Men in Blazers Countdown Tour LIVE! from Philadelphia presented by Verizon, featuring Mt. Joy, Jordan Mailata, Gov. Josh Shapiro

28:18I think soccer has an amazing way to do that. The city of Philadelphia was born in that spirit. And I think hosting the World Cup here at our 250-year mark is really special. Go out and see the common humanity in one another. That's my hope for everybody as the World Cup descends on this great city, the city of Philadelphia. Born in that spirit. I adore that. I adore you. Thanks, everybody. Governor Shapiro, I want to thank you. Philadelphia, please be upstanding for Josh Van Junetta!

28:56When he said that the world is angry but soccer can heal it he clearly has not been following arsenal twitter this season what a human being um how do you follow that it is very difficult but joining us next on stage oh a gent who's equally at home leading an offensive line as he is oh just harmonizing on Christmas albums. He arrived here in your city 2018, taking a leap of faith to leave his game rugby, join the NFL. It's been amazing for me watching you, Philadelphia, embrace him for his humility, his groundedness, and his angelic pipes. Man is a pillar of the community, winner of community awards for his work with youth in the city of Philadelphia, and at 6 foot 8 inches I mean dude is literally a bloody pillar of the city.

29:53From New South Wales to your Philadelphia Eagles it's Jordan Milata!

30:13Oh what an intro! Rog, we're going to welcome you to Philly. Real quick, just real quick. How would you like to welcome me to Philly, Jordan?

30:25A-T-L-E-N-E-L Yeah, welcome to Philly, Rog. Let's go. I love you. Can I just say, the you in New South Wales, would you ever dream that you would take a stage in Philly later on in life and just shout out the letter A! You like that? See? You like that? Honestly, I think our fans rival some of the soccer fans, some of the football fans back home for you. Rival them? I think they beat the crap out of them. You just say the letter A! A-C-L-E-F-E-O! Welcome to Philly, Roach. Let's get on with the show. Sorry. I've got to say, and that's the end of the interview. Let's hear it for John. You're an amazing human being.

31:19I just want to say, I mean, I do, I think we just had the governor on. I do think about you as the people's mayor, Jordan. I don't know if you'll take that. The people's mayor? No, that's Jason Kelsey. That's Jason. That's Jason's title. Everyone knows it. He's the people's mayor. I think you're underselling him. He's the people's president. I can be the secretary. Secretary of... E! L-G-M-E-G-O! Thanks, guys. No more. I'm sorry. Looking at the look in your eyes as you do this, as you bound on stage, as you commune with these incredible human beings, I do believe it often takes someone to come from outside to truly appreciate the wonder of a city, to understand it with fresh eyes.

32:03So I do, I want to live your story, Jordan, for a moment. Going back to the beginning, land of your birth, far away land of Australia, family immigrants from Samoa. You grew up in Bankstown. It's a working class suburb of Sydney. How do you describe Bankstown just as a baseline so we understand where this story begins to people who've never been there before? Very diverse, very blue collar. And it's probably why I don't want to toot my own horn, but kind of made home in Philly, it's the same thing. We're going to get to that. Bankstown, thousands of miles away. Philly, right here, living, breathing here wonderfully amongst us.

32:48And your journey, I mean, it's a road less travelled. Even for, like, the most NFL-curious Australian, Bankstown, sport of choice, Aussie rules. You've described it as a fusion of rugby, soccer and NFL football. I mean it's also you forgot to throw in utter madness but rugby was a sport you decided to commit yourself to age 11 you were taking it seriously what drew you to the rugby and how does it kind of compare to the NFL to be really honest I used to say I used to draw comparisons but now I'm at peace with saying you can't compare the two it's like an apple and an orange It's a fruit, but it's totally different tastes, totally different textures.

33:34It's a different game. And, you know, I think it's just a fan war when you're like, oh, football's better, rugby's better. I'm just like, hey. Physically, the rugby is what? It's tougher. Rugby's tougher. I think playing American football is a lot harder, just mentally and physically. Let's dive into that. Because to understand the dislocation there is to understand you. I think it's really important to understand you because to me, you are like human inspiration. You chased the rugby dream into your 20s. 2017, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the National Rugby League. By the way, look at that bloody photo.

34:16Jesus. Look at it. What do you see when you look at that? Why was that Jesus? By the way, that left thigh is... It's like Botticelli sculpted you, baby. Oh, my goodness. What do you see when you see that? All I see is the short shorts. That's all I see. By the way, this is one of the few photographs we could show you. This man did not believe in shorts. I'm going to tell you, you were allergic to shorts. But they had a nickname for you that I just loved because you just ran over opponents. What was the nickname they came up with you for? I think it was something about a bear and my name, Jordan.

34:53Something bear Jordan. Look at that. Look at those shorts. Look at those shorts. You know, when you see a bear running in the woods, what do you do? You freeze. That's what happened. Bear Jordan was the name the Australians gave it. They said, don't run. Don't run when you see a bear charging towards you. Can I just, Jordan, can I just get you to look at those shorts and just tell me what's going on there? Brother, those are even shorter. Oh, my goodness.

35:22We got this photo of Jordan's OnlyFans. Oh, my God. Yeah, look at that stash. I don't know if you guys can see that stash. Just walked off the set, actually. It's hard. Far out. That's unbelievable. This is a good stitch-up. It's a good stitch-up. I could do half an hour on this photo, but I'm going to read it in. We've got to get to the end of the 2017 season. Rugby, I mean, rugby was fascinating. You were told by rugby, essentially, this is crazy. Rugby said this man was too big to play it. Like, they couldn't work out physically how to make you what you wanted to be. Yeah, I mean, I guess as time goes on, the game evolves, and it was getting at a much faster pace, and even to this day, it's at a much faster pace now.

36:11It's playing rugby league, just to clarify if anyone watching online is, he played rugby league, not rugby. You know, I get that all the time. So playing league, it just was evolving, becoming faster, and teams were just like, no, I don't think we have a place for you. So my agent at the time was just like, I know this crazy NFL program. It's called the IPP. You can learn how to play American football, and if you don't, we'll just come back here and keep chasing the rugby league dream. I mean, this is an amazing moment. You know, the sport that you love told you you were too big to play it. I love the way you've just doused the argument in some far-off land between rugby league and rugby.

36:53Went over all of our heads, but believe me, it's deeply virulent in every way. You developed enough to build a highlight reel that did put you on the pathway to the international player NFL pathway, looking for its third class of athletes. And I think about that, like you're there, we're here. It's an incredible change. It's a pivot. It's a gamble. It's like taking your life and be like, okay, I'm just going to throw it into the dryer. You'd played the NFL only on PlayStation, I believe, in that moment. No Australian had made it through the pathway. How did you convince your family that you should root your future, everything that they devoted to you, and just be like, okay, United States, we're going?

37:41Well, to be fair, I played NFL Street, and I thought, man, this is the greatest game ever. I was like, man, why don't we play this in Australia? NFL Street's the best game in the world. Are you kidding me? You could play it on a basketball court? This is awesome. I was like, this is just like the AFL. Anyways. Piece of pest. I decided, when I decided that I was going to go all in, you know, they flew me out for a week to LA, and I was 20 years old, and I was just, you know what, I'm going to give it a go. In the one week, I was like, I'm all on board. And when I get home, I'm going to ask my parents if I can do this program.

38:17They send me away for three months and try to make this program. I get home from L.A. I get home from L.A., I'm like, Mom, Dad, I'm all in. And I don't know how much you know about Samoan culture, but if you're not married, you stay at home with your mom and dad, obviously, because you're not married. but then you have to ask for permission for everything and so I asked my mom and dad they said no and I said why not I was like well you're 20 years old and you've never played the sport before why would you do that this is stupid and I thought it was a great idea I was like you know a lot of a lot of reward the risk is low if it doesn't work out I'll just pick up the hammer again go back to demolition and pay my way to rugby even though they said that was too big and just keep that going.

39:05And so I waited two weeks and I was like, you know, I'm going to target my dad. So he played. I was like, I've got to go that angle. I targeted my dad and I was like, you know what? He's the one I'm going to go after. So I said, hey, dad, do you want to play ping pong? Just play a couple of games of ping pong. He's like, yeah, let's do it. So we played at 21. We played three times. We played for maybe an hour and a half. I mean, we looked like the goddamn Olympics. I'm not going to lie to you. I was playing like my life was on the line. You've got to admit, I'm trying to win to go to America for this IPP program.

39:43Jordan, we've all seen Marty Supreme. You ever seen Bores of Fury? It was better than that. I'm telling you, I was playing like my life was on the line. But I let my dad win. I let him win all three games. That was a shot I took for my pride. But hey, it was worth it. it was way worth it because then right after that he was tired he was like you know son I'm gonna go to bed now I was like great I'm gonna follow you upstairs and say hey dad can we just talk about America real quick he said oh no no no go get your mother my mom was asleep on the couch I'll wake up my mom and she goes what what what do you want and I was like dad wants to speak to you I don't know what about.

40:25So we both walk in to the room and I spent about 45 minutes just telling my dad that, hey, you know, I'm young. The opportunity is great. The risk to reward was too high for me for the reward part to not take that chance. I was 20 years old. I said, if it doesn't work out, just come back. But I'm going to give everything I have. And if it does work out there, we have everything again. And here we are. It all started, by the way, this journey, which is about physical, mental transformation, started with him just recognizing dad was the weak link, grinding him to a pulp, throwing the game, letting him feel a little self-satisfied, and then manipulating him.

41:15Young viewers watching this, listen to that man. This is, by the way, how you win a life. Athletes talk about the grind, they talk about dedication, all that, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's about working out how to manipulate your mum and dad at this level. That is Olympic gold. And so January to March 2018, you immerse yourself in football, the tactical schemes, the physical demands. you know understanding how much you had to transform you've said and I love this it was like learning a new religion so Jordan what are the core tenets of football the commandments that you learn um commandments let's see what picture they far out well we gave you some bloody shorts we gave it look America this is great people shorts look at the length of those shorts you know I'm in America.

42:08I don't really know if there's a commandment, to be honest. I think this game is so, there's so many, it's multifaceted. This game isn't a simple game. It can be a simple game at times, but it can be really hard. The disguises that you may face, you know, when you're playing against a defense to do a great job. I think the hardest part about it is the terminology. When I first came here, I had to change the way I spoke because nobody could understand me. They said I had a thick accent, and I said, what? I have a thick accent. Have you guys looked and heard yourselves yet? You know, this is me.

42:42When I first came here, I was like, you guys can't even say water. Like, what are we talking about? You know, that was young me. Excuse my ignorance. But, you know, it was such a learning curve that I, again, I don't think there is a core to it other than. What was the hardest transformation? Was it physical or was it mental? It was everything. That's what I'm saying. There's like the physical part you're in playing offensive line. You're in like a three point stance, you know, like or two point stance. You're basically squatting the whole time. You know, I've never done that before. I just told you guys I was a bear, you know, running through the woods.

43:22Now, now I'm the person standing still, you know, like this is like a total, total polar opposite. So for me, it was like everything was such a learning curve. And I just was taking it with grace. And I had a great locker room to help me translate everything and pick up everything. And I was able to lean on them a lot to help me get here. It's an amazing moment. There was one team that took a chance on you. And it was like, I'm listening to you. And I can't believe the coincidence. It's the one team that you knew how to spell the name of. it was one of the odds by the way if we were like in Cincinnati he'd be here being like E!

44:04they'd be like E! see but I mean they selected you seventh round draft pick 2018 an amazing moment an epiphany worth beating your dad of throwing the ping pong game greatest sacrifice ever made those three games of ping pong Does he know this? No. Does he know you cheated him? No, he doesn't. Does he know you cheated him out of his birthright? He doesn't. And I'm glad that English is his maybe third language. So, you know, when he watches these videos, he has no idea what I'm saying. I love you, Dad. The only word his dad understood in this whole interview is the word water, when he said it the first time.

44:47But then, this is incredible. You spent basically two years of your life, Jordan, rooted to the bench as you continue to learn your craft. I mean, this is karate kid level crap. You're like wiping on, you're wiping off, you're doing your things. And your Mr. Miyagi is a remarkable man. It's your former coach. It's Jeff Stoutland.

45:11Look at him. What a human being. These pictures are nuts. Look at the clean shaven face now. This is like going from we had a beard to a mustache to now noustache and clean shaven to really short shorts to shorts. And I know these are really long shorts that I'm wearing here. So this is great. I mean, look at Stoutland. He'd be like, I've got a pen down my chest. I've got like the tiny mod glasses on. Everyone hates photos of themselves. Stay with me, baby. He's a remarkable man. He really told you, take your time. I got you. I see you learn your game learn your craft I've got to tell you you must have questioned times and there must have been low moments for you Jordan how did you keep going 24 months very little action very little progress what kept faith in your journey man in all honesty um Jeff Stoutland he would challenge me to prepare like a starter from when I first came in there and knew nothing about football to now.

46:19He always told me, prepare like a starter so when your opportunity comes, you won't skip a beat. And so I was just there in 18, 19, and even 2020, I was just biding my time preparing like a starter. And it was probably the greatest advice that he'd ever given me. And it was just the old saying of, you know, stay ready so you don't have to get ready. Instead of saying that, he was just like, just prepare like a starter. And it was the greatest advice. And I think it set me up because of the way I watch film, the way I study, the way I'm attentive in meetings, the way I practice. It all led up to who I am now as a player on the team and just the way I go about business.

46:58I don't skip a beat now. It's who I am. It's what I do. It's what I know. And it's all credit to Jeff Stoutland. God bless. God bless the University of Stoutland. It came together. Made your first start. tackle week four of the 2020 season 994 days after your first day in the international player pathway program it's amazing to me i've got to tell you someone else who grew up far from here dreamt of here did the thing my thing slightly less physical than yours slightly more to do with my mouth um you did it man and i find you so inspirational 25 25 20 win over the 49ers um let's look at the shorts again look I'm just looking at the belly now I'm looking at the belly I'm like a little bit worse full wear my bro I bite your arm off to have a belly just like that to be candid but you've said you had to get used to Eagles this is what I love the way you melded with this community you didn't just like work out how to be a dominant figure on the team you bonded with Philadelphia you've said that you got used to fans stopping you on the streets.

48:14I love hearing you speak about them. Look at that. Look at that. This is amazing. These human beings whisper in your ear, tactics, play calling, positioning. If you were asked to describe an Eagles fan to a family member back in Australia, what would you say motivates these people? What do they want from athletes who represent them? It was told early on from me, to be honest. Um, and it was, man, yeah, I'll probably sound like an advocate for this guy, but Jason Kelsey put it plain, very plain and simple. If you give everything you have, a Philly fan will love you to the day they die because it's all they ask for.

48:55It's all they want. And when he said that, I was like, nah, come on, surely, surely not. And he was living proof of it, man. So I just, like I said, I had great teammates, great leaders that brought me along. and showed me the way. And I clicked because the more I was here in Philly, the more I interacted with the fans. I was like, oh, this is just like everyone back home that I grew up with, just our diehard fans, just more diehard, you know? I don't even know how to describe it. Yeah, there's just more diehard here. More diehard. For those fans, you went from cult hero to immortal. It's part of the team that played Super Bowl 59 against the Chiefs.

49:39Woo! That is a man that knew that you just put up 24 and answered points in the first two quarters. Everyone says that to win is a human ecstasy. Every athlete says this. I remember watching that game and at the end watching you and thinking about you. What it had taken for you to get to this moment from Bankstown. No Super Bowl win. Number of Bankstown Super Bowl winners before this man in human history, zero. If you could go back in time, that man, and tell the kid in Bankstown a piece of advice, what it would take him to get from there to here, other than wearing longer shorts earlier. What would you say?

50:29I don't know. I don't think I wouldn't tell him anything, to be honest. I'm a big believer in everything happens for a reason. so I'd probably just tell him to get better haircuts and longer shorts but I'm a big believer in that and I've got to be honest The hard sting of lessons learned is the most important thing Yeah, I agree I agree but going back to this moment it was kind of just like another game for us on the day of the biggest game of the year of your career you know it was just another game and you got that vibe from the top down everybody just felt the ease the calm because the preparation that we did to get to there again it was preparing like a starter if you prepare like a starter you don't have to get ready when you stay ready yeah and so we were just ready to go out there and do our job and execute and I will say this the moment lasted maybe two hours, three hours max.

51:31I was on top of the world for two hours, three hours. And I only say that because I was just like, man, I don't know why I feel like this. And then after reflection, I don't carry the same baggage that my teammates do because I just started this game and I started loving this game eight years ago. And it's a little different. I think if I'd won a rugby league premiership, I didn't cry. Like I never cried. and it was just like, I was just, I think I was just so overwhelmed with all the emotions, like, man, I couldn't believe we just won it. You know, first thing I thought to do was go shake the Chief's hands and then find Landon Dickerson and I was like, all right, where's my wife?

52:12And then I was just like going through that motion and I came down with the, I guess, the thought of I just don't carry that same baggage, you know, like seeing all my teammates cry I'm like I want to cry I'm trying to cry but I just couldn't cry with them I was like dude I want to cry so bad I'm with you I promise this means a lot to me but I just can't cry you know yeah I just couldn't I couldn't I couldn't let a tear out so I just was like all right you know I literally did a study like a couple days later I was like dude why why did I not cry I was like why not cry I was like I just don't carry the same baggage and And then I was like, all right, I want to get another one.

52:57Next day, I was like, I want to get another one. Let's do it again. The next day, you're out. Yeah, a couple of us were like, let's do it again. This was fun. Amen. True story. True story. By the way, I'm just going to tell you, can I just introduce you to the concept of fake tears? It's a very American concept. Dude, I tried. I was trying to cry. I'm telling you. I was like, dude, I promise this means a lot. This means a lot to me. that you win, and I hope you let the Chicago Bears sneak one before you become dynastic, but it's not about me, it's about you. Just tell yourself, the Sydney Rabbitohs have won the Super Bowl and you will be sobbing like a little baby and it will be magnificent.

53:39I've got to say, I cried watching you, and I cried when you later turned up and delivered at Philly Music Fest, stunning this city, with your beautiful, beautiful pipes with your Amy Winehouse rendition. Let's see. This is a later version, but it's called the Segway. This is this man singing with Mountjoy.

54:09Mountjoy, very great music man. I'm sorry that came out. I'm sorry. That's okay. Let me just say, Jim's on South Street. Can I just ask you, this is an amazing thing. First of all, this man, this is also the moment this man discovered long pants, which we need to applaud. But I want to know, I look at this video, I hear you sing. Your range is like unbelievably immense. We think of big men, the O-line. You're meant to be silent. We're only meant to hear about you when you're offside or when you're introduced at the beginning of the game. That's a good point. When I hear this, you're meant to be big, silent bruisers.

54:50this confounds the stereotype. What part of yourself does singing allow you to tap into that the sport, that the football in general doesn't? I think that was my first love. Music's been my first passion, my first love. Grew up in the church, so it was just something that, you know, again, being Samoan, being Polynesian, you grow up around the music, you grow up in church, and you have no choice but to join the choir, so early on you have no choice but to sing. so yeah that's where it all started and then then you find out yeah you know i'm not too bad at this you know i'm gonna get i'm gonna learn guitar now i'm not too bad at learning guitar i'm gonna learn piano you know just you just start building on there and you just the more i learned the more i wanted to keep learning new instruments and keep learning new ways to sing or how to sing even better you know and what makes you more nervous playing before 67 000 a pack link singing it does Singing makes me more nervous.

55:49It makes you feel more alive, more human. Only because I don't have a pre-game routine to take my mind off singing. Maybe I should create one. Now, take your notes. Take your notes, because I honestly love singing, but I hate singing in front of crowds. You don't look like a man who hates singing in front of crowds. I've got to be candid. That was backstage. That was different, Rog. That was way different. I look at that with great admiration. I love any man that doesn't buckle under the weight of a Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey or Amy Winehouse tune. By the way, this photo is unbelievable. You could just like, we could fast track all of these photos and end in that one.

56:30And I'm like, that is called progress. This is also America. I love America. But I want to pivot talking about this upcoming summer. The World Cup is going to come to this city. Six games. Unbelievable. ball um you're quite the multi-sport athlete you play football you play the ping pong you mentioned the rugby rugby league mfers i can't say that publicly um was there ever a space for soccer in your life beautiful always mate always grew up playing every sport in australia i think i shouldn't say this year so i'm not going to say i'm sorry um i think growing up in australia you play every single sport under the sun.

57:08And we played cricket, volleyball, soccer, rugby. What a basketball. You just play everything. And so soccer was just something that we did, especially with my brothers. We thought we were bloody Renardinho and just in the backyard trying to, who had the best checkers? It was just, it was bad. It was bad. But when I look back at it, I think I attribute that to my athleticness, just being able to play multi-sports growing up. and I really stand 10 toes on that. God bless. Tell the world who you support because this is amazing. This man was too big to play rugby league. I look at him and think he would have been an unbelievable Arsenal centre-back.

57:48Tell us, Jordan, who is the team that you love most? So I don't really follow them anymore but growing up it was the Liverpool. Oh, we're good. Okay, great. there was safe space I didn't want to say it because I saw you know Man United shirt there and I see I see a Gunners shirt behind us I do see the Liverpool shirt right there there's a Sydney Rabbitohs shirt right at the back go on no shot is there my eyes are very bad go on you know you know that's a thing random self-supporter that's a real thing on social media it is random self-supporter everywhere you look God bless can I just say Philadelphia Eagles fans wear that Sydney Rabbitohs jersey the next year.

58:33This man will cry when you win the Super Bowl. That'd be amazing. If everyone turned off on one, they're just wearing the rubber tapes. But go on, Liverpool. Yeah, me old man and my brothers. My brothers are diehards. But I think, you know, when I moved here, I kind of just stopped watching any other sport, really. Because I was a huge NBA fan, too. But I used to wake up early at 4am in the morning with my bros to watch the Premier League. This was during when I was playing the Rabdos as well. And I think when I came here, I just was like, you know, I've got to learn a whole new language, a whole new sport.

59:09And I just need to dedicate all my time to, you know, one day loving this. Like you have to play this game. You have to love this game because it can't, it can become monotonous. And so if you don't have that, like that love, that pure love, I had to learn to love this game. And so I have no more love to give to any other sport. I don't know why that comes out. I'm so sorry. I apologize. I think it's Rog. Rog is bringing it out. No, I love this. I do. By the way, just when that final point went when his dad won the ping pong game, all three games, you were like, you know, Freud says we become a man when we see our parents have clay feet.

59:48Like, my children saw her have clay feet very, very, very quickly, so they're over that phase. But ultimately, in that moment, when you let your dad beat you at ping pong, you were freed from the tyranny of the Liverpool fandom, and I'm here for it, baby. I'm going to America. I'm going to be free. But let's get to it, because the US Men's National Team in the World Cup have been drawing your boys, Australia, in the group stages. Let's go. Mildly crapping myself. June 19th, over in Seattle. I've got to say, the Socceroos, look at them. Sneaky. Look at the green and gold, man. Look at that green and gold.

1:00:24By the way, just show this. Australia has learned with their shorts droppage. This team, collective youth, little bit of experience sprinkled in. They qualified out of Asia, which makes them a bit tasty. When the draw went down for the World Cup, we were covering in that day live with Verizon in New York. And when the US drew Australia out of the group, everyone in the room was like, yes! That's crazy. That's crazy. We could have had Croatia, Uruguay, Mexico, and we were like, oh! And then I watched videos from Australia where thousands of Australians were like, you know what, we could have had Argentina, France, and England.

1:01:07We got the United States. So how do we think about this game? How should we think about this game? You are uniquely poised between two ferns. Well, I'll tell you what. You know, when someone says they have one horse in the race, not this guy. I have two horses in the race. Obviously, I have to root for my home country. I just have to. I mean, that's a given. I remember when the draw came out, I think there was a bunch of us getting ready for practice. And it was on the TV screen as we were watching it. And the slander had already begun. The slander had begun in the training room as we were getting prepped.

1:01:47They said, prepare for the slaughter. It's coming out. See, the guy's coming out. The guy's coming out. I'm sorry. I've got to stop this. Let me ask you this, because we are a hard-hitting political show, as Governor Shapiro just found out. I feel so bad about the subway thing, by the way. I'm just like, sit here, just like, stupid. Oh, I missed it. I missed it. Oh, it's terrible. We can just, we won't talk about it. Oh, it's definitely edited out. It's definitely edited out. Stupid. But you're an Australian who's made his life in the United States. Tell us what, put us out of our misery. Tell us what the score is going to be.

1:02:26I think it's, honestly, I think we're going to go to overtime. It's not even overtime. Extra time. Yes. I apologize. Sorry. Sorry. These people love you. Extra time. Tell them whatever you want. I think we'll go three, two. There we go. I like that. I thought you just spelt Australia. I was like, wow. These people are really, this is like, what's it called? Syndrome. Patty Hearst Syndrome. I'm going to move on from the darkness that I just unleashed. I want to ask you one last question. You're an incredible human being. I've got to tell you, I'm awful. You've met me. You know what a dark human being I am.

1:03:04I feel inspired by you. You're a madman. You've lived this incredible journey. It's bloody, am I right? Is he not an incredibly inspiring human being? Like, this man makes me feel fleetingly optimistic, fleetingly heavy, doing a lot of work there. But sports, life is about making connections. You know, ultimately, about, you know, Philadelphia is about to make so many global connections. All these teams are flooding in. Ivory Coast, Curacao, Croatia, Ghana, Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti. What excites you most about that and about the ethos of this city that you have discovered, that you're excited for others to discover and revel in as well?

1:03:51I think outside of Philadelphia fans, the soccer fans all around the world have that same fandom, so there's already that relativity. It's a city of brotherhood love. And if you go around, I'm actually really excited for the World Cup to come here because I think the city's going to turn up and it's just going to be a fun time. We have a lot of beer gardens in the city. for all our English fans out there. There'll be plenty of beer. But I think the food scene here is incredible. What do you like? You can't go wrong with your choice here. Get him! Get him everyone! Get him! How could you say that?

1:04:34I'm a very dim-witted man but I'll learn my mistakes very quickly. Is there one place in addition to Subway that you're liking? Honestly, there's a lot of places you can get. I mean, I don't know who said Subway but you can get a cheesesteak here. You can get hoagies here. You can get chicken coloured sandwiches here. You can get pretzels. You can get your water rice. You just covered all the food groups. Well, you know, I'm just, I'm thinking, you know, you don't want a hefty meal before you drink. You know, eating is cheating. You know, when you're drinking. You know, so, you know, these are like little snacks, you know, full meal, you know, thanks guys, appreciate it.

1:05:13You guys must be British. I love it. I love it. Thanks for everyone who clapped at my back. But it's true. It's true, just little, light little snacks. Is there a cheese steak of choice for you? I'm a Jim's guy. I'm a Jim's guy. You are? Yeah, I'm a Jim's guy. that's it by the way it was gyms that brought us together oh look at that it was it was like genuinely we both have a very this is not a paid advertisement by the way it is it is it's a very global endorsement deal gyms didn't pay me well they didn't this is just straight love just straight from my heart gave me a lot of the whiz wit money i've got to tell you can i just tell you jordan you are a remarkable human being i like genuinely feel energized by being in your presence.

1:05:57Your joy, your journey, your optimism, your wonder, the way you share it, the honesty, the authenticity. It's rarer and rarer in our world which makes it all the more precious. I want to ask you to join me at the front of the stage. We're going to bring our photographer, Matthias, on Philadelphia. Be upstanding. Let's make a photo of the night that we can treasure forever as two giants, six foot eight men, stand in front of you and make a memory we'll have forever. Come on up. Let's go.

1:06:58T-L-E-S-E-R!

1:07:12It's here for Jordan Miley's air!

1:07:21Oh my god, I'm a dark man, but I gotta be candid. I feel so much better about life after that. How do you follow that? Jordan's made his dream a reality. Let's make some of your dreams a reality. We're about to crown our first 12 winners of the night. We'll get World Cup tickets for the FIFA World Cup from Verizon. These winners aren't going to go to any match, by the way. It's match 89. I know you've all got them all memorized. So you're like, holy crap. Okay, that's a knockout match, yeah? Yeah, it is. So I'm going to pop up very, very momentarily a list of names on the big screen. And if your name is on it, and I'm going to tell you in one second if it is or not.

1:08:05Number one, I'm going to cramp myself just a little bit because I love this moment. But number two, you are going to be going to the match. Let's have them up.

1:08:22congratulations to those of you when there's people popping up all over this place i just wish for you that you are going to make priceless memories and i want to thank verizon for making this happen um to get the ticket you have to meet us here's the bad news At the end of the show, you have to wait here. Here's the really dark news. I'm going to come back out, and I'm going to tell you how you get the ticket. And by the way, if you did not just win one of those beauties, and it kind of felt like that incredible woman on the front row, one old 12, I've got to be candid. And she's an Aston Villa fan.

1:09:01So you know about winning, yeah? Kind of. You did earlier in the season, and kind of like in European competition. If your name wasn't on the list, you still have a chance to be one of those five golden ticket winners with pitch side access. Let's just say you're biding your time, okay? You're playing it cool. You're working on the one you really want, or the one I really want, if I'm going to be candid. But it's time for our final guest of the evening. I've been so excited to have these human beings on. I mean, they put joy out into the world at a time we need it. They really summon the spirit of Philadelphia, and not just because they've shared the stage with the Philly fanatic.

1:09:43Four full-length albums, their most recent, I love this title, Hope We Have Fun. It's like when I said to my mother with my first words when I came out of the womb, they stitched the name of a local hike at the nearby Valley Forge National Park on the sleeves of vintage T-shirts all over America. these two gents also remarkably and I don't understand it either a proper proper arsenal please be upstanding for Mountjoy co-founder Filly Local Matt Quinn and drummer Satori Lee Perlouse to Mountjoy

1:10:33All right. All right. Wow. Woo. That was nice of you. Thank you. Yeah, yeah. We can still smell Jordan's aftershames faintly just floating over the whole stage. I want to start with you, Matt. You are of Philadelphia. You are of this city. You met your Mount Joy co-founder, Sam Cooper, at Conestoga High School, home of the mighty pioneers. You're also from a family of Philadelphia Eagles, fanatics tell us the origin story of mount joy because i've got to tell you i love it yeah i mean uh sam the guitarist and the band and i grew up outside the city um and he he had a um a place on a it's called valley forge mountain and actually the reason they call it valley forge mountain is because it was built on mount misery which is a terrible place to sell real estate.

1:11:27And, uh, and, uh, I think there's like a great story for like why it's called Mount Misery that had something to do with a history class I was not paying attention in, but, um, you can look that up for yourself, but yeah, then there's Mount Misery and Mount Joy. And when we started making songs together, uh, we, you know, we had this silly song about a guy driving an Astrovan and most people think that there's like a, um, you know, I don't know, some deep meaning to our name or whatever, but the guy who was helping us out, a friend of ours, turned to us. He swiveled in the chair. He was on his computer.

1:11:59He's like, what do I name this? What's the file name? I was like, we could call it where we're from. He was like, oh, Mount Misery? And I was like, no, don't call it Mount Misery. So we just lied and said it was Mount Joy. God bless file names for changing the course of human history. By the way, I had to learn to become an American citizen, a lot of crap for my citizenship test. I did bone up on why there was a Mount Joy and a Mount Misery. It was William Penn. God bless you. I feel like I went now to Conestoga High School. This is a crazy story. Do you know the story? William Penn was on a hike in your national park, got lost on Mount Misery, and like, saved himself by exiting and he's like, that is and Mount Joy.

1:12:47And I'm like, I heard that story when I was revising. I was like, you ****. Like, who hasn't got hyperbolic when they're lost on a hike? You know what I mean? God bless you, William Penn. We tried to book you as a guest, but you were otherwise involved. So, Timmy, you were born on the other side of the country, in California, where there's only joyous names for towns and mountains. You've been a crucial part of this journey for this band. The energy you put out into the world, you transmit the vibes the positivity there's a line in lemon tree your song which i love you try and find the good in every soul in your own words how do you describe what mount joy tries to put out into the world uh yeah i think i mean just kind of being honest and honest with ourselves and just putting out what we think is like uh the best version of ourselves at that time and i think that kind of just and that's just kind of like I don't know, it's like the sorry, I don't talk, I play drums so I don't talk in front of people, this is very new, but we try to put out positivity and joy that is the goal if you had a drum set, I'd probably be able to answer that way better God bless, this is the Phil Collins of Mount Joy and I've got to tell you I hate Phil Collins and I love you in every single regard but you are I mean Matt you uploaded Astro Van first song you were a lawyer you put it on Spotify I read a quote of yours you'd hoped it would have like a hundred listens by the end of the month instead it had over a million you were trying to become a lawyer at that time spoiler alert you never did end the law degree which by the way makes you an even greater human being in my regard But 10 years later, you've recorded four albums.

1:14:42You played Madison Square Garden. You've created a profound community of meaning, which is what I love about you guys. How do you understand the core of everything that's come to pass, man? You know, I think, like, for us, pretty quickly, you kind of... I mean, well, first off, like, Sody and I, you know, had tried to do the music thing for, like, a decade before Mount Joy ever worked. So you kind of are humbled by the fact that it's never going to be, for most artists, it's never going to be the music only that gives you an opportunity to do this for a career. So I think for us, it's like we had a song.

1:15:18It was a silly, goofy song about an Astrovan and people. And Jesus. And Jesus driving it, which was really not a religious thing. I just thought it was funny that he was a carpenter and so he would maybe drive a van and chicks might dig that. For those of you who are religious, you'll recognize it from the book of Chevrolet. Yeah,

1:15:41Chevrolet actually has never reached out, which is deeply offensive. So if anybody knows a guy... Gyms of South Street. Yeah, didn't Man United used to have the big Chevy, you know? Man United, the only show I remember was when they had Gyms of South Street. Keep going. Yeah, that too. That too. Yeah, I don't know. You just kind of figure out that like, hey, we're doing a specific thing here where people are coming to connect with like just being goofy and fun. And yeah, it's not taking themselves too seriously. It's more than that. You guys are doing yourself down and we will return to that because I do believe listening to your lyrics, listening to your music, seeing the connection between you and your audience, you point out something so deeply affirmative and positive in every regard.

1:16:32It's a currency that's all too rare in our time. We'll get to him. Noah Kahn is very, very similar. A man who experiences his own darkness and then turns it into light in the most beautiful and profound way. Yeah, but he's a Chelsea fan. Yeah. by the way this is one of the most this is one of the most hard to fathom things about Noah Kahan um that we will get to in one second I do want to get but I want to understand you guys first he's a Chelsea fan this is crazy you guys are massive football fans it's when music one thing in your life football that's what I'm from Liverpool we know ourselves who music and football Those are the only two things.

1:17:21And I know, Soto, you were a kicker on a gridiron football team. You were like the reverse Jordan Mailata. But soccer became your deepest love. You play in Sunday league games where you can. You were a midfielder as a kid. You're a midfielder now. What was it about football that freed your soul? I think just being in the moment and being creative, at least as a midfielder, you know, you just kind of like you try to calm yourself down in the moment and like Make the right decision, you know, and I feel like it's the same thing with like playing music You know you got it you're in front of people you don't want to mess up or upset your parents You know you want to go to McDonald's after the show or game But yeah, I think they're very similar, you know, just saying your same mentality, you know and always trying to improve yourself and yeah try to try to be that's it yeah like genuinely when you sell out madison square garden you're just thinking about your parents taking you to dairy queen as an award yeah yeah i wear my cleats when i play live by the way we're gonna get to what you wear when you play live because that also blows my mind matt you also play midfield you're like a six you know six years seven years center midfielder you're like declan rice but i think with better chord progression.

1:18:45Look at that. Very, very, so similar. It's unbelievable. Let's go. I know, but when I met this man, I was like, oh my God, doesn't he look like an Arsenal left back? We have a lot of those. I know, he's good. We put a little thin, like, like a Califuri. And he's like, yeah. I mean, he is like American Califuri. What kind of a player was young Matt Quinn, for those who weren't in the stands to see you? Take us there. I mean, you know, I'm here, so it didn't work out. No, I was... I think I can get you on the U.S. men's national team. Do you know a guy? I mean, I certainly tried. No, I mean, I was...

1:19:30I don't know. I like to think I played at a decently high level. I definitely dreamed of playing for the national team and did like ODP, like tryouts and stuff and had a dream. and then I wasn't good enough, so I ended up not doing it. But I love the game. I think, like Sodi said, I think, yeah, it's just a, I don't know. I think it's just a sport that, especially as a kid, it's like you're not getting your head bashed in necessarily. That's a positive. Yeah, well, that's one of the main things. And then, you know, you get to get in great shape. Play express yourself. Yeah, exactly. Play the beautiful game and also connect yourself to the world in a way that I don't think most American sports do.

1:20:15Like, I think all these people here, like, you know, I see jerseys from places that aren't in the United States mostly. So I think it's like, you know, you get to turn on the TV as a kid and like try to figure out what West London is like or something like that. You know, whereas if you're just watching teams from New Jersey over and over again, it's sort of a limiting experience. West London, if you're watching children, is like having a kick in the teeth. But this is not about me, it's about you. And you are both super positive musicians. Mount Joy puts out all that good vibe, which makes it even more remarkable for me to discover, I'm not going to lie, that you're both diehard Arsenal supporters.

1:20:58Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal, Arsenal. There we are. You first. How did this happen, dude? How did you take the joy, the sparkle in your eye, the optimism, the wonder, and decide, yeah, North London forever? Oh.

1:21:17Oh, man. Oh, no. I just heard something from the bottom of the table. Oh,

1:21:29man. This is amazing. By the way, the man who shouted out, come on, you Spurs in an American accent, it's nice to have Clint Dempsey here tonight. Go on. Salty, how did you say arsehole, I mean? Yeah, so, I don't know. I don't have this, like, crate. Like, my dad wasn't born at Highbury or anything. And, you know, I'm like, you know, Wagner's, like, grandson. But, yeah, my dad just would watch soccer. He's Greek, so he watches Greek soccer, which looks like all you guys watch that as well.

1:22:12His favorite team is Roma. We would just watch soccer. It was a way to bond, and I played a lot. In middle school, friends and I would just play around. I know this sounds so lame, but I don't care. It's like we were playing FIFA. And then I was like, oh, this is like a cool team. Like, let's see what's going on. And then it kind of got me engaged into the team. And then you start, you know, you kind of start attaching things to whatever. And then you start watching the game, start watching, you know, Terry Henry, you know, start seeing that. And you're like, oh, this is cool. And you just attach yourself to something that kind of just makes you really happy or extremely depressed.

1:22:49You're like, why did I do this? You know, but, you know, in a few weeks here, I'm about to be very excited that I chose this team. we're gonna get to that that's called a spoiler alert people by the way Thierry Henry has done more to grow football fandom in this modern United States era than I think any other I mean an artist a creator you know like genuinely um it's like watching Picasso paint for so many young Americans he's turned so many of you on also FIFA genuinely one of the greatest silent hands that's driven the popularity of this game, one frat house by another across the United States.

1:23:30But Matt, this is crazy to me. You chose Arsenal, and I love tiny little moments in life that change everything, because when you were 14 years old in the Devon Area Youth Soccer Association, you played on a team that was called the Arsenal. And I read that, and I was just like, holy crap, how lucky are you in life that you were not playing randomly on the team that was called the Everton. Do you ever think about, like, the generational trauma that you missed? Sliding doors. Yes! Really, truly. Yeah, that was it. It was actually, because some of you guys don't know this, it was Lower Merion Soccer Club.

1:24:13I started my... He didn't say Santa Claus. He said Lower Merion Soccer Association. What are you booing Philadelphia? But honestly, same deal. Well, actually, this is part of the story. So I played for a team in Lorimerian called the Hammerheads. Who were... Can we boo the Hammerheads? Which is just a shark. Yeah, can we boo them? A bunch of 12-year-olds.

1:24:48Yeah, give them hell. Give them heck. Sorry, sorry. Yeah, and then they actually became or got folded into FC Delco, which was a... Delco, 13-year-olds. Equally weird to root for them. But no, and that was like a whole thing, and I didn't go with them, so the next team was called FC Arsenal. And they got it backwards, obviously, but I was like, okay, I'm into it. I think that was probably 2004 or something like that so it was also a great time to tap in because I mean Thierry Henry but also FIFA was a huge part of it too because then it's like alright well now my team in FIFA is Arsenal I gotta rep my thing that I'm spending making my parents drive me all over the world for and yeah that was really it and it's been like you know i like to say ups and downs a lot of downs a lot of downs but a lot of ups and it's you know we're sitting a lot of ups is doing a lot of heavy lifting there and i want to dive into that in one second i do want to knowledge this because this is amazing to me so this is amazing you often choose in key moments behind the drum kit like a lollapalooza a couple of summers ago to wear the arsenal jersey on stage i think it was arsenal's pink kit that you sported There we are.

1:26:18Matt, you went with this one during a recent in-studio performance. I think it's one from the Anne Hathaway collection. When you're wearing these Arsenal jerseys out there, putting out into the world, what are you saying to the world when you're deciding, you know what, we're going to go proper, proper gooner in these moments? I mean, first of all, they breathe really well. So when you're up there in the heat, you know, you can... I don't know. I'm proud to be an Arsenal fan and like I'm playing in front of a bunch of people and if they love it it has brought connections, I've met fans and people that have kind of like we've, I don't know met and got a beer with or whatever and talked to Arsenal, you know or I piss people off and I don't care at that point This man is more Philly than he'd ever let on in a beautiful world I had one Michelob Ultra backstreet spicy i mean yeah same deal i think honestly it's just like growing up here you get so like you know indoctrinated by the sort of sports fan mentality of like um hey i'm riding with this team whether you like it or not and philly has this sort of like nobody likes us we don't care kind of thing and i think that um yeah and i think i think it's almost like i enjoy the banter as much is I enjoy the sport.

1:27:43Coming from here, that's such a big part of it. So I know when I put on a jersey and a thing that people are going to be in the DMs like, you suck, you know, whatever. I just report a spam. And Elon Musk is like, oh, that's not good. But it's fun, you know, and I think it's a unique thing. I think there are, you know, obviously, football in America has got a huge following, but it's a thing that's like I almost want to find you people because it's like I go to Misconduct Tavern sometimes to watch games and like you know there's like Arsenal meetups and yep there you go and yeah it's just fun to find people who are like into a thing that's so far away and I think it's really just trying to connect with people So Soti as you're painfully aware Arsenal have finished in second place for three straight seasons they're essentially Marv Levy's Buffalo Bills in English form but this season's arsenal this is biblical they push past it it's like watching Sisyphus step over the rock and be like man I'm headed to the peak there's been moments of wonder there's been moments of agony you've lived it all there I am it's not over it's not over yet I don't know what he was referring to the losing part, the winning part, we don't know.

1:29:08It's been so psychologically fraught. Has any of it been fun for you guys? Depends how many beers you have. Yeah, no, I think especially on the road, it's a cool thing to take at least our heads out of just being, just doing music, music, music. You can kind of just get into this world and if you win, the show goes amazing. If we lose, it sucks. But no, I think it's like, yeah, I don't know. It's definitely been a ride. We were just in the studio watching, you know, the last game against West Ham, and we were recording. We were, like, across from each other. I had my phone here. I'm, like, tracking drums.

1:29:48You know, like, I don't care what's happening over here. And then I would see, and I saw we score, and I kind of just went, like, you know, like. He looked at me, and he goes. Yeah, yeah. And then we bring, you know, the rest of the people who didn't really care to, like, watch the rest of the game. And we were, like, and then we saw that happen. We were, like, oh, my God. And then we saw that other thing happen. We're like, oh, my God. And then we just go and start recording music. Is this for the next album? Yes. Wait till you hear this song. It's fraught with anxiety. It's called Leandro Trossard.

1:30:21America, let's play our new single. It's called Leandro Trossard. I mean, Matt, you recorded a song, Let Loose. You wrote about Arsenal. Wonder if I'm ever going to find my truth. Wonder if we were born to see this through. So put it to our misery. you're in the you're so close you're in the Champions League final how's this season going to end guys? Do you let yourself believe or are you just so burnt jaded? You're almost enjoying the darkness at this point that you don't trust anything because let loose suggests just embrace the pain It's definitely a bit of both I think like at the end of the day I do like zoom out And I'm like, the last however many years have been disappointing, but, you know, I am friends with people who are fans of other teams, and they suck worse.

1:31:17And that's the reality. Like, it's really, we're all sucking, but it's varying degrees, you know? It's like, so at the same time, I think, like, would I slam my head into the wall if we come in second place in both of those trophies? Absolutely. But will I gaslight myself into thinking that's an okay outcome? Absolutely. By the way, I've got to tell you, the greatest English joy is schadenfreude. Steve Coogan said, if you give the average English person the choice between their success and your failure, they'll choose your failure every single time, which I think is the essence of all of this.

1:31:57I want to quickly talk about the World Cup. You guys understand the passion of Philadelphia. you understand you're an Eagles season ticket holder as a kid. You drove the old school bus Eagles green to the games. It's amazing. Your past, your life, your wonder. You are proper, proper Eagles. The whole bloody world is about to come here. I can't tell you the spotlight that is about to be on your city. It is proper global in every regard. What will the world see from this singular city? yeah i mean i think starting from the sports aspect this is you know we've gotten a chance to travel and go to sports sporting events of various sports all over the country and the world really and there is like literally bar none no better like sporting community than philadelphia it's unique um um it's it's unique and i feel like i have to stamp that after the whole Sixers situation.

1:32:52This is a unique sports town, a much far superior sports town to New York where, I mean, that's, yeah, to me, that's not debatable. You know, whatever. I'll go to a Jets game this year or something this year with Joe Hart. But I think, I think, Josh Hart. Oh, He just called Josh Hart Joe Hart. He might as well be the goalie. That guy's a loser. Withering riposte to Josh Hart in every regard. But go on. Sorry, Josh Hart, but not really. Also, like, Josh Hart of Villanova fame. What a loser. Way to forget where he came from.

1:33:37But as you can tell, we're passionate. And I think, like, at the end of the day, it's an amazing place to see any sporting event. because people, I think, give them even the slightest reason to believe, and they will believe all the way, as we are proof of, but with Arsenal and with Eagles, everything. And also, as I tell people when I travel around, this is a world-class city that's truly underrated. We have some of the, I think, pound for pound, this is the best food city in America. So when you're here, you're going to eat good. You're going to hopefully see the team you're rooting for winning the World Cup.

1:34:14and have a great night afterwards. Who is going to win the World Cup, guys? Who? Yeah. I have no idea. No. I mean, the U.S. is in the World Cup. That's for one thing. That would be nice if they won. I think Philadelphia is going to win the World Cup. Oh, you said who's going to win. I thought you said who is in the World Cup. I was like, a lot of teams. You want to list them? Who's going to win it? Yeah. That's a great question. I mean, we should probably see what they're saying. You said that out loud. Let me ask you this, Salty. You are half Greek, half Italian. You've watched the Greek team.

1:34:47Neither of them made it. God bless. You don't have to be in it to win it, baby. You kind of do. But you've seen Greece 2004 win the greatest 150 to 1 outside. There we go. My family's going to be excited to see it. Pirate ship. Look at that. Pirate ship. I watched that. I'm like, yes. I've seen Iceland. I've seen Morocco go deep in World Cups. you know why never us why never the united states men or women kick ass and take names what will it take for the united states to like live our dreams of this collective audience probably get matt and i on in the midfield sorry tyler adams but uh by the way he'd love he would love to have your job he's got a beautiful voice um you told me more greek americans was your answer you told me more greek americans yeah yeah More Greek-Americans about, I don't know, maybe 5 '7", 5 '8".

1:35:46That's it, Zach Galifianakis in the centre midfield. We're going to win it all. I do need to ask you two last questions. The first is, you mentioned Noah Kahn. We love Noah Kahn in every regard. You've opened for him, you're friends with him, you play golf with him. I mean, he's the Poet Laureate of our nation, isn't he, right now, with the number one album in the United States of America. He said, Jen, this is unfathomable to me. He's proper, proper Chelsea. You play golf with him. You've had several hours on the golf course with him a lot. How do you understand this, that a man with such incredible empathy and emotional nuance, like a man whose brain is wide open to every kind of feeling, is a Chelsea fan?

1:36:32I don't understand that. I've talked to him a lot about it. I understand it less. How do you explain it to yourself? I mean, there's really no explanation. I did just the other day. I offered him he could come to the good side. He did not take the offer. He remains in darkness. That's, well, yeah, I mean, I guess. They do get to wear the patch for four years. That's cool. But no one believes it. But no, I don't know. I think, like all of us, I just think a lot of American attachment to teams is pretty random. I think he had like, if I'm being completely honest, I think he had like a neighbor or something that that was somehow connected to Lampard or something like that.

1:37:19Or one of the one of the players of that era. And yeah, it's pretty random. I mean, I wish he randomly would have come across Thierry Henry's dad or something like that. Especially, you know, he could really spread the good word. But yeah, he's miserable. So that's there's that. By the way, I do think ultimately being a miserable Chelsea fan may be the source of his incredible poetry in the second album. It's like the first album was based on my pain. Now I'm successful, how do I tap into pain again? Oh, Clear Lakes Chelsea Football Club. Let me write 12 songs about that crap. But last question for you both.

1:37:58Your songs, like Noah's, are so bloody personal. They take on personal meaning to fans. I look at the internet there's so many people who've got tattoos of your lines that you create whatever you're supposed to be whatever that's supposed to mean gents I think you're writing what you're creating is something that's so rare in the world right now you're forging a community of positivity that the world needs do you intend that? what do you want people to take from your work when they listen to it what do you want them to be? I mean, maybe it's cheesy, but themselves, you know, I think it's like, I don't know.

1:38:40I think like the lesson for me writing these songs is and failing for a while and then having success in Mount Joy is just like the more you are introspective and vulnerable about yourself and your condition, the more you will connect with people. I think Noah is an excellent example of that. And I think I really like to think that our band is the same way where it's like when you finally kind of give up, which is really what happened and just start writing music maybe more for yourself or, you know, for your own mental health. It's like that's when you find all these people that are like, hey, you know, there's something in this music, even if it's, you know, we were talking about this today.

1:39:21Like it's not always the line itself. It's maybe just the feeling and the vibration of an energy of the music you're putting out. it connects with someone because they're going through something and that's what you were trying to put out into the world and they're there to receive it because they're going through the same thing so I think yeah just hopefully find people where they are and and you know connect with them nothing really more than that well I gotta tell you it's so beautiful do not be afraid to fail listeners do not be afraid to tap into your own self do not be afraid to put that out as a vibe into the world.

1:39:53Your success is the embodiment of that in every regard. And as Arsenal please God do, become champions. May Mount Joy ever continue to rise in every regard. Philadelphia, please be upstanding for one of your own and one of you adopted. Saltya and Matt for your Mountie Mount Joy!

1:40:29Oh,

1:40:37be like those guys, a lot like me in every single regard. Philadelphia, you have put out into the world so much incredible hope, so much joy, so much wonder. And what Mount Joy said about failure and trying again is really a great segue to the grand prize golden ticket giveaway. Because everyone that can win this failed at the last 12. And it's time to close the show really in the most magical way possible. Another five of you, your journey is just beginning. Five grand prize winners who will get the Verizon golden tickets. Let me remind you, these winners will not just be going to match. You all know it.

1:41:19Match 89, yeah? It's a knockout game, did I tell you? We'll also be witnessing that drama from the very field with the language that the lawyer said last time. I can't remember for this time. For a portion of the game, is that what I meant to say? If you're selected, come on up. Be with me after the show. If you're not selected, there's a thing, Verizon Ultimate Access for the FIFA World Cup, which will continue in the march up to the tournament for existing Verizon customers like me, who's not going to win a ticket tonight. You can still have a chance to access free World Cup tickets. So if you're not with them, make the switch today.

1:42:03We did as a network, and it's changed everything that we do do. But it's the moment that you've all been waiting for. In one second, I'm going to click my fingers and have the power to tell you the five winners in Philadelphia. By the way, I'm so happy for all of you in anticipation of the winners of the Verizon Golden Tickets. Nurse!

1:42:30My man, amazing. Where else?

1:42:37I want to say, what a joy. At the back, huge, huge love to you in every single regard. You are going to be a mere couple of feet away from the greatest athletes in the planet. Human love to you up front. There you go. Look at that. Putting the sunglasses on so they look good in the photos. And by the way, respect to you for doing that. That is proper filly. Are you an Arsenal fan as well? Arsenal and Tottenham. Arsenal and Tottenham. One of you only knows winning. One of you, it's called a consolation prize. Good things can happen to sad people or whatever that book is. Whatever. I want to thank our partner at Verizon for making all of this possible.

1:43:19Huge, huge love. That's crazy, man. Verizon just made an Arsenal fan and a Tottenham fan hug each other. That is the power of connection and connectivity. Thank you to Verizon for this community, keeping us all connected. Again, if your name was on the screen then or earlier, stay behind for a couple of minutes. I'm going to come back out. I'm going to give you all a big hug and give you your tickets and all that crap. All I ask is that you make incredible memories, which is the greatest part. Soccer's at its best when it transcends sport. And you will make memories that I hope will last forever.

1:43:59For the rest of you, I just want to end with a toast. I want to thank you, Philadelphia, for having us. I want to thank you for embracing us in your loving arms. You know I love being in your city. I really, really do. We have so many friends here. By the way, I come to Lower Merion more than you would imagine. And I adore, at the fanciest events I've ever been to in my life, they unironically serve cheese steak for dinner. And I'm like, that's the city I want to live and die in. We don't know who is going to win the actual World Cup trophy. But I do believe in my heart. I know who is going to win the trophy.

1:44:41I'm pretty sure Philadelphia is going to win the World Cup this summer. And I want to say, it's my hope that in 80 years, a Brazilian grandchild will ask their grandmother, when did cheesesteaks Whiz Whip become the national dish of Brazil? And that Brazilian grandma will look at her grandchild with patience and love and adoration and say, it was the first time our nation tasted gyms of South Street cheese steaks. And it changed our lives forever. May the world dance in your streets, Philadelphia. May you hug them. May they revel in your singular welcome. may they try and climb your bloody lampposts when the whistle goes and a ball is kicked may you experience that sense of anticipation and hope and joy and possibility that that feeling of being alive which is what soccer gives all of us it's what the world cup gives of all of us more than anything you will feel your heartbeat sinking with the entire planet um watching pure moments that can drive out darkness and bring in light this is rog just saying let's not take a second of watching football together for granted philadelphia we love you thank you for having us big big love and courage