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Taylor Twellman think Sounders are genuine contenders
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MLS Season Pass’ Taylor Twellman joined Jeremiah to talk about Jordan Morris’ future as a No. 9, the impressive work turned in by Brian Schmetzer, Yeimar’s Defensive Player of the Year candidacy and the Sounders’ chances of making a run to MLS Cup. You might be surprised to learn he’s pretty bullish almost across the board.
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Transcript
Introduction and Sponsorship
00:00:02
Speaker
This episode of Nos Arietes is sponsored by Fullpool Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of Nos Arietes since 2011. Fullpool was founded in 2009, is based in Seattle, and is owned and operated by longtime Sounders supporters. They offer the best boutique wines of the world to members of their mailing list, with special focus on their home, Pacific Northwest.
Will Bruin's Legacy with Sounders
00:00:25
Speaker
Hi, I'm Will Bruin, and I was just recognized as a Seattle Sounders legend. now i get to do voice reads for the sounder at heart podcast network
00:00:40
Speaker
about sell <unk> it
00:01:21
Speaker
we all got of sudden go
00:01:30
Speaker
We're seeing some of the hardwood commentary that we didn't take lo seriously.
Special Guest: Taylor Twelman
00:01:41
Speaker
Welcome back to NOS Adietes, sponsored by Full Pool Wines. I am Jeremiah O'Shan. Joining me today is Taylor Twelman. You know him very well. Obviously, sounders fans, huge, huge fans, Taylor. Yeah, big fans of me. Big fans. Yeah, big fans. How are you guys?
00:01:59
Speaker
Well, I'm great, and I'm always happy to have you on. I don't know. This is probably the... I don't know, fourth or fifth time probably at this point that we've had you on, but I i love having you on. And i think I think Sounders fans just give you a hard time because they're so familiar with
Sounders Fan Culture and Rivalries
00:02:15
Speaker
you. They feel like it's a brother, kind of a sibling kind of thing. First off, I love the fact that they give it back to me. I think one, it keeps me honest, and two, it shows the level of fandom. They're an educated fan base.
00:02:29
Speaker
um I'm not saying others aren't, but there's a different level of education to be- But not as much. Right. That's a good point. That's a good point. Never mind. I take back everything I just said. No, honestly, I do. I love it. I love everything about it. I especially loved this year when I did Portland beating Seattle because Seattle fans took a little offense to a couple of my thoughts. Jeez, I don't remember that happening, but I'll take your word for it.
00:02:56
Speaker
ah You are, but you're not calling this week's game, I guess, or next this they're not calling the next game. We were. ah I mean, Jake and I, Apple, I think MLS was hoping that there was real jeopardy on the line for Portland, Seattle. And I think that's why they scheduled it. I think that's why they looked into it and.
Home-Field Advantage Debate
00:03:18
Speaker
The truth of the matter is the West kind of settled itself. Other than the host of the playing game, it's kind of played itself out. And then obviously messy Miami can set the record. So you know where I'll be. Yeah, the West is much more settled now. I mean, it's been it's much more settled now than I think any like the Sounders can finish theoretically anywhere from second to fourth. But that's not that's not a i mean second to fourth is like the smallest variance in terms of what you're, what it means for you between it's really, uh, because the, I think teams five through seven are also pretty equally, there's not a big gap between the fifth best team, no but ah but I'm going to interrupt you. Whatever side avoids LAFC may be the best side for you guys.
00:04:03
Speaker
well yes there's been a so that's been a common theme we might as well start there so that's been a common theme in sounder circles is would you rather finish as high on the table as possible or would you rather avoid being on the same side of the bracket as la fc and if you are obviously if you're the sounders you don't you don't bother worrying about that, right? Like you as the team, you just want to win the games in front of you.
Playoff Strategy Discussion
00:04:30
Speaker
But as a analyst, what do you think is more, is it, is it better to have home field advantage for as long as you can get it and theoretically have the better path or is it just whatever you can do to avoid LAFC is the better path? It's interesting the way you phrased it. Cause I would say both, but the, you always got to remember you don't want to look back on
00:04:53
Speaker
decision day and then the galaxy slip up before that and you could have been the second seed, right? So you don't want to lose home field advantage. However,
00:05:05
Speaker
LAFC have two games. Seattle only has one LAFC. If they beat Vancouver during the international break, that kind of makes the decision for you. LAFC could ultimately be the one seed. You don't know how that plays out. So I think Seattle's just got to look at it and say, we've finished as high as we can. And at some point you got to beat them, Jeremiah. So I agree. The next player, my thought is, Hey, you know what? If we got to play him sooner rather than later, whatever, if we're going to go to MLS cup, we're going to have to beat the galaxy or LAFC. So we might as well do it now.
00:05:35
Speaker
Yeah. And my my thinking is that whether you're doing it in the, like whether you meet LAFC in the conference finals or the conference semi-finals, it doesn't really feel any better to and lose in either one of those rounds. Because at the end of the day, the the the bar you're measuring yourself by at this point, if you're the Sounders is, did you can you hang with LAFC? And it's almost really that simple, right? is Yeah.
00:06:00
Speaker
cant Is this a team that you can stand toe to toe with? And I don't know, you can maybe argue that they stood toe to toe with them. Maybe not really, but no, I don't think that's the that's
2019 Western Conference Final Recap
00:06:10
Speaker
the problem, right? these last this The last two, three games that they've played each other, it's been a tough matchup. Yep. It's been one where you've seen quality at a different level in the critical moments than someone on Seattle is done. Now listen, I go back and I still hold Seattle to this. And I know concave champions like final may come into play here. But 2019, that Western Conference final gets LAFC still, in my opinion, is the best game I've ever seen the Sounders play. And when you think about it, it was your two best players showed up and played the game of their lives. Ledero and Rui Diaz were brilliant on the day. Everyone else contributed. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying they didn't play well.
00:06:55
Speaker
But when you play LAFC, I feel like Seattle fans will agree with me. It's ah it's often just, well, Belonga's been better. They got Belonga. He's been better. we They don't give up a ton of chances, but the quality in the final third, Belonga's just better than anything that we've done. So that's the long-winded way of saying their quality's risen to the top a little bit more so, but I'm going to go to the next question that you have. I still think they can beat them. I still think Seattle has one run left in them. And I think it's one run. I think it's with this group. I don't know what it looks like. I think part of it is shootouts, winning in penalties. You know, I'm trying to figure out the best way to describe that, but I don't think it's impossible for Seattle to not make MLS Cup.
Preview: Sounders vs Timbers Match
00:07:42
Speaker
I still think there's a run in them. I just don't think it's going to be the same run.
00:07:46
Speaker
that we saw in 19, that we saw in 16, 17, whatever it may be. I think it's going to be a little different. Yeah. and And they were pretty, you know, they, they kind of made solid. Yeah. Those were, those were impressive. Like they were not in doubt any of the results really. Like they agreed they, you know, they were, they looked good. Even on the road against Colorado, I was in the building and called that game. They were definitively the better team that day.
00:08:12
Speaker
Yeah, so they they have this game against the Timbers, which I guess sort of puts ah the previous discussion a little bit to the side. They need to win this game for ah a host of reasons, not the least of which is that they haven't beaten the Timbers at home since 2017. Which is unbelievable when I read that the other day. i always have dad That's insane. Now, part of that Savaré say the way he set up those teams, it almost worked to being on the road. I don't think Phil Neville's timbers are built for that, especially on this game. And that's why, Jeremiah, that's why i i am I'm with you. What if they win 3-1? What if Seattle has this outpouring of goals, definitive win against their rivals,
00:09:00
Speaker
That can very easily teach an old dog some tricks that all of a sudden gets going. I actually think the way they play and the result against Portland may have a lot to say of how Seattle does in
Mid-Season Performance Highlights
00:09:13
Speaker
the playoffs. I really do. I do, too. And they've you know, it's funny because as good as they've been since, you know, you go back to June 15th or 12, two and two in league play since then, that is setting up as one of the all time great second half of of MLS history.
00:09:29
Speaker
And yet there hasn't been this air of invincibility around them at all. And that's a big part because of their stumbles against LAFC and also one of those, there are two losses in that time or LAFC and Portland. Yeah. And I think that's that those are almost looming larger than the 12 wins that they have in that time, which is, you know, it speaks a lot to the, the, the confidence of a group. And you, you look at, it's really only this last week that I started to feel,
00:09:57
Speaker
in the fan base a real genuine confidence where they go and they win three games against playoff caliber opponents two of them on the road all of them where they were reasonably you know they were pretty much in control in all three of those games even though they won two of them one zero yes i like the way you put that because uh and i was talking about this over the weekend Since July 1st, the two best teams in MLS are not Inter Miami, not Columbus, not LAFC, not the Galaxy. It's actually Orlando City and the Seattle Sounders. And I found that interesting because then you got to dive into the weeds.
00:10:34
Speaker
Orlando City can hold their hat on. We've scored the most goals we've ever scored in a regular season. So they've hit some barometers they've never hit before. That's why they're on a run. When I look at the Seattle Sounders in the run that you just said, if you think about the wins that they've had,
00:10:51
Speaker
Dallas, Chicago, New England, at Austin, St. Louis City, at Minnesota, at Columbus. Good win, okay? Questionable circumstances, but yeah. Absolutely. Sporting Kansas City. It wasn't until the last two, at Vancouver, at Colorado, that all of a sudden I was like, okay, hang on a minute. yeah And that's what I said during the loss against Portland. I was like, wait a minute, guy. First off, you play the team in front of you. Absolutely.
00:11:21
Speaker
But I can't hold my hat on the Seattle Sounders of old and say, this is the same one. When I look at this run they' that that they've been on, I don't know, man, they lost to LAFC. They lost to Portland. They tied San Jose. And you sit there and go, no, at Colorado, at Vancouver, the two best victories in my opinion of that run.
00:11:41
Speaker
And that's all that matters. Those are the two most recent. So it doesn't matter what you did against Dallas in June and in July, again, Chicago, New England, doesn't really matter. Jeremiah, you beat Colorado on the road. That's always a hard one. You beat Vancouver on the road. Now you got Portland at home. You win that two nil three, one, a convincing win against the second highest scoring team of the West. Now, all of a sudden you may be cooking with gas. And I think Brian Schmutzer knows that.
00:12:08
Speaker
Yeah, ah you you you mentioned Brian Schmetzer there and I may as well use this as ah as a jumping off point. i you know i when the The award ballots are are either just came out or they're about to come out. I'm sure by the time this come this releases, they will be out.
00:12:24
Speaker
ah But Brian Schmetzer to me has probably done his best coaching job of his career. I don't necessarily know that I know he's not going to be among the favorites to win coach of the year because it's really a narrative. ah It's a narrative driven award. i I think that's not controversial to say. It's usually about the team that overachieves the most or just has this record breaking season and Tata Martino is probably the the odds on favorite, right? To win the award. Yeah, I mean, if they set the record, you have to give it to them. Right, right. If they don't, I think this becomes a conversation.
00:13:02
Speaker
Right. Okay. So let's just say, hypothetically, they don't set the record. who Where is Brian Schmester in that conversation in your mind? Top five for me. Maybe top six. I i think you and I could probably with Sounders fans debate. I thought 16 was brilliant. um I mean, I remember interviewing, you know what I mean? I just remember interviewing him I think it was on SportsCenter right when he took the job. If I'm not mistaken, we were actually, it was on a away game at the galaxy. And I remember going, well, how do you get the playoffs? And he goes eight two and four and literally Seattle went eight two and four. yeah And I was like, what is going on right now? And it listen, they won MLS Cup. I don't care about that. What he did.
00:13:43
Speaker
to change the the narrative of that team, give that group belief. But this year's been good. i I'm with you. I don't know if it's the best job he's done, but my God, it's top two or three. yeah yeah This year's been good. And I'll tell you, he hasn't been typical Brian Schmetzer when you talk to him off camera.
00:14:05
Speaker
off mic, off the record, you know, there's been moments where he's like, I, you know, he's, he's frustrated. He's not in a good place. He, he's trying to find answers, especially this LAFC, when they lost the open cup game, he's ready to lose his mind and then they lose the Portland. He's like, how is this possible? And yet they could be the second seed.
00:14:25
Speaker
which is remarkable And I think that i we're getting the same vibe. You know what? We talked to him on a pre regular basis at training and it's the same vibe. It's very, you know, it's, it's up and down when it's up, it's, it's sort of guarded and it's, he's not quite ready to pump his chest out and, and be excited. And, and I think part of it is cause this season has been different kinds of challenges. He's had personnel challenges. he's had ah you know there's been Obviously, the results early on in the season were really, really rough, and then they didn't really hit their stride until the midpoint of the season. i mean That first half of the season, even when the results started getting better, it was a grind. He's out of he's out of contract, correct? He is. Yeah, he is.
00:15:10
Speaker
Which is amazing. So like you think about that often can be a detriment. That can be difficult. That could be a distracting factor. It has not been for him. One hundred percent. Now, it's interesting, Jeremiah, I didn't know 2021. He was a finalist for coach of the year with Bruce Arena and Frazier that year. And I think that's interesting because I'm not sure I even would have had that in my no No, I'm not sure I'm going to guess that year. No, I wouldn't have either. And it that I guess it was that was the year where they started off, you you know, 13 unbeaten or whatever it was. And and I guess there was a little bit more attention around the team. But then they had that, you know, they kind of slipped up at the they didn't win five winless at the end of the season. Yes.
00:15:58
Speaker
and and sort of had a chance to get the top spot in the West on the last day of the season and they tied Vancouver. ah But it was, yeah that was, ah I wouldn't have guessed that one either. You're right. If you had to tell me- He's never won, correct? He's never won.
Coach of the Year Award Controversy
00:16:11
Speaker
I think that was the, I think 2021 may have been the only year he was even a finalist. Which is remarkable. Cause I'll tell you right now, then 16, they should have been like, what?
00:16:20
Speaker
Right. Who won in six? I don't even know who won in 16. Oscar Pereira. Oh, because they won supporter shield. They won. So they were and they had been bad before, right? Yeah. And I I have a tendency to lean on. I'm OK with the supporters. You're a winner. I am. I mean, it's hard to go wrong with that one. Invincing.
00:16:39
Speaker
right If it's not a convincing supporter shield that goes down the last day, I think it opens up a can of words. Bruce Arena 2021, you set the record. If Tatsu Martino does so, you have to, I get that. But it's interesting because I i ruffled some people's feathers. Jim Curtin won it in 2022, right? uh I thought Wilfred Nancy should have won it that year of any year that he was unbelievable Montreal. That was, that was an absurd season. And yet Jim Curtin won in 2020. So I I'm with you. There is a narrative part to that award that is interesting because it doesn't always follow the supporter shield. And I'm wondering why that does not.
00:17:23
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it it seems to me it either goes to, like I said, it either goes to the the supporter shield winner or the coach who led the team on what was perceived to be the biggest, the most overperformance or whatever that may. Right. which Which this year you would probably say Dean Smith at Charlotte, Chris Armist at Colorado. Chris Armist at Colorado. He seems to be getting a lot. of Right.
00:17:45
Speaker
Yeah. ah Are there any sounders that you think have a decent shot, like at an end of season award to me? I think Yeymar has a pretty good shout for Defender of the Year.
00:17:56
Speaker
Yeah, I think he's going to be in consideration for it. Absolutely. um I'd be shocked if he's not. um It's funny, it's kind of like Stephen Fry. Stephen Fry and Schmutzer really haven't gotten into this, right? I think they're both hurt by consistency, that it's sort of like you take their performances for granted a little bit. You know, Stephen Fry right now, he's leading the league, or he's one behind Hugo Loury's for shutouts, but he has a higher shutout percentage.
00:18:24
Speaker
He's the only goalkeeper under one goal per game. But he the advanced analytics are not as kind to him this year, but it it's been an easily overlooked year for Stephen Fry. I don't think I've heard anyone really talking about how good he's been. And yet you look at the end of season stats and here he is, you know, near the top of everywhere. Yeah. The only thing I would say is having watched the last four Charlotte games, Colleen has been unbelievable.
00:18:51
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, it's on favorites. Yeah. To the point where Jeremiah, it's kind of like Berkey. We're like, all right, fine. You know, it was, it was, it's not about Seattle, but you'll appreciate this and some fans. Well, the new cover of the year, it is head and shoulders. Luis Suarez or Gabrielle pack versus anyone else. Yeah, for sure. Right. And I think any other year I just find, I fit, I find like we say this a lot with stuff and fry any other year.
00:19:21
Speaker
I feel like we say that a lot. Except for 18 where it was his award to win and I still to this day lose my mind every time I look at Zach Steffen's performance that year and try to wrap my head around how he won goalkeeper of the year over Steffen.
00:19:38
Speaker
I don't think a lot of people that voted on that award don't understand that. And yet it somehow turned out that way. Yeah. Yeah. Goalkeeper nears befuddles me more than any other award. Uh, I don't think that Albert Rusenak is a contender for MVP, but this has been a, I think a very impressive season for him.
Albert Rusnak: Best XI Potential
00:20:00
Speaker
Uh, is he, do you think he's someone that maybe gets into the best 11 conversation? Nope.
00:20:07
Speaker
You're going to laugh. I don't know. yeah I don't even know if a vander gets in. I mean, i I I do find that funny. I mean, think about it. He may be a finalist if the only way they do this. So I went through this in my head. They'll pick three defenders. kind Yeah, cold worse that's four. Three forwards. Great. Where's messy listed?
00:20:31
Speaker
And I think Messi's going to be in the midfielders. Probably. Right? Now all of a sudden, Messi's in the midfielders. Luciano Acosta's in the midfielders. Evander's in there. Ricky Pooch is in there. Now all of a sudden, Jeremiah, you're talking about- Gabriel Pek is probably in there. What? Someone's not going to get- I know.
00:20:50
Speaker
I, I, I I'll be shocked if Peck makes it. So anyways, your stocks had a great year for him contract year. If I'm not mistaken, or it is a contract here for him. Yeah. Um, but I don't think he makes best 11 and I just think it's a, it's a product of where the league is and the strength and the kind of seasons we've had with goal contributions, but you can make an argument. He's the team MVP unequivocally.
00:21:18
Speaker
Yeah, I think you can make that argument. You know, the the thing that's been bandied about lately within the Sounders community is the idea of, nicola you know, you put Nico Ledero's best statistical season up against this Albert Rusnak season, and Rusnak's been better. like it's Like, he's got more goals than Ledero ever had. He's one short on assists of tying the franchise record for assists, but I think he has more primary assists than Ledero ever had. He does.
00:21:47
Speaker
And he is playing a role, us a more defined role. He's not allowed to just go freelance and get the ball wherever he wants. Now, I think you can argue that Lidero came through in the biggest games and delivered the biggest hardware. And he was a more of a traditional MVP of, if you pick an all-time Sounders MVP, I think you give that to Lidero. But on a statistical basis,
00:22:13
Speaker
I think it's been a little overlooked even within Sounder's fanbase just how good Albert Rusnak is his season has been this year. Thank you for listening to the Sounder at Heart podcast network, which now includes No Sunny at This, Lobbing Scorchers and The Cooler Guild.
00:22:28
Speaker
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00:22:51
Speaker
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00:23:11
Speaker
I agree. I agree. Now here's where my rebuttal comes into play. And because I, I was, I, I called a lot of those Ladeiro games. They were bigger moments. I agree. So I think this year has been, there have been some bad teams.
00:23:29
Speaker
and you could take advantage of it, right? And so, especially the less, if you think about San Jose, St. Louis sporting kids of city, we're not great, not great teams. East have a few more mediocre teams, but you know, the top three are better, whatever. You can look at it differently. I think Roostock and I think Jordan Morris have taken advantage of some of those moments, but in the biggest moments,
00:23:55
Speaker
Rui Diaz and Ladeiro always delivered. They did. They did. You know what I mean? However, the primary assist thing is the one thing that I think Rusnak should hold his hat on more than any of them. Because that's literally coming from him. Yeah, no, he's and I think is especially on set piece delivery. He's been I think better than then you can I think you could just go Set piece or set piece, and I think Ledero has been a better set piece taker than Ledero really. was which I agree. i use't really his strongu First off, I love Albert. I think he's an unbelievable player. I think if you are the top echelon of MLS, I think he's your number one non-designated player.
Designated Player Contract for Rusnak?
00:24:45
Speaker
Well, that's a good and so that brings us to the big the big question this offseason I think is gonna be Should the Sounders? Resign him as a deep like everyone's gonna say well if you can bring it back as not it not a DP That's what you should do because that's the easy answer, right? If you can do it. But if you're the Sounders, are you, do you, if it's a matter of bringing them back or not bringing them back, do you give them the DP contract? I do because I can, it has to be a contract that I can manipulate in in June or July. And that's when you should ask that. yeah I think Sounders fans need to look at that. Listen, you keep Roostock on the team. Absolutely. Does it mean giving them a DP deal now? Okay. Six months from now,
00:25:30
Speaker
Albert, I got to have the ability to so to buy that down. And if I can, great. do Do you, I don't know how well you know Albert, but do you get the sense that he, is he the type of player who if you say to him, look, we promise if we give ourselves this flexibility that we're actually going to use it, does that make a difference to him? Does he go, why look, I don't really want to win.
00:25:52
Speaker
I think it does. um First off, if he gets his money in whatever shape or fat, it doesn't matter. You know, Jeremiah, most players, most, i' I'm not going to say all. the Listen, OK, fine. Whatever you got to do to do the sour cap. Sure. As long as you use it, and which is what you just hit the nail on the head. Are you going to use it? Are you going to bring in 3D piece and we're going to rock this thing?
00:26:16
Speaker
I'm in, all in. And I think he is the perfect player for that. I just do. But Seattle's got a lot of decisions to make. And they do have a lot of decisions to make this offseason. They've got some big ones, Jeremiah. It's going to be the most interesting offseason I think in a long time. It's fun from my perspective because I'm intrigued to see where ownership goes. I'm intrigued to see Schmetzer, and and I would assume he comes back, but he's a free agent. Who knows? Someone may woo him off his feet, but I just don't see him in Seattle. All the signs we're seeing, at least from him, seem like it it's funny because ah a few weeks ago, he was sort of...
00:26:56
Speaker
I don't want to talk about this and he's still, I don't want to talk about it, but it's more of a, ah it'll it'll get figured out. Kind of like there's a confidence as if he's gotten some assurances that things will work themselves out here. I mean, he would have to turn in all of those footy pajamas that he has with Seattle Sounders. He doesn't want to coach anywhere else.
00:27:16
Speaker
No, no, I think he, I think he and Adrian very much, uh, see eye to eye on, on how this is going to go. Uh, but you know, the biggest outside of of Schmetzer, maybe the biggest off season decision is they will have an open DP spot. I don't think it's breaking any news to say that roll really ideas is not going to come back as yeah certainly as a DP. I don't think he'll be back in any, in any way. Uh, but.
00:27:43
Speaker
The big decision then is going to become what position do you sign this
Debate: Signing a New Designated Player
00:27:47
Speaker
DP at? ah The Sounders have given every indication that they intend to at least try to sign a DP this this winter. and I don't know. I look at the way that... you know I know a few months ago, they were internally pretty much laser focused on finding a nine. and they were you know There was even some discussion of trying to figure out a way to bring in a nine this last summer.
00:28:11
Speaker
and In the intervening time since then, Jordan Morris has really, I think, come into his own as ah as a number nine. you know we were I think you and I were talking about this recently, and you you mentioned this on the on the Timbers broadcast, about for all the numbers that he's putting up, he doesn't, to use or at the time, he didn't necessarily feel like a number nine to you. And but at least what I've seen, especially in this last stretch of games where You know, you know, he had the two goals against the earthquakes, which are not his. Those are more kind of like number nine type of goals where they are a number in the box type of of plays. yes And then he hasn't scored in the last three games, but he's contributed in very positive ways to scoring in each of the last three games, either through, you know, like he makes the goal against the rapids, even though he doesn't finish that chance and he definitely should have finished the chance that Rothrock set him up for.
00:29:05
Speaker
But he he creates the chance that they do score on. you know he He was a contributor on the two goal two of the goals they had against Vancouver. And then he he helped out with the goal. He had the assist on the goal in the and the Houston game. ah Is he showing you that he can be a number nine? Or do you still feel like if you're the Sounders,
00:29:24
Speaker
Look, do your thing on We Love You, but you need to be a winner. First off, it's a great conversation, and good on Jordan for making it a conversation. Before I answer that, I'm going to remind your listeners of what I said in the first four weeks of the year when I did a couple of the games, if I'm not mistaken. And what I said was, I think it was the Galaxy game at the end of March, but either way, that's not the point. The point is, I said this year is very... A big chance at the end. Yes.
00:29:52
Speaker
Yup, and I said, this year's important for Jordan Morris not to be streaky. And the best way that I, and and I've listened to, my my idol growing up was Alan Shear, Rude Van Nissleroy, players that I tried to watch and emulate in any shape or way that fashion that I could try to play that way. It was ridiculous for me to watch Thierry Henry, because I could never play that way. Point being is that,
00:30:20
Speaker
I've also gotten to know post-playing and I've gotten to talk to Alan Shearer, Rude van Nissenroy, Michael Bolic, these people. I'm not name dropping, but I'm doing it for a purpose. And I said, how do you guys judge a nine? And they said two things in in Jeremiah. It's amazing. They said, not how many goals you score. It's how many games you score in.
00:30:39
Speaker
I think that's an amazing way to look at it. And their thought was rude, especially. Well, if I score in 25 games, that may be 25 goals that are game deciders. But if the manager and my team know I'm going to score in 25 of my.
00:30:56
Speaker
35 appearances. It's different and I was like, you know what? That's interesting. Never even thought of it that way. I just thought at the end of the year, did I score 15 goals? And then Alan Shearer would say, well, yeah, you scored 15 goals. But what if you get three hat tracks? That means three of the games were. So anyways, Jordan Morris and you guys know this for Sounders fans. He could go on streaks where there's there's no goal.
00:31:23
Speaker
He doesn't score. Then all of a sudden he gets hot and it's streaky. So he's very streaky both ways. If he wants to be a designated player nine for a team that wants to win MLS cup, he's got, what, if I'm not mistaken, 13 goals on the air, correct? In MLS. Yeah. And then in MLS play, right? So and in the way I've always looked at it now playing 34 games, that's got to be 18 games. He's got to score an at the minimum.
00:31:51
Speaker
Yeah. And that's a designated player nine that wants to win. Yeah. So we're only talking six teams here, seven teams. Right. Yeah. No, I hear
Jordan Morris: Consistency and Impact
00:32:01
Speaker
you. I guess the counter, the counter argument that I would offer is that if you look at his, if you, if you zoom out and you look at all the games that they've played, he he has 17 goals across all competitions, which, yeah you know, and I think that it counts that he's been healthy this year, you know, he's going to play and.
00:32:16
Speaker
And he'll, he's going to play in over 3000 minutes. He'll have over 3000 minutes ah across all comps. He'll set a career high for, for, uh, for minutes played this year. He's been healthy. He'll play all the regular season games. He, you know, he played in.
00:32:31
Speaker
two of the open cup games. yeah He played in all the league's cup games. So I think availability counts for something is that fact that he's been able to play a lot of, he started a lot of three game weeks, which I think is is huge for him. And he's been more consistent this year, as especially as a nine, you know, he, those first nine games of the season, he wasn't necessarily playing as a nine too much.
00:32:53
Speaker
And then it really wasn't until that June 15th where they took Rudy Diaz out of the lineup and they put Rothrock in, they essentially put Rothrock in that game. And that Morris has been able to start as a nine consistently for the last half of the season. And he's had his most consistent run of of scoring in a lot of games, not necessarily piling up goal of goal. I agree with you. Now, if you ask Seattle, they'll tell you something different. Oh, I know. There's doubts in the team in the video. But I'm saying those first 10 games that a lot of fans were like, Taylor, he didn't play the nine. I
00:33:25
Speaker
Listen, if you're not playing as a nine and you're playing as a nine and a half or you're playing as a four, four, two, you're playing as a nine. guy Yeah. or Yeah. Yeah. No, I hear you. I just. Sorry. I never give you my second point. What shall Paula go with? Like that's that's where this conversation turns into. Right. So yeah. Jordan Morris. And a new six. That's younger.
00:33:54
Speaker
You know what I'm saying, Jeremiah? That's where this gets interesting. If it's only one DP that they can bring in at the moment, then yeah, you may say, well, listen, let's give Jordan another run, but let's get a little bit younger and fresher at that position, which listen, yeah I am the biggest Joe Paulo fan of the world. He's father's time staring him in the face. I have not seen the same Joe Paulo that I saw pre-injury. And he's had a little bit of this year.
00:34:23
Speaker
No. Yeah. Yeah. He's got it. He's got I think he's got a chronic hip issue that is not that's that's continuing to cause problems for him. I think Christian Roldan has looked really good in that role. He's obviously a very different. He's a different player. Yeah. And we haven't seen him as a pure as really a number six like he's played in a double pivot.
00:34:42
Speaker
Uh, but he's never really been asked to be the more defensive of the, of the two double pivots, but he's looked, you know, at the last, he's always been the one that has to run. He's always been the fill in the gaps, run five and a half miles, do this, do that, do everything to cover Ladeiro and everyone else. want to run I think it's interesting. I still think, and I'll, and I'll, I'll hold it to it. If Jordan Morris is my winger,
00:35:08
Speaker
They were really freaking good, man. When Rui Diaz was firing and Jordan's coming off that with his pace, he thinks like a center forward. So it's almost playing a second forward in a wide area, almost like a target winger. Sometimes you hear people describe it that way. I i don't know. It's very interesting to me. I think it depends on who the nine is and who the six is. I think they got to get young and dynamic, but, but Vargas, like I just look at the depth there, attention. Yeah. Like I look at it and say, you know what, give me the role. Let's roll the dice with it with a DP nine. Let's do it. And so what do you how do you think Paul Rothrock figures into all this? I mean, he's been I I've written it. I've rooted for him from the beginning because when I asked Brian Schmetzer, tell me something about him, he looked at me right in the eye, said he's your kind of player. And I go, oh, what does that mean? Because he's a gamer.
00:36:05
Speaker
He just wants to win every single time he's on the field, whatever the competition is, he just wants to win. And there's something for that. Jackson Reagan's got a little bit of that too, doesn't he? So yeah it's just, and I find it, I don't find it ironic. Those two grew up friends. They're doing everything. I think Paul's played himself into one, a contract, which is great, but two, more importantly, a prominent role that Brian Schmetzer now looks at it. He looks down the bench.
00:36:34
Speaker
or he says, no, I got to start him. He's got to play. Well, and I think at the very least he's put himself in a position where even if they bring in another player, it's very easy to turn to Paul and say, you're my first guy off the bench or do you need depth? Jeremiah, the best teams in this league have depth and the ones that figure out depth, the best Columbus being one of those inner Miami. um Yeah, absolutely. ah Paul coming off the bench, pushing the guy ahead of him.
00:37:02
Speaker
Yep. Good on Paul. Good on Paul. Cause I'm not sure he was given a full opportunity until now and he's run with it. No, it is. It's been pointed out a few times that it's not completely unprecedented for a player of his age to sort of have an emergence, not to draw too many broad, broad comparisons, but Chris Wandalowski had a similar trajectory and turned out. I mean, Wondo didn't score a goal really until it's like seventh year. Right.
00:37:31
Speaker
It's anything can happen. Absolutely. It's been it it's been it's been really interesting to see the same for the record, though. No, no, no, I don't. Yeah, no, no, I'm not. I'm not not putting you there, not putting you there. No, but if it is even better, it's great. So we make um enough of the narrative that.
00:37:49
Speaker
the degree to which the Sounders still have so much Seattle DNA, you know, you look at Rothrock, you look at Reagan, who aren't even technically homegrown players, but they did grow up in Seattle, they did play in the academy. But you you look at this team and, you know, we talk about Dallas, we talk about Philly, and they've sold players on and I guess that's sort of what adds to that aura. ah you the sanders have so much more have like So much more of their team comes from within. you know Max and Dunny have talked about this a fair amount on the broadcast, but is that can we is that something that needs to be, we need to do a better job of promoting that story? Yes.
00:38:27
Speaker
Yep. Uh, just because that wasn't always the case. You and I both know that you live there. Yeah. I mean, it was never the case. So it's been a great progression. You know, yeah how often would Garth talk about it publicly being like, we've got to get younger. We've got to use the academy. We've got to do that. They're now doing that. Uh, Schmetzer's using the players in moments for those players to succeed. So yes, absolutely. I don't think it has the same narrative of Dallas and Philly just because they've been doing it longer, but I And they use players for more money. That's a big part of it. but even Philly, even Philly, if it not for Aronson and now Sullivan.
00:39:06
Speaker
Jim Curtin be the first person going like we have a great Academy, but at some point we got to move these players on. Right. Right. The Red Bulls have kind of died down. Right. Other than Tyler Adams and Josie Altidore years ago, that they really haven't sold. And that was an Academy that everybody talked about. I think Seattle deserves the narrative. I think they should be talked about more. I do.
00:39:29
Speaker
Well, before I let you go, I did want to pick your brain a little bit about some of the national stuff that's going on. The biggest, I think the biggest news right now is Greg Berhalter over at Chicago just got hired. He's going to be the GM and the coach. I know there's a ah popular idea that.
Greg Berhalter's Dual Role Challenges
00:39:46
Speaker
You know, it's kind of going to, the success of this will depend on who he hires to be sort of the player personnel person. But isn't that an inherent flaw in the system that that person will report to him and then they still report to him. He hired him, he's paying him and then they report to him. So ah listen, and I, and I've said this to Greg, so it's not like it's anything, I just don't think it's possible.
00:40:08
Speaker
And I get the, I just think nowadays it's so, this league has grown in so many different ways. The complexity of being the sporting director along with the coach is not what it was. And everyone will say Bruce Arena 2021. Well, where are they after that?
00:40:26
Speaker
That roster is a disaster. And now it's got to be fixed because they had to rehire Caleb Porter. And Caleb wants a completely different roster. Now you got Curtinofo and oel Chris Tierney saying, well, this is that this is that that's what Bruce did. Now this is what we want to do. You see what I'm saying? Peter Vermees is another example. The other aspect that nobody talks about,
00:40:49
Speaker
is the guy that's negotiating your contract is also the guy that's coaching you during the 90 minutes. that And when that guy says to you, you don't get a raise. You now want me to run through the wall for you the next day. No, it just doesn't work that way. Jeremiah, it's not going to work that way. And I don't think Greg, I know Greg knows that, but I don't know if Greg fully understands where the league is and how much money these players are now starting to make versus five years ago. Well, it's a it's a I wonder if he underestimates how much the league has really changed internally, like not just a talent level, but it's it's a very different league than it was in 2018, 2017. Do you mind the other way to do this? Ask Steve Toronto if he wants to do that. I have. He says no. Ask Pat Noonan. No chance. Ask Jim Curtin. No, thank you.
00:41:42
Speaker
Ash Metzer, he'd be like, nope. Right. Like it is. The sporting director job now is way more complex than it was when Greg Baraltor left MLS. Yeah.
00:41:54
Speaker
Yeah, on the other hand, we're talking about Chicago. So in and of itself, it's a positive hire. Yeah, I guess the the thing that I find funny about the Chicago hire is that everyone says that Joe Mansueto is doing the right things in terms of he's turning his yeah he's putting the faith in the guys that he hired to do the job. But the the the Flaw seems to be consistently he puts too much faith in the wrong people. Yeah. And this is sort of that same kind of process, right? He's putting too much faith in one guy. To your point, he's gone away from the first model that he had and moving on from the the other guys. But now he's going to an older model. Right. Where you're like, well, wait a minute. Hang on a minute. On the other hand, Joe, if he was on this podcast, would say it was the only way for me to get Greg Beralter.
00:42:44
Speaker
Right. So then you're like, okay, I get it. Listen, he is spending money. He is doing everything he can to get Chicago back on the map. He will get them on the map. I think from the national analyst mind that I have right now, ah we have to have Chicago on the map.
00:43:02
Speaker
I, I, this league was so good and strong when Chicago was who they were. They need to get back on the map. And so I hope Joe's rewarded for his ambition in spending money. I just think Greg's going to find it a little bit more difficult than he thinks in the moment.
00:43:18
Speaker
Well, Taylor, I've kept you for long enough. I really appreciate you giving us the time. what you're So you said you're you're on an MLS season pass, obviously, but you're calling... are you working You're not calling any of the games this weekend, are you? No. Nope. I got the weekend off, so I'll be coaching the second grade girls here in Massachusetts. Okay.
00:43:38
Speaker
um Good luck to them. Good luck to the parents. They have no idea what they're getting with me this weekend. ah Is it weird if I bring a cooler beer for the 9 a.m. kickoff? No, I think that's that's terrible, I think. If I'm arrested this weekend, you know what happened. Right. do do Do the coach the other parents know who you are? Do the do you get a lot of do you know what you're doing?
00:44:02
Speaker
I am I am my daughter's dad. That's all I am. That's all it is. And then if I yell, what are we doing? Everyone's head goes i'm like, oh, shit, I just gave it away. Good seeing you, dude. Good seeing you, obviously. ah Thank you for for coming on, Taylor. I am Jeremiah and signing off for no study at this and we will catch you next time.
00:45:03
Speaker
one