You know, when I used to go to a studio, it was like a big thing. You had to pay money and it was difficult and not everybody could do it. And now a music studio is in the palm of your hand, which means that everybody can do music. The good news is everybody can do music. The bad news is, everybody can do music. And it's same when it comes to broadcasting a TV. The good news is everybody has a TV studio in the palm of their hand.

The bad news is everybody has a studio in the palm on their hand, which means you have to work

that much harder.

Welcome to episode number 406 to the Jim Rome podcast, What's Cracken.

Hey, you know the drill. I've been coming here for the better part of a decade to get my

side hustle on because this is where I need to go to stretch out, go long form, and have the

conversations that I simply cannot have on our daily program and to catch up with folks who maybe

I haven't seen or had a conversation with in a minute or so. And this is another great example of that and a

truly epic conversation. This week's guest is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Also, it was a member of the U.S. national team that played in the 1994 World Cup, a two-time

Olympian, a five-time MLS All-Star and MLS champion. He currently serves as Fox Sports's lead studio soccer analyst and with the World Cup upcoming.

I knew it was time to reconnect with this legend.

By now, you know who I'm talking about?

Alexi Lollis.

It is episode number 406 of the Jim Rhone podcast and it's coming at you right now.

Music of the Jim Rohn podcast, and it's coming at you right now. Alexi, my man, it has been a minute. In fact, right before we start, you were great. Look at you, man. I'm like, look at you, dude. It has been a minute. So it's so good to see, man. How is everything? It's good, my friend. We're trying to keep it together here. We've been, you know,

up and down and in and out over the years. So it's a pleasure to be back with you and we live in interesting times on and off the soccer field. Man, that is the truth. Preach. Preach. It's all true. I can't dispute any of that. All right, so let me ask you this. Since it's been a minute, Before we go to the World Cup, why don't we go back?

Let's just talk about your career and your soccer life for a minute.

Is it true, Alexei, did you really not start playing organized soccer until you were 11? No, I probably played a little bit before that. But I definitely didn't start in the way that they start today where they can't even walk and they're kicking a ball. That's a good thing. But I am obviously a product of, you know, the 70s and 80s, growing up in 70s, 80s in suburban Detroit. And, you know, my life was filled with, you know, bubble yum and MTV and slurpees and Little Caesar's pizza. And growing up in Detroit, it's the law you got to play hockey. So I actually played a whole lot more hockey than soccer growing up.

But I just, I fell in love with the international aspect of the game, the autonomy that soccer gives you.

But, you know, I did not grow up thinking or being, you know, aspirational as to being a professional soccer player, let alone playing in a World Cup.

Well, bubble yum, there's that. I mean, like the original bubble yum are all those whack-flavored bubble yums. So, I mean, I don't know if you're a hubbubba or a bubble yon guy, but bubble yon, I would always go grape. Yeah, I mean, absolutely, right? The hubbaubba came along. They had a really good marketing campaign, but it never even came close to the bubble yumb thing.

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