Ep. 172 – What the World Cup Taught Us About Preparedness

Don (00:00) Man, Mexico lost to England, but they played like their hair was on fire, right? And they were giving everything they possibly could. Paraguay totally outmatched this entire thing. They played like their lives depended on it, We did not play like that at all. We played lackadaisical and we're just standing around waiting for Belgium to beat our ass. And guess what happened? They beat our ass. Rob (00:04) The great man. Great man. That's right. Yeah. Don (00:44) Alright, episode 172. We're back, Rob. We are back. We're back and I have a little bit of a head cold going on. So I don't know. I don't know what I'm gonna sound like. I mean, for people that binge this, and there are many people that binge our podcast, there's gonna be a noticeable bloop like in my audio quality. So I also noticed we're both wearing gray shirts today. So you got the memo. Rob (00:46) One hundred and seventy two. Yeah, I can hear that. I can hear that. Tens of people. Tens of people. Yeah. It well, this is this is in memoriam of of the US being knocked out very unceremoniously knocked out of the World Cup. Don (01:16) Yeah. gross. We never really followed up. I mean, what are your thoughts on that real quick since we've been on a World Cup kick back to back to back? Obviously bad time to lay an egg. Rob (01:26) I mean, you know, I Everybody's everybody's said all the things there are to say and there's, you know, obvious political influence and all that other crap going on. I think that we absolutely motivated Belgium to come out and kick our ass. You know, when the team is celebrating their victory by doing the Trump dance and singing YMCA, I think it's pretty clear what their motivations were to come out and kick our ass. And I think that tactically we trained to not have him on the field. Don (01:33) Yeah. Belgium. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we single-handedly turn the world against us. Yeah. Rob (01:59) And once we switched that up at the last minute, I mean the very first goal that Belgium scored, we had we had three defenders in the box just what w and just let the ball fall right in the middle of them. They're all just looking there. And you know why? 'Cause everyone's confused because they changed things. That's not how they had practiced. So I think tactically it totally messed us up. I I would have I would have preferred that we went into it, you know, the way that we had prepared for it. And Don (02:10) Standing there. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, I completely concur. I'm glad you brought up the that first goal because I was the same thing. It was like you can't let the ball bounce in your 18 right there. You have three you have three defenders right there. Nobody's doing anything, you know. So in your estimation, do you think all the political malarkey and the this and that do you think it was a distraction for the team? Yeah, I think so too. As much as they say it wasn't. I know it had an effect for Belgium. I mean, they immediately like their online account was like rescind this or you know what I mean, they're Rob (02:35) No. Yeah. thousand percent. I think it absolutely had an effect. Don (02:57) know, the amount of shade was unbelievable, right. But as much as they say, hey, it had nothing to do with anything. And we just didn't perform or but like, I call total BS on that. I think it was a total distraction. Yeah. Yeah. Rob (03:04) Yeah. I call total BS. And I think it I think it not only I think it not only had an impact, you know, tactically with with the formate formation change at the last minute. That's not what they had been practicing. I th I think that and I think also too just psychologically, like sports is psychological in in every Don (03:16) Yeah. Totally, totally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think. Yeah, it is psychological. I'm sorry to interrupt keep going. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they came out. Yeah, they came out timid. They came out waiting for something to happen. And something happened. They got punched in the face. And then they kind of just never recovered. Now there was that blip of hope we score that amazing free kick, you know, off the deflection and stuff like that. We're back to one to one. Rob (03:29) No, you're good. I was just gonna say it's in their minds. Right, wrong, or indifferent, it is in their brains and you know. Yeah. Gentlemen. Don (03:51) But we just played timid, you know what I mean? And I'm not a Pulasik hater by any stretch, you but I'm also kind of like, I mean, he shouldn't have played. Yeah, I mean, it's just if you're hurt, and they were calling it out on the broadcast too, like, if you're hurt, go down. And then that's when Freeze had that horrible disaster and whatever, you know. So it is kind of an uncertain, you my takeaway was, hey, there's no shame in losing in the World Cup. I mean, you make it to the World Cup, only one team wins, you know. Rob (04:00) shouldn't have played. Shouldn't Don (04:20) Mexico lost at home in the World Cup, Canada lost at home in the World Cup, But the difference for me was, Man, Mexico lost to England, but they played like their hair was on fire, right? And they were giving everything they possibly could. Paraguay totally outmatched this entire thing. They played like their lives depended on it, right? We did not play like that at all. We played lackadaisical and we're just standing around waiting for Belgium to beat our ass. And guess what happened? They beat our ass. Rob (04:31) The great man. Great man. That's right. Yeah. L S, yeah. Don (04:50) Yeah, exactly. So it was really more like, man, what a bummer. Like, there's no shame in losing, but it's just the way we lost. And to your point, the mindset, I think was kind of a clunker, you know, Rob (05:00) And I I think there was a tweet, oddly enough, it was Matthew McConaughey that I saw and it basically was like, Hey, out of all of this like blaming and di let's just boil it down to what it was. Belgium's a superior team and kicked our ass. Like at the end of the day, that's it. All that other stuff, like blah blah blah. Belgium deserves the credit, you know, they kicked our ass. Don (05:05) What? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. mean, their their FIFA rankings, I think are higher. You know, they were the higher, better seated team just in general, you know, like if Rob (05:27) Yeah, we were favored. I I I don't know why, but we were favored by a little bit of a margin, I think, going into it. but you know, I it's a bummer, dude. But you know, if we if we wanna stay focused on the positive, then I mean, what a great run. Like we had a great run, we played some great matches and you know, we'll see you in four years. Don (05:30) Really? Wow, okay. Yeah. Okay, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We absolutely did what we were supposed to do, which is get to the round of 16. My thinking was if we get past the round of 16 and we win another game, that would be an unbelievable stratospheric experience. So it is like a little disappointed to do what we were probably expected to do. But this is sports. You know what mean? Rob (06:06) Yeah. You know, here's here's what I here's here's a hot take. I'm gonna say that in a way, you know, the the the World Cup as we've discussed has been overwhelmingly positive in terms of just global unification. I mean, there have been some little hookups and some incidences along the way, but but this was by far or the US team was by far the the biggest wart, right, on on on this World Cup. So in a way, I'll say Don (06:12) Do it. Totally. Yeah. Yeah. Rob (06:34) I I'm okay that we're out because now we are back to like it's all positivity and like we're done with that and now we have we've got incredible matches coming up. I mean the England Norway match is gonna be bonkers. Like I gotta pull for England. Don (06:39) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's gonna be awesome. Who are you pulling for? Do you have a favorite? Yeah, I mean, I'll probably pull for England as well. Rob (06:51) I I've got so many so many British friends that like I just kinda I kinda feel like I gotta pull for those guys. Although I will say Harland at at or Holland at at for Norway is one one of my he is one of my favorites of this World Cup. Just he's such a goofball and such a Don (07:01) dear. Yeah, yeah. Well, both Yeah, both on the pitch, but then off the pitch to just hilarious, you know. Rob (07:10) so great. And have you seen the have you seen the the video where it's like it's the most nonchalant goal ever where he's literally just lumbering around on the field and then he just takes like three steps with a burst of energy and delivers the most powerful header, one of the most powerful I mean, the guy is an absolute beast. So I really like Don (07:16) Yeah. Standing there. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It looked it honestly looked like he was completely disinterested and even being there. He wasn't running. He was like, he's just standing there doing nothing like that just kind of barely even watching the game. And then it was like, there's an opportunity here. Yeah, don't don't don't score. You know? Yeah, it's pretty. Yeah, he's. Yeah. Yeah. Rob (07:32) That's right. No. Right. I guess it's time to score now. Yeah. And if you don't like the Viking row, something something's wrong with you. If that isn't one of the best celebrations in sport, then then Don (07:53) I hope it's just a great game. You know, I hope it's a great game. And I hope it doesn't go to PKs as excited as I was for all the PKs at the beginning of the knockout rounds. You know, it's it is a cruel way to end the game. I feel like you know, I mean, I don't know how else you do it. I mean, it is it is the rules. That's how you do it. Right. But like, I don't want to see any more centerbacks missing the entire target. You know what mean? Like, like, you're not you're kicking it just sky high or like, Rob (07:56) Yeah, I do too. Yeah. Yeah. Don (08:23) I don't want- Rob (08:23) The Columbia match last did you watch the PKs in the Columbia match yesterday? They were it was it it they yeah, they were bad. There were a couple there were couple bad ones. you know Don (08:27) I did not I did not. They're bad, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't want to know. No surprise. I chugged a bunch of Nyquil and went to bed. So I missed that one. Rob (08:40) What's the what's the alternate? The alternate would be to introduce the golden goal. Don (08:45) Yeah, bring the golden goal back. then but even still, I mean, we've had the reason why we're in PKs, though, is because we've played two 15 minute extra periods and nobody still scored, right? So, you you got I mean, they can't just run forever, right? mean, especially if there's a game. Rob (08:46) I mean that that Right. Well that's why it's okay. We're gonna do one we're gonna do one you know, we're gonna do a fifteen minute minute period and it's golden goal. That's it. Like Don (09:06) Yeah. But what happens if nobody scores? You just go. Okay, okay. It's like hockey. It's just it's like hockey, hockey rules. Okay. Rob (09:09) Then you do another fifteen, you you keep playing until there's a golden goal. Yeah. Yeah. 'Cause sooner or later these guys are gonna be dropping like flies and then it's gonna be like five on three. Don (09:17) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, there are some games where man, I've seen some guys at the end, just they're done. I mean, they're they're cooked. mean, because they say you run between six and eight miles during a regular game that you add an extra half hour on top of that add in the adrenaline and the pressure of a national team and playing, you know, in the World Cup. What it like? Like, I mean, you've been running forever, you know, like exerting maximum energy and you're just the tank is empty. I mean, absolutely. yeah, totally. Yeah. Rob (09:27) cook. And you're in a heat dome. You're in a heat dome. So it's like ninety five degrees outside. Don (09:50) Well, that's okay. They've got hydration breaks where they can sell more commercials. So I know we talked about that last time. Rob (09:53) That's right. That's right. Or or you're in Mexico City where it's like at seven thousand foot of altitude and you can't breathe. Like Don (09:59) God, I cannot believe that England won that game too. I mean, and what a crazy game that was. mean, because that is ultimate home field advantage. That really, really is, you know, short turnarounds than the English up a mile and a half high. mean, my Lord. So, well, you've got English friends. I've got some English pals as well. think, you know, positioning or switching over to today's topic. Actually, I just did a whole photo shoot with an Englishman, right? Rob (10:08) Yeah. That was a good that was a good match. Insane. Insane. Yeah. Don (10:28) point of our photography. There's the bad segue in there somehow. I don't think I don't think I nailed it. But I thought it might be fun, you know, to talk sort of tactical, right about one specific little thing, you know, I mean, or one little area of advertising and design. You know, we're talking photography and video production, right? You know, a necessary need, right? When when when these things occur, right? We just did a photo shoot for one of our favorite clients. Rob (10:31) That's fine. It was I I followed it. I'm okay with it. I'm okay with it. Yeah. Don (10:57) and shooting a bunch of food, right? A lot of food, right? You can't half-ass food. Food has to look delicious, right? If you are shooting food for like a retail package or menu services or whatever the case may be, right? It needs to look amazingly delicious, right? You can't like iPhone this. I mean, it's gotta be like a real looking thing. Or if I'm in the frozen food aisle and I gotta say like, my God, like it needs to look absolutely incredible, right? So there's definitely is an art to food styling to... shooting specific for food and one of the shooters that we use, know, very specifically, you know, focuses on food, right, knows all the tips and tricks and things with food, as opposed to like, hey, if we're shooting people, right, that's a totally different skill set or shooting on location, which we've done, we've got great stories over the years of going, going on locations and shooting all sorts of crazy things in crazy places, right, and doing things like that, right. Honestly, some of my favorite Rob (11:33) Yeah. Don (11:55) business trips are definitely we're probably thinking exactly the same thing. Going out to Wyoming. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And having just the trip of our life shooting that whole thing. So Rob (11:59) The mine? Yeah, you know, it's definitely like and it's true. The most talented photographers, and by the way, for people who don't know, like the iPhone is not replacing photographers. It's okay. Like it's okay, it's gonna be okay. amazing machine, but it's not replacing photographers. And and the most talented photographers, yeah, generally focus on one, I would say two max genres, right? Being food or maybe I I do lifestyle. I do landscape, but they're very, they're very specific in in what they do. And it makes a big difference. And I I remember early on in my career, and it was like, I don't remember what I'm shooting, but it had to do with food. And I wasn't yet wise to the to the art of food styling. And I was like, okay, well, well, I'll just make it look good. I don't, you know, I I don't remember what it was, a salad or something. And it was you get the photos back and you're like, no, no, no, no, no, no. And food stylists are they're they're a a rare but talented breed. Don (12:51) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Rob (13:02) say and we are tweezing when we're you know we're tweezing little radish snips and it's a it's quite a fun thing to watch. Don (13:10) Yeah, it's cool. It's cool. Well, and they're all, for the most part, they're all professional chefs. I mean, they're all like, they're professional chef for 20 years. And now they're a food stylist, right? So they not only know how to prepare everything, but then they also have that creative vision for the things that you can fake, right? Like how do you you know, can you brown up a piece of meat by painting some molasses on it or, you know, things like that, like little tips and tricks on how to make things look good in camera, right? So Rob (13:38) Right. Right. What is your what is a one of the most memorable photo shoots that you've been on, would you say? Don (13:46) Well, definitely, definitely the mine. Because that was, you know, when we went out to Green River Basin, Wyoming, right? And when 1000 feet, 900 feet, some of that underneath the earth crust. We shot a lot of video down there as well. And then it created a bunch of videos. And that's a totally different, you know, rig and setup. But you know, it's it's photography has changed a lot from the beginning of the career. So I mean, I'm old enough to say, hey, we used to shoot black and white Polaroids. Rob (13:55) Yeah, it's way, way down. Don (14:14) you know, for lighting, test the lighting and everything like that, right? And then we shoot two and a quarter transparencies. And then you send it off to the lab to get developed. mean, anybody listening to this is going to have no freaking clue what the hell I'm talking about, right? And then three days later, you get, know, your transparencies developed, you use a light table and a loop, right? I mean, you literally grab, yeah, literally grab one of these guys and you know, no, no, no, looking through it to find the one and then you got to send it back to the lab to be drum scanned, right? And then, you know, Rob (14:16) Right. Right. Film. Film. Right. Pick your pick your selects. Yeah. Yeah. Don (14:42) So early in my career, I remember doing we used to, I did a lot of work and I think you did too. And we worked on stuff later in our career with sealed air cryovac, right? Yeah, cryovac, right? I did a whole, I did a really, really fun photo shoot with dogs. It was for their dog food, because you used to use the string to open the dog food. And then they had like a zipper system that was all about selling like this, keep the dog food fresh all the way down to the end, right? Rob (14:52) cryback, yeah. Yeah. Don (15:09) but I learned a tremendous amount with animal handlers and how to trick dogs into doing what you wanted to do. You know what I mean? So, you know. Rob (15:14) Yeah. Well, you used that when we s when you shot Mars. Pet care. Don (15:20) Yeah, then we did that entire thing where, yeah, for all Ol' Roy that's on our website and all the Mar stuff, you know what mean? Like, hey, rub your lens cap with cheese, you know, get on down into the dog, you know, and then take the lens cap off, click, click, click, click, you know, like that kind of stuff, right? So a lot of fun stuff. think, like most people maybe, and then I want to hear some of your stories too, but I think like most people, it's not necessarily what you're shooting. It's kind of some of the fun memories and stuff is kind of the ephemera and who you're shooting it with and sort of the, you know, the vibe, right? You know what mean? The sort of the experience more so than just the project, you know, and that then bleeds into great work, right? You know, I mean, if you've got a great relationship with clients and photography, you know, it was a great team. And we're all working on together, the end product is going to be fantastic, right? So Rob (15:51) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. I think that's right. I think that's right. It's it's I think about like fun fun photo shoots like or video shoots. I I always laugh and chuckle at the the HTH shoot that we did that was so that was so random. We we had to shoot a bunch of call it content, web content that they that they were hoping would go viral. and we we it was this was for HTH, the Pool Chemical Cleaning Company. Don (16:25) my God. Yeah. Yeah, they're still around. They're still a thing. Yeah. Rob (16:42) Course they are. They're huge. And we went out to LA and spent a few days out there shooting some of the most ridiculous stuff. I mean, we there was underwater dancing involved, there was it was kind of a run and gun shoot. but I just remember sitting there thinking, how ridiculous is I remember I remember specifically thinking like, because our shooter was great, the team was great, we were having a good time, and I just remember being out there in LA like in a pool and being like, What am I doing? Don (16:55) Yeah. Rob (17:11) How I get to do this for a living. This is great. Like this is amazing. and came away with some really fun stuff out of that. Don (17:13) Yeah, yeah. Yeah, there. One of my favorite shoots that we did together never saw the light of day. And and you probably know the story behind it more. was the Comcast dodgeball spot. Do remember that? The the Rob (17:33) Yeah, did that never did that never Don (17:35) The idea was, this was, mean, again, we're dating ourselves, but the idea, memory serves, and you might be able to refresh better than me, but it was all about the bundle. was phone, internet, TV, right? And the bundle and the bundle, right? And we got the nerdiest, dorkiest-looking dudes dressed in 1980s gym wear. Remember that? With headbands, the super short shorts, yeah, the ring tees or whatever. And we spent basically a half, and then I think on their shirts, Rob (17:57) yeah, short, short. Yeah. Don (18:05) It said like phone or internet. Yeah, internet or whatever that. And we spent a half hour winging dodge balls, those old red Voight dodge balls at these guys as hard as we possibly could. And it was like they had glasses on and we're trying to hit them in the face so the glasses would fall off, know, hit them in the stomach, hit them in their private. I mean, it was absolutely hilarious. That was my moment where I'm like, what are we doing? We are just, you know. Rob (18:06) It said internet. Yeah, it was internet phone and yeah. Yeah. Don (18:32) And it was, I don't remember what the cut line was, or what the what the but it was it was basically like nail the target, you know what mean? Like bundle, you know, I mean, like, get all three, you know, that type of thing, right. But you remember what like it never, we never finished. There were there were two, there were two that I don't think ever ever made it through the Comcast store. That one was one and then the other one was the the chef. Remember the chef thing, making it the cooking show or whatever like that. Rob (18:45) Did that one never I can't I w I w we shot so many Comcast spots. I don't I I don't remember it. yeah, yeah, yeah. We shot at the Viking store. Yeah, yeah. Don (19:02) We shot at the Viking store on Peachtree. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. But man, the nerd, the dodgeball thing, I was having the time of my life because we're all just winging these balls. You know what mean? Just trying to, God, it was hilarious. Rob (19:08) Yeah. I remember also, yeah, we shot a bunch of cool stuff or fun stuff for for Comcast. And I remember, and you worked on this one too with me, I believe. it was the old alien invasion, right? Like the with the UFOs and things. And basically we it was I I don't even remember the premise of the spot. I just remember we had a f we had a scale model of downtown Don (19:20) Yeah. yeah. totally, totally. I love that one. Do remember where it was? I could tell you. It was Little Rock, Arkansas. I ruined it, I ruined it. Yeah, was Little Rock, Arkansas. Yeah. Rob (19:43) hang on, hang on, hang on, hang on. It was Arkansas. Was it somewhere in Arkansas? Yeah, Little Rock, Arkansas. And and the model was probably, I don't know, what would you say? Ten feet by ten feet? Eight feet by ten feet? Yeah. Yeah. And we built these like flying saucers. Don (19:54) Yeah, it was big. It was bigger than you think it would be. Yeah, was huge. vacuum. Yeah, vacuum formed flying saucers with light. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Well, it was like, it was like they came from outer space, they descended, you know, and they brought with them, you know, like Comcast technology or whatever. But I remember our shooter had one of those old school like, pull trigger eight millimeter kind of things. He would like he like got down in there. You know, yeah. Rob (20:03) Yeah, they came down on fishing wire and we shot down in the city and it was all about aliens coming into town. I remember I remember doing that and that was a fun project. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. We're down in the city going around. Don (20:30) Yeah, it was awesome. That was super, super cool. Rob (20:31) And then that remember we when we were done with it, we took the we took the model and drove it up to the Comcast headquarters in Little. Don (20:38) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but but that so like that video production that like that's you know, even when you shoot commercials, right? It's like you got to find the right director for the right concept for that right idea, right? Versus like, hey, I'm shooting pets for pet care, or I'm shooting amazing, you know, food for food photography, things like that, right? Or environmental, you know, situation, you know, outdoor stuff, or whatever, as you mentioned, landscapes and things like that. So It's important to have a good team to execute the vision and things like that. And have a great client that bought into the concept and wants it to succeed. Rob (21:17) It all starts it all starts there. And you know, I will say that you know, obvious I'm not saying anything you don't already know, but like, you know, technology has come a long way. So to your point where yeah, we used to shoot on film and you have to pick your selects and all that stuff. Now you're shooting thousands of images, right? If we're talking still photography, it's just shooting thousands and thousands of images. So you have a lot more you know, it's way more efficient now. you can get a lot more out of it. And we're flying drones around and doing all the things that it's Don (21:33) Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's unreal. Yeah, I mean, so we will pour a beer right on into a glass, right? And then to your point, it'll be and then we just quickly go through and we go, OK, you know, that's the one that has the right the right top. We're to take that top, put it on this photo, you know, like you just you know, it's amazing how, you know, and then, by the way, it's all just digital uploaded for you. I'll it in a day. You know, type of thing, right? It kind of boggles the mind. So but. Rob (21:47) Really? Don (22:14) It also makes clients want to think that they can change things that easy as well, you know, so. Yeah, well, it's there's there's a blessing and a curse, you know what I mean? I mean, hell, running ads on TV about layer sets and how easy it is to make changes. like, oh my God, what what are you doing? Yeah, don't ruin it. Don't ruin it for us, you know, so craziness. But yeah. Rob (22:18) Yeah. I wasn't gonna go there, but yeah. Yes. The end is near. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's fun. Shoots are shoots are great. It's a fun part of the it's a fun part of the job. Don (22:41) It is a fun part of the job. is a fun part of the job. So, well, Rob, where can people find us to do to start that job? Rob (22:48) Ooh, you can find us on the interwebs at mocktheagency.com, of course, and on all the socials because we are nothing if not Don (22:57) We are very social. very social. We're very happy to talk to you about World Cup as well if you reach out to us. Yeah, absolutely. I'm gonna be sad when it's over. We're bookending this with World Cup. Rob (23:01) Yeah, we'll talk about World Cup two or blue in the face, really. Dude, the w there's gonna be a global sadness. There's gonna be a global sadness, I'm telling you. Even even today. Today was like the first day. Like there's no there's no game on today. And I'm like super pummed because it's normally on in the office and you know we're all watching and it's great and it's fun. But like yeah, there's nothing on today, although I think we have one tomorrow, right? Don (23:16) There's no game. Yeah, yeah, it's weird. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I trust you. I believe we probably do. I mean... Rob (23:31) Think I think we have one on tomorrow, but then I think and I think the England game you referenced Norway is on Saturday, I believe. So it'll be a big weekend. But yeah, it's coming, it's it's we're whittling it down. We are whittling it down. Don (23:36) Saturday, OK, yeah, nice. It is we're getting down to the well. We got eight teams left, you know, so it's it's happening so alright. Well, we'll catch you next time everybody. Rob (23:47) All right. See ya.