The Kevin Sheehan Show - 3 Years Ago Today?

Episode Date: July 21, 2026

Kevin opened up with reaction to different points of view on how Jayden Daniels' has been portrayed in the Netflix series, "Quarterback". Also, three years ago today, the NFL approved the sale of the Commanders to a group led by Josh Harris. Snyder was finally gone. Kevin shared his experience of being at yesterday's World Cup final and talked briefly about the incredible run that Nats pitcher Foster Griffin has been on.   For all your football betting needs: DCRELOAD at MyBookie for a 50% Deposit Match   So if you are looking to make Mother’s Day perfect, or just want to impress your friends and family with an epic meal next time you host, go to www.GOLDBELLY.com and get free shipping and 20% off your first order with promo code sheehan.   Air conditioning stops at your waistband. Stay fresh all day with TUSHY. For a limited time, our listeners get 10% off their first bidet order when you use code Sheehan at checkout. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You don't want it. You don't need it. But you're going to get it anyway. The Kevin Sheehan Show. Here's Kevin. So do you guys remember what happened three years ago today? If you don't remember, I will tell you what happened three years ago today. In a few minutes, the show's presenting sponsor is always Window Nation, 86690 Nation,

windownation.com if you need new windows. I will share with you my World Cup experience. I was there at MetLife in New Jersey yesterday for the final in the next segment. It was memorable. I will say that up front, but maybe not for the reasons that you think it was memorable. This from Stephen in Damascus to open up the show. Stephen writes, Kevin, I love the Netflix quarterback show. Jaden Daniels is so likable and it's clear that he is responsible.

because of his abilities and most important, his work ethic. I'm expecting big things from him this year. From D. D writes, Kevin, hope you've been watching quarterback. Hard to watch the episode where Jaden broke his arm against Seattle. But if our fans want affirmation of his leadership and work ethic, this show will give it to them. By the way, I think he dislocated his elbow. He didn't break his arm. But I have heard that that was hard to watch.

And then I got this from our friend Sabah. Sabah writes, watching QB on Netflix. So far, J.D. sat out for knee sprain, sore hamstring, and season-ending sore elbow without brace two weeks after dislocation. And while we're playing in Madrid, he's home eating Panera for breakfast, watching Spider-Man and Batman. while Baker Mayfield is playing with dislocated left shoulder, heavy bruised right bicep,

numb right hand, and ankle sprain. Flacco is playing with a sprained right AC joint after getting it injected during the game. Looks like we have a fragile flower at QB, who will only play if he's 100% and not sore anywhere, Exclamation point, exclamation point. Emphasis on he'll only play if he's 100% and not sore anywhere. And then when he can practice. And then she finishes it up by writing, He is on his VR headset versus simulated defenses, not with the team?

Something smells real fishy. Hmm, the emoji she attaches to that. So I have not watched more than the first episode. I think I shared my thoughts on the first episode on Friday's show. I absolutely loved Joe Flacco and his family in episode one. And I had a feeling going into this that Joe Flacco might end up becoming a bit of everybody's favorite in this show, similar to what Kirk Cousins produced in year one of this series. I've heard, let me just say this, Dee and Stephen, you guys are not alone.

I've gotten a lot of response from many people, including friends who really are impressed with the way Jaden handles himself. A couple of people have been a bit miffed at how much his mother is involved in the show. But Sabah, for my purposes, I can only speak to my, you know, my back and forth with people. she's out there on an island so far subject to change of course so look it's hard for me to respond to anybody when i've only seen one episode uh it's hard to have any level of certainty when you haven't actually watched what everybody else is watched but i am certain about one thing as it relates

to sabah's note that sabah apparently doesn't remember or just chooses to ignore, the Jaden Daniels wasn't exactly a fragile flower in 2024. He wasn't exactly a player that can only play at 100% or not sore anywhere or only when he can practice. I don't know if she just forgot about 2024, but let me remind her that he played multiple games with injured ribs, the first two of which he was not practicing at full strength, actually at all before the Chicago game, and then limited heading into the giant game. Now, the ribs at the very least were very sore,

many believed the ribs were actually fractured. But he played with a flack jacket, if you recalled, and played well even though he was not at 100%. So it looks like, you know, there is some inaccuracy, shocker in the way Sabah sees the Jaden Daniels quarterback Netflix appearances so far. Remember, too, during the 2024 season, in addition to the ribs, he had a couple of other Knicks and knacks. Nothing that really impacted him, but he played through that stuff. And I'll remind Sabah in particular, because I have a feeling she just forgot about the 2024 season.

It was historic for a rookie quarterback, and he played in all 20 games. 17 in the regular season, and just in case, you forgot. He played three more in the playoffs where he was Superman. The not with his team, but on a VR headset, Sabah, that's kind of your move. When you don't like a player, your move is to implicate, or to imply, excuse me, that he's not a good teammate or he's a bit of a diva or he's self-centered. You imply that. You didn't say that directly, but you imply that.

Not one person on the record or off of it would agree with any of those implications you've just made. Now, maybe things will change. Maybe he will become more of a diva, more self-absorbed, maybe a bad teammate. You know, things do change. They don't stay the same. forever. At this point, let me assure you on my children that if I tried to pay for somebody to say something like that about Jaden Daniels, I would not be successful. And in terms of him being soft, nobody on the record or off of it would describe him as such. Remember, last year was a season

that got away from this team, you know, especially after his missed games, but the idea of bringing him back not at 100% was not something that they wanted to do versus the Baker Mayfield situation. Why? Well, because Baker Mayfield's team was playing for a division title until the final week of the season. Jaden Daniels team was playing for nothing, you know, when we got into December. I would have preferred that he played those final four games. And I do think had they been meaningful games he absolutely would have played in them. I guess, you know, the quarterback thing isn't done yet. I don't know. Have you watched the whole thing? I got to get to it. I want to get to it. But maybe we'll learn more about the end of the season decision to bench him, to sit him.

Bench him is the wrong way. That's the way Sabah would describe it, my fault. The decision to sit him for the final four games. But, yeah, the situations were between Bakers and Jadens were apples and oranges. Jaden's team was playing for nothing. Baker Mayfields was playing for a division title. In terms of Flacco, I don't know what you want me to tell you. He was the backup quarterback to Joe Burrow. He played very well at times last year.

And I don't know enough about some of those injuries. I'll watch it. Joe is, you know, Joe's a bit of a different quarterback. He's a pocket passer. He's not going to put himself into a lot of jeopardy. Although sometimes in the pocket, you know, he's been more vulnerable. But yeah, I can't speak to that. But there's a big difference between Baker Mayfield and Jaden Daniels. I'd like to say that I think Sabah is just trolling rather than really believing that we have a fragile, self-consumed quarterback in Jaden Daniels. but I'm pretty sure she believes some of this. All right, so what happened three years ago today?

Three years ago today, the sale was official. It was approved by the NFL. Dan Snyder no longer owned our football team. He sold it to a group led by Josh Harris for $6.05 billion, which was three years ago, today, after it was approved by the NFL, a record sale for any North American sports franchise. Looks like a bargain now after the Allen family got $9.6 billion for the Seahawks. Let me just mention, I had somebody very close to the ownership of our football team, say to

me after the reported sale to this new group for $9.6 billion in Seattle, the communication was Seattle, as in 9.6 billion for a team in Seattle. Not that there's anything wrong with Seattle, but Seattle's not D.C. In terms of market size, in terms of market demographics, etc. 9.6 billion. That still blows me away. I forget if I talked about that last week. I think I did with Tommy when Tommy got back on the show. Just an unbelievable. amount. And then, oh, we had John Orand on the show Friday. Juntz, always so good. And we talked about that sale with him. But three years ago today, it was official. And it wasn't easy. You know, I've shared with you some of what Harris and his investor group were dealing with

in the final days and final hours. It was a very difficult close. Shocker, the seller was not easy. Dan Snyder was not easy. He was trying to hang on. and hang in there until the 11th hour. The deal was not considered closed until it was actually legitimately closed. There was real concern that he might walk away. And it was hanging in the balance until finally the closing documents were signed, the league approved, and the wiring instructions for the money were provided to Harris. And then boom, the Wicked Witch of the East.

the NFC East was gone. The fan base reaction, remember that day, was euphoric. We were down at the bullpen next to Nat's Park doing shows, and I remember how euphoric it was. I remember somebody telling me that the league wanted this desperately as well. We knew that, but that they were, there was a sense of relief when finally Snyder signed the closing documents and sent the wiring and instructions. There was such an erratic, you know, last few weeks, few days to the nature of him

selling the team in the league desperately wanted it done. Snyder didn't have much support, you know, there at the end. Remember that first signal, you know, that the owners were kind of tired of the mockery that Snyder had made, you know, this once proud franchise. That first signal was when Jim Merce, the Colts owner said that there was merit to removing Snyder as an owner. You know, even Jerry Jones knew at the end that this would mean a new revival opportunity, a new beginning in D.C. Jones said three years ago today about the approval, quote, it's a hallmark day,

closed quote. I had forgotten about that quote until I looked it up. He was tired of going along and protecting to a certain extent Snyder year after year. it was kind of a real circumstance, you know, the day three years ago in some ways, because there was even up until that day this disbelief that it was happening. And then when it actually happened, there was a level of disbelief. Now, we knew it was coming, but, you know, it wasn't final yet. And I just think for so many years, we were resigned to start.

Snyder owning the team forever. You know, this was the one thing he actually seemed to covet, even though he ruined it for so many of us. So for it to get to where it got to over that two to three year period, you know, from 2020 to 2023, was really shocking, you know. And as I think back on those few years, 2020 through the final approval three years ago today, I think two big things were critical. in getting the ball rolling.

The Washington Post story in July of 2020 that revealed a major sexual harassment, an overall harassment problem within the organization, that was huge. That sparked, you know, all of the investigations and the inquiries from Congress, etc. You know, all the while, and we learned this after the fact, all the while, as he's going through that, we learned that Snyder, was being evasive and dishonest with his minority shareholders, one of which was Fred Smith.

And when Fred Smith dropped the hammer on the team name during the summer of 2020, I believe that Snyder himself for the first time considered the possibility that he might not own the team forever. And more importantly, I think maybe for the first time, keeping it didn't feel the same way to him. you know, losing that name was really difficult for him, as it was for all of us. But I think maybe that was, you know, that may have decreased some passion for the team that even he had. But the Post story, the Washington Post story, in combination with Snyder deceiving his three minority owners,

were the cracks, you know, in the Mountain Snow Foundation that eventually, you know, started the avalanche. Those were the two things that really got the avalanche, got the ball rolling. You know, in 2020, even 2021, 2022, there was not a lot of league support for Alsting Snyder because it was Pandora's Box. you know, it was a tricky situation for the other owners. It was, you know, we always talked about it back then. It was there for the grace of God go I situation with the other owners. Like, look, I mean, we've done some pretty bad stuff too. Now, our organizations aren't as effed up as his is,

but we also know that he is one vindictive MFer. And so they were hesitant. But eventually they understood that until he was gone, you know, one of their most important markets, the D.C. market, one of their biggest past earners, was doomed to be a bottom feeder. They didn't want that. You know, he finally threw up his hands and said, you know, essentially no moss, although he didn't go down easy. But from those days, what many of us knew and shared was more important than anything else. The family had finally gotten to the point where they were over this and they wanted him to sell.

They had been so ostracized in their own hometown. You know, being his family could not have been easy. And I've always, and I've said this over the years, I have always heard from every person that's ever had exposure to his kids, daughters and son that they were great and as normal as normal could be considering. I mean, he's going to go down as arguably the worst team sports owner of any of our major sports of all time. He'll certainly be in the conversation of the bottom two or three that have ever owned a sports team. Incompetent, totally, arrogant, totally.

The worst combination in a person or a business. You know, being incompetent and then thinking that you're smarter than everybody else and have it all figured out. it always was the same pattern. They'd do something stupid, but act like it was really smart. And then when it predictably failed, they'd blame it on somebody other than taking blame themselves and looking in the mirror. I've said this a thousand times over the last 10 to 12, 13, 14 years. But man, Wharton, you know, Harvard Business School, somebody should do a case study on how one person could take a brand as popular. and as bulletproof as it seemed the Redskins were when he purchased the team in 1999. And yet in less than 25 years, he ruined it and chased away two-thirds of his customers.

It was something I've said many times before, again, it was his most impressive feat as the owner of the team because it was impossible to do. But he did it. He found a way to ruin something. that was literally bulletproof. I mean, the case study would be about what not to do when acquiring a team or any product, for that matter, that has a massive built-in customer and revenue base, you know, with an intensely loyal fan base, customer base. The study would be the things not to do after acquiring a business that on paper looks unbreakable,

you know, looks utterly indestructible. And then they can use Snyder as the example of somebody who single-handedly destroyed something that was indestructible, something that was so unbreakable, ironclad, bulletproof. Three years ago today, the end of Snyder. We could, of course, do the segment of how much better off we are three years later than we were three years ago. but come on, I mean, that's easy. It was always impossible for a new owner to take over and make things worse or even keep them the same. So it was such a low bar for Harrison company to clear.

But what we've learned, I think, in three years is that this group is a group of competent, secure, you know, adults. and Snyder and his posse, incompetent, insecure, and totally immature. In three short years, and really only two when you consider that they really couldn't do much when they took over three years ago today,

there was not enough time to really make the kind of changes to impact the product on the field anyway in 2023. And of course, 2023 turned out to be one of the worst seasons in franchise history. but the following year it took two short years for new ownership to eclipse anything Snyder did in any of his 24 years in one individual season. The best Snyder ever did was 10 wins, a second round playoff loss, in year two of Harris, 12 wins, and an NFC title game appearance with Superman a quarterback.

or as Sabah would say, a fragile flower at quarterback. The team's reputation has been reversed in three short years from clueless and classless to a place where players and agents say, you know, it's a desired destination. It's among the desired destinations in the league. I think, you know, just from an everyday standpoint for us, you know, Tommy and I for so many years would say that we have to suspend reality to have conversations about our team, meaning to discuss our team in any

positive way means we have to suspend the reality that as long as Dan owns the team, none of this is actually going to happen. None of the optimism will pay off. None of the hope is going to be delivered upon. There isn't much hope. So we would, you know, suspend reality, enter Fantasyland and talk about how maybe, just maybe, maybe Alex Smith in the running game can eke out 10 wins in a division title. But the best part of now is our conversations no longer need the suspension of reality, you know, disclaimer. Because without Snyder, you know, without Dan, our team has a chance,

just like all of the others. We're like all of the others now. And we used to be not like any of the others. And that's nice to know and nice to feel going into each season. All right. My World Cup experience yesterday in Jersey after these words from a few of our sponsors. Hey guys, an admission, I love Goldbelly. I've been telling you about Goldbelly for three years now.

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That's goldbelly.com code Sheehan for 20% off your first order. Petro Perrault Williams. And funded in to Spain by Theran Tura. At last, Spain's magic moment. Spain dominated this game. That was obvious even to this. a pair of very inexperienced eyes. But it took them

105 minutes before they finally got a goal and they were 11 on 10 when they scored that goal and they won the World Cup for just the second time in their history. This segment of the show brought to you by Window Nation. If you need new Windows, Windonation is the place to go. Call them at 86690 Nation

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and sent in the direction of Wind Donation has come back with rave reviews about how they were handled as customers. They've got over 45,000 five-star reviews on social media. This is a company that does it right once you commit to moving forward. 86690 Nation is the number. You can also go to Window Nation.com. I got this from Will. Will writes, Kevin, I hope you enjoyed the World Cup as much as I did. No, soccer isn't your thing, but I'm interested to know what you thought of the game.

Even though it was one to nothing, I thought it was an incredibly exciting game. Spain completely dominated possession shots in the overall pace, while Argentina looked desperate from the start. The referee called it pretty fairly, though I'm still bitter about that Spanish goal taken away by a very questionable foul call. I'm really anxious to get your thoughts and feedback on it, especially what you made of the unbelievable atmosphere and the raw passion from both the Spanish and Argentina fans. Cheers, Will. Thank you for that, Will.

I'm probably going to push back on an incredibly exciting game. But let me get to my thoughts. And I want to start with my number one takeaway. It's the thing that I'll always remember about attending. the game yesterday at MetLife in New Jersey. And that is the Argentina fan base specifically, much more so than Spain's fan base. Not that Spain's fan base wasn't passionate as well. They were just so outnumbered.

I mean, it wasn't just yesterday. It was all weekend long. I spent the weekend, excuse me, in New York, got up there Friday night, was there all day. Saturday, Saturday night, Sunday, before I finally jumped. on a training came home last night. They outnumbered Spain's fans, Argentina's fans did in the stadium yesterday, 8 to 1, 9 to 1, maybe 10 to 1.

I mean, they outnumbered Spain's fans in the city all weekend long from my perspective. Wherever I went, Argentina jerseys everywhere, Messy jerseys, number 10s everywhere. I looked this up, by the way, because Messi's jersey was just omnibus. present. Everywhere I looked all weekend long, there was number tens, Messi's Jersey everywhere. Messies Miami jersey, he plays in the MLS, is right now the number one selling jersey in the world and has been since he joined Miami. I can't find information on his Argentina jerseys, but I can't imagine any athlete worldwide is even close to Messi in terms of merchandise jersey. I don't think I appreciated before this weekend how far and away he is from anybody else on the planet in terms of being, you know, number one in brand, and number one in recognition, number one in everything.

I mean, he is the most well-known athlete in the world. I know that Ali and Jordan, you know, in Pele from years ago, but in terms of current athletes, Messi is a runaway number one. I read that Rinaldo in terms of Jersey sales is number two. Mbapé from France is number three. And I read that the most sold current American athlete jersey worldwide is actually Steph Curry's, not LeBron's. Just amazing, though, how many number 10s.

were all over the city and then at the stadium yesterday. The Argentina fans, I mean, it was just the best part of being there yesterday. I knew that they were passionate. I've read over the years about their passion. They sang nonstop from literally the moment we walked into the stadium and got to our seats, which was about an hour and a half before the game started, until I arrived. at the train station to go home last night. There were Argentina fans everywhere, just singing and chanting.

They're just so passionate. They're so intense. But in a very different way, I think, from my experience anyway, than American fans are. They seem very happy. They seem always supportive. They're not big at, you know, at least yesterday anyway, big complainers about officiating or bad calls. it was just insane to me that they lost this most important game,

and yet they seemed so relentlessly supportive afterwards. It was unbelievable to see the singing and the cheering continue from after the game until, again, hundreds of Argentina fans at the train station when I got there last night. They seemed just so genuinely loving. and caring for this team and the players. And I was thinking, you know, look, after a seven-game hard-fought series, will you get fans of a home team that loses a seventh and deciding game

to get up and cheer for both teams? Yeah, but more often than not, American fans, their team gets their ass kicked like Argentina did, which I know it didn't reflect that way on the scoreboard, you're leaving and you're leaving disgruntled and unhappy, and that's not what happened yesterday. I think that there's like this real appreciation for just the overall journey. You know, I don't think as sports fans, that's always top of mind. And yet, you know, in these tournaments and in these long seasons, it is the journey.

You know, only one team can win it, but there's a lot of joy and a lot of pleasure when your team, has a great season, even if it doesn't end in championship, that you're provided. And they showed appreciation for that. That was one of my takeaways, anyway, from watching this fan base. Maybe, you know, part of it is that they've won so many of these. They've won three of them. Yesterday was their seventh. They've won them recently. It just was interesting to see that level of sustained support. There was obviously real nationalism, Patriot, expressed, you know, in that as well. Yeah, that was my number one takeaway.

The decibel levels of their cheering and singing off the charts at times. You know, I was told, and I mentioned this, that there were a few people that told me this would be, you know, not necessarily the game to go to for atmosphere because it would be more like a corporate Super Bowl crowd. Not really. That wasn't my impression of it. It felt like a home game for Argentina. Yeah, my number one takeaway, and it will be my number one memory when I think back on yesterday, the Argentina fans, just off the chain passion.

You know, we see this with some of our teams in the U.S., never our national teams, obviously, but, you know, there are college football fan bases and college basketball fan bases, and there are some pro fan bases that are that level of. passion. I mean, we saw it last month with the Nick fans. But the singing is so unique to soccer. And because this was really the first legit soccer event I've ever been to, it was just kind of cool to be in the middle of it. Spain's fans were great, too. It just was a fraction of what you got with Argentina's fans in that stadium and in the city all weekend long. You know, another takeaway was it did, I mean, it felt big. You know, it felt big being there. Of course, it did.

I mean, it's the biggest worldwide event. I've been to Super Bowls. I've been to Final Fours. I've been to big fights. I've been to, you know, we talked about this last week. But yesterday, there was a palpable buzz all weekend long leading up to the moment that you walked onto the grounds that met life. It felt that way all weekend long.

The World Cup was everywhere in New York. I mean, a major buzz to this event. And again, that's obvious. But again, you know, not to be repetitive, it was the Argentina fans that made it feel that way more than anything else. We got to our seats 90 minutes before the game, and the singing and cheering was underway as if the game was being played. There was, the best part yesterday was what I've said about World Cup and enjoying it.

on TV. The importance of it to the rest to the rest of the world, the importance of soccer and these national teams. And then I'm sure the same applies to, you know, the Premier League teams and La Liga and Bundesliga and all, you know, Italian A, all these teams that are worldwide famous. There's just a level of importance to it that we've never placed on it. So that's interesting to be a part of, the pageantry, the, the, the, the, the, spectacle that it is. I was into that and was, you know, certainly not disappointed. It met or exceeded every expectation that I had for it. All right. So that was my favorite part. The Argentina fan base, the big feel, the big game, the buzz, the palpable excitement, the pageantry,

all of that, the importance to both, you know, fan bases. And then came the game. Look, I'm not going to convince anybody, and I would never do that. I mean, I appreciate that there are, you know, real passionate soccer fans all around the world that just understand this better and feel it in a much different way. We weren't raised that way. It wasn't part of our culture. We're the one country in which it really was.

wasn't. So there's no way that you're going to get me to try to convince you on the things that I don't like that you shouldn't like. Of course not. It's all subjective anyway. But for me, the game was a bore. Boring. I know that Spain was absurdly great on defense. I could sense that. They apparently were like the 85 bears during the whole World Cup. The goalie only faced 10 total shots the entire tournament. But there's just not enough action. There's not enough juice in these games. Now, the World Cup as a whole over the last five and a half six weeks or whatever it was, there were games that had juice and were really exciting. The comebacks, you know, the Argentina come back against Egypt, the Argentina come back against England, the England-Mexico

game, I think probably was number one for me in terms of viewing it. But, but, but, you know, But you get a zero to zero game for 105 minutes. And it's very defensive in nature. It's Ben Don't Break for Spain. Now, they had some opportunities, especially when they went 11 on 10. And I've got some thoughts on that in a moment. But the game itself for me,

I can't think that there's going to be a time in my remaining lifetime that I am going to really embrace it. all the other stuff every four years definitely I'm all in the game itself and I'm into these games and how they're played and the X's and O's and our seats were behind one of the goals and I actually loved that perspective and I do see what they're trying to do I don't know how there's I wonder what the innovation in the sport is like where's the how mummy or Mike Leach to kind of spread things out and throw the ball 80 times a game and try to outscore somebody, you know, 63 to 56, or in soccer, the equivalent of like 5 to 3 or 6 to 4, like the game on Saturday, the third place game, which I did not see, England beating France in, I think, the third highest scoring game ever in the World Cup, in the third place game. By the way, I saw somebody tweet out, ooh, this third place game has Roger Goodell thinking. There's no way the NFL would ever have a third.

third place game. Like the NFC championship game runner up against the AFC championship game runner up a week later, a week before the Super Bowl, a week after the championship games, you would never get enough legitimate buy-in from the players. So you'd have to pick from your practice squads

and go out and sign players to play a game with players that no one would recognize. You're no chance. Like last year, Okay, the Rams would have played who, Denver in that game? First of all, there would have been no Bo Nix because he was obviously hurt in the divisional round win. But do you think Matt Stafford at 39 or 38 years old is going to go and play in a runner-up game or any of the key Rams or any of the key Broncos? No chance.

So you don't have to worry about, would it attract an audience? Yes. even with replacement players, which is essentially what you would get, you'd get a pre-season style matchup. It would draw a number, no doubt, but there's no way they'll do that. And there's no way the union would ever agree to that.

I just was not, you know, the game started, and my focus for a lot of it was just in this section with all of these Argentine fans and watching them. I was watching the game. Don't get me wrong. And number 19 for Spain is a tremendous player. I can certainly recognize Messi's unbelievable talent for sure.

And the great players, and the great players really played out in this World Cup. This is a memorable World Cup. But I loved number 19. the 19-year-old from Spain, Yamal. I mean, he was obviously great. So was the guy, I thought, number 17, Nico Williams. And number 24, I forget what his name is, a lot of hair. He stood out to me in the game.

Obviously, the Argentina goaltender number 23 stood out. This is just a hard game for me. There are a couple of big, you know, hurdles that I don't think will ever change, and so I don't think I'll be able to clear them. And, you know, the big ones for me are, you know, it's not enough action. You know, they call it the continuous game, but there's really a lot of lull during a soccer game. The flopping is just impossible to watch for me, and I think for a lot of American sports fans. Of course, we have flopping in our own sports, the NBA in particular.

but we actually try to get it out of the game. And it's a different level of flopping. This is all, you know, most of the time just to draw a penalty, you know. And so, and the theatrics of it is just a bit much. It's hard to watch grown men behave that way during a competition. And for me, I've mentioned this many times, the clock, even yesterday. I mean, you had an extra five minutes when you, you got to 120 at the end of extra time, and you had, I think, multiple substitutions and a

couple of injuries or not real injuries, and it ended at five minutes. That couldn't have been right. They had to have another three minutes. Argentina had to have. But this arbitrary timing system in which one person, the referee, knows how much times left in the game, just doesn't work for me as an American sports fan. I'm not criticizing those that don't have a problem with it like the rest of the world. What I've learned through this World Cup is that there's some drama associated with not knowing how much time's left. It adds to the excitement and the drama of it. Okay, that's one way to view it. The other is I'd actually like to know how much time my team needs to burn off or to come back from the current score situation, like to the second.

I mean, and then these referees allow like these extra, you know, offensive pushes from the team that's behind. And I've already drawn the analogy to, you know, you're watching a basketball game and the Lakers are down too, and they get a shot at the buzzer, it misses, but there's an offensive rebound. And the referee just says, well, we're going to let this possession play out until they turn it over or miss another shot. If they hit one, they win, even if it comes after the time

that was left on the clock. There's no way that the time with the throw-ins, the flopping, the celebration after goals, the substitutions, all of that stuff, there's no way. It is precise. It is very random and arbitrary, and the referee kind of just wings it. There, there's, There's just no question that that's true. I promise you if somebody did a study about the amount of time that should be on the clock after all of these different things, that there's no way they come close to hitting it consistently. But the rest of the world doesn't care. It would be hard for me to live with that.

I don't even mind the fact that the clock never stops running. I don't even mind that the clock goes forward rather than counting down. I mind that there is literally no way to know when the game will end when you're watching it. That's the part that I just don't understand. Bless their hearts for the rest of the world for not having an issue with it. And again, I'm not trying to convince anybody otherwise. I'm just sharing with you how I feel. Look, that game yesterday was dominant, dominant.

dominant 20 shots to two I don't know what Argentina was doing that they shouldn't have been doing I'm not sophisticated enough to really understand that I know they had messy all bottled up it's you know Spain did I know Spain has been great defensively my guess is after watching a lot of these games a France Argentina game would have been more exciting more free flowing perhaps

but Spain's great defensively And look, I love in football or basketball great defensive teams and even low-scoring games. But this was a no-scoring game for 105 minutes. There were opportunities in that goaltender, goalie was great. The fight at the end, I know there's a lot being made of Argentina and the guy that tried to start a fight and their sportsmanship and whatever. Really? I mean, that wasn't much of a fight. I mean, we know what a real melee, you know, a real, you know, fight looks like.

That was some pushing and shoving and whatever. There are a couple things, one thing specifically, that I would just ask those of you that are big fans of the sport. In a big game like this, when a player gets a yellow card, why not immediately sub for that player? Why risk the chance of going down a man like what happened? know that the player was a good player. And, you know, I'm not suggesting that you take Messi out if he gets a yellow card. You know, his experience, I would expect him to be a player that wouldn't end up getting another one. But why even take that risk of being down?

Because they were being dominated 11 on 11. And then when it went to 1110, it was just a matter of whether or not Argentina could get to penalty kicks, which is what they were trying to do. and they almost pulled it off. They also down a man, almost their best opportunities were at the very end of the game, and I guess that's kind of the way they played throughout the tournament. I think, you know, the conversation, the big picture conversation that a lot of sports fans are having,

and I'm talking about people that really got in to this World Cup, and I am one of those people, you know, the conversation about whether or not this is, going to be the soccer event that for once, you know, and for all, will spark American sports fans into falling in love with soccer. I don't see it that way. I don't think it'll happen. I think this is similar to the Olympics. Every four years, we can really get into it, but we're not then going to watch women's gymnastics during the other, you know, three and four-fifths years.

We're not going to tune into track and field as much. We're not going to, you know, watch wrestling or, you know, or figure skating. I know figure skating gets great ratings. Don't, I understand that. But look, the problem is, is the league here in the States is inferior to the other leagues around the world. And even though the Premier League in La Liga, you know,

is televised here. I just can't see coming in to do a show someday where Chelsea versus Liverpool was like a massive American, you know, massive event

that Americans really were drawn to that we all watched and we want to talk about. I do think that four years from now, the next World Cup will be another exciting thing. And maybe this one was unique because it was in the States. obviously it was different.

I like the last couple of them. Yeah, I don't think, and it's unfair because I know that there's going to be a bump and a short-term bump that will be reflected in the MLS ratings or the Premier League ratings on NBC or Peacock. Part of the issue is that these leagues go into the football season. You know, the Premier League is basically a late summer fall league. We're not. We're not. This country will never, ever give up, you know, football is its number one. The NFL and then college football. Soccer's never going to come close to that.

Will it at some point match the interest level in baseball or basketball? I don't see it. I just don't see it. But cool to be there, no doubt. And wow. The Argentina fan base, special for sure. All right, a few other things to finish up with when we come back after these words from a few of our sponsors. Hey, guys, I want to welcome a new sponsor to the podcast. The name of the product is Tushy, as in, yes, that Tushy, your backside. And many of you should listen closely because I think this is something that will really help you. You know, it's 2026. America just celebrated its 250th birthday.

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hits the netting and bounces back out of the field and the Nationals go back to back. Abrams a two-run shot, Cruz is a solo homer and the Nationals lead at five to one. Nats radio play by playman Dave Jagler on the call yesterday in Sacramento is C.J. Abrams and then Dylan Cruz went back to back with homers in the fifth. The Nats had a five-to-one lead. They went on to win. win the game 5 to 2 and take this series this weekend against the A's. But they were not the story. The pitcher was more on that coming up. This segment of the show is brought to you by My Bookie.

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And my bookie will take really good care of you. I promise you that. They've got everything you need right now for the upcoming NFL season. All of the futures opportunities, the prop bets. Washington, the third pick in the NFC East behind Philly and Dallas. go to mybooky.com or my bookie.ag and use my promo code, Kevin, D.C. Wow. The performance yesterday by Foster Griffin, the Nats left-handed 30-year-old starting pitcher. And the run he's been on over his last eight starts is incredible. The Nats won the game five to two. They won two or three from the A's. They're back at 500. They open up a series tonight in Denver against the Rockies. By the way, how about the differences in some of the games out in Sacramento?

Friday night's game, the Nats won 23 to 4. That was the second most runs scored by a Nats team since they came to Washington. And then on Saturday night, no offense. They got no hit into the 7th and lost 15 to 1. But yesterday was about Foster Griffin, who went seven innings complete, allow just one earned run for his 11th win of the season. That's tied for second best in the National League right now. The 11 wins.

He's now made eight consecutive starts without allowing more than one earned run. That's the longest streak of starts of one earned run or less in Nationals' history. His ERA is down to 2.68. That's seventh best in the National League. He also, if you didn't catch it last week, he pitched an inning in the All-Star game and retired the side in order with two strikeouts. He has been quite the revelation. No one saw this coming from a 30-year-old rookie who was in Japan recently, started his career by barely getting opportunities in Kansas City and then in Toronto. And now this year, in 20 starts, he's 11 and 2 with a 2.6 ERA and on an historic run for a starting pitcher for the Nats.

This is a guy that does it with seven different pitches. We've heard about three, four, and five tool and six tool quarterbacks in the NFL through some of our listeners in the past. This guy's got seven pitches and he uses all of them. His fastball is not very fast. He doesn't throw heat. He is a thinking man's pitcher. Think Greg Maddox. I compared him when I had Dave Jagler on my show last week.

I said, what about a guy like Annabelle Sanchez who pitched for us during 2019? He said, not a bad comp. I mean, you're not seeing fastballs reach 90 plus very often. He's got a four-seem fastball, and a lot of times you're seeing it in the upper 80s. But this guy is a pitcher's pitcher. He knows how to get people out and keep people off base and keep people from scoring. Now, if you're wondering, he's not in the Sy Young conversation. You know, look, another, let's take half of his last eight games, another four of these,

and you'd have to wonder, you know, where he would be. at some point. Like, is it possible that he could be, you know, making some sort of run into the odds picture? But right now, there are six National League pitchers with better odds, saw young odds on my bookie than Foster Griffin. But long way to go. There's just some really lights out pitchers with real good stuff, too, you know, overpowering stuff that are in front of him.

But what a season he's having. You have to wonder as we approach the trade deadline. Would they deal a guy who's going to be an unrestricted free agent and may have worked his way into a big deal? Are they going to sign this guy to a long-term deal? If they're not, will they deal him at the trade deadline? Will they leave it alone and let him pitch out this year? The Nats are now within two games of the wild card spot?

This is going to be so interesting over the next couple of weeks. I think this Colorado series is huge, because Colorado is a team that's really struggling. They're 40 and 61, 21 games under 500. One of the worst teams in baseball. In fact, let me check it. They might be the worst team in baseball if the angels aren't. Yeah.

No, the angels have a worse. They're worse right now, barely. You got to get another series win to get to a game over 500. It would be great if they took all three and were 53 and 50. you know, heading, you know, as we get closer to the trade deadline. They got to be within that two, three games of that wildcard spot or maybe even in it with a nice run here. I had Grant Paulson on the radio show today.

You know, he's a big MLB network guy and big baseball guy. And he thinks that, you know, Toboni and company are going to be maybe some soft buyers and soft sellers at the deadline, nothing major. but you wonder what they would get for a guy like Foster Griffin with the way he's pitching for another contending team and you're you know are you going to resign him when this season is over I don't know but what a season he is having really at this point can it continue we'll see but eight straight starts of one earned run or less and yesterday's game was the during this stretch was the most he's given up in hits.

A lot of these games, you know, he's given up four hits, three hits, one hit, and six, seven innings. Eight hits the most, and he only struck out two yesterday, but he only walked one. You know, he's in the top 10 percent right now and walks issued among pitchers in baseball. Really interesting time for the Nats, an unexpected competitive season ahead of schedule. I don't know if that means next year they're going to be. be thought of as a team that could, you know, potentially win 88, 89, 90 games and be in the postseason. You know, right now when you look at the standings, the Nats are in fourth place in the

division. You know, the Braves are in first. They remain in first. The Phillies have cooled off. The Marlins now have really cooled off. They were on fire, but they've lost six in a row. And then they're in, then the Nats are there. You know, the Mets are the, in, and, and, and, and, the bottom spot in the NL East. But in the wild card standings, right now, it is bunched up in both leagues, by the way. In the National League, though, you have right now three teams tied for the third wildcard spot, St. Louis, Miami, and Pittsburgh. And then Arizona is a half game out.

The Nats are two out. San Diego is two and a half out. So you essentially have six teams battling for that last wild card spot. The Phillies are solid solidly in that second wild card. spot. The Cubs are solidly in the first. By the way, just baseball in general has gotten interesting. The Orioles have run off seven in a row. And now all of a sudden in the American League, the Orioles are only two games out of a wildcard spot. And Boston's been, I mean, you talk about a complete turnaround to the season. They've won 13 in a row now. They're in that third wildcard spot

in the American League. And they are just six games behind Tampa in the American. League East. So we've seen some surges here in the American League East with Baltimore and Boston, but the Nats and Foster Griffin, really, really impressive. All right. With Tommy tomorrow, we'll probably touch on the RG3 stuff that came out after the show on Friday. The, you know, just, we'll get to it tomorrow on the tweet that he put out. Iuke, you know, there were some tweets out from him over the weekend. We'll touch on those tomorrow as well and get more into our football team a little bit on tomorrow's show. But I did want to share with you the World Cup experience.

It was great. It was great. It's just I can't see watching much, if any, soccer between now and 2030 when we get the next World Cup. Actually, I think I'll be interested in the Euros in two years. I've watched a little of that.