S1 Ep8 | Dax McCarty: The Search for World Cup Tickets

For Episode 8 we are joined by the Ginger Ninja himself, Dax McCarty, on another away episode for the Guuuz crew! Backstage in Mercedes-Benz Stadium the former teammates talk retirement, World Cup, and home construction (can you guess who our sponsor is?). Seems like the pickle-ball-beef Kevin talked about back in episode one still ain’t settled between him and Dax. Honestly, we would love to see Joe & Brad commentate a match between the two of em’.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:09

Welcome to the Goo Zan Show.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Welcome back to another episode of the Goozan Show. I'm your host, Bragg Zan, and sat next to me as always, Mr. Joe Freihofer. Joe, it's been a busy week here in the A, and uh I know we've got exciting times ahead. We had exciting times uh that have just gone. Um and so yeah, man, how how are you doing?

SPEAKER_03 0:36

Happy belated 404 Day, my guy. I'm great, man. It's a lot to get through today. Also, hello friends. Shout out Jim Nance, the greatest broadcaster of all time. We got the Masters this week, too. Uh yeah, great, man. We had a hot wing challenge out there at Lot 17 with all the supporters. Shout out to Jen Footy Mob. It was unbelievable. We had seven different levels of heat ending with a million Scovills, dog. Yeah. I was like drooling. I needed windshield wipers for my forehead right here, dog. It was I was in bad shape. All just to grab the microphone right after it. Listen, I'm talking about Stadium Pulse as a broadcaster.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

I'm I'm glad that I was not part of that because you know I've too much black pepper for me makes me start sweating, you know, and and you started adding hot wings and and spice. Hot and spicy for me, doesn't mix. The water works on top of this head turn on, and and I start sweating like crazy. So um yeah, I'm I'm glad I wasn't part of it.

SPEAKER_03 1:29

We also had USMNT Brad in town not that long ago. Of course, two friendlies, uh total attendance guys. 140,000 people came to Mercedes Benz Stadium, the best venue for football in all of North America, arguably in the world, Brad. You had a front row seat to it broadcasting with TNT right there, a full desk as well. What was that like for you? Seeing some I saw some Brad Fatheads in the crowd as well.

SPEAKER_02 1:50

How was that? It was amazing. The atmosphere was fantastic. The the city of Atlanta turned up, the the fans uh were able to to give a little sneak peek in into what they could expect going into this summer, but also what what the world can expect from from the city of Atlanta. And and I think for me, that was that was really uh exciting and encouraging going into the the summer ahead. Um obviously two difficult results for the US, but you know, two tough challenges that hopefully they're able to learn from and get better and and use that going going into the competition, going into the the World Cup this summer, and it's uh it's gonna be an exciting uh year ahead.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Somebody else who we had on the pod bread not too long ago, uh Johnny Fortune, homegrown, just feels the stripes as much as anybody. He was back with the first team, and not just back, playing as well, guys, on 404 Day. Does it get any more poetic than that?

SPEAKER_02 2:39

Amazing to see him back on the pitch. Obviously, as you mentioned, we've had him on the podcast when when he was back out into to training after his long time out. And so uh to be able to see him back uh donning the the the kit and and being a part of not only the match day squad, but then you know, entering and and getting back out onto that the the beautiful plane surface at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Uh, exciting not only for for us that are big fans of his, um, but but also, you know, his his teammates, himself, uh, and and all of our supporters. So it was an exciting, uh, exciting moment to see him back out there.

SPEAKER_03 3:14

If you guys want to hear about the story of how Jay trialed at Manchester City and what Brad called Jay during his first training as well, which I'm not gonna say, dude. You gotta go check out that episode. We want to say thank you so much, guys, for subscribing to the YouTube channel. We are third in Major League Soccer. We'd also like to ask all you guys please follow this podcast, the Goo's and show on Spotify. Write us a review, let us know how we're doing to make sure you don't miss a single episode. And speaking of, Brad, today we're gonna talk to Ginger Ninja himself, Dax McCarty, a guy who was here for just a season, but Brad, it feels like he was he gave us a lifetime of memories in the time that he was here, toppling inner Miami. Of course, you guys did it in game three down there as well. What can be said about Dax McCarty?

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Yeah, I mean listen, Dax is such a he's such a great guy. You know, I think when you look at what he was able to do with his career, he was reliable, he was a leader, he was somebody that understood his his role and responsibility with every team that he was a part of, right? And and sometimes, you know, players you know like Dax maybe don't get all of the the the accolades and and recognition that that maybe they deserve. And so uh to be able to have him on the podcast and kind of catch up with him and and see him um you know on location down at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it was fantastic. And you know, he's a wonderful teammate, uh, but but more importantly, uh a great friend and and someone that loves the game, doing exciting things off the field now. And so, like I said, to be able to catch up with him was was fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

The Cold Tub Club is back. Here it is, Dax McCarty. Let's take a listen.

SPEAKER_02 4:44

Well, guys, we are back here on the Goozan show. I'm your host, Bragg Zan. As you can see, we're missing Joe. We've picked up someone else. Uh I don't know if it's an upgrade or a downgrade. Uh, but the one and only Dax McCarty. Dax, thanks for being here, dude. It is an absolute pleasure to have you on.

SPEAKER_00 5:06

This was a long time coming, by the way. And I I gotta say, pretty upset at Joe right now. I'm not happy Joe's not here. I know he's wearing a lot of hats these days and he's got a lot of stuff going on, but he's kind of the star of the goose and show. Hey listen, every time I watch, I'm always more impressed with him than you, but I know you can get better.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

I I'm trying. I know you are. I'm trying. And I mean, look at we're we've taken the show on the road here. And that's that's why Joe's not here. We're on the road. We're here down at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Um, and so he's got previous commitments. We're able to secure your services to jump on, and we said we need to make this happen.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

Goozan show isn't top of the pecking order for him.

SPEAKER_02 5:44

Uh listen, he like I said, he's got previous commitments, and it is what it is. And so we're gonna build your short. We're gonna see how it goes. And listen, if anything, never air.

SPEAKER_00 5:54

Which is kind of we just we just slide slide slide you into the delete box and I hope this airs, but it's crazy because I was looking at the the Spotify numbers, and you guys were right under new heights for the Kelsey brothers. So why would he not make this a priority? We're flying.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Go back go back to the previous part of that comment. We're I mean, we're flying. The the the the people behind the scenes, the control room, everyone there. They are making you look good, I will say. It's amazing what you can do on TV, right?

SPEAKER_00 6:21

CGI. Look, honestly, with with the logo, whoever made the logo, by the way, hey, bravo to you. That guy is way better looking than the one in person, okay? That's all I gotta say.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

What do you what do you what do you mean? I mean, we're basically identical. Big old nose, a little stub, stubb, stubbly beard, you know?

SPEAKER_00 6:40

Honestly, I thought it was the Mr. Clean show at first. Sorry, sorry.

SPEAKER_02 6:46

Image rising.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

It's like the old days people in the hot tub again, you know? You know what?

SPEAKER_02 6:51

I'm just throwing this, I'm just throwing this out the window because you know what? We're just we're just gonna rock with it, dude. All right, so talk to me, dude. You you've been retired a little bit longer than me. Yep. What what what advice for you got?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

Uh let's see, Brad. Well, uh the first bit of advice that I got, which was a great bit of advice, I got it from a lot of people actually. Okay. It was don't try to be anyone other than yourself. You're not you're not Charles Barclay, okay? I'm good looking. So that's a start. You're bald. That's a start. Again, perfect. Less time and hair. They just said, uh, look, take little things from all the different people that have influenced you in your career, in your media career. Uh be a sponge, take all the advice that you can get, but ultimately be yourself. They're gonna throw a lot of stuff at you early on. But the reason why you're doing media, the reason why I'm calling games and in studio is because of the knowledge and experience you've picked up along the way, and something about your personality I guess people kind of like. So don't try to be anyone but yourself. And then the other piece of advice, which I will now pass on to you, because I am now, you know, you were my elder all the times that we crossed paths in our playing career, but now I I feel like your older brother, and I'm gonna give you some advice.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Let's let's let's hear it.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Don't take on too much too soon. Oh okay? Okay, and so that's a little bit deep, but everywhere I turn, whether it's TV, social media, in stadium, I see your face. I'm like, how many different hats can this guy wear? You're being pulled in all these different directions, all right?

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Face for TV. Face for face for radio, but the camera, the camera. Why do you think there's cameras here? And it's not just an audio podcast. It's true. You know, it's true. They the cameras love me.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

I will say I I do think that you're getting thrown a lot of stuff right after retirement because you can handle it, okay? So I'm gonna be nice. I'll leave that little terraid with a compliment. But I will say, man, uh it's just like old times coming back to the stadium, getting to see you, getting to see everyone around the stadium. Cliff walking over here gave me a big hug, and he was all upset. He's like, I thought I was gonna see you earlier in the week. And I said, I'm sorry, Cliff, we had some weather delays. And so um, you know, being back in the stadium, being back around people that made the end of my career so special here in Atlanta. I understand why you stayed, and I understand why you spent so much time here. It is a really special place. When you when you come back, you know, you touched on a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

Is there anything that you're like, oh, I'm going back to Atlanta? I'm looking forward to this or looking forward to that, or or is it just that? Is it just the people and and and the people affiliated with the club?

SPEAKER_00 9:23

It's the people affiliated with the club uh and it's also the rest that I get on the road. You know, I've got uh I've got so much going on too. I've got a lot going on down in Central Florida. Um, you know, the wife and I building a house. We're almost to the finish limit.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

I don't believe you because stop there. Because you told me when you were still playing, you're like, oh yeah, we're we're gonna be you know starting this renovation, we're gonna be in it already. It's six months out, yeah, we should be in it, and we're just finalizing some selections. And I look at social media and I'm like, they're not moving in anytime soon, but the house isn't finished, but yet you guys are in the pool. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

The kids were in the pool. They had filled it up, and actually the kids went in the pool fully clothed, no bathing suits. Love it. And then the pool guy afterward is telling Jen, by the way, uh, the pool's not ready to go in. Uh, so if the kids get sick, I apologize, but it's not ready yet. So no one can go in it for at least three, four weeks, okay? Thankfully the chemicals weren't in yet. Enter at your own risk. Enter at your own risk. You know, my kids are they're they're a little bit uh uh they've got a wild hair, they kind of do what their own thing. Free-spirited. They are free-spirited, but I will say, a lot of stuff going on back home, just balancing all of it. And as someone who has gone through a house build, a construction project, timelines are a figment of our imagination. Okay? So they're there to be broken. Anyone who has ever gone through it, they you will know. If they tell you February, add two months to that, okay? So they told me back in whatever it was, 2024, they said, yeah, December, no problem, add six months to that. Okay. Uh so we're we're at the we're we're close, we're almost to the finish line. But coming back here, be being able to be around the people that made the end of my career so special, and just the vibe in Atlanta is great, man, especially with Atlanta being a host city, having a semifinal here. One one bone to pick. On the way to the hotel from the airport, we had we know Dax. No, no, we had we we had n with 95 down to one lane. One lane, Bradley. That's unacceptable. Okay, to all the people and apparently it's for w stuff overpasses, lights. World I'm I'm just like, listen, this better be like like Disney on ice. They better blow it out of the water. I better be coming in Atlanta and seeing like a full-on light show, okay? Because it was 45 minutes to the hotel to go three miles.

SPEAKER_02 11:43

I mean, my goodness. Are you complaining about it? I'm not complaining. 45 minutes to the case.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Listen, I got my tea, my voice. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_02 11:50

I'm a little bit hoarse, okay? You're you're welcome. So we appreciate you sacrificing your voice to be. Absolutely. Um, you know, I I you you touched on uh on the city, the World Cup, obviously, it's coming this summer. Um before we get there, you know, I I know you're talking about the boys. Are the boys into sports? You know, what are they doing?

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Are they getting bigger? They're getting bigger. Uh Cal, he's done uh a lot of soccer and tennis. He's the older one, so he's six. He'll be seven here coming up in April. But we have him signed up to play in his first real team. Nice. Okay, and so I'm excited. I'm excited for him. But as you know, being a father of four, five, six, uh you got him, you got a million kids. Uh you'll know that while it would be amazing for you our kids to follow in our footsteps, I also want them to forge their own path. He he he enjoys kicking the ball around, but he also loves tennis. That's great. That was a sport that I played growing up. It was a sport my mom and dad played. And so getting him into lessons early, he really enjoys it. I see his confidence improve when he goes out there and and he hits the ball around. And then my little one, this kid. This kid's the athlete. Okay, my older one is my my exploratory, intellectual, artistic kid who really likes doing a bunch of different things. My little guy is just full go. Let me play any sport in every sport. He we signed him up to play basketball, and he was in this YMCA league. And I gotta tell you, buddy, just pure entertainment, pure chaos. I posted a clip, but my wife got a clip of him playing on social media where all in a minute and a half he was chasing butterflies indoors, then he wrapped his arms around our coaches, his coach's leg, and the coach picked him up, then he went, got the ball, traveled around the entire court, didn't dribble it once, and then he went and he shot it and he scored. And everyone went nuts. Dribbling is optional. Traveling, it's like the NBA now. This is you can you can travel where whenever, wherever you want.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

Three-year-olds, the NBA, it doesn't matter. If you're running, if you're running the show, they're not gonna call it. So it's all good. It's all good. Um, changing gears, back back back to this summer, back to the World Cup. Yep. Hey, it's gonna be amazing. How do you explain to people? This is the question I keep getting from people. Oh, what's it gonna be like? What is it gonna be like? How what is the experience gonna be like for the city? We've got eight games, we've got a semifinal, obviously the stadium is is going to be ready. You know, we saw the field, uh, the field is looking amazing. Presto. But what is what how do we tell these, you know, these these casual fans saying, hey, what is the World Cup gonna be like?

SPEAKER_00 14:20

It's gonna be a spectacle. And uh excuse the excuse the like bombastic statement I'm about to make, but I I promise you there is no exaggeration when I say this will be the biggest sporting event in the history of the world. And I I I I say that like I'm in media, so you you might think, okay, I'm saying things just for the shock value. I truly believe that. I really do. I truly believe that, I truly mean that. It's an expanded World Cup. It only happens obviously once every four years. You have so many different countries who are qualifying for the World Cup for the first time, or qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 30 years, or whatever it may be. And it's in the United States of America. It's in a country where people come and they wanna they want to come and explore uh what sporting events are like here. It's gonna be a magnitude of something we've never seen. And I still remember when I was a kid, the World Cup uh coming to the US in 94, and I think that really harnessed and cultivated my love for the game. It really solidified it to see all the different cultures, all the different colors, the people at the stadiums who just absolutely loved their had so much pride for their nation and their country. It's just a beautiful moment, uh, I think in the sports world, every four years when the World Cup happens, and now to have it on home soil again in '94, where now we have kids that will be able to show them what it means, what soccer means around the world, uh, I think it's gonna be transformative.

SPEAKER_02 15:47

No, for sure. I I totally agree. And I think that's one of the most exciting things I'm looking forward to is the ability to go to a game with my kids and say, hey, like look at look at the fan fest outside. Look at all the the passion that that these supporters have traveled from all over the world to be able to come here.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

Do you have do you have games lined up already for them to go to? All the games in Atlanta. I do not. I'm trying to get tickets.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

Tickets, tickets are quite difficult to come by, apparently.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Okay. I've been denied twice in the lottery. So it's you know, I've seen your house. Okay. You can afford tickets, A. B. I I decided, you know, through MLS, they said, hey, you know, we'll we'll give you guys the first right of refusal if you want to try to buy some tickets for these games, blah, blah, blah. And like what'd you go for? The final? Semifinal? Yeah, I wish. Yeah. Listen, I I didn't save that enough money for those tickets. And hopefully I'm gonna. Renovation of the house is is taken priority. Oh my god, buddy, I'm gonna be working until I'm 90, all right? But I will say, I I did, I told my wife this. I said, uh, there's there's no way that we can't have at least one game like bought and paid for, like on the radar that we're gonna go to as a family. So there's no games in Orlando, but there are games in Miami. And I was looking through the games and I just thought, man, what what game will have two fan bases that are gonna be electric, culturally relevant, maybe bring different dynamics to it. And I go, here it is. This is the one. This is the one. Brazil, Scotland. Let's go. And I'm just like, okay, so many Scottish fans, gingers, people who I can relate to at the pub before the game. I want to bring my kids there, let them hear the accents, the Brazilian fans. I mean, exactly right. Well, more Irish than Scottish, by the way. Good luck to Ireland trying to qualify for the World Cup. I know Kevin Egan. We want to see him crying again. Absolutely. He he I mean, he's already made plans for them to come to Atlanta.

SPEAKER_02 17:32

Should we should we plug his bar again? Uh no. We can't do that again. We're gonna move on. We love you, Kev. Absolutely. Fingers crossed for Ireland. Although you do stink at pickleball.

SPEAKER_00 17:40

Are you?

SPEAKER_02 17:41

I had to get that in.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

Sorry, I had to get that in.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Do you do you have tickets in to Libra? I I bought tickets to to Brazil, Scotland down in Miami.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

How cool? I I'm gonna have to reach out to my cousin because they're so expensive. I I can't afford a hotel. So my cousin lives down in Miami. Um uh Brett, I'm gonna need a place to stay. I'm gonna send you this clip. Ah, that would be amazing.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

Um what are you what are your thoughts on the expansion of the World Cup?

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Uh I I went back and forth on this. It's a good question. Um the uh the purest in me was like, why? We can't change it. Right. You know, it needs to be a very exclusive club, and it needs to be uh the best teams in the world that that all earned it and you know, through the different phases of qualifying. But then the more I saw the different qualifying phases where these smaller countries had a chance and you saw what it meant to them, and you saw like the tears and people who are in their 60s, 70s, 80s that haven't seen their country qualify for a World Cup, and you just see what it means to them, I'm all for it. I think it's br I think it's brilliant, I think it's fantastic, and I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon. Now, if you ask me in eight, twelve years if it's expanded again, I might have a different answer for you. I really like this number of teams, and I do think it's gonna be a big hit. I agree.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

I I think when you look at some of these smaller countries, you know, we've got Cape Verde, you know, you've got Cursau, right? Small, small countries that are now being able to perform on the world stage in this in this competition, you know, I think it's exciting not only for them in their country.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

The world gets introduced to their culture. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 19:16

Because they're gonna travel, they're gonna come in for the game, dude, I agree, and and they're gonna say, yeah, like we're gonna show off our culture, our country, what we're all about as as a community down here in whatever country, and it's gonna be pretty.

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Do you just do you just plug carousel? You want like a free vacation down there or something?

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Uh I mean, listen, if if we're if we're taking this on the road, maybe maybe we're taking the goose.

SPEAKER_00 19:37

I'll be your co-host for that one. All right, sorry, Joe.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

Love that. Uh they do have uh one of my former teammates plays for them. Oh who's that? Leander Bakuna from Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Very good player. Yeah. Um, so anyway, getting off topic here, dude. Uh yeah, I'm I'm excited too. It's uh I think it's gonna be pretty sweet. It's gonna be pretty special to have all these uh different countries.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Were you able to go to World Cup games in 94? I did not go.

SPEAKER_02 20:00

I I listen.

SPEAKER_00 20:02

You were probably playing American football or something. You were probably like six foot as like.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

My parents were afraid I was gonna be hurt, uh gonna get hurt playing American football. But it was, I remember turning the CB on, obviously Chicago hosted the first game of the World Cup in '94. Yep. Um, and so being able to watch that, see the passion, and then and that was where I think my real first love of the game started to started to develop. And I was like, yeah, okay, like I can get behind the soccer stuff. This is pretty sweet, you know. Like, I love this, you know. Yeah. Um, do you remember your first moment? Was it in 94 or was it even earlier? I mean, I enjoyed playing the game, but then that was my first time like sure watching it on TV, you know?

SPEAKER_00 20:40

It was it was right around the World Cup, yeah, for sure. Uh and and my dad, he he did a bunch of activations uh around the Citrus Bowl, okay, uh, which hosted a bunch of games. And so I just remember being there with the colour. Shout out to your dad, Bobby. Shout out to Darby Cardi. My legend. Jeez. I love you, Dad. Uh and your mom. And my mom, too. But uh yeah, I I I I remember just vaguely, uh, just again, the passion, the different cultures that you get exposed to. It's a m shout out to to if you can hear that in the background. It's all right, hey, we're pros, we're gonna fight through it. Absolutely. We're on the road. That's what happens. I had so many early memories, not like one that like really sticks out and just hits you in the face, but a bunch that just kind of added up to the point where I was like, this is such an amazing sport because A, I'm not gonna be that big, I'm not gonna be that fast, I'm not gonna be that big. Everybody knows this, you know you're not the tallest. But it's good to have self-awareness, Bradson. But a big heart. A big heart. You've got a big heart, a lot of endeavor. Um, and it was just it was just a sport I fell in love with right away. And I did play a bunch of other sports growing up, but uh it it was always soccer. I always went back to soccer. The World Cup in '94 was a really big part of it. And Manchester United. Manchester United in the mid 90s under under Fergie. Uh they they had a very good red headed midfielder, as you might know, named Paul Scholes, who you could see Manchester United, like it was only their games that you could really. Really see on like network TV at the time, right? And so I really fell in love with Man United and Paul Scholes, and I just thought, okay, if I can be like that guy, I'll have a pretty good career. Okay. And then I was like, inspired by my fellow Redhead.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

I love that, dude. Um, and then fast forward a bit. Yep. And there we are, teammates. Fast forward a bit. Fast forward 30 years, pal. Not 30. We're taking back to the Olympics. Okay. You skipped a bit.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

You don't want to do you want to fast forward to your time at South Carolina, my time at North Carolina, how we beat you. I was a freshman. You were sophomore. We beat you. You probably don't remember. You're gonna claim you don't remember. Go on, tell me, tell me. Well, we beat you. I didn't play that much. I was in. You were. You were not. You had hair at the time.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

I had loads of hair. I mean at this point, we need to cut to an image. Um, but yeah, it's uh going going going back in. I remember being in Beijing. First of all, I mean, listen, you guys did all the hard work. Me, Hargey, uh, Brian McBride, we come in and we're like, yeah, all right, we're gonna we're we're going to the Olympics. We got by about four months, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

But can I ask you a question? Can I ask you how that played out? Because I was always fascinated with the overage players. Yeah. Brian McBride, I got it. Yeah. Like Michael Parkhurst, I got it. But obviously with you, like you were really integrated into the full men's national team competing with Tim. I was just curious, was that a conversation with Bob? Was that a conversation with Peter? Was that you going to them and saying, hey, I really want to go?

SPEAKER_02 23:30

No, absolutely. It was it was at a nothing of me going to them. It was a conversation of them coming to me, more so Peter than than Bob. Okay. Um, and then you know, through the goalkeeping coach having that conversation, um, and it was like, okay, like that's that that would be pretty cool. Like, I don't I I wouldn't mind going to the Olympics. Um 100%. And and so, you know, you don't really know, right, until the the final call kind of comes, and it's like, yeah, all right, I'm I'm in.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

My experience was different, man. Um I I remember very vividly that this was I had a lot of almost what-if moments with the youth national teams and with the US men's national team, but this was another one with the under-20 men's national team, Thomas Rongan, he left me off the qualifying roster and I was gutted, I was heartbroken. But then when we did qualify and we went to the U-20 World Cup, he included me. So, you know, small heartbreak led to a big win because I just kept going and I didn't get too down, but then I didn't make the final camp for the Olympics. And then one of my best friends in the game, Nathan Sturgis, I was an alternate, Nate Sturgis, who, for people who might not know who Nate Sturgis is, the streets will never forget, absolute baller, by the way, uh, a Floridian, not a surprise. He actually ended up getting injured in that uh pre-Olympic camp. And Peter, he was a defender, a center back, and a fullback, and Peter ended up calling me as a replacement, a midfielder, which as foreshadowing would have told us, would have been a little, you know, an issue for us in that tournament. But the fact that I was an alternate and then somehow I got called in to go be his replacement, and then I got to experience the Olympics with you and all that, the great team we did have, what a blessing, man. And I was just so grateful for that opportunity. And that is, I know, a point in my career, and I know a point in your career where you'll say, you'll never forget it, right? Because I never got a chance to go to a World Cup. I know you did, but but that for me, at that age, I was one of the youngest guys on the team. We just had such a great team. We had a fun team, and it was it was so cool going through that experience with everyone, but then the heartbreak again of not getting out of the group was was a lot. But I I I loved every minute of that experience.

SPEAKER_02 25:40

No, for sure. The the camaraderie within that group, it was it was fantastic. And I think when you those are the moments you remember, right? The the bus ride. Totally. All the the the craziness, right? The hot the opening ceremony ceremonies.

SPEAKER_00 25:52

I was just gonna say that I mean, I re I relive those those pictures every every couple weeks. I go and I'm like, dude, look at how sweaty we were in our full suits, literally baking in the stadium humidity. It was just an absolute, it was just a pressure cooker. And um, but again, like I'm glad we went. Yeah. Because if you remember, there was like this weird thing where we voted and a bunch of guys wanted to rest. It was two days before our first game, but Peter didn't want us to go. But I was like, we it was a couple of us that were like, wait a minute. This is the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. We can go on an hour and a half bus ride and rest and not be on our feet and then come. That was crazy, but we ended up going and it was well worth it.

SPEAKER_02 26:31

That was one of the I'm so glad we did.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

I'm so glad we did, because that was again one of the most memorable experiences.

SPEAKER_02 26:36

No, absolutely. And then I mean, talk about full circle moment, right? Like you, you know, fast forward to today, right? And we're we're in Atlanta. Um, we've now introduced for this upcoming season the the the 20 the 96-26 kit, yep, right? A throwback to the uh the Olympics here in Atlanta in '96, us being a part of the Olympics in 08, and now we're here being able to witness what this kit looks like. What are your thoughts of that? Dude, I absolutely love the kit.

SPEAKER_00 27:03

Sweet, uh, easily for me, and this is not just okay, former Atlanta United player speaking like easily in the time. He's giving his honest aspect. I was here for a cup of tea, which by the way, thank you for allowing me this on the Goozan show. Um when they released that kit, I was like, I need it immediately. I need all even but all the retro stuff. Like it's the it's the casual clothes that go with it, the line, the jackets. So classy, so clean, such a great homage to those Olympic Games. And by the way, just so we have it on record, he agreed with me in text that I get the jacket. I get the jacket and I get the I get the jersey, okay? And uh we dropped the fee? We j we dropped the fee? I'll let you cut the fee in half, all right? But I still get that. But I I will say, they asked me, you know, who do you want on the jersey? I said, definitely not Guzan, definitely not McCarty. Like, give me give me fortune. Give me fortune on the back of the jersey, all right? Jay is my guy, so I I want a Jay fortune Atlanta jersey.

SPEAKER_02 27:59

Love that. That is very cool. What when you when you think about your career, right, and you think about all these moments, Olympics, representing the national team, youth national teams, right? Obviously, playing for all the clubs that you've played for. What what is it when you look back, you're like, I'm most proud of?

SPEAKER_00 28:14

Uh I think it's the I think it's the mark you leave on your teammates and on the locker rooms. Um I I think it's the connections that you make with people because this career is is very fleeting. And it could it, you know, I mean, you played 22 years, if I'm not mistaken. 21 dice, 22. Okay, I was trying to I'm sorry, I was trying to give you too much credit. I played 19 years, but there is a world in which athletes can only maybe you play three years. Yeah, maybe you play seven years, may maybe you play 30 years. You just don't know because it's so fleeting. And the memories on the field, they will always be there in maybe video form, and you'll always be able to relive those. But the actual connections that you make with people, not just your teammates, not just your coaches, but the people who don't get recognized, the people behind the scenes who who make their they're the fabric of the clubs. And it's the supporters, but it's also the people who work behind the scenes that are selfless, and they do everything in their power to represent the club, but also to make the club look the best and the players play at their best. Those are the relationships, and I still have relationships from people from FC Dallas, from DC United, from Red Bull, Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, all of them. And I'm most proud of that because sports, you can run into all different kinds of people in sports, and you run into some bad teammates and you run into some selfish people. I never wanted to be that guy. And I hope that generally speaking, I'm I had plenty of mistakes that I made in my career that I I left the same mark on people that they made on me. For sure. For sure. Now, I'm not Brad Guzan, Atlanta United, 75 farewell videos. You know, I'm not that.

SPEAKER_02 29:55

But I didn't think you wanted to make sure to kick me out the door, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. Farewell. Farewell. No, I I agree, man. It's it's about the relationships, it's about the banter in the locker room. All of it. It's it's the camaraderie.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

Um that's the stuff you can't you can't really replicate when you retire. Correct.

SPEAKER_02 30:11

Well, like, and listen, people people talk about oh, like what what about this game or this save or that? And it's like, I don't I don't think back to those moments. I think back to the nonsense you're talking about in the locker room or the community stuff. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:24

That you were so much a part of.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

And it's for me, those are the moments that that I cherish and and so thankful for. And so um, you know, with with that, right, I can't express my gratitude enough for you to not only be on the show, hopefully boost the ratings. Let's go. Um but Kelsey Brothers were coming for you. Most importantly, man, just being able to call you a friend, being able to pick up the phone and shoot a text.

SPEAKER_00 30:47

I do uh I I do remember, I mean, I don't know if people know this, but when I was when I was thinking about my career and how it was gonna end, you know, uh I was I talked with my wife and my kids, and it was it was my parents, and then I remember you were the first person I told, other than Garth logger away, um, that you know, I I was gonna I was gonna make this decision. It was in the summer of of twenty-four, and you know, I wasn't playing a lot, and I knew I knew what my role was gonna be in twenty-four, but it was still it was still hard, you know, and I remember you were uh a great uh not shoulder to cry on, but a great sounding board. And I remember at your house by the pool, your kids were having a great time. That's that's why you really told me I was just come over, bring the kids, let's go in the hot tub. Yeah, yeah. But I I remember I I remember just you know how supportive you were and and and how you know that made it easier for me to tell everyone else in the locker room. And so those are hard moments, but uh when when a career comes to an end, you need people in your corner, and I'm sure you had the exact same feelings and and probably way more people in your corner uh at that at that point with Atlantic United. But um, it was a really special place to end my career. For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 31:53

Well, Daxy, listen, man, like I said, we can't thank you enough for coming on the show, sharing some stories, sharing some weed. Sharing some wisdom. Well, let's not get cared away. There's a first road trip for the Goozan show. It's true, it's true. There's gonna be more in the future, so we're excited. Maybe we'll come down to the new house. Okay. Yeah, we'll go in your pool. You guys can't. Yeah, no problem. Daxy, pleasure, pal. Always, buddy. Joe, it's always good to be able to sit down with Dax Man. Like I said uh beforehand, so grateful for for him in spending a few minutes uh down at the stadium before he uh imposed his wisdom on on the the national uh audience of of Apple TV. And so um just super super excited to chat with him. Such a good guy, such a good laugh, uh, great teammate, great friend. Uh yeah, it was uh it was awesome to catch up.

SPEAKER_03 32:41

Another guy, too, that it's crazy that he only spent a season here, you know. It's like you talk to him and he just fans absolutely love him. He was always such a transparent guy in uh post-match media as well. So to see what he's doing as a broadcaster, as a dad, too, his what is it now, six-year journey building a house, too. Hopefully that gets done sometime soon. To know that he likes the logo as well, he's pretty complimentary of you, right there. I know I see the shining resemblance going on as well. Guys, it's now time to get into everybody's favorite outro segment here. We have got the mailbag delivered by the Home Depot. Always on time here, guys. You have sent in some heaters for us so far, and it looks like it's gonna continue again today. Here we go, bruh. This is electric first one. How many ants uh do you think it would take to lift an elephant? This is from Maria from Carrollton, Georgia. Thank you so much, Maria. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

Um how many ants? I mean I don't I don't know if you'd be able to get all of the ants underneath the elephant.

SPEAKER_03 33:50

Because I'd have to lift it up by the by the paws. Yeah, by the by the electricity. What's the technical term for it?

SPEAKER_02 33:56

By the by the by the feet, or are we saying the elephant's lying on its side and then lifting it that way? I mean, I'm thinking, I feel like I'm gonna go with 25 million here.

SPEAKER_03 34:07

I and I I have no idea if that's and I study broadcast journalism, not numbers, I'm gonna say yes.

SPEAKER_05 34:12

Close or not.

SPEAKER_03 34:14

Um they also got that exoskeleton too, right? So they said like if an ant was the size of a human, it would be like bulletproof.

SPEAKER_04 34:21

Really?

SPEAKER_03 34:22

Like a building could fall on it and it'd be okay. Oh yeah. Really? It's a crazy oh yeah. You know that movie? I do.

SPEAKER_02 34:29

It's a banger. I do. It's a Disney movie. Have your kids seen it? Of course, of course. But I I mean, clearly I fell asleep during that part. Um, but yeah, I mean, just 25 million.

SPEAKER_03 34:39

I feel like it's a safe, it's a safe bet. Sounds like the control room wanted to get their takes in there, fellas? Any thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 34:45

Brad, you're old enough to watch the Tom and Jerry where like they would the ants would like all like come together and make like a formation of something? You know? Yeah, yeah. And um, so maybe that's how they would do it. But uh I also was wondering, have you ever seen those? This is where my algorithm takes me. But um, have you ever seen where they do like the simulations where it's like who would win like one million uh tyrannosaurus Rexes or like you know, 10 million Homer Simpsons? Like and that's where we got maybe you need to do a simulation to find that out. I think with technology we could do this.

SPEAKER_03 35:25

Do you guys remember the gorilla debate? Yeah that was viral. I never got to ask you this, and I wanted to so bad. And now you have your own podcast, so we're gonna do it. How many Brad Gozans against a gorilla? I mean, dog, I'm taking you, like 30 of you against a gorilla. I got 30 you's over a gorilla. So like think about it. I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 35:50

Am I crazy for saying that? 30. I mean it's goos. I feel like that's a that's a high number. Bring me up. I I got it. So Matty, what do you what yeah, what do you got for us in there?

SPEAKER_01 36:02

Uh listen, I think um I uh same thing. Here's where you'll see where my algorithm takes me these days. But I saw where the guy was lifting the real, he was at the zoo and he was lifting the real Thor hammer and he couldn't like the this this guy was jacked. I mean, this guy was jacked up, like strongest guy you've ever seen. He could barely lift the Thor hammer, and then the gorilla and had a Thor hammer, and he like nonchalantly just like picked it up like it was nothing. So I it would take a it would take a lot of braggazans to take down a gorilla.

SPEAKER_02 36:38

So maybe a little bit more than 30? Yeah, 30 minutes. We're going 30 minutes. We're going higher than 30. Um yeah. And speaking, speaking of that, and going to zoo animals. I know we're off track here, but have you ever seen like where they've got this tug-of-war rope? Is that is that real? Against a tiger? Yes. Or like a yeah, like or a gorilla. It's real. That was pre-AI era. I need to go to one of these zoos and and see what this is about. I mean, are we taking I think we're taking the podcast on the road here, but I think that would be amazing. I mean, to be honest, I see these videos nowadays on on social media and I just don't know what to believe. It's real. It's real. All right. Well, if you're saying so, I'm believing it. So uh the answer to the question, more than 30. 30 of me.

SPEAKER_03 37:22

Next one is from Bobby uh from Dekula, Georgia. What is your favorite smell?

SPEAKER_02 37:32

Favorite smell. All right, take your time. Take it all your time. I mean my favorite smell. You know, yeah, you know, I think two that come to my the the front of my mind. Um you know, the the first one being, you know, when you walk into uh into a nice hotel and the the lobby smell, yeah, you know, it's just like this, it's not like a fresh linen, but it's just this nice aroma. You're like, yeah, I want to sleep here, you know. I want to put my head down. If I I feel I feel calm, I feel safe. Um so that, and then also when you're out grocery shopping and you know, you're you're in the the produce, the produce uh aisle, uh, you know, and and you're you're searching for all your fresh vegetables and and fruits. When you pick up a pack of strawberries, a fresh, like the you know, you you test them, you're like, let me see if these are are fresh. Give a little smell for a fresh strawberry. I'm I'm all for it.

SPEAKER_03 38:34

Are you smelling your strawberries when you buy them? Yes. Am I like educated? No. I feel like that's should I be? Isn't that the the test? I thought that's the test. Yeah, I mean I pry the top open and give them like a good look over, but I don't you give them like a little. I give them a smell.

SPEAKER_02 38:48

I I want I want that fresh strawberry smell.

SPEAKER_03 38:51

I'm captain Whole Foods and everything, man, but I didn't know. Big shout out there. Thought control room thoughts on that? Am I doing something wrong here?

SPEAKER_01 39:00

No, I think Brad is kind of a weirdo strawberries.

SPEAKER_02 39:04

Hold on. No, I'm setting this out to I'm sending this out to the viewers. Who out there is smelling is smelling their strawberries before selecting them? Listen, don't be shy, chime in. We want to hear from you.

SPEAKER_01 39:16

Yeah, um, I've never seen that, but I will give you a good one. Uh how about when you're uh at the mall and uh you go by the Cinnabon? I mean that the Cinnabon at the mall or the airport, that's that's a good smell, right?

SPEAKER_02 39:32

You can't you can't go like those places on an empty stomach. No, because you walk past and you're like, oh, let me let me get some.

SPEAKER_03 39:40

A bucket of anti ants. Oh my goodness. I'm trying to think. Yeah, I would say charcoal for me is one of them. Like there's just the smell of a grill going. I grew up. What? Uh yeah. Shout out Paul Freihhoffer, my old man with. Oh my goodness. He was he was a big griller, you know, the Freihoffer house. We would we're not allowed to grill on gas, no gas gas. Okay, it's only charcoal because he said that's how a true griller grills. Okay, charcoal only. So kings for charcoal, I would say. And probably the smell of fresh cut grass, too. As a kid, you know, when you go out there and you just go for a little touch about and your dad just cut the grass, too. It's good. Fun fact about me, I love cutting the grass. My wife will attest to it. Are you a pushmower or rider? Yeah, yeah. You ever see speaking of Tom and Jerry? Have you seen you know the old school ones that are like non-motorized? You just push them and it's like a scissor system. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You ever use one of those?

SPEAKER_04 40:32

No chance. So satisfying. No, no chance. Or like uh, I'm not done.

SPEAKER_02 40:36

I I don't have that much time in the day. You know, I'm I I'm getting pressed as it is. Away, away from four kids. My wife's like, all right, I'm gonna need you to wrap it up out there. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 40:45

Brad, do you do you uh do you go straight like streaks, or do you ever try to go design like you know the vertical, horizontal, you know, diagonal.

SPEAKER_02 40:57

You gotta mix it up, otherwise the grass starts growing in like awkward patterns and you know, yeah. You I I try to be professional.

SPEAKER_03 41:05

Walker James would like to ask you, Brad, how did you conquer your pre-match anxiety?

SPEAKER_02 41:10

Um, yeah, good question. I think you know, you you conquer your pre-match anxiety by trusting the process of how you prepare. You know, whether it's the week of of training, you know, both mentally, physically, whether it's video sessions, knowing that you're going into the game, fully prepared, going in, confident, um, you know, believing in yourself, believing in your teammates, that you know, they've got your back, you've got their back, uh, that togetherness, uh I think all of that together helps with dealing with with pre-match anxiety for sure.

SPEAKER_03 41:43

Juan would like to ask you any hobbies outside of soccer that people don't know that you like to do? That you got time for, of course.

SPEAKER_02 41:50

Yeah, um, you know what? I I don't do a lot of it. And we were talking about this, you know, last week a little bit. Um, I know you were doing some some other content capturing uh fly fishing. Yeah, outside outside of the office. And you know, fishing for me is is something I I enjoy. The my kids like it. You know, we certainly don't do enough of it. Um they're at an age where patience is hard to come by, and so it's very much, you know, hey, I put the I put the the line in the water, and within five seconds, if they don't have a bite, they're like, Where are the fish? You know, what's going on? But um, you know, I was uh I was big in fishing as a kid in terms of riding our bikes with other kids in the neighborhood to local creek, little river, and and whatnot, and do a little fishing. So um yeah, I enjoy it. But like I said, just not enough time in the day.

SPEAKER_03 42:41

That's poetic as well, because the last question was let the camera see you. Billy the bass was gonna ask you if you like to fish. Oh, let's go. That's huge. Answers that one. Yeah. Something else we were talking about pre-show, too. We had it on the in the control room as well. We are as a nation making our way around the moon right now. Yeah. And what you and I have been talking about. Let's get the debate going. Yeah. Outer space or the ocean. What's scarier to you and why?

SPEAKER_02 43:06

Um I'm going to go with I'm going to say what did I I don't even remember what I said. I think I said outer space. Um, I said outer space um only from the the fact that it's the unknown, right? You you we don't know what's out there, and and I certainly don't have the the means or the ability to jump on a spaceship and go check it out. So I'm gonna I'm gonna go with outer space and I'm gonna ask the same question you, and obviously I know your answer, but um yeah, talk to me.

SPEAKER_03 43:40

Ocean by a million, and I don't know what it is like control room. Chime in if you guys have any thoughts too. It's just the I know what could come up to me, and in space, I just don't think there's anything out there. The silence doesn't bother me because I just start like humming to myself, just yeah, you can have whatever you have, and just be hanging out, like I'm not worried about it. I could uh go swimming in Savannah, Georgia, and there could be a tiger shark ten feet from me. And next thing you know, yeah, you ever seen one of those?

SPEAKER_02 44:08

No, I haven't. And and I know. Well, you could also control how far into the water you're going. That's fair. So it's like, you know, knee deep. And I and listen, I understand that sharks could still attack in knee deep water. Um, but yeah, I mean, listen, I guess that's the risk we we take with the ocean. Um, we certainly have the means and the ability to to see what the ocean is all about, but outer space, yeah, there's only there's only a handful of people in this world that have that have done it.

SPEAKER_03 44:37

So I wouldn't be surprised though if the pod gets invited on the into the outer of space. I mean, on the road. Little space episode. Episode from from the moon. Floating around, right? Just floating around. There we go. Control room, any thoughts, guys?

SPEAKER_01 44:49

Um, I think for me, it's a hard no for both of those because uh, as you know, I went down a big rabbit hole on that submarine last year. That scared the crap out of me. And then um I've watched Interstellar and that movie with Sandra Bullock. So I'm no thank you for either one. But I salute the brave men and women that are at the moon right now, but she's claustrophobic, I think.

unknown 45:17

Oh, come on.

SPEAKER_03 45:20

I'm with you too. I think it's just the fact that it's we don't uh do we know how deep it actually is? If you guys have time in there, I think we do, but it's just pitch black. Yeah, and all the like the push.

SPEAKER_02 45:30

There's no way you're going down that deep. I'm talking like waist deep in the ocean. Still you're you're you're talking about going seven miles underwater. Fair, fair. I mean, I you might as well be outer space at that point.

SPEAKER_01 45:47

But if we're going in the depths and doing some exploring and seeing how y'all feel about giant squid? Seven miles.

SPEAKER_03 45:55

Seven miles. Seven miles, see? No, I'm good, I'm good. I'm right on that. Giant squid, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:02

No gracias.

SPEAKER_03 46:03

No thanks. No gracias. That guy has been the mailbag delivered by the Home Depot. Always on time.