Jesse Bradley | Former Professional Goalkeeper, Soccer Insider

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You'll be glad you did. Our friend Jesse Bradley, former pro soccer goalie now, well gosh, what doesn't he do? He's a pastor. He's an inspirational speaker. You're starting to see him more and more on network TV when it comes to not just sports topics, but ways to inspire families and to help families rally around sports. When we decided we wanted to deliver a eulogy on Team USA, he was the guy. So Jesse joining us from Seattle.

All right, Jess. What did you see? What stands out to you about the Americans' early exit? Well, when they exited, they lost to Sweden and they lost in a shootout, but they completely outplayed Sweden.

It was probably the best match of their four games. It's disappointing to lose that way. But I think people forget sometimes when you take the overall perspective that they've won the last two World Cups and it's tough to three-peat. I mean, it's tough because complacency can set in.

There's a shift in the players over those years because the World Cups once every four years. It's hard to stay hungry. It's hard to stay united.

And certainly like the coach will take a lot of heat because of the result. And they struggled. I think bottom line, they had a lot of talent.

They just didn't have the chemistry. And with sports, talent's not enough. There's something that happens on a team with the culture and the bond. And you can see it when they play together. And it just looks like it's won and it's flowing and there's like a dance to it. There's a joy to it. And it takes a while to get there. You know, national teams have the additional challenge that they don't play every week together. So they come together for a tournament. There's a lot of pressure there.

But staying at the top is tough. You know, I played at Dartmouth College for undergrad and we won the Ivy League my freshman year. And we just didn't repeat my sophomore. Then we won at the junior year and we didn't repeat my senior year. So that was just a repeat we were going for.

And I know how hard that is. So when there's a three-peat, expectations are high. That's just a lot on their plates. And, you know, the women play with a lot of skill.

There's a lot of tenacity. I was thinking back to those Dartmouth days. And I remember this is kind of a side note. At that time, we're close to Ben & Jerry's. And I remember my freshman year, there was this competition. There's something called the Vermonster.

All this ice cream, massive amounts of ice cream. And then you get four reps from your team. They had all the sports teams represented. And I thought, we got a pretty good chance. But I'm looking over at the football team thinking like, OK, they're clearly bigger than us. And it's like, ready, go. And it's Vermonster on. And we're all diving in trying to finish this.

I'll say this. The last fifth is the most difficult because at that point it's kind of like soup and everyone's spoons have been in there. It's like, who's going to pick it up and chug it?

So there was a little pause, a little hesitation. But who wins? The women's soccer team. And I just looked at them like they are fierce competitors.

Like they down that. They beat the football team. And then it's like I started to pay more attention to their games.

And I was like, OK, this team's getting after it. And what's been exciting in the U.S. the last 20 years is how committed we've been to women's soccer, how dominant they've been. And I think we've set the example for other nations.

And there's a lot of countries that are improving. Women's soccer has taken off. The English league is getting strong. You know, our team is still exceptional, but the other teams are catching up. And in a tournament, especially single elimination, anything can happen in a shootout.

Anything can happen. Tiger Woods was so good and he was so dominant in his heyday that it forced the rest of the PGA tour to raise its level of play. Otherwise, they were never going to be able to compete. I think about UConn women's basketball and how far and away the Huskies were over the rest of women's college hoops for years.

And it forced the rest of the schools, if they wanted to compete, they were going to have to get better. And I feel this the same way about the U.S. women in soccer. Every other nation recognizes that if we don't raise our level of play and get more competitive, well, then we're never going to be able to beat the Americans.

And that's really what happened. If you look around the World Cup, even there are some really strong teams that have figured out how to play the same style and be competitive against the U.S. That's right. We've set the standard and we've raised the bar.

The bar is high and the other teams are all chasing us. And, you know, it's interesting in soccer, there's not much scoring. So what you really need in soccer is a goalkeeper that's exceptional, defense well organized. And then you need a couple of players that can put the ball in the back of the net. You know, when we played Sweden, their goalkeeper, she was having the game of the tournament.

Phenomenal saves. And when a goalkeeper is on fire, you can keep your team in the game in soccer. And, of course, if a goalkeeper makes a mistake, you might lose the game on that mistake. So there's a lot of pressure on the goalkeeper in soccer. And then it's a rare skill to put the ball in the back of the net.

A lot of the teams you'll see, they dribble well, they pass well, they move off the ball well, they even control possession. When you're looking at soccer and statistics, one of them that jumps out is percentage of possession. Now, people pay a lot of attention to that because possession is important. That's you're controlling the game, controlling the pace, controlling the ball. And if you keep it away from the other team, they're not as dangerous. However, possession can be misleading because there might be a team that dominates the middle of the field, but they're not creating great chances. And then the counterattack, the other team is actually putting a lot of pressure. So possession wise, they might only have 30, 40 percent, but they're getting behind the defense.

And that's an unofficial stat. But how many times are you getting behind the defense? And when you have a player that can put the ball away, you don't need a lot of chances. And that's why teams pay so much money for a great striker, a forward, someone that can consistently score. Because in soccer, that's a rare skill. You have to have, you know, the ability to place the ball, to hit the ball with speed.

But then there's that it factor with some forwards. They just know how to be at the right place at the right time. And they're fearless.

They'll put the body on the line. They're savvy. They just know how to in the clutch moments. And that's what the World Cup's all about. Playing under pressure. You know, when you think about sports, there's so many life lessons.

I feel like the soccer field's just kind of a microcosm of life. And when any kid is involved in sports, they're learning these character lessons. How do you respond to adversity? What about when there's a bad call? How do you build teamwork?

But one of them is how do you handle pressure? And the greatest players, they're able to handle the pressure. Whether it's a goalkeeper or a forward. And we just didn't have anyone that stepped up in this tournament. Now we have phenomenal players. They've been so steady. But even the greatest players under that kind of pressure, it's different every tournament. And it's different every opponent. There's going to be some games where you have to win and it's not pretty.

It's just gritty. And we did that to get in there. But we're all a little disappointed. Let's just be honest because we would love to keep watching the tournament with America in there and doing well and winning as usual. And the value of the World Cup is the younger players and the younger kids in the nation get to see the success. They get to see the level of competition and they start to get those pictures in their mind of what could be.

Those dreams are formed and it fuels a next generation to take it, you know, to the next level. And I think that's what our women have done. There's a legacy there. And the men are still catching up in that regard. But the women have really set the standard.

And worldwide, so much respect. But they're going to have a lot of long talks. It's painful to lose when you're a competitor and you're used to winning. And they're going to re-evaluate everything. And they'll probably come out really hungry. And they have more major tournaments coming up before the World Cup.

So we're going to see them rise back up. It's been more than 20 years since that Brandi Chastain goal. Really, U.S. women's soccer was catapulted to the forefront and became such an iconic group. U.S. women's soccer has been fairly dominant since then. Jesse Bradley's with us from Seattle.

Always excited to talk to him. This time it's Women's World Cup. Former international pro goalie himself. And even though it was your job to prevent goals, because of the nature of the sport, how frustrating can it get when you dominate? You play well. You generate chances like the U.S. did against Sweden and just cannot get the ball in the back of the net.

It's so true because you don't have that many chances. Now we have a lot of young talent. But we're going to have to build that core up again. There's going to be a lot of sacrifice.

There's going to be a lot of work involved. And that's true with sport is that you get used to it not being fair sometimes. Because sometimes it could be the referee's calls. Sometimes you keep hitting the post and it doesn't go in.

Or you outplay a team. And how do you respond when life's not fair? And I think that they've got to go back and they've got to double down on the things that got them there. There's some areas they could improve, I think, as they watch the film. And for any of us, when we have failure, when we don't get and reach our goal, we don't get to that mark, we stop and evaluate. And watching yourself if you're a speaker, that's very truth-telling.

Or listening to yourself if you're on a podcast. If you're in sports right now, there's so much video coverage. It's like you go back to the film and the film's revealed. So the answers are going to be there.

They'll put in the due diligence. I remember as a goalkeeper, the shootouts were so intense. And I loved it in one sense because no one expects the goalkeeper to make a save. So the pressure's really on the shooter.

I also was a psych major at Dartmouth, and I liked to kind of read their approach, read their eyes. Sometimes I felt like they would kind of give it away where they're going. And then I would go there early, and if I made a save, it's like we could win the game. So I know what it's like to steal games, especially when we were on the road. I feel like we stole a lot of games.

Our best years, we made it to the NCAA Elite Eight. We stole some games to get there. And in soccer, you can steal games maybe easier than some other sports, because if you have your system and you have your defense, you can absorb a lot, but the other team doesn't score, and all you need is one, or just get to the shootout where you can practice your shots there. You can have five incredible shots, and the other team can do nothing about it. If the forward hits it right or the striker hits it right, whoever's shooting, they put it in the corner, no goalie's going to save it. So when you get to the shootout, sometimes a lesser team, an inferior team, can prevail, because that's such a specialized skill. And I think the U.S. will feel like they should have gone further. They outplayed Sweden.

And that taste in your mouth, it can motivate, and it can bring out the best. You know, my career ended. I was playing overseas in Africa. I was a tragic illness, fighting for my life for one year. It took ten years to fully recover. And so my soccer, there was tremendous loss there, disappointment. It felt like it wasn't fair.

It was medication, side effects of an anti-malaria drug. But where that took me in life, that's where my faith grew. That's where I started to become more intentionally thankful. That's where my identity shifted from performance-based to knowing that I'm loved and I'm not going to try to earn it. And performance, like a lot of athletes, see, when you lose a big match, it tests you to the core, and you think, well, who am I? And for some that are performance-based, it hits them so hard. But when you step back and you say, no, I'm not going to ride that roller coaster, inflated, deflated, pride, shame, performance-based, when you get away from that, then when you lose, you didn't lose your whole identity because soccer is just in its right place. So for some of these ladies, they're going to do some deep soul searching and really have to go back to, okay, what's my foundation in life, and then where do I find motivation? I think you learn the greatest lessons when you go through the hardest times. Pain can fuel and forge a new purpose and passion in your life. And the best situations can come out of the worst experiences.

That's where the U.S. needs to be right now. Don't divide. Don't criticize each other. When a team loses, it's so easy to point fingers and blame and then division, and then you just can't pull it back together. So if you messed up, you own your mistakes, and then you get back to work and you stick together.

It tests the unity, and the great teams, the championship teams, know how to stick together. The unity is even more important than the skill. And it's true in corporate. It's true in marriage.

Like, if the unity breaks down, you got a mess on your hands. I say it all the time to the leaders in our church. Like, the most important thing is we're united in this room because if we're not united, a house divided can't stand. And the great coaches and the great captains know how to maintain that during seasons of disappointment.

And that'll be a key right now, that relational unity, and then turn this loss into a greater hunger for what we can do in realizing our potential. Jesse Bradley with us from Seattle, talking a little bit about the Women's World Cup, the Team USA with its early exit, but we always tend to get off the beaten path here on After Hours, CBS Sports Radio. You've got kids. Some of them play soccer. Soccer's really huge around our country, even as a youth sport, and obviously MLS is growing. We're talking about the national teams.

Even though this was, I would say, a colossal disappointment for Team USA, how can sports, in this case soccer, teach us as humans to handle disappointment and failure and not feel like it's the end of the road? Right on. Yeah, we do have four kids, and right now two play soccer. I've given my kids a choice. Like, I wasn't going to force them there. And, you know, I was a goalkeeper, but I said in soccer, there's 10 other great positions, and none of them chose goalkeeper, so that was probably wise, too.

That'd be a little crazy to be a goalie. My wife would like to have an all green grass backyard, and we don't have that. We've got dirt everywhere, two soccer goals, and then kids that come over and play all the time. So there's a lot of soccer happening, and like I was saying, soccer can teach you about life, and I think it really starts with the parents.

And as far as the parents go, a couple of things I think that are key. One, let the coaches coach, because parents sometimes get on the sidelines. They're yelling at the kids.

The kids are distracted. It's like it's a little embarrassing. I'd like to say if there's a ref cam, if we had a camera on the ref's head and we could see the parents and how they were acting, it would be embarrassing. We could post that on social media, and it has some accountability. But like if you're a parent, the refs aren't getting paid that much, okay?

They probably have day jobs, and they don't need all the abuse you're going to throw at them. So, you know, model it for the kids. When you're kids before the game, like just help them relax.

Most kids are putting too much pressure on themselves. So crack a joke. It's a good time for a dad joke. It's a good time to like have some fun, and, you know, we pray with our kids before games, whatever works for you. And then after the game, here's the thing that a lot of parents do. The kid gets in the car, and then right away the parent wants to point out the three things the kid did wrong.

And it's like, come on, you wouldn't want that when you get home from work. So basically ask the kid, hey, what do you think you did well? And then ask the kid, any areas you want to improve? And you don't need to be like the instant intense corrector of all things the kid did wrong.

So that enables a kid to play the game with some freedom and then with some joy, because sports should be about joy. And I think it's a great opportunity to process with the kids. You know, as you talk through the dynamics of the team, they're going to be learning things.

They're going to be hopefully sharing it. And even those long commutes, you're going to feel like a chauffeur a lot of times as a parent, and that's just the reality of it. It's easy to think like, okay, well, here goes three hours of my night, or on the weekends, okay, we got four games, and there goes my weekend. But instead, that time in the car is valuable, and you can go deeper with the kids. It's a time to ask some questions. My wife, Lori, likes to have three levels. There's a level one, it's a fun, goofy question. Level two, a little deeper. And then level three, it's like, okay, now we're really talking about life. And it's like, are you ready for a level three question? Try to make it a time where you can connect, bond.

If it's a road trip, you're staying in a hotel, have some fun in the pool together, and you're making memories. That's what you're doing. And also, you're having that experience, because we learn by experience. It's true if you work in a company, like, you can read books, you can get the principles, you can go to school, but you learn by getting in there.

And for kids, there's no substitute getting in the game, and what happened, and how did you respond? Sports is great for kids, because you build relationships, you can do all those activities with other people, you get fitness, it's good for your mental health. Overall, you're getting some skills that can be lifelong. Running, swimming, hiking, golfing, these are lifelong sports. Tennis, and it's really valuable. That's what it's about at the end of the day.

So parents got to chill a little bit, is what I'd say. Right now, you've got so much attention in the United States on MLS because of Messi. Messi has landed, oh my goodness. And also, I feel like he's toying with some of the defenders in MLS. But what's it been like to watch this incredible star, Jesse, in our own league?

Yes, he picked a great time to come because there's no NBA, there's no NFL started yet, and then he joins in Miami. I mean, you've got to give some props to Beckham, and it's a reminder, this is about trust, relationships, and vision. Beckham had a bold vision, bringing Messi, and it just didn't happen. He just didn't pick up the phone, and it was like, two days later, Messi's here.

It was a vision, it was intentional. There's trust, there's relationship. It's the core of all great teams, and Messi comes in, and like you say, you know like Mohamed Ali used to toy with some people in the ring, having some fun with them.

Seriously? It feels like I remember watching the Harlem Globetrotters, and it was like, all right, are the Washington Generals going to win this? No, there's no chance. And you knew it was coming, you didn't know how, but these scripts, Messi is winning these games, and I know it's not scripted.

I know there's no bribes. It's the real deal, like he's going against professionals, but when you have someone at that level, I mean, this Messi, you know, he might be an MLS All-Star if he keeps this going. It's the only award he doesn't have yet. You know, after the World Cup, he just really wanted that MLS All-Star.

No, I'm tongue in cheek here, but you know, when someone's dedicated, and I remember going to the symphony in Dallas, and I'm not someone who usually goes to the symphony, but when I went there, I was in awe because of the dedication and the excellence and the skill, and it was just beauty, all those instruments playing together, and what they could do with, and it's like a life that's been devoted, and you just appreciate it. I don't know that much about music, but I couldn't miss what was going on. So you don't have to be a soccer fan to watch these clips and what Messi's doing and the shots and the passes, the dribbling, the savvy, the awareness. Like, he's hitting these free kicks that are just going barely over. There's a wall of like seven people, and they're going just over the wall, and then they travel up to the corner in the top bin of the goal, and there's even a guy running backwards trying to hit it, and it's just going right over his head. The goal is flying across.

He can't get it, and it's just pinpoint accuracy. So Messi right now is having fun. When you change the culture, when you bring in some skill, and you start winning, this is the beautiful thing about sports.

Miami right now, the city is lit, and you've got LeBron flying in. You know, so you've got our greatest athletes traveling across country just to see and get a hug from Messi. We have the World Cup coming in three years to America.

It's coming right here in Seattle. Looking forward to it, but this is all part of the momentum, and when you have someone like Messi, I was saying this about the women, it awakens the dreams and the potential of the kids, and now what they see Messi do, they start to practice in their backyard, and for any athlete, you improve at your normal practice, but greatness comes in your backyard or in your garage, and it's when you get that passion for the game, and you don't know what else to do but to go out there and just practice those moves and pretend like, you know, you're Messi on the free kick and watch what will happen. Just from Messi coming here and playing, you know, when Pele came to New York, it moved soccer so far forward for our nation, and Messi is stirring some of those dreams for kids right now. It's fun to watch, and if you're not into soccer, just go to YouTube, type in Messi, Miami, and then just watch some of these highlights right now, and it's inspiring, and it just gives a lift to everybody. That's what sports can do, though. It just changes even the tone in a city. There's just something that happens through sport where people come together. I remember back in the Twin Cities where I grew up when the Twins won a World Series. It was just like everyone was best friends, and the mood just changed for about four years there, it felt like, in the summer.

So it's a party in Miami, and everyone should be enjoying it. Right now, through four games, he has seven goals and one assist, and there have been some really dramatic moments where he's rescued Miami. They've been able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. So yeah, it's been pretty incredible. He just continues to raise the bar. It is worth paying attention to Messi right now because Messi fever, it's maybe the biggest thing going in the U.S. All right, so we love talking to Jesse. He always brings such great energy and insight.

The former pro goalie himself talking about the Women's World Cup and Messi landing in the U.S. On Twitter, at Jesse J. Bradley, and these days you'll catch him on network TV as well. So we're just so thrilled to have you, Jesse. Thank you. Amy, I always love joining you. You've done an amazing job. I mean, who does this?

Ten years, after hours, CVS. So everyone, like, show some love, share some appreciation. What she brings, it goes beyond sports, and that's what we need. We enter in, and Amy, you do a great job of guiding us entering in, and there's so much happening to process and just to have fun with it. So thanks for everything you do. And yeah, if anyone wants to reach out, let's connect. Twitter, my website, jessebradley.org, got a lot of free resources there on hope, on inspiration, on sports.

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