First off, barbark John, before we start, we are going to put an embargo, for Bart's sake, on a certain school south of Pennsylvania. So we're gonna let's put an embargo on that right now. Bart had a bad enough week on that front.
Did I drunkenly email the alumni Association and athletic department to cancel the donations I had made that week?
Yes?
Wow, so well, embargo the redacted place south south of Pennsylvania.
We can just.
You have enough problems without that.
Wow, Bart, you sound like you're still attempting to recover from a brawl. Comma backyard, John, My soul is broken.
Coaching. I didn't even have watched the Lama United game on Saturday.
Neil Brown's the head coach.
No, I know it did.
Oh Pat Nardozy?
Is Nordoozy still there? I feel like they've had the same coat.
I feel like Nordoozy's been there since Dave Wanstad left.
They had oh crap, not Todd Graham.
God to Todd Graham.
Well, I would imagine it's not Todd Graham. Because it was Todd Graham, this program might have shut down.
Well well, and Todd would have left I think he did leave. What it's just basically Todd Graham goes in for a year coach.
Anyway.
Yeah, well, I mean.
My soul is not in a great place this morning. That's why I sound like I'm still recovering. Also, my voice is a little because I was busy yelling at a certain income poop who managed to.
Again break my soul.
So Todd Graham, Keith Patterson, Paul Chris, Joe, Rudolph Patnar, Doozy, I like to a coaching.
Here for the good decade. Yeah, but Arsenal be Tottenham. That's great.
Well we got We've got some reughing down here to talk about that one we do as a part of the discussion. But no, But first thing that I wanted to go into with you this morning is involving the the the promotional walk that was had at WBD the WBD Glass in cased building in New York City, where it is now officially official the US men's national team have a a new head coach, and we have not had you on since that promotional walk and subsequent press conference.
Now that Mercia Pochettino is here, he is officially official. All of the Chelsea based contract elements have been apparently sorted and signed, and so now Mercia Pochettino, the worst kept secret and all of international is now nih ann and now part of the US soccer community. What say you, Bart Keeler.
Well, I thought you heard a lot of similar things to what you would have heard and a Greg Borhalter conference, But you also heard a lot of different ideas but also framing of some concepts. You know, look, I don't think it's I don't think it's going to be a drastic change in how this team plays. You know, it'll still be a team that wants to have the ball. How they get that ball will be a little different.
You know, he emphasized a lot of running off the ball, both defensively and offensively, and I think that specifically will be a key change.
Is we've grown accustomed to seeing.
The US national team be stagnant in possession and seem like they're out of ideas, and that to me comes from a lack of off wall movement for your teammates. And so that in particular could be an immediate change that unlocks the athleticism and fitness levels that American players have and uses them in a positive way. But he seems to you know, there's a reason he's been a very successful coach at a lot of big clubs is because he understands what he believes and how to communicate that
to the players. And you know, it sounds again, there were some things he said that were similar to what Greg Burholter would say, but they sound different and they are framed differently. And then there's a lot of different things that he mentioned and those are what I'm hoping that we can see bear out in the these next two windows.
Jared with bart on the national team, anything in your mind from the signings and.
So, yeah, I guess what's your I guess runway with this where you're kind of is what's the runway like in terms of, hey, there might be some bumps in the road while we get everything installed, while people get acclimated, that sort of thing. You know, what's what's your runway here with like how comfort how how long you're comfortable with just kind of maybe hiccups for lack of a better word. I know, we're two years out from a World Cup, so we only have so much time.
Well, I think, you know, he said himself that they're not going to make excuses and they're not going to, you know, look at this and say, oh, well, we don't have the time, and he said there is time, so he wants us to hold them to that standard. But you know, I think you have two friendlies in October where it will probably be a little rough to watch the team figure out what they're supposed to do.
At given times during the game.
But again, I don't think that there will be a drastic change from what we were trying to do with Burhalter versus what we were trying to will be trying.
To do with Buchettino.
I do think there will be key points of emphasis that are different, and I think those are the things that Patch in the immediate time frame can communicate with the team and say look this this, this is great, but this is what I want you to do, or these are the things you need to be worried about
off the ball and on the ball. But then you know, in November you get into Nations League, and as much as we joke about playing a Caribbean country in the middle of November, Greg Burhalter's team struggled against these early round Nations League's opponents in this kind of secondary tier in Conca Calf and you know you don't have the runway to screw up there because you need to be in that nation's league final come March. Because you know the amount of truly competitive matches.
Is very low going into the next.
World Cup, and you need to use these as preparation to be able to, you know, respond when a team that is playing for something comes out and hit you in the mouth. Because we saw that happen in Collpa America, where a team that was playing for something and playing with some passion that our team clearly didn't have, you know, when they came out and punched us in the mouth, we took that and stepped back a few steps and
didn't really have a response. So those are important games because we know that those teams, and this is something he also touched on in the press conference, those teams come to compete, they come to fight, and they come with every game. And if those aren't exist, if those don't exist within the team every single time they step foot on the field, which they have not under Greg Burholter, and I think he is very much to blame for that,
despite people's wanting to blame players. Yes, Greg never approached a friendly as a doer die situation, and to be quite honest, from the sounds of the press conferences leading up, he did not approach Copo America as a doer die situation. And you know the Argentinian desperation, the Argentinian passion hopefully translates.
From Bodgettino to the US mistational.
Team looking at just some of the quick quotes from the opportunity football is to touch the right button and start to perform. And we need to really believe in achieving big things. We need to believe that we can win, that we can win, not only a game, that we can win the World Cup end quote. And she said players are so intelligence, so talented, they can play in a different way. For sure. I think we have time
to integrate whatever philosophy that Mercy Pochattino wants. He says, the circumstances after the Copo America situation weren't good for the players to manage in the last two games. But the most important thing is to see the potential that we have. I see very good players end quote. I send the message to every single player around the world. They have the door open. Considering that no MLS players saw Copa action and twenty three to the twenty six
were European based. Cade Cal, the late replacement for Geo Rena, was the only Mexico based US player called into the last three camps. So obviously Pochettino's trying to hit the right buttons in the press conference. He's trying to win the press conference by saying things that folks want to hear.
Right, Absolutely, he he has experienced this. He's been at a lot of clubs and you know he's that.
That's why I do think that to an extent.
It it's he's going to say the right things and say them in the right way, because there's a reason he got hired at places like Tottenham, like PSG, like Chelsea. But the fact that he for the most part has been able to take what he says in a press conference and then apply that and communicate that.
Is different than I think again that we had with the.
Guy previous because and I'm sorry, like it's just I'm not trying to make Greteck out to be this terrible coach, because your Clinson is a terrible coach.
Greg Burholter is just wasn't doing his job well this past cycle.
The recency attachment is where you are with your discussion.
But the yeah, but the reality is, John, we had to make a stark decision after the Copa America tournament to move on from the guy who, in theory, was hired to get.
Us to the next World Cup.
So you are going to compare them, and again, I just think I go back to the idea of intensity and urgency where he talks about, you know, we're not here to play, we're here to compete, talking about the players, talking more about the players, about how his coaching staff will be evaluating them from day one. You know, nothing is not No opportunity to evaluate players' ability to compete and perform in a match is going unused, and hopefully
that translates to actual winning. And I think if any US fan will tell you that sometimes winning isn't even enough. You know, beating Trinidad by the skinning your teeth and a two legged tie isn't enough. You know, barely qualifying for the twenty twenty two World Cup by finishing third is not enough.
If you're going to be the big dog in the region, you need to dominate the region. And hopefully this beentality.
These minor adjustments to this playing style can help.
Bart Keeler hanging out with US at Bartabas Prime nineteen for the Soccer for USPOD at Soccer for the Soccer for US POD at Soccer for US POD on the two hundred and eighty character app also on the table this morning. I do want to get into the late night that some of us had watching activities Columbia. We will get into that. We've also got some reffing down here for Bart and Bart I'm gonna try to keep you for fifteen minutes so you don't completely and totally
blow out your voice. So Will I will try to keep you till ten thirty and just that way you can get into your your honey and diving into everything else, Jared, anything else on your mind US national team wise, before we head to the youth national team and the chaos last night in Colombia.
Yeah, so I know he left it open, so you know, look, everybody's on the table here.
Any kind of off the wall that you're looking at for people who are eligible who maybe have fallen out of favor to get back into the mix for the US national team.
Yeah, I think the one that has the biggest I guess opportunity to get back into this group is maybe a Jordan p Fock, who has been playing really well at top level leagues for several seasons in a row and has just clearly not been favored by Burrhalter.
Right, And I'm not saying that he is.
Definitively better than any of the strikers we've seen, but he's clearly doing something right for club, and so like, I like that as someone who I think just can benefit from just different eyes looking.
At the playerpool.
But I've said a whole long I mean, look, the reality is the playerpool is what the playerpool is.
And if you don't think that Tim.
Way At, Christian Polistic, Georena Wester McKenney, you know, if those guys aren't the best players we have, Jedi Robinson and Serginio Desk aren't the two best fullbacks we have, then I don't know if I can you're a reliable narrator in the story right now, because that's just the issue.
Now. There are going to be some French players that I think can benefit, you know, and.
There might be guys who are currently with the team that get a little bit more priority I'm thinking maybe a Luca Delatore, possibly Marlon Fosse. But at the same time, it's the player pool is not going to just magically get better.
You know. What we hope is.
The players who come into camp respond to what he's telling them and can execute better.
For those that decided to stay up and knew where to find it. FS two. The chaos that was happening last night in the tournament that is going on in Collie and various and sundry other cities, the U twenty World Cup. The US is now in the Semis once again. Local love Jordan Dudley, Riley Jackson a part of this. The US was down two nil in the second half, and I would swear up and down that there were two chances for penalties to be called in the seventies
in the eighties that were not so. Germany had a two nil league going into ninety plus. The US scores at ninety plus seven. The US scores at ninety plus eight to equalize to send it to an extra thirty players just basically tried to survive and not to totally, you know, cramp up. In that thirty minutes, it goes to peak US wins three to one in PKS, and the chaos that was there bordered on truthfully national team after dark. I mean it was out of control last night.
But the US makes it to the Semis and the U twenty Women's World Cup come back for the ages, and yeah, and the way that it's being looked at its goals at ninety plus eight and ninety plus nine as opposed to ninety plus seven and ninety plus eight. So yeah, go ahead and go ahead and add to that. So ninety plus eight, ninety plus nine, you down two, Neil, you tie it to you go to PKS, you win in PKS, You're now in the Semis. Holy ish.
Yeah, well got a great point like this is I mean, we got our we The second goal Germany scored was even late, right.
I Mean that was the thing that I wasn't able to I wasn't able.
To watch this game because I was flying back from Pittsburgh, which I will maintain as one of the most underrated cities in this country. And so I'm like, I'm able to keep up with it on Twitter, and I'm getting the notifications I have landed.
I'm on Marta like all these things.
And.
I did I don't want to say I turned it off, but because I didn't, but like I was like, all right, well that sucks. But as my continual stance is, you know the goal of these youth tournaments is to get there to show well. And with most youth tournaments, the crap shoot is a crap shoot. Make the knockouts and see what can happen. And hey, look, Germany is not a bad team.
They clearly have talent.
Uh.
And you know from watching the highlights, it's not like the US got completely dominated. It's just the fact that Germany got a penalty kick called for them to Actually we saved one in the first half. And we'll talk about that in just a second, because I want to talk about that young lady. But that is to go back to a po Chattino for a second. He mentioned the US women multiple times in his press conference as being the model of how to compete, how to fight,
how to win, and they showed that last night. Why this program, uh, you know, despite Tracy Kevin's coaching them, is finding ways.
To win games.
Yeah, well yeah, I'm sorry.
I just I think ran about Tracy Kevins and I don't know why she's still employed. But I think the thing John is and this is where for all those who bemoaned somehow that this talent was gone from the US team, this is one of the most professionally infused rosters we I think it's the most professionally infused roster we've ever sent to.
Any these competition, in World Cup competition.
And I think that was one of those things that shined last night is you saw players who understood what it meant to physically and mentally fight to get a result because they have to do that with their CLIP teams, right especially in NWSL, where you know every week it seems like we have a new team that's out in and in the playoffs. There's a lot of stake in NWSL, and so that that to me was what came through last night and the quality and the determination of these players.
And it's it was absolutely insane to see that match go the way that it did.
I mean, John, that last goal was that sent Nora scored was was determination and grit.
She just beat the goalkeeper to the wall.
Yep.
And again that that is talent, but that is desire.
That is playing hard, playing through the whistle, and that was it was a wonderful comeback, and then we could talk about her It's teague and why who not only saved the penal in the game, yes, had the game winning safe after as you mentioned, hometown girl Riley Jackson the third penalty kick that sealed it. Basically, but T and I had a fantastic game end goals.
As a whole. She looks.
I haven't been sold on her before this tournament, to be quite honest, mainly because it's hard. It's really hard to tell and cocky cap competition. It just as I'm sorry, but she has bawled out this World Cup in my opinion, And whoever ends up drafting her or not drafting her anymore, whoever ends up signing her in NWSL or possibly abroad, I mean, I think she would make a team like nine Arsenal a thousand times better. She's going to make a fan base very happy.
It's it will be intriguing, to say the very least, when it comes to what you're looking at from the group that was there, it was it has been a great watch to see them work their way through the tournament and getting into the semis. You know, that is that it's been. That's been a fun watch so far. All right, so seven minutes. Like I said, I'm gonna keep you to thirty so that way your voice doesn't die.
There was some raffing down here this week, and one of them has to do with moments in the other match that you were paying attention to that has nothing to do with the backyard brawl, the possible kind of a backyard brawl. But yeah, true, that is absolutely true. Yeah. The the nld as it is either hashtag or you know, I like, if you're one of the cool kids and you refer to it, you know as the nld the North London Derby, you have to do the finger pistols.
Not to be confused with the nld S.
No, no, no no. That would be an early round of the playoffs. Arsenal knocking off Spurs one nil. Mikhail Arteta admitted that he lost sleep trying to figure out what his lineup was going to be. I'd like to thank him for the back line that he did construct, because that really did help me out in fantasy this past week. I gave him full credit for that, and I started Gabrielle the red card on the Urian Timber foul on Pedro poro, contact with the ball, then contact
with the player. The ref shows yellow to Urian timber checked by var for a potential red it was waved off as no red card. And this goes off of the Curtis Jones ives Busuma challenge about a year ago. But there are things that you look into account about force and getting to the ball first in contact with the player. Walk us through that.
Yeah, I think specific to the incident you are looking at, we can't judge intent, John, but you can kind of infer intent to play the ball, right, And so this to me wasn't a red card worthy because this was within a natural action of play, okay, right.
The player was in control of himself for the most part.
While he may have been careless slash reckless with his challenge, he was in control.
He was doing something within a normal play of the game. Right. This was not.
Serious foul play by any stretch. And that's just what we're looking for. If you look at this and go, yeah, that serious foul play? Was that something that was, you know, using his body to target and flick pain on another part of the other person's body. You know, just because there is a nasty challenge doesn't always mean that it's a red card. And I thought this was a decent example of just going through this step of okay.
Careless, yes, reckless absolutely serious foul play no, because it wasn't.
Foul play, right, and this was just well, yeah, you miss time to challenge. You may maybe miss aligned your challenge if you will.
Your aim was off, the challenge was misaligned.
But this was not to me. This was just not an example of serious foul play. And so therefore it's not a red card. It's not dog so it's not any it's not any of those things, right. This is within the natural realm of playing soccer.
Then the one of the other points that I wanted to discuss had to do with and we see this a lot where you will have a save made by a keeper and it's a parry or a push or what have you. The save is made by the keeper and it forces another outbound motion. He doesn't hang on to it. He's either pushing it, parrying it. You know, it's a you know, a reflex action to push it away from the body. So you get that reflex action or the perry from the keeper and it goes into
a player whose arms are away from the silhouette. And it's not just because on the rebound off of the save it hits an arm that's outside the silhouette. The handball no handball discussion comes up because while the player's hands are away from his body, it's not a natural position, but it's coming off of a goalkeeper save. Action's the what's the idea there?
Yeah, I think this is I think we had a handball discussion.
Yeah, in the REV scheme that kind of fell under this as well, where yes, you want to have them not have you know, the arm outside the natural silhouette of the body. We are looking for if this is a relatively natural position for the arm if you're trying to play soccer, right, But we also do try to take into account a little bit the ability to.
React or not be at fault of a weird deflection.
Right. You know.
The other thing that needs to be side is you cannot score directly from a handball. So if the attack, if this were, you know, the attacker hitting their arm and then they score, you can't do that. So you know, there's there's obviously when the ball hits your hand from a short distance or a random deflection, unless you're the attacker.
Who then scores.
Yes, we're not really looking to call that because you have to allow for some.
You have to understand that the ball is going to hit you in.
Random places on your body because it bounces randomly. Unfortunately, though it's a sphere, it does not always act in a logical manner.
Mm hmm. Okay, So, like I said, I just I wanted to run through those particular moments and get your thoughts on it on a on a purposefully shortened segment with you, because like I said, if you don't have your pipes, then it doesn't help you out and having discussions with other folks doing the pipes.
Are there there just tired John.
The rest of the bodies kind of trying to catch up, but just tired, tired of playing the game. Huh, tired of tired of being insane. Yeah, absolutely true. All right, so we will let you. We will let you go and get get in a morning nap or anything else that you need to do. The honey, and I.
Am at work currently, so that won't happen.
Well, well, know what you need to do is you need to create like under the desk, like George Costanza, what help do the same kind of a thing where you can kind of hollow out your desk and turn it into a living space so you can actually sit there and function and do more than one thing, and folks can sit there and wonder where you are. They open the door and they don't see you sitting at your desk, and you're like, you know, I'm underneath my desk.
I'm actually having some fun, all right, So get back to work, my friend. My apologies about backyard brawl and the back and forth fourth quarter that I know probably took ten years off of your life. And we will catch up with you when we'll catch up with you, obviously in this sense next week, and obviously if anything else happens when it comes to national team stuff or anything bat signal worthy, we will catch back up with
you soon. My friend, save the pipes and hollow out your desk and turn it into a Castanza like setup.
Well, y'all have a wonderful Monday, and remember that sports are.
Just sports. I have to remind myself of that yesterday and today.
Sports are just sports until they mean more.
All right, country, all right, y'all have a good one.
All right, pretty good, Bart, Thank you, Bart. Keeler. I didn't realize that Bart was at work, no wonder. He was kind of talking a little low, all right, so I was wondering about that.
Now.
It was, uh yeah, So I didn't know that. I know that. I'm guessing that Bart is in the office today because he was not in the office on Friday because he was flying to Pittsburgh to go see backyard Brawl. I think that's how that works, all right. So that's Bart