He's a tough kid.
I'm not going to say his name, I'm going to say his name.
Hello and welcome to another episode of Sounders Guttelbutt.
I'm your host Cameron Collins and I am here with the man I've been hyping up this way
the last few episodes.
It's the one and only Nicholas Bielo.
What's up dude?
Hey, you know what, I need you to learn to play the tuba and I need you to just kind
of, you know, give me a little tuba intro, you know, that would be trombone.
There you go.
Yeah, I like it.
I like it.
Yeah, I was a saxophone player.
I did not play trombone or two.
My dad played trombone in the Notre Dame marching band.
Oh, wow.
The football team was terrible back then.
I would say you dodged one, you dodged a bullet there.
You could have been, you could have been a Notre Dame guy.
Oh, I planned on being a Notre Dame guy and they didn't let me in.
That's why I have my Santa Clara national champion shirt on because that's where I went
instead.
Nice, nice.
Speaking of which, breaking news out of Princeton, New Jersey, where a former star soccer player
for Wesleyan murdered his younger brother, former soccer star from Michigan.
And I think we can agree murder is bad.
Yes, murder is bad.
But from Michigan, you know, maybe let him off because the guy went to Michigan.
Okay, on that note, I need to crack one open.
It's three o'clock in the afternoon.
Why not?
Oh, that sounded good.
By the way, I was listening to the recording from from our last episode and our double
or double snap came out really good.
That's great.
That is great.
You don't always get to tell live while we're on the, you know, on the call.
Absolutely.
And we've got a fun show today.
We've got a some non soccer scuttlebutt, which I'm excited about.
We've got some soccer scuttlebutt.
We've got a whole lot of soccer to talk about because guess what?
A lot happened.
Sounders won at a game yesterday that was super fun.
That's right, we're recording on Thursday, February 27th, a day after the Sounders advanced
in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
I almost said League Cup.
Not even 24 hours.
Yeah.
And, and which means we're back next Wednesday, which feels like, oh my gosh, another one.
I was thinking about how it was great.
We were going to have a break, but you know what?
Bring it.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Yep.
We'll take it.
So how you doing?
How's your last, let's see, the game was at 730.
How's your last 20 hours been?
Well, when the game ended, I came back to the house, dropped off Roma and Bernie, then
immediately turned around, went to my work parking lot and took a power nap.
This way, this way I can maximize my sleep because I got like, I like maybe an hour and
20 minutes and then was, you know, basically set my alarm for 10 minutes before I had to
start and, and got started at, you know, two in the morning and, you know, got done and
yeah.
So now I'll probably get a few hours of sleep today and do it all over again.
Yay.
I look forward to when you have a daytime job again.
Yeah.
Although I like recording during the day, it's easier for me than night.
I often have meetings and work stuff in the evening, not 2 a.m., but you know, 7 p.m.
Well, hey, you know, while I'm, while I'm waiting for the right opportunity back in
my career field, you know, this is a good role that, you know, works with my schedule
where it's not interfering with stuff too much.
As long as I can put up with not sleeping at all.
So I mean, what isn't the first time in your life you've done that?
I'm sure when Roma was born, you had very little sleep.
I mean, honestly, most of my life has been like that.
I'm usually historically a, you know, three to five hours sleep a night kind of person.
I mean, I go to sleep late, but I need eight hours.
Yeah.
Now it's just at least once, at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, I'm not sleeping
at all.
And then the other days I'm trying to get, you know, between one to four hours of sleep
and then maybe one day of just no alarms, letting my body just pass out.
And I'm glad you have one day like that, at least not ideal, but we're working on it.
Yeah.
So last 20 hours of great.
The game was fun.
Roma was really excited to go to her first game of the, of the season.
Yeah.
She got to meet or not meet, but got to see Roman Torres again.
Yeah.
Her name's think.
Yeah.
Ish.
And they know, does he remember her?
Yeah.
When I was like, uh, when, when, when you went up to him, you know, uh, you know, said,
oh, Romana, I think, oh, and he immediately was like, good to see you again, you know?
And she was, she was being, you know, she was being her big goofy smile.
Um, yeah.
And then, and then when we were on the jumbo Tron, she got a huge kick out of that.
She saw herself.
Oh, I didn't notice.
Oh yeah.
I was like, I'm going to pop up on there and I should have taken a picture of her because
for like the next, you know, two minutes, she just had this huge grin on, on her face.
She was really excited as a five year old that, you know, that's a big deal.
Oh yeah.
I always loved being on the jumbo Tron at Mariners games and, and Seahawks games.
So uh, Sounders equally, although we get less jumbo Tron time.
So maybe it's even more significant.
Yeah.
So, um, a really good day got to hang with some friends, including a scuttlebutt listener,
Eric, um, got to hang with you, got to hang with a whole bunch of people and, and just
great energy.
Great.
And what a beautiful night in the, in the stands.
Yeah.
Little cold by the end, but that's okay.
That was my fault for not dressing warm enough.
How about you?
Yeah, good.
I mean, the match was fun.
I went with my dad and it's always, you know, he's 84.
So, um, every time I can hang out with them, especially Sounders is always fun.
Uh, and, and lions council president, Duane Nakamura sits a few seats away from me now
in the next section over.
So it's always nice to see him and, um, just kind of hung out and then, um, little, little
frustrating.
Well, busy, busy day to day, I got my COVID booster.
So I am boosted up.
I was past due.
So I thought I'd rather get that, but I'm also, uh, immunocompromised, right?
So I need, I need my regular one.
So I think that's my 11th shot in total in the, in the four years or something like that.
Yeah.
Almost quarterly, semi-annually.
Yeah.
Every three months is when I'm supposed to get it.
Yeah.
And then I've had COVID three times.
So that pushed it back three months each time.
Gotcha.
Um, so, uh, always, always glad to have that because I'm sure it's why COVID when I get
it is not as severe along with getting to take the antibodies because I'm immunocompromised,
but love it.
And, um, then had some super hawks meetings because, uh, Sunday is the first super hawks
game of the season at Wenatchee.
So I won't be attending, but a week from tomorrow is the first home game.
So if you're not doing anything Friday, what is that?
March 6th or something like that.
Seventh, uh, 7 PM start over at Seattle Pacific.
Come on out.
It's free.
Uh, you can come watch the super hawks get to our, uh, Northwest.
We won the Northwest division last year and we are West Conference champions the year
before.
So we're, we're looking to get Western or it's not Western conference, West Conference
champions again and make it going to be tough.
LA is always good.
Uh, Eugene was the worst team in the league last year.
They have some real players this year.
They're going to be good.
Uh, but yeah, so, uh, should be fun.
And then, um, had to deal with the fact that my recycling hadn't been picked up in five
weeks.
Uh, they've just been skipping us and I've been on the phone with them three different
times, not them, the city and the city's telling them what to do.
Yeah.
And they, I complained last week, so they came and picked up only mine and no one else's.
And then they picked up down the block one.
And so I called them.
I was like, man, this is stupid.
Like, and they also, I put out extra because you can do that here.
And they didn't take it.
And so they finally today came and I didn't pay attention because I saw them pull up.
I was like, sweet.
And then I looked afterwards, they didn't take my extra bin or all the extra box of
stuff I put out.
I had to call again.
I was like, look lady.
I know it's not your fault.
I am so frustrated.
She's like, I'd be frustrated too.
And so she's escalating it again because they're supposed to pick that stuff up.
So it's been five weeks without recycling pickup.
There's only one company that can do it.
And so that's why they city has a contract with them and some employee is not doing their
job.
So I, I, if it had been a single mistake, whatever, but it's now, this is willful ignorance.
Yeah.
They're willfully doing it.
So I got fired up and that got me perfect, perfectly ready for us to come in and talk
some socks.
Hey, we can, before we do it.
Yeah.
Oh, go ahead.
Oh, we got it.
We got it.
We got a few things that have gone on in the last 24 hours, you know?
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, for me, um, Gene Hackman dying is, I mean, he, he was dead yesterday, but he
didn't find it until last night.
Such a sad story.
I don't know totally what happened.
I don't think anyone does yet.
I feel like, I feel like there's going to be more to the story that seemed very weird.
He was 93, I think.
So he, I think he, here's my guess and this is complete speculation.
I don't know any facts.
Uh, I do work on true crime documentaries, but they're non-exploitative.
So I'm going to put on my true crime exploitative documentary hat.
I think he probably died and then she took some pills and finished herself.
Um, cause she was, had pills scattered around her, but also she could have died of the flu.
And there was no one to take care of him or they both had the flu.
I mean, I've known my parents have, my parents, you know, in their seventies and eighties,
they have friends in their eighties that almost died.
Um, because the flu is really bad right now.
I mean, but the other side of that is though, the, the X factor is it sounds like the dog
also passed.
So that could also-
One dog did.
They had two more that were running around out, one inside the house and one outside
running around.
So-
I mean, that, that makes me wonder if it's like a carbon monoxide situation.
Yeah.
Or the dog got into the pills that were left around the counter because the wife was covered
with pills all over the place.
And that could be the whatever dogs.
I anyways, so I don't want to, I don't want to be-
There's too much contraction that can happen regardless.
Gene Hackman, uh-
What was your favorite?
Yeah.
What was your favorite, uh, Gene Hackman role?
That's tough.
I mean, I think Hoosiers is hard not to, um, the love.
So, uh, but what about you?
I mean, for me, it's going to sound silly, but one of the first Gene Hackman roles that
I can remember was, was a movie as a kid that I really liked.
And that was the Poseidon Adventure.
Oh, interesting.
Yeah.
Um, I mean, Enemy of the State is the one that always stands out to me because I was
a senior in high school when that came out.
Yeah.
But, uh, I never loved the Superman movie, but he was good in that.
Unforgiven.
He was great in Unforgiven.
In Crimson Tide?
Yeah.
I mean, he had so many good movies.
Get Shorty is a classic.
I loved Get Shorty.
That came out, uh, 15 or 16.
I saw that in the theater.
Well, I think the interesting thing about him is that he just kind of went in, you know,
whatever direction he wanted to really.
He just kind of did his thing.
And I kind of thought that was interesting.
So even though I wasn't the biggest fan, I wasn't like, I wasn't like, oh, I got to
see every movie he's ever been in.
Um, I can respect the fact that he's been on in some, he's known for some very, um,
memorable roles.
Yeah.
I think I view him and maybe this is overstating Harvey Keitel, but I view him as similar to
Harvey Keitel.
Okay.
Even he's not the lead.
He's an amazing actor that can steal the show.
But because he plays a lot of these smaller characters, which not, Gene Hackman didn't
always do, I think later in his career, he did.
Yeah.
Um, you kind of, Harvey Keitel is like one of my favorite actors though.
So well, I'm also a Tarantino fan.
So yeah.
And, and, and, but Bad Lieutenant, it's such a rough movie, but he's so good in that.
Um, but yeah, I mean, Gene Hackman legend.
Um, you know, I think, I think people that are a little bit older than us that were into
a bridge too far in the French connection.
Yeah.
They have a whole nother attachment to him.
Oh, and in the bird cage, he was so good in the bird cage.
How can I forget?
Uh, I actually liked the bird cage better than La Cage aux Faux, um, even though I loved
the original French films.
I mean, we can go full PCU.
I love, I love dropping PCU references from time to time, but you know, the, the Kane
Hackman theory where, where at any time on TV, there's a movie starring either Michael
Kane or Gene Hackman and then the bridge too far shower scene.
Um, I wish TV isn't like that anymore.
What's so funny about that is PCU was on TV like 24 hours a day, seven days a week in
the early Comedy Central days.
Like when it was in the, was it the haha network or the laugh network, something like that
before it became Comedy Central and then switched to Comedy Central, they had to fill all that
extra time where they didn't have original programming.
And so I've seen, I saw PCU so many times because of that.
I just rewatched it last few weeks ago.
I own it on DVD because it's not available on streaming.
And I love that movie.
It holds up to yeah.
Favreau, Jeremy Piven, David Spade, uh, really good.
Jeremy sucks, but, uh, well, I mean, but, but I like them in that role.
Yeah.
I mean, he's always been kind of a douche.
What was the other early Piven role that made me laugh one crazy summer?
He was, he was one of the dude bros in that and it was like, Whoa, that felt like a decade
before he should have even been involved.
Yeah.
But yeah.
So poor Gene Hackman, of course yesterday also Michelle Trachtenberg.
Yeah, that one I was just about to say that that one was weird.
Like I growing up and in my young adult years, I really liked a lot of what Joss Whedon did.
Firefly, Buffy, Angel really upset that him, Brian Singer, David's, uh, uh, not David Spade,
uh, Brian Singer and Kevin Spacey turned out to be pieces of shit because a lot of their
works were movies I used to watch all the time, you know, uh, midnight in the garden
of good and evil, usual suspects, uh, you know, even the original X-Men with Brian Singer,
Buffy the vampire slayer.
Uh, I mean, Joss Whedon was involved with Toy Story, Avengers, all these things.
And it just really bums me out when, um, when they turned out to, and she of course was
a victim of Joss Whedon's creepiness.
Yeah.
Um, you know, it's funny cause she kind of got a diva, like treated her like she was
a diva when she was younger, but now you learn what she was dealing with.
And no wonder she was up in arms on that set and reckless and it's cause she needed, she
needed guidance and help from adults.
Yeah.
I only looking back how like, oh, when, unfortunately when someone passes that young, it's usually
not a good sign.
Um, I mean, liver failure, she got a liver transplant a few months ago and it looks like
her body just rejected it.
Oh, okay.
That, that happened.
And I don't, I'm guessing she had a independent streak cause it's a bummer that she was living
alone and continuing to get sick rather than like her mom found her.
So I wish she had been able to get some care and taken care of cause she seemed like a
nice person and, um, had some truly iconic roles, including in, uh, Pete and Pete, which
I forgot about.
Yeah.
So, yeah.
I mean, she, here's the funny thing.
I hated her on Buffy at first.
Oh, well the character, the character, character was insufferable and she, and, and spoilers,
but not really the shows old.
She came out of nowhere.
Literally.
She just returned the show and, and it was like, uh, the universe changed in such a way
that she was created literally out of nowhere and then just existed.
And everyone remembered her from then on because of the way that like she had been there the
whole life.
Yeah.
But when Buffy's mom dies, that episode is what changed my mind in her.
Cause she was such a fabulous actress in her grief episode that that's when her character
won me over.
Yeah.
But at the same time, it was kind of a jumping the shark era of Buffy where it was like,
who, who, who the hell is this?
Like it was very bizarre.
She it was, it was totally the bringing Leonardo DiCaprio into growing pains.
Yeah.
Like absolutely.
So, so rest in peace to both Michelle and Jean.
Um, yeah, unfortunately this is going to be something we deal with more and more.
This is the second week in a row.
We've, we've talked about that, that that's going to be happening more.
And I guess you were rather, um, um, that's the word I was trying to come up with and
I couldn't come up with it.
So thank you.
Hopefully it's the rule of threes and we're done now for a little bit, but we'll see.
Are we counting?
Nevermind.
I'm not going to go there.
Not going there.
Uh, are we counting Antigua is the third death because they are out of the, no, um, that
is right.
Before we get to soccer, we have a couple, uh, scuttlebutts from our mailbag over on
the discord.
If you're not a member of our discord, please go join and get involved in the conversation.
Uh, the scuttlebutt mailbag is where we go to, to answer your questions, comments and
concerns throughout these episodes.
A lot of fun going into the game as well too.
A lot of fun going into the match day thread.
Yeah, definitely during the match, a lot of people talking and it was nice where I could
pull up the game on YouTube, but, uh, it, uh, it was nice having immediate, I guess
people were behind us live at the game.
So being like, was that offsides or was that onsides like real quick response?
Yeah.
Which we will get to.
Um, but, uh, Kenny sloth asked us what's the best first spot.
I mean, this would have been a question for a couple of days ago when it was pissing rain.
Uh, that is the best time for far.
And it is just Seattle sunshine, cold rain.
That is, that is the full weather.
Um, for me, honestly, I really do like, you know, tan brothers.
I want my, I want my free cream puff at the end of, uh, at the end of my meal.
Um, you can't see me.
No, I was rubbing my nipples for you and everything.
Oh, give you a don't worry.
Don't that's something different.
Cream puff is different than a cream pie.
Wow, I'm just going to not go any further down that road.
You are correct.
Pan brothers is, uh, my spot as well.
Uh, it's because for me as a, as a, uh, vegetarian now vegan, um, they have the best vegetarian
broth and it's readily available.
And um, yeah, I mean, I, when I wasn't vegetarian, I loved it as well.
And the cream pie was cream puff was excellent.
And I remember going over there with, uh, Larry Mazzell, who, uh, is, uh, you know,
on the, who's on KXP does the afternoons on KXP and him putting like an entire container
of that chili oil in there.
And I was just like, man, Larry, that's going to kill me.
But uh, yeah, I, that's, that's it for me.
Any location I do have some, I like the Capitol Hill one better than some of the others.
I also like some of the ones that used to be tan brothers that have spun off into their
own thing that are now, so the kids have taken over tan brothers.
It's no longer the parents.
So I feel like the next 10 brothers, the next generation.
Yeah.
Um, I don't like, what's the one, there's one on like 12 between just, just east of
12th and Jackson who wanted to do vigilante justice and beat homeless people up with,
uh, fu, fu Bach.
I don't beat homeless people up with bats.
That one is apparently amazing, but I will not go because what they were posting on their,
uh, Instagram about wanting to beat up homeless people with bats to get them away from their
building.
Um, not, not the way to deal with issues.
Uh, Kenny likes, uh, lily on hilltop in Tacoma and damn dude, you're hanging out in hilltop
props to you.
I mean, honestly though, that also kind of feels like exactly where good fun might just
have to live.
Yeah.
Down, down the hill, uh, right next to UW Tacoma, where I teach sometimes, uh, they
did have, um, a tan brothers, uh, one that used to be tan brothers that isn't anymore.
That's called like thin bros or something like that now, uh, that was good as well.
So I've got to get props out to that.
You know what?
Anywhere you can get fuzz good.
It is truly a fantastic dish, but it's different.
It's you know, we treated as soup, I believe I'm not, if I'm correct, it's in, uh, it's
actually a breakfast food generally.
Oh, I thought so.
You realize that I drive by lily every single day.
Oh, really?
On your route?
Yeah.
I literally, there's a, um, uh, so for right now I'm, I'm delivering some, uh, some bread
to restaurants and, and grocery stores and such.
And one of my stops is literally a block from there.
So at like three in the morning, every day I'm getting out of my truck, delivering stuff
there.
And, um, yeah, uh, I kind of had my head on a swivel every day when I'm doing that.
Yeah.
Fuh gah is a breakfast.
The chicken one, uh, is a breakfast.
It looks like sometimes depending on the region in Vietnam, they have it for breakfast, which
sounds like a good breakfast to me too.
Yeah.
Um, I mean, we are pretty lucky in this area.
There's, there's so many options.
There's so many really good spots to go.
Um, definitely if you haven't had Fah, I think Tan brothers is a good starting spot.
I think so it's quick.
It's easy.
Uh, what I like about them is the broth.
They have giant, uh, containers of the broth already cooking constantly.
So you don't have to wait for it to be prepared.
You can bring it out fast.
Um, my buddy Caroline and I went out there, uh, recently to Tan brothers and had a, had
a nice meal.
So definitely, definitely a fan of that.
Alex Diaz also asked us what's our favorite liquid death flavor.
I don't know if you got to have any.
I know you bought some.
Yeah.
I've had, because you, you got me curious.
Uh, when I, when you were, when you were watching my dog, I, I, I like to stock my fridge with
stuff you like.
Yeah.
And, um, that, the one with a little bit of lime, I do like a little citrus in, in my
water for sure.
So generally there, there's this a little weird though.
It reminds me more of like an agua fresca type flavor than a traditional lime that you
might get in like a, a talking rain or a LaCroix.
Yeah.
Of course, talking rain, the Seattle OG, I'm always going to love that.
Uh, but liquid death is my favorite, but usually I drink the un unflavored.
See I thought the original OG is a glass.
That, that's, that's the original, uh, soccer.
I know, I know.
So that's yeah.
I, uh, problem was, uh, those of us that loved it, couldn't pay for it because we were so
used to just getting it for free at basically any event.
Yeah.
And then also Grelof C would always have our events at Galazzo, which was the old BMW dealership
out there in Capitol Hill.
And so we would get it for free all we wanted in there too.
So I had thousands of free cans of it and then maybe bought it once in the store.
Cause it was four bucks.
Yeah.
Because they're giving it all away.
You know, someone had to pay for it.
Yeah.
Shout out, shout out to Galazzo there and move your bike mic back a little bit, Nick.
Am I a little too hot?
Oh, you got a little close up into there.
Okay.
Yeah.
So definitely liquid death.
Um, love it.
Uh, some of the, I get why people don't like the flavors.
The watermelon's weird.
Um, some of the other flavors are weird.
They have now introduced.
We talked about it before root beer, Cola and, uh, Dr. Pepper.
I like, I love the Dr. Pepper one is what I said on the show.
I I'm kind of over it now because, um, as you drank more and more, it's not actual Dr.
Pepper.
It's like flavored sparkling water that has a Dr. Pepper flavor.
So I am going to bust open a liquid death root beer.
We are not sponsored yet.
Alex set us up perfectly for that.
Um, it's okay.
Uh, but they also have teas and so low, low calorie sweetened with agave peach tea.
Give us, give us some money.
Uh, liquid death sponsor us.
Some of our rival podcasts are now being sponsored by Apple TV and the like.
So, uh, you can give us some money.
Uh, liquid death.
We love you.
Hey, we are, we are the people's podcasts.
You know, we are, we are, we are here for, you know, number three on the charts.
Number one in your hearts.
Hey, ultimately the, the way, you know, the way I kind of describe it to people is, is
really this is us and, and this is, we're talking about us being the collective us.
So I'm talking to you, the listener as well is we're all having a beverage talking sounder
soccer.
If you're anything like me, when I'm listening to, you know, my podcast, when I'm doing stuff,
you know, I'm kind of talking out loud to myself as well going, oh, he's so full of
shit as you're probably saying about me right now.
So as we know, like hung out with Alex Diaz, one of our listeners last time, uh, you know,
uh, what is, I don't want to say his real name because I don't know what he, uh, Jose
Raza is his screen name here.
I had to look it up real quick to make sure I got that right.
Uh, no Jose Raza in real life.
Get to hang out with them, especially during super hawk season on a weekly basis.
Um, also most sounders matches.
So always, always great to have listeners because you're as much a part of this podcast
as we are.
We're just the ones on the mic.
Exactly.
And I know as a matter of fact, Alex, um, looking forward to having Alex to join us
in ECS, uh, one, one or two times this year, get a chance to recently mentioned in the
discord that if you're, you know, curious about ECS, you want to see what it's all about
reach out to me.
I would love to be your Sherpa, your shaman to, to what I love about, you know, about
being a supporter, um, do it in a, in a hopefully unintimidating way, be there to kind of answer
any questions that you may have helped guide you to, and this is what we do.
This is why we do it.
These are, you know, just kind of feel out the community that we, we are.
And fellow, like I said, fellow, uh, podcast listener, Eric 13 is usually sitting next
to me, uh, for a lot of the games and, uh, it's just, you know, it's just a great community,
uh, the whole soccer thing, you know, the whole, the whole Sounders community is not
even just this podcast, but you know, there are people that, you know, every day, I don't
know if I know it's what it's like for me, but I imagine it's the same for you, you know,
walking through the concourse before a game, you're going to inevitably run into someone
you haven't seen a little while.
You got a hug for them and just kind of a quick catch up and it's great.
And there's definitely an energy right now in these first two games.
There's an energy in the stadium, uh, not just pregame during the games, post game.
It's it's exciting.
It feels like it's been a little while since it's been this kind of, um, this kind of energy.
And I was glad it carried through to the second game real quick before we go too far away
from that.
Um, yeah, last game was super fun.
Um, you know, Conca calf made us take pictures of everything we were going to put up.
And so I didn't have time to say, all right, I want to take a picture of all these flags.
So I just Googled gorilla FC banner, took a picture off the internet.
That was like a thumbnail, sent it to, to the Sounders to give the Conca cap.
And that's all I put up.
So I had a ton of extra time.
I was hanging out talking to Jay and Amanda who are on ECS pub league.
Oh yeah.
And, and Jay of course was on the bears with me last year and we won the championship in
classic and uh, it's going to be, she's won two seasons in a row, both seasons.
It's going to be rough for her when she doesn't win this year.
Uh, because, uh, not a phase FC is going all the way.
Uh, but, um, yes, we're named.
Hey, no, no, no reveals.
No reveals.
We're going to wait.
Cause we're named after emo.
Okay.
But, but yeah, we're going to, we're going to hold because official reveals will come
out very soon.
That's true.
So it'll be rougher, but no hang out, talk.
Uh, and of course Amanda's new friend from, uh, pub league who is because of public gotten
involved ECS completely outside person who went to Sounders matches, but had no involvement
with ECS.
And then through public got involved and now is setting up with ECS.
So I went and I put every flag that went out.
That wasn't the B BFG.
Is that what the big ones are called?
Yeah.
The BFG is the big fucking guys.
So not the two BFGs, but all the ones that go on the 16 technically BFFs, but yeah.
Oh, BFF.
Yeah.
Whatever.
Uh, but all the other flags, I'm the one who put them on the polls and taped them up.
So I was like, I got time.
I'm going to hang out and do it.
And so I did.
And that was fun.
Then I ran off to find you, but you got stuck in traffic.
Yeah.
But that's okay.
I still had a good time running around eating hot dogs, doing stuff.
Always a fun game.
Yeah.
Uh, what other kind of scuttlebutt do we got going on right now?
That's all of our outside soccer scuttlebutt.
Should we jump into, to soccer talk?
Yeah.
Why don't we talk a little bit about some of the results of the last couple of days?
Um, big, big results.
Yeah.
Well, non-sounders results.
Let's talk about the CCC, the champions league champions cup.
So Miami finished the job against sporting Kansas city, knocked sporting Kansas city
out.
Um, they advanced, uh, as did LAFC.
LAFC got a one, nothing victory over Colorado.
That's so frustrating because their goals should have never been allowed in that first
game.
And so they were concacapped.
Well, I mean, Atencio, uh, played 77 minutes.
Nice.
So good to see him get some, some more time.
Um, at the same time though, I do not anticipate LAFC or Miami making it to the finals.
Also give them some more fixture conjecture.
So yeah, why not?
Atencio played left mid.
That's okay.
Okay.
And uh, I mean, it sounds like they're well, wait, well, first off Colorado is severely
caught the injury bug.
They are just hurting all over.
So basically it's all hands on deck.
They did get Reggie Cannon back, thankfully.
And Mihailovic and Bassett are healthy and Kevin Cabral.
So they, they have most of their stars at least it seems like, but yes.
Yeah they were, um, I forgot Chris Armis was their coach.
Uh, yeah.
So like one, two, three, four, five, six players on their injury list.
Just, just, just nuts.
Um, then yesterday, uh, outside of the Sounders match, the, uh, the RSL match who is our next
opponent lost at home to Herodiano.
So fantastic ending to that one.
I mean, one, one, it would have ended with Herodiano advancing, but they, they RSL had
to push so far forward that, uh, they had a breakaway going back the other way on a
counter attack and the goalie took them down somehow only got a yellow card deserved a
red, but it didn't matter at that point since they were going through and RSL was going
to be out at the tournament.
So they put in the penalty to not lock that one away to one.
It was pretty, pretty fun ending in that one.
Well what's crazy is the first half, um, RSL had 14 shots to one for Herodiano and only
three were on target.
And then in the second half after Herodiano got their goal in the 70th minute, uh, RSL
had another 16 shots.
They had 30 shots in that game.
Uh, so they were, they were definitely trying to push.
I just don't know if it was one of those things where, you know, just shots from all over
the place or some of it.
I mean, they were, they, they had a few where they should have been on target at the end
and just kicked them wide, but, um, it was so frantic that they were just trying to get
anything at the goal.
Yeah.
They're, you know, just trying to throw things and hope something would stick.
Yeah.
So with that in mind, and then we, uh, we advanced, I gotta say, well, no, we're not
going to talk about this game just yet.
We will, we will talk about, about the Sounders game, but, um, we will, why don't we wrap
up with any other Scuttlebutt before we take a break and talk about the game.
Yeah.
Um, today, tonight is Saprisa Vancouver.
Correct.
In Vancouver and Vancouver is, uh, down to one, but they do have one away goals.
So you know, that could be, you know, that could be interesting.
I, I like, you know, I'm going to try and keep that game on, uh, see what happens.
Things are.
Yeah.
It should be, should be an interesting one.
Um, trying to think of anything else, any other signing, uh, going on and overseas or
anything, nothing, nothing major.
I don't think we've seen any, um, I mean, yeah, honestly, now that the season started,
I'm kind of more focused on domestic, uh, North American soccer more than, more than
anything else right now.
Just like, uh, premier league might be moving to Netflix.
Interesting.
So they're considering selling the rights to Netflix over from, uh, NBC slash PCAP slash
universal.
Did you watch any of the, uh, MLS, the MLS, uh, cereal that they got going on right now?
The China, I think what it's called.
Round.
I don't know.
Um, on the one side.
Yeah.
Uh, it's starting, it's last season.
I know in review, I, I, I have not, Dan Boniface told me about it.
Frequent contributor to the show from out there in Colorado.
And, um, it sounds like, or from what I've been told that it is excellent.
And also it's from the guys that made the F one.
Well, yeah.
I mean, you know, it's going to be quality.
Kind of surprised me as we were, you know, we were driving home from the game yesterday.
Bernadette was telling me, oh man, I watched that second episode.
It was really good.
I'm like, just kind of usually show, she'll watch the Sounders game, but she won't necessarily
go to watch non Sounders soccer matches, you know?
And so, so the fact that she was getting into it, it was like, okay.
Um, so yeah, very cool stuff.
So one, one other question before we take a break here, the Epstein files are getting
released tomorrow.
Is there any, any reason for concern for the podcast?
No comment.
And with that, listen to me talk about joining the Patreon.
Hey everybody.
This is one of your hosts, Cameron Collins.
Now I know we said this time's time for a break, but really it's a time for me to talk
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That's right.
We would love it if you would head on over to patreon.com and look for Sounders Scuttlebutt
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We will put the link here in the show and subscribe.
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Well guarantee you get at least one extra episode per month.
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Now there will be other stuff that we put in there, but this is where we're starting
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Why, you ask?
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That's Sounders Scuttlebutt podcast over at patreon.com.
Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
And we're back.
Yes.
Please join our Patreon.
We'd love to have you.
We're going to be giving away as cheap as $1.74.
You can always give more, but we would be happy with anything.
It helps us keep the costs.
I mean, we're not making money, right?
It's covering the costs of keeping this podcast going.
And it'd be nice if we could get Nicholas a new mic.
It's not so much the mic, it's the trip back down to Mexico City for the Cruises All Match
that I did.
So we have what?
Ten days then to put that together.
Can't do it this time around.
Can't do it.
Maybe next round.
Well, I went in 2016 for the Club America game at Estecca.
I went in 2022 for the final against Pumas.
Mexico City has become one of my favorite cities in the world.
I love Mexico City.
So if you're listening, take a look.
Take a look at Aeromexico.
Take a look at wherever you can find a quick flight.
If you're interested, reach out to me.
Let me know because I probably know a few people that are getting together, especially
with ECS.
Last time we did it for the final, basically I made the recommendation of a hotel that
I'd stayed at a few times and that ended up kind of being the ECS hotel.
So we had something like 70 of our 100 people within a two minute walk of our hotel.
Mexico City is so, so amazing.
So if you have the ability to make it happen, and thanks to Publiger Lars Gunther, who was
my roommate last time, I can point you in the direction of some amazing street food.
He definitely did his research and we enjoyed some of the best street food I've ever had.
Nice.
So can't say enough good things about Mexico City.
Yeah, that's great.
I got a buddy who just went down there last week.
And obviously it depends on when you fly, but because of his schedule, his flight down
was only $158.
Oh, wow.
His flight back was 450, but that has more to do with when he was coming back.
I'm sure you can figure out different days, especially since it's a midweek match.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, I think when I went, we had probably about 15 days notice and I think I got round
trip under $500.
Wow.
Which was pretty good for such short notice.
So anyways, so, you know, something to consider.
I highly, highly, highly recommend thinking about any kind of, um, Coca Capa wait shirt
when you have the opportunity.
They are legendary.
Speaking of which, uh, I ran into some Antigua fans yesterday after the game and had a really
nice conversation with some, some people that came up from, uh, from Antigua, uh, flew out
for the game.
Nothing but complimentary things to say to us.
You know, they were almost apologetic in that, in that, you know, your club is just
so much more superior and, and, and, you know, this is only our second time in the competition,
you know, and, and just kind of sharing, sharing with them.
Yeah.
We were there once too.
When, when we were first going to champions league games, getting, getting beat by the,
um, Monterey's of the world and the Santa Laguna's, you know, Santos Laguna's, uh, of
the world, you know, and, you know, it was just really great.
That's what I love about this competition.
So many people from Guatemala in the stands yesterday in a good way.
Uh, I, I hope that continues with the Cruze Azul match.
Uh, never, we've never played Cruze Azul before, so this one will be interesting.
Uh, the Pumas fans, Pumas fans were amazing, both home and away.
Pumas fans were great.
America fans and, and, and Chivas fans have been, you know, not always the greatest.
So we'll, we'll see, we'll see how it goes.
Uh, we'll see how it goes with Cruze Azul.
Yeah.
Optimistic.
Uh, I will say, I mentioned it in the, uh, in the, uh, in the, uh, in the, uh, in the,
uh, discord match day channel yesterday, but, uh, there was players of Antigua that came
over and were signing on the bromand after the match.
And there was a kid out there who had bought one of those jerseys.
They were selling outside.
Oh, the guy that was right in front of where, where I was standing the whole time.
Yeah.
So they came over and were signing, he signed autographs for Sounders fans, which I thought
was really, really cool that the players would be willing to come sign for the opposing team.
Well, that, that, that kid was basically standing at the base of the stairwell for the whole
game.
Just, just, yeah.
And unfortunately he walked away.
He was like grabbing, uh, food when they scored their one goal right in front of him.
I felt, I felt, I felt bad for the guy.
He was a, the kid was a Sounders fan ultimately though.
So okay.
Okay.
Yeah.
He was supporting both teams.
I don't know if he was there, but yeah, I gotta say, I really thought their kits were
sharp that nice purple and purple and you know, pinkish purple, you know, just really
nice two tone.
Really enjoyed that.
I love a good kit.
So before we, before we get to the match, uh, let's, let's, um, let's throw a few, uh,
questions that came out of the discord, uh, that are more general about the Sounders.
Uh, Dan, the bastard said, where do I find the official Pepo apology form?
I mean, Hey, Hey, we're two, you know, if you heard coach Schmetzer's, um, post game
press conference, he's doing everything he can to pump the brakes a little bit on expectations.
Um, I mean, that's his job though, right?
Yeah.
No, what's up with Smetcher's head?
He has like a giant looks like a brute, like a healing wound on his head up in his forehead.
Did you notice that from the press conference?
No, I didn't.
It looks like he got a cut on his forehead.
So it's kind of, uh, like a big gouge was taken out of his head.
I was like, man, maybe you got hit in practice or something.
Yeah.
I mean, that very well could be, but yeah.
So that, yeah, tamper.
Well here until we have a reason to not be excited, be excited.
This is the Sounders fans need to be excited.
Yes.
Yeah.
So, but, but, but stay measured, you know, don't go all gloom and doom where, oh, this
is the worst thing ever.
Hyperbole, keep the hyperbole down.
You know, Patrick GC also is 24 PDLV to 25 PDLV, the single biggest improvement over one off
season that we've seen, I think again, goes to what you were saying right there.
Yeah.
I think it could be, but wait, but let's think about that.
Look, that's a really good question though.
Like, um, maybe 2015 to 2016 Christian rolled on.
Possibly.
Uh, who else might be in that conversation?
Brad Evans might be in there at some point.
I don't know.
He always seemed to be, he was solid, but he became like an integral, like he had to
be in the lineup every week type player.
I don't think it really counts.
I don't think it's really fair.
And I don't think it's in the spirit of the question to go with, you know, Paul Rothrock,
you know, cause I, I, I see that I see the spirit of the question of a regular contributor,
not someone who broke out, but, but you could argue the same for Pedro that last year he
was injured and just never got the chance to break out, but he got, he got enough appearances.
Yeah.
The sample size.
That's why, that's why I think the spirit of that question is valid for Pedro.
Um, but, but I, I want to say maybe Christian, uh, who else might be in that conversation?
Hmm.
Not a Joven Jones.
Uh, you seem to go the opposite way.
Sadly.
Yeah.
Not Gustav.
Gustav kind of always hit the ground, hit the ground running.
Uh, Will Bruin was, was like, yeah, I'm trying to think if there was anyone that really kind
of.
Will Bruin became a starter.
And I mean, I think he was always the same, but you could, you could argue stats wise,
Will Bruin could fit on that.
20, was it 15 when he, or 16 when he just 15, when he just took over as, I mean, became
a starter and was scoring goals left and right.
Well, I think that was, that was coinciding with the same time that Dempsey had his, his
problems.
So he jumped in and I think that was his first season with us.
So I don't think, and he had just come from a long time career.
Basically he was the Paul Arreola of Houston.
Yep.
Someone who had just been constantly delivering for, for that team.
Yeah.
Um, but yeah, I mean, I, it could be, I mean, maybe there's some youth, uh, knew who may,
maybe in that conversation from, uh, his first year on the, on the, uh, in the lineup, in
the lineup to after that, I mean.
Yeah.
His first year he was, it wasn't, he, uh, switching on and off with Dylan Remick.
Oh, Remick.
Yeah.
And then Brad Smith after.
And then Brad Smith.
Yeah.
Well, and Joe Van Jones, but, but, but I think Remick was the first run of that.
Yeah, for sure.
Dylan, uh, shaved my head at the, uh, cancer every year.
Girl, I used to do the shave your head for cancer thing through St. Baldrick's.
And so, uh, COVID killed that sadly.
And also during COVID I lost most of my hair.
So now I have to, I don't have hair to grow out to shave.
But that is a good question, Kenny.
Um, or, or sorry, Patrick, that was, that's, that's a really fun.
That is a really fun question.
Just trying to, it also gives us some excuses to do some member berries and think about
some, some of the people, oh, you know who, oh, you know, who may be a candidate for that.
And you can pick a couple different eras of this player Lamar Nagel.
Yeah, it's possible.
Although I think especially when we, you know, that 2014, when he was a 10 goal, 10 assists
player.
Yeah.
But my hope is that we have a whole nother level of Pedro.
No 100%.
But we're just trying to think of people who had like those kind of, those kinds of breakouts.
It's just unusual, the type of player that we are talking about, there's not a whole
bunch of players that would qualify for that.
So just anyways, um, which front three was more dangerous from Alex Diaz?
Well, I think let's, let's talk the match first, because I think those, that's a specific
question about the match.
And so let's, let's go through the match and then we'll come back to the Sounders schedule.
But just because I think, look at you moderating.
Yeah, it's, it's, it's good to keep it going.
And the Sounders of course came away.
Was it three one?
Was that the final?
I lost track of you.
One through one.
I had, I literally walked down the steps and was about two steps behind you when the Sounders
scored the third goal.
Oh, I know.
Cause in the highlights there's you and me hugging and yeah.
Oh really?
Yeah.
I love those highlights.
So yeah, Sounders three goals, Pedro had two.
And uh, I do have a question.
Was Jordan offsides on the one that they took forever to look at VAR on Pedro's goal?
No, no.
He wasn't?
Okay.
I have no other replay, but what I saw and granted I'm behind the play, but I said on
the equivalent of the 45 yard line on the side they scored, he was offsides and then
he came back around onsides and then went, but he must've come back onside before the
pass occurred because he was in front of the defender at one point.
So I'm glad it was close enough that they went to VAR though.
I mean, in the end, I was a little annoyed that for Antigua's goal, they took a long
time to VAR it.
They probably, I think they correctly got it right that he was onside.
It's very, very, very close from what I could see.
His elbow was off in my opinion.
And that counts.
I don't think so.
Cause there are two of them side by side.
So keep that in mind.
So if you're looking at the wrong person, that other person didn't touch the ball.
So that, that didn't get in the goalie's way.
So keep that in mind.
Cause it's the guy on the outside, not the inside.
But more importantly in the lead up to that, Jonathan Bell got absolutely cleared out.
Yeah.
I don't know how you don't review that.
So now with that in mind, you know what?
It didn't, it moving on.
I'm not going to, that's all I'll say about that moving on.
Whoa.
Did you hear that loud noise there?
I did not.
Okay.
I was just looking at the lights and it, and it made a bit of a noise there.
Cause I thought I'd play them, but I realized they're not available in English.
And so it would just be us talking over the top of them since neither of us speak Spanish.
I speak a little bit.
I mean, I speak enough that when someone got in the elevator and they asked me or they
asked someone to press number three in Spanish, I was, I pressed it because I knew enough.
I don't though.
I did knowing the number three is not a, he said push number three.
Okay.
So I still got, I heard the push part too.
Okay.
Trace.
Okay.
Three.
Yeah.
Jackass.
I mean, come on.
He also had his fingers up.
So, but that, but that's okay.
I mean, I did take duo lingo for Spanish for at least three months before I switched back
to French and I'm doing beginner French, despite the fact that I have a degree in it.
So yeah, I took, I took French in seventh and eighth grade.
Then I took Spanish from ninth through 12th grade.
And then I did three semesters of Spanish.
My problem is that with my hearing issues, that when it got to total immersion where
the teacher was teaching in Spanish, I have a hard enough hearing.
I have a hard enough time hearing in English to understand.
So when I'm reading and writing in the language, I'm usually pretty good.
It's the, it's the speaking and, and hearing and comprehending on that part.
That, that's always a challenge for me.
Yeah.
That makes sense.
Yeah.
So what did you think of the lineup going into this?
Because I think we had a number of changes from the last match, I think seven changes,
six changes, Thomas, Bell, Leyva, Paolo, Gianpaolo, Pedro, Jesus, and Paul.
I mean, I viewed it as four changes or three.
Yeah.
Because to me you're going back to the first game lineup.
I viewed last game as a, the, the Charlotte game, Charlotte game as we were playing backups
for a lot of those positions.
And so to me, I saw Bell, Thomas, and then our both center defensive meds were different.
Those were the big ones for me that, so, made sense to me.
I'm going to disagree slightly.
And what I mean by that is it's funny because you, you, you, you, you clarify as, you know,
backups.
When I, when I look at these lineups and I think about, you know, I think about traditional
previous years when we, we look at these mixed lineups where we have multiple players who
maybe aren't starters.
So when I look at this lineup, for example, obviously Andrew Thomas, not our starter,
but is starting caliber, you know, Jonathan Bell, not a starter.
You back off that mic a tiny bit.
Yep.
Danny Leyva, not a starter, but everyone else definitely, you know, so I think, I think
we're looking at, you know, three players that are not started.
And then you look at, you know, Charlotte, that Charlotte lineup.
I mean, but Roth Rock's not starting for the Sounders this year, unless it's spot starts.
He's no longer, he's fourth in line at that left mid problem.
I know, but that's, that's what, that's the point is that that depth, not because of lack
of quality.
Oh no, I agree with that.
I agree with that, but I'm saying I, from who our projected starters are, we really
only had three players that were not regular starters.
Okay.
And JP, I think sadly is relegated to the backup now, even though it may, there may
be a point this season where he, he becomes a starter again.
I don't, I don't know what they'll do with Christian and throughout the season, but I
mean, I loved what I saw from him yesterday.
Christian?
JP.
Okay.
As I say, you loved him on the bench.
I loved him.
Yeah, although funny enough after the game, as we were leaving the stadium, we took our
sweet time.
We ran into Steph Fry walking over to the ferry.
Oh nice.
So Bernie was like, wait, is what?
Yeah.
He walks to and from every game.
Yeah.
But JP, I thought had a great game.
Both JP and Danny Lava both had great games yesterday.
I was very, very pleased to see that.
I mean, that's what we've come to expect from Danny.
So let me, let me, let me, let's go back to Alex's question then, because I think we were
talking about the subs, but then let's stop the subs in the game.
What front three was more dangerous?
Arreola, Ferreira and Pedro de la Vega or Rothrock, Rusnak, Georgie.
I guess Rusnak wasn't in this match.
We saw who was, who was paired with them at that point.
It was partially Pedro and partially blanking when the subs happened.
But Pedro played the full 90.
Okay.
So it was Pedro with Georgie and Rothrock.
I mean, I think Rusnak we've seen his passing.
So yeah.
And yeah, I mean, to me, first half, second half of this match versus last match in this
match are the two questions.
Well, the thing is Paul Arreola and Jesus Ferreira have connected on, on multiple goals
now this season already.
Yeah.
They clearly know.
Not even close.
Yeah.
So, so they kind of know, they know each other really well.
And that's just adding to, you know, that's just adding to our, our dynamic attack.
And I think that's the word I really want to use is it's dynamic.
It is.
It's it's fun.
It's fun sitting in ECS watching the body language of defenders as Georgie's coming
up on the wing because it's one V one.
And each time I could just feel like the defenders like, Oh, fuck, here we go again.
What's he going to do this time?
And it's almost like they're guessing more than reacting.
And it's just really exciting.
Seeing Rothrock in front of me multiple times this last game, he was trying to cut to the
inside.
And I like that when, when he's mixing it up, sometimes he goes to the outside, but
like, I like when he's cutting to the inside because you get by that defender and now you're
in golden position.
It's a, you know, it's a high risk reward.
Unfortunately, if you don't get by them, you're, you're just turning the ball over in possession
right there.
But, but I thought that, I thought that they were balancing it out in, in different ways
to attack.
And I really like seeing that where it's not just, and I think sometimes I see some comments
and it makes me laugh because I realized that we're so used to previous seasons.
Oh, here we go.
We're just doing this.
It's like, but we're not watch what we're doing.
Watch the different ways we're attacking.
And I've got to, I've got to say, I hope he's not getting it inside his own head because
Musavsky was creating dangerous opportunities.
I think he is getting in his eye.
I do think so.
Unfortunately, I don't want to get several that he could have scored on that he just,
and that's, you know, and they weren't easy chances.
Like the one where the goalie spilled the ball and he just turned, cause he knew he
had, he, he just had to fire it and he went high.
He leaned back, it's, it's boobs over ball.
Come on man.
He, but yeah, I mean, I think Danny, I mean, we, I, I spent some time talking to him last
year at the rave gala.
Nicest dude.
He wants to perform.
He feels that pressure.
And I think in that moment, he wants nothing more to succeed for the fans.
And there's a lot of pressure on him.
And I think it'll get less throughout the season as he gets playing time.
That's something that he didn't get a lot of last year.
And so that was the problem.
I think it's also going to be a matter of, you know, when he gets that first one, I hope
to God it's at home.
I hope it's at home where he can have his Pedro moment.
Like yesterday, hearing the whole stadium screaming De La Vega and just, you could,
he seemed a little shy after the match though, Pedro, he didn't, when it was like Pedro Miamor,
he like clapped and was like sheepishly walking away.
I don't know if he likes that song.
I mean, it's, you know, is that going to be what the permanent song is or is a new song
going to evolve?
Who knows?
I don't think we had enough.
We didn't have enough reasons to use it last year.
So I think we got some work to do.
You know, things often kind of come organically on that.
I mean, for me, if we're talking about it, I know you believe that Georgie isn't a one
tool player.
I also believe that now.
Thank you.
But to me, there's, despite the fact they didn't score, they aren't going to score more
goals this early in season because we didn't finish.
But I think Arreola, Ferreira, PDLV is going to ultimately be more dangerous goal wise
than Rothrack, Rusnak and Georgie.
And it's only because you have more talent there.
I think if you throw in Rusnak in there for either Ferreira or Arreola, and I don't see
that's the problem.
We have four players that makes it really tough.
Either of those guys, I think you then are killer.
Like it's just an embarrassment of riches for the Sounders on the attack side right
now.
And then the blast being in the front of the stadium, front row of ECS.
So almost eye level watching the pace that Arreola is putting on those crosses when he's
whipping a ball in.
Oh, it's going to beat that first man.
And then it just becomes a matter of, is it going to come in at enough of a, you know,
technique for someone to get on the end of it?
Really, really impressed with this team right now.
I'm very, very happy.
Yeah.
I will say the game was a little physical at times.
Their goalie took just a collision where Rothrack came flying in.
Just couldn't avoid him and it made me cringe.
Yeah.
Because on the opposite side, their goalie, when he got hurt in the game and was down
for a while, it was his own player that did it.
Oh no.
And that also happened.
That also happened.
I think that's when Musavsky went high because he came out, got his hand on it.
He injured his defender, right?
The goalie landed on his defender.
Exactly.
But then a few minutes later, Rothrack just cleaned him out and it wasn't intentional,
but it did look painful.
Yeah.
Totally.
So who was your man in the match?
Alex Diaz asked this and I think that's a good question.
I mean, you got to go Pedro with two goals.
It's just destroying.
But let's take away who was your secondary man of the match.
I mean, that's really kind of the more interesting question for me.
And I mean, Bell was solid.
Areola was solid.
It's tough, right?
For me, it's either JP or Danny Leyva.
I thought they just bossed.
I think JP, I would put above just a little bit above Leyva.
Leyva had a great game.
He didn't get as many opportunities to pass the ball up the field, which we've seen what he can do passing at an angle.
But he did.
He had a few up to Jordan that were fantastic that either bounced off the back of Jordan's feet or, you know,
I think that's going to be a very interesting process there to see the two connect throughout the season because we've seen
and I think maybe that's why Atencio became a little bit expendable was at the end of last season, we saw what Leyva could do on the field.
We saw the kind of passes he could put down and saw his continued development in a way that meant that he is going to get minutes.
I mean, taking it into account, it's probably JP.
I mean, he was 95 percent passing, went the full 90, 80 of 85.
So 80 of 84 passing, 96 touches, five for six on long balls, 83 percent, three for three on tackles, five clearances, seven recoveries.
Just had a really good game.
Two interceptions.
You know, he had a really good game.
Just but a lot of good stuff going all around.
Andrew Thomas came up when he needed to.
That goal, I'm not going to put any blame on Andrew Thomas on that one.
And he had some really good saves when he needed to.
Yeah, totally.
I actually felt bad for Andrew Thomas that on that goal that he didn't have a clean sheet because he deserved one.
I agree. I agree.
It's frustrating.
What about you?
So, yes, you're going with JP.
JP? Yeah.
Yeah.
I think we saw some flashes of what Danny can do.
Danny Moosa.
Danny the Moose is what I meant to say.
Danny Mazofsky off the bench could do.
Alex mentioned that he was a letdown.
But I think from where he was coming from last year, just seeing him get some minutes and get himself in really dangerous positions was huge.
And so hopefully he still gets those opportunities moving forward and he will start finishing those.
Let's do a thought thought process or thought exercise.
Yeah.
So the last basically the last four years in that role, we've had Danny Moosofsky, Eber, Freddie Montero, Dylan Tethers.
That's basically been our options up top in a backup role.
Would you am I missing someone?
I don't think so.
No one. No one.
One, the offensive positions are always going to be, you know, a bench player.
It's very hard to find that balance of getting dollars.
I mean, we're used to a Will Bruin type players, the thing.
Yeah.
And that's not realistic, probably.
No, no.
And that was that was kind of the
special circumstance for sure. But now with that said, I do think I do genuinely think Moosofsky is the best of those four for the for the role that they're being asked to play at this time.
I mean, I think at the time that the players came in, Eber was he was putting up basically the same numbers as well.
Per 90. Yeah, just, I think, aged out. He just yeah, I mean, his drop, his drop was alarming.
Yeah.
And I'm for yeah, like going into signing him. I was really excited about bringing in a neighbor.
Yeah, everything showed that he was going to be I wouldn't say a star, but he was he was a for a for talking like baseball, not AAA.
Like, here's a guy that's coming off the bench and could start for some teams. Exactly. So yeah, I yeah, that was but but you're I mean, Moosofsky, we've talked about it before in the show has been successful everywhere he's been but here.
But I still think there's time. There is. And so they believe in him because they kept him around as the backup. Yeah, he had a contract but he's getting paid enough that they couldn't get him to play.
And by the way, Eber is in the Chinese was in the Chinese Super League had eight goals last year and 24 appearances. Okay, just as a as an FYI.
I think I think he needed a change of pace. Got in his got in his own head and I hope that doesn't happen.
It was frustrated. You could see like I went to practices where he couldn't do anything. Well, he also had like a nagging injury after he scored his first you know, he scored early and then yeah, anyways.
So,
so great to see Rienzi get even just a short appearance in the game, you know, we signed him for short term learn clearly at fan family there too because he was he was pretty excited.
Waving at them after the game. Now, what I really liked is the fact that we subbed on Musavsky in the 46 minute the beginning of second half. We subbed on new who and Roth Rock in the 57th minute, and then Georgie in the 74th minute so so we, we found a good way to balance getting
Jordan off early getting game are getting who's the other player oh I Paul areola off early and I think that's going to come into play on Saturday so I thought I thought that was encouraging to see.
Do you think the game are I mean when you mark him off it was two to one game. Yeah. Do you think taking him off.
I mean, I think that's one of the options here is it just that he's older, and that's going to happen more often, which I think is a strong possibilities clearly at the present moment, not at the fitness level he was most of last year,
he was missing a step or just the season just started yet to be seen. Do you think it was that or do you think it was, we don't want another, like if he if he gives up another late goal like that.
It couldn't really hurt his his head at the moment and so it was almost like get him off so that he doesn't have a chance to make a mistake, because we've seen him make quite a few.
But I don't think it's that, because we still had a little bit to play with we had a little bit of, you know, I don't I don't think it was that.
I think it's we're going to see that happen a little bit more next time it might be Jackson Reagan, you know, previously it's been you knew who.
I think we're being afforded this opportunity to change up and sub, because now we've got two more games added to our schedule.
And I'm recognizing that you, you cannot just go oh yeah well game are in Jackson King go the full 90. No, you gotta find opportunities to get them little rest here and there.
And also, not a bad idea to make sure players like Jonathan Bell, make sure players like Danny Lava get more minutes in cup competition, given that we may be needing them as we, you know, we take on the cruises rules of the
game, just in general and getting them more minutes so that when they come on they've already had minutes that let them be in position to succeed now because they've, they're, they're fresh. Yeah, and interestingly enough sharp, excuse me sharp, they're fresh because because they're having breaks but they're sharp because they're getting minutes.
I'm gonna go quick before you say that, because we mentioned john bell. How lucky are we to have a player that can start at left back start at center back and move in between them in the game i mean the, the fact that he was able to move over was awesome.
Well we have two of them knew who could do it as well you know I was actually surprised I thought knew who might come in at center back but clearly they like john bell better at that position.
Uh, we have a lot of tactical flexibility in our in our roster, and that's not just limited to our, our offense. I mean keep in mind Alex rolled on as a right back but he plays plays center attacking.
He plays attacking center attacking mid and off the off the wing for El Salvador. When, when he was playing with them I don't think he's going to be playing with them much anymore, because their Federation doesn't really have their shit together, and there were
some. Yeah, there were problems with the players getting paid. And so, they were refusing contracts call ups and going on strike.
So unfortunately, until until they get something sorted out. We may not see much of Alex and El Salvador, going forward even though he was a former captain of them.
They just they just got a new coach. So at least that's a move in the right direction, Hernan Dario Gomez. Well that also happened if you even you were Joven Jones, also maybe there's maybe there's change in the foot so that could, because I know that happened with
Kevin Tobago with Joven Jones. They were having similar issues a few years ago. Sometimes, sometimes countries that don't have strong high level soccer. These international games are unfortunately ripe for exploitation and and corruption.
And we saw Chuck Lazer, and many other people in CONCACAF. Yeah, I mean it was CONCACAF Champions League but what was that one.
The one owner who I feel like maybe it was a club from Trinidad, who made it he was like 50 and he put himself on the team and he was out there playing in a Champions League match.
Unbelievable.
Any other any other things of note from the game yesterday.
No, it was exciting. I think some of the non scoring, we will see more of once the game once, you know, Jordan's one on ones.
Roth Rock. I think Roth Rock is probably a little not sharp, just because he hasn't been getting minutes. I mean he started last game but he even in preseason he was only playing, you know, 45 minutes tops.
So, Pedro has taken over that midfield. He's the, as we saw in preseason so I think as more minutes get played early in the season we're going to see a lot more success from our offense because we see that the game of the ball, I will say I was frustrated that at half time, just before the half, when we were still dangerous still pushing we just started passing it around instead of trying to have one more chance because we had their backs against the wall and couldn't finish it and it really bugged me.
But ultimately obviously it didn't matter but I would have liked to see us throw a few more crosses into the box just to try and make something dangerous happen.
Yeah.
And by the way, just in case you're like me and you have a wandering I, you can get the Mexico City right now for that March 10 match under 500 bucks.
Yeah, I looked at arrow Mexico and it was a little expensive but that sounds better.
But yeah, so so just something to think about and I know arrow Mexico does have a non stop and that doesn't suck. It's almost worth because I know 550 I see I see a non stop
round and you can take them one way and come back on another flight I think they are much cheaper down than they are coming back.
Exactly. And then and yeah, back in the day, what was really nice is back in the day Southwest flew to Mexico City. So for the 2016 Champions League I went to.
I went through Southwest. Unfortunately they they cut off that line because that was really affordable. Yeah, I think when I went. Well, 2013 maybe 2014 somewhere in there for my birthday.
I was on Alaska but we had standby passes so it was free two bucks, but coming back you don't forget you do have to pay the country of Mexico a fee to leave the country.
So you have to add that on. I think we paid 60.
Yeah, I mean the the hotel I always stay at is usually it's like a three star three star equivalent here kind of like a courtyard Marriott type of vibe.
In the Roma district Roma district within a 20 minute walk of four of the top 50 bars in the world.
You can walk to Lucha Libre if you want to go check out some luchador wrestling matches Nicholas I thought we weren't supposed to walk alone in the city of Mexico.
Oops.
One of my favorite memories is walking with my buddy John. Mexico City at night just going okay we're not going to cross these four streets and gave ourselves like a, you know, a, you know, a, you know, walking from one street to the other if we were going all the way it'd be like a 45 minute walk,
give it give ourselves a huge wide area to walk and just wander. Yeah, it's, I love that city so much.
Anyway, so, so back to the game.
I have nothing else to add to have any more scuttlebutt about the game. I don't think so I think just, you know, we've got RSL coming up, which we will talk about we've got Cruz Azul.
Eric 13 s What do you think the rotation will be with four hard games in the next 11 days because we also have lafc of course on the eighth.
You are so okay calf. Yes, yes you you you have to bring your best possible lineups and not the code of our best possible lineups that that need the rotations you bring your best possible lineups for the two matches Oh someone asked a really interesting question I can't
answer that. But it was yeah it was Alex DS again in competitions like this. Would you rather have the home league first or be away first, rather play away from home in the first leg and finish the match at home.
Yeah, I think that's usually my, my preferred matchup and as a matter of fact the way this tournament is set up is that based on the results in the previous round that's kind of determines who's going to be the home team and who's going to be the away
so it's a benefit to be the home team first. No, it's benefit to be the home team second. Oh yes, yes, correct. Which I just assume that Cruz Azul is a higher seed than us that's why we didn't get it.
I believe it's because Cruz Azul in the previous round had more
goals. Or actually you know what I may have that back it may also be and I got to think about this. It may also have been that.
Yeah, because they won five nothing on their one leg and two nothing on the other syrup seven nothing, but it may also be that the first two legs were predetermined by seeding and then in the next round. It's based on the results in the first two rounds of the tournament.
Either way I don't like that. I mean it takes into consideration.
Those things. Yeah, I mean, let's see Cruz Azul yeah because the teams, the team Cruz Azul played was much easier than us. But it's a draw.
It's not like that's just how the draw went, you know, the draws were random, you know, it's so that that happens.
Anyways, the other thing that was interesting is keep in mind the Sounders have not lost a CONCACAF Champions League game since 2018. They're on I believe an 11 or a 12 game unbeaten streak.
That's very impressive to see that very impressive. And, and this is this is just the, this is just the payoff of years of emphasizing even like the inaugural leagues Cup showcase where only eight teams were involved.
All the way down to us scheduling friendlies against, you know, Tijuana against Boca. That's who we were supposed to be playing against us prove that we could hang with them.
Exactly. So it's just so great to see.
I'm not gonna say it, I'm not gonna go full a team. I'm not gonna do it, but it's great to see that, that planning payoff.
Yeah, so, so really well done by Garth, because that was a Garth thing to to prepare the team for those things. And, and obviously Brian Schmitzer.
It's almost taken for granted sometimes when when you hear him say it. But we're the Seattle Sounders we play to win every competition that we're in.
Not true, but yes, I disagree. I don't think we play MLS I think we play to win MLS playoffs, but not them. No, I disagree playing to win does not necessarily mean it's your starting 11 your best starting 11 each time.
I guess so I would I would argue it is because then you would want to win but also we know that Brian likes to disobey orders on who to bench so maybe he does mean that when he's playing players that are supposed to be sitting and resting.
Because he he has a different.
What's, what's the word.
It's his butt on the line. Yeah.
You know, I mean as a, as a manager.
You're hired to be fired. Yeah.
So, so back to the rotation question. Yeah, I just think I think we put on the the the top players in this case I expect to see our ideal starting 11 for both cruises all games or at least the first cruiser was all game at home is going to be our, our, you know, our best 11.
The only question I have is, will it be rust snack, or will it be ariola.
I mean, to me that's everyone else we know who's going to be playing if they if we're playing our best 11 that's, that's what it's going to come down to is which of those two players.
Yeah.
So we'll see.
So, so great, great stuff. Yeah.
So let's talk RSL real quick. We let's we can leave Cruz Azul till after this because I'm sure we'll have time to talk them in between matches there so yeah.
We're playing at Salt Lake Saturday, March 1 at 1 30pm.
Traveling out to Sandy Utah is never easy as we talk is that 130 our time or 130 mountain time. It's 130 our time. Okay.
Because that's what FIFA, I mean sorry. Google is telling me and it tells me local time yes all times are Pacific.
According to Google Salt Lake is a 39% chance of winning we have a 32% chance and there's a 29% chance of a draw.
I think that's fair, considering we haven't won there since 2012.
Yeah.
I also love that it's part of now we're going to have matches all day long on Apple not just in at 730pm or whatever. So we can again watch soccer all day.
Yeah.
Oh you sound disappointed.
I'm not gonna be. I need to sleep at some point during the day. Well you only need to watch the Sounders match you don't need to watch the rest.
But, but I really I really was enjoying the 360 watch around show in the, in the first, first week of the season so so we'll see.
Yeah, so who should we look out for do you think from RSL side have you been. Did you get a chance to look at anything that they've.
Oh yeah, right now they're a fucking hot mess. Yeah. They are. They are struggling right now.
So, really, they they they lost their, their best players over the offseason.
So taking a quick look at who's in who started yesterday.
Yeah.
Yeah, I don't.
I don't want to say I don't fear them.
But they got their, you know they they.
They got their asses handed them against RS, I got San Jose on week one. Yeah.
Then they lost in Champions League.
So, really, I mean, I don't even want to say Diego Luna might be the closest thing they got to, you know, dangerous Pablo Ruiz, but they're just, I don't know, I hope I hope they don't figure it out over the next, you know, four days.
I mean, it would be surprising their fans are in a revolt right now, because they sold off their best players and raise ticket prices, yet didn't bring anyone in to replace them.
Also, they raised beer prices a domestic beers now 1499 in their stadium.
They have beer in Utah.
Yeah, you can get beer in Utah only on certain days and sometimes it might be near beer but the craft beers are 1699 that's what's way more than we pay isn't it.
I don't know I don't drink beer at the stadium. Yeah, I try to avoid it right now. So, yeah, it's, it's their fans are upset they they're upset with the players quality they have.
I feel like they are where Sounders fans were at last year, but with proper reason to be there.
Yeah, I think that that's probably fair.
So we'll see I mean losing to them would be bad.
It would not reflect well on on this team, I think we have to get a draw there in my opinion.
I don't want to use ultimatums. You like we just had this conversation losing already dropped two points to Charlotte, we can't. Yeah, I get that.
But let's put it this way. What would what would be nice is getting our first win there since 2012 and I think only our third win all time there. Yeah, I mean I'm with a draw at this point.
But, but I mean yeah if we can get a win there, to me, that cancels out the Charlotte. Yeah, you know because because because a draw in RSL and a win at home, you know that that cancels that out so points does, I mean it come back to hurt us in.
So that was the year where we went to that matchup and did you come up with us into the in Vancouver in the suite, and then no founders know that game and we fell out of first place and finished I think third instead.
Yeah, because that was your Colorado one though. Yeah, conference. Yeah, so it was it was rough like Sounders dropping points in matches that they should that they look like they were going to win really, really came back to bite us that year so I mean those, though, let's be honest,
that game is going to drop matches in the course of a season.
We have a natural proclivity to remember when it happens to us. So that that's going to happen.
Right now, as long as we keep looking like we're playing attacking dynamic soccer like this. I'm not going to. It sounds weird but I'm not going to worry as much about the results right now and focus on Champions League, Champions Cup.
As long as we're looking like we've got the talent to win these games I think gone are the days where we're punting a midweek game against Austin with five teenagers and three of them being call ups and Raul Ruedas against Austin.
Yeah.
So, that's a great thing that that's definitely a great thing.
I even believe.
I mean, honestly, in our worst case scenario, our starting attacker is is Danny was off ski.
But then you look at any of the attackers behind them. And that's still a lot of talent to put some chances up there. Yeah, agreed.
I just I can't say it enough. It's it's it's such an impressive roster right now. I mean, I would I would expect our starting lineup to be Danny up top.
Yeah, I mean Jordan wants it but I think he's got to sit sometime he didn't sit. I guess he only played a half. So potentially, he could but I'd like I would love to see him fresh for the match at home on Wednesday.
Yeah, because that's coming up that Tuesday, Tuesday, March 4. Oh, it's Tuesday now. Okay.
Well, wait, they they match was Wednesday last night. So it's it's a guy like our tickets, our tickets were called.
Your card is being charged tonight. Get your tickets now. Cruises or March 5, March 5. Okay. Foot Mob has not updated their, their thing.
Yeah, because I think we largely have had the I think the other side of the bracket has had those Tuesday games. Okay, so far. So Wednesday, and then, you know, I, you could have any combination of those but I would expect Georgie and Rothrock to start again.
It's hard for me to make a prediction on this but at the same time, they've got options, they've got a lot of options. Yeah, I just think it's better seeing you know Russ knack, like you did, or just a player like that coming off the bench.
I mean, I won't say Russ knack as he could start, he might they might want to give him the minutes. It's better to see our starters come off the bench than to start and take them off after 45 minutes, generally, is what I think.
Because you might not need them.
But speaking of which, we need to kind of talk really quick about our winners from yesterday's match as far as our prediction standing. So, I think that's a good way to end the show. Are we done? Are we done with RSL?
So, prediction. Well, yeah, we'll talk about we can we can talk about our prediction right now. One one is I'm going to say for RSL. I'm going to say to nothing else. Yeah, I love it. I do. I think this I think it's time. Good. It is time. It is time. I mean, we are a much better team.
They should not be a threat. We should win this. This is a game. This is one of those games we should win.
So, with that in mind, we had not one but two people get all five points. They predicted not only the correct final score, they also took the over and they also they also got the they also got the.
Are you falling asleep over there? What's happening? No, I'm I'm looking at the the chart and I'm I'm wondering if I somehow screwed up my sorting. So, I gotta go check the I gotta go check the thing. I we had two people get everything right.
But now, I just need to make sure over yes and then because I think when I pasted it in it, something didn't work right but the points the points are correct. So, the two people that got everything right were the gentleman that was sitting right next to me, Eric, Eric thirteen.
Yeah. And Jeff Ram. So, congratulations to both of you.
I know I only scored. Why should I score the取 right. Well, for me, um, one didn't like what this girl was going to be. Do you have What's that? I thought I said three one but I must not have. You put in here Let's see here you put Cameron, I know I got the
I got the score right? Yeah. Yep. You took the under. Oh, there you go. So you took the
under you said it was going to be two, two, one, two, one. Okay. Yeah, two, one. Yeah.
And then so you got you got the three points. I got two points. Our our colleague in San
Diego got two points. But yeah, so I think what I'll probably do is I got to I got to
sort this out and make sure that I'm not sure why I the sorting got all funky. But you have
who who's number one on the season so far? Well, that's what I was just about to get
to is I got to double check that stuff. So I think I think we'll probably maybe we'll
release that in in in the near future once I get that sorted out, make sure we're all
good there. So if you're not on our discord, join our discord because that's where you
get a chance to put in these picks so that you can be a part of the contest. And also
that's where you can see the results. Yeah. So some good times. They if you are not on
there, the discord, of course, will be a link will be available in the show description.
That's probably a good idea. We should do that. All right. Well, Cameron, do you got anything
else to add? No, I think that's good. I think that I'm looking forward to this weekend and
seeing what the Sounders can do in a difficult location. How about you?
You mean like the back of a Volkswagen? Yeah. Yes. Yes, Shannon.
There we go. I am. They can find me at Instagram at Cascades to see Twitter at Nikita Banana.
And then I don't know. I'm blue sky. I'll probably have to just think you don't have one yet.
I do. I just don't know what it is. I barely touch base on it. Yeah, I'm legal minded punk
on everything. Go Sounders and I don't know, give any last wise words before James takes it away.
No, no wise words at all. Just keep up the fun. Let's get some points. Points are good. Points
are our friend. Oh, yeah. Go out and review the podcast. Give us five stars. It helps us,
gets us up in the ratings and the rankings and gets more listeners ears on it so that we can
keep doing this. I agree. We love you all and we'll see you next time.
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Alexa, who's the best MLS team of all time?