MLSSoccer.com's Dylan Butler Joins SDH 12/4/24: MLS Cup Preview

All right, So there goes Tyler, So Dylan, coconut mocha. Yeah, your name.

Flavor generally yay.

I'm not like a plain coffee drinker. Guy, I would try it, but not it wouldn't be in my like, like hazelnut is probably my one or one be with French vanilla. I would go a caramel m I'd have to probably go pretty far down the pecking order to get.

To coconut moca. But I do I listen respect.

Okay, Hey, look, I'm not like it like I'm with Jared. I'm not a coffee drinking person. But if you want to go down those.

Roads, have your different flavors of mountain do though?

But but are okay? So all right, So here's here's the deal with that. Once they strayed from the original, and I'm including diet in there, they have diluted their market share by themselves. And the rest of the flavors are awful. It is original for me or nothing, high calorie for me or nothing. The rest of them stink. They're horrendous. I can't linkeen that word out to any more syllables than I can horrendous.

So you're telling me I'm wasting my time whenever I like send you in the production chat like random Mountain dews that I find at the sword and then try them to find out that they're generally not very good.

Correct, he will not do those dudes?

No, I will not.

I do I do the du for him so he doesn't have to do the du.

Yes, absolutely true, it is No, I can't do it. I just simply can't.

My digestive system was built growing up in the nineties and early two thousands on cheap taco bell and then cook out. Eventually, like mount it is not going to do Jack squat to whatever is like whatever's left to my like internal system. It's I have absolutely obliterated it with bad fast food over the years. It's it's it's desensitized at this point to bad mountain dew.

I do well. I mean it's look, everything is desensitized to me. I just know that that when you try and float a different flavor to me and there's actually another new flavor and another new food coloring that that I saw recently. I think it was like some pineapple cloase. It was it was some pineapple mango garbage that they're

With and I don't know, maybe it's been controversial.

I'm not sure, but I'm like that with uh with Chick fil A, Like just give me the og, correct, Like it's great, I don't need the harbor there what Like I don't need you know, do you want the de Latino man?

Just just the og? Do you need? No, I don't eat sauce or anything.

Correct, Yeah, just normal because I I when I were at the school I went to for high school, like there was always there were teachers in the hallways growing up in Metro Atlanta selling like coolers full of Chick fil A chicken biscuits every morning, Like everybody went to Chick fil A for breakfast and or lunch at different points. Like it's just it's to the point now for me personally, at thirty five years old, I Chick fil A is a low down on my list of things I want to do because I got.

Burned out by it. From having it for the last however many years. It's because it popped up on every quarter.

It's a newish, it's newish in the Northeast.

Yeah, and I think it's perfect. I think it's perfect for y'all that y'all get to experience this. Are the people in the Northeast Chick fil as as like unsettlingly kind as they are down here, Like the people behind.

The counter, Yeah, like it has to.

And it's funny because like they'll have these kids, you know, come out and take your orders in the in the drive through, like you're not You're not getting it at the window, like they're they're meeting you before the window and it's like cold outside, and like they're like, Hi, I think you order. I'm like you if I just feel bad for them, I'm like my inner dad comes out.

I'm like, go get warm, go.

Yes, Why don't you have a bigger jacket on?

What's wrong with you? Hear it?

You're gonna catch your deathicult?

Yes, exactly, because like the contrast for me is like we'll go to chick you go to Chick fil A. I'll get my my daughter loves chicken minies. I'll get them like on Saturday morning and so like we'll get those this a great like everyone here is so unfailingly kind on Saturday morning when no one really needs to awake or nice.

Yeah, I feel like it must be like part like it's uh, it's almost like when you know, you go to basic training for the Marines, right, and like they break you down and then they build you up.

Like it must be something like that with Chick fil a, where where like they tear.

Down the usual sort of blondness or whatever that you're bringing, you know, and especially New York, you know, like that edge or that attitude and they and they cut that away and they and they make you this nice robot.

Well, well, is it ben or the point that I just made on X because Alex says they aren't local kids, they're exported from the South. Is it kind of like being on It isn't the accents?

I don't.

Is it like being on Mormon mission?

Yeah?

Maybe?

Well but this is this is the argument that I had, Like.

I don't know if you do on Sundays, So yeah, that's.

That's when the indoctrination classes are y. I had this argument yes to day on X with somebody that I'm a firm believer that we should export waffle House to the rest of the planet. And when we do so, like, hey, do you all want to move to another country? Because if we put waffle house like in Europe, what we're gonna need to do there is we're gonna need to bring people from the South to run set waffle house

That's all.

I'm fairly certain that's all part of the new with the with the new leadership coming in in January, I think that's all part of the world domination is to just get waffle houses into different countries and see and and you know, suddenly you're you're a believer, you're a follower.

That would be amazing if that would be.

But the best contrast is still you go to chickil A, everyone's so nice. You go across the street to a Popeyes and it's just a level of hostility that you didn't know existed outside of a very uncomfortable things giving dinner.

Correct. See, this is this is this is what you get into with with all these different fast food restaurants. You have to navigate the tone and the tenor going into the building. But no, I completely understand.

We're all not not too far from Dylan Butler estates.

Yeah, oh that's sorry. Aren't you having a groundbreaking.

I am yeah. I let them do it today. It's too cold for me to be out there, so.

They can they can decide to get through the frozen grounds.

That is outside.

But uh, not too far from there. In Jackson Heights, there used to be a white Castle, right, No, exactly right, that's everyone's. They got rid of it and they put in a Popeyes.

Oh no, no, no, no.

The Popeyes is directly aross His Street from a KFC, like on two sides of Northern Boulevard. And it's not even like it's like four lanes of traffic each way. It's like two lanes, two lanes, KFC on one side, Popeyes on the other where White Castle.

Used to be.

Man, I know, oh boy, what's the mug this morning? By the way, blessed. Okay, he's blessed to have a groundbreaking this morning. Yeah, and I've never.

Had a white castle because we always had with down here was crystal, which is taking your it's taking your life in your own hands to eat a crystal or any.

Given for white castle.

But I've heard it's better like that. It's somehow something they're doing different and better. That's just what I was always told. It's like they're, oh, if you like crystal, you'd love white Castle. It's like the same, like actually it's better.

Well, and it's all so different because when you go to white Castle, you can actually have an A one white Castle, where you can't have an A one crystal. They literally have no no, it's like literally what they do is you have your standard white Castle burger, but you have a one sauce on it. Oh okay mustard. Yeah. So that's just.

Someone a friend of mine. He uh.

I don't know how deeply he went into this, but he was like, you know what what makes you not feel well after eating white castles is.

Is their ketchup.

Like you ask for it without ketchup and even just get a ketchup packet if you wanted, because that way, it's not like the big jug of.

Ketchup or something. He was trying to explain some sort of chemistry.

Well, and I could, because that ketchup is is out in the air in the environment, and it's it's room temperature, and it's out there for an elongated period of time. I get that. So no, I understand, I understand where that's coming from. But yeah, when I would go to the southernmost white castle in the UNI the States, in Murphreysboro, Tennessee, on my way to Middle Tennessee State, or on my way to Nashville, you peel off. It's right off of the interstate. You go and you get an A one.

Yet hey, there's also yo, there's a there's an MLS Cup final this week.

I've heard it is That's what I've heard that is not involving Messi and Friends, and it drives people crazy when we mentioned that that particular club, although they did name their new head coach and Javier Mascherano, who admitted that he had taken the job once before and then backed out. Uh so Messi and Friends have a new

Can vnch like the easy answer would be Royce, but he also is not healthy, So I would say you're more likely. Like if I were to put a shilling or a shekel on it, I would say Diego Fagundez is in the eleven. He's filled in for Pooch before, has done a great job. MLS veteran, has been on this stage before. He will not be rattled by the situation. Look, he's not Ricky, right, nobody else is.

But I think he would do a solid job in that role.

And with Red Bulls. The what we talked about with Tyler in the hour number one when we actually did talk soccer had to do with the idea that they are different with Emil Forsburg than without and mil Forsburg and this is this is a much sounder, well rounded, more offensively based club with Emil Forsburg kind of turning the screws than when they don't have him. You've got to see the different Red Bulls with him, yeah than without it. Yeah.

And I think it's a combination, right, It's it's Forstburg in slight tweak tactically in the back, right like with the five or the three center backs if you will, and then the two wing backs they'll push up and they'll press, but also they've become a lot more more direct in the sense where you know they're getting it out right away, which is more kind of we're used

Right.

He also is a guy you know what do we associate most with Red bull soccer, right, like just one hundred miles an hour like NASCAR car crashes.

Right.

Yeah, he's the guy who will put his foot on the brake and he'll put his foot on the ball and slow it down when it needs to be slowed down too.

So yeah, he's he's that guy.

He's the guy the fans clamored for for the front office to finally spend some money in the offseason.

They did that. And another guy he won't be rattled by.

The situation, right, Like he's played in World Cups, he's played on Champions League nights with with the beautiful music playing.

He's he's you know, he's done it all. He's played in the boond.

This league obviously at a high level, So I think a great moment for him for sure. But yeah, if Red Bulls are to do anything in this, Forsburg is going to be involved somehow, Right, He's going to play a big ball forward, He's gonna hit a free kick, He's he's gonna play a factor should the Red Bulls pull the upset.

And I know we'll get more into what La does what La is doing at given a moment, but I want to ask you about because it is your turf up there in New York, about Sandro Schwartz and not just getting them to this point of getting them to a Cup final, but the changes that were, you know, not just on the field, but like culturally that may have happened in the last year when Sandro Sports comes in takes over this squad and kind of it seems like they're more evolved in the way they played that

But you know you talked about Forstsberg.

Giving them, giving them that out of dimension of being that that game breaking player. But it feels from a distance like Sandro sports helped also kind of change the culture a bit and get things moving in the right direction for that club.

Yeah, And I think to what he's done, maybe better than others before him, is he's given a clear plan B, right, or even a plan C like I mentioned right, Like they've gone the three in the back now, like, so they played one way at the start of the year wasn't working right, So maybe in other iterations of the Red Bulls, you're like, we gotta keep going. It's gonna it's gonna work eventually, right, And they weren't maybe comfortable

A trucker hat.

Yes, oh yes, dude, when's the last time that has happened?

Right?

Like, coaches with trucker hats are met now one to o in Eastern Conference finals.

I legitimately no, I thought it was. I legitimately thought it was a von Dutch litt I legitimately did.

That was so awesome.

And it turns out that it's an Adidas hat. Yeah, Adidas is making trucker hats for people. Loved it, Adidas, What have you done with Adidas catering to the trucker hat element of us?

All I want to I want to bring in sort of like this over arching, big, sort of overlooking thing here in the final, which which I thought, at least I.

Don't know, was interesting. Maybe you guys won't.

But so two MLS originals right on either side of the two coasts. Both had a noisy neighbor come into town.

Right. Both of those noisy neighbors then.

Played uh better than the originals, right, and and they got like, you know, there's a lot of people who were Red Boat fans who were who were just disenfranchised. They were like, we're done, Like these guys are, you know, and they went to become ny CFC fans, and the and the l a f C comes in, you know, Vala they're playing uh sexy football and n y CFC is doing their thing. They're inside the city. L a f C are inside the city. These other two teams are in the suburbs. And they both went MLS cups.

Right.

So now both of these clubs, these MLS originals, are like, Christ, what we got to do something here, Like we've got to We've got to you know, become that team again in our area. And that's kind of like what we're seeing here. Obviously l a f C going for a record six MLS title and Red Bulls looking for their first. But I thought it was kind of interesting the you know, the journey I.

Guess if you will.

Off the field or I guess on the field, as well, but just you know, for the hearts and minds kind of thing in their respective areas.

It almost sounds like a story that could be written almost for a website. Maybe you mentioned we talked about the injury situation with la g and who's probably going to have to be focused on so they can function, and who the subs would be Below the radar for Red Bulls. I know we all sit there and the shiny object is Emil Forsberg. For you, who do we need to focus on to determine sustained success in MLS Cup for Red Bulls Outside of a mil Forsburg, who else would it be?

Yeah, I mean, uh, I think, like I think the midfield is going to be really interesting. I think I think a Daniel Edelman is gonna is gonna have to to run of socks off in the midfield and and and really you know, help win a lot of those balls in the midfield and and break up you know, the best the best attack in MLS, right we could say it, or certainly in the postseason and they then they showed during the regular season obviously too. But I

Uh.

They it's like.

Super super old school, like you would expect some of the come out and roller skates to deliver your order, you know, like you would expect. I mean, it's not like a diner. Like it's not like the Fonds is in there like hitting the jukebox, but it's it has that kind of a vibe of the shake and the and the burger. Great place right in the middle of Massapequa. And uh and ayah, the Nilas boys will both be also very very busy defensively again trying to slow down this vaunted lag attack.

Well, I think all the Nilas brothers have to do is just stand still and turn into human roadblocks, bounce off a k A be normal. Yeah, because they are. They are the two most frustrating individuals that you could have on the field if you're Sandro Schwartz, because they don't just go up to the edge. They go over the edge. And then they'll stare at Guido Gonzalez and sit there and go, You're gonna do something about it. That's just how they're wired. And I think that that's

Listen, you you're you're behind in your bills, all right, like you owe us, you owe us a few.

You don't want the Needlas boys coming.

Now. One of those has the has the old wooden Louisville slugger and he's sitting there and he happened on the other hand, you know, but I mean.

They had the leather jackets on, absolutely true.

Yes, And they're the two guys that are sitting there and they're doing this and you're hearing drop Kick Murphy's in the background. You know they're they're they're they're gonna drive you crazy and force you into and they're gonna force Giego Gonzales into a decision about Okay, do I Card? Do I let it go? I think that that's another subplot in this where's the line? How does how does Gito ride the line? And because you don't want Cards

I think that's a fair shout and and I think though.

If I'm red Bull, like, I'm not as worry about them and and they're enforceer physical nature. I'm more worried about Reyes and that in that grouping because like the Neelas Boys will toe the line, I think, you know, like they'll they'll show the bat like you're saying, hey, and Reyes will take it out of their hands and just hit someone in the ankles with it.

So ow uh, Jared, what else is on your mind for Dylan? As we preview MLS Cup and that Dennila's Boys and leather jackets and baseball bats and everything.

Honestly, Ray, this was gonna be the next thing because like if you told me, we get another game where it's we're watching like Reyes probably shouldn't he should probably have three or three or four yellow cards by now, and then.

Ah, he just scored aheader. That's fun.

If we get another one of.

Those games, I wouldn't be surprised.

But it's something that we talk about a lot doing it these kind of games, in playoff games in general, but especially a game like this is a cup final. The longer it goes scoreless, who breaks first? And you know, I would tell you I'm interested to see who handles their business psychologically with a tight game late.

Yeah, And you know what I if it wasn't for what we just saw last weekend, I would have said, that's advantage Red Bull. But look at Lag just did against Seattle.

Right.

Seattle played that right, They played that perfectly like it was scoreless for as long as it was. And then the eighty fifth in it, you know, Pooch with one meniscus play is that ball?

Right?

And and Joe Lych puts it away. So I think if you're lag, you're like, we just saw this. So if we get into the second half and it's scoreless, if we're frustrated that we're missing our chances, we're frustrated that there's a ton of fout like they were just in this game. So I think being at home and having played that, I think that's an advantage for them.

Groundhog Day. Yeah, literally, it's like all the way.

I was there the last time, the only time the Red Bulls were in MLS cup oo. Yeah, I was covering them for MLS Soccer dot Com and that. And it's funny because like you get MLS, I feel like more than any other sport, right, Like it's interesting. It's still a young league obviously, right, it's twenty nine years old, but you get fans who pop in at certain moments, you know, and and they don't I guess now you

You know? Probably not right like or Walter you know Peyton you know, like.

Oh see you got to know who you do.

But you probably don't write if you're like a new or a fan.

So uh.

So you maybe don't realize their journey that they had in two thousand and eight. But they had to they had to make the playoffs. On the last day of the regular season, they had to go. They were put on the Western Conference side.

As the best explain to people how that happened.

Yeah, that's well, that's hard to explain, but true.

Then they take on a Dynamo team, so this year they played the Crew who were the defending champions. Right, that was a two time defending Dynamo team, right, like the height of the uh and it was.

A kg first match. Uh And then I was there.

In Houston, like at at Robertson Stadium and John Wollneyack scores late does the thriller dance like it was insane, like the one at the time, You're like, that's the biggest upset.

Maybe that could have been.

Right.

Then they go to Real Salt Lake. They get an early goal from Dave Vandenberg and then Real salt Lake I think might have hit twenty seven posts and by the way, freezing that night at uh in in Sandy.

I'm shocked.

And then suddenly you know, boom, they're an MLS cupuh. And on the other side is Siggi Schmidt and Columbus crew who won the Shield, who had never won Cup. It was, you know, obviously Red Bull fans like, this is it, this is our moment. We've been waiting, not nearly as long.

As they've been waiting now, but they were waiting.

And then yeah, that Cup final obviously didn't go their way. But that was also at at I think at the time it was the Home Depot Center. Yeah, they've gone through numerous name changes there, but I think it was Home Depot.

Center at the time. It was funny. I stayed out west like it was like Salt Lake was like a Saturday, and then a lot of the availability started like on a Wednesday, and I'm like, oh, cross country home, do I just stay out here?

So I just I didn't go to La early. I just stayed out in Salt Lake. Actually got to hang out a.

Little bit with my boy Chris Winger uh and had a meal with him and Beckerman, and it was it was fun.

It was cool, but I I didn't like, I don't think I I don't think I uh packed for l A like I packed for so like I had to do some shopping out in LA which you know, not the worst place I guess in the world to go.

Well, the further away you go from downtown and you actually can have you know, like the outlet mall and Carson where you can actually pay for things and not go bankrupt shop for things. I think that's pretty much it. What are your broadcast observement observement plans for the last game of the year in Major League Soccer?

Yeah, I'm on I'm on the desk, so working working MLS desk, and uh, you know, just hoping for a great final. Obviously, you know, we've been treated some pretty good ones these last few years.

You know, do style doesn't? Do styles make the fight in this one? Obviously two very very different styles.

You hope it does.

But yeah, you know, in a year where everyone thought MESSI would be in it, any year that everyone maybe thought, you know, maybe the Crew would out last Messy and maybe LAFC would take on the Crew. Again, it's not the final that a lot of people maybe thought it would be or hoped it would be. But you know, I think I let's hope it's a you.

Know, a really good final. So I will be on the desk among others Saturday afternoon.

All right, So that means that you get to come back this time next week and we'll talk about the last game of the regular season in Major League Soccer, senior superlatives, and anything else that comes to mind. It was great to see you, my friend. I know that things finally get the chance to slow down to a dull roar when it came to.

The Yeah, football season at least for us is done and we're getting inside to hoops. What is today the fourth? Eleven days from now, I got my first.

Broadcast okay, so Varsity Media on the youtubes in eleven days starting on twelve Dash one to five Dash two four. So it's always great to see my friend. Continue to be blessed and we will catch up with you as you deserve. From afar your groundbreaking over a Dylan Butler estates for the undersized, fully automated live work play environment that is going to be the new home of NYCFC.

That's it.