Transcript
Speaker: hello
Speaker: and welcome to episode 75 of The Cooler Guild. I am Coop Cooper, and joined with me, as always, is my co -host, Van k Crisp. Hello. We're recording on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. On today's episode, we're going to go over the Reigns. Two matches that they just played, they had one. Against s Louisville on the road, only had one against KC on the road, only picked up one point in those matches. Kind of annoying. Yeah. but um That's the way it goes sometimes. um So we'll get into those games, kind of go over some NWSL results, and also an interesting piece of news that had come out. what was it a couple days ago uh and then we'll we'll you know preview that reigns next match but before we get into all that we got some housekeeping to take care of the cooler guild is part of the sounder at heart podcast network you can either listen to us on our public feed or if you're a sounder at heart subscriber on the private unified feed with the other podcasts on the network If you'd like to become a subscriber, please do just visit our page at sound at heart .com forward slash the cooler guild. New subscribers get 10 % off the normal rate and you'll help support everything we're doing. How's a, you sound a little, you sound better. Yeah.
Speaker: I survived. You sounded like someone who'd been smoking cigarettes. Which was like kind of cool, you know? But I knew you felt like shit, so, you know. Yeah, I listened to the last episode and I was just like, oh, my God. um Sultry. A bit, but also just like incredibly nasally. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: No, I'm good good got new relationship stuff happening so haven't been totally locked into soccer You know how it gets. I mean it's that time of year too. I have another friend who's also going through the same thing with a woman as well.
Speaker: I was like, this seems not like not a coincidence. i don't know i feel very lucky you know but this summer like i feel like people are in good moods and they want to meet people and so it's a good time to it's a good time to st start relationships it was like my one match in three years on hinge so o
Speaker: ah It's brutal out there, apparently. Yeah, but not... feel like it's like you have i mean you have to be like a little bit at least Yeah. But... Dating sounds like a fucking nightmare right now.
Speaker: That's why I didn't do it. Until I found one person who seemed fine and then just turned out to be perfect. so All right. Well. You're so skeptical. And that's fine. I appreciate that and I get it. It's not. it's just I just don't know people. That's all. I don't know people. I don't know where things go. We'll just see where it goes. That's all it is. Yeah, that's fine. You know, I'm going to bring him to the game on the 12th.
Speaker: Oh cool. Cool, cool, cool. Does she like sports? No. Great. But she watched the last ring game with me. Great. I mean, Alex doesn't really like sports that much. I mean, she has specific things that she likes to watch, but not the one team sports I tend to like.
Speaker: Yeah, it's it's actually kind of funny. She's like, do you not like that I don't like sports? And I'm like, no, it's actually kind of nice. Yeah, it's helped me kind of. figure out where my priorities should lie. For sure. so Absolutely. We've got two sports nerds, and there's nothing wrong with two sports nerds, but...
Speaker: I think there's good to it's good to have balance. so Absolutely. What about you? You got some stuff hanging out, like going on? Yeah, I don't know. I got... I haven't started. I'm going to be starting a new job soon. it's Super.
Speaker: I don't know. It's like two days a week or something. Part -time helping out. a A friend's business in town. Some friends, business. I guess it's two friends that own it. But ah yeah, I got offered a job to help them out at their their shop. So that'll be fun. I think probably. I haven't had like a...
Speaker: Job where I have to go in and talk to. customers in a long time so i'm a little like how is it gonna be talking to the public again but uh they'll be fine yeah but but they also seem to want to hire me because of my whole like demeanor so you know that's what they're gonna get sick anyways enough about us we have two games to talk about I'm not really excited about talking about either of them, to be ah to be honest, but...
Speaker: That's what we're here to do. And that's what people are here to listen to. So first up, the rain played. how How do you want to do this? Do you want to, should we go over the racing Louisville game first and then we'll hit the KC a bit or kind of if things cross over, I guess they'll cross over.
Speaker: We can do that. I think we should say both scores. Okay. Yeah. So like on Wednesday, the rain played Louisville. In Louisville, lost 2 -1 in a Heartbreaker. And then tied KC, yeah, KC, 1 -1. Semi -heartbreaker because there was a penalty in it that we gave up, but we also didn't really score a goal ourselves. Oh, man.
Speaker: I feel like that's like kind of the Matty Mercado special is to like force other teams to score goals on them. Just get in the spaces. It was McCammon that got on that, right? Yeah. We can start with the racing game.
Speaker: The Wednesday match, the Wednesday loss. There was a notable stat that came out of this game. Courtesy of the reins. comps department ah with Matty Mercado's goal in the 19th minute.
Speaker: She now leads the team with seven goals. including five in her last seven matches. She's the third forward to become the first Reign player to score seven goals in a season since Bethany Balser and Megan Rapinoe. in 2022.
Speaker: i don't think any of us saw this coming No. I kind of i mean, I kind of knew. i i had We knew at the end of last season. We knew at the end of last season that there was something a little bit special there. Yeah, for sure. There's an inclination. of something yeah There could be something more.
Speaker: But. With. Eight career regular season goals. Mercado is now tied with Veronica Latsko. for ninth most in club history. And she did give Latsko energy. Yeah, she did. So this makes sense.
Speaker: But I thought that was an interesting thing to come out of this game. She's been so good. You know I requested that somebody get in the double digits this year. You did. and I think it's gonna happen.
Speaker: I think so, too. I don't think my money would have ever been on Mercado. And that's my fault, I guess. ah But I am not mad about it. I'm not either. And good for her. Yeah, absolutely. That's one of the things that worked. Matty Mercado.
Speaker: She gets open in the box and she. She makes it happen. she took that shot really really well When I was texting you before this, because there was another run from Sofia Huerta where she just kind of. Didn't do much with. Her beating three players. Mm hmm.
Speaker: I was like, why don't you take the shot? and then we comment it And then a couple minutes later, she takes a shot. Sure, it gets blocked. But then Mercado gets the ball in the middle of the box and be able to take a touch and then finish. And when she fucking slotted that top top bins there, yeah it was nice.
Speaker: It was really nice. There was another opportunity that Montessier had in the box. She got the ball off kind of the bounce, volleyed it over the player to herself to a left -footed volley.
Speaker: And if she had put that. in a better place instead of directly at the goalkeeper. Probably would have been a goal of the week. but didn't finish. So I. I put that in the what work, but I, in the same sense of. last week's talk about Sally Menti and trying things. I felt that this was appropriate. Yeah, I think... you know, like We signed Mondasir. She hasn't had a lot of playing time, so when she gets in the field and does something like that, it's nice to see.
Speaker: uh a different day maybe that goes in it's just and you know what you know what's annoying is that i just feel like Louisville's goalkeeper has been having some really bad games recently. Yeah. And somehow we get the one game where she's. turning up well we also had one game where she didn't I know, but so I've been seeing a lot of blunders from her and we couldn't get one of those. It's like, God.
Speaker: Would have been nice. but That's fair. But, you know. Oh, well, the other thing that pissed me off about this game. Actually, the main thing that pissed me off about this game is the player that beat us. Should not even be on that team. Yeah, that's this. This game is solely on Leslie Gallimore for not signing Emma Sears. This is the player that we should have. I know she should be on a better team. She should be on a better team. Emma Sears wants out.
Speaker: We could have gotten her. If we would have won this game, we would be we would have gone up in the standings. And we would also be a threatening team week in, week out. so Ouch.
Speaker: The Sounders just signed somebody. I know you want to bring this up. But the sound has just dropped. a pretty penny on a new player. Why couldn't we have done that with Emma Sears? They signed a guy for $6 million. dollars And then... Restructured. Albert Rusnax. contract to get this player. Yeah. And he's good.
Speaker: What? What's the holdup? They have Craig Weibel. Doing that. Leslie, what are you doing? I'm just, yeah. I'm mad. I'm mad about this. Anyway. Um... Yeah, Sam Asiris beat us. She scored both goals.
Speaker: I mean, she cooked us too. She absolutely cooked us. and The thing that also made me angry was... The rain had 66 % possession over the entire match. 22 shots, five on target. And only one goal on 2 .47 XG.
Speaker: do better you gotta do better i will say it's one of those games that were our xg i kind of like looked at our shots and it was kind of like our xg was so high because we had so many shots that's fair and i don't love to rely i don't love to rely on xg but with 66 possession yeah yeah yeah You gotta to have more quality chances. Yeah, absolutely. And you got to put them in the back of the net. Yeah. And then you look.
Speaker: If you look at a team that has 44 % possession and they have a player. that wants to leave, that wants to go somewhere else. That scores both of your goals. Yeah. And what have you done for the last - six weeks that she's wanted out. Absolutely nothing.
Speaker: I don't know. It's weird We're just... We have mentioned it like the last. 100 episodes that we want her but anyway Yeah. ah Do you have any final thoughts on the Louisville game? I hate that we gave up the lead. Yeah, that's the I think the most annoying thing. And I don't like that the defense is kind of crashing out right now. they've been crashing out for a little bit it feels like so In ways that...
Speaker: they shouldn't like It's not like they're getting beat by like amazing players every time. I mean, granted, Emma Sears is amazing, but there's been... I feel like it's transitions. They're getting beat on transitions really easily, like super easily. You know that is right.
Speaker: because the but mezz is gone and the ball is being given away and higher up the field yeah uh It's not great. ah I don't want to think about this game anymore though.
Speaker: We can move on. We can move on to the 1 -1 draw against Kansas City. Which is also not a super fun watch, but... I feel okay about it. i At the end of the match, I was not mad that it ended this way.
Speaker: But... When you go against a team that's not... playing their best player, it's frustrating. I mean, that player is Shu Inga, and she tends to... be the whole reason Kansas is is as good as they are. they've They've shown this season that when she is not on the field, even last season when she wasn't on the field, that that they kind of just didn't.
Speaker: they couldn't figure things out all the time yeah They couldn't score. They couldn't. I don't know, put something together that was impressive. The inconsistencies were very real and it seemed like the team was very much relying on Chewinga, which like, hey, if you had Chewinga, I guess. That's a great, it's a great plan. Yeah. But we didn't take advantage of that. But at the same time...
Speaker: You've noted here that we are not great playing against KC at home. No, and a lot of teams aren't great playing Casey at home. Because they are. They haven't lost a game at home in 26 matches. that's insane that's wild And I see like. The Thorns touting their home record currently. What is it? It's like six.
Speaker: No, it's probably more than that, but that's it's not 26. Yeah. yeah that's insane to me yeah that's Fortress. Yeah. So... Going there and getting a point out of the game after losing midweek.
Speaker: I wasn't mad about it, especially. Because. It was very contested. Second half. But. I do want to point out. The Etsy witch is still undefeated.
Speaker: It's true. 11 matches in a row with a goal. It does seem like she's kind of teetering. We're finally teetering, though, because we didn't. Our player didn't score this goal. It's still a goal. I would know. i would I would have... I would have been happy with this when we were going on five matches without scoring. Yeah.
Speaker: It didn't matter who scored, what team scored, as long as it counted on our end of the scoreboard. Yeah, absolutely. So I don't not count this. I know, but I i do think she's just like, we're just having a little fun with us. She's just like, be careful now. i'm like We've been praising you. Please don't.
Speaker: Yeah, but... I...
Speaker: especially in this in this match like you take what you can get sure and i feel like that was a gift yeah and i will take that gift thank you etsy witch yeah i know i want to i will want to point out with the louisville game i think if we would have walked away with two points i would have been happy with Two points. Oh, for the trip. Yeah, for the trip. The starting lineup for the Louisville was not our preferred starting lineup. No. It was a little bit more that way with KC, which like.
Speaker: when i thought about it i was like was that worth it for doing that to louisville Probably. Especially when you have KC. like a few days later. So we had the team that we would want. Aside from...
Speaker: Sam Ezra. Yeah. who's still out with an injury. And that sucks. But I think the defense did a lot better of a job in the Kansas City match. you look at the stats i mean i was nervous as hell though the whole time but well i think they broke at some point like we talk a lot about like the bend don't break mentality of the rain defense and i think that they they did break at one point Unfortunately, I don't think it was that much of a break because it was a. weird penalty call. yeah but
Speaker: They really held up. yeah yeah i mean there were 20 kansas city had 24 shots and only three were on target
Speaker: jordan bug Jordan Bug had an incredible game this match. Yeah, and I don't like when we're giving up 24 shots, but at the same time, this is kind of a game where I think about how this is how the rain defense kind of works. Yeah. Granted, there were some crossbar situations that we got extremely lucky on. yeah um But, you know. ah We... we we we We got by. Be got by.
Speaker: well then A little bit of an unlucky handball. You want to talk about it? Sure, I mean... You think that it wasn't a handball, right? I think... that.
Speaker: In the... full spirit of the law. that is a natural position for the hand to be in. i agree are you going to jump up and keep your hands at your side I mean, that's a way to keep your hands at your side is kind of chicken winging it. Because like you can't just like do, like I don't know, like last minute trying to bring those arms in. it's pretty difficult and it was so close the ball was being shot pretty close to her Yeah.
Speaker: I just don't understand how that's making your body bigger in an unnatural way. yeah The arm wasn't fully extended. yeah It was kind of held to you. And you're not. putting your body towards the ball.
Speaker: But I see this call. We see this call made both ways. Yeah, that's the problem. And I think the frustrating thing for me is that we don't get those calls. No. We don't. And. I don't, I mean, they'll revisit these rules all the time, and maybe they need to make, like, ah arms in. positions like four arms diagrams or something or maybe like assess how people's bodies move naturally because like if they could get that figured out
Speaker: I remember there was like a ah handball. That probably should have been called on New Who like years ago. I mean, I think you remember the presser. Yeah. and selling help And that one was way more deliberate to me, but they deem that kind of like a natural position. Yeah, it's very subjective. Yeah, it just depends on the mood of the ref that day, I guess. I also think that like.
Speaker: I still have a bit. of a handball PTSD from the Huerta Portland game. Was that two years ago? where it hit her foot and bounced up to her hand yeah yeah and they were like penalty and then they reviewed it and it was still a penalty and then they came out later and had to make a statement and say hey that's actually not a penalty That's bullshit. So I've had handball PTSD for the rain. Fair enough. But yeah, it was it was harsh in my opinion, but I get it.
Speaker: i i just assaulted I don't like it. Sure. I think that's fair. I wanted to point out, despite Shawinga not being there, this team, the Kansas City team is still very stacked.
Speaker: Corey Bethune is corbathins hitting her stride. She was looking really good in this game. um So I think the rain. Overall, did pretty well playing a quote -unquote stack team i don't think they were consistent Um, and Casey tend to.
Speaker: I don't know, fuck up everything at the end of the season, but... i don't ah For how how many games they've had and stuff, I think this was a good result. Yeah. When you think of the Kansas City team right now.
Speaker: like Does it make you nervous having me to play them? at At least in Kansas, maybe. Yeah. And also. Between Kansas City. And Orlando. I'm a little confused by these teams right now because they do have so many good players, but the results aren't necessarily showing that right now.
Speaker: but then they pull off these games where it's like oh yeah you are good do you think that's because of the coaches We'll sleep at Kansas. Well... They are all men. I mean, the NW is all experience. I mean, we figured out, like, what? I don't know. I still have a lot of questions on what they were doing there.
Speaker: Yeah. I was talking to somebody today. earlier about because Somebody at work asked me about the Sounders. And like... Okay. They're so bad. They finally made a signing. And I said. Okay, great. But look at the rain. They haven't really made a signing.
Speaker: other than the one that we haven't seen yet yeah and won't see for a while But. The coaching is so good. that you can make something out of nothing. with the potential of your players. yeah And I think that like not to shit on Brian Spencer. But.
Speaker: Laura Harvey is a genius. Yeah. Harvey Ball wins games. yeah We're not playing that anymore. as People say it is, but. When you can be in the playoff contention.
Speaker: With. the lack of money that's being spent on your team. That is... Grandmaster chess level coaching. Yeah, people don't want to admit that, though. I will. yeah i will say brian smetra's got a a massive injury situation and i hope whoever is in charge of The fitness and training ah of players with the Sounders doesn't ever come to the rain. Please don't. Because the injuries are there.
Speaker: Wild. I don't think anyone can fix that. I don't think Harvey can do anything with that roster or that team right now. Really bad. Yeah. The good news is the rain. uh The Rainer giving us good a good good product to watch. They're the best Seattle team right now.
Speaker: People keep telling me like, oh my God, Seattle teams are so bad. And I'm like, do you not? know that the one I pay attention to is like better than mediocre right now. Yeah, I mean, it is maybe to our surprise a little bit, but. ah Oh, I'm absolutely flabbergasted.
Speaker: Like the one team that's going to make the playoffs. That's it's not the storm. It's not the Mariners. It's it's not the Sounders who have been the stalwarts. Like it's the rain. Mm -hmm The Reign are putting up a good fight.
Speaker: ah Maybe I should use this time to say again, why the fuck aren't you at the game? Yeah. Go. Go. just go to the just game go to the game i hear people talking all the time about how they're gonna drop their sounder season tickets now because the team just like really isn't doing anything i'm like you know where you could put half that money And have a better time? Yeah.
Speaker: go to rain games and your dollar goes further there too so Yeah. ah You want to talk any more about the Kansas City match? I mean, I'm going to harp on it a little bit, just a tiny bit. Mia Fishel.
Speaker: i'm not gonna the penalty thing that has nothing to do with what i want to say but I still need more. That's fair. I think that's a fair request. I need more when our only goal is from a set piece and i'm just i just need more she's I mean, we're getting a little bit of production starting to happen and stuff like that, but I need a consistency. I need someone out there who is just going to like tear teams down and demoralize them with joy because that's how she plays when she's playing really well.
Speaker: That's also how Emma Sears plays. Wow. What a great player that would be to be on the rain. I know. Ugh, so annoying. uh i don't know i'm not i'm not upset i'm just a little i feel like there's a little bit more left on the table for this and i don't know i did like that the rain were really going for it until the end and then the kc game i appreciated that effort They really have gotten out of the second half.
Speaker: Minus Lugo. Yeah, but... It didn't feel the same. No, I think the second half. ah lack of effort and kind of holding. holding defensively has and Maybe started to dissipate. So like I'm fine with that. Yeah. But I agree. I think that there's. something left on the table from these two matches. um But. Here we are. Here we are. Uh, should we get into core part of the match? is yeah matches We're going to name one for both matches.
Speaker: Yeah. possibly a surprise. Maybe. ah The Cooler Player of the Matches is brought to you by The Doctor's Office, a great little 12 -seat bar on Capitol Hill. The owner is a big fan of the rain and is proud to be our first sponsor.
Speaker: Who are we giving it to? Sofia Huerta. The one, the only. The one and only. And this is what we talked about last. Last episode is like, sometimes a player has... a mediocre game or less than mediocre game and It just doesn't really continue. Yeah. And I think that she was a bright spot in both of these games.
Speaker: Her, like we talked about. her taking that shot finally. Started the Mercado goal. And I just think that her having more consistently better matches is. only going to solidify the team. keeping scoring goals and being a better team as a whole. Yeah, because she also... broaden that. laid in that cross for the set piece. that led to the goal, the own goal. um
Speaker: which did find our player first uh to be fair um But yeah, I think when she's playing well, the team. it's it's just it's so much better uh yeah it shows yeah i know it's like a kind of a cliche but she is a very important piece to this team defense is such a big part of this this team so
Speaker: the fact that she does that pretty well i do think she's slowing down a little bit but she's so smart that she's able to kind of read the game a little bit better than a lot of people give her credit for and I think that's that's something that... we have a resource on the team for.
Speaker: In just fish luck. Jess Fishlock slowed down a lot. But her soccer IQ is so high. that she's able to still be productive. And I hope that Soph is... tying into that. Knowledge.
Speaker: And. Getting. a little bit of mentorship in that that area even though she's not she's not almost 40 and like so down that much But I think that there's a... a A huge.
Speaker: like treasure of knowledge and just fish lock yeah i mean and where it has been in this league a long time too so I mean, that's You just can't like. undervalue how much experience that brings to the team and how much that helps other players and the youth and like she maybe doesn't she's not as fast as maybe she once was she was never like the fastest player to begin with but She had moments, but We've got youth now.
Speaker: who have some legs, not everyone, but some of them do. and her crossing ability to find some of those players That's all you need. Exactly. Keep up with the kids. So how do you... find a way to get into those positions without putting in the same amount of effort yeah Because the thing that... she's kind of starting to figure out. yeah So.
Speaker: Congrats, Sofia Huerta. Three games in a row now. Yeah. Get it, girl. ah Thanks again to our sponsor, The Doctor's Office. The Doctor's Office. What, are you laughing at that? Yeah. Get it, girl. ah The doctor's office is the best place to grab a drink before or after a rain match. Make an appointment today and order their limited edition cocktail, the Tokyo Melon Club.
Speaker: ah She's so Jen. Gin Maicha infused vermouth. I think I... I look this up and I feel like. I looked it up too long ago. Jen Maicha. I think that's how you say it. Infused vermouth. Is it so -chew? I feel like they always say so -chew. In Honey Kissed Melon, walk into a club and throw a decadent party. It's like a martini type vibe.
Speaker: o i like a martini um me too this one sounds like a really fun take on it uh so go check it out and also check out their instagram at tdo seattle or better yet go drink there in person Cheers.
Speaker: cheers ah Do we even want to do any overall thoughts on these two matches? I mean, we kind of did a little bit, but is there any like specific things we didn't bring up yet? Wait, there's one glaring. issue with the team right now. Yeah.
Speaker: See you, Muzzle. Where are you? Uh... We need her. Yeah. She's an integral part of this team that is very much missing when she's not there. And luckily we haven't had to see what the team looks like without her. Until these games.
Speaker: But it is a glaring loss. It's not good. I don't like it. I think it was tough, like the timing in which she got injured in training.
Speaker: And then having to miss a couple games because they were so close together. um But. I hope she's okay, and I'm glad they're giving her rest. Yeah. We've got a real situation coming up soon.
Speaker: called Ainsley McCammon's not going to be available for a really long time and we're going to be really fucked so if we need to keep resting Meza to prepare for that eventual ah occurrence then yeah don't push her don't rush her uh it just the team is suffering without her Well, I think that that brings up an even bigger issue here. which is the central midfield. is struggling. Well, they don't have that leadership there.
Speaker: They also don't have the skill. no Both. James Turner and Menti. Yeah. struggled in the last two matches. Yeah, they're doing tech like tactical yellows.
Speaker: Because they're... Getting beat. And you just you can't rely on that. No. If Chewing was on the field, it would have been bad. It would have been terrible. Yeah. Bye.
Speaker: It's... It's frightening to me. that this is the only options that we have. Mhm. And I know that there's potential in mentee. As much shit as I talk, I see it. I get it.
Speaker: James Turner. Usually okay. But has it been good? And if there was somebody else to put in, I don't think she would be starting. Yeah. So... Give me another option. We need something else.
Speaker: Because this is not working. This is where we're really missing somebody. I get that we just signed a nine. that is hopefully going to be. impactful at some point i just yeah but where where the team needs somebody right now Attacking mid.
Speaker: And this isn't like a new thing either. No, we've been harping on this for like six months. Cause like. Meza needs someone to partner with her and she can kind of switch between tacking and defensive, you know, mid and maybe she's better in that six role, but.
Speaker: We've been asking for like a true 10 somewhere. to link up and uh even give me an eight i don't care yeah i don't care i don't care just needs to be someone back there because it is not <unk>s not flowing.
Speaker: It's not. I do you like that you put we're staying under the radar. but I mean any stats that you see coming out right now. As far as like best players in the league, anything you see coming out, there's no rain players mentioned. It's true. I see Susie Rance talk about this all the time. Go read her articles. She's incredible. But.
Speaker: We're not really on anyone's radar right now. They talk about us sometimes as far as like you know being in the conversation for playoffs. But we're not really seen as a threat. Do I think we're a threat? Yeah, that's different. Some respect would be nice sometimes. Right.
Speaker: But I think that when you underestimate a team. it can cause you problems And I'm fine with the team being underestimated right now. Sure. So... Is it... fun to see no one from your team mentioned in any conversation no it's not because I think Maddie Mercado deserves some fucking flowers for this season she does but it's Fine, as far as like playoffs go, if like we get into it. and have to play against a one, two or three team.
Speaker: And they don't. Think about it as a challenge and you go in and beat them. That's fine. But it has been discouraging to be like, oh, yes, I follow a team that no one knows exists, apparently. Yeah, no one gasses up ever. People gas up. harvey but they don't It's like the kind of where the conversation ends. But that's mostly from like former players. Yeah. That are on these. Yeah. I guess it's like broadcasters. On these broadcasts. Yeah. That used to play. So. Uh -huh. Yeah.
Speaker: Okay, um I think we can move on. See the NWSL results. What do we got? Houston beat Chicago 5 -0. Mm -hmm. Cool.
Speaker: Surprising, no. But. In the next game, it's actually a surprise. San Diego beat Utah 4 -2. Barcenas is so good. She's so good. Tanaka scored both goals for Utah, though. She's also so good. yeah North Carolina beat Boston, 2 -1.
Speaker: Boss Lost Nation. Ashley Sanchez. we Wait, I didn't see the time on it until just now. So. North Carolina was up. In the 10th minute, they're up 1 -0.
Speaker: Nothing happens. And then Boston gets a goal from Traore at 90. 90 plus two. And then Ashley Sanchez scores in 90 plus 17, the latest goal at NWSL history.
Speaker: and maybe it's maybe one of the latest goals ever i know some people who don't follow the anything but apparently men from the World Cup, but I was like, you know, in the bar, I remember when I shouted, this happens all the time in the NWC with stoppage time.
Speaker: Sure enough here we are. ah So... There's a lot of talk. around Ashley Sanchez right now. I think for. good reasons yeah She better get a call up.
Speaker: There's going to be a riot if she doesn't. Or storming the Capitol. Yeah. Well, then the next match, Portland beat Denver 1 -0.
Speaker: It's a home game for Portland. Kind of expected at this point. Sophia Wilson scored the lone goal in the 44th minute. I have a personal proud moment. the goalkeeper from my USLW team. Kat Asman made her NWSL debut for Denver as the goalkeeper in this match. She couldn't do anything about the goal.
Speaker: But then she had a good game and I was very proud of her. I watched it because it came on after the rain game and I was. Just like, is that Kat? And then I like yelled at the TV. So I. sent her a message and she... Talk for a bit, but. Love that for her hate that for Portland. Also, she was drafted to Portland, which is really funny.
Speaker: Yeah. Uh, then Chicago? Beat Louisville. Three to two. So annoying. Very. Goals from Joseph Swanson and Grosso for Chicago. Taylor Flint and McKenna Morris for Louisville.
Speaker: Uh, Orlando. Finally won a game against a good opponent? that's shocking Yeah, beating Washington Spirit 1 -0. Away. And McCutcheon scored in the fourth minute.
Speaker: BFC beat Houston 1 -0. Was Jarelli scoring in the 89th minute? League game winner there. And then Angel City and Gotham tied 0 -0. This is actually a very fun 00.
Speaker: match um Angelina Anderson saved a penalty. in the 88th minute on Girl Writing. I don't think it should have been a penalty. The announcers didn't think it was a penalty. But. It was and she saved it, so.
Speaker: Gotham doesn't win. That's nice. Yeah, Gotham doesn't win. and That was very nice. also i watched this game with my dad my dad is sarah gordon's newest fan I'm surprised you didn't know about her before. I think he did. But she had an outstanding game this game.
Speaker: she's She has those all the time. I know. She's great. We don't normally watch. But she's totally, you know what? She's totally the kind of player your dad would be like. She's a fucking badass. Yeah. but it would mean We don't watch a lot of Angel City games. so Yeah, that's true. and Why would you? But she was just a... She always is a force to be reckoned with. Yeah. And it's very sad to me that. She possibly missed the window.
Speaker: Because she's so good. Yeah. um Yeah. That game ended 0 -0. Thank God Gotham didn't win another game. Doesn't really matter though. I guess at this point. I just want teams to but ah if if gotham just takes all the points and then we can get some points somewhere i guess i'm fine with that but yeah i don't know There's other some other Gotham news.
Speaker: Mmm. Very fascinating. Esther said she was stepping away from soccer and the sport of football. uh and mutually terminated we talk about this already she mutually terminated her contract with gotham and uh guess who's got a new contract already going Esther, she has signed with a Saudi club.
Speaker: Um... It sounds like... Gotham is kind of blindsided by this. because she left for personal reasons it sounded like that she had family matters to attend to we're not really sure it's all speculation and stuff But, uh...
Speaker: ah I... What fuck? This is crazy. I can't i can't believe this. I was. Dumbfounded by this.
Speaker: like am i am i i mean Like... In my head, I thought, oh, maybe... She... Signed a termination thing with with Gotham because she needs to get... a big fat payday right because she's not getting any younger
Speaker: and maybe the idea was we'll we'll let you terminate your contract but you can't sign with any of our rivals you can't sign with any european clubs in my head i was like oh so the only place she's allowed to go sign is basically saudi but i don't think that was the fucking deal because gotham had no fucking idea about this no they had no idea And I don't think anyone has any idea.
Speaker: I have a theory. What's your theory? Pure speculation theory. 100 % pure speculation. This just comes from my... 30. Seven years of being a lesbian. um So Sarah and her wife had a baby like a year ago.
Speaker: I think. that there was tension. Something happened. And she went back to try and fix her marriage. Okay. And that didn't work out. So she wanted to go get a big payday.
Speaker: to make it work. I mean it is closer to Spain. Yeah. ah yeah i don't know i have no idea like you said i think gotham got fleeced i do think gotham got fleeced i think who is a stairs agent because that is a brilliant move because now I mean, it's one thing to go play for a Saudi team and maybe Gotham was unwilling to. I have no idea. I truly have no idea because it sounds like she just played up this.
Speaker: family thing maybe it's legit right maybe it is legit I don't doubt that there wasn't something going on, but like... Gotham by all means was entitled to get some sort of transfer. some sort of transfer fee for something like this and the saudi clubs can fucking afford that But I think also...
Speaker: She was the most underpaid player at Gotham. Yeah, that's not right. Maybe the personal reasons was... personally i'm being disrespected with my salary but certainly having sam kerr lined up kind of makes it all like how long do they know that this was going to kind of happen. Yeah, makes you ask questions. I don't know. I'm so curious. I need Gotham to get audited, but that'll never happen.
Speaker: I do like that they got fleeced on this. Bye. This makes me happy in that sense. Yes. All right. The Reign have another game coming up. ah It's going to be against the Houston Dash Sunday, August 30th, 4 p .m. at Lumen Field. Go get your tickets if you haven't yet. It's going to be at NWSL Plus, and it's also going to be on the radio, KJR 950. What do you want to see in this game?
Speaker: I need them to win. Yeah. I'd love to see Sam as a back. If she's healthy. Mystery, mystery. and I don't want to see the defense lock in. Yeah. I want to see. Claudia Dickey. Have a...
Speaker: consistently solid match. Mm hmm. Because there seems to be a little bit of a... I don't know. She just hasn't been as solid lately. Yeah. So I'd like to see that. What about you?
Speaker: uh i feel like you've watched more nwcl than me so when i was trying to kind of look at Comparisons with Houston. ah Cat, is it Raider? Radar? Raider? Raider. Raider. I'm worried about her.
Speaker: As a rain fan, I think she's gonna be really dangerous. And I think... If Meza's back, it'll be fine. i have I have some concerns, though, if she's not. Yeah. um And then Avery Patterson is always... pretty solid so i I just think there's a I don't think... I don't think Houston's a really good team by any means. But I do think they're kind of comparable with the rain in terms of you know putting out a good performance.
Speaker: So I think that the rain just can't underestimate them. But I also like. You're playing at home. don't don't Don't give them anything. Yeah, I think if they can isolate if you're Patterson. Yeah. and Cat Raider, who scored two goals in the last weekend's game.
Speaker: um They're going to be okay. Mm hmm. But we still need that offensive production. And so then you ask the question of, okay, Mia, what are you doing? Mm -hmm. Maddie, what are you doing? Both Maddies. Yeah, both Maddies.
Speaker: yeah But the problems, Avery everyvery Patterson plays on the outside, so that might be ah a Curry or a Huerta issue. Yeah. Which... It's always kind of a toss up.
Speaker: But. When you only have certain players to really... isolate. I think it can be easier for the rain. And one thing about the rain. is that We don't really have a star.
Speaker: no You might argue this season that it's Matty Mercado. And if I had this conversation somewhere else, I would probably would make that argument. But. The whole team together is making it work. And I think that's a positive. When you go into going into playing a game against another team that kind of. is in the same boat.
Speaker: with maybe a couple of bigger names. So I think if they... If they. can gel if they can get that camaraderie and then that communication going i think they'll they're going to be fine ah but if they don't and if they let some of these bigger players from Houston get through, they're going to have an issue.
Speaker: Yeah. It's not gonna be comfortable, I don't think. Unless the offense gets going just early. like what what they They've been good about doing that. It's kind of falling off a bit.
Speaker: A little bit. But... They're finding ways to in still... eek out something. So... Shit. Give a score prediction.
Speaker: Maybe 2 -1. That was going to be my guess. I think two won. Win, right? Yeah, 2 -1 win. I would love to see a shout -out, though. So, like, if it's a one... 1 -0, I might be happier.
Speaker: Fair. um granted i do like watching multiple goals but i really really need this defense to turn up like we expect them to because they haven't been doing that and it's making me upset yeah like I look at like the shutouts in this league and I'm like why are we not It's like we should be.
Speaker: up there with shutouts and it seems like Things are just fall off at the exact wrong time in games. It's not like we're... i don't know it's like people are like threading balls there it's like oh fuck no one's paying attention Oh, then now we fucked up. Well, the defense starts up top. So, ah yeah, I think. I would like to see a shoutout. And a win.
Speaker: In any way that happens, I'd be happy. I'll be happy with anyone. to be clear. Thank you very much. Like to shout out. The Lord and Savior herself, Dolly Parton. Yeah.
Speaker: That rocked me today. Yeah, I found out from... a From when I went to go tell my... job offer people that I was gonna take the job they're like did you know Dolly Parton died and I was like well this is quite the way to take a job
Speaker: Yeah, I was... i think they have dolly parton like stuff in their store too like so I mean it's a queer store so obviously they're really into Dolly Parton. Everyone's into Dolly Parton. If you're not, you're terrible. um Yeah.
Speaker: That sucks. It's awful. I thought we would have had like another a decade with her. There's many more 80 year olds that I would love to see die before her. So. there's many more 60 year olds i would like to see a Fair.
Speaker: ah Do you want to bring the mood up with a different shout out? Oh. I didn't mean to put that pressure on you Shout out to me. yeah i've been uh i've been working on my dj skills we love coop love seeing the mixes
Speaker: yeah i don't really know if it's any good but i like it trying to get some like 90s playlists going nice um i'm also i uh i was playing playing a set the other night for alex and uh As I was like get ready for this drop.
Speaker: and I flipped the sound over for the new track, like hard drop, and it went to my MIDI. And I went to my medieval covers. I went from like hip hop to like medieval covers of Eminem. Just bardcore 100%. Yeah, just bardcore, which I am planning to do a bardcore. I think bardcore might be my first like set that I do somewhere with a at least one person in attendance. aside from myself that's not your wife i don't think she's going Okay.
Speaker: Oh, you know what? I should shut up, Margaret. My friend Margaret. She hosts Waffles on Sundays. Nice. Sometimes. But she's... She'll probably be the first person I do a set for. Cool. ah All right. Thanks again to our sponsor, the doctor's office. You can go follow us on blue sky and Instagram at cool. Good pod. You can send us an email. I love an email.
Speaker: We got... A really great email this weekend. They really made my day. Um, So send us an email. I like them. ah You can also visit us at our main page, sounderheart .com forward slash cooler guild. Did you say the email?
Speaker: Oh, maybe I didn't. The cooler guild at gmail .com. Just in case. I'm just so stoked about the email from Liz. Yeah, fair enough. ah You can follow us on YouTube, youtube .com forward slash at the cooler guild. Wherever you're listening, please go rate five stars. Till next time, I'm Coop. I'm Van. Stay cool, y 'all. Stay cool.
Speaker: Alex is home. Go on, Molly. Go. Go, Molly. Go. Can you get Molly? Tell Alex I say hi. She closed the door. Sick.
