The World Cup of Man Buns

Somehow only on day 4 of this incredible World Cup

November 23, 2022

I write with fingers that feel as if they are at the Quarter-Final Stage, even though we are somehow just on Day 4. This World Cup of Man Buns is one of the most exhausting I have ever experienced. The overstuffed four-game-a-day regimen tending toward fixture-fulfillment rather than a football-first experience. It is a surreal Men’s World Cup. One that has not yet truly permeated the culture here in the United States. One in which the might of Qatar Airways has eerily airbrushed the coverage. At the same time, the delirious moments like Al-Dawsari’s haymaker which dropped Messi’s Argentina, that magnificent second Christian Pulisic slipped in Tim Weah, and it all came off like it had in practice, leaving the President of Liberia/Former Ballon D’Or to marvel at his son, or Australian fans fleetingly believing, everything is possible – this is what a World Cup is truly about – the transcendent passages of play which make you feel alive, and a sense of global connectivity sing.

For Men In Blazers – my goal remains to win the World Cup, no matter what happens on the field. We have spent the last two days in the magnificent Kingdom of St. Louis. Tim Ream’s cologne was faintly wafting everywhere. What a football hotbed it is. We came for the Toasted Ravs, but were left sincerely touched by the passion for our sport swirling around St. Louis City’s stunning stadium from which we Live Twitched the Wales game (you can rewatch HERE). We head to Philly tomorrow for Thanksgiving and a Live Twitch watchalong of the historic win against England in which we will be joined by my mate Matthew McConaughey. That will be followed by a Friday night Live show, and lots of Federal Donuts. Then, DC, we are coming for you with a very, very, very special guest we cannot announce.

To travel this nation and savor the distinct flavor of every football culture is the honor of a lifetime. We just experienced the most podcast listens in any single day in our history. It is so immensely gratifying to share these moments with you. Our entire team has worked so hard to make memories with our GFOPs. Please keep emailing us, tweeting us, and giving us your ideas, thoughts, and feedback. They give us energy and make us soar.

Listen: Our pod yesterday with Rory Smith, who is on the Ground in Doha. And ahead of these Group E - H matches today and tomorrow, be sure to listen to Episodes Three and Four of our World Cup Preview Podcasts, presented by Camarena Tequila. The MOST-awarded tequila. All of them are available HERE.

A detailed schedule for the next week is at the bottom of this email. Come be with us, as we go from sea-to-shining sea, if you can be with us, Twitch with us (give us a follow), and share our daily podcast drops with your World Cup Curious Friends. Full list of tour stops here.

This World Cup is making me thirsty. Order Budweiser via Drizly and get $5 off your first order when you use the code: BUDXMIB Courtesy of Drizly. New Drizly users only. Must be 21+. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Per applicable law, value may be applied towards order total or shipping or delivery fees. Includes orders of non-alcoholic items. Void where prohibited. Expires on 12/31/22 at 11:59 EDT.

1. USA! USA! USA! Fly Baby Eagles, Fly! 🇺🇸🦅

As the dust settles on the frustration of two-points ceded against Wales, we gird our loins to face that Buzz-Saw England (Friday, 2 PM ET) and pray Gareth Southgate’s boys will dip their levels of performance, and that we can raise our game. Our young Baby Eagles should learn so much from that draw which felt like a loss. The question is, will they? Here are the big questions we are mulling ahead of kick-off:

i. What is the psychological fall-out of that second-half chaos in which we lost control of the game, and our midfield fell apart? After an opening half in which we soared, in the second we crashed to earth. That feeling of vulnerability can either strengthen a side, or sew a seed of mental vulnerability, fear and second-guessing into their psyche.

ii. Can we make tactical adjustments in game, because against Wales we were woeful once they went direct. Expect England will drop cross after cross into the corridor of uncertainty and seek to punish each and every mistake.

iii. Will Gregg stop trying to prove himself to himself and simply follow the first rule of international football? Down the stretch, get your nation’s best players on the field in the biggest moments. Gio Reyna, with his Champions League experience, and ability to create moments of magic, should not be watching Jordan Morris from the bench.

iv. How fit is Weston?

To be positive: We have so much talent in our squad. Our individual players are so bloody capable. That goal we scored – Pulisic finding Weah like Reyna finding a charging Stewart in 1994 - was delirious, and proof that their potential is elite. This is on Gregg. Can he prove himself – and what US Soccer saw in him, when they waited forever before giving him the job? Or is he an Emperor with no clothes, bar an over-hyped sneaker game? Friday is ultimately his day.

2. Harry Kane Ankle Scan. A nation holds its breath 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🚑

Harry Kane is having a scan on his right angle after receiving a heavy blow in the 48th minute of the Iran rout. That ankle must be one of the most scanned in the world. The reality is, England have surplus fire power, though his loss creatively and symbolically will be a body blow.

Talking of the USMNT England game, we have been blown away by the response so far to our new MIB World Cup merch. We’ve restocked the shelves after the “Fly Baby Eagles, Fly” shirt sold out and they are available once again. To commemorate the match on Friday we’re making the “Baby Eagles vs. Three Lions Shirt” available for $19.50, to honor the US’s famous 1950 victory over England. Shop the FULL COLLECTION HERE.

3. Whom will I support?

This is not hard for me. I wrote about it for the Wall Street Journal. I may have been born in Liverpool, but I cheer with all my heart for the United States of America. To be clear: when England do well, I feel happy for the people I love who are happy. It is a dark time over there with Brexit and the economic instability. But I am 100% behind the United States just as I was when our women drank tea in 2019.

4. Godspeed Canada vs. Belgium 2 PM ET 🇨🇦

I am so thrilled for the nation to our North as they prepare to face Belgium’s fading Golden Generation. The Kings of CONCACAF who have delivered a delirious campaign of wonder that presents an intoxicating face of Canada to the world. I cannot imagine what football fans up there are feeling as their team prepare to take the field in World Cup play for the first time since 1986. Belgium have so many stars, but a defense that can be got at. My main worry is the Canadian players may not know how to score without having a snowbank to dive into headfirst in celebration.

5. Sad Messi is the most heartbreaking Messi 🇦🇷

“It’s time to be more united than ever, show that we are truly strong. This team has not gone through a situation like this for a long time,” said a shell shocked Messi after 36-game unbeaten Argentina were undone by Saudi Arabia who pressed and fought and collectively dazzled. One of the most sensational upsets I have ever witnessed, up there with Cameroon cold-cocking Argentina in 1990 and Senegal shocking a self-sabotaging France in 2002.

A seismic win for a nation who now have a national holiday as a result. It is important to recognize – even as the game’s geopolitical reverberations are decoded (the Emir of Qatar holding up the Saudi flag, a symbolic moment that must be cast in the light of the recent Gulf blockade) – that Saudi Arabia is a football mad nation, and the team’s fans experienced a powerful moment that will be sung of for generations.

6. Olivier Giroud breaking records like he breaks hearts 🇫🇷

Yesterday against Australia’s 11 boxing kangaroos, French striker Olivier Giroud, who didn’t have a single shot at target in winning the 2018 World Cup, scored twice and equalled Thierry Henry as France's all-time top scorer with his 51st International goal. I realized as I watched him, Olivier is almost too good looking for us to take seriously. But that is some elite record.

Giroud… not a baseball hat gent. Can’t cover up those French Frosted tips. But we may be able to convince him with the remade Courage Cap designed by the GFOPs over at Talisman. A true soccer lifestyle brand and a group we’ve longed to work with. Check out this beautiful cap available now. COURAGE.

7. Great Day for Manchester United or Greatest Day?

First, the Glazers announced they are exploring strategic alternatives in terms of their ownership of Manchester United. A fancy way to say, SELLING THE CLUB AFTER 17 YEARS. English tabloids are now salivating about numbers ranging from ^6 billion to $11 billion.

Then news broke that the club and Ronaldo have come to a mutual agreement to end their fallen hero’s contract before it runs out in the summer. Ronaldo is now free to dedicate his energies to undermining his nation’s World Cup campaign. It is commonplace for the national team captain to join the coach before the pre-match press conference at a World Cup but Ronaldo did not appear today, with duties instead falling to Bruno Fernandes.

Where next for Ronaldo? After watching him destroy the Juventus locker room then place himself above the club at Manchester United. Only a fool would have him. So Todd Boehly’s Chelsea then. I joke. I joke. Newcastle are rumored (but why would they want him?) Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr are always swirling. Brace yourself for some kind of MLS link. None of this is going to go well. Ronaldo is like the Aesop’s Fable of the dog with the bone who fell in love with his own reflection in the water. Caveat Emptor.

8. Other side of Manchester: PEP LIVES. PEP LIVES

New contract for the denim frayer. To 2025. Double the years he spent at Barcelona and Bayern. Eerie video here.

9. Good Crap

iii. My friend Jon Weinbach is releasing a documentary Good Rivals on Amazon (WATCH HERE) that digs deep into the US-Mexico rivalry. Jon is the president of Skydance Sports and is a long, long time US fan. He describes his thoughts on the US-Mexico rivalry here:

There are other international soccer rivalries with greater/longer histories of significant on-field matches, and other rivalries – like England-Germany or Germany-France or Russia-Czech Republic or England-Argentina – which have significant political dimensions and military history. But I would argue that US-Mexico is the most unique rivalry in international soccer, just because it combines sports, current politics, current demographics, an ACTUAL border, and the unique cultural dimension of America’s relationship with (and historical dominance of/hegemony over) Mexico. For as intense as the Brazil-Argentina rivalry is, there aren’t 30 million Argentinians in Brazil… and there aren’t millions of dual-national German-Brits or Brit-Germans wondering which culture they really belong to. These are real elements to the US-Mexico relationship and, as a result, impact the rivalry.

Talking of USMNT history, check out our 94-inspired Baby Eagles collaboration with Umbro USA. As always it is a genuine delight to partner with the Double Diamond for this magical limited edition collection. The Double Diamond is the original football brand so these beauties mean the world to us. Shop the limited edition collection now.

MiB World Cup Schedule

NOVEMBER 25 - PHILADELPHIA

  • TWITCH FROM SUBARU PARK: Guest Matthew McConaughey & Efe Abada

  • LIVE SHOW @ THEATRE OF LIVING ARTS: Guests Ale Bedoya & Johnny Weir; TICKETS (LOW TICKET WARNING)

NOVEMBER 26 - DC

  • LIVE SHOW @ CAPITAL TURNAROUND: Guests Andi Sullivan & Y Michele Kang; TICKETS (LOW TICKET WARNING)

NOVEMBER 29 - AUSTIN

  • TWITCH FROM Q2 STADIUM: Guests John Green, Ariel Helwani, and Frankie Hejduk

  • LIVE SHOW @ ACL LIVE: Guests James Van Der Beek, Diego Fagundez, and Adrian Quesada; TICKETS

DECEMBER 3 & 4 - NASHVILLE

  • TWITCH FROM GEODIS PARK: Stay tuned for guest announcement

  • LIVE SHOW @ WILD HORSE SALOON: Stay tuned for guest announcement; TICKETS

DECEMBER 5 - ATLANTA

  • LIVE SHOW @ THE EASTERN: Stay tuned for guest announcement; TICKETS

DECEMBER 9 - LA

  • TWITCH FROM BANC OF CALIFORNIA STADIUM: Stay tuned for guests

  • LIVE SHOW @ NOVO THEATER: Stay tuned for guest announcement; TICKETS

DECEMBER 10 - SF

  • LIVE SHOW @ THE WARFIELD: Stay tuned for guest announcement; TICKETS

DECEMBER 13 - SEATTLE

  • LIVE SHOW @ SHOWBOX SODO: Stay tuned for guest announcement; TICKETS

That is it for today. My family have just left for Thanksgiving. I am driving to Philadelphia for a lonely guy Thanksgiving dinner with Producer JJ and JW. The World Cup is my companion for the next three weeks. We will pod today with Davo, tape World Corrupt Episode 6 with Tommy Vietor, then have Herc Gomez join me tomorrow. Come be with me. Go! Go! USA!

Big Love

Courage

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