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Can the Seattle Sounders finish the job at Minnesota United?
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It's do-or-die for the Seattle Sounders' 2025 season, as they head to Allianz Field for a winner-take-all Game 3 in their Round One Best-of-3 series. Can the Rave Green replicate their Game 2 fireworks and avoid a penalty-kick rematch with Dayne St. Clair? We'll also discuss some of the other playoff matchups from around MLS, and react to the news that Atlanta United have reunited with Tata Martino as their next head coach.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. What the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be scorcher.
00:00:44
Speaker
Good evening, everybody. Welcome into another episode of Under the Lights. Got a big show for you all planned this evening.
Key Game Previews and Player Highlights
00:00:53
Speaker
ah Folks, the season is on the line once again on Saturday in the great state of Minnesota, where the Seattle Sounders will be playing playing game three of their round round one best of three series against the Loons after a 4-2 victory in game two at Lumen Field ah this past Monday.
00:01:11
Speaker
We're going to be talking about that. We'll be previewing that a little bit. I don't really know how much there is to say preview-wise for that matchup, but we'll be we'll we'll talk about it. We'll preview it a little bit.
00:01:22
Speaker
ah Christian Roldan. selected to the major league soccer best 11 it was announced we're going to talk about that at the top of the show congratulations to christian first and foremost uh but we're gonna we're gonna react to that we'll play some sound from christian from training yesterday i believe he spoke about getting selected to the best 11 but also about the uh the playoffs and this matchup with the loons so i thought it'd be a good time to let uh let christian take the floor we yeah We usually play the Schmetz presser, but i'm going to play the Christian sound.
00:01:53
Speaker
We'll react to that as well. And then we got a couple of national storylines to hit. Atlanta United. have hired Tata Martino. I'll give you guys my take on that.
00:02:05
Speaker
It was expected, but you know still a highly noteworthy return to Major League Soccer for for Tata. React to that. And this one, you guys are not going to believe this one.
00:02:19
Speaker
You're not going to believe this. About to blow your mind. Luis Suarez got suspended. He crashed out and got suspended. Can you believe that? Can you believe that? he does There's no precedent for that.
00:02:30
Speaker
No precedent for Luis Suarez crash out. So we'll talk about that. We'll react to that. And on that topic, it just came to my attention right as I was going live.
00:02:42
Speaker
Right as I was going live, the little our little YouTube member ad was playing. I'm like, I'm s scrolling through Blue Sky. And I saw that InterMiami actually put out a statement regarding the Luis Suarez suspension.
00:02:56
Speaker
And i didn't really get to read all of it, but what I did read was really funny. So we're going to take a look at that and react to that. And then, yeah, other than that, I was just going to let you guys stare the ship as usual.
00:03:10
Speaker
to whatever extent you want to. If you've got any topics, agendas, observations, questions, grievances, predictions, go ahead and drop them in chat. I'll get to as many as I can. a couple of housekeeping items before we get into it.
00:03:23
Speaker
ah Number one, most importantly, ah for the game on Saturday, We are ah hosting a watch party along with Sounder at Heart at Fast Fashion, where we've had a couple of events in the past.
00:03:36
Speaker
Fast Fashion, right and right downtown, right near Lumen, actually.
00:03:42
Speaker
great Great place to go watch a game. Watch Party is going down there. Noah's going to be there. J.O.' 's going to be there. Whether I personally am going to be there is a little bit of a TBD situation. have... i have like you know work obligations during these games.
00:03:57
Speaker
I'm working the games you know for my ah for my job on the editorial desk. So I don't know if I'm going to be able to be in a watch party type scenario for these. Maybe I'll try and head down after if I'm if i'm able. We're going to have to see how that pans out. however They will be, they're planning on doing like a live show kind of thing, I think, is the idea.
00:04:18
Speaker
We haven't really talked about the specifics of it all that much, but I do know 1230 at Fast Fashion on Saturday, it's going down. ah So if you're looking for somewhere to go or something to do,
00:04:29
Speaker
for the game this weekend. There you go. I just gave you something. ah Also, if you have not done so yet, please sub to the channel. Like this video, actually, first and foremost.
00:04:42
Speaker
Like the video. Sub to the channel if you haven't. If you're watching and you're not subbed, don't know what you're doing, sub to the channel. ah Follow us on Instagram. Follow us on TikTok. Like, comment, subscribe. Rate five stars.
00:04:54
Speaker
And buy the Lobbing Scorchers hot sauce at lobbingscorchers.com. slash sauce All right, let's get into it.
Christian Roldan's Insights and Career Reflections
00:05:01
Speaker
Let's get into it. I wanted to start with this ah news that ah Christian Roldan has made the MLS Best 11. We're going to take a look at the full Best 11 after i I play this sound from training while we ah while we have people still trickling in here.
00:05:16
Speaker
I'm going to play Christian's sound from training, going to react to what he says, and then we'll take a look at the full Best 11. But right now, I'm just going to pull up this Christian interview, and we're going to let this one rip.
00:05:29
Speaker
This is Christian Roldan at Long Acres yesterday, I believe, reacting to his selection to the Major League Soccer Best 11. First time in his career, I believe.
00:05:42
Speaker
And he also talked some playoff stuff here. So we'll let Christian take it away.
00:05:50
Speaker
We evolved as a team and some of that was definitely me evolving as a player, but I think as a team collectively, this is a recognition of our team rather than just one player. And so really proud of the group altogether, but obviously being recognized is always a fun feeling.
00:06:08
Speaker
You said that you evolved this year and and in the video that the club put out of surprising you within in the room there, you said I didn't expect a year like this. And I guess you know going into the year, what were you expecting from yourself and and how did that change as you evolved?
00:06:25
Speaker
Yeah, I think as. um as I grew into last year's role, like it kind of carried over, right? the the The chemistry between myself and Obed, understanding that I'll probably be the one sitting as as ah as a midfielder, and so evolving in that role, how can I be ah a little bit more of a leader, a director at times, an enforcer, um that's something that I think that I've really improved on, ball together, right? Like when I talk about
00:06:56
Speaker
Having the year right being part of the national team again Competing against the very best in in the world with PSG at let they go and then winning least cup I mean all together right the last four or five months have have been quite quite incredible you know clearly quickly you said enforcer and Spencer's used the term before last year it feels like the team is too nice Do you feel like that enforcer mentality has turned the team into a little bit less than nice team this year? hey Yeah you know i think that was part of my job. I had discussed a little discuss that a little bit last year of of fouling more, of being savvier with with the way we play the game because teams will do that to us. and so
00:07:38
Speaker
you know Taking some of the best players out of the game and in a smart way is is always important. and and so that was Definitely one of my goals going into this year, understanding that I'm going to be a more of a defensive role and how can I still impact the team off the ball.
00:07:53
Speaker
Christian, statistically you probably had better years in 2022 comes to mind, but it feels like the overall body of work and how influential you've been this year, this could be your best year ever as a center.
00:08:07
Speaker
What do you lie on that regard? Yeah, I think the eyeball test, right? you know Oftentimes we look at stats quite often, a little too much at times.
00:08:19
Speaker
at At times, right the eye test, your effectiveness off the ball, ah you know your ability to recognize things at a quicker pace than most.
00:08:30
Speaker
Those things you know you don't see on the on the stat sheet until you you actually watch a game. and so um understanding that piece, right? Like i I definitely feel like this is probably my best year in terms of form, in terms of, you know, for ball progressions, tackling, all that stuff. But um but again, i don't have the the quote unquote stats to kind of back it up. And so, you know, my my ability to still impact the game without being on the the stat sheet is is important. I think those those players like Jackson, for example, probably don't get the recognition that Yamar, they probably don't get the recognition they deserve.
00:09:12
Speaker
So for me, obviously getting recognized is always important for for for a guy that that doesn't really see individual recognition. What can you play as long as we have, you know, i feel like I've seen you take things from Gonzalo and Ozzie and Nico, you know, you know how how influential have those players been to who you are now and this point that you've reached in your career?
00:09:38
Speaker
Yeah, I wouldn't be here without those guys, right? I feel like my ball progression and and Gonzo being able to be direct at times with with passing, definitely his body shape, Ozzy's tenacity, his ability to dribble out of pressure.
00:09:55
Speaker
you know eric freeberg uh his space and and you know how smooth he was um you know andy andy rose's long long balls like i mean you take a little bit out of everybody's game right um you talk about jao paulo right all those guys have been so influential in me um you know i've been battling with going back and forth between positions, but I know deep down in my heart I always felt like I was going to be a number eight or a number six, so understanding those guys, learning from those guys was really important and really the reason why i'm having success.
00:10:31
Speaker
you know, at the start of the year you mentioned how this was you felt like this is the first time that you were going play one spot. And that's actually come, i feel like you have actually said that several times before, ah but this is the year where it really did come to fruition that way.
00:10:46
Speaker
ah How much has that helped you just to be able to focus on one position and not feel like you are just sort of filling holes wherever they pop up? Yeah, obviously I feel valued regardless of bouncing back and forth.
00:11:01
Speaker
and valued in the sense that playing one position, like they value me in that regard as well. So that doesn't change, but now being able to hone in on on you know the little things that that I could improve on, I have that ability to do so now. I have the ability to watch a game back and being like, okay, well, I'm going to be in this position again. How can I improve in this scenario. and So um overall, I mean, it just helps, right? It helps being stable in one position, being able to see the the scenarios over and over again and and how we get out of of those situations. And ah important to build chemistry with our guys, right? Like I know Obed and how he's going to play um and how can i I read the game based off other guys around me as well.
00:11:54
Speaker
You know, the you've been perpetually called sort of like the most underrated player in the league. Are you worried that something like this is going to rip away that title? Yeah, it might get to my head.
00:12:06
Speaker
Might get to my head. And also, seriously, I like the idea of being underrated, right? It means that people are people that watch the game closely like really appreciate what you do. and you know I know Garth was a ah big proponent of of that, you know calling me underrated and and he really believed in me. And so it speaks volumes to to all the people that are saying that, right? GMs or players or whatnot. And so um obviously it's nice to hear, but again, like I'm always going to deter from individual stuff. like i
00:12:45
Speaker
I want to win, right? and And that's always the reason why I play the game. On that note, game three Saturday, what are the keys to getting the series one? Yeah, running and behind really important. You know, something that we did really well in the first half. We struggled a little bit more in the second half.
00:13:02
Speaker
you know getting guys in the box right when we cross the ball. We had three, four guys in the box easy every time and um really important against a ah deep 5-4-1. So recognizing like can we be direct at times, right? We win second balls.
00:13:18
Speaker
It creates a little bit of chaos within the box. And then again, creating chances, right? We might not be as clean as we were in in this game in terms of goal scoring.
00:13:29
Speaker
So how can we replicate chances and give ourselves a really good chance to advance.
Seattle vs. Minnesota: Strategy and Series Overview
00:13:36
Speaker
You guys made some offensive changes starting the game, obviously Danny in there. How do you feel or do you feel like Minnesota may make changes of their own to to counter your changes?
00:13:45
Speaker
Yeah, ah it's possible that they come out and press, right? like and and I thought that in the second half they they did a better job of of coming out and and not just sitting back and and and countering. And so they might come out and press and then how can we play through their press?
00:14:02
Speaker
How can we make make ah make them defend a little deeper? um But you know these are changes that that we might make as well. So it's that chess game and and you know understanding how can we recognize that and and and and be better off because we recognize it so early.
00:14:23
Speaker
where does mentality have to be in the fine line of having intensity, but not allowing the game to get out of hand, silly yellows, things of that nature? Yeah, really important to to bring intensity, to bring mentality, ah but again, and in the right way, right? In a calculated way. When I talk about tackling, right? When I talk about being a little savvier, right? it's it's It's all in in a smart way. And so how can we bring that that same attitude, but in in a smart, calm way?
00:14:57
Speaker
But again, being killers, right? In the box and counterattacks. Can we stop counterattacks a little earlier um in that sense? So just recognizing that and and then being being vocal to our guys to not take it overboard.
00:15:11
Speaker
no no one loves someone No one seems to really love this three game format, but there is something to be said about you know, you mentioned the chess game that goes in when, you know, that you don't necessarily get in an aggregate goal series.
00:15:24
Speaker
Do you feel like that potentially suits you guys that, you know, being having this be a third game that you guys have all this experience with knockout games, that it's, you know, kind of a foreign concept to them, but it's something that you guys have done a lot of?
00:15:38
Speaker
Yeah, like it's for sure ka suit us. I mean, playing us in three games is is and winning two out of three is is tough against the quality that we have. um But it can happen, right? But for us, right, I think we like the big moments and now you have three big moments, right? Three big games that um you you get to put your stamp on. And so it definitely suits us. you know we I think we all prefer the big pressure one game moments, but it also creates a little bit of that rivalry right now me and Triantis I think his is his name right we've had we battled it out two times right you know ah the some of the defenders Boxall and Jordan and so you just kind of create that that bit of rivalry within the two clubs and sometimes that's good right you might see a more intense game in the third game because of it.
00:16:37
Speaker
Good stuff there from Christian Roldan at Long Acres, fresh off his announced selection to the MLS Best 11. I wrote down a few things from that that I wanted to talk about.
00:16:48
Speaker
ah You know, I mean, I thought in general there was some there's some good stuff at the beginning just regarding his evolution as a player over his career, his partnership with Obed, how that's manifested, and just all those kind of little different things that go into a best 11 season it's not necessarily all about individual performance it's about how you fit in with the team and maximize your ability and he was able to do that this year and you know like you're saying Jake finally getting some national recognition Seattle's had guys on the uh on the best 11 before but
00:17:30
Speaker
I'm not sure how many players at this position they've had. me I think Ozzie might have made made a best 11 or two. ah But really, i mean, he's the first player at that position since Ozzie, I think, to really play it at the level that Ozzie did.
00:17:46
Speaker
i think Jaupalo had a run in there where you could put him in that category. But as far as longevity and consistency, it's just it's good to see him get recognized and rewarded for that.
00:18:00
Speaker
i'm ah I'm kind of putting defensive mid midfielders in a different category than attacking midfielders, Hunch. I'm talking like sixes and eights. But yeah, Nico made one.
00:18:13
Speaker
He might have made a couple. It's not like they've never had guys made make best 11, but a guy like Christian getting it, I do think there's like a special significance to that. It it shows that other people recognize what we also, weve we've been talking about this all year, how good, how consistent the level that he's playing at week in, week out.
00:18:33
Speaker
ah But when you when you get to, when you see the national recognition, it kind of validates what we've all been seeing, what we've been talking about. Uh, I like the question from, uh, from my friend Jackson Feltz, 950 KJR about kind of his evolution into the role as an enforcer, sort of taking that mantle from Ozzie a little bit more than he had been in the last couple years.
00:18:58
Speaker
Uh, the whole, the whole idea of this team as too nice, we're not having enough dogs.
00:19:05
Speaker
That's something that ah we've been talking about for the last couple years and something that I think took a step in the right direction this year from the standpoint of, ah you I felt like you really you have the you have those guys on this team. Christian is a dog.
00:19:22
Speaker
Paul Rothrock dog. is a dog. They bring that bite, that edge, that swagger. I think this team, you could, you could say was missing that at times over the last two, three years before this year.
00:19:33
Speaker
Those are the two guys in, in particular, who I would say bring that to this team. And Christian did it in a way this year, which that that was the other thing is he was talking about how he has a set position.
00:19:49
Speaker
right? Like it was as recently as last year, the 2024 dog days that he, they were starting him at right mid every week and then kind of dropping him back when they had to out of necessity. He was basically Brad Evans utility plan, which was necessary at the time. And i actually think he, he became a very good right mid.
00:20:09
Speaker
He did to the point where we were talking about how they, when Seattle was struggling on offense in 2024, we were talking about how they couldn't They couldn't move him from that spot.
00:20:20
Speaker
He and Alex on the right side, they were the whole offense.
00:20:28
Speaker
But he has not been a utility player this year. ah He said he always felt in his heart that he was a six or an eight. He got to do that full-time this year, no questions about what his role was, and he and Obed became the best double pivot in the league.
00:20:43
Speaker
I think you could argue that Obed – could have made best 11 as well. You could have put the that double pivot both in the best 11. And I don't think any of us would argue with it. But i don't I don't think it would be like a, it wouldn't be a bad take. It went to went to Seb Berhalter, which I don't have a problem with.
00:21:03
Speaker
think that's a fine pick.
00:21:07
Speaker
But I would argue that Obed played at a best 11 level this year. Let's see. Was there anything else from that? Oh, okay. Yeah. As far as the Minnesota United game, I thought there, ah he he mentioned something that I've been thinking about, which is, you know, they're talking about the tactical chess match, how that kind of goes when you have a three game situation like this. And hes he basically said that they are ah they are preparing for the reality that Minnesota United might adjust their style and their tactics.
00:21:41
Speaker
in this situation in the series, and it might not be
00:21:47
Speaker
what we've seen from them predominantly in the first two games. He even said they're preparing for the reality that they might press a little bit, which let's calm down, Minnesota. mean we don't You know don't need to start pressing.
00:22:00
Speaker
It's a little crossing the line for those guys. But in all seriousness, I think he i think he is i think he's right that that's Possible.
00:22:13
Speaker
But I think it speaks, it speaks to when we're talking about Seattle's chances in this game. I think there's ways that they are arguably the underdog as the road team, but I think there's ways that they, they, they go into this game with the upper upper hand from the standpoint of what you have here in this situation is you have ah first game where it went, how one team wanted it to go.
00:22:41
Speaker
which was a 0-0 draw in Minnesota in game one and winning PKs. That's the outcome they wanted. They wanted to get that game to PKs where they know they have that they know they have the advantage.
00:22:55
Speaker
That's by far the biggest way that they can skew this to their advantage is to get it to PKs. where they have Dane St. Clair.
00:23:07
Speaker
The second game went how the other team wanted it to go, how Seattle wanted it to go, in that they were able to break down the low block, get on top of Minnesota United, force turnovers, get out and transition a little bit, score four goals,
00:23:28
Speaker
tie up the series. So what you have in the last game, what you had in the first game was a situation where Seattle had to adjust to Minnesota. And they made that adjustment.
00:23:40
Speaker
They moved Moose into the starting 11, pushed Jordan out wide. Kind of. Sort of kind of plays like dual strikers, but theoretically, it's like Moose up top, Jordan is like a hybrid winger kind of thing. that's the They made that tactical change, that tweak, that adjustment.
00:23:57
Speaker
Now Minnesota's got to adjust to that. They can't run the same game plan that they ran in in game two. I don't think they can.
00:24:10
Speaker
there's There was a lot of evidence in that game that Seattle...
00:24:15
Speaker
the adjustments that Seattle made has kind of so has kind of cracked that code of kind of just peer just sitting there yielding 70-30 possession in your low block and and waiting for counters and set pieces.
00:24:30
Speaker
They're still going to try encounter on ah and and get goals off set pieces in this game. They'll get it twisted. But I think Christian is right that there's at least a chance in this game that they – will play a little more proactively.
00:24:46
Speaker
They'll press on defense a lot more than they have been. They might try and have spells of possession maybe. I doubt that. I doubt that.
00:24:58
Speaker
But I think that ah Seattle's at least got to be prepared for the reality that they might be a little more aggressive and and proactive in this game. And my thing is like, if they if they do that,
00:25:13
Speaker
I think that they are, they are, they've been correct. They've been correct in their assessment of this series so far that if they try and play with Seattle like that, it skews the advantage back to Seattle.
00:25:25
Speaker
Because when you're talking about which of these, these two teams is better in possession can slice and dice you a lot more effectively.
00:25:38
Speaker
and has the has the weapons in attack to hang multiple goals on you. we're talking about all that stuff, I think it's advantage Seattle.
00:25:49
Speaker
So I think it's a little bit of a catch-22 situation for them. They need to change how they've been approaching these games, even though it did work it did work in game one. maybe Maybe that's how they think of it. Well, we did it in game one at home. Let's try and do it in game three at home.
00:26:04
Speaker
I don't think, if i were them i if I were them, I wouldn't come out like that
00:26:09
Speaker
Because by all accounts, Seattle ah adjusted to what they did in game one.
00:26:17
Speaker
Right? So they kind of, they have to, fight they if i'm if I'm them, I'm kind of saying that there's got to be a balance with that. ah
00:26:30
Speaker
They're probably going to come out with a relatively conservative game plan. But with their season on the line and based on how game two went, I think it could play out a little bit differently, and Seattle's at least got to be ready for that.
00:26:46
Speaker
And we'll see how it goes. I you know i was saying on the post-game show that when they went down 2-0 and they had to chase the game a little more and started playing proactively, they looked a lot better.
00:27:03
Speaker
They looked a lot better. They looked like a normal team. Now...
00:27:08
Speaker
I will say that ah from the Seattle perspective, you know, they did get, they got scored. We've been joking a lot about how this Minnesota team isn't trying to score.
00:27:19
Speaker
And they did score twice in the last game. So you got to give them that. But I do think from a Seattle standpoint, um, Yes, if you if you gift wrap them the ball in the attacking third with acres of space in front of them and your entire defense is scrambling back, isn't set, no one knows where anyone is,
00:27:44
Speaker
and it's just chaos out there, like it was on a couple of these giveaways, then yes, they can score on you. They can run a counter. They can score on you. If you avoid situations where you literally gift wrap them the ball in the attacking third and let them get going on the counter, which those, I mean, those counters look pretty easy for them, didn't they?
00:28:04
Speaker
because of the place on the field where the ball got given away and just where, you know, how out of sorts the defense was when when Minnesota got the ball. If you avoid really flagrant giveaways in really bad spots of the field like that, I have seen precious little evidence across these two games that that team can score outside of Those was counterattack giveaway type situations or set pieces. I said on the postgame show that the counterattacking stuff is the only way they can score. That's not true. They can also score on set pieces.
00:28:37
Speaker
They're very good at that. That's their thing. I'd argue Seattle's set pieces in this series have actually been a little better than theirs. A lot better. They gotta got at least one goal off a corner kick scenario.
00:28:50
Speaker
But this is still one of, if not the best set piece teams in MLS history in the regular season.
00:28:59
Speaker
So
00:29:02
Speaker
they're going to try and do that.
00:29:06
Speaker
I actually agree with what you're saying right there too, Jake. They did it in game one from the standpoint of they got the end result. But you're right. Like the narrative that came out of that game, that it was like this virtuoso defensive effort to lock down Seattle.
00:29:26
Speaker
That's not really what happened. Seattle racked two plus XG, but Danny Musavsky missed two chances from point blank range that he hasn't been missing all year, honestly.
00:29:41
Speaker
And then they end up getting the shutout.
00:29:44
Speaker
But those those two Moose chances, which I think were the best chances of that game, those came after Seattle made the adjustment that we're talking about.
00:29:57
Speaker
But fundamentally, I think you have a situation where going into any game like this in a multi-game series, there's going to be one team that can go in confident in their game plan and know what their game plan is.
00:30:13
Speaker
And one team that has to change their game plan and adjust. And in this situation, coming off that game too, I think Seattle, I'm getting into all the stuff I was going to say in the ah in the preview section.
00:30:25
Speaker
So maybe I'll save this. But no, I mean, Seattle, Minnesota is the one that has to adjust to Seattle in this scenario. It was reverse role going into game two. It's reversed again, going into game three.
00:30:38
Speaker
And kind of related to that topic, what they were talking about with the with the format, you know, I've made my gripes known with this best of three format.
00:30:48
Speaker
And I still think, like, the fact that they have to play this team again, they got to go to Minnesota again. Again, it's a little just like this. I wish this was over after two games. I do feel like that.
00:31:01
Speaker
But I do think there is something ah to what they were talking about as far as ah the storylines and rivalries that can come out of a more elongated series. I think there's there's something fun to that.
00:31:13
Speaker
I've enjoyed this series. I honestly have, even though game one was one of the more frustrating Sounders games of the season, given the circumstances. the ah you know The whole ah dane st Clair emerging as the villain character.
00:31:31
Speaker
you know He's annoying as hell, but it's kind ofs like having a villain, I think, is fun. ah Christian talking about the the back and forth, the competition that he and Triantis...
00:31:45
Speaker
have been having box all versus Jordan. Like this is good stuff. Like it's a good chess match and there's, you know, there's fun tactical debates to be had. There's been, i don't think there's many lineup questions from a Seattle standpoint, but it has given us storylines, fun characters, villains,
00:32:06
Speaker
They scored some really good goals in game two, which I wanted to talk about that later ah because there's been so much talk about how to how to break down a low block and if they could do it or not. I mean, I'm i'm watching those goals back today.
00:32:24
Speaker
couple of those were just a clinic and how to break down a low block. You can't do it any better.
00:32:30
Speaker
So really, if ah it's a situation where I think
00:32:36
Speaker
If the onus isn't really on you to come out and change anything and do anything much different, the only thing you need to do differently, you don't need to do anything differently lineup or game plan wise. You just need to not give the ball away gift wrapped in the attacking third with, with a numerical disadvantage. That's what you need to not do.
Playoff Dynamics and Team Strategies
00:32:54
Speaker
And if they do that, if they play to their relative potential,
00:33:03
Speaker
the relative level that they've showed in game two and throughout this season. And they avoid those catastrophic giveaways and individual errors, which have plagued this team at times this season. if they If they do that, I like their chances in this game at the very least, guys. Like, I really do.
00:33:18
Speaker
Sometimes I go into a ah playoff game and i don't feel like this. I feel like, man, if they win this, it's going to be ah is going to be ah pulling a hell of a rabbit out of a hat.
00:33:31
Speaker
The most prominent example of that to me always is I always come back to 2019 LAFC and and how I felt before that game. Anytime I go into a playoff game and I'm not feeling like I like their chances, that game's like the gold standard of that. I didn't think they had any chance in that game.
00:33:47
Speaker
I think that LAFC team that year,
00:33:52
Speaker
it was probably just as good as the one they've got right now with Son and Bawanga. Carlos Vela had 34 goals, 15 assists that year.
00:34:03
Speaker
the goal contributions record. They had a plus 48 goal differential, which is one of the best I've ever seen in MLS.
00:34:13
Speaker
that That LAFC team was rolling that year. Seattle was not quite as rolling, a little banged up. They had that game on the road, and they kicked LAFC's ass, and it was one of the best wins in club history. So That was a game where they went into it and I was like, this is not good. They're probably not going to win this. That's what I thought.
00:34:33
Speaker
I don't really feel like that about about this game after how I saw game two win. doesn't mean they're like for sure going to win.
00:34:44
Speaker
So, yeah, it doesn't mean they're for sure going to win. Nothing is guaranteed. but I like their chances in this game more than I have in some road playoff games over the years.
00:34:59
Speaker
I'll say that. Thursday night football was bad. Yes, i turned that I turned that on for like five seconds, and I was like, I'm not. Why am I watching this? Why am i watching the Raiders against the Broncos? Why am I doing that?
00:35:13
Speaker
I stopped doing that very quickly.
00:35:17
Speaker
I don't know why you're watching that.
00:35:20
Speaker
Set the points record that year too. Yeah, this this Minnesota United team is not 2019 LAFC. I was thinking about this recently too. Like I was thinking about this going into game one.
00:35:31
Speaker
i was I was thinking about how that game was by far and away the biggest game of ah of Minnesota United's season.
00:35:41
Speaker
And one of the, it's gotta be one of the biggest games in their club history. When you consider that they're still relatively new to MLS. They've been ah much better team results wise in recent years, but have they, as Minnesota United won a trophy?
00:35:58
Speaker
I don't think so. Did they win open cup or something one year? Either way, there's not like a huge winning track record.
00:36:09
Speaker
So them making a playoff run this year with the season they had where they had a had a pretty good season, there's a lot on the line for them. It's is's the biggest game of their season. And if it's not if that wasn't the biggest game in the history of their club, it was in the top like three to five. Has to be.
00:36:24
Speaker
just ah Because they're a pretty young team as much as any other reason. They just got in the league in 2017, 2018.
00:36:32
Speaker
If you were ranking the biggest games that Seattle has played this season, where would any of the games in this series rank?
00:36:41
Speaker
Like, let's be serious.
00:36:44
Speaker
Was that even, is is game one of this series, for instance, even in the top five of biggest games that Seattle has played this season? Like, I don't think so between Club World Cup and Leagues Cup.
00:37:00
Speaker
I was way more nervous going into the Club World Cup games than I am for any of these games. I was way, the further they got in into Leagues Cup, I was way more nervous for those games against like all those Liga and Mechies teams.
00:37:14
Speaker
was way more nervous about those games. I felt like there was way more on the line for the team, for the city, for the fan base. I felt like there was way more on the line in those games than this series. That's not to discount the playoffs or MLS Cup.
00:37:30
Speaker
But it's just, I do think there's a disparity there between how much how much is really on the line. If Seattle loses this game three,
00:37:43
Speaker
it would It would be a bummer. Like, don't get me wrong. That would that would be a very disappointing letdown way to end the season. I also, i i don't think it's preemptive cope for me to say that I don't think that that would be the end of the world. I don't think it would say, i don't think it would be a deep commentary on where the club stands or where the roster's at.
00:38:05
Speaker
We'll see how game three goes. they go out there in game three and get boat race four to zero. Maybe I'll, maybe I'll be salty or maybe I'll think about it differently. But if like Minnesota United goes out there and trolls the zero zero again and wins in PKs, are you guys going to lose? Are you guys really going to lose that much sleep after having already won leagues cup this year in the way that they did?
00:38:26
Speaker
I think that's, that's the reason why some of the stress gets taken off this for me a little bit.
00:38:34
Speaker
It would suck, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. If they get knocked out there, they got they get knocked out,
00:38:42
Speaker
I think it's way more. The pressure is way more on them, honestly, in this situation. Unless you're looking at it from the standpoint of like Seattle's the team that theoretically everyone expects to win, but they're they're a higher seed.
00:38:56
Speaker
They finished in fourth. That's the reason they have this game at home. That's honestly kind of the annoying thing is I feel like if it was reversed and Seattle had the 4-5, this thing might already be over.
00:39:10
Speaker
But, mean, here we are. Game three. Yeah, all right, let's talk about this, Hammer, real quick before we do that. CR7, best 11, let's go.
00:39:22
Speaker
Thank you for the super. Oh, oh shit. We got Noah tapping in? This is unexpected. What's up, man? What's up, dude? Is my is my mic correct?
00:39:34
Speaker
You probably texted me that you were going to do this, but I wasn't checking my phone. so i just I just dropped it in chat. I was like, you know... Okay. Maybe I'll pop in here. i was, I literally fell asleep. I'm not joking with you.
00:39:45
Speaker
i was laying on my couch watching Thursday night football because I have the dar defense. Get on here. Yeah. And I literally fell asleep. I'm not joking with you. I fell asleep. No pillow.
00:39:58
Speaker
No nothing. Like, face just smashed fully in the mic. It was that boring that I felt... I, like, i don't I don't think I've had that happen in a long time. It was remarkably bad football. I was in the same situation where i have Ashton Gentry in the Dynasty League that I play in with ah Mark Kastner. Shout out.
00:40:15
Speaker
Shout out. So I was like, oh, I'll watch that. See if Ashton gets some work, gets in the zone a couple times. he even... He got a touchdown, and I was still like, I'm not doing it. Yeah, like, this is... Actively the worst possible yeah game ever. But yeah, speaking of the worst possible game ever, game five in Minnesota.
00:40:32
Speaker
Game five. Yeah. ah Let's ah let's talk about that. I guess first, ah you know, tell us how you're feeling going into this decisive game three. And then ah Hebrew Hammer had a comment in chat here that I wanted us to talk about, get some discourse flowing.
00:40:47
Speaker
But yeah, what are your general thoughts on game three and what Christian Roldan made Best 11. I talked about that as well. Oh, yeah, did see that. Yeah. um Number one, we talked about this on the Sounders Weekly show on KJR. Thank you, Jackson, for having us on. If you guys haven't listened to that, was a great episode with good Paul Rothrock audio as well.
00:41:08
Speaker
um And I said, like, they're going to win. They're going to win this game. I think after last match, it seems clear that the Sounders have figured it out.
00:41:20
Speaker
um Is it going to be harder on the road? Absolutely. But I'm just I'm just not scared of them anymore. I'm not. ah Yeah, they don't scare me at all. They might win. They might win, but they don't scare me. And they win they will still not scare me even if they do win.
00:41:35
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. i You know, and what would what would have scared me was if they took a lesson from the approximately five minutes where they played like a real soccer team during stoppage time of the first half.
00:41:49
Speaker
That would have scared me if they would have been like, oh, wow. Oh, wait, we can play attacking football. Wait, we can like counter attack. And then the Sounders can't play a high line and like it's, or not a high line, but like a high press.
00:42:04
Speaker
it it Like that was working. And so I just, I just know in my soul and my bones that they're not going to do that and it's not going to work. And so it just doesn't matter. I think they, I don't know if they're going to go like a full scale change in their game plan, in their approach, but I think there's at least a possibility that ah Eric Ramsey, Eric, I've been calling him by his ah first name. I think Rick, but I don't know why. Yeah.
00:42:28
Speaker
Rick Ramsey. Rick Ramsey is fire, dude. That's a dude. That's a wwe WWE name. What are we talking about? Rick Ramsey is coming down the ramp.
00:42:39
Speaker
I think Rick Ramsey might look at this and and and say exactly what you were saying. Like, Hey, wait a minute. When we actually tried to play a little bit, it went pretty well. I you know i think there is a function of ah of like game state with that. like when you're When you're down, they were down three goals.
00:42:56
Speaker
So you have to chase the game in that scenario. And I think, I don't know what your read on what happened in that first half stoppage time was, but I i felt like Seattle, was they were too turnt.
00:43:06
Speaker
They were too... too aggressive honestly in first half stoppage time up 3-0 I would say they were being too aggressive to try and get the fourth goal instead of just getting it to half yeah I agree so I think Seattle's like game mismanagement in that situation played into why Minnesota was able to look like that and play like that and score those goals almost as much as anything that they did I mean both of those plays especially the uh the first one they gave them the ball like like come on like there's giveaways and then there's like i would be more surprised if a pro soccer team didn't score off a giveaway like that like jesus christ so just don't do that morris giveaway was brutal the pass to him was even worse like it was it was i'm glad you said that because it was bad by jordan and he took a little flack for it but that's honestly uh on the just as much on the passer i don't can't remember who
00:43:56
Speaker
yeah It was either like Jackson or Yamar or something. I feel like it was a pass from the back. Bad play by both of them. Because Jordan could have received it differently to at least maintain possession. And it would have killed the counter that Seattle was trying to get on. But they wouldn't have given the ball away. It was Obed. Yeah.
00:44:11
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. So yeah, Obed put him in a bad spot there. Like that's... both of them and i Yeah, I think I think in what Brian said at the presser really genuinely resonated with me, which like, you know, Brian Brian says some bullshit all the time at the presser. But like this one was was kind of real.
00:44:27
Speaker
He was like, it was a moment where you had like five or six players basically making mistakes that they never make. Yeah, I'm going to make that again. you know, like like i' Jordan's not going to make, try and, you know, rainbow flick a guy again.
00:44:41
Speaker
Obed is not going to really put him in that position. Every once in a while he does, he's still a young kid and everyone makes bad passes. I don't care who you are. The USMNT say that Christian rolled on every pass is a bad pass by him. And you know, it's just like not true, but, uh,
00:44:56
Speaker
ah Yeah, and then, yeah, you have a howler, you know, i mean, the Yamar it didn't cover himself. It's just like it's it it happens. oped ist op bad and jordan Obed and Jordan are two guys that, generally speaking, I trust and have confidence will not make game-changing, egregious errors like that. those are These are not players that have a track record of that. they It happened in in this game, in this last game, but...
00:45:22
Speaker
if i'm If I'm talking about my confidence level that they cannot do that in game three, I feel pretty confident that if that if that anything like that happens in this game, it's not going to be like a repeated issue. Yeah, I mean, i don't I don't see how that would come up again.
00:45:38
Speaker
ah it just it really was like a frantic eight minutes. It was in like I'll even hand it to Minnesota like they seized on the opportunity. They could clearly tell and it's it seems very clear that Eric Ramsey went into a game plan and that was the game plan.
00:45:55
Speaker
And it just, it just, they, they, they executed on the giveaways that the Sounders gave them. That's what they've been doing all year to be successful was taking the opportunities that they do get.
00:46:06
Speaker
So if you just don't give them those opportunities, it's fine. And I think what, like changed my mind about the whole series and frankly about like our playoff chances in general, that first game in Minnesota, I was like, Oh my God, please just lose the second game. I'm done with this season. I can't watch this.
00:46:23
Speaker
This is, this is brutal. They come back and they do, they play the soccer that they've wanted to play all season. And it looks amazing. It looks amazing. It looks even better than I've ever seen it. Like the way that they were playing the dual striker setup, the way that Obed was getting forward in this like all It was like a secondary channel that I've like never seen the Sounders access. The look that they ended up having to run kind of by necessity, freaking cooked.
00:46:48
Speaker
cool It was, that was one of the better attacking performances of the season. ah The goal where, where Christian headed it to himself into space and created, that i think that was Jordan's goal that Jesus Ferreira got.
00:47:05
Speaker
So many guys did such good stuff on that play, starting with Christian winning the ball and putting it into like a dangerous area and getting himself close to that primary assist zone.
00:47:17
Speaker
a Brilliant movement by Jesus Ferreira to see that space in the middle of the box, slide into it. And then, uh, meet Christian's pass with the header. And then he heads it down just towards the goal. And then Jordan's right there for the tap in. He's in the right spot as well.
00:47:34
Speaker
That is a goddamn clinic in how you break down a low block. That is how it's done. That is how it's done. Like you cannot, you cannot do it any better than that. And, uh, I think you could say that about ah couple of the goals that they scored in this game. So all that stuff is reasons why, I feel pretty good going into this game as well. Uh,
00:47:53
Speaker
Did you have a thought you were finishing there? I kind of just... No, no, it's okay. I was just going to say, I just feel... I feel like if they can play like this, it's... ah like why not go and win the whole thing do you know what i'm saying like they have the firepower they have the they have the capability to play against just the most toxic defensive team if you can do that i mean yeah why not why not just keep going like so i i feel a little bit more excited is is all i was gonna say and we have played a thousand games though and i am tired and i am ready for the season to wrap but i'm i'll take a try you know
00:48:31
Speaker
I'll take another trophy. I'm not going to complain. you know like that's ah That's a good sideline that's good segue. Let's talk about this from Ibrahimer. He says, I don't align completely with your take that it's house money because we won League's Cup. and this is yeah This is something that we've been talking about. like To what extent are the playoffs house money, if at all, because of of League's Cup?
00:48:53
Speaker
And I don't, I, I've not been saying that I think it's fully house money and what happens in the playoffs doesn't matter. That's not what I'm trying to say, but I do think there, there is an element to me and I'm just telling you how I feel like, you know, you can call it preemptive cope whatever, but there is an element of this to me that I think it's not just Seattle, any team that wins one of two tournaments, CONCACAF champions cup or leagues cup, you lessen the pressure of the playoffs because you're By definition, if you've won one of those two trophies, you've won a continental tournament against Liga and Mecky's teams. And in the case of CONCACAF, you've got to play like Central America stuff as well.
00:49:35
Speaker
one And you've won ah continental trophy. You've gotten into CONCACAF Champions Cup, which is that's a goal of every team going into every season. And in this case, they get a bye for CONCACAF Champions Cup, which is huge.
00:49:47
Speaker
You can't tell me. I'm sorry. Like, there's just no scenario you can tell me that if they lose this series to Minnesota, but all of that stuff is is true, that it wasn't like a good successful year.
00:50:01
Speaker
Like, you there I don't see how that's cope. I think that's just, that is that is what you earn. That is what you earn by winning one of those to tournaments is you you earn the right to to look at the playoffs and say, you know what?
00:50:13
Speaker
We want to win this. Like you said, if you, oh I'll take a trophy. Like if we get one, that's good. But you earn the right to be able to say there's less, there is less pressure on this for us than there is for a, for a team that hasn't won anything at all this year, like Minnesota hasn't, you know?
00:50:29
Speaker
So, I mean, do you see that ah differently? We've talked about it, but that's, that's, I, I feel like that ah it's it sounds like it sounds like like I said preemptive cope trying to sort of get out in front of like oh if they lose I don't care it doesn't matter already won Leagues Cup whatever but I don't think that's I don't think that's what it is I think that's the reality of the ah of what you are afforded the opportunity to earn by playing in those tournaments and then what you get from from winning it I do think there is a lot to that.
00:50:57
Speaker
Yeah, you know, I agree with you. It's house money, man. Like, if it's not house money, then it's my my personal contentment. We've played 50 games this season.
00:51:09
Speaker
We are running on a tank that halfway through this season, like, everyone was injured. We've lost one of our DP. Like, there's... So much that has happened in this one season that has been exciting and narrative and interesting and fun. And like, we've done things that we've never done before.
00:51:29
Speaker
Well, we were in the club world cup before, but this felt different. You know, this felt like this, this felt very different. And we played teams that we've never played before. And we adjusted and looked like a team that was attacking and incredible. And like,
00:51:44
Speaker
i I think that on on all of my barometers for what a good season is, it's you play enjoyable soccer, you have really memorable moments, and you win a trophy.
00:51:59
Speaker
You don't need to win every trophy. I know that there's greedy people out there. I wouldn't mind winning every trophy. But if you win a trophy, you've done what you you set out to do.
00:52:10
Speaker
And the way that they won the Cup was emphatic. It was insane. And beautiful and poetic and in the face of... We have Paul Falkrock and then he scores the... I mean, the content that we got out of it was... As far as that goes, we cannot ask for anything more than what they this year. That's why it feels like gravy to me.
00:52:34
Speaker
It does. It does. and and And to me, like, i obviously every single year want to win MLS Cup. Is it my number one trophy, number one priority? I guess I'll ask you this question. Like, yeah, I want to win it.
00:52:48
Speaker
But like, we have bigger ambitions. Being able to win League's Cup. A lot of people don't care about League's Cup, which we've been on the record as saying we actually enjoy it But like that is a, in my opinion, in the moment, in what it meant, the only way that MLS Cup would be equal would be if we're facing Miami in the final and we whoop their ass again.
00:53:16
Speaker
But like, I just don't know what else would be more exciting than the way that we won Leagues Cup. Well, in in this scenario, to me, it ceases to be about Leagues Cup itself and how much weight you do or don't put on it as a trophy or how much significance you put on it. Like,
00:53:34
Speaker
It's like you said, it's the way that they did it and who they did it against and the fact that they did it in front of 70K at Lumen Field. And then you throw on top of that all the ah all the storylines with the Paul Rothrock press conference and the jersey stuff.
00:53:49
Speaker
the The what's it called? The vlog that we were able to to do off of it. that That was magical. like Leagues Cup was the platform for it, but why why it was such like a significant moment for the club was for reasons that were completely independent of what the trophy was. like like I think you're right. like A lot of it is about it's about moments, and if you deliver those moments, then, I don't know, you kind of like I said, earn the right to...
00:54:25
Speaker
kind of prioritize the playoffs however you want. i understand some people's barometer for success is win literally every single trophy in every single tournament that you're in. That's fine. you know Everyone's got their own ways of ah being a fan.
00:54:40
Speaker
But for me, I don't do that because i mean, I just think it's the reality that you're not going to win every tournament that you're in. No team does. It's just... it's about bites at the apple not about never losing or never getting knocked out of any tournament that's every team gets knocked out of tournaments so uh yeah anything else on that or ah did you want to talk about ah louis suarez crashing out because i would love to talk about the fact that that elma should be banned from mls and he's not you uh did you hear the development with this there's been a development
00:55:13
Speaker
i Is it the Miami State letter? Did you see this? Storming the cap? I haven't read it. Okay. I haven't actually read the full thing either. So let's pull it up and then we'll react to it. I have it here.
00:55:26
Speaker
But before before we read InterMiami's statements, let's ah let's give the people the context for whoever might not know. ah Like I said at the top of the show, Luis Suarez, InterMiami forward, has shockingly...
00:55:38
Speaker
It's unbelievable. No, I can't believe i he got suspended for crashing out and getting a... It actually wasn't called on the field in their... Who were they playing in the playoffs? to get nashville They were playing Nashville.
00:55:49
Speaker
And I mean, it's classic Suarez, dude. he's he's He's going for a ball. I think there's a cross coming into the box. And while he's running for it, he very clearly fully kicks his leg out and...
00:56:02
Speaker
Kind of drives his studs into the dude's leg, did he not? Yeah, like his thigh or whatever. It's a dirty play. It's very clearly violent conduct. It should have been a straight red on the field. it got missed. It was it was it was kind of subtle. You're telling me that an MLS official in the playoffs has missed a call, Ari? Are you sure? i like I could see how that one could be missed in the moment. That's true, yeah. At least from the angle that I saw, unless you're really looking for it,
00:56:32
Speaker
you might not see that he actually kicked out, but he did. And it was also, you know, it's Suarez. It's very obvious that it was, he was intentionally kicking a guy, putting his studs into a guy's leg. He gets retroactively red carded and um ah violent conduct. He's suspended for game three, which inner Miami They also have to play a game three against Nashville. They lost game two against Nashville.
00:56:55
Speaker
So they have to play a game three without Suarez, who, you know, you could you could say that ah having his his jello knees out of the lineup could help them. But realistically, like he's been their best playmaker this year. He randomly has a bunch of assists.
00:57:10
Speaker
We saw it in the League's Cup final. Like Seattle honestly got kind of been ditching this year. He's been dishing. So that's like a significant... that's He's a focal point for them. like I've seen people saying like this actually makes them better. I'm like, I don't really think so. He's been... it was last season, it absolutely would have been would have made them better.
00:57:28
Speaker
But the problem is, he's a crazy assist merchant now. like He's found this... i mean, he's always had it. He's always he's always been a good passer. very good playmaker. like hes He is... Basically, like they're playing with two shadow tens.
00:57:41
Speaker
He's a 10. Yeah. Like he's yeah. Like his his ability to play make, especially with Messi, especially with Messi. It's insane. du They have that Barca chemistry. like when Xabi was playing at Barcelona. And the only reason that Messi was good at Barcelona was because Xabi was there.
00:57:59
Speaker
Yeah, everyone knows that. ah But all right. So, ah yeah okay, first of all, i have read and i gotta I have a Bev. I need to get my Bev. Well, I'm not going to read the statement until you're back with your Bev ah because he's got to hear the statement.
00:58:13
Speaker
Oh, okay. The Bev was right there. The bet was right there. Okay, but like, all sleep first of all, this whole idea of a um ah a team giving a statement on a red card, have you ever seen that?
00:58:26
Speaker
Like, a guy gets a VAR red, and then the team puts out a statement on the red right after? Yeah, actually it's not actually, I did. um It happened in League's Cup Final.
00:58:41
Speaker
Okay, but like, this is, that was a post-game brawl. This is like a red in the course of a play. Yeah. No, I haven't. I don't think... haven't. No, there's probably been one. There's probably been like some like...
00:58:56
Speaker
but I bet you like the Montreal impact have, but you know, like, so i like, you know, it might've happened. It's just, it's not typical protocol. You've usually, you either appeal it. That's your statement. If you think, if you disagree with it, you appeal it yeah either gets accepted or denied.
00:59:11
Speaker
I've never seen a written statement about a red card. Let's see ah what Inter Miami had to say about this red card to Luis Suarez. ah Noah, you want to take any guesses on if they were apologetic or contrite in any way? but Is this a statement of, ah of contrition? Do you think?
00:59:25
Speaker
yeah I have a feeling that they're goingnna be incredibly humble and they're going to generate some more goodwill with the general MLS. Exactly. I'm expecting, you know, I read it enough to get the idea, but I'm expecting a lot of humility and contrition from this statement from InterMiami. All right, I'm going to pull it up.
00:59:44
Speaker
Here we go. This is ah Ben Wright. Shout out guest has posted it. This is what inter Miami had to say about the crash out latest crash out red card by Luis Suarez, who has gotten a crash out red card or two in his career.
01:00:01
Speaker
ah They said inter Miami CF has received official communication for major league soccer MLS regarding the one match suspension imposed on our player, Luis Suarez for an action that occurred during last Saturday's match in Nashville.
01:00:12
Speaker
The club would like to state the following. InterMiami CF accepts and respects the decision made by the MLS disciplinary committee. At the same time, the club wishes to... I can't even make it through it.
01:00:26
Speaker
At the same time, the club wishes to express its concern about the precedent set by re-refereeing a play that had already been judged by the match officials and VAR and its confidence that the same state... Oh, this is this is money. This is so... This is fire. And it's...
01:00:40
Speaker
And it's confidence that the same standard will be applied in the future to all on-field situations in any match and involving any team. Woo! You know what?
01:00:53
Speaker
You know what? um i think I think it's... you know it's it what ah What it's giving to me, Ari, is toxic girlfriend.
01:01:05
Speaker
Where she's like... yeah, I'm sorry that I cheated on you, but you're the one who made me feel bad. And like, I had to do that. And like in the future, you need to treat me better. So I don't cheat on you anymore.
01:01:18
Speaker
That's what it sounds like to me. It's ah so like there, that whole last part of the statement is it's just really, I don't think I've ever seen that. It's also stupid, bro. did they That's the whole point of the disciplinary committee is to review the refereeing decisions and make additional or less decisions of a judgment on suspensions or calls or whatever.
01:01:38
Speaker
That's been happening forever. It happens in every league. There's tons of precedent for them, for both the on-field officials and VAR to miss a violent conduct offense like this and have the Red get retroactively, given retroactively.
01:01:52
Speaker
Which is why it's funny that, well, first of all, have you ever seen an official club statement that, you know, it's like normal communications PR speak, and then it goes, at the same time?
01:02:03
Speaker
At the same time. At the same time. But yeah, there's tons of precedent for it. And i just like they they the statement isn't even good.
01:02:14
Speaker
Like I you would think they're probably spending like um a million millions of dollars a year on these so-called ah professionals down there. And this is what you cooked up like it wasn't even good.
01:02:29
Speaker
they like They want to do they want to do like um like they want to like overturn Roe v. Wade. And they're like, um yeah, we respect it, but we don't like it.
01:02:40
Speaker
well is there you know it's i think they're trying to do the ah like we're getting targeted because we're inter-Miami thing. But it's like, you you guys yeah have Luis Suarez on your team. like This is what happens.
01:02:53
Speaker
it's like what What do you think... why do you really know you're in that Why do you really think you're in this situation? Why do you really think that? Is it because that the MLS disciplinary has it out for you and they're just hunting game footage trying to find random violent conduct reds to try and stick it to you?
01:03:10
Speaker
Or is because you have Luis Suarez on on your team? The idea that Inter-Miami has been unfairly persecuted and targeted by m os is one of the most laughable ideas that I've ever heard in my life.
01:03:25
Speaker
If there are evidence for that is... the suspensions they got after post-game brawl in Seattle and this suspension to Suarez for a violent conduct read against Nashville.
01:03:36
Speaker
Both of those are entirely self-inflicted situations. Also, how is it possible? off He got off so easy. So easy. So easy. How is it possible that they look at that brawl in the League's Cup final here?
01:03:49
Speaker
And they still feel like that they got they got victimized by that. Like it was a both sides issue and they were unfairly targeted and persecuted. The level of self-delusion required to for them to think that is is staggering.
01:04:04
Speaker
I can't fathom that. I don't get it. And frankly, i think that they should be happy because... You have four DPs. Yeah, exactly. You're not being investigated.
01:04:16
Speaker
Why are you, why, why do you have the gall and the audacity to, to make a statement? Like it's not politically smart. It's not like you're telling me you're trying to pick a fight with the league.
01:04:30
Speaker
And trying to fight because internally, I'm sure they're also trying to pick a fight with the league for various other things. Like they seem like the type of club. They seem like the type of organization that thinks they're bigger than their boots.
01:04:41
Speaker
And brother, let me tell you what, at the end of the day, if MLS doesn't like one thing, it's for you to challenge their power. And it makes no sense to me. Yes, absolutely. You want referees to get it right on the field. You don't want to feel like you have to constantly be looking behind your back like you're going to get an extra suspension.
Playoff Matchup Analysis and Predictions
01:04:59
Speaker
But he committed the foul. It's on video. Yeah. It's like i if if a player did that to one of your players, if a put messy in the shoes of whatever random Nashville, no one knows any of the Nashville players, Sam Sturridge. Other than that, no one knows any of the Nashville players who gets Katie, Katie, Katie, Katie random guy gets kicked in the balls.
01:05:21
Speaker
Okay. Inner Miami is like, this is, this is actual, we're being persecuted. We're being persecuted. We are victims. And then let's say messy was on the receiving end of a kick to the balls and nothing was done about it. You can't tell there would be riots in the streets.
01:05:36
Speaker
ah There would be 7,000 of the most annoying Twitter users you've ever seen in your life commenting on every MLS post. InterMiami would have a statement.
01:05:47
Speaker
They would have... ah ah Jorge Mas would go on hunger strike. Whoever did it would get excommunicated from the league. Yeah, like, it would, yeah. like it So I'm kind of confused as to how they think that this is some some sort of, like...
01:06:03
Speaker
Just, it's just, it's, it's so, they're such babies. They're such babies. It's wild. Like, I didn't, I thought the, uh, their response to the Leagues Cup brawl was, you know, it's not how I would have recommended.
01:06:20
Speaker
responding But that was that was a crazy situation. Like, not not many clubs have been in a situation like that. But clearly, it's they're making a leap here from thinking they got persecuted for that, which it was...
01:06:34
Speaker
The fact that that still gets talked about in some circles as like that was a that was a both clubs thing. it just it I don't know what we're we're talking about. yeah No one was unfairly persecuted for what what happened with that. Also, he spit on the field. he He didn't get sent off.
01:06:53
Speaker
He spit on a guy. He did spit on a and he was racist. He is racist. He spit on a guy. Like it's just ah that I would call that a self-inflicted situation, just like ah I would this one.
01:07:05
Speaker
But it's also like, it's not that crazy a punishment. It's a one game red card suspension, you know? And he didn't, he didn't get sent. ah Like they had the advantage in the actual game and didn't even make it count.
01:07:18
Speaker
So it's just, again, it's another, like, what are you actually complaining about? You lost that game on your own merits. And now you're salty that you got caught cheating and you still couldn't even close out the game.
01:07:31
Speaker
Like that's embarrassing. And you got to put out a statement about it. It's, it's this, the entitlement, man, the entitlement is ridiculous. And I cannot wait. I cannot wait to, to, to see inner Miami get absolutely rug pulled by Leo Messi. It's going to be incredible.
01:07:48
Speaker
It's going to be incredible. I like like can't wait. leave Like he's going to retire or leave the club or. Yeah. Like once he leaves, what are they? Yeah. What could finish his career there? And they're still going after that and answer that question at some point. yes seven It would be really funny if they like retire the number 10 or something.
01:08:06
Speaker
You want to take a look at the playoff bracket? See? Yeah, let's do it. right All right. The Chicago fire, man. We could redo our brackets, I guess. I mean, I was just going to... We can just look at it and see if there's anything that's catching our eye so far.
01:08:22
Speaker
ah There's really not all that much that's decided other than that l LAFC and Vancouver both swept their series. Both the Austin and FC Dallas Texas teams, they're out of there.
01:08:32
Speaker
That's going to be the most interesting game of the second round. Yeah, let's talk okay let's talk about that. like Who do you think has got the edge there? Who's the favorite there? You know, um i I like... I can get my answer first if you want.
01:08:49
Speaker
Yeah, i'm i'm like I'm like on the fence, honestly. I'd love to hear your answer. I'm very on the fence, and I think ultimately there's not there isn't really a favorite. It's a 50-50 toss for me. But I think even though they're ah technically the lower seed, I think LAFC...
01:09:06
Speaker
Well, it is at BC Place. That's what I'm saying. And BC Place is a cursed, cursed stadium that also smells like piss and shit, by the way. I just think that the Sun-Bawanga duo has shown this level of firepower that out firepowers even what the Whitecaps have been doing lately, which since ah Tommy Mueller has gotten there, they've looked incredible. and Yeah, he's really good at drawing penalties.
01:09:32
Speaker
Yeah, he, but like the, his, it's honestly a little bit similar to the Suarez thing where his, his value has been much more as like a team player than I am would have even thought. Like he's very unselfish.
01:09:46
Speaker
He does a lot of the playmaking for them when he's out there in a, in the same similar way to Suarez does and their offense, when he's in there, even if he's penalty merchanting his goals, their offense is humming. Like it is, yeah it look it is, they definitely have enough to hang.
01:10:00
Speaker
with LAFC, which if Seattle has to play LAFC at some point, I would, I would have a question about the firepower matchup there from Seattle standpoint in a way that I kind of don't about Vancouver, like Vancouver can beat them, but I do think the top level ceiling shown by a son and Bawanga is might be, might be a little bit better, but you know, also, uh,
01:10:23
Speaker
LAFC won their second game over Austin bigly, but they kind of got gifted some goals. It wasn't the greatest LAFC performance. They were vulnerable time for sure. And then, yeah, in the first game, they were fighting for their lives against Austin FC with Son and Buonga out there.
01:10:41
Speaker
So that shows to me that while they they are, I think, the most intimidating team, in the playoffs on paper there it's not like they're unbeatable like you know i think they've they've been getting talked about like 2019 lafc a little bit who felt unbeatable and then it turns out we're famously beatable famously like i who are you who beat them uh yeah i the uh let me see if i can remember yeah i think the seattle sounders actually not yeah yeah that's right yeah um But like this year's team kind of has been getting talked about and has that air of like, how's anyone going to beat this team? Austin FC low key was kind of sort of in that at times in game one, a little bit kind of half-heartedly.
01:11:22
Speaker
So that's something. And they're like not even good that much. Like, no, they're bad. They're like, they're not awful, but they're not good. i think Austin was even as bad as their,
01:11:36
Speaker
goal differential and stuff was like they're I think they're probably worse than your typical succeed that's true the team was not that good I think they they kind they gave LAFC some problems they did yeah they they they were the second worst team in the playoffs who's the worst Dallas Yeah, probably. Texas teams.
01:11:55
Speaker
Texas teams, not looking good. not Here's my... I see someone in chat saying LAFC has Vancouver's number. That's just not true. LAFC hasn't beaten Vancouver this year. They drew 2-2.
01:12:09
Speaker
and they They did in the days before Vancouver got good. and Yes. Yeah. But yeah. And then Vancouver won uh, at BMO, uh, in June, in their last matchup.
01:12:21
Speaker
Now I'm, I'm looking at the lineup here. Um, that was in the Giroux days and obviously both teams have changed, but I'm looking at this. I'm looking at the, the, the white caps lineup and like they beat them with nobody like that. They, they had nobody, man.
01:12:40
Speaker
Like, they ah Sabi scored their goal. Like, that's crazy. So, I don't know. I think i think this is going to be... This could potentially be the best game of the whole tournament. It's going to be a banger.
01:12:56
Speaker
We should do like a watch-along for that. Yeah, like that's going to be so good. Because for me, I i think that LAFC will be able to do it.
01:13:10
Speaker
But, but on the flip side, Vancouver is just getting healthier. yeah They are getting they look better. They look incredible right now. They're in better form. They're back to what they were at the beginning of the season. And they have different personnel. And it's crazy. And it's very clear that fit they have the coach of the year, in my opinion.
01:13:30
Speaker
In my opinion, the fact that who won it? It was the Philly coach, right? Bradley Carnell. Yeah. Bullshit. That's bullshit. You're telling me that ah Jasper Sorensen, that's his name, right?
01:13:43
Speaker
Yeah. You're telling me that man didn't win coach of the year. I don't know what kind of woke nonsense went on in that voting. East Coast bias. The coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Seattle Sounders, or Portland Timbies will never win coach of the year.
01:14:01
Speaker
It's just, it's, Ari, it is ridiculous. It's ridiculous. And he's been coaching his ass off and bro Bradley Carnell with the Philadelphia Union who he walked in to a fucking diamond encrusted roster and no one wants to talk about that. No one wants to talk about how he walked in on like a basically already fully set roster. Well, it wasn't considered diamond encrusted roster when he took it over, but I do think it became pretty clear pretty early in the season that in it in fact was a very good team, very good. yes
01:14:34
Speaker
That underachieved lot last year, more than it was about like them not being good or not having talent. They, they, spend some of the least money in the league and that Ernst Tanner guy is just a freaking guru. He,
01:14:45
Speaker
builds in their team. knows what he's doing. Ernst Tanner should get executive of the year every year for what he does for that team. But whoever the union's coach is at any given time, like I don't think i't know how much that even matters. no If Jim Curtin was still there, they probably would have had the exact same season.
01:14:59
Speaker
Yeah, it just, I don't know, that very much pissed me off. But I think, man, I like don't even want to predict this game. Like this one, this one might go to pens, dude. It could be. It could go. I could see it being like an instant classic, like three, three goes to UKs, like ah MLS Cup 22. Yeah, I could see that.
01:15:17
Speaker
it it it That is definitely the matchup I am most excited for, honestly, for the entire tournament. Yeah, like that, honestly, it's going to be better than a lot of the other games we're going to see in the conference finals and maybe even and MLS Cup. That's ah could it's like the one of the real and MLS Cups.
01:15:34
Speaker
You've got game three between San Diego and the Timbys. You think ah the Timbys can get it done? or It would be really funny. It would be really funny, and it would feel really good to play them in the playoffs at home.
01:15:49
Speaker
um and and another fraudulent number one seed goes down in the first round. That's funny. So I'm not going to root for the Timbers, but I'm not going to be upset if they win.
01:16:02
Speaker
Do I think they actually are going to be able to do it? They're going to have to be annoying as shit to be able to do it. They're to have to Minnesota United. They're going to have to Minnesota United it. Yeah. They kind of already are like,
01:16:15
Speaker
they're like a They're like Minnesota United without the just egregious cowardice. Yeah. That's kind of how they play. Which is like, I guess that makes sense, you know, because Phil Neves is like, oh shit, there's another British guy who's younger, more handsome, actually knows how to coach. What if I just copied what he's doing?
01:16:34
Speaker
But like, shitily. And you know what? That just makes sense. It just might work. Yeah. So, I mean, that, that series is, that would determine who Seattle plays. If Seattle is in fact able to get by Minnesota.
01:16:48
Speaker
And I mean, you know, we've talked about it going into the playoffs. The bracket broke favorably for Seattle in that way. When I look at it, you've got a ah San Diego team who is going to be favored to get by Portland, but who,
01:17:05
Speaker
They frankly have not looked that good in the playoffs and haven't looked that good. They haven't been their peak San Diego selves for a while now, since really like way earlier in the season. Their record, I've mentioned this before, but their record from like June something or July something onward was like eight wins, six losses, three draws, something very mid like that.
01:17:27
Speaker
So they were already looking more like a 1.5 ish points per game type of team than the like two points per game type of team. They had been playing like earlier in the season. They had all the Chucky drama.
01:17:38
Speaker
ah They got Chucky back for game two. He did score a goal, but they end up choking that game away. It was, ah that was an awesome game. Oh yeah. Really? That was like an instant classic as well, but they did. San Diego couldn't finish the job 2020.
01:17:51
Speaker
Game two, Portland came back late. Somebody named Gage Guerra, who I don't know who that is, but he scored the game time goal. ah So now you have a situation where if Seattle is able to get by Minnesota, it would be against that type of one seed, San Diego, who would have it at home. But that that team seems beatable to me is what I'm saying.
01:18:09
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree. Seattle had to go to San Diego to play them in the conference. First all, hell yeah, we're going. Are you kidding me? Yeah. Hell yeah. But also, ah like, I don't think it would be it would be a very hard game.
01:18:23
Speaker
ah San Diego beat Seattle's ass early, way early in the season in San Diego. But that did that did happen. I would argue that that Sounders team was, i mean, not even anything. it was that was a completely different team that took the field that day than the one that that was literally 40 games ago.
01:18:42
Speaker
Yeah, i was 40 games ago. it was when Ferreira wasn't integrated and didn't have a position yet. They were down like 17 injured guys for that game as well. was one of those really annoying MLS games where they got their ass beat and the discourse was super toxic and angsty.
01:18:57
Speaker
But like, if you actually looked at the reality of this situation, it's like they had no players. They were on the road against a team that was red hot and... ah Their biggest acquisition that they were hoping could step up in the game clearly was not acclimated yet. There was just no way they had a chance in that game, to be honest. De La Vega was out, wasn't he?
01:19:18
Speaker
De La Vega was out. There was like a bunch of other guys out. its yeah i i I don't look at that game where San Diego won like that earlier in the season and think that that's necessarily indicative of any way that a playoff game between those two teams might go.
01:19:33
Speaker
And ah Seattle did beat San Diego in Seattle yeah when they were much more closely. They were much more closely resembling the team that they are now. It's just for air scored the game winner in that game.
01:19:45
Speaker
So ah if they have to go down to San Diego and win a playoff game there in the semis, It would be a hard game. Not saying it would be easy. They'd probably be the underdogs, but it's not impossible.
01:19:58
Speaker
It could be done. And then if ah if the Timbs win that and Seattle goes through, i always am wary of playing the Timbs at Lumen Field in any scenario, but especially in a knockout scenario.
01:20:12
Speaker
ah Imagine how turnt the Timbs would get for that game. ah They would... well listen We already beat them. we we got We already beat them at home. That's what I'm saying. Like the, the last time they played, it was a, it was a, that was a hard fought competitive game. It was, it was a win and a win and a De La Vega scored the goal. So they wouldn't have him, but this, I mean, let's this Timby's team is not that good. Like they're not, i don't even know if they're good at all.
01:20:38
Speaker
No, they had like a negative differential. If they have to come to Seattle in a playoff game, I will take Seattle in that, in that scenario. I actively want them. Give them That's sort of how I feel, and I never say that. I always say, don't give me the Timbs.
01:20:52
Speaker
Even if they're bad, I don't want anything to do with them in the playoffs. There's an element of that for me, but like... It would be raucous at Lumen Field. Are you kidding me? That would be incredible.
01:21:02
Speaker
We need to bring back some of that hate. We need to bring back some of that drama. That, to me... that to me You want to talk about actually, like we were saying, crafting narratives, crafting moments, crafting these feelings around these tournaments. And like, what would make MLS Cup even better?
01:21:20
Speaker
It would be beating the Timbers at home, even though you're like, you have a number five seed, but you get two home games. Fuck yeah. Beat them at home. Then have to face LAFC or Vancouver. beat the Beat the big demons. Go to MLS Cup. I don't care who you give me.
01:21:35
Speaker
If you give me Miami, though, is that not an instant classic run? Is that not like almost even better than League's Cup? I don't know if it's better than League's Cup, but like that would be just so sweet. And so I'm here for the narrative. I'm here for the content. So give me the give me the goddamn Timbees.
01:21:52
Speaker
All right, well, let's ah while we're doing this, why don't we just keep playing a ah little hypothetical? Yeah. ah You know, let's say ah let's say that ah what whether it's San Diego or Portland, let's say Seattle gets to the conference semis and they beat San Diego or Portland, and ah they would that would mean they would either have to go to Vancouver or LAFC.
01:22:14
Speaker
How would you feel about a matchup against either of those teams? Would you feel like that's chalked from the jump, or do you think do you do you think there's a chance that they could make that, ah a real competitive game.
01:22:26
Speaker
If they can play like they did in this last match, they could beat anyone. I agree. Yeah. Like if they can do what they did in this last match, they can beat anyone. Even making the mistakes that they made, playing like that, they can beat anyone.
01:22:42
Speaker
And it was the same thing when we hit Leagues Cup and they hit their stride. They can beat anyone. And I believe that. I believe that during Leagues Cup. I believe that now. The hardest game, um so I truly believe this, the hardest game of this entire playoffs will be the one this weekend.
01:23:01
Speaker
I'm not scared for any other matchup. I'm not scared. I don't feel bad. i don't feel any kind of anxiety towards any other matchup that they would face in this tournament.
01:23:13
Speaker
This weekend is one. It would be hard for me to not feel wary of having to go into BC place or go into BMO and beat one of those teams on the road. But I mean, like, Hey, that's exactly how I felt in 2019.
01:23:26
Speaker
They won that game. And I've just learned better than to bet against Brian Schmetzer in a knockout scenario. That's another reason why I feel pretty, I feel fine about the game on Saturday. He's, you know, he's been knocked out of the playoffs plenty, ah plenty of times it's happened, but yeah,
01:23:40
Speaker
By and large, when ah this team has needed to step up in big moments and big games like this, there's been a lot of times where I've been like, the deck is really stack stacked against them. I don't like their chances. I'm not sure that they're going to be able to do this.
01:23:55
Speaker
And a lot of the times they've theyve just done it. They're Rosario. I mean, Moose. I mean, i don't know. It's just like, I'm not i'm not scared, man. I'm not scared. The only thing that scares me is Eric Ramsey.
01:24:10
Speaker
And like, I'm not even as scared as I was anymore. You know, like I'm checking under my bed for ghosts still, but like I had the Ghostbusters come through. And I'm not that scared of Rick Ramsey anymore. do rick Or Dane St. Clair, frankly. I was watching the goals back today, dude.
01:24:25
Speaker
And he was kind of, he was kind of like, was bungling out there. How did he win goalkeeper the year? There was, and he made best 11. There was, ah there was chances for him to save at least a couple of those. And he didn't.
01:24:38
Speaker
Like you would think the goal goalkeeper of the year, best 11 might've, might've gotten a hand. He got a hand to the first open one and it got by him. And then the last open one too, didn't it look like he kind of had a chance to get there? i don't know.
01:24:50
Speaker
Yeah. He like, feel he didn't have a good game. He did not have a good game. He didn't have a good game. No. What, but he's rattled man. I think, I think their whole team is probably not as rattled as they would have been if they hadn't gotten the two goals. But I was i was talking about this earlier right ah right before you hopped on.
01:25:15
Speaker
it It is fundamentally a situation where it started out where Seattle had to adjust and adapt to Minnesota. But this game at its core is a game where Minnesota now has to adjust to them because Seattle made their adjustment and it worked. So like that...
01:25:30
Speaker
If you're kind of, if you're sizing these things out and trying to see has the advantage, that's the type of stuff that I kind of look at is who who's in the front foot from like a game planning and tactics perspective coming off game one.
01:25:45
Speaker
It was Minnesota. No question about it. They got, they got to PKs. and got the win and their game plan. We were talking about, it didn't really work in the sense that they gave up the moose chances, but they got the result they were looking for.
01:25:58
Speaker
yeah that in Seattle, and Seattle did the same thing in game two. And now, now the onus is kind of on them to show. I think that they can stop the adjustments that Seattle made that, which they clearly can't.
01:26:09
Speaker
Yeah. Like and it it was a different look. It was completely different than anything we've seen this year. And it just played so good. And like, dude, Obed should have had a hat trick.
01:26:21
Speaker
you're You're letting Obed Vargas score a hat trick on you? the The Mr. mr mr Deflected Goal Merchant? I'm just saying, man. That was a vintage deflection that he had. you Dude, hugh you unlock a new... ah You're unlocking even more of Obed Vargas?
01:26:38
Speaker
You're cooked. you're cook You're cooked. You're cooked. Let's take a look at the East real quick. You got, sorry about your Chicago Fireboys. Bro, this is so tragic. really forever Honestly, after game one, it was looking, that was looking like kind of a hot pick. They look, this is why the best of three is bullshit, man.
01:26:57
Speaker
i mean, they would have gotten eliminated. Yeah, but they would have had better vibes going into game two. Oh yeah. Because it wouldn't have been an L. Yeah. They, they got Philly to PKs in game one.
01:27:07
Speaker
It would have been, yeah, it would have been a draw. it would have been a draw and it would have been like, man, if fucking Seattle could have just won that shootout somehow. I know that that's like St. Clair's specialty, but if they could have won that, this shit would be over. You could be talking about the semis right now. It's kind of an unfortunate, but Philly was able to ah get that done. So they'll have either Charlotte or NYC. Uh,
01:27:31
Speaker
Charlotte, you know, they were my dark horse pick. After I talked them up and made them my dark horse pick, I read all kinds of stuff about how like bad they are under the hood or whatever. But I'm i'm coping and rationalizing with that by, I think...
01:27:48
Speaker
I think their numbers are a little misleading from the standpoint of they've been like a very streaky team this year. yes we're They didn't start off that well. They got hot.
01:27:58
Speaker
They went ice cold. they were They were looking like one of the more disappointing teams in the league. Then they got blazing hot again. They won 10 straight games or something, or nine straight games, and they were they were overperforming a little bit. But then, you know, a nine-game winning streak is a nine-game winning streak.
01:28:15
Speaker
And then ah they cooled off a little bit. They've been very hot and cold. And I think their cold spells, which were very cold, skewed their numbers to make them look like a more mid-team.
01:28:27
Speaker
Where I see them as a team that when they're playing at their top level with Willy Zaha and Toklamati and that defense. And Pepiel. Pepiel, is he going to be back? I don't even know. No, he's he's dead. But...
01:28:40
Speaker
but yeah when they're playing together But then you also Christian Kalina is a, he was goalkeeper of the year last year and he's, he's a good penalty keeper. i mean, I don't know that for sure, but I've seen him win a couple shootouts for them. So I'm assuming he is.
01:28:55
Speaker
so I still think even though their underlying numbers aren't good, they have attributes of a team that can be successful in the playoffs. More, more than people are talking about. I think they're getting dismissed by the pundits pundit class, but I'm going to, going to stick to my guns on that. However,
01:29:12
Speaker
They very well could get eliminated by New York City because, you know, I know Seattle looked pretty good against NYC on the road on decision day, but NYC is they're pretty good. Like, they yeah, I think that the on to that win was like we talked about.
01:29:28
Speaker
That was an incredibly good that win. Yeah, that was a great win. That's that's not a win that you can say horrible things that happened in the game. That and NYC win on decision day is not one that you can say like doesn't count.
01:29:40
Speaker
No, I think most scenarios where Seattle wins on the road against an Eastern conference team, that's not like inter Miami or something. People are going to say it doesn't count, but this and NYC team is genuinely ah really good. I have a crazy stat for you about Alonzo Martinez.
01:29:57
Speaker
Ben Wright actually also, he was posting some end of season numbers ah a week or two ago. Alonzo Martinez, he had 17 goals this year. He led the league in ah shots off the post. You know how many he had?
01:30:11
Speaker
20. Nine. Damn. Nine off the post, dude. He could have had like, say even three or four of those go in. He, he has a 20 plus goal season. Uh, he also, he also had the most missed big chances in MLS, which I don't really understand what a big chances, but it just, he, he like, uh, he had 17 goals and he could have had way more with just some better finishing variance luck.
01:30:35
Speaker
Uh, so he's really good, but also, you know they're ah they're a pretty They're pretty solid team. Honestly, I think got the that game where Seattle played against them was ah was a good game. That game looked like two pretty good teams going at it to me.
01:30:49
Speaker
so I could kind of see that one going either way, but I could also see either one of i think either one of and NYC or Charlotte would have a decent chance against Philly.
01:31:00
Speaker
yeah and I don't think Philly's that good.
01:31:06
Speaker
i They're not not good. Let me let me rephrase that. They're a good team. I think they're a good team. I don't know if they're a playoff team, though. Like built for the playoffs, you mean? Yeah.
01:31:19
Speaker
And it's just like Philly's cursed, man. They're never going to win an MLS Cup. If they didn't get it done in 2022, they... Yeah. they yeah yeah i don't know. they They did win the Shield this year, so... where There's clearly something they're doing right.
01:31:36
Speaker
um i just agree I don't know. I i i agree. like I'm lukewarm on them as well for reasons that I can't really explain. that they just don't They don't feel like... ah Usually with the team that wins the Shield, you're you're like, oh, that team is so good. But for some reason, they're not really thought of like that.
01:31:54
Speaker
No, like Miami has... I don't believe in betting odds because especially with MLS, because no one understands this league, but like betting odds favored Miami, which is hilarious because you would think that it's, I don't know. I just, I don't know. There's something about, there's something about that team that I'm just not, I'm just not sold.
01:32:18
Speaker
So I agree with you. I think honestly, i think New York city FC has a better chance against Philly than, than Charlotte does. So this bottom half of the East bracket, I think, is pretty interesting because you have two of the ah Eastern Conference frontrunners who are up against it right now. We talked about Inter-Miami fighting for their lives against ah like it's Nashville, but... ah Columbus beat the shit out of Cincinnati in game two. Yeah, they did. Four to zero.
01:32:46
Speaker
like um We've been talking for weeks about how Columbus are diminished. Wilford Nancy's luster has worn off. They weren't very good this year. They had to do the play. Didn't they have to one thing in the play-in game or close to it? They were like the seven or seed. Yeah.
01:33:02
Speaker
Who was the... Or no, no. They were seven. They didn't play in. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But, like, that's the lowest seed you can be without being in the play-in. And they really just kind of were tailspinning for a lot of the second half of the year.
01:33:13
Speaker
And then they lost game one to Cincy. And then went out there and they looked like the same Columbus crew that they've been the last couple years under Wilford Nancy. What did you make of that? Do you think that they actually... like If you told me that that series was going to be even at 1-1, that wouldn't have been that surprising.
01:33:31
Speaker
But Columbus has got all the momentum now
01:33:36
Speaker
after a 4-0. Going against Cincy team, that's the 2-seed. They're not... A 2-seed is not supposed to take a 4-0 in the playoffs, even if you still technically have the game three to atone for it.
01:33:49
Speaker
That's a bad L for them, and they got to have alarm bells going off. And Columbus, I think... They should like their chances in that game just purely based on vibes. Like anytime you take a 4-0 in the playoffs, you got to play another game. That can't feel good, can it? Like, i don't know. what do you think?
01:34:05
Speaker
No, i and I do understand that, like, um especially with the three-game series, if you're cooked, you're cooked. Since he also did get a 38th-minute red card, so that did kind of almost shock me. I forgot about that, yeah.
01:34:20
Speaker
And they were already down a goal. You're getting red card in the first half of a playoff game, and that leads to a 4-0. That's, like, equally... It explains the scoreline, but it's equally kind of...
01:34:33
Speaker
but they dominated that whole game. Like the red card wasn't like a game changer. They dominated that game. They got, they got the red card because they were dominating them so much. Cincinnati had one shot, one shot, not on goal.
01:34:48
Speaker
They just had one shot. Columbus had 20 shots. 20. I mean, it's, if you look at the like momentum graph, it's embarrassing. Like Columbus didn't even show up to play. I mean, ah ah Cincinnati didn't even show up to play.
01:35:02
Speaker
Like it's crazy. I think they had their, their fans were like talking about fire Pat Noonan. That is where they were at. They literally never seen that. They were crashing the fuck out. They were crashing. Cincy fans have low-key been crashing out for a while now. like They think the team is kind of overrated and not that good.
01:35:19
Speaker
And and and i think what happened in that game, too, against Columbus, there the portion of their fan base that feels that way was like felt validated. it's it's kind of It's weird vibes for Cincy right now.
01:35:31
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it it it would feel pretty bad to get a Max Arvston Masterclass dropped on your head. I wouldn't enjoy that either, personally. But, like... ah You know, I think if Columbus can beat Cincinnati, I think they're making it to the conference final easily.
01:35:48
Speaker
I don't think Nashville or Miami. I mean, dude, i'm pick I would pick Columbus all day in that matchup. Columbus, Miami, in Miami, you would take Columbus? Yes.
01:35:59
Speaker
I mean, if it's the Columbus that showed up in game two versus Cincy, then I think they would have a good chance. But there's also a lot of... one too They looked good in game one, Did they? Okay, I didn't really watch that one. so Maybe they were making things up, but it was a 1-0. 1-0.
01:36:17
Speaker
And it was like a 78th minute like Denke. ah That's right. Yeah, okay, i do remember that. yeah like They were competing. They were competing. Yeah, and but well, how much of that is Columbus being good, though, and Cincy kind of being in ah in a tailspin?
01:36:32
Speaker
you know you know what You know what I think is interesting? but but Maybe, but like, because Salentano had a really good game, like for Cincy, that game. So it it it like it almost, I don't know, in a way, like maybe it is, I guess you're probably right. There there is a sense of the tailspin happening. Like, I think that's probably true and I'm not giving it as much value as I should.
01:36:54
Speaker
this This could be making a leap that's not there, and I don't know if there's any credence to it. But this is like the second time now that Evander's been the centerpiece for a team that he's played at an MVP like production level for.
01:37:09
Speaker
But the team performance has kind of been a little inconsistent and the vibes have gotten weird, borderline toxic at times. And then ah the reason he crashed out and left the Timbys was because they got slammed 5-0, I think, by Vancouver in the playoffs at the end of, was that just, yeah, that was last. That was last year.
01:37:30
Speaker
wow That's one of my favorite podcast episodes we've ever done. Yeah, that was that was hilarious. Yeah, when Evander crashed out. Yeah, we did the whole like like breakdown of the timbers. So I'm not saying... I don't think that... ah I don't think it's like an attitude thing where Evander causes that.
01:37:49
Speaker
My theory is that it could be like a... he is a He's a phenomenal... player. Like one of the most talented players I've ever seen in MLS scores. Some of the craziest goals I've ever seen in MLS puts up some of the craziest numbers of any player I've ever seen and MLS, but he is one of those, uh, one of those number tens. That's a bit of a, of a loose cannon, uh, not off, not off the field or in the, in the locker room, but literally like his play style is a little bit reckless.
01:38:17
Speaker
He, there's a lot of like giveaways and it just, it feels like, uh, it affects their kind of structure sometimes. And it's a little like it can get disjointed. I don't know if there's anything to that, but I do think it's interesting that he's now, it feels like it's, this is two straight teams teams where it's been a similar situation with him as the, ah as the centerpiece. And maybe it's like something to do with, ah with that.
01:38:43
Speaker
I don't know. Or maybe teams have figured out how to stop them a little better. Yeah. Maybe it's lights too bright. Ari, maybe the lights are too bright. Evander just can't handle playoffs.
01:38:54
Speaker
Start the narrative. We're starting the narrative. We'll see what happens. They could, he could go out and bam a hat trick against Columbus. And since he could look like a front runner again, that very well could happen.
01:39:06
Speaker
But I just, I guess I got my eye on Cincy for like, sort of full-on crash out watch because they're underrated me on broad watch yeah underratedly they're on fraud watch and their fan base their if you don't believe me like go talk to the average cincy fan it's a little bit they have kind of like a brigade i would say like where the there that there's is like a pat noonan is actually bad brigade like the lafc fans A little bit. Yeah. Like this the Dolo out. It's a little. Yeah, yeah, exactly. It's it's all a similar type of thing, but they, the fact that they have a subset like that, that's notable that that's a sign that like there's discontent. That's not just a purely vocal minority. It's an actual, at least a legitimate subset of people.
01:39:55
Speaker
So I don't know. I think it's interesting if nothing else. I agree. I'm interested to know, do you think Nashville or Miami is going to go through? Yeah, let's talk about that. um i mean, I still think Miami is going to go through. They have it at home.
01:40:11
Speaker
And having Suarez suspended, that is not ideal, but... there's so much track record of this Nashville team kind of just getting overwhelmed by this iteration of inner Miami for whatever reason, it's been a really good matchup for Miami.
01:40:33
Speaker
So it's kind of just hard for me to fathom na Nashville going in there and pulling off that upset. I will say that, uh,
01:40:44
Speaker
they like Nashville looked way better than them in, in game two. That should have been a two nil. And then messy got one in like the 90, whatever minute, but that was like a pretty clean two zero for, for Nashville.
01:40:56
Speaker
So it's, you know, i was talking about how like the, uh, Minnesota has to adjust to Seattle. Now they're, they're kind of in a situation where it's actually like Miami's got a, their chess matches at a point where it's like, they got to adjust to Nashville, which is oh Miami doesn't play that game. It's it's still funny. Uh,
01:41:15
Speaker
What do you mean? Like changing their play style or yeah no they don't think whatever. they They don't do that. I think there's adjustments they might have to make to try and I think they should not let Nashville take over the game offensively like they did.
01:41:30
Speaker
I think they should make adjustments, but I don't know if they're Like, I don't... You're saying Mascherano is not a coach that you is going to make high-level tactical adjustments? Correct. Yes, that is what I'm saying. I'm saying that I think you're... And honestly, don't even think it's a bad a bad thing.
01:41:46
Speaker
You say, fuck it. Let Messi cook. And yeah that's your that's your goal. you school If I was coaching their team, that's your tactic. Yeah, that's... No, I mean, i think you're right. But but but the thing is, if that's the case and they don't make any adjustments at all in Nashville did figure something out and they replicate that in in game three.
01:42:08
Speaker
you You could lose that game. like And what I was going to say is it's it's still really funny to me like talking about the idea of Lionel Messi and the team he's on having to make all kinds of intricate tactical adjustments for Nashville SC.
01:42:25
Speaker
Who thought Messi would reach a point in his career where the foil, the potential foil that could stand between him and MLS Cup glory? Sam Sturridge. Yeah, this year it's Haney, it's Nashville SC and Sam Sturridge. Last year it was Brad Guzan.
01:42:40
Speaker
okay you can You can't get content like this in any other league. My goat washed. My goat washed. ah Reese says, Ryan Kent not getting garbage minutes this last home game was annoying us as F. I agree. Freak.
01:42:57
Speaker
Annoying as freak. I agree. I've been saying that I wanted him to to play in that game. and i I hope he gets to play at least a little bit in the playoffs and maybe he gets a chance to make an impact in the, in the Minnesota game.
01:43:13
Speaker
I also feel like I would almost rather see those minutes go to Georgie though. I don't know. How do you feel about that?
01:43:23
Speaker
Hmm. We're allowed to swear, Jake. We swear a lot. I was. Yeah, I, I think, oh God, that's so hard. Cause yes, like, yes, I, I do think I do see where you're coming from.
01:43:36
Speaker
The getting Georgie minutes. He's healthy. He's been a pest. He brings something different. Brian Kent is a guy who I kind of want to start ah and let him like, I just don't think he's that great off the bench. Yeah.
01:43:50
Speaker
ah And ah, it's, it's hard, but also at the same time, we have Georgie signed. And frankly, there's two players on this roster who are not going to be here at the same time next year.
01:44:07
Speaker
We're either going to have Ryan Kent or we're going to have Paul Rothrock.
01:44:13
Speaker
That's the truth of the matter. We'll either have Ryan Kent... Could end up with neither. or Yeah, and we could end up with neither. And so I'm sorry. like Love Ryan Kent. I want him to play. I want him to be on the field. I actually would love for him to be on this team, but... like Georgie Georgie might just be the more like if you're if you're trying to make a longer play you know getting him minutes is always a good thing they they both have i think an attribute their main attribute that is handy against a team like this where you're trying to break down a low block which is they're both but they're both really good at winning their their one the ones
01:44:48
Speaker
yeah well I think either one of them could have something to offer in a game like this, in a matchup like this, that could help you win the game, honestly.
01:44:59
Speaker
But Paul Rothrock did the same thing? paul Paul looked so good in that super sub role. That's what I'm saying. I think, yeah, I think that's much. like You have to roll out the same exact plan.
01:45:11
Speaker
Yeah. Okay, let's, I already, I talked about this a little bit, but i i like I, I was saying the same thing, like,
01:45:19
Speaker
there's there's no reason that the you make them, make them stop it, make them stop it, make them show that they can stop it. If they can, then you make in-game adjustments from there. But like, and you bring on Georgie, then you bring on, like you change the way that it looks.
01:45:32
Speaker
You take off, you take off Moose, you know, you figure it out. But I don't know. I also, i don't know. How likely do you think it is that whatever adjustments Minnesota makes,
01:45:48
Speaker
make this game play out vastly differently than, than game two. but I think I, I've never, I've not seen it all season. I think that's the thing with the three game series like this.
01:45:59
Speaker
If, and if a team finds something that, that works and you don't, you don't adjust to it. you're you're cooked. Yeah. And there it's them. That's in the situation where they have to make that change.
01:46:12
Speaker
It doesn't, I don't think it really matters that, uh, that they have the game at home because the last time they had the game at home, they played the most conservative game plan I've ever seen for one.
01:46:22
Speaker
Yeah. So even if they're more aggressive in this game, I still expect them to be pretty damn conservative, which negates that negates your home field advantage. And that also number two explains why they're, they didn't have a very good home field advantage this year. i'm going to pull it up right now, but like they had one of the worst home records in the league.
01:46:39
Speaker
That is the thing about Rick Ramsey in it like this is it very clearly, they were 1.71 points per game team this year. That's very good. That's very good. You can't get there without having a little like substance to whatever it is you're doing.
01:46:55
Speaker
But it also means it also it means that you are sacrificing home field advantage. It does. It shows in their record. They were at home this year. this year It's a great environment. It's an awesome stadium, not that much of a home field advantage.
01:47:08
Speaker
And that's honestly, if there's a reason why their off season, I think should be devoted to getting past this play style. That's as big a reason as any, you have one of the nicest stadiums in the league.
01:47:20
Speaker
And one of the best like crowds in the league weekend, week out, I would say you got the Wonderwall thing going on. You're my Wonderwall. Yeah, exactly. Today is going to be a day that I'm going to come back to you yeah you. have all that.
01:47:36
Speaker
And you go. then the minute and in and then in You have all that. don't believe that Rick Ramsey could change his tactics. No, he can't. Exactly.
01:47:47
Speaker
You have that, and you go 8-5-4 at home? Come on, man. No. That's not... And it also, it's put them in a situation where they earned this right to like host this playoff game.
01:47:59
Speaker
I really... like It's the least intimidated I've ever been for a playoff road game. And that's not because of the fan base or the aunts or the environment not being good. All of that stuff is actually state of the art.
01:48:14
Speaker
It's awesome. It's because their play style like doesn't allow you to have a home field advantage. I don't think that's what it seems like to me. Why else is there a home record that, that bad eight, five and four home record in MLS is big.
01:48:26
Speaker
Bad. That's not good. It doesn't matter if you even to that out. They went eight, three and six on the road. So that shows that their play style is excellent for being on the road.
01:48:36
Speaker
But the fact that they don't play more aggressively at home, it negates their home field advantage. And that is true, even though they ended up with a really good record in top four in the West. in the west And it's put them in a situation for this game where they have the game at home.
01:48:50
Speaker
it does It does nothing for them, really, other than having the crowd behind them, which it's like, yeah, but like, but this this Seattle team has played. They were their crowd was booing more than they were cheering in the last home game. They were just pissed off at the ref the whole time. And this, the Seattle team has played in a lot of like big games, crazy environments, loud crowds.
01:49:10
Speaker
That's not something that I think affects this team as much as it might like a younger team or a team with way less playoff experience. This team has played knockout round games, elimination games, ah really intense road games and really intense environments. They've done all that a lot and done it successfully.
01:49:27
Speaker
So the, the fact that the crowd's going to be against them and it's going to be noisy That isn't, I don't think that, you know, maybe it's a little advantage, but it's not as much an advantage as it normally would be for a team that played normal soccer.
01:49:43
Speaker
I think too, even if they do play more aggressive, like if we do see a bit of a counterattack, it comes down to two things for me. They're going to pick and choose their moments.
01:49:56
Speaker
They're not, they're not a team that is bold enough and built bold enough to have an onslaught. So it'll be the first 10 minutes. It'll be the last 10 minutes of the half. It'll be a stoppage time. It'll be some, it'll be a period where I know that the sounders can, can absorb that pressure.
01:50:15
Speaker
I know that they can't, cause I've seen them do it. And secondly, it's going to come up to the sounders to just not make sloppy giveaways. And I think that that's a lot easier when you have the confidence of knowing that you, you've figured out a way to break down their five in the back.
01:50:34
Speaker
You've figured it out. And unless they do something massive, you, you have that in your head that like, This is your game to win.
01:50:46
Speaker
This is your game to win. It is all in your hands. If you are tight, if you play well, if you play smart, and if you just stick to what you are good at and have been doing, it's your game.
01:50:58
Speaker
It's your game. And they can't do anything about it. Like at all. San Diego had a worse home record and finished first. that is I'm looking at the table. That is both true and i had forgotten about that. i don't know how to I don't know how to explain that because... They had a bad stretch.
01:51:14
Speaker
hey Well, they did have a bad stretch of the season, but i that to me is more like this kind of just outlier anomaly of what you usually see for because San Diego's play style, you cannot you cannot call them cowardly or conservative.
01:51:28
Speaker
So that's definitely... And they definitely... debt We saw they definitely don't play like that at home. yeah So it's kind of it's surprising to me that they lost five home games. I think probably there was two or three of those that just came at a point in the season where they were in bad form.
01:51:42
Speaker
And then they probably lost a couple on the margins. That's the only thing I would have to go look at it. But the fact that San Diego only won seven home games this year is surprising. But that also means that if that's who Seattle has to face in the next round,
01:51:58
Speaker
It's at the very least a road trip that a lot of other teams have done successfully. Seattle didn't do it successfully earlier in the year. But again, that would think that was a different team. So good. Good shout, though, Reese.
01:52:11
Speaker
Jake says, does Greece with the fact check? Does Kalani or Alex start? was there any Was there any update on Alex's groin injury this this week? or I don't know. I haven't been paying attention.
01:52:24
Speaker
yeah mean like i i forgot to kind of check for that. But...
01:52:30
Speaker
It sounded like, didn't it sound like the Alex thing was more precautionary than like he has to... It was tightness. Yeah. Of an injury that he's been playing through, basically. Right. So to me, that indicates that they theoretically feel like they should be able to start the game with him, which I'm hoping that's what they do. I thought KKR ah looked really good after he...
01:52:53
Speaker
came on but i just trust alex over dude that slide tackle that he made yeah oh my god just just oh my god he's so good defender of the goddamn year defender of the goddamn year for major league soccer not just for it all for all of them all of them he didn't win did you see the sounders released their um yearly awards um So they do like and MVP attacker of the year. Like we were humanitarian of the year. Yeah.
01:53:26
Speaker
They didn't agree with us on anything other than Christian rolled on MVP. What do you remember? Any of them? I can pull it up. It was a Christian MVP, Jackson defender, fry humanitarian.
01:53:41
Speaker
We didn't do him yet. But well like, yeah, sure. for Why not? Um, uh,
01:53:48
Speaker
a golden boot. So I guess that's not really a... That's like, yeah, Moose. like It's like tagger there, but they gave it to Moose. so Obviously. We had some kind of... we I mean, like they don't award best young player other than Obed Vargas.
01:54:01
Speaker
Which is like famously a really important award. They also... There's no ah in-house team award for red card of the year. That's... Cowardly. they should They should award that. I think they would actually get positive engagement if they awarded that. I mean, we did. That's basically Yeah, Moose commented on it, actually. I don't know if all saw this. Moose and Nuhu were doing bits in our comments section. Moose and Nuhu were literally doing bits in the Lobbing Scorchers Instagram.
01:54:24
Speaker
ah we We posted a graphic that was awarding Moose Red Card of the Year. Moose commented on it. Shout out, Moose. That was a very good sportsmanship. Good sport about it. He commented on the on our graphic of him getting red card of the year saying someone someone had to like give Nuhu a run for his money. And then he tagged Nuhu, which honestly fire bit from from Moose. I didn't know he had jokes like that, but that was good.
01:54:48
Speaker
And then Nuhu replied like, ha ha ha with like a Moose emoji. He said Moose-saya. but Yeah. then so And then i also like... ah John Bell commented on his unsung hero of the the players were keeping track of the Lobbing Scorchers. They're way more important than the team awards, I have to say. Yeah, like, I mean, well so theyre probably they're probably going to comment on the team awards, but the fact that they were bantering in our in our comments, I think it shows that there's actual significance We're the most important podcast in the city of Seattle, hands down.
01:55:19
Speaker
Okay? Yeah. I don't know what to say. I stumped Moose for best attacker, and I was... You did. You were voted down. I ridiculed. I was ridiculed, and I was voted down.
01:55:30
Speaker
And they all said that it was a ridiculous suggestion. It was. I stand by it. I stand by it. All right. No, I just had one more one more topic here, and then we can call it. We're coming up on two hours, so I think that's a pretty good shift.
01:55:49
Speaker
Yeah. Tata Martino, head coach. Oh, yeah. Atlanta United. It's official. He's hired. He's coming back, baby. Uh, and, uh, you know, we all know that I'm, uh, I'm, I'm the one, I'm the one around here. That's on the Atlanta United beat.
01:56:03
Speaker
So they love a retread Ari. oh okay. This is a, let's talk about this. I have a signing Tata's first signing after you give your first takes. Oh, okay. I have that. I have that as well. well Let's, let's dig in here because, you know, but like we, we've tracked the downfall of Atlanta United and, uh,
01:56:21
Speaker
You know, I won't lie. There's schadenfreude. There's schadenfreude to that. But it's also, it's not it's not even just schadenfreude. It's like whenever there's such high expectations and so much money being thrown around like they do, and then they go out there and they they almost wooden spoon.
01:56:36
Speaker
Like they literally were playing for the wooden spoon. Atlanta United were playing for the wooden spoon on the last day of the season after spending 30 plus million dollars in transfer fees.
01:56:47
Speaker
over the offseason, breaking the transfer record. It went on to get broken by a son home man in LAFC, but they broke the transfer record for Emmanuel Latte Loth. They spent $10 million dollars on Miguel Almiron. I famously said that that was the best move any MLS team made over the last offseason. Was it Lanny United bringing back Miguel Almiron? That was a good take.
01:57:06
Speaker
That one aged real well. I said that. I bought into the hype. They went out. They almost wouldn't spoon. They fired Ronnie Dyla after one season. And now they've announced that they're bringing back Tata Martino, who, of course, was their coach ah during their early years in MLS when they took the league by storm, won MLS Cup in their second year. ah became one of Those Atlanta teams were some of the best teams in MLS history.
01:57:33
Speaker
Like you had Al Miron going absolutely thermo. yeah You had Joseph Martinez putting up freaking Ronaldo numbers. yeah had ah You had all these kind of wily vets like Michael Parkhurst and Jeff Lorenowitz. Remember those guys? like yes It was just this perfect balance. oh they two like yeah dudes It was the perfect balance of those like MLS lifer dudes and then this DP duo of Almi Roan and Joseph that was just lighting the league on fire. Tata was pushing hard. I was listening to a five-stripe final and they were talking about how it was actually Tata who...
01:58:12
Speaker
Joseph, did you know this? I didn't even know this. They were talking about how Joseph, when he was playing in Italy, I think Serie A before he went to Atlanta, he was not a number nine. He was a winger. He was a wide player.
01:58:24
Speaker
Tata moved him to a striker and he scored 30 plus goals for like three straight seasons. that's that's good i mean that That's good coaching. like i think I think truly Tata Martino is the best coach MLS has ever seen.
01:58:39
Speaker
he In terms of like pedigree, and what i mean we could talk about all the stuff he's done in his career. This guy has coached Barcelona he's code with Lionel Messi. ah He's coached the Argentina national team. He's coached the Mexico national team.
01:58:53
Speaker
He's coached Lionel Messi again at Inter Miami. And that team was the best iteration, hands down. Yeah, they set the points record yeah with him pulling the strings. So all all of that is to say that, you know, this move of him going back to Atlanta United is getting covered as if it's a very, like, the obvious move and a really good move, the move that's going to, like, turn them around.
01:59:21
Speaker
bring them bring them to a new era after this last three, four years of whatever this has been, just absolute debauchery on the pitch. They're not even getting like 10,000 people to their freaking games at the Benz anymore. They're down horrendously bad.
01:59:35
Speaker
They're thinking about signing Michael Penix. Yeah. Tata is being billed as the savior of all that. And all right, so I'll give my take on this, which is i fully agree with all the takes that it's the logical move.
01:59:49
Speaker
It makes sense on paper. It's a guy that has proven he can do it in MLS. It's a guy who's proven that he can do it at the highest levels of the sport multiple times over.
02:00:01
Speaker
However, however, this is my concern, Noah. And I say, this is someone who has bought into the Atlanta United hype repeatedly over the last three or four years and been burned a lot of times.
02:00:13
Speaker
i I feel like i understand the thought process and I know why they're doing it. And I don't fault their, their process for getting to why this was the best hire, but doesn't it seem like there is there's only so many ways that you can try and bring 2017 Like,
02:00:30
Speaker
white
02:00:32
Speaker
The whole Almiron thing to begin with turned out to be the completely wrong call ah based on both where he's at in his career and how much money they spent with him, but also his tactical fit with Marinchuk.
02:00:45
Speaker
Tata isn't going to change the fact that Miguel Amiron and Alexi Maranchuk don't fit together on the field at all. And Ronnie Dyla just spent an entire calendar year trying to figure that out and rectify it.
02:00:58
Speaker
And he couldn't. And his job was on the line with trying to make that work and he couldn't do it. they got fired. Tata is not going to change the fact that they got no youth development going on down there.
02:01:11
Speaker
They have like a few, they have a few homegrowns, but it's, it's not even that they have ah no youth development. They've been bringing some guys up, but I think they are taking a questionable team building approach with how, did you see this year, how they sent Noah Cobb and Alfredo Morales, I think his name is, they loaned out two homegrown homes,
02:01:35
Speaker
defenders who had upside to that's like spend money on these want to have the homegrown tag for right like instead of taking advantage of the flexibility that bringing homegrowns up and turning them into contributors gives you there what they're doing is they're selling them to other MLS teams namely the Colorado Rapids but also CF Montreal i the je you will do you will they'll buy anyone They're shipping their homegrowns out for financial resources that they're using to spend on guys like Steven Alzate.
02:02:08
Speaker
who is Who is that? Yeah, like, and there are some other center back who was really bad at the start. I guess he's been better, but I i just think that that's, That's the wrong team building approach. you the why What is one of the reasons that Seattle is so good?
02:02:24
Speaker
It's because they have all this pipe this pipeline that's just churning these guys out now that are all becoming impact first team contributors. Atlanta is not doing that. ah they have Their DP situation is a disaster.
02:02:37
Speaker
Yeah. Miguel Almiron and Miran Chuck are attacking mids that do not play together, don't fit together at all. And you got Latte Loth, who they spent $20 million or $22 million dollars on, who just has absolutely no service.
02:02:49
Speaker
His confidence and his mentality are totally shot after this year. He looked like he had the yips at the end of the year when he Yeah, without that i was sad to see, honestly. sad to see because he's a good, fun player. He's hella fast.
02:03:01
Speaker
he's clearly He was banging in goals in the championship, so I'm pretty sure he didn't just forget how to score goals when he got to MLS. They're not giving him any service. They have two DP attacking midfielders playing with him who are totally disjointed with skill sets that aren't complementary and are overlapping.
02:03:17
Speaker
Their offense is mess. Their goalkeeper just retired. The only goalkeeper they have right now who has... started in MLS is a super draft pick named Jaden Haber, who like, maybe he's good, but they have no idea.
02:03:33
Speaker
Does Tata fix all that? No, I got my doubts. I got my doubts. I got my doubts. This is exactly what we have been talking about for two, three seasons.
02:03:44
Speaker
How when Gonzo, when everyone was blaming Gonzo about everything, we're like, it's literally not Gonzo. It is the front office, dude. It was never Gonzo's fault. Gonzo may not be the best coach in the world. I mean, he went to Liga Mequis and didn't work for That team, whatever team he was coaching, wasn't giving him shit to work with either. No, I think he is a good coach.
02:04:04
Speaker
who who Who was their general manager? i can't I'm blanking on his name. Yes, bro. That dude. That dude deserves... He torched this franchise for like the next six years.
02:04:17
Speaker
That's impressive in MLS. Yeah. So like, I really truly think, yes, you're you're so right, man. Like the way that the Sounders have been able to navigate this with one tenth the money that Atlanta has, it's about knowing how to build a roster. It's not it's knowing how to spend your money. You can have a ah billion dollars at your disposal and not know how to build a roster.
02:04:40
Speaker
And like that seems like what's happening. And it's just their roster has been cooked. It's been cooked, but they keep shooting themselves in the foot. they're They don't even have a foot anymore. They're like, oh, shot off my left foot.
02:04:53
Speaker
Let me move on to my right foot and keep putting bullets in it. Like maybe maybe it won't hurt as much if I shoot the other one off. Yeah, okay. So this is the this is the other thing I was thinking about with this because LAFC, they're in a situation where Steve C is leaving at the end of the season and they need a new coach. Have you seen...
02:05:14
Speaker
who the reports of who the front runner is that they're going to get their assistant Mark Dos Santos, who on, on its face, he's already on LAFC staff. He's one of Steve C's assistant on its face. That's something that people are going to call uninspiring, unambitious.
02:05:31
Speaker
Mark Dos Santos coach was the coach of the white caps when they were not very good. I actually argued when he was coaching the white caps that he was, making a lot of stuff work better than it should based on what he had.
02:05:43
Speaker
He had a pretty awful roster. Yeah. And he actually had them competing sometimes. And ah remember there, do you remember their run that they had at the beginning of the season? like the first 10 games or something.
02:05:55
Speaker
They were like cooking. Yeah, no, I think he was, I always thought he was probably a little bit better of a coach than he got a reputation for based on how his time in Vancouver went. I don't know if Whitecaps fans feel the same, but that was always the impression that I got. But i will my reaction when I saw that LAFC is going to just give that job to Mark Dos Santos My reaction was, yes, yeah that is what they should be doing.
02:06:20
Speaker
That is what they should be doing. Like having ah continuity, someone who already knows the players, someone that the players already respect. He knows how they play. He knows their system. He knows their tactics. He knows their personnel.
02:06:34
Speaker
ah They wouldn't be giving him the job if they didn't feel like the locker room would respond well. To him. And so but I think what they're doing is the exact right thing in not overthinking it, giving it to the guy who they already have internally that everyone has confidence in knows what's up and can kind of just like step in and keep the train rolling.
02:06:58
Speaker
That's a much smarter way to do it, I think, than going on this like global search with these like with these firms that have this criteria. You need MLS experience, but you also need this experience.
02:07:11
Speaker
It's it's legal ah the USMNT rehiring Greg Berhalter after having a worldwide search and then immediately firing him like two years later. like Yeah, it's it's just like, no, like if good good organizations...
02:07:24
Speaker
will have these like plans that they already have internally that they can go to in this situation. Exactly. And you know, who had the opportunity to do something like this and didn't do it.
02:07:39
Speaker
is Atlanta United with Rob Valentino. I'm bringing it back. I've been cooking on this take for four years. And this whole situation with Mark Dos Santos and what Atlanta United is doing with Tata once again has me on this this train. I know Atlanta United fans don't want to hear it.
02:07:55
Speaker
None of them were in favor of giving that job to Rob Valentino. I stand by it. They should have. They overthought it. You should have just given it to Rob Valentino. He had something cooking there, dude. He didn't had that team.
02:08:07
Speaker
That team was garbage that year, that last year. And they beat Messi and the Barca boys in the playoffs ah when they had no business doing so.
02:08:18
Speaker
The whole locker room loved that guy too. The whole locker room loved that guy. And also there's an element of it, of he genuine, I've talked about this before, but like he had genuine investment in that club, in that city.
02:08:32
Speaker
Like he, Rob Valentino would, like sweat and bleed for Atlanta United any day of the week, the entire time he was with that organization. You could tell, you could tell from how he interacted with the players, like his disposition on the sidelines and during press conferences, he was Mr. Atlanta United, not in as a way with as much longevity as Schmetzer had in, uh, in Seattle, but frankly, similar to what dos Santos has with, uh,
02:08:58
Speaker
with LAFC. Instead, they overthought it. They moved off Rob Valentino. They've been cycling through coaches ever since. The Dyla hire was a disaster. this They're bringing Tata back, and that might work, but like if I'm comparing the way...
02:09:14
Speaker
LAFC are doing it by just giving it to the less flashy, but already established guy that they have internally. And then what Atlanta United is doing, bringing back a retread or even what they did last year and firing their coach and then going on this big search and then landing on Ronnie Dyla, like,
02:09:30
Speaker
Good organizations have succession plans. They have things they can go to if they need to. And that's the difference between a team like LAFC and a team like Atlanta United. And I'm like, I would be very shocked if the Mark Dos Santos thing doesn't work out like literally just fine for LAFC. Like, I think that's absolutely just the the simplest, smartest thing.
02:09:54
Speaker
most low risk move but the one that's going to allow them to continue performing at the level that they that they have and i just like Atlanta's got so many problems that I don't know that Tata can fix, man.
02:10:07
Speaker
like he he has Has he shown to be a coach that can out-coach his surroundings and his environment? like has has he Does he have a track record of taking a bad roster with bad players and a bad team and making it better than it should be?
02:10:23
Speaker
Not really. Think about the teams that we were just talking about that he's coached. that he's coached He's a great tactical manager. He's a great man manager of like egos and stuff. So I do think on that on that piece, like he will be able to bring that locker room, which God, I would, I would pay money to just be able to sit in there and see the arguments that all of those highly ass paid players are having being like, I'm in fucking Atlanta sweating my ass off.
02:10:52
Speaker
I'm Emmanuel Latte Loth. I was just literally like that guy. That close to the prem. I was this close to the prem. I'm sweating my balls off in Atlanta, Georgia in front of 10,000 people who are booing me.
02:11:06
Speaker
Who are booing me. Like, dude, I would i would be... i would yeah i would be I couldn't imagine what that... Like, he'll be able to quell some of that. But like you were saying, dude, structurally, that organization is fucked.
02:11:20
Speaker
They're fucked. There's nothing they're going to be able to do that is going to... Like, there's not one quick fix. And that's the problem with Atlanta. They came off to such a hot start that they think, oh, this is easy.
02:11:34
Speaker
We can just make a quick adjustment. We can just fire and hire a coach. We can just pay $10 million dollars for a player. Unfortunately... you're going to they might have to do what the Galaxy did and go through like quite a bit of hardship if they want to get back to the level that they're at. And then you just looked at what the Galaxy had to go through after winning.
02:11:54
Speaker
So if you're not consistent, if you don't have a baseline, if you don't have an identity, if you don't have a a roster of young players coming up that you can supplement so that you can actually build a competitive roster that's within the the the limits...
02:12:10
Speaker
Trading away homegrown defenders, that's how I know there is a legitimately not a single smart person in that front office. That's bad, dude. That's bad. You shouldn't do that. You like you get such an advantage by developing ah those players and having them become first-team contributors. And it's even worse than that because ah their season was off the rails so early to the point where...
02:12:34
Speaker
What Ronnie Dylas should have been doing way earlier than he was was, was playing those players so they could find out if they could be players that ah that could contribute for them in the future.
02:12:44
Speaker
Now, he was coaching for his job pretty much the entire season, so he's never going to do that. He's always going to play like what he thinks is the strongest 11. eleven That gives him the best chance to win and save his job.
02:12:55
Speaker
But I'll tell you what. That season got to a point where he should have been able to see the writing on the wall that his job wasn't going to get saved unless some crazy shit happened. And something that can happen is if you actually give young players a chance to play, sometimes they show you that they can play.
02:13:07
Speaker
And not only did they not do that, they shipped those players off their roster to other MLS clubs who are now going to benefit from them. So they don't get any of the salary advantage. And two of the players that they acquired with those resources they don't look good. Like I, hate I hate to say it, but like Elzate, I thought I was, I was watching their games. Like, is this guy good?
02:13:29
Speaker
He's okay. I guess not really the center back they had. i don't know. i I saw a fan. I was talking about this and one of their fans said that that guy has gotten a little better. He looked actively bad when he first got there. So I don't know, but either way, that's just, that's bad team building to ship those homegrowns off like that. And that's, that's the type of stuff that, uh, like I said, like,
02:13:51
Speaker
you know Like you said, Tata is a great tactician and man-manager. There's no question about it. You can't manage Leo Messi and the Barca boys and the Argentine national team without being... like Players have to respect...
02:14:06
Speaker
famous yeah play yeah yeah Yeah, players have to respect you. ah So he has all that. It's just like, as far as all their infrastructure and academy and their roster and all that, I don't know how much bringing Tata back fixes.
02:14:20
Speaker
ah There's a couple things from Chad I wanted to hit that you guys were talking about. Number one, it looked it looked like you guys were talking about the idea of Joseph Martinez. Okay, I wanted i wanted to talk about this because I was going to say that's who Atlanta need to sign.
02:14:36
Speaker
That's who they're on the wall. They're talking about it. I was listening to five straight title today. I'm not, you're lying. No, you're, you're lying. No, this is a thing. This is a thing. Like, I don't know if there's how much smoke there is to it, but okay. ah Listen, listen, listen, listen.
02:14:49
Speaker
They are, there's like serious smoke to the idea that they're going to bring Joseph back, which I, do you remember this? I, a couple of weeks ago, I said that as a joke. I literally, I was like, I was like, there was those rumors that they were going to bring Tata back. And I was like, what are they going to after that? Bring Joseph back. They're literally about to do that. They're going to do it. They're literally about to do that. And then the other thing they were talking about on five stripe final was, I don't know if this one, there was actual smoke to it or if this was more just them pontificating, but they're also talking about bringing Gressel back. I'm like, dude,
02:15:20
Speaker
You just bring them all back? get Are you going to get... Let's get Parker Stout retirement. Run it back. Again, dude, they love nostalgia down there, dude. They love nostalgia. It's the nostalgia club.
02:15:31
Speaker
Gressel... Dude, like, you got to... You got to pave a new path. Gressel's a podcaster. Yeah. you can't You can't sign the retread podcaster. I'm sorry.
02:15:41
Speaker
The boys are boys are back in town. They're doing the Barca boys, but Atlanta United edition, and it's just Atlanta boys. but So people were talking about Joseph to the Sounders in like the in the Moose roll, and i just i don't think that's a good idea. they won't do that. For the same... well for this expensive but also uh seattle system values defensive work rate and like relentless pressing which are two things that joseph martinez does not do that moose moose isn't like the most uh he's not a good defender he's not like a great defender and he's the line pressing forward he is not a statue though he will press youll He'll, he'll, he'll, yeah, he'll lead the line and press the goalie and, uh, in the center backs and stuff.
02:16:29
Speaker
He does have that element to his game. You have to, to play on this team. You have to like, Metzer will not play you if you don't do that, which is why I think like the, the idea of Rusnak is super lazy, which is like what a lot of people pivoted to when he started, ah producing goals and assists is like, we're like, well, he's lazy. He has no work rate. He doesn't play defense. He doesn't press.
02:16:48
Speaker
He's not the highest work rate player I've ever seen. He's not Nico Ladero. He does. You literally, you don't play on this team if you don't press. Correct. so you don't, you literally don't. So the idea that Rusnak doesn't press is literally, he, he would not be on the field. Famously got a red card.
02:17:03
Speaker
Famously got a red card recently for cleaning a dude out. yeah And and the other the the thing about this is it's like not even arguable because they wear those vests that track how much you run.
02:17:14
Speaker
And if his work rate numbers weren't coming in, they have benchmarks. And if your work rate numbers don't come in at those benchmarks, they know that and Schmetz isn't going to play you. So the Rusnak, literally he is hitting those, whatever benchmarks that the team needs to see for his work rate and his pressing.
02:17:32
Speaker
Otherwise it wouldn't be playing. Joseph is not going to hit those benchmarks. I can promise you that at this point in his career coming off his, all his knee injuries, he is more of a statue. He doesn't have any defensive work rate. He doesn't press.
02:17:45
Speaker
And you saw what you saw with Joseph this last year is ah he was paired up with Chicho Arango up top for the Quakes. And what was the result of that?
02:17:56
Speaker
They scored a shit ton of goals. Joseph had a good year on the stat sheet. He scored double-digit goals. Chicho Arango scored a bunch of goals. They had a horrific defense, one of the worst defenses in the league.
02:18:07
Speaker
They scored 60. Here, I have the standings up right here. They scored 60 goals. They gave up 63. That's what happens. That's what happens when you start Joseph Martinez and...
02:18:18
Speaker
and Chicho Arango together. And that's why Joseph would not be a stylistic fit on this team. But that's also why, dude, if you're Atlanta United, you don't need a statue striker that can get you 10 to 12 goals a year at this point in his career, but offers nothing defensively and nothing with his work rate, doesn't run really.
02:18:41
Speaker
Like he can can stand in the box and finish in front of goal, but he... You should be looking for like well-rounded players, culture changers. i just don't I don't think they're going to do it. They're literally going to do it. They're going to bring him back, I'm pretty sure.
02:18:56
Speaker
i don't think that's going to save them either. like no it's not. Also, Reese is cooking on one of the worst takes that I've seen tonight. You are, Reese, we love you. you hit the five You hit the high notes and the low notes, frankly.
02:19:08
Speaker
this isn't This is the opposite of a Craig Weibel signing. like You're saying it's a Craig Weibel signing. This is the opposite. Joseph the joseph idea? Yeah. Like, he would not sign someone like that. That that makes no sense.
02:19:21
Speaker
he's His price is way too high. i think probably what they mean is like MLS journeyman type profile. Yeah, but even Moose was like...
02:19:33
Speaker
On the younger side, cheaper numbers, all of that. like Moose is for how one-dimensional he can be, he has a baseline of like being a more complete forward that ah that Joseph at 32, 33, coming off all these knee injuries, just doesn't have.
02:19:53
Speaker
Yeah. But Craig would sign Kai Kamara. Yes. There you go. Now you're to talk about a guy that can run and press. would sign Kai Kamara. Fuck it. I, yeah. Any MLS team that that's who Atlanta United should have leading their line. 41 year old Kai Kamara instead of 32 year old. Honestly, genuinely Atlanta United with 41 year old Kai Kamara starting every game.
02:20:16
Speaker
You have a better chance of winning games. Kai Kamara. If you started here, here's my question you, Ari. Latte lot versus Kai Kamara. If they got the same number of minutes on that team, who has more goals?
02:20:28
Speaker
kamar Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Kai Kamara has been bamming goals in this league literally since like 2003. Yeah. this dude This dude founded scoring in MLS. Yeah. He wasn't scoring in MLS until Kai Kamara came around.
02:20:44
Speaker
he He was like the wily veteran that had been doing it forever and was ah was a well-traveled journeyman in like 2009. Yes. And he's still doing it.
02:20:55
Speaker
Yeah, that was back when the Revs would pick up anyone. And he was like, yeah, let me go to the Revs. I don't know if this is as true this year. i didn't watch him that much. But last year with LAFC, I was like, he literally looks like 28-year-old Kai Kamara.
02:21:06
Speaker
Dude, that guy can of the freaking building. He still for the national team. He plays for Sierra Leone. He does, and he's good. He scores for them. And he's good. And also pays for a bunch of shit in Sierra, like for the national team too. Yeah, he is. He's a great guy. I, love that man. I literally, so at that open cup game where he famously played against the Sounders, I, after the game, I went up to him and I begged him. I said, come to Seattle.
02:21:31
Speaker
And he said, I don't know, man. That's he Seattle is one of the only teams in MLS that he ah hasn't played for, but ah that's it like, that would be a better signing for them than, don't know. Who knows? Maybe the,
02:21:45
Speaker
Dude, like getting Joseph, Almiron, and Tata all back together. What are we doing? Like, I don't know. They're committed to the bit. Listen, love the in on the show. They're getting good press for it. All the pundits are like, what a great move to bring Tata back.
02:22:01
Speaker
The Joseph thing is more rumor than actual, ah like it hasn't actually been announced yet, but the Tata thing has happened. And yeah, i got I got questions. And for it's not even ah Schadenfreude or Atlanta United hate.
02:22:15
Speaker
It's just I've been burned by this, man. I've been burned by the whole notion of like too big to fail. like That's sort of how I've been thinking of it. like They have so much money, so much resources, so much infrastructure.
02:22:26
Speaker
How is it possible that you could have all of that at your disposable disposal and fuck it up like they continue to do? And they just keep doing it. And so i'm on i've I'm already on guard with that.
02:22:38
Speaker
And then you look at kind of how it feels like their goal this offseason is to bring 2017 back. And now I'm like, all right. We're all trying to bing bring back the 2016 XXL Cypher.
02:22:51
Speaker
I respect it. I want that era back. sitting Sitting in my, you know, I mean, you were, you're, You're 48, so like this wasn't your era, but this was my era, right? Sitting and at the high school lunch table with the wired headphones, listening to the 2016 XXL Cypher, the greatest ah thing to ever exist and happen to hip-hop.
02:23:11
Speaker
um like Yeah, like I would want to bring that back, too. I would want to bring that back, too. But it's it's like we're in a new era. It's and over. We have AI now. you know It's like, what what are we doing?
02:23:25
Speaker
Maybe they should ask There's no, there's Laura Harvey it and ask chat. gp who They should sign. There is no amount of coaches or players that they could bring back from 2017 that will change the fact that Miguel Amiron and Alexi Marinchuk can't play together. And that's two of their three highest paid players.
02:23:46
Speaker
And they like with without their rosters right now, they can't bench either one of those guys. no They're chalked, dude. They're so screwed. They're so screwed. I think they're i don't think they're going to...
02:23:58
Speaker
unless there's like drastic roster maneuvering and they actually figure out how to play those two guys together. I don't think this is going to help them. And I'm going to say that early this time because I was, couldn't have been more wrong about my takes about them before this season.
02:24:14
Speaker
And I feel like I figured out how this works now. And you know, this also gave me a chance to get back on my ah Rob Valentino, Bobby Valentine soapbox, which I will die on that hill.
02:24:27
Speaker
that is my think it's a good take. think it's a good take. I think it's a good take. Well, so what do you what do you think of... Oh, okay. this is I had something else that... ah I wanted to get to. We were talking about... never ending this stream.
02:24:40
Speaker
I'm going to die on this camera. I'm ready to keep cooking. These are my favorite ones because I don't feel like I have any pressure to perform. We're just here chatting like boys like we normally would anyway. like you should see This is basically... This stream right now is just our group chat.
02:24:57
Speaker
Yeah. that's right yeah ten 10 o'clock p.m. on a Thursday. We got good... ah ah turnout tonight. Thank you all for ah for tuning in. ah Please like the video and sub to the channel. follow Yeah, and buy our hot sauce at lobbytorchers.com slash sauce. flashau And a store, apparently. You sent me that? What store was that?
02:25:17
Speaker
Oh, yeah. ah I don't know. Somewhere. Like Safeway or some shit? Yeah, somewhere. I don't know. Apparently our hot sauce was at a grocery store. Noah sent me a picture of it and he doesn't remember what store he was at. But I didn't even know that we were at a store.
02:25:31
Speaker
It wasn't... ah It wasn't... It was someone sent me the photo. um So I wasn't there. I would have bought him out if it if I was there. Okay, this is what I wanted to talk about next. ah So we we're talking about succession plans.
02:25:45
Speaker
ah brian Ziggy Schmidt to Brian Schmetzer. ah In this case, Steve C to Mark Dos Santos. ah What would the Sounders equivalent of that be?
02:25:56
Speaker
One thing I will say on that topic of like how good organizations handle this type of thing and having plans for these types of situations I think the best example we can see of that on this team right now is how they've handled the goalkeeping position.
02:26:12
Speaker
What a good organization does when they have an aging goalkeeper who is going to retire at some point in the next couple of years is they get ahead of it. They bring in a guy In this case, like two or three years ahead of time, they develop him.
02:26:25
Speaker
They have him trained every day with Tommy Dutra and Stephen Fry, who is mentoring him with the whole idea being we are bringing this
Seattle Sounders' Future Planning and Succession
02:26:32
Speaker
guy up. And and when Stephen Fry retires, whenever that day comes, we will be ready. We will have a plan.
02:26:38
Speaker
We will have somebody that we're confident in. We'll have somebody that we believe in. that's how That's how a good, well-run organization handles it. We are lucky. to be in a situation where a legendary, ah club, a legendary goalkeeper who has delivered countless moments and really just offered this team such security over the years.
02:27:02
Speaker
We're lucky to be in a situation to be, to have that guy retiring either. He's either going to retire at the end of this year, at the end of next year. They already have a succession plan lined up that everyone feels good about.
02:27:14
Speaker
ah And I think actually could end up being a game changer once he becomes the full-time starter, ah just purely from the penalty kick aspect of it. I think it will take some time still for him to get as good as Stephen Fry at shot stopping and more so like leadership and communication and stuff like that.
02:27:32
Speaker
But having ah the type of goalkeeper that is a PK specialist, like ah like a Dane St. Clair, That is a game changer in in tournament soccer. It gives you an advantage over teams that don't have that. We saw that in game one.
02:27:47
Speaker
Minnesota United had that. Seattle didn't really have that. And that shootout was tilted way towards them. So all that's to say, like, ah Seattle is a team that does plan ahead for situations like this. And I appreciate that. Like, I appreciate the fact that like Atlanta United, they have no idea who their goalkeeper is going to be next year.
02:28:07
Speaker
Because Brad Guzan's retiring. Is it going to be Jaden Haber? They don't know. They didn't give him enough of a chance to play to be able to tell if he should be given the number one job. So what are they going to do? Are they going to go out and sign a veteran or do they have to go overseas to sign somebody? They have no idea.
02:28:22
Speaker
They're going to spend a good portion of their offseason and their resources trying to figure that out. And whatever plan they come up with, they then they'll have no idea if it's going to work. Seattle already has that plan in place and can say with pretty high confidence that it's going to work. Do you have any doubt in your mind that Andrew Thomas is going to step in as the number one and be just fine? I'm biased, but yeah, no, I think he's going to be just as good and for just as long.
02:28:50
Speaker
Exactly. So let's talk about it, though, from ah from a coaching lens, because ah I do think that there is a I do think that Seattle is thinking of the head coaching situation in the same way as they're thinking of the goalkeeper position.
02:29:06
Speaker
I think they're much more... inclined, if at all possible, to have the Schmetzer successor be someone from in-house that they can bring up internally.
02:29:17
Speaker
And ah the name that comes to my mind, and who knows, this is just like this is just speculation. And who knows if this is their plan for them. I have no idea. Andy Rose.
02:29:28
Speaker
Andy Rose seems like he could be the guy that they look at and they're like, he played for the team. He's been on the staff for this many years. I've heard that he has no plans to to leave Seattle's assistant staff because he feels like, from what I understand, he feels like he has...
02:29:48
Speaker
a good setup because he's still relatively inexperienced as a coach. And he saw what happened with Gonzo Pineda, who took over a big time coaching job in a big time market, maybe before he was ready for the smoke.
02:30:03
Speaker
And he kind of got eaten alive by the job. So Andy Rose, ah he's literally like, I've heard that he's thinking of it like this. He's like, I, I would rather stay on Seattle staff as an assistant than then I would take a head coaching job somewhere else in MLS just to say that I have a head coaching job and either not be ready for the job or be put in a situation where I'm set up to fail.
02:30:25
Speaker
he So he's intent on, and he's happy here. I think his family's happy here. He likes coaching these guys. He likes being a part of this organization. So he, uh, that's, that's why he comes to mind as the guy who I think could end up being the, uh, the Schmetz successor when that day comes, because he doesn't have any plans of going anywhere. He wants to stay on the staff for at least the next three or four years.
02:30:49
Speaker
And, uh, from everything I've heard as well, he has genuine chops as a coach. Uh, I've interacted in with him a few times, uh, dating back to the days when he played for the team. Awesome dude, like really good with the media.
02:31:01
Speaker
Great quote. uh and i think he genuinely has an aptitude for uh for the coaching thing i think the players like him they think he's a good coach he understands the x's and o's it's a good combination of a tactician and a man manager all of it kind of uh aligns to make me feel like if i had to pick someone who i think they would bring up internally to be the successor that's who i would say and That's I want them to do something like that, rather than have Schmetz be like, all right, I'm retiring and then be them being like, all right, we're going start a search from square one. There's so much just more possibility for that to go wrong and make the wrong hire.
02:31:40
Speaker
And, and again, that's why I love what LAFC is doing with with Dos Santos. And they, and by the way, they did the same thing with Steve C. He was the head coach of Las Vegas lights and they brought him up from that. That's smart, man.
02:31:54
Speaker
That's smart. That's way smarter than how some of these teams do it. What do you think of be ah Andy Rose take? I love the Andy Rose take because, you know, at this point it is in Spencer's hands. He will have this job until he doesn't want to have it. It could be six. It could be seven years. Like we don't know how long it's going to be.
02:32:13
Speaker
yeah, i I just think, like, yes, Andy Rose is a guy who is Yes, he's not born and bred Seattle, but he's been with his team since the beginning. He's seen the evolution of this club.
02:32:27
Speaker
He knows the ethos deeply, deeply, deeply, deeply in his soul and his being. He loves the city. His kids are here. All of that. Like, it is... It is... i think it's the perfect hire.
02:32:42
Speaker
And he is the type of person who is really realistic about all of this. Right? Like, I think... I think he's going to get more reps coaching in different places.
02:32:55
Speaker
ah And I just, I don't know. Like he he coached ah the defiance a little bit, I think, after they let Irvay Diese go and kind of had them playing okay.
02:33:06
Speaker
And I'm just, I'm a fan. I like the fact that the Sounders, and this is true, and Jeremiah and I talked about this recently, that there is a through line.
02:33:19
Speaker
In this organization from the NASL days until now, like a direct line that you can trace an ethos of feeling players being involved, coaches being involved, literally Brian Schmetzer played for that NASL team and is now coaching this team.
02:33:36
Speaker
And I think that it is the perfect hire to continue that rose is through and through a sounder he is he understands and clearly enjoys the position that he's in and he's not trying to rush it like he wants to be here exactly important that's the biggest that's the biggest thing like i see a couple people in chat bringing up uh freddie juarez like i i'm uh I'm not against that idea as well. I like Freddy Juarez. ah i think I think he's a good coach. He's been a good assistant for this club. And also, he got his start in New Mexico, which is where I'm from. So like him on that level.
02:34:13
Speaker
I just think there's a much higher likelihood that he is going to get poached or leave for another head coaching job within the league. Whereas Andy Rose has like explicitly said that he's not necessarily trying to do that at all. Like he, it's the opposite. Like he is actually intent on retaining his role as an assistant here with, ah I don't think with like the,
02:34:35
Speaker
idea that he's going to be the successor, but just the idea that that's what's going to prepare him the best to ultimately be a head coach later on down the line. Freddie's already been a head coach, and i could very easily see a scenario where another team that ah fired their coach within MLS, even this upcoming offseason, I could see Freddie getting looks for for that stuff because Uh, Freddie, honestly, i thought showed that he can hang an MLS when he was coaching real salt. Like that was another one of those situations where he truthfully didn't have all that much to work with and had them punching above their weight to a point. But, uh, I think he, uh, he's, he, Freddie has genuinely provided a lot of value, ah as a coach, but also like, you know, he's the one who had the Albert Rusnak,
02:35:22
Speaker
connection And I think that was a big factor in why they ended up getting him in a free agency. So he's provided value in that way. i just, I just think there's a much stronger likelihood that he leaves the organization sooner than Andy Rose would.
02:35:37
Speaker
Yeah, I completely agree with that. And it it and we don't we don't know what's goingnna happen. Like, I think this is a mute. This is a this is a mute. It's not a mute conversation because to your point, it's about having a plan in advance.
02:35:52
Speaker
And like you, even though like we don't know when Schmetzer is going to retire. This guy, ah like, truthful truthfully, truthfully, there is a moment. bright do we Okay, I don't want to, like, compare this to college football. but like Go for it. It's 10-0-6. Who cares?
02:36:09
Speaker
did Joe Paterno. Yeah. he's he's been like He's basically Joe Paterno, right? Like, he's not going to be coaching, but he's going to be coaching. ah what What era of Joe Paterno? Because ah by the very end there, Joe Paterno was cook-cooked.
02:36:23
Speaker
That's what I'm saying, though. It's like, I feel like if not even from the scandal, not even from the scandal. for no Like he was sitting in the the press box, just like not moving. Like by all accounts, he was a figurehead, not an actual coach. That's what I'm saying. Before the scandal even hit.
02:36:36
Speaker
I feel like Brian could even be doing that. You know what I'm saying? Like if he wanted to, I don't think he's going to want to, but like, you know what I mean? Like, no, I think, ah I think Schmetz has at least three or four more years. I love that. I rammed a, a Penn state reference. who had Yeah. Yeah.
02:36:55
Speaker
yeah I don't, I don't, I mean, I don't know. Schmetz is a very kind of like a family oriented type of guy who I could see being like, you know what? Even if I feel like I could still do this at a high level, do I even want to anymore? I've made a bunch of money. Like I've won every goddamn thing there is to win.
02:37:11
Speaker
But the reason, this is the reason why I think he is still, still doing it and why he's still going to do it for a while. And it's, you know, it's something we've talked about a lot, but I think Schmetz feels legitimate,
02:37:25
Speaker
it's like It's like his responsibility to make sure the Seattle Sounders are ah good winning soccer team. He feels like if anyone else is in control of that issue, they won't be able... He trusts himself to do that more than anyone. And if anyone else is doing it,
02:37:45
Speaker
I think he he feels like, man, he he would feel like, man, like i I, need to be the one doing that to make sure this team is kicking ass. Cause I care so much about Seattle winning at this sport.
02:37:58
Speaker
Like he, it's a sense of duty for him, which I think is it's unique. And it's also a thing that, it's motivating.
02:38:08
Speaker
It's like, i I, still feel the need to do this even after I've won all this stuff and won so many games and won so many trophies because I, I care that much about the success of this club. Cause I'm from here and I played for this club and I've coached for this club dating back. There's not a person who cares more about the Sounders than him.
02:38:25
Speaker
Exactly, man. So that's why I think as long as the team is still performing at this high level and he feels like he is at the center of why that's happening, I think he's going to keep going. I think he just, he cares that much about this specific club, but that's, that's where that's where the Andy Rose idea I think comes in because,
02:38:50
Speaker
he has kind of stated that he's willing to wait for however long that might be, even if it is like three or four years. So that's why I think it kind of, the more I think about it, the more it makes all the sense in the world. Do you agree with my analysis of the LAFC doing what they're doing with Dos Santos? Like, do you think? Oh yeah, I love it.
02:39:09
Speaker
Like you don't think they should like be, it's LAFC. They could be on the hunt and get like a big name. That's what I'm saying though. well That's what I'm saying. Conventional wisdom would say. LAFC, big time club, Hollywood. They can get any coach they want.
02:39:22
Speaker
And instead, they're going with Mark Dos Santos. But that's actually the... I think it's the right thing. Their vibes are so right right now. You don't want to mess with it. You don't want to mess with it.
02:39:34
Speaker
Dola leaving... Although like the fans don't like him, it's very clear that he's been able to do a lot and that the players respect him. And it's like, I just, you got like, those things are tricky.
02:39:49
Speaker
Those things are tricky. And I think that it's really smart, especially we don't, Don't talk about it enough. Major League Soccer is different than every other league in the world. Coaches who are successful here are not always successful in other places. And coaches who are successful in other places aren't always successful here.
02:40:05
Speaker
It's just the truth of the matter. You're adding a lot of risk when you go out and find someone from some random league in some random country. And that's why Ari, that's why players as well. It's the same thing. Why Jesus Ferro was such a good signing.
02:40:19
Speaker
Got to put that in there as well. You get a known asset, someone who knows what they're doing in the league, who knows who, who, you know, how you play against. Cause you played them twice a year.
Christian Roldan's National Team Involvement
02:40:30
Speaker
I'm just saying, it's like, there's something to be said about it. There's something to be said about the value of a known subject.
02:40:38
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Um, all right. Well, that's all the topics that I had for, uh, for the evening. Did we miss anything? i mean, we've been, we've been live for two hours and 40 minutes, so I feel like we must've covered it.
02:40:50
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, uh, Christian got called into USMNT again. He's definitely going to the world cup. So that's awesome. um Okay. Yeah. Like, uh, but let's Let's just solidify that because a lot of people aren't going to like it. But it's so funny how that worked out.
02:41:07
Speaker
Like that that he, that not only did it a not only did the bots get the coach that they wanted, but that he just keeps calling in all the guys that they hate. And that and that ah Christian in particular has been playing so well, both ah four club and country, to the point that even even like most of the bot community begrudgingly has been like, all right, yeah, he's pretty good. and you still have you You still have, like, the contingent that are like, oh, he's a bum, he's terrible, he's the worst player. You're never going to not have that.
02:41:44
Speaker
But, like, i've been seeing more I've been seeing more and more bots, like, come to the realization that he's actually very, very, very good player. Which is funny it's just funny. like It's funny. I really put stock in their opinion either way, but. Most of them are stubborn and they're still holding out, but the ones who will like slyly admit like, Oh, he had one good game.
02:42:02
Speaker
He had one good game in 50 appearances. What does that mean? I'm like, well, you know, whatever you want to, that is the copest of Coke, man. No, like whatever you whatever you want to say, but you got, listen, But what about that game?
02:42:14
Speaker
And they're like, well, yeah, like but... but look And I'm like, but that game. But that game's all that matters. and fire i've I've seen your Twitter mentions in these scenarios. Oh, God, dude. It's new it's a wasteland.
02:42:26
Speaker
bad I'm actually known in their community now as the, quote, Roldan Glazer. Like, they use my photo every time he, like, misses a pass. And they're like, yo, glaze on this, bro.
02:42:37
Speaker
They don't understand that Roldan Glazer is, like, a badge of honor for us. Yeah, I'm like, dude, yeah. like yeah i'm I am, yes, yes, bro. i am glad I'm glazing. I am. it's not even It's not even offensive to me. like i will i'm I'm literally, you know the guys outside of like the Sounders games and Mariners games with the like ah believe in Jesus or you're going to hell thing?
02:43:00
Speaker
That's me, but for Christian Roldan. I am i am ah in blasting your eardrums with propaganda, and I don't even care. Yeah.
02:43:12
Speaker
Sheamus says Jackson should be a USCB. Yeah. When's that going to happen? Listen, I can confirm. That's the next propaganda. I can confirm that Pochettino's main assistant was at the last Sounders game.
02:43:24
Speaker
I met him. word? We shook hands. Yeah. There was also scouts there for Obed, wasn't there? Yes. um but i heard I don't know if this is verified, but I heard PSV had people there.
02:43:37
Speaker
i I don't know exactly, but I did hear some rumblings that there were some scouts there. But I do know for a fact because I literally met him. Yeah, that's tight. Pochettino's main assistant there. what do you What do you think about PSV as a potential Obed destination?
02:43:54
Speaker
Hell yeah. Yeah, I kind of like it. Hell yeah. I think we might've talked about it, but ah now that it, it seems like that that's one of the front runner potential destinations.
02:44:05
Speaker
um They're not going to get a bag from PSV for him, which sucks, but like, yeah, I don't think they could get 10 plus from PSV. They're pretty big. i feel like eight. I feel like they'll get like eight. If they got eight for him, would you be disappointed? I kind of would.
02:44:18
Speaker
I would be disappointed, but if it was the right club for his career growth, I would be very happy. Yeah, and ah eight is anything in the 8 to 9 to 10 range, that's that's still a bag. You're going to get a sell-on clause, and that's really what matters.
02:44:34
Speaker
You're going to get... you might like if you sell them for 8, 6, whatever, who fucking cares, but you have a 20% sell-on clause... Yeah, Jake's saying eight plus a 20% sell-on. That's a pretty good deal.
Debate on Seattle Sounders Stadium Relocation
02:44:48
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Dude, that's where your money is because his next transfer is going to be $100 million to Manchester City and they're never going play him, but regardless.
02:44:56
Speaker
Right. And then if you get 20% of the Man City bag, ooh, twenty over time m Now we're talking and they can pump that into long acres and not spend it on the team. food The long acres stadium with the Obed Vargas 20% sell on clause is going to go sick. Just not spent on the roster at all. They're going to sign some, like some loose equivalent and not spend the money.
02:45:19
Speaker
ah If they, okay. I didn't even give my long acres takes, which I'll feel like we should just do a whole podcast about that. Um,
02:45:29
Speaker
If I listen, I, yeah, I was talking about this on, uh, I think last under the lights, but yeah. If if I, if, if this fucking, I'm, I'm going to move, I'm just going to move and I'm going to quit the podcast. If they do that, like I just, you're going to quit going to fucking rent in.
02:45:46
Speaker
What if they had, this was this was my whole take, is it's like, if they're going to do it, which it seems like they're intent on doing, they got there's got to be just a lot of changes made as far as like transportation accessibility, and then also just the amount of stuff that's going on around Long Acres. We've both spent a fair amount of time out there.
02:46:04
Speaker
What's going on around there? It's an empty field, Ari, famously. It's a horse track. It's a Boeing building with fields and a horse track. There's a storage unit facility all the way there. And that's like, you can't, I'm sorry, you can't have like a game day, a Major League Soccer game day experience, or at least a good one. I know there's a lot of stadiums out in the burbs. You'd be doing Frisco. You'd be doing Frisco. You'd be doing Pizza Hut Park. At least they built it up now.
02:46:32
Speaker
But 10 years ago, it was like a desolate wasteland. one of the sickest things about Lumen is how much stuff there is to do right in the vicinity. I know. If you have like a, you're playing your home games out at where Long Acres is at, you literally sacrifice all of that, don't you?
02:46:48
Speaker
Like, you would have to, my idea was, well, A, you need, you, like this is non-negotiable you have to have a light rail stop that goes directly to that fucking field if they have that then i can see that working if it's everyone who's going is driving from wherever they live to rent in at long acres that cannot be what the system is i won't if you i won't go i won't go If you have a accessible, like light rail accessible act, like access to the stadium, then okay, I can see that. but then let me
02:47:22
Speaker
They don't even have the money to lobby politicians to build a light rail out there though. That's, that's the funny part. It's like, that's how do you get that done? That's going to take until 2058. You don't. And it's so funny to me to listen. Okay. Okay.
02:47:36
Speaker
Okay. Adrian, I'm speaking to you. Next time I see you in person, I'm go to tell you this as well. I'm going to listen, you should have you should have found a way to start a super PAC for Katie Wilson because she said on our show directly that she would do everything that she could to accommodate you without giving taxpayer money. But what that could mean is like land or, you know, like kicking out a first and goal or like making, putting some pressure on them because they own the building and the land.
02:48:07
Speaker
I'm just saying, guys, I'm just saying. And that's why I voted for Katie. That's the only reason. 2040 for the light rail stop. Exactly. So that's to me, that's roadblock. 2040, they're going to say it's going to be done in 2200. Exactly.
02:48:21
Speaker
So that that's like hurdle number one that I just don't see how you get past is how inaccessible that location is, especially relative to Lumen, which is the most accessible location in the entire city.
02:48:32
Speaker
ferry, train, tram, ah lime scooter, ah um ah bike. You do have to lock it up against a random chain link fence, regardless, um ah bus, ah horseback.
02:48:47
Speaker
ah You can get there any way you want. Light rail. Yeah. And then, so my other thing, other than the transit aspect, uh, is, you know, there's just nothing out there. My idea that they would have to do to address that is, uh, like, uh, have you seen how like St. Louis has it?
02:49:04
Speaker
They have like a, uh, it's like they, they kind of tricked out the whole area surrounding the stadium and it's cool. They've got like bars, shops, restaurants, shit to do.
02:49:15
Speaker
and, That's kind of how they have dealt with the fact that I guess there's probably not... The the reason they did that is probably because there's not a heck of a lot going on in the immediate immediate vicinity of wherever their stadium is at in and downtown St. Louis.
02:49:31
Speaker
i not I'm not saying that exact blueprint, but like you would just have to you would have to develop that area substantially. I'm not going to rent an area. put I'm just trying to think of ways that they could make it a viable game day. You can try.
02:49:45
Speaker
You can try all day. You can try all day. I'm not going to Renton. I'm not moving to Renton. I'm not moving closer to Renton. I'm not moving to the fucking east side. Brother, I live in Capitol Hill.
02:49:58
Speaker
i will I would like to die here. I would like to die here. I would like to die at Linda's. Okay? I would like to die there. Having to drive to Renton for every game instead of taking public transit, which is what how I get to the games now.
02:50:11
Speaker
Exactly. that what That sucks, dude. It's terrible. There's no spin on that where it doesn't just totally... It is unsafe. Someone's got step back. It's a huge, huge downgrade from what you have. How many drunk drivers are we going to get around from going from Renton to Seattle after a Sounders game? You know, it's just like, what are we doing?
02:50:32
Speaker
But okay. So stupid. But so here's the, oh, Pat, remember for five months. Thank you for the support. If the beers are for sale, less than a hundred dollars. I'll go. Yeah. maybe yeah got sessions The beer sales at Lumen, that's criminal.
02:50:46
Speaker
Someone that's criminal. Okay. So like, what do you think of the argument that they would make, which is just, look like there might be challenges with accessibility and the location but not having our own venue fucking sucks we get bounced out of there by the monster truck rallies and taylor swift and the k-pop bands four times a year we're way down on first and goals priority list to the point where we get screwed over anytime a conflict like that comes up uh it happens all the time
02:51:17
Speaker
we have We now have the
Stadium Development and Ownership Strategy
02:51:19
Speaker
resources and location where we can just have our own crib. We don't have to deal with any of that. We can make the capacity so that we're actually selling out of the games instead of closing off parts of the stadium.
02:51:30
Speaker
We'll have grass instead of that shit ass turf. There's a lot of benefits to like the quality of all of that as compared to a venue that we share with everyone else. I get like get why all that stuff is stuff that like, like this is what I was saying on my show last week.
02:51:47
Speaker
Can you imagine having to interact with first and goal as much as they do? I would probably be trying to. Well, we have have one. We have one viewer who works for first and goal. So we want to say it's not the rank and file first and goalers.
02:51:59
Speaker
It's the, the oligarch first and goalers. Yes. The first and goal oligarchs, which I'm sure whoever, whatever viewer we have who works for them probably agrees with us on that. Correct. Yeah. But, uh, yeah. Like imagine if you had to deal with the first and goal oligarchs, that would drive me.
02:52:14
Speaker
I would do. They have to deal with that every year. All they have to do that all year, every year. It sucks. They, they are treated like shit. They're deprioritized.
02:52:24
Speaker
They have all kinds of conflicts when they're playing in, uh, in tournaments that aren't part of the regular mls schedule they're light years behind the the seahawks obviously on the peg and they're paying as well fucking rent out yes yeah if you the seahawks don't even pay anything they literally just run it and make billions of dollars off fucking parking for mariners game i'm i'm i'm so radicalized on this ari like we have to do so i'm gonna run for city council on just this or something like i'm gonna like
02:52:57
Speaker
The first and goal must be put to an end. But also, like, someone brought it up here. Memorial was right there. They didn't even bid on that. They didn't even bid on that project. And, like, yes, I understand that ah the Seattle public school system wanted to continue to own that space.
02:53:15
Speaker
That doesn't mean you couldn't have worked out a deal. That would have been even better. Like, ah they are just...
02:53:23
Speaker
it is it is it is but It is two people throwing a tantrum. It's first and goal, just being petty and annoying for, I don't understand why. And second, for the Sounders, they don't have the money.
02:53:38
Speaker
They don't have the money to build a stadium in Seattle. They don't have the money and they don't have the mental will will willpower to be an ah imaginative enough to think that, oh, we could we could we could do this. We could find a piece of land. We could make this work.
02:53:53
Speaker
I promise you they're hiring a fucking investment banking firm to raise the money so that they can, you know, ah like, I don't know, build a stadium and rent in. You're telling me whatever you're paying them, you couldn't have paid like some dude who has way too much time on his hands and a computer to like draw up like 20 potential locations and then spend whatever the rest of the money it is lobbying like all of the shitty ass politicians in Seattle to like give you a chunk of a park and then you build it in a park and like there's like this sick ass stadium like I just did there's no imagination there's no imagination it's we bought this location in Renton we train here now this is what we're doing brother what have a little imagination what you don't they won't even reach out to UW like you know look like how how have they not reached out to UW
02:54:52
Speaker
you can't you You can't go from how awesome and accessible the Lumenfield location is to a location that's as inaccessible and out in the boonies as Renton and have ah game day experience that measures up to what you have now to any acceptable degree. I don't think it can be done.
02:55:12
Speaker
I will not go. I'm telling you right now. I will quit the podcast. if they but If they build the stadium rent it. No one's quitting the podcast. All right. let's I will quit the podcast if they build a stadium and rent it. Everyone's simmered down. Not quitting.
02:55:25
Speaker
ah the This rent-in-stadium. I will personally go to the house. i will i You know how like ah like when they're tearing down a big tree in a neighborhood, someone will like chain themselves to the tree? Yeah.
02:55:39
Speaker
Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to do that, but on the Long Acres property. Like, you have to run me over with a bulldozer to build this stadium. It's not happening.
02:55:50
Speaker
Rainy Gamer says, what are you going to do? Go full Chelsea Pier out into the Sound. Only place to go is South. It's happening. You have five years to get used to the idea. They could just stay at Lumen. They could just stay. They could fight with first in goal for control. They could start like the Allen estate is already divesting from all of sports. They're the ones who fucking run first in goal. You're not telling me. You're telling me that you can't even have a little bit of an imagination to think that, oh, maybe we could like make this work.
02:56:19
Speaker
There's just, there's there's just, it's, we're not people, bro. You are right about one thing, which is that, uh, realistically we're not talking about this move, like any new stadium actually opening until probably let's be serious. Like 2037. Yes.
02:56:36
Speaker
yeah Like the absolute earliest that this would actually happen for at least the next few years, they're going to still be at Lumen. But, you know, i do think like the, ah the drawbacks are,
02:56:49
Speaker
We should at least acknowledge them because first and goal is first of cool is awful. It's yes. We don't like them. um Build a stadium south of T-Mobile field by all the warehouses. Famously, there was a guy who tried to do this.
02:57:01
Speaker
His name is Chris Hansen, not the to cat predator guy, but the other one. um And the city council blocked him because the port of Seattle lobbied and a bunch of other people lobbied ah to not vacate a street to connect two lots. They were going to build the basketball arena there.
02:57:19
Speaker
ah There was also some some stuff about how the city wanted to remodel Key Arena. So whatever, there's a lot of mess there. But I'm just saying, Chris Hansen does technically on those two plots. Maybe you could get something done with a street vacation now.
02:57:32
Speaker
Well, okay. So, uh, Jake brings up another point. Like what if it ends up being a, uh, 20 K cap, uh, capacity soccer specific stadium in rent. And we don't actually have to worry about the Sounders moving their regular season matches there.
02:57:46
Speaker
So like another, another, i question i have about this whole thing is any soccer specific stadium that they do build out there, the capacity would be like 30 to 40 K I would imagine because that's what they pull for the games at Lumen.
02:58:05
Speaker
Uh, but The fact that they are able when they play in big games like cup finals, like whenever they've hosted MLS Cup or CONCACAF Champions Cup or Leagues Cup this year, and they can... Or Portland, just playing Portland. Or just playing Portland where those games I feel like draw more like 50, 60 something.
02:58:26
Speaker
But like, yeah, exactly. Anytime that they have the ability in individual games and circumstances to pull 50 plus. And for the biggest of the biggest games, they've pulled 70.
02:58:38
Speaker
Like if you're, if, if it is where they play their home games, you would have to still play games like that at Lumen field. Like there's no way, honestly, for we're talking about the oligarch class here.
02:58:50
Speaker
You think you're telling me that if they have a game that they know they can pack with 70, um, ah that they're going to sacrifice the ticket sales to play it in Renton with a capacity of like 30K?
02:59:02
Speaker
Hell no. like there's That's leaving way too much money on the table in a way that I know the oligarch class well enough to know they would never do that.
02:59:13
Speaker
So like if you're going to be hosting all your big games at Lumen anyway, why not just keep playing your home games there? And if you really want to build this Renton Stadium to be be like the de facto Starfire replacement where you play all your Open Cup games, where Defiance play and you have it for first scenarios like that,
02:59:41
Speaker
I guess I think that's kind of a waste of money and resources, but I would never do that. Like you would never build the stadium and not play there full time. Because the thing is about the stadium, the reason that they want to build it, it's an investment vehicle.
02:59:55
Speaker
It's an asset. They're making the land and subsequently the team worth more. The teams that are valued the highest in Major League Soccer, yes, they're successful, but what makes them valuable is the real estate and the value of the land that they create.
03:00:09
Speaker
They build a stadium. They're going to build things around that. uh the value of that land is going to go up what they bought it for they're going to double triple quadruple quintuple again ogart class this is all an investment for them they don't give a shit about whether less people come like they do they're they they definitely do to they're not gonna expense if they're hosting a mls cup final they're not going to not play that at lumen when they could have 30 000 more people there that's ticket sales But again, it's it's owning a sports team is all about the long-term asset value and getting out.
03:00:43
Speaker
And like you can't tell me. And listen, I think that Adrian Hanauer is a great owner for a lot of reasons. And he's a bad owner for a lot of reasons. Every every oligarch is good and bad.
03:00:56
Speaker
That's how I feel. Mostly bad. But regardless. um He's he' is better than he's better the most He's better than most. He's than most. He came into this investment... but not like he He didn't spend a lot of money on and his his investment.
03:01:10
Speaker
And he's making... The value of this team is insane now. And he's willing to dilute the vat like dilute his shares to bring in investors to build a stadium because he knows...
03:01:24
Speaker
just simply how much more valuable his shares will be if they own the stadium that they plan, because that's the biggest part of it. And that's what they care about.
03:01:37
Speaker
That's what they care about. They, they, yes, they care about the fan experience to an extent. Yes, they care about ticket sales, but what they care about at the end of the day is their wallet. How are they going to be
Wealth, Ownership, and Societal Impact Discussion
03:01:47
Speaker
able to retire and have a hundred billion dollars to give to their kids and spend You don't make that money by doing what all the fans want. You make that money by doing strategic investments, and that is what that is.
03:02:03
Speaker
Yeah. No, I think there's a lot of truth to what ah what you're saying there. I just don't think that...
03:02:13
Speaker
I don't see how diminished... like like the they're talking The stadium they're talking about is obviously the capacity is... it's not like half of what Lumen is, but er it's like, yeah, well, I mean, less than, but yeah.
03:02:25
Speaker
Yeah. So, yeah so ah
03:02:31
Speaker
I don't know. For me, I just keep coming back to the issue of when they host the Timbers and they could draw 50 or 60, you really think they're going to play that in Renton with 30? Yeah. thirtyie yeah That's so and so backwards to me. what about the like you like There is the greed of the real estate, which is real, but what about the greed of...
03:02:55
Speaker
$30,000, $40,000. this is what I'm telling you. Short-term gains and profits, that all that money just goes back into running the club. You don't get to see that when you cash out. those are short-term Those are short-term monetary bumps that go towards paying staff, paying players, lessening your investment, lessening It's all about the long term when you go to sell your shares.
03:03:17
Speaker
How am I increasing the value of this company? How am I increasing the value of this team? The easiest way to do that. This is the most famous thing for every for every sports team in the world. When you have your own stadium, when you have a new stadium, when you own land that's centrally located or and you own the land around it, you own the businesses around it. and all that stuff, that is exactly what they're going to do and rent in Renton.
03:03:40
Speaker
They're going to do the same thing that the Chicago Fire doing or or like ah St. Louis did where they build up a bunch of infrastructure around it because it's the value. It's the value, man.
03:03:50
Speaker
And long-term, owning every single piece, you own the parking, you own the concessions, you own ah the the the ticket sales, you own the rent around it because you're probably going build apartment buildings.
03:04:04
Speaker
The Seattle Sounders are going to be landlords and they're leeching your money in rent and rent it. You know what i'm saying? So it's, it is, you will make more money with less customers. And we've already seen the Sounders look to do that.
03:04:17
Speaker
Raising season ticket prices, consistently pricing out the average person. They would rather have, a like a a higher floor for their season ticket price then have more people in the stands not opening the upper decks because they have to pay people to run the concessions up there and security and they don't want to do that even though they could probably be making more money or having more people in the stands it's it is they they that's the reality it's a business that cares about the things that are going to help them long term and it sucks
03:04:53
Speaker
Yeah. The bottom line rules over everything. Yeah. It's the oligarch class that we're talking about. So we're talking we're talking about people that have a pathological obsession with and don't care about anything else in their life other than how much money they have individually.
03:05:15
Speaker
That's the only thing that informs ever anything that they do, which guess I've just, I've never had that much money like that. So I've, I guess I wouldn't know.
03:05:28
Speaker
yeah I wouldn't know. I can't relate to that attitude. It must, it must do something crazy to you. let's do so You know what I feel like it is? And now we're getting into like, yeah we're talking about capitalism, late night, 1030. This is what we're doing here. Call us Karl Marx and Engels and Frederick Engels.
03:05:47
Speaker
I think that's his name. those was is That was Karl Marx's homie who owned a factory. i don't know. I went to college and studied political science. Yeah. it's like I feel like once you once you have it, you're not happy.
03:06:00
Speaker
And so you're just like, I need more. like If I get more, I'll be happier. like like i need like I need more. like it's don't you Don't you think, though, like wouldn wouldn't you get to a point where you would stop caring about it or valuing it? Because I just i feel like if I had if i ever if i had that much money I wouldn't give a shit, dude. i would I would keep as much as I felt like I needed to to be very comfortable and secure. And then I would just, I would literally probably give that away.
03:06:35
Speaker
like i dare And I know that's easy to say because I've never been in this situation where I've had that money to do that. But... Just ah the the ah the extent of the greed still, um you know, I've seen i've seen how the oligarch class works my whole life at this point, but it's still it's still wild to me where it's like, don't you have anything else in your life that gives you fulfillment or anything to do other than just blood sucking and leeching much money as you possibly can? You fucking freak.
03:07:06
Speaker
You can't get to that point of wealth without being immoral. Yeah. do You know what I'm saying? Like you can't get to that point without like fucking people over. And like you have to like cut that part out of your brain, the empathetic part out of your brain. Cause like, it's just, yeah, it's just like, it's, it's insane. You have to create.
03:07:25
Speaker
Yeah. I, dude, it's I think you hit, I think you hit like a certain net worth and you just become like an absolute, a ghoul, psychotic ghoul. I think it also it takes a a type of person to get there, especially like if you because most money is in hair, like most wealth is inherited, statistically speaking.
03:07:43
Speaker
So like you're not really doing anything to get there. And so you have this like chip on your shoulder the whole time because people are like, bro, you just like your dad made all your money. You know what I mean? And so then you're like, no, like I know what's going on. Like I'm important and, and like you will respect me and I will. And like my vehicle of feeling power is generating more wealth. And then it's just like, all right, bro. Like, why don't you just like, why don't you just like smoke some weed and chill out? Like, I don't know. I'm sorry. If I had that much money, bro, you would never see me.
03:08:16
Speaker
You would never see me. No. I would be like, i'd be I'd be at the beach every day drinking Rainier. like i won't I was thinking about this today because like with the election and stuff, there's been so much talk about how like if you if you have services for the public good, it's like you're ah you're ah you're a freeloader.
03:08:37
Speaker
Yeah. Right. Like, yeah, you're a you're a leech even just for having like basic societal necessities. If you think that like the government or taxpayers should pay for stuff like that, you're you're you're leeching off other people.
03:08:50
Speaker
You're ah you're freeloading. Yeah, I I've never i've never been in a situation in my life where I've made anything even particularly close to ah hundred Yes. But say, say just for the sake of argument, I had a job that paid me a hundred K and, uh, that was, that was it. That's not even that much money in Seattle anymore.
03:09:13
Speaker
It's really not. No. But like if I made a hundred K a year, which I don't, but if I did and, uh, the government kate called me and they said, yo, you make a hundred K, uh, but we got a lot of shit to fix with society.
03:09:28
Speaker
Uh, unfortunately we're going to need to, uh, peel off. 20k 50 racks we're gonna let i was thinking of i was thinking was thinking 20 racks 20 racks we're gonna be lost 20 racks uh so you'll only be making eighty k this year but we're gonna but what we're what that 20 racks is gonna go to is like i don't know everything we need like health care yeah free yeah everyone's gonna be able to take 20 racks from anyone everyone making this much money you know and everyone's you're going to have ah people are going to able to have like free child care and it's going to go towards improving health care. And it's just going to go all around into making this city better for everyone.
03:10:08
Speaker
And that's what we're going to do with it. And yeah if they told me that and for the sake of this hypothetical, let's say that we know that that is actually what how they're going to. allocate the money. Right, right. and is on it we're playing We're playing pretend, friends. yes We can do whatever we want. In this hypothetical, we have it assured that they are going to spend though that 20 racks on all that stuff for the societal good.
03:10:30
Speaker
You know what I would say? i would say, hell yeah, fucking take it I don't need it. I'll live on, I will live on the 80 racks. I will live on the 80 racks and you can have that 20 and just, how can anyone think of that any differently?
03:10:45
Speaker
And like you say that to people and they're like, oh, that's like, oh, you, you, if you had that money, you would to you would just give it away for, it yes. Yeah, bro. I'm good on that. For like kids to have free meals or like people to have healthcare. I would give that away in a fucking nanosecond.
03:11:02
Speaker
Yes. I wouldn't literally think twice. Okay. I have a story. i have a story. This was recent. And I actually haven't told anyone about this. ah Last weekend, I was out at Linda's, as I often am.
03:11:16
Speaker
And I was having some drinks with some friends. And I literally had $50 in my bank account. Right. So I had, I had a beer, I had two beers and you know, down to 30, however much is 30 bucks after my tip. Cause I'm going to tip, I'm going to tip is going to happen.
03:11:32
Speaker
Right. 30 bucks left in my account, whatever. And I'm walking back to my house from Linda's and this homeless dude next to me, like just drops all of his bags. And I'm like, Oh shit, you good, man. Like I helped them pick them up and we just started chatting. Right.
03:11:48
Speaker
And, Just throughout the chat, i was like, are you good? Like, do you need anything, man? Like, you know, make sure you're okay. Like, it's really cold. Like, it was like the first day it got really Oh, yeah, weather's been terrible. Dude, yeah.
03:12:01
Speaker
And he was like, I'm okay, like, with that, but could we get some, like, could I, could you, like, give me some money for food? I was like, I don't have any cash, but, like, there's this really good taco stand, like, right here. Like, let's just both go. Like, I i need to eat something anyway.
03:12:15
Speaker
And we went there and I spent the last $30 that I had in my bank account. The last $30 that I had, didn't get I didn't get paid for two days after that, right? Like I was just running rocking on zero for the next few days to buy myself.
03:12:31
Speaker
And my new homie some food. And we sat there and ate together and chatted for like the next hour. And I'm like, how can you not see the humanity in every single person that you walk by? That's like, dude, I would give my last $30 to make sure that someone was was doing okay for like for like a day.
03:12:48
Speaker
and And these people, like they just like, it's just like, I don't know. People are just like, so like you get to a point of wealth where it's like, how do you not just like not value money?
03:13:00
Speaker
Like I value money, but I i don't value it that much. I don't, yeah. I don't even say like that I would give the 20 racks to, ah to society. Cause I like, I'm like some, some great guy that's like super altruistic.
03:13:14
Speaker
It's just like, if there's basic societal consensus on stuff that we all could use and need, we all should contribute to making sure that that happens. And we have all that. I'm just like, I literally, it was funny. Like I was talking to this dude. We talked about football.
03:13:34
Speaker
Like we were talking about, cause he was a Texans fan and we were talking about, you know, like the football season and whatever. And like last year and whatever. And I'm like, dude, this, this is like, we both lived in Texas at one point.
03:13:45
Speaker
I was like, you were, We're the same person, dude. Like this you could be me if my, if I didn't have a better dice roll. And it's just like, well, yeah, that's the other thing. Like the idea, like we were talking about the idea of like, ah you know, a lot of people have the idea of being self-made and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. And if people have less money than me, then that means they're lazy and they're free lovers.
03:14:08
Speaker
90% of the time, the people saying that shit were born into it. Yes, bro. Yes. You didn't do shit to to get yeah your status most of the time.
03:14:19
Speaker
And yet, you act sanctimoniously towards people who have less than you because the only reason they have less than you is because they were born into different circumstances. Right. 90% of the oligarch class probably higher.
03:14:33
Speaker
It's shit they were born into. Yeah. yeah yeah like they they got They got spawned into to like a yellow yellow loop You know, I got spawned with Grey loot. Like, that's, you know, what are you going to Luck of the draw, man. yeah born Born into the oligarch class, born on, not even born on third base, born with the home run already hit, thinking that you're better than everyone else. That's crazy.
03:14:58
Speaker
Yeah, dude. Are you saying 20% on top of the roughly 25% you already have to pay?
03:15:11
Speaker
I mean, I don't have to pay income tax. Fuck it. Charge me income tax. I don't care. I don't know how much, what percentage of what I make gets taken out from taxes.
03:15:22
Speaker
I don't know. It's a lot, but it's clearly not We clearly don't have anywhere close to enough to fund all the shit that we need, which is why society is... Seattle's about to be in a budget deficit, brother.
03:15:36
Speaker
so Like, Seattle, the city of Seattle, the government... Well, we don't... There's just not a government right now, but, like, whatever, man. I don't know. Yeah.
03:15:47
Speaker
But that's it's it it sucks. It just sucks. just Well, this is this is the other thing that, and then I think I'm probably going to call it a night. Yeah, same. The idea that like the societal necessities that I'm talking about, like ah
03:16:02
Speaker
when the oligarch class says that that's impossible to do, like we can't pay for it, we don't have the money, we don't have the budget, that can't be done, and that's why like we don't have that. They're literally just lying to you.
03:16:15
Speaker
They're lying to you. they could They could do everything that we all need to have a better city, a better society. They could do it easily. and So like we we had, I don't know, we had people people in our in in this chat last week uh, doing the, like, how are you going to pay for it thing? We had one commenter in particular on the Katie Wilson. was cooking. He was cooking. He said like 10 comments, but he, he had like a 14 paragraph, 25 K word explanation for why paying for,
03:16:48
Speaker
free childcare for everyone is like impossible. Like it can't be done. Like I, I, I got a secret for for you, brother. It can be done. It can easily be done. Like the idea that it can't be done is, is a lie. It's a total lie.
03:17:02
Speaker
And if you believe an oligarch that tells you that you can't have something like basic quality of life or healthcare care or anything at all, if you believe that when they tell you that you were a chump, you're a sucker,
03:17:16
Speaker
And you're easily manipulated. And the irony of it is those are the people who think that they're the free thinkers and the critical thinkers, but they're the biggest chumps and suckers that there are.
03:17:27
Speaker
That you are, you're being lied to and you lack so much of a capacity to think for yourself that you believe anything that you're told.
03:17:40
Speaker
And that's sad. And it's funny that ah we had people in our comments saying that stuff because
03:17:50
Speaker
it just exposes, it it exposes like, I don't know how, how deluded a lot of people are. I have a, I have a, I have, I'm dead serious Danzig. I'm dead serious.
03:18:03
Speaker
I have a really important thing. They could pay for everything that we need. No problem. Confirms Ron Mamdani is a Sanders fan. Oh, hell yeah.
03:18:15
Speaker
July 23rd, 2020. That's a deep cut. That's a deep cut. I don't know what he's responding to, but... i don't really know.
03:18:30
Speaker
Jeff Colton. I think he's doing a bit. I think he's doing a bit, but like I don't really care. It's really funny. Let's try and get that one taken off.
03:18:41
Speaker
We're going to, I'm going to post. I'm okay. I'm going post an Instagram post about this tomorrow. It's going to pop. Oh yeah. We're going to Seattle Sounders fan elected mayor of New York city.
03:18:54
Speaker
All right. Let's call it a goddamn night. Oh my God. We did. um Thank you for the this last 30 minutes of political power. I love how that went off the rails.
03:19:05
Speaker
it's ah It's funny that the way the the direction that took, I was actually thinking of doing that anyway. like but ah Paul's a tax accountant. Paul, you want to do our taxes? I don't want to do them anymore.
03:19:18
Speaker
No, he's trying to tell us that it's impossible for the government or the oligarch class to pay for anything because of the tax structure. See, that's the that's the thing. i don't care but listen I don't care what you have to say about the tax structure. I want my accountant to hate taxes.
03:19:33
Speaker
i want my account to hang taxes And you know what? You're hired, Paul. if you If you think that ah the tax structure is the reason that like no one has health care in this country, i just don't know what to tell you.
03:19:47
Speaker
Easily manipulated. Easily manipulated. and
03:19:52
Speaker
All right. We're going to call a night on that. Marathon session. Great show. Three hours and 20 minutes. This is under the lights is off the rails at all. under The lights went far off the rails.
03:20:03
Speaker
We spent the last half hour not talking about soccer at all, but I thought it was sick. We still had some good viewers. So yeah thank you all for tuning in. We'll be back at it. I don't know
Conclusion and Call for Continued Dialogue
03:20:14
Speaker
if I'm going to be able to go to the watch party like during the game, but go to. Oh yeah. Guys, there's a watch party. mean, I promoted, but yeah, could promote it again.
03:20:25
Speaker
Are you pulling up the but flyer? Okay. Fast fashion.
03:20:32
Speaker
There you go for the Linda's beer fun. Thank you for the five. Luis, appreciate you. ah Yeah, we'll be firing up the post game live. We'll have to if you guys are going to be doing that from fast fashion, how are we going to do that?
03:20:43
Speaker
I don't know. I'm going to figure it out. I'm not sure if I'm going to do it or not. Worst case, I'll just call in from somewhere. God, dude, why can't i why can't I just pull up this damn picture, dude? I really don't know So, yes.
03:20:59
Speaker
Yes, on the post-game stream. We'll do it. We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. Fuck. Wait, wait, wait. I got it. I got it. got it. got it.
03:21:08
Speaker
Is it? There we go.
03:21:12
Speaker
Watch Party. Saturday, November 8th. Lobbingscorchers.com slash party. Okay, that's that. There you go. There you have it. Fast fashion.
03:21:24
Speaker
1230. And we got a new accountant out of this whole stream, which is great. Oh, did we? Yeah, dude. Paul's our accountant now. Okay, sick. welcome to the Welcome on board, Paul.
03:21:34
Speaker
I might have misinterpreted what what ah what you were saying. Listen, listen we're we're here for open dialogue, communication, challenging of our ideas. At the end of the day, I want my accountant to hate taxes because, you know, they're going to find a way not to pay any.
03:21:51
Speaker
Exactly. all right. Let's call it on that. Good sesh, everybody. Thanks for tuning in. Like the video. Sub to the channel. Rate five stars. We'll see you on a Saturday for postgame round one best of three series at Minnesota United. Let's see. Jake, a joke, Jake.
03:22:07
Speaker
God damn it. I'm out of here. right. guys Love you guys. Peace.