There are only eight teams left in this year's World Cup so, in the off days before the quarterfinals kick off, Soccer In Snow & Smoke is taking the opportunity to reset and regroup for the run to the final. Join two frequent guests, Ross McMonies and Chris Citowicki, as they go lightning-round style to break down the hits and misses from the group stage and the round of 16, as well as what to look for in this weekend's quarterfinal matchups.
Dec 09, 2022•33 min•Ep. 33
Every World Cup is influenced by money. This one happens to be particularly so. University of Montana business professor Justin Angle joins the podcast to break down why Qatar would pay so much to host the World Cup and how the USMNT can transform from a good young team into household brand names.
Dec 03, 2022•39 min•Ep. 32
Soccer In Snow & Smoke has prepped you to watch the World Cup. Now hear what it's like to actually be in Qatar as Andrew Houghton is joined by Marcus Cranston, USMNT superfan and Frenchtown native, who's currently attending his seventh World Cup. What's the fan experience like at one of the most heavily-scrutinized sporting events in history? Is it really that hard to get a beer in Doha? And what does the USMNT need to do to win its crucial group stage finale against Iran? All those question...
Nov 29, 2022•37 min•Ep. 31
The final episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke's World Cup previews features Ross McMonies breaking the team that many think will win it all, Brazil, as well as a fascinating Group H that contains Cristiano Ronaldo drama and three capable teams looking to knock Ronaldo's Portugal out of the tournament.
Nov 23, 2022•42 min•Ep. 30
Montana Grizzlies head soccer coach Chris Citowicki is back in the studio to preview Groups E and F at this year's World Cup. Hear his thoughts on whether the falling dynasties of Group E can contend for another trophy, as well as a potential North American dark horse that could shake up Group F.
Nov 23, 2022•36 min•Ep. 29
Soccer In Snow & Smoke's viewer's guide to the World Cup rolls on with Chris Citowicki, head coach of the Montana soccer team, breaking down Group C & D. Two teams in these groups are particularly close to Chris's heart, but listen in as he breaks down Argentina and France's chances of winning the trophy, plus a ferocious fight for El Tri in Group C and a potential European dark horse in Group D.
Nov 19, 2022•37 min•Ep. 28
The World Cup is here, and we'll have coverage of the biggest sporting event in the world all month long on Soccer In Snow & Smoke. Getting things started: Roland Benedict, fresh off coaching the Whitefish girls to a state runner-up finish, breaks down Groups A & B. Listen along as Roland and Andrew Houghton explain the curious case of the hosts, Qatar, pinpoint what the US needs to do to get out of the group, and talk themselves into one dark-horse team from these two groups being an ac...
Nov 19, 2022•49 min•Ep. 27
Another high school soccer season has come to a close in Montana, and in this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton reviews the fall by catching up with the teams who were left victorious at the end of the state tournaments. Hear from Hellgate boys coach Jay Anderson (0:11), as well as the captains who helped the Knights win their historic fourth straight state title (9:06). In Class AA girls, Joel Ganey and Bozeman Gallatin won the first crown in program history (17:21), while ...
Nov 05, 2022•58 min•Ep. 26
It was almost a season review episode, but Chris Citowicki and the Montana soccer team are still alive and heading to the Big Sky Conference tournament next week after getting some help on the final day of the regular season. In this episode, a peek behind the curtain at what went wrong for the Griz this season and why Citowicki thinks they might still have a run left in them.
Oct 26, 2022•37 min•Ep. 25
Do you know when the first recorded soccer game in Missoula took place? What about the history of prisoners playing at the internment camps at Fort Missoula? In this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton learns about the history of soccer in Missoula from Sophia Etier, a historian with Americorps and the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula. Plus, an update on the Montana Grizzlies' struggles and the high school soccer landscape as the Class AA state tournaments prepare to kick of...
Oct 18, 2022•57 min•Ep. 24
Andrew Houghton and Montana Grizzlies head soccer coach Chris Citowicki are digging deep on the Griz after their first weekend of Big Sky Conference play, touching on why Chris thought his team played better in a loss than a win, the benefits and drawbacks of playing two defensive midfielders, and how the conference has gotten more competitive. Plus, Andrew gives a comprehensive update on standings, top scorers and contenders from every level of Montana high school soccer, and Andrew and Chris d...
Sep 29, 2022•56 min•Ep. 23
St. Peter's? Please. The best underdog story in American sports this year was Sacramento Republic FC, which became the first non-MLS team to make the US Open Cup final since 2008. Our man Cameron Salerno of the Sacramento Bee had a front-row seat to the Cinderella run and in this episode, he explains just how unlikely it was and takes us inside the stadium during Sac Republic's electric semifinal win over Sporting Kansas City.
Sep 15, 2022•33 min•Ep. 22
The not-really-a-preview high school soccer preview rolls on, with this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke focusing on this year's girls soccer scene around Montana. Andrew Houghton catches up with Sentinel head coach Dan Lochridge (3:45), Bozeman head coach Erika Cannon (14:09) and Whitefish head coach Roland Benedict (24:01).
Sep 02, 2022•39 min•Ep. 21
Okay, okay, it's not a preview, given that the 2022 high school soccer season has already kicked off around Montana. But in this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, we're going in depth on the prep soccer landscape in the Treasure State, focusing first on the boys side of things. Andrew Houghton is joined by Hellgate coach Jay Anderson (2:25), whose Knights are going for a fourth-straight Class AA state title; Billings West coach Luke Ashmore (15:33), whose Golden Bears have to contend with E...
Sep 02, 2022•39 min•Ep. 20
Hosting Creighton and Pittsburgh for the Rumble in the Rockies was a tough way to start the season for Montana — and exactly the test that Griz head coach Chris Citowicki wanted. In this episode, Citowicki and Andrew Houghton share their takeaways from the Grizzlies' opening weekend, including the debut of a possible freshman phenom and the tactical reasons why Citowicki was encouraged with a 2-0 loss.
Aug 25, 2022•41 min•Ep. 19
There was no World Cup this summer, but the soccer world certainly wasn't quiet. In this episode, Ross McMonies swings by the studio to help break down the biggest stories of the summer, including transfer drama at the top of the Premier League (3:46), Barcelona's financial house of cards (10:24), the breakthrough success of the women's Euro championships (21:23) and plenty more!
Aug 06, 2022•46 min•Ep. 18
Soccer In Snow & Smoke returns with a primer for Missoula Soccer Day, a free pick-up soccer event organized by Charlie Vandam and Soccer Alliance Missoula. Chris Citowicki also stops by for a summer update on the Montana Grizzlies soccer team.
Jul 28, 2022•32 min•Ep. 17
After being named Big Sky Goalkeeper of the Year and Tournament MVP in a scintillating redshirt freshman season for Montana, Camellia Xu joins Soccer In Snow & Smoke from deep in the heart of Texas, where she's playing for a semipro team this summer. In this episode, Xu and UM goalkeeping coach J Landham break down their unlikely paths to Missoula, the art of playing 'keeper and how it all came together in Xu's record-setting 2021 season.
May 28, 2022•57 min•Ep. 16
Ross McMonies joins Andrew Houghton to talk about the big narratives in the Premier League as the season reaches its conclusion, including the scintillating title race between Manchester City and Liverpool, a shocking relegation contender, and what Ross would do if he were in Erik ten Hag's shoes at Manchester United.
Apr 30, 2022•52 min•Ep. 15
Ashley Herndon's playing career included a Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year award at James Madison, an NWSL championship ring with the Portland Thorns and Champions League nights in Prague. Now, the Montana Grizzlies' newest assistant coach is hoping her experience can help Griz alums tread the same path from college to the pros. Herndon joined Andrew Houghton on the most recent episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke.
Apr 14, 2022•26 min•Ep. 14
In the second half of Soccer In Snow & Smoke's two-part interview with Mark Cranston, Frenchtown native and U.S. national team superfan, Cranston reminisces about the wildest stadium atmospheres that he's ever seen, plus the lingering pain from the USMNT's failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and what Cranston thinks about the team heading into this week's crucial qualifying games.
Mar 23, 2022•30 min•Ep. 13
Beginning in the 1990s, Mark Cranston has traveled around the world to cheer on the United States men's national team. After first donning an eagle head and wings for a game at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he's become instantly recognizable as Eagleman, maybe the USMNT's most famous fan. In the first part of a two-part interview on Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Cranston discusses his Montana roots, Eagleman's origin story, and scenes from the transformative 2006 World Cup. Stay tuned for Part 2, ...
Mar 21, 2022•32 min•Ep. 12
Grindavik is a tiny fishing town on the southern coast of Iceland. It's also where former Montana soccer players Caitlin Rogers and Mimi Eiden will be living for the next six months after both recently signed contracts to start their professional careers with the town's club team. In this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton catches up with Rogers and Eiden just days before they leave for Iceland to talk about becoming professionals and the remarkable coincidence that landed th...
Feb 10, 2022•23 min•Ep. 11
In this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, University of Montana business professor Justin Angle joins Andrew Houghton for a wide-ranging conversation about the economic structure of world soccer. What are the financial incentives in a sport with no draft or salary cap? What American sport does it have surprising similarities to? And what's Justin's answer to the eternal question: Will soccer make it in America?
Jan 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 10
Jay Risser, a youth coach at FC Missoula, joins Andrew Houghton on this edition of Soccer In Snow & Smoke to talk about his playing career as a towering striker at Penn State, the strong soccer culture that's growing in Missoula and around the West, and how best to coach a team of 7- to 10-year-old girls.
Jan 20, 2022•23 min•Ep. 9
On this pre-Christmas episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton is joined by Ross McMonies, the executive director of the Missoula Strikers club program. Ross talks about growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, amid one of the fiercest rivalries in sports, along with how to come up with a consistent coaching philosophy for a program that has over 300 kids and what's he's thought about the Premier League at midseason.
Dec 23, 2021•38 min•Ep. 8
In this episode of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, Andrew Houghton and Jackson Wagner, the voice of the Montana soccer team, break down the Grizzlies' first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Washington State. Jackson gives his verdict on another successful year for the Griz and how they can build on it going into next season. In the second half of the show, Andrew and Jackson preview the MLS playoffs — including why the best team in the regular season might not be the favorite to win MLS Cup — recap an ...
Nov 19, 2021•43 min•Ep. 7
It's all about the champions in this edition of Soccer In Snow & Smoke, the new podcast from ESPN Missoula Radio. First, Montana head coach Chris Citowicki joins Andrew Houghton and Colter Nuanez as the Griz celebrate their Big Sky tournament championship and prepare for their opening-round NCAA Tournament game against Washington State. All four high school state champions are also represented, with Hellgate players Marcus Anderson and Loren Deskins, Billings West girls coach Rob Zimmerman, ...
Nov 12, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 6
It's the final weekend of the Big Sky Conference regular season, and Montana soccer still has a shot at the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Head coach Chris Citowicki and wingback Taylor Hansen came on the Soccer In Snow & Smoke podcast to break down the Grizzlies' massive two games against Weber State and Idaho State, recap the season and talk about the path that Hansen hopes to take from Missoula to professional soccer.
Oct 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 5
State tournaments start in less than a week, and that means it's time for a prep soccer extravaganza on Soccer In Snow & Smoke, the new soccer podcast from ESPN Missoula. Andrew Houghton is joined by Hellgate girls coach Natalie Hiller-Claridge, Sentinel girls coach Dan Lochridge and Hellgate boys coach Jay Anderson to give you all the knowledge about the high school soccer landscape across the state. How are the brackets starting to shape up? Can the Hellgate and Sentinel girls build off st...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 4
