Coming to you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson Felts. Good evening and welcome back to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here, it's good to be back with you for another season of Sounders Weekly. We're starting back up here tonight thanks to Mike Ben for that Crack and Weekly show. It came right before us. For the next about month and a half. Whoever long the
Cracking season goes, We're gonna be airing right after Cracking Weekly. If the Crack can play on Tuesday, our shows are gonna be on Wednesdays. If the Crack And play on Wednesdays, or show is gonna be on Tuesdays. Cracking Weekly at seven Sounders Weekly at eight pm here on ninety three point three KJRFM. And then when the Cracking season does come to an end, we will go back to our normal time slot there of Wednesday at seven pm.
Sounders Weekly. Through the twenty twenty four season, Jackson felt, it's good to be back with you for what I'm not very good at math, but we started this in twenty eighteen with Sounders weekly. Back way back into twenty seventeen, we did Radio Cascadi a live so the Sounders weekly shows here on KJR continuing here for twenty twenty four, and the season starts this Saturday, LAFC on the road, Sounders facing the defending Western Conference champs. We're gonna
get into that a lot today. Let's promote what we got coming up here on the show. Today. Show isn't gonna be changing too much here for twenty twenty four, but here for the first segment here today, we're just gonna take the chance to go over the busy, busy last few months for the Sounders. It has been a busy few months, especially with roster changes. One very big, flashy change. We'll get into that. If you haven't heard, or if you haven't seen, the Sounders have added a new
player, a very expensive new attacking player. We'll talk about him moment tarrely. Middle segment of each week's show, as usual, we'll get into a big interview with hopefully a Sounders player each week. This week is Christian rolled On. I think a very fitting first player, you know, the veteran leader in the midfield. We able to catch up after the preseason game last weekend out Long Acres. I will talk about that new facility here in just
a few minutes, and we'll of course wrap up the show. He is back for twenty twenty four. Ari Lillienwall of MLS Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorches. Ri will join us each week for Around the League and we'll follow that up with Around the Sound slight change there. I will be handling around the Sound this year instead of Andrew Harvey, so I'll take us
around the Sound. Of course each week we'll get you the latest news on Rain, Seattle RAINFC is no longer ol Rain back to Seattle Rain and a bunch of USL two news. I mean you all know this has been sort of the Ballad FC segment there on around the Sound and listen, I still hashtag up the Bridges, I fly the Colors. I am Ballard FC fan. But there is a lot of more in USL two this year, a
lot more teams. We'll talk about that Ballad f c's at regular season schedules out, they're playing in the Open Cup, They're playing at Memorial Stadium. A lot coming up this year on around the league and around the sound which will air in our final segment each week here in Sounders Weekly. So busy
show ahead, busy season ahead. As the Sounders look to go further than they did last year Western Conference semifinals, they were knocked out by LAFC a one nothing loss at home, you know, frustrating to be at home in that game, have the higher seed and just not be able to break through
offensively. Bowonga got that goal in the playoff game. Brian Schmitzer said it in a press conference a couple of days ago that that goal still is with him and it's still with me. I'm sure it's still with a lot of you guys out there in thinking about God, what could have been? Because it was a tough goal to give up that scored, and you know, for the Sounders it's just needing that extra burst of offense. So let's see, let's just dive in and let's talk about the last few months for these
Sounders. The team spent two plus weeks in Spain training up with the preseason on going, facing some teams over there. Closed out the preseason. As I mentioned this last weekend, it was a one nothing loss for the first string years against Sacramento and the finale, and listen, I don't read too much into preseason just in general for any team. I mean, Miami, man, Miami has been traveling all over the globe with Messi and with all
of their stars, and Miami's had a terrible preseason. I don't know if you can say that Miami is gonna be bad in MLS just because they had a bad preseason. So I don't read too much into that. But the Sounders did lose in their final preseason game for the first stringers one nothing to Sacramento out at Long Acres. You know, if I was to to make one sort of thing, it would just be like, listen, we need more offensive help with the guys who were out there, So that would be
my one takeaway. But that was the team issue last year was on the offensive end. This was perhaps the best defensive team in the league last year. I mean, they were the team who gave up the least amount of goals in the league. Stephen Fry had the most clean sheets in the league. They're outstanding defensively. Josh Attencio big step forward, the whole back line great all returning for this year. But it's on the offensive end where they
need help. So let's just jump in and talk about the big, big acquisition, the big help for the offensive end. His name Pedro de la Vega. And if you are a frequent listener to Sounders Weekly podcasts, myself and our producer andrews Hurst put out a nice podcast about a month ago on the introduction of Pedro de la Vega. He is the new number ten. He is a young designated player. He's an Argentine attacking winger who can play the all b and of three spots. He's primarily on the left wing,
right footed, so he can go on the left. He's real quick so he can cut in on that right foot, and he has a knack for goal. I'll tell you what. But in terms that I mentioned, he's the young designated player. He is just turned twenty three, so next year he will be a full designated player, so he will occupy that spot. There was a reported six point five million dollars for this transfer Pedro de la
Vega, so he is the big, flashy piece. It looks likely when he is fully fit and ready to go, he will be the starting left winger. But I mean again, we'd spoke with Brian Schmitzer a couple of days ago, and Brian said he can play central in that number ten traditional number ten spot. He's wearing the number ten, by the way, and that's an enormous pressure to be following up Nicholas Ladero who's now in Orlando,
so he is the new number ten Jersey. But he can play on the field in a number ten spot, that's the central position of the attacking midfielders. And he can even play on the right. And I went into the podcast with Anders talking about how I think Pedro da Levegan needs to be on the right because I think layout two needs to be on the field starting on the left wing. The team's issue last year was offensively, not defensively. So if you can get another offensive weapon up there, and then you maybe
you know, I know Brian Schmitzer doesn't like to do it. He doesn't want to do it. But bring Christian role on back a line, let him play next to Joel Paulo, and then you know, say all right, Christian, go get up the field. Then suddenly you're looking at it. You know, with formations, you know we always talk about numbers,
right, there are really just numbers on the field. Things flow and shift as the games go on, so to give a numerical formations almost meaningless, but I will try, in the sense of if you put Christian roled on back line, you tell him to get the heck up the field and the formation can almost shift from a four to two three one into a four to one four one where Christian is playing off the right of Albert Russnack, and suddenly, instead of a band of three attacking midfielders, you have a band
of four attacking midfielders with Day la Vega on the right next to Christian and then you have Russnak and Chew on the left with Jordan Morris up top. I mean that is a dangerous, dangerous unit that could produce a lot of goals. And yes, you can say, well that can still exist. You just bring Leo Chew on for say josh Atensio in the sixtieth minute, and guess that's true. I would just rather have that huge attacking unit on
the field from minute one as opposed to minute sixty. That's just me personally. But the great thing about Pedro de la Vega is he gives you these options to play different ways, to have Christian on the right, or to have Christian back to have a tensio starting to have him not and of course guys will go down. You're not going to be one hundred percent healthy through
the entire year. So Pedro de la Vega gives you that flexibility to have a starting caliber attacking unit even if a Christian a chew or if d la Vega goes down, you are going to have starting quality on the wings at all times. But this guy's a great dribbler. We've seen him in the action, watching him in the preseason game. He can run a defender. He's really quick, I for goal. Everything that this team needs offensively they have now in Pedro de la Vega. You are going to love this guy
now and wearing number ten for the Sounders. In terms of some other acquisitions. Here as we roll through here at the start first episode of Sounders Weekly here this year on ninety three point three KJRFM, once again we're chatting with Christian roll Don in a little bit. Will also go around the league with Ari Lillionwalove MLS soccer dot Com later in the show. But let's continue this offseason recap. Pedro de la Vega was the big acquisition, but he was
not the only acquisition. I think a really undertalked about. You know, I'm not sure fans are really understanding how big of a job this was to get this guy. Craig Wible really phenomenal offseason. Honestly, in his first real off season to make a bunch of cheer, I think Craig Wible nailed
it. And one of the moves that I think really shows how good of an offseason it was was the acquisition of Nathan, a veteran center back who just a couple of years ago with San Jose was a dominant defender in this league. An injury kept him out for the entire year last year. But when this guy is healthy, he's a very good center back. I would not be surprised if he gets some starts this year just to give Jackson Reagan and Jemargomez Andrade a day off. This is a center back who has a
great head. He scored a bunch of goals for San Jose. Probably on the death chart right now, he's the third guy, but I mean he will get a bunch of minutes he can score goals. So Nathan is a very very good acquisition. I think Jonathan Bell kind of a defender who bounced. I think he was with New England, he was in the re entry draft. Sounders took him. He signed a contract. A defender who can play at not only the fullback spot but also center back, so very good
death piece there on the defensive end. I think he'll probably start the year just on the depth chart as new who's backup at left back. That was a nice little move in Jonathan Bell. A really good move I think about a month ago was Danny Mazovsky. Danny Mazovski, you may remember, the name, has kind of bounced around a little bit of a journeyman forward in
this league. He's played with Saul Lake, he's played with LAFC. His overall numbers for goals and assists per ninety minutes is very high, and really for Danny Mazovski. The whole issue for Danny has been just getting minutes and getting on the field. He's had to sit behind guys like you know,
Carlos Vela in LAFC and that's limited his minutes. And yes, he is going to be the third forward behind Jordan Morrison, Rollery Diez, but I would still say I think Danny Mazovsky's gonna get a ton of minutes with the Sounders. He's a quality player. I mean, Pete Fewing, I should
say Danny Masovski played college ball at UNLV. When Pete Fewing, who's of course one of our broadcast analysts here for KJR and Sounders games, when Pete Viewing was coaching at Seattle University and faced Danny Mazovski at UNLV, he just raves about what Masovski can do. So, I mean, this is a guy who has produced. It's just a matter about seeing more time. And yeah he's behind Jordan and Roll, but he will get time this year.
I think for sure. To continue kind of our off season recap here a little bit, you know, in terms of the non roster stuff that was really kind of the main roster moves. You know, we'll get into a couple other small ones here in a minute. But off the field, new anniversary kit was released last week, the new primary kit. They were obviously sticking with the Bruce Lee kit that was introduced last year, but the new primary kit features the new kind of shade of rave green, and then it
has light blue stripes and the stripes are outlined with the dark green. If you haven't seen it, I mean I've and posting pictures of this and whatnot, and you can follow the Sounders at sounders FC. Their accounts have sent it out very good jersey, great rollout campaign last week. Personally, I would I would grate it probably as a strong a minus. I would say my one tiny, tiny critique was the dark green outlines on the stripes.
This is just me personally here. I'm just you know, ranting and raving the dark green might be a little much, but the history when you understand that the dark green is a nod to some of the original Sounder of jerseys back in the seventies where they used that dark green, it's pretty darn cool. I love the white accents on the jersey. They are using awkward shorts with which works so well with the green and the stripes. I mean, just lah Chef's kiss. The way they matched up the tops to the shorts
really brings that whole thing together. The white sox too, gives it that retro vibe. This is going to be an excellent look I think for the next two years. I love what the Sounders did here with their new jersey. Their new training facility. Of course, I mention that out at Long
Acres, it's just a sensational building. You know. Stephen Fry and Christian Roldan, who we're gonna hear from coming up, both talked about how because of this new building and because of the new spaces, guys actually want to hang out there more develop that chemistry, which I think is a huge addition.
So this new building, in this new facility, which has I mean it has a player's lounge with a barber shop where Christian's gonna cut team's hair, a full kitchen, a wall full of sports memorabilee in this lounge, it's beautiful. There's a weight room with new equipment, highlighted by a big wall mural that has a picture of twenty nineteen MLS Cup. I think it
says where champions are made here on that mural. It's just beautiful. Giant tubs and medical all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a modern training center. The locker room beautiful, has a glowing logo. The new logo is on the seat of the locker room and it glows different colors. Pretty darn cool. Selfishly, the media areas are outstanding, and then Academy and Defiance have their own spaces as well, full with weight, recovery, lounge,
locker rooms, has everything. Just a wonderful new building that is going to I mean really it is deserved for this franchise. So I love what they've done. Mentioned Defiance right there. Should note they have a new head coach, Henry Bronner has moved to sporting director. Our old friend Wade Weber, he used to be Tacoma Defiance head coach. He has now moved to be
the director of development. So Tacoma Defiance has a new head coach. It's a former assistant with Montreal and he's bounced around a number of places around the continent, including Angel City over in the NWSL erve d S I believe is how you pronounce it. We all just call him h h is how everybody calls him. He's the new head coach of Tacoma Defiance, So that was
great. I should also note on the roster front Coma Defiance's record goal scorer Brodilio Rodriguez, who should be seeing a bunch of times still with the Coma. He earned himself a first team deal as well, so great for Broadilio also mentioned Josh Atensio Alex Roldn with the first team. They got contract extensions, so that was good. Sounders are back in League's Cup for twenty twenty four. You'll remember the mid July to mid August tournament that takes place for
MLS and Lega MX. Both those leagues come together into group stages and that whole process. Sounders did not make it out of group stage last year. This year, their group stage will feature Minnesota United and Club Nakaksa of Lega MX, so that will take place in mid July. But listen for the Sounders right now. The focus is on the start of the season. That's I think I've rattled off most of my notes there. I missed some super Draft notes. We'll get into that. I was thinking of another time,
but we're short on time here. It's been a busy offseason, lots of players in, couple players out, but the focus is on LAFC coming up. This Saturday game will air over on our sister station of Sports Radio nine fifty am. You can also watch the match for free on the Apple TV app or on Fox. So I mentioned listen nine to fifty am Providence Swedish premat show at one o'clock, kickoff right after one thirty. Also, you
can listen on l RAY thirteen sixty for Spanish language. Also mentioned. Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. In terms of statuses, ju al Poulo Alex Roldan didn't play in the conclusion of the preseason that final game. Brian Schmeszer said that was a precaution. It sounds like they will be available for selection. We'll see if that means that their start or on the bench. Gomez Andrade, he's kind of a
similar thing. I think Brian said he might be a little bit further behind, but we'll see if Andrade gets the start or if he's on the bench. If he's on the bench, I would think that Nathan slides in next to Jackson Reagan. No concern there. Nathan's still a great defender. As we talked about earlier, Reid Baker. Whiting's still a couple weeks away. I think I had the injury that he suffered in the playoffs last year, but I know by the sound of Brian Schmitzer, I think that We're gonna
get a pretty strong lineup here for Saturday's game at LAFC. We will see what he throws out. One of the players that he will certainly be starting on the field coming up this Saturday will be Christian Rolldon. I had a great chance to catch up with Christian Rolldon after the preseason finale last weekend. You're gonna hear from Christian Rolldon next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders FC Ceedel's
Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM. Welcome back, first episode of Sounders Weekly for the twenty twenty four season. Jackson feltz here. Good to have you with us for another year. Started Sounders Weekly back in twenty eighteen. We are back again for our another season here of Sounders Soccer on KJAR this coming Saturday's opener against LAFC. It's gonna be one o'clock pre match one thirty kickoff over on our sister station of sports Radio at nine to fifty k
AM for Sounders LAFC. So it's Satia on Saturday noon, Saturday afternoon over there for that come up later on tonight here on Sounders Weekly, we're still gonna go around the league with my good friend Ari WILLIAMAULMLS Soccer dot Com. I'll be taken over around the sound duties, so we'll cover that big news in USL two and a lot of new teams in that league from the area.
So stay tuned for that later in the show. But right now here in Sounders Weekly, for our first player interview of the season, gotta go to the old reliable Christian role. Don I say old right there. I mean, the guy really is. He still has that kind of young face and we always think of him in the twenty fifteen style of Christian role. Don but listen, he's entering his tenth season, tenth season, so he's
up there. And even he and our interview that we had out at the new facility at Long Acres just about what about four days ago, we talked about, you know, getting up there in age and having kind of the ability to step back and look at his career for the last ten years and looking at his career in the next ten years. So this is somebody who's now is a veteran leader on this team for sure. In Christian roll Don.
A great conversation here with Christian as we talked about the new introduction of Pedro de Levega that we talked about in that previous segment, talked about the season ahead, his career. Lots of good stuff here in the season opening conversation here with Sounders midfielder Christian role Don. We spoke right after he came
off the field after the preseason finale against Sacramento Republic. It was a one nothing loss for the Sounders in that preseason match, So right after Christian came off the field, had a chance to catch up and I asked him, how you feel in going into the new season. Yeah, body's feeling good. You know, ninety minutes under our Again, it's really important for us
to get to ninety minute games before the season starts. Sometimes you only get one and and you know it's you can start the year rusty and hopefully we're a little bit on the better end when it comes to that, and and you know, hopefully we can score a lot of goals this year. Well, you had a bit of preseason action over across the sea and in Spain, over in mar Bi again. Talk to us about that and about how that time was over there, and what you guys worked on for a couple
of weeks. Yeah, playing in front of goal, right, that's something that we needed to work on this year. You know, we didn't score too many goals last year. Defensively we were pretty sound, but offensively we needed to be better. And so yeah, being in front of goal our obviously our fitness and then team chemistry. Right, we have a lot of time in preseason to kind of connect with our teammates and it was a great way for us to do. So how did you team bond over in Spain?
Do you do? You do fun things across the couple weeks. Yeah, we had quite a few dinners out with the team, golfed with with the boys. It was it was gorgeous. I mean everything in our bay was beautiful with the sun. You know, while it was raining here, we were out in the sun, which which was beautiful. Well now you're back and you know, raining off and on. But we're here at this new facility, Long Acres and you know, the walkthrough and and everything.
We saw the really cool new toys that you guys have. We talked about the toys the press conference first few days. Now in this building. What have you been most impressed by? What have you kind of taken it back to, Well, we have that now. Well, the food has been
fantastic, obviously the space that we have now. But what I love to see is how guys show up right, they show up a little bit earlier, they leave a little bit later, and that's uh, you know the goal of this facility, it's to keep guys in here, recovering and doing whatever it takes to be you know professional. Yeah, and it is quite impressive. The field out there look at I mean, you guys have one, two, three, looks like a fourth field being built just to have
the facilities here. You know, it is kind of you know, a soccer you know, I wouldn't say mecca, but quite a hub that that you now have here. How were you impressed by the field and first action out there? Yeah, it's obviously great to have this many fields and then obviously being able to have people here right to host, you know, whether it's the front office people that are watching our trainings or guests, or our GM being able to kind of watch the young guys do well. So you
know, it's it's just a great facility for for all of us. We feel really included, and that was the goal I think going going into all Right, So there's the barbershop right over here, right right inside the player's lounge. So you're the barber, as I understand it, of the team. So have you given a haircut yet? I haven't no. Who's the first player? Then it might have to be my little brother. And I have to emphasize little because he's definitely my little brother, even though he's taller
than me. But uh, definitely probably him. His haircuts pretty easy and so I enjoy giving him the haircut. Well, Pedro's hair, how do you think of that? Oh, I can't touch that, it's too perfect. Well from player aspect, you know, Pedro del Vega joined the team you're after, you guys for their for Spain. What have you seen from his game on the field so far? Yeah, he's dynamic, he's different,
right, He's unpredictable. There's times where he's super direct, and there's times where he can dribble and get a shot off, and then there's times where he will keep the ball under pressure and so yeah, he's unpredictable of something that we've we've needed. And then on the right side, Yeah, he's he's a right or sorry, on the left side, he's a right footed player, which we haven't had. So it just gives us different look. And so we'll see how we utilize him. But I'm excited for him.
I know he's excited and and you know, the organization hopefully can get the best out of him that different look. You talked about it a few moments ago in terms of over focusing on what you did in Marba scoring more goals. That was clearly the issue last year in scoring goals. So how can he add to being able to fix that issue? And and you guys see more goals go in the back of that is is it all him? Is it something that he brings? You know, do you have to bring
something new? Yeah? He's direct, right, he will you know, for us to get a shot off on the left side, right, it adds a little bit of that dynamic. You know, oftentimes we're crossing from white areas, but he will, you know, cut in and shoot. And you know that's something that that we lacked last year. Right, She's getting shots off, quality shots and then instead of just crossing the ball and hopeful crossing and so yeah, he adds that and and hopefully he can play
through the do as well. Again, just a little bit of being unpredictable is something that we we we need right now Christians. And by just talking about you man, because this is your tenth season in MLS. You're starting here way back when a decade ago at the University of Washington. If we told here too, we told you you'd be standing just a few miles south of you, dub going into your tenth year with the sound, what would you have thought at that at that moment a decade ago. I mean,
you're crazy, right, It's been a blur. Really, it's happened so fast, and it's, uh, it's hard to kind of enjoy the moments because you know, the days go by really fast, and so I'm here to to enjoy every moment, you know, Uh, take everything, take everything in and appreciate what I have because you never know when an injury can can take it away. So for me, just just grateful and hopeful that
I can play much longer and and and still contribute team. Because I was just going to follow up really quickly to ask about that, because as you progress into the double jjit years now, do you kind of start stepping back the view from thirty five thousand feet of this is my life, this is my career, this is where I wanted to go in another ten years.
Yeah, it puts puts things into a perspective. Right, As you get older, you kind of realize, like, you know, soccer is really not the most important thing in the world, right, you know, your health is your family, you know, your wife, whether you have kids or not. You know, we get to do this and we have the luxury of doing this, but it really isn't the end of the world, right when you lose a game, And yeah, you have to have that
mindset, that perspective. Right, You're still competitive, like like I am every single day. I want to win, but there are things that are more important in life. And as I get older, you kind of realize that. And whether I get to play, you know, seven more years, five more years, you know, I have to appreciate those those last last years and you know, get the most out of myself for the organization, most for yourself and most get more trophies here in this hall championship right,
cross fingers cross man. Great stuff there from Christian Roldan, who, as you can hear has that perspective. Now is a veteran player on this team. I joked at the start before the conversation, you know, good old and yeah in a sense, yeah, he is getting older, and you know he has to change the way he plays, as all players do as they increase in age. But now he is locked into that right wing. We would think. Brian Schmitzer said in a press conference he doesn't liked,
you know, moving Christian world on back a line. And you know, I think Christian Roldan has now developed himself into kind of that guy on the right wing who can play both on the offensive end and track back on the defensive end. And you know, Brian Schmitzer loves that, and Christian Roldan loves having that consistency out there at that single position. So your right winger is we will now refer to him for at least the short term.
Christian rolled on. They're great to visit with him out at Long Acres. We will surely see him in the starting lineup coming up on Saturday against LAFC. In terms of LAFC and in terms of the rest of the Western Conference and the entire league, it's time to go around the sound coming back for the second season is Ari Lileenwall of MLS Soccer dot Com. He will join
us next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio in ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders FC Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM. Welcome back to our first episode, Sounders Weekly, twenty twenty four underway. It will be underway for your Sounders coming up this Saturday afternoon at LAFC. Good show so far, glad we can kind of step back get the view from thirty five thousand feet on the season ahead and
the changes of the off season. Good hear from Christian Rolled on Long Acres in that previous segment. But joining us right now for the second year, we're continuing with it. We'll get to around the sound with a new little twist coming up in a few minutes. But we are still going every week around the league with my good friend. He's the host of the podcast Lobbing Scorchers. He's a writer and editor for mlssucker dot com. He's the great Ari Lillian Wall. Ari, good to have you back on the show,
my friend for this season. How are you? I'm good? Good? To be back, and yeah, I'm really looking forward to the start of this MLF season. It feels like it's been a long off season. It has been a long offseason. I'll first shout you out. You said that LAFC was gonna win the West. You got that right. I don't think either of us saw the Columbus crew coming to win the whole thing, but
boy, they sure did. We'll talk about overall MLS thoughts in the league and in just a few minutes, but man, let's just start on the Seattle Sounders, because this is a team that underwent a number of changes, had some nice additions from Craig Wible. Pedro de la Vega is the headliner. But you bring in Nathan, you bring in John Bell, you bring in Danny Mazowski. Just let's just start with vibes. Man, What are
your vibes like on this Seattle Sounders team right now? Yeah? I mean, I think the story with this team last year was a very good, often elite defensive team that underperformed on offense in terms of their final goal total. So this offseason for Craig Wable was all about addressing that issue, because I really think you have a situation where if you can get the offense performing at the same level as the defense, you have an elite potentially elite contending
team. So it's going to be really interesting to see if the additions that they made can lead to that. And I think in Pedro de la Vega, you have a guy who it's going to be real interesting to see if he can deliver the returns that kind of to spark this offense. I think in terms of his profile, like skill set on the field and the character evaluation, he checks all the boxes theoretically, but you know, the game's played on grass, so he actually has to go out there and do that.
If they hit on that signing, I think it's going to make mean great things for this season, but you just never know. With a young DP like this, it's it basically always feels like a fifty fifty to fifty proposition if you're going to get the return on that investment. So I think a lot of this season is going to come down if that's signing is a
hit. But I think you have a couple of under the radar acquisitions too, in guys like Nathan who's been a very starting caliber center back for the San Jose Earthquakes and Danny Mssovski's a bit of an underrated MLS player as well. I think there's a decent chance that he could be an uptick or an upgrade in production in terms of what it got out of that backup nine spot
from a Bear last year. So I think they're there's reasons to be at least optimistic on paper that this offense is going to be a lot better this year than it was last year, and that could mean great things for this
team. I think you're absolutely right, and it really does. I said the same thing on a you know, separate podcast reacting to Pedro dal la Vega about a month ago, which was, I think this season will come down to if it works or not, because whether it's on the left side or you know what, I hope will eventually be the right side so you can keep Leo Chu on the field. It's just an entirely new offensive threat who's you know, really good on both ends, a guy who can you
track back really well. Brian Schpenzer has talked about his game in the press being a very good quality, so I'm right with you there. But when we kind of step back and look at this Western Conference Ari. I mean, like we mentioned a few minutes ago, you nailed it with the LAFC prediction getting to MLS Cup. They are still, for what I can see, a powerhouse in the West. Saint Louis who won the West in the regular season last year in first place and did exactly what we thought they were
going to do in the playoffs. You had Casey who made a run. Obviously, Houston finished fourth. Minnesota's always there, even though of course they missed the playoffs last year. As you look at this Western Conference, who will be the team's challenging Seattle at the top of the West. You know, I still in general see the Western Conference as much weaker than the East. That was the case last year very clearly, and I see a similar
dynamic. You know, there's question marks around a lot of these teams. LAFC were in e leite team last year, but they've had more roster turnover than anyone this offseason. They've had some of the most roster turnover that I've ever seen in one off season. So it's not a guarantee that they're going to be that they're going to be firing like the LAFC that we're used to. I think they will because they always seem to pull it together, but
we don't really know that yet. Saint Louis, there's a lot of numbers that suggest they overperformed and had a better record than they they should have last year. They didn't make super blockbuster additions to make you think that their underlying performances are going to be drastically better. You know, it could happen, but that's not a guarantee. Houston is another team that I see as overperformed a little bit last year, and they're dealing with injuries with Hector Herrera and
a couple of their other key contributors. So the West is really really wide open, and I think that presents an opportunity for Seattle because it seems like they honestly have fewer question marks than a lot of these teams. You know, there is a question mark of if Pedro de la Vega is really that guy, but aside from that, it seems to be a lot more solidified for Seattle than a lot of their competitors. So that presents an opportunity for
them to solidify themselves pretty early on. I think that's absolutely right. Ario. Let's go back to LFC. You mentioned more turnover than anybody else. Obviously it's the Sounders first opponent coming up this Saturday afternoon. I'll tell you that you can watch the match for free on the Apple tvp or on Fox. Also listen over on our sister station of Sports Radio nine fifty k AM this coming Saturday, Provident Swedish premat show starts at one o'clock kickoff shortly after
one thirty. You also listen to the match in Spanish language on l RAY thirteen sixty. But we'll talk to you over on our sister station nine to fifty am this coming Saturday. Ari this LAFC team with so many changes, and I should quickly mention, by the way, this is our Sharp Vision opponent Alec. Tonight's opponent Alec presented by Sharp Vision, Modern Lasik and Lens,
the official Lasik provider of Sanders FC. But in terms of this LAFC team with so much changes, what are Brian Schmeitzer and company going to have to game plan and prepare for this weekend? Well, for all the changes that I talked about, they still have Dennis Bwanga, who is probably the
most explosive and dynamic attacker in MLS right now. Still, he won the Golden Boot last year, and really there's just not many players you can name an MLS who have that type of physical presence combined with the technical ability and finishing abilities. So really, no matter what moving parts there are around him, when you have him as the centerpiece, one of the best players in the league, playing on their home field, they're probably going to be pretty
difficult to stop. And I can tell you right now that he's going to be difficult to stop. We saw what he can do in the playoffs last year. That goal he scored against Seattle in the playoffs was basically, you know, Denny Spolonga in a nutshell. So it's never an easy task when you're going up against that guy. It really does not matter what they have
around him, to an extent, you know they have. I think the hope for Seattle would that be that as they're integrating all their new pieces in midfield and on the defensive side of the ball, maybe that opens it up and Seattle can run with them, which has been more challenging in the past years when they've been really, really solid on that side of the ball. So it's going to be interesting, just because I have no idea what to
expect from LAFC. This is going to be a good first data point for you know, if they're going to just hit the ground running with all these new pieces, or if they might have an acclamation period that it might take them some time to adjust and that could cause them to have a bit of a tougher start to the season. You know, because it's LFC, I tend to think they're going to be the same mighty juggernaut they they've always been,
but we really don't know. Well, it's interesting. Then. I'm kind of happy now that Seattle gets to play them in the first game, and maybe we'll see them before they get rolling and they get cohesive together with all those changes, we'll see what happens. Ario Leon was our guest from MLS Soccer dot com. Ario, Let's head out East for a minute, because the third place Columbus Crew and Cuco Hernandez ends up winning MLS Cup last
year. We know Cincinnati, you know, finally got getting rid of the wooden spoon and they bring home a supporter shield for their efforts last year. And then Orlando City who finished second in the East, and they add Nicholas Ladero from Sea. Who do you like out East? I still really like Cincy, you know they I know that they moved Brandon Vasquez on, but I think they made a pretty savvy signing there, getting Corey Baird. Kind of a little similar to Seattle with Danny Vensovski move, I would say.
And they still got the MVP in Luciano Acosta, and they signed Miles Robinson who Matt me osgod and Miles Robinson has got to be the best TV duo in the league. You know, Seattle has an argument there with ymar and Jackson Reagan, but Sincy's roster front to back is still very very strong. I like Orlando too, but you know, there's reason to think that they
might take a step back based on the underlying numbers their record. They overachieved a little bit last year, and I think nicol o'deo is a great addition for them. But when you look at Sincy, Columbus, Philadelphia, and I think in Atlanta team that stands to be much improved this year. Just the top the top of the East to me looks much much stronger than the West. Yeah, I totally agree. I didn't know by the way about the Miles Robinson move, that's a hell of a move for Cincinnati, so
I would put them at the top based on that as well. What a defense and Ari, well, really quickly, I have to ask you, I'm not even sure how much you can say on this, but there's a wild situation going on between pro the referee organization, the referees from Major League Soccer and MLS itself. Lots of statements and things, and obviously we know that right now it appears that we're going to be starting this season with replacement
refs for Saturday's game for Seattle and LAFC. I'm not sure what you can say on it, but replacement refs can't possibly be as bad as they did in the NFL in twenty twelve, right, I mean, I would hope not, but I remember when they did it in the NFL, and you know, it was funny for like the first half of the first game that I watched, and then it just evolved in so bad, absolute chaos and debauchery. So I would I would hope that if there's a situation where there's
replacement referees, it won't end up like that. But it's really it's not as easy a job as people think, you know, like watching it happen in the NFL, you really realize how good a lot of these guys are at their job. So you know, I'm really hoping that they can come to a deal and that it doesn't come to that. Yeah, well it's a it's a tough and rough situation right now, and I too, just hope it gets figured out. Our good friend Andrew Harvey right now and just
must be sitting at home shaking his head watching this whole thing happen. But yeah, wild situation. Will continue to cover it as it evolves. Ari, That'll be it. And before I let you go, Lobbing Scorchers coming back for a second season. Yes, I'm planning on getting back on that train soon. It's been a busy off season and I haven't had a chance
to get to it as much as I would like. But I am really aiming to get back on that train as soon as possible because podcasting was fun last year and I appreciate everyone who who listened to it and has been asking me about it. Well, Lobbing Scorches was such a fun podcast to listen to. I'd make sure everybody adds it to wherever they get their podcast. It's on the iHeartRadio app as well. Just search Lobbing Scorches. Ari and Noah do a great job. Ari. We will talk to you next week
and throughout the season, my friend. So thanks for coming back and you're to get this thing underway. Thanks so much. Yeah, thanks Jackson, take care. Good stuff there from ARILILLIANWALLMLS soccer dot Com writer and editor, and that podcast their host of Lobbing Scorches will be a fun season ahead. Talking to Ari every week on Around the League. I mentioned Andrew Harvey, who has been taking us around the Sound for a long time. He is
no longer the play by play voice of Ballard FC. And Andrew right now is kind of taking a step back, So I'm going to end up just taking over around the Sound and have some fun news to report on around the Sound. Obviously, we'll be covering all of our USL two teams. Ballard FC coming off of a chanceampionship, and there's more teams in USL two coming in this season. West Seattle Junction FC is a new team, Bellevue's and Midlakes United is a new team. You also have Tacoma Stars, who have
now put out a USL two team. That's in addition to Only Town, which I think is getting rebranded as Olympia FC. So suddenly we have like four teams here in washon Western Washington, all the way from Olympia here to this, you know, Seattle area, that are in USL two. It's just going to be a packed packed USL two league. But listen, Ballard f C. You know, I fly the colors for hashtag up the Bridges, So that's my you know, my my team and they play here at
Memorial Stadium this year while Inner Bay is going under construction. So we'll have James Riley, the new head coach of Ballard f C, on later in Sounders Weekly to talk Sounders and Ballard f C. But yeah, a lot of teams here in the area. If you're living over on the east side, you got Midlakes, If you're just a little bit south of the city, you got Junction. If you're north of the city, you got Ballard.
If you're down in Olympia you have obviously Only Town, and then if you're kind of in my neck of the woods Federal Way Tacoma area, that's where I live, yes, I used to live in Ballard, so for me it will always be. But you have Tacoma Stars, which obviously rich history of soccer in this area, so many USL two teams that you can support here coming up for the twenty twenty four season and beyond, and obviously we'll be talking Seattle Rain, which is by the way, now once again
Seattle Rain. They changed back to the old logo, the beautiful old logo and the old name. It's Seattle Rain, no longer ol Rain. So that's fantastic. So we'll continue covering them each week as well here on around the Sound after Ari's visit for Around the League. So I want to thank you all for tuning in tonight first edition of Sounders ze f C Weekly for the twenty twenty four season. Good to kind of just set the scene and
get ready for the big year ahead. Thanks to Ari, Lullianwall and Christian Rowdon. If you missed any of the show tonight, make sure you check out the podcast. It is nine three three KJR dot com. Check out the Sounders on demand page as well as Sounders Weekly wherever you get your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app. So we'll talk to you this Saturday over on our sister station of sports Radio at nine fifty kr AM. That's nine to
fifty AM one o'clock pregame one thirty kickoff sounders at LAFC. As the season kicks off, Brian Schmitzer said he should have all of his key players available for selection. We will see what that lineup and we'll see what this team looks like when they hit the field for the first time in real action. Coming up this Saturday, Well, we'll talk to you on nine to fifty AM for that. Have a good week, everybody, we'll talk to you on Saturday.