Something fell on причeness can possibly go back and get him to be, but I do realize that if the All right, everybody. Welcome back to this week's episode of Side by Side. Today it's me and Keeley on the hot mics. Keeley Howard. I'm good. Good man. And we have some good news. Great news. We're talking Sounders victory and let's two two away games in a row. But first let's talk about
Minnesota and what that game kind of brought. From my eyes it was a game you know the Sounders go up one nothing fantastic goal from GameR delivery finally from Niko and GameR finds himself
I think maybe it was a shoulder. Yes I would. Further review but we were watching from Elisian Brewing a great crowd there and watching you know the game and it felt like the Sounders were going to pull that one out and then all of a sudden Minnesota just turned it on and it's one of those where as a player you're sitting back and you're like oh boy we're under the gun
here. Yeah. And those games are not fun at all. If you're not going to dictate the pace of the game and just try and keep possession and and stop going forward every single time you have the ball then you're going to be under the gun against what is a you know a decent Minnesota side. Last night actually they got a victory where they they crushed it at home and Ray knows so turn it on. So it is a good team for the Sounders to at least pick up a road point was great but I don't
think that we were feeling too confident after that game. It's just disappointing because like we talked about and I know we don't believe in jinks is but we do so well against Minnesota. It just felt like oh I just want to go in and get like a three-nail type which is wishful thinking I know high expectations everything but Minnesota in the past couple of years has just been the team where we set the ship right and it was sort of 1a we'll talk about the second game 1b which
actually feels like it could be setting the ship in the right direction. Yeah and I think you brought up a good point before we started you want to talk about your point where the Sounders have sat the entire season. Oh yeah the Sounders haven't dropped past like fourth place all year. So we're talking doom and gloom and we've had some you know criticism that's very fair
but at the same time guys we haven't dropped past fourth place. Yeah is there any other franchise in sports that has a bar set higher than the Sounders do and I think it comes internally. I think it comes from the coaching staff and it's historical right it goes all the way back to 1974 the rich tradition of this team winning having some fantastic runs in the US L days obviously with you know Schmetz's first coaching stint with the team and winning championships and then
bringing those guys on board who had that championship quality ingrained in them and that's what other expansion franchises didn't do in my eyes and still don't do to this day and that leads us to where and where does that come from really I think is is a question that we have to ask ourselves
and is it because from 2009 it's been a winning organization and we haven't felt failure until last year really right and we didn't make the playoffs and so did that light a fire early in the season for this team yes and then you had yeah every team throughout the season is going to have
some roles say 4-1 and that's a team that wins the support shield in my eyes because every other team at some point has dropped points so we're hoping now that that road game right but two two road games in a row at Minnesota pick up a point okay dust it off were we feeling that confident
going into Austin I was feeling interesting because we knew talking to coach that they were going to do a rotated lineup versus Austin however there was the year where we went into Austin with all the kids and we pulled out that win so history repeated itself which will break it down.
Yeah so I watched the game last night first I was at I was coaching last night so on the bus ride from practice back to the school I got it on my phone and then I went grab a little dinner but I had my own co-ed game last night so I still had it on the ground as I'm warming up and watching and
was one nothing when I walked away and I thought the sounders sounders played well that first half was was back and forth and listening to I think Mo do brought up a good point is you know Keith asked him okay well how's it look for either side in this game I think was fair and said both
teams are playing well yeah this is a good game to watch it's a fun game to watch I think it was pretty open on both ends which was a little bit surprising to me for the sounders to to go in there and want to press and move forward and is is that a case of Jordan being up top I think my eyes
really open that that is his position and you can tell that that's where he wants to play and there's something to be said about a physical body up top right now that's willing to kind of bash and put centerbacks under pressure and I thought that we played well for the for the better part of that first half and I'll tell you say the game was was Steph oh yeah I mean Steph last night he was being in the match last night unbelievable and I talked about it in our pregame is Steph is
that friend who is so trustworthy and you always have a friend that that messes up you know throughout what they say something stupid in the text read or they do something dumb on a night out but then exot me on perfect six out of the seven days and 23 out of that seventh day 24 hours there the best
and that's Steph for us and last night he showed it and at what if it wasn't for Steph we know in that game and it just really highlights how important he is for this squad and I'll tell you what that was you know one of the best performances I've seen from him in in in a really long time
and is he cementing himself as one of the best to do it in in major weeks soccer I think I think the case is probably there the longevity of the career for sure and some titles the trophies trophies the leadership the consistency the amount of games play right and and last night really
just highlighted that so I'm so stoked for Steph in that regard and then the commitment until the end 90 second minute is all of a sudden you see new who high on the left flank and instead of whipping in a cross he does the right thing and feels Nico behind him and it's a fantastic ball
obedspiding and then all of a sudden Albert smashes it and his technique is on that goal so good if if you're out there and you're listening and you play that is a goal that is it's just top class because the ability to be leaning back but also having that like hit mobility body awareness to
hit that ball into the ground through traffic is what made that goal and you can teach it but it takes a long time to teach that ball I mean I'm coaching all the time and if I go out there with my high school players very few players can hit that ball in that traffic 91 minute to still have the energy to do that is it was it was just a fantastic performance and you saw how much it meant to him and you saw how much it meant to the group to get that goal and and really ultimately win the game
with only a couple minutes left and is that the result that can spur you on I mean you've been in and seen others other sports is that the catalyst to take this team to the next level through through these playoffs and especially into this next game I'll say something that I noticed on
the broadcast last night going into the second half watching the huddle speech you can just tell that that was a team that wants to win this game it just it brought it made me feel confident watching them in that huddle because it just you saw how much they wanted that game and the fact
that they wanted it so bad middle like midweek game on the road one of those like you know you could so easily just be like I have one point great whatever cool but they wanted that win and you could just see you how much they wanted that win so yeah it was massive and I want to touch on your
point because in that Atlanta game a couple weeks ago obviously Sounders with a home team and I talked to Craig and I was in the booth for half time but then I bolted out to get Danny and and those guys said or whoever called the game that day I can't forget I can't remember but
whoever's calling that game I think it was Danny Pete and Craig said after the game that Atlanta was already on the field they were the first team out at halftime they were jogging out they all got together huddled up and the Sounders were walking out onto the field it was almost as if
they were defeated already right and now we're saying you saw this half they're jogging out at halftime they get together there's something to be said about that mindset right 100% just mindset right if you can do the little things right that are the intangibles that you that you have I think
it sets everyone on the right course and whether that's showing up to training on time getting out to training on time doing the little things right in warm-ups and then that's a little thing that can be a catalyst and and maybe that was it maybe it was someone said something that just
clicked with the whole group and yeah it's that the guys off on the right course and I want to talk about Steph's save yes oh my goodness but I did see a replay on Twitter and that's a goal really the ball went all the way really perfect view from the goal line that you can see the ball go into
the back of the net 100% so my question is and I actually read it was on Reddit and they were talking about that goal line technology and how much it costs and it's some astronomical number it's someone broke it down I guess a boon this league of data study like 10 years ago about implementing
goal line technology and how many games that influence throughout the year and it was four times in a year that there was a incident where goal line technology was needed and it didn't even sway the results of a season for any of those teams it turned right it only it only matters if it turns a tie into a win or win into a tie and you might see only a couple cases throughout the year but is there a cake I feel like every other sport has goal line technology right football it makes a huge
difference maybe hockey hockey does hockey have a hockey does NBA MLB all of them do their review stuff all around now and so the question is is it is it really that hard to get a camera that's on the goal line no you would know better than I no we used to put a GoPro there right it's very easy
and I'm just wondering is is there a case in place for that goal line technology awesome I'll say yes we'll say no but we'll have to you know that just kind of what it is and then there was another one last night that was so close I figured which game it was but there was
another one that was a goal line saying but it actually counted as a goal it was in the Vancouver game oh snap Brian White scored and to me it looked like that one didn't fully cross the line but also to me it looked like in the initial replay that steps say that it didn't cross the line
completely but yeah if you go on Twitter and watch it definitely cross the line but it must be a money thing that we don't have goal line technology or a sensor in the ball at least I think it might just be a resistance to change thing because it's I don't know if it could be that expensive
and it's not super difficult to utilize I will say though in the premier league the way that they use their technology it's so frustrating and they clearly have it and they just use it in the most frustrating way and I think everyone can agree with that good point about this Austin game
things that you just brought up the goal should have been a goal for Austin that wasn't a goal and was Jordan Morris offside he was well offside right and I can't and Mo was saying that from his view when he's watching the replay on TV that the wall kept him on side but I watched it I paused it
a thousand times and I'm looking at the blades of grass and there is no way that he's on side in that situation the only thing that was close was the the outside back on the far side that may have been close but even even looking then to me and I guess I how are there not that many
cameras that if we're going to use VAR I guess he's just have to be egregious and it has to be proven beyond out with the camera views that you're given right and so credits Jordan makes a good run he's on the shoulder and gets a poke but another good service from from Niko Lidero oh yeah great
service he had a great game overall great great week so a good week for Niko and that gives us confidence moving in so as we look at the standings where we lie now I have one more thing about the Austin game going back to those two weirdness points isn't it kind of satisfying to have
weird stuff go our way instead of the other teams way yeah I mean and in your head as a player does that like give you something like the soccer gods are on our side finally yeah I hope so I mean things tend to even themselves out right and that's what Zieg always used to say is that
you're going to get some of those calls and you're going to give some of those calls so as long as you're playing well and and you just kind of keep the ball moving forward that they're going to end up hopefully getting you the benefit of the shot right and the founders have been good enough
that historically we've always been on on the right side of those so a game in hand on St. Louis but seven points behind they're probably not catchable this one they're playing well that that whole field advantage for them is his lights out even on a Wednesday night that place was crowded
and packed last night and and they're playing so well LASC is two games in hand same amount of points they're probably going to run away with that second place spot maybe make a push for first place with the sounders sitting third place 27 games 40 points with a plus five Houston is another team
that are just playing well yeah when I watch Cory Beard in the past I I cannot figure out the this guy just continues to score and his work rate is undeniable he's found a place in Houston that he calls home and I mean his goal last night was fantastic so they're on 38 points with a
game in hand on the sounders but it only matters if these teams win and I don't think they're going to win all their games out so the sounders have a massive game coming up this weekend against Portland Timbers tickets are still on sale right yes tickets are still on sale we have a massive
amount so we got a pack of stadium for that one bring your friends family because I I hope that this could be a seven point week I mean that would be a dream and if that's the case your sounders are often running into the playoffs for sure at that point because I just don't see I
mean Portland sits on 29 points they're in 12th place third from bottom if you're looking at the standings yes yesterday was a game that the sounders should have won against Austin who's below below the line right now even for the qualification spot so getting results against the
teams that you should is key as we move forward and then we only have I think two home games after that game right yep elixin van koever and then decision day at St. Louis which we will be at St. Louis for that one and then we go to Nashville as well so some difficult fixtures coming up
with the sounders but previewing this one against Portland dude it's tough man because it's a rivalry game like how do you even break it down it's a rivalry game and I think you throw and we talked about this before as you throw everything out the window of rival games yes are they
sitting third from bottom but in these games it just doesn't matter well and the fact that they just fired their coach too I mean it's just like it's almost the worst that Portland's doing the more they show up against us yeah I almost want them to be playing better when they're coming in because
they'll be more complacent as opposed to well our seasons of wash at least beat the sounders now yeah and I think that's a great point because they're playing for pride at this point I think I think I mean 29 points they're gonna need something miraculous to even sneak into the playoffs because
Dallas is a good team San Jose still getting results Minnesota's there and Austin and Sporting Kansas City or above him Sporting Kansas City Sporting Kansas City's healthy they're gonna need some special to close out the season and even make that call qualification playoff spot so
even then if I'm in the locker room it doesn't matter yeah 100% just cannot look at the standings and it's such a surprise is the galaxy second from bottom because sometimes I watch them and they play last night they play fantastic I know I know I thought they played well against us when
we beat them there like it wasn't sort of one of those results that went our way but I feel like they outplayed us they just can't put it together but Portland's inbers three out of the last four have been losses so taking advantage of a team that's that's really coaches been fired but we
all know I'm glad they fired him a couple weeks ago and not last night because I would hate to face support on the team that's just gotten rid of their coach that's playing in Seattle but line up changes do you see anything that change from from Austin getting getting a result who comes in
who comes out I mean I think it's gonna be interesting we talked about this on the post-majoratio last night Raoul didn't play a single minute against Austin which is very interesting so how motivated is he gonna be and do you even but after you watch Jordan play up top do you take him from
that spot you know like I mean I'd love to hear what your thoughts are there I honestly at this point I think you start Jordan up top I think you kind of have to if he's the one you know that's bagging a goal and creating space for others I think there's no choice but to leave but to leave him
up top and you tell Jordan hey we know that you played midweek we know that you've put in a shift you know against Minnesota as well give us 60 65 minutes if you bag one great if you don't then Raoul comes on for 30 35 minutes the problem is if you're Raoul you see the riding on the wall
at that point and how motivated is a player like that so Schmetz is gonna have to gamble here and uh whichever way it goes you better hope it pays off because it Raoul starts another game and Jordan doesn't look too motivated it's Portland you better be motivated but if Jordan's not looking
like himself you kind of have that inner squad kind of battle going on there yep and that's now up to the manager to manage players right and honestly it's a gamble whichever way you go because if you start Raoul he doesn't score I think that might be the riding on the wall for Raoul
right biggest game maybe of the year right now coming up and if you're not gonna be buzzing and creating chances and a player like that sometimes has to do it on their own and if that's not the case then the next game I think Jordan starts up top from from here on out um and that's just the way
that soccer goes right yeah your goal scored you have to be scoring goals especially if the sounders want to stay in that third place spot moving forward um thoughts I mean I was talking on the like I said like on the radio last night like was this like a chestnut checkers move by
the head coach to purposely not play Raoul so he'd be extra motivated against Portland well extra motivated or or extra fit and sure exactly exactly you can frame it however you want but your shakers got scored goals I mean we're lucky for for Ruse Nack to you know bag of gold and come on
as it's up but I think a tencio did well away from home I think that was smart um and in this game Portland so dynamic when they get forward I don't I don't and they play so unorthodox maybe maybe a new coach coaching changes yeah a bit more organized but in the past three four or five
years they've been a team that just breaks out and goes chaos and so just create chaos that sits with JP that's going to be able to shut that down and maybe it's the height of and and physicality of a tencio heading into this game can he play two games back to back you know we played 90 minutes
I think maybe Obed slips back in there because in that uh a Minnesota game I thought that he played well he showed like he's got that bite back in that game um Leo Chu and then I think Albert goes out on the right and you you bring on Yemar and you put um Alex back at right back I'm not sure
about yellow cards just suspensions because Reagan picked up one new who did as well those such a dumb yellow card even even touched the guy didn't even touch him it's just sad player beachy though you have to even make a little yeah possibly contact it looks like
you're obstructing play oh totally it's totally yellow card um so 45 minutes play for Ruse Naki comes on for sure uh and then we kind of you know at the end of the day you got through everything against all against Portland it's gonna be an exciting match I'm stoked to I'll be on the broadcaster
that one yes he will be in match with Danny Jackson in match with Danny so that'll be fun and then tomorrow we have our massive media match right historically we have everyone come out that we can and this is the biggest roster I've ever seen for these and so 60 people yeah so 30 players
per team it's all media outlet throughout the city um a lot of the sports guys are doing high school football which apparently takes precedent over a media soccer match which I'm disappointed with Chris Egan I don't have to get in but funny story about Chris Egan a couple of years ago
warmups and he just took a shot from 18 yard box and he turns around and was like I just ripped my hamstring and I was like okay well you probably just pulled it you know you'll be okay with me he's stranded he's like no no no I can't play in this game he sent me a picture a couple
days later maybe I saw that a game in his hamstring was the biggest black and blue I have ever seen I mean he was ripped yeah so I think Chris needs to just stick to pickleball because he's an unreal pickleball player fun fact I love pickleball by the way pickleball forever in Washington no yeah
so he is a pickleball master oh my goodness but he was only only second to the family that invented pickleball that's insane pretty cool so he's not a fact massive announcement last week was for rave foundation we opened up another rave pitch with Lamar Nagle in his hometown federal way
partnered with black players for change and uh us soccer foundation Delta was there we had a number of families that committed a ton of money and so everyone was in the house it was a massive opening and a brand new elementary school and the opening of that elementary school which
when I drove up I was like this is unreal yeah it's an unbelievable mini pitch and so super stoked for for Lamar and black players for change um rave was a you know a small part of this one and Lamar really got that one moving so so really cool to see we got a number of announcements
coming up for rave foundation um but until then we've got this massive match on Saturday I just we have such an opportunity here to get like I said or like we talked about a seven-point week which is incredible and we need to be Portland we get we're we're not out of the Cascadia Cup
standings yet by the way that cup is still massive massive massive massive can push us on and then we go September 16th at Dallas another and then four days later at Colorado and then at Nashville right road road so we got three road games in a row after this one so vital for the
founders to pick up three points get us off in the right direction against a couple teams that are going to be absolutely scrappy at this point in the season it's playoff soccer so I expect the founders to throw everything at the wall um broadcast info yes broadcast info we are on Apple
TV MLS season pass very exciting there we're on 950 KJR AM 950 for English radio Danny Jackson Brad Evans um on the call for that one and then 1360 L rice managed radio and I will be doing 5050 raffle yeah Brad has a very busy day on Saturday before the game come find me I think I'm on club
level but I'll be holding a big sign 5050 raffle you enter the raffle let's say it gets the 10,000 bucks by the end of the game one winner will win half of that amount and the other half goes to the rave foundation so you see a 5050 raffle get your donations in and you got the opportunity to
win some serious coin while supporting the rave foundation and I think it's a step-and-fri match for the rave foundation so if you get a text and you're available and there should be a boot set up with all the step-and-fri swag let's celebrate this guy and his accomplishments
and raise some money for the rave foundation and hit a really cool item in the meantime yeah 342 appearances across all competitions for the founders now which is a record which is insane that's insane so until then a couple days get your minds right we'll see you at the stadium that was side by side a quick one and we'll be back next week