Are roll batteries the same? Yeah. 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 Duracell. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, GOATs only trust GOATs because they're built different. And Messi only trusts Duracel.
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Check responses for accuracy. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck.
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Now, on with the show. Yeah. We are back, baby. We are back. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
We are back! Yes, we are back! This is the Rich Eisen Show. The Mojo's back. Yeah, baby.
Today's guests. ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham. World Cup analyst Maurice Hadou. Actor Lou Diamond Phillips. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We're back off, a week off, and here we are on Disney Plus, the ESPN app. Or ESPN Radio, however, you want to take us in by watching us or listening to a Sirius XM Channel 80 audience.
However, you're out there, please give us a call at 844-204-RICH. Number to dial right here on the program.
So much to catch up on in this month of July. It's the All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia for Major League Baseball, the Espies later on this week. Training camps right around the corner. We've also got ourselves a week of catching up to do on what was going down last week in the world of this show, in the world of sports. And we've got ourselves also a return guest.
We never had Lou Diamond Phillips here, but he's going to be here in studio on hour number three. We'll go down a little bit of a young gun's memory lane with him as he's here in support of his new film, Gangland, that's in limited theaters and on all digital platforms right now. And of course, the World Cup is on our mind because we've got ourselves an outstanding semifinal all set up. The top four teams, it's Chalk and the World Cup here. In uh North America and Mexico, everything's now uh set up for the semifinal here in in our country For a big finish on Sunday.
Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you, sir? I am great, Rich. The Red Sox can't lose. That's correct.
Life is great. Because they're playing the Mets a lot. We'll get to that in a second. Good to see you, DJ Mikey Diaz and Deez Not. Good morning, Rich.
And if I'm not mistaken, the Mets fired their manager while we were gone, T.J. Jefferson. Am I correct? I don't follow baseball. Ladies and gentlemen, T.J.
Jefferson of No Contest Wrestling in the Rich His Show. What's up, everybody? Glad to miss you guys. Good to see you. If anyone heard me a few weeks ago say that Senegal was going to beat France, no, you didn't.
No, you did not hear me.
Okay. Glad to be. I didn't even remember all of it. Yeah, of course not. The World Cup's off the hook.
I can't get enough of it. And I get pissed off when it's only one game or, say, today, no games at all. And there's only no games today as rough. There's three games left. I'm here.
There's a semifinal on Tuesday, a semifinal on Wednesday, and then a final on Sunday. But don't forget the third place game on Saturday. Yeah, okay. I'm not doing that one. No.
Oh. Oh. Oh, it's you. Thankfully, we have you. Mike Del Tufo, there's no consolation games for Mikey.
Mikey final. Actually, we're the consolation games, right? No. Rich Eisen shows your consolation. Stop.
I love you guys. I can't get enough of it. Wow, it's amazing. I cannot get enough of it. It is, there's nothing in sports that's as epic as this.
And I have to. Give it up. I understand that our baseball finals, if you will, is called a World Series. I understand we always Call what we do here a world champion. And in terms of, you know, Major League Baseball, in terms of any any sport like basketball or hockey And clearly, you know.
American football. Where else are you going to play it that's as good as here in the United States? I totally get that. But this right here This right here, this right here. is truly A World Cup.
And I'm hearing all about this 64-team field that they're planning on doing. It's like, okay, hey, the rest of the planet. Let me tell you something about something called the first four in the NCAA tournament here. Uh w We don't need it. You don't need these extra teams, unless, of course, you need more.
water breaks to fill up your actual cups. with money. But Um It's truly unbelievable. Watching these matches. And we mentioned it the other day before we went on break.
If this is the best World Cup ever, because we're seeing it all, We're seeing it all, right? I do believe when England Got past Mexico in one of the superb matches of this World Cup. In Mexico City while we were out, I think. England Got past Mexico at four in the morning. Local time in England.
And you could see people filling up pubs and bars at 4 in the morning and what have you. You know, we're not doing that here in the United States. For many things. I guess if there's a U.S. men's national team that's playing a World Cup.
Knockout round match. Will people fill up bars? Perhaps, because we're seeing so many folks here. Getting into it now. But some of these matches that we've seen Just absolutely Off the hook.
And the Mistakes that get made. get magnified. in such a way, knowing that the entire planet is watching. is just another riveting aspect of all this. and seeing over the weekend.
I'm also Honestly, it's straight up learning. That You're watching. These matches in real time, I'm learning. Yeah. I know I'm gonna sound completely uh ignorant of the sport when people maybe watch this.
Back on YouTube.
somewhere in the corners of the of the world. that you can Spin a ball with your instep. I honestly, you could give me a million cracks at it, and I can't believe that you can actually do this sort of thing. in a way that Argentina One Against Switzerland. This weekend in particular.
I'm just fascinated what you can do with a soccer ball and how you can do it in real time. And I know I sound like a total, complete soccer moron. Football moron. I don't care. I'm learning like the rest of everybody else.
Watching all of this stuff. in real time. And then seeing how The top four teams on the planet are advancing. And the epic nature. in which Argentina has made it here.
Down to nothing to Egypt. I left the room, and now I come back 10 minutes later, and they're up three. That game was not yada, yada, yada. Egypt thinks they got robbed. Yep.
And I don't, I had to watch back why Egypt. Felt that they got robbed over and over and over again. I still don't quite. Understand it? Um And Argentina Uh getting past Cape Verde the way that it got past them.
And the way that The Swiss had their best player. Imbriel Mbolo. Sent off of Okay. The turf because he flopped. And He flopped.
There's no two ways about it. And if you flop with a yellow card already on you, and you get another yellow card, you got the old red. And I totally thought that he deserved it. Because if the rule is that you can't flop, Then I'll be straight up with you. Half the NBA would not be able to finish a game if that's the way that they put that in the NBA.
Please bring it. to the NBA or WNBA. As we saw over the weekend. And I'm Fully. Engrossed in this and hearing how what.
FIFA's put its thumb on me. Argentine scale.
Well, that's what everybody's saying right now. People think, yeah, people think the FIFA.
Well, and FIFA's earned it that scorn. And FIFA's earned it. Certainly in the way that the United States Um God Flo Balogan back. Mm-hmm. We didn't even discuss that 'cause we were off.
Well, that came out. Listen, I didn't think Balogun deserved the red card. Everybody's telling me online that he deserved the red card. And I'm like, well, if he didn't get the red card, if he got the red card, why didn't Messi get the red card a few years ago? He didn't get a yellow.
I mean, you know what I mean? And so. I hear you. I hear you. But the way that Balogun got put back in the game.
For that matchup against Belgium. In my mind. was absolutely disgusting. And it turned the United States men's national team. From World Beaters Into World haters.
On the spot. And nobody could express to whoever is pushing the buttons. That it's not worth the squeeze. But that's for a larger picture conversation anyway. To the point where Balagan got So overwhelmed That he felt the need to apologize to the Belgian head coach.
And Belgium's coach comforted him. While Belgium's making fun of us. In crushing us four to one. And I just want to say this. I know Christian Pulisic is getting all the.
Criticism. He's kind of the scapegoat writer.
Well, I mean, it's, I think you could spread it around. For this one performance, The men's national team, I thought, had a An entertaining World Cup. Kept me in it. Kept me in it all the way through for them. Kept me dreaming.
Kept me hoping. The performance was substandard. To say the least. And I fully believe the way that Balogun got put back on the turf. reverberated And Pochatino, I thought, did a very good job, and it was just a horrible night that potentially revealed how far behind the rest of planet Earth.
The United States men's side. of soccer is And I understand. Everybody's talking about youth sports and how the way we do it here in the United States. It is insanely expensive. Insanely expensive.
and the way the rest of the world does it. Norway sports are free. You know? And Pulisic's comments after saying basically he's got not to worry, he can rest up. He's gonna rest up now?
As if he's what he's speaking to AC Milan's fan base after the United States World Cup is done. Suffered a micro fracture.
So everyone's just heaping abuse on Pulisic for getting For taking himself out of the game.
So, everybody's all over the map pointing fingers. And I'm. You know, Pulisik's comments were beyond tone deaf. Beyond tone diff. But it still was a highly entertaining World Cup, and I'm looking at Mbappe.
I'm looking at Messi. I'm looking at Bellingham. And I'm not even looking at Harry Kane there. You look at Spain. And you're like, okay.
Would we have gotten past any of these folks? Maybe if we played Keepaway long enough to get to PKs or something. To be honest with you, I mean, even my. Complete. Approach Or resume and watching this beautiful game, I could see with my own two eyes how far behind we are.
You know. I could see that. And we can hope 2030 and beyond. But right now you're seeing All of these guys hollered, by the way. You know, there's a that want to get away spot, right?
In the United States. I don't know if they're going to come up with one in Norway. Right now. What is the Norway Snickers? Let me just say this right now.
Um I don't know what's going on. between Alexander Serlot And uh Erling Holland. But imagine being the guy that the entire world sees. That You. are the one who doesn't pass the ball.
to the greatest with all due respect to Mbappe and Messi and everyone else that I just mentioned. Right now. I'll say one of the greatest finishers. And snipers. Holland Unmarked.
against England. and Sir Lotte decides to go Hero Ball.
Okay. And the number of times I've watched that video back with my hand in my face. looking through my fingers like it's a horror movie. Just like, pass it, pass it, okay, pass it. Oh, my God.
I was watching that. I was watching that in the bar behind Charles Woodson. At the American Century Championship. Yeah, I just dropped the name. I don't care.
But that's how I was watching the match. The whole bar screaming, what the hell was that? including those who are rooting for England. They're like uh those who are rooting for England were like, great play. Great play.
Great play by Sir Lott. That was awesome. I mean, they couldn't believe it. Norway goes up to nothing. You feel like that's a wrap.
Could be. Could be, but that's just again about the epic nature and how everybody's finger-pointing, and everybody's excited, and everybody's into it. The true World Cup. And I cannot wait for these matches. I cannot wait for it.
France versus Spain. Oh, my God And then England against Argentina. By the way, the video that I've seen the last time they played each other in the World Cup, I think two thousand two, Beckham scores on a free kick on a penalty kick. Because uh of a foul in the box by Pochitino. No way.
That's cool. And he buried it. And England versus Argentina has a history. And I heard about it. From my Uber driver back from the airport when I arrived home from Lake Tahoe in the American Century Championship.
From a Scotsman. Who told me that he's been watching this World Cup with the ABE. Approach. Yeah. Anybody but England.
And I think he hates Sirlotte as much as anybody else in Scandinavia right about now. Yeah, A Bandom. The excitement, the disappointment, the drama. Maurice Sadoux is going to be joining us in hour number two to talk about it. Our three Lou Diamond Phillips.
But while we were out. While we were out, Seth Workersham wrote this incredible deep dive. He embedded with Sean Payton during the playoffs for two weeks. You never see that type of access. And his article that dropped on ESPN.com is something I want to review.
Did you see that? That um Peyton toyed with the idea? Of giving up his head coaching position to Bill Belichick for as long as Belichick would win games to get past Don Shula's record? Wow. Peyton would be the offensive coordinator and coach in waiting.
Did you see that? No, but I love that idea.
So there's so much to talk with Seth about. And then there's you at 844-204-Rich. Oh, yeah, there was a wedding that went down while we were out as well. Let's discuss that. Yeah, man.
Excited to hear about MSG. Oh, I don't know what you're talking about. Yep. I don't have that on my food. Oh.
844-204-Rich. I've got some great stories from the American Century Championship. We're going to with photos and videos and everything. That's here on this three-hour program. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Sales event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong.
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Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. The Ridge Eisen Show Podcast. Jim is here on the Rich Eisen Show, fresh off of Sean Payton's second chance inside the Denver Broncos Super Bowl, posted last week. And I definitely have a few things flagged.
But first things first, describe to everybody who may not have read this. Um the access that that Sean gave you, Seth. Yeah, you know, it kind of I would periodically, you know, spend a couple of days here and there with the Broncos during the season. And you know, sometimes I would leave at like two in the morning after their game planning sessions. And the idea kind of came up organically where I was like, I would, I don't, to my knowledge, I don't think anybody's ever really witnessed the playoffs from the inside.
In an unauthorized written type of story. Where you're there for 14 and 16-hour days, and the assignment ends when their season ends, whether it's in their first round or the Super Bowl.
So that was the idea. And Sean signed up for it right away. And, you know, sure enough, A week before the Broncos played the Bills in the playoffs, I was out in Denver. And at the facility. You know, for some pretty long days, mirroring Sean's hours for the most part to try to bring fans as close to the flame as possible.
about what it takes to try to win at the very, very, very highest levels of the NFL. And what did you glean basically that you put some real great nuggets in there?
So before we get to the gleaning here. Um First, one that has nothing to do with the playoffs at all. I got to hit you on this one. It was the first thing that jumped off the page when I read it. um more than anything else.
Bill Belichick that that being brought on by Sean Payton. To coach the Broncos for as long as it took to get the requisite number of wins to. Passed on Schuler? When did he come up with this idea? Was it just right after Bill?
And the Patriots parted ways. Seth, walk me through the timeline on this here. Yeah, so Sean has a lot of respect for Bill, and they obviously, you know. I think that they have something in common, and that they both have the mutual trauma of having worked under Bill Parcels. And when, you know, Sean was just offended that the league, no team hired Bill Belichick after he and the Patriots split in 2024.
And so. his idea, and it was more than like a fleeting thought. but it was less than a full-scale proposal. Was, you know, how could he bring him onto the Broncos and how could he make it appealing to Bill? And one of the things that he thought would be good for Billy and good for the league and possibly good for the Broncos is to bring him on as head coach.
Joshua would temporarily relinquish his throne, become senior or assistant head coach in charge of the offense. And Bill would coach the Broncos as the head coach. Um, as many seasons as it took to get him the record.
Now, at the end of the day, it was an impossible idea, it was a fanciful idea, but it was something that he, you know. Sean has something I learned about Sean doing this story is he has astounding creative energy. He thinks of kind of fun, kind of crazy ideas all the time. It's just something that kind of comes naturally to him. And this was one of those things that popped into his head and kind of.
was something that he he chewed on for a little bit. And it went nowhere? At the end of the day, it went nowhere. I mean, at the end of the day, it went nowhere. And, you know, it was going to be all but impossible to try to.
But and who knows if Bill would even want to have done it. But it was something that he did out of he's something that he thought of out of respect for Belichick.
Okay, and now let's get to some of the nuggets for the uh playoffs that you picked up on Can you tell me about this play called Baby Shower? Seth, please.
Well, that was the play call that they had in the previous year's playoff.
So Speaking of respect, so I mean, Sean Payton has so much respect for Josh Allen, and he studies great players in the offseason and the chance that they'll play, that they might face in the playoffs. Like, how will he strategize for them? And one of the things that he had for Josh Allen is that, like, This guy is so good and he's so automatic in late game situations that we're not giving him the ball. If it's a close game and it's fourth down, we're going to fake a punt. And when they went into the playoffs, Two years ago at Buffalo, he had two fake punts.
In the game plan. And one of them he ran early, and it was called Baby Shower. And it was targeting a Bills player whose family had given birth to their first child earlier that week. He knew or just kind of suspected that that guy's head wasn't going to be in the game. And so they came up with this fake punt.
Where the punter throws to Marvin Mims outside. They ran it and it was successful. But yeah, he called it baby showers. That gives you a sense of how diabolical these guys can be. And that was the first of the two playoff games that Sean Payton's Broncos have taken on the Bills.
That one didn't go well for him and the team. This past one, they did win. And so I bring that up to see how His preps for Josh Allen this time around went. And anything you gleaned on that front.
Well, he had another fake punt, and it was called Rutker Special. He basically adapted it from a punt that the Raiders ran against the Lions in 2019. He watched all 71 fake punts. From, I want to say the past eight years to try to look for ideas to try to tailor to his own team. In the entire week, he was like, I'm calling this if it gets close.
We're not giving the ball back to Josh Allen. And again, it wasn't out of, you know. worry for their defense. It's just respect for Josh and how good he is.
So they play the bills, they beat the bills in overtime, and after that game, we're sitting in his stadium office, and he's kind of just taking in the win. I mean, it had been a long time. Since he had won a playoff game, and he knew that in a couple of days, everyone was gonna forget about this game.
So he was just kind of. tasting the air. And I said, you know, it took almost everything you guys planned for, all of those 2 a.m. sessions. And I was like, you still have Rutgers special.
You can use it next week if you want.
So I said something like that. And he was like, no, we called it. And I was like When did I go to the bathroom? Like, did I miss this somehow? And He says, no, we called it an overtime.
And I'm going, wait a second, it was fourth and 11 in overtime, right? And he grabs my notebook and he goes, No, we had the perfect, it would have worked. And the players waved it off and he's drawing it up on my notebook. And I was just, my head was spinning at the fact that he, you know, the guts and the borderline. You know, gutso and maybe even recklessness that it takes to call a fake punt on 4th and 11 in overtime of a playoff game where the Bills would almost be in field goal range.
Um, he thought that they had the look, and it was Tyler Bidet who called it off. Um Yeah. Tyler Bidet recently celebrated a birthday, and in the team meeting where Sean. Wished him happy birthday. He mentioned the fake punt and was like, you know, we would have had it.
Well, it all did work out at the end in terms of a result.
So, just to go granular here, were you there? There were two massive plays in that game. The you know Double possession would be one way to put it. And then the other one was Bo Nick's hurting himself. What was Sean Payton's post-game.
Can you share? Yeah, can you share with you about? Yeah, so let's take one play at a time.
Well, first, he thought, yeah, he thought that the interception should have never gotten that far because. He thought that the bills held in the end zone and the game should have ended on the safety. But look, he was thrilled about the play. I don't think he thought it was lucky or a particularly controversial call. Big surprise.
But we were in his office, and you know, look, there's few things for a football team more pure and electric than winning a playoff game. And you could hear the music, guys are screaming, they're congratulating themselves. And each other. And then he's explaining Rutger Special to me. And the head of the Broncos sports performance.
Bo Lowry comes in, and he always comes in with an injury report.
So he's holding a piece of paper that has the injuries, and he looks a little solemn. That I noticed in retrospect. But Sean kind of wanted to keep talking about Rutgers Special. And he finally turns to Bo and he says, All right, give it to me. And you know, Bo says Bo, and Sean was kind of like, Bo, as in what?
Which Bo are we talking about here? Bonix. Fractured his ankle. He's having surgery on Tuesday. His season is over.
And it was like, The room stopped. I mean, the music faded. All of a sudden, you couldn't hear anything. And I mean he Is staring at the ground and he goes, Stiddy? You know, Daredevil did him.
He already knew. And then. It was interesting because you could see his eyes start to Squint a little bit, and his brain was processing it, and he was already. Thinking about how to message this for the team. And he basically was like: no one's going to give us a chance.
Stidim is better than anybody thinks. Um you know this is gonna this is gonna be perfect but he knew he knew in that moment That the chances of winning a Super Bowl were over. He might be able to get past the conference championship, but not the Super Bowl. And that's a really. mind-warping feeling to have Minutes after you win a playoff game.
I mean, you know, I don't think that that's happened really in modern NFL history. There was. Obviously, when Brock Purdy got hurt. Early in the NFC championship game, but that was during the game. I mean, it was a really.
revealing vulnerable and honest moment to witness. Wow. Whew.
So what did you glean overall? Seth. I mean, the torment that it takes to try to win at this level. I know we talk about it, but to witness it. And to watch Peyton and the Broncos spend an hour, sometimes on a single play, sometimes multiple hours over the course of days.
And you know. He nearly broke himself that week. I had been privy to his sleep scores during the week leading up to the Patriots. And I mean, as the week went on, they were horrible. And it got tense at times with the assistant coaches because, you know.
It's 1:30 again, and they're still going. Sean's a night owl. He gains steam as the night goes on. And, you know, those guys are exhausted. And Just what it takes to try to win when the odds aren't really in your favor when you're starting a back to quarterback.
was really startling to see. You know, we had a moment. It was Friday night before the Patriots game, and it was like between 6 and 8 p.m. And he was probably the only coach. In working on that game, not just in the Broncos building, but even in New England where it was two hours later.
And he was working on two more red zone plays to be run against. Zone defense in the red zone. And I mean, you know, he was. Grinding through tape again, and he was tired. And, you know, I was kind of wondering, like, you know, is he trying to Get a feeling that the game plan is done.
Or is he really trying to find two plays? And he said at the end of the night, before he went home, this is therapeutic for me. And of course, one of the pivotal plays in the Patriots game. Was that fourth and one that he called, and the Patriots surprised him by running that exact defense that he was preparing for that night? And of course, the Broncos didn't get it.
And those are the types of decisions That you live with as a coach. And I think they get heavier and heavier and heavier. as you get older and as you you know kind of accumulate scars Is this why he's given up the play calling to Davis Webb, the offensive coordinator in Denver? I'll be honest with you, man. You know, I've known Sean for a long time.
And the idea that he's going to give this up. I was stunned, you know. I was stunned in the execution of it, like. Um I'm wondering how that's going to work this fall, to be honest with you. It's so central to his identity.
He refers to himself as a play caller as much as he does as a head coach. And you know, but I think there were moments during the season, and I witnessed them, and we talked about it. Where the insecurity of calling plays was starting to creep in a little bit. And you know, one point he says it was a lot, it's a lot harder to call plays at age 62 than age 42. And I was stunned that he said that because I was like, you know, you're just accumulating experience and knowledge and.
You know, but I think it's a little bit like when you get a little older, maybe you don't like to drive. At night in the rain, is at least how he put it. And so You know, I think that it's going to be an interesting transition to Davis Webb. I think that there's going to be moments where Sean overrules him. There's going to be moments where he wants to overrule him and doesn't.
There's going to be moments where Davis calls a bad play and Sean takes responsibility for it. But Again, you know, going back to that fourth and one. Against the Patriots. If Davis Webb were calling the plays, might have that sequence ended up differently because Sean. Initially, he was going to try to draw them off sides.
And then he wanted to call a running play. And then he called timeout and switched to a passing play. It was like all these things going on in his head, and all of these voices in his ear during a critical moment. And maybe the operation would have been a little bit cleaner if he's just in charge of the decision. With a little bit of input on the play, but Davis is the one making the play.
I don't know. That's me second guessing, and it's not something that I discussed with Sean, but I think that. It'll be interesting to see how the Broncos operate this year because, again, Sean's a night owl. He likes to stay until 1:32 in the morning. And I think Davis Webb is going to be the one running those meetings now.
And so it'll be interesting to see if they're more kind of on a more traditional coach schedule. Where they start earlier in the morning and leave earlier at night. I'll be honest with you, man, as well. Um, Hearing what you said there, I mean, here's a guy who we know when he when I think he does go into the Hall of Fame. Um At one point, we will be talking about the onside kick in the Super Bowl that he calls to start the second half.
You just brought up the fact that he A fake punt. In a playoff game, deep into a playoff game on a fourth and eleven. And you just said the word insecure. For um Sean Payton. I've never heard that word associated with him, ever.
And it ain't poor. Seth. Well, he's human, you know? And, you know, there's a little bit of doubt that I think creeps in. And I think that.
You know His creativity and his work ethic is staggering. And I detail all of these glimpses. About the ways that he entertains the team and tries to prepare them and uses creative methods, whether it's getting players oxygen tanks because he's going to call a lot of no-huddle against the Bills in the playoffs. And try to use the mile high altitude against the bills and weaponize it. There's all these interesting things, and that stuff just comes to him easily.
He's great with the team, and I think that. Um You know The play calling aspect, I'm not saying he's done as a play caller for the rest of his career. But I think that right now he made the decision that for the 2026 Broncos, it's best for that team. Davis Webb. To be really a traditional offensive coordinator and have the responsibility to call plays and that authority.
The same authority that Sean Payton enjoyed when he was under Bill Parcells. And he would show Bill Parcels the call sheet the day before games, and Parcells would would point at certain play calls and say, What, are you trying to make a name for yourself right here? I think I think he knows that it's Davis's turn for the time being. And You know, Sean, we'll take a step back. And focus more of his time, I think.
on managing the game on Sundays. And managing the team during the week. But I mean, you know, that's going to be a transition. And I think he'll still be in the weeds on the planning part of things. But Davis will make the call.
Before I let you go, Seth, you and Adam Schefter broke the news about the sale of the Seattle Seahawks. I gave you the floor on what you want to add, what you learned. Anything on that front?
Well, I think that Vinod Kosola is somebody that not a lot of NFL fans, you know, is not exactly a household name. Even though in Silicon Valley, he's obviously well known. And I think that. Um Someone very early in the process said, You know, this guy's a killer, and don't underestimate his chances to get the team. And, you know, sure enough, as last week came, Adam and I started to hear that he was the favorite.
And I think that, you know. At the 11th hour, it got a little tight with the Celtic screw. But Vinod came through, and I think it's going to be a fascinating new owner. And I think it's almost, you know, you never know how these things go. But I think it's an ideal situation in the sense that he's coming in.
He's buying a team that obviously is very well run at the moment. And his son, Neil, I think, is going to be heavily involved in day-to-day operations on the team. And his son interned with the 49ers back in the day. And, you know, everybody always says. They always say like, well, what makes a good owner?
It's easier to say what makes a bad owner. And I think that ownership being involved. not in the minutiae of football, but in how football operations work, I think can be a really good thing. And that will be an interesting case study to see over the coming years how it works in Seattle.
Well, and then just wrapping it all up with Seattle ownership Football. Football World Cup. Seattle uh had um A great run in the World Cup so far just up the road here, Atlanta. Miami, I could keep going on and on. Foxborough, the finals are going to be in the New York, New Jersey Stadium, to use the parlance.
And anything you could glean on the way ownership is looking at these World Cups Could it potentially mirror the way some players, and if not all players, and fans are looking at it like, hey, man. It's beautiful seeing grass in these places, including indoors. Um is this World Cup going to potentially leave a a lasting World and football operations and the way that the turfs are handled at all, Seth? I think that, like, in the near term, I think they'll look at the broadcast presentation. Are there ways that we can adapt?
Ways that you know, elements of the Fox broadcast, which have really been great to our game and see if we can make it a little bit better. But I think that in terms of grass, I mean, look, just this morning, I. I reached out to an owner and to a team president to ask if they think the World Cup will influence more owners. Adopt grass on their fields, and both of them gave a resounding no.
So I think that's where we're at. Can you give me, again, you might not have gotten the exact reason, but you know ownership very well. You and Don Van Netta are all over that together. Why? Why?
And I think that with the league looking to try to open up negotiations to a new CBA, try to get that 18th game. I think they see that as a chip. And, you know, so I'm sure that it'll get done in the next CBA because it's something owners will end up acquiescing on and giving to players, but they're not going to give it. preemptively ahead of time, especially since the players have obviously not shown a huge rush into reopening negotiations. what halfway into a 10-year CBA.
Seth, appreciate the time, man. Thank you, sir. You be well. Great stuff. And then one last thing.
Pop up. Let me see this cover, Mike Hoskins. You've got a book coming up this fall based on your your On your ESPN work.
Well, no, yeah, it's a collection. You know, what's kind of funny, it's a collection of my best ESPN work. And so, when it kind of came up, the idea of it came up, you know, it's like a greatest hits for writers.
So, of course, I'm wondering: do I have any hits? Much less any greatest hits.
Okay. But, um, You know, I was able to cobble together some stories. The Broncos story will be in there. And, you know, it's a collection of work that I'm really proud of over 25 years. And don't worry, in the fall, I'll be bugging you to try to get on your show to get word out there.
It's called Be On That Hill: Stories from the Summits of Sport. And it's September 15th. And we know it's going to be a great serious book because you call it sport. Not sports. Seth.
Thanks for watching.
So many S's in the title. Thanks, man. Thanks, dude. That's Seth Workers right here on the Rick Housing Show. All right, we take a break.
We'll be back with more and your phone calls in just a matter of moments. Uh Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an Audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast.
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One more time, gusto.com slash rich. Derek in Missouri is on the program. How you been, Derek? What's going on, fellas? Welcome back from the break.
Chris, I just want to say, congratulations on your. Wedding to the beautiful Sir Tiana and Del Tupo, good to see you with that triple 50 hat, better than that Rod that Dodgers Yankees hat. And TJ, very nice Registrar t-shirt you got there, my friend. What's on your mind? I like it there.
I just want to say, Rich, I you know, I got during the uh break you guys had, I just This is a sports center podcast and I just want to say there were some great listens and all. And if I had to enjoy one that I liked off the top of my head, probably had to be the one with you and Verman. That one was good. And the one with Linda Cohn surprised me when you mentioned the fact that Al Lewis, who put the grandpa on the monsters, was a scout for the Celtics. Yes, he was.
Yes, he was, Derek. He was indeed. And he was there on my first ever. um assignment in the history of my Sports Center career, you know. I went up to the Boston Garden and I talked about that with Linda.
And I appreciate the call, Derek. We're up against the end of the hour, but thank you for that. By the way, this was Sports Center presented by Gusto as well. Get it. I'm wondering if Al Lewis would be coming back.
From his grave to tell the Celtics to not trade Jalen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for a bag of basketballs. You don't think Grandpa Munster is an analytics guy? Oh, no. I don't know. Maybe, maybe cousin it would hop out of the box.
Cousin It. No, no, pardon me. The thing would hop out of the box and hold up the trade. Yeah. Like, the thing would hop out of the box, go to Brad Stevens' house and give him the Heisman pose.
Don't do it, Brad. And I think Lurch would have cleared the room out and said, Let the trade act. Maybe we could sign Lurch. We need an inside presence. I'm just wondering.
We could sign it. You know what I mean? And grandpa should mind his own business because that's true. Yeah, you snap your fingers and it's over. Are you still a Celtic?
Well, we're still going to be better than Philly. I'm not worried. Our one and a bunch. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Uh MLB.tv on ESPN is your home for every out-of-market game, live or on demand.
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Mm.
