What's Wright - Nick Wright CRUSHES Celtics for Jaylen Brown trade + USA World Cup REACTION, Balogun RED CARD

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: What's Wright – Nick Wright CRUSHES Celtics for Jaylen Brown trade + USA World Cup REACTION, Balogun RED CARD

Date: July 2, 2026
Host: Nick Wright (Felipe), with Damanze
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (iHeartPodcasts & The Volume)

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Overview

This episode features Nick Wright’s energetic and unfiltered takes on two headline topics:

• The Boston Celtics’ stunning trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George.
• Reaction and analysis of the USA’s win in the World Cup Round of 16, including the controversial red card for Flo Balogun.

Wright delivers his signature mix of in-depth basketball analysis, personal reflection as a fan, and lively soccer commentary. The show is peppered with passionate rants, memorable moments, and hot takes—especially targeting the Celtics’ front office.

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Key Discussion Points & Timestamps

1. Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown: Analysis & Reaction

[04:50–36:56]

Trade Details:

• Celtics send Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George, two firsts, two seconds, two pick swaps.

Wright’s Criticism of Boston

• Incompetence & Poor Return:

  • “The shock of this is the multi-layered, multi-fold shock of that. This is what you got for him... you get Paul George, who if you don’t like Jaylen Brown’s contract, you can’t like Paul George’s contract. They make the same money. Paul George’s contract is a whole one year shorter...” (Felipe/Nick Wright, [07:12])
  • “They were about to get Giannis in a heist. The centerpiece of their Giannis trade was a guy that most of the league doesn’t want.” ([15:08])

• Boston's Miscalculation & Jaylen's Value:

  • “I am legitimately stunned... basically any team that could fit the salary could have him and every team said no thanks is baffling to me.” ([13:52])
  • “There is... a ton of teams say Jalen Brown on that contract is not a valuable player.” ([14:55])
  • “Brad Stevens has done a good job, but this is a very, very precarious situation the Celtics have now found themselves in.” ([15:06])

• Team Outlook Post-Trade:

  • “I would be stunned if they’re a top-flight Eastern Conference contender...” ([16:02])
  • “I think this is a pretty big step back for them as far as their ability to compete for a championship...” ([16:56])

Locker Room & Relationship Dynamics

• Why Not Bring Brown Back?

  • “I think there were just enough unnecessary shots at Tatum, that it was not tenable.” ([20:53])
  • Highlights Brown’s postgame comments as potentially damaging to team chemistry ([22:07]).

• Brown’s Farewell Statement:

  • Read live on air, praising Boston fans but notably omitting teammates or management:
    • “I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. ... Championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, all carry with me.” (Felipe, [31:18]–[32:29])
    • “To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here, I love you. ... Philly, throw the ball up. Let’s get it.” ([32:48])

Media, Analytics & Perception

• On Brown’s Place in the NBA:

  • “I do not think Jalen Brown is one. I think he had one of the 10 best seasons in the league. I don’t think he’s one of the 10 best players in the league... firmly... in the top 20.” ([34:22])
  • “The one thing this trade saga has revealed is the media, which votes on the awards... values him far more than the league does.” ([35:36])

• Analytics Disconnect:

  • “The folks that are slavishly dedicated to the on-off splits that say he’s a net negative... I think those are idiotic.” ([34:39])
  • “He’s fucking won more than any player in the league basically since he’s been in the league. ... I never would have thought that the analytics numbers would be like Jalen Brown, not that good. But that’s where we’re at.” ([36:11])

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2. The 76ers’ Perspective & NBA Future Outlook

[25:56–36:49]

• Sixers Add Brown, Simons, Dean Wade:
  • “Maxey, Edgecomb, Jalen Brown... that’s an interesting roster.” ([26:06])
  • Smoke around potential pursuit of LeBron for further upgrades.
  • “Philly is now just pivoting to the Maxey era. ... And that’s the other tricky thing here... one of the reasons Jalen Brown wanted out was to have his own team. I don’t know that he has that.” ([29:18])

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3. USA World Cup Win & Flo Balogun Red Card Controversy

[43:31–58:44]

Game Recap & Red Card

• Historic US Win:

  • “2-0 for our first knockout win since 2002. Bit good stuff, USA...” ([43:40])

• Red Card Outrage & FIFA Critique:

  • “I am stunned at how many people think because it’s written in the rules that the US can’t appeal this, that the US shouldn’t try to appeal this. Folks, it’s FIFA and it’s the World Cup, and things are a little fuzzy.” ([43:56])
  • “It’s a BS red card and we want our guy to play — at least see if Infantino and FIFA are open to that.” ([44:32])
  • Argues VAR was misapplied in slow-motion, which is against protocol ([45:20]).

• Comparisons to Messi's Untouched Red:

  • “Messi, early in the tournament... got no penalty. ... That was, the way I see it, worse than what Flo did...” ([46:40])

• Impact on Team & Pulisic’s Big Moment:

  • “We’re going to be without our best player for the game against Belgium. I loved how he played and I thought Malik Tillman, set piece, really... like you were rooting for a European power.” ([48:41])
  • “Christian Pulisic, you’re supposed to be our best guy. ... We need the full 90 and you’ve got to be great. I think they’re going to do it.” ([53:20])

Tournament Reflections

• “If [the US] win this game, it’s hands down, unequivocally the greatest World Cup in Team USA men’s national team history.” ([56:32])
• “Winning the World Cup be a bigger deal than the Miracle on Ice?“ ([57:44])
  • “It would certainly be a tougher accomplishment ... the path is probably ... Spain, France, Brazil or Argentina.” ([57:50])

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4. World Cup Knockout Predictions

[59:13–72:23]

• Match Previews & Hot Takes:

  • Loves Mexico’s chances to upset England at Estadio Azteca: “The home field advantage of the World Cup matters... I am here to tell you I love Mexico in this spot.” ([59:23]–[62:37])
  • Believes Croatia will upset Portugal: “My beloved soccer expert, the great poker player and sports better, Nacho Barbero... said, ‘the team they’re playing has a 41-year-old that’s a crybaby and should be in a wheelchair.’” ([65:40])
  • Quick picks for other games: “I think Morocco will beat Canada... France is going to probably put up another three or four goals again in beating Paraguay...” ([69:21]–[70:29])

• World Cup as National Glue:

  • “The World Cup is like the glue guy for the world...” ([71:06])
  • Describes personal love for the World Cup and intention to always spend the five weeks in the same time zone wherever it’s hosted: “Just having the games on all throughout the day, every day has been serendipitous. I just love it so very much.” ([72:23])

---

5. Lakers Offseason Moves Post-LeBron

[77:37–85:02]

• Roster Overhaul:

  • “They got Walker Kessler, they signed Ma Mamu, Collin Sexton, and my guy Quentin Grimes. ... It’s not a very strong team at all. They got worse.” ([77:42]–[78:00])
  • On the new “Big Three” (all white players): “...when we saw the picture of the Lakers' big three and it's Luca, Austin and Walker Kessler...” ([78:00]–[79:06])
  • “They are asking a lot of Luca. I love Luca. I believe in Luca. We'll see if he can deliver.” ([79:09])

• LeBron’s Next Team:

  • “[LeBron] would rather play for the vet minimum somewhere else than play for $15 million for the Lakers. ... My leader in the clubhouse is Cleveland, Windhorst seems to be leaning... Golden State, Miami, or a dark horse.” ([85:22])

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Celtics’ FO:

  • "To go from that to 36-year-old Paul George is... that's what I think is incompetence." ([15:08])

• On Jaylen Brown’s reputation:

  • "The one thing this trade saga has revealed is the media... values him far more than the league does." ([35:36])
  • “He’s fucking won more than any player in the league basically since he's been in the league.” ([36:11])

• On the US Soccer Manager:

  • “The video of him after the game singing Country Roads from John Denver and smiling just like my favorite thing of the tournament.” ([50:15])

• On Pulisic's Moment:

  • “Christian Pulisic... It’s the biggest game of your life ... and we have now, demands a graduated past by winning the round of 32. This tournament cannot be a failure. It is some level of success.” ([53:20])

• On the World Cup’s Unique American Atmosphere:

  • “The World Cup is like the glue guy for the world…” ([71:06])

---

Quick Reference: Key Timestamps

• Celtics trade analysis: [04:50–36:49]
• Philly’s future outlook: [25:56–36:49]
• Jaylen Brown’s statement read: [31:18–32:48]
• World Cup / USA Red Card Talk: [43:31–58:44]
• Pulisic & Belgium Preview: [51:58–56:32]
• World Cup match predictions: [59:13–70:29]
• World Cup as global event reflection: [71:06–72:23]
• Lakers offseason moves & LeBron: [77:37–85:22]

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Overall Tone

Nick Wright is passionate, direct, and occasionally incredulous, especially when discussing the Celtics’ front office. The banter with Damanze is lively but focused, and the emotional investment in both the NBA and soccer shines through. The tone is irreverent but sincere—equal parts sports rant and reflective fandom.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a must-listen for fans of unfiltered basketball analysis and emphatic World Cup coverage. Whether you want insight into NBA team-building fiascos or bullish hope for the USA’s soccer future, Nick Wright brings both heat and nuance—always with receipts, and never dull.

Transcript

[Felipe]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Mangisha]

Guaranteed Human.

[Felipe]

He's dribbling the ball with everything on the line. He's driving down the pitch. He's facing price hikes and cuts past him. Carrier contracts, tries to block him. Oh, he leaves him in the dust. He's at the edge of the box. He cuts past the nonstop group chat, trash talk. He clears on goal. He shoots no unlimited data for $25 a month forever.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

Visit your local Boost Mobile store today to get unlimited data with a price that never changes. Boost mobile after 30 charge, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay $25 a month as long as they remain active on the Boost $25 Unlimited plan. Hi, it's Colin Coward from the Colin Coward Podcast. Every goal starts with an assist. As Official partners of U.S. soccer, this team is ready to deliver Sensodyne Dentist recommended defense of your sensitive teeth Centrum Fueling your day with science backed nutrients. Advil of course. Powerful inflammation fighting pain relief. Voltaren Arthritis Gel helps penetrate deep, keeps the joints moving and tums ready to counterattack with fast heartburn relief. Learn how Halion can assist your game day [e-mail] Colin the world cup is

[Daniel Alarcon]

underway and it's been incredible. On our podcast the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green, we're talking about the games that have delighted us, the teams that have inspired us, what we're loving and what surprised us all through the lens of being massive fans of the world's most beautiful game.

[Mangisha]

Daniel this tournament has been magical so far. There's so much to love and I can hardly believe the drama that the group stage brought us. And now it's time for us to talk about the teams that are left as the field is whittled down to one World cup champion on July 19.

[Daniel Alarcon]

Listen to the Away in with Daniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rebecca Nagle]

150 years ago, they were hunting us

[Felipe]

down to kill us.

[Rebecca Nagle]

And now they're hunting down immigrants to deport.

[First America Host]

This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Felipe]

Welcome in what driving the grid episode 474. This episode of what Driving the Grind is presented to you by Boost Mobile Damanze. Good afternoon in Los Angeles. How are you? Yeah, beautiful afternoon. Moving into a new spot. How's that going? How's the process. How are you?

[Damanze]

It's going good. Just box by box. I'm just waiting to get the bed and mattress in there and stuff so we can actually start living in there. But my sofa inside of my apartment, is it an ordeal? So.

[Felipe]

Oh, getting that sofa out of your apartment.

[Damanze]

Yes.

[Felipe]

Yeah. That's going to be a tough one. Well, good luck with that. It's going good, I would say. New apartment, you know, new kind of phase in life, all of that. Maybe new basketball team to root for since your Celtics seem to be wildly incompetent. Maybe incompetent page entirely. Okay, so we'll get to the puzzling Jalen Brown Brown trade in just a moment before that one. Also on the show that will the U.S. men's National Team game from yesterday, a bunch of World cup star thoughts. The Lakers trying to recreate the Minneapolis Lakers at least in team photo and more. So all that coming up. But first, straight to voicemail. Brought to you by Boost Mobile. The Liberty beat the Aces in the Commissioner's Cup Summer league's going to use the one free throw rule. And the Swift Kelsey wedding is allegedly at Madison Square Garden tomorrow. A reminder everyone, you can email us for our mailbags. What's right mailbag gmail.com. also a reminder. Tomorrow on this feed we will have for you the sit down I had with Colin Cowherd last weekend at Hard Rock Bets Party bus. Thanks to our friends at Hard Rock Bets. So that'll drop into your feed tomorrow. Some of that conversation will be dated because things have happened since then. But it's still it's me and Colin for an hour. It's worth a listen. And also like subscribe and review our channels if you would. Damanze this was not going to be first in the rundown. The US Men's national team was. But I wanted it first in the rundown. Jalen Brown no longer a Celtic. Tell everybody the details and your thoughts and then I'll get into it.

[Damanze]

So yeah, we shifted off Jalen Brown for Paul George. Two first and two seconds. Look man, I'm, I'm not.

[Felipe]

And two swaps and you got two pick swaps as well. So that's something positive as well. But yes, but go ahead.

[Damanze]

Little meaty. So everybody seems to be against this. I'm not as against it as everybody else is. I don't think it's incompetence. I think that Jalen Brown needed to be off the team by this year come next year. Anyways, I get like what else were we going to get Giannis is no longer available and like either way, you're not going into this season with Jaylen Brown next year. I do think that it's interesting that they sent him to Philly, the team that just knocked us out. Also, you know, their main guy, he's been seen talking mess about on Twitch, so I wonder if that was. There was any tacticalness to that. But yeah, he wants to be the guy, but now it's weird because he's going to the 76ers where he also will probably not be the guy. So.

[Felipe]

No, I mean, no, I, I mean I'm so there's a lot here. We'll get to the Philly side and the Jalen Brown side in a bit, but I want to start with the Celtics piece of it because I said, and I had been adamant that I thought once you offer Jalen Brown in a Giannis trade then and he already, you know, had what I considered a frosting relationship, even though he says otherwise with the franchise, that you have crossed kind of the Rubicon and you've got to trade him that you're not going to keep. You know, they offered him for Anthony Davis, they had offered him for Kevin Durant, they now offer him for Giannis. You just got to, at, at some point a player especially as prideful as Jalen is going to say enough, enough. And you never offer Tatum, you only offer me. And that I thought they would need to make a move and I still feel that like I. So in that regard I understand them trading Jaylen Brown. I thought they were going to trade Jaylen Brown. The shock of this is the multi, layered, multifold shock of that. This is what you got for him. That when you felt this was the best offer available for him, you didn't simply say, well it's July 1st, even if we feel he can't be on the roster on October 15th, let's pause, wait, see what other dominoes fall because here's what I know about Philly. Philly was not going to say take it or leave it. Boston, this is your one time opportunity to switch out 29 year old Jalen Brown for 36 year old Paul George. That offer was going to be there and it is stunning how low Jalen Brown's value is across the league because Jalen Brown went for less than Kawhi Leonard. He went for less than Walker Kessler went for in the same transaction cycle. And the real to me, this is the incompetence piece. Demanze I believe it is, it was Incumbent on the Celtics to know, okay, if we don't get Giannis, what other options are out there? Like if we're going to hold the line on not trading Hugo or Baylor Shireman, if that's our red line, then what's our number two and three options? And in my opinion, they very clearly had not done their due diligence on that. Because if you are this close to moving Jalen Brown and two first round picks that are going out and the return is Giannis and the tax that is 20 year old, 11 minutes, three point per game, Hugo Gonzalez and the silver medal is instead of Giannis, you get Paul George, who if you don't like Jalen Brown's contract, you can't like Paul George's contract. They make the same money. Paul George's contract is a whole one year shorter now. Yes, instead of two first round picks going out, two first round picks are coming in, but the delta between Giannis's value and Paul George's value is so massive to not recognize. If we, if we don't pull the trigger on trading for Giannis, we are going to effectively be getting one first round pick and one swap for Jalen Brown because the league had told us or the reporting was, I should say that the price for Philly just to trade away Paul George was going to be a first round pick. The tax on Paul George's contract was going to be a first round pick. So it is truly stunning to me, Dewanze, that they. It's not, it's not so. It is stunning to me. Boston held the line on Hugo or Shireman when they, they were willing to give up the two first round picks, they were willing to give up Jalen Brown, but nope, too far. If we have to include Hugo or Shireman in the deal and didn't realize, but if we don't make this deal, we are going to get 15 cents on the dollar for Jalen Brown. That part is stunning to me. It is also stunning to me that none of the 27 other teams, other than Philly, Milwaukee, Boston, the 27 other teams are like, we can beat that deal. Yeah, we can. We, we would like to employ Jalen Brown. Even if we don't think he's, you know, as good as last season suggests, we still think he's a really good player. Like, here's a question. Remember when the Celtics wanted Kevin Durant and offered Jaylen Brown a few years ago? Why not do that shit again? Why not say, hey, Houston? Well, I mean I, I think that might be A little unfair to both of them. I don't know. I. I'm not gonna cancer, but like

[Damanze]

not exactly locker room elevators.

[Felipe]

Well, not in those locker rooms, but not like, you know, the. I think Jalen had done some things that made his relationship and some of his teammates less than great. Durant I think had, you know, obviously Durant in Houston, that thing got toxic, but I don't know that that would be the case if they swapped. And if you're Houston IME Udoka's coach, Jalen Brown, you need a go to scoring option, but a guy who can still defend, he's more on the timeline of the other guys. And if you're the Celtics. All right, great. Durant doesn't have to lead. Durant can just go get a bucket like that. That trade would have been more interesting. There are so many moves. Like, I understand Paul George played well in the playoff series against the Celtics.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

Say it again.

[Damanze]

Yeah. No, because he didn't really do anything in the second round, but the, the team as a whole didn't do anything

[Felipe]

in the second round. Yeah, he played well in that seven game series against the Celtics. But Paul George games played since he left Oklahoma City. 48, 54, 31, 56, 74 solid. And in the last two years, 41 and 37. But he is not he. The last two seasons, he has averaged 40 games per season, 17 points per game when he was in Philadelphia, that he and this idea. I get that well, now the Celtics have more flexibility. Now they have these assets to trade for another guy. I understand all of that. I just, I am legitimately stunned. Even if I wasn't as high on Jaylen Brown as some people were, I still thought he was on pretty unequivocally. A top 20 guy in the league who just had a, you know, top 10 season of everyone in the league. The fact that basically any team that could fit the salary could have him and every team said no thanks is baffling to me. And there is. I thought there had been a lot of overstating, you know, oh, this is how much the analytics hate Jaylen Brown. But evidently that was not overstated. Evidently a ton of teams say Jalen Brown on that contract is not a valuable player.

[Damanze]

And

[Felipe]

I, I can't believe that Boston didn't know that, because if that's the case, then they were about to get Giannis in a heist. The centerpiece of their Giannis trade was a guy that most of the league doesn't want. And to go from that to 36 year old Paul George is. That's what I think is incompetence. Listen, I think Brad Stevens has done a good job, but this is a very, very precarious situation the Celtics have now found themselves in. All right, I know you have some follow ups here before we get to Philly.

[Damanze]

Yeah, I mean they added Mitch Robinson and Mike Connolly. Like do you think that they're going to be able to compete next year? I think that the squad overall is still pretty nice.

[Felipe]

Yeah. I mean I would be stunned if they're a top flight Eastern Conference contender because I'm. Here's. Yeah, because here's why. I know they won 56 games last year without Tatum, but I, when I picked them to win the title, the idea behind it was that adding, bringing Tatum back into the fold, you now all of a sudden elevate a level. And so I think because of Missoula and because of the math ball they play, maybe they can still be a good regular season team. But I, I do not think it is at all realistic that this team next year and I really like Tatum and maybe you'll prove me wrong that barring another move that they can compete for a championship like they are in a similar boat to the team that they were last year had they not brought, if Tatum hadn't come back. Now Tatum's in my opinion better than Jalen Brown, but that team was not going to be able to win three, let alone four playoff rounds. So no, I think this is. A pretty big step back for them as far as their ability to compete for a championship because here's the other thing. They, and I was, you know, wrong about them last year, obviously. But after winning the title and then, you know, losing Kristaps, losing Drew Holiday, the year they were trying to find their title, they got their clocks cleaned by the Knicks in the playoffs. And last year they got, they blew a 31 lead to Philly in the playoffs. And Brad Stevens told us after the year that they weren't that close, that they didn't do well against the best teams in basketball. And now they are to me objectively a less talented team than they were, you know, want when they were whole last season. All right, what else? I know we have more on, you know, stuff. He's dribbling the ball with everything on the line. He's driving down the pitch. He's facing price hikes and cuts past him, carrier contracts, tries to block him. Oh, he leaves him in the dust. He's at the edge of the box. He cuts past the non stop group chat trash talk. He clears on goal. He shoots no unlimited data for $25 a month forever.

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[Mangisha]

I'm Mangisha together and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever for all of us. I learned about some rad science.

[Felipe]

I can make a brain for you and then we can test what drug is the best for your brain as opposed to his brain.

[Mangisha]

Here are some hard truths.

[Felipe]

I would expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to

[Mangisha]

be almost a four to five year accident acceleration and get myself into a world of trouble.

[Felipe]

I'd say probably start bone smashing.

[Rebecca Nagle]

That doesn't work.

[First America Host]

Make it look more defined.

[Felipe]

They say it works. I don't know.

[Mangisha]

Listen to Skyline Drive how to live Forever on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rebecca Nagle]

The declaration, which is full of these beautifully rendered, you know, sentences and paragraphs about enlightenment ideals, does also have this darker history to it.

[First America Host]

Why is it important for the darker part of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution? Why is it important that Americans know about it?

[Rebecca Nagle]

Well, if we don't understand the full context in which our nation was founded, we won't understand the full context in which our nation now finds itself.

[First America Host]

I'm Rebecca Nagle. Gohin Tawa Don. Chalai kayetli Que la citizen of Cherokee Nation. Are you guys big Chiefs fans?

[Felipe]

Hell yeah.

[First America Host]

This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rebecca Nagle]

So go ahead.

[Damanze]

Sean said that Brown never requested a trade or asked out. Why wouldn't they just bring him back? Why don't you think that was possible?

[Felipe]

I. I mean, I think what you were saying off the top that, that it had. This thing had run its course and I think there were just enough unnecessary. This is my read on the situation shots at Tatum, that it was not tenable.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

And you agree with me there? I think.

[Mangisha]

Yeah.

[Damanze]

I mean he just like says a Lot of stuff where it just makes you question.

[Felipe]

Like, you know, the thing that went under the radar for a lot of people, I think, was what everybody focused on after Game seven and. Or all the times Jaylen Brown talking about this was my favorite season. And then doubling down on that and the twitch stream stuff, all that.

[Rebecca Nagle]

That.

[Felipe]

That was not what I had. Eyes wide open. Oh, man, that could, that could cause some damage. That the comment that he made wasn't. That I thought was the most damaging was not on the Twitch stream. It was right after Game seven, I believe, at the press conference

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

when he

[Felipe]

was asked about Tatum not playing. And he said, well, yeah, I mean, it's really tough when you find out 30 minutes before the game that JT is not going. When that was just not true. The team found out early that afternoon, late morning, like six, seven hours before the game that Tatum was not going to be able to go for Game 7. And it was so. It was inaccurate and seemed so unfair to Tatum that my, you know, antenna went up of what's going on.

[Damanze]

Right. Like, that's, like that's coming at the team as a whole. You didn't know that Tatum was going to be playing 30 minutes before the game?

[Felipe]

I. I don't. I don't know his. I don't know his rationale for that or, you know, be as charitable as possible that he just in the heat of the moment, like, got confused or. I, I don't know. But that, that struck me as. What? First of all, even if that's true, I don't know that you need to say it, but I knew it wasn't true.

[Rebecca Nagle]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

And so implied that, you know, Tatum kind of left them out to dry.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

And so that combined with, you know, the other comments he said about we finally got to who he had been all year in this game. There was just a lot of what's going on here? So I did not think bringing him back was tenable. But if you're, if you're trying to buy a. I'll use Damanze's example. If demand is down the road on renting a new apartment, and as it gets to lease signing day, they're like, oh, yeah, by the way, we forgot to tell you, parking's an extra $100 a month. And you're.

[Rebecca Nagle]

And you're.

[Felipe]

You're like, that's outrageous. You told me it was included. Not doing it. They're like, well, sorry, it is. Before you decide that's a deal breaker, even if you think it's, you know, Attacks are outrageous. You need to know, all right, if this is a deal breaker, I'm not going to be, like, homeless. Right. I have another place I can live, and I don't. I, I think the cell. It's very odd because the Celtics own internal analytics, Wendy told us, said Derrick White was better than Jalen Brown last year. So the Celtics own internal analytics didn't love Jalen Brown. They had one team in Milwaukee that seemed to like him and with Giannis on the other end of it, and they played hardball with them to the tune of getting back a contract that's almost identical to Jalen Brown's, except one year shorter for a player seven years older and way more injury prone. I just, I don't. I don't get that piece of it at all. And I will see if they make another major move. But. And I've been, you know, I, I believed in Boston last year, but this is. This is a weird one for me. All right, let's talk a little Philly piece of it.

[Damanze]

Yeah, Philly. Sign Anthony Simons and Dean Wade. Are you taking this team seriously next year?

[Felipe]

Not really. I mean, I like it. Here's the thing. They're in such a weird spot with embiid, and it's hard. It's like, you don't want to rely on him, but when he's there, he has these moments of like, man, that's still one of the best offensive bigs in the league, but you don't know if he's going to be reliable. I, I did, you know, four of their five starters, Maxi Edgecomb, and this is one of the reasons to Monse, probably that they were fine with trading away those unprotected picks and swaps, not because of the Embiid portion of it, but because they're like, all right, we have Maxi and Edgecomb and Jalen Brown. They're all young enough that our floor is high, so, like, we're not going to bottom out. And so Maxi Edgecomb, Jalen Brown. Call it question mark at the four, because they also, you know, Quentin Grimes signed with the Lakers this week. EmbiId at the 5. That's. That's an interesting roster. Now, there is a little smoke around. Are they going to go after LeBron? I imagine they would love to add LeBron I. And that would, you know, fully round out the team, and that team wouldn't necessarily need embiid to be able to compete at a super high level. If you added LeBron, I don't think it's likely that he goes there. My bigger question is this about Philly? Does Philly decide let's kick the tires on what if we were just able to get off Paul George's contract? How desperate is Golden State in trying to sweeten the pot for LeBron? And we can trade one for one. Jimmy Butler for Joel Embiid. Butler on an expiring contract who has played in Philly, but he's obviously injured. Embiid with three years left on a brutal contract. But as we said, you know, has shown these moments of brilliance. And if the warriors were to sell LeBron on Hey, Anthony Davis was who we were talking about, as you know, the injury prone, MVP level big man that we can bring in. The Wizards won't play ball. What do we think about a move where we won't have to include any draft picks. We maybe keep some flexibility and we trade Jimmy Butler to Philly for Joel Embiid and Philly, you know, throws a damn ticker take parade because process be damned, they can get off that contract. I. No one else has mentioned that. I think it's just worth a. As Wilds would say, one small take chip on the roulette table of. Could you just do a one for one. Jimmy Butler's expiring deal for Embiid's awful deal and hope you get lightning in a bottle for one healthy postseason run and you really are then recreating the Team USA thing. And Bead was on that team too with Stephen LeBron. Aside from that, I think Philly is now just pivoting to the Maxi era. And it's Maxi and Jalen Brown. And that's the other tricky thing here to m. One of the reasons Jalen Brown wanted out was to have his own team. I don't know that he has that.

[Damanze]

And then even I think this is like it's. It's damn near.

[Felipe]

Oh, Edgecom. Yeah.

[Damanze]

Yeah. It's. It's just kind of weird. How is that gonna mesh and all?

[Felipe]

I think on the fall, dominant dudes. Yeah. I think on the floor it can work. But I do think like, whose team is it? It's Tyrese Maxey's team, of course. And then when Embiid plays, he probably feels like it's his team. So that stuff is all a little odd. Yeah. Or maybe more. Maybe more than a little odd. All right. Do you. Before we get to the soccer, is there anything else you want to do on here? You personally on your thoughts on it or your. You know what? We should do this. How will you remember As a Celtic fan, the Tatum Brown era, confusing.

[Damanze]

I think that I really. I do appreciate Jalen Brown for everything that he's given to the team. I do think that. I just think it just got a little weird and. Yeah, no, I've got no, like, malice in my heart.

[Felipe]

Did you see it?

[Damanze]

I'm not like.

[Felipe]

No. He. He had an interesting tweet, though, where I'm just gonna read you his statement.

[Rebecca Nagle]

It's.

[Felipe]

It's like, you know, it's a picture, and it's a picture of a city skyline. The skylines in green. I don't know. The Philly skyline versus the Boston skyline. It's one of the two cities skylines.

[Damanze]

Yep.

[Felipe]

And this is what he writes. First and foremost, thank you to the most high. Even in the midst of adversity, I'm here with gratitude. He then writes, I'm still processing how this all went down. I'm excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge. The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, all carry with me. Saying goodbye isn't easy when you've invested your heart into something I'm big on. Respect and action speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here. I love you. And to the shifters. I think that's his crew. I don't know who that is. We are locked in for life with a little lightning bolt.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

As one chapter begins. As one chapter closes, another begins.

[Rebecca Nagle]

And then.

[Felipe]

What does he have there? Then it says, there's the number 41. I don't know what that is either.

[Damanze]

Miles turn is what. What number?

[Felipe]

No, no, no. It's definitely. No, no. It's not a player jersey thing.

[Rebecca Nagle]

I don't.

[Felipe]

I'm excited for what's ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I'm looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how, through the work. Philly, throw the ball up. Let's get it. So that is a very nice statement to Boston fans. And again, we'll see.

[Damanze]

Organization.

[Felipe]

Well, I don't. Listen, if he feels the organization undervalued him, that's fine. He doesn't need to thank the organization. I. It's. It's weird not to say anything about your oh, former teammates.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

Like, and now again, maybe he's going to do, for all I know, he's going to do a whole Instagram like pictorial thing. Like these days guys can multiple. It's not just like one thing in the newspaper. And so I don't know, but it's, that is a unique statement from a unique guy because like when he says, I'm still processing how this all went down. Well, like, bro, I got an idea how it went down. You, you kept going on Twitch, making harder for everybody. And they finally were like, all right, we're done with this. Like, I think that's how this went down.

[Damanze]

I, I, I team that's like not that removed from a championship. And like, I, I just think that the vibes are a little weird. Like it's just like, wait, what is going on around here? But, but yeah, I mean we'll see.

[Felipe]

And it's, and so that is. But what a resounding success of a trade for the Sixers. Even if I don't think next year they're going to be top line contenders. Like just a great, great, successful trade for the Sixers. And I just want to be on the record here on this. I do not think Jalen Brown is one. I think he had one of the 10 best seasons in the league. I don't think he's one of the 10 best players in the league. He's never been a particularly difficult omission from club superstar for me. Okay. I think he is firmly, obviously in the top 25 players in the league and almost assuredly in the top 20 players in the league. That's where I land on Jalen Brown. The analytics that say, you know, the what, what is it? It's the dunks and threes analytic. That said, dunks and three is the website that said he's the 87th best player in basketball. The folks that are slavishly dedicated to the on off splits that say he's a net negative, I think those are idiotic. And while those can inform your opinion about a player, they should not define anyone's opinion about a player. What is so ironic about this demons is Jalen spent up, you know, a good portion of his Twitch stream stuff has been him, for lack of a better term, going after the media and taking issue with, you know, different aspects of the media. And the one thing this trade saga has revealed is the media, which votes on the awards and where he has been very highly decorated, values him far more than the league does. The folks in the media look at Jalen Brown as an A lister. And the 30 teams across the NBA do not. And that is a fascinating development.

[Damanze]

Something. Yeah. Be going on that, like, we don't. There's. There's something. What is, what's that about?

[Felipe]

Well, I mean, listen, I think he doesn't have an analytically friendly game, but there is absolutely something to be said for taking on the challenge of guarding the other team's best player a lot. The availability, the reliability, the fact that does. Do everyone else's analytics on the Celtics look better because of the workload that he has taken on, like, all of that stuff. Like. And so I just. I, I find it. There have been. I, I never thought Jalen Brown was going to fall in, like, in the category of what's a good example historically. Okay, here's one. Monte Ellis was a guy that put up good counting stats. You know, the, the beginning analytics 15 years ago did not like his game at all. Okay. And it was a dichotomy of, you know, I like counting stats versus the deeper stats. Here was the difference. I don't think Montiellis's eye test was that good either. I don't think you needed an algorithm to be like, that guy's not a winning player. I have put Trey Young in a similar boat. Like, I don't. He has great counting stats, and I don't need to look at the analytics to say he's not a winning player. What's unique about Jalen Brown is he's fucking won more than any player in the league basically since he's been in the league. They, they lived in the conference finals. They had great regular seasons. There was never a thought. I never would have thought that the analytics numbers would be like Jalen Brown. Not that good. But that's where we're at. It's really fascinating. All right, we'll get to the U.S. men's National Team in a second. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. Florida Sportsbook. The world's biggest soccer tournament is here. Everyone's watching. National pride's on the line. Superstars are chasing immortality. And for the next month, every match feels like a final. If you haven't tried Hard Rock Bet yet, there's no better time to get in the game. Hard Rock Bet is a top rated sportsbook app built to viva la Copa. So whether you're backing your country, betting on your favorite superstar, or building a same game parlay for the biggest matches of the tournament, Hard Rock Bet is your way to get in on the action. And if you're ever late to kickoff, don't worry. Hard Rock Bet lets you live bet all match long from the first minute to the final whistle. Plus, Hard Rock Bet is new promos daily. We're talking profit boost, no Sweat bets, bonus bets and more. And be sure to check out no goals, no problem and super sub two promos designed to give your bets insurance all tournament long. Sign up with Hard Rock Bet today and place a $5 bet. If it wins, you will also. You also score 150 in bonus bets, a winning bet plus an extra $150 to bet with. Now that's how you get this summer's party started. Hard Rock Bet is Florida's only legal sportsbook, but you don't have to be in Florida to join the party. Hard Rock Bet is live in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado and Michigan. Download the Hard Rock Bet app today. Roll with us. Goal with us.

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[Mangisha]

I'm Mangisha together and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever for all of us. I learned about some rad science.

[Felipe]

I can make a brain for you and then we can test what drug is the best for your brain as opposed to his brain.

[Mangisha]

Here are some hard truths that would

[Felipe]

explain Expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be

[Mangisha]

almost a four to five year acceleration and get myself into a world of trouble.

[Felipe]

I'd say probably start bone smashing.

[Rebecca Nagle]

That doesn't work.

[First America Host]

Make it look more defined.

[Felipe]

They say it works. I don't know.

[Mangisha]

Listen to Skyline Drive how to Live Forever on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Rebecca Nagle]

The Declaration, which is full of these beautifully rendered sentences and paragraphs about enlightenment ideals, does also have this darker history to it.

[First America Host]

Why is it important for the darker part of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution? Why is it important that Americans know about it?

[Rebecca Nagle]

Well, if we don't understand the full context in which our nation was founded, we won't understand the full context in which our nation now finds itself.

[First America Host]

I'm Rebecca Nagle. Gohin Tawa Don Jalaika Yetli KE La citizen of Cherokee Nation. Are you guys big Chiefs fans?

[Felipe]

Hell yeah.

[First America Host]

This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Felipe]

A reminder, everybody. Like, rate, subscribe and review. All right, Damanze, let's go to the US Men's National Team.

[Damanze]

Yeah, 2 0. For our first knockout win since 2002. So bit good stuff, USA, but there was a controversial red card on our guy, Flo Baligun. So where would you like to start? On the game or the card?

[Felipe]

All right, so let's just start with the game or with the card. Pardon me. So I am stunned at how many people think because it's written in the rules that the US can't appeal this, that the US shouldn't try to appeal this. Folks, it's FIFA and it's the World cup, and things are a little fuzzy. Like, I don't know if you guys have seen, like, how, you know, historically how host sites get awarded or the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo was supposed to be suspended for the first two games of the World cup and they were like, ah, nah, let's make it a probation. This is, historically speaking, this is an entity that you can bully a bit or you can figure out a way to get your way with. And so many folks in the media that have been like, well, nope, you can't appeal this. Sure you can. And you can. Just, we're the host country. It's a BS red card and we want our guy to play at least see if Infantino and FIFA are open to that. It seems like he's got a. A Real tight relationship with the president. And the president's got plenty of time. He's designing ballrooms and doing reflecting pools. Got a state fair cv, gives him a little rings like, hey, you remember me? He gave me the FIFA Peace Prize because I wanted the Nobel one and didn't get one. You thinking, you think you can put your finger on the scale and get flow in the game? Biggest game in U.S. soccer history. So that's first of all, like, I'm not ready to give up yet that Flo Baligan could play. And here's the other thing. They did kind of screw us not because that play can never be a red card. Soccer is interesting in that they don't, they don't always care about intent if, if it's a dangerous play, but what they're not supposed to use the var, the video assisted review in slow motion to determine the harshness, if you will, of a foul. So I will read from, to you from the exact V A R, you know, from the rule book on what is and isn't allowed. The VAR can check the footage in normal speed and, or in slow motion. But in general slow motion replay should only be used for facts. For example, position of offense or, or player point of contact for physical, physical offenses, pardon me, and handball ball out of play, including goal, no goal. Normal speed should be used for the intensity of an offense or to decide if it was a handball offense. He got a red card because in my opinion and what it really looked like because the referee watched that foul in slow motion and in slow motion it looked awful. I, I think that's a misapplication of various. And I think we have grounds not to appeal on. It was a bad red card. But to appeal on procedural grounds, to use V A R wrong. Either way, I'd like them to at least try and see if they're like, okay, fine, he can play. I'm just saying it's, it's, it's, it's not off the board that maybe he could play. So that's. First of all, second of all, the reason I hated the penalty was it's not even so much about. So like Messi, early in the tournament, the first game, I think he was trying to steal the ball from an opponent and accidentally clean him in the back of his leg, scraped his studs down the back of his leg into his ankle and got no penalty. Okay, that was way the way I see it, worse than what Flo did because Messi, while obviously was not trying to do that, was looking down, was Trying to make a play on the ball and screwed up. And that's where intent, they say, doesn't matter for a red card. Hey, man, you made a dangerous play. You were trying to get the ball, but you got the guy's leg. And that could have been a red for Messi. Flow was running alongside the guy and looking up, and they both just stepped in the same place. That. So what Flo did to me was not dangerous. It was unfortunate. So that. And it wasn't even called a yellow on the field. So for all those reasons, I hated it. And I really hate that he has to miss the biggest game in US Men's national team history. Or I guess that's probably not accurate. The second biggest game in US Men's national team history. The biggest game was the quarterfinal in 2002 when we could have made the semis. So I hate that. I'll tell you what I loved about that game, though, the way Flo played before that, because he's our best player Flat I. And we'll get to Pulisic in a. In a bit. But Flo Baligan is the best player we're going to be without. Our best player for the game against Belgium. I loved how he played and I thought Malik Tillman, set piece, really, it was like you were rooting for a European power. It was like, okay, a set piece from right here. They can score and we scored. And the fact that we were able to do what we did with 10 men. And then the added bonus to Monze. Have you heard Demanza, any of Pochettino, the US Manager's interviews, like, if you heard him talk?

[Damanze]

I have. It's in the back of my head, though. What is? He's got some flares.

[Felipe]

No, he just has a thick Argentinian accent. And he is. He. Listen. He speaks English far better than I speak any second language. But he is. He is not what I would call effortlessly fluent. You know what I mean? So, like, so, so he. The reason I'm saying any of that is to paint the picture of people I haven't heard him talk. Thick Argentinian accent, you know, not a hundred percent fluent speaker. The video of him after the game singing Country Roads from John Denver and smiling just like my favorite thing of the tournament. Like, it's just so charming and. And the way this team loves each other and the way the. I think Fox has done an amazing job after these games of the announcers layout, we just get these, like these, you know, kind of dusk, sunsetting moments on these west coast stadiums of A delirious crowd singing along, the players taking pictures and hugging. I love it so much. It's been so good. I mean, I have enjoyed it so much. And now we approach a game against Belgium. Belgium, first of all was not the better team yesterday against Senegal. I'm glad we're playing Belgium rather than playing Senegal. Senegal has played better in this tournament. Belgium was very fortunate yesterday. We can beat Belgium. And Hard Rock Bet has us as slight favorites against Belgium even without Bal.

[Damanze]

How much pressure is on Balisic?

[Felipe]

Well, there we go. So this is the moment, man. Christian Bisic was on the U.S. men's National Team as a kid at in 2018 that failed to qualify. He was then on the team in 2022 that going into the final game of groups, the group stage needed a win against Iran to qualify. He, to his credit, scored a goal, scored the goal at the tail with 10 minutes left in the first half to put us up one nothing on the goal. He got banged into by the keeper and then at halftime couldn't go anymore. They had to sub him out. They held on for the wind though, thank God.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

And

[Felipe]

then neither he nor really anybody played that well in our knockout round game against the Netherlands. And then this tournament. He's played sparingly. He's one of the only stars in the entire tournament that has not scored. If there was a argument for. We talked to this on First Things first today. Who has been the best player for the U.S. men's national team this tournament? While I would argue Flo Baligan, Dax was saying he thinks there are seven guys you could make an argument for. Not one of the seven. Christian Pulisic, you're supposed to be our best guy. You're supposed to be the best player in this country's history. We have a home World Cup Monday. Your striker's not going to be there. You have to deliver. It's the biggest game of your life. And we have now demands a graduated past by winning the round of the of 32. This tournament cannot be a failure. It is some level of success. Getting to the round of 16 was always mandatory and we got there. But we have been there a bunch of times in our history. We've only won this game once. You add to it that we have a pretty decent draw in who we're playing in the round of 32 or the round of 16. Like as far as the caliber of the opponent, Paraguay from our group has France coming. Canada, you know another host nation in the round of 16 is playing Morocco. Norway gets Brazil, Mexico, another Host country. More on that game in a moment. Gets England. So getting Belgium is about as good of a draw. You know, the winner of Portugal, Croatia, later tonight is going to take on Spain, which just won three nothing against Austria. Okay, so getting Belgium is fortunate. We're at home. We've played great. If they lose this game, this World cup was a success, but disappointing. If they win this game, it's hands down, unequivocally the greatest World cup in Team USA men's national team history. And then we wait and see, you know, are we playing an absolute monster in Spain or a team that I think we could hang with in Portugal or Croatia? After only having one shutout in its previous 13 games three games ago, we now have two shutouts in our last three games. We have a world class manager. Our starting players play all over the best leagues in Europe. You're better than Belgium. You have played better than Belgium in this tournament. Belgium in this tournament needed a win in its final group stage game just to qualify. They drew against Egypt, they drew against Iran, they beat New Zealand to qualify and yesterday they just pulled it out of the fire against Senegal. You should win this game. And Christian Pulisic's got to be great. And I know it seems like a lot to ask, but Pulisic's also got to have the fitness to give us the full 90. The first game he played 45 and got banged up. The second game he missed. The third game he gave us spot duty. This game, even though we were down a man, he had to be subbed out in the 80 something minute for fresh legs out there. Fine, no problem. We need the full 90 and you've got to be great. I think they're going to do it. I don't believe in Belgium, but man, oh man, this is, this is the moment and I really, really hope that they, that they seize it. I know you have more winning the

[Damanze]

world would win the winning the World cup be a bigger deal than the Miracle on Ice, in your opinion?

[Felipe]

So I wasn't alive for the Miracle on Ice and there obviously was, you know, bigger maybe political implications there because we're playing the Soviet Union, you know, who with during the Cold War, imagine. But it would certainly be a tougher accomplishment is it's such a bigger field and everything you like the fact that the path is probably, would probably be after Belgium, you have to beat the number two team in the world, Spain, and then you have to beat the number one team in the world, France, and then you have to beat either Brazil or Argentina, or I guess some people would say England. It would just be remarkable.

[Mangisha]

And

[Felipe]

what I'm here to say is I have all along said I believe this. U.S. men's National Team can make the quarterfinals for the just its second time in team history. They are one game from doing it. They are tragically going to have to try to do it without Flo Baligan. I think they can. All right, let's talk a little more World cup stuff.

[Damanze]

So England and Belgium both had late comebacks to advance. England now heads to Azteca to play Mexico and Belgium heads to Seattle to play us.

[Felipe]

Yes. So I want to talk about those. All those games and then also some of tonight's games. So we already. Belgium got very. I feel sick for Senegal. They just blew it. I mean, you're up to nothing in the 82nd minute. You lose. It's just an absolute, just gut wrenching loss. England, credit to Harry Kane for having a legendary 20 minutes in a game that it looked like. My guys. Dr. Both of the African nations that played yesterday just had their guts ripped out. Dr. Congo should have been up two nothing. They were up one nothing. And then Harry Kane scores on a header and then has one of the goals of the tournament that Terry Henry did just an amazing job explaining how he did it for them to win. So shout out to England. With that said, the Monze, I think they are in for more than a dog fight against Mexico. I believe Mexico is going to beat England. So people don't fully recognize the advantage Mexico has at Estadio Azteca. So first of all, it's 100,000 rabid fans. It is such a wildly energized environment, so that helps their players. It's why they haven't lost there in years. But the other thing is the altitude and the smog are so outrageous compared to everywhere else they play. It's so much higher than Denver and to Mile High that you re like the fact that the Mexican national team's players are used to it. Being used to that altitude as an athlete and playing a group of athletes that are not, I read today, has the, the same impact as if your team did blood doping for your red blood cell counts and the other team didn't like you. So you're basically no. Blood doping is what cyclists do to, to. For the. Basically, it's. It's like steroids. The, the. It's. Again, I don't know the science of it entirely. It's either more red blood cell count or lower red blood cell count. Whatever it is. The point is the the impact on athletes who aren't used to playing at this altitude, it what it drains from them. It's the same type of delta that an athlete would gain from using performance enhancing drugs just in the other direction. So there's that. And because of that, what England should want to do is have shown up in Mexico this morning and start getting acclimated to it. But here's the thing. This is a home World Cup. Those fans are in a great way insane. And England knows if we show up today, we're not going to get a good night's rest through the. The country will know where where our hotel is. They are going to be banging pots and pans and singing and having a party outside of our hotel room all night, every night. The players will be anxious about any food they're served. Like that. Like the olives, man. It's the World cup, bro. Like this is. Well, the home field advantage of the World cup matters. So you. This is an 8pm Eastern Time kickoff July 5th in what will be it is definitionally the biggest game in Mexican soccer history. England has been super wobbly other than Harry Kane. And England's players come the second half are going to be gasping for thin, thin air. I am here to tell you I love Mexico in this spot. Love Mexico in this spot. I have had this game circled for since the bracket came out. England win their group. Mexico win their group. Since then, all Mexico has done is look freaking awesome. Mexico in this tournament yet to allow a goal. Eight goals scored, zero goals allowed. Beating South Africa, Korea, Chachia and Ecuador. England on the other hand in this tournament a little shakier. Game one against Croatia, tied at halftime. They end up winning four to two. Game two, they draw with Ghana 00. Game three, a game they need to win against Panama. A bad Panama team tied at halftime. 00. They end up winning two nothing. Game 4 knockout round against Congo down at halftime. England is yet. So Mexico hasn't let it allowed a goal and England hasn't let it halftime once this tournament. So I love England on July 5th. When is that upset alert? Saturday night or snow. Not Saturday night. Sunday night. Yeah, I. I'm all over it. Is that Sunday night? Yeah, that is Sunday night. Holy moly. And the US Is. Yeah, because the US Is Monday night. Oh, I said I love England. No, I don't love England in the spot. Don't clip that out, guys. I said a whole thing about why I love Mexico in this spot. Thank you guys. So obviously the whole point of that rant was I Love Mexico in this spot. The. No, no, no. I. The. I got. The. I was looking at the England schedule, and I said England. But, no, I think Mexico just wins. And speaking of upsets, if you're watching us live, you'll get to, you know, see if you want to roll with me on Hard Rock, bet on this one. If not, you'll be able to see if I'm right. I think Croatia is going to beat Portugal. I think Croatia is going to end Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's pretty underwhelming tournament so far. Croatia in this tournament, again, tied with England at halftime, end up losing 4 to 2. They beat Panama, they beat Ghana, and they're an old team. Obviously, Luka Modric is not the same guy he once was. But Croatia, this core group of guys has been to back to back World cup semifinals. In 2018, they lost in the final to France. In 2022, they lost in the semifinal. Was that to France again? No, to Argentina. They lost because France played Morocco in the semifinal. I. Portugal, on the other hand, has looked awesome against Uzbekistan and decidedly mediocre in every other spot. They drew with Congo. They drew with Colombia in a game I was at, that Columbia thoroughly outplayed them. They have a. The only guy on their team who has played all 90 of every game is the oldest guy on the team, my beloved. My. My beloved soccer expert, the great poker player and sports better, Nacho Barbero, who I've been texting with, and he's a big voice memo guy the whole tournament. He. I text him about that. I was going to see Portugal play Columbia because I was at that game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, that I was. That I was going. And he. And he told me. He said, go all in on Columbia. And I said, why? I said, how come? And he wrote back. And again, this. Much like Pochettino, I want you to read this text in your head in a very thick Argentinian accent. But Nacho said, because, quote, the team they're playing has a 41 year old that's a crybaby and should be in a wheelchair. That was his handicap. That was his handicapping of why Portugal can't win. And so I listen. I think Portugal's gonna lose tonight. I think Croatia is going to advance, and it's going to be three straight years of real World cup runs for Portugal. If there's. Let me just give you guys quick thoughts. That the other. Oh, tomorrow's games, obviously, I mean, it'd be one of the greatest stories in the history of the sport of Cape Verde beat Messi and Argentina. That's not going to happen. I like you know Argentina advances Colombia, Ghana from Kansas City I think will be a good game but I like Columbia and Australia, Egypt. I think the wrong team's favored. I think Egypt should be the favorite there. So those are the. Oh, and there's one more game that I'm leaving out.

[Rebecca Nagle]

Is it.

[Felipe]

There's a. Oh, Switzerland. Algeria. Late. Late tonight is probably Switzerland. That's. That's probably the play there. But oh, but there's. We're not going to be on again until Tuesday so we should talk just a little bit about how I see these round of 16 games going. I think Morocco will beat Canada on the 4th of July. I think France is going to probably put up another three or four goals again in beating Paraguay on the 4th of July. I think that Spain will beat Croatia on Monday night. I think the U or Monday afternoon. I think the US Will be Belgium on Monday night. And then I just told you I think Mexico beats England. You guys know I think Brazil is going to beat Norway in a game I might go to here in New York and I would take Argentina to advance. Oh the other games are Tuesday. We'll So once those are set we'll be able to talk to you guys about them. But I would lean Argentina and Columbia

[Damanze]

advance World Cup x fourth of July. Man, the streets are going to be crazy.

[Felipe]

Yeah. Yeah. I mean it's going to be US men's national team isn't playing on the 4th of July which would have been sick if they were. But yeah, I mean and I just I love this tournament so much and I want to in when I am. When I'm at a retirement age or a I can take, you know, summers off age. I've made an executive decision to monze. Hold on. In fact, let me go ahead and look this up.

[Damanze]

The World cup is like the glue guy for the world

[Felipe]

by. Oh yeah, that's a great. I mean it's just a great take. But so I Here we go. List of FIFA World cup hosts. Okay so next next year or next World cup. Oh, it's another three World cup host. It's Morocco, Portugal and Spain. The next one, the one after that is in Saudi Arabia. Here's I. It's not so much about going to the games but I would like for the rest of my life to spend the five weeks of the World cup in that in the same time zone. I don't even need to be in the same country like I don't know

[Damanze]

if I want to.

[Felipe]

We'll see what the world looks like in 2034, but five weeks in Saudi Arabia, I'm not sure I'm signing up for that. I wasn't, but, But Morocco, Portugal and Spain sound delightful. But regardless, my point is this. Just having the games on all throughout the day, every day has been serendipitous. I just love it so very much.

[Damanze]

Something to look.

[Felipe]

Yeah, it's just every day like today, the first game wasn't till three. I was super bummed. I was like, I was like, what, what am I going to do with my afternoon? And so, yeah, so I, I, I have missed this because it's, you know, I'm 41, so 94. The US hosts it, but I'm nine years old. Like, you know, I watched, I was into it. I remember really upsetting my family because I was rooting for Brazil over Italy in the final. That'll do. 98. It's in France, so it's six hours later there. So what does that mean? So the games are on like early morning and then into the day. But I remember watching it, but, oh, two, it's, it's in Korea and Japan. So it's just like the U. The, the one time the US has played in a quarterfinal in the World cup was at 2:30 in the morning, US time on ESPN2. Like, it just doesn't really happen. But 2014 was Brazil, so that was again, like our time zones. We were living in Houston to Monse. I don't know if you remember, but I was locked in. But 2018, Russia time zone kills us. 2022, cutter time zones again kind of kill us next World Cup. If you are in America, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, not that bad as far as it'll just be six. Everything will be about six hours earlier than it's been for this tournament. So, yes, you will have some games that start 6:00am But a lot of games that start 9:00am Noon, 3:00pm you know, in those windows. That's sick, too. I'm just, I'm just so into it. And this is not, and this isn't me being like a fox shill. I'm just, I think it's been an unbelievable tournament. I also, every time I hear Thierry Henry talk, I want to go to France. Like, man, this guy just is awesome. I want to talk little Lakers in a second. But first, you ever notice everything keeps going up? Rents going up, streaming services going up, your favorite burrito spots, charging you extra for salsa. It's outrageous. Both Boost Mobile, you and your phone build off play the Will this go up soon? Game. Why? Because Boost Mobile has unlimited talk, text and data plan at a price that'll never go up. In fact, same price you'll pay for life. So switch now for unlimited wireless at a price that'll never go up. Only at boost mobile after 30 gigs, customers may experience lower speeds. Customers will pay $25 per month as long as they remain active on the Boost Unlimited plan.

[Boost Mobile Global Connection Announcer]

The official language of football is trash talk, late night group chats, memes and unbelievable highlight clips. That's why Boost Mobile brings you our new Global Connection plan, the first plan ever made for WhatsApp. Get unlimited data, talk and text, international roaming and calls to over 100 countries for just $40 a month. $40 price includes $5 a month autopay discount. After 40 gigabytes of premium high speed data, speeds will be lowered. Coverage not available everywhere. Visit store or boost mobile.com for details.

[Mangisha]

I'm Manga Shit Together and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever for all of us. I learned about some rad science.

[Felipe]

I can make a brain for you and then we can test what drug is the best for your brain as opposed to his brain.

[Mangisha]

Here are some hard truths that I would explain.

[Felipe]

Expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be almost

[Mangisha]

a four to five year acceleration and get myself into a world of trouble.

[Felipe]

I'd say probably start bone smashing.

[Rebecca Nagle]

That doesn't work.

[Felipe]

To make it look more defined, they say it works. I don't know.

[Mangisha]

Listen to Skyline Drive how to Live Forever on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rebecca Nagle]

The Declaration, which is full of these beautifully rendered, you know, sentences and paragraphs about enlightenment ideals, does also have this darker history to it.

[First America Host]

Why is it important for the darker part of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution? Why is it important that Americans know about it?

[Rebecca Nagle]

Well, if we don't understand the full context in which our nation was founded, we won't understand the full context in which our nation now finds itself.

[First America Host]

I'm Rebecca Nagle. Gohin Tawa Don Jalika Yetli KE La Citizen of Cherokee Nation. Are you guys big Chiefs fans?

[Felipe]

Hell yeah.

[First America Host]

This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be and how we got to this place. Present moment. Listen to First America on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Felipe]

All right, Deontay, let's jump down to the Lakers moves this weekend. This week.

[Damanze]

So, yeah, after splitting up with LeBron, the Lakers have made some moves. They got Walker Kessler, they signed Ma Mamu, Collin Sexton, and my guy Quentin Grimes. How strong of a team is this compared to the West? Do you think they're going to work next year?

[Felipe]

It's not a very strong team at all. They got worse. And Marcus Smart was wildly important to him. He's gone. Canard was a great pickup. He's gone. Rui is not resigned yet. And the second best player on the team's gone. And listen, I didn't watch. Don't cut this out into a social clip, however, fair is fair. When Stephen A. Has said things that I've disagreed with, I've gone after him. So I want to just. And I didn't see everything Stephen A. Said about the fact that the Lakers are going to be the first team in 40 years to have their best three players be white dudes. But I'm telling you right now, while everyone's annihilating him for it, you all that occurred to all of you as well. Everyone's like, how could he say this? It's like when we. Everybody had a similar reaction when we saw the picture of the Lakers big three and it's Luca Austin and Walker Kessler.

[Damanze]

Luke is a spicy one, though. He's a. He's a spicy, right?

[Felipe]

No, I get it. He's Eastern European. It's not a Mar. And this Mamu shot his feely guy. He's Eastern European, too. He looks like a John Wick villain. I understand all that. My only point is people who want to go after Stephen A. Are using this as an opportunity, pretending like that hadn't even occurred to me. Yes, it had. I'm not saying it means they won't. I'm not going as far as to say it means they're going to be bad or anything. I am saying he wasn't the only person to be like, oh, well, when's the like? And I. I even did. When I saw the Walker Kessler deal, my own thing in my head where I was like, gosh, what is the last time a team's three best guys were white dudes? And I was like that. This. Even the Celtics in the 80s with Bird and McHale, they always had Parish, like three of their four best at times, whether it was Ainge or Bill Walton. But it's been a while. So again, there's plenty of stuff you want to go after Stephen A. It's probably fair game. And again, also, I didn't watch the podcast, listen the clip, but I saw the little synopsis of it. I was like, come on, he's not the only person that thought that. With that said, I am. They are asking a lot of Luca. I love Luca. I believe in Luca. We'll see if he can deliver. But it is to make. To trade away all your future picks and to just be locked in to long term. Walker Kessler, Austin Reeves, and not like Colin Sexton's, not to me, a value additive NBA player. You know how much I like Grimes. So that one is, I do think, awesome. And Grimes will have a career year, you know, getting. You know what, Grimes played with Luca, right. Like, I'm not tripping. Grimes was. Grimes was there when Luca was there because they traded him the same year. Oh, he only played with Luca for a handful of games, though, because it was the year Luca got traded and Luka was hurt at the beginning of the year. So it was very temporary that he played with Luca. So I do like the Quentin Grimes edition, but I still think that team and Walker Kessler is, you know, a nice, nice player. And they finally address the center position, but man, oh, man, they paid a very steep price for Walker Kessler as a restricted free agent. Two picks and two swaps. Again, I know Luca wanted the center. Well, or I was thinking they could have gotten Jalen Brown. I mean, if you're willing to give up two picks and two swaps, but they didn't have the salary to match, I understand they couldn't have realistically made that work. But right now, and this breaks my heart for Luca, but Western Conference contenders, where would I slot the Lakers? Well, you know what, this is interesting. Here's what I'll say in the Lakers defense, and this is what is so unique about the. Maybe a bit of a changing of the guards in the NBA. I think the west only has two awesome teams, OKC and San Antonio. Like, the Lakers won't be better than all of these teams, but you could make the case like, they, they could be better than Denver, they could be better than Houston, they could be better than Minnesota, they could be better than, you know, go down the list. Yeah, none of those teams rosters overwhelm you. Meanwhile, in the east right now, like Boston loses Jalen Brown and we're like, oh, man. Well, they're definitely not going to be better than the Knicks. They're not going to be better than the Cavs. If the Cavs bring back Braun, we'll see what Detroit looks like. You know, if they learned their lessons. Philly just added Jalen Brown. The, you know, the Raptors added Kawhi. It's really a lot of jumbling.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

It's.

[Felipe]

Yeah. Added Giannis Halliburton will be back. And so I listen Luca gives you a high enough floor that the Lakers should avoid the play in. But I don't better than Luca's team

[Damanze]

that he's brought to the Finals. I do. I think you should actually. Oh, faith in your guy. He could. He could drag this team to the finals again.

[Felipe]

I don't know if it's better than that Mavs team. It depends on if Austin takes a leap because what the Mavs team had going for it was. Kyrie is a legitimate playoff guy.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

And Austin up to listen, it's very small sample. Two years ago he wasn't the player he is yet now. And this past year he was injured and coming off the injury. But they need if Austin can be regular season Austin in the playoffs and if Walker Kessler, who I think played five games last year, you know, can. Am I right about that? About Walker Kessler and how many games he played? I could be wrong. I. Yeah. Five games that solid. Yeah. I mean but again, he's seven two. He's a 15 and 10 guy with good defense. So like I. I'm not shading that move. It's just you hate having to give up all those draft picks. I. I think the Lakers are going to Ms. LeBron and it appears to me to Monze that exactly what I laid out on Tuesday was accurate.

[First America Host]

Yes.

[Felipe]

That's insane.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

LeBron. What? Which part?

[Damanze]

Oh, you were saying that LeBron would assign for the minimum, but he found it disrespectful that the first number that the Lakers offered him and like he immediately signed for the vet minimum or saying that he will sign for the vet minimum.

[Rebecca Nagle]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

That LeBron would rather play for the vet minimum somewhere else than play for $15 million for the Lakers.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Felipe]

Because the Lakers should have known better. Like should have known what his real value was. And so right now my leader in the clubhouse is Cleveland Wind horse seems to be leaning and he knows as much as anybody more Golden State. I. I do think that dark horse shocking Team X meaning I would put. I think most people have it like 98% he goes to one of three places Cleveland, Golden State, Miami and then 2% dark horse team. I would say 88% Cleveland, Golden State, Miami and 12% shocking dark horse team. But we'll see on on LeBron. I don't think that answer is coming anytime soon. I do have a promise, if it comes, we'll go emergency podcast live immediately. But I don't think it's coming before our next pod. I don't think it's coming anytime soon. I also just have to be on the record, it is not a big piece of the goat debate. It's not even a small piece of the goat debate, but a tiny piece of the goat debate in the same, you know, other extraneous factors that where Jordan gets a lot of credit for how popular his shoes are. One of the Greatest moments in U.S. men's National Team history being exclamation point, the LeBron silencer. Little small check mark for the LeBron. Well, just a little tiny tiny check mark. This a little. I'm not saying it makes him the goat. I'm just simply saying if in your mind it was exactly tied, if it was 50, 50 exactly tied. LeBron's now taking the lead. All right, enjoy the soccer tonight. I'm all over Croatia today and I am all over Mexico when they play England this weekend. I think the U.S. men's National Team can beat Belgium and I think FIFA should throw out Baligan suspension. Thank you to Hard Rock, thank you to Boost, thank you to Blue Duck, thank you to Damanze, and thank you to the Volume. Talk to you guys soon. See you at 10am tomorrow. And first things first. Also, she doesn't watch this show because she texts me all the time. Questions that would have been answered on this show or takes other people have had that I had previously given on the show. But all the same, Happy birthday to my sister tomorrow. Talk to you guys later. See you guys then. Watch right.

[Boost Mobile Global Connection Announcer]

The official language of football is trash talk, late night group chats, memes and unbelievable highlight clips. That's why Boost Mobile brings you our new global connection plan, the first plan ever made for WhatsApp. Get unlimited data, talk and text, international roaming and calls to over 100 countries for just $40 a month. $40 price includes $5 a month autopay discount after 40 gigabytes of premium high speed speed data speeds will be lowered. Coverage not available everywhere. Visit Store or BoostMobile.com for details.

[Daniel Alarcon]

The World cup is underway and it's been incredible on our podcast the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green we're talking about the games that have delighted us, the teams that have inspired us, what we're loving and what surprised us all through the lens of being massive fans of the world's most beautiful game.

[Mangisha]

Daniel this tournament has been magical so far. There's so much to love and I can hardly believe there drama that the group stage brought us. And now it's time for us to talk about the teams that are left as the field is whittled down to one World cup champion on July 19.

[Daniel Alarcon]

Listen to the away end with Aniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rebecca Nagle]

150 years ago, they were hunting us down to kill us, and now they're hunting down immigrants to deport them.

[First America Host]

This is First America, the true story of how the United States came to be and how we got to this present moment. Listen to First America on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Boost Mobile Announcer]

At Edward Jones we believe rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters so you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being rich is knowing what counts. Let's find your rich together.

[Felipe]

Edward Jones Member, SIPC this is an iHeart podcast.

[Mangisha]

Guaranteed human.