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Sounders - Louisville US Open Cup preview
114 Plays1 year ago
To get us ready for the Sounders game against Louisville City in the U.S. Open Cup we have a packed show. First, Vince from Scuffed gives us a bit of a scouting report. In the second segment, we catch up with former Sounders Academy and Tacoma Defiance player Ray Serrano, who's enjoying a bit of a breakout season with Louisville City.
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Transcript
Introduction to NOS Arietes Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hey, this is Christian Roldan. And Jordan Morris from the Seattle Sounders Football Club. And you're listening to NOS Arietes. This episode of NOS Arietes is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based wine retailer and proud sponsor of NOS Arietes since 2011. Full Pull 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, the Pacific Northwest.
00:00:28
Speaker
A.O. Shen! Let's go! What a save by Fry! The Seattle Sounders have done it! MLS Cup win! Here come three years through the middle to crown it the vehicle! And now they truly can't stop the celebrations. It's the Sounders' MLS Cup! Niko Liddo leaves out!
00:01:12
Speaker
Is that what you young people call twerking?
00:01:29
Speaker
Welcome back to NOS Adietes. I'm Jeremiah Chan.
Ray's Journey from Sounders Academy to Louisville City
00:01:33
Speaker
Joining me today is Ray Serrano, a former Sounders Academy and Tacoma, the finance player who's currently playing for Louisville City and getting ready to face the Sounders in the Open Cup on Wednesday. So, Ray, you've been... First of all, welcome to the show and thank you for doing this. You've been playing as a wide forward, I guess, for Louisville this year. And you...
00:01:58
Speaker
You've been enjoying quite a bit of the campaign. You've got two goals, three assists in about 600 minutes. You guys are 6-0-1-1. Looking like you'll be one of the top teams in the U.S.L. Championship. What's it been like for you this year over there?
00:02:11
Speaker
Yeah. No, first off, thanks for having me. But yeah, this year has just been an amazing year. Started in preseason, had a couple of goals, couple of assists. And then so far into this, like, first part of the season, I got three goals, three assists, and it's been really fun.
00:02:31
Speaker
The playing style that we play, I think a lot of that has given me a lot of freedom to play how I want to play pretty free and enjoy scoring goals and being a particles. So yeah.
00:02:50
Speaker
And so what has been, you know, this is your third year now in Louisville, right? What has been the transition been like? You know, this is the first time, I guess you were kind of living out on your own out here too, because you were away from family even when you were in Seattle, right?
Living in Louisville: Ray's New Lifestyle
00:03:08
Speaker
Yeah, I just live with my mom, my little sister in Seattle, and my dad would come every other weekend, every weekend. He tried to come out as much as he could, but he was back in Eastern Washington because of work. But yeah, moving out here has been a huge transition for me for sure, because I've never lived by myself, but it's been really good. I think Lovo is a
00:03:35
Speaker
It's a really nice city. Um, I think it's pretty calm, so there's not a whole lot that I really get myself into other than training and going to the gym. Um, so, so yeah, it's been a really good experience so far. So what is, uh, what have you learned about Louisville? What have you, uh, how is the, you know, I guess it's a, it's a kind of Southern lifestyle, right? It's a little different than, uh, than Washington.
00:04:01
Speaker
Yeah no really big in college sports out here for sure and the Derby obviously is going around actually this weekend and the Derby is a really cool event to go to and yeah low was a pretty low key but like really fun really fun place to be honest. So have you been out to Churchill Downs? It sounds like you have been. Yeah last year I went to Derby and it was a really good time.
00:04:29
Speaker
Were you out in the infield? What were you to tell us about your derby experience? Um, we actually had like an infield suite. So the whole team got together Derby day and we just, we just like play special horses, stuff like that. But, but yeah, it was, it was just a cool experience. So, I mean, how, it sounds like you're having fun. I mean, is this, is this the most fun you've been having playing soccer?
00:04:53
Speaker
I think this year so far, yeah. Also my very first year. I'd say last year wasn't the best year for me physically and mentally because I just was in and out of the squad. I dealt with an injury at the beginning of the season. There were just a lot going on for me last year, but mentally and physically this year it's been really fun up to this point. And also my very first year here when we won the Eastern Conference championship.
00:05:19
Speaker
So yeah, so I don't know how closely people in Seattle are paying attention to Louisville, but you guys are off to an
Competitive Play: Louisville City vs Tacoma Defiance
00:05:28
Speaker
amazing start. Like I said, 601 one one of the top teams in the in the USO Championship. How would you describe the level of USO Championship compared to what you were playing in? I guess you were also playing in USO Championship here, but how would you? How would you compare the level to Louisville to what you saw previously?
00:05:47
Speaker
Yeah, I think at Tacoma Defiance playing the Houston Championship, it was a bit different because we had a very young squad. And it was more about development and helping players either go on to the first game or develop them through Tacoma Defiance. Whereas here in Louisville,
00:06:08
Speaker
players are actually playing to put food on the table for their families. And every year competing for championships.
Danny Cruz: Coaching Philosophy and Impact
00:06:16
Speaker
So I think those two are the really big factors that I've seen since I've been here, comparing the two teams that I played on. And so what's Danny Cruz like as a coach? He's a really good coach. He's a coach that really
00:06:36
Speaker
He has a winning mentality and he's very tactical and make sure that all of us on the field are tactically aware of our job each weekend. So yeah, he's a really, he's a hard coach, but he's the coach that wants to win and wants all of us players to be together and to have that winning mentality every weekend.
00:07:00
Speaker
How much has it helped you personally just to have a consistency, not just with, you know, planning every week, but, you know, you've had a lot of consistency and coaching staff, basically the whole time you've been there too, right? Can you repeat that one more time? You kind of cut up.
00:07:19
Speaker
Oh yeah, sorry about that. Yeah, we you know how much is consistency help both in terms of being able to get on the field consistently, but also in terms of the direction you're getting from coaches and it being the same voices that you're hearing, you know, year in and year out. I think it's I think it's been great so far. I think the coaches. With consistently. Making sure that I'm competing and playing at a high level or.
00:07:48
Speaker
or making sure that I'm training well or making sure that I get my extras in whatever I need has been helping me out for sure to this point.
00:08:01
Speaker
Absolutely. Uh, so for you personally, where, where do you say, you know, you talked about how playing in the USO championship is, uh, you know, you're playing with a lot of veterans, you're playing with guys who are, you know, uh, putting food on the table for
Ray's Aspirations: MLS and Beyond
00:08:15
Speaker
their family. Uh, not so much looking at it developmentally, but for you personally, you're still only 21 years old. What are your aspirations right now in terms of where you want to take this? Yeah, I think, um,
00:08:28
Speaker
I think, well, first of all, playing Seattle this week, I think that's. That's something that I've been, I mean, we played them last year last year in the preseason. That's something big for me, to be honest, because. I can go there and showcase myself and show. Who I am now, compared to a couple of years ago.
00:08:49
Speaker
as a younger player. But I think my aspirations are for sure to go to a high level and play either MLS or playing a first division overseas or something like that. But yeah, for sure, my aspirations are to get to the highest level I could potentially get to.
00:09:12
Speaker
And how big of a test is, you know, how much of an opportunity do you see playing against the Sounders in the Open Cup specifically? You know, a lot of players that you presumably played with when you were here. Yeah, I think it's a really big opportunity to be honest. I train and play with. Almost everyone that's there right now, and I think it's a great opportunity to showcase myself. And like I said to show how much I've developed to this point.
00:09:42
Speaker
Do you keep in touch with any of your former Defiance teammates?
00:09:45
Speaker
Yeah, during the off season, I actually saw Josh Potencio, Cody Baker. I talked to Danny Leyvo a little bit. I saw Jackson Reagan just playing pickup, just randomly just met him there at the field. I didn't even know they were going to be there, but yeah, I still talked to a couple of those guys and other teammates that put me at Tacoma. I also think that's really a couple of them as well.
Game Day Support: Family and Fans
00:10:14
Speaker
So I have heard a couple of kind of epic stories about large family contingents of yours coming out to Defiance Games. What kind of crowd of family are you expecting out for this game for Wednesday? Pretty big crowd, to be honest. I got a lot of family and a lot of friends that are going to be out there. And yeah, I think it's going to be great seeing everyone at the
00:10:37
Speaker
at the Seattle versus Louisville game, for sure. Do you imagine that they're all going to be decked out in purple or are there split allegiances in this group? I'm pretty sure everyone will be in purple. They might have like a founder jacket or something, but yeah, for sure they'll be rocking my jersey.
00:10:55
Speaker
Absolutely. Well, Ray, it's been great catching up with you. I appreciate you doing this, and good luck the rest of the year. It's been great seeing everything that you've been up to, and it's been a lot of fun. Thank you so much. All right. Thanks for listening to No Study At This, and we'll be right back.
00:11:24
Speaker
Welcome back to another episode of NOS Adietes. I am Jeremiah O'Shan.
Open Cup Game Insights with Vince from Scuffed Podcast
00:11:29
Speaker
Joining me today to help preview this Open Cup game against Louisville City is Vince from one of my favorite podcasts, Scuffed. Welcome to the show, Vince.
00:11:39
Speaker
Hey man, I'm just happy to be back happy to get a return invite. That's right. Yeah, you were we talked to you last year ahead of the preseason game against Louisville, which was explicitly just so I had an excuse to have you on the podcast.
00:11:56
Speaker
Yeah. This time I, this is a real game though. This is, this one, this is a little bit more of a relevant match here. All the marbles, some would say. Yeah, sure. We'll call it that. What is the, first of all, give us an overview of Louisville. They are not a, this is, this is a good team. This is not just a, this is not the Washington generals out here.
00:12:20
Speaker
Yeah, not the Washington Generals and you know if you were inclined to believe that any second division team was the Washington Generals, I got some questions for you.
00:12:30
Speaker
It's fair enough. But yeah, I mean, Louisville City, if you are in American soccer deep enough to where you are listening to the Nos Adietas podcast, I would assume that especially the Sounders having such a rich, rich history in soccer in this country, you know what I'm saying? You should be tuned into what's going on below MLS. And if you are, you would know that Louisville City is one of the biggest clubs in the United States of America.
00:12:59
Speaker
There I said it. That's right. Uh, two USL championships have not been in anything less than the Eastern conference finals in every year. The Louisville city has been a club that is impressive, which we're in the 10th season. Jeremiah, did you know that you're telling me you guys have been to the Eastern conference championship at least all 10 seasons. That's right.
00:13:24
Speaker
That's, I did not know that. Okay. That's very, you've, you've got my attention even more. I knew this was, and they're having a very good season on top. Like even by their standards, this is a very good season that they're enjoying.
00:13:36
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, very good season because, uh, like the one thing I talked about all of our, uh, exploits, uh, right there, but the one thing we haven't necessarily put together is an entire year where we win the league. Um, I don't, I'm pretty sure we've done it, but at least once in our 10 year history, but since I've actually been a fan fan since like 2018, um,
00:13:59
Speaker
We haven't done it, haven't done it, haven't won the regular season, haven't won the, haven't won the league. And so that's what we're trying to put together here, man. Uh, you know, so far six wins, one loss, the, the, the one loss coming in a weird, uh, midweek rotation match where, uh, I think head coach Danny Cruz would do a different, if we had it all, if we had to do it all over again, but yeah, so far we're flying. So far we're flying.
00:14:25
Speaker
it's you there in charleston's the other team that's kind of off to a flying start in the eastern conference right charleston uh unbeaten unbeaten so far this year uh seven wins uh three draws which uh is my is my biggest
00:14:45
Speaker
league away day that I would love to make it to. My wife's a big, well, she's a history teacher. She wants to go to Charleston, see the sights and whatnot. Eventually we'll make it. I can see that being a good road trip. Yeah. Eventually we'll make it. We don't play them on a Tuesday in April.
00:15:04
Speaker
There you go. Uh, so Danny Cruz, the head coach, you mentioned him, he has, uh, you know, he's a former MLS players, as people may know, he's enjoyed a lot of success though. Uh, as a, as a coach at Louisville, how would you describe his, like his, his ethos? What's his, what's his, his MO? So we're actually now just getting to the point where.
00:15:31
Speaker
His ethos is fully being laid out onto the pitch, actually. In his, I think this is his third season. He took over halfway through when John Hackworth left. What's he, GM of St. Louis now? John Hackworth? Oh, that's right. Yeah, he is. I think you're right. I think he's involved. He's in somewhere with St. Louis. Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:58
Speaker
I don't, I can't remember. This is, I think, I think it's his 30, you know, he took over halfway through when John left. Um, first full season was last year. I think, no, no, this is three and a half seasons. Okay.
Tactical Evolution at Louisville City
00:16:11
Speaker
So we're coming into his fourth season as a coach. And this is the first time where he was an assistant under John Hackworth and everyone knew for whatever reason, it was just a, uh, it was just a thing that he loves a three back set up.
00:16:25
Speaker
loves the three back set up. Uh, when he was an assistant, wouldn't, wouldn't quit suggesting that the John Hackworth and, um, and as a head coach, um, he would, we stayed in the four three three because our personnel wasn't necessarily fit to run a three back system. But, um, you know, anytime he would get asked about it, he was like, yeah, it's something we're working on. He's trying to get there, trying to get there. And so now we're finally here. Now we're finally here. We're running out. Um,
00:16:56
Speaker
You know, it's a good old fashioned. Three, four, three. And, uh, yeah, that, that's it. Now transition from the four, three, three of the John Hackworth was running and, uh, running a four, three, three, uh, very possession heavy. Um, yeah, that's, that's Louisville city ball.
00:17:16
Speaker
And Ray Serrano, a name that Sounders fans hopefully recognize, and we actually have an interview on this episode with, but he is seemingly a pretty key component of what Danny Cruz is doing. It looks like he's been lining up as a wide forward most of the time. Is that right?
00:17:37
Speaker
Yeah, and after a somewhat disappointing. Was last year 2023, you know, you know, I came in 2022 was was quite promising, quite promising, but but you know, a young kid struggled with injury last year, right? Yeah, struggle with injury a little bit. He's getting back to it this year. Good player, good player, but very, very technical, very technical, tricky.
00:18:07
Speaker
not necessarily like a pace merchant. He's not slow by any means, but, uh, he's mostly going to beat you with, uh, ball mastery, ball mastery, I would say.
00:18:20
Speaker
Yeah, I liked him a lot when he was here. He was a little on the small side like he was very skinny. I don't know if he's bred filled out much, but he that was the one knock against him was just that it was hard to project him as a as an MLS talent at the time just because of his his size, but. Can report he has not filled out OK. He's still he's still quite slight. Yeah, that'll be that'll be his next step.
00:18:49
Speaker
Like I said, he's not getting away from anybody. And so like, um, you can knock him off the ball quite easily. Uh, but yeah. And so look, just kind of looking at the stat sheet here, Wilson Harris, uh, another player who I would see who seemingly is in the, in the middle of everything that you guys are doing.
Wilson Harris: Louisville's Offensive Key Player
00:19:09
Speaker
Yeah. Uh, this is also Wilson's third year. So really.
00:19:13
Speaker
So Louisville city had like a main core, uh, which was the key to a lot of our success, which is, you know, unlike. Uh, what you would see in the, in the U S O, you know, players are moving all the time. We, we had a, we had a key core that basically just stuck around the club for like, uh, five, five to six years. And so in 2022 was when we kind of try to start refreshing everything. That's when Ray came in. That's when Wilson also came in. So Wilson's from, uh, and from SKC too.
00:19:44
Speaker
OK from from L.A. originally came from S.K.C. to and yeah he's a man up top the striker probably our most dangerous player for sure that the one that
00:19:57
Speaker
Seattle needs to make sure they get a, they get a hold on if they, uh, they want to stop this vaunted, vaunted little city attack. But, um, yeah, man, he's just, he's, he's a non man. He'll, he'll run in, he'll run in behind. He'll, uh, he's comfortable with the ball at his feet. He'll pick it up and try and run at you. Um,
00:20:17
Speaker
Just a, just a good player, classic nine. Um, once again, like the entire club had a down year last year. Um, that's probably like one of our worst years in existence. Still made it to these conference finals. Uh, anyway. Um, but like we were, we were terrible. Like we finished like seven, six in the table.
00:20:36
Speaker
And he's probably like, that's just not something that happens here often. But, um, so yeah, like Ray had Dan down your last year, but he's, he's back at it bagging goals for fun.
00:20:49
Speaker
And so this is a team that 22 goals in seven games. This is a high flying offense. Defense is not bad either. Only allowed six goals. One of the players who seemingly is a defensive leader is a player who featured against the Sounders in the open cup last year when he was a San Diego loyal. Kyle Adams is a New Zealand international, right? Yes.
00:21:15
Speaker
Yeah, actively actively getting called up everything. Yeah, so he came came mid season from from the loyal last year and that was part of you know Danny still trying to acquire. Players that he felt comfortable could play could play in that three back for him and so once we basically once we got Kyle Adams, that's when. We turned into a three back team.
00:21:43
Speaker
Yeah, just a rock in the back, man. Just a rock in the back. All of our dudes are, all of our three center backs are quite mobile, quite comfortable at the ball, ball at their feet, relatively mobile. We'll see what happens if they come up against like Jordan Morris or something. It might be, it might get a little sticky.
00:22:02
Speaker
Yeah, I wouldn't necessarily expect to see Jordan Morris. Yeah, we're going to get into that, but yeah. You know, this is on paper. It's actually, it's funny because this is a, I think San Diego, when the Sounders played them in the open cup last year, also ran a three, four, three. And, you know, that was a wild game. I don't know if you even knew it was a five, four Sounders, one, five, four on a, like a.
00:22:26
Speaker
120th minute, 121st minute penalty, something like that. And it was just an absolutely wild game.
00:22:35
Speaker
but this is a, like loyal San Diego is not, this is a, an experienced team. This is, you know, and I guess this is sort of one of the, the positives of the USL championship. This, this is not a developmental league.
USL Championship: A Competitive Arena
00:22:48
Speaker
This is a competitive league that is out there. You know, these, these are professional players that are, that are making their living, uh, feeding their families with, with these, with these rosters. And you look at the roster, it's all guys in there, you know, maybe early ish twenties, but a lot of guys solidly in the
00:23:05
Speaker
in the prime of their careers. This is not the lower divisions of old. This is a very competitive league that we got here that has real men ready to play hard-nosed soccer.
00:23:19
Speaker
Yeah, I'm looking up just going through our three back, you know, say Kyle Adams, 27 West Sharpie, 31 and Sean Tosh, who is our most senior defender, 32. Right. And yeah, they bring a lot of they bring a lot of experience. I mean, Tosh has been a Louisville City
00:23:40
Speaker
I mean shoot at least six years now six maybe seven years uh Wes Sharpie brings a lot of brings a lot of athleticism to the to the back line um yeah they're just we'll we'll see my my questions to be honest is it's it's always it's always what they attack for me when uh especially when you go up a level um it's just
00:24:08
Speaker
does your technique, well, it's everything. Does your technique transfer? And more importantly for me, I think the athleticism is just being able to stretch lines and making sure that Seattle isn't just able to compact everything and just kind of choke you out. And unfortunately, our biggest threat on that front, Brian Ombi, tore his ACL this preseason.
00:24:36
Speaker
which he, if, if we had him, I'd feel, I mean, you know, we'll, we'll see what happens. We'll see what happens at the match. But if we had him, I would guarantee you, Jeremiah, that we would cause your backline problems. Just, just so the, just because he is a blur, a blur. And he was starting to, and he had, and he had put it together in his old age to really figure out how to use that. And I, like, I think he's a dude that could have,
00:25:04
Speaker
Um, you know, maybe ended up a MLS bench guy or some little, little impact sub maybe. Uh, but yeah, unfortunately he won't be with us.
00:25:25
Speaker
So another player I should ask about Jake Morris. He is a player who came through the Sounders Academy. He's not from Seattle. I think he's from Florida. He's actually the brother of Aidan Morris, but he is enjoying a pretty good season. It looks like with you guys. Yeah. Yeah. And, and, you know, with the, uh, in the three, four, three, right? We're depending on our two wing backs to get up and down and, uh,
00:25:53
Speaker
You know, help with the defense, help with the attack, et cetera, et cetera. And, uh, yeah, Jake's Jake's been able to do that for us. He's a funny player because he's kind of built like Jordan Morris. Yes. You know, maybe, maybe even like, like, like slightly bulkier, man, just a big dude out there. So it's funny though. It's fun to watch them just get up and down. And, but, you know,
00:26:14
Speaker
with how we've been playing and the way we tilt the field on our opponents. I'm interested to see how he really looks defensively once we get a, you know, once we get put under the cash.
00:26:28
Speaker
Right. Yeah, it's it's going to be an interesting interesting matchup in this one because the Sounders I think will have it's going to be first team players as in like their Emily like there's I don't think there's going to be my suspicion is that everyone that starts in this game will be you know an actual MLS player that and most of them have MLS minutes this year and there could even be like my suspicion is Alex Roldan will probably start this one because he was you know he missed the the Galaxy game
00:26:56
Speaker
I would imagine Leo Chu probably starts this one because he didn't start against the galaxy. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, these are, these are decent players and then there's going to be a bunch of younger guys who have at times look pretty good for the sounders. Uh, but it's going to be, it'll be an interesting one. I, I think, you know, last year it was, you know, when, when San Diego came in here, it was, it was interesting cause San Diego looked like they were,
00:27:21
Speaker
pretty intent on sort of playing, like being the protagonist in the game, which I would, I wouldn't be surprised if Danny Cruz does as well, but
00:27:32
Speaker
the, you know, the Sanders were able to, you know, you do see some of the skill differences, even if they aren't, you know, like there's not as much refinement sometimes, but it's interesting to see that matchup because, you know, these, these are players that are used to playing against, you know, MLS talents. And so it's, it'll be, I think it'll be an interesting matchup. I actually really liked these, these USL championship MLS match ups.
00:27:55
Speaker
Uh, and I don't know if the fact that there's only eight MLS teams in the tournament this year, I realize diminishes the. Like the overall quality of the tournament, but it does ensure more of these intra league match-ups, which I think is probably the most interesting thing about the tournament. Yeah. I mean, it's definitely the most interesting thing about it for me. I mean, just in the, in the system that we currently, uh,
00:28:23
Speaker
in habit as a, you know, our, our soccer ecosystem. Um, you know, the, the, the one opportunity that you get to, do you get the cross leagues or whatever? I mean, let's say it's a big occasion. I know it's a big, it's a big occasion for us. I don't know how, I don't know how y'all feel. I think it's, it makes it so much more fun. I think that, like to the degree that we have, that I think MLS fans have
00:28:45
Speaker
Don't have as much interest in the tournament I think it's a lot because you end up playing the same MLS opponents every year and getting to play like I'm stoked when I saw the you know when I saw the draw that that the Sounders were in a group with was it Louisville City, North Carolina and Phoenix like that's a on one hand that looks like a really tough group because it potentially has a lot of travel and
00:29:09
Speaker
But at least, you know, you were going to be playing new teams. Like the Sanders have never played any of those teams in, in actual competition, which is to me the whole fun of this, this whole tournament. Yeah. That's all it is, man. That's all it is. But, uh,
00:29:25
Speaker
Yeah, just just happy to see it. It's yes, it's the unknown for sure. It's just unknown. And and on my side, just the the possibility, the possibility, you know, the fact that you can dream big. Like there's a there's a radio show that Louisville City basically sponsors every week. And they just they just been talking about the fact that like
00:29:54
Speaker
the opportunity to be in CONCACAF Champions League is on the line. Yeah, there you go. There you go. Little city in the Aztec. Come on, you know what I'm saying? Absolutely. Yeah, it's just the possibilities that the Open Cup can bring you. Yeah, just the matchups and
00:30:16
Speaker
You know, the David and Goliath, you know, the tail is all the time, you know, you can, you can build that up the underdog role, all that, all the things while we love sport, you know, the open cup brings it to you. Yeah. So what are our Louisville fans pretty pumped about this one? Yeah. Yeah. Uh, we would much rather be at home, but, uh,
00:30:41
Speaker
Yeah, it is what it is, man. We just love having the opportunity. I appreciate the opportunity, number one, Seattle. Was it last year? You guys played hosted Nashville last year? Was that right? Am I remembering that correctly? Was that a couple years ago? We hosted Nashville in 2022.
00:31:00
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. Host of Nashville in 2022, um, had a great turn. I mean, as good of a turnout as you would have in a midweek game for local city, like it's the best midweek crowd I've ever seen in a local city. You know what I'm saying? Like it was, it looked like it was a Saturday night in there. Um, scored first.
00:31:20
Speaker
gave up a goal right back like from the kickoff basically like right after right after we scored it stayed at one one time for a while and then basically Hani Mukhtar came on and it was uh yeah yeah he created a goal sometimes yeah yeah man but it was still cool like to be able to see Hani Mukhtar you know I'm saying Walker Zimmerman came on later absolutely
00:31:44
Speaker
Dax McCarty started the game, played the whole game, just to be able to see those guys. It was a great match. It was a great match.
00:31:54
Speaker
Yeah, well, we will see. And the thing is, right, we have like, we have these players. We have Wilson Harris or Ray Serrano. We have Elijah Winder, a young kid who was our first Academy signing. His brother, Josh, we sold to Benfica two years ago. Last year, last year, two years. Last year, right? Last year, last year. Yeah. And just to see
00:32:25
Speaker
Do these young kids, I mean, they've been killing USO. Do they got this next level in them? And I'm excited to see it. I'm excited to see it.
00:32:37
Speaker
Absolutely. I am too. Well Vince, thank you so much for for doing this. You if you don't know already Vince is one of the hosts of the scuff podcast. Go ahead. Let me I just want to ask you a question just as far as like how did uh, I assume you're very plugged in Jeremiah, you know, Santa what everything's going. Yeah, like, um How
00:33:04
Speaker
How was their decision process to get involved in the Open Cup? What was going on in the background as far as what MLS teams participated in the Open Cup? Was it just a team by team thing where anybody could just
00:33:18
Speaker
Oh, yeah. So I can see where they appear. The way they, you know, at least this is the public line is the way they decided it was, you know, they took the teams that were in the CONCACAP Champions League and they they excused them from it. Right. And then they brought in the Houston Dynamo because they were the defending champion. And then it was just the next eight teams in the supporter shield standings. Oh, OK.
00:33:43
Speaker
So it's the, so it's basically the treating it like a Europa league qualification type deal. And I, you know, just, I don't know how much of that was MLS asking to have fewer teams involved and how much of that was the, you know, the bracket kind of lining up that way. I'm sure MLS was, was begging out of it to some degree because they wanted, MLS wanted some
00:34:06
Speaker
MLS next pro teams in it. So basically the eight teams that were, you know, the, the eight teams that are in it from, from MLS and then the rest of the USL or the MLS next pro teams, if they're below that. So I don't know exactly the, you know, how the sausage was made and how they determined that, but the sounders were basically the first or second qualifier from that, from that group.
00:34:33
Speaker
of the
00:34:51
Speaker
Regardless, I mean, the way I look at it is the Sounders have a chance to be the first MLS team to win five USM open cups. And they would be, that would tie the old, it would also tie the all time record, which is to me a pretty cool.
00:35:09
Speaker
You know, the Seattle area has a pretty rich history of US Open Cup participation, even before the sounders, or even before the MLS sounders, the USL sounders actually made a couple runs to the Open Cup semis as a USL team. So, you know, there's...
00:35:32
Speaker
I like the open cup. I think it's a lot. One of my earliest sounders memories, one of my kind of when I got really hooked on the sounders was actually watching them play the galaxy at Landon Donovan's galaxy at Starfire, which is the stadium where this game is going
Starfire: The Sounders' Home Advantage
00:35:48
Speaker
to be played. Right. And it's I don't know if you've heard Starfire stories or not, but it's this, you know, it's a it's a small stadium. It's like a 4000 seat stadium.
00:35:56
Speaker
I'll be interested to see what kind of attendance they got, they get tomorrow, but, or Wednesday, I should say. But it's, when it's rocking, it can be, it's a fun little place, a fun little stadium. So, you know, they've, the centers have only lost, they've never lost in regulation at, at Starfire.
00:36:16
Speaker
Uh, the only time they, the only two times they've lost was once in a penalty shootout, and then they lost to the, to the, uh, timbers in overtime there. But it's a, so it's, it's been a neat little home field advantage for the Sounders last year. San Diego obviously pushed them to the brink. That one, that one went to overtime. Uh, but yeah, it's a, it's, it'll, it'll, I think it'll be a good time. It'll be a good time. All right.
00:36:46
Speaker
All right. That sounds good. That sounds good. And you know what, if I'm taking some solace from the fact that, uh, the San Diego push you, you know, cause if they can do it, we can do it, baby. Absolutely. No, I, to be a competitor, a very competitive game. Uh, I am not, I'm not going into this.
00:37:08
Speaker
Overly, remotely, overly confident, I don't think. My suspicion is Louisville will be very competitive, and I wouldn't be totally shocked if they won. But, you know, it'll be fun. I think it'll be fun.
00:37:24
Speaker
But Vince, again, thank you for doing this. I appreciate it. Scuffed podcast. If you aren't a listener already, I suggest you become one. They are the most fun US national team podcast out there.
00:37:40
Speaker
maybe the most, the best, not just the most, the only one I listen to on a regular basis because it's the one I get the most enjoyment out of. That's the big part. That's right. That's right. Most fun, most informative too. Gotta throw that out there. You know what I'm saying?
00:37:58
Speaker
minute by minute breakdowns of every notable moment that happens at a match. Man, have you done a full breakdown with Adam yet where you had to take notes on every single... Oh, yeah. It's a...
00:38:14
Speaker
I don't know. It's an exercise. I don't know what it's an exercise in, but it's fun. And the thing is, I played college football. Yes. And it brings me back to those days of being in the film room, watching film all the time, critiquing your every last move that occurs on the practice field, on the game field. So it was kind of like flexing that muscle.
00:38:42
Speaker
Again, and I like I like getting in the minutia and stuff like that. So like, you know, this person moved their foot because, you know, as I was office alignment as office alignment, right? Like details are are. Very important, and it's like if you step. Eight inches when you should have stepped four inches, you know that that might make or break the play and similar, similar things in soccer, similar in soccer.
00:39:11
Speaker
But yeah, I'm amazed at how much you guys clearly are on why Scout you guys have You guys are one to put in the time to track so many players. It blows me away That you guys are able to just kind of pull Pull stuff on on
00:39:28
Speaker
like every notable player in the pool. It's, it's wild to me, but I love the podcast. I can't recommend it enough. I hope people go out and become a Patreon. And, uh, and of course, small, fall events on, on Twitter too. Yeah. Yeah. Um, what's your Twitter handle? Remind us of the V underscore. So spiffy. Um,
00:39:51
Speaker
Yeah, that's me on Twitter. Twitter is really the only social media I use. I got an Instagram account. I don't use it. I got a Facebook account. I don't use it. Twitter is where I'll be. And I don't even know how long I'm going to be there, to be honest. It's about time for a break. Oh, I am very much there with you. Very, very much there with you.
00:40:14
Speaker
Man, I was, I had kicked it before the pandemic. And then I was like, man, I need, I need news. You know, where's the best place to get news? I mean, then pop his Twitter back up. I hear you. I hear you. It's, it's a sickness, but it's, it keeps it. It's hard to beat when you get a good RSS feed going of the world, everything going on in the world, hard to beat.
00:40:39
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, truly, truly, man. Uh, yeah. So. All right. Well, Vince, thanks again for doing this. Uh, I'm Jeremiah Shan. This is no study at this. We'll catch you next time.
00:41:51
Speaker
We love you. Let's win another one!