Eight Gardener's here, what is up?
You're you got the uh, you got the the high Leo Franco kind of batting stance going here, you're ready to go?
Man. I I used to switch batting stances up year by year. Uh just I mean sometimes I would go Ryan Klesco and I'd be wide open. Sometimes I'd close it up a little more. I kind of was a little bit like Ricky Henderson. I didn't really use my power a ton in in Little league and youth ball. But I mean just know that if I was on first, I may as well have been on third. Like I was going. I mean, I was taking second, and as
soon as you overthrow the bag, I'm taking third. So I was aggressive on the basis.
M h mm.
Color me shocked, nothing like, nothing like, yeah, yeah, I was. I was the same way I was, you know, lefty batter, and so I would be like I was the third, fourth or fifth in the order, and so uh, I was the I was the kid that actually had the foresight. Because I don't know if this ever happened to you, but this is very opening kickoff you by the way.
I don't know if when you were in Little league there was always that team that had the overage kids, and they like paid the league off so they could have the overage kids so they could.
Win the league.
And so this was like probably you know, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen. You always had that team that was paying off the league, and then you'd have like the thirteen fourteen, fifteen year old kids that were playing in the U twelve and
they tried to win the league. So I was the kid that would go to the super fast batting cage knowing that that team was coming up and I was going to have a fifteen year old throwing at me, and I would be the only guy on my team to get a hit or much less contact with the ball because I'm to the super fast batting cage is in preparation. That's how hard too I was. When I was in middle school getting ready to play baseball.
I spent the whole season of Little League just bunting what like like just bunting? What like just bunting?
Yeah, I heard, I'm like, what right down?
Just boo right down the third baseline. I'd reach every time. I was incredibly fast. They would never throw me out. I think I batted like nine to ninety three that year. Wow, And like I said, like, if I'm on first, I'm I'm I may as well be on third. And so I just I would just take first base on a perfect bunt. I mean I could put it right between
the grass and the foul line. I mean, I was, I was, I put it right on the path and uh, even when the third baseman knew it was coming, just too good, man, it's too good.
Wow.
So the speed of the picture never really was a problem because I was just bunting one year. So it's like a.
Wow, that's that is a revelation. I mean I was.
I was a guy that would swing and I'd probably hit like three ninety seven or something. I was never a bunter, but I would always be the first guy to piss folks off.
Man, always button in that baton nine ninety three.
I only did it one year. I only did it one year. The next year, I let off the first game with like an over the fence home run, and then everyone's like, why the fuck were you button last year?
Yeah?
I mean I got on base, man, what do you want from me? I got on base?
Oh wow, Oh that's fantastic. All right, So opening kickoff other question, how are you when it comes to Mondays? Because this morning, I mean I went to bed after watching that hyper painful American football game last night where I finally got to see what I need in my fantasy game tonight to try to get a win. And then everything was fine. Watched the wrap up show. But then my body is like up and running at like
five five thirty just for no good reason. It's like it's up at like one thirty, three thirty and five thirty and it's ready to go.
On a Monday.
It doesn't matter how much sleep you do or don't get. Bodies just like yep, all right, time to go.
It kind of depends on the day. Now. Yesterday I had a headache all day from a lack of sleep over the weekend. So like Sunday night, last night, I went to bed pretty early. I took some bio emblems sleeping or whoever, whatever thing I got there that's got melotonin and magnesium and all sorts of other nonsense. So I popped one of those and I went to bed. I was asleep by like nine p thirty. I pretty much slept all the way through till till seven am.
Wow.
And then I kind of just laid there for ten minutes till my alarm went off. But normally I'm I'm okay because and I didn't do it this morning because I know, I'm I'm going out for a run later today. But normally, like the first thing I do in the morning is like put the harness on, chipper the pump,
and go for a run. So like, even if I kind of wake up struggling a little bit, like three miles kind of gets your body pumping a especially now as we get to Hey at seven am and it's still kind of cold outside, Like that'll that'll wake you up. So I'm pretty good in the mornings, I'm I'm. My issue was like the mid day, Like I'm the rare like early bird and night owl. Wow, that like that like chunk of time between like two thirty and like six thirty. Though, that's the toughest part of the day
for me because the sports haven't really started on TV. Yet. But uh, you know, if I'm into a show, maybe that's that's why I spend that time. But yeah, that's what I get in trouble.
Yeah, I mean, for me, it's usually about four thirty or five o'clock when I start to kind of fade and I've got to put either push through it or just sit there and not do anything because I know that my productivity would go in the dumper. But yeah, I'm comparing notes on Mondays for everybody in the twitch pitch and abe and everybody that comes by this morning. So that's opening Kickoff brought to his buy our friends
at Kickoff Coffee and Kickoff Coffeeco dot com. All Right, it is the last week of the regular season and made Juliue Soccer and it's math. It's math down here basically as we get closer to Friday and Saturday where it Landy United goes to Middle Florida takes on the Purple team, and there's got to be some work there that's got to get done. There's some math that's got
to get figured out. If Atlanta United's going to get into be the nine and to go on the road, they could be the aid if things fall a certain way. Where are you and the conversations that you've had outside of ninety two nine, just casual and otherwise on social media, Where are you when it comes to this weekend? Where are those that you interact with coming into this weekend facing the purple team in the last week of the regular season.
I'll be honest, I'm more worried about at Lanti United getting the own result that's necessary than the other teams. Like I think if at Landy United can get the three points they need, it will fall to them like they got. You know, obviously, it's it was huge that you're playing for two spots and not one spot, and so to me, it's more about Landy United and taking
care of their own business. And look, last week they did take care of their own business, but there have been what three or four games before that where they had an opportunity to put themselves in better position by handling what was in front of them, not scoreboard watching, and they didn't do it. Now they looked out because for three straight weeks now they've had results for large
most part go in their favor. There's been a result here or there that made it slightly different, but you know, four or five results that same weekend that kind of played in their advantage. So it's been more about themselves and finding the right opportunity to get points, and they've kind of kicked the can down the road. I know, I had called it point procrastination just kind of stayed
alive in terms of their playoff hunt. But it's been more about them not finding their own points than about other teams, you know, hurting them in the playoff free So I feel pretty good about the other games that we're keeping attention to, But to me, it's about Atlanti and iighted like they've got to find a way to get their three points and at that point, if they get in, great, If they don't get in, because the other results don't fall away, you can't look at the
other teams and what happened. You had so many opportunities in this last month of you know, mid September into now here mid in late October, you had opportunities to get points and for whatever reason, couldn't do it. So nobody else to blame but yourselves. And that's kind of the microcosmic going into this final game. You've got to do it yourselves, you know. It's kind of, you know,
forget you, Joe, bu I'll do it myself. It's kind of it's kind of along those lines, like it's it's time to just you know, face the facts, look in the mirror, and go find three points. And you know, if the one thing that you were looking at, potentially result wise, was that there was an opportunity that all City would not have anything to play for Nashville, who was eliminated, couldn't help you out and take points from NYCFC,
and so Orlando City. They've got a fight for their seating and their positioning in the standings, and so they're gonna be going after it too, and to an extent that might help you, right, it might open some things up that maybe wouldn't have been open. But obviously there's the other side that they're looking to score and potentially could threaten you.
Yeah, and this could be one where since both teams are chasing after something, you could have it where the governor has been pulled out of the golf cart and you're gonna end up with ninety minutes of like you know, looking at the US Open and one of these kind of things with Bolly's back and forth, the way things
stand out, everybody's up to thirty three matches. We had the two matches this past weekend the makeups, and in the Eastern Conference, Columbus pretty much just wiped the floor with New England four nail the final there and Maton had a hat trick. Jason has been very very high on Alexandrama. So right now, Miami's locked into the one, Columbus is locked into the two, Cincinnati's locked into the three. So those three teams they can just kind of sit
there and do whatever the heck they want. When it comes to the last game with the regular season, Miami is chasing after a points record, so their lineup might be a little different than say Columbus or Cincinnati coming up this weekend Orlando, as you say, right now, they are in the last home advantage spot. They are right now two points clear in the four. But once again NYC is going to be breathing down their neck because they're at fifty. That's the situation that is staring at Orlando.
But then you end up with that trickle down. NYC's at fifty, Charlotte's at forty eight, Red Bulls at forty seven. So Red Bulls with a win and some help, could get to to you know, they could get to six because they would lose the tiebreaker with NYC because of straight wins fourteen to twelve.
At that point, Charlotte could get up to five.
You know that math is there for that DC and Montreal and Toronto who is out because they're done. Philly's at thirty seven, Atlanta's at thirty seven, DC, Montreal at forty four, teams two spot one win, separating a boatload of folks. Everybody else is out the door, and that's the Eastern Conference.
It will be interesting watching.
But I think to your point, this could be a game where, you know, if Orlando plays for a point, then they could be boring everybody the tears. But there's a danger in playing for just a point because then that point can turn into zero points just as quickly.
Yeah, and you kind of lost to me pretty early on in running through that, which is and that's a good thing and a bad thing. And I don't mean to disrespectfully, but like that's why I'm just focused on this game. And like, obviously, if you're a player, if you're Rob Valentino, you can't even try and look at the permittations and all that stuff. You just got to
deal with yourselves. But you're right. The other thing about Orlando's in this one is it also might be like a modified push for points, right, Like they may try and be like all right, let's see what we can get in the first forty five, maybe the first sixty, But we do have this other season that we need
to approach with the right mindset. Maybe we pulled back, and so it also might be a situation where if you can either have a lead into the sixtieth or seventieth minute, maybe even be in position for one point that Orlando City kind of pulls off, and they also will be schoolboard watching and seeing what the teams around them we're doing. So I don't think Atlanta United can get caught scoreboard watching and seeing how they need to
or don't need to change their style of play. Or Orlando City will, though, and I think there is a situation where they they might kind of step off the gas the back third of this match. And if you're in the right position situation for Atlanta United, it may not be to your advantage the first forty five minutes, the first sixty minutes with Orlando pushing, but they might
pull off. And so there's also an opportunity that you could play that game right where you play them even and then as they dial it down and prepare themselves for their own playoff race, maybe you could take advantage in the last twenty thirty minutes. So it's gonna be very interesting from that perspective to see how Orlando City
does choose to manage this match. There's also I mean, look, they've got to be incredibly careful with any soft tissue, muscle injuries, stuff like that, So calf, groin, hamstring, quad, anything minor that maybe you would see guys try and fight through that. Maybe you would risk something that Lady United will have to do, risk those sorts of injuries to get the max points. Orlando City would would certainly
play a little bit more careful there. They'd certainly rather give up whatever seeding they have than to exacerbate any injuries ahead of the playoffs. So certainly some benefits of this situation. But again it's just about Atlanta United finding the opportunities and you saw it, and this is what maybe is exciting. But at the same time, John, we haven't seen anything carry over game to game or any
any sort of momentum or discussion like that. But Atlanti United came out last time with energy right from the start, and they looked really good in the first half. They did not score in the first half, but they looked really good, and you obviously need to get out on the front foot and look aggressive early, look like you're into the game a little bit. Don't play yourselves into it, like be into it when the first whistle goes. I
thought they did that very well last week. It showed up in the stats and eventually in the second half showed up on the scoreboard as well.
So then what are you looking at just a from a lineup perspective? I guess where are your concerns and or questions when it comes to the starting eleven And how would you if we're playing football man, how would you line things up?
Well? Obviously, I think despite what Ronald Hernandez did, you certainly are bringing Brooks Lennon back into the starting lineup. I think that's obvious. I'm probably keeping most Scarra right from the start up on that left side, uh toront with Saba and then uh if Tra is good to go, I would I would run him out there as well, and and and continue. I know Rios has been very good, but I do like the most scare Tiray dynamic up front. Two guys who are very fast. They could both dribble
a little bit. But but the speed just has to be contained, and so that's how I would probably start out there, and then you got your regular stuff, uh in the midfield. I mean, I guess there's maybe a discussion what you're doing. I would keep Moyaba on the bench. I think Jay Fortune has been outstanding there and you run him with with schleish And and morn Chuck in
the midfield and and go about it that way. But there's gonna come a time where you have to get reckless in this game, and so I think you have to make your initial eleven man lineup set with the idea that you might have to make these certain switches at some point in the game. And so could you end up seeing Tira and Rios combined up top with this or that? And where does everyone else play into that? Could you eventually go to just three in the back
instead of the four man back. I mean, there's all sorts of considerations Valentino has to think about ahead of time before you get desperate in real time, and then those adjustments have to be planned as necessary. So it is going to be interesting to see who he has.
Like would it surprised me if Luke Brennan and I don't even know if he's available after his stop with the youth national team, if he's going to be bad, But it wouldn't surprise me to see him off the bench and in a situation where you need a goal late, like you just bring Brennan in, you bring Rios in, and you just you just try and overload, and to the detriment of like Stea Gregorson and Derek Williams, you're like, hey, you guys are you guys are on your own back there.
We're just gonna do what we can and put eight in the box here pretty much the rest of the game. So, uh, it will be interesting to see both from the starting eleven, but also from who's available, you know, off the bench, and and and kind of those considerations that you have to consider ahead of time before and hope you don't actually have to face that situation.
Yeah, No, it's a there's a there's a key to being in the rhythm of the game from the absolute beginning and then getting the advantage and then trying to sit on it as best you can, but making sure that if the game turns chaotic that at least you can you can control your version of the chaos and hopefully turn the other folks, uh chaos into even more chaos with what you can do.
What always concerns me is the other aspect to that, where let's say you do score a first half goal, and maybe you are sixty minutes in and you're like, all right, let's go a little bit more defensive. Let's try and hold on to this lead. And maybe you bring in Dax McCarty to try and hold on, maybe you bring in Luisa brom to try and hold on, and then you give up a goal, right, and then you can see, like, that's the one thing that's always
scared me, is making the defensive substitution. And then you find yourself with all these defensive guys in the game, but now you actually have to go find that goal again. And that's the one that always concerns me. So look, you're gonna get nitpicked. However it works out, if you're Rob Valentino and it doesn't play, I would not make defensive substitutions if you're holding a lead. I would still, you know, play smart, play intelligent, but don't try and
short up too early. I'm not saying don't make the moves, but don't do it in the sixty fifth minute, don't do it in the seventieth minute. If you want to make that move, maybe a little closer to eighty eighty five. I think you could play that game. But don't give yourself a situation where you've got to find a goal with fifteen to twenty twenty five minutes left and you don't have the subs available to do it.
Because what's better than a one goalie to two goalie last time?
Yeah, I'll take four or five if they.
Have it right there with you, brother, all right, So broadcast plans it's an odd kick at six o'clock apparently, Yeah, you know the broadcast plans yet.
Yeah, So we're going live as always an hour before the game. It's going to be myself. I'll be with Joe Patrick on this one. So five o'clock starts the five stripes countdown, and as always, we'll have a full reaction to the full time report after the game. Hopefully we're talking about who we're matching up with in the first round of the playoffs. But you know, if we
have to discuss, that's it for the season. Here's why, here's what happened, and what is this offseason going to look like we'll have that tough discussion as well, but hopefully we're we're looking towards the extension of the Atlanta United season. But yes, early game Decision Day, all the Eastern cop it's games kicking off at six o'clock Eastern, including the one right there at Intern Coast Stadium, terrible name.
That's all right, but we'll have full coverage for you leading up to an hour before kickoff, so we'll be ready, and we might even sneak in a little bit of college football updates just to keep everyone, you know, abreast of the situations across the landscape.
Yeah, DKR, I think the get in price at DKR this week right now is three hundred and sixty one dollars for some game involving Georgia and Texas. As always, my friend, great to have you bat and lead off with us every single week, and we will catch up with you. Actually, we will be listening to you on the weekend. We'll catch up with you same time next week. Post mortem one way or the other, we'll see you soon, my friend.
It sounds good, John. Thanks always.
There we go. That's a Abe.
Abe has smashed the home run or at least he's bunted and he's made its way all the way to third. He's gonna get ready to be knocked in by the easy single by me back in the second. Here, always great to catch up with with Abe at nine two nine the game, and at Abe Gordon, and Abe has gone to go and become properly hydrated and so he can get in his day work and his roadwork and all the other kind of work that he does.
Okay,