For the Love of the Game

Ray: 20 million viewers on Fox for the USA Game. 17 million on Fox for the Iran match. The viewing parties even in the Northeast where the weather is turned, viewing party's unbelievable.
Ralph: When you look at the fact of the matter that, when you go three games, and you don't concede a goal from the run of play, that's outstanding work.
Here, here's my first takeaway that I think that, everybody wants to know about and how it goes, is that okay? The US, I think there was a big concern as we talked on our last show. How would the US fair, how would the US do in their group? Could they get out of the group? As we reflect back, the very first game against Wales, being at that game live.
I thought the first half the US couldn't have played any better. They were on top of their game. They looked great. They had a lead, looked like, you know, they had Wales pinned back, and then things turned about in the second half. And then that could happen in our sport, how one half goes and then how the second half goes.
And, it was interesting because they just made a simple change. They put a center forward to go up top, and they played old school. They went back to just playing direct, you know, getting it forward, playing to him and knocking it down and then going and winning the second ball and getting forward.
And it created issues and problems for the US to where eventually at the very end, they drew a, a silly penalty on the US, naivety there, and, they got a penalty kick and got outta there with a point when I thought the US should have gotten outta there with a solid three points.
Ray: Yeah, I think the match changed when the big six five guy came in. We had no answers for him, but I also think it's the youth of the group. They were not able to cobble together 70, 80 good minutes. It was always a half, you know, and then, you know, we get, even though we did not play a good second half, we gifted them the goal.
It was a, you know, bad decision by Walker Zimmerman. But I, I thought the first half was interesting. I've heard people say they would compare all three midfielders, Adams, Moser, and, and McKinney with any of the midfielders, any of these teams, midfielders that were over there, how good they were. I tell you, for me, it was refreshing to see them run with the ball, how they could play.
I was pleasantly surprised with the group, in all three matches. I give Gregg Berhalter credit, and Ernie Stewart that, I think they've got us going in the right direction. We need a number nine and we need to be able to sustain our play for longer than 45 minutes at a clip. But in the England game, you know, the England match was a good match for us against, right, a quarter finalist.
And then Iran, I thought we did what we had to do, got the goal. You know, again, got fatigue under some pressure, but we held up. So to be fair, we gave, we didn't give a goal from the run of play in the first three matches.
Ralph: I think that you know the challenge always as, as we all know, whether you're a coach or a fan, Is how you manage the game and the clock and the minutes and how things can change so dramatically with obviously one kick of the ball, and then it turns things around. I, I felt that, when you look at the US team, and, and that's what we were doing on a, on a constant basis over there, looking at the games and looking at it from an analytical standpoint, what the US did well, I thought the US was good in going forward, in transition, winning the ball.
When you look at the fact of the matter that, when you go three games, and you don't concede a goal from the run of play, that's outstanding work. You know, I mean, the one goal was a penalty kick, I think to go unbeaten, not lose a match in the first three games, puts me, thinking that I, I can't recall a US team attending a World Cup in group play not losing. I think that, reflecting they did a good job in that sense.
I think when you look back at the England game, those three that you mentioned, and midfield did a fantastic job against the midfield of England. Tactically, I think it really, stifled the, the English game going forward, and I thought on the night, you know, and I'm trying to take off my red, white, and blue colors.
On, on the night. I thought overall we were; we were as good of a team of England's quality. So it says great, great things about that young midfield group that you mentioned. And I think that, they, they deserve a lot of credit, but I also thought that night was one of those nights that what you need, you had a good team effort, a good team defending, quality goalkeeping when it was necessary. And overall I think at times they could push the, the game forward a little bit on the attacking side of things to make sure that England couldn't just, you know, push up. But there's a lot of things that, you know, we have takeaways and, and we'll, we'll discuss.
But I think that game, I think showed, the soccer world that the US is legit. They should be there. There's always that question about our region, CONCACAF. Is it strong enough that, you know, with Canada, the USA and Mexico and Costa Rica representing our region, and I think that each country had their moments in the World Cup to, to show that they belong, even though, that first game for Costa Rica, they fell down seven goals to nil against Spain, they came back and, you know, won their next game. And then, they, they fought hearted in the last game Germany.
So, you know, this region doesn't get enough credit. US was the lone survivor of getting out of the group play. but I think, you know, the teams were in, it's, it's, it is a challenge to get out of your group in the World Cup. no question.
Ray: Yeah. I tell you who was impressive was Tyler Adams. To me he gave one of the best performances of a national team player that we've had as long as I've watched the World Cup. But he was fantastic, covered all kinds of ground, good with the ball, good leader, breaking up plays. I thought Turner was very good too.
I thought Matt Turner did an outstanding job. Even in the, in the Holland match, he made a couple big saves. You know, obviously, everybody understands the elephant in the room. We don't have a number nine or we didn't take a number nine. It was kind of comical you were over there. Fox said Brazil brought nine nines on their roster outta 26 and were struggling to find one. Obviously that was a problem going forward.
I'll tell you what was interesting is Gregg Berhalter's lack of use of Gio Reyna. I thought when Rayna came on the last game, he did a pretty good job, but it did not seem like he was in the plans in the first few matches.
Ralph: Well, I think that was the, the big controversy. Going in, there was a lot of expectations of Giovanni playing, then all of a sudden in that very first game, it was said that he was still recovering from an injury. And then when the press asked Giovanni that Giovanni said I was a hundred percent, I'm fine.
There's no such thing as an injury. So then there was a contradictory there thing. You know, there's always issues that fly out and come out on players. yeah, no question, the lack of a, of a, of a bona fide forward that you're happy with, but that was even during the qualification process. We used a series of, of guys in that position, and it seemed like nobody could win the job or stick in the, in the coaches plans to have that position locked down, even going into the, to the World Cup Games as they got there to Qatar.
But I think the challenge always is if you have your lineup set prior, you know, the players know there's less, less chance of second guessing, I guess on the case of a, of a Brazil. there's no question that, the amount of players that they took and the talent they had in that position is a plus and a minus too, because, you know, you're, you're playing players and then, you know, you're trying to get 'em all minutes is, is impossible. But no question. It's nice to have that kind of depth, in that, in that position that you need up top and the guys who can really make the game for you and get goals for you.
The challenge I think for the US going forward is we need to develop players who can play one V one, in the attacking third, turn corners on the flanks, beat people in tight spaces. And that, that's the game as we go forward, is the ability to play, in, in tight spaces because, everybody now has different tactics, but clearly that's the part of the game where I think I heard Bruce Arena say many, many moons ago that when his takeaway coming back was that we need players who can play in that final third and, and make things happen for us through their dribbling and passing skills.
Ray: I tell you two guys that fit that to a certain degree, and they're not the attacking guys, but I was very impressed with Sergiño Dest and then Robinson, the two outside backs. I think we've got two legitimate outside attacking backs. I think Robinson needs to get a little bit of defensively and obviously Dest got beat for a goal. I think coming forward, they, they give us options that we really haven't had in the past. Young options too.
Ralph: Well, I, I think when you look at, at the game and, and, and that's, you know, I'm looking at it from both sides of the ball. Yeah. I think Sergiño Dest is, is a talent going forward. I think he can go on it with a dribble. He can go on it without the ball overlapping. he reads the game very well from there. Robinson, I think is, is a player who can get up and down, but I'd like to see more things come from his play that would be useful, meaning the pass, the crossing becomes a good pass that gives options.
One of the challenges that you want if you're going to allow your outside backs to go forward, and that's why when you mentioned earlier, a player like Adams who did a great balance, a fulcrum on our defense, who balance out what we needed in the midfield, I think was superlative. And I think probably television doesn't give you that chance to see what his ground that he covers, the work that he covers, the organization, the leadership that he has at such a young age to, to really, do that job and do it so well.
I think the outside backs though, also have to be more connected with the back four and that sometimes that exposure hurt us. But overall, when you take the age, the, and the average age of our team, this was an opportunity to get all these players a chance to play in a World Cup and there's, there's nothing you can duplicate, a World Cup experience. So that experience that they all picked up, those that played and those that went are beneficial, for the next round because obviously being one of the host countries, the US is already automatically in.
And then that is good, but yet that's also difficult because now you're not playing any meaningful qualifying games, hard fought games, must win games over the next four years. So you've gotta get into a gold cup. You maybe even gotta try to get to the South American Cup if they let you come down and play.
Cuz you gotta play that competition where it means something, not just a friendly but a meaningful thing in a tournament setting, cuz that's gonna be the challenge I think for the next World Cup for the US going forward.
Ray: Well, I agree with you, but I even think even when we have to qualify these CONCACAF games, you know, we are better than most of these teams. We have to get, I think, pressure games in some format, like you said, with Germany, with Italy, with Spain, or in the Copa América, because I, I even think the con matches, they're not easy for us, but you know, we're not, we're not playing Belgium in these games or Portugal.
We're playing teams that we can manage to a certain degree. and that's gonna be a very interesting challenge for US Soccer at these type of games in the next 36 months to get us ready for 2026. You know, and you're right, the pressure of not qualifying, at least those games is a pressure to qualify. we're not going through that.
I read something the other day that they said we're in the Copa América. Now, I don't know if that was like, I dunno if I read online or in the paper, but that we were going to be in the Copa América, that we were already in it.
Ralph: That would be a good thing. I think that's something I'm sure that Brian McBride and, and Ernie Stewart are looking at, that's important. It just as important. Is our next, always looking for the next group, the next recycling group, the under 20 group that's gonna go to the World Cup, and then also the Olympics in Paris.
If we can, if we can get those kind of players released to, to participate in that kind of an environment as well would be important. every chance you can play and you can compete and, and you're competing for, I think is huge and important, and obviously Mexico and Canada are in the same dilemma because they're, this World Cup will be the first time, in 2026 that you got three countries.
We've had two do it with Korea and, Japan, South Korea, and Japan in 2002. so this, this is gonna be a new one. And also what's been said is that they're going to expand that next world cup from 32 teams to 48 countries. And, listening to the reports on that, that will be an interesting format, an interesting way of how they're gonna have to make that all work.
But one of the things that was said over there was that the teams that got out of the group was the first time that you had every confederation have a team get out. You know, you had Senegal get out, you have Morocco from Africa, you got US from CONCACAF. You had you know; Japan get out their group as well.
And then obviously you're European and South American teams. so I think the world has shown, and, and one of the things I was in the first big shocker and I think one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history was, you know, Saudi Arabia beating Argentina, you know, right outta the gate, you know, and then in the same light, Germany losing their first game.
So, it, it, it's an interesting growth in development worldwide with soccer, that countries are capable of beating anybody on that given day, and it was quite evident in this World Cup, that we saw some big upsets and, you know, some teams come out of the group. Clearly no one had had picked or thought that they would get out, you know, and, that's, that's good for the sport. That's good for the game, and it's good for the development of, of soccer worldwide.
Ray: It's gonna be interesting though. FIFA had said earlier on in the World Cup that in 2026 they were gonna make 16 groups of three. But now because of the compellingness of the third stage games in the group, now they wanna go back to groups of four, which I'm not quite sure how the math's gonna work on that, but they thought these, the final day games in the group stage were very compelling.
And now they don't want to go away from playing just two games in your group. So that's gonna be in, the other thing is CONCACAF is gonna take three more teams. I'm be very curious how those teams survive. You know, if, if one of our weaker countries in CONCACAF gets paired up with like an Argentina or Brazil, you know, obviously we saw a Costa Rica get took to the woodshed by Spain.
You know, Iran got taken to the wood shed by England and but what happens now when you got 16 more teams? Now some of those teams in, it'll be Italy, I get that, but there's gonna be six CONCACAF teams.
Ralph: Well, I think there's some things that need to be worked out as they go forward here. You know, we're, this one hasn't finished. I'm sure there'll be plenty of discussion with, with that. I think the biggest challenge as well you know, when you look at, the World Cup and, and at, when they make those last games in those groups, they make the third game at the same time.
You may know the score, but it's still a game to be battled with, and it was, it was kind of, Exciting and one minute a team was in, and then the next minute a team was out. You know, it was one, you know, Germany was in, then Costa Rica was in. Then all of a sudden the score turned and flipped in both Costa Rica and Germany were both out.
So that excitement, that drama brings a new element, and they've done that now for a while, I think. Yeah. I think that when they announced that it was gonna be three over there that, that caught an uprising, with people. So I think they're gonna have to look at that and, and figure that one out, because that's a, that's gonna be a big challenge.
But going back, you know, to our, our, our country, the United States, for a moment, they just wanna go back to the ability to, to flex and change, to make the game or to be more defensive minded in the game, or to be more attacking minded in the game depending on where you are sitting on the result. From game one to game two, to game three, they become more tactical because now you know what you have, what you didn't have, you have a different opponent, different style, different competition. So it, it really makes for something more, more tactical in the game itself.
And I think with our, our team, I think that the players themselves, you could see the maturation from game one to game two, to game three. That's a helpful tool, going forward for whether Gregg stays in that position or they make a change, and that that decision will be forthcoming in the, in the months coming, because I know Gregg's contract is finished at the end of December, and whether they renew it or not, I, I felt that based on what he did and what he, was able to do with the team over his tenure, I surely think that he, he deserves an opportunity to take the team again and, and build on it, and go with it towards the next World Cup.
But, that's for the powers to be to make that decision. And I'm sure the same for Gregg, cuz it is a, it is a draining job. It's an encompassing job. You're, you're working all the time looking at players, identifying players. you only get 'em together on short FIFA playing dates. So, It's a tough job, by no means. And, I gotta say to Greg and his staff, they, and the players, they, they made a sprout with the US and their performance in, in Qatar.
Ray: Yeah, you were, you were obviously out of the country. The country was going wild. 20 million viewers on Fox for the USA Game. 17 million on Fox for the Iran match. The viewing parties even in the Northeast where the weather is turned, viewing party's unbelievable. New York Times USA Today, everybody given 4, 5, 6 pages of coverage, not just to the Americans, to everybody else. I mean, it's coming, it's coming slowly, but it's and I, I, you have to feel really good about the group he has right now. You know, he's gotta add a few pieces. Interesting. Ricardo Pepi, while he didn't bring Pepi with him, I feel for sure he'd be included in the group as a target. It was almost a, there was almost a, controversy about Zack Steffen, but obviously Matt Turner put that to rest.
It's gonna be very interesting to see who moves forward. Yedlin, does Yedlin age out. I think he's 26. I think he's 26. He might be a little bit older. Does Yedlin age out? And Walker Zimmerman, obviously, to me, struggled as compared to Tim Ream, who was a last-minute addition. So he's gotta get the center backs right, he's gotta get the number nine right, and then they gotta continue to develop. But so many guys playing in Champions Leagues clubs, now, you'd have to think individually they're gonna grow exponentially in the next four years, the next three and a half years really.
Ralph: Well here, here's the big thing that happens and what's really clear for everyone to understand. Being over there, we had an opportunity, Jurgen Klinsmann brought us into the, FIFA Technical Committee Group and what they were looking at and changes in the game, and all the new data. You see, everybody with an iPad now on the bench.
You, you know, the staffs have grown to where, a whole staff are, just a team alone is over 24 people. So you, as the head coach, gotta manage all those entities. And one of the things that, came very clear is that the way the game is now, with the role of the ball not having to leave the penalty box. A lot of teams play short and then they try to build from behind, and teams drop off a little bit so that they want you to build, so then they could come and press upon you.
So what's happened over there, and with the technical report, it's gonna probably say in the outcoming, months to come, is that your back line, whether you go with three or four or five, they see a lot of the ball and the quality of their passing along with your goalkeeper, with his feet skills, it becomes their seeing more of the ball than maybe, you know, some of your midfield players are getting touches.
That part of the game has changed. And clearly I think that what the US has to do is develop center backs with good foot skills, just like with goalkeepers. And I think that the other thing that's coming forward for the US is that, you know, we've gotta develop those players that I think can be game makers or game breakers with their individual talent.
Because I think when things become equal on the field, it's that individual player. That may be able to break the opponent down with his own individual skill and flair that makes the difference in the game. And I think that's where we are at now, is who are those kind of players that we have. You know who can be that, okay, we, we think, okay, sure.
Christian Pulisic can be that guy. At times he was involved with a goal or an a in the goal, but you know, sometimes obviously the opponent's gonna try to knock that player out by doing a good job defensively on him. So do you have a, a secondary guy, that can be that player. And to try to develop those players, they're not easy to develop and find, but I think it's quite evident that every anybody who's a good soccer player in the world, whether he, from wherever he is in the, in the world, they all gravitate to Europe to play in the, in the big leagues.
And obviously right now, this is the biggest number of players we've ever had playing in the big leagues, in Europe. And I think that's a, a benefit. I still think Major League Soccer is a big benefit to helping US soccer develop, and it surely helps some other countries cuz oh, we're 50 players that play in Major League soccer we're on the rosters of the World Cup.
Ray: I tell you, I thought did a good job was Timothy Weah. I really liked this guy that he was dangerous. They probably should have operated him as, as the nine and maybe played Gio more. But I thought we did a, a great goal, great goal against Wales or from Pulisic. But look, I think we've grown leaps and bounds. I didn't know what to expect.
Not qualifying four years ago, these guys, only one guy participating in a World Cup. You know, we could have got embarrassed. I thought we might get embarrassed with the youth of our team. And to be fair, it was just the opposite. I think they surprised people. I thought their competitive nature, I thought their cohesiveness.
Everywhere you turn, they talk about the chemistry of the group, how close these guys are from playing in the twenties and coming up together and all being in Europe now. I, I thought it was certainly a step in the right direction and excited, excited in 2026. To be honest, the goal should be a semi-final when we play at home.
And, you know, that's not, that's easy to say, but we'll be at home. You know, the travel will be limited. We'll be comfortable in our environment. what was the, the 90, 94 team, what made it to the quarters?
Ralph: Well, the, the best result we've ever had in the World Cup was, when, Bruce had the team in 2002. We beat Mexico in around the 16, and then in the quarters we played Germany and then we lost. And still to this day, If they had VAR that, that, that penalty would've been found and called, that that was our best result.
Clearly, you know what, what I see as you're saying about the team and the growth, that, that's a key thing. host nations, usually get out of their group. Qatar was a team that didn't get out, that world Cup was a great experience for them as a, as a country and as a playing soccer nation to help them develop their game.
A lot of people think that the 1990 team played an important role for the, the nucleus of the 1994 team under Bora. and I think that, you know, we're, we're at that cusp right now over the next years, how much do we develop these individual players that we've identified and seen play is, and what players are out there that are maybe just getting better?
And we don't even know today who they are, but they're maybe a, a player right now that's somewhere out there, whether he's here playing in America, or, or, or a player like what we got with Timmy Weah. whose dad was from Liberia, or Des, who's, mom was from, Holland. And, so he had dual citizenship.
I think that the United States has surely made, great ground in this tournament as much as I think we all wanted to, see them move and go on. it was the same thing like in 2010 after landing, got that exciting goal against Algeria in the injury time. we were, we were excited with that and just like we were excited with the 2002.
I think it's good to see that clearly the United States now travels unbelievably well to World Cups. I mean, I don't know the exact figures, but clearly we had to be one of the top three teams that had fan support at the games. I mean, we had just as many fans there than England. You know, the Argentinian fans were there and, and known, and a country that surprised everybody, that had a, a big turnout of fans was, the fans from Morocco.
It is something to behold, the nationalistic. In the fans that they come and into those fan zones and how teams travel. Mexico is a country that travels unbelievably well to support them. and some of those stadiums, you could almost feel it was like a home game for those countries when they were playing because they had such a big turnout of fans.
So I, I think that, the, the World Cup in the United States and Mexico and Canada and three venues Will be, unique and it'll be, another experience because Mexico's hosted the World Cup twice. this will be the second time for the United States and the first time there's some games at World Cup, level to be played in Canada. So I think it's only gonna help all three countries, going forward in the next, years to come.
Ray: Yeah. Well, it's gonna be exciting. It's gonna be exciting, I think, for the US and be curious to see how we develop in the next 36 months. What did you think of the center back combination of Ream and Zimmerman?
Ralph: Well, I think, I think they did a great job. The two of them, maybe their best match together was against England. I thought they were very good winning dues. Very good in winning their individual one-on-one battles, to keep an England team, who has shown to be pretty good in getting goals.
It was a good thing because after the group play, you saw that England got in the other two games, nine goals, and against the US they couldn't, they couldn't get to the back of the net. I thought they did well in that game. I think that unfortunately, I like Walker Zimmerman. I thought it was a mistake.
But that's what happens at that level. And I think what always happens at the international level, you get really punished for your mistakes, when you make, whether it's a mental mistake or, or a physical mistake, at that level, the quality of the players will then make you, you know, pay for that. And, unfortunately the pk was a bad one on his part, but overall I thought those two did well.
I was surprised in the, in the third game against Iran that, Vickers came in for Zimmerman, but obviously maybe the coaches felt that that was the right move, and then later on in that game when they were up one nil and, you know, it was 20 minutes to go they brought Zimmerman on knowing that, you know, things were gonna be more direct coming forward.
They get another guy in the air that's good in the air to help out defensively. But I think that that opened up, you know, like always, you know, you, you want to win the game. So you, you wanna get more defensive minded and then that turns into the opponents seeing more of the ball and then you're under pressure on, on and on.
And I thought in that game against Iran, the US held on, did good enough to get the result they needed. They dodged a few attempts there that were close. The keeper came up big, and I think that sometimes you need lady luck on your, on your side. The difference between a goal being scored sometimes is just inches, you know, you know, and I think that the us, was able to get outta there with that win to get forward and get out of the, out of the group in, in a must win situation because people need to remember that the US had to win that game. A tie would've knocked them out.
Ray: That's right. That's right. A little disappointing seeing Germany. Seeing Germany go out, you know, not a good German team, but disappointing.
Ralph: Well, that's two World Cups in a row that, a country like Germany who has a great World Cup history, being knocked out in both group play and not getting out is a little bit of a, of a shock. Not a good World Cup for them, and obviously, the press was killing them. That is the one thing that, all these players are under great scrutiny back home.
You know, and, that, that was one of the issues with Iran. Iran was that they were told before the game, their first game against England there was some issues back home. And, and things were being said about their families and the pressure that they were under and, and they were upset with the federation and they didn't play well that game, but, they bounced back well in the last two games.
But, it, it was not easy for, Carlos Kirosh, who was coaching that team. And he came out and said that there were things that the players were under that he didn't want to discuss after the first game, but had an impact on how they played against England. And, they bounced back in the last two games to make a better account of themselves.
So realistically, Ray, you know, the big, the big challenge that everything plays in America is as you well know, young players, college players, youth players, USL players, MLS players, players that are trying to make it overseas, there's so much out there now in our country and so much more soccer being played, so much more professional opportunities.
And the, the bottom line is the, that pool of players that you need to have and, and to go forward and, and, and get it right because you, if you don't get it right, it surely will, will come out in, in the next go around. And that's, that's gonna be the big challenge, whoever is the next coach, is to get this pool of players going in the right direction to be able to compete in the next World Cup.
It's just like around the corner, and they were talking about that when we were already over there because the next World Cup, as well, for women's soccer is in Australia, New Zealand. A combination in the US women are defending Champs, two-time champions in a row. They've won four world cups, so they, they are now progressing to that and obviously that, that we saw the women's national coach over there wished him well.
Very nice, gentleman and was very supportive of the men's program. He was there supporting, we had the opportunity to meet with, the president, Mrs. Cohen, and Cindy. And, they're, they're working hard for the Women's World Cup team as well. They're working hard already in preparation, all these groups on all these 11 cities in America will start working now, preparing for this next World Cup to make it the biggest, t e best ever.
Ray: Yeah, it's gonna come quick. You know, people think it's gonna be, it'll take a while. It's gonna come quick. A matter of fact, they've approached us. We're put in a whole new practice facility, a building, US soccer's approached us as possibly being a training campsite for a team being based in Foxborough. So we're hoping that we can get our facilities up to snuff to attract somebody to be there for a couple weeks before the tournament in 2026.
Ralph: Well, I, I tell you, that was the last thing that I, I take away from this trip that was pretty amazing to me was that, I got to see four different stadiums in games, and I saw the other four on tv. And these stadiums were amazing. They were well put together. They were, you know, for a country that really doesn't have a lot of soccer for them to put all these stadiums together, and just as you're mentioning training facilities on smaller scales for the guys to train at, were incredible.
I mean, the hotel where the US team was staying was, as good as any hotel I've ever seen in the world. Tom King and, who's in works with US soccer since 98. we've gotten smarter on how to do things and how to get things done, and obviously we, we've got the means to do it right.
Um, I think that, you know, we, we are, we are, even though we're not maybe in the top fourth in our country because we have diversity of sports. We have become a soccer playing nation over the last 25 years, and the best part I think going forward here, which was the part that needed to catch up, was that I think we have a tremendous fan base of, people who care about the sport, love the sport, and want to be a fan.
And I think that'll be shown with the interest for the World Cup itself, because, you know, cities that weren't there on the, on the radar in 94, Seattle and Atlanta, those are two cities that are major League soccer cities that showed that there is a tremendous fan base in those cities that merit the World Cup games to be played
Ray: Yeah, exciting times, exciting times for us soccer.