Coming to you live from Orelliot Avenue Studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Good evening, everybody, Welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here good be with you on this special Monday night edition of Sounders Weekly. We got a lot of KGUR continent coming up the rest of the week with kracking games and everything else, so we are doing a Monday night edition of Sounders Weekly, which additionally works out because the Sounders play tomorrow night, Leg two against Cruise, Azeel and Conker caaf Action down in Mexico City, so we'll be
able to preview that a bit tonight. Coming up on the show this evening, you're gonna hear a nice long conversation with Paul Rothrock in the locker room after Saturday's win. We'll get into that in a moment. We will, I'm very excited to do so. We're going to also talk about Cruise a zool ahead and also maybe a little bit on Saint Louis on Saturday. That will be with our Lillianwaller from midjor League Soccer dot Com in the
podcast Loving Scorchers. He will come up in our next segment, and also Anders Hurst, who is a new writer for Emerald City Spectrum producer here at KJR.
He will be joining.
Us for the final segment to talk about cruz Azuel ahead and what he saw in the first leg at Lobinfield last week. But let's spend the first few minutes, especially before we get to the conversation with Paul Rothrock, just celebrating that whoopan' five to two over LAFC. We dropped a five on a team that considers themselves one of, if not the best, in the Western Conference, and they gave us five.
Not even they gave it.
We took and put five on those guys, and I consider them, you know, our very intense rival.
Now.
Albert Rusnak said it last week. For me, it's like the Timbers and then it's LAFCED. Based on all of the playoff games over the years and all of the big matches and what happened in the West semi in Los Angeles last year, I consider LAFC arrival. So seeing us drop five on them was so damn sweet, and it was also how we did it. Eleventh minute, the kid from the University of Washington. Kilani Koza Rienzi, which we all learned he is going to get a first
team contract after that performance. Scores his first Major League Soccer goal. He scored in the US Open Cup, but that's a whole different thing. He gets his first MLS goal on Saturday in the eleventh minute where he puts what was it, Smolyyakov, the Ukrainian fullback for the for the LAFC. He just puts him on an island and says, you know, shoo, I'm just going to get turn you around and then stop on a dime hit it into the far netting. Incredible goal from Kilani there in the
eleventh minute. Yes, we give up a goal in the thirty seventh and listen Pedro de la Vega. Before we go any further, he goes down in about the thirty third, thirty fourth minute. We know that it is a right quad injury. We don't have much more of an update, but we hope Pedro de la Vega is not out very long. That is the uh oh coming out of this game. It's the only uh oh, but it's a major uh oh based on how good he has been
to start twenty twenty five. He has been very, very good and losing him for an extended period of time would hurt. But hopefully that right quad injury is not serious. Brian Schmischer said after the game that he felt tightness, so hopefully he's okay. He's not on the trip to face Cruise Azul tomorrow and we should have an update hopefully later this week. On Pedro de la Vega. That's the bad news, but let's get back to the good. So he goes down in the thirty second, thirty third minute.
LAFC scored in the thirty seventh on a weird, wild play that it's bouncing around in front of goal. I don't really put anything any stock into that more than it's just a weird play. And then comes the second half, and what a second half it was. Jordan Morris comes in from Danny Mazowski to start the second half and everything is just lighting up. Paul Rothrock in the fifty seventh minute with a twenty five yard dart. They are into the left side of the net through two defenders.
What an incredible goal that was from Paul Rothrock, who will be again you're hearing from him in just a few minutes it's Jordan Morris in the seventy seventh minutes, and for Jordan Morris, a major congratulations. We knew it was coming and to get it at home. Number eighty seven all time across all competitions. He is now the number one goal leader in Seattle Sounders club history. A major congrats to the kid from Mercer Island. And what an awesome goal it was slipped in from Paul Rothrock.
I mean, you look at these goals Klawney from the University of Washington, Paul Rothrock from Capitol Hill, Jordan Morris from Mercer Island to make him the all time leading goal scorer in club history, and then Christian rolled on in the eighty fourth minute. University of Washington. Albert Rusnak had the fifth in the ninety fourth as well. But four of the five goals are from guys with local ties Capitol Hill, you dub Mercer Island. The local pipeline
and talent on this team is just incredible. Nobody else in MLS even comes close in this regard. That's one thing that Paul Rothrock says that you're gonna hear in a few minutes. But the local aspect of this team is incredible, and you for Jordan Morris, the kid who grew up going to Sounders games, who was in the stands for the first game ever against New York Red Bulls, and then he becomes your all time leading goal scorer at number eighty seven.
It's so freaking cool.
The Sounders put out an awesome social media video of his son, THEO, reacting to Jake Zivins call on the MLS broadcast on Apple TV. That will make you feel a lot of things. I mean, just watching that he's clapping for his dad when Jake says his name is just one of the most cute and beautiful things you'll ever see. So check out the Sounders' social pages for
that video for Jordan's family reacting, including THEO. But I just couldn't be happier for Jordan, And I know he definitely feels not only the responsibility, but also just he understands what it means to be in this spot and he reflected on that in his postgame press conference, and I just love that for Jordan Morris, so big congratulations to him. But this entire team, I mean, you go down the list. Jackson Reagan, shut down, Olivier Jerude, a
French national team legend. Jerud was nowhere to be found the entire game. GAMRK John Bell had good games, Klanne was very good. Alex Chuldon who came onto the field completely erased, Denny Bowoga, Denny Bwanga, the great player for LAFC, did nothing but Rothrock, Danny Leva and Jul Paulo another great game in the midfield for the two of them. Every sounder I feel like had a plus in this game. It was a thing of beauty five to two over LAFC.
Now the man of the match, Paul Rothrock goal and assist. I told him when we sat down at a couple of lockers there in the locker room, I said, man, that felt like an ass kicking. How would you describe it? So, Paul Rothrock, how would you describe that awesome five to two win over LAFC. Let's just be real here, it's an ass kicking. I mean, that's how That's how I describe it. How do you describe that thing?
Just a party.
And man, just you know, some some long long waited, long do retribution. It's just, you know, it's fun to get a win like that against those guys.
I mean it's been since May of twenty one, since it's a regular season win against those guys. I mean, like it's been a while, right, and like, I know you got the playoff win, but clearly you just mentioned the retribution, So like it's way on you guys that you haven't knocked them out.
In the regular season.
And I think too. You know, we beat them in the playoffs last year. That was a great feeling. But you know, we played a different game then we played. You know, we we had we weren't playing in our normal shape and we switched to a back five and you know, played a really good defensive performance that game and kind of got the what's the word, like the bunny off or back or whatever.
But you know, this game was like.
We played who like who we were, and you know a lot of guys came up and showed out Kilanie, Christian, Albert Jordan, and.
That was like a it's party, Yeah, it's party party. What's crazy about it is like four of the five guys who scored, including you, all local.
You dubbed for Klana, you dubbed for Christian, you capitol Hill, Jordan meurs around.
I mean like that's.
Pretty cool to have this team put up a five spot and four of the goals come from local kids.
Dude, It's awesome. And you know, it's just amazing how many guys we have from the local area that.
Are representing Seattle here.
And for sure, for sure we talked about it a lot. I think it helps all of us too, right, Like I remember growing up in the academy and knowing Christian and you know, Jordan was obviously someone who I really looked up to. I saw Jordan make the path, you know, make the path from going to college, going to a good program and then finding his way to Seattle homegrown player,
And obviously my path was a little bit different. It took some took a few more turns before I got yeah, but yeah, and then you know, Jackson's helped me along the way, and I can do the same for Kilane now. And so I think it provides like a really cool you know, yeah, just like mentorship and friendship with each other and and you know, I mean, we did the numbers last year. I can't remember how many we have this year now, but at least like a third of
the team's local, which I don't know. Another MLS team. Who can say that.
I mean, it just shows that the talent we have here.
Yeah crazy. Yeah, Like you mentioned, like.
You know, watching Jordan looking up to him, did seeing him go to college with Stanford? Did that kind of allow you the confidence and the freedom for yourself to go to college rather than kind of going through a different system.
For sure? I think.
Yeah, he set he showed me that that was a viable option. And you know, with my parents and my family, that was like, without question what I was going to do. So if I wanted to keep playing soccer, I had to find a way to do it in university as well.
I was.
I never really had the thought of my mind that I was going to be going pro before I got my degree. And to have guys in front of me who were doing that like Lordan and you know, Christian and who else came out of college, Aaron Covar, number of guys that was like that was a Yeah, that was a pathway that I saw that was viable and and yeah, I was, I'm super lucky to have those guys in front of me.
I can see you kind of reflecting in the moment.
Yeah, it's cool.
And then let's just.
Kind of bring up full circle.
Dude, you assisted on Jordan Morris's record to be number one.
You assisted on the How cool?
Is that?
So cool?
I'm you know, he said to me after that, He's always going to remember that one and I will too. I will too. But and what a special achievement for him. I just like, I'm just still fathoming eighty seven goals. That's a lot of goals.
For one club.
And the fact that he's done it for Seattle is just so cool. And you know, his dad's been their team doctor here and yeah, special special moment. I'm pretty typical Jordan Gold too. Write a little slipping behind and uh composed finish through the legs.
I've had a lot of those today. Yeah, yeah for your banger. Well we'll talk about that and continue.
Yeah, but really honored to be, you know, a part of a couple of those goals with him, and hopefully we can he breaks one hundred this season at least. Yeah, that'd be real cool.
All right, let's not talk about you. This has been kind of a tough season so far. The first couple of times bros talked about it, so.
To like, dude, you come out and get a game like this and to break through like this, Like how much does this just feel like the damn totally breaking monkey.
Off the back of you? Literally I just watched the movie.
From Off your Back.
Yeah, it feels really good.
I you know, I I knew that. I you know, eventually the things are gonna fall my way. And I've got a I've got a guy who I see about like mental performance side of things. And you know, he was really helpful because he was he was cautioning me not to get in that thinking of you know, I
just need things to fall my way. He's like, no, like, go and make things fall your way, right, And that was a really helpful reminder of like, you know, just continuing to consistently bring that enthusiasm and that like positive energy towards this and like you know, staying in my lane of like who I am as a player and and trusting that that's going to bring success and you know, almost acting like I'm already successful, right, and it's already happened,
even though even though this this season has you know, this season's.
Been hard to get sharpness. Why do you think that is?
I think, you know, I was I've been a couple of weeks behind the team with the way preseason went, you know, played in one preseason game, and so I felt a couple of games back just in terms of sharpness. And and then I think with our the way our schedule started, A nice thing about it is that you know, we're we're all getting games right now. But I also think you don't get a whole lot of training, yeah, because it's you know, it's basically train or play recover days.
Man.
Yeah, but I'm you know, I'm super grateful that throughout that I've stayed healthy. I haven't had any hiccups coming back because my injury was serious and you know, I completely tore my quad tended, so it had to reattach and luckily it's done that it scarred down and now it's stronger than it was before.
But yeah, it was it was.
Hard mentally watching the team in the final game against Galaxy, and you know, I just I've just got to sit there and watch that. But yeah, I mean I think you just got to stay You got to stay with it, you got to keep going, you got to continue to maintain that enthusiasm. And and you know, today, today was a good day.
Today was a good day.
So what I love about this, Like we're not in a press commerce we're just like literally sitting at two walkers right now, and you talk about kind of the mental aspects of this, and you know, it's it wasn't long ago that pro athletes, you know, didn't want to focus on the importance of mental health in this game. And clearly it's something that you definitely are are aware of and have an intentional thought of, Like mental health matters as a pro athlete one hundred.
I think, you know, obviously being in good shape helps, but if you're in if I'm in the right mental space going into.
A game, nothing else matters. I think it's.
Nine mental and it's challenging going through the ups and downs of a year. And I think, you know, if if I've learned anything from being in this world and being in this realm, and it's a good life lesson too.
It's like, you know, you have to your.
Mindset has to be consistent, and you know, when when other things are failing you, you fall to the level of your systems, right, and if your systems are good, then you're only going to fall to a certain level each time. And and by keeping positive mindset keeping keeping that enthusiasm. You know, the hardest thing for an athlete too is maintaining confidence when you know you're not getting the nod or you're you know, I think about this week.
Last week, you know, I came off at halftime in our cell and then I played five minutes against.
Chris Tool and.
That's difficult, right, Like it's no one likes coming off at halftime.
And but then for Brian to give you the nod today and start your debate, Yeah, it gives you.
That confidence, I imagine for sure.
For sure.
And I also you know, flipped into my head of like I'm gonna be fresher than everybody else, Like I'm gonna be fresher than the guy plenty, I'm going against, fresher than the LFC guys they played.
Three days ago.
Like there's there's always a way you can flip the situation in your head to suit to suit.
To suit.
You getting in a good mindset. And and you know this, the half started off pretty well. I didn't. I thought it like I was doing my defensive responsibility as well, and Connie's goal really helped.
But then you know, we have a set back.
They get that goal away and it kind of takes our fire out and we need to spark in the second half, and then you know, the flood gates really opened and it was just fun after that. It was very fun.
Indeed, sitting here by all these Sailor Secrets, What do you think of the new Sailor Secret or your home debut five?
I actually really like the new Kid.
I think it's really cool that we're honoring some of you know, our indigenous heritage here. I'm living over west Yawle, so I've gotten really interested in like the Duwamish River lately and stuff. And you know, there's this book I've been reading on the It's called The River That Changed Seattle. It's a cool book about the Duwamish. But hearing all that like history is really cool too, and like the
fact that we're tapping into that is is awesome. I think Seattle and I don't think Seattles has had the best history with.
That, so it's cool.
Then we're we're honoring that as a club, and I hope we can do more to this year than just you know, ripping the jersey and and you know, get back to that community as well. And so we'll see I love that.
Let's be off with your goal twenty five yards out. Kind of a square ball there from Albert up in the short corner took us through what that play you saw what kind of the aim was with with with was it always going to be a shot at goal? Kind of took us through that play to wrap it up.
That go kind of reminded me of the you know, the goal I had last year and.
Puma swere it just kind of it just kind of like things just developed in in a funny way, and I had a feeling in my gut I like where to be, and you know, credit to Albert, he's always got his eyes up and he's got really good vision. And so when the corner starts, Danny's kind of talking to me like you sure you want to be over there, and I'm like, yeah, I feel good over here, like
I don't really know why, yeah, why? And then yeah, then you know, the ball comes to me obviously, and at that point, like things just kind of went dark and it's like have a go, have a go.
Paul zone out in those moments a little.
I mean, you know, how many times do we practice in you know, that basic shot where we do just two touches and it's just get the ball out of your feet, set up and hit. And for me, it was just kind of a muscle memory flow, like right place, right time Albert played it to me, I had, you know, I didn't have a whole lot of pressure coming at me. And then.
Yeah, let the rest of the work, dude.
Congratulations, Thanks man, I can see how much this feels. I know it's going to be a quick turnaround for you guys, so safe travel. Can't wait to see you back out there and kicking ass again.
Thanks, brother, appreciate it. Good to see you.
That's great stuff there from Paul Rothrock. Really not an interview, even just that sit down and we sat two lockers and you could hear. I mean, I love those kind of conversations where it just doesn't feel like an interview. It feels like you're just sitting at a bar shooting and you know what, And I love that from Paul Rothrock, one of my absolute favorite people that I've ever talked to here doing this radio show and doing this you know,
interview thing. So that was an awesome conversation and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
There once again.
Paul Rothrock goal assists Man of the match there in the locker room. He called that five to two in over Lafc a party. But all parties must end and all things must move forward, and the Sounders move forward to a very very busy week. We have two matches Tomorrow night, Sounders Leg two against Cruise a Zool down in Mexico City. It's zero zero right now. They can even go through on away goals one to one or two to two would put them through to the quarterfinals
in concer CAF Champions Cup, or simply just win. So that's Leg two tomorrow night, five thirty kickoff tomorrow Sounders at Cruise Zool. You can watch it on FS one, on TUDN, and on VIX. That's vix. Those are the three places you can watch the Sounders game. I'll be tuning in there on FS one at five thirty tomorrow. Then we have Saint Louis City coming up on Saturday.
That will be on a road game there at what I forget what their stadiums called there in Saint Louis, But that will be in Saint Louis coming up on Saturday, five o'clock. Providence we just premat show five thirty kickoff. You can listen to that over on our sister station of Sports Radio nine to fifty kjr AM. You can also watch it on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. We'll get a thought from Ari lillianwall on what Saint Louis City did to the LA Galaxy this last weekend.
We'll also get a thought from Ari on cruz Azuel coming up tomorrow, and anders Hurst will be coming up later on tonight. Lot still to get to here on Sounders Weekly, celebrating a five to two Sounders win over lafc Ari lillienwall is next on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC Clle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Welcome back, Sounders Weekly.
Jackson, felt good to have you here on this busy sports day here on ninety three point three kjr FM. Thanks to Paul Rothrock for taking the time in the locker room. You heard that conversation. It wasn't even it didn't really feel like an interview that we did. Kind of just to sit down on the two guys just shooting the you know, what and it was awesome to sit down with Paul Rothrock there and you heard that that last segment. Still have anders Hurst coming up next segment.
Want to ask him about Leg two against Cruise a zool tomorrow night down in Mexico City for your sounders. But joining us right now here on the show is our good friend from Major League Soccer at dot com, where he is a writer and editor. Also the podcast Lobbing Scorches, which has live shows on Monday mornings and Thursday nights. It's our good friend Ari, Lillianwall Ari. Good to have you back on the show, My friend, how are you?
I'm doing well?
Jackson, how are you?
I'm good, I'm good. Before we go any further, do we have the clip ready? Let's play this?
Hey, Brian, congratulations on the win. Paul Rothrock.
Did this feel kind of like a little bit of a comeback game for him?
Off visit and you know, kind of moving forward and can add that to your podcast. I'm sure you'll talk about it.
Thanks for listening well, Brian Schmenzer said, thanks for listening.
Ari.
Why don't you tell us whose voice that was asking that question? And uh how that all plays into the uh to you being with us right now.
Yeah, that was my co host and producer, Noah Rice asking that question. And uh, that was verbal confirmation from Brian Schmetzer that he listens to the podcast. You know, we theorized for a long time that he might. Uh, but I think that that settles it right there, does it not.
It absolutely confirms that Brian Schmitzer is a listener to Lobbing Scorchers. I doubt he listens to this kakam Amy show. So congratulations on having the head coach be the podcast listener for you. But listen, man, no all joking aside, that's pretty cool, and uh, and for Noah to be there, and then obviously Paul had a good game, and and uh, listen, maybe we just start there the fact that you know, you and Noah have had this kind of you know,
pro Paul Rothrock agenda for a very long time. Now goes back a couple of years, and the kids had a rough start of the year. But what a game he had in that just five to crushing of LAFC.
Yeah, he really did. You know, it was a slow start to the year for him, but I think that's kind of understandable. He did have a pretty big injury at the end of last season, and I think he even talked about the rust that factors into that. But I really think that I've been saying, I think that might have been his best. That might have been the
best Rothrock game. There was like a ten to fifteen minute period of that game in the second half where he took over the game, which is not something that I've seen him do to that level for as long as he did it. In that game, he was absolutely destroying Ryan hollings Head. He scored a great goal. So that is the Paul Rothrock that we got used to seeing last year, and so it was it was great to see him along with the rest of the depth pieces that performed so well in that game.
Yeah, and I think we keep talking this season before this game about the depth of the team, the depth of this team, how good the depth on this team is. And listen, I don't know if I should be reading
as much into the game as I should. I mean, five to two is just a slaughter of you know what was a team in the Western semi final last year and we had to get in one hundred and ninth minute winner against I'm kind of looking at this LAFC team, looking at how much they rotated on Saturday, I don't know how much should we read into just the destruction of that team in the second half on Saturday.
I mean, that's the thing, Like, yes, that was a rotated LAFC side, and that's what they have their They're in Concorcap Champions Cup two, so that's what all their fans are pointing out. Guess what that was a rotated Seattle side too. That was depth on depth. One team's depth was up for it and one team's was not at all. And honestly, I'm not going to sound alarm bells on LAFC every time I think that they might have a downfall. They never do, so I'm not gonna
get my hopes super high on that. But I will tell you, Jackson, I watched Steve Trarundelo's presser after the game, and uh, he was understandably not happy. But what I thought was interesting is that he said that he mentioned his subs specifically, and he said our subs were not up for the game today in terms of effort and mentality, which are pretty strong works. You know who one of the players who subbed on in the second half.
For LAFCN Denny Bolonga.
So like if Steve Tarundelo is uh is talking about that regarding Denny Bolonga, that's that's not good. You know, I don't know how bad it is, but it's definitely not good for them.
No, I mean that was embarrassing. I mean, frankly, Jackson Reagan owned Oliviersia route. I said it in the first segment, like you can kind of go along the Sounders roster starters and backups and kind of say, like, boy, everybody had a plus somewhere in this game because so many of LAFC you know, big stars were completely a limited
from various Sounder players. I mean their new Ukrainian fullback, I mean Klanie Coza Rienzi just owned him and sent him on a ride on that goal in the eleventh minute, So you know, up and down. I just look at pluses everywhere and then minuses for LAFC. Ari Luino was our guest MLS Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorches, which we have confirmed Brian Schmitzer listens to UH and Ari Uh.
Let's jump around first.
Let's start with the other team in Los Angeles, La Galaxy Sounders crushed LAFC and LA Galaxy also got crushed Saint Louis three nothing in Los Angeles on Sunday night. How down bad are the Galaxy right now?
Down?
Horrendously bad?
Jackson. I mean, I'm not calling the demise of LAFC yet, and I'm not going to call the demise of the LA Galaxy quite yet, but that is a lot closer to getting called, I think, than the LAFC downfall. They just it's it just feels like they lost too much of the offseason. They had to shed a bunch of salary to get compliant.
They lost guys.
Like Mark Delgado and Dean Jobilic, Jalen Neil. I'm even I'm missing a couple in there. They had to shed so much salary, and then they have the long term injury to Ricky Pooge. They have Joey Painzill still out right now, so it just seems.
Like their fall off. The writing is on the wall a little bit.
They couldn't keep that team together and they're dealing with some really tough injuries and they I mean, they look like one of the worst teams in the league right now. I don't know if that's gonna hold true. But they definitely don't look like a team that's about to defend their MLS Cup title, and that is for sure.
I feel like I'm the Jerry Seinfeld Giff was it Jeff Giff saying shame? It's just a shame, real, real darn shame that LA teams are down so bad. Ari, let's go to the good and on the good side for MLS this year, it's the two undefeated teams still, the two teams that are three and defeated, but the two teams that have won all their games three oh
to oh. One is the Philadelphia Union they picked up a two nothing win over New England over the weekend, and the other is just a little bit north, the Vancouver white Caps, also with a two to nothing win over the weekend over Montreal. Maybe they're both legit, but if you can only have one, which of those two three O and O teams are more legit? And you know, a team that you believe could make a run, you know, less than ten percent in the season, but you think could make a run as we move forward.
Yeah, I gotta say I'm I'm surprised and intrigued at what we've seen from the Philly Union so far. You know, they were a team that had a really down year last year compared to the president they had set in a few years before that. They fired their coach, who was kind of a club legend. Yeah, it was a club legend, I think, and Jim Curtin, the Bradley Carnell hired to replace him, didn't draw any kind of widespread plaudits. I think that was kind of viewed by the pundits
as a lateral move, not that exciting. So I didn't really see much of a reason to think that much would be different with the Philly Union this year. But to answer your question, they look for real to me. And with the Ryan Gold injury that got announced today for the Vancouver White Cats, he's going to be out a few weeks, so I think in the short term that's we're gonna learn a lot about them because in the past couple of years that they haven't been able
to play really without Ryan Gold. But Philly just looks really good right now. Their attack looks as good as it ever did during the Jim Curtin years, and Tyberribo looks like one of the best number nines in the league to start the year. So yeah, no, I'll take the Philly Union.
There.
They look a lot better than I thought.
Okay, well we'll stay on that and we'll talk to you about Philly down the road. Wrapping up with Ari Lillion Wall once again Major League Soccer dot Com and the podcast Lobbing Scorches, which again we have confirmed Brian Scheitzer listens to Ari. Let's wrap it with looking at the week ahead for the Sounders. It's Cruise Azuel in the second leg in Mexico City to and then you mentioned a few thoughts on Saint Louis in terms of the galaxy and how down bad they are.
But let's let's hit two questions here.
A Cruise Azool, what you may have taken from the first leg that you think that you may give the hope or not give hope for the Sounders tomorrow down in Mexico City and then Saint Louis on Saturday after the very quick turnaround again, so thoughts on both these week's games for the Sounders as we wrap this.
Yeah, I mean it's all about Cruise Azool right now. I honestly forgot about this Saint Louis game. I really haven't been thinking about that. Yeah, I think it's all hands on decks for this game against Cruise Azul and uh, I think you know it's going to be a hard game.
I don't want to have any illusions about that it go These road trips to Mexico and CCC are extremely difficult, and I think there is an extent to which the odds are stacked against Seattle in the sense that to put themselves in really good position, they need to score in that first leg. But I will say not giving up that road goal was pretty important. That doesn't give them the advantage going into leg two, but it does
if they can score the first goal. So that was why this kind of surprised me that cruizes Will played for the zero zero because now going back home, they put themselves in a position where road goals can come back to hurt them. So I think Crusos Will is still the favorite in this scenario, probably the comfortable favorite
playing at home. But my feeling on it is that the result that Seattle needs to go through is it's attainable, Like this is not an impossible task or an unthinkable result for them to get.
They can do this.
Yes, sign me up for one to one. I would love that in an instant, But we'll see what happens there Tomorrow night, five point thirty kickoff in Mexico City, and I would tell folks it's not available a lot of places to watch, but it is available on TUDN, VIX and twob no radio broadcast by the way for that. But Saint Louis, so they are one of the undefeated squads in MLS. They got a zero zero against Colorado zero zero in San Diego and then three nothing went
over the Galaxy. So that is a game coming up there on Saturday for a team that the Sounders have done very very well against in recent history, Saint Louis City. So we'll see what happens on Saturday as well. But I agree with you, it's all focus and all hands on deck for Cruise Azuel in Mexico City tomorrow.
Ari.
We will talk to you next week where hopefully we're talking about some more concer calf action and we'll be pre or re reacting to whatever happens against Saint Louis this weekend. Appreciate it. Put out a very very good show on Thursday night for Brian Schmitzer.
Will you cond good, Jack, appreciate it.
It's good stuff there from Ari lill you once again MLS Soccer dot com and that podcast Lobbing Scorches. They'll have a live show on Thursday night. We'll see if the head coach tunes in for that. But very very cool stuff and congrats there for Ari. All right, we'll take a break. Let's continue talking Cruise a Zool. The man behind the window there, Anders Hurst here from KGr. He has a new place that he is reacting to Sounders,
a place that he is writing for. We'll talk to him about that and preview Cruise a Zool tomorrow night. That comes up next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio 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 Sounders Weekly, Jackson Feltz, you're talking all things Sounders soccer. What a day here on KJR such news and wrapping up here the live and local here tonight with some soccer talk here from eight to nine pm. With this last segment tonight, we want to thank both of our guests so far tonight. Paul Rothrock in the locker room after the Sounders Big Gigantic just onslought over LAFC five to two on Saturday, and also Ari Lillian
while they're in that previous segment. Check out the podcast Sounders Weekly in case you missed either of them. Somebody who knows Ari and then played with Paul Rothrock I just learned in the locker room. It's our good friend here on kJ R anders Hurst andres As I understand it. I mean we were Paul was finishing his press conference coming to sit down with me. You were getting ready to talk to Jordan Morris, and you guys had an embrace and I was like, excuse me, what's what's going on here?
Well, you and Paul were tired apparently. Yeah.
Well I don't know if you were there for the actual press conference, but I asked a question and he said, oh, hey, Anders, I remember playing with literally in front of everyone.
I didn't hear that. Yeah, that's great. What you should watch the video. It's really great. It's a proud moment for me.
I did not think Paul would recognize me because me only played together for like a summer. But he's a great dude. I heard you guys conversation earlier. It's he is such good perspective on being an athlete in today's world. He's a super smart guy. I think he has a great head on his shoulders. He's so fun to talk to, and he's had a really good year last year. It's so fun to root for those local guys. So yeah, it was great. Great to hear from Paul Rothrock there.
Yeah, and his comments, I think you nailed it right there of being a professional athlete in twenty twenty five, the emphasis on mental health that he talked about earlier. Awesome conversation to check out in case you missed it. But you know, after Paul left, you hung around for the Jordan Morris press conference, and I was over talking to Paul, and I was kind of wondering, you know, how was Jordan coming off of eighty seventh goal most
in club history. I imagine he was a bit reflective in that.
Press or yes, kind of similar situation where you expect someone who just broke the record for most goals in club history to be pretty like upbeat and like super excited smile on his face. And while you could definitely
see that come out every couple of moments. For Jordan Morris, he was very like I think that's a perfect word, reflective, because he's kind of just is very thankful about where he is, for his family, for the situation that put him here to play for the club that is his hometown team and now is the top goal scorer in their history, a very storied history, even though it's not maybe as long as some other teams in MLSH. He thanked his family. He does it for his two year
old son. I don't know if you saw the video. Oh yeah, Oh my god, that was one of the cutest video.
I think that's the best video to ever hit the internet, where THEO is reacting to the jig zivin the announcer on mlsc's in the past actually like saying number one all time eighty seven, and THEO is like, that's my dad, or do you say that's my dad? But he's clapping for like as if like that's my dad. One of the cutest things you'll ever seen in your life.
Yeah, and then it goes to show you like how much that means to Jordan too. And I think it came out in his press conference and it was really cool to see He's such an easy gotta root for as well. It's another reason why I just love this team is there's a lot of really good guys on it. So yeah, Jordan, congratulations to him. It absolutely deserved and uh, I'm glad he did it at home because he got to celebrate in front of the home fans he did.
That was the best part of the fact that it didn't come like you know at Cruise as right somewhere else well and is joining us here of course he is a soccer reporter or at KJAR. It produces Ian ferness in the afternoons right before Softy and dictate the hair. And in addition to all that, Anders, before we go any further, you now have a new thing going on that the people can follow at Anders hearst and and follow your new I guess soccer writing coverage.
Tell us what you're doing.
Yeah, well, I normally kind of for KJR here I do a lot of stuff with the shows. I don't have an opportunity to necessarily write on a daily beat basis for us as often as I would like to. So I got the opportunity from our good friend Corbyn Smith,
who covers the Seahawks on a daily basis. He started this website called Emerald City Spectrum, which covers all of Seattle sports, has daily writers, reporters in journalists for every single Seattle sports and he needed someone to cover the Sounders and Rain and he reached out to me and it was something I wasn't expecting, but I think was welcomed by myself and I'm really enjoying it so far. It's only been one week, but I love being able to go to the games now talk to players. It's
a great opportunity. If you want more coverage for any Seattle sports, but specifically for me, you're looking for Sounders rain in the future World Cup, you can go to Emerald City Spectrum. It's six bucks a month, or you can sixty dollars for the year. See a little bit of a discount if you pay for the four year.
Oh yeah, definitely twelve dollars discount. It's enough of a discount for me. Emerald City Spectrum. Check it out at Andershurst on Socials and then at Emerald Spectrum as well. So follow check out all the stories as anders will be covering the Sounders and Rain for Emerald City Spectrum. Let's put some of that knowledge to the test. Alrighty, here we are because we saw LFC. But LFC is now in the rearview mirar. The attention turns to twenty four hours from right now we will know the result
of the second leg. It's a five thirty kick off tomorrow for Sounders at Cruise Azool.
First leg was zero zero. We watched it last week.
And you know there were chances and bars and posts and annoyances. What do you make of the zero zero game last week between the Sounders and Cruise Azool missed opportunity.
I think the Sounders will feel like they should have gone into the leg, the away leg in Mexico City, with a lead. They definitely I think in the first few twenty to thirty minutes it was kind of both teams feeling each other out.
You could see the quality of Cruise Usoul for sure.
But the Sounders grew into the match in the last kind of five to ten minutes of the first half and then really got some chances in the second half, including a post from Jordan Morris, a crossbar header from Knew Who, and I'm forgetting one more. I think oh the off sides goal, yea, that there is some question whether that was offsides.
I don't know.
In Brian's post match press conference, he mentioned that Conka caff may not have had all of the cameras available to them that they should have, and that there's a real question whether Pedro was nos Paulo Riola was off side on Pedro's goals. So there there is a little bit, I don't want to say controversy because it wasn't like a huge deal where they were complaining that it definitely wasn't off sides, but it's it's hard to tell sometimes in those moments. So I think Sounders will go in
needing a result in Mexico City. Uh, and it's gonna be a tough one for sure, especially after the quick turnaround from Saturday to Tuesday.
Yeah really, I mean they flew down on Sunday afternoon, just you know, hours after the LAFC win, training there today and then playing there tomorrow night, and then it's Saint Louis coming up on the weekend. But going back to Cruise a zool, I mean, that's a team that did rotate quite a lot of their starting lineup. They didn't bring seven of their normal starters to Seattle mostly attackers.
Ye see if they end up playing. But we still have Mateyoush Bagoosh from LAFC last year who's on their team. And you can see, and you mentioned it right there, the quality of Cruise of Zool. This is a very very very good squad. Yeah, and you are playing at their house in Mexico City, or I should say at their you know, temporary house in Mexico City, where this will take an enormous effort to come away with a series win. And listen, you can get away on away goals.
One to one will send the found Sounders through. Two two will send the Sounders through, So you can slip through with a draw if you score a goal. But it's still going to be an enormous test to even do that against this team.
Yeah.
And obviously if you looked at the lineup from the LFC game, Brian Schmitzer had this game in mind, heavily rotating that team. We're fortunate to still come out with a win with the MLS. This is what having a deep squad gives you the opportunity to do.
Uh.
You have no pairode la Vega because of his injury on Saturday. Uh, but you have basically the rest of your squad available. Uh and I think probably one of the biggest games at this point early in the year since the twenty twenty two CONCA CAF Champions League. It's it's going to be a big test to see, you know, where this team is at at this point. I think we've had a little mixed bag of results for the first couple games, both in MLS and CONCA CAFF. But
you're right, Who's Asol definitely has the quality. I think you're going to see a much different team than we saw last Wednesday.
Five thirty.
Kickoff tomorrow Sounders at cruises Ol. You can watch it on FS one, on TUDN and on VIX. That's vix. Those are the three places you can watch the Sounders game. I'll be tuning in there on FS one at five thirty tomorrow. Leg two again wait gets them through, draw where you score a goal gets them through and if it's zero zero, I guess we go to Penn's yep, so that'll be wild. And then Saint Louis coming up on Saturday, and we haven't done too much of that
tonight other than our's comments on Saint Louis. But listen, let's just focus on tomorrow week then we can focus on moving forward.
And thanks for joining us. Appreciate you. Thanks, Thanks Jackson. That'll do it for the show tonight.
I want to thank all of our guests, Anders right here, Ari Lillenwall and Paul Rothrock from the locker room. Check out the podcast Sounders Weekly everywhere you get your podcasts in case you missed it.
A couple more notes.
Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Also michelob Ultra ninety five calories and two point six grams of carbs. It's only worth it if you enjoy it. Five thirty tomorrow night for the Cruise a Zool game, and then the attention turns to Saint Louis coming up on Saturday really quickly to give you broadcast details one more time on that. It'll be a five o'clock Providence Swedish premat show five
point thirty kickoff. You can watch at MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. You can also listen over on our sister station of Sports Radio nine fifty kr AM this Saturday for Sounders at Saint Louis City.
Have a very good rest of your week.
We will all be watching tomorrow night at five thirty for Sounders Cruise a zool, enjoy the game and go Sounders.