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- [00:00]
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- [00:30]
Dan Le Batard
You are listening to the Dan Lebatar show in partnership with the DraftKings sports app now live in all 50 states.
- [00:42]
Hercules Gomez, as I was saying earlier before I was rudely interrupted by Giannis shrugging in Greece is going to join us here in a little bit to talk about the biggest game in more than 20 years.
- [00:57]
Mike
Biggest game in 20 years.
- [00:59]
Dan Le Batard
More than 20 years. It's been, I mean 20 years. I can say it's the biggest U.S. soccer game that's ever been played and you can disagree if you want, but it isn't hyperbole. This will be the most watched and most anticipated U.S. soccer game that there's ever been. Correct? Because we've never had this kind of promise in the tournament. Even if they've advanced to this stage before, it's not looking the way that they have in this tournament so far where they announced themselves with a authority upon arriving, they went 4 to 1 against the team that you just saw, France. France, the favorite of the tournament, France that had looked very impressive right up until they ran into Padaway, which the United States beat 4 to 1. You can say that U.S. soccer has never felt better than it does feeling going into this game, which creates expectations, which is not something that the United States has played with very often.
- [02:04]
Tony
For the men's side, I understand being swept up because O2 did not feel this way. But they played Germany who ended up going to the final. They had a spot at the semifinals on the line against Germany in oh2. They looked pretty good. They beat Mexico, Dos Acero on their way to that. They had a great performance against Portugal and if Frings doesn't have that handball, maybe the whole footballing world looks different with the United States in the semifinal there. But it also happened at 3:00 in the morning. It was not easily, it was not accessible. You don't think that they talk enough World cup soccer on daytime program and now non existent. Back then I think I had to watch that World cup on Tele futura. I think the World cup was on tape delay here in the United States on ABC when it was Brazil, Germany. So this is, this is big. This is huge. I think the last time they played Belgium in a knockout round where Tim Howard stood on his head was also pretty huge. There would have been a Fourth of July matchup, I think potentially against England that everybody was getting excited about. But yeah, given the numbers that we've seen, which are just bananas on both languages, this is the biggest game in U.S. men's history.
- [03:09]
Dan Le Batard
Let's talk about this with Hercules Gomez. And that's a good correction on the difference between the men and the women because I am just talking about the men here. And speaking of both languages, Hercules has an assortment of shows that have Spanish title Ahora. Let's see if ZAZ knows any of the Spanish titles. Ahora or nunca. Do you know what that means? Zaz?
- [03:30]
Mike
Yeah.
- [03:32]
Dan Le Batard
Ahora onunca.
- [03:34]
Zas
I already said yeah.
- [03:35]
Dan Le Batard
Yeah. But what does it mean?
- [03:37]
Zas
Now or never?
- [03:38]
Dan Le Batard
Oh, you do? Football picante. Do you know what football picante means?
- [03:42]
Zas
It means giant football.
- [03:44]
Dan Le Batard
Not giant football. Spicy football.
- [03:46]
Jonathan Saslow
Football Picante.
- [03:47]
Zas
That is spicy football.
- [03:48]
Jonathan Saslow
That is a spicy football game Picante. Yes.
- [03:52]
Dan Le Batard
He's also a 17 year veteran of soccer and I'm guessing has never met another Hercules. I think I asked him this last time we talked.
- [04:00]
Jonathan Saslow
You've never. Nice to see you, Hercules.
- [04:02]
Dan Le Batard
You've never met another Hercules, Correct?
- [04:04]
Hercules Gomez
I have never met another Hercules. I used to work at a bank and I actually inserted in the database see if there was another Hercules. I've never met or heard of another Hercules in my life. But Auto nunca is now or never en espanol. And we're on five days a week, all sports, but glad to be on with you guys. How are you guys doing?
- [04:21]
Dan Le Batard
Good, thank you. Put it in context for us. You played in three World cup matches in 2010. Is this the biggest game in US men's soccer history?
- [04:32]
Hercules Gomez
Without a doubt. Mike was referencing 2002 and that is in the modern era. As Far as the U.S. men's National Team has ever gotten to, people forget how that happened. They stung the world. They surprised the world in beating a very good Portuguese generation in that game. 3, 2 to tie the host country in South Korea and actually lost to Poland. It was South Korea beating Portugal again for the second time in that group phase. That backdoored the U.S. men's National Team as a second place team to that round of 16 game against a concaf nation which was Mexico. And both Teams Mexico and the US love that idea of playing somebody they knew. You've never had a situation where you're the protagonist. You were one of the tournament darlings. When you go back and look at the good performances in this World Cup. France versus Sweden, you go back. Mexico versus Ecuador, you go back through the run of performances, everybody's going to go back to that first opening game, the US Men's nationally versus Paraguay that is still today referred to by many outsiders as a staple of a team that could surprise in this tournament. So you've never had this goodwill like you have now.
- [05:39]
Dan Le Batard
Let's play for Hercules. The sound of Tim Howard saying something different than other people like Zlatan are saying when Zlatan says it's not ridiculous to think that the United States can win the World Cup. Tim Howard begs to differ.
- [05:53]
Tim Howard
The US cannot unequivocally win the World Cup. The US will have to play the greatest game they've ever played three times. Times in a row. Sorry, four games in a row. Round of 16. Quarterfinals.
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Zas
Yeah.
- [06:05]
Tim Howard
Semifinals. Finals. It is literally impossible for the US to win the World Cup. That's going to come across crazy. People are going to say I'm whatever. That's just the reality. But we're super excited for this ride run.
- [06:14]
Jeremy
Well, I feel great now.
- [06:15]
Dan Le Batard
Hercules, what are your thoughts there?
- [06:17]
Hercules Gomez
I tend to agree more with Tim Howard than do slot on. Listen, slot down works for a network that is trying to get you to tune in. They're trying to get you to jump on the train and see how far the U.S. men's national go. That's great. You're selling something. The World cup is different. It's an almost hundred year competition in which only eight countries have ever won. And by the way, the newest country to break that barrier was Spain in 2010. And that generation won two Euro championships and a World cup and had the most ridiculous collection of world class players that you could ever assemble. The US Men's national team has arguably one or two players that you could say are world class. Has never gotten past the quarterfinals in the modern era was in a semifinal 1930 when there were eight teams. And what Tim is alluding to, he's absolutely right in terms of the gauntlet that they will face. Let's say you get past Belgium after that is going to come a quarterfinal versus a team like Spain or Portugal. After that you could get in the semifinal. A perennial power and my tournament favorite in France. Only to maybe let's say face an Argentina and Lionel Messi in the Final. It is a gauntlet unlike any other. But the problem here is, Dan, Mike, guys. That it almost feels un American to say it. But you shouldn't be afraid to say it. We're not favorites. The US Is not favorites in this game. We can dominate the majority of things around the world, but not this. This isn't ours. And until you prove that it's yours, you. It's a ridiculous statement to make.
- [07:50]
Zas
But do they have to like Tim Howard? They're saying they have to play perfect games from the round of 16 on. Do you believe that they have to be like perfect games?
- [07:59]
Hercules Gomez
I do. I do believe they have to be perfect. The U.S. men's National Team has a certain skill set that I think lends itself to be very competitive in this tournament. Athletically, they are as good, if not better than anybody. They can match up with the best teams in the world. And I think that's going to give a team like Belgium a ton of problems. They have a good core, 11, maybe 13 players that you could depend on. But if you test that depth and we saw versus Turkey, you could be in trouble. Last night the Mexican national team showed us how perfect you have to be. They dominated England. They dominated England. And on the network that shows the games, there's this momentum map and you can see the peaks of momentum for the Mexican national team. There are two dots in that first half that England has. Those are the two goals they scored. Like, you have to be perfect against these teams or you will be punished. Mexico has a clear home field advantage. Clear advantage in terms of altitude, the smog, the people, the Azteca, the lore, the myth. And yet they lost this game against a 10 man England. You have to be perfect in this World cup as you advance because the competition is that much better.
- [09:09]
Tony
Herc. Now the Flo Baligan thing has become highly controversial, only more controversial because politicians are getting involved. We should say it's not without precedent. We all are surprised and shocked by this, especially how late it came. But entering the tournament, Ronaldo had a two match ban lifted. Tarek Salman from Qatar, also two matches lifted. Otamendi and Moises Caicedo has had. They both have had other red card suspensions lifted. But the timing of this seems unfair. The optics are bad. What did you make of the decision to overturn a suspension? That loss in the discourse was unjust.
- [09:46]
Hercules Gomez
I love that you brought up precedent because there is no World cup precedent for this. You brought up players that had their sanctions reduced, that were pre World Cup. Now there's going to Be the brainiac who says, well, what about 1962 Hercarina? I don't think you want to be associated with that precedent. That was a red card before there was a red car suspension of an automatic one game ban when the rules were different. The implementation of that came in 1970. And by the way, the only reason that Garrincha, the talented Brazilian playmaker was allowed to play is because mysteriously the linesman who saw the incident disappeared. Afterwards, there was bribery scandals, there was all types of corruption, there was all types of scenarios and theories of why he fled the country. So I don't think you want to bring that as an example of light here. Back then there was also political pressure. So I think it's sad because father and Baligan is used right now as a political puppet and he's anything but. He's a talented player who for the first time the US has a player they can rely on up top to this magnitude. Landon Donovan has the CONCACAF all time World cup goal scoring history. That's at five fallen. Baligan has three in this tournament. He's going to play more tournaments. He could break that. And he's being used politically here. It's Sad because the U.S. men's National Team for America gained so much goodwill. I do believe they were tournament darlings. And now, unless you're an American, you don't see this for what this is. Nobody is saying that the red card wasn't right. I don't think it was a red card. But I do acknowledge that it's a polemic play. FIFA is not saying they got this wrong. They're not saying they rescind the red card. They're saying they suspend the suspension. All they're saying is they're going to allow him to play. And Belgium, Belgium, they're not even appealing Belgium saying, we just want a transparent explanation of what's going on. And it's FIFA who is saying, okay, you are appealing. The optics here are so terrible. Everything that I've heard about this, what this World cup would be, the ticket prices, the host countries for both the United States and Mexico, the fears that went away once the tournament started and we became likable, the United States became likable, Mexico became likable. The optics here are anything but.
- [12:17]
Dan Le Batard
Which means what? Like what have you read what has been interesting to you? What does the, the real collateral damage of optics mean?
- [12:26]
Hercules Gomez
Well, in the grand scheme of things, it'll mean nothing. Because that's what FIFA is going to make it, you know, mean. I mean, the U.S. men's National Team is not at fault because they get their one of their best players back and the news cycle will go by if they advance versus Belgium and many will say there's an asterisk behind the win. But the US won't care. And you should not care. You can only control what you can control. But this is murky waters for FIFA. This is murky waters for the game. If there can be political pressure, and it's not my opinion, the President of the United States has come out today and said that he had phoned Johnny Infantino. If there could be political pressure to correct if that's the word we're going to use here, scenarios in this game, what's going to stop other politics from doing the same? This is very murky.
- [13:16]
Dan Le Batard
When you say the name Johnny Infantino, does that sound to you like a mafioso's name?
- [13:22]
Hercules Gomez
I wouldn't be able to tell you there, Dan. You know, listen, my name is stereotypes. Exactly. I'm nobody to defer to anybody's name here. What I will tell you, Dan, is history or FIFA has a history of these unsavory things. And the United States men's national team does not deserve this. Father and Baligan does not deserve to be the poster boy of this. It is downright ugly what he is being used for and it doesn't sit well with me.
- [13:54]
Dan Le Batard
What are the advantages the United States has tonight?
- [13:58]
Hercules Gomez
Well, you guys like the betting odds? This was a pick em in the eyes of Las Vegas before the father and Baligan being allowed to play decision. Now that he plays. This tilts the odds I think in the US men's national favor and I think Vegas feels the same athletically they match very well against Belgium. Belgium's a little long in the tooth in certain positions. We spoke about the 2014, you know, last time they played Tim Howard, FIFA record 16 saves. He was the hero in that game. That was their golden generation. Thibaut Courtois, Kevin de Bruyne, Lukaku. They're still on this team. It's not the same team right now that beat the U.S. men's National Team in March. You know, 5, 2. This team physically has a lot of limitations. Mentally they're not where they were many thought they would be. Athletically, I don't think it's a good matchup for Belgium. I think the U.S. men's National Team can run this team into the ground. They could still lose because individually Belgium has players that are probably more technically gifted and individual better players. But I do Think the US Men's national team matches up very well athletically versus this team.
- [15:09]
Dan Le Batard
When you mentioned Belgium being older, can you walk me through as a 17 year veteran, what the cost is of playing in this kind of weather and playing the game that Belgium just played against Senegal? How much carryover is there to having to win the game with three goals 80th minute on when you got people cramping all over the place, the heat is unreasonable and you're an older team. Explain to me the body's drain on Belgium specifically.
- [15:40]
Hercules Gomez
Yeah, great question, Dan, because before the World cup was always considered a young man's game because it was a game every three to four days in the group stage. This World cup is now a game every seven days. But as you advance from the round of 32 to the round of 16 and so forth, you're going back to that three to four day format. And as you're an older player, well, it takes its toll on you. And FIFA, unlike any other seasons of the past, has congested the schedule in a way where these players are feeling the effects today. And it doesn't matter who you are, if you're a player like Kevin de Bruyne, who's not used to playing in this extreme heat, not used to playing a day game, even if it is 5 o' clock Pacific time, not used to travel in a country of 360 million, where you can go from one time zone, you know, the east coast to the west coast, and go three hours and it's a six hour flight and all these different things that come into play, it takes a toll on the body and the opposition. The U.S. men's National Team is so athletic they can run you into the ground. They will compete with you on all levels. Physically, that's going to take you to a place that you've never been, a depth that you've never been as a player. Once you get older, those limitations become much more evident on the field as you advance. That's where Belgium is today. Belgium doesn't have the physicality of a US men's national. They have the tactical know how, but they just experienced 120 minutes versus Senegal. While, yes, the US men's nationally played, you know, with 10 men for about 25, 30 minutes versus Bosnia, but that was over 90 minutes. They didn't have to play 30 more minutes in those type of conditions. That takes you to a different place both physically and mentally.
- [17:17]
Zas
Hercules, can you explain from your experience in the past playing in Stadium Azteca how difficult what England did last Night
- [17:24]
Hercules Gomez
was, yeah, I was so impressed, you knew of the talent of the English national team, but they've always been a team that would let you down, let themselves down, because emotionally, mentally, they wouldn't be up for the moment. Playing in Estadio Azteca is unlike anything that I've ever experienced. You're at over 7,000ft altitude. There's a smog cocktail with that altitude that comes into play where it's very difficult to breathe. Your head is telling your muscles, your legs to do something. Your legs are saying, hold on, not right now. And the opponent, the Mexican national team, if anything, is a very good possession team. So they're going to make you run, they're going to keep the ball. And as you saw, England got dominated for long stretches of that game. They had to go to a depth mentally, physically that I've not seen them go to. And you can hear it. I don't know if you guys heard Harry Kane's post game when he's talking. It was like one of the Muppets or the Sesame street characters. He could barely get the words out. His voice had changed from the mental and the physical, you know, just told that that that game takes on somebody. It's unlike anything that I have ever experienced. And the moment they got off that bus and walked down the tunnel, it's a long corridor, corridor, that tunnel. And you're looking at the artwork, you know, as you walk down that tunnel. And they're gonna see the hand of God. Diego Maradona, 1986 versus their national team. They're gonna see a picture of Maradona between eight English players in the goal of the century. They're going to know the history and where they are. Bel Air lifting up the World cup trophy, that could be daunting. And yet it wasn't. They overcame. It was one of the most impressive victories I've seen and the first time anybody has beaten the Mexican national team in World cup history in that stadium.
- [19:11]
Dan Le Batard
Yeah, Jordan, my voice is gone. Yeah, she, she dragged him through a
- [19:17]
Jonathan Saslow
very long interview where he, he kept answering follow up questions.
- [19:21]
Dan Le Batard
We had to fight.
- [19:25]
Jonathan Saslow
He had nothing left.
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Dan Le Batard
Hercules, thank you for being on with us. Last question, on your way out the door, give me the teams in the tournament. Name them that have been more impressive so far than the United States.
- [19:37]
Hercules Gomez
The French national team, number one. There's a gulf between France and everybody else. And in that everybody else, I would include the US Men's national team. But that have impressed would be France. And honestly, maybe 45 minutes from Norway versus Brazil maybe a cameo impression from the Argentine national team, Colombia versus Portugal. But there's a massive gulf, which is why I think the U.S. men's National Team can make a run and go far. Because of the difference here. But it's France and everybody else. Honestly.
- [20:09]
Tony
Yeah, I've just been sitting there.
- [20:10]
Hercules Gomez
I can't really talk.
- [20:11]
Dan Le Batard
But, Hercules, good seeing you. Thank you for being on with us. Always appreciate the time, sir.
- [20:17]
Hercules Gomez
Saludos. Take care, guys.
- [20:19]
Dan Le Batard
Gracias.
- [20:20]
Zas
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- [20:49]
Tony
Tony, you know that moment at a party or at a tailgate where everything just sort of clicks?
- [20:54]
Unknown Male Host
I know it well.
- [20:54]
Jeremy
It's usually when I show up, everybody goes crazy.
- [20:56]
Tony
Yeah, you usually take all the credit for it, but it's because Tony usually walks in with Cuervo. Walking like this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuervo is a thing that turns hanging out into this is the night.
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Jeremy
It has that effect on people.
- [21:09]
Dan Le Batard
It does.
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Tony
You usually take the credit for it, but again, it's the Cuervo effect. It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing up, hooting and hollering, Keep it, Cuervo.
- [21:20]
Hercules Gomez
Keep it Cuervo, baby.
- [21:23]
Jeremy
So my schedule gets a little chaotic this time of year. Most days I'm here at the Meadowlark studios, and then I'm heading straight to another broadcasting or hosting gig. And especially in this Miami heat, it's insane. And not the Miami heat, but the Miami summer heat. I've been trying to keep at least one healthy habit consistent. And that's why I've been bringing Caciava's new travel packs with me. It's one less thing I have to worry about, which is great, because I'm already spending enough mental energy figuring out what shirt is acceptable to wear on camera or hosting or on the show that I'm not going to get made fun of for. So I just throw one in my backpack and I've got an all in one nutrition shake ready whenever I need it. It's packed with plant based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, greens, probiotics, electrolytes and more. So even when my schedule is all over the place, I know I'M getting something good in it. Tastes great. It's easy to take anywhere and there are no fillers, no nonsense. Take your daily ritual with you. Go to kachava.com and use code DAN for 15% off your first order. That's 15% off your first order. That's Kachava. K A C H A V A dot com. Code DAN.
- [22:34]
Dan Le Batard
Dan Lear.
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Jonathan Saslow
The H is Captain Slappy.
- [22:38]
Dan Le Batard
Jonathan Sasso is this chum bucket. This is the Dan Ler show.
- [22:54]
Where are we? Zaz on making sure that everything escalates here to the proper intensity. I told you that what is happening in my neighborhood is very loud. But the quietest day that I have had was the United States playing at night. That's the quietest that it was downstairs because of the foreign infiltration that there's been here. And I'm guessing that most United States fans are watching at home instead of serenading us in the streets the way that the. The foreigners are doing here in South Florida.
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Zas
That's. That's my plan. Like, Chris, I know you went out with your father and you watched the last U.S. game at a bar. You going out tonight? I'm planning on watching at home.
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Unknown Female Host
I'm actually doing the ZAs move. I haven't watched the game yet with my daughter, and she's into this. So tonight I'll be going over to my dad's house to watch it with the family.
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Tony
I just like how Dan is saying foreigners.
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Unknown Female Host
I am hoping, though, we get to the next one. We get that Friday afternoon match, and then that's when the boys will play.
- [23:54]
Dan Le Batard
Did you enjoy Chris Cody seeing the rich man's vegetable broccolini being stuffed into the mud? Awe of Woody Harrelson as he sat next to Chris Rock? And how do you guys generally feel about all of these people like Nick Wright and Chris Rock suddenly showing up
- [24:09]
Jonathan Saslow
in their Brazil gear out of nowhere?
- [24:12]
Dan Le Batard
Like wearing.
- [24:13]
Jonathan Saslow
Wearing Halloween costumes because they're Nick. So what's happened here with Nick? He shaved the beard some is what's happened. Right? It's not just that that hat is ridiculous on its face, and it's also that that face is ridiculous on his face.
- [24:29]
Zas
He said he was wearing the glasses, too because he doesn't want to be. He doesn't want to be recognized, so he's got to wear the glasses.
- [24:36]
Unknown Female Host
Yes.
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Zas
The stadium.
- [24:37]
Unknown Female Host
I got a bunch of people tweeting me about broccolini, the rich man's vegetable. Because if they. I could just picture that sweet that they're in a little spread. You Got back there. I mean, I don't know if I'm going for the broccolini, but, you know, it's there. Looking fancy. Probably a little garlic.
- [24:50]
Dan Le Batard
Did you guys cover or take any interest in the Travis Kelsey Taylor Swift nuptials?
- [24:59]
Zas
I was all over this weekend, Dan. Not a joke. I was on ESPN all weekend, so I was all over the Kelsey Swift wedding Friday.
- [25:07]
Dan Le Batard
You're working a lot as ESPN is
- [25:09]
Jonathan Saslow
working you a lot. What was your coverage of the Friday wedding?
- [25:13]
Dan Le Batard
They shut down some streets. Some people are upset that some taxpayer dollars are being spent. I don't know how Jeremy felt about this as our biggest Swifty fan around here.
- [25:26]
Unknown Female Host
He shifted big time. Now she can't do anything positive.
- [25:29]
Unknown Male Host 2
Former.
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Jonathan Saslow
Yeah.
- [25:30]
Home Depot Announcer
This is tacky.
- [25:31]
Jeremy
This whole thing, all of it, everything. Everything she's done for, like, the last three years has just been like.
- [25:36]
Unknown Female Host
It's.
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Jeremy
It's finally jumped the shark for me.
- [25:38]
Unknown Female Host
And I.
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Jeremy
And I love. I love a lot of. Love a lot of her music, but these last few albums have all kind of stunk, and the songwriting is trite, and so is the way that this is all kind of come together. I mean, what's George Stephanopoulos doing at this wedding?
- [25:53]
Tony
I know what's going on. This guy that's overseeing the detention centers going, that guy. You peeved.
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Unknown Female Host
I mean, we all had to have those. Like, George Snefal. That was a great one. If, like, we. Why is he.
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Zas
You got. You were about to say his last name.
- [26:05]
Unknown Female Host
George Snuffalophagus.
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Jeremy
The Snuffleuphagus.
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Unknown Female Host
Why was Dean Blandino at this wedding?
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Zas
That's the one that I'm looking at. When are they sitting down, putting the list together? Like, hey, hey, we gotta make sure we invite Dean.
- [26:17]
Unknown Female Host
So if you met Travis twice, you're there.
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Jeremy
I'm gonna make this the royal wedding. Like, come on.
- [26:23]
Dan Le Batard
Well, give me some of the details because I've managed. And this was a herculean feat. The most of the herculean feat of this entire segment is that I consumed exact zero information on this. So I don't know a single thing about any of the details. You guys are informing me that George Snuffaluffagus was there. You're also informing me that Dean Blandino was there. I do not know who was there. How many people were there?
- [26:49]
Unknown Female Host
Thousands.
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Zas
Like, a thousand.
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Jeremy
Everyone in the world.
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Unknown Female Host
Like, I'm telling you. Name a football player.
- [26:53]
Zas
Yeah, and I.
- [26:54]
Unknown Female Host
And I will tell you he was there. Name a country music star. Name an actor. And they were there.
- [26:59]
Zas
I mean, Dan, you had. Pablo Torre officiated your wedding, which was great. All right, did you hear who they had officiate their wedding?
- [27:07]
Dan Le Batard
I don't know anything about this wedding.
- [27:09]
Zas
All right, so that's a no, right?
- [27:13]
Unknown Female Host
Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today.
- [27:15]
Dan Le Batard
Is that Adam Sandler?
- [27:20]
Jonathan Saslow
Adams. Wait a minute. I can't be. You guys are joking, right?
- [27:23]
Dan Le Batard
Not at all.
- [27:24]
Jonathan Saslow
No. That can't be Adam Sandler. Wait a minute. Adam Sandler officiated this wedding. He was the. He was the spiritual put on the
- [27:36]
Dan Le Batard
poll at Lebatard show.
- [27:39]
Jonathan Saslow
Do you think of Adam Sandler as the spiritual center of love? Punch drunk love is one of the
- [27:46]
Dan Le Batard
great romantic stories told in film.
- [27:49]
Tony
Travis, if you accept, please say shibadidoo.
- [27:53]
Unknown Female Host
Dan. Paul McCartney performed. I want to hold you'd hand for the first time since the 60s, Stevie Nicks performed.
- [28:00]
Jeremy
She walked down the aisle to her own music. I mean, what are we doing?
- [28:04]
Unknown Female Host
They didn't have any bridesmaids or groomsmen. It was just Jason as the best man and Taylor's brother as her man of honor.
- [28:10]
Jeremy
That was cool.
- [28:11]
Dan Le Batard
But you guys sound like you're hating a little bit.
- [28:14]
Unknown Female Host
I'm just like. I was honestly into all of it until you just saw the, like, the fact that the next morning, Robin Roberts Strahan and George. George S. We're there. Like, yeah, we had a great time. Thanks. It's just like, why George sniffle up of this there? Like, seriously, Mike Vrabel was there. Like, that's.
- [28:35]
Tony
That's not what made news. It was who Vrabel was with that made the news.
- [28:38]
Zas
Oh, terrible look for Vrabel. Terrible look.
- [28:41]
Unknown Female Host
They're going with his wife.
- [28:42]
Zas
There was no video of him coming out of the hotel. There was a car waiting right outside the hotel.
- [28:47]
Jeremy
Got it.
- [28:48]
Zas
And they're filming him coming out of the hotel. He's not only is he walking like three or four steps in front of his wife, doesn't even hold the door for her. He just walks right into the back seat of the truck, and then the wife goes in. That's a terrible look.
- [29:00]
Jeremy
That's what you want at your wedding.
- [29:01]
Zas
Damn. That's a terrible look.
- [29:03]
Dan Le Batard
Put it on the poll, please. At Lebatard show, do you walk three or four feet in front of your wife or husband?
- [29:12]
Unknown Female Host
That's an odd thing for us to call out. Like, you should be two feet away from her.
- [29:15]
Dan Le Batard
Well, no, you shouldn't be, though.
- [29:18]
Unknown Male Host
I.
- [29:18]
Unknown Female Host
The door thing, just with the optics of everything going around. You're right. You gotta do the door.
- [29:22]
Tony
I get it. I get the logic in it. I don't want to be photographed and give the paparazzi that as I attend Taylor Swift's wedding don't want to be seen, don't want to be snapped in the same frame. But this seems like a pretty good party.
- [29:36]
Dan Le Batard
So a thousand people were there. Madison Square Garden I did read beforehand that they were going to go castle. They were recreating some sort of castle and a garden.
- [29:45]
Zas
It was a forest.
- [29:47]
Dan Le Batard
And did you see a lot of people complaining about it and taking interest in it? Because there aren't a lot of weddings like this that could take place in America that would feel like this. I don't even know who it is that you would put on this list but Taylor Swift getting married at Madison Square Garden would be very high up on my list on whatever pop culture marital love moments you can have involving any two people.
- [30:18]
Zas
It's not even the biggest wedding that took place in Madison Square Garden. 1991 SummerSlam Macho Man Miss Elizabeth match made in heaven Put it on the
- [30:27]
Dan Le Batard
poll at LeBatard show was macho man's marriage or wedding to Ms. Elizabeth at MSG Bigger than the Taylor Swift 91 Summers Kelsey this union once upon a time was quaint and then as with anything there is an oversaturation that makes people instinctively sort of recoil. I don't think a whole lot of people dislike Travis Kelce, although he has a bit of Neanderthal in him and has a couple of incidents with Andy Reid, the lovable Andy Reid that involve a physicality that we usually don't tolerate from employees with management in sports. But Taylor Swift to Jeremy's point has written some very heavy handed songs during her union with Travis Kelce. But for all the haters they got to a finish line here. Many of you didn't think they were ever going to get to and whether you think it's manufactured or whether you love to make your assessments about what love is real and not real. This is an underdog story. They got there like that's it is
- [31:42]
Jonathan Saslow
a surprise that they got to the
- [31:44]
Dan Le Batard
wedding cuz everybody was doubting and all the heartbreak of her songs whether or not this was real. And I think no one's disputing that it's real.
- [31:51]
Jonathan Saslow
Right? No one's disputed that these two people
- [31:54]
Dan Le Batard
are are in love that this isn't manufactured for attention that this isn't a publicity this isn't clout chasing. Most people have been wrong about what this union was correct.
- [32:06]
Jeremy
I think the relationship is great. Like I think it's awesome that these two people found a way to get to this stage, get married, have one of the great love songwriters of all time and Adam Sandler officiate their wedding. Look, I want to grow old with you from the Wedding Singer. One of the great love songs ever. But when you're dealing with this type of show, when you have the the privacy of Madison Square Garden which is important because everyone's wedding is spied upon but then you have the just TNT married like by the way we could have workshopped the logo like that. That logo is just. This is not great. But when you have the privacy yet it's also heavy handed with everyone who's going to be there. It's that part that's the bit of the turn off to watching this all unfold. Happy for them. Go live your life. That's beautiful but it's all just a bit corny.
- [32:59]
Hercules Gomez
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this
- [33:01]
Tony
day to join Taylor swiftly. For 22 years on this show, we've
- [33:08]
Unknown Male Host
debated the greatest athletes of all time. Who's the goat in football? Who's the goat in soccer? Who's the goat in hoops? One thing that we all know is Dan's the goat of finding the worst possible take. But there's another kind of MVP goat that doesn't get enough credit. The friend who knows to show up with enough Miller Lights plus extra ice because they just know.
- [33:31]
Tony
The one who already has seats at
- [33:33]
Unknown Male Host
the bar when you walk up. That is Miller Time. Nvp. I've been on this show long enough to know that Dan is gonna make everything about his feelings and Jeremy is gonna push back on whatever I just said. But here's something nobody on this show will argue with. Miller Light is the summer beer. The original light beer since 1975. This summer, recognize your MVPs. We all have that one friend who makes every game better. Now it's time to give them their moment. Head over to Miller Lite's social media pages to learn more about being a Miller Time mvp. You can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
- [34:18]
Dan Le Batard
Down. Lebatar.
- [34:19]
Unknown Male Host 2
John Zaslo. How you love that cat phrase. Bad news for opposing teams in the triple air.
- [34:35]
Dan Le Batard
Jonathan Saslow.
- [34:37]
Unknown Male Host 2
He's all smiles till the bronze. My clutch again. Clutch again. Clutch again.
- [34:48]
Dan Le Batard
This is the Dan Ler show.
- [34:57]
Jonathan Saslow
What do you think? Who finished second place. Like If Adam Sandler had said no, or did someone else say no before they landed on Adam Sandler's just a super unusual choice, would you not agree?
- [35:10]
Unknown Female Host
All right, we're going to play a game. It's called Guess which of these four people wasn't at the Wedding. Okay. Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawk, Elizabeth Banks, Abby Wambach, who was not.
- [35:23]
Tony
I think this is a trick question. I'm going to say all of them.
- [35:29]
Unknown Female Host
Welcome, Abby. Your Elizabeth Banks is a good.
- [35:36]
Jonathan Saslow
I'm dead serious when I tell you that if you had said to me,
- [35:41]
Dan Le Batard
hey, hypothetically, pick the most ridiculous person as the officiant of the wedding, Adam Sandler would have gotten votes.
- [35:52]
Jonathan Saslow
Who knew that either of them had a relationship with Adam Sandler?
- [35:57]
Zas
They don't, apparently. Apparently they're not even friends with him.
- [36:00]
Tony
I think there was a lot of that going around, stuff that went through agency. All I know is that Pablo Torre
- [36:05]
Unknown Male Host
was pissed he didn't get an invite.
- [36:08]
Zas
Pissed.
- [36:09]
Jonathan Saslow
That can't be true. Zaslow, you're not telling the truth. That Adam Sandler has no relation to either one of them. That can't be true.
- [36:15]
Jeremy
Travis Kelce was in Happy Gilmore too. Of course they know each other.
- [36:18]
Zas
I'm just. Look, I was all over this this weekend, Dan. Adam Sandler. There's no prior relationship.
- [36:23]
Unknown Female Host
Why is Joe Buck at this wedding?
- [36:26]
Tony
Who else was there?
- [36:28]
Dan Le Batard
Give me some of the people who were there. And 1,000 people sound small to me, just given who they are and given how much territory they occupy on the cultural landscape. If you tell me there's a wedding
- [36:43]
Jonathan Saslow
for famous people at Madison Square Garden,
- [36:46]
Dan Le Batard
I think it's gonna be more than a thousand people. Am I a fool there and thinking you don't need Madison Square Garden for a thousand people?
- [36:53]
Jonathan Saslow
It is.
- [36:54]
Dan Le Batard
That seems like a terrible venue to have a wedding in. I suppose that event Kushner was there.
- [37:01]
Jonathan Saslow
Event planners could do anything.
- [37:03]
Dan Le Batard
So the heat good with the space, I suppose. But that doesn't seem like a great.
- [37:09]
Jonathan Saslow
I don't think of a romantic place
- [37:11]
Dan Le Batard
having nearby urinals that have been used
- [37:15]
Jonathan Saslow
or a urinal trough that is used by the city of New York during Knicks games.
- [37:21]
Dan Le Batard
That's not what I associate with the height of blissful symbolic love.
- [37:26]
Zas
Do you think it was hard to. When they're making the guest list and putting together, you know, where everyone's sitting, who you put in the middle of the eye of the row and who got the aisle seats. Like, that'd be tough.
- [37:37]
Hercules Gomez
Right on the list.
- [37:38]
Tony
It was BB Doobie. Of course there was BB Doobie and Doobity Doo I.
- [37:44]
Dan Le Batard
And you're right there.
- [37:48]
Zas
She's good.
- [37:50]
Tony
Big little lies.
- [37:55]
Jonathan Saslow
What other ridiculous details did you enjoy
- [37:57]
Dan Le Batard
while covering it this weekend on ESPN Radio? Covering it. Better for the worldwide leader than anyone else was covering it.
- [38:04]
Zas
Very controversial. Dan. Of all those people, all those ridiculous names that you saw were invited, most notably Dean Blandino, head of officiating or former head of officiating, Blake Lively. Snubbed, not invited. Remember, they've been really close friends for a long time. Taylor Swift has supported Blake Lively during that lawsuit she had with the director from the movie.
- [38:26]
Dan Le Batard
Those details are crazy, incidentally. Like, if you have not read about everything that Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and everything that's happening in their life in that lawsuit, the details are just totally nuts.
- [38:38]
Zas
Not friends anymore. She was not invited.
- [38:41]
Dan Le Batard
Who other. What other snubs were there that are controversial?
- [38:44]
Unknown Female Host
Mike Gasecki made the list. Don't worry about that.
- [38:47]
Dan Le Batard
Really? The. Is he still.
- [38:48]
Mike
Who.
- [38:49]
Unknown Female Host
If you're a tight end, you got invited.
- [38:50]
Dan Le Batard
He was the. He was with the Bengals last year.
- [38:52]
Jonathan Saslow
Right.
- [38:52]
Dan Le Batard
So everybody from the tight end, I'm
- [38:53]
Unknown Female Host
telling you, if you just met him.
- [38:55]
Tony
She plays concerts for Tight end day.
- [38:57]
Unknown Male Host
Yeah.
- [38:58]
Tony
The thing Julian Edelman got in there, Joe Buck.
- [39:02]
Hercules Gomez
I mean.
- [39:03]
Dan Le Batard
I mean, Joe Buck belongs there more than Mike Giuseppe.
- [39:06]
Unknown Female Host
Dean Blandino had to be like, this is a joke. I can't be invited to this.
- [39:10]
Tony
It's even more of a UFL thing than an NFL thing because they own a UFL team, the Kelsey's.
- [39:15]
Zas
Do you think when Dean Blandino shows up to the Garden, he's still kind of wondering, all right, is like, is this real? Am I actually. Am I going to get in? Are they letting me in?
- [39:23]
Dan Le Batard
Why are you saying Joe Buck like that? He's the voice of the NFL.
- [39:26]
Jonathan Saslow
He's the fan. Like, he's one of the.
- [39:27]
Unknown Female Host
Like you to invite. That's like some. That's like a colleague. Yeah, he's interviewed me a couple times. Like, are they friends?
- [39:33]
Tony
The dude from Train made it.
- [39:34]
Unknown Female Host
Yeah, that kind of makes sense. A lot of musicians, a lot of country trains.
- [39:37]
Tony
So underrated. Yeah, they're super underrated.
- [39:40]
Unknown Female Host
Drops the Jupiter all time.
- [39:41]
Tony
That's the Jupiter's all time. But no, man, like, look out. Their top 40 hits, there really isn't a lot of precedent.
- [39:46]
Unknown Male Host
Like Aerosmith.
- [39:47]
Unknown Female Host
Yeah.
- [39:47]
Tony
Like, you don't get to be top 40 played when you're that age.
- [39:50]
Jeremy
They got a little Nickelbacked.
- [39:52]
Tony
Nickelback, I think, is aging gracefully, too.
- [39:54]
Unknown Female Host
I agree.
- [39:55]
Jeremy
So we think that's going to happen with trains sometime soon. Like you're out ahead of it.
- [39:58]
Tony
Look a lot like rice a roni, a San Francisco treat.
- [40:01]
Dan Le Batard
Put it on the poll, please. Is Nickelback aging gracefully? And oh, Zaz made a sour face as if he was smelling something bad. Not aging gracefully. Let's kick it up with a minute left in this hour.
- [40:14]
Mike
Biggest game in 20 years.
- [40:16]
Dan Le Batard
Kick it up.
- [40:17]
Mike
Biggest game in 20 years.
- [40:18]
Dan Le Batard
Bigger.
- [40:19]
Mike
Biggest game in 20 years.
- [40:20]
Dan Le Batard
Bigger.
- [40:21]
Mike
Biggest game in twenty years.
- [40:23]
Dan Le Batard
Who's ready around here to not be disappointed tonight?
- [40:26]
Tony
That's how you do it.
- [40:27]
Dan Le Batard
Yes. Yes.
- [40:28]
Unknown Male Host 2
Who's ready to not be disappointed?
- [40:30]
Mike
Who's ready to hope because game in
- [40:32]
Jonathan Saslow
2020. Who's ready to believe?
- [40:34]
Mike
Biggest game in 2020.
- [40:35]
Unknown Male Host 2
Those Belgians are old and tired.
- [40:38]
Tony
Who's ready to say thank you very much, Mr. President.
- [40:41]
Zas
Make me a waffle.
- [40:42]
Mike
20 years.
- [40:43]
Dan Le Batard
Donald Trump, savior saving the American dream.