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Has this already been a successful regular season?
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With one match left to play in the regular season, the Sounders have already improved on last year by many metrics. But the last game is a big one. Jeremiah and Aaron debate just how important it is to beat the Timbers in the season finale.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorships
00:00:02
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Fullpool Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Fullpool was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
Will Bruin Joins the Network
00:00:25
Speaker
Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. now i get to do voice reads for the sounder at heart podcast network but
00:00:40
Speaker
about sell <unk> it
00:01:21
Speaker
we all got of sudden go
00:01:30
Speaker
We're seeing some hardwood commentary that we didn't take lo seriously.
Sounders' Unbeaten Streak and Cascadia Cup Goals
00:01:41
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of NOS Adietta, sponsored by Fullpool Wines and our subscribers. We're recording on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024. I'm your host, Jeremiah Shan. Joining me today are my co-host, Aaron Campo and our engineer, Lickett.
00:01:57
Speaker
As we enter the final game of the regular season, the Sounders are sitting on 56 points, writing a six game unbeaten streak and have not allowed a goal in their past three. They also entered the game against the Timbers with a chance to reclaim the Cascadia Cup with a win. And rather than go into a long thing here, Aaron, I'm just going to ask you a simple question. We don't know where this is going. The Sounders could bow out in the first round of the playoffs. They could win MLS Cup, but where are we sit here right now?
00:02:26
Speaker
the end of the regular season.
Did the Sounders Have a Successful Season?
00:02:29
Speaker
Has this been a successful regular season in your mind? I think that, uh, if you're of the hall, if you don't want a trophy, it's not a success ilk. Um, you know, obviously they have to win MLS cup for that to happen. And so you'd have to say not yet. Uh, I'm not that way though. I think that, um,
00:02:46
Speaker
that it's really difficult to win a trophy. And if you're yeah if you're judging whether or not a sixth season was a success ah on that criteria, you're going to be really disappointed most of the time. for So for me, I have to say, yeah. I mean, I think that my criteria really, especially now that the Sounders have won trophies, it was different in 2015, right? When you know the Sounders hadn't won an MLS Cup, hadn't won an Open Cup in a little bit. Well, I guess they won it in 2014.
00:03:14
Speaker
um You know what I mean, right? Not having that big trophy. um Now, it's just, did I have fun? And after the first six games, no, I was not having fun at all. But since then, the Sounders have been one of the best teams in MLS. They, I think, especially have been really, really fun to watch over the last, you know, really, I think coming out of League's Cup, they've been, I think, a different kind of animal to watch.
00:03:42
Speaker
I've been having a blast for, I would say, most of the year now at this point. um and To me, that's a success. i mean Ultimately, the sounders are an entertainment product. They're something I follow, watch, talk about for fun. and I think at this point, the the amount of fun I've had is has outweighed the amount of frustration or anger I've had.
00:04:02
Speaker
uh there was a lot of it front loaded in the season and it took a while to shake that feeling but yeah I mean for me it's been it's been a success and I'm I'm also just really excited because whereas earlier in the year it felt like man, this is going to need to be totally blown up and rebuilt and redone and restructured. Now it's like, this seems already pretty good. And they have all these resources becoming available. And it seems like we're getting pretty solid commitments that they're planning on using them. So it's it's really exciting right now, which is all you can ask for.
00:04:34
Speaker
I definitely can appreciate where you're coming from. And I maybe I'll i'll offer a little bit of ah a counterweight to that. I do feel like this game on Saturday is going to go a long way to determining how successful of a regular season it is.
Sounders vs. Timbers: Breaking the Home Winless Streak
00:04:51
Speaker
Yeah. And by that, I mean, if like, if they win.
00:04:55
Speaker
that that ends a long, that ends an almost unfathomable streak of going winless at home against the Portland Timbers. They have not won a home game against the Portland Timbers in the regular season since 2017. They haven't. So I think that they got to end that. like It's hard for me to imagine a world where they don't end that streak and this feels like a successful season. Yeah.
00:05:21
Speaker
ah But that so they'll end that. They would win the Cascadia Cup. They get to 59 points, which to me is a pretty that's a big number. You know, we'll get into this later. But at 56 points, they've already that's that's pretty good. Like they're they're already. I think tied for fifth best all time in terms of the Sounders ah most points in a season. ah It's been ah it's been a very good season this year, but I think there's still some elements of
00:05:54
Speaker
what constitutes a successful season. And I think what constitutes a successful season has to include winning some of those big games. And and so far they have not won a lot of the, you know, they, they, they've lost famously to LAFC three times or four times actually, but three times their last three times have been especially painful. Uh, they lost their most recent game against the timbers.
00:06:18
Speaker
Uh, and those still, I think carry an outsized weight in terms of the way this season has felt. And it has been a much, I agree with you. It's been a much more fun season this year, I think than last year, for instance. Uh, it's been.
00:06:34
Speaker
Like the the high they've they've had long stretches of really, really, not just successful results, but enjoyable games. Like this last week where they won all three of those games, even though they won two of them, won zero, they were fun games. They were creating chances. They were the better team end to end. But yeah, I mean, I i still think for this to feel like a successful regular season, they they really do need to win this this season finale.
The Importance of Winning the Season Finale
00:07:01
Speaker
Yeah, it's difficult to argue with any of that. Um, I, you know, I, I'm sure, I think it's one of those hindsight versus in the moment things where if they beat the timbers on Saturday, I'm going to be on cloud nine, you know, I'm going to be ecstatic and it's, it's going to be clearly have been a great regular season. I think in hindsight, you know, a year from now, even if they don't beat the timbers, I think it's still, yeah, I can see that, but I think that that's, I mean,
00:07:29
Speaker
who cares Who cares about a year from now, right? will be A year from now, it'll be towards the end of of another season, which hopefully they've won a supporter shield or something. So um so yeah, I really can't argue with any of that. Well, one of the interesting debates that started to come up, and I don't know, I suspect you and I agree on this one, but along those same lines, it was suggested by so by someone in the comments that as long as the Sounders play well,
00:07:58
Speaker
In fact, they're more concerned about them playing well than they are about them getting a result in this game. And to me, that's i I am the total opposite. If they play well and get a tie, let's just say they they play really well, ends in a 1-1 tie, where maybe even the Sounders score an equal... They're chasing the the game at the end.
00:08:23
Speaker
it's not going to feel like a successful. it's ah I would much rather them win an ugly and go into the playoffs that way than play really well and not get the win. Absolutely. yeah They can play like dog shit. If they win that game, I don't care. Yeah. I think we have a a lot of evidence that this team is good. I don't need the confidence boost. I need exactly the Sounders to be Portland at all. And like and so I think that's that's sort of a good jumping off point into this, which is, you know, you can go back
00:08:55
Speaker
You know, the thing that's been most common way of looking this is you go back to June 15th, that was the first game after the Sporting Kansas City loss, which also technically started the second half of the season. And over the second half of the season, the centers have gone 12-2-2 in MLS play. And that is currently, if they win this game against the Timbers, they'll get the 41 points in the second half of the season. I am pretty sure I have not been able to totally confirm this, but I'm pretty sure that would be the second most points in any half season in MLS history. the The one team that was better was the 2018 Sounders who went 13, no 14, two and one.
00:09:40
Speaker
Uh, so they would, they would fall just short of that record. I believe though, they would only be the second team in MLS history to claim more than 40 points in a half season. And I just, I bring all that up because they've been playing, that's they've been playing well during the, it's not just the results. They have averaged, uh, almost two goals a game during that time. They've given up less than a goal per game in that time. They have played mostly.
00:10:10
Speaker
Yeah. If not outright exciting soccer, I think perfectly acceptable offensive soccer in that time. Yeah. But you can go even farther back and you were digging up some numbers. I was, I was kind of surprised at some of what you found.
Hopes for Playoff Success
00:10:26
Speaker
Yeah. So, uh, since the windlass start, um, so starting with the Montreal game, the sounders have, um, 54 points from 28 games.
00:10:37
Speaker
That's a pace of, I believe, about 66 points over a full season. That's 1.93 points per game. that would That would be the best ever season. Yeah. Shield Contender is almost any season. ah if you go if you if you're If you change things up a little bit and you um go a little further forward, um because they still had some struggles after that Montreal game,
00:11:03
Speaker
And you start with the Philly game. So the last 24 games, the Sounders have 50 points from 24, which is 2.08 points per game. That is the same pace, not the same pace that the enter Miami has, sorry, but it would be a 71 point ah pace for a full season, which would be record setting in most years. Right. um Enter Miami obviously is going to.
00:11:30
Speaker
rewrite some some record books this year. Potentially. potentially yeah They do need to win their season finale to set the record. But far and away, the Sounders' best season, that kind of pays over full season. And obviously, you can't erase those first six games. You can't erase the bad start. But I think if you're looking for reasons to be excited about this team and they're possibly the possibilities and the playoffs,
00:11:56
Speaker
It's a lot more reasonable to compare them to the team they've been over the last 24 games or 28 games. You know, we're talking three quarters of the season, thereabouts.
00:12:08
Speaker
And it's it's ah hard for me to believe that that's not a more accurate representation of this team than the first six games or the first 12 games or whatever it was before they really figured things out. And then if you just like go back to even more recent times, they've they've been, I think, even better and given people more reason, given me at least, ah more reason for confidence in their ability to make some noise in the playoffs. so Even when things were still pretty mediocre and and the feeling was more or less, yeah, the Sounders are going to make the playoffs, but so what? I was actually bullish about their ability to to go on a run just because of the way the team is structured. Now, man, I mean, there's not a, ah like I've, I think I've said a million times, there's not a team in the West that I don't think the Sounders can beat except for LAFC. And LAFC, I don't literally think the Sounders can't beat them.
00:12:58
Speaker
And I am increasingly kind of feeling like, you know what, they got to beat him sometime. Might as well be in the playoffs. Um, so it's, it's just crazy to think back even a couple months to what we really thought the potential of this team was. And I just, uh, I've, I've said it so many times, but I think it's such a credit to Brian Schmetzer's ability as a coach to take this collection of players, completely restructure the way the team works.
00:13:26
Speaker
and turn them into a totally different animal than what they were earlier in the season or even last season and and put them on a run like this. And it's like the second or third time he's done this in his sounder's career. It's pretty incredible.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, it it is pretty incredible. And I think it's probably the best coaching job he's done yeah since he's been here. i I just recently filled out my my end of season award ballot. I don't have him, I have to admit, as my coach of the year, I went back and forth on that quite a bit. I do think Tata Martino probably needs to be coach of the year. I know on some level, it's like, oh, this is he had Messi. What's the big deal?
00:14:07
Speaker
But Messi missed half the season. He has them playing at a really high level regardless. I mean, you can, you can point at the talent, but there was so much potential for distraction, but this is not a Tata Martino show. This is a b Brian Schmetzer show. Brian Schmetzer has done an amazing job. And I think in any other year, he probably would deserve to be coach of the year. And I think there's a pretty valid argument for making that he, he belongs there this year, but not the least of which is you look at the team right now.
00:14:37
Speaker
and basically these pieces were all effectively here all season and he sort of had to reshape them and remold them and get everyone into the position and I guess you can argue it was his decisions that put players in different positions earlier in the year but I think he deserves a lot of credit for rejiggering this lineup in a way that makes as much sense it is right now. You know you have a starting 11, almost all of whom, if not literally all of whom, are probably back next year, or at least they're all have... Albert Russell next going to be out of contract, but I think everyone else is under contract now for next season.
00:15:17
Speaker
And they could theoretically bring that whole group back. They may choose to change things up, but I, this is probably the first time in a long time where I'm looking at their starting lineup going, you know, if this is who they start the season with, I'm not saying that's preferred, but I could handle it. Yeah. I think that it's, if that's the case, it's a situation where it's less about how I feel about that group of players and more about the optics of going into the season without making another big move, you know? Um, yeah.
00:15:44
Speaker
which is a different conversation than we were having a couple of months ago. um I still, I think and expect that they're going to make a pretty significant move in the off season, at least one. Yeah, but I do too. But I take your point, right? Of like this team, this collection of players, assuming Robert Rusnak is back, has played at an an extremely high level. To some degree, they've over performed maybe They're you know, they're underlying numbers, but I don't know I think they're the last time I look at their they're not crazy Yeah, like they're expected wins and expected points. They were right there um I think they're just a very good team that is Maybe a little unconventional in the way that they're good, but I don't see anything about if it's unsustainable
00:16:27
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, I'll tell you, they are over-performing their XG by about 0.2 goals per game. And they're giving up about a similar number of, a similar, fewer number of goals than their XG suggests. But their XG, point being that their XG numbers are also pretty solid during this run.
00:16:53
Speaker
ah And you know the the big revelation is is Paul Rothrock, obviously, and I think you can maybe argue that the the book is still out. If he is sort of catching a hot streak and is just sort of in the form of his life, or if this is sort of the player that he is, I think there's a valid argument to be made for either. And and right now, I'm more inclined to think that this is sort of the player he is because He's just so good at putting himself in dangerous positions and putting his teammates in, in dangerous positions as well. And, and it feels very repeat, you know, like I look at, especially the last two games that he had against the whitecaps and the rapids. And I just see a lot of really repeatable actions. Yeah, he's not scoring flukey goals. He's not, um, he's not just getting really lucky. He's not.
00:17:48
Speaker
Finding himself in totally advantageous positions where the setup is easy, like he's making things happen.
Optimism through Strategy and Performance
00:17:54
Speaker
And so much of it is positioning and making good runs and and being able to read the defense and stuff like that, which is just not the kind of thing that tends to lead to a flukey performance.
00:18:06
Speaker
Obviously, the the league is going to have the opportunity to adjust to him a little bit, and that that can always you know be a factor. i think that it's is he gonna put up like it's Is this just who he is as a guy, and these are the numbers he's going to put up year after year?
00:18:23
Speaker
i Probably not, but you could have better ears than this too. right like it's it's It's tough to say. um I think that the sounders are in a great position where they can just kind of go find the best available guy.
00:18:38
Speaker
and figure it out. you know And that's that's a really good spot to be in. And if they decided that they want to you know invest in the midfield maybe ah and see how Paul does in the first half of the season and keep the idea of signing DP Wenger in their back pocket um you know for the ah so for the summer window, that's I think a much more defensible decision than it would have been a couple of months ago, especially because I think it's going to and defensive midfield type is going to be able to integrate a little more quickly.
00:19:09
Speaker
Um, and they're probably more important to the overall structure and function of your team. So you want them here as soon as possible. Whereas a winger, you know, especially if Rothrock is playing it in an okay, but not good enough that we don't feel like we need to sign a DP winger level. It gives them some time to integrate as well and a little less pressure. So, uh, it's, it's really changed the equation quite a bit.
00:19:31
Speaker
Yeah, know about I think it definitely gives them the flexibility to go out and try to sign in a player that has some upside that you're not necessarily needing to show up on on the first week and be a starter. Yeah. And that's you know, that's we they still have Pedro de la Vega who's still sitting there as you know he has been starting games. He's been healthy.
00:19:53
Speaker
I think each game he shows a little bit more of his potential. It's been a slower progression than I think any of us really thought, but you can still see it there. And I would imagine an off season and a whole preseason where he's able to be fully integrated would do him well. So I'm still reasonably bullish on Pedro de la Vega. Thank you for listening to the Sound Rithart podcast network, which now includes no sunny at this lobbing scorchers and the cooler guild.
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00:20:23
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:21:06
Speaker
And I don't know, I mean, they they might go out and they might try to sign a a DP forward. But I did think that's what's so exciting about this offseason is that there are offers, they have options. they they don't They shouldn't feel like they have to go out and do anything. ah Although they adding adding talent would be yeah kind of the key at this point. ah So looking ahead a little bit to the actual game, I don't want to overlook the Timbers at all. This is a team that up until recently was really quite good.
Timbers' Challenge Despite Winless Streak
00:21:40
Speaker
Uh, they are currently on a four game winless run. There are only, they've only lost one of those four games, but their last win was a four, two win over the galaxy. Pretty, pretty resounding win. there we it During this four game, when this run, they've got a three, three tie with RSL and then they've only given up one goal in
00:22:04
Speaker
There are, or they haven't given up more than one goal in any of their last three games. So this is a team that, you know, results wise has not necessarily been great, but they are still playing pretty well. They score goals in absolute bunches. They seem to have sort of figured out something defensively that, you know, is starting to work for them.
00:22:27
Speaker
I believe they're gonna be missing Kamal Miller, which is a blow at center back. He obviously was a big reason the Sounders didn't get any anything out of the the last game against the Timbers. But ah this is a this is a dangerous team that they're they're playing. i don't I don't think the Sounders should overlook them at all. No, and i I can't imagine a reality in which they would. No. um yeah I think...
00:22:54
Speaker
On paper, this is a horrible matchup for the timbers. I think, um, the sounders, have agreed that ah the sounders have been able to shut down their offense in a way that nobody else really has. Portland is God awful on the road. They have 14 points from 16 games on the road this year. Um, they do score a lot, but but you know, like I said, the sounders have have found a way to, to keep them, uh, to keep them off the board more or less. Um, I think they've given up one, one goal in their, their two games this year, right?
00:23:23
Speaker
Uh, they gave up, uh, no, they gave up one go on each of the two games. So okay to i mean that's that's much better than most Dean is doing against the timbers. Yeah. Uh, I think that the, the way, especially the sounders play now, um, is less advantageous for the timbers than the way that they, they have been playing in the last few years. Um, they're going to press a little bit more. They're going to try to compete in in the midfield a little bit more.
00:23:50
Speaker
Um, and I think that's gonna, especially with missing their, I think, winch pin as much as you can call anyone the winch, but in the timbers defense, but, but missing that player and having to face a little more pressure than usual, uh, that, you know, maybe would be advantageous. But, um, you know, from a vibes perspective, right? That's, that's the, that's the world we're living in in 2024, I guess, is that's the thing that matters. Um,
00:24:16
Speaker
The timbers have a huge advantage in that regard. Uh, they, you know, they have just, Obed Vargas was, I think 12 years old the last time the Sounders beat the timbers and in Seattle, uh, the pandemic hadn't happened. Um, a different world. It was really a different world. The last time the Sounders beat, beat Portland, it was a different world. It was like, I don't want to say May 22nd of 2017, something like that. Yeah, something like that. The Sounders had not won champions league yet.
00:24:46
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And technically in one, one MLS cup. Technically, the sounders did beat them in the playoffs in 2018, but they didn't because the two of us won the series. Right. So that doesn't really count. um So, yeah, it's I mean, it's been so long and it feels crazy how long it's been. um I think the first episode we recorded in this house, which was me in this house, you're in a different house, but it was over three years ago. And I and I remember distinctly talking about how that
00:25:18
Speaker
There's no way the timbers can keep beating the sounders at home. It's just they can't keep happening. And it felt like almost like comical at that point. It's not as funny anymore. It is. It is not. It is not funny anymore. It's it's it's funny in a morbid sort of way. And it should be said, the sounders have not been. You know, that there was a stretch there where it felt like they just could not.
00:25:43
Speaker
but They like lost their minds against the timbers yeah every time. I think the centers have now tied the timbers three straight times at home. The most excruciating, of course, which was the last game where they were up 2-0 at halftime. They seem to be flying. And then Leochu gets sent off and they end up giving up two goals and almost have to hold on for a 2-2 tie. But we don't need to relive that.
00:26:11
Speaker
ah I will say that this is a a team on paper that the Sounders match up very well with. ah they This is a kind of team that has struggle that the Sounders have handled well at home. They are not a team that's just going to sit back and absorb pressure. they They want to get out and play. And the Sounders have done really well against teams that want to play. I mean, that's really been yeah the ah that's that's what's defined their success this year is teams that aren't
00:26:42
Speaker
just wanting to sit back and counter or have had trouble with the sounders. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think that Phil Neville is the kind, you know, I i will say that Phil Neville has been much better than I had anticipated.
00:27:01
Speaker
Uh, I thought it was a comically bad hire when the timbers made it and it does not look like it has been a comically bad hire. They've, this has been a pretty good timbers team, all things being, uh, all things considered, but he does not strike me as the kind of coach who's just going to come in and grind out a result. Yeah. These are the kinds of games where I think the, the reasons it was a bad decision could potentially come to light, right? Like he, he is just incapable of being anything but himself.
00:27:31
Speaker
which can be beneficial sometimes if scored 64 goals a share, right? Can also be not as great. Yeah. Yeah. And ah to go into what the centers probably need to do to shut down the timbers, it really, I think it might be as simple as.
00:27:49
Speaker
Evander. ah yeah know He has been eyes as not as unimpressive as he was last year. He's been every bit as impressive this year. He is scoring goals from all over the park. ah He is assisting. he He obviously had the assist in the in the first the last meeting against the Sounders.
00:28:12
Speaker
ah I'm not as, you know, and this is the famous last words I suppose, but you know, Jonathan Rodriguez, the Sounders have done a good job with Jonathan Rodriguez and Felipe Mora in the, in the two previous games for the most part. Uh, they've, got they've also found some joy with their fullbacks getting forward. Although it was funny because I thought they did a great job against their fullbacks for the whole game the last time and then inexplicably they give up this counter-attacking chance to the timbers that they score on through their fullback. But it, don't get me wrong, there's there's plenty of reasons, any plenty of ways I can see the Sounders not winning this game, but this is the kind of game, I do feel good about this one. this is This is a game where if you don't win, I do think you have to start considering whether or not there's some kind of curse or
00:29:11
Speaker
you know, voodoo, black magic, something at play that's not, that's metaphysical in some way. Um, it's, it's really just the sounders are clearly a better team. I think they're a good matchup for the timbers. Uh, I think this, I mean, it's a, it's a hugely important game for both teams, even more so than a normal Portland Seattle game because of the playoff position and everything. And then the Cascadia cup being on the line. and Um, so I don't, I don't think there's any risk of and anybody not being up for it. Um, I just, yeah, I feel good about it as well. And I feel awful for feeling good about it. Right. I know. Isn't that a, isn't that a strange feeling? It's quite a conundrum. Yeah. Well, all right. So the the last bit I wanted to go over here is there are three potential playoff match-ups that the Sounders can have. They can face either the rapids.
00:30:07
Speaker
Minnesota United or Houston Dynamo. Uh, I guess the way I'll phrase this is are you at all, like, are you at all worried about any of those three? Like that's the wrong way of putting it. Those I'll just say for me, those feel like three pretty good match-ups for the Sounders. Yeah. And I'm not sure I have any emotional interest in which of those three they play.
00:30:34
Speaker
All three are teams that you have to feel like you can beat. I don't know that there's one that's any better than the others. um Colorado, obviously, I think, is the more more interesting one because they were up towards the top of the table for so much of the year and it slid so quickly. um i I think that the version of Colorado that we've seen in the last couple months is probably closer to to the real version of Colorado. but Um, they've been very good at home, uh, which is, you know, you're going to have to play one of these teams on the road. So that's a factor. Uh, Houston has been awful at home, but they've been quite good on the road. Um, they have the same road record as the sounders in fact. Um, so maybe that's a factor, but I think really.
00:31:22
Speaker
you know, this whole, this whole tangent is evidence that you're really splitting hairs at this point. Like I just, I mean, Minnesota is probably the hottest of the three teams. They have two losses basically, uh, during since league's cup, one was against the, the Sounders. And then the other was, was against FC Cincinnati. Houston, I think has maybe shown the highest
00:31:47
Speaker
the highest upside of the three. And the rapids have probably been the most consistent team throughout the season. I think Houston is probably the best team of all three. if if i could That's a fair argument. um Minnesota is a very familiar opponent for the Sounders. They've played like six times this year or something like that. They have played three times, yeah yeah. And, you know, maybe we're their LAFC.
00:32:15
Speaker
Is that right? No, I guess I've played three times this year. and yeah Yeah. So it could the kid end up playing six times total. Yeah. Um, but yeah, so maybe, cause we've beaten them all three times. So maybe, maybe we're LAFC to them. That's kind of fun to think about. Um, but yeah, I, you know, um, I think they're all good teams and and they're capable of upsetting the sounders. I like that's the playoffs in MLS, but the three, three legs, I guess you can't really call them legs. Um, that's kinda.
00:32:44
Speaker
are rated, if you call it three legs, but you know, three, three games, um, definitely gives you the advantage. I think it's the better higher seed. So, um, yeah, whoever it is. Are you at this point, do you have a moat much emotionally invested in the side of the bracket that are on? Like, are you worried about being on an opposite side of the bracket than LAFC? Or is it, I know earlier you said that you were sort of,
00:33:10
Speaker
get it over with kind of thing like Yeah, I'm increasingly there. I mean, I think that from a objective standpoint, it's probably better for the sounders to be on the opposite side of the bracket ah of LAFC. But I think that that most likely means they lose to the timbers. So there's that. um And I just You know, you can't run scared your whole life, I guess. if they and And in a way, right? If they get knocked out of the playoffs by l LAFC, well, of course they did, right? right like they They can't hurt me that much more, I don't think.
00:33:44
Speaker
Um, then they already have. And if they beat LAFC, I kind of don't really care what happens in the rest of the playoffs. That's hyperbole. I mean, that is, I mean, I don't know. There's something to be said about that. Like if there is something to be said by if they were to beat LAFC and then not, and then fall short of MLS cup, there is sort of a, I think that's a different feeling than if they get knocked out by LAFC. Yeah, I think that's true. I think that's true. I mean, the 2015 season,
00:34:12
Speaker
felt pretty good at the end because we finally beat the Galaxy in the playoffs. And it just felt like such a monkey off the back, right? And and I think it can kind of be similar to that. um This Sounders team is better than that Sounders team was. And so i I'd obviously I think they have a real shot at making a run if they can get past the LFC. But yeah, it's ah so yeah, i'm I'm kind of of the mind that I I don't really care. Whenever we play them is great. um I'll be relieved if we can somehow avoid playing them.
00:34:41
Speaker
there's a little part of me that will also be kind of bummed um that we you know didn't get a chance to to do it. yeah for what For what it's worth, the best probably the the best case scenario for avoiding them is for LAFC to win their season finale by multiple goals.
00:35:00
Speaker
and they are playing San Jose. san jose So that's that's on the table. that's pretty They're a home game against San Jose that is definitely possible for them to win that game by multiple worlds. And then Galaxy would basically just have to lose their season finale and they are playing Houston away. So that's, I mean, that's a plausible combination of results. LAFC is definitely going to want to finish first, especially over the galaxy. So it's not like they're going to be totally unmotivated, you know? No, and right. Yeah. yeah Same goes for the galaxy, obviously, but. Yeah. And so I guess in that scenario, the centers would probably end up, well, I guess it's ends up. I don't know. I don't know. I'm not going to try to figure that out, but that wouldn't that wouldn't be the worst
00:35:49
Speaker
That certainly wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for the Sounders is if they could just avoid playing LAFC for as long and sort of, you know, if someone else knocks them out, so be it. Yeah, pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. I think, uh, I really want to be LAFC in the playoffs, but i'm I'm not going to be sad if we, if we have to wait for another year to do that, because it means we don't have to play them and then we go on an MLS cup. That would be great.
00:36:15
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Well, that's a probably a ah good place to call it. well We might come back and and ah we'll we'll have some lots of fun post. We might make do another post or another episode before the end of the the season the end of the regular season. Otherwise, we'll move straight into ah playoff preview mode.
00:36:38
Speaker
Uh, next time you you see us, but ah thanks again for, for listening. It's been, it's been a fun season this year. Like I said, uh, lots of ups and downs, but I feel like the ups really did. Eventually. Yeah. Yeah. It felt, it felt, you know, we'll see. Let's let's, I would really like it to just end on a high note and then the regular season on a high note.
00:37:04
Speaker
put this behind us, move into into the off season or move into the playoffs and feel good about all that. It would be nice to have to be fair. Yeah, I think after after the last.
00:37:19
Speaker
Last season and the first chunk of this season, I think it would be it would be nice to feel something pleasant again about the steam yes going into the off season. Yes. All right. Well, with that said, I am Jeremiah O'Shean signing off for Aaron Campo and Lickett. ah Thank you, of course, to our sponsor, Full Pulled Wines. ah This is Nozodietis. And remember, you'll never get alone.
00:38:20
Speaker
one