FROM MESSI TO HAALAND AND A LITTLE DP! | EP. 35

Welcome back to the WaterBros! Follow and subscribe for weekly (almost) sports content! 
This week, we dive into the love of the World Cup, the heartbreak and joy of moments from the tournament so far, our favorite matchups of the quarterfinals, and our picks for who will win it all! We also talk about the Jazz and the crazy offseason action across the NBA. 

As always, we kick it off by filling the jug with all the great things going on. Fill someone else's jug by sharing this episode! 

Stay Hydrated! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

What's up, everybody? Welcome to the Water Bros Podcast. As always, uh, we're your hosts. I'm Zach, and this is my little brother Ben. We're back in action. So get to the bench, grab a drink, follow and subscribe. And Benny, we're talking about the row World Cup action, all of the jazz craziness, the NBA craziness. Yes. What an episode we have coming up, dude. How are you doing? What do we have coming up today?

SPEAKER_02 0:32

Yeah, I am doing very well. Excited to be back in the saddle. It has been too long. Um, I feel like we were talking about this just before we got started. Time flies uh when you're when you're having fun and things are happening, um, which we'll get into in just a minute. But what we got coming up on the episode, you hit it right on the head. We're gonna be filling the jug, first and foremost. Got it, got it, gotta air it out, see what's been going on, what's been filling the jug, and some high quality H2O, which there has been a lot of with World Cup, NBA, golf, you name it, it's happening. High quality H2O coming at you, which speaking of which, Adam Sandler officiated Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey's wedding.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Yes, he did. How amazing would that be?

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Super, super awesome.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Do you have the rings?

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Yeah. You know, I'm just I can only imagine what that must have been like. I hope that's true and not like a rumor, but no, that is true.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

It was uh confirmed by Andy Reid at a church event. So wonderful. He talked about some of the advice that the Sandman gave them during the uh the matrimony. So it is real.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

That is the wedding of the past uh quarter century for sure. So yeah, super awesome. Um, we are gonna touch on some NBA news as well as World Cup to finish us out. Nice and sweet episode here today. Before, as a teaser, we'll get into some college football updates and news next week. There's been a lot that's been happening. We'll recap media days. We're gonna talk um preparation for fall camp. We're gonna talk different deals that the Big 12 is doing. The full saga has come to an end mostly with Brendan Soresby, so stay tuned for that next week. So, like you said, Zach, like and subscribe, tune in to what we've got coming. But why don't you kick us off, brother, with some fill the jug? What's what's been going on for you?

SPEAKER_01 2:39

Yeah, we're gonna keep it all sports. I mean, you said already it has been a blast of a summer. We've had a really good time, some great family time in the pool, having a blast. But I'm just gonna say, fill in the jug right now. I've been playing a lot of golf, and it has been an absolute riot. Jane is in full support. Um, I still suck. I am I say I am not good, but I'm improving, and so we'll take that. We we went and played 18 when we were down in St. George. I've been going for the last now like four or five weeks. I've been going every week, and so it has just been so much fun, and uh, I'm loving every second of it.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

I mean I just have an itch. It's like this all-consuming, it's just always present right here, you know. Just like, oh, when do I go to go swing and hit a little white ball again?

SPEAKER_02 3:39

You know? Yeah, I I feel you. I mean, it is uh an intoxicating sport, something that just keeps you coming back again and again and again. And I'm glad we get to play it together, which we will play again this Friday with our cousins, which I'm very excited about.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

With uh Adam and Spencer, it's gonna be a great time. We're gonna go play Meadowbrook. We've been there before, so hopefully with some familiarity. I I've been liking trying to go to similar courses back to back, try to build some consistency, and Meadowbrook has it's not the hardest course in the world, so I'm I'm hoping for a good time on Friday. Yeah, but no matter what, it'll be a good time. Hoping for some good shots.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Yeah, good shots alongside a good time. Absolutely. No, we'll we'll definitely have some fun. Like today.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

I had a I had a 25-foot putt for par today, and that that is the the shot today that's gonna keep me coming back for sure. That's incredible. That's super solid. I mean, eight yards, that's that's not a short putt. Yeah, it it felt like a long shot, but for once in my life I read the right line. It had a little it dropped a little bit to the right, and yeah, that was very satisfying. It was downhill, so that helped. Like it I didn't have to give it a lot, and the hill did a lot of the work for me. But yeah, that was very satisfying.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Oh, that's awesome. I mean, and then in St. George you had an incredible iron shot into the into the green. It was like a 135 or 145 yard shot or something.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Yeah, the eight iron worked out, and then like that's what that's that's golf. It's like I have bad, bad, bad, bad, incredible shot, and that that keeps you coming. So absolutely, it's it's been a lot of fun. I'm enjoying it.

SPEAKER_02 5:37

Yeah, I I agree. I I will say what's been filling the jug for me, obviously just celebrated the 4th of July, got to spend that time together as as family, as siblings down in St. George, which was a lot of fun. Um, you know, playing playing some golf. Uh, I think also what's what's been filling the jug has been um you know getting to spend a lot of time with Heather and Rudy. I mean, there's there's not much that's that's better than that. It's fun in the summer, get a little bit of a break between June and um and now early part of July, once everything wraps up at the end of a second, you know, second quarter, get a little bit of a break. Haven't had to travel um here recently. So it's been it's been nice. You know, that's it's filling the jug. I'm feeling recharged, feeling ready to tackle the back half of this year. And you know, I'm excited for a lot of things to come. Um, not gonna be breaking any sort of news yet um here, but very excited about what's what's up and coming.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Yeah. No, I I agree 100%. Only good things to still come out of the rest of this year, and we're yes, we're excited, man. Absolutely. But um yeah, and uh just to keep ourselves accountable, Ben and I have now, again, we're novice golfers, but we have set ourselves the goal here, dude, of a competition. Who's gonna break 50 first? And when I say break 50, that's on nine, folks. We're not good at golf, we're just trying to get a little bit better and than where we're at right now.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

So yeah, I I will say I feel like my game has regressed. I did break 50 last year, but now I'm back to where I'm sure it's really well above 50 again. So it's really a pressure for me.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

Yeah. Because last year you were trying to break 90, right? You were like right there on playing with some of your 18. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

Yeah, that was the goal. So Ben's helping me be better.

SPEAKER_01 7:56

You're helping me be better, dude.

SPEAKER_02 7:58

Yeah, well, I mean we got we gotta push each other. We gotta be striving for something while we're playing, right? It's not just, you know, it is going out there and having fun, but it's fun to like go and chase something.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Some some competition.

SPEAKER_02 8:10

Yeah. Absolutely. So with that, I think I'm on a little bit of delay on your end, so I'm sorry about that.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Um no, I I think we do have a tiny bit of a delay. I you're am I fuzzy on your side? No. See, and I got a little bit of fuzz on your end for your camera, but I look and I'm like I'm not freezing. But we'll just keep muddling. I think your audio's coming through. I think my audio's coming through slow to you. No, I I I'm hearing you just fine. Okay. Perfect. Well, we'll just keep rolling. Hopefully it gets better. I yeah, I just won't take over you. Yeah, fine, I'll do the same.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

So that brings us into some high-quality H2O. H2O. And how can we get it started other than a World Cup highlight? Now, for those of you that have been listening from the beginning, I did serve my church mission in Argentina. I lived there for two years. And that does give me the right to be somewhat of a fan of Argentina and their wonderful football team. Okay. So yesterday was an absolute riot watching Argentina versus Egypt. I've loved every World Cup game, but I will say the high quality H2O moment was Messi's assist to get their first goal on the board, and then an absolutely incredible shot with the side leg leaning, left footed, boom, just nails it for the equalizer, and he loses it. He was, I've never seen him cheer that much for a goal. It was awesome.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Yeah, I mean, what a boot, first off, down to zero. It's not looking good at all for Argentina. And that for Messi to rally, he is the greatest of all time. He is he's so stinking good. It's incredible to watch him. The touch that he has, the efficiency with how he uses his body on the pitch at his age. Like it's uh it's just impressive. It's so impressive.

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Yeah, I mean a 39-year-old, and he's out there just dominating. And you can tell, like you can see the difference making that he has on the pitch at any time. And and Egypt, I I will say real quick that Egypt did get maybe a little bit shafted um by the refs and the VAR. Not gonna lie. They probably should have won, or at least gotten the 3-3 tie if Argentina still went on their rally, but it was cool nonetheless.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

Yeah. No, and Messi still being in is always a good thing. And I think I saw somewhere they were breaking down uh Messi runs like 6.7 uh kilometers a match or whatever, and he averages 65% of that walking. And so he's just so smart. He just knows how to be where he needs to be when he needs to be there. And yeah, that boot, Ben, such a great shot. It was so good.

SPEAKER_02 11:37

I mean, that one has to go down as the goal of the tournament. At least up to this point. Yeah, it was incredible.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

For what it meant to the momentum of the game and keeping them alive, like it it there's just layers to that goal that make it so good.

SPEAKER_02 11:56

Yeah. And and I was incorrect. So when it when Messi tied it, I thought to myself, okay, it's 2-2. They still had seven minutes plus extra time. So okay, there's a chance where Argentina, if they keep the foot on the gas, they can win this game without having to go to extras, no penalty shootout. I think that they can get this done. I made the prediction to Heather after I lost my mind after the second goal. I said, this next goal is going to be an assist by Messi to Lautaro Martinez. Little did I know that Lautaro Martinez was going to get that volley all the way on the right hand side of the pitch, just still onside behind the defense, and just an absolute beautiful cross to Enzo Fernandez that framed his head. This is the coolest thing where he frames his head with his hands and then just head her right into the corner of the goal. Just absolutely incredible. That game was just high quality H2O all over the place. Man, I love me some World Cup. It gets me fired up. It's fun.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

Yeah. Amen, Benny. I couldn't agree more. And I'm gonna piggyback right off of that with my one high quality H2O for the day. I know you have a few more than me. Um but sticking with the World Cup, I'm gonna throw a shout out to Holland of Norway.

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Six foot four, two hundred like thirty, forty pounds, runs like a four-four at 40. This dude is unfreaking believable at soccer, but I'll highlight one, he had an incredible header, and two, that boot that he got low, and he just is his stinger across low into the pitch between the guy's legs. I mean the dude is just unbelievable. Again, I feel like he's the star of the World Cup. Messi was a known, right? We knew how great Messi was, and folks that are not casuals like me probably knew about Holland playing for Norway and who he is and what he's all about. But he is the winner of like just outbreak star for this World Cup because he's crushing it, and Americans love him. They're like, get this dude on a football field, you know, seriously. He's incredible.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Let's get the Norwegian absolute specimen of a human on the Minnesota Vikings roster.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

The Viking on the Vikings. Yeah, it's so great.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

He I mean, he definitely deserves a shout-out. And what's incredible is like his technical skills aren't anywhere near the top soccer players in the world. Like, he's not gonna get the ball at midfield and then like dribble and go around all these people like Messi does. Right. No, he's just a goal scorer. Get him within that.

SPEAKER_01 15:09

No, he's just a little bit more than that's getting. And you watch guys like you watch highlights of him now because he's all over TikTok and Instagram and whatever. And uh these guys try and tackle him, and he's just a brick wall. And he's bigger than them, he's stronger than them, and he's fast, just as fast. And I mean, yeah, he's gonna be in the box and he's gonna make you hurt 100%.

SPEAKER_02 15:35

Yeah, and you know it's funny when you bring up, you know, like casuals like us, because in all reality, everyone that listens to our podcast probably is gonna know we're not huge soccer fans, especially worldwide soccer fans. I mean, I know what happens in the MLS, and even then, barely, like really, if I'm just being honest. Yeah, so very high level. So, like, I know the big names, like I've heard Erling Holland, like I know he's good, Man City, great, cool, but I didn't realize to this extent. But another name I didn't realize, but with France, um, you know, obviously Mbappé, we all know Mbappé, he's fantastic. He scored so many goals in the World Cup. He's super good, he's on Real Madrid now. I didn't realize that his teammate, Dembele, on who's on PSG in in France, he's on the French team, has won the Boulogne d'Or twice. So he's won like the best player in the world twice, and I'm like that. That's crazy. I did not know that either. So that that surprised me a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

France is tough, man.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

Yeah, France is very tough. Um, but we will see what happens. I mean, you've got Argentina in there, you've got Norway. We'll get into some World Cup, but before we continue into the World Cup Todd, we'll finish up with that. Continue with the high-quality H2O. We've got to highlight something here local to Salt Lake City. Yes, because for those that don't know, yes, there's the California Summer League that's happening right now, but also the Salt Lake City Summer League, where four teams battle it out for three days with one day break in between, and then they go to Vegas for the league-wide um summer league. But the Utah Jazz drafted Darren Peterson, number two overall, last month in the NBA draft, and he has shown already how much of a pure NBA level scorer he is. Yes, it's summer league, I get it. But dropping 25 points, 28 points in his first two games in summer league, beating Cam Boozer, hitting that big three at the end against the Grizzlies. These things matter, and him saying he has the Kobe mentality, he knows Boozer got drafted right after him, and he's like, I know he probably has an agenda to beat me, so I can't let that ride. And I was like, this guy is what I'm all about. I and I'm happy we have him, and I hope he loves it here in Salt Lake City.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Yeah, because I mean if he continues to ball out like that, I mean, Utah fans, one that to be a jazz fan has been a little tough, but we will support and love the guy who's who's here. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. I think about Donovan Mitchell and how beloved he was here in the state, same with like Rudy Gobert. And these things just haven't worked out, they haven't been able to go the distance. But I'm excited to see what Darren Peterson DP can do here here with the Jazz.

SPEAKER_02 18:49

That's right. Yeah, I I'm pumped about it. I feel like he's having a perfect start, and I am going to correct myself real quick as well. Dembele has won the Bloom Door once. It was 2025. Once. Correct myself. Hey, um, sorry about that.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Way to wait a way to fact check. Good job.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

I had to fact when I said twice, I was like, I gotta fact check myself. I was incorrect. So for those that you know want to call out that, correct it myself. Um, with that being said, the last high quality H2O, we're gonna go back into the golf world. We talked about how we're not that great, but if there's one thing that we love here on the podcast, it is golf, brotherly relationships, and we love ourselves, you know, high-quality moments, the best of the best, showing what they do, high quality sport, high quality sport, and when there's a brother connection, makes it even better. So Chris Godderup just won the John Deere Classic last week, and he had his brother on the bag. Um, the day after 4th of July, he won the tournament. Um, and his brother had some PTO. He was asking, like, hey, give give my brother one more day of PTO. He just helped me win the John Deere Classic. I thought that was just absolutely awesome to see. I love things like that, where you know, on Father's Day earlier in the month of June, you had uh Miles Russell, one of the best amateur players in the world, had his dad, Caddy, on the last hole at the U.S. Open. Um just like those types of things. Golf is such a like historical game. It is a it's a moments game and tradition. And I think that things like that, where you see brothers, you see father-son, that's just super cool to me. And that's high quality at its finest.

SPEAKER_01 20:45

No, I agree 100%. And it just it's just the the intimacy of it, right? Like it, it's a moment that they will share that forever. And uh, what's crazy is whether it be uh the John Deere Classic, the US Open, or you and I hitting and you getting your very first birdie, like that's one of the great parts of golf is whether it's the highest level or just our novice level, those moments are awesome. They feel so good, and uh that's what it I mean, that's what it's all about. That's high quality H2 at its finest.

SPEAKER_02 21:24

Absolutely. No, I I do love that very much, and I still have that ball where I got my first birdie, so yeah, it's awesome. Yeah, that that stuff matters. With that, we're gonna dive into some NBA talk before we wrap it up with World Cup at the end. I I mean the NBA, I mentioned this to you while we were in St. George. Um, it never ceases to amaze me with how much drama, how much movement, all the things that happen in the NBA, it's incredible.

SPEAKER_01 21:58

I mean, it's like a game of music. Chairs.

unknown 22:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:02

Like it really is. It is so crazy how much things shift in the offseason for the NBA.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

And and with that, obviously the biggest domino, I just think, in terms of like ripples that it makes because of his historical impact on the game is LeBron telling the Lakers six hours before free agency starts that hey, see ya, I'm not gonna sign back. I'm gonna go play somewhere else. But I am playing, it's just gonna be somewhere else. Which was absolutely shocking. Um, we'll we'll get your thoughts and my thoughts on where we think he's gonna land or where we think he should land potentially. Um but I'm curious if you saw Rich Paul, his agent, LeBron's agent, on his um podcast with Max Kellerman, the former ESPN pundit. And Rich Paul had a full whiteboard of like scenarios and like teams he could go to. Have you seen this? No. And he basically broke down each scenario and why it would make sense. And I'm like, this is the wildest. I've never seen anything like this. It's the agent doing all this, and he's like, Well, it's LeBron's decision, but look at what he's looking at. This is what he'd be thinking. Like, I I I found it very fascinating. So we'll talk about that a little bit, but I was curious if you had seen that.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

No, that's that is fascinating though, to be able to peek behind the curtain a little bit and see what they're actually dealing with, what's on the table, what's all in the the cards, I guess. And uh Benny, why don't we kick it off with that? For you having seen that review, I think I have some guesses and thoughts on on what I would think. But where where do you want to see LeBron? You're a big LeBron fan. Uh obviously he's getting close to the end. He's probably wants to go somewhere where he can get another ring. What where where does it make sense?

SPEAKER_02 24:05

Yeah, I think there's you know, there's a couple places that I think would make sense. I am a huge LeBron fan. Um, with some of the moves that have happened, I think it would be very interesting to see LeBron in Philadelphia um as a 76er. I think that that's just such an interesting thing. He played with Embiid on Team USA if Embiid can be healthy. Um, you know, they just got Jalen Brown, they have VJ Edgecombe, who was an incredible rookie out of Baylor, and then Tyrese Maxie, who had a star next to his name on Rich Paul's whiteboard because they have a great relationship. So there's a lot of a lot of positive things there. I think uh like a farewell tour of him going back to Cleveland would be super cool.

SPEAKER_01 24:54

Would be really cool, and I mean you got Donovan Mitchell there, so he doesn't have to carry the whole load. You have some good playmakers, obviously, Cleveland got into the playoffs, they just have not been able to get the job done. Um I think would be very fascinating and a cool tour for them to go and do their thing.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

Yeah, and I I actually think that he would like that one, he just slots right in. Same with Philadelphia, but in in in Cleveland, just slots right in at small forward, perfect alongside Harden, Mitchell, Mobley, Allen, help some of these guys that haven't had a lot of playoff success, namely Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

And get them over the hump. And it's where he's from. Yeah, that would be very cool.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

So I think if you think about it for like a Cleveland fan, for him to be back in there, like that would be so cool.

SPEAKER_02 25:53

Oh, yeah, it would it would be really, really cool. Uh, an awesome way to end your career, retire as a cavalier, like just super cool. The third one, you know, I guess third on my list, I would say is Miami. Because if I'm him and I'm putting myself in in those shoes, how cool would it be to play alongside Giannis and Bam at a bio? Like, again, won a gold medal with Bam at the Paris Olympics. Giannis, him and Giannis have a relationship there. Yeah, like I think I think there's there's a lot that could happen there that would make sense. And he's been there before, he knows it. He knows the coach, he knows, he knows uh the system, knows the city, knows the team, knows everything. So there's there's advantages to a few teams, but those are my top three.

SPEAKER_01 26:41

And that's obviously a big move, too, on the Giannis front. Like Miami's obviously making moves with the uh Giannis acquisition, they're trying to put together a squad. So, I mean, that would be another interesting return instead of a Dwayne Wade LeBron, it's Giannis LeBron doing their thing there. That would be fascinating. Um, do you think there's any world where he tries to stay in California still? Do you think he wants to completely uproot, or would he go play with Steph and maybe try to join the Warriors and stay in California where his family's kind of established and try to do something there?

SPEAKER_02 27:25

Yeah, I think it's very realistic that he goes to Golden State. Um Steph and Draymond are there and he's close with both of them, and the one player that you know he's always been linked to is like, hey, who's the one player you haven't played with who you'd want to play with? And he said Steph. And so that one is a very real possibility. I just don't think the thing with Golden State is I just don't love like the rest of the roster.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

I just don't think that they're I was gonna say I don't know that they have the pieces.

SPEAKER_02 27:59

That's why no, that's why I think that's why I think if he is gonna go somewhere in the west, like I would go to like a Spurs or a Timberwolves that have more of a chance, or you go to the East and try and dethrone the Knicks with teams that are already pretty established and pretty solid. So there's there's a lot of options. It it says that his happiness is the what he's chasing right now, it's not money, and so who knows what happiness means to him.

SPEAKER_01 28:28

Yeah, no, that's a great point. Probably just wants to fill, and that I think gives a lot more credence to the potential of like Cleveland, because it it would really just be an awesome end to the story, you know. Such a cool idea. That it wouldn't be it wouldn't be like, oh, I'm just gonna go waste a year. Like there is potential there for great success, but also some hometown feels, which is awesome. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

So a lot of a lot of a lot of positives there. I think that that is some of the most fascinating things that are going on in the NBA is LeBron and you know the Giannis trade. Jalen Brown got traded for a bag of chips, really. Um, so it's it's interesting, it's it's fun to watch. Um, but I am curious.

SPEAKER_01 29:22

Move into new houses.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Oh, yeah. And and that's every year. Every year it happens. Um, but with that, we did mention Darren Peterson. I am curious your thoughts on the Jazz's draft, picking up Darren Peterson, what they've done so far, you know, some of the fits that they have um alongside the Walker Kessler trade to LA and getting a lot back for him. What what are some of your thoughts on what's been happening there?

SPEAKER_01 29:52

Yeah, as someone who doesn't dive deep into the weeds, and you know, I rely a lot on one you, but also just you know, watching some of the the coverage getting people's feels. But I think overall, as ja as a jazz fan, I'm feeling pretty good about what we've done in the offseason. Like I think Darren Peterson, there's a lot of back and forth of oh, are they gonna try to to sell the bank and get up to number one and get the guy that has been at BYU, has a relationship in Utah. Um, but Darren Peterson seems like an absolute dog. We know he he can ball out, and from everything that I've heard from folks that know a whole lot more about basketball than I do, he has a huge upside. Like that they just expect him to continue to get better and better and better. And uh I think as a jazz fan, the only thing that and you said this too, you just hope that he wants to be here for a minute, that he just it won't be a quick turnaround. But I feel really good. And anytime we fleece somebody in a trade, I love that. And it seems like we really came out on the high end with that trade and um and you would know better all the details, but with Kessler, that I mean it seems like we we robbed the bank a little bit there.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

For sure, yeah. I think you know, starting with the Kessler trade, you know, he was a restricted free agent, so the Jazz had the opportunity to match any offer that any team was going to give him. And you know, we had the right, you can go over the salary cap for these things, you can go into like the aprons because you have their bird rights, you've had them for a period of a few years, yada yada, all the fun stuff. But the Lakers are desperate now to build around Luca, and what Luca plays really well with are athletic, defensive, tall, big centers that you can lob to, they can be the anchor on the defensive side. And so they were searching for like a franchise center, and Kessler does fit that bill. He hasn't been an all-star yet, so this is the largest contract given to an a non-all-star center. Um and yeah, so four years, 130 million is what he was given. But the Lakers also gave up two unprotected first-round picks in, I want to say it was like 29 and 31 or um 30 and 32, whatever they have access to at this point, and then two first-round pick swaps. So the Jazz have the opportunity, if the Lakers have a better pick, they can swap and actually get the Lakers pick in two years as well, or vice versa. They choose to keep their own. So four total first-round picks for for Kessler and the Lakers foot the whole bill. I mean, at that point, I mean, the Jazz have been incredible at trades recently, like the Gobert trade, the Donovan Mitchell trade. We somehow get more than what anybody else gets, um, which is great.

SPEAKER_01 32:57

We're getting a lot in like draft picks. I feel like we have a lot of currency that we can use in other trades because of that. Like, there's a lot that we have we can throw around, which is awesome.

SPEAKER_02 33:08

Yeah, and I mean, I'm loving what the team has because you've got to have the top six solidified. And so we've got Keontae George, Darren Peterson, you put in Lowry Markinen, you've got Jaron Jackson in there, um, Ace Bailey last year's number five pick. And I really think that if we could solidify just maybe one more wing player, we signed Josh Akogi, you've got Bryce Sensaba, who's continuing to evolve and develop into a solid player. We just signed Mobamba today. So, like, we're we're adding players to the mix. I'm curious who's gonna fit that that six-player slot who's the starting small forward, etc. Um, or do we get a different center instead of having Nurkic be the starting center? Anyway, there's a lot of things, but I'm very excited about what the Jazz are doing. I think Darren Peterson has the right mindset um coming into has a chip on his shoulder, and you're the number two pick. Great, better for us. Um wanted to be number one. Yep. His potential is through the roof, so I'm excited to see what they can do this year. Hopefully they're palatable to watch.

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Yeah, that's that's what I'm hoping for too. Like it feels like, and I never want to put the cart before the horse, especially with the jazz, but it feels like vibes and the energy is pretty high. Like the feelings are pretty good, and uh, I just hope that we can actually carry that into season and and see some something electric on the on the court.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

Oh yeah, absolutely. Um, so with that, Zach, let's finish her up with some World Cup. Make it short and sweet. You've had a long day. Let's talk World Cup here, and we've gotta we've gotta talk about the elephant in the room. Team USA, which absolutely got crushed by Belgium.

SPEAKER_01 35:02

Oh, crushed by Belgium, but Benny, I have a question for you on this. How do you view Team USA's performance in the World Cup this year?

SPEAKER_00 35:14

As a whole. Um, as a whole, I would give it a five and a half out of ten. Five and a half out of ten, huh? Now let me let me tell you why. I'm gonna I'm gonna give it the half point above half.

SPEAKER_02 35:40

Okay? So five point five. Because all of their solid, amazing play was really in the group stage. If we're being honest. Bosnia in the round of 32, not much. And this year it was an expanded knockout round World Cup. So the round of 32 didn't exist last time. So the round of 16 is the round that you've got to show up, and they got flattened, they looked um timid, scared of the moment. Like, and and I did talk to Kel at work. And so, Kel, if you're gonna listen to this, shout out to you because he he is 100% correct. As a casual fan, where I only watched USA were in the world when they're in the World Cup, you know, I don't see all the other things, I don't see the buildup, and they laid an absolute egg. But that's the one of the only games I've watched of them, alongside the you know, the group stage and round of 32. But I think because of that, when you have history in your grasp, you're on your home soil and you lay that big of an egg, it's disappointing. And it's not Pochettino's fault. I think Pochettino's fantastic. I think the players fell.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

No, and I and I would agree wholeheartedly that that Belgium game was uncharacteristically bad of how they had played in the tournament up to that point, except for me, like you said, Bosnia wasn't anything crazy. But I mean, and I hate to throw the guy under the bus, but Ream didn't seem to know where he was half the time. And this is super critical for someone who does not play soccer, and I understand that. But like he just looked lost a lot of the time. He just was like, Where are you? Where are you going? And then uh I'm gonna blank on our keep's name, but for him when he came out of the box, Matt Freeze came out of the box and made that critical error where you're just leaving us defenseless when we're already fighting for our lives against this better Belgium team. I mean, it was it was painful to watch. It really was. Yeah. And it was. We Jane and I went out of our way to watch that game, and uh, I mean, it was very deflating. The only flip side to that is I will say I think it being on home soil and uh them having a good group stage. I'm super bummed that it's not gonna continue into these additional rounds, but it it felt like the the the excitement and energy around the World Cup and around soccer was really fun. It was really awesome to have that be part of the cooler talk. People invested and wanting to see the success. I mean, if you know something about USA, we love to win. And uh for a second it it felt like there was gonna be a taste. Folks will say, Oh, well, at the end of the day, you you laid the egg anyway once you met the big bads of Europe. Um, but hopefully this is signs of we're moving in the right direction instead of what I feel like it's been our whole lives where we just don't do anything on the men's side. It's always just the women who are extremely good at soccer.

SPEAKER_02 39:05

So Yeah, and and I think that it is a move in the right direction. So I don't want to be overly critical of like the the outcome because obviously what's most fresh is a terrible loss to Belgium. But I mean, you know, it it's the most excited I've been watching Team USA in my lifetime. Um, you know, since you know Clint Dempsey was scoring some goals, you know, against against teams, but they weren't good enough. You know, they they couldn't get the job done, they didn't have enough firepower.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

But the they looked out classed against Belgium.

SPEAKER_02 39:38

Absolutely. And the problem that people keep bringing up is the pay-for-play issue here in in the US. It is too expensive to play all these sports at the highest level in the in the US, and soccer being one of them, especially being the fact that it's not our main sport.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

No, not it it's just not. It's not a primary driver. Folks aren't I mean, we aren't a country that shuts down for the World Cup. You and I have both lived in countries where the world shuts down for the World Cup. If your team, your country is playing, no one is in the streets, there are bars open, and that is it. Because people are watching the game. Like that is the difference in level of importance here. And uh will that ever will we ever be able to close a gap to that? I don't know. And do we deserve to if we don't love it as much as these folks around the world? Probably not, because I mean being in Spain during the World Cup in what would have that been 2014. 14, I guess. Yep, yeah. I mean, seriously, shut down. I mean, obviously, there's a lot of immigration there, so you have Argentinians, you have folks from Ecuador, you have I mean, just the whole gamut of South America, Brazil, all those on top of Espana, yeah, and your all your African countries, whether it be Ghana or I mean, I don't know. I know Ghana was in it this year. I don't know if Nigeria or did anything, but you have a lot of Moroccan influence in Spain as well. And so, I mean, just it the level is so different. Um, but I I hope we continue to see some success because it was really exciting to be part of that and to fill that energy. But Benny, Belgium just they're they were so good, they were so good.

SPEAKER_02 41:44

They did, they they definitely capitalized on the moment, and you know, kudos to them. I think um, you know, coming down the stretch, it's it's going to be electrifying. Overall, positive experience from the U.S. But I'm gonna list out because I think it'd be fun since the you know today was a break of the World Cup, but the quarterfinals begin tomorrow. I think we should pick the games and then ultimately decide a winner. I think that would be fun. Let's shoot, let's shoot our shot, dude. I love that idea. Let's do it. Let's let's shoot our shot. So to start, I'm gonna start with the upper side of the bracket. So we're gonna go France Morocco, who you got in tomorrow's matchup.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

So, as I mentioned already, uh France is scary. I know they're a favorite. I'm riding with France. I think they are gonna take care of Morocco and move on. They're they're super tough.

SPEAKER_02 42:44

Yeah, France is very tough. I was surprised when they barely beat Paraguay um 1-0. Um I actually, for some reason, I'm feeling that Moroccan fever. Give me Morocco to beat France tomorrow. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 42:59

You know, let's I mean, it's not impossible. It's a good point. They they did not look super dominant against Paraguay. That's a it's a fair point. I'm still keeping my pick, but it is a it's a good point that they it's not like they rolled Paraguay.

SPEAKER_02 43:16

Right. Well, and I I already have an idea of who I want to be in the final, so I'm kind of gonna go for a specific route here.

SPEAKER_01 43:24

Um okay, I like it.

SPEAKER_02 43:28

But that's it's our pick. Well, that's true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 43:31

I mean, I think Morocco could beat him. I think so too, and picks are biased at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_02 43:37

That's true. Just hey, just shooting the show. Um, but that takes us to the Friday match, which is Spain, Espana, and Belgium.

SPEAKER_01 43:48

Yeah, it's Spain, Belgium. Benny, I I don't think you're gonna be surprised with my pick here. Kind of like what you said, you uh lived in Argentina, you have a little soft spot in your heart for Argentina. Um, I'm in the same boat as I have a soft spot in my heart for Spain and Spain they do look dominant across the board, I feel like. I mean, Belgium's coming off of a heater, but I am gonna ride with Espana. Give me those Spaniards to keep the train rolling and face France in the semis.

SPEAKER_02 44:21

Yeah, La Mignamal. Um okay, yeah. I am actually rolling with Spain as well. So in my form of this bracket, it would be Espana and Morocco um facing off in the semis. But that takes us to, I think, my favorite match of the quarterfinals, Norway, England. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 44:46

Very 100%. This is my favorite matchup by far. I think it is super tough. Benny, why I've picked two. Why don't you tell me who are you rolling with? Norway versus England? Because I'm torn on this quite a bit.

SPEAKER_02 45:02

Yeah, I think for so for me, um oh, it is it is really, really, really tough. Um, but I feel like the way England has been playing, I've got to roll with with England.

SPEAKER_01 45:19

Yeah. No, and I I think that's there's part of me that I want Norway just because of Holland. Like I I want that story to continue. Um but I think England's another one of those teams that has just looked so strong. And uh um I also know that in this house, Jay is gonna be rolling with England, her dad's rolling with England, so we're we're gonna keep with uh the English support, even though Norway would be a great advance if they'd keep it keep it going.

SPEAKER_02 46:00

They definitely would. My phone keeps telling me I have low device storage. Um, so we should probably wrap this up. Um don't know where that's coming from. I have not seen that. Yeah, Switzerland.

SPEAKER_01 46:14

Argentina, Switzerland.

SPEAKER_02 46:16

Yeah, Argentina, Switzerland. You know, I'm rolling with Argentina. Um and just to spoil my who I want to be in the final, I was gonna have Spain beat Morocco, and Argentina beat England, and Argentina beating Spain in the final.

SPEAKER_01 46:31

Okay, that was a quick wrap-up. Ben, I'm gonna go England-Argentina in the quarterfinal. I'm gonna have England advance. Oh, because uh Argentina already had a scare. I don't know if they can overcome a second, and I think England's tougher than Egypt. And then I'm gonna have Spain beat France, and it's a Spain-England uh fight, and I think Spain actually brings it home. Okay, so we're we're we're gonna be stands for our uh our soft spots, but they are legitimate picks. They're tough teams. There's not a bad team in the group right now, so absolutely not. It's gonna be exciting. I like it. Spain for me, Argentina for you.

SPEAKER_02 47:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 47:22

Let's see how the World Cup crumbles out, dude. Viva La Patria. Vamos pues.

SPEAKER_02 47:30

Absolutely. Well, yeah, it's gonna be awesome. This was fun, brother. We've got some golf to do this week. We've got World Cup to watch. What do we tell the people at the end of every episode?

SPEAKER_01 47:43

Hey, as always, if you've listened this long, thank you. We appreciate it. Please share it with your friends. We're almost to the end of this offseason coverage where we're gonna be full in back into football coverage, and we hope you'll join us for season two of The Water Bros on the Bench, where we're talking football every single week. Uh, and after that, dude, as always, we say stay hydrated. Adios, adios.