In short
Rich Eisen Show Hour 2 covers two main things: a World Cup semifinal preview and Rich’s American Century Championship (ACC) Tahoe golf recap. Topic: FIFA World Cup final four—France vs Spain and England vs Argentina—plus quick discussion of U.S. men’s national team progress and World Cup fan fervor in North America.
Key claims
France is the most complete and star-studded, with Mbappé elite (20 goals in 20 World Cup games) and a defense that hasn’t conceded in knockouts; Spain’s defense is strong (one goal conceded) but its attack is less efficient, with late-winner potential. England’s path is gritty; Jude Bellingham (23) is framed as a potential hero/villain and a golden-boot contender. Argentina’s edge is experience from the 2022 title and Messi’s difference-making, with Julian Alvarez’s “wonder goal” highlighted.
Notable examples
Alvarez’s extra-time screamer; a VAR-checked Switzerland flop (Embolo) leading to a man-down shift.
Guests
Maurice Edu (Fox Sports soccer analyst; 46 U.S. caps; former MLS analyst/soccer expert). No other guests appear in this hour’s main segment.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOWelcome Back and Show Highlights
0:04 to 0:26
Rich Eisen welcomes listeners back and teases upcoming segments.
“It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks.”
Welcome Back and Show Highlights
0:58 to 2:14
Rich Eisen welcomes listeners back and teases upcoming segments.
“Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show?”
World Cup Semifinals Overview
2:14 to 2:54
Discussion on the World Cup and the four remaining teams.
“As for football, as the way the rest of the world calls it, the World Cup, we've got four sides remaining.”
Analyzing France vs. Spain Matchup
2:54 to 4:42
Maurice Edu shares insights on the upcoming match between France and Spain.
“Fox Sports soccer analyst Maurice Adieu right here on the program.”
Messi and Mbappe's Record Race
4:42 to 6:01
Discussion on Messi's and Mbappe's goal-scoring records in the World Cup.
“So I tip my hat to France in this matchup.”
Jude Bellingham's Impact and Duality
6:01 to 8:19
Maurice Edu talks about Jude Bellingham's potential heroism against Spain.
“It's been this, I was going to say two-headed monster in Kylian Mbappe and Messi, but there's been others who have been involved as well.”
England vs. Argentina Semifinal Preview
8:19 to 11:46
Analysis of the upcoming semifinal match between England and Argentina.
“You know, will Jude be the guy who breaks the hearts of all the all the fans who support him at the domestic level or at the club level?”
Julian Alvarez and Key Moments
11:46 to 14:00
Discussion on Julian Alvarez's performance and critical moments from the tournament.
“Survive to live another day and compete and go on.”
Game Analysis: Norway vs England
14:00 to 17:42
A detailed analysis of the crucial moments in the Norway vs England game, highlighting missed opportunities and player performances.
“Regret because of how the game played out.”
Maurice Edu on USMNT's World Cup Journey
17:42 to 21:30
Maurice Edu discusses the performance of the US Men's National Team during the World Cup, reflecting on their successes and disappointments.
“And even those tuning in from a global standpoint that maybe weren't as intrigued or had reason to watch the U.S.”
Show all 19 chapters
Rich Eisen's Tahoe Golf Recap
23:42 to 28:00
Rich Eisen shares his experiences and memorable moments from the American Century Championship golf tournament.
“If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan.”
Golfing with Celebrities: A Unique Experience
28:00 to 29:30
Rich shares amusing anecdotes from his time golfing with celebrities at Tahoe.
“I played day two with John O 'Hurley, Ed Peterman.”
Challenges on the Course
29:30 to 31:30
Rich narrates a challenging moment during the golf tournament and his response.
“So the third hole of the day, after I had a difficult first two holes where the golf gods were not kind to me, any miss that I made was completely magnified.”
Memorable Shots and Moments
31:30 to 34:15
Rich reflects on memorable shots, interactions, and support from fellow players.
“Except for the fact that coming up that fairway to play the golf hole is a threesome that's in the hunt.”
Camaraderie and Fun at the Championship
34:15 to 36:38
Rich discusses the camaraderie among players at the American Century Championship.
“And so sometimes I'm like, wait a minute, Jonathan Thomas is sending me this about my golf game.”
The Karaoke Contest Showdown
36:38 to 41:12
Rich recounts his experience and competition at the karaoke contest during the event.
“And I had to tell Whit with his size 19 million shoes, dude, I'm smelling rubber burning right now.”
The Karaoke Contest Showdown
43:34 to 43:56
Rich recounts his experience and competition at the karaoke contest during the event.
“and simulcast side of things, what we just mentioned on the TV side of things, we screwed up before mixing our Munsters with Adam's family earlier on in our, one in our pop culture reference.”
Discussing Current MLB Standings and Teams
43:56 to 45:51
Insightful discussion on MLB standings, team performances, and rivalries.
“The Munsters had, you know, their staircase lifted up.”
New York Mets Discussion
45:51 to 48:00
A deep dive into the Mets' struggles and future prospects.
“Well, I'm here to show you the silver lining.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:01This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required, compatibility and availability varies 18+.
0:26Rich Eisen:Are all batteries the same? That's like asking if all soccer players are the same. Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that? No, just him. Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with Power Boost ingredients inside? No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different. And Messi only trusts Duracell. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime.
1:13Rich Eisen:But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. We are back, baby. We're back. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. We are back! We are back! This is the Rich Eisen Show. The mojo's back. Yeah, baby! Earlier on the show, ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham. Coming up, World Cup analyst Maurice Hadou, actor Lou Diamond Phillips. And now, it's Rich Eisen. To the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial here on the program. Later on this hour, Overreaction Monday.
2:06Rich Eisen:Because, you know, it's a Monday. That podcast returns later on this month. And then we're off and running because training camps. Oh, baby, we're back. So close. I know. As for football, as the way the rest of the world calls it, the World Cup, we've got four sides remaining. And it's chalk for the first time, right, in the World Cup? We've never had... Yeah, top four teams in the FIFA World Cup rankings are all in the semifinals for the first time ever. Spain, Argentina, and England. Woo! Fantastic. So much to talk about with a man who had 46 caps for the U.S. men's national team in his career playing MLS analyst and our soccer expert, certainly here on the Rich Eyes and Show.
2:47Rich Eisen:Maurice Heddu, he's here on the program. How are you, Maurice? Good to see you. I'm doing well, Rich, man. Good to see you guys. How are you? I'm great, man. Appreciate it. Fox Sports soccer analyst Maurice Adieu right here on the program. I'm going to start this off by just giving you a heads up here. I'm a relative novice, having watched as much soccer as I have over the last three weeks as ever. Are there actual caps? Do you get an actual cap for everyone? Is there a real cap? Is there a hat anywhere for it, Maurice? Well, two things. One, I'm glad that you've watched the most soccer this summer.
3:23That was the goal. That was the hope. In regards to the caps, I did not actually get a cap every time. Some countries actually do give you caps. You know, one of our colleagues, Peter Crouch, he just got he just got awarded a cap and his cap was kind of unique. They have this program now within England where they're doing these honorary caps for all the players who have been capped for the national team. So he was I don't remember what number, but a thousand and something. And he just got presented with his. But no, I we in the U.S., we didn't get a cap.
3:51Rich Eisen:All right, let me ask you more relevant questions then. Let's start with the semifinals and how you see this playing out. Start with France and Spain, if you don't mind, Maurice, for me. Yeah, I like this. I really like this matchup between France and Spain. France, to me, has been coming into the tournament. They were my pick to win the whole thing. And I think they've lived up to the billing. They've been the best team in the attacking phase of the game. They've gotten better defensively. In the group stage, they conceded two goals. But in the knockout rounds, they've yet to concede. So I look at this team as being the most deep, the most complete, and I would say the most star-studded.
4:27Kylian Mbappe, the man you're seeing there on your screen, just been absolutely elite. He seems to thrive at this stage and in this competition. He's played 20 World Cup games to date and has scored 20 goals. And when this is all said and done, I think he will probably be the best World Cup player that we've ever seen. So I tip my hat to France in this matchup. But Spain has a good track record against France in international competitions. Spain has only conceded one goal so far in this tournament. but where they are lacking in comparison to France, in my opinion, is their attack hasn't been as efficient as they need to be.
5:02Their star man, he just turned 19, Lamin Yamal, just the one goal so far in this tournament. But that being said, because they've been so good defensively, they just leave the door open for them to get late winners, which has been a theme for them in the last two matches.
5:15Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, I was mentioning just a few weeks ago, Maurice, that watching Messi surpass Klose for most World Cup goals scored ever, have we ever seen a tournament in which that record has changed hands twice? Because Mbappe may catch him. You know what I mean? He may catch him, and he may catch him this semifinal match. And then it would be amazing if they both go into the final, if that happens, obviously England has different ideas, that they go into the final tied, right? And it's entirely possible the game-winning goal separates the tie. I mean, like, that is how wild this whole affair has been over the last few weeks, if you think about it.
6:00No, you're spot on. You're spot on. It's been this, I was going to say two-headed monster in Kylian Mbappe and Messi, but there's been others who have been involved as well. Erling Haaland, although Norway bowed out in the quarterfinals, he scored seven goals in his first World Cup. Jude Bellingham, right? He plays in midfield, So you don't always focus on those guys to be in contention for the golden boot of a World Cup. But he's found a way to deliver in the most crucial moments for his country. He's been amazing.
6:28Rich Eisen:He has been amazing. Amazing. Rich, he's only 23. The kid is only 23 years old. And I mean, he's already ticking so many boxes for England. There's already whispers of this guy having the pedigree to be the best ever English player. And I co-sign all that. I mean, he's been absolutely amazing every time he puts on an England shirt. But to your question directly, yeah, this is everything is kind of aligning perfectly where the race for not only the golden boot within this tournament, but also the race for the all time leading goal scorer in World Cups just seems to be going back and forth. And I promise you, as much as Messi, as much as Mbappe, are focused on winning on their matches and getting to a World Cup final and winning the World Cup final.
7:12Yeah, they also have one eye on that competition for the golden boot and the all-time leading goal scorer as well.
7:17Rich Eisen:Well, the stuff with Bellingham too, Maurice, is what bubbles beneath the surface is that he doesn't play his professional football in the Premier League. He doesn't play it in the nation. and a lot of English fans hold that against him. I mean, how amazing would it be if he gets them past Argentina and then somehow Spain beats France and it's him against the country that houses Real Madrid? You know what I mean? That would be wild as well. There's so many storylines that are out there right now. Yeah, Jude has a chance to be the hero and the villain, I guess, in that scenario, right? Because the last time England, the only time England lifted the World Cup was in 1966.
8:01So if it's Jude who's leading the charge, if it's Jude who's the star man in a semifinal match and ultimately in a final that gets England that trophy that they've been craving, that they always tell us is coming home. If he's that guy, I mean, the story just, the storyline just write themselves. And if it ends up being against Spain, you can imagine the headlines going into that match. You know, will Jude be the guy who breaks the hearts of all the all the fans who support him at the domestic level or at the club level? But then also the guy who's will never have to pay for a meal, a beer, anything in his home country.
8:36I think you would welcome that that that responsibility and a chance to just be an ultimate icon. I mean, again, I just can't stress the fact that what he's doing, he's doing at 23 years old, right? Twenty three years old. He's setting the world on fire. And it's been a joy to watch.
8:51Rich Eisen:So let's break down the other semifinal game then now. England versus Argentina. How do you see it, Maurice? This one's a little bit trickier for me to call. And I say that only because Argentina have made their games way more competitive than maybe we anticipated. You know, every single game in the knockout rounds, they've had to score three goals to win a match. Which, you know, as you get later in the stages, you want to be a little bit more in control of matches. not have to get into extra time, not have to be in these kind of stressful situations. But again, that's what knockout round football presents is that the game's not won on paper.
9:29You have to go out there and execute. Where I think Argentina have an edge is they have so much experience, so much experience. So many guys that were a part of that team that won the World Cup in 2022. They have the greatest play that we've ever seen. Let's not even waste time going through the debate of Messi versus Ronaldo. this man on the screen, Messi, Lionel Messi, is the greatest footballer that we have ever witnessed. And when you watch him on TV, when you watch him in person, he's always a difference maker. What helped, I think, in the last game, actually, is that he had maybe one of his, what I would call a quieter game, quieter performance.
10:02And so other guys had to step up. Julian Alvarez scores an absolute screamer of a goal. Lataro Martinez scores a goal. But where I lean towards Argentina is because of the experience. They know how to navigate this competition, and so many guys were a part of that 2022 team. Now, England's journey to this day has been difficult. Going on the road to Mexico, which is where I thought they were going to bow out, playing at altitude.
10:25Rich Eisen:Me too. Right? What a win that was. I mean, that setting, that nation, that, you know, the rain, the whole – it was so set up for England to not get through. and that was as gutty as you could see, as gutty as you can get. So we were in the stadium for that game, Rich. What was that like? I mean, I've played there before. I've been there now as an announcer, but this might have been one of the best experiences that I've had in terms of the atmosphere. I wish I could show you my phone and just some of the videos I have. It starts from the moment you get into that stadium. It was a little bit of a rain delay, right?
11:02So you would expect the stadium to clear out and fans to just come back when they were allowed to. No. They stayed put. they were singing, they were chanting. And then once things started to finally get back into place, the national anthem in that stadium is ridiculous. The passion that you see amongst the fans, the energy that they just bring to that building, it can be an intimidating venue. But I tell you what, England showed a lot. They showed a lot of character to whether that storm, plus whether the storm that comes with actually playing the game. Sometimes you end up playing the environment more than the actual game.
11:33And England did both on that night. And so I learned a lot about them in that game against Norway just the other day. Again, it wasn't their best performance. But to me, when you're playing in the knockout rounds, it's more so about getting the result over the performance. Survive to live another day and compete and go on.
11:49Rich Eisen:Yeah, I loved that match. I mean, I can't even over and over and over again. This World Cup has delivered. I mean, we were just talking about the Argentine victory. you know the Alvarez goal over the outstretched arms of a six foot five goalkeeper in uh Cobo um and and he put it in the one spot I mean he threw a dart man and I the whole bar I was in just lost I mean we actually where I was is we were um I won't tell you where I was but um I was getting ready to watch a live show in Lake Tahoe, Nick Bergetzi, and we were waiting for him again on stage. Everyone was watching on their phones. Everyone erupted.
12:37Rich Eisen:It was one of the most wild goals I've seen. Like, it really is amazing. I can't rave enough about it, you know? No, you're spot on. You're spot on. And this tournament has delivered so many moments like that. But what I would say for Julian Alvarez is he's a guy that came into this tournament supposed to be, how should I describe him? The guy that really was the Messi's the one A and there's not even a one B in that conversation, but the number two guy, right? The number two guy in Argentina. He came in off of an incredible season at club level for Atletico Madrid. And there was so much expectation on his shoulders.
13:12He was a big part of their team in 2022 when they won the World Cup. Rich, that's the first goal he scored in this tournament. Right. That's the first goal that this guy has been able to. And you see the fashion that he scores the goal, the timeliness of it. You're getting desperate now. Now you're in extra time. And as the clock keeps ticking, Switzerland are getting more confident. Can they get to penalty kicks and then roll the dice and see what happens there? And then to score, what's going to go down is one of the goals of the tournament to put your team ahead. It's just an incredible feeling for Julio Navarez.
13:43Rich Eisen:Can you walk me through how Alexander Serlotte does not pass the ball to an unmarked Holland, Maurice, and what goes through his mind, what you think was going through his mind then and now, right now. Now I can tell you it's a lot of regret. Regret because of how the game played out. Regret because his team has bowed out of the competition. In the moment, though, for Sorloff, a part of me wants to give a lot of credit to John Stone, the defender who was in that situation, 2v1 against him because of his positioning. He makes it a little bit trickier for Sorloff to make the pass, but come on, man.
14:19you've got to find a way to get the ball to Holland. Draw stones to your side, lay that on a platter for Holland to feast on. And then that puts the game into a really tricky situation for England. Two nil down? That's a bigger mountain to climb than one nil, where all it takes is one special moment, which Jude delivered, to get their team back into the game. But yeah, we were watching that game. We were live. We were in the stadium. And as the play is manifesting and developing, I had two former England internationals next to me, Peter Crouch and Alex Scott. and I'm watching with excitement because I'm neutral in this scenario, right?
14:53I'm just enjoying a beautiful matchup football. I don't – the result doesn't have an impact on me directly. And I'm watching. I'm standing up because I'm anticipating a goal. He doesn't pass it, and I look at them. I look over the two of them, and you just see this.
15:06Rich Eisen:The sigh of relief. Like what the hell? Like you can't even call it a bullet dodged. Come on. Oh, my God. Seriously, that should have been the moment that Norway have one foot into the next match. And then you see how the game plays out and it's just like, you were that close. You were that close. And I think for Norway, this, they're going to look at that game and feel like they had so many opportunities to get an extra goal, to be in that game and to actually win the game. They didn't take that moment or those moments. And then England has a couple of bona fide superstars, a couple of world-class players, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, but on the night it's Jude Bellingham who just, once again, he said, oh, it's a big stage.
15:48you need a superhero let me put my cape on real quick and flex for you guys the kids and he's a
15:52Rich Eisen:he's incredible man no doubt his first goal was just a thing of um you know individual athletic beauty and the other one was just brilliant sensibility of being on the right you know at the right moment the right spot and clearly he's he's he's he's on another level do you think ambolo should would deserve to be sent sent off for flopping maurice yeah through var by the way that via let's take a second look here you know like what do you think yeah i do i do and you know it's unfortunate for switzerland because up until that point they look like as soon as they scored that equalizing goal i thought oh wow argentina's in trouble argentina's under pressure they haven't found any solutions to slow down this attack and switzerland looked dominant and then just one moment of madness when you watch it back and you see there's no like there's no contact It's a flop.
16:45Like there's no way around it. I think the referee makes the right decision. It's unfortunate. And I think Switzerland are going to feel aggrieved because they feel like, okay, there are other moments in the game where calls should have gone their way, where fouls should have been called. Maybe there's some truth to that. Maybe there isn't. But in that play specifically, it's the right decision. And again, it's unfortunate because Mbolo, top player for both club and country and a very important player for Switzerland. But once you go down a man against Argentina, It just shifts completely how you have to try to manage the game.
17:14And they were trying to weather the storm. They bent. And for the longest time, it seemed like they weren't going to break. And then Julian Alvarez with the wonder goal just sees them off.
17:25Rich Eisen:Before I let you go, Maurice, finish the sentence. I don't usually do this, but I'll do it here just to get to it directly because you've been so kind with your time. The 2026 U.S. men's national team performance in the World Cup was?
17:44oh oh man um
17:49Rich Eisen:memorable okay good one look at you i like that now you're then now i gotta follow up damn it all right memorable how morius memorable yeah because i was trying to think of one word that that was great no no i mean you you you checkmated me there but i'm now flipping the board over you know what rich rich it was memorable because there was so much so much anticipation coming into this world cup right i think the team navigated the group stays pretty much the way that i saw them doing it but i would say the first two games i saw those results coming i didn't see those performances coming where they were so dominant they were entertaining they played the game in a different way than we maybe expected them to do that and they looked incredibly confident third game the group's in the bag already we rotate players i'm not worried about that we win a knockout round game, score the most goals we've scored in a World Cup.
18:41We captured this country. And even those tuning in from a global standpoint that maybe weren't as intrigued or had reason to watch the U.S. team, well, now they had reason because our guys were performing at a top level going into that match against Belgium. Belgium, now that's where it's a little bit disappointing, of course, and to me, that match is more disappointing because of the performance versus the result. If we lost that game, Rich, and we left everything out there. There was no ounce of performance that we could have mustered up beyond what was there, then fine. If you're just beaten by a better team, you have to at some point hold your hand up and say there's still room for growth and we're just not at that level yet.
19:21I didn't feel like that was the case. I thought we could compete against this Belgian side, and so that's where the disappointment. But that being said, you look at the numbers that came and the people that tuned in to watch that game, I think it was 30 million plus, right? So that just shows how much this team has inspired this country, has given us reason to believe in what the future can look like. But also, it's now a challenge. It's a challenge for this set of players, for U.S. soccer to continue to progress us in the right direction. And hopefully by the next time this World Cup rolls around, we're in a better position to where we've learned lessons from the last two occasions.
19:56And we're ready to go out there and take that next step because we've improved massively and we're ready for the occasion. All right.
20:03Rich Eisen:And lastly, I lied. One last thing, because you've been traveling around with with the Fox coverage, which I've really enjoyed. Has the fervor that you've seen in this tournament, even in America, obviously you've been you've been to it's a three nation hosting. The fervor that you've seen in America, does that even surprise you, Maurice? yeah i would say so i had expectations you know 94 i was eight years old and but i remember vividly everything that i witnessed on tv in the streets everywhere and yeah i mean the amount you know what's beautiful about world cups is it's what happens on the pitch and in stadiums but it's also what happens in the surrounding areas in the streets in the bars in the shopping centers in malls everywhere, like hotels.
Read the full transcript
20:56Everyone just gets captured by the moment and by the occasion. And you have fans coming from all over the country, from all over the world, excuse me. And they get a chance to showcase who they are, their personalities, their traditions, their cultures. And then we adopt them, right? We're the host country ourselves, Canada, Mexico. I've been in all three countries, by the way, and I've seen it across all three countries. You know, we get a chance to really live in the moment with these fans and celebrate what they're bringing. No way bows out, but I promise you, you will still be seeing that grow as these games continue to play out.
21:28Rich Eisen:So fun, man. Thanks for the time, Maurice. I appreciate it. Hopefully I rebounded from my first question asking if there's actual caps. Hopefully I rebounded. Oh, good, my man. Appreciate you. Right back at you. Enjoy the final three matches of this World Cup. Maurice Adu right here on the Rich Eisen Show. A SoFi personal loan is here to help you achieve something once thought impossible and that's overcoming high interest credit card debt. Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed rate monthly payment, no fees required, and as soon as the same day funding. That's right. Pull off your own debt-defying stunt with a SoFi personal loan.
22:04Rich Eisen:That's SoFi.com slash trick to learn more. Loans originated by SoFi Bank and a member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891. SoFi personal loan. There were only five more days of calling in a Los Angeles Stadium personal loan, right? All right, we'll take a break. Back here on The Rich Eisen Show, 844-204-RICH-OVER-REACTION, Monday, still to come.
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23:16Rich Eisen:But this summer, during the FIFA World Cup? It's an invitation, America. Never watched soccer before? Perfect. Think a corner kick is a karate move? Sure, why not? Prefer sports where players can use their hands? Me too. Just here for the snacks? Now we're talking. So grab a bag of Lay's and jump on the bandwagon. We're undefeated. Lay's, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required.
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24:21The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
24:23Rich Eisen:On the Rich Eisen Show, everybody, hire right the first time with LinkedIn Hiring Pro. Get started by posting a free job at linkedin.com slash Eisen. Thank goodness I have this job, because I sure can't play golf.
24:41Rich Eisen:The American Century Championship, once again. You're a tremendous slouch. Memory-filled, memory-laden week. Unbelievable. Jonathan Thomas and the American Century folk put on a great show with John Miller of NBC Sports, and I could go on and on and on about everybody at NBC Sports as well. But it's first-rate. It's first-class. It is awesome. It's fundraising as well. 40 % of the revenues of American Century go to medical research, which is why Marty Fish, when he won it all, now receives a lab coat. Marty Fish is coming on the show Wednesday, and I told him to bring his lab coat. But in terms of the good times in the golf and what have you, just awesome.
25:37Rich Eisen:And remember last year I said my first T-ball, I topped it and I lost it. Couldn't feel your hands. I couldn't feel my hands. Matt Ryan's like, do you feel your hands yet? And I'm like, nope. This time around it was with Grant Hill and Vince Carter. There they are. Nice. This photograph on the famed 17th hole with the lake to your right and people on the boats, and it's a massive party. Susie took this photograph. Oh, nice. Well framed right there, Susie. The caption is, which one of these guys did not play in the NBA? and I always like taking a selfie after we fill out the scorecards and we check on each other's scores at the scores table and everything.
26:15Rich Eisen:Cause it's run like a real deal tournament. Okay. And, um, so great day. Vince has a terrific golf game. Uh, Grant Hill has a good one. And I, you know, I was doing my best. Um, I doubled a lot on that first day. It was just, again, it's just, I'm out of my lane, man, out of my lane. But you're there. I'm there. I know. That's right. You're there. Second day, though. Uh-oh. Second day, I had six pars. Yeah. Six. Five of them on the front. I was, and by the way, the front, I played the back first. I played the back. Tiger eyes. And I'm telling you, man. I was following along. It was fun to watch.
26:59Rich Eisen:I'm texting with Don, getting updates. And he's giving you all sorts of real-time stuff. Yeah, I'm locked in. he's locked me in on reeds he was terrific and um and i was i was putting i was doing it all and by the way 13 apparently on the stint meter it was like putting on this countertop that's fast oh my gosh uh 17 i took out a six iron as 170 some odd yards away on that again circus hole and i pured it i pured it it hit the green and rolled off the back but i you know in front of everybody i mean it was great and so i'm walking up you know the left side where it's the non lake side and just high-fiving people right and and taking pictures and you know if you will kissing babies or signing one.
27:58Rich Eisen:I'm walking up John O 'Hurley. I played day two with John O 'Hurley, Ed Peterman. He's coming on the show. We're going to go down a Seinfeld wormhole. And Trey Wingo, I hadn't seen in a long time. I'm walking up the left side, and I see John O 'Hurley appearing to sign a baby's bottom. And the mom is holding the baby up, and the baby's like, you know, kicking his legs. Being a baby. Right? Being a baby. So I'm holding the leg while John O 'Hurley signs it, and he's done. I'm like, when do I have this opportunity? All right, I'll sign the right buttock. And here we go. There's a video of it. He finishes there.
28:39Rich Eisen:He hands me the pen, and I sign the baby's tuchus. Well, I mean, it's a diaper. Yeah, the diaper. I guess, you know. Oh, a little onesie. One onesie. Oh, nice. Yeah. And off we go. So check that box. Never done that before. And then I went up and I two putted for a par. Unbelievable. Good luck from there. Oh, my gosh. And then yada, yada, yada. The next nine went down. Final day, played with Trey again. And Bobby Flay, just a delightful person. So it's Flay, Trey, and Just OK in this photograph. So that's the caption right there. Thanks again to Travis Matthew for the running man gear. Love it.
29:21Rich Eisen:I'm going to pop that on rich eyes and shop.com soonest. And the best moment here, well, born out of my inconsistent play. So the third hole of the day, after I had a difficult first two holes where the golf gods were not kind to me, any miss that I made was completely magnified. magnified one ball rested in a, in, in, in, in a bunch of wood chips that were perfectly manicured by the Edgewood golf course, perfectly manicured. So the ball was in the wood chips, but resting up against the grass that was about an inch tall. The head, I mean, it was perfectly manicured. I had a call for a ruling that's never happened before needed a ruling.
30:07Rich Eisen:The guy comes up in the golf cart and basically tells me I am S O L. So I'm in my head. I'm not doing very it. So now this is the par three where they're giving away a boat if you ace it. And I don't, I hit it, I chunk it. It's shy of these traps. At least I'm shy of the traps. Just got to get over the traps, chipping a putt, and I'm in, right? Except I duff that, put it in this massive trap, and I'm like hating myself. My inner monologue is I am cursing myself in the worst possible way, and I'm like, screw it. And I just chip it out of that sand. And now I'm on the back right of this screen about 25 feet away, but just behind Bobby Flay's ball that he put there off the tee.
30:53Rich Eisen:So Bobby's putting for birdie, and I'm going to putt it for par. I mean, for bogey. And he jars it. He puts it in for birdie, and the place is going nuts. Oh, wow. And I'm thinking to myself, what are the odds of me following up? Two in a row. And I'm like, screw it. and I put it in for bogey and the place goes nuts nuts like jar and then jar oh man and I'm like that's amazing golf's great again yeah we're back we're back yeah let's golf man then the next hole oh the next hole oh no not bad I tee it up moments later moments later and I'm feeling great right Golf's great again. And I don't finish my swing.
31:43Rich Eisen:And off it goes to the right. Just balloons to the right. And I'm like, that thing is gone. Except it lands in the next fairway. All the way over. So I'm like, okay, I'm in good shape. Good lie. Except for the fact that coming up that fairway to play the golf hole is a threesome that's in the hunt. In the hunt to win this lab coat. Oh, no. And I'm now going to get in their way. And so I say to Don, money manager, the stars in my, my cat. I'm like, just give me the three wood. And let me just hit this and get it out of here. Cause I don't want to, I don't know. I don't know who's coming up. I have no idea who's coming up.
32:22Rich Eisen:I just know that there's a whole gallery, which means they're in the hunt. Right. That could be Smoltz could be Annika, Marty. So I'm, I'm like, so I step up and Don gives me the perfect, you know, like take this line here, there. I don't think about it. even though it's an incredibly difficult shot to get it back in the fairway. And I pured it like shot of the day, shot of the day. And I turn around and who's approaching me, put it up on the screen. It is in fact Steph Curry. And then he's playing with, put it up, John Smoltz. And I'm like, great shot. And they were like, great shot. Great shot.
33:03Rich Eisen:I'm loving golf. Even though I'm in your fit, like look at the fairway I'm standing in. That's their fairway. Do you see the cart path behind us? The fairway I should have been in is behind that.
33:20Rich Eisen:That's great. That's amazing. Yeah. Golf. I love it. It's one of my favorite tournaments to watch every year. They do such a great job. It looks so beautiful. You made the coverage, Peter Jacobson, giving you a shout out at one point. He was nice because on the tee box, I mean, in the practice range, he was very kind because he saw me last year and he saw what my game looked like and he saw me this year because performance golf, which is associated with the American Century Championship, helped me out. And JT Thomas is my swing coach and my shot maker, if you will, my coach. There he is on the screen.
34:01Rich Eisen:He is outstanding. standing i told him i'm like the way he simplifies things and his his outgoing nature the way he communicates it he's one of the best i've ever come across there he is and even though i was patently disappointing him from time to time he was giving me he was giving me some tips that absolutely made me a better player even though the results were not that much more diff uh much different he was amazing and i i thought the interesting thing is you know jonathan thomas of American Century who runs the whole damn thing. He's in my phone as JT and so is he. And so sometimes I'm like, wait a minute, Jonathan Thomas is sending me this about my golf game.
34:40Rich Eisen:I'm like, wow, I must be doing that. Well, no, that's my, it's my coach. Anyway. So that's the golf part of it. The other part about the American Century championship that's awesome is the camaraderie of hanging out with your fellow players and all coming together and the sense of just hanging out and having a good time and doing this for American Century and for, you know, the charitable aspect and, of course, the competition and then the hanging out. So this time around, LD came up and played the Thursday Pro-Am, gave that one a whirl. And so Doc Rivers, who was a first-time American Century player, he and Larry David are tight.
35:25Rich Eisen:and so we walk in for the players meeting on Wednesday night in the Caesars casino that's there by the way words that I'm now allowed to say okay and who was there as we're walking up with Larry David was Larry the cable guy and it's like hey Larry the cable guy this is Larry David Larry David this is Larry the cable guy I was actually able to make that introduction there's Taylor Twelman, Smoltz and Malau also snuck in there. There's Doc. I saw this. So this got on the get her done, Graham. Yep. Larry David's first ever appearance on the get her done, get her done, Graham. I don't know if LD knows, but it's like, okay, Larry David, I guess Larry, the HBO guy and Larry, the cable guy.
36:13Rich Eisen:And then we go into the meeting and it's a lot of fun. And then comes just the hanging out. Now there's two ways you can hang out. You can do the casino and the all-night party thing, or a little bit more my speed, it's the hangout at the Edgewood Fire Pit and have a glass of wine, as I did on Saturday night with Whit, Andrew Whitworth. There he is. And I had to tell Whit with his size 19 million shoes, dude, I'm smelling rubber burning right now. You might want to put your feet down. with the Tahoe sunset. He finally does. And then Ryan Fitzpatrick shows up with his whole family. There we are.
36:59Rich Eisen:And meanwhile, apparently across the way, one of these spots at the casino, Steph Curry was having a party, and the giveaways were cowboy hats. And look who showed up with his cowboy hat around the fire. Ladies and gentlemen, Doc Rivers. With his cowboy hat. Wow. i mean it's just the way to just hanging out doesn't get much better right and so you know the one thing that i want to win more than anything else at the american central well it's the karaoke contest on thursday night last year i sang new york new york uh and got i think robbed and i told this to ray romano's face when he was here last month got robbed because he sang Eminem with his sons came up and, you know, did some choreography behind him.
37:49And even though I just crushed New York, New York, he comes up right after me and says to me,
37:56Rich Eisen:I got to follow that and then follows it with a winning performance. I don't even place or show. So this time around, it was the most packed karaoke lineup ever. They started turning people down. Oh, OK. Who got turned down? That I don't know, but they were like, we're full up. They didn't make the cut. The whole thing, right? They didn't make the cut. So this time around, I was going to do That's Life, which, as you know, is my go-to. That's my showstopper, and I'm going to kill it. A number of people coming up saying, you know, are you ready? I'm like, I was born. Susie's rolling her eyes like, is he ready?
38:33Rich Eisen:I've heard this 9 ,000 times, is he ready? So they put me up third to last. Oh, how many total? Like 25? Wow. Anthony Anderson came up, did a Frankie Beverly song. He was spectacular. I'm like, okay, that's competition there. That's competition there. And then I realized I was in deep, deep trouble when the Kachuk brothers and Matt Boldy stepped up and popped out their gold medals. Oh, yeah. I heard about this. Their gold medals. Yeah. and crushed Dream On, which, as you know, was in the closing credits of Miracle. Fresh off of winning the gold medal for Team USA for the first time since the Miracle.
39:28Rich Eisen:You started Dreamin' On, Rich? And then it's now time for Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, who's band, by the way, spectacular. They learned every song. They were amazing. Okay. Rob Riggle and Brian Baumgartner, they're huddling up. And they announce that the winner is going to perform with the Rascal Flats on Saturday night in Lake Tahoe. And I'm like, oh, what are they going to do? All right. They're going to choose the That's Life guy from here. Or they're going to pop out the three gold medalists.
40:06Rich Eisen:So here's the deal. I either need to bring my two sons to do some dancing behind me or bring a do I gotta win three Emmys in the next well yeah I don't know I don't know how it's possible I mean me personally this was SportsCenter which I think is gonna be we're putting it up what else I don't know I think that's three show up next year like flavor flavor hanging around my neck those are a little harder to transfer and you know travel that's true you know what i mean i don't know if you check those well anyway thank you american century champions i heard about the gold medals getting oh they popped out the gold medals yeah i heard about that susie knew it at the time she just didn't want to look at me she just knew like this was yeah i had a source there sent me some video of your performance Well done, as always.
41:02Rich Eisen:I crushed it. When I heard the gold medals made an appearance, I was like, oh, so Rich didn't win? She's like, no. Nope. Okay. Okay. We'll take a break. Overreaction Monday still to come here on the Rich Eisen Show, everybody.
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43:00the rich heisen show the podcast into the hyundai getaway sales event and get away with deals so
43:06Rich Eisen:right it almost feels wrong right now you can get great deals on our most popular models including our adventure ready suvs like the hyundai santa fe or santa fe hybrid and the tucson or tucson hybrid plus there's our bold and stylish elantra loaded with the latest tech or go all electric with the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 9. So get down to your local Hyundai dealer and get away with a deal you'll love during the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for details. We'll mention here on the radio side of things and simulcast side of things, what we just mentioned on the TV side of things, we screwed up before mixing our Munsters with Adam's family earlier on in our, one in our pop culture reference.
43:45Rich Eisen:So I just want to make sure that, was it the Adam's family that slept in coffins? and woke up? That's the Munsters. Or was that the Munsters? The Munsters. The Munsters did that. Okay, it was the Munsters. The Munsters had, you know, their staircase lifted up. And there was a dragon. Dragon underneath. Okay, very good. Good to know that. Wow. Because that's essentially the current state of affairs of the Boston Red Sox, who go into the All-Star break having won nine consecutive games. If I'm not mistaken, that was a streak that began And when my Yankees were in Boston or that happened after that happened after that after we added the first nine and oh road trip since 1977.
44:27Rich Eisen:Hottest team in baseball. You mentioned nine in a row, 17 in our last 22. Only a half game back in the wild. That's it. So I've been joking like we'll see we'll see you next year. October is going to be for the Patriots. Never know. Thanks to T.J. Jefferson's New York Metropolitans. I'll just say this. It's definitely becoming a tougher Mets town. New York. It's tougher. I don't live in New York. I was just there. So I sensed it. It was becoming a tougher Mets town. Forget about the fact that it's not. It's a Knicks town. The standings, the Yankees stumbled a bit and then they finished with a sweep of the Washington Nationals.
45:12Rich Eisen:Look at this. Chris Brockman's Red Sox are on the six back in the loss of the Yankees. That would be a difficult day for me and the Rich Eisen show if somehow, someway, the Red Sox keep pulling forward in some way, shape, or form. Meanwhile, the Mets have just fallen, and they cannot get up. Their manager got fired. I mean, man, it's a tough Mets time. I don't know if this is derelict of duties or not, but I have not paid attention to baseball in probably the last two months. I'm not going to allow this team to ruin my summer. I'm having a great summer. So why would I spend two hours a day watching crap baseball?
45:51Rich Eisen:Oh, that's a good point. Well, I'm here to show you the silver lining. There is none. Oh, yes, there is. You got a playbook? There's help on the way. The New York Metropolitans drafted this player. Put up there. His name is Zach Krochfeldt. Oh, yeah. I drafted him in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball draft. So the Mets have got a Zach Krochfeldt. drafted. Come on. Is the photograph that I saw on the old socials. You're pronouncing it incorrectly because it's Crochefell. Crochefell? Is he French? Do your research. I didn't pay attention to this. Honestly, man, speaking to every Met fan that I know, my brother Jeff, my buddy Steve from high school, the cold strike looking by Carlos Beltran, And to them, it was very crotch felt to them.
46:48Rich Eisen:You know what I'm saying? A lot of Mets. I've forgiven him for that. Mets have been crotch felt. I've forgiven him for staring at him. Is that how you pronounce it? Just listen to what I'm saying. I'm looking at my. He's from Jackson, New Jersey, Mike. Where's that? Jackson down. It's mid. Profile. Mid. How do they pronounce it down there in Jackson? Six Flags Great Adventure. Oh, nice. Well, it's a great adventure. Great adventure. Great adventure. No, it's not. Oh, yeah. It's Roaring Rapids. There you go. That's our baseball segment. Thanks for catching me up. TJ's gone. No, man. TJ's like done.
47:22Rich Eisen:Come aboard. Come aboard the duck boat. Oh, no. I'm not looking to go anywhere. I realize that I'm too loyal to the league, but I'm also too smart to sit there and watch. TJ Jefferson, everybody. The Ridge Eisen Show podcast. MLB.TV on ESPN is your home for every out-of-market game, live or on demand. Catch your favorite teams and players, plus MLB Network and ESPN app features like Multiview, syncing your stats, key plays, bets, and fantasy, all in one place. Sign up now for MLB.tv in the ESPN app. Separate subscriptions required, blackouts, and other terms apply. Visit stream.espn.com slash MLB TV for more information.
From the publisher
FOX Sports’ Soccer Analyst Morris Edu and Rich break down the World
Cup’s much-anticipated France vs Spain and England vs Argentina semifinals, the controversies that helped end Norway’s and Switzerland’s Cinderella runs, and his biggest takeaways from the USMNT’s inspiring but ultimately disappointing WC run.
Rich recaps his memorable/very forgettable weekend competing at the 2026 American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament
The guys weigh in on the red-hot Boston Red Sox and the ongoing New York Mets’ misery.
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