#14: SDFC Heads to La-La Land

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT

• Looking back at a 0-0 draw against Portland
• Why does SDFC play so much better away than at home? Craig has a theory
• Los Chromados about to be hit with call-ups for the U-20 USMNT
• VOICE OF THE SUPPORTER: Adriene (Papi Chavo) joins us to talk about the growth of the supporter section and what it takes to be a drummer for Frontera SD
• MATCH PREVIEW: SDFC faces their biggest test of the regular season when they travel to BMO Stadium on Sunday night 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:33):
Welcome to the Chromaniacs, your weekly look inside San Diego
FC and MLS. My name is Craig Elston. Episode fourteen
of the Chromaniacs, joined by my chromaniacs, Tony Sanchez and
Alex Pania. Tony, what's going on?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Brother? It is going to be a fun, fun weekend
San Diego versus LA in another sports clash I perhaps
and Persona No Grata at Bemo Stadium. Talk about it
here in a little bit because it is a rivalry weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
Alex with us Ah, pretty good, pretty good, better today
just because on Saturday the number of beers I touched
was also the score nil nil oh no I was.
I was a little under the weather on Saturday. But yeah,
feeling good today and yeah we get to talk about

(01:26):
this really key matchup for Sunday night.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Should be a fun one tonight, Episode number fourteen of
the Romaniacs. We thank you for being here, first off,
just saying thanks once again. We're still a very young show.
SDFC is a very young team. We're trying to establish
our spot as the premiere independent San Diego FC podcast,
and we thank every one of you who's been along
for the ride. We invite you to follow us on

(01:52):
Instagram at the Chromaniacs, where our man terrible SDFC Memes
does a great job of pulling out our great content,
our better clips, and adding video to them. Growing once again,
Number's gone up every single time. Arrow goes up every
single time. So follow us on the Cromaniacs on Instagram

(02:12):
if you're watching the show and can give us that
thumbs up on YouTube, if you're listening to the show
and can give us that five star review on Spotify
or Apple podcast or Google Play wherever, we say thank
you Now. On episode thirteen, we talked about doing a
postgame show after Portland Timbers, and we did not, so

(02:33):
I'd like to offer our apologies on that front. Tony
was unavailable, Alex was available, I was kind of available.
It was zero zero, and I don't know. I wasn't
feeling it at ten thirty that night because I like
having the three of us together. I love it when
Tony's at the stadium and has the sound and has everything.
So seeing as we didn't, let's talk a bit about

(02:58):
zero zero, talk about Timbers. We're gonna talk about the
headlines of the day. Here's your setup for episode fourteen
of Crimaniacs. We're gonna talk about timbers and zero zero.
We're gonna talk about clenching the playoffs. Cool cool beans,
talk about what's going on with the roster. Hey, guess what,
here's the drawback to being so young. The U twenty

(03:18):
World Cup can completely mess up for our season.

Speaker 4 (03:22):
Yeah, can.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
Wait a second. That's a kiddy tournament. Why does that matter? Oh,
it really matters. We're gonna talk about it. Coming up
about twenty ish minutes from now, we come back to
Voice of the Supporter. I love this segment. I know
you guys know I love this segment. But Adrian is
joining us. Adrian is one of the key drummers and

(03:46):
has been one of the drummers for Frontira SD. He's
one of the guys in La Battaria. He is up there,
he's been there. He's been there as a key founding
member of Chavos for originally Cholbisty Loyal now Chelvesty San Diego,
a member of Fronterra SD also not for nothing, the

(04:08):
fandos of those Brujos del Stenteocho, the supporters group of
the San Diego soccers. We're going to talk to Adrian
about what it means to bang the drum at Snapdragon
Stadium in the North End, to be part of the
actual literal drumbeat of San Diego FC's season. Adrian will

(04:30):
be joining us at the bottom of the hour and
then we're going to dive all the way into SDFC LAFC,
which I mean, spoiler alert. I'll just say, is the
match of the year. This is to me of what's
remaining and what could remain the match of the year,
the Test of the year, everything of the year. Tolos

(04:51):
is coming up on Sunday night, Sunday late night. That's
your setup. That's what we're talking about today on the Quemaniacs. Okay,
Saturday night. I thought it was going to be two
nothing SDFC at halftime, two or three nothing SDFC at halftime.

(05:12):
It was Nils and it finished Nils. Pretty frustrating, guys.
I mean, Corey Baird showed well before he came up
lame with an injury. I hope we'll talk about it more.
I hope he's a guy that's available again, because I
thought he looked maybe just starting there. I thought he
looked really nifty in a couple of the passes and

(05:34):
the contributions that he was able to make.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, there's that hunger that you see from him coming
in and I mean, you know you've been exposed a
little bit more to Baird Alex here in MLS. But
you can tell when a player just has something to
prove and wants to come into a system and is
very comfortable in it. That it was Corey Baird. But
what did you see from the X, the former Rookie
of the Year in MLS.

Speaker 4 (05:59):
Yeah, he was. He was really good.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
I mean, put an excellent touch on the ball when
he was like passing it into the path of unders Dryer.

Speaker 4 (06:08):
He got one right as a Dryer was coming in
for a run.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
He was able to get the shot off blocked by
the Portland goalkeeper. And yeah, it just everything just seemed
fluid with with Baird right there at the top. And
it seemed like as Bayard and Dryer was they were
going and running the offense, everything was clicking. And then

(06:35):
as soon as Baird came out, it was like lights off.
Everything just turned off for the for the offense and
it was a shame. I mean, I like everything that
was happening with with Baird. We really did see his
elite passing and he felt comfortable in the system, I

(06:55):
mean very comfortable passing ball to dryer, which which is
really good. And it's too bad we only got forty
minutes of it.

Speaker 1 (07:06):
By the way, Corey Baird starting because the guy who
we had spoken about in the last show as the
man who had taken over the number nine for the
rest of the season, Marcus Vartsen, was right back on
the injury list with another lower body injury. Tony, what inside,
if any, do you have on the wayward struggles of

(07:27):
our prodigal son here number nine in Vartsen.

Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yeah, Marcus and Varsen obviously has been dealing with a
lingering hamstring injury and that's kind of what's been happening
through this entire season. And it's one of those injuries
that just if there's any sort of feeling that, ah,
something might be off from what we've seen from Mikey
Badas and end company, they want to go ahead and

(07:51):
just air in the side of caution, just you know what,
We're gonna shut you down. We don't need it right now.
We've cleansed playoffs. Let's go ahead and rescue. Let's give
Corey Baird a chance on there. Let's give some some
players that haven't seen some minutes or maybe played together. Right,
we haven't had the midfield of Sparsco de la Torre
and Godoy in a while, even though I think Boy
maybe losing a spot. But that's just kind of what's

(08:15):
being planned and giving these new players, not new players,
but just the players didn't get to know each other,
because there are new players that are gonna be thrown
into playoffs very soon for San Diego FC, and some
that are going to get minutes because of what we
mentioned the Under twenty World Cup. But hey, this is
one of the goals that potentially you were saying, Craig,
that could have been it.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Well, yeah, you're showing on the replay Tony if for
everyone who's watching on YouTube, and of course in the
North End, we were all celebrating and the beer was
flowing and everyone was dancing and the flags were waving,
the smoke bombs were going off off of this lovely
hit ahead pass for Dryer. But he's clearly offside. He's

(08:58):
off side by a stat I mean, it's not controversial. Yeah,
it's it's obvious. So bummer because those moments always just
feel I don't even know. I need to come up
with the right poetic, metaphoric example for what it feels
like in your life when you're there watching a goal,

(09:20):
celebrating a goal, and then the goal is taken away,
and the goal is taken away righteously, you know, and
it's like I never needed to celebrate. I celebrated nothing.
A relationship gone awry. You know, I thought you were
the one and it turns out you.

Speaker 2 (09:39):
Never were the Ruh, you never were the one.

Speaker 1 (09:41):
I was always right to say. No.

Speaker 3 (09:44):
This just keeps happening, right and at snapdragon, like there's
there's a goal, there's not a goal, or there's.

Speaker 4 (09:50):
A potential for a penalty.

Speaker 3 (09:51):
Well, no, we we checked that that's gone. It just
keeps happening. It feels like every single home match this
is the thing that happens to can the UFC.

Speaker 4 (10:01):
And they just can't catch a break. They just they're there.

Speaker 3 (10:05):
It's just it's it's a struggle for them at home,
and uh, I don't know how to change that. It's
it's probably a struggle for Mikey Barrows trying trying to
figure this out too. It was it was interesting to
see like the the defender trying to play right on
a dryer like an offside trap, because he tried, he

(10:27):
was sticking with dry for a little bit. Then he
was like nope, I'm leaving, and then the past came in.
But it was the offside happened on the on the
other side of the pitch, and it's just like, Yeah,
these little things just keep happening for this team, and
it's just it's it's getting really frustrating.

Speaker 2 (10:43):
Well, I've retired the question for Mikey Bodas of Hey, Mikey,
what is your interpretation of V A R. Because it's
a dynamic question and I've always look, there's been times
over and over again when I have the opportunity to
do that and it's that Hey, now it's a quick
check in. At the beginning of the season. You you
felt it for the first time ever as a manager.
What does it feel like? Well, you know, it's just

(11:04):
that's just about how things fall. As there's more injustices
or goals to taken away. Now it's more like, Okay,
we've got some games under you. What's your interpretation of
how var is adjudicated? Well, who knows. We're looking for consistency.
Next time, I'm like, how are you liking the consistency
of var? I they just don't know. He just doesn't know.

(11:26):
He just and you like, I agree with you. So
unless there's a egregious var call for the rest of
the season, I don't think I'm going to be going
down that well. For one of my first questions in
the post match, all.

Speaker 1 (11:38):
Right, I've got a theory and I want to throw
it against the wall for both of you guys, and
you can tell me if it's spaghetti sticking up there
or if it's you know, loose pasta that's falling off
the wall. SDFC has won six straight on the road
and they're going to go for seven in a row
on Sunday night. And on the road, they've been dynamic

(11:59):
on the road, they've been opportunistic. They have put goals
on the board over and over. They're one of the
highest scoring away teams in Major League Soccer. And all
the zero zeros. I might be wrong, go check the schedule,
but I feel like every zero zero this year is
coming home. Maybe there was one on the road, but

(12:22):
you can look it up. But the zero zeros are
coming at home. Why is this Why is SDFC this
dynamic scoring machine on the road and at home they're
a little bit more pedestrian or frustrated, spinning their wheels
and they're not getting the points at home that they

(12:44):
get on the road. Here's my theory. It's the style
of play combined with the nature of the psychological dynamic
of being home or being away. When you are the
home team, the fans have put their money down, the

(13:04):
supporters have come out and devoted the time and the energy.
They're singing, they're drumming, they're doing everything. There's a pressure
to be entertaining, to be good, to be fun, to
make it worth the cost of admission to come out
and play. You don't just want to get a result

(13:26):
at home unless you're a really craven, cynical franchise. You
want to put on a show. You want to be good.
So when you see SDFC come in a team that
dominates possession, a team that wants to hold the ball
and move it around, you know that the single best
thing you could do is park the bus, play a

(13:48):
low block, play for counterattacks, play for the occasional moment,
hand SDFC possession in exchange for the result, right those,
This is the strategy that has been sussed out over
the course of twenty plus MLS matches against San Diego FC.

(14:09):
And when you're on the road, when you're away, you
just study the film, You figure the ideal strategy, you
enact that strategy, you pick up the result. Oh, zero zero.
We're on the bus, we got a point. We're happy,
we're cruising. But no one's happy with zero zero at home,

(14:31):
no one's happy with that. They want to go out
and play, they want to show their stuff, they want
to score, and that's what sdfc's counting on because that's
where they get their magic, that's where they find their seams,
that's where the defense opens up for it to go
from just possession to possession plus attack. But when you're in,
when they're away and sdfc's at home, who cares. Our

(14:54):
ego is gone. Our desire to please the crowd not
an issue. All we care about is sitting back, enacting strategy,
enacting tactics, and grinding the result. That's my theory. What
do you guys think, Well.

Speaker 2 (15:11):
Looking at what you mentioned, actually the three zero zeros
in this season for MLS were at home On top
of that, the last time that San Diego FC one
at Snapdragon was versus Nashville in MLS playing. The last
time in MLS play that before then was back in

(15:31):
May thirty first, where they beat Austin FC two to zero,
So there is some truth to that. I do think
that when it comes to playing at home, it's almost
like they're afraid to make that mistake where they throw
caution to the wind on the away side of things
and say, hey, we are here to prove ourselves to
a brand new set of eyes, to a brand new city.

(15:53):
We are still the new kids in town that have
that chip on their shoulder. So let's go ahead and
go out and try to be this dynamic team that
people have prepared for but aren't ready for it. And
think that they're underestimating San Diego FC because Okay, they
can't keep winning, they can't possibly keep winning, especially away. Boom,
they get it done, you're at home. I think it's

(16:13):
that case of like, okay, let's just not make a
mistake and look foolish in front of our home fans,
because if that happens, even in a messy tie or
a messy victory, these fans want to see good exciting soccer,
good exciting football. But if you have those mistakes, those
can cost you people wanted to come see you. We've

(16:36):
seen San Diego FC have what was it, five thousand
fans over in Masatlan League's Cup. Granted leagues Cup didn't
mean anything, but still that's the lowest attended soccer event
in Snapdragon this calendar year. But you know, I think
that has a combination of factors. But at home, they
need to pick it up. Like that's not a question.

(16:57):
If you win first place and you qualify, that means
you have home field advantage, But is that a dis disadvantage.

Speaker 1 (17:03):
We're like, whoops, we should drop some results so we
can get out of the road where we're really good. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
Yeah, And you could start looking at Portland and like
just seeing how passive they were. They just didn't want
the ball, they weren't really pressing, and you could see
the trend with the other like nil nil, the other
draws right. Saint Louis was one of those sporting case

(17:31):
was another one where where they're not really playing for
the ball. They're like, you guys, have it, go go ahead,
let yeah that MANU do A guy let him carry
the ball all the way, you know, just let.

Speaker 4 (17:43):
Him carry it because that's what they were letting them do.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
And and I think that's kind of like the strategy
now for games at home and samyone needs to figure
this out. But when there is a team that is aggressive,
like we saw with Nashville, Nashville try to play a
little bit more aggressive and that's when that's when they
do get to see their opportunities. Uh, Triocky ended up

(18:08):
scoring in the second half in that match, And yeah,
it seems like there there is a little bit of
a difference. LA Galaxy was another one that you know,
they played a little bit more aggressive LAFC did and
that opened up opportunities for these guys to score. But
they have to figure out something where when the team,

(18:31):
when the other side doesn't want the ball, then they
have to figure something out and get a little bit
more creative there.

Speaker 4 (18:38):
So is it? So?

Speaker 2 (18:39):
Is it that then San Diego FC just either is
one of those teams that plays up or down to
the competition, because let's remind remember, right, San Diego is
one of the, if not the furthest destination for a
lot of these MLS teams. A lot of travel by
the time they get here, maybe the passive nature isn't
because well that's just their style. No, they're just tired.

(19:00):
Like Toronto came in here, they were tired and they
won that game here at Snapdrag and Stadium. They're here
and and that just seems to be the key against SANDYEFC.
Just let them keep the ball. They'll figure themselves out
and if they do, they do. If they don't, well
we have a chance. There's always that puncher's chance. And
it's by doing nothing and waiting for the mistake, waiting
for the error. And that's the perfect, perfect perfect storm

(19:25):
for santy UFC to just start giving up points, start
start keep doing mistakes. CJ. He has hass he now
has I believe seven clean sheets or he's he's actually
now tied for the most clean sheets in an inaugural team.
So Santy UEFC is on that one away from breaking
the record. But there have been games where yeah, those

(19:46):
are mistakes that happen and it's just the other team waiting.
This time. Portland they're not a good team necessarily because
the pieces that they have are brand new. They have
the chemistry to build. There are new added teammates coming
in and they were trying new things, so they were uncomfortable.
That was an uncomfortable team coming.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
To San Diego. You know, it's just a really interesting
discussion about the nature of soccer tactics, the nature of
home versus away, how all of these things come together.
And here's the last thing I'll say to this point.
Because of the psychology of being away and saying we

(20:28):
can sit in the low block, we can wait for
the counter, we don't need the ball, the reason that
other teams feel comfortable is because we don't have Zlatan Ibrahimovitch.
You know, we don't have that player that is just
in the midst of we've got the ball, they're going
to rise up and score and you're down one nothing

(20:48):
in the eighteenth minute. Every time that you're on the
road playing this strategy because we've got that dude that's
just a dude that rises up and scores. And if
we had that dude, his strategy wouldn't work. But we don't.
So it does.

Speaker 3 (21:07):
Having having David Vasquez out there, it doesn't really help.
Like they see him as like, oh, that's a nineteen
year old kid, Like what is he gonna do Yeah
when uh, just watching the the tape over, I saw chookey.

Speaker 4 (21:21):
I think it was chokey give kind of.

Speaker 3 (21:24):
Lead him a pass that it was going to lead
to some sort of collision, like right outside the box.

Speaker 4 (21:31):
And David was running and then he was on sure.

Speaker 3 (21:34):
And then he stuttered step and backed off and I'm like,
you gotta play through that. You don't know what happens
if if something, if you get tripped up, that might
lead to a foul.

Speaker 4 (21:46):
You might get a you might get a free kick
outside the box.

Speaker 3 (21:49):
But because it's him, it's he's young, he's still learning.
He just doesn't know that he has to play through
that ball and you.

Speaker 4 (21:57):
Just don't know.

Speaker 3 (21:57):
You might you might be able to jump right over
that sliding defender and go for the goal, or yeah,
you pick up a foul.

Speaker 4 (22:04):
I mean, things can happen right there.

Speaker 3 (22:06):
But that inexperience, like those little things are key and
and I think teams are noticing that from Sandi UFC.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, that builds frustration, that builds resentment, that builds Hey,
maybe in this split second, instead of passing it to you,
I'm going to keep the ball instead of looking your way,
I'm not gonna I'm gonna break down and say I'm
going to do the individual play and not go the
right to dream model, lose the ball. Now everything's discombobulated.
Now it's a counter attack. Now it's a goal. It's

(22:36):
such a minor detail, but this is what this builds.
Its snowballs into goals against. And you know, hopefully for
San Diego David Basquez, as you mentioned, we'll be learning
a little bit more when he's a you know, training
with the US young men's national team, and hopefully he's
healthy because you know that's we're coming to crunch time

(22:58):
and these are very important play to have missing coming up.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
Well, let's get into this before we get to voice
of the supporter. So as we normally recognize, the international
windows come and go, and they are designed within clubs
like MLS for the senior team players to depart and
go play for their national teams without having too much

(23:22):
impact on the MLS club. I mean, this is built
into the rhythm of the season. What you don't count
on is for your team to be populated with a
whole bunch of players that are on the under twenty
US men's national team. I thought this was an Adult
league at Major League Soccer. But there they are. If

(23:45):
you're watching on our YouTube feed, there's the SDFC graphic.
David Vasquez, Luca Bombino, Duran Ferree and Pedro Soma all
called up to the under twenty men's national team. You
almost wonder if Mikey Varius is like, I wish I
could get called up too. I love these guys so much.

(24:08):
I'd love to have those two weeks to have fun.
But they're gone. Holy cow, I mean, okay, for read,
no big deal. Solma he's been subbing in. He hasn't
been playing a lot yet. Bombinos are left back. We
need him and right back sometimes. Yeah, Vasquez has been

(24:28):
starting at midfield and forward. This is an actual impact
to our club, Alex. How long will they be away?
How many matches will they miss?

Speaker 3 (24:39):
Oh man, this is uh well, they're the U twenties.
There's still a month away right for the World Cup. Yeah,
and yeah, there's about I think it's what four matches
scheduled from like late late September to like midlep at October.

(25:01):
So that's that's a that's a significant for a team
that's playing for playoff placing either one through ninth spots
in the shield, so that those are some very big
games that they are missing for SANDUFC. And yeah, we

(25:22):
don't really have the depth to kind of lose these guys,
especially not Bombino, especially not Bombino.

Speaker 4 (25:28):
That's a huge, like that's a key player right there.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
So these call ups are for the games in preparation
for the Under twenty World Cup. The World Cup is
actually going to be September twenty seventh through Sunday October nineteenth,
so that's that window of World Cups.

Speaker 1 (25:47):
So they get missed basically the end of the season,
correct kind of period.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
But there's a thing, there's a mechanic where a club
can deny them going to these uh these tournaments.

Speaker 5 (26:03):
Right.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
We saw it with Casey Stoney actually denied Jayden Shaw
to go over to the under twenty women's national team
because he was so crucial to to the San Diego
wave at that point. But again with this, will that happen?
I don't think so, because it is such an honor
to be named into this tournament, into this, into this

(26:25):
the lineup. Honestly, it's the it's the launching point, especially
with Mikeybodas having coached the young men's national team, right,
It just it just makes sense that he would see
it as an honor as well.

Speaker 1 (26:37):
I mean, you know, you bring up Casey Stony. I
mean she made that call and then she got deported
and next thing you know, she's in England. So I mean,
you know, make your choices wisely, is what I would
say there. Iikeed, Iikeed, but Aikeed only joking but not joking,
Alex in that Luka Bambino is a really important player,

(27:00):
and I think you put into the notes as well,
there's a chance for Andres Dryer to get called up.

Speaker 3 (27:05):
To Yeah, he's getting called up for his World Cup
qualifier for the Danish team, and that that will be
next next week they also play two matches and that
that shouldn't interfere with us though that that's kind of yeah,

(27:26):
this this is.

Speaker 4 (27:26):
A really good thing for for Dryers.

Speaker 3 (27:28):
So that's like this is going to be after the
l a f C game, but before the next match
against Minnesota United. So okay that that, yeah, he's not
going to be missing any games for that he won't.

Speaker 2 (27:42):
But again, the thing that I always worry about injuries. Right,
you're here even in training, right, Look at like just
to give you some of the names, right, Casper Schmichael
son of the lebgendary. Also Schmichael h goalkeeper in there
when the one the lesser. Yeah, right, that's how that's
how names work. Uh, Leicester City a goalkeeper when they

(28:02):
won the Premier League. You have on the desk Christiansen
former Chelsea Barcelona. You have Hoiberg who played in Manchester United.
You have these players who are in the top of
world football. And so the fact that you're called up
to be part of this lineup that it's an opportunity
of a lifetime.

Speaker 4 (28:22):
Right.

Speaker 2 (28:23):
Growing up, Dryer didn't dream of being a San Diego
FC ten because it didn't exist or you know, probably
didn't know what MLS was back then. He dreamed to
be part of the Danish national team. That's that's definitely.
And and I'll talk to him tomorrow during a Meati
availability and I'm gonna ask him so like what does
this mean? Like how important is this to you? And

(28:43):
and do you talk to the young kids about national
team stuff? Like is it important to them? Like because
again now we have this new age of Polisic and
oh I don't I don't feel well play in the
national team. I think I'm gonna send out the Gold
Cup sort of you know, mentality where players like Landon
Donovan are like, whoa, whoa, whoa, what do you mean?
It's the biggest honor to be up. So hopefully everybody

(29:07):
is healthy come international break time.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
It feels like a very millennial point of view, you
know what I mean, A little tired. I'm gonna take
the Gold Cup off it.

Speaker 4 (29:22):
Yeah, summer time.

Speaker 2 (29:25):
What's in it for me?

Speaker 1 (29:26):
Anyway? Really it for me.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
There's a whole documentary he made about himself because of it,
So go enjoy that on Netflix if you if you.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
Will, please enjoy or please enjoy what we're about to
present here on the Cromaniacs. It's time for Voice of
the Supporter. We're always excited to do this segment on
the Cromaniacs because soccer is a community sport. It's the
sport or lahente. It's the sport for the people, and

(29:55):
the people who volunteer their time and their energy and
their talent and their expertise to bring the energy to
a soccer stadium. Those are the people that I find
to be the heroes of the sport. Above beyond those
that put the ball into the old union bag, as
that one announcer would say, Uh, we've had a few

(30:18):
great guests on Voice of the Supporter. Right now we're
bringing in one of the true keystones of the North End.
This is Adrian Drummer and one of the founders of
the Chavos. My man, Poppy Chavo is here, Adrian. How
are you, my friend?

Speaker 5 (30:34):
What's going on?

Speaker 1 (30:35):
Guys?

Speaker 5 (30:35):
Why are you doing doing?

Speaker 6 (30:36):
I'm doing good over here, coming to live from my
front porch and the humidity.

Speaker 1 (30:45):
You love it, right, we know it, We know it well.
Thank you so much for being here. We gotta we
got all kinds of questions for you, a conversation, a
road to go down, but let's start here. I've known
you back since section one oh nine and being out
there banging the drums for San Diego, loyal and kind

(31:06):
of the beginning of this Supporter's culture movement in America's
finest city. And now to know where you were, to
know where you were before Chavos even was an official
group and recognized. To now where we are with the
North End basically full every night, What are your thoughts
on just the growth of supporter culture from from the

(31:28):
beginning to where we are today.

Speaker 5 (31:33):
I mean, it's it's been a long road.

Speaker 6 (31:36):
I think anybody who's been who's been a part of
it since the beginning can can say that, I've my
beginning here is probably somewhere around Soccer City.

Speaker 5 (31:47):
So it's it's been a long road since then, for sure.

Speaker 6 (31:51):
I mean, when you look at it from a city perspective,
the growth has been crazy because you know, we're not
you don't have to explain what this is anymore.

Speaker 5 (32:02):
At one point, you know, you'd.

Speaker 6 (32:03):
Go into work and people you'd have to explain, well,
I'm in like a fan group, but it's more than
a fan group. But if I say supporters that you're
not gonna understand what I'm saying. But I go to
the games like and now it's become water and cooler talk.
It's become hey did you go to the game this weekend? Hey,
my daughter's going to the game this weekend. You know,
they're they're doing real good right now. They're in first
place right now, you know, and people are really starting

(32:26):
to recognize it and pick it up the same way
that you would pick up and talk about you know,
the padres you know that it's it's become a part
of the city and a part of San Diego sports now,
So that's been amazing to see. On its own, it
definitely feels like there's a big professional sports void that's being.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
Filled right now.

Speaker 6 (32:45):
And to see both the Padres and STFC just firing
on all cylinders right now, especially with the team being
in their first season, has been amazing. But from a
support perspective, it's crazy because, you know, I think I
reflect back on it with some of the troubles. We
have been here since the beginning, and to have started
a support group for a brand new team right before

(33:08):
COVID happened and to still be here is pretty crazy.

Speaker 5 (33:12):
We uh.

Speaker 6 (33:14):
I can remember when we were having FaceTime meetings during
COVID nineteen and just talking about it, like like one
day we're gonna go out and we're gonna support and
we're gonna, man, it's gonna be amazing. We'll be there
when when do we get let out of the house,
We're gonna go and support and be a part of it.
And here we are, and now it's you know, it's
it's man. Just the community of people is amazing. It's

(33:37):
it's huge. There's seven different support groups, one big union,
you know, a three thousand person section that's you know.

Speaker 5 (33:44):
Loaded every night.

Speaker 6 (33:46):
That was a concern people we at first, everybody had
their doubts, how can they do it?

Speaker 5 (33:49):
How can they this? How can they that there's only
a thousand people listed in the union? Where do we go?

Speaker 6 (33:54):
And in the real world, in real real time never
was an issue. It turns out, turns out now you know,
it's how can I get in? The question is in
how do we fill it up? How can we get in?
How can I join? That's that's where the talk talking
point in the narrative, that's certain tone.

Speaker 2 (34:12):
Now, yeah, I mean, and you know, I've been following
you for a while, Uppy chavel like the fact that
you're still doing it and going through it. It's a
it's a testament to why though, because you yourself, you stick
to you stick to your principles. You've been puppy job.
You're the same dude, You're still Adrian. But the one
thing that I've known about this whole project for you

(34:34):
is that the music is incredibly important, right la musika,
the actual drumming aspect of this. So talk to me
about that, Like from the beginning, I know you had
you've had different equipment, You've had to learn different styles,
different techniques, And just take me through that drumming aspect
at least for you, and how it's grown now into
being a staple of that section the SnapTag Stateium Stadium.

Speaker 6 (34:59):
It's definitely they become, you know, a dream realized. I
when I started this, I was just I was more
of a punk rock drummer. I had a bad background
and you know, playing gigs and then also marching band
when I was real young. So it's a little bit
different than I guess you could say Badero style drumming.

(35:21):
And I kind of had to reteach myself in the
beginning how to do it and the different rhythms and
things that they're playing, what it sounds like in Argentina,
what it sounds like in Brazil, what it sounds like
in Mexico, what the other MLS teams are doing. I
really had to kind of educate myself and kind of
you know, get myself, get myself my get my game
right in order to you know, be up here on

(35:42):
the highest level that we have in the United States.
But also it's also a dream realized because now I'm
teaching people.

Speaker 5 (35:50):
I'm passing the baton when we go and have drum practices.

Speaker 6 (35:54):
I would say a solid fifty to seventy percent of
the people who were there are under sixteen fifteen. You know,
you're talking about the kids now who want to come
and play, who might who might not have a proper
music program at the school, who might have always seen
something like this but never knew where to start, you know,

(36:15):
never knew how to ask what kind of drum that is?

Speaker 5 (36:18):
How do I play? How much does it cost? You know?

Speaker 6 (36:21):
And from being so open about what we do, I've
been able to you know, really connect you know with
you know of many future drummers. And you know, that's
that's the best part for me, is passing the baton.
I can't do this forever. I don't want to do
this forever, but I to see you know, there's something

(36:41):
special about when kids faces light up when they first
hit that drum and they kind of realize, oh, that's where.

Speaker 5 (36:45):
The noise comes from.

Speaker 6 (36:47):
And to see them start to catch the beat and
to catch the rhythm and build confidence in themselves, That's
been everything for me.

Speaker 3 (36:55):
Hey, Adrian, I got to ask you when it comes
to like being a snap stadium, and like you guys
sense like you have you have such a big responsibility
ability of like setting the tone for like the crowd,
not just for the supporters group up for everybody, because
like there's no music getting pumped into the crowd, like

(37:16):
there's nothing else it's it's honestly like if they weren't
with like for you guys, it'd be like quiet most
of the time. So like you guys get that sense like, hey,
this is like a big job for us here here
in the supporter section.

Speaker 5 (37:32):
I mean definitely, I mean to to our own fault.

Speaker 6 (37:35):
We we are the ones who ask if there's no
music being played. We want to be able to go
ninety minutes plus and to you know, be heard and
to not be interrupted and to really it's a you know,
it's a vibe.

Speaker 5 (37:46):
It's a it's an up and down.

Speaker 6 (37:47):
It's like listening to a vinyl record, like you hear
some of a copy song, a slow song, a fast song,
a sad song, but it's NonStop, and you know, we
it's a it's a it's.

Speaker 5 (38:00):
A duty that we all take on.

Speaker 6 (38:02):
It's a duty that we all remind each other of
when we're in there that hey, when these ninety minutes
are going, it's you know, it's non stop. We you know,
you know, you can cool down a halftime, put your
phone away, let's see, you know, let's let's go. This
is what we practice for. This is the moment where
we you know, where we are, who we say we are,
and you know you have to go execute in that moment.

Speaker 5 (38:22):
But it can be a lot of pressure.

Speaker 6 (38:24):
It's a you know, like I said, I used to
play club gigs for maybe fifty one hundred people the most,
and now you're playing for thirty thousand people and bring
my stereos.

Speaker 5 (38:34):
Out and it's a little bit more pressure than it was.

Speaker 6 (38:37):
But you know, to get the pats on the back,
and you know, to have people you know tell you
how much it means to them and stuff like that,
those are the moments that you know, despite how tired
you are at the end of it, it was worth it.

Speaker 1 (38:49):
Yeah, I love what we've already covered. We've covered you
got to keep the section on time. You're bringing in
nude drummers. There's the pressure of keeping everything live, keeping
everything electric within Snapdragon Skadium. What about the physical aspect
of this, Adrian, how tiring is it for you to

(39:09):
get through pre the beginning of the game, you know,
before the kickoff, to the end of the kickoff, slamming
that drum ninety plus with with everything that happens before
kickoff as well. How many times do you break your drum?
How many times do you need to replace something like? Well,
how about the physical aspect of this.

Speaker 6 (39:31):
It's a it's a marathon, you know, not just the
single game, but the whole season. You know, you can't
you can't go too hard in the beginning because the
dog day of the summer waited for you, and you
know it's you gotta keep it going, you gotta keep
it fresh, even if even if you're in first place,
even if this game doesn't have the same implications, even

(39:52):
if it's masat line and there's nothing to win, there's
it's only bragging rights, and it's only a few of us.
So you know, it's those of the days that you
really gotta, you know, pull it all together and you know,
kind of work through that. But I'm very fortunate that
you know, I have all my other travel drummers who
you know pick up.

Speaker 5 (40:10):
Slack obviously, Dale boys.

Speaker 6 (40:14):
Oliver, He's man, He's that kid's a fucking rock stars.
He he's nonstopped and he really you know, he's a
big part of what we do, and I'm really proud
to see, you know how he's become a leader for
all of us in the drum section.

Speaker 5 (40:29):
I think without him this year would be extremely difficult
for me to just manage on my own.

Speaker 6 (40:33):
But him by my team, she's everybody, every but Keema,
uh Solenia, all the everybody. I like, we've had a
really amazing group of people playing the drums this year,
and it's all come together really on the spot, and
you know, given the limitations that we have with security
and the team and stuff like that, you know.

Speaker 5 (40:54):
We've done our best with it.

Speaker 6 (40:55):
And if it wasn't for everybody else, I would be
freaking dead right now. But thankfully, you know, we have
enough people to pick up the slack always and you
know who are busting their asses to make sure these
drums are on point and we're feeling it. But you know,
you're coming down the home stretch now and playoffs are
getting closed, and so everybody kind of rejuvenates themselves and

(41:17):
then the game like this Sunday.

Speaker 5 (41:18):
None of that matters this Sunday, not of it. No
one's tired this Sunday.

Speaker 2 (41:26):
Just infinite reserves, especially LA. I mean yeah, And I'll
be honest, like sometimes I'll be like, hey, guys, before
the season, I remember I was telling you specifically and
when thirty two fifty two comes to snap Dragon Stadium,
be ready, be ready. There was always this like, hey,
like maybe because they're this, they're that, you guys put
them in their place. You guys put LAFC thirty two

(41:47):
fifty two in their place. And I'm waiting to see
you guys do it again this upcoming Sunday, and then
it'll be it'll be part of part of it. Also,
injuries to you drums, drum sticks, Well, what's where are
we at? What's what's the total? Were like, is everybody
all right? Like, look, injury bug is going through STFC. Dude,

(42:09):
I don't need to put you on the eye all.
I'll put the report breaking.

Speaker 1 (42:16):
Yeah, be careful what you tell this guy. He'll tweet
it out. But go ahead.

Speaker 6 (42:20):
I know I'm gonna last viral real quick me on
all the podcasts. No, injury wise, I think everybody's good
I'm good, still holding up very well. Just if the
kids brow the snare drum players. They're busting heads and
sticks non stop. I'm just I'm just banging the BA show.

(42:40):
It's a little bit more metal this year. But but
the kids are going crazy. They they don't they don't
have a first, first, second, third year. It's all overdrive
for them. So they're destroying stuff. But it's great. It's
it's high energy. And what was the first part of
the question.

Speaker 2 (42:59):
I mean, like if there's any other like broken drum
sticks anything, like what's what's that? What's that?

Speaker 5 (43:05):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (43:06):
You know, been like for you this section, But you know,
I'm glad that you guys are fine. Tune up the band,
get them ready.

Speaker 1 (43:12):
We're good, Alex, what you got?

Speaker 4 (43:18):
Yeah? Just if.

Speaker 3 (43:21):
What what does someone have to do? Like someone's like
seeing this, they want to get involved, they want to
be part of the drums for you guys, Like, what
what does someone have to do?

Speaker 4 (43:32):
Like who do they reach out?

Speaker 3 (43:33):
And and like yeah, like how how do they join?

Speaker 4 (43:37):
Like the whole process?

Speaker 6 (43:41):
I would say, obviously just reach out personally. You can
always reach out to front a Ultras on Instagram and
inquire there. You can also find me Bobby travel Underscore
one point thirty eight on Instagram and uh inquire there
as well. Obviously, we were limited to how many drums

(44:02):
we can have in the stadium per game, but that's
not to say that we're not always practicing with more drummers.
That's not to say that we're not always getting more
people in the reserves ready for maybe next year, maybe
for whatever it might be.

Speaker 5 (44:16):
But we're always taking more people.

Speaker 6 (44:18):
Anybody's always welcome to bring the drum out and you know, learning,
We're never gonna, you know, bully you out of there.
We're never gonna make you feel like just because you
don't know what you're doing that you can't come and learn.
Everybody starts not knowing anything. So you know, reach out,
come out. You know, I can promise it's all friendly
faces that the drum circles and you know that it's

(44:40):
really just as simple as that.

Speaker 1 (44:42):
And Poppy, uh, I feel like there might even be
an opportunity in the winter and early spring for young
drummers who maybe haven't had the opportunity to be at
Snapdragon Stadium to maybe integrate and learn in their craft.

Speaker 6 (45:03):
Yes there and this winter damn breaking news right here,
breaking news that this winter we're gonna be returning back
to Front Wave Arena supporting the San Diego Soccers with
Loruvos and that just like you're saying, that's gonna be
an amazing place to kind of get your chops and
your experience up in the stadium supporting damn get eating

(45:26):
up out here supporting soccers, you know, and and kind
of getting back to that. We kind of had a
year off over there we figure out logistics and also
trying to work out, you know, this new team, but
we were gonna be back up in North County. If

(45:46):
you're playing the drums at the practices, a great way
to get involved is to, you know, started playing the
drums the soccers games this winter.

Speaker 5 (45:53):
So that's a and the I sign up.

Speaker 6 (45:58):
You're gonna want to be a part of local You're
gonna want to be part of the soccers games this winter.

Speaker 5 (46:02):
I can promise you it's gonna be a good time.
I can promise you it's gonna be worth it.

Speaker 6 (46:06):
It's it's it's the entire city feels like it's stepped
its game up now and soccers are right there too.

Speaker 5 (46:13):
It's gonna be a good time.

Speaker 1 (46:15):
All right, last thing before we let you go, just
kind of a broad based closing question. You've been such
a part of this. I mean, I've known you for years.
You've seen the growth of it from where it was
to where it is today. What are you happiest about
for frontast? What would you still like the most to
see get better?

Speaker 5 (46:39):
My favorite? I mean, it's it's the people. The people,
is it?

Speaker 6 (46:44):
You know, the community, the every person who's out there
at that tailgate. This means something to them. It means
you know something. It means something. It means enough to
call it work. It means enough to the time to
buy the tickets, to buy the beer, to get the meat,
to bring the grill. It means enough for you to

(47:06):
make it a part of your traditions, of your family's traditions,
of you know it.

Speaker 5 (47:14):
And there's so many people here who maybe wouldn't have
been cool.

Speaker 6 (47:17):
With each other if it wasn't for this, maybe wouldn't
have a reason to have that relationship with one another.
I've seen a lot. It's brought a lot of peace
to a lot of people. It's brought a lot of
peace to the city.

Speaker 5 (47:28):
You know that.

Speaker 6 (47:28):
It's where united in a way that's different because baseball
and football in San Diego has kind of always been like, yeah,
I'm a Charger fan, but there's a lot of Raider
fans in town. Yeah I'm a popular fan, but there's
a lot of Dodger fans in town. And this doesn't
feel that way. There's not any other team highly represented
in San Diego other than League out Next teams. This

(47:51):
is the only MLS team that has representation in this city.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
So to see.

Speaker 6 (47:56):
Everybody unite behind one crest and one and you know,
one tradition and to not have it always be you know,
like you ponder your dog, Jarry, listen to that. But
just we're all San Diego f C. And that's that's
the beautiful part about it, is to see how united
everybody has become. And you know, with with how well

(48:18):
they've done this season, it only has supercharged it.

Speaker 5 (48:22):
This might have been harder to push had they not
done so well. But you know, we you know, they
shout out to the team.

Speaker 6 (48:29):
The teams you know made it, you know, made it
so that people want to watch and it's exciting them.
You know, good lord, these Mosquitos are going crazy out here.
But but It's the people, man, it's the people. Every time.

Speaker 5 (48:44):
That's you know, that's it's it can't be beat.

Speaker 6 (48:47):
I've I've made so many great relationships and friendships and
things like.

Speaker 5 (48:52):
That all over the county. We we we.

Speaker 6 (48:55):
Unintentionally destroyed the stereotype that it's only white people in
North County. It turns out there's a ae Latinos in
North County and they came out and they're a part
of the community and it's helped reshape what we're doing
up there and how we treat other parts of the county.

Speaker 5 (49:09):
And you know, it's it's cool.

Speaker 6 (49:11):
I can go on and on about how amazing the
community has been in all of this.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
Well, Adrian, you're a huge part of it, my friend,
you know, and be proud of everything that you and
everyone around you has done. And I know it's been
a village. It's been a community that has helped build
this from small to big to where it is today.
But I'm proud to call you a friend and thank
you so much for everything you have done, and thank

(49:40):
you for being great sharing here on the Chromaniacs And
this is my favorite voice of the supporter already, because
you really have given us a lot of insight as
to what it means and to how it's going.

Speaker 6 (49:54):
Hey, thank you, guys. I appreciate you know you guys
letting me on. I'd like the podcast. I'm listening to everyone. Hey, quick, quick,
shout out to all the travels, all the travas, South Bay,
North County seven six, so all the front up people's
dago boys, anybody I do Anybody I forgot, I'm sorry.

Speaker 1 (50:15):
Don't forget the locals. We're still out of here. We're ready.

Speaker 5 (50:19):
I can forget the locals. Come on a drinking beaver.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
Exactly all right, my friend, enjoy go inside, uh, get
out of the bite zone right now. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
We didn't take care of be safe man, Thank you,
thank you.

Speaker 4 (50:42):
Salu salute.

Speaker 1 (50:45):
That is Adrian, And I think that right there is
an arrow right through the heart of what it means
to be a supporter.

Speaker 5 (50:54):
Guys.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
If there's an individual that I've come across in these
travels that just person five and really gets like San
Diego over everything, it's that guy Poppy Chavel like SD
over everything at all times. And in this city little
project that I have sunthing go football, that's the impetus.
It's just San Diego over everything. I don't care what

(51:16):
it is and what the name of the team is.
If it's San Diego in front, do well represent the
city well. And that's one guy that's doing it day in,
day out and being themselves. So more of that, please
across San Diego.

Speaker 3 (51:31):
Yeah, I agree, And yeah, I can't wait to hear
more people on the Voice of the supporters because yeah,
that's another great guest that we had and we just yeah,
we love to hear from everybody.

Speaker 1 (51:44):
It's so true. So hey, listen, folks in the Purple lot,
help us out, help me, help you. You know, Let's
let's keep this rolling. Let's keep this conversation going, because
to me.

Speaker 5 (51:55):
This is.

Speaker 1 (51:57):
This is the stuff that like gives me goose bumps
and gets me emotional and gets me all up in
my feelings. Is the idea of true community of people
helping people, of people working together and having the commonality
of enjoyment of you know, supporting this club, and whether

(52:17):
whether the club is perfect or imperfect, we can perfectly
come together and do these things. So super super cool.
All right, let's wrap things up and talk about a
huge match. San Diego FC LAFC Labor Day weekend, so

(52:40):
they decided to give us the big fu. There it
is on the screen. If you're watching YouTube seven forty
five pm on a Sunday night, like okay, okay, Sunday,
Sunday's Monday Night football. I don't even get to watch Andy.

(53:01):
I have to stop sixty minutes to go over to
the match. I don't understand. No, I mean, come on,
it's ridiculously late. It's like literally number one on the
reason why I'm not on the bus on Sunday to
be a supporter there myself. But that said, in that aside,

(53:24):
and there will not be a Sunday night Chromaniacs postgame
show because it would be like at midnight or whatever.
We will probably do what we did a couple of
weeks ago and do a San Diego Punto Football crossover
on Monday to cover it. But boys, six matches remaining.
But to me, this is the match.

Speaker 2 (53:47):
This is it.

Speaker 1 (53:49):
This is the one I've been waiting for since I
first was in the thirty two to fifty two myself
in June of twenty nineteen. This is the opportunity to
be at Fourbly the Bank now Bemo Stadium to see LAFC,
the previously best expansion club ever and San Diego FC,

(54:11):
the club that wants to be the best expansion club ever.
The first time these two teams met, it was three
to two SDFC at home. It was also a very
very scary match. Bowenga just missing at the end is
something that is still seared into my long term memory.
And I am sure with Sonny in tow and with

(54:34):
everything else, that LAFC is single minded about delivering three
points to their club on Sunday night. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (54:45):
Yeah, it's a huge one. And for us, what we
have to realize is like this is an.

Speaker 3 (54:51):
Opportunity to push LAFC down in the standings as far
away from us in first place as possible, and uh yeah,
this is the first opportunity to do that. We can
pick up some points here.

Speaker 4 (55:10):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (55:10):
Like l a FC has really revamped their their roster.
They've they've brought in all up like six six players already, yeah,
and they got some players out almost the same amount,
and it just yeah, it just seems like they really
needed to retool to really be competitive in in this conference.

(55:35):
I know, we're we're up, you know, in first place
right now, they still have a few games in hand
that they can potentially catch up to us, but we
we have to do everything like in our power and
it starts Sunday to pick up more points than they can.
And man, yeah, it's a it's a big night. It's

(55:59):
gonna be starts, studded, It's gonna be everything you think
of when it comes to LA, right, La La lanne.
The stars are coming out. It's gonna be packed all
the things that come with LA. So yeah, it just
seems like this is the match that can determine a
lot of things for the.

Speaker 4 (56:21):
End of the season.

Speaker 3 (56:22):
So can Sandiego FC pick up eight point on Sunday
is going to be the big question or more.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Not just a point. They're currently four and oh versus
California teams two and O against LA Galaxy one in
oh against LAFC. You're at home. But as you mentioned, Craig,
this is the one where it's like, all right, what
are you made of? What is Sandigo FC really made of?

(56:53):
They've gone through a season, they've gone through showcasing this
play style and being the new kids in town and
being shocking, Like the shock effect has worn off in
terms of there's not really a surprise with Sandy UFC,
you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
And if you throw a fit, guess what They're gonna
score behind and you're gonna lose. SALIFC is in now

(57:14):
prime position to strike, and you can clearly see the
intentions of them wanting to go deep into playoffs. Hu
ming Son alone is a game changer. We sometimes I'll
watch different sports and be like, yeah, no, that individual
like basketball, right, there's only how many of them are
in basketball? In the Florista time five five. I was

(57:37):
watching the Big Three. That's why it's.

Speaker 1 (57:39):
Three fair three there five five for the for the
recognized canonical sports.

Speaker 2 (57:46):
Yeah, and you know that's one of the things in
soccer where it's like, well, how good is the best
player in the world in a team of eleven. He
can't play defense, he can't play goalkeeper, he can't play
he's one position. But there are a few players that
can really just turn things around. Huming Son is one
of them. The player that could have stayed in Europe,

(58:06):
that player that could have gone anywhere in the world
at his level, but he chose LAFC. LAFC loves him.
They're going crazy for him. He has a support of
the of the city. Korea Town is just out. Just
they actually had a Korean player before huming Son, and
he was a cult hero. Now they have a literal

(58:30):
demigod of soccer and just it's it's k Pop times
a thousand in soccer and it's Otani.

Speaker 1 (58:37):
It's Otani for one.

Speaker 2 (58:41):
And the thing about is that Otani, as you know,
is a really good player, and so is huming Son.
And he's been playing. He scored a great free kick away.
This is his homecoming, his first game. Every camera, every
eye is on his every movement. But guess what, there
are nine other people that are on that field, that

(59:03):
are their teammates that would love to sneak in a
goal because there's so much attention on huming Song, because
there's so much emphasis on do not let him score,
do not let him destroy you, do not let Luka
Bombino be exposed by huming Son or depending where you
want to play him, just these young back line defenders.

(59:23):
That's what worries me in this match. For Sandy UFC,
it's the inexperience of the back line. Regardless of how
he presents it, there's going to be an inexperience somewhere
in that back line and can San Diego FC just
whether that Storm wu Wanga and Huming Song on the
same team. That's tough for elite MLS defending let alone

(59:45):
somebody and who's trying to prove himself, somebody who's young,
somebody who's committed a lot of errors already on film.
That's going to be the crux to see what the
result is here in Bemo Stadium.

Speaker 1 (59:58):
Alex As a Spurs fan yourself, what you are deeply
familiar with Sonny? What do you think Sonny is bringing
on Sunday night?

Speaker 4 (01:00:10):
Well, the number.

Speaker 3 (01:00:12):
The first thing is that son is going from a
left winger position and now he's playing a nine, which
he hasn't really done full time since twenty twenty three.
I was actually in London and I got to see
him play the nine and I saw him score a
pretty fantastic goal that it was almost similar to the

(01:00:34):
free kick where he just picked his spot and shot
and scored.

Speaker 4 (01:00:38):
It was like the same thing.

Speaker 3 (01:00:38):
He was like, I'm going to attack that right corner
and it's going to.

Speaker 4 (01:00:43):
Go in like a missile. And that's the thing that
Sun can do.

Speaker 3 (01:00:47):
He can pick where he wants to take the ball
and just shoot it. It's that plus his ability to dribble.
He can still move the ball really well with his feet.
He knows how to create space. It's just it can
be a handful for just your typical MLS defender, let

(01:01:09):
alone a young mano Doua who might be just a
little bit out of his element. I wonder if if
you let man Oduas sit this out and you put
Patty mcdrein because you want the experience.

Speaker 4 (01:01:27):
I just I don't know if I don't this might.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
Be a little too much for Doua because he can
he can really take advantage of that inexperience and it's
just gonna be any And that's the thing. It could
be anywhere in the box, within the area he's gonna
be able to shoot it. And I don't, I don't
know if you want to just have Dua out there,
or you bring in someone with a little championship level

(01:01:52):
experience from the premier league that can that could maybe
have a better chance at.

Speaker 1 (01:01:57):
Sun Tony from a health and fitness standpoint, is Patty
an option in the manner that Tony that Alex suggests.

Speaker 2 (01:02:07):
Patty will be an option coming in. If nothing's changed
in training this week, he should be able to at
least start the game. And that's something that we've seen
from head coach Mikey about us. If he has forty
five minutes in him, he will start Patty McNair and
if he can go no longer, he'll then switch as
he had early this season with an Ian Pilcher or

(01:02:27):
perhaps now Manudua. So I think that's something that we
can definitely see, is the return of Chris McVay and
Patty McNair in that back line. Interestingly enough, too, Negady
hasn't been playing bad. So do you throw Negady on there?
Do you add that offensive firepower? Slow things down a
little bit in the back line, But you do get experienced,

(01:02:50):
You get a player who has been in big matches,
big MLS games. This is a big MLS game. Is
that something you considered? Then you ro Bombino over on
the right hand side. You know these are the I'm
glad I'm not Mike you about us right now. I'm
glad I'm making that decision. But this is something that
you have to consider because again this is scary for

(01:03:14):
Sandy UFC that triumvirate up top is frightening just to anybody.
But that's something that I can see Patty McNair starting
the first forty five in this game.

Speaker 1 (01:03:31):
Hey, you know, if this was Minnesota's roster, I would say, like,
this is the team to beat, this is the team
you really have to look out for, and this is
a real test. Then you put San Diego La on
top of it, and you put the nature of SGFC
as an expansion debutante taking the world by storm, and

(01:03:55):
how that was lafc's thing, Like, no, no, no, we
were the debut taught team that took the league by storm.
You can't take all of our records and all of
our numbers and all of our reputation. And then you
layer on top of it the actual MLS table, the
time remaining, and this is lafc's match of the year,

(01:04:19):
This is their match of the year. LAFC must get
all three in this match. Anything short, anything short. It's
a bit of an indictment on LAFC on the Black
and Gold, and it's a bit of a shine on

(01:04:41):
the star of Los Kromatos to say that this is
a club that could win MLS Cup, like straight up
if SGFC gets three points Sunday, that's a cup winning
statement by Los Kromatos one.

Speaker 3 (01:04:57):
Yeah, I have to agree with that because it just
it gives you so much momentum and I I feel
like there there's, uh, there is a chance for this
team to do well.

Speaker 4 (01:05:09):
I mean, they played.

Speaker 3 (01:05:10):
Very well for a good half the the first time
they saw saw l a FC. Yes, there were some
mistakes in that half, but still like they they got
three three goals in that first half, and that was
without Trucky.

Speaker 4 (01:05:26):
That was a team that was the.

Speaker 3 (01:05:28):
Team playing to start off that game without Truky, and
they had to do it with other pieces and they
they got it done.

Speaker 4 (01:05:36):
And now you're bringing in a semi what.

Speaker 3 (01:05:42):
Chucky Losano ninety percent maybe uh not fully charged Chucky Losano,
but still he's gonna be on the field, and I
give them a really good chance, especially if you got
Chucky and Dryer and hope, hopefully they can come up
with a good connection and we'll see who who's gonna
play the nine, because that's always a question mark for

(01:06:05):
each week with the Cromaniacs.

Speaker 2 (01:06:07):
Here, let's look at the tail of the tape. San
Diego FC's lineup against lafc here at home showcases, Alex
Miighten on the left because Losano was out, only Lacati
up top because we just didn't know. Hey, look still
on the bench. But you see negative on the left
right there again that experience, it was a big match.

(01:06:28):
There weren't a lot of injuries. Uh teams on the
mend and then over on the right. Obviously Loftson no
longer in the squad. You throwing Bombino in there. But
I can definitely see where this can potentially be the
starting lineup. Maybe switch Va Lacati for Godoy and then
you switch somebody up top and then Choky Asano's to
the left. But I can see this being the plan

(01:06:50):
moving forward for Mikey Vadas on Sunday, I'll.

Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
Be very curious to see if Baird is available because
he came out and of the first half with an injury.
If he's available, I'd like to see him back in
the lineup for San Diego FC if he's partially nicked
and can be a second half substitute, and Valakari starts
or on health starts, probably Bellacari all the better. Fine, cool, great,

(01:07:19):
But that is an interesting question, and you had already
answered the question before, Like to me, it's McNair and
Negri like you go full veteran here, you lay out
your most veteran, most experienced lineup because it's something and
it's something real to play in front of the thirty

(01:07:39):
two to fifty two. It's this is one of the
great great road environments and Portland still to come is
another in the Western Conference. But I'd say those are
probably one two. You know, a STFC wants to be
on the podium for the best experience in the Western Conference,

(01:08:00):
and so any result to me is incredible. On Sunday,
all the dominoes are aligned for LAFC to win in
any manner to nothing to one, you would hope not
something ugly and question asking like four nothing or five

(01:08:21):
to one or something like that. But you know, any
common dub for LAFC is what's written in the stars. Essentially,
this is a game they're supposed to win. So with everything,
with all the narratives, everything, this is supposed to be
the one that leads the Monday MLS column. Of like,

(01:08:41):
LAFC made a stand, they stood their ground, they got
three points at demo. They told those upstart kids you know,
because in that column they call them those Ninos. They
told those Ninos you know what's what? You know, who's
who's the parent and who's the kid. All of that
is waiting, It's already ready to be Just click send,

(01:09:03):
add the goal scorers and click send in a lot
of MLS boxes, uh this weekend boys. But if SDFC
gets a point god forbid three out of Bemos Stadium,
that changes everything.

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
You know, it would be funny. And this is one
narrative that I know people haven't been talking about, really
thinking about. There's two former LAFC players. One is look
at the being on loan with option to buy. S
CFC's gonna take that option. Wouldn't it be something if
the hero for San Diego FC ends up being one
Tomasankele coming off the bench and just giving SDFC that

(01:09:47):
victory two to one in the eighty eighth minute, SANDFC win,
Thank you Tomas Ankele, and everything is forgiven.

Speaker 4 (01:09:57):
That'd be huge. I mean.

Speaker 3 (01:10:01):
Yeah, you would rip the hearts out of every LAFC
bet in that building.

Speaker 4 (01:10:06):
Like this guy. We saw this guy play.

Speaker 2 (01:10:10):
He wasn't good.

Speaker 4 (01:10:11):
That's why we shipped him off to San Diego and
he he scores a game winner. Amazing. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:10:19):
Oh, I like how you're thinking, whether it's magical thinking
or not. I like the spell, so consider me spell
down all right, last thing before we go, and you
guys were right in the heart of breaking and bringing
this story to the light Tony. But we were just
talking to Adrian. He's going to be on the supporters bus.

(01:10:40):
Alex is going to be on the supporters bus to
be up there at Bemo Stadium on Sunday. There was
a deal between the clubs, just like there's a deal
the other way when when LAFC brings the thirty two
fifty two down to the snap in terms of supporters
tickets and ingress, egress and everything. I'll tell us please,

(01:11:02):
how did LAFC fuck over SDFC and their supporters and
how did SDFC ride to the rescue to make everything right?
All right?

Speaker 2 (01:11:13):
So hopefully I can be there pending credentials on Sunday.
I don't know if LAFC is happy with sandel punto
football and what we are kind of uncovered, but essentially
it came down through a couple of different sources that
back in March twenty twenty five, when SANDYFC gave LAFC

(01:11:33):
six hundred tickets for thirty to fifty two to come
in MLS requires a one hundred tickets to be made
available for an away section at minimum. So hey, you
know what, we're gonna go ahead and be pals, be friends.
Let's make the steal six hundred for US, six hundred
for you. And so those six hundred are at a
discounted price because there are supporters, and that's kind of

(01:11:55):
like the deal that goes with any of these teams.
What ended up happening was about ten to fifteen days ago,
LAFC let San Diego FC know that they would only
be providing two hundred and fifty tickets, not six hundred,
which obviously is not the deal that was agreed for.

(01:12:15):
The ticket prices were then set between two hundred and
three hundred dollars per ticket. From there, are you kidding me?

Speaker 1 (01:12:26):
That's they're supposed to be like twenty bucks or whatever?

Speaker 2 (01:12:29):
Two hundred to three hundred dollars per supporter ticket, which
should be the worst tickets available for for that you know,
you don't want to make them too comfortable at your house.
From that, LAFC May. Obviously the decision to increase prices
because of song Human's first home debut match, and so

(01:12:51):
with that LAFC going back and forth with the club.
Then LAFC was like, fine, will give you six hundred tickets.
It's at that price. Here are there six hundred tickets,
but you're still going to have to pay this pro
rated price. From there, it was definitely much higher than SANDYFC,

(01:13:11):
and LAFC agreed it was an s show. From there,
the club, San Diego FC stepped up and said, we
will cover the difference between what LAFC is asking, and
we're going to go ahead and give the price and
just make sure that every single one of those six

(01:13:33):
hundred tickets are honored and there will be about six
hundred San Diego FC supporters in the away section. This
was softly confirmed by sporting director Tyler Heaps on a
midday radio show. So you know, obviously you can't right
out say like, oh, that's very true, but essentially that's

(01:13:55):
what happened here, a deal that was made. Obviously different
circumstances is but San Diego, San Diego FC fans, we're
not happy. MLS fans across MLS were pointing to LAFC
of like, this is the problem with a lot of
these things. Messy comes into town. That's why people buy
season tickets so they can sell them at a higher

(01:14:17):
price instead of going to watch literally the greatest of
all time do his thing. But this is again LAFC
being maybe petty, maybe being opportunistic, maybe being a little
bit of both, but ultimately a good story here is
San Diego FC stepped up for their fans, put the

(01:14:39):
money where their mouth is, and they will have around
six hundred people extra supercharged for Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:14:50):
And just to add to that, I'm I was one
of those people that bought one of those tickets, and
I didn't hear anything from anybody like what was going on.
I was like, I was just interested in, like, hey,
I haven't had my I don't see my ticket in
my Ticketmaster account yet.

Speaker 4 (01:15:08):
What's going on?

Speaker 3 (01:15:10):
But I didn't hear anything was going on with San
DIUFC like talking to like the supporter like US supporter
groups and saying, hey, we got to raise the price.

Speaker 4 (01:15:22):
None of that happened. I don't believe. I think they
just took care of them themselves, which is great. And
if I'm.

Speaker 3 (01:15:29):
Tom Penn, I next year or or if we see
them in the in the playoffs, I'm telling the l
a FC like, oh, hey, these little supporter sections you
guys want, Yeah, that's gonna go up a little bit
for this year. And yeah and you guys go figure

(01:15:49):
out with your supporters group.

Speaker 4 (01:15:50):
How how you guys are gonna pay.

Speaker 3 (01:15:51):
But they're gonna be another two to three hundred bucks
because dude, LAFC wants to play stupid games. They're gonna
win stupid prizes like don't don't back out of a
handshake deal like that.

Speaker 4 (01:16:05):
That's just stupid.

Speaker 1 (01:16:09):
Kudos to STFC, Kudos to Tom Penn, Kudos to the
front office. If Jerry had anything to do with it,
Kudos to Jerry. Happy birthday to Jerry. Amazing, what a
shit show, how unsurprising, how unsurprising that LAFC would turn

(01:16:33):
around and turn the screw. And by the way, not
for nothing, Sonny only gets one debut. So for all
the big money owners and backers of LAFC, I get
why the meeting was taken, I get why the presentation

(01:16:53):
was made, and I get why the change was made
because I guarantee you that there was a guy We're
going to make the most money we can this one day,
and that's the not that no one's gonna want to
see Sonny another day, but this is the day. There's
a singularity to this event. So I understand from the

(01:17:16):
business side, but it's bullshit, supporters. You made a deal.
You made a deal, so just honor a deal. Don't
be dicks. Honor a deal. You made a deal. Honor
a deal. Okay, now we've had our quid pro quo.
We did right by you. You screwed us. SDFC made
up the money. That's a lot of money. Yeah, that's

(01:17:41):
a lot of money. That's that's six hundred tickets, one
hundred and fifty ish for three hundred and fifty of
those tickets. That it's a lot of money. That's an
expense that the club just incurred that they didn't anticipate.

(01:18:02):
It wasn't in the budget to do that. So that's
the end of ticket deals, is what I would say.
That's the end of ticket deals or the next ticket
deal you start. LFC like reading to see it from
your side before you get it from our side, because
I don't like the idea of playing price wars and

(01:18:26):
ending competing supporter sections. I like the idea of seeing
the thirty two fifty two or the Angel City Brigade,
you know, and Fronterra SD doing their musical battle, not
a physical battle keep the belts in the loops, but

(01:18:46):
a metaphorical a musical battle, a battle of the bands,
so to speak. I like that. I think it's important.
I think it's a huge part of what makes the
rivalry special. I think it's a huge part of what
could turn a casual in to a lifelong fan. So
I want all of it to happen, and I don't
want clubs to be dicks along the way to try

(01:19:08):
and prioritize money over the supporter experience. And when they do,
we're gonna call you out. So LFC, that's why you
don't deserve three points on Sunday is because you decided
to be dickish. And that's hope soccer karma catches you.
And well done Tom Penn and friends for footing the bill.

Speaker 2 (01:19:29):
Yeah, one hundred percent. One special thing about this, too
is those six hundred tickets are paper tickets, So I
believe you're gonna have a little school, little souvenir. And
because of this I may be persona non grata, may
not be. You know, I'm still waiting. Three days before
the game is usually when they start telling you yes

(01:19:50):
or no. If I can't, I might just smuggle myself
with you guys up there, and you know what, we'll
see we'll see what happens and uh it well, it'll
be a good time and I'll just do uh some
gonzo journalism within frontea San Diego, and uh we'll see
how what happens, because again San Diego, where we're over everything,

(01:20:13):
especially especially.

Speaker 1 (01:20:14):
All right, boys, let's put a pin on it right there.
What a night, What a great episode of the Commanding Acts,
episode number fourteen.

Speaker 7 (01:20:25):
We're teenagers now and we're ye feeling better in our
bodies everything, all right, Alex.

Speaker 1 (01:20:36):
Tell everybody what's going on with Romantic Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:20:39):
I have a b outrow. We'll talk more about.

Speaker 3 (01:20:46):
And but you know, one thing I like about probably
the only thing I like about sub sec is if
you sign up, you get you know, put your email addressed.
It get goes right to your inbox. So if you
want to do that, sign up up, it goes right
to your inbox. And that's at Chromatic FC.

Speaker 4 (01:21:05):
And substuct.

Speaker 1 (01:21:08):
And Tony the burgeoning empire that is San Diego Punto
Football was just enjoying wave Wednesday. By the way, I
was watching that earlier this morning, like checking out all
your guys breakdown. What's going on over there? What's going
on with you kooky kids?

Speaker 4 (01:21:27):
Well, I mean on.

Speaker 2 (01:21:28):
The other podcast you ball to the mic. We're approaching
three hundred, so we're trying to see if we can
do some giveaways, some signed jerseys. I think we've deserved it. Hey,
give us some stuff to give for our listeners even here.
Let's go ahead and do that. But as far as
content tomorrow, media availability, Aniwa Godoi honors Dryer, Mikey Vadas
ahead of LAFC San Diego, put the football YouTube, the website.

(01:21:51):
Check it out.

Speaker 1 (01:21:52):
Craig Well, I'm an independent podcaster who does a whole
bunch of things. You can support me at hot tub our, Patreon, Patreon,
dot com, slash padres hot tub That's what we do. Today.
I did a solo group therapy show with dozens of
our patrons for an hour, answering their questions, some of

(01:22:13):
them cool, some of them wild and wacky. Patreon dot com,
slash padres hot Tub. By the way, you can also
go to padres hoot tub dot com slash merch if
you'd like to pick up this snazzy fifteen ounce coffee cup.
Baseball is stupid and no one should watch soccer fans
agreat but the Padres tub mug is available at padres

(01:22:39):
hot tub dot com. Of course, support us like subscribe
and uh. Last thing for me is Crossing Streams, my
television streaming podcast with Chris reid Ken Garton on our
latest episode reviewing Alien Earth and also talking about a
show that I do recommend, Apple TV plus Smoke Pretty

(01:23:00):
dang good.

Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
It's good.

Speaker 1 (01:23:01):
Check it out. We talk about it there. So you
can find all of those shows. Follow me on Instagram
at six one nine Sports in Life if you want
to see highlights from the concert I went to last
night with the Pixies and Spoon. I put up a
whole bunch of clips. You can find me there. All right,
that's it for episode fourteen of the Chrome Aniacs. For
Tony Sanchez, Alex Pana, I'm Craig Elston. Thank you so

(01:23:24):
much for watching. We really truly do appreciate it, and
for listening and momos sdfc