Hour 1: Landon Donovan Talks World Cup with Guest Host Kirk Morrison, plus Wyndham Clark Wins US Open

22:20Kirk Morrison:You mentioned the big name there, Christian Pulisic, who didn't play in the last game, probably won't play in this one, gives him a little bit more rest. What does this do for him? I think that's the positive. What does it do for him that he can get back in that knockout round? And what does that mean? Or how does this team change when he's out there on the field? Well, Kirk, you've seen lots of muscle injuries, right, in your day. And in soccer, a calf injury is really hard to deal with because you're running and you use your calves to run. And so when he injured it, I think it was two days before their first game, I said at the time, look, I would be shocked if he's ready to play a week or nine days later, because usually these things take seven to 10 days at a minimum, minimum, and oftentimes a couple of weeks or more.

23:05And so now they were able to, they were trying to ramp him up for the game to see if he could do it. So you're pushing a little harder than you should. Now they can completely back off for three days for just literally let the muscle heal without doing too much. Completely heal. You don't have to play in the game Thursday. Then you start getting into training, getting your rhythm, getting fit again, and he will be more than fine by July 1st.

23:28Kirk Morrison:Hugh at the soccer legend, Lennon Donovan, joined the Rich Eisen show. Lennon, I would ask you what we're seeing right now. In about 30 minutes or so, Messi, Lionel Messi, will be going out for Argentina. His last match, he had a hat trick. How good is he? To see where he's at, how long he's been playing, and And to come out and do what he was able to do and has another opportunity to continue to keep playing. But just, I mean, for the world who didn't know and now you see it. And then for the young kids who've always heard these things and now they're seeing it live. How has this World Cup been for Messi?

24:04It's unbelievable. I mean, Kurt, you've played, Kurt, with people who, I mean, I'm sure Brady at the end when you're watching him play, you're just like, how is this guy still doing this, right? And you have to remember, these are the best players on the planet that he is doing it against. If he scored a goal in this World Cup, it'd be a miracle at his age, given everything he's done. He scored a hat trick in the first game, and now he's tied for the all-time lead in goals scored. And so it's just so much fun to watch. And you talk about the kids. I mean, my wife and my son Slate, my middle son, are at the game today.

24:39So they're in Dallas. They're looking out their hotel room. my wife's like, look at these people at 8 a.m. lining the streets to get into the stadium. You are looking at, in my opinion, the best player who has ever played soccer. And this has been the world's game forever. So you could say one of the best athletes who's ever walked this earth. You are getting to see him live in America right in front of you. And that's why people are flocking to these games like crazy. It's incredible what he's done. I'm almost positive he's going to break that World Cup scoring record maybe today. and I would just say enjoy it while you got it just like Jordan you know like enjoy watching him while you have the opportunity.

25:17Kirk Morrison:You know you we've talked about this expanded field for the World Cup and you've been calling these games as well so so Landon what's what else has kind of drawn you that really brought you in it's excited you just where soccer has gone not just why but I even say even in the U.S. now what has really brought I think more attention for you in this World Cup? I texted Tim Howard after the first LA game. And I said, Tim, I can't believe how cool soccer is like the people who were at the game, like it was the place to be. And even just like the culture and the gear and the vibe and the energy, it's just the cool thing to do.

25:57And it just blows my mind because for the longest time, people would make fun of me for like dribbling a soccer ball around, you know, and, and sports media wouldn't talk about soccer. Right. And so it's just become so cool and the other really cool piece about this tournament is it's been really competitive yeah a lot of times i mean the u.s is the anomaly we did not expect the u.s to be winning the group after two games we expected some of these groups maybe belgium or maybe germany or some of these to win after two games and be through but it's not happened i mean spain really struggled in their first game they're sitting on four points going into their last game they have to win the game against a really good Uruguay team.

26:36It's not going to be easy. So you are probably going to see some big countries either go out of the tournament or finish second or third and have a really hard matchup in the round of 32. And I think that's great for the tournament.

26:47Kirk Morrison:So there are expectations now. That's what happens when you win. People start to look at you and say, you know, and we don't realize how difficult it is, especially when you get to that next stage. When you get out of this group stage and obviously the U.S. has one more game on Thursday but what is the real true expectation now that they are in the group of 32 when it does happen what's the expectation for how far this team can go meaning if they don't win the World Cup how far can this team truly go well they've set themselves up perfectly because there was a scenario going into the tournament where they finished second in the group or finished third in the group right and now you're playing a much more difficult team in the round of 32 the expectation knock on wood now is you are going to play now a third place team and the expectation is that that third place team is a team you should beat you will be favored against and so now with the momentum and the excitement and the crowd and the energy and the pressure that puts on your opponent is going to keep building and building and i keep saying kirk if that goes past the round of 32 to the round of 16 and now you get a team that you're maybe even with maybe a slight underdog all of those factors take you over maybe you win that game and now you find yourself in the quarterfinals now you're definitely an underdog on paper but you have all this momentum going and now it makes it maybe an even matchup and so this is this is how these things can build and so the fact that we're already a massive part of the way there is huge and then now we see who we get in the round of 32 I'm sure in San Francisco on July 1st, it's going to be absolutely crazy.

28:27And I would expect us to win that game.

28:29Kirk Morrison:You know, Landon, for you, you were a breakout star when you first started playing with the men's national team. And you were the name that everybody knew. Now we have this like this new younger generation of guys who are now, you know, breaking through for the first time that we're seeing. A lot of people are seeing Alex Freeman for the first time. Like, oh, his dad played in the NFL. But like for these guys, what are they experiencing right now? These guys who have kind of been playing all different, different places and different leagues and now represent the USA. And everybody's like, wait, wait, he played for he plays for us.

29:01Kirk Morrison:I didn't know that. I can only speak to it on a much smaller scale because the sport just wasn't as big as it is now. My last World Cup was 2010 and it was in South Africa. It was literally the other side of the planet from America. And so I experienced something incredible, things that have changed my life forever. It's probably why I'm talking to you today. These guys are getting it on such a bigger scale because the other thing you have to remember, Kirk, is it's yes, people watching on TV, but it's everybody's phone is being flooded with these images on social media all the time of this goal and this crowd and them singing Country Road after the game.

29:43and Alex Freeman, oh my God, his dad played for the Packers. All these things are just flooding your feed and your brain all summer long. So these guys are becoming mega, mega stars. And that's why I say if this continues long into the tournament, this will change their lives forever.

30:03Kirk Morrison:Yeah, man, what game are you calling up next? I know you got more going on tonight. Tonight I'm calling Norway-Senegal, which is a really interesting game because Norway won their first game against Iraq 4-1. Senegal lost to France 3-1, but they looked pretty good. Senegal have to get something out of this game if they want to stay alive. They can't lose this game and expect to advance because even if they beat Iraq, that would only put them on three points. So they at minimum need to tie the game. And then Norway, their last game is against this little country called France. So they need to win this game to make sure they don't go into that last game needing anything.

30:39So there's a lot at stake. It's going to be a lot of fun. 8 o 'clock Eastern time tonight.

30:44Kirk Morrison:Just a couple more questions for you, Landon, because I never knew that all of these stadiums can grow this type of grass. I'm serious. I am jealous because of how green this grass looks on television. You're seeing it up close and personal. And for what people used to always say, this couldn't be done, I don't know what the World Cup did, what FIFA did, but I'm telling you, the grass in all these stadiums looks good. This is like the best, most pristine a stadium for soccer can look. And I'm like, the World Cup pulled this off. Yeah, I've been down on the field a number of times and I'm looking at it and I'm so jealous because for a soccer player, perfect grass is like the perfect tool for you.

31:24Right. Like it's all you ever want. And you never get to play on fields like this. Well, at least I didn't at my time. Now these guys do because they're used to it. But FIFA spent a ton of money and they put a lot, a lot of emphasis on this. historically what you would do is like if you went into Atlanta and there was turf they would just lay down grass on top of it but then there was no give the ball wouldn't bounce it was still felt a little bit dangerous at times but FIFA months ago went into all these stadiums brought in big thick pallets of grass like real grass that is growing and alive and then they've kept it perfectly manicured so the fields have been absolutely perfect yeah absolutely absolutely

32:02Kirk Morrison:perfect. And you don't have to worry about mosquitoes and ticks coming out of this grass. No, you don't. If you're indoors, you don't. If you're outdoors, you do. That's why we keep the Zivo on. Well, one more time, man, tell us about Zivo and your partnership with Zivo. Yeah, they've been great. And again, it's just for people who have kids out there, you know, it's the most annoying thing trying to get your kids to wear this tick or insect repellent. But Zivo makes it easy. It's clean. It's not icky. It doesn't smell. It's not greasy and gross. So it just goes on. The kids forget about it, and then you don't have to worry about it.

32:39Kirk Morrison:Who's your favorite right now, as I let you go, Landon? Is there a favorite right now outside of the U.S.? I know who your number one is, but outside of the U.S. men's national team, who's your favorite right now? I still think Spain are the best team. They got their best player, Laminia Mall, back yesterday, and it changed everything. Their opening game, they struggled against Cape Verde 0-0. But yesterday, they looked like the team that we expect them to be. They won 4-0, and they were really dominant. So as long as Laminia Mall stays healthy, I think they're the favorite. Landon, man, great to catch up with you.

33:12Kirk Morrison:I know you got to work today, so get some more rest, and we'll watch you tonight, all right? I appreciate you, Kirk, and great job again. Thank you, man. Landon Donovan, everybody. Soccer legend. Let's go. Join the Rich Eisen show. You know what? He said Spain. You know what? I took a trip to Spain actually last summer. Oh. You know, they finally finished the church, by the way. What is it? The great church. It took them 140 years to finally complete it. I don't want to mess up the name, though. I'll let you do it. Yeah, see? Let's see. He's probably not the one. I know. He is the one. The Bassicilia?

33:52Kirk Morrison:Yeah. There you go. That's not how you say it. I just have a picture of it. The Basilica. There we go. Basilica. There it is. 172 meters high. It is, trust me, I took a picture in front of it. It is amazing. They've been working on it for 144 years. Yes. 560 feet. And they had fireworks last, I think, couple weeks ago, announcing the completion of it. Okay. And now with Spain being sort of Landon Donovan's favorite outside of the U.S. men's national team, There may be a party at the Basilica. I'm just saying. I'm just telling everybody. Oh, man. So much steel to get to. I don't even know where.

34:31Kirk Morrison:Hold on. Wait one second. I got to look at my rundown. See, this is real radio right here. What's next? What's next? We got a two-time U.S. Open champion. Tell you more about that guy as he had me glued to the TV yesterday. Talk about that coming up right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Kirk Morrison filling in for Rich. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

35:20season. My favorite summer trip last year was to Sao Paulo, Brazil. With so many fans traveling for the Los Angeles against Kansas City game, they got to see how lively the city is. I love the culture and the amazing food that I'm still craving. Those memories remind everyone that it's that time of year to plan a little getaway. And that's why summer has a way of turning weekends into big events. One minute, it's a normal week, and then all of a sudden, a huge concert, sporting event or festival brings people in from all over. And when that happens, visitors start looking for places to stay all across your city.

35:53So if you're already planning a summer trip of your own, you could list your space on Airbnb and earn a little extra cash while you're away. Doesn't have to be some big year round commitment. It's about making the most of a busy weekend when your place would just be empty otherwise. I can tell you, people love finding a place that helps them feel connected to the city that they're visiting. If your city's about to have a big summer moment, this is a great time to maximize your space. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host.

36:30Kirk Morrison:Back here on the Rich Island. Letting people know, yeah, Reseda is LA. When I moved to LA, one of the first things I went to see is like, where's Reseda? Johnny Lawrence and Daniel Russo. Palm trees, everything. Yep, Brasida, part of it. Tarzana, that whole little stretch. The valley, baby. The valley, baby. It's 10 degrees hotter than where we are right now. 20. That's where I grew up. It's hot. It's hot, baby. You guys know that back in the day for a couple years in the mid-90s, there was a show, I think it was on HBO called Sherman Oaks. I didn't know that. Yeah. What was it about? Man, I'd have to look.

37:08Kirk Morrison:Now I got to go look it up. But it was definitely a comedy. I can't remember exactly. I know the guy that produced that, actually. Oh, really? Yeah, he plays the brother on it. This guy, Tyler. Okay. Brother or he's a brother? He's a brother. Brother. Hard ear. Not soft ear. He plays the brother. Yeah, he was a brother. Black guy when he's the brother? I had to get you. I had to get you. We got you. Here it is. Dr. Baker, a plastic surgeon in this family or the subject. Oh, yeah, it's right. They were doing a documentary on a plastic surgeon, wealthy who lived in Sherman Oaks. That's what he worked in Beverly Hills.

37:46I don't know.

37:47Kirk Morrison:Peter Billings lives in this show. See, now we got stuff to watch later on. Very attractive sister. Well, speaking of Los Angeles. Gary Coleman was in two episodes. Yeah. Speaking of Los Angeles and parts of Los Angeles. A couple of years ago in 2023, I had the great opportunity to be at the Los Angeles Country Club. Yeah, you were. Right down. What? Yeah, I was at the Los Angeles Country Club. Wait a second. On Sunday. Now, look, I was a media member because I did. I had a media pass. So I watched the U.S. Open and I watched Wyndham Clark. And this was my Father's Day gift. My wife was like, go watch golf.

38:26Kirk Morrison:And it was not too far from my house. So I went there. I actually got a ticket because I parked where I wasn't supposed to park at. So I don't want to bring that up. But it was kind of nostalgia for me a little bit because I try to go to as many major events as possible. I remember 09, me and my dad went to see Tiger versus Rocco. Rocco Mediate. That was one of the greatest still forever. And I always remember that one at Torrey Pines because they tied and they had the playoff was going to be Monday. There was no playoff on Sunday. the playoff was Monday. Yeah, back in the U.S. Open. Back in those days, if you tied at the U.S.

39:11Open, you came back on Monday to play a full 18. They've since changed the rules, but a lot of courses, a lot of tournaments do just do one hole playoff or a three hole aggregate, but back in the day, the U.S. Open was a full 18 and it was awesome.

39:25Kirk Morrison:Well, you gotta remember, at that time, we're still in the final stages of the NFL offseason program. so I actually had a practice the next day and all the people who attended that US Open at Torrey Pines if you had a ticket for the Sunday you were allowed to come back the next day for the full 18 I did not go to the full 18 because I had to go to practice so I always remember that I had a chance to just watch Rocco and Tiger but I locked eyes with Tiger I forgot what hole it was in terms of just watching him walk with that little look and scowl because his knee was hurting. And he looked, I kind of gave him that little head nod, like, I see you.

40:11Kirk Morrison:But that was it. So I did lock eyes with Tiger. That's one of my things. Man, that's awesome. Did he give you a nod back? I mean, he was like in robot. If you see him when he was on the court, he looked like a robot. He was just like, just the way he moved, just everything was always in sync and moving. And so I always every time I had an opportunity to go see a major, I want to go. So this time I went to LACC, had a great time. And here we get to Sunday and I'm watching just as it all unfolds. And Wyndham Clark becomes a first time major champion. And now we fast forward to 2026 and he's the leader after round one.

40:56Kirk Morrison:and he's the leader after round two. And he's the leader after round three. And then all of a sudden, he's got a seven-stroke lead. Yeah, he wasn't just the leader. He was kind of obliterating everyone. He was beating up the course that was beating up everybody. I mean, like, how many times did we hear the name Shinnecock? Okay. Like, that was just like, Shinnecock, Shinnecock. I'm like, I've never been to Shinnecock. I don't know about it. But now, I guess it's a cool place in the Hamptons. and it almost looked like a, did it almost feel like a putt-putt course at times? You know what I mean?

41:30Kirk Morrison:Because you had these peaks and valleys and this and that. In terms of there being a lot of obstacles. There was like, trust me, I love scoring when it comes to the PGA. This was like way too much patience. You know, I wrote down the other day, I called this the U.S. Opin. Because it was like every time I'm watching throughout the whole weekend, it was always a guy would hit a putt. It's like, oh, oh. And we saw that with Wyndham Clark yesterday on 16. He just birdied one. Then all of a sudden he gets a 16. Oh. Same thing on 18, I think it was, with Sam Burns. Had an opportunity to go out, get a birdie, going, feel good.

42:11Kirk Morrison:Oh. So I'm calling that the Shinnecock was the U.S. Oh, pin. You like that one? All right. I thought it was going to go over better. but it's all good. But Wyndham Clark, Wyndham Clark, man, congratulations. But this was a guy who stood through the test. And I've never had that feeling before. I don't know what that feels like when everybody's chasing you. You know what I mean? Like the nerves that you have to have. And I remember someone said, do you understand what it feels like to stand over a putt to either win or to even lose. Your heart is beaten out of your shirt. How do you feel your hands?

42:57Kirk Morrison:How do you know what that feels like? What does that pressure feel like? And that was every single putt and every single shot for him yesterday. He starts Sunday with a six-shot lead, seemingly in golf, insurmountable. But in the course of the opening hour, it was cut in half. Sam Burns came out hot, made a couple of birdies, uh windham bogeys a couple early on and now it's like okay well we're in a tournament now it's basically me and this guy kind of head to head uh for the next three hours and it got down to one shot at one point on the back nine and then windham had an incredible hole on the on the par five seemingly in jail off the tee gets out and then makes an unbelievable you know 15 20 footer for birdie to get the lead back up to two shots which he did need after a bogey on 17 and And Wyndham is tough.

43:50He has done a lot of stupid things on the course. There was an incident last year where he smashed one of the lockers at Oakmont. Massive, massive no-no. He has had outbursts on the course before. He's smashed sponsorship signs. And he famously has a coach, a sports psychologist who works with him. And now he's dominating a U.S. Open where the course is kind of the star. And he is just like beasting this thing. And no one is cheering for him. This guy is hitting unbelievable shots. He is getting up and down from all over the place the entire weekend. It's really remarkable the performance that he put on a wire-to-wire major win, which is so rare.

44:41We don't really see this in the sport. And every tee shot, someone's yelling, get in the bunker. Like they're cheering when he misses short putts. It's like, what are we doing? What did this guy do to you? They kick some two patrons out.

44:57Kirk Morrison:You remember that? Yeah. They kicked two guys out of it. They were acting like lunatics. But this is the same crowd that was behaving like mad men at the Ryder Cup last year to the Europeans, to Shane Lowry, and Rory had guys kicked out. And it's just like, can we just go to a golf tournament and cheer on the performance that we're witnessing? This guy, in historic fashion, is now a two-time, I said two-time, I said two-time, U.S. Open champion, which the list of people who have done that is very small. And now this guy has an all-time performance, and we're just booing him. Why? Because you want Scottie to win?

45:38Look, I get it. It's cool, but appreciate what you're witnessing here in the moment.

45:43Kirk Morrison:Yeah, I appreciate what I was witnessing. I like that. And I think that's what fueled him, too. He felt like, look, I had to go against the crowd, too. You know what I mean? Like, it wasn't just me out there on the course. It was me on the course, but also going against Scotty Scheffler, going against the crowd. I like that. That, to me, was what kind of drew me into Wyndham Clark. I was excited for him. And for people who haven't been watching, he's been playing great this year, too. So I'm kind of not surprised that he was able to finally secure a victory. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can't reason with the sun.

46:17Trust 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. You're welcome. Columbia. Engineered for whatever.