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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Let me break it down for you again. The Rich Eisen Show. Spain has been the best team in the tournament.
From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. The way they suffocate you is unlike any other team in this tournament. Today's guests. Apple TV lead MLS analyst Taylor Twellman. ESPN college football analyst Josh Pate.
Actor Jake Johnson. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show live in Los Angeles, California, here on Disney Plus, the ESPN at ESPN Radio Series XM Channel 80. Hello to everybody, 844-204 Rich is the number to dial Taylor Twellman's first up talking World Cup.
Soccer, and it's all over here in the United States of America and Canada and Mexico. An incredible tournament it was. Taylor is going to join us for the third time in about a week to wrap it all up for us and with us. Josh Pate will be joining us on this program in the middle of the program to talk about what's going on at my Institution of Higher Learning, Michigan's athletic director, Ward Manuel, announcing he's stepping down and stepping away at the end of the calendar year, based on everything that's gone down on campus outside of the championship run by the basketball team recently, football team a few years ago, gymnastics and things of that nature. Ward Manual's out.
Also, Greg Sankey spoke today, and he's basically the president of the United States of collegiate sports. Josh is going to join us in the middle of the show to talk about that. And a delightful new Ben Stiller-directed film called The Dink on Apple TV is coming out. Watched it last night. It is delightful.
It's old school Ben Stiller type fun. And a little mix of Caddyshack with a little mix of Dodgeball. And the star of said film, Jake Johnson, is going to be back on our show in Studio Hour 3. He's a Die Hard Bears fan, so we're going to have the old win-loss machine all riled up for him. I don't know if he's showing up in his old school Ditka buddy Ryan Bears sweater.
He always comes in that. He does come in that. We've seen that so many times. He did it back on our old podcast day leading to this show. He's done that before.
We'll see if he does it again. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Rich, I'm excellent. How are you, my friend?
TJ Mikey D is indeed nuts. Good to see you, sir. Good morning, Richard. TJ Jefferson, we already heard your falsetto. What's going on over there?
What's going on? What up, though? Good. What up? All right.
He's showing off his range, everybody. 844-204, Rich is the number to dial on the show. Headline that's coming out. From of all people Pat Bev, you sent this in. Oh, wow, I saw it this morning.
Rumor has it Braun makes his decision today.
So if Pat Beverly is on it, if that's actually the case, well, then we're going to figure that thing all out. And in case you're wondering, does Pat Bev really know? We have a photograph of him showing off the evidence of what he knows to an official, which is really weird. There's no action. I can't believe he got a T-free.
Yeah, he got a photograph of he should have got a T-frain. No, he shouldn't. That is absurd behavior. Look, he's pointing out something that was wrong and he wants it to be correct. You shouldn't get a T-free.
He was wrong.
Okay, very good. Stop it. I'm behind Pat Bev. 844-204-Rich number to dollar. Keep an eye on all of that.
Congratulations to Spain. Yeah. The winners of the 2026 World Cup here in North America, Mexico, and what a performance it was. In The New York, New Jersey Stadium. Good job.
Okay, thank you. Where uh fans are used to seeing offensively challenged squads. Um I had to go there.
Sorry. And. Argentina fell apart. There's no other there's no two ways about it. If you're an England fan and watching them score six times against France in the third place game, an NBA All-Star game type affair.
In the Miami Stadium, And if you're a fan of England watching Jude Bellingham come on. And finish things up with a sixth goal on a run that was unbelievable. Um you're you're sick to your stomach. Like we lost to these guys. Like If we only had not played defense on a team that Needs to pull things out of their orifice or is on the verge of being easily mentally toyed with.
But that's for I guess another day. As for Spain. We had Taylor Twellman on last week. He's about to join us. He said Remember the uh Super Bowl that was played in MetLife?
That it was won by the Seahawks based on what? Defense. He goes, that's the way it's going to go in the final. And sure enough, Spain was all over. Argentina like the proverbial white on rice.
They were giving them no Quarter, no space, no nothing. I mean, it seemed like Argentina couldn't put three touches together without being harassed or turning it over. And their keeper, if it wasn't for the Argentine Jim Craig. Spain would have won this thing going away. Spain would have won this thing going away.
But somehow, someway, it looked like Argentina was playing for penalty kicks about 15 minutes into this game. Yep. And the way it was being described by your guy, Stu Holden, was there were triangles everywhere. Yeah. Where The Spaniards would just pen you in or up against a boundary.
Or, not even sometimes, Argentina couldn't even get it out of their own end. And after a while, that's wearing on you and wearing on you and wearing on you, and then all of a sudden you look up. You're an hour plus, an hour and a half into this game. You're like, what? And you don't even have a shot on goal.
But It was still nothing, nothing. Nil nil, as they would say. And that's when the guy who scored the equalizer against England says, I'll pick up two yellow cards in the span of ten minutes. You know, it's I guess I I don't know, was was Was good old Enzo thinking, hey, we've been looking like we've been a man down all day. We might as well just go a man down.
He gets a yellow card initially for A show of dissent is what it's called. You may not show dissent with an official. He barked at the official. Who yellow carded him and then, good for luckily for him, turned around before Martinez. Sarcastically clapped at him, which is another show of dissent.
He could have picked up two yellows in 10 seconds, not 10 minutes. But then, you know. Ten minutes later on Kubarsi. Of Spain. He flipped that Spaniard over like that Buffalo did that poor elderly gentleman in suspenders.
Wow. That's what it looked like. I mean, he went. He's like Okay, Elway, you helicoptered, you know, you helicoptered parallel to the ground. I'm just going to go flip up over tea kettle.
That's funny. That was an E. I don't know what Martinez is like waving his fingers, like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Like, dude, you flipped them. The whole team was doing that.
The whole world saw it. A billion people just saw what you did. Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. And then the replay showed he clipped him, man.
Red card, now Argentina's really down a man. And somehow, some way they kept things going. I mean, weren't you thinking this was going to penalty kicks? I did. No doubt.
At the end of the day? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I was hoping for it. It's the most exciting thing in sports, really. Coin flip.
And you're just like, all right, let's get there. 0-0. Let's see how it plays out. But I thought to myself that wouldn't be. No, it wouldn't be.
That would not be fair, but it is the way things go. Fair to Spain? Yeah, because they outplayed Argentina. Put the ball in the net, which they eventually did, which Torres then did. which Torres then did.
In the second period of extra time. And Spain could exhale. When that thing went in the net, it's just like, okay, Argentina down a man. They got no shot. This thing is a wrap.
This thing is over. You might as well bring Shakira out one more time. You know? That's what I was thinking. I wasn't being opposed to that.
I remember that. Not complaining. Why do you think I was thinking it, sir? I was going to go make a sandwich during that, and I was like, wait, wait a second. Let's watch this.
Bieber being brought out by Ted Lasso and Coach Beard. That was a plot twist. Madonna kicking it off. Hey, and Madonna first came to prominence when Maradonna was playing for Argentina. This is true.
And then she handed it off to another group that was big when Maradonna was playing, the Muppets. Yes. I loved it. When I saw Animal getting ready to play Silverman.
Okay. Animal with the soccer hair. They should have made Animal have the pomade with the soccer hair. Top knot. And then BTS.
106 minutes in, Torres with his first goal of the World Cup. And Spain deserved it. They were suffocating. What a duh Um The uh Fox Broadcast was talking about it all throughout. Henri was talking about how it's layers upon layers for Spain.
Like you get through one, and they just couldn't. They couldn't do anything. Messi couldn't do anything. At one point, Messi tried to get Kukarella sent off. Because Kucarella went up to him and covered his mouth for a split second, I think, to tell him that his player, his teammate, is down on the ground because he got hit in the mouth.
And Messi tried to send him off, try to tell him, try to tattle. Spain turned Messi into a tattletale. You know? I don't know how you say snitches get stitches and Spanish? Not so hooked on phonics, but look at that Zero shots on goal for Argentina in the final.
Zero. Sheesh.
So that means Letaro Martinez's header. to beat England In the semifinal, was Argentina's last shot on goal of the World Cup. Think about it. If I had told you, what if I told you that this header. On the Greatest assist you've maybe ever seen.
It was so sick. That was it. The high point of Martinez meeting Messi's setup, his cross. That's the last shot on goal for Argentina because Spain's just like, not today. Not today.
I mean The ugliness that happened afterwards. What Paredes, who was Going in everybody? I mean, what was his malfunction? Hitting people, shoving people, didn't like it. Spain celebrating in his face.
They just won the World Cup, pal. Get off the field. What is happening? Yeah. He was a he was nuts.
You know? Just Crazy. What a uh a classless finish. To a tournament that otherwise was world class, first class. And is it possible?
That Spain's Most difficult opponent in this World Cup for them was Cape Verde. Oh, wow. First looking back. First match, yeah. And everyone's like, what's up with Spain?
Looking back. There was a split hot minute where everyone's just like, well, Spain's not winning this thing. Yep. And then they conceded once. The entire tournament.
Once. You know? Argentina's keepers standing like an exclamation point, and the Spanish keepers.
Okay. What, having some tapas? Just hanging out. Just chilling.
Some Costanza Paella in New York, New Jersey?
Okay. Have you ever had paella? Yeah. It's kind of delicious. Yes, sir.
So is a World Cup victory. Yes, sir.
That was so great. I'm going to miss it, man. I am going to miss it. I can't claim to have understood everything that goes on in soccer, but almost every game was on the TV. I was learning and watching and enjoying the whole thing.
It was just, it was fun. It was a lot of fun. In that regard, I wish. The final here in this country was the third place game. Yeah.
As opposed to the final, where I'm sure there were a bunch of folks who were just like, I'm going to see what this World Cup mania is all about. And it's like. Is someone going to score a goal? You know, like when are we going to see some action? Because some people don't see the Action That leads to scoring chances or the smart defensive battle that was going on for Spain that they could immediately turn into a transition.
You know, like that sort of stuff that I got into and began to see that everybody keeps calling the beautiful game. I don't know how many people couldn't didn't. See that. Bye. And I understand.
Not many World Cup matches are six, four finals. That Game was incredible. That was a blast. Four nothing happened on Saturday. But so was the entire World Cup.
I am going to miss it. I'm going to miss the whole damn thing. And it was incredible. And congratulations to Spain for winning him. Congratulations.
to them. They did it with class. They did it. With joy, and they did it with hard-nosed defenseman. They were just a smothering blanket.
And, you know, I do believe This is it for Messi, right? The next World Cup, he will be 43 years of age. We saw how Ronaldo looked at 41. Yeah, yeah. Bape is going to be the ripe old age of 31.
Wow. And, you know, Messi does. That shot of him at the end with the camera. Yeah, I know. Messi does leave this game on this stage.
um in better shape when he found it. He is a magician. A true great that Unbelievably. In this World Cup tournament, the all-time Goals scored. Rackard changed hands twice, from close to him and then from him to Mbappe, who braced in the third place game.
The pass. Messy. For the golden boot. And for the all time mark. And the only question is: when Mbappe is done, will he double Messi up?
That's entirely possible. He might just be so far ahead. Erling Holland is going to need a motorboat, not just rowing, to go get him.
So that's our World Cup chat. We've enjoyed talking about it. It's been great. I'm going to miss it. Really enjoyed it.
Like I said, as enjoyable as the games were watching all the fans come over here and just enjoy themselves and watching all those videos of people just coming together and having fun. Like that to me is going to stand out too because a lot of people had their impressions of what America was. And I think they left with a different impression. Hopefully. And we hopefully showed out for them and showed up and showed them a good time.
It seems like we did. And shown off the stage as well. That part. To let others have their moment. And the two words that I think a lot of folks got stunned about.
with our world and our hospitality, free refills. Free refills. Free refills. And ranch dressing. Yep.
All right. Ranch. Or two another two. That away, yeah. But well done.
Everybody involved in the World Cup and certainly to help us stay protected. As well, throughout for Canada and Mexico, congratulations to all. All right, uh we still haven't talked about the Open Championship. Speaking of Fox, Ryan Fox of New Zealand, what a finish! uh on Sunday as well as uh Bryson DeChambeau.
The famed weed whacker of Europe. That was so wild. And Rory McElroy, what he had to say. My God. That caused a commotion.
That was indeed, sir. We'll talk about that. Brockman's Twitter was blown up about that and not a bronzer. Hey, oh, no. I needed it.
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Rich Eisen here. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge? Finding that person without sorting through resumes.
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Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. The Rich Heisen Show Podcast. Taylor Twellman here on The Rich Eisen Show. What does Spain do defensively?
Can you break it down for those who might have just been tuning in for one of the first times in the World Cup and saw Spain do to Argentino what uh they did to France, so on and so forth, Yada, Yada, and Yada. What are they so good at defensively, Taylor? I'm going to date myself a little bit, Rich, but remember, what was it? Early 90s, what was it, Nolan Richardson's, Arkansas Razorbacks, right? 40 Minutes of Hell.
Yep, uh-huh. 40 Minutes of Hell. Right. It's kind of, there's a reference there for the non-soccer fan to understand what I'm getting at. It's 40.
Minutes is what the Arkansas Razorbacks were trying to do: to make your life miserable. What Spain does better than anyone around the world. Is simply when they lose the ball, which is very infrequently because they're so good with the ball. But when they lose the ball, Their first reaction. Is immediately try to win the ball back.
Immediately try to put you under pressure and try to give yourself. The difficulty of trying to play out of that pressure, if that makes any sense.
So the reality is, they've done a fantastic job, is that right when they lose the ball, they go get it.
Now, the best player in the tournament was Rodri. He was fantastic. But the general public doesn't know. He was the FIFA player of the year before he tore his ACL. And I'd argue, I know this is going to ruffle some feathers, but if And if you were building any team right now with one player, I would probably take Rodri over Mbappe.
Harry Kane. Erling Holland, Leon O'Messi, because he's 39. It's Rodri or Bellingham. I mean, these are two guys that really. Can change and tilt the game in your favor.
Rodri is the best midfielder in the world, and he showed it. But what they do better than anyone is when they lose the ball, the next eight to 10 seconds is pure hell for you, and they get it back. And it is everybody, not with one superstar lingering out over here, not doing it. Everyone reacts and it's in unison. And it's kind of similar to what a team would do on a basketball court in a five-man press of just making your life very chaotic.
Yeah, picking you up all 94 feet on a basketball court, right? And that if you do win possession, you lose it right away. And that just keeps on. You know, it's relentless. It did seem relentless.
Like, there were times Argentina couldn't even get it out of its own end. You know, and that has been the first team in World Cup history in a final to not have a shot on goal for not only 90 minutes, 113 minutes. Yeah. That's insane! It's insane.
Now, listen, I'm so glad. By the way, great production here. My next point was. Passes completed. I don't think people fully understand that number.
And I said this in 2010. It's like a death by a thousand cuts. Spain's a death by a thousand passes. Those numbers aren't normal. 700, 800 passes completed, 900 passes completed.
Rich, they don't care about putting on a show. They care about playing the game the way they want to and knowing that it is the most effective they can. And the only Achilles heel to this team in Kryptonite. is themselves. Because oftentimes they have so much possession, they have a ton of the ball, they don't have a real killer number nine, they believe in scoring goals in certain ways, and we kind of saw that for about.
105 minutes against Argentina, 20 shots, no goals. They finally got one. But they believe in everything that they do from ages 14 to the first team, and they're going to do it their way. And yeah, it it's boring for me. It's not my favorite game to watch.
But my God, it's really effective. It's efficient, and it's also, you know, still physical. If you take a look at the statistics again, not too much of a disparity in fouls against, but no cards for Spain. I know. Seven cards for Argentina.
I mean, they got in their grill. They got in their skulls. They got in their head. At one point, Messi tried to send, what, Cucharella? Yes.
Cucharella off by saying, oh, he covered his mouth, even though it was clear that that's how desperate they were, Richard. They were desperate to get anyone out. But the last nine cards of the World Cup all went to Argentina. And by the way, what a disgrace the end of the game was. Yeah, what are your thoughts?
Uh it's it's it's it's just It's a sore loser mentality. I hate it. I didn't know this when I was texting you, but apparently, not a single player was made available to the media and the scrum afterwards. I just I don't love it. Spain's getting their medals.
If you see the pictures for anyone that doesn't know what I'm talking about, you can search it. Argentina's players turn their backs. to Spain facing with the great picture. I just I don't know, Rich. Maybe I'm old school.
Maybe this is the part of my life where now I'm the old guy getting off my lawn. I lost many of finals. I'm one of four or five players in MLS to lose four MLS Cups, three of them in a row. You still shake the hand of the opposition. You know, when I lost the American Century Championship to Joe Powowski, and he made Eagle on 18, you still take your cap off.
I just, I don't, I struggle coming from that world. I'm not saying you need to go over and hug him and kiss him and all that. No. But after the game, Paredes? What are you doing, dude?
It's just, it's a loser mentality in me. I struggle resonating with it. Um And it And I struggle with this image because Argentina was just.
So captivating throughout the World Cup with extra time goals and all of the heroics to keep Messi alive and to go to back-to-back World Cup finals, all of that. And yet, that's the picture I got to deal with. I just, if that was my teammate, if that was my team, I'd have a tough one. Standing by that. It really bothers me.
Taylor Twellman here after the. Captivating World Cup, man. Let's let's review a couple things. The third place game. That was awesome.
That was my cardio for the day. That was awesome. That was great. No one was playing defense though, right? I mean, like, that's that was kind of was it just like a spaghetti against the wall?
Screw it. You know, neither of us won. Let's see what we can do. Whoever's playing and who's not, obviously. Most everybody came in except for Kane.
Was that what it was? In that? Yeah, Rich, it's a hard one for me. And bear with me on this because I put it out. I find it interesting that the golden.
The golden boot is decided by a game between two teams that have been eliminated.
So listen, England and France played for essentially $2.5 million, $2.48 million extra in prize money, okay? That's nothing to sneeze at, it's real money.
However, all I'm saying is like the golden boot is decided on a game where two teams. were eliminated.
Now, as it stands, Messi wouldn't have won it, anyways, if Mbappe didn't score.
So, Mbappe still would be the golden boot. And I'm not saying it because I love Messi, it has nothing to do with that, but it does feel a little odd. And then I did research after I put it out on social media because I was like, wait a minute, how long has this been going on? The most goals scored in a World Cup was by a player, and I'm forgetting because it was like 1954, 58. 13 goals scored in a single World Cup.
Four of those 13 goals were scored in the third place game.
So, this third place game has historically been around forever. I just Rich, I just wonder, it's 48 teams. It's going to go to 64 teams. Like, does FIFA look at this and say, hang on, third-place game's still going to go? It's still going to be worth $2.5 million to $3 million for the team.
But the golden boot race cannot be decided on a game where two teams have been eliminated. Because in every other game. In the World Cup, nobody's been eliminated.
Now, on the group stage, you can be eliminated. Absolutely, but that doesn't mean the other team is. There's never a game in the World Cup where both teams are eliminated other than the third-place game. That's where I was like, as good as the game was. And Bappe won the golden boop because he played in the third place game.
Well, and they were down 4-0 at halftime, and then they almost came back. And at one point, Tuchel's like, all right, let's get Bellingham in there. Could you imagine if they would have lost that lead? Dude. Oh, boy.
I mean, Tuchel would have had, you know, they would have lane kiffen him in Miami. I give Lane back to the third place game. Get yourself a British Airways ticket yourself, pal. Like, that was, you know, like, that would have happened. Um but Is Jude Bellingham the one play like I know I might be leading the witness here, but you tell me: is Jude Bellingham the one guy?
that between now and the next World Cup, is going to be the biggest star and is going to show up. and show out and take potentially England or um in any of these matches to a different level. Or is there somebody else who is it Holland? Like who is that guy? Thank you.
I I think the superstar, listen, we all know Killian Mbappe. The fact that he's got twenty two goals and three World Cups, eighteen in the last two, we know who Killian Mbappe is. His star will still remain the same. I think Michael Olise. of France, his star shined really bright.
But not brighter than Jude Bellingham or Erling Holland. And so, if you're asking me over the next, because essentially this. There's no way Messi plays in the next World Cup at 43. There's no way. And if he does, we're talking about something that is even more astronomical than anything he's done.
But you're talking the global superstar. Erling Holland and Jude Bellingham have captivated the audience. I think Jude Bellingham a little bit more than Erling Holland because of what you just said. England since twenty eighteen They've been on the brink of it coming home. They've been on the brink of winning a major trophy.
Now, Harry Kane probably has one major tournament at his prime still left. And then the World Cup in 2030, I don't know where he'll be at. He'll be 37. I think if I had to pick it, it's Jude Bellingham. I think he's unbelievable.
I think the fact that he's playing at Real Madrid as an English player instead of going to the Premier League is massive. I think he flips the game. To whatever team he's playing for on his side. And while Erling Holland may have the stats behind it. I just think playing for Real Madrid for the next unforeseeable future Rich, I think you hit the nail on the head.
I think Jim Bellingham is going to be the global superstar that potentially gets England in the conversation of winning that major trophy. Brother, I mean, he had a full-on drama in that third-place game, right, where he. Hands off the penalty kick to his teammate.
So So his teammate can have a hat-trick. And you're like, wow, he passed up a chance to become the first. English player with seven goals in a World Cup, and then he goes on a run from midfield. For the ages, like I was screaming as he didn't give it up, and that was an on what a goal. Oh, unbelievable.
But I think, Rich, I think you're going to appreciate this.
Sokka did not play in the semifinal. Because of Tuchel saying he's worried about injury. And then he plays 90 plus minutes in the third place game and scores a hat-trick. What am I missing here?
So, I know. You know what I mean?
So for Jude to give that to him? That's leadership, but that's also a guy over there. He should have played. You know what I mean?
There's something about him that you can't quantify, June Bellingham, that I love. And I would want him on my team. Nine out of ten times. Yeah, the whatever quote, right? After taking care of Mexico, whatever.
Okay, you think we got lucky, uh coach? That said, too, though, I don't know if you guys have seen that in this town. If we just was on Santa Monica Boulevard alone, I saw a watch, a billboard for a very nice watch. There's Erling Holland on it. Yes.
That didn't happen a month ago. You know what I mean?
He was on a billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard. Yes. For some watch that he probably has never worn before, but he's got the hair coming down. He looks like Mad Mardigan from Willow or Braveheart. And it's, you know what I mean?
We think Willow reference. That's actually amazing. The one that we keep mentioning around here at TJ came up with it: Carl from Diehard, right? Yep. Right?
Every. Every single Eastern or European bad guy from the 80s action films. That was it. Every single one. That's it.
Totally. That's better. That's better than Mad Mardigan.
Okay. And then just to wrap things up here, a couple things. One, the United States needs to do what?
Now For next time. What do they got to do now? What's the first quarter? This four years leading into the 2030 World Cup, Rich is going to be so much better and more fruitful because there's going to be World Cup qualifying. They're going to be tested.
They're going to have a chip on their shoulder. And so we're going to learn a lot more about the team over the next three and a half years than we did. From 2022 to this World Cup, other than Copa America being an absolute disaster, we didn't see anything from the men. We'll see a lot, and we're going to get answers. They've got to get deeper.
You've heard me now say this four or five times. They've got to have the 32, 40 players that you can count on playing at a higher level. You've got players like Kevin Sullivan making a move from Philadelphia Union to Manchester City at the age of 16. What does he look like four years from now? We've got guys they've got to get deeper.
And you just got to hope Christian Pulissic, Wester McKinney, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards. They got a hair up their ass. To rectify what happened. That chip on their shoulder, it's got to be the driving force that that doesn't happen again and that their generation isn't remembered for that game. And then, lastly, is it possible Spain's biggest handful in this tournament was Cape Verde.
So it was. It's not that it was possible. It absolutely was. And quite frankly, they kept Argentina scoreless until extra time. Like are not scoreless.
They drew with Argentina, so they took both finalists. To what it was. The only thing I'll say is: Argentina won the 2022 World Cup and they lost their opening game to Saudi Arabia, if I'm not mistaken.
So the opening game of the World Cup can always be a little weird one. Spain was obviously not great. Lamin Yamal came off the bench. He wasn't great throughout the tournament. But yeah, it's crazy.
I just. They gave up one goal. Rich, what do you want me to do? They're the best team. They gave up one goal.
And then the last one for you: take a bite at this one. Why was this World Cup so great? Is it because. It was in a time zone-friendly environment for all of us to take it in? Is it always this dramatic?
Taylor for those who might not be so Well versed, or players are better now, more parody. What do you got for me on that front? What do you think? Yeah, it's a good one. One, I think America, I think, listen, Mexico, Canada did a great job, but there was a lot of negativity around the United States of America being able to host this.
And this was really fun, Rich. It was fun. Nobody was talking politics. People were coming together. We were opening our land and our arms to Norway fans, Scottish fans, Dutch fans.
Everybody came here and had a blast for five weeks. And so it kind of gave us something pre-COVID that, hey, we can actually get out of this and do this again. I say that because I think this World Cup was the best. Not because it was 48 teams. The United States knows how to throw a party.
They know how to throw big events, they know how to get behind it. But if the stars didn't deliver in the World Cup that they did, I'm not sure you and I are having the same kind of conversation. Every time we turned on a game, the stars delivered. Every single one of them. That's a rarity.
Rich, that is a rarity for every single star all the way through the semifinal. to deliver To deliver at a big way. And so that captivates the non-soccer audience. And then you throw the fandom, the celebration, the collaborative efforts around the game. Yeah, it was the biggest World Cup.
It was the best World Cup, in my opinion, because the stars delivered and we had 309 goals, 80 of them. 80 of them after the 80th minute. Wow. That's 'cause everyone was hydrated, right, Taylor?
Well, that and extra time was seventy five minutes long.
So technically hey man, you deliver too for me and for us and on the show. And you're the best, dude. You're the best. I told you. I had so much fun with you guys.
This is a blast. It really is. Really, honestly, I wouldn't have wanted anybody else to guide this show and its viewership and listenership through this incredible tournament. And let me know when you're out here in L.A. You got it, buddy.
Dinner's on me. Rich, do we do one last hydration break before we go? Last one. There we go. Hold on a minute.
There we go. Everybody good. All right. Everybody, cheers. Cheers.
Salute. Cheers. Oh, yeah. Wow. Spriggler was on there.
Somebody call housekeeping for extra towels. Look at that. What a way to finish. He's going to think I just peeped my pants. I just swear to God.
Fantastic. All right. From the today's show to a hydration break for the ages. Ladies and gentlemen, Taylor's pulmonary here on the Rich Islands. He poured it over his lid.
Love this. Fantastic. He's just the best.
So passionate, so knowledgeable, so terrific, and so. Damn likable with it. I'm glad he brought up the Arkansas thing because I was trying to equate them to a basketball team yesterday, and I just came up with the 99 Spurs, Chris. Remember, played great defense in Knicks in that series and never scored over 89 points. Everyone called them boring and fundamental, and yet they were the best.
Yep. And then there's Arkansas, which was the constant pressure. Press and pressure. Constant pressure. Not a split second.
You will not have a split second of rest. You know? And that's the way it felt. That's the way it felt. 844-204-Rich, number to dial.
Back on the Rich Eisen Show shortly. Josh Pate will have a different reaction if he pours water on his head, like me and you, Chris. Hour two. 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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We'll get to you in moments. Chris, you said something just popped. Open the commercial break that you wish to bring to the people. Yeah, I want to throw this out there. Old NBA news.
Okay. Breaking news? Here it comes. I just wanna play that and Maria is seat. You know, teams are starting to roll out their preseason schedule for the NBA, you know, kicking off in early October.
This one caught my eye as, I don't know if it's an indication, TJ, but it's not nothing. The Warriors will host three preseason games at the Chase Center, beginning with a matchup against the Lakers on October 6th. What does that mean? With Mark Spears putting googly eyes on it. Mark Spears put the googly eyes.
Why would you put the googly eyes, Mark? But don't I don't understand. Pre-see.
Okay. Listen, I know Adam Silver said at Fanatics Fest that they are eager. at the Association front office to get the National television schedule nailed down. Shortly. Yeah, open night, Christmas, all that stuff.
And you got Peacock, you got Amazon, you got ESPN, you got yada, yada, yada, right? Yeah. So they want to nail it all down. Mm-hmm. And he says they can't do it yet until LeBron says I'm going to play somewhere.
See that he would like LeBron to make a decision.
So now You're saying Mark Spears is saying Don't the Warriors host preseason games? Why are they hosting the Lakers first? I don't know. Sh Like that means anything?
So you're saying LeBron Signs with the Warriors. Because the Lakers are their first preseason. No, I'm saying he's signing with the Warriors, hence announced that the Lakers are the first preseason.
Okay, and thus, first preseason game. What's the date? October 6th. October 6th. Okay, so for sure, LeBron's going to be playing in that one.
So will Luca. Everyone's playing. 'Cause it's the first preseason game, right? Ah. Listen, I know we're all Looking for signs here.
Why'd you put the googly eyes, Mark? Because Mark knows, probably. Googly eyes. I mean, he knows more than we do.
Okay. I don't know, I'm just saying. Pat Bev said this is popping today. Yeah, Pat Bev. And we have the photographic evidence of him having photographic evidence of it.
There he is. Do you have a problem with him getting a tech for showing or no? I don't. He doesn't, apparently. No, I thought he was properly given a tech for the photograph.
I don't think he's outrageous behavior. Dude, you can't go to an official. You blew it. I just grabbed a photograph. He took the camera from the photographer and was like, hey.
He wanted them to be on the same page. He wanted the official to see what he saw. What better way to do that than to show him a picture of him? He became his own VAR right on the page. Mike, I got no problem with that.
He's playing for the Snowtime Lakers. Did he do this before he by L VAR? Yeah. No. Little square.
I don't know. Listen, I think. By the way, it was a bad call by the record. LeBron signs with the Warriors. That's the biggest splash he can make.
I'm sorry, I know he's going back to Miami and he's playing with Giannis. That's big. And I know if he goes back to the land to finish things up, that's big. And if he goes to play with. Yeah.
Your Sixers. It's championship.
Okay. So, does he want to win a ring or does he just want to have fun and work with his buddies? Anthony Edwards basically conceded. Didn't he concede at Fnatics Fest? Do you see that video of him saying he's not even in the top?
We're not even in the top three, but of course I would love for him to play. That would be big if he goes to Minnesota. But playing with Steph and Draymond for Steve Kerr, along with Jimmy Butler, when he comes back healthy and. Poor Zingas and Al Horford, and he's in San Francisco. Don't forget to play with the players.
The most amount of times of any other team that he's be playing. Don't forget Yaxel. Yaxel. They just won. They won Summerlin.
I appreciate that. The King of the Summer League. 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.
