John Oliver Explains English Soccer To Dave | Letterman

[@st.ricardomilos5117]

I can only imagine how much patience John had to gather before being okay with calling it soccer for 10 minutes

[@painstruck01]

he missed out Wrexham, the oldest professional sports team in the world, who fell from top tier of English football to the fifth tier where they were purchased by Ryan Reynolds. "Welcome To Wrexham" on Disney details the start of his journey, along with best pal Rob (from It's Always Sunny) to get Wrexham back up to the top tier of English football once more.

[@mahonrripenilla3839]

Soccer is a British Term. That's where it derived. The term soccer really caught on in USA because that was the most popular term for it but the term football gained popularity again and was replaced by the majority. They used to have Soccer Sunday on Television. They only despise the word soccer because Americans utilize the term.

[@Ninja1980]

Soccer is derived from the full name for the sport "Association Football". People would call the sport either team Football or team association, later shortened to "soccer". The term football was primarily used in England while the name soccer really caught on in Ireland. Later many Irish immigrated to the US and Canada and the name came with them. The name also stuck due to American's calling a sport that primarily makes use of ones hands (and ironically where the only people who kick the ball are ex-soccer players who only had a good kick, but lacked all other skills); Football.

[@jimmunro4649]

Yanks so backward

[@stuartcollins82]

@@painstruck01 Notts County would like a word, they formed in 1862, vs Wrexham in 1864. The oldest club is the Sheffield Football Club, 1857, but I don't think they're professional.

[@mmhendrie]

after this interview - but Luton Town FC, were promoted 4 times in 10yrs, to go from playing non-league (amateur soccer) to the English Premier League for the 2023-24 season. Cinderella soccer story.

[@jerryhayes9497]

Hoping they can survive the season

[@mikecraig8454]

And before Leicester won the league of course

[@WesterossFox]

Wrexham are starting this journey from non-league and are definitely on an upwards trajectory.

[@Hawkskull]

On the other end of the spectrum, Oldham Athletic were once a premier League team and are now playing in the conference (the first team to ever fall that far from grace) but this happened a while after this interview

[@darthwiizius]

In the 80s Wimbledon came from from non-league to top flight in 5 or 6 years and left with an FA Cup in their cabinet. Also, google Vinny Jones Paul Gascoigne for an, erm, iconic image.

[@jaywinner328]

I don't think I've ever seen John happier than when Dave requested to show a clip they didn't have.

[@porcorosso999]

Show the clip!!

[@worthless_opinion]

"They"? 🤨

[@HOTD108_]

@@worthless_opinion What's your problem pal?

[@mrufino1]

@@worthless_opinionthey, as in the production team of the show.

[@jaywinner328]

@@worthless_opinion They, as in, the crew of the show.

[@shinankoku2]

This is a classic! I love John’s continuous self-depreciating humor with Dave playing straight man. That is, until right up at the end when Dave says ‘roll the clip’. Amazing!

[@avjake]

Strangely enough, it's actually self-deprecating.

[@bearcb]

Oliver made Dave think this was an English craziness, when in fact it’s how it works all over the world

[@TheSakuragihanimichi]

Oliver is British and league football originated in the UK...so I think asking him is fine. The answer wasn't that clear though😅😅😅

[@j.harrison6744]

Football was invented in England. And before any smug pedants mention the Chinese or Greeks, I'm talking about the competitive sport with its two nets and codified rules. Not just kicking a spherical object.

[@invernessfan3017]

@@j.harrison6744 Some people say football was invented in Scotland.

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

​@@j.harrison6744 actually ⚽️ was invented by a Franco Germanic tribe who then brought it to the Hooligans on the Isle

[@j.harrison6744]

@@invernessfan3017 Well, "some people" are wrong.

[@ScottLevick-n6p]

I love how John was proper chuffed about Dave throwing to a clip that didn't exist.

[@worthless_opinion]

Seemed like Dave was trying to redirect Oliver's slam on capitalism.

[@germen2631]

Argentinian here. I can feel the thrill of trying to explain how Football works (and feels) to people in the US (even tho he didn't fully know or remember some key aspects of how their league works). Also, I really wonder what he thinks of Leicester, winning the Premier. That happen roughly 2 years after this interview.

[@randomuser6907]

Had people asking what team I played for because I was wearing a river plate jersey. I almost died

[@afc358]

I immediately thought of Leicester, too.

[@Kurt-ci1dk]

@@randomuser6907 What is a river plate jersey?

[@randomuser6907]

@@Kurt-ci1dk only the jersey of the biggest and best team in arg and South America

[@Kurt-ci1dk]

@@randomuser6907 thanks...I suspected something like that. As a hockey person i have often considered that sport is a matter of acculteration...tried as i might to avoid falling asleep during premier league matches. Btw...I do so enjoy tweaking my euro friends by calling soccer...soccer.

[@1962jet]

as much as he loves it, John Oliver did not explain the English soccer league system well at all

[@chm4gsc]

I thought he tried to make it too funny and ignored the facts. Leeds and Leicester are not "peasant teams" for example.

[@guyhealy5999]

Yeah. He claimed that his true love was football over his present lot in life, but it was clear comedy is his real love. Dave seemed to want to have a serious discussion about the sport but clearly JO was looking for joke set ups.

[@eriklakeland3857]

@@chm4gscthe joke-splaining format gets tiring to watch

[@emdiar6588]

@@eriklakeland3857Yeah, but remember the old saying of ''it's funny 'cus it's true''? Well for the same reason, if you know that the premise is wrong, it's not funny. Saying nobody moves up is ridiculous. He should know that if teams move down they must be replaced by teams from the league blow. Otherwise the Premier League would be empty in a few short years. I think JO is less of a fan than he'd have Americans believe.​

[@asadmahmood5983]

He also just went against 70% of the things he's stated, previously

[@ccguy66]

I’m disappointed that a monster soccer fan like John Oliver can’t tell you immediately that there are 20 teams in the Premier League. Yeah, I know there used to be 22, but it’s been 20 now for so long it’s canon.

[@David-iv6je]

Yeah I'm an NBA fan but if somebody asks me I always need to stop and think about it before saying "Uh, 30." Talk a bout a league that could really use relegation....

[@Raymaster7482]

Yeah and he can't clearly explain how teams are promoted and relegated

[@Jazzman0910]

He’s a Liverpool supporter. He doesn’t need to worry about such trifling details. I’ve watched games with Manchester United supporters and they can barely acknowledge there’s another team on the pitch..

[@davidgoldstein7149]

My gosh to not give the Leicester (winning premier league) or man city (played 3rd div only like 20 years ago) examples of the league system is pretty bad.

[@Croccifixo]

​@@davidgoldstein7149 I agree with City, as they won in 2012, but you can't fault him for Leicester. This show aired on 30. September 2014, around 1.5 years before Leicester became champions ;)

[@alfiend331]

John Oliver is hilarious, but how does he not know the promotion/relegation rules? He was WAY off. The bottom 3 teams in the Premier League get relegated to the Championship...every year. And the top 3 from the Championship get promoted...every year. There is movement between all the leagues every year. That's part of what makes it interesting.

[@hayberdasher8625]

So...nobody buys their way into or out of anything? He was just wrong about money making a difference?

[@gtzgabriel98]

He definitely knows the rules but knows Americans don’t care enough to fully understand them so he makes a bit about it

[@haakonrem]

bottom two teams get relegated, the team third from the bottom goes to a playoff.... So not necessarily three teams relegated. you are not hilarious and you dont know the promotion relegation rules!

[@hayberdasher8625]

@@haakonrem "you are not hilarious" lmao you're a comedy gem yourself

[@tubensalat1453]

@@hayberdasher8625 The system seems to be pretty much what we have here in Germany, too. So you have two teams moving down and two teams moving up guaranteed and possibly three each; the teams don't buy into a franchise and just stay there regardless of how poor they perform. I think we have like eight levels of leagues and it can and has happened that a team from the top-league plummeted down to a level where they're ~never heard of again on a national level. Reversely some village team can rise to the top league and beyond (international); either through years and years or decades of hard work. Or if you have a billionaire (from the software or softdrink industry, for example) that just throws money at that club; money does make a difference when you can just buy any player you want.

[@multipl3]

John Oliver has made self-deprecation an art form! Love him

[@pollytickle8346]

Oh you are sooo wrong, it is British humour! We don't big ourselves up, as that is showing off. Hence why we brits cringe when you yanks do it. Calm is best, it's in our dna. 🎉

[@alexlyster3459]

It's generally an art the Brits are good at, but John Oliver is indeed a true master

[@kstepko]

Long before Reynolds and McElhenney welcomed us to Wrexham, John Oliver attempted to explain football leagues in the UK to Americans.

[@joeybaseball7352]

Who?🫤

[@kstepko]

@@joeybaseball7352Ryan Reynold and Rob McElhenney co-own a Welsh football club. There’s a FX sports documentary series about it.

[@joeybaseball7352]

@@kstepko oh, I didn't recognize them by just their surnames.

[@john_avernia]

now you guys have Messi. I'm so jealous.

[@sie4431]

And did an awful job of it. For a supposed fan he doesn't know much and couldn't explain it even with letterman dragging it it is him

[@matthewwalker5430]

John Oliver in September 2014 in response to Letterman suggesting that the lesser teams can struggle their way to the top: "Yes, they can, but we all know how that works" Leicester City within 2 seasons made him look a little silly, having just won promotion to the Premier League, staying in the division and then going on to win it in 2015-16

[@rrjgpl]

That was once in a lifetime achievement, what Leicester did. They then proved John right by getting relegated.

[@davidhurtado2725]

not really. Leicester's victory was an absolute anomaly. Nobody, not even the most ardent Foxes fan could have seen that coming. They could have dream it but no, no one. You don't set 5000/1 odds if you even remotely think that would happen (a guy actually bet a few pounds as a wishful thinking at the beginning of the season and welp, KACHING!)

[@RobBCactive]

They're a championship team.

[@lvbluestreak]

Thanks to Ted Lasso I found this interview thoroughly engaging - obviously Dave is the best when it comes to talking about sports as a late night host

[@chinncannon]

Dave's deadpan face when congratulating John on the cover of Rolling Stone is fantastic and nobody laughed! (except me)

[@MeldersJnr]

To all those moaning about John not really knowing about football .. he just gave the basics to Letterman who, to be honest, only asked out of manners - and it probably went in one ear and out the other... lol

[@gtzgabriel98]

100%

[@Elwaves2925]

Exactly. He's explaining footie to a man who said the cover of THE Rolling Stone magazine. He could explain it properly but it would be boring and pretty much pointless to that audience. Just like explaining American handball or baseball would be to a UK chat show audience.

[@connycontainer9459]

I think Letterman thought that all leagues are competing equally with each other each season and John Oliver just missed that point (because he was too much into his jokes).

[@BadgerOff32]

Yeah, but even if he's just giving the basics, knowing how many teams are in the league is like literally _the most basic_ knowledge you could possibly have about the sport you profess to love. I don't even have to think about it to know that there are 20 teams in the Premier League and 24 teams in the Championship, League 1 and League 2 (and John couldn't even get the names of those last two leagues right. He called them Division 1 and Division 2, which were the old names of the Premier League and The Championship about 40 years ago)

[@paulbradford6475]

Letterman is also an owner (or part owner) of an auto racing team.

[@mulletforyou]

Watching that was totally worth it for the joke at the end :) Dave is a master at creating moments

[@asadmahmood5983]

He also just went against 70% of the things he's stated, previously

[@nedludd7622]

Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show had a song about being successful but being sad because they couldn't make it "On the Cover of the Rolling Stone". A wonderful song by a great group written by a fine writer Shel Silverstein. This was in 2014, two years before peasant team Leicester won the championship at 5,000 to one odds. Some Leicester betters made a lot of money. There were stories of bookies trying to buy back tickets towards the end of the season, but probably few Leicester fans went for it.

[@richard1472]

"On the cover of The Rolling Stone. I'll be out front smiling, man. Oh, beautiful.*

[@philipethier9136]

Bingo. Words by Shel Silverstein.

[@andyangyh]

Leicester City. Won the Premier League a few yers back. Now relegated to the Championship

[@davedavids57]

Luton where in division five a few years back and now they are premier league!!

[@romulusnr]

7:10 John: "They might need an extremely rich, um, oil baron, to help them" Audience: *laughter* Fulham, Man City, Newcastle, Sheffield: what's the joke?

[@andreasmay2344]

He's such a massive "soccer" fan that he does not know how many teams are in the premier league

[@MrJimheeren]

I love myself some football. I don’t know how many teams there are in any league. I could probably count them in my head but I don’t know immediately how many teams there are

[@TheFranc77]

The capitalism joke activated the Letterman red button (heres where you go bye bye, kid), but that backfired beautifly.

[@dannyfromtheville3613]

9:28 I think Dave went Grandpa Joe on us for a second😄

[@jimmyholloway8527]

For the Sake of The Nation, resolve the Writer/Actor strike now! We need some FRESH OLIVER, now! Always good to see Dave and his guests, but I need to learn some NEW esoteric points on publicly traded companies conducting unscrupulous business practices.

[@AM-vc4tt]

I don't know who's reaction is funnier at the end 🤣🤣🤣 they got me laughing

[@Mo_Taser]

Just Googled Oliver's wife. Man, no wonder he's always smiling.

[@yeetyeet7070]

His wife got emotionalized by propaganda and fought in an illegal resource war. Why is John cognitively dissonant about this? He's usually so smart...

[@Mo_Taser]

@@yeetyeet7070 I have no idea what you're talking about.

[@chigeryelam4061]

Oliver demonstrates an American's level of knowledge about English football. 20 teams in the Prem btw.

[@IspettoreCatiponda1]

As a former Sunday League player, I'm offended he didn't mention it.

[@openlyclosed6244]

Former? Did you get signed by a pro-league side? AFAIK Sunday league players never retire.

[@IspettoreCatiponda1]

@@openlyclosed6244 I left the UK few years ago but my heart will still be with the Northgate Rangers of Canterbury!

[@robr177]

It pleases me greatly that Oliver has not changed one iota. Still laughs hysterically the exact same way whenever he's a guest on any talk show.

[@BobbySacamano]

Last Week Tonight is one of the few shows I'm missing during the strike.

[@Thecrib796]

Me too

[@ChancerellaBangs]

Me three @@Thecrib796

[@jakelover1731]

Me too but I applaud the solidarity. I remember when The Daily Show did "A Daily Show" which was kind of borderline.

[@keinish77]

I love it when he says "They might need a rich, maybe oil baron to help them". He predicted Welcome to Wrexham

[@LollieVox]

Letterman interviews hold up over time! Reminds me of a simpler time-

[@marcomarcon5802]

"English soccer" translation: world football

[@Daxtarr1]

Last Week Tonight, still the best show on TV. How many Emmys has John won? 4,5,6?

[@lea6555]

".. A professional football player.." I bet that felt good to finally slip that in 😂😂😂

[@SaintMartins]

True only 5 teams rule the Premier League year after year. Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal. The rest get the "nice try" participation ribbon. LOL 4:44

[@justsomeofmyfavs]

Not completely true. English Premier league is one of the few major leagues where surprises can still happen, e. g. Leicester's great title from 2016. Imagine that in Spain. No chance.

[@leodhasach...]

Here in UK had to jump through hoops to watch Letterman. Really miss him!

[@andrewwire9019]

9:39 "...I'd like to see a clip of your WIFE"

[@kstepko]

I Googled her right after that! She’s gorgeous!

[@newhorizonstudioz6320]

Worth noting John that Luton have now gone from conference to premier league :)

[@stugixer57]

My team Luton Town FC got promoted to the Premiership this season, it’s earned us upwards of 130 million quid, it’s going to help build a long awaited new stadium, we may only stay in the Premiership for a season🤷🏻‍♂, if we end up in the bottom three of 22 teams we get relegated back to the Championship . We are a properly run club with little, if any debt, the US owners of Manchester Utd that were so loudly cheered have actually helped them amass a debt of over 970 MILLION pounds😳, perhaps they have D J Trump as a business advisor.

[@BevisFriend2010]

Gotta love the way Dave kicks him repeatedly when asking for a video of his wife. 🤣🤣🤣

[@jonnyc1103]

EVERYTIME Dave posts now, I have to check to see if the guest just unexpectedly passed away...😵‍💫

[@multipl3]

And he is a huge Liverpool fan which is why I really love him 😁😁

[@davedavids57]

Yes that's the worst thing about him. Liverpool fan from London. Aka glory hunter.

[@multipl3]

@@davedavids57 moron. His parents are Liverpudlian

[@Romeojulietless]

19 teams John ? Oh dear , not a good Ambassador for Football .. sorry Soccer

[@davidedwards2109]

Luton are now in the Prem after being in the conference 10 years ago

[@warren52nz]

One of my favorite comedians!

[@dougim]

Love John Oliver.

[@WDKimball]

Oliver might as well be explaining it to a Labrador in Basque. Letterman is looking on obediently and the lights are, but there is no one home. 😶

[@buckyperchski-mc2vo]

He’s from Indiana. Do you expect more? It’s like trying to explain world culture to a cheesehead from Wisconsin. It will never sink in. Hopeless.

[@carlosfer2201]

"We don't have a clip" That was hilarious.

[@emu_warrior]

RIP in peace Johnny Oliver, you're up in heaven with the queen now

[@philipethier9136]

Who the heck are you talking about.

[@BatkoNashBandera774]

So glad we sent a medic to go rescue a lost puppy and bring it back across the pond, then nurse it back to health.

[@rustynail1194]

He likes English football so much he doesn't even know how many are in the Premier League. It's 20 teams. And the Conference isn't called that anymore, not for ages. It's called the National League and they aren't amature, they are made up of professional amd semi professional teams.

[@casseahewson2660]

This clip was from quite awhile ago so he may not have been wrong at the time. Letterman has been off the air since 2015

[@rustynail1194]

@@casseahewson2660 he was still wrong at the time mate. The Prem has NEVER been 20 teams. The conference hasn't been amateur before, it's always been a mix of professional and semi professional teams. He's a typical armchair supporter, not even from Liverpool, he's a southerner, his local side is most likely a London one. He hasn't a clue how the football pyramid works, it's embarrassing that he calls himself a football fan.

[@casseahewson2660]

@@rustynail1194 I think primarily he was messing with Dave. They are both dry and sarcastic

[@rustynail1194]

@@casseahewson2660 yeah but you know how obsessive sports fans are, he knows he'd get ripped for mistakes 😉

[@MinnieandMickeyandSnips]

“They might need an extremely rich oil Barron” *laughs nervously in Newcastle United*

[@carlwilkerson9722]

Laughs remotely (US here) at Sheffield Wednesday. Sometimes a maverick multimillionaire from afar isn't enough.

[@robinblackmoor8732]

Wow, Bob Barker, Jimmy Buffet and now John Oliver. They always say celebrities die in sets of three. John was so young. What did he die of? Does anybody know?

[@wallacerose8663]

It seems he likely died of shame after failing to accurately describe the Premier League and the concept of promotion and relegation in English football.

[@gui_alleoni]

"English Soccer" that sounds so weird hahahaha It's call football, damn! hahahaha 😂

[@MossyMozart]

Britain's lost was definitely our gain.

[@fredmcveigh9877]

Your Welcome

[@ChrisBigBad]

Very nice to see Mr Oliver. Thanks. Looking forward to seeing more of you.

[@hulldanfan]

John Oliver's explanation is close enough for those that don't know the detail. ANY team can get relegated to the league below if they finish in the bottom 3 teams. The salient point is that the teams with money can buy whatever players they want in order to return to the higher league by finishing in a high position the next season. Just think of it as 3 TEAMS GO UP and 3 TEAMS COME DOWN.

[@johnpetherick3396]

Nope. It was an awful explanation. Letterman managed to liken it relatively Successfully to a Baseball team going down to AAA, AA etc. Oliver is wrong - big teams do go down a league, and sometimes two (Man City 20 years ago, Leicester/Southampton/Leeds/Sunderland were all 3rd tier recently too), and teams do make it from 4th or even 5th tier to the premier league (Bournemouth/Luton).

[@bgsash242]

05:02 its actually only 4 tier of professional league, and they still have another semi-pro or amateur leagues up to 10th tier

[@goodfella1401]

Football is played around the world and the most popular sport on Earth. American football is rugby with more padding

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks for posting

[@Dancrept]

This repostings have scared me several times thinking the guess is dead

[@BDUBZ49]

I love that all the Englishmen in the comments are so annoyed.

[@markbirchette8740]

You could chop wood with that hooter!😂

[@fredmcveigh9877]

Perhaps they should chop wood with that hooter .I'd pay to watch :0)

[@marcelcicort9671]

He should eat his words since MLS is at beights never before imagined and while many people worked very hard to get to this point, people like Messi is further elevating it graciously and some of us are loving it!!❤

[@baharinkamarul3389]

Wait...need to google john oliver first.

[@mariog4707]

Oldham Athletic played in the Premiership and now play in the Conference and there are many ex Premier League teams now playing in League 1 - so it does happen - very often.

[@S1L3NTG4M3R]

hi Dave!!!

[@liveandinstereo]

About soccer: John Oliver - "there's nothing I like talking about more." I get it, John Oliver. I get it.

[@waryaawariiri1812]

John had a nice chance to explain further and clearer than he wanted to. Dave was clearly interested more than John's useless banter for laughs. He didn't even know there are 20 teams in Premier League. And he would have said the top three (or four) teams from each league from at th end of each season quality the upper league and the lower three teams of that said league are relegated and replaced. And I am Canadian and know this. What does it say about him?

[@davidc2838]

It says he's toooooo F-in successful to F around about it. Clearly not an issue for some people.

[@Risuwasakkagadaisuki]

Loved that clip

[@phillipecook3227]

Jeez. For a supposedly English football fan JO is remarkably ill informed about how the English league system works. Even a non football fan like me could've explained how it works in less than 10 seconds.

[@Wellwhadayaknow]

Yeah and you would do it in the most unfunny way because you're not a comedian and he is. Lol what a stupid comment to make.

[@robertspencer2516]

About time he got the old band back together and got the Zalts over

[@michaelparks6120]

Must be a slow day.

[@kstepko]

I’m wondering if this - and the Jimmy Kimmel clip yesterday - is intended to promote the late night hosts’ upcoming podcast.

[@Tysto]

John fails to catch Dave's drift: Can I buy a soccer team & get it into the premier league?

[@a.champagne6238]

I didn't know he was sick.

[@ungadunga5441]

Tuberculosis sadly.

[@AlbertoLopezR79]

It is called Football, English Football.

[@LetsBeHonestImAPrat]

He didn’t even know how many clubs are in the Prem, not a true Englishman, there’s 20 Johnny boy, also it’s called League One and League Two and the National League

[@greatmcluhansghost7134]

Ha. Now that is how nationalism works. Ha. And classism too, if you watch a lot of national team sports-makes people: angry, war-hungry and obedient, not to mention tribally minded. Did u by chance vote for in favor of Brexit, mate?

[@LetsBeHonestImAPrat]

@@greatmcluhansghost7134 No

[@LetsBeHonestImAPrat]

@@greatmcluhansghost7134 just correcting someone who claims to be a fan but is working off info from 30 years ago

[@AlanDavidDoane]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@justsomeofmyfavs]

@@greatmcluhansghost7134 Classism? WTF? Relegation and promotion system is what makes European leagues system far superior and more competitive than any North American-type closed league. Where any town can have its club promoted to higher levels on merit, and where clubs are true clubs that represent something. And not "franchises" that can switch cities on their owner's whim. And I am not even an Englishman.

[@johnrivera922]

If I didn’t already love John, I do now.

[@micd3402]

Im failing to see the comedy

[@kstepko]

But - we’re learning! ⚽️ 🥅

[@MatterShim]

are we supposed to feel bad about your shortcoming?

[@emu_warrior]

I'm sorry about your autism

[@LazarusW]

I suggest trying corrective lenses.

[@Rob_Kates]

​@@LazarusWAs Dave would say..."About an hour at Lens Crafters."

[@panddmorales6607]

Actual Football. Played with the Foot and a Real ball.

[@jamesfloyd6075]

I’m sure it was a much more flattering Rolling Stone piece than Fallon’s!

[@Kinlochbervie50]

it's wild how much John Oliver is clearly anxious. i've been binging videos of him being interviewed and you see it a few times whether stammering, being short of breath or in this video about 3:52 onwards when he's seen fidgeting with his tie. he must be confident presenting on these huge issues that he intensely researched, but being interviewed about himself?... uh-uh!!

[@yeetyeet7070]

His wife got emotionalized by propaganda and fought in an illegal resource war. Why is John cognitively dissonant about this? He's usually so smart...

[@GeorgeHPeters]

The automatically-generated subtitles are a constant source of hilarity.

[@SmilingIbis]

Brief moment of panic when Dave said to roll the clip and John had no idea what he might have.

[@redguern]

Appoint him as head of VAR with his extensive knowledge of "English soccer"

[@agffans5725]

Brentford is a good example of a team with a tiny budget, making it from League Two (level 4) to League One (level 3) in 2008-09 and then win promotion to the Championship (level 2) in 2013-14, and still with a tiny budget also win promotion to the Premier League in 2020-21, staying up and doing well. They are not going to win the Premier League with their small budget, but they may end in top-4 some day, to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

[@robinj6137]

Luton Town!

[@FaintImpression]

It's funny how he's talking about how teams don't make it all the way up when this year Luton are playing in the Premiere league having worked their way up from the bottom rung of professional football

[@tonyduncan9852]

I knew sparks would fly. Thanks.

[@dannymac9110]

The lets take a look at the clip. Hilarious

[@ttacking_you]

See? This was some textural work by letterman, very cerebral. Talk about his come up, delve deeply into the strata of British football ⚽ ....then reveal the whole time he was lamenting the lack of a clip to fill up time! 😂

[@fatbelly27]

Conference level teams are fully professional, attracting large paying crowds and playing to a high standard

[@OHix-kc2jj]

he's always been hilarious!

[@TheGhostplanner]

It’s called „football“ because you play it with your foot. So is it called „soccer“ because… you play it with your socks?! 🧦

[@mobo7420]

Soccer comes from the term "association football"

[@pieich]

Even Letterman doesn’t understand real football. What can we expect from the average US person, what a country of geniuses

[@roger_melly5025]

soccer is an abbreviation of the word Association from Association Football which is the sport's official title

[@marknewbold2583]

Bravo! At least one other person knows their football history

[@giteausuperstar]

I know John is trying to be entertaining here but he didn’t really sell English football very well: 1. There are over 100 professional teams in England alone 2. The teams in the premier league change every year (bottom 3 are kicked out and replaced) 3. It is very common for premier league teams to go down a league and never return. 4. It’s also very common for small teams to climb up the ladder and eventually make it to the premier league. This is the beauty of the sport. There’s actually severe consequences for failure.

[@davidschaefer7455]

Great disservice to the game.