You are a customer, you are buying a product, you are engaged with a business, but that relationship has always been based on a quid pro quo.

And while it can be charitable, it's not a charity. It's disingenuous to say that clubs around the world aren't businesses and don't see the people that buy their products as customers.

Hello, Sunshine, I'm Alexi Lollis and welcome to the State of the Union

podcast where we look at the beautiful game on and off the field through the lens of

red white and blue colored glasses. As you heard, we'll be talking about the words we use to talk about the game that we love.

We will have our Massey case segment.

We'll be answering your questions in our Ask Lexi segment and so much more.

But first, as always, always joining me my friend, my

colleague my guiding light David Mossy a soccer savant and a Fox soccer researcher and

writer extraordinary.

Mr. Mossy, how are you, my friend?

I am good.

I am sitting in the big chair today in the LA studio because it is available to me.

Yes, I am coming to you from Atlanta. I'm here for the

MLS All-Star games. So while this is our first pod post-Russia, we are still not

yet in the same room back in our original and traditional confines.

So I am coming to you from Atlanta.

It is hot as Atlanta always is.

I'm getting ready for this MLS All-Star game.

I got a bunch of different appearances, but we wanted to get out a pod and get back into the swing of things after what has to be said was a pretty incredible summer.

Have you been able to decompress over the last couple of weeks?

And if so, in what way have you done that?

...