The Group Chat Episode 25: Full Circle

of it? Right? Is that accurate? I may have hinted even towards the fact that this is one that they had no business winning or being in, and they gave themselves a chance in the fourth quarter. We then get into the big news about football, not football, but football.

I don't understand European soccer. I didn't understand this idea that you're in this league and then you stopped playing for your team to go play in a different league, and then come back and play your league four days later, and then some of your players have to leave to go play for a different team, and then they're back, and I just felt stupid. We have that in so much more on this week's the group Chat. You've been added to the group Chat with your friends Caroline can,

Max Sensen, and Will Brian. It's been a busy few weeks for the virtual group chat that we are in right now, but also for our real group chat that we have that sometimes we put producer Matt in and sometimes we don't, so he has no idea what we're going to talk about. Because this one we kept Matt out. I'm just kidding. I'm done picking on producer Matt. That's my New Year's resolution. So you still have a couple

more weeks. I still have a couple of more weeks, but I think, like all good habits and habits, they take time to actually become a thing. So just know that for the next few weeks, I'm gonna start setting the habit of not picking on producer Matt. Matt was in the group chat. He just lost his phone, so we and I almost believed you a second. I was like, you, why have I not heard this time? I met his lovely fiance and that just made him right with me,

and I was like, she's fantastic. I can't make fun of you anymore. Well, you met her at Target for five seconds. I'm glad you were able to determine she's fantastic, but she made a heck of an impression. Yeah, you can't say, well, this is on the internet, Matt. She keeps you straight, she organizes your place. Apparently, she helps you find things that you lose, which God bless her, unless unless I can get Harold to do it first, and then yeah, unless Harold can go back. I'm trying

to be nice, Matt, and you're really not helping. So over these next few weeks, that's going to be my New Year's resolution. I'm sure we will do a podcast of full year's resolution, so hang tight, but there's a little preview of what mine is. But for our group chat this week, we're just going to recap what happened in our actual group chat because there are a lot of things that happened over the last four days. We

can go four days for just Charlotte in general. That is really interesting and exciting and um not exciting the football side of things, although although the football it's exciting the football, we're still we're getting there. Am I going to say it? Are you guys going to say it about the football? I think Max should say it? Well, are we gonna give you credit? Is that what you're saying, Okay, that's where she wants us to go. Oh wait, the

football or the football football football football. Yeah, I'll give her credit because I was the one that was Yeah, it was your face that was kind of saying something very different than what Caroline was saying. Last week's episode, Caroline and correct me if I'm wrong, said that this was a game that the Panthers hadn't really no business being competitive in, and yet you felt they were going to, uh make it, make a game of it? Right? Is

that accurate? I may have hinted even towards the fact that this is one that they had no business winning or being in, and they gave themselves a chance in the fourth quarter. And I gotta say, early on, I thought you were going to be very wrong. Um, Seattle came out and scored three touchdowns on three possessions, and it was like, oh boy, it looked really easy. Yeah,

they Seattle made it look very easy. But to Peri Fuel and that Panthers teams credit, they stuck with it in a situation where you could easily have seen them kind of just sort of packing it in. But yeah, I mean it was a six point game late with a chance to get a stop on third and eleven, you get the ball back with a chance to win. Unfortunately, it couldn't get that stop. Seattle salted it away. But yeah, look,

I said this is somebody earlier. If the Panthers were a nine win team and they lost by six to a ten win Seattle team, you would say, yeah, I mean it's really good Seahawks team. You lose one session games to them. Yeah. So with with this Panthers team and where they're at right now, to play that way against Seattle, I thought it was one of the better games collectively that the Panthers have played in a while.

And they stuck to the run when they were down thirteen and then down and I thought that that showed a commitment to we know what we're good at and the defense. You are gonna have to get a couple stops because we're not gonna go and just go throw the ball every week. They're not gonna be successful doing that. They knew that, like the bread and butter of this team is to be able to establish the run and then throw off of the run. And they did that

for the most part. And we're able to control the ball a little bit in the second half score In the second half, the bread and butter of this team is Christian McCaffrey, So like, run or throw him the ball anyway possible, even if he has to throw the ball. It was over one but still um and yeah, he goes over two thousand scrimmage yards and has another hundred and seventy five yards from scrimmage and that's just like

a normal Sunday for him. But you're right, I mean, just allowing him to be a big part of the game and on defense if they're not getting stops, like you're crossing your fingers. Takeaway had a nice sort of takeaway b and I finally got one and had two others that looked to be takeaways until they weren't. And those scenes like huge plays in the game to me, Um, Joel mccoybeing offside take away strip sack, Yeah, I mean,

that's that's it right there. And then and then sound the runner being down on the five being it was Bruce Irvan, did you did you touched the bottom of the cleats? Another one of those it was it was It was heartbreaking because of those moments, but I thought Trey Boston put it best after the game he's not surprised, and that's a little bit how it felt on the sidelines when things would happen. Frustrating, absolutely. I thought Gerald McCoy very much put his emotion on his sleeve, was

trying to be an emotional outward leader. I think he's always been a leader for that defense, but this was one of the games where he was not shy about walking around really frustrated, getting the guys together, yelling and allowing guys to yell back at him. I thought he kept the energy for the defense where it needed to be. Him and Luke were very much, you know, frantic almost walking around on the sidelines, trying to keep guys engaged.

But it wasn't surprising when things happened. Yeah, that's kind of that's the kind of stuff that happens to a team that's lost six games in a row. Well, and that's just like though, that's just what keeps happening. Perry Fuel said before the game, all all week leading up to the game, it was about confidence, and he was very candid about the Seahawks team is very confident. We're just not a very confident football team right here at

the Panthers. So I asked him going into the tunnel heading they just finished warm ups and I said, coach, last minute thoughts, what's the you talked about confidence. How do you feel your team is right now? He said, I feel like they're confident in what we're trying to do. But it's about that keeping the constant that sustained confidence is what he said is the big deal. Because you mentioned it's it's a you know, a call here, and offsides here, a pick here, all of these things that

are self inflicting wounds. It seems that this team continues to fall into But can you sustain that confidence where in the fourth quarter you're giving yourself a shot. I thought they did that. I thought that was nice to see. It's still hurts and there's no moral victories, so we can you know, who raw about? Good job, you made it a game in the fourth that that's embarrassing that that's what you know? We can who raw around. I think the team obviously they said that after the game.

Yeah you don't count moral victories, um, but they kept fighting in it. And if you're going to look for the silver lining, which we love, that's the silver lining that we're looking. I think there's someone to be said for that too. I mean, um, especially again against a team that is really good in Seattle, that number one team in the NFC. I think people wanted to see this Panther's team be competitive. You know, people don't necessarily expect to win, but like, show, show me something. And

I think that's what this team did. And for a segment of the fan base that wants the best draft pick possible, then there was kind of a like best case scenario for you, and that you saw a Panther's team fight to the bitter end against a good Seahawks team and they didn't come out on the winning end, which again to each their own from a fan perspective,

So you have that too. And the Falcons, if you're really keeping stock of the draft situation, they got a big win in San Francisco, so now they've which is just jumped this have jumped ahead of Atlanta now in the draft order. So that's unfortunately, that's the reality of where this season is. You're looking at the draft order at this point. You wouldn't want to be in this situation. You want to be looking at playoffs scenarios, but that's where this team is. If I worked for the Falcons.

I would have said the same thing going into that game, a game they have no business winning, and they end up beating him. Unbelievable. I didn't believe the score when I saw it. Did you guys go back and have to look at the score again. Well, so, right as I was leaving the press box, the game was like ending.

So was on the TV, and there was like a bunch of like some Seattle media guys were there, watched every and of course it's big for them too with the division um, so everyone was just kind of tuned in and and so we were watching those final few moments. The catch that wasn't by Hooper was ridiculous. It was like, I don't know if you guys saw this is before

the Julio catch. He made this incredible like juggling catch and the ball was like balancing on his foot between that and the ground, and they went to review it and that gets They ultimately reviewed and said it was an incomplete pass, but it kind of looked at first glance like he kept it on his like shoe lace. And then you have the Julio play where you know, right, you know, Inches gets crushed and is able to get across.

So I mean I felt this that Falcons team was way more talented than the record indicates for a while. And now they're beating some teams and obviously the Saints they gave trouble and in both meetings and got one on them. So yeah, I mean entirely, entirely shots. I mean, I don't know, Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, I give those guys a chance. And San Francisco they felt the full

force of it in that one. It is crazy football. Well, let's now talk about football, different kind of sport here, football, because this I don't care if you're a soccer fan or not. You've heard about this just because you're a Panther fan, because the same man that owns the Carolina Panthers is bringing a new sport to Charlotte and I'm excited about it. Although I don't think anyone is more excited at this table than Max, be honest, I am.

I mean, yeah, I'm a soccer or football fan. Like I'm curious to see what you guys think about all this, because yeah, like I European soccer is kind of become like a big I become a bit of a I don't know, super fan. Here's how I describe it, you know how like there's the fan base in China for the NBA and they like love watching like Lebron and you know Russell Westbrook and Steph Curry. Like that's me as an American watching European soccer, Like I love watching

like the big clubs, the big players. Um. And yeah, MLS is sort of, you know, kind of taking on this upward trajectory where it's got a lot of growth and it's really looking to push and become like a real big contender among American pro sports. So yes, I'm interested. I'm very curiously what kind of talent they'll bring in.

I'm curious for people like you, And this is really who they want to market too, is like how can we get people who maybe aren't the biggest soccer fans, maybe don't care about the World Cup that much or follow the Champions League or have really any interest in the game. How can we get them to the stadium and have them care about this new team that's come to town. So what do you guys think? I I think part of it will be all met this. I think growing up, I I watched college soccer for my

friends at college. I watched the World Cup for the US because that's what you do. But I don't I didn't understand. I don't understand European soccer. I didn't understand this idea that you're in this league and then you stop playing for your team to go play in a different league, and then come back and play your league four days later, and then some of your players have to leave to go play for a different team, and then they're back. And I just felt stupid because I'm like, no,

the Panthers play the Falcons. We're not going to go off and play Europe you know, on Tuesday, or we're not gonna get a two week break during our by to like go play the Ryan Fire of the European It just it felt weird, So I didn't so I

felt stupid. So I think there's a matter of like, Okay, let's let's try to understand what this is and what we're pulling for and where these players are coming from and who they are, and you know what happens for two weeks in April or or June and and then established this kind of I mean, the NFL, let's be real, there's a culture's a fan culture that's a little bit stagnant, or maybe that's not the right word. It just it's a little bit you can't stand up because people will

yell at you. You know, you're not gonna do cheers the entire game. You're not gonna have huge flags in the stands. It's a completely different culture in in soccer. I think that's exciting to see, hey, come in and build this yourselves. I think that's what's cool. Well, I'm interested in the the atmosphere and the experience of game day because of what I've seen from AFAR in Atlanta.

It's been really cool, even when we were there playing the Falcons, to walk around that stadium and see just how built out and impressive and amazing their locker room was, and and where they walked out, and it made me kind of perk off and be like, oh, well this, I mean, this really is as equally you know, cool as the NF felt. Maybe if that, if that's even the world, I'm interested what I would say, like, so, so, I love, as I just explained, I love watching the

best players play. But I think the other great thing about soccer is the pageantry of the game. Itself and you don't have to know who's playing to get caught up in that. Like if you watch big soccer matches with big time atmospheres, this the singing in the crowd, the banners, there's just a certain energy to it, and that's something that carries on throughout the course of the game. You know, like there's no stoppages and play. It's just

kind of this constant kind of buzz. And Atlanta, as you said, has really captured that um And if you just see any images or video from their like big games, it's like blown away by it. It really looks different than anything that you really ever see in American sports. And so that's why I don't necessarily want to say they're imitating what you see in Europe, but they kind

of are. I think that's what MLS is trying to do, is everyone looks at what you see in England and it'll lee and Spain, and it's like, how can we kind of do our own twist on that here? And I think that's what's really exciting is the opportunity to have that here in Charlotte. Is something like that kind of atmosphere where you just kind of look around or in awe of kind of your surroundings. And I think

that's what makes soccer the quote unquote beautiful game. In addition to what you see on the field, is also the way that the fans really kind of interact with the game from start to finish. Well, I got into minor league hockey a couple of years ago, thank you. I cannot tell you a single player that played on the team. They were a farm team of the black Hawks, but I didn't really care about that either. What's what's the name of the team, Indie Fuel, Indianapolis, they were

the Indie Fuel. I went to a game just they did some promotion working with the Colts, and so we ended up getting tickets, and so a girlfriend and I went. We had a blast. I ended up buying You could buy season tickets for fifteen dollars, so I did. And and you know, you can go and and just what you're saying of the buzz and the the no stoppage in the game, and there's music playing and they're doing a promotion in this section. There was so much to take in and it did feel like an NBA game.

I feel like when you go to an NBA game, unless you're very invested in what is happening on the on the court, you don't really have to pay attention to the court because of all the other things that are going on. I'm not sure if that's exactly how soccer is, but I think the way that soccer is growing, the World Cup, the women's national team, all of this buzz just around the sport makes it super exciting for Charlotte. And David Tepper made a great point. There's no summer

sport here in town. There is the baseball team, and that's every other night. It seems there's something there, but as far as a a major league pro sport, there's there's not one here. You have the n b A, you have you know football, and now let's add a pro soccer team. I think that's really exciting because it's hard to to get super invested in the baseball games

because those guys turn over so much. So you can build some fandom around the player, around the team that they're going to be here for a long time because a lot of those affiliates too. For minor league baseball, they will change affiliates every now and then their farm team. You know that all of a sudden they'll become the Braves or you know, whatever you want it to be.

So I'm excited. I think it's it's gonna be really cool for Charlotte to see how it can grow the city and grow the fantom And the fact that the soccer games that I've already been played here at Bank of America Stadium, I've been really impressive. Yeah, I think it's I think it's very well positioned to just immediately have a team come in there and start playing games.

I think this is an area and well maybe you can speak to this more than I can have the country that produces really good soccer talent the college programs in this area. Um, I think there's a general interest in the game. Some people will say soccer is boring. I hear that a lot. You know, not enough goals scored. But it's a simple game, you know, it's not like

it's a proplicated. Everybody can go to the game and understand, you know, maybe there's only be a couple of goals scored, but it's the build up to those goals that makes the ultimate celebration of them awesome. I think, uh, and look, everybody loves a winner, so if the team wins, I think, then you've got really something potentially special. And I think that's what Atlanta did was it wasn't just like here's

this cool new thing you can come check out. It was like, here's this cool new thing you can check out, and well, by the way, we're gonna win a bunch of games. And that's I think what kind of got the snowball really rolling for them. And so we are everyone is in particularly the three of us, are gonna be waiting to see who the Panthers are gonna hire as their head coach. Who is the MLS team going

to hire as their head coach? And that's like the first real big shoot a drop to figure out, Okay, are they're going to get somebody who can bring in top talent, They're gonna be able to attract players who want to come play here, and then can they do what Atlanta did, which is not just have a great kind of promotional product, but also on the field be

really competitive. Because Atlanta won the whole thing, then the snap of finger, it's seen and surely Dave Tepper, with how much he likes to win, win, win, would like to do the same. Yeah, I mean exactly. I mean, if anyone knows anything about the makeup of David Tepper

is that he's he's in this to win this. And I like what you said about kind of this area of the country because in Major League Soccer, you know there there's there's kind of you know, you have your club teams, you have your teams that are that are feeding and this is a place where, you know, right up the road, you know, in the Triangle. I mean, how many college Cups have been hosted one by all

these schools around here. Clint Dempsey, you know, great American soccer player went to Furman which is right down the road, and your word, Panthers have a training camp. There's a lot of enthusiasm around here. I mean, and for us this is literally you know, we're doing this Tuesday. I mean, how many texts of you guys. I'm getting text from everybody.

They're excited about what's what's as popular as you but I imagine you're getting a lot of well, I will say some people because it's tied in very closely with the Panthers. We we're talking about this on a Panther's podcast, and there's a lot question of what is that gonna look like you're both a big up America Stadium. And then you know, there's this move to rock Hill for the Panthers. What happens. That's a lot that I'm getting

right now is what does this mean? It's you know, is well then all of a sudden, this what's about this new stadium that we've heard? And I think there's a lot of buzz around the Carolina Panthers right now in general because of David Tepper, and this is just another piece of that. And people are super interested in what's happening, and that's why we were, you know, blowing up about it too. But I think it is it's exciting. This is gonna be really cool just to see how

it plays out. It's going to change Charlotte. It's an It's an exciting time for the city of Charlotte. So keep growing. It seems like they're throwing up apartment complexes every other day. Why not add another pro team to the next. Why not this whole part of town. I mean, there's nothing here, and it's incredible how David Tepper has come in and even put his foot on the gas pedal even more. It's gonna be really really cool to watch how uptown and the way Charlotte continues to grow.

And I hope that this team is a is also you know, not to get too political, but like can help really a lot of different communities. You know that it's not just about kind of maybe you know the demographic of of young white with with money to spend, but that there's a lot of communities in Charlotte that can really get in and engage with this and hopefully

you know, have have their lives bettered by it. Well, it was great even in the ticketing office here the Panthers when they were selling the tickets for the games that have already happened, they needed someone that spoke Spanish to be there. That's what you want. You want to see this diversity in the fan. You want more people coming. So I think it's a great thing. We want to hear what you guys think too, So let us know.

You can do it over Twitter, you can do it in the reviews, but only if you leave a five star will we even read it. But we're interested. It's it's it's happening, ready or not, So we would love to hear what you have to say about it. But another topic that came up. Now back to football. It's a special week here for the group chap really for one member. But you guys can come. Actually will you can't come, but Max you can come. It's my homecoming, my revenge game. I'm just kidding. Will you can come

if you want? I can come if I want, can come. You can actually take my place on the You can take my place on the team plane because I'm going early. You can take that. And you can come back with him because I'm going to stay a little bit too. So my revenge game, y'all. What's the like emotional calibration right now? Are you like? Is this hard for you? So? Tension starting to build? Going to be back in the

building where you had so many good memories. So are our favorite grouping mayor of Flavor Town tweeted tweeted me this on Monday at in Caroline Can returning to Lucas Oil with a six and seven team and a rumored starting rookie quarterback. And it's a W W E star standing in the middle saying boo me now right in the middle of walking around. I thought that was so funny because when I got this job and I saw

you know the Colts and the Panthers were playing. I did wonder what would that game look like, because at the beginning of the year, everyone, let's just paint the picture of what I was thinking this game could potentially have. On the line. The quarterbacks of the respective teams are Cam Newton and Andrew Luck. You have really good defenses that are rumored to you know, the big question here was safeties. But the defensive line was really bulking up

and everything was looking good there. The defense for the Colts had been building up. I was thinking, oh boy, that could be a heck of a game. We could be playing for playoff potential. It could be flexed a prime time Well no, that's not it, but I'm still super invested in it. I think it's gonna be really really fun to just go back. I mean, think about when you go to your college for homecoming. That's what

Indianopoli seems to me. I'm not from Indianapolis, so it's this is not me going to see all my family and all that my families here, but it is a bit of a homecoming to see people. I should do a cool down interview you coming off the practice, and we should get kind of your thoughts on preparing to face the former team. Have you talked to anybody with the Colts like radio silence? You know, I've got some friends on the team, But have you have this circle

on your account? Like? What all the cliches we can think? Are you able to walk and talk? I can walk into yeah, unlike Luke kick Ley, I can't actually walk and talk. Crazy, but it is gonna be fun. You guys, well will come. I keep saying you guys like coming and moll is not coming. But so Max is the normal foodie of our group. Have you scoped out You haven't scoped anything out. Well, Max, you've been been to India a bunch. Obviously everybody goes for the combine, but

doesn't it doesn't count for the real indie. Yeah, exactly. That's why I'm leaning on you. You have the real knowledge beyond just everybody goes to India and everybody you know goes to get a steak. To steak is the but it's like, yeah, I would love to learn about like some hidden gems. Well, I can tell you about this thing. I don't know how the food you want. I will say this about Indianapolis. India is a huge conference city, so hundreds of thousands of people they will

host a week. But it is a in and out. So you have your p F chains and you even have a Margarita Ville. You have your very almost tourist like places in a random downtown in the Midwest. Yeah, so you have those because of the conferences they run through so quick. There are some hidden is Indianapolis Does it have any sort of food specialty, like you know how certain cities have like a thing. Does Indianapolis have

a thing? I will say I think steak is the thing, just because of St. Almos and so everyone says that, But it's actually the shrimp, cocktail sauce that's the thing. Say. People say that a like a tenderloin sandwich is Indiana's thing. I never had one, so I wasn't dying to try one either, but apparently that's the thing. Um, but I would not. I don't have any recommendations for you want it to know why and sandwich. But there's a good shrip called mass Av. If anyone out there is listening

and you're going take notes, there's a mass Av. It's very similar feel as like the South End in Charlotte now Charlotte. When I got the job in Indianapolis, that was not four years ago. They said that Indianapolis was like Charlotte five to seven years ago. So you were earlier talking about the growth and how crazy it's changed. They say that Indianapolis is similar to that. Um, I can see it, but I don't think Indie will ever grow to the size and it's rapid pace as Charlotte

has because of the weather. And I think to the people love to just like be from Indianapolis and just this is Indie. It's this is it. We hibernate in the winter. We come out during the months where there's no snow on the ground, and we love it. But I don't think there's this huge push to, oh, we need to make this a you know, a destination for

people to come to us. They have all the pro sports though they have They have basketball, they have a minor league baseball team, they have the football team, and then Indie Car. So those are the those are the big ones. I don't think they're getting a soccer team, but they might. Who knows. I'm not there anymore, but Indy Car. IndyCar is the summer sport there, so that's they have. I never went to I know, but I did. I did go out to the track for um. They

have like practice days leading up to it. It really is fascinating to see how fast those guys go in the car and girls, but it's amazing. Did you ever get to drive one? I didn't. I I knew some of the drivers, but I never I never pulled that card. I never was like, hey, so give we go dig thin. I think we should do a group chat at Charlotte Motor Speedway and let's get around the track. Yeah, I would love to. I honestly would be scared to get an Indy car, though I think I could do a

NASCAR like a normal sized car. Cars are just those videos on Yeah. Yeah, So I don't think I could do that, but I am excited to go back. My parents are going to go, um, oh my god, it's gonna be some emotional parents in the stands at the crowd getting on you. It's gonna be I don't think so. I did. I have been back to a game since I left hour bye week here. I went back and

the Colts were playing the Texans. So I have been back, but I had a hat on I was on the field very briefly gonna like instinctively walk to the wrong sidelines. So I have thought about this. I have no I idea how to get around the visitor's side of Lucas Oil Stadium, but I know all about you know where we would go in as the home team, But I have nothing, so I am laughing. I will be able to get you to the press box, though, Max, I guarantee anything just yet, pretty sure. I don't know if

I might take us up the wrong elevator. I don't know if I know the visiting Oh I do, You're already downing yourself. The can cam will will prove the can Camp the footage. The footage will prove the can Camp is coming back. It's been a bit of a high and it was ever time to bring out a sideline Steak in Indianapolis. I think it's time. Honestly, the city of Steak got about the story. I totally forgot about that I brought that was Well, we're done. Thanks for listening.