Hi, this is Josh Levine, the host of Slate Sports Podcast Hang Up and Listen. Throughout the World Cup, we're going to bring you a podcast from our friends at the soccer magazine Howler. They'll have analysis from the games, news from outside the stadiums in Brazil, and reports from a writer embedded with the U.S. national team. I hope you enjoy the special podcast Extra, and I'll now pass the mic to George Qureshi, the founder and editor of Howler. Take it away, George. Don't need to

Don't special podcast extra, and I'll now pass the mic to George Qureshi, the founder and editor of Howler.

Take it away, George. The HALA Podcast This is the podcast

For Hala It's Dummy the Hottie Dada. It's Darnie the heart.

Part Haldas.

Hello and welcome to Dummy, a twice weekly conversation among editors and friends of Howler magazine.

My name is George Qureshi.

I'm the editor of Howler.

Packed like a little sardine in this studio. Although, you know what? I have a lot of room today because Danny Carbassian, the only member of our little panel here who has scored to goal for Arsenal, still, if you can believe that, is in South Carolina in someone's closet so he can get really a quiet feed here. Danny, how are you?

I'm doing very well. Thank you.

Hello. Okay. And

joining us from Bristol, England, not Connecticut is the author of The Ball is Round and Fucci Ball Nation. It's a great book about Brazilian soccer that just came out. David Goldblatt. Hi, David. Hi. Hello. Okay. I feel really chipper today because we haven't had any soccer for at least a day. and I think I'm getting worn down by it.

But, you know, there's so much stuff to talk about.

Today we're going to be. feel really chipper today because we haven't had any soccer for at least a day. And I think I'm

getting worn down by it. But, you know, there's so much stuff to talk about. Today we're going to

cover some of the issues and themes that came out in the quarterfinals. We have the Dutch diving,

the Dutch gamesmanship. We have the Argentines squeaking through the the Brazilians making it through, albeit with a depleted lineup for the semifinal against Germany.

And of course, Germany, I think they should just give Germany a free pass to the semifinals every year.

That just seems to be what happens anyway.

So we're going to also take the conversation off the field.

We have a look at the socioeconomic and racial makeup of

the crowds in Brazil, which I think is really interesting. We also sit down with Sean Jacobs,

...