Soccer Down Here 10/4/24: Freestyle Friday, Michael Parkhurst, Tyler Pilgrim Joins

How about now there we go. This is what happens, and this is Opening Kickoff. Thank you, Ricky. By the way, this is what happens when you have when your computer allegedly nothing like the first three minutes of the show, just completely going. All right, So anyway, this is what happens when you have a computer. Well, yeah, better be good now, Okay, so I tell you what, here's what I'm gonna do since you heard me, and I'm just gonna go ahead. I'm gonna go ahead and do this

Okay, we got a lot of news.

We'll get into news leading into hopefully our friends from Beyond Goals entering if they can join us at nine thirty, because I know that Greg and Kap are two of the busiest men of the planet, and we will see, if you know, if Vegan come and join us, and we'll see what's going on with them at nine to thirty ten o'clock as we can whip run patent pending trademark coming center hopefully rather than later, and then we'll that's all the weekend preview stuff, and we'll get into

Guest because of Wednesday being Wednesday.

So yeah, that's our number two, getting you ready for the weekend Major League Soccer, Landy and I and all that kind of stuff. I have the anticipation that we're going long, but that's just me. Later today, if you've missed it, you're gonna have the programming that we traditionally have on Fridays, the USL Championship League One, MLS Next

Score for them.

We get to hang out with them and find out what's going on with Mark Bino, who scored eight goals so far this season for them. With their three to one and one starting a very very tough division in the premiere side. On the upsl SO poltrosays a big matchup this weekend. After this weekend they get five of the next six at home at Marietta High School. So potro SEFC conversation coming up later today. Mars Hill audio

Next week.

I'm looking to expand that to the high school ranks because of soccer being in session and there's some folks as we've discussed that that swath that Helene cut through the swamp in Georgia, Southeast Georgia into the Carolinas, up and out the Carolinas. The high school ranks, we got to catch up with them too, because while it is American football season, it's a little it's you know, obviously it's a deeper conversation than that.

So we'll start catching up with folks on the high school side.

Jeff Davis is a school that I know through the American football side of things got hit really hard the town of Hazelhurst. Will start there and work our way up the path and we'll catch up with friends at Georgian and we'll have those conversations either live on the air or as soccer's in session, catchups as we go.

So there's all of that.

So conversation with potros all of our weekly stuff, Mars Hill audio coming up, and all of the different things that are there. So that is what I think is what's going on this morning after having live trouble Shot live, Trouble Shot, Troubleshot live. Man, I'm speaking English very goodly this morning.

So all of that.

Oh No, Alex, POTROSEFC in the UPSL has Marietta High School as their home field this season, and I don't know if it's north Cut or if it's the actual campus. So POTROFC in the UPSL, in the Premier Georgia Division, that's where their home is. After this week they have five of their next six they're at Marietta High School. Like I said, I don't know if that means north Cut or if that means the high school high school, the new high school a couple of years old, but

I know.

The breaking news is just stunning everybody that the Miami CLEB World Cup rubbing the wrong way totally expected as much in FIFA as a justifiable reason with the sh Yeah sure, but I mean we knew and we've been talking about this for a long time that Team thirty two, however you wanted to phrase it, if it wasn't going to be messy and friends and something something right, because you've got to draw eyeballs in when you don't have a TV partner yet, when you don't have international TV partners,

And we talked about this before.

Legitimately, if there is a team that makes a like let's say there's a team that makes a run out of laye eight. I mean, Seattle's in because of what they've done in Conker caff in years past. Somebody makes a run out of lane eight, somebody, you know, let's let's see who who's north of the playoff bar out

Interesting, go ahead and report them. That was the other thing.

I was like, I had to reset passwords to everything this morning because I can't remember what the passwords are and then you try to log in with an old password that it says, no, that's not your password, and I'm like, the hell it's not and they have to go back through and reset everything.

So that was a pain.

But anyway, I mean literally Georgia Mahalovich, Messi, Messi and friends, and there's Louis Suarez news also about Bielsa and interactions there that would probably will get into this morning. There's news out of the NWSL, and it's heavy and it's stuff that we got to get into, obviously with the NWSL involving Angel City one and involving Rory Daines. So there's headlines there that we've got to get into. And let's see. So there's that. Where are my notes? Oh,

Quote.

Bielsa gives a conference and talks wonderful things about people, and in New York there was a day when he asked us not to stop to greet people, and I stood up and told him that we were going to greet people anyway, he said. Sares has since retired, playing his final match September six. Sare said I had a five minute chat with Beelsa, speaking as a group leader, and at the end he only replied, thank you very much.

With this firecracker. I don't know what.

Hey, there's a room of assembled people next to where I am, and I have an access point. If I were to open a door, it's like door opens. Oh, firecracker, you light the firecracker. There's only a certain amount of time where you really can make an informed decision in your own brain.

Of what to do with said firecracker in that timeframe.

So yeah, literally, as Widespread Panics said with their live album titled The Light Fuse Back Away. So Roberto Alvarado decides, apparently possibly probably okay, firecracker, unlighted door, other side of door, press room, lights firecracker. I have X number of seconds to decide what to do. Oh open door, jettison firecracker into room with assembol journalists. So I mean, obviously the

What to do.

You're not going to keep that firecracker, throw it up into the air and have it go on off in the player's locker room, I don't think. I mean, unless you just want to sit there and this will be funny, you throw it up in the air or something. But you make a conscious decision apparently to throw a lighted firecracker into an adjoining room where a door has to be opened, and you take the firecracker choice.

I mean literally, the choice is one of two things.

Well, I mean, but you know four card yeah, four card members in twenty twenty when I wanted to bring fireworks into the Benz. Actually the Benz has their own fireworks now that they launch from a pie and send down low. But I mean, if you think about this process, and I'm trying to just work through in my head what Roberto Alvarado is processing here, I'm trying to follow

You know what that means.

It's time for our buddy Michael Parker is to find out what's going on with our friends at Beyond Goals Minnering and maybe.

Lighted firecrackers too. Here's the special intro.

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 a 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.

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 apologize 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 uh 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 in this go round of Have I ever have I? Have you ever been with a team 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

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, I had a goalie teammate once Eastern European guy, and he showed up at one of our teammate's house. They got into it on the field and he showed up to his house later on the later on in the day with a baseball bat.

Right, who.

Tell them 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 it? 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, you, dude, made conscious decision A, and you carry it back one further You carry back one further step than I did.

Literally, 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 are mediate people on the other side of that door.

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.

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 or not, and it should be a little bit more curated to the individual based on some things. But we know that

Unstill proved otherwise. You assume they have.

Your best interests 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

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 they 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,

The other players.

So 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 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. If we're giving up four goals, so we're gonna 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 Leandro 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 wing back on the other side hang out every now and then. They're 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

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 cart. You want to say it's like yes or yes or yes sir, you know right at it, Reno, we're gonna do it.

We're going to do it.

And then'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.

No, it won't. 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 are certain situations where it was like, Okay, hey, guys, we're going to step up to midfield and have the goaliekicked 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 long 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 going to kick this long for a minute. It's just I'm going to go that way and I'm going to catch my breath for a second.

Uh.

General generationally, and this is something that you've been kind of alluding to here in our conversation this morning.

Are 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

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

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 the ego of that coach plays into this too. It's like, well, I have this dossier of success in my brain and I've won you know, I've won this trophy. You know, I've won this miscongeniality trophy for finishing third in 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 Power's about to say superior

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.

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 of the game into a better way. But yeah, no, I mean anytime, the best 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

Hey, Dad, I think I should take the car out this weekend. Yeah, and yes, I hear you. I understand

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 stadiums eyes 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. Uh 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

Well, well, Bart's like, yeah, by a score.

Of 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 Jesse Marsh's phone number.

In your in your rolodex?

I use too, because you know, going from say Toronto and the sponsored stewardship that the 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 at Pratt and Whitney, so you know, playing playing in Connecticut is not something completely and totally foreign to Toronto FC.

Know, something like that, 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 mogul and training and figure out how to get kind of on the show.

It would the Perkers 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 tur fields are aren't in the best condition.

And they make it challenging right to Detroit's one of those, and yes, in 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 U 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

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 they're 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 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 entering 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 lot of the stuff Greg and I come up with ourselves. We do have a marketing group that we 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 they'll spruce it up from there.

Guys, I was going to say, when it comes to finding your voice, when it comes to writing, how how are you and finding your voice?

I'm good. I've always enjoyed writing.

I actually, 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 post seasons, what to do, how to improve all those kinds of things. Uh, and we'll just keep riding on rock and roll and

Thanks for having me, John having every weekend you too.

That's some guy named Michael Parker. He's a he's a mogul in training. By the way, it is ten o'clock and so it's after all, technically it's ten oh one. And so I'm gonna bring in Tyler since I was, you know, since Tyler, since I was like all of the four winds. On Wednesday, your traditional visit ended up going by the wayside. And so you have graciously after I commandeered you and hog tied you in the midweek Wednesday night to figure out, you know, can.

You come on on Friday?

And you're like, yes, sure, and so your Wednesday has turned into a Friday this week.

Yeah, and I once again get to follow up from Michael Parker her So you know, not like big shoes or anything.

Oh but I mean there's nothing wrong with bat and fifth, you know, if you're if you're, if if he's, if he's your cleanup hit.

Her, then hey, I'm swinging for the fences. I don't care.

Yeah, so it's all good.

So, uh, the same question for you, do shield winners get championship rings? Who cares? Four Card says it's a serving tray.

It is. It literally is like the Captain America Shield, you know.

Yeah, Uh, Miami fans may never get to hold it because none of their supporters groups are members of the i C. I heard about that. Yeah, four supporters groups and none of them are part of the I s C. So that's uh that that got a big harumph from a lot of folks coming in this week, you and the folks that scarves and spikes. You guys have had a busy week. It's like you're on, you're off, you're on, it's a game day, You're on, you're off. You're all

Oh, what's the mug and what's in it?

By the way, I was gonna say, that's actually what the coffee's for, you know, So mug, scarves and spikes smug.

At a excellent plug, nicely done.

So I don't know, I just you know, I normally don't drink coffee actually with sugar anymore. Like I stopped a while back, threw some sugar in here this morning, just just for that extra little kick, Okay, to help get me through the week.

Okay, Okay, I'm I'm down with opp I mean, I'm there and so I completely understand what's going on now that you've had a couple of days to kind of digest everything. What's been the what's been the vibe other than disappointment slash anger slash consternation from everybody that's been watching and listening and hanging out with you guys at sns AM. I pretty much there when it comes to all of the the emotional curves that are there for Atlanta United followers, fans, et cetera.

Yeah, I think folks are just disappointed. The locker room I think echoed that sentiment a lot, and it was just it was one of those things where you know you have hope until you can't anymore, and right now, I mean, yeah, mathematically there is still a possibility, but don't ask me to do the math, but I think it's down there below five percent.

Yeah, But I mean, hey, you sit there and you still go and until until you don't go, Then did you just keep trying to to plug away at it? Because pretty much every result ahead of you didn't hurt you. Short of the Montreal giving themselves some space in the eight, everybody else didn't do what they needed to do to solidify a space going forward here into either two or three or one match to go in the twenty twenty

Yeah, And I think that's what's so frustrating is you just didn't help yourself out, right, like you're at home. I get that. It's Joseph, And I will say, like, if anybody's going to knock Atlanta or all butt knock Atlanta out of the playoffs, it's only fitting and slightly poetic and whatever other words you want to put in here, that is Joseph Martinez. Also, for all the people that showed up to the bins that day, I'm glad you got to see Joseph scoring the bins and not somebody random.

Well, I mean, you run out of things to say. You know, it's like if things continue to go on and on and on, Uh, you know, what what is it that what is it that they say, uh, you know, having to do with repeated results, doing the same thing over and over again and anticipating a different result.

Is something in there that's like, you know, it doesn't happen or whatever.

The definition of insanity.

Thank you, definition of in saying doing something over and over again and anticipating a different result. Alex he says, y'all are a bunch of sickos, Sico's committee, no desira or preference for Joseph to be the one to score. I mean there there are those. And Joseph, to his credit, this time did not celebrate. Last time out he celebrated, and I would thought that that would have stuck with a lot of folks that he celebrated last time he

Can I bring you a latte?

Yes?

Can I bring you a Latte for mister Beckham, Sir, you know, one of the it was it was a different it was a different Joseph Joseph vibe. But I mean it was, like I said, it was a different Joseph vibe. And for Joseph to possibly be the one to take your to take your point and go one hundred and eighty degrees with it, For Joseph to end up being the one that might be the individual that knocks Atlanta out when they when you needed a result, the irony there lost on a lot of folks.

Yeah, absolutely, and I think maybe it eases the blow a little bit. But it's one of those things where the team has had opportunities, they've had control of their own destiny. Now, you know, for a while, I mean obviously you could say that about every team to the whole season, but as it got closer to the end of the season, things were looking somewhat probable that you still made the playoffs. You just had to win a few games, right, and you just haven't been able to

Uh, and David to the point and Bart your comment, I do want to circle back to as a part of this, David says, uh failing to finish chances early being something that dooms them late. Saba miss off the post falls in the category Joseph gets his bad angle touch and Saba misses. So but there were chances for Atlanta United, and this is something that's occurred all season long.

Okay, here, here, here, here, and here, and it will be a.

Laundry list of missed opportunities for the club in from the ball in the back of the net this season.

Yeah, and you know, Saba specifically has got to be the unluckiest guy on the planet. Like I put up a meme or a gift during the middle of the match after he hit the crossbar again or the would work again, and it was just like, you know, Saba and the woodwork they just hate each other like they

Way and you have leads that are lost giving up the first goal once again, tell me if you've heard this before, you get to you give up the first goal, you come back and fight, and then something else happens. It either ends up being a draw or it ends up being a win the other way. So there are a lot of different things, and the post mortem and the analysis of this season, whenever it ends, it's going to have a lot of these these topics that are

You're gonna need to You're gonna need to get you need like round two.

I'm sure.

Yeah.

Sticking up for teammates, that is something I think that uh and being there as a part of a collective, I think that is going to be something that a lot of folks inside the Children's Health Care of Atlanta training ground, inside that locker room, outside those of us that cover it and watch it on a daily basis. Being there for your teammates, I think it is going to be something that that will be thought of and heartfelt and thought about a lot in the postseason and then the offseason.

That it's a culture thing in a way, like unless you're being explicitly told not to, you know, go potentially get a yellow or or whatever, there's no reason to not go in on some of the some of the players that have put in these really bad challenges lately. And yeah, I mean Pedromedor is like the most egregious one.

Day.

Yeah, but like show some a hole at some.

Point, like testicular fortitude.

Yes, yes, absolutely, and and and show the fans like you're at home. You're at home, and you're not playing well at home like much less away. You got to give the fans something to hold onto. And I've been saying that for for a while now, like with the front office and the way things are going, like fans

Well, there's only so much that a coach in any situation like that can do. You can you and your staff can get a team prepared for a match that is as important as these matches are and then when the team goes out and does not perform and match the level of expectation, self expectation, and the level that you know, they feel that they should be meeting if they're going to be chasing after you know, three points, playoff spot, all those kinds of factors, then there's only

So there's only so much that a coach can do.

Ultimately, it comes down to the players and their performance on the field on it on a game by game basis.

Yeah, And I think that's what's really really frustrating from the players perspective, and then of course from the fans because you see, like you know, up in the the stands, you watch the team play lately especially and now it

Doug Robertson of the AJAC is saying that he does not see Shanda Silva out at practice this morning getting ready for Red Bulls coming up this weekend for the last home match of the season for Atlanda United. David's fan impression mostly frustration, belief we certainly should be getting more out of the group than we do. It's not they're just bad, but more we're flat or just finding

It takes.

It takes growing back into the situation because of the lingering issues that are attached to an injury, the you know, the probably the internal concern that you have as an athlete about getting back to form, not wanting to press, but you feel like you have to press, and you know, help out your team. All these different kinds of things that are there. Uh, Bart, let me get to Bart's point. Bart wants to know if he's a bad fan by

Be the eighth seed.

As Jared has said and has mentioned to everybody here repeatedly. Stanley Cup champion twenty twelve Los Angeles Kings, eight seed and got a keeper, got a goalie and Jonathan Quick that was on a heater and it was four four four. Beat the Rangers win a Stanley Cup. You don't know

What about you?

I mean, I don't. I don't think you're a bad fan.

Bart.

I don't because there are thousands of other people that feel the same way you do. I think what like what John is saying, Absolutely, you you have to try to get in and just see where it goes, because that is the one, you know, positive or negative depending on who you ask about MLS. It's a different playoff format. It's an American playoff format, and so there is always that very very small belief that you can get in

The next one.

It has been for a while.

I mean it should have been. It should have been, but like it just feels like that message is not like you would think that if if the players really felt that, then you wouldn't be having the same mistakes and that the same thing's going on that you have right now. And I mean, I know, I know it's a hard place for the players because I know they're trying. I'm like, I've come on here and I've tried to make sure that is understood and i know y'all have

And I think that a part of this, and this is something that we've talked about a lot here is the youth that is available to Atlanta United, whether it's two's cup of coffee. Players have been first team, second team, you have the academy guys that are that are growing, and we'll have another season under their belt. There's a lot of promise and and bart to your point about extra practice as substitute players and players who've proven who

I did not know that this entire time, I've not known that that was a piano sitting.

Yeah, the boss, the boss plays piano. Okay, so all right, so let's take a peek at this. Effrian Morales, Aiden Torres Noah cop and I'm just literally I'm just running

See.

So that's why we ran through that list of a lot of dudes who are in the pipeline and are common I want to see how they interact with the first team. I mean, go back to behind the stripes and was it the second episode was the Cincinnati loss?

Yep?

Who was it that spoke up Dax and Noah Cobb? Yep, that's what you're staring at. H. So that's what I'm looking at with these extra reps and these extra practices. Get me in is a nine and show me what you can do. I want those extra reps period. That's why.

Yeah.

And it's like I said, does that make sense?

Did that make any sense?

No?

One hundred percent. And I think, you know, I think the argument is always going to be, well, they've had all season, which I get, but at the end of the day, like all those guys that you named, they can't have enough reps, especially the ones that have done so well when this year, which is really all of them, if if we're being honest, I mean, there really isn't a guy with the twos that has come up and put in first teen minutes that hasn't done pretty well.

Go to the Open Cup game against Charleston, Yeah, shining example, Go watch that and that rotated side that was in there the gut the win in Charleston in a gut check game.

All the names that were attached to that win.

Yeah, absolutely, and you know that was an interesting one as well. But I remember I was, uh because I was actually there getting destroyed by the sand.

Natural yes, and the sun.

Yeah yeah, but Jay Fortune was injured at the time and he was sitting right in front of me, and uh, the relationship in the chemistry that he had, you know, cheering on the guys that he's put in time with with the twos and just being around that group was refreshing. And that it's just it's another thing, and going back to what we talked about earlier, it is something that

Then Bart's like, got it. So we need extra reps for all the players who aren't actually on the team. So the first team players who've proven they're not good enough, can pretend they've achieved a goal of the playoffs. Bart's on fire this morning. I would look play until you can't play anymore. If that means that you don't get into a postseason, you've done what you've done, you don't get in, you don't get in. You play until you

And I mean, I think Garth is a smart enough

Hi.

Jared thy Cholcome Tyler and I are discussing the idea of playing until you can't places the more and if it turns into the idea of getting a lot of the folks that we've seen, either at the academy level or at the twos level, getting them to continue to interact with the first team players and see where things

Look, there's a lot of decisions they gotta get made on that.

Front, no doubt.

You got a lot of the guys who were brought in on the twos are on like one year deals like Noble Killow on your deal. How the armis play every dayn minute. The twos, you got decisions to make them, and you have decision to make for the first team.

And uh, Bart getting okay and so and Jared, I'll let you tackle this when Bart says it's worth noting the two is finished thirteenth to fifteenth in the Eastern MLS next pro correct, But okay.

They they weren't good enough. Like you call whatever you want, you can you can phrase it however you want. They weren't. They dropped points when they shouldn't have. You know, you go back to go back to the Orlando game. But they up a goal, up a man, gave up two goals while up the man in ten minutes. They weren't good enough. There are talented players on that team, hobby armists. Bobby Armis don't have a damn good career for himself.

Dan Dale, see he's Jared is staring at flora and fauna.

Here as he's he's becoming one with a bird happy place.

A bird landed above my head. I can't do anything about that, But like I don't know where Hobby plays, Yeah, Hobby, Hobby don't play somewhere though, But you you have talented players there, like Mary is a hell of a lottery ticket to pick up, and you picked him up halfway this season, but it didn't come together until too late in the season. Then since second season you've done that. So what do you do to fix it? M hm? And I know it's tough because guys are training with

Yep, all right, So let's turn to Red Bulls.

It was announced by the team just half a second ago that Lower Bowl forty two thousand sold out for the last match of the year on a Saturday. Shows you how many folks also will be keeping an eye. They'll be tailgating watching what's going on in Athens, not necessarily going because it's probably going to be blowout city and.

There's gonna be a snuff film. Man.

Yeah, the boss isn't going.

Peyton Thorn is. Peyton Thorn is going to need to go onto wits protection, mostly mostly from Freeze, so Freeze hasn't throw him under a bus again.

But yeah, give it time, give him another week or so, he'll he'll find a way.

Uh. When you look at Red Bulls, this is a this is still Tyler, very red bullsy in but with a twist, so it's not quite your older Brothers Red Bulls team, but with a healthy er emial Fourburg coming back got some minutes last time out. I am intrigued to see which version of the Red Bulls we get and if Atlanta United just sits there and turns it into like it was in the playoffs at Red Bull Arena, tell you what you can have it and you guys work.

From the back. I want to see how this plays out.

Yeah, I think this is where it gets really easy to talk about the tactics between the two teams, right because I think fans are looking for more of an internal conversation about the players, kind of like what we've been talking about. What are you going to show me? What are you going to show out on the pitch when you're wearing this shirt against a team that we hate and have consistently hated, And one could argue is Atlanta's first real rival. Go win the game, like come

Mm hmm, I'm i'm I'm I am intrigued Jared as to what this looks like coming out of the blocks for UH, for Atlanta Nighted going up against Red Bulls in a in a in a math nasium that is going to be the playoffs between now and uh, you know, two weeks from now, because remember it is this weekend international break where we all get to gnash our teeth and twiddle our thumbs and do math and all these kinds of things during an international window and then get

You're gonna know something going into the window. This will be It's interesting that we schedule breaks here because after this hame you the window. You have a bit of a break. You're gonna have some time to think on some ship.

Mm hmm. There's the explicit rating for.

The morning what you are because if you don't get it done Saturday.

Yeah, that's it.

That's it. You don't get three points. If you don't get three points, probably with some room despair for comfort, like multi goal wind kind of thing. You're done.

Do not pass, go, do not collect two hundred dollars, do not go to the boos.

Then then what does the last game look like?

Is it?

You know? Is it? Hey, couple of kids, show me what you got? Is people, we are out of the race. We're out of the race. Show me what you've got, Guys who are on the bubble, show me what you have got. How it looks for Saturday? No, I mean it's the off points like it. I don't know what it's gonna look like. I mean, yeah, like red bulls

Just like.

Tyler's already tweeted in capital letters right when it happened.

Yeah, it was. It was a lot and Saba didn't have a great night. But also he is your guy right now as you are constructed, and you kind of have to you you have to feed him even when even when like he is flipping the spoon like and and not always hitting the target. This this is monta Ella's territory. You gotta let him shoot. He is, he's he's killing full j R. Smith. You just gotta let him shoot. Steve can get the microwake going.

Yo yoansn coming off the bench.

Oh man, I'm like, like, I don't know, like uh Waiters when he was Waiters just jacking up the three es lehing right, just with absolutely zero conscience. But you know, you might have to play like that at times, might not be pretty, but you you less style in the window in the rear view mirror A long time ago, at this point styles over the horizon. Yep. So what you do then is can you show me some baults? Red bulls will get stuck? Can you get stuck in?

Yeah? So what do you? What do you and your mama have to say about this one?

And to Anthony's you know, too much work to be done for a lot of these players are worry about the roles. I think some of you got to worry about your future. We talk about this in the NFL when like somebody when when the team is like four and five, stare at you. Jacksonville guys got to play for their futures. Like, yeah, they they might not be making the playoffs, but if there are an option year or if they're maybe a target for movement, they got

M h, guys, I've got to go out there and you got to absolutely bust your ass and you've got to show people something that you either deserve to be part of, you know, what is going to be hopefully built starting in the off season, or if I can make other decisions that don't include you.

Yeah, and that's and that's why you know, even if the players are if to your point, Anthony, they got to think about themselves either here or they got to think about themselves someplace else. And if you go out and you just Christmas Tree, what happens in whatever minutes you're given in the final two matches of this season, then you know that will affect you. That will affect you and your location next year if it is not here. So that's uh so that's what we're staring at. Okay,

There at fifty six Orlando.

If they beat Cincinnati this weekend, the game next weekend won't matter because they can't catch Sincy and NYC and Red Bulls can't catch them. So if you're the purple team, you want to try and win this one, so the one in two weeks doesn't matter. NYC and Red Bulls both at thirty two matches played. Ny CFC has thirteen wins and Red Bulls only have eleven. Charlotte's in at forty five, they are thirty two matches in two to go. They can play anywhere from seven to four, depending on

All right.

Four o'clock in the afternoon, Toronto hosting Messi and Friends as a home favorite at Bemoca. They because Messi and Friends have clinched the number one seed. But for Messi and Friends, the Tata Martine probably chasing after a points record, So the fact that they are a plus one sixty five.

Dog on the road might be the one to take.

With Toronto FC at a plus one thirty eight, gentlemen, what say you, tyler go.

I think they're gonna rest every everybody they can. That's you know, geriatric FC. So they've done everything they have to do right now, you don't want to you don't want to take too much of a break because we see how that goes typically, right like a team gets a bye going into the playoffs and all of a sudden they forget how to play football. But you have, you have guys on that team that have been playing for a long time. They haven't forgot how to play

All right, Jared, what do you think?

I have no idea. The reason I say that everything Tyler said I think is accurate true. I also watched Toronto Closed as possible to Nick Saban made his ass quick Territory the other night in the midweek. You're missing one of your key playmakers in this game.

Uh.

John Herdman like, stop the bleeding in twenty twenty four for Toronto. We don't know how well he actually stitched that wind closed though, if it's gonna pop back open or not.

But just as the throne manufacturers in Canada.

Well it's I don't know. I don't know how they're going to put it back together. Just they're they're they are wildly inconsistent. They've had some good performances. Some guys shout out to Derek Gatty and Junior who's gonna find since he got there just was a classic change of scenery guy and he got his change of scenery and he did well. Miami man like, yeah, they'll probably rest guys.

Because well because if if you want Apple TV to come up with more television episodes for their TV program then you're certainly going to do that. If you want to draw more eyes to the whole process.

You're gonna have to change it. In twenty twenty six.

Uh huh, that's also true. Yes, this is also true. We'll save it.

Landy United in Red Bulls Charlotte, CF Montreal. Charlotte's a big minus so to minus one fifty two as CF Montreal comes to town. Crewe in Philadelphia, Cruz a minus one thirty nine unions of plus three thirteen. Speaking of f C Cincinnati, they're a home favored at a minus one fourteen Purple teams of plus two to seventy four on the road.

That two seventy four.

Shoot, I'd take that in a heartbeat, considering what we've seen from FC Cincinnati recently. DC United is a plus two oh two on the road at the Revs who are a plus one seventeen, and NYC is minus one eighty nine hosting Nashville a plus four fifty five. That is your Eastern Conference stuff at Landy United plus one twenty four hosting Red Bulls, who are a plus one ninety six, draws a plus two sixty nine.

Tyler, what's your gut tell you about what they're gonna do?

It?

Right back with no Brooks Lennon.

Ronald, I mean, I think that's that's the plug and play option. And I mean he played and did really well in that match against Columbus a few months ago. You know, anything Rob tried to do at this point would be totally valid if he if he got really weird. But I think the easiest answer is just simply to play Ronald Pedro on the left defensively against Rebels. I mean, you're gonna have to kind of sit back and play some ugly football, kind of like what we talked about earlier.

Then center back, obviously you go with Derek and Stean Jarrett. But then you look at your midfield. You wonder if you're gonna need to drip keep somebody back in more of a six or if you go to the four to one four one is kind of a thing that we've seen that's caused problems for defenses where Bart goes forward. What are you looking at, uh, midfield going forward for Atlanta United?

What does Dak's have in the tank? Because I don't know if it's much left. It's like in general, yeah, like Dad, like daks is just he's he's I think he's on at this point. And it's just been a long season. And not even just like on the field obviously for this organization, it's been a long season off the field, right, I don't know what he's got in the tank. If he can sit and be that guy to kind of protect the back line, I'd ask him to do it. If he if he can give me

Uh, to your point, if Ronald can't give you ninety, even though Ronald you know, will try to do his dead level best too, I think at that point you probably turn the dial one one notch to the right, and then Stean ends up being a right back, Derek slides your six, pulls back in. It's almost like another center back, and Pedro stays on the left. So I think that you take the dial and you turn it

As a part of the the eighteen, let's see.

Any other games either East or West, because there are some nick nacky newsy things that I want to get into before we get out of here. And Tyler, thanks for hanging out for like an hour man.

Yeah, for sure, any.

Other matches that you guys are going to be looking at, Jared will start with you on any other matches you're going to be staring at, just on general premise or screw it.

I'm gonna watch them all. I think I stunned him.

No, you called me in a situation where I am happy to pull the schedule.

Now, well, I could tell you what's going on.

I mean, well I can look at it and tell you pretty quickly that like, let's take a look, because that's the fifth yet I don't even know what day

Yeah, and the offense is really showing for both. But that's another point.

Well, if it's because Kansas City can't punt, to take a punt, my god, Yeah, entirely different conversation. Corl Road and Seattle could get really feisty. La and Austin. Like, we've seen like a lot of unconfirmed rumors all year about Josh Wolfe. Is he on the hot seat? Is he not? Austin fans wanting mounts. We see he's out here liking tweet suggesting he's done and he wants out. I'm low key amazed that Josh Wolfe made it this

Yes, I always enjoy skitzag you know schizophrenic ass teams?

And what the ending is are?

According to a ten Credi Palmieri, just in Manchester United in the past days have offered in Zogie the role to take over the managerial job with the immediate effect during the international break, but.

In Zione technically have a manager under contract.

But yes, but in Ogie declined, so uh yeah, fun with uh yeah, so yeah we got a manager.

But hey and Zogie do you want it? And Zoggie is like, nah, fam, I'm good.

You got to get somebody there.

Sometimes you know, the dumpster fire is not worth trying to put out.

M m oh.

Sometimes you just got a lot of burn ding.

Yeah, just watch it go.

Yeah, yes, absolutely.

Uh. Also it appears that biting is going to give you eight games. Uh and so uh literally, if you bite somebody, it's an eight game suspension.

Okay, I've heard that right. I didn't know where we were going with that. I had images of Luis Suarez already conjured out close.

Presston North End forward Million ten is my age has been handed an eight game suspension for biting Blackburn's Online Liverpool defender Owen Beck during a Championship match last month. The Montenegrin international has shown a yellow ca by the match referee during the game, but the English FA subsequently charged him after reviewing the incident. Suarez got ten for biding Ivanovich. Osmaich has been banned for eight and fine twenty grand after he admitted the charge.

So if there's a repeat of thunder clause there.

I'm sure there is.

But yeah, milliontons Mich has been given eight for biting for Preston North End for biting a player in the Championship. So you got that to sit there and sift through as a part of it, I'm trying to look at some other things. Oh, the NWSL stuff that I wanted to get into before we get out of here. Oh, are there any other games, Tyler that you're going to be keeping an eye.

On just since he in Orlando, I think just because I'm curious what Orlando's going to do on decision Day and if Atlanta has a chance going into decision Day, it would be nice if for Orlando decided not to play. Yes, So I'm just I want to see how this one plays out versus see And to your point earlier, I mean I would be betting against Cincy as well, because

Yes, and the slow fade for Oscar Pereha is not happening this year.

So I'm so excited about them getting into the playoffs, Like I think it was twenty twenty when they got in, and like they were just picking up red cards in the playoffs, like to a game because then they had the one shootout where unless they got sent off in the shootout, yes, and then they had to put an outfield player in the outfield player made a safe.

Yeah.

I think it was against New England. Think it was against Bruce's New England team, and then they had to go play the next week or that was New England they played, and then they got like two more red cars. Like I think it was like who on just just went like full booker te missile drop kick, Yeah, on

Mm hmm.

And uh yeah, so it was Rodrigo Schlegel who took over in the ny CFC match. Uh yeah, so yeah, so it was uh Schlegel taking over for Gallessa in the after the Gallesse read uh NWSL notes and uh they by the way, and Bart made this point in the twitch pitch. NWSL concludes an investigation in salary camp violations by Angel City and imposing disciplinary actions based on

That's that's bad.

So a team not making the playoffs, as Bart says, got found for busting for breaking salary rules and got deducted another three points. Thanks for coming by.

You know, it's not an excuse at all.

But like.

When I see things like this happen, especially like this one, Yeah, it just feels like like somebody genuinely just made a mistake, Like because we know there's there's other little you know, bits and pieces and places that you can make you know, extra income. Lino MESSI and I don't I'll be the first to say, I don't know how like all that has to be reported in what kind of channels they have to go through, But like it just feels like somebody missed a zero somewhere.

Do it as an nil deal man?

Yeah, I don't know. I mean it's I will say, then WSL for every it seems like for for every like issue that they've had with the club. For the most part, they they lay down the hammer pretty pretty quick.

Mm hmm. That is absolutely true.

And by the way, it looks like next week we are going to be hearing from In addition to our normal batch of folks, we have we have a name for the new franchise in Northwest Arkansas in the USL. They are now going to be called Ozark United FC.

They are no longer.

USL n w A and Gordon Soley might have something to say about that by the time we're done, but they are now Ozark United FC, or our friends in Northwest Arkansas that are helping out our friends at the Marshall Islands. So it is now officially Ozark Night at f C jared with Northwest Arkansas in the USL.

I look forward to.

Inevitably getting involved in some of the rivalries that exists there in like the Arkansas Mississippi area, and it's kind of not talked.

About enough mmmmm.

But so yeah, they had a big they had a big to do in a big reveal, so there now it was our y unit at f C and uh, I'm gonna go probably and buy my USL and w A gear Uh, Tyler, what else you're looking at for the weekend?

Doesn't matter, Where, doesn't matter, who, doesn't matter.

What?

What else are you looking forward to this weekend?

Just hoping there's something good to see at the Bens tomorrow. That's the biggest thing. We'll be there, we'll be doing. Yeah, it's just just how it goes.

Most likely to swag sir for Atlanta United in a situation like that, be whom.

I mean?

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's it. Voting as closed, that's it.

Uh mm hmmm.

No, uh, that's it for me. I mean we we like we've got our shows, uh tomorrow before and after.

You go out, where are you going to be in the building or at Sidney or what are you doing?

No, No, we'll be just doing our normal pre match thing from the press box and then our three takeaways after and then watching whatever happens in the ninety minutes in between, and hoping it's a good thing, hoping that the locker room is much less somber than it was Wednesday.

All right, Jared, what else are you staring at this weekend?

Oh man? Just and we'll keep an eye around the league. We'll see what the playoff looks like. You'll you'll be seeing it as the night goes on, as we get into the emotional highs and lows of how it goes. You know what, Atlanta gets an early lead, do you get? How excited do you get? You check other scores around the league, see how much it matters. I'll be keeping an eye on that.

We're not having anything to do with Sunday with the Falcons. Not that the Falcons are normal, no, dont no, Yeah, I mean I want to see how much, how much how much of Auburn's blood UGA.

Can paint the field with.

Yes, oh and Abby's you can be so angry. It's the Halloween candy game as well. Absolutely true, Yes, absolutely true. All right, So it's going to be a full It's gonna be a full day on a bunch of different fronts. Tonight is high school football. Be there to support your favorite clubs. Be there tomorrow morning to support your favorite clubs leading into tomorrow night. Be careful with the tailgating. Pace yourself. It's supposed to be a nice day tomorrow, so pay yourself to your tail game.

Just I'm just happy we're back to Friday nights because last week I had to do a Saturday game. Yeah, the Friday night lights on Saturday morning does not hit the same way. No it does not.

No, no, no, it does not.

Yes, and so at Atl pilgrimat Scarves the letter in Spikes, where else do folks pay attention.

Tyler Scarves and Bikes dot com and the YouTube's and the YouTube and the YouTube that is definitely the main one.

Yes, So it's great as always.

Thank you for coming on two days after your normal and dropping by for like an hour and a half and seeing what's going on with all of us here.

So that's the review, getting you ready for the weekend.

He's Tyler, He's Jared, And so I'm gonna see if I can actually pull this off this time and actually send us out appropriately. But it's going to be a two step process because you know, first and foremost what we always have to do. We have to listen to the proper greeting for the weekend. For Tyler, For Jared, I'm John. We're out enjoyed everybody. We will see you at the Benz, We'll see you all over the place. First, it was time to remember war was.

On the keys on the typewriter had sharp points that keep pat sticking into our fingers. The dictating equipment starting asking us questions, and our papers sent electric shocks just threw our body like a cattle prod.

I'm in the warehouse.

The trucks kept banging into the docks.

Not even thinking about stopping. Our frail bodies were strapped to the chairs.

And our chairs were chained to the desks.

Our please for justice were ignored, and the end seemed near. But we busted our save drivers, little bitty balls. We've changed high their break fortress to the streets. Are harsty gods. Yes, Friday, Friday, Fayday.