REShow: Taylor Twellman - Hour 1

At the end of the day, Eric Binnum is a ball coach. This is The Rich Eisen Show.

He's a third person guy. He was point blank asked about why aren't you a head coach. Being a head coach, that's something, if that's to happen, it'll take care of itself. The Rich Eisen Show.

Doug Peterson and Matt Nagy didn't call plays in Kansas City or under Reid and they got gigs. Today's guests, Apple TV lead MLS analyst Taylor Twelman, host of the Business of Sports Podcast, Andrew Brandt, NFL writer for The Athletic, Mike Sando, actor Brandon Sclenar. And now it's Rich Eisen. Yes, indeed. Welcome to this Friday edition of The Rich Eisen Show.

Final Friday of February. Say that 10 times fast. Don't. I just said it once. It's enough. You know what? This show is a little ray of sunshine amidst a winter storm here in Los Angeles, California.

Just light a candle for everybody around here because it's raining. But I'm going to say this. I really am going to say this. I'm going to say this. I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it. It's also on this program, Raining Men.

Hallelujah. It is, in fact, that on this program, on this program, thank you very much. On this program, we have three in-studio guests, three in-studio guests. Taylor Twelman, now of Apple Plus.

He is here in studio. We're going to talk about the MLS season that starts this weekend. Let's do it.

We're going to do it. Andrew Brant is coming here. And what's going on with Aaron Rodgers? As you know, he was there. I'm going to tell, I told all you folks, everybody thinks Aaron Rodgers is Mr. Drama and he's playing all this thing out. He's going to Oregon Yurts or whatever he's doing and he's sitting in the dark and he's keeping the Packers in the figurative dark and he's in the literal dark and he's pulling out drama.

Nah. Brett Favre and what he was doing with the Packers back in the day, way more dramatic. And this man had a front row seat to that in the front office of the Green Bay Packers.

We've also plugged in what's going on with the Green Bay Packers right now. He will be joining us in studio hour number two. And then in hour number three in-studio, everybody who's out there watching 1923 right now, which is the latest Yellowstone origin story off of 1883, which I know you're deep into right now, Chris Brodman. Just finished episode seven.

Susie and I locked into 1923, which has the season one finale of that terrific origin story from Yellowstone, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. The man who plays Spencer Dutton, Brandon Sclinar, will be here in studio unless Susie intercepts him beforehand, somehow coming down wherever she is in Los Angeles, California. I've had some tough two shots in my career. Maybe the toughest two shots since Henry Cavill's been on this program. I'm not going to lie, this guy's a handsome man. You've seen the show, Jason Feller. You know what I'm talking about, right?

You agree, correct? He's a stud. Thank you, sir. And he's in studio hour number three. Jason Feller is in Michael Del Tufo's spot. How are you doing over there, Chris Brodman? What's going on over there, sir? I'm looking for a great picture of Brandon in the post on Twitter right now. Good. There's many of them. You will have a pic of the litter, sir.

Not like bussing with the boys with me. I think it's day 257. 250 something, right? Rich, make it happen. You know what? I've heard a rumor that Taylor Lewan is part of the NFL Network broadcast or NFL Plus broadcast of the Combine. He's a man without a team right now. So if he is in Indianapolis, I'll leave the show with this.

If he's in Indianapolis, I want him on the set of the NFL Network. And we're going to hash this thing out in front of a national television audience. I'm sure it won't get weird.

It won't? Trust me, that's one of the many subject matters I'm going to hit with. Team man, Mark Tidelman, the terrific producer of our coverage. How are you over there, sir? What's up? TJ Jefferson, the candle's already lit. Candle's lit.

I'm happy to be here. Let's start their second half of the season tonight against the Sacramento Kings. The Sixers probably played my favorite basketball game of the year last night, man. I was I was hyped watching that game last night. That game against the Memphis Grizzlies was a fun watch.

And then the Lakers took center stage last night against the Warriors. They look terrific. We'll discuss that on the three hour edition of this program that is up and running. Plus I'm wearing cowboy boots today, Rich. Are you really? What's up with that? Because it's raining out?

Well, it's raining. You know, last year when I went to WrestleMania, a company was giving away cowboy boots and I was going to wear them today. And then I didn't realize we had a real cowboy coming in.

So I didn't want to be awkward. I like it. You know what? You know, actually, I appreciate because I know you're not watching the Yellowstone series.

I got it. He is not a cowboy. I appreciate that he is not.

And this show is actually a wild game, big game hunter. But it's OK. It's OK. We're we're we're I'm appreciative of you trying to be part of you know, what you should do is you should just draw a swoosh on those and you can kind of meld the two things that you normally bring here. They're probably out there. They're going on.

Thank you. Also on this program, Mike Sando of the Athletic, he is one of three reporters on a byline of a story came out today about the Denver Broncos. Look, this is the season of talent evaluation in the National Football League. I always point that out as soon as the Super Bowl is over. Next week, I'm going to the combine. I will be hosting the NFL Network combine coverage. And once again. We're Daniel Jeremiah. I can't keep track anymore.

I think this is the 18th one of them I'm doing. So then comes free agency, then comes the draft in between there are pro days and all of that sort of business. But this is also the season in the National Football League calendar of the deep dives. These are the times of the deep dives. This is when people start chatting. Jibber jabber and jabber, jabber, jabber, jabber, jabber, jabber. Right.

Like like job turkeys. Gobble, gobble, gobble. To use that phrase that Jim Harbaugh said many years ago.

This is the chattiest, chattiest league of them all. Everybody is rumor mongering. And next week, oh, the just pull up a chair in any establishment where there's food or drinks served and just sit back and listen. This is what I heard. Did you believe this is what's going on in Baltimore? This is what's going on in New York. This is what's going on in Green Bay.

This is what I heard from the assistant trainer to the assistant trainer. It's nonstop, but this is the time of the deep dives. There were two of them the past 48 hours, one of them on Baltimore. And what's going on with the Ravens and Lamar Jackson?

But I placed that one aside for the moment. Talk about the one in the athletic today about what happened last year or just last month, last several months. What happened for the last season with the Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson?

And it started with a little blockbuster nugget. That before Russ got his exit visas from Seattle, he tried one last gambit to stay. But his demand was that Pete Carroll, head coach and John Schneider, the general manager that drafted him. The two guys that drafted him and raised him and let him. Cook ish.

Very good. But gave him the shot. He wanted him fired. Now, then. He did not comment for the story.

A legal representative of him called it fabric, completely fabricated. He put out a tweet today saying, I love Pete and he was a father figure to me. And John believed in me and drafted me as well. I never wanted them fired. All any of us wanted was to win.

I'll always have respect for them and love for Seattle. But the one thing and I know this is what's going to be discussed and talked about. Hang your hat on that and.

You know, I he says it's not true. We'll have Mike Sandow on an hour number three to try and source this best we can. And the thing that that I get hung up on is this office that Russell Wilson was allowed to have in Denver last year because they got into the whole concept of what happened in Denver last year. And why, as I tie this all together from the news that Russ wanted, Pete and John Schneider, he wanted the GM gone. He wanted everybody that's been part of that great success story in Seattle gone and him staying. And then he goes to Denver and he brings in his own.

You know. Quarterback coach, he brings in his own staff and Denver said yes. And the one thing about they said yes to was an office in the Broncos facility. And they put the office, according to this article, on the second floor where all the executives.

Were. And all I can think of is who the hell thought that was a good idea. Now, the interesting part about it is what was going on in this office. According to the story and name quotes from players is a lot of good stuff is that Russ put all of his ideas for the offense on a grease board on the wall and a lot of his positive visualization quotes and thoughts on a wall.

And he would have players in there and they would have a shoot the you know what session on Tuesdays and his personal coach would chime in as well and you know it did lead to a lot of. Too many cooks, which is fascinating to see that word in this story that the problem with this office and the way he was conducting his business all and trying to make everything better. Was too many cooks. So the Broncos allowed Russ to cook in this manner and it wound up being too many cooks.

I found that fascinating, but the fact that they put it spatially on the second floor of this building. So players would have to go up there and it's a they quoted a member of the Broncos unnamed member of the Broncos at any player that normally would go up to that floor would be. Afraid they're being called up there to get cut bring your playbooks and here's the quarterback saying bring your playbook because we're going to come up with plays for the playbook in my office on the second floor and.

And somebody was quoted as saying you know the open door policy that Russ had that's great, but his open door should have been his locker and I that quote just hit me in the gut. Let me tell you something when we first started at NFL game day highlights the highlight show me Dion and Mooch Dion had just arrived. At NFL Network and you know Dion has a reputation that precedes him as primetime right primetime so if it's all about primetime right exactly and so he the reputation that he had was it's all about him. OK look at me look at my.

Clothes look at my fancy car look at me and it was the exact opposite. Anybody who played with Dion will tell you what a great teammate he was and he was exactly that in my time with NFL Network with him and certainly at the time when we first started me Steve Mariucci and him doing these highlights for the show that I love to do with them. And what ended up happening was they put Dion in the middle.

Me on the left Dion in the middle and Mooch on the edge. And Dion's first comment first comment was I don't like it. Why because he was afraid that with him and his personality and me who's done this before multiple times as a SportsCenter anchor now doing highlights for NFL Network he thought the conversation between the two of us would dominate and Mooch would be stuck on the end and lost. In the conversation and the broadcast or be made to feel that way.

On the edge and I was blown away because yes spatial placement means a lot. It means a lot in terms of spoken and unspoken words and when they allowed Russ to have us an office on the second floor an office period and then an office on the second floor as if he's part of the. And him not wanting a coach player relationship anymore he wanted a partnership and the coach new coach Nathaniel Hackett says I'm all for the partnership absolutely and the story also said that Nathaniel Hackett when he first took the job with Matt LaFleur in Green Bay as the offensive coordinator for the Packers. He saw Rogers push back all the time on LaFleur's ideas for the playbook until they started playing and then got along and then they had a collaboration and the uncomfortable nature of what he saw between coach and quarterback. He didn't want for him and Russ so he was much more.

Malleable to what the quarterback wanted. What a holy heck of a mess because what that says unspoken spatially I'm up here you're down here. I'm up here with the coaches I'm up here with the the management you're down there.

Now apparently management spoke to Russ at the end of the season according to this story about this relationship and Russ is like fine no more office and wound up spending the last couple of weeks in the locker room I'm wondering if that was what Jerry Ross Berg brought into being when he took over as the interim head coach. And. Again. How did they play last couple weeks that season.

Much better. I don't know again I'm I'm definitely connecting my own dots here. But to bring it all full circle the coach that Russ apparently wanted the Seahawks to fire. Pete Carroll for and again he's denied this was Sean Payton look who he's with now and look who said the first thing he said in a press conference when our and a media scrum when he was asked about the office is like I don't know much about that OK but any happening here.

Coach player relationship. Russ wanted to cook his own way and it wound up being too many cooks in the kitchen. That just blew my mind.

Blew my mind. What a what a holy heck of a mess. That clearly was last year. And how I believe as I told you last week top five storylines going into this offseason I didn't think I'd get a deep dive to kind of give my just one more a little bit more credence I said what's the Sean Payton Broncos going to look like that was my one extra storyline going into this offseason. And this deep dive shows me how dysfunctional it was and how he's going to clean it all up and who did Russ want to be hooked up with all along this guy. One of those teams on his list that he was going to get traded to right when the Seahawks were going to do that Saints on the list on the list right. So the Broncos are going to be your new Raiders.

No they're not. I still I still going to have I need to see it. I still have this need to see it. But I hope that Russ has seen that what he did last year in conducting his business with that office and everything else that he set up do it another do it Sean's way. You wanted him you got him do it his way.

And I think you know Broncos are going to be better off for but that whole deep dive just blew my mind. He wanted a cook. And then when he got an organization saying go ahead and cook too many chefs too many cooks so crazy. Could you believe that I saw those lines and somebody quoted as too many cooks and that is open door policy great in his office but his office should have had the open door should be his locker.

And that's where he spent a lot of time in the in the final couple weeks of the season. What a story and Mike Sandow who co-wrote it will be on studio will be on the show hour number three the only non in studio guest Andrew branch going to join us an hour number two. We've got a what's more likely because that's what we do on Friday. The Lakers look terrific last night so did the Sixers so did the Nuggets another triple double for Jokic and he set a record did you see that last night.

He broke Magic Johnson's record for most consecutive wins for his team when he personally triple doubles 25 in a row now for him 22 of those 25 this season. Lakers look terrific again as I said we'll discuss it I'm going to the Clippers game tonight look at you yeah some bring a whole bunch of kids in the rain. Good luck also I want this show to last 10 hours. Brandon's Glenar will be here in studio from 1923 but coming up next let's bring him out let's talk about the MLS season that starts on Saturday the lead analyst of Apple pluses coverage Taylor Twelman in studio when we come back. Men, do you get distracted during the day thinking about your underarm sweating itching or emitting an odor to those thoughts keep you from showing care when it counts, new and improved dove men plus care anti perspirant with 72 hours sweat and odor protection and one quarter moisturizing cream helps you forget about your underarm so you can be present for the moments that matter.

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Back here with our radio audience now here on the Roku channel and joining us here, which is I'm very excited about this and the MLS season is starting tomorrow the new lead analyst for Apple TV's coverage of the MLS season Taylor Twelman here in studio. Good to see you, sir. How are you?

Great to see you too, my man. I'm excited. And not only am I excited here, we are actually actually entitled the segment. It's amazing. Wait for it. Hold on a second.

It's called rich on the pitch presented by Apple TV. Do you like do you like the do you like the kid? I love the kid. I don't love the notion guards and next time I would argue I'm a little old school. I think you should tuck in your shirt. What I get. I mean, so that would be a problem if I just showed up this way.

No, no, you'd be fine. That's what the kids do. But I'm a little older. I like that shirt tucked in to show your figure. OK, fantastic. I work on it. I should show it off. Absolutely. Do you? I do. All right. I got shin guards on right now if you want to borrow them. I do not plan to kick you in the shins on this program. Don't worry about that. So this MLS season, give me the headline going into it.

What do you got for me? The headline is the two teams here in L.A. because the L.A. Galaxy are the most storied franchise in MLS history. And yet since L.A. FC came into this city, this league, they've completely taken it by storm. They've won two supporter shields. Last year, they were the best team in the regular season. They won MLS Cup. They go out and sign players, their culture. Everything is about L.A. FC. Downtown today, I didn't see a single L.A. Galaxy banner.

All I saw was L.A. FC. And this is the franchise, when you talk about the Galaxy, Zlatan played for him. Robbie Keene played for him. David Beckham played for him.

Landon Donovan. And yet Rich, literally in the blink of an eye, L.A. FC has caught the attention of not only everyone here, but around the world. It's truly one of the more remarkable stories. And I don't know if they can repeat. I don't know if they can pull it off. They may be the first team in MLS history to play about 61 games in a calendar year, which is unheard of.

We've never seen that. But my God, they have just completely taken this league by storm. And that's why I'm here doing the Rose Bowl game. And again, I know the L.A. sports scene very well.

Haven't been here for 20 years. And the El Traffico matches are definitely on the radar screen for an entire week leading up to it right here. Rich, they've played 17 times. 75 goals have been scored. That's on average 4.4 goals a game.

Everything's thrown out the door. Usually you get a 1-0-2-1 game. When these two teams play, it's something – and this is going to be a little different tomorrow. On Apple TV, you're going to see the Rose Bowl with about 45 degrees and rain, which everyone here feels like it's the end of the world. Me, on the other hand, being the Boston guy that I am, I love it.

I'll play 18 holes if you want. I look forward to LAFC Galaxy because they've got to open up the season with each other. And there are a lot of eyeballs on the Galaxy. This may be their most important season in their history. Taylor Twelman here on The Rich Eisen Show getting set to call.

Matches for MLS on Apple TV right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Okay, so the LAFC and how – now, it or they? How do I refer to LAFC now? I always get confused. You could say both. They?

I don't know. I wouldn't overthink it. Okay, I always overthink it.

It's kind of like your chin guards. I always – you know, whenever I – if you don't talk about soccer or football in a way – In a certain way, people get really uptight. They are, but that's part of our – that's our issue. That's soccer people's issue. My 13-plus years at ESPN, I think the only thing that I had a goal of, we need more people talking about it. I don't care how you talk about it, talk about it. And I think the younger generations now are exposed to the sport. We all are. Ten years ago, you and I couldn't watch any game in the world.

We can watch any game in the world right now, speaking of Apple TV, 108 countries. Just talk. Talk the sport.

Don't – and anyone that comes after you, miss them because it's their loss. We got rich eyes and talk them out of sport. That means we've grown.

I appreciate you saying that. So now one way to grow the sport is to get some big-name stars, obviously, involved. Ronaldo came awful close to signing – In Kansas City, by the way. In Kansas City. What happened there? That would have been amazing. What happened there?

What do you got for me there? The fact that Saudi Arabia came in and offered him 250 million net. So they live toward the MLS is what you're saying? Essentially.

That's what they're trying to do. Rich, I'm going to debunk that theory that you need global stars here, though. Got it. And the reason why is over the last 18 months, Major League Soccer is in the top five leagues in the world selling players. Okay.

Tell me more, Taylor Twome. Now we're a conversation on the world market. Now Major League Soccer is a real conversation with scouts around the world because the younger, hungrier player is now playing in this league, not going to Mexico. Talk to me in three years when the World Cup comes here. Talk to me in 18 months when Copa America comes here. Rich, the only thing I'm hearing from scouts and everyone else, particularly in South America, is when I played, and I'm not that old, you didn't even think about going to Major League Soccer because that wasn't your stepping stone to get to the league.

Now it is. You got legitimately serious players like Thiago Amato, who won the World Cup with Messi in Argentina, saying, I don't want to go to Liga MX to get to Europe. I'm going to Major League Soccer.

I think that's the first sign of real growth. Yes, you, Scott Van Pelt, and all the big names in media around the world, we want, I'm not saying we don't take Messi. I'm not saying you don't take Zlatan. But it's no longer the staple on how to grow the league. Does that make sense? Of course. Of course it totally makes sense. And it's all interconnected, and it does wind up what I imagine the U.S. men's national team becoming more competitive each time that they go out. You know, that homegrown stars can get what they need here with the level of competition to get better here in order to start dominating worldwide. That's the most important point. I totally get that. But you do have me at Messi, though.

And you do need the casual fan to be tuning into Apple TV here just to go check things out. And if Messi shows up in Miami for Beckham, then you got yourself a different story. Yeah, that's completely different. Messi's Pelé 2.0. We all know what Pelé did in the NASL. My father played in the NASL for 10 years. I'm an NASL baby.

I went to Cosmos games. Bingo. By the way, Bob Lee called those games, by the way. Isn't that crazy? Did he really? The general did? I'm dating him a little bit. Sorry, Bob, if you're listening.

I went to those games. Amazing, right? Of course.

Messi will trump that times a thousand. Is it going to happen? What do you think? I think it's got a legitimate shot.

I do. And I think we have to tip our cap to Jorge Mas and his family at Inter Miami for going for it. Because you said it, and this is the most important thing that people need to understand why everyone like myself and in Major League Soccer is excited about Apple TV.

For the first time in its history of 27 years, you've now got a partner that has the same ambition and resources that want to take this thing on a linear growth. If you throw Lionel Messi into that equation, the 108 countries that Apple TV is on with no blackouts. Buddy, you're talking about people that wouldn't even think about Major League Soccer. So, yes, Messi is the absolute trump to anything I just said because he transcends soccer.

He transcends sports in that point. So, yes, you go get Messi. I think it's a legitimate shot. I would be shocked, honestly, if he doesn't come because I know the Messi camp really wants to do this. They love Miami.

They want to try it. And I can't imagine what the World Cup will be in 2026 when Argentina announces Lionel Messi as an Inter-Miami player. Rich, you're going to ask me to quantify that? I don't know if I can. You can't. I don't think you can.

I can't. Taro Twelman here on the Rich Eisen Show. Rich on the Pitch is what it's being called, presented by Apple TV. So, give me the name of a player we're not talking about, who can ascend, take over. Sebastian Giurice in Austin. There you go.

You didn't stutter. Tell me about him. He will do anything and everything he can to make sure you lose the game. He will do anything and everything he can. And I love it. Rich, you know me fairly well from our colleagues at ESPN. I am competitive.

And I love any little. He would literally slide tackle his kids, his wife, his mom to win that game. And then he'll do the special things. Sebastian Giurice is a front runner, in my opinion, to be MVP. Premier League teams were asking a lot of questions. He just renewed in Austin. Great atmosphere.

Great environment. But Giurice is something else. And he's young and he's got a chip on his shoulder. Okay. Anybody else? Throw out some more names. Yeah, Tiago Amato, he's the first player in MLS history, in his time of playing with the national team, currently in Major League Soccer, that also won a World Cup. No one else has.

And Tiago Amato's the name that's brought up from every scout around the world that says, I'm interested to see what he does. Honestly, if he has a halfway decent first three or four months, Rich, I'd be shocked if he's not sold. He'll be sold for real money. So which side is right? Yeah, you're overthinking it. Which team? Which side? Okay. Which franchise, if they take control of their own destiny and go on a run, would be most helpful, do you think, to the MLS? That's a great question.

Oh man, you've really put me on the spot. I don't mean to. I do. I do think Atlanta United, when you are announcing as one of the top five teams around the world on average attendance, and you missed the playoffs two of the last three years, not good enough. However, I'm going to say LAFC, and here's why. Liz, I've listened to you cover all the sports. What do we love? We love super teams. We love to hate them. We love to root for them. We also love Will Ferrell. We do like Will Ferrell because he can kind of take us away from it. He's amazing.

And him showing up at these matches too. It is. It's great. But on the other hand, if LAFC becomes the club, the Yankees in this league, there's nothing better than to hate the New York Yankees. There's nothing better than to hate the Lakers. So, honestly, my soccer brain says Atlanta United, my Apple brain, my marketing brain, everything about what this league is. If LAFC goes on this seven, eight, nine year run, it's in Los Angeles.

They're doing things their way. Then I think that's the one where Apple, Major League Soccer, all looks at it and says, I love this. Well, especially since the MLS Cup was, I mean, last year.

Buddy, that was one of the best games in the history of any sport. I've never seen a goalie red carded while getting carded off. I've never seen that before in any, I mean, and then- I mean, joking aside, while he's in shock because he's got his leg broken. Like, honestly.

I've never seen anything like that. And then when they red carded him for it, I'm like, what the heck? And then his buddy comes in to back up. It was amazing, obviously. And then Bail gives us- Yeah, Bail's 78 years old and he jumps like a salmon in a river and out jumps everyone and scores a goal. Like, what are we talking about here? I know.

And then, of course, that he shows up against the U.S. Men's National Team in the first match of the World Cup. You're really good. Thank you. I try to, you know- How long did it take you this morning to go through the thesaurus and just go through the buzzwords?

No, no, no. I've got, you know, I'll be honest. I've got notes. I'm a professional. I've got notes. I've got notes.

Taylor Twelman here on The Rich Guys Show. Let's talk about you. You got a good Brady story because when you were doing your work for the New England Revolution, I mean, 2002 to 2009, you're the MVP of the 2005 season. This is when Brady became Brady in the same building where you were doing your stuff. I mean, I saw Brady leave the Jeep Wrangler behind that he was driving after winning the first Super Bowl.

Then all of a sudden, kind of changed. I saw Brady go into the Giselle world. I was there.

Right. Junior Seau was my next door neighbor when he was there. So I drove Junior Seau and Wes Welker to trainings at times because we were all in the same thing. I saw all the pranks, which by the way, nobody talks about regarding that Patriots team because obviously Bill Belichick outside the building has this aura, right? Those teams had fun.

And I mean, opening a car with 10,000 ping pong balls in the middle. Who did that? Joe Andrews. Andrews, Willie McGinnis.

I mean, when you think of Andrewsy, excuse me. When you think about that stuff, that was to be in there. And you had a front row seat for this? The best part of the whole thing was I had a Jeep Wrangler my first year and our goalie took off my spare tire on the back of the Jeep Wrangler and rolled it into the locker room because I was late doing some media stuff and they're coming out in training camp.

And I got Willie McGinnis who looks 6'9 with the cleats on, the pads on, everything. And I see him bent over laughing his ass off because I'm sweating, rolling a tire from the locker room and then literally two days later Andrewsy puts the ping pong balls in the car. I mean, it was a fun team, but nobody publicly knew that because they had that aura.

And quite honestly, we were such on a smaller scale, but Rich, we had the same, like you just stayed in house, stayed in house. But we had some fun. We had many a good nights going out and for a long part of it, for me, I was part of that because I'm not really a soccer guy, even though I am. I played all sports.

I went to college on a baseball scholarship. So they weren't like, as you jokingly throughout this thing, they didn't need to apologize to me for not knowing soccer because I didn't care. But then all of a sudden they started going to revs games. And then people are talking, wait a minute, why are the Patriots going to revs games? Well, because Robert Kraft, you know.

He's run it the whole time. And so, but the Lombardi Trophy would show up to your games. Oh yeah, absolutely. Well, we did that just so more fans would show up. That's helpful.

You got to fill up 65,000 seats. But hey man, also because the Patriots are doing their thing, the Red Sox started winning at around that same time. The Celtics won.

I was just going to joke. I was looking up before to see if you beat Garnett to an MVP award and he beat you by one year. He did. He did.

He did. So I mean. We lost, I'm one of, I think three players, four players to lose four MLS cops, Rich. I appreciate you bringing that up. Thank you. But you were.

No, it's good. But you were winning. You're winning. You're that guy. I am that guy.

Well, he walks in here and you're like, but you were winning. Yes. By the way, tell him, don't I, I call him a dynastic team all the time.

The bill. Yes. Yes. And loser in a dynasty though. Yeah.

I mean, you could still be a dynasty that loses. That's true. Right.

I mean, it's just like, just like you were. Yeah, absolutely. I'll own it.

I'll own it. Okay. Taylor, real quick about the US men's national team. We're not that far removed from the world cup that just took place. Do you consider their run a success? It's a, it's a real good question. I'm not going to waste 35 minutes on it cause we could talk about this in US soccer, particularly in the men's side for more than 30 minutes.

We could do an entire show on it. Anytime a nation gets out of their group, it's a success. Now it's not for France, England, Brazil, Germany. I understand that, but for the United States to get out of their group, it is a success. However, you're using the word success the way I use it, the way Rich wants to.

We're American. What does success means? It means doing something big, which is winning, not scoring a couple of goals, not scoring a couple goals and saying, Hey, we tied and all that, but you got out of your group.

That is the base, the foundation. But I've been asked multiple times, what grade would you give the US men's national team? And I'm stuck between a C plus or B because the real question has always been, okay, you get out of your group, but what do you do against Argentina, Brazil, France, Netherlands, the big countries in the world?

What do you do against them? Cause that's the goal. If we're not doing, if that's not our goal, then quite honestly, what are we doing this for?

So for me, it's a C plus because if Pulisic scores in the second minute, sure, maybe a different game, but I watched the same game everybody else did in the Dutch ran circles around us for more than 80 minutes of the game. So it is what it is. But the world cup coming here in three years is going to be something I don't know what to expect. Yeah.

So that was my next question. Like with that, what are expectations in three years? Well, you're asking me about a tournament and we all joke, but FIFA will do anything to look different, right? There's going to be 48 teams now and bingo took the words right out of my mouth. I don't know what it looks like and we don't even know that FIFA just knows they're going to make more money from it so that they win. But 48 teams, I'm like, really? I mean the United States, Canada, Mexico don't even have to qualify.

They were good. They're not going to have to qualify anyways with 32 teams because I don't, I don't even know what the format looks like. No one knows that yet. So I think it's got to be quarterfinals to be a success if you're hosting this damn thing.

And if not better. And because you get your golden generation that everyone, including myself, has said, this is your golden generation. Well, guess what? They're in the prime of their careers. They're all playing at these unbelievable clubs where we've never seen the American.

You're in your backyard. That's why the Copa America in 2024 is going to be the most important training for that team because they're going to be playing that tournament in this country preparing for the World Cup. But for me, it's quarterfinals, whether it's 32 or 48 teams. Well congrats on the new gig, man. This is going to be fun. You're perfect for it.

They chose a perfect guy. I appreciate that. Very much so. Very much so. Good luck with that. And you know, whenever you're in town, let me know. Oh yeah. And if you want Real Brady stories, we can do a different kind of podcast if you want. What are we doing for dinner?

I mean now, I mean this is different Rich on the pitch, don't you think? This is different. Very good. Taylor Twelman, thanks for coming on here.

Thanks, Bob. Have a good time in the Rose Bowl. That was Rich on the Pitch presented by Apple TV. MLS season pass is available on the Apple TV app where fans can stream matches free this weekend.

Install the app and subscribe now so you never miss a match. Next time you're on, I will have that shirt tucked in. Very good. Taylor Twelman, thanks for coming on, man. Thanks, buddy.

Enjoy the Rose Bowl. What a spot that is. Best dad ever, huh? Yes. So proclaimed. That's it right there. That's it.

If it says it right here for my children, it must be. Thanks for coming on, brother. Yeah, buddy. Taylor Twelman here on The Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-rich number to dial. Andrew Brant still to come talking about what's going on with Aaron Rodgers and his darkness yurt. Back here on The Rich Eisen Show radio network along with our live Roku stream, I'm sitting at The Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger is the right product for you.

Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by. What a very successful first voyage of Rich on the pitch, don't you think? I loved it. Definitely.

It was awesome. He knows his stuff, man. He's on it. He's on it. And he's energetic. He's like jumping out of the chair.

I love it. His passion for soccer comes through. I'm not a huge soccer guy.

I do know a little bit. But watching him over the years, his passion, man, just shines through. He's a guy who I will actively seek out to learn about soccer. Boy, it's going to be a washout in the Rose Bowl tomorrow, don't you think? Yeah, it's probably going to be like 7-6.

There's probably going to be like 10 goals in that game now. I just want to let the audience know, it is Los Angeles and it's raining. So thoughts and prayers, please. To us driving home. It's raining sideways! Can we start doing the traffic as well? We might as well.

People can't drive. It might take two hours to get home today. Let's go to our phone lines.

844-204-rich number to dial. Terzo and Iowa. Terzo! Terzo. All rise.

All rise. Terzo and Iowa. The famed counselor. The better call Saul of the heartland. What's going on, Terzo?

What's going on? Hey, not much, Rich. Hey, where were you shoveling snow in Colorado because you know I'm originally from that state.

I did not know that. I was shoveling snow in beautiful Telluride, Colorado at 10,000 feet. I've never felt every ventricle working in my entire life quite like that moment. It was something.

But I survived it. We call that mountain mileage. So I grew up, our family ranch is just southwest of Telluride, so right over in the Rico area. So I know that area quite well. It's beautiful. It is just stunning. It's great. And I just wish I could breathe. Other than that, all good.

All good. Hey, Rich, I got a question for you. I was thinking about something last night, and it kind of has to do with Scottie Pippen and the Bulls. And so whenever he had that terrible contract, in today's world, do you think that he would have stuck around with the Bulls, or he would have pushed back and got out? Because that could have changed the whole entire dynasty of what the Chicago Bulls were.

I don't know. Did anybody ever demand a trade to Jerry Krause? Did that happen? Did that happen? Did Pippen do that? Could he have pulled a Durant? I mean, leaving Michael Jordan and the ring generating machine that was the Last Dance Bulls really. I mean, you're the Last Dance. Remember, Pippen was unhappy, and he was delayed getting surgery, so he missed the first half of the year. That was kind of his way of kind of silently protesting. But yeah.

Yeah, and it was just a different era to where people weren't asking to be traded so actively and being granted it. So this is what you're thinking about sitting around, Terzo? Do you need a hobby, or what have we got? Well, hey, Rich, I also think about D&D, my cases, and then we're driving up to Northern Iowa to look at some bulls.

So my brain goes in a lot of different directions at times. What do you mean you're going up to Northern Iowa to look at some bulls? So is that what the connectives, actual bulls, Chicago bulls, is that what put it together? No, so actual bulls that I'm going to do an auction next week, but we go up to right by the Mississippi River, do a little river boat gambling.

And then I go to this rancher, and we take a look at bulls, and more likely find one that we like, make an offer, send them back to Colorado to the homestead. There you go. Thank you, Terzo. You're the man. Appreciate you calling in.

Appreciate you guys. Right there from the nation's heartland in the beautiful state of Iowa. Terzo, starring in 2023.

Coming soon. 2023. And remember, Pippin was saddled with a five-year, $18 million contract when the bulls were doing their thing and just criminally underpaid. Let's talk about it, guys.

Let's talk about it. The Lakers. Lakers. They looked playoff ready last night. Ah. Ah. Rich, did they look playoff ready? Yes.

The Warriors, who are now seven and 23 on the road, just do what the Warriors did on the road. Okay. Let's keep, okay. No staff. No staff.

Let me ask this. No Wiggins last night. What will it take? You have to beat the teams that you're supposed to beat as opposed to, oh, the Lakers. They couldn't even beat, like you flipped the script, they couldn't even beat the Warriors who are terrible on the road. So winning the games that you're supposed to win without LeBron and Anthony Davis scoring significant actions, basically making threes. Obama's making threes. Come on now.

Do not get credit for things you're supposed to do. I know I'm promoting cocaine bear all week because O'Shea Jackson Jr. was here in studio and plus, I still can't get over the fact that I spent almost two hours in the same room with a bear who loves cocaine. Loves. Loves. There's their kids in the room.

God, I mean, what a, you know, they watch TV. So but, but, but, but, not to sound all O'Shea Jackson Jr., that's what they're supposed to look like, these new reconstituted Lakers. So what will it take?

What will it take? You said their next schedule, what do they play, Dallas next, right? Be it Kyrie and Luca, isn't that what, you need to see that next? I'll be shocked if that happens.

They get Dallas and Memphis next two games. But they're not as good as them. That's why. So I'll be shocked. Or I'll be impressed. Or I'll be like, oh, okay, then we maybe have to start taking them seriously. You're going high register about the LeBron Los Angeles Lakers of 2022-2023. Oh, they're a disaster. I'll be shocked. They're not, but they're not, at some point you have to realize they're not the same team anymore. Yes, I understand that. But there's only 20 games left.

Like how quickly. 22 for them. How quickly can they gel together and get this, like Darvin Ham thinks they're going to be the 60.

That is, I want that level of delusion in my life. Here, if they make it, they'll be in the play end and they'll be lucky to get out. Well, the sixth seed is the Mavericks. They'd be coming up next if they win this game.

I can do the math for you. There are only three, they'd be two and a half games behind them. With a lot of teams to leap, I understand.

It's definitely possible. But they just gained a game on the 10th seed in front of them, a thunder loss at the buzzer last night. The Blazers came out of the break and rested.

Yeah, I know. What was that? Damian Lillard and Jeremy Grant.

Ridiculous. They rested them. That was the phrase they used, they rest.

Like the week and a half was enough of a rest? I know Dame won the three point contest, but you could see they're already maybe tapping the head on this season. There's a bunch of teams buying French books right now and learning how to speak French and the Rosetta Stone. Jean-Mappelle T.J., Como Talibou.

Jean-Mappelle Chris. That's you. The Lakers at Dallas on Sunday. There you go. And then they got to play the Grizzlies.

So Rich, they win those ones? We're going to find out. So Monday. We'll talk Monday. We'll win those two and we'll see. Lakers.

Dallas put up 140 last night. Okay. Andrew Brant coming up in studio. That's the next voice you'll hear on this program. Did you just do the Lakers guy, Jeff? He did. Laker. Laker. That guy.

I did that. What a legend. Clippers tonight. Yeah, buddy. What kind of seats we got?

Court side. I've got multiple children. You got a suite? I'm not going to say. You can't confirm or deny. You got extras?

I'm not confirming or denying. No. My son's birthday is tomorrow? It's my 12-year-old son's birthday party. Yeah, but they give you like 10 tickets for the suite.

Are you taking nine kids? Dessert cart? We got a dessert cart situation? That's what we're getting at. There may be a candy apple or two.

See, that's what I'm saying. There may be a candy apple or two. The biggest piece of red velvet cake you've ever seen. Squad goals. I know we talk about the dessert cart at Staples Austin. I'm not going to say that my ticket situation.

It's the greatest of all time. All I know is that my son is taking a nice chunk of his basketball team that just lost their final playoff game yesterday. Oh, no. What happened?

He reined in threes in the fourth quarter to make it awful tight. Really? Oh, it was great.

Back door cover? My son. And by the way, Coop. Doing, you know, like the three kids. Hey, NBA players, kids pick up on stuff. Everything. They pick up on everything.

I did that the JV game once and got beat out by the head coach. Here's how much Cooper picked up on what NBA players are doing. He turned to me yesterday right before the playoff game and said, maybe I should rest. I knew that was coming. I knew maybe I should rest. You know, I, I, I, I tweaked my leg just yesterday. I think I'm resting. What's wrong with you? Andrew Brandt coming up. Thanks for having me.