Hour 1: In the New York Groove

Summary

---

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Episode: Hour 1: In the New York Groove
Date: June 21, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones & Guest Co-Host Jonathan Zaslow (with Producer Renee)
Source: ESPN Radio

---

Episode Overview

In this hour, Matt Jones and guest co-host Jonathan Zaslow dive into one of the busiest weeks in the sports calendar: the overlap of the NBA Finals, NHL Finals, U.S. Open golf, and World Cup soccer. Much of the episode centers on the New York Knicks’ long-awaited NBA title and the wild celebrations in New York, touching on the city’s unique sports culture. The hosts also discuss hockey’s resurgent TV ratings, the U.S. and World Cup atmosphere, the US Open, the NCAA gambling scandal involving Brennan Sorsby, and the surprising promise of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team. Throughout, the hosts balance informed analysis with banter and a distinctly candid rapport.

---

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The “Secretly Great” Sports Week in June

[01:24 - 03:06]

• Matt argues that this particular June week is "one of the biggest sports weeks of the year that people don't think about," given the overlapping finales and tournaments.
• Zaslow agrees, highlighting that the narrative of June being a “terrible sports month” is outdated: “We had either the NBA Finals or the next night the Stanley Cup Final.”
• MLB, WNBA, US Open, and UFC events add to the sports density.

“June’s a good sports month right now.” — Jonathan Zaslow [03:06]

---

2. Knicks’ NBA Title and the New York Party

[03:07 - 06:01, resumes 13:38+]

• Matt describes being in NYC for the Knicks’ historic championship win and celebration, noting the “joy that is crazy” and the “unlike anything I’ve ever seen” party atmosphere.
• Producer Renee joins, describing the jam-packed five-block parade and inability to get close due to the sheer crowd size.
• Both Matt and Zaslow agree that even Knicks haters found the run compelling, thanks to a likable team led by Jalen Brunson.

“...it has been fun watching their celebrations.” — Matt [05:16]

“Like, if you would have said to teenage Jonathan Zaslow back in the late 90s, you're going to enjoy a Knicks championship run... that would have been embarrassing. But this Knicks team, they came off super likable, and Jalen Brunson is very easy to like.” — Jonathan Zaslow [05:32]

---

3. Knicks Parade & James Dolan’s Epic Mis-step

[13:38 - 22:29]

• The hosts reflect on the electric energy in New York post-title, with Matt noting, “no one has even contemplated work...for four days.”
• Focus shifts to the parade speeches:
  • The mayor, Mandani, delivers an “awesome speech” celebrating Knicks history; Matt calls it the best sports speech he’s ever heard from a politician.
  • In stark contrast, Knicks owner James Dolan’s speech is described as “arguably the worst speech I've ever heard.” Dolan refuses even to do the usual player-name shout-outs. “It's almost like, none of you people matter to me is essentially what he says.”
  • Further snubbing: Dolan and his son refuse to pose with the mayor after receiving keys to the city.
• Dolan announces the Knicks won’t go into the “second apron” luxury tax, clouding the celebration with financial caution.
  • Zaslow breaks down that the second apron is more about team-building constraints than just money, but critiques Dolan’s lack of communication and poor optics.

“He gets up there and goes, I don't need your vote. I'm not running for anything. And I ain't going to mention players that have played here because I don't need to prove that, because I don't need you vote. Like, he's almost like, none of you people matter to me is essentially what he says. And he gets no applause. I mean, it is literal crickets in the crowd.” — Matt [18:09]

---

4. Stanley Cup, Carolina Hurricanes, and NHL Ratings Surge

[06:01 - 09:20]

• Matt, a Hurricanes fan, celebrates their Stanley Cup win and parade—drawing a humorous contrast with hockey culture: “Hockey is the only sport where...you can get drunk and then do your interviews. That only happens in hockey.”
• The hosts highlight record TV ratings, up 90% from last year, even without traditional hockey markets in the finals (Carolina/Vegas).
• Discussion of the Hurricanes’ likability vs. Vegas’s “villain” status.
• Zaslow credits NHL’s growth to being back on ESPN and the sport’s playoff excitement.

“Players...you can get drunk and then do your interviews. That only happens in hockey.” — Matt [06:49]

---

5. World Cup in the U.S.: Cultural Explosion and Scheduling Perks

[08:54 - 12:00; resumes 37:30+]

• Matt shares his long tradition of watching the World Cup in New York due to its unique ability to host diverse fan enclaves; the city turns into a mosaic of international parties.
• The hosts agree hosting the World Cup gives U.S. fans ideal game times and boosts interest, with Matt noting, “America has oddly...fallen in love with these people from other countries coming and doing their stuff here.”
• Later, Matt points out, “I’m really liking the sort of cultural...experience” as much as the games themselves, and references viral fan scenes in Atlanta.
• Matt and Zaslow debate whether soccer is “boring” (Matt) or exciting (Zaslow), celebrating the event’s festive atmosphere.

“America has kind of fallen in love with these, like, people from other countries coming and doing their stuff here... I think all of that, America's kind of fallen for, too, don't you?” — Matt [08:44]

---

6. U.S. Open Golf Overshadowed

[09:20 - 10:37]

• The hosts note Windham Clark is running away with the tournament, but the event “almost kind of gotten lost in the shuffle” due to so much else happening.
• Jokes about Clark: “That’s the most golf sounding name. Wyndham Clark. That looks like the guy you would want to beat.” — Matt [10:17]

---

7. NCAA Gambling Scandal: Brennan Sorsby & Texas Tech

[23:58 - 35:58]

• The tangled saga of QB Brennan Sorsby, ruled ineligible for betting, surfaces as a hot topic.
• Texas Tech’s handling—initially trying to play him, then distancing themselves—draws scorn: “One of the, like, weaselist, weaselly looking statements I've ever seen.”
• The hosts debate the NCAA’s and NFL’s approaches to gambling violations, noting the contrast with lifetime bans in other sports.
  • Zaslow expresses skepticism that an NFL team would draft a player with a gambling history: “I have a hard time believing that there's NFL teams out there that are willing to give up draft picks for a player who has a major gambling problem and base of your team.” [31:39]
• Matt suggests that if Sorsby is good enough, a team will take a chance, and that these scandals tend to become a “blip on the radar.”

“Pete Rose lost his livelihood. Right. He lost his livelihood.” — Zaslow [31:24]

---

8. The Promise of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team

[39:32 - 45:09]

• Matt and Zaslow discuss Zlatan’s bold prediction: does the U.S. have a real shot to win the World Cup?
• Zaslow: “It looks like the best US team of our lifetimes right now,” citing record performance through group play, “literally unprecedented.”
• Matt acknowledges structural advantages (home field, seeded status), but offers realistic analysis of the tough knockout path ahead (potential matchup with Belgium in the Round of 16, Spain later).
• Both agree: making the quarterfinals is a realistic goal, and once there, anything can happen. U.S. team lauded for their fun, aggressive style and wide appeal.

“They are doing things that nobody's done. They do have a couple of structural advantages...but this is the best US Team of our lifetimes.” — Matt [42:09]

“If you're in the final eight, then the expectation needs to change from happy to be here too. Let's win the whole thing.” — Zaslow [43:28]

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the June sports schedule:
  “This period of June... is oddly one of the biggest sports weeks of the year that people don't think about.” — Matt [01:24]

• On the Knicks parade:
  “I have never seen the city like this... since really since the parade on Thursday.” — Matt [03:25]

• On the James Dolan parade speech:
  “He gets up there and goes... I'm not running for anything. And I ain't going to mention players that have played here because I don't need to prove that... and he gets no applause. I mean, it is literal crickets in the crowd.” — Matt [18:09]

• On gambling punishments vs. other issues in sports:
  “We're talking about one bad thing that happens away from the game and another bad thing that is happening and possibly spoiling the integrity of the game.” — Zaslow [34:23]

---

Key Timestamps

• 01:24 – Why June is secretly a great sports week
• 03:07 – Knicks’ championship and wild New York celebrations
• 05:20 – Even non-Knicks fans find joy in the historic run
• 06:01 – Hurricanes win Stanley Cup and hockey’s unique party culture
• 07:05 – NHL TV ratings and analysis
• 08:54 – U.S. World Cup hosting and cultural effects
• 09:20 – U.S. Open overshadowed by other events
• 13:38 – Knicks parade and parade speeches
• 18:09 – Dolan’s awkward moment at the parade
• 22:29 – Knicks’ second apron and team-building debate
• 23:58 – Brennan Sorsby NCAA betting scandal & Texas Tech’s response
• 31:39 – Would an NFL team draft Sorsby after gambling violation?
• 37:30 – World Cup parties, cultural atmosphere, and soccer debate
• 39:32 – Zlatan’s take and the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s best-ever start

---

Style & Tone

The hosts keep the conversation informal yet lively, tinged with sarcasm, banter, and accessible sports fandom. Matt’s dry humor contrasts with Zaslow’s more gregarious, occasionally self-deprecating style. There is a distinctly conversational, “coffee with friends” vibe, balanced by occasional sharp insights and breakdowns of otherwise complex sports issues.

---

End of Summary – Hour 1: In the New York Groove

Transcript

[A]

Are all batteries the same? That's like asking if all soccer players are the same. Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that?

[B]

No, just him.

[A]

Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different.

[B]

And Messi only trusts Duracell.

[A]

This is Matt and Myron, the podcast. I'm not going to say that while you were playing that clip, I looked at my fill in co host and thought, well, he could have been in right, Sid, Fred, It's Jonathan Zaslow here with me this morning on Matt Myron, presented by Progressive Insurance. Progressive Insurance makes building home in auto easy. You can learn [e-mail] Jonathan Zaslow joining me today.

[B]

Good morning.

[A]

I could see you in right, said Fred.

[B]

Like you such low hanging fruit, Matt. All it means is that I'm bald. That's all that means.

[A]

Yeah, but this, you, the shape of the face, it's a compliment, actually. They were considered sexy at the time.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

Do you have a mesh shirt, a fishnet shirt like that that you. No.

[B]

Those days are behind me. Not anymore. I, I, I got rid of those, gave them to Goodwill.

[A]

Okay. Well, it's nice to have you here this morning. Thank you very much. I have said for years, and it's even more true this year, that this period of June, specifically this week of June, is oddly one of the biggest sports weeks of the year that people don't think about. The NBA Finals ended, the NHL Finals ended, it's the US Open, the World cup this time every four years. And then whatever that thing was, the ufc, everybody in the middle of the white ruining the grass, whatever, all of that, all of that stuff coming one week in addition to just baseball and the wnba, etc. Do you agree with me that this is one of, if not the more underrated sports weeks of the year?

[B]

It's funny, I think you're 100, right, because, and I felt this way toward the end of both the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals where I was like, wow, you know, you think about June, June is supposed to be a terrible sports month. But look at what we have where every day we either had the NBA Finals or the next night it was the Stanley Cup Final. And both those series, even though the NBA Finals was a short series, both felt like classic series.

[A]

All right. They did. Yes.

[B]

Phenomenal. Even though the last, you know, two games really for the Stanley cup were not very good. They, they Felt like classic finals that we were watching. And then you, you sprinkle in, like you said, oh, that's over. Okay. But we got the World Cup. We got four, five games of the World cup every single day. And in two days from now, we have the NBA draft on Tuesday and Wednesday night, which you hear right here on ESPN Radio. And you got all the. The rumors that are already at full speed ahead for the NBA. So June, June's a good sports month right now.

[A]

It's.

[B]

Call me a little bit.

[A]

It really is. Well, so we, we're only on once a week here, so we kind of like to. To summarize what's happened. So I want to quantic, kind of quickly go over some of the things that happened since the last time we were on the air. The Knicks won the championship. That actually happened a week ago Saturday. But then you've had the week sense of celebration. I've been in New York for a lot of this week. It has been unlike anything I've ever seen.

[B]

Why were you. Why, like, was this pre planned? Why are you.

[A]

Yes, I like to come to New York. I've done this many years during the World cup and watch World cup games, bars around New York.

[B]

So whenever there's the World Cup, I've

[A]

done this in New York. I have, actually. But it's because this is the only city in America and one of the only cities in the world where you can find like ethnic enclaves of every single team in the World Cup. Right. There's somebody here that lives in those places. So I've always liked to do it. Plus my Reds are playing at Yankee Stadium. There's just a bunch of things kind of happening here at once. And the city has been unlike anything I've ever seen since really since the parade on Thursday. And I heard it was like that before. Of just a celebration and a joy. That is crazy. And you saw the, you saw the parade? Renee, one of our producers, you went to the parade, right? Yes, I did. I tried. I couldn't get close. There's too many people. I mean, they. I don't know why. New York's parade route is only five blocks. Renee. Do we know why they wouldn't make it longer than that? I have no idea. But it was criminal to squeeze 2 million people in the same.

[B]

It has to go through the canyon of champions, which is fine, but.

[A]

Okay, let me tell you, expand the canyon. Okay. Because that canyon only was five or six blocks. Renee, I think you could have taken that parade from Battery park up to you Know, Madison Square Garden. And you could have filled it, don't you. Oh, my God. It would have been spectacular. I mean, it probably would have been like 3 or 4 million people at that point, but it was. It was a lot of people. Very tight quarters, short amount of space in terms of, like, the route of the parade. But it was great, though. Yeah, they. They need more, but it was great, Jonathan. And I think even for people who don't like the Knicks or don't like New York, it has been fun watching their celebrations.

[B]

Oh, absolutely. I. I'm here in Miami. I'm a huge Heat fan. I don't like the Knick. The Knicks get no love in the Zaslow mansion. And Manchin. I enjoy.

[A]

What are we talking here?

[B]

Hey, listen, I don't disclose. I'm not gonna disclose that for everybody to hear. Just. All right. We're in a mansion here, and I enjoyed this run from the New York Knicks. Like, if you would have said. If you would have said to teenage Jonathan Zaslow back in the late 90s, you're going to enjoy a Knicks championship run, you know, who raised you? You know, that would have been embarrassing. But this Knicks team, they came off super likable, and Jalen Brunson is very easy to like.

[A]

I totally agree with you. And we're going to talk later about the. The amazing fight of speeches between the mayor of New York and James Dolan, which I found y. Highly entertaining. But so you have that then, you know, if you listen to the show, you know, people know. I'm a Carolina Hurricanes fan. Been talking about them all year. They win the Stanley Cup. They had their parade yesterday, which also was insane to watch. Hockey is the only sport where they're like, you know what players. You can get drunk and then do your interviews. That only happens in hockey. And they. And they had a Dude yesterday, Jonathan DeLaurier, who signed his extension while on the stage. Yeah. For the celebration. Clearly inebriated. That only happens in hockey.

[B]

That's a good trick by the team. You know, get him to sign it after a bunch. After drinking out of the Stanley Cup. That's an excellent trick.

[A]

You can't. There's nowhere else you could do that except hockey. What's interesting about hockey is record ratings for the series. Like, best ratings in 20 years.

[B]

Awesome.

[A]

But for two teams that traditionally in Carolina and Vegas would not have been teams you would have thought could draw ratings, I think that's a really good sign for the sport. Right.

[B]

Well, the. The. Well, you know, with a little. Yeah. Yes. The the short answer.

[A]

Listen, even if you take the fact that the Nielsens change the ratings, they were up 90% from last year. That's more than just changing the way they do the ratings. That is a distinct rise, Right?

[B]

The short answer is yes. But also, there is a big difference between the. The games being on ABC and last year.

[A]

But it was up 50% from ABC2 years ago. I mean, like, whatever is your. Whatever is your metric. Hockey was way, way up this year.

[B]

Yeah. Oh. Look, first of all, it's an incredible sport. It's the best tournament there is as far as the playoffs go with our four major North American sports. And. And, yeah, I think ever since the NHL moved back to espn. What are we talking, like, four or five years ago? Yes, unsurprisingly, major growth. Vegas seemed to be, like, they were

[A]

a big villain, too, where people. I do think that helps. I think the NHL fans in general seem to hate Vegas, so that helps. And the Carolina Hurricanes, I know you don't like them, Zaslow, because you're a Panthers fan, but they're a. Like, they were a likable group, like no star. The coach used to play there. I think that. I think that probably helps a little bit. Then you go to the World cup, it feels like America has oddly. I mean, first of all, it helps that America has played well in their first two games. It's also here. And then I think America's kind of fallen in love with these, like, people from other countries coming and doing their stuff here. And, like, the dances and Scottish people in Boston and the Dutch people in Dallas. I think all of that, America's kind of fallen for, too, don't you?

[B]

Well, and compared to when the World cup is in another country, the timing

[A]

of makes it big. Yes.

[B]

Is enormous for us in this country, especially like. Like, you know, I'm. You're in the east coast right now. I'm on the East Coast. And so as a result, I got games all day long, and they're not in the middle of the night. They're not necessarily at the crack of dawn, so that makes a major difference as well.

[A]

Totally agree with you. And it's led to, like, you know, the. The. The US Open is happening today, and I don't know if anyone's paying attention. I mean, part of it is that Windham Clark leads by, like, 43 shots.

[B]

Yeah, he's running away, but I re.

[A]

And. But Scotty Scheffler's in second, and it's in Shinnecock just down the road here from New York City, a great course, but it does feel like it's almost kind of gotten lost in the shuffle a little bit.

[B]

No, you're right though. The which, which goes your overriding point. June has been a sneaky, great sports month.

[A]

Yeah. Wyndham Clark, I don't fully know his story. He like lost his mind in the locker room last year. What did he do? Like beat up a locker or something? And so now a year later, he's going for redemption. And he has what, a six shot lead going into the final round today.

[B]

Yep. Yeah, he's, he's seven under. Everyone else is one under, including Scheffler. Yeah. I mean, he's running away with his thing.

[A]

Yeah. By the way, that's the most golf sounding name. Wyndham Clark. That looks like the guy you would want to beat.

[B]

He was born holding a golf club.

[A]

Yeah, that's exactly right. He either needed to be a golf club or needed to own like a, you know, accounting business in Charleston, South Carolina. That's just kind of what a window

[B]

sounds like a law firm. Windham Clark.

[A]

Yeah, he's, he was president of the SAE's at Auburn. But that's a lot of stuff to get to. This weekend we're going to talk more about the Knicks parade. I tried to get, but it was a little wild. And James Dolan, even when he wins, he can't help but be the most unlikable person in the room. That's next here on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio. Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[C]

If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that Purple shop pay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Shopify gives you a leg up with hundreds of beautiful, ready to go templates to express your brand style. And forget about the code. Tackle all those important tasks in one place. From inventory to payments to analytics and more. Spread your brand's word with built in marketing and email tools to find and keep new customers. And did I mention that iconic Purple Shop pay button that's used by millions of businesses around the world? It's why Shopify has the best converting checkout on the planet. Your customers already Love it. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at Shopify. Shopify.com network. Go to Shopify.com network Shopify.com network in today's world, planning ahead isn't always top of mind. But not having life insurance can leave families facing difficult financial uncertainty during already emotional times. In many cases, loved ones are left managing expenses, debts or long term obligations without a clear plan in place. Life insurance is one of those ways to help provide financial security and support when it's needed most. That's where Ethos comes in. Ethos makes getting life insurance fast and easy and it's 100% online. You can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and even get same day coverage. There's no medical exam, you just answer a few simple health questions online. And coverage options are flexible, with up to $3 million available and some policies starting at around $30 a month. Ethos has also earned strong customer feedback with a 4.8 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot based on more than 3,000 reviews. Help protect your family with life insurance through Ethos. Get your instant free [e-mail] sports. That's e t h o s.com sports application times and rates may vary.

[A]

At long last, for the first time

[B]

in 53 years, the new York Knicks are the world champs.

[A]

It's a surreal feeling. I don't know how long it's been since that final buzzer went off, but I still don't believe it.

[B]

I don't even know how to put it into words. And that's my job.

[A]

It's a storybook ending and if you

[B]

ask them, it's just the beginning.

[A]

Dreams come true. I'm pretty sure every basketball player want to feel like this. And we got it. They had a group effort on this project, man, and everybody deserves a plus. Tonight we play like we want to go home. Champions. It has been a party in New York for four straight days. All right, so they had the parade on Thursday. Then Friday was a holiday. Then yesterday was maybe the best weather I've ever seen in a city. And it is again today. And I think in New York, no one has even contemplated work, contemplated anything productive for four days. And it's all because of the Knicks. The Knicks have made the city a celebration. He's Jonathan Zaslow. I'm Matt Jones. Is Matt Myron on ESPN Radio. But the only person who can turn a celebration into sadness is your man, Jonathan. James Dolan. All right. This should be a crowning achievement for him. You know, he took a franchise that was just meandering for many years. Brings in Leon Rose, Worldwide west, still not sure what west does, but gets. And next thing you knew, not just produces a winner, but a winner with really likable players. With Brunson, the Villanova guys, Carl Towns, et cetera. You would think Jonathan, at that moment, he's like the high, like the best guy in New York. He should be king of the city, right?

[B]

He. He had a couple of days, James Dolan, where he was, where he seemed like, okay, this is a man who's enjoying, you know, finally winning a championship. He's not saying stupid things because, look, he has said stupid things for years, and then he got distracted the last few years because of the sphere in Las Vegas. You know, a lot of people say that the reason the Knicks have had the success over their last few years he's been in Vegas, it's because he's been preoccupied with sphere out in Vegas. There hasn't been as much meddling. Okay. Which I don't know. That sounds like that could be true to me. That sounds like that could be true. And. And now, you know, after being very quiet the last few years, you have James Dolan willing to talk in front of any microphone that's around him.

[A]

Because now he shouldn't speak.

[B]

He should speak.

[A]

I mean, sometimes people. Sometimes people just aren't. You know, sometimes people just aren't likable and they need to understand. Look, I'm rich. I don't need to talk all the time. I'll just stand in the background. So you get to the. You get. This week, they do the celebration. And I want to bring Renee back in here. Renee, were you. You were at the parade. Were you close enough where you could hear the speeches? No, no, I was at the. I was at the very starting point of the parade. Okay, gotcha. All right, so they do speeches at the end. And the New York Mayor, Mamdani, everybody, for a minute. Take your argue about politics, hats off. Okay? Let's put on the just human being hat for a second. He gave a pretty awesome speech. Zazzle. I don't know if you saw it,

[B]

where he went through an incredible public speaker.

[A]

He went through like eight minutes of the history of the Knicks and brought up. He did what dudes like to do, which is just name names of old players, right? You know, he. He just. He's like John Starks, Charles Smith, you know, Julius Randall Dante divinces. So he goes through all of Jeremy Lynn, sanity, all this Carmelo crowds going nuts. He has everybody eaten out of his hands. And then he says, and we've earned this objectively. Zaz, whatever you want to say about his politics as a speech. I don't think I've ever heard a politician give a better sport speech. Have you?

[B]

It was a great speech. We know that every time. And he's an excellent public speaker. We know that every time that a team wins a championship, the city politicians, they have to get involved somehow. And we. It was a great speech. But make no mistake about it, like Mandani's doing that where you get. You're getting the. You're getting the easy pop from the crowd, you know, proven. You're a huge Knicks fan.

[A]

I get it. But how many politician speeches at a event like that do you ever remember? The answer is none.

[B]

It was very get up there.

[A]

And they're boring as they can be. That was a really. I'm not even a Knicks fan. Well, I'm a little Knicks fan, but not really. But like, I even got into it. I thought it was a great speech. So then James Dolan gets up there and he clearly doesn't like the mayor because, I don't know, maybe they've had a fight about something and they have different politics, whatever. And he gets up there and he gives what I think arguably is the worst speech I've ever heard anyone say. He gets up there and goes, I don't need your vote. I'm not running for anything. And I ain't going to mention players that have played here because I don't need to prove that, because I don't need you vote. Like, he's almost like, none of you people matter to me is essentially what he says. And he gets no applause. I mean, it is literal crickets in the crowd. And you go, man, can you not just enjoy yourself? Like, you just have this crowning moment and you find a way to even look bad during that.

[B]

He was so turned off by the mayor and. And, you know, is it for political stuff? I don't know. I'm pretty certain it's because of behind the scenes stuff that took place with the watch parties. Games 3 and Game 4. They're both blaming each other behind the scenes. So there's some bad blood there that the mayor is clearly able to look past and just celebrate the day while the owner is not able to do

[A]

that he's not able to do. And then comes word later in the week that he has announced they're not going to go into the SEC second apron to try to run this back. He basically says we're not going to do it. And the practical impact is they're not going to be able to run this back. May mean they can't get Mitchell Robinson back, Landry Shammit, maybe Jose Alvarado, whatever it is, this group that has done this is not going to, at least in its full capacity, be able to run it back. Do you think he's being a stick in the mud and a curmudgeon on the second apron in trying to repeat?

[B]

So I want to also add before the second apron comment comes up here, when each player on the team also on stage was given a key to the city by the mayor. You, you, you, you hold the key and you pose for a second for a quick picture. The owner and his son both, both turn their back. They both turn their back to the camera. They would not pose with the mayor.

[A]

What was this wearing? He looked like he was wearing those shirts that bodybuilders used to lift weights. It's like, come on, man.

[B]

Was he wearing a Ned Hardy shirt? What was he doing?

[A]

It was like, I don't know, it was like a under armor thing. It just, it was, it was not the kind of thing I would wear to an event like that.

[B]

But like he couldn't even. The key to the city, like, it's so bitter anyway. So the. All right, the not paying for the second apron comment stinks. If you're a Knicks fan and it doesn't even like, like because. And there's no context that the owner gave there. Okay. Because the actual context is he's telling you not that he's not willing to cut a check that high because the sentence right before that, he says, I'm willing to cut any check, but I'm not willing to go into the second apron. That I'm not willing to pay for the second apron, that would be suicide. Because the reality of it is the second apron isn't about paying the money. Yes, the money's expensive, but these owners, they don't care about the money. When you're in the second apron, it prohibits your ability to team build. There are all kinds of punitive measures that are taken against your team when you're a second apron team. For instance, you can only make one for one trades. You can't aggregate salaries. You can't spend the mid level exception. You can't do sign in trades. So that really is what the owner is talking about. There. But because he's such an awful speaker, he doesn't give any context outside of I'm not willing to pay that. And now as a result, the parade hasn't even happened and the owner is telling you we're not bringing back the same team.

[A]

Well, sounds like you're almost though saying that not going into the second apron might make sense.

[B]

Oh, it's. Yeah, it's. You go into the second apron if you believe that your exact same team can win another championship. And maybe this Knicks team does believe they can do that. But you better be sure because you're not able to improve your roster otherwise.

[A]

See, I think you go in general, I think you want to give yourself flexibility. But with this group, I think you want to run it back.

[B]

Like why?

[A]

Like why not? I mean, you're right, they can't make a trade. But all these guys still have years in them. It's not like any of them are ancient. It's not like any of them don't have one more year left to play. Either way, I might have no commented for a week, but that's not James Dolan. He's going to do what he's going to do. Another place that will is Texas Tech, but they got slapped down this week as well. That's next on Matt Myron Matt and Myron the Podcast. Save $2 when you buy 2 cans of Superior Products Coverall Tire Dressing plus receive 4 times O rewards points now

[B]

at O'Reilly Auto Parts Coverall delivers long lasting shine. Visit your O'Reilly Auto Parts store or

[A]

O'ReillyAuto.com I like things my way, my coffee, my schedule and my treatment.

[C]

So I talked to my doctor about self injecting with the Vivgard Hytrulo pre filled syringe which contains fgartigamide, alpha and hyaluronidase qvfc. It's injected under your skin subcutaneously. It means I can inject in my space on my time.

[A]

It's my treatment my way. Visit vivgartmyway.com that's V Y V G

[C]

A R T myway.com and talk to your doctor about Vivgart Hytrulo brought to you by Argenics

[A]

Brennan Sorsby plans to apply for the NFL supplemental draft after he had been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for placing more than bets. I am sure there's going to be some team that said, hey, good person, terrible mistake. We may have our franchise quarterback get him in our program right now. It's a big deal, especially for Teams who have multiple draft picks in the first round next year, they could take a shot at a guy, and it could be worth the risk. This might be the one thing that gets a general manager off the golf course and say, we might be able to get our franchise quarterback when we never would have otherwise. It's Matt myron here on ESPN Radio. You know, if you're an ESPN fan. This was SportsCenter is a new interview podcast from Rich Eisen featuring SportsCent legends. I was at the taping with the one with Chris Berman. It was awesome. And it's available now on Disney plus, the Rich Eisen Show, YouTube channel, and all podcast platforms. This was SportsCenter is presented by Gusto. Have you listened to any of those yet, Zaz?

[B]

Yeah, I love reminiscent because those. You know, this is Sports center that was like, prime late high school, early colleges for me.

[A]

That's right. I love the. The one with Berman was really cool. Like, they had it in this little theater, and, you know, he was telling stories. What I like about Chris Berman, many years ago, I started doing this here show, and I would. Back before COVID we would fly to Bristol every week to do it, which amazing apply. And we would do the show, and then we would go into a room and we would watch the NFL games with all the ESPN announcers, which for me was like, one of the coolest things ever, because I was just, you know, a kid from Kentucky. And. And Chris Berman and Tom Jackson would have leather seats in the room, right? Like, everybody else was sitting in plastic chairs. They got leather seats. And Chris Berman in real life is just like he is on television. Like, he'd be watching the games, and he would go, rumbling, bumbling, stumbling, the Raiders are up. And you would go, you're really like that. Like, we're not on TV now, Zaz. That's just what he does. Like, a guy would fumble it, and he'd go, yep. And he. And you say that you're getting commentary

[B]

live, in person, even though he's not

[A]

on the air and he's on just like he would be on. On tv. I kind of enjoyed that.

[B]

You're getting the full experience. I like it.

[A]

That's ex. That's exactly right. Now I got a text. There's a text machine that people can send me, text 772-774-5254. And one person writes Matt Jones. And Zaz is the connection I didn't know I needed. I listen to Levitard every day. So here's some background. If you don't know Zaz, because there might be some people listening here who haven't heard you on all the myriad of other ESPN shows you do.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

And they might not know you.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Zaz loves Thai food. Is that true?

[B]

Yes. I love Thai food. Yes.

[A]

Why is that?

[B]

Why wouldn't I love Thai food? It's delicious.

[A]

Okay, fair enough. Fair enough. You have a great Instagram algorithm.

[B]

I do, yes.

[A]

What does that mean?

[B]

I think you know what it means. You click on the Instagram, you click on, like, the, the search button, a bunch of pictures come up. I got a great one. You know what I'm talking about?

[A]

Well, okay. I don't know. I, I, if you say so. And finally, you challenge your teenage sons to wrestling matches for control of the home.

[B]

No, no. That means I don't challenge them. I'm the father. I have. I'm in charge of the house. I'm in control. They challenge me, all right? If they want to. If they want to be king of the household, they're. They're allowed to challenge me because they're of their teenagers. So they're of an age where if they think that they can handle the responsibility of being head of the house, they can challenge me. It's kind of like Black Panther, you know? And they can do it, like, every six months. If you fail, you gotta wait six more months. But they can, they can challenge me at any point once those six months are up. And neither one of them have been able to take control of the house for me. So I'm not challenging anyone. I'm in charge. They challenge me.

[A]

Your house sounds like Survivor. What do you mean?

[B]

They can change Hot Rod?

[A]

That movie, the one with Andy Sampler?

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

It's like Hot Rod, he always tried to fight his dad. No, I think of it more. I think even more like it's more like Wakanda. It's more like Black Panther, where I, I wants to challenge. If you think that you could challenge.

[A]

It's not like that at all. You need to take that.

[B]

Very similar.

[A]

No, it's not. It's. It's right, said Fred. That would be. It's like when the two guys fought to. Who got to wear the mesh shirt. That's what I think it looks like.

[B]

So I'm not challenging them. I don't need to challenge them. I'll live the rest of my life king of this house. All right, they can challenge me, but they can only do it once every six months. If they lose.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Which they've lost.

[A]

That sounds you know what sounds completely normal now? The Big 12, the Big 12 board of directors is going to have a call early next week to decide what to do about people with gambling issues. Brendan Sorsby, of course, admitted to gambling on games at Cincinnati and Indiana and then was declared ineligible. Then Texas Tech said they were going to play him. Then source be decided into the supplemental draft. Texas Tech was like, no, we didn't say anything. We were just trying to uphold the integrity of the sport. One of the like weasel list, weaselly looking statements I've ever seen. Texas Tech fans especially are trying to defend their position long, long term. What do you think the legacy of this whole Soresby fight is and the fact that he was kind of for a few weeks deemed eligible even though he ended up not playing again?

[B]

I really think that it's going to be a blip on the radar for Texas Tech. You know, I think once the season starts, you know, I hear, and maybe they'll be right. I hear people saying, oh, Tex Tech is a big villain now. They are the big villain going into next season for college football. I don't buy it. He's like, they would have been if

[A]

he played, don't you?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, okay, if he played. But now he's literally never played for Texas Tech and the season is going to start and we're all going to move on from this. I, I don't think it affects Texas Tech whatsoever. They obviously look super shady. They lack integrity right now, but once the season gets going, it's a player who literally never played for them.

[A]

You're probably right. I mean we have, we have short memories. I do think it sort of feeds into this notion that some people have, which is whatever you think is wrong with college athletics. And I actually think less is wrong than most people do. But if you do think things are wr, don't you think to some extent Texas Tech is the face of that in some ways in part because they are a team just trying to like spend money to become a blue blood

[B]

and just winning at all costs?

[A]

Yeah. And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with them trying, but doesn't it feel like to some extent when you think of the evils of current college sports, you think Texas Tech.

[B]

Yeah, but I think it's going to wind up being more of. When we think of the evils of college sports, we're just thinking of it in totality. I don't think Texas Tech is going to wind up being the face of all the evil, you know, out of control Rules, lawlessness in the NCAA these days.

[A]

Would you, if you were an NFL team, would you take a shot on source? No. I mean, I will tell you as a starting point, I'm kind of amazed that he's even eligible. I mean, in every other sport, if he did this, he's banned for life.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Why is it, if he does it in college that all of a sudden it doesn't matter for his pro career? Is that not odd to you?

[B]

I mean, Pete Rose lost his livelihood. Right. He lost his livelihood.

[A]

And I mean, he's not the only recently Porter, Chauncey, Billups. I mean, some of those guys may go to prison, but like, it's Terry Rozier. It's odd to me that he's just eligible for the draft.

[B]

Yeah, I, I'm, I'll probably be wrong. I have a hard time believing that someone's going to select him in the supplemental draft. But, but there's a lot of people who know a whole lot more than I do and they think that he is absolutely going to get selected in the supplemental draft and that teams are going to be pounding down the door to bid for his services in the supplemental draft. I, I just, I have a hard time believing. And again, I'm probably going to be wrong, but I have a hard time believing that there's NFL teams out there that are willing to give up draft picks for a player who has a major gambling problem and base of your team.

[A]

What if he's really, really, really good? Like what? Like, like how good do you have to be for your principle to not be true?

[B]

Yeah, I think you have to be. I think you have to be pretty great.

[A]

So let's just assume that some team out there thinks he's pretty great. Yeah, I'm not saying he is or not. I, I don't know. But let's just say there's some team out there that looks and says, you know what? This is a dude who would be a top 10 pick and I can get him in the draft. Do you do it then?

[B]

Yeah, apparently. I think this year's draft, he was like, if he was in this year's draft, he would have been the second or third quarterback taken. I think they said draft people. Yeah, like that's why he's going to wind up being taken for the same reason that Texas Tech. Let's say you're doing all this stuff.

[A]

You're, you're GM's ass.

[B]

Do I want.

[A]

Let's say he's, let's say in your mind this is a top 10 pick.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Are you tight? Are you willing to, are you going to take the stance of. And let's say you believe he's reformed and that he won't gamble again, are you going to take him?

[B]

I would not. Because now it becomes a thing every day. I'm wondering, is today the day that we find out that our starting quarterback, the face of our franchise, is back to gambling? Is back to gambling.

[A]

Like at some point he does deserve to be forgiven though, right? I mean, there comes a point. Point. I don't know. I guess what I'm saying is I don't know that like life punishment has to be for gambling. We, we don't do that with other things you can do. Serious crimes, crimes I would argue are a lot worse than gambling. And the league is going to let you back in.

[B]

You're right. I know it's a really easy to thing to say where it's like, hey, you know, a guy, you know, beats up his pregnant girlfriend, he's allowed to play the very next week. What are we doing here? And of course, in theory, you're 100 correct to have that problem. But the problem is we're talking about one bad thing and it's not a competition. I'm not trying to weigh which one's worse, but we're talking about one bad thing that happens away from the game and another bad thing that is happening and possibly spoiling the integrity of the game. And that's for you.

[A]

That's a. Can't be forgiven, at least in the realm of sport. Can be forgiven in life.

[B]

Oh, it could be forgiven in the,

[A]

in the realm of sport. Sport.

[B]

It can be forgiven. Like I'm, I'm not sitting here saying Brendan Swordsby should have a lifetime ban. I'm not doing that. I have a hard time believing that an NFL team is going to give up a high draft pick for a very expl. A potent for a potential powder keg that would be the most important player on their team. I have a hard time believing you're going to do that.

[A]

Do you think he'll be on a, however he gets there, be at the supplemental draft or as a free agent or whatever. Do you think he'll be on a roster this fall?

[B]

I don't, like, I, I, I don't think he's going to get a bid in the supplemental draft. Again, I'm probably going to be wrong because people are swearing that he's going to be very sought after in this draft. I, I have a hard time believing it. I really do.

[A]

Yeah. I think he's going to be on a roster. I don't know how, you know, I don't know the mechanics of how it will happen or what people will give up. I just think he's too talented for someone not to say. Because you mentioned about Texas Tech. Tech. This will be a blip on the radar.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I do kind of wonder if he gets in the league in a year, is it a blip on the radar? Do people go, oh, yeah, that was the guy who that happened to. But then they just move on to something else.

[B]

I, I think, I think if he's a good player in the NFL in a few years from now, it's, it's a footnote as part of his career. It's a footnote.

[A]

It's interesting. I, I don't know. I mean, I, I certainly don't think Texas Tech should be given less punishment than the kid because Texas Tech knew once they knew what they were getting into, they still wanted him to play.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And then they tried to act like it was some moral high ground, and I think that's ridiculous. Now the US we're probably looking at the best soccer team of my lifetime. I mean, Zaz probably goes back to that 1930 team, but for me, this is probably the best US team of my lifetime. How far can they go? That'll be next here on Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio. Matt and Myron, the podcast.

[C]

Avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes, so you don't have to. Don't know the difference between matte paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro. You just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app download today. As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy.

[B]

But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Granger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by.

[A]

It's World cup fever all across the United States right now. I am seeing videos as we speak in Atlanta, Georgia where the Spanish national team is playing today. And it looks like an absolute party. Atlanta, a place that knows how to party. They. They don't need the Spanish to teach them, but they. The Spanish. I'm surprised. What if I were to say to you, what song do you think the Spanish fans use to celebrate outside the arena? I'm not sure you would choose Jump around by House of Pain.

[B]

Oh, but it's a great song. They should adopt it.

[A]

Well, they are doing it right now and they are dancing in the streets of Atlanta. And the video looks absolutely amazing. I am enjoying the World Cup. I'm enjoying, you know, the games are fine, but I'm really liking the sort of cultural.

[B]

You love the experience.

[A]

Yeah. Because soccer as a sport is. I mean, it's boring.

[B]

Like, I like. Oh, I love soccer. You're not going to convince me.

[A]

But you, but you don't. But you don't. Well, you wouldn't say it's exciting, would you?

[B]

Yeah, I think soccer is great.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I, I'm, I'm like, like, I'm not watch, like I'm relaxed while I'm watching it, you know.

[A]

But you're not fought like to me listen. And I sound like I'm a soccer hater. I'm not at all. I've been to the European Championships. I've been to the World Cup. I enjoy it. I enjoy it for the atmosphere. You're telling me you are followed. You follow the footy. You understand I would not destroy.

[B]

Right, Yes. I would not describe it as boring. No, I'm not. Well, I mean, I know what the form are, but I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I watch the game and like, I understand, you know, all of the strategy that's happening at once. No, no, I'm not going to be able to do that. But I mean, I have a son who played travel soccer for years, so soccer was a major part of our lives for the last few years. Every weekend. You know, I love soccer. I, I had season tickets for Inter Miami down here for several years. Of course we have Lionel Messi who plays for us. And yeah, I like, I love soccer. I don't. Boring whatsoever.

[A]

So with that in mind, Zlatan, who I think is becoming a minor star so far in the, in the soccer coverage. He's very, you know, very plain spoken to the point. He'll say whatever he said yesterday that he did think that the U.S. men's National. National team has a chance to win the World Cup. He just gave a one Word reply. When asked by the host, he said yes. Do you agree with that statement?

[B]

Yeah, I mean it's, I think expectations change, right? We could say this about any sport and any team that we follow. Heck, you could have said it about the New York Knicks, you know, once, once they got to the second round and, and you know, they've won all the games in a row by double digits. It's like, no, it's not just about getting the NBA Finals. The goal is to be getting to the NBA Finals. No, no. Now it's like, we better win the NBA Finals. Expectations can change. And I think that, that, that might be what we're seeing here with the US because it's literally unprecedented what's happening here. The US it, the six goals combined that they've scored in these two matches now equals or, or maybe it's, maybe it's one goal fewer than the most goals they've ever scored combined in a World Cup. They're right there. Only two matches in. It's the first time in World cup history for the US that they've won back to back games. So they've never accumulated six points through the first two games of group play. So what we're seeing is unprecedented. It looks like the best US Team of our lifetimes right now. And considering that they've already won the group, which means you're gonna have favorable draws, not only the round of 32, but also in the round of 16. So they're very likely going to get to. They're not going to see a team that would be better than them until. Doesn't mean they can't lose to them, but they're not going to see a team that would be better than them until the round of eight. And that's true.

[A]

That's not true. They'll play in the round of 16, Belgium. And while they can beat Belgium, Belgium is better. Belgium is a top 12 team in the world. They did get a favorable draw because normally in that round of 16, I

[B]

mean, right now, Belgium, who knows if Belgium even qualifies to make it out

[A]

right now they're going to qualify. I mean, they are still. I mean, look, if they don't, then that's a whole different situation. But Belgium has this older generation. It's kind of towards the end of their career that they are very likely to win that group. And if Belgium plays the United States, they will be favored. That doesn't mean the United States win, but they will be fake. Belgium will be favored. But let me just go back because I don't want to just throw damp water on everything. Everything you said is correct. I mean, this is the best U.S. team of our lifetimes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They are doing things that nobody's done. They do have a couple of structural advantages. I do want to at least note, because no one else seems to note them because we're a host. We got put as a top seat in our. In our.

[B]

Correct. Correct.

[A]

No, that doesn't happen for us.

[B]

Normally they've been in the second tier otherwise.

[A]

Yes, probably. But that. But that. Normally we get paired with like a Spain or an England or a Germany because we are a two seed for like, you know, using NCAA tournament. Yeah. Parlance. So we got a one. So did Canada, though. And so did Mexic Mexico. And that's an advantage of being a host. Now, we did get a group where we had no. To use the term, like minnows. Nobody awful. And that was sort of unlucky, actually. So we've had.

[B]

We.

[A]

We would play three teams that in theory could beat us. We've won two. Turkey has nothing to play for in the next game. Neither do we. So I don't know what that game is going to be like. We got a favorable draw in the knockout round. Right. Belgium is the Sweet 16 team. We could have gotten a lot harder team than them. They are beatable. It's looking like we're probably going to play Bosnia in the first round. A team they can beat. So, yes, a run to the quarterfinals is not crazy at all.

[B]

And I think once you're there, like

[A]

if you're in the corner, sit there, then you see what happens.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Like. Like if you're there, if you're in the final eight, then the expectation needs to change from happy to be here too. Let's win the whole thing.

[A]

And you would look again if things were to. And this can change because teams can lose. You probably would see Spain, which is either the best or second best team in the world, in the quarterfinals. And then I do things as. Things like you're playing at home. This country gets wrapped up in it. You know, soccer, if you get lucky, something. You know, we saw Curacao get a tie yesterday. So I do think it's.

[B]

It's interesting to play to a draw. Their first game too.

[A]

Against Cape Verde. Yes. So you. I do think it is a chance for this country to get wrapped up and for something special that.

[B]

Yeah. And. And I think you look at the. At the performance from this team. The first two games, you know, the first game, they. They crush Paraguay. The second game they beat Australia in a little bit of a different style, is more of a grounded, grind it out type of performance against Australia. And I think it shows you're winning in different ways in the first two games, which I think is super beneficial and not a small thing. They're gonna get Christian Pulisic back at some point. Like that's I don't think it's going to be in the third game against Turkey. I don't know why you would run them out there for that game. But they're going to at some point add their best player. Not a small thing.

[A]

I think they're also, and this is good for American fans, they're just fun to watch. Like whether you think soccer as a whole is fun or not, these US Games have been fun. Like you don't have to have any real prior knowledge of the sport. The US has played an exciting style.

[B]

You like being behind them, it's fun

[A]

and they seem like a likable group of guys. And so I do think this has been about as good a start for the United States as you could possibly have. The NBA draft is next week. Normally that'd be big news. We'll get to it next here on Matt, Myra, Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[C]

The Right window treatments change everything.

[A]

Your sleep, your privacy, the way every

[C]

room looks and feels.

[A]

@blinds.com We've spent 30 years making it surprisingly simple to get exactly what your home needs. We've covered over 25 million windows and have 50,000 five star reviews to prove we deliver. Whether you DIY it or want a pro to handle everything from measure to install, we have you covered. Real design professionals, free samples. Zero pressure right now. Get up to 45 off site wide plus get a free professional [e-mail] rules and restrictions apply.