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Sounders FC - Sacramento US Open Cup preview
91 Plays11 months ago
Adam Moffat only spent part of a season with the Seattle Sounders, but the MLS veterans still remembers that 2013 season fondly even if it didn’t end quite as everyone had hoped. Now a color commentator for the Sacramento Republic, we caught up with Moffat to get some insight into Tuesday’s opponent in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal.
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Transcript
Introduction to NOS Arietes Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, this is Christian Roldan. And Jordan Morris from the Seattle Sounders Football Club. And you're listening to NOS Arietes. This episode of NOS Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of NOS Arietes since 2011. Full Pull was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest.
00:00:28
Speaker
A.O. Shen! Let's go! What a save by Fry! The Seattle Sounders have done it! MLS Cup win! Here come three years through the middle to crown it the vehicle! And now they truly can't stop the celebrations. It's the Sounders' MLS Cup! Niko Liddo leaves out!
00:01:12
Speaker
Is that what you young people call twerking?
00:01:28
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of NOS Adietes.
Guest Introduction: Adam Offit
00:01:32
Speaker
I am Jeremiah O'Shan. Joining me today is a former sounder and current color commentator for Sacramento Republic to help me preview tomorrow's Open Cup quarterfinal is Adam Offit. Thank you for joining me, Adam. Yeah, thanks for having me, Jeremiah.
00:01:50
Speaker
I was good to connect with some of my former clubs. So thanks for having me on. Yeah, absolutely. So just real quick, tell us how you ended up in Sacramento. I have no idea. I just woke up on it. No, it was a long journey. So I left the Thunders in the end of the 2013 season. And then I went
00:02:13
Speaker
the Dallas for a year. If I can jog my memory here at Dallas for a year, I did two years at the New York Cosmos.
00:02:24
Speaker
Uh, then I did my final two years with Sacramento Republic here in Northern California. And then I stopped playing in 2018 and retired from playing. And yeah, I've been involved with the organization since then calling games and trying to impart some of my knowledge on, on the listeners at home. So it's fun. It keeps me connected with the club, but that's, that's where I've been since I left the Saunders.
00:02:51
Speaker
Yeah, so how did you, do you have any other connection to Sacramento or was Sacramento just the team that you ended up playing for? Yeah, just playing for, we were in New York, my wife and I, my wife's from California, but she's still in California, so I don't know. Sacramento didn't sound too appealing to her, although I've heard great things about it. It's a good organization, you know, that for me, at that time, it was a prospect of them going to the MLS.
00:03:21
Speaker
You know, not necessarily for me playing there, but just for next steps after my career, and obviously that hasn't mature alive yet, who knows? But it was just more for down the line, and it seemed like a place I could raise my kids. Now I want it to be back on the West Coast. So yeah, no one else here, but yeah, we love it. It's such a fantastic place, although it's 111 degrees today, so I don't know how much I love it.
00:03:49
Speaker
Yeah, we'll definitely get into that. I just wanted to get a little bit more information about this.
Sacramento Republic's Performance in Open Cup
00:03:56
Speaker
Sacramento has sort of become sort of the giant killers of the U.S.L. when it comes to the Open Cup. They have, you know, something like five or six wins in recent years over MLS teams. They made a run all the way to the final a couple of years ago. What is it about Sacramento in the Open Cup that seems to be resonating so much?
00:04:16
Speaker
It's been brilliant to experience that. And I love that giant killer. But I don't even think the players go in there full of confidence they're going to win these games, which is great to see. Because obviously we know there is a difference between the quality of MLS and the UFL. I think the UFL is getting better. The MLS is getting better as well. But I think these players just
00:04:39
Speaker
And that's not only the last couple of years, obviously getting to the final, but years before as well, I played, when I played sort of the Republic, we beat the Sounders last time we met and I played that game. That's right. Yeah. So I think, I mean, I say that when I was an MLS player playing against teams in the lower level, you know, they're always up for it. They've got that extra chip on their shoulder to prove something. But
00:05:05
Speaker
To be consistent in the Republic of being in the Open Cup, it's fantastic. And Mark Briggs did a really, really good job, the head coach, of ensuring that players, to get to maximize the best out of the players on that night, right? Can you get every single thing you have on that night? And they've been able to do that pretty consistently. So it's going to be a really fun game tomorrow night.
00:05:27
Speaker
Yeah, and Sacramento has been one of the most consistent. It's not like it comes out of nowhere either, right? Sacramento has also been one of the most consistent teams in the
Team Dynamics and Key Players
00:05:35
Speaker
U.S.L. Championship. They're once again having a pretty solid season. Who are some of the standout players right now? You get a couple of big injuries to be honest. So, Rodrigo Lopez, who was
00:05:50
Speaker
He'd been around for a long time that Sacramento legend. He tore his APL couple months back. He actually tore I believe in that San Jose game in the last round that he is the leader of the squad. So he's injured. Russell Cicerone, who's bleeding goal score last year, unlikely to play as well, had surgery. So those two are they're big losses, but they've had other players stepped up. Jack Gure in the right hand side. He's part of that run just allows to get up and down that right hand side with crosses in.
00:06:19
Speaker
Um, it went back down to DT yellow and goals has happened probably the best season he's had means he two-time golden club winner in the usl championship So it's really hard to beat have some of the same been making And then you go into the midfield you've got Luis Felipe who was part of that run as well to the open cut final um a guy who
00:06:38
Speaker
He's kind of been in and out the MLI, the San Jose earthquakes organization, didn't really establish himself, but it's just an absolute quality player. And then an exciting player we have up top here in Phillips, an English guy who's come on loan from Huddersfield. And he did really well in that last game against the San Jose earthquakes, but I might be making some people out.
00:07:00
Speaker
You mentioned, you know, they are a consistent team in the U.S. and they do have a really good squad. So there's a lot of players who contribute, who've been around for a couple of years as well. And they've established a really good core as well. So give themselves a deep stance onto that.
Tactical Discussion: 3-5-2 Formation
00:07:17
Speaker
And so it looks, looking at the, at the, sort of the scouting report, it looks like mostly playing in a three, five back or three center back system, five back through, you know, whatever, however you, you break it down. But is that pretty accurate? Is that what you expect in this game to set up as with three in the back or three center backs? I should say that that's, that's the, the formation that they've kind of adapted over the years has been three.
00:07:42
Speaker
four, two, one, it can change. It can go three, four, one, two, you know, but defensively when they don't have the ball, you know, they get back to a backside and you can just watch them either really tough to break down. And they have defensively been one of the best teams in the USL championship, the last two seasons and that's partly with the formation. So,
00:08:04
Speaker
That can vary from time to time. If the matchups aren't there, if there's injuries or whatnot, that sometimes can change a little bit, but I think it's proven, and that's the formation that they used and got success on that run to the open cup finals.
Game Conditions and Fan Atmosphere
00:08:21
Speaker
So you mentioned that it's 111 degrees there today. I know there's a heat wave sort of sweeping through the West, which. Luckily here in Seattle, it's not quite as extreme, but I gotta imagine it's still going to be pretty hot, even though the game starts at 730. What are you expecting in terms of not that you're a weatherman or anything, but what kind of role do you expect the conditions to play in a game like this?
00:08:48
Speaker
Is it tough? I mean, it's the sun fell out at that time and the sun will just be dropping. I think the kick off at 8 PM actually. So it's OK. The sun does just go down behind the stands, but it all still be still be warmer, a little bit clammy. Obviously we don't have this humidity here like you like you doing other parts of the US. I spent enough time in Texas to to not admit that.
00:09:15
Speaker
It does play an effect, especially when you sometimes you're the games we know can go to extra time, right? You could aim for a long night. We had a long night in that last round against the San Jose earthquakes. So it takes us all further as the game goes on, you know, and this is an elimination game. So both teams
00:09:37
Speaker
whether they're up or down there, you know, if you're down a goal, you're going to go for it. One of the two teams might be down a goal late in the game, but they're going to go for it. Right. So there's going to be a little bit of fatigue. And, um, and as we know, these players are playing a lot of games now as well. So it's, um, it's, it definitely hasn't taken its toll, but I'm just glad the game is at 8PM victims and for that with brutal.
00:09:58
Speaker
And I also saw that it's $2 beer night. What is the crowd like in Sacramento on a normal night, let alone a night where they're slinging $2 beers? Yeah, that'll bring a few fans in, I'm sure. It's a really good, really good fan base, and the best fan base in the U.S.L., I mean, consistently getting, I think, almost time-solved in that game. So it's a great market, and that's something that I
00:10:29
Speaker
you know, as a player, when I decided to come here, I didn't want to go anywhere where we weren't getting any fans, you know, you want to play in front of the player. So, um, it's these players love playing in front of their home crowd and it to two dollar beers will bring in maybe a few to deny people who didn't have any of that other plans or there's no school, right? So, right.
00:10:50
Speaker
Yes, summer break, so but great, great time to get behind the little bit of the intimidating atmosphere for others. I mean, we don't have the numbers in the U.S. like some of these general life teams do, obviously, in Seattle being one of those, but it is a really good, it's a good place to play.
00:11:09
Speaker
even a visitor I came and played when I was with the New York Cosmos and we had 20, I think 25,000 at an exhibition game when I was with the Cosmos playing again Sacramento in a pre-teaming game and I was like wow.
00:11:24
Speaker
This is crazy, so it was doing it. Can I give that ceiling of Seattle or Portland when I was up there as well? You know, these people really enjoy that game and it gets soccer soccer brain on them. So it's a fun place to play. I'm sure the players will enjoy being out there.
00:11:41
Speaker
Yeah, I would imagine. And I remember it being quite the atmosphere, even back in 2018, when the Sounders and Sacramento played, and that game also went to overtime. And it was, if I remember correctly, Republic kind of dominated that game. And it was sort of a reminder that when MLS teams don't bring their
00:12:01
Speaker
you know, they're top players, especially the talent gap between the two the two leagues is really not that big. And especially if you have the extra motivation of not only playing in front of your home fans, but sort of to prove a point that really tends to close the gap pretty pretty quickly. And it becomes much more of a, you know, like a knife fight, for lack of a better term. It does. Yeah, it does.
00:12:27
Speaker
There is, as I mentioned earlier, there's a difference in those starting MLF teams and, you know, starting UFL teams. You know, there is a higher quality there. There's players who are making millions from all over the world, but sometimes in the Open Cup, you know, they're not putting the stronger teams up. And that's the club's choice. You know, that's up to them.
00:12:47
Speaker
It's it becomes a much more even game when they're not putting the strongest lineup in because a lot of these guys in the UFL are established and they probably could be in those conditions and MLS teams where they're pushing for a starting spot or on the bench, you know, they could be in those. So it even got the point sealed a little bit, but then you add the fact that.
00:13:07
Speaker
You know these players in the US will have that chip on the shoulder to get something to prove. It really that's when that's why you see me dup sets so much. You know you can be Mexico still in there in the 11th still in there as well. So and I I'll be honest. I want those all the exact combined. I want the lower lower level teams to win, you know, and I think it's good for that. And especially with you know, obviously the way the open cups kind of been conducted this year as well.
00:13:33
Speaker
Absolutely. And what is, generally speaking, what is the attitude as far as getting into
Sacramento's MLS Aspirations
00:13:38
Speaker
MLS? I would imagine that's still something that is on the mind of Sacramento, but maybe not front of his mind. It does feel, at least from the outside, like this has become a viable product, even if it is just a USL championship team. Yes.
00:13:58
Speaker
being in the UFL championship, the team's going to do fine, right? They're going to have the fans, they're going to have the market and they keep being ambitious and doing things. Obviously we had them a lot and then didn't have them. So we really did the point, but the market's there. So again, I gone,
00:14:16
Speaker
I don't go too much into the, you know, finding the owners and all that. It may still be open, hopefully. And again, I, I'm not pretty, all that stuff, but all I do know, it's a fantastic market. They've got the San De, they've got to get the TV market as well. There's enough people in the Sacramento area, which is growing. So, and they can support the city. So it would be, it would be a great place for it, but
00:14:44
Speaker
I love them as a UFL championship team. I love them the same as well. And I know the people of Sacramento well too.
Visiting Sacramento: Tips and Highlights
00:14:52
Speaker
Well, I know we have a few people that are making this trip out there. Any recommendations you want to share for an afternoon in Sacramento that might not be overly hot? Or that might get them out of the heat, I mean? Yeah, anywhere with the heat.
00:15:11
Speaker
who knows where it's at. It's done a really good job, you know, when the, you know, McCain stayed in Sacramento, they got the Golden One Arena down there, downtown, and they put a lot of stuff in and around there, we do in the downtown area, so there's plenty of places. I'm up in the suburbs, I'm up in Folsom, so I stay up, I stay up out of the way here, kind of on the way up to Tahoe. Yeah, yeah.
00:15:37
Speaker
it's nice up this way but yeah I know people come in anywhere with it you get to the mall or something I don't know I would just just avoid being out from
00:15:50
Speaker
I am the game time. It will be a warm day, but that's all right. But again, when I lived in Texas, that's every game of summer. Yeah, I suppose if you get there early enough, like you get really early, you might be able to make it out to Tahoe and back. But that would be, you know, that's what a solid two hour drive from there.
00:16:13
Speaker
It's not bad. From where I live, we can get up there in 75 minutes. 75 minutes and it's about 30 degrees cooler. It's a nice option on certain days. We definitely do get some heat here. Absolutely. Adam, thank you so much for taking the time. Thanks for catching up with us. And continued best of luck out there.
00:16:40
Speaker
Jeremiah, thank you so much. And yeah, all the best for the Sounders for that coming season. Not so much tomorrow. I'm going to risk my most current club for this one. Yeah, no, fair enough. Thank you so much for connecting. And yeah, I do keep rooting for the Sounders as well when they're in MLF play. Yeah, well, I'm actually hopping on a plane tomorrow. And I'll be there. And then I'm heading right back. But hopefully, I'll see you at the game.
00:17:10
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I hope they'll see you there. I know I just texted Andy Rhodes as well, so I'll hopefully catch him before the game as well. I don't have many former teammates who are still playing now. They're all like, Oh, I guess not. Again, to that age. Yeah. Enjoy the travels and enjoy Sacramento. Have you been here before?
00:17:31
Speaker
Oh, yeah, I'm from northern. I'm from San Jose or the Bay Area. So I've spent some time in Sacramento. I've spent a lot of time in Tahoe. So I know the region pretty well. Yeah, awesome. All right. Well, thank you, Adam, for doing this. I'm Jeremiah Shan. This is No Saturday. And we will catch you next time.
00:18:49
Speaker
We love you. Let's win another one!