The Odyssey Film and Matt Damon

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I don't know why, but had I had hope I was excited for this game I especially when Vallaga got thrown back in with the Seattle crowd, I watched a whole two hour pre game show Ironically I also saw the Odyssey today Um, Three hour A grueling trying to get through it, watching our hero try to land the plane at the end and was was hoping maybe the the home just trying to land the plane man. was hoping there were some parallels for America today and see our It was not. It was a terrible, terrible, terrible performance by us. Another pod, another colonoscopy here for us. Yeah, that was a real talent disparity and maybe a little bit all it's been an awesome tournament I think that the country has embraced the sport. It's been really, really aw L like one of the greatest a couple of sporting weeks of my life But that was Real Madrid's goalkeeper and Manchester City's winger came on in the sixtieth minute. and you know Kil Loman's just won the Europa League with Aston Villa and I thought maybe that extra fifteen percent to twenty percent of talent really kind of put us in our spot. What did you think What about you to Bunda We wondered what would happen the first time this defense actually got tested because the three games that the starters played were not against teams who were going to test them And I couldn't have imagined they could have failed that test anymore. I mean, it was every single time. it was very simple Belgian played a long ball They won the long ball. our defense panicked, Dest panicked, Ram panicked Richard's P panic, Freeman panic And they gave away the ball over and over again. and any team, I mean, Belgium were fine, but I thought they made it way too easy It's ridicul This was it felt like karaoke of all the things you would be worried about in a bad America game Most the guys, we talked about this for the tournament. the guys I was the most worried about were Remmond Dest. Dest was unplayable. I mean, that was like He was so bad that think not a haveal time. Rem looked every bit thirty eight years old. Keeeper had one of the worst F ups we've had in a long time for the World Cup game. And then the other piece was Hey, it would be nice at Pullsc just was awesome and stayed healthy for an entire game and he stunk in the first half and then got hurt in the second half. and Um Serra I was almost wondering Everybody talked about Balggan when he got the red card, he was out. and then the dialogue for three, four days was He's our best guy. We can't lose our best guy and then he comes back. O best guy is back And you know, it could have gone one of two ways for pull' sake where it's like, oh, he's going to show everybody who the actual best guy in this team is or he was going to have the game he had today where he looked like he was a freshman in high school playing varsity. Yeah, I don't know whether or not Pelic was still carrying that calf injury and whether that had anything to do with it. Obviously he kind of kicked through a Belgian player on that foul and basically hurt himself. but you feel bad to see his tournament end that way. I still go back to what I just said originally was that even our best player it would be Kind of a middle tier Belgiian player, you know, like our best of our best would be maybe Belgian bench players and I gott to say One thing that kind of jumped out at me was more than even the Balggan Rd card being overturned was when they announced the starting lineup, and I know each one of these guys has different reasons But when Belgium didn't start Dbruina, Lukaku or Doku I was like I think they're getting ready for Spain I kind of wondered what I mean, De Bora didn't come on Kaku comes on at the end, scores the final goal. Doku was basically toying with us. and I think it could have been worse. Honestly. Yeahep. Like I think we got lucky a little bit to get out of there without giving up six Dobundo, can you explain resting the three guys and like what would be the NBA equivalent of somebody doing that? How about Joe Mas Still never arri too soonon too soon soon. No one's yet. No, it's not Yeah. so I mean, you know, If you go back to the round of six round of thirty two, Belgi was down too. no, they were getting punked, like swarmed by Senegal. They had no answers. And they pulled off Dooku and Derana in the sixty fifth seventieth minute. and it literally felt like Rudy was waving the white flag R And you're like, all right, that's it. I even tweeted like His final move is manager at Belgium is removing his two best players They didn't actually play better. They just scored two goals. I mean, Senegalals's goally had a mishap. They just started chipping balls up to Lukaku And then they survive. So I guess The plan was like we're going to ride with the guys who brought us here and it was Luca Bacchio But They clearly made a change too. they changed up their midfield completely and played more defensive midfielders and the first ten minutes of the match. I think O Nana, the guy who ended up getting hurt may have won every single ball in the middle of the park for about ten straight minutes and I'm just like Oh boy This is this is not going well. And then when he got hurt, they actually played better. That was their only good fifteen minutes was right before halftime. And still just didn't matter. But was it his sub who scored the crazy freeze mistake? Yeah, the Vanak. Yeah And he started Yeah, started last match too. And like he He plays for like Club Bruge. he's a fine player, but The tactics were just they shredded our press. And that was the one thing. It's like, we can press them, we can press them. And they were like, No, you can't. We're kicking it over the press over and over and over again. And they had I mean just no answers. They lost every second ball Yeah, we lost all the fifty fifty bars passes felt like we couldn't get three or four straight passes in a row Um Everybody the one B one stuff, like I was thinkin back to the Paraguay game, which feels like it was a hundred years ago now and Wh isick just destroying their left side for a half hour straight? don't I don't know if anyone beat anybody one v one for an hour on our side.ope. And the only guy who felt athletically like He could be on the field with those guys was Balgun. And it felt like over and over again, they almost unlocked him or he would make this run, but then the pass was behind him or U And then finally, what was that? twelve minutes left He's ripping down the left side. It was interesting that he went toward the close post on that shot But he hit it about seven hundred miles an hour and it almost like was so hard it almost went in But it felt like if they had gotten that goal then maybe the crowd gets into it, who the hell knows? Yeah anything's a pos much but they needed they needed a little bit of like, you know, something like what Mexico had last night. First of all I feel like the crowd kind of got taken out of it a little bit.. I mean, maybe a go around eight minutes' do that. Maybe all crowds but that comparedough. Yeah. I mean as much as Belgium is better. they they panicked. They gave a ball away. I mean, there's a ball that lands. Three US defenders are standing in the penalty area. All three of them just watch the ball bounce in their penalty area. That's like one on one soccer defending one on one. never let the ball bounce in your penalty area And the one Belgian guy gets on it guy Rask, I watch a lot ofcer I had to Google him he plays for Rangers in the SPL. like he's not, you know, this is not like they ran into a world class team here. Belgium was played off the park a week ago by Senegal So they have four goals in this game, Belgium CR. The first one screw up by three defenders just all the I thought you oh, you And then they score Second goal It's a one v two guy beats both guys, goes baseline, crosses it wide open. Um, gets it thirird goal is in the running for worst goals. This country's ever given up in a W world Cup I don't what I don't know what the top five is, but it has to be in the top three where you have just multiple things collapsing once then the fourth goal, which the game is over at that point, but that was Also something that you would see in like, you know, a JV soccer game. Well, I will note that Belgium went for that fourth goal too. So we should not underestimate the the maybe How much they hate this team or Hate when happened over the last couple of days and how much that might have, I mean, it's the World Cup. Those guys don't need extra motivation But we may have You know, the Balgan thing may have just created a certain sense of like these guys think that their president is going to fucking try and beat us. like no way like That fourth goal, they didn't need that one. and And I feel like that was pointed. You're saying that was the F F you goal like Sygate two thousand to the crd Doku could have been out in a corner like dribbling around in circles and that wouldn't have We wouldn't have been able to take it off of them That felt like they were going for a fourth Yeah The one narrative I'm not going to accept is like, oh, we would have won if Trump hadag got Bum back like we sucked. That had not. The team was terrible. That was the worst we've played Not only is that the worst we played all tournament I've watched a ton of soccer as you guys have. That was the worst anyone's played for like about a week When we were talking about like these final thirty two final sixteen games At first hour was about as bad as we've seen anybody like couldn't complete a pass defensive screw ups, noody was dangerous. Our best guy was invisible. Dk was so bad. he had to come out Um It was really rough, but Uh I think Belgium, I like the beer. Um chocolate sp been pretty good. Well other than that The waffles are solid. Other than that, I don't have a lot of tolerance for these Belgians CR. I think that's it The movie the World Cups first. good one. Love that movie. Ver. What else? What else is there anything else to like about Belgium C? I can't say I've never been. I think at this point in the World Cup, there's no there's no like friendly friendly opposition. You're going to figure out a way to get mad at everybody. I thought one of the things that Belgium kind of exposed for us is a lack of identity. I mean,, it's sort of hard because you're here you're watching all the stuff about the USMNT and you're like, right, yeah, like we believe in this and like this is incredible and this is happening. But I don't really know if like I could tell you how the US wants to play. you know,, and Belgium kind of exposed that, like Not that I would want to be Paraguay from the France match, but they obviously had an idea. They were going to like the hell out of France and try to like make it into a refereed match that might come down to pens We did not seem to have that game plan coming into this I'm sure Poachino had something in mind But as soon as Tim Reem got kind of put on skates the plan seemed to go up in smoke. What did you what you think about like the the the way that Fina setent us out Anthony you know, Rem getting dunked on really did feel like the turning point in a lot of ways because they had played the second. Yeah thirty three minutes in. Tilman hits the free kick You know, you like we have our own Leoess. Yeah. We're back. We got. And it felt like they felt like they were back And then they like switched off again and they didn't stop the cross Dest first time he was asked to defend the entire tournament. completely disaster and that's why he's you know, that's why they had to change the formation. So he didn't have to play right back. You go back four years ago, same exact thing. It was Dk getting picked on over and over again by the Dutch and they beat us with very similar esque goals. If you go look at those goals So it feels like the same pattern. They're running into the same wall Pino did have this team playing so much better and more cohesively. I just think they got they got surprised. Rudy Garcia thw throughrew a change up and they got out of class but they got they they there's no way You can tell me that this was just Belgium. This was the U.S. giving them the game I also wonder What's up, I really like Burhalter And it felt like when he came in Sebastian. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. when he came in. And then all of a sudden we had more speed on the outside and he's a little point guardish and You know, all of a sudden, the corner kicks. he only had I think one or two, but the corner kicks, he's just the best guy in the te. the shot from distance and try sh the crap I was going in. Yeah. Yeah. I just thought he You know, and he's kind of gritty, which that was one of the things that you really noticed today was there was not a lot of nastininess, like Paraguay, who was the disgrace on fourth of July. Like that was just abomination of a soccer game. Yeah. But if that was us, we would have been like I like. I was there one hundred degree heat and it was just loving every second of it. screaming. Yeah, their entire goal was to two thousand. four pistons, you know, a much better opponent basically to work. but Um, you know, for us, with this great crowd, it was something I bet in England yesterday and one of the reasons I did it was because of something CR said over the weekend about or maybe it was when we did the Cin Aspy Pod about These guys are in pressure stadiums all the time. Like it's not like they're o my God The crowd pscked me out I you know, they all of these guys have played in the worst possible locations everywhere. England did a PR like masterclass. They were as soon as their previous match had ended before Mexico, they were like Well, we're not going en have enough time to get used to the altitude and We know it's going to be tough and we're going to be the underdogs in AzteCa And then after the match, Harry Kane was like, yeah, like or Declan Rice was like, altitude was't that bad. Right. You L it was fine Right. And I'm sure there's there's ten stadiums that those guys are playing and all around. So with the same thing with Belgium. like, o the crowds going to be nuts in Seattle But Guess when they're not nuts after you give up a goal in eight minutes and you can't complete a pass for forty minutes. All right. so Big picture What do we build down from this to Bundo? becausecause it feels like we have two thirds of a core of something really good and built around Balgan who I thought It was just dangerous and awesome the whole tournament And there's some speed now, there's some young legs, but it feels like a stopper U Maybe maybe they have to figure out once and for all Sorry, guys, I have two Philly fans on here, but is pool sick Ieed is just just like he looks great in February when we're playing Charlotte or New Orleans, but when we actually need him in April, May June, you can't count on him. like what are the three things you're looking at that we'd have to build out from this is feel a little harsh on pullist stake. I mean, he's bad in this tournament, but He has carried the U S through some really dark times, really dark times in the last five to six to seven to eight years So I think it's Balligan Tilman and Poolistic that come away from me as like the core you can build around, but it starts at the back I mean, they have one good center back Maybe two with Freeman Galkeeper' a problem. Who replaces Tim Rem defenders look pretty bad against Turkey where it starts. It has to start there because they are not going to be able to defend good teams with the guys they're roow out. T M McKenny and McKinney and Adams are are the like are they unassailable as aid a central midfield partnership? Because I do think to your point about like we were unable to kind of like route a way through Belgium at certain points, like You wonder whether or not someomeone with a little bit more composure on the ball and like, you know, those guys give so much effort. they're like all engine, but I don't know if there is a guy in the England the America setup that could do that that is a little bit more of a playmaker U, But I think we were kind of crying out for something in the midfield there. The number one issue with U. S. talent development right now. I mean, they just don't have that guy. There isn there isn't a Kevineibrona There isn't a Kuri Tielman's even. there isn't Leandro Tossard who's going to come in and playmake That McKenny did a pretty good job the first few games, but then tonight he was back And you do wonder are McKenney and Tilman too similar now and what they do. And do you have a pastor? whoo is that person I don't know that person exists. I don't think he does At least I haven't seen him. People hoped It was going to be G Ona And honestly, like you know, Gia Rain is a very polarizing figure. but when Rain is the sob at half. You don't feel great about the second half because Reyna is a bigger name than he is a performer at this point in his career and he had the great goal in the opener, but he gave them basically zero in the second half Well, so what's the What are the goalie stopper on the horizon prospects? Do we have people that are like brewing? there was a guy sleninga and the people hyped up, but that hasn't really come to fruition yet It's probably not going to be Matt Freees long term. He's already twenty seven This is where it gets hard I don't Yeah. it's also about like what, you know, I I And I guess assume Pochino is going to stay on fingers c for at least half of a cycle, if not another full World Cup cycle. that might be a little bit much to ask because he's pretty young. It's hard for me to imagine he's going to do What five or six years then as the US coach And to be fair, like by the time we get to twenty twenty eight say you could maybe go and try and get you know, if if you put enough money in front of one of these guys, you could get somebody you get Marino, you could get You could try and go for Pp or whoever, like you could go for somebody and try to bring in like one of the biggest managers in the world, which is what they just did It's just You know, he had He had a really nice run of games and then and then the team kind of fell apart. and I don't know. if he had like I don't mean he seemed like a little surprised by how bad things were going and didn't didn't really have like a counter move yet, you know, And that's what he really needs to develop I gotta say, I was really surprised I don't know why. I thought I really thought they were going to play well today. I don't know if that meant they were going to win But I was surprised they stumped I didn't I got to say, I didn't see that one coming. I really thought like, u Especially you get Baugun back and Belgium had looked so bad in that Senegal game for two thirds of the game and it was like maybe we can catch these guys and I thought maybe it was going to be a little bit like the Canada Morocco match where it was like we play our asses off and really do well, but like there's just like a class difference And they they wind up turning it on at the right point in the match. I did not expect to get boat raised All right, so let's go Gass haveal full for a second. Sure. So they made the sweet sixteen tournament, although we do this all the time with the World Cup where everybody decides this was this watershed This has been going on since nineteen ninety four in this country where every time either America makes a run or when we had it here Everyone's like, this is it, this is the moment for soccer. I feel like soccer hass been happening for twenty plus years and especially Premier League L Liga and once the HD on the TV's and once ESPN started showing in and all these other channels bought in like Soccer's here, like People knowew who Holland is. It sound like he's like, oh, who's this guy Who's this guy in Norway who came out of nowhere? Like people fucking know who all these guys are So soccer' here Um We're one of the best twenty teams, which I think considering we didn't make a World Cup recently That's That's a bonus and then I don't know. I do think I think those three guys you mentioned earlier, Debundo, like that's a good foundation And now we just have to steal somebody else's reallyally good player, make them make them come here and live here in America Michael how we did that. Maybe you like a little bit of romcom? Yeah. Is it a Netflix rom comom? where I'm actually plays in MLS can we Yeah. acquire him by emminent domain and wait, I him suit up This would be a really good Netflix Romc where the person who runs the US soccer team They decide they're going try, you know, those rom coms where there's some sort of there's a bet where there's some sort of like there was a ploy, but then the person actually falls in love with who they're supposed to tempt And then they find out twenty minutes left. Let's do that. Let's get one of those people I'm ready for those. My wife would watch that movie. I don't know, let's steal somebody though Who could there's nobody Is there Well, we've already come around this. We've already did that with the German like with the didid your dad ever in Germany? please comepl Let's get more of them Yes Tilman Balligan are all dual national guys that the U.S. convinced to play for us. I mean That was one thing, you know, Berrhalter doesn't get a lot of credit for much these days, Greg Berhalter, but maybe one of the defining features of his coaching and his running of the program was getting more talent in the front door. And that has led to yes, they've established themselves as like a pretty consistently teeen's ish team in the world How you get to that next step I mean, there's been a lot of teams that have tried for many decades and it it tends on to be like the same eight teams almost every time You said that before before the tournament What's it eight teams ever that won the tournament. Yeah Uruguise one of them and they were like and now when you look at You're goingre looking at the Fange us now. Yeah Round of sixteen was par. That's been par for this team forever. I mean, I think the frustrating thing is like you get one on home soil, you get the best manager you've ever have, you get the most dominant group stage and then you still look. I'd argue they looked worse in this match than they did against the Dutch four years ago. Like that match was more competitive than the final score leads on This match was less competitive maybe than the final score leads on Yeah, this fel it could have been worse. Yeah, you look at the Fandal odds right now, France favorite Mus one seventy five, Spain plus three hundred forty, Argentina plus four hundred fifty. and CR England at five to one. And then Norway just like seventeen to one. comeome hither Holland during the day in Miami. Yeah. Yeah, just that's like you're really fun. just I'm putting everybody on my back bet We need to go sell some sunscreen in Miami this weekend That's a good That's a good business idea So did this come down to that Senegal didn't hold on to that lead? Senegogal didn't hold on to that lead to nothing 'use that's what we would haveve played, right? I felt like we matched up better with Senegal than we did with Belgium. And I know everybody wanted to call Belgium Washed. and like they kind of are. but it's still a big difference in passing quality from what Belgium can offer versus what the Senegalese did would have preer to played Senegal We still don't care what What's your relationship with number ten on Belgium, the left wing little guy. Oh Trard. He plays for coming nuts. Yeah, he just won the preremier League with and was very instrumental at the end for Arsenal. So I recognize him and acknowledge him, but I'm not an arsenal fan. so it's a little bit tough He he really schooled us. was He was getting doubled at times and just seemed to be able to get the ball where he wanted to go I hate arrsenal, but I actually like Trustsard quite a bit. He's probably my favorite arsenal player if I'm allowed to have one these days You know those wings are scary when They're just completely still and the defense is paralyzed and they haven't even done anything. like, oh God, what's it gonna do? It's going to do something What's happening? you think about the like the just in terms of your question about like where do we go from here? I mean, it's interesting that the three host nations of the cup went out in three successive days, right? So Canada, then Mexico, then the US I don't think it's going to diminish people's interest in the tournament just because there's still so many incredible players playing and This has been a tournament that's been defined by the fact that like Jude Bellingham, Erling Hall and Leon H Messi, Killing andbapepe, Harry Kane are all dealing. Like this isn't like, oh yeah, I have to learn who this guy is. It's like, no these are the best players in the world and they're playing like it So I think that this will remain a really kind of central sports story for another ten to twelve days But I It is disappointing that all of those those countries went out over the weekend and we're not going to get any of them in the semis. O or the quarters rather. What was the highlight of the tournament for you Dubundo. I know what it is for CR Oh England three, Mexico two. It's one of the best games I' ever seen a three Cabo Verde two That was also one of the best games ever. And they all happened in the last week. I mean, it was unbelievable, but those two matches That' why we love the game Yeah. I would go into the Aztecca Darren Fletcher. I want to give a shot to Darren Fletcher. He has called so many different sports now He calls a lot of stuff in London. He's called baseball. But he has been so good these last two international tournaments. He did Euro twenty twenty four He did and now he's, you know, I think the number one guy, no d respect to Strong and Stew, but like him and Hargves are so fun They make the game interesting. He's always working in these NFL or other sport references that kind of work but don't really quite work, but you can see what he's trying to do I love those guys. and then yeah, I mean, it was just the scenes. I mean, I was singing along ono the anthems last night in my living room. This was so much fun CR you well up during Wonderwall after the game or now.errible I didn't I think the bar that I was in was was not quite an England bar, believe it or not. And barely got out of their left. No, it was fine. Everybody was cool, but I think there were a couple of like silent fist bumps to myself. So so walk us through the u through the night last night for you I You in a red card with thirty minutes left. This turns into pre two thousand four Red Sox territory of like, oh God, here we go. Here comes the fuck job. Well, and then Tul puts on all these centerbacks not all these, but he puts on like he basically decides Okay, like this is what it's going to be. We're going to defend Ftress and we're going to put all like we're going to put Dan Burn who can just head away everything Jhon Stones out there. We're going to pull off Kaine at a certain point. We're going to pull off Soaka. And it just was like if we're going to we're going to either live or die on these the ninety minutes plus eleven minutes of stoppage time. And I thought that was brilliant and incredibly brave to do it that way because if they had gone to extra time or to penens He doesn't have the best players on his team out there to get a goal or even to kick penalties. I mean, he's got center backacks taking penalties. So I thought it was amazing that they were like, I don't think these guys can get it over our heads and we're going to prove it Who was the sixty seven guy you brought in? Dan Burn. A lot of people made fun of him for big a lot of people made fun of Tka for taking Dan Burn. And it was like this is the this is why you bring him for this one reason is you bring him in for this. It was It was like watching the NBA center just clearing out the paint. Sting it around. that game was awesome I really loved it. I think England's really good. I'm not just saying that ' CR's here I don't see why they couldn't win at CR. It's a really weird setup right now. There's like some stardust around Messi France definitely looks the most competent. I don't know what's going on with Spain They. kind of seem to be playing with their food Like in a lot of these matches Um But I think I think right now, I just, I think it's Francis Tournament to lose. like they're just It's so overwhelming how much talent they have What do you think to Bnda Well, that's very convenient to say that CR because I wrote piece for the Ringer today, Is this Francis Tournament to Lose? And you know, Everybody has crowned France. France has not yet played a team that will challenge them in midfield that will try to keep the ball that will try to press them. And that's because most teams can't. Paraguay can't do that. Sweden certainly can't do that. Norway's backups can't do that. And so France looked very good. and always does against those kind of teams. But we have seen Spain in the past, the last couple years, beat France by saying, we're going to keep the ball and your press isn't good enough to win it off of us. Yeah. And that has worked for Spain I think it could work for England I think it could work for Argentina. I mean, people forget it's four years ago now, but Argentina was kicking France's ass for the first seventy minutes of that World Cup final. It wasn't until inbop based sprinkled the pixie dust that game turned around. And and like certainly if you get into an end to end contest Nobody is beating France But I think all three of the other favorites have a decent matchup to just say, hey, we're going to keep the ball, and you're not going to be able to get it off of us. and good luck because they shop. they don't want to press. they don't like to press Uh, Spain's defense has given up is it now one and a half total expected goals in five games? It's ridiculous. how good their their press is. And so they get Belgium, whoo does Mocco Morocco, France France England I would shocked if it wasn't France and Spain. I only saw the second half of the Spain today because I was at the Odyssey for three hours Um Classic Portugal though, I wasn't surprised at all by by their their goal. Pulling Ronaldo off is is an embarrassment. I mean, this is we talked about this in the pod we did before the tournament The Bundo was like, are they going to accept that this guy shouldn't be out there when it actually matters. and All I know is I watched the second half and and the little the little added time all that, I never saw him come out cardi They kept making subs and the broadcast Dark kept saying, you know, This is the time that C all seven comes off. I mean, it was like he should have been Lukaku for them. He should have been the closer And or even if he's capable of that. I really don't know what he what he really is able to do. I mean, he started patting himself on the back for scoring on Uzbekistan. and score time I didn't really you know, I meanwhile, like his notot necessarily his generational co cohort, but the guys who he would consider You know, He's a part of that group. All those dudes have like seven goals are leading their teams. And Ronaldo's divisive and Ronaldo can't run anymore But It was really funny. I mean, the stat that came out of the Croatia game. He had one touch in the penalty area and it was the penalty that was, you know, handed to him. And then his backup comes in Gonzalo Ramos who again four years ago had the hat trick at the World Cup seemeemed to ignore that and he scored on his first touch the win gole Portugal So we're like, oh, maybe Martinez will sub in and we'll go with Ramos. no And there were opportunities today. I know, if you wanted to be critical of Spain, there were chances like where a more functioning attack It's not just Rinaldo Lo was bad off the bench, Neto gave them nothing. Felix gave them like they all of their attackers were bad today. Yeah. But Mart comppetent te might might have ced some chances because they their midfield hung there I mean those two midfield went toe toe day, was pretty even game And Norway with their keeper and with Holland, they have no chance to do a twenty eleven maps No, they certainly do I definitely think And says no seventeen away. No I I don't think that's I don't think. I think Norway is very, very well organized. know exactly what they want to do. They have Odeard. they have Holland like they they could do one there. They might be the best coach team in the tnament Their coach has done an incredible job of maximizing what they're good at and trying to hide as much as possible what they're bad at. It's like we can't defend wide. so we're just going like We're gonna to turnle And then the minute we win the ball it's go. We're seing a bunch numers forward.olland Hlland Holland, whereeres Holland. Oh, he score. Oh, he scored again. We It'll it'll be interesting to see if Tul when they get when they get Norway on on Saturday, whether Tul starts Stones or evenven Dan Burn to deal with Holland lurking back there because Even Gabrielle, who plays for Arsenal for Brazil. like seemed small against him and They're going to need they're going to need to muscle up with him picture we're parach shooting above this tournament. It feels like it's been an A or an A plus When think world these have black eyes and like things were like, whoa, that happened. and certainly this one has But as like a sporting event and as like a piece of like a spectacle It's just been incredible How was that l you made earlier about All the best guys are playing their best numberum one thing you would want with any of these things. Like I hope that's what happens in twenty twenty eight when when they have the Olympics basketball, right? You want all of these guys to also be at their best when they're going against each other. It feels like That's been happening. And then the Cape Farday thing was incredible. Yeah. And even America just even getting to where they got to today was really fun. But I just ordered a jersey. I can't wait to wear it Hey B h And the u And the fact that Messi can still do it at this level, but It feels like out of anybody in the tournament, even though all these guys are absolutely super famous It feels like Holland has has won over the casual fans the most becausecause the people that aren't watching you know, Sunday at six in the morning on Pacific Time and just parasard in these cups, that people are just like kind of dumbfounded by this guy Yeah. he's probably the newest addition to the kind of supergalaxy of stars that we have Yeah him and Bellingham. So if you watch England, and you watch Real, Madrid Jude's not like a new new name or anything, but I think His performance in Mexico was like that's the kind of thing they write songs about And both guys embrace it. Like you said earlier though, like they play up to the startup. You know, Jude does the patented wide arms and Holland has all of his celebrations. He's hilarious on social media I saw his tweet, got like twenty two million views in the first like two hours that it was posted, his self y ninety one it has ninety one million now. it's maybe it's a hundred by this point. And he's just hilarious and he's so he's so. Quinint essentially Norwegian right? Like it fits every stereotype. that people think of when they think of like the Vikings and then they're doing the rowing and everything. And they've definitely probably been the fan base that has won over the most people too. because of the iconic row for sure. and in Philly rowing yesterday right after World ninet one. I can't tell you guys like living in Philly where we've had, you know, Ecuadorians, we've had Brazilians, we've had the French, the Iraqis We've had the Paraguayans Just seeing the different communities, the Croatians were awesome. seeing the different communities cycle in and out of the city for like the last two, three weeks. And then the fourth of July being Saturday with France game and then downtown Center City was just absolutely jumping all night Saturday into into the wee hours in the pouring rate. like the city has never been more fun being a host city has been has been a dream. and u I can't wait uil we get to do it again in twelve years Yeah, the game on the other side of town for L.A, but it's been so cool to see like the Mexico fans showing out, especially in the east side of LA. and like I was at the I watched the Ecuador game at a bar and it was just like, this is this is what it's all about. It's so fun Well, the best thing for us here, that's not the case everywhere, but For here, the games are on at normal timees. Yeah we can construct days around and that's been It's something we lose when the thing is overseas. The games are on in the middle of the night and weird shit like that Um And I think that's going to happen with the Olympic basketball too, which will be a shorter version of this, but Same thing with all the primetime games and all that stuff everybody will be watching And I think it's I think it's been an A plus. I've loved it. I've loved the gambling. I love the irrational confidence I have now I was like, there's no way Portugal will beet Spain today That's not happening. I don't see it. And we want to just a dream World Cup for the. I mean, the sports books have gotten crushed. E the back to back times where inbape Kanaine and Holland both scored two goals this or inbape Messy and Holland both score two goals. People are just I mean, if you bet any good player, they automatically score. it's like this has been a dream Well the two go two, right Yeah if you're in the Holland two goals with Norway to win, which is usually like four to one, five to one And you're just cleaning up on those. Whatere we going to say CR? I was just going to ask whether or not you thought there would be much of a post post tournament kind of accounting of like the Ballgan Red card and Trump getting involved in sports karma or anything like that. I think if the if the game wasn't such a blowout, I don't think. R I think it scores if he scores the like and we went to one or if he scores the final tenen. Yeah, it's it's a much much better story. Trump could have done anything he wanted and we weren't going to be Belgium in that game. It's the fact that they were just resting guys that would have been like Two of our best five guys, like, I don't know I think I think that one will come and go. I do think it was interesting though It' interesting precedent being set. of the president being like, Huh, sports I should get in and throw ailbs around a very open audience in Difa. I mean they they conered up a prize for him. Yeah. I mean, Yeah. I think there's it's a two way street and you know, one of the things that makes the World Cup so fascinating as a historical object is like the sort of in The cross the crossing of the streams of politics and governments and different, you know, from these different countries and how they get involved with what happens on the field. Sos it's not the first time that's happened, but it was certainly like Holy shit, he's really doing this. Could you imagine if he had also gotten involved in the Jaylen Brown trade? Yeah. I don't like this a full investigation trying to figure out what the ss are doing here. bun we go. Yeah. Do you have a Jayalen Brown trade opinion before we go. I know you did this on Gambling showh. I've always loved Jalen Brown. loved him.' happy to have him. I think it is gonna to be weird I'll be hon. likeike we'll be a better regular season team. It's going to be fun. They had to do it. makes a lot of sense U I'm I'm Pleasantly intrigued I don't know. Th thingsings just always end badly. I'm programmed to expect the worst would be with the sixixers much like I am with the US men's national team in the round of sixteen, but you know what I already have my eyes on it. Copa America, twenty twenty eight We need to get more matches against good teams. We can't just keep beating up on Kkcaaf. And that's going to be the chance to do that. So Well, even in the twenty twenties having You know, this is a big difference between where we were twelve years ago, which a lot of the guys that we had out there are guys that are you said this before the tournament guysu that are in good leagues playing on good teams. So You know, you figure that keeps going. I That's going to be an interesting development over the course of the next couple of years. I saw a couple of MLS teams have been talking about like They want their model to be like we develop young players and sell them to Europe. and that's going to be both financially good and it's also good for like US soccer because those guys will then get experience in these these Leagues and making it less about the designated players and seeing if they can get a messier Llevonowski to come play for them that those kinds of Developments are probably good for the US MNT if bad for MLS, maybe, or maybe not But the ultimate thing that they're going to really want is to create How How do U.S national teams play and create this kind of playing identity that I think Poach could probably do. I just don't know if he's going to stick around for the long haul I hope he does. I love Maisia Pudgetino. He has done such a great job with this team and I know today went really badly I still think he's the man for the job and look he' bought in We like him. he likes us Kum Ba, let's have fun Uh the Netflix audience, we did a little poll who's going to win the World Cup. the Netflix audience says France, but only fifty four percent Who was second U I don't know G how didn't tell me who was second. I'll tell you this, if Norway sticks around sixteen to one, seventeen to one, that's just a fuck it bet for me. It would be very England to go win at the Aztecca and then show up flat Saturday Um oneo We can hear on the Marer Gambling show, keep doing those social media clips you are doing as well. and we'll have to have you on one more time before the end of the U I'm sad, but We press on. There's more socer to be had. We're going to take a break And I'm going to come back with old friend Jason Gonzpsion right after this This episode is brought to you by Micolobe Ultra. We are in the heart of the World Cup. Look at these little special bottles for Mcolobbe Ultra Every play matters here. FIFA World Cup twenty six for you Mistakes or just aside. Mich Lobuchch are the official beer sponsor of the FIFA World Cup twenty six is giving you a chance to win one million dollars worth of tickets and prizes. Micolobbltra Pitch Four periors worth playing for. Enter now at miclob Ultra. com slash superior access slash FIFA World Cup Tw six Mic Lob Baltra a F four World Cup, twenty six superior access Purchase necessary, open a US Ridence twenty one pllus begins on december first, twenty twenty five ends On july thirty first, twenty twenty six, multiple entry periods Visit wWW. miclobltra. com slash superior access slash FIFA World Cup twenty six for free entry, entry deadlines, prizes, and details All right, CR is still here. I am Old friend, Jake Cpsion is here. You can hear him on the Wait a Second podcast. I made an appearance early. I'm due for another appearance Ironically backack a little on the pods the next couple weeks, probably one to two week for the next three weeks. One of the reasons is I gott to do my Zodiac deep dive got to get ready for this my Zodiac killer wait a second appearance Jason, you just watched the USA game. We just covered it for forty minutes, but us give us your takes watching fromr afar. My main takeaway was I knew we were in trouble when we were doubling Leo Trsard early. I knew you were in trouble when Leo Trsard who is one of my favorites for Arsenal suuper sub microwave score as an arrsenal supporter. love him He's maybe five, seven. I don't know what the stats on him are But he's holding off our defenders like he was Prime Shack. and I knew at that point, like We just didn't have the physicality be in this game. We came out soft We looked like we were afraid of contact. We didn't initiate any contacts. We weren't getting up in the air and it's just a bad performance all around at every level You know what I realized? actuallyct just over the last forty minutes, Jason. ' Sar Sarss Team England. No comeome on. This is the good son. Be respectful. Nice. You're sad, you're sad we lost, but really deep down. I have tos in England the globe of soccer. England thing. No, you let go McCauly Hulkin tonight and you're heading on to Elijah Wood. England That's what's happening. W haveave you been obsessed with the World Cup, Jason? What's been your relationship with it? I love the World Cup. I I've been, you know, much like U Alexi Lwace, I've been I've been waiting bated breath low these twenty it feels like years but more for the US to kind of finally uphift out of this get one game. into the knockouts and then get knocked out Me which it seems like no matter what the talent is And certainly, I think this is the most offensively capable team I can remember seeing since I've started paying attention, Um, we still got knocked out because Listen, there's a reason that Tim Reem at thirty eight is still starting for this squad And that's because You saw what the team looked like against Turkey And u It wasn't good when he didn't play. And're so we're just not There's always something and this time it was that we just couldn't get organized in the back and just looked shambolic Good strategy I think but just didn't execute in moments and it all fell apart. its like in basketball in a playoff series when somebody' like that guy can't defend everything runs at him. you know, I think they knew REM in certain circumstances was going to be a problem for us. and You know, his athleticism is much diminished, and I think that they started like saying like, let's tust this dude. And obvious Then then he kind of went on tilt a little bit, I think, but It was it was that we got picked on in that department. Yeah, it's funny I really got in a soccer zero eight hundredzero nine range which was when I really like started becoming watching in and trying on under whoo can forget your brief love affair with Tottenam Hotsbur. Yeah if you go back in my archives, I a couple dec I multiple times to me over the course a couple of weeks. Yeah. But and then my daughter started playing And I was in this whole club soccer world. one of her first coaches said something that has always stuckled ever since because when we went to elevens You know, you go from like nine view nine to ele v eleven The coach said,, eleven' are tough because if you don't have eleven Ball always finds the person you don't want it to find And it felt like we had twoo for me was poor Rem who's thirty eight, not totally his fault. And then Dest who I just didn't really trust. and it just felt like And they kept they also kept attacking the sides too in a way that I thought like seemed intentional in the first half. but justust felt like the ball was always finding the wrong people in this game. and that's what happens in soccer Dk completely washed. it was it was Yeah. And like that's If I was going to take like a kind of silver lining, I think these are the kinds of problems that more accomplished nations also face where you're like, that's right. Oh man. Well, like we haven't quite figured out right back or we haven't quite figured out the right side of our midfield or we need a center back to replace Rem. like Other countries have had to deal with stuff like this. We don't necessarily have the most eye popping talent pool where you're like, well, obviously this dude is coming next But I'm sure there are US soccer freaks out there who are like screaming at their televisions or their phones right now and being like, I know who's next. It's coming, you know, But it's like I think that I think we're actually the problems that we have are the are good problems to have. You know, they're they their're soccer problems, not like can anybody on this team play I agree I completely agree with that. I think that the People forget like you look at the World Cup and it's like everybody mostly plays bad. Even the really good teams mostly play below their level. I think part of the Part of the thing that's so frustrating for the US is like We are bad at minimizing the holes in our squad And that seems to be a recurring issue year after year. And For instance, like I'm not saying that we should become overnight like a Paraguay style shit housery squad, right? Yeah We're like never pulling a jus like ever. you don't Hardly ever are we pulling a jersey Hardly ever are we going hard into a tackle on purpose You know, and it's like those little things can minimize someome of your shortcomings sometimes and we just 're We play like we're above that sometimes And to your point, CR, it's also the fact that while this is the most talent, that I can remember seeing, particularly on the offensive side, it's also not We don't have any world class players. Yeah. It would be nice to have a top six from your Lague player. likeike a top six club sky on our team and we just don't yet Do we need like a Draymont Green type We brainwashed D luxury. So like I mail there's just like, he's just Get very close to the line game after game, you're worried about him. If he could also pass and play in tight spaces like if we, you know, if we could we produce a If we could somehow produce a busquettes like a country in Argentinian basically. Y somehow. Yeah somehow, you know? Jy, who is your MVP of the World Cup so far We still have two weeks left. I think Holland, just in the way that he's captured people's imagination um and in the way that He just always scores He always scores and you know what's going to happen. He seems to like lolly gag through periods of play where he's just kind of strolling around and then he sees a sequence unfolding. he just is in the right spot, the way he runs You know, the way he seems to play up his Viking ogre kind of image at moments and His clear sense of humor, I just think been He's been unreal. He's been dealing at an unreal level. are no no John Wick bad guysy stuff for him or anything is Hollywood. I mean, him at all city. so you know, like nobody except for Waz likes them. And so it's like he plays for the like the most sort of like evil empire team that's in the Premier League I think.. But you know, if I just to go along with what Jason saying, like Holland would be my my number one pick and number two one A would be messy. could be doing a twenty nineteen Tigers Masters here. You know, like Yeah that could be like going out like the goat that he is Yeah,s and Bellingham, I think is the other one who Even the real soccer fans know who that is, but the super casual ones are like, Wow, this guy's really good. N ten in England Um I think he's I like he was just incredible in the Mexico game Era For some Man City context bill, they're currently facing one hundred and fifteen Premier League charges for circumventing like their version of the salary cap So it would be like if Aspiration times a hundred. fifteen kawis. Yeah. you're talking to an arsenal and a Liverpool fan. so yes you do take it personally. Yes you do take it personally. Well it's funny. when I was thinking about when I was trying to pick my EPL team in zero seven. Yeah, everyone was telling me how they were the clippers. They were like the Sack clippers. Yeah then that that They've slpp Um Favorite National Anthem, JC Any anything really knock your socks off as we heard Mexicoday Mexico Yeah, Mexico was great last night. Mexico was was bone chilling last night. I will also say one note I have for Pach and Team UA, I love why don't we do the arms around each other We particularly on Denver or during the anthem? Just during the anthem. Everybody else is like arm in arm and singing it. It's a good note. He up like and we're like a foot away from everybody I think France's anthem is still really strong. Yeah. Yeah, Marceltte is great that's that's way up there too. There's been There's been some clunkers. I don't wantan to name any countries, but there's a couple who are like, wow Well That's it. That's what you're rolling with. You know, the Brazil anthem, when it's in Brazil, you're like, this is the most incredible thing I've ever heard. But when it plays it like met life, you're kind of like, where's this one going? Like this like you know, because like it just doesn't have like the entire crowd into it. so That what would be your move? wouldould you be a ose your eyes and sing or would you be a belted out or would you just be trying to stay cool? I would I think personally I would go the route of the Mexico players who are just like crying and screaming at the top of their lungs. I am not too cool for the anthem, like in that case. ye. Youd be wouldould you do that JC, a little crying. Oh some tears. I would definitely, you would see the chords in my neck standing out. That would be the level of intensity. you would be like Nick Siriani just like tears like bubbling out of your face, but no no singing. No, I would do the head back with the eyes closed int the intense one. I always think that one That one looks really great. Who do you have win in the cup Jason I mean, this is this is not like some wild prediction, but I think this is France's tournament This means it's not going to happen. Everybody's saying that Uually when everybody agrees on that, then then the rules of soccer have to trumpet so. I picked Spain to win it, but I picked Spain to win it based on this The stupid idea I had that Germany was going to beat France earlier U and obviously that was quite wrong. So D't listen to But it just does seem like it whatever game you want to play, France can play it. you want you want to a shoot out, they'll kill you. If you want to try and kick them, they don't care. If you want to sit back, they don't care. like they there's nothing you can do to really flust them unless what Deubundo said, which is like Can canan Spain keep the ball away from them? Yeah forever The only thing you do to fluster France is to give them a lead with two minutes left in an NBA game. just start flippking the ball around S CR, what would How many more wins does England need now four quarter, send me three more wins Would that change your life? like Philadelphia. I think it would be incredible for my family. But I would just I wish I would be there. sure it would be It' just an amazing experience to be in England for that to happen. That's actually where my parents met was during the season Wor Cup So it would be very tempting to want to go over there for the celebrations But it is it's it's still like'm I'm playing dress up a little bit, you know, I can't I can't shed the soccer hipster accusations And whoo are you rooting for, JC? who's your team now? You're just jumping out Norway, That's it For years, I've been And I remain this. It's France with the Netherlands as a backup. So obviously France, but now I'm going France, Norway I'm going to roer for Norway and I'm gonna to bet on them at seventeen to one or whatever the hell it is and do it that way. I don't think that's that bad of a bet. Yeah, I don't This episode is brought to you by Barshead. What if we told you the taste of deep fried turkey is now available at your local deli? Well, Barshead just did that Bersing with flavor, perfectly seasoned with that indulgent taste, that usually means planning your whole day around it presenting the Friar's turkey breast only from Bar'shead ard tradition now available behind the counter Visit your local deli today, Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite Bars head ve committed to craft since nineteen oh five This episode is brought to by Netflix. The T mobile home runun derb' right around the corner. might be one of the best showcases of pure power and all sports baseballs Biggest sluggers. along with some legendary Announcers, Puhos, Rizzo Bonds, Sabathia L Duncan Yeah Hunter Pence, Matt Fast Kurzian, a whole bunch of people And it's the one night where you don't swing to make contact. You swing to make history. I'm interest is who what Bon says about this actually. Anyway, it is all live from Citizens Bank Park In Philly, watch the T mobile homeome runun Derby liive on Netflix this Monday, july thirteenth at eight PM Eastern five PM Pacific. Somewhere out there is a Chevy truck. The first N dries it It's a Chevy person Probably no one Your buddy, your sister. Oes who always show up the first to rise, the last to leave They always have that little extra something, and maybe you've got it too. Chevrolet. Together let's drive. Visit Chevy d. com slash trucks to explore the lineup So now we have soccer dying. We're going to go down to less games and then the tournament is going to be over and then we're all going to be staring at each other. Wimbledtons as bad as boring as it gets basasketball We are now moving into this he's orchestr You can't is happening in sports when we can do a frame by frame analysis of Brad Steven' press conference. So that's so. So that was the most exciting thing that happened n soccer today was the Celtics press conference Which I respect that they had to say what they're going to say, but sure on the one hand, did the we didn't want to have seventy percent of the cap tied up with two guys Okay But then they also tried to trade for Yanis, who would have tied the cap up with seventy percent. And also Paul George makes fifty millionars a year I still don't know, Jason, you haven't Sarah and I have talked about this on the pod already. You haven't given your take yet. What is it But what my take was and I'm waiting for it is the Classic Brian Curtis, now they tell a story because it simply must be there The only answer to this is All the whispering about the relationship between Tatum and Brown, all that stuff must have really amounted to something and they really must have felt like, listen Brown is not going to to the kind of team that this was in the past and we will not dedicate ourselves to the kind of team that Brown wants And it's going to be a problem if we let it go any further than this Clearly they were under the gun. and It's interesting that Brad Stevens said nothing that portrayed them being under the gun. He made it, you know, to your point, he really framed it as a purely fiscal decision when it's like, don't you still have two players amounting to that much money and like so well, he did use the word usage Yeah, which I thought was the one slip where he was like, when you have seventy percent of your cap tied into two players and a high usage for those two players. We came to the conclusion that this isn't going to work. and that thought Usage means We don't need to pay two guys. to just trade d dueling banjoos anymore with the way the league is. wasas my interpretation? Is that fair? Yeah, that's fair. It's exactly. I mean, he was like, it's kind of like what Kirk said during the colonoscopy pod when he was just like, they want to be Oh You're the one who called the podast? I know now that is what it's called Um It's like they wanted to a one contract team. They want. Well, that's what they say they wanted. Yes. they were looking for Janis. mayaybe they feel like Jonis was like this big better trade ass that they could on or whatever. I don't think we're going to know who won this trade or whether it was a giant mistake by Boston until next spring because I think they'll be you were saying this is exact. They're going to be good in the regular season They're going to be good has good regular season baskball teams. They play be good. G go be better Saman be better. to JC's point about the now they tell us. I don't think it's gonna happen just because I think they're so conscious about what's happened with the Red Sox and Patriots in years past when those pieces come out after the fact And everybody in Boston is too crazy about sports and has knows all the signs and can read between the lines of pieces like that And I just don't I don't think they're going to do it. I think they're going to take the high road if there is stuff. I don't I don't see them doing it. The only stuff that's going to come out Is this ancillular stuff like You know, I talked about this on pot a week ago, but Brown and Tata B being in France together but not interactive And people that were there like This is weird. there're One guys over there and just like and tatem taking forever Kind of like howal andbid hasn't done the welcome to Pilly post yet for Jayalen Brown. Like you can read between the lines with some of this stuff CR. You just can. I I guess that's true. I mean, I saw that Ibed was at the Brazil match in Brazil Rigalia I was going to say, we might not have to wait for now they tell us because we'll just have to wait for Jalen to do a Twitch stream where he's like, now I'll tell you. he did one the night that the trade happened and seemed to be was prettyed pretty confused and pretty upset and I think he's getting his head around becoming Arival like, you know, he's going he's going to a rival team. I think that like he's a competitive dude and he probably was like I will be a celtic probablyro for life I you know, the Celtics thing is so strange to me because there's like on one hand, this like like mythology about their relationship to their star players and those players relationships to the city, but like This modern era has been about turnover. I mean, Isaiah Thomas, the Kyrie Gordon Haywward iteration, you know Paul Peerson KG being traded to Brooklyn, like Th guys don't Soleak You know, like whatever they do like mark a smart or. Yeah, they they don't like it's like, Yeahah we're going to take a beating for two months and then people are going to be going to be back at the garden. So like I respect it. I think that sometimes they get a little bit of like All Like they get like a little bit too much leeway when it comes to like we're like a institution that really respects the players who play for us and keeps them in our hearts and it's like, you guys fucking trade people when they have like dislocated hips. like give me a bread. But Sheeez here her I'm just say it's heurtful. I'm in a lot of pain this week No, I mean, the Isaiah Thomas thing was tough to defend, but that was prerevious ownership, I will say the new owner, Chisholm looked like he was getting a root canal during that press conference. Yeah Yeah It's you go from like, oh my God, I bought my favorite team I'm gonna to bring my whole family. We're sitting courtside. This is so great. I'm having such a good time and now. You know, the worm has turn If J was not a lap a trade. A writer, we were still doing this like we would probably have like a Tom Dundan, Matt Ashbia Bill Chisholm group chat posts that we were manufacturing. Here's. With that in mind, CR, here is what I would pitch to you and be like, CR, I'm working on a take. don't This is all I have, but help me ash this out because I think this is a piece The second Apron era has turned every owner into James Dolan. Yes. That's a great take turnover. You're drinking gole and juice. Yeah. Every contract No contract. Yeah. Yeah. You it's like so hard to be smart because the cat fights against itself. to retain your best player, you have to give them a contract that's immediately back. Imediately And it's all about depth now, but like the rosters are squeezed and inevitably, Everybody's smart looks dumb under this under this regime. Yeah, even look at M Walters and the and the Lakers. like the Dodgers would keep LeBron on the team and just have him like wave at the crowd every every every night Like they don't care about money, but like he obviously knows that that team is going to be decimated if they have Luca, LeBron and AR like all in like that that salary tier So you're right, Jason, it's just like The idea of like a Cuban or a bomber who's gonna to be like, I'll just spend my way out of it. you know? Noope, it's not going to happen anymore Well this starts previous version of this, the connective tissue was the Braadley Bal contract Whher Wizards are like, fuck, what are we going to do? I I mean he's our best player in the moment they sign it becomes one of the worst contracts in the league. Now we have the next version of this, which is You kind of can't have two of these Yeah. So the pistons are, you know, pistons won sixty one games last year They didn't even know if they wanted to bring Durham back because the moment that contract is eight million dollars a year too high It has all these crazy ramifications the other way. when Brown signed for three hundred four million mistake in retrospect was mayaybe trying to knock that number down a little, but it was a previous it was Wick, the previous owner. He wanted to take care of his guys. They just won the title And and, uh You know, it plays out the way it plays out. but It's weird to hear a team say Man, I know he was sixth MVP last year, but that contract's a little too rich for my bud. Like we do ringer Ringer one hundred. I don't care where you have Jalen, but if you had him outside the top twenty, that would have been insane And there's thirty teams. Yeah. I think there's a corrosive effect that we're going to see over time too where You know, there's a connection with players that yeah cities have. and I mean, you Watching that video of the kid crying because Jayalen Brown was his favorite player. it's like that's real. That And I think if you have a system that's based on just too much of that Who knows what you lose? Like obviously the parody era fromrom the perspective of the actual parody is a success They wanted to create this and they've created it with eight new Champions in a row that's unprecedented. Um But You know, like the league was built on a specific kind of dominance that allowed characters to develop over Time with the fan base and There is a connection with with teams and with the communities around them that maybe is getting severed, you know, and is that good And also with this model of having one big star and then a lot of turnover in your two through ten, say the Ram modo quarterback with everybody else. I mean, like the Sers have kind of done that around MBied and Star two over the last ten years And it's It's soul deadening after a while where you're like Who is this year's Marco Bellanlli? Who is this year's JJ Redick? Who is this year's Robert Covington? Who is this year's X, Y Z. It's kind of awesome evenven though the Nicks were like thrown somewhat thrown together, you know, Mitchell Robinson was the longest tenured Nick It's kind of awesome to watch that cps come together piece by piece over the years develop and build out And like those guys are now full heroes. like they'll never buy another drink or Jipot label in New York City again And It fewewer and fewer teams are going to have that if they all abide by this. like, well, we can have one star and then it's up to the GM to just find like the right rotation of guys every year It's it's a huge issue for the league they see it. I think they're just focused on how much can we make from the media deal? Can we add two expansion teams? Can we grow the league? Can we create NBA Europe? Every decision they're making is financial, which includes this last CBA where you have this second apron And I've talked about this with other sports too. you're basically, it's a protection against yourself. Yeah It's It's like, u, if if Like I give one of my kids like a credit card they can use, but it's got a limit on it. and it's like if you go over the limit, the card just automatically cancel onlyose the gas station. Yeah. That's what the second apron is. It's like, yeah, you can you can go above the second apron, but your picks get frozen. You can't make two for one trades Um there's all these tax repeatater shit that happens and You have to be a fucking idiot And you see somebody like James Dolan who you know, has not been shy about spending money. That's for sure. He gives away every courtside seat around the team like On the one hand doesn't seem to care about money at all, but even he understands Yeah, we can't have Mitchell Robinson anymore. We're going to have to replace him with Andre Drumman and he'll cost twelve million dollars less, but this is what we have to do. By the way, since JayCs here, we you have been on the podcast since the Nicks won the twenty twenty six Championships since Yeah What happened Re? You were just like was it like the end of the Odyssey? What was it like for you? It was the end of the Odyssey. Oh peopleople wren b. three thousand year old story. Yeah. peopleople know the work I can honestly say that Game four into game five was of my life. like I'm not even joking It was The most remarkable period of my life that I've ever felt. I flew back for the parade. It was just like I gotten to a point in my life You know, you watch twenty years of bad knix teams after the nineties and I gotten to a point where I was like, you know what Good. Let's just get in the mix. Get in the playoffs every year, be respectable. Don't be a dumpster fire Don't be a scandal plagued seventeen win team. like just compete And I'm fine with that. Side to I putut away For real any actual hope I would ever see this And two So it was like you were in the Rom com where you're given up on love. and then finally you found somebody on a on a trip to Tuscany That is that was that That is one hundred percent right. Now I will say this and this is Ver not like Me afterfter we The cats that cs pack in the Eastern Congress finals I was texting, you know, my nextix groups and I'm like I really, I think we're going to win it. I think we're going to win it. If you especially if we got the spurs J looking at the underlying stuff. you beat them, what was it two out of three in the in the season pretty comprehensively on the same game plan every time. We almost beat them in the game we lost You guys won the cup against them, right? Won the cup against them in a game that they were trying to win. The Kicks at the double They did dou didn't get her credit for it. first How do you when do you raise the banner? to separate the banners? what There should be a double banner with like an attachment where the cup like attaches, the cup banner attaches to the bottom of the regular banner. And let me also say to critique Adam Silver a little bit more Vep. What's his baby, the cu And the fact that they didn't play up M more This historic double that has happened. A new bar has been set for NBA great. A new bar in parity Yeah. right? In an era of parity, a new bar has been set predicted the NBA finals and for the first time in its history a team has gone Done the double one both should be trumpeted everywhere And it frankly hasn't and that is a miss from A the fifty three years felt like it kind of trumped the cup Which I understand. Yeah I when they were down A lot of points in game four. ' this this I went through basically the same experience you did with the Red Sox in game four and game five in the against the Yankees. Yes. where it's like two cr These sporting events that just blend together now where I don't even remember what happened and what game anymore But there were also like a couple dark moments where you really like look at your past think like, oh man, and that the real doubt starts creeping in. What was that must have happened in game four a couple of times, right? Game four, it wasn't the full existential doubt because I still thought Okay like you're better. I thought yeah, I thought we go back to Especially after yeah, I thought we were the better team And I thought we were going to win the series. So I thought, okay, we go back to San Antonio, I think we could still win the series. said you know, down twenty nine in the second quarter. I just turned the sound off. I'm like, okay, this is a wasash. We're not winning this game. We had trust game three flip in the karma and then down twenty nine and game in game four. Absolutely. And despite the fact that I'd seen all these Cbacks now going back two three seasons I was just like, okay, you know just like that's it. We're not going to get this one. That's fine and I didn't start to get like feel that A little I mean, it was twenty eighteen like in the middle into that fourth. when they couldn't When the spurs couldn't make it more than that I started to get it, you know, I started to get really interested and then You know, as the run was developing, you started to feel it. and they just the spurs look so tired They looked absolutely gasted. I thought the one you know Obviously, the Kicks don't want to go down double digits early in every single game, but it was very smart of them that No matter how many blocks when Weenby would have in the first quarter, they kept running at him Run at him, make him jump, make him turn around, make him react to things And it's like a boss battle where you're just chipping away at the energy bar of like the video game boss So then you get to the end and he's He's tired. And that's what happened. every single game followed that exact CR, do you think new Spurs head coach Billy Donovan will be able to fix some of that I don't know if he has the title yet. we not we forgot to put you on his Google meet Mitch. My dad doesn' We just guys was there a meeting? No, no, no, no Mitch. to tell you. We just didn't want to waste her time. honestly, like you guys. Yeah no, no, I just got together with the other assistants. We just wanted to come up with some ideas for you. Oh you want to give him a speech, Go for it. Yeah..o go back afterwards and maybe just clean that up a little bit th, I? That's like we just did from Hell we did Hand that Rxe Crato where she hires her Rebecca Moray, its like Yeahah. Don'tire her Recca Morn Moray as your danny Iill D of.'s only won a couple titles and coach two other teams. That was really Jason's description of this whole experience was so moving that I'm going to trash the joke I was going to make about them raising not only the NBA finals banner, the cup banner, but also the contract of payments of dark money payments to Jayen Brunson that they're obviously making. Let. canan we do that on wait a second? C can we Let me just say this and I'll say this with it in a complete sincerity that I've just it's just a thing that I've noticed and I think everything is above It is it is notable like the massive jump in production level that the roommates's pod underwent Kind of suddenly. Yeah. Oh the shoot myX. But that being said, like I am completely I believe that everything is abbove board and right. Let me ask you this, did you guys feel like it was a red flag in the moment how much Papovic was talking to the team and making speeches I didn't think it was a good thing Like know what Yeahah, it was just it was weird that they were bringing a b. And and I wonder if the sppurs would rather that had notock got out or if the Spurs were like get this out that pop is still like the newt Rockney of this team. do you We guys here there filming the roommate's pod in seventy millimeter, starting in September. seventy millimeter IMax. They have Noah cinematographer. Yeah It was just like like what M kill This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a fifty page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online makes sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responssees set upp required compatibility and availability varies eighteen plus Our roll batteries the same That's like asking if all soccer players are the same. Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that? No, just him. Now take Duracl. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracl. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different And Messi only trusts Dourerselves So what TV are we supposed to watch as the World Cup winds down, JC? Wow What do you into these days U secondecond season of the agency, which is a show I know that are which is itself an adaptation of Biru de L Jance from French television is out and I think it's It's not as good as the bureau, but it to me, it's good enough. It's pretty good. It's pretty good. And the changes they made to make it to, you know, kind of like American intelligence it more hit for me And so I can run that back. I haven't watched one episode. Can I bang that out? this Oh ye you like it. I think like it. Yeah Is is it shame fastbender or just fastbender? It's It's fastbender pretending to be an American spy and it doesn't cl totally like but it sex with this maid or anything. No But basically playing like Like a yeah, I mean he has some weird sex, but still like yeah Yeah That's part part for the first of him he' SR, what's been your favorite thing of the summer? You know, there's a show on Apple called Star City that's been it's like a spinoff of another show they have called For All Mkind and it's set in the Russian, the Soviet space program in the sixties and seventies And it's really good. That sounds like CR Med libs. That's I can only be me They have one of the co showrners of the Americans it's the for all man kind guys, but it's really good I've been hate watching the liivving hell out of Cape Fear. whichich I think is one of the worst shows I've seen in the last five, six years and now point It's six episodes in. Um out right now and not even care about what happened or do I just hate watch my way through the rest of this I'm more interested like When shows like this when they don't work and they become campy trying to read the signs of some of the like they have good actors in this Like when did Amy Adams felt like around episode four episode five. I think when Amy Adams show startz Wait, you guys aren't all doing accents It's just me Right. She the hope was starting to flicker out of her eyes. I would say, One of the things Apple does amazingly well from a comedy standpoint It's the worst parenting you've ever seen in your life And they'll do it over and over again with these these like wealthy families some sort of drama crisis thing. And Apple's just like, Do you think it'd be weird if these parents didn't care that their kid chopped his toe off and seems like a complete maniac and Dauct your for Like might be putting himself or other people in danger, like No it's like, Hey, Bobby, we're going to go out for for dinner tonight. You stay home with the dog. Um, they just I don't know what it is. So people like this seems like they're lane now. they have like three different lanes and one of these lanes of these wealthy Fimy Um famamilies in disarray, couples that hate each other. Like press that fair. Yeah. Yeah It's like Psty's divorce Divorce pulp. Yeah. Did you finish the bears, JC I I did not finish the bear, but I'm getting ready to struggle through it with all respect to the bear. I was a fan of the final season. I think you'llpeciallyas style What's that? pit style just like everything in one day set mostly on one day. Yeah Oh wow, okay. Yeah What'issing nowouse CR, what are we missing now in the TV landscape? What are we not doing I mean, there's a lot of genre stuff on Dragons pretty good this year. I think. it's it's just that we don't really have like you know, that I mean, we actually really don't have like a white lotacy succession kind of like normal people behaving badly show that everybody kind of falls in love with Um I' trying to think of like what's coming that's even exciting, but feels like it's drifting back toward movies. I made this point. Yeah, wee weeks ago where I wonder if the creativity is starting. I finally saw obsession. I can It was really good. I't I didn't love the lead actor would be my u my one c Okay. but I like I Chalam is in that movie. That's like one of the best movies of all. I think he' His bill is It's like five times the bud I just say L, if you put Chalamne in that lead part, we're talking about this movie for twenty five years from now. Did you I'm sure you did not see this, but the main actress from that movie, Indy Navreti Oh he too He too Wh we have Wh? Don't you know me at this point when you're like, I'm sure you didn't see this, but you were k. Oh, like anything happens without me knowing with he two I have this question actually speaking of heat It's a mail backack question from Victor. Ltime fan, die hardard magic fan in Orlando Recently I was rewatching the town And the entire Fenway heist was for three million dollars Realizing this is what Bizback Biombo made for the Spurs this season had me thinking. Prirzises in heist movies too small for NBA contracts too big What would Neil McCaully have had to do to get a year of Devin Booker's salary best manner to resolve this issue. I have noticed this in some of our highist things where they're like we got to take this down Yeah And I want it to be like twenty nine million dollars. You almost wonder if they should go back in ADR like what's it because if you go back to like the nineteen fifties noirs and they're like robbing a horse race track and it's like, what's the take ten grand. ten grand. And it's like, maybe we should go back in and be like a million dollars. Well, it's like we were talking about when Jason was on for the sururvivor Oh that mrter Beast bumped it to two million bucks. It's like this was a million dollars in two thousand. the NBA salary cap was eighteen million dollars in two thousand or whatever. How is it not ten million dollars to win survive now? Um, So heist moveove is higher. wouldould you bump it up, CR Yeah, but I think we actually have a lot of really ridiculous heist movies where they go for like, we're going to take a billion in crypto off this guy. It's just that those aren't as good as Den of Thieves and Eat in the town and stuff Do you want to had the Hat two conversation. Let's Let's talk about Nil being sureless. Let's this is this is the thing that has been rumored for a long time. I think everybody was waiting to find out if he was going to be Neil Or Chris And and he sureess. He's going to be the star of the movie As this question all the time. And I'm sure both of you do too for people in our lives. like, what do you think? Is this really happening? I'm listen, I'm going to go You're going to go. I'm glad I'm glad they're doing it. I'm obviously going to see it. I obviously care that it's happening. I am aware of every single casting, anything that's happened with this thing I'm just nervous This one We've seen this go wrong. I I ended up not seeing Glad eight or two on the advice of many people. Just in general, some of the scary bad sequels that we've had Um that you end up just kind of forgetting happened And Michael Man, who u You know, our all time favorite He's been in nine reatchables movies, including today with Ali Um, when you get directors in their eighties, JC Yeah, gets a little dicey. L I don't know if I want people directing offensive movies or running my NFL team or there's just This was a conversation I was having with some friends recently, like who is the director in their eighties historically who was like crushing it And I think that there are There are different variables like See level of triAA type of movie. It's like kind of nobody. I know nobody. L seventies even gets Stacy. Yeah Kr Kubrick still led the fastball to the very end and to be fair to Michael Mann hes still From everything we've seen Sammy recently still got it But yeah it people know, but this is sacred. it is. This is the difference is it's not just him making a movie, What I would support if he was a hundred years old or want to make movie.'s just Why haven't we done He too before now? Why are we doing right now? I know he wrote the book Is it worth doing? Yeah. I mean you could say and I will hear the argument that this is like Ridy Scott returning to the alien universe where it's like But really Scotlight makes can still make two movies a year and they're not always that good. and he shoots with five cameras and it seems like he's getting a little fast and a little sloppy That gives me some confidence in heat too specifically is the presence of Jerry Bruckheimer, who himself is not a spring chicken, eighty two years old but is like one of the great showmans and I hope the combined forces of these two very old men Well make up for whatever deficiencies the other has and make sure that this is like, I just don't think DiCaprio signs on for this and is like Let's hope it's okay You know, like It is true. He has had impredible taste over the years. and we have there's just kind I see you know wh. Yeah. and he has to know There's going to be three things in this movie that I do people are going to be breathless over, you know, and Otherwise I just don't know why like why why didn't he just do Ferrari then, you know, or whatever else? Like he just doesn't make his choices Iidally I saw I won't spoil anything from the A of City today because I know you guys haven't seen it. There's also an embargo on it, I think go Yeah yeah The only thing I'll say is Uh Kristo and guy who You know, over the course of a long movie, there's going to be a couple set pieces in there You know, it's like like when you're watching an awesome WW Championship match. There's going to be a couple bumps that they thought about ahead of time that you're going to be like, holy shit. And that's That's what a Michael Man when his movies are really cooking They'll have like three, four sections in there that you're just like The sther su it and heat too also is stuff that hasn't That is not heap. Like it's from Like it'll be either in the desert or it'll be in Central America or whatever. and it'll be like different than heat. So The city stuff will be cool, but I'm looking for it if they bring it page for page out for that stuff There's there's anotherential existential questionna here, JC You know, CR's obviously known Seaan longer than me U They've been friends since when mid two thousands. Early two thousands, yeah You've done a lot of big picture appearances with him. You've seen a lot of movies We started the rewatchables from a heat podcast we did Kat, I feel like is RIP And I'm really gonna to say I handle this I you handle this. I think with heat too, I feel like that's I feel like I should be in poull position for the first part of the CR. You are in poull position. I' see I don't know. Maybe American decides Why not all of you Why not why not talk f for it Yeah. I maybe that's maybe that's what needs to happen. Because I think like here back. Let me just say as a fan is if fan of y'all. Also That's what I want to see is that trio JC's saying, don' choose CR that it should bring you and Sean together, the three of us for he too. Okay. I don't know. Maybe what maybe American maybe we do a poll America votes America votes but b. We've done Did we we did the three heat or the four heat? Well, we've done two heats in Michael Man. We have not done four heat yet I'm ready because I have I have some thoughts from recent watches. I have more heat opinions.. I don't think I have any more heat opinions. a couple of ways to go. We can do the blind heat rewatch, no notes. we can do heat, but we're not allowed to talk about Deniro Pcino. Like there's still Oh wow. Yeah, there's still a couple of tricks up our sleeve. Oh, that was my favorite one where we like we give D Niro Piccino a red card in the first sp of the pod. They're just out of the pod. We're resting them for heat f. You're not led to Piccino takeake it all. How excited are you for the Odyssey An Sk one to attend JC I'm excited. It's it's, you know, it's It's a It's going to be a like an iconic Nolan is one of the iconic guys currently working. and you could argue that he's the best currently working. Certainly the only one current wave that be allowed to make a film like this And I mean, I'm all in considering that this has its roots in him not getting to make Troy It's been gest stating that long I'm excited I'm excited I sat next to somebody you've both potted with over the years, many times, Mallally Rubin in the screening today and Let's just say She was digesting a lot. a lot of things Yeah. lot of things in a wheelhouse. there's books. I don't, you know, there there's this whole other level for this movie that if you want to go back and then also dive into I was going blind. I could barely remember anything from You know, I read these books in high school you know, so So I was I was kind of re re remembering a lot of the stuff that was in there, but I know there's an embargo. I saw people tweeting about it. I alled to say like I saw it and I liked it, but the like full review and plot. I thought it was incredible and most importantly My guy, Matt Damon. I still feel like he's alive in the Daamon versus Leo thing. I know I'm like one of the only people holding ono it, but If we go best best like seven Matt Damond movies versus best seven DiCaprio, I feel like he's in the mid. This is a very exciting argument to have This is it is a really interesting one. I just think his basketball reference page is better than people really. I think I tried to do that I tried to make a Damon versus Cruise take case that you guys laughed me out of your off of a set for like during reatchables. but Damon Leo is a good argument to make I remembered my HBO show ten years ago playaying that one up right after the Martian because Damon had momentum. But Leo's been steady. He's a little bit younger. Damon's career also like you go back to basically school tizes. ninety two, ninety three range. So he's he's been thirty five years now banging out watchable movies with Leo would I think you would have to say no Titanic We don't Titanic in the mix. because I just think with Titanic, It takes Leo to a ad level that Demon has Well honestly Honestly, it might happen with the Odyssey. Oh I know Titanic was Okay. Titanic was a billion dollar movie that won a bunch of awards don know if that's not happening with the Odyssey. L it's fucking sold out through all through the summer in LA already. But like Titanic was the type of like cultural impact that like the Taliban had to ban it. Like it was that That true That is true. You know what I mean? people were going eight nine times f two They were banning stuff left and right. So. But when they when they're like No music, no makeup for women, but and also Titanic cannot watch that movie in the borders of Afghanistan period. Like I think that is a crazy, crazy, crazy impact It's a It's a pretty awesome achievement I'm really happy for Damon. It is impeccably well cast Okay And people know this, I think from the INDB do You guys know who Charlie Thoreon plays in this movie I I forget, but I know that she's Fairly important. I want to say it's Cersei, maybe Ceriays. Calypso. Calypso. Okay And she's well cast. Oh J just gonna okay. alsoso happy for my girl Anne Hathway. but yeah, no it was It's really something. I'll be interested to see what the reaction is. It seems like everybody had that reaction like, holy shit I'm excited for Berntthhal, Just Berntthhal. Youanna know about the horse? Tal about the horse. Your dady is ney deal?. Well I intentionally read nothing and knew nothing. I knew a couple of the people that were in, but there were a couple where I was like, and when I saw Burntthal, I gasped and Mallory started laughing. And I was like, I had no idea. My Gody, He's here. But those are the most fun kind of movies. Anyway H The hestly What else are you looking for pop culture wiz this summer CiR or anything? Me I for resident evvil The Zach Creger follow up to weapons And it looks awesome JC sameame that you, you know, love the video games. M. And the trailer knocked me out. Any reality? Nothing. Are you out on reality now, Jason? No, I'm well, I'll tell you my most Dirty reality secret is below deck. I watch it year round. Oh my God. My wife is below deck. My wife like like inhales it. What is it about below deck? I don't really understand it. It's a perfect reality procedural does the same formula over the course of like two episodes And it just does it like on an assembly line? It's Chter comes in There is workplace dynamics. And then there is the cooool downown where they all go out to the club or whatever For me, the thing is they're all T truly working actually doing a crazy job out there on the high seas And you can't beat the stakes in reality television of If this all goes wrong, somebody drowns Interesting Has that ever happened on Bow Deck? It's almost happened several times Ls happen My wife really enjoys the different peoplee that come in that ye about the different types of people they pick And really Oh Johnny Damon, she was all excited about that. but she really likes the tipping at the end and the dynamics with that and whether the people I just I can never buy into it S I gotta say, this is the least amount of reality I've watched in a long time. Yeah, you might be or between eras. Yeah I'm also probably aging out when the challenge just became a professional sporting event and tivy people screaming at each other They hooking up in a closet? Yeah. Nobody's hooked up in a closet or a bathroom anywhere. I was like, I don't know. I don't know where we go with this. All right, guys. I think we covered everything. I think so. America's gone The next are NBA champions The Celtics are in complete flux. AJ Brown is on the Patriots, he two' is coming out. just a lot of crazy shit' happening right now M. JC, I will see you on wait a second in the next couple of weeks. Yes. CR, I will see free watchatchables next week. People can watch us do Ali today. Thanks to Eduardo and Gahal and Chris and Jack and everybody It' Spotify. I'm going to be back one more time this week. Not sure when. So stay tuned for that. Thanks for watching on Netflix Must be twenty one plus in President select states for Kansas and affiliation with Kansas Star Casino