Latest / The Sean O'Connell Show / Jay Nolly on the World Cup, Mexico vs South Africa kicking things off, USMNT's opener tomorrow, Championship prediction + more

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Jay Nolly on the World Cup, Mexico vs South Africa kicking things off, USMNT's opener tomorrow, Championship prediction + more · The Sean O'Connell Show

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  Speaker 1: You tune to the Sean O'Connell Show from the Murdoch
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  Speaker 1: Chevrolet Studio of ESPN seven hundred and ninety two one
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  Speaker 1: half am today on you.
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  Speaker 2: Time for some World Cup talk, Some serious World Cup talk,
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  Speaker 2: brought to you by a friends over at beer Bar.
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  Speaker 2: If you're looking for a place to watch, well, today's game,
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  Speaker 2: which started about seven minutes ago Mexico South Africa, and
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  Speaker 2: of course tomorrow it's USA versus Pataguay at Solfi Beer
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: Bar is the perfect place. They'll have lunch and drink
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  Speaker 2: specials all throughout the tournament. Jay Nolly, professional soccer veteran
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  Speaker 2: insider soccer mind, joins us here at the Talk World Cup.
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  Speaker 2: Jay Dolly, welcome back to the show. How are you sir?
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  Speaker 3: Thanks for having me oc and I think we're a
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  Speaker 3: little more aligned on how we're looking at the World
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  Speaker 3: Cup currently.
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  Speaker 2: You mean you mean James's pick on the nation, the
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  Speaker 2: soccer powerhouse nation of Jordan to win it all is
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  Speaker 2: not necessarily in your wheelhouse.
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  Speaker 3: I originally thought he was taking like Michael Jordan, who
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  Speaker 3: picked like Argentina or something, but that was not the case.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, we lost James on that one. That's totally fine.
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  Speaker 2: So obviously we went through the groups, and I'm not
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  Speaker 2: going to pretend I know about most of these soccer nations.
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  Speaker 2: I have not taken the deep dive that I'm sure
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  Speaker 2: you and other people have into who really has a
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  Speaker 2: chance to win this thing beyond the sort of normal
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  Speaker 2: cast of characters. But is there a dark horse in
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  Speaker 2: this tournament in your opinion? Is there a team that
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  Speaker 2: you're gonna be watching that maybe there's not a ton
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  Speaker 2: of like championship level expectation, but you think could actually
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  Speaker 2: pull it off. Oh goal already in Mexico versus South Africa,
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  Speaker 2: we're off to the score and early.
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  Speaker 3: Sorry, well it's great too. I got that up on
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  Speaker 3: my screen too, so I'm watching that as well. You know,
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  Speaker 3: it's always tough when you when you especially when you
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  Speaker 3: look at that you know, kind of top ten group.
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  Speaker 3: It's stacked, you know, the phenomenal players across the country
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  Speaker 3: and just well rounded, and a lot of them have
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  Speaker 3: won World Cups, you know recently too. I think Morocco,
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  Speaker 3: you know, we continue to see kind of a growth
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  Speaker 3: from Morocco. I think that's one that you just kind
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  Speaker 3: of never know if they can squeak through right now.
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  Speaker 3: I have them once they get kind of you know,
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  Speaker 3: through into the round of thirty two. The problem is
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  Speaker 3: they could match up with the Netherlands, so depending on
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  Speaker 3: what draw they get, they might have a tougher one
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  Speaker 3: on that top side. But I do think they're a
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  Speaker 3: really good squad to just kind of watch out for Ghana.
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  Speaker 3: I heard you talk about that earlier. You just can
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  Speaker 3: never count them out. They're either going to show up
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  Speaker 3: or and be a really tough team to play again.
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  Speaker 3: But again, you know, if they get the kind of
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  Speaker 3: draw they have, they're gonna end up, you know, matching
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  Speaker 3: up with Portugal early, which is gonna.
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  Speaker 2: Be really tough.
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  Speaker 3: And that's where I think the big dogs kind of
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  Speaker 3: have a good opportunity. You know, if they get that
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  Speaker 3: one two in the group and they're not that third place,
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  Speaker 3: they can kind of skate each other. But I have
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  Speaker 3: a pretty good semi final matchup that you know, if
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  Speaker 3: it does get to that, it's about as classic as
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  Speaker 3: it comes.
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  Speaker 2: This question comes from a random viral moment where one
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  Speaker 2: of the best soccer players in the world, Spanish teenager
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  Speaker 2: La Minaml, was caught shopping at Walmart just pushing old
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  Speaker 2: guard around Walmart around and he can't do that in Spain.
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  Speaker 2: And I wonder if there's an element to that for
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  Speaker 2: some of the superstar players coming over in you know,
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  Speaker 2: the United States, where maybe they are anonymous or relatively
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  Speaker 2: anonymous for the first time in many, many years for
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  Speaker 2: some of them. Is there a level of relief or enjoyment.
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  Speaker 2: You think for some of the top guys in the world,
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  Speaker 2: that they're going to be able to travel, they're going
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  Speaker 2: to be able to walk around without the mobs of
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  Speaker 2: people that they're accustomed to in Europe.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely, And I mean, you know, you think about it
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  Speaker 3: in New York, massive, massive state, but you're you're in
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  Speaker 3: you know, the US, you know where where soccer is
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  Speaker 3: fourth fifth on on the sports radar. But which is
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  Speaker 3: unique is you know, the billions of people that do
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  Speaker 3: watch the World Cup worldwide, It's just not as much
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  Speaker 3: here in the US. So you know, when you think
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  Speaker 3: about them going to like you know, Texas and some
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  Speaker 3: of these other places, they're fully under the radar. You
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  Speaker 3: have to be a soccer nerd to really know who
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  Speaker 3: some of these people are if they're out in the
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  Speaker 3: in the wild, if you will. But I think you
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  Speaker 3: know more and more people know kind of which areas uh,
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  Speaker 3: some of these teams are in so they're more apt
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  Speaker 3: to it, but the common folk will have no clue
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  Speaker 3: who they are. So, you know, even when Messi first
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  Speaker 3: went to Miami, there was a lot of times you
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  Speaker 3: could see him, you know, out at the store and everything,
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  Speaker 3: and he probably had little moments but people caught up
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  Speaker 3: to him. But he's the number one player in the world. Well,
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  Speaker 3: a different level on that aspect.
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  Speaker 2: My older brother gave me one of those stories. He
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  Speaker 2: lives in DC and his nephew was playing. His nephew
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  Speaker 2: from the other side of the family was playing in
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  Speaker 2: a soccer tournament and little Messi, Leo's kid was playing
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  Speaker 2: on the other side, and like Leo was able to
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  Speaker 2: just kind of like be on the sideline attending and
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  Speaker 2: people knew who he was. But it wasn't the same
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  Speaker 2: as obviously would be in South America, Europe or whatever.
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  Speaker 2: So I think that's that's an interesting element here where
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  Speaker 2: these guys are the biggest sports celebrities on the planet
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  Speaker 2: in almost every country they normally compete in, but because
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  Speaker 2: they're competing in this one, they are less recognized. That's
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  Speaker 2: fascinating to me.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, and culturally too. You know, if Matthew would go
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  Speaker 3: to any other country, you know in Europe would be
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  Speaker 3: just swarmed, and I think culturally we're a little bit
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  Speaker 3: different in the US. You know, just one with soccer.
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  Speaker 3: It really has to be soccer specific people because you know,
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  Speaker 3: the basketball fans not going to go run up and
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  Speaker 3: try and get a selfie with him, So people kind
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  Speaker 3: of get their space a little bit more here.
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  Speaker 2: Pretty cool. Jay Notley is our guest here on the
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  Speaker 2: Sean O'Connell schell talking about the actual chances for Team USA.
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  Speaker 2: You and I talked about this last time we had
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  Speaker 2: you on. The US men's national team begins play against
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  Speaker 2: Pedroaguay tomorrow and you know you played the positioning goal
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  Speaker 2: and that is a place where it's been typically a
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  Speaker 2: strength for Team USA, but maybe not as obvious as
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  Speaker 2: strength this World Cup because you know, it's an MLS goaltender.
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  Speaker 2: It's not somebody who's a starter over in England like
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  Speaker 2: we've had in the past. Is that a problem?
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  Speaker 3: I You know, Tim Howard has actually talked about this
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  Speaker 3: a lot as well too, one of the most respected
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  Speaker 3: goalkeepers you know, US history, and he just felt like
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  Speaker 3: the situation's a little odd. I've always felt Freeze stood
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  Speaker 3: as the number one, and I think just recently, with
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  Speaker 3: you know, Matt Turner getting some more time in kind
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  Speaker 3: of these lead up games, it kind of made it
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  Speaker 3: a little confusing. But I think after seeing the Germany game,
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  Speaker 3: it was pretty apparent that Freeze is going to be
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  Speaker 3: the number one. Freeze is a very very good goalkeeper
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  Speaker 3: when you know, and uniquely he went to Harvard as
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  Speaker 3: well too, so smart as well. But he's got the body,
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  Speaker 3: he's very good shot stopper. He's playing very good for
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  Speaker 3: New York City FC, one of the top goalkeepers in MLS.
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  Speaker 3: So I do think he will not be a weak
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  Speaker 3: point for us, and I do have a lot of confidence.
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  Speaker 3: But I think historically you're correct. I mean, you know,
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  Speaker 3: Tim Howard, Matt you know, Freedol, all those guys were
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  Speaker 3: always European players playing in some of the top leagues.
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  Speaker 3: But I do think we have a very very strong
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  Speaker 3: goalkeeper heading into this. You know, Matt Turnal's struggled when
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  Speaker 3: he went over to Europe to try and get playing
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  Speaker 3: time when he went to Arsenal and then kind of
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  Speaker 3: you know, loaned out some multiple players places he's back
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  Speaker 3: and getting his feet under him, but just not quick enough.
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  Speaker 3: Before the World Cup.
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  Speaker 2: The chances to get out of the group seem like,
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  Speaker 2: you know, there's a lot of people optimistic about that,
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  Speaker 2: but then you know, that's where it has traditionally been
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  Speaker 2: very difficult for the US men's national team, and that's
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  Speaker 2: where it becomes, you know, the lack of depth, or
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  Speaker 2: maybe the lack of top top line talent becomes an
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  Speaker 2: issue as you get further into a tournament, which of
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  Speaker 2: course features the very best in the world representing their
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  Speaker 2: home nations. As we watched Team USA tomorrow at so
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  Speaker 2: far and then hopefully beyond the ceiling. You know, I
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  Speaker 2: Askede this last time, but have we adjusted expectations as
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  Speaker 2: now we know exactly what the roster is looking like,
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  Speaker 2: and I think we have a good sense of what
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  Speaker 2: Postatino wants to do with this team. And I.
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  Speaker 3: Felt better, I think after the last two kind of
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  Speaker 3: lead up games, you know, even even the Germany game
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  Speaker 3: when you know they scored early, and just kind of
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  Speaker 3: seeing the team play through it and then really dissecting
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  Speaker 3: kind of the group a little bit more. It's not
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  Speaker 3: an easy group for for the US. I like that
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  Speaker 3: they're starting with Paraguay. Paraguay is very very talented. I
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  Speaker 3: mean if you look just through you know goalkeepers spying
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  Speaker 3: the center back with Gomez in the middle of the park,
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  Speaker 3: Almeron and then and Cicio might be injured. He was
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  Speaker 3: actually carted off on one of the pre matches leading up,
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  Speaker 3: very very talented forward, so he might be out. But
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  Speaker 3: you know, in November we lost two to one to
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  Speaker 3: to Paraguay. I think, you know, if oursels are signed
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  Speaker 3: out ourselves, if the US can get a win against Paraguay,
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  Speaker 3: I think it's gonna set them up where you know
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  Speaker 3: They're next one is against Australia, very tough team as well.
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  Speaker 3: I think Turkey's kind of a dark horse in the group.
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  Speaker 3: Turkey's a very good team. But right now I changed,
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  Speaker 3: I went back to roads glasses and I got us
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  Speaker 3: getting out of the group in first place, with Turkey
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  Speaker 3: second and Parrot White sneaking in one of those third
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  Speaker 3: place opportunities.
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  Speaker 2: What are we best at, Jay, for the the absolute
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  Speaker 2: soccer novice like, are we faster than a lot of
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  Speaker 2: these teams? Are we more physical? Are we better at
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  Speaker 2: possessing the balls? Are passing better? What is the best
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  Speaker 2: trait of the US men's national team heading into this
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  Speaker 2: World Cup.
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  Speaker 3: Well, I think, you know, through the middle of the park,
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  Speaker 3: I think we're very very strong, and then you know
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  Speaker 3: when you look at the width too, and I really
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  Speaker 3: do think it'll depend on which lineup they go out,
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  Speaker 3: but you know, I think Jedi is going to be
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  Speaker 3: kind of that left advance role with Sergio dest As
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  Speaker 3: the right advance role, and then the pivots with McKenny
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  Speaker 3: and Adams very strong, you know, in European presence, and
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  Speaker 3: then prolific with Simothy Way on the right side again,
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  Speaker 3: two very prominent, quick, skillful players that are playing in
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  Speaker 3: Europe with Baalleg up top. So I think, you know,
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  Speaker 3: defensively there could be some gaps with injuries, you know, age,
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  Speaker 3: you know, with Tim Riema as well to probably starting
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  Speaker 3: on that left side as a captain. And then you know,
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  Speaker 3: we did talk about a deeper first World Cup, you know,
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  Speaker 3: doesn't have that experience. So I think once you look
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  Speaker 3: at that midfield from kind of the pivots up, I
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  Speaker 3: do think we're we're pacy, We're creative, you know, will
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  Speaker 3: flash in the area, We'll hunt down the balls. That's
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  Speaker 3: probably our best opportunity, you know, possession wise, you can
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  Speaker 3: see a team like like Germany who's just lockdown on
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  Speaker 3: basically what their formation is, how they operate, you know,
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  Speaker 3: from the top all the way down. Germans are like machines, uh,
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  Speaker 3: And I think that's where they can get good where
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: you know, we see pretty much every time we see
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  Speaker 3: the US there's some tweaks, some change. So there hasn't
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  Speaker 3: been that consistency and still recently, and so I feel
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  Speaker 3: a little bit better going to this, But I do
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  Speaker 3: like kind of the pivots out winding up front. I
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  Speaker 3: think that's our best group. But you know, I also
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  Speaker 3: think we're going to be giving up some opportunities.
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  Speaker 2: How prepared do I need to be to uh when
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: anything goes bad for US men's national team and be like,
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: if if moon Man was here, that would have been better,
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: Diego Luda would have put that one in the back
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  Speaker 2: of the net. How prepared do I need to be
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  Speaker 2: to have that on deck when I'm watching these games?
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  Speaker 3: I'm prepared for it as well, only because if we're
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: in a zero zero, one to one or down down
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  Speaker 3: to one and you just need that change, the Agle
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  Speaker 3: Loon is perfect for it. You know, and he showed it,
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  Speaker 3: you know, playing in you know, seventeen eighteen matches leading
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  Speaker 3: up to the you know, prior to these last few
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: before the World Cup and the team was announced, he
• 13:02
  Speaker 3: was a difference maker's he causes problems, he works his
• 13:06
  Speaker 3: tail off, he makes other people run, run more, And
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  Speaker 3: so I thought that kind of wild card piece going
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: into games of you know, he's not going to be
• 13:15
  Speaker 3: killing off a game for you. He's the one that
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: needs to go in and change it. Uh, And I
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: do think they missed that opportunity. But you know, I
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: think Zendias is playing very, very well and I think
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: he earned his spot as well too. I think the
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: Jaal Raynam one's really interesting well Don in the middle
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: as well as a little interesting with you know, Testaman
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: and Testament not making the team as well. So it
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: super interesting and kind of how it operated. But I
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  Speaker 3: think Luna is going to be a.
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  Speaker 2: Miss who's going to win it all?
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  Speaker 3: So I got I got Spain beating Argentina in the
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  Speaker 3: final the way the brackets are kind of working out
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  Speaker 3: for me, and getting over France in the semi finals,
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  Speaker 3: Argentina beating Brazil on the other side, I got Spain
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  Speaker 3: winning it all, even though I do think France is
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  Speaker 3: like my asterisk number two. I think they have the
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  Speaker 3: deepest team, but I'm gonna take Spain.
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  Speaker 2: Spain to win it all. According to Jay Knolly, and
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: of course we will have him on throughout this World
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: Cup brought to you by our friends at Beer Bar.
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: Evaluating the tournament as it progresses, Jay enjoyed the soccer man.
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: I know that, you know, it's something that the rest
• 14:31
  Speaker 2: of us in the sports world, we really only jump
• 14:34
  Speaker 2: on the bandwagon every four years with this World Cup.
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: But I equate it to the Olympics in that regard
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: where it's just there's nothing like it, even if you're
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: not a soccer lifer, there's nothing like this for these
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: couple of weeks when the World Cup takes center stage.
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: So I appreciate you giving us some perspective on it.
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  Speaker 3: I appreciate coming on with YOUOC and you guys are awesome,
• 14:56
  Speaker 3: And you know, I think another thing for the common
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: folk is just understanding how many people are viewing the
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: World Cup worldwide. It's such an incredible sporting event, and
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: you know, I remember it all the ways since some
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: of the little kid even Italy with Roberto Boggio popping
• 15:12
  Speaker 3: that penalty kick over the top and in the early nineties.
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  Speaker 3: So I mean you end up creating memories throughout your
• 15:18
  Speaker 3: life that you remember.
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: Are you going to any games?
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  Speaker 3: I'm not.
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: We have.
• 15:26
  Speaker 3: I had a lot of work. I work for a
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: physician tech company and then we also own a restaurant
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: in West Jordan. My wife helps run, so we're kind
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: of tied down at Jim's family restaurant as well.
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: It's tough because it's man, I was just I was
• 15:40
  Speaker 2: looking at all these different ways you could possibly get
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: to these games, and the get in price and the
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: hotels and all the transport. It's like it's one of
• 15:48
  Speaker 2: those things where it's like, man, even if you are
• 15:50
  Speaker 2: super hardcore on soccer, just you have to make an
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: executive decision about whether getting to one of these games
• 15:56
  Speaker 2: is going to be worth it. And obviously, real life,
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: as you just mentioned, gets the way a lot for
• 16:00
  Speaker 2: people too. So I'm going to.
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: Be in Dallas for work when they're going on. We're
• 16:06
  Speaker 3: just debating on if the prices are worth Yea.
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: We have Big twelve media days for the Big twelve
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: football comps. We have Big twelve media days and there's
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: a game going on like across town the day before.
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  Speaker 2: So even though even all of us were like, well
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: should we fly down early, but not going to work
• 16:24
  Speaker 2: out with showtimes and things like that. So I applaud
• 16:27
  Speaker 2: anyone who can get there because you know it's not easy.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, but I appreciate it. You guys are great
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: and hopefully we'll talk soon.
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  Speaker 2: All right, thanks Jay J. Knolly, former our goaltender, goalkeeper. Gosh,
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: I gotta stop doing that insider here on the World Cup,
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: we'll be covering with different actual soccer bodies, names, minds throughout.
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: Brought to you by Beer Bar