Hour 1: Knicks End Title Drought, USMNT’s Promising World Cup Opener, plus ESPN’s Mike Breen

23:45Rich Eisen:O 'Reilly Auto Parts can help take the guesswork out of your vehicle's check engine, ABS, or maintenance light with O 'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE certified master technicians. Ask for O 'Reilly Veriscan today. While the world watches the stars of the FIFA World Cup, Hyundai has its eyes on the next generation of talent. Future stars who are already turning heads at age 14. Because Next doesn't wait for an invitation. And neither do we. Hyundai has always moved the future within reach. We did it when we made advanced safety standard on every vehicle.

24:19Rich Eisen:And engineered EVs with ultra-fast charging capability. And we're still doing it every day. Because the future isn't some far-off concept. It's already here. Next starts now. Hyundai, an official partner of FIFA. Rich Eisen here. You ever notice what happens when something big rolls into your city? a major tournament, a can't-miss concert, a high-stakes playoff game. Suddenly, fans are everywhere. It feels like everyone's trying to get in. Streets are packed. Hotels book up fast. And finding a place to stay? Not so easy. That's exactly why this can be a smart moment to think about your own space.

24:53Rich Eisen:If you're planning to be away, you can list your space on Airbnb while all of that's going on and earn some extra cash at the same time. You're not changing your routine, you're just making the most of the moment. From my years on the road, I can tell you what people are looking for during these big events. A comfortable home base. Something that feels like their own space in the middle of all the action. And when options are limited, places like yours could really stand out. So if you've ever thought about listing your space, this is a great time to give it a shot. When your city is at its busiest, your home could be exactly what someone is looking for.

25:30Rich Eisen:Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host.

25:49The Rich Eisen Show podcast. It's, you know, we keep saying that sports is the great unifier. My son, Matt, who watched the, he's 29, he watched the game with some friends at one of their apartments in the city, and then afterwards, the game, they went out, and he said in about a three-block walk, he said, Dad, I hugged like 80 strangers. And when does that ever happen in New York?

26:18Rich Eisen:Hey, man, you know, my wife printed out Stevie Nicks T-shirts, you know um the one that taylor swift wore the other day so i was wearing walking the dog with her yesterday in los angeles and there was a guy with a nick hat walking the other way and he's like how great is life you know like we shared this moment in a small street in los angeles on on sunday and you know to your point mike breen by the way our has joined us here our radio audience has just returned the word fan is the root for the word fanatic you know like that is it. That's what we're describing here. And you've had a front row seat, quite literally, for all of these years.

26:59Rich Eisen:What do you think this championship for the Knicks means? It's one of the great, great moments in New York sports history for a number of reasons. First and foremost, New York has always been a basketball town. I mean, I've lived in New York my whole life, and we all love football, we all love basketball. I'm not saying one's more important than the other in terms of the fans, but there's just something about the city game being basketball. So that's number one. Number two, it's a team that pretty much the entire city gets behind, and it's a team that has struggled for so long, but the fans never went away, even in the rough years.

27:39And there were many rough years, as we all know. So to go from that and stick with them through thick and through thin and see not only a team that has success, But a team that is such representative of the city and the kind of people that you want, they're such high character individuals. They're all about the team, the way they carry themselves. That's a big part of it as well. And then when you have your star player be the kind of young man that Jalen Brunson is, from a player to his toughness, to his will of never giving up, to overcoming all the, yeah, he's good, but stuff. That's an important factor as well.

28:18And, you know, I said this the other day, and it might sound a little corny, but so Brunson has all these different characteristics that you want in your star player, that you want in your franchise player. One that sometimes goes underrated, he's extremely coachable. Even at this level, he's extremely coachable. And that's huge for a team to come together because if the rest of the team sees, OK, this guy's taken some some guff from the coach and the coach gets on him, not just the head coach, but of course, the assistant, namely one Rick Brunson, then then we can do it, too. So you put it all together and it just it becomes something really magical.

28:56And that's that's what we always hope for. That's the long, long term dream when we start rooting for a team to have a team like this.

29:02Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, and again, being such a fan that I am, Mike, I've spent, you know, probably too much time on my phone in the last 36 hours just scrolling for any, all of it, just soaking all of it in. I mean, your essay after the game five was perfect. Spot on. It was beautiful. I took that in. I took the entire inside the NBA postgame because the number of times I've watched those guys on TNT rightfully disparage the Knicks and their plans and their results just to take that all in. Right? I mean, soaking it all in. One video that keeps on popping up is Rick Brunson, I believe in the Atlanta series, down two games to one, just having a moment with Jalen where he's clearly telling him whatever Jalen's upset about or complaining about to knock it off.

29:55Rich Eisen:And I do remember when Rick Brunson was hired or brought on and kept on, you know, the narrative was they're coddling Jalen Brunson. And it's the exact opposite, right? So what would you say, what's your favorite Jalen Brunson story, Mike? What is that? It's hard to have an individual one. You know, it was like from the, I remember the first playoff series he had in the second round, they had a chance, they got a big win against Miami and extended the series. And of course the ball was in his hands. And he went in and he mishandled the play. And they didn't even get off a shot and they lose and they're eliminated.

30:36he was devastated like devastated and and that's really who he is it's you know everybody loves to win but how many are truly devastated um when they lose like that and that made him want to work harder and his work ethic is off the charts and i got i remember i took some um criticism for comparing his will and his mental toughness to kobe bryant but i think it's up there um is he as talented as Kobe Bryant? Nope. But I think Kobe Bryant would be the first one, God rest his soul, to say, boy, that's what I'm talking about and point to Jalen Brunson.

31:14Rich Eisen:I mean, again, you've been calling Knicks games forever in a day. And I know you got to play it down the middle and you're such a pro. You're so good at what you do, Mike. But I'm wondering, who are you thinking about from your early days on a day like today? Who are you, you know, reminiscing with or thinking about? There's been a lot. And that's part of the fun is all the text. I think when I got back to my hotel room that night, I probably had about 400 texts. And most of them were Nick fans. Obviously, a lot of friends, co-workers, et cetera. But a lot of them were Nick fans. And one of the people, of course, I think it was my dad.

32:01I was one of six boys. So in our house, sports was not an option. And we just loved whatever team that my dad rooted for. And my dad was a he was a Marine and a construction worker, a tough guy. And I always thought he was the strongest man in the world. And I used to think that Dave DeBuscher was the second strongest. So that's the influence that he had on me. So that's who I think. And really, quite honestly, Rich, it's been so much fun sharing it with my kids. And they're not kids anymore. They're young adults at 34, 33 and 29, two boys and a girl. And they just they just love the Knicks and they go to the games and, you know, they saw a lot of bad basketball growing up.

32:47So for them to really enjoy it, my wife and my daughter are Villanova grads. You can imagine how much they love the Nova Knicks. So that's what we said earlier. It's sharing with so many people the joy of it coming together like this, and especially a team like this that carries themselves like this, that play like this.

33:08Rich Eisen:Have you connected with Clyde? Yeah, I saw him after the game. What was that like? It was so wonderful. He's my friendship with Clyde is one of the blessings of my life. And he I've never heard him talk about any other Knick team with the kind of reverence he talks about this team. He doesn't compare anybody to the 70, 70 team especially, but the 70 and 73. He thinks this team reminds him of that. He doesn't compare anyone to Willis Reed. Willis Reed was his role model, was his idol till the day Willis passed away. and he says that Jalen Brunson reminds him of Willis Reed in terms of, you know, that silent but tough leader.

33:51So he was more emotional than I thought, and it was wonderful to see. Patrick Ewing was so emotional after the game, and the Knicks have done a great job bringing him back and making him a real part of the team in terms of using his counsel and letting him talk to the players and letting them work with the players. And Patrick was so emotional after the game. And he says, I'm finally getting my ring. I mean, how do you not get emotional that he said something like that?

34:20Rich Eisen:Mike, this photo that we have on the screen, if you wouldn't mind putting it up right there. I mean, I didn't shed a tear on Saturday night. I was just taking it all in because I was in such disbelief. This photograph where he's smiling because he's holding the Larry O 'Brien trophy. Patrick Ewing gets to hold this trophy. And Brunson is standing next to him. And again, they've known each other, right? Patrick said he's known Brunson since he was two because he was teammates with Rick. And Brunson's face here is basically saying, yeah, I'm so proud that I could make this moment happen. That's the way I'm looking at it.

35:00Rich Eisen:I'm wondering how you take this photograph in. Yeah, there's such respect there. And often there's a disconnect between the way the older players approach and today's players approach in the game we know is so different. But a lot of the most important parts are not different. And I think that Clyde has, and he's talked about it on the air and he's talked about it off the air. He has such reverence for the way Jalen handles his business. and Jalen is, you know, he brought up his mom and dad did an amazing job, not only in terms of getting him ready to be one of the great players in the game today, but to appreciate what came before him.

35:44And he's been so respectful to Clyde as well. And it's just, I think it's like Clyde looks at him like, you could have played on our team. And he doesn't say that a lot about it. And Jalen could have been, he could have played on that team. He could play in any era because that's the kind of game that Clyde had, and that's the kind of game that Jalen has.

36:05Rich Eisen:Another person that I'm thinking about today, Mike, and I'm curious as to whether you connected with him or not, is the guy who preceded you and one of the many reasons why I do what I do for a living in Marv Albert and what he must be thinking today, Mike. Yeah, we haven't talked since the clinch, but we have been texting prior to that. And he loves watching it as well. And, you know, it's funny, like you say, who you think of. But while I'm calling the game, it's Marv inside of me. I mean, I watched him so much. He's one of the reasons why I fell in love with doing this as a profession. His influence on how I call a game, certainly not, I don't have his iconic poise, but the way I call a game, the way I approach the profession, so much for me.

36:53So I hope for some of that there. You know, I actually, and I'm a little mad at myself. Howie Singer, the longtime producer-director, I said to him, you know, I'm going to, I'm one of these Nick baskets. I'm going to, tonight I'm going to yell, yes, and it counts as a little tribute. And it just, it never came. You know, it had to be a certain play and it just never came out. But, you know, think about him. I think about Johnny Andres, Johnny Hoops, Johnny Andres, who was one of my dearest friends, Al Troutwig, people that were there. There's just, there's so many people that we work with that were part of that, that you think about.

37:30So a lot of thoughts, a lot of emotions over the last couple of days.

37:34Rich Eisen:And I don't know if you're a numerologist, you know the number that hangs in the rafters of Madison Square Garden. Yeah, we said it on the air. Red Holtzman, 613 career wins, 613 in the date that the Knicks won the championship. Right. And you know who sent me, we had had that ready to use, but I got a text before the game from Pete DeBuscher, Dave's son, to tell me the same thing. And again, another connection. And Ian O 'Connor wrote a wonderful piece about Dennis and Pete, Dave's two boys, and who their favorite player was. and it was O.G. Ananobi because he played kind of the same way. There were a lot of similarities with the way they played and what they meant to the team, what their role was with the team as their dad Dave was.

38:21Rich Eisen:Well, I know you've just finished a very long season and a long travel back to your spot there. And I know you're going to probably head to the golf course, but are you part of the parade? Are you going Thursday? They haven't finalized plans yet. Yes, I'm going to be part of the parade. There's not a chance I would miss that. It's as a Nick fan, as a Nick broadcaster, and just as a New York sports fan, I think it's going to be something pretty special. I've had people tell me, Michael K., my best buddy, who had a chance. Right? Yep. And he did the Yankees, and he said there's nothing like it. There's nothing like it.

38:59Rich Eisen:The ticker tape coming down, you know? Right. I can't even imagine. Can't even imagine. Well, again, great job. You're so great. at what you do, Mike, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to share. Honestly, I, I, I, I can't believe this is happening. And I, I love your perspective and I'm, I'm so appreciative of being able to have you on to share it. Thank you. It's my pleasure. Right back at you, Rich. Thank you. Let's let's do this again shortly. That's Mike Breen right here on the Rich Eisen show, fresh off of calling the NBA finals for 21st consecutive season. 6-13 was the date the Knicks won it all.

39:39Rich Eisen:That's the same number of wins Red Holtzman had as a Knicks coach. And that number is hanging from a banner in Madison Square Garden where the newest banner will be hung. And I just don't know if this is true or not. You don't know what's true or not on socials. But Saturday night apparently was, if you add the high school, college, and professional wins of Carl Anthony Towns, that now equals 613 as well. Whoa. I don't know if you're a numerologist or not, but that was incredible. Bang, as Mike Breen might say. Or bing bong, as somebody who's threatening to call into the show, O'Shea Jackson Jr., texted all of us on Saturday night.

40:24Rich Eisen:He is threatening to call in. Let's see. I haven't seen him call in yet. 844-204-RICH-NUMBER-DOW. When we come back, Team USA, Say the men's national team coming out of the gate in the World Cup the way they did. Holy crap. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial.

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42:03the rich heisen show the podcast 44204 rich number to dial right here on the show um

42:10Rich Eisen:um jeremy shapp's in our green room we're gonna bring him out in about 11 minutes time uh he's in town to uh cover the the world cup he was there friday night i said i thought i I read in a tweet like it was your 14th World Cup match. No, it's my 14th U.S. men's national team. Jeez. He's one of the few people on ESPN that you have to, when you recount what he's saying, imitate him. Him, Berman. Yeah. There's very few of them, right? Jeremy Shepp. ESPN. He's in our green room. We'll talk World Cup with him. Um, listen, there are some times that I regret things in sports where I have an opportunity to go to the game and I, I, I don't take that opportunity.

43:02Rich Eisen:And, and I always grew up as you know, this just in, uh, in New York city. and I would look at LA sports fans arriving late, leaving early, traffic is a problem. Like, are you a fan or not? I would sit there from the comfort of my Staten Island basement. That is an East Coast mind. You know what I mean? Like, come on. These are such soft people, these Los Angeles sports fans. That's what I would say growing up. Now I'm one of them. Fact. Passionate Rams fan. And my youngest son accuses me of doing and being. So when the U.S. men's national team is taking on Paraguay on Friday night, I'm like, really?

43:50Rich Eisen:I'm going to go to SoFi. I'm going to deal with parking. I'm going to deal with this. Deal with that. Really? I'm going to go. Did you go? No. Sitting at home saying, man, I wish it was there. Yeah, same. That's what I did. I know. I wish I was there. I saw that scene and I'm like, why the hell am I sitting in my living room? Wow. This is wild. Why? Because for six years you sat here and tried to crack on me about not wanting to leave the house and go to places. And here you are doing the same thing. You live down the street. Doesn't matter. It's not the point. Oh, no, it's the point. Proximity is not what he's talking about.

44:22Rich Eisen:Oh, sure it is. I don't have a helicopter, sir. It's back there. To get from. I'm just saying. I mean, it would be worse for Chris. There's two words I don't ever want to deal with in this town, and it's called Sepulveda Pass. Right? Ever. That's like the Van Wick. 405. That's an unbeatable situation. But at any rate, I digress. What a scene. What a performance. Yeah. And again, I'm no soccer historian. But when we had Greg Berhalter, former U.S. men's national team coach here in person on Friday, And I'm like, what's a successful World Cup for these guys? And he's like winning multiple knockout round matches.

45:10Rich Eisen:And I'm sitting here thinking to myself, all right. Yeah, I mean, I've never seen that. Okay. Multiple knockout round matches. And his point was like, hey, this has been an eight-year plan. When I first arrived, he was a former player for the U.S. men's national team, former head coach, and his son's now on the team, and he's with MLS, and he's talking about how this has been a long time coming. Like, this is the moment that they've been all waiting for here on this home turf. And then they came out and hit Paraguay in the mouth. And, you know, the second half wasn't as good as the first. You know, Pulisic came out.

45:53Rich Eisen:Hopefully he's healthy for the next few, at least two matches and games in their group D but they were outstanding they were crisp they were decisive they were smart they were great explosive they were on the attack they were putting shots on net that is something we haven't seen out of the US men's team maybe ever and then that Reyna goal to wrap it where he booted it and I turn to Cooper his friend Jackson we're sitting there watching it as a family also and I'm like was that off the outside of his right foot like he didn't use his left foot which is what one would think based on his positioning and his momentum it was filthy awesome Awesome.

46:55Rich Eisen:And, you know, Fallon Balogun with two goals, he could have had a third potentially. He could almost had a hat trick. I think the Reina goal, I watched back, there were 23 consecutive successful touches amongst the entire team before he uncorked it. Awesome. The Ridge Eyes and Show Podcast. You can't reason with a son. Trust us, we've tried. This summer, it's time to put that angry ball of fire on mute. Columbia's OmniShade technology is engineered to protect you from the sun's harsh rays that can burn and damage your skin. The sun is relentless, but so is our gear. Level up your summer at Columbia.com to spend more time outside and less time slathering on aloe lotion.

47:51Rich Eisen:You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever.