often to your point, it is um you 1431 01:11:46,320 --> 01:11:48,479 Speaker 1: have traveled all over the world. I want to give 1432 01:11:48,479 --> 01:11:51,280 Speaker 1: you an opportunity to give some give some stories and 1433 01:11:51,439 --> 01:11:53,920 Speaker 1: or tell people where you think they should go based 1434 01:11:53,920 --> 01:11:58,040 Speaker 1: on your experience. But also have you ever felt endangered 1435 01:11:58,280 --> 01:12:02,280 Speaker 1: at all while you've been covering the World Cup all 1436 01:12:02,320 --> 01:12:04,920 Speaker 1: over the world? Like I'm sure you found yourself in 1437 01:12:04,960 --> 01:12:08,120 Speaker 1: some interesting alleys at different points, have you ever felt 1438 01:12:08,160 --> 01:12:11,800 Speaker 1: physically in danger? So a lot of times I have 1439 01:12:11,880 --> 01:12:14,960 Speaker 1: security with me. But you know, over the years, you 1440 01:12:14,960 --> 01:12:18,000 Speaker 1: know as a player, you know, especially going into Central America, 1441 01:12:18,400 --> 01:12:20,200 Speaker 1: and keep in mind that there's you know, there's this 1442 01:12:20,280 --> 01:12:24,640 Speaker 1: whole you know, social type of aspect to it and 1443 01:12:25,080 --> 01:12:27,840 Speaker 1: cultural and political type of aspect to be. To be 1444 01:12:27,880 --> 01:12:31,000 Speaker 1: honest with you, because even though soccer isn't king in 1445 01:12:31,040 --> 01:12:35,240 Speaker 1: the US, we still represent, you know, for many countries, 1446 01:12:35,800 --> 01:12:38,000 Speaker 1: you know, the big bag US and all of the 1447 01:12:38,000 --> 01:12:40,240 Speaker 1: baggage that you know that we bring. And so when 1448 01:12:40,280 --> 01:12:42,280 Speaker 1: we go down and play some of these countries. It 1449 01:12:42,360 --> 01:12:45,400 Speaker 1: may be their only movements when they get to beat 1450 01:12:45,479 --> 01:12:47,760 Speaker 1: up on America, when they get to say that they 1451 01:12:47,800 --> 01:12:51,120 Speaker 1: are better than America at something, and don't underestimate the 1452 01:12:51,200 --> 01:12:53,240 Speaker 1: power of that. And so we go down into these 1453 01:12:53,280 --> 01:12:57,720 Speaker 1: cauldron's to play. And so in the stadium there's security everywhere, 1454 01:12:57,720 --> 01:13:01,240 Speaker 1: and there's moats, and there's fences, and there's guard dogs 1455 01:13:01,240 --> 01:13:03,759 Speaker 1: and their machine guns and all this kind of stuff 1456 01:13:04,240 --> 01:13:07,000 Speaker 1: to protect us as Americans from the moment that we 1457 01:13:07,080 --> 01:13:09,840 Speaker 1: land to the moment that we that we leave. Now, 1458 01:13:09,920 --> 01:13:12,080 Speaker 1: I've been in situations, whether it's as a player as 1459 01:13:12,080 --> 01:13:15,360 Speaker 1: a broadcaster at different times in different countries where stuff 1460 01:13:15,360 --> 01:13:18,120 Speaker 1: has happened and you know, people have you know, threatened 1461 01:13:18,120 --> 01:13:19,519 Speaker 1: me and do all that. But you know, some of 1462 01:13:19,520 --> 01:13:22,200 Speaker 1: that comes with the territory. And yeah, at the moment, 1463 01:13:22,439 --> 01:13:25,640 Speaker 1: it's it's not great. But like I said, I I 1464 01:13:25,720 --> 01:13:28,880 Speaker 1: don't want to I don't want to deny myself the 1465 01:13:28,920 --> 01:13:32,559 Speaker 1: opportunity to have these great experiences, to see different places, 1466 01:13:32,600 --> 01:13:36,120 Speaker 1: to to understand and to meet different people and to 1467 01:13:36,240 --> 01:13:40,080 Speaker 1: experience different cultures simply because you know, there's the possibility 1468 01:13:40,120 --> 01:13:42,240 Speaker 1: of something happening. But yeah, I mean, didn't you get 1469 01:13:42,240 --> 01:13:44,200 Speaker 1: a gun pulled on you in Russia? That's what I 1470 01:13:44,240 --> 01:13:48,559 Speaker 1: was trying to keep keep. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so, I 1471 01:13:48,560 --> 01:13:51,840 Speaker 1: mean it was you know, that's scary, that's not fun, um. 1472 01:13:51,960 --> 01:13:54,160 Speaker 1: But you know, I mean, obviously they didn't like the 1473 01:13:54,160 --> 01:13:56,080 Speaker 1: way I talked about the game or something. I don't 1474 01:13:56,080 --> 01:13:58,479 Speaker 1: know what the hell they were angry about. But you 1475 01:13:58,479 --> 01:14:00,920 Speaker 1: know it's Russia too. So we were in my mouth 1476 01:14:01,080 --> 01:14:04,360 Speaker 1: the World Cup and uh yeah, you've never seen our 1477 01:14:04,400 --> 01:14:08,080 Speaker 1: security go into action faster? When then when when that happened? 1478 01:14:08,080 --> 01:14:11,760 Speaker 1: And luckily nothing ultimately did happen of it happen and 1479 01:14:11,880 --> 01:14:13,680 Speaker 1: become of it, And I'm I'm still here to tell 1480 01:14:13,680 --> 01:14:17,759 Speaker 1: the tale. Um. If you could go anywhere in the world, 1481 01:14:17,840 --> 01:14:20,320 Speaker 1: you've gotten to travel all over the place to play soccer. 1482 01:14:20,840 --> 01:14:23,320 Speaker 1: Where is your favorite place that you have been both 1483 01:14:23,360 --> 01:14:25,680 Speaker 1: potentially to play soccer in terms of a stadium that 1484 01:14:25,720 --> 01:14:28,759 Speaker 1: you've gotten to play in, but also just a city 1485 01:14:28,880 --> 01:14:31,760 Speaker 1: or a country where you thought, Man, I would love 1486 01:14:31,840 --> 01:14:34,240 Speaker 1: to be able to spend more time here. This place 1487 01:14:34,320 --> 01:14:37,080 Speaker 1: is exquisite. Yeah, I mean, so, I I know you 1488 01:14:37,120 --> 01:14:40,760 Speaker 1: recently visited Italy and so I played there many years ago, 1489 01:14:41,080 --> 01:14:44,760 Speaker 1: and you know the culture just in general is incredible, 1490 01:14:44,840 --> 01:14:46,680 Speaker 1: the food and the travel and these you know, the 1491 01:14:46,720 --> 01:14:50,000 Speaker 1: incredible history and I know you're a big history buff, uh, 1492 01:14:50,040 --> 01:14:52,799 Speaker 1: that's wonderful. But then you add this this incredible culture 1493 01:14:52,800 --> 01:14:54,680 Speaker 1: and history when it comes to the game. You know, 1494 01:14:54,720 --> 01:14:57,360 Speaker 1: these stadiums that they have, whether it's Sin Siro Stadium 1495 01:14:57,479 --> 01:15:01,520 Speaker 1: in uh in Milan, you know, these types of legendary 1496 01:15:01,600 --> 01:15:04,040 Speaker 1: cathedrals that we have. You know, I played in the 1497 01:15:04,080 --> 01:15:07,240 Speaker 1: old Wembley Stadium and you know that's the stadium that 1498 01:15:07,360 --> 01:15:10,799 Speaker 1: where England played and where uh you know, Freddie Mercury 1499 01:15:10,840 --> 01:15:12,960 Speaker 1: played in all these different places and all these different 1500 01:15:13,040 --> 01:15:16,000 Speaker 1: you know, incredible moments through history and so to being 1501 01:15:16,040 --> 01:15:18,360 Speaker 1: able to use soccer to see some of these some 1502 01:15:18,400 --> 01:15:21,920 Speaker 1: of these places. But seeing a country and culture through 1503 01:15:21,960 --> 01:15:25,280 Speaker 1: the eyes of soccer, I think can be incredibly illuminating 1504 01:15:25,320 --> 01:15:28,400 Speaker 1: because soccer is so important in many of these countries 1505 01:15:28,439 --> 01:15:31,920 Speaker 1: that it informs everything, and it forms you know, politics 1506 01:15:32,000 --> 01:15:36,840 Speaker 1: and social uh you know, uh, pleasantries and obviously you know, 1507 01:15:36,880 --> 01:15:40,800 Speaker 1: it's incredibly tribal from wherever you are, and it's it 1508 01:15:40,920 --> 01:15:44,160 Speaker 1: infiltrates and like I said, informs almost everything that happens 1509 01:15:44,200 --> 01:15:46,400 Speaker 1: on a day to day basis, and it's really amazing 1510 01:15:46,680 --> 01:15:49,080 Speaker 1: to see a country because and I'm not saying it's 1511 01:15:49,120 --> 01:15:51,519 Speaker 1: better or worse. I'm just saying it's very different in 1512 01:15:51,560 --> 01:15:53,840 Speaker 1: the way that we look at our sports. And a 1513 01:15:53,880 --> 01:15:56,000 Speaker 1: lot of people will try to say, well that means 1514 01:15:56,000 --> 01:15:58,439 Speaker 1: it's more passionate and we have more you know, we 1515 01:15:58,439 --> 01:16:00,960 Speaker 1: don't have as passionate uh sports fans here in the 1516 01:16:01,000 --> 01:16:03,679 Speaker 1: U S. That's a bunch of bs. Okay, I think 1517 01:16:03,680 --> 01:16:07,400 Speaker 1: that we are. Actually, I think we understand much more 1518 01:16:07,479 --> 01:16:11,160 Speaker 1: about what sports is and what it isn't. And certainly 1519 01:16:11,160 --> 01:16:13,720 Speaker 1: there are times where people go, you know, over the 1520 01:16:13,800 --> 01:16:16,400 Speaker 1: line and I think, you know, you are a huge 1521 01:16:16,520 --> 01:16:19,200 Speaker 1: you know, college football fan, that type of passion. I'll 1522 01:16:19,240 --> 01:16:22,080 Speaker 1: put that up against the soccer fans around the world. 1523 01:16:22,439 --> 01:16:26,400 Speaker 1: And I love, though, being able to see a country, culture, 1524 01:16:26,600 --> 01:16:30,040 Speaker 1: a city, an area relative to their sports. And sometimes 1525 01:16:30,040 --> 01:16:31,720 Speaker 1: you can find out a lot about a place and 1526 01:16:31,760 --> 01:16:34,479 Speaker 1: find out a lot about a people relative to their sports. 1527 01:16:34,840 --> 01:16:37,040 Speaker 1: All right, last question for you, and we appreciate all 1528 01:16:37,080 --> 01:16:39,519 Speaker 1: the time has been wins and losses. Alexei Lallis, I'm 1529 01:16:39,560 --> 01:16:42,400 Speaker 1: Clay Travis. A lot of people out there who listen 1530 01:16:42,479 --> 01:16:46,360 Speaker 1: to these interviews are young right, Uh, and or their 1531 01:16:46,439 --> 01:16:48,920 Speaker 1: dads or granddads give it to young people and say, hey, 1532 01:16:48,960 --> 01:16:52,320 Speaker 1: here's how you can learn and continue to evolve. If 1533 01:16:52,360 --> 01:16:55,320 Speaker 1: you were talking to a young soccer player today, uh, 1534 01:16:55,400 --> 01:16:59,479 Speaker 1: fourteen year old Alexei Lawless playing somewhere in the country today, 1535 01:16:59,680 --> 01:17:02,760 Speaker 1: and he not only wants to play for his national team, 1536 01:17:02,800 --> 01:17:06,080 Speaker 1: but he also is interested potentially in a career in 1537 01:17:06,240 --> 01:17:09,599 Speaker 1: media sports media in general. What would you tell that 1538 01:17:09,720 --> 01:17:11,960 Speaker 1: young person could be a boy or girl out there 1539 01:17:12,200 --> 01:17:15,679 Speaker 1: that they should be working on at fourteen fifteen years old, 1540 01:17:15,840 --> 01:17:18,120 Speaker 1: as they age and as they grow, and hey, maybe 1541 01:17:18,120 --> 01:17:20,479 Speaker 1: there's twenty two year old college version of you out 1542 01:17:20,479 --> 01:17:22,840 Speaker 1: there who's listening right now too. What do you wish 1543 01:17:22,880 --> 01:17:27,200 Speaker 1: you had known in terms of your career path? Okay, 1544 01:17:27,240 --> 01:17:29,680 Speaker 1: so when it comes to broadcasting, and I get a 1545 01:17:29,680 --> 01:17:31,960 Speaker 1: lot of young uh, you know, men and women that 1546 01:17:32,200 --> 01:17:35,000 Speaker 1: come up and want to talk about it. So first off, 1547 01:17:35,040 --> 01:17:37,600 Speaker 1: and you know this phenomenon son a phenomenon. It's just 1548 01:17:37,640 --> 01:17:41,680 Speaker 1: the reality of the opportunities that we get as ex players. Okay. 1549 01:17:41,800 --> 01:17:45,599 Speaker 1: The door will open to you more so than others 1550 01:17:45,640 --> 01:17:48,360 Speaker 1: because you played, all right, It will not stay open forever, 1551 01:17:48,840 --> 01:17:51,360 Speaker 1: and you you better be ready when it does open. 1552 01:17:51,400 --> 01:17:54,160 Speaker 1: And so, first off, if you are already playing, if 1553 01:17:54,160 --> 01:17:56,479 Speaker 1: you're a you know, a professional, and you're thinking about 1554 01:17:56,520 --> 01:17:59,920 Speaker 1: a career in broadcast, if you can recognize a more 1555 01:18:00,040 --> 01:18:02,040 Speaker 1: went to jump off. You know, I was thirty two 1556 01:18:02,160 --> 01:18:05,280 Speaker 1: years old when I stopped playing, which is still relatively young. 1557 01:18:05,400 --> 01:18:08,280 Speaker 1: But I got given an opportunity, and so a jumping 1558 01:18:08,360 --> 01:18:10,920 Speaker 1: off point came, and I was smart enough in that 1559 01:18:10,960 --> 01:18:13,839 Speaker 1: moment to recognize that while I could have continued playing, 1560 01:18:14,200 --> 01:18:16,479 Speaker 1: this was an opportunity to go and do something that 1561 01:18:16,520 --> 01:18:19,960 Speaker 1: possibly could last obviously well beyond my career, but could 1562 01:18:20,040 --> 01:18:22,360 Speaker 1: become a career. And you've got to have the wherewithal 1563 01:18:22,560 --> 01:18:26,000 Speaker 1: to recognize, because your career I guarantee you will never 1564 01:18:26,280 --> 01:18:28,880 Speaker 1: end in the way that you want. When it comes 1565 01:18:28,880 --> 01:18:31,479 Speaker 1: to specifics on broadcasting, I think you and I both 1566 01:18:31,520 --> 01:18:34,720 Speaker 1: know that your ability to edit, either beforehand or in 1567 01:18:34,800 --> 01:18:38,040 Speaker 1: real time is crucial, especially when you work in television 1568 01:18:38,040 --> 01:18:40,000 Speaker 1: and you've got somebody in your ear telling you you've 1569 01:18:40,000 --> 01:18:42,280 Speaker 1: got thirteen seconds and we gotta get off air, and 1570 01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:44,599 Speaker 1: you've got to be able to say something that is interesting, 1571 01:18:44,800 --> 01:18:47,000 Speaker 1: that is informative to make it make sure that you 1572 01:18:47,040 --> 01:18:49,639 Speaker 1: say it in an entertaining way so that people aren't 1573 01:18:50,160 --> 01:18:52,880 Speaker 1: changing the channel. And that comes with reps, that comes 1574 01:18:52,960 --> 01:18:55,599 Speaker 1: with the ability to do something. Some of it's innate. 1575 01:18:55,720 --> 01:18:57,559 Speaker 1: I mean, you know as well as I do. There's 1576 01:18:57,560 --> 01:18:59,200 Speaker 1: plenty of people that we say, oh, that person will 1577 01:18:59,240 --> 01:19:01,479 Speaker 1: be great on Tell of Vision. And it's different when 1578 01:19:01,520 --> 01:19:04,600 Speaker 1: you're answering questions to a reporter after a game or 1579 01:19:04,640 --> 01:19:07,040 Speaker 1: something like that, or obviously if you're sitting on your couch. 1580 01:19:07,320 --> 01:19:11,519 Speaker 1: So that all sorry to cut you off, But the 1581 01:19:11,560 --> 01:19:14,240 Speaker 1: green room. There are dudes that I have set in 1582 01:19:14,240 --> 01:19:17,519 Speaker 1: the green room with literally a hundred yards at most 1583 01:19:17,600 --> 01:19:21,200 Speaker 1: from the actual studio, and I've been like, this guy 1584 01:19:21,520 --> 01:19:25,160 Speaker 1: is going to kill it on television, and a hundred 1585 01:19:25,240 --> 01:19:29,480 Speaker 1: yard walk into the studio. They get deer in headlights. 1586 01:19:29,720 --> 01:19:34,000 Speaker 1: They are at or twenty as engaging as they were 1587 01:19:34,040 --> 01:19:36,400 Speaker 1: in the green room. There's a big difference. When those 1588 01:19:36,479 --> 01:19:39,360 Speaker 1: lights come on. It's brutal. It is brutal, but that 1589 01:19:39,439 --> 01:19:41,840 Speaker 1: red light, I I live for it. I can't wait. 1590 01:19:41,960 --> 01:19:44,240 Speaker 1: People ask me, do you get nervous? Hell? Yeah, And 1591 01:19:44,280 --> 01:19:47,160 Speaker 1: if I'm not nervous, I'm not ready. I love that feeling. 1592 01:19:47,160 --> 01:19:49,280 Speaker 1: And now I have learned to harness that nervous energy 1593 01:19:49,560 --> 01:19:52,360 Speaker 1: and direct it into you know, down the barrel. If 1594 01:19:52,360 --> 01:19:54,439 Speaker 1: I'm talking down the barrel, if I'm looking over at 1595 01:19:54,520 --> 01:19:57,240 Speaker 1: rob Stone, I love that it jacks me up. I 1596 01:19:57,280 --> 01:19:59,840 Speaker 1: will never be able to replicate playing. I've come to 1597 01:20:00,280 --> 01:20:02,640 Speaker 1: that realization over the years, and you better figure that 1598 01:20:02,680 --> 01:20:05,400 Speaker 1: out quickly. But I've found something that jacks me up 1599 01:20:05,439 --> 01:20:08,559 Speaker 1: as much, and in many ways it rewards me and 1600 01:20:08,680 --> 01:20:11,160 Speaker 1: fulfills me even more so than anything I did on 1601 01:20:11,160 --> 01:20:14,080 Speaker 1: the field. The U S wins the World Cup in 1602 01:20:15,520 --> 01:20:18,000 Speaker 1: you get to do talk about it on television. You 1603 01:20:18,080 --> 01:20:21,080 Speaker 1: finish television, first thing you want to do when you 1604 01:20:21,160 --> 01:20:27,040 Speaker 1: leave the television set to celebrate is what, Oh my goodness, well, 1605 01:20:27,080 --> 01:20:29,639 Speaker 1: I will be in tears. I will be in an 1606 01:20:29,640 --> 01:20:32,840 Speaker 1: older gentleman who will be thinking about all of the 1607 01:20:32,960 --> 01:20:36,599 Speaker 1: history and everything that has come before. I think, you know, honestly, 1608 01:20:37,160 --> 01:20:40,479 Speaker 1: I will be wanting to celebrate it with people that 1609 01:20:40,520 --> 01:20:43,720 Speaker 1: have been around. And this is you know, this is 1610 01:20:43,720 --> 01:20:46,040 Speaker 1: a labor of love. It's still a labor. It's gotten 1611 01:20:46,040 --> 01:20:48,679 Speaker 1: easier over the years, but it's still pushing that boulder 1612 01:20:48,800 --> 01:20:50,640 Speaker 1: up and there are so many men and women on 1613 01:20:50,760 --> 01:20:53,280 Speaker 1: and off the field that have worked so long to 1614 01:20:53,320 --> 01:20:55,240 Speaker 1: be able to get to that point, and so I 1615 01:20:55,240 --> 01:20:57,760 Speaker 1: would I would look around and give big hugs to 1616 01:20:57,800 --> 01:21:00,240 Speaker 1: the people that will never ever get the at it. 1617 01:21:00,280 --> 01:21:02,559 Speaker 1: You will never know their name, that have worked to 1618 01:21:02,680 --> 01:21:04,519 Speaker 1: enable us to be in that moment. Now, it's not 1619 01:21:04,960 --> 01:21:07,800 Speaker 1: it doesn't change everything overnight, but it's a hell of 1620 01:21:07,840 --> 01:21:11,559 Speaker 1: an injection to have. He is Alexei Lawless. How can 1621 01:21:11,640 --> 01:21:13,800 Speaker 1: people find you? What would people would you tell? People 1622 01:21:13,800 --> 01:21:17,479 Speaker 1: who enjoyed this conversation who want more listen. You can 1623 01:21:17,479 --> 01:21:20,360 Speaker 1: come yell at me on Twitter at Alexei Lawless or 1624 01:21:20,360 --> 01:21:22,600 Speaker 1: Instagram or anything out there. I have my State of 1625 01:21:22,640 --> 01:21:25,040 Speaker 1: the Union podcast on Fox. And then if look, if 1626 01:21:25,080 --> 01:21:28,240 Speaker 1: somebody's kicking a ball out there, men's women's co ed naked, 1627 01:21:28,520 --> 01:21:33,040 Speaker 1: I am. They're talking about it on Fox. That is outstanding. 1628 01:21:33,120 --> 01:21:35,880 Speaker 1: I am Clay Travis. He is Alexei Lawless. This has 1629 01:21:35,920 --> 01:21:37,400 Speaker 1: been wins and losses.