Casey, can you hear me? Okay, So I'm a technological illiterate and I know that you've probably figured that out by now. Uh So, literally it was one switch inside the settings of this particular thing, and that's how people could hear me versus not the reason we have you with us. And this is an open invitation we can have if you wish. Well. First off, what part of the planet are you on?
I'm home actually, so that's really nice. I've been on the road for eleven days, got back Sunday night.
Okay, So I propose this to you, Comma case uh So we can have we could have a case in the space, we could have a case D where you be or whatever title you want if you want to bat lead off because business is picking up for you over the next little while, whether it's MLSNWSL and especially the college game that's picking in Tuesday can be your day. You tell me what time and we can start this regular ish segment except for when you're in an airport, which might be even funnier.
That would be interesting, but I appreciate that. I'm looking forward to doing it. I'd love to take you up on that.
Off. Good sounds like a deal. All right. So the reason we have you here this morning, I don't have an end table, and so that's why I dropped out a frame with a drink. We got to talk Major League Soccer, we got to talk INWSL. And one of the big reasons we have you in this time is because of the college game, and I wanted to have you talk about the first match that you're going to be a part of with the new package where the four Letter network is blowing up all of their coverage,
where you are going to be? I think, are you going to be at the University of South Georgia Gainesville campus or are you going to be in the blessed city of Tallahassee well class of nineteen something something, So yeah, I mean, so that's why I say that the dirty line cheating Gators are going up against Florida State and that's going to be your first matchup of the season
on the college side. But I want to build to that because you know, as an alum at Florida State University and being a legacy, I feel like we have to have a build. Okay, in the Major League Soccer on the weekend, you and Evan Weston got to catch up with Colorado, and I know a lot of folks were kind of keeping an eye on our footprint on Noah Cobb and his match working out at the back
line with Colorado. You can't have dms apparently in Colorado anymore, with Georgia Mahailovich now being in Toronto, so he has slipped out of his own DM in Colorado. The takeaway I did not have Darren Yappy on my Bengo card. I did not, So the takeaways of Minnesota and Colorado, now that you've had a couple of days to digest it.
Well, it was really interesting to see a lot of those individual pieces that you're talking about. Knowing my background and from the coaching perspective, I think what excited me the most was seeing Chris Armis and how he approached the Minnesota United game from a team perspective. They basically matched up system for system, you're gonna play with the three back, we're gonna have three forwards narrow on you. For counter attack, you're gonna play with a three front,
and transition we're gonna have three center backs. So he really switched systems and played for the efficiency piece of the final third but I agree with you, YAPPI wasn't on my Bingo card either. I had their game versus Cruiz Azul, which is technically a little bit off in the final third. Things like that. There was nothing off about his game in those two moments where he scored the goals. It was the right type of runs, beautiful finishes. So there was a lot about this matchup that was
really interesting. And then you had a couple players step up really big in.
It, and it was not some of those I did not do that. I've messed up my computer, but I didn't send you a note. You have a How surprising was this result in the pantheon of the weekend? Considering you've got Dane Saint Clair in net for Minnesota, Tony Ola was sheey? You know, he doesn't really give you a whole lot of scrabble points, but he gives you a whole lot of offense. This to me seemed like going in the result was going to be flipped with
the number on the scoreboard. How surprising a result was this for you?
It was surprising. I think we have to say that Minnesota United is a team that doesn't need a lot of useless possession to be able to be dangerous and go forward and score goals. This game was different because
of the different type of tactic matchup. Minnesota United was forced into more possession than they've had in previous games, and there wasn't as much space in the wide areas behind the back line with their opposition pushing forward, the Rapids really depended more on compact defensive shape and trying to go in the counter attacking transition. And so Minnesota United, in my opinion, did not play poorly, it just was
a different type of game for them. They had their opportunities, just the efficiency in the final third went the Rapids way. So that was really interesting from a commentator perspective, from a viewer perspective. But one thing I didn't want to point out. Navajo gets so much credit for his goal scoring, which is great. He defended like there was no tomorrow in this game, and that was huge for the Rapids
in this moment. But you know, it kind of is one of those things where you're saying so much about the Rapids, and I think rightfully so, but Minnesota United still generated so many chances, especially in that first.
Half, that they just the soccer one oh one in me. This is where you take me into freshman level soccer. One oh one. This is my freshman level learning class. Eric Ramsey doesn't want the ball. He thinks the ball has cooties. And it's an odd duck to see someone with possession numbers as low as they are be as
clinical and as successful as they are. What is it about Eric Ramsey and the quarters that pull over and the white T shirt that has been so successful with this philosophy that he's brought out.
We had a really good conversation actually running up into the game, and one of the things he was really clear with us was that it's not that they don't want the ball or care about the ball. It's that they have figured out with personnel that they have that giving up five percent possession that another team might have to keep it on a set piece, on a throw in, whatever those things may be, hasn't been as good for them as going for set pieces long throat because of
the threats that they have going forward. So it was a really interesting conversation because it wasn't about an inability to do it, it was what's working for them, what throws off opposition, And speaking to him, you could tell his mind is always going from a tactical perspective and how to manipulate things. It was fascinating to have those conversations, and I think what's working for them? He continues to go, Right.
Let's switch to the NWSL. You and Jessica Charman, I think are kind of just ruling the roost. It's like you're claiming all of the NWSL and everybody else kind of gets the pieces. Wrap up the week in review from the NWSL for me, and then we'll go talking points from there.
Well, the first part of it was Kansas City Current keeps rolling. There's such a gap at the top. We have to say that it seems almost repetitive and boring, but the reality is they got to get their due. They are separating at the top with their one zero
went over. The Royals gets really tight. Is in that third to sixth place and in that seventh to tenth place with only eighteams going to the playoffs, only three point separates third through six, only four point separate seven through tenth, So that middle all the NWSL is really exciting. We saw quite a few ties this weekend. It was rivalry weekend, but the spirit Gotham was a scoreless draw.
That was the one Jessica and I were on San Diego and Angel City was a late equalizer from Angel City on the road at San Diego, which was exciting. But the real one was the Cascadia rivalry, which is Portland Thorns versus the Seattle rain Six goals, four different goal scorers for the Portland Thorns, six different goal scorers in general. So that was the one to really end the weekend.
What is everyone missing out on by not watching Tim Withshwinga play the.
Sport excitement, entertainment. It's amazing what she has done, scoring and breaking the record in forty games for goal scoring. Her efficiency is unbelievable. Yes, they generate a decent amount of chances, the Kansas City Current, but they don't have
to generate too often because she doesn't need much. And what's so interesting talking to other players that have played against her, they'll think they have her under control a little bit, and she'll she'll be that prototypical number nine or even play on the wing at times that doesn't have to touch the ball all the time, and then you give her one second, it's in the back of the net and that's what's so exciting about what she does at in WSL.
What it be with CACD hanging out with us on a Tuesday bet and lead off here on SDHAM and the should we make more of a deal about how much better Kansas City is than everybody else and turning it into what they call a horizon job basically like everybody else is on the shoreline. You see that boat, and that boat is just going that way and off into the horizon. Or do we make more of a bigger deal about everybody in that gaggle that's behind them?
What's the bigger deal here everyone from two to whatever, or that Kansas City is just far and away out there.
I think we have to speak about Kansas City because normally in the NWSL, the top three or four are the really tight races and then right around the playoff line. So it's great what they are doing. But if I'm a player in the NWSL or a coach, I am going at this point let them do that. We got the playoffs and let's see if we can sneak up
on them in the playoffs. Right now, for fans watching who makes the playoffs down this stretch of the fall season is the more exciting one because besides two teams at the bottom that are really going to have to go on a run if they want to be in the conversation, everything else is at play.
All right, So put your coaches cap on for let's do it. You're playing Kansas City. How do you formationally attack what they're trying to do? If you're thinking defense and you see shawinga and all of this offensive firepower coming at you, how do you defend that to slow it down? Because I'm not going to say stop, but how do you slow Kansas City's attack down to where they are mortal? I guess is the best way to describe.
It's incredibly hard to do. What's really interesting about the Kansas City Current were I'm gonna parallel the game we just spoke about with MLS, the Minnesota Colorado Rapids game. Kansas City Current does not necessarily have to have the ball. They are completely fine with suffering a little bit defensively looking to counterattack. And that's something that Eric Ramsey said himself about the Minnesota United. They're okay with that, even though they can possess I'd say the same thing about
the Current. They are okay with possessing, and they have the quality player to do it, but they're also find suffering defensively. So if I'm on the opposite side, I'm maybe taking a play out of Chris Armis's playbook of matchup as much as you can with their system, maybe force them to break you down, keep it zero zero
as long as possible, and then be efficient. I think you have to show respect when you go into the Kansas City Current and play them, whether they come to you on the road or you go to them in Kansas City, which is a whole other beast. But I think keeping it tight as long as possible as the play Utah Royals did it last week, zero zero till the very end of the game, but showinga just needed that one moment. But that really was a great approach from Jimmy Kouros.
All Right, So you once again you've started to read my notes with Kansas City being this entire different animal. What has it been like for you, as someone who has been at the forefront of women's soccer here in the States, to see what Kansas City is doing from a facilities idea, We're gonna build our own barn, We're gonna be our own person. We're gonna have our own identity.
What's it been like for you to see Kansas City hop on the treadmill and be like George Jetson and Astro and just kind of sit there and go nine hundred miles an hour. Ever since they hit the ground running, what.
The Longs have done there has been incredible. And how quickly that it's happened, and you see the fans and those in Kansas City rally around this team. I don't know if I can put into words just how wonderful as a former player that is to see that happen and the growth that's happened. There's a little bit of jealousy. I'm not gonna lie. I wish I had that when
I played, But that's the game. It should evolve, the investment should evolve, and so it's great for these players to go to work every day and to see what's going on around them, and even the teams that go and visit. How nice is that facility. I mean, it's unbelievable and it's a really great environment for fans, for players, for everyone that's there all.
Right college and it is one of our big purviews here, and you get to help us with with one of our gaps. We get to cover a lot of Division two, Division three NAIA, We get to do the fund Belt Georgia State you know, Conference USA and all that kind of stuff. You get to hang your hat in the SEC and the ACC And as we mentioned when I figured out the audio problem with myself here in the
workout room with the water. With the water here, you get to hang out with those low down dirty cheaters at the University of South Georgia Gainesville campus as they come to the Blessed the Blessed state capital, the state of Florida, Tallahassee for low down dirty cheaters versus Florida State seminoles. As your college coverage kicks off, what has study hall been like? Getting ready for this one? And then we'll go into the individual conferences from there. But
f SU versus the low down dirty cheaters? What are you looking at in this one?
So I'll bring the unbiased approach. But I appreciate that about you because I am sipping out of my North Carolina old school. Had to bring that out.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that weird.
I love that. I was like, I'm definitely drinking out of my North Carolina month. Today we're kicking off college season. But no, the unbiased approach to the broadcasting side, for sure. I'm excited for this game on paper, obviously, Florida State the favorite. Florida's going to come in. They are going to do everything they can to slow this team down. They've made some changes in the off season. There have
been some players that have come in. They have a really good player in the back, Abby Gemma, who's a center back transfer from Notre Dame. She's going to have her hands full. I think there's a lot of unknown but a very good player that against a Florida State attack is going to have to have a good game. But I think it's no secret that the University of Florida comes in and they're really just testing themselves against the cream of the crop.
Early in this game, oh, you know, it was it was great. You know, you started talking about Florida State and then when you mentioned the low down, dirty cheeters, I don't know what happened in my headphones. Everything just kind of went all staticky. And you know, it's just like.
Let's be the sound problem you have, you know.
That's exactly Yeah, And so when you look from thirty thousand feet, you look at the Southeastern Conference and it is that fifteen round heavyweight fight, knockdown, drag out. Okay, it doesn't matter where you are twice on Tuesday, don't care. From thirty thousand feet. As we start the college season looking at the Southeastern Conference, what sticks out in your mind?
I think they came off a really great twenty twenty four year as a conference. So many teams that were very successful got into the NCAA Tournament, so it's a bit of a toss up to see who actually rises to the top. Mississippi State had a great year, so that's one team to watch. Nick Zimmerman's taken over as head coach there. James Armstrong left there to go to Auburn. They they have had great years here recently. Alabama had a bit of an off year, but are always a
team to watch. And then you've got Georgia. So I think all of those, all of those teams have players that are returning that can be really impactful, and the transfer market is huge, a lot of players being brought in, so they kind of beat up on each other. But I think once you get down the road, then that's something that helps them as they go into conference play and then into the NCAA tournament.
Yeah, when Auburn was doing their preseason coaches tour, the boss wanted to go and catch up and see what was going on. And the new head soccer coach was a part of this cavalcade and we got to hear him a little bit and find out what it was like for him to come from Stark, Vegas to the planes and the portal and coming over from and and having foreign transfers coming over as a part of NIL and all that kind of stuff. These are topics that
we will continue to break down as we go. So you know, as you get your notes together for future weeks, it's like, Okay, Nelson, want to talk about this and this and this, all right, so since go ahead and flash the mug. Go ahead, and one more time.
I know I can't hit flash it too often because I covered the league, but you know I had a secret that I went there.
So but but you're an alumna, You're you're showing support for your university by bringing the mug into frame. Early hits on the ACC and obviously what about the the alma. What's sticking in your mind about the ACC this year.
Well, I think there's always an opportunity for some teams to improve themselves, which I think is interesting. But you're looking at your normal teams in my opinion, because of the returners that are coming back. Florida State, for sure, You've got Gianna Riley, You've got Jordan Dudley. You've got Heather Gilchris in the back line who just is a stall war back there. So Florida State looks good reigning ACC champion. Then you've got North Carolina. You you did
lose Evelyn Chores to Angel City this year. North Carolina did just a month ago, but returning players like Kate Fosse, Olivia Tamas who scored in the National Championship Game in Testadella Rows, and some newcomers as well. So I think obviously those two teams people know about and they realize they are going to be good. One team that I know, I think we have a fan on here that's a Clemson Clemson fan, Eddie Radwansky. At Clemson, they had a little bit of a down year last year. They had
lost McKenna Morris to the NWSL. Hal Hirsch felt all these players that have had wonderful NWSL careers and in their second years. I think it's a bounce back year for Clemson. I think that they're going to be much better this year and even more competitive.
All right, so what is the broadcast week for you, Casey? Date? Where are you going to be? What are you doing?
PASSI Florida State versus and off the season? Which is going to be easy. I'm with Jen Hildriff, love working with her. She's going to be great. So that'll be on ESPN with the ACC Network, and then I fly straight to Toronto for MLS regular season. Columbus Crew is going to be heading there for a matchup on Saturday night.
Crew and the DMS. That's going to be really interesting. So, like I said, Tuesday morning, batting leadoff is yours. And wherever you are on the planet, you can dive in nine ten, nine point fifteen if I figure out sound issues and computers and things like that. So Casey, you can bat lead off on Tuesdays and discuss whatever you want when it comes to college and pro and where you've been and where you going all that kind of stuff.
This is yours. Let's consider this. Let's consider this whistle blowing and the kickoff for you betting lead off on Tuesdays. Fantastic to have you with us to cover all the stuff that you do. Enjoy your your downtime in quotation marks and nay, give Jen our best and we'll catch up with you next week.
So thank you so much, appreciate it.
There it goes Casey D. And so Casey has survived her segment with us.