S8E3: Stryke While The Iron's Hot (Season Preview) (Special Guest: Christian "Filly" Filimon)

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Design praph. There's a desire praph. There's a desire our bra,
there's a design praph. There's up desire guys and past
the desire.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Guys can pass.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Desire, guys bras desire guys can now plath desire Guys
PASSI grass you up the desire guys out you Upsius.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
His his his design.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
Guys.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Grassy Brass Guy Brass rottuys.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
Guy, grassy.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Guy Brass.

Speaker 4 (01:28):
Chick chick.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
To Well. Good evening, everybody, and welcome back to Soccers

(02:37):
over Time, your weekly look inside the San Diego Soccers
and the Major Arena Soccer League. My name is Craig Elston,
joined as always by Tony sam Chez. Here for season eight,
episode three. Tony, it's time to strike while the Iron sod,
and by that I mean the Empire Strikers are in
town and you know that's a hot time in the
old town tonight. So let's get to it. Seasons about

(03:00):
to begin in Plastic four days, Strikers versus Soccers.

Speaker 5 (03:07):
I am excited for the beginning of the season. We've
been hearing what the roster is going to be. We'll
update people on that, but now it's here it's in
a couple of.

Speaker 6 (03:16):
Hours one and a half sleep, depending on your sleep schedule,
or if you're too excited to sleep, maybe none.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
Right, Hey, your mileage may vary on those grounds. I
think I'm going to sleep well tonight, but we've got
a big show for you tonight. To be sure. Let's
let you know what's on the show tonight. It is
almost go time Friday. Black Friday season gets started with
a doubleheader in the Midwest and then the Soccers and Strikers.
We've got all the latest on the soccers roster as

(03:45):
the club gets ready for the season opener against Empire.
We'll give you a club preview to start off the show.
I was at Soccer's training on Tuesday night last night
at front Wave Arena. I brought home some gifts to
share with the crowd. I'll have an interview with defender
Mitchell Cardoness. I'll have an interview with Soccer's goalkeeper Chris Toath.

(04:06):
We'll play both of those for you recorded last night,
and we'll Tony and I will ruminate upon their words
and thoughts. Then we will be joined by Empire Strikers
broadcaster Christian Philly Philemon he's back to preview the Strikers
side of what's going on this season, and also talk
about who he's trying to wrangle for the latest MAASL sponsors.

(04:31):
We'll get into it with Philly. Another interview that was
recorded a little bit earlier this afternoon, because Christian is
right now probably tipping his beak into a cold one
at Honda Center where he's watching the Ducks play some
NHL hockey tonight. So good on Christian for making some
time for me earlier today and making time for all

(04:52):
of us a little bit earlier today seeing as he
couldn't be here live with us. In MASL News, we'll
talk about the playoff format. We've got playoff for minute,
and you know, it's pretty good all things considered, it's
pretty good. We'll talk about that. In Soccer's News, we'll
have the match preview for the Black Friday season opener. Yeah,

(05:13):
big show, let's get to it. Soccer's Overtime, Season eight,
episode three. If you're here and you're watching us on YouTube,
thank you for being there. It's always great to have
you out there. The folks that are live, If you
can all please hit that thumbs up button right away.
That is awesome because for a live broadcast, it's going
to really help anybody who is watching us a little

(05:34):
bit later on cool. Thanks for being there, appreciated, Happy
Thanksgiving if you're watching us tomorrow. But if you can
hit that like button, we'd be think if you happen
to be listening on the audio side of things and
you can slash a five star rating, kind little written review.
All of that is going to help MASL and Soccers
fans back to the show, and we say thank you

(05:56):
as we finish our housekeeping and get on with the show. Okay,
let's take a look to start things off today, Tony.
Seeing as obviously we don't have a match to review yet,
let's take a look at the San Diego Soccers season
preview and give our best look and where the club
stands going into the regular season. First thing is obvious.

(06:19):
San Diego is a dominant force in the Major Arena
Soccer League. They've had three twenty plus win seasons since
the twenty twenty one twenty two campaign. Last year was
another one of them. Twenty and four. There were a
couple of overtime points away from winning the shield that
turned out to be pretty important. When all things was

(06:40):
said and done and Chihuahua wins the championship, beating them
twice down at Cornersport Arena. But now, of course Chihuahua
is gone. The zombie teams of Harrisburg, Dallas and Texas
were really there in name only in twenty twenty four
to twenty five. They're gone. That means it's an eight

(07:01):
team field, Tony, and that really is gonna tighten things up,
I think in terms of adding some more parody to
the overall table.

Speaker 6 (07:11):
Yeah, I mean in a sense, right you almost distill
any sort of teams that I don't want to say
that you know, just kind of were there to make
sure that there was enough games to round out the calendar.

Speaker 5 (07:22):
You can just have teams drop in the middle of
the season.

Speaker 6 (07:24):
But now with a much more condensed league, this is
gonna go ahead and just have these teams get to
know each other a lot more. And in the indoor game,
this is something that you know, it can lead to
more intensity in matches, a little a quicker pace, some
different looks at different teams, and like you mentioned the
parody aspect, where right now you have the SANDEGL Soccers.

Speaker 5 (07:45):
In an obvious top position.

Speaker 6 (07:47):
Anything below that or even at Kansas City comments, can
you know, hone a very good team with some of
the teams here still available. But the soccers, you know,
are in a prime position to once again regain that
top spot in m ASL. And you know, really they've
been working for it. That's what the last couple of
seaons have been for the soccers. They've been working to

(08:08):
be able to make it to the top once again.

Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, and there's no question that from a top line,
five star, four star talent level, San Diego should be
the favorite in the MASL this year. And I think
the biggest reason why is because you confront the single
biggest issue for San Diego coming into the season, which
would be that some of their stars are getting extremely

(08:34):
long in the tooth and toward the very end of
their careers. And the team directly addresses both of those
issues head on. Craig Chiles is retiring, Nick Perera comes in,
and while Nick is just a couple of years younger
than Craig, I think those couple of years matter. But
also Nick is just a different size player. He's still
got that US Beach soccer fitness to him. I think

(08:55):
he's still got years to run and he immediately in
that target forward role. Well, Craig has already said he's
going to be more power play, free kick, set piece.
You know, he'll be much more of a specialist on
this year's squad. Then it's a different situation in goal

(09:17):
because obviously the incumbent Boris Pardo, while he has announced
that this is his final year as an active player
and he's transitioning into a coaching role, he's not settled
to free kicks and special teams. He's going to be
in the net, just like Chris Toath will be in
the net. Those two guys are going to split the net.
But having Chris come in, five time goalkeeper of the year,

(09:40):
the Toth family name restored to San Diego back to
back goalkeeper of the year, combined with Boris the all
time wins leader, that's where you feel like, okay, at
the top line, the soccers are set.

Speaker 6 (09:53):
Up, yeah, and in that experience is going to go
ahead and carry the soccers team forward.

Speaker 5 (09:58):
And it was really refreshing just hearing Craig Chiles.

Speaker 6 (10:01):
Not only you know he's he's been an inspiration for
a lot of players, but just an inspiration to really
how to go in gracefully to this side and this
and and these years in the in his career that
he's had, uh in order to be that leader. And
same thing with Boris right, like you need that experience,
you need that leadership in order to go ahead and
teach the next generation. And this is a bigger discussion

(10:22):
in terms of Front Wave Arena and the investment for
the community. Right this is a future for the San
Diego soccers that needs to be sustainable, not just for
this year. Uh A, A championship this year is going
to be phenomenal, but at the end of the day,
like you need to sustain this next year and a
year after that and a year after that. Uh This
is a project that I really think has a potential,

(10:44):
a lot more potential than what we've been able to
see in the year one at Front Wave Arena with
North County and captivating that crowd and a lot of
the things too. You can tell the new fans really
kind of adapted to the fancy play style of Louis
Morales Bastian who who was up there, and they really
connected with those with those players and likewise with the

(11:05):
legends of the soccers as well, And so this this
is a perfect pendulum kind of meeting in the at
the perfect center of things, and for the soccers, they
have to be able to go ahead and take advantage
of this of this year, no doubt about it.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
I think one question that's just going to be very
interesting to follow as the season goes along is how
the soccer's coaching staff decides to split the net. And
obviously any injury situation would make it easy on them.
But from what this guy understands, on this day, there

(11:45):
has not been communicated a direct you're going to play
this many, you're going to play this many, you're going
to play this day, you're going to play that day.
That hasn't happened. And I believe there's even an opportunity
or a chance Tony that the two of them do
it Team USA style in the opener and split the
net like Chihuahua did fifty to fifty, one guy one half,

(12:10):
one guy the other half. That's the kind of strategy
that I think works for a game and maybe for
the younger goalkeeping tandem in Chihuahua. They made that work
all season. But I never understood how I never actually
understood how they made that work. I don't think that's
something the Knockers can do all year long.

Speaker 6 (12:31):
Yeah, again talking about that sustainability aspect, right, Like we've
seen Boris Pardo take a step back in a couple
of these games and due to injury, but even then
given the opportunity for somebody like exav Snare Williams to
step in and really develop into something new. But this
time you don't even have to worry about that because
you have a Chris Toth that can go a full game,

(12:53):
a full match, a full run of matches, this whole
series all on his own. He was doing in Tacoma,
and he was doing a lot lot more work than
he's scheduled to be doing here in San Diego. So
this is interesting to kind of see what the development
is going to be and if it works for the soccers,
well great, it's a great strategy. But what is going
to be the best for the team moving forward. It'll

(13:15):
be it'll be interesting to kind of see how those
two things develop. But you know, it's it's also going
to have to do a lot with who's in front
of them, Who's allowing the players to have the goalkeepers
to have so much work, right, is there a breakdown
in the in the times that tooth is on there
versus wharing the comfortability perhaps on the back line with

(13:36):
Boris and net. So you know, there's layers to be
to be had, but either way, it's it's incredible to
have both of them. I just saw like the back
to back graphics right now, put them up. I'm like, right,
that's so cool. Yeah, no, it's really cool.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
It's it's one of those Cadillac or Champagne problems, first
world problems. However you want to put it in terms
of how are you going to split the net? That's
why I didn't say it was a problem at all.
I said it would be very interesting to see. It's
going to be fascinating, and I truly don't think the
coaches know, you know, I think they might have an idea,
but I think they are going to let the season

(14:11):
tell the story a little bit. There's performances tell the story.
Let the two of them push one another, push one
another for playing time. There's going to be obvious inflection
points going forward where you have, you know, a back
to back, a back to back with travel, and in
those cases, the young rookie third goalkeeper Nathaniel Linquist, who

(14:32):
got signed this week, would probably be a player who
would travel, you know, to keep one veteran home for
the second half of the back to back and have
the other two go forward and play in the road game.
All of that makes a lot of sense going forward,
but for their strongest position, it's just going to be
an interesting choice because either one of those guys would
be very, very very happy to start all twenty four

(14:55):
games and play all sixty minutes of all twenty four games. Oh,
when you've got two guys hungry for the same spot,
it'll be fascinating to see how that plays out. Now,
you know, it's not all sunshine and roses. And I
think one of the big stories coming into this year
is that, for the first time, honestly that I can remember,

(15:20):
at least in the MASL, i'd have to go back
to find the last Soccers roster. Wow, hang on, I
think two thousand and ten eleven was the last Soccers
roster that didn't have a Tijuana player on the roster,

(15:42):
because it was twenty eleven twelve that Eddie Velez joined
the San Diego Soccers and he was the banner carrier
for a long time, and then along came Turas, Along
came Christian Gutierrez. You know, along came so many players,
Big ro Ho, Little Rojo, Night Torteine, Luis Perez, Irvin Mohica. Right,

(16:07):
so many guys, and all of those guys in a
different world would be battling for spots on the Soccers
roster this year. None of them have retired. They're all around,
and none of them are eligible to play in the
NASL because none of them have United States P one
working visas and the latest this year. We talked about

(16:30):
it in a previous episode, but Christian Gutierez not being
on this team, I tell you what, Tony, A lot
of people aren't going to talk about it. I think
that's one of the biggest losses the Soccers have suffered
in years. He's the sneakiest important player on the team.

Speaker 6 (16:47):
Yeah, driving force, an engine. He does everything that you
need him to. You need somebody to go ahead and
close down on defense in a flash. Could he saying
with Piotros has the leg for it. He's going to
put that strong foot forward. You need him to then
go ahead and get that same ball, get his own
rebound and drive the entire length of the floor and
score a solo goal to win you the game at
the end of the match.

Speaker 5 (17:07):
Well, that's that's what.

Speaker 2 (17:08):
He was able to do. And not to be able
to have that.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
I mean, we talked about the Roco tandem and the
loss that that had, but get us really filled in
into those runs again along the boards, and and you know,
it's it's unfortunate to be able to do that. I
was actually talking with somebody over at the San Diego
FC media availability working at UNIVCO and and he remembered
talking about Les and the story that he did with

(17:31):
with him and just how he connected with somebody from Tijuana,
connected with somebody like that, and just again the human
aspect of these players to really not be able to
do what they do best at the highest level is
just not what should be happening in terms of of
play for a league that wants to go ahead and grow.

Speaker 5 (17:52):
These are the things that are stifling it.

Speaker 6 (17:53):
And and you know, hopefully in the future, and it
sounds like, you know, every season and kind of the
grip gets tighter and tight, and we keep saying, well,
hopefully next year, hopefully, next year, but we can, you know,
hope a little harder and hope that gets resolved in
some way.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
Yeah. I mean, the bottom line is this league needs
to start being able to provably take in ten million
plus in revenue per year. It's really that simple. I've
been told that so many times and over so many
different years that of all the things that the government

(18:32):
is looking at in terms of how you know, why
players are approved or not approved, it's that the league
doesn't have the impromature of the US government as being
a serious professional league in the United States because it's
not bringing in ten million plus in annual revenue. So
that's why the league is so serious about trying to

(18:53):
find better broadcast partners, better sponsorship partners that they want.
They don't want to have the zombie teams that are
generating no money for the league. You know, they don't
want to have incredibly successful teams generating no money for
the league either. That doesn't help them anymore. A team
dominating the league and generating no money, a team losing

(19:14):
every game in generating no money. It's all the same
for not getting Mexican players p one working visas. So
you know, the overall growth and health of the league
will resolve this problem, and very little else will because
you can't blame it on ideology, you can't blame it
on politics. It's been a Republican demos and a democratic

(19:38):
and multiple administrations where P one visas have been denied
to MASL players. So the Tijuana to San Diego connection
border closed for now. That talent has no borders video,
we'll put it on the shelf right now, talent has
a border. A quick look at the position groups. Obviously,

(20:02):
at forward, you've got two of the most prolific scorers
in the league. You've got Nick Perera into Boy Morgan.
You've got two guys who are stylistically as different as
could possibly be in Nick Perera and too Boy Morgan.
I mean they both hold the ball, but not the
same way. Nick will hold and hold the ball and
find the passing lane and get the pass off. Tavoy

(20:22):
is usually one or two touches and get the shot away.
And between those two, though, you've got explosive power, you've
got speed, you've got technique, you've got control, you've got
passing ability, You've got a little bit of everything. The
one thing you don't have is that d runner that's
going to close in every time they run to the
bench in Gutierrez right now, from what I'm hearing, Charlie

(20:47):
Gonzalez's brother might get first shot at defensive runner Jose
Gonzalez baby, and we'll see how that goes. There's other
forwards on the team. There's other forwards in the lineup,
because Craig Giles is going to d onto the lineup,
but he's not gonna be in the forward rotation, so
he's kind of eating a midfield spot in a way.

(21:09):
But that doesn't mean Craig's in the midfield. You're not.
You're not going to see him tracking line the line
all the time.

Speaker 6 (21:18):
Maybe that's not the checklist, right, like things to do
and accomplish, Like one game, I'm gonna go back and
just run, just work and.

Speaker 5 (21:25):
This is everything I got.

Speaker 2 (21:29):
I don't know, Craig, is that one of your bucket
list calls?

Speaker 6 (21:34):
I don't know is gonna get switched to him in
a mid sprint of how great that sprint would be?

Speaker 2 (21:40):
Hey, you know that that footsals Velt twenty twelve childs
Maybe you know pushing forty one. That's all I'm saying.
In the midfield you're gonna see some big names lead
the way, of course, in Charlie Gonzales, Gaby Costa, Sebastian
Mendez and eventually Leonardo diav Dale I Vienna. Although Leo

(22:02):
took an injury in the last week during training and
he is listed as doubtful on the Soccer's Player Availability
report that was sent to the league today. I think
you can take doubtful and send it to it. Yeah,
that next level up to probably out. But when you
look at Charlie, you look at Costa, you look at Mendez,

(22:24):
you know, those are three guys who all bring different
things to the floor. Charlie and Gabby probably a little
bit more similar in terms of what they're doing, having
the ability. They want to be on the ball right.
They want to have that ball at their feet and
be able to do one two's pass and move. They're
going to be involved in power play, They're going to

(22:44):
be involved in top of the orc. Sebastian is more
of that guy that can be a defender, a past
and a speedy sport plug as the game goes on.

Speaker 6 (22:56):
Yeah, and that's the player that you know wants, like
I said, wants, the ball is a ball magnet. But
in this is always the biggest issue with having so
much talent and so many people that can maneuver the
ball and have different and different visions as you need
all those visions to align and usually from what we've
seen is everybody in the midfield gets along.

Speaker 5 (23:17):
There's only one ball.

Speaker 6 (23:18):
Just like my mom used to say, why do they
just give every player a ball and everybody stops fighting
for it?

Speaker 5 (23:21):
That's not how soccer works, mom.

Speaker 6 (23:23):
But at the end of the day, this is midfield
is stacked, and really the last year and how they
were able to really be cohesive and run just hard
and it's a difficult midfield to get through. That's why
he as said that Godlass Drew in the back were
able to be so offensively minded and move forward and
be a little bit more free is because you're not

(23:44):
asking for them to exhaust all that energy defensively because
your midfield's taking it.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
The ball doesn't get to you, then there's nothing for.

Speaker 7 (23:51):
You to do.

Speaker 6 (23:52):
Let's go ahead and move up and be an option
up top, and with the midfielders available, it's like having
an extra extra.

Speaker 5 (23:59):
Midfield up top. Whenever Drew and the defense integrates itself.

Speaker 2 (24:03):
You got a veteran like Keiko Guntan for depth. Taylor
Bond is a guy who can play multiple positions. He
could be the defensive runner forward, he could play in
a midfield role as an enforcer. All of those things
are possible. And then of course there's a player or
two I didn't mention right there when I was talking
about guys that you could count on. One of them

(24:24):
is Hazus Pacheco. And the reason I didn't say that
was because with Ben Raymond being injured also taking an
injury in training over the course of the last couple
of weeks, Pachecko likely drops back to start the season
and is part of the defensive four, but he will
absolutely be a huge part of the midfield and the
guy they're counting on to get goals, assists, to run

(24:46):
to get blocked shots. Pachecko is going to be a
big part of this, but for now, he slots into
the defense with Serta, Mitchell Cartonist, Drew Ruggles, and of
course when Ben Raymond comes back soon, he will be
with Drew Mitchell, Surta as the core for yeah, and
you know it's a.

Speaker 6 (25:04):
Kind of wait your turn. Pacheco and he will be featured.
You will have opportunities, and you're gonna have to make
the best of these opportunities to break through a really
good soccers team. And it's not impossible. We've seen soccers
really be that. We saw about the Amendez in his
first year have a really good one, two three first games,
and then he struggled. He kind of, you know, that
individuality started kicking in. He was needed to learn the

(25:27):
soccer's way and just kind of assimilate a little bit
more in training. But eventually he understood and he got it,
and once he was acclimated with the system, he became
a no brainer staple. You unleash, said us, you're gonna
have to not worry about hustle, effort and some really
good offensive shots as well. But maybe this can be
this for Pachiko this season is go ahead and learn

(25:49):
these baby steps into the soccers.

Speaker 5 (25:51):
It might just be the opposite, just just shows us
something that's absolutely phenomenal. Either way, I'm here for the ride.

Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yeah, injuries have been an issue for the soccers in
training camp. It feels like it's that way every year,
and of course you've got the long term injury guys.
You know Luis Piri Ortega took the second achilles injury
of his career at the beginning of the postseason last year,
so he's around the team, but I can't imagine he'll

(26:18):
play this year. I would think he's down for the season.
Felipe Gonzalez is always is, as you know, perpetually on
the verge of coming back. He's running around, he was
on the training floor last night, but he's still listed
as doubtful for the game on Friday. So eventually and
hopefully you get Felipe back, and then you know, down

(26:42):
the road, you get Pee Wee back. I don't think
it'll be this year, but I'm not in his head
and I'm not in the doctor's ears or the trainers here,
so we'll let time dictate that. But there's one player
that I did not mention in all those positional previews,
and unfortunately that's what we got to talk about right now.
The soccers Tony have a Louise Morales issue. Uh oh,

(27:08):
Louise Morales, who they just signed to a five year contract,
didn't report to camp, has not been a part of
Soccer's training and will not play on Friday. And why
he hasn't reported to training. I'm not sure you can.

(27:33):
And for the for the yeah, I mean, for the
matter of a show like this. You know what I
hear that I can't confirm along the way or hear
from the horse's mouth, I'm not going to say. So
there's uh, there's a reason. It's not a it's not
a legal or a medical issue, or or a family

(27:54):
health issue or anything like that. It's a business, personal
business issue, personal slash business. But he ain't there. And
it's a very open question as to when or if
Louise Morales will play for the Soccers in twenty twenty five,
twenty six, And that is uncategorically bad news for the

(28:20):
San Diego Soccers because he should be one of the
key players for the team. He could have been the
highest scoring midfielder for the Soccers, at least for goals
this year. He probably should be the highest scoring midfielder
for goals, one of them in the league. And instead,

(28:42):
for now, Louise Morales is on ice a soccer in
contract only.

Speaker 5 (28:50):
Well, that's that's not good.

Speaker 6 (28:54):
No, generally bad, not good, just even in a general
sense of like a dude, like you have a job
to do, like don't know, call no show like that's
you know, that's that sends you to hr in any
other world.

Speaker 5 (29:07):
I don't care what job it is.

Speaker 6 (29:09):
That's you just don't do that right, like in an
official capacity, like at least have it be a reason
good or bad.

Speaker 5 (29:17):
But I mean that's just for the team aspect.

Speaker 6 (29:20):
If we're just strictly talking about the soccers, it's not
good to have somebody who was on the trajectory to
become a premier player in not just the soccers, but
in this league a staple and somebody who was getting
endeared with the people who came over. And I mean
I mentioned it off the top, with Luisito and people
liking what he was offering. You see him repping the

(29:40):
Mexican national team Crest for futsal, and you see him
here and in these tournaments and Front Wave Arena in
these games, and that's just very disappointing to hear. And
so hopefully again here we go and hope mode. But
I think that we are in a place where where
there's no room for unprofessionalism, especially in this team and

(30:06):
in this season with the stakes being what they.

Speaker 5 (30:09):
Are, and so hopefully this does get resolved. Because I
like I likes I like seeing him play.

Speaker 6 (30:14):
I really like seeing him play what he offered to
this team, and hopefully he's in a position at some
point to be able to offer to this team once again.

Speaker 5 (30:22):
But it seems like it's going to be it's going
to be on him.

Speaker 2 (30:26):
Well. The next thing I'm going to say, I don't
want to be interpreted as like a critique of the
player of the player's skills, just my observation from last
year when you and I were coming in as broadcasters,
and you know, I wasn't a member of the front
office of the team in that type of organizational capacity,
but what I saw from our broadcast booth was a
guy that, in the first few games he was with

(30:48):
the Soccers was dynamite. He was plugged in, explosive, integrated,
and really really, really successful. And then he went out
on King's League stint, and listen, the Kings League is
a real, I don't want to say issue for the MAASL,
but it is. It's a thing that's in the ecosystem

(31:12):
that is going to take players away not for the year,
but for periods of the year. And in that sense,
it almost resembles in a weird way outdoor soccer with
international breaks, although there's no break, but you know, just
guys like, okay, well they're off with this other team
for a little bit and then they'll be back. And
you know, Goby Costa has played a lot of Kings

(31:34):
League and Louise Morales has played a lot of Kings League.
And you know, if other guys on the team play
Kings League that, you know, more power to them. It's
not a super super super high compensating league. The masl
if it were p one visus wouldn't be a problem.
So because of that, guys need to get their dime.

(31:54):
They need to you know, they need to get there
Nott wherever they can get it. But when he came back,
and I remember us noting it on the broadcast many times,
Tony Luise kind of played an individual game within the
soccers team construct. A lot of times. I remember saying
it seems like he's out there on an island and
that there really wasn't a lot of passing. It was

(32:16):
like do we activate this area? Boop activated? Okay, eighty
going forward eighty trying to score, you know, and that's
less impactful for the San Diego soccers less impactful. So
you know, again that's not a critique. It's just to
say that what you need, you need guys who are

(32:38):
locked into the system, who are pulling the rope the
same direction, pulling the oar the same direction, whatever you
want for your cliche. But you know, a plugged in team,
And if you have a plugged in team and you
have an unplugged player, I think that loosens the plugs
of everyone else along the way. So I hope that

(32:58):
this is resolved along the way. However it's resolved and
that Louis Morales becomes a plugged in in San Diego player.
If it doesn't happen that way, believe me, the soccers
have enough depth in their midfield and with the other
talent they have in this team that they can completely
ride away without Louise Morales and still get to where

(33:20):
they want the pinnacle.

Speaker 5 (33:23):
Yeah, but it's an opportunity.

Speaker 6 (33:25):
And again I'm just thinking about this the context and
again everything that's we haven't had confirmation, like you said,
but like, given the context of where world indoor football
foot style is right now, like, yeah, that seems perfectly
logical to to what's happening but again, like the job,

(33:46):
you you know, that's a that's a commitment, and so
you have to meet those dates. And so that's that's
the thing where it's unfortunate to see and and just
you know I I now you mentioned that you highlight
that and viduality. Yeah, like there was moments where you
can tell, like the the two players that came in
at the same time and had a similar trajectory was

(34:09):
Sebastian Mendez and Luis Morales, and you can tell one
that stayed and remained plugged in and his growth within
the team.

Speaker 5 (34:17):
Compared that to Luis Morales.

Speaker 2 (34:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (34:20):
No, that's that's something that is very evident, and so
you know, it's it's unfortunate, but you go to war
with the with the army that you that you have,
not the army that you want, and right.

Speaker 5 (34:31):
Now Louis Moandals isn't part of that army.

Speaker 2 (34:33):
Yeah. But bottom line for San Diego, which at some
points in the summer or fall probably had people around
the league saying, well, there's a super team. You know,
there's one of those teams. Just forget about it. Given
the title, only question is do they go twenty four
and oh or do they drop one along the way. Well,
I'm not saying that I don't still think they're the favorites.
I do, But when you take away a player like

(34:55):
Christian Gutietras and what he means to this team from
a speed, stamina, youth standpoint, and Louise Morales explosiveness, youth, speed, talent,
you know, those are two drops. Those are two drops.
The other teams around the league are happy to have
those two guys not playing for San Diego, and doesn't

(35:16):
mean that they think that, oh, we got them now, guys,
but those are losses, and those are losses that the
soccers will have to overcome this year. They will need
to get defensive runner determination from whomever that player is
to be out there and be the toughest guy on
the floor in the fourth quarter and score empty net
goals and take the ball away from a sixth attacker,

(35:38):
because that's what Christian Gutierrez did all the time. And
they're gonna need somebody to pop those goals in the net.
And they got plenty of guys to pop the goals
in the net. So in that sense of the two,
Gutierra's is by far the bigger loss. In my opinion,
I don't even think it's cloase like Luis, you can
live or die without you really wish you had him.

(35:59):
You'll love the player, you'd love to have him long term.
But if it's not gonna work out, WoT here is
this guy you want back? First? Yeah? Absolutely? Okay, there's
your soccer's team preview. We'll talk more about the league
on the other end of our interview bracket. But now
it's time to get into our interviews. And let's go

(36:19):
ahead and start with Philly. And we've talked about the
soccer side of it. Let's get to the empire side
of things. Later on we'll bring you Mitchell Cardonis and
Chris Toath. But first up, as mentioned, he sends his
regards in real time, but he was available a little
bit earlier today and we wanted to make sure we
captured the interview to share with you. Tony, why don't

(36:40):
you take it away?

Speaker 6 (36:41):
Absolutely well, you're gonna hear from him here first. He
might be in town for Survivor series as well. I
know he's a big wrestling fan. But let's see what
a Christian Philly, Philemon and Greg Elston from Day's Future
Past have to offer.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
All right, Tony, thanks so much. I know we wanted
to line him up, but he is. As we're playing
this recording right now, watching them skating up and down
the ice at the Honda Center, watching the Ducks Quacker Round.
But I got a chance to catch up to my man,
Christian Philly Philemon, and he's joining us here for a
bit of a striker's preview. Philly, how you doing, brother,

(37:18):
It's good to see you, my man.

Speaker 7 (37:19):
It's been a minute since you and I have gotten
a hangout. It feels like the smoke just cleared from
that trip to Chihuahua and where and our bellies have
fully digested everything that we had at Mochomo's, that incredible steakhouse,
which I will miss in Distrituno. But I'm so happy
to be here. I'm so happy to see you. I'm
so happy the longest offseason and professional sports is also

(37:39):
almost over.

Speaker 8 (37:40):
I can't wait to.

Speaker 9 (37:41):
Get back to some indoor Yeah, there is a Machomo's
in Tijuana. I researched, so one of these trips that
you come down, we're gonna have to go south of
the border and get ourselves some delicious sonor and beef
once again. And also I know that you originally had
a plan to come on down for Soccer's Rikers and
stick around for SDFC versus LAFC in the conference final.

(38:05):
I'm sorry that your travel plans were slightly disrupted by
a bunch of naughty Canadians.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
But nonetheless, yeah, I know, I know. It is great
to have you here to talk about the other big
Southern California soccer rivalry, of course, and that is the
Soccers and the Strikers got the chance to meet in
the playoffs last season a Noah Abassi wins Coach of
the Year, bringing his no goalie system to m ASL.

(38:33):
What are the thoughts, rumblings discussions around Empire getting ready
for this second Full of BOSSI season.

Speaker 7 (38:40):
I mean, everybody's really excited, of course. I mean, and
several players have you know, competed in offseason tournaments that
have been successful. Sam could be said about players on
your squad tst Bumpy pitch. That really was the Strikers
and the soccers getting together and winning a million bucks.
Could you imagine like that going perpetually across the country.

(39:00):
It would be an amazing thing. But all the players
are really excited. I know, coach Obasi brought in a
whole slew of new talent, talent that's been in this league,
players from the Outlaws and the Sidekicks, which we can
talk about momentarily, but also some players that he's had
the opportunity to coach excuse me, at TST and some
of these cash prize tournaments, and I can mention some

(39:22):
of those names too. But you got players that are excited,
players that have been working really hard offseason. Got Marco
Fabian signed on to the twenty six to twenty seven year,
So that's gonna be big things, not only for Empire Strikers,
but for the league. As I'm sure you've seen Fox
deport this is gonna be covering our games down South
of the Borders. So everybody's extremely excited, and I think
we're gonna have one of the most competitive seasons from

(39:44):
the Empire that we've seen in a while. I will
not jinx things and go back to what I said
in twenty two hashtag Championship bound, because maybe we did
get a little ahead of ourselves then, but a certainly
confident with the direction the team is going in front
office in on the field as well.

Speaker 2 (40:01):
I had almost forgotten about hashtag championship band. Thank you
for reminding me.

Speaker 7 (40:05):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we were feeling ourselves at that period
of time. But obviously maybe that was it. If it's
not karma, it's physics. Every action causes an equal, if
not bigger reaction. But either way, I think we're going
to feel a really competitive team. And as you saw
last season, we were very competitive. Then now we have
a lot more talent. I think it's going to be
a fantastic season in the Inland Empire.

Speaker 2 (40:25):
Well, you mentioned Marco, of course, Justin Stintson, the Sting
or the shooter we love. You're never gonna lose the
Sting or Justin. You've got that Sting, You've got those
obvious offensive players in net, You've got your rotation that
has been there, done that, and now is completely indoctrinated
into Obasi's system. So that should be something that gives

(40:48):
the league trouble all year. But you mentioned it as
Dallas and Texas step back for a year or however
long they stepped back in the lone Star State, there's
good players that need to find homes in the league,
and it looks like Empire has opened their doors to
several of those dudes. A Powell maybe a top of
the list.

Speaker 7 (41:08):
Yeah, Anthony Palace coming off a year where he's played
the most games and really contributed significantly to the sidekicks offense.
Steven Chavez had his best season in MASL last year
for an outlast team that the nicest way we could
put it is they struggled, and then they brought in
Lucas Ramalho as well.

Speaker 8 (41:26):
So those are three really good.

Speaker 7 (41:27):
Players that stood out on teams that struggled for the
most part, and they've integrated into the squad very well.
The chemistry with the current team look looks outstanding. And yeah,
I think those boys are gonna be happy. I know
for a fact just in speaking with them casually, they're
happy to be in southern California, some of them getting,

(41:47):
you know, all googly eyed. I mean, you know, you've
been Ontario on the drive to see Toyota Arena, if
you haven't seen mountains like that, it's it's quite breadtaking
and beautiful, the scenery that is the backdrop of Ontario
in general. So I know they're a and of course
we're really excited to have them. Had the privilege of
interviewing both Powell and Chavez on this other show I
do called Soccer in sixty which is on Fox Sports

(42:09):
Palm Springs and an ABC local CA met So check
that out.

Speaker 8 (42:13):
That's on the Empire Striker's YouTube page. Apologies for the shameless.

Speaker 2 (42:16):
Plug, no no, no no, no apologies necessary a small
content creators still need to get all the links out
all the time so we can. But now tell me
about some of these cash game guys that have come
in or TST type players who have come in. Who
are some of these new names that we might be
learning this year.

Speaker 7 (42:32):
Dyerson Graderol is a player that you need to be
aware of. I mean he was a TST alumnist if
you will. Felipe Dutra, big six four body kid out
of Connecticut, he also.

Speaker 8 (42:43):
Played at TST.

Speaker 7 (42:44):
Those are two off the top of my head that
are really going to stand out once they figure out
the games.

Speaker 8 (42:51):
Dutra really excited to be here as well.

Speaker 7 (42:54):
This is his first professional contract, so him being of
Brazilian descent, got those footsal skills, that big body at
six y four, an imposing defender.

Speaker 8 (43:02):
He's gonna be once he obviously the game starts to
come to him.

Speaker 7 (43:05):
So those are two players that are officially signed that
I could tell you about that are gonna really, you know,
have an impact on the squad. You mentioned the goalies
that we've had, Brian Orosco, Brandon Gomez, and look, we
can't forget about a former goalkeeper of the Year in
the league in that of Clayson Delima. But I could
tell you firsthand because I called a bunch of their

(43:25):
games at TST. Brandon Gomez mainly the one I called
because I called a lot of bumpy pitch at TST.
Brandon Gomez looked incredible at TST, even scoring golassos from midfield.

Speaker 8 (43:36):
We all know about Brian Orosco and what he's doing.

Speaker 7 (43:39):
These kids have been competing in tournaments on Tuesdays in
downtown in La. If you all haven't checked out The Surgeon,
follow that page on Instagram. The Surgeon is an individual
the dazzles like high end sneakers and sells a million followers.

Speaker 8 (43:53):
He played in that Influencers All Star game that we had.

Speaker 7 (43:56):
A Toyota Arena, the Caca Ronaldinho Game of Legends, but
the tournament every Tuesday. You know, street culture kind of
a thing, but a lot of great talent comes there.
Those kids are really standing out on that front as well. So,
I mean, we we have an embarrassment of riches in
between the sticks, as do the San Diego soccers obviously,
but you know, those are some of the players that

(44:18):
you know, want to talk about that I'm really you.

Speaker 8 (44:20):
Know, excited about.

Speaker 7 (44:21):
It's default that the stinger is going to be somebody
that we're jazzed up about.

Speaker 8 (44:25):
But then you have Muniro Alami, who had an incredible
rookie campaign. Yeah, with a year under his belt.

Speaker 7 (44:31):
See how many fireworks, how many light lamps he lights
in the sophomore season.

Speaker 8 (44:36):
But up and down the roster, we're looking really good.

Speaker 7 (44:39):
A lot of young talent, which you know is crucial
in particular for the system that Obasi likes to run.

Speaker 2 (44:45):
Yeah, and I think that's a great line of demarcation
between these two clubs, that that Empire has a lot
more youth than San Diego does. I just wrote up
our rookie release for release later this afternoon. By the
time this air, it's probably already out there. And like
we signed three rookies ones, thirty three ones, thirty two ones,

(45:07):
twenty nine Like.

Speaker 10 (45:08):
You know, Noll babies compared to you and I though
Craigs very fair, very fair, and in the indoor game,
I think mid thirties is almost the prime of your
career potentially, but that youth, that athleticism obviously will be
served for Empire.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
Now Here is a question. I don't think it's even answerable.
But this is one of the things I'm thinking about
going into the year, which is, whenever you have a
new system, something that is unique, the first year is
where that system kind of gets unleashed on the league
and other teams don't know how to defend it. They're

(45:43):
not sure they've got a little bit of tape, but
maybe they don't have a lot of tape and they've
got new ideas, and it can be really confounding. Sometimes
with a big time system, it's that second year where
the rubber meets the road, where everyone has their game
play locked in, everyone's got all the film. Is there
any concern about that, or let me ask it this way,

(46:06):
is there any flexibility in terms of, yeah, we're zero goalie,
but maybe we dump out of it if the circumstance warrants.

Speaker 7 (46:13):
I haven't been a practice, so I can't say that
I've been privy to any changes that they've utilized. But
what I can tell you, we're going to give a
sports reference that a lot of us are familiar with
a complicated system that people still couldn't figure out. You'd
have to go to Phil Jackson's try and gole with
the Chicago Bulls. I mean, people knew that it was
coming what was coming. In some cases it was tough
to defend, but it didn't work out.

Speaker 8 (46:33):
Very well initially.

Speaker 7 (46:35):
And sometimes it doesn't work out ever, as was the
case when Phil Jackson was at the helm of the
New York Knicks. Sometimes players adapt to a system better
than others, but I think the vast majority of the
team is really fully aware of what coach Obasi wants
and needs. And at the same time, Craig he's one
of the most cerebral people that I have ever met
in the sport. I mean, even hanging out with him

(46:57):
at the NASL combine the notes that he was taken,
the things that he was writing, and stuff that I've
never even thought about the glance or even think about
as far as the player is concerned. He is so
meticulous into the details that I wouldn't be surprised that
not only does he work in a perfected system. But
he's already got a planed B through K. Give him
another year that K will probably go to Z. I mean,

(47:19):
that's the kind of guy that he is. I love
to tell the story traveling with the team when he
was playing for the Ontario Fury while everybody would be
passed out on the flights on them in the trip
to Mexico. That's the one I remember. I have Frank
Tayeu sleeping on my shoulder. I got Panna sleeping on
the other shoulder. Everybody's snoring, and what I'm seeing is
Onuo Bassi on his laptop watching clips of so many

(47:42):
different games, spicing them, putting them together, creating reels, writing notes.

Speaker 8 (47:46):
I mean, this man is a student of the game.
He loves it.

Speaker 7 (47:49):
Highly intelligent, highly articulate. So I wouldn't be surprised if
we're going to see some other things in addition to
the goalkeepers coming up.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
All right, let's back up and look a little bit
broader than league wise. Where obviously excited for six meetings
between soccers and strikers, and then you and I will
be at all of them, and who knows if there's
a playoff meeting to follow that's just the way things
go between these two clubs. An eight team MASL. Of course,
we've talked about it on previous episodes of this season
of Soccers Overtime. I'm all in favor of the retrenchment

(48:20):
of the MAASL, of taking a guarded half step back
in order to take solid steps forward year after year.
But I do feel like it kind of throws the
league into a wild spot because here's Chihuahua, three time
defending champion. You and I maybe announced their last match

(48:41):
at MASL. You know, who knows what the future holds.
But in every other scenario coming into this year, there
would only be one question, who can possibly possibly if
anyone challenged Chiuaa. Now you take that all the way
out of the mix, and you know, setting aside for
the moment the obvious issues the league has with visas

(49:02):
and with getting Mexican players to be able to play
professionally in the United States, now you have eight teams,
and I feel like, other than maybe one or two,
all of the clubs are looking at their roster and going,
you know what, we fourtified. We managed to consolidate some
of the loose talent in the league. And we've got
a team that can fight with the other groups in
the league. I mean, maybe Tacoma taking a step back,

(49:25):
maybe Saint Louis is in a tough position, but I
feel like the six teams that are likely to make
the playoffs are all teams that think they can win
the playoff.

Speaker 7 (49:35):
You brought a tear to my eye because actually it
didn't even occur to me that we might have called
Shuaha's last game because to me, I think that they're hibernating.
I mean, they were a great champion, but obviously, yeah,
you brought up a great point.

Speaker 8 (49:49):
Who who was able to beat that team?

Speaker 7 (49:52):
Corner Sport Arena now no longer is going to be
anybody's foe, which we know that's one of the toughest
places to play. And you've now seen the environ I mean,
you have cut your teeth, you've climbed that infamous ladder.

Speaker 8 (50:03):
You know what the deal is at Corner Sport Arena.

Speaker 7 (50:06):
But I mean at this point, I mean I kind
of remember back when, like during the twenty twenty one campaign,
the COVID season, when a lot of teams, you know,
had a lot of talent and it was stacked that season,
as rough as it was for the Dallas Sidekicks, they
made it to the playoffs and they almost beat the
Ontario Fury. I mean, there's so many talented teams, so
many talented players, but you know, without a doubt in
my opinion, I mean, the top two teams have to

(50:27):
be San Diego and Kansas City. I don't want to
not say that a team like Milwaukee is it going
to be a contender, but of course there's going to
be question marks. Now that Jewels is no longer you know,
at the Helm, so there's that question as well. Utica
also is a contender. Saint Louis. You mentioned obviously a
couple couple of the other squads, But look, San Diego
is always tough.

Speaker 8 (50:48):
One way or another.

Speaker 7 (50:49):
Now you're bringing Nick Pereira, Now you sign a sweet
Pee as sus Pacheco, you bring in Chris Toath. I mean,
y'all are going to be ridiculously tough to play against.
Kansas City is going to be ridiculous tough to play against.
But I'm gonna go out on a limb and say
Empire would probably be in the third spot in that
list that I'm talking about for now, let's see how
they how they compete. But I'm gonna conservatively say Empire

(51:11):
at three behind San Diego and Kansas City.

Speaker 2 (51:14):
Well, if that's the case, that means we're gonna have
a whale of a season series this year with two
of the three best teams locking boots six times here
in southern California.

Speaker 7 (51:24):
Now, that much hasn't changed. I mean seeing y'all's half
a dozen times hasn't changed. But what is cool though,
we finally get to play everybody.

Speaker 8 (51:32):
That's huge.

Speaker 7 (51:32):
And by the way, for I got to shout out
Baltimore two. It's silly of me, nothing but respect for
the blast. I know soccers fans are gonna cringe when
I say that, but you know, at.

Speaker 8 (51:42):
Least we get to play each other.

Speaker 7 (51:44):
So when they award a shield at the end of
the season, we could say, all right, look, that team
deserves it because they've literally played and competed against every team.

Speaker 2 (51:51):
No. I love that, and it's necessary with an eight
team league, and I'm so glad that it's there now
for fans who may not have realized it. You did
take a MASL front office rule this off season. So
in addition to all the incredible things that you're doing
doing strikers, hosting five podcasts, voicing UC Riverside Athletics on ESPN. Plus,

(52:13):
you're working to bring in corporate dollars to the MASL,
to raise this league's profile and to get various businesses
and organizations excited about partnering up with MASL. What can
you say about your first few months on the job.

Speaker 7 (52:27):
So challenging obviously, to say the least, but I'm beyond
excited being here.

Speaker 8 (52:32):
I literally quit my.

Speaker 7 (52:34):
Career as a financial advisor, one that I've had for
you know, going on seventeen cumulative years. I mean, it
helped me move out to Los Angeles, it helped me
buy my house in LA. I decided to leave that
to take a gamble and build a league. But that
tells me, and that should tell y'all that I believe
in the direction of the MSL and I wanted to

(52:56):
contribute more than just being a broadcaster.

Speaker 8 (52:58):
This is really my passion.

Speaker 7 (53:00):
But at the same time, I love indoor soccer and
you know, people out there complain that it's not this,
it's not that, but they're not doing anything about it.
I want to be in the trenches.

Speaker 8 (53:12):
I want to go to war.

Speaker 7 (53:13):
I want to go out there and let people know
that indoor soccer is excellent.

Speaker 8 (53:17):
Nothing pisses me off more. In particularly, you brought.

Speaker 7 (53:19):
Up MLS that everybody in San Diego is claiming that, oh,
there's the city start for its first ever championship. That
pisces me off because, as we know, the number of
stars behind your head or an indicator of that, San
Diego's had a dynasty, not start for a champion. They've
had a dynasty, and people have seemed to have forgotten
about that, which really effing pisses me off. So I

(53:41):
want to do something about it. How do we do
something about it? Bring awareness? How do we bring awareness?
We bring money, and we market. So in my role, yes,
I have the task of trying to go out there
and build corporate partnerships and sponsors.

Speaker 8 (53:54):
The three most important ones that I've been going after.

Speaker 7 (53:56):
I can't say companies names because I'm talking to a
lot of people, y'all.

Speaker 8 (54:00):
I really am talking to a lot of people.

Speaker 7 (54:01):
But the three most important ones that I'm going after
travel flights, hotels, and then car rentals. Those are the
three big that's the trifecta that I'm going for that
helps everybody in this league out. And then from there,
of course I'm reaching out to your fortune fives and
your big companies.

Speaker 8 (54:19):
But you know, in my attents to get a hold
of the people, the good people in.

Speaker 7 (54:23):
Beaverton, Oregon at Nike, I'm not gonna tell them that
these are our attendance numbers across the league. I'm not
gonna go out there and say, hey, look we're the
highest level of this. These are all true, but they
don't need us to tell that story. However, we all
have community initiatives, philanthropic endeavors. I mean, the Strikers did
that free youth camp. That's the angle I'm going in

(54:45):
for the bigger people is to you know, come on
in grassroots, help the youth out, help build soccer, make
it available to all. So for the people within the
trifecta I'm having, I've had a lot of conversations, having
conversations with big national sponsors. In addition, something that I've
been playing around with, and again I can't name companies
right now because there are still in negotiations. Analytics is

(55:07):
a thing that every sport is utilized. When you're watching
an NFL game or even a Bundesliga game, you'll be
able to see certain metrics, the fastest player on the field,
you know, the shot velocity, stuff like that. So I'm
talking to people that are involved in the business of
analytics places where we could actually have the ability to
track our players time on the ball, release rate, passing network,

(55:30):
the velocity, have shot, all that stuff, because not only
is it interesting, it'll benefit the coaches. It'll help them
understand certain metrics that maybe we haven't had in the past.
But in addition, for people like you and I, we'll
have a cool story to tell. Hey, look, so and
so has had the most amount of distance covered. This
person had the most amount of touches on the ball.
Look at hout Charlie Gonzalez holds it steady. He is

(55:52):
so tough to dispossess what the time he has on
the ball when he has with passing network between I
don't know, Justin Stinton and Mark Fabi on his X
and then we'd be able to really track the plus
and minuses of players when they're on their shit, similar
to hockey and basketball utilizes that as well. But we
can't have that without the proper partners and the proper equipment.

(56:12):
So those are the kind of companies that I've been
going after. But you know, it's been a learning curve,
obviously learning the role. What I do know is how
to hunt, start conversations and sell sizzle. But at the
same time it has to be more strategic because Phil
Knight's not going to give a hoot about you and I,
but his philanthropic arm might in particular for trying to
make soccer available for.

Speaker 2 (56:31):
All incredible stuff. Man, your passion always bleeds through. Everyone
knows it. You've become a dear friend in the business
as well as a colleague, and I look forward to
seeing you on Frat.

Speaker 8 (56:44):
I'll be there more incognito.

Speaker 7 (56:45):
It's funny anytime I go to San Diego, I think
I've said this to you before. I get more recognition
when I go visit the soccers, and sometimes when I
walk around my own arena and they always ask, Philly,
where's the outfits?

Speaker 8 (56:55):
You look like a Civilianah, I mean the budgets, you
know what.

Speaker 7 (56:59):
I can't wear purple suits and all this sequin crap
all the time.

Speaker 8 (57:03):
I save it for the main events. So you'll see me.
I'll be there.

Speaker 7 (57:07):
Anything that will indicate me is you know this is
the platinum tips that I went back to.

Speaker 2 (57:12):
Love it, my man. Thank you so much as always
for your time. All the listeners at soccers over time
appreciate it much.

Speaker 7 (57:18):
Love y'all, Good luck to season. Looking forward to seeing
y' all on Friday. More importantly, looking forward to a
competitive game.

Speaker 8 (57:22):
And obviously happy Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (57:27):
All right, Never short of words, Christian, Philly, Philammon, your thoughts, Tony.

Speaker 6 (57:34):
I just heard the two most impassioned voices of m
asl and honestly, it's it's honest, it's a really cool
treat to just be able to hear almost a fly
in the walk conversation of what actually goes down and
what it takes to lift this league and want it
to be forward and and have you know, such great
representatives like yourselves and Philly on there. But hey, look,

(57:56):
Empires coming in and they have a system that they've
been harnessing, owning, and maybe there's a different evolution of
what that look looks like. Obassi, as he said, he's
as a student of the game, and you know, hopefully
he went back and studied his own film and and
maybe looked at different points and in ways to go
ahead and trim the fat out of some of his
tactics because yeah, it was it was interesting and got

(58:18):
him into playoffs, But is there a way to make
that a little bit more meaningful? Uh in terms of
a win a loss rate? And yeah, he brings excitement
to the league, but can the can a team go
for glory.

Speaker 5 (58:29):
With that style?

Speaker 2 (58:30):
Uh?

Speaker 5 (58:31):
It was a good reminder. Also the hashtag what was
their hashtag again, last championship bound?

Speaker 2 (58:35):
Hashtag championship.

Speaker 5 (58:38):
I mean the odds are.

Speaker 6 (58:39):
Because of numbers, you know, they could run they could
run that hashtag back.

Speaker 5 (58:43):
I guess just in principle.

Speaker 2 (58:45):
Off bound like hashtag playoff bound probably.

Speaker 6 (58:52):
Uh, but yeah, I mean, look, Michael Fabian, clearly, you
know kind of tech had a sophomore slump and took
a step back, was maybe figured out a little bit,
still able to be very productive and still surprising how
well he's been able to adapt to the league and
an indoor play. But we'll see what what this version
of Marquito has in store and these young players outside

(59:14):
of of of Monico is is the thing that you
know is dangerous because it's a system that requires a
lot of fitness in order to defend a system that
requires a lot of fitness, you yourself need that same
fitness to be able to respond. So it'll be interesting
to see how it comes out. And it's always fun
to see a good player like Justin Stinson, even if
he's on the other side. It's a good to see

(59:37):
a talent like that be able to to do what
he does best. Yeah, you know, I don't think this
is a cinch of a game on Friday. And I
remember Utica beating the Sockers in their home opener last
year and then thanks to one man's call it was
reversed and will forever be thankful. And that's why the

(01:00:00):
Shane Butler referees gate is there at Front Wave Arena.
It's just say never forget, always celebrate.

Speaker 2 (01:00:06):
Thank you Shane. But I always feel like first time
out is your best chance to get the soccers. Remember
when they went up to uh Tacoma. Yeah, dropped a
big game. That was That was right at the start
of the year. I remember a year starting no one too.
I mean I've seen a lot of first games where
even when they won, I've looked at the coaching staff

(01:00:29):
or the trainer after the game, or even the captain
and they were like, oh man, I we got through
that one. So yeah, I'm not counting my chickens on Friday,
is all I'm saying. You know, as we detailed, there's
some issues on the soccers roster. I think everyone would
agree the San Diego top to bottom has more talent

(01:00:52):
than Empire. But if the striker's system can can deal
a blow on Friday, if the club gets a little discombobulated, Hey,
it is fifteen wins in a row for San Diego
over Ontario. I look that up today, fifteen straight wins.
The last time was when Ontario Empire blew us out.

(01:01:14):
If you remember that, it was February twenty twenty three,
blew the doors off, biggest loss in soccer's history, ten
to four up at Empire. Since then, the response has
been fifteen straight wins yeah for San Diego. So you know,
keep it in mind. Empires always nipping at the heels,
but usually we get into the door before we get

(01:01:36):
bit so let's keep it in mind. Yes, Randy undefeated
in Front Wave. Thank you, Shane Butler undefeated at Front Wave.
All right, let's get you some training ground sound now
and we'll start things off should we start off with Chris, Yeah,
we can do that. Yeah, why now, let's start off
with Chris Tooth, who was out there late after almost

(01:01:58):
everyone had gone to the locker room working on drilling
those balls, you know, getting the balls into the corners,
getting the balls down to net from inside the yellow line.
I got the chance to catch up with Chris right
after we was done with that.

Speaker 11 (01:02:12):
Chris, you're back at home, opportunity in a couple of
days to be playing here in the Ocean side.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
What are you feeling that the soccer?

Speaker 12 (01:02:20):
Yeah, it's really exciting for me, you know, to bring
it full circle back to where I started, back to
where my dad had played and my my home routes,
you know here starting with the soccers, but also born
and raised went to Chris mccaff which is here on
Ocean side.

Speaker 2 (01:02:35):
So it's super exciting for me.

Speaker 12 (01:02:39):
I've been thinking about it as soon as I signed
the papers back in July or whatever it was. It's
just it's huge, and my family is excited. Everybody's excited.
So yeah, we can't wait for Friday.

Speaker 11 (01:02:50):
It's got to be extra special for you that you're
wearing the very number that's up here retired on the
wall the number one of your dad.

Speaker 12 (01:02:57):
Yeah, it's uh, it's really special for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:03:01):
I think.

Speaker 12 (01:03:03):
I didn't necessarily want to do it, but uh, you know,
him and I spoke and he's like, just take it,
you know, and it's very special for me to do that,
and it will be the last time anybody ever wears
that number, So it's kind of a cool thing.

Speaker 1 (01:03:15):
You know.

Speaker 11 (01:03:16):
The people here in Ocean Side have responded. In North County,
they've responded to the soccers. What are your thoughts on
just having this arena here? I know you came in
as an opponent last year. What was it like having
to play in this place?

Speaker 12 (01:03:30):
Yeah, it's uh, it's different, you know. I mean I
was just so used to the Sports arena, you know,
and this place. It's just the turf was like a
big adjustment once they changed from the green to the blue.

Speaker 2 (01:03:42):
That was one thing. But uh, yeah, it's just a
beautiful place. You know. It's really nice. It's like different
lighting than what the Sports Arena was.

Speaker 12 (01:03:52):
It's the boards are are a little bit softer, but no,
I think it's a great place. I feel like the
fans have a lot of energy in here, you know,
maybe there's more fans and the sports are had two
years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
I don't really know, but it's electric. You know, there's
a lot going on.

Speaker 12 (01:04:10):
The music is super loud, there's I remember a drone
flying over and stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:04:15):
So there's a lot going on.

Speaker 12 (01:04:16):
So it's it's definitely electric.

Speaker 11 (01:04:19):
Well, I'll tell you one thing that'll be different on
Friday is that instead of music playing, you're going to
have the supporters with your back right behind you, with
the drums, the chance, the singing. I know the Bruhos
wanted to pass a message along to say that we're
very sorry for the times that it took you on
when you were in Ontario or in Tacoma, but they're
ready to be your best friend and to have your
back this year.

Speaker 2 (01:04:39):
Yeah, we're looking forward to it. The more support, the better,
and be loud. We love it. Even when I was
playing against you guys, you know it was it was great.
But yeah, I'm back and I'm excited. All right.

Speaker 6 (01:05:02):
I love that a little bit of a juggling on there.
But hey, that's a happy dude. That's a happy looking dude,
like he's he's ready to go. Like that's that's so awesome.
To see and then him able to really look forward
to the season that's coming from a competitive standpoint, but
also it's very important for the players to just be
able to enjoy where they play, and that manifests itself

(01:05:24):
in positive play.

Speaker 5 (01:05:26):
So it's really good to see Chris being able to
just you know, just take it all in. As Alicia
was talking about.

Speaker 6 (01:05:32):
Is also very good to see them training on the
floor that they're going to be playing the actual games.

Speaker 5 (01:05:37):
That's always a net positive for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:05:39):
Yeah, and it's really hard to do at Front Wave
Arena because between the Clippers games and the concerts and
all the other events, it's not that often. It's less
often than probably we thought with the arena being built
that they would have the chance to train on the floor,
but they've had that chance all week, so you know,
that's a great thing heading into the Home Open. I

(01:06:00):
just wanted to add a couple of notes of context
to what you watched there and what you're about to
watch with Mitchell Cardonis. The first is that while practice
was going on yesterday, I was doing a walk through
with some of the captains of Los Bru host still Santanteochow,
the official supporters group of the soccers and they were
watching up in the stands is we were going to

(01:06:21):
walk out together. I'm like, hang on, I go grab
a couple interviews. So I did ask both Chris and
Mitchell about the supporters group, but also I was sending
I didn't just record those for soccers overtime. Soccer's overtime
is the happy beneficiary of these two interviews. I recorded
them because I was doing stringer work for a couple

(01:06:41):
of television stations here and down. These soundbites are playing
on Channel ten and on Channel seven on the evening news.
So one of the things you kind of do when
you're getting multiple clips but you know they're going to
one story, you'll hear I ask Mitchell very similar questions
in his interview, because I'm trying to give the editor

(01:07:04):
two options on the same beat, like do you want
this clip or do you want that clip? You know,
So just in case you're like, why did Craig ask
him about this? This? And then the arena and then
the supporters, you know, But that's that's why. So speaking
of which, here's the guy who here's a guy who

(01:07:24):
wouldn't give up his number thirty one, leading Chris tells
dad to say, take my number one. Here's number thirty one,
Mitchell Cardins.

Speaker 11 (01:07:39):
Mitchell, it's the longest offseason in sports. It's almost over.
What are your thoughts on getting this soccer team back
out here.

Speaker 2 (01:07:44):
On the home floor. Yeah, we're excited.

Speaker 13 (01:07:46):
Everyone's been kind of itching to get back to the
game field these days here. Training has been good, so
I think we'll come out firing Friday night.

Speaker 11 (01:07:55):
This club seemingly has a little bit of everything this year.
What are your thoughts on the addition of two like
kind of all time vets in Pereira and Toath.

Speaker 2 (01:08:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (01:08:04):
I think they brought competitive people first and foremost right,
people that want to win along at the checko. Who
was you know in a semi final last year against
US here and then a couple of young guys that
they've signed. We're hungry and going to give us a
different look. So I think all those additions are going
to help and help put their stamp on the team
when they need to.

Speaker 11 (01:08:23):
Last year, the soccers had their first year up here
in North County. You guys had a perfect season at home.
What are you expecting from the crowds this year.

Speaker 13 (01:08:30):
Just to kind of keep building on what we did
last year, right, anundfeeder record at home. The crowd was
a big part of that. You know, the other team
could definitely feel the pressure coming from them, especially with
how close they are to the field in this arena.
So look for that same support this year and won't
do our part on the field.

Speaker 11 (01:08:46):
Speaking of support, I was just talking to some of
the supporters from the North end. They're going to be
planning to fill the East end here. What are your
thoughts on having that kind of energy in the arena.

Speaker 13 (01:08:56):
Yeah, we loved it when we had it at the
old arena. You know, it's the same section hind another goal,
so it's a good little place for them to kind
of be in the goalies ear when they're on that side.
But yeah, they add that little supporter from outdoor element,
which is always nice here.

Speaker 2 (01:09:15):
Thank you very much, Mitchell cardon Is, and stay tuned
for Los Brujos to hopefully fill the air at Front
Wave Arena every match going forward. Really really excited about it,
excited about the potential and now it's about the supporters
turning that potential into reality, showing up filling Section one nineteen,

(01:09:36):
forcing us to open another supporters section and really bringing it.
And of course it's quite a busy week for supporters
because Monday was the biggest game in SDFC history and
now Saturday is the biggest game in SDFC history. So
and Friday is the day before Saturday, you know, so

(01:10:04):
well I'll be there too, Tony. I.

Speaker 6 (01:10:07):
Yeah, well we will all be there enjoying. Uh the
you know, it's it's a monkey pot situation. We asked
for all this great soccer, right and here we are.
Here we have it, and now the soccers are starting
in their own Uh. It's really it's nice to hear
the A S.

Speaker 12 (01:10:22):
M r.

Speaker 5 (01:10:22):
In the background of just soccer, indoor soccer happening.

Speaker 6 (01:10:25):
The rolling of the ball onto the floor, the boards
getting smacked, just all those little things that are just
like okay, yeah, this this is what makes it feel like. Uh,
the season is just right around the corner, and it's
it's really exciting to see and good to see me,
you know, in.

Speaker 5 (01:10:42):
Prime hair to a full list form.

Speaker 6 (01:10:45):
It's just right, you know, it's it's it's not the
cursed image of God thenass that one day just showed
up Like is that what the g is?

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
Who's this guy. Good to see Mitchell, good to see
all the boys out on the floor. As mentioned, I
saw too many of them running around in the mezzanine
of Frontwave Arena because they couldn't be down on the
floor training with the club. And hopefully this club will
be back to full strength, you know by January when

(01:11:18):
they go on that long road trip and when they
really need to pack, you know, to be at top form,
to pack all the results to get the shield. The
goal should be to win the Shield this year and
to guarantee that the championship goes through Front Wave Arena
and only through Front Wave Arena. So let's see how

(01:11:38):
everything rolls as we head into MASL news. I did
want to mention one other player on the soccers because
there's a good chance he's in the lineup on Friday
and he's brand new and his name's Mohammed Rochnipur. He
goes by Marcel. He was signed to the club today,
officially released and announced today. He's thirty three. He was

(01:12:02):
born in Iran, raised in Tehran. Played on the Iranian
under fourteen through under eighteen national teams. Played for a
while for Orange County SC in the twenty Tens played
a little bit overseas as well, hasn't been playing recently.

(01:12:23):
When I looked up his transfer market page, it listed
him as retired. Well, you can put that retirement in
the rearview mirror. He is with the Soccers and I
was told not to use him on the Super Soccers
pregame show. So that tells me that there's a decent
chance that he's going to be selected to play on Friday.

(01:12:43):
And he has been a forward in his career. I
think he's not going to be a forward on this
day unless somebody gets hurt or you know, there's a reason,
a yellow card something that you know opens up time
on the floor. I don't know how much time we'll see,
but he is a new player that, in an injury situation,

(01:13:05):
impressed the club enough in training that he would move
into the selection zone as opposed to the non selection zone.
So worth mentioning worth keeping an eye on one of
three young players that the club signed today. Nathaniel Linquist
is going to be the third goalkeeper for the team
as x is in Utica, applying his trade and getting

(01:13:27):
better and better hopefully week by week, month by month,
and also on the team and brand new to the
team is Matthew Hurlow. Herlow was a ford at Chico
State who was outstanding, scored twenty seven goals in four years.
He's played some USL Championship as well. In fact, he

(01:13:48):
was on Phoenix Rising I think twenty eighteen nineteen, so
he could have crossed paths theoretically with Loyal at some
point been on the pitch against Loyle. He has been
affording his career, but he is signed as a defender
here and he's six foot three, so you know, if
he ever gets on the floor, we'll find out what

(01:14:08):
he's got to offer. So just some new names, some
new faces that you might see along the way. And
wanted to put especially Marcel's name in the back of
your mind because if you see him run out of
the tunnel, I don't want you to be like, who
the heck is that? Because overtime didn't tell me about him.

Speaker 5 (01:14:34):
So that's now you're in the know.

Speaker 6 (01:14:36):
Now you're going to be the one to tell a
person next to your front wave, oh no, no, no,
this is who we heard on Soccer's Overtime.

Speaker 5 (01:14:41):
That's why I need to tune in to every Wednesday
at six pm four to be in the know.

Speaker 2 (01:14:45):
So there you go.

Speaker 5 (01:14:47):
That's how it happened in my head.

Speaker 2 (01:14:49):
Cannon, And just another note on Linquist, who goes by
Natty but Nathaniel nat Natty Linquist. You know, you take
a look at him and you would really be surprised
to know that he was born and raised in Yuganda,
went to high school in Kenya, and still runs a

(01:15:13):
nonprofit for Ugandan soccer youth to develop opportunities. When I
say you'd be surprised, it's because you know, he's as
white as a sheet. Oh well, now he's got a
lovely tan, but he's very Caucasian looking. Let's just end
it at the moon. Yeah, so I was like, oh,

(01:15:37):
but you know, cool, all right, great, So new stories
to learn, new pleep people who who knows might be
in soccer's overtime weeks and months to come. Stay tuned. Okay,
let's take a quick look at what's going on with
m ASL news, and the biggest news was the playoff
format was announced and hey, they didn't screw it up.

(01:15:59):
Six out of the eight teams make it. Okay, you
could have gone four, but six makes sense for the league.
It's going to be an NFL style or old NFL
style playoff bracket, so teams one and two get first
round bys. The first round will be three hosting six,
four hosting five best of three series, third game a

(01:16:24):
knockout game, no surprise. Semi finals will be the top
two seeds against the winners of the first round. Top
two seeds have home field. Best of three third games
a knockgoun game get to the Ron Newman Cup Finals.
It can be three full games, and that was the
case last year. And if you remember Chihuahua when it

(01:16:50):
was their call, said no, we're going to keep it
two games in the knockout game. We're not going to
do three full games. San Diego would not do it
that way if they were hosting, I'll tell you that
right now, and I don't think many of the other
teams would. So I'm expecting, unless there's some arena snafu situation,
that the Randoman Cup Finals this year for the first time,

(01:17:11):
will be a best of three with three full sixty
minute matches scheduled to be played. And that's the way
it should be until they expand to a best of
five or something. That's the way it should be. So
I'm really happy with this playoff format, single table best
you know, six teams, best of three, all the way through. Great.

Speaker 6 (01:17:32):
It's simple, it's simplicity, and I think that's what the
league needs to go ahead and do, is focus on
doing the basics, the simple things correctly, and then you
can start evolving and then you know, walk before you run.

Speaker 5 (01:17:43):
But yeah, I mean, keep it as easy as it
should be, as it needs to be. You know, you know,
we don't need a host city.

Speaker 6 (01:17:50):
I mean, even though that was kind of intriguing, if
the word is correctly just tiring hiring for sure for us,
But no, it was, Uh, it's it's good that the
league is going this way. Hey, you have eight teams,
get the best product that you can possibly get and
make Philly's job a little easier when going up to

(01:18:10):
these corporate sponsors and being like, hey guys, look we're
we're we're we're a good league. Like look, this is
not complicated. Come watch the games. You don't have to
explain like, well, look em lass like oh, there's a
series of three and the scores don't matter, and this
and this and this and no, no, no, this is simple,
ma asl how it should be I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:18:32):
Uh. The league has kind of announced it's broadcast situation
kind of it keeps dribbling out more different platforms. I
do know that all the games will either be shown
live or archived on YouTube. I believe, and I'm not sure.

(01:18:53):
I think I believe as of now, and there might
be a change with another broadcast partner announced. As now,
the only games that will be exclusively platformed on a
still place are the eighteen matches that will be on
CBS Sports Galazzo Network, which will include our match on Friday.
You and I Tony will be on Galazzo on Friday.

(01:19:15):
Both games of the doubleheader will be on Galazzo on Friday,
So look for us there. Don't look for us on
YouTube on Friday. We won't be there on Friday. Will
be exclusively on Galazo, which also airs on the CBS
Sports App, on cbssports dot Com, on Pluto and it
what was the one I'm forgetting shoot Paramount Plus and

(01:19:40):
Paramount Plus. Yeah, and on Paramount Plus, which is probably
the biggest of all of those in terms of what
people have the most. So all of those places you
can watch then. Also, games will be broadcast in Spanish
this year, not by you, unfortunately, Tony. Yet they'll be

(01:20:03):
produced on site, I'm sure, uh you know, from the studio.
But there's going to be games airing in Spanish on
Fox Sports Mexico, so just in time for the all
American version of the Masel.

Speaker 6 (01:20:21):
I love the difference in the releases too, like like
you read right now, like the verbatim of the English one,
but the one in Spanish, the one that I have
up here, it's golz velos see that is, yes, spectaculo
let me Durina Soccer League.

Speaker 5 (01:20:34):
I would in Fox Mexico like like action this this
this Marco Fabian.

Speaker 2 (01:20:44):
Answering Marlicia and the chat. Yes, it should be uploaded
to YouTube after it's done. All the games are supposed
to be uploaded to YouTube, and last year they did
that too, except for one particular game in particular for
a particular reason that the league knows. They won't say
talking about the final game and talking about the damn

(01:21:06):
final when a coach reached over the board and you know,
choke hold at our player. Anyways, that one's still not available.
Haven't been able to haven't been able to cut that
one up for the old resume tape. I've been able
to pull clips for the sizzle reel from the Rondnomy
Cup Final that aired on CBO Sports Glazo Network. Quite

(01:21:28):
unfortunately that one wasn't archive. The arrest will be, I'm told,
unless something super controversial happens that they don't want, you know,
have people see or have the hear the announcers commentary
about in particular. Anyways, there are other things that National

(01:21:51):
Sports Network that Arizona ROKU is going to carry a
lot of the games. I think they talk over our broadcast.
I don't mean talk, you know what I mean like
they dub a an announcing team over what's going on.
So you can check that out. That's another place. And
I think there's going to be more. I've heard at
least of one more, but I don't want to jump

(01:22:12):
the gun because I don't think they've announced it yet.
Because a certain guy I might have talked to on
this show earlier told me, Hey, did you know that
you're going to be on And I'm like, no, I'm
going to be where the game's going to be where?
Oh no, no one told me. So Yeah, Stay tuned,
Stay tuned. As always with the MSL stay tuned. Things

(01:22:34):
can change, subject to change occasionally. Just kicking a quick
look at the league. Obviously, we'll dig into it week
by week. But I think if you were going to
pick favorites in this league right now, you'd say San
Diego and Kansas City would be the two top favorites.
Case he added Dominic Francis to an already extremely strong team.

(01:22:57):
I don't know what they're going to do in net
whether they're gonna have Edgemata or Netto. They've got those
options once again. But you know, Kansas City is great.
They've got the great fan base, They've got the incredible arena.
They should be really strong. Empire. You just heard Philly
say they think Empire can challenge for that number in
the league. I think Milwaukee is a team that should

(01:23:18):
not be overlooked. I know that Giuliano Oliviero is gone,
you know, as head coach, and he is terrific, But
they stayed within the organization on their higher Ian's still there,
Frank's still there, right like if Ian and Frank are there,
and Max Ferdinand's there, and Bonahan is there, and super
Mario is there, you know, and the rest of the cast,

(01:23:41):
the Steinwashers along the way Steinmasher still imagine missed that
kicking out Bro.

Speaker 5 (01:23:49):
So frustrating just thinking about my game, just so frustrating.

Speaker 2 (01:23:54):
In my mind's eye. Javier, you're still in mid air
waiting to kick that ball into You're gonna blast it
into the net this time and not miss.

Speaker 6 (01:24:03):
It's confirmed none of less are telepathic or have telekinetic powers.
Otherwise that would have that would have done it, like,
it's absolutely confirmed.

Speaker 2 (01:24:12):
Yes, sir, yes, sir ee. If I could do it,
it would have been done. So I think both those
teams to me are my thought for the top half
of the bracket. But there's no reason that Baltimore couldn't
break into that group honestly. And Utica, you know, if
Xavier has a big breakout season, you know they lose.
They lose two real stalwarts of their team in Nate

(01:24:35):
Bordeaux and Andrew Coughlin. But you know, if you just
look at the production numbers, I feel like those numbers
are replaceable. The leadership may be less so, but the
numbers should be replaceable. So I feel like Utica should
be a playoff team, Baltimore should be a playoff team,
and then probably if you're looking at the two that
before the season starts would be thought to go into

(01:24:57):
those bottom two spots. I think Tacoma is probably almost
the universal pick for eighth right now. Just losing Nick,
losing Chris, not really replacing those guys, They're going to
go with a really, really young, very regional team in
Tacoma this year. I don't know what it's going to
bring them, but I wish them the best because, you know,

(01:25:18):
I really appreciate laying up there and everything that organization
is done. But you know, to take Nick out of Tacoma,
it just feels like, well, is that the tent pole,
but the tent collapses and Saint Louis. You know, Saint
Louis is that team that's always kind of scrapping at
the bottom of the of the standings and they haven't
dramatically improved. So that's how I see it right now, Tony.

(01:25:44):
I see the most likely by teams being San Diego
in Kansas City. I see the most likely playoff teams
being Empire, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Utica in some order, you know,
maybe not bad order, maybe some juggling within those four,
but I think those four finished three through six, and
then I think Saint Louis and Tacoma in some more
to finished seven eight. And having said that, I'm wrong
all the time about all kinds of things. Just ask

(01:26:07):
my wife. So you know, any one of these teams
can break through. But that's how I see it right now.

Speaker 6 (01:26:16):
Yeah, And I mean if circling the wagons up in Tacoma,
maybe they find themselves a little pool of talent, then
you know for the league, right that that's healthy to
be able to go ahead and do that more sustainability
in that sense. But yeah, I think that's a fair assessment.
But the top two for sure, top one, it just
has to have San Diego's name attached to it. There's

(01:26:36):
just no excuses for that to happen. Kansas City again
a fantastic product. Again, some of the biggest crowds, and
that's a community that really responds well to.

Speaker 5 (01:26:46):
The team as well over there.

Speaker 6 (01:26:49):
And yeah, I mean everybody else is kind of, you know,
just fighting their own battles and just hopefully don't give,
don't be the team to inspire any of the other
teams to do better. I think that's the biggest rule
for Sandy O Soccer's just focus on yourself. Just be
very mindful of the job at hand, and you'll be
taken care of. And again, don't be don't give any

(01:27:11):
ounce of inspiration by having Oh we beat the soccers
in match day eight, Like no, let's just everybody. Everybody
go ahead and get crushed by the soccer like crushed,
no question. Don't lean out Randy and Marlesia on top
of it more than I am.

Speaker 2 (01:27:29):
Thank you, guys. Tyu is playing an M two with Sonora. Now.
Frank Tayu had his MVP campaigns down there in that tiny, tiny,
tiny uh stadium. I have been there in erral Mosill
and he really enjoyed his time in Sonora. I remember that.

(01:27:51):
Could they could Sonora actually be paying Frank in M
two enough for him to just be like, forget it,
I'll just play here.

Speaker 6 (01:28:07):
How looks like it. The King is back and Levesso,
the Impossible Artist. If we see the return of the
Impossible Artist is official the maximum goal scorer of the Souls,
the Solar goalscorer is that at home to go ahead

(01:28:30):
and torch the field.

Speaker 2 (01:28:32):
When ready to burn the field. Wow, yeah, I love it. Yeah, Gabe,
Maybe I mean, honestly, maybe I don't know. I mean,
I literally know that team wants shut down for a
year because the owner was putting all his money into

(01:28:55):
political funding, is what we were told, political funding. It
was an election here. Yeah, that's just screwy crazy classic
modern indoor soccer right there. Frank Tayu is playing in Sonora.
Oh okay, Randy says, the ro host are gonna play
there too. Well, I mean, listen to these guys, guys

(01:29:15):
like the row Hos, Yeah, Escalante and Toyo, right, I mean,
how about Henardo Castillo. Pink Panther was supposed to be
on the Strikers the last two years, couldn't get a visa.
That dude left is the MVP in Monterey two seasons ago.
He hasn't been able to play since. He'll probably turn

(01:29:36):
up in Sonora. I don't know if one of if
one of the teams down there is you know, maybe
trying to lure a particular contracted San Diego player that's
not there. You know, I don't know. I literally don't know.
I'm not I'm not floating that like I know something.

(01:29:58):
I literally don't know. But when you when are signing
Taie you.

Speaker 14 (01:30:05):
Yeah, I mean they're they're going all in. It seems
they're the M two favorites. Yeah, yep, I think they're
the favorites to clean up them two.

Speaker 6 (01:30:17):
Just some of those kids that play in M two
and obviously some really good players, but just hey, you're
just gonna go against Frank Tayu. Like I saw him
training before that faithful Chihuahua Milwaukee Wave game at the
at the hotel. Just like people stopped that had nothing

(01:30:37):
to do with the MSL and just like, oh my god,
that's an athlete, Like okay, and just like admired this
this person. It's like, no, that guy's an indoor soccer player.
That guy brings absolute pain and suffering if you're a defender,
if only you knew how good he was.

Speaker 5 (01:30:54):
But yeah, interesting, interesting, interesting, interesting.

Speaker 2 (01:30:58):
Very very interesting. Last thing. At the end of the
last show, I started telling you about some of the
exciting things we have planned for this season of San Diegos.
I invite everybody for the seven thirty kickoff on Friday
to try and get in their seats by seven o'clock.

(01:31:21):
In particular, if you're a family, I would even say
try to get there closer to when gates open. At
six thirty, because there's a great chance if you get
there before six thirty and you're around the arena by
around say six fifty five, when the soccers are done
with their training, you'll have a great chance for those

(01:31:42):
kids to get an autograph. I want to say an
interview to get an I mean you can try and
do an interview to get an autograph right then and there,
because the soccers players will be going to the boards
immediately after they finish their warm up to sign autographs
for five minutes for kids on the east side of
the field. It'll be on the east side of the field,
by the way, because Empire will still be warming up

(01:32:06):
for another five minutes. We come out five minutes early,
so drift over to the soccer side of the field
if you want those in those autographs, because our boys
aren't going to stand there and get hit by shots
by Stinger and Robert Palmer and such as they're trying
to sign autographs. Then right after that, as the teams
take their way to the locker rooms, the Super Soccers

(01:32:28):
pregame show gets started, and we'll have some of the
players who aren't active working with volunteers from the crowd
with kids that have been selected by the soccer squad
for fun and games and activities that are all entertainment.
Family angled to be just a ton of fun and
some laughs and some good times to get everybody in
a great mood and hype for the match. So get there,

(01:32:50):
be in your seats before seven o'clock for the Super
Soccers pregame show, which was supposed to start with the
trick off of the kickoff but the league spiked it.
Oh so okay, so that won't happen.

Speaker 5 (01:33:10):
Well it is it like a maybe a hopeful with
the visas, like, hey maybe next year.

Speaker 2 (01:33:16):
Listen, I'm not I'm not completely undaunted on this. There
will be like on Friday, two kids from the fit
from the stands will have a chance to do a
juggle off to earn the right to get the ceremonial
first kick for the match. So that's fun. That's fun.
It's still good. It's still good. It's not as good
as a player from each of the starting teams juggling

(01:33:40):
off for the chance to have the opening kickoff. But
apparently on the coaches call, injury concerns were cited as
a possible and competitive concerns just so they need to
go back to the far more competitive coin flip.

Speaker 6 (01:33:59):
Though this isrategic Yeah, yea one hundred percent the strategy,
the percentages, the permutations of fifty percent.

Speaker 2 (01:34:11):
Yeah, sure. So, needless to say, I'm pretty disappointed about that,
but I also respect that we were trying to do
something very ambitious and that if you ask a coach
somewhere else in the country for this, they're going to
automatically say no because they're going to be scary. People
are always afraid of change, and especially something they don't understand,

(01:34:33):
and they don't understand the reason why, and if anyone
thinks that there's a point zero one chance that it
affects their ability to win, then they're gonna say no.
But undaunted, I still think it would be a great idea.
I'm still fighting to see if we can have it happen.
You know, at some point this year, once the season

(01:34:56):
gets started, I think it's a lot harder to get
league to agree to do something. But you know, we
got it as far up the flag pole as we
could until they burned the flag and threw it back
at us. So look, you know, they said in a
very kind email, please keep having creative ideas. We don't

(01:35:17):
want to you know, we don't want to tamp down
your creative spirit. We just want to pour a bucket
of cold water on this one.

Speaker 5 (01:35:25):
Well, it's all good. The intent is there.

Speaker 6 (01:35:27):
And again, having driving forces like yourself and Philly in
these new roles and spots once again, is is awesome
to Hey, maybe next year, maybe something even better comes
out of it.

Speaker 5 (01:35:37):
And uh and and they see the value of like, wow,
the fans are coming here early. They want to get engaged.

Speaker 6 (01:35:43):
You want they feel like it's more bang for their buck,
more you know, more money coming in little concessions opening earlier.

Speaker 2 (01:35:53):
We're past now and a half, so I want to
get out. But just to answer your question, Randy, this
is something we talked about last week too. Our goal
as an organization is to keep the wonderful postgame traditions
that we have seen since the first year at Del
Mar Arena alive, but to also respect what's going on

(01:36:15):
with security and to avoid this conflict that you are
writing about in our comments section. The intention now is
to take the postgame autograph session to the Polystarlight Lounge
and plaza and to just transition it to not change
it to, in my mind, improve it because you're there

(01:36:39):
on equal footing with players from the match, as opposed
to having boards in between. You have to run down
at the beginning. You have to get it. You know,
there's all sorts of kids blah blah blah, now adults
and kids. It can be part of the interaction post match.
The Paly Starlight Lounge is onful. You know the patio,
you know that area back there, you see the backled

(01:37:00):
there on the left side of the AI diagram, that
can be totally where we are, and I think it'll
develop to be really good. I definitely think that it's
gonna take some clunking and some you know, bumbling in
the first couple of matches as people instinctively go to
the boards and I bet you instinctively players are like, no, no, no,
let's just sign this one, you know, or these twenty,

(01:37:23):
and then it just completely discombobulates the plan. I can
very much imagine those things happening early on and people
getting frustrated. But the goal is at the end of
the match for the guys to do the lap around,
for them to celebrate the crowd, you know, for everyone
to do their handshakes and then for it to be
announced this is transitioning to the Polystarlight Lounge. We'll see

(01:37:45):
you there, head on over now. Players will be there,
you know, we'll see you there. And from the player's standpoint,
what we've told them is, don't do anything that you
didn't do before. You know, if you hung out in
the field for twenty minutes, hang out there for twenty minutes,
you know, it's it's thirty feet away from where you
were before. So hopefully that works out. Everything from the

(01:38:07):
Super Soccer's pregame show to our supporters being there to
this all these are new concepts that are being either
introduced or reintroduced. There's going to be growing pains guaranteed
along the way. It's just the nature of it. We're
a small organization in a small league, but we're working
to make this the most family, kid, fun friendly experience

(01:38:31):
in the league and you know, hopefully then we upgrade
that to in San Diego Soccer and then we upgrade
that to in the universe.

Speaker 14 (01:38:39):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:38:40):
So that's our goal.

Speaker 2 (01:38:41):
That's what we're working on, and that's what we're going
to try and do. And with that, we have struck
while the iron was hot and the iron now cold,
and you and I.

Speaker 5 (01:38:58):
It's it's literally a switch like I'll watch.

Speaker 6 (01:39:03):
I'll just do it really quick here if you want
to see how quick this is going to be turned around.

Speaker 15 (01:39:10):
Boom, just like that, Just like that, I'm going to
change this, might change some of this, and then we'll
be right back with the Chromaniacs recording to come.

Speaker 2 (01:39:24):
But thanks to everybody for being here. If you haven't
hit that like button yet, please do that on the
way out on our live broadcast. If you are watching
and you made it to the end, and you can
give us that like button a kind comment below. Five
star rating on podcasts, quick written review on Apple Podcasts.
All of those things are great for us and Tony
on this incredibly busy week for San Diego Professional football.

(01:39:45):
What can the people find at San Diego Punto Football.

Speaker 6 (01:39:49):
Well, that's everything that has to do with soccer in
this beautiful and wonderful city, San Diego FC. Media availability,
post match availability, the Chromaniacs, two balls and a mic,
everything everything, everything soccers over time. It's it's honestly very
humbling to be able to ParvE you a part of
the tapestry of soccer in San Diego, and here it
is book Craig.

Speaker 2 (01:40:10):
And for me, you can follow me on Instagram at
six or nine Sports and Life. You can follow the
Cromaniacs at The Cromaniacs, which has nothing to do with
this show, but I'll just say that anyways. And Uh,
Padre's hot Tub continues to pace patreon dot com slash
padres hot tub. If you want to support me there
that directly helps me and my partners. If you're a
big fan. Oh, I'm such a big fan. What can

(01:40:31):
I do to help, someone said to me at the tailgame. Uh,
Patreon dot com slash Padre's hot Tub. That helps helps me,
So please do For Tony Sanchez, I'm Craig Elston. We'll
talk to you Friday on Glasso. Until then, take care
and go pile Wait, Go Suckers, Go Suckers,

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

The Joe Rogan Experience

Stuff You Should Know

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}S8E3: Stryke While The Iron's Hot (Season Preview) (Special Guest: Christian "Filly" Filimon)

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

The Joe Rogan Experience

Stuff You Should Know

All Episodes

S8E3: Stryke While The Iron's Hot (Season Preview) (Special Guest: Christian "Filly" Filimon)

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang