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Seattle Sounders Concacaf Champions Cup opponent REVEALED
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The Seattle Sounders’ 2026 MLS campaign is officially underway with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in Matchday 1. With a trip to America First Field to face Real Salt Lake next on the docket, can the Rave Green finally snap their winless streak in the thriving metropolis of Sandy, Utah? After some injury updates on Jordan Morris and Hassani Dotson, we also discuss the news that Seattle will face a Cascadia foe in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16, then hit our Agenda Check covering the stock of Osaze De Rosario, Snyder Brunell and Jesús Ferreira.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
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.
Contact: lobbingscorchers@justoncemedia.com
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Sponsor Highlights: Full Pull Wines and Hakeson
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based cellar. Not only are they a local company, but they've been supporting independent Seattle soccer media since 2011 and are run by Sounders fans. They offer the best boutique wines in the world to members of their mailing list with special focus on their home, the Pacific Northwest. Their model is simple.
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Speaker
One, they email compelling offers. Two, you request bottles that sound appealing. Three, your wine arrives at their Soto warehouse and is ready for pickup or shipping. Their Soto tasting room is also open to the public. If you're interested in joining their mailing list or learning more about them, visit fullpullwines.com. Hey everyone, Ari here. I'm excited to tell you about one of our sponsors, Hakes and Fermits.
00:00:40
Speaker
Hakeson is a Seattle-based hot sauce and vinegar brand, making some of the most flavorful hot sauce around. We've partnered up to craft a small batch green blended hot sauce fermented to perfection with bright flavor and medium heat.
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Speaker
We love it so much, the label even has our faces on it. You sold out the first batch, so we made another. Visit lobingscorchers.com slash sauce to order and be sure to check out the full line of Hakeson Ferment Sauces, including their limited seasonal flavors.
00:01:07
Speaker
Ari, as a dedicated fashion expert, how do you
Fashion and Lifestyle: Ari's Advice and Podium Store
00:01:10
Speaker
do it? Day in and day out, I see you rocking the best fits. I need your help. Noah, I'm glad you asked. People ask me that a lot, and I can tell you need an upgrade.
00:01:18
Speaker
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00:01:41
Speaker
Located 114th 4th Avenue North, just off Main Street in the heart of downtown Edmonds, come shop and explore at Podium to find all the essentials for the modern Pacific Northwest man. They're open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 6 or Sunday from 12 to 5. Also anytime online at shoppodium.us as well as Instagram at Podium Edmonds.
00:02:04
Speaker
Well sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. Like the scorcher today. Well it's gonna be a scorcher.
00:02:27
Speaker
What's going
Seattle Sounders Update: Recent Game and Upcoming Matches
00:02:28
Speaker
on, everybody? Welcome to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers. We are laying this one down on Thursday evening from the Sounder at Heart studio space in the ID. Noah, we got a lot to talk about here tonight.
00:02:40
Speaker
A game took place in match day one. The Seattle Sounders won that over the Colorado Rapids. They got another game coming up against Real Salt Lake in match day two. Exciting to have games back. What's up, man? How you doing?
00:02:53
Speaker
Doing good. It was a good day today. And honestly, I'm just ready to get this podcast ripping. Yeah, no, I mean, let's ah let's get right into it and rip because we got we got injury updates. We got games to talk about. We got an agenda check to get to. So no sense in delaying it. Let's dive right in, although I am going to delay it real quick and give a shout out to our sponsors, Hakes and Ferments, Podium Menswear, and Full Pull Wines. Also, check out the interview that Noah and J.O. did with Schmetz from Marbella.
00:03:23
Speaker
Great stuff. We dropped that one today. People seem to love it, so go check it out if you have not. And also, I was going to plug the final push to 3K subs on YouTube, but we hit We already hit it before we started recording. So thank you to everyone who helped us get there. We just, we have a lot more subs than I ever thought we would. So that's awesome. And now the road to 4k starts now. So help us get that started. But all right, Noah, let's just ah dive right into it. We got injury updates to start. Obviously Jordan Morris and Hassani Dotson both subbed off of this season opener against the Colorado Rapids with injuries. We got bad news.
00:04:04
Speaker
On one of those fronts, good news on the other. So I'll lay him down and we can react to it. First off, Jordan Morris. Subs off in the eighth, seventh, eighth minute of the game against Colorado. Obviously looked very frustrated, understandably. And it turns out he has what Brian Schmetzer said is a grade 1A quad strain and that he's expected to miss four weeks. So honestly, could have been worse. Could have been lot worse. Sometimes these things could be more like six to eight rather than in the four range. We'll see if he hits the four range. But it's obviously, it's a brutal turn of events because we all know Jordan missed a lot of time with injury last year. He just...
00:04:46
Speaker
was ramping back up, just getting back. You know, you could tell he was so excited to get back to playing again and finally have a clean bill of health. And he gets injured right away. So we obviously feel for him, but Noah, what's your just first reaction to hearing that he's going to be out for the next month here?
Injury Concerns: Jordan Morris and Roster Depth
00:05:03
Speaker
I mean, it it was devastating sitting in the press box, looking down, him going down, and you just heard a collective, oh, no. Like, that's really, like, how it felt. I think everyone felt like that.
00:05:17
Speaker
It didn't seem... Like really bad. He got up and walked off. So I wasn't like incredibly concerned, but it was just one of those where was like, you could tell he was, he was animated. well Yeah, he was animated. And I think the biggest thing for me out of all of this is he has said consistently that last season was the hardest season of his entire life.
00:05:40
Speaker
He has never experienced like the mental part of injury like that. He has never experienced the physical part of injury like that. And I just can't imagine going back on the field. It's your first game back ah for the season. You're like, I'm ready to, you know, perform.
00:05:59
Speaker
Eight minutes in. Eight minutes in and you're you're you're feeling it and you have to go down and get subbed off. That is so shitty. So shitty. like that's That's all I can think. And you know people were jumping to conclusions or or not conclusions, but were jumping to...
00:06:20
Speaker
jumping on me, honestly, about my De La Vega take and saying, well, if you have that De La Vega take, you should have that take about Morris. And like, sure, i agree with you. I don't think you're wrong about that. um maybe maybe Maybe that's a tough thing that we have to confront. But I think in the same sense of your cope, I do like to cope about Jordan because i I do love him as a person. And I do love him as a player. And when he is healthy, he is really good. But no, I think that there is genuinely a question about that of...
00:06:49
Speaker
Yes, it's just a minor quad strain, but that has a lot to do with the like the tact intactfulness of like your knee area and all of these other places in your leg. like It's continued degradation. i think it's a fair question at the very least to be asking.
00:07:10
Speaker
Is he going to be able to continue to perform in that DP role? But maybe that's a conversation for another time. I would like to know your take on that. Yeah, no, and it is a conversation that's not good that is going to need to be had. And you know i'm not I'm not really in the mood to go too deep on that But here's here's where I'm at on that. Here's where I'm at on that because when you factor in the situation with De La Vega 2, you do have a situation, as much as I think both of those players are worth DP spots based on their talent and production track records, you do have a situation where now you're effectively Going into year two of only having one of your three DPs. And that's obviously not tenable. But the way I see it, the situation that you're in is ah what I think they're going to do and what I think they should do is you have to just let this year play out and...
00:08:05
Speaker
Try and get them healthy. Try and get them on the field. Try and get them producing to the best of your abilities. And then let the chips fall where they may. And if you get to the end of this year and it's another situation where one or both of them were not able to play much this year,
00:08:23
Speaker
then I think you're just going to, you will have to assess that as it comes over the offseason. What I don't think they're going to do to the point where I don't even think it's worth talking about is, you know, a lot of people are going to be saying, like, move off De La Vega or move off Jordan Morris. They're just, they're not going to do that. Like, when it comes to Jordan, that's just not how they do business. Like, the idea of them. They can't. move they They can't, but also they wouldn't and won't. So it's pointless to talk about. And then with De La Vega, I don't, like, we we went back and forth about that ad nauseum last week. I don't think they would do that unless they get some sort of God offer, which they're not going to get because he's been dealing with so many injuries. So really, they are in a situation where they have to just let it play out for this year. And that is unfortunate because obviously it there is a feeling like that the team ceiling is handicapped when two out of your three DP players are unavailable this much. At the same time, they are thankfully set up better than most to deal with absences like this, which is what we saw last year when De La Vega missed extended time and Jordan missed pretty much the whole year. And they still managed to finish top five in the West and also win League's Cup with what they have. Like, that's one of the beauties of this roster right now is the depth of it. So, yes, obviously you want...
00:09:38
Speaker
You want all three of your DPs playing, but the way I look at it, this team can still compete and can still contend for everything that we want to see them do this year with the guys that they have. And that is a unique situation, I think, among MLS clubs. Like, it is weird to be to be saying that. like oh, two DPs are going down, but I still have full faith that they're going to be able to contend for all these trophies this year.
00:10:00
Speaker
I mean, you know, we saw it in match day one. Look what Paul Rothrock did. I know it was the Colorado Rapids, but, like, the fact that they have a guy who they can put in and play like that, that's not every team has that. This team does have that. So it just – it is what it is, man. It sucks. I feel for Jordan. I'm honestly, like, just – I'm gutted for him more than anything because you like – We all know how much outside of anything else, we all know how much ah he loves this club and wants this club to succeed and how much he wants to contribute to that. And it's just sad to that he hasn't been able to do that over the last year. ah But as far as how it changes or affects the calculation for this year, it doesn't. You just try, you try and get both of them healthy. Once they do get healthy, you get them ramped up and try to get them to contribute as much as they can. And if you're unable to do that, then it's next man up. Paul Rothrock looks good to go. Georgie Manungu is going to have to step up. Paul Areola is coming back. So that's just basically the situation. But it it sucks, man. It sucks. I think exactly what you said in the this handicaps the ceiling. It does like that. There's no doubt about the fact that this is a handicap to the ceiling of this team.
00:11:11
Speaker
Does it make them unable to win things? I don't know. Handicaps the ceiling and in in terms of like the level that we saw them in Leagues Cup last year with De La Vega going at full capacity.
00:11:24
Speaker
Can they really reach like that that level if he's not playing or if d or Jordan's not playing or one or both of them is not playing? But like does it handicap their ceiling as far as their ability to like go win CCC or go win Leagues Cup with what they have? I think they can still they can still make runs at those. We'll see what happens, but I think they have enough to be able to make runs at those, even if they can't now hit their top, top level.
00:11:45
Speaker
I think the biggest point of all of this is like, there are ah this is why we talk about it doesn't matter even having the conversations of like, oh, this person should be starting over that person or that person should be. This always happens. Every single year, you literally, that you called this. 10 minutes. Honestly, is kind of your fault. This is literally your fault. Less than 10 minutes into the year. Less than 10 minutes into the year and we're already like, well, it's Osase.
00:12:13
Speaker
Osase, buddy. give Paul Rothrock. Paul Rothrock, buddy, get ready to start. Like, welcome to the team. um i I hate it.
00:12:23
Speaker
I hate it, Ari. I hate it. I hate that we have one DP healthy. I hate that Jordan goes down for seemingly something that there was no contact. It just it just all fucking sucks. Like, I just...
00:12:35
Speaker
I just want it would be nice it would be nice. It would be nice to have three DPs with the durability of Albert Rusnak. That's all I'm saying. It would be nice to have three DPs with the durability of Albert Rusnak. And I want to circle that all the way back around to anyone who ever talks shit on Albert Rusnak.
00:12:50
Speaker
At least he's durable. Everyone should be feeling grateful for him right now. because Knock on wood. Can we knock on wood? like Yeah. like yeah We can't go down three DPs.
00:13:03
Speaker
No, no. I mean, ah you know, if there's any team that would challenge that, I guess it would apparently be this team. But I mean, look, man, like Paul Rothrock looks like a beast against Colorado. Paul Areola is coming back.
00:13:17
Speaker
Got Georgie at that position. So obviously it's not ideal, but you do. You still have Albert Rusnak out there. And also, this is another thing I was thinking about this with this in particular. Once again, i will say.
00:13:31
Speaker
Thank God they traded for Jesus Ferreira. Thank God. god Because you it's essentially like you actually are back up to two DPs. Yeah, no yeah you have two dp yeah you had four, yeah you lose two, and now you have two. like But imagine the situation. They would be in such a worse situation if they didn't have him, who, by the way, has been... And Christian Roldan, by the way, because Christian Roldan is a DP on any other Exactly, exactly. and hey But Jesus Ferreira, aside from ah just being in general a really good player for this team last year,
00:14:02
Speaker
48 appearances, all comps. Really super durable, always available. So just thank God he's on the team. Next injury update. This is better news. This this is better news. This is good news. This will be a little pick-me-up after that. Hassani Dotson, not in concussion protocol. Not concussed. Fully available, ah full was in full training this week, fully available on on Saturday at Real Salt Lake. So that was welcome news after he had to sub out. I had a feeling that was kind of more precautionary yeah than anything serious, but it was good to have that confirmed. Hassani will be, I imagine, in the starting 11 on Saturday. So I was happy, I was very happy to see that. If he had even, like, you know, if he had even had to miss just this week,
00:14:44
Speaker
That would have been a bummer, especially because... It was in the 98th minute of the first half of the stoppage time. And also, i was I was very pleased with ah how he looked. Again, match day one against the Rapids, caveat acknowledged. Okay, I get it. he He looked like, I think, the player that we were hoping that they were getting. So that was good to see. I think that was my highlight of week one is I had been praising him in preseason and that like that paid off. Also Osase, like I know he didn't make waves on the literal score sheet, but he was playing this really well. He was playing with, sorry, apologies. We're going to get to that. But like, yeah, just having Hassani back. I think he's going to be such a big piece like oh yeah to this entire team in this entire year, especially if Christian gets call-ups in this next FIFA window. Get ready to learn Hassani Snyder B. ah
00:15:39
Speaker
I'm just saying and I'm happy to learn. I'm okay with that. Like I fully I have full trust in Hassani Dotson. I've had full trust in Hassani Dotson since we signed him. Like that's what I really like about what this where this roster is at right now is it's like I feel like you know obviously the injury situation with the DPS sucks but I feel like whenever someone goes down I'm like excited to watch the guy who's stepping up. sure Whereas a lot of times especially in MLS you get in that situation where someone gets hurt and you're like oh god. Oh. That guy has to go in. This is going to be bad. Like, I don't feel like that with this team. Like if Snyder B has to play, I'm like, I'm actively hyped on that, which that, that, that is like, that's where you want to be depth wise is having guys be feelings like that, who you're like, okay, this guy is ready. And I have full confidence that he's going to be able to step up and do the job. I feel all that way about Snyder B. I feel that way about Hassani Dotson. We'll see about Petkovic, but I think they're in a good spot in that way.
00:16:37
Speaker
Completely agree. ah All right. there was That was your injury updates. ah Next news item before we before we hit our agenda check.
CONCACAF Champions Cup: Sounders vs. Whitecaps
00:16:47
Speaker
Noah, CONCACAF Champions Cup. Ever heard of it? I've heard of it. I think from what I Correct me if I'm wrong. The only major league soccer team to ever win this tournament is the Seattle Sounders. Correct me if I'm wrong there. In 2022, they will be playing in the round of 16 this year because they got a first round by famously for being a Barca boys and getting spit on in the league's cup final. But now we know who their opponent will be in the round of 16, which we kind of knew. We knew who it was going to be pretty much the whole time. But now it's official.
00:17:22
Speaker
Vancouver Whitecaps, Cascadia Derby in the ah Concaf Champions Cup round of 16. Which i think is funny. The trip from Seattle to Vancouver is shorter than the the home game that we'll play. yeah Driving from here to Vancouver is shorter than significantly here to Spokane, which I think is yeah genuinely hilarious. ah Sorry, I jumped the gun on that one. way one of the One of the legs is going to be in ah in Spokane. Lobby Scorchers is going. We'll see you all there. Yep. I'll the Vancouver one too. But ah let's talk let's talk about what we think of this matchup against the Whitecaps because it's another MLS team, but it is one of the better and MLS teams. This was the best team in MLS, honestly, for a lot of last year. They kind of didn't end up at that level by the very end. They didn't put up all that much of a fight in MLS Cup against Inter-Miami.
00:18:11
Speaker
But they made the CONCACAF Champions Cup final last year. And honestly, more than like the the CCC run they made or the MLS Cup run that they made, the level of footy that they were on was very, very high. Very high.
00:18:25
Speaker
So now let's but let's talk about you. We think are they still at that? level Because I have my questions about that. They beat RSL, who Seattle's about to play, only 1-0 at home at BC Place in their first MLS match of the season. That was one of those 1-0s that probably could have been like could it could have been worse. But like I didn't feel like they looked at their 2020-25 levels necessarily in that game or in their ah ah CCC series against Cartagena. Cartagena? Yeah. they they they didn't They only won that 2-0, and that was on two second-half goals in the second half of leg two. So they were 0-0-ing into the 60th minute of the second leg. Does that mean anything? Do you think that this is not the Whitecaps team of last year, or should Seattle be ready to take on the juggernaut that we saw this team perform at last year? I still like the Caps, but I do think that they might have used up all of their juice last season. Okay, that's kind of how I feel. and And I think, for me, they got that second half of the year boost from the from the mu Mueller signing. Yeah.
00:19:35
Speaker
I don't think he's bad, but I was always saying he was a penalty merchant, which he was. He got most of his goals from penalties last year. a lot of his value was vibes. Yeah, but exactly. And I think... Maybe they're slow rolling vibes.
00:19:48
Speaker
And I've just got to be honest. If we're going based on solely vibes, I'm giving it to the Sounders. Like the Sounders have way better vibes right now than the Whitecaps. The Caps had them last year. They had had them last year. They had momentum. They had the vibes. They had theydy even had the play, genuinely. Like we were both really big fans of the 2025. We were fans of the 24 Caps, if you remember. Like we were like, this is a sleeper team. Like they have guys. But I think I'm like not even scared.
00:20:20
Speaker
I'm not even concerned about this for the Sounders. Like this to me, and maybe maybe i will maybe I will eat my words on this, but like I feel like this is going to be two wins. I don't know if I'm fully there as far as like not concerned. Really? Well, I do still think that that it's an upper tier, one of the better teams in MLS. And I definitely, there are some teams that could be going ah into a CCC series this. I'd more scared of like Philly.
00:20:47
Speaker
This year's Philly? or Yeah, I'm more scared of this year's Philly. Interesting. So you're pretty down on on where the caps are. Because think about this. Think about this. Think about this, right? you're You're technically playing two away games. Sure.
00:21:00
Speaker
But like the travel distance, you go there all the time. Like, you know, Vancouver, like the proximity doesn't scare me. i Maybe this is to all bite me in the ass, but I just like I genuinely don't. No, mean, it's how you're feeling. Yeah, like everyone has their own. Yeah, everyone has their own feelings on like when you go into a game or go into a series. Yeah. How nervous, how scared are you? It sounds like you're not.
00:21:26
Speaker
that nervous. I'm honestly, i'm I'm kind of on the same page. i'm I'm not nearly as nervous as I would have been if this matchup was last year when they were ripping up the whole league. I do think they have started a little bit slowly. Thomas Mueller has been really good for them. He's brought a lot of vibes for them.
00:21:44
Speaker
Do I think that at age 36, he's going to be single-handedly dominating a two-leg series? Maybe, but I don't know. Depends how new he plays. But I will say, like they this they still have a lot of... you know Brian White, he can hurt you at any moment. And then also, they still have Sebastian Berhalter, who, I mean, you you did see it in that last series. I mean, this guy, he's honestly he's pretty electric, man. Dude, he's so good. He really, like... He's good. ah He has the kind of... kind of comp him in Obed sometimes. I think they're a little bit similar. But he almost has more physical gifts to his game. Yeah, I see that. His speed and his power. But with the technical ability as well. And then he can score bangers. He is an excellent player. So a guy like that always has the quality that can hurt you or get at you in any given moment. And they do have those guys. I do think that Seattle's defense, they should be able... If they play to the level that we think they can play, they should be able to handle it. But I think it is a hard task to handle. I don't know. The way that... maybe we can tail this into...
00:23:01
Speaker
other stuff, but like the way that Jackson and Yamar and knew who and Alex were playing in that opener. I'm like, yeah, whatever, man.
00:23:12
Speaker
Like we're good. We're good. We've got Jesus Ferreira and we've got Osase and we've got Paul and we have these pieces. Like I was never worried about the attack and I'm now after that small sample size, it's the Colorado Rapids. I get it.
00:23:27
Speaker
But even for playing the Rapids, that defense looked great. on fire and to me that's going to be the most important thing in this series yeah i'll put it this way i think seattle is significantly better than the costa rican team that white caps just played and the white caps were they were having some trouble scoring against that team i honestly would have been more concerned playing the costa rican team because you have to go to costa rica right And like the Whitecaps, like they're ex-G merchanting a bit. in like
00:23:58
Speaker
they've only They only scored one goal against RSL, and they only scored two against Cardenas. I don't know I'm saying this. sure They only scored ah two goals at the very end against the Costa Rican side that they were playing.
00:24:14
Speaker
But they probably could they like it was a situation where they should have had a couple more with like better luck or variance or whatever. But still, it it was not like last year. They were absolutely like demolishing people and they know they did not yeah did not look they haven't quite like that. haven't heated up. Quite like that. They haven't heated up to that level. I'm not going to say that they're not going to get there this year because they haven't really had crazy turnover.
00:24:39
Speaker
But it's like that same thing with playing in CCC in those early stages. It's always a coin toss, man, because teams, they're just starting to ramp up. They're just starting to ramp up. yeah They just got to preseason in Marbella when we got there. The Sounders had been playing for earlier before they started, so...
00:25:02
Speaker
I'm just saying, i think we have a good chance. I'm i'm not goingnna i am not going to say that it's 100%, feel very confident. Yeah, usually what what happens in these two-legged series where you're going a full 180 minutes plus stoppage, the team that has more talent, the team that is better, usually ends up, not always, but usually ends up winning out. I do think that this Sounders team has more juice right now than Whitecaps. But, you know, like you said...
00:25:35
Speaker
Caveats acknowledged could end up backfiring, but I think the confidence that you're describing that's I feel maybe not quite that confident but closer to that than I do like terrified, you know, if yeah like compare this to how you would feel if they were having to play LAFC right now or even messy and yeah, some of us like i i don't even I don't even think I would be terrified by those matchups, but I would be like, all right, I mean, this is a tough. This is tough. This is a 50-50 toss at absolute best. Like, if anything, LAFC or Inter-Miami would be the favorites in those scenarios. Seattle's the favorite in this scenario. so I just think, too, like, Paul Rothrock said this in an interview that we did with him. He was like... We did so well when we went on our long road trip last time. There's like this mentality thing. They know they're going to be on the road. All they're doing is locking in and focusing on football. They're not home. They're not doing this stuff. They're going... Like, there is this piece of the road dog mentality that I think the Sounders have, and I think that plays in their favor. And I think what even plays in their favor more is like Vancouver is
00:26:43
Speaker
essentially home to it's essentially Seattle to like it's not far away. it doesn't ever feel like getting there is never stressful. Like there's all of these things where they were playing like Nashville or Miami or l L.A. like that's a farther distance. That's like that feels a little scarier.
00:27:01
Speaker
And then they're going and playing in Spokane. and like Most of these guys have played these Cascadia games a billion times. What are they going do in Spokane? They're going to play football. They're going play soccer. like That's that. like I think they're set up incredibly well for success in this series.
00:27:16
Speaker
Yeah, I feel pretty much the same way, but I am a little wary of any team that's got Tommy Mule on it, any team that's got Brian White. ah Sebastian Berhalter's a demon. like he You guys will see if like you didn't watch a lot of Whitecaps last year. like This guy is legit. like He has very much earned his USMNT stock. don't understand why he... could i think he i don't understand why he is not going to Europe. like Maybe it's because he's a little older than you know Obed's generation. Berhalter's more like 23, 24. But I mean, this guy is... He's unk. He's 23 and 24. I mean, well, for overseas teams, that's kind of how they look at it sometimes. But like this guy is an absolute elite...
00:27:59
Speaker
ah number six, number eight kind of player in MLS. The thing is, I think he's too good for the championship and he's too good for like a lower table like French team or like, like I think he's too good for the Eredivisie.
00:28:14
Speaker
like Maybe I'm like a really good Eredivisay team. I really rate him. like like No, I'm on the same page as you. I rate him a ton. I love Berhalter. I love that whole team. We've both been Brian Whiteheads. We've both been Berhalterheads, both of them. and it's just yeah like like they have a fun This is be a fun matchup. Because we haven't gotten to play Tommy Mule yet. It'll be fun to watch. like I like Seattle's chances, but like they're they're gonna it's not gonna be this is not going to be like a blowout situation. I'd be very surprised. like This team's going to give Seattle a game. They're going to push them. They're legit. They are a really good upper-tier side in this league right now. like And you can tell when you watch them play. like they are They are on a high level.
00:28:56
Speaker
Do you think, okay, this is completely transitioning, but because we previewed this game, we might as well just touch really quickly on Real Salt Lake. Yeah. Are we finally going to do it? um just Are we finally going to do it? Are we finally going to go in and win in Salt Lake?
00:29:11
Speaker
I am just never going to predict that because here's the thing about this whole shout out, Caleb. Here's the whole thing about this whole RSL inability to win their thing is it's not related to the team, the quality of the teams. No, this RSL team, I'm going to look this up real quick and read you some names, but like the lineup that they threw out there in Vancouver,
00:29:34
Speaker
I did not... Let me read you these. Let me read you these. But there is no way that you can tell me that this RSL roster and this RSL team is even in the ballpark They're doing money laundering. Like they're doing, like it's a scam. There's no way that you can tell me they're close to on Seattle's level in terms of the talent they have on their roster anything else.
00:30:02
Speaker
But in the past, that hasn't mattered. Because they play like, this is this the Real Salt Madrid. All right, all right, here here we go. kent have you I'm to read you some names yep and tell me if you've ever heard this name. okay Sam Junqua?
00:30:18
Speaker
Was he a white cap at some point? I have heard that name. He's old. He's, he's old. Oh, he is. He is. You're right. Yeah. Oh, okay. He's been, he's actually been around a little bit. Dynamo, Dynamo FC Dallas. That's what I, that's a dynamo.
00:30:33
Speaker
That's a good pull. Cause i I, do know him, Sam John Kuo. I do know, but that's, that's like, that's like sick ocean. shit What about Luca Moisa?
00:30:43
Speaker
No, I don't know who that... that's No, that's the character from... seven that's the No, that's the character from the Disney movie. Dude, there's literally... You can't see it on his laptop, but this is literally like 12-year-old. He looks like he's 13, and he was starting for them in Vancouver. How about Noel Kaliskan? That's not a guy.
00:31:03
Speaker
That's not a guy. noel That's AI generated. They're AI generating people at Real Salt Lake. What about Zach Booth? Oh, I know Zach Booth. he was ah Born 2004. He was like a prospect guy. Bot guy?
00:31:18
Speaker
i think he i think he might have been a bot guy. Where did he come up from? He is a Real Salt Lake homegrown. Okay, yeah. Where has he played? He was in the Eredivisay, I guess? That's right. He was an Eredivisay guy. I've heard of him. I've heard of Booth. He's a Bach guy, I'm pretty sure. Anyway, he's like 17. He was also in their starting lineup. What about this guy? Ariath Pial?
00:31:42
Speaker
twenty No, one not sure I'm not sure of that guy. Anyway, you got you get the idea. The lineup that they put out... You have to be like deep in the mud of U.S. soccer development. Every name that I just put out there is a name I've...
00:31:53
Speaker
barely seen or never seen. yeah and to be an MLS player that I have barely seen or never seen, that's hard to do. And they had like five of them out there in Vancouver. yeah They only lost 1-0, but like that is the type of team we're talking about right now. They do have a new like big money, kind of big pedigree DP who didn't play in that game, who might maybe play in this game. But even if he does, it's his first game with the team. He's playing with a bunch of 17-year-olds that we haven't heard of. there is Dude, where's DeGaluna? If seattle Seattle puts out their same lineup that they put out against the Rapids with Rothrock instead of J-Mo, and I don't even care if Snyder B's out there or Hassani Dotson, their lineup is going to be way more experienced, way more talented, have way more pedigree than what RSL is going to be putting out there. And I say all that...
00:32:43
Speaker
to emphasize that they're probably going to lose, man. Like, that is just, like, how it goes at America First Field. America First Field. You can't get out of there with a win. Yeah. I don't... I'm going to be investigating it. would love to be able to tell you guys why that is.
00:32:59
Speaker
i think it's... I imagine it's a hard place to play because elevation, but they've been able to win away at Colorado over the years. Yeah. So that's never explained it to me. RSL is... Mormon Magic. Yeah, Mormon Magic, they have a very good home field advantage. No matter how bad their team is, they always seem to play well at home. So it's not just Seattle who struggles to win there, but Seattle seemingly can't win there.
00:33:21
Speaker
But even this game coming up on Saturday, even more than in the past, Seattle's going have a huge, huge talent and experience advantage on on this team. And i don't I still don't trust them to to win. I don't. like If I had to actually predict the result for this game,
00:33:39
Speaker
My prediction would be that they go ahead and it looks like they're going to win and then they somehow blow the lead. Not because of anything about either of the teams, frankly. Do you see a red card? There could be a crash-out red card boys sighting. They managed to make it out of match day one without the crash-out red card boys surfacing. We're all very proud of them for that. But I can't get there with predicting them to ever be RSL on the road. They're going to find some way to either draw or lose this game. I think I agree with you. it's going to be a draw. Like, I think it's going to be a draw. It's going to be draw, too. They're going to be up 2-0 the second half. It's going frustrating. It's going to be so frustrating. I think this game will be frustrating no matter if they win, lose, or draw. Like, that's just always what it is when we go there. But I will say I'm going to America First field. Yeah, yeah. I am going to investigate. Yeah.
00:34:26
Speaker
I'm going to try and film some things. I'm going to see if there's like a power plant nearby or what kind of like how close the Mormon temple is. Like what's going on?
00:34:37
Speaker
Why is this happening? Because like there's something awry at America First Field. There's something awry. If they win, I think they should do a Gatorade dump on Schmetzer. I fully agree. If they're ever going to do it, this is it. This RSL team is stripped to the bones. They're like in transition. There are 16 and 17-year-olds out there that neither of us even know who they These are dudes are playing games in between drivers and classes. If team... with all like with Yimar and knew who in the, in the role dance, Paul Roth rock, and this version of Osase, if all those guys can't go out there against this ah RSL team and, and get this done, get it over the line, then I don't think it'll ever happen. Like this is basically, this is going to determine if they ever can win there. And if they don't win this game, then I think it's just never going to happen. It's just never going happen. So it's never gonna happen hopefully God willing, they can spare us another it's they're my least favorite games to watch. No, they suck every time. It's just the worst viewing experience. And they always just give up these goals that are just like, ah you like, you know, they're coming. yeah Oh my God. It's going to be like Andrew Thomas kicks the ball and the wind somehow blows it back into the goal. Like it's just like, this is pretty sure. Yeah, more had an own Snyder Brunel style own goal yeah but where he just absolutely roofed it into his own. It's just that shit always happens at America first field. There's something awry, I'm telling you.
00:36:08
Speaker
Which, Rio Tinto was actually a good name. They went from that to the stupidest name in the league. Listen, okay, Alexi Lawless invested, and they had to, you know. You're going to have to let us know what find down there. I will. All right, we're going to take an ad break, and then we're going to be right back with our agenda check.
00:36:28
Speaker
Welcome back from the ad break, which you definitely did not skip any ads. If you if you skipped an ad, I'm sending you to the Italian third division, the Serie C, to Alcione to watch some of the worst football you will ever watch in your entire life. You just turned on my Siri by saying Serie A. Serie A. So, yeah. Anyway, all right, let's get into this agenda check, Noah. We're gonna we're doing a little bit of a speed episode here tonight, so we're going to this agenda check, and then we're going call it a day for this episode of ah of Lobbing Scorchers. I got four agendas written down here. to it these are i think these are all, like...
00:37:05
Speaker
Not new ones. They're ones that we're checking in early in the season. Early in the season. Well, and we we got it. I think it's worth the ones I have. I thought we're all worth. All right. Like we after we have now have a game now. Yep. We have a game now where we saw the team play so we can take a little stock check on these. First one I got here.
Player Spotlights: Osase De Rosario and Snyder B
00:37:22
Speaker
Noah Osase De Rosario as the starting number nine. This agenda is actually apparently a Brian Schmetzer agenda. But we all saw what happened in preseason. He won the starting job. Like there's just there's literally no debate or argument about it. If he had not been starting against Colorado, it would have been a front to everything that this coaching staff preaches about competition and earning your spot in training. He earned it. ah So we got our first look at it against Colorado. And I think I said this on kickoff, but the number one thing I was.
00:37:50
Speaker
looking for in the Colorado game that would have made me the most intrigued and excited about the rest of the season would have been like, you Osaze great performance, but also like an Osaze goal. Like yeah if he went out there and matched day one and scored off rip after the preseason that he just had, I would have been like, all right,
00:38:09
Speaker
Yeah, we got a guy. It's on. We got a guy. It's on. Sell the U22s. We found him. He's about to blast 15, 20 goals. like This is about to be crazy. And so he did he did not score in the game. So I did not get to feel like that.
00:38:25
Speaker
But I'm interested to hear what you thought of his performance because I actually, I was telling Nico, I came out encouraged about the whole notion of him being the starter, even though he didn't end up scoring ah because of...
00:38:39
Speaker
his all-around game and kind of how the offense looked with him as one of the focal points. He's the one who picked up the ball after Yamar bullied both Paxton Aronson and Darren Yappie. Yamar bullied them both within two seconds of each other. That was awesome. But Osase is the one who picks up that giveaway from Paxton Aronson. He springs Jesus Ferreira on the break, and then Jesus Ferreira... I believe he got a second assist for that. He did, yes. Shout out secondary assist. Osaze gets the secondary assist for springing Ferreira. Ferreira hits Rothrock. They finish off the counter. But just what he did on that play, dropping back to pick that ball up, then springing the counter, that was...
00:39:23
Speaker
Great. Like that is an example of the type of stuff he can bring to that position that, you know, I'm, I'm the moose defender. I'm, I'm the moose guy. That doesn't do that. Moose is not at the very least. It's not his style. At the very, it's not bad thing. At the very least, Osaze brings much more of like, you know, I think moose can hit a pass to spring a counter.
00:39:41
Speaker
and But Osase is going to put himself in those spots more often. He's a better facilitator than Moose is. He's more athletic than Moose is. He's faster than Moose is. he just He's a very much more well-rounded player than ah than Moose. And lot honestly, he brings a lot more of a like for like, I think, to ah to to george Jordan Morris than Moose does. But Osaze, like the fact that he had that sequence that led to a goal, but also how he was playing with the rest of the attack in that game, the fact that it was a very comprehensive attacking performance, even though he didn't score, combined with the preseason he just had, i he didn't score, but I came out of that like, no, He he needs to keep starting. like yeah The fact that he didn't score did not dissuade me from that at all. like
00:40:27
Speaker
Keep him back out there. Keep running him. The goals are going to come, and it could add like a whole new even dynamic to this attack. I completely agree with you. I've i've been on board. i loved his play. This was...
00:40:39
Speaker
What he did on that pass to Jesus Ferreira was exactly what we were seeing in preseason. was It wasn't just the goals. No, it wasn't just the goals. He is becoming a genuinely well-rounded player with like taking steps forward that like should not happen in one offseason or a few-month period. like He genuinely turned into a monster in the offseason. Yeah.
00:41:05
Speaker
Another time, he made a run on the outside ah on the on the outside right position. was the exact same way he scored two of the goals in preseason. He beats his man and pushes him wide just like a classic like Jordan Morris goal.
00:41:19
Speaker
The defense does recover, so they did a good job defending it. I'm sure that they saw some of the clips from preseason. and like Genuinely, I think the they just did a good job to defend it, but man, there's going to be opportunities like that. He beats his man, he cuts in, and he drills it in the top corner. like I love what I have seen from Osaze.
00:41:38
Speaker
I, in my fantasy, I started him as my nine, like because I was like, dude, this I put him next to Denny Bawanka. And I like genuinely, like I know they're not the same player, but I'm like, man,
00:41:52
Speaker
He's got the physicals, he has the technicals, and now he has the mentals. i see I see a bright future. I see a very bright future. And honestly, it just continues to make me happy that we didn't sign that Noah guy.
00:42:11
Speaker
Yeah. The Noah guy. Yeah, your namesake who spurned the Seattle Sounders. He's a god too good for that. Now can't get off the bench. Now can't get off the bench. He doesn't get off the the bench of the reserves. But I was very... Noah Ohio. i was I was happy to get to...
00:42:27
Speaker
the end of a game where he didn't score but still feel that good about the performance. I was like, that's a good sign. yeah That's a good sign. That's what you want to see. like He was still important to the game. Very, exactly yeah exactly. Very important to the game, important to the functioning of the offense. You can see the ah dynamic traits that he can bring. So i'm I'm excited to see what he can do at America First Field. like i think A lot of the guys on this team, they haven't been a part of the the recent history at America First field. Osaze, he doesn't care about that. i don't think That's what i love about him, too. Paul Rothrock, he hasn't been that much of a part of of all that. Snyder B hasn't. Hassani Dotson hasn't. like that I'm hoping that the ah these guys...
00:43:14
Speaker
who have not played a lot at RSL, who don't have the ah dark and tormented history at that stadium, hoping that that can be what gets the Sounders to ah to victory this game. I'm so excited for Osadier Rosario. Stock's up. Stock is up. This agenda's still hot. He didn't get a goal, but he does have coming he's got an assist on the ledger. The goals are going to come. I bet you in the next three matches, he will get a goal, whether it's CCC, the all comps, the next three, he's getting one.
00:43:44
Speaker
At least one. At least one. Because I do think that he did get pretty close to scoring against the Rapids. And we saw what he was doing in preseason. And he was recklessly jumping. and he careless Carelessly jumping. God, carelessly jumping.
00:43:57
Speaker
I swear to God, dude. like if you Okay, comments. Would you buy a carelessly jumping t-shirt? i Let us know. I am going to carelessly jump into the Puget Sound if i if you anyone ever talks to me about careless jumping. Again, like i can't with the careless jumping.
00:44:14
Speaker
Next agenda. Snyder B. Okay, got in the game when he wasn't expecting to. Hassani Dotson comes off with the with the head injury. he's He's not in protocol, so he's going to be playing on Saturday. But Snyder B gets his first action of the season. I've been i've been the the Snyder B guy dating back to last season. And honestly, man, I am ah just as much the Snyder B guy after that. But I think the the thing the thing with Snyder B, the barometer that you want is like – When he's starting or when he has to play, is the level going to... Is he going to be replacement level or is he going to be able to actually excel and put the team on the same level as it is when you got Christian and when you got Hassani Dotson out there? And, man, there was still... There was at least three or four things after he came into the game where I was like, damn, that was good. Yeah.
00:45:06
Speaker
I think he is... Schmetz called him a ah ah future star in the league last year, which Schmetz does not say that lightly about young players. We all know how much he loved RBW, and you never heard him say that, I don't think, about RBW. He said Snyder Brunel is going to be a star in this league. after After the first game, I'm still on that page as much as ever, man. like I think he this he is going to be a star in this league. I really like Snyder. I really like the way he played in this game. I thought there was one play in particular that I'm literally envisioning.
00:45:38
Speaker
He's at the top left side of the box. Yep. And he picks that ball up with his foot, basically gets his foot over, flicks it back down to himself, turns, and then pings the ball off. And I like that is the i was just like, i think I turned to you in the press box and was like,
00:45:54
Speaker
Snyder B. Snyder B. Snyder B. I think he's still a liability defensively. Like, there was some there was some mistakes that he made, but, like, I'm okay with that. I've been okay with that. I was okay with that with Reid. I'm okay with that with Snyder Brunel.
00:46:09
Speaker
The more minutes, the more reps he gets, the better he's going to get. That just, like, instinct and that talent, that attacking talent, oh, my God. I can't, like, honestly, his... I said it before. He might be better than Obed when it's all said and done. I know that's a crazy thing to say. I was going to say, his ability in possession and ability to, like, keep possession when he's under pressure and still be proactive, it reminds me a lot of Obed. It does. It really does. The way that they train up these sixes and eights, they got that working because, like, they just sold Obed to Atletico Madrid, and they got this guy who's, like, doing all the same... like, He's doing all the same stuff in possession.
00:46:50
Speaker
yeah it like Please take a ticket because you will be the next six or eight to be shipped off to Europe. but Snyder B, stock's still skyrocketing. That was some good stuff. yeah Noah, this next one, this was one of your agendas from preseason. You you had the Jesus Ferreira is about to have an MVP season agenda.
MVP Potential: Jesus Ferreira's Playmaking Skills
00:47:10
Speaker
ah you got ah You took some heat for that. A lot of people said that you were being a prisoner of the moment or dishing hot takes. That's fine. ah he He goes out there in the first game, two assists. The their haters are going to say that the first one first didn't count because because it was a secondary assist, which...
00:47:29
Speaker
there was There was kind of two examples of the secondary assist spectrum in this game. yeah Well, like Ferreira, he literally mishits. He does. He mishits the pass. But if you think about it, it was actually 4-D chess. No, it was 4-D. He meant to do that. The fact that he missed Rothrock and sent it toward the sideline lulled the Rapids into a false sense of security. they they They stopped. They switched off. They turned off They switched off because they thought that Paul Rothrock wasn't going to run that down. But Jesus knew. Jesus knew. 40 chess, soccer IQ. He knocks that So Paul Rothrock has to run it down. actually seen them do that in training. Gets the du defense to switch off. But in all seriousness, like that's one of those secondary assists where I'm like, all right, like maybe... that i could see the argument for how that's like...
00:48:13
Speaker
not as much a real assist as a primary assist. Though, Sazay one though, that's an example of one where it's like, dude, I don't understand what you're talking about if you think that that should count as an assist. That whole goal, that whole sequence does not happen the way that it did without the guy who sprung it to begin with. Why should he not get credit on the stat sheet for that? So it's kind of it's kind of both. the so The second assist support group is here for you, Ari. We're here for you. We hear you. But Jesus also had a primary assist ye on the on the Paul Rothrock goal. that was it It took a deflection, so maybe there's going to be some. It shouldn't have counted because of that type sentiment. He was involved two goals. He was involved in two goals. And like, honestly, in all seriousness with the Rothrock pass, like, yeah, he mishit it, but he, it was a smart play to when the, when the guy bodied Rusnak off being able to receive the initial pass. Jesus, take it. takes the first touch right away, immediately already knew where Rothrock was and just sends that ball right out there into space. So even if he did mishit it, Rothrock was able to run it down and then get the primary assist. So like he I think he does deserve credit for honestly creating that play, even though he did miss hit the pass. And then also the dime that he hit to Rothrock on the on the second goal. It did take a deflection, but like that's exactly the perfect read. It turned out to be the perfect pass. It was a great goal, perfectly executed counter. At the end of the day, he's on the stat sheet twice for both the goals that they scored in the game. How are you feeling about the agenda?
00:49:45
Speaker
I mean, you just said it. The agenda's hot, dude. like I have been telling people... I just, I don't even need to say anything. Like, I literally feel the need to say nothing and just be like, scoreboard.
00:49:57
Speaker
Scoreboard. He looked like a monster that I've been saying. Oh, my God. The one he the three ball he had to roosnack that. Oh, just.
00:50:06
Speaker
I was actually pissed at him originally because Alex was he was on an overlap and it looked like he was wide open. And instead of springing him on the overload, he kept the ball and cut inside. And I was like, dang, he should have hit Alex there. But then he hit an absolutely disgusting dime to Rusnak. Rusnak, honestly, i like he scuffed that. I like Rusnak to finish that in a lot of those situations.
00:50:30
Speaker
but like Or lay it off, or lay it off, because he did have Alex. Well, yeah, but the pass that Jesus hit to Rusnak was honestly incredible. Dude, I'm telling you, he could have had an assist hat trick. really could have had an assist hat trick. And also, having watched the highlight back again, actually like the decision to not hit Alex on the overload because, yeah, Alex would have space on the flank, but they had numbers in the box. He wouldn't have really had Yeah, he wouldn't have had anywhere to cross to in all likelihood without it getting cleared out. Instead of hitting an overload that probably wasn't going to lead to anything, he keeps it and knows that he has Rusnak making the run, sees that right away, and he and Rusnak are just on that same wavelength. And God damn it, that was a sick pass. I wish he could have got the goal on that. I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, this is the Jesus Ferreira that we had always hoped and wished for. Actually, isn't even the Jesus Ferreira that we hoped and wished for. It's something completely different that I don't think anyone ever thought he could be. It's better? It's better. It's better.
00:51:36
Speaker
and MVP. MVP. The fact that he can kind of just go on any team and be like, all right, this is what I got to work with. This is what my role is. All right, I shall morph and adapt to exactly like what... He's a power ranger....what I bring the best to this particular team. Like, that's...
00:51:54
Speaker
He's the Red Power Ranger. That is not easy to do, man. like Most attacking players, you need like a system fit that is like specific to them to an extent. like He came here not really fitting based on what he did with FC Dallas into the system where he was more this like...
00:52:11
Speaker
number 10 that also had number nine qualities not playing either of those positions here they're like all right we got too many guys there you're gonna have to go on the wide channel and just like do your thing he's like all right bet and then he just does that and he is just like doing that by the end of last year he was doing that at an incredible level and it looks like 10 at an incredible level well yeah yeah god i'm so glad they have him on this team what a what a what a trade what a trade god Absolutely fleeced FC Dallas for a guy who doesn't even really play in the Brazilian league. In the same trade where you get Paul Areola too, man. I really like the fact that there's people who look at that trade negatively. It's just mystifying to me. I'm like, that is such a fire trade. But no, I think the agenda is hot. And I'm just, I'm excited. People are seeing it now. People are seeing now. People seeing it. People are starting to admit it. Well, because like that pass he hits to Roosnack, you can't see that
00:53:05
Speaker
admire the skill and the quality there. That is just beautiful footy. And I'm excited at this point just to see what his assist total gets to, man. Like, he is... He could... Could he put up, like, a 15-20 assist season? I think so. That's what he looked like against the Rapids, which match they won against the Rapids. Caveat of knowledge. There's going to be other Rapids-esque teams, though. A lot of other Rapids-esque teams. And also, he looks so locked in, like, in preseason and in that game. Yeah. like i'm not i'm not worried about like a bad team stat patting merchant or whatever like this is just who he is i think he was doing this same thing against the best teams last season i i have no doubt in my mind that the luck will turn his way was off sides once uh this in this match which i did think was funny i was like i think i turned to you and said oh maybe it wasn't georgie's fault maybe he was just like There was a couple of offsides where it was like, oh, yeah, we're back. We're back. We're back.
00:54:01
Speaker
But agenda is hot. Agenda is hot. No, a last agenda of the night, and then I think we can call it a wrap for this episode. We're doing a little bit of ah a speed episode tonight. It's a little bit late.
00:54:12
Speaker
But we got one more before we call it. ah The Paul Rothrock, I guess, this is the Paul Rothrock starter agenda, which
Paul Rothrock's Impact and Work Ethic
00:54:22
Speaker
he started. Written in pen starter, I think, is the right. Yeah, well and he he started 27 games last year, but then we got to the end of preseason this year, and he got his raise, but you know emergence of Osaze. Paul Rothrock ended up not starting the ah the season opener. Of course, he comes in eight minutes into the minute nine and then completely dominates the game. ah where Where are you at on this? like are Are you thinking that no matter what what happens, like Paul Rothrock's got to be in the starting 11 going forward?
00:54:55
Speaker
I mean, i do think that he is the perfect piece, puzzle piece to this team because their press looked so good. Yes.
00:55:09
Speaker
But I think that changed a lot when he came in. He was able to pick up moments in time when just, I'm sorry, no one else is running after that ball into the ad boards. I watch a lot of soccer at a lot of different levels. These guys, 99% of the time, will let a ball fucking roll slowly out of bounds before they run at it. No one would have said anything if that ball had gone out bounds. would have been like, oh yeah, was a bad pass. Yeah, was a bad pass. Like, whatever.
00:55:36
Speaker
Rothrock is the teammate where he doesn't want to make, he doesn't want you to look bad. So he's gonna chase down a ball across the field, slam into the ad boards, make a security guard piss themselves, tap that ball back in.
00:55:51
Speaker
ah a Colorado Rapids player is like turning behind him like, does that go out? Does that go out? By that time, this man has already played in the perfect ball.
00:56:05
Speaker
to make Albert Rosnack look like like an aerial threat. Like an aerial threat. The second header ah Albert Rosnack has ever scored in his life because that's how perfect that Paul Rothrock ball was.
00:56:17
Speaker
I think that was one of my favorite plays ever. Yeah. no yeah like That was so awesome. Well, it's the same exact thing. It's why we love the game. But but he does that all all the time. He makes something out of nothing.
00:56:30
Speaker
His most famous play of his entire career, it will never change. This will always be the most famous play, in front of 70,000 people, a pass, right? Apologies. 70,000 people, there's a pass, right?
00:56:46
Speaker
He collects... He shouldn't. It's a mishit pass. Alex rolled on, mishits the pass. But Rothrock's like, I'm a dog. I'm getting that ball.
00:56:57
Speaker
he's ah He's a hound. He's a hound. He snips it out. He's a hound. Makes that play. Boom. Back of the net. 70,000. The De La Vega goal in League's Cup against the Galaxy last year.
00:57:12
Speaker
fully created by just a long busting run by Paul Rothrock, where he gets nothing on the stat sheet for that. He did, thankfully for this Rapids one, he did. But like that, there's so many plays like that. ah Between Paul Rothrock and Jesus Ferreira, I think the Sounders have two of the top five pressing wingers, like purely, purely pressing in the entire league. Like they do that they do that up better than anybody in the league. right now. And when you have them both on the field at the same time, it's just, it's a very kind of different style than a lot of teams use with these more like pure attacking wingers that are more just like threats from out wide with their wide service. Like, Hey, Seuss and Paul, they, they bring that, but it's also just like the, uh,
00:57:59
Speaker
The work that they do on defense for this team, I really i hope it doesn't go unappreciated because that's part of why this team has been able to hit such a high level that we've seen like dating back to to last year iss because of them. so like That was good to see that still in play for the first game of the season. completely agree paul rothrock name and pen starter well it's gonna happen anyway so this agenda is hot like yeah it took eight minutes took eight minutes for this agenda to take hold but i think it is interesting like you said it really well on kickoff a guy coming in cold you're not expected to put up a two a goal and an assist
00:58:42
Speaker
Like, the you're not expected. You're expected to be like, yeah, okay, like, I'm coming in. I'm settling in. He came in in immediately immediately. What was his goal? 14 minutes? 14th minute? Something like that? 18th minute? Yeah. It was, like, pretty much immediately. Pretty much immediately.
00:58:55
Speaker
I'm sorry. That is Paul Rothrock. That is the dog. That is the guy you're getting. I understand maybe you don't want to start him. Maybe you don't start him every game. But, like, I don't know. I feel like he brings a lot more to the table than just about anyone on that team.
00:59:10
Speaker
All right, I think we're gonna call it right there for this episode of Lobbing Scorchers. Thank you all, as always, for tuning in. If you're watching on YouTube, please like the video.
00:59:21
Speaker
Thank you to everyone who got us to 3K on YouTube. Road to 4K starts now. Sub to the channel. if you want to become a member, we're going to do a YouTube member. Bonus content. We've been doing the bonus episodes. We've been good about that. We're going to keep doing them. So become a YouTube member. Follow us on all the socials. And we will catch you for post-game live on Saturday.
00:59:43
Speaker
Noah will be joining from America First Field. We'll catch you then. Until next time, we out. Peace.