Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Penn Station East Coat Subs since E three sixty of
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Speaker 2 (00:25):
All right, is our three on the Thursday edition of
since E three to sixty. Thanks to Penn Station, our
week essentially got moved up a day because we are
not here for the fourth of July on on Friday,
which is tomorrow, So which is the fourth of July? Right,
We bumped up our Friday guest today and that means
that we kick off our three with our guy covering
(00:48):
the voice of FC Cincinnati. I'm just all over the
place to start the third hour. Look, we said this before.
We're just looking to pick up a couple more first
downs with three o'clock hits, but they're gonna park the
bus here. Tom Galerido's to help us do that. He's
the voice of FC Cincinnati joining us right now. That's
pretty smooth there, Tommy. How are you, Tony?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Have you already broken into the fourth of July, a
little bit before three pm. What is going on?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I have no idea, no idea what I was trying
to even spit out there.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Here we are. Let's talk f C C Tonati would
have been sufficient. Yeah, but yeah, here we are.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
I was trying to explain, you know, Tommy, that normally
we talk on Fridays, but now we're talking today. Things
are a little bit different. But regardless of how we
live here and how we land on this here we.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Are happy, happy before the July week weekend, whatever we're at.
Good good to hear from you, Tommy. What do you
put on your hot dogs? Uh? Nothing? What do you
What do you mean on hot dogs? On hot dogs?
I go nothing on sausages, brats. I go stadium mustard
(01:59):
from the original Cleanland Stadium mustard, the Brown Mark guy.
But for whatever reason, I don't put on my hot
dogs and I don't. I mean, I'm sure I would
enjoy it. I don't know. Man, strange dude.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Sometimes listen, tom don't let any other explainings. First of all,
don't let him bully you. To each their own.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
But what you don't bully me, I'm just explaining. I'm
just trying to put a rhyme or reason to my ways.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Now, what this holiday weekend does give us for FC
Cincinnati is actually a home match.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
You don't have to travel.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
It's a Saturday UH game against Chicago, which means that you,
I guess, get to be home for the Fourth of July.
Do you have any big Fourth of July plans for
tomorrow with the family?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I'm going to go to the UH I think they
called they called the Red White and Boom out at
UH River Bend. Wow, the Cincinnati Pops plays all the
big fireworks just play out there have never been when
I was growing up up in Clear. Even just outside
of Cleveland, they have a similar venue to Riverband called
Blossom Music Center, and UH the Cleveland Orchestra would do
(03:09):
the same thing, or their symphony orchestra whatever would do
a Fourth of July concert. My parents often took us.
We'd sit on the lawn and have some sandwiches. I
mean it's back when foot longs were actually five dollars,
and you know, you'd sit out there and have some
food with your family and watch the fireworks and it
was a nice night. So we decided, because I'm here
and and not traveling and it all works out. Why
(03:31):
don't we do something as a family. We don't have
any extracurricular sports, so yeah, that's what we're gonna do.
What about yourself, Tony? Are you barbecuing? Is the grill
going to be going?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
You know, I think it's gonna it's gonna entel little
Reds on the radio, a little pool time and let
the others grill. I don't need to be grilling. I'll
be in the pool with the kids.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
But you have a pool?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
No, our in laws have a pool.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Oh? I was like, how have I never been in?
Not that far away? And yeah? All right?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Now, lastly, before before we get ano FCS, will you
partake in watching the Nathan's Hot Dog getting contest?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Possibly, though probably not honestly, I do. That has nothing
to do with my like and hold on, hold on,
there's nothing to do my lack of desire. Let me
take it through my day. I gotta go to training
first and foremost because I have to work tomorrow. People. Wow,
I had to get man. So I'm gonna go to
the facility and and see what the team is up
(04:29):
to and getting ready for this match, which we'll talk
about at some point maybe and then and then I'm
gonna I'm gonna go to the pool as well, but
not my pool, because I don't have a pool. I'm
gonna go to the pool that I belong to, and
I know you can he's not trying to either, Yes, ridiculous.
And then after I get a little bit of pool
(04:51):
time in with some of our faithful listeners, hopefully i'll
see them there a popular day and then I will
turn it around. And yeah, even like next week, somebody
told me they were listening to They enjoy me. Uh,
they enjoy us together on a show every week. So
at the pool, they told me when I was there
last Sunday. So I'm gonna get that in. Then I'm
gonna go to this uh, this event at a river
(05:12):
been so I don't Okay, I probably won't won't watch
it because I'm gonna be tied up. Okay, lay by
the pool and chill out a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Let's talk about the unfortunate news that started the day,
a h an injury for FC Cincinnati to a key
contributor that's going to require surgery. Uh, talk about uh
Obie's injury status, and talk about what this means for
the team going forward.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yeah, I mean, unfortunately, he kind of had a bad
feeling last week, just by the tone of Pat Newton's
statements and the way he talked to us before the
game last week, and just an uncertainty around Obeing and
Wilbedoese availability and and when he would be available again.
And now we have learned that the injury is obviously
(05:54):
serious and that he has to undergo surgery for the
quad injury that he's set for a couple of weeks ago.
And man, this is a really tough blow. They missed
him for a handful of games with a hamstring injury
earlier this year. He missed six games, came back for
Hell Is Real and it had been working his way
really back to his peak form. And Pat Nowtan said
(06:16):
that today because he really was in a good place
with the way that he was performing. And Obi's out
bid on the team for three years. You remember he
came in in April of twenty two, Pat's first season,
and immediately you were like, he's one of the best
midfielders in the league. I think he took officials a
little while to figure out his style of play and
(06:37):
the fact that often he was winning challenges where it
looked like he fouled guys but he didn't, And he
probably got called for some files the first year or
two that shouldn't have been called because he's just so skillful.
I mean, there's times and it's probably my favorite obi
play is when he maybe misses on the initial tackle
but then catches up to you and just dispossesses the ball.
(07:01):
He's a joy to watch. He's a very good, strong,
quiet leader for this team on and off the pitch,
and I think it's just just greatly disappointing that they're
going to miss that piece now for a couple of months,
you know, and the hope seems to be that it
will not be the remainder of the season, what three
(07:21):
and a half months till the regular season ends, So
hopefully he is back, you know, at some point to
help this team win games. But for the foreseeable future,
you know, number five is not going to be involved,
and that's a really tough blow for the Orange and Blue.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Can you replace him currently with and I know they will,
with how the roster is constructed, or does that become
a priority now for this organization looking to make an addition?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
I mean I think in the short term, sure you're
gonna see Brian Nunga playing in that role. And Brian's
done well this year and filling in. I mean, he
has ten starts, so it's not like you're bringing a
guy in who hasn't seen many minutes. Nine hundred sixty
one minutes. He's actually played more minutes than Obie, has
the same number of starts as Obi this season. He's
(08:06):
he's obviously not an identical player, but they brought him
in to be the depth piece behind Obi and Buca
and give those guys some rotation or when they had
the mixing miss games. Have a veteran. Nunga's been around
the league one hundred and twenty six appearances. He has
sixty six starts. He's with Nashville for a while. You know,
f C. C Chanis fans will remember him if you
go all the way back to the USL days when
(08:29):
he was with Charleston and we would see him in
those matchups against the Orange and Blue when the club
was in the USL. So I think in the short
term Brian and Nunga will be the answer to fill
in there, and then the window opens July twenty fourth,
so that's three weeks from today, so many players. I mean,
they could announce the signing today, they could announce it
tomorrow or next week. The player would not be eligible
(08:51):
until July twenty fourth, So you're gonna have to get
through this stretch of games with what you have. Yakubo
could play there as well, but of course he's out
with a and nagging ankle injury as well. So I
think it's Brian and Nunga right now. But I think
if you look at what Chris Albright was trying to
bring in July twenty fourth, that list just got adjusted,
(09:12):
and defensive midfielder probably is at the top of it.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
I look at the way the team has dealt with
a lot through the part of the season leading up
to now, there was some positives. Thing continues to build
on that. Matt ma Osga spoke about how good he's feeling,
and that has to be for this team, especially on
the defensive side of the ball. Such a welcome edition.
The more and more comfortable me Osga gets back there.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, absolutely, because let's remember he was twenty twenty three
Defender of the Year and the season was cut short.
In following that up in twenty twenty four, he didn't
make it to the month of June, so you know,
working his way back from any injury, let alone a
season ending injury, is a big deal. And he has
been rock solid I think for the most part, especially
the last few matches, as we've seen his form come,
(10:00):
you know, truly back to what he is capable of,
and he's doing it right now. No, Miles Robinson, who's
an All Star. Miles will be back after this USA
Mexico match over the weekend, so we'll see him for
Hell is Real, which is great news. Get him back
into the fold. And he's doing it without Nick Haglan
right now. And those three were playing really well together
before Nick got hurt at Miles left with the national team,
(10:21):
so you know, some reinforcements are coming to help out
matt here. But yeah, it's been It's been great to
see because let's be honest with anybody really in life,
when you have a serious injury, you don't know exactly
how you're going to return from it. And if you
can reach that form and be as good as maybe
you were in twenty twenty three, well, I think Matty
Ask is proving that he can be and that that
(10:44):
injury is not slowing him down at all, which is
obviously a major boost for what the Orange and Blue
are trying to accomplish.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Talk a little bit before we get into Chicago, and
I know we have throughout the year, but I think
the term that Pat Nowan was used as it relates
to a Vander was the bridge in the locker room.
How impressive have you been with a player that comes
in with big shoes to fill for a club inn
FC Cincinnati and has not only filled those shoes but
has been one of the best in the MLS at
(11:12):
doin it consistently all year. Where is this team out
without Evander?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Well, there's certainly not one point back of the Eastern
Conference and the supporter shield leaders Philadelphia Union. He's been remarkable.
Kevin and I started the broadcast last week in Orlando
about talking about his MVP candidacy, and you know, was
he potentially the leading candidate for MVP. He was in
the conversation last year. He now has eighteen goal contributions
(11:40):
this year, tied with Kevin Dank with eleven goals. I
mean the pace at which he is contributing goals across
his MLS career, he has seventy three appearances in sixty
nine starts, and he has sixty six goal contributions, so
it's essentially contributing to one goal on average every game
since he came over about two years ago to Major
(12:02):
League Soccer. So he had a great run, you know
with Portland, came over to Cincinnati and the team. Listen,
we all knew that those boots were gonna be big
to fill of Lucco Acosta and that someone was gonna
have to step in and be the playmaker that Lucco was.
And it's not a like for like replacement. They're different
players and have different strengths. But man, he has been
(12:24):
everything that you can dream of in being able to
replace Lucco, and you know, deservedly. We'll go to the
All Star Game. I saw today that he's one of
the four candidates to be captained. It's a vote, a
fan vote, so I think we all know that Lionel
Messi will probably be the captain, but should for the
other three guys who are are nominated. But as she
(12:45):
Sinati fans and get on the vote and try to
try to influence that and get a vander the Armband.
But I think that Listen, he has been everything that
they've asked for and maybe a little bit more than
they expected when he arrived.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Tell me about the Chicago Fire here. I know that
they have played I believe, one less match than FC Cincinnati,
but they do possess a positive gold differential. There are
eleven points behind FC Cincinnati in the standings. Give me
a little bit about Chicago coming into TQL on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Yeah, Tony, their team. They can score a bunch of
goals right now, thirty eight goals scored. That's third most
in Major League Soccer. And this is a team that's
sitting at third or sorry, eighth place in the league
right with those thirty eight goals. So eight place puts
them in that wild card spot at the moment. But
think about that, FC Sinanas in second place thirty nine points.
(13:40):
You have Chicago in eighth place with twenty eight points,
So eleven point difference in sans gold differentials plus five
Chicago's plus four. But they've had a couple of lopsided
wins in their favor. They just pummeled DC United a
couple of weeks ago, seven to one in DC. They've
been very good on the road this year. He's six
to four and oh his second most road wins in
(14:04):
all of Major League Soccer. The only team who has
more road wins is that Seaconcinnati was seven. And they've
obviously played a lot of road games so far, so
they they've proven tricky a couple of times. They've come
into TQL Stadium. You know, I think, what's the number
three one and two. I think we're down somewhere here. Yeah,
three one and two is Chicago and the game's played
(14:26):
in Cincinnati's owned Blue have only won once against them
in the Queen City. Obviously, Greg Burholter. Everybody knows about
Greg as the head coach and and what he brings.
That they have an All Star in uh uh Phillip Zinkernagel,
who has come in from Denmark eight goals, eight assists
this season. You know, they have a very potent offense.
(14:47):
Hugo Kuiper's much like Kevin Dank kind of scratching your
head and wondering what he has the new do to
get him to the All Star Game. Kuiper's not there.
Dan came out there. They each have eleven goals on
the season, so there's a they are very talented and
the defense is going to be very tested. You know,
reports today that that teenagery day a little bit hobbled,
(15:07):
you know, Hilberta Flores, you know, pretend it wasn't that training.
So I think that I'll be interested, Like I said,
I'll be training them all. See, hopefully those guys are
out there. You know, Thursday rest day doesn't mean they
can't go, but f C Cincinnati's gonna need to, you know,
really clamp down defensively to make sure that they're ready
for this matchup.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
How much does the match they just played against Orlando help?
Because I remember last week asking you the same question
and you talked about how good Orlando had been offensively.
I was very impressed with what the defense of FC
since now they was able to do. So how much
can you take from that against a very good offensive
team when you had to do it on the road
and bring it now back home to Tiquos Stadium.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Yeah, I think the hope is that that can be
the boost you need, right, that can be you know,
the confidence booster that that you would expect from having
a really strong performance against Orlando and not getting punished
by the potent attack and now you got to come
home and do it. And you know we've talked about
the last couple of weeks, guys, this three mats road
(16:06):
swing is over. So now you're staring down the barrel
nine to fourteen regular season games remaining being in home.
So playing it simple. T Qosaitum has to be a fortress.
And where does that start. It starts with being really
strong defensively. So the guys who are in front of
Romans selling time will have to be good. Roman has
to be really good, and the team as a whole
will have to be good. And they're gonna miss one
(16:27):
of their defensive leaders and it'll be in a wrobedo.
You know who's right in front of that defensive back line.
The whole unit's gonna have to be ready. Chicago will
give you headaches and they can score goals and bunches.
So yeah, they're gonna have to be strong and hope
certainly they can build upon that that victory in Orlando.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Tommy g the Voice of FC Cincinnati, we certainly appreciate
your time and for fitness in on a Thursday, enjoy
the holiday weekend, and enjoy the call on Saturday night
and let's get three more.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Yeah, you guys do the same. Let's keep it rolling
and there'll be plenty to talk about next week.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I'm not going to try to do anything fancy to
close this out. I'm gonna just that's Tom Deliver. He
is the voice FC Cincinnati. We'll be back with more
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports stations.