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Lobbing Scorchers End-of-Season Awards Show!
822 Plays2 days ago
With the 2025 regular season concluded, it's time to dole out some end-of-season awards for the Seattle Sounders. We've assembled an All-Star panel to discuss a collection of individual honors for this year's Seattle squad, including Team MVP, Attacking Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
Contact: lobbingscorchers@justoncemedia.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Format
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. What the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
Seattle Sounders' Season and Playoff Discussion
00:00:44
Speaker
Good evening, everybody. Welcome to a very special episode of Lobbing Scorchers Under the Lights. Folks, the Seattle Sounders 2025 regular season is in the books.
00:00:56
Speaker
ah They are starting their playoff campaign this weekend at Minnesota United. But first, we are going to be doing our first ever Lobbing Scorchers end of season awards show.
00:01:07
Speaker
We have eight different categories. to ah to dole out these awards to your favorite Seattle Sounders players. And we've assembled an all-star panel to ah to help us give out these awards. Would you be shocked that Nico was late?
00:01:22
Speaker
Believe it or not, Nico Moreno is going to be a part of this panel. He is running a little bit late, but he's going to be here in a couple minutes, supposedly. It's going to fill that's gonna be a four-man panel, and we are going to be giving out, yeah, the lobbies. That's a good name for it.
00:01:34
Speaker
that's a good name for it ah Jeremiah, thanks for tapping in. How are you doing this evening? I'm doing good. I'm doing good. Just made dinner for the fam.
00:01:45
Speaker
So, you know. All right. Hell yeah. It sounds like there's a ah banner night at the O'Shawn household. Noah, what's up, man? Thanks for tapping in again. How are you doing? You ready for some ah end of season awards? Yeah, I moved.
00:01:57
Speaker
ah yeah So I have no furniture. It sounds really echoey in here. And I've been living off cans of soup. So i'm I'm really hoping for some super chats tonight.
00:02:08
Speaker
but Well, your setup just moved in the last couple of days. It's not bad. But yeah, thanks for tuning in. We're excited for this. I'm excited to see what you guys picked. I think there should be some good ah spirited debates tonight.
00:02:24
Speaker
ah So let's get into it. We have a couple of things at the top of the show that I did want to hit. ah So ah and while we wait for Nico, but before we get into all that, please, everyone, please like the video.
00:02:35
Speaker
Sub to the channel, rate five stars, follow us on Instagram, follow us on TikTok. Buy the Lobbing Scorchers hot sauce, lobbingscorchers.com slash sauce. I mean, is there ah is there anything else to show or is that about cover it?
00:02:49
Speaker
All right. i think we're good ah for a sounder
Impact of Injuries on Playoff Prospects
00:02:53
Speaker
at heart. All right, guys, before ah before we get started on the awards show, I did want to start on a ah we're going have to start on a more somber note. We haven't recorded a an episode since the prognosis on the Pedro de la Vega injury that he suffered on decision day.
00:03:09
Speaker
came out. Wait, Pedro De La Vega got injured? He got injured, unfortunately, and it is indeed, as we found out, going to keep him out for the rest of the season. It's a fractured Patella, right? Is that the medical term, but a but basically a broken kneecap, broken kneecap, which sounds very painful. But ah J.O., I guess, ah is there any ah more info as to like ah like timeline or severity or just what's the latest on the whole situation for those who who might not be in the know the last couple of days?
00:03:44
Speaker
So he had surgery on Tuesday. and i my understanding is that a fractured patella is, it's not a best case scenario, but it's not the worst case scenario, which would be like a torn ACL, which takes longer to heal, which has more, you know, there's more challenges to it. This is like ah apparently a pretty straightforward recovery process.
00:04:05
Speaker
And they think he'll be back sometime March, April, something like that. So he'll miss, you know, some time for sure next year, but I would think you'll probably be able to train with the team during preseason and potentially playing again with that, you know, maybe three months into the season, two months into the season.
00:04:27
Speaker
Okay, well, yeah, so that's obviously that's obviously bad, but it is it's not as bad as it could have been. Like you said, if if it had been in ACL, we'd be talking about, like, I was kind of preparing for a scenario where he wouldn't be playing competitive soccer in the year 2026.
00:04:40
Speaker
twenty twenty six so Right. not and that's a Yeah, so that's that's obviously not the case, and and that was, you know, because it was his right leg, which I guess this is the ACL he did, and if you re-injure an ACL, I think that even lengthens the recovery process even more.
00:04:57
Speaker
And yeah, if if it had been an ACL, it sounds like he could have been out for the year. I've heard a lot of traded. ah i mean, i don't know. Trading a player when they're in the middle of an injury recovery is usually not a thing that happens.
00:05:12
Speaker
I just meant, you know, you might not, you might be a little shocked if you redo the same knee after not barely playing. You what saying? Right. I'm saying it's good for him. It's good. It's good. This is a good thing. I was, I was being, i was being Doomer. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Chad.
00:05:25
Speaker
Well, I guess ah let's. I'm in a layer right now. It's hard. It's hard to tell the vibe. It's ah let's talk about the short term implications of this, because I think, you know, it's it's horrible news, obviously. And, you you know, you feel really bad for him after everything you went through last year and all the work he did to get back and then what a great season he had last year.
00:05:46
Speaker
I just, it sucks that he's now out for six months and isn't going to be able to play in the playoffs this year. i think we were all looking forward to seeing what he could, we he could do after what he did in league's cup. I was hell yeah, looking forward to watching him in the playoffs. So we're unfortunately not going to have that.
00:06:01
Speaker
ah But no, I guess, how are you feeling about how this affects Seattle's Seattle's prospects in the playoffs this year? Because I think for me, ordinarily, ah when you lose one of your best players one of your designated players right before the playoffs it's kind of hard for your mind not to go to a place of like this is chalked like you know if we had him it would be uh it would be mls cup in the cards but without him it's kind of it's a ceiling capper like It's hard to see how they make a run to MLS Cup.
00:06:29
Speaker
I'm not really fully there with it. I feel like they have enough at that position where a playoff run is still in the cards. But ah how are you feeling about that? I'll let you
Panel Insights and Fantasy Football
00:06:36
Speaker
cook on that. And then Nico just tapped in. We'll ah we'll get him on.
00:06:39
Speaker
Bring him right, I'll just bring him right here. And I'll cook on this as well. um Welcome. Thanks for showing up. Were you just too busy losing at fantasy football or or what? whoa I did lose for the first time in three weeks, but yes, no, I was actually picking up my daughter Thursdays is not my thing. Usually I don't pick her up on Thursdays, but today was an exception.
00:07:03
Speaker
But here we are ready ready to roll look like an asshole. Oh, no. Come on now. It's just regular, you know, dad duties. yeah ah But yeah, we were we were cooking on, am my am I scared if of the playoffs now that Pedro Deleva? No, like everyone on this team's a winger.
00:07:22
Speaker
We've talked about this. Is Ryan Kent back? Is he coming back? This is so Tom is asking in chat. That's a good ah segue. He says, J.O., did Kent train today? Will he be ready for the best of three series? That's what I'm wondering as well.
00:07:33
Speaker
Yeah, so he's been training all week. Oh, go ahead, Nico, if you want to answer. No, no, no, glad go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. Sorry. he's been Yeah, he's been training all week. And doesn't it sounds like he's iffy for for the game one, but he is likely for game two.
00:07:50
Speaker
See, that makes me that is one thing that makes me feel better about the prospects ah of playing without Pedro De La Vega. Because, mean, they're they're different players. And I think Pedro De La Vega has shown kind of a ah different level at his peak than than Ryan Kent did, even when he was cooking when he first got here.
00:08:06
Speaker
But I do think they they offer like kind of similar stuff, in terms just in terms of being creative players that can pull great plays and pull... ah pull great passes and goals out of nowhere. Like they both kind of share that, uh, that attribute.
00:08:20
Speaker
So I'm, I'm hoping that this, uh, creates a path for Ryan Kent to show us that he's still Ryan Kent, because I've been consistent that I never, uh, sold my stock. But, uh, Nico, uh, how are you, how are you feeling about the De La Vega situation? i guess just Seattle's prospects of an MLS cup run, uh, playing without him.
00:08:39
Speaker
Look, I, uh, think that there is no hiding away from the fact that Pedro provides things that no one in this roster can provide, even Ryan Kent as a proven commodity, as a proven winger.
00:08:52
Speaker
I think that there's no other player this season that puts the fear of God into defenses the way that Pedro has. and And I'll share some other stuff here about Pedro this season when we get into the ah the award part of the of the show.
00:09:11
Speaker
ah But I still think that Seattle has a collective unit at that winger position that can replicate collectively ah what he can provide you know when he comes to having a guy that provide be important in big time games. You got primetime Pauly when it comes to ob beating defenders 1v1 and creating havoc.
00:09:34
Speaker
You got Georgie Minungu. so you know that Still better than Messi at beating defenders, by the way, statistically speaking. So you got, ah you know, a community of wingers that can, you know, hopefully do a lot of the things that that Pedro did.
00:09:49
Speaker
But again, i I do believe and I continue to say that the chances of the Sounders getting farther and farther into the playoffs do diminish with his injury.
00:09:59
Speaker
ah I wanted to add on Ryan Kent that the way I read it, with what I've seen from him on in practice that they're trying to build him up for at least 30, right? 30, 20 minutes. but he's been Today he was a partial participant, very high intensity on both drills and scrimmages, but then he gets taken off, they can take him to the side, they kind of assess that injury, I think.
00:10:26
Speaker
ah There were three guys that did a little bit of assessment on the side of the scrimmage today. Alex Rodin, Yamer Gomez-Andrade, and of course, Ryan Kent.
00:10:36
Speaker
ah So I think that there is a sense that Ryan Kent is close to being and ready to be available, just probably not for a large amount of time, not for 45, not for 90.
00:10:50
Speaker
I'm sure that he could build up to get closer to 45. But right now it just seems like it's a very condensed, very high intensity part of the training that he's part of.
00:11:02
Speaker
And, yeah I mean, you have to imagine that ah Paul Rothrock is going to be the one tasked with stepping up in in this situation. i mean, does anyone see it differently? Or do we expect Georgie Manungu to maybe take a bigger role in the playoffs?
00:11:20
Speaker
How do you kind of see it ah see it's shaping out as far as who's going to take the lion's share of covering for this, J.O.? I think it's probably going to be Paul. ah You know, he was... he has been a starter essentially anytime someone's not available at the wing and frankly, most of the season.
00:11:39
Speaker
So I would think that the easy it's, it's a, you know, plug and play kind of situation. i think he's very clearly the preferred option there. yeah all right well uh it is uh it is playoff time guys uh it's exciting i know the de la vega injury i think kind of put a damper on it but uh it is time for the postseason and to see if the sounders can they're gonna have to play a lot of road games in all likelihood to make it to uh to mls cup so we'll see if they can do it uh we did have the playoff wild card round start last night uh i watched both of the games uh you had two three one results one chicago over orlando
00:12:17
Speaker
And then the Timbs did take care of business and get it done and save Phil Neville's job. They get a 3-1 win over ah RSL, which extend Phil Neville, extend him. we were all for i was for the the downfall, the chaos and and turmoil. And Real Salt Lake, they actually they were pushing for that equalizer and they didn't quite get it.
00:12:35
Speaker
But ah as we just talk about these first two games a little bit before we jump into the awards show, I want to start with you, Nico, because you've been the Orlando City guy. You ah you stuck to your guns.
00:12:47
Speaker
ah You're you're you're the Oscar Perea apologist. ah What did you think of watching the Chicago fire? that That game wasn't even close. Like the Chicago fire destroyed Orlando city.
00:12:58
Speaker
Get ready to learn Greg ball, buddy. You know, the U S should look into that guy. i guess for the U S M and T. My question is like, you know, I wouldn't have even thought that this was a question until yesterday, but like is Pireo on the hot seat? Like it's considered one of the best coaches in MLS, but their end of their season was Send his ass to Atlanta, bro. I'm telling that.
00:13:17
Speaker
I did text you that. I said, Oscar Perja, welcome to Atlanta. Sorry, Nico. I'm just cooking here. No, no, no. I dig it, man. I dig it. As always, that's that Noah.
00:13:28
Speaker
Paul Rothrock just has all the energy in the world. I love it. ah No, so look. It was easily the worst playoff performance by an Oscar Pereja team that I can remember.
00:13:44
Speaker
it was definitely the worst as the manager for Orlando. the team just lost all sorts of fight. I mean, there was no creativity to start off.
00:13:56
Speaker
They didn't really seem to be a game plan. It was way too conservative. The team was way too deep. ah a Martino Hada was, you know, on a milk carton missing in action. I mean, they couldn't find him at all.
00:14:07
Speaker
I think Angulo has progressively gotten worse throughout the season. ah thought that when Spicer came on, he was a more um influential player at that position. So,
00:14:19
Speaker
ah Jensen seemed to be a guy that just got rushed in from the injury, obviously for a an important elimination game, but just didn't look quite ready.
00:14:30
Speaker
So it was just this... perfect storm of things that created by far the worst performance that i seen from an Orlando team. Oscar Paraj is absolutely on the hot seat. I think that this will cost him his job. You cannot have a roster of this caliber and come up short.
00:14:49
Speaker
ah Have things not gone his way? Has there been maybe moves that shouldn't have happened? I thought that Robito Enrique was a key component as part of that trio that they continue to rotate at the nine.
00:15:02
Speaker
They let him go. ah thought that Muriel digressed throughout the season. i think that Pedro Gales has had one of the worst seasons that he's had in MLS. I thought that in the midfield, Atuesta just had good games, had bad games, just too hot and cold. So, you know, there were things about this team that you can kind of point at. but when You have that much resources and and Oscar has gotten everything he's wanted.
00:15:26
Speaker
Everything he's wanted, he's got it. They brought it in and he just hasn't been able to put it together. i think, and as ah Oscar Pereja guy, and I'm an Oscar Pereja guy today, the same one i've i've I've always been, but there is a question of, look, Oscar is a great coach that can come into your club and build it up from the ground up.
00:15:47
Speaker
And I thought he did that with Dallas. I thought he did that in Orlando, got their back their their first title, right? U.S. Open Cup, right? Whatever. Some people don't rate it. I think it's an important accomplishment for that franchise that was in the dumps before that, that just didn't have an identity.
00:16:04
Speaker
So I think he can do that. But can he take your franchise to the next step? That's a valid criticism. And just to conclude it you know, it is... unsuccessful He was unsuccessful in Orlando to a certain extent.
00:16:16
Speaker
You know, he brought him to a certain point, but then beyond that, he just couldn't take that extra step. Yeah, the whole question of a coach that can, you know, build you from the ground up, but can they get you to the next level? I think it's pretty much exactly what ah ah RSL is going through with Pablo Mastroeni, as we kind of saw in the other wildcard game.
00:16:35
Speaker
ah The Timbs, does anyone have any thoughts on ah the Timbs RSL game? I mean, well the Timbs got the three one win, but ah ah RSL was really pushing to make that 2-2. I felt like they got a little unlucky to not get it to 2-2, and then Portland gets the third. But I almost feel like ah there's a lens to look at it.
00:16:53
Speaker
where this so like It's kind of like prolonging the inevitable for the Timbs. like I don't think anyone thinks they're making a cup run this year. i think this was the worst possible win for
Portland Timbers' Playoff Prospects
00:17:04
Speaker
them.
00:17:04
Speaker
Yeah, explain. explain Because you i mean you saved your absolutely dog shit head coach's job. I mean, that guy is fucking terrible.
00:17:15
Speaker
I don't understand how they haven't let him go. It's because he keeps doing shit like this where he's like... Guys, look. Guys, look. going to pull a rabbit out of a hat. But it's funny because by his own standards that he will go and talk to the media about, he's a failure. He said if they make if they have to do a play-in game, if they're playing in the play-in game, it's a failure of a season.
00:17:38
Speaker
So... I don't really know. Why did he say that? He said that like, Jeremiah, listen, you know, you know, you've you've been talking with Merritt in the in the Lumenfield tunnels.
00:17:53
Speaker
Did you what did you say to him? Did you say you should? Yeah, you should keep that Phil Neville guy. Is this isn' your best troll yet? Yeah, exactly. that that was the way He was like, what do you think? Should I keep sha keep ah the Fizzer? And I was like, you got to keep the Fizzer, dude. to youde Extend the Is that his like Twitter handle?
00:18:14
Speaker
Yeah, something like that. but yeah I think it i think it's is actually might be his like actual nickname. But you know i did I did not think that the Timbers looked particularly good. I mean, they scored a couple early goals.
00:18:25
Speaker
I will say a remarkable thing for ah Felipe Amora to score two goals on his own rebound. ah You don't see that very often. Of course, he couldn't complete the hat trick.
00:18:37
Speaker
It would have been, I think, the first hat trick in a Timbers player I'd ever scored at home. I thought they've not scored a hat trick ever. No, they don't have a hat trick, period.
00:18:48
Speaker
Diego Scharra has one, apparently. What? That's a wild stat. that's a wild sta i've been hearing this stat my whole life. then They said it on the show like on on the broadcast last night.
00:18:59
Speaker
i don't believe it. I don't buy that. I don't think that's right. I think that's a made up hat trick. oh i yeahs play yeah i would I would remember that. No hat tricks in MLS play. all right all right that's That's an important qualifier.
00:19:15
Speaker
Uh, I did, I did want to, uh, I did want to ask because, Portland, they are matching up with, uh, San Diego in round one. Nico, do you know what's going up with, uh, Chucky Lozano? Tom Bogert, uh, recently reunited with the athletic.
00:19:29
Speaker
He reported that there was some sort of like disciplinary thing going on with, uh, with Chucky and that his status for this round one series against Portland is, uh, It's like not clear that he's going to play. And then, you know, when you hear stuff like that, it's like, oh, is this is his future with the club in flux right now? Like, is he disgruntled?
00:19:48
Speaker
Does he want to get out of there? But also, ah if Chucky Lozano is not playing in the playoffs, that affects Seattle in the sense that like their chances of making a run. ah San Diego without Chucky Lozano there, that's a... yeah drastically weaker team, is it not? Like, that's one of the most talented attacking players of any team in the Western Conference that's potentially not going to be playing. Like, what's going on with that?
00:20:13
Speaker
Yeah, look, I made some calls and I got some nibbles. I mean, we do have some sources that touch in the farther part of the circles there.
00:20:24
Speaker
I do have a a contact within San Diego. And what I got was two different takes, which is interesting and why i haven't really put anything on X. But I'll share with you guys because whenever you go out on a search and you don't find something and you want to create something,
00:20:41
Speaker
A little content with it, why not? So when he came to the source closer to Chucky, it sounds like there's confidence that things are going to get resolved and that there was a moment that he wishes he would take back, you know, roughly translated into English. That's what I would put it as.
00:21:00
Speaker
ah But that everything's all right and that in the playoffs he should be um part of the playoffs. And I thought that was important, part of the playoffs. They didn't say he was going to start or same, you know, sort of role. They just said he part of the playoffs.
00:21:16
Speaker
And then i talked to my source, you know, closer to the club side, and it was kind of more concerning about – Mikey Varas is a guy that does not allow certain sort of behavior within his teams. And that makes a lot of sense because we all know Mikey. And I think that what he's done with this team is remarkable. And a lot of it has to do with his mythology and the way he handles his teams.
00:21:42
Speaker
So I would absolutely believe that if someone is not taken to the the right way of of the clock, he's going to pull that piece out and put another one in, even if it's a lesser important piece, right? If if I think that Pellegrino is going to do the things that i ask and it's going to be a guy that...
00:22:03
Speaker
is more to the standards of what I think should be the standard, then I'm to let that guy on. So two different takes on that. My guess is that it's probably somewhere in the middle. ah If I had to, you know, provide a educated guess, my guess is that Chucky probably is coming off the bench and has to earn his spot back.
00:22:23
Speaker
into this team, ah which at the end of the day, as you mentioned, it is a big deal because this team is drastically better with a guy like Chucky Lozano on the field. A guy that could beat you 1v1, a guy that can beat you with mid-range shots, a guy that is clearly an important part of this team and that you don't ah you don't leave Dreyer as the only guy that can provide all those things, right? He's the other...
00:22:49
Speaker
attacking guy He's the other person that's going to stretch out defenses. So it is a big deal for the San Diego team. But that's kind of what I've been able to gather so far in that regard. There's no way that they're going to play the playoffs without Chucky Lozano or him with a minimized role to any significant extent.
Disciplinary Issues Affecting Playoffs
00:23:09
Speaker
i know I don't know what Mikey Varis' ground rules are, but unless it was something insanely egregious, their chances of winning MLS Cup, I don't think they hinge all on Chucky, but you have to think that their chances of making a run chuki and dryer have to be carrying that i don't i don't think they can do it without both of those guys firing so maybe they're doing it's not the time to make a stand for them on this i don't think uh you know i say that without knowing what's going on at all but yeah maybe maybe they're doing a bit maybe they're doing like a halloween themed bit i like the chucky doll you know i think it's posturing i'm fully expecting to be out there for the uh for the portland series
00:23:50
Speaker
I think they'll be fine with Portland. i mean, they beat Portland pretty comfortably without him. yeah I think that there are players, like I mentioned, Pellegrino. I think that they they want to get more out of Marcus Ingvarsson.
00:24:06
Speaker
I killed that last name. I tried to read it right out of here and still completely chopped it. ah ah But this Danish attacker that they brought in, he's supposed to be a guy. ah Chopped and Unk?
00:24:19
Speaker
Yes, absolutely. interesting All together. All together. But he's a guy that I feel like could, you know, help this team out on that attacking side and creativeness wise and just being ah another guy that could be effective on our role.
00:24:34
Speaker
ah So there are guys that could put it together, but it's still very likely I don't know. Ari has a good point. a coach willing to go the extra mile and put himself at a disadvantage just to make a point?
00:24:47
Speaker
I've seen it happen. I've seen it happen. i've seen it happen with Cucho and was it Wilfred? and I think it was Wilfred and Cucho where he just sat him because there was a problem. He sat him in the playoffs.
00:25:00
Speaker
He didn't care. So I think that there are times where coaches have got to make a stand. So I wouldn't dismiss anything to be quite frank. All right, guys, are are we ready for some end-of-season awards?
MLS Cup Predictions
00:25:13
Speaker
Should we, should be before we do that, do who our pick is to win MLS Cup?
00:25:18
Speaker
We could do that. like that. We don't do the whole bracket. We can just throw out who we're thinking quickly. Oh, I did do the bracket. I kind of want to get some insight here.
00:25:30
Speaker
you know I can win like a set of Continental Tires or whatever they give away if you predict it correctly. I had a pretty boring pick. I think I had LAFC in my bracket. Okay. I just think like with, uh, with son and Bwonga right now, like when, they when they get hot and they've been hot pretty much since they started playing together, that's like the toughest attack to stop right now.
00:25:52
Speaker
And when you get like the buzzsaw attack rolling in ah in a tournament like that, I can take you a long way. So that's, that's who I put. J I think I also picked LAFC for basically the same reasons. I, I like them a lot going through the playoffs. Although maybe I, i may have ah just gone with the Sounders for, for fun. Actually, I, now that i think about it, I think I did pick the Sounders to beat Nashville at home.
00:26:19
Speaker
So go for that. Let's do That'd be a sick bracket. Why not? Why not us? Why not? That's right. I actually got Vancouver. I think Vancouver is the most balanced team. I think they're extremely in form.
00:26:35
Speaker
Jay, everybody's going to be mad at me. You're probably right. It's probably the wrong show to share that. But I'm going to share my bracket either way. i just think that there is a there are factors that I look into what makes a team great at the playoffs.
00:26:51
Speaker
And I think they have a good coach. I think they have a good identity. They have a solid midfield. ah They got a new playmaker, an energizer for the whole team in Thomas Mueller. I think that they're going to get some guys back as well as the tournament progresses.
00:27:04
Speaker
and They have a pretty easy first game. So I just really think that this Vancouver team has done enough. And I think that they'll have enough to frustrate LAFC.
00:27:16
Speaker
ah Vancouver's had a lot of you know, proven moments this season. And the only time they failed was in the CCC final, right? ah but but But they were able to get there, right? I think, you know, Noberhalter and a couple of guys missing. So with the full squad and the team that has already been proven in a tournament, I just think that they're the the favorite for me.
00:27:41
Speaker
they have the best vibes right now i think vancouver and lafc have both been like riding vibes for the last few weeks but i like vancouver's more i think uh thomas muller uh he's just uh i i was uh i was reading charlie baum's story about him like ah he did a big feature on thomas miller's impact on the on the vancouver whitecaps it's kind of just unexpected how quickly he's very unexpected like I really, just never know how. he's and Scoring penalties and scoring another penalty. yeah But like it's about the off field and locker room component of it as much as what he's doing on on the field. that's kind of That's kind of the thing of it. it is
00:28:21
Speaker
It's not even just scoring goals. It's how he's kind of elevated their aura, I guess. um All right. Yeah, I i don't know what J.O. thinks about it. I want to hear his take because he he was definitely upset with that pick. but But I agree with the Mueller thing because I did not expect him to be so vested into this club. thought he was going to come in, collect a check, and do his thing very...
00:28:45
Speaker
Gareth Bell-like, but he's been the opposite. This is a guy that's getting everybody going. Every single time he talks about the team, he's like, look, this guy needs to be pushed. They need to be pinched, you know, woken up. He has this like bromance with Berhalter. I mean, the guy is really going the extra mile to amplify his team both on and off the field.
00:29:07
Speaker
And to me, that's just a good, just extra factor to cement the team. i like i got I was kind of doing a bit there, but i i I think Vancouver is a fine pick. I agree with you on all counts. I think the only concern I really have about them is the same concern I would have for the Sounders, which is they have a lot of injuries to key players right now.
00:29:31
Speaker
you know Brian White still has some questions. Tristan Blackman still has some questions. Their center back whole situation has a lot of questions, because especially in this first game against Dallas.
00:29:44
Speaker
Right, exactly. So there's, you know, i think they'll be fine. But I don't i don't know. i think that the loss to – that loss on decision day ends up being pretty painful, not just because they have to play Dallas and Dallas has even – has players back for this game that they didn't have in decision day, but also it puts them on the same side of the bracket as LAFC.
00:30:12
Speaker
yeah And just – and LAFC is a tough out. But I mean, for sure i would – i I wouldn't bet. and I don't, I don't necessarily think they have a, a bet, you know, they're, they're a good team. They're a really good team.
00:30:25
Speaker
And Sorensen is the deserved ah coach of the year. ah Spoiler alert. Yeah, what he I mean, ah it was I think that was kind of a debate this year between him and Mikey Varus. But like, I don't it's kind of hard to argue with the ah case that Sorensen's made. Although I know Noah was on the ah Schmetz agenda. whatever It's just it just would never they don't have the courage to actually get it. Look, hey I feel bad for Cornell. he He took an expansion team in St. Louis, top of the West, should have been the coach of the year that year, but they gave it to Noonan.
00:31:01
Speaker
And now he, you know, it it always goes to the ah shield winner because that's just what everybody wants to see. And now they're not going to give it to him again. I just feel bad for the dude.
00:31:13
Speaker
Yeah, he he definitely he definitely had a shout. I think that Philly team was probably set up for success more than people probably realized, but he did do a good job. I won't take away from that.
00:31:24
Speaker
um All right. Do want know who I'm going to pick? Oh, yeah. I keep trying to get us started, but yeah, for It's fine. I mean, if you guys don't want to know, it's cool. No, you're right. I skipped you. I skipped you. Clearly, all of you West Coast bias ah people don't you know respect the East at all. And um you know who i'm going to go with?
00:31:42
Speaker
charlotte We're going to get a Zaha crash out. He's going to be suspended for MLS Cup Final. And that's my take. and he's i picked I picked them to make it and lose to LAC.
00:31:54
Speaker
So I have them going far. You got Charlotte going all the way? I do. was kind of a little outside the box. I've been saying they're kind of my dark horse pick. I feel like they're built well for playoffs.
00:32:05
Speaker
Like they're not a team in the ah in the East, but like just the way they play is built well for playoffs. And then we're Willie Zaha fans on this show. He's a lot of fun. He's a the crash outs, I find them in endearing so far. Like he doesn't, uh, it's just, he's just cooking on Snapchat. you know, it's, he loves to cook on Snapchat. Yeah.
00:32:24
Speaker
Yeah. He's a lot of fun. Uh, all right. Are we ready? All right. You can go now. Sorry. Sorry. Let's, uh, let's give out these end of season awards guys. Uh, what we're going to do, we got we got eight categories here, and then we're just going to roundtable and reveal who we picked for each category. And then I think i think some of them, we're probably all going to have the same guys, but I think there's a lot of these here that are actually going to lead to some good debate and good discourse.
00:32:53
Speaker
If you disagree or agree with any of our picks, feel free to make your cases in chat. And we're not going to change our minds, but we'll acknowledge and respect your your opinion.
End-of-Season Awards Show
00:33:04
Speaker
And we are going to have to come to a conclusion. Okay, yeah, we were talking about if we should actually have to like name winner. Parliamentary system. Or just discuss it. But yeah, ah through the power of democracy, we will name a winner for each one of these categories. we've got Democracy in sports.
00:33:18
Speaker
We're going to name Team MVP, Attacking Player of the Year, Defender of the Year. i got the best young player other than Obed Vargas category. He's going to win it for league-wide, so I felt like there was just no there's no real other answer to that. So we're going to name the one other than him.
00:33:37
Speaker
Newcomer of the year, like guys first year on the team, ah unsung hero of the year, most improved player. And then to close it out, we have got the Clint Dempsey red card of the year award. We are going to discuss which of the red cards, the nine red cards this season was our favorite red card.
00:33:54
Speaker
Uh, So ah let's ah let's get into it without further ado. And ah I wanted to start with, let's just start with ah with the biggest one, team MVP, because um' this is one where I'm pretty sure we're all going to have the same guy, but maybe not.
00:34:10
Speaker
Uh, so I think that that'll be, we'll, we'll just knock that one out off the top and then we'll get into the ones that might, uh, elicit a little more discussion. Uh, but Nico, why don't you get us started on our very first Lobbing Scorchers end of season award show?
00:34:25
Speaker
Uh, who did you have for the 2025 Seattle Sounders team seattle sounders team mvp Well, because I am the first one, I'm just going you know, very chalk.
00:34:36
Speaker
I think that is the one we're probably all going to come up with for the most part. But ah considering the system, the importance of the pivots and the amount of minutes that he's put together, the importance that he has on both sides of the ball.
00:34:51
Speaker
ah For me, k Christian Roldan is the MVP of this team. What he's been able to do on the leadership side as well, I've seen him grow in that regard as well.
00:35:02
Speaker
ah But just mainly ah the way he affects the game. You know, he covers so much ground. ah He's so sound defensively. ah He's a guy that also, you know, incorporates himself into the attack team.
00:35:16
Speaker
very easily. And he allows Ovid to be Ovid. And I think that a lot of times you don't get one without the other. Ovid definitely plays a lot more free. He's able to do more of his things with and because of Christian Roldan.
00:35:29
Speaker
He has his own value, of course. He's very talented. I just think that the sink the the synchronized way that the team plays just looks better whenever Christian Roldan is on the field.
00:35:40
Speaker
Did anyone have not Christian Roldan? J-O, you know that? No, I think that's a I think it's pretty, pretty consensus for all the reasons that Nico just outlined.
00:35:51
Speaker
As far as like what who the other candidates even are. I mean, for me, I was like, well, you actually you could probably ah give it to Obed theoretically as well, which I think says a lot about the ah double pivot. But I do think like Nico, what you said is correct. Like what Christian does allows ah Obed to be Obed. I think you could say that the other way.
00:36:09
Speaker
as well a lot of stuff that obed does allows christian to uh perform at his team mvp level but yeah i mean just what he does for this team on uh on both sides of the ball week in week out playing every minute of every game as we've talked about extensively i mean the guy how many minutes is he yeah at this point this guy would be pushing like 4k minutes uh just iron man working his way back into uh yeah he national team like what are your
00:36:34
Speaker
yeah he He leads the team with, I mean, this is just MLS play, by the way, but it's 2633. 2633, I mean, that's that's a lot of minutes. Just MLS play, not to mention, you know, all comps. So, yeah.
00:36:48
Speaker
um Yeah, I mean, did you guys even consider anyone outside of the double pivot? I mean, thought about Albert Rosnack. I thought he's had a ah quietly impressive season, and I don't think that he necessarily gets the love that he deserved. ah But I thought that there was a lot of play and time when when he played really, really well. And then I guess super, super dark horse,
00:37:14
Speaker
I think you could toss toss a like honorary shout to Jesus Ferreira just simply because of all the ways that he filled in ah at the 10 has played, you know, an incredible game at the wing and been able to see the game and really like power moose and power, you know, a lot of players through through injury and, you know, kind of rotation and but just been so solid all season.
00:37:39
Speaker
ah All right, let's just... I'll just throw this out there. Christian rolled on 3,600 minutes across all comps. Gosh, that's wild. Arguably too many. And then he's also been playing for the... Yeah, he gets called. He's got like another 200-odd minutes for the U.S. national team, yeah.
00:37:56
Speaker
it's I mean, he claims that ah he's feeling great. That's what he says every time every time you ask him. That's what he says. I'm in, the you know, i think there was a point in the season where he kind of started looking a little fatigued, but I feel like the last couple of weeks ah he's looked back to his kind of top level.
00:38:12
Speaker
So that's been good to see heading into the playoffs here. um All right. Next category. We have full consensus on that. I think there there might be a couple other here where you have full consensus, but I think there's going to be good debates on these other ones.
00:38:25
Speaker
Uh, let's get to our next category. We've got attacking player of the year. Uh, I think there's a few different ways you could go with this one. I don't think this will be a consensus. Uh, J O, why don't you start us off for this one? Who'd you have for the Seattle Sounders 2025 attacking player of the year?
00:38:42
Speaker
Well, I think it's Albert Rusnak. I just feel like he has been outstanding this year. I think he's got 13 goals, 10 assists, maybe 12 assists, something like that. But he's just i've been a model of consistency.
00:38:58
Speaker
He's come up big when the Sounders need him. you know a lot I think one of the things that's been really improved this year is his goal scoring has been much more... consistent. You know, i think there were some inflated numbers last year. You know, he had the hat trick against Columbus, which does count, which does count, but iron za watky it wasn't John Zawadzki. That's true.
00:39:20
Speaker
But you know, he, I, I just have been very impressed with Bruce snack. It's a shame that he missed as much time as he did down the stretch just because his numbers suffered, but I just think he's going to be more fresh for the playoffs.
00:39:31
Speaker
And i feel very good about his season and, you know, it's hard to imagine where the Sounders would be without, you know, Rustak. See, that's not who I had, but I'll let Noah, why don't you, why don't you go next? Is that, was that your answer as well?
00:39:47
Speaker
I love the Albert Rosanac pick. That is not who I picked, though. um I think, as I said before, I think I would have given my team MVP in another world where Christian wasn't head and shoulders above to Albert Rosanac. I think, again, like he had such an incredible season.
00:40:04
Speaker
It hasn't been talked about enough. And um let's go let's go with Jesus Ferreira. Okay, i've been I've been harping on it all season. It's the tangibles. It's the intangibles.
00:40:19
Speaker
It's the things that he's been able to find and do and make do with, ah with rotated lineups, playing a million positions, figuring it out.
00:40:30
Speaker
um His stats are, yeah, they're maybe not the greatest thing. ah in the entire world. What is he at? He's at like four goals, four assists in league play.
00:40:41
Speaker
But... Honestly, like the things that he brings, if you're watching a game, the passing, the vision, the movement off the ball, the way he's able to combine with whether it be ah Albert now, like being able to go through and figure out how play with Albert, but also being able to go out i and elevate Moose, elevate Paul Rothrock, elevate De La Vega, all of these things. Like it's, I think his performance is incredibly impressive. So that is who I voted for for attacking player the year.
00:41:11
Speaker
I like that. I like that pick. And you laid out a good rationale for it, but I'm going to go next. Cause I had, had a different one than, than both of you. I had, Danny Musavsky deserves a shout here.
00:41:25
Speaker
He deserves a shout here. ah Jordan Morris has missed pretty much this entire year with ah with injury. And the reason that they were able to stay afloat for as long as they were, there was there is a few factors, Jesus Ferreira and Albert Rusnak each being one of them.
00:41:42
Speaker
But ah Moose... he led the team in goals. He had 14 goals in league play and, and had a, he had another in leagues guy. He had like 16, 17 goals, all comps.
00:41:55
Speaker
And I really, I really think that like, it's kind of, I think it's gone a little understated how they were able to maintain their level without their DP number nine for most of the year. And I think that was, that was in large part due to ah Moose's service or his work this year.
00:42:15
Speaker
And i will also say, you know, we've been talking about him as a, ah as a big trade candidate or a candidate for a player to be moved on next year, which there's roster management reasons why that makes sense.
00:42:28
Speaker
I do think it could be like a, it could end up being like a, but careful, be careful what you wish for type situation we We think of it as this system maybe where you can just toss in any number nine like Osaze got in there and he was also banging in goals. So maybe that's the case, but I think we might find out that there was more substance to Moose's game than just ah then than we were lending credence to. And I don't know. I don't know if I. ah actually believe in this take but i think he i want he deserves uh he deserves a shout he deserves a shout like i don't think you can have the discussion without him being a uh a nominee for what he did for this team this year miko uh yeah no no that that's that's a good one uh i wasn't trying to go chalk but i obviously i did think about albert rusnak and beyond of what
Player Performances and Improvements
00:43:20
Speaker
J.O. just mentioned, I would add the fact that this year is as active and aggressive as I've seen him on the ball since he came to Seattle.
00:43:31
Speaker
I mean, defensively as well, but just on the attacking side, his movement, the times that he decides to just break lines with the ball, ah what he does in in connectivity, of course, as part of that attacking four,
00:43:45
Speaker
I think he's been outstanding, not to mention obviously set pieces that are also part of the attacking side of the ball. ah Yeah, I think that he is a clear-cut favorite. The only person that I kind of decided to go with just so we didn't all have the same answer was Pedro De La Vega.
00:44:01
Speaker
I think Pedro De La Vega has 10 goals for assists for all comes, but it's beyond the numbers for me. I'm not a stats guy. It's about having a guy that's going to influence the game differently. He's the guy that regardless of what game he came on he would completely pin back the fullback. He would make struggles of the defense. He would stretch him out. He would come inside, outside.
00:44:25
Speaker
ah the The bag of tools he has offensively is bigger than anybody on the team. But just hearing hit the opposition talk about him, I've shared with you guys Cruz Azul talking about, man, that guy, De La Vega, he's just a difference guy. Un distinto.
00:44:46
Speaker
what he's what He's just different. He's built different. and Botafogo, I have a good friend in Botafogo who said, look, if that Argentinian guy comes in in the 50th, maybe as a halftime sub in the forty fifth ah we might lose that game because he he was just all over when he came on in the 70th minute.
00:45:07
Speaker
I mean, he just looked like he was going to put us. He burned us. He was just hard to defend. He was just a guy that we could not do enough to go in and try to limit.
00:45:18
Speaker
So when you have a guy like that on the attacking end, i got to give him a shout beyond his numbers because just the way he plays the game on the attacking side of the ball. uh JL you didn't seem to like them uh the the moose take what uh what are your thoughts on my uh my moose by the moose case that I made it warrants it ah you're right warrants mentioning but I I don't think he is the offensive I don't I don't think any I he He did a very good job of getting himself in dangerous spots and finishing plenty of chances, and he deserves a lot of credit, but I don't think he is the most ah important offensive player.
00:45:57
Speaker
I just wanted to give him a give him a mention. I think so. It sounds like... ah uh joe and nico both went rusnak so i think in a situation where we have two people who agree on one and then the other people have different guys we give the official title to the guy who got two does that make sense yeah i'm good with rusnak and i had chat vote and chat voted 31 percent rusnak 31 percent danny mussofsky so oh nice chat chat was oh there you go chat went for mussofsky yeah that's it's nice it's ah it's The case is a valid one. We also got a new YouTube member.
00:46:33
Speaker
Ben, thank you for joining the team. If anyone wants to support the show, that's a great way to do it. Follow Ben's lead and become a Logging Scorchers YouTube member. All right. So we got team MVP Christian rolled on attacking player of the year.
00:46:47
Speaker
Albert Rusnak. Let's go defender of the year. This is another one that I think ah should should warrant some good debate. And no, I think I know who who you're going to pick here.
00:46:59
Speaker
So I'll let you start this one off. Who did you have for the 2025 Seattle Sounders defender of the year? I've been making the case all season, Ari. I've been making the case day in, day out. Any chance that I can get anyone who will hear it.
00:47:15
Speaker
Because Sounders love a Roldan. And, you know, everyone gives Christian love. He deserves it. But you know who else deserves a little love? Alex Roldan. Alex Roldan is my defender of the year, simply for how well he has played this season, the versatility of what he's played.
00:47:36
Speaker
And I don't know. I just I ah you can look at the you can just look at the tape. Look at the tape. That's all I have to say. You can go back and listen to everything that I've ah argued about, but I'm going keep it sweet, keep it simple.
00:47:49
Speaker
Alex Roldan, Defender of the Year. Book it. I actually think you have a ah have a good take here. That is ah who I put as well. And, you know, it was tough I think ah it's it's kind of hard to think of this without thinking of Jackson Reagan, but ah what i would what kind of broke the tie for me was the the stuff he did this year, like playing center back.
00:48:12
Speaker
Like that, you can't put value on that. Like you're like most teams are not able to do stuff like that, where if they're down that far on their center back depth chart and they slide a guy in from out of position and he plays it at that level, it's kind of, mean, it's, it's crazy. And he really, he kind of bailed this team out multiple times this year yeah with that.
00:48:30
Speaker
And so like I think that that's why I, that's why I put him, but ah did either of you do either you want to make the Jackson Reagan case? Cause it's a good one. Well, i think I actually think Nico might have a a third person on his list. Oh, okay. ah But I will make the Jackson-Reagan case.
00:48:47
Speaker
And i think that his growth into an elite MLS center back has just been really nice to watch. I have to admit, i I think Noah convinced me that Alex is the deserving winner here, but Jackson Reagan is also the is ironically the one who's more likely to get best 11 in MLS votes than anyone else on the on the roster, pro or not on the roster, but the defenders.
00:49:13
Speaker
And I think a lot of it is just his his passing is so important to what the Sounders do, and and maybe that runs counter to his status as defender of the year, which maybe is where and where Nico is going to go with this.
00:49:29
Speaker
But i the other thing about Alex, I just want to say, and Jackson for that matter, both these guys, and right frankly, frankly, Yamar too. These are like such good bargains.
00:49:40
Speaker
You know, it was it was only a few months ago that people were complaining about Alex Roldan being too expensive. And he looks like he might be one of the best deals on the on the whole roster. ah But Jackson, Reagan, similar boat.
00:49:52
Speaker
But yeah, I will... i will I will nominate Jackson, but I think Alex might be a pretty good show. What's ah what's Alex's cap number? It's like five something, I think.
00:50:04
Speaker
Oh, wow. Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's a that's a deal and a half. Nico, you had an outside the box candidate, it ah it looks like. Where'd you ah where'd you go with this one One of outside the box but because he's been defender of the year since he's got here.
00:50:18
Speaker
ah Clearly not ah not not as many minutes as he usually has because of injuries. ah But I will say that Noah makes an excellent point on Alex. And I think that's a very fair shout because of everything he's done.
00:50:32
Speaker
But I got to go with Yamar, man. Yamar is just the the the bruiser. he's When it comes to defender and just being a defender in the box, leads the team in air aerial duels.
00:50:43
Speaker
I believe he leads them on clearances. What he does is – and we we just kind of talked about this, right – A lot of times those those type of duels, ah you know, tandems when it comes to either the midfield or center back, they kind of play off each other.
00:51:00
Speaker
i think that Yammer gives a lot of confidence for Jackson to be able to do Jackson things, get a little bit forward, be able to be very free with his passing because he can correct.
00:51:11
Speaker
He has the speed to Correct in space if he has to I think he has he's probably the best um Open field center back that the sounders have and I guess that's a little bit unfair because he's just more athletic ah But but just all the things that he doesn't set pieces ah the things he does to Intimidate guys look I have heard a lot of stories about that um Leaks Cup final against ah Miami and one of the ones that really makes me laugh is that
00:51:45
Speaker
Suarez was doing a lot of Suarez stuff kind of just Just not just oh I mean, let's not talk about what happened after and I mean in the game right when he's trying to intimidate with just his voice like hey man, you're too close to me like Is that how you play the game that you're not really gonna grab me and the only guy that was just like Swinging him around like a ragdoll was game work cuz you you know, yeah, I was gonna give you a big grin no talk He had this big old pause on and your shoulder, and he was that guy that that consistently does it. he
00:52:18
Speaker
He did it a couple of times. I i got some stories about him and Giacomacchi's when he came with Atlanta. He's just a guy that always gives the Sounders that presses inside the box.
00:52:30
Speaker
And I think that that's very important for this team. So that's why he's my pick, but I'm totally okay with the Alex Roldan. I think he's very deserving, especially in that year where Yamar just couldn't get more minutes on the field.
00:52:43
Speaker
I'm glad you made the case for Yamar because I do think, you know, he's been on the team for a while now. It probably gets taken ah for granted to an extent, like how consistent he is for this team. And, you know, for me, one of the things I was weighing when I was thinking about who i was going to pick is – I guess I docked guys who missed a lot of time.
00:53:04
Speaker
So that's kind that's why I i didn't go roost neck for team MVP. He was out with injury a lot this year. And I think Yamar in a year where he plays his full compliment of minutes, he probably,
00:53:16
Speaker
He probably does get the nod here, but it sounds like we're we're all in agreement that we can give this one to ah Alex Roldan. Noah, your agenda has come to fruition. ah Alex Roldan has been named the Lobbing Scorchers 2025 Seattle Sounders Defender of the Year.
00:53:33
Speaker
All right. Yeah. good on and And good on him for it. We got both Roldans in here. Team MVP Defender of the Year. And, uh, Albert Rusnak tagging player of the year, next category guys, this is the, uh, the best young player other than Obed Vargas award.
00:53:49
Speaker
Uh, obviously, oh i mean, Obed Vargas is a finalist for MLS young player of the year for the whole league, and he's probably going to win it. So we don't even need to, but he would get this if, uh, if he wasn't, uh, if he was a candidate, but with him eliminated, uh,
00:54:05
Speaker
Who wants to start? Noah, how about you? Who do you have ah for the best young player other than Obed Vargas Award? You know, um Georgie and Osaze, I think, are eligible, by the way. Okay, okay, okay. um So 24 and younger is all we're doing? I mean, I don't know. Like, they're when theyre young. before They're young, aren't they?
00:54:25
Speaker
24 younger. I like that because I was not going to choose anything under 23. I feel like Osaze at least should count. Like, he's a defiance guy. I don't know. Listen, I didn't pick either of those guys. Okay.
00:54:37
Speaker
I picked someone because we're talking young player. We're talking who's the best. And we're talking, it can't be Obed Vargas. So I picked Obed Vargas too. I picked his duplicate.
00:54:48
Speaker
I picked the new Obed Vargas. I picked Snyder Brunel. Okay. He comes in. He's already scored, what, two goals? And he's looked insanely talented just stepping into that role.
00:55:01
Speaker
I know it's a little bit early. I know he hasn't really like probably proved that he is the best young player. But you know what? God damn it. I'm voting for him.
00:55:12
Speaker
I'm voting for him. Yeah, no, it's ah it's a good pick. The argument against it would just be sample size is still really small. It's true. I pick him too because, i don't know, i feel a... yeah uniquely secure in in having him in the lineup for a young player, even compared to some of the other really good young players they've had come up in recent years.
00:55:35
Speaker
Like, I really think that he showed an ability to not just blend in, but excel in MLS in the limited minutes that he got to the point where I feel no reservations about putting him in the starting 11 for a big game. There was a moment there where we thought he might have to play in the league's cup final. Remember that? Cause there was something like Christian took a knock or something and we weren't sure if he was going to be able to go and going into a game against Lionel Messi and inner Miami in a, in a cup final.
00:56:04
Speaker
I felt, i I don't know about you guys. I felt totally fine. And maybe that was delusional, but I felt totally fine about the idea of Snyder B sliding in there, which I think says a lot. J.O., who did you have for this one?
00:56:17
Speaker
So, i'm you know, if Georgie and Osaze are eligible for this thing, don't. Danny Leyva has to be eligible, even though Danny Leyva's been around forever.
00:56:29
Speaker
But I i really, i think Danny Leyva took a big step forward, even though this wasn't a huge, he didn't have a huge minute load, but he just showed... of versatility and reliability this year that I think was on a different level.
00:56:45
Speaker
i I would not be at all surprised if he if if Obed moves in this in the winter, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Sounders open the season with him as a starter. And I think it would be well deserved.
00:56:56
Speaker
He's absolutely money on set pieces. He has shown the defensive chops to be able to hold his own. i i really was impressed with what Danny Leva did, especially down the stretch this year.
00:57:08
Speaker
He played some of the double pivot. He played some of the 10. I liked him a lot. I i really am happy that he is still with the Sounders. Yeah, and he's only 22, so I don't think he's he's not even in the debatable category that georgia Georgie and Osaze would be. But ah Nico, what do you what do you think? Who did you have for this one?
00:57:30
Speaker
Yeah, this was a tough one because... When I looked at Young, I mean, none of them really had a like kind of subjective criteriaberia a lot of minutes, right? So I kind of cheated a little bit, and I and i went with Kalani Kosariensi. I mean, he's 23, but, you know, he you know came out of Tacoma.
00:57:46
Speaker
But just everything he's been able to do is play wingbacks, play fullbacks, play higher up the field. ah You know, he's been a guy that has earned probably the most trust out of any of the people that we've kind of – put out there so far, even more than than ah Snyder Burnell.
00:58:03
Speaker
um Obviously, Snyder's the younger guy and probably more deserving to what we're going for here. But that's kind of what I went with. I just thought that there it was a a big... ah thought it was important to give a shout to Kalani. He hasn't been perfect. He's had some moments where, as Brian said, he's plateaued a little bit.
00:58:22
Speaker
And he's had some moments where... I'm hoping he's learned from, he's going to learn from them and he's had some defensive woes, but overall what he's been able to do on the offense, on the attack, defensively, physically, ah he's a guy that you could ask him to do whatever he's going to get there.
00:58:38
Speaker
ah He's been face, some really good attackers and he's, You know, never lost a beat, right? I mean, maybe he gets beat down a little bit, but he gets back up. He just seems to be a guy that's just never going to let you down. He's going to just be all over the field. So that's kind of who i went with. Georgie was a great shout, but another one that just didn't get a lot of minutes or not enough minutes. He hasn't gotten enough minutes.
00:59:02
Speaker
So I kind of went with that. We got a couple of RBW shouts in in chat. Who is your pick, Ari? My vote would be RBW. Played really solid when he was in. And Corey also says RBW.
00:59:14
Speaker
USMNT quality, solid and reliable. I think RBW has a good shout. I picked Snyder B. And I was, i don't know, I shouldn't have solidified the criteria more because I was sort of debating between him. And I'll make the Georgie case.
00:59:27
Speaker
I'll make the Georgie case. I think... He took a big step this year, but he also... He demonstrated demonstrated what I think is probably the most tantalizing theoretical upside of anybody, just in terms of his physical tools, how effortlessly he can win these 1v1s.
00:59:46
Speaker
And then you kind of saw the end product start to ah come around a little bit. Towards the end of the year, he scores that banger goal in League's Cup, gets the Christ red card, but, I mean, he was still a great goal.
00:59:57
Speaker
And he also just... ah Like, if he hits the ceiling that he could ultimately hit, it could be a just really, really exciting player. And I think he showed that this year. So that would be... ah That's kind of why i was i was kind of torn on whether to go with Snyder or Georgie for completely different reasons. But I guess this whole kind of discussion is...
01:00:20
Speaker
making uh it's kind of underscoring how many really good exciting young players are on this team like you could ah i think danny weva is a great pick for what he started to show down the stretch uh rbw also had a had a case as well i hadn't really thought about kkr but yeah he's in the same age group as a lot of the guys we're talking about and he's just breaking into the league so a lot of good candidates for this category which i think is uh is a good sign, hopefully for the future of the club.
01:00:48
Speaker
Any other thoughts, takes, or nominees on a best young player other than... Well, Chad has voted. I can give you Chad's votes. Yeah, what did Chad say? 38% says Kalani Kosarianzi. 24% say Baker-Widing. 24% say Danny Leyva. And 14% say Snyder-Brunel. So I feel like there's a discussion to be had here on our final take.
01:01:09
Speaker
Although we did both take Snyder-B. It seems as though...
01:01:14
Speaker
maybe Maybe we need to have a discussion here. Well, I guess if you guys make the marker 22 and younger, i would rather go Danny Leyva than Snyder Bernal.
01:01:25
Speaker
But if you guys allow that, you know, if Georgie's in and 24 and below is the marker, then I'll stick with Kalani. So it's up to you guys. Let's set the criteria. We'll just make it 22 and younger.
01:01:38
Speaker
So Georgie, Nostaz, and all them are out. Kalani's out. I guess that and seems to be a way to narrow it down a little bit. I should have done that earlier. I'll go with Danny.
01:01:49
Speaker
Okay, so we got two Danny Leyva votes. i'm I'm good with that. no end do you Are you passionately against the Danny Leyva idea? I'm not passionately against it, but now we're two and two. But chat said Danny Leyva. Let's have chat tiebreak it.
01:02:05
Speaker
Okay. All right. Danny Leyva. And was the other one Get your votes in chat. Yeah, Snyder Burnett. Snyder. It's just that, you know, coming up with the criteria on the fly. That's good content.
01:02:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's good. That's good. I was proud of my current... It's the first award show. Okay, we're we're establishing the protocol. What would you expect from Lobbings Fortress? you think this is a high-tech production here? Do we have the poll results yet?
01:02:38
Speaker
The polls are coming in. The votes are coming in. 92% are voting Danny Leyva currently. i think we're looking at Danny Leyva. Stop the vote! Stop the count! I think we're looking at Danny Leyva getting this one, which that's kind of... a Are we printing up awards to hand out to the players at training? We should, yeah.
01:03:03
Speaker
We should. It was going to be theoretical awards. Having best young player other than Obed Vargas on your award is a little offensive, but fuck it. And then we're we're doing red card of the year, so we'd have to give that one out as well. That could that could be a like me a fun little thing.
01:03:19
Speaker
I don't think Brian would enjoy that one. No, I don't think so either. All right. I mean, I'm just going to put it in as Danny Leva unless there's... Yeah, we got it. Danny Leva. 2020 on the Wikipedia page, best young player, longing scorers best young player other than Obed Vargas award.
01:03:37
Speaker
Uh, I had, I actually had him for another of these categories. So ooh that's, uh, that'll make that one interesting. Uh, all right. I think this one, this one is one that I thought actually was pretty straightforward that we might all have the same guy, but a newcomer of the year,
01:03:54
Speaker
ah and The criteria I thought was pretty self-explanatory, but it's just guys who are in their first year on the team. ah Nico, who'd you have newcomer of the year?
01:04:05
Speaker
but So now I can go Kalani there. So I'm going to go Kalani Kosarienzi. Okay, that's that's a little bit of a loophole because he was he was in the he was on Defiance.
01:04:16
Speaker
last Well, who's who's up for this award then? Ryan, I guess. Areola. Ferreira? It's Jesus Ferreira. Oh, okay. All right. All right. Jesus. Yeah, let's do Jesus. My bad. My bad.
01:04:28
Speaker
I was thinking way outside the box. I mean, clearly Jesus Ferreira. Look, Jesus Ferreira was a guy that I thought was a good shout for MVP. He's done absolutely everything. played the 10, played the winger, played the nine.
01:04:39
Speaker
i think that he's played some of the most minutes, most games ah in in the team. He's up there in in all those categories. Say it again, JL. yeah He does lead the team in appearances.
01:04:51
Speaker
Lead the team in appearances. And I think that without him, you don't get to where you are right now. and You don't get to the League's Cup Final. I just think that he's been very reliable despite the scrutiny and everything that he came onto to this team.
01:05:05
Speaker
I also think that he continues to grow. He continues to build himself as a leader. i just, ah yeah, it has to be him without a doubt. Yeah, Noah laid out, I thought, a pretty good case for him as ah as team MVP. Like, I think for all those reasons. And I would even add that, and i've i've just I've talked about this a lot, but I've been so pleasantly surprised at how good a two-way player he is, like, as far as work rate and how positively he's impacted this team's ability to press and win turnovers and create dangerous chances.
01:05:38
Speaker
He's just, he's fantastic at that. Like, yeah. to an extent that ah i don't I did not realize he had when I used to watch him at FC Dallas. I thought we were we were getting kind of like a ah just a pure attacking player, but he's a very well-rounded player and very unselfish, one of the best facilitators on the team. And the knock of ah his stat sheet production not being what you would like for a player of his kind of you know blockbuster trade arrival, I've also been arguing, and I believe like that –
01:06:11
Speaker
He's had some egregiously bad luck with that this year as far as goals getting disallowed for his teammates being offside, and he's hit a few off the He has three goals disallowed for other players being offside. Yeah, yeah. Like, his stat sheet numbers would be way, way better with just little bit of better. And he's had some absolute dimes that haven't been turned into assists well. Yes, that too. He and Rothrock, honestly, should both have a few more assists to their name as well. Like, if...
01:06:38
Speaker
so if he had ah If he was on like what he's ease's on five goals and seven assists across all comps, he could easily be 10-10. like It wouldn't even be... yeah he the level of The level of footy that he played this year was of the quality of a 10-10 season. I will stand on that, even if some people will call it Cope.
01:07:00
Speaker
ah But yeah, i mean this one and this one was an easy one. There's i mean there's clearly's not a lot of guys eligible, but like he also is just the... the far and away best performing guy who just got to this team this year if uh if ryan kent had been healthy ah it could have been an interesting discussion there because he showed some really good stuff early on there but unfortunately i mean he hasn't played in a few months so it's got to be jesus as the 2025 seattle sounders lobbing scorchers newcomer of the year all right i'm interested
01:07:32
Speaker
what you guys came up with for for this one. This one like leaves a lot of room for, you could you put anyone in here. Unsung hero. of the year. And, you know, unsung hero can mean whatever you want to any what you want it to be.
01:07:46
Speaker
and and You know, I was thinking of it as like the guy who does does stuff that maybe doesn't get the recognition. you know so I think we can look, we all agree that Paul Rothrock isn't available, isn't eligible for this because if there's one thing, done he's been very sung. Exactly. Yeah.
01:08:03
Speaker
Oh, we sing all the time about Paul Rothrock. Yeah, no, like that a guy a guy not to take anything away from him, but he's getting it when they market leagues cup around the league final fully around him. You can't really be unsung.
01:08:17
Speaker
ah Noah, what did you, why don't you get us started with unsung hero of the year? Who'd you have? My unsung hero of the year might be a shock to you. It might, it might be a shock to everyone.
01:08:29
Speaker
I'm going to go with Paul Areola. Okay. All right. I'm interested to hear this. This is a deep cut, and let me explain. Let me explain. Okay. Paul Areola looked like a god-tier player coming into this season. His connection with Jesus Ferreira was incredible.
01:08:43
Speaker
He looked really, really, really good in um in those CONCACAF Champions Cup games. And unfortunately, he died so that we could get Ryan Kent.
01:08:55
Speaker
And Ryan Kent... helped us win the trophy that we currently, the only trophy that we currently have for this season in League's Cup. I don't think that his performances should go unnoticed. So I want to give a shout out to Paul Arreola, who...
01:09:13
Speaker
Without him dying for our sins, we would not have Ryan Kent. And he may become one of the most key players in the playoffs if he heats up.
01:09:24
Speaker
So it's a little bit of a five head take. You got to be hard enough to think about it That's that's a that you went in a pretty galaxy brained route. But ah I said, Paul Areola, I admire the, you know, thinking outside of the box.
01:09:38
Speaker
ah That's that's not a who I had. But J.O., who do you have for? I don't know who you had. That's not who I had. I thought we were going. That was the chalk pick. Kent did play in League's Cup. He's not wrong about but about that. He did. He did play. He absolutely played.
01:09:52
Speaker
He famously like assisted and then blew up his hamstring. Hamstring. Yeah. Yeah, the the this is such an eye of the beholder award, and that makes it tough.
01:10:05
Speaker
But, I mean, I i guess...
01:10:09
Speaker
i yeah I'm trying to think who we have not praised enough. Someone said Craig Weibel. Yeah. yeah
01:10:21
Speaker
That's an outside the box, another outside the box idea. we have a have Paul Areola and Craig Weibel. You know what? I'm going to go. i'm gonna This is where I'm going to John Bell.
01:10:33
Speaker
John Bell is someone who has, we've we've never really, that no one talks about John Bell, but he just quietly comes in and does the job that, you know, every time someone's out, it's like, oh John Bell can fill in there.
01:10:47
Speaker
He can fill, you know, and he, he's just, he's played. i think, I think people would be surprised to see how many minutes he's played this year. And he's been really effective. yeah I don't,
01:10:59
Speaker
I don't think he has let the Sounders down, ah frankly, at all. Like every game he's been in. and if we're really leaning into the runs. Yeah, but that was, he did get a red card in the Vancouver game, but that was the second, that was, the game was already chalked at that point.
01:11:16
Speaker
Well, I guess it wasn't really. He was right after. It came right after New Who got his. Out of all the red cards this year, that was one of them. That was one of them where i was like, that was pretty just unlucky. Yeah, like he, their feet got tangled up, but he was not.
01:11:29
Speaker
He did not do what New Who did and like grab the guy horse collar and throw it. Right. John Bell, lock it in. on that's my pick. Yeah. Yeah, I like that.
01:11:41
Speaker
I like that case. And J.O. kind of convinced me on that one. I had KKR for this one. I don't know if he's too sung, but I feel like he really, like we talked about him a lot, but like the fan base doesn't necessarily talk about KKR a lot. yeah And ah he he had ah he had a big emergence this year, but he also, ah he provides like a almost like a different a level of attacking play from that fullback spot. Like he was doing some real fun stuff that, ah you know, Alex is much more sound defensively at right back, which is why I would have him as the first choice starter in like any game, but KKR, like the goals he was scoring. He, I think he ended up with three goals, three assists this year. That's for the minutes he played. That's fantastic output for team.
01:12:27
Speaker
position. And I think he also, he's got a lot of, he's got potential to be like a MLS mainstay, which going into this season, I don't think we knew that. And it maybe doesn't get talked about as much as some other guys. oh that's a good call.
01:12:42
Speaker
That's a good call. Yeah. That's we got Steven Lenhart. yeah I was going to say that just because just to mess around, but, but look, uh, as my, my time is kind of running out here. Um, cause I do want to walk my dog, but, uh, I was going to go, i was going to play around with Steven, Steven Leihardt, but I was really going to go J bell and, and, and,
01:13:05
Speaker
I think Kalani Kosorienzi is a little bit too sung. It it feels that way. in into he just He's been more a reliable guy. And what what I mean unsung is even myself, I thought that initially when you send me the categories, I was going to go with Kim Kihie, no problem.
01:13:22
Speaker
And then I started to do a little bit of digging of the moments that Jay Bell has came in the positions that he's played. He closes out games. He does ah whole bunch of things that nobody really cares about, really.
01:13:34
Speaker
But he's added a lot of minutes, added a lot of ah ah games overall. And I think he's been a big part of why the bottom out of this defense hasn't completely fallen off with all of the injuries. Sure, Alex is part of it as well.
01:13:48
Speaker
But the unsung part of that has to be Jay Bell. We got an ah Andrew Thomas shout in chat, which I would argue he's pretty sung for like how he played and like the heroics.
01:14:01
Speaker
I was like tempted to go there too, but I think he's been too sung. He's pretty sung. about goalkeeper of the year? People asking to get him the starting job would make him, I feel, uneligible for this award, in my opinion.
01:14:16
Speaker
I didn't have goalkeeper of the year as a category, but... That's spicy. That could be a... that mean that's That's the debate, I guess, kind of what we've been we've been having that debate. but I mean, you got to give it to Andrew because he won an award.
01:14:28
Speaker
He won a trophy. All right. go term Nico's short on time. So we we only got two more categories. But Nico, you can you can jet whenever you need to. But let's do most improved player. I think that could be a good a good little debate.
01:14:43
Speaker
ah Nico, who did you have for 2025 Seattle Sounders lobbing scores? Most improved player. I think this one's easy. It's Danny Masowski. I mean, who else?
01:14:55
Speaker
Triples or doubles his Gold intake for his career And goes from being A guy that people wanted out of here no matter What a guy that couldn't buy a goal In practice really to This year people are asking for this guy to get Off their team in the press box 100%
01:15:14
Speaker
ah hundred percent um ah Right here, absolutely i I still don't, you know, give him enough credit So, yes, if I'm going to give him credit It's for being the most improved player And for all of a sudden Having people Saying that they'd rather have him than Jordan Morris up top I mean, he doesn't get any more improved than that Yeah, I think that's open shut for me, but I put I put the other Danny. I put Danny Leva for this one. I mean, I think Leva has a good shout, but I just think the reality is to go the extreme go from like really like there was a point at which it felt like he was the 28th guy on the roster and to now be someone who is the leading scorer on the team is pretty remarkable.
01:15:59
Speaker
ah Roberto put a good shout in chat, which is Obed Vargas. I think you could actually argue that pretty, pretty credibly. Like he was really good last year, but this year I really think he has entered a new stratosphere of good.
01:16:15
Speaker
but I put, I put Georgie Manungu. See, that's, that's a good shout. Explain the, explain the, I just think that, you know, we went last year from talking about a guy who has some spark and some, he's an interesting player, but he is super unpolished. And I kept saying like, I don't know if I believe in this, this whole Georgie agenda. Like I want to see some polish. I want to see some, some final product. And, uh,
01:16:40
Speaker
He delivered. He delivered. And I think he's looked like an actual genuine contender. He's playing for his national team now. I mean, it's pretty, it's pretty, it's for me, that's my, my. Yeah.
01:16:54
Speaker
I was thinking about that too. And I just can't give Danny Mussovsky an award. I'm sorry. I can't do it. it's ah it's just It's tough when you got like the the guys with the really small sample sizes, like how to how to know ah like what's too small a sample size to be rightfully considered. Georgie was like bordering on that. We got a Pedro de la Vega shout in ah in chat, which I think ah you you know you could make that case, but I think...
Awards and Notable Incidents
01:17:21
Speaker
Did he improve or was he just able to like play this year? Yeah, there's a difference in that. There's a difference. like He wasn't on the field last year. He's probably been this good the whole time. He just didn't get to show it last year.
01:17:32
Speaker
ah But it was definitely, in in terms of the most improved season compared to last year, just judging purely on that, I mean... i think Dave Jomsky went for this one. I get it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:17:45
Speaker
I liked my Lava pick here, but we can... i think Literally no one gave you anything on that. That was... it's it yeah he went mo Moose went from one goal, one assist to 14 goals, four assists. So that's a pretty big improvement. I just want to share a thing I just discovered.
01:18:02
Speaker
Do you realize that Ryan can't play 20 games? No way. All cops are... yeah All cops. That's insane. Damn. Yeah, that's way more than... i would have never I would have not guessed that anywhere near that.
01:18:14
Speaker
No, I'd have guessed closer to like 10. yeah Didn't he get like five assists? yeah Yeah. That's just pretty good output. and We'll see what he does but he does in the playoffs. All right, guys.
01:18:27
Speaker
Before we get our ah last category, we have ah we've filled out all the non the last categories kind of a bit. But ah for Team MVP, we have Christian Roldan.
01:18:38
Speaker
For Attacking Player of the Year, we have Albert Rusnak. For Defender of the Year, we have Alex Roldan. For the Best Young Player of the Year, other than Obed Vargas, we have Danny Leyva. For Newcomer of the Year, Jesus Ferreira.
01:18:51
Speaker
Unsung hero of the year, John Bell, most improved player, Danny Mussofsky. I think that's a pretty solid, solid list for end of season. I like it. I don't think we have any, I mean, if we have no repeats, no repeats, no repeats. Yeah. If we have any egregiously bad takes in there, feel free to call them out and chat. But no, I think, I think that's a solid list.
01:19:12
Speaker
Uh, Okay, last last category of the ah of the evening. This is the Clint Dempsey Red Card of the Year Award. ah Now, in normal seasons, you hopefully don't have to ah give this one out.
01:19:26
Speaker
ah But the Seattle Sounders got, was was the final count nine? not I think it was nine nine red cards, all comps this year, which is, ah you know, I would argue it got excessive. It was too many.
01:19:40
Speaker
ah There was a point in the season where every time it would happen, it was, I felt like I was being... messed with like did like did they so and and just the multitude of ways they would get sent off it was a big year for uh for the color red for the seattle sounders uh but to me i think there was three there was three nominees here new who having two or no there's four nominees there's four nominees there's in both of new who's the uh you had three by the way what was uh oh yeah what was the what was the last one
01:20:14
Speaker
Oh, yeah. Well, that the Galaxy one. That one was a little less crazy, I think. yeah I think his nominees for Red Card of the Year are the Vancouver horse collar tackle and then the throwing the ball in the stands and then demonstrating the flip off to the ref famously in Kansas City.
01:20:31
Speaker
ah But then you've got a couple of good competitors. You have the Moose League's Cup crash out, which was a good red. And then you've got ah the the Christ yellow, which like part of my criteria for how I was thinking of this was like the novelty of how you get sent off. That one was I mean, I've never seen that.
01:20:50
Speaker
I've never seen someone get sent off for for thanking Christ. So that was a new one. And I think you have to at least put it in the nominees for that. Uh, but I think ultimately where I land guys is, uh,
01:21:04
Speaker
I think the new who one in, in ah Kansas city, there was so many elements of it. Like, obviously you have him throwing the ball in the stands, but what kind of pushed it over the line for me was the whole part where he flipped off the ref and everyone was like, is he flipping off the ref? And then he, he, I guess later was like, no, I was demonstrating what the fan did to me to flip off the ref. And then,
01:21:29
Speaker
when he When that first came out as the explanation, I was like, dude, that is insulting our intelligence. like what are like What are we actually talking about? And then I went back and I watched it back, and I was like, I actually think that i think that is what happened. i like He was trying to explain to the ref, this guy flipped me off, but then he just looked like he was flipping off the ref.
01:21:47
Speaker
But anyway, you put all that together, and that's that's my pick for for the Clint Dempsey Red Card of the Year award. Anyone else want to make the case for another one I had the Christ is Lord red. That one's fire. To literally sub on, score the best goal of your entire career, run over to the corner flag, pick your shirt up to reveal a Christ is Lord shirt, and then immediately get a red card.
01:22:13
Speaker
It has to be the funniest just like boom, boom, boom thing. Like... Why are you already on a yellow? Like what? It was just, oh my God, that shit was so funny.
01:22:25
Speaker
It was so funny. And the absolute confusion and chaos that ensued afterwards for me, that one was just like the new who crashed out in Kansas city. I get it. It'll probably win.
01:22:37
Speaker
But, like, that's expected from Nuhu, you know, at this point. This one was just so, like, in the the bit about, like, they're persecuting him because he spoke out, you know? And then, like, how good the goal was, too, I think, added to it. exactly. Like...
01:22:53
Speaker
That's, don't know. you You make, make a good taste. Danny Mazovsky one needs a little bit of shine. Okay. And I think what I have a personal attachment to this because I could see it building up and I loudly told everyone who had listened, he's going to get sent off.
01:23:08
Speaker
Jeremiah literally called it in the PB. Yeah. bashing out You could just see the the frustration just ramp up every time he didn't get a call. And you could just see it building and building and building.
01:23:19
Speaker
And it was oddly it's like satisfying to watch it just explode the way it did because it was so... It felt... I mean, to me, it felt kind of predictable. I guess it wasn't as predictable as I thought because Brian would have taken him off if it was you know that predictable. But it was so...
01:23:36
Speaker
he was just beside himself. He couldn't, he bumps the referee. he almost really, and and honestly, in a weird way, it ends up creating this really kind of fun narrative for Osaze de Rosario to sort of step in.
01:23:52
Speaker
And, you know, he, cause ends up, ah playing very well in the, in the, in the semifinal. And then he earns himself another start in the final.
01:24:05
Speaker
And I don't, I just kind of love it. and then, and what even made it even more perfect is that Musovsky goes out and scores a hat trick in the, in the league game between those. It was, so it was a good,
01:24:17
Speaker
if yeah no yeah If Moose hadn't crashed out in League's Cup, we wouldn't have had the Osaze storyline, which was one of the most fun parts of League's Cup. We might still not know how good Osaze is if he hadn't done that. So it was actually to the benefit of the team. Nico, what's your pick for a Red Card of the Year?
01:24:33
Speaker
Yeah, I'm going to give an M&E and then I'll say bye just because I i do got to get out of here. But I will say this. it It was between the new throwing the the ball at the ah fan and Mosavsky, chest bumping the ref, only because i wanted to give an omen to the name of the award.
01:24:55
Speaker
i tried to put myself and think, out of those two things, what's more Clint Dempsey like? And I thought about it, i meditated and I I tried to use AI to recreate both moments.
01:25:09
Speaker
and And I just felt like bump if If somebody's going to bump the referee with their chest because they feel like they have that swag and they have that anger, it's Clint Dempsey. So it was a close call.
01:25:25
Speaker
But i I'm going to go with the...
01:25:30
Speaker
the crash out by Mr. Danny Musowski and the moment, the time, the way he got up, the way he kind of felt like he was upset about about the car later.
01:25:41
Speaker
I mean, that's got Clint Dempsey written all over it. I mean, that that just, it does. i I picture it. I could see it. So I'll go with Danny Musowski red card. I didn't even think about that, like the Dempsey homage of it. That's a great point. Well, it looks like we have an upset there. I was sure the new one was going to win, but sounds like Danny Musavsky's League's Cup crashed out. That's why you do the vote. That's why we do the show. That's why we do the vote. But, Nico, thanks for tapping in.
01:26:11
Speaker
Feel free to, you know. No, thank you guys This is awesome I love the panel You guys are great Love the audience Love is gorgeous, continues to grow sound to our heart This is what it's all about Getting this sort of content is great I'm sure that people are digging it Thanks to everybody, all the audience was always great So have a good rest of your night And I'll catch you guys On Friday on Soon. And i'm i I'll see you Noah and Ari on Monday.
01:26:45
Speaker
but oh yeah, maybe we'll do something like that. Yeah. So I'll see you guys around. Take it easy, guys. Later, Nico. Have a good one. Thanks for tapping in. Um, all right. I mean, that's all I had for, the, uh, first Lobbing Scorchers end of season awards show.
01:27:02
Speaker
I think that was, actually that was pretty fun. We'll probably do it again next year, make it a little annual tradition. Maybe next season we'll like pick, we'll make picks who we think is going to get him before the season and then see if we get it right. type so I don't know.
01:27:15
Speaker
We don't need to get into all that, but, uh, Do you guys have anything else you wanted to talk about ah Seattle Sounders wise or playoffs wise, or should we just ah call it at a hour? I also need to get out of here pretty soon, but yeah, you can, but thank you for having me. This was a lot of fun. And thanks for coming on and submitting. Danny Masofsky was able to pull out that.
01:27:39
Speaker
That was riveting. That ending. That was quite an ending. Yeah. what did upset We did have one repeat. so Oh, yeah, i guess we did. But, you know, it's a little different because it's more that this was a word for more of like a situation than an individual.
01:27:54
Speaker
Fair enough. J.O., thank you as always for ah tapping in. Appreciate you. And we'll catch you probably ah this weekend. Playoffs. Absolutely. Have a good one.
01:28:07
Speaker
All right. Shout out to J.O. and Nico for tapping in. ah Noah, do you have ah anything on your mind like ah Seattle Sounders? man how are you How are you feeling about this Minnesota series?
01:28:20
Speaker
um Less on my mind about the Sounders and more about other things, but I will I will i will comment i think...
01:28:30
Speaker
I feel confident about this series and that makes me feel weird. Do you know what I'm saying? Like I shouldn't be as confident as I am. It's like one of those things where Minnesota are a weird ass team.
01:28:48
Speaker
They play weird ass soccer and anything can happen. But also the Sounders turn into a completely different club when it's time for the playoffs.
Seattle Sounders' Playoff Analysis
01:28:56
Speaker
Yeah. I just, I don't know, man. I'm going to make my decision on if I think this club actually has a genuine chance of making a run at the cup after the first game.
01:29:07
Speaker
Yeah. And I mean, it'll be it'll be telling the first game to see how much they figured out this Minnesota team. I kind of expect Minnesota to try and play with the ball a little bit more in the playoffs, but I could be wrong. They don't. That's not something they seem to do. But, you know, hearing about this Chucky situation, man, like I was kind of looking at that and it's like if Seattle makes it by Minnesota in round one.
01:29:30
Speaker
they're in all likelihood going to play San Diego unless the Timbs pull off an insane upset, which I don't think they're going to do. yeah And even if Chucky is back in the mix by the time Seattle and San Diego played, and like that just doesn't, feel that feels like their vibes are a little off yeah right now.
01:29:45
Speaker
So like low key Seattle kind of ended up in the way more forgiving part of the, the bracket and they're going to have to get through Vancouver LAFC eventually.
01:29:56
Speaker
But the whole Chucky variable, it kind of like, it almost strengthens the, path a little bit but I know what you mean about like ah you you don't want to feel overconfident going into ah playoff game and I my the way my mind works I tend to like go for the doomsday like this is all the reasons they're gonna lose but I've seen this team turn into tournament gods so many times that I've kind of learned to trust myself when I like their chances and I do think over a uh over a three game series or like a multi-game series the better more talented team does tend to win out and i do think seattle's a better team honestly ah much more so since they sold uh tawny and uh that's that was a big loss for them so it's not even it's not even the same team that seattle was playing earlier in the season so that's kind of who my dark horse first round pick is going to be
01:30:52
Speaker
To upset the Chicago fire. I think they're going to do it to Philly, man. I think they're going to do it to Philly. I kind of like that take. I just think the Greg ball is gregging in the right way. And I saw the way they absolutely dismantled Orlando.
01:31:10
Speaker
I understand that Orlando is not that good. i understand. understand. But I also just feel like Philly won the shield and they're never going to win an MLS Cup. So it's like there's just it's got they've got to lose at some point.
01:31:24
Speaker
I think it would be hilarious if it was the Chicago fire. Yeah, and they definitely had the look of a team that's about to make a run in the wildcard game last night, which I think is partially to do with Orlando being bad.
01:31:38
Speaker
But Chicago, look you're right. the The Greg ball is Greg. and like That's a good way to put It's Greg. It's Greg. They finally, they've reached like peak Greg just in time for the playoffs.
01:31:49
Speaker
But you want to leak your bracket?
Playoff Scenarios and Predictions
01:31:52
Speaker
ah I just, I don't know if I, if I have like my bracket handy, but we can pull the bracket up and I can like recount what I, what I pick. Yeah. Well, I mean, I'm going build mine, right? I could just, Oh, okay. pull on yeah Pull yours up. Cause I haven't done it yet. Let me, let me log in real quick.
01:32:08
Speaker
Let's do that. And then we can, then we can, yeah, I'm just, I'm just trying to give the people some content here. Cause we didn't do a pod yet. So yeah. yeah Oh, I got to sign in with the goddamn Pat. I got to do seven factor authentication.
01:32:26
Speaker
Oh my God. Remember when we tried to get you on Slack? Do you remember that whole scenario? Which, what Slack? With your new computer. Oh my God. Yeah. That was the biggest tech disaster of all time.
01:32:39
Speaker
That was hilarious. Okay. Wait here. I'm going pull it up here. All right. I'm adding. Philly did lose Quinn Sullivan. That is that is true. They are a deep team though.
01:32:51
Speaker
Okay, we're going to go Chicago. Now, let's talk through St. Louis, New York City. I feel like... Charlotte. i Yeah, Charlotte. You said St. Louis. yeah but Not quite a playoff team this year. um I'm going with Charlotte.
01:33:12
Speaker
i picked them too I picked them to make it to MLS Cup. Yeah, I think they're really good. ah This is the interesting one, Miami-Nashville. I picked Miami, but yeah, I like Nashville is good, but Miami, uh, like specifically owns Nashville, like correct more than any other team. Messi has 10 goals against them, which is ah most against any other team.
01:33:35
Speaker
And they just destroy them every time. They just destroyed them on decision day. So, Yeah, I kind of agree with that pick. Columbus, Cincy. Columbus are kind of fraudulent. It's Cincy there, man. like The crew are not good right now.
01:33:47
Speaker
No, they're not. I agree. And then you have... This is the this is a crazy... bullet let gone in the west Let's go on the West. Portland versus San Diego. Does San Diego actually do it? Do you think they can get out from under Portland?
01:34:00
Speaker
um i i do I do think so, but mainly because I think the Timbs are like... They're not good, man. like They they agree beat RSL, but that was not like a convincing 3-1 at all.
01:34:12
Speaker
Yeah, I think we're both in that same wavelength. I think we're both in the same Seattle wavelength here. Minnesota, like over three games, dude, you can't you can't troll.
01:34:23
Speaker
You can't troll for three games. i Maybe they can, but I'll believe it when I see it. Yeah. Austin, LAFC...
01:34:32
Speaker
Let's just not even have a conversation there. Continue. Vancouver, Dallas. We already watched this game. this game already why they These should just be buys for LAFC in Vancouver. We don't need to do that Like we watched this happen.
01:34:43
Speaker
There's no way that they get another first minute red card and Dallas somehow pulls off an upset. I don't think that's happening. Vancouver all day. All right. We're going back to the East.
01:34:55
Speaker
Charlotte versus Chicago. I mean, you've a picture i mean you got it pick Greg Ball. That's what I'm picking. not what I picked, but I support you picking it. I'm picking Greg Ball.
01:35:07
Speaker
I'm picking Greg Ball. it' we just had We got different dark horses. I went with Charlotte. You've got the fire. I kind of like the ah the the fire. That's a heat check, but it could pay off for you. um And then Miami versus Cincy.
01:35:20
Speaker
This is where it gets shysty. I like don't want to pick Miami because then they're making it to the MLS cup. But also do I really believe that since he is that good of a team?
01:35:32
Speaker
This is where, well, so I don't, but they do have one of the best players in the league. And I can always like, uh, inner Miami's defense, you know, it can, we, we, we've seen what can happen. Other matchups. This did they they play this year, right?
01:35:51
Speaker
Uh, Miami and Cincy. I can't remember. Let's see what it was. Okay. ah Miami Redhawks and Cincinnati Bearcats. That's super helpful. Thank you, Google, for that.
01:36:02
Speaker
Okay. They drew. they drew and Cincinnati won. So I'm just going to go based on the evidence. if If Miami goes down, which they do like to do in the playoffs, I think it would be right there.
01:36:19
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. Jake is saying that Columbus might get you have more of a chance and hell is real than we're saying. But the the i I mean, I get the rivalry component of it. Even in the end of the ball right now, they're not good right now.
01:36:31
Speaker
They're like, they're really struggling. Yeah. All right. San Diego versus Seattle, man.
01:36:40
Speaker
ah in In San Diego. Yeah. I just don't know about San Diego's vibes right now, man. If this was the San Diego that was ripping up the league a couple months ago, i would I would take them as the home team probably.
01:36:54
Speaker
i think I think they are legitimately vulnerable right now. That's what it seems like. yeah they they were not in They haven't been in great form for a couple months now. They're dealing with like drama with their star player.
01:37:05
Speaker
Who knows if he's even going to play. And you have to play a play-in game that you're basically going to win like ten ni Where's your head going to be at coming out of that? you know And also, i think we've talked about this a little bit, but...
01:37:18
Speaker
Teams that expansion teams or teams that haven't made the playoffs like their first time there. That's not easy. Like they're you're not always ready for that smoke right away.
01:37:29
Speaker
And most expansion teams are not and they might be. But that is something when you haven't been there before. It's like a whole new kind of thing that you have to reckon with that a team like Seattle just does not have to reckon with. Seattle's done this a million times.
01:37:42
Speaker
So. Yeah, I agree. I'm going to go with Seattle. LAFC versus Vancouver. This was the big debate in with with Jeremiah and Nico.
01:37:54
Speaker
I picked LAFC, but... I feel LAFC heavy, and what I feel here is Seattle does it again in the Western Conference Finals. All right, you got them going. And I feel like Chicago somehow does it. This is sick bracket. This is a sick bracket.
01:38:11
Speaker
And I think this the Sounders win it. In Chicago? or Or no, yeah, they would be coming. In Seattle. I mean, if they're hosting Cup against the Flyer, that would be a pretty ideal... You you've picked the ideal Seattle bracket, which...
01:38:31
Speaker
I like, but I mean, I don't think it's a, ah I don't think it's fully, it's obviously a little bit of a Homer pick, but there's, there's reasoning behind it. Like the San Diego potential, potential downfall, I think is real. It just seems like, and then, okay. I guess what makes you, what makes you feel confident about a theoretical Western conference final against LAFC? Cause that's kind of where I'm like, I know they did it in 2019, but this LAFC team looks like a freaking buzzsaw right now.
01:39:01
Speaker
I just somehow feel like someone's going to get injured ah against Vancouver. Okay. So you're going to have to play in Vancouver. And I just, I don't know. I don't know. It's there's, there's the factor of them having to play at Vancouver. It is realistically anything can happen.
01:39:18
Speaker
There's something wrong with the vibes in that stadium. There's something wrong with BC play. Sorry. It's, it's haunted. And frankly, I just, that's, that's, it's going to do something to them. What LAFC team do you think was better this team or the 2019 team that Seattle had to beat with ah Carlos Vela and that whole gang?
01:39:40
Speaker
I don't know. That one was better statistically. They had a plus 48 GD. They had 49 goal. Long had played a whole season together. Yes.
01:39:50
Speaker
True. I think there's a, there's a, there's a sense that like that could be, that could be a challenge. Kyle makes good point as well. That is scheduled to end the season has been pretty soft and they couldn't get it done in Colorado.
01:40:09
Speaker
Yeah, like, you know, I have this kind of vision of Sun and Bawanga going on this demonic run through all the playoffs and tearing through everyone, but they really, like, they didn't do that to the Rapids, did they?
01:40:23
Speaker
And they were playing in that game, were they not? They were both playing in that game, yeah. So it's it's a team that can still get into a competitive playoff game. It's not like they've been winning every single game, like, so...
01:40:34
Speaker
so And think about the pressure that's going to be on them if they do have to play Seattle at home in the West final. Like the narrative flipped for a little while a while there where it was like LAFC owns Seattle in the playoffs or whatever. But I don't know. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills with that sometimes because that narrative still gets perpetuated.
01:40:57
Speaker
And I'm like, did Seattle not beat LAFC at LAFC in the playoffs literally last year? Literally last year. So like this is now the tables have turned here. This is on them. They're the ones who need to, who need to flip the script and change the narrative.
01:41:11
Speaker
I'm with you. I don't think this is a bad bracket. It's a bit Homer-y, but like, yeah I think you could, you could definitely switch The Chicago pick is, the Chicago pick is hot. That's what we do.
01:41:22
Speaker
Like, that's what we're here for. Is that fully vibes based or like, uh, I'm just, i have like i eighty for the fire and greg will i just, I don't know. Like their win was good bro like they looked good like And they've looked good at in an attack all year. They just, yeah. I'm sorry, dude. Philly. Like, I just don't believe, I don't believe it. I don't believe it. I don't believe it.
01:41:45
Speaker
I feel like a hungry ass fire team can go in there, get a scrappy result. Charlotte. Like I do really like Charlotte. And I actually, if I was actually going to be a little bit less insane about my pick, I would have picked them to go to the final, but i'm happy you I'm happy with my Charlotte dark horse pick. I feel like it's good middle ground of a team that people don't really expect, but also a team that I think is really good.
01:42:10
Speaker
Whereas the fire, ah like they they did look incredible against Orlando and they are a genuinely good team offensively. But I do like Charlotte, I think is so much stronger defensively. So yeah, that is, agree but like, I, I, I like that you went, I don't think there's many brackets that have the fire going all the way, but we do like,
01:42:31
Speaker
Wacky stuff like that does happen in the playoffs. could totally see them beating Philly at the at the minimum.
Final Thoughts and Recap
01:42:38
Speaker
like I truly believe that is my pick for the upset of round one.
01:42:43
Speaker
um I don't think Portland will get it done. But we saw it. We saw it. St. Louis, okay? like I don't know. I'm just saying. like you can You can have a bunch of points, but...
01:42:55
Speaker
Manny says, I don't believe Cincy over Messi, which I get, but I also didn't believe Brad Guzan over Messi. Yeah, I was going say. But he's officially retired now, so they may be able to finally make a run. The team that knocked Inter-Miami out of the playoffs last year is way worse than any team that's in the playoffs this year. Definitely way worse than the Cincy team. So I think that's the thing.
01:43:17
Speaker
This is what Miami does. like You think and think they're all set up, and then they they find some way to lose it. Miami has not beaten Cincinnati this season. Yeah.
01:43:28
Speaker
Cincinnati's got it. I'm just, I have to look at the numbers. I've got to look at what the results were. You're famously a stats guy. I'm, but I literally have dug, dug into the X, the, the, uh, X G X G. Is that what it Expected, uh, expected, expected advancement.
01:43:46
Speaker
The XA. Yeah.
01:43:50
Speaker
Uh, All right. I didn't have anything else for the night, did you? No. Let's call it right there. Good stuff. ah Thank you all for tuning in to the first ever Lobbing Scorchers end-of-season awards show. That was a lot of fun.
01:44:04
Speaker
it ah i was hoping it would generate some good debates, and i think it did. There was some outside-the-box picks. There were some obvious picks. ah The red card of the year debate I thought was actually the best debate. There was there was ah debates that changed.
01:44:19
Speaker
I was sure. That knew who was going to get red card of the year. thats That's an incredible upset to imagine throwing a ball into the stands and flipping off a referee and you don't even win red card of the year.
01:44:30
Speaker
That says a lot about this team's red cards. that they were there was one that was able to beat him out after that display it's gonna be good bait on ah instagram when i post all of the graphics though because people are gonna spam the new whoo one so we're gonna get good engagement and then so this actually works that's gonna be that's gonna be a good graphic yeah like i'm excited to see what you cook up for uh for that one um when is this game Oh, it's on ah Monday. On Monday. all right. So, yeah, that's why I was looking because i don't know if that's going to affect our Lobbing Scorchers kickoff schedule. We might just do it anyway as like a program. I would just it anyway. Yeah, we'll probably just do it anyway.
01:45:11
Speaker
ah Like we did. We did a League's Cup pregame show. Probably a similar vibe to that. ah And then maybe ah maybe we'll find a time or I'll find a time to go live this weekend to react to other stuff that's going on. but It is Halloweekend.
01:45:27
Speaker
It is Halloween weekend. So... Or no, no. This weekend it isn't. Next weekend. Oh, yeah Next weekend. Like when the game is. yeah Yeah. Got it. But I'll keep y'all posted we're doing anything this weekend. But otherwise, we'll see you on...
01:45:43
Speaker
on Monday for kickoff for the pregame show and then we'll do our postgame reaction show and take calls afterwards and yeah playoff time let's go it's time the road to MLS Cup starts in Minneapolis so hell yeah get ready to learn negative possession buddy oh my god Do you think they do think they're going to commit to their full tactics?
01:46:09
Speaker
I feel like you... I don't think they can. We'll have to see. I'm actually so curious to see if they come out. Like, like they did it... Can you play a playoff game like they played Seattle at Allianz the last time these two teams played?
01:46:24
Speaker
I just... There's no way you can do that. If if Eric Ramsey does that, he is a... He's a bitsman. Like, he's... Certified. He's ah he's a stand-up comedian, not an MLS coach, if he actually does that.
01:46:37
Speaker
But, you know, I didn't i didn't think he would do it before, and that's just apparently how he rolls. Anyway, all right, we're going to call right there. Thanks for tuning in tonight, guys.
01:46:48
Speaker
We'll catch you on on Monday at the very latest. Love y'all. Thank you for tuning in. Peace.