Diving has never really bothered me. I see it as part of the game and I respect the different cultures can view diving very differently.

I can actually appreciate a well executed dive. Diving is a skill but all dives are not created equally.

There are good dives and bad dives.

Hello sunshine I'm Alexi Lallis 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 will be talking

ooh diving in the beautiful game. We will have our Mossy Makes the Case segment.

We'll be answering your questions in our Ask Alexi segment.

We'll have our World Cup update segment and so much more.

But as always, joining me is my friend, my colleague, my guiding light, David Mossy, a soccer

savant and a Fox soccer researcher and writer extraordinary.

Mossy, how are you?

I am good, a clean-shaven today. Both Warren Barton and my mother

very critical of me last week for having a... They don't like the scruff.

No, no. And speaking of Warren Barton, happy birthday. Happy birthday to our friend and colleague Warren Barton.

He is 73 years old today.

You are wearing what today for the people that can't see you?

FC St. Pauli, this was a gift from Ian Joy who played for that club a couple years ago. He gave this to me and I'm wearing it proudly.

Enjoy one of my favorite people in the world and so...

How many clubs did he enjoy play for? It's got to be up there, right? I know he had a cup of coffee at Hamburg, St. Pauli,

at the MLS was Ralph Salt Lake, right?

Are you involved in this basketball thing that's happening right now

...