Balogun! Belgium! Bribes! Trump! USA Soccer has gone mainstream in the dumbest way possible

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Welcome into the Winklerverse. I'm Bart Winkler. It is Monday, July 6th. The national perspective with Carlos Ortiz is on your airwaves or wherever you get your podcast. He will be joining me momentarily.

I just wanted to get fired up and get going to talk about some USA Belgium tonight, the biggest game in American soccer history. I'm sure you could think of: well, what about in 1930? They took third place. They never actually had a game for that. What about, you know, all these other games that we've said were the biggest game?

This is a chance to get into the quarterfinals. But it's also in America. Uh, and I think that that pushes it ahead. Plus, you've now had 24 to 36 hours of just absurd levels of attention put on this USA Belgium game because what has happened with uh Flo Balogun and the red card that he got, that he never should have gotten. We all agreed.

Any soccer-loving fan. Even if you talk to a Belgium fan or anyone in any other country. America's biggest haters can look at that play and say. Probably shouldn't have been a red card. And maybe not even the probably.

Maybe just straight, that should not have been a red card, but it was given in the game. even with a VAR check.

Now. It was given and the FIFA World Cup rules. Is you missed the game, and now you got to miss the next one. That could be changed. That I hope is a nice thing that comes out of this.

Is that something that maybe could be changed? And FIFA has determined in the past.

Okay, you were given a red in qualifying. We're not going to actually hold you up for the World Cup. That happened with Cristiano Ronaldo and other examples.

So it has. This isn't like the first time something like this has crazily happened, but it is on a. Different level, and it's with the United States. And there's a lot of players in this, and so that's why it's getting the attention. That it's getting and make no mistake about it.

Like, FIFA is corrupt. And I I hate FIFA. Just like I hate the NCAA. But no matter how much I hate the NCAA. I still can't get past the fact that I like their products.

I like March Madness. I like college football. No matter how much they try to maybe get us to not, I still like those things. I don't like FIFA. I've been telling people all World Cup.

FIFA is lucky. That People love soccer. Because if we were just subjected to this nonsense from FIFA without this love of the game. Um It wouldn't last. Because FIFA is, I mean, you can't trust anything they do.

You can't trust the group stages. You can't trust decisions. You can't trust, I mean, the better thing with FIFA. And I think this is a talking point today after Seth Blatter, one of the former commissioners of FIFA. That now Infantino is in the role of the ball guy that's at five games at the same time.

At least in the past, the corruption was known, but still like. covered up. You know? Oh, there's probably corruption here. In fact, it's pretty clear there's corruption here.

In fact, there's no way there's not corruption here. But it's still like not out in the open. and not openly bragged about. Which seems to be happening. Yeah.

So, I don't know exactly how it all went down. I've seen all the reports that you have about. Who has um Made what And who's talked to who, and now Infantino has come out with another thing saying, I'm not a part of this. 18-member decision board committee. But I will play this.

This is what your president. Donald Trump. had to say about the matter earlier today. This is Trump. And uh I'll just unmute it.

And, you know, again, I'm good at this stuff. I didn't think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that would be different.

And I think it's I think it's a terrible if if they wouldn't allow You know, a top player, maybe the best, maybe among the best players on the team. to play I think it would have had a big stain And I related just that feeling. I didn't tell them what to do. I can't tell him what to do. And I don't believe he made the decision.

I think it was a committee that made the decision. And they made the right decision because, number one, it wasn't a foul. And you want to see a game with your best players. You don't want to say, how would you feel if I took. Uh you know, we take uh Messi out.

Look, you know, get him naming somebody guys. Oh, we took. Rinaldo, Rinaldo. You bunked into somebody. We're going to take you out of a game.

He's great.

Well, Harry Kane. Harry Kane, we're going to take you out of the game, Harry, because you happen to hit somebody a little bit harder than You can't you can't do that. If you would have taken him out, I think. I think it would have really stained this incredible. We got to have our best players, and they've got, Belgium's got a great team, by the way.

We have our best players. And they have to have their best. And if we win or we lose, It's fair. Let's say we lost him and we lose the game. It would be a terrible thing.

So, I think they made a really brilliant decision. Yeah, I think, I think, I think we're good on that. Thank you, Trump.

Now, I didn't make a joke. Yesterday, that if Democrats were in power. We would just instead get a lot of emails. and text asking to fundraise against FIFA's corruption. All I'm saying.

Is As Carlos Ortiz is here. Carlos Ortiz, ladies and gentlemen. Hi. All I'm saying is. As I'm just laying out the flat flow balogin case.

I've been somebody who's been outspoken. about a lot of unjust things in life.

Okay. And Jesse says, this is wild. I don't know if I'm. For or against what happened, I just know this is bonkers. I've been for and I've spoken up.

About a lot of unjust things. I'm tired of seeing bad guys win.

Okay. I'm tired of seeing corruption rule the day. I'm tired of seeing people profit off this office. But It's benefiting me.

So, I can have one. If the whole world's going to be corrupt all the time. I can like. Cherish one of the times, can't I? That's the way I'm looking at it.

I think it's fine. I mean, FIFA is the most corrupt, not even sports organization in the world, just corrupt organization, period. FIFA's absolutely. And soccer and everybody else has just come to terms with it. They're like, all right, they're going to make up the rules as they go along.

I will say this though, maybe as a dirty casual that has been watching this from the outside in. I thought when you did the action, when you actually slow motion reviewed the penalty, I'm like, it was excessive. I don't, everything looks worse in slow motion. I actually thought FIFA did the right thing in terms of the language is stupid. We're going to suspend the red card.

It sounds like they're suspended, or they're upholding the suspension.

So, like, the way they word it is very dumb. But I thought it was a bit much. I mean, listen, all right, you kick them out for the rest of the game, which whatever. I thought it should have been in a yellow, if anything, but they gave it a red, and that's the rules. For FIFA to go back and review it, and Trump is going to take all the credit for it.

I guess do with that information what you will. I ultimately, I think it was fine because I thought the red card call was too much to begin with, but. I don't know what the rules are anymore. I've never knew what the rules are before. They change as the tournament goes on.

So I said, and I did a couple of things on it and threw out some clips earlier in the summer, just saying, like. Those of you that are trying to get politics and sports not to intersect. There's nothing you can do anymore. They're so intertwined. Yeah.

And you have, I mean, and I've strayed away from talking about Trump for a long time. Um And I'll say it and I'll say anything I'm saying here, I'm saying in a sports context. Except for the you know, he's profiting off the presidency pretty Pretty clearly. I mean, he's making, he's out. The other thing he said today was.

Crypto people tell me. I'm like, you better be happy I'm president because you're not in jail. Yeah, seriously. That's absolutely insane. That's the top story from this morning.

Forget about sports. That's the top story.

So What I'm saying here is. Trump himself Wants to be involved in sports. If you go all the way back. And if you find anything political in this, that's a you problem. If you go all the way back to the USFL.

He got involved in that because he wanted to be the owner of the Buffalo Bills, and they didn't want him in it.

So he said, all right, I'm going to own this other thing. And then he convinced everybody to move it to the fall because he wanted revenge against the NFL. All these commissioners that come to his office all the time. They're doing the same thing. That Uh Infantino is doing.

The whole reason that he is In the Oval Office every other three days. That he gave that he let him give Chelsea the Club World Cup championship last year. that he gave him this FIFA Peace Prize. He's trying to not make Trump interfere. He's just trying to like, I were doing this thing here.

in your country. We need it to go well. Oh, you're bombing Iran?

Okay, well, we're not going to kick them out, but they're going to stay in Mexico. Like they are doing everything they can. Just to not because you don't want. Paul Heyman had a great quote once. about why he got hired eventually by WWE.

Because Vince McMahon or somebody, I think I have this right. Instead of having you outside pissing on the castle. You'd rather have him inside the castle, pissing on everyone else. Yeah, so again, that's the best reason to hire me ever. Yeah, I mean, Eric Bischoff got the job the same way.

Yeah, that's why I sh you know. You don't want but then you're not going to stone. Yeah. So I think that's what's happening here. And now I and I don't.

I don't believe. There was a hate. Come on.

Okay, fine, sir. I don't believe that that happened. I believe what happened was. It was a Red card that Should not have been. Correct.

There was a way to change it. They found a way. They changed it. article, whatever it was. Article 27, of course, the most famous article.

I live by Rule 72, but that's fine. In history. Um But if you're from any other part of the world. You're just like All right. This guy's been sucking up to him for a year and a half.

He's given up fake awards for this guy. The team that they would do it for is America.

So From a sports standpoint. The right decision is happening. It's just insane how it's occurring. Correct. Yeah.

Sucks. If Corruption is at play. I don't know why if. But I Have screamed. And I just This corruption works out for me one time.

It's like when you're taking the math test and you get the answer right, but the teacher wants you to show your work, and you're like, I can't fucking do that. This is the answer. This is all I got. Like What am I supposed to do? Have such TDS that I don't want Balogun to play tonight.

We're not harming anybody. He should sit himself out and do the right thing. Two wrongs made a right here. Yeah, I like that one commercial coach. The ball went off him.

All right, right here. Balogun should be able to play. He's playing. Two wrongs made a right.

Well who am I? Who am I to stand up against that? Balogan anytime goal, man. Lock it in.

Well, now the the the the The ref, you know, if I'm the ref tonight, how itchy am I to just give ballogones? Oh, yeah, yeah, because what he's so my understanding is he's on probation for a year.

So basically, he has to not get a red card for like a year. Is that how it's going to work? What if the ref tonight gave Baloguan a red card in the first 10 minutes? I'm not rolling it out. Would he come down and stop the game and be like, Guys, you gotta know would they would you run to the VAR office?

I mean. But again, you have to remember. You have to remember, FIFA has been crooked forever. Mm-hmm. CONCACAF is crooked as shit.

The USA. has been boned out of shit.

So many times. in the course of their confederation.

So I'm going to take this one.

Okay. Especially because The right conclusion was made. I can't let myself get worked up about the process. No, I can't either. But by the way, side note, can I just I just want to put some appreciation for the title that you have here.

Balogan, Belgium, bribes. Trump. USA soccer has gone mainstream in the dumbest way possible. That is an eye catching title.

Well, thank you. But it has. Like this is this is The most mainstream soccer has ever felt in my life. And it won't last forever. And I'll get into that in a moment.

But it won't last forever. But right now, There is no like. Maybe. Maybe the even the Taylor Swift wedding, like no one gave a shit. I had no idea it happened, and it was like a half an hour away from me.

Yeah, but because Argentina and Cape Verde were playing the greatest game ever, only to be surpassed two nights later. Yeah. By England, Mexico, like This is the water cooler thing right now. And I want to tell you this too. This is what the 90s used to be like.

Something used to happen on TV, and then we'd all talk about it the next day. Only it was like Carol coming back for Dr. Doug Ross on ER. Or Ross went on a break. You know, do know that one.

Or Dennis Franz showed his bare ass on NYPD Blue. Back to have no idea.

Okay, so this is what the 90s were like. Is everyone was hyper-focused? There was a monoculture. We all talked about the same things. We all had opinions on the same things.

We could have different opinions, but it was all in the same sort of thing. And I never thought. That soccer, and this is another thing. Like, I've dreamed. of soccer having this level of attention where you're walking around.

I'm walking around, and I'm not even saying hi to everybody in USA gear because it's almost, there's too many people wearing it. It's like I can't even get the hat not of hey YouTube because it's like now it's everybody. It's everybody. And I'm just saying, beggars can't be choosers for me personally. If this is what it took.

If this is what it took. For soccer to have more prominence than it's ever had in my life in this country. I think I just have to ride the wave. And I'm sorry if there's a younger me or a different me that is like, no, Bart, principles, morals. But the younger me that soccer overrules all those principles and morals.

Yeah. I also, just real quick, we live in totally different parts of the country. You see people in USA jerseys, I see people in every other jersey in this country. I've run into Norway people. I've run into Columbia.

Well, Colombians are a dime a dozen. There was a cornucopia of Mexican fans walking out of some spot that I was going to yesterday. It's just incredible. I see, and also, you see all these videos on social where, like, all the fans are getting along. You know, it doesn't matter who's winning or who's losing.

And the caption immediately goes to: maybe our world leaders are the problems because this World Cup has been one of the most unifying events, to your point, that everyone's talking about it. It's a microcosm of society. The World Cup and Love Island are the two things that anybody only wants to talk about. And I'm watching both, which is. Really says more about me than anybody else does about anybody else.

I was also enjoying this World Cup because it did take me away from the news. A lot of times I get like. You know, I would have been all over this reflecting pool. It would have been driving me nuts. This is America's fair that no one went into algae.

I'm checked out. It's also checked out.

So, of course. You know, DJT found his way back in. to the mainstream conversation. Which is his specialty, is you're not talking about me. I'll find a way to make you talk about me.

I don't have a country. I don't think. I don't think here's here's my take. I don't think Donald Trump. Is directly responsible.

For Balogun being able to play tonight. I agree.

However, Bye. If Donald Trump was not the president. Flo Balogan would not be playing tonight. You're telling me that Joe Biden didn't have the same pull in order to call FIFA and be like, yo. Sure, you don't want to take another look at this?

No, I'm saying I would have gotten so many like emails, stop-to-end text. FIFA is corrupt, donate five bucks to this campaign. I can't hit stop fast enough and I keep getting these fucking texts. from super packs and no kings and all that other shit no just Do whatever you want. Just don't text me.

Oh my god, yeah. I'm getting I'm getting text about Obama's library. I'm like, wasn't that already built? What are you raising money for? I just saw it was built.

Q, I've seen it, Q. Yeah. Hey, have you seen it? Yeah, I I've seen it. Q, a member of our donation club.

Thanks to Q. By the way, a couple of news and notes here. The tailgate. August 6th. Brewer's Pirates Sign up for the tickets so we can start to get a headcount on what we need to supply.

Yeah, do it now. I don't know. I don't know what people are expecting. Like, if you're expecting to be fed. I will have food.

But if you're expecting to be full I will probably let you down. Bring money. If you're expecting to like. be offered some sort of beverage. I will be able to accommodate that.

But I don't need a beverage of your choice. We're also doing a raffle. Um So everyone gets three tickets into the raffle? Bring money. No, it's free raffle.

Bring it anyway. I'm giving away old shit. And First and Bull has donated a $60 gift card. Whoa! I'll have the old Bart Winkler flag.

And I think what everybody who gets into this section, I think standing, cheering. Hooting and hollering is mandatory. No sitting on your hands. I should have a Bart Winkler flag and a Winkler verse flag. Ooh, you should have a flag with just the letter B on it.

I might have merch available for the raffle or purchase.

So we're one month out. We're one month out. I'll broadcast live for a little bit from there. And then do the raffle, and then we'll go inside and watch a game. The other thing I want to say.

And This is like I am doing something with Tom's watch bar. It's pretty apparent. I've been tweeting about them. Yeah. But I've also been tweeting about, I mean, I'm trying to go all over town.

Although last night I watched a good chunk of England Mexico with the boy. And he was into it.

Someone watched USA with them tonight. And and Cody versus Sammy. Oh yeah, completely forgot wrestling to thing. For the title. But Tom's watch bar, I have a link.

You can ask me. I have a link. I might raffle off this gnome, that's correct. Use the link if you're going to go. I'm not saying this now as a wannabe influencer.

I'm saying it as. People for the Mexico game last night were trying to go places in Milwaukee and couldn't get in. Bored I couldn't get into Highbury two games ago. What? Zocalo Food Park was packed.

There was. Like an hour, 150 people in line. Yeah, that's crazy. Nomad was packed. Nomad.

Wow. Like there's a good contingent of Mexicans in the Milwaukee area. But I think there's more than anyone thought. I mean, and I wish that Columbia got a good crowd. England, I've been to some games, they got a good crowd.

Germany, but that's what I would like in New York is. Oh, Panama. I know where to go to watch. Panama fans, that we're kind of missing. But Mexico was like.

The no-brainer. Bars are doing just as good here for Mexico. Maybe some better. Than they were doing for the United States.

So, and I was kind of pulling for Mexico last night, even though they're. Their whole tactics with the game. I don't know what they were doing. They got nobody tall and they were trying to Get headers across When England's got a bunch of dudes that are 6'3. Yeah, as soon as Kane hit that penalty kick, I'm like, all right, well, this one's a wrap.

They made it interesting, but I'm like. I don't care about the fact that they were down a man. Like, this game was done. But these atmospheres are just insane. And the way that these games are living up to the hype is is insane.

Yeah, more than anything. I think that's what FIFA and their corrupt asses are happy about. That we've had banger after banger. It's like, what is the Internet Wrestling IWC, whatever the hell it stands for? They want five-star matches.

We've been getting five-star matches with these soccer games. Who had Argentina and Cape Verde going down to the wire? Like everything's been great. And today we get Portugal and Spain. That's our appetizer?

Like, fuck me. That's awesome. That'll be great. USA, of course, tonight it's at seven. Uh my time.

By the way, if you haven't already said it, Ronaldo said this World Cup is going to be his last one.

So if Portugal gets waxed, that's it for Ronaldo, at least in terms of World Cup play. Did you sing Neymar's bullshit last night? Yeah, he liked retired or some shit like that. I'm like, okay.

Well, he also had a penalty kick. In the 97th minute, made it 2-1. and then like cocked off to the goalie. I saw a comparison that he's soccer's version of Kyrie. I kind of see it.

You know what? It's that meme where you see the guy biting into his metal, popping the champagne, kissing the girl, and he's like on this eighth podium. And the other seven people were like, what the hell's wrong with him? Yeah, that was Neymar in that game. That's Neymar.

Q, correct? The Giannis thank you video dropped. Giannis put out a two-minute thank you video to Milwaukee now that it's July 6th, and the trade can be official. Um All right. Good luck, and we'll see you when you come home.

Yeah, you'll be a sixth spot in Miami. We love you. But go do your thing and then come back. You checked the box you needed to. You did your video.

Thank you. Thank you. Now go and uh Go and have your time.

Well, we're thanking him. We're thanking Giannis for the title and 13 years and. You know. If Barton Carlos rips a fatty, I double it each for each rip, starting at I don't have fatties. Yeah, I don't know what that is.

I thought he meant a fart because he's like initially like, I'll give you 10 bucks. I'm like, well, I ripped one as soon as I got here.

So just send me the money. I think he wants you to smoke weed. Yeah, I don't have any. I got gummies. I don't have that.

And you can too, happy play Sam promo code BART 25% off.

Now, um, you are a You're not a big soccer guy. You don't know that. But you have seasoned tickets somehow to NYCFC of the MLS. That's right. I get to see Matt Freeze on a weekly basis.

And how different are these environments compared to what you are seeing? At Yankee Stadium. with ten other thousand people. All right, well, you know the expression apples and oranges.

Well, this is like apples and mailboxes. Like, there's it's it's complete fucking nightmare. Apples and wrenches. I like mailboxes better for some reason. A friend of mine, uh, literally, um, the over the weekend, uh, good buddy of mine, he says he's the first one to shit on soccer.

A lot of my friends just shit on soccer. Everybody has been locked into this World Cup, and it was the Argentina game. And he goes, I take back everything bad I've ever said about soccer. This is awesome. I got to start watching it all going forward.

He's like, dude, I want to go see an NYCFC game. you know When's, oh, you know, what's a good one to see? And I'm like. I'm going to pre-warn you as someone who has these tickets. If what you think you're going to get is even a slither of what you're watching right now, you're going to be severely, severely disappointed.

The soccer is fine. But you can, when you see somebody like Messi, which I saw a couple weeks ago when Miami beat NYCFZ, Messi. And those calibers of players are so head and shoulders above everybody else, where it looks like he's running in slow motion. Running circles around these guys, and he's he's probably running at a six. These guys are going nine, ten efforts, and he's going at a six.

Like, all right, I'm a. I'll kick one right there, because this is an easy goal. Like, he's fucking bored. On the pitch, look at me with my soccer terminology. Uh, MLS is getting absolutely zero boost from this whatsoever.

I think maybe some people will be friends of fans of Matt Freeze because you know. He's the national goalie. But I don't think it's going to be a high enough conversion rate that MLS is going to all of a sudden see a surge in ticket prices or attendance or anything like that. If anything, MLS is just, they haven't said shit. I haven't seen any marketing buzz about promoting their guys that are playing for national teams.

About, hey, you know, commercials here. This is where you can watch some of the action when the World Cup includes. There's absolutely no. Nothing. There's such a strong disconnect that I'm like, yeah, dude, I'll take you to a game.

But you're going to be like, what the hell is this? This is not what I've been watching.

So it's great for soccer as a whole, what the World Cup is doing right now, and I'm going to continue to enjoy it. But this means absolutely nothing in about two, three weeks when the World Cup is over. Yeah, MLS, I mean, you should easily have a commercial where like. You seem messy. In his Argentina uniform, scoring a goal, and then it blends into his inner Miami uniform.

Yeah, in fact, my friend didn't even know. Messi won the MLS Cup last year. And it just happened a couple months ago. He had no idea. Yeah, so I don't want to compare it to sex because that's an easy one.

So I'll compare it to Like a dog. I always think of dogs whenever like Whatever Sometimes dogs will get like a cut of meat. Like, someone will have, like, you know, if your dog is somewhere and there's a delicious steak that drops and he like eats it off the street from like a, You know, premier restaurant or something. That's the only time he's ever going to have that flavor. You're not grilling that for him.

You're not like, he accidentally had some of the best food of his life. And then so every time he eats dog food. It's always going to be stale in comparison to that meal that he had that one time. This is what's happening with soccer. You are watching.

And we want you, like we we, I'll say we, we want you to come in. I think soccer's incredible. I love everything about it. Especially when red cards get overturned. Thanks to my president.

Um But This is the pinnacle. We watch everything. And this is the reward. Yeah. So if you're coming in.

Watching this. Thinking, this is what soccer is always. What have I been missing? You're not going to get this cut of meat or this high again. For another four years.

And the next soccer you might watch. Might be might be a really good MLS game. But it will still pale so much in comparison. To what you are seeing. If your first, if your first soccer experiences.

were the USA game against Bosnia. And then you're like, this is interesting. And then you find out Messi might lose to Cape Verde, and then you watch that game. And then all of a sudden, everyone's talking about England, Mexico, and then you watch that game. I mean, those are like three of the greatest things that have happened outside of the USA.

Those are truly two of the greatest World Cup games in general that have ever happened. And I mean, I'm worried that Portugal-Spain is going to be a letdown. And that is seriously, this is going to be, this should be a classic. But what we are getting is. Top level VIP heaven, you're at the dinner table with God.

Type of shit right now. This is as good as it gets.

So the next kind of soccer you're going to watch. Is Again, good to grade MLS. Or Your kid being nine years old. Running around, and you're like, This isn't anything like what I. Watch.

This isn't. And it's not even going to be close. It's the fundamentals, and it will get you there. But this is. I mean, this is climbing Mount Everest on your first try and then like standing on eight crates and saying, I'm tall.

Yeah, for all of you people. You'll never, I'm so come in, please. But do realize you've had the best part of your meal. And you won't eat this good for another half a decade. Yeah.

So, like, imagine being indoctrinated to football as a casual fan. And I mean, American football. Like, if you're walking into this and the first game you've ever watched, Is, I don't know, let's say Chiefs and Bills with the 13-second game. It's the AFC Championship game. That's the first game that you've ever watched.

And you're like, all right, football is awesome. And the Super Bowl is okay. You know, oh, that's pretty awesome. Look at all these commercials. And then, That's all you get.

And then your next introduction to football is arena league football or indoor football. And like that's the equivalent of what soccer is in terms of the drop-off from a FIFA World Cup to MLS. Like it's incomparable. At least with football, you get it once a year. The World Cup We people talk about Polistic like he's a household name.

In four years, he might be dead. I'm not But it's like four anything can happen in four years. Like the the star Or is it going to change? You're going to watch this guy. It's a great thing, and it's not going to be here for quite some time.

I believe Carlos is wearing LWO, by the way, and not NWO. Is that correct? My internet is skipping. I have no idea what you just said. Yeah, you gotta lose.

Okay. Yeah, LW, you got a little shaky. I think you're fine. I'm a very casual soccer fan, but even I know FIFA is corrupt. This is from the comments.

Not sure why people are acting surprised. The suspension got overturned.

So shady-like, I think the surprise, if there's a surprise in any of this, Isn't so much of a surprise as much as it's just. Hilariously cartoonish. This is as cartoonish as it could have. Ben. Um And also like All of this is good for the USA.

In terms of the audience, it's going to get tonight. This happening yesterday, people talking about it all day. Trump's had like three fucking events this morning. I don't know what he's up to. He can't stop talking about it.

Victory laps, yeah. taking credit So There's going to be so many eyeballs on this already. And the deeper you go in this tournament, That's why I would, I mean, I wanna see you at the United States win because. I wanna see the United States win, but I wanna continue to see them win because. The next time England plays, the next time Argentina plays, the next time whoever wins Spain and Portugal, it's not going to be as big if the United States is out.

There'll be some people that pull back a little bit. But the further your team's in the playoffs, the more you are watching the playoffs. Once your team's out of the playoffs, you're like, fuck this. Baseball sucks. Or fuck this, football is stupid.

So I want to see that for that reason. Mike says, is Belgium afraid of the United States? Uh they are complaining a lot more. And so is UEFA. And so is everybody else.

And I think that's adding oxygen to it. I think Like Balogun. It shouldn't have been a red, but it was. There shouldn't be a rule that you get suspended again, but there is. You shouldn't change things mid-ternament, which it seems like they are.

So I understand the frustration. From others. But When you're gonna whine like this. It does seem like if I'm the USA. This is almost giving me more confidence.

that they're coming into this game all now worried that we got one guy back And I would come in with immense confidence tonight.

So I. Just the whole thing has just been, I can't. For so many different reasons. The way that other federations and countries are almost afraid. Of the United States, the way that this very corrupt organization finally gave the USA a break.

The way it's all been playing out. I just, and for this to take the mainstream effect that I've always wanted, like I said before. Bakers can't be choosers. I just got to, again, ride the wave on this. Yeah, I've been boycotting Belgian waffles all week, so I think we should continue to boycott all Belgium-made products.

Such as waffles. I don't know what else they make. Yeah, I was going to say, what else could you think of Belgium being known for? Other than waffles, I have no clue. And I don't even know if they've actually created waffles.

I think it's just a style of waffle. Uh, it's very possible that they have no impact on our waffle eating society, and I just boycotted it for no reason, Belgium. Made products. I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly. Here I put what is Belgium known for?

Chocolate, apparently. Chocolate? Uh beer. Yeah, you can get beer from it somewhere else. Drink German beer.

I like spotting. Inch. Intricate lace apparently Belgium is uh Yeah. Belgium exports. That's what we're going to do.

Come on, Google.

Okay. Ooh, this is interesting. The Smurfs were created in Belgium. Oh, we could cancel the Smurfs, send them back. Who cares?

What was the guy's name? Gorgomir, the villain, like the one who just obsessed with the Spurse. Yeah, send them all back. Him and his fucking cat. Belgium chocolate.

So I'm very excited tonight. Oh, pharmaceuticals, they're 14.2% of total exports. Are you gonna just watch the game at home or what? Yeah, most likely. Buddy, you know, texted the group chat was just like, hey, you guys want to get together for a USA game?

And I'm like, yeah, after a gym, I'll come by. But I guess everybody's all pooped out from the 4th of July weekend.

So. I'm just going to watch it with the wife. Yeah. I wish that I do kind of wish they'd embrace the Monday night football aspect of it. Like I don't I don't mind if they Because it's Monday night, it's football.

Oh no. And ties, you bet. Here was a Monday night football situation, also in Seattle, the Phil Mary. People have been sharing that picture. This comment was funny.

Belgium loves cycling. That's how lame they are. Come on.

All right, so that's the soccer aspect of the show. That took 37 minutes. Pretty good, huh? When I'm in the mood for something sweet and hot, do I wait hoping my husband walks in dressed in tight tennis shorts and a dozen roses? No, I hit Hardy's for the new made-from-scratch hot honey biscuit, that crispy chicken, that hot honey, and that sweet prize.

Just $3.99 for limited time. Or the hand-breaded hot honey chicken sandwich with crispy bacon and melted Swiss on a brioche bun. Hardy's new hot honey menu. Prize and participation may vary. Tax not included, not valid for use within a combo or in combination with any other offer or discount.

I do want to mention something that happened in baseball, if I may. How many all-stars did the Cubs get? PCA. PCA, and I would be shocked if anybody else was in there. I'll be very honest.

Maybe Dansby Swansea. You don't even know? No, I have no idea. Dansby Swanson might be a reserve, but I think it was just PCA. I mean, the entire rotation is in shambles, so it's not going to be anybody from the Pidger side.

And they're hitting inconsistently as hell.

So. It's probably just PCA. I'll look it up, but I'm pretty confident Tim, maybe Swanson. Brewer's got Contreras And Ms. You'll be reminded that this is The Miz's second all-star appearance.

After his all-star appearance after five games last year, that was a fun night on the show. Last year when Miz got the all-star not after five games and everybody was mad. You had a show? We did, yeah. Seven months ago.

Confirmed. It's just PCA. PCA. So you're a one. And you know, and MLB requires each team to have one all-star designation.

So, thank God at least PCA is good. You know, it's not like you know. Fucking Kyle Stowers last year when people were like, why the hell is he on the all-star game? Although he's having a. pretty good season two now.

So maybe it's not just a fluke. But yeah, just PCA.

So we're the little sisters of the poor. I would like to have seen Kyle Harrison get in, but the Brewers do have. What more do you want? All right. What more do you want?

Do you want it just to be the Brewers versus the AL? I mean, it's the second-best team in baseball. I don't know. I mean, they're only 55 and 33. I don't know.

And I'm sure Harrison will get in when one of these pitchers inevitably bows out because of a hangnail or some shit.

So don't cry for me quite yet. Two big stories in baseball yesterday. One, every game was on either. Peacock or NBC. Which made a lot of people mad.

Oh, yeah. I've got my final opinion on games on streaming. This is my final opinion. A game is okay to be on streaming. If there's nothing else to watch that day.

So if someday the Super Bowl inevitably goes to streaming. That would actually be less bad. Because you're already going to be locked in. The thing I don't like about streaming is. I didn't watch a lot of the brewers this weekend because Friday night they were on Apple.

And then They were on Peacock on Sunday. And I have both. But I don't like the flipping back and forth. Because it takes too long and it's gotta load. And that, I mean, I know that.

You know, you might be younger and say, oh, big fucking deal, but it's stupid.

So you can't If you have an NFL wildcard game that's on Peacock, Fine. But if you have an NBA. Division game or an NBA game on Prime, but then there's a college football game on ESPN. Not good. You got to be the only thing in town.

for streaming to be acceptable, which is a very limited thing. But that's, I think, where I feel right now. It's all about, it's not about the hassle of signing up, it's not about the. Six dollars a month and again. Anyone who's got peacock.

Go cancel Peacock right now. Go cancel it right now. Because when you try to cancel it, they will give you. Like $1.99 for the next six months. They'll be like are you sure and just dangle this deal in front of you I have done this six different times.

Other companies are like, okay, you know, we'll give you two bucks, you know, whatever. And then there's a limit on it. Peacock, they don't care as long as you get. As long as you're giving them something.

So if you're paying full price for Peacock or Just go go press cancel. And just go do, please do it today. I'm pleading with you to do it today. And then take that money. And get a reservation at Tom's watch bar.

Night.

So that was one story. The other story was the Marlins, Yuri Perez. This is one of their young pitchers. 23 years old. I was going to say, I think it's 23, 24.

He had gone through 92 pitches yesterday. Um Faced 21 batters. Pitched seven innings. And they were up at the time. Eight to nothing.

So this guy gave up no hits. No walks. No one had gotten on base and he struck out eight for good measure. He had a perfect game going. And he was six outs away.

With 92 pitches. The manager took him out. They then give up eight runs. They did win the game 9-8. I did not pick up Pete Fairbanks because I was this close to doing it.

They did win. But this has to be The most egregious polling of a pitcher. That's going for there's only been what 26 perfect games ever? And this would have been the first time. That Miami ever did it?

And he got pulled out, and they always say long term. I feel like in these instances. When this happens, and then the people are like, well, long term, we're thinking of him. Then I feel like that guy never even gets back there. You might have saved 20 to 25 pitches on this 23-year-old arm.

But now you've got a guy who was so close and will always be chasing, trying to get there. And then he's going to be trying to chase how to get there on less pitches.

So, you've done more mental damage to him, I think, than any physical damage could have been done. This is the most egregious. Analytical infraction that dare I say has ever been made in sports. Yeah. Now, I know Perez came off of the IL, so this is like his second, third start, or not anything like that.

Not getting a perfect game ruins careers. Armando Galarago. You have to give him a chance. Armando Galarago. Well, who was the Jim Joyce?

I think it was the umpire that got it wrong the first base with one out left. It should have been a perfect game. He never got back to that point. Not even screwed a perfect game. His career was pretty much over.

He had a couple of starts after that, blew up, went to the minors, and was just gone from obscurity. We never talked about Galaraga ever again. This might be the pinnacle of Perez's professional career in terms of an individual accolade. And it sucks, dude. Aye aye.

I mean I understand it, but these injury reports, analytics, sometimes that shit needs to be damned, man. When you're watching something, you know, borderline historic, you got to go for it. Especially when your bullpen comes in and gives up eight runs right after that. I mean, The opposing fans want to see it. Everybody wants to see it, man.

You keep him in there until he walks somebody. Or if he gives up a bloop single, you got to ride it out, man, with six outs left. But who's the Marlins manager? Clayton, what's his name? McCullough or something like that?

Fire him. Fire him today. Go to the Marlins have I mean, even though they've been hot, they went one of the hotter teams in baseball. Fuck him. You just deprived baseball out of seeing something historic.

So, yeah, this shit really chaps my ass, man. I didn't watch the game. You're the one who told me about it. And then I read some of the stuff, and I'm like, No, you have to be fired for this, and they're not going to. But What a disservice for baseball fans everywhere, and this is why MLB doesn't get casual fans.

They don't get casual fans. This is just a regional sport. I don't know that those two are totally connected, but I'll play along. What other reason would you be watching Marlins versus A's if you aren't a fan of either one of those teams? Oh yeah, that's true.

That's true. But if it was not like the country coming together, the Raiders versus the Dengles. Exactly. Bengals versus Raiders. We're all watching that.

We're not getting together to watch a baseball game where neither of our teams are involved. This is a reason to get involved. And they took it away. Still, too many people, too many people like. I don't know.

People like, why is this World Cup so popular? Because there's stakes on every game. And baseball, there's 162 games.

So, of course, you're not going to. Watch all of those. Please give some more consideration for a one-year experiment that baseball plays. 17-game season and see how much people get into baseball. Then we are watching every single game.

I'll tell you that much. Dude, just do what we did in COVID. Have a 60-something game season.

Well, we're probably going to have a nine-game season next year.

So, if that. But that could be fun. The other note I wanted to bring up was something they're testing in the G League. Have you seen this? Have you heard about this?

No, you think I pay attention to the G League? I barely pay attention to the G League. The G League is starting this experiment. Where However, many free throws. You've earned.

That's how many points your free throw is worth.

So if you get hacked at the line. Or if you get hacked at the rim and you didn't make a shot. But you're shooting two? You're only shooting one and it's worth two. Oh.

If you miss a three and you'd be shooting three. You're only shooting one free throw that's worth it. Three. I kind of don't hate it. Really?

Kinda don't. You got to make them make their shots. Yeah, but if you're like intentionally punching me in the nuts as I'm driving in for an easy layup and it just rims out, well. Dude, I just had two points. You took it away from me.

It's a penalty. It's basically a penalty shot. Like in soccer and hockey, penalty shot, boom. I don't hate it. I don't know, I don't think it's gonna take.

I don't think it's gonna work, but. It's not the worst thing the NBA has thought of. Really? I thought there'd be more backlash to that one. No, no, again, I'm not saying sign me up for it, but I've seen the NBA do some pretty dumbass shit.

But sometimes when they think out of the box, it works. Remember the Elimending for the All-Star game a couple of years ago? That was pretty fascinating. They obviously didn't stick with it, but. You know, I appreciate some of the innovation, but like What they're doing right now with the draft were basically the last three teams.

You don't get shit because we think you're tanking, or it's very possible you just absolutely suck.

Now, everyone's going to be raced into the fourth spot. as opposed to the the bott bottom three like That stuff we don't give a shit about. The second apron, we don't give a shit about that stuff. you know like that i you fix that before you start working about worrying about free throws Especially since this is pretty much going to be blamed on SGA anyway. Bobby says, Isn't there a town in Wisconsin called Belgium Lake Church?

There's a town. There's a town called Belgium. Change it. Belgium's right up the road on Highway 43. See Belgium?

This is the little town of Belgium. Should I, I mean, I should go there tonight. We should change the name to Americaville. They have a bar? They have a quick trip, of course.

Uh Nates Landcape Late La Levy. Words are hard. Yeah, I wonder if the town of Belgium is doing anything for USA Belgium tonight. Imagine that the residents. Oh, yeah, there's Lake Church.

Okay, Belgium, Lake Church is a.

Okay, I see what he's saying. Lake Church is a town, too. Right now. No, Belgium's a little town on this side of the highway, and then Lake Church is over here. Oh, I see what you mean.

Okay. Lake Church looks like shit. It's like just one building there. As someone not in the no Carlos. Uh Here's the goldfish swim school where I took my kid.

Here is Milwaukee, Belgium's right up here. I lost it. Why don't you go about 90 miles south to a more enlightened part of the country? Yeah, here here's Hammond, Indiana. Home of the future home of the Bears.

Where the bears play. The Indiana Bears. Uh All right, game prediction. You give us an um I think the whole world is going to be mad about the red card thing outside of uh outside of Belgium too, so uh. Give me Give me Belgium 2, USA 1.

Oh no, I gotta go with the USA win. I'd rather be wrong.

So, you know, just being an emotional hedge in here. I'm gonna go 3-1 USA. Good. I hope you're right. I will take uh Spain three to two.

I think there's a goal scored in the first six minutes, but I don't know by who. In Spain, Portugal? No, USA. Yeah, I know a lot of people are going to be hot for that anytime Balogun goal. I think I'm staying away from that.

God, if we go to kicks tonight, DM Nick says kicks, I can't take kicks. I can't take kicks. There's going to be a goal scored in the sixth minute, the 11th minute. Maybe Pelissa could furnish you off and the 78th minute. Very oddly specific.

Yep.

Well, that's my prediction. Bart Winkler needs to do a post game. That's very, I'll put that at 90% yes. But We are having two T V s tonight. Because we're putting Monday Night Raw.

Because my kid likes to watch that. We got to see this Cody Sammy match. I think you misread. It said Burt Winkler needs to do a post-game, so not you. Oh yeah, well Bert.

Bird can do that.

So maybe around 9.30 or so, I'll pop on. Unless they lose, then I'll just fucking go to sleep. Fuck that. Yeah, we're not breaking down a Belgium win. All right, well enjoy the game if I I like that you sort of care.

Yeah, no, I'm gonna watch. I'll legit watch. I don't know if I'm gonna 2 TV experience it today because my wife will also want to watch Love Island. And. I've actually been watching it with her, so.

Is it any good? It's trash garbage TV. But it is actually very difficult. I want to get back into Big Brother this year. I've been a Big Brother guy, but kind of dipped.

I never watched it. I watched I used to watch Amazing Race, which was I think before or after Big Brother, so. You know, CBS used to have uh programming. We'll leave on Bobby's joke. What's the best state to buy yourself a new soccer uniform?

New Jersey.

Okay. Oh, we didn't we never broke down Michael Rubin's all-white party, that fucking schmuck. That happened this weekend? Yeah, you know, that's the new Diddy party.

Something's up with him, man. He's buying his friends, obviously. I don't know. There's something very suspect about it. What's the best state to get a quick Tiny refreshment.

New cola, I don't know. Minnesota. Thank you. End the stream. What's your wife's favorite state?

Daisy. No, no, no, Carlos. Carlos. I'll ask her. You're asking me?

I'll ask her. Alaska. Never mind. Thanks for stopping into the Winklerverse. You're still here?

Mm-hmm.