July 8, 2020 • 31 mins
To be an elite striker, you have to be fearless. As the fastest player in Major League Soccer history to reach 100 goals, Bradley Wright-Phillips has shown he’s as fearless as they come. But the current world we’re living in even has him worried. In an open and raw conversation, recorded just before the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, the two-time Golden Boot winner reveals his deep concerns about the “tough ask” to leave his family behind, the long-standing racism in soccer, and whether activism has become a “trend.” Bradley also shares how leaving the New York Red Bulls and being written off after an injury has him energized and excited to prove himself with his new club, LAFC. This episode and series supports FeedingAmerica.org. For more of The Sports Bubble, visit treefort.fm/the-sports-bubble
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Sports Bubble, a production of I Heart
Radio Entree Fork Media. My name is Jensen carp and
I'm a sports which means I've spent the last forty
eight hours staring at this Patrick Mahomes contract extension. Listen,
he deserves it, He's the best quarterback in the league.
But ten years I don't even know what I'll be
(00:24):
doing ten minutes from now to find that kind of
gig in this climate. God bless that man. Considering what's
happened in the last three months, though, I have to
assume they'll be playing football in those weird clear bubble spheres,
competing against x mocking A like robot dolls, and having
playbooks digitally implanted into their heads when this contract runs out.
It's now officially a Casey dynasty if you ask me.
And you know what they say. When one door opens,
(00:46):
another one into Sean Jackson's house closes, and I'm still
talking to athletes and sports industry professionals about what they're
doing during this very weird time, because someone has to
Welcome to the Sports Bubble with Jensen carly Right. Phillips
found soccer superstardom in a rather unique way. The English
born forward started his career with Manchester City in the
Premier League, but never found his groove, landing himself on
(01:09):
second and third tier teams, prompting a move to the
States and Major League Soccer, and where he may have
stalled at home, he excelled abroad. As part of the
New York Red Bulls. He became one of the league's
all time greats as a two time Golden Boot winner,
two time All Star, and three time Team MVP. The
son of legendary Arsenal forward Ian Wright and brother de Sean,
who played in both England and the U S as well,
(01:30):
went above and beyond any expectations, finally finding comfort in
his game in the Big Apple. That is until last
year he was injured, having trouble scoring, and now at
thirty five, might finally be showing signs of slowing down.
But as soon as you start to think Bradley is out, well,
that's when he's in signing a new contract with the
defending supporter Shield Champs l a f C. Right. Phillips
(01:50):
is ready to prove his haters wrong, but also he's
completely terrified. We spoke only days before he was set
to leave for Florida to play in the MLS is
Back tournament, still in the dark about how he'll stay
safe while away from his family for three months. We
have a raw conversation about what he's facing and how
he honestly is not comfortable. We also talk about the
longstanding racism in his sport, if a tournament when will
(02:12):
mean anything at all, and if activism has just moot in.
It's a very real and important listen this week in
the sports Bubble from Bradley Right Phillips to accept Press one. Hello,
(02:36):
Bradley Man. I usually start these interviews asking where you've
been quarantined, but with you it's slightly different. We're getting
ready for the MLS is Back Tournament, am I assuming
you are in Orlando in l A right now? Okay,
so they are supposedly starting Wednesday. Are you Are you
planning on going out? Yeah? There was a few things
(02:57):
where I might not have gone, something like personal reasons.
I just needed my family to be sorted, you know,
because it's a if I'm being totally honest, it's a
tough ask. You know, obviously we all miss football. It's
a tough ask what they're ask him. But yeah, I
think I'll be I'll be good to go. Um. Yeah,
but I think because we're in l A, we didn't
have to go as soon as everyone else. We could
still do team training too. It's good, you know, the
less time now, I think, the better, you know, if
(03:21):
if I'm being honest, if you're just locked in a
room for however long, you know it's going to be tough.
So yeah, we're just with the lady a bit. I
have tons of questions. One, you have a three or
seven and eleven year old, you have a wife as well.
Are these people that will be going with you to
this bubble of sorts? No, it's another thing that it
crossed my mind to do. But I'm not sure how
how the options were in doing that. And also I'm
(03:43):
not sure how dangerous is I don't want to be
away from them that long. You know. I've just moved
them out here, you know, from New Jersey, and then
I've got to leave them. So I felt I felt
bad in that way, but then I don't want to
bring him to a place now and they're just stuck,
you know, with maybe a risk of getting a virus
for it was a tough one. But they're going to
be in l A. Yeah. I mean, I guess it's
such a fake out too, because you're going to tell
(04:05):
your kids you're going to Disney World, and yet it
would be it would be the least cool version of
Disney World for them ever, exactly that. And it's funny, Yeah,
you poled out because when I told my son, I'm
probably going to Orlando to play this tournament that can
I come? I want to come. I want to go
to Disney that. I'm like, you trust me, it's not
going to be what you think. And he doesn't let up.
He still wants to come, and like, I can't do
(04:26):
that to you, mate, I really can't. Yeah, there's a
there's a distinct difference between Orlando and Disney World. And
you're going to Orlando. What he thinks Orlando is doing,
that's the only thing he thinks exists there. Well, he's
gonna he's gonna miss out on a hotel room. So
do you know, like if they filled you in on
the process, like once once you land, are you like
(04:46):
driven somewhere in like a big outbreak truck, Like what
what is the do you know if they told you Yeah,
they've told me that we've got a bit of information
on it, but I won't at you because I was
so against you know, I was kind of against it
in the beginning, so I wasn't I'm not really sure
what happens when you get there. I think you go there,
you have some testing, and then you're going into quarantine
for I want to say this could be, but I
(05:09):
want to say seventy two hours, maybe less, and then
if your test of negative, then you go out and
you train as normal as a team. If you're positive,
and I think you're staying quarantine until ye until until
you figure things out. I guess it's it's just the
weirdest summer camp. It's like, I can't even fathom. You guys,
all these professionals, your whole life have played one way,
(05:30):
and now they have you in this strange weight here
stay in your room alone. It is very strange. Yeah,
And I don't really care how I come across here
because it's there's no secret to me, and I don't
I just think it's a little bit stupid. I'm being honest. Yeah,
I don't know. I just think we could have waited
like the rest of the leagues, and you're trained until
you're able to play, and that's it. You're taking us
(05:52):
all to a place now in a bubble where you've
got to stay in your room away from your family's.
You know, some people got some real some real life
issues you know, to deal with, and you just got
to go to leave your family for how long? You know?
But I guess Money talks to my friend Money does
the League? I mean, I'm not piling on here. I
don't want you to think I'm just hitting you. But
League said this last Sunday, eighteen players six staff members
test positive before leaving for Orlando. But then yesterday it's
(06:15):
reported six Dallas players test positive. Now the entire team
is quarantined. They did not test positive before they left
for Orlando. This isn't a bubble if people are getting
coronavirus while inside it, or if you know people are
coming and going that work for Disney. I mean exactly.
I guess when you get there, are you are you
still going to reassess? Yeah? I think I'll you know,
(06:37):
it will be team first and see what everyone else
is doing. My initial forces are just did once we
get in all this information? Are we still go? Every morning?
I wake up and like, are we still do it. Yeah, yeah,
I think once I get there, I say, in my
room and I'll just play cord of Duty. I'll play
quard Internet train, I'll train and get back to the room,
play call a gut. I'm not going to time me
do anything. I've got a family to think about. I'm
(06:59):
with you there, Uh listen. I gotta give you my
honest opinion and fear of the food situation. Everyone saw
the hashtag yesterday regarding the sixty five dollar lunch or
whatever it is. I want you to to pack as
much lunchables as possible, anything you can get your hands
on at the market. Bring it with you, Just bring it.
I'm very scared. I'm gonna go shopping on Sunday. The
(07:22):
rumor of your l a f C teammate and reigning
m V pete Carlo Savella not returning, is that Do
we know if that's for sure? Or I mean it
seems like it's for sure he's not coming. I'm not sure.
I'm really not sure. Honestly, it's not much talking on
who's going. I think they people saw that out between
them was John and Bob. I know when I had concerns,
(07:42):
that's what I did. I don't think many people knew
my situation, you know, so I'm not really sure. I'm
not sure. Yeah, because he has a pregnant wife. Uh,
this obviously would hurt the team, and not that that's
the top priority, but it's gonna put you in a
in a place to step up. And I was wondering
if you were able to get comfortable with your team.
Is a new squad for you in l A. Yeah,
but mostly individual practices and maybe some zoom calls? Are
(08:05):
you Are you comfortable with these dudes? Yeah? And do
you know what, I felt more comfortable now just after
we got to resume team training. I've been there for
a while now, you know, it's weird because of the lockdown.
It feels it just feels so strange. It's like I
get introduced and then something happens. Then I came, Remember
I came. I got surgery, so I was injured. I
wasn't getting to train with the team, so it's been
stop start. But I do feel like one of the
(08:26):
boys now. I think, you know, I'm lucky enough since
I've been in America to be in two good changing
with where the guys are a really good and I'm
not just saying that, you know, really like cool guys
that if I wasn't playing football, but I still want
to know these kind of people. So I've been lucky
in that way. They've been good to me. And now
I do feel part of team. I feel good. Yeah,
and and obviously you have a green card here you
are a citizen. But I was wondering what the EU
(08:47):
shutting down basically any tourism from the U S. Has
that affected you at all? Or is that just I mean,
it's it seems everything. It's like you said, you wake
up every day and there's just a new part for
the course. I'm telling you, it's like nobody knows anything.
It's like, yeah, you wake up as an rule or
something else you can't do and something you can do. Now,
I just go with the flow. Traveling to England hasn't
affected me. I went recently for some personal reasons. Other
(09:08):
than that, yeah, it hasn't affected me. And the fervest
I goes to the park to get the kids some
fresh air. But like caged animals right now and training
the mess ht Yeah, it's insane. Uh. You turned thirty
five during quarantine. By the way, did you do anything fun?
For your birthday? Did you have friends drive by? No?
Do you know what? My wife, you know what my
birthday is. What marched the twelve And on that day,
that was the last day we we got told we
(09:29):
can't come into training. And on that evening she took
me to a restaurant. We went out and ate had
a few drinks, you know, so I luckily bought a
nice little you know, celebration and then we had a
little cake at the house with the family. So it
wasn't it wasn't bad, but that was actually the last
day or something normal. Yeah, well, you know, turning thirty five,
huge career change for you, leaving New York a football
(09:50):
team of soccer team just absolutely connected to you forever.
You're coming off an injury, like you said, showing you're
still this MLS powerhouse. How important is that to you? Yeah?
You know what. At first, when I when I left
Red Bull, and I wasn't sure what I was going
to do, where I was going to go. I was
almost done, you know, not retiring, but I just thought,
you know what I got, I've got nothing to prove.
(10:10):
I don't care what anyone thinks. And then just the
way it come about then I'd read certain things and
here things and my last season I read was injured.
You know a lot of people don't really know the
into And now it's like even when I was on
the bench or coming on, I was an injured and
I just thought, I don't want to go out like that.
And then I get a second chance with l AFC.
So it's just for all the like kind of doubts everyone,
I think she is older now his last season wasn't great.
(10:30):
It just gave me like a new lead of life
to where I have something to prove, because it's not
easy to find those kind of things in the game
when you've been someone for so long or done something
for so long. You have to find little ways to,
you know, to get ahead. And I think, you know,
having to find a new team and actually getting a
really good team where I feel like I could fit
in and do well. It's just it's given me just
a new bowl and I just can't wait to get
(10:50):
out there and improve myself. Yeah. Can I tell you
something that how crazy is soccer? That you had one
bad season after five or six of the greatest in
the sport, in the league of MLS and they're just like,
oh he's done, dude. I was like, man, that is
one season. But that's the world we live in. It's
like everything. If you look at music, like someone puts
the album one week and you listen to a few tracks,
(11:12):
and next week someone else has got what. No one cares,
you know, it's up to the individual or the people
to to say that I'm not done. You know, this
is what I can still do and keep proving people.
It's actually the world we live in. Get we can
get everything quick. Yeah, you know. I guess people feel
they can just go and get another strike and that
would do that or and that's just the world we live.
And it's not to ask too to say no. And
I'm actually like still good. You know I can actually
(11:33):
still play. I'm excited for that. Though it said it's
a challenge. You had a legendary run, like you said
it with the Red Bulls. They retired your jersey before
you even retired. You'll be in l A a team
defending the supporter shield in the in the most difficult
tournament division in Florida. It appears you're gonna be flying
out there on on Wednesday at least. So what do
you see your chances as a team being able to
(11:53):
win this thing. Yeah, as a team, it's difficult to
say because you know everyone's coming out of lockdown and
you don't know where anyone is. What I do know
is that we've trained very odd. I think a lot
of honest people, apart from the talent to talents obvious
anyone that watches them, probably the best football in team.
You know, got the best player in the league at
the moment. So I think that goes about saying. But
(12:13):
I think the work we've put in behind the closed doors,
I think I'm hoping, you know, it will show when
we get there, but you never know what to expect.
It's a different whole, different set of no fans and
no you know, I mean, it's weird, you know how
serious or some player team is going to take it
and so on. But we've definitely got a good chance.
More with the l a f C. S Bradley right
Phillips after this right now, Feeding America is working tirelessly
(12:39):
to ensure our most vulnerable populations, like students who are
out of school, the elderly individuals whose jobs are impacted,
and low income families continue to have access to food
and other needed resources during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The
Feeding America Food Bank Network is committed to serving communities
and people facing hunger in America and their greatest need
is donations and support of cool food banks. This podcast
(13:01):
is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from
the show to Feeding America and we hope that you
can join us in this effort to find out how
you can help Feeding America dot org. Backslash COVID nineteen
and now the rest of my chat with MLS great
and l a f C striker Bradley Wright Phillips. You
(13:24):
were one of the sixteen individual players who was able
to take advantage of sort of the strange MLS practices
that happened after the pandemic. We spoke with Brian Rowe
and he was He explained it to us and it
it truly sounded like a nightmare. He would like wait
in his car, they'd call him, he'd walk in, he'd
basically be covered with a hefty bag he couldn't pass
to people. It was just like, did you get anything
(13:45):
good out of those? Do you know what I did?
But I think why it wasn't as bad for me
because before that we were just training. We'll find in
punts where you could train and run, you know, uneven
gross you got dogs running around you. So for me
just getting back at the facility, I know it wasn't
the best terms like training alone, but you still got
to see some of your teammates. You've got a good field,
(14:06):
you had goals, yes, small goals, passing boards, everything, you know,
you had things that you couldn't bring to the park.
So for me, I didn't even it was annoying when
I look back at it now, it's that what the
hell was that it's waiting in your car. It was
kind of it was kind of crazy, But at the
time it was a great change for me because I
was tread up and going into the park and dogs
running around my cast and looking out my ankles. I'll
(14:26):
tread up. Yeah. I mean. Also, we're both in l A,
me and you and and I mean it doesn't help
that you have to make this decision in the middle
of what we're going through in l A with the
cases spiking, where it seems like we're going to go
back into quarantine. Bars are closing for the next three
weeks and stuff like have you guys as your family
been basically inside and that's it for the past three months. Yeah,
(14:47):
we we have actually I think my wife right so
every now and again to find a hotel and actually
not too popular as you'll get into a hotel and
actually locks herself in a room and rights. Yeah. But
other than that yet it we've just been in the house.
So honestly, the park is been our best friend. We
go to the park every now and again, and and
that's it, honestly, training, home, homework, the school teacher. I'm
(15:08):
breaking up ninety flights a day. I'm not the only
one by It's yeah, it's been tough. It's been tough. Yeah,
three seven eleven, those are all pretty serious ages. That's that.
That's hard to keep down, let alone on a chair
than the house. I mean, that's not easy. It's been
it's been time beyond the pandemic. The world has obviously
been focused on a racial division and the murder of
(15:29):
George Floyd, and coming from soccer in the Premier League,
you and your brother have seen and been accustomed to
a racism in sports that we don't even necessarily know,
at least in public in the United States. I'm wondering
if you could speak on that experience that that you
guys have faced in the past honestly, like, yeah, growing up,
you get it, but it's something that isn't right even
(15:50):
when I said it is now that you learn to
just live with the deals. I'm not going to say
I've been abused in every game I've played. Oyeay, it's
been about But even now when I see just so
quickly go off, like even now, when I see everyone
like coming together, I like it, but I don't like
where it's going to, where it's almost like a trend
now and like you know, it just feels like a
lot of sheets. I've always been on the side of
(16:10):
like it's I can make some real change, or people
can make some real change. Let's do that. Let's come
together and make a real change. Because this is not
a secret. This has been in the game or interest
in life for hundreds of years. So I'm just knock
down with what's going on at the moment. It's just
everyone just posting a black picture. Do you know what
I'm doing with this? Almost you know what I'm saying.
I just want some real change or I don't want nothing.
(16:32):
Don't pretend please don't pretend to me, don't try and
just saying at you, by the way, but I don't
need sympathy, like I just want real change or please
don't come to me with anything. I just I want
to work on something now with a few players where
I can you know, where I can make some real
change or just open some eyes in a different way.
At the moment, now, just what I'm seeing is just annoying.
Some things are just annoying because this isn't new. Yeah,
(16:52):
it's a little weird to have people say, hey, don't
kill us. You know the police are killing us, and
the responses let's make sure that no white people do
the voice his two black characters and cartoons. It just
seems like a very strange connection because it's like, well,
the stakes are so much higher than those things. And yeah,
and I guess maybe as someone who watched soccer kind
(17:13):
of from the side, I I'm not a super fan.
I love researching it more than anything else watching real sports.
There was a segment years ago that was very famous
here in the States, where it was the first time
I had seen the throwing of bananas or the chance
or the things that just to me were mind blowing.
Even living in a country that I know has systematic racism,
(17:37):
to see it's so public and the anti semitism in soccer,
those things were so damaging to watch that I almost
thought to myself and I know your brothers talked about
his experience where he felt he couldn't leave the field,
he couldn't leave the pitch, and is that I mean,
obviously in MLS it's probably a lot I hate to
say hidden, yeah, but but it was that maybe part
(18:00):
why you may not have felt as comfortable there whom
you Yeah, I mean, you know, you play in the
Premier League, you come to MLS and you really thrive
and you you beyond anyone's expectations. And I wonder so
much about jobs, not even just sports, but so much
about jobs is about being comfortable and and I wonder
how much it meant to you to come to a
place where that crazy stuff wasn't wasn't happening. Yeah, And
(18:23):
you know what, at the time, there was a lot
of things that were pissing me off or getting on
my nerves, you know, just about just how football is
in England. There's a lot of things, some of my
own doing, and just somehow things work, you know, how
things were set up, you know, very old school in
the ways of the coaching, how the people fought. And
now you ask me that it's yeah, there was a
little bit of those things, but I wasn't thinking, honestly
that black and white to wear like it's it's racist
(18:44):
here or along those lines, and I have to leave.
But there's a lot of things that I didn't like. Yeah, man,
it's just such a tricky conversation. And because it's been
happening so long and I just don't know how to
change certain things that I honestly think that I think
our generation or whatever, I'm not sure you're as well.
We're just a lost cause. I think I don't I
really want to sound like I'm giving up, but I
think like just in your household makes you a kid
(19:06):
the raised right, your neighbor, you know. Do you know
what I'm saying it, I think almost this period were
in like even everyone that's like with the Yeah, with
the movement, it's good. Yeah, it's good to see there's
some unity. But I think it's almost a lost cause.
I honestly do. I think you've just got the kids
have got a you know, be taught different ways, and
and and from there from someone. Even now, my words
are like jumble because it's frustrating to even talk about
(19:28):
something because I'm just that nothing will be done about this.
So it's just kind of frustrating. But that isn't why
I left England. It wasn't just that black and white.
That's not why I left England. But yeah, there's some
bullshit that happens. Yeah, I mean, I have a one
year old, uh, and I just my wife and I
have focused on the idea that we just we think
it's twenties, we say about twenty five and under I'm forty,
so we we just have hope for them. I mean
(19:50):
I had read Ian Desmond's Instagram post last week that
he did about baseball and the systematic kind of racial
bias in in the league, and it felt so heavy that,
like you said, it's like, oh, I don't think there's
anything as sad as it sounds. We almost have to
start over by saying, oh, we're the idiots, don't don't
worry about us. Yes, it's almost a loss, coolis what
(20:11):
I'm trying to say. I think, yeah, we can do
what we can now, but I think our vision has
just got to be for the kids, for our children,
and that's it, because you're not going to change how.
I'm not even saying he's a racist or whatever, but
you're not going to change how Donald Trump thinks, you're
not going to change how the CEO of of or
wherever a multi million dollar company thinks you're not going
to change that, you know. So it's yeah, it's it's
(20:33):
just it's just a tough one and black people for
a long time, I've learned to live with Some people
have learned to live with that's not right, evil, but
you learn to live with it or you Yeah, I'm
not even sure. I'm not even sure. Honestly, you can
hear by how I'm talking. I'm not even sure. I
just think, yeah, it's almost until we're teaching the kids
the right way to to live, the right way to
think and so on. Is yeah, I think we're just
(20:56):
a lost cause. Have you been impressed at all by
what the Premier League has done so far? Does it
just feel symbolically gesture based, Yeah, it's again. It's it's
nice to see it seems like, you know, when you're
just watching it or you see a picture of it, yeah,
it looks nice. How many of those people actually care?
How many people that are kneeling again, don't don't mince
my words. This this looks good. It shows unity, it
(21:18):
shows that um it's being thought about. How many people
kneeling or how many people wearing Black Lives Matter on
the back of their shirt actually care? Like how many
giver ship? But I can come off here now, or
you can off this phone call and post something, post
a nice picture with the nicest words, and and you
could be just you could be slying. I've seen people
(21:38):
go to riots, take a picture or riot such said
that protests, take a picture and get back in the
car and and go home. So you know what I mean. Yeah,
it looks good, but I don't know if it's if
it's coming from your heart and it's ruining it bothers
you and bed at night, fair enough, But if it don't,
just don't get involved, like, just don't do it. Yeah,
I guess that's just do what you've been doing the
last seventy years under DearS. But you've seen this, because
(22:01):
let's be honest, there was it's only a few winning
was it maybe last season or most seasons? These player
is getting rich and abuse in Italy at the manager
of the teammates to say they shouldn't have walked off
the pitch. Yeah, you know what I mean? Is this
this this happens? Yeah, you think you're changing all the
way those fans think by putting what everyone needing, You're
not going to change. I like the way we're doing that.
(22:21):
I like the way if people are interested in it
and people have a real passion for it, we're showing unity.
But I don't know if that's what changes those set
of fans or that's what changes the CEO at SO
and SO. I don't know if that's what changes their minds.
Do you understand my plant? Yeah? Absolutely, I mean I
I guess it's even hard for me because I want
to ask you, do you see protesting or acts of
(22:41):
like social justice awareness during this tournament coming up? But
like it is, it's like, what is that going to
actually do? And you And it's true that we should
all do something because it's a great uh, it's a
great metric. We we should we should obviously see it
and and kids like mine and yours should should see
these things because it's important. But what is really going
(23:02):
to change if someone does something in a soccer game,
or in a baseball game or a football game. It
truly is about and I think that's what a lot
of athletes are facing when they're asked to go back
right now. We've seen it with guys like Avery Bradley
and the NBA and Ian Desmond baseball. Like this is
a question everyone is asking and there's no wrong answer,
but it's difficult. If you really care what I think,
(23:22):
don't judge me if I don't turn up to football
because I'm I'm hurt about this, don't judge. Yeah, you know,
like a basketballay foot and I don't want to play
right now, I'm sure they'd go into a camp as well.
If you really care, then let's you know what I mean,
let's let's let people do what they want to do.
Not Okay, come but we're all neil. Okay, we'll come back,
but yeah, we'll all have Black Lives Matter on it. Okay,
(23:44):
that looks good. You've covered your back Premier League or
MLS or whatever you've Yeah, you look like you care.
But what about of people that don't. There might be
people still affective from this and don't want to go
to work, don't want to work, don't want to play
sport right now, they might want to do something to
make a real change. Yeah, these people don't care. That's
what I think, anuate they don't care. And also, I
guess a big thing too is what about in six months?
(24:06):
What about in a year? It will go? It will go.
That's the burnout. Yeah, they'll be gone, it will go.
And this is what this is my beginning point about
if it's a trend, it's a trend. If you go
on Instagram, you won't see any of the following things.
I know what I think, I know how I feel.
I felt like this for years. But it's a trend.
Soon something else will happen and this will be gone.
(24:27):
This will be gone. One of the harder things that
I've seen recently was your father, the legendary arsenal player
in right, posting his support of black Lives Matter, and
was met with just these disturbing racist messages that he replied,
I mean, does he is he like you? Is he
sort of like? I know this? This is this is
what I faced my entire career. I mean, I don't
(24:48):
want to say jaded or callous. He had He's probably
had it worse. He's had it worse than I have.
You know, he's probably had it worse than I have
for sure. Actually. But the thing even him just posting
that and showing that that's going to be tread out,
this is like, that's not even a new thing. That's
just because he's fed up. He's posted that now, and
he's just like something has to be done, at least
shame this guy, at least shame these people. But this
is a normal thing, you know, and that's someone that's
(25:08):
done very well in his country, like very well for himself,
and this is how people will treat him or think
they can talk to him. Yeah, it's it's crazy. It's crazy.
What do you think that kids thinking when when he
sees the Premier League doing what they're doing, like all
of that stuff, you know, Black lives matter, like all
of these things. Do you think that kid is like,
oh man, you're not thinking that he thinks those guys,
(25:30):
But that's what he thinks. And this brings him back
to my point. That's why I don't even talking about this.
I just feel like it just goes round in circles.
It's like, unless I can do something real, and I'm
still working on things, thinking about sulf Unless something real
can happen, it's just bought it because, like you said,
people are going to forget about all of the sun
too when there's a new trend or need something else happening. Yeah.
I don't know if you saw Maya Moore this week
(25:50):
who you know, took off a season of the w
n B A to kind of crusade for someone who
was improperly imprisoned for assault and burglary charges, and you
was released this past week. And it just makes me
question being on a stupid microphone podcasting. It's like, is
there things to do? Are there too many things? What
can I do? I mean, these are just questions that
that should be racing in everyone's mind. Yeah, well, I'll
(26:13):
tell you what you don't do. You do what you
keep doing, what you're doing. You don't just do anything
to do it. Something will come to you where you
can literally make a change or help or get a
message out of that. It's from your heart and you
think will affect people in the right way, then you
do that. I think there's a lot of people just
doing anything. They're pressured. Even my old team I saw
a thing like and they thing. I don't even know
if I should say it might be too far now
(26:34):
forget that anything. Well, I never expect you to censor yourself,
but okay now, and I don't normally, but I don't
want things to come out too because I even had
a chance that you can think about things myself. So
I don't want it to come out to or you know,
just do things from the heart. Do things if you
want to do it. If you are racist, and I
don't pretend that, okay, you're going to do this to
(26:54):
sure everyone you're involved, you know, just do things from
the heart. If you have nothing to say right now,
don't say might have something amazing or life changing to
say in two or three months. Well, on a much
lighter note, we are both hip hop heads. You and
I are both what I call retired m c s,
which is high and that is a title that only
a few of us can really have. An exclusive club
(27:16):
legends yet two legends in the game. But I wanted
to close out by seeing if you had some suggestions
for listeners who want some new names in grime. This
is a a American I say, it's been very elusive here.
We know Skepta, who's I know a personal friend of yours.
We we know the big names, but I want to
see if there was anyone you could suggest to us
kind of on the horizon, someone that that we might
not know about on the horizon. It's it's tough to
(27:38):
send horizon because I should have got a list. You're
not sure the technic because I'm just all I do
is listen to Griham Really okay, So what you want
to be listening to because I don't think and it's
not on the horizon. But these guys are not on
the horizon, but I just don't get their credit worldwide.
But you want to listen to O G. So that's
like Little d T, Money, Blacks, Gender, Desperado. This is
(27:59):
on recording. So you get all those names, then you've
got um. You've got another legend that should be heard
all around the world, just as much as skept is
like that, have you heard of Kano? Yes? I love
Kanoko amazing, but I don't know he should be like
in America right now he's telling him not just good
in England, just in the world. He's a Drake favorite.
I know, I know, I know Cano through Drake Drake
(28:20):
lack ship yeah, that makes sense. Yes, so many Grahame Like,
there's just too many obviously. Have you guys heard a
D double E. No, I do not know d W E.
D W Graham legend um on the horizon. So I'll
get some younger names and people that don't really get
their dudes. Even in England here it's like they're all
emerging because yeah, we don't we don't have a scene here.
We have to follow you guys. Yeah, yeah, I mean
(28:42):
you should start putting on some events maybe, Yeah, we'll
get them over, We'll ride them over if events exist.
I do like, uh, this group out of the definitely
not grime, just hip hop, but but out of the UK,
these guys Cult of the Damned d A, M and E.
D you hear him at all? Damn? Yeah, a hip
hop hip hop on a like a like proper hip
(29:02):
hop like lyrics and or the they're kind of they're
kind of boom bap, they're kind of like, uh, they're
a little bit of underground feeling a little bit like
a late late nineties I'm gonna s yeah could to
the Damn. They have a song called Nicole I really like.
But they're they're British group that nobody talks about, so
I throw them in the mix. It's not grime. I
never want to pretend I know what you're talking about,
(29:24):
but at least with the boom bap stuff, I know
the lyric guys. Yeah, now I'm gonna check those, I'm
gonna check them out. Yeah. There's so many, man, Yeah
it is. It's hard to follow. But I am very
excited for you to get back on the field. If
that's the case. I'm I'm, I'm. What I'm really more
excited about is for you to make a decision based
on what you see. Yeah. Yeah, Well, thank you for
talking to me, and uh and good luck with everything. Man, No,
(29:46):
thank you, thank you for having me on. I remember, people,
be yourself. Be yourself. Don't just say things you the people,
don't just say things to say. Be yourself. The Sports
Bubble is produced and distributed by Tree Fort Media. The
(30:07):
show was executive produced by Kelly Garner, Lisa Ammerman, Matthew Coogler,
and me Jensen Carr. Tom Monahan is our senior audio
engineer and sound supervisor, with production and editing by Jasper Leak.
Additional production help from Tim Shower June Rosen and Hayley Mandelberg.
Our theme music is composed by Spilkis. If you've enjoyed
what you've heard, please subscribe, rate us and review us
(30:29):
on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever
you listen to podcasts, and please visit Feeding America dot
org if you're able to make a donation. Any amount
makes a difference, and you can learn more about other
ways you can help on their website. For more information
on the Sports Bubble, links to the socials, and for
show transcripts for our hearing impaired listeners, go to tree
Fort dot fm. Be safe and be Well. The Sports
(30:54):
Bubble is a production of I Heart Radio and tree
Fort Media. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit
the heart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen
to your favorite shows. H
Welcome to the Sports Bubble, a production of I Heart
Radio Entree Fork Media. My name is Jensen carp and
I'm a sports which means I've spent the last forty
eight hours staring at this Patrick Mahomes contract extension. Listen,
he deserves it, He's the best quarterback in the league.
But ten years I don't even know what I'll be
(00:24):
doing ten minutes from now to find that kind of
gig in this climate. God bless that man. Considering what's
happened in the last three months, though, I have to
assume they'll be playing football in those weird clear bubble spheres,
competing against x mocking A like robot dolls, and having
playbooks digitally implanted into their heads when this contract runs out.
It's now officially a Casey dynasty if you ask me.
And you know what they say. When one door opens,
(00:46):
another one into Sean Jackson's house closes, and I'm still
talking to athletes and sports industry professionals about what they're
doing during this very weird time, because someone has to
Welcome to the Sports Bubble with Jensen carly Right. Phillips
found soccer superstardom in a rather unique way. The English
born forward started his career with Manchester City in the
Premier League, but never found his groove, landing himself on
(01:09):
second and third tier teams, prompting a move to the
States and Major League Soccer, and where he may have
stalled at home, he excelled abroad. As part of the
New York Red Bulls. He became one of the league's
all time greats as a two time Golden Boot winner,
two time All Star, and three time Team MVP. The
son of legendary Arsenal forward Ian Wright and brother de Sean,
who played in both England and the U S as well,
(01:30):
went above and beyond any expectations, finally finding comfort in
his game in the Big Apple. That is until last
year he was injured, having trouble scoring, and now at
thirty five, might finally be showing signs of slowing down.
But as soon as you start to think Bradley is out, well,
that's when he's in signing a new contract with the
defending supporter Shield Champs l a f C. Right. Phillips
(01:50):
is ready to prove his haters wrong, but also he's
completely terrified. We spoke only days before he was set
to leave for Florida to play in the MLS is
Back tournament, still in the dark about how he'll stay
safe while away from his family for three months. We
have a raw conversation about what he's facing and how
he honestly is not comfortable. We also talk about the
longstanding racism in his sport, if a tournament when will
(02:12):
mean anything at all, and if activism has just moot in.
It's a very real and important listen this week in
the sports Bubble from Bradley Right Phillips to accept Press one. Hello,
(02:36):
Bradley Man. I usually start these interviews asking where you've
been quarantined, but with you it's slightly different. We're getting
ready for the MLS is Back Tournament, am I assuming
you are in Orlando in l A right now? Okay,
so they are supposedly starting Wednesday. Are you Are you
planning on going out? Yeah? There was a few things
(02:57):
where I might not have gone, something like personal reasons.
I just needed my family to be sorted, you know,
because it's a if I'm being totally honest, it's a
tough ask. You know, obviously we all miss football. It's
a tough ask what they're ask him. But yeah, I
think I'll be I'll be good to go. Um. Yeah,
but I think because we're in l A, we didn't
have to go as soon as everyone else. We could
still do team training too. It's good, you know, the
less time now, I think, the better, you know, if
(03:21):
if I'm being honest, if you're just locked in a
room for however long, you know it's going to be tough.
So yeah, we're just with the lady a bit. I
have tons of questions. One, you have a three or
seven and eleven year old, you have a wife as well.
Are these people that will be going with you to
this bubble of sorts? No, it's another thing that it
crossed my mind to do. But I'm not sure how
how the options were in doing that. And also I'm
(03:43):
not sure how dangerous is I don't want to be
away from them that long. You know. I've just moved
them out here, you know, from New Jersey, and then
I've got to leave them. So I felt I felt
bad in that way, but then I don't want to
bring him to a place now and they're just stuck,
you know, with maybe a risk of getting a virus
for it was a tough one. But they're going to
be in l A. Yeah. I mean, I guess it's
such a fake out too, because you're going to tell
(04:05):
your kids you're going to Disney World, and yet it
would be it would be the least cool version of
Disney World for them ever, exactly that. And it's funny, Yeah,
you poled out because when I told my son, I'm
probably going to Orlando to play this tournament that can
I come? I want to come. I want to go
to Disney that. I'm like, you trust me, it's not
going to be what you think. And he doesn't let up.
He still wants to come, and like, I can't do
(04:26):
that to you, mate, I really can't. Yeah, there's a
there's a distinct difference between Orlando and Disney World. And
you're going to Orlando. What he thinks Orlando is doing,
that's the only thing he thinks exists there. Well, he's
gonna he's gonna miss out on a hotel room. So
do you know, like if they filled you in on
the process, like once once you land, are you like
(04:46):
driven somewhere in like a big outbreak truck, Like what
what is the do you know if they told you Yeah,
they've told me that we've got a bit of information
on it, but I won't at you because I was
so against you know, I was kind of against it
in the beginning, so I wasn't I'm not really sure
what happens when you get there. I think you go there,
you have some testing, and then you're going into quarantine
for I want to say this could be, but I
(05:09):
want to say seventy two hours, maybe less, and then
if your test of negative, then you go out and
you train as normal as a team. If you're positive,
and I think you're staying quarantine until ye until until
you figure things out. I guess it's it's just the
weirdest summer camp. It's like, I can't even fathom. You guys,
all these professionals, your whole life have played one way,
(05:30):
and now they have you in this strange weight here
stay in your room alone. It is very strange. Yeah,
And I don't really care how I come across here
because it's there's no secret to me, and I don't
I just think it's a little bit stupid. I'm being honest. Yeah,
I don't know. I just think we could have waited
like the rest of the leagues, and you're trained until
you're able to play, and that's it. You're taking us
(05:52):
all to a place now in a bubble where you've
got to stay in your room away from your family's.
You know, some people got some real some real life
issues you know, to deal with, and you just got
to go to leave your family for how long? You know?
But I guess Money talks to my friend Money does
the League? I mean, I'm not piling on here. I
don't want you to think I'm just hitting you. But
League said this last Sunday, eighteen players six staff members
test positive before leaving for Orlando. But then yesterday it's
(06:15):
reported six Dallas players test positive. Now the entire team
is quarantined. They did not test positive before they left
for Orlando. This isn't a bubble if people are getting
coronavirus while inside it, or if you know people are
coming and going that work for Disney. I mean exactly.
I guess when you get there, are you are you
still going to reassess? Yeah? I think I'll you know,
(06:37):
it will be team first and see what everyone else
is doing. My initial forces are just did once we
get in all this information? Are we still go? Every morning?
I wake up and like, are we still do it. Yeah, yeah,
I think once I get there, I say, in my
room and I'll just play cord of Duty. I'll play
quard Internet train, I'll train and get back to the room,
play call a gut. I'm not going to time me
do anything. I've got a family to think about. I'm
(06:59):
with you there, Uh listen. I gotta give you my
honest opinion and fear of the food situation. Everyone saw
the hashtag yesterday regarding the sixty five dollar lunch or
whatever it is. I want you to to pack as
much lunchables as possible, anything you can get your hands
on at the market. Bring it with you, Just bring it.
I'm very scared. I'm gonna go shopping on Sunday. The
(07:22):
rumor of your l a f C teammate and reigning
m V pete Carlo Savella not returning, is that Do
we know if that's for sure? Or I mean it
seems like it's for sure he's not coming. I'm not sure.
I'm really not sure. Honestly, it's not much talking on
who's going. I think they people saw that out between
them was John and Bob. I know when I had concerns,
(07:42):
that's what I did. I don't think many people knew
my situation, you know, so I'm not really sure. I'm
not sure. Yeah, because he has a pregnant wife. Uh,
this obviously would hurt the team, and not that that's
the top priority, but it's gonna put you in a
in a place to step up. And I was wondering
if you were able to get comfortable with your team.
Is a new squad for you in l A. Yeah,
but mostly individual practices and maybe some zoom calls? Are
(08:05):
you Are you comfortable with these dudes? Yeah? And do
you know what, I felt more comfortable now just after
we got to resume team training. I've been there for
a while now, you know, it's weird because of the lockdown.
It feels it just feels so strange. It's like I
get introduced and then something happens. Then I came, Remember
I came. I got surgery, so I was injured. I
wasn't getting to train with the team, so it's been
stop start. But I do feel like one of the
(08:26):
boys now. I think, you know, I'm lucky enough since
I've been in America to be in two good changing
with where the guys are a really good and I'm
not just saying that, you know, really like cool guys
that if I wasn't playing football, but I still want
to know these kind of people. So I've been lucky
in that way. They've been good to me. And now
I do feel part of team. I feel good. Yeah,
and and obviously you have a green card here you
are a citizen. But I was wondering what the EU
(08:47):
shutting down basically any tourism from the U S. Has
that affected you at all? Or is that just I mean,
it's it seems everything. It's like you said, you wake
up every day and there's just a new part for
the course. I'm telling you, it's like nobody knows anything.
It's like, yeah, you wake up as an rule or
something else you can't do and something you can do. Now,
I just go with the flow. Traveling to England hasn't
affected me. I went recently for some personal reasons. Other
(09:08):
than that, yeah, it hasn't affected me. And the fervest
I goes to the park to get the kids some
fresh air. But like caged animals right now and training
the mess ht Yeah, it's insane. Uh. You turned thirty
five during quarantine. By the way, did you do anything fun?
For your birthday? Did you have friends drive by? No?
Do you know what? My wife, you know what my
birthday is. What marched the twelve And on that day,
that was the last day we we got told we
(09:29):
can't come into training. And on that evening she took
me to a restaurant. We went out and ate had
a few drinks, you know, so I luckily bought a
nice little you know, celebration and then we had a
little cake at the house with the family. So it
wasn't it wasn't bad, but that was actually the last
day or something normal. Yeah, well, you know, turning thirty five,
huge career change for you, leaving New York a football
(09:50):
team of soccer team just absolutely connected to you forever.
You're coming off an injury, like you said, showing you're
still this MLS powerhouse. How important is that to you? Yeah?
You know what. At first, when I when I left
Red Bull, and I wasn't sure what I was going
to do, where I was going to go. I was
almost done, you know, not retiring, but I just thought,
you know what I got, I've got nothing to prove.
(10:10):
I don't care what anyone thinks. And then just the
way it come about then I'd read certain things and
here things and my last season I read was injured.
You know a lot of people don't really know the
into And now it's like even when I was on
the bench or coming on, I was an injured and
I just thought, I don't want to go out like that.
And then I get a second chance with l AFC.
So it's just for all the like kind of doubts everyone,
I think she is older now his last season wasn't great.
(10:30):
It just gave me like a new lead of life
to where I have something to prove, because it's not
easy to find those kind of things in the game
when you've been someone for so long or done something
for so long. You have to find little ways to,
you know, to get ahead. And I think, you know,
having to find a new team and actually getting a
really good team where I feel like I could fit
in and do well. It's just it's given me just
a new bowl and I just can't wait to get
(10:50):
out there and improve myself. Yeah. Can I tell you
something that how crazy is soccer? That you had one
bad season after five or six of the greatest in
the sport, in the league of MLS and they're just like,
oh he's done, dude. I was like, man, that is
one season. But that's the world we live in. It's
like everything. If you look at music, like someone puts
the album one week and you listen to a few tracks,
(11:12):
and next week someone else has got what. No one cares,
you know, it's up to the individual or the people
to to say that I'm not done. You know, this
is what I can still do and keep proving people.
It's actually the world we live in. Get we can
get everything quick. Yeah, you know. I guess people feel
they can just go and get another strike and that
would do that or and that's just the world we live.
And it's not to ask too to say no. And
I'm actually like still good. You know I can actually
(11:33):
still play. I'm excited for that. Though it said it's
a challenge. You had a legendary run, like you said
it with the Red Bulls. They retired your jersey before
you even retired. You'll be in l A a team
defending the supporter shield in the in the most difficult
tournament division in Florida. It appears you're gonna be flying
out there on on Wednesday at least. So what do
you see your chances as a team being able to
(11:53):
win this thing. Yeah, as a team, it's difficult to
say because you know everyone's coming out of lockdown and
you don't know where anyone is. What I do know
is that we've trained very odd. I think a lot
of honest people, apart from the talent to talents obvious
anyone that watches them, probably the best football in team.
You know, got the best player in the league at
the moment. So I think that goes about saying. But
(12:13):
I think the work we've put in behind the closed doors,
I think I'm hoping, you know, it will show when
we get there, but you never know what to expect.
It's a different whole, different set of no fans and
no you know, I mean, it's weird, you know how
serious or some player team is going to take it
and so on. But we've definitely got a good chance.
More with the l a f C. S Bradley right
Phillips after this right now, Feeding America is working tirelessly
(12:39):
to ensure our most vulnerable populations, like students who are
out of school, the elderly individuals whose jobs are impacted,
and low income families continue to have access to food
and other needed resources during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The
Feeding America Food Bank Network is committed to serving communities
and people facing hunger in America and their greatest need
is donations and support of cool food banks. This podcast
(13:01):
is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from
the show to Feeding America and we hope that you
can join us in this effort to find out how
you can help Feeding America dot org. Backslash COVID nineteen
and now the rest of my chat with MLS great
and l a f C striker Bradley Wright Phillips. You
(13:24):
were one of the sixteen individual players who was able
to take advantage of sort of the strange MLS practices
that happened after the pandemic. We spoke with Brian Rowe
and he was He explained it to us and it
it truly sounded like a nightmare. He would like wait
in his car, they'd call him, he'd walk in, he'd
basically be covered with a hefty bag he couldn't pass
to people. It was just like, did you get anything
(13:45):
good out of those? Do you know what I did?
But I think why it wasn't as bad for me
because before that we were just training. We'll find in
punts where you could train and run, you know, uneven
gross you got dogs running around you. So for me
just getting back at the facility, I know it wasn't
the best terms like training alone, but you still got
to see some of your teammates. You've got a good field,
(14:06):
you had goals, yes, small goals, passing boards, everything, you know,
you had things that you couldn't bring to the park.
So for me, I didn't even it was annoying when
I look back at it now, it's that what the
hell was that it's waiting in your car. It was
kind of it was kind of crazy, But at the
time it was a great change for me because I
was tread up and going into the park and dogs
running around my cast and looking out my ankles. I'll
(14:26):
tread up. Yeah. I mean. Also, we're both in l A,
me and you and and I mean it doesn't help
that you have to make this decision in the middle
of what we're going through in l A with the
cases spiking, where it seems like we're going to go
back into quarantine. Bars are closing for the next three
weeks and stuff like have you guys as your family
been basically inside and that's it for the past three months. Yeah,
(14:47):
we we have actually I think my wife right so
every now and again to find a hotel and actually
not too popular as you'll get into a hotel and
actually locks herself in a room and rights. Yeah. But
other than that yet it we've just been in the house.
So honestly, the park is been our best friend. We
go to the park every now and again, and and
that's it, honestly, training, home, homework, the school teacher. I'm
(15:08):
breaking up ninety flights a day. I'm not the only
one by It's yeah, it's been tough. It's been tough. Yeah,
three seven eleven, those are all pretty serious ages. That's that.
That's hard to keep down, let alone on a chair
than the house. I mean, that's not easy. It's been
it's been time beyond the pandemic. The world has obviously
been focused on a racial division and the murder of
(15:29):
George Floyd, and coming from soccer in the Premier League,
you and your brother have seen and been accustomed to
a racism in sports that we don't even necessarily know,
at least in public in the United States. I'm wondering
if you could speak on that experience that that you
guys have faced in the past honestly, like, yeah, growing up,
you get it, but it's something that isn't right even
(15:50):
when I said it is now that you learn to
just live with the deals. I'm not going to say
I've been abused in every game I've played. Oyeay, it's
been about But even now when I see just so
quickly go off, like even now, when I see everyone
like coming together, I like it, but I don't like
where it's going to, where it's almost like a trend
now and like you know, it just feels like a
lot of sheets. I've always been on the side of
(16:10):
like it's I can make some real change, or people
can make some real change. Let's do that. Let's come
together and make a real change. Because this is not
a secret. This has been in the game or interest
in life for hundreds of years. So I'm just knock
down with what's going on at the moment. It's just
everyone just posting a black picture. Do you know what
I'm doing with this? Almost you know what I'm saying.
I just want some real change or I don't want nothing.
(16:32):
Don't pretend please don't pretend to me, don't try and
just saying at you, by the way, but I don't
need sympathy, like I just want real change or please
don't come to me with anything. I just I want
to work on something now with a few players where
I can you know, where I can make some real
change or just open some eyes in a different way.
At the moment, now, just what I'm seeing is just annoying.
Some things are just annoying because this isn't new. Yeah,
(16:52):
it's a little weird to have people say, hey, don't
kill us. You know the police are killing us, and
the responses let's make sure that no white people do
the voice his two black characters and cartoons. It just
seems like a very strange connection because it's like, well,
the stakes are so much higher than those things. And yeah,
and I guess maybe as someone who watched soccer kind
(17:13):
of from the side, I I'm not a super fan.
I love researching it more than anything else watching real sports.
There was a segment years ago that was very famous
here in the States, where it was the first time
I had seen the throwing of bananas or the chance
or the things that just to me were mind blowing.
Even living in a country that I know has systematic racism,
(17:37):
to see it's so public and the anti semitism in soccer,
those things were so damaging to watch that I almost
thought to myself and I know your brothers talked about
his experience where he felt he couldn't leave the field,
he couldn't leave the pitch, and is that I mean,
obviously in MLS it's probably a lot I hate to
say hidden, yeah, but but it was that maybe part
(18:00):
why you may not have felt as comfortable there whom
you Yeah, I mean, you know, you play in the
Premier League, you come to MLS and you really thrive
and you you beyond anyone's expectations. And I wonder so
much about jobs, not even just sports, but so much
about jobs is about being comfortable and and I wonder
how much it meant to you to come to a
place where that crazy stuff wasn't wasn't happening. Yeah, And
(18:23):
you know what, at the time, there was a lot
of things that were pissing me off or getting on
my nerves, you know, just about just how football is
in England. There's a lot of things, some of my
own doing, and just somehow things work, you know, how
things were set up, you know, very old school in
the ways of the coaching, how the people fought. And
now you ask me that it's yeah, there was a
little bit of those things, but I wasn't thinking, honestly
that black and white to wear like it's it's racist
(18:44):
here or along those lines, and I have to leave.
But there's a lot of things that I didn't like. Yeah, man,
it's just such a tricky conversation. And because it's been
happening so long and I just don't know how to
change certain things that I honestly think that I think
our generation or whatever, I'm not sure you're as well.
We're just a lost cause. I think I don't I
really want to sound like I'm giving up, but I
think like just in your household makes you a kid
(19:06):
the raised right, your neighbor, you know. Do you know
what I'm saying it, I think almost this period were
in like even everyone that's like with the Yeah, with
the movement, it's good. Yeah, it's good to see there's
some unity. But I think it's almost a lost cause.
I honestly do. I think you've just got the kids
have got a you know, be taught different ways, and
and and from there from someone. Even now, my words
are like jumble because it's frustrating to even talk about
(19:28):
something because I'm just that nothing will be done about this.
So it's just kind of frustrating. But that isn't why
I left England. It wasn't just that black and white.
That's not why I left England. But yeah, there's some
bullshit that happens. Yeah, I mean, I have a one
year old, uh, and I just my wife and I
have focused on the idea that we just we think
it's twenties, we say about twenty five and under I'm forty,
so we we just have hope for them. I mean
(19:50):
I had read Ian Desmond's Instagram post last week that
he did about baseball and the systematic kind of racial
bias in in the league, and it felt so heavy that,
like you said, it's like, oh, I don't think there's
anything as sad as it sounds. We almost have to
start over by saying, oh, we're the idiots, don't don't
worry about us. Yes, it's almost a loss, coolis what
(20:11):
I'm trying to say. I think, yeah, we can do
what we can now, but I think our vision has
just got to be for the kids, for our children,
and that's it, because you're not going to change how.
I'm not even saying he's a racist or whatever, but
you're not going to change how Donald Trump thinks, you're
not going to change how the CEO of of or
wherever a multi million dollar company thinks you're not going
to change that, you know. So it's yeah, it's it's
(20:33):
just it's just a tough one and black people for
a long time, I've learned to live with Some people
have learned to live with that's not right, evil, but
you learn to live with it or you Yeah, I'm
not even sure. I'm not even sure. Honestly, you can
hear by how I'm talking. I'm not even sure. I
just think, yeah, it's almost until we're teaching the kids
the right way to to live, the right way to
think and so on. Is yeah, I think we're just
(20:56):
a lost cause. Have you been impressed at all by
what the Premier League has done so far? Does it
just feel symbolically gesture based, Yeah, it's again. It's it's
nice to see it seems like, you know, when you're
just watching it or you see a picture of it, yeah,
it looks nice. How many of those people actually care?
How many people that are kneeling again, don't don't mince
my words. This this looks good. It shows unity, it
(21:18):
shows that um it's being thought about. How many people
kneeling or how many people wearing Black Lives Matter on
the back of their shirt actually care? Like how many
giver ship? But I can come off here now, or
you can off this phone call and post something, post
a nice picture with the nicest words, and and you
could be just you could be slying. I've seen people
(21:38):
go to riots, take a picture or riot such said
that protests, take a picture and get back in the
car and and go home. So you know what I mean. Yeah,
it looks good, but I don't know if it's if
it's coming from your heart and it's ruining it bothers
you and bed at night, fair enough, But if it don't,
just don't get involved, like, just don't do it. Yeah,
I guess that's just do what you've been doing the
last seventy years under DearS. But you've seen this, because
(22:01):
let's be honest, there was it's only a few winning
was it maybe last season or most seasons? These player
is getting rich and abuse in Italy at the manager
of the teammates to say they shouldn't have walked off
the pitch. Yeah, you know what I mean? Is this
this this happens? Yeah, you think you're changing all the
way those fans think by putting what everyone needing, You're
not going to change. I like the way we're doing that.
(22:21):
I like the way if people are interested in it
and people have a real passion for it, we're showing unity.
But I don't know if that's what changes those set
of fans or that's what changes the CEO at SO
and SO. I don't know if that's what changes their minds.
Do you understand my plant? Yeah? Absolutely, I mean I
I guess it's even hard for me because I want
to ask you, do you see protesting or acts of
(22:41):
like social justice awareness during this tournament coming up? But
like it is, it's like, what is that going to
actually do? And you And it's true that we should
all do something because it's a great uh, it's a
great metric. We we should we should obviously see it
and and kids like mine and yours should should see
these things because it's important. But what is really going
(23:02):
to change if someone does something in a soccer game,
or in a baseball game or a football game. It
truly is about and I think that's what a lot
of athletes are facing when they're asked to go back
right now. We've seen it with guys like Avery Bradley
and the NBA and Ian Desmond baseball. Like this is
a question everyone is asking and there's no wrong answer,
but it's difficult. If you really care what I think,
(23:22):
don't judge me if I don't turn up to football
because I'm I'm hurt about this, don't judge. Yeah, you know,
like a basketballay foot and I don't want to play
right now, I'm sure they'd go into a camp as well.
If you really care, then let's you know what I mean,
let's let's let people do what they want to do.
Not Okay, come but we're all neil. Okay, we'll come back,
but yeah, we'll all have Black Lives Matter on it. Okay,
(23:44):
that looks good. You've covered your back Premier League or
MLS or whatever you've Yeah, you look like you care.
But what about of people that don't. There might be
people still affective from this and don't want to go
to work, don't want to work, don't want to play
sport right now, they might want to do something to
make a real change. Yeah, these people don't care. That's
what I think, anuate they don't care. And also, I
guess a big thing too is what about in six months?
(24:06):
What about in a year? It will go? It will go.
That's the burnout. Yeah, they'll be gone, it will go.
And this is what this is my beginning point about
if it's a trend, it's a trend. If you go
on Instagram, you won't see any of the following things.
I know what I think, I know how I feel.
I felt like this for years. But it's a trend.
Soon something else will happen and this will be gone.
(24:27):
This will be gone. One of the harder things that
I've seen recently was your father, the legendary arsenal player
in right, posting his support of black Lives Matter, and
was met with just these disturbing racist messages that he replied,
I mean, does he is he like you? Is he
sort of like? I know this? This is this is
what I faced my entire career. I mean, I don't
(24:48):
want to say jaded or callous. He had He's probably
had it worse. He's had it worse than I have.
You know, he's probably had it worse than I have
for sure. Actually. But the thing even him just posting
that and showing that that's going to be tread out,
this is like, that's not even a new thing. That's
just because he's fed up. He's posted that now, and
he's just like something has to be done, at least
shame this guy, at least shame these people. But this
is a normal thing, you know, and that's someone that's
(25:08):
done very well in his country, like very well for himself,
and this is how people will treat him or think
they can talk to him. Yeah, it's it's crazy. It's crazy.
What do you think that kids thinking when when he
sees the Premier League doing what they're doing, like all
of that stuff, you know, Black lives matter, like all
of these things. Do you think that kid is like,
oh man, you're not thinking that he thinks those guys,
(25:30):
But that's what he thinks. And this brings him back
to my point. That's why I don't even talking about this.
I just feel like it just goes round in circles.
It's like, unless I can do something real, and I'm
still working on things, thinking about sulf Unless something real
can happen, it's just bought it because, like you said,
people are going to forget about all of the sun
too when there's a new trend or need something else happening. Yeah.
I don't know if you saw Maya Moore this week
(25:50):
who you know, took off a season of the w
n B A to kind of crusade for someone who
was improperly imprisoned for assault and burglary charges, and you
was released this past week. And it just makes me
question being on a stupid microphone podcasting. It's like, is
there things to do? Are there too many things? What
can I do? I mean, these are just questions that
that should be racing in everyone's mind. Yeah, well, I'll
(26:13):
tell you what you don't do. You do what you
keep doing, what you're doing. You don't just do anything
to do it. Something will come to you where you
can literally make a change or help or get a
message out of that. It's from your heart and you
think will affect people in the right way, then you
do that. I think there's a lot of people just
doing anything. They're pressured. Even my old team I saw
a thing like and they thing. I don't even know
if I should say it might be too far now
(26:34):
forget that anything. Well, I never expect you to censor yourself,
but okay now, and I don't normally, but I don't
want things to come out too because I even had
a chance that you can think about things myself. So
I don't want it to come out to or you know,
just do things from the heart. Do things if you
want to do it. If you are racist, and I
don't pretend that, okay, you're going to do this to
(26:54):
sure everyone you're involved, you know, just do things from
the heart. If you have nothing to say right now,
don't say might have something amazing or life changing to
say in two or three months. Well, on a much
lighter note, we are both hip hop heads. You and
I are both what I call retired m c s,
which is high and that is a title that only
a few of us can really have. An exclusive club
(27:16):
legends yet two legends in the game. But I wanted
to close out by seeing if you had some suggestions
for listeners who want some new names in grime. This
is a a American I say, it's been very elusive here.
We know Skepta, who's I know a personal friend of yours.
We we know the big names, but I want to
see if there was anyone you could suggest to us
kind of on the horizon, someone that that we might
not know about on the horizon. It's it's tough to
(27:38):
send horizon because I should have got a list. You're
not sure the technic because I'm just all I do
is listen to Griham Really okay, So what you want
to be listening to because I don't think and it's
not on the horizon. But these guys are not on
the horizon, but I just don't get their credit worldwide.
But you want to listen to O G. So that's
like Little d T, Money, Blacks, Gender, Desperado. This is
(27:59):
on recording. So you get all those names, then you've
got um. You've got another legend that should be heard
all around the world, just as much as skept is
like that, have you heard of Kano? Yes? I love
Kanoko amazing, but I don't know he should be like
in America right now he's telling him not just good
in England, just in the world. He's a Drake favorite.
I know, I know, I know Cano through Drake Drake
(28:20):
lack ship yeah, that makes sense. Yes, so many Grahame Like,
there's just too many obviously. Have you guys heard a
D double E. No, I do not know d W E.
D W Graham legend um on the horizon. So I'll
get some younger names and people that don't really get
their dudes. Even in England here it's like they're all
emerging because yeah, we don't we don't have a scene here.
We have to follow you guys. Yeah, yeah, I mean
(28:42):
you should start putting on some events maybe, Yeah, we'll
get them over, We'll ride them over if events exist.
I do like, uh, this group out of the definitely
not grime, just hip hop, but but out of the UK,
these guys Cult of the Damned d A, M and E.
D you hear him at all? Damn? Yeah, a hip
hop hip hop on a like a like proper hip
(29:02):
hop like lyrics and or the they're kind of they're
kind of boom bap, they're kind of like, uh, they're
a little bit of underground feeling a little bit like
a late late nineties I'm gonna s yeah could to
the Damn. They have a song called Nicole I really like.
But they're they're British group that nobody talks about, so
I throw them in the mix. It's not grime. I
never want to pretend I know what you're talking about,
(29:24):
but at least with the boom bap stuff, I know
the lyric guys. Yeah, now I'm gonna check those, I'm
gonna check them out. Yeah. There's so many, man, Yeah
it is. It's hard to follow. But I am very
excited for you to get back on the field. If
that's the case. I'm I'm, I'm. What I'm really more
excited about is for you to make a decision based
on what you see. Yeah. Yeah, Well, thank you for
talking to me, and uh and good luck with everything. Man, No,
(29:46):
thank you, thank you for having me on. I remember, people,
be yourself. Be yourself. Don't just say things you the people,
don't just say things to say. Be yourself. The Sports
Bubble is produced and distributed by Tree Fort Media. The
(30:07):
show was executive produced by Kelly Garner, Lisa Ammerman, Matthew Coogler,
and me Jensen Carr. Tom Monahan is our senior audio
engineer and sound supervisor, with production and editing by Jasper Leak.
Additional production help from Tim Shower June Rosen and Hayley Mandelberg.
Our theme music is composed by Spilkis. If you've enjoyed
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(30:29):
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(30:54):
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