Foudy and Chastain for NBC really don't offer much once they can't talk about being on the 99 team. I was hoping one of them would be a head coach for the national team, so that they could get criticized for once.
They are not our PR but we have always been the stepchild in sports in their eyes. Now Mexico's daytime programming revolves around the WC and their team even if the programming is for the stay at home housewives, imagine "The View" or "Live with Kelly and Michael" showing up in USA jerseys and talking about our guys, what kind of diet they are doing, talking about the town they are training, showing places where one could go if traveling there etc, etc. It's a different culture abroad when it comes to the WC.
Not gonna like, the scene in Inside with Besler and Mix in the hotel room watching soccer was hilarious. You can tell Mix is kind of a goof.
From an ESPN article earlier today, Mix talking about his collection of NY hats: “I collect them,” he said. “It’s cheaper to collect those than cars.”
besler seemed so uncomfortable and awkward. was it just the cameras? mix: who do you want to win. besler: i don't care at all. mix: do you watch games like this and try to break down guys like ronaldo? besler: no. i don't care. WTF?! of course you care, of course you break down the players YOU'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING AGAINST IN THE WORLD CUP. his reticence made no sense to me. if he's not watching ronaldo, be it live or on tape, and trying to process what he does, how he does it, when he does it...then he's setting himself up for an epic fail.
He does not come off uncomfortable and awkward, rather prickish at first, but then opens up. Mix just seems like a sweet dork, totally hangwithable. Someone mentioned and I wondered if Mix was put up to ask Besler those questions. I don't care what Besler's personality is, as long as he does his damn job. Sorry to geek out, but I was a translator and analyst for a number of years: Mix: Who do you want to win? Besler: Seriously? [Smiles and chuckles] Mix: Huh? Did I ask already? Besler: I have... zero preference. I don't care. Mix: I don't know, I think it would be cool if Atletico wins. Besler: [Smiles] Mix: So when you watch the game now, like, do you look at Ronaldo's movements and stuff since you will be defending him? Besler: I'm kinda just watching as a fan this game, but... definitely when Ronaldo has the ball. [Smiles] It's crazy that, I don't- he's gonna be playing for portugal in a couple weeks and you're gonna have to be, going against him. MIx: Uh-huh. [Pause] He's fast.
nice transcript! i left wishing he'd said something funny/snarky. after mix's initial question about ronaldo he should've said "no, cause i know you're gonna have to man mark him." on another tangent, the excellent bbc world football podcast had a thing on the usmnt and landon. besler had a few seconds of air-time and i was struck with how relaxed and thoughtful he sounded, especially compared to the tv show. so, who knows. of the player to player moments thus far that one seemed the most staged.
I don't think you bring the entire squad to Times Square to sit behind a couple of talking heads because you're doing serious journalism.
The show was not a journalistically focused show -- it was a pep rally for the US team. The questions from the 'panel' were simplistic and softball tosses. The US Team took time from their training to go to this venue and be on the show, you don't think the coaches/administration would have done that to bring them to a hard-hitting expose on the vagaries of Klinsmann as a coach, or an inspection into why they wouldn't get out of the first round, do you? This was a big pep rally to bring focus to the USMNT, the World Cup and ESPN's broadcasting of the World Cup. This was pure marketing. So yes, I did expect ESPN within the context of this show to be more PR than not. That said, I didn't say they had to overhype the chances of the team to make the next round or even say they believed that the team would make it out of the first round. They just had to be a little bit smart about how they approached the subject. Instead we got Taylor and Alexi daring each other to say that the team would make it through and they both said 'no'. It would have been simple to set up the discussion so the point could be raised at how difficult it would be, but how that has been said about the US in the past as well and the US has proven the naysayers wrong (Colombia in 1994, Portugal in 2002 for example). Celebrate that we have, won on European soil and gotten a result at Azteca for the first time as examples of the team recently 'changing their stars' -- whatever you want. Simple -- you don't have to lie about your professional position that the US won't make it out of the first round, but at the same time avoid saying that in front of the team and to the US public you are trying to hype on the US team at a marketing event. Just stupid, silly lack of planning and foresight on the part of ESPN and specifically Taylor and Alexi.
Apparently this part got cut in the edit..... MB: "What's to worry. Brad Evans told me it's gonna be a walk in the park. Are there any more chips over there?"
Yeah, Barton is pretty good. The instigator seems to be the host who looks like he's auditioning for the Daily Show.
You know what, if this gets the players pi$$ed and motivated I'm all for it. Michael Bradley already has an ax to grind with Lalas and Twellman for their remarks about the team after they dropped those first two games in the 2009 Confed Cup to Italy and Brazil.
The problem wasn't Lalas and Twellman, per se -- they have a duty to offer their unvarnished opinions. The problem was with Max Bretos asking the question in the first place. It wasn't appropriate for that venue or context, and it really put everyone on the spot. I like Max, but that was boneheaded. I agree with posters above that the intent of the Friday show was great, but it was just awkwardly executed all around. I think the setting was difficult. It's a lot harder to "perform" in front of a big crowd like that than in the familiar environs of a studio or press conference, and that applied here to everyone from the pro broadcasters to the players.
The last one isn't. It's description is "US Men's team at media day in New York City" It airs at 1 PM ET
In my cable guide thee Original air date for the 1pm episdoe is 5/29/2014, while that would be nice to see a new episode, I'm not sure if it is or not.
Mine it says it new, and my DVR automatically records all the new episodes. It's recording that last one and none of the other re runs. I guess we'll see in 15 minutes
There's another one at 1:30. What does your guide say about it? (Mine says it's a repeat of Wednesday's Episode 4.)
I guess this counts as "media." The first comment on this story is priceless: http://deadspin.com/british-comedian-almost-sneaks-on-team-englands-world-c-1584563845/all