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Bonus Episode: Our Backgrounds, USWNT, Olympic Selections and Whatnot
11 Plays5 months ago
In this first bonus episode, Coop and Van dive into their backgrounds with the sport and the Seattle Reign. With the NWSL being off for international break, they also discuss the USWNT friendlies, Olympic roster selections, and other notable happenings from the week. To skip ahead to strictly soccer talk, the uswnt discussion begins around the 27:30 mark. This episode was recorded on Saturday June 8th, 2024.
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CoolerGuildPod
Coop
Van
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Show produced by Coop
Theme song by Alex Juarez
Show artwork by Coop
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The Cooler Guild Est. 2024
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction: The Cooler Guild & USWNT Victory
00:00:21
Speaker
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to a bonus episode of The Cooler Guild. I am Coop, your host, and I'm joined here with my co-host, Van. What's up? We are recording this episode on Saturday, June 8th, 2024. Since the rain, we're off for international break. In today's episode, we'll be discussing a variety of happenings in WOSO women's soccer over the past week, including the U.S. women's national team wins against South Korea.
High School Memories: Meeting & Friendship
00:00:49
Speaker
But before we dive into all the football, soccer, whichever term you want to use, we wanted this episode to serve as a little intro kind of about us and just like our backgrounds, how we met and our history with the with the Seattle rain, even though we're not going to be discussing a ton about them today. You want to talk about how we met? Yeah. How old were we? Were we were we 18? No, we were still in high school.
00:01:18
Speaker
Oh, I was like 16. I must have been 17. Yeah, because I was working at the mall. I didn't know you worked at the mall. Yeah, I worked at the mall four times. What did you do at the mall? I worked at Paxon. Oh, that's fitting. Yeah, especially for that year, because I think it was like 2006.
00:01:37
Speaker
Yeah, and I went to the fair with a girl that I worked with. It was a fair and somebody invited me to like a house party or apartment party that was happening up in Kent. And so we went up to that and you were at that party. Yeah. So we met, you know, back back then the lesbians
00:02:00
Speaker
would gather at like a random town in the Seattle area for a party, like, I don't know, maybe once a month or something like that. We were both at this party in Kent next to Carpanitos Brothers.
00:02:13
Speaker
I think like but the person whose apartment we were at, she was 21. Yeah. And I mean, like everyone, I feel like it was just a gathering of lesbians from everywhere. I don't think it was just the most random group of people. I don't even remember like adding you on Facebook. No, I don't know when that happened. But the cops came like there was a knock on the door and we all freaked out. And I was like, I can't get in trouble. And so we all hid in
Soccer Passion: Sounders & Women's Soccer
00:02:39
Speaker
the bathroom. Yeah.
00:02:40
Speaker
There's a picture of it. Yeah, I was like hiding in the shower, like the tub in the shower. And I think somebody was like under the sink. It is weird. But like they came and the girl was like, sorry, we'll keep it down. You know, the person that owned the house or the apartment and they were like, oh, sorry, we'll keep it down. And they left and we were all like, oh, my God, we escaped. We got out of it. And then we took a picture of the entire group of us in the bathroom.
00:03:05
Speaker
Yeah, which there if I could post the photo somewhere if someone's interested, but the photo is funny because I had like two of like my guy friends there. But because it was what, 2006, like guys and the lesbians of that era all kind of look the same. So it was the Bieber era. Yeah. So they were both like, you know, in there. They totally had just two lesbians also hiding in the bathroom.
00:03:29
Speaker
Yeah, we briefly met there. I was aware, I think, that you liked soccer. And we might have been friends on Facebook, or I just saw you across. I'm not sure. But eventually, we became friends on Facebook. And I had seen a commercial for the Sounders when they were introducing their team.
00:03:50
Speaker
name. And that was like my first introduction to like local soccer. And then I was like, you know, I went to the first game and I knew that you were a huge Sounders fan. And so I reached out to you about going to a game. And then we started hanging out like a lot more and going to different games. Yeah. Talking about soccer. That was 2009. Yeah. So we're going on 15 years now.
00:04:16
Speaker
Yeah, time flies. I mean, well, not only that, but like we've known each other. I would think I was 16 at that party and I'm like in my 30s now. So yeah, it's over half our lives. Yeah, it's kind of crazy. Yeah, I mean, I knew the Sounders because my dad's always been a big soccer fan.
00:04:35
Speaker
So I grew up watching mostly men's soccer. You know, we always had to get like the weird dish network subscription where we could get like these Spanish channels to watch soccer. But I went to my first professional soccer game when I was less than a year old. My dad took me to Tacoma Dome to watch Tacoma Stars play. That's fun.
00:04:53
Speaker
And, uh, yeah, we would go up to Sounders games and there wasn't a lot of women's soccer, but in, I think it was 97, my dad took me to a US women's national team game in Portland. They played at university of Portland and there's maybe a couple, a couple thousand people there. He bought me a hat and we got to meet some of the players and it was just like, my mind was blown. Yeah.
00:05:16
Speaker
And, you know, I played growing up as a kid, didn't play in college because I was terrible at school, but just kept following women's soccer. Uh, we went to the, my dad took me to the, I think it was like the road to Pasadena games. So it was like a send off tournament for the 99 women's world cup. Oh man. And we drove down, my parents had a Euro van, like one of those Volkswagen camper vans.
00:05:38
Speaker
My dad drove me down in that, and we spent the night in the van, and then woke up in the morning and tried to find somewhere to park by, I think it was, at that point, I think it was like Geldwin Field, which now is Providence Park, and we had to move the van. Somebody came out and like, you can't leave your van here, you can't park here, and we're like, ooh, okay, so my dad found some street parking in front of this restaurant, and went to the games, it was really fun, Canada was there, US was there, and we walked back to the van,
00:06:05
Speaker
my dad had bought me this me a ham white t-shirt and walked back to the van and the restaurant that we had parked outside of the street parking had like a little fence up and there was like a massive like giant soccer ball in it and we were like what is this and then this van pulls up and the entire Canadian women's national team hops off and so I'm just like a 10 year old kid just being like oh my
00:06:27
Speaker
God, amazing. And then, uh, who was it? It was Julie Foudy and Joy Fawcett walk up and I'm like, Oh my God, my dad's like, have them sign your shirt. And he like handed me a Sharpie and signed my shirt. My dad's got his little camera and taking pictures. And I was just so enthralled with it all that the lady that was working the door was finally just like, just kind
00:06:46
Speaker
I got in, I remember the first person I talked to when I got in was Anson Dorrance, who is a coach at University of North Carolina. And he at the time was talking to, I can't remember, some other coach, but then I saw Michelle Eakers. And I went over to Michelle Eakers. Michelle Eakers, I'm sure. Anyway, I ended up meeting the entire team, having them all as I'm sure. My dad took a picture with every single player that's I'm sure.
00:07:09
Speaker
And of course they went on to win the 99 Women's World Cup. I didn't go to any of those games but watched them all. And that definitely changed how I felt about the sport in general and the women could be successful at it. So the 99ers were my route in that sense.
00:07:28
Speaker
What an intro for that. I don't think you've ever told me that story. Really? So that's pretty I've got a photo album with all the pictures of me and the players. And I still have that shirt. It's in a Ziploc bag. Yeah. But I've definitely seen some of the pictures, but you haven't ever told me the whole the whole story. Yeah, that's cool.
00:07:47
Speaker
But yeah, I played growing up, played rugby at Western and then played rugby in Seattle for a while, but still kind of played soccer off and on. And then when I moved back to Olympia, uh, where I'm from, the coaching staff at my local club reached out and was like, Oh, I see you're back in town. Do you want to code? Nice. And I was like, Oh, sure. Why not? I'm not doing anything else.
00:08:04
Speaker
So I coached for a couple of years, played for a, you know, we have the NWPL, which is Northwest Premier League, which is just kind of like a local adult league, played in that league. And then the club that I currently work for, which originally known as Ole Town FC, started a women's indoor program and played in that COVID happened.
00:08:23
Speaker
And then we were awarded a U.S.L.W. franchise. And the ownership from the club was like, hey, would you be interested in being the general manager of this team? And I said, yes. And two years going on, we went to national playoffs last year, went undefeated. We're currently undefeated now. Got a game tonight. Should be fun. Who are you playing tonight? Playing Tacoma. Okay. The other Washington team. Okay, I feel like you looked at the schedule. I thought it was tomorrow. No, it's today. I was just making sure we were good for recording, so.
00:08:53
Speaker
But yeah, so I'm still involved in soccer now and love watching the rain even though it breaks my heart every time. What about you? What's your story? So my intro to women's soccer is much later. My first introduction to the sport because I didn't play. I played like in third grade when everyone plays and I wasn't good. I was too short and my feet are not good. I just broke my other ankle.
00:09:21
Speaker
doing yard work. No, you're getting old. I know. And I broke my other ankle two years ago, like walking. So my career probably wouldn't have been very long lived had I tried. But anyways, my
World Cup Adventures: Brazil & 2011 Women's World Cup
00:09:32
Speaker
I don't know, custody with my parents is kind of was kind of weird growing up. But my dad lived out in Brazil one summer, and I went out to see him in the summertime. And we were flying in
00:09:44
Speaker
to Sao Paulo during the men's world cup when they won it and but we what we were flying into it as they qualified for the final and you could see down on the streets just i mean they they played over the speakers in the airplane like the final you know five to ten minutes of the game for everyone on board and when they won the game like the entire plane just like jumped down from just excitement
00:10:11
Speaker
And then I had like a window seat. So you're like looking out the window. And I mean, the streets are just completely flooded with people. And I was I feel like they did that airplane thing with didn't they do that in Australia when they they did that? I remember seeing pictures of like Qantas. Yeah, flights. Yeah. Having like the end of the day. They just turned all the TVs on the on the seat backs onto that. Yeah, it's kind of like I wish you could replicate that experience a lot easier because it is is like pretty cool.
00:10:40
Speaker
It had to be surreal. Yeah, it was pretty cool. You know, touchdown. I mean, it was just utter, utter party and chaos. But like the best of way. And I was like, Oh, I didn't realize people felt this way about soccer. But that cut to cut a few years later, and then the Sounders got announced, I told kind of briefly about that, got into them.
00:10:59
Speaker
After that, I, you know, got into the Men's World Cup for South Africa, which was a great time and I was watching that like around the clock and I was like, that ended and I just felt this void. But the good news was the Women's World Cup was the next year and that was my first intro into women's soccer, which
00:11:18
Speaker
You know, they didn't win that World Cup. That was a 2011 Women's World Cup where they lost to Japan. But that World Cup was just so that semifinal. We talk about it constantly, constantly. I like I mentioned it. I mentioned it. Stephanie Cox, who is on that roster, was at our game last week. She's supporter of our club and just all around amazing person. And
00:11:40
Speaker
I'm when when I saw her the first time I met her a couple of months ago, I was like, we were when you and I were at the gal of my club, we're like, we were literally just talking about that game. I know that that World Cup was so crazy.
00:11:55
Speaker
I was on Rachel Maddow show that that year as this as a speaking guest. No. OK, I'm joking. No, they were showing they were showing like bar footage from different places reacting to Abby one box scoring. Oh, man. And I was in one. I was on the footage from boundary bay brewing where it was in the game of Bellingham. And I was like, I've done it. I've made it to the Rachel Maddow show.
00:12:23
Speaker
My life is semi-complete. So that World Cup, and we're already friends at that point. Yeah, we were friends. And we were talking about it. I remember that.
00:12:33
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that was like the intro for me to like, the US international team, which was just like, Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, Amy Lapelbit, Hope Solo, Marta was at that World Cup, like, I don't know that you could have gotten like, I couldn't, I couldn't have gotten a better intro to, I mean, maybe the 99ers, obviously, but I feel like I was at the right age, maybe to take it all in.
00:12:55
Speaker
It's still kind of overwhelming to learn all this stuff, and I'm still learning a lot about the sport and everything. I feel like it's just a never-ending thing. That's what's so cool about it. I've been in and around it my entire life, I'm 35 now, and I still don't know everything. I love the game, and one of the things to love about the game is that there's always something
Rapinoe & Women's Soccer Fandom
00:13:19
Speaker
new to learn.
00:13:19
Speaker
Yeah, so I mean, and then I don't know you watch I watch men's sports. I still watch the sounders. I love the sounders. But there's just something so special about watching women play at a high level, especially when you can see representation of yourself on the field. Like when I saw Abby Wambach and I saw Megan Rapinoe and Amy LaPelba, I was just like, this is this is like, this feels more special to me.
00:13:42
Speaker
Yeah, and especially as like a queer person, I remember being at the final in 2015 in Canada, and after they won, they on the big screens there in BC Place, the video camera was on Abby Wambach, and she went and kissed her then wife, and it was on these huge screens. And I was just like, oh my God, we're here, we've made it.
00:14:07
Speaker
Yeah, it's great. I mean, it's like one of the greatest joys, I think, following women's soccer because it's just like you don't get these kinds of things. You don't get these storylines in men's sports. You don't know just the way that we are able to see ourselves in these players, especially now being, you know, at retirement age.
00:14:26
Speaker
You know, if we were players, we would be it. Well, I'm still kind of play, but like professional. But like you're at this time and you're like, that's like exactly who I want to represent me, like on a public scale. Yeah. Take Megan Rapinoe, for example. There's nobody better like that. We got so lucky with her.
00:14:48
Speaker
I know. I always think about that because she wanted to go to Portland and didn't end up that way because Portland got already had so many names and they had to kind of divvy them up in the league. So we ended up with her and it couldn't have worked out better for her as well. I miss her. I know. I miss her so much.
00:15:06
Speaker
Yeah, so I guess maybe the next part that I want to talk about is did you ever did you go to that US game like the game that they did like a send off before the Olympics the next year when they all joined like the Sounders women. No, I didn't go to any of those games, but I one of our assistant coaches.
00:15:25
Speaker
Karen Green here at FC Olympia. She played for the Colorado team. That's funny. And played up here in Seattle against Alex Morgan. Yeah, I went to that game. I don't think you've ever told me that. Yeah, I went to that game because the World Cup had just happened and I was like, oh God, how do we not have, how can I not see these players? And so then that got announced and I bought tickets and I went with my quote unquote ex slash roommate, whichever term she decides she wants to use.
00:15:55
Speaker
But I got tickets for that and we went to that. I had like Steph Cox was there, Rapinoe was there, Alex Morgan, Sydney LaRue, Hope Solo, Keelan Winters were like all on the Sounders women's team for like, what, a couple weeks maybe? Just to like prepare for like the Olympics. So that was wild. Yeah, that was a full season. And that was the original USLW league. It disbanded I think in 2015. But yeah, the league that I work in now that they played in that original league.
00:16:24
Speaker
And then after that, it got announced, you know, the NWSL got announced shortly after all that happened. And my ex-slash-roommate, I had season tickets for the Sounders, so she bought the season tickets for the rain. And we went to every home game that they had. I think we might have made a trip down to Portland, maybe, for one of those matches. But we went to every home game, despite them being the worst. They were bad.
00:16:49
Speaker
They were really bad. I mean, they had some and we would see each other there Yeah, they had some big names that were out with injuries and coming back from stuff So it wasn't like totally surprising how bad they were But yeah, I like looked up the record on Wikipedia and that season they went 5 14 and 3 but I was still there was a rough intro but we were still there was I
00:17:13
Speaker
Yeah, but the funny thing was that I would like because like Laura Harvey, you know, this is all at Starfire. So like if you got there early enough, which not many people went to those games, but you'd park like in the same area as the players would be parking and Laura Harvey would just be like sitting on one of those tables and like the little pavilion out out in Starfire and Megan Urbino like, you know, would wave at me because we ran into her enough times and.
00:17:38
Speaker
One of the times we came to the game early and I saw Megan Rapinoe like, I don't know, she got there early and she saw some kid practicing on one of the fields by himself. And she goes over there and starts like, she's like, hey, can I like practice with you for a bit? Because it was too early to like practice with the rest of the team still because they hadn't all showed up. So she's like over there Megan Rapinoe. This is like,
00:18:02
Speaker
This is like the first year of the league so she's over there like kicking this freaking ball with this like kid just practicing I guess I was like I couldn't believe what I was seeing cuz I was just like I don't like does this kid know who she is cuz I don't know in Seattle sometimes it seems like maybe the pulse is it was at least back then it definitely wasn't on with who Megan Rapinoe was
00:18:23
Speaker
It's been crazy to see her career and the popularity and celebrity just build and build and build, because I think we've always known it's there for anyone who's followed it for so long. Because I went to a Sounders match, I think right before they sent off them for the Olympics or something like that, maybe the World Cup the next year, whatever year it was. But they had a booth set up for a Sounders player, meet and greet, and then they had Megan Rapinoe at her own little booth.
00:18:50
Speaker
Eh. I told the server many times, but it's very funny. And they had a huge line for this former Sounders player. And Megan Rapinoe's just at her booth by herself, before the big fame, right? This would never happen now. But she's sitting there at her booth by herself. No one's in her, there's no line. And she's got her little signed pictures. She has them ready and signed already, because she has nothing else to do. And she's fanning them out and organizing them on the table by herself.
00:19:18
Speaker
And then she like looks up and she like sees me and she like waves me down. She's like, okay. Well, she knew me from the parking lot. So she was just like, Hey, like, how's it going? Like, it's good to see you. And like, gave me like a little bro hug and like caught up with her and stuff. And I was like, this would never happen now. But it was really cool back then.
00:19:39
Speaker
I feel like Megan Rapinoe is such like a pinnacle way for me and like how I started feeling about the club and the women's soccer for sure. Yeah, I don't have it. I don't have enough good things to say about her. Like she is just I I miss her. I miss seeing her on the TV and missing like the incredible like sound bites we would get out of her.
00:20:04
Speaker
I know she's like and well not only that but like watching her play was just like unbelievable I mean maybe I mean she she had she had the skills and she had the game to back up like so so everybody you know talking shit about her yeah you know like saying like even trump during the world cup was like well win and then we'll talk about it whenever we're talking about like they asked her you know
00:20:26
Speaker
if you guys win and they invite you to the White House, would you go?" And she's like, I'm not fucking going, you know? And he said, he responded and they had like a little, like weird battle during that World Cup. And it was incredible because like he said, well, win and then, you know, then you'll see. And they went on and fucking won it. And she's like, here, see.
00:20:43
Speaker
We could probably I think we should do like another episode where maybe we can like reminisce on like the U.S. Women's National Team like moments. Yeah, I could go on forever. I feel like I really feel like I could go on forever, too. Maybe we can have some of those. We can put in the show notes to skip until the 30th. Yeah, you can hear about what's going on. But yeah, so I don't know. I guess wrap it up. We want to talk about the U.S. Women's National Team without Megan Rapinoe.
00:21:10
Speaker
I mean, that's pretty much like that was I feel like when I got into Megan Rapinoe was like between her and Abby Wambach and Alex Morgan That kind of was I don't want to talk about the other one You can take a guess like who the other one is Well, she's doing great at coaching and TST. So yeah, well, isn't she is she playing? No, she's coaching. I thought she was playing. Okay. No, she's One of the two coaches for the US women at TST lucky them. I
00:21:37
Speaker
Uh, yeah, so I don't know. I guess I don't really know much of their moors to say what they use as a national team. They kind of
Birth of The Cooler Guild Podcast
00:21:42
Speaker
speak for themselves. As far as me and the rain, I feel like they're like my team. Yeah, same. Followed them from the beginning. I love everything that they're about. I think, you know, they've had a couple of hiccups with some stuff that's happened. You know, the coaching situation they had a couple of years ago wasn't a fan of that. And then I also really hated how they let go of Sidney LaRue.
00:22:04
Speaker
Overall, I think you can get a pretty good sense of what the club is about and how they take care of their players. And the fans are very welcoming. You know, even if the results aren't always there, you know, we do compete ever since the first year we've always competed. And the fans that have stuck around, I think, really realize how special the team is. I don't think it's a coincidence that, you know, we had Rapinoe there as long as we did, along with, like, Fishlock.
00:22:33
Speaker
and Lou Barnes it's just I don't know I think it's I think it's one of the most special clubs that you can possibly follow in the league and I know that whenever we do when you know find the championship it's gonna it's gonna be so so sweet I will definitely close a chapter in my life book when that happens
00:22:51
Speaker
Yeah, I know. It will happen someday. I don't know when, but I guess maybe I want to talk a little bit about why we started the podcast. Yeah. At least for me, since I don't live locally, it's nice to have somewhere to chat about this because I don't get to meet up with fans on the regular. And I think when people have podcasts like this, it's usually something where you can feel connected with other fans and just hear different people's opinions, voices, whatever, and just maybe things that they saw in the games.
00:23:20
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, you know, we were always talking about how there was like a void, you know, there was, um, you know, coffee and Valkyries, which was a part of sounder at heart that Susie did an excellent job with and Jacob and Jacob. Yeah. And loved that. And then, you know, but those were always so sporadic. It wasn't a weekly thing. So.
00:23:42
Speaker
Yeah, but it's just basically like for me, I was like, well, I was so frustrated that there wasn't one. Then I was like, well, why don't I get the white man audacity to... Yeah, why not us? Yeah, why not us? Why not us? You know, it's like...
00:23:57
Speaker
It has been it has been a learning curve. I'm like having to analyze the team in ways that I never have. And again, I'm I'm not like a soccer brain, right? Like I didn't grow up watching it, but I do love talking about the sport.
00:24:13
Speaker
So it's it's been fun for me to kind of look at it from a different perspective in trying to break down things that happen. And we're not experts, but I think that's kind of kind of the joy of fan podcasts is it's relatable. Yeah, you get to you get to have your own like fantasy team basically within it. Like, well, I would do this.
00:24:35
Speaker
It's not the most serious thing in the world. We're trying to have fun. Yeah, have fun. That's the point of sports. Follow our team and try and get more people interested because the games, the play, everything with this team is fun to watch. The results aren't great this year, but they're trying. They're trying.
00:24:58
Speaker
They love when they try. It's not it's not it's not for lack of effort. Yeah, you know, people need to pay attention. Yeah, I think we've we've been a little frustrated, obviously, as fans who've followed from the beginning about the lack of like seeing the same support, you know, we have our rivals and you see what happens when you go to their games and then we come up here.
00:25:17
Speaker
Well, to be fair, there's nothing else to do in Portland. That's really true because I mean, I mean, it's true that like Seattle's we've got how many professional sports teams happening in one weekend sometimes. Yeah. Well, now there's a cricket team to cricket, rugby, football, baseball.
00:25:33
Speaker
There's always stuff happening in Seattle, like music, whatever. We have like several venues, so there's like always stuff happening and the team's fighting, you know, for that attendance. And, you know, the product's there. If you go to the games, they're a lot of fun. People are fans are really great. It's just...
00:25:52
Speaker
I remain perplexed about why the attendance isn't always higher. I'm hoping doing something like this will kind of get people more into it and maybe hear some more about some of the players and their backstories, you know, because we kind of try to stay in tune with a lot of that stuff. I don't know. I think it's just like when I get people excited about it.
00:26:11
Speaker
for sure. Yeah, because it is, it is fun. I mean, it's, it's fun to be a part of something. And like, even though we're not a part of the club in general, like it, they do a really good job of making us feel like we're a part of it. And I think that that's what I really enjoy about the rain organization. Absolutely. I think they've got something to be proud of. I'm hoping that once the sales get completed, things will be a little bit easier on the, uh, the speculation runs wild. What will happen changes for the team to get better?
00:26:41
Speaker
but i think i think people people need to the fancy stick with the you need to show up the players you know they're all they've all got personalities they've
USWNT Matches & Emma Hayes' Strategy
00:26:50
Speaker
got some very funny personalities what women have personalities i know it's like that's it's not something you get like all the time when you watch men's sports no it's not they don't they don't make like a ton of money i mean a lot of them can
00:27:03
Speaker
can make make do and find sponsorships or whatever but like they're doing this because they love the game and in a way that doesn't like come with millions and millions of dollars so hopefully this isn't this isn't a bad place for people to to come to and feel like they're uh i don't know what's the word like in in touch with the fans the rest of the fans community yeah
00:27:25
Speaker
I guess now that you guys know a little bit about our backgrounds, let's get into what has happened. Yeah, so we played two games against South Korea. We won two games against South Korea. Sure did. Hayes is finally in charge. Emma Hayes is finally in charge.
00:27:42
Speaker
Yep, the Emma Hayes era begins. Her selections for this camp to me seemed pretty logical. There wasn't anybody honestly like the players left out from the rain roster who have been national team players before, talking about Sofia Huerta, Alana Cook, both not on the roster for this camp, which honestly from their recent performances with the rain is understandable. What do you think?
00:28:09
Speaker
I think it's understandable. I know Alana Cook was kind of dealing with like she had the what the flu. Yeah, there's some health issues going on. There's some health issues. So I don't know that it's totally shocking. And her performances haven't been as great as you would like. The roster is so slim that you can bring for the Olympics that I just I don't think she had the room to bring her. And then where to fighting for a position that it's going to be hard to break into that.
00:28:36
Speaker
So, and, and I don't know, I think it might be different if the rain we're getting results and you were seeing them showcasing everything that they have every single week with good results, but that's, that's not happening. So it's, you know, it's, you look at the teams and players that are getting called in. It's the teams that are at the top of the league. You want players that are winning, finding ways to win. And that's not happening for the rain right now. At least for the US players, just doesn't make sense maybe to call them up right now. Yeah.
00:29:03
Speaker
But I think Emma Hayes is, uh, she's not fucking around. No, she's not. Didn't see that. I would say Vladco. He was fucking around. It was a hundred percent. Yeah. I saw it. We'll watch the interview with Emma Hayes after the second game at the post game.
00:29:21
Speaker
Really good interview. I thought it was funny because she had a quote in there about, you know, when she made this the second amount of subs and the subs coming on were just like a lethal arsenal of four words. It's like why, you know, like you're you're you're down a few goals already as South Korea. And then you look over and you see who Emma Hayes is bringing on. She brought a Mel Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman in the 60 second. But I guess Emma Hayes said, I got to put the pedal to the metal.
00:29:50
Speaker
And her, like, assistant coach or whoever it was was like, don't ever say that again. She's like, I'm just trying to embrace the American culture. I mean, that's exactly what it was, putting the pedal in the middle. It's like that front three looks so freaking good. They look. Yeah. For three three players that don't play for the same club team to finally be looking like that. It's a dream that. Yeah. They they have a connection. No, there's no way you don't bring those three.
00:30:17
Speaker
but the Olympics roster, 18 players can go. And then I think you get three alternate World Cup rosters, 23. So you got a five player, five player buffer with the World Cup roster. So they're trying to get it changed. There's been a lot of arguments in regards to like player health and safety with 18 players, just because you're going to have a lot of players getting a lot of minutes in a small amount of time. But yeah, so we've got that first game for zero win, right?
00:30:44
Speaker
Yeah, two braces, braced from maybe the most unexpected person to your Davidson to kick off Pride Month. Our new gay icon. And she's been my gay icon, to be fair. Also married to a goalkeeper.
00:30:56
Speaker
goalkeeper nation. Yeah, the first floating header that she got. Oh, so good. And that was a was that the Carrillo had the service on that, which is somebody who I am excited to finally see again, because I feel like the Carrillo was like the player that I was like, this might be the person we can put in and not feel like we're missing something when we lose Megan Rapinoe. Right. You know, her recovery was long, really long. But as we've
00:31:18
Speaker
We assume with ACLs. That was a testament to Emma Hayes though, like, because at Chelsea, where McCario tore ACL, Emma Hayes gave her the time. Yep. Renewed her contract. Yep. When she, cause she was out for almost two years recovering from the ACL and just gave her the faith and confidence that she would have a place when she came back and she did and absolutely killed it for Chelsea when she came back. Yeah.
00:31:42
Speaker
I think that that's a testament to Emma Hayes and her just knowledge of players and just the ability to know that when they come back, they will be good and giving them that time to actually recover and putting them into, you know, re-injure their hamstrings like the sounders do.
00:31:59
Speaker
Emma Hayes is from what it seems like to me at least, she's done a pretty good job at trying to understand the sciences behind all these ACL tears and injuries that plague the sport of women's soccer. So I'm really hoping that she's going to help us with that as far as like she's been talking about like travel can affect things and play time after travel. And you know, when they play these international camps, it's like they're
00:32:23
Speaker
playing all over. Right. It's not just stay in one place. And they're coming from somewhere far because this country's so freaking big. It's going to be I think a change for her to have to deal with that. A lot of people that have been cutting called up are mostly playing in the end of B cell. But there are people from, you know, the European League that she's been bringing in too. So she's got to manage that. But I do feel good about
00:32:45
Speaker
her being able to, you know, know the talent that we have. And if they're coming back from something major, give them that confidence to get back in with this team. There's a really good book that I read. It's called Up to Speed, The Grab-Breaking Science of Women Athletes by Christine Yu.
00:33:02
Speaker
They actually had it at my local library, just kind of goes into the science that's been done throughout history with women athletes and kind of the roadblocks it's faced and how, you know, most sports science has always been done around men, but kind of goes through that. And then kind of the current, because I think this book came out last year, but kind of the current state and the direction that the science is going, but definitely recommend the read. Good book. Maybe I'll check that out. Let's see if it's on, um, was it Libby? Yeah.
00:33:29
Speaker
Um, anyways, more of the game, two headers from Tienra, which I went and looked at the height. I know you always hate the height thing, but I did go look at the height of like the defenders for South Korea. Cause I feel like this used to be part of our game for the US is just like, you know, Abby Wambach, like whole career could have just been off of headers and the heights.
00:33:48
Speaker
It's kind of hard to find info all the times on certain teams that they just don't report very well on, but from what I could find, the defenders that were in when Tierna was playing, tallest ones seemed to be 5'8", and we had 5'4", 5'7", and 5'5". And Tierna Davidson is 5'10". There's an advantage there.
00:34:07
Speaker
I think, yeah, I think it's one of those things where you look at who you're matching up against. Obviously, if you're playing Sweden, how tall is the goalkeeper? How tall is the goalkeeper for? I think she was also 5'10". Oh, is she? Oh, yeah. Yeah. So she was, you know, sorry, she had some size. But like the second one that she headed in was she just like, you know, dink down into the ground, just like there was nothing you could really do about that.
00:34:28
Speaker
Um, and that was service from Mal Swanson on that one, uh, off of a corner, which again, is something that Emma Hayes talked about is trying to get these goals from set pieces and corner kicks and all that stuff. And we got two of those at least. Yeah. I mean, that's been an underutilized part of the U S national team game for the entire time that block was in. It's also, that's also something that the rain need to figure out.
00:34:51
Speaker
Uh, second brace from the game we had was, so second brace was Mallory Swanson. Really good passing to find her. Um, I mean, obviously she had to finish them, but the passing is the kind of stuff that I feel like we've been missing. Yeah, it just looked creative and it looked really crisp. I do say so. Thank you, Van Crisp.
00:35:13
Speaker
I don't know. I mean, they talked about this camp. They're just like learning a lot. And I think it's pretty obvious when you see stuff like this, just like finding ways to get these passes and through defenders and chemistries just seems so huge to me with these these goals. Yeah. And that that is like what I'm most excited about because it's felt like this team has looked stale. They haven't looked inspired. They haven't looked like they're having fun. And now they do feel like it happened overnight.
00:35:38
Speaker
I mean, I feel like they were just kind of like slogging through things. That's how it looked to me before. They were just kind of going through the motions. They knew they were good, but they weren't taking control of games like they used to. And the goals for Mallory Swanson were the kind of goals I was hoping to see us score. The headers and offset pieces and corners, I love seeing that too, because we need to be doing that as well. But these goals specifically are what I feel like the US is known for. Yeah, that game ended 4-0. Do you have any other takeaways from that game?
00:36:08
Speaker
Sophia Smith looked great. Yeah, we've been talking about for a long time, like if she could just do what she does at Portland for the national team, she'd be a star, but that's never really translated, but it feels like consistently. Yeah, it feels like that might be changing, which I'm stoked about. For all the goals for the national team and just keep them for the national team. Don't score any more for Portland.
00:36:30
Speaker
Yeah, wouldn't that be nice? I mean, maybe she'll get traded for a lot of money and then she won't be played for Portland anymore. That'd be great. But yeah, I thought she looked great. She has been taking at least two balls, I think, off of defenders and created some good chances. And her linking up with Trinity Rodman like that is so, so deadly for defenders.
00:36:51
Speaker
You know, like we have for the first game, you know, Rodman didn't make the score sheet, but definitely makes an impact on the game. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And she's just so dominant. She's physical. She can keep the ball at her feet. She's fast. She's super dynamic and like she tries stuff and she like has a technique in finesse with it that is just like so refreshing to see someone trying. Yeah. I love watching her play. It's really too bad that the rain have not found a way to stop it. But I get why. I get why. Yeah.
00:37:20
Speaker
That's that's a hard one to stop. Yeah, so let's go into the second game here. That kind of wraps up the first game. Second game is in Minnesota. Crystal Dunn starts it forward, which has been something. Well, so Twitter has been asking for for years. Scores a goal in 13th minute off a great cross from nice longer, right?
Emerging Players: Lily Johannes & Team Dynamics
00:37:40
Speaker
I think it was nice longer.
00:37:41
Speaker
I got the game pulled up. Hold up. Yeah. So Crystal starts it forward, scores in 13th minute assisted by Jenna Neiswanger, who she's a weird one for me because I feel like she leaves a lot of space in the back and often gets just absolutely blazed past.
00:37:58
Speaker
But on the attacking side, she's great. Her services into the box are good. You know, she's always productive and dangerous when she makes it up there. But any time we have like some sort of dysfunction in the back, it's usually because of her. So hit or miss for me. But so Dunn gets a goal. Then we put all of those those three absolute bangers in in the 62nd minute. And then Lily Johannes comes in.
00:38:27
Speaker
right 16 years old has a choice to play between us and the dutch team well not yet she's getting her citizenship and then we'll soon have the choice but she comes in she got called in for the last camp but didn't play right yeah finally gets minutes comes in the 72nd minute her first touch on the ball is like this half volley pass that just looks it just looks so calm
00:38:51
Speaker
Palm composed, so good. A couple minutes later, she gets the ball kind of around center circle and plays this just brilliant through ball over the top to Trinity Rodman. Like just the vision for that, the weight of the pass was so good. And I was just like, Oh, okay. She's the real deal. And then a couple minutes later gets on the end of one and scores dream debut.
00:39:15
Speaker
Absolutely. I have like I can't think of the words to say other than Emma Hayes. You better make sure she stays with the US because I put her on the plane. Put her on the put her on the plane. DeMarcus Beasley said it.
00:39:30
Speaker
How many caps do you have to have before you can like, cause you can only switch at some like for a little bit. You need to lock that down Emma Hayes. Cause that's like the future of this midfield. For sure. I can't like, she's going to be 17 this like in next week or something like that. Yeah. Wild, wild. And you look at her and you're like, Oh, that's a child, but then she gets the ball. But yeah, the composure, the skill with her, her,
00:39:58
Speaker
her passing confidence. And then hearing Emma Hayes talk in the presser after that game about it and about how the team has embraced her. Oh, yeah. I was just like, I heard that I watched the first five minutes of that presser and I was like, oh, we're winning the Olympics.
00:40:14
Speaker
Yeah, I definitely when you know the hay thing got announced and then we Knew when she was actually gonna come in was after Chelsea and all that stuff I said to you I was just like this is a great hire I'm glad they're taking her time with her like she's gonna have her time to like finish up a Chelsea and they wrap things up and then like whatever happens at the Olympics happens I wasn't gonna put too much of like a emphasis on like going out and winning it like we usually would but but this team and
00:40:43
Speaker
Lillian is like maybe I go win it. Why not? Like, go get your first trophy of this new era. I don't see why they can't do it. They look so good. I mean, we'll see what they look like when they're playing. I don't know who's who's going to be in the Olympics this year. They're going to have some they're going to have some the teams, the teams that are in the Olympics. Yeah, they're going to have some they're going to definitely have some tougher competition. So
00:41:08
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we haven't seen this squad with Emma Hayes against, you know, a top 10 team. Yeah. But Emma, Emma knows Emma's very aware of that. They have not done that. And it is going to be very different when that happens. And I have confidence in Faith and her already. I would say to figure that out. I'm just going off vibes. Yeah. And the vibes right now for the national team seem exceptional.
00:41:37
Speaker
She seems like she's having a great time. I know. She said in her interview, she's like, I haven't stopped smiling since I've been here.
00:41:45
Speaker
And then talking about being in Colorado and it was all rainy, she was like, it felt like home. And I was like, girl, I was in Minnesota. I think she's in Minnesota because she said she was too hot in Colorado. Oh, that's right. She was too hot. I was sweating in Colorado. And then I went to Minnesota and this is great. Yeah. Yes. If I'm just going off vibes, which I feel like has worked in the past with the national team, they're winning it.
00:42:09
Speaker
Yeah, I'm calling it now. I'm calling it now. Yeah, I call it now. I do think the U.S. does better. The vibe like you have to go by vibes with this team because once they're clicking like you have that the rest just comes with it because they've got the talent.
Olympic Roster Predictions & Challenges
00:42:23
Speaker
They know what they're doing. The vibes go. We're not there. No, that was Vibeless. That's right. Non existent. The only vibes were bad ones coming from freaking cars. Someone giving her a mic.
00:42:36
Speaker
Maybe we should bleep her name whenever it comes up two mentions. I don't know. I'm so stoked about it Yeah, I mean so a little you want to score is Sophia Smith scores. Mm-hmm. Absolutely ridiculous which the Sophia Smith Goal was kind of how like a lot of stuff has been happening with Trinity Rodman like winning the ball out from a defender and then just pushing forward Yeah
00:42:57
Speaker
And then it was like Swanson also Trini Robin to Swanson to Smith. Yeah, it's so nice and fun to watch. I love it. And then the angle on that goal, too. Oh, yeah, she takes a touch. And I'm like, she there's no way I thought she was going to cut it back to somebody like on the spot.
00:43:13
Speaker
But no, no, she's like, no, it's mine. She slots it in. She's like, excellent. Super great. I would like to see Jaden Shaw in with two of them, probably Trinity and Swanson. I think that she would be a good addition in that mix to give some rest. But I think she still looks good. I think you still bring her for the Olympics. What 18 are you bringing if you if you got to choose? Goalkeepers, who you bring in? Listen to Aaron Aubrey Kingsbury.
00:43:42
Speaker
I know that Casey Murphy had a really, really good game, but I still like Kingsbury for her distribution. And I think that her positioning is better. I mean, hopefully Nair is healthy. We don't have to really even. Yeah. If Nair's not healthy, you bring Kingsbury and you bring Casey Murphy. Defense. I'm bringing Tierna Davidson, Emily Fock, Naomi Girma, Emily Sonnet, Sam Staub, who I thought played really, really well in that last game, and Jenna Neiswanger.
00:44:08
Speaker
Yeah, who's that leave out on defense? Casey Kruger. Yeah, I just in those two games, if we're going off that, I just didn't see enough, which not necessarily her fault. No, it is. You know, playing time is just hard to get, especially with a roster of 18. Yeah, that's the hard part in the midfield. I'm bringing Lizzie Horan, Rose Lavelle, Sam Coffee, Corbin Albert and Lilliana's. You have to.
00:44:30
Speaker
You have to. I mean, the kid's a star. Yeah. Get her that experience, get her there on the plane. She's actually not even going that far because it's in France, right? Yeah. She's got to go. She's got to go there. And with all this shit with Corbin Albert, we don't know what's happening. We don't know the internal conversations that happened around that after it came out that she liked TikToks and tweets, talking shit about Megan Rapinoe and wanting Megan Rapinoe to be injured and
00:44:57
Speaker
You know, all this weird magga shit, but I mean, if you want to win games, I think she's a solid person to happen as to gay people. But it doesn't seem like we love making her. Yeah, it doesn't seem like she's killing the vibe. She's learning something. Yeah, I don't know. We got, you know, sometimes you have to give space for people to learn. So if that's what's happening, good for her. Up front, I'm ringing Swanson, now Swanson, Kat McCario, Cindy Rodman, Sophia Smith and Jaden Shaw.
00:45:25
Speaker
And that's I think that Shaw might get swapped out probably to bring Alex Morgan. Yeah. Just because there's not a whole lot of seniority on the team. There's not. No. So I think that that might be important. But out of Swanson, McCario, Rodman, Smith, Jaden Shaw, Shaw is the obvious swap there.
00:45:46
Speaker
So that's my 18 that I would bring. Is there anything that you would do differently with that lineup? Well, it's interesting you left off done. Yeah, I did. What's the reason behind that? I just think that in this size roster, if they want to play her up top, which it seems like in the system that they're currently playing, that's where she would go, there are better options.
00:46:08
Speaker
Okay. Sure. She scored a goal in that second game. It was a pretty easy tap in. Wasn't anything really incredible. And she lost juice. She's not as fast as the other three, four. Um, and I don't think we need her at outside back anymore. And one of the reasons that you would bring a player like that is yes, because they're versatile, but at the same time, I just don't think that there's a critical role for her to play on the team.
00:46:29
Speaker
I think that's fair. We all know she did not have the best World Cup and that was in the defensive position. But I think you're on to something with, you know, how our front three is looking without her starter out of those those three with Trinity because she would play where Trinity plays, right? Like I'm picking Trinity every time. But I guess the question I would have is like, you've got you want somebody who is deaf. Maybe that's the veteran you bring instead of.
00:46:52
Speaker
Yeah, so you talked about bringing Jade and Shaw, and that was between Jade and Shaw or Morgan. I would be like, would you bring Dunn instead of, you know, I think that that would be the three I would be considering that or you swap in Dunn with the nice Swanger or Staub and the defense. I just I have a hard time believing that Emma Hayes isn't gonna bring her because of their history. Yeah, that's true. I'm not Emma Hayes.
00:47:12
Speaker
That's the 18 that I picked. It wasn't necessarily a prediction. I mean, and I can see how somebody with more knowledge of the team, like the head coach does, as you know, would make different decisions.
USWNT Redemption & Young Talent Integration
00:47:27
Speaker
But from my outside perspective, that's the team that I would want to see play. I'm sure some people have their
00:47:49
Speaker
put in that forward role and now we're kind of in a situation where do we need to think about her in that light? So that's that's the other question because like are they looking to bring her in as a versatile player and have her be able to come in in a supporting role in the back line or are they going to ultimately only play her up top?
00:47:49
Speaker
own thoughts about
00:48:06
Speaker
I can see her going wherever is needed. Maybe it's like one of those situations where someone's a little bit injured or something happens and then she can slide in no problem. And that's not just the forward, right? That's defense as well. And that's something that I think you could rely on her for, but I do. She was getting cooked in the World Cup. I just don't... If there was 19 players you could bring, I think it's a given. Bring her. I might bring Alex Morgan.
00:48:29
Speaker
I'm just not hot on it right now as a personal feeling, just with what I've seen League play, national team play. She did their score for Gotham. Tell? It's a no for you. Yeah, it's a no from me right now with the Olympics, 18. Yeah, it's so few players that you're not looking at any 18 between these extra few players on the outside. You're not looking at any 18 and being like, I don't feel confident in this just because we're missing one of these players.
00:48:55
Speaker
I'll explore it and it's not going to be the reason we don't go further. In my opinion. Would you say the same thing about Crystal Dunn? I think I would. There we go. That's my feeling. And I can't say that about younger players because I feel like there's just so much more room for growth and for us to have our program become something bigger and move forward from this like stalemate that we've been in. We have to bring in these younger players, get them these big tournament experiences for going forward, you know, to the next World Cup.
00:49:25
Speaker
I would also say that if I had to choose between the two at forward in a big competition, I'm picking Alex Morgan to maybe be the off the bench. Yeah, it's not an easy decision. And it's not that I don't like her as a as a player, like I do. But I feel like I've made my points and they will be up for debate. But that's that's how I feel.
00:49:44
Speaker
This Olympics was, it feels like it's on a whim, right? Like a little bit, right? Cause like, I might as just got into the role and this is our first like big competition. I also feel like it's like a bit of a redemption tournament. I really feel like as fans, we've seen how the team has been performing and now we're going into this tournament on a pretty good high. And so we want to go and win this thing.
00:50:04
Speaker
I didn't go into the last World Cup thinking we were going to win it. No, I don't think anyone who had been following the national team at that point thought that they had a chance. I think everyone was well aware that they were not the team that historically they maybe were going into a tournament like that. I think this might be a redemption tournament.
00:50:21
Speaker
And hopefully they'll play that way. But if you're going to say that, I feel like you've got to bring some vets. No, you think you think all the young people understand what's I mean, I guess like a lot of these people didn't even get their chance. So they have something to prove and go in there. And maybe it's their time to finally show like you didn't play us last time. And now we're here. We're getting the minutes. We're starting and we're going to win the damn thing.
00:50:38
Speaker
They were in the game, you know, they were in the league, watching the game, seeing the rhetoric surrounding the last World Cup. It pissed me off. I don't even have a chance of playing on the team. So imagine how they feel. Or these are their friends, these are their teammates. I would be, yeah. If I had to put money on it, I would say I've got two players wrong. Maybe three, I don't know. Is there anything else you wanted to add on the upcoming Olympics?
00:51:03
Speaker
No, I don't think so, other than I'm ready. I'm feeling good about it. Going into this, I thought it was kind of just like, there's not like a ton of pressure to me on Hema Hayes to do wellness, like just because of how short she's been at the helm. I didn't have high expectations for this Olympics, but I think I do now. And I think she's capable of kind of surprising everybody and maybe just winning all of it. As long as they compete. That's really what was missing from the World Cup, is it felt like a lot like the rain feel right now.
00:51:32
Speaker
We're like, do we even have what you need? Are you even trying? Yeah. It almost seemed like they were just like, we've had the talent. It's going to it's going to work for us, but we don't need to try that hard. We have faith that we'll get the result just because we always do. And that's not what you can get away with anymore with how good all the other countries are now.
00:51:49
Speaker
Nope. So there's our national team wrap up.
International Friendlies & Local Team Updates
00:51:52
Speaker
We're loving it. So we did play Ji So Hyun who plays for South Korea. She was having a great time playing against her. And I know I was, I was loving that she, I feel like she was trying to get to pick the ball up of her a lot and she did. And it was cool seeing her like link up with Hayes. So she seemed really excited to see her again after all their time and together at Chelsea.
00:52:11
Speaker
Yeah, she played well. Yeah, in that second game, she had that free kick that Casey Murphy saved. But I was just like, dang. All right. She plays for us. Let's go. Fishlock, Jess Fishlock scored for Wales. Why can't she do that for us? She must play like more attacking with them, right? Yeah, she plays in the midfield with James Turner. They're the two center mids in their 4-4-2 lineup that Wales played. Fishlock's got more responsibility, obviously, with Wales.
00:52:40
Speaker
Yeah, captaining them and all that stuff. So I feel like it just kind of comes with territory and the way that Fishlock plays with that, you know, attitude and mindset when she goes and plays for whales. It's like another it's another version of Fishlock. Like all the versions are very great. There's something that comes out of her when she plays for whales. That's like step whales. Whales version of Jess Fishlock is a is not a little drink and it's a big one.
00:53:02
Speaker
Canada played Mexico, Jordan Heidema played. There was a long ball that happened. Heidema's running up the left side of the pitch and a Mexico defender just basically stopped and then bodied her off the sideline. That caused an uproar. People calling for a red card, blah, blah, blah. But it was an off the ball foul and the definition of violent misconduct is very subjective. So I personally don't think that that reached the limit to be a red card offense.
00:53:31
Speaker
I mean, it was pretty abhorrent. Also, I rewatched it multiple times. And I'm wondering, how did she not just? Yeah, she ran straight into her. She ran straight into it. I don't know. I don't think it was read because if you're calling that a red, you're going to have that. That sets a precedent. That sets a precedent that I don't want to see in the game.
00:53:49
Speaker
That's what that's how I see it. I feel like you see play like that and all the time. It's just like this one was just like the aftermath was so brutal. Well, and especially since she had a broken back, came back from that and then she gets bodied and lands hard. You have to be worried about that. And I don't. It wasn't a safe play, obviously. But I don't. For me, it didn't meet the threshold of violent misconduct for Red Card. People disagree. A lot of those people are Canadians.
00:54:14
Speaker
You can disagree. It's also like my players. So like, you know, I try to look out for them. And to me, it's still just it wasn't what they've read.
00:54:21
Speaker
Other happenings from the week. How'd your team do? We played on Wednesday, played Lane United, which the team from Eugene, Oregon, our furthest opponent in our regional play with the girls 180. Incredible. They didn't even play that well, which is terrifying. You know, it seems like you guys got the best setup in the region in terms of recruiting and getting people out there.
00:54:49
Speaker
Our sporting director, Chris Wells, he works for Seattle, uh, Seattle university and just has, he has a knack for bringing in just like good vibes. Cause not only are the players very, very good, they're also just awesome people. And this is the second year in a row. He's done it. So it can't be a flute. That's great. You got a new coaching.
00:55:07
Speaker
happening soon too. Yeah. Our head coach from the beginning of the season, Ben Willis got pro job. He's going to be assistant coaching the new Lexington, USL super league team. So it's exciting for him. Uh, he left after our game on Wednesday to drive to Kentucky. That'd be really fun for him. I'm excited for him.
00:55:24
Speaker
You got a Cox taking away, right? Rafael Cox. He's an assistant at University of Washington. And does he have any relation to Stephanie Cox? No. Just coincidence? Just a coincidence. He did win an MLS championship with RSL, though. He won the MLS Cup we went to, the one in Seattle in 2009. The one where I was freezing my feet off? Yeah, it was so cold that day. Remember? And then it went into overtime?
00:55:48
Speaker
I don't remember being called. I must have been dressed fine because I don't remember being called. We did get to see Third Eye Blind. I remember the Third Eye Blind concert. The knot cover band of Third Eye Blind, it turned out to be actually Third Eye Blind that was put in in the parking lot. That was so funny.
00:56:05
Speaker
So that'll be a fun little change that's happening. I'm happy to be able to get somebody of his caliber in when, you know, you have to make that kind of quick turnaround and really thankful for Ben for giving us kind of a grace period. They wanted him down there in Lexington earlier, but he said, no, I got to stay and wrap up, wrap up. And that's that was really cool of him and super all respect to him. Like guy's great. He's going to be really successful.
00:56:34
Speaker
Yeah. So we're going to play tonight. Hopefully that'll be good. One of our players is playing in the TST tournament and she scored and she scored an absolute banger. Riley always, always with the past half field. How long, how big are those fields? No clue.
00:56:50
Speaker
They're a little bit smaller, but they're not that small. And the nets are smaller. Good for her. Yeah, she just received it, barely took a look. She's representing the Angel City FC team that they put together. Oh, man. Yeah, that goal is so fun to see. Someone from Covington, Washington.
00:57:08
Speaker
doing that in a tournament that has a bunch of former US national players. I just want her to get the due. She's so due for some massive recognition. She's such a good player and I feel like she deserves much. Someone's missing out. Yeah, somebody's missing out. I almost retweeted what the W League, when they posted her goal and I was almost like, if somebody doesn't pick her up, you're absolutely missing
Episode Wrap-up & Listener Engagement
00:57:34
Speaker
out. But I don't want her to leave us, so that's...
00:57:36
Speaker
I don't think I have. I don't really have much more. One other thing I want to shout out is the Seattle storm beating the Las Vegas aces. Suck it, Sarah. Sibling rivalry. Yeah, I don't know. I'm excited about the storm, but we will keep it soccer related. Go women's sports in Seattle. Yeah, we're all about Seattle sports, especially. I need to get out to the storm game really bad. We should have another Super Sports Saturday. Breaking my ankle. It's not ideal. So maybe once my ankles, you know, I don't have the boot on anymore.
00:58:04
Speaker
And if you caught the last episode we did, I talked about these divots in my yard. I broke my ankle, falling into one of those divots backwards. So I talked about the divots. I was like, there's all these stupid divots in our yard. And you know, I moved in here and I remember looking at this yard and being like,
00:58:19
Speaker
This is gonna be dangerous and I was just pulling some big old weeds out and I stepped backwards in my fucking Crocs. Just rolled this shit out of my ankle and broke it. It was bad. That was bad as my last ankle break, but it's not fun. So we're gonna wrap this up. If you wanna follow us on Twitter, we're at coolerguildpod. If you've got some suggestions, some helpful feedback, you can email us. We've got an email set up for that, thecoolerguild at gmail.com. If you liked our little theme song, we had a,
00:58:46
Speaker
Alex Juarez, shout out to him. Thanks for that. You know, we can kind of see where all the listeners are. I don't know if all the stats are always accurate, but we can kind of see where people who are tuning into are listening from. We have some people out in California, not just like Seattle areas, California, Georgia, someone out in Boston, Spain, we're going to international baby, Spain, Canada, Norway. To me, it seems like this is what I was hoping for. Cause not all these fans live in the area and we still want to get our fix of listening to, you know, a podcast about the steam, about the rain mostly.
00:59:16
Speaker
I feel like once you follow the rain, you're kind of in the women's soccer world and kind of just everything that comes with that. So we'll cover stuff that seems relevant to. All the social and the emails, all in the show notes. We added that there so you can find it easier. If you want to follow our personal Twitter accounts, I'm at the tallest coop. And I'm at Vancrisp. You got anything else? No, I think that'll wrap it up.
00:59:37
Speaker
Yeah, sorry, we were a little delayed sometimes just because Vans got a very serious job. I also broke my ankle, which kind of put a damper on things, but we will promise to improve on getting to things. But I know one season starts kicking out for Vans, it gets a little hectic. Yeah, summer is a lot. It's a summer season, so it's not going to last forever. No, it's not.
00:59:56
Speaker
All right. Well, this is another episode, a bonus episode of the Cooler Guild. Thanks for listening. Also, oh, I forgot to shout out Ron. He loves women's sports and he said he's given me some really great feedback and he said it means more because it comes from a white man.
01:00:10
Speaker
Oh my god, Ron. No, I'm just kidding. Ron. Hanseled. Ron didn't say that, but that's how I feel, and I think it's really funny. We haven't gotten a ton of feedback, but we've gotten some people. We're here to listen. We're here to improve. We're learning this thing along the way, so just know that. We're new. We're new. We're getting better. What are you, new? Sure am. All right, till next time. Bye.
01:00:54
Speaker
Yeah.