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Bear With Us, Episode 8: We're back - Just in time to hibernate!
78 Plays3 years ago
Will Bruin returns from a long time away from us to record what could be his final podcast with us. Will broke the news that his option was declined, but shared some thoughts on the highs and lows of 2022 and how a season with so much promise ultimately went off the rails. It's definitely worth a listen.
Thanks to Fast Fashion brewery for hosting our recording session!
Musics: "Bumped into Bigfoot" - Bedford; "Cutthroat" - prod. by Syndrome
Recommended
Transcript
Recording at Fast Fashions Brewery
00:00:35
Speaker
Welcome back to another edition of the bear with us podcast with Will Bruin. It's been a while. It's been a long, long time. Yeah. So this is this is exciting.
00:00:45
Speaker
Yeah, so I'm Jeremiah Shan, joined by Will and Lickit, and we're sitting here in Fast Fashions Brewery that is going to be opening up relatively soon. Still isn't open yet, but hey, they were wondering when it was going to open. So yeah, nothing here really to open to. Yeah, but yeah, this will be this will be a fun spot eventually. But for now, it's a it's like a very fancy recording studio. Yeah, it's nice. It looks good. Yeah.
00:01:13
Speaker
A little spurt underdressed. Right. Exactly. I know there is a red carpet. We need a big carpet to come in here. But will it's been it's been a ride this year. Yeah, that's one way to put it. You guys had me. I mean, was that the high? Let's let's relive this. I don't think we've talked to you since you won Champions League. No, no, I don't think so. Was that the peak of your like like was that as good as it gets as a player?
MLS Champions League Victory
00:01:41
Speaker
I mean to be part of a team that's the only MLS team to ever win that trophy. It's that's a first. So that's something that nobody can take away. It's really cool achievement. I think it's really, really powerful of what this group is capable of. And it was a great achievement.
00:01:59
Speaker
And I mean, what was it like being on the field for that? It was amazing from the stands. It was like I was writing something today and I was sort of recounting some of the memories that you build from this thing. You have 70,000 people, you have the reaction to Raul's first goal. You have the light when everyone turns on their phone lights. And it really was like sort of a magical night. Yeah, it was awesome. It was, you know, something that I'll never forget. The whole it's kind of surreal because you don't really in the moment.
00:02:29
Speaker
It's like you don't win. You don't play for trophies really in the middle of a season. Right. So to be able to win that, enjoy that and like just have the packed packed house. The fans were amazing. The game was great. So like no disappointment there. It was just it was awesome. Did your kids stay up the whole time? I don't think so.
00:02:53
Speaker
Definitely not Cohen the younger one. Maybe Liam, but were they there? No, they weren't. OK, was Caitlin there? Caitlin was there. Yeah. So you guys got it like a babysitter. Yeah, we had a babysitter. We had all right, because I mean, that's beginning of the year. I mean, I just the older I get, the more I take it week by week. So that was a lot of weeks ago. Yes, it was. So, yeah, I don't I'm sure they have no idea when I bring it up to them when they're older or they see the little like glass. What was this replica we got?
00:03:23
Speaker
Yeah, that's right. You guys got a nice trophy. You guys got it. It was those glass blown ones. Yeah. So we'll put that up somewhere. And Liam, when he's older, I'll probably be like, dad, what's this? And I'll beg you, you won't remember here. Sit here, son. Let me tell you about my wild story. You turn on the turn on the game and show them. Yeah. Well, let's not forget. We still had to go down and play in Dallas like three or four days later. Right. And you did you start that game? I did. That's that's right.
00:03:50
Speaker
Highlight, that was the highlight of the season. That was the highlight of the week, honestly, probably starting
Playoff Miss and Challenges
00:03:54
Speaker
in Dallas in front of 10,000 people. Yeah, if you're on a good day. Yeah. So the the the yin to that yang, I guess I don't know if that's the right use of yin and yang, but like the opposite side of that coin was you guys failing to make the playoffs. What was the like?
00:04:14
Speaker
What was the feeling, I guess, in the locker room when you- when it sunk in, like, holy shit, we're not- we're not going to the playoffs. For the first time. For the first time. Yeah, it was tough, um...
00:04:24
Speaker
You know, even after that Vancouver game, we were still like, there's a little bit of hope. We just got to win our next two games, um, and then have some help. But you still had that dark cloud hanging over. Like, is there really hope? Um, so, you know, you always question it, but a lot of us we're talking, let's take care of what we can take care of, which is six points out of the last two games. And, you know, we didn't do that, which was kind of.
00:04:48
Speaker
story of the season, um, kind of hurting ourselves a lot throughout the year, but, um, it was tough. It's definitely tough. Was there a sense this, like if we were to pull back and I know there has been a lot of talk about hangovers and the impact, like the physical impact of champions league from your perspective, how, how related were those was that high and that low? Um,
00:05:18
Speaker
Pretty big. But in between then in between the high and the low, there was a lot of time. Oh, yeah. I mean, 20 odd games. Yes. And to me, there's no reason why we shouldn't have made the playoffs. You know, because. When was the finals in April? Something like I mean, you guys played April or did it go into May? You played something like.
00:05:45
Speaker
25 games after the final. OK, yeah. So there's a lot of time in between then. We had lots of multiple chances to get into the playoffs and help ourselves. And we just never really helped ourselves. And was did you think like was there a sense of. I don't know. I like was there a sense that you guys had already achieved what you were going to achieve or was it more like we'll figure it out?
00:06:14
Speaker
I think at the beginning, it was like we won Champions League. It's OK to coast through this next few games. We'll be OK. The longer summer went on. We didn't get great results and we were still like we were still like, we'll be OK. We'll get in the playoffs. This is this is the sounder way. We we have bad stretches, but we always find a way in. So even it got into August.
00:06:39
Speaker
same mentality, I think, from the group. We'll find our way in, but we got to start really turning it on. We're kind of hurting ourselves here a little bit still. We could have had three points here, three points there where we give ourselves a little more cushion, get into September. Same thing. And then, you know, by then it's too late. It's like, oh, there is no more next time. It's it's over. We're not in the playoffs.
00:07:03
Speaker
So there was an immediately after the champions, you said you had the Dallas game, but then you guys went on like a pretty good run. You went six, two, and one. Do you think that gave you a false sense? Was there any sort of like false sense of security that came from that? I won't say false sense of security because I think this team is so talented that we knew what we were capable of, capable of, but, um,
00:07:26
Speaker
Whenever I think about our season and the downfalls of it, not the good, not the good things. I always come back to that three game road trip in L.A., in Portland, in Orlando. And I think before we went on that road trip, we had a home game to Salt Lake. I don't know if it was right before, but it was right before you dropped points there. And those those four games to me are like, that's a that's a tough one, especially, especially on the three games on the road when you're winning every game.
00:07:54
Speaker
And then you get zero points out of those three games. That's that's very hard to come from, come back from on a mental side. You know, I don't think we ever recovered from that. Yeah, you know, the the Salt Lake game, you had Albert scored an equalizer and then like a minute later.
00:08:14
Speaker
RSL came back and scored. I don't know how many times that happened. It happened a lot. I feel like we got scored on a lot right after we scored. Yeah, it happened like three, I want to say it happened three times in your last 10 games, all of them in games where you ended up dropping points. Even the last game of the year against San Jose, we score in 20 seconds, we have a goal of three minutes. That's a good point, Brian, because I didn't think about that really this year, but that happened, the fact that you said that, it happened a lot. And that felt like it almost never happened. There were so many things that happened this year that were sort of
00:08:43
Speaker
just they don't happen. There was the twice you guys blew 2-0 lead in a game, which had literally never happened in Sounders history. You guys lost a few, or you guys didn't hold on to a bunch of leads that you had at home that traditionally hadn't really been happening. There was this thing where, like I said, the goal's coming right after you scored. And it all felt a little bit like maybe
00:09:07
Speaker
You know, we talk about how the margins in MLS are so thin, like the thing that separates even the LAFC and Philadelphia unions and DC United's, you know, the teams at either end of the table is like on any given day, those results can go a different way. And so when you have these sort of small margins, little differences can make a big difference in terms of results for sure. I think, um,
Defensive Struggles and Team Mentality
00:09:32
Speaker
You know, just like you said, switching off, I think the most the most dangerous time, the most important time of a game when a team is dangerous against you is right after you score. So that five minutes after you score, you really have to be switched on. And, you know, you got to have your awareness heightened. You got to get possession and go for a second goal, because that's when, you know, matches can change. Teams give up goals and then they switch on. It probably happened for us, too. You know, so.
00:10:00
Speaker
It's tough. Maybe it was a little bit of a fragile mentality that kind of showed a little bit this year with giving up some soft goals. I feel like in years past, we have been really hard to play against from the whole structure of how our team was lined up. And I feel like this year we were a little loose in that, maybe a little too much.
00:10:20
Speaker
too much separation from back to front across the board. I think we got transitioned a lot, transitioned on a lot this year when historically we transitioned against teams. You know, so it was, it's definitely an anomaly of a year. Yeah. Uh, you know, that, that wasn't, you, you hit on another thing, like the, the number of goals that at the end of the game, everyone sitting there going like, these are not the type of goals we should be giving up. Uh, did it, was there like,
00:10:51
Speaker
I mean, did you feel like there was a talent issue or was this really just a mentality issue that you think kind of started to take hold? Definitely not a talent issue. Definitely having JP not having JP's presence in the middle is tough because, you know, a number six is probably one of the most important positions on the field, I think. So like when when he was there during the beginning of the year and all Champions League, I think ever studied everybody. And I think when he wasn't
00:11:21
Speaker
There was maybe a little unease. People tried to do too much to try to fill the void and stuff. But, you know, it was just we'd never really recovered from that. So at the end of the.
00:11:34
Speaker
end of the last press conference that Brian gave after the San Jose game, he sort of as an aside mentioned the idea that he's always been a players coach, but maybe this year players took advantage of that. I didn't get the sense that it was aimed at like a specific incident necessarily, but was there a sense that maybe some
00:12:00
Speaker
standards had loosened a little bit in one way or another? Yes and no. I mean, I feel like
00:12:12
Speaker
You know, we need to as as a team, we kind of need to police ourselves and organize ourselves and just like. Little things of like, you know, for me, my career, I've always shown up an hour before training, so say nine o'clock for 10 o'clock star. And I think as the year went on, we had guys rolling in at nine thirty nine forty five, just like things like that, that kind of like that that can't happen. And then it needs to be nipped in the butt early. Then the longer it goes on, the longer it
00:12:42
Speaker
It's taken advantage of, but you know, there's no specific incident or anything that comes to mind where I'm like, oh, things are aren't going right. So did you feel like the I don't know. Does it?
00:13:00
Speaker
How much of a problem do you think this is going forward? Is this something that can be fixed? Is this something that's systemic within the organization? Is it something that- It's something that could easily be fixed. I think it's something that
Maintaining Standards and Accountability
00:13:12
Speaker
should be fixed. I don't think, I just think this team has been so good over the years and we've kind of policed ourselves and accountability and that's something that needs to be big in the group, always has been. I think it just needs a little,
00:13:29
Speaker
little kick in the ass a little bit, a little bit of like, hey, wake up, let's get back to, you know, get back to how we used to be, get back to being very good professionals day in, day out, get back to working hard every day. You know, it doesn't matter what we've done in the past, doesn't matter what trophies we won. It's like we need to do it. Getting getting to the top is hard, but staying at the top is even harder. And I think, you know, I think we were there at the beginning of this year, we were at the top, we were at the top of the continent. And I think we kind of just
00:13:58
Speaker
You know, took our get her foot off the pedal a little bit and it showed throughout the rest of the year. And that's I think that's a whole organizational thing. Players front office, everybody. I think it was like a big celebration, which it should be a big celebration to win shamelessly. But it's like, look, we still have a season of MLS.
00:14:14
Speaker
where, I mean, you said DC United, DC United can go to LAFC and beat LAFC. Like that's the margins in MLS. Anybody can beat anybody on any week. So I think we kind of just like mentally turned off a little bit. But, you know, we had multiple chances to write the ship and we just, we just didn't do it this year. So when you look back on this year, though, do you, is your overall feeling one of, what's, what is your overall feeling? Me, disappointment, just because
00:14:43
Speaker
You know, I think not making the playoffs is a big blow. It's a big blow. We've had a lot of successful years, like 13, 13 years running and making the playoffs. So yes, there was good greatness at the beginning of the year. Awesome achievements, unbelievable achievements.
00:14:59
Speaker
But we still had three fourths of a season to play. And we had the talent and the quality across the whole roster to be in the playoffs. And we didn't. So that's something that everybody in the organization needs to look at themselves from top down and be like, why didn't this happen? Because, you know, you let a little complacency creep in. It takes over a lot of things. So I think that's something that needs to
00:15:23
Speaker
you know, be addressed and it will. I'm not. This is a winning organization. It's a winning club. I'm not worried about that. But I think not making the playoffs kind of shining a light on it a little bit. So you've gone through. It's been about a week, I guess, since the or not quite a week, but it's been it's been you've had a few days now since the end of the season. Yeah. What's what's the mood been like so far?
00:15:48
Speaker
Um, you know, it's, it sucks not being able to play, have trainings when the season's over, knowing that how we got a playoff game coming. Um, you know, the weather's getting cooler weather's getting crisper. That's when you love to be training and love to be out there playing and we're not. So that's, that's something that's tough. Um, you know, and I'm sure a lot of guys, everybody should feel the same way. I hope they do. Um, but.
00:16:13
Speaker
It's been a long year. There's a World Cup at the end of this year, too. So there's a lot of things going on this year. So it's just it's a tough situation.
00:16:20
Speaker
So that has been another thing that's been sort of hanging over the season is this strangeness of the international calendar where you had guys getting pulled out at times when they wouldn't necessarily have been pulled out. And then beyond that, just sort of an understanding that you had a handful of guys that were playing for woke up roster spots. Did that have any impact one way or the other?
00:16:44
Speaker
Oh, you know, I don't think so. I think if guys are playing for a World Cup spots, you would think that they would be trying to give everything to make that World Cup spot. So that should roll over into the club. You know, I don't think it's I don't think people didn't.
00:16:58
Speaker
You know, didn't play as well because of the World Cup. But, you know, as a competitor, I'm not in that situation. But guys, some round guys that are these are high professionals, high level professionals. They want to win every game. They want to play their best. So I don't think that was an issue, but.
00:17:14
Speaker
You know, with I think missing guys during international breaks are tough because we're a team. We have a lot of internationals. We have a lot of guys that play for a lot of international teams, whether that's in friendlies or World Cup qualifiers or or whatever it is. It's where we got a high, high level of guys like that.
Personal Reflections and Recovery
00:17:31
Speaker
So what what's next for for Will Bruin? Like, what's what do you what do you have?
00:17:38
Speaker
We're taking the family of Disneyland and nice. So that's about a month away. We made sure that we scheduled it after MLS Cup, which we're coming to kind of one year that, yeah, the one year that we could go earlier. But that's what's next. And then we'll we'll go from there. I think, you know, I was really happy because at the beginning of the year.
00:18:02
Speaker
Coming off my knee surgery in November, beginning of the year, my knee did not feel good at all. I mean, the doctor in Chicago that told me it was going to take like four to six months. So by the time like April, May rolled around, it was way, way better than the beginning. So I'm really happy. I only missed two league games this year.
00:18:22
Speaker
from injury at the very beginning of the year. So I'm happy with how I held up physically, you know, so we'll see what's next. I don't know. I feel like injuries the last year or two have, you know, kind of hindered me. But the fact that that's less wear and tear on my body during those years that I actually now that I had a year of staying healthy, I actually feel pretty good. So longer off season must feel good. Yeah, the older you get, the little better it feels. So, yeah, you guys have a
00:18:53
Speaker
I don't remember who it was, but they sort of like we're outlining the season this year and the training camp supposed to open like January 4th. Yeah. January 4th. And then I think MLS cup is like December 11th on paper. It's the longest, it will be the longest MLS season ever.
00:19:12
Speaker
And we've had some long seasons. Right. So the fact that and then you add Campionas Cup and stuff into it. That's not what it's called. League's Cup. League's Cup. Campionas Cup is essential. I can't keep up with those cups. There's a lot of cups these days. There's a lot more games added to the schedule. So they made the schedule longer, added more games. So rosters are going to have to be deep. So we'll see what happens. What do you make of this League's Cup? You know, it's the league is going to take a break in the middle of the season.
00:19:40
Speaker
And you're going to play a bunch of games against Mexican opponents and against, I have no idea. We'll see, we'll see where it goes. We'll see how it happens. I'm sure it seems to me that league MX and MLS want to become like joint partners or have a good relationship with it. So.
00:19:55
Speaker
You know, we'll see how it goes. I'm sure it'll be good for fans and, you know, fans of both leagues to be able to watch. It'll be fun and entertainment. And I'm sure once you're on the field, it's a whole different piece because if you're playing a different team from a different league, you ratchet it up a little bit. So we'll see how it goes. Do you like I don't know, do you you played? I think you played in League's Cup last year when it was a different kind of League's Cup.
00:20:22
Speaker
Like the format was obviously different. Yeah is the one in Vegas right the one that you guys had the final was in Vegas Does it like the players get up for those games If you get to a final if you get a chance to get to a final
00:20:42
Speaker
I think early in those tournaments, it's like, let's go out and play. See what happens. I don't think it's a blow off and I don't think it's a MLS cup type mentality. I think it's a mentality. It's like we got another game. Let's make sure we're focused, prepare, play well and let the chips fall where they may. So when you talk to other players, are they. Do they like these opportunities to play against League MX or is it more like
00:21:10
Speaker
What are we doing here? I think it's good across the board for the whole roster, because guys that maybe that don't get a lot of minutes, you know, could get minutes in those games, guys that. I mean, it extends your roster one way or the other, whether they're getting minutes there or they're getting minutes in league play. Say next weather and then whether maybe you go first team in those games and then you have a midweek game later and then other guys get minutes. So I think it's good for minutes across the roster and stuff. But I think every player is different on how they view it. So.
00:21:40
Speaker
It's it's a tough one. It's more games. I don't I don't think anybody would be super thrilled to add a bunch more games to already long season so We'll just see how it plays out to be honest.
Concerns for Upcoming Season's Schedule
00:21:51
Speaker
Yeah, the thing I think is so interesting about it Is that at the low end you're gonna have some teams that only play two games and then in behind you're gonna have teams that play seven Yeah, exactly. So that's a
00:22:01
Speaker
That's a big gap. That's a big gap. That's yeah, that's especially once you start throwing in like Open Cup games, Champions League games, Campionas Cup. That's why I said I can't keep up with all these. Club World Cup. These cups. And yeah, Club World Cup. Everything. There's going to be a lot of minutes, a lot of cups. We'll just see. Yeah, I did the math the other day.
00:22:22
Speaker
And there's the possible like if I don't think anyone can do it this year. But in theory, a team could play 63 games. Oh, my gosh, that sounds miserable. I'm tired just hearing that. Yeah. I mean, the rosters are going to have to evolve to accommodate. You're saying we're playing like two seasons in one season. I mean, yeah, theoretically, almost. I mean, almost literally. Yeah. Yeah, that's.
00:22:48
Speaker
Does not sound fun. No, no. And it's and it's and it's like you're squeezing the time for trainings. Like that's a good question. We're just playing a game. You're a region day before game training play region match day minus one play. You're not really getting trainings in. So the guys that aren't playing much. How do you expect them to be fit when they come in and have to play? You know what I mean? Or like how do you expect them to be sharp? That's that's a tough one. I mean, it does seem like it's going to change the mentality around
00:23:17
Speaker
What I mean, it's gonna have to be an evolution of the way teams think about things differently because I feel like right now like if you look across all MLS teams and how they
00:23:28
Speaker
you know, how they manage their trainings and game day prep and everything throughout the league. I would say they're all pretty similar. So, you know what? Teams are going to start thinking outside the box on how they prep guys for that and how guys recover and how players train and how players that aren't playing get extra minutes and things like that. So you bring up a good point there. Do you get wrapped up in the idea of comparing MLS to the game? Me? No, I know a lot of people do, but
00:23:57
Speaker
You know, this is finished my 12th year in the league and where this league has come from my first year to now. The competition is way more on even, you know, even playing field now and like.
00:24:11
Speaker
My first year when we would I remember playing Champions League, we didn't even qualify for the round of 16. So you had to go play the early group stage playing games and all the league teams were pretty sure we're already in the round of 16. And then I mean, it would be a success to get to play a league next year. And now it's now it's like, why can't we go down there and win? Why can't we beat him at home? So I think that's the mentality is kind of shifting there. But, you know, I don't I don't get super wrapped up in everything like some people do.
00:24:41
Speaker
Do are there players that no, I don't think so. No, it's mostly them us probably just you Jeremiah me specifically. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's very true in your chest. Yeah. Right. Exactly. That's what that is. Exactly. It's a tally mark of of and what some wins over League of mechanisms.
00:24:58
Speaker
That's how you gotta roll. Well, I think that's probably a good, we'll take a break. We're gonna come back and talk about maybe some less heavy stuff. Cool. And you're listening to Bear With Us.
00:25:21
Speaker
Welcome back to Bear With Us. We're gonna take some questions from some listeners. I have a few other ones, but why don't we start with a question from a listener like it? Sure. Let's start with a question from MuffinTopModel. What would October 22 will brew until January 22, Brian Schmetzer? Oh, probably.
00:25:50
Speaker
be meaner, you know, have that's a tough one because, you know, you win Champions League and you don't qualify for the playoffs. So it's like, I mean, Brian is such a good coach, such a good guy. I mean, I think maybe because I'm grumpier and older, I think he could be.
00:26:13
Speaker
meaner, just have a little more bite to him. But maybe maybe that's tough. I don't know because he's he's such a good person that you can sit and have conversations with them. But I think if he had a little dickish to him, then it would go a long way with people. Is there someone in the Sounders coaching staff who kind of can play that role? I mean, it seems like if this if you guys lost something last year, it was maybe Gonzo's ability to be. Oh, for sure. Yeah, I think be the bad guy sometimes.
00:26:40
Speaker
When, yeah, Gonzo, when he was here, he was always the one that would shoot it to you straight, tell you how it is, whether that's good or bad, which is what as a player, that's what you want. You respect that. You know, I think him leaving, we kind of lost that a little bit. You know, we have.
00:26:58
Speaker
Freddie and Andy, two newer coaches, maybe they don't want to be as mean or as upfront when you're newer, which I would be the same way. If I was in a new environment, I wouldn't want to get in people's faces right away. But, um, you know, I think that's one thing we kind of missed a little bit as a little bit of that bite from the coaching staff, like somebody that's just going to get in your face. If you, if you don't do it right, preppy has it. Um, you know, if, if you're not doing something right, then if you're not doing something right, then get in their face type thing. But.
00:27:29
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, it seems like one of those things that's also really hard to replace because in some way, like you alluded to, it's like when you're a new guy, it's hard to just like open the door and be like, yeah, for sure. You because when you're when you're new, you're kind of feeling out the environment, seeing how it is. You don't want to you don't want to bust in the doors and be like, hey, I'm here because the people will be like, hey, calm down. So, you know, maybe maybe that all.
00:27:55
Speaker
changed a little bit. I think it needs to a little bit. I think we need more more of that. You know, instead of if somebody does something on the field, instead of being like, yeah, well, that was all right. You could maybe try this. You need to be like, no, this is what I want you to do. This is how it should be. This is what I want out of our system and our structure. And if you don't like that, then we'll find somebody who will be in that. So I think that's what Gonzo brought. And, you know, that's what I would tell January 2022. Spencer.
00:28:25
Speaker
I'm surprised you didn't go with, uh, I'm going to go on a goal scoring streak. So you need to make sure to start me like, Oh, I could have gone that route. I could have gone that route. I should have been like, you know, play me more. Trust me. I'm from the future. Trust me. Yeah. I'm from the future. Believe me. Yeah. Okay. Uh, Nikki. Yes. Inskey asks, does will want the sounders to pick up his option if it would mean playing the same role and number of minutes he played this year?
00:28:54
Speaker
Obviously, I would want to play more, but look, both my kids were born in Seattle. We love Seattle. That's a great place to play. Great place to live.
00:29:07
Speaker
You become a Mariners fan, I understand. Yeah, exactly. It's a real sign that is. Yeah. I mean, I grew up a huge Cardinals fan. Both my parents would go to Cardinals games all the time. I grew up going to St. Louis Cardinals games. But then I kind of drifted away from them. And then the older I got, the more I started to follow baseball, the better the Mariners got from my first day here to now. And, you know, it's I'm kind of like a closet baseball fan now.
00:29:33
Speaker
I feel like you need to stick around 20 more years in Seattle for Mariners. Let's see, Bill Jones, S-T-R-P-T asks, what are your most favorite parts of Seattle culture and what is the most annoying part of Seattle culture?
00:29:49
Speaker
Favorite parts is the beauty, honestly, like the scenery. It's just such a beautiful city, even driving from Seattle to Bellevue, just going over the floating bridge and stuff. It's just like something, I think, not being from here that maybe you could take for granted if you're here and seeing it every day.
00:30:09
Speaker
Most annoying is aside from Jeremiah's Twitter. Now, probably the construction everywhere, to be honest, like you drive anywhere and it's like backed up traffic with construction and blah, blah, blah.
00:30:24
Speaker
Were you ever how close did you ever come to being legitimately late for a game because of traffic? So me, we live pretty close to the stadium. And I'm such like a warrior on that aspect that I always get get there a little earlier. So I haven't. We've had guys that have been late, though. Yeah. Yeah. What's the have you had anything you want to share about someone like
00:30:50
Speaker
Like I know Garth said when the the game that he did the speech, the immortality speech, he basically like slid into it. He like Tokyo drifted into his parking spot and like ran through the interesting. Yeah, he has a whole story about that. I'll ask him about that. Yeah. No, I mean, we haven't had anybody like late where they miss warm ups or anything, but we've had people late from like
00:31:17
Speaker
What time you're supposed to be there because we get we give ourselves like a 45 hour minute window before you got to get changed and ready to go out for more options and stuff. But nothing crazy. No crazy stories for you. Sorry. Oh, it's OK. My favorite story like that, though, was.
00:31:32
Speaker
you I think yeah you must have been here when there was the fry the fry one where he got stuck behind when the this like the fish truck turned over and it was caused like crazy traffic and he actually had to get out of his car and run to the state oh yeah I do it was against Tijuana yeah that one was funny we still made it he did yeah
00:31:54
Speaker
I wasn't here for one where Chad Marshall, I think he ended up getting in like a little car accident and was supposed to start the game and end up not being able to come or play because he had like neck issues. That's right. I wasn't here for that one. So I don't know all the details on that. But other than that, not too many. Fair enough.
00:32:12
Speaker
Well, um, so one of the other things I wanted to get your, your take on today, the, uh, list of finalists for individual awards and MLS came out. There are a few surprises on here. Okay. Uh, we may as well, we won't go through the referees unless you do like, did you, I mean, they shouldn't get a reward. Uh, yeah, no, we won't go through that one, but we'll start from the bottom.
00:32:37
Speaker
the humanitarian of the year, the finalists are Alejandro Bedoya, Kai Kamara, and Brad Steuber. Who's getting your vote? Does it say what they all did throughout the year? Oh yeah, look at some of these things. I think I just made it up. I think Kamara was building schools. They said he built schools.
00:32:54
Speaker
I don't remember a Padoia and it was the other guy. I don't know. I think I think this way, this mostly goes is all the media members vote for the guy that played for their team. Yeah. Okay. We'll just give them all the award there. Okay. Fair enough. All right. This one's coach of the year. Steve Chorendalo, who coached LAFC to the supporter shield, Jim Curtin, who equaled him on points and had a better goal difference, but a loss out on wins and Brett and, uh,
00:33:20
Speaker
Wilford Nancy, who was third in supporter shield, but probably was the biggest overachiever. Yeah, I would probably say, well for Nancy, um, just watching Montreal this year and the style of play and you know, they had, uh,
00:33:35
Speaker
They had a way they wanted to play and they were good at the way they wanted to play. And I thought they were probably the most approved team. Yeah. This is comeback player of the year. I'm a little surprised that neither Nico nor Jordan were finalists. I guess Nico is the one that was actually nominated. But Jeremy, a boba sea, Gonzalo, Iguin and Kai Kamara. My vote would be a boba sea. I feel like he said a quiet.
00:34:02
Speaker
Really good year. He scored a lot of goals. Yeah, he did. And then. Yeah. So that would be my vote.
00:34:11
Speaker
Uh, yeah, the, and I think Egwene came back from not being good. You have to say, what, what did he come back from? Just like the benching. He came back from an injury. So he's a little bit more and Camara, I think just came back to the league. He came back to the league. Basically he was out. I think he was been on the league. Uh, all right. Uh, Emma's newcomer of the year, uh, Thiago Amada from Atlanta, uh, Cuccio Hernandez from Columbus and Jordy Petrovich, the new England goalkeeper. Hmm.
00:34:41
Speaker
Did you actually play against any of these players? Oh, yes, you played against Elmata. Yeah, the guy from Columbus probably came in a little late, but he came in for it. He did score the fine. Yeah, like six and six games or something crazy like to see a little bigger. I'll probably go with Elmata. All right. Because of, you know, call into Argentina and things like that.
00:35:02
Speaker
All right. Well, so this is an interesting one because I'll be honest with you. I didn't know who one of these players was. But goalkeeper of the year, Andre Blake, Drake calendar. You didn't know Andre Blake. Right. Yeah. And Jordy Petrovich. I didn't know two of those players, actually. Yeah. Oh, my microphone.
00:35:27
Speaker
I don't know how. What does Steph have to do to be on there? That's a good question. Honestly. It is a very good question. Steph had actually one of his better years statistically. I mean. Yeah. Especially when like no offense to Drake calendar. Who? Exactly. Like. What? I'm shocked that you. I'll go with Andre Blake just out of.
00:35:49
Speaker
Cross elimination there, but I mean he had a he had a fact that's that's not on there is kind of crazy to me It is crazy, and I don't know what I am with you. I don't know what he has to do to To get on there. I'll note that Miami Gave up 56 goals this year
00:36:07
Speaker
And had a, so it's not like this. You get a goalkeeper of the year award. You get a goalkeeper. So he's on there because he had like a million saves or something. I assume so. Uh, yeah. All right. So this one's defender of the year. Alexander Callens from New York city of sea, Jacob glessness and Kai Wagner, both from Philadelphia. Oh, two of the four on the back line from one team. Um,
00:36:33
Speaker
I guess I'll go with Plusness, but I mean we never played them so I can't really yeah when the play how The players get a vote in this yeah, did you cast a vote? I didn't sound like you did no I did not do how seriously do you think the players that do cast votes take this?
00:36:51
Speaker
Like, are they sitting there? I hate that guy. I'm not going for him. Right. Are they sitting there like pouring over stat sheets or anything like that? I feel like it's more like a first thing come to mind. Yeah. Type of thing. So yeah, that's my impression.
00:37:05
Speaker
Fans football free agency. Yes. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I know that guy. Yeah. I'll vote for him. He's my buddy. All right. This was young player of the year, which I guess is anyone that's 21 and under. So you can win it multiple times. You are not on there. Just missed it. What? Just missed it. That's my six months. Ah, almata from Atlanta, Brenner from Cincinnati and Jesus Ferrer from Dallas.
00:37:29
Speaker
who he did win it last year, right? I think Ferreira did win it last year. So he would probably be the first two-time winner of the young player of the year. I mean, Brenner had a bunch of goals. How many did Ferreira have this year? I think Ferreira maybe had one more goal. They both had a lot of goals, though. I'll probably go with Brenner just because of the step he made from being in the league to this year.
00:37:51
Speaker
All right, so this is the big one, the MVP. We've got Christian Arango from LAFC, who weirdly lost his starting spot at one point. Andre Blake from Philadelphia, Sebastian Drewsey from Austin, Cherito from LA, and Hani Mukhtar from Nashville. Either Drewsey or Mukhtar, I'll probably go with Mukhtar because when we played,
Discussing MVP Candidates
00:38:20
Speaker
Nashville, I didn't play in the first game of the year, but when we went down there, that was my first time like actually playing against him. He's pretty good. He's like, yeah, if you could just tell like smooth on the ball, smart and good pockets, puts up goals and assist, I think like.
00:38:37
Speaker
He's the one player that if you take from their team, they're a completely different team. Yeah. So the whole reason for the MVP is most valuable player. I don't think if you take Chicharito away from the galaxy, they crumble. I don't think if you take Orango away, they crumble. Jerusalem, maybe who was the lake and.
00:38:58
Speaker
Yeah, Andre Blake. Andre Blake. Yeah, and I guess he was the other one. Drew C. Yeah, maybe two, but with Austin, they have a system where they play. I'm with you. I'd probably say Mooktar. Yeah, Mooktar 3 seems like the sort of obvious answer. Are you someone who falls into, that gets caught up in the, like the valuable player part of it, or should this be a best player, like just whoever the best player is?
00:39:23
Speaker
For me, I think it's who's that stuff. Yeah, because each team finishes different in the standings. But for me, it's like who's the most valuable to their team, like who helped their team the most, achieved the most for that for them throughout the year. So for that reason, I'm going with guitar. Yeah. Even though Jerusalem does have argument because they went from.
00:39:45
Speaker
Last year this year and brought him in. Oh, I'm I'm totally with you. I think you are here. I mean, he won the on top of everything else. He won the Golden Boot, but he he just seems like he does so much for them. You take him away. Yeah, exactly. I think he's the one player that if you take them away, they're struggling. Yeah. Yeah. Well,
00:40:06
Speaker
Those are the big ones. I think we wanted to do with you, Will. It's been fun having you doing this show. Yeah, we didn't get to do it quite as we a couple times. We tried to do this in details just in my now. It was the last few years. It's been easier because of not being available on the field as much. So which is a double edged sword, but.
00:40:31
Speaker
You know, it was good to not be able to do it this year because that meant I was right available training all the time. So it's it's fun to get back with you guys and record one. Yeah. And thanks to fast fashion brewing who made their soon to open brewery available to us. Yeah. You can find their stuff everywhere. They also see people are the masonry pizza where we recorded there a few times. So big thanks to them for their help.
00:41:00
Speaker
And of course, Lickit for producing this wonderful podcast. He's probably going to have to adjust your voice settings. I know. I'm sure I've leaned back too many times. Yeah, it's fine. Actually, you turned my mic down a few segments. Right, I was like. Yeah.
00:41:15
Speaker
We got to have him talking over me here. But yeah, this has been it's it's been great. Well, it's been a lot of fun. Hopefully you've one of the things I have really loved and the one of the reasons I first wanted to talk to you is like you seem like you appreciated being in Seattle. Yeah.
00:41:34
Speaker
For sure. And it seems like that's carried through. Yeah, no, it's been. You still haven't burnt out on the silliness of Seattle, even though you were chasing people in. Yeah, that's wild chasing package thieves. Yeah. Have you had to do any more package thief chasing? No, but I've had to shoo people away with a broom, like a broomstick. No, but I see what you're saying. Like I literally had to go down there, like down to the front grass and be like, sorry, you can't build camp here. You know, you got to keep moving.
00:42:03
Speaker
You've literally done get off my lawn, is where you're from. Yeah, so these young kids get off my lawn. Now it's been fun. It's Seattle. It's Seattle, you know. It's good. It's great. It has its words, but on a day like today... Yeah, exactly. I mean...
00:42:19
Speaker
If I'm going to get picky, I guess the haze could go away and the smoke could go away. I would actually start getting fall weather. But, you know, now that's just me. And, you know, I kind of miss the rain. Never thought I'd say it, but I actually know what you mean. I was talking to my wife about that. My lawn is missing the rain, too. I'm like, God, get off my lawn, kids. It needs to be green. You're truly a Seattle nail now. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Well, thank you so much for doing this, Will. This has been bear with us brought to you by Nosanietis.
00:42:49
Speaker
I'm Jeremiah Shan and, you know, hopefully we'll see you next time. We'll see you when we see it. Yeah.