#6: SDFC's Summer Sun Run Continues--Interviews with Dreyer, McVey and Varas--Houston Dynamo Preview

It's summer in San Diego, SDFC is #1 in the Western Conference and perfect on a three-match road trip, Anders Dreyer is an MVP candidate, and the stadium atmosphere is vibrant and rocking. What more could a San Diego soccer fan ask for? 

On this week's episode of the Chromaniacs, Craig Elsten, Tony Sanchez and Alex Peña look back at a magical comeback in the heat at FC Dallas. What should the nickname be for the three-headed-attack of Chucky Lozano, Milan Iloski and Anders Dreyer? Take a moment to reflect on where this expansion team is today, now. 

Then, Tony visited SDFC training grounds to bring back interviews with newly contract-extended center back Christopher McVey, MLS MVP favorite Anders Dreyer, and head coach Mikey Varas. 

In "Voice of the Supporter", @terriblesdfcmemes joins us to tell us about being a member of The Riptides, what lured him to supporter culture and how the north section continues to grow together.

The guys wrap up with a look ahead to Saturday night's home match against Houston Dynamo. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Welcome to the Cromaniacs. Everybody, Episode number six is live
and on the air, your weekly podcast talking everything San Diego,
e FC and MLS. My name is Craig Elston, joined
by Tony Sanchez and Alex Bania once again for another
trip around the bitch. Tony, how are you, my friend?

Speaker 2 (00:54):
I am really good. Got out of training earlier today.

Speaker 3 (00:57):
Talk with Honors Dryers McVay extension he coach Mikey Batas
about what's coming up here and what was like after
a long road trip for them.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Can't wait to hear those interviews coming up as Chromaniacs
Episode six continues. Alex Paana, what's new?

Speaker 4 (01:17):
Oh man? It is summertime in San Diego and it's
the living is easy if you're a CENIUFC fan. So
I'm excited to talk to you guys about the last match,
what's coming up, and we have a three day weekend
upon us, so it's gonna be a very fun weekend
for all of us, Sandy UFC fans.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Well, Hey, for any early adopters who are listening to
us on Thursday night, thank you, but otherwise you're probably
interacting with the show. On the fourth of July, so
happy fourth to you, Happy Independence Day. Hope you're staying safe,
Hope you're doing what you want to do with family, friends,
so on and so forth. And of course the next day, Saturday,
the fifth SDFC Back at Home taken on the Houston

(02:01):
Dynamo of July, filled with SDFC home matches. Will it
be filled with points and joy and celebration and goals
and excitement like it like the month of June was.
We just gotta stay tuned and find out. Here's what's
coming up on episode six of the Cromaniacs, We're gonna review, honestly,
just another banger. SDFC comes from behind, gets all three

(02:26):
points in Dallas, three to victory. Chucky arrives. Dryer on
how the hero Atlatsky gets an assist. We're gonna talk
about it. I mean, this team just continues to roll,
the good times continue to roll. We'll go through it.
We'll talk about a new contract extension for a key
man in the back as McVeagh gets locked up for

(02:48):
a couple of years to come. As Tony mentioned. Interviews
from the SDFC training pitch with Mikey vanas with McVeigh
with Dryer is Andres Tryer, the MVP of him this year.
Is he actually gonna be MLS MVP will talk about
it in our Voice of the Supporters section. We are

(03:08):
thrilled to get this really going in earnest. Now get
supporters voices on Chromaniacs. We're gonna be joined by the
man known as Terrible SDFC Memes. Memes joins us on
Voice of the Supporters and we'll find out what's going on.
He is member of the Riptides, which I believe, by

(03:29):
body count is the biggest supporters group. Is that right,
mister Sanchez. I do believe you and the one who
told me that, Yeah, I believe so.

Speaker 3 (03:38):
Once upon a time, even just official like you know
how that goes the official members and then everybody else
who's just kind of got out of the ticket as
well and just kind of selected a box. But they've
been out here, they've been part of the beginning stages.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Of STFC, So shout out to them. They're excited for that.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, so we'll chat to Brandon and also just you know,
get everyone ready for Saturday's Purple Lot tailgate and for
all the fun that is still to come, and of
course we will wrap things up by issuing a preview
of that Saturday night match San Diego FC Houston Dynamo,
continuing to try and dominate the state of Texas, which

(04:16):
just feels good every time it happens. We are still
a young podcast gang, available on YouTube, available on every
podcast platform. If you're watching us on YouTube, but you
generally interact with your podcasts via your Apple podcast app
or Spotify or whatnot, go ahead subscribe to us on

(04:36):
the audio platform as well. For everyone who's watching us
on YouTube, thank you so much that thumbs up button,
it's right there, a nice little comment below. Engagement drives
the algorithm, and we would like to drive more people
each episode. I can tell you each episode, the audience
is finding us, The numbers are growing. Things are getting
bigger and better each and every week. So every way

(04:58):
that you can help us along the way, whether it's
a simple rate a review, telling your SDFC friend, hey,
have you listened to Chromaniacs yet? Did you know there's
a podcast going on that's not just the official line
but is a fan driven podcast, like please share the word,
tell a friend we think you. Okay, very short hasskeeping,

(05:21):
very short housekeeping. Let's get to it boys were you know,
we were in the group chat. We were texting on
Saturday night as SDFC headed down to Frisco, to the
DFW area and to the site of the National Soccer
Hall of Fame for San Diego FC and FC Dallas

(05:44):
And before we even get into the match, how jarring
was it for you? Because for me personally, it was
jarring to see SDFC on the road playing an MLS
match and seeing an entire side of the field. And
I've talked to some people there. I've got an explanation
for it. But an entire side of the field, the

(06:05):
fifty yard line, the forty yard line, like the prime
seats in the house, tarpauland a la covid, you know,
giving sponsors this. Look at that, and then think about
snap Dragon Stadium, think about the atmosphere you get every
week in San Diego. And then I look at this,

(06:27):
an established team FC Dallas, and they've got an announced
crowd of eleven thousand, and they've got some of the
most important, high priced seats in the entire stadium zipped up.
Can't even buy them because no one would buy them.
And my understanding is that's because the way the field

(06:47):
is designed, those sections are baking in the sun, baking
in the Texas heat, completely exposed. The sunset is hitting
them in the eyes as kickoff hits. So it's kind
of an impossible seat for both heat exposure and view.
But like cool stadium bros. Put like your eight highest

(07:10):
price sections are completely unusable due to your shitty stadium
and weather and everything else. Like, guys, how good do
we have it to be here in America's finest city
with incredible weather and an actual stadium and actual fans
and not this.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
Go for it, Alex.

Speaker 4 (07:31):
It's great that we have, you know, something that's a
little bit newer and and it does give you that
that you know, surrounds you in a good atmosphere. I've
been in seats like that. Like how what you just explain?
If you sit in the wrong section at the Galaxy

(07:51):
Home Stadium. Yeah, you're baking out there, and I can
I can't imagine how that would feel like in the
middle of Texas on a hot summer's day. Yeah, I wouldn't.
I wouldn't want to be in that either. What about you, Tony?

Speaker 3 (08:09):
I mean, it's a testament right to San Diego and
just we always hear about, Hey, look, the biggest viewership
of soccer in the World Cup is San Diego.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Per cap it up, up, up up, like to Soccer City.

Speaker 3 (08:21):
We've been knowing this and that's a testament to the
entire region where the official number in this ninety one
degree sunny day in the middle of Texas, eleven thousand
and four was the official number over there. Right again,
I know this is the San Diego FC podcast, but
we do.

Speaker 2 (08:40):
It's shared space with San Diego.

Speaker 3 (08:42):
Wave Sandy Waves averaging thirteen thousand this season, and it's
the worst season at tenance wise, So just again put
perspective in all of this. San Diego f C is
also in the upper echelon of attendance in terms of
just average game after game after game, obviously some gamesmanship
and in the final number, uh, just people who have

(09:03):
been there and then just have maybe heard in sports.
By the way, again, shout out soccers who always announced
butts and seats.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
I know, Craig, you're very proud of that.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
Just a thing there, but at the end of the day,
like it's it's a great spectacle to be able to
see this, and it's it's something else too, of.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
Like, did nobody want to see Tuquilos?

Speaker 3 (09:23):
Like did nobody want does does nobody want to see
the number one newest hottest team in the league? Like
like I understand Addy two degrees fans, Dallas is desperate
to get a victory and they haven't been doing so well.
But I mean, you just give these tickets away and
I don't think people would go either way. It's just
a real reflection of MLS in general who have been

(09:45):
here for a while, and hopefully not something that SANDYGFC
can look to the future and be like, ooh, this
can potentially also happen here, and yeah, I mean, I'm
very fortunate to be here in San Diego, right, Craig, I.

Speaker 1 (09:57):
Mean absolutely, And of course we don't know, but me
maybe there was a Dallas Cowboys free agent signing rumor
on Saturday, and I mean that could have just personally
taken twenty five thousand people away from the stadium and
back to DFW sports talk radio. But when you're in
an impacted market like that, it's tough for an MLS

(10:18):
team to find their bandwidth. And San Diego FC will
not have that problem in the city of San Diego,
where the Podres have almost maximized their fan base, and
then there's everybody else, you know, And I think, week
by week, month by month, you're seeing the people of
San Diego rally around this club, and the club is

(10:39):
doing the best possible thing they could do to rally
the fans around them, which is be the best score
a bunch of goals, win all the time, go to
first place in the conference, wake up on Monday morning.
Number one in MLS Power rankings on the MLS website.
Like I mean, I feel like each week are our

(11:02):
level of wonder has grown for SDFC to the point
where we're almost getting for me, a lifelong San Diego
sports fan, to the point of fear, like, oh, are
we now expected to win the supporter Shield?

Speaker 5 (11:20):
Is?

Speaker 1 (11:20):
Does Dryer have to be m VP if we lose
in the first round? Is this a nightmare? Is Nate
Cating gonna bring out the goal glowing ball for a
playoff match?

Speaker 4 (11:31):
Like, you know, help me?

Speaker 1 (11:34):
They're doing too well.

Speaker 3 (11:36):
I'm scared, cursed imagery there just Nake Cating missing the stand.
Uh just not able to get it on there?

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Oh man, no, it's it's it's a good reality.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
And the and the players know that too, and you know,
that's kind of something that I spoke with head coach
Mikey Bonis about was just like, hey, like, there's this
expectation now where it wasn't. We spoke with him preseason
about like, hey, if we make playoffs, so we're fighting
for playoffs, it's a great place to be. But now
you readjust with new data with where you're at at

(12:15):
this point in the season, even at the most monumental
collapse and they're still fighting for playoffs. Yeah, you got
a taste of what first place was, but you still
have to take that twenty thousand foot view of like, well,
you know, they still made playoffs. It's successful inaugural season,
but we're talking the greatest of all time inaugural teams
at this point. There's nothing like the oil water has

(12:37):
separated between okay, good inaugural team to like you're moving
into the elite of those.

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Yeah, Tony, I think I mentioned it last week about
the you know, the win the must wins for faction
club and the most points for an expansion club. I
even said it in stone and wrote it on my
substack in the recap uh for for Tuesday, and yeah,

(13:03):
That's how confident I feel about this club that they're
going to continue to keep winning, They're going to reach
these milestones. And we shouldn't have that that skepticism that
we have in San Diego that this is this is
all just going to fall apart. Uh there. It would
be a total catastrophic disaster if this were to just

(13:30):
end up we missing the playoffs. We just don't have
enough points to reach any of these other milestones. I
think this team is for real and and we're seeing
it with with each week, with with each win, with
each moment that this is is this is looking like

(13:50):
a complete team here.

Speaker 3 (13:52):
There's one way I think this doesn't happen. Greg, and
I don't know what your thought of this is, but
some news came down today of two elements, two players
they will not be returning this season, right, Andre is
who sure? Sure at this point, sure you can throw
away the piece of paper.

Speaker 4 (14:10):
Now, yeah, the bit's over, literally that'll that'll it's.

Speaker 3 (14:17):
But then about right, that's another midfield player that that
goes down. You try Monodua against FC Dallas, who makes
a critical mistake that leads into a goal that again
as DFC is able to move past. But uh, it's
that depth that I think we're talking. We're like, in
a catastrophic scenario, what can it be? And that's the
easiest thing to point at. Can this team last? Can

(14:38):
this team bring depth into the team, and only that
there's hasn't been an outside player who hasn't been with
the squad since they started, So putting in a player
to fit the chemistry has to be incredibly important as well,
whether or not he's a starter, whether he's not, he's
he's a rotation player as well.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
Looking at Saturday's game, and of course we're several days back,
so we don't have to go into a you know,
a minute by minute recap, but you mentioned Alvarado out
Mono Dua in. As a result, Dua makes a simple
rookie mistake. He a blind pass back. I've seen it
so many times in the indoor game. Somebody new to

(15:17):
the soccers and just makes one little mistake turns into
a goal and then they can never find the field again,
you know, And Monodua got subbed out, of course, you know,
at the end of the first half, Thomas an Hell
got subbed in, and Thomas on Hell winds up being
a hero. You know, this is the kind of thing
that for a young man playing in heat on the road,
in a tough situation, he thought he was doing the

(15:39):
right thing and he turned out to get the primary assist,
you know, to the opposing team for one one. As
this game was right was grinding on, I was feeling
more and more like this was the perfectly set up
challenge to lose, because you've had these gigantic matches at Minnesota,

(16:00):
at Vancouver, and then you come back two days later
ninety eight degree heat, crazy Texas humidity, nobody in the stands,
you're playing in front of Tarpaulin's. You know, a rookie
makes a mistake, and then you know Sebastian Leget. Everyone
knows Sebastian Lejet. He gets his first goal of the
year on a greasy hockey play, you know, a scramble

(16:23):
goal in front of the net. All of a sudden,
it's two to one, and you're thinking to yourself. I
mean I was thinking to myself sitting on the couch, like, well,
six points on this road trip, everyone would have taken it.
Everyone would have taken it. But there's time, maybe we
can salvage a draw. You know. And then the seventieth

(16:45):
minute shows up. SDFC gets a corner and in comes
Checky Lozano and for the first time this season, truly,
we get to see Uki with Dryer with a Lasky
up front. Boys, SDFC nets two in twenty minutes and

(17:13):
turns two to one loss to three to two win
on the road. The goal you just played the equalizer.
Chuokey finishes, but Alaski gets the primary assistant. He's part
of a one two with Dryer on the outside. I mean,
this is this is beautiful. This is the beautiful game encapsulated,

(17:34):
and we haven't got to see these three guys interact
in goal contributions with one another. And now we know
what it looks like. It looks like gold.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
Yeah, we saw it for twenty minutes and hopefully on
Saturday we get to see it for a full ninety.
It's gonna be so so much fun to watch. Uh Yeah,
that that goal for Tucky Lozano, you could you could
kind of see like how fast like Dallas is trying
to scramble back, But then they were kind of unaware

(18:07):
of where Chucky was because he made he makes the
initial pass to Dryer, and then they just lose sight
of them, and and I think it it is a
testament of like, Okay, we gotta keep track of Dryer,
we gotta keep track of Alaski, and then you just
all of a sudden, you just like lose track of
Losano coming in. And I think that's that's what we're

(18:31):
probably gonna see on Saturday, that the team, the Dynamo,
they're they're gonna have to keep track of all these guys,
and it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting how they're
gonna do it. Yeah, so Alasky gets his first assist
and and we now now we see that not only
can he score goals, he can also get that assist too.

(18:55):
He can be a gold contributor in that way. And yeah,
it's it's gonna be fun to see all three of
them just passing to one another and setting setting each
other up for these goals.

Speaker 3 (19:09):
The thing about Ilosky is that the way that he
plays in the midfielder behind the strikers, that he knows
what's supposed to happen. He knows, by the book, there's
somebody supposed to be running at this point. Usually it'd
be me, but I know that if I give a
pass and if I look up, there should be somebody

(19:29):
crashing into that small box, that being Chukuilsano. He gives
a great pass, and you know it's that vision that
that understanding. And this is where this style, the San
Diego FC style, is now moving into this an ultra
instinct sort of maneuver where they're moving without thinking. As

(19:50):
Mikey Badis has already said, but it's in harmony. The
attack is just working so harmoniously. It's it's it's really
good and really.

Speaker 2 (19:58):
Cool to see that.

Speaker 3 (19:59):
With the amount of minutes that they've played together, they've
been so effective. Melanolowski's numbers are impressive because look at
what he's doing in a few minutes. Now, you put
these three players together, look at what they did. They
turned this whole game around. Chuki Losano right now still
isn't one hundred percent match fit, but you still have
a couple of minutes for him to be an impact player.

(20:20):
I really do think that Mikey was gonna hold on
to him Jost a little bit more if he needed to,
but he said, hey, no, I need to deploy a
Tchuky Losano right now, and it ended up working.

Speaker 2 (20:30):
Kudos to Mikey again once again, those substitutions are key.

Speaker 1 (20:34):
Yeah, and it was perfectly timed. I remember we were
even chatting and at when that corner came, it was like, boy,
this feels like the right time for chukey to come on.
But I agreed with you. I thought it could be
the seventy fifth, the eightieth minute. I'm sure if they
were up to spit. You know, Lozano never sees the
field on Saturday night, but that wasn't the case, you know,

(20:54):
and SDFC needed their top three to come through in
order to get three points. And now you know, we're
getting to the point where we need a nickname for
these cats, you know, like the US women's team as
the Trident up top. I mean, you know, the triple threat.
I really truly believe that when you put a Lawsky

(21:15):
who has vision, a goalscorer is hunger. But as we
just saw the ability to be a contributor as well,
and you put that alongside the dynamic play of both
Dryer and Lozano on each side, Like we didn't know
what our club's level was going to be compared to MLS.
It might be at the top.

Speaker 2 (21:37):
I agree with that. I don't know nickname. I like this.
They have to have something.

Speaker 3 (21:42):
They let them, let them get a full game in
and then see you know how how Mikey Bodis weaponizes
these these players and.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Makes maybe Houston suffer Like that's that's the key.

Speaker 3 (21:52):
Now where if you're an opponent's and you see SNUFC
coming from the horizon and you've never faced them.

Speaker 2 (21:59):
Look at what they did, Cooper, look at what they
did in Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
Sure you may have a better chance the second time around,
but this is your first time seeing STFC strap on.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
Yeah, go for it, No, go ahead, No.

Speaker 4 (22:14):
I completely agree with the with Tony and uh yeah,
I think the name it's gotta come come naturally. So
hopefully we can come up with something by Saturday or
after after Saturday's game.

Speaker 3 (22:25):
The easy one pop gun yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 1 (22:31):
I mean there's there's a bunch of ways you can go.
Three amigos. I don't think that'll be it, but uh yeah, incredible.
And then of course Ryer gets the primary assist on
Thomas on Hill's match winner on hell find space in
the box FC Dallas fans, there was a great video.

(22:52):
I don't know you if you guys thought of the
SFC Dallas fan just like losing it on social media,
literally drooling in anger as this happened. But tough year
for SC Dallas. It has one win at home the
entire year. Maybe because they play in front of a
front of a bunch of fucking tarps. Maybe that might

(23:13):
be the reason. I mean it just could be. I'm
just pontificating here, but uh, Drier, the goals, the assists,
the work rate, the defense, the relentlessness, the match fitness
that he's creating things in the ninety fourth minute, in

(23:35):
the ninety fifth minute, I mean, this guy has ticked
pretty much every box, hasn't he?

Speaker 4 (23:43):
Yeah, he has. And I was expecting just you know,
the the winger that I prototypically see, just you know,
Kim coming in for crosses and things like that. But
we're getting so much more out of Dryer than I

(24:04):
think anyone ever expected. He can score goals, he can
The way he he passed that ball like in you know,
in in the penalty area like that was amazing, just
for the moss on head to like just turn and shoot.
And it's just realizing, like, how how great of a

(24:25):
player that Dryer is he's just I think the league
like he's getting so much better with each game too.
He's gonna absolutely blow past his his career numbers and
goal contributions and possibly assists and pretty much any any

(24:46):
statistical category that that he's ever had. He's really dominating
this league and people are really starting to take notice.
Uh yeah, he was last year, last year, last month's
UH Player of the Month and he's like, well, he's
well deserved. And the thing about it is like we've

(25:06):
only had a half season of this. There's still so
much more that we can get out of dryer, and
it's it's exciting to see. It's just if he if
he's in that MVP conversation like right now, and just
if he can just keep at it. Yeah, he's gonna
be a lot for that uh Landon Donovan Award at

(25:27):
the end of the season.

Speaker 3 (25:31):
He's very unselfish and that's what I'll say though, like
he's the exact player that you want in that position
because he can get it done by himself. But he
has the unselfish nature to say, you know what, I'm
gonna go and have to do what the third thing
the defenders thinking I might do but that's gonna be
the unselfish team play, and he gets.

Speaker 1 (25:51):
It done, truly does truly in the conversation and you
can read, you know, a chromatic FC just the number
of previous MLS MVPs in terms of goal contributions and
where Dryer is. And he's almost got a full season
case with fourteen matches left, so it's ridiculous. The Aaron

(26:15):
Judge of MLS you know is five foot eight unders
Dryer absolutely incredible. This week, Boys SDFC announces a contract
extension for center back Christopher mcveag. He's locked up option
for twenty twenty eight for sure, twenty twenty six, twenty

(26:36):
twenty seven for Christopher McVeagh. Thoughts. Obviously he's been really
solid this year. But I guess this is kind of
the trend right now for the club, right is, the
team is doing well and then they're announcing locking in
pieces of this successful team going forward.

Speaker 3 (26:56):
I really do like Chris McVay getting the recognition by
the CLI in training today in passing. I don't know
if this means a little bit too much, but like
saw Tyler Heap's general manager pass and like he was
just kind of chanting it up. He's like, man, you know,
it's it's been a lot, so either that tells me
that negotiations are happening. He's scouting, he's looking, he's seeing,

(27:18):
like but this is one that I'm really happy to
have to see actually come to fruition because he's earned it.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
He's earned it.

Speaker 3 (27:26):
He's one of two players that has played every single
minute for San Diego FC. He really stepped up and
in times where he gets to play with a different
back line almost every single game, yet is able to
not only be a leader, but he's able to be
somebody who moves the play style forward. Chris is somebody
who I think is surprising a lot of people, not

(27:48):
just on the defensive side, but on the.

Speaker 2 (27:49):
Goal scoring side.

Speaker 3 (27:50):
He's getting it done as a defender, Chris said, kill
Ramos McVeigh over here just set piece extraordinaire. Has had
a great season and uh, you know he's the player
that knows that.

Speaker 2 (28:03):
You know, he was not.

Speaker 3 (28:05):
Necessarily the first choice obviously by the club, but with
the announcement of Andre Reyes, I think it just comes
natural that it's like, Okay, here's this, here's the answer
to who Rayes is gonna have to go ahead and
give a thrown to and we've seen it.

Speaker 2 (28:20):
It's Chris McBay.

Speaker 4 (28:22):
Yeah. Really, it's really great to see that these guys
are getting rewarded early on in the in the season.
You know, you signed your long term goalkeeper and now
you have a long term center back and you know,
me watching Tottenham this season, you you understand like how

(28:45):
crucial that position is when your center backs are out
for most of the season because having having to fill
that role in it's such a central and key role
in the back line and it it's really big shoes
and for him to, yeah, not only be like one

(29:07):
and two with the Santo's leading uh in minutes, he's
also a handful of players and just an MLS that
has played every single second in the in the league.
So it's really great to see that he he is
part of the Yeah, not only is he part of
the on the defensive side, but also the offensive side.

(29:30):
He gets it going, he has the vision, he has
to He's also part of the group along with Tavera
Scott that he distributes the ball. So yeah, and it's
going to be great for in the long term. Right
when it comes to the mono duas the Ian pilchers
that are coming up in this league. They can go

(29:53):
to a Christmas McBay that has been here in the
league and he's going to be part of this leadership
group for the next coming years. That's gonna help develop
these guys and you know they're gonna be playing the
Sandego style of of soccer now. So it's it's great
to see Christmas Bay. It seems like a really genuine,

(30:16):
like good guy and I'm very happy for him.

Speaker 1 (30:20):
Well, I think it sounds like the perfect time then
to wheel him on in because earlier today out in
Singing Hills, our beloved Tony Sanchez had the chance to
chat to Christopher mcpain about this, the clubs play, and
plenty more. So let's hear some of that.

Speaker 6 (30:37):
I started on first and foremost the big news, you know,
with spending a contract and you know, what's what's how
are you?

Speaker 5 (30:45):
How are you feeling? And I'll have you felt so far?

Speaker 7 (30:48):
Yeah, I mean, uh, great news.

Speaker 8 (30:50):
I think I'll be here for for a bit longer,
so yeah, I mean it's been great from day one.
I think it's been been awesome. And the way we
train and how the games and stuff. It's it's really
fun and I enjoy being here. So yeah, you know,
me and my agent had a lot along talk together
and we decided like this is, you know, the best
place to be. So yeah, I'm really happy about it

(31:12):
and excited for what's to come.

Speaker 9 (31:15):
When the season was about starting, this team was getting formed,
you're one of the first players, and something that you
mentioned was that you were going to lean on that
experience from having grown up in the Scandinavian style of soccer.
How has that really helped you been being part of
an adapting to this right to dream model and now
carried you into a starting position.

Speaker 8 (31:32):
Yeah, I know, I think that's just like you said,
like it helped me a lot coming from over there
and you know, being a little bit more adapted to it.

Speaker 7 (31:40):
I feel it went a little pretty.

Speaker 4 (31:42):
Quick for me.

Speaker 8 (31:43):
So yeah, I think from day one, you know, it
kind of picked it up pretty quick and then.

Speaker 7 (31:49):
Just been kind of taking steps from there and it's
been good. And you've been the constant at San Diego
m C.

Speaker 9 (31:55):
Playing all those minutes and playing alongside different back lines
would have been the challenge in Asset's been playing alongside
some players that you know, are barely coming into their
own as young men.

Speaker 10 (32:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (32:06):
No, I think it's like the way we train, that's
that kind of like differentiates. Like you you train together
with different people every time, so you're kind of used
to it.

Speaker 7 (32:15):
Even though you're playing the game first time, you've trained
with them.

Speaker 8 (32:17):
So yeah, I mean still we're kind of a new team,
so we're still building on that, so I think it
will only get better. But yeah, I think it's been
been amazing and all the guys kind of know how
we're playing when they come.

Speaker 7 (32:30):
In, so it's been no problem at all.

Speaker 8 (32:32):
I think the regardless who you kind of play with,
it's we've got a very big squad, which I think
is important in this league, and you can kind of
see that now the last couple of games, there's been
a lot of rotation and some guys out on national
team and so on, and I mean the guy's coming
in stepping up. It's been great off the field.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
Great stuff from Christopher McVeigh. Just another reminder that there's
been no Luca Della tore. Good Luck in the Gold
Cup coming up on Sunday. You know, sorry, Tony, good
luck for Team USA in the Gold Cup on Sunday.
No Annabal Goody, although he should be back now because
obviously Panama is out, but you know, McNair's been out

(33:14):
for a while, so that this club has been stretched,
thrown on the road, put into some of the most
hostile environments in the league, and all they've done is succeed.
It's I don't know, I just keep pinching myself, like
this is just the dream run right now. They're on

(33:35):
a sun run.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
Right in time for the summer.

Speaker 4 (33:39):
Alex Yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, I completely forgot about
Luca and I can't Oh yeah, that's another another part
of this offense that I can't wait to see how
they work together with Luca Chuokey Elaski driver. That's it. Yeah,

(33:59):
it's gonna be great to have them back.

Speaker 1 (34:02):
Let's keep the sound coming from Singing Hills. How about
l I was gonna say l sennor m v P,
but that would be if Chookey was in charge. I
don't know any Danish, so mister m v P, however,
you would say that Pak.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
Is thank you at t A K. That's that.

Speaker 3 (34:22):
I've quickly a couple of times said hey, how do
you say it to Yepe? And uh and mister mister
Dryer and t A. K. So if you ever around
them there you go there enjoy that one. But here's
an honors Dryer.

Speaker 9 (34:36):
Take me through this last run with San Diego.

Speaker 5 (34:39):
FC and.

Speaker 11 (34:47):
Nice after International with a good win in Minnesota, after
getting behind the two times in that game and strong
showed a good strong mentality and and came back and
about the three points, and then of course Vancouver and
Dallas as well.

Speaker 10 (35:05):
We we scored a lot of goals and that's we're
very happy about that. We also want to close down
in defense, but the most important is that we get
the three points. And yeah, what you said, like nine
out of nine away from home and it's nice and
hopefully we can take that energy and that good feeling
into home game on Saturday and.

Speaker 9 (35:24):
Carrying that energy has been there since day one, mentioning
it after the LA game at there when they first
had the championship celebration, finding that that party moving on
is still that energy. What what makes this team special
when it comes to maintaining that.

Speaker 12 (35:37):
I think we're very good group for the moment, and
I think everybody supported each other, no matter how much
each of us play or not, and I think it
just shows the character of a of a new team,
twenty five new players getting.

Speaker 7 (35:54):
Along, and that's that's just nice.

Speaker 10 (35:56):
And of course we we keep on building the cold
here and keep on getting that win a mentality in
our heads of everybody, and I think we just improved
week by week, and yeah, it helps us in the
game that we were such a close team.

Speaker 9 (36:12):
And the team aspect is always something that everybody speaks
to Mikey Vadas all the way down to the rest
of the squad, but individually for you, player of the Month,
all start team, these accolades here and MLS, does this
mean a little bit more to you getting these accolades
or just another it's nice?

Speaker 10 (36:28):
I would life I say that it doesn't mean anything.
Of course it's nice, but I couldn't do it without
the team here, and that's what I think about. Like
the most important for me is that if we do
it great as a team, I have the chance to
win and go to different things personally, but the other
guys as well, So it's all about the team. And

(36:50):
then yeah, of course I'm happy to get some personal
goals as well.

Speaker 4 (36:55):
And.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
I have questions, but they all have to do with
Understryer's tattoos. He doesn't have an arm sleeve. He's got
several small individual tattoos. It almost feels like he went
in one day and got one, and he went another day,
you know, a few months later he's got it looked
like almost like a champagne bottle or some kind of
bottle on the right shoulder there you can see, now,

(37:21):
that's the one I love. On the underside of the
right forum is that it's almost like a Calvin and Hobbs,
but it's like a kid and a dog, like sitting
on the ledge looking at the sunset. Then he's got
the dice right there, right bicep tricep area. Can't quite
see what's in the left arm pit there, it's a
horn of some sort. So I don't know if that's

(37:43):
a minotaur or a horse or an oxen. I'm not
exactly sure, but i'd like a map and maybe a
more complete tour.

Speaker 4 (37:56):
No.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
I love the style and just the aura of Dryer
just out there, like just that's who he is.

Speaker 2 (38:03):
Like I don't know if like that describes him perfectly.

Speaker 3 (38:05):
You know, see players like Diego Luna and you're like, yeah,
that's the Diego Luna, the way he plays and everything.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
But like this is just a fun loving.

Speaker 3 (38:13):
Guy loves football, loves the game, loves his teammates, loves
being part of the the event.

Speaker 2 (38:19):
You know, it's it's really cool to be able to
just see.

Speaker 3 (38:21):
Him just take in this, this aspect of soccer, in
this foreign style of football so well. I will have
a little bit of a little bit of a sound
when they ask somebody who's working for MLS, just like
a quirk that they have just personally. But I'll find
it right now, Alex, I mean, do you have anything

(38:42):
on his tattoos?

Speaker 2 (38:43):
Do you have tattoos?

Speaker 4 (38:46):
I'm sorry, Yeah, it's just it's so random, all the
little characters and pieces together, Like yeah, I wonder can
we get a map? Can we figure out what what
pieces are there? And and and why the reasons?

Speaker 1 (39:04):
Like what's the what's the what's the bottle? Was that
a champagne bottle from? When you want a championship? What
of the dice?

Speaker 13 (39:10):
Did you?

Speaker 1 (39:10):
Did you win big at Craps one night or lose
big at Crabs one night? That's a reminder never to
play again. Uh, you know, I just curious minds.

Speaker 3 (39:18):
Let me tell you what kind of a dog we
have here in San Diego, just living amongst us. Here's
a question about what a guilty pleasure was, and you
may hear this on the Spanish broadcast for the MLS
game this this weekend, that you have something.

Speaker 9 (39:34):
That they people can't fill a connection with you, like
your human side.

Speaker 10 (39:38):
I like after a Saturday game too, to have a
beer and some candy.

Speaker 1 (39:47):
What beer? What candy? What candy pairs with a good
beer that I feel like the sugar and the hops
are a cross purpose.

Speaker 4 (39:59):
More question now about this?

Speaker 3 (40:02):
So let me tell you this though right like in
any other just fear right, I mean, reportedly in basketball,
Luka Doncic was looked at for not, you know, taking
his fitness seriously and having a couple of cold ones
after a head coach mikey Vadas was sitting listening into
this interview waiting for his turn, right next to him.

(40:23):
So it's not like he was hiding anything or it's
just like, oh, don't tell the gaffer, like no, no, no, no,
Like he was, he was there.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
So they had a shared a smile right after.

Speaker 3 (40:32):
This is literally after he just walked off and they
had a conversation he's looking at Mikey right there.

Speaker 1 (40:41):
I mean, when you go ninety minutes strong, I feel
like you can have a beer in some candy, you know.
I mean you need to replenish some resources one way
or another.

Speaker 5 (40:49):
You know.

Speaker 1 (40:50):
Now it's another thing if you have a beer in
a candy an hour before the game, that's a slightly
different training regiment. But you know, after you pulled three
points out of eleven thousand fans, a ninety eight degree
firstco have two beers and a steinerbock, enjoy some gummy clusters,
like do whatever you gotta do. Let's wrap up with

(41:11):
the gaffer. You mentioned him. How about head coach Mikey
Varas from training camp.

Speaker 7 (41:18):
No, I mean we're not in day one. It can
never be day one again.

Speaker 13 (41:22):
But what we do is we just keep the consistency
of having our feet on the ground, working hard, focusing
and training. We want to be a relentless club in
terms of having that mentality of continuing to go for more,
always recognizing the things that we do well and celebrating
those moments, but also being open enough to recognize everyone.

Speaker 7 (41:42):
Not perfect and we can be even better.

Speaker 13 (41:45):
And so it was just about coming back having a
couple of days of recovery and then building it up
into the session so that we can keep going again
now at home.

Speaker 7 (41:55):
And then what does it look like developing that style?

Speaker 9 (41:57):
Now it seems like authentically a San Diego FCS almost
separated from the FC norseland in a way it's a
new version of it. How do you then now start
massaging that into develop for the rest of the season
and maybe make it even more unique.

Speaker 13 (42:09):
Yeah, we always said it was going to be a
reflection of Right to Dream, but also uniquely San Diego,
and that's just natural because the ingredients are players from
the different parts of the world with the coach from
a different part of the world in a different league.
But I think what everybody can see is it's clearly
right to Dream. And when you watch f C Norchell
and you watch San Diego, I think few hundred percent

(42:31):
see partner clubs, clubs that work under the same family.
At the end of the day, things start will start
to emerge a bit on their own because the principles
that we work on they become a bit more rich
with the players taking them on at a deeper level.
And then also the connection between the players, So two
different kind of dynamics and relationships that they're building on

(42:56):
the field will help things come to life. But we
continue to focus on the main challenges, which are you know,
are we able to get in behind opponents creating big chances?

Speaker 7 (43:07):
And are we the most compact team in the league?

Speaker 13 (43:10):
And then how do we deal with the space behind
our back line because of how we press, and then
ultimately how we manage that transition since since it is
a transition league.

Speaker 1 (43:23):
You know, I love this guy so much, and I
feel like sometimes I'm a little gushy right now because
this team is doing so well and it's just a
reminder to love the great times. You know, this is
truly the honeymoon time for San Diego FC. When is
it ever going to be better than this? When we

(43:44):
lift a cup, you know, lift a cup, lift a shield,
lift silverware, that's it. Otherwise we're going to think about
those first year vibes when everything was fresh and pure
and everyone's laughing at each other, beer and candy and
contract extensions and and late goals. You know, it's it's
just beautiful. And because I'm a wizened old vet of

(44:09):
sports and pro sports, I really like to take a
moment to kind of stop in the flower patch and
go like, smells amazing around here, and it looks beautiful.
And I know it doesn't last forever. Everything is just
for a while, but this is so sick. Yeah, he's

(44:31):
he's the right guy. You know.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
Catch the full media availability on Sunday a Football our
YouTube channel, and he goes a little bit more into
just like the individual aspects and these accolades that are
happening right. You have MVP conversations, you have players with CJ.
Los Santos who are doing very well and just overall,
but the team aspect is the thing that TENDYFC, I

(44:54):
think is excelling at. And it's very simple to just
look over and say, yeah, of course they're a team,
but like they're playing team soccer, They're they're playing association football,
which is the you know, the scientific name of soccer,
associate association football. You need teammates, you need that trust network,
and for San Diego FC, that that's where I hope

(45:15):
that if whatever moves Tyler Heaps make is the right move,
not just for the squad, but just the squad chemistry.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
You have to be able to have somebody buy in immediately,
everybody's already bought in.

Speaker 3 (45:26):
There hasn't been an outside voice into this locker room
since the beginning of the creation of San Diego FC,
so that those layers are going to be interesting as
they as they come down.

Speaker 2 (45:36):
But yeah, it's really nice right now. It smells fantastic, right.

Speaker 4 (45:42):
Yeah, he's been the guy that he's been pushing the
right buttons, like bringing on Thomas Ahill, you know, Laton
games Elasky, you know, before he started started games, And yeah,
I think that's what I look at when when I'm
looking at a manager, and also how does he adapt,

(46:02):
you know, as the game progresses. And I think he's
done such a great job just getting these guys to
where they're at right now, because I didn't think this
was possible, you know, being in first place as quickly.
And yeah, Mikey Virus has done such an amazing job
preparing these guys weekend week out, and yeah, it seems like, yeah,

(46:26):
he's the perfect match to lead this club from now
intil the future.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
As Tony mentioned, you can catch all of the full
interviews with Christopher McVeigh, with Andre Stryer, and with Mikey Varnes.
I just go to the San Diego Punto Football YouTube
page and check out the video. They are all available
for you. If you haven't subscribed yet, well, you know,
you probably oversight on your part, small overside on your part,

(46:54):
but please please go ahead and take care of that
real quick.

Speaker 3 (46:58):
Just a couple of notes from training. I was mentioned
that Anvil Godoy has trained the past two days with
the squad, so that could potentially just mean that he's
going to slide into that starting role immediately. Lucas Bombino
also just on the side in training, rehabbing a little bit,
nursing something, so you may not be able to see
him this weekend. So just things to keep an eye on.

(47:21):
Marcus and Varsen as well, just kind of in the
in between as well.

Speaker 1 (47:26):
Yeah, Marcus in Vartsen the one danging. I thought this
was so good here, but you know, somebody has to
suffer always for everyone else to succeed. So I'm so
sorry Marcus that you wind up joining the short stick
this time. Before we get to an SEFC Houston Dynamo preview,

(47:48):
As we said from episode one, we want Coromaniacs to
be a place that reflects the voice of supporters and
fans and not just an outside of media perspective of
San Diego f C. So it is time for Voice
of the Supporters. And uh, first up for us on
Voice of the Supporters as somebody who was already near

(48:09):
and dear to our hearts and has been incredibly helpful
to us helping build the Chromaniacs social media platforms, helping
put out the clips that you've been seeing on social media,
as well as doing that for us at Padres hot
Padres way. You can follow him on Terrible Padres Memes
or Terrible SDFC memes, and that's how he joins us. Now.

(48:32):
I don't know if he wants to use his name
or if he just wants to be memes. What's that memes?

Speaker 6 (48:36):
Hey, everyone yells terrible at me, and it's kind of
weird because it's you know, it's like, it's it's who
I am, it's my persona. But at the same time,
it really gets weird when you're called terrible, you know.

Speaker 1 (48:50):
So that's why I call you memes. I don't want
to call you terrible.

Speaker 6 (48:54):
Charles Barkley, Yeah, you didn't.

Speaker 4 (48:59):
Know who was on right, Alex, Now now I see it. Yeah,
he's the guy in the in the sports second. Yeah,
I know exactly who this guy is.

Speaker 1 (49:09):
On a second, I just want to be taller than
Memes for that.

Speaker 6 (49:14):
I'm sitting down well you know, yeah, I know.

Speaker 1 (49:20):
Let me just start with kind of an opening opening question,
your relationship to soccer and what drew you to supporters culture.

Speaker 6 (49:27):
Uh So, I wrote a couple of notes, and that's
honestly one of the things I wanted to really talk
about when I talked to Tony previously on two Balls
in the Mic, and I kind of told him like, look,
you know, I'm pretty new to soccer, you know, with
the exception of yeah, I'll watch like big World Cup
games or the Olympics and stuff like that, but as

(49:51):
as far as like having a team that I follow,
and when I follow a team, I get into it.

Speaker 5 (49:57):
You know. I learned the.

Speaker 6 (49:59):
Entire roster and all that stuff, right, I'd never had that,
and I had no idea. You know, obviously you see
the chance at some of the bigger stadiums and all
that stuff, but I just I didn't know, and I
you know, and that's that's what it is. I had
no idea, And now you know, a little bit over

(50:19):
halfway into the season. If someone were to offer me,
let's say, VIP tickets sideline or or you know, up
in one of the club seats, I'd probably turn them down.
And that's that's how much fun I've been having, you know,
I'll take that back.

Speaker 5 (50:39):
I'll run up there get the free drinks and then I'll.

Speaker 6 (50:45):
You know, maybe there's food whatever, but ye, any free drinks,
I'll go grab them, you know how. You know, maybe
if I can bring someone with me, have them stand
right outside the door so we can you know, as
many as we can get for the section. But yeah,
it's been absolutely amazing that people I've met and just man,
some of those you know, I'm gassed at the end

(51:05):
of the game, and it's it's crazy. Never would have thought, right,
but it's it's been absolutely amazing. If anyone has any
sort of hesitation or it's not even the right word,
you know, they have this little thing that's telling them, Hey,
I really I kind of want to check it out.
Please do please reach out to one of us, you know,

(51:27):
reach out to me. We can get you tickets there
and you know, check out the some of the chants
on YouTube or Instagram and if not honestly, most of
the chants of there's like two or three that are
are a little bit more difficult. Most of the other
ones you hear them once or twice, You're good to go.

Speaker 3 (51:47):
No, it's great really seeing the development and growth of soccer.
And I love seeing people.

Speaker 2 (51:54):
Enjoy the sport.

Speaker 3 (51:55):
I think that's what I like when I see people
just kind of hop on and have that open mind
of like it's not just like the the old Hank
kill like.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
Oh you don't plays the soccer, Bobby, what do you do?

Speaker 5 (52:07):
Like?

Speaker 2 (52:07):
No, Like this is this is a whole culture.

Speaker 3 (52:10):
It's it's it's a sport, and it's really you can
really get lost in a credit to you because you
have been able to do that. And I welcome anybody
who has any hesitation to go through it this way
and it's the organic way to do it. And you know,
for as as just hardened and and uh cynical as
I've come just being in the soccer circles and playing
soccer my whole life in a ways, like just seeing

(52:33):
people enjoy it you have and just this, Yes, that's
that's what soccer is about.

Speaker 6 (52:41):
Yeah, it's been you know, and obviously you know call
it lucky or whatever you you know, you call it,
but just having you know, a team that is taking
this serious, to be quite honest, and you know, putting
you know, we live in San Diego, so that's gonna
be a big draw or you know, uh, you know,

(53:02):
like someone like a Tukulazano would.

Speaker 5 (53:04):
He rather come here or would he.

Speaker 6 (53:05):
Rather go to RSL or something like that, right like,
And and no offense to them, but I think we
had all rather come to San Diego, right and so
just and then having the backing of of you know,
these ownership groups, and it's just it's it's being taken
care of seriously. And you know, so obviously we've like
I said it were truly you know, Craig was talking

(53:28):
about earlier, the only thing that gets better than this
is lifting some silverware, and and that's that's coming, you know,
And I truly believe that, you know, obviously takes a
lot to go, right, but I truly believe.

Speaker 5 (53:40):
That is coming.

Speaker 6 (53:41):
And if if anyone has any you know, any thoughts
about watching more soccer or something like that, you know,
for me, like I said earlier, learn learn, learn who
these people are, Learn who these players are. Follow them
on Instagram that way, you know, hey, when this when
this guy goes down, you know, when Alvarado goes down,

(54:02):
like we kind of all know his story, we know,
you know, him telling the story of when they had
their break and everyone was in Cabo and everyone was
in Hawaii. Where did he go south central LA? To
visit his family? And it's like, man, you know, it's
like these little stories that.

Speaker 5 (54:17):
You have right that that.

Speaker 6 (54:19):
Really attached you to the team. And and on top
of that, just the availability to our feel of the team.
You guys talked about Dryer, how nice he is. I
met him, his whole family. Let's see, it was his
it was Dryer, his wife, they got a little kid
that's like one. I think it was like his mom
and his dad, and then another guy that might have been.

Speaker 5 (54:42):
Like his brother. They were shopping amazing.

Speaker 6 (54:45):
I just talked to him for you know, typical San
Diego bullshit, questions about the weather.

Speaker 5 (54:50):
But you know, you know, it's just.

Speaker 6 (54:56):
Seeing you know, players from other sports, even out in
public is super rare. And these and they they had
no hesitation, you know, talk to me for quite a
while and and it was it was it was really nice.
But yeah, just the overall, Uh, it just feels different
than you know, a lot of the other sports.

Speaker 4 (55:16):
And so not only are you out there in the
stands every day, but I've known you since before you know,
Terrible SDFC memes. I've known you since Terrible Pottery memes
and watching how your page has developed. So yeah, tell
us a little bit about the start of that and

(55:37):
now going into the SDFC memes and you know what
a little bit of what goes into it, what goes
into it, and also like what kind of interaction are
you getting with that page?

Speaker 6 (55:50):
So yeah, I talked about this previously. I was, you know,
as far as Pottery's, I was sending stuff to a
bunch of different bunch of buddies, right, I would send
them memes and stupid stuff that I would make up. Right,
And eventually one of these that it was in twenty
twenty two, I was like April, I think, and I

(56:11):
was like, man, I should just start posting this stuff.
And I did, and I chose Terrible as the name.
I'm setting the bar extremely low, so if you don't
like something, you can't blame me. Right, it's low. And
I'll be honest, there's some stuff that's really bad sometimes,
but it's funny. I'll post something I think it's terrible

(56:33):
and it'll get like, you know, all these likes and
everyone loves it, and it's just the Internet. You can't
explain it. So, you know, just kind of going through
that whole thing.

Speaker 5 (56:43):
And then with.

Speaker 6 (56:46):
You know, when they announced, you know, new soccer teams
coming and it kind of started. There was like rumors
about what the name would be. And I actually went
on Instagram and I saved like four different names of
what I thought it would be, and I don't even
it was like Sandy ufc FC Sandy. It was like, I,

(57:07):
you know, whatever, I chose a few of them and
then and sure enough that was the one.

Speaker 5 (57:12):
And then and I.

Speaker 6 (57:13):
Originally it was terrible Sandy GUEFC memes and everyone got
too confused. I just shortened it and it makes it easier.
But it's it's just fun. It's so much fun. It's
just something again, you know, I just want to when
I go in, I want to go fully in.

Speaker 5 (57:32):
And this is my.

Speaker 6 (57:32):
Way of kind of uh, you know, I watch all
the games and I just really get into it.

Speaker 5 (57:38):
And and again, it's just it's just my way of yeah,
I guess that's probably no other way to put it.

Speaker 6 (57:47):
Just getting into the games a little bit more, and
just kind of my observations at times too, just random
stuff that you know, people might not have even realized,
and I just try to, you know, get it out
there and and and.

Speaker 5 (58:00):
So far, it's it's been so much fun.

Speaker 6 (58:02):
And just some of the people, you know, Craig and
and some of you guys you know, on the Padrey side,
and then and now now with the San Diego Sea side,
it's been it's been a blast.

Speaker 1 (58:13):
Now, of course there's his voice, is the supporters and
you're a member of San Diego Rip Tides. Uh so
what what did it mean? What does it mean to
you to be a Riptide?

Speaker 6 (58:26):
Hmm, that's an interesting one. So, you know, I heard
you guys talking earlier that Riptides is the largest and
and I don't know if that's still true based on numbers.
You know, I will say we've come a long way
as a group, as as the as the whole union has. Right,

(58:47):
We've had our our hits, and I think, you know,
the rip Tides are slowly showing uh kind of who
we are. You know, we we got our first official
MLS match coming up here in over a month, right,

(59:08):
and I can't say I'm so excited for this. The
last one was Austin and and you know, without I
don't even know.

Speaker 5 (59:18):
That cheese may I stay. I try to stay out
of it.

Speaker 6 (59:20):
But for whatever reason, Uh, there was some groups that
weren't there, right, and and I think some some really
important stuff happened that night.

Speaker 5 (59:30):
Uh. First of all, it showed we need those.

Speaker 6 (59:33):
Other groups there. We need them like im. It was
obviously louder when they're there. They bring a lot of
energy and all that stuff. But I also say that
those people that were there at that match, it also
showed that they could kind of, you know, do things
on their own. And I so I really see this

(59:55):
as like a win win, you know, those that that
weren't there, they were able to see, Hey, it would
definitely be louder if we were there, and those that
were were there, Hey, show goes.

Speaker 5 (01:00:06):
On, you know.

Speaker 6 (01:00:07):
And and so now we're coming together for the first
time other than the Club of America game. I wasn't
at that, but from everything I've heard it was it
was really good. We've had a couple union events.

Speaker 5 (01:00:26):
Lately.

Speaker 6 (01:00:27):
Al Smith. The last one at fair Play, which you know,
talk about it an amazing night with that was the
night of Midlan's four goals. But now we're putting it
all all together, and you know, so to get into

(01:00:49):
that was kind of a roundabout way of saying, all
this stuff us as the rip tides. I feel like
we're coming into our own now. And then they take
some other stuff very very seriously, you know, the outreach,
the charity work, stuff like that. They try to be
all inclusive. Doesn't matter. I'd say, easily the most diverse group,

(01:01:14):
you know, as far as you know, just everything you
can think of races and genders and all that other stuff,
easily the most diverse. And we just try to be welcoming.
And I think that's the big thing for us. And
to be quite honest, if if that group doesn't fit
you and some other group does, please please go join
that other group. It does not hurt us at all.

(01:01:36):
You know, on match day coming up here in two days,
you know we're all gonna be one big, happy family.

Speaker 1 (01:01:43):
Well that's exactly right, Brandon, and I think it's so
so well said on your part. And I would just
say to anybody come to the Purple lot, you know,
come to the Purple Lock tailgate and find the flavor
that matches, you know, your palette. Because as Memes said,
if it's uh Riptides, maybe it's Botta. And if it's

(01:02:03):
not Bata, maybe it's US G one eight. You know,
it's not those cats, maybe it's locals, you know, maybe
it's Javos that that's that's what vibes with you. But
within the community, people stand out, and quite literally, Memes
stands out head and shoulders.

Speaker 5 (01:02:26):
Especially when I get up on that rail and I'm
like ten feet tall.

Speaker 1 (01:02:29):
But you scare the ship out of me when you're
not rail and I'm next to you, because I'm like,
I know how when this goes wrong, how it's going
to go wrong directly into this shoulder right here. Yeah,
for sure, Memes, thank you so much for coming on.

Speaker 12 (01:02:44):
Man.

Speaker 6 (01:02:45):
One last thing, Alex you coined, you know, the whole
Rivers the Gates right.

Speaker 5 (01:02:51):
Was that last week? I believe, Yeah, but and I
looked it up, Philip.

Speaker 6 (01:02:57):
Rivers never caught a p from Gates and this week, uh,
you know, Milan passed one to Dryers.

Speaker 4 (01:03:07):
So just saying, yeah, you have a point there.

Speaker 1 (01:03:14):
Did Rivers ever catch one from LT. No.

Speaker 6 (01:03:17):
I looked it up and it said he has none.
He's got like negative nine yards on his career.

Speaker 1 (01:03:21):
Yeah, I guess the wheel route and old Philip, you know,
flow developing play.

Speaker 5 (01:03:29):
Yeah, yeah, LT.

Speaker 6 (01:03:31):
I think LT always threw him to gates. Actually yeah,
I'd rather throw it the gates too.

Speaker 1 (01:03:38):
Yeah, more likely to catch it or at least to
be able to run. All right, memes, We'll see you
the Purple Lot brother, Thank you so much.

Speaker 5 (01:03:44):
All Right, see you guys on Saturday.

Speaker 1 (01:03:46):
Thank you, incredible stuff. Voice of the supporters, and we
start with terrible STFC memes. I want to get on
a Dago boy eighteen Chavels Locals USG one eight Let's go.
Let's go group by group, Let's keep stitching this community together,
piece by piece. Okay, it's we're into the second hour

(01:04:09):
of the show. We're not going to go a second hour,
trust me. We're gonna go a few more minutes. But
Houston Dynamo coming in. As memes just said, Saturday night,
seven thirty pm. First time in a calendar month that
we've been able to watch an MLS match at Snapdragon Stadium,
you know, and club's been cleaning up Texas lately. I know,

(01:04:32):
we dropped that first one on the road, but since
then it's been some Texas domination. So Alex tell us
about Houston Dynamo and what we can expect with these
Cats and Orange coming in.

Speaker 4 (01:04:45):
Yeah, it's you know, it's about time we get to
learn about a new team here in the Houston Dynamo.
And the very interesting thing about the MLS is most
teams usually stay where they're at right there. You know,
there's always been the La Galaxy, there's always been New

(01:05:06):
York Red Bulls or even the Columbus Crew almost threatening relocation.
But the very interesting thing about the Houston Dynamo here
is that's the only team that they they received that
team due to relocation. And yes, it because back in

(01:05:28):
the day, back in No. Five San Jose Earthquakes, they
were owned by a different ownership called AEG. I think
we kind of all know about AEG.

Speaker 1 (01:05:38):
Entertainment, the Light Wikis yeah, yeah, oh yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:05:42):
Yeah, and they're currently I believe they're still the owner
of the LA Galaxy. Back in the day, they used
to own multiple teams, So Earthquakes Galaxy, I believe, Chicago Fire,
the Colorado Rapids never all part of that. That group
there also in the Coachella Valley Yes, go Chella Valley Invitational. Yeah,

(01:06:04):
And so I went back in five. They in San Jose,
they wanted a new stadium. They were playing in my
alma mater, San Jose, San Jose State University Spartan Stadium.
And when MLS wanted a club in Houston, they were like,
you know what, We're just gonna get the Earthquakes, the

(01:06:26):
MLS Cup champions Earthquakes. They had just won a championship.
And not only that, they relocate to Houston. They take
all the staff, all the players of the San Jose
Earthquakes and guess what, not only do they win that
season the MLS Cup in six, they do it again

(01:06:49):
in seven.

Speaker 2 (01:06:51):
Yep, what kind of what kind of a league does this?

Speaker 4 (01:06:56):
And so for a while the term was uh, MLS
in San Jose was on hiatus. Meanwhile, they San Jose
got their you know, their stuff together and figure it out. Okay,
we we got to bring the San Jose Airspakeers back.
They were able to get that with the current ownership

(01:07:17):
of John Fisher and the the owners of the U,
the Oakland A's, and they brought back the Earthquakes, and
then eventually seven years later or so, they were able
to fund their uh uh soccer specific stadium right across
the street from the San Jose Airport.

Speaker 1 (01:07:39):
It's really nice when you fly in.

Speaker 4 (01:07:40):
Oh yeah, yeah, it's a it's a great stadium. But yeah,
with that, there were the two time MLS Cup champions.
Those were the only years they won. And and currently
they are tenth in the Western Conference. Yeah, so let's
get into this uh six goal differential. They were they

(01:08:04):
were on a bit of a slide when they they
faced Saint Louis on on on what was it Saturday?
Uh and they were bid on a three game losing streak.
They lost the Sporting cac to Montreal, to Minnesota United,
and they they finally won one against Saint Louis on
a one nothing game and the goal came from Ezekiel Ponce.

(01:08:28):
Ponce right now is the leading goal scorer for the
Houston Dynamo. And this is this is going to be
a group that loves to use their fullbacks. They love
getting crosses in they and that was the way they
actually got their their own goal on Saturday. They got

(01:08:49):
a cross in the ball kind of was going left
and right, and they finally found the back of the net.
And that's the way they're going to try to score.
They're going to use their fullbacks. They're gonna really go
up up the near side, up the you know, up
the far side, and that that's the way they're going
to work their their their magic here against San Diego FC.

(01:09:12):
But some of some of their players that that they
had missing from last game. Jack mcclenn who's currently playing
for the US men's national team, he was out. Uh
he's playing in the in the Gold Cup and due
to yellow card accumulation. Griffin Dorsey was out last game.

(01:09:33):
I'm pretty sure he's coming back this game. And he
is part of those two are their top passers, their
top assist goers. They they they they provide, they set
up the goal and someone else kicks in and it's
as most likely Ezekiel. But yeah, so Griff Griffin Dorsey

(01:09:55):
there full back. He is very much involved in their
offensive production. And I think that's pretty much what we're
gonna see between him, Arthur in the middle, and Ezekiel
up front, that's gonna be some of the key players
for Houston Dynamo.

Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
On Saturday, Tony something stands out just when I do
the cursory stat check of Houston, and I mean, this
is a club that scored like twenty fewer goals than
San Diego on the season, but they are tied for
the MLS lead in road draws with four. They have

(01:10:36):
as many almost as many draws as they have winter losses.
They have two wins, three losses, four draws on the road,
and I mean you can just look up and down
Dallas four draws. There's even Galaxy four draws. So when
I see that, it tells me Houston's looking to play
a zero zero or a one to one match on Saturday,

(01:10:57):
and any other shape of match is going to be
three points for a SDFC.

Speaker 3 (01:11:03):
Yeah, and it's a match that we'll probably get very scrappy.
Houston will try to really just rely on on the
talent they have sparse through because again I'm I don't
think that's a better team, And we go back to
the team aspect right of San Diego seeing their success,
I don't think there's a better team in the league
right now. So if you have another squad that's coming

(01:11:25):
in and saying, you know what, we're not gonna We're
gonna play just not pretty. We're gonna try to be
very very rudimentary and and try to maybe dirty things
up and mudd little waters and speaking to the fullbacks, right,
if it does end up having to be a Bbino
sitting out, you throw out negaty in there, and now
you're gonna start asking some questions whether or not he

(01:11:46):
can go ahead and keep up with that pace of
the flying fullbacks on the attack for Houston, and and
what that's gonna mean for somebody cleaning up. McVay is
already cleaning up for the lack of Patty Canny now
helped clean up for the lack of another another player,
especially sticking to that play style.

Speaker 2 (01:12:03):
But yeah, that that for away draws.

Speaker 3 (01:12:07):
It's it's not it's not easy to perform well away.
And so for a team that's in the tenth place
right now, right at the cusp of playoffs, looking at
above Austin, Colorado U, these are teams that SDFC have
had difficulties with but ultimately have been able to to
figure out.

Speaker 2 (01:12:27):
This is the first time they're facing them.

Speaker 3 (01:12:28):
So you know, historically Sandy UFC does very well against
teams that they face for the first time, so it'll
be interesting to see what san DIEGUFC comes out here
at home.

Speaker 4 (01:12:41):
Yeah, and and those draws, just looking at them, they're
they're against teams we've seen too, Columbus Crew, Sounders, Galaxy Earthquakes.
Well we haven't seen earthquakes yet, but yeah, those are
some tough teams, especially Columbus Crews. So they're they're gonna
put up a little bit of a fight when when

(01:13:02):
playing away here at snap Dragon. So it should be
another fun one. Hopefully we can do a little bit
of a Texas sweep out there, and yeah, get another
three points because I'm starting the countdown. I'm I'm, I'm
officially I think with each post, I'm gonna start deducting

(01:13:23):
how many more points they need to reach that milestone
for expansion wins and expansion points.

Speaker 1 (01:13:32):
It's five, right, five more wins to Tye Saint Louis
City SC. Yes, I just loved to seventeen, right, we
got twelve? They got seventeen was their number, m hm, yes,
so let's get it to thirteen. Honestly, I'm I'm usually
like to be really conservative about this stuff. I guess
I should still be because I don't want to be
some fucking jink. So go out there, play their best game,

(01:13:56):
take it very seriously, and get a result. You know,
get result. Obviously we want a DUB three nothing for
one something like that. I want to see more dynamic play.
I want to see the three headed monster up top,
you know, doing damage.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
The Chimera ooh, that's a good one. Or they wasn't
the Hydra for hercu.

Speaker 1 (01:14:23):
Yeah, but Hydra has a whole bunch of Chimera has
three heads. So you know, we're just Crimera for the Crimera, Chromatos,
the chromato Crimera, Cali chimeras. Okay, we're working on a gang.
It's a it's a workshop. It's a workshop. It's an
open form. Please contribute your ideas below in the comments

(01:14:47):
here on YouTube for the best nickname for this front
line for San Diego. See but yeah, I'm looking forward
to an incredible atmosphere, you know, stars and stripes night.
Let's see how that all plays out. They're not gonn
wear some weird jingoistic uniform, right, They're not gonna do
it Padre style no, Okay, okay, okay, just making sure,

(01:15:09):
just making sure. And the very last thing, imagine being
a San Jose earthquakes fan. I'm sure they'll be up
on the schedule in a little while. But imagine being
a fan of earthquakes and going, well, we've got this,
you know, one professional team in our town than Sharks.
We got Sharks and we got earthquakes. But our owner
wants to sell us off, not so that he can

(01:15:32):
buy his team in Vegas, but so that he can
finance a shred of the overwhelming amount that he's gonna
fail to pay. They're just gonna sell off the Earthquakes
and still not buy the build the stadium in Las Vegas.
It's just gonna be enough to just cover like a
month's payment. Then they're gonna be like, you don't have enough.
I just couldn't be me. Couldn't be me. We've got

(01:15:55):
an Egyptian billionaire in charge. He's not effing over major
League Baseball, ye as far as I know. So you know,
let's uh, let's let's live in the in the Egyptian
sunshine as long as we can uh here anything else, boys,
I don't believe.

Speaker 3 (01:16:11):
So right now, again, it's a it's a good time
to be uh Sandy FC. Just follower fan, just it's
good to be able to to be next to this.
This is squad and uh some really good people and
we're going to try to get more content. I know
we've talked about this Craig a little bit. Through Chromaniacs
you get these interviews or the media availability, but uh,

(01:16:31):
I'd love to kind of expand on that too.

Speaker 2 (01:16:33):
It's just what people are enjoying.

Speaker 3 (01:16:36):
And again, thank you for the comments on this, uh
channel Sandy football and just that interaction, and you know,
it was good to see people immediately say like wow,
I Milenilowski in his fantastic performance. I can't wait to
see what the what the reaction is on the Chromaniacs
and and you know all that good stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:16:53):
So I think there's a it's a good space that
we're all living in. You got Monday Stoo Balls and in
Mike Thursdays.

Speaker 3 (01:16:57):
You can find the Chromaniacs in between their soccer coverage
through terrible I mean or memes. I don't know if
you remembered a great legendary boxer from Tijuana like just
wars with.

Speaker 5 (01:17:12):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (01:17:13):
But in any case, UH, catch me out of the
Santue County Fair tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:17:18):
It's the only day I ever go to the fair.

Speaker 1 (01:17:20):
Right, you go every fourth of July.

Speaker 2 (01:17:22):
Every fourth of July. It's oh, I'm so excited sickness.

Speaker 1 (01:17:26):
Honestly, it's an exciting, passionate sickness of yours. I don't
understand it, but it makes me love and respect you
even more that you put yourself through literally the worst
day to go to the fair, and that's the only
day you go to the fair, and so therefore for you,
it's the best day to go to the fair because
you don't experience any of the other superior days. You
only go to the worst possible day, and therefore it

(01:17:47):
becomes the best possible day. There is a beauty in that.
It's hard to explain, but it is. Uh, it's pretty remarkable.

Speaker 3 (01:17:56):
In my cerary, the only time I actually, like legitimately,
like you know what, they get a day, This flag
gets a day out of me, and it's the fourth
of July, for sure. That's my itinerary on my on
my social media accounts.

Speaker 1 (01:18:11):
Alex tell everyone where they can read chromatic fc uh yeah, on.

Speaker 4 (01:18:15):
Sub stock and catching on Blue Sky. And I can't
wait to hear everybody back at the snap Dragon. It's
been a month. I want to hear everybody be loud,
you know, hearing for this team.

Speaker 14 (01:18:27):
It's a great team and I can't wait for How
about your I mean, I washed my silver Suita between
the last hot match, so that's extra shindy.

Speaker 1 (01:18:40):
Yeah it was, it was hot that day. Uh extra shiny.
You can follow me on six or nine Sports in
Life uh at on Instagram, which of course apes over
to Facebook as well. You can follow me on Blue
Sky at six or nine Sports, where most of my
posts are complaining about Mike Schilt's lineup construction. But if
that's something you want to read, please do and thank

(01:19:02):
you for making to the end of the show. If
you're on YouTube and you haven't clicked that thumbs up
button yet, please do leave us a kind message. If
you're listening to us on any podcast platform and it
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Until next week. For Alex Payna, Tony Sanchez, I'm Craig
Elston Vamos SDFC