Today we spend the first eleven minutes gushing about the US Soccer team’s win over Spain yesterday. Seriously, if you aren’t a fan of soccer and skip the first eleven minutes (and change). Oh, and you are a communist. And you’re welcome.

The bottom line is, the US was outplayed by the best team in the world, but they were not outclassed. That’s something we can’t say about any US team of late, including the squad that showed up last week against Italy and Brazil. Teams that our outplayed can win in soccer. And that’s what happened yesterday.

This was a great day for US Soccer. It shows we can compete with the top teams in the world...and WIN! No more moral victories. We have victories! The defense played amazingly well. Tim Howard was stellar in net and the offense got two scores to beat the mighty Spanish squad.

JOZYYYYYYYYYY JOZY JOZY JOZY!

Seriously, am I too old to buy a 19-year old’s soccer jersey?

We talk about what this win will do for the future of American soccer. If you have kids and they play soccer, show them that match from yesterday. Go online and watch it with them. It was well played, and smartly played. The US played their hearts out...blocking shots, challenging at the right times (other than Bradley’s red card) and showing the kind of fortitude we’ve always expected from a US squad. Again, will yesterday’s result change the course of American soccer? No. But it can, if we all get behind the team, get our kids involved and keep the talent rich in the US pool.

My kid will be a soccer player. She is two and already loves kicking the ball. What about yours? (I come to find out, not Nick’s. Commie.)

We also talk about the big news in the NBA...Shaq is going to Cleveland. Why is Shaq ALWAYS the big story? Is this a PR move or will he actually help Cleveland? Will he be the Shaq from Phoenix the last few years, or will he be the Shaq who played with another great young star in Miami...and become, once again, Shaq in a Suit?

I guess we’ll see next year. For now, the name Shaq again upstages a big NBA event. The draft is tonight. Get your Rubio on.

Political Safari:

We go on the Appalachian Trail for a while...wait...nevermind.

This segment is weird because we discuss the Mark Sanford situation, then I try to shift the conversation to the fact that Gina Smith, the woman who broke the story, went on Rachel Maddow and tried to make this a win for old media over new. Nick wasn’t biting and crushed my angle by completely disregarding it. But we end up on the same page eventually to find out...we aren’t on the same page.

Appalachian Trail!!?!?!?!?

Culture Pop:

We discuss our least favorite commercials, which was brought by a post at Sharapova’s Thigh talking about how much they hate the Best Buy ads. That, and the Burger King campaign that caught Gawkers ire, made us think of some of the worst commercials out there right now.

Nick hates the Chevy ad with Howie Long and the little red-headed girl. (I think the KSK guys love that ad.) I hate the Lexus convertible ads where they are rewarding a guy for being a cheating douchebag. Some listeners chimed in, most notably to talk about the Jack in the Box ads that clearly promote getting stoned and driving to JitB for tacos.

What are your least favorites?

Housekeeping:

No show tomorrow. We’re taking Friday’s off in the summer. You should too. Send Nick some ideas for places to go in Pittsburgh this weekend and New Mexico next weekend. He’s quite the jet-setter.

Appalachian Trail??!!?!?!!?

Have a good weekend. Go US. And thanks for putting up with my voice this week.