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. If LeBron decides to drag it on into August. This is The Rich Eisen Show. What is the timeline on getting an answer? I wish I knew, man.
I want to go on vacation. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show. Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. Coming up.
Apple TV lead MLS analyst Taylor Twellman. Academy Award winner Matt Damon. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Yeah. Tell her someone's gonna join us shortly.
to talk about what we saw in the World Cup. And we found out last night there's only one person on planet Earth who doesn't know the gender of Shoei Otani, and it's Mike Tyson. Didn't have that on the old list. That was wild.
Okay. You're off mic. He's like, sure. Show he's a guy. You heard that one?
Did you see that one last night on the SBC? I heard about it. I didn't see it live. Did you see it? Uh Jim Abbott's speech.
Please seek it out. That was awesome. in uh getting the Jimmy V Award for courage. Um It's great, man. Those speeches when when delivered from the heart, and mo you know, most of them are.
But everyone should check out Jim Abbott's speech. That was awesome. And straight again, I haven't been to the SPs since, man, probably the last Espy Awards I went to was probably 2002. Um And all the Knicks showed up, and all the Knicks won. Oh.
That's odd. They even had Fat Joe ready to start serenading them when they came up to the stage for winning best team. What's the matter? Fat Joe in the Yankees. It's a mush.
He certainly wasn't mushing on the Knicks. I know that, but Knicks and five. You don't want him in the Yankees stadium. I found it. Did you find it?
Did you not see any of this stuff? I didn't see any of it. Carl Anthony Towns delivered the speech.
Okay. All the Knicks up there. The only thing that Brunson, oh, we have, this is great. Uh the we have the only thing that Brunson said, right? We got that?
Um Go ahead and roll it. Macy, someone is missing up here. Want to say thank you to the SCs for pulling Josh Hart's invite. Thank you. Appreciate you, S so much.
We really appreciate that. I say thank y'all from all my teammates, and I hope this trophy, especially here in New York, getting this trophy, shows the word love. The love of each other and this team is what got us through the humps in December when we weren't playing our best basketball. The love of the fans is what got us back down 29 at home. Yes, yes.
And as also, I think, this war shows the love of New York because. The love of New York made this whole journey and this whole accomplishment of winning a championship worth it.
So thank you, New York. Thank you to the fans. Thank you to the organization for giving us this chance and believing in us. Shout out and always Nixon 5. Yeah.
They're going to have that for the rest of their life. Oh, baby, you are not wrong. Kid born in Edison. Grew up in Piscataway, Mikey D? Went to high school in Matouche in New Jersey.
What was the Josh Hart bit? Hart wasn't there.
So he must have had something else he was doing. I didn't know if it was a wrong gag or something.
Well, with those two. I'm sure those are just seeing the Knicks likable on the stage makes me sick. I know that. I get it, which, by the way, makes me delighted. But to.
To seek. Cat, be the one to grab that award and speak on behalf. That is cool. It's pretty cool, man. Because, again, his.
Arrival was not heralded. by a lot of Nick fans who are like, wait a minute. We're sending Julius Randall away. And you remember what I said when I was here? I'm like, I get it, Nick fans.
Like, you love Randall. We love Randall. What Randall did in being a self made guy and And him and Brunson together were supposed to be the duo. And they trade him away for Carl Anthony Towns, who has that reputation for being soft. And then last year, the Knicks don't.
Don't get past the pacers. And um Now look at him. By the way. Carl Anthony Towns, one of my favorites here, and that speech I think was one of his best performances. Since um Sending TJ Jefferson to flower after flower and balloon after balloon, trolling him for his Cowboys losing to Katz Eagles.
I like to try to forget this ever happened. I don't. Oh, no. TJ's face in the sick. I mean, Carl Anthony Townsend, he's grown up before our eyes, huh?
You know, he also, pre-show, Kat also gave out, and this is the first time I've ever seen this. They had a best trading card award that he gave out. Yeah. Okay. And who's who won't?
It was a hockey player. I can't now the name. But there was a one-of-one. Mark Channing? No, it was not.
But there was a one-of-one autographed Shohei Aaron Judge card, which I thought would have won, and it didn't win. I'm like, how? There was no card out of these that could have won. Oh, that's so sad. Is this, by the way, because you know there's a relationship between the Espys and Fanatics?
Is that part of the card?
Well, Kat has his own, like, you know, we call it the Big Bodega's Breaks.
So he's very into trading cards, and yeah, and it has to do with But it would make sense that if Fanatics is now involved, that all of a sudden you're seeing an ESPE for best trading cards. Yeah, you know, it was best white party. I don't know what else. Where else are we going?
Well, there's not many to you know, white two. I wear black the whole white party. But yeah, that was the Espys last night. Oh, and by the way, Marcelo Hernandez, I I like funny. Here's what I didn't like.
I'm watching all the pre-show stuff, and then because we're on the west coast, we have to wait till eight. To watch the actual show.
So it was like three hours where I was like, all right, I was anticipating this. Were you not? Were you trying not to be. Having anything spoiled? Is that what you're saying?
Okay. No, it didn't come onto it. All right. Got it. Gabriel in Washington.
He was the one who called in right before the show. How are you, Gabriel? You want to do something, I think. You there, Gabriel? Gentlemen, how are you?
Hey, sorry, sorry, sorry. I was taking a nap, but I had to wake up. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'd fall asleep too. Are you the way you're critiquing the first hour of this program? Were we that?
No, no, no, no, no. Hey. I know Rich, that you are the only other person to have done the win-loss for the Seahawks? That's right. I know that you are slowly waking up to the Seahawks.
Listen, look at, by the way, one of the best comebacks since Argentina, right there, where Gabriel's like, first hour I was sleeping through it.
Now you're just, okay. Yeah, I had them go 13 and 4.
So you would like to, you are the second person to call in, or first to call in and say you want to do a Seahawks win-loss. Give me some of the theme music, please, Mikey.
Alright, opening night. Still not a fan of this being the opening night game, man. I like Bears would have been better. I think so, too. Pats at Seahawks.
To kick off the season on Wednesday night, what do you got for me, sir? That will be a one-sided affair, my friend. Patriots pick in the Seahawks' favor. All right, that's 1-0.
Now you're at the Cardinals, week 2. 11 days later, by the way. Piece of cake, he says. 2-0 at the Commanders. Uh I got bad I got a bad feeling for the Commanders fans.
My heart goes out to them. I think RT3 is happening again with Jaden Daniels. That's a win. For Seattle, is what you're saying. Yes, but a win for Seattle.
Poor Dan Daniels, I think he's going to. I don't know. I think he's going to bounce back. But Gabriel, I'm with you. The one thing that the Seahawks have done habitually.
Over the past couple of years, is go on the East Coast and win a one o'clock window game that everybody thinks is going to be tough for him. Chargers visit Seattle week four. Recur wind.
Okay. Four and a half home for the 49ers. Reaction: Jay Harbaugh is going down to visit that little Harbaugh bowl right there. What do you got for me when the Niners pay a visit? Those guys smell like Bengay.
That's a win. Well, then. 5-0 at Denver in a short week, Thursday Night Football on Amazon. Denver has a tough, tough schedule to start the season. They're going to be on life support, and they're going to be desperate, and we're going to knock them out.
Denver season is done. Gabriel, 6-0, Chiefs now visit on a Sunday night. Thanks for coming, K9. We wish you luck, but not tonight. That's a win.
That's a 7-0 start. The Monday Nighter at Home Against the Bears. The Bears, the Iceman's going to melt. Win. 8-0.
Home for the Cardinals. That's cake. That's a sweep. 9-0 at the rate. The rate is?
Uh, that's a win. 10-0. Boy, if they go, they're 10-0 going to San Francisco. Oh, baby. What do you got for me?
You know, I got a brother-in-law, I got an uncle, I got a best friend, I got a lot of people in my life that are San Francisco Fort and Irish fans. My neighbors are San Francisco Fort Irish fans. Uh The Coast Let's were 49ers fans. If you can't beat them, buy them. Win, Seahawks.
11-0.
Well, that's where they won the Super Bowl on that stadium. 11-0, they've now swept the 49ers and swept the Cardinals. 11-0.
Cowboys in Seattle on a Monday night. That's a big ticket. That's a big ticket. Cherry's coming to town.
Sorry, Cherry. Win to the Seahawks. 11-0.
My goodness The giants pay a visit Oh, Mike McDonald gets a nice little visit with John Harbaugh. John Harbaugh is going to regret flying out to Seattle. That's the one. That's now actually, it's now 13-0. You've got.
A 13-0 Seahawks team visits Philadelphia. On the Saturday night of week 15. Billy? Push push? No, thanks.
The barnyard is coming to town. A.J. Barner is going to be under center. Goal to go, touchdown. Barnyard.
This means the Seahawks, according to Gabriel in Washington, are 14-0. On Christmas night when the Rams pay a visit. Did you guys see the Seahawks with the release of the schedule? They did the cologne commercial. Yes, I did see that.
That was pretty good. That was pretty good. Yeah. The Rams getting Miles Garrett and getting McDuffie and Watson and all these other guys they're bringing in. You know what that smells like?
That smells like desperation, brother. That's a two-point win for the Siaka.
Okay, good one. 15-0 at the Panthers. That's a win. 16-0 here in SoFi Stadium, going for a perfect season against the team that everybody is going to be going for on a perfect season. I'm doing what TJ couldn't do yesterday.
I'm going out on a limb. Mike McDonald, coach of the year. Going to be the greatest season of all time. The respect is coming. Everyone is waking up to the Seahawks.
17 and 0. 17 and 0, man. There you go. Gabriel and Juan. Saying it with my chest.
Wow. Neb short. It's not a lie if you believe it. I believe it, Chris. No way.
Very good. Gabriel and Washington. Even though I caught two straights, there you go. No reason. I like what he did, right?
17-0. Oh, wait, there's sweet.
Well, people get so mad when fans give their predictions. This is supposed to be fun, man. Let me ask you this question. Fans, let me ask you this question. I'm going in a second, Gabriel.
What happens? Because the Rams are the team that everybody expects to not lose at all. Right, right. Because he also did say: you know, McDuffie and Watson and Garrett's coming. Donald might be there too.
And by the way, on the Espy Awards last night, I mean. Garrett stepping up there on the stage. He's just bigger than most human beings. This just in what happens if the Rams do, in fact, do what we all think, which is not lose? And what Gabriel in Washington Thanks as well.
And then on Christmas night on Fox, by the way. Yes. It's 15 and 0 versus 15 and 0. On Christmas Eve. I'm going to that game.
Because the Rams and the Seahawks do not face each other until Christmas night. Mm. Two of their last three games are against each other. Fingers crossed. Let's go.
Could you imagine if that is in fact what happens? You say we all think the Rams aren't going to lose. Is that well? I'm not saying the we in this room. I'm saying the we uh of the Like, I mean, the voices of football.
I mean, are people saying the Rams are going to go undefeated? Am I missing this? Yeah, you are. Yes. What are you talking about?
What do you mean? That's been a conversation since they got Miles Garrett. Undefeated. Yeah, I guess maybe I forgot since we were at a break because we weren't talking about it. But, like, yeah, undefeated stuff.
And then when 99 returns? Yeah. Well, that's the only story. That's what I mean. If it comes back, let's go here.
Oh, this is fun. This is fun. I'll do my four downs at the end of the hour. Uh what if Okay. What if I told you?
Donald does return. Does he come midseason? No, no. You think we'll find out? Later this month.
Training camps open. here in Southern California will know. You think he's going to go through the whole grind? What I've been reading, and what it seems to be the chatter out there, he doesn't want to do the just sail in and coaster the end. He would be committed.
He wants to grind. He's that dude. Yeah, he'll be there for training camp. He was at the facility last week. Whereas most people would view and say, yeah.
People think the Rams aren't going to lose a game. I guess maybe since we didn't talk about it last week, we were on break, I forgot that there was undefeated freedom. Oh, we could talk about it every week because I'm a passionate Rams fan, according to Cooper Eisenhower. Couldn't go better if they go undefeated as you can. Undefeated, though, come on.
Pumpkin breaks.
So fi. Pump them. Play in so far. What if they do? And Gabriel and Washington's right.
Because you look at what Seattle can do, right? I had them losing their first game. I had them losing in Denver. I think that's a tall order. Short week.
After you've just played the 49ers. I don't know. Okay. That's going to be one would think of Donny Brook, unless Seahawks fans are like, well, what happened the last time they were in Seattle? That thing was over.
on the kickoff. And it was. In the divisional round of the playoffs, by the way. But you're playing the nine you're okay. Take a look at that.
You're playing just from week week four. You're playing the Chargers and you know, Jim. Is coming to hit you in the mouth, right? Their physical team. Then you've got the Niners.
Then you've got a short week in Denver. That's just a tall. I don't care if your championship pedigree is. KC Chicago. That little five-week stretch there is very difficult.
It is rough. I had them also losing at home to Chicago. I might be wrong about that one. To be honest. But I also had them losing in San Francisco.
I don't Um and then I had them losing their last game here in Los Angeles. That's it. I have them winning 13 games. That's the difference between what I just said, what Gabriel just said, and what I did. which has had them lose four.
13-4 is a hell of a record. 2-4. And they'd be 4-2 in division, and it's a jump ball. 13 wins is going to be in the mix for the one seed. Yep.
Do you think, how about this? The one seed will also be. Up in the air. But the the division will be up in the air just like the ones he just liked last year too. Yeah.
Right. where it came down to they had to go to San Francisco to win the win. win the division. And the one seed. Yeah, I would think that's very likely.
That the West. Is not decided victory. The banner in the West is also the one seed. Race. Yep.
Give me the team that brought bust set up in the NFC. This is fun. I can't get enough of it. I'm getting my juices flowing, guys. This season.
Ladies. I'm drinking that bear, that bear juice. Hey. Yeah. I know what you're going to say.
And you might be right. I got to. You might be right. You might be right. Dallas plays Seattle.
I mean, Dallas has got. Dallas plays Seattle. They play San Francisco too, don't they? Yeah. And the Rams.
Like, they're tough. I mean, I know I say, if they win those games, man, tough schedule. This is a tough school. I get it, but they do play the relevant teams: Green Bay, Finn. Philadelphia, I mean, Baltimore.
Their own division, if you think somebody else is coming from it, like Philadelphia, right? And then the West.
So they're going to have some head-to-head tiebreak opportunities here. If they win the right games and finish with enough dubs, they can be in the one-seed mix, too. That's a hard schedule. We're definitely going to have to go to Jacksonville, Seattle, Chicago, Green Bay, Houston, Baltimore, Philly. Yeah, that is tough.
The end, not so. Everybody's got it. Yeah. You can look at everybody's schedule and go, oh, they're finished. That's true.
That's a tough schedule. That's how I feel every time we pop one of these schedules up. I'm like, well, that's kind of tough, too. Look at us talking ball. We're so close.
Unlike you guys, I don't want the season to get here too soon. Time is moving too fast anyway. I want it to stop the way. No, no, no. Season couldn't get here fast enough.
The only way I want it to slow down is for LeBron James to troll on Chris Brockman on his Instagram feed. That's the only thing I want to slow down. I'm talking in real life. Can I say tomorrow moving too fast? September will get here with you.
Tomorrow. We still have an hour and a half left in this show. Come on, Chris. Come on. Get aggregated.
Time like the present. All right, let me think. Aggregate now. Matt Damon's coming up. Let me look at that.
A bandwagon fan. The biggest insult in sports. But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup, it's an invitation, America. Never watched soccer before? Perfect.
Think a corner kick is a karate move? Sure, why not? Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks?
Now we're talking.
So grab a bag of Lays and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lays, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. 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.
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Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. More often than not, he's going to the goalkeeper's right. Taylor Twellman joining us here on the Rich Eisen Shore.
Our radio audience has just begun. We just chopped up on the Disney Plus side of things. That photograph that made it around social media of Jordan Pickford's water bottle about how he would handle. Each member of Argentina, if they did get to a PK, but obviously. We didn't get to penalties at all.
We didn't even get to Extra time because stoppage time was Argentina time once again. How do they keep doing it? Taylor? How does that happen? I don't know.
I don't know, Rich. I really don't. To think that in the knockout stage, they have not led. After 90 minutes.
Okay. Hey, man, they're like the Knicks in the NBA Finals. Yeah, I mean, it's wild. Think about it. Like, the game-winning goals have all come after the 92nd minute or whatever the number is.
Like, it's crazy to think about the amount of goals that they have scored after the 75th minute in this World Cup. There's just an extra 5%. Rich, that you cannot measure, you cannot quantify when you play with the greatest of all time. And what I've noticed with his time with Inner Miami And I've noticed now watching Argentina over the last, I would say, three or four years of World Cup qualifying, there's just an extra bit of energy, there's an extra bit of belief. That you just can't quantify, and you have to play an absolute perfect 90 plus minutes to knock them out.
We'll talk about what England did, but the belief they have with number 10 on their side, it's very difficult for me to. Articulate for me to quantify because Rich, you've been doing this a lot longer than me, my man.
Sometimes sports. That little bit of extra you just can't measure. Argentina's got that in spades. What do y okay, so there's a a few things uh uh I want to hit on with you. But let's linger on Messi a little bit more here.
That that um That cross with his right foot. Yeah. English defenders to seven.
Well, I mean, I see you include Pick for two, right?
So, seven, right?
So, um, to find the the one forehead he wanted to find. I ca I can't even fathom it. No. I mean, listen, I put this out on my social media. There's a picture of right before he hits it.
If you are just inside the 18, Rich, there's seven English defenders. Jordan Pickford. and four attacking players from Argentina. Four. And everyone and their mother thinks he's going to his left foot.
And he delivers a ball. over the head Of John Stones, if I'm not mistaken, in the picture, on an absolute dime. For any attacking player, it's a dream ball easy finish. It's wild. It's truly wild.
Now, England. Come on. You literally played into the hands of Lionel Messi. But Messi had everyone thinking he's cutting into his left, in swinging ball. No, he goes to his right, away from Pickford, catches everyone by surprise.
And here we are talking about a comeback. From Leono Messi in Argentina, where he delivers two assists with two wonderful goals, two completely different goals, and England's sitting there with their heads buried in their hands and maybe in the sand for how they played the final 30 minutes, but a brilliant ball. And listen, he's got over 800 assists in his career. You see why?
Well, England's manager, let's get to that now, Taylor Tallman on the Rich Eyes Show. After the three Lions score in the 55th minute, What was the strategy? And you're already shaking your head. Is it 2020 hindsight? No.
Walk me through it. Nope, I think I texted about 10 of my buddies that were watching the game and guys that just asked me, and it's 30 minutes left. No way. No way. What he did is not wrong.
When he did it is absolutely, unequivocally wrong. And anyone that was watching the game knew that right away. And what's very interesting to me, two points to this. First and foremost, I just made the point, he did it too soon. But, second, it's way more important to me.
After the Norway game, he criticizes the players. They win the game, they go through this battle. He criticizes the players that it's not good enough, they need to be better.
Now, after this game, He thinks the question is completely unfair. He doesn't answer the question and then he deflects and says, no regrets. This is the best game and the only way we can play that game. Whoa, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Thomas Tuchel was brought in very, very surprisingly for someone like myself and anyone in the world that I live in, a German manager coming in by the English FA because he was thought to be a step above tactically and understanding what it takes in those moments.
And he did exactly what every previous English manager did. And that is scared money doesn't make money rich. You cannot do that. Why? Why would you have?
14% possession after you're up 1-0. You put all 11 players behind the ball. Harry Kane's playing on top of his... 18-yard box, and you say to Messi, go float wide right. You're going to have all the time in the world to see the game, and you're going to find the pass that you need to.
I am stunned. Right now, that the English FA has already come out basically and said Thomas Tuchel will be there in the European Championships in 28. I'm not sure, my man. I'm not. And it really bothers me, the ex-player and me, that you want to criticize me in the thick of the battle in Miami, in the heat of the moment, where we grinded out a win and say it's not good enough.
But then, when it's not good enough from you, and the questions are tactically, you deflect and you say no regrets. There's no way, no way he gets away with that. And I don't think he will with the English media. I don't. Taylor Twellman here on the Rich Eyes Show.
And I kind of think you're right. Again, I'm outside looking in, observing. From across the pond, as we say, Tuchel is being portrayed as the most unpopular individual in England since Braveheart. You know, that's what it looks like to me. You know, like Longshanks wants to get his hooks in him.
And I don't know, man. And then a couple other things, too. Jude Bellingham, who had an incredible World Cup. What did he say to Messi, do you think? That that no messi this is now a new meme forever.
You know, the the the nod of the head from Messi, like, okay. Young Buck, I hear ye. What do you think he said to him? Hey, I'll be honest, I don't know, but I love it. Why?
I love it.
Okay. Stand up. If you're going to do it, try to. I don't care who he is.
Now, keep in mind, Drew Bellingham, Real Madrid player. Uh-huh. Barcelona. Leonel Messi.
So naturally, there's going to be a rivalry. And I love the fact that you show respect to Leonel Messi and all that. But if I'm going to roll up my sleeves for 90 minutes, I don't care who you are on the other side of the field. I'm going to try to beat your brains in.
So whatever he said to me, that showed me. Jude Bellium was not scared of the moment. He was not scared of the opposition. He was ready for the moment, and he was brilliant in this World Cup. I don't think England's in a semifinal without Jude Bellingham.
And the fact that four months before the tournament started, Thomas Tuchel was rumored of contemplating whether or not leaving Jude at home tells you How big of a, you know, what this is when it comes to Jude Bellingham, his interpretation, and his, I would say, Reputation within this English team going into the World Cup. I don't understand that, and it still mind-boggles me a little bit. But he stood up to Messi. And he said something to Messi.
Now, what's wild about this game, Rich, and I wanted to text you during it, and for some reason I got, is. All of the nonsense off the ball. Right, it just felt like Argentina was doing all those little things to get under the English skin. And yet, we saw players talking with their mouth closed. That was supposed to be a red card.
We saw players get hit. Jude Bellingham hit an Argentine player on the back of his head. Any kind of head contact is a red card. It just felt like the World Cup semifinal that we all wanted. Both on and off the field, if that makes any sense.
There was a real angst to this. And you could tell that for a quarter century, Jude Bellingham in his I would say a collection of players in his age group have heard how much they should hate Argentina, and we saw it. But Argentina was under their skin, and the referee allowed it just enough to get there.
Well, I don't think Jude Bellingham asked Leonel Messi for his autograph. I don't think he asked for his kid after the game. I secretly love it. But right now, The only thing that matters. Is we're interviewing Liam Mel Messi about the World Cup final, and Jude Bellingham has to deflect questions about his manager after that manager questioned him and the players after Norway.
What a 180 degrees different that is after the 60th minute. And on behalf of England fans, I mean, Argentina clocked an English player in like the fifth minute, sixth minute. Like, he could have been sent off with a red card on the spot, changed the entire tenor of things. They didn't even VAR that. There's a lot of question about not VARing the first goal.
Yeah, for Messi. I mean, to your point, Rich, we never saw a still photo of whether or not Messi was on side. Right. And throughout the entire tournament, we saw it. Even if he was a yard on side, they'd still show that.
They never showed that. Right, they didn't. And then one last thing. Bellingham sort of not really love tapping Barco afterwards. Did you see the video?
We saw it five minutes before today. Barco ran on the field like he was a streaker. After the first goal, after the equalizer for For Argentina, and I guess Bellingham didn't like that and went right up to him after the match. He was on fire, man. Yeah, in fairness, though, in fairness, you're not on the field.
Stay off the field.
Well, why do they allow everybody in the pennies to run on the field anyway? I don't know. It's hard for me to completely, listen, you score a goal, you celebrate. Listen, Landon Donovan scored against Algeria in 2010. We all remember that goal.
The entire U.S. bench was on top of him. It was a great moment. We saw Pochettino celebrate with Giovanni Reina in this world. I get it.
I understand it. I also understand Jude Bellingham saying, you didn't play in this game. Stay in your place. I kind of get that too. But the best interaction for me truly was Rodrigo DePaul.
And I put this out on social media, the video. Rodrigo DePaul and Jude Bellingham in each other's face. And Rodrigo DePaul got the yellow card. Jude Bellingham didn't. If you didn't see it, go to my X feed.
Rich, it's real. There is a real, and I said this before on your show on Tuesday. This is the most contentious World Cup rivalry. I'm not talking about rivalry in the game. Because England, Germany is a bigger rivalry.
But in just World Cup play, You'll be hard-pressed to find a more angry, contentious rivalry between two teams, two countries, and their fans. And that was the first time Leon O'Messi ever played England, and now he'll be doing naked somersaults in English fans and the English players' minds for the rest of the summer because he delivered in the biggest moments. No doubt, Taylor Twellman. All right, so in the few minutes I have left here, I mean, it was such an epic match, an epic game that we're kind of glossing over the fact that France got bounced and got totally bounced. Pants, you know, and you were saying to us on Tuesday's show that Spain wins by death by a thousand passes.
And as soon as they got that break for a penalty kick early on in the match, which I didn't know really was. Should have been properly awarded. That was a hard one. What do you make of that performance and how it would work against Argentina? I was a little surprised.
I said on your show, I'd be shocked if France doesn't advance to the final. I was now, I'm way more stunned at how flat. France was.
Now before I dive into the game, great nugget though, you and I talked about this before the tournament started. How many games does one team play in climate controlled stadiums? Spain has played six of their seven in climate-controlled stadiums. That's more than England, Argentina, and France. And they looked fresher.
There was more energy. I'm not saying they would have won the game, anyways. That game could have been played on the surface of the sun. Spain would outplay France. I'm not talking about that.
But you follow what I'm saying. There was a real different energy. France looked slow, lethargic. They looked like the United States did against Belgium. They really did.
Spain has been the best team in the tournament.
Now, we haven't given them their proper due because, in large part, It's not really star-driven. It's more about the collective. Lamina Mal hasn't really done anything in this tournament. But collectively, the way they suffocate you is unlike any other team in this tournament. And they look like they had France by the juggular, and eventually, France lost oxygen and they couldn't survive.
Spain was brilliant, and they could have scored the team goal of the tournament if that back heel combination, all that turns into a goal.
Now, here's where this gets interesting for the final. Emotionally, the Spanish fan knows the magnitude of Leonel Messi and what he did in Spain and in Barcelona.
Now, Spain beat England in the European Cup final in 2024. I think emotionally the Spanish fan would have rather played the English. I really do. Because right now. Including every Real Madrid fan, who probably can't stand Messi, naturally, because of the rivalry of Barcelona, but every other Spanish fan.
is going to look at that and go, Oh god. Really? Him? The guy that has single-handedly flipped our league upside down, set records for arguably the greatest club in the world. Like, Rich, that is going to be an emotional roller coaster for the Spanish fan.
And you and I both know. New York, New Jersey Stadium will be Buenos Aires on Sunday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. It just will. And good luck to Spain and those fans because emotionally that's going to be very difficult for them to watch that little man that's run in their nightmares for how many years all of a sudden playing the final game he's ever played and it's a World Cup final. And it is not climate controlled.
And as a matter of fact, as you know, the fires in Canada, there's a lot of smoke that's coming down from the north. Turning a lot of American cities in the Midwest and potentially even in New Jersey on Sunday into a smog and Smoky environment. And then, you know, in terms of Yameen Lame Yamal, Messi could turn to him and say, I'm your father. Right. I mean, like, I can't believe this picture.
This is not AI. Come on. This is apparently, this is real. Like, what is. No, it's real.
There was a lottery at Barcelona. And Messi only did this two or three times. 2007? By the way, this is great symmetry. I played against Leono Messi that season in Venezuela.
He wasn't even wearing number 10 for Argentina yet.
Okay?
So for his mom and dad, Lamina Mall. To win a lottery. Where Messi only does this two or three times a year. And you get that anointment. How do you want me to articulate?
That's divinity at its finest. What is that? I saw that picture yesterday. I'm like, wait a minute, this is real? It's real.
It's real. Unbelievable, dude. Cannot make it up. Bro, I love our chats, Taylor.
So enjoy the game. Enjoy the final. I will be, you know, I'll hit you up during the game if there's any questions. And then Monday show, you're back here to chop it up with us. I really, really appreciate it, bud.
Thanks. Love being on, my man. Love being on. Love having you. That's Taylor Twellman here.
We got through our first of many World Cup chats without a hydration break. We just beat through. Because there's too much to talk about, man. Double box? Fox is pissed.
No commercials. No, it's okay. But listen, man. I love it.
He loves Bellingham's Moxie. He had a great tournament.
Well, I mean, go right at him. Yeah. Loves it. I still can't believe. That Cross that pass.
Finding the one lid he has to find. And he intended to do it. How do you do that? How do you do it? I don't know.
It's unreal. And I just love Taylor's passion and knowledge and the combination. He's our our favorite. Guests on this subject matter and all of them. It's just so much fun.
I mean, that picture is so unbelievable. I'm so glad. I'm so glad we got IVs next to each other at the American Century Championship. To set it all up. All right, let's take a break here on the Rich Eyes and show back with your phone calls and more in a moment.
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Stop by your local O'Reilly Auto Parts. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. A particular individual has taken the stage at Fanatics Fest. His name is LeBron James.
Now, Dave McMenamin came on this program. Just yesterday. Yesterday. And said he was flying to New York. Yep.
From a lengthy stint at the Summer League in Las Vegas. Right. Even though he would love to just tap out. Hang with. Go on vacation.
Hang with his wife, who we all know, Malika Andrews, and just be. After a long stretch. But LeBron has this whole thing of You know. Free agency going on for himself. Biding his time, And he said he had how many?
Four public appearances in New York this week. Various things that he's doing. And the first one is today at Fnatics Fest. And did he mention you, Chris? Hmm.
Did something happen? Dave is out there in the crowd. Ron doing a mind the game live pod.
Okay, that's his pod. Yeah, we've been on those stages. And Dave's out there kind of live tweeting what's going on. Mike, if you got it, you can throw it up there. LeBron just played with the crowd a bit as to his decision.
Quote: I hear the Warriors, I hear the Sixers. Also, referenced our segment where I suggested heat would be a play-in team if he went there, and James would be a non-factor.
So, we don't know how he's referenced it. We don't.
So, it's the verbal version of 22 laughing my ass off of my. I'm guessing that's what happened, yeah. That's what we want. It's still on, Chris. I gotta get that.
You are, you're tough to shake, man. You're tough to shake. I really thought we had moved past this in the news cycle. Nope. Dude.
On to something else. Oh, TJ. TJ. Yes. This is good for you, though.
This is what makes me happy. First of all, Spell the show's name, right? Most importantly. I would like Dave. Maybe I should text him.
He should at the handle. Yeah, he could tag us. You know? Yeah. But that's okay.
I mean, he's going fast. He's live tweeting kind of everything.
So, this is a cliffhanger for hour three. How about? We got to get the sound. We got to get it. I'm sure it's out there.
Why'd you say it was good for me, though? Because you.
Well, you push back. You push back. Yeah, but we know how this works, right? Because this is just human beings. You could have a thousand great comments praising you, but you're always going to look for the one negative.
So, even though you and I were positive for him, he doesn't care about that. It's the negative comment. That's not true. That's life. That's true.
I appreciate TJ Jefferson pointing out I'm an average 21 percent. Oh, could you pay more? I appreciate Rich Eisen pointing out that my performance got the Lakers to the second round despite the injuries that ravaged the roster. I would love for him to point that out at Fanatics Fest, but instead, he. He does remember the negative.
Yeah, so say it's a good thing. I understand that. But that's That's just you being you. You get in there and you're like. Stanza.
Chris Brockman. Yeah, exactly. I think I'm going to respond to Dave's tweet with 22 crying emoji. You could do that. I reposted it on RX, which anyone wants to take it.
But I'm looking here and you're laughing, but not your ass off.
Well, I wish it would go away. Why do you want it to go away? You believe what you said. This wasn't like an overreaction Monday segment where you're kind of playing it out. I don't think Miami is going to be good next year.
Embrace it, Brock. But. You said good luck being good luck, good luck. I hope he enjoys the playing. The playing tournament.
Yeah. And you said that we all need to get ready for him to be You know, he's a non-factory actor. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
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