Heath and Mark catch up after a few weeks off. The guys get into Genk's training camp in Spain, Heath's World Cup experience in Qatar and the recent USMNT controversies. Plus, they answer all your questions about their highs and lows from 2022, favorite World Cup moments, their go-to coffee order, which USWNT player they like the most right now and much more. Thank to everyone who submitted a question! Happy holidays to you & yours and we'll see you guys in '23. Check out our Spotify Playlis...
Dec 23, 2022•28 min
Mark and Heath have a quick chat about the USMNT ahead of their critical match against Iran in the final game of the group stages. Check out our Spotify Playlist Follow us on Instagram “Orange Slices” connects the past, present, and future generations of U.S. internationals around our collective soccer story. Hosted by U.S. international Mark McKenzie and former U.S. international Heath Pearce, this cross-generational show is an unfiltered celebration of our national team and soccer Americana.
Nov 29, 2022•8 min
After taking a few days to process things, Mark and Heath talk through being left off this year’s USMNT roster in the final hour. Mark opens up about being in the final group of players, his phone call with Gregg, how he and his family processed everything and what’s next. Thanks to all the OS listeners who have showed love and support this past week. Check out our Spotify Playlist Follow us on Instagram “Orange Slices” connects the past, present, and future generations of U.S. internationals ar...
Nov 18, 2022•42 min
We are less than 3 weeks away from the World Cup and everyone is feeling the pressure in different ways. On this week's episode, Heath and Mark discuss Mark's recent run of form with Genk, the club's great victory over Antwerp over the weekend Mark's mentality heading into these final 2 games before the USMNT World Cup roster announcement. Check out our Spotify Playlist Follow us on Instagram “Orange Slices” connects the past, present, and future generations of U.S. internationals around our col...
Oct 28, 2022•21 min
Mark & Heath welcome one of the rising Americans abroad, Joe Scally. Joe brings all the positivity in this one from his home in Düsseldorf, Germany. The guys get into the recent USMNT camp and Joe's inclusion in the senior team over the past calendar year, consistent playing time at Borussia Mönchengladbach, drawing Bayern Munich earlier this season and life abroad. He is just an all around positive dude and it will be impossible not to root for continued success for our guy after you listen...
Oct 14, 2022•45 min
Heath and Mark chat through what was a frustrating yet eventful final USMNT camp ahead of Qatar. Mark opens up about some of the goals going into these matches, what he and the team was able to takeaway from them, the vibes in the dining room post match and what he needs to do to stay ready in this crucial lead up to the World Cup. We will be back next week with a guest! Check out our Spotify Playlist Follow us on Instagram “Orange Slices” connects the past, present, and future generations of U....
Oct 06, 2022•42 min
It’s been too long OS fam but Heath Pearce and Mark McKenzie are finally back and on the road to Qatar. Mark joins us from USMNT camp and the guys get into a lot in this episode. They address our long break from the pod, the end of last season for Mark at Genk, why he wasn’t playing and his recent run of form for his club. Of course they also get into everything USMNT including Mark’s addition to this September camp and his goals for the next couple of months before the World Cup. The guys will ...
Sep 22, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 1
It's the business end of the season so no guest but plenty to discuss as Mark and Genk are pushing for the final Conference League spot in the Belgian Playoffs. The guys talk about Mark's recent run of form, the complicated playoff system in Belgium and other Americans dealing with the end of the season in various leagues in Europe. They get into an interesting conversation about the recent run of Americans moving for record fees and the expectations that come with that - is it always best to mo...
May 13, 2022•43 min
Many fans know Kellyn Acosta as the ultimate ish talker in the USMNT but he’s actually a really level headed, thoughtful guy off the pitch. Kellyn stopped by the show to catch up with the boys about everything from his recent move to LA, recapping the intensity of the schedule this past year, facing off against Mexico here and abroad, trades within MLS and much more. He also shares some insight into how he is able to stay present during an unrelenting schedule and how he rewards himself for acco...
Apr 28, 2022•59 min
It's been a few weeks but the boys are back with a great conversation about taking the unconventional path to success. In a world where players are pros at 16 or on the academy trail even younger, Christian Ramirez had to build his own path to professional football. He had no offers coming out of college from MLS or abroad and bet on himself in the lower leagues in the States. It eventually paid off and he made a name for himself at Minnesota United and has since enjoyed success at the national ...
Apr 21, 2022•47 min
Heath and Mark catch up to celebrate the USMNT qualifying for the 2022 World Cup! It's been a 6+ month process... ok 4 year process and our guy Mark played a big role in revitalizing this squad. The guys discuss losing at Costa Rica last night and the mixed reaction post match, taking care of business this window, where they were four years ago when we lost to Trinidad & Tobago, their highs and lows from this qualification process and goals for the rest of this year. Check out our Spotify Pl...
Mar 31, 2022•33 min
We've been waiting for the right time to bring in Coach Jim Curtin and this felt like the perfect episode. Jim was Mark's first professional coach and worked with him through the academy years within the Union. On the back of missing out of a few matches at Genk due to illness and not getting called into this USMNT World Cup Qualifying squad, Jim was just the type of motivational force Mark & the boys needed this week. Beyond being a great leader, Jim shares some incredible stories about MLS...
Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 5 min
With his first full pro season less than 48 hours away, Paxten Aaronson is keeping things chill and stopped by for a fun conversation with the OS boys. Paxten is the latest Aaronson to take the Philadelphia Union by storm and rumors are already swirling about what’s next. Pax, Mark & Heath get into his expectations for the season, their different routines for day vs night matches, haircuts, where Pax excels on the field, his first impressions of Mark and the evolution of YSC Academy. He also...
Feb 25, 2022•50 min
OS listeners, we heard your calls and are happy to deliver our first USWNT guest podcast with World Cup winner, Abby Dahlkemper. Not only is Abby an absolute baller but she delivers a great conversation with the boys. They get into everything from the differences between the respective USWNT & USMNT’s changing of the guard, some intense World Cup moments, pilates, and just winning at every level she’s competed at. They also get into a great conversation about the mental side of the game and ...
Feb 18, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Heath and Mark catchup after another eventful international break! The guys get into the behind the scenes on all three matches and talk through US Soccer's decision to hold the match in St. Paul, MN in February. After they finishing properly catching up, we open up the mailbag to answer some of our listener's burning questions. Some of the topics include: player most likely to move into coaching, victory songs, best basketball players on the USMNT and an epic Royal Rumble of USMNT managers. Tha...
Feb 10, 2022•37 min
When it comes to US Soccer, goalkeepers have long held up our national reputation around the world. Matt Turner is just the latest name to carry the torch for US Soccer. Matt had a really interesting journey to where he is today and just this week his story seems to have taken another exciting turn. Matt opens up about his crazy 2021 with the USMNT and NE Revolution and how difficult it was to mentally switch between the two different environments regularly. We save the youth soccer stories for ...
Jan 28, 2022•58 min•Season 2Ep. 1
When we discussed closing out Season 1, there was really only one guest that came to mind: Chris Richards. A lot has changed for Chris (and Mark!) since we last spoke to him in December 2020. The guys dive into what the last year has been like at Hoffenheim for Chris, his varying playing time abroad, contributing some crucial USMNT minutes in the last World Cup cycle and hypes up his little bro as the next generation. Mark has also had some huge changes recently. Genk has a new manager and Mark ...
Dec 22, 2021•43 min
Heath and Mark catchup after another eventful international break! The guys talk about the two huge matches against Mexico and Jamaica. Mark opens up about his expectations going into the camp and his general frustration with his playing time but finding other important ways to contribute to the team. With another Dos a Cero in the USMNT's pocket, all focus is on to 2022 to keep this momentum rolling! Check out our Spotify Playlist Follow us on Instagram “Orange Slices” connects the past, presen...
Nov 19, 2021•26 min
We're back! No guest this week but we wanted to catch up and say hello to the OS fam. Mark has been focusing on his club football at Genk after the USMNT World Cup Qualifying matches earlier this month. Mark opens up about his frustrations with the club's recent 5 match losing streak and his fight for playing time. Heath shares some of his similar war stories and the guys have a nice chat about staying mentally strong when things aren't going your way. Genk won in the League Cup this week so hop...
Oct 28, 2021•29 min
On the eve of their World Cup Qualifying match against Jamaica, we caught up with one of the youngest guys in camp, Gianluca Busio. The guys may have been battling jet lag - 7 hours is no joke - but they still had a great conversation about this camp, Venezia and life outside of soccer. The guys give you a behind the scenes look on this current camp, general vibe, training sessions, how it compares to the Gold Cup and how they stay mentally ready on match day. Plus, Gianluca opens up about his t...
Oct 07, 2021•1 hr
Our guy Tanner Tessmann may just be the most chill guest we have had on the pod, just don’t come at the FC Dallas Academy around him. Tanner stopped by for a great conversation with the guys about his new life in Venice, the food scene, navigating Serie A with a fellow American on the squad, breaking into the team and so much boat talk. Tanner also dives into his USMNT career, his first taste of Concacaf in Olympic qualifying and his future in red, white and blue. Finally, Tanner and Mark may ha...
Sep 30, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Well, it’s finally time. After talking to countless US Soccer veterans on this pod, Mark has his own Concacaf war stories to share. No guest this week, but Heath and Mark catch up on what has been a truly insane couple of weeks for our host. Mark opens up about El Salvador’s hostile stadium, the team’s vibe in-between matches, the distractions outside the locker room, getting the start in Honduras, how the team came together at half time and propelled themselves to that historic second half and ...
Sep 16, 2021•33 min
Mark is a little busy this week at National Team camp but we didn’t want to leave the OS fam hanging! Heath opens the show talking about these upcoming WCQ matches and what he hopes to see from the squad before we dive into the full episode. A couple of weeks ago Mark & Heath opened the mailbag and answered all your most pressing questions. Find out what the guys really think about dual nationals, their favorite youth soccer memories, coaches who had the biggest impacts on their careers, wha...
Sep 02, 2021•48 min
Heath and Mark react to the USMNT Roster announcement that just dropped. Mark is in the squad for his first World Cup Qualifying matches! The guys talk through Mark’s expectations, Heath’s experiences in El Salvador and Honduras, how Gregg has been preparing the guys for this moment and who else Heath is excited to see in this round of games. Finally, the guys react to some of the recent US-Mexico dual nationals news and Heath gives a recap of his MLS All-Star experience. Check out our Spotify P...
Aug 26, 2021•31 min
The young Jedi himself joins the pod for an awesome conversation this week. Antonee Robinson may have been born in England and spent most of his career across the pond but our guy is an American through and through. Antonee shares some great stories with the guys ranging from his youth career at Everton and with the England Youth National Team, why he chose to play with the US over England, the Nations League, playing for Fulhamerica, the biggest differences between the Premier League and the Ch...
Aug 19, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Our guest this week is the most recent multinational to commit to the USA back in March 2021. Yunus Musah is a young baller honing his craft out in Valencia when he’s not tearing it up with the USMNT. He’s rehabbing from an injury right now and took some time out of his busy schedule to catch up with Mark and Heath. The guys get into US Soccer’s recruiting process and why Yunus decided to commit to the USA, his relationship with Gregg Berhalter, who’s got the biggest legs in the squad, his time ...
Aug 12, 2021•54 min
We caught our guest this week on the eve of his biggest career accomplishments to date. Sam Vines joins us on the day before the Gold Cup Final against Mexico and a few days before he moves to Royal Antwerp. Sam was incredibly generous with his time at such a critical moment and we are very thankful to him for chopping it up with us. Sam gives us an inside look at the USMNT vibes throughout the Gold Cup, the matchup against Qatar, reviewing footage with Gregg Berhalter and the USMNT staff, life ...
Aug 05, 2021•1 hr 6 min
On today's Orange Slices, Heath and Mark catchup after what's been a busy couple of weeks for the hosts and US soccer in general. No guest this week, but we'll be back on a normal cadence next week with guests. Heath and Mark catch up on Mark's latest adventure - pet fatherhood, the Belgian Super Cup, the beginning of the Belgian season, Champions League Qualifying against Shakhtar Donetsk right around the corner, Gold Cup, the Olympics and some other fun topics. Join in and listen to a candid c...
Jul 29, 2021•39 min
No guest this week but Mark McKenzie and Heath Pearce have plenty to catch up on. Mark shares his epic journey to get back to Belgium, an inside look at training camp so far, thoughts on team bonding activities and, of course, riding bikes in the Netherlands with the boys. The Belgian Super Cup final is this Saturday July 17 at 2:45PM ET on ESPN+ and Mark recaps how Genk made it to the Final and Brugge barely getting away with the league title last season. The guys also get into their thoughts o...
Jul 16, 2021•39 min
Our guest this week paved the way for Mark out in Belgium back in the 2010s. Sacha Kljestan had an incredible career with Anderlecht - winning the league 3 times and qualifying for 2 Champions League campaigns. Sacha opens up about his time in Belgium and shares some knowledge with Mark on what it took to push through Champions League Qualifying and make a name for himself out there before American soccer was truly on the European map. The guys also dive into Sacha’s prolific national team caree...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min
