Danny Musovski Should Be An MLS All-Star - Ep. 100

We got a scorcher today. Gonna be a real scorcher today. What? A scorcher today? What's gonna be a scorcher? Welcome in to a historic episode of Lobbing Scorchers. Folks, it is our 100th episode. We have hit triple digits. And Noah, we are about to lay down another emphatic dub pod for it. How are you feeling? It's only down from here, Ari. It's only down from here. Ladies and gentlemen, 100. Thank you for sticking with us. And if you're...

If you've been here since the beginning, you know that this started out as a Seattle Seahawks podcast, obviously. That's crazy to think about the early days, but yeah. Triple digits, man. It's a big milestone for us. We really appreciate everyone tuning in each and every week and helping.

facilitate the growth of our show, which I think, Noah, it's safe to say it's grown to be a lot of bigger operation than we thought when we started this thing. Yeah, I don't think we could have ever imagined that. this number of people would be listening to us and that we would have multiple employees working on the production of the show and still looking like this, you know?

It is a dub pod for our special 100th episode. A 3-1 victory for Seattle Sounders at Houston Dynamo. Fourth win in five matches. I mean, the dub pods are becoming routine these days. The Sounders remain one of, if not the hottest teams in Major League Soccer. Danny Mussofsky. has made some history scoring for a fifth straight game.

Albert Rusnak scored two goals. That didn't count. And Ryan Kent might just be the greatest player alive. We're going to talk about all that in our game review, hit our agenda check, and hit our winners and losers from match day 12. in MLS. It's going to be a great 100th episode. But before we do all that, I do have to let you all know that Lobbing Scorchers is a part of the Sounder at Heart podcast network.

If you want to get the best independent Seattle soccer coverage, consider supporting us by going to sounderathart.com slash LS. Noah, what's that link? Sounderathart.com slash LS. Scroll down to subscribe and support to get 30 days completely free. Every sign up through our link helps support and grow this show. The road to 100 Sounder at Heart subs.

It's alive and well. It's alive and well. It's a great time to become a member with the season in full swing. Subs also get access to the audio-only versions of our live shows right to your podcast feed. We had a great one yesterday. Do we have any new subs to thank? We do. Parker Meacham, thank you so much for becoming a Soundert Heart supporter. You are number 90. Oh, that's Waylon. Yeah, that's Waylon Francis. Parker, thank you for becoming our Waylon. We appreciate you.

Shout out to our sponsors, Hacks on Ferments, Podium Menswear, Full Pull Wines, My Data Removal, and BodySpec. If you're watching on YouTube, please like the video. Subscribe to the channel. and follow us on all socials, especially... Instagram. as we try and gain credibility on that platform, which is actually going decently well. Anything else we need to show before we get into this dub pod? No.

No, we're just existing and doing great things. I have to suggest that you go back if you haven't and watch our Wade Webber interview that we did at Starfire Sports. We've got an exclusive vlog coming out. It's really good. It's so good. We got a guy who edits the videos. Yeah.

real professional-like. Yeah, Eric is our new producer guy, and he's incredible, and we are so excited to share some of the content that we're making. We'll be out in Portland this weekend, so please, if you see us... come say hello we'll also be making content there so we may ask you to talk at the camera for a minute so don't be shy come up and say what's up but that's all i had

Alright, let's get into this dub pod, Noah. 100th episode dub pod. 100 dub pods. Even if they're L pods, they're always dub pods in my heart. It feels like it's been 100 dub pods in the last few weeks here. Four out of five done pods, so feeling blessed. And a draw pod. And a draw pod. Seattle Sounders, three. Houston Dynamo, one. Noah, let's hit our lineup reaction before we get into the key moments.

I was very happy and excited when I saw this lineup. Going into this game, I was sort of assuming that De La Vega was going to be written in pen. starter so to speak so in my mind it was sort of a debate of who do you start Paul Rothrock or Ryan Kent and We got a lineup that had both Paul Rothrock and Ryan Kent. And I love that. That front floor is the exact front floor I actually wanted to see in this game. And I didn't think that we were going to get it. So I was really happy to see it. And.

And I thought it worked really well. Rothrock looked great in the first half. So I think this was my favorite 11 of the season so far. Noah, what did you think? I thought it was the perfect lineup. You know, I probably would have loved to see Jordan get into this lineup and feast a little bit. But other than that, man, I mean, this is quite literally perfection. You've got... And it's funny to say that it's perfection too, because it is not what we would have expected.

would have been the best 11 starting out this season. My thing was that you had to start Rothrock in this game because he's a Houston Dynamo merchant. He dominates this team. If he's going to have a goal contribution, it's going to be against Houston. But I thought that meant that Ryan Kent wouldn't be starting, and then he was.

How do you not start him after, you know, last match? And I think that's exactly what happened. But it's like, you know, it brings up these lineup debates that we're going to be having. Even going back to preseason, we were talking about how... In a first-choice XI, it might arguably not include De La Vega. But De La Vega has had a really good start to the season. So it's all good problems to have. But I really loved how they lined it up in this game. And it ended up paying off.

quite handsomely. uh in the first half let's get into our key moments because no this game was it was a really good game like it was It was back and forth, end to end, a lot of action. And probably the most memorable eight minutes of Houston Dynamo, Defender, and Friend of the Pod, Femi Odessa's career. Yeah, yeah, no, we're going to get into that. But...

There's a lot of things I think to like about this performance from Seattle on the road. Starting with, you know, when you're the road team in a situation like this, I think your first... Objectives are to weather whatever storm there might be with the home team coming out, trying to get on top of you and controlling the action and generating chances and all that. You're probably going to have to absorb a little bit of pressure. The other team might have a couple of looks.

So you need to get through that without conceding. And then... Ideally, get the first goal yourself. And that's exactly what Seattle did. Houston, they controlled some of the run of play, I think, for the first 20 minutes, but I thought it was relatively even in Seattle. Didn't get all that close to conceding I don't think until the 22nd minute when we got another Muscle fifth straight game And this was a great goal. Great goal. The Houston center back.

Had a little bit of a rough one on this one. He totally whiffed on the ball that was coming in over the top. And that left Paul Rothrock with as much space as he could ever want. And that's not what you want to see if you're in the Houston Dynamo defense is Paul Rothrock chugging up that right side into acres of space. Rothrock.

puts in a beautiful cross, and the run that Moose made on this play, his movement was fantastic. The way he moved off that guy's shoulder, where I think the CB thought that he was with him. And Moose just floats.

to the uh to the far post times that up perfectly and uh free header off great delivery from Rothrock now i do have a grievance with this goal which is that they apparently have taken away Paul Rothrock's assist which the game's gone i'm gonna complain about this you know it's it might not

seem significant because they got the goal anyway. But I have no idea what we are talking about with not giving Paul Rothrock the assist. I don't know if it's some rigid adherence to a rule where if it gets deflected. at all you take the assist away if that is what they're doing here that's just stupid because I don't think whatever deflection there was did not meaningfully change the trajectory of the cross. No. So that is absolutely Paul Rothrock's assist.

And it actually does matter. Statute production, there are bonuses that ride on that sometimes. You know, if you put in a ball like that, you got to have the assist. So hopefully that gets rectified. I looked at the stat sheet today and they still hadn't given to him. What the hell? What are we doing? Listen, if that was Messi, you know who gets an assist on the score sheet? Merci.

I'm just saying, we got to provide an even slate here for statistics. It's laughable to think of them taking an assist away if it was Messi or any other big star player. in the league. They're literally, they're taking away because it's Paul Rothrock, and they're like, oh, well, it got deflected. It didn't even, like... Okay, I understand if it's a deflection that's like very meaningfully changes the trajectory of the ball But he put in a cross with space

Absolutely, the little tip of the foot arced the ball a little bit more and made it maybe a little bit easier for Moose to head that in. But you can't tell me that Paul Rothrock didn't put in the effort to build up that cross and put it in. And then it gets like, I don't know, man, this is, this is. It's just one of those things we all know that that's Paul Rothrock's assist.

I honestly have no idea what they're talking about with that. But either way, this is why stats are always lying to you, Ari. the stat of assists uh either way they get the goal and uh like i said that i think that's the first thing to uh the first positive we'll get into positive and negatives but the first positive You withstand whatever early pressure there was from Houston, and then you get the first goal. You can't really draw up the start to a road game any better than that. But then...

Just 10 minutes later, the Houston Dynamo did find their equalizer. No, uh, Lobbing Scorchers has had exactly one... guest from a different team in MLS in the history of our show. Who was that guest? Femi Oadesu. Femi Oadesu, who... The story of Femi Oadesu in this game was very, uh... It was a roller coaster. It was an up and down. It was a harrowing tale that had highs and lows.

And I just thought it was so funny that he ended up being such a key character in this game because you literally, you interviewed him. I did. You interviewed him. That was, for those who don't know, well, go watch Noah's interview with Femi. Friend of the pod. But he's a very cool kid. He went to Penn State, so I think that's... why you were initially drawn to him but he's also a content guy he has a he has a really awesome youtube actually where he basically goes does like behind the scenes

documentary-style content of him trying to make it as an MLS player, and it's very compelling, well-done content. Noah interviewed him about it. And then, in this game, he gets his first... MLS goal. And his first MLS red card. Yeah. Well, yeah. So we're going to get to that. But first, he got the equalizer. And it was a great header. It was a great header. Jack McGlynn has one of the best left feet. In MLS. Beside Messi.

He might have as good a left foot as Messi. That's true. He looked like in this game with the delivery that he was putting in. But it was a great free kick. Very good header by Femi. No, I think we're going to have to start a new segment on this show for whenever the Sounders concede called Was That Stephen Fry's Fault? oh my god here we go discourse about that the dumbest people you know online i uh so uh for me

When the CB has a free header from literally point-blank range, you're kind of asking to get scored on. Like, if you... simulate that shot 100 times, Stephen Fry might save it 50. I don't know. Like, I feel like it doesn't... It doesn't really matter in this case. The problem was that the CB had a free header from literally directly in front of the goal. For this new segment, I'm going to say no. Are you ready for my take on this? Because I'm tired of the slander, Ari. I'm tired of it because...

Later in this game, not only did Stefan Frye prove himself once again to be the reason that he's starting. Very quality goalkeeper and someone who can save results. I think the reason that people thought that this was his fault was the way in which he splayed out his body in a comedic fashion to try and save the goal. But like you said, if he's... Point-blank range and you're any kind of professional soccer player

I think that nine times out of ten, that's going in the back of the net if you have a free header. So I'm going to put that on the defense way more than I'm going to put that on Stephen Fry. Could Stephen Fry have done a better job? I'm sure he could have, and I bet you that's exactly what he would have told you in the postgame. But I think the reality is...

Why are you bashing on the goalkeeper for that? I'm not really sure. That's really stupid. And we're going to talk about Seattle's set piece defending later. But like, yeah, for me, that was more of the issue on this play. than the goalkeeping. Why has it become such an issue? Is it just like the new, new who? Is it like the new, like new who's gotten good, so we've got to move on to something else.

I mean, I think it's because, you know, he's up in his late 30s, so maybe people have concerns as to decline. But I personally... Have not, uh, seen... goalkeeping really be the biggest issue with the defense this year. I think there's maybe a few that you could point to where he could have done a little bit better. You could also point to a lot of... really great saves that he's made. As you pointed out, he made one later on in this game, which we'll talk about.

Houston equalizes on 32 minutes, and that was unfortunate because you put yourself in a good situation, 1-0, and you have 10-plus minutes.

to get to halftime at 1-0 which i think that's really obviously you want the second goal but really the i think the biggest priority is getting to halftime still having the lead and they couldn't quite do that but since they scored first they were still in great position to take a result that's why you want to score first so a little bit of a mixed bag there but then Six minutes later, we have to get back to the story of Femi Odessu because it took a tragic turn.

This was the controversial call of the game. We're going to get to that in our blazing hot coach presser of the week. But this was a controversial call. Stephen Fry comes off his line and just absolutely smashes a long ball over everybody. And Danny Mussofsky makes a run to try and track the ball down. He and Femi are jostling for position. And then Moose... chested down and it looks like he actually controls it in a way where he's going to have a pretty free shot on goal.

But then the referee calls Femi for a Doxo handball and initially points to the spot for a penalty. It looked like it might have been inside the box. But then... And upon 10 minute review. Yeah. Got an expeditious 10 minutes. Got a nice little 10 minute review in there. But he initially, he sent him off. for for dog so and called the penalty they video review it and uh determined that it was just just outside the box but that the dog so read

And Ben Olsen was not happy about that. You could see that much on the broadcast and then also in his press conference after the game. But let's just talk about the call. I'll give my take on this call, which is that... I always try and think of these things like if the roles were reversed and if a Seattle player got called for that. This is one of your best takes, by the way. It's tough. It's tough. I don't think he was... Trying to do it. I think it was like inadvertent but I think that

Okay, if they hadn't dogged so red in him, I don't think I would have had that much of an issue with it. But I think the call... makes sense because Moose won the positioning battle there and he is chesting that ball down and if Femi doesn't have his hand out there and it hits his hand it is an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, I think. So it's horrifically unlucky for the kid. I felt bad for him, but...

I think the call made sense. I think it did. I think that the call does make sense, but that said, I'm of the... Opinion, I guess that it sucks Like, yes, you're right, if we're looking at the letter of the law, that's called correctly, and I think it was even more called correctly, and I'm glad that they didn't issue a penalty when it wasn't in the penalty area, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

But man, like that's, you got to feel hard done by that. Like, I just, I feel like that's like just, they're playing, you know? I don't think that Femi... is the reason that Moose I don't think there was any like very blatant impediment of him.

But he's impeding the ball going down where Moose is going to have a goal-scoring opportunity with his hand. I guess it's the whole natural position versus unnatural position versus like... oh well this is a handball but that's not a handball but this is a handball but that's and that's a red it's just it's just

It just sucks. I think, I don't know, the guidance is really clear on certain things. It's super unclear on others. And like I'm saying, I think it was the right call. I think the referee made a really... good decision there in terms of letter of the law and doing his job. But you've got to feel hard, Don, and you've got to kind of feel bad for the kid. I feel bad for him. I feel bad for him. He was so upset.

That was a six-minute stretch for the ages there. His YouTube is going to pop this week. Femi, if you do not clickbait the hell out of that... lost respect on the youtube game bro but no it's it's it's really for me it's like Yes, I understand it is, but, like, if it's happening to my player, I'm going to be pissed off, and, like, that sucks. So, we talk about stuff like this all the time, but if that, so if you just...

Queen reversed these roles and it was Yamar who got called for that. My take would be, that sucks, it's horrifically. unlucky and it's really tilting because he literally was not trying to do it at all but as the CB in that situation you gotta have the awareness to not Even give the ref the opportunity to make a call like that.

We'll get to this more when we get to the... Benno actually talked about that in his presser. So when we do the Blazing Hot Coach presser, we'll dig into that a little bit more. But... No, I think you're right, though, because if I'm seeing, if Yamar does this, I'm blaming Yamar.

Like, do you know what I mean? I mean, also, he's a veteran, so I would be like, all right, this is your fault. But it's just a tough scenario. It's one of those ones where you're putting it in the hands of the ref in a 50-50 situation. And when you do that, you're gonna get burned sometimes. That's just how it goes.

And, you know, people will probably say we're like being homers on that or whatever, but I will stand on that. There's been a lot of calls that have gone against Seattle that are similar to this where we always acknowledge that. We say like... We might not like the call or it might be an unlucky call, but it's on you to not put yourselves in situations where those calls can go against you. And I think... You know, it was unlucky, but one thing I know is that...

Pretty much every good team I've ever watched, it seems like they get all the lucky break. Like that. And then not good teams, that stuff seems to always go against them. It was tough for the kid, though. It was tough. Right after your first MLS goal gets sent off. And I'm sure we would feel differently if the result had been impacted by a no call. Do you know what I mean? Like if that hadn't been called and the Sounders end up losing 2-1, I would be complaining like...

the Jackson Travis thing. Yeah, exactly. It's a... I have to give props, you know, to the official for that because he made the right decision, but it's just like, the game of soccer is so cruel sometimes, man. So Seattle wasn't able to get the second goal before the half. I actually really liked... The set piece that they ran, like on the one from outside the box where the handball was, where Christian sets it up and Bruce Nat comes in and just blasts it. They just, it didn't quite.

get executed into a goal. But I liked what they were trying there. And I was really hoping in the immediate aftermath of the red card, like, all right, jump on them right here. Get this second goal right here. And they weren't quite able. to do that but uh not the worst situation in the world you still got a whole half to play uh up a man and at that point it is you gotta you gotta go out and capitalize that is your objective you have been given a man advantage You have a whole half.

up a man no reason why you shouldn't be able to go out and uh Bang a couple goals. and win the game and start the road trip off with a three-point result, which we were talking about our expectations for this road trip. Getting this win to start it off puts you in a really good situation.

Whatever you think of the call with the red card happening, it was Seattle's duty to go out and capitalize on it, take advantage of the situation. And I think that's the other thing that I really liked about this performance was... how efficient they were in doing that to start the second half uh they they did not waste any time at all uh i thought the uh the response coming out of the locker room was excellent literally the first Sequence of play on second half kickoff. The Houston Dynamo.

Didn't even touch the ball, and the Sounders get their second goal in the 46th minute. Albert Rusnak. This was a great team goal. How about the dime from Yamar on this? What a pass. He was looking like Jackson, right? He was looking like Jackson Reagan out there. Excellent pass from Yamar to thread in De La Vega, who entered at halftime.

A man possessed entered at halftime. Yeah, I know. So, okay, what was your take when you saw that Rothrock was off for De La Vega at half? Did you like that or were you tilted? Yeah, I didn't mind that. I thought it was great because, you know, for me I was thinking, okay, there's a midweek game coming up. The reality of what Brian is doing is giving himself an opportunity.

to play either rothrock or de la vega or both together and i just i liked the potential there you know you give them both 45 and You can run them another 45, 50, 60 In the midweek game. It's cool to see how this depth is really taking shape. And you can do stuff like that when you have fixture congestion in a big road trip like this. Yeah, give a guy 45 and give another guy the second half. And this one paid off. immediately. Again, great time from Yamaha to Spring De La Vega there.

It was a back heel from Alex Roldan, actually. Wait, am I thinking of the wrong one? I can't remember, but regardless. Either way. No, no. I think the back heel was the... The second? The third goal. No, no, no. It was this one because the other one was Ryan Kent. That's right. You're right. Yeah, Ryan Kent with the... Yeah, anyway. So, nice back heel from Alex Roldan off the Yamar dime. to find de la vega and uh

I don't think it should be slept on how good a pass this was from De La Vega. Actually, I watched the sequence again right before you came over, Noah. God, I mean, this team's chance generation is just so good right now. He actually, if he sent in a low cross right in front of goal, he had Moose right there. So that could have been a goal, but... I think the higher percentage look was actually exactly what he did. which was hitting Rusnak as the trailing runner.

into just acres of space in the box. Rusnak is cash money from right there. So it was just an excellent read by De La Vega to not just smash it. across the front of goal, but to pick out Rusnak in all that space and make it an even. Higher percentage chance. I mean, we don't know what would have happened if he had tried to hit Moose, but what he did was, I think, the right play.

And that was really good to see from De La Vega. I talked about this on the post game live, but I felt like the last couple of weeks. He wasn't as influential as he looked earlier in the season in CCC and then some of the run that he got before he got injured. So I really wanted to see him. impact the game in some sort of way and he did so instantaneously. That was great to see. Just a great assist.

from Pedro there. What did you see on this goal? I loved this goal so much because I was literally taking a shower at halftime because I just knew we were going to do the post game and whatever and I'd been bumming around all day. And I like, I heard my phone notification go off and I was like, okay, halftime's over. So I turn off the shower and get out, whatever. And I look and it's like, goal, 46 minute. And I'm like, oh shit.

click on Apple TV, I spam the rewind button, and I'm just like, this is a thing of goddamn beauty. And it was so good and liked to the point of what you were saying. The fact that this offense basically generated two equal options to where De La Vega, he doesn't, either decision that he makes is the right decision. You know what I'm saying? He can play in Moose, who is in a very very very good position to score.

Or he can play in Albert, who's in arguably a better position to score. And there's a second runner there. Who was running there with him? Was that Jesus? No, he wasn't in yet. Who was it? I can't remember. Maybe it was Obed, who was crashing with him. uh but like that was I mean, that was just great. I love the goals that this team is scoring right now. It's the exact type of goals that you want to see in terms of...

You know, they're not fluky. They're not against the run of play. They're sustainable. They're repeatable. it just looks like a well-oiled machine right now We're going to talk about some of the same stuff on this next goal that Seattle scored in the 58th minute to dust this game. Another Albert Rusnak goal. I mean, Ryan Kent. I mean, okay, let's talk about Ryan Kent because the first half...

People were talking a lot about how he didn't look as good as he had in his first few appearances, especially in that last one against St. Louis. I thought early in the game he had a couple more moments that were bums-off seats. moments, but he was getting double teamed a lot in the first half. And I would say it's fair to say that it wasn't quite as, like the St. Louis game was just crazy. It was every time he was on the ball. And this wasn't quite like that. But I think this play that he gets.

His third assist of the season on, it's just another one of those individual plays where, yeah, it's not like every week is not going to look like the St. Louis game where he's just. absolutely dominating every single time he touches the ball. That's not sustainable. But this play, it's like, okay, he's got this type of stuff in his bag at any time. So let's just talk about this run that he made. If you look at this goal back where he started.

that run he is so he's up against the sideline on the left side probably closer to midfield than he is to the 18. And he just goes on a gallivanting run through the Houston Dynamo defense. What I thought was the best part of this run was... how he used Obed as a shield. Blow up practice dummy. That was just brilliant. Like, oh God, just his IQ. How he has been...

freeing himself into all this space. He's just got so many different ways of doing it. We saw in the St. Louis game where he's doing dummies. and letting the ball go past the defender and then running onto it, and then he's got all this space. This one, he gets himself to the touchline by using Obed as a shield and really freeing himself into even more space than...

than you could ever hope for for a winger getting into primary assist zone like that. And then he lays the ball back across perfectly. No, again, two different guys. could have finished this goal. Rusnak gets it, but if he didn't, De La Vega was right there. It was such a high quality chance that literally, like if one guy... Didn't score it like the other guy would have just as easily so was part of that

Them being up a man, probably, but just a great run by Ryan Kent. And then to have the runners right there, both waiting to finish. I mean, you can't draw it up any better. Like, I don't think I know we're not the tactics podcast, but like this formation. for this lineup and i know brian like in the post game said

oh, you know, like, we're not committed to any one formation, you know, we'll move it around based on upon. This is exactly what this formation brings you. Like you're just saying, like I was bringing up the option.

are endless when you have these incredibly talented wingers and these really high IQ like strikers and central midfielders like like albert as a 10 is really great at finding that space uh jesus is great at finding that space and uh moose has been amazing at finding his lines and his space and kind of just

being a being a menace right yeah and and that's like that's all you could ever ask for but you know to go to go back to the ryan kent thing it's like Dude, he looks like he's played with these guys for two years. How do you have the confidence in your teammate, in Obed Vargas, that you know you're just going to dummy around him, get the ball on the other end, and you know Obed's just going to stop moving?

and not try and take the ball or think you're passing to him because that sequence doesn't happen if obed sticks his foot out because he thinks you lose like lose the ball or whatever It's like so clear that this team knows how high of a soccer IQ and just how much talent that Ryan Kent has. They're like, yeah, bro, just go. Just go, bro. Like, we're not gonna.

The ball, if you make me a pass, it's going to land at my feet, so I'm just not going to worry about it until it gets there. Yeah, again, I loved everything about how Seattle came out in the second half. That was an absolute clinic in how you play up a man on the road. Great execution, very professional performance. how they dusted this game off. And really, once Rusnak gets the third goal, I wouldn't say you're in cruise control, but really, you just have to make sure...

nothing stupid happens from that point on. We're going to do positives and negatives and we'll hit on some of the things in the second half that maybe weren't so great, but I think on the whole... getting the first goal and then the way they were able to take advantage of the red card was great. That is not a given. A lot of times when a team goes down a man, they close up shop. and they try and make it as hellaciously difficult as possible for you to get the winning goals.

And I think from listening to Ben O, I think that is what he wanted his team to do. So good on Seattle for not letting that happen. Going out in the second half, immediately getting the go-ahead goal, and then not sitting on that, getting the third goal that... just puts your win probability at an extremely high level. And they go on to see it out at 3-1. There was...

One other key moment that I had, which was the Stephen Fry save on Griffin Dorsey's header. That was one of the best saves I've seen in MLS this season. I don't know if it's going to be a save of the year contender. It might be, but it was that good. That was a great save. It was so good, and he's washed.

Alright, we're going to take an ad break, and then we're going to hit Lobbing Scorchers, Man of the Match, and Positives and Negatives, and Agenda Check, and Blazing Hot Presser when we come back. Breast conference not spicy enough? Not as hot-headed as Peter Vermees? Are your hot takes just not hot enough? Spice up your life with hacks and ferments. with the best local ingredients. Pacific Northwest small batch fermented hot sauces and vin- flavors and natural fermentation together.

Whether you're a heat seeker or just looking to elevate your cooking, you'll find something you love at hoxonferments.com. That's H-A-X-A-N-F-E-R-M-E-N-T-S dot com. And right now, if you use code LS at checkout, you will get a hot sauce. completely free with your order. Again, so go to hoxonferments.com, use code LS at checkout for a free hot sauce with your order. Hoxonferments, proud sponsor of the Flaming Hot Press.

trademark pendant. This episode of Lobbing Scorchers is sponsored by Full Pull Wines, a Seattle-based cellar. Not only are they a local company, but they've been supporting independent Seattle soccer media since 2011 and are run by Sounders fans. They offer the best boutique wines in the world. with special focus on their home. Northwest.

Their model is simple. One, that email compelling offers. Two, you request bottles that sound appealing. Three, your wine arrives at their Soto warehouse and is ready for pickup or shipping. Their Soto tasting room is also open to the public. If you're interested in joining their mailing list or learning more,

them, visit FullPullWines.com. You know what keeps me up at night? No. Not Albarosnak and definitely not the latest Sounders loss. It's the fact that right now, shadowy data brokers are collecting and selling your personal information online. Your address... phone number, email, date of birth, and even your relatives are all available to anyone willing to pay. That's why I started using my data removal. This scrappy team of Lobbing Scorchers listeners are experts at what they do.

scanning hundreds of data broker sites, finding your personal information, and demanding they take it down. Protect yourself and your family. Visit MyDataRemoval.com and use code LS for $10 off. fashion expert how do you do People ask me that a lot and I can tell you need an upgrade.

Looking for timeless menswear and durable home goods with a touch of the Pacific Northwest? Podium in Edmonds, Washington has you covered. As Edmonds' first ever men's general store, Podium offers a curated collection of quality clothing and durable goods featuring domestic and European brands. Whether it's Filson, We're wax London. Everything in store is made to last. Be loved.

Pass Down. Located at 114th 4th Avenue North, just off Main Street in the heart of downtown Edmonds, come shop and explore at Podium to find all the essentials for the modern Pacific Northwest. They're open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 to 6 or Sunday from 12 to 5. Also anytime online at shoppodium.us as well as Instagram at Podium Edmonds. Welcome back.

You skipped the ads. We know what you did. Don't skip the ads. Noah, let's do Lobbing Scorchers, man of the match. You go first. Who you got? It was a tough one, Ari. I don't know. I really went back and forth on this. Man, you're really just putting me in a tough spot because honestly, I was going to hear yours. But I think I have to go.

with someone who's a little under the radar, but I think on a monster game and has been showing up in a monster way, and that's Christian Roldan. Good choice. I think he's doing a ton of the dirty work for the Sounders. And in ways that are obviously... If you know Ball, you know Ball and you're like, that dude's a beast. But, you know, I don't think he's necessarily getting the praise because he's not getting on the score sheet or the assist sheet.

But this, you know, this game and this double pivot of Obed and Christian is functioning so damn well. And I just think that he had a monster game here. If I'm looking at his stats, obviously he played full 90. 72 of 76 for pass. That is an insane amount of passes and a 95% pass completion rate.

is crazy. In a game where it's not like they were just knocking the ball around. No. The offense was firing. So to complete that high percentage is very impressive. And then I think this is an even more... Like if we're talking stats, this is an even more impressive stat. 10 of 11 for long balls.

For Christian? For Christian. Wow. 10 of 11 for long balls. Now, I mean, obviously, I don't know exactly what they count as a long ball. But regardless, 91% on accurate long balls. That's crazy, man. Yeah. That's crazy. And then if you even want to talk about something that he's even better at. He was two for two on tackles, had a block, a clearance, a headed clearance, three interceptions, eight recoveries, and two dribbles. Won 10 duels and lost six.

I mean, the guy just was kind of a monster in the midfield, an unmovable object, and the... I just feel like he is helping unlock this offense as well, just in ways that there's security in taking risk with Christian Roldan on the field. Yeah, it's a great pick. Christian is on absolute fire right now.

I love watching him body a guy off the ball and win possession. That's always been like... i would say his like superpower is that exact thing the last few weeks where he's winning the ball, how he's winning the ball. Just beastin' out there, man. Like, this is... I think one of the better little runs of form of his career, honestly. And that's been great to see because after the San Diego game, there was a consternation about how the, not just him, just how the double pivot looked.

That game and really ever since then they've been dominant so great response uh from that result really just in general i would say uh but particularly from the double pivot they've been playing pretty lights out ever since uh christian in particular you can make an argument he uh i think is the MVP of this little five-game run that they've had. Christian's right up there. I got Albert Rusnak.

is my man of the match albatross snack baby the haters are gonna say that they don't count they're gonna say that they don't count uh but guess what uh if Seattle had gone up a man in this game, and...

Albert Rusnak hadn't scored any goals, the people who say they don't count would be crushing him. So if you acknowledge that that's the case... then you literally have to give him credit for capitalizing the whole team, but him in particular for getting into good spots, capitalizing, making no doubt about this result. I know that the narratives are going to be the same thing as the Sean Zawatsky game, and I will acknowledge that the comedy behind, like...

that he's racked five goals against teams with 10 men. But I'll say the same thing that I said back then, which is that part of what you pay your DPs to do is... When you are put in an advantageous situation like that, make sure you capitalize on it. Don't let anything silly happen. Put your foot on their neck and make sure that you get the win. He gets credit. for doing that uh five goals three assists now on the season

Sounds like a TP. Even missing some time with injury, yeah, it's almost like... He's producing like you want your DP to produce. And it's been good. I mean he's got three goals in the last two games. They're going to say the penalty doesn't count. They're going to say this doesn't count because it was against a 10-man team. And the Houston Dynamo aren't on the list of teams where the goal... There's only four or five teams in the league where...

A Seattle Sounders player scoring a goal counts, and the Houston Dynamo aren't one of them. But they counted on the scoreboard, so that's all I care about. Yeah, you know what? Houston's in 14th. Who gives a shit, man? They were down a man. Who gives a shit? You know what's crazy? You know what's crazy? He scored twice. He scored twice. He scored twice. It's a tough one. He didn't just do it once. He did it twice. And it doesn't matter if he's a statpad merchant.

He scored twice. This was a tough game for the brigade. It was a tough game for the brigade, too, because De La Vega got an assist. They're down bad for this. They're not doing well. It's tough, but also the brigade is pro-Kent. So it's like, you know, it's a balance. It's a give and take there. All right, let's hit positives and negatives. Positive. Positive, the brigade is upset. That's always a positive. Brigade in the mud.

Positives. The attack and chance generation right now are just so good. I love watching this team play offense at the moment. Just again, the offense that they're playing is... It's sustainable. That's what's encouraging about it. Like just the patterns and the sequences of play they're putting together. It's just great footy. Again, very professional how they handled the red card, making absolute sure they took advantage of it.

getting the win, not letting Houston hang around and get a lifeline and maybe squeeze out a draw. And that was part of because of the response coming out of the halftime locker room, which was also excellent. And then Rusnak with the two goals. And then Ryan Kent making another bums-off seed play. Fry save. I mean, I think we covered most of it. Do you have any other positives that you wanted to add in there? Yeah. Any shout-outs? We're on an unbeaten streak.

Yeah, 4-0-1 in the last five. That's five games. taking points away. You've got a midweek, a midweek winnable game and an end game. Then you've got a derby coming up. It's going to be a good test. but uh going into portland hot is always uh that feels good and going into this road trip i think i was saying leading up to this game that

Picking this game off to start this road trip would be huge because then you put yourself in a situation where obviously you want to try and 3-0 and 0 this. That's going to be the number one goal. But now you're already in a situation where... Worst case scenario, I mean, you could, I guess, lose the next two of these games. Sure. But worst case scenario, it feels like a 1-1-1, which would... I think that would be a little disappointing, but that wouldn't be like the worst thing in the world.

So that's another positive. They put themselves in a good situation to really maximize this road trip, which is what we wanted them to do. Yeah, I think we both were happy with four points out of the three. You know what I mean? We were both like, if you were looking at this on paper, you'd be more than happy doing that. You're always happy to go down to Houston and get three points. Any road win is a good win in my book.

And, I mean, we'll see about these next two games, but, you know, that is what it is. Negatives, I only have one negative, but it's actually a pretty prominent negative. If there is a concern about how they've been playing lately, it would be this. The set piece defending in general, I don't think it's been very good this season. I think that's an understanding. But the last...

Two games in particular, it's not just the set piece defending, but this game in particular, they were conceding way too many free kicks in dangerous areas. There was one way. One way that the Houston Dynamo were going to take a result in this game, and it was a wild down a man, and that was Jack McGlynn with that goddamn left foot getting free kicks in dangerous spots. and putting in lethal delivery and generating high-quality chances off those. That's how they scored.

their goal, and there was just too much of that in the second half where they were fouling Houston in these areas that was giving McGlynn a chance to do that. That wasn't good. Like... There was... There were so many. There were so many in the second half. I think the worst sequence of it was at the very end where Georgie gave up.

one like in a pretty dangerous area that was so silly by him he didn't need to do that the guy's back was uh to the 18 like you there's just no reason to pull him down right there uh and then literally like So that happened, Seattle got out of it, and I was like, okay, just don't do that again. Literally a minute later, Osaze did the same thing, and you're like...

You are asking to get bammed on repeatedly doing that. I understand. I'm a reasonable guy. I understand. There's going to be moments in a game where stuff happens and you might give up looks like that.

And you got to just be able to stand on your head defensively when your headers clear everything out, whatever, all that. But for me, there was too many instances in the second half of like... potentially throwing them a lifeline by giving them these fouls in dangerous areas where they have one of the best set piece takers in the Yeah, I fully agree with that. I literally have nothing else to add to that. I just think that it's...

Kind of shocking that this is what they're deciding to be bad at right now is just simply refusing to defend these set pieces. I have more of an issue with the fouls, honestly. Yeah, giving them up has been a crazy issue. I mean, we were harping on it about Yamar last week and the week before that, and now it's Georgie.

You know, and Osaze before that. And what are we doing? What are we doing? And you're right. This is the way that you can be the Sounders right now. Like if you're looking at it from. a tactical advantage. I am playing the hell out of the man when I'm in the final third for the Sounders, no matter what. Yeah. So...

I think the good news is that that is something that I think is fixable. Hopefully it doesn't become just like an inherent quality of the team. They've been good at defending set pieces in the Brian Schmetzer era. That's not something that's been...

to my memory, like a consistent issue. So let's hope this is just kind of something that it's like i don't know we're a third of the way into the season now and it has been kind of an issue all season but really like the st louis game too wasn't a set piece but it's like It was another situation where the opposing team has one way of getting back into the game or taking a result in the game, and you're giving it to them. So, yeah, that's the negative. Alright.

Let's hit our agenda check. No, we got a lot written down here. I'll start. 100th agenda check. 100th. I mean, I wonder what the agenda check probably became a thing like what? Episode like 10. Gotta be saying it was up there and I don't think we did them every single This is a special 100th episode agenda check. I'll start. Danny Mussofsky is an MLS all-star agenda. I'm going to stay on this one. It's looking hot, man. He scored again. It's looking hot.

He's got to, I mean, he's obviously not going to stay this hot all season. But if he keeps banging in goals and really, like, he is saving this team's ass. right now, like with Jordan out. He's playing the position at as high a level as anyone in MLS right now. Danny Mussovsky. Aside from maybe Brian White. But low-key, like, Moose is looking like Brian White.

right now. He's feeling like he's Brian White right now. That's for sure. If he keeps doing this and he's not on the All-Star team, I'm going to have a problem with that. I'm going to have a problem with that. Give him a goddamn spot on the all-star team. Who's even coaching? Who knows? I have no idea. Is it in Austin? I think it's in Austin. Sometimes the agendas are a little facetious or we're doing bits. This is not a bit.

This is not a bet. If he keeps doing this, MLS All-Star. I think we should go, regardless, I feel like we should go to MLS All-Star, but... Yeah, if he gets in, we will be front row. i'm buying an mls all-star moose jersey if he becomes an all-star and i if you missed the stream i literally bought a $180 Danny Musavski jersey. It's so sick. Yeah, so I'll wear it when it gets in. So let's tell the people who don't know the full, it's a Las Vegas Lights. It's a Las Vegas Lights.

from the five matches or whatever that he played there. Pretty sure it's game worn. It has a... fucking Bitcoin logo on it. It's crazy, dude. It is crazy. I'm actually jealous that you're going to own that thing. We'll put it up in the studio. Next agenda I got here, your Ryan Kent is goaded agenda. I tried to tell y'all. People, I think if you ask people about the first half, they would say that this agenda was diminished. But I'm telling you, like, that run that he made on that goal.

Again, just another example of the type of stuff this guy has in the bag. First away match too, by the way. First away match with the squad. Just a fantastic individual play. He started running, he kept running, but again, just the Obed shield was just so good. And then also just the weight on the ball to like drop that in right where De La Vega and Rusnak are both, both running onto it. It was just like. I mean the creativity and the technical ability all on display on that sequence.

Excellent. Excellent stuff. Yeah, no, I have been obviously chirping constantly about my love and affection for the man, but this is, you know... Sure, you can say he had a slow start to the first half, but I would argue this is his first start for the club. This is an away match. This is a very different...

Temperature and feeling and everything that you're gonna have to get settled into That's just how it goes man. I the first time you play in Houston I don't think everyone's gonna play up to their par, but I also think that He was serviceable. He was good. He wasn't Ryan Kent quality in that first half, but he was pretty good. And I think that he kind of suffered from the suffering from success, right? Yeah, exactly. That's what I was going to say. He's done

He's done so good, yeah. He set the bar so high in the St. Louis game. And I think the first half was just like a... I don't know if reality check is the right word, but it's just, he's not going to do that, what he did to St. Louis every single game. That's just not like, that's unrealistic. But I think the great thing about what we saw on the assist he got was it's just like, He can come out with stuff like that at any given time in a game, even on games where he's maybe not.

at his best form, he can always, it seems like, come up with something like that. And if that's not his best form... I think we're going to be just fine, Ari. I think we're going to be just fine. But really, I mean, the bums are off the seats. My bum is always off the seat for Ryan Kent. The last agenda that I had here.

was just the Paul Rothrock as a Houston Dynamo merchant agenda. He lived up to it. He lived up to it. This guy just dominates the Houston Dynamo. He loves playing this team. They steer him, bro. The Houston Dynamo fan base... sees Paul Rothrock in their absolute nightmares.

I mean, his first MLS goal, I think, was a game winner at Houston. If it wasn't his first, it was one of his first. There was that one. I think he scored there again. This time he gets, I think he scored against them in Seattle. And then this assist... He had an open cup goal against them. Okay, maybe that's what I'm thinking of. But if they don't give this assist back to him, I'm going to keep whining about it because that's bullshit.

Well, it's a good thing you have a direct line to the oligarchs, Ari. I mean, I'll have something to say to the oligarchs about this. But... Just another great Rothrock play. I loved that combination between him and Moose. The delivery and then the movement on that goal by Moose was so good. The way he peeled off his defender.

to get to that back post just even more was like It's just that's that's that's top tier striker play like that's like that's textbook I I continue to be impressed by Moose I continue to eat crow for every type of shit that I talked about him because That is a beautiful goal. That is a beautiful goal. And they're all like that.

Benny Turn 1. All of them. They've been increasingly just like... so good and i if if uh if manuel latte loth was doing what moose is doing right now it would he would be hailed as the greatest signing ever. Which, fun fact, Moose has more goals. Moose has more goals, all cops. Noah, what do you got? Paul Rothrock.

Houston Dynamo Merchant. Give him the goal back. I can't remember what else I was going to say about this. Assist back. Yeah, give him the assist back. And whatever. If I remember what I was... Well, you got your agenda. All right, my other agenda is here. I put down three. I had four, but I cut one because we got shit to do here. So first agenda.

I'm perpetuating this on behalf of the community. Kim Kihee over Jackson-Reagan agenda. The people are talking. The people are murmuring. The people are saying... I don't want that line-breaking passer. I don't want that big boy from Michigan. I want that 85-year-old dude, Kim Keehee. Ari. How are we feeling about this agenda? Look, I think Kim Kihee has deputized absolutely. at as high a level as you could have possibly hoped for. I think he's looked great.

I think he's turned out to be Remember when they signed him and people were like, that was me. yeah that was me you're bringing it wasn't just you though yeah no it was others you're bringing back retread this is so unambitious I wasn't saying it was unambitious and really there was

There was discourse going on, remember, because Ladero wanted to come back. It was sort of maybe a debate of what should you do with that spot? Should you give it to Ladero or Kim Kihee? This is why they brought Kim Kihee back. because apparently he's just an ageless wonder. He can play at this level indefinitely. Yeah. Here for love of the club, basically. And he's doing a great job. I do think...

that Jackson Reagan's passing ability is so valuable to this team. And I think we've seen, even with how well they've been playing lately, we've seen that they miss. That attribute, it's a very unique attribute that he brings. So I just feel like that alone elevates the ceiling of the team to add that. to add that to what they've got going on right now. I honestly can't wait to see what it looks like when you have that in there. So I'm not there yet with this.

but I definitely do think that Kim Kihee is earning his keep on this team right now and absolutely deserves minutes in a big role. Yeah, I'm... I don't agree with the agenda. What I will say, though, is Kim Gi has definitely proven to be a great signing. And, you know, I was definitely... Very skeptical at the optics of, yeah, like you said, signing him over Ladero or just signing him in general and taking up a roster spot. It was just like...

I don't know. Anytime you have a guy in his mid-30s who played for the team previously and doesn't have the icon status of a Ladero, people are going to... especially with all the ambition discourse that was going There was a lot of that. That narrative was probably inevitable. But another example of why it's good that fans aren't GMs. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Did Craig cook on this? I think he might have. I think Craig might have.

Cooked on this. We've been talking about how he might have cooked with the Ryan Kent thing, but he might have cooked here, too. I guess Kim reached out, to be fair. Yeah. I'm giving it to Craig. I don't care. I'm giving it to Craig. I will say this. He had to print out the contract. Yeah, send it via PDF, via pigeon. This has been a good five-game stretch for Craywebs. It has. It has.

see i should have you know what i'm adding that to the agenda check right now is craig weibel cooking agenda we checked in on this earlier it was down in the dumps i took heat for it you took heat and said ride it out let's see how it's going um So, um, Craig's cooking. You just have bad taste. How we feeling? I mean, I'm going to wait. I think we've got to see how the rest of the season plays out. But if it keeps looking like this, you do have to give him credit. You do.

You can't be on him all the time for whatever it was, for bringing Roosnack back, for De La Vega getting injured, for the JMO DP escalators. You can't both. be on him for stuff like that constantly all the time but then not give him credit for stuff like Ryan Kent and Kim Kihee like what sense does that make and Moose by the way like Moose was such like a

key part of the anti-wives sentiment. It was, oh, he signed Danny Musovsky as, like, a striker on this team. Like, what is he doing? Like, this is a terrible... That's why he did it. This is why he did it. It works. It looks like it's working. I mean... It did take a while to get there. I'll acknowledge that. Yeah, I mean, I think that you can say what you want about Moose.

He's kind of vindicated at this point as to, especially as a backup striker, you can only ask so much of a player who isn't getting consistent minutes to perform. This is all you ask for is that when there's an opportunity for you to step up and be that guy, you're that guy. And guess what? He's doing that, right? And so... If that's what you're judging it on.

by all means that's a smash out of park hit if it was like yeah we want you to just be a super sub and score a million goals like yeah you know it's been a rocky path but we we are where we are now and uh that is what it is But yeah, man, like re-signing Rusnak to a DP contract, he's performing. He is performing to that eight contributions just in MLS. That's goals and assists combined. You've got... You've got Ryan Kent, what an amazing bit of business

Maybe you can knock him for Jesus Ferreira, but we'll see. We talk about the business of it, right? I'm absolutely not giving anyone who's trying to... write the Ferreira thing as already an L. I'm not giving you that. It hasn't been as bad as a lot of people are saying, and there's still so much time left to go in the season. Can I tell you a fun stat about Ferreira?

This game? Yeah. He went 100% on his passing. And he had another really, really good dime. Yeah, he had two really good dimes there. I mean, I'm just saying, maybe he didn't get it done. But he sure had 100% passing, which he's a dish merchant. That brings me into my next one. This is actually a perfect segue. Alvar Rusnak cannot play with Jesus Ferrer.

Ari, I think it's pretty clear at this point that these two players need to exist on separate planes, on separate places, in separate worlds, in separate universes, on separate pitches. Because when they're together, they bring each other's floor down. But when they're by themselves... They're both really damn good at that 10 spot. I was going to say, I think it seems...

that way, but what I would say is I don't think that's a bad thing. No. I think that means you have two incredibly sick number 10s, which is awesome. I love that. It'll be interesting to see who... Who is, like, the regular starter and who's more of the super... Gotta be Bart, right? Like, the way I see it right now is it's Rusnak as, like, the week-in, week-out starter. and Ferreira as the super sub, which is kind of wild to think about, but I think that's just the depth of the squad right now.

I definitely think it's undeniable that Ferreira has looked way more effective having that role in that space. to himself but like just the situations that they're in where like you bring Pedro de la Vega and Jesus Ferreira in off the bench Like, that is awesome. I love that. Yeah, that's not a complaint from me. I mean, we've talked about terrorizing an already tired MLS defense, right? Think about this, right?

If a team has to strategically game plan that they're going to need to sub or put in fresh legs in defense consistently against the Sounders, that takes away attacking options as subs. Against the Sounders if you're gonna if you're gonna game plan that out, right? That's a really nasty thing to have. That's really a nasty, nasty thing to have. And what a game, like, what a potential, like, game advantage that you can have with that.

pulling off being able to swap a starting number 10 for a starting number 10 and basically have no drop off being able to swap wingers like they're candy in one of the Halloween baskets that the lazy people leave outside. Handful, handful. No one's going to notice because guess what? That candy bucket.

it automatically refills Ari because everyone on this team is a winger. It's a great problem to have and outside of the effect that it can have in the games themselves, it's going to allow you to keep people fresh. So yeah, maybe they can play together, but...

Maybe that's not the end of the world. I still, I don't know, maybe I'm just out on an island on this, but I... I still think it's possible that they could get it to a place where it's more effective than it has been, but I definitely do think that we've seen enough now to credibly say that it's looked... Way better when they're not on the field together. Yeah. And my final agenda for the agenda check of today.

New who defender of the year candidate? Question mark. He went 59. I'm the passing merchant guy today, but he went 59 for 60 on passing. And yeah, maybe he didn't have a monster game, but. New Who Defender the Year candidate? I like this agenda. I like it. It wasn't as electric as one of the best two-way fullback performances I've ever seen in the last game. I thought he was locking it down like he usually does. And then just his decision-making and when he...

chooses to make those movements forward and how he's combining with Ryan Kent, I thought, again, that looked really good. I think New Who... We'll see if he builds on this, but this is some of the best ball I think I've seen him play. He is his own defender of the year. Like, if we're going to give an award to the Best New Who season... I mean, it's shaping up to be by far the best, but...

That was a marathon agenda. Just so many agendas to be checked. So little. That was a good agenda check. We're going to take another ad break and we're going to be right back with our blazing hot coach press conference of the week sponsored by Hacks and Ferments. Welcome back to the 100th episode of Lobbing Scorchers. Folks, we have got... ANOTHER God, we've been so blessed with these. We have got another phenomenal blazing hot coach presser of the week sponsored by Hacks and Ferments.

And Noah, it's always great when the blazing hot coach presser comes from the Sounders game. That doesn't always happen. We go all around the league for these. But this week, there was a lot of fodder this week. This week, we were blessed.

with a great one from Houston Dynamo, head coach Ben Olsen, who was not happy about the red card on Femi. Not happy at all. And he was... very happy to talk about it after well he wasn't happy to talk about it but he had a few things on his mind yeah about this call and just the uh the game in general so uh we're gonna we're gonna play some highlights from benio's post game press conference

after this match day 12 game against Seattle. And then we're going to break it down, give our thoughts on... on Ben's take. all right everyone hey coach ben olson um ben will open up to your thoughts i don't have anything okay open up to questions start with david up front coach um good evening good night um Did the referee tell you anything about the red card? I mean he has his version. I have the version that I'm watching on the screen.

at halftime, and I'm also looking at it afterwards, every angle, and I just don't understand. I'll wait for an apology this week, I'm sure, from the league. why we got our another red card against Seattle. I think six red cards in seven games against Seattle. That's not normal. Some of that's on us. Hector spinning. Three of them we've earned. So it's just the wrong call. It's the wrong call, and he makes the call.

and then it ends up being something that he has to stand by. And I think that's a problem. I just completely disagree with the call. I was looking at... The red card. I didn't see anything. You're not going to see it. I've seen a few angles, pal. I didn't see anything that registered a record, maybe a yellow card, maybe. They'll come up with something. They'll come up with some explanation, and I've heard some of it already. I just.

completely disagree with it. So we'll see. I think sometimes we get bogged down by the letter of the law and sometimes we just don't make the obvious. the play that doesn't screw the game up. We'll see. We'll see. Maybe I'm wrong. That was Houston Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen after their match day 12 defeat to Seattle.

No, just watching that again just now, I think that was the best blazing hot presser of the season. And I'm not just saying that because Seattle was the beneficiary of it. There was just so much. Good stuff there from Benny. Where do we start? So I would say the first thing that I would say. He goes with, we're going to get an apology on this call this week. Even before that, the reporter is scared to ask him about this red card. Everyone's already prepared for a Benny O. For a red hot Benny O.

But I don't think they're going to get – like that does happen sometimes where we're about to talk about it after this with the previous Seattle game. But this call – I don't think they're going to retroactively rescind this red because... even if you don't think it's a handball, if it's called as such, uh, then, then it is dog. So right. So, uh, I've been wrong about, I've been famously wrong about. these things before a couple years ago when Christian Roldan got a red. I tweeted that

There's never been anything less likely in the history of MLS than this red card getting overturned and then it got overturned. So it can be tough to predict sometimes. Do you think they appeal that? I think they'll probably try. They'll probably try. But I don't think that one is getting overturned. I don't think they're going to apologize to Benny O. uh he just he was hot man and i loved it and um i think my second favorite thing i'm sure you're gonna hit on it is the grinding

They weren't grinding. My boys weren't grinding. They weren't grinding out a result. I mean, yeah, so to be fair, he acknowledged that... Even with that situation, his team didn't do what it needed to do to get a point out of the game.

so there was that uh but then oh god i mean what else was he mad about uh I think you could see at the end there, he finally got to the point that I would have made the whole time when he was talking about Femi, when he was saying that regardless of what the call is. He needs to... He said he was naive in that situation and that it's more about not putting yourself in that situation than whether or not the call was right or wrong. I think that is the takeaway that he should have been going with.

the whole time yeah and i think the fact that he acknowledged that i think should uh should mitigate the outrage that he feels over the call. But, I mean, what Benno is doing here is... His team just lost at home. They're not having a very good start to the season in general. They're down like 12th or 13th, 14th, whatever, on the table. So if you have a controversial refereeing decision that you can pin the result on.

I think there's even an element of that that's protecting your players. If you blame it on the ref, blame it on the call, then it's less on... the team right yeah so that's what he's going for and I think that's why he was coming in that hot even though he acknowledged the mistake that Femi made on the play but I don't know. I mean, I love banging the table. He experienced the full run of emotions. He went through all of the grief stages. He started with anger and frustration.

And then he went to bargaining about, well, they're going to apologize later. And then he went to, yeah, that's kind of just what happens with young center backs. He should have been stronger on the ball so he doesn't put himself in that situation in general. That was a good answer. That was a good answer. It was just like, I love how high.

That's what I was trying to say earlier. He put it way better. Yeah, he's right. I mean, listen, you've got to stand up and defend your players and keep your locker room. But that was so funny for him to just be like, You know, when the ref chose to make the game a loss for us, I always I always love that. That is like

top five for me. Another one was the whole thing about Letter of the Law, right? He's saying that we get too wrapped up in being played to the Letter of the Law instead of what's right. Buddy, what's right is the Letter of the Law. Unfortunately. Yeah, like what he's saying is like, you know, even if it technically hit his hand, common sense should dictate that if he wasn't trying to do it, you shouldn't make a potentially game deciding call on a play like that.

But I disagree with that because... The reality is, man, if that ball doesn't hit his hand, Moose is in on goal. And with the form that Moose is in right now, probably scores that. Like he prevented an obvious goal scoring opportunity. with his hand. So it's not about rigid adherence to the letter of the law in the face of common sense. It's about you're really, really not allowed to... Deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity with your hand when you're the last guy back.

I don't think what he's saying about the common sense call being the more fair call there holds water. It's not fair to the striker in that situation. If that was his striker, he's throwing a fit as well, by the way. I watched it back a few times, obviously. It's a great play by Moose. Yeah, it is. His positioning and how he...

He wins a ball off a goal kick like that and puts himself... He's beat Femi at that point. He's beat him, exactly. So that is the one Benno quote when he started talking about letter of the law and common sense. So it's like, okay, so you're acknowledging that it was a handball, but you're saying that it shouldn't have been adhered to by the letter of the law. I mean, I don't know. I feel like he was actually acknowledging that the call could have been correct with that one. Yeah, I agree.

A confusing Benny Opresser is an everyday Benny Opresser. I just feel so blessed that this game delivered us that content. That was my favorite blazing hot presser of the year so far. We are going to watch... one more blazing hot coach press conference in The after show. So if you want to become a YouTube member, you're going to get one more extra blazing hot coach press conference.

All you got to do is hit the join button. If you're on mobile, hit the link in the description of this video. You can join and you'll unlock that exclusive secondary Blazing Hot Coach Presser, which in my opinion, because this was my pick, I think this one's... even funnier and more hot than this Benny L1. And also support Hacks and Ferments. Use code LS and get a free hot sauce. Free hot sauce when you buy anything.

All right. That was our blazing hot coach press conference of the week, sponsored by Hacks and Ferments. Shout out Ben Olson for giving us that one. Great presser. No, our next topic is actually somewhat related. to this, which is that the Seattle Sounders actually did get one of the pro-apologies that Benio was referencing. Folks, they have come out.

And this is shocking. They acknowledged that the handball in the St. Louis game was a... was a missed call which uh no i uh in the direct aftermath of that game i called it the worst call i've ever seen i still think it's the worst call i've ever seen yes so not surprised to see this come out but i'll just read the statement from pro Bye. The referee was incorrect to maintain his decision of no penalty after video review.

The ball continued on the same general trajectory toward the goal after it had hit Nielsen's thigh and struck the arm, which was away from his body and made him unnaturally bigger. This was not a successful block with the body because there was no clear change in the direction of the ball. A penalty should have been awarded. So I'm glad they acknowledged it. Yeah. I'm glad they acknowledged it. And Pro actually has more transparency.

with this stuff than people give them credit for, I think. People always talk about, like, we need transparency. Greg Vanney's talking about we need them to do press conferences. They literally have a segment that they post on their website. It's awesome. It's called Inside Video Review, which the head of pro or whatever hosts it. And he literally goes in to each one of these calls each and every week.

He gives his assessment on whether they got it right or wrong. And for a lot of them, they did it for this one. potentially nefarious reasons but they oftentimes with these videos literally you can hear the audio i think that's

They should release all of that in general. I think that's the only change that I would do. And they do, for the most part. I just think in general, I think the broadcast should have access to it as well. I think that that just is good television, for one. And for two, I think that it helps.

quell general feelings around that and just like feelings of transparency right because you get the camera in there but that's about it people are like i don't know what they're doing i don't know that these are real people what i've loved is the referees getting to actually announce and address

It would be great if we could hear their comms while they're actually discussing these specific things. That would be cool, but I appreciate how often they put them out after the fact. It was weird they didn't put this one out, though. I know. I don't know why. I really recommend watching the videos. It's well done and it's interesting to hear how those comms go even if we couldn't hear it in this situation. Noted.

Noted defenders of Pro here. I mean, yeah, I've become like the disgruntled ref guy the last few weeks, especially after the Defiance game. But... I just wanted to deliver all that news to anyone who hadn't heard because... It was just so mystifying how they could have missed one that blindingly obvious. and then hearing their explanation of it like,

So there was the whole thing. He was the ref in his statement after the game to the pool reporter was talking about how it was all hinged on the fact that he was saying that it hit the thought.

yeah he's like oh so it hit his thigh so whatever happened after that that's not his fault his arm was in a totally like reasonable position so the deflection I still don't know about this supposed deflection I don't think you could clearly and obviously see that but they explain it right here it had the same general trajectory toward the goal after it hit the thigh and struck the arm exactly so but how could you not

How can you not see that in the moment? We can move on from this call after this, but I still... It's a bad call. It's a bad call, confirmed by Pro, and everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has those days. Everybody knows what I'm talking about. Everybody gets that way. Quote Hannah Montana. So that's where we're at.

All right, Noah, anything else you wanted to hit before we go around the league a little bit for winners and losers? No, I'm stoked for a little winners and losers and galaxy schadenfreude because we've never been a galaxy pop. No, no, absolutely not. For the winners, I have both the Philadelphia Union and Columbus crew who played this weekend. 2-2 draw. Just an excellent game. High level 40. Like, so fun to watch.

Two of the best teams in the league right now going at it. I thought 2-2 was fair for how good of a game it was. And the crew are really, really good. And the Philly Union are totally back, I think. They're really, really good. So that's a double winners for the week for giving that game as viewing for us.

The New England Revs, they only took a 3-3 draw, but they're just... They had a... really really bad start to the season yeah they did where they didn't score an open play goal for like nine games or something which was a good bet yeah which was a good bit but uh caleb porters actually got them playing like legitimately good ball Right now. And they scored three goals in this game. And then CF Montreal. They've won a game. They've won. They've done it. They've won a game. Did they beat again?

I don't know. It was someone that was New York. Oh, they beat New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. NYC FC is down bad for that. Yankee with no brim? But that leaves, I mean, we're about to talk about this in the loser section, but that leaves the LA Galaxy as the last. team in Major League Soccer to not win a game. Congrats to CF Montreal. They're harmless out there. They're just trying to live their French-Canadian life. I've said it once, and I'll say it again.

Not a real place. You cannot make me speak French. That's like, you're not real. I got no ill will towards CF Montreal. Happy to see them finally get in the win column. against an NYCFC team that's not terrible. So good win for them. And then the losers. I mean, let's just get right into it. The LA Galaxy, man. Seven to zero. We saw the Chicago Fire lose 7-2 a couple weeks ago.

At least they scored one. At least they scored a couple goals after they went 7-0. They got the touchdown scored on them and the shutout. Again. the team they beat in the final last year. This was like, this shit was personal, Ari. Yeah. This shit was personal. was personal. The Red Bulls got their revenge. And a game that did not matter. Listen to this. The LA Galaxy are now 0-9-3. Three points on the season through 12 matches.

0.25 points per game with a negative 20 goal differential. 28 goals conceded, the most in MLS of any club. The worst start in MLS history? Not only is it the worst. start of the season for a defending MLS Cup champion in league history. i think it's actually i'm not sure about the exact stat on it but if it's not the worst just general start any club has had an mls history it's like right up there it's that bad uh and man The question... I think...

Right now with them is like, how long can Greg Vanney survive this? Yeah, that's what I was going to ask. It's just like a crazy thing to be contemplating because they literally just won MLS Cup last year. I've never seen a club in a situation like this where they won MLS Cup. and then start the next season so historically bad that, like... It seems like a foregone conclusion at this point that unless they... really really turn it around

They're spooning. They're spooning. Back-to-back trophies! Vanny's gonna be out of there, but, like, I... See, I wouldn't fire him. I wouldn't, man. I think he's a good coach. I think their roster, he's clearly a good coach. Yeah, he's very clearly a good coach. He built Toronto FC into a juggernaut.

That's honestly one of the most impressive accomplishments. Yeah, like if you know anything about the Toronto ownership and shit like that. Well, and look at what's happened to them since he left, right? And then he built the LA Galaxy into a juggernaut. It took them a couple years, but they won MLS Cup last year, had one of the best

attacks that we've seen in MLS in the last few years, he didn't suddenly just forget how to coach this season. That's not what happened. They had to shed half their roster and they don't have Ricky Pooj. Should it be this bad? Absolutely not. This is crazy. Yeah, this is brutal. I don't understand how it's this bad. I was watching the highlights of the game and I was looking at their starting lineup and I was like, okay, I get that this isn't good, but it is not this bad. I don't know what...

going on with how it's gotten to this. But I will say, I... Even if it stays this bad, I don't think I would fire him. I would not. I would keep him. I think you have to look at what all they lost. in this last season they gave legitimately everything built a roster on everything just so they could win MLS Cup. And they did it.

and they did it they did exactly what they set out to do the fan base was tired they were upset they got their president fired there was so much change they brought in you know vanney and all of this and all this new change and they did exactly what they set out to do The problem is, they built a club specifically to do that. And then, you know...

The salary cap. That happens, man. Something like... Also, Marco Reus. Probably the worst signing. One of the worst signings in the last history. He's been a bust. But, like, I don't know. What's happening to them, even with the salary cap stuff taken into account, we've seen teams before be in a situation where they've had a run like that and then had to blow it up. And it should not be this.

There's no way. It seems like a very demoralized team. It seems like a team that... is kind of just like mentally beat down and it might just be one of those things where You literally sold your soul to win the cup, and now you're going to have... You have blowback. I've been saying the entire time that the tradeoff was worth it.

this is so bad right now that it's, like, making me question, like, would you trade the MLS Cup to just have, like, a normal season to not this tire fire? Like, the answer is no, but, like, the fact that it's, like, gotten to a point where... That thought has even entered my head. It's just crazy. It is wild. Like, this is... I don't think anyone could...

Let's just say. Oh, hell no. I think, if anything, I thought they were still going to be... I think everyone knew they were going to take a step back. Everyone saw what happened with their roster over the offseason. I couldn't have even, I couldn't have fathomed 09 and whatever it is. Jesus. Just awful. Crazy. I didn't even have them written down here, but let's do some Atlanta United shot in front. Let's just do it. This, I mean...

They're not as down bad as the Galaxy, but they're pretty close. They lost 2-1 at Chicago. I think this was one of their worst performances. They might be starting to talk about that soon because this was not good. Anytime you lose to Greg Berhalter in the Chicago Fire is a day that you should question. Everything about your football club. So they went down 1-0. And then they tied it on.

One of the worst own goals that I've ever seen, and it was unfortunately scored by big Sam Rogers. Yeah, slamming Sam. I think he's been, I mean, I actually have no idea what his form has been like for them this year. Their defense hasn't been very good, so maybe not that good. But they get just an absolute gift. They were generating nothing in attack the whole game. They get a gift of an own goal where they weren't going to score.

the winner but they could have been like if they had kept that at 1-1 off that own goal they could at least have some sort of something to hang their hat on coming out of a game where they had another really bad performance and then they immediately concede again like they just seem like very like fragile mentally yeah you know and uh there's just so much stuff going wrong i think it's funny but it's not good for it's not good for them

So the Almiron move hasn't worked at all. Latte Loth is doing good, but it isn't helping anything. But just a couple of click from DC, who I think I spoke highly of that move, has been a bust. This Marinshot guy. Oh, my God. Send him anywhere. Sell him. He... committed a handball penalty in this game. Did you see the replay of this? Oh, yeah. Bro dribbled like a basketball. He stuck his arm out and looked like he intentionally put his elbow into it.

What are you doing, bro? What are you doing? They spent $10 million on that guy. And we were talking about it with J.O. on the postgame mod, but he might be one of the biggest busts I can remember. Like in terms of not only not contributing, but like actively bad. Yeah. Like. What was this? What was this sign? Send him back to the Farmers League known as Syria. That's my take.

I'm going to stay on the Atlanta United beat because I just think it's fascinating. The Galaxy thing, as surprising as it is, you can explain it. They had to shed their entire team and Ricky Puj is injured. Correct. The Atlanta thing, like, everyone, I thought they, I bought into it. I'm an idiot. I bought into it again. But you know what I think is... Someone sell this guy some fool's gold. You know what I think is interesting about this is that...

If you go back or remember Garth's quotes from before this season, He could have hedged a little bit. he could have said uh you know we got a new coach coming in we've had some uh we got some new players that we got to integrate We're really confident that we're going to be a lot better than we have been. It might be a little bit of a process.

but I think we're going to get that. Like he could have done all, he could have said, done and said all that. Garth was talking all in the lead up to this season. He literally said, we're back, baby. At one point when they signed Marin Chuck, I think. said we're back baby like it took me a little bit but like we got this thing rolling he he said had multiple quotes to the effect of like uh It's on us now to re-earn our fans' trust.

And we really feel like we've done that and we're going to go out there and we're going to show that this year. He was like talking it up in a way that with this outcome. It doesn't look great. No, it doesn't. It looks actively not great, actually. And I fear that...

I feel like Garth might be on Fraud Watch. Atlanta United are for sure on Fraud Watch. I mean, it is. I mean, I don't even know if it's Watch at this point. It's just fraud. They're just committing fraud. They are stealing. Okay. New agenda, Ari. Atlanta United's front office are stealing money from an old senile man. Arthur B. in this case. Yeah, Arthur blank checks. Man, I...

Dude, I'm just saying. They're going to need some Home Depot shovels because he might bury these guys under this stadium if they can't figure this out. He's got to be upset right now. Last loser of the week. Inner Miami. Oh, yeah. 4-1 defeat at Minnesota United. The vibes are way off. Ever since they crashed out of CCC, it seems like it's kind of torpedoing, to be honest with you. And Noah, I'm starting to think that...

hiring Lionel Messi's boy from Barcelona as your head coach when he had no experience doing so at the club level at all and definitely no MLS experience. Starting to think that might not have been a good idea. I agree. It's a little validating, I think, because when that hire was made, we were both like, all right, that is not a good hire, but...

They're just so stacked that it's not going to matter, and that's kind of frustrating, but whatever. It does matter. It does. I think it does. Well, if you look at what Tata was doing, and this is a take that I'm stealing here from... Flavian Renko, I'm stealing this from you. He said, if you look at the way that they used to play this team, The Barca boys were not going 90. The Barca boys were playing 70 minutes, 60 minutes, going crazy, and then they were taking them off.

They're playing these guys 90 minutes. And it is so clear that those minutes are weighing on him and it's decaying this club and then crashing out of Champions League for them. I think it might just blow up this entire experiment. It low-key looks like that might. That might happen. Because, like, the thing is, Messi is clearly pissed right now. Yeah, he's not happy. They won a game last week by three goals, and he was still...

Yeah. And he can't be happy to lose in a revenge match from Julian Gressel, who I still believe he farted in front of Messi and Messi had him traded. Because inexplicably, Julian Gressel just... stopped showing up on Inter-Miami roster. Something must have happened. Like, he has a podcast. He said that Mascherano told him that he didn't fit the system, which... Mascherano doesn't have a system. Well, also, Julian Gressel doesn't fit. Julian Gressel, it's just like...

I feel like any system could use a guy that has that good a wide service. Yeah. Unless you just never... are trying to create danger from out wide like what system are you like oh no gressel is like i mean i don't know maybe that's some tactics that are above my head but that whole thing felt weird

Good on Julian Gressels for his new team, destroying them like that. But it's going to be interesting to see if this downfall continues because this was supposed to be, I mean, this has been a juggernaut team. They set the police record. They set the points right here. What does that matter?

I mean, it means they were clearly far and away the best team over the course of the entire season last year. Yeah, but that was the only trope. Like, okay, here's my question, I guess, to you and to those in the audience. If the experiment at Inter Miami ends with Messi winning only a Supporters' Shield. And a Leagues Cup. Okay, yeah. And a Mickey Mouse Leagues Cup.

I guess they did play Columbus, but... Is that... Are those two trophies together? Is that a success? Is that a success for Messi and MLS? It's a letdown. It's not... Some people are going to say abject failure. I'm not going to say abject. Failure, when you know, whatever you want to say about League's Cup, they had a great run in that tournament.

They beat a couple of Yankees teams. They beat FC Dallas. They beat Cruz Azul. And that is considered a major trophy. So I personally don't consider that nothing. But I also, I'm not a Shield truther, but I do think the Shield matters. I think it is the demonstration of who actually had the best team all year. And they did that at a historic pace. So they were very clearly...

At their peak, one of the most elite teams I've seen definitely play in the league. Some of the footy they were playing was... So definitely some of the most dynamic attacking soccer that I've seen in the league. So all that is still true. But the reality is... I just want to let you know Inter-Miami did not play a single... Uh, Liga Neki's team. They, this, in 2023 when they won. They beat Cruz Azul in the first game. No, that was Charlotte.

Orlando, they played... I don't know what you're looking at, but Mammer Messi hit the... Oh, that was the round of... That was the, like, group state. Oh, okay. So I guess, yeah, you're right. They did. But if you're looking at straight bracketology, if you're just looking at the playoff games, Inter-Miami played Orlando, beat Orlando. They beat FC Dallas in penalties. uh they they beat charlotte and then they beat the union uh and then in the final they be

Nashville? Yeah. That's right. And it was at Nashville. So, I mean, not like that. Okay. You know, a tournament is a tournament. Anyone can turn up, but like... Come on. I don't even think you need to take anything away from the Leagues Cup to say that it would be a big disappointment if the Leagues Cup and the Shield are the only thing that they won. Yeah, that's fair.

The whole point of this was to dominate everything to win everything to win CCC to go make noise at this Club World Cup that they got a charity spot in. Oh, that's going to be so interesting. Now I'm looking at that and I'm like, man, what if they crash out of that in embarrassing fashion? They've got to fire Mascherano if they crash out of Club World Cup, right? I mean, I think it depends on the manner, but, like, just the vibes right now, it seems like...

It seems like it's going down a dark path. Which is funny for us. It's funny for us, and I feel like Tata has vindicated. They just, they disappeared the guy. And they disappeared the coach after him. Yeah. For farting on the bus. Mezzi doesn't like guys who fart around him. Apparently not. All right, Noah. I think that's a good place to end it. Unless you got anything else you wanted to hit. No. Thank you all so much. And episode 100. It's been crazy to reflect on the journey from...

We're gonna keep the road to 200 starts now churning out this car. Got, uh... We'll probably put out another.