Transcript of Nick Wright Summons The Dirty Demon of Debate | Hour 1

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This episode of the Dan Lebatard Show is presented by DraftKings Sports.

DraftKings, the crown is yours. So which was it, a rock fight or a knife fight? Uh, one of those is far worse than the others. Like, Mike keeps going rock fight and a knife fight.

I like knife fight better.

Well, but I— knife fight's got to be the— a gunfight's terrible, but it's quick and it— and, and it's less— like, a knife fight is too intimate. So it— was it a knife fight or was it a rock fight? And what Which is the knife that we're using that we're not scared of? Because he keeps saying England was going to need a bigger knife, and I didn't, I didn't understand what he was doing there.

You know, they used to stone people in biblical times, but that's from a long—

that wasn't a fight though. That was a— look, that was, that was not a rivalry. That was not a historic rivalry. That's just executions. That's not the same thing at all. Mike, which is it? Like rock fight, knife fight? Make a choice on what that, what that was, because I'm arguing that Argentina did neither of those things. I say they dragged him into quicksand.

That was a knife fight. That was a knife fight. There was this one brilliant slo-mo, and there have been so many plays from that, from that match that have already been broken down. But there was a foul called. I think it drew a card where Messi had such composure. He dribbled through like 3 dudes, all of which were fouling him, and that drew the first yellow of the match. It was a rock fight then, no doubt. And then— but then it became a— because there was precision towards the end. No, Nick, what do you think?

Nick disagrees.

First half rock fight, second half knife fight.

All right, we're on the same page.

I didn't, I didn't hear the beginning of the show, but I assume you and I were around the same age, went to the same pop culture reference of a lightly watched movie 36 years ago. England needed a bigger knife, and I would have done that in Australian accent à la Crocodile Dundee if I could do accents. But that's what, that's what it was. It turned into a knife fight and Listen, I heard you guys, you know, Dan, because Dan has become in his older age such a, just a slave to stats and numbers, even after paying full tribute to the fact that this Argentinian team can't be explained, except for they can be very easily explained. They're very religious people with a very religious team, and they believe one of their teammates is actually God. So they can reach down and touch something bigger. Um, I don't know why anyone would pick against them against Spain. Yeah, sure, can Spain win? Sure. But what is— I'm just curious, what's the game situation Spain feels good about? Trailing? That's not good. Tied? Well, Messi's gonna do it. Leading late? They've got us right where they want us, like at point when you're playing the absolute undeniable GOAT at the peak of his powers, somehow at the peak of his powers, and all of his teammates would die for him.

There's something to that, I believe.

How about this stat? The only two players in the last 60 years to have the most shots and create the most chances in a FIFA World Cup: Maradona in 1986, 29 shots, 30 chances created. Messi, 34 shots, 25 chances created. I— we're in the age of mastery. I've been saying it, Nick, but this kind of— people can't become numb to the fact that this guy's better in this decade than he was in the last one.

So this is— and here is the thing that is so unique, and I don't— again, it's great to be back, by the way, but because of the World Cup, my— the TV show's been early, so I haven't seen you guys in like 6 weeks. So it's wonderful to see you guys again. Um, and so you guys maybe have covered this, and I don't want to do like a soccer history lesson, but it was, you know, less than 10 years ago, the story of Leo Messi was one of the greatest players ever. Some people think he's the most talented player of all time on the club level and on the individual level. No one's been more decorated. And even though he individually was brilliant, he had never won anything for his country. And now he— I mean, he, Dan, he retired from World Cup play 12 years ago. He was like, I can't do it anymore, it's too heartbreaking. And now he is on the precipice of lead— becoming the— leading a team to to be the first team in the history of the sport to win 4 consecutive major international tournaments. He already is the all-time leader in the World Cup in goals, in assists, in everything.

He is going to become the only 3— he's already, I think, the only 2-time Golden Ball winner in the World Cup history. He's about to become the only 3-time Golden Ball winner. He right now is the leader for Golden Boot. And this was the one thing he wasn't good at. Like, if— and I said 12 years ago, all we have to do is go back 3 and a half years ago. Argentina loses to Saudi Arabia in the first game of the Qatar World Cup, and everyone's like, all right, I mean, this is— he's gonna go out sad. And since then, they've won every game. He's been the best player in every game he's played. And it's just a transformation reputationally. And at the end of these games, he just— he plays perfect. I don't think there's a comp for it because it's not like Brady or Bron or Jordan had this big hole on their resume that they then filled in at the end. So I don't— it's truly remarkable.

Well, let's examine though what you're saying as the critic for our times. Go ahead and do the pyramid of the greatest of the great. Worldwide, your time. You are a LeBron stan, and I'm sitting here saying that what he's doing, what this human being is doing at 39, is an immortality that no one else other than Tom Brady has achieved at that age. You're supposed to be dead and done. Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

We're doing Who's the GOAT across all sports.

GOAT of all GOATs with Nick Wright. Oh, come on, that's a good show. Pyramid nightclub.

Yes, Mike Ryan, I'll one-up it. I'll one-up it.

Wait a minute, how about—

wait, how about a Mount Rushmore? I'm coming. How about a Mount Rushmore, Mike?

Nick, you're not listening to him. He— the dirty demon of debate is ejaculating as you speak with 3 penises, and you're sitting here so excited. You're not— you're such a selfish lover that you're not paying any attention to him.

I was trying to up it. I said I wanted— I think the only thing better than doing a, uh, Sports Wide GOAT debate is a Sports Wide Mount Rushmore, and I have it ready for you.

Yeah.

No, but about my lifetime, you said. No, but in my lifetime.

But Mount Rushmore makes the 4 equal. I want the— I want— I want the— I want the one at the top of the— Yeah. And spit on it a little bit with Dak contract talk. He's jacked now. Can I—

can I— can I tell you something in all seriousness? And I don't know if I can be serious after that, Mike. What the World Cup— the World Cup's given us a lot. You know what it has really given us? Every day when we do the TV show, there are topics at the bottom of the rundown that don't make it in that if not for the World Cup, I'm like, we would spend 20 minutes on this and maybe lead the show. Like, Dak, number 6 in that ESPN quarterback rankings, has not made the show. It would feed us for 2 days. If not for the World Cup. So thank you, Infantino. I appreciate you, FIFA.

Mike Ryan was weeping because Kevin Wildes dared to tweet, Argentina played to win, England played not to lose. He's like, we've made it a sport in this country.

I'm— Nick, let me give you a compliment. You, Colin, Dan, to a very large degree, and Zaz, I'm so proud of how you've avoided the the, the tropes of yesteryear, how you guys are embracing this. And I know you're part of Fox, and maybe that's an edict from on high, but the way that you guys are seriously taking this and not treating it as it's some niche thing, because it's the biggest thing in the world. Finally, legacy voices are meeting the moment. I'm really grateful for it. I, I, I popped when I saw Kevin Wild's tweet.

So I, you know, on that note, I thought, you know, people got mad at me because back when the US was still playing, I dared to have the opinion of, uh, Christian Pulisic. I know you got kicked in the calf in the first game. It's the World Cup, maybe play through it. And then in the other game, I know you by your own, you know, account turned your ankle, but maybe play through it. And I think there is a level of soccer's arrival being stamped by this, the soccer stars, or in Pulisic's case, alleged stars, getting the Sports Take treatment. Like, nah, we're gonna, we're gonna take some runs at you. And really, you know, we can really up the ante when you're like, hmm, Mbappé, I know you score a lot of goals, but since you've been the best player on a team, you've never won anything, and your team always wins as soon as you leave. But that's neither here nor there. You want— you want to call Messi the greatest athlete of all time? I'm okay with it, Dan. Mount Rushmore of my lifetime would be Messi, Bolt, Brady, Braun. Um, and I don't— like, Serena maybe would have a, a say in that.

I don't know who she would bump off. But if you want to say he's the— what, what happened?

I'm an ally. He shouted, I'm an ally, because you wanted to make that Mount Rushmore, you know, you wanted to make it diverse.

Don't forget about—

well, I Listen, I'm not gonna— Marta, great Brazilian female player. I, I don't— I feel better about my historical standing in women's tennis than I do in women's soccer as far as being able to compare them. And I'm not trying to be an ally, I'm trying to be fair to half the world. I included Bolt.

Yeah, but that's, that's, that's the one that's got— he's got to go. You got to put Serena in there.

Here's the art.

You're safe. No, you get him.

I think Bolt has I think if we're arguing Messi is the greatest athlete ever, I think Bolt has the strongest case against him because my case for Bolt has always been it's literally the, the oldest sport in the world. It's literally the one sport that even before there were sports, human beings had to do. And we know definitively he's the greatest in human history at it. I can't believe you morons are excluding Shohei Ohtani. I mean, what's happening here? Oh God, yo, what are you talking about?

What am I talking about? What are you talking about?

Shohei Ohtani does not have the body of work to be in this conversation. Shohei Ohtani, like, what are you talking about? Work the balls.

Jeremy, you picked this fight. Don't back down.

Yeah, I know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the best two-way player of all time. He basically plays two sports at an elite level. He's, he's a, he's a top 5 Cy Young Award guy. He'll win, he'll win a Cy Young potentially this season. He's one of the greatest hitters we've ever seen.

He's a 50-50 guy. He's a multiple-time World Series champion.

And by the way, in a sport where it's not even about team accomplishments, it's about individual accomplishments and the individual statistics. So yeah, he's the greatest to ever do it. He's Babe Ruth times a billion in an era where it's more difficult to hit a baseball. Hold on, just real quick, just real quick. If we're going to be at all accurate or at all fair, I was not including Babe Ruth because I was talking about my lifetime, but since you did, I will. Oh, in no way, shape, or form has he even come close to approaching Babe Ruth. You just gave him a side— hold on. You gave him a Cy Young. I said he's never won it. I said he's a runner-up. I'm finished.

Oh, hold on.

Yeah, he— there is— he has never been the best pitcher in baseball for a season. And one could argue that over his time, he has batted back and forth, him and Judge, the best hitter in baseball. I am— I'm not here to neg Shohei Ohtani, but you want to put him, you know, alongside Braun and Brady, you're out of your mind. You're out of your mind. It's just not— it's just not— there's no— there's no back. The idea of it is great, and the fact that it— had he not blown out his elbow or whatever the hell he did to where he could— why is everybody laughing?

Because Mike is the demon, is clearly climaxing, and you're a selfish— put a finger in there, but if you tell anyone, I'll deny it. And where? I figured you had 3 holes. Dealer's choice, baby.

He's a Rookie of the Year, he's a 4-time MVP, he finished up runner-up the one other year, he's MVP.

He's not Babe Ruth yet.

Babe Ruth couldn't hit Anthony Bender's slider. Are you kidding me?

Don't just stare at it, eat it.

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Dan Levitar! If Daniel Day-Lewis did it, you'd be jerking off all over yourself. Oh, come on.

Yeah, I would be.

Aggressive description.

I mean, what is it? What is that? I'm just saying. No, that's just saying what?

That's me. Daniel Day-Lewis does something. I see that photo of Daniel Day-Lewis looking like Lincoln before he's about to start filming Lincoln, and you know what I do, Amin?

Mike Ryan!

I jerk off all over myself, that's what I do.

Lincoln, who you outed the other day?

Don't make this a rejoin.

This is the Dan Levatar Show!

I don't know who I'm supposed to be interacting with.

Just keep doing what—

I'm not comfortable. I'm just here to watch.

That's Sazh's job. Hey, that's Sazh's gig! What, what, Nick Wright? All you have to do is be Nick Wright and give us the goat of goats, uh, and when you do so— and Kevin Wilds is in the background saying, I thought England played not to lose— you get the Dirty Demon of Debate very stimulated. And the Dirty Demon of Debate has several penises, and you aroused at least a couple of them. There is cum everywhere. Yeah, because of how well you guys were arguing, and you guys were doing really great debate. Uh, you got— and so Mike was just excited.

Where do you put Maradona?

How about Alexander Karelin, the Russian, uh, the wrestler? Yeah, the guy never lost for 10 years, you know, wrestling other people. The original sport.

No, that's pretty good. I mean, that's a good one because that, that goes in the same bucket as Bolt, where as far as I give extra points to how old your sport is, Brock Lesnar, and you know, wrestling has existed— I assume guys at one point in time like had to wrestle bears and shit. So like wrestling is an important one, but didn't he lose his final match like in some shame to an American?

Yeah, he has like Rulon Gardner lost at the very end.

Yeah, yeah, held on a little too late.

Yes, agreed.

Uh, do you agree with me on this? Can I be serious for a moment or is that ruined the segment? This has all been serious. All right, do you guys believe when you read the stories of like mom lifts car off kid like that, there is something human beings can tap into that is greater than themselves. And yes, I believe that. Okay. I truly believe whatever mysticism that is, Argentina's team, Messi's teammates tap into.

Have you ever believed that of another team that you've watched ever in your life? Because when you're saying this, you're not You're not— you like some of the abstractions, but I've never heard you do it— a religious abstraction where this team believes more and its people believe that they do have not the hand of God, the whole body.

Yeah, and, and I think their belief is so pervasive it makes— it impacts the opponent. Like, think about what we've seen, right? Cape Verde— and shout out Cape Verde— tied Argentina through 90, tied Spain through 90. Um, that a guy on Cape Verde scores a goal to tie the game. He knows logically the game's not over. It is such an out-of-body experience. He jumps into the stands, finds his girlfriend. Egypt thinks they're going to beat Argentina, has it ripped away from them. The coach starts throwing up the— I think that's the racial abuse sign he threw up. To the point to where his brothers and his brother and other coaches were like, chill out, calm down. Switzerland has finally gotten back in the game. One of their star guys gets so excited about it, he just flops and ends up flipping that game. And then yesterday, England, they bring in this German guy who— it's a fun little Wikipedia deep dive on Thomas Tuchel. Everywhere he goes, he wins. He's there for some 15 to 21 months and then he leaves with everyone hating him, but he wins. They bring in this guy so they don't get tight late.

They, they are, they have the lead and he, I really feel like there's, there's such fear that Argentina and that, that team belief creates for the opponent that they play a different way. And so it does become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Maybe Spain will have the antidote, or maybe everybody's showing, understandably, that picture of Jamal with Messi as a baby. Like, I don't know, man, if I'm Lamine Jamal and there's like a little tiny bit of me that's like, all right, even if he's not religious, like, all right, maybe this guy, you know, touched, like, you know, maybe I'm me because of this. You think he's going to be at his best in this game because he touched me?

Wait a minute. So, so you're, you're alleging— just to be clear, because you were touched by God, you're now afraid that you're going to lose to God in this game because the only reason you are who you are is because he once touched you?

He's not afraid to lose. It's like, all right, what an honor.

What an honor to lose.

Am I me because of him? And if so, Can I really be at my best here, or is this his moment? I get the next one. I'm just saying. I'm just saying that— what, Mike?

I think Lamine Yamal wins, and he hasn't played his best game. I thought he was really excellent against France. Uh, they are not a one-man team, and what sets Spain apart, not just their defensive prowess, because they are unbelievable this tournament, they are as equipped and organized offensively as any team to face Argentina, but the fact that they pass with intention, they keep possession. England was quantifiably more tired because they just punted almost literally on possession. If I told you that is not the Spanish way.

I told you though, right now though, Mike, it's the 80th minute. Spain's up 1-0. What are you expecting to happen?

I expect a surge. And here, if Messi— here's where my concern lies. And I love Kukerea. I think he's underrated.

He's a—

he's now going to Real Madrid. He was a Chelsea player. Variance. If you have that crazy hair, you're susceptible to mistakes. It's a wide variance, like David Luiz. But if Messi spends half as much time on the right side as he did against England, watch out for Kukureya making a mistake and leading to a card. Kukureya is— he is feisty, he is— he'll get up in you. He's a great defender, but he, he can be trapped.

So, and listen, I'm not— Spain We've talked a ton about Spain on the show. I'm sure you guys have. There's— prior to the game against France, I feel like Rodri, who has an argument that he's been Player of the Tournament, hasn't even been discussed. If Spain wins, Rodri becomes the 11th player in the history of the sport with a Ballon d'Or, a World Cup, and a Champions League, and the other 10 guys are just all-time legends of legends. I understand Spain is better. I understand Spain, you could argue, has played much better throughout this tournament, has faced much less peril throughout this tournament. I get all of that. I just don't know how much any of it matters. I just— I, I am— when, when Argentina has played 4 knockout round games and has led 0 of them at the 90th minute but has won them all.

You've never believed this. You've never believed this about a team before. Destined by God is what— is what—

Fabián Ruiz also wins them all. He doesn't lose when he's in that starting lineup. They're undefeated.

But Nick is making the argument here that— look, this is— it's not an absurd argument. It just seems like an absurd argument for me to hear from Nick, where he's saying the result of this game is that one team has God on its side, believes it, and the other team thinks it's so.

But the other one was touched.

I don't—

so again, Yeah, it's almost what I'm saying. I am, you know, I don't really know what my actual religious beliefs are, so I don't know if I do or don't believe God is on Argentina's side. What I do know in my core is they believe he's on their side and the other team thinks he might be.

Sorry, stick to sports.

Put it on the poll at Levittard Show. If you have that crazy hair, you're susceptible to mistakes. I also want to put on the screen here. I want to see if Nick Wright has any problem with what Kevin Durant did. A bunch of sports commentators for the day. I was surprised Kevin Durant did this because of all of the people here who some people might find objectionable. I don't think a lot of people would pick Nick Wright on that list. Kendrick Perkins. So one has to go.

Who?

And it's Barkley, it's Perk, it's Shaq, it's Stephen A, it's Bayless, it's Nick Wright, it's Shannon Sharpe, Colin Cowherd, Max Kellerman, Kendrick Perkins. And, and Durant says you're the one who needs to go from basketball. What's he doing there?

Well, he also, he wanted to pack up Colin Cowherd, to be fair. So I, I don't want to, um, I'll give you guys the full story on this that I have not revealed yet. Um, so I'm not very active on Instagram, and the young lady Gianna Sanchez, the young lady that Mike Ryan, by the way, helped get to the national championship game, that I'm eternally grateful for— she's a Miami alum, big fan of your guys' this. She, she kind of monitors my Instagram and she texts me and she's like, KD just tagged you in his story. And I just snap reply, is it nice or is it mean? And she replies, it's not nice. I'm like, damn. Um, so I, I don't— I hope he doesn't get mad about this, but I think it's fair. I think it's inbound. So I sent KD after I saw it the little thinking guy, this little emoji. And I, and I wrote back, I thought we were cool now. Hate to see it. And to his credit, he writes, what made you think that? And I was like, oh, damn, he got your ass.

That's great.

Super fun. And then, and then again, I hope he does whatever. And so he writes, it's just an opinion on your skills. 'But I don't matter. I'm not your bosses. They love you. That's all that matters.' And then, because I'm me, I reply with, 'To be fair, in my craft, much like you and yours, my skills are pretty unimpeachable. My opinions are, of course, a matter of debate.' Um, and then he—

and then, 'What are you doing? What are you doing? Like, what are you doing?' He said it's—

what do you mean? He questioned my skills. That's not— again, it's like questioning Durant's jump shot. That's not— it's not—

yeah, but he— but, but he's— you've got to go now. But yeah, but here— no, but the thing about what— the thing about what he's doing there, and I understand what Durant is doing— Durant looks at all critics and says, you guys have no idea what it is to actually be me. No matter what you think your level of expertise is, you don't know how hard it is to be me. You all underestimate how hard it is to be as skilled as I am. Nobody appreciates that I'm an all-time skilled person. And you're saying the same thing back to him. You're saying—

yeah, exactly right. I don't think he knows what it's like to be me either. Like, if anything, we have a symbiosis where, you know, neither one of us is the GOAT of what we— our profession. But deep down, we think we should be and think we're a little underrated and disrespected. And so that's fine. But like, some people, you know, there's critics of, you know, how I go about my business. That's fine. But he was very funny in that he then, to your point, Dan, he said, but you do show up every day, so there's an opportunity for you to move up on my all-time list. He's just doing the media what we do to him, which I deeply respect. Um, and so I, yeah, I didn't expect that, you know, that comment from him either, but whatever. Like, I got, I got no beef with KD. Um, I think, I think he You know, I think I have him 17th all time, and I think that probably bothers him. And I did, and I thought that him, you know, destroying—

that's the reason. That's the reason. That can't be the reason that you put him 17th all time. That's the reason.

I think it's— my guess is, again, I think it is a trifold reason. One is I think he thinks I have historically underrated him. Two, I think he thinks that I give favorable opinions to guys that I might have a personal relationship with. And I think 3, and I— my guess is the reason he picked Colin and me is I think we were 2 of the most kind of loud voices that were like, yeah, you know, that whole talking shit on all your teammates mid-season and then the season going to hell thing, that's probably on you. Um, and so I think those reasons are why, you know, He was upset, but I got no problem with KD. I like him. I think he's an all-time great player and I think he's very— an interesting guy. But, you know, that is what it is.

What's Right with Nick Wright is the name of the podcast. He's also on FS1's First Things First. Thank you, Nick. It is good seeing you again. We've missed you.

Yes, I missed you guys as well. Great to see you guys. Go Argentina! Dan Levitar, World Rawr 3. Mike Ryan, we're going to get that off the World Rawr 3 colon.

Our group chat has a pretty good feeling about this one.

This is the Dan Levitar Star Show. So the idea that God is on a team's side— I did not think I would live to see the day where I was listening to one of the best pundits that there are, uh, talking about soccer this seriously, breaking down all of the permuta— permutations, and then announcing at the end, some form of— yeah, one of the reasons these teams keep getting tired at the end is because they know, they know or wonder whether they're playing against God. Never more so for England than when that ball went off the post and it's just on Messi's feet. Like, it might as well have been at the center of the field. A light came from both the sky and the floor to combine to be like, you've got to be kidding me. The other guy hits a post, it That post sound felt like it punched two countries in the gut. Like, just because everyone knew what the absurdity of what the stakes are in that situation, that margin being that thin where— oh, that was beautiful what they just did there. Oh, that's how close the margin is off the post.

Now, Messi— wait a minute, how'd Messi get the ball right to him? How'd Messi get the ball in the middle of the penalty box when everybody's been trying to keep him out of there for 6 weeks?

The player tracking data has to show a spike in heart rate when McAllister's shot hits off the post and then slump shoulders once it lands at the feet of God.

I think they would have rather that shot to go in than bounce off the post and to mess up.

What a take.

Ohtani has 22 homers and a 1.79 ERA.

You can't do this.

You lost.

You lost.

Yeah, this guy's crazy.

Too late. And I'm tired.

I don't think I lost.

Put it on the poll at @LeBittardShow. Should Cape Verde just be given third place? Never mind France and England. Just go on home, pack it up. Give Cape Verde third place because they played Spain 0-0.

I was listening to an English pod and they were so sad to be reminded that they have one more match. Where?

Where is it?

Miami.

God, explain to me. Okay. Because of how wondrous I find everything here, because this was majestic a couple of different ways. I know we've got short attention spans and I know that we live in crazy times. Okay. But a really fun World Cup has been a spectacular success in all the ways for soccer, for the United States, for the world, everything successful. And then we give them the best semifinals ever and France gives us a turd. And that's not a lot of fun. But this last game, Messi is doing the majestic things as we head to the punctuation on all of this. The best scenario is what in the next one? Because I'm asking Mike while he's talking to Nick Wright. I think the best story is Spain's up 1-0 in the 80th minute again, and he does it one more time to a team that has allowed 1 goal in the entire tournament and he gets 2 in 10 minutes. Because that's the punctuation of the legendary story for all time.

Do you think if you said to Spain right now, you can be up 1-0 in the 80th minute, will you take that?

Or do you want to just start at zero?

But with all the subsequent fatigue of, do you believe that God is on their side and they've been punching you for 80 minutes because they're tenderizing you?

Which one?

Like, they're— all they're doing here is tenderizing you so you're at your weakest when they're at their strongest, and God is going to come down from heaven and the ball is going to hit the post and it's gonna be on his foot and it's gonna be light and a lightning bolt and everyone's gonna get scared.

There are no bad stories here. That's what's so great. If Argentina win, it solidifies— I think we put everything to bed. There's no more Ronaldo, although that's, for my money, well off in the distance.

We're not done with that yet?

No, it's just ghosts now. If he does it again at 39, wins back-to-back, which is something that is very difficult to do on the men's side, I think everyone just admits, holy shit, this is the greatest of all time. And if he loses, you get the next star. You get someone that was literally touched by God as a 19-year-old, already a reigning European champion, already playing for Messi's former club, already the number 10 for that club. You have Lamine Yamal take that baton. It sets up the next generation of storytelling. But is Messi going to be Hulk Hogan on the way out? Or Ric Flair.

For those of you watching on YouTube, DraftKings Network, Peacock, and the goal we keep showing from a camera angle that is for all time on just a phone because we're not allowed to have rights that FIFA is very protective of its rights. So I have really enjoyed that all show and I continue to say just play it all show. I want it in the corner of the screen. I don't want people to lose sight of the perfection of in that spot. Argentina making a goal look easy, easy. When these goals are so hard to come by. And I want you to watch all of the movements in slow motion of Messi as they fear him going inside, because they fear him more going inside to get centered. But he will also decide to pass on occasion in a way that gets past a couple of feet by inches, gets past a couple of heads by inches, and then becomes a very easy goal somehow.

Dan, you couldn't throw that ball to where he kicked it there. You could not—

not now.

Try to throw it with your Not with the spin, not with the curve, not with the momentum to catch your guy in mid-flight when it's skipping past other heads. I don't want to lose sight for a moment of the greatness that we witnessed yesterday. Now, Pablo Giroud, we said he says your mother's a slut. It's part of his goal call. We played him before. What was this, 2 times ago, 3 times ago?

The Egypt game, I think.

That Messi did this down—

That Egypt match was how many years ago?

That was 6 years ago. So you went to that game and you wanted Cape Verde at that game. You didn't want to be at that game.

Yeah, that was, that was 3 years ago. That Egypt match.

Egypt was up 2-0 in the 82nd minute, 83rd minute.

That's the only time this entire time where I'm like, oh, they're dead.

2-0. And, and a goal had been reversed. They could have been up 3-0. A controversial goal was disallowed. But this is where we discovered Pablo Girald and he just discovered that Argentina, Argentinians say your mother's a slut more casually than Cubans do. Let's hear what it is that Pablo did on this goal.

All right, I'm sorry, Mike was talking to me during—

he didn't say it there, Dan.

I couldn't do the translations. I heard a carajo. Mike was talking to me saying this is exactly what he was at College Station when it was 3-3.

Yeah, when Bryce picked that ball off in the back of the end zone.

So I didn't get to hear, uh, I heard a carajo, but I wasn't able to do some of the other translations I will not get used to carajo. I will tell again the audience, there are different dialects, but carajo is an all-purpose curse, but it's somewhere between the F-word and holy shit. Like, it's a pretty strong curse.

It's strong, but again, casual. Do they not have like regulations on their—

Well, but no, what Andrés Cantor told us is that Argentinians don't use those "your mother's a slut" the same way the Cubans do. That he's saying Andres Cantor saying that your mother's a slut is casual slang. It doesn't even mean your mother's a slut. It's just a euphemism.

Yeah. To put it in English terms, do you remember the horror on Zlatan and Thierry Henry's face when Alexi Lalas just said wanker? And they were like, oh, how do you say that? Really? Wanker doesn't mean anything here. Over there, it's a bigger insult.

And so that's what happened on that particular goal call. Zazz, did you find yourself yesterday because, like, Like, I don't every day want to just ignore that on the slowest sports day of the year, allegedly, after a really wonderful tournament, they give us the very best of things. Because I don't know, it was a week ago that I was telling you guys, it is an honor if you are someone who loves sports to watch desperate champions be desperate. It's like the best of the viewing experiences when you're coming in baked into the game with knowing the history, knowing the stakes. Your knowledge is so large about what you're watching that you almost can't explain it to somebody who doesn't understand. I will ask the poll question again at Le Batard Show. If I lined up all of the players playing in the semifinals and you were watching and picking teams for the first time, is Messi your last pick physically? Just based on what you're looking at, is Messi the very last guy you're selecting given that I've told you before, that he walks past the weight room with a cup of black coffee. He's not doing the things the other people are doing.

When you were watching that match though, who looked desperate? Because to me, Argentina looked really calm. The team that was desperate was a team looking at the clock waiting for that match to end. England looked desperate and uncomposed.