Come into you live from our Elliott Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Saunders Weekly with your host Jackson Felds. Good evening, everybody, Welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here, Good to have you with us on this Wednesday evening show. Of course, we're on Wednesday this week because the Kraken played last night game one there against Dallas. I believe we're gonna see another Tuesday game next week if the Kraken there continue this
series. So what we'll do is we'll probably be moving Sounders Weekly to next Wednesday as well. So just for your dial coming up here a week from now. But it's gonna be with you tonight talking all things Seattle, Sounders FC soccer. Jackson Felts here for the next hour. In a few moments,
you're gonna hear the voice of Red Baker Whiting. I think for the first time in the Sounders Weekly history, you're gonna hear from the young Red Baker Whiting because Reid was a big part of the Sounders US Open Cup win last Wednesday. Starfire. We'll talk about that in a moment coming up about him. Of the hour about twenty twenty five minutes from now, we're gonna
be joined from Kobe Jones. Kobe Jones, you may know the name, United States men's national team player for many years played with the LA Galaxy. He is now a color commentator for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and he's been on the call for the last two Sounders games, the win over Minnesota and the game we're gonna get into here in just a moment, the
draw against Royal Salt Lake last weekend. So Kobe's gonna talk some Sounders soccer, some United States men's national team look ahead to the Sporting Kansas City match for the Sounders coming up this Sunday, and then of course we'll wrap up the show with Around the League with Ari Luino of MLS Soccer dot Com and
Around the Sound with our Puget Sound soccer expert Andrew Harvey. So busy, busy show tonight, Let's start really quickly mentioned Sporting Kansas City coming up this Sunday, before we dig into last week's match, the draginst Royals Salt Lake. I'll quickly tell you the broadcast details for this week because the Sounders are not playing on Saturday, they're actually playing on Sunday this coming weekend. It's going to be a one thirty Providence, Swedish prematch show and one fifty five
kickoff. You'll be able to hear that match over on our sister station of Sports Radio nine fifty KJR AM. So the Sounders are over on AM this Sunday for the Sporting Kansas City match once again one thirty pre match, one fifty five kickoff. You can get your ticks today to go to the match at Emerald Queen Casino pitch at luman Field. Gear tickets at Sounders fc dot com slash tickets. I'll tell you you can also watch the match for free
on Fox. Also MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen in Spanish like which on Lay thirteen sixty. So that will be a match that we preview both with Kobe Jones and with r You Lollian coming up later on tonight. But let's spend some time talking about the last week for the Sounders. Um. You know I mentioned we'll talk to Reid Baker Whiting in just a moment, so we'll talk about the US Open Cup win in a moment, But first the draw against Royal Salt Lake. There's a couple of different ways.
Of course, you can look at a zero zero draw. You can be disappointed the fact that the Sounders didn't cash in in a number of chances. You know, we talked to head coach Brian Schmitzer at training yesterday and yeah, he was said that they weren't, you know, clinical enough, and they weren't good enough in the final third. And I think there's truth to
that that we saw a number of good chances. I have seven check marks on my folder here that has really good chances for the Sounders, probably the best coming in what was the twenty first minute there Leo Chew Meg's a guy gets into the box, he's fouled, no penalty called no var and but even while two was fouled, what he was able to do was lay it off to a bear. A bear. It's a shot on goal that's saved. But that might have been the Sounders best chance. But really they had
so many others that they just weren't able to cash in. So there's the element of disappointment not being able to score any of these check marks, any of these big chances for the Sounders. But on the other side, you look at the overall record for this team in Salt Lake going into the match. They were one eleven and three in the regular season. I mean, that's fifteen games where they've pulled a total a total of six points. So
this was the seventh ever point in Salt Lake. I mean, the reality is, you know, you gotta be a little happy with the fact that you're able to get your seventh ever point in a place where this club has notoriously had a ridiculously hard time getting any points. So both can be true. You can be disappointed that you weren't able to get all three and you can be grateful and happy that you got one. I think both can be true there. But yeah, at the end of the day, you know
you'd love to see a ball go in the back of the net. But it's a roadmatch, tough environment against a team who certainly needed it. I'm good. I'm good with a point. They're out of that match. But listen, everybody's entitled to their opinion. If you're mad that it wasn't all three, you're absolutely entitled to that. And you know, onward we go to Sporting Kansas City. Now turning the attention a few days earlier to the US Open Cup match out at Starfire. Saw over three thousand of you lovely
people out there at Starfire. What an amazing atmosphere. It was a beautiful night last Wednesday out of there at Starfires, so much fun. Sounders were leading, had pretty good control of that match at three to one, and then as Sandyhoyal made that match that will got crazy. Obviously they equalized and then what ninety second or some odd minute that was wild. We go to extra time, reed Baker Whiting, who we're going to hear from in the
moment he scores a go ahead goal. San Diego equalizes again and like the one hundred and fifteenth minute on a header off of a free kick. Soft foul on that, by the way, but they equalize and then Freddie Montero earns a penalty kick in the one hundred and twenty fourth minute I think it was, or maybe he hits in the one hundred and twenty fourth minute, and the Sounders win by a final score of five to four. And we've seen a lot of classic games out there at Starfire. That is certainly near
the top of the list. A fantastic game. Just as a neutral fan, my heart was beating ridiculously hard because listen, this is the Open Cup and the Sounders have had a bad record in the Open Cup over the last five years. So to get over the hump, to get that win, to move forward and face the La Galaxy in the next round, I mean, Dad's a big deal. So yeah, it was very exciting. San
Diego put a hell of a test, but we saw great performances. You know, Ethan Doublair gets his first senior team goal, Paul Rothrock what a debut. He scores like eight minutes into his debut with the senior team. And then Red Baker and this is where we're gonna hear from Red Reed Baker. Whiting starts at fullback, a position that he's been transitioning to from the midfield. Looks great. From my eyes, I loved what I saw from
Reed Baker. Whiting score is obviously the Banger. He's nicknamed Reed Banger Whiting by fans. Just a really great performance from him. And you know, listen now with the injury to Kellen Rowe, if you'd missed it, Kellen Row's going to be out for I think Brian Spencer said what six to eight weeks with a significant injury. He didn't tear his ACL, that's the great news. No significant ACL for Callen Rowe, but it is a major injury,
so he's gonna be out for a while. Well, thankfully you have a fullback in Reed Baker Whiting who can step in, So good there for Reed to have that spot locked down for listen if knew who's still out, and Brian Spencer said he's holding out hope that knew who returns this week again sporting Kansas City. We will see, but you have a guy in Reed Baker Whiting who can fill in at that fullback spot, So good news there.
Quickly, on the other injury news before we hear from Reed Baker Whiting, Christian rolled On still experiencing concussion symptoms per Brian Schmenzer, so that's a question mark. And obviously ral Ruidis still working a gig back. So for the Sounders right now, you're you're looking at a couple of guys who could still be out this week there against Kansas City. So we'll move forward and
we'll see what kind of thing Schmenser throws out. I will mention Joel Paulo yellow card accumulation suspension, so they'll be without JP for this match against Kansas City as well. But listen, we'll preview that match against Kansas City later on tonight. But going back to the Open Cup, I mentioned Red Baker
Whiting heck of a game there from the full back spot. The day after that game, this was Thursday afternoon, had the chance out at Starfire to talk to Read Bang or Whiting and talk to him about his goal, his performance. I think we started off the questions here by talking about his amazing
long distance goal there in the one hundred and second minute. I got the ball from a B and the they weren't cut off the line, and so I was able to come inside, and then so amitted run I think to open up some more space, so I was able to just keep coming in and then you know, I got on my left foot and I saw where I wanted to hit it, and I'm just glad I should hit it there. What do you think about the nickname Reid Bang or Whiting. I like
it. It's creative. All right. Let's talk about the game overall then, because not very often do we see a five four game after one hundred and twenty five minutes as San Diego keeps equalizing that match over and over and
over. What it's going through your head? I mean it's tough, like when you when you score and the equaliz you score and the equalize and it's can It can be a tough situation for some people on some teams, But I think it's credit to our team's mentality that we still managed to manage to keep going. For you, you know, going back to your golfers, like it's it's your first goal for the senior team. So what did that mean to you to finally get that moment? It meant a lot. I've
you know, I've I've had my chances before and it was there. There were some tough moments after I missed some chances and I didn't really play after that, And I think it really meant a lot to get another opportunity that I've worked a lot for and get get a really good goal. What does that do for your confidence? You know you're going to kind of you how are you able to springboard this going forward? Now? I think it's a massive it's a it's a really big boost. And you know, like there
was there was a time when we had a ton of injuries. We had thirteen people on a roster, and so I was playing then and then I was playing as a inverted left winger sometimes inverted on the right. But um, yeah, it's uh and there was a time and I've transitioned to a it's a new new position and I've worked a lot and I think in that time, I haven't been playing, but I think I've gotten a lot better and I think now is the time where I really feel that I'm in a
position where I can take advantage of these opportunities as they come. Well, let's talk about that transition, right, because that's something that I put a lot of fans eyes up, like, oh, you're shifting to be a fullback. What's been that transition in that process? Like for you? Well, I mean it started with the national team. I was playing the ten and left winger and then we had an inner squad and at the end of it a pul Me at right back and I was like, thank what did
that do wrong? But I talked to him at the next camp, but he said he saw some potential in me there, and I have to give a credit because I think it's paid off and there's been a lot of work put in by myself and also national team and also people like Andy Ross who have spent a lot of time with me making making this possible and helping me learn a new position. I think it's starting to really pay off. And yeah, I'm feeling I'm feeling a lot, a lot more confident there.
So that transition started with the national team, yes, So when you then came back to the Sounders and now the transition bled to the Sounders now. I mean we see it with like Christian right, where a different position with the national team as he plays with the Sounders, right. So when you came back to the Sounders, what was that like kind of like they're treating me like a fullback now? And how did it work out where the Sounders
now started treating you like a fullback? Um? I mean I think after the first time I've played played fullback in a national team camp, they just saw like, oh, they put him at fullback one time, and at first I didn't. They didn't immediately I guess maybe they were immediately sold, but um, like I had to learn it as well. So after I think the national team coach he kept playing me there more and more often, and then I played there, I scored, assisted there and had some good
performances against some good teams there. And I think after that, it's slowly became a more more feasible option in their in their eyes, and so I think it's not something that happened overnight, but I think it's it's a very very good change that worked a lot. I'm not sure if you've seen it yet, but the next round for the Open Cup had their draw. I do you know where you're going yet? I like Galaxy Away, like Galaxy Away, So I assume you would like to play in that game definitely.
I mean, yeah, we'll see what happens. But that's that's the day I have circled on the calendar and one that I'm really looking forward to the US Open Cup. Last thing here for your red rebek or widing with US. US Open Cup has a lot of history with this club, so many trophies. Um for you, does that mean something you know to you that
this team's history and Open Cups? Yeah? I mean it's like you don't you don't think about it every day, but when when you're playing these games, when it when it comes Open Cup time, he realized that we've won four of these. There's there's no team that's won more more Open Cups than us, and I wouldn't I wouldn't call it pressure, but I think there's a there's a certain level of you know, respect, you have to give that in a certain standard you have to play up to because of that history.
And I think it's it's really great. It's a it's an honor to be able to play for a team that that has that history. And I think it's just really really motivating to try and make it a fifth all right, Allied, one more for for you and you talk about the motivation and what it means. You had three thousand, over three thousand people out there a Star Fire. I know you've played there a lot obviously, but you
have that backing in that atmosphere. What was that like last night? It was It was really nice because sometimes you play you play in the stadium like like louman Field, where you have thirty five thousand people there, but it's also a massive stadium, and at Starfire Stadium, obviously the capacity and the actual number and the crowd aren't aren't comparable, but the feeling there when everyone's so close to the field is is really great and just to have everyone there,
like right in front of you. When the ball goes out of bounds, you look up and they're right in front of you, drinking beer like I was, and yeah, it's it's a really great feeling to have everyone so close in there and you can hear everything, and it's really great support. And it means a lot to when it's one hundred and fifteenth a minute and you still hear them going, and it really means a lot and helps you keep going. Well. Hell of a moment that you provided in the
one hundred and second. Thank you for that on behalf of everybody, and we look forward to seeing you down in Los Angeles and whenever you see the field next for the club, Thank you. I appreciate it. It's great stuff from Reed Baker Whiting Sounders fullback And you know, we talked to Brian Schmitzer after that interview at a press conference last week, and you know, I asked him about you know, so you haven't you know, boxed in Red Baker Whiting and now be a full time fullback. And now that's not
the case. Red Baker Whiting doors are still open for him to play multiple positions. He just he's looked great at fullback. He really has coming out of that Open Cup win over San Diego a week ago. I mean, I don't know if that's gonna be a full time thing, but he looked fantastic at that spot. But it's great to talk to Read Baker Whiting, and you know, we'll see what the future holds from him. I know it's bright things in his future. Kid has a good head on his shoulder,
as you could hear it there. He's driven. We'll just see where his career takes him. And hopefully he plays in the next round of the Open Cup and he plays with a fire and looks just as good. But we shall see you. But good to talk to. I think there's probably first appearance on Sounders Weekly, Reed Baker Whiting. There. All right, we'll transition here and we'll move on from the Open Cup. It's now time to look ahead to what's next for the Sounders, and it's gonna be coming
up throughout the rest of the show. We're gonna talk in our next segment to Kobe Jones. You probably know the name United States men's national team legend played over many years with the LA Galaxy, he's now a broadcaster on Apple TV MLS Season Pass. He's done the last two Sounders matches Minnesota and Royal Salt Lake. I believe he's gonna be on RSL Houston coming up this week, so we'll talk a lot of MLS United States and especially Sounders with Kobe
Jones. We'll also have Ari Lillian and Andrew Harvey coming up later on to take us around the league and around the sound Still lots to get to here on Sounders Weekly, so stay tuned to 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 to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts
here. Good to have you with us on this special Wednesday show. Back to being on Wednesdays this week because obviously Seattle Kracken Game one there against Dallas was last night, so we appreciate you joining us. Good to talk to him here. From Reid Baker Whiting there in the previous segment. After the massive Open Cup win last Wednesday over San Diego, Sounders are now going to be in the next round against the LA Galaxy. I believe that's going to
be next week. So big match coming up there in the next round of the Open Cup down in Carson, California against the Galaxy. Will see how many minutes Reid Baker Whiting gets in that match I would expect and see you heard it from him last segment as well. He wants to play in that match. Would love to see him in that match well. Sounders FC Soccer
is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders. See we're gonna preview the Sounders next match, which is gonna be coming up against Sporting Kansas City this Sunday at Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Loumanfield. Will do that in our Around the League segment with ari Leen Wall in a few minutes. Will also go around the sound with Andrew Harvey that's coming up and joining us here in just a moment as he calls in, will be Kobe Jones, broadcaster
for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. We're gonna talk about everything he's seen from the Sounders. He's been on the last two Sounder broadcasts Minnesota and ray Al Salt Lake. So we'll talk to Kobe here in just a couple moments while he's calling in and I see him calling there, I'll tell you that. Fans, there's still time to join the Sounders FC family this year with a twenty twenty three season membership. Members enjoy access to ticket pre sales,
pro shop discounts, and invites to exclusive events. Secure your membership today by visiting soundersfc dot com slash memberships. All right, we got Kobe scored away great, all right, let's bring him on. It is my pleasure to bring on United States men's national team legend, former great player with the LA Galaxy. He's been on the last two Sounder broadcasts for what some fans have
called some fans have called a boring match there against Minnesota. It was three points, donetheless, and he was on the call for Real Salt Lake this last weekend. Pleasure to bring on Kobe Jones, broadcaster for Apple TV. Now, Kobe, welcome to Sounders Weekly. It's so good to have you on. Man doing great. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it. I appreciate you coming on, Kobe. We have so much to discuss. You know, you've been on the Apple TV broadcast for the last two
Sounder matches. So let's just start off with with your two thoughts on on what you've seen in both the last two weeks and overall this season from the Seattle Sounders. Oh wow, that's that's a that's a big question. But when when it comes down to it, you know, you mentioned like the fans were saying it was a boring game, and you know, then a zero zero on the road, I think some things have to be taken to an into account um. And it goes back just to the record of Seattle
over the past few years. They've been a top team, winning championships, consistently focused on conquer calf champions League. You know, last year had you know, win it all, you know, and then you know, a bit of a letdown they're following the following year. Now that that is to be expected, and I know it's unfortunate fans don't like it, but it happens, you know, it happens quite a bit. And now coming into this year, I think it's a reorganized Seattle's side, that is, as
far as they're focused, you know, on what's going on. And look, they took a huge loss you know against a you know, a Darty arrival against Portland. We want to Kobe, we want to forget that. We never want to remember that for the rest of my life. And I understand that. But that's what's important to remember, is that taking that loss
is it's important to understand that that's a huge loss. But then to come back and grind out a one zero result and then grind out you know, maybe not what the fans would want, but then to get a zero zero time on the road at the part of me at Salt Lake where they historically haven't had the best result, you know, and then get a point on the road at altitude as well. Let's not forget that that that's that's good.
That's a sign of good things to come. And and a you know, I don't want to give so many excuses, but I'm gonna put in this as well, Aca outside that has had some injuries too, you know, where you have some of their regular starters out. It shows me that it's a Seattle side that's ready to compete for a title, the Seattle side that has debt, you know, a team that's ready to push, you
know, for championships. Yeah, I completely agree on I'd love to hear that from the national side also hearing that, Okay, this Seattle team as we're structured right now, is ready to go get another title because not making the playoffs last year, I mean just honestly getting back in the playoffs, that's the first step, right. But the fact that we are right there, back again to challenge for a title, that's good to hear from from
the national perspective. And Kobe, one of the things that I look about, you brought up the injury factor. This team is now without Roll Rediez
for another you know, three four, We'll see how many weeks. And the question for me is, you know, we saw for a number of straight weeks that Jordan Morris and Leo Chew off the left, and then we saw what ch can do there in that game against Salt Lake this last weekend, when those two are combining really well from those two spots, you know, things are going really well for Seattle this last game as we saw and actually in the last two games, a Bear starts at the forward position.
Are you liking what Brian Spencer's doing in that regard starting a veteran forward or would you like to see, you know, going back to where we saw some success previously with Morris and Chew, you know, combining with each other at the number nine and left wing spot. Well, I think I think what you see for and Brian Spencer is pactical game planning, you know, depending on where you think the weaknesses of the other teams are. You know, I do like the fact of Jordan Morris, you know, going out
wide. You know, as you saw in the last game against m RSL that there are a few opportunities right off the bat where Morris is making those inside out runs, receiving the ball down the plank and getting the crosses in. Now, they didn't always connect that he was dangerous, you know Leo two as well on that left side he was. He was dangerous as well, more of a as a one on one old player in the tight spaces,
beating players all the left and the right. He had a nice little nutmeg on the right, you know, he found a way you know, to get in and I had that had that shot, but it was safe. Um. I do like what Spencer is doing as a coach and finding ways that are maximizing the players that he has at the time. And it's extremely important to understand that these players, you know, and this is why Seattle, I think, is such a good team. These players can play
in a variety of different positions. Morris can play in a variety of different positions. You know, two can play on the left, he can play on the right, you know, and and then you have the midfielders and then the outside players in a pitch. If you needed, you could have Alex Rodown, you know, playing as a right right midfielder because he's playing that right back position. I mean, he's he looks like he's a winger at times as much as he gets board, you know, it gets all
the crosses. And so it's just a very m mobile team and a team that U were well together and they understand, you know, where the other players need to be and where they're playing at the time. I mean, it's just, yeah, the versatility right now is just it's it's absolutely bonkers.
And then coming up in the next match for the Sounders, they have Sporting Kansas City this Sunday back at Looman Field, and I mean, Kobe, this Sporting Kansas City team, I mean, from your perspective, I'm not sure if you've had have you had a game for for Kansas City yet? For Apple TV. Yeah, I have, I have, Kay had a game Kansas City a game or two, and they've they've attended the struggle. I mean yeah, I mean, like you know, it's it's wild.
And then you know, for Peter Vermese, who's been in this league forever, I'm sure you've had your your you know, interactions with him, many obviously outside even of production meetings, But like I wonder what's his future at Kansas City. What's Kansas City doing right now? It just seems like an organization that's I mean, we talk about the bottom of the barrel sometimes in this league, but Kansas City right now is you might as well hand
them the wooden spoon right now by the way they're going. Yeah, it's a bit of a struggle over there. And I know Peter Burmeys is doing everything he can that you know, they're trying to write the ship as any coach would. You know, it's just one of those things. I know that at the beginning of the season, you know, there are quite a few injuries and potential for potential starters on the Kansas City side. I know,
it's still a struggle. They can't find to get a way to win, and it does seem a little bit chaotic, But if anyone's going to get them out of it, you would think it's a it's a coach that has experienced, that's won a championship, that has a has a way of
dealing with the players. Now, you know, I'm not on the inside there to really know what's going on, but you know, I think this next match, you know, will be a huge one, you know, for both sides, but especially for Kansas City to see if that they they're looking to get a result. You know at Seattle. On that same token, do you think that Peter Vermese has it in him to just sit back, put eight behind the ball and say we're okay with appoint in Seattle.
Uh? Yeah, I would say that he does. I Look, he's a veteran coach, and I think he understands that you have to begin somewhere right, you know, if everything is going wrong. And that's why the way it seems right now, if you're in the last place, you know you have to you have to take chances and start from the basics, right, And the basics is if your struggle is okay, we're going to grind it out and you have to start looking at road games as okay, can
we get something out of this? Can we get a point? You know? So I would imagine that that's going to be a where it is, okay, can we sit back, grind, defensively, break out when we can totally. We'll see if that is indeed the case. Kobe Jones is our guest. He has been on the call for the last two Sounders matches there against Minnesota and Real Salt Lake. He's with MLS Season Pass on Apple
TV. Make sure you subscribe if you haven't already. Kobe, I can't have you on without without talking to you a little bit about the United States men's national team. You obviously have a historic career with them. I spoke with your colleagues Marcello Balboa and Taylor Twelman in the last couple of months and then got their thoughts. So I gotta get your thoughts on the state of US soccer. Obviously we now have a sporting director, but the head coach
is still such a big question mark. I think I want to phrase it to you the same way I phrased it to Twelman, which is, as you are in the process of looking for a new United States men's national team head coach with the knowledge that the World Cup is coming here, You're hosting it in just three years. Is the emphasis on just get the absolute best guy available. Don't care you know necessarily who it is, tactic, etc. Just get the absolute best, best, best guy you possibly can.
Is it the coach to better fit your system and the players that you already have in that are progressing along, or do you have to kind of just say we need an American head coach for an American World Cup and we need to get you know, whether it's marsh or somebody else, we need to get an American coach. Where where are you at with what the United States
men's national team should do a head coach. I'm more along the lines of the second you said you've got to get a coach that is you know, it's funny you say all those all those comments, those three different and it really is a combination of the three, because I think you want to get the best coach that you can that understands the American culture and the type of player, and by that I mean the soccer culture and stuff like that, because the last thing you want to do is just get Okay, you got
a great coach in here, but doesn't understand you know, the American player and maybe flows it up and starts from scratch and you're just like, wait, what's going on? You know, there's not enough time for that, because when you talk about we're three years out, you know, it's not really three years. You gotta have your team ready, you know about you got to have like I would say, eight, seven to eight players like you know are pretty much gonna be Okay, these are my main guys a
year out. You gotta have a good idea. Yeah, there'll be a few that maybe come in and out, you know, but you've got to have that going. So it's only really a couple of years that you've got to go. And remember when we say a couple of years. As a national team coach, you don't get these guys every day, you know. You watch them at their clubs and then you get them together for a week or maybe four or five days at sometimes and maybe a tournament you know,
here and there, and that's it. So for me, I'd like to see a coach that understands, you know, the the American player, in the American culture and the best possible one we can get out of that. You know, it doesn't have to be American. I'm not going there, but it would be nice to have someone that understands what he's gonna be stepping into, because that's singing. That's very important too. Understand what you're stepping into and the players that you will be dealing with. I completely agree.
I think you have to have somebody who understands that, um in some capacity. Uh, do you have a name in mind already that you kind of say that the US should go target this person or it's fine if you don't. But I was kind of wondering as we kind of spell out, you
know, this kind of target here, now I don't. I don't have anybody in mind, you know, off the top of my head right now, I was I was so focused on just who the Sporting directory, trying to figure out what's happening there, because apparently, you know, the sporting director is going to be making that decision, you know, even though they say that, I'm sure there'll be quite a few others in the room helping
there, you know as well. But that that was probably the first step, and now I just want to see where where it goes from here, um to see who the coach is going to be exactly, because I mean that's really as many questions as we can ask right now. You know, in terms of forecasting three years out, we have no idea what this team's potential is until they get that coach in there. So Kobe, when they make that higher, hopefully we can have you on again. We'll preview another
MLS broadcast there on Apple TV and we'll talk about the United States. Hopefully they'll make a higher at some point in the next few months or so and we can continue that conversation. But it's so great to talk to you, man. I appreciate you given some time to Sounders Weekly today to us here at KJR. Thank you for coming on and look forward to hearing your call as Salt Lake and Houston coming up this Saturday. Have a good call. Hey, Thank you, and I appreciate everything you're doing, you know,
covering the game. We love great stuff there from Kobe Jones, broadcaster for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Been on the last couple Sounder broadcast. Great to hit his insight there really quickly as we transition here on Sounders Weekly, I'll tell you that Sounders FC and Boeing are teaming up to support the Washington Youth Soccer Community Corner on match days this season. Join us in stadium as we will come Washington youth soccer players and coaches to cheer on the Rave
Green courtesy of Boeing. All right, we've talked about the next match for the Sounders Sporting Kansas City a little bit there with Kobe. Let's continue talking about that in our Sharp Vision Opponent Outlook. We'll go around the league with Ari Lilliwell and around the sound with Andrew Harvey. Ari and Andrew are 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 to Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts, you're good to have you with us on this Wednesday evening show special Wednesday edition with the Kraken playing there on Tuesday. We'll see where the schedule leads for next week, or just stay tuned to my Twitter at Jackson B. Felts and we'll keep you up to date on where next week's show will be. But as we
turn the page here in Sounders Weekly. Good to chat that last segment with Kobe Jones, broadcaster there for Apple TV United States Men's national team legend. Great all the information that he could provide there that previous segment leading into this segment. Before we get going, I'll tell you that Sounder fans bud Light was rude to be a delicious and easy to drink beer. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Pick up bud Light at your local
retailer today. Please enjoy responsibly. All right, for our final segment an idea, it is the usual cookings. We got Andrew Harvey, our Puget Sounds soccer expert, taking us around the sound in a few minutes. But right now it's Ari Lilliana of MLS Soccer dot Com. He's here to take us around the league as he always does, where we will also talk about the Sounders next match. So Ari, welcome back to the show, my friend. How are you. I'm great, Jackson, thanks for having me
back. Yeah, good to have you back. Ari. Let's start with Seattle as we always do, and I want to bypass the zero zero draw against Royal saw Lake. We've talked about that enough tonight, I want to bypass that and jump right to the match of this Sunday again, Sporting Kansas City and our sharp vision opponent outlook. Sporting Kansas City do not have a win all year. Are do you think they have a chance to get three points in Seattle on Sunday? Not having a win on the years through ten
games certainly makes you desperate. So in that sense, I expect them to be playing with their hair on fire. I don't know how much of a difference that'll make, but I mean they need to be going for it. This is the worst team in MS right now, just statistically. I mean, if you look at the table, they're averaging zero point three points per game through ten games, zero wins, seven losses, three draws, and negative twelve. Is also the worst goal differential in MS, so they've really
been struggling. They've had a lot of critical injuries and that certainly plays into their struggles. It's just I mean, it's been a really tough run for them, and I think whatever chance they do have this weekend in Seattle will be based on the fact that they know that they need to get a win to turn this around, and they're going to have to play like that.
They certainly will to have any chance in this game, and we'll see what they come out with on Sunday. I guess watch for Johnny Russell and Daniel Shallowy and that might be about it. You know, are with the way they're going right now, and I think if they don't win, they'll set the record for most non wins to start an MLS season. With the way they're going, At what point could Peter Vermese be fired? It's a good question. I mean, the complicating factor there is that they just signed him
to a contract extension before at the start of the season. They actually finished last year pretty strong. They had a couple of new signings come in that made them look a lot better, and they were kind of actually a popular pick to bounce back and take a step forward this year and that hasn't happened. So now people I know, they're they're fan base. Based on what I see social media, they're looking at that extension and they're questioning it quite
a bit. Peter Murmis is the longest tenured manager in MLS. Yeah, he's an institution down there. I think he has a lot of loyalty from the club brass and he basically runs the whole show. He's the sporting director too, he's their head coach and their sporting protector. So he's got about as long a leash as it gets. So I don't, I don't. I would be pretty surprised if Sporting loses this weekend to see him get fired
at that point. I think he's got that long a leash. But the reality is, if they keep hovering below one point per game, those questions are going to keep being asked. That that's just the reality for them based on how their planning completely. We'll see how far it goes before those questions
become very realistic out there in Kansas City. They are once again come into Seattle this Sunday one thirty Prematch Show one fifty five kickoff over on nine fifty KGr AM and tonight's opponent outlook was presented by Sharps and Modern Lasic and Lens, the official Lasic provider of Sounders FC. Alright, ari, let's turn our attention to what might have been the match of this week, and that was between LAFC and the Philadelphia Union CONKERCALF Champions League last night and well,
Unfortunately it's LAFC three nothing. They're through four one on aggregates. Are they're going to the Conkercalf Final? Talk to us about that game last night and what do you think their chances are to be the second MLS team to take home the trophy here coming up later this month. Yeah, I thought the game last night was honestly a little disappointing because it was set up to be
a great game. Yeah, whenever Philadelphia and LAFC play each other, it tends to be a crazy back and forth, goals everywhere, super competitive, super high tensity. That's what it's been when they've played in the regular season. And then we all remember MLS Cup last year that was one of the best games I've ever seen, and with it being one one on aggregate.
Going into the game last night, I thought it was set up to be similar to theatrics and it just didn't pan out like that because Philadelphia got a red card in the second half that basically allowed LAFC to cruise control it and get two more goals late to seal it off. So it was a bummer to see that kind of turned into a non competitive series. Do you think they win it in the final. Yeah, I think they have a great chance to win it against either Tigris or Leone. Those are tough LEGMX sides.
I think Tigris is the favorite there and that would be a great series. I don't think either of those teams are significantly better than LAFC to the point where they would be a significant favorite in that series. I think the series between LAFC and t Griss is a fifty fifty toss up and LAFC has a great chance to win. They're that good. Wow, I guess we'll see what happens there. That would be a bummer to watch LAFC capture that
right after the Sounders did. But the Seattle will always be the first. So we'll talk to you about that later on this month when LAFC faces them in the final. Are you. Let's wrap it up by taking a look at what happened in the Eastern Conference this week, and the top four teams all played each other. You had Nashville beating Atlanta three one, New England and Cincinnati played to a one one draw. Those are the top four teams
there in the East. Of those two games, you know, being able to see those top teams did one stand out above the rest just in terms of how you saw them on the field, is as the clear and away best team in the Easter or they all kind of bunched there together. Yeah. I watched the whole New England Cincinnati game and that was one of the better games of last week's slate. That was a really intense competitive game, back and forth, lots of chances, both teams playing at a half level.
I think of those four, New England is the most for real for me. They have high end designated player talent and they also have the best goalkeeper in the league right now, Georgie Petrovitch. He's take another penalty kick in this game on Luciano and LaCosta. He does it every week. And I would go so far as to say that if you were making a top five MVT list through ten games, Georgi Petrovitch had to be on there. He might, but he's playing at that high level, I'm telling you.
And when you have a match winner like that in goal, it can take you a long way. And the Revs also have a lot of attacking talent to go along with that. Well, it sounds like New England's there at the top so we'll see and we'll talk more about the Revolution as the season progresses and we don't have time to dig into it. But Ari, I think we want to thank Saint Louis for losing to Portland and more over, thank the Timbers in a disgusting way for beating Saint Louis and keeping a Seattle
at the top of the Western Conference with their draws. So we thank Portland for that. All right, Ari, that's it today. Thank you for taking us around the league, and we will talk to you next week. Buddy, Yeah, thanks Jackson, take care of good stuff there. From Ari lean Wall of MLS soccer dot com taking us around the league and from around the league, we now go to around the Sound and look at everything going on. We got some more good news here from the Sounders. Having
good news there top of the Western Conference. We now turn our attention to Tacoma de Finance, to ol Rain, to Ballard FC. Lots of goings on here in local soccer. Here is our Puget Sounds soccer expert Andrew Harvey.
It's been a good week around the Sound. Jackson to come at a fiance ended the weekend with three points at home, defeating Elle Galaxy two three one On Sunday evening, hal Uteritz bagged his fourth goal of the season, while Paul Rothrock and Bradilio Rodriguez notch one goal piece against Los Dose Defiance around the road. This weekend, they'll head to Utah to face Real Monarchs on
Friday at seven pm. That match will air on Apple TV. Ol Rain grabbed a late road point thanks to a ninetieth minute Jordan hied him a head or last Saturday, playing to a two two draw against Racing Louisville. The draw keats Oil Rain in second place on the league table with ten points from five matches played. All Rain's busy this week. They're hosting Angel City FC in the group stage of the NWCL Challenge Cup literally as this segment airs.
Thanks for letting me record this ahead of time, Jackson, and they'll also host the Houston Dash on Saturday May six at seven pm. Both those matches are airing on Paramount Plus. Finally, Ballot FCS just weeks away from their first match of twenty twenty three, a friendly against the Vancouver Whitecaps U nineteens on Thursday May eighteenth. That Inner Bayed Stadium club also announced that it had
signed midfielder Danny Roblais last week. A Sounders Academy product, made sixty five professional appearances in the USL Championship for Tacoma Defiance before spending last season with Northern Colorado Hailstorm in USL League One. I'm Andrew Harvey and this has been Around the Sound. That's our Puget sound soccer expert Andrew Harvey each week taking us around the Sound. Yeah, ol Rain playing right now, let's send you guys. Just check out ol Rain's website and you can't even just google ol
Rain to get the score update there. I'll check it out to here after the show is over, which can just be in a very couple minutes. But we thank Andrew for giving us that around the Sound report. Also to note he has some special news coming up next week's Around the Sound that will be not one to miss. Well, that will do it for the show tonight. So I want to thank all the guests here today. Kobe Jones, fantastic to talk to him that last segment. Ari Leanwell, Andrew Harvey
is always on around the league and around the Sound. Great to talk there. After the Open Cup win. You heard from him in the first segment that's the Sounders fullback. Read Baker Whiting and check out the podcast in case you missed him or in case you missed anything. You can reach all of our podcasts every week that includes this show, that includes our postgame shows from matches, and it includes full broadcast replays all on our podcast feed. You
can get that on the iHeartRadio app. Just search Sounders Weekly nine three three KGr dot com the Sounders on demand page and you can also check it out via wherever you get your podcast. Just search Sounders Weekly. So that will do it for the show tonight. And now we look ahead to what is next, and it is a home match this Sunday, not Saturday like it has been Sunday. It's gonna be against Sporting Kansas City, who continue to
be the bottom dwellers of this league. That match against Board in Kansas City this Sunday, May seventh, is going to kickoff at one fifty five. The prematch show will begin at one thirty and that's going to be on nine fifty KJR AM nine fifty am this Sunday for Sounders and Sporting Kansas City. The Providence Swedish premat show I should say, we'll begin at one thirty. You can get your tickets today by visiting soundersfc dot com slash tickets. You
can also watch the match on Fox and on Apple TV. Also listen in Spanish Lego John Lay thirteen sixty. So we'll talk to you there on Sunday one thirty pregame one fifty five kickoff Sounders Sporting Kansas City look forward to seeing everybody out there. Have a good rest of your week, folks, and Fox Sports Radio is coming up next.