00:00I'm not into recapping the game.
00:01You watched it.
00:01You saw it.
00:03What I do want to know from you today is did it inspire you enough?
00:07Did it move you enough?
00:09Do your kids want to go play,
00:11and do they want to now become a soccer player from what they saw in this
00:16tournament?
00:16And, Rusty, I got to tell you, I don't know if that's the case.
00:19This is kind of the pattern.
00:21We're around a 16-team.
00:22I mean, we didn't even make it in 2018.
00:25So this has happened to be – I think there's a lot of gain here, Carl.
00:29I think when you look at the exposure, being in the United States,
00:32I told you off the air, I can tell you what FIFA is going to do.
00:35They're coming back here as fast as they damn can.
00:37Somebody's about to get bumped.
00:39It has been great.
00:40The city of Atlanta has put on something special.
00:42But, listen, our best athletes don't play that.
00:47It's just bottom line.
00:48We have great – we have really good players.
00:51Last night, from a football, an American football mind to me,
00:56they were so much more skilled than we were.
00:59They were.
00:59So much more skilled.
01:00Yeah.
01:00They looked very easy.
01:02We never really threatened them.
01:04We had a penalty kick.
01:05We never really put any pressure on them.
01:08They scored two of the easiest goals you will ever see in soccer.
01:12Ever.
01:13Ever.
01:13We just looked like the moment was too big.
01:16I feel the same way.
01:17And for all the Flo Balligan talk, he barely touched it last night.
01:20Oh, yeah, dude.
01:21One shot on goal, right?
01:23So, to Rusty's point about the pressure, the attack, how we were turning teams over
01:29and getting easy opportunities, none of that stuff played out last night.
01:32Belgium looked like a top-tier team.
01:36And, you know, the score is evident of that.
01:39So, look, did this kill any momentum that the sport had gained while we watched this tournament?
01:46That I don't know.
01:47What I do know is I was inspired because I thought these guys were giving us something
01:52to be proud about.
01:53And I am still proud of the moment.
01:54Yep.
01:55Knowing where we are in the world, like Rusty said, the standings and how people view U.S.
02:00soccer, it's getting better.
02:01Everybody today is talking about the future is bright, the future is bright.
02:04I got to tell you guys, I've been hearing this for 25 years.
02:0625 years I've been hearing the future is bright with soccer.
02:09Soccer is going to get there.
02:10It's coming.
02:11It's going to be the biggest thing.
02:12So, I'm not a believer in that.
02:14What I do believe, though, is this helped.
02:17Yes.
02:17It helped push it.
02:19Especially the worldwide game.
02:21Yes.
02:21A little bit more, it helped.
02:23But as far as how you feel about it, because I've got to be honest with you, in a few
02:27weeks, you guys know what happens?
02:29Dun, dun, dun, dun!
02:31Football.
02:31Our football starts.
02:33Play with our hands.
02:34And all of a sudden, Rusty, our attention will change.
02:37Our focus will change.
02:39I don't think it hurts the fact that this was a nice run by the U.S.
02:42men's national team.
02:43And by the way, Argentina, they just advanced.
02:46You're talking about closing the gap?
02:47Oh, my goodness.
02:48They were down 2-0 right here in the A, by the way.
02:51And Mike Conte's going to join us coming up at around 2-40.
02:54He was at this match.
02:55But we'll talk to him about the U.S.
02:57men's national team.
02:57Want to open up the phone lines?
02:58Day Day, let's open them up at 404-726-0929.
03:01That's what I want to know.
03:03The loss was ugly.
03:04It felt bad.
03:05We were all like, damn, turn the TV off.
03:08But did this kill any momentum?
03:10Did it help soccer in any way?
03:11And more importantly for me, as I look at this, and look, we don't know if Pochettino's going
03:15to be back.
03:16For everybody talking about Christian Pulisic, he was a zero last night.
03:19Yeah, he got, yeah, nothing burger.
03:22Nothing, Rusty.
03:23Nothing burger.
03:24I'll say this, too.
03:24I do think, and let me start off with this statement.
03:27It will never, and I mean it will never compare to American football here, period.
03:33There is a window, and there is an opportunity for soccer to be in all of our lives.
03:39This was a great World Cup.
03:41There's an opportunity there.
03:42Our best athletes are playing basketball.
03:44Our best athletes are playing American football.
03:47They're playing baseball.
03:48Soccer is about fourth or fifth here, okay?
03:51But there is a window, and there is an opportunity for this sport to continue to grow.
03:56We're not going to get five times better.
03:58Last night, we don't have kids at Collins Hill and Buford going, damn, I'm not going to work
04:02out in the morning.
04:03And that's what I want to know.
04:04That ain't happening.
04:05So if that's not happening, then how do we ever gain on these countries who are way better
04:11than us, whether it's the Argentinas, whether it's the Belgians of the world, whether it's
04:15the Englands of the world.
04:17Like, that's the deal.
04:18We're never going to achieve that, Rusty.
04:20I'll be interested in callers.
04:21Are we happy just to be around a 16 team to qualify for the World Cup?
04:26I mean, is that what we are?
04:28You know, because listen, we got out of class last night, and Belgium's not going to win
04:32this thing.
04:32You know what I mean?
04:33We got out of class last night.
04:35404-726-0929.
04:37The great Rusty Menzel filling in for Mike today.
04:40He's out all week.
04:41And look, we got a lot to talk about.
04:43I'm going to talk to Rusty about some high school stuff.
04:45We're going to talk some college football.
04:47Obviously, we're going to talk some dogs as well, because he is that guy.
04:51And he's in on everything.
04:53And you get a chance, and we were just talking about this with Brandon outside.
04:57You know, you guys call the high school games.
04:59You do a terrific job of that.
05:00You've seen them on television, or you've been to a game where they're at.
05:03It just enhances our high school football here in our great state.
05:06And you said it's a few weeks away.
05:08Five weeks away.
05:09Five weeks, man.
05:11That's crazy.
05:12Training camp, NFL training camp, end of this month, 10 days later, we will have real high
05:16school football.
05:17We're a month away.
05:18Yeah.
05:19And that makes me feel so good, because I know it's coming.
05:22But the state of Georgia has two major networks that show high school football games on Friday
05:27nights, which is crazy.
05:29GPB and us.
05:30CBS 46.
05:32Okay.
05:32Yeah, I mean, statewide, which is crazy.
05:35And I think the exposure for that, obviously, I'm a big proponent of the state of Georgia.
05:39Our kids are producing NFL, producing everywhere.
05:41We've got great coaches, great communities.
05:43But the ability to have two high school football games, that's why I don't like college football
05:48on Friday night.
05:49Oh, I don't either.
05:50Leave that alone, man.
05:51Yeah.
05:51Leave that alone.
05:53I've never...
05:53Look, when it first started, we were like, oh.
05:56Cute game.
05:57Yeah.
05:57But then it became the norm, right?
05:59Yeah.
05:59And now all these schools, we know this.
06:01It's a collegiate level.
06:03Oh, I can't get the exposure on Saturday, so I'm going to move my game to Friday.
06:06Try to steal Friday.
06:07And I hate it, because I've said, if you're a parent, or you live in a community where
06:10high school football is as big as it is in our state, you're probably involved in something
06:16on a Friday night, and you're not watching either.
06:18All right, 404-726-0929.
06:20It's Dukes and Bell.
06:21Rusty's in for Mike.
06:22Let's talk to Buckeye, Bill, and McDonough.
06:24He wants to get in on this soccer conversation.
06:26We folded up like a cheap suit last night, and this is what happens.
06:30If you go back and look at the big moments for U.S. men's soccer, this feels very familiar.
06:36Unfortunately, with all the momentum they had.
06:38All right, Buckeye, Bill, what's on your mind?
06:39Hey, man, talk to us.
06:41My goodness, man.
06:42You know, I don't watch soccer.
06:44I watch football.
06:47They were playing soccer, and the world is playing football.
06:51I was so excited.
06:52I jumped on yesterday, and I was like, USA!
06:55I mean, first time ever watching a full, full soccer game, and we wet the bed.
07:03We wet the bed, and I was just so disappointed that they didn't at least put something together
07:13to score more and play more defense.
07:16And I just, I don't know if I'll ever be able to, I won't get none of my kids into
07:22soccer.
07:22They're going to play basketball, baseball, football.
07:26Look, that's the majority.
07:28This is what it is.
07:29That's how we came up.
07:30Look.
07:31That's not changing.
07:32And I think it's ingrained in our sports culture, too, Rusty.
07:36Like, to your point, there are kids in Belgium or England or Argentina that are growing up,
07:42and this is their life.
07:43Our kids, it's not that way.
07:45Let me ask you, let me throw two names at you.
07:47Do you think if Champ Bailey started playing soccer at five, do you think if Travis Hunter
07:54started playing at five, twitchy, freaky athletes with great feet, do you think if those kids
08:01weren't professionally trained in those worlds, that's what we're missing.
08:05Elite, elite athletes.
08:07You know, anybody can do it with those guys?
08:08None of them.
08:09But, listen, these teams are very, very good, and they're highly skilled soccer players.
08:16Highly skilled soccer players.
08:18It was on display last night.
08:19We're not ready for that.
08:20I don't know if we will be.
08:21You sound like that guy in Athens who says, eat.
08:25Let's talk to Tony in Marietta.
08:27Tony, hey, man, talk to us.
08:28What are you thinking?
08:28All right, gentlemen, I'm going to make it plain and simple.
08:32In the U.S., follow the money.
08:36In Europe, follow the money.
08:37Where's the money in Europe?
08:39If you're a very, very good athlete, you're going to soccer.
08:43If you're a very, very good athlete in the U.S., you're going number one, football, number
08:49two, basketball, and or baseball.
08:52That's where you can make the most.
08:55And European kids don't make it in football.
09:00Baseball, I don't even know if it exists other than South, North, Japan, China, you know.
09:05I'm not 100% sure, but no.
09:08What are you going to do?
09:09If you're an optimum athlete, especially if you're a big young man, and you love football
09:17or baseball, you're not going to soccer.
09:20It's just, no.
09:21You know what's a faster-growing sport than soccer?
09:23And that's part of the problem.
09:24You know what's a faster-growing sport than soccer in the United States?
09:26What was it?
09:26Lacrosse.
09:27Oh, I can believe that.
09:28Lacrosse is faster-growing soccer.
09:30I can believe that.
09:30100% it is.
09:31Yeah.
09:32All my daughter's friends, she played for a while.
09:35All her, the boys in her class, like, everybody was into lacrosse.
09:39I don't disagree with that.
09:40And believe it or not, you know, if you're not from the South, right, lacrosse has been huge
09:46up North.
09:47Oh, yeah.
09:47It's now huge down South.
09:49Oh, yeah.
09:50Oh, yeah.
09:50Johns Hopkins in Maryland and all that.
09:51He used to watch that Memorial Day game every year.
09:54I'd be like, I'm watching it.
09:56But, and listen, not to, thanks for that call, but I can tell you right now, the money, he
10:00listed basketball at number two.
10:02Let's reverse that.
10:04We're paying 12, if not 53, man.
10:07Basketball is definitely where it is in the United States if you're one of those 12.
10:10Well, it's hard when you see, for example, today, and look, I'm not telling you any of
10:14these guys aren't deserving.
10:15I do think there are a lot of average guys in the NBA that are making a lot of money,
10:19but
10:19it ain't their fault.
10:20That's just the CBA, and that's where this thing has gone.
10:22But when you see, and this is what our kids see, Donovan Mitchell agrees to a four-year
10:27273 deal, right, a max with a player option, and you start looking at this money, you
10:34go, whoa, wait a minute, the additional season could be worth $80 million, which then takes
10:42the deal to $353 million.
10:44Those are the headlines our kids see on social media, Rusty, and they go, less than 1% chance
10:50to get to that.
10:50True.
10:51Less than 1%.
10:52But that's what they're chasing.
10:53I agree.
10:54I agree.
10:54Yeah, no question.
10:55And I looked at that this morning, I was like, you know what?
10:57He's not worried about what his thermostat's on.
10:59I can promise you.
11:01He ain't worried about either one of those damn units in his house.
11:04Hey, man, it's Dukes and Bell.
11:06Rusty's in for Mike.
11:07We're hanging out all day with you guys.
11:09Argentina, by the way.
11:10Congratulations.
11:11They stay here?
11:12Do they stay here today?
11:13That damn Messi, man.
11:15He's in Kennesaw.
11:16Hang out at the Whataburger.
11:17You might catch him.
11:18That Messi is amazing.
11:20They beat Egypt.
11:21Egypt was up 2-0.
11:22We're going to ask Mike Conte about it.
11:23As we said, he was at the match here.
11:24And they come back and they win 3-2.
11:27Ask him what he saw in the last 10 minutes of the game.
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