Men in Blazers 05/19/23: WGFOP: Weekend Preview

Hey Prime members, you can listen to Men in Blazers ad free on Amazon Music download the app today. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, host of Wondrous Business Movers. In our latest series, Phil Knight bets the future of his little known shoe company Blue Ribbon Sports on a big move, creating his own in-house brand. With this bold direction, Phil creates one of the most recognizable and successful companies in the world, Nike. Listen to business movers becoming Nike on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to the Men in Blazers media network, sub-op to more radio. On Wednesday, on the second half, there were two moments. The first one, you asked Kevin to pass more with the ball. And then Jack, you were blowing kisses to him because I think he passed more with the ball. Is that a kind of game that you feel that you have to be more part of it? And was that the moment to play? With the action, with Kevin, I love it. We shout each other and I love it. I like this step from Kevin. I like it. So sometimes in some games, it's like a little bit flat and I like this energy. Like because you're not the first time, you don't see it, but how many times he showed me in the training ground. And this is what we need of him. Oh, that is Pet Guardiola talking about his relationship with KDB. We shout and I love it. I just come to think of it sounds just like my relationship with Everton Football Club. It's Ronch. It's Friday and we made it to the end of another week and I don't know about you. But I'm still quaking after watching Manchester City. Nuter, overwhelmed and essentially dismembered defending champions Real Madrid. The Real Madrid of Benzema, Modrich, Vinny, Jr. Champions the semi-final. And they were tossed aside. As if they were Southampton. Oh, really? The point of Gunderwan Foden. Here's Alvarez! That's how to round off one of the great nights in the history of your football club. Real Madrid have not just been beaten tonight. They've been wiped away by the brilliance of Manchester City. You know, Gary Kasperov, the chess Grandmaster of Grandmasters once came on MIB. And he told me that the big blue only had to beat him once for humanity to know the age in which people were smarter than computers was over. That's honestly how I felt watching Carlo and Chilotti. Oh, Mr. Carlo, I still love you. Gobsmack there on the sideline. So shattered. Dude just unable to muster enough strength to even so much as raise a quarter of an eyebrow. As his charges were rendered impotent, shawn, of all that diabolical magic that had made them near invincible last season. Let's just say this. Everton Football Club held out longer than Madrid. And this weekend, City could Michael Jordan the Premier League title and deliver their three-peat. And we'll discuss that achievement. A feat that only Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and mighty Huddersfield town have experienced. We will break it all down in depth. We'll talk about United season. And we'll say farewell to Liverpool cold hero Bobby Firmino. And welcome following battle again as a great American on this day of days in which, well, a year ago, two-day Everton Football Club heard of them, came back from the dead against Crystal Palace. And I was there toasting Frank Lampard and Anthony Gordon. As if we'd won the bloody league. Remember, here's what I sounded like at full time. Drunkest Rogerable Time, Top 10 Candidate. It's enough to make your hearts grow warm. We don't care what the red sheep say. What the fuck do we care? Cause all we know is it's gonna be a show when the Everton boys are there. Of the fucking zombies. Never in doubt. Never in doubt. Suck it rapper. Oh, sigh. The more things change, the more things stay the same. I've got to tell the app dreading the wolves Everton came at 10 o'clock tomorrow. Ah, one other quick note. We are partnering with the GFOPs at New Balance. Love me some new balance to give away a pair of honest-to-God, B'Kai-O-Saka. Lord, I love that man. His signature boots signed by the Gent himself with the pen and everything. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Raven, to get a chance to win B'Kai-O's boots. Enter to win. Entries will be accepted until Friday, May 26. So subscribe, subscribe, subscribe. Alright, let's get it on. Producers Sophie, sting me up. That was Bobby Firmino by Ben Bannister in Knoxville, Tennessee. Thanks to you all. We've got a sting for almost every occasion. We don't have a Phil Jones one, though, sadly. But you are listening to WGFOP Weekend Preview, the show that has as much self-awareness as an ecstatic post-game DJ Greels dropping F-bombs. A hot on the mic. Call in all your questions to 646-450-9472. And it could be your voice on next week's pod. And I want to start with a quick taste. I want to raise my third first Bud Light of the day to Sheffield Wednesday. What a city. What a team who yesterday astounding. Pud of a stunning comeback to end a place in the League 1 playoff final. Thanks for a 5-3 win on penalties. But first they had to overturn. Yes, a four goal first leg deficit to win against a shot to reeling Peterborough. I mean, should we wait until we're so out of it, one of their fans had a viral mean scene around the world after the first leg where he ripped up the ticket that he brought for the second leg. No pointing going. There's always a pointing going to see your team. You never know. You are never out of it. That is the joy of this sport that brings us all together. And I'm so happy for Darren Moore, their manager, as Luis Michael, Ekigare tweeted, as a Black manager in this game, not only is he in the overwhelming minority, but everything goes against him. A Black manager's judge differently attacked with racism and abuse. And Darren Moore never stopped fighting. Two great days for Darren Moore and his club for that magnificent arctic monkeys of a city. OK, let's do it. Question number one. Rod, it's John and Georgetown, diehard city supporter. The game is just ended. What have I just witnessed? Yes, I'm talking about the truth Everest swearing in front of Kate Abdo on the CBS post game show. No, seriously, what a win, what a club. I don't know that we've ever been flying higher than the game I just witnessed. Tiny Bernardo Silva swooping past the Real Madrid defense to pocket a goal and then scoring a perfectly placed header. Honestly, this club, the joy they give me, I just have to ask, how many goals does Holland score in the final? Now that he didn't score in the semi, love to you. John L.L.A gorgeous, first of all, if you didn't hear Patrice ever in just a giddy, final post whistle scenes at Manchester City Real Madrid, he stumbled onto the CBS set in an electric red suit. And regaled us with the tail of his argument during the game, win the crowd with a city fan. He was looking at me, he was like, this is for you, this is for you. So I came close and said, what are you shouting, why are you so agitated? He said no, because last year I said I don't TV, I said to myself, that's why they lose against Madrid. And I said this, they didn't tell himself. And that's why they, but that's the truth, Micah. But you know, I'm honest, man, I'm straight. And after you apologize and it's a... There's two things, the audition isn't going so well, because we don't cuss on the show, apologies, America. Queen, Queen is not cussing. God bless you, Patrice ever, never change. One night for Manchester City, one of which Pep said they healed, he ur, a pain, they've had in their gut from the defeat at this very same stage, against that very same team in 2022. And while City will almost certainly win the lead title this weekend, as they take on Chelsea Sunday 11am Eastern time on USA. We know that ever since Shait Man saw Tukova and transformed the club 15 years ago, the Champions League has been their singular goal to be Champions of Europe. That's what it's been all about. And there's no doubt this season that City have been truly awesome in the true sense of the word to witness. Yeah, watching them. It's also strange, it's clinical. It's an almost sterile experience as a fan, because it's really football without jeopardy. We know Manchester City will win. Before a ball has been kicked, they are that inevitable. Miguel Delaney calculated that Manchester City have only been behind for 116 minutes in their last 2,145 minutes of football played, 1-0 Spurs for 75 minutes. It was 1-0 to Liverpool for 10 minutes, and it was 1-0 Madrid for 31 minutes. So you watch this city. And really the only question is, how are they going to score? After the signing of Harlem as the ultimate deterrent, the ultimate weapon, it's normally him. Yet if he doesn't get you, KDB will. Or Gunderwan, or DJ Greeland, or Foden, or Alvarez, or Morez, and on this occasion, Wednesday, it was Bernardo Silva twice. Bernardo Silva, who on any other team in the tournament, would be the most intelligent, skill-soped player. But for City, he's been reduced really to a best supporting role, in which he crops up and steals scenes with his ruthless majesty. That header, the instinct, the accuracy, the creativity, the vision, the execution, honestly watching it all. It all feels like one of those movies where robots are overwhelming humanity, and I don't know about you, but I never really love that moment in any film I watch. And if there are financial misdemeanors behind this pillar squad build, City can just go off and sign Britain's most expensive lawyer, Lord Panic, on Retainer, and having repel all the charges, like some kind of a legal Edison. So how many goals will City win by in the final on June 10th against Inter? Let's be candid, Inter can still win. That is the magic of football, but it's also highly, highly unlikely. This is the same Inter team, remember, who were clipped by a Munich. In the group stage twice, I think it was two nil, casual, cantor in both games, and we all remember what Manchester City did to Thomas Tukal and by a Munich in the quarterfinals. Cities, greatest opponent in that final ultimately may be themselves, their own stage fright, their own grappling with the moment. Or as Jonathan Wilson wrote in the Guardian, their own eroses, the accumulated scar tissue of Pep Guardiola's disappointments, and whatever traces of City Otis still remain. Here's Pep, pretending he only cares about the Premier League by the way. On Sunday we have the game is now hands to win the most important competition. So Premier League is the most important because it's 10, 11 mouth every week, and every week, and every week, and we are lucky to have the chance to finish at home with our people and we have to take it. Entrepreneur Phil Knight started a company called Blue Ribbon Sports on the strength of what he called a crazy idea, that American joggers needed better running shoes and that they pay top dollar to get them. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, Hosted Wondery Show Business Movers. We tell the true stories of business leaders who risked it all, the critical moments that define their journey, and the ideas that transform the way we live our lives. In our latest series, Phil Knight sets out to build an empire by importing athletic shoes from overseas in Japan. But in 1971, a dispute with a Japanese manufacturer almost brings Blue Ribbon's growth to a screeching halt. In this moment of crisis, Phil bets the future of his company on a big move. He creates an in-house brand and takes control of the production of his product. Following this bold new direction, Phil ultimately creates one of the most recognizable and successful companies in the world, Nike. Follow business movers wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. Hey, Roger. It's Marshall from Prescott, Arizona. I'm an interest to United supporter. So Manchester City could potentially, as a dark horse, win the Premier League, win the Champions League, and then of course this summer, from what I understand, have a sentence handed down to them from the Premier League where they could potentially on win the Premier League. That's a word. So I know you don't have a crystal ball, but help me to understand this. Contextualizes for me. I mean, I think it's a bit crazy. What in this sick world is twisted? What was the Blue Ribbon's all thing? Anyway, courage. Thank you. Oh, Marshall. Raising. As you're sure there's a Manchester United fan, the other side of the Manchester City story. Yes, the 115 Financial Fair Play charges, which, well, they're not really talked about that much in-game right now, which I guess is tribute to the peerless rump that City have turned the back off of this Premier League title Chase, and he used a word Chase incredibly loosely, but these 115 charges lodged by the Premier League itself. They're very same body that will most probably be handing City their third straight title this weekend. They will have won five at the last six, yet they were at war with the organisation. And it's really fascinating that in this game, City will probably plunge against Chelsea, because Chelsea were the, now we know them as a delightfully slapstick chaos club, but they were the very same team, who pioneered the model of fleshy wallet football under Roman Abramovich, where an oligarch stepped in and said, I'm going to infinite bankroll this team. And City, as a state run club, have essentially taken that model to the next level of near perfection. There's currently a big debate roiling in the British media. Jamie Carriga tweeted about it yesterday about whether City are a footballing phenomenon, truly a footballing phenomenon, or a testimony to cheating, as to where the City with the arrival of Harlan, that smiting biblical fist, you know, and Pep just with his brilliance having his team this season peak at Italy, the right moment in the campaign or a pure peerless footballing manifestation, or whether those 115 charges, not yet proven guilty, but the charges level the gates for financial misdemeanors, will ultimately undermine all that. And honestly, I believe both things can be true, Pep can be a great manager, the greatest manager, the football elite, and the whole enterprise can still be built with a finger on the scale. You know, genius and cookbooks can coexist side by side, just as this Chelsea who City will face on Sunday demonstrate that immense amounts of money splurged does not inevitably equate to a great football squad, exquisite play, effortless glory. So what will happen to those 115 charges? No one really knows, we don't know the process, we don't know the timing, we certainly don't know the outcome. I did like yesterday, according to the Times, that Manchester City made the first steps in their fight against the allegations with a challenge that includes questioning the involvement of the head of the Premier League's independent judicial panel, a gentleman called Murray Rosen, and he's essentially leading the case against Manchester City because he's an Arsenal fan. And their own representative, I've already mentioned him, the famous Lord Panic, of whom the City fans chant Panic on the streets of London. Yep, Lord Panic, also an Arsenal fan. Huts by much. Anyway, here's City's title permutations pending Arsenal's result. Earlier in the weekend, if Arsenal have already won, a point for Pep will do it, an Arsenal drawer will effectively deliver the title, the City's goal difference is so immense, but they will make it official then with a draw of their own, and if Arsenal have crapped the bed, and lost, City will have won the title without kicking a ball, Q Party Party. You saw me standing alone, with you. Next question. Hey, Rod, this is Sam from Springfield, Missouri, lifelong man United fan, and very excited fan of the newly st. Louis City SC. I just want to thank you for the pod and for deepening my love and understanding of football. My question as a man United fan is, as we're kind of teetering on the brink of being out of top four, seeing that fifth place. To think Eric Tenhogg has earned enough of that goodwill to keep that season. I mean, I'm just thinking back to Olay and getting fifth and then getting sacked. Do you think Eric's got enough? Do you think he's earned the fans? Let me know what you think, Rod. Serge. Sam, thank you for your really beautiful, generous words, which honestly mean the world to me about United spoiler alert. I do think it's all going to be OK. I do believe you'll be feeling a lot better after this weekend, Boomer against Manchester United Saturday, 10 a.m. Eastern time on USA. Marcus Rashford's return from illness permitting. But I also think this big picture, Eric Tenhogg has his leadership, his strategy, his squad build. Honestly, we're wonder since he arrived in Manchester. Remember, he landed an inherited and island of misfit toys in players who were there was friction in the locker room. There's a detention. There was division and within six months, he'd banished one of the biggest egos in the world football to Saudi Arabia. That was an incredibly difficult act. Renee, they made that difficult. It was inherently difficult just the size, the scale of that human brand. Tenhogg handled that like a master. The reignited Marcus Rashford. Luke Shaw, not just Rashford. Keeping Bruno focused is some incredible task. And then bringing in Casamero. Remember, when he came, he just wanted the money, sad for Casamero. He doesn't care about football anymore. He cares. He cares. What Casamero has done on the field and with the intangible of his own leadership and his will to win and what he's done to the locker room. Incredible. Incredible. And he committed the case. Casamero has actually filled a right keen size tool that has existed in the United midfield. And even if United do fill out the top four, and to be clear, I do believe they will hobble just about over the finish line and clinch Champions League football, which is vital for them symbolically, economically, in terms of the transition, the quality of players that can be brought in when you win the Champions League. Irrespective, this has been a truly remarkable season to me under the ball Dutch control king, because for the first time in the decade since there, Alex Ferguson left, feels like there was a genuine upward momentum at the club. Not just that. It feels like there was a football brain in charge, not the commercial department, but someone, a manager at the wheel, who actually knows how to drive the bloody car and isn't constantly pulling over to the side of the road to look at the users manual for the glove compartment, trying to work out how to use that clutch and get it into third gear. And yes, yes, there are still seismic questions. I mean, the ownership, this grinding, never-ending, multi-round, we were told it would be two. What are we up to? Four round five by who knows? We also don't know, and they're connected. Size of the transfer kitty available this summer for the rebuild. But sticking to football, if you'd said to any United fan back in August and in 10 hogs for a season, you would win one domestic cup, be in the final of another and have the prospect of Champions League football under your control in your hands with three games to go. Those arms, bit enough. One quick United note though, Phil Jones this morning, really a beautiful, incredibly honest farewell letter. It's on Twitter, he put it under his own account, find it, read it, leaving Manchester United after 12 years at the end of this season. And the 31-year-old wrote that it's been difficult the last couple of years, there's no denying that, and then added in his club interview that he felt he was, quote, letting people down. And then he found it, quote, hard to even speak to my teammates because I was hurt that I couldn't help them. And honestly, when I read it, deep sadness for the man, respect for him, stepping up, being honest in this moment in this way, reminding us we football is our human and then some. But it only feels like yesterday, I was actually at the 2011 MLS All-Star Game in New Jersey, where Jones just made his debut and was being talked about as the next great English centre back and his career. Well, let's see some highs, Premier League champion, FA Cup winner, World Cups, but it'll mostly be remembered really as the ultimate Premier League meme lord. His dissent, often mirroring that of his own club and his passion, his commitment, his title commitment, Miss Construde. And that's such a long with Joe Hart among the most human footballers of the Premier League era, wishing Phil Jones success, future joy, ultimately in a piece in all that is to come. To come through at Blackburn and play for my boiled club, Blackburn was my dream come true, but to go on to my new night and win the Premier League and play a part in that was so special and it's something that I'll never forget. Hello Roger, it's Paul from Boston, I'm an enormous Liverpool fan. I know you asked on the internet whether we think we can make top four but I would give almost anything just to make sure Bobby from you know has his proper goodbye. I don't know what we're going to do without him. He was in so many ways the key and the heart and the lynch pen of everything we did and I'm not going to enjoy looking at him at a different jersey but yeah I just got to put that on to the universe, we will miss you. Courage. Paul, oh hello mighty mighty Boston, Samuis country, what a lovely lovely sentiment you bring to football in terms of your priorities is Liverpool, face Aston Villa, Saturday 10am eastern time on Picok and field will say it's farewell to the inimitable Bobby Chompers. 31 year old glare tooth Brazilian leaves after a trophy-lead nate year stay at the club and Liverpool has had greater sons, ten attackers who scored more goals, better goals, more important goals though to be honest Bobby netted so many of those 209 goals in 360 appearances but few players have achieved all that he has and maintain that giddy absurdist spirit the game played as if a no look goal should count double Bobby Firmino rode the naive joy that we all experienced when we played the game as kids on school yards and streets across the world but he's maintained it all the way deep into a Premier League winning career always took to the field as if he knew each moment was a chance to send a message about both how transcendent life can be and how silly it is all in equal measure. Let's hear one more blast of C Senor for all times sake we will never see as like again. Oh god bless you Bobby and thank you. Next question. Hey Raj it's Haley from Baltimore I'm an Arsenal fan and I have a question for you today. One of the features on the newer Mario Party team is that you can tag in an ally along with your player and then you get all the ally roles as well given the Balagun news this week if you as Balagun could bring an ally with you to join the US Men's National team from the current England Men squad. Hey, for Baltimore Lord I love that city and a long to walk down the street of hand them. Stop off at my favourite vintage hat store, but your question comes at a great time because 21 year old Brooklyn born London bread Arsenal reared striker following Balagun has one time switched to become eligible to ride with us in the United States and let's take a listen. To Balagun himself and hear him explain why. Yeah so my decision to represent the United States became together with my family and we decided it would be the right thing for me. The country I was born in so I mean in the end it became a no-brainer but for sure it's just something that I wanted to do and it feels it feels like I'm at home here. Following Balagun is a great American first of all how good is it to have good news great news emanating from our US Men's National team after all we've been through it's amazing and to be clear the on loan from Arsenal at Rengol Skourer he's not a messiah he's also not even a very naughty boy but he is a leading alternative who though still raw in his young young career has so much potential in a position striker where we cry out for elite alternatives. A couple of things first let's not delude ourselves that there was a tug of war between England and the United States for following services and then he chose to ride with us all you need to do is google the English attacking depth chart and you'll see what Balagun saw when he asked himself how would he gents her ahead of me here you canes you rashford you're only Watkins you're Ivan Tony's when he comes back from his gambling naughty naughty on the non the non the non there was no real pathway for Balagun in the England national team anytime soon and we got a world cup coming here with that too from a commercial perspective for any serious footballer that's a dream and there's no doubt that Balagun is an upgrade for the United States and yeah he will lead the depth chart for for our team I mean he's used for a rarer can tweet that he is quote smiling through it all but he Josh Sargent had you right our levels away from Balagun Ricardo Pepe is a raw talent that we have to feel optimistic about Darryl DK god bless please please get healthy Darryl DK but you know we also need to recognize and I said this in the wake of the news that we are paragons and magical thinking as us fans because we've yearned so long we've had so much time to dream we've had our fair share more than of shattered dreams and we want instant dream fulfillment and we want it now and we're willing to persuade ourselves that one single massive arrival or one deal with the greatest manager in the world is going to make our fantasies real but we also know rationally that sadly football light life does not work like that we have a locomotive scrapyard of rusting hulking broken hype trains let me name some Freddy a day Brek Shay teal Bunbury Juan aguadello Julian Green Josie Zardes Joe Zhao Mark Pelosi Geddiams Ella them and more and more and more all of them testimony to that reality so when you find yourself doodling in your dreams our world cup 2026 starting line up and fantasizing about politic geo Tyler western segeneo old man Tim ream balling up we're following at the tip of it all just savor that surge of joy is lovely to dream but recognize all of it for what it is you know we're going to stop saying oh we can't we're good I feel sorry for other teams we're going to be did at stick because if our last World Cup cycle has proven anything to us should be that this young generation of footballers that we have in our US jersey they have just delirious amounts of talent but talent and its development see desk McKinney geo it's never straight line it's always filled with ups and downs moments of wonder moments of challenge so let's revel in this news following is a true update in a position that if anything the United States World Cup campaign was essentially an infomercial that we cried out for we scored just three goals one stunning one crotched and one the total fluke so following is young he will have watched that he knows we need him he is a massive massive edition he has a massive upside but the decision over he'll be the next US men's national team coach which I believe should be a minimum that's the one to obsess about in terms of your question who I'd bring as a mario party ally from the England squad simple Jack Greelish always DJ Greels basically because I think he's possibly the most American-minded non-American in the Premier League and Greels doing conca-calf would just be chef's kiss I adore that man but let's savour Balagan for now and not be greedy god speed to following and his family make you thrive in our colors and talking about thriving in our colors we at Men in Blazers won two webbies too not one two oh I almost did the treble this week we won for the best partnership and collaboration for our podcast series World Corrupt which we take with my friends Tommy Vito and Crooked Media that show landed both the webby winner and people's voice trophies when you win a webby the tradition is you give an acceptance speech but it can only be five words that's all they allow you and here was mine US win World Cup 2026 getting many US men win the World Cup in my lifetime as our women have back two back and this week we shot an interview a beautiful interview with a remarkable Julia Eart's fresh back with Angel City and I hope the US women's national team at this World Cup in an interview which will be released this Saturday Julie Tour with with tribute a true human insight into the experience of becoming a mother as an elite athlete and the emotions live through six hundred and eleven long days out of the game also taped with Becky Sarah boo episode two of Road to the Cup which was slice of beauty and I'm going to leave you with a burst of Julia Eart's but wait one quick note I talked in Monday's pod about the tragically early passing of my cousin Dan Kay a Liverpool journalist the Hillsborough campaigner and at Liverpool's game on Saturday his memory will be honoured and feel will erupt in the applause and as I said Dan has so few members of his family left alive to celebrate his achievements I will say this moment this weekend that unveiled is beyond meaningful to Dan's memory and the selfless grueling work he did in the fight for justice and like Dan for Dan let's make great memories together through football this weekend and not take a second for granted this is Rodge saying big love and courage and his Julia Eart's last question for you Julie the World Cup as we pod just 66 days away the end point possibly of a long journey the honestly many weren't sure we'd find you on again and the squad has not yet been announced we have no idea who will make it but there is the distinct possibility of magically wearing that US crest again and I'm wondering when Madden is a 10 years old how would you explain this chapter of your remarkable journey to Madden and what you've learned from it to him when he's older well I feel like I would have to thank him for allowing me to fall in love with the sport like childlike again you know when you're like super young and it's because like seeing through his eyes of just almost the innocence of him and the beauty of life and kind of through like the ups and downs and the hearts whatever there's always like joy because he's like always our joy he's like the new additive you know you don't sleep you don't do this but like you have this beautiful child that just smiles and loves you obviously I got to continue and improve my my worth to be there and that would be my dream to to be on the roster but even so just the journey of watching myself get back and training and being able to play the sport that I love it's it's really like a thank you to him for allowing me to find balance in a sport that sometimes it's like so chaotic of life that you keep me sane like in the sense of just finding joy because he's our joy so it's like in every way it's like how do I add Madden in in my life to to add a balance and that's just has been I think the key. Two more joy Julie you are such an inspiration millions across this nation are rooting for you are inspired by you to you to your family to Madden Angel City and the United States Godspeed and thank you thank you you amazing courage hey prime members you can listen to Men in Blazers ad free on Amazon music download the Amazon music app today or you can listen ad free with Wonder E plus in apple podcast before you go tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wonder E dot com slash survey