1
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,680
Speaker 1: This is straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up

2
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:16,759
Speaker 1: straight Fire, Fam, It's me Jason McIntyre. Straight Fire for Wednesday,

3
00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:22,800
Speaker 1: October Surprisingly really strong night in the sports world. I

4
00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,919
Speaker 1: don't know how many of you were watching, but Aaron

5
00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,680
Speaker 1: Judge hit number sixty two boom, the new a L

6
00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:30,760
Speaker 1: record holder for home runs. I have some thoughts on

7
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:36,080
Speaker 1: that in a moment. And the big Um two thousand

8
00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:40,960
Speaker 1: twenty three NBA Draft preview Scoot Henderson versus Big Vic

9
00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,680
Speaker 1: Wembanyama was on ESPN two last night. I don't know

10
00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:46,920
Speaker 1: if anybody watched it. Obviously, if you're on social media,

11
00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,400
Speaker 1: you saw all the clips floating around and you definitely

12
00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,720
Speaker 1: tuned in. That was something to behold. Dude, those two

13
00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,800
Speaker 1: kids can go. Two thousand three NBA Draft is lit.

14
00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,280
Speaker 1: I'll talk about that in a moment, but first I

15
00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,360
Speaker 1: gotta tease our guest. This guy work with me at

16
00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,440
Speaker 1: Fox You put on the US national team in two

17
00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:05,280
Speaker 1: thousand and ten. They went to the World Cup, got

18
00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,679
Speaker 1: to the knockout rounds, lost to Ghana. Stewart Holden he

19
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,120
Speaker 1: is traveling to Qatar to cover the World Cup for

20
00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,960
Speaker 1: Fox Sports. He's gonna be calling to US games. It's listen,

21
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,760
Speaker 1: it's getting close to go time. We're inside fifty days

22
00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,440
Speaker 1: to the World Cup. USA miss twenty eight team World Cup.

23
00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,200
Speaker 1: You know, I'm a soccer fan. I own a minority

24
00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,399
Speaker 1: stake in a team in Mexico, Nakasa. They have a

25
00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,080
Speaker 1: postseason game coming up this weekend. I'm a soccer guy.

26
00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,160
Speaker 1: I grew up playing soccer. Both my kids play soccer.

27
00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,880
Speaker 1: My son played club for a year. Like I love soccer,

28
00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,160
Speaker 1: So me and stewhold and chop up the U S

29
00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,160
Speaker 1: national team. The World Cup chances will touch on the

30
00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,319
Speaker 1: MLS and Liga MX will touch on the greater World Cup. Yes,

31
00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:49,120
Speaker 1: there's some English discussion. Obviously, they're loaded in good shape

32
00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,760
Speaker 1: to win the first World Cup in forever. I think

33
00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,200
Speaker 1: you're gonna love the interview, but real quick, first, aeron Judge,

34
00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:57,320
Speaker 1: Let's get this out of the way. I'm a Yankee fan,

35
00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,440
Speaker 1: so I'm very excited and happy for Judge. He had

36
00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,920
Speaker 1: a bomb sixty two, He's got the record top mayors.

37
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,600
Speaker 1: I get all that. I started thinking about it, and

38
00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:09,000
Speaker 1: I'm like, boy, the media sure is making a massive deal,

39
00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,800
Speaker 1: like enormous about a guy who just has an a

40
00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,880
Speaker 1: l home run record, and then I looked, who are

41
00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,600
Speaker 1: the single season home run leaders in MLB history? Barry

42
00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:24,000
Speaker 1: Bonds at seventy three, and I think everybody thinks he

43
00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,960
Speaker 1: was using some substance that was illegal in the sport

44
00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:31,360
Speaker 1: at the time. Mark McGuire hit seventy, same deal with Bonds.

45
00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,399
Speaker 1: Sammy Sosa hit sixty six, saying McGuire had sixty five,

46
00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,239
Speaker 1: so hit sixty four, so it hit sixty three. All

47
00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,239
Speaker 1: those top six seasons were in a three year span,

48
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,359
Speaker 1: the height of the Balco era. If you're too young

49
00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:51,519
Speaker 1: to remember it, ask your older brother, or you could

50
00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,320
Speaker 1: just google steroids in baseball and all those guys names

51
00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,400
Speaker 1: will come up. But it is weird that baseball. I mean,

52
00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,760
Speaker 1: I think it's smart with baseball doing. They're pushing Jo

53
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,680
Speaker 1: and this storyline big time. They wanted out there. He

54
00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,120
Speaker 1: is the new a l home run king. What's understated

55
00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:09,720
Speaker 1: here is there's no mention at all anywhere of Bonds

56
00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,480
Speaker 1: and McGuire, so so nobody's bringing them up. It's all

57
00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,840
Speaker 1: Aaron Judge, Roger Marris, and like the undercurrent is this

58
00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,920
Speaker 1: guy's clean. We think Marris was clean? Who knows? And

59
00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,160
Speaker 1: this is something that baseball needs to wrap its arms

60
00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:26,040
Speaker 1: around and embrace. And I don't disagree with that. I

61
00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,120
Speaker 1: just think it's a little funny that when baseball embraced Bonds,

62
00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,000
Speaker 1: McGuire so so when they were all juicing, and it

63
00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,160
Speaker 1: was obvious because they turned into guys who look like superheroes.

64
00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 1: They look like cartoon characters. They were so juiced, right,

65
00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,360
Speaker 1: I mean, Barry Bonds like lost his neck in the

66
00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,040
Speaker 1: span of five years because he was doing so many

67
00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,000
Speaker 1: illegal substances. I'm not faulting those guys. Would I've done

68
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,520
Speaker 1: the same, I don't know. Uh, you know, would you

69
00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,560
Speaker 1: cheat to get an athletic enhancement and then set records

70
00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,360
Speaker 1: and make millions and millions of dollars that they can't

71
00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,800
Speaker 1: take away from you? As you've seen in baseball, a

72
00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,040
Speaker 1: lot of people are willing to do that. And I'm

73
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:03,240
Speaker 1: sure the same as in football and basketball. If you

74
00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,840
Speaker 1: could take something, some drug to give you an edge

75
00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,280
Speaker 1: and it's not gonna harm your body, I think a

76
00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:11,920
Speaker 1: lot of people would do it. The problem is a

77
00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,840
Speaker 1: lot of the stuff those guys were doing did harm

78
00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,760
Speaker 1: your body. Um So, Aaron Judge is now the clean

79
00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,600
Speaker 1: home run chimp. I don't know how far Baseball is

80
00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,560
Speaker 1: gonna take this. Obviously, Judge and the Yankees going to

81
00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,760
Speaker 1: the postseason, it's gonna be exciting. I think every Judge

82
00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,040
Speaker 1: at bat in the postseason is gonna be musty because

83
00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:29,680
Speaker 1: of what he just did. I think we'll see an

84
00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:31,920
Speaker 1: uptick in the baseball ratings. This should be a really

85
00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:38,360
Speaker 1: good postseason, strong teams. Um, I'm excited. Let's go to basketball,

86
00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,240
Speaker 1: and I'm sure there's some people on here who are

87
00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,000
Speaker 1: like Scoot Henderson. J Really, you're gonna spend time on

88
00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:47,320
Speaker 1: Big Vic when Ban Yama, I think I'm saying that right.

89
00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,200
Speaker 1: I just want to remind you guys, we had a

90
00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,760
Speaker 1: guest on a couple of guests around the NBA draft.

91
00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,359
Speaker 1: I think Matt Babcock friend for Silla, and the name

92
00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,599
Speaker 1: that Scoot Henderson insta Lee elicits when you watch him.

93
00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,760
Speaker 1: His handle is ridiculous. He finished at the rim. He's

94
00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,320
Speaker 1: six to he finished over Big Vic, who's seven five

95
00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,039
Speaker 1: and has a pretty nice handle himself. He can play

96
00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,720
Speaker 1: on the perimeter. He splashes threes like Kevin Durant. He's

97
00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,520
Speaker 1: as fluid as and this one's really gonna aige me.

98
00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,479
Speaker 1: Ralph Sampson, former UV a legend who played with the

99
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,480
Speaker 1: Houston Rockets. He hit a shot to knock the Lakers

100
00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,640
Speaker 1: out of the playoffs back in the day. He had

101
00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,040
Speaker 1: injuries derailed his career, as is the case with a

102
00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,880
Speaker 1: lot of skinny tolls seven footers. It just it happens.

103
00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,159
Speaker 1: And when Binyama looks, I mean as good as, if

104
00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,520
Speaker 1: not better, then like all those guys, I mean, he's

105
00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,600
Speaker 1: the modern Ralph Sampson was not pulling up for three, Okay,

106
00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,360
Speaker 1: he is, and I'm not overhyping one. Yama. You gotta

107
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,599
Speaker 1: watch him. He's seven five, fluid as hell, steals the

108
00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,000
Speaker 1: ball quick. I mean he is just he's really good.

109
00:05:55,040 --> 00:06:00,560
Speaker 1: Like chet Homegren meets Kevin Durant meets Kristap Porzingis, you know,

110
00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,400
Speaker 1: all those blended together, and this guy is I mean,

111
00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,320
Speaker 1: he is insane. That being said Scoot Henderson, of course

112
00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,080
Speaker 1: stole the show because he had a bunch of threes.

113
00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,760
Speaker 1: He finished at the rim over Vic. He is, in

114
00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,120
Speaker 1: my eyes, he is the second coming to Derrick Rose.

115
00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,080
Speaker 1: And you guys remember how electrifying Rose was won an

116
00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:23,440
Speaker 1: m V p um took down. He won the MVP

117
00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:25,599
Speaker 1: the first year I believe Lebron went to the heat.

118
00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,760
Speaker 1: And if you remember the one game one against Lebron's Heed,

119
00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,119
Speaker 1: Everybody's like, oh, de Rose, they might win this series,

120
00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,119
Speaker 1: and then Lebron was like, I got this Lebron guarded

121
00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,800
Speaker 1: Derrick Rose shut him down. Bulls done. Um Rose. Of course,

122
00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,919
Speaker 1: his career was derailed by multiple A C L injuries,

123
00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,320
Speaker 1: and you know that's what sucks. Like, Derrick Rose is

124
00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,840
Speaker 1: a great, great great what might have been? He's probably

125
00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,480
Speaker 1: gonna be if you really want to look at it,

126
00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,920
Speaker 1: He's probably gonna be the only NBA MVP like not

127
00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,359
Speaker 1: to make the Hall of Fame simply because of injuries.

128
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,640
Speaker 1: But that's how good he was. I think he won

129
00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,920
Speaker 1: m VP at twenty two. And this kid, Scoot Henderson

130
00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,280
Speaker 1: looks like I mean, you would go look up his

131
00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:05,159
Speaker 1: YouTube videos. This guy's just electric. He just bounces out

132
00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,800
Speaker 1: of the gym at any rate. Yes, I got smitten

133
00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,440
Speaker 1: with some midweek basketball. All right, Without further ado, let's

134
00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:16,520
Speaker 1: get to our guest. Stewart Holden, former US national team midfielder.

135
00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,920
Speaker 1: Jason likes to think he knows everything when it comes

136
00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:26,120
Speaker 1: to sports. I know what sports dance want, but for

137
00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,400
Speaker 1: everything he doesn't. He knows A guy who does. Let's

138
00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,320
Speaker 1: just say I know a guy who knows a guy

139
00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:36,600
Speaker 1: who knows another guy. Okay, let's welcome into straight fire.

140
00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,960
Speaker 1: A guy who you know from US soccer pretty much

141
00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:44,440
Speaker 1: a legend, played internationally in Europe and now calls games,

142
00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,440
Speaker 1: calls US national team games. He will be in Qatar

143
00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,920
Speaker 1: for the World Cup working for Fox Sports. Stewart Holden Stu.

144
00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,400
Speaker 1: How are you doing, man, Jason? What's up? I'm I'm

145
00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,680
Speaker 1: ready to I'm excited to talk some soccer with you. Man,

146
00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,880
Speaker 1: I'm so fired up. I mean, listen, Uh, last week

147
00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,840
Speaker 1: is not great for the U S national team. I

148
00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,800
Speaker 1: won't even mention the Japan debacle, which the coach admitted

149
00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,920
Speaker 1: burr Halter was a debacle. But I know your guy,

150
00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,840
Speaker 1: Alexei Lawless, who I also see around Fox. He loves

151
00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,160
Speaker 1: to talk about this. But like the state of the Union,

152
00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,480
Speaker 1: we're less than fifty days to the World Cup, and

153
00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,400
Speaker 1: part of this, like part of us, are excited just

154
00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,760
Speaker 1: because we're in the World Cup as opposed to you know,

155
00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,600
Speaker 1: which was really bad. Um. But also there's a large

156
00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,080
Speaker 1: segment that's just unhappy with burr Halter, thinks we have

157
00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,040
Speaker 1: no chance. I don't know where do you stand less

158
00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,240
Speaker 1: than fifty days to the US in the World Cup.

159
00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:38,079
Speaker 1: Oh man, that's a loaded question, number one right out

160
00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,680
Speaker 1: of the gates, because look, I mean, I think the

161
00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,280
Speaker 1: reality is when it comes to soccer in the United

162
00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,400
Speaker 1: States and how much it has grown, we still fully

163
00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,200
Speaker 1: understand that the biggest stage, in the biggest platform we

164
00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,200
Speaker 1: have is the World Cup, and it's your opportunity as

165
00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,320
Speaker 1: a US soccer player and fan and whatever to bring

166
00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,280
Speaker 1: people into our nest for a month of what we

167
00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,560
Speaker 1: do and what we live. And it was such a

168
00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,360
Speaker 1: blow four years ago to not have the US in Russia,

169
00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:07,720
Speaker 1: and it was my first World Cup as a broadcaster

170
00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,400
Speaker 1: and it just didn't feel the same. So look, we're

171
00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,679
Speaker 1: back in the World Cup. That was the number one

172
00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,160
Speaker 1: mission of Greg burr Halter when he took over four

173
00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,319
Speaker 1: years ago, of getting this team back to where we belong.

174
00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,480
Speaker 1: And that doesn't mean, though, now that we're at the

175
00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,760
Speaker 1: World Cup that the feeling should be if you're a

176
00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:24,600
Speaker 1: fan right now on your listening, well, the US are

177
00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,360
Speaker 1: back like we're just at a World Cup. No, Like

178
00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,080
Speaker 1: it has always been the baseline expectation that we should

179
00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,640
Speaker 1: be there. Now being there, it has always been looking

180
00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:36,840
Speaker 1: to to judge the tournament as a success is to

181
00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,680
Speaker 1: get out of the group stage. That's what we all

182
00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,520
Speaker 1: feel UH and expect from this team. So look, Greg,

183
00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:45,520
Speaker 1: Greg bur Halter, I would say, has done a really

184
00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,240
Speaker 1: good job of the past couple of years of winning

185
00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:51,400
Speaker 1: and winning tournaments. And what he has done is he

186
00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,880
Speaker 1: won the Gold Cup with an A team and a

187
00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:57,200
Speaker 1: B team. UH. He beaten He's beaten Mexico three or

188
00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,080
Speaker 1: almost four times in the last calendar year. Go and

189
00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,920
Speaker 1: back to toe. So now comes the real test though

190
00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,040
Speaker 1: for for burr Halter and these players, because what he

191
00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,240
Speaker 1: did was he committed to a young group, a very

192
00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,360
Speaker 1: young group. We're the youngest average age of any team

193
00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,120
Speaker 1: that qualified for the World Cup. And that's not even

194
00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,880
Speaker 1: close by the way. That's a couple of years difference.

195
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,360
Speaker 1: Greg Burrhlter, this will be his first World Cup as

196
00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:23,200
Speaker 1: a coach. And what has been the challenging part, And

197
00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,080
Speaker 1: I think you try to think about Marquis Wins in

198
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:28,120
Speaker 1: his tenure with COVID, in the way that the schedule

199
00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,560
Speaker 1: really changed and the way that UH qualifying got changed

200
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:33,920
Speaker 1: for the US to qualify for the World Cup. He

201
00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,160
Speaker 1: hasn't had an opportunity, and this team hasn't happened opportunity

202
00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,800
Speaker 1: to play big name European teams, teams from Europe, teams

203
00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,720
Speaker 1: from South America. So really are sample size of what

204
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,440
Speaker 1: we've been judging this team on has been against conky

205
00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,800
Speaker 1: calf opponents, countries that we should win and countries that

206
00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,600
Speaker 1: you know, we should beat pretty handily, quite frankly. So now,

207
00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,839
Speaker 1: like you know, when I'm trying to contextualize the game

208
00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:58,080
Speaker 1: against Saudi Arabia last week, and the game against Japan,

209
00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,480
Speaker 1: and the game against Uruguay and game against Morocco, Morocco

210
00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,079
Speaker 1: we beat three zero, you know, against teams that are

211
00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,400
Speaker 1: going to the World Cup. I think we've only scored

212
00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,440
Speaker 1: one goal against eight in our last eight matches of

213
00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,160
Speaker 1: teams that are going to the World Cup. So I

214
00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,640
Speaker 1: think that that part for me is where you know,

215
00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,240
Speaker 1: judging Burr Hilter, this is where we're gonna really find

216
00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,840
Speaker 1: out how good of a coach he is, because you know,

217
00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,000
Speaker 1: he put his hand up. I I would say that

218
00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,600
Speaker 1: I think some of his lineup selection, personnel selection, uh,

219
00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,560
Speaker 1: some of the tactics that he's employed in some of

220
00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,480
Speaker 1: those games, and just being so steadfast on committing to

221
00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,480
Speaker 1: like this is what we're gonna do without having some

222
00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,200
Speaker 1: flexibility has not been good. But I still maintain a

223
00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:37,679
Speaker 1: belief that that he could get this team to perform

224
00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,240
Speaker 1: at a World Cup. And it's hard to to really

225
00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,120
Speaker 1: convey that opinion amongst all the shouting and yelling that's

226
00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,040
Speaker 1: going on right now, because these last two games, Jason,

227
00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,440
Speaker 1: and if you're just kind of a fan that's tuning

228
00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,040
Speaker 1: in and you've seen that, Hey, the US are back

229
00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,520
Speaker 1: at the World Cup, like how are we gonna do?

230
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,000
Speaker 1: These last two games have given us a moment and

231
00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:58,920
Speaker 1: a and a pause for kind of a reflection of like, hey,

232
00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,040
Speaker 1: this might be a lot hard than than we thought

233
00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:02,720
Speaker 1: it was going to be based on the kind of

234
00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,520
Speaker 1: the talent that we have right now. I love the

235
00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,840
Speaker 1: swings of USA soccer fans because you're right, a lot

236
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,679
Speaker 1: of them watch, whether it's the Premier League or leagues

237
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,640
Speaker 1: around the world, and then you know, they just tune

238
00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,720
Speaker 1: into the US national team for the big games, and

239
00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,679
Speaker 1: then you tune in and they're like smashing grenado or whatever,

240
00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:19,880
Speaker 1: and then you tune into a game getting close to

241
00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:21,840
Speaker 1: the World Cup and it's like, I thought they played

242
00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,960
Speaker 1: great for the first thirty minutes against the Saudis had

243
00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,079
Speaker 1: multiple chances but didn't convert me And then you're like,

244
00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,760
Speaker 1: oh gosh, this is zero zero really against a team

245
00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:32,760
Speaker 1: that's not really considered very good. I don't does anybody

246
00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:34,280
Speaker 1: think the Saudis are getting out of their group at

247
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:36,720
Speaker 1: the Cup, No chance. I mean they're in with Argentina Mexican.

248
00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,640
Speaker 1: You know they're gonna be last place for sure, so

249
00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,880
Speaker 1: so do you is it's not really fair for the

250
00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:43,680
Speaker 1: fans to pile on, but like, this is what we

251
00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:46,360
Speaker 1: do right in the NFL, um you know, it's a

252
00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,520
Speaker 1: week to week thing. In the NBA, you lose three straight, it's,

253
00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:51,079
Speaker 1: oh my gosh, this guy's falling. In baseball, the Mets

254
00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,000
Speaker 1: get destroyed over the weekend. It's like, we'll forget their postseason.

255
00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,160
Speaker 1: You know, it's like three games out of a million.

256
00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,680
Speaker 1: But you look at soccer and there just aren't many

257
00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:02,800
Speaker 1: opportunities do And it's like, I'm a little nervous for

258
00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:04,319
Speaker 1: burr Halter because, as you said, this is one of

259
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,520
Speaker 1: the youngest teams. But I know nobody's gonna want to

260
00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:09,920
Speaker 1: hear this. Are they looking at Hey, let's get our

261
00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:11,800
Speaker 1: young guys some reps at the World Cup. If we

262
00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,480
Speaker 1: get out of stage, great, If not, it's okay, two

263
00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,839
Speaker 1: thou the goal it's on it's on our turf, right,

264
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:20,160
Speaker 1: Like that's not that's not the first time I've heard that,

265
00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,640
Speaker 1: by the way, like it and and they've been careful

266
00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:24,920
Speaker 1: and shied away from like just calling this, say hey,

267
00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,640
Speaker 1: we're World Cup of getting experienced, because we all know

268
00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:29,640
Speaker 1: twenty is gonna be the biggest World Cup in the

269
00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,079
Speaker 1: history of the World Cups. Like there will not be

270
00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:36,760
Speaker 1: from a commercial attendance, you know, global standpoint is gonna

271
00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,800
Speaker 1: be the first World Cup we have forty eight teams,

272
00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,480
Speaker 1: so like the platform in the stage is not bigger,

273
00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,160
Speaker 1: and it's here in the United States for the first

274
00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,800
Speaker 1: time since ninety four. Like that that's the one that

275
00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:50,240
Speaker 1: you need to put on a show. So the challenge

276
00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,520
Speaker 1: for burr Halter here is that the the individuals that

277
00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:55,440
Speaker 1: we have, I mean, we have players now at some

278
00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:57,439
Speaker 1: of the biggest clubs in the world. We have guys

279
00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,640
Speaker 1: at Chelsea, we have guys at Brucia, Dorman, Barcelona, ac Milan,

280
00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:04,200
Speaker 1: like big, big clubs, and these guys are playing and

281
00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,679
Speaker 1: getting minutes and contributing. So what that's done is it's

282
00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,000
Speaker 1: raised the expectations of the team. The problem that we've had,

283
00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:12,839
Speaker 1: I think is being able to a have all these

284
00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,160
Speaker 1: guys healthy. I mean, Polistic has been continually injured, Geo

285
00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:19,440
Speaker 1: Rena has been injured a lot, so we've never really

286
00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,160
Speaker 1: had the best group of guys altogether building up. That's

287
00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,880
Speaker 1: that's not burr Halter's fault. That's you know, that's like

288
00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,120
Speaker 1: the part where you're like, how how much can these

289
00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,640
Speaker 1: guys match up to their potential from what we know

290
00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,200
Speaker 1: that they're capable of. And then the second part, which

291
00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,360
Speaker 1: is burr Halter's job is to get the best out

292
00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,400
Speaker 1: of the collective and national team jobs. National team coaches

293
00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,360
Speaker 1: job is not to coach up players. It's to put

294
00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:45,040
Speaker 1: the best group of players together and make them play

295
00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,400
Speaker 1: the best. So you know, you're maybe leaving off a

296
00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,560
Speaker 1: guy who's being sacrificed because you feel this guy feels

297
00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,760
Speaker 1: better in this system. And that's where I think burr

298
00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:56,160
Speaker 1: Halter is getting a lot of heat because it's like, well,

299
00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,200
Speaker 1: you know, you've got to find the best recipe of

300
00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,640
Speaker 1: all these different ingredients and put them all together in

301
00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:05,080
Speaker 1: a way that you know, cooking reference of like making

302
00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:07,720
Speaker 1: it taste good and making it something that you want

303
00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,440
Speaker 1: to eat. And right now we're we're missing some of

304
00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,000
Speaker 1: those key ingredients. He's trying to make a mix and

305
00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,720
Speaker 1: match and things that aren't just working. And ultimately, I

306
00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:17,680
Speaker 1: think we go into this first game against Wales on

307
00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,240
Speaker 1: November one with more questions right now than answers, which

308
00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,160
Speaker 1: to me is a concern. We don't know who our

309
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:24,960
Speaker 1: center one of our center backs is going to be.

310
00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,760
Speaker 1: We don't know who are starting strikers gonna be. We

311
00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,040
Speaker 1: still don't know who who are goalkeeper is going to be.

312
00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,040
Speaker 1: Like those are three main positions right down your spine,

313
00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:34,960
Speaker 1: and you know I couldn't tell you who's going to

314
00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:36,920
Speaker 1: start in those positions on Game one of the World Cup.

315
00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,160
Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in

316
00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,200
Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports

317
00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,360
Speaker 1: Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app

318
00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:49,800
Speaker 1: search f s R to listen live. You went to

319
00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,360
Speaker 1: the World Cup with US national team, right so to

320
00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,560
Speaker 1: talk us through what's going to happen at the camp

321
00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,600
Speaker 1: when when the US convenes all the players get together,

322
00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,280
Speaker 1: what what was down there in terms of settling on

323
00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,360
Speaker 1: on the course, starting lineup and all that fun stuff.

324
00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:06,560
Speaker 1: You know that that's six six week period for me

325
00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,560
Speaker 1: in twenty ten, And I have a poster. I know

326
00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:10,920
Speaker 1: you can't see it if you're listening to this, but

327
00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,040
Speaker 1: of that World Cup because that really and truly was

328
00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:15,960
Speaker 1: like one of the best six week periods of my

329
00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,720
Speaker 1: entire life. Um, you know, like you you achieve something

330
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,040
Speaker 1: that you dreamed of as a kid. You're working with

331
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,600
Speaker 1: twenty three guys continually towards something. We had the payoff

332
00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,880
Speaker 1: of getting out of the group, and you know, living

333
00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:31,280
Speaker 1: that that uh, that that moment, the landing goal and

334
00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,280
Speaker 1: experiencing that in the last second to to advance. And

335
00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,520
Speaker 1: so for these guys, I think twenty there's gonna be

336
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,080
Speaker 1: a twenty six man roster. Twenty six will never have

337
00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,920
Speaker 1: played in a World Cup before. Uh, it's very different.

338
00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,000
Speaker 1: And that we had a couple of weeks ramp up

339
00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,400
Speaker 1: to the World Cup. Well this year because the World

340
00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,040
Speaker 1: Cups moved to the winter and it's in guitar. These

341
00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,480
Speaker 1: guys will be finishing their club like a pause in

342
00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:56,800
Speaker 1: the season, seven days before the first game of the

343
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,880
Speaker 1: World Cup. So they're gonna fly straight into camp, have

344
00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,080
Speaker 1: four days of practice, try to switch gears into like, hey,

345
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:04,879
Speaker 1: we're at a World Cup now and play their first game,

346
00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:06,359
Speaker 1: so that part is going to be very different, and

347
00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,600
Speaker 1: I can hold on, dude, let me ask, do you

348
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,040
Speaker 1: think that aspect of it, this whole four days of practice,

349
00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,240
Speaker 1: cheeze that was expecting weeks four days, do you think

350
00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,840
Speaker 1: that that will impact how he decides the roster? I

351
00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,640
Speaker 1: absolutely do, because you're I mean, some of these guys

352
00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:22,639
Speaker 1: are gonna be coming straight off of playing a game

353
00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:24,560
Speaker 1: on the Sunday and then the next Sunday they'll be

354
00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,840
Speaker 1: playing for the United States. Injuries become a thing, fatigue.

355
00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,640
Speaker 1: How many minutes have they played in the lead up

356
00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,800
Speaker 1: to that? And so that's why that's why I'm saying,

357
00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:34,960
Speaker 1: I don't think even Greg Berhalter right now could tell

358
00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,320
Speaker 1: you tell you his starting eleven for that game because

359
00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,600
Speaker 1: there's still so much time and then there's so little

360
00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,960
Speaker 1: time that he's gonna have guys in camp and even

361
00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,240
Speaker 1: the first two days of that whatever four or five

362
00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,200
Speaker 1: days of training are going to be evaluating players to see,

363
00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,880
Speaker 1: you know, who's ready, who's healthy, who can go from

364
00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,280
Speaker 1: the first whistle there? All right, let me ask a

365
00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,639
Speaker 1: player and you You'll just say whether or not you

366
00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,520
Speaker 1: think they're gonna make it, and then maybe whether you

367
00:17:58,040 --> 00:17:59,399
Speaker 1: is just make it on the roster or make it

368
00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,560
Speaker 1: in the lineup. Let's just say roster to to travel

369
00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,040
Speaker 1: to the World He seems to be divisive, but he's

370
00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:10,400
Speaker 1: only nineteen. I like the upside. Ricardo Peppi. Oh man,

371
00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:12,399
Speaker 1: it's a tough one, man, I know. So it's a

372
00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,359
Speaker 1: tough one. You know, hay SU's fur is going to

373
00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:16,159
Speaker 1: go to the World Cup for sure, and that and

374
00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,600
Speaker 1: the number nine, I think you're probably looking at Josh Sargent,

375
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,159
Speaker 1: and I think that third striker becomes either it's Peppy

376
00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:25,400
Speaker 1: or this guy Jordan pe Fox who's playing in Germany

377
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,320
Speaker 1: and is just racking up the goals. And he's the

378
00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,840
Speaker 1: most controversial pick that was left off from this last roster.

379
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,720
Speaker 1: So look, Greg knows Peppy, he likes Peppi. Peppi scored

380
00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:36,800
Speaker 1: again at the weekend in Holland. Now he's playing at

381
00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:40,000
Speaker 1: a lower level and scoring. So I think that Peppy goes.

382
00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,600
Speaker 1: I would personally take pe Fock over Peppie, but I

383
00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:45,760
Speaker 1: think that Peppi goes to the World Cup. So why

384
00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:47,320
Speaker 1: do you why would you so how many for were

385
00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:50,600
Speaker 1: do you expecting to bring just three? Three? Three? Yeah?

386
00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,560
Speaker 1: Oh my good, three forwards because we're gonna have a

387
00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:55,400
Speaker 1: bigger roster than we've ever had in a World Cup.

388
00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,840
Speaker 1: And I think the players that are more interchangeable or

389
00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,960
Speaker 1: the wide players, and that's where you're gonna see deeper

390
00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,440
Speaker 1: roosters on those And like, by the way, in a push,

391
00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:04,440
Speaker 1: we could stick Tim Way up from we can stick

392
00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,360
Speaker 1: Politic up front. We could put different type of players.

393
00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,480
Speaker 1: But yeah, I think Peppy ends up going. Okay, uh,

394
00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,919
Speaker 1: let's you mentioned Geo Geo Ray. Now he's gonna turn twenty.

395
00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:16,199
Speaker 1: I think like a week before the World Cup. The

396
00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,320
Speaker 1: injuries are just it's brutal. It's devastating for this guy

397
00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,520
Speaker 1: who's super talented. Everybody knows his his dad, Um, what

398
00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:26,760
Speaker 1: do you think. I hope he goes uh and and

399
00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,520
Speaker 1: look again, that's when I can't predict if he's healthy.

400
00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,680
Speaker 1: He's on the roster a hundred percent question, maybe starting,

401
00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,280
Speaker 1: probably coming off the bench. But Joe got injured again

402
00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,560
Speaker 1: in the last U S game. He's announced he's only

403
00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:40,879
Speaker 1: out for a week, so he should be back in

404
00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:43,400
Speaker 1: the next game or two. But like that's the other

405
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,160
Speaker 1: part of the conversation, Jason is like this World Cup

406
00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,200
Speaker 1: is the group stage is over in a week. So like,

407
00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:52,920
Speaker 1: you know, if if you're not able to stay even

408
00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,840
Speaker 1: healthy for a week, do you bring a guy and

409
00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:57,760
Speaker 1: thinking like he might get there? What can he give

410
00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,960
Speaker 1: us off the bench? But if he's even like able

411
00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,240
Speaker 1: to give you something off the bench, you bring him

412
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:04,719
Speaker 1: and he's on the roster. So out of out of

413
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,840
Speaker 1: you know, trying to have some good juju, I'm gonna

414
00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:08,640
Speaker 1: go ahead and say, like he's going to the World

415
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:12,119
Speaker 1: Cup because I'm I'm like shaking my like rainstick and

416
00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,760
Speaker 1: hoping that he's healthy. Yes, I I'm with you. I

417
00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,600
Speaker 1: really hope he goes. Um your best guest at the

418
00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,560
Speaker 1: starting keeper. It sounds like it's it's between Turner and

419
00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,080
Speaker 1: whor bathroom. Is there a dark horse? Well, Zack Stephen

420
00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,320
Speaker 1: is the other one, but he's been injured. I think

421
00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:27,399
Speaker 1: he's burr Halters guy. I think burr Halter would like

422
00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,159
Speaker 1: him to be the starter. I would if I was

423
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,920
Speaker 1: the coach, I would have Matt Turner as the keeper.

424
00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,040
Speaker 1: I think at the end of the day, like he's

425
00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,240
Speaker 1: not as good with his feet as Stephen, but what's

426
00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,080
Speaker 1: if you're just a normal sports fan, I think you

427
00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,640
Speaker 1: know what the most important part of being a goalkeeper is, right,

428
00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,960
Speaker 1: it's keeping the ball on the net. And Turner is

429
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,159
Speaker 1: a great shot stopper. You know, I don't care if

430
00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,160
Speaker 1: he's gonna miss a couple of passes here and there,

431
00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:51,840
Speaker 1: Like I want a guy in the nets if I'm

432
00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,639
Speaker 1: a defender on midfielder that I know is gonna come

433
00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:56,560
Speaker 1: up with some big saves. And I think he does

434
00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,399
Speaker 1: that and he's dependable, and I think he should be

435
00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,840
Speaker 1: our starting keeper. Um do you in your relationship with

436
00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:04,720
Speaker 1: burr Halter? I don't know. Did you ever play with him?

437
00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,720
Speaker 1: I played against him actually the end of his threeries

438
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,000
Speaker 1: with Galaxy. I'm just curious what what kind of guy

439
00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,280
Speaker 1: is he as opposed to Kleinsman. And I'm trying to

440
00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,639
Speaker 1: get an idea when you when you when I'm shaping

441
00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,640
Speaker 1: the roster, can I read anything from burr Halter's past

442
00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:20,200
Speaker 1: or the type of kind of guy he is? So

443
00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,440
Speaker 1: so Greg is a player, was the like in a

444
00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:29,480
Speaker 1: center back defender, very intense, very like raw raw in

445
00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,760
Speaker 1: the locker room, very motivational, very you know on guys,

446
00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,960
Speaker 1: uh and and and and kept a very high standard.

447
00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,760
Speaker 1: He's the same as a coach. He's very he's meticulous,

448
00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,840
Speaker 1: he's disciplined, he works at all hours of watching tape

449
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,480
Speaker 1: and I think maybe sometimes too much and over analyzing things.

450
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:49,000
Speaker 1: But I would say what he's been able to do

451
00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,160
Speaker 1: is connect really well with this group of young players

452
00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,480
Speaker 1: and showing a flexibility and kind of you know, taking

453
00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:56,560
Speaker 1: the taking the break off a little bit, allowing these

454
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,400
Speaker 1: guys to to mature and show personality, and and also

455
00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,560
Speaker 1: trusting a young group. So I think also at the

456
00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,280
Speaker 1: end of the day, he's loyal. I think he knows

457
00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:08,280
Speaker 1: guys that um ultimately he thinks will give him what

458
00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,200
Speaker 1: he wants and feel is best out of the collective

459
00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,840
Speaker 1: as opposed to maybe you know a guy that is

460
00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:15,840
Speaker 1: a total wild card but could kind of produce you

461
00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,320
Speaker 1: something out of nothing. I think he wants dependable assets.

462
00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:21,040
Speaker 1: And let me ask you when you're you know, I

463
00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:23,920
Speaker 1: know you had that injury before two thou ten and

464
00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:26,600
Speaker 1: the World Cup, but you still made the team when

465
00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,440
Speaker 1: you like go there. Is it more of a bonding

466
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,720
Speaker 1: or is it competitive because everybody obviously wants to play

467
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,000
Speaker 1: at the World Cup. What's like the vibe and the

468
00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:38,919
Speaker 1: energy going in. That's a really good question because I

469
00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:41,600
Speaker 1: got injured two months or two and a half months

470
00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:44,120
Speaker 1: before the World Cup, and I was hoping and would

471
00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,840
Speaker 1: have been. I think I'm gonna pretend I was anyways

472
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:49,000
Speaker 1: a starter in that team, and you know, I got

473
00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:51,520
Speaker 1: back for my first game the week before the World

474
00:22:51,560 --> 00:22:54,159
Speaker 1: Cup camp started, So I went into that camp thinking like,

475
00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,520
Speaker 1: I still gotta make the team. Here, I gotta prove

476
00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,400
Speaker 1: that I'm fit. I gotta battle with guys. And it's

477
00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,320
Speaker 1: a really spectful but it's a very intense environment. And

478
00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,399
Speaker 1: I think I might was that the Jordan's one of

479
00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:09,760
Speaker 1: the Dream Team clips, like what they came out long

480
00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,160
Speaker 1: after the fact that they showed like those guys getting

481
00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:18,480
Speaker 1: in fights before going to the Olympics. Yeah, exactly, And

482
00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:20,399
Speaker 1: I love that clip because it was very similar to

483
00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,840
Speaker 1: I think what we experienced where, uh, you know fitness,

484
00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,880
Speaker 1: you're doing sessions of just pure running, you're doing sessions

485
00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:29,920
Speaker 1: in the afternoon, you're doing double days, but all the

486
00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,600
Speaker 1: while you kind of know like the main guys that

487
00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:34,200
Speaker 1: are going and then you kind of know the guys

488
00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,640
Speaker 1: that are all competing and battling for spots, and it

489
00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,639
Speaker 1: was like, hey man, I love you, but as soon

490
00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,359
Speaker 1: as we crossed that white line, like I'm not gonna

491
00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,480
Speaker 1: hesitate to stick a tackle on you and show that

492
00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:45,560
Speaker 1: like I need to do everything I need to do

493
00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,480
Speaker 1: to be on that team. And so it practices got heated.

494
00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:51,040
Speaker 1: There was yelling, there were shouting, there's pushing matches, and

495
00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:53,560
Speaker 1: I think that's what the coaches ultimately won because they

496
00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:55,919
Speaker 1: want to know that guys are are dialed in. They

497
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:57,480
Speaker 1: want to know how much it means to you to

498
00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:59,880
Speaker 1: be a part of that. And um, I think that's

499
00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,320
Speaker 1: ultimately still going back to those last two games and

500
00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:08,000
Speaker 1: why I think potentially they were also so flat is

501
00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,040
Speaker 1: because guys are nervous. I mean, these are guys that

502
00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:14,240
Speaker 1: are on the cusp of living out their dream going

503
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,080
Speaker 1: to a World Cup and they're all of a sudden

504
00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:18,040
Speaker 1: playing a friendly in front of no fans in Saudi

505
00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,960
Speaker 1: Arabia and they're like, ship, I don't know, make a mistake.

506
00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,080
Speaker 1: I don't want to. I don't want to do anything

507
00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,880
Speaker 1: that's gonna cost me my job at a World Cup.

508
00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:28,679
Speaker 1: And yeah, that that's one of my biggest questions for

509
00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:31,160
Speaker 1: this team is like when you roll out, you're singing

510
00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,040
Speaker 1: the national anthem. You're on the world's biggest stage, in

511
00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,040
Speaker 1: front of the biggest audience, you've ever played him, in

512
00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,439
Speaker 1: front of your life, Like what are you gonna do

513
00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,119
Speaker 1: in that moment? Are you gonna turn up? Or are

514
00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:42,439
Speaker 1: you just gonna kind of crumble and and let the

515
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,280
Speaker 1: stage get the most of you? And we're gonna find

516
00:24:45,280 --> 00:24:47,240
Speaker 1: out about five minutes into that Whales game on the

517
00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,080
Speaker 1: on the twenty one, And I hope it's the latter. Yeah,

518
00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:52,679
Speaker 1: I I asked about burr Halter and then like the

519
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,840
Speaker 1: tenacity because I keep thinking about Peppi and I don't know. Listen,

520
00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:58,679
Speaker 1: I don't you don't want to read body language. But

521
00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,639
Speaker 1: that game against Saudi Arabia, I didn't see the fire

522
00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,000
Speaker 1: from him. You know, he's like a fringe guy to

523
00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:07,280
Speaker 1: make it, and I'm just he was like almost invisible.

524
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:12,560
Speaker 1: And again I hope Berholter takes him, but I didn't

525
00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,119
Speaker 1: see in that performance. I know it's a small sample size,

526
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:17,440
Speaker 1: but again we're down to the crunch time. I didn't

527
00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,640
Speaker 1: see that fire in the design like I wanted I needed.

528
00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:22,000
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go grab it whatever it takes, it's mine.

529
00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,320
Speaker 1: I don't know. I did that about your right and

530
00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:27,120
Speaker 1: and I wouldn't say it was just him. I think

531
00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:29,080
Speaker 1: it was a number of guys there. But you know

532
00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:31,440
Speaker 1: Clint Dempsey, who is will be with us now and

533
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,080
Speaker 1: guitar for the World Cup. He said a couple of

534
00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:36,119
Speaker 1: times and it's kind of you know, he said, I

535
00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:37,879
Speaker 1: want to see that you got the dog in you.

536
00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:39,679
Speaker 1: He says, I want to see the dog because that

537
00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,920
Speaker 1: was him as a player, Like he's a guy that's

538
00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:45,320
Speaker 1: scrapped for everything out there and did everything he could.

539
00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,680
Speaker 1: I've seen a puppy from some of these guys so far,

540
00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,080
Speaker 1: you know, I haven't seen I haven't seen a dog

541
00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:54,160
Speaker 1: clawing and showing like that. You know that I don't

542
00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:57,119
Speaker 1: give you know what, Like I'm gonna go out there

543
00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:58,879
Speaker 1: and I'm gonna win this game. I'm gonna scrap for

544
00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: absolutely everything. And I hope that's what we we see

545
00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:03,800
Speaker 1: out of this group because I think at a core,

546
00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:05,640
Speaker 1: that's where we're at our best. When we're just tough

547
00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,879
Speaker 1: to beat, We're we're gonna we're gonna get a team

548
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:10,520
Speaker 1: knows when they line up against us, Hey, we might

549
00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,480
Speaker 1: be more talented if you're a Germany, Spain, Brazil, but like, man,

550
00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:16,879
Speaker 1: we're in for it today. These these guys are not

551
00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:18,800
Speaker 1: going to give us an inch and they're gonna scrap

552
00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,360
Speaker 1: and try to get everything they can out of here.

553
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,600
Speaker 1: So yeah, like the a lot of these guys, it's

554
00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,560
Speaker 1: gonna come down to are they playing, are they scoring?

555
00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,040
Speaker 1: Are they coming in with confidence? Are there is their

556
00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:31,880
Speaker 1: chest puffed high? Like is their mentality good? And that's

557
00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,399
Speaker 1: gonna now come what they do for their clubs the

558
00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:36,080
Speaker 1: next couple of weeks, and I think that's what will

559
00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,040
Speaker 1: tilt these decisions one way or another. So you were

560
00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:40,920
Speaker 1: on that two thousand ten team. I'm looking at the

561
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:42,560
Speaker 1: roster that went to the World Cup, got out of

562
00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,919
Speaker 1: the group stage, had the tough loss. I think to Ghana,

563
00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:47,280
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go ahead and guess Clint Dempsey had the

564
00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,600
Speaker 1: dog in him, right, Texas kid, he was a beast.

565
00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,800
Speaker 1: I know Landon Donovan had the dog in him. Um

566
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:58,720
Speaker 1: I would take DeMarcus Michael Bradley, DeMarcus Bradley, Umu Bocanar.

567
00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:02,639
Speaker 1: I'm not you know, I'm hesitant sometimes to like be

568
00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,200
Speaker 1: a revisionist and say well our team was like this

569
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,520
Speaker 1: and this team is like this. But I think at

570
00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,920
Speaker 1: a core. Right, Like we we were not the most

571
00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,840
Speaker 1: talented team at the World Cup. This team going will

572
00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:14,920
Speaker 1: not be the most talented team as the World Cup.

573
00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,199
Speaker 1: And I think there are certain straits and traits in

574
00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,919
Speaker 1: a tournament, uh and especially during a knockout tournament when

575
00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:22,800
Speaker 1: you get past the group stage, that that helps you

576
00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,000
Speaker 1: get far. And a lot of that is mentality. My

577
00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:28,600
Speaker 1: favorite thing about this team, Jason, has been their swagger,

578
00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,280
Speaker 1: this unapologetic of like we're young, we're experienced, we don't

579
00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,120
Speaker 1: give a crap, and we're gonna like we are who

580
00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:37,879
Speaker 1: we are and we're carving out our own identity. But

581
00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,919
Speaker 1: that's what I felt was missing the last two games, right,

582
00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:42,520
Speaker 1: Like you didn't see that when you watched Saudi Arabian Japan,

583
00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,879
Speaker 1: did you know? Man? It was disappointing. I there's no

584
00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,199
Speaker 1: swagger at all. Now you mentioned the word identity, I

585
00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,879
Speaker 1: would say your team from two thousand ten, I remember

586
00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,040
Speaker 1: they were just tough. Now they were a little more veteran, right,

587
00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,479
Speaker 1: people were more than late twenties as opposed to like

588
00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,400
Speaker 1: super young. But what would you say in a word,

589
00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:03,360
Speaker 1: is the identity of the current team? Oh, because it's

590
00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,280
Speaker 1: tough to say swagger when they haven't won anything. Yeah,

591
00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:08,399
Speaker 1: and you know, and and and they finished third in

592
00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:14,080
Speaker 1: qualifying behind Mexico and Canada, and but yeah, I think

593
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,359
Speaker 1: I want to say fearless though, like I do, and

594
00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:21,359
Speaker 1: I do feel that they are that way. Um. And

595
00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,320
Speaker 1: I think they believe in themselves, I really do. I

596
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,440
Speaker 1: think that they all know they're talented. I think when

597
00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:29,920
Speaker 1: they get on the field, there's a certain feeling of

598
00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:32,800
Speaker 1: camaraderie and a lot of these guys played youth national

599
00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,480
Speaker 1: teams together, and I don't believe that they will be

600
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,840
Speaker 1: afraid of the moment. Now, okay, we might be three

601
00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,880
Speaker 1: zero down after thirty minutes, but come on, all right,

602
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,800
Speaker 1: I'm not gonna grill you for scouting reports on getting

603
00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,240
Speaker 1: out of the group stage. Whales, everybody knows they have

604
00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,600
Speaker 1: one very good player. Just glancing at the results, it

605
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:53,080
Speaker 1: seems like definitely a winnable game for us. It's a

606
00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:55,240
Speaker 1: winnable game, and in fact, it's a must win game.

607
00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,120
Speaker 1: I think if we're gonna be game, I think if

608
00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,720
Speaker 1: we lose or even tie Whales and then you go

609
00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:03,200
Speaker 1: into England game needing a point, or then you get

610
00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:04,920
Speaker 1: to the last game and you have to beat I

611
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,520
Speaker 1: run or tight Iran and buy an Iran or no

612
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:10,880
Speaker 1: U schlubs. By the way, they're pretty decent team and

613
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,640
Speaker 1: they have some good players as well. So that the

614
00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:16,800
Speaker 1: group has met, England are the big favorites. I think

615
00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:18,360
Speaker 1: we get out of the group. I think if we

616
00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:21,080
Speaker 1: beat Wales, you know, call it one zero to zero

617
00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,360
Speaker 1: on the first game, then I will feel a lot

618
00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:26,200
Speaker 1: better about our chances. But if we don't win that

619
00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:27,640
Speaker 1: we don't get out of the group. It's as simple

620
00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:29,960
Speaker 1: as that. Like I do think that first game is

621
00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,600
Speaker 1: is that important. I'll also say this about England Historically

622
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,640
Speaker 1: when they've had massive expectations as they have going in here,

623
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:38,720
Speaker 1: they have the fourth best odds. They went to the

624
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,320
Speaker 1: Euro twenty one final. Like when they have expectations, they

625
00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,480
Speaker 1: usually let down a little bit. Right again, I don't know,

626
00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,040
Speaker 1: would you, I don't know is that statement. I mean,

627
00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,600
Speaker 1: they're just always under immense pressure at all times, and

628
00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,200
Speaker 1: the reality is they've had a coach who was overachieved.

629
00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,800
Speaker 1: I think like they're an insanely talent talented their team,

630
00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:57,640
Speaker 1: but to get to a semi final of a World

631
00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,720
Speaker 1: Cup and then follow that up with getting the finals

632
00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,640
Speaker 1: of the Euros and now you know, there's like pressure

633
00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:05,000
Speaker 1: building because they're saying, well, he lost both of those

634
00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:07,440
Speaker 1: games and he didn't win well, you know, to to

635
00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:09,600
Speaker 1: do that on a consistent basis, to be in the

636
00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,560
Speaker 1: final four of of two major tournaments is a is

637
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,920
Speaker 1: a huge ask. But in saying that, like, there was

638
00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:18,800
Speaker 1: mistakes that they made in those games and tactical and

639
00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:22,000
Speaker 1: coaching and that that I think leaves them vulnerable. They

640
00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,520
Speaker 1: were on a horrific run until they scored and tied

641
00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,760
Speaker 1: Germany in the last Nation's League game three three. They

642
00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,280
Speaker 1: hadn't scored in from open playing over five minutes. Uh,

643
00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:33,959
Speaker 1: they hadn't won a game in five games, and so

644
00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:36,320
Speaker 1: like I was kind of hoping they'd get just she

645
00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,040
Speaker 1: lacked by Germany, which they were at one point, and

646
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,640
Speaker 1: that they'd come into the tournament with no confidence. They

647
00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,640
Speaker 1: actually looked really good in the second half of that game,

648
00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:45,800
Speaker 1: and just a reminder that like, this is a really

649
00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,840
Speaker 1: good team. But I I don't I don't see them

650
00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,080
Speaker 1: making a deep run. I just don't. I just don't

651
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,320
Speaker 1: think that, uh, that they're gonna be able to handle

652
00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,760
Speaker 1: that that pressure once again and the expectations of you know,

653
00:30:57,840 --> 00:31:00,480
Speaker 1: going as far as they have in two previous tournaments,

654
00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:02,239
Speaker 1: and I think the US can give them a lot

655
00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:04,880
Speaker 1: of trouble. I think they can really frustrate them. Fox

656
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,040
Speaker 1: Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.

657
00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:11,280
Speaker 1: Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot

658
00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:14,320
Speaker 1: com and within the I Heart Radio app search f

659
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,280
Speaker 1: s R to listen live. What about the aspect of

660
00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,520
Speaker 1: all these players on the England team. I mean, they're

661
00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,200
Speaker 1: all over the Premier League. Like you said, the US

662
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,120
Speaker 1: players will come in with like four days in camp.

663
00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,840
Speaker 1: What about all those guys. Same thing, Yeah, same thing.

664
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:30,000
Speaker 1: Those guys will have played you know, twenties someomething games

665
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,360
Speaker 1: at that point, coming in six days rest, and same thing.

666
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:35,400
Speaker 1: We're gonna have to play the first game, well their

667
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,480
Speaker 1: first games against Iran. Then they play the US on

668
00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:41,360
Speaker 1: Black Friday, um here in the United State, well in

669
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,920
Speaker 1: the United States twelve Eastern. I expect that to be

670
00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,120
Speaker 1: one of the biggest soccer games ever on TV here.

671
00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:48,720
Speaker 1: Oh and um it's you know, I I can't wait

672
00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:50,320
Speaker 1: for that one. That's the game I've picked out, is

673
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:52,680
Speaker 1: like that game is just going to be next level,

674
00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,120
Speaker 1: because that's gonna be one to make best sporting events

675
00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:58,320
Speaker 1: of the year, I think, without question, like that Super

676
00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,840
Speaker 1: Bowl level stuff USA England. UM, alright, quickly overview like

677
00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:06,280
Speaker 1: state of the MLS. It's interesting, you know your two

678
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,520
Speaker 1: thousand ten team had a lot of guys playing in

679
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:10,600
Speaker 1: Europe and around the globe, but you go back to

680
00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,560
Speaker 1: like the four team with law Lass and company, and

681
00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:18,040
Speaker 1: essentially the MLS was kind of founded on the Cup explosion.

682
00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,320
Speaker 1: Would you agree with that? Oh? Absolutely, I started. Yeah,

683
00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:24,880
Speaker 1: So now here we are what twenty six is years

684
00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:29,480
Speaker 1: later and the MLS is kind of thriving, but globally

685
00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:31,640
Speaker 1: are they recognized? You think it's like a top ten

686
00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,800
Speaker 1: league in the world. Yeah, I do, I think absolutely

687
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:40,440
Speaker 1: top ten. Um. The MLS was founded off the back

688
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:44,400
Speaker 1: of the ninety four World Cup, huge investment into soccer.

689
00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,200
Speaker 1: I think I forget if it was eight or ten

690
00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,719
Speaker 1: teams that it started with. The league is closing in

691
00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:52,360
Speaker 1: on announcing its thirtieth franchise UM and club, which is

692
00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:54,080
Speaker 1: just incredible. I mean even when I played in the

693
00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,560
Speaker 1: league in two thousand and six to ten, I think

694
00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:00,920
Speaker 1: there was twelve or fourteen teams. UM the soccer civic stadiums.

695
00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:03,520
Speaker 1: We have the amount of growth that the weekly attendance

696
00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,160
Speaker 1: like everything is trending massively up. But now you're starting

697
00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,360
Speaker 1: to as your point, you're getting into conversation where you're

698
00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,040
Speaker 1: compared then with the league's in the premier league law

699
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:17,959
Speaker 1: Liga in Spain, German Bundesliga, Italian Seria widely known as

700
00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,560
Speaker 1: the top four leagues in the world. Look, I think

701
00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,800
Speaker 1: US is right behind that. MLS. Now, we're still not

702
00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:27,360
Speaker 1: attracting top, top, top level talent in their prime, Like

703
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,200
Speaker 1: we're still getting and talking about maybe getting Messy at

704
00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,320
Speaker 1: thirty five, thirty six, Ronaldo at thirty six, thirty seven, like,

705
00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,600
Speaker 1: which those are guys you take right, those are guys

706
00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,080
Speaker 1: that are they transcend the game. They're as big as

707
00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,280
Speaker 1: as it ever gets. But the amount of money that's

708
00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,280
Speaker 1: invested investing a lot of young stars, we're still and

709
00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:47,800
Speaker 1: you know this because I'm I know on your podcast,

710
00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:51,600
Speaker 1: on on the show with Colin as well, Like MLS

711
00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,640
Speaker 1: has not talked about yet in mainstream sports television, and

712
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:57,120
Speaker 1: that's just the reality, Like it's we're still trying to

713
00:33:57,200 --> 00:34:00,280
Speaker 1: fight to not be a regional sport like baseball. I think,

714
00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,280
Speaker 1: um and I know baseball has a lot more history

715
00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,920
Speaker 1: and still a lot bigger in terms of American sports.

716
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,440
Speaker 1: But there's a lot of great storylines in MLS, I

717
00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,720
Speaker 1: think for to reach that tipping point, and I'm talking

718
00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,719
Speaker 1: about like that real blow the top off through the

719
00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,560
Speaker 1: roof type of moment for for the league, you have

720
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:20,200
Speaker 1: to be spending with the big, big boys, and that's

721
00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:23,600
Speaker 1: bringing in top, top level talent at the prime and

722
00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,000
Speaker 1: having it across all different teams and you know, you know,

723
00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,840
Speaker 1: we we need I think the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants,

724
00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:34,040
Speaker 1: the you know, we need big marquee teams that people

725
00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:35,600
Speaker 1: know when they're they're playing. And I think L A

726
00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:37,520
Speaker 1: f C is kind of trending that way, right, like

727
00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,239
Speaker 1: that team that when they're on, you know you want

728
00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:41,600
Speaker 1: to watch because they're interesting or you know, they have stars.

729
00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:43,680
Speaker 1: So that's that, to me, is the next phase of

730
00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:48,960
Speaker 1: the league. But in terms of uh, just momentum and

731
00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,920
Speaker 1: support at like a regional level MLS, Man, if you

732
00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:55,440
Speaker 1: haven't been doing MLS game, I just urged you to

733
00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:57,719
Speaker 1: go into experience one at Bank in California, here in

734
00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:01,440
Speaker 1: Los Angeles or up in the Pacific Northwest with Seattle importantly,

735
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,839
Speaker 1: because it's a it's an experience that wraps you in. Man,

736
00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,480
Speaker 1: it helps you fall in love with our game certainly. Well,

737
00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:09,680
Speaker 1: I bring that up because you know we mentioned earlier

738
00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:12,320
Speaker 1: the two thousand, twenty six World Cup is North America

739
00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:14,160
Speaker 1: and and I think some a bunch of games are

740
00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:17,359
Speaker 1: in Central and South America. Maybe Mexico UM or no way,

741
00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,200
Speaker 1: maybe it's just Mexico and the United States and Canada. UM.

742
00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:23,560
Speaker 1: But there's been talks of MLS. Can they take the

743
00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:27,879
Speaker 1: next step, maybe merging with Liga MX, the top league

744
00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:29,959
Speaker 1: in Mexico. And I I'm part of an ownership group

745
00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:32,960
Speaker 1: on in a team there, as you're an ownership group

746
00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:36,840
Speaker 1: in a team in Spain, correctly right right with with Nash?

747
00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,120
Speaker 1: Is it? Yes? Yes, yes, yes, Um. We won't talk

748
00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,440
Speaker 1: about the Brooklyn Nets and all that fun. But uh,

749
00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:45,399
Speaker 1: you know, I I wonder do you think that would

750
00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,560
Speaker 1: would help if they peg it to Hey, we're Liga

751
00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,120
Speaker 1: m X, which is like seventeen teams plus MLS around

752
00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:55,719
Speaker 1: thirty team getting approaching thirty. If we join forces, then

753
00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:58,560
Speaker 1: maybe we cracked that top five because we get the

754
00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:02,000
Speaker 1: power of the American brand and plus the audience from

755
00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:06,640
Speaker 1: Mexico and boom, now we're are a super league of sorts?

756
00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,319
Speaker 1: Do you so? I mean you would know this because

757
00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,840
Speaker 1: you're involved with nick Axa. The League i X in

758
00:36:12,880 --> 00:36:16,919
Speaker 1: the United States is the number one watched U league

759
00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:21,040
Speaker 1: and and that's obviously including Spanish language um as well

760
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:24,440
Speaker 1: as you know in English, but the huge majority of

761
00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:26,719
Speaker 1: that is in Spanish language television, and it's it's not

762
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,880
Speaker 1: even close like Premier League and English language is the top.

763
00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:33,000
Speaker 1: And that's by a pretty long shot compared to you know,

764
00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:37,960
Speaker 1: other leagues on a consistent basis. But to reach that

765
00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:40,000
Speaker 1: next point, I think we all understand and feel that

766
00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:43,080
Speaker 1: like a merger of some sorts, right Like I still

767
00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,360
Speaker 1: don't officially know what that's gonna look like. We're certainly

768
00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,960
Speaker 1: getting gonna get a look at that next year with

769
00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,279
Speaker 1: the League's Cup, and I think that is MLSS and

770
00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:53,479
Speaker 1: LEAGAMEX is hope of starting to really bridge that gap

771
00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,440
Speaker 1: and seeing, uh, you know, how that tournament goes. It's

772
00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,480
Speaker 1: gonna be in the United States, It's going to be

773
00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:01,840
Speaker 1: games between leagu m X teams and MLS teams, and

774
00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,919
Speaker 1: it's gonna be in a real competitive format with money

775
00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,720
Speaker 1: at stake, knockout type situation and giving it a feel

776
00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:10,879
Speaker 1: I think that feels bigger than like, hey, here comes

777
00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,040
Speaker 1: the cox that here comes out Last, here comes America,

778
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,360
Speaker 1: and they're gonna sell out one game, but nobody's gonna

779
00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:19,239
Speaker 1: really play and it's like a throwaway game. No like this,

780
00:37:19,239 --> 00:37:21,719
Speaker 1: this is gonna attempt to and I hope it does

781
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:25,040
Speaker 1: feel real because you're gonna see some real momentum around that.

782
00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,920
Speaker 1: And what I think eventually happens is that you're gonna

783
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:31,680
Speaker 1: have your American League and National League like baseball, and

784
00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:34,680
Speaker 1: you're gonna play a couple of inter league games over

785
00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,960
Speaker 1: the course of the year, but like West Coast based

786
00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,200
Speaker 1: down Mexico, West Coast in the United States, East Coast

787
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,560
Speaker 1: and East Coast in Mexico, and ultimately you play off

788
00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:46,000
Speaker 1: for what will be your World Series or super Bowl

789
00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:48,880
Speaker 1: or whatever, and that's the finalists from the a L

790
00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:51,040
Speaker 1: and the final from the n L and they playoff.

791
00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,000
Speaker 1: I would love to see that eventually. I think that

792
00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,800
Speaker 1: that's maybe the only way that it really happens between

793
00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,560
Speaker 1: the two leagues. But we'll see. You know, I think

794
00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,759
Speaker 1: that's a pipe dream, but I think commerce actually and

795
00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:04,759
Speaker 1: from that standpoint, that's like that's the billion dollar deal.

796
00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:08,640
Speaker 1: You know, beyond well beyond billions, are talking multibillions and um,

797
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:10,960
Speaker 1: it would raise the game. And I think then give

798
00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:15,320
Speaker 1: you the ability to Hey, neymar embop A, et cetera.

799
00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:16,920
Speaker 1: You guys want to come play in the US. Here,

800
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:18,759
Speaker 1: here's a we're gonna back the truck up for you.

801
00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:21,040
Speaker 1: I mean, listen, Wayne Rooney, some of these guys who

802
00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:23,560
Speaker 1: come over like everybody wants to see them. And and

803
00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:27,239
Speaker 1: like you said, you get these regional pockets of intense

804
00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,239
Speaker 1: fan fandom and then you match it with hey, you're

805
00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:32,920
Speaker 1: playing a team from Mexico, where this is everything to

806
00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:35,040
Speaker 1: some of these teams in Mexico. I mean, the passion.

807
00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:37,439
Speaker 1: I'm sure you've seen some of the negative stories, uh

808
00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,120
Speaker 1: at some of these stadiums. It happens. You know, listen,

809
00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:42,799
Speaker 1: it's not unlike the fights you see every weekend at

810
00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,760
Speaker 1: some of these NFL stadiums. But the passion of soccers

811
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,520
Speaker 1: do that's like totally underrated. And I think that's starting

812
00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:50,279
Speaker 1: to grow in America at least that's how I feel. No,

813
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:52,120
Speaker 1: it is, and what we're starting to see is we

814
00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:55,360
Speaker 1: talked about the World Cup founding and sorry, MLS founded

815
00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:59,280
Speaker 1: in so like you think about NFL teams, baseball teams,

816
00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,040
Speaker 1: basketball team, it goes through generations of your family, right

817
00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,520
Speaker 1: and you know, if you're a Lakers fan, we're wearing

818
00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:07,400
Speaker 1: a Lakers shirt right now. Um, your kids will be

819
00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:10,200
Speaker 1: Lakers fans. Their kids will be Lakers fans. Like that's

820
00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:13,839
Speaker 1: just how it works. Well we're now, uh what are

821
00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:18,719
Speaker 1: we I'm struggling in my math here seven years into

822
00:39:19,320 --> 00:39:22,920
Speaker 1: MLS So yeah, second generation of fans. Now that's getting

823
00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:26,920
Speaker 1: passed on, you know, all the traditions and and history

824
00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:29,279
Speaker 1: that goes with that. Like that's how it really snowballs

825
00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,400
Speaker 1: and you go to the games and you experience it together.

826
00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:34,160
Speaker 1: So I really believe in that. And you're right, like

827
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,440
Speaker 1: the Mexican teams that they go back hundreds of years,

828
00:39:36,440 --> 00:39:39,000
Speaker 1: so that's where there's a lot of passion and a

829
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,120
Speaker 1: lot of history. And even when you're trying to attract

830
00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:45,000
Speaker 1: Mexican soccer fans who live in the United States, like

831
00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:46,560
Speaker 1: it's hard to get them to root for l A

832
00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:48,520
Speaker 1: s C. When they're like, no, bro, my my teams

833
00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,360
Speaker 1: achieve us, and like I can't support even though I

834
00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:53,640
Speaker 1: live in l A. It's not the same because my

835
00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:57,040
Speaker 1: granddad loved achieve us and his grandpa love achieve us.

836
00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,919
Speaker 1: Like that's where that passion and that int city comes from.

837
00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:03,279
Speaker 1: And I think when we get to that next point,

838
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:04,880
Speaker 1: like we're getting there, you know we're we're on the

839
00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:09,120
Speaker 1: right track. Yeah, alright, stew Holden, US soccer legend played

840
00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:12,160
Speaker 1: internationally called games Stu. I. I don't know how your

841
00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:15,320
Speaker 1: family is gonna take it leaving around the holidays for

842
00:40:15,360 --> 00:40:17,040
Speaker 1: the World Cup, but I'm sure I mis enjoy the

843
00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:19,440
Speaker 1: weather in Qatar, right Yeah, whether it'll be great, it

844
00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:22,160
Speaker 1: would be like l A, it's mid mid's, high seventies.

845
00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:24,520
Speaker 1: Look for me, this is not bad. This is what

846
00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:26,719
Speaker 1: I'm geared up for. Man, this is the World Cup

847
00:40:26,960 --> 00:40:30,320
Speaker 1: is again our super Bowl. It's four weeks. It's intense.

848
00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,320
Speaker 1: I think I have one day off in the group stage.

849
00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:36,080
Speaker 1: We're gonna be cranking out games, content studio day and night.

850
00:40:36,320 --> 00:40:39,080
Speaker 1: And uh like when I get to those events, like

851
00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,120
Speaker 1: you know you've you've you've done it for a long

852
00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:44,000
Speaker 1: time too. It's you're just all in, man, You're you're

853
00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:47,080
Speaker 1: fully focused on that every single day you eat, sleep, drinking,

854
00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:51,200
Speaker 1: and um, I might adrenaline gets pumping thinking about it, honestly,

855
00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:52,840
Speaker 1: because I still get goose bumps for some of the

856
00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:54,640
Speaker 1: big games and and like the big moments. Man, well,

857
00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:55,800
Speaker 1: thanks a lot for the time. It kept you a

858
00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:58,439
Speaker 1: little longer than I thought, but stew Holden can't wait

859
00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:00,319
Speaker 1: to uh hear you call in the games. It's this

860
00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:01,760
Speaker 1: winter for the Cup. Thanks Jason,