Transcript
Speaker: got that Hello, Sam. Hey, Jeff. Could you hear it? I kind of heard it. The end of the yawn.
Speaker: Welcome to the Jeff and Sam show. I'm Jeff. And I'm Sam. How you doing? I'm tired. Yeah? Yeah. Lots of working these days. Lots of working. Lots of moving. Moving. Neighbor.
Speaker: How long did it take you to get from there to here? So there was a lot of traffic right now, so it took 20 minutes. But without traffic, it's like easily 15 minutes. Oh, okay.
Speaker: And like the drive to work is... 15 minutes instead of 45 to an hour. Oh yeah, that's the best part. Crazy. Yeah. It's crazy. So anything new?
Speaker: Anything going on? What's new? don't know. She's having a hard time. don't know. I don't know. i i don't know. Just... um trying to get ready for this next trip. you know These episodes are pre pre-recorded so that you guys can still hear my fabulous voice while I'm no longer with you in the States.
Speaker: And i'm like nearing that pre-travel almost panic, but I don't think I have the energy for it. right now yeah So maybe it's a good thing. You leave on Tuesday.
Speaker: Do you leave on Tuesday? Okay, are you here with me all weekend? Yes. Okay. Yes. Yes. Yes. So this is true crime history and a comedy podcast. Comedy of errors, usually. Because we don't really know what we're doing. We're not professional. We do what we want, you know? And we think we're funny. We think we're funny. We might not be. You know, some, to each his own.
Speaker: Right? Not that your opinion matters, you who don't find us funny. But, you know. Right, if you like us, then your opinion matters. Correct. um Boston.
Speaker: Yeah. I went there. i know you did. Phenomenal. I know. Phenomenal. fucking love it up there. It's amazing. It is. What a beautiful city, too. It is, and it's just...
Speaker: What a beautiful city. And I've never spent time there. This was the first time that I actually spent time walking the streets. Oh, my God. You always walk the streets. Don't lie these people. I do. At Little Italy. oh We went to Little Italy. I think i like their Little Italy better than any other Little Italy I've been to. I think that city yeah is one of the best cities I've been to in a long time. Oh, I'm so glad you feel that way because I feel that way. And it's a not fully accepted opinion. So I'm glad you feel that way. Why wouldn't people feel that way?
Speaker: People just think that it's... It's stupid people, realistically, that are just like, don't know. It just has a dirty vibe. I'm sorry. I didn't get that. I think that it has one of the cleaner vibes. So do i Like, you can't even tell me. And those are the people that are like, oh, well, you know, New York's better. And you're like, the fuck? Who are you?
Speaker: get out of here. Yeah. Little Italy was amazing. We ate at Willie's. Have you been there? I have been there. And then we ate at Boston Sail Loft.
Speaker: That's the one that Blythe recommended. It's right on the water. i had lobster mac and cheese. You can't say lobster. It's lobster. I had lobster mac and cheese. Lobster. Delicious. That was good. Did you guys by any chance to go to any of the Kelly's for a lobster roll? No, no, we had that at that restaurant that Blythe recommended, a lobster roll.
Speaker: Kayla had that. But then, to top off a weekend that was amazing, Saturday night, we went to see Alanis Morissette. Did you now? And it was, you were supposed to be with us. Yep. Things happened, you couldn't go.
Speaker: But, it okay, so Saturday it was like, almost 80, like it almost hit 80 and then the rain came. And then we go to we head to the concert, it's a festival, right? But we didn't want to see anybody else but Alanis. And so we head out at around 6.30 to the concert and it starts raining hard, right? And so then I'm like, oh. You rented a car though, right? Yeah. Okay. And then I'm like, shit. So I didn't have any kind of,
Speaker: right yeah Honestly, i was just going to go in shorts and a t-shirt and a flannel and just accept the rain, enjoy the rain. But Kim was like, let's, you should get a raincoat. And I thought, okay, I'll get a raincoat. So I stopped at Kohl's and got a raincoat.
Speaker: The only raincoat they had was exactly like the one I wore in Norway for the hike. The exact one, except like a double X. And it was really big on me.
Speaker: Four years ago in 2022, when I went to Norway again, like that time, i had that same coat, but I've lost it since. So then this year, I buy that coat, the blue, to go to Norway. It's like Colombia, right? Colombia. And that's the only one they had.
Speaker: So I got that raincoat and then um went to the concert where it rained for a little bit at the beginning. And then the rain goes away and it is like 68 degrees.
Speaker: and a like a nice wind and Alanis on stage. What more could a boy ask for? Fuck. If you would have told me in 1995 that I would be seeing Alanis Morissette in 2026 in Boston. Live, in concert. wouldn't have believed you.
Speaker: when have believed you. And do you know my favorite song by her? Yes, I do, but i get my brain's not working. Thank you. Thank you is my favorite song by her, and it was the very last song. It's always her last song. It's how she says thanks to the people that come to watch her.
Speaker: She's amazing. Truly. Legend. What a goddess, you know? and to They play a lot of her interviews before she comes on stage, and she's like just a badass.
Speaker: Very humble. There was this interview in 2020 with her. was like COVID time, so she was at home doing the interview from home, and it was Jimmy Kimmel or something.
Speaker: And while she was doing the interview, her kid came into the room and started messing around. It was just very cute. Anyway, she's amazing. The concert was amazing.
Speaker: One bad egg in the festival. Stupid chiropractor. Which is honestly, that's a good record to only have one at a music festival.
Speaker: that's I think that's unheard of. And then there were some people that were like in their 20s at the festival that had probably been there the whole time. They didn't really know Alanis Morissette until like one of the big songs came on and they were like, oh, this is her.
Speaker: Isn't it ironic? Isn't it ironic? Don't you think? I really do. oh man. She's phenomenal. That was a great trip. um It was fun. But Boston, Little Italy, oh my God. So we decided that Kim and i maybe when Lena comes to visit, we should all meet in Boston and like spend four or five days there because we just scratched the surface. Oh yeah, I mean I lived there for a year, maybe more, and I scratched the surface. Because the other thing too is like,
Speaker: The city is magnificent, but also like the whole New England area. And obviously, Salem, magnificent. But like all along the North Shore and like all those little small towns and the things that you can do out there. And then P-Town and um like Lexington and Concord. And there's this cheese shop. Yeah, this is the one you were telling me about. Yes. Because you were gonna take us there. Yes. oh We didn't do the duck boats. We had limited time. Yeah, because you were only there for really like 48 hours. Right, it was very limited. So we didn't even like scratch the surface, to be honest, you know?
Speaker: he just kind of like nicked it, and we rubbed against it. Yeah, we went into the library. That was beautiful. Yeah. that was What else did you do? Library, we went to Acorn Street. We went to a little bookshop in that little...
Speaker: That little part. Did you make it to Fenway? or we Oh, my God. We went to Fenway. And, you know, I don't know sports. You know.
Speaker: He says as he sits wearing a Fenway Park hot dog shirt. But if ever there – this is a Fenway Park, and it just has a hot dog on it. And if there's ever something – He's wearing hat. That was me.
Speaker: This doesn't say anything about baseball. You know what i mean? and I was like, this is the shirt I want. This is it. ah Fenway, that was cool. Honestly. It's historic. I would like to go to a game there.
Speaker: Don't faint. Alan, Alan, Alan, Alan. I need you to clip that oh and I need you to forever replay it for me. Like whenever I'm down, i need you to just send that little clip to me. Honestly, I would like to go to a game there.
Speaker: Alan. Because all my stars. Take this. Make it a clip. Clutching my pearls. I, Jeff Rogers, would like to go to a ball game at Fenway Park. Like an actual, like you want to go see baseball. I want to have that experience. Oh my God, okay.
Speaker: Say no more, I have it. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I will take you to a game easily. Yeah, there was something like really cool about that old ass baseball stadium. It's like you... Don't call it an old ass. Don't do that. It amazing. No, I say that with... Yeah, that's what I meant.
Speaker: But i really liked it. I really thought it was cool, you know? It's like you... It's like there it's like a like a portal. Like you walk there, like you walk through and it's like you're stepping over this threshold into like... history and greatness and legends and like, yeah just magical. Also, we happened to be walking down the blocked off street as the players were pulling up and getting out of their cars.
Speaker: So there were these little boys, I think they were like 10 and they had their baseball caps on and they had a pin and a ball in their hand. And they were just waiting for the players to sign their ball. You know, it was like the, we wanted to take a picture, but we didn't want to take a picture of kids that we didn't know. That's valid. you know I'm proud of you guys. um But it was so cute.
Speaker: So cute. But when the first player didn't even acknowledge the kids, we were like, fuck off. but Yeah, but I mean, that's global. yeah Understandable. But then we were like, let's not stand here and watch these kids get denied.
Speaker: You know, maybe somebody signed their baseball for them. Somebody did. But yeah, it'd be fun to go to a game. You know, Fenway specifically. yeah, yeah. Let me clarify this.
Speaker: At Finley when it is not 100 degrees. And you don't care what teams you're playing. don't give a shit. I just would like to go to a game. I'll make it happen. I texted Linda when we were there, maybe on her first trip back over here, ah we can all kind of get together and make it a night, go to a game. And then there's all these cool pubs right outside. Oh, yeah. Oh, the thing I really liked about it was that it is this historic.
Speaker: Thank you. baseball stadium in the middle of the city that hasn't changed. And they changed this, like I'm so new to this, you hear me? yeah And they changed the score by hand and the green wall, the green monster. oh i got it. I got it.
Speaker: The green wall. Yeah, the green monster. Yeah. Look at you. Let's put that on our bucket list. I mean, it doesn't, it's don't even, don't even bucket list it. Like as soon as we're done, I'm going get us on the docket. Oh,
Speaker: On the docket, what's that mean? Like, it's just going to, like, I'm going to buy us tickets for a game. When is the baseball season? Well, it was happening then because there was a ball game that night, which was just this weekend, and this is July. i had to think about that for a minute. You got there. I got there. Baseball season, like hockey season, like starts...
Speaker: And the next thing you know, you're like, oh my God, it's still going on. How is it still going on? You know how football season is like very limited? I don't even pretend, I even, that just all drives me crazy. Everything is going on all the time, it seems like.
Speaker: See, that's what I love about it. yeah. That's what I love about because hockey, you can just, there's so many months and then baseball is so many months and don't really care about American football. So it doesn't matter to me that it's so short.
Speaker: So put that on your little list of things that we should do. Yeah, I mean, I just, we just got to figure out, I guess, when, i so, not this Halloween, but next Halloween, because this year is the 400th anniversary of the witch trials in Salem, so Salem's going to be insanity. Insanity, yeah. So next Halloween, I want to take Francois and Gabby up there, so I know that October of next year, i will probably plan to be up there. Is baseball going on in October? It will be a little bit, yeah. But that's a lot to combine into one trip. And there's something about, i know you don't want to go to a game in 100-something degree weather, but I would rather go closer summertime. Oh, don't want to go when it's cold, yeah. I know, so I'd rather go closer summertime because it's about like wearing shorts and a jersey and like,
Speaker: Drinking a cold beer, eating a hot dog. There's nothing better than a hot dog, come on. It makes me want a hot dog real bad. That'd be great. Than a real ballpark hot dog. Yeah, there was something about walking around that stadium that was just really cool and fun. Clearly. Honestly, like, you know what?
Speaker: With... You know, you and I travel a lot and we've been all over this country a bunch and first time I've seen Boston and I was like, shit, this is like, how have I not done this? Yeah, that's kind wild to me. It was awesome. Really fun.
Speaker: So that was my weekend. You should have been there, but you had other things going on. The universe said no. The universe said later. True. True, true, true. Are you ready? um Yeah, except I need a drink in my hand. Oh,
Speaker: Okay, we're having a Ollipop crisp, crisp apple. What does that make you think of? Fall. And you know, as a lesbian, flannel season is just, you know, it holds a special place my heart. But fall in Boston holds an even more special part.
Speaker: yeah So I, yeah. In fall one year, I think it was 2015 or 2016, we drove from Burlington, Vermont to Bar Harbor, Maine. Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor, Maine. I even have a sweater or sweatshirt that says Bar Harbor.
Speaker: It was so beautiful. God, it was so beautiful. Yeah, they i will I will say, New England does fall right, man. It's ah special. And Burlington, Vermont, love that little town.
Speaker: Little town up in Vermont. Little town. Okay, so let's open our drinks, do a little cheers, queers.
Speaker: Cheers, queers. Okay, Ollipop, crisp, apple, here we go. To Boston.
Speaker: Okay. Oh. It's so good. Wow. Yeah. That whole like palette that unfolds. Yeah. Delish. Wow. Way to go, Olipop.
Speaker: I was just going to say the same. It cracked Alan up when we said things with a story at the same perfection. Same time. Perfection.
Speaker: Indeed. Indubitably. Flip a coin. Flip a coin. I'm going to do this one because it's right in front of me and I don't want to reach. Do it. Do it.
Speaker: Oh, this is one of the Japan ones. Oh, Jamie, her daughter. Yes. We got a coin from Japan. We have so many. We did, and it's really beautiful. I mean, look at the. I saw it, yeah. Gorgeous.
Speaker: That's amazing. Okay. All right. So you're going to be either the flowers or the hundred. Which one do you want? Flowers. I like how I ask sometimes. Obviously. i thought you knew me better. Okay.
Speaker: oh honey
Speaker: Oh, honey. She caught that coin. Flowers. Was that me? Yeah. How quickly we forget. it Aight. Aight.
Speaker: Did we forget anything? No. Oh, oh, oh, oh. You know, because things have been a little wonky, because we've been betwixt travelages and life happenings and working a lot and stuff, ah we did, um i believe we forgot to mention a few birthdays over potentially the last month. So I just um wanted to give out some shout outs to,
Speaker: um My sister, when we were in Norway, was the 21st, so Rachel, happy late birthday on the show. birthday, Rachel. Because already told you in text form. That's kind of very late.
Speaker: Well, but i so I texted them. And then at my sister-in-law, Ellie, her birthday was on the 29th. Oh, I love Ellie, she's so sweet. And she just, you know, she and Nick just bring so much to the family.
Speaker: And then ah Danny Clark, I think you've met her. Yeah. Yeah. Hers was July six She's so pretty. And then just this past week, we had um my we had a whole bunch of birthdays this past weekend or so.
Speaker: My niece, Cammie, turned 10 on Friday. And she is such a magnificent little chaos goblin. And then also my friend, one of my longest reigning friends, Asia.
Speaker: And she had a birthday and she went to Italy and she did the thing and she had a good thing. Good for her. Yeah. My aunt and uncle had a birthday on the 17th of July. Yeah, that was their birthday too.
Speaker: Courtney and Anne. Happy birthday Courtney! Possibly my favorite human on earth. She's everyone's favorite. You've met her. She's the one that everybody's like, I want to be like her. Truly. Goals. I want to be like her.
Speaker: Are you ready for a story? Yes. Indubitably. Okey doke. So like a century ago, Boston was bursting at the seams with more than 400,000 people.
Speaker: crammed into the confines of less than a square mile of the downtown area. Think about that shit. 400,000 people in that little square mile. Adding to the congestion, more than 8,000 horses pulled trolleys to transport people and goods.
Speaker: There was frustration with these black streets and they they were overcrowded, and that paved the way for the city to do a first, to build the underground transit system.
Speaker: In the north end of Boston, there was a wave of European immigration that doubled the population of Boston. What were they primarily? Jewish people, Italian people, Irish people. Love the Irish Bostonians.
Speaker: Found a home. More than anything. Yeah. Found a home here, there, in the north end of Boston. Just in that area, the population was around 40,000 1915. Wow.
Speaker: And between the crowded residential street and the docks, there was a commercial hub known as Commercial Street. Lots of office buildings and lots of shopping. So it was safe to say that on any given day at lunch, the streets were packed with people.
Speaker: And in 1919, there was a new addition to that part of town. It was a tower, no it wasn't a tower, it towered over the entire town. It was 50 feet tall and it held 2.5 million gallons. It was this big steel tank.
Speaker: And the tank was full until it was not full. The tank had a lot of molasses in it. 2.5 million gallons of molasses to be exact. Now molasses is this thick, dark brown syrup.
Speaker: And some people use molasses to make candy or to make brown sugar. But molasses in the tank then was to be used to make rum. The company that owned that tank was the Purity Distilling Company, and that company was owned by USIA, or United States Industrial Alcohol.
Speaker: Before 1919, the USIA had used that molasses to make alcohol used in bombs, like Molotov cocktails. But now the war was over, and it's rum time, baby. Woo!
Speaker: But 1920... and twenty nineteen twenty Prohibition was set to go in effect. So they had one year to produce all the rum that they could produce.
Speaker: Why is all the rum gone? And then on January 13th, the USIA filled the tank up with molasses. For the next two days, the tank made really loud noises, scared people. People also knew that the tank leaked.
Speaker: Molasses. Molasses. Slow leak, I imagine. It was extremely slow, but it was leaking, and they knew it. And in fact, the tank, they painted the tank a rust color to hides hide the leak. hide the leak.
Speaker: So on the 15th of January, it's... 15th of January, it's 40 degrees in Boston. Which is quite warm. It's warm. But inside the tank, it's even warmer.
Speaker: And with molasses, the warmer it gets, the more viscous it is. The colder it gets, the more... um it doesn't harden. It becomes like a A gel. Gelatin, yeah. that's one of my favorite things is they're moving slower than molasses in wintertime. Right, exactly. So when it's warmed, it moves faster. When it gets a little cooler, it moves s slower, right? So on the 15th of January, a police officer named Frank mccannis McManus was on his usual beat in that neighborhood when he heard a loud metallic sound.
Speaker: followed by a rumble. And when he looked at the tank, he saw it literally disintegrating. He also heard something like a machine gun. And it was like a ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta sound. And that was the sound of the rivets that held together the steel plates of the tank.
Speaker: Coming apart. Officer McManus immediately called the police headquarters and told them to send all available rescue people they had immediately because the wave of molasses was coming down Commercial Street.
Speaker: Sure enough, molasses left the tank at about 35 miles per hour about 160 diameter. Now googled similar to 160 feet in diameter. large ferris wheel.
Speaker: something similar to a hundred and sixty feet in diameter a large ferris will Now think about that. That's crazy, right? When the molasses hits the ground, it scours the North End waterfront, taking people, carts, horses, and trains with it.
Speaker: And when it hit the local firehouse, the waves knock the firehouse off of its foundation, the second floor drops to the first floor, and the firefighters are trapped in a small crawl space.
Speaker: Children are killed, adults are killed, in about 25 minutes, the entire north end of Boston was obliterated. And it wasn't a total surprise to the people in that area.
Speaker: They knew that the construction was flawed, and people in that neighborhood would see the leaks, they would hear the sound, it was well known that the construction was really flawed. They just didn't understand how flawed it was, right? Or what the consequences your failing would be.
Speaker: Right, people in power, They didn't give a fuck. It was that's so surprising not on the top of their to-do lists. And in 1919, the North End, I said, was home to about 40,000 people. 95 to 98% of those people were Italian immigrants.
Speaker: Many didn't speak English. Many weren't citizens. They had no vocal political advocacy. So when USIA built this big ol' eyesore in the middle of a very congested area with actual human beings below it, there was really no vocal opposition to it in the North End.
Speaker: Even as the tank starts to visibly leak, still no vocal opposition. It's kind of a story as old as time, and I kept thinking about that Michael Jackson song, They Don't Care About Us. They don't really care about That's it.
Speaker: People in power have no accountability, and nobody's paying any attention to the North End before the molasses flood. Once it flooded and 21 people died, as a result.
Speaker: Newspapers all over the country wrote stories about it. It was big news. The first to the scene were 116 cadets under the direction of Lieutenant Commander H.J. Copeland from the USS Nantucket. The cadets ran several blocks toward the accident and entered into knee-deep flood of molasses to pull out the survivors.
Speaker: While others worked to keep curious onlookers from getting in the way of the rescuers, the Boston Police, the Red Cross, the Army, Navy personnel, they all soon arrived. Some nurses from the Red Cross dove into the molasses, while others tended to be tended to the injured, keeping them warm and feeding the exhausted workers.
Speaker: Many of the people worked through the night, and the injured were so numerous that doctors and surgeons set up a makeshift hospital in a nearby building. Rescuers found it difficult to make their way through the syrup to help the victims, and four days elapsed before they stopped searching. Many of the dead were so glazed over in molasses that they were hard to recognize.
Speaker: Other victims were swept into the Boston Harbor, and they were found three to four months after the disaster. Anthony D'Estacio was walking home with his sister from the Michelangelo school when he was picked up by a wave and carried, tumbling on its crest, almost as though as he were like he was surfing.
Speaker: Then the ground and the molasses rolled him like a pebble as the wave diminished. He heard his mother call out his name, but he couldn't answer. His throat was so clogged with molasses. He passed out and then opened his eyes to find three of his four sisters staring at him.
Speaker: His fourth sister, 10-year-old Maria D'Estacio, was one of the ones who passed away. It was on the national news. And think about how long this molasses stayed around. It filled the basements. It was stuck in the streets. A lot of people who survived the flood died after because nobody could get to them.
Speaker: Firefighters were doing everything they could to rescue everyone, but they could only do so much. They worked around the clock. Like I said, sadly, 21 people died and about 150 people were seriously injured.
Speaker: And then there was the mess of cleaning up the molasses. They worked for weeks to do that. and Molasses doesn't harden, it congeals. That's the word. They tried to break it up and cart it away, but that didn't work. So then they tried to wash it away with water from the hydrants.
Speaker: That didn't work. But one day, a firefighter had the idea to use salt water from the harbor. That was the thing that worked. The seawater cut the molasses and the crews were able to wash the molasses away.
Speaker: Maybe this firefighter should be the one in charge with the power, you know? it was still a mess though because everything below the ground was full of molasses. There was a building across the street from the tank itself, its cellar basement filled up to the first floor with molasses.
Speaker: A banana vendor across the street from the tank had $4,000 stored in his basement. Once the cleanup crew dug out 12 feet of molasses and debris, This man actually got his money back.
Speaker: Oh, nice. Yeah. Millions of gallons of ocean water were pumped into the city streets and then swept back out into the harbor. It was reported that the harbor was brown for years.
Speaker: And years later, on a hot day, you could still smell the molasses. It took about six months for the North End to get back to quote, normal, but buildings had to be rebuilt. The train line had to be rebuilt.
Speaker: Commercial Street would eventually come back better than ever. But USIA, they were in a world of trouble because the reason why the tank exploded was because the steel was too thin and the tank was built way too fast by workers who were way too unskilled. the call iss leaking from This caused the leaking from day one and eventually caused the tank to explode.
Speaker: The second worst part, because obviously the worst part was that the people were killed and injured. The second worst part is that USIA was warned by city workers many times before that the tank would groan and it would shudder and it would shake.
Speaker: So it was preventable. Did the people in power care enough to do anything about it to prevent it? They absolutely did not. So in 1920, 110 civil lawsuits were filed against USIA.
Speaker: Those 110 cases were consolidated to one big fat case between USIA and 119 plaintiffs. USIA claimed that the tank had been blown up by anarchists. yeah Please.
Speaker: And the actual molasses flood was big nationwide news and a big deal. But the case was even bigger. This was the first significant class action lawsuit against a major U.S. company.
Speaker: The case literally paved the way for the gu Gulf oil spill... that lawsuit for Enron and for the Aaron Brockovich and PG&E case and all of those victims.
Speaker: The case took five years. More than 1,000 people testified, including experts in construction and physics. This became one of the first cases that had expert testimony.
Speaker: In April 1925, judge ruled that USIA's negligence led to structural failure of the tank. USIA was ordered to pay out $628,000 to the victims and their family. in today's money, that's million. dollars They held them accountable.
Speaker: But people died, and there is no amount of money that could bring that bat bring them back. And there was another outcome from the Great Molasses Flood, one that affects every single American today. Engineers are held responsible for the structural integrity of whatever they build.
Speaker: Architects had to start signing their drawings. This wasn't a thing before the case. This was the first time that the government stepped in on a construction in such a way. This changed the dynamic between the government and private businesses when it came to building anything in America.
Speaker: A wave of building codes, regulations, and certification requirements swept the country. All of these things are a result of that flood. The accident has since become a staple of local culture, not only for the damage the flood brought, but also for the sweet smell that filled the North End for decades after the disaster.
Speaker: According to journalist Edwards Park, quote, the smell of molasses remained for decades a distinctive, unmistakable atmosphere of Boston. On January 15, 2019, the 100th anniversary of the event, a ceremony was held in remembrance.
Speaker: Ground-penetrating radar was used to identify the exact location of the tank from 1919. The concrete slab base for the tank remains in place approximately 20 inches below the surface of the baseball diamond at Langone Park.
Speaker: Attendees of the ceremony stood in a circle marking the edge of the tank, and the 21 names of those who died in or as a result of the flood were read aloud. And that is the story of the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. What an interesting story.
Speaker: what an interesting story It really is. it so It's been on, i have a few types of things, but that's one of the ones that's been on my radar, so I'm glad you did it. Well, you know, the thing is, like I didn't know anything about it.
Speaker: I mean, I've heard of it, obviously, but didn't know how serious it was, and I thought it was more of a ha ha ha thing. Yeah, I mean, it sounds funny, right? Because it's molasses, right? But 21 people and 150 people were injured.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, it was catastrophic. Yeah. Yeah. But really wild. It's good that that brought about change, you know? Indeed. Sucks that it had to happen that way, but, you know. Yeah.
Speaker: Well done, sir. Thank you sir. Thank you, sir. It's okay. We all know. I'm so glad that your Boston trip stuck with you. Yeah.
Speaker: It did. Yeah. Really cool. And you know, I thought why... You make a comment about it. When I was doing a travel nurse thing was nobody told me, nobody suggested Boston.
Speaker: I never thought to go to Boston. I could have done that. But like, now you get to do it without working, you know? Yeah, that's fair. But the best way to get to know a place is to live there for 13 weeks, you know, more. Yes. i I do know. Anyway, yeah.
Speaker: Your turn. Well done. um
Speaker: I think this is fitting based on what we've talked about no good um today. um You know, you're a changed man, Jeffrey. Changed man. So, you know, initially i Oh, is this sports? Is this sports? Initially. I can tell by your face.
Speaker: I was worried that you know you would absolutely hate this. And realistically, you know sorry, but also not sorry, because you might hate it, but somebody the entire rest of the world will love it. But seeing as how you know you're a sports fan now. Go sports. Go sports.
Speaker: You might actually dig it. um So, as you well know, From June 11th until July 19th, the world was united in an obsession with the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup. Did you know that that happened? One word. Were you aware about that? That's it. ah So um as we all kind of try and normalize and figure out how in the fuck are we supposed to live without that Ever-present, constant excitement, chaos, ah heartache, and anxiety. Do you need help with that? i can help you with that. and It's easy. No, no I just i kind of want to sit in it for a while. Okay, got no gotcha, gotcha. So that's kind of why I figured it it needs to be talked about.
Speaker: oh So one of the things that came out of this World Cup... um through pretty much every single one of the games that was played that I was not watching with someone. um I would be in constant text or phone call conversation with like a few of our friends. So Chris and ah Dan would even pop in there every once in a while. um Shuby, Claire, Kelsey, Tina, like just
Speaker: constant back and forth. Are you watching this? Yeah, I'm watching this. What are you doing? Like, oh my God, did you see that? and Like, just back and forth, right? Claire blew up my phone. I know. and and it was all accidental. I know, she was trying to send it to me. She almost gave me a heart attack. I was like, what is she? It's like 10 texts. So imagine, that's how our entire, like, every single match that was going on I was having those kinds of conversations with her and then four or five other people as well. And so one of the things that Claire and I determined that, you know, I had a doctor's appointment at some point during one of the more recent stretches of this where, you know, I had to have my vitals taken. So the night before the doctor's appointment, we're watching a really intense game and
Speaker: Then we start getting on about how like my heart's racing, my blood pressure's gonna be up, like I'm just so anxious, and sure as shit, my vitals that morning were pretty terrible. So we established that there needs to be like an actual DSM diagnosis for World Cup stress syndrome, because it's a fucking thing.
Speaker: the it It alters you for a pretty extended period of time. I can see that. Honestly, I can see that. Yeah. Yeah. Like, truly. And it's, you know, it's one of those things where my entire life, teams that I'm attached to, any any game that they play, any sport that it is, it doesn't matter. i can tell myself, like, oh, well, this doesn't matter. Like, I'm not going to get worked up about it.
Speaker: I can't help it. It just, it's, like, in me. So even when I wasn't watching U.S., it was... All of these other teams that, you know, the whole world came to love.
Speaker: All of the matches, especially as we neared the end, even the ones at the beginning, it was one of those things where you got emotionally invested. So you had no idea anything about these teams. You don't really care about these nations that are Engage in it doesn't affect you at all, but still all of us were like, oh, screw it. I can't believe that happened. No way. um So a little but background.
Speaker: um The Federation Internacional de Football Association, FIFA, was founded May 21st, 1904. It is still one of the world's oldest and largest NGOs.
Speaker: And if it's not obvious from the name itself, it is an international self-regulatory governing body of football. And I will say this one time, okay? This is the only time when I say football,
Speaker: I am referring to the loved around the world game played on a pitch with a ball and actual feet, not the American version where feet are very infrequently used at all, actually. So football is not a pigskin and a bunch of dudes and pats.
Speaker: It is actual feet. I will say, however, you know who came up with the word soccer? Who? The British. Yeah. Yeah, okay, just, there we go. yeah
Speaker: So, um official football matches, official ones, obviously, there were unofficial ones, but they those began between nations in 1872 with a match between England and Scotland. Oh, my God. Holy sports. Stop the presses. I hide stuff from you sometimes. I'm so impressed with you. Thank But, like, obviously, that's, like, the most, like, I don't know, when you think about football, like,
Speaker: So, you know, England, like, first comes to mind, right? And then a bunch of the South American teams, like, whatever. um The following years saw a steady increase in the inter-nation matches, and as football became more popular, it became apparent to the entire world that there was a rising need for a global governing body.
Speaker: Prior to 1904, there were smaller national organizations, such as the Football Association, formed 1863 the governing body, for England, and then the slightly younger Scottish Football Association formed in 1873, who obviously governed Scotland.
Speaker: As football spread, additional national organizations emerged. So now you have teams that are willing to compete on this world level, each with their own individual governing body, okay?
Speaker: Those governing bodies each had their own rules and regulations, and not all of them, or cohesive. So they were like, listen, we need to make this one unified thing so that we are all playing by the same rules in the literal sense.
Speaker: Bunch of people get together and they're like, let's talk about this. Let's make this fair for all of us. As is expected, you put a bunch of people with a bunch of opinions from a bunch of different places in one room trying to discuss what will benefit them. Everyone's gonna come up with their own things, right? So there's back and forth. There's suggestions that are being outwardly rejected. There's ah the English Association is like, fuck all you guys.
Speaker: I'm kind of pissed about this. Like, we should be in charge of this because we're the original in, you know, England. So um there was just really nothing going forward. So then FIFA was finally born in Paris because French, in the most fabulously like, fuck this talking, let's kind of just do it kind of way, right?
Speaker: So this organization born in Paris, united football governing bodies from France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, the original FIFA.
Speaker: In the years following its formation, the organization leaders worked very hard to iron out the kinks that came with being an international association. In 1908, they organized their first major international tournament at the Olympic football tournament.
Speaker: By 1930, FIFA launched themselves fully and firmly into the global sports landscape by planning and executing the first ever World Cup. Hmm. At the time, President Jules Ramey held the primary motivations of promoting football around the world, bringing people together through sport, and then, of course, enjoying a solid competition between world-class athletes.
Speaker: The initial tournament included only 13 teams. It was considered an enormous success, For the leaders of FIFA, though, they took the opportunity to acknowledge and recognize, then move forward, all of the little things that they saw that kind of fell short, even though the participants were like, yay, this was amazing, and people enjoyed the overall spectacle. They saw things that could be improved.
Speaker: So they did. By the 1934 World Cup in Italy, there was a new and rapidly deepening interest in international competitions, and football was becoming a central cultural phenomenon, sweeping through many countries.
Speaker: This World Cup introduced the qualification process that fueled even more interest and competition, because it was more of a, oh, I've got a fight to even be worthy of being in the competition. So, yeah. know
Speaker: People wanted to show off. Step up their game. Right? Yeah. As the years progressed, part participantd ti two participation and membership in the organization skyrocketed.
Speaker: The Second World War caused obvious and understandable disruptions to everything. And FIFA was no different. There was no World Cup to be seen.
Speaker: It was the only time since the 1930 inception of FIFA, or of the World Cup, that there was not a men's World Cup on the every four-year schedule. One time since 1930. In yea wars over FIFA had to do some restructuring and adapting to the post-war landscape.
Speaker: They stayed true to their commitments and aspirations for continued growth and played a pivotal role in reestablishing international tournaments. Like, wow, way to go. Step up, FIFA. And yeah, I mean, a lot of it was that it benefited their organization. However... It was also just kind of the fundamental values that the association was formed on, right? Was this is something that we saw for years that brought people together from other cultures and other nations.
Speaker: Let's get it back on track. So they did. Each subsequent event brought more awareness of the benefits of the tournament. FIFA continued to expand and with interest in football already solidified around the world, they put efforts into issues off of the pitch as well. They became involved in issues of professionalization. Words are really struggling, do they? Sometimes they're tough.
Speaker: Youth development, which is really, really just such a key part of the football world. That's so cool. And, you know, it's something that just, again, globally, these little little tiny little humans are just, they bebop around with a soccer ball on their foot as soon as they can start getting around, right? And that's just such a core thing in the sport.
Speaker: um And women's football, eventually leading to the development and kickoff of the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991. So they didn't have a World Cup until 1991.
Speaker: So as much as I want to just drone on and like just go into the whole women's football thing, i this this article is primarily about
Speaker: This men's tournament that we just had. So, okay, wait. Who are some of the women's teams that do very well in the World Cup? Spain USA.
Speaker: Oh, really? Oh, hell yeah. Hell yeah. Okay. Our women's team is fucking phenomenal. Would you go to match with me? ah Don't push it. i'm Okay. We're going to Fenway. Okay.
Speaker: I'm not saying anything else on this
Speaker: So, again, we all know the whole world knows, except maybe you. And also maybe men's football players. But um female athletes are just better. Oh, yeah. Especially in football. Like, you know, you watch it. Never mind. I'm not even going to talk about it. I would agree with you 100%. Put women in charge of everything. The world would be a fucking better place. Damn right.
Speaker: Just saying. Damn right. And I think that in terms of like sports and athletes and that kind of thing, I think that because the female gender has had to fight so much harder to, and for so much longer to be taken seriously as athletes, I think it's just, they have so much more to fight for in every game or match or event that they participate in.
Speaker: It's like, it's, it's still in there. yeah Like they're still proving themselves. And I think it just makes them better athletes overall. Alanis said, if we've got to choose between the patriarchy and the matriarchy, let's choose the matriarchy because they'll take care of everybody.
Speaker: Boom. Boom. So... um The, ah my butvo okay, quotes. The early years of FIFA laid the foundational ethos of sport of the sport as a global unifying force, emphasizing that football transcends borders and brings people together. Yeah.
Speaker: Following the war, it became apparent that FIFA had become a catalyst for bringing nations together, reflecting a deep-rooted desire for unity and collaboration through sports, overcoming scars left by global conflicts. And I just feel as though those two quotes, like, hit home, you know? Because fucking hell.
Speaker: yeah Again, the tournaments continue to grow and evolve, and with time, with technology, with advertisements, with Everything that now exists in the world and has been continuing to grow, um it has now become something not that takes away from the actual athleticism in the sport itself, but it there's a spectacle in and of itself outside of the actual playing of the game.
Speaker: This year's cup was nothing short of fee-fucking-nominal, okay? For the first time ever, first time ever, 48 countries participated in the tournament, joint hosted, first time ever, by Canada, this was their first time hosting, Mexico, who became the first country to host three times, and the U.S. 104 matches were played across 16 cities over the course of 39 heart-stopping days.
Speaker: While some players were returning for their fifth, sixth, or seventh World Cup tournament, Some whole ass countries were making their debut, including Jordan, Uzbekistan, Curacao, and Cabo Verde.
Speaker: Emerging talent was finally making their first appearance at a cup. Sons playing side by side 30 years after their fathers did the same. Who am I talking about? I don't know who you're talking. The three Norwegians. yeah Yeah. I didn't know their names, but. um People who play each other in heated rivalries for like,
Speaker: you know, they're club leagues basically that's, you know, they can play for any country and that kind of thing, right? They put all of that aside for national pride. So this guy and this guy who play on opposing teams and they're just at it and it's a really good competition and, you know, now they're playing next to each other on the same team, same field, fighting for the same damn thing, right?
Speaker: um Brothers representing different teams. So a lot of the international community has ah like dual citizenship rights, birth rights in a lot of different countries. So you, there were, I think six sets of brothers who like this one decided that he was going to play for the French side of his world. And this one decided that he was going to play for the Senegalese side of his. So like they're playing on opposite teams. Oh, that's amazing. Super, so cool. Yeah.
Speaker: People reaching into their history and heritage and making decisions about which nation they were going to stand for. Then there was the most majestic, poetic aspect that evolved from combining teenage prodigies and seasoned veterans with ages ranging from as young as 17 all the way to 43.
Speaker: Some wanted to win another title while others were itching for their very first. Some just wanted to have the honor of participating in or realizing their lifelong dreams. And still yet others who just wanted the world to know that their country existed.
Speaker: Dreams were simultaneously realized and shattered. Records were extended, beaten, or remade. And history was made. Germany's 40-year-old goalkeeper came out of international retirement for one last opportunity to represent his country in such a way.
Speaker: June 16th established a single day World Cup attendance record with 281,223 fans attending four group stage matches. On June 25th, the record for the highest cumulative attendance that had stood for 32 years before this day, also by the US hosted tournament in 1994, was surpassed when the number reached 3,605,357. Damn.
Speaker: That was still with 44 matches remaining in the tournament. By the end of the tournament, breaking yet another record, the total attendance was clocked at 6,810,966. Never in history had nine African teams advanced to the knockout rounds as they did this year.
Speaker: Coach Dick Avocat, and um honestly, I'm getting into like names here from all over the world, and you know that my, like, pronunciation shit so sorry i don't mean to be offensive i'm just super white any name is going to be a hard one so just with confidence i don't do anything with confidence say it with confidence okay so dick um at just shy of 79 years old became the oldest to ever coach in a world cup like what the fuck that's amazing he also happened to be a coach for curacao
Speaker: After qualifying in November 2025, Curacao became the smallest nation to qualify for the tournament with something like 130,000. Like, just fucking so small. Teeny tiny. So small. It's like smaller than the population of Kansas City. it's Crazy. um On June 14th, in the 21st minute of their opening match against the might of Germany...
Speaker: little asterisk here. Germany holds four World Cup wins, four second-place selections, four third-place selections with a total of 21 appearances. And they have so many records. Their players are extraordinary, and they are team to be feared, right?
Speaker: But little baby Carousel came in. and rocked the world, okay? They beat Germany? No, absolutely not. Absolutely not. Not to say that in such a bad way, but like, no, they didn't. they didn't um But that 21st minute, um Livano Cominencia scored the first ever FIFA World Cup goal for Curacao. Wow. Against Germany. I'm telling you, there was this like, there was this moment where like time stopped
Speaker: And there was this really big deep breath and everyone kind of just went, what the fuck? And then it like the world erupted in the stadium. It was so crazy. It was so cute. I mean, they came back to just get obliterated, but it was such, it was history.
Speaker: Additionally, Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Ruhm added to the excitement and surprise that the tiny island nation brought to the tournament. In the match against Ecuador, Ruhm tied for the record for the most saves in a World Cup match, stopping 16 shots and holding off the Ecuadorian nation's leading goal scorer, Ener Valencia.
Speaker: The record previously belonged solely to USA keeper Tim Howard from the 2014 match against Bildrom. And although they are officially tied in the record books, Eloy Room captured that number in 30 minutes fewer than Tim Howard. Wow. So...
Speaker: So cool. um England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane became the first ever teammates to reach six goals each in one edition. Francis Usmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe followed that achievement shortly after. Bellingham scored seven goals, which became the most by any England player at a single World Cup, bypassing Sir Harry Kane and Gary Lineker.
Speaker: Bellingham also set a new all-time record for most goals by midfielder in a single World Cup, bypassing Colombia's James Rodriguez from 2014. Kane tallied his 14th career World Cup, setting England's new all-time record.
Speaker: Almost 21-year-old Swiss player Johan Manzambi was the youngest Swiss player to, quote, bag a brace, which means that he scored two goals. in 20 years for the nation, and the only Swiss player to ever score multiple goals coming off the bench as a substitute. He made history and pushed aside the record of former Paraguayan footballer Nelson Cuevas by being the youngest substitute ever to score a brace in a World Cup match.
Speaker: As many people know, there are competitions within the overall competition, and one is the highly sought-after Golden Boot This is awarded to the player who scores the most goals at the tournament.
Speaker: Entering this year's competition, France's Kylian Mbappe held the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot. As the match is pressed on fans from around the world kind of watched their own personal favorites slowly lost the grip on that prize. and Then they kind of shifted to want someone else to win it, right? The race remained extremely close up until the very end.
Speaker: Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham killing Mbappe, and fuckface Messi were neck and neck, sometimes briefly and intermittently, like kind of sliding up and down the scale, switching positions after a match and that kind of thing.
Speaker: In the bronze final between England and France, Mbappe and France appeared to be defeated by halftime, with England holding a 4-0 lead at halftime. Like, holy shit. In a breathtaking and storybook almost comeback, Kylian Mbappe scored two goals. Combined with a goal from Dembele and one from Barcola, France fought back. Unfortunately for France, they could not overcome the goals by Reis, Consa, and Bellingham combined with the hat trick by Saka.
Speaker: Although his run ended with a France loss, Mbappe still had to wait to see what bullshit Messi would pull out in his game against Spain in the finals. So at this point, we are only one game left to go, and Kylian Mbappe has
Speaker: not set solidified his win yet. But at this point, we know that the winner is either going to be Mbappe or Messi.
Speaker: By the end of the tournament, after Messi and the entire Argentina team not only didn't score a single goal, but didn't even have a single shot on goal,
Speaker: Mbappe retained his golden boot with 10 goals and four assists, becoming the first ever to earn it in two consecutive tournaments. He also, at only 27 years old, surpassed fucktard Messi's record earning that he had earned earlier in the same tournament to become the all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup history with a total of 22 goals.
Speaker: Helping him on his way, France teammate Michael Olisse served up five assists to Mbappe to earn the record for all-time high from one player to another. His five assists to Mbappe combined with two others added um
Speaker: made Olisse surpass a 56-year-long held record from the legendary Pele that held six. Rodri, Spain's captain and winner of the Golden Ball, which was designated as the overall best player of the tournament, demolished his own record um for most completed passes in one edition. In 2022, he set the record for this year
Speaker: he had seven hundred and ninety
Speaker: The unforgettable Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, one of the most decorated players in the history of professional football and widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history.
Speaker: could talk about him for ages, so I won't, but he made more history as well. His awards and accomplishments on the pitch are obviously extensive. His ability to overcome difficult circumstances and persevere through the most, literally the most tragic circumstances. is unmatched The kindness and compassion that he shows outside of the matches are rivaled only by his immeasurable immeasurable passion for the sport that has been a part of him since childhood and us since we first saw him play.
Speaker: Starting the opening match of their 2026 World Cup run, at almost 41 and a half years old, Ronaldo became the oldest field player to start a match in the tournament's history.
Speaker: During Portugal's group stage match against Uzbekistan, he also became the first male footballer to score in six World Cups. wow With his goal in that match, he rightly earned the record that, again, scumbag Messi couldn't pull off.
Speaker: well fool Ronaldo persists as Portugal's both youngest and oldest World Cup scorer and closed out the tournament as Portugal's all-time top scorer with 11 goals.
Speaker: Throughout the entire tournament, Spain soared. They played with precision, passion, energy, and enthusiasm, deserving of their eventual win in the final. They boasted Rodri's Golden Ball Award, 19-year-old Pao Cubarsi, his youngest player or or Young Player Award for the best young player in the tournament, and Unai Simon's Golden Glove, awarded to him for the best goalkeeper in the tournament.
Speaker: Simon took the record for the most clean sheets, meaning shutouts, in one World Cup, closing out seven out of eight matches. He beat the next best record, that was five, that for 16 years had been held by the 1974 Netherlands, the 1990 Italians, 94 98 France, 2002 2006 Italy, and 2010 Spain, with previous keeper.
Speaker: ninety four brazil ninety eight france two thousand two germany two thousand and six italy and two thousand and ten spain with a previous keeper Against truly stellar opponents, including record holders like Kylian Mbappe, and against
Speaker: world-renowned but lazy and lucky opponents like Messi, also holding records, Spain and Simone, with the help of Pedro Porro, Ermek Laporte, Pao Cubarsi, and Marc Cucurella, conceded just one goal in the entire tournament, marking another record for the fewest goals conceded by a World Cup winning team.
Speaker: Previously, 98 France, 2006 Italy, and 2010 Spain were tied for the record at two. Simone and his team also extended the World Cup record for the longest stretch without conceding a goal to a mind-boggling 650 minutes.
Speaker: They played 650 minutes without ever having anyone score on them, and that spanned across 2022 and the tournaments. yeah um So this next one is not really a FIFA record, but it is the most important to mention.
Speaker: Joining Carousel in a World Cup debut and representing another small but mighty nation, a nation consisting of 10 volcanic islands clustered together that had really never been on anyone's radar. Some people had never heard the name.
Speaker: Nobody could pinpoint it on a map. This is the one that Kim mentioned. Uh-huh. Nobody thought of them before July 3rd. But the national footballers from Cabo Verde became international heroes.
Speaker: Their team included some of the most unlikely players imaginable. i mean, you think of world superstar athletes, right? And you think of people who have been training their entire lives, who have been born and bred into this lifestyle, who have...
Speaker: this is They eat, sleep, and drink, right? Mm-hmm. and they've done the training, they've had the personal like trainers, they've had the club leagues, and that they live for it, right? Cabo Verde didn't have that option. So one of their players was a 40-year-old former electrician with a passion for football who was 26 years old by the time he signed his first-ever professional contract, which is ancient again.
Speaker: International football is like, yes you're signing at 15, 16, 17 years old. Okay.
Speaker: He played most of his professional career for small, like, unmentionable teams until joining the international community and signing with Cabo Verde in 2012. um And very nearly, he ended his career just before the team was invited to the tournament because in the Africa Cup, just a few years before...
Speaker: this, or last year, um he was overlooked for a younger goalie. So he was like, well, fuck that. Maybe this is it. Maybe this is the end of my career, right?
Speaker: I'm old. I should be done.
Speaker: Additionally, the Blue Sharks of Cabo Verde, Blue Sharks, I love it, included a 33-year-old Irish Cape Verdean football player who had been living in Dublin, working as a trainee mortgage advisor, when he received what he believed to be a spam message on LinkedIn.
Speaker: He had been born in Ireland. Okay? So Cabo Verde speaks Portuguese. um So he gets this email on LinkedIn. He's like, oh,
Speaker: What is this shit? It's in Portuguese. i don't know what it is. It's spam. Just kind of ignores it. Four months. Nine months. And then he receives a follow-up email written in English.
Speaker: And it's like, hey, man, was just wondering if you gave any thought to my offer before. So he goes back. He puts that into literally Google Translate, that first message. and he's like, what the fuck?
Speaker: So in 2019, that Yeah. irish cape verdian yeah Dubliner mortgage banker joins the international. Yeah, joins the electrician to be part of the Cabo Verde. Yeah.
Speaker: Fucking cool. um On that early July Friday night, the entire world was irreversibly altered and unable to stifle a hope that literally no one would have anticipated feeling prior to witnessing the first 111 minutes the The 120 minutes played between this team that nobody thought twice about from a country no one could locate on a map and the defending champions from massive, loud, arrogant Argentina.
Speaker: The memes, headlines, and social media posts that have come out are like they speak volumes. But in the round of 32 match, the Cabo Verde team was expected to be demolished.
Speaker: So all anyone could talk about, they were like, stupid. I mean, wow, they made it here. It's so exciting. But they're playing Argentina. Easy. As the game coverage but began, some of the commentators did what they always do, and they praised Messi, and they fangirled, and it was just so fucking sickening. Really, Cabo Verde wasn't mentioned at all, except for people to say things like, oh, they have no chance. They know they have no chance. They're just here to play. like you know they're just Good for them, though, that the expectation was so low.
Speaker: Oh, yeah. So it didn't take everyone long to shut the fuck up because Jaws hit the floor around the world and they stayed there as the unthinkable unfolded. It quickly became apparent that Cabo Verde had shown up to make a statement and they fucking did.
Speaker: They fought harder, they played exponentially better, and they very nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in sporting history, bringing the favored champion team to the brink of elimination.
Speaker: Wow. Two times, Argentina managed to take the lead, and both times, Cabo Verde equalized. Against all odds, the Blue Sharks repeatedly challenged and shut down the asshat Argentinians. Not once did they stop fighting or lose hope. They never got in their own way and they never got stuck in their heads. And it was very apparent. You could see it every time. you know you Sometimes when you're watching sports and the other team scores, you can watch the the losing team and you can see like the devastation already set in, right?
Speaker: Not fucking once did any of these men hang their heads, shake their heads, look frustrated, look deterred. They just kept going. The game was not handed over easily. Cabo Verde did not let sports writers and analysts dictate their journey.
Speaker: Argentina barely scraped by and only, just barely, survived the game. Although Argentina technically won the match, because, you know, the whole thing's rigged, Cabo Verde won the undeniable right to be proud. The victory truly belongs to the men representing a nation of only 500,000 people.
Speaker: Across the globe, watchers cried and celebrated at the end of the match. Not because Argentina squeaked by and nobody gave a fuck about that. Was not on anyone's radar anymore, they didn't care. But because of what they had witnessed from the unlikely heroes who held their heads up after the loss, knowing that they had given every last bit of themselves on that pitch.
Speaker: They had taken on giants and had them panicking until the very fucking end. And they had made a name for themselves and their country that will forever live in history. For a team that was supposed to be a filler in the newly expanded tournament and who struggled to find companies to sponsor them for their kits. So no one wanted to be the name on their jersey. So Capelli from the US was like, yeah, we'll sponsor you. And that's like, they do local, like all the kids that play soccer around here in Arlington, they all wear Capelli.
Speaker: And the Blue Sharks were as well. Because Adidas didn't want to do it. Nike didn't want to do it. So fuck off.
Speaker: um They held Spain
Speaker: to a goalless draw. They scored not only their first ever World Cup goal, but also their second in a 2-2 tie against Uruguay. They drew again against Saudi Arabia, zero zero And they advanced to the knockout round as the smallest nation to ever do so.
Speaker: That 40-year-old former electrician was Yosemar Yosei Evora-Diaz, better known as Vozinha. Although he was named after famous footballers, he never had the opportunities to shine. he played as a kid. He tried to get into the thing, but he was small for a lot of his life. got kicked around, pushed around. um But his performance as a goalkeeper in this tournament skyrocketed him.
Speaker: Nearly overnight, he became an international sensation, a beacon of inspiration, and proof that talent, perseverance, and hard work can overcome great challenges. Against Spain, Bozinha blocked every single one of the seven shots on goal.
Speaker: Stunning the world. In the final match against Argentina, he had eight saves, and many of them were shots from Messi. I don't know if you can tell, but I really just don't like that guy. I kind of gathered that. Did you? Yeah. Well, gave it away. The words.
Speaker: Really? Yeah, the paces. yeah' I thought I being subtle. The way you said his name. but you called him. Good. Your intonation.
Speaker: The 33-year-old Irish Cape Verdean is Roberto Pico Lopez, who plays in Ireland, or played in Ireland, prior to joining this team.
Speaker: His skill, planning, and persistence managed to contain the young Spanish superstar, Yamin Lamal, and handle handled him with an expertise that eliminated him as a threat. At the conclusion of their heart-stopping, world-changing, unforgettable World Cup run, former French footballer and World Cup commentator Thierry Henry beautifully put into words what every single one of us was feeling. He said, quote, Cabo Verde, parabéns, obrigado.
Speaker: Which is Portuguese for Cape Verde. Congratulations and thank you. He continued by saying, i actually don't care about what just happened in the results.
Speaker: The story is, was, and always will be Cabo Verde. What I witnessed today is just like when you believe that you can, that's what can happen. I know they ended up losing the game, but they won our hearts.
Speaker: And I just have to say, that's just magical. In the 96 year history of the FIFA World Cup, 2026 was undoubtedly the most record breaking and making on the individual and team level.
Speaker: For about six weeks, people from all over the world, all cultures, countries, genders, races, backgrounds, and so socioeconomic statuses watched at home, at bars, at work, at makeshift projectors set up in lawns all over the world in the capital.
Speaker: wherever they could manage to watch a match. And the match time seemed to slow down as the overall tournament sped by far too quickly. Longtime fans watched without hesitation, while new fans, you, were quickly made as the excitement unfolded.
Speaker: Some watched religiously, even through their own personal heartbreaks or while navigating complex medical conditions. New friendships were made and old ones were strengthened. The conclusion of this tournament left an entire generation feeling lost. For the past more than a decade, football fans around the world have watched players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer, Luka Modric, Neymar Jr., Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane changed the game into something beyond just the sport.
Speaker: Men who took on every challenger record and up the ante, then raised every bar, are now stepping aside. Some have already confirmed that they will no longer participate in any World Cup tournaments, while others are just unlikely to do so just because of age and length of time they've been playing.
Speaker: These legends have made us love them and root for them regardless of what jerseys they wear. It is undoubtedly the end of an era for these men who became giants on the pitch, inspired generations across the globe, showed us new possibilities, and managed to give back to the sport and the world in more ways than can be counted.
Speaker: Every true football fan, except for Argentinians, could feel the pride, sadness, and bittersweet resolve of these men after the final whistle of each of their last games.
Speaker: In interviews following the end of their tournament run, many of them accepted that they were now moving aside to allow the newest generation to step up. Tears were shed and many took bows and waved to their loyal fans, thanking them for the love and support over the years.
Speaker: As we are now stuck reeling from the sudden, fantastic, magical, and entirely unexpected conclusion to that match, The is not because of talent-based, by the way. Like, yes, we expected Spain to win based on talent, but it was unexpected because the whole thing's a scam.
Speaker: But anyway, it was dramatic. It was action-packed. It was an emotional rollercoaster. Now we're stuck with this odd shift living through, but we're not hopeless because we have the men who have already solidified their roles as powerhouses, who still likely have much more time left on the pitch, and who haven't gotten enough of the world stage yet.
Speaker: Men who played alongside the aforementioned veterans for many years and are already known, Kelly Nabape, Jude Bellingham, Sir Harry Kane, Michael Elise, Usman Dembele, Tyler Adams, and Christian Pulisic will continue to carry us through and bridge the gap between those men who are stepping down from their well-deserved, hard-earned pedestals and those who will take up those roles.
Speaker: If this World Cup has proved anything beyond any doubt, besides that Argentina and Messi suck, our scumbags aren't worthy and our poor losers, it is that the next wave of international football players who stepped up during this tournament is determined to live up to and surpass the standards set by those who came before.
Speaker: Players that shined on their club teams and had already drawn international attention were finally given the opportunity to play on the biggest stage with the highest stakes. Men like Yamin Lamal and Erling Haaland who captivated the world.
Speaker: Watching the athletes, the trainers, coaches, families, and fans from all over the world come together in such an immense capacity over the last few weeks has been nothing short of beautiful. We laughed, we cried, we yelled, we drank, we posted things on social media, and people got to experience bits of other cultures that they would have otherwise never been exposed to.
Speaker: Miracles unfolded on and off the pitch. Every World Cup tournament has created lasting memories. This year created legends and made history. For a shoe for for a few short and and emotional weeks, we all got to be a part of witnessing and experiencing the fundamental FIFA World Cup.
Speaker: It truly showed that football is a, quote, global unifying force that transcends borders and brings people together. So, although it is sad to see the tournament over after all of the magic that we witnessed,
Speaker: Who is ready for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027? Next year. Let's go, baby. Brazil, here we come.
Speaker: Oh, it's there, huh? so that is a little bit of background on FIFA and what we have all come to love. And to talk about oh I don't know how to move forward. just Who? How am I supposed to do? Where did you get this from?
Speaker: what what but What, like, how did you decide to do this story? Because it was all I could think about, talk about, breathe about for the past month and a half. And i was talking to one of our friends and, you know, ah realizing that it was something that again, people who were like going through some shit in their own personal lives kind of got to
Speaker: just live a different side of life during this tournament. And like, I think it was just such a rollercoaster because there were so many moments where people were like,
Speaker: very, very bad things happened in this tournament that were questionable and shitty and shady and drew a lot of raised eyebrows and questions. And hopefully there will be investigations into those things. And so there was a lot of people out there that thought and felt like,
Speaker: you know, it's all rigged. It's all a moneymaker, right? So obviously, just like with every other big money sport, the winners are already chosen. And honestly, it was very believable watching some of those games and then watching the final.
Speaker: The way that match unfolded kind of proves without any hesitation that Argentina did not deserve to be where they were. And the matches that they stole from other nations throughout their run Shame on them.
Speaker: Spain deserved every single moment of that win. And Argentina's reaction afterwards, the the fight that they fucking, the bra the full-on brawl that they started on the pitch, and then when Spain was presented with their trophy, Argentina turned their backs on them.
Speaker: Just shame. Shame. Shit human beings, shit people, racist assholes, scumbags. A lot of them. led by tiny, tiny little baby man Messi. And I hope he breaks his ankle.
Speaker: Irreparably. That was a good job, Way to go Spain! That was a good job. You told me that May, I wouldn't have given a shit about what you were talking about. But now, no Norway made their own history, and they'll be back, and they're not going anywhere, because they've got a young team, and they've got ah lot to fight for now. I mean, they've tasted it.
Speaker: They'll be back. Oh, absolutely. Okay, good job. That was our longest show. What was it? An hour and 21 minutes. Well, people who weren't FIFA fans might stop listening. That's okay. They got the Boston story.
Speaker: Oh, that's all that matters? Yeah. but They weren't FIFA fans. All right. That's it. We love you for listening. We're here for a good time. Not a long time. Goodbye.
