WEBVTT - Bradley Wright-Phillips 0:00:03.600 --> 0:00:05.920 Welcome to the Sports Bubble, a production of I Heart 0:00:05.960 --> 0:00:13.960 Radio Entree Fork Media. My name is Jensen carp and 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:16.480 I'm a sports which means I've spent the last forty 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:20.000 eight hours staring at this Patrick Mahomes contract extension. Listen, 0:00:20.120 --> 0:00:22.320 he deserves it, He's the best quarterback in the league. 0:00:22.600 --> 0:00:24.680 But ten years I don't even know what I'll be 0:00:24.720 --> 0:00:27.040 doing ten minutes from now to find that kind of 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:30.360 gig in this climate. God bless that man. Considering what's 0:00:30.360 --> 0:00:32.280 happened in the last three months, though, I have to 0:00:32.280 --> 0:00:35.120 assume they'll be playing football in those weird clear bubble spheres, 0:00:35.200 --> 0:00:37.960 competing against x mocking A like robot dolls, and having 0:00:37.960 --> 0:00:41.080 playbooks digitally implanted into their heads when this contract runs out. 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.800 It's now officially a Casey dynasty if you ask me. 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:46.360 And you know what they say. When one door opens, 0:00:46.479 --> 0:00:49.360 another one into Sean Jackson's house closes, and I'm still 0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:52.240 talking to athletes and sports industry professionals about what they're 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:55.160 doing during this very weird time, because someone has to 0:00:55.560 --> 0:01:00.760 Welcome to the Sports Bubble with Jensen carly Right. Phillips 0:01:00.760 --> 0:01:03.920 found soccer superstardom in a rather unique way. The English 0:01:03.920 --> 0:01:06.280 born forward started his career with Manchester City in the 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.240 Premier League, but never found his groove, landing himself on 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:11.800 second and third tier teams, prompting a move to the 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.319 States and Major League Soccer, and where he may have 0:01:14.360 --> 0:01:17.280 stalled at home, he excelled abroad. As part of the 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.279 New York Red Bulls. He became one of the league's 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:21.679 all time greats as a two time Golden Boot winner, 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:24.840 two time All Star, and three time Team MVP. The 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:27.880 son of legendary Arsenal forward Ian Wright and brother de Sean, 0:01:27.959 --> 0:01:30.080 who played in both England and the U S as well, 0:01:30.360 --> 0:01:33.800 went above and beyond any expectations, finally finding comfort in 0:01:33.840 --> 0:01:36.600 his game in the Big Apple. That is until last 0:01:36.680 --> 0:01:39.600 year he was injured, having trouble scoring, and now at 0:01:39.640 --> 0:01:42.320 thirty five, might finally be showing signs of slowing down. 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:45.000 But as soon as you start to think Bradley is out, well, 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:47.400 that's when he's in signing a new contract with the 0:01:47.400 --> 0:01:50.360 defending supporter Shield Champs l a f C. Right. Phillips 0:01:50.440 --> 0:01:53.720 is ready to prove his haters wrong, but also he's 0:01:53.760 --> 0:01:57.000 completely terrified. We spoke only days before he was set 0:01:57.040 --> 0:01:58.800 to leave for Florida to play in the MLS is 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:01.200 Back tournament, still in the dark about how he'll stay 0:02:01.200 --> 0:02:03.800 safe while away from his family for three months. We 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:06.720 have a raw conversation about what he's facing and how 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:09.760 he honestly is not comfortable. We also talk about the 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:12.600 longstanding racism in his sport, if a tournament when will 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:15.360 mean anything at all, and if activism has just moot in. 0:02:16.520 --> 0:02:19.160 It's a very real and important listen this week in 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:36.799 the sports Bubble from Bradley Right Phillips to accept Press one. Hello, 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:41.480 Bradley Man. I usually start these interviews asking where you've 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:44.240 been quarantined, but with you it's slightly different. We're getting 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:46.840 ready for the MLS is Back Tournament, am I assuming 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:51.080 you are in Orlando in l A right now? Okay, 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:54.440 so they are supposedly starting Wednesday. Are you Are you 0:02:54.520 --> 0:02:57.560 planning on going out? Yeah? There was a few things 0:02:57.560 --> 0:03:00.480 where I might not have gone, something like personal reasons. 0:03:00.600 --> 0:03:02.200 I just needed my family to be sorted, you know, 0:03:02.200 --> 0:03:04.840 because it's a if I'm being totally honest, it's a 0:03:04.840 --> 0:03:07.240 tough ask. You know, obviously we all miss football. It's 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:09.000 a tough ask what they're ask him. But yeah, I 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:11.560 think I'll be I'll be good to go. Um. Yeah, 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:12.960 but I think because we're in l A, we didn't 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:14.639 have to go as soon as everyone else. We could 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:17.200 still do team training too. It's good, you know, the 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:20.560 less time now, I think, the better, you know, if 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:23.000 if I'm being honest, if you're just locked in a 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:25.480 room for however long, you know it's going to be tough. 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:28.120 So yeah, we're just with the lady a bit. I 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:30.840 have tons of questions. One, you have a three or 0:03:30.919 --> 0:03:33.200 seven and eleven year old, you have a wife as well. 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:35.280 Are these people that will be going with you to 0:03:35.400 --> 0:03:38.640 this bubble of sorts? No, it's another thing that it 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.240 crossed my mind to do. But I'm not sure how 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:43.800 how the options were in doing that. And also I'm 0:03:43.800 --> 0:03:46.360 not sure how dangerous is I don't want to be 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:48.720 away from them that long. You know. I've just moved 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:51.520 them out here, you know, from New Jersey, and then 0:03:51.520 --> 0:03:53.240 I've got to leave them. So I felt I felt 0:03:53.240 --> 0:03:55.240 bad in that way, but then I don't want to 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:56.880 bring him to a place now and they're just stuck, 0:03:56.960 --> 0:03:59.520 you know, with maybe a risk of getting a virus 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:01.240 for it was a tough one. But they're going to 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:03.440 be in l A. Yeah. I mean, I guess it's 0:04:03.440 --> 0:04:05.480 such a fake out too, because you're going to tell 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:08.240 your kids you're going to Disney World, and yet it 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.680 would be it would be the least cool version of 0:04:10.680 --> 0:04:13.880 Disney World for them ever, exactly that. And it's funny, Yeah, 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:15.440 you poled out because when I told my son, I'm 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:18.200 probably going to Orlando to play this tournament that can 0:04:18.240 --> 0:04:20.279 I come? I want to come. I want to go 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:22.400 to Disney that. I'm like, you trust me, it's not 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:24.800 going to be what you think. And he doesn't let up. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:26.280 He still wants to come, and like, I can't do 0:04:26.320 --> 0:04:28.279 that to you, mate, I really can't. Yeah, there's a 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:31.479 there's a distinct difference between Orlando and Disney World. And 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:35.599 you're going to Orlando. What he thinks Orlando is doing, 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:38.320 that's the only thing he thinks exists there. Well, he's 0:04:38.320 --> 0:04:41.440 gonna he's gonna miss out on a hotel room. So 0:04:42.080 --> 0:04:43.720 do you know, like if they filled you in on 0:04:43.760 --> 0:04:46.200 the process, like once once you land, are you like 0:04:46.880 --> 0:04:50.840 driven somewhere in like a big outbreak truck, Like what 0:04:50.839 --> 0:04:53.559 what is the do you know if they told you Yeah, 0:04:53.640 --> 0:04:56.280 they've told me that we've got a bit of information 0:04:56.279 --> 0:04:58.600 on it, but I won't at you because I was 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:00.600 so against you know, I was kind of against it 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:02.360 in the beginning, so I wasn't I'm not really sure 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:04.200 what happens when you get there. I think you go there, 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:06.200 you have some testing, and then you're going into quarantine 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:09.800 for I want to say this could be, but I 0:05:09.839 --> 0:05:12.560 want to say seventy two hours, maybe less, and then 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:14.640 if your test of negative, then you go out and 0:05:14.680 --> 0:05:17.200 you train as normal as a team. If you're positive, 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:20.840 and I think you're staying quarantine until ye until until 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.240 you figure things out. I guess it's it's just the 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:27.640 weirdest summer camp. It's like, I can't even fathom. You guys, 0:05:27.640 --> 0:05:30.880 all these professionals, your whole life have played one way, 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:33.520 and now they have you in this strange weight here 0:05:33.680 --> 0:05:37.919 stay in your room alone. It is very strange. Yeah, 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:39.920 And I don't really care how I come across here 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:41.840 because it's there's no secret to me, and I don't 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:45.839 I just think it's a little bit stupid. I'm being honest. Yeah, 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:47.280 I don't know. I just think we could have waited 0:05:47.320 --> 0:05:49.400 like the rest of the leagues, and you're trained until 0:05:49.400 --> 0:05:52.280 you're able to play, and that's it. You're taking us 0:05:52.279 --> 0:05:54.240 all to a place now in a bubble where you've 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:55.960 got to stay in your room away from your family's. 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:59.080 You know, some people got some real some real life 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:00.920 issues you know, to deal with, and you just got 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:02.839 to go to leave your family for how long? You know? 0:06:02.920 --> 0:06:05.320 But I guess Money talks to my friend Money does 0:06:05.400 --> 0:06:07.000 the League? I mean, I'm not piling on here. I 0:06:07.040 --> 0:06:08.479 don't want you to think I'm just hitting you. But 0:06:08.600 --> 0:06:11.680 League said this last Sunday, eighteen players six staff members 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:15.880 test positive before leaving for Orlando. But then yesterday it's 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:18.880 reported six Dallas players test positive. Now the entire team 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:21.599 is quarantined. They did not test positive before they left 0:06:21.600 --> 0:06:25.280 for Orlando. This isn't a bubble if people are getting 0:06:25.880 --> 0:06:28.680 coronavirus while inside it, or if you know people are 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:31.320 coming and going that work for Disney. I mean exactly. 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:34.440 I guess when you get there, are you are you 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:37.479 still going to reassess? Yeah? I think I'll you know, 0:06:37.640 --> 0:06:40.440 it will be team first and see what everyone else 0:06:40.520 --> 0:06:43.160 is doing. My initial forces are just did once we 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:45.360 get in all this information? Are we still go? Every morning? 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:47.479 I wake up and like, are we still do it. Yeah, yeah, 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:49.080 I think once I get there, I say, in my 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.479 room and I'll just play cord of Duty. I'll play 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:55.280 quard Internet train, I'll train and get back to the room, 0:06:55.320 --> 0:06:56.880 play call a gut. I'm not going to time me 0:06:57.400 --> 0:06:59.680 do anything. I've got a family to think about. I'm 0:06:59.720 --> 0:07:02.800 with you there, Uh listen. I gotta give you my 0:07:02.920 --> 0:07:06.200 honest opinion and fear of the food situation. Everyone saw 0:07:06.240 --> 0:07:09.840 the hashtag yesterday regarding the sixty five dollar lunch or 0:07:09.880 --> 0:07:12.280 whatever it is. I want you to to pack as 0:07:12.360 --> 0:07:15.920 much lunchables as possible, anything you can get your hands 0:07:15.920 --> 0:07:18.200 on at the market. Bring it with you, Just bring it. 0:07:19.280 --> 0:07:22.240 I'm very scared. I'm gonna go shopping on Sunday. The 0:07:22.360 --> 0:07:25.040 rumor of your l a f C teammate and reigning 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.120 m V pete Carlo Savella not returning, is that Do 0:07:28.160 --> 0:07:29.960 we know if that's for sure? Or I mean it 0:07:30.040 --> 0:07:32.800 seems like it's for sure he's not coming. I'm not sure. 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.520 I'm really not sure. Honestly, it's not much talking on 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:38.800 who's going. I think they people saw that out between 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:42.560 them was John and Bob. I know when I had concerns, 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:44.120 that's what I did. I don't think many people knew 0:07:44.160 --> 0:07:46.640 my situation, you know, so I'm not really sure. I'm 0:07:46.680 --> 0:07:49.680 not sure. Yeah, because he has a pregnant wife. Uh, 0:07:50.640 --> 0:07:53.480 this obviously would hurt the team, and not that that's 0:07:53.520 --> 0:07:55.880 the top priority, but it's gonna put you in a 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:57.760 in a place to step up. And I was wondering 0:07:57.800 --> 0:07:59.800 if you were able to get comfortable with your team. 0:07:59.880 --> 0:08:02.000 Is a new squad for you in l A. Yeah, 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:05.520 but mostly individual practices and maybe some zoom calls? Are 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:07.960 you Are you comfortable with these dudes? Yeah? And do 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:10.400 you know what, I felt more comfortable now just after 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:13.720 we got to resume team training. I've been there for 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:15.600 a while now, you know, it's weird because of the lockdown. 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:17.640 It feels it just feels so strange. It's like I 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:20.360 get introduced and then something happens. Then I came, Remember 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:22.120 I came. I got surgery, so I was injured. I 0:08:22.160 --> 0:08:24.360 wasn't getting to train with the team, so it's been 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:26.480 stop start. But I do feel like one of the 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:28.880 boys now. I think, you know, I'm lucky enough since 0:08:28.880 --> 0:08:30.520 I've been in America to be in two good changing 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:32.839 with where the guys are a really good and I'm 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:35.199 not just saying that, you know, really like cool guys 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:37.480 that if I wasn't playing football, but I still want 0:08:37.520 --> 0:08:39.160 to know these kind of people. So I've been lucky 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:40.439 in that way. They've been good to me. And now 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:43.000 I do feel part of team. I feel good. Yeah, 0:08:43.160 --> 0:08:45.200 and and obviously you have a green card here you 0:08:45.240 --> 0:08:47.040 are a citizen. But I was wondering what the EU 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.800 shutting down basically any tourism from the U S. Has 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:52.600 that affected you at all? Or is that just I mean, 0:08:52.600 --> 0:08:54.200 it's it seems everything. It's like you said, you wake 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:55.680 up every day and there's just a new part for 0:08:55.679 --> 0:08:58.439 the course. I'm telling you, it's like nobody knows anything. 0:08:58.480 --> 0:09:00.520 It's like, yeah, you wake up as an rule or 0:09:00.520 --> 0:09:02.960 something else you can't do and something you can do. Now, 0:09:03.480 --> 0:09:05.680 I just go with the flow. Traveling to England hasn't 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:08.760 affected me. I went recently for some personal reasons. Other 0:09:08.840 --> 0:09:11.680 than that, yeah, it hasn't affected me. And the fervest 0:09:11.720 --> 0:09:13.120 I goes to the park to get the kids some 0:09:13.160 --> 0:09:16.200 fresh air. But like caged animals right now and training 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:19.440 the mess ht Yeah, it's insane. Uh. You turned thirty 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:21.400 five during quarantine. By the way, did you do anything fun? 0:09:21.440 --> 0:09:23.920 For your birthday? Did you have friends drive by? No? 0:09:23.960 --> 0:09:25.640 Do you know what? My wife, you know what my 0:09:25.720 --> 0:09:28.200 birthday is. What marched the twelve And on that day, 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:29.880 that was the last day we we got told we 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:32.360 can't come into training. And on that evening she took 0:09:32.360 --> 0:09:34.240 me to a restaurant. We went out and ate had 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:36.800 a few drinks, you know, so I luckily bought a 0:09:36.880 --> 0:09:39.640 nice little you know, celebration and then we had a 0:09:39.640 --> 0:09:42.200 little cake at the house with the family. So it 0:09:42.240 --> 0:09:44.280 wasn't it wasn't bad, but that was actually the last 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:47.240 day or something normal. Yeah, well, you know, turning thirty five, 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:50.319 huge career change for you, leaving New York a football 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:53.600 team of soccer team just absolutely connected to you forever. 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:56.439 You're coming off an injury, like you said, showing you're 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:59.920 still this MLS powerhouse. How important is that to you? Yeah? 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:01.960 You know what. At first, when I when I left 0:10:01.960 --> 0:10:03.720 Red Bull, and I wasn't sure what I was going 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:05.880 to do, where I was going to go. I was 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:08.360 almost done, you know, not retiring, but I just thought, 0:10:08.400 --> 0:10:10.400 you know what I got, I've got nothing to prove. 0:10:10.440 --> 0:10:12.760 I don't care what anyone thinks. And then just the 0:10:12.760 --> 0:10:14.640 way it come about then I'd read certain things and 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:17.480 here things and my last season I read was injured. 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:18.959 You know a lot of people don't really know the 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:20.319 into And now it's like even when I was on 0:10:20.360 --> 0:10:22.400 the bench or coming on, I was an injured and 0:10:22.440 --> 0:10:23.719 I just thought, I don't want to go out like that. 0:10:23.760 --> 0:10:25.240 And then I get a second chance with l AFC. 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:27.839 So it's just for all the like kind of doubts everyone, 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:30.480 I think she is older now his last season wasn't great. 0:10:30.800 --> 0:10:33.280 It just gave me like a new lead of life 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:35.080 to where I have something to prove, because it's not 0:10:35.080 --> 0:10:37.160 easy to find those kind of things in the game 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:39.040 when you've been someone for so long or done something 0:10:39.080 --> 0:10:41.360 for so long. You have to find little ways to, 0:10:42.000 --> 0:10:43.440 you know, to get ahead. And I think, you know, 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:45.440 having to find a new team and actually getting a 0:10:45.520 --> 0:10:47.440 really good team where I feel like I could fit 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:49.319 in and do well. It's just it's given me just 0:10:49.440 --> 0:10:50.920 a new bowl and I just can't wait to get 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:53.200 out there and improve myself. Yeah. Can I tell you 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:56.200 something that how crazy is soccer? That you had one 0:10:56.320 --> 0:10:59.440 bad season after five or six of the greatest in 0:10:59.480 --> 0:11:02.640 the sport, in the league of MLS and they're just like, 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:04.640 oh he's done, dude. I was like, man, that is 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:07.880 one season. But that's the world we live in. It's 0:11:07.880 --> 0:11:10.520 like everything. If you look at music, like someone puts 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:12.839 the album one week and you listen to a few tracks, 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:14.720 and next week someone else has got what. No one cares, 0:11:14.720 --> 0:11:17.079 you know, it's up to the individual or the people 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:19.760 to to say that I'm not done. You know, this 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:21.680 is what I can still do and keep proving people. 0:11:21.960 --> 0:11:23.640 It's actually the world we live in. Get we can 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.240 get everything quick. Yeah, you know. I guess people feel 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:27.559 they can just go and get another strike and that 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:29.280 would do that or and that's just the world we live. 0:11:29.320 --> 0:11:31.160 And it's not to ask too to say no. And 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:33.280 I'm actually like still good. You know I can actually 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:35.600 still play. I'm excited for that. Though it said it's 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:39.160 a challenge. You had a legendary run, like you said 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:41.559 it with the Red Bulls. They retired your jersey before 0:11:41.600 --> 0:11:44.559 you even retired. You'll be in l A a team 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:46.959 defending the supporter shield in the in the most difficult 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:49.680 tournament division in Florida. It appears you're gonna be flying 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:51.560 out there on on Wednesday at least. So what do 0:11:51.600 --> 0:11:53.880 you see your chances as a team being able to 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:56.000 win this thing. Yeah, as a team, it's difficult to 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.319 say because you know everyone's coming out of lockdown and 0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:00.280 you don't know where anyone is. What I do know 0:12:00.360 --> 0:12:03.000 is that we've trained very odd. I think a lot 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:05.559 of honest people, apart from the talent to talents obvious 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:09.680 anyone that watches them, probably the best football in team. 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:11.520 You know, got the best player in the league at 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:13.960 the moment. So I think that goes about saying. But 0:12:13.960 --> 0:12:16.080 I think the work we've put in behind the closed doors, 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:19.120 I think I'm hoping, you know, it will show when 0:12:19.200 --> 0:12:20.920 we get there, but you never know what to expect. 0:12:21.360 --> 0:12:23.280 It's a different whole, different set of no fans and 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:25.080 no you know, I mean, it's weird, you know how 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:26.800 serious or some player team is going to take it 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:29.520 and so on. But we've definitely got a good chance. 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:31.760 More with the l a f C. S Bradley right 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:39.920 Phillips after this right now, Feeding America is working tirelessly 0:12:39.960 --> 0:12:42.880 to ensure our most vulnerable populations, like students who are 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:46.280 out of school, the elderly individuals whose jobs are impacted, 0:12:46.280 --> 0:12:49.120 and low income families continue to have access to food 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:52.640 and other needed resources during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:55.640 Feeding America Food Bank Network is committed to serving communities 0:12:55.640 --> 0:12:58.439 and people facing hunger in America and their greatest need 0:12:58.520 --> 0:13:01.840 is donations and support of cool food banks. This podcast 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.160 is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:06.439 the show to Feeding America and we hope that you 0:13:06.480 --> 0:13:08.760 can join us in this effort to find out how 0:13:08.800 --> 0:13:12.199 you can help Feeding America dot org. Backslash COVID nineteen 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:20.880 and now the rest of my chat with MLS great 0:13:20.960 --> 0:13:24.080 and l a f C striker Bradley Wright Phillips. You 0:13:24.120 --> 0:13:26.800 were one of the sixteen individual players who was able 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:30.120 to take advantage of sort of the strange MLS practices 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:32.600 that happened after the pandemic. We spoke with Brian Rowe 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:34.640 and he was He explained it to us and it 0:13:34.800 --> 0:13:38.280 it truly sounded like a nightmare. He would like wait 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:40.440 in his car, they'd call him, he'd walk in, he'd 0:13:40.440 --> 0:13:43.280 basically be covered with a hefty bag he couldn't pass 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:45.720 to people. It was just like, did you get anything 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.920 good out of those? Do you know what I did? 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:50.840 But I think why it wasn't as bad for me 0:13:51.040 --> 0:13:53.400 because before that we were just training. We'll find in 0:13:53.480 --> 0:13:56.160 punts where you could train and run, you know, uneven 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:59.240 gross you got dogs running around you. So for me 0:13:59.360 --> 0:14:01.160 just getting back at the facility, I know it wasn't 0:14:01.240 --> 0:14:03.800 the best terms like training alone, but you still got 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:06.000 to see some of your teammates. You've got a good field, 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:10.840 you had goals, yes, small goals, passing boards, everything, you know, 0:14:10.880 --> 0:14:12.720 you had things that you couldn't bring to the park. 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:15.280 So for me, I didn't even it was annoying when 0:14:15.320 --> 0:14:16.480 I look back at it now, it's that what the 0:14:16.520 --> 0:14:19.240 hell was that it's waiting in your car. It was 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:21.000 kind of it was kind of crazy, But at the 0:14:21.000 --> 0:14:22.560 time it was a great change for me because I 0:14:22.600 --> 0:14:24.320 was tread up and going into the park and dogs 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:26.920 running around my cast and looking out my ankles. I'll 0:14:26.960 --> 0:14:29.640 tread up. Yeah. I mean. Also, we're both in l A, 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:31.680 me and you and and I mean it doesn't help 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:33.240 that you have to make this decision in the middle 0:14:33.240 --> 0:14:34.680 of what we're going through in l A with the 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:36.760 cases spiking, where it seems like we're going to go 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:39.840 back into quarantine. Bars are closing for the next three 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:42.720 weeks and stuff like have you guys as your family 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:47.080 been basically inside and that's it for the past three months. Yeah, 0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:50.600 we we have actually I think my wife right so 0:14:50.680 --> 0:14:52.560 every now and again to find a hotel and actually 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:54.440 not too popular as you'll get into a hotel and 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:56.920 actually locks herself in a room and rights. Yeah. But 0:14:56.960 --> 0:14:58.840 other than that yet it we've just been in the house. 0:14:58.840 --> 0:15:00.960 So honestly, the park is been our best friend. We 0:15:01.000 --> 0:15:03.320 go to the park every now and again, and and 0:15:03.400 --> 0:15:08.400 that's it, honestly, training, home, homework, the school teacher. I'm 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:12.280 breaking up ninety flights a day. I'm not the only 0:15:12.280 --> 0:15:14.880 one by It's yeah, it's been tough. It's been tough. Yeah, 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:18.120 three seven eleven, those are all pretty serious ages. That's that. 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:20.440 That's hard to keep down, let alone on a chair 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:24.280 than the house. I mean, that's not easy. It's been 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:27.520 it's been time beyond the pandemic. The world has obviously 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:29.880 been focused on a racial division and the murder of 0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:33.040 George Floyd, and coming from soccer in the Premier League, 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:35.960 you and your brother have seen and been accustomed to 0:15:35.960 --> 0:15:39.520 a racism in sports that we don't even necessarily know, 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:41.840 at least in public in the United States. I'm wondering 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.480 if you could speak on that experience that that you 0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:47.920 guys have faced in the past honestly, like, yeah, growing up, 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:50.440 you get it, but it's something that isn't right even 0:15:50.440 --> 0:15:51.800 when I said it is now that you learn to 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:53.640 just live with the deals. I'm not going to say 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.800 I've been abused in every game I've played. Oyeay, it's 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:59.240 been about But even now when I see just so 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:01.520 quickly go off, like even now, when I see everyone 0:16:01.600 --> 0:16:03.960 like coming together, I like it, but I don't like 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:06.440 where it's going to, where it's almost like a trend 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:08.320 now and like you know, it just feels like a 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:10.560 lot of sheets. I've always been on the side of 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:12.600 like it's I can make some real change, or people 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:15.320 can make some real change. Let's do that. Let's come 0:16:15.320 --> 0:16:17.720 together and make a real change. Because this is not 0:16:17.760 --> 0:16:19.680 a secret. This has been in the game or interest 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:23.640 in life for hundreds of years. So I'm just knock 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:25.360 down with what's going on at the moment. It's just 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:28.240 everyone just posting a black picture. Do you know what 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:29.920 I'm doing with this? Almost you know what I'm saying. 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.000 I just want some real change or I don't want nothing. 0:16:32.000 --> 0:16:34.880 Don't pretend please don't pretend to me, don't try and 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:36.800 just saying at you, by the way, but I don't 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:40.040 need sympathy, like I just want real change or please 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:42.000 don't come to me with anything. I just I want 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:43.840 to work on something now with a few players where 0:16:43.840 --> 0:16:45.200 I can you know, where I can make some real 0:16:45.320 --> 0:16:47.360 change or just open some eyes in a different way. 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:49.640 At the moment, now, just what I'm seeing is just annoying. 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:52.200 Some things are just annoying because this isn't new. Yeah, 0:16:52.200 --> 0:16:54.920 it's a little weird to have people say, hey, don't 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.040 kill us. You know the police are killing us, and 0:16:57.080 --> 0:16:59.600 the responses let's make sure that no white people do 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.000 the voice his two black characters and cartoons. It just 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:05.520 seems like a very strange connection because it's like, well, 0:17:05.560 --> 0:17:09.520 the stakes are so much higher than those things. And yeah, 0:17:09.600 --> 0:17:13.600 and I guess maybe as someone who watched soccer kind 0:17:13.640 --> 0:17:16.920 of from the side, I I'm not a super fan. 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:21.920 I love researching it more than anything else watching real sports. 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:24.240 There was a segment years ago that was very famous 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:26.400 here in the States, where it was the first time 0:17:26.440 --> 0:17:29.359 I had seen the throwing of bananas or the chance 0:17:29.680 --> 0:17:32.680 or the things that just to me were mind blowing. 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:37.040 Even living in a country that I know has systematic racism, 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:40.359 to see it's so public and the anti semitism in soccer, 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:44.719 those things were so damaging to watch that I almost 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:46.920 thought to myself and I know your brothers talked about 0:17:46.920 --> 0:17:49.600 his experience where he felt he couldn't leave the field, 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:52.160