Hour 2: NOW We're Playing the Game (feat. Maury Povich and Tom Bogert)

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Hour 2: NOW We're Playing the Game" Featuring Maury Povich and Tom Bogert

Release Date: June 11, 2025

Introduction and Guest Appearances

In this engaging episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz welcome special guests Maury Povich and Tom Bogert. The conversation kicks off with Stugotz introducing Maury, leading to an insightful discussion about Maury's illustrious career and his new venture into podcasting.

Maury Povich's Career Reflections

Maury Povich reminisces about his early days in journalism and television. He shares anecdotes about the iconic sound of A Current Affair, explaining, “[00:45] Maury Povich: So when we started A Current Affair way back, we wanted a sound like 60 Minutes at its ticking clock... It was called the Kachung.”

Stugotz humorously probes into the origin of the sound, highlighting Maury's transition from retirement into the podcasting world: “[01:27] Stugotz: Okay, thank you. I appreciate it. So what happened? Why are you doing a podcast?”

Maury and Connie Chung’s Relationship

A heartfelt segment unfolds as Maury discusses his relationship with his wife, Connie Chung. He emphasizes the importance of mutual understanding and humor in their marriage: “[06:31] Maury Povich: ...that we understood where we were coming from. And secondly, if you don't have a sense of humor, you got no shot. And she has one of the great senses of humor, and so that works.”

The hosts delve deeper, contemplating how Maury and Connie would perceive today's polarized news landscape. Maury reflects critically on the lack of objective news sources, saying, “[07:20] Maury Povich: ...there isn't one particular brand news media brand that is absolutely pure, objective stuff.”

US Soccer Issues: Club World Cup, Ticket Sales, Labor Disputes, and Immigration

The conversation shifts to US soccer, with a focus on the Club World Cup and its surrounding controversies. Dan Le Batard outlines three major issues dominating the discourse:

1. Poor Ticket Sales: “[17:06] Dan Le Batard: ...the ticket sales are straight up bad. It's been less than expected...”

2. Labor Disputes: Tensions between the MLS Players Association and the league over compensation for participating clubs are highlighted.

3. Immigration Policies: The presence of ICE at soccer games has sparked fear among predominantly Hispanic supporter groups. Dan shares a poignant account: “[18:23] ...La Brigada de Oro, they stopped coming to games because they were fearing ICE raids...”

Stugotz emphasizes the intertwining of sports and politics, noting the potential for escalating protests: “[17:46] Stugotz: ...this is absolutely entwined with the soccer culture in this country right now.”

US Soccer Team Performance and Manager Pochettino

A critical analysis of the US Men's National Team (USMNT) follows, focusing on coach Mauricio Pochettino's strategies and the team's performance. Tom Bogert expresses skepticism about Pochettino's fit: “[25:08] Tom Bogert: ...Pochettino's resume is starting to look worse and worse.”

Dan counters by acknowledging past criticisms under previous management while questioning the effectiveness of the current approach: “[26:13] Dan Le Batard: ...the most disappointing part about this summer isn't just the results and the performances...”

Dominique Foxworth adds to the discussion by questioning whether Pochettino can adapt his style to better suit the US players’ strengths: “[27:42] Dominique Foxworth: ...the mismatch there for our talent. Our guys are like explosive American athletes...”

Lighthearted Banter and Language Missteps

The show takes a lighter turn with playful banter about language and cultural nuances. Stugotz and Dominique engage in humorous exchanges over Spanish phrases, attempting translations with mixed results:

• “[31:00] Stugotz: ...the guayabera.”
• “[31:20] Mike Ryan: Oh, that can't be.”

Jeremy adds historical context to the phrase “cup of tea,” highlighting its evolution in American slang: “[29:47] Jeremy: The origin of cup of tea goes back to the mid-1700s in Britain...”

Other Sports Topics: Golf and Race Cars

The hosts transition to discussing golf, specifically critiquing Scottie Scheffler's dominance in the sport. Greg Cody expresses fatigue over Scheffler's consistent performance: “[32:44] Greg Cody: ...he's just the latest hot guy who's winning all the money.”

Mike Ryan echoes this sentiment, yearning for more competitive variability: “[32:14] Mike Ryan: I don't like it.”

The conversation also touches on inefficiencies in golf course maintenance, with Greg Cody humorously describing a viral video of golfers struggling with lawnmowers: “[33:06] Greg Cody: ...17 guys hand pushing a lawnmower. It looked like ants.”

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with hosts and guests sharing final thoughts and light-hearted jokes, maintaining the show’s signature blend of serious discussion and comedic relief. Maury Povich reflects on the depth of conversations, while the team continues to prepare for future episodes, leaving listeners with a mix of insightful commentary and entertaining banter.

Notable Quotes:

• “[01:11] Maury Povich: ...it was called the Kachung. Named after my wife.”

• “[06:31] Maury Povich: ...if you don't have a sense of humor, you got no shot.”

• “[17:06] Dan Le Batard: ...the ticket sales are straight up bad.”

• “[27:42] Dominique Foxworth: ...our guys are like explosive American athletes.”

This episode offers a comprehensive look into the intersection of sports, culture, and politics, enriched by the charismatic presence of Maury Povich and the insightful commentary from hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz. Whether discussing the challenges facing US soccer or sharing personal anecdotes, the panel delivers a balanced and engaging conversation for both regular listeners and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[Stugotz]

I want to play this for Maury, even though. And I thank you, by the way, for joining us. That was an awkward introduction and I should tell everybody that if you want to know more about Maury Povich's distinguished career, Pablo Torre finds out, did a great episode with him, and I've admired his work for a long time, but also his sense of humor about what it is that he is doing. But just play the sound, our breaking news sound, and have him give us the history of it, because we were talking about it just earlier today in the show. What is the history of that?

[Maury Povich]

You want me to tell you?

[Stugotz]

Yes, because they told me, but I want it from your mouth.

[Maury Povich]

So when we started A Current Affair way back, we wanted a sound like 60 Minutes at its ticking clock. And so they came up with the old time sound of construction paper cutter, you know you used to have in elementary school. Plus the swinging of a gol club put through a synthesizer. And you got the Kachung. Named after my wife.

[Stugotz]

Named after your wife, though, is the part that I don't get.

[Maury Povich]

It was called the Kachung.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I got that part. But the part that I don't get is it.

[Maury Povich]

Well, my wife's name is Connie Chung.

[Greg Cody]

Come on, Dan, you know you're not following this.

[Stugotz]

I don't understand. I don't get it. I don't.

[Dan Le Batard]

Pretty simple sense.

[Stugotz]

Okay, thank you. I appreciate it. So what happened? Why are you doing a podcast? How was retirement? I didn't think that you'd be back in the game, on par with Maury Povich. You're getting in the podcast game. I love that your voice is still out there. But what was happening in retirement?

[Maury Povich]

Retirement was great. Some stupid people came up with this idea. I used to. I kind of admired what your friend Mr. Skinner was doing. And so just when I thought I was out, they dragged me back in.

[Stugotz]

And what are you trying to do with it?

[Maury Povich]

Well, I'll tell you the one thing I'm trying to do, and you'll understand this, Dan. When I was doing this show for all 30 some years, I mean, it was all about. About the guests, it was all about the themes. It was all about DNA, lie detector test, out of control teenagers and stuff. And I really didn't talk about myself. And so I had this career before the show, like 30 years in journalism. And so I'm now able to kind of like reflect on what the shit I thought about things rather than what everybody else thought.

[Stugotz]

But Andre Drummond as a guest.

[Maury Povich]

Yeah, by the way, a great guest. You should have him under. Let me, I'll just give you one little nugget about Andre Drummond. Okay. He's coming out of Connecticut as a 17 year old high school kid. He's like the number one kid in the country. And Jim Calhoun of Connecticut is, is recruiting him and he's trying to stay in high school one more year. Finally he says, okay, I'll go to the University of Connecticut. He walks in and Calhoun says, you know, I'm really happy to see you here. I got to take a scholarship away from somebody and give it to you. And so Drummond went to his mother. They didn't have any money, but his mother said, that's not right. Drummond said, that's not right. In fact, the scholarship that was being taken away was with a guy that he knew. And so he and his mother took out a loan and he walked on, save the guy, the other scholarship. Pretty good, huh?

[Stugotz]

People don't actually understand when that gets to the NBA at 20 years old and all of a sudden it's looking past its coach, Stan Van Gundy and taking instructions from his mom in the stands because his, his, that relationship is stronger than any other that he'll ever have.

[Maury Povich]

Yeah. And he's, you know, he's 13 or 14 years into the game. He's, I think he's been paid over $150 million. He takes pay cuts to still play and he plays for the 76. Who.

[Stugotz]

Have you enjoyed as a guest that has surprised you? Like, if you're, if you're doing My.

[Maury Povich]

Wife, other than my wife.

[Stugotz]

You did an interview with Connie Chung.

[Maury Povich]

Oh, yeah, well, Tory, Tory did one too. I mean, you know, talking to my wife, it's like an old, you know, it's like an old Burns and Allen show. I mean, you never know what the hell is going to happen and, and you never know what's going to come out of her mouth. And so there's nothing to prepare for when you talk to her. And it turned out okay, I guess.

[Stugotz]

Greg Cody, do you want to tell us about Burns and Allen?

[Mike Ryan]

No, I. Maury, when you said that my ears lit up, I mean, George Burns and Gracie Allen, I mean, who doesn't know them?

[Stugotz]

Why did your ears light up?

[Mike Ryan]

You know, because my eyes were already awake, but my ears, you know, need a little perk up.

[Maury Povich]

And, you know, and George, I play like George Burns. I'm the straight guy. And Connie's like Gracie Allen, because you never know what's Coming out of her mouth.

[Mike Ryan]

Perfect. Great. I love the analogy.

[Stugotz]

Keep them coming, Jeremy, when did they meet? What year?

[Jeremy]

They met in 1922 and married in 1926.

[Stugotz]

Maury, this is the demo. We're going for Maury, your podcast. This is the demo. This is what you're doing. There are going to be a lot of people our age who are dying to hear what Connie Chung has to say.

[Maury Povich]

I should have never opened up that. Oh, Lord, yes. Meanwhile, everybody, your friends there ought to know about you and me. Dan. The first time I ever was familiar with Dan Levitar, he was doing this has got to be 25 years ago, at least. Dan and you had this Sunday show on espn. You were the columnist for the Miami Herald, but you would come on Sundays, and I would be going, driving to the golf course to play my Sunday game. And you did 10 minutes, a monologue that was really. I mean, it was like. It was like a newspaper column on radio. And I was just so fascinated by that that I had to get in touch with. You don't do that shit anymore, do you?

[Stugotz]

Well, you were the only one listening to that show, which I did by myself. And now the other people do all the heavy lifting for me. I just sit in the middle of it and have everyone carry my bloated ass around.

[Dominique Foxworth]

How disappointed you think Maury was when he was like, I'm coming on with Dan, the guy who unspooled this wonderful tapestry on the morning rides. And he's listening. Minerva.

[Stugotz]

That's right, Minerva.

[Tom Bogert]

Nut want to get in? Tony, Michael, Theodore.

[Stugotz]

Minerva.

[Mike Ryan]

Had a little syncopation there. And you got a song that was.

[Stugotz]

Perfect timing by you. Connie Chung, your love of her. Can you explain to the audience? It's one of the great love stories. It is.

[Maury Povich]

It's. You know, you asked me to explain. I'm not too sure I can. I can tell you this. I think, you know, everybody says, if you're in the same business, that's trouble. I think it saved our marriage, the fact that we understood what we were doing, we understood what had to happen. The fact that we would be separated a lot because she would be running around the world and I would be doing something else. And I think that more than anything else, that we understood where we were coming from. And secondly, if you don't have a sense of humor, you got no shot. And she has one of the great senses of humor, and so that works. However, she does say. I say that all arguments end when the head hits the pillow at night. And she says, I hold A grudge all the time.

[Stugotz]

Can you sort of explain to the audience when you're talking about sense of humor? I can't imagine, imagine that the two of you are watching today's news coverage and the state of American news and doing very much laughing.

[Maury Povich]

Well, it's what, what we're really happy about is that we're not in it. It would be very difficult to be in the news business these days in terms of trying to be objective and trying to be fair. It is so crazy. And news media has just gone off the rails. It's, It's. I mean, there isn't. I don't think. I don't think there is one particular brand news media brand that is. That is absolutely pure, objective stuff. I mean, even like the New York Times with it, just with the placement of stories with headlines and things like that. I guess it's very difficult. I mean, you know, you knew my. You knew who my father was, Dan, and he would have a very difficult time reading the paper these days.

[Stugotz]

I can't imagine what your wife is feeling watching, watching the news when you're just saying out loud, there is not an objective news source in America that Maury Povich and Connie Chung would sign up for.

[Maury Povich]

Yeah, I think the closest thing would be pbs. I watch a lot of the BBC, for instance. When I want to find out what's going on in the world, I'll watch them. And Connie is. I mean, it's. It's very depressing. She thinks it's very depressing. But there is one. There's one aspect of news, Dan, that I think is the silver lining, and that is. And you'll understand this local news gathering. I think that's fair. I think people are very interested in what's happening in their neighborhood, and I think the local newscasts are as objective as there is in the country.

[Stugotz]

Also dying. New episodes of On Par with Maury Povich every Monday. Let's. Let's get from that kind of depressing to a lighter game. Would you attend their funeral? Let's make this difficult for Maury Povich. New episodes of On Par with Maury Povich every Monday. He's available on YouTube and everywhere you listen to podcasts. I've always found him refreshingly honest. Consequences be damned. So make it difficult for him. Mike Ryan.

[Tom Bogert]

So I thought about putting Torn Tony Kornheiser on this list, but it's very clear that Maury and Tony Kornheiser are very good friends. But the Internet tells me you're just an acquaintance with Michael Wilbon. So would you attend Michael Wilbon's funeral?

[Maury Povich]

Absolutely. Yes, I would. And Michael is a dear friend. Let's put that canard to rest.

[Tom Bogert]

All right, I'm glad. We gotta correct AI so they can.

[Dan Le Batard]

Get better at this.

[Stugotz]

All right, but just to be clear, because I want to press and be a good journalist, you're going. Even if it's in Chicago, Wherever I.

[Maury Povich]

Used to work in Chicago. It's a great town.

[Stugotz]

All right, you're going. Great news guy.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I got it.

[Stugotz]

All right, back off.

[Tom Bogert]

So you're a member, according to the Internet, of the Chevy Chase Club, which.

[Maury Povich]

No. No, I am not.

[Tom Bogert]

So. All right.

[Stugotz]

Well, okay.

[Maury Povich]

I have not.

[Dan Le Batard]

All right.

[Tom Bogert]

Were you ever.

[Maury Povich]

There are a lot of. No, I was never. In fact, I had to kind of get. I only played the Chevy Chase Club on Mondays when the pros were off, and we went over there to play, to play around. I'm not a member. Never applied. Not too sure I would get in.

[Tom Bogert]

Geraldo Rivera.

[Maury Povich]

He's okay. Geraldo. Geraldo's okay.

[Stugotz]

That's not what we asked. Would you go to his funeral? We didn't ask you if he was okay.

[Maury Povich]

Yeah, I go to. I go to Geraldo's funeral.

[Stugotz]

Because you killed him, huh? Because you'd killed him. And you want to see them?

[Maury Povich]

No, I would not. No, no. I mean, Geraldo and I, you know, we. We came up around the same time, I'll put it that way.

[Stugotz]

Wow.

[Tom Bogert]

That's actually news. Lewis Black.

[Maury Povich]

Oh. Special. In fact, this week, he's the guest on. On par with Maury Popich.

[Tom Bogert]

Did he impress you enough on your podcast to be like, I'm gonna go to your funeral, pal.

[Maury Povich]

Lewis Black is one of my dear friends. I love Lewis Black. All right, I'll put it you this way. Lewis Black. Why are you laughing?

[Stugotz]

No, because we're playing this game very poorly with it, all right?

[Tom Bogert]

You try to find guys in his life that are on the fringe of whether or not he'd go, I got.

[Maury Povich]

A lot of guys.

[Greg Cody]

Dan wants to know. That's what he wants.

[Dan Le Batard]

Dan wants to know.

[Stugotz]

I know what I want. Apparently, in order for the game to work correctly, it can't be the guy saying, of course he's a dear friend.

[Tom Bogert]

All right, Dan.

[Stugotz]

We don't know who a dear friend.

[Maury Povich]

All right, Dan, you come up. You come up with some names, okay.

[Mike Ryan]

Dan, what if you.

[Dan Le Batard]

This. Yeah. Thank you, Maury. Thank you.

[Maury Povich]

I won't. I won't go to your funeral.

[Tom Bogert]

All right, so the Internet tells me you're Friends with a dude named Dick Pullman. And not only do I want to find out if you'd attend his funeral, but is that his real name?

[Maury Povich]

Dick Pullman?

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Maury Povich]

And he's a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. And I in doubt is chair.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, you did trump.

[Maury Povich]

Oh, boy. No and no.

[Tom Bogert]

Bob Schieffer.

[Maury Povich]

Believe it or not, the first job Bob Schieffer had was with me at the local station in Washington. I know. We've lost touch. No.

[Greg Cody]

Now we're playing the game.

[Tom Bogert]

Yeah, you should check in on him. He was born in 1937.

[Stugotz]

Now we're playing the game. Yes. Nice work.

[Tom Bogert]

Chief Justice John Roberts.

[Maury Povich]

Don't know him. Don't care.

[Tom Bogert]

That was.

[Maury Povich]

Wouldn't know where.

[Tom Bogert]

No, it's the Chevy Chase Club. Which apparently has nothing to do with Chevy Chase.

[Stugotz]

The Internet can't golf. Trusted.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

On par with Maury Povich every Monday.

[Maury Povich]

Thank you, Dan.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Thank you.

[Maury Povich]

And your friends.

[Greg Cody]

Don't steal this game.

[Tom Bogert]

Now.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know you like.

[Tom Bogert]

Yeah, you can take it for on par.

[Stugotz]

Don LeBatard.

[Mike Ryan]

What do we got here? I got a Magnum condom. We won't get that out.

[Stugotz]

That's shocking. Stugats.

[Mike Ryan]

Here's a picture of Christopher when he was like three years old.

[Stugotz]

Right next to the condom.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Never forget it. This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugach.

[Stugotz]

I don't know if you guys know how credible this person is on the subject of soccer, but when I tell you. Someone from CBS Sports's Golasso network is joining us. A network called Golasso. Dominique, are you fluent in soccer? Are you fluent. Are you fluent in how cool a word golasso is?

[Dominique Foxworth]

It means goal.

[Stugotz]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Tom Bogert]

It doesn't just banger of a goal.

[Dan Le Batard]

It means golasso colasso.

[Tom Bogert]

It wasn't just a goal.

[Dan Le Batard]

That was a goal, Dan.

[Tom Bogert]

I was going to get dirty there. I didn't want to get dirty.

[Stugotz]

I'm not going to do defensive, though. Put some flavor on it. It's a goal.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Well, I was taking the flavor off. For those who don't have flavor.

[Greg Cody]

What's the football version of that word? Like for a touchdown, a dime.

[Tom Bogert]

A Dilford touched on asshole.

[Stugotz]

There's no.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I think it's the Spanish language, like, got more flair.

[Tom Bogert]

It's a better language. But you'd agree a Dilford dime is better?

[Stugotz]

No, it is not. No. Put it on the poll at Levitard show. What's better? Dilford dime or a gola? So, anyways, Tom Bogart is with us. And he's from cbs' CBS Sports is Golasso network. And we've got a lot of soccer to talk about. So when I put it all in front of you, though, you choose as the person. And by the way, luscious. Everything you got.

[Greg Cody]

Fantastic.

[Stugotz]

Luscious. What you got going everywhere with the face, everywhere around the face. You are the luscious Tom Bogart. So thank you for joining us from.

[Greg Cody]

The CBS Sport does have a sad background.

[Stugotz]

Colossal Network. Yes, it is a luscious. It is prisoner.

[Tom Bogert]

Guys, he just moved in.

[Stugotz]

No, you guys are so good and so right about this. We have never had a juxtaposition of such a sparse background with such a luscious foreground.

[Dan Le Batard]

What's that shelf is like built into the wall?

[Stugotz]

What is that?

[Tom Bogert]

Look at all the designs on that shirt.

[Stugotz]

You got boxes all over your house, don't you? You haven't put anything in the house yet, have you?

[Dan Le Batard]

Absolutely. We've been doing a lot of work on this house. I was hoping that somebody get the message to Sue Gots. Probably not. I know that he's unreachable, but you see a little Grateful Dead cup right there. I thought that might make up for the lack of presence. Get me the clock book.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I got a. What do I support? Local.

[Dan Le Batard]

Local paperback. I got nothing. You guys are totally right. That's why I was hoping that everything would come like you said, Dan. And the mustache, the hair, that's my fiery personality trait. So I was hoping we just focused here.

[Stugotz]

Well, so among the things that we've been talking about, okay, U.S. soccer being an embarrassment, the idea that Miami is about to host a game that is potentially embarrassing because they can't sell any tickets. Start where you wish. Among the five soccer items right now that everybody's talking about.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, let's start with the Club World cup because the US Soccer is just too sad and too depressing. Even though this is real world stuff. That is even more depressing. But, Dan, I'll kick it back to you because there are three things that are dominating the conversation around the Club World cup, and none of them have to do with any games. The first is that ticket sales are straight up bad. It's been less than expected, and there's a whole lot to get into there. Number two is the labor dispute between the MLS Players association and the league itself for the three participating clubs over compensation in getting to this tournament. And then number three, which is absolutely the saddest, is the immigration policies in this country under this administration and the presence of ICE at these games, which is just really, really awful. So you tell me where you want to go.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Oh, did I hear labor dispute sound.

[Maury Povich]

Like I heard a little bit of union talk.

[Stugotz]

Did I hear immigration protest talk? It sounds like I've got something I want to talk about.

[Tom Bogert]

I hear opening the door to sacking Pochettino already.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is that a soup?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Delicious.

[Stugotz]

You can start with immigration because sports is about to have or is already and always having politics in the mix. So we are about to head into, you know, 18 months of optics that are bad and protests that will feel like they're happening in a different country than this one if things keep escalating to state militia level.

[Dan Le Batard]

Dan, that was my overarching takeaway. So ICE is going to be doing, quote, security for some of these games. Why? I have no idea. And ICE told NBC Miami that non American fans going to these games need to show proof of legal status. Just take that sentence. This is the United States of America. This is so such a foreign concept. Something that again, growing up under privilege, I've never even considered like my baseline of all the struggle. And again, I've been listening to the show since I was in college and a dumb college kid. Now I'm just a dumb 30 year old. So you guys have helped me expand my horizons on all this and it's just not something I could ever have assumed that would happen in the United States. So that, that's where that starts. And this dovetails with what's going on with American soccer and immigration status in this country. So in Nashville earlier this season, the predominantly Hispanic supporters group called La Brigada de Oro, they stopped coming to games because they were fearing ICE raids at games. Which is just extremely sad to start before anything else that's super serious and heartbreaking that, hey, we're just not gonna go to the game because I'm afraid I'm gonna get deported. Lafc, their supporters, they have a predominantly Hispanic supporter base as well. And they've had protests of ice, they've had banners in the stadium protesting ice. And obviously this is all with the background of the protests that are going around in Los Angeles. And this is something that is absolutely entwined with the soccer culture in this country right now.

[Stugotz]

Dominique, as someone who found himself taunted by his 12 year old boy about his wife being in a car with a flirting Luis, were you intimidated by the way Tom flourished under that luscious head of hair? La brogana de hor, the way that he said Spanish, extra Spanish. Oh, no.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Because we're in different leagues, we're playing different games. If that's your thing. I'm not your thing.

[Stugotz]

Oh, yeah.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I mean, Tom, you play your lane.

[Stugotz]

I'm just saying, he said that with a little bit extra. And I want to know when exactly you got good at that. Going in between languages for the people to make yourself credible to all sides.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mi espanol es muy mal. I just got back from Buenos Aires, and I had. I promised myself I was going to be conversational in Spanish. You just got back there?

[Stugotz]

Where?

[Dominique Foxworth]

Where'd you get back from?

[Dan Le Batard]

Buenos Aires.

[Greg Cody]

Iris, you nailed it.

[Jeremy]

No, no, you got it, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think that underpins my entire point there. So that's unfortunate. But, hey, you know, life gets in the way sometimes, but next time I'll get it right.

[Stugotz]

How. How is the coverage of the issue that you're speaking of there? Like, obviously, we've talked around here about the political strategy, as expressed by Steve Ban, of just have the executive orders ready so that anytime something horrifying is in the news. No, no.

[Jeremy]

Well, mostly Bannon, too, but I'm Stephen Miller. It's Stephen Miller right now.

[Stugotz]

It was Steve Miller's half a fine judges, Steve Bannon's contention that you just flood every day with scandal. And so if you have executive orders lined up to get everything out of the news with the next horrifying thing that you're gonna put out there, you drown in a bunch of stories where people aren't talking enough. Because this is still. I think, Tom, I have this right. Min in this country who are Hispanic are gonna feel this a little bit differently when they see brown people rounded up this way and treated as threats. It's gonna arrive a little more personally. And to have it fall under an avalanche of other news that makes it less noticeable that this is Nazi Germany stuff that you're starting down the path of. I'm just curious where it is this ties into how it is it's being covered in your world.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's whack a mole, right? Even the way that we started this interview, you said, hey, what do you wanna. Three super serious things that could have led this interview could have been all that we talked about. And I said, hey, you pick, because there's just so much to get to. And even again, talking about the immigration status and the Nashville supporters group, as you say, it affects the predominantly brown people. And Nashville has other supporters groups, and they have stood side by side with La Brigada de Oro, because they are together. Right? But they were at the stadium. They were at the stadium with banners and making sure that one section was completely open. And so people knew. But it's not going to affect a white American citizen the same way that it will that supporters group or others. So it's, it's something that you can relate to. It's something you can empathize towards, but you can't feel it in the same way as the people who are under direct attacks by this administration.

[Stugotz]

How much of a disaster is this ticket sales scenario?

[Dan Le Batard]

It's not great. So it's been. The ticket sales have been super Americanized. I say that in the ticket prices started off way too high and they FIFA were hoping that the American consumer, the South American consumer and Central American consumer would come and be happy to pay whatever. Because in Europe you can still see Liverpool for, you know, 50 bucks at least under $100. That was one of the best teams in Europe this year. And in America we're just beaten down by the, the normalcy that we've surrendered to of the prices being insane. Like I can you say that for any NFL team. Can you go to a game for $100 like maybe Jacksonville in December when they're out of a playoff race? I'm a long suffering Knicks fan. I was in college and young 20s when they were as hopeless as hopeless could be. The only tickets I could afford was a Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans in February. And those are still more than $100. So it's just two different worlds. The European consumer is not going to take this tournament as seriously as FIFA hopes. FIFA is trying to use blunt force to just force it through. And this matters. This is all the money. These are all the teams games. Come, come, come. But you look at that opening match Miami is playing. They are running a sale right now of tickets for $20 where you get one to the game, the opening game and you're promised four more. So that breaks down to $5 a ticket or $4 a ticket to see Lionel Messi. Do you remember the furor that was in this country when Lionel Messi first got here? And even the first whole year like FIFA could not have expected this in any way. Even when they helped to kind of force and help Miami into the third. It's not going well.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Can we talk about something happy? Is there anything in soccer that's happy? Like we talking about we can't sell tickets, people are getting deported out of matches, Pochettino stinks and the golden generation is falling short. Is there anything in high in soccer that's awesome like I don't know. If not, what's your favorite soup?

[Dan Le Batard]

Not a soup guy in any way. So we're. We're over two here on that one.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Well, I guess you got to find something about. About soccer that will make me happy.

[Dan Le Batard]

Labor disputes. I know that you want to get into that.

[Dominique Foxworth]

I love. I mean, disputes are still kind of sad. Is there anything good about something good? Like we. We don't talk about soccer much. We come to soccer right now to talk about how awful everything is. Like, I. I enjoy. I'm looking forward to the World Cup. We got that next year. It's going to be fun watching our golden generation fall short. Oh, gosh.

[Dan Le Batard]

Outlook is not good. Outlook is not good. The American. The MLS is fun. I know that's not everybody's cup of tea. I'll wait for Mike Ryan to kind of chime in here, but. But that's right. That's where I do my work.

[Stugotz]

Cup of tea there. Do we have any idea why it would be everyone's cup of tea? Do we need to redo that one? I don't feel like everyone's a tea drink. I do want to talk about how bad the US Team is, though.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, let's get into it. So sorry, Dan. I wanted to say, too, one of my goals for this interview was to not say an empty platitude that made you go, where does cup of tea come from?

[Stugotz]

Sorry. I'm sorry that happened.

[Tom Bogert]

But that's always minus 600 to any guest hit that we have. The United States is on a. On a big time losing streak. Everybody was sick of Greg Burhalter. It seemed that he maximized his experience here and they made a big splashy higher. And while most soccer fans, like myself, were happy with the ambition of bringing in a name, and it seemed very important to bring in a name here. Pochettino's resume is starting to look worse and worse. The more success PSG has, the more success Chelsea has. Hell, even Tottenham get a trophy. He wasn't able to do that, although I know he was very successful over there for Tottenham. This doesn't seem like the right voice in that locker room. And I know a lot of this falls on the players. The roster isn't great. There are players injured and not available to him. But there is precedent for host nations to get rid of a manager when they're already qualified for a World cup. And it sparked them in the past. You look at Russia, you looked at South Korea in 02 is there? And I know he's paid A lot of money in the buyouts. Probably crazy here, but is there a chance that the US Wakes up and realizes they're not getting the results they're looking for here, or are they married to this process?

[Dan Le Batard]

Mike, you talked about a home nation firing a manager to give them a spark. That was Mauricio Pochettino. That's what this was. And again, there are. There's a ton to criticize Mauricio Pochettino about right now, and I will do so in a minute. But I do want to say, like, let's not do revisionist history here. Like, this was a widely celebrated hire. Everybody was ready for Greg Burhalter to be fired and myself included. And I had been a defender of his for a while. I don't think he should have came back for a second cycle at all, no matter what. But when he was back, it was time for him to go. But that was the move to try to spark something. The most disappointing part about this summer isn't just the results and the performances, though. Those are extremely disappointing. It's that we went into this even if they, you know, drew against Switzerland with, you know, what, seven starters from the first choice pool missing, what would it have meant? What would it have mattered? Like, we're not getting any real games with the top players in this group, the players who will start the opening game of the World Cup. There will be maybe two or three that were on the field over these last two games. So even if things went well, what did we learn? But this set us up for things to only go poorly, and it's gone even poorer than we could have imagined.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Yeah, the talent of the players, I guess that's one of the major criticisms. Pochettino style, more pole possession and. And also more free flowing. As far as positions are concerned, I feel like the mismatch there for our talent. Our guys are like explosive American athletes. We gotta like hold back and have fast breaks. Is there any hope that Pochettino's style will evolve in a way that will let our players do what they do best?

[Stugotz]

Pochettino sounds like a great soup, by the way.

[Mike Ryan]

It does.

[Tom Bogert]

Also, Dom knows ball. That's when. That's when. The U.S. men's National Team is always at its best a counter attacking team that uses its athletes defend well, send a long ball at an athlete chase and capitalize on one of your three options.

[Dan Le Batard]

Mike, you're completely right. The way I've been saying again, even under Berlhalter, when my criticisms were there, is that this group is at its best, when you have nine piano carriers, just a bunch of dudes who work and a bunch of dudes who are going to get stuck in and defend really well. And then you have a couple piano players, you look back at those greatest teams of kind of our generation, those were a bunch of piano carriers. And then Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to make the magic in the final third. And we've gotten away from that. We wanted to play the this, you know, total football style. We're under burl where everything's detail oriented, totally controlled, and at the national level, you can't just go buy another player. This isn't where you say, okay, our left back isn't good enough for this style. Let's go get another one. No, you have what you have. And what I do like about Pochettino is I think that he will adapt to the strengths of the players. We haven't seen it enough evidence of it yet, but the problem with the team that was on the field against Switzerland, they didn't have those athletes. Switzerland, like the physical advantage that Switzerland had over the United States States was jarring. And that's again supposed to be one of our general strong suits. That and goalkeeping. Matt Turner wasn't good enough over these last two games, particularly in Switzerland. So it's really disappointing the way that these games are being lost.

[Stugotz]

Put it on the poll, please. Juju, does Tom have the most excellent ratio of eyebrows to mustache that you've ever seen in your life at LeBatard show? Tom, thank you for being on with us. We appreciate the maiden journey, sir.

[Dan Le Batard]

Thank you guys. Look forward to being on again.

[Stugotz]

Don't.

[Greg Cody]

Don't assume that this episode is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The Crown is yours. I feel like that went really well.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, but it's just presumption.

[Tom Bogert]

We got a year from now, the World Cup.

[Stugotz]

We will need his help. I'm just saying, like, you know, there's.

[Mike Ryan]

Other soccer guys not with hair like that though.

[Stugotz]

There are no others with hair like that. I want to ask you guys a handful of questions. Jeremy, cup of tea, please.

[Jeremy]

The origin of cup of tea goes back to the mid-1700s in Britain. It was actually used as an affirmative, meaning like someone that was a close friend or someone that you liked in an ebullient way. But then eventually, over the years, it changed and it dates to the 1940s in America it says that in World War II it was popularized. And Hal Boyle wrote in his syndicated column Leaves from a War correspondence notebook in 1944. You don't say someone gives you a pain in the neck. You just remember Mark. He's not my cup of tea.

[Stugotz]

Tony, why are you shaking?

[Dan Le Batard]

It was long. That was a very long thing you just said. You know, whatever.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Cool.

[Stugotz]

Jeremy doesn't do things short.

[Greg Cody]

Just say the soup.

[Stugotz]

He just. He doesn't do things.

[Dan Le Batard]

Somebody gets it.

[Jeremy]

No, I don't.

[Tom Bogert]

Just say whatever.

[Maury Povich]

Yeah.

[Tom Bogert]

That kind of thing.

[Stugotz]

Can you. There are a couple more sports things that I want to get to, but before I do that, let's just take some inventory of the library of Spanish words that Samson has said recently on our show. Can I begin with. Can I get first and foremost the shirts that my father wears.

[Greg Cody]

A guy Vera.

[Stugotz]

So that is not why I think.

[Dan Le Batard]

About that, like, once a week.

[Greg Cody]

That is not guy Vera.

[Stugotz]

That is not a guayabera.

[Greg Cody]

The hard R is crazy. A guy Vera.

[Stugotz]

Yes. Guy Vera is guyvera. Yeah, it's a guy I know named Vera.

[Greg Cody]

A guy Vera.

[Stugotz]

Yes. Verra. That's him trying to do the Spanish on the end. The vempera. How about the. The. The tits in Spanish? Croquetas. The ham. The breaded ham. Croquetas.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, that can't be.

[Dan Le Batard]

That can't be used.

[Tom Bogert]

He was confusing with La carreta.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Why does he sound like he's in so much pain? Every word correcta.

[Maury Povich]

Wants him to say it.

[Stugotz]

Greg. Tennis. We talked about this week. Soccer. We talked about this week. Race. Racing. Race cars. F1 stock cars. Just racing in general. The US Open. Also race Scotty. And also race Scottie Scheffler's general dominance. You find yourself bored by it.

[Mike Ryan]

Yeah, we don't like that. We don't like Scotty Scheffler being the favorite to win every single tournament. I liked it, okay. When it was Tiger Woods, I have to admit.

[Dominique Foxworth]

Me, too.

[Mike Ryan]

My Tiger woods phase has ended. And now I want a little bit of parody. I don't want somebody to be the automatic favorite in every tournament. I. I loved it when. What's his name? McElroy. McElroy.

[Greg Cody]

But, dad, like what you're doing? Like, Scheffler has not reached Tiger level. We've seen a bunch of. We've seen a bunch of Scottie Schefflers over the last 15 years. Spieth had a run. Thomas had a run. Brooks Koepka had a run. I just feel like we're seeing the latest, latest of those guys while Scheffler, I think, maybe is creeping past those guys. He's still in that category.

[Mike Ryan]

Okay.

[Greg Cody]

But he's not in Tiger 2000 category yet.

[Mike Ryan]

No, he isn't. And. And nobody is. I mean, nobody has been.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right?

[Greg Cody]

He's just the latest hot guy who's winning all the money.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't like it.

[Greg Cody]

Brooks did it a few years ago.

[Mike Ryan]

I don't like it.

[Stugotz]

Back down, kid. Which part of this are you not understanding?

[Mike Ryan]

I'm allowed not to like Scotty Scheffler being on a hot streak.

[Stugotz]

You know, you can like your excellence. Your dad doesn't like it.

[Greg Cody]

I'm excited for Oakmont, though, this rough. I would love to see my dad one of the worst rough players on, like, easy golf course rough.

[Mike Ryan]

Oh, my God.

[Greg Cody]

Trying to hit out of this oak mine. Have you guys seen this inefficient way? There was like videos going viral of them mowing the lawn at this golf course in the most inefficient way you could ever mow a lawn. It's just like 17 guys hand pushing a lawnmower.

[Dan Le Batard]

What?

[Mike Ryan]

And it's just.

[Greg Cody]

I mean, granted, it's not an easy course to cut, so it's not. But it's just I found that ridiculous to see 17 lawnmowers walking back to back.

[Mike Ryan]

It looked like ants.

[Stugotz]

You're bored by excellence. Like Yit. You're bored by Jokic for some reason. You love Shay Gilge Alexander's mid range jumpers.

[Mike Ryan]

I do. It's a breath of fresh air.

[Jeremy]

Were you bored by Greg Maddox?

[Stugotz]

What?

[Jeremy]

Were you bored by Greg Maddox?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Jeremy]

His excellence was.

[Greg Cody]

Yeah, I do like this. You like sports. Who are the boring, dominating athletes?

[Mike Ryan]

I will say Greg Maddox had this go going for him. He painted the black. Okay? He wasn't a guy who relied on 105 mile an hour fastball. I'll say that for Greg Maddox.

[Greg Cody]

I feel like Scheffler.

[Jeremy]

Glad we got that out there, you.

[Stugotz]

Know.

[Dan Le Batard]

Minor penalty, two minutes for adding nothing.

[Maury Povich]

Plenty.

[Greg Cody]

Imagine how boring we would think Scheffler was if he didn't have the master' that's true.

[Mike Ryan]

That was the highlight of his career.

[Jeremy]

Speaking of arrests.