Hi cap Morning, John.
So I was explaining in something of an opening kickoff kind of a sense, did you hear the story about the firecracker lobbed into the press conference room in Lega MX.
I did not.
So basically it is as a Chieva Squadalajara midfielder Roberto Alvarado has apologized to journalists, and I imagine that there are times when I'm sure that players would sit there and they'd love to do something like this. I mean, a lot of firecracker into a press conference room and see the journalist scatter. That's the most that's the most
vert I've seen from that beat writer in years. So Alvarado apologized to journalists after throwing a firecracker that explodes in the media room ahead of Thursday's pre match news conference. So it's a darby presser, so I would imagine that there's maybe more than one or two journalists in said press conference room. Roberto Alvarado decides from the neighboring locker room to light a firecracker. Like I said, all this stuff is apparently like logic that's rolling through dude's head.
So he goes from having an unlighted firecracker in his possession to a lighted firecracker in his possession, and like I said, I'm trying to walk through this process, and so Alvarado apparently thought that, oh, lighted firecracker.
I have two choices.
I can keep it here in the locker room, or I can have someone open a door, which just happens to be the to the adjoining press conference area, take said lighted firecracker, throw the firecracker into the press conference room, and have the firecracker go off with you know, journalists there. The press officer and one of the defenders apologized to the media, but the media was like, nah, fam, that's not going to work.
We need the dude that did it.
And so the so Alvarado goes in, he comes out of the out of the dressing room, and he claims it was an accident and that he had no intention of hurting anyone. As I sit here and wander through conscious decisions of it was an accident. So you go from unlighted firecracker, too, lighted firecracker, and lighted firecracker. Oh, I've got to do something with this door. Open firecracker through door, closed door, firecracker go boom. It was an accident beat two, three four. The media were so pissed.
No one was injured, but the presser didn't take place because all the media were like, no, we're boycotting this thing.
We're out.
Have you ever, sir, in this go round of have I ever have you ever been with a teammate either named or unnamed? I don't know, statute limitations can apply here. Have you ever had a teammate that had that kind of a mischievous trouble streak attached to them where they thought that something would be funny something like that? Have you ever been with a teammate that had that kind of mischievous trouble streak attached to them?
Like I said, you can name names if you want.
You don't name names if you don't want to, but you can either just say yes or no and maybe give an incident.
I don't know.
I mean, I played with some crazy teammates.
How crazy were They.
Never did anything to the media or anything, but like I had a goalie teammate once, Eastern European guy, and he showed up at one of our teammate's house. They got into an on the field and he showed up to his house later on the later on in the day with a baseball bat righty telling him basically like he kill his whole family if he ever did anything like that on the field again, And wow, yeah, nut job. But I've never seen a firecracker even in a locker
room before. I don't even understand how is he why is there even a locker room or a firecracker in the locker room? Craziness?
But I don't know.
I just it's like, dude made conscious decision A, and you carry it back one further You carry it back one further step than I did.
Literally, Uh, firecracker.
I think carrying a firecracker into a locker room was a great IDEA firecracker unlighted in locker room. Oh, let's light it, you know. Oh what do we do with lighted firecracker? Oh there's a door. Oh by the way, there aremediate people on the other side of that door. So so I just had I just had to I just had to ask. But yeah, Alex is like, that's less mischievous and more felonious when a bat is involved
instead of a firecracker. I would agree that there's more that it is more of felonious when it's when a baseball bat is involved, or just speaking of Bielsa, we talked about Luis Suarez and him saying that the environment with El Loco as they were getting ready for the Copa was less than cordial when it comes to this will be my opening point this this this week, not that you would have had an l Loco as a coach, but when you talk to your mentees and when you
talk to teammates X teammates and everything, when it comes to navigating coaches and those in positions of authority that have different personalities, how do you talk to your mentees about, well, yes, this one's a player's coach, Yes, this one's a hard a you know that that kind of a thing. Do you talk to them about navigating all the different personalities and just understanding that, yes, some folks operate differently than others when it comes to trying to get messages across for sure.
We just had a blog about it because it's something that's come up repeatedly, so we're like, all right, we need to write something about this because it's mostly what we're dealing with is how do you deal with a hard ass coach who his coaching style is to get after you and try and push you that way, but they also tend to be yellers on the field and yell at you when you make a mistake, And just how do you be confident, play freely and get something
out of it when you're playing for a coach like that, especially when you as an individual don't really respond well to that type of coaching, because as we know, there's different ways to motivate people, and some are motivated by that tactic and others are not, and it should be a little bit more curated to the individual based on some things. But we know that that's not happening all
the time with coaching. So yeah, it's challenging, and you know, we try and tell them that, you know, whether you've got a coach that you agree with how he does things or not, you're hoping that and it's all proved otherwise. You assume they have your best interest at heart and they're trying to get the best out of you and the best for the team, and they don't mean to do anything to make you play poorly. It's just their
way of coaching. So how do you get the message and separate that from the tone and use the information to the best of your ability, and sometimes not even going to agree with the information. But how do you balance that with what you've learned in the past, But also you want to do what you have to do to stay on the field. So yeah, there is a tough balance for sure. I mean we had it with Tata.
When we started with Tata, especially for the English speaking group, it was so different than anything we had ever experienced, and on and off the field, and there were times right the way that we were playing, you know, Jeff myself, you know Alec in the back before Brad got there, We're looking at each other like, man, this is crazy,
Like we can't play like this. We're so exposed in the back, Like we have to do a little differently, right, And so you do small little things to balance how the coach wants to play and how you see it out there on the field. And obviously we were in a different position because we're out there performing and we're a little bit more veteran and than some of the
other players. So yeah, it's it's it's challenging though, because yeah, there's a whole just like individual players, there's a whole host of different coaches on different levels, and the way that they institute what they want is so so different.
How do you in a situation like that, how do you and Jeff and Alec and uh, you know, and everybody that's a veteran who's been through this kind of a ringer before, how do you? How do you listen? Then how do you implement the what might be you know, crazy just in general from your own observations, and then not let it get to you and kind of tweak it where it's like you're trying to juggle about nineteen
different things. It's like you're you're paying attention to what he's saying, you get it, but then you put your own little twist on it and not make it look like you're being disrespectful, I guess is what I'm saying. It's like, you understand where he's going, but it's like, hey, if we do this, then it's just as impactful and not as crazy.
Does that make any sense?
Yeah? A little bit for sure. And for us it was just what can we control a little bit? And so for us we were just like focused on especially counter attacks and defensive side of things, and so we were like, all right, well, attack wise, we're going to do what we do and it's fine, but okay, how can we be a little bit more stable defensively? Then maybe we're being set up for or how we see things,
and and it's just to get results, right. You want to win and you want to play well and do well, and so it's our butts on the line out there, for we're giving up four goals, so we're going to have We're going to do what we have to do
to make sure that that's not happening. So, yeah, just controlling little things about hey, telling leon or not to go up for crosses when the right backs crossing the ball and he's playing left center back, and you know, maybe having the wing back on the other side hang out every now and then, or just adjusting a little bit based off the opponent. But if the coach's tactics start working like they did with Tata, then you get more buy in, then you get more belief, then you
get okay, I can see how this can work. And it takes a little bit of time, right, But if it's a huge change at the beginning, it's difficult for players that have played one way for a long time to say, oh yeah, let's just go do this, It'll be fine, versus like, oh, shoot, let's see if it's going to be fine.
I was going to say, I don't think shoot was the word that you were using.
But nevertheless, it's just I wonder about that adjustment period in trying to find the happy middle ground. It's like, we've been around the block. We know what you're saying, but we can also do this, do this, and do this. And because if you're a younger player and you're in a situation like that, you don't want to upset the apple card. You want to say it's like yes or yes or yes or you know right at it, reno,
we're gonna do it. We're gonna do it. And then it's you're in lockstep and everything because you know it could affect your playing time. I mean, it's a it's a balance from the younger players that want to listen and learn and implement and the veterans that listen and learn and implement, but implement.
With a twist.
So the message is still getting out there and the result is still the same. It just it might be a little different just because of the exposure and the experience that you guys had out there.
In the first place totally.
And I think that as you as you become more of a veteran, and even even for youth players, as you play with a coach for more often or you get a little bit more experience. Right, there's a way that your coach wants you to play before the game starts, but then when the game starts until halftime, there's very little coaching that can change things on the field, right, And so players have to take the initiative to change things.
If you're getting punched in the face, especially repeatedly, Right, you can't just assume, Okay, let's just keep doing it and it'll eventually work out. No, it won't, right, You
need to adjust. And like for example, with Greg Burholtzer in Columbus or he wanted us to play out of the back all the time, every time, but there were certain situations where it was like, Okay, hey, guys, we're going to step up to midfield and have the goalie kicked it as far as he can, and we're going to kick the ball into the other half and we're going to go play over there for a few minutes and chill out, and then we'll get maybe and then maybe we'll get back to what we're doing here, but
we need to we need to reset. And you know, same thing under Tata, like, yeah, I know that we want to play out of the back, but you know what, I'm going to kick this ball along for a little bit because I'm sick of us playing in our half of the field. And like little things like that where it's like, you know, you're not disregarding completely the game plan, but you're adapting because you see things on the field and you you are in it.
I need to breather, I need to blow. I'm gonna kick this long for a minute. It's just I'm gonna go that way and I'm gonna catch my breath for a second. Generationally, and this is something that you've been kind of alluding to here in our conversation this morning.
Are the younger players today?
Is there bs meter lower than it was when you know, we were, you know, learning the game. Do they sit there and you know, if somebody's yelling at me these days, I'm gonna be like, yeah, okay, whatever, great. You know you can yell at me all day long. I either feel like I know what's going on, I know what you're saying. You don't have to yell at me these kinds of things. How how different is the intake with your mentees than it would be with say, folks that
are your age or slightly younger than you. Is is the intake different? Is the BS meter less? Do they is a BS meter higher or lower? What about mentees these days?
Yes, that's a good question. You know, it's and like everything, it depends on the personality of the player, but it's you know, I think in general, younger players still listen to their coaches. The coaches have a huge influence, and you know, hopefully that's a good thing. There are definitely some individuals who, regardless of the coach, are going to
go out there and do their own thing. But you know, I think that for the most part, they are listening to their coach and trying to implement what they from the sideline are saying. And that's why it can be challenging, right, especially if that coach is a yeller and yelling at you about mistakes, because then you get out there and you're afraid to make mistakes because you don't want to
get yelled at. And so that's a tough way to play, and you'd think that coaches would see that and understand that, but for some reason they all don't.
Well, I mean, I would think that that that that the ego of that coach plays into this too. It's like, well, i have thissier of success in my brain and I've won you know, I've won this trophy of you know, I've won this miscongeniality trophy for finishing third in our division, you know, you know, eighteen years ago, and so obviously
what I do works. And I would think that ego plays into it, from the ego of the superior of the of the individual in powers about to say superior, sometimes they're not, but the coach on the sideline, the administrator on the sideline, because they have this history of success, it's like, well, yes, obviously it works. And then you'll have folks these days who might sit there and go,
really that works. No, you know, It's just there are times I would think that adults, and we've had this talk too, where adults some kind sometimes just kind of need to dial it back and listen more instead of sitting there and just yelling and ranning and raving and poking fingers and going this is the way, and let it be a two way street with you know, some just at least listening, even if the feedback isn't taken in.
At least just take the effort to listen to what's coming back at you instead of just saying my way or the highway, because that doesn't work all the time.
Rarely, rarely does it work. Oh for sure.
I mean, fine, it's my way or you're not playing. But we get that. I mean, you get managers who are this way in different sports.
It's like, you're going to do it my way or you ain't playing, and then you know, then you sit and it's just it. I would think that it would drive folks crazy where you see a better a better pathway and that position an individual in a position of power doesn't and it affects everything and down it affects everything downstream, and it just it doesn't do anything that's better.
And again, I don't think that most of these coaches are coming from a place of trying to be the little kids or be mean or anything, right, they're just usually what I see is they're so competitive and they've got the juices flowing and they can't help themselves, so they need to They need to figure out how they can channel their aggression and hype for the game into
a better way. But yeah, no, I mean anytimes, the best leaders are good listeners for sure, and it goes into parenting and leadership and coaching and everything, right, And it's one thing to listen and then you know, do what the kid wants. But it's another thing, you know, to just get their respect a little bit. Yeah, I hear you. I understand what you're saying. But here's why I think differently. Here's why I see it differently, you know. And I think if coaches explain that stuff sometimes it
goes a little bit longer of a way. Okay, I understand now why we're doing something rather than this is just what we're doing.
Hey, Dad, I think I should take the car out this weekend. Yeah, and yes, I hear you. I understand your point of view. The answer is still no. Exactly about another ten minutes or so with Michael parkerst Our mogul and training at MF Parkhurst on the two hundred and eighty character app and beyond Goals entering where we go completely and totally sideways, because there'll be an entry point every single time that you and Greg come out
with the Friday free kick and then it goes. It literally is like bumper cars every single time that you're on, and I will tell you each and every time that you come on for putting up with all of these right turns and all of this chaos that comes through my brain and comes out the other side. I cannot thank you and Greg enough for doing this kind of stuff.
Rhode Island FC.
Question from Bart Keeler, what are the chances of Rhode Island FC bidding to host a national team match after tidewater landing is complete? Our IFC is mentioned in the next episode of the Soccer for Us podcast.
Nice Unfortunately very low. What well, the men don't play on turf, and I don't think the women play on turf. I don't know that for sure, but I would highly doubt they do. And I don't think that our stadium size, it's a ten thousand, five hundred seat stadium. I don't know if the cost to bring in the grass over the turf and bring a team in and that type of stuff it would make sense for us. So unfortunately, probably pretty low, but we are definitely looking at other opportunities.
We're going to fill that stadium as much as we can with different events and sports and opportunities and teams. So there'll be a lot going on other than Rhode ISLANDFC. Rude is DFC obviously is number one, but there will be a lot. I don't think that the national team, though, would would take.
Us well well, bar, it's like, yeah, by a score, I appreciated art.
Well, then then don't let me ask you this.
And this might be crossing the streams and drawing the ire of some nationalists folks, but do you have see Marsh's phone number in your in your rolodex too, because you know, going from say Toronto and the sponsored stewardship that the a tenured professorship that the Jesse Marsh has now with that that national team to the north of US, it's not it's not I mean shoot in in covid.
Toronto FC played in Hartford or Pratt and Whitney, so you know, playing playing in Connecticut is not something completely and totally foreign to Toronto FC. So maybe if you talk to the folks at the Maple Leaf, now, hey, hey, Jesse, you want to have a friendly against Azerbaijan at Tidewater Landing.
You know, something like that.
I'm saying, yeah, sure.
And we all did get our recent email to purchase season tickets for for Tidewater Landing, by the way, that that has made its way down here to the south. What's the what's since we're here, what's the latest on Tidewater Landing.
Where are things coming along?
Well, we are definitely happy that the port is backed up and running and so that will not delay anything. But we've got seats in the stadium, not all of them yet, but we do have seats in the stadium, so that's nice. And you know, I think that the yeah, the email campaign or the season ticket campaign has started and they've got this cool virtual thing where you can kind of see each section and what the stadium looks like or what will look like, and what your seat
the view and all that stuff. So yeah, that's exciting. So yeah, we're definitely obviously gearing up for twenty five while we're keeping a close eye on twenty four because yeah, playoff aspirations here.
Why yes, you do, and considering where things currently stand, where the draws have turned into wins, and that reminds me I still need to catch up with with Thomas and media relations or perhaps the mogo and training and
figure out how to get on the show. Right now, you're a part of the chaos in the second Chase group in the Eastern Conference where it's like lou City and then everybody else and then Charleston is the right now in second eleven points to the Chase group, Detroit City at forty eight, Tampa Bay at forty six, indy eleven, ten wins or sorry, twelve wins, and a match in hand on somebody called Rhode Island FC, both at forty
three points. You've won three your last five, and you have a point on Legion and you've got five on Louden. You have six below the playoff bar with Hartford Athletic and a ninth place in thirty seven points. So there is some there is a little bit of space right
now for Rhode Island FC in the postseason. But it would be an opening round matchup if I'm not mistaken, against l Uge at Keyworth, and that's always a fun place to play because they're right on top of you and they throw things at you and there's smoke bombs and all these kinds of things. Maybe it's not a light at Firecracker mind you. And it's also out doors, but it is a rough place to play.
It would the Parkers family wouldn't mind it because it's a nice little jive, but it wouldn't be the best venue for us to play. Uh, it's yeah, you're right. It is tough to play there. Some of these turf fields are aren't in the best condition and they make it challenging, right to. Detroit's one of those, and yes, and Pittsburgh's one of them. So hey, but that's what makes it unique and that's what makes it fun and challenging.
So we'll see. But we've got four games left. I think, if you know, I think if we get if we get three a out of four wins, we could sneak into the top four. But if we go to and two, I think that we'll be we'll finish in the top six.
And I mean that would be very very cool for for our resident part of the ownership group.
And besides, you know, hey, we we know a playoff owner. Hey, we got we got him on speed dial.
You know, we can have him come on on a Friday and talk about things. When it comes to the pressure of accomplishment. Since we're since we're talking playoffs. When it comes to your mentees and the pressure that's attached to doing well, and it's almost like the scene and Breakfast Club, you know, when they're in the library and emiliostev is his character Andrew is talking about all the pressure from the parents and everything. When it comes to
pressure and succeeding and trying to do your best. What kind of feedback do you get from mentees about external pressure where they're just trying to do as best they can, enjoy what's going on and what happens happens, and if they succeed and continue to succeed more over time, that's great. But do they talk about external pressures with you with you and Greg a lot, and about how difficult it may or may not be to handle these kinds of things.
Yeah, they do, And yeah, I think a lot of it is when they're going through the college recruitment process and they know that there's scouts at games, or if they're players that want to get to a new team and they know that sometimes they're being watched, So you know, it's usually it goes along with aspirations to get to the next level, to take that next jump that would be the biggest pressure induced for sure that we've come across with our mentees there, and then there's other players
that just feel pressure to play well because those players usually don't say why, but you know it's usually because they don't want to let the team down. They don't want to let coach down, they want to let mom and dad down, right, and they just want to win because they don't not because they don't see the value of losing. But you know, nobody wants to lose.
Before you get out of here, what's going on with beyond goals mentering these days?
We've had two really crazy busy months, so that's it's been. It's been great. It's been really really good. And we're trying to get more content up there on the on the website with blogs and different topics that people come
to us, just to try to spread more information. One of the things I'm working on, John, is a book list for players but also coaches slash parents, So putting one together because a couple of people have asked me about that, so I was like, it's time for me to do some more work.
Here. Do you do you do the blogging?
I mean, do you do you formulate these kinds of thoughts or do you have guest bloggers or things like that.
Do you do some of the blogging yourself?
We do, Yeah, a lot of the a lot of the stuff Greg and I come up with ourselves. We do have a marketing group that we've just recently started working that they help us out with some of the blogs and some of the ideas, and then Greg and I will write down usually will write down either the whole blog or we'll write down like our main ideas and I'll spruce it up from there.
Because I was going to say, when it comes to finding your voice, when it comes to writing, how are you and finding your voice?
I'm good. I've always enjoyed writing. I actually when I'm very early in my career. I did some guest writing for ESPN, but that was a long time ago. But I've always enjoyed writing.
Okay, then one more question before you get out of here, other than getting ready for Tampa Bay at Burn this weekend.
A question from four Kard Do Shield winners get championship rings.
That I know of? Not that I know of, but I never did win the Shield, so I don't know for sure, but I don't think so.
I mean, I might have to do with the comment that was put on your social media recently about stars on jerseys and winning shields and things like that.
It's always a fun conversation.
Yeah, so the Captain America Shield that means so much when it comes to the end of the season and who wins a trophy cap as always, thanks for dropping by.
It's great to pick your brain.
It's great to find out what's going on in all these different aspects of your life. And next time you drop in, it'll be a postseason time. We'll talk about postseasons, not making postseasons, what to do, how to improve all those kinds of things, and we'll just keep riding on rock and roll and love what you and Greg are doing. And thanks for putting up with my questions on a weekly basis.
Thanks for having me John having every weekend you too.
That's some guy named Michael Parker.