First Things First - Argentina beat Switzerland, England beats Norway, Spain beats Belgium, Wemby signs extension

Episode Date: July 13, 2026

(0:00) Argentina beats Switzerland, England beats Norway, Spain beats Belgium (27:34) Victor Wembanyama signs extension (40:59) Jude Bellingham responds to criticism from Tuchel (48:34) Argentina��s late-match heroics, Does Spain stand a chance against France? (01:05:20) Will more stars take a paycut in the NBA? (01:15:09) Is this the greatest World Cup Semi-Finals ever? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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That's a lovely pass by DeBroider, finds the gap, because D'Kasasas Kostalai. Corto has got a problem here, and I don't quite know what's happened, but he's just sat down on the turf, which is a big concern for Belgium. Now they are going to change the goalkeeper, look, there's Sela Laman's, this is a big moment in this match.

Here's Kubasi, can hit one Kubasi! Oh, he's spilled in the keeper! That is it! And Spain are through to the semi-finals of the World Cup. Cup and Naval face off with Killing and Bappell in the last four. The temperature has been turned up here in Miami ahead of this World Cup quarterfinal between Norway and England.

Shelder up on concert, Shelder up. He'll fire in a try. Bellingham's going to get there, Jude Belly. There's a long win again and he's into the net as well. McAllister got on the end of that one and Argentina have an early lead. He was caught late there by Mbolo as Paredes. He does issue a yellow. Enjoy again here.

Switzerland, spring of shock, and Argentina has stunned. There's going to be, I think, a VAR review here. After review, there is no foul for number five. And number seven, there is a clear simulation. Final decision, yellow card number seven. Oh, wow. At instant, all hell is going to break loose here. Switzerland are absolutely furious at that turn of events.

Alvarez, Argentina, do it again. The champions are still around at this World Cup. Argentina are the chiefs in Kansas City tonight. Live from New York, it's the show that coped with a Sunday of no World Cup soccer. by being out way too late at the Jay-Z show. It's unbelievable. Started five hours late. So I basically came straight from Yankee Stadium to hear.

Hopefully it doesn't show over the next couple hours. I was going to say, one of us was after 3 a. Right, right. Not the show. I don't know if there was 50. You guys could have been there. I just know I was there. I assumed Brew probably, you know, knew some of the guys.

It's first things first. Probably, but I went down to show. On today's show, Spain, Advancements. is past Belgium with France up next. Are Brew and Danny, both of whom had Spain winning it all, sticking with their pick? Bruce, it might be waffling a bit. I don't.

England gets more heroics from Jude Bellingham, who I do believe, I don't know what the segment was, but something before the tournament, Bruce said we should be talking more about Jude Bellingham. I know that happened. I can't remember when it was. I remember. Okay.

It was my top 10 list. He was like, where's 2? Where's 2? It was Danny's top 10. That's correct. But what's going to do he and his coach hate each other? We're going to investigate. And finally, Wimby kind of takes less than the max.

It says pay cut on the bar. It probably shouldn't. He's getting a 40 million raise, but it could be a 50 million raise. He could have gotten more, but he's getting a huge. Whatever, we'll discuss it. Wild's out today. And I don't know if he wants me to say where he's. he is, but I'm going to say it because I want to be able to write the trip off like I did to Tokyo.

Wilde scouting France's opposition in Spain. That's a true story. Wilde's back tomorrow. Fresh he's, he's, you know, he's got him shook. He's working. He's working. He's a man on the ground scouting France's competition. I know I'm Nick Wright alongside Chris Rusard and Danny Parkins. Brew. How good do you feel about all your picks this one? All for right. Well, and I was going to say. Also, Wendy. Well, yeah, I mean, the max. I figured that would happen.

He didn't get the max. But good for him. All right, we start today. You know what? We could start every show here in Kansas City. Messy and Argentina once again need extra time to get the win. They take down Switzerland, 3-1 on Saturday night, thanks to an unreal goal by Julian Alvarez,

and a questionable dive from Braille and Bolo. Here's Cicterito and Peter Schmeichael talking Argentina post game. Take a list. It's scary for England because they haven't played their best game ever yet. Sorry, in these not-out stages. You know, against Cabo Verde extra time. Then I guess Egypt you need to come back. Now you go to another extra time.

So you want and you expect an Argentina like that if you are England. But, but if they got out of jail today, if they decide to wake up and play good, it's going to be tough. I'm not even surprised at that. If you look at how they won the World Cup in Qatar and 20s, They never played a great game. It wasn't like, whoa, but they know how to play the tournament. So listen, Argentina, here's how they've scored the go-ahead goals in each of their matches in the knockout stage.

Cape Verde, 111 minute. Egypt, they were down two with 12 minutes to go. They score three, including the game winner in stoppage time. And Switzerland, the goal to go up to 1 in the 112th minute. So they're obviously my team. I'm a big South American football guy. Everybody knows that. Your latest team.

They also now, Brew, have the worst odds of the four teams to win it all. And, and this one stunned me. Stunned me. They are underdogs in the game against England. Do you believe they can win it all? Can, sure, right? I mean, they're champions, the defending champions. They got an all-time great.

maybe the all-time great, playing still at a very high level. I liked that Alvarez, that was his first goal at his tournament. He was big in 22 when they won it. And maybe he's coming, you know, right at the right time he's finding his game. That was an incredible shot.

So that could be a good sign for them as well. You certainly be silly to write them off. And there are some thought out there. I don't agree with this, but some people think they just haven't had to bring their A game yet. They're going to have to be England. I do think, though, Nick, that they should be the underdogs against England. Wow.

I also think they are, they clearly, to me, look like the fourth best team in the last four. They last three games have been nail biters. And look, they benefited from Embola with the second yellow card. Now he's out of the game. Look, I think that was the right call. You can argue, like maybe you would say, it was technically right, but you hate to see him, you know, ejected, for lack of a better term, at that point in the game. But he clearly took a dive.

And he has to know that that's, I mean, by the rules, that's an automatic yellow card. And he already had one. So there's no question he was trying to dupe the refs. So it is what it is. But they benefited from it. But even though for about an hour, Switzerland was playing with 10 men, it still. took them extra time to go ahead and get that win. So they haven't played probably their best game yet, but they look like the fourth best team in what's left of the field to me. No question.

No question. No question England's looked better than Argentina. Really? Yeah, because I... They've beaten better comp, don't you think? Well, yeah, but I mean... But go ahead. Better competition and four matters. Like what you're doing most recently, I do think should carry some extra weight here. and you showed it on the graphic to lead in. They are fortunate to have won each of their last three matches, Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland. I think they were going to lose that game to Switzerland, if not for the red card. Really?

Yeah, I thought that Switzerland was playing. They had seemingly taken control of the match, and then they scored their second and third goal when they're up a man in that spot. I thought Switzerland was playing with a tremendous amount of confidence and control. in that game. And so, listen, I know they're the defending champs.

I know they have the best player. I completely agree with you about Alvarez. His goal was amazing. And early in the tournament, it was like, were they too reliance on Messi? It's a team game. And so I do think that that maybe bodes very well for them if he starts coming on, kind of like Bellingham has come on for England to help out Harry Kane. So, like, maybe that's the escape hatch for them.

But I think they're fortunate to have gotten to this point. I'm picking England to beat him, though I had Argentina before the tournament, and I would be stunned if they beat Spain or France. Okay. So I, so I... You wouldn't be stunned if they beat England. No, but in terms of winning the tournament, if it looked like they can win it all, I would be stunned. So I just vehemently disagree with you guys on, first of all, them versus England, and second

of all, whether or not what they're doing sustainable. So I don't know that England's had a tougher path. Switzerland is ranked higher in the world than Norway. We just, we got a little drunk on Norway, as you would say, because Holland was playing so well. But Switzerland, as we talked about, as a team, is a higher-ranked team and is four consecutive trips to the knockout round of the World Cup. For Norway, it's the first time this century. The Mexico versus Egypt, very similar world rankings now, that environment was so much harder. And I give England a ton of credit there. But England also, right before the Mexico

game, needed an Argentinian-level escape against D.R. Congo. Cape Verde never had the lead on Argentina, you know what I mean, just went up one, let them tie it. One up one, let them tie it. Obviously, Egypt was up to nothing late, and that felt like they needed a miracle. And then as soon as they scored the first goal, it's like, okay, they're going to get the miracle. So I just, I think if we want to say France and Spain have been clearly the two most dominant teams in this tournament, I will agree with you on that. I disagree about the Argentina-England thing.

And I was surprised they were underdogs. I also think these two graphics have to speak to why Argentina can win it all. We spend so much time talking about this amazing France offense and attack. Argentina has scored more goals. Argentina leads the tournament and goals. Is second in goal differential. It's second and expected goals. Now, certainly their defense has not been as sturdy as, in my opinion, any of the other three teams.

But if you want to get in, you know, a high scoring game, like they're ready to play that. They've played six games in this tournament. They're averaging just under three goals a game. And then there's this other thing, which is they never lose. This is the Argentinian team in knockout football in major tournaments, meaning Copa, and the last two Copas and last two World Cups, they've won every tournament they've been in. And so, Brew, I do think there is a level of belief these guys. guys have. And it feels to me like that belief can at times in, like the opponent is almost

waiting for the shoe to drop. Now, some of that might be the conspiratorial. Every call goes against us when we're playing these guys. But we have seen guys positively or negatively kind of lose their minds against this team. The Cape Verde guy scored a tying goal, not a go-ahead goal, runs into the stands. The Egypt coach flipped out to where his brother and a assistant. He said, assistant coach had to tell them to, you know, calm down. Right. The Swiss got player, I don't think needed to do that. You know what I mean?

And then take the dive? Take the dive. Like, he had no way. And so I think there is, I don't want to say they are inevitable because they obviously can lose any game they play. These are the four best teams. But I, there is an air of inevitability around them that I think actually helps them on the field in these games.

I think against the teams that they've played. I don't, and nobody obviously is. on Messi's level just historically. But I don't think Mbapé and those guys, Yamal, even though he's young and Harry Kane and Belly. Like I, they're at a level where currently they're on the level of Absolutely. Right. So I don't think

they're going to kind of be in awe of him or anything like that. Whereas I think Egypt and some of those teams, Cape Verde for sure. Like, wow, we could beat them. We might do it. I don't think that will be the case. against these other teams. All right, let's move on to the other Saturday match, the matinee. Jude Bellingham plays Hero again. His second consecutive race, he now has six goals this tournament and is sneaky in

this golden boot race himself, particularly if you guys are right and his team's going to knock Messi out of the tournament. And if you guys are right, Spain's going to beat France. He could be the guy to be. England wins an extra time, 2-1 to advance. Here's Latton post-match. They haven't played the best game they can play. They haven't performed the best the way they can.

But they have been showing fighting spirit. They showed it against Mexico with one guy less. They showed it today. They showed it in the other games where they were losing the games during the game. And the way you come back is mentality. Brew, biggest reason, England won. Two words. Jude Bellingham.

All right. Now, a lot of people before the tournament rode him off. There was talk he might not even. start and Danny Parkins had no use. No use for Jew Bellingham before the tournament started.

I have the evidence. Wow. What was done with you think about, I'm giving the guy from England, Jude Bellinum. How did he come close to the top of it? He was in the others considering votes. We could have done a hundred guys and so why are you most excited

to watch it? I guess there's a debate if he's going to even start. Yeah. Which seems crazy to me. And some of the players said that. I don't know if maybe that's the coach trying to motivate him. He's kind of had the hamstring injury with Real Madrid this year. But typically he's come up big for them in big moments. So it'd be nice to see him have a great cup.

Talk about coach. Wow. Brew really just crushed you there. I mean, that's a brood on his ball. He wasn't even one of your top 10 players. Top 10 players I was most excited. Was that Weston McKinney? That was there.

That was in defense, it was U.S. heavy. However, however, like, I mean, Brue just crushed you there. I guess you just crushed you there. I guess you just crushed me. I thought this was a friendly show. This is now competitive sports debate. It's competitive. Yeah, coming for you.

He's been great. And just like, like, in the biggest moments, he has stepped up. Back-to-back braces. You know, in these last two games, the biggest games of his career probably. Mexico, what we just saw this weekend. And he is now has as many, all of his goals, his six are in open play. He has as many goals as any English player ever has an open play as him. I can't think of the other guy's name, but he's one of two that's done that.

So he's playing well. As I said, there was a lot of talk. You know, he might not start. He initially wasn't even named to the team right. the way. I know he has some injuries, but still, and he's really picked it up. So I want to just stay on Bellingham, then go to you. So

he is, listen, he's only 23. He's a superstar. However, his club team and for his country, his numbers have been depressed because of who he played with. So his first year with Ray Al-Madrid, when he was 20

when he got there, he had an unbelievable season, made him a Ballandor finalist, and his goals per game were out of this world. And then the next year, Mbapé gets there. And Mbapé, all of us, he has to change his position to a degree. He's a midfield. Right.

Mbapé ends up getting all the goals. With England, Harry Kane, obviously, he's considered maybe the greatest English soccer player ever. So his role is to score goals. Bellingham's role, though, has been to be so unbelievably clutch. And so he has seven goals. in his World Cup career. One, four years ago, was a teenager, and then six this World Cup. Six of those seven were with England tied or trailing.

The only goal he's ever scored with England having the lead was the second goal against Mexico, which was, you know, again, the reason I point that out is sometimes, even in World Cup competition, what you see is Guy has seven goals and four of them were against Uzbekistan or Saudi Arabia or whomever in games the team was running away. His goal is this tournament. Second half tied 2-2 with Croatia to take the lead. Second half tied 0-0 with Panama in a game they had to have to win the group to take the lead. The two versus Mexico tied and then to go up to nothing.

And then yesterday against Norway, down 0-0 and then to take the lead. So he's been unbelievable. And so I agree with Brew on that. Well, listen, we can make it a clean sweep because, Brew, what are those two words say here? Dude belly. Yeah. He was the biggest reason, but you guys covered that well. I mean, his first goal was remarkable.

Like, if we were doing a one shining moment of this World Cup, that goal would make the highlight montage. It was one of the best goals of the tournament. So he deserves his credit. So I guess just I'll focus on my other point for it. That was a game that I felt like if we played that match 100 times, it's like 5248. That was a weird match.

Like a lot of things happened. Right, like Norway had a goal taken off. Holland subbed out. Tuchel, the manager for England, was just screaming at his team, seemingly from the first minute of the match. He was going insane in the hydration break. And I'm watching, like, I kind of thought England was kind of in control of the first 15, 20 minutes of the match. And he's going nuts. The ball hits the wire.

Allegedly. Allegedly. It looked like it did. No heartbeat. That old heartbeat didn't spike. I don't know. So it really looks like something changed. It looked like something changed.

So that was just a really weird match where a lot of Razor Edge 50-50 things happen. And there's a ton of, listen, soccer game goes to one. There's always a lot of little moments. But that one seemed to me to be an extreme version of it. So I do think it's fair to say. And Tuchel did speak to this after the game. And I know we'll get more into all of his comments a little bit later. But it did just seem like on this day, luck was on England's side.

And that helped them ultimately. No, because I don't think England played terrifically, you know, but you're right, they were able to get some lucky bounces or good bounces. I want to ask this, Nick, though, because one of your, I guess, favorite players, Erling Holland. Yeah. He subbed out for the second, you know, extra session, and I know, his coach said he was fatigued, had a dead leg, but we, look, we win it, Policic. for, you know, coming out and there was talk that you had to cut my leg off to take me out.

You know, like, what about this? I mean, there was some controversy about this. Yeah, I mean, I don't look at it like the holistic thing at all. Like, I think once you get past the 90 minutes, all bets are off. Like, you see. Tie game is the World Cup fatigue. I understand, but we saw the, I mean, I don't think that's, I don't think that's as uncommon as maybe people are making it out to be. We saw in the Belgium game before the U.S.

They're tied to Senegal. They might have even trailing, but it was, it was, and they took off DeBriana and Dooku. We saw obviously Rinaldo come off in the 80th some minute. You see there was, there's another superstar that I'm forgetting that was came off in extra time. And the concern was if they, man, if they take the lead, what's going to, you know, what's going to happen there? It might have actually been England against Mexico. They took off Kane. They took off Kane, England, Mexico late in the game for...

Was it tied? No, they were ahead by one. And if Mexico had scored, he wouldn't be available. So I don't think that is... I think guys coming off, you know, late in extra time is not that odd. But I do... It is fair to say, like, that was a disappointing game for Holland. He didn't have the opportunities.

And the one opportunity he could have had... His teammate missed him and didn't get in the ball. See, I think, yeah, I agree. That was a huge missed opportunity. The other biggest reason England won is this play. Yeah, that was. This was to go off two nothing and it's just a catastrophe. Yep.

I just think even, and again, the dead leg, you know, I don't know about that, but he's a decoy if he's in there. And I get that, you know, he doesn't get a lot of action at times. But he can be a decoy and England was getting fatigued too. Sure. So maybe he could have scored. He doesn't always have the ball, but maybe he could have scored. So I just think it was odd.

It was odd, and I agree, even with the dead leg, you feel like on a corner, like a header is a possibility. All right, let's go to Spain. They took down Belgium 2-1 Friday. This is unfortunate. Backup goalkeeper comes in. Ball spills out. Not great. Now, they did finally allow a goal.

This full screen, though, still exists, which is, yeah, that's the best. defense. And by the way, you don't ever get the ball. They have the ball two-thirds of the game. Five shutouts, one goal game they've allowed one goal. By the way, the team they're tied with for goals allowed is a team that's been long eliminated. I've played fewer games.

All right, so, Brew, this is your team, but I watched your walk in. You seem to be flirting with France. Do you like what you saw? I got love for France. Yeah. Of course, Broussard. This is what I've been saying.

Broussard's a French name. I would love for Mboppe to win the golden boot the second ever. He'd be the only player ever to win it twice. But Spain, so I'm kind of torn, but my pick with Spain. It's not like I did pick Argentina, but a few weeks ago I said, you know what, England's going to beat them after they beat Mexico. This is not that. I'm going to stick with Spain.

They look good. I thought, as you said, they gave up a goal finally. I didn't think they were going to go throughout the tournament with no goals allowed. I thought Yarmal played well. he obviously didn't score, but I thought he played a good solid game, had some, you know. He let him in shots. Yeah, yeah. I mean, he was active and aggressive.

And I do think when they face France, France is more, they're going to be attacking themselves. So that should open up more opportunities for him. So I would expect him to maybe score against France. He's had three goals in his last two games against France. But overall, I thought they looked solid. The defense still was great even though they allowed a goal. and so I think they're in good shape. They're clearly not afraid of France.

He even said it that France should be concerned with them after the game. The last time they played France, I know it was 5'4. Spain was up 4-0-0. Yeah. Like it's not only that they beat in France two times in a row, it's that the first time they beat them, they were up 2-1, 25 minutes in, and held them scoreless rest the way.

The second time they were up 4-0 and then 5-1. France scored, you know, went on a furious rally late. but they were in massive control. They dominated that matchup. Go ahead, Danny. No, I mean, listen, Spain was my pick also. It's just not, it's not as flashy as France because they don't score as much. And, yes, they haven't now had a clean sheet in every match.

They allowed a goal. But Belgium coming in had been one of the best offenses in the tournament. They had scored three or more goals in three straight. And they got no chances even. You keep going. Just throw up the shot chart, if you would, while Danny continues to go. Like, I mean, Spain is just peppering them with shots. and Belgium

Belgium gets five shots in the game and one's from midfield. Well, no, and that shot map is great. I didn't have that, but we did the OT after this match. So Dax and I are watching this game. And I was like, is that as dominant of a two, one? They had, in terms of touches in the box,

it was 42 to 11, just touches. They completely dominated the game. And I know the score is to one, but in terms of like, like what I saw, yeah, this sets up and we'll get more into the game. later, this is a styles make fights type of thing. Best offense, best defense. Let's see who wins out.

Yeah, and this is one of the reasons, by the way, and I know we got to go in a second. I understand France is the best team in theory. I thought France has been overvalued by the betting odds because, listen, France doesn't lose, except when they play Spain and Argentina. And they're two of the three teams, you know what I mean? That they're going to definitely have to play one of them. They might have to play the other. Like there is, you know, Argentina to one game sample, Spain's a two game sample,

but it's not nothing given how dominant France has looked against literally everyone else in the world. So, you know, we'll talk about that as we get the first ever World Cup semis where it's the top four teams in the world that made the semis. Coming up next, Wimby, taking less than the max. And we're counting down to the semifinals. France taking on Spain tomorrow. Three Eastern on Fox. live from Dallas. You know, that's around the time

I'm supposed to be doing the very popular podcast which is great. We're going to adjust. I decided I don't want to counter-programs, Spain, and I would probably watch it live. That's one day

four hours and 32 minutes from now from Dallas on five. This episode is brought to you by Activia. You might already be eating yogurt, but not all yogurts are created equal. Activia contains over one billion probiotics per serving to survive and reach the gut alive.

When it comes to gut health, Activia is the number one family doctor-recommended probiotic yogurt brand. Choose Activia. Feel good from the inside out. Visit Activia.ca for more details. Back here on first things first, counting down to the World Cup semis. Messy and Argentina, taking on England. Wednesday, three Eastern on Fox, live from Atlanta. England Gotta be thrilled. Finally, don't have to deal with heat or elevation. Like they played a scorcher over the weekend, and they dealt with the altitude of Azteca.

Climate controlled for them in Atlanta. And I don't know Atlanta's elevation, but I think it's probably around. They should be fine. I don't think it's that high. I don't think it's that high. See low. All right, moving on to the NBA. Wimby and the Spurs have agreed on a five-year, 252 million.

$52 million max extension. So he's agreeing to the 25% max instead of the 30% max. Now, technically, he's not even necessarily going to be eligible for the 30% max, but if this coming year he were to make an all-MBA team or win defensive player of the year, he would be. Now it doesn't matter whether he does or he doesn't. He's locked into five-year-252 without being able to get up to five-year 303. He's tweeted afterwards Spurs family,

I'm here to stay, whatever it takes, and a black heart, which could be, you know, symbolic to Spurs wear black, or maybe he's just got evil things in his mind. Brew, sure. Your reaction to Wimby taking this deal. Kind of less money for the sake of the discussion, because he obviously, like you said,

could have got more. I think it could have been worth $303 million if he meets the escalator clauses or whatever. Look, this never really backfires. This always seems to work. The greatest winners of recent memory have done this. In football, Tom Brady famously always took a little less than he could have. Patrick Mahomes has taken less.

Obviously, the best quarterback in the league. Wasn't even in the top 10 in highest paid quarterbacks last season. Now, he just redid his deal a little bit, but he's been willing to take less. in basketball. Michael Jordan, in a different era where they didn't have a max salary

for most of his career, he was rarely the highest paid player in the league. He didn't complain when he was under contract and say, so and so got this much,

I should be getting paid more. LeBron, when he went to Miami, was willing to take less. He ended up not because it became a sign-and-trade, but he was willing to do that. And, of course,

most recently, Jalen Brunson. So what this symbolized symbolizes is it's guys who look regardless of wimby okay instead of 303 million he took 252 they understand it's beyond generational money okay i'm wealthy beyond my wildest dreams so i don't have to take every single dollar i can get i'll put winning ahead of that and so i love this mentality i love it coming off the bad loss in the finals to me it shows that he's all about winning.

Of course he got paid, but it's like, I want to win tons of championships. So if it helps, you know, us keep Castle and Harper and whoever else go out and get somebody, I'm willing to do that. So I just hope that mentality, and I would imagine it does, translate to the wait room, to the post game, things like that. But I think this shows that he's in the right mindset. I just don't think that it should be on him.

like the burden falling to the player you could just say that the ownership could pay the tax well they should well the second apron has become so punitive that basically the owners are saying we are not willing to pay these taxes they're treating it like a hard cap and they're because it pretty much is well right but they're the ones who in collective bargaining

put in the rules and the players allowed it though correct I mean that was their fault and once you put something in it is hard to take out. But if we throw up, I could have chosen three different quotes from it, but David Kelly, the executive director of the NBA PA says, we think the players should make decisions for themselves and we should not be pocket watching. The system should not require a player to carry all of that burden. We should not put a player in the position to carry the burden of keeping a team together. Elsewhere in the article, he talked about how they will fight harder against the second

apron against future collective bargaining. It's largely the reason why the Celtics title team broke up a couple of years ago. It's arguably a huge reason why Mitchell Robinson is not going to be back on this Knicks team now. And so Brunson is a little different. I know everyone is making that comp because he's not signing a rookie extension. He signs that deal with the Knicks when he was six years into his career. But he also left the most money on the table. He did leave a lot. He did leave a lot of money on the table, no doubt. But don't you, go ahead, sir. But I just, I just, I don't love the burden falling to the players and the expectation falling to the players. The slight thing where I could argue it would be an advantage for Wembe is in this era of load management,

he might not be incentivized financially. In fact, he is objectively not incentivized financially. To hit the 65 game minimum. But he wants it for a. Heck yeah. Any player is going to, superstar that can get all these accolades. He said he wants all the accolades. He would, He will want the accolades for legacy, but he will not necessarily need them for financial ramifications. So, all right. So first on the Brunson thing. I look at the Brunson contract as almost a separate bucket

than anything else you mentioned because his dad's on the staff. His agent's dad is the GM of the Knicks. That seemed like his college teammates or were the guys he wanted to keep. around. That was a very, you're not going to see that, something like that duplicated. So like, not that, you know what I mean? Where there's, it's the amount of money, it's the literal like family business being involved all of it. Plus, because of those things, was there a bit of a more than just a handshake safeguard on, hey, if something happens to you injury-wise, we will remember this and take care of you down the road. Now it doesn't matter. Obviously,

champion in finals MVP, where he felt more, you know, safer than most guys would on, you know, just being like, all right, just remember I did just solid. It's like literally, you know what I mean? We grew up together, guys. So I have a general take and then specific to this. The general take is one of the things the NBA Players Association should have in the past and should now fight for that the performance-based salary bumps should not count against your cap. That, that, because you have this very weird circumstance

where, were the pistons privately like, man, we sure hope Jalen Duren doesn't make the all-MBA team. Like, you know, where it is, where it is actually bad for team building. Like, well, the Spurs over the next couple of years, it's bad for them for Castle or Harper to make an all-MBA team. So, and that way the player can, reap the benefits of it. And so by that, what I'm saying is Wimby's cap hit over this deal is going to average

50 million. If he had taken the 300, it would average 60 million. Be like, hey, you qualify for that extra 50 million, but on your cap, it's just the 50. I think that would be reasonable. I think it'd be smart. And I think it wouldn't cost the, the owner's got to spend the money somewhere anyway, so I don't think it would cost the owners much. The other piece of this that I do wonder, we're going to talk about this more later in the show,

is you're right that LeBron was willing to, he didn't, and so we don't know how it would have impacted things. Football is a very different animal than basketball because the lack of guaranteed money and the short careers for people except for quarterbacks, really. Do you feel like, Brew, this now puts a downward pressure if a guy who might be the best player in the league? You certainly think he can be the best player in the league.

does this, do you think we are going to start judging guys who don't? Cooper flag. Like there is going to. I would never judge. I know you won't. But do you think the collective media, if Wimby sets this precedent, it's going, you're going to look askance at guys. It's like, oh, well, you know, Victor Wimonyama was willing to forego it, but the ninth

best player in the league. You know what I mean? It needs the whole thing. And I think that's why the player association, they have. to walk a fine line of not criticizing Wimby for doing what Wimby wants, and he's obviously allowed, he can play for the minimum if he wants it. You can do whatever he wants to do. But I do feel like the train coming down the tracks of when there's already an artificial cap on what a player in the NBA can make with the individual max, that we are now going to,

some guys are going to be criticized for simply taking the max. No, I don't agree with that because, I mean, again, and I think football is similar. in this regard, Brady, I mean, yeah, some people said, well, Brady took less. Why don't whoever the quarterback was, you take less. And that quarterback doesn't have to. If Kay Cunningham is up for contract and the Pistons absolutely know they need him and want to keep him, he can just say, well, that was Wimby. I'm not taking less.

You know what I'm saying? So I don't think the players will get criticized. I will say this. And I agree with you. I was going to say that later when we talk about it again. the players should fight tooth and nail to get rid of this apron system because it's terrible. It's limited free agency and all that.

But I would say this. Jalen Brunson, now he's an extreme example because he left so reported like $100 million on the table. However, and again, that's an extreme example. But Jalen Brunson now has a championship. He is a legend in New York. And I hate to kind of use his example because it is $100 million. But in, let's say, Wimby's case, if that $50 million or whatever that he left on the table ends up being the difference between him winning multiple championships or not.

Like, I think Jalen Brunson would clearly not trade anything for the situation he's in now where he's brought them their first championship in 53 years. And he still feels a good. But do you think Brew, or I'll go to you, Dan. Do you think that when Brunson is now eligible for this, whenever he's eligible for the next deal, that it will be looked upon oddly if he's like, yeah, I'll take every single dollar available now at this point. First of all, I expect him to take every single dollar. Yeah, I would think he made the next time. I think he is going to sign an absolutely monstrous deal.

And I know it's folklore, and I promise this isn't criticism. The discount that Brunson took is like slightly overstated in the median area. He got the security because he wasn't eligible to sign. The way he would have gotten the more money was waiting a year and then he could sign the max. So he took less than he was technically allowed at the time, but he signed it a year early. So it is, people like he left $113 million on the table. It's like, but he also played an extra year of basketball. Right.

Because in a lot of cases, that year and $70 million you leave on the table, your next deal, particularly if you're young, like a Wimby, you're going to get that and then. some in your first deal your next contract. That kind of applies to this as well in a different way which is if Wimby sprains an ankle or something, I don't know, misses 25 games next

year, then he did not take a dollar less. Effectively. You know what I mean? Like the, he is so if he doesn't make an all NBA or win a major award next year, this is the most he could get anyway. And even if that happens, I guarantee

the legend of it will be well remember he's on a discount. Castle could be in this exact spot for them. Harper could be in this exact spot for them. Duncan took less back in the day. They also will spend this as kind of spurs culture. But Duncan took less once he was no longer the best player in the league. You know what I mean? Like he was playing for the max when he was the best guy in the league.

It was late in his career. All right. What happens when your coach and best player? player or second best player seem to just be arguing with each other. We discussed about England. Plus, Limeonia Mall, Spain, Brew and Danny all over Spain. Also, our soccer sharp, Josh, all over Spain.

Wild scouting Spain as we speak. They kick off in Dallas in 28 hours and 14 minutes. On Fox. This episode is brought to you by Accenture. When your advertising operations fall out of sync, everything else follows. Spotify and Accenture. are working together to reinvent the rhythm of ad sales,

using automation, analytics, and smarter workflows to simplify campaign delivery and access better data across the business. The result? Less time spent on operations, more time connecting brands with the moments and fandoms that matter most. Learn more at Accenture.com slash Spotify.

England took down Norway, thanks to Jude Bellingham's aforementioned brace. After the match, however, Thomas Tuchel fired up. Jude Bellingham fired up about Tuchel being fired up. Here's what they both said. First Tuchel. We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today. The result is fantastic.

We're in the last four. It's amazing, but not happy with the performance. The commitment is there, but we made life very, very difficult for us in the way we played, how we played. Sloppy, a lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough, not repetitive in a lot of. We were lucky today. Well, whatever. Whatever. I think he obviously believes there could be more from the team.

Yeah, yeah, it's difficult out there. It's difficult. It's a tough shift. All the players are putting a very tough shift. So my thoughts and appreciation goes to the players who was out there. Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those kind of conditions against Erland, Haarland, O'Degarde, Nus, Sosh, Sahl off. You know, that's not an easy team to play against.

All right, Dax, your reaction to... Bellingham's reaction to Tuchel's reaction to England winning the game. This is one of the biggest nothing burgers I've seen at this entire tournament. There's nothing there. Honestly, I respect both guys' opinions. There is nothing Tuchel said that is anywhere close to even being out of bounds. Now, he is a very honest coach, and he is going to look at it from a point of, yes, I'm very excited that we advanced.

But also analytically, when he's watching the game and he is not happy, I think he is looking at it from a perspective of can we win the World Cup with that performance? Absolutely not. So I'm going to be honest about what I saw. And by the way, Tuchel, he is going to say this to his players. It just so happens that you get a microphone stuck in your face right after the game. You have to be honest. Now, could he have skewed a little bit more positively? Sure. I'm sure he could have, but that is not in his nature. Not really his style. It's not. But at the same time, I have no issues with what Jude Bellingham said. He's exhausted. He just put in a man-of-the-match performance. Now, how was the question phrased to him from the interviewer?

You know, I think if you get them both in the same exact room and they both said what they said, I don't think you have any issues whatsoever. Jude Bellingham was fantastic. I see no issues with anything either guy. He also sneaky reminded everyone. Our coach is a great coach. He wasn't good enough to play in this type of game.

He was like, sure. He was like, he doesn't quite know what it's like because his playing career wasn't quite like our playing career. Jude Bellingham standing up for his teammates and saying, hey, listen, we were the ones out. Put it in the shift, going through the heat and the adversity. Like, you know, maybe he needs to give us a little grace here in terms of, yeah, we didn't play great. And I'm sure Jude Bellingham, if you go back and watch the video when they go through video post game, Thomas Tuchel's going to be like, guys, this isn't good enough.

And I bet you Jude would be like, you're right. That isn't good enough. Look, as a reporter and as a man, I love what Bellingham said. Totally. I love what he said. And I have no issues with it. And I think. think there is something there between him and

Tuch. I mean, I think that's pretty clear. Tuchel initially he wasn't on the team. Remember, I know he had injuries, but still there was talk. He might not start. Sure. At one point, Tuchel called his behavior on the field repulsive. Remember that? And he walked it back, you know, later. But so

there, and he's been talking up, you know, Morgan Rogers, his backup. He loves him, right? So I think now there's some school of thought out there that Tuchel's doing this to get the most out of belly-in-him. And maybe, because he's obviously playing great, maybe it's working.

But I don't think there's any love loss between these two. But that's fine. It doesn't. You don't have to be best buddies with your coach to play well. I actually think a healthy friction between a star player and a coach is fine. But that seems like it's zero out of 10, right? Like if there is healthy friction between a star player and a coach, there's always the possibility that it boils over into something else.

Like, he could, if you had. a hundred percent confidence in your manager. And a media member is like, hey, you know, Tuchel after the game, he wasn't too complimentary of you guys. You would say something like, oh, it's okay. It's his right. He could say whatever he wants as a coach. But he came out and he was like, well, he has no idea what it's like to do.

Yeah, I don't think it's nothing. Most guys would have been like, well, hey, you know, it wasn't our greatest game, but, you know, most guys would have been agreeable. So I, listen, but you know who's not agreeable? Thomas Tuchel. Yeah. who is like, I just want to show, I just want to show you guys.

Right. So this is, this is his, you know, resume the last 10 years. So he's at Dortmund. They win a trophy. He's gone three days later. He's at PSG.

They win all the trophies, including the domestic quadruple, which was involved in the tournament. I don't even exist anymore. He lasts, how long is that? 18 months? Out of here. He goes to Chelsea.

They win Champions League. He is then named by FIFA. the best coach. How long he lasts there? A year and a half. Now, Chelsea does that with a lot of managers. They do. He goes to Byron. They win the Bundesliga. He lasts a year. So this is, and now he's with England.

He has now signed an extension. The point that I, he and I, again, European soccer, it is even a shorter half-life for coaches than the NBA. Like the two years is not out of, you know, out of the realm, the

ordinary, Out of the ordinary. Thank you, bro. I don't know what I almost said. Realm of possibilities. But for a guy to be that successful at every stop and never last three years, it is because he has, I think it's fair to say, a personality and a style that grates on people. Now, typically it's the people above him.

He seems to say wild things about his bosses. It's amazing. I respect that. He's got no filter. Yeah, and so I just think my, I do, I imagine that Bellingham is used to this to a degree, but it doesn't mean, sometimes you're used to something. You're like, ah, that's him being him and it's almost charming. Sometimes you're like, yeah, he's being a jerk again.

And so I don't think it is surprising given who it is. But you do have to give the man credit as far as like being a tournament soccer coach knockout football is what I should call it. His teams consistently achieve. He keeps getting awesome jobs. I mean, go from Dortmund to PSG to Chelsea to Byron to the English national team and have those teams all achieve at their apex or close to it. And he might end this drought for England.

Sure. Absolutely. And that's totally hot the board. And he's also getting the best that is Jude Bellingham. Right. Right. No, it's working. So it's all working.

It does kind of seem like a jerk. No question. It's fair. Did Argentina get lucky? Or are they touched by the soccer gods? I know where I stand. France, Spain, 27 hours, 56 minutes, 29 seconds from now on Fox, live from Dallas. And what could be the game of the World Cup, or it could be like about 25 games this World Cup in the running for Game of the World Cup.

That is tomorrow, 3 p.m. live on Fox. The 2026 Chevrolet Tracks is the stylish SUV for those on the move. And with the standard Chevy safety assist package, you have the backup to handle every turn with confidence. The 26 Tracks, start your build at Chevrolet.ca. Live from New York, it's the show that is going to get Kevin Wilde's back tomorrow and very curious if he is going to be quite as confident in France as he's been all tournament.

Why would he not be? Well, because, I mean, no easy games left. Like, no, I'm just saying there's the, should be saying that about your sport now. Well, that's, that's true too. It's just there, the four best teams in the world or the four teams that are left. It does feel like anybody can win it,

as opposed to a fate of complains. That was well done. It's the second hour of first things first. Coming up. Very proud of yourself. Top four teams all advances I was just talking about. Are we set up for the best World Cup finish of all time? We rank all previous.

No, we don't. But we'll discuss it. And Wimby, once again, following Jalen Brunson. Not this time late to a block of layup. This time, as far as contracts up, will other stars follow this same blueprint? But we start in Kansas City. Messy and Argentina, once again, do need extra time to get the win.

Just trying to give people their money's worth, guys. They're doing that. They're doing that. out late, Kansas City. They take down Switzerland 3-1 Saturday night. It's an unbelievable goal by Julian Alvarez. Maybe a question will die from Braille and Bolo. Dax, were you surprised and or, bonus question,

concerned that it took more late-game heroics for Argentina to take out Switzerland? I'm not surprised, but I still remain concerned. Because if you look at Argentina's path to get here, And it hasn't really been since the World Cup final back in 2022 where they were playing in a very big game where I'm like, man, when I watch Argentina play, it's just this beautiful, fluid, dominant game at all times. And I almost think that they are happier when the game delves into chaos. I'm dubbing them the sultans of suffering. They suffer better than any team in the world. That's just when the game gets crazy and when the game gets chaotic and when they're,

not playing well, and you think, all right, here we go. They're going to finally lose. Something goes their way. Messy makes the difference. Questionable call in their favor. Like, it always happens. And so I think luck is absolutely on their side. And I think that I will take it from their coach, Scaloni, who after the game said, we got lucky. Like, luck is on our side. And so there is very little evidence to suggest that Argentina can't win this tournament. They have the best player in the world still playing at a very high level. They're relatively organized, but they also score goals. And I was arguing that they needed contributions from someone else, from some other attacking players other than Messi

to be able to go on and win this tournament. And when they needed it the most, when Messi was having a good game, but not as effective, not as dynamic in the attacking third, Huline Alvarez pops up and scores one of the goals of the tournament. And by the way, if you've ever watched him play for Athletico Madrid, you know he's capable of doing that at any given time. But he hadn't scored in the World Cup. He hadn't played particularly well. Lataro Martinez, one of the best strikers in Italy. He scored against Jordan, but hadn't played particularly well up to that point. Argentina needed some magic from someone other than Messi, and they got it. So while I'm not enamored with how they're playing, they dominate in the chaotic moments of the game. They

never seemingly lose their focus when it comes to the game almost getting out of control. They actually thrive in those moments. And they still have match winners. They still have match winners not named Leonel Messi. And so while I'm going to stick with England because I picked them before the tournament, you cannot write off Argentina. They thrive in these moments. And they go to you, Brew.

They also score more than anybody. They still have quality. I mean, they lead the tournament in goals. They lead the tournament. like we can show you their offensive stats and where they're at. Like it is first and goal, second in goal differential. Now, the expected goals allowed thing is interesting because seventh isn't great, obviously, but it also speaks the fact that they've gotten, I guess,

you could argue, a little unlucky and that they've allowed almost double of what they're saying they should have allowed. So I just, I don't look at Brew the close games as, disastrous in part because other than France, every game in the quarterfinals came down to the final moments. Like Spain was won, one, one late.

It wasn't, the, the, Argentina was never trailing in this match unlike England. I think Norway and Switzerland are similar caliber teams. And so I don't, I'm not as concerned as I think some people are. Well, Dax, let me ask you this. You said you're sticking with England.

Yep. Is that just because that was your pick? Like in your heart, do you feel like Argentina is going to win now? It's a little bit of both, but I still feel like England is the better team. I don't think England or Argentina have played particularly well at this World Cup. Like England going down to Mexico City and Azteca and winning that game, it gives me more confidence that they can go on a run and actually do something they haven't done in 60 years. So yes, you have Lino Messi on one side. You have Kane and Jude Bellingham on the other side. I just think in the biggest moments, England, they've just got a little bit more in the attack than Argentina does.

And I still, I'm not enamored with Argentina's midfield. Argentina's midfield has not shown the propensity to be able to change the game the way that I've seen, at least from England's wingers at times. The thing I like about Argentina quickly, obviously Messi's there. But then I think Alvarez stepping up in somebody else. I think it's good for them to win a game where Messi wasn't. Totally. Like so for confidence on the other guy. Right. His 10 match World Cup record of consecutive with goals ends,

but he extends his all-time record with assists in the world. Because he had the assist in the game. I hear what you're saying. Like luck is on their side. It feels like at some point it's going to run out. Yep. They win Cape Verde an extra time on an own, on an own goal. They're down 2-0 to Egypt. Could have been 3-0 with the goal that was taken off with the VAR, win that one.

one, it's one one in this game against Switzerland. I thought Switzerland was going to win. I agree with you. I saw what you said earlier. After Switzerland scored, I absolutely had confidence that Switzerland was going to go win. I thought the first half of the second half, Switzerland looked like they were in control. And then the controversial nature of the, they think they're getting a yellow card going against Argentina. And then it's a yellow card that turns into a double yellow, it's a red card.

And they have to play down a man who was so clearly deflated. If that doesn't happen, I thought Switzerland was going to win the game. And so they went from Cape Verde to Egypt to Switzerland. And now you get England and then the winner of Spain, France. I just have a hard time seeing them having enough luck to win this. And just real quick, like, I want to ask you this. Because with regard to their path. Because I'm a big time Argentina guy.

You are a big Argentina guy. With regard to the path that they have taken to get to this moment, they're the first team since 2002 Germany to, not face a top 10 team until the semifinals, but even Germany in 02, they only faced one top 10 team, and that was Brazil in the final. Like, I go back to them playing a very good team.

And while England hasn't played great, England is a very good team. I just don't know how much you can continue to get away with what they're getting away with while not playing very good. I guess my point is their path is not that dissimilers from England. And England was not as impressive as Argentina in the group stage. England, you know, England,

Croatia is a really good team. That's too, too late in that game. Panama is not a really good team. England needed that game to win the group. That's zero zero in the second half. Bellingham scores in both those games that go-ahead goals. England is losing to D.R. Congo. That's also a game where D.R. Congo could have been up to nothing,

much like Egypt had a goal taken away. They didn't. And then Harry Kane has the performance of a lifetime. Good for him. Great players do great things. Mexico is not a great team. They're a very good team. That was an impossible environment.

But I thought Mexico was in very good form. You're playing against a really confident Mexico. No doubt. But I also like England, we just did a whole segment about England's manager being like, we got lucky. We weren't good. Well, you got a match up for the two teams that have been lucky in this time, according to their coaches. Right.

And one of them in major tournaments never wins. And the other one this decade in major. tournament has literally never lost. So I have the history on their side. I mean, Argentina, after Messi's whole career, never winning a Copa, obviously never winning a World Cup, since 2020, they have won both Copas, they won the World Cup, they are now positioned,

maybe one another one. All right, let's go to Spain here. They took down Belgium 2-1. This is unfortunate, backup goalkeeper in, it spills out, there's the game winner. Now, we get to see what, at least for this show, at least for this show is the main event. Wild's's Door of Destiny team, where is he called Destin?

I don't speak French. Against Brew and Danny's Spain team. Dax, we know Brew and Danny think Spain can win. We'll get to them in a moment because they pick Spain to win the whole thing. Do you think Spain can beat this France team? And again, bonus question within it. Obviously, I know your answer. You think they can at the very least.

Do you think they will beat this France? I do not think they're going to beat this France team. They can. No question about it. But they won't because I think France is excited about the way that this game is going to play out in the matchup. How come? Possession for Spain. First in the tournament.

They are always going to dominate the ball. It doesn't really matter. I think France, they dominate the ball in this tournament because they have been the best team and they have overmatched every single opponent that they have played. but you actually see them come to life and you see those attacking players really thrive and get wide-eyed when they go up a goal. Because then they do not,

the impetus is not on them to be the protagonist and to take the game to the opponent. They still can and they can still dominate possession. But I actually think they prefer when they play against a team that can dominate possession so there's space to attack

for those dangerous dynamic front floor. Spain have a really good organization about them, especially when they have the ball. They're really organized behind the ball. Their rest defense is very good. It's at a high level. It's why they've only conceded one goal in this tournament. And it's why really teams struggle to even create chances or shots against them.

They haven't seen anything the likes of what we've seen from this French attack. This French attack is the best attack in World Cup history. You go back to the O2 Brazil team with Ronaldino, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, team that could hurt you at any given moment. this French team, they have more danger in that attack. They have three 1,000% match winners in Mbapé, Dembele, and Alisei, and then in Duet or Barcola, a really good balance of a player who can go 1v1 and unbalance the opposition.

I think Spain can absolutely win this game if Laminia Mall plays up to his potential and if he's a difference maker in the final third. But I just fundamentally don't believe this French team playing the way they are, I think three consecutive clean sheets in the knockout stage, defending well. I don't believe that Spain is going to be able to score enough goals to keep up with this French team. Stiles make fights and great offense against great defense they can win.

And Spain, you say they haven't seen anything like this. I understand this version of France in this World Cup has been historic. But Spain has played France and beaten them. They have. Multiple times. And that's why Lamin, Yuma, said we're not scared of them. Right. And fair.

Right. And that's the soft factor, right, that doesn't show up on a box score. or anything like that's anything. They are absolutely not intimidated by France. They are talking to talk and we'll see if they walk the walk when the game comes tomorrow at three Eastern on Fox. But also, you're talking about Argentina, an international play. Spain has a Spanish record, arguably an all-time record.

There's some fuzzy accounting on this. They haven't lost in 36 matches. And in the Euros that they won, it looked a lot like this. In the Nations League, which they didn't win and it went to PKK or whatever, But like they don't lose. They do not lose. And they don't let the other team score. And Yamal seems to be coming into form,

even if he's not finding the back of the net. He is taking more shots. He is getting more touches. He is winning more 1V-1s. Like he has gotten healthier as this has gone on. Nico Williams subbed in in the last game. No brew liked that. That was good to see him back here.

He made an appearance in the 80th minute of that game. So this is a heavyweight title fight. Sure. This is I compared it. to Seahawks Rams earlier where we felt like maybe the Super Bowl was in the NFC championship game. These are the two best teams. Clearly either team can win, but I don't think it's possible to write off Spain. No. Not at all. Not at all. And I look, I think Dax, France, like, I think Spain will get more opportunities than they've had before because I think France is obviously

going to attack and score. It could be a high scoring game. It was five, four the last time they played. Nick made the point they were, Spain was up four oh and five. I was going to show that. Yeah, what do you think is going to be. Let me show that real quick first. So that there is an element of, listen, France doesn't lose often. But in the last two years, they have played Spain twice. And again, you could argue the games were not quite as close as the scores indicate.

Euros 2024. They got blitz. France scored immediately in that game, like four minutes in. Spain then scores twice before halftime holds on France. That great French attack doesn't score in the final 85 minutes of the game. Nations League, that game is 5-4-0 in the 57th minute and 5-1 in the 68th minute. And then France ends up, you know, coming a late charge. Yeah.

Again. Garbage time. I mean, I don't want to call it that, but it does feel like maybe Spain thought, well, we're up four goals. Right. Like, we're probably going to be okay. Sure. So I, my question would be this, and we'll talk obviously more about this tomorrow with Wilds as well. Is there an element for france of, I mean, we just beat everyone and this team beats us?

You know what I mean? Where it is like a real, yeah, a real level of concern. Again, mixing metaphors a bit, Thunder Spurs type of thing where the Thunder just ran through everyone except for the Spurs. And did that give the Spurs a specific psychological edge? that almost wouldn't exist if France struggled a little bit more with other teams. Like, you know what? We played down to the level. And so that's where my concern would be for France. And it's a fair concern, and specifically when it comes to those last two results, that's why I think Spain will be confident going into this game and play with no fear.

And yet I still come back to one player in particular who I can't, like, off the top of my head, think of like how much he played or how much he contributed in these games. but Michael Alisei, he has become a world superstar before our eyes. He was playing in England. He goes to Bayern Munich, has the season of his life in Bayern Munich, is playing with more confidence than he's ever played with, and more production than we have ever seen from him in his career. That is kind of the wild card for me,

because I don't believe he was the player. He is now, whenever that was, 18 months ago, 12 months ago. So when you add Michael Olise to Mbapé, to Dembape, to Demi, Dewey to Dewe. In the form that he is in, there is an easy argument I could sit here and make right now that Michael Alise is going to be the best player on the field tomorrow. And if that is the case, you add that to Dembele, you add that to Mbap. It just feels like Spain is going to have to score at the clip that they did when they scored five goals against them to be able to keep up with this French team. And specifically because of the form Michael Alise is in. This episode is brought to you by L'Oreal Group. Beauty is a powerful force that moves us. That's why L'Oreal Group has built a business that is inclusive at its heart with 100% of its brands championing diversity.

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Taking on Argentina. I don't think Messy's ever losing his top spot on the marquee. Wednesday, threes turn on Fox, live from Atlanta. I cannot believe Argentina is the underdog in this game. And Brew, this is how we get it all back. This is how we get it. I've heard that one before. Headed to the NBA, Wimby and the Spurs have agreed on a five-year $252 million max extension.

Now Wimby's signing the 25% max that can only be the 25% max. He does not have the option. He is turning down the potential for it to turn the 30% max if you were to qualify by winning a major award or making the all-MBA team this year. So it is potentially a 50 million. dollar sacrifice Wemby is making for the sake of team building. He then tweeted, Spurs family, I'm here to stay, whatever it takes. Danny, do you think there will now be more pressure on other stars to take less?

Of course. I mean, and potentially starting as soon as next year with Stefan Castle. Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper, were they going to make more money than Wembe? Right. And on their team in that locker room. So I think unquestionably, even if this is different from Brunson in a number of ways because this is a rookie extension and Brunson was in year six and Brunson was changing teams and the family dynamics of it, the fact that that was a huge piece of the folklore and narrative around the Knicks title. And now it's going to be a huge piece of the folklore and narrative around Wembe. I absolutely think there will be at least public pressure for.

stars to take a little. We'll see what happens when Cooper Flag comes up, you know, in Dallas. He's a name that I keep thinking about as a guy who clearly is going to be in this type of conversation for years. And the NBA is in a very interesting spot because the league is undeniably healthy. They have a ton of young talent. They have massive media rights deals for a long time. They have a pretty healthy relationship between the players and the commissioner, unlike some other sports, their CBA runs through 2029, 2030, so there's not like an imminent, like, baseball situation.

They can opt out in 20. They can opt out, but it's a mutual opt out. But if the second apron is the thing that was pointed to why that Celtics team broke up, and it's going to be part of the reason why Mitchell Robinson is not back with this Knicks team and owners treat it like a cap and then the burden of staying under the second apron

falls to the players, I wonder how unhappy people are going to get. in this current ecosystem, whether it's because players feel pressure to follow suit, because owners don't get pressure to spend into the tax. I think the second apron and the ramifications of it are going to have a lot of ripple effects that could backfire. And what the owners will say is that this is what's leading to the parity, because we have great parity right now.

I think that is correct. This is what's leading to them. Well, and it'll be interesting to see, because I agree with you that for Castle and then Dylan Harper, absolutely there would be, I mean, again, how can you make more than Wimby? There will be pressure. And to be, I don't know that they'll be. Right, right. I don't know that they'll be have a problem with it.

They seem, you know, like they keep that trio together. And it'll be interesting to see if that team can kind of go against the parody and become a dynasty or something. But I don't, look, teams will certainly throw it in other, like Cooper flag or I mentioned Kay, any of the young stars. Teams will throw it in their face. hey, Wimby's took 25% instead of 30, but I don't think it'll be as much pressure on it. They can just say, well, that's him. I'm not doing that. So I think the players will be able to buck that.

And you talked about it earlier, kind of stole my thunder out. The players absolutely have to get rid of this second apron when they get the chance. This is to, and look, I've covered two NBA lockouts during my time as an NBA reporter. the players always end up lose. They've conceded. I covered the NBA when there was no max salary. All right. That was,

that's, now it's just young people think that's always been there. I remember when they instituted that in the CBA. And so the players always end up conceding something. This was too much because it's limited free agency. And I just think, even look at this year, even only a couple teams had cap room.

So if you're a, free agent, you had nowhere really to go that was attractive for the most part. So I think that's what the player, and you show David Kelly, who works for the MBPA, his quote earlier, but they have got to loosen this up because it is essentially a hard cap. And it just feels so unfair. And I understand, I get people's visceral reaction and some of the retired athletes who are making the podcast tours explaining how actually

$100 million isn't as much money as you think. Why are they doing that? I don't know. They actually, we don't pay taxes. Right, that's the other part when folks are like, I don't know if you know this. Guys, they take money out of your check automatically.

Like you regular folks are unaware. You thought when they gave you the full amount, there's fight guns, all of these things. Stop doing that. It is the worst argument ever. Stop doing that because here is the thing. Terrible look. When it comes to owners and players negotiating, players are, do have more in common with you the fan than the owners do.

They are the workers. They are working for a salary. And while people are like, oh, you know, what's the only between 250 million and 300 million, it is a bigger percentage difference for Victor Wimmynama's net worth than Peter Holt or the owner. The billionaire owners of teams. So I just generally take the player's side. I think your point on their salaries are already artificially capped. And I am not the superstars.

And I'm not arguing, by the way, that we should have no salary cap. I think salary caps are actually, while they are kind of uncapitalistic, I'm okay with a little socialism in my sports. I think it's good for sports. for small markets into level playing fields. But there is a real argument that, you know, LeBron, as for instance, was vastly underpaid during the vast majority of his, or the entirety of his prime.

There is an argument that Wimby at the max is already vastly underpaid as far as his impact on winning, and that kind of artificially inflates the salaries of kind of mid-level players. and now we're saying actually we have a max take less than that because it helps us fill out the rest of the roster that just doesn't sit right with me

and I really do think brew I don't think we will do it and it sounds like I'm giving us too much credit but I just know the type of show we do and what our kind of beliefs are but I do think there will be a version of when OTAs in the NFL went from being optional, truly optional, like, hey, it's extra work too.

We're reporting who's there and who's not. Why weren't you there? I do worry. Like, let's say the Spurs win the title, which I know you think they very well could. Maybe they'll be your pick. And it's like, oh, okay, in the second apron era, how do you win a championship? Well, the Knicks won the title. Here's what Jalen Brunson did.

The Spurs won the title. Here's what Victor and Mignamma did. oh Anthony Edwards you want the max from Minnesota don't you want to win and that just feels I just think that commentary will happen and it will put pressure on the players and I just hate it I just hate it so I don't I'm not picking I'm not blaming Wimby he can do whatever he wants I just don't it just feels wrong to me I also don't have a lot of faith that the players will be able to negotiate the second apron out of this thing normally when they usually concede and and normally when things get put in that benefit the owners, they stay in. It's why in baseball players are like, we will stop working if you try to put in a cap. We are not putting in a cap. So it's just, I don't see it going away.

And look, as much money as the players make, when they're missing checks during a lockout, it hurts them, you know. Especially because of those taxes. It's amazing. It's unbelievable. What happened to? Who knew?

Coming up next. Best World Cup Final Four of all time. We rank all previous. 23 editions of the tournament. I'm here for it. Best benches. That's not, coming in dead last, that 1930 tournament where the U.S. came in third. That was our hey game.

That was our head game. That's the worst semifinals ever. Why didn't we build on 1930? No momentum. What's going on? We'll talk about this game and the other game in a few minutes. This game's in Dallas tomorrow. Back here on first things first, talking about marginal tax rates if you make 100 million a year.

That's up, guys. Relatable. Particularly certain states had it too. Oh, yeah. Did you guys know? Taxes wrong. Counting down, Messi in Argentina taking on England. See those taxes in England.

They will really get you. Wednesday, 3 Eastern on Fox live from Atlanta. Sticking with the World Cup, for the first time ever, FIFA's top four teams will play in the semifinals. France, Spain tomorrow, England, Argentina, Wednesday. Mbapé, Yomal, Kaine, Messi. This is the actual bracket. You could look at that or you could just look at Bruce's bracket from before the tournament. Now, hold on a second here.

This is bad journalism by us. Brew's actual bracket did not have England over Argentina. Dusty did. Dusty switched that. Dusty, that is not okay. Yeah, I'm not necessarily in favor. Cogent analysis a few weeks ago, I said, I think it's right. Just for the record. But bro did Brouser Ridge and bracket did have those four.

As did Danny. Yeah, thank you. I'm, buddy, I've got them both built. Oh, okay. I wasn't going to leave you out. Thank you. I apologize. What a bracket.

You don't want to throw yours up there? No, mine. I had three of the four. You had three of the four. we got different ones wrong. Wild said three of the four he picked USA over Spain. This side of the table is cooking.

Dax. Can I tell you my immediate reaction and then go to you about this being the last four? I'd love it. I think it's a bummer for France. Here is France over the last, I don't even know how long. Just throw the France against Spain and Art.

France since the last World Cup against everyone other than. than Spain and Argentina. 19 wins, four draws, three losses. Against Spain and Argentina, zero wins, one draw that they lost in PKs, two losses. I'm not saying France is scared of anyone.

I'm not saying, but what I am saying is had there been, Spain was on the ropes at one point, Argentina's obviously been on the ropes, if we had ended up with Belgium and someone else, Colombia is who we thought was possible, I think France would be like, we got this in the bag, boys. And instead, I think they know they're playing in this round a team that has beat them twice. And they might be staring at an Argentina team that ripped their hearts out in the last World Cup.

I think that the best athletes in the world, the best soccer players in the world are on display right now. And I think they have short memories. I don't think that it's going to affect them in the least. And in fact, if I was a player in one of those locker rooms, I would be looking at this Final Four as, what a tremendous opportunity to stake our claim and make our mark on in my lifetime, the greatest World Cup that I have seen. And so I think that these guys are all really excited for the historical context of what is to come, for the quality that is going to be on display, for the fact that for the right side of the bracket, for England and Argentina, you're going to have to play better.

Like one of these teams is going to have to step up and play significantly better than they have been playing because they know that they won't be able to get away with the way they've been playing in the previous games that they have had in these knockout rounds. And I think that makes for tremendous drama, tremendous quality. And the one thing that we've seen throughout this whole tournament, the superstars being the superstars. In past World Cups, we've seen a lot of great players have big tournaments, but maybe one guy doesn't perform or one guy doesn't show up or one guy's knocked out early.

I mean, fundamentally, for the most part, we have seen the superstars dominating this tournament. And if that holds, you will see the superstars winning the big. biggest World Cup, the greatest World Cup of all time for their country. Yeah, I agree with Dax. Like, if I'm afraid, look, certainly if they felt they had an easy path, I mean, your ultimate goal is just to win the World Cup. Right.

But you want to play the best. And they know this is going to bring the best out. Like, if I'm looking at this Final Four and I'm any of the teams, I'm like, this is it. These are the four best teams we have a chance to end up being the number one. And so I just think that this World Cup has been. phenomenal because we've gotten a few Cinderella's a Cape Verde Norway even to certain degree right

and yet at the end of the day you you as nice as it is to see Cinderella's and we always say this with March Madness you don't necessarily want to see a final four with three Cinderella you know what I mean? You want to see the best and every team has big names

every single team like the biggest names in the sport and they're all playing well And so we've gotten just about, even us Americans had a little momentum at one point with the USA. So we're excited about that. So I just think it's ending up to be everything you wanted it to be. So the France-Spain game, that one's easy. Yeah. The two favorites, the best offense, the best defense.

We've talked about it a bunch. We could talk about it more. The Argentina-England game also. We're going to talk some Falklands War here? Is that what we're going to do? I'm here for it. I was freshen up today. This match has everything.

They hate each other. The geopolitical hatred over the Falklands Islands in 1982. But the soccer history, the 1966 World Cup, where England wins, they play Argentina. There's the argument. In Argentina, they refer to that goal as like the theft of the century because there was an off-size that would have been called back if B.A.R. That's the 1966 World Cup. Then the 1986 World Cup is Maradona and the goal of the century and hand of God and all that.

In the same game. Amazing. In the same game. In 98, it's the famous David Beckham red card game where there's the whole altercation on the field. And Messi, he's played 205 international matches, has never played England. Because when he was supposed to play him when he was 18, he was suspended because of a red card. So it's England's first shot against Messi, Messi's first shot against England. The countries hate each other. In England's World's Cup win, Argentina has beef.

In an Argentina one, England has beef. It's just a perfect game. And they're probably playing for the right to be a huge underdog against France or Spain. They're just incredible. They're playing for the right to be second to France. Sorry, guys. I mean, that last part I disagree with. And I think that these, which speaks to why I think I'm surprised and I think it's wrong.

Like, I think the odds makers are incorrect in having England's favorite over for Argentina. And I think it's also incorrect to have France as this big of a favorite with this many great teams left. Like, I look at Spain, France as a coin flip. Do you think, though, that Argentina's defense against France, like, if that was the matchup, that would just seem borderline impossible for me? I don't think it's the same team as last World Cup for Argentina.

Mine is on Held-D-Maria. And they were, that was enough. That was a game. Argentina was dominating the last World Cup final for 70, 75 minutes. Sure. And then it looked like they were going to blow it, and that's going to have his heart ripped out. It ended up being arguably the greatest game ever played.

It was incredible. One of the reasons that I think Argentina not only should not be a huge underdog, but is right there with any, you could put them odds, take a little away from France, give them to Spain, and put Argentina right there with them.

There is a level of confidence. If there's ever been a team in modern, World Cup history that could walk into a World Cup semi-final or final nerve-free. It's this Argentina team. Not just because they're the defending champs, but because it was so much about getting it done for Messi. They did that.

If they do play France in the final, it's like, we already beat you guys. And it is so, while France has added some star players to your point, Argentina, it's almost identical same team. And so I just think this is the biggest game any of the England players have ever played. For Argentina, it's not close to that. I think that helps them a lot. Home run derby tonight.

We discuss it. All-Star. Talk about a big day tomorrow on Fox. Oh, yeah. We got this. Then the MLB All-Star game right after France, Spain on Fox in 27 hours, 7 minutes, 53 seconds.