Podbit · Freakonomics Radio
In poker, a complete beginner can be coached to win against the best player in the world about a third of the time. In a full-length backgammon match against a top player, a novice has almost zero chance. The game's continuous active decisions make luck nearly irrelevant at tournament scale.
Trump allegedly used personal connections to FIFA leadership to reverse a US player's red card suspension — something that had never been done before in World Cup history. England immediately filed their own appeal. America ruined the World Cup and then made it more interesting.
In 1976, 17-time world champion fin swimmer Shavarsh Karapetyan dived into a freezing, sewage-filled reservoir in Yerevan after a trolleybus crashed to the bottom. Zero visibility, lacerated legs, dozens of dives — he pulled out 37 people, 20 survived. The rescue destroyed his lungs and ended his career. He was haunted for years by the one time he grabbed a seat cushion instead of a person.
The UFC White House event was literally unprecedented: every single fight ended in a knockout, 85,000 people cheered from the Ellipse with a wave-like delay, and Vance's wife skipped it because she was 39 weeks pregnant. It will never happen again.
JD Vance watched Conor McGregor's knee buckle twice and initially thought he'd slipped. The moment Max Holloway started telling the ref 'he can't fight,' Vance knew it was over. The fight ended seconds later.
Spain defeated France 2-0 to advance to the men's World Cup final on Sunday in New Jersey. They'll face the winner of the Argentina vs. England semifinal in Atlanta, with defending champion Lionel Messi standing in the way.
According to a Dan Patrick Show source, FIFA chairman Mohammed al-Kamali of the UAE unilaterally lifted Folarin Balogun's automatic red-card ban without informing the committee. The UAE is deeply tied to Trump family business interests. Ben Rhodes says it was entirely predictable: if Trump wants something fixed, he goes through the Gulf.
Jordan Walker won the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby in front of a hostile Philadelphia crowd that was booing his every pitch taken. Making roughly $800,000 a year, he pocketed $1 million in prize money with an incredible late surge that left Schwarber and the Philly faithful stunned.
Buster Olney's stats show the new clock-free HR Derby produced 131 homers versus a 5-year average of 275 under the old format. But PFT argues the real improvement is simply being able to watch the ball land — treating it like an actual sport instead of a camera-cut highlight reel.
Spain dismantled France in the World Cup semifinal, with Lamine Yamal serving as the ultimate Mbappe stopper — owning him 11 of 13 head-to-head matchups. The hosts debate whether Spain's favorable draw (6 of 7 games in air-conditioned venues) gave them a hidden edge.
We use essential and analytics cookies to run Vuci. To understand how the site is used: Privacy Policy.
Install Vuci on your phone
Add it to your home screen for a faster, app-like experience.
Install Vuci on your phone
Tap the Share button, then “Add to Home Screen”.
A new version is available
Reload to get the latest Vuci.