He's a tough kid. All I gotta say is the public
can't say he's cheating! I'm back. Welcome to
Sounders Scuttlebutt. I'm Aaron Lingley. It has
been a minute, and this is kind of an OG episode.
This is, it's just you and me. Alliance Council
Secretary Cameron Collins. That's me. Yep, that's
correct. It's just us. Nick is... Lady Gaga.
Dancing with Lady Gaga. Or as my one -and -a
-half -year -old likes to say, Baby Gaga. Baby
Gaga. No, she doesn't speak it. I thought about
going to Lady Gaga until I saw the ticket prices.
I think it would be a quite enjoyable spectacle,
but not at that price point. She's playing at
Tractor Tavern, right? Yeah, that would be amazing.
Uh, yeah, the, the, the tickets at climate pledge
were over double what they were for, uh, Wu Tang.
So, uh, I don't think so. Lady Gaga. Yeah. Yeah.
I have yet. I want to go to some shows, man.
I had obviously not really a big friend circle
down here in San Diego yet, but, uh, yeah, I'm
really, I'm itching to, I've actually. You would
be proud of me. And so Nicholas, in the past
two weeks, I've been doing guitar, picking it
up. Nice. Yeah. I love to hear that. I'm in the
repetition of just finger exercises and just
chord changes right now. Not even songs, anything
like that. But just wearing down my fingers,
loosening on them up. I feel pretty cool. And
I got my bass right here. That sounded terrible
because I was palming it with my other hand.
Part of me was like, what if I show everyone
how I can play, you know, D, E, A, C, G. And
then I was like, no, I'm going to sound like
a complete idiot. I will say you do sound like
a complete idiot because you missed Counting
Crows and Gaslight Anthem playing tonight in
San Diego. More importantly, you missed Femi
Kuti playing at Solana Beach. Tomorrow, Wiz Khalifa's
playing Beach Boys with John Stamos. Really?
Isn't that from season three of Full House? Yeah,
but he's in the band now. He is. He tours with
them. He's one of my members. Head P .E.'s coming.
I don't know where Murrieta is. Is that somewhere
near you? I think so. Alabama Shakes is coming.
Oh, here's a show I'd actually go to. I mean,
Femi Kuti I would absolutely go to, but Nick
Waterhouse is coming next week. or uh sunday
uh amazing artist there so you've got good shows
coming through i'm not a big fan but king lizard
the gizzard wizard or whatever king gizzard the
lizard wizard is gonna be there whatever that
does yeah i know like one band you've said this
whole time gypsy kings it happened to be john
stamos well todd run grin and heart are coming
so okay okay you know heart seattle zone yes
yes maybe i can wear my um 206 hat and go to
the show and they'd spot me then we become friends
yeah and then i don't have to work anymore yeah
that would be pretty and then i'm more available
for the podcast actually uh next thursday august
14th albert square and mike hugenor are coming
for through there at the banshee my homies uh
sim castro is the albert square and mike hugenor
of shinobu and hard girls those are Some good
friends of mine. You should definitely go out
to that show. If you're in San Diego, including
probably sound better than soft boys. Yes. Yes.
Yeah. You got, they got a pretty good, uh, Jerry
Cantrell. Now there's a show you'd like to see
Jerry Cantrell and Sparta at, uh, observatory
North park in San Diego. That's up your alley
next Saturday, the 16th. Randy's birthday is
the 15th. We're going into the desert to an Airbnb
with a private backyard that has a pool and hot
tub. and we are just going to that sounds pretty
good lay on our back i cannot so we're so pooped
we we have a one and a half year old and a five
a half year old and it's it's a lot of energy
and only one of them can communicate so are they
going with you oh yeah for sure but well then
it won't be i mean when we have nothing else
going on like work uh commuting like going to
the store like we'll go we'll go to the store
when we're there but like It's different when
it's a routine going to the store versus we're
on vacation. Yeah. So it's like, if the only
focus is them, it's totally fine. Especially
with the pool, like Gracie, like I told her,
you know, the whole day, all you have to do is
take breaks for food, water, a little bit of
shade, sunscreen, the whole day is pool. She's
like, nice. And I'm, I'm stoked. You said observatory.
Sorry. Drop my bottle opener. Um, it's dark.
Yeah. It's dark sky country out there too. So
I'll be able to like lay in the hot tub, have
a beer, stare at a bajillion stars. Nice. And
we're next to the mountains. And then you'll
come back for Louis black on August 24th. That's
some good standup. Yes. That is a good Louis
black impression. It's visual. I know. I know.
I was like, I don't know how to do his voice,
but I know how to do his fingers. All right.
Oh, that was so weak. No, that's because it's
a bottle. Yeah, whatever. All right. Is that
a Ronye? It's an Elysian. I'm wearing my first
season of Public, which I miss so dearly. It
is fun. There's a reason it sells out in 30 minutes.
No, it's our Running Rainiers jersey. It's probably
my favorite of any jersey now. They're just the
ones I've been a part of. I had a lot of fun
this past week. It's still plop. We're not in
the season yet, but... I played a lot of midfield,
including center mid most of the time, which
is not a position I usually play because the
last time I played it, I got kicked in the head
with the ball and got knocked unconscious. But
last season when I got those back -to -back head
injuries two weeks in a row. Jeez, Alex rolled
on. Yeah, well, I got hit in the head and got
a concussion. And then the next week I was at
a concert and I got punched in the head and ruptured
my eardrum. Fuck. That was a rough couple weeks.
I was going to say, you look great, man. You've
died twice, apparently, since I've last recorded.
No, that was a while ago. That was, I don't know,
February. No, it must have been March. But May,
I don't know. Sometime. School was still going
on. I was still teaching. But yeah, I thought
yesterday we had some concussions maybe in the
Sounders match. I'm glad that we did not. a couple
times yeah yeah we should get into some soccer
we'll maybe start with some scuttlebutt but i
do want to give a little shout out to um one
of our valets at the hotel bellman um nick bello
it was his last day today voluntarily he's going
to usc i believe but he's a soccer player nice
um and he asked he's like wait do you have a
podcast because he speaks californian and and
i was like yeah sounders scuttlebutt it's like
centers what like scuttlebutt you know like maritime
water cooler talk you know and it's like okay
well he might be listening right now so shout
out to you dude um good luck in college and keep
kicking it um and shout out to my uncle Ted who
sadly passed away this week big soccer fan uh
has been to several world cups funerals tomorrow
um bummer but he lived a good uh you know 88
he lived a good life so sorry to hear that Yeah,
no fun, but hey, you know, if you get to live
that long and do all the stuff he did, it's a
life well lived. For sure, for sure. All right.
Scuttlebutt, what do you got for us? I have done
no research. Oh, man. I mean, obviously, it's
been a hell of a week. Sun Heng Min, is that
how you say his name? Sun coming from Tottenham
to LAFC is going to, I don't think it'll have
that much of a change on this year. I think the
haves and have nots are going to continue in
the league. And I question where the Sounders
might fall as, as these big names keep arriving
around the league. Yeah. But huge signing. I
mean, it'll be Thomas Mueller as well. Yeah.
I wouldn't be as excited about that signing.
I don't think he's not at the same quality. You
know, Good for Vancouver. They're excited about
it. I don't know if they have a big German community
there or not. But Sounders obviously doing great
in League's Cup. I think we might know now who
they're playing after. Let's see. LA Galaxy is
beating Santos 3 -0 right now. Santos has a red
card. Cruz Azul knocked off Colorado in penalties.
5 -4. Red Bulls beat Juarez 5 -3 in penalties.
And Charlotte beat Monterey. So I don't think
a lot changed. But let's go up and let's see
the standings here. I'm looking at it too. Galaxy,
by winning, hops into the top three. So we're
definitely number one. And we will be playing.
Galaxy, what are you talking about? Miami and
Orlando and Portland. No, Portland's knocked
out because LA's up 3 -0 right now. I'm on the
MLS. Yeah, they're not. Oh, they haven't updated.
Yeah, so LA Galaxy being 3 -0 moves up to third
ahead of Orlando. And Portland gets knocked out
despite winning their first two games, including
didn't they win 5 -0 in one of those games? So
it was a 5 -0 and then 1 -something. Yeah. And
then 1 -0. Loss. I'm just looking at their four
against and difference. Yeah, they tied in the
last game and then lost in penalties. Oh, it
was tied. Oh, man. Yeah. So lovely. Portland
had two wins and then drew and didn't make it.
So that's how big that Sounders comeback win
was last night. But I believe that means the
Sounders will be beating Puebla. Yeah, because
Santos didn't really stand a chance to make it
up there anyways. So the four that make it through
from the other side are Toluca, Pachuca, Tigres,
and Puebla. The Sounders will play Puebla and
then likely play the winner of, that's kind of
a bummer. I think if it works out that way, Tigres
versus LA Galaxy. And then, or sorry, Tigres,
Orlando City? No, yeah, no. Yeah. Whatever. We'll
see in a second once they finalize it. But it
looks like we're starting out with Puebla, which
is a decent, I think, start for us. I'm not too
worried about Puebla currently sits. I mean,
of course, they're only three games in at 14th
in the table in Mexico. Pachuca, who finished
second, is actually leading the Apertura with
three wins. And then Toluca is sitting in second.
with two wins and a loss and tigris is sitting
in third so you have the top three teams top
three in the top three yeah so puebla luckily
is who we get to face between those but then
it doesn't get easier right um gonna have to
do some work okay look for the those top four
goals four six six seven six goals against four
four four four goal differential two two three
two yeah it's it doesn't matter sounders 11 goals
Four, two against. Yeah, say it out loud. Yeah,
11 goals, four, two against. We've given up twice
as many goals as Portland, and they're not in
it. Yeah. That rubs my nipples. Portland had
one goal against and didn't advance. Imagine
that. One goal against and didn't advance. And
it's because they lost in penalties. And they
still had two goals a game. Yeah. You'd take
that two goals a game and point, like, what,
six goals a game? Yeah, so Interesting Leagues
Cup. We also got some playoff news. We got all
the final dates. Top nine teams in each conference
qualify. Decision day is Saturday, October 18th,
which, of course, we already knew, but wildcard
matches will take place Wednesday, October 22nd.
Then Friday, October 24th through November 9th
will be round one best of three series. And then
the conference semifinals will be the 22nd and
23rd of November. Conference finals will be 29th
and 30th of November. And of course, MLS Cup,
December 6th. So best of three series will be
interesting for sure. And if we were to look
at the standings right now, obviously there's
a long way to go until we get... uh anywhere
but uh the sounders would currently be playing
uh let's see one would play eight two seven three
six four five portland we would be hosting portland
in a three game series i don't like that no i
don't like that i want to see them lose i don't
really i don't want to see them in the playoffs
yeah LAFC does have games in hand and a good
player coming. So both them and Austin can easily
jump ahead of Portland just on, well, Austin
can pull basically even one point back. LAFC
can blow past all of us if they were to win their
two games in hand and jump all the way up to
four points ahead of us. So Sounders have some
work to do to stay in the upper half of the table,
which I think they need to do in order to advance
further. Yeah, San Jose somehow made their way
in there. They're 10th, so they only need to
get – they're a point behind 9th, and you got
to get in that 8 -9 spot to get that play -in
game. When does – so how are – what's the schedule
going to work out like with quarterfinals and
league? Yeah, so pulling up the Sounders schedule
right here because I can show you. Sounders are
currently scheduled to host Real Salt Lake on
August 30th. But the 29th and the 30th are the
semifinals of Leagues Cup. So that game will
obviously be rescheduled. After that, I don't
know if they've announced it. At least I haven't
seen the brackets for it. So we'd have to look
it up. But we know we go back to league play
coming up here on Sunday against LA Galaxy. Are
you going to drive up for that? No. I, I, I think
next season is going to be the more adventurous
season. I think one, just family life, a little
more manageable. Yeah. New job. I'm still, I
mean, this is my first summer at the hotel and
we're one of the more iconic popular hotels in
town. So there's a lot going on and I'm, it's
a struggle to watch the game almost live. So
to take time away. But that being said, I mean,
I'll have San Diego, LAFC, and LA Galaxy matches
to travel to and really San Jose if I felt like
I wanted to make a weekend of it. Yeah. Yeah.
And flying up to Seattle on a Friday night, coming
back on a Sunday. Heck yeah. That's probably
what my plans are for next year. Probably more
than once for the summer. Good. Good. We'd love
to hear that. So August 19th, 20th are the quarterfinals.
So be ready, Sounders fans. That's what we know
is coming. Be ready. Any other news? I mean,
there's been other league signings. Nothing as
big as Sun. Cincinnati signed someone. There
was a big trade. Colorado traded Georgie. whatever
his name is, their best player to Toronto. And
they got a good amount of money for him. But
let's see here. I did not realize he was an American.
That's interesting. But he was born in Jacksonville.
So he is now a designated player in Toronto as
he gets traded in exchange for up to $9 million
plus a sell -on percentage fee. $9 million? Yeah.
So cash for player trade. We don't actually call
it sold, right? But he's a DP for Toronto. Second
highest cash for player amount in league history
behind FC Cincinnati, paying Portland $12 million
earlier this year. Also, I think that reminds
me that Portland, one of Portland's star players
left the team without permission because he wanted
to. So he was not Santi. I forget his name right
now. It's not in front of me. He left the team
because he wanted to go to, I think it was a
team in Mexico, actually, that he was trying
to be sold to. And so he left to go to them or
to leave the team. So he did not show up. I don't
know if there's been. Any news since then? Santiago
Mourinho skips Portland Timbers match. He told
GM Ned Grabovoi on Tuesday night that he was
leaving as he wants to be transferred to Fluminense
in Brazil. Well, one, don't blame him, but two,
there's got to be some penalties for that breach
of the contract. Yeah, I'm sure there is. And
what's interesting, well, basically, Fluminense
is... valuation was too low they didn't offer
enough money but he said he wants to leave so
he just left uh probably could have helped him
out uh in that game that they ended up uh getting
a red card and then tying they were up one nothing
they got a red card and then gave up a goal and
then didn't advance so imagine imagine a meltdown
like that uh happening that's got to be pretty
frustrating if you're a fan it's gonna be an
awkward locker room right now yeah why do people
keep leaving they don't want to be there don't
blame them No, I think I just want to kind of
get to those three Leagues Cup matches. We should
just do like a little roundup. Yeah. For the
second half of the show, just talking about what
the greatest eight days in Sounders history,
seven days in Sounders history, in terms of just
performance. And I don't know. I don't think
any of us would have predicted that. Yeah. I'm
ready to talk about that. Yeah, let's check real
quick just to see if we have anything in the
mailbag that I don't see anything. And neither
of us manage the, it's Nick's job to manage the
prediction scores. Yep, I did have the highest
score last week. I know that, or last match,
not this most recent one, but the one before.
I think I had. but i think i only three or five
i think i've gotten over under for like four
weeks in a row but i think that's about it i'm
pretty sure i'm at the bottom i keep missing
uh who scores first because i keep putting pedro
and then they keep not playing pedro yeah the
free pay oh i don't know did you have you been
following the free pedro movement that that we
started no so uh we all me and alex one of the
ultras along with dan and the others but mainly
me and alex have started this free Pedro hashtag
we've been using different places. And I told,
I told Pedro about it when I saw him one day
at an event and he was super excited about it.
And then he, so now we use it all the time. And
when he scored his goal, I, I hashtagged it free
Pedro and he liked it on Instagram. So we're,
we're, we're pushing for Pedro to be starting
every game. And it's frustrating when he doesn't,
because we've seen what he can do out there.
Ryan Kent did have a. a great game which we'll
get to um but that injury perhaps pedro will
be uh starting now yeah so anything in the mailbox
then no it was just a question about uh who will
be hosting the knockout stages of the uh leagues
cup there's rules and guidelines around it and
some of its tournament discretion uh so basically
If it's League of MX versus League of MX, this
is what Muffin Top Model is talking about, then
it's a neutral site, obviously. If it's MLS versus
League of MX, the MLS site will host. If it's
MLS versus MLS, the Better Seed hosts. Oh, he
said he made it up. Well, thanks. Thanks, Tim.
We just reported you as if you were an actual
news source. Good job. What would you even think?
Reporting Muffin Top Model. Great work. Yeah.
I mean, that sounds right, though. Yeah, that's
what they should do. Sounds reasonable. I mean,
duh, it's a neutral site if it's the Amekis.
Yeah, I'm sure we'll know tomorrow once they
announce all the games that'll be happening.
I was going to say, if they want to try to make
this a more reputable tournament. They should
have a neutral annual final stadium. Like we
should know where that is, right? Perhaps. But
I think attendance numbers are already pretty
low. That's fair. I don't know if you can see
it on TV. There's no one at these games. Yeah.
Season ticket holders opted out. I mean, I was
at all three and it was one of the most fun tournaments
I've been to in a long time. Last year was fun.
This year has been really fun. Well, obviously.
Yeah. I mean, it was a great tournament. I can't
say enough about the Sounders playing up to a
level. I wish they would score more, but I think
Club World Cup helped so much. And I see why
this tournament is important to the Sounders
as an organization. Because these are the teams
you have to beat in order to prove that you're
a better league. Now, of course, it's preseason
there. I think it's the opposite of the Champions
League where we're in preseason and they're in
midseason. So obviously we're going to be better.
And that's probably why the MLS has dominated
the Mexican teams throughout most of this. But
I don't know. A lot of late goals, a lot of excitement.
I don't remember a tournament this exciting that
included MLS teams for a while. Humiliation Historica.
Yeah. Let's get to it. Let's get to it. All right.
Wait, wait, wait. One thing to say. Ichiro goes
into the Mariners Hall of Fame this weekend.
We're celebrating it. I mean, he's in the Hall
of Fame, but this is Hall of Fame weekend. It's
a celebration weekend. Yep. I'll be there Friday
and Saturday. So come say what's up. Let's begin.
That was a reference to the Mariners commercial.
For goat yoga? No. Anyone? No. Anyone? No. 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 to you about our corporate overlords. And
our corporate overlords are us. That's right.
We would love it if you would head on over to
patreon .com and look for Sounders Scuttlebutt
Podcast. We will put the link here in the show.
And subscribe. You can subscribe for as little
as $1 .74 a month. Now, what will that get you?
Well, I guarantee you get at least one extra
episode. It'll be a cool interview or something
like that that otherwise you would not hear.
Now, we might put out promos or other things
that include that, but the whole episode intact
will only be available for you Patreons, at least
initially. Now, there will be other stuff that
we put in there, but this is where we're starting
at. Why, you ask? Well, we have bills to pay,
and we need to make sure that we can keep this
show going. You would not believe the going rate.
for PA announcers. So head on over to Patreon,
go to Sounders Scuttlebutt Podcast, and subscribe.
You even get a cool little downloadable membership
that has our logo on it. That's Sounders Scuttlebutt
Podcast over at patreon .com, P -A -T -R -E -O
-N dot C -O -M. Now back to your regularly scheduled
programming. So now that I've explained the goat
yoga commercial to Cameron off air, let's begin.
It's very funny. You should go watch goat yoga.
You should go watch goat yoga. Junior! Sounders,
this week, have been magnificent. The best I've
ever seen them. It's good news since NOAH Ohio
fell apart and we're not getting any players
coming in. Say what now? The NOAH Ohio deal to
bring in a new forward, a new number nine. he
decided he didn't want to come to the USA. So
we are not getting any, uh, new number nines,
at least not anytime soon. So, uh, it was good
to see some good wins. I guess I, one, I didn't
know about that. I don't know who that no Ohio.
Yeah. It's a youth, a Dutch youth international,
uh, forward who would have been a great addition
to the club. And especially when we were, I mean,
you saw, they had a great tournament, right?
This was a coming out tournament for him, but,
He's still young, so I don't know if you're relying
on him this whole time. His name is Noah Ohio?
Yeah. I'm Morgan Montana. Yeah, I was ready for
that stupid Ohio State chant to start happening
at the stadium. O -H -I -O. Or THE Noah. THE
Noah Ohio. There's not a lot of people more insufferable
than Ohio State players and fans. I don't think
I'd want... a player with a name that i'd have
to make fun of every time i hear it i don't think
i could hey it's not it's not jimmy florida so
it's true but it's not someplace i don't know
i have no idea ohio just seems very yeah i mean
it seems very beige it was a fun it was a fun
week and starting from the end of the week uh
my wednesday i went down to the sounders offices
and i met with the nominating committee for the
uh sounders hall of fame which is the circle
of legends uh and exactly and there's players
from each era there and me and lucas uh and uh
ownership and so it was pretty funny sitting
in a room and talking to them about who deserves
to be in the sounders hall of fame when you can
why wasn't this in the scuttlebutt section of
the show i don't know i just remembered it now
So he's getting hit in the head too much. Yeah.
That's where, that's how my Wednesday started.
And it ended by going to a Sounders game where
the Sounders fell behind and then came back and
won, which was fantabulous. Oh, okay. I'm like,
no, they didn't. They, cause I was thinking we
were going chronologically here in terms of talking
about the matches, but you want to go, should
we go backwards? Should we go forward? I'm just
saying that's, that's where we're at this week.
That's how the week ended with a, that's a great
Wednesday. Three wins. In three games, the only
team to do it across both leagues, a nine, was
it a nine goal differential? I think that's right.
I left it, but I think you're right. Because
we won 7 -0, 2 -1, and 2 -1. And really should
have had more goals in that because there was
at least one outside in that first game that
was taken away. Well, yeah. And if we're counting
like other should have been goals, it could have
been like 46 goal differential. That 7 -0 game
at the end of the first half, I said this is
one of the most frustrating games I've ever watched
in my life. Because they were playing so well.
And they couldn't score. It was the same shit
we've been complaining about. And then they went,
you know what? We're going to score some goals.
So how much do you think the delayed re -entry
from halftime had to play? Obviously, there's
kind of tongue -in -cheek comments from players
and coaches and whatnot. But that would piss
me off too, right? Yeah, and Ovid said they've
done it before. Ovid said that when they played
last year in Champions League down there, they
showed up 15 minutes late for the match. Like,
to start the match. They just didn't come out.
Cruz Azul. Yeah. So this is like their M .O.
I guess it's how they try. I mean, to me, it
feels like you should just start the game unless
there's a medical reason for them not to be out
there. You start that game, penalize them. They're
not in the field. Fuck them. They're not in the
field. Why are you not? Why are you not playing?
Like, you know what time it starts. There's not
a mistake here. So the fact that they can get
away with that, it's kind of fucked up to me.
But well, you know, hindsight is 20, 20. I mean.
I love that. That could be the storyline. They
did that. And you know what? Fuck this. We were
just so pissed and we won. It's just not seven
goals in one half. No, but what was my, what
was my title for the show after that match? Rage
against the Makina. Yeah. Makina. Because we
changed it with the historic, uh, uh, embarrassing.
I think both are great. What was, what was it?
I don't speak the Spanish. Humiliation historica.
Rage against Makina. I like that. Yeah, I mean,
it was very frustrating. And what's funny is
I fell asleep after the fourth goal. You didn't
even finish this game, man. Well, it's funny
because I was like, I fell asleep, but it felt
like I watched the whole match. So I woke up
on the couch and just like got into bed. and
like that's my life right once nine o 'clock
hits that's my free time and i'm already just
gassed so i wake up when i'm at work i'm like
i don't think i finished the match so maybe i'll
just like look about set somebody's four nothing
usually when it's a three nothing four nothing
75 minutes left it usually ends three nothing
or four nothing or three one four one right they
don't usually score more the other team throws
it all out So I was about to look, but I mentioned
it to you guys. And you're like, wait, what did
you say? I was like, you might want to go back
and watch the last 15. Believe me and report
back. Yeah, Nicholas. Because. Did I ever report
back? Yeah. I watched at the end and I was like,
oh, shit. Well, then I got to turn this into
my FOMO. Stay in a bubble shit. Yeah. Now I can't
even look up the scores of a game I mostly watched.
I have to go home, wait till everything's done,
sit down and turn the game back on. Yeah. Because
boy, did I, you got the new goal in the, in the
greatest goal in Sounders history after that.
Ooh, I think that's debatable, but it's phenomenal.
I mean, I don't think to me, there's not a better
goal. There might be more important goals, but
there's not a better goal than that. Oba's got
a couple. He's got the one over John Bush, but
I wasn't at that game. So I don't know if I count
that one. I was at that game in that corner.
I never sit in that weird little corner. Yeah.
I think I got home from that. That's why you're
like, I was watching on TV at that point, but
yeah, my intestines had been blocked by popcorn.
I mean, I mean, the goalkeeper had the same reaction
as Bush did in his, except Bush made a Bush face.
I mean, it was a great goal. I think I yelled,
like, water him. He's planted. Oba had another
one. I mean, Atlanta, the Atlanta goal for Rui,
where he kind of deked it to himself like it
was a hockey play. Or when he went through, like,
three or four guys. Yeah, exactly. Flipped it
over his head. There's a couple that are pretty
phenomenal. But to me, those are not. This is
a cross from all the way. Hit, volleyed in midair.
went all the way, did not hit the back of the
net. Hit the post, but yeah. But then, but it
only hit the sides of the net. It never hit the
back of the net throughout that entire goal.
So that's how crazy that goal is. Double blink.
It was a fantastic, I don't, you know, you just
don't see goals like that, but you got to take
them. And it obviously, he's been on fire. the
my favorite is the react the bench reaction they
took there was a video camera behind the bench
and so watching the players reaction and they
were just like oh my god this is insane yeah
i think especially after six goals yeah just
see like you can be mentally turned off you know
and we just try something but you're still focused
on that you have to be entirely focused to hit
that shot It's just good to see Alex. It is one
of the greatest goals I've ever seen in Sounders
history. That's for sure. Alex, I feel like has
fallen off this year in terms of his ability
to cross the ball to dangerous places. Not totally,
but he's fallen off from where he usually is
at, which I think is one of the reasons we've
been seeing KKR in there. But that was fantastic.
I mean, there's been some great crosses from
him, from Nuhu, and from Ryan Kent lately. I
wonder if, and I... i can't even reference an
individual moment of this for alex but i do agree
with you and i feel like when he was really showing
off his his ability to cross the ball he might
have been a little bit faster Could be. Because
I'm not seeing him run by anyone anymore, but
his technical ability to kind of interplay and...
I mean, he's a way better player. But that was
a pinpoint pass, so he's still got that. But
you have to be able to get to the end line and
curl something in as a cross. You've got to get
ahead of the defender. And I don't think I've
seen him outrun anyone, and that's why Kosa.
I mean... Rienzi is probably in there a lot more.
Also the turnover, just because it's been three
matches, eight days. League match before that.
the concussion. Right. But he is, he's getting
older, which is weird to think. Yeah. It's been
almost a decade, but he, he was our team captain
when Christian didn't start the second game.
So he clearly, they're the same DNA leadership
role. I mean, to me, it was when Christian was
hurt. That's where we saw him kind of fall off
a little bit in terms of his play. And he never,
he never got that back until this, this second
half of the season, he's gotten the crossing
back. That brotherly connection was the comment.
I feel like that we're even, we probably mentioned
that it sounds familiar when, One of them goes
down. But now that he's a leader, I think helping
KK Carr, helping push him forward, I think. But
to me, the Club World Cup, the quality of play
in the Club World Cup has continued from then
until now, where there are now nine matches undefeated.
Schmetzer said as much, I think. I don't have
a direct quote, but was it? Reflecting on the
Club World Cup losses, including facing giants
like PSG, Smetcher described it as a humbling
yet instructive experience. He also expressed
pride in Jordan Morris making his return. I was
just trying to get a summary of the Club World
Cup to League's Cup transition because that,
I think, has been the only reason we're seeing
this quality of play. I think there was... We
played well, but we lost. Yeah. Everything. But
it didn't matter. I mean, you saw us play. It
didn't, it didn't matter. Yes, but you still,
they're, they're competitors or athletes or professionals.
This is a competitive tournament. This isn't
a friendly, you know, so an exhibition match,
this is, they wanted to win and they didn't win,
but some of the best teams in the world, literally
one of them. if not the best team in the world,
was in our group. But I mean, I don't think you,
me, Nick, I don't think anybody would have said,
hey, in one week, do you think we'll have nine
points? Yeah, no. Against three. I mean, Nick
might have, but he's forever the optimist. I
don't know. He is, but Cruz Azul has been a top
team. I think he picked us to beat them, though.
A little revenge there, right? I don't think
any of us would have ever picked us to win that
match 7 -0 or 8 -0 as it should have been, especially
after what happened down there. So, I mean, there's
probably a little bit of revenge going on from
the Sounders, especially because for us, that's
the same season. For them, that's last season.
Some of their players are gone. They have a new
coach. They got rid of their old coach, brought
in a different coach because they did not finish
as well in the playoffs as they had hoped to.
And their coach is a legendary player, but this
is his first season as a coach. Listening to
Hurt Gomez talk about it, this isn't a fireable
offense, but it's a wake -up call for him that,
okay, first off, there's a few pieces missing,
and secondly, this team quit on you. In a tournament
where goal differential matters, you don't just
lose like that. You know what I mean? You go
down 3 -0, 4 -0, you figure out how to... pull
a goal back whereas you know they ended up finishing
12th with zero wins two draws and a loss so they
they had a total of four points because they
won both in penalties so they win that first
game they're through they uh if they tied they
would have missed by one point uh or or if they
had beat a i mean if they tied and won penalties
they potentially i guess they would have tied
them all. So their goal differential would have
knocked them out, but they would have just missed
as well. So like they, they were that game away
from being close and maybe they don't struggle
as much in later games if they don't get blown
out. I mean, for that newspaper coverage to talk
about, like that's the worst loss versus an American
team ever for them. They did beat us 11 to one,
one time though in champions cup back in like.
1996 or seven. It was minor league Sounders.
So I was, I was pushing. I wanted us to get that
11 goals. I was like, let's do this. Let's let's
treat them for how they treated us back in the
nineties. So I'm looking at the stats. We had
15 shots. That seems low. 10 of them were on
target, but we 15 shots seems low. And we scored
seven goals. I mean, so my dad left before the
last two goals, so he didn't see them either.
He was like you. No, he stayed awake. I didn't
mean to leave. I involuntarily left the match.
That's what happened. No, let's see. Let's go
through this. Okay, so we had Yamar in the first.
Sorry, not in the first, the first goal in the
48th minute. So it's now been three solid minutes
of steaming since kickoff of them not coming
out on time. That's what I'm going with. Albert
Rusnak with the assist. This is a classic, classic
game, our goal, right? Yeah. I mean, it was great
to see too. And the excitement from them, like
this meant something, right? This that's the
thing is as much as, you know, people are boycotting
the tournament. They think it's a money grab.
It's clearly not just a money grab to the players
because when they're out there, like even the
goal when Tijuana took the lead in that third
game, 1 -0, like their players were going nuts.
Like this isn't just like, yay, we scored. This
is like, holy shit. Yeah, and I think indicative
too that Tijuana was playing the Sounders who
had just beaten Cruises 0 -7 -0, just beat Santos
Laguna. And it's like, okay, they're there for
real. Let's stand up. And then it looked like
we were going to do the same thing to them in
terms of... the style of play. We were owning
them, but I'll get back, but sorry. No. Yeah.
I mean, and if they had won, if they had won
that game, they would have had to beat us by
a lot in order to advance. So they, they were
unlikely to advance. Cause they would have had
to beat us like four, nothing or five, nothing
or something like that, which wasn't going to
happen. So Yamer scored. And then two minutes
later, it's Obed Vargas, which was the deflection.
Yeah. It was a deflection. It was, it was on
target. Yeah. It was on target. From Alex rolled
on. Yeah, it was a nice little shot there that,
and the goalie just looked at it and did reach
for anything, but knew that it was done. And
then by this time, Jesus should have already,
this should have been his hat trick. Instead,
it's just the third goal of the game. Yeah. But
Jesus gets his from Capitan, Christian Roldan.
You could tell that he felt relieved. Oh my God.
It's like the third time he's been, we've seen
him relieve himself. I don't know if that's the
way we want to put it, but that's exactly, I
did that. Well, hopefully he relieves himself
again next match because Jesus relieved himself.
He missed some of the third time. He missed.
Okay. Easy goals later on as well. He was strucketh
down twice, and he arisen for the third time.
That Jesus Ferreira. No, but no, he seriously
looked like, like, fucking God. Thanks, Dad.
I'm sorry. No, and I'm happy to see it, because,
like, yeah, that's been, like, up until these
last few weeks, that's been our... a talking
point is he was signed to score goals. Yeah.
We aren't scoring goals. Yes. Jordan's hurt.
Yes. There's all the, all the other issues, but
it's like, you've been available and you haven't
been scoring goals, not entirely your fault,
but it can't help, but not talk about it. That's
what I mean. It's like the third time we've seen
relieved, relieved, right. Is he's had, he got
a goal and then there was nothing. He got another
goal. So the assists have been there. I think
it comes down to though, it's, it's not just
that he's getting a goal. It's that there are
several opportunities where he feels like, and
fans feel like he should be scoring goals. I
mean, we see that. We just saw that. Do you want
a game where you might open header and, you know,
off the post, let it hit your face. Just let
it hit your face. I mean, it happens. I'm I,
I would have not scored that goal, but. I've
done worse than that. You also would not have
been on the pitch playing against Tijuana. That's
I mean, that's debatable. I've been working on
it. I've been playing well and running a lot.
And I still believe that one day I will be on
the pitch for the Sounders starting. I think
this this is still a possibility. You'll get
a one day contract. Yeah, I would like that.
That'd be cool. I would love that, too. All right.
So then so this is the 58th minute, right? And
then 10 minutes go by. Almost 11, actually. Yeah,
it felt weird not scoring any more goals during
that 10 minutes. Yeah. De Rosario assists from
Kent Washington. This was his yellow card, correct?
When he did his daddy's move? Yeah, he did. Which
was interesting that he chose this time to do
his dad's dance and not when he scored his first
MLS goal. the week before which which is right
yeah uh but although your first mls school might
not even you might not even be thinking yeah
at all right and then it's like okay i scored
what am i gonna do he didn't do much of a celebration
but yeah he did that he did this one for his
dad and so he pulled the jersey over his head
his face over his face which uh is a card always
I mean, it's a card everywhere. Do you know the
origin or reason why that taking your jersey
off? It's time -wasting. Okay, so pulling it
over your face. Originally, it was you can't
take it off. But then people started just pulling
it over their face. And part of it is because
there's messaging below it. But I just watched
a video about Balotelli when he did this years
ago. It was like, okay, you can put a message
on your shirt. Like West Ham printed him a shirt
with a message that said like, why not me or
something like that? Or why always me? I don't
know what it was. Uh, but cause I'm not a boss.
Wasn't that because of racism? Could be. I don't,
I don't, I don't know enough about, I think I
remember talking about that or not talking about
it. He was supposed to just pull up over his
neck and to his neck and he pulled over his head.
So that that's, that's. Always a card. It's like
where it's where they've drawn the line. And
he happened across it. It's just, we need to
draw an arbitrary line here. You know, it's a
card. Everyone knows it's a card. This is why
when it happened, don't do it. Yeah. Like he
knows better. Got excited in the moment. Got
the red card. Didn't end up hurting us. So, you
know, water on the bridge. It's just, it's not
like this is a Georgie problem. Right. Which
we aren't even talking about that game, but same
with Osaze. This is, this is him. Yeah. I was
reading his dad. I get it. It was fun. He got
a card. But still, he got the goal. Yes, he did.
And then he goes a seven minutes go by. Pedro
de la Vega scores from Jesus Ferreira. I don't
remember this goal. I think it's because... He
was running left to right across the box. So
he got it on the left side, was running to the
right, and kicked it in. So it's a goal that
we've seen the Sounders do. We saw Georgie's
goal the next game like that. Pedro's had several
goals like this. KKR's had a goal like this.
I don't know if we can go with that nickname
or that acronym. It's too close. Once you say
K twice, it's like, what's next? It's an R. Okay.
I mean, I don't know what else to call him because
his name's long. Kosarienzi. But then that makes
me sound like he's not Italian. I don't think
it is. I don't think, yeah. Hey, I'm looking
to pizza. Yeah, just because you have a mustache
doesn't mean you speak Italian. But yeah, I mean,
it was a great goal. It's the kind of goal, I
think, not only have we come to expect from Pedro,
but now we see that Schmetzer even talked about
having other players come across the box and
shoot that shot. And we're seeing other players
do it now. So it's, it, you have that lane might
as well shoot. Yeah. I think what I was, I mean,
these aren't 30, 30, 25 yard shots that I was
asking for the last time we recorded, but I was
like anything from relative distance, not inside
the box. We need to get, we need to take them.
And it seemed like we were always trying to just
get it within 10 yards of the front of goal on
either end or cross it in for a header. Right.
And just cause chaos. And that's where it's like,
you'll create more space if you show dangerous,
like you're dangerous from other areas. And so,
yeah, that was, that was, that was nice. Yeah.
Knew who Tolo the 88th minute, which I thought,
I mean, the play like that and to be ready just
to have the presence of mind and run towards
that box was awesome. And there was nothing anyone
could do. He was all alone with the ball. Which
I thought you were going to miss for sure. Oh,
you overthink that. I mean, most players are
going to overthink that. The Sounders traditionally
overthink that. We don't hit that in. We overthink.
I mean, it just not – it seems like the easier
the goal, the harder it is for the Sounders to
make it. Yeah, I think it's like three players
that have that problem. They happen to be our
forwards at times. They just went final. They
happen to be the ones that need to score. It's
true. LA Galaxy beat Santos Laguna 4 -0. 24 shots,
11 on target. They had 72 % of possession. 633
passes to 248 passes for Santos Laguna. 27 %
of possession, four shots. Four shots, zero on
goal. They got shots? Oh, they could have shot
it from anywhere. They could have shot it backwards.
That just means they shot it at the goal. So
it looks like, did they get two red cards in
that game? They got a red card in the 45th. I
think they got another in the 45th plus six.
So they did. At halftime, they went down two
men just before halftime. So after that, LA kind
of let it off the gas. They scored. They scored
one goal after that because they were up 3 -0
in halftime. And it was the third match, I guess.
Yeah, it was not a meaningful match for Santos
Laguna. We scored seven. It was meaningful for
LA. They got through because of it. Yeah, two
red cards. Did you say that? I'm sorry. There's
literally two cards in the 45th minute. Yeah,
one's in the 45th plus six, though, so it was
the sixth minute of injury time, and it must
have been. We obviously don't have in front of
it. It was after a Maya Yoshida goal. LA Galaxy
have looked good in this tournament. I'm not
going to lie. They are enough points back in
the MLS that I don't think they're making the
playoffs because even if they go undefeated here
on out, they would need help based on there only
being 10 games left. God, it's only 10 games?
Yeah. Yeah. The MLS Cup is in December and there's
10 games left. We're four months away from MLS
Cup and there's 10 games. Our playoffs are a
month and a half. Yeah. It's like the NBA. Yeah.
So anyway, knew who gets his goal. Then what
happens? I mean, the greatest goal in Sounders
history from someone bald I know. Um, but no,
literally Pedro Vela Vegas shot from Alex Roldan's
cross is, is, is something that I could keep
watching like highlights from the 2000 or the
Superbowl 48. Yeah. Um, highlights from CCL final
in May of 2022 and two to say 2020, 22. Yeah.
And that goal, those easily things I can rewatch
forever. Yeah. I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's,
it's the. Edgar double it's the Landon Donovan
goal in the world cup. I mean, that's how exciting
it is to me. Like it's unbelievable. We could
not believe that. I, and you know, I'm glad it's
him. I'm glad it was him because he needs, that's
gotta be such, especially being his second goal
and, and, and being healthy for months now and
being basically held back, but healthy. And.
Yep. Free Pedro. He's free. I think he's free
now. He's so nice. He looks like a nice guy.
Do you remember the movie Jungle to Jungle? No.
With Tim Allen and some kid? The only Tim Allen
movies I've seen are the Santa Claus, I think.
Okay. Well, there's something about Tim Allen's
son in that movie, which most people listening
to this will know what I'm talking about. talking
about you i think you're just you um it reminds
me i don't know there's just facial features
it doesn't matter this is going off topic but
you're right he's just got like just kind of
this boyish face that is just it seems very genuine
seems like a very genuine guy and you've met
him i have not met him obviously i've got to
make a couple times he's so nice yeah galaxy
quest i'll say i have seen that too oh i know
the fox for jungle to jungle here's the thing
is it came out when i was a uh senior in high
school too cool for jungle in the jungle yeah
oh man but not for galaxy quest no galaxy quest
is martin short was in that movie that's a heck
of a movie right there it's a real movie oh i
believe you it's got it's got a little bit 19
on rotten tomatoes Yeah, I was 18 years old when
that movie came out. Anyway. Yeah, no, that was
just that was that was the icing on the cake
for that type of goal with that player in particular
against that team in this tournament after the
Club World Cup. Yeah, just be like, all right,
we're fine. We're fucking fine. Everything is
fine. We clearly see how we need to play. With
these players, it was it was it was literally
like they just kind of woke up out of some scoreless
coma. Like. We got we get it. Let's go. And they
stayed. What was and we'll get in the other match.
It's not really too deep because one less goals.
I think do we score more goals in this game than
any team scored between us and our opponents
in the next two? Yeah. Eight. No, no six. Yeah.
Yeah. 2 -1, 2 -1. Yeah. So we won't have to talk
too much about the other games other than...
Yeah, I mean, I think there's small things that
hit, but yeah. But I think this was... I think
this match was clearly the wake -up. That's like...
We have the ability. We have the depth. Even
with injuries, the depth is really showing. What
we were clamoring... What we were so excited
for in February just reared its head. Finally.
Yeah. Do you think... And so we'll say the second
game, 2 -1, went over Santos Laguna. We did get
a red card in the 74th minute, as we talked about,
when Georgie Minugu got his second yellow card
for this one. He was just talking about his teammate.
Yeah, I mean, the first one was not a yellow
card. He said, Jesus saves. The first one was
not a yellow card. Didn't deserve it. Jesus is
not a goalie, so he should have said that Andy
saves. But, of course, they got a late goal.
Too little, too late, thankfully. I wonder, do
you think the fact that we won so big against
Cruz Azul made us just naturally take our foot
off the gas a little bit? Because I was a little
frustrated in that second game that here we are
playing a team that Colorado beat, a lesser team
that then suddenly were struggling to score goals.
I mean, Georgie scored his goal, which was fantastic,
but the other one was an own goal. We had tons
of chances to score. We had five shots on target,
13 total shots. We were outpossessed throughout
that entire game. But we were also getting fouled
nonstop. They had 22 to our eight. Do you think
that we let our foot off the gas a little bit
because we were like, oh, we're so good? I think
it was more, no. I think who we were playing
is different. Yeah. You were just saying that
they gave up on their coach, right? At least
for that game. When that happened, seven goals
happened. I think we could have had four or five
in this match. You just said, was it five on
target, 13 total? We had 10 on target, 15 total.
That is because there was no one trying to stop
us. Really trying. They were just getting in
the way. This match seemed more conca -calf.
Yeah, I could see that. Does that make sense?
Yeah, versus the Tijuana match where, yeah, we're
down 1 -0 on just a rough turnaround after a
missed penalty. We just turned off. We weren't
thinking, right? Yeah, which happens a lot with
this team, it feels like, late in the first half.
And I just felt so bad for Albert. He was clearly
upset. Have you heard? I don't know if you've
been listening to episodes, the conversation
I had with Albert about the fact that Seattle
fans don't like him. Uh, I was, I was talking
to him with, did you tell him I like, yeah, yeah.
Oh yeah. I was talking to him. Did you tell him
that his brother followed me on Twitter? Like
four years when we had that video coming out?
No, his dad, his dad, his dad. So, I mean, remember
we had listeners from, was it Slovakia? Is that
where he's from? Uh, which was probably born
in. yeah but his dad his dad uh coaches there
still so um yeah i mean someone said oh you're
you're my mom's favorite player and he's like
oh that's good to hear i thought seattle fans
don't like me and he wasn't he wasn't being rude
he was he was like sincere he was kind of bummed
about it and we're like no dude i was like dude
i said albert you're our goal and assist king
what are you talking about like we love you man
Are we vocal enough about that? We are. We are.
Seattleites? Can our fans be a little bit more
vocal? Can we give you some homework, please?
Is there a song? I mean, Dana holds up an Albatross
snack sign, like a two -pole every match that
I've seen. So clearly there's some love, but
they never sing him a song. I think this is the
homework. Listeners, talk to your fellow fans.
What can you do? To publicly show appreciation
for Albert Rusnak. Yeah. Social media in the
stadium, two poles chance get to work. I mean,
I have his jersey. I love it. He, I mean, he's
getting up to Nico has like, I've, I've saved
this team kind of status coming in when he did
right. Where there's been more of an assimilation
with Albert and his, but we don't win. The CONCACAF
final without him. Right? Yeah. We don't have
an MLS Cup with him. He deserves it, though.
Let's get that. He deserves it, but you watch
him. I think actually a commentary, and not this
last match, but the one before. What's his name?
Is it Brian Dunseth? Mm -hmm. He loves Albert
Rusnak, and his color commentary about his style
of play, he only really passes and shoots with
the inside of his boot. He never laces it up.
He never goes through the ball because he's so
technically gifted. That really needs to be focused
on. When you hear that, take a moment and actually
focus on how Albert plays the game, how he receives
a ball and immediately opens up his hips. He's
already looking at 180 degrees left and right.
He's just... he's not looking at the ball. He's
the quarterback. If you watch him, he's guiding
it even when he doesn't have the ball. Yeah.
And of course he's going to have moments of mistakes,
but so is that, I mean, we're not, are we trying
to jettison Ryan Kent? I mean, some people are,
but we shouldn't be. I think it's more of the
haircut. Yeah. I mean, so, and here's the thing
is Russ neck. I mean, this is only, he has more
goals than just MLS. So this is just, he has
20 MLS goals for us. in 102 appearances. The
Niko had 41 in 191 appearances. So they're essentially
on roughly the same pace. And scoring directly.
Scoring goals. Is that immediately accessible
to you right now without wasting people's time?
Let's see if I can pull that up. Let's see. Niko
goals. No, I don't have assists ready for here.
Okay. But I'm sure we can figure that out. But,
yeah, I mean, assists, I would imagine. I would
bet they're pretty similar, too. Pretty similar,
yeah. But I think Nico's a different type of
player than Rusnak. I also think Nico's had better
forwards. Let's be honest. Oh, for sure. He had
more people to feed the ball to. Yeah. We haven't
had a number nine the whole time Rusnak has been
here. Nico had Dempsey for a year and a half.
We had injured Rui. And let's not forget. The
numbers weren't coming early on in terms of goals
and assists the same way for Rusnak because he
was playing out of position so that Niko could
play in position. Yeah, they were on the same
team for a minute. Right. He was playing out
on the wing instead, which is not his natural
position. So to me, Rusnak is up there with Niko
as a Sounders great. Well, he's still good. He's
got to play a lot longer, which I don't know
how long. Four or five years easily. You think
so? What is he, 29, 30? oh he's got to be older
than that he's uh 31. so uh it's up four years
yeah i mean i think it'll depend on what the
sounders want to do nico was 29 right yeah when
we brought him in because we don't like to bring
in players but nico is now uh 36. so he left
us in 2023 when he was 33. so yeah with knee
problems Yeah. And he had a couple of years in
Orlando city. They had a half a year in Houston
and now he's down at Nastia now where he started.
He's back at his childhood home, which is pretty
cool. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, it was just, just,
I want to look at these numbers real quick before
we get out of here because we were talking about.
I had to have that rest in that conversation
with you. People on the podcast have heard me
talk about it with Nick. They've heard me talk
about it with the Ultras. But you of all people
know how important that dude is to the Sounders.
The Tijuana game was amazing because even though
we were losing, we finished with 26 shots, including
10 on target, 68 % possession, 494 passes. There
are 250, so almost double. 87 % pass accuracy,
only eight fouls. two yellow cards, so they're
five. One offside, so they're three. And we had
10 quarters, they had zero. So we literally led
every single category and only won two to one.
And needed a late goal from Danny to win it.
So, I mean, it's pure domination. And we got
the win, and that's what matters in the end.
But let's make this a little easier on us. Maybe
save some of those seven goals for the games
afterwards next time. I think rotation had something
to do with it. I think there was a little bit
more like, Kind of best available for Cruz Azul.
Yeah. Just based on stature, not even hindsight,
just like Cruz Azul. Although we didn't start,
we didn't start. That was a late sub in for Pedro,
wasn't it? He didn't start that game, I believe.
No, but I mean, you still have to, I mean, that's
part of the consideration, but he's also been
not starting every single match. You were just
saying he had the free Pedro. So like, not surprising.
He started on the bench knowing he's probably
going to start. on sunday which he did and then
come off the bench so but i think that generally
it was it was best 11 heavy with a few subs planned
versus wednesday versus certainly when you had
the gold differential that we had coming into
this match and a match coming up that's league
a league match an mls cup mat or cup an mls match
this weekend yeah you have to think about that
it's like there's pretty much no shot that we're
going to be booted out of the quarterfinals um
but let's still fight and 26 shots they certainly
did which i think is like what i'm very excited
about is that oh we lost that game we were out
no if we lost that game we were out and if we
had tied potentially could have been out so like
we lost we were out yeah because when they're
live during the match they're saying it would
take a big loss for us to be yeah no there was
a cookie when we were down one nothing there
was a point in that match where we were under
the line no shit yeah they showed it live on
the big screen because when they showed us back
in first place after we scored that mozovsky
goal the entire crowd went nuts so people people
were playing paying attention to that uh for
that game i was not certainly not watching live
that was hours later and so i had no context
other than the commentary which was like the
sounders are fine they could score zero goals
and yeah so yeah well i'm glad Well, to answer
your question earlier, assists. Nico had 58 MLS
assists, seven playoff assists, and five CONCACAF
Champions Cups assists, and one League Cup assist,
which I don't know if that was with us. I can't
remember. Yeah, he played in one for us, I believe,
and one Open Cup assist. So 70, 65 -ish. Albert
has had 24 assists, so slightly lower rate there
for us. And 34 and 24. 34 goals, 24 assists.
Okay. So yeah, I mean, he's at a slightly lesser
rate, but he also was playing in a different
position for the first year and a half that he
was on our team. But I think stats -wise, they're
a pretty comparable player. Not play -wise, stats
-wise. Mm -hmm. But Sounders get through in a
wild Tijuana match that felt worrisome, but good
to come back from behind and to have Musavsky
score that goal, I think felt good for him because
he's been struggling a little bit. Not every
game, but I mean, Osadze got the start over him.
Yeah. Because Osadze has been showing up and
scored again on a beautiful assist from Ryan.
Dude, can we talk about him for like a minute?
Yeah. We also, we got to talk about, we got to
talk about injuries as well, but do we have to,
I mean, we can talk about those for when did
the Sounders come in? I can't both injured their
hamstrings and are getting MRIs. So we'll know
more on Friday after training. So tomorrow we're
recording Thursday night. So we may be down both
are attacking center, attacking mid and are sometimes
starting left mid. I guess a team that's had
a really good leagues cup. Yeah. And still especially
dominant. Yeah. I'm sure they want to at least
make a strong attempt to get back into the playoff
conversation this weekend, but all right. Well,
how about listeners? Why don't you tell us how
hamstrings are doing? I mean, LA galaxy has 11
games left and if they won all of those and every
other, and Sandy, every team in front of them
lost, they would be in first place. So. They,
they have, uh, I don't think that'd be the case
with any team. Uh, yeah, but I mean, they have,
they have 16 points on the season. They have
three wins. So that's pretty bad. If they won
out, I mean, they, they would need a lot of help
to make the playoffs at this point because they're,
they're 14 points behind, uh, Colorado. Major
league soccer, soccer .com is a weird league.
Yeah. It can happen. It can. It can. You have
some of those teams near 7th, 8th, 9th start
losing matches, especially Colorado after selling
Malevich. Remember he say his name? Never can
say it right. Yeah, that changes. Yeah, Colorado's
got eight wins. Galaxy has three. Yep. From 9th
to bottom. Right, so anything can happen. But
Ryan Kent, we saw some good stuff from him that
I think we've been waiting for. You know, he
came out, I think, initially hot and then seemed
to struggle a bit. I think my, have no, it's
my Wikipedia degree in psychology. He came out
hot because kind of like maybe a talented rookie
in baseball, right? Oh, he got some hits. He
got a home run even in your first couple games.
But then they figure you out. I think he came
in hot because he knew he's talented, right?
He's championship, borderline Premier League
level talent, right? And then he had results
right away. He's like, look, see, I got you.
I can run by, I can duke anybody, right? And
then I think they just figured him out and shut
him down. And he was also shooting himself in
the foot, kind of quite literally, multiple times,
just trying to over -dribble. Yeah, I mean, you
saw a lot of one -on -ones where he was losing,
which I think is also why Georgie fell out a
little bit of favor down the stretch. Yeah, I
think it's overconfidence. I think it's overconfidence.
It's overfeed and then you'll make him overconfident.
And I do think he has the skill set to be as
good as he's trying to be. I think these three
matches is when he's realized how to be cohesive
with the rest of the team. And you saw him take
a ton of fouls. You saw him dive at the right
time when he would get hit, and he probably didn't
need to go down, but would. I mean, he knows
how to draw fouls, and it was huge. And that's
something we see Georgie do, too, when he was
on the right before. And I think that's particularly
against Liga Emeki's teams. I think there's a
little bit taste of your own medicine kind of
thing. You're going to come and try to pull one
over on the ref on us, and it's like, no, we're
going to play your own game, too, and just outplay
you. And I think that just, that's why every
single team we played was just like, what the
fuck is going on? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think
I, I, I also wonder how much is the fact that
he didn't get minutes that is affecting him to
coming in where I don't know if it was him expecting
to get minutes and then not, but I, I do wonder
sometimes about how minutes are given to players
on our club. And how much, cause we're not seeing
practice all the time. Right. And so how much
is reliant on practice versus you'll see someone
out there and they'll play great. And then suddenly
they're not getting minutes anymore. And then
when they get back out there, they're not playing
as well because they aren't getting the minutes
that they've been getting. And so I don't know
if that's something about our team, but it seems
like it's a nice close locker room. So that's,
that's good. So what would you think is your,
For wingers, right? Who are our wingers? We have
Ferreira, Pedro de la Vega, Ryan Kent. Not Rothrock.
Right now, I'm putting Kent on the right and
Pedro on the left as my starters. With Rothrock.
Has he played on the right? Yeah. He largely
plays on the left now. I don't think... ever
seen him on the right yeah he played on the right
i fall asleep a lot he moves into the middle
of the field a lot too when he's on the field
but he's been on the left exclusively down the
stretch here i just don't we have three and and
we've seen rothrock do it too we have three left
midfielders that could start for our team and
only one of them can hit the shot that pedro
de la vega hit so he gets the left wing and to
me that's i mean you can play pedro at center
attacking mid or right mid and he will be successful
But if you put him on the left, he's going to
be dominant. And that's why I think you have
to put him there. It's not like there's a small
drop off. So you think, I'm sorry, go ahead.
I mean, yeah. To me, the man that needs to be
left out right now is Jesus. He's getting a lot
more minutes. I mean, he must be incredible in
practice. And he must do things that we don't
see as casual fans. I mean, we're not casual,
but you know what I mean? Like as non -soccer.
like, statistic people. Because, I mean, he's
good, but I don't see him as better than Pedro
or Rothrock. So perhaps he provides a leadership
that we need on the field. You know, if he could
figure it out at center attacking mid, I could
see him being there more, especially if this
Rusnak injury is there. We don't know how bad
the hamstring is, but... Yeah, so... Throwing
that out the window. To me, Jesus is the one
that you... Odd man out. Odd man out. I mean,
I think you got to start Pedro and Rothrock in
these matches every game. Well, I think Rothrock's
blue collar is what Brian starts him for. I think
Kent was brought in for a specific reason and
to not play him or give him the opportunities.
And why I think he was so heavily involved early,
especially produced for a couple of matches,
but then was still on the pitch for a number
of minutes when it's clearly kind of fucking
shit up. They also said he was hired. So I wonder
how much, cause he hadn't been playing. Right.
So it's like he's played. Maybe, maybe he just
moves over to the other side. It looks like he's
played largely left midfield for us. So. Well,
that's why I can't even remember on the right,
but, but he's just on the other hand, I think
his. I think we were playing Pedro on the right
and we were playing him and Kent on the left
is what we were doing. Yes. Yes, we were. Because
once Pedro, I think, got on the left, which has
been when Ryan Kent's not playing in this tournament,
he's been fucking awesome. Yeah. But Jesus, I
think... He has 15 appearances, 1 .73 points
per game. It says he has three assists, Ryan
Kent. I think two of them when he had his first
couple matches. Yeah, two assists against St.
Louis and one against Houston. So in his third
and fourth match. But yeah, he's been on the
left every time. So let me say one thing. I think
Jesus is getting the minutes because I think
he is actually probably the best for the midfield
support. actual passing and technical ability
with the ball at its feet. He's been frustrating
at finishing. Yeah. Yeah. I haven't seen him
turn the ball over and I haven't been frustrated
with him turning the ball over. No, I don't think
so. And when he's playing with the midfield,
we were just watching that for these three matches
when he's been in. Every player was playing phenomenally
well. I mean, or passing. accuracy and, and we
just owned every felt like every minute, but
I think he, I think that's probably why he's
getting his minutes. That's gotta be. Yeah. Trying
to be, I'm trying to be devil's advocate. I mean,
he odd man out. He is obviously doing something
out there that, that the team feels like he should
be out there. But. Looking at MLS play, I'm just
trying to pull it up here. I pulled up playoffs
on accident. Playoffs? One goal and one assist.
But this year for MLS, he's got 22 appearances,
three goals, and four assists. That is production.
It's not the production we expected from him.
Doesn't he have 50 goals in MLS? Oh, yeah, more
than that. He had 55 in Dallas. More than that.
Yeah. It seemed like he had 70. Well, he also
had 33 assists. So he's got 59 goals and 40 assists
in the two clubs. But he's played right winger
in eight matches, center forward in seven, second
striker in two, left winger in one, and attacking
in one. That doesn't help your consistency either.
Yeah, right. But at right winger, he has two
goals and assists. At center forward, he has
one goal. At left winger, he has one assist.
And at attacking midfield, he has two assists.
So we're seeing him all over the place. And I
don't even know, what is SS? Second striker.
Okay. I was like, you're saying like right winger
and SS. It's getting weird. I mean, but we've
seen him be on the right wing since my birthday,
essentially, since the day after, June 28th.
He's been on the right wing every match. So it
seems like that's kind of where they settled
with him. I think maybe with the Osase being
able to come on as a sub, they're not having
to play him at forward. And Danny finished struggling.
He had that struggle where he had 11 games without
a goal, but he's come back and started scoring
again. Well, he struggled, then had like five
in a row. Yeah, yeah. And then struggled again.
And then he had 11 or 12 without a goal. How
many players do we have on this team that did
really good for a couple matches? Sucked for
most of them. Did really good again. Yeah. I
mean, I think that's... Ryan Kent's doing that.
Hayes is doing that. It's the nature of playing,
right? You're not going to consistently... It's
not everyone's Rui Diaz who's just going to be
good every game. Christian is the only one. Christian
had a couple bad games this year, but otherwise
has been pretty solid. Christian's had a couple
bad games ever. Yeah. I mean... Honestly. He's
always pretty solid. So we can... I mean, that's
what I was thinking about. Like, who is the...
best player on the field against Tijuana is Christian.
Not in that game, but just overall. That's the
player you have to have out there every game.
I'm so glad he's back in the middle. And on the
right. That's where he belongs. Especially with
this club. Not just as a player, but with this
club. His leadership. I mean, yeah. Anyway, Rosario,
I was... pleasantly surprised by both his speed
and his technical ability i thought he was just
like a physical young like wow he's young and
he looks like he's an adonis like you know he
does not look his age how old is he 21 yeah he
had 20 he was born in 2001 so he's 24. okay wow
he's 24. okay now he looks like an adult male
then i mean he was playing he was playing in
uh we got him from uh York United FC in the Canadian
Premier League. It's interesting. He has five
goals and seven appearances for Guyana. Even
though he was born in San Jose. His dad is Canadian,
of course. He's got eight appearances for the
Sounders, two goals. He had 23 for Tacoma Defiance,
10 goals. I guess he has nine appearances because
he did have one where he got loaned up before
he got signed. And he also had 14 goals in 27
appearances when he was actually on the defiance.
So he's got 24 goals in 50 appearances. Did you
see the replay of his almost assist? I don't
think so. Against Tijuana? Oh, you mean when
he healed it back? Yeah. I thought that was an
accident until I watched it the third or fourth
time. No, he put power behind that. That's not
trying to just turn, right? No, that was great.
I am so bummed for him. I'm like, what a start
to your career. Yeah. Well, with the Sounders.
Because that would have been the most... impressive
sequence I've ever seen from someone that I would
never expect to do anything. Yeah. That sounds
terrible. You know what I mean? But you know
what I mean? Like he's not our starting forward
and he's not, and he's not fancy like that. Right.
Like you're not expecting these last couple of
matches. I've been like, Whoa, dude, Schmetzer
called it a coming out part. You know, it was
interesting. I'm curious. I'd love to see in
our discord, what our listeners think. Cause
I know one of our ultras, Alex Diaz was pretty
critical of him in the first half. But I also
think when you're watching on TV, Uh, perhaps
you don't see, uh, his movement and some of the
other stuff he's doing. So I'd love to know what
anyone who was at the match thought about it,
uh, and what, what he was doing because, um,
I mean, he, he wasn't scoring yet, but, um, we
were still goal dangerous. It felt like there
was, there's, there's the defense was reacting
to something that was in the, the offensive third
and the center center of the field, like a forward.
It felt like there was attention being paid to
a single player on our team that was occupying
the center forward spot. It felt like the wings
got freer because he got the ball and he was
able to control it. He got the ball. He was able
to go by people. He was able to make runs where
it broke through a line and the pass was there.
It was like, you look like a center forward.
That is just all. You look like Jordan Moore
six years ago. Yeah. Wow. Osaze had a hat trick
against Barbados last November in the CONCACAF
Nations League play -in match. That's pretty
cool. Pretty, pretty cool. Yeah, we'll see what
happens. I mean, I don't think he's won the starting
job by any means, but if he continues to develop
at the current rate, I mean, he could be a better
than serviceable forward in the MLS. For sure.
For sure. I'm just happy we have now some solid
competition up there on our roster, right? Jordan
Morris is healthy. Mazofsky has shown that he
can score consistently. It's just, when are you
going to do it? And now we got this younger side.
I didn't know he was 24. It kind of changes a
little bit about what I thought about his, at
least, physique. But, yeah, he's a grown -ass
man. But he played well in these last few matches.
The whole effing team has as well. So I'm pretty
excited moving forward. What do you think about
LA? Going to be rough. You know, they're on fire,
especially after they went today. Especially
because there's three weeks until we, or two
weeks until we play that in the quarterfinals
of the league's cup. So there's no reason to
sit anybody. I don't know enough about. their
matches and know how much rotation they were
doing. I do know we saw Gabriel Peck out there
some, and we saw pencil just dominating. So it's,
it's always going to be, it's, you know, they're
a tough team. Should we beat them? Yes. But that's,
they're not the same team they were earlier this
season. Well, they also just played tonight.
Yeah. Right, and it's Thursday. So Friday, so
three days. So yeah, we may see some... I think
a day makes a difference when it's within a week.
Yeah, yeah, totally. So we may see some rotation
from them then, which could be good for us, for
sure. They might be confident that they could
go forward in this tournament and be like, we're
at the bottom in MLS. What if we just take this
opportunity by the horns? I mean, it's a chance
for them to get into Champions League, right?
Exactly. So they started. They're not going to
get a supporter shield. Paintsill started. Marco
Roy started. Gabriel Peck started. Fagundes started.
So they had a good squad out there. Let's see.
real quick about their other matches in this
tournament. Who else did they play against? They
tied, no, that's Champions League. Let's get
back down here to the right matches. I think
that it's been surprising to me this whole time
that they have been, they've been struggling
a little bit. So they played, interesting, five
at the back against Cruz Azul. with Gabriel Peck
playing a right -back position with Fagundes
in front of him, which is very interesting, and
Marco Reus up top. So they played a little bit
different there, and they had a little bit of
a different lineup, and they came out 1 -1 and
lost on penalties. And then, of course, they
had that first match in League's Cup against...
That's last year's League's Cup. This is weird.
Google's being weird. Where they beat Tijuana
5 -2, which is why I expected us to do well.
Because in that match, Gabriel Peck scored, Paintsill
had two goals. They were both pretty great. Marco
Reus scored, and Nascimento had a penalty. So,
again, they had Reus playing on the right in
that time with Fugindes on the left, Nascimento
starting up top, and then Peck and Paintsill
on the wing. So they're a dangerous team moving
forward. I don't think we can take anything for
granted that they're doing. We didn't beat, you
know, we barely beat Tijuana. We barely beat
Santos Laguna. They dominated all those teams.
I mean, 26 shots. Still. You literally said we
had every stat. Yeah, right, right. But score
-wise, we barely beat them. You know soccer.
It's not always just the score. Right. But L
.A., I mean, L .A. dominated them as well. I
mean. They gave up. They, I think, and I think
they gave up that game. Two matches away from
seven, nothing against Cruz Azul. I know. I just,
I want to see us score more goals against other
teams. That's why, and I'm worried about LA.
They have, they have a more potent offense than
we do in terms of player quality right now with
our injuries. All right. Then what's your prediction?
Two to one LA. It's going to be two to one, two
to one, two to one. Yeah. For our last three
matches? Yeah. What's our next match after that?
Do we have a week off? I don't know. I'm trying
to look. Let's see who goes first. That might
change my prediction. Minnesota on the 16th.
So that's six days. So that's basically a week.
But a day matters within a week. And Minnesota
is the team just ahead of us in the standings.
If we can win both these matches. we would be
tied with Minnesota for third place. Well, that'll
be interesting because that match will be three
days likely before we play in the League's Cup.
But for LA Galaxy, I think that both they and
us as players are going to come swinging in.
because we're riding high in confidence. I think
our depth is going to overwhelm them. I think
there's going to be a little bit of rotation.
I think it'll be a shutout. I think it'll be
tune up. That'd be cool. I'd love it. I'm singing
this song. That's true. So I think we should
get some thanks. Yeah. Yeah. Who do you want
to thank? I'd like to thank Danny Mazovsky for
scoring a late goal so that we advanced. I was
going more towards like our listeners for listening
and they should subscribe. No, shout out to Ultras,
Cedar and Dan and Alex Diaz. You can listen to
the Ultras episodes. I think we're going to record
on Sunday with a couple of them. We will see.
Depends on game time and stuff like that. uh
availability but uh i've been enjoying uh their
episodes and um i think it's given us a good
chance to have episodes come out when uh really
congested schedule in terms of games and stuff
where we can't record all the time so it's been
cool getting to hear their opinions and uh join
our join our discord i mean our join our discord
of course but join our patreon like they did
like the ad said earlier yeah your ad yeah i
was talking yeah So, yeah. And please, obviously,
if you have the time to rate us, rate us. Yeah.
We're at episode 130 already. I know. It's crazy,
huh? Started in 2022 together. And we're technically,
I think, further than that because some of the
Ultras episodes are like specials and not the
first few are specials and not. That's true.
So we're probably at like 132. Yeah. But still.
Yeah. It just seems great. It's a lot. And then
typically we try, let's record for an hour and
it's two hours later. So that's like, that's
like almost two months together. Like consistently,
if you add all the minutes. I like it. Good.
Not enough time. Come back. Have you got a job
in San Diego? Dude, San Diego is pretty awesome.
I bet. Not going to lie. Not going to lie. Yeah.
Although I'm having FOMO because. there's nothing
like the pnw in the summer yeah like true i love
crispy cold weather i love dark crispy i grew
up in literally downtown seattle my whole entire
life but it is not i'm not as affected by the
heat like i've gotten used to it like before
if it was like an 85 degree day you're like dead
right like fuck this like like son now i don't
even really notice it until i'm like oh my god
i'm kind of sweaty Anyway, it's been great down
here, but yeah, I miss just walking to the stadium.
It actually rained yesterday morning until it
got sunny, so it was kind of fun to have it be
nice and cold, and then we got sun for the game.
I miss rain so badly. Like, you have no fucking
idea. It hasn't rained since early March, mid
-March. Jesus. No, I'm sure it has, but I'm used
to just being wet. They'll get like morning mist
kind of rain. Yeah. We really haven't had much.
We had a couple of days in June and maybe a day
in July, but we had, it was like 30 straight
days with less than a 0 .1 inches of rain. So
yeah, we haven't been getting to here either.
It's been, it's been a pretty beautiful summer.
So pretty green though. I'm sure. Cause there's,
of course that's, that's, I think that's what
visually is fucked with me. It's just not a lot
of green. Well, well at a time. It is. I'm not
going to say where to find me because, honestly,
this is where you're going to find me. Aaron
is Scuttlebutt. Maybe in the Discord. That's
true. I poop like everybody else. I should make
sure I get on the Discord when I'm sitting there
on my phone. Yeah. It's a good time. It's fun
to do. It is fun to do. You can get me at LegalMindedPunk
on all social media and on the Discord. I was
trying to fit a duty joke in that, too. It's
your duty. It's your duty to do. God, take it
away, James. You can follow the Sounders Scuttlebutt
Podcast on Twitter at SSFCScuttlebutt. And for
all inquiries, including questions for the gents
or sponsorship opportunities, please email contact
at scuttlebuttproductions .com. Be sure to subscribe
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at BritVoxus. That's Brit Vox US. We'll see you
at Lumen and go Sounders. Alexa, who's the best
MLS team of all time? Seattle Sounders are both
unequipped and they're incredibly the best MLS
team of all time.