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Now, on with the show. Hola. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Thank goodness I have this job. Because I sure can't play golf.
You hit that guy! Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles, today's guests. Apple TV lead MLS analyst Taylor Twellman, ESPN senior NFL writer Jeremy Fowler, 10-year NFL head coach Jason Garrett. And now, it's Rich Eisen. My cuts here with unlimited swings because I always homer on my last swing every single day, right here on the Rich Eisen Show on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio Sirius XM channel.
Uh, 80 for all those that are out there at Rich Eyes and Show is our handle on so many spots: X, Threads, Instagram, Tic Tac, everybody. It might be the Rich Eyes and Show there, Facebook, so much more. There's rich eyesandshop.com. If everybody wants. A piece of our gear.
We appreciate that. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial right here on the program. We have got ourselves a heck of a show in store for all of you. We greatly appreciate anybody that's out there to hang with us over the next three hours. Taylor Twellman's going to be first up to talk with us about everything that is going down in the World Cup, France, and Spain later on today.
As soon as we're done, basically, when Toe touches football in that one, Taylor is going to join us on this show shortly. And then we've got football on the brain. Why not? Jeremy Fowler, who's. Um, article on the top ten quarterbacks in the National Football League as sussed out by unnamed coaches and scouts.
And front office executives has gotten a lot of people talking. Jason Garrett will join us in hour number three.
So we'll clap for him when he comes on this program. Don't beat this far. We clap for everybody when they join us on this program. I don't know. I don't know what your debt.
That was pretty good. Anyway, good to see you over there, Chris. What's up, Rich? Good to see you. How are you over there?
I'm great. What's going on, JC? You have the new gear, you got the new gear. I hope you don't mind. I just kind of helped you.
You grabbed it. You grabbed it from our green room. I was passing your room and went to the gym. You're just like, I'll just take that one. There was a plethora.
Okay, richeisonshop.com. I greatly appreciate you because some of the gear that I rocked at the American Century Championship this weekend. Nice material. Hopefully, you'll finish better than 88th today. Good to see you over there, TJ Jefferson.
What's going on, man? How are you?
Well, 88. That's Mike Wervin. Yeah, that's right. I'm an 88 club. You're an 88th club.
And I was using a club. Look at the positive side. I will. Thank you, Sony. I mean, it's very negative for golf, but don't look at it like that.
Do we count you beating Miles Teller because he withdrew? Oh, did he really? I didn't know he withdrew. Yeah, count it. He withdrew.
So he's 89? And you beat Jay Peterman. I think he had to get to Philadelphia because he did something for the All-Star game last night, actually.
So you're saying he's 89th, really, Chris? I don't know. I don't know. Hey, guess what? We were talking about this yesterday, hearing about the.
new home run derby rules. And um Well, I digged it. And we were talking about last night getting rid of the clock. And what that might Meanwhile And we just thought, though, that it would lead to fewer home runs. When you're just limiting the first round players to twenty swings.
And then the second round combatants to 15, and the final combatants to 15. And we did not know that if you homered on your last swing. You get to keep going until you don't home her again. Right. We also didn't know that they would be throwing multicolored baseballs At that home run combatant, just to add a little bit of an extra twist.
to them having to hit something that's spinning and then turning different colors. Um but it turned out to be awesome. I really did enjoy it last night, certainly when Um a handful of unforeseen circumstances arose. like say Players doing their best. to Homer in front of paying customers Who normally would cheer those players on because they're hitting tape measure home runs for the pleasure of those who put down hard-earned American dollars to get in the stadium?
Normally, they would vet those. Combatants Certainly since Many Major League Baseball stars that we would love to see grab a bat don't. And these guys who grab baseball bats. and say I will participate in the home run derby. Unlike NBA stars who do not dunk a basketball in that contest that's always associated with the home run derby, the slam dunk contest, normally we would cheer for those players.
Unless they're going against the Philadelphia Philly. And Philadelphia fans. Got things going. Wilson Contreras, for instance, was the first one to take on. Kyle Schwarber.
And He hammed it up. He was a good sport of a lot of people. He was a great sport. Uh certainly since he was the first one to grab a bat last night. And Punched his ticket for the second round almost on the spot because of how well he performed in the first round.
But he was going against Kyle Schwarber.
So the cheers that we heard for Wilson Contreras was when he did not homer. And I got to tell you, the first couple of times I heard that. I thought to myself, well, that's kind of Crappy? But then I. You're like, we're in Philadelphia?
We're in Philadelphia. I'm from New York City that's just up, you know, the Acela, that's just up the turnpike. You get it. And I kind of got it. It it did add to The atmosphere.
And I kind of and Contreras was getting into it and he Got A chance. Ah, he was so close. He got a chance. To Get to his last Swing. and continue on with just a couple more home runs to get past Schwarper.
But couldn't do it. And Schwarber advances to the final. And who does he face? After cranking out Cranking out 11 home runs. in fifteen swings.
Well, actually, it was 16 swings because I do believe, as you see on the screen here, he did become the first one to take care of what was called a magenta ball. and deposited outside The playing in field. No one else had done it. And Schwarbert did what everybody in Philadelphia wanted him to do: make the finals, step up. Take his first cuts.
Set a standard, set a number. Light up the crowd. Light up the scoreboard, light up the baseballs. And then um Who steps to the plate? Ladies and gentlemen, First time All-Star Jordan Walker.
Steps to the plate. And he now Has the honor. Of trying to tell Philadelphia fans, stick it where the sun does not shine. I hear your booze. I understand you don't want to see me win.
I understand the guy that you want to see win just. Came up with 11 home runs in 16 and 17 swings. And sure enough. Jordan Walker steps to the plate. With just six home runs and three swings left.
You could do the math. He needs to basically keep Homer. He can't, he cannot. Miss once. That's the pressure.
That is pressure. And he steps to the plate. Any homers? Seven home runs, two swings left. And he steps to the plate.
Any homers? Eight home runs, one swing left. And you could do the math. He needs to homer here. And then he needs to hit three magenta balls out of the yard.
And only one human being had hit a magenta ball out of the yard all night, and it was the guy who was trying to beat. Any homers? Any homers? Any homers? And he now needs to hit one more home run to just say, we're not even going to go to a swing-off, we're going to end this thing right now.
And I got to tell you, I was on the edge of my seat. I'm like, this is what it's all about with this. Cocky Mimmy clock that I'd never even seen before. Until a few years ago. as they were trying to spice up this tournament.
And this evening. Any homers again? And his dad's pitching. And his family's in the crowd. And those seemed to be like the only two three people who were rooting him on along with his fellow All-Stars.
Unbelievable. I was cheering. I'm like, this is amazing. And he wins a $1 million prize. And because he's On his first Major League Baseball contract.
That's 201. Thousand dollars more than he's making this year for an entire season.
So that's like Times X. What is that, Chris? He made 125% of his salary. You sure? Yeah.
Because you know, I can't count. Oh, the gambler knows all the money. It was pretty awesome. And. Dude.
His dad was so hype. His dad's like, he swings like me. Yeah. You know, well, he told the story of his first ever home run and how it hit his grandmother in the car. Like, it was great.
Everything you wanted about it last night. It delivered. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.
And this is what Jordan Walker Had to say about winning the home run derby. I know to expect coming to this Omar Derby. Um And there's guys who've done it before. Their approach was kind of to take something away from them who've done it before as it was going on. And all honesty, I had a lot of fun with it.
That was what it was. I can try to get my best swing off. But, um,. Just watching their composure as well helped me towards my game, you know. But no matter what, they were staying composed even when the swings weren't going that way their way.
They took their time and they went about their business. And I'm just excited to see more of that as this All-Star week is going on. Do you want to talk about crazy stats here? Or nuggets fact. He's the first St.
Louis Cardinal to win the home run derby. And I'm like, wait a minute, Mark McGuire didn't win the home run derby in 1999? He did not. No. It was Ken Griffey Jr.
over Jeremy Bernitz. And I was there covering the 1999 home run derby, interviewing any American League all-star who had just homered, because Stewart had the National League. Trust me, I was sitting there going, he gets Maguire and Sosa, huh? That's for a future this was Sports Center. But Yeah.
I forgot it. And I was on the field in Fenway Park. Yeah, the Cardinals have had some great players. How about Pujols never won? Dude!
And Maguire, I'll never forget that 99 all-star game. Although I did. I just did. You did. I'll never forget this fact about it.
Good one. Thank you for calling me on it immediately. He had 13 home runs in his at-bat, his first at-bat, and he broke his bat in the middle of it. Really? Yes.
And I do believe at one point During the at-bat. Pedro Martinez tried to steal the bat from him because he kept on parking it over the green monster. And he refused to let the bat go because he was hitting home runs with it, even though he had already. Broken it. Wonder why.
And he didn't win. But this young man did. with all of Philadelphia rooting against him. My thought was Philly's brutal. I mean, honestly.
But I think it's pretty special because they love their players, you know, and that's what you want, you know, from your your home, like where you play. I mean, I'd never hear people cheer so loud for like, you know, Schwarber and Harper, and those guys did their thing for sure. But, you know, I can't hate them because that's their hometown. That's their guy.
So I just got to play the game. I love it. Good for him. And he's wearing his. Is Netflix MVP jacket?
That jacket's right there. Do it. Listen, I love the format. I like the format. Yeah, huge win.
The only, there's just a couple of changes, if I may, because I can't. Help myself not tinkering here. I'd shave o H how do we shave a half an hour off this thing? Yeah. Well, the intros took a while.
Well, I don't, listen, I can't blame Netflix for trying to, you know, it's their first crack at it here. Yeah. And eventizing it as big as they possibly can. I assume they got Michael Buffer because this is Philadelphia, the town of Rocky. Is that why?
No, I assume. I think Michael Buffer, if you put the bag in front of him, he will. No, I understand that. But why? The only, like, to bring sort of a boxing element to it.
He's from Philadelphia.
Okay, see what I mean? Like, so, so. We're putting it all together. I understand they've got Will Farrell's new show that's coming out, and they're trying to put everything together. As a matter of fact, during Jordan Walker's interview last night, right after winning, Um, Netflix treated this like it was the end credits of any of the shows that I'm watching.
Did it did this happen to you that they put it zoomed in the top left corner and they gave you all different sort of new things that you should watch, including Will's. New show, which comes out this week, which is great. And I'll I'll watch it. But like I wanted to see the the Jordan Walker interview full screen with his dad. Same.
So a couple of times I was trying to tinker with it and I once it got out of the app. See, that's weird. I saw that full screen.
So, so Listen, um Uh can we sh if we shave, what do we do? Make it 15 swings and then 10 and 10? We could do that. Oh, interesting.
Okay.
So these guys aren't all gassed? They were getting a little, you can tell, a little tired at the end. Because. I do believe the entire event was like two hours and 40-something minutes. Let's just say if it was two hours and 40 minutes.
I looked it up. The Philadelphia Phillies have played 20 baseball games, actual games in that stadium so far this year. Shorter than that time. 20 games. They played 20 baseball games in a shorter amount of time than the home run derby took place in that stadium.
Mm. Mm. So I'd shorten it up a little bit. And then in terms of the Netflix presentation, A fan a fan was that Hunter Pence who was screaming the entire night? And I understand you're trying to give some sort of energy, but When he was screaming in Contreras' first at bat, I'm like, someone's got to get in his ear and tell him there's going to be at least 200 more home runs tonight, man.
A lot of different things. But I know, and I like Rizzo and Vascurgian. Yeah, they did a good job. You know what I mean? And they had Bonds and Pool Holes, right, with El Duncan, and there's all different sorts of voices.
um that they tried to work in together. But the one thing we got to change is like, listen, if you're directing the home run derby, I might even know the director, so I apologize for saying this. I don't know who directed it. But let's take the Score Saze and Fellini out of it. I don't need to see the hero shots from down low.
When the series, when the events are on the line here, I need to see the pitch come in and leave the frame. I cannot tell. I am a die-hard baseball fan. And I have been watching baseball for half a century. And I cannot tell a home run swing From a flyout swing, if I cannot see the pitch, leave the frame.
I can't. Can you tell what a home run swing looks like just by zooming in on the player from down low? I need to see the pitch come in. And I need to see it leave the frame so at least I can tell. Oh, that's at a certain angle that that could be gone.
Only if he's swarber you can tell, but uh n uh brother I don't know about that. There were a couple of swings where it was just like, and he goes, oh, that's why I know it's not going to be a home run. Right. Because I can't see the ball come in or leave the frame. I got you.
You know what I mean? Some of those shots, though, after we saw, like when it was from down low from behind home plate, and you watched it leave beautiful. Beautiful. I mean they're but even that showing that live, you could tell if it's a home run. But if you cannot see the ball leave the frame, The viewer at home can't tell what's what's happening.
So, ideally, what shot would you like to have? I want to see just like a baseball game.
So center field behind the city. Yeah, like certainly if it's down to you have to homer. That happened twice. Contrarus. and the eventual winner Walker needed to keep homering to win.
So For those, just gimme, gimme behind home plague. Or, I mean, from center field. Yeah, I want center field and I want to. Or behind, and I want to cut the hunter behind so we can see. Maybe.
I don't know. Or don't cut. Yeah. Like, just give me straight up. It's the same thing when I'm watching a football game.
on a kickoff. Like, why do I need to follow it on the Skycam? But then again, I might be showing my age here. That's the way it looks like a video game. That's the way most of everyone in the demographic that they're trying to get to buy stuff.
Is used to watching a game from. At any rate, I thought it was. Just a great night overall. I'm I'm nitpicking now. But Netflix picking?
Perfect primer. Perfect primer for tonight's game. It was awesome. It was exciting. I'm sure kids were into it.
Cage. We were dialed in. It was great. Great night for baseball. It was awesome.
But if Cage was on the East Coast, though, pal, this is almost 11 o'clock. Like, that's what I'm saying. Like, we got to let's shave some time off. I tell you, I got confused. I'm watching Monday Night Raw on Netflix on Monday.
I was looking for the home run derby, never realizing that it was also on Netflix.
Well, I mean, that's the first time. I missed the first 20 minutes of it. That's part and parcel of our world right now, right? It was like, it's not on the ABC. Right.
So I missed, like I said, I missed the first. 15, 20.
Well, I tell you what, man. It was, I think, a successful net overall. It's something that we just led the show with.
Now it's time to talk about World Cup. Tarot Twellman's going to join us when we return here on the Rich Eisen Show. Should we hydrate now? We should. No.
Wait. Because I think he's going to pull the usual drill.
Okay.
Well, I don't know. I'm going to have fun. Get your water ready.
So, about a third and two-thirds through the interview, we're going to start drinking water. Water. Rich Eisen here for Gusto. On my shows, we talk a lot about what happens in the spotlight, the games, the highlights, and the moments that get replayed and debated. But in any successful operation, what happens behind the scenes matters just as much.
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The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rich moment here on the program. But you want to know, Rich, real quick, real quick, if the camera, I don't know if I can get this. This is the coolest gift I've ever gotten.
So these two balls right here. Baseballs, not soccer balls.
So my grandfather played for the Yankees, Tigers. I didn't know. Yeah, yep.
So he won, if I'm not mistaken, this is one of the Detroit Tigers ball. Is that 84? 450? Oh, 50. 56.
Okay.
And then this is a Yankees. This is the Chicago White Sox. There you go, Chicago White Sox that he played for.
So he played 11 years in the majors.
So that was. When he passed away, All of us got like some memorabilia.
So one of those balls, I I think it's this one was one of the Yankees teams that he got traded from midseason. They won a World Series, and yet he still got a He's still got a ring and all of that, so it's kind of cool.
So if you win a if you if you won a championship. With Hank Greenberg. That is the most successful combination of a 12man and a Jewish guy since this very conversation. I would think, Taylor. Yeah, how come that didn't translate the whole 12 this week to be made championship?
Uh-oh, Taylor. We'll get to that in short order. All right, sir. France and Spain, break it down for me. What do you got?
What do you got? This is as good as it gets. Before the tournament started, Rich, I said this would be the World Cup final.
Now, I don't know if I fully believe that because I think England is playing at a level that they've never played at. There's a belief within that group, and then Argentina obviously has Leon Omessi and everyone else just playing above their caliber to. Send them out in the right way.
Now, this French team is as athletic as any team I've ever seen. And if you listed the top 10. attacking players in the world right now. I think they have three of them. Obviously Mbappe, Dembele, but Olise has been absolutely brilliant.
He's been arguably the best provider in this entire tournament. And so when you throw in Mbappe, Dembele, and Olise, now the Spanish team is really going to have. To deal with something.
Now, they've only given up one goal.
So, the issue will be, it comes down simply to this. And I've said this since 2010 when I started covering the Spanish team. It is a death. By a thousand passes.
Okay, they do not care where they are in the field. They will pass the ball to death to make you miserable, to have you chase the game. The problem with that is this, and this is going to be the number one issue for Spain today. is when they lose the ball Can they collectively swarm the ball, try to press the ball and win the ball immediately back? If they don't, France has the athleticism, France has the dynamism to really expose them.
So I get it. The Spanish team's only given up one goal at this tournament, and it was in the quarterfinal to Belgium. But I'm not sure they have faced anyone like this French team, and I'll be shocked if France isn't in the final.
Okay, and then the Wednesday semifinal. Argentina and England. I mean, England, man, Jude Bellingham. Um has been outstanding. And what they just did to get past Mexico, in Mexico City.
and then follow it up the way that they followed it up is unbelievable. And yet their coach is calling it lucky, right? And you did you see that reaction from Bellingham afterwards when his coach's quote was brought up to him? He goes, whatever. You know what I mean?
I don't know if that's just like tough love, hard coaching or anything like that, but You need to have all your ducks in a row against the Argentines, wouldn't you not say, Taylor? Yes, I agree, Rich. I do.
Now, listen, I loved Harry Kane yesterday or two days ago when he addressed the Jude Bellingham and said, Listen, it's two minutes after a game. You get told a quote, you react. Obviously, when you're in the battle, in the thick of things, you're going to stick up for yourself and for what the team was. But then after the game, Thomas Tuchel and company, they kind of hashed it out. I think there was a little bit misleading there from the media in saying that.
I think you're right. There is a little bit of tough love. He knows that this English mentality and togetherness, it's been a long time, if ever, Rich, that they've had this. And then when you have a game breaker, And Harry Kane and a game changer and Jude Bellingham. They're kind of really feeling themselves.
And I think the German manager is just making sure that they are focused because they're gonna have to be at their absolutely best. To beat Argentina and Leonel Messi. And I actually think they can. Argentina's got very lucky, Rich. And you and I were talking about this at the American Century Championship.
They've got very lucky.
However, I've always been a firm believer you make your own luck. And this is not anxiety for Leonel Messi, they've already won it.
So they don't have to. They've already won the World Cup for him.
Now they're trying to send him out in a different, it's a different kind of energy than it was three and a half years ago. In the Middle East, that's a difficult one when you've got this burden that he never won one. This is kind of saying we want to send you out with the right gift. That's why I think that luck is going to be very difficult for England if they're not absolutely perfect against Argentina.
Well, you want to take a swing at this one, Taylor, that it's not luck that a lot of people think there's a FIFA thumb on the World Cup scale for Argentina. You want to take your crack at that one? I don't believe in that. I do think the VAR decision with the Egyptian goal that was taken back, where it went back over 100 yards from goal, I think that raised a lot of eyebrows when a lot of people hadn't seen that in a while. But, Rich, what nobody's talked about is when the VAR protocols initially came out and they're still in there, that it's within the attacking phases of the game, and you can understand it and see it.
So, that's where the listen, I thought it was harsh. I thought the Egyptian goal should have stood.
However, Egypt still gave up three goals in the final 13 minutes of the game.
So, whether that goal stood or not, I'm still going to tell you, Argentina, with the luck and the belief that they have, I still believe they would have won that game.
Now, the road's easier because you just compared what England did, Mexico and Mexico, Norway and Miami. Every single travel heat element has been a part of the English run-up where it hasn't been for Argentina. But I just, I can't go that far in and believe a conspiracy. That FIFA's tipping the scale for Messi to go out with a bang.
So, you think it's France, Argentina at the end of the day? I did before the tournament started, and I'm not going to move away from that. All right, so then that sets up because you know I'm a narrative guy by trade as an NFL guy. And I always have this when it's a Super Bowl, which obviously this is. A World Cup final, a Super Bowl in Met Live, oh, pardon me, New York, New Jersey, like the Seahawks and the Broncos had a few years ago.
Um Brother, I mean, Mbappe and Messi are going into the semifinals tied atop the golden boot standings. Yeah. And then, you know, obviously Holland is out, although Norway thinks he could have had an eighth goal if Sirlott had passed to him. And then Kane and Bellingham are right there. I mean, if one of them braces to get past Messi, right, like they could potentially be in this mix.
for the golden boot, but let's just continue on with the Mbopi and Messi. Because the standings, I think I talked with you about this while we were getting in IV or going through PT or whatever at the American Century Championship. Messi's one in front of Mbappe in the all-time. Goals scored standings for World Cup. They both passed closer.
in this Tournament, and it's I don't know. I still haven't found out the answer to this question if this particular statistic, this category, has ever changed hands twice within the same World Cup. You know, no, right? Like never. But it's entirely possible that Mbappe could win the golden boot and be in front of Messi.
For the all time Goals record in a final. I mean, epic doesn't even come close to describing. No, how about the five names you just listed? Right, I know. I mean, the stars have delivered in this tournament, unlike any real World Cup that I can remember off the top of my head.
Because oftentimes, there's always this breakthrough player here or there. And yeah, we can talk about Oluse for the world, or even Erling Holland for the general sports fan in America. They didn't really know who he was.
Now they all know who he was. But you look at those five names. We're talking global superstars, and they've all delivered. And the fact that England's got two on that list. Rich, that's kind of remarkable.
Jude Bellingham was actually being rumored six months before the tournament that he probably shouldn't go due to, quote, as the paper said, harmony in the locker room. What are you talking about right now? He's arguably been the best player in the tournament.
So this World Cup has been epic. Because of the stars. And I firmly believe that. To answer your question, it's never been that way because close-up was Chase and Pele. They never had the same generations of players playing in the same World Cups.
So for Mbappe, who's obviously going to play another World Cup, if not two, if he wants to, when it's all said and done, he'll be the all-time leading goal scorer. But in this World Cup, you know Messi's thinking, I want to win the golden boot, I want to win the World Cup, and I want to be ahead of Mbappe. And I think if Argentina wins the World Cup, that's going to ultimately come true. I'm going to fit into your narrative, though.
Okay.
Seattle Seahawks. Broncos, what won that game? Defense. Defense. Right, yeah.
Remember that game? Sure. It blew the Pate Manning, Wes Welker, that offense came in there and they got there absolutely punched in the face. They got knocked down. They never recovered.
If France plays Argentina, that is going to be the biggest topic of what can happen because of what we saw three and a half years ago, which is the greatest game of all time in the international game. I don't know if you get that same kind of game. I really don't. I actually believe that game could be very KG, and then which team is better defensively, which team can stop. Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, where France is now playing in their third straight World Cup final.
Rich, you're talking a bunch of narratives in that one, and I ultimately think that's the game we get for the final. Outstanding. To finish up our World Cup conversation for this show, Take your hack at the U.S. men's national team and what they did in this World Cup and the hand-wringing coming out of it. About the state of men's soccer or boys and men's soccer in this country, Taylor.
It's crazy, Rich. I feel like we talk about pay-to-play every four years. And a bunch of people come into the conversation that don't pay attention and then all of a sudden come in and say, pay to play this, pay to play that, and all of those certain things that. We all are living and we're talking about and understanding throughout the game. And it's just, it's a little frustrating from someone on the inside that lives it and breathes it because I am always going to be open-minded to everybody on the outside that pays attention and offers ideas.
But if your same idea, and listen, pay to play is a massive issue, not in soccer. In use sports in our country, Rich. You and I talked a little bit about this at the American Century Championship. Every sport is expensive now. It never was the case when you and I played.
It wasn't even the case 15 years ago. But whether it's AAU baseball or basketball, whether it's gymnastics or cheerleading, whether it's soccer or hockey or lacrosse. The fact that literally baseball is now expensive, Rich, we've kind of lost the plot here.
Now youth Sports is now a business and it's not a development. And that question always comes every four years because the rest of the world is doing something differently than the United States are.
Now, the reason why the women are better than the men is because the women have full resources. They have Title IX, they have college, they have more resources in this country than the majority of the rest of the world. But once France, England, Colombia, Brazil, and they joined the women conversation, now the gap has been bridged. Because soccer minds are doing it. This is a long-winded way of saying.
We've got to find a way to have a bigger fishing net.
So, when the World Cup comes, we have 48 to 50 players capable of playing at the highest level, not relying. On one Christian Pulissic, one Weston McKinney, one Tyler Adams. We've got to have a deeper roster of players. And until we don't, if we don't do that, Rich, you and I are going to have the same conversation every four years. And if we're in that ecosystem, right, and you're, and that doesn't motivate you to change ideas and to change methods.
Then that's the definition of insanity. Because if you do the same thing over and over and expect a different result, Rich, you know the answer to that question.
Well, I don't know what the fix is, you know, because right now we're howling at the moon, right? We're blaming, we're blaming systems, we're all the way down to. Yeah. Let's be honest, like A-hole AYSO parents. You know what I mean?
Who are yelling and screaming on the side? Like, that's part of the reason why I stopped. I just couldn't stand being part of that world and culture with my kids feeling it. You know what I mean? Um It does feel like you're hauling out the moon, Rich.
How about it? It does. I just, here's what I would do, and I've always been a bigger believer. Raise the lowest tide, okay? Here's what I would do.
In my personal opinion, because soccer has become so expensive. All of the town levels in the United States of America. If I was in charge and had the money to do this, because the mission statement for U.S.
soccer is to grow the game, I would make sure the lowest level coaching in the United States of America for men and boys is raised exponentially.
So if a kid. Boy or girl can only play town, can only play town travel. They are getting proper education, they're fostering the love of the sport. Versus you play one season with town, then you're told to go play travel for some club. They've got seven teams per age, there's four clubs in the area, and everyone's paying seven grand for what?
For what promise? We we need to change something and, in my opinion, raise the lowest tide.
So if he or she wants to do other sports at age eight, nine, ten, they can, but they're still getting a level of education with the sports. That is good enough to then maybe foster the ideas and imagination of playing for the United States. It's just an idea, but you follow where I'm going. We can change things, but you've got to be willing to change things versus just staying on this train track hoping for a miracle. Because I don't think the miracle is coming.
Listen, being in the Final 16 of the world, Norway just got celebrated for being in the Final Eight. You would have thought they won the World Cup, Rich. We do have to have a little bit of perspective. But I just think the United States of America should be and needs to be in the final eight of the world. That has to be the goal right now.
Everyone else wants to say win the World Cup, sure. But we can't get out of the Final 16. Get to the Final Eight and then see where you are and then make the next move. But that's where I'm at. Yeah, me too.
And I just want to say as well, because I know my foot's just going to get stuck in my mouth. Not all parents that I dealt with were. I mean, there are many who really do mean well. or not mean well, who do well. And want this to work.
Four kids and want it to work. Um and it just seems like a a system now that we're we're For the first three you know, for pool play, we're all like, Hey, it's working. And then, you know, obviously what what we saw with Belgium, everyone is kind of turning, like a heel turn in a way. Do you think Pochitino should stay? Taylor.
It's a great question. If Pochitino wants redemption, I'm open to it. Because anyone that is going to sit here with a half a brain and say he got a full cycle to implement his style and his fingerprint on the system, no, you will not get me to believe that. He was barely here. He should have been hired or someone of that magnitude right after the World Cup in 22.
So then they had a full cycle.
So if Pochitino believes. That he can do this and he is motivated by the debacle of what happened against Belgium. Because, quite frankly, he should answer some of those questions. Because I thought Belgium tactically had a wrinkle for him that he couldn't figure out until halftime. If he wants to, sure.
However, Rich, I want your audience to understand. I've hung out with Mauricio. I've listened to him. I've talked with him. He seems like the guy that wants the everyday task of coaching a club team.
So I haven't spoken to him since the World Cup. I don't know if that's changed. I don't know if he's enjoyed the international game. But when I first met him and first got to know him, it sounded like a guy that loves the daily grind, that loves really implementing his tactics within the team on a daily basis. That isn't going to happen with the U.S.
men. That cannot happen at the international game. That's got to be the real question that Mauricio and his camp need to answer before he makes the decision to come back. Thank you, Taylor Twellman. We'll chat again on Thursday after the semifinals to set up the final.
And we'll have a good time on all of that front. And it was great seeing you at the American Century Championship. It was a blast, my man. With Larry David. Look at that.
Look at that right there. L. David. Right. And Larry David and Larry the cable guy.
You were there for this moment with Smoltz and Doc. Oh, it was awesome. Both Larry's looked at Rich and said, I didn't know your caddy was on your right side. Good to see you, buddy. We'll chat again soon.
Enjoy. Enjoy the Thursday. You got that. Taylor 12 minutes, everybody. He'll be back on Thursday's show.
And we'll be back in just two seconds. or minutes. 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.
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We've just had this conversation with Taylor Twellman, we've had it with Maurice Sadoux, and you're seeing it everywhere. based on the fact that the U.S. men's national team did not get past. Um Two knockout round stages again in the World Cup. And everybody's pointing out: well, the way that the rest of the world handles their youth soccer is not the way the United States does it.
Pay for play is what Taylor Twoman said. And you listen, you look around the rest of the world and see the way that they do it. I'm sure that. There's issues and problems with w the way those Um youth sports. Constructs are handled.
I'm sure nothing's perfect. I'm sure there's also a lot of self-dealing, double-dealing, even worse in those scenarios. But just in terms of what we're talking about here in this country, it is so damn expensive to have your kids play youth sports. Period. End of story.
You know, of all the sports that that um Taylor mentioned, he didn't even mention tennis. You know, which is a sport that Cooper's really into right now. It is damn expensive. When you mentioned how the Little League is, or pony baseball, is now, you started shaking your head over there. Oh, yeah, I'm in it.
You're deep in it right now. And then you just filter up from, and I mentioned, again, I regret that I mentioned one organization in particular, but it's soccer. About a-hole parents, they're, you know, it was really tough. And I was a coach for, which is probably a problem, for Xander and Cooper when they played, because you want to coach your kid if you can. Just to have that sort of father-son aspect.
But I never played favorites or anything like that. It didn't matter anyway. The little kids sometimes had to teach them to run a certain way. Like, that's when I was at that level.
Okay.
Um but you you're you're looking at that and then you look at filter up. To collegiate sports. It's just like with the NIL and the portal and everything else that's right now that seems to have no rules. I mean, the amount of money you need to get your kid through youth sports to set for college, and then in college, the amount of money that's coming into some people's pockets or at least being promised to them, and then they don't get it because there's no rules. You're sitting here going like Will this can this ever get fixed?
Can it ever get fixed? And who would be the one to fix it? Because if you're looking to the federal government to do it, that ain't happening. I mean, that doesn't appear to be how. I don't know what the fix is.
Normally, whenever I say something here, I'll give an idea. I don't know. Yeah, the other thing, too, is like, what is the incentive For the people making the most money off USports to fix it. There isn't. There isn't.
So, what do they care if the men's soccer team or any other develops? They don't care. They're aligning their pockets. Look at healthcare in this country. I mean, if you really want to go deeper and wider cast a net, there isn't.
So I don't know, unless there are parents who are just like, you know what? I don't know. Can you start another organization where it is the other way around? I honestly do not know until you maybe have the money come in in a donor type way to set up things, academies where it does not, Cost you money to out of the goodness of some rich individual's heart? Maybe that's the one way to do it.
I don't know. Normally we like to come up with the answers here on the program. Our number one in the books here on the radio side of things. Call us 844-204-Rich. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Mm-hmm.
