What’s More Likely: Rich Talks World Cup, LeBron, Rams, Dolphins, Mets, Jets, Schwarber & More

What's More Likely returned, and Chris Brockman came loaded with a slate that bounced from the World Cup to the NBA's L.A. exodus to a closing pair of questions engineered entirely at Rich's expense.

Brockman opened with the United States men's national team, hours before an enormous World Cup match. More likely: the U.S. runs to the semifinals, or one more huge NFL trade before Week 1? Rich took the trade. "As much as I'd like to see the U.S. men's national team make it to the semifinals," he said, a semifinal run would require three knockout-stage wins for a side that has only managed one in a single World Cup, possibly beating Spain in the quarters. A blockbuster NFL trade, by contrast, "almost happens every year now."

The scoring race came next: combined Messi and Mbappé goals this tournament, currently at 12, or Myles Garrett sacks this season? Rich went with the two soccer legends, each sitting on six goals with plenty of matches left. He walked through the wild possibility that the all-time World Cup goals record could change hands more than once in a single tournament, with Lionel Messi having taken the lead and Kylian Mbappé creeping within one. "Mbappé may take it from him and Messi could potentially take it back."

On the fantasy front, Brockman asked about quarterback surprises, pitting Tyler Shough against Malik Willis. Rich pushed back on the premise, arguing that Shough already surprised everyone last season when he took over midseason and pushed Tetairoa McMillan for offensive rookie of the year. He took Willis on that logic. Then came the Los Angeles hoops question: which departing star is more likely to win another title before retiring, Kawhi Leonard or LeBron James? Rich took James, betting he lands somewhere with a better shot than Toronto.

That set up the game's centerpiece. Brockman anointed Rich as LeBron and asked which team he would pick: Cavaliers, Heat, Warriors or the field. Rich did not hesitate. "I'd play for the Warriors," he said, drawn to being coached by Steve Kerr. Pressed on ring-chasing versus staying near his Southern California base, Rich made his priority clear. He wanted to stay out West and, above all, avoid the defending champion Knicks as long as possible. "Why would I want any piece of the Knicks? I want to live out west and avoid the Knicks to the last possible minute because they're the defending champs."

Baseball got its turn too. More likely: Kyle Schwarber hits 60 home runs or a starting pitcher reaches 20 wins? Rich took the 20-game winner, noting it would not be a Yankee, a dig softened only slightly by news that food poisoning had swept through the New York clubhouse.

Then Brockman closed with the two questions built to needle the host. More likely to be the bigger number: hot dogs consumed by Joey Chestnut on July 4th, or Mets wins this season? Rich went Chestnut, whose record sits at 83. And the finale, delivered with a grin: golfers Rich beats in Tahoe next week, or Jets wins this season? Rich, a 50-year sufferer of Jets fandom, took the Jets. "I hate this team."