Chromaniacs-2 Balls and a Mic CROSSOVER Roundtable: SDFC 2-1 Over San Jose, Lead Supporters Shield

Monday night's first hour of 2 Balls and a Mic (the flagship podcast of SanDiego.Futbol) brought together The Chromaniacs, along with Chiva and Abe of SD.F, for a fun hour of roundtable SDFC talk! The group focused on Sunday's road result, a 2-1 win in San Jose which gave SDFC six straight wins away from San Diego. Marcus Ingvartsen's return to center forward led to a pair of goals, is he the key to SDFC's offense going forward? The group dissect the game from start to finish, including some strong defense from the young back line, an egregious error at goalkeeper for the lone concession against, and how the lineup could change down the stretch. The hour wraps up with a look ahead to Saturday's home match against Timbers. 

We also invite you to check out the video version of this show on YouTube, where some of The Chromaniac's jokes might make a lot more sense :) 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know what is going to work.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
I did not know it.

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Anyway, We're gonna welcome to San Diego put football and
two balls and a mic, a couple of friends, some
pals from Thursdays, you know them, and honestly it's the
hottest thing in San Diego FC as well. The best
San Diego FC specific podcast here on this very platform.
Sanegall the Chromaniacs, please welcome Alex and the Chromaniac. We

(00:30):
couldn't get Craig on today, but we have the Chromaniac
live and in the flesh in a virtual setting. Gentlemen.
How are you?

Speaker 3 (00:43):
It's up standing to be here, gentlemen. Craig Sains's regards
some family stuff, something about a kid in high school something.
Unfortunately my self issued is still at the cleaners. But
I'm here with you and very happy to be here
with you to talk about the team that's the best
in all of MLS thanks to gold Differential, Ore Cromatos

(01:09):
San Diego FC.

Speaker 4 (01:11):
Oh man, and it's great to be here. Thank you,
Tony Chiva A. Everybody that's watching live. Yeah, we are
the Chromaniacs here and man, it was a great one
and I got to be a part of it. I
got to be at the match and man, what a
win yesterday afternoon. And man, yeah, there's plenty to talk

(01:34):
about with this team, and it's great that we have
a first place team of all of it MLS here.
So man, it's an exciting time here in San Diego.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, I love the fact that we have a space
to get into it when soccer in this sort of setting.
So thank you guys again for making it here. San
Diego FC has really done the improbable, the impractical almost
what Tyler Heaps and Mike about Us have done with
this team. What did you guys think? And I'll just

(02:09):
kind of leave this and this will be kind of
the points of launch pad here. We'll go through the
highlights as well, but just kind of overall thoughts here
where you stand a couple of days away from the
end of the transfer mark window for MLS, not a
lot of big names making it to San DIEGUFC. The
roster construction has been you know what it has been,

(02:30):
gam Tam. We've learned about it. We've learned too much
and not enough at the same time. Sandy UFC, where
do you think and what are your thoughts? I think
we'll start with the Cromanic and then we'll bring it here.
What do you got thoughts on San Diego as in
general leading up to here.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
The most spectacular expansion season in the history of MLS.
I mean, they're what Alex knows the exact numbers, but
I think they're one went away from the record for
the most wins by an expansion team. There's maybe like
five points to the all time Yeah, five points to
the all time expansion team points record. Both of those

(03:10):
are obviously, you know, more than attainable. They could be
attained and then destroyed and set to much greater heights
that this team picked exactly right on their DPS. They
have Anderstryer playing at an MLS MVP level. You have
Chucky Lozano contributing maybe at a goals or constributions per

(03:33):
minute level equal to Dryer. He just hasn't had the
time on the pitch that Anderstreyer has had. And you've
seen so many young players come through contribute grow along
the way. This has been a magical, magical season and
for them to win six in a row away is

(03:53):
just crazy. What a boon to watch parties up and
down the county that the Beers and flowing and then
thrown up and they get to pour some new ones
after so many goals being scored away from Snapdragon Stadium guys.

Speaker 4 (04:08):
Man, and and just to add to all that, like
the style of play is just so exciting. You know,
we're not trying to be St. Louis City that wants
to be defensive. They this is uh, you know, front footed,
We're going all out. We're trying to score each game
type of team. And man, it's it's so exciting to

(04:32):
be a part of this. And we have, Yeah, we
have two exciting designated players centrally in the midfield Yep
at the first off and you know he's played such
a key role in all of this in the ball movement,
you know, tracking back, playing a great central defensive midfielder.
And man, yeah, we we have like all the pieces

(04:55):
to be.

Speaker 5 (04:57):
Everything.

Speaker 4 (04:58):
You know, we want to be in the league, to
be an MLS Cup champion, you know that's coming up.
That could be the next thing that Sanego will see
that we're gonna be in the playoffs and potentially playing
for that championship.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, that is all correct. I also want to add
some things, right, let's not forget like up until this point,
santyofc is shutting Mounts. They are legit shutting experts Mounts,
and that's something that maybe none of us would have
guessed at the beginning of the season or when they
were building this roster. They're also proving that playing with
youngsters with some experienced players can work, especially in that style.

(05:39):
That is something that teams and managers and coaches are
always so scared. They always have more veteran players, a
little bit more experience, and then they throw in a
couple youngsters there. San Diego FC is starting a twenty
four year old keeper, a backline that's averaging the age
of twenty years old, and then up in front they
have some younger players and then still some more seasonal
veteran players. But I think their style, the way they're

(06:02):
doing things is just shutting everyone up.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
You need modern players to play a modern style like that.
That's what it is.

Speaker 5 (06:09):
Say.

Speaker 6 (06:10):
Yeah, there's so many different season where you've I've seen
the player get an injury or certain lineup choices where
it's like, Okay, this is probably can't be the game
where they take a break, the style probably won't work
out as well. I think we saw that probably in
the first half, but it doesn't matter. They just keep
rolling and rolling and believing in themselves and what Mikey

(06:30):
Vadas has been telling them all season. And I have
been really really impressed by this because so many other
teams would have baltered under these injuries, Like you're not
starting Luca at the latorre, you have such a young
back line, no Tukulsano. You you think this team, it's like, Okay,
here's a game. You probably take a little bit of
a step off. They keep fighting for that win. It's

(06:52):
just it's crazy and it's really impressive, really quick.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
I do see a how would nobody ask about Aiden
had Agi in the game postgame Prescot conference? Well, order
of operations, I gotta ask first, like, hey, how was
the game? Mikey, how was this? And then you know
over zoom you kind of get cut off at one chieva.
You were lining up for the question, but it kind
of got nicked. We we'll find out here on Thursday
for this, Greg, excuse me. The Chromaniac is the part

(07:21):
of this, Like the Chromaniac is the first name, Like
it's the Chromaniac, right, Like it's mister.

Speaker 3 (07:27):
As you know, Tony, the one of the few I
shared with this with you. When I was a child,
I was bitten by a chrome spider.

Speaker 5 (07:37):
M M.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
Yeah, yeah, no, it happens. It happens. Yeah, I hate
it when that happens.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
Right, I love it. I love it. Where I am today,
I do have a movable scalp. But that's just part
of the side effect.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
And let's talk about the main effects of this lineup
here San Diego FC. This is the lineup that they
have now going into this game against San Jose. Match
day he said, yeah, what is it, alex match day twenty.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah, twenty that was twenty nine.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
It's almost the end of the season. It's almost the
end of the season. And looking at this lineup.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
Can we just say it threw everyone off that Trucky
was listed as questionable. How was there at training on
Thursday and.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
He was there like he participated.

Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, so my worry was, like, wows did something happen
at training Friday Saturday morning because they had a slight
training session in the morning. Yeah, and then they traveled
over there. I don't know if it was maybe it
was just sick, something like that could have happened, but
it threw everyone off.

Speaker 1 (08:49):
Well, this is what they have. They have cig Los
Santos in the mass position and goalkeeper, that young back
line that we've been seeing with Luca Bombino just cementing himself,
I that's that's the young player of the year. I'd
say it was a good discussion over on the Crimeaniacs
as far as who the young player of the uh
the season would be for San Diego FC.

Speaker 2 (09:07):
Oh I disagree there, I said, Oh, I thought he said,
Oh no, that was actually that was actually a shout
by Alex.

Speaker 1 (09:16):
And uh Al and you know, well Craigs, I don't
know if they share uh similar takes on.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
I think this is great.

Speaker 1 (09:31):
But Luca, uh, Luca, Luca Momino, Chris McVay in the
center back parent again with Monodua who both center backs
are very attacking. They would love to move up. But
I think this time chrismick vay is also learning that
anchor position and that anchor center back position with Patty
McNair and now he shared it.

Speaker 3 (09:49):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
He kind of knows what he likes. He knows what
he likes when he's able to move forward, and he
knows that he needs to be the one to stay
back because he needs to let the kid go like
he's an unnaturally unnaturally positioned here, but I need to
be the one that stays back.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
I also want to point out something tricky that mcveazil's doing.
Center backs are used to which side they're playing, if
it's on the right center back position or the left
center back. McVeigh for majority of the season has been
the right center back along Patty mcmair. So now he
has to switch over sights and everything he already he's
already used in doing, has to switch over to the
other side, which can be tricky at times. Granted, he's

(10:24):
great at what he does, so he does he does
it like effortless, but that's something to kind of point
out too.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
Third, potentially fourth right back of the season. Maybe if
harangi over on the right backs first golf back to
only in the centerment position his natural position Goldoy and
then up top the massign making the return to the
left wing where he started where he actually came in
excuse me in the La Galaxy game that he's been
living off this whole season in MLS and dryer. And

(10:52):
then on the right you have Bascus gentlemen, thoughts lineup
when this came out it was this going to be
a winning formula for everybody.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
Romaniac Well, I think obviously when you see no Chuki
you're a little bit nervous. One thing I like though,
when you look at it as it's lined up, like,
look at the midfield there, and you've got two smart,
capable veterans in Goadoy and tavers Koff with a young
player in Valakari. As you were, guys were just discussing
about McVeigh and Dua and how you know Chris mcvagh

(11:25):
understands what he has to do to allow DUA to
flourish and what Dua allows him to do in order
to sit back. Now, obviously you'd love it to be
two two veteran and one young up top, and that's
the goal with Lozano. But you got to give a
lot of credit to young mister Vasquez for what he's
been able to do so far in his short time

(11:46):
with STFC, and Thomas on hell, you know, hasn't found
the net the way he would like to. Coaching staff
believes in his actions, you know, in his work rate
and his hustle. So overall, you looked at it and
you said same thing you thought going in. What kind
of game is San Jose going to present? This feels
like it's going to be a tough one on the road,

(12:07):
and it sure turned out to be.

Speaker 4 (12:10):
And yeah, it's a little concerning when the one thing
I did like was dryer up top central forward, but
everything else up front was a little concerning.

Speaker 5 (12:22):
Vasquez pretty young for you know, he.

Speaker 4 (12:26):
Just got here and he's starting a game over at
the right wing. And then uh, Tommy angel Man and
that's what I'm gonna call him.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
Now, star British striker bro Manirmingham by the.

Speaker 4 (12:43):
Way, Yeah man, he you know, playing playing anywhere like
up front, Well, you know, starting wise.

Speaker 5 (12:52):
Is just uh, it doesn't do it for me.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
It just you know, we've we've seen this, Tate, We've
seen this already before and but you kind of have
limited options. It sounds like Bear is not ready to go,
he's still learning the system mightin wasn't available, you know,
and obviously we just talked about Choky, So you have
very limited options and you know you're kind of just

(13:16):
giving on how to start, just to just to you know,
just give it your best.

Speaker 5 (13:21):
Just go out there, you know, just do your best
out there.

Speaker 4 (13:24):
And yeah, it felt like we were kind of comfortable
up front, and now if one injury turns it to
another injury, then we have limited options there.

Speaker 5 (13:34):
And it's it's it can be a little bit.

Speaker 2 (13:36):
Concerning another head scratcher in this line up for me
is that Luca starts off the bench again. That's back
to back MLS games that he starts off the bench. Uh,
it just comes to question, is he a We asked
each other and he said, is he's saving him already
for playoffs to have presser legs not risk an injury.
Maybe he has a bit of a knock and he's

(13:57):
not necessarily injured, but either play it more conservatively, especially
towards the end of the season. But that, to me,
that was weird. I would have much rather do seen
Balacari on top thrower on whatever wing and then.

Speaker 6 (14:09):
Start the Yeah, I'm I'm sure it has to do
with his time at the Gold Cup as well. He
got a lot of minutes with the US men's national team,
So protecting those legs for for the late months of
the MS season is probably a good decision.

Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah, just in terms of you know, it's working. That's
the thing about this whole thing. It's it's working and
they're not playing well. You know, this is two games
where they've based you know, very very high number of
shots compared to very little shots that they've produced. But
they've been clinical. And in this game, everybody was surprised

(14:48):
how Bruce Arenas attacked this match, having San Jose just
put that pressure and have that one on one marking.

Speaker 2 (14:55):
But they are were people surprised though, That's what's how
sounded like, thank you. I think their top three highest
scoring teams in the West y score a lot of goals,
like they have a like MLS class, like top talent attack.

Speaker 1 (15:12):
Get it to the pressure. Because they're so bad defensively,
you wouldn't think, oh, they're going to go ahead and
put go all in because they are atrocious in the back. No,
they did that, and you didn't necessarily have a night
because much like Kansas City last week, you knew Kansas
City wasn't gonna score.

Speaker 3 (15:29):
That's news.

Speaker 1 (15:30):
They weren't gonna score. So we're like, okay, knock yourself out,
like go for it. We'll figure it out. And in
this case the first half was San Jose were like, okay,
we're gonna we're gonna ask the questions. We'll figure out
the stefense thing later, but we're gonna go ahead and ask.

Speaker 2 (15:43):
I don't know if you all agree with me. And
I mean again, I'm Marry Oba. I'm new to MLS
this season right, especially now since san Diego's here. But
every time I see san Diego see play, I don't
think to myself, wow, this is an MLS team, Like
they're a good team. It's fun to watch him play,
Whereas if I watch another MLS game, I'm like, man,
this is what MLS is. This is the first time
that I told myself san Diego is playing very MLS.

(16:08):
I don't know if that's a fair take, Alex. I
know you followed the league a lot longer. I don't
know if that's a fair take to have.

Speaker 4 (16:13):
No, I think that's actually pretty fair, especially in that
first half and you know, we really didn't see anything
come out of Sandy UFC, and yeah, it did look
a little amateursh you know when it came to the attack, and.

Speaker 5 (16:31):
So yeah, it's pretty that. I think that's pretty fair
to say.

Speaker 4 (16:36):
But this can be a better team, and it can
be a better ponent team when you have all your
pieces together.

Speaker 5 (16:42):
Yeah, we're missing Jooky, That's that's a big part of it.

Speaker 4 (16:45):
And you know him linking up with Dryer, that's a
big part of the attack there. And yeah, that's something
we just didn't get to see. And yeah, you're kind
of working with other pieces that aren't used to working together,
and that's gotta be tough for virus to get. You know,
get that starting eleven off and just hoping for the

(17:05):
best and man it it's it's good that it worked out,
but I just don't know how many times it's gonna
work out, especially once you start getting into tougher competition,
and competition that's really they're they're trying to play to
get into a playoff spot, just like San Jose. We're
gonna see San Jose again. We're going to see Portland twice.

(17:25):
Like they're they're gonna be They're they're playing for a
playoff spot, so they're gonna try to do anything they
can to get there.

Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah. I think the context is really important. Guys as
opposed and I get what you're where you're going at
Chiva and maybe Craig might agree with you, but you know,
you got the cromaniac on this show, and when I
think about this STFC young defense, you know, some words
come to mind, like unbreakable, unbending, unyielding, immeasurable, immovable, invincible,

(17:57):
And that's what I saw in those clips at the
end of the first half, as San Jose continue to
press on their home pitch with all of the karma
aligned in their direction, I saw young players adjusting, and
I saw CJ. Dos Santos making big saves along the
way and being inch perfect and guarding his angles. And
that's what you have to do to win six in
a row on the road. You have to be a

(18:18):
young team that defensively is playing smart at all of
the moments that matter and all of the moments that
don't matter, you know, because in soccer, every moment matters,
so the moments that seem invisible sometimes are the most important.
And I love what sdfc's young defense has been able
to do. And I'm just going to forget a moment

(18:39):
in the seventieth minute that you might bring up later
so you can mute me for that part.

Speaker 1 (18:45):
That definitely, you know, that also did happen, and it
was that same you know defense, that same style which
I heard on the broadcast San Diego is the team
that comes that has the least long balls from the
goalkeeper in the world, in the world, in the world,
So in the world.

Speaker 2 (19:04):
You chatting up with Sean Kelly or sometimes.

Speaker 5 (19:08):
That.

Speaker 1 (19:09):
Look, I am just the messenger of this just stat
that was said, and I am taking this fact. I
haven't chat gptated. That's what the kids do to check facts.

Speaker 3 (19:19):
Now if they checked on the Texas Outlaws Tony of
m A s L.

Speaker 5 (19:23):
I think there's a keeper distributions.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
I just want to point out. I mean, since we're
talking about like records or stats whatever, then USC was
also the the team that slipped the most this weekend.

Speaker 6 (19:36):
It was both, Yes, if you want it, that was
in that the Wave game honestly was worse than this game.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
I counted him. It was like forty slides, forty like
player slide. It was just a really poor pitch which
we are used to, which made me believe in the
type of game. Yeah, I mean you watched the Wave
game and this one like it was bad.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
Yeah, I definitely played a factor.

Speaker 6 (20:05):
But then at the same time, like you kind of
have to think both teams are dealing with it, so
it can't be that much of an excuse for how
they played in that first half, but then they were
still able, Like the Coromaniac said that they played well defensively.

Speaker 5 (20:17):
C J.

Speaker 6 (20:18):
Los Antos was able to make important saves and like
they I said to in our chat that like they
get Patt the first half without conceding a goal, they
just gonna come back and storm down and probably score,
which is eventually what did happen, Like look at the
thought it coming on in the second half definitely changed
the feel and vibe of the game.

Speaker 1 (20:40):
There were moments for adjustments for all the players. Dryer
I think, was one that kind of, you know the
first half even in the second half, with a shot
that kind of got just blown into the atmosphere. Here
he slips where Driver usually just has the surest of footing.
It took him a whole game to really figure out
the pitch and figure himself out. Even I can tell

(21:00):
there's moments. There was a one on one where he
just looked for Invodison, look for Evodison, and usually he'll
take take on the defender with the confidence, but he
just maybe second guess himself because he might slip and
he hasn't slipping this whole game. Either way, he eventually
did get it together. This San Jose team has a
lot of all stars just names in terms of not

(21:24):
knowing MLS. I know who yolso Martinez is, I know
who that is? Like that that's a that's an excellent
legendary player in Atlanta, but now over here in San
Jose under legendary and proce arenas. But romaniac. So sorry,

(21:44):
you mentioned it a couple of minutes to get you
up on everything that my town this weekend.

Speaker 2 (21:53):
Oh yep, oh, are we on goals, coals and greats?

Speaker 3 (22:02):
Not yet?

Speaker 1 (22:05):
Any any words on the one zero for San Jose.
Any anybody can go ahead take it. I'll just put
myself away.

Speaker 4 (22:16):
I mean, I think we talked about it in the
last episode, like you can't make mistakes in your in
your in your third of the field, and that was
clearly a mistake and they took advantage. And if we
saw another one like those again, like where you know,
Dua passes back and it just accidentally just ends up,
you know, on the on the front foot of San Jose,

(22:38):
it would have been too But yeah, you really have
to limit these types of mistakes because they really going
to take an advantage and and it was just a
complete just slip up of c J, Like what what
are you doing there?

Speaker 5 (22:56):
Man? Like, what what was that all about? Really?

Speaker 2 (23:00):
Can I say something about this?

Speaker 5 (23:02):
You can?

Speaker 2 (23:03):
Mikey Vadas welcomes these type of mistakes. Does he prefers
for players to have this mistake rather than play a
style that they kick the ball out and then they
give the ball away. He said that before, like he's like,
that's the style and that's the suberness Tony that you've
talked about in the past, that they're going to do.
It's going to make mistakes like this. I'm surprised it

(23:24):
hasn't happened more. That's the impressive part.

Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah yeah, I mean yeah yeah. And even then they're
still still winning. They want they're still winning, Like that's
the thing.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
I mean, if they were to lost this game, then
I can see everyone be like bench CJ, like that's trash,
Like these were three valuable points to go Topgaree bringing
Duran free? Why not? Like Mikey said over the weekend
that they're telling Duran like, hey, h doesn't matter here
if everyone gets an opportunity, So Duran could get some
minutes at some point maybe, especially if they cleanch the

(23:57):
playoff spot already.

Speaker 3 (24:00):
You know, I support all our keepers and I think
it's darn shame what happened, and I think CJ is
going to be so much better next time. And it
just really bums me out when I hear fans that
are upset about CJ dos Santos. I think he's terrific
and I can't wait to see what the next match
brings for San Diego FC.

Speaker 1 (24:21):
Love it.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
I agree everything you said and uh portray stood for Yeah.

Speaker 1 (24:26):
No, I mean it's just I I And that's what
got CJ benched to begin with.

Speaker 2 (24:32):
Just Mike Mike sat on Thursday during Meil he did
say like, hey, you know CJ how to dip in form,
which led to him not starting. It's his nigga coming
on now. He gets the chance to get that spot back,
and he earned it back with a clean sheet, but
it's his niggas available next week, that snapdragon. I can
see a switch being made and Mikey just sending a

(24:55):
message if you start making those mistakes now, you're going to.

Speaker 3 (24:58):
Lose your spot.

Speaker 1 (24:59):
You can't make this mistake and playoffs.

Speaker 6 (25:00):
It's troubling that it's happening kind of this late in
the season where there's a goalkeeper battle, and I think
usually by this point in the season, these kind of
issues are are solved within a team and then you
decided like this is gonna be a starting goalkeeper the
rest of this season. But if I think, probably one
more bad game at a CJ and then Bablo is available,
like you're gonna have to choose Bablo, and then Bablo

(25:22):
might not have a great game either, and then that's
just another worry to have come come playoff times, especially
when you're gonna have like a three game series, which
is stupid. But like it's it's very possible that the
reason why Sandy UFC doesn't go as far as maybe
they should is because of a goalkeeper issue.

Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yeah, that would be terrible, I will say, And then
just shout out to once again Mano Dua who almost
once again almost had it. Like last week he had
a say right there, same place, same exact situation, he

(26:04):
got contact, but it's just alm it was. I was
kind of sad for I was like, man, what's the
incredible what's.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
Your reaction if say he does a World Cup least
is in uses his hands and he had never had.

Speaker 1 (26:21):
He he never has to. I would hydrate him the
entire practice. I would make sure that I would shine,
you know, pay somebody to shine, you know, shoes, car whatever,
and like he gets treated mono dua. Right now is
is everybody's favorite player in the center back in the

(26:42):
goalkeeping room. That's a kid, everyone's favorite player right now.
He's Honestly, it's kind of a cold following. I do
enjoy that. But no again, shout out to to monod.

Speaker 2 (26:54):
Same question, right, what's your reaction? And Alex like if
he does use his hands since he's like, nope, no,
go not here.

Speaker 3 (27:02):
Well, if he had done as Suarez, he would have
bit the ball, and just because he's so powerful and amazing,
he would have just deflated it right there on the line.
But you know, I think when he's thirty two he'll
probably use his hands there and pluck the ball up.
But at that point he thought he could knod it off.
And who can blame him. The kid is playing amazing

(27:22):
and he is one of the parts of the bright
future of this stft. Look at that, it's so close.
He got content her head in front of that. Puts
your head in front of that.

Speaker 1 (27:31):
Yeah, Phelia, you should have kept this. He's like, you
should have kept this head straight, lovely Phillip, thank you
for you and your family for watching the sporting but yeah,
like what it's supposed to do. He literally knocked himself
out like I would have you know, is he okay?
Like goes to the ghost of ground just it's okay, mom,
like you you did. He's so disappointed, like, oh I
could have done.

Speaker 2 (27:51):
Alex.

Speaker 4 (27:54):
Yeah, I mean for the second time, like he almost
put his head to it and yeah, it would have
been great to see. But yeah, would you want to
see his It's it's it's an auto red right when
when you use your hand, Like, yeah, so I can't
get it.

Speaker 5 (28:12):
For this game? How about how about how about?

Speaker 2 (28:14):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (28:15):
How about a game where where yeah, we're not trying
to Yeah, how about for for another game?

Speaker 1 (28:21):
Oh so a team that matters unlike San Jose, Okay.

Speaker 3 (28:26):
Rice Burritos, Tony never forgets they have no right to anything?

Speaker 1 (28:31):
Is that true? Is that is that I called it?
I called it Fresno West just how you know, I'm
so calm wherever I let's go. But is that true?
Like white carb on carb, what's going on.

Speaker 4 (28:46):
Yeah, that's what they call it STOs over there. Man,
That's that's what they do. They put rice sometimes beans
and their burritos with their steak and whatever.

Speaker 5 (28:58):
Yeah, like like.

Speaker 1 (29:03):
Yeah, they're heavy, they're they're heavy, they're too too many cars.
At this point, Alex, were you on the positive side
of things? You were like, Okay, well it's that's that's THEFC.
They'll get it done.

Speaker 5 (29:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (29:16):
I think that's that's kind of like the way we
were kind of like looking at it.

Speaker 5 (29:20):
Uh, I mean, you're down a goal, it's still late.

Speaker 4 (29:23):
But uh, you know, as I've witnessed in that building before,
late goals happened all the time. So I think that's
what I was like really expecting and hoping at least
the point. But I know this team always goes for
the win. So man, we were kind of as a
group in the section. We were still cheering on and

(29:44):
you know, trying trying to get get these guys, you know,
you know, the the edge here because yeah, those San
Jose fans they really yeah, they got really loud with
that that one goal that they you know, they shouldn't
have scored.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
Yeah, I can think about is man, I don't know
if you both are aware. But on our podcast here
two Balls in a Mic, we have an ongoing bed
in our predictions this season where the person with the
lowest amount of points at the end of the season
has to walk from our studio all the way to
Snapdragon Stadium, which is eighteen miles an eight hour walk.

(30:19):
I had cut the lead coming up to this weekend
to Tony but just three points, and they had a
two to one prediction, both of them. I had a
four to two win for San Diego. All I could
think about at this moment was like, damn it, They're
gonna get the score prediction right on the dot and
get an extra point and there goes my chances slipping

(30:39):
a little bit. That's all I could think about. I
really thought they were still gonna pull off the win.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
How big was the cheer when Marcus and Varson came
in for you guys, just even internally Marcus getting substituted
on for this game, returning after the injury again just
not to gloss over, but Hadani does go out, switching
Bombino over to the right hand side, which goes in Yeah,

(31:04):
kid is a phenomenal But Marcus and Varson making his return.

Speaker 4 (31:10):
Yeah, man, I think it's it's one of those like
long awaited uh you know things that.

Speaker 5 (31:18):
Yeah, we've been waiting for this.

Speaker 4 (31:19):
We we've been waiting for Imbartson to come back and.

Speaker 5 (31:24):
Just kind of see him on the squad, to just
see him on the.

Speaker 4 (31:26):
Field again because it's been a long time, and you know, yeah,
we we were like really happy to see him out there.
You know, it's good to have him because like, what
what other options are out there? And so I think
now it's just seeing the potential of what can Marcus.

Speaker 5 (31:46):
Do for you, do for us, you know, for for
this team.

Speaker 4 (31:50):
And yeah, it's it's good to see because I think
that's the thing. He has such a high ceiling like
he has so like you know, high potential. We can
see a lot from him, and I hope we do,
because man it I always like, look at that contract.
That contract is gonna be here for for a while,
Like he's gonna be here, he's here to stay. He's

(32:13):
here to stay for for quite a bit. Like you know,
there's no number nine walking through that door.

Speaker 5 (32:18):
Uh, he's the guy. He's gonna be the guy, uh
over forward.

Speaker 4 (32:22):
So I just thought I hope the best for him
really like, and I think we're all kind of excited
to see him back back out there.

Speaker 6 (32:29):
Yeah, the number nine already walked through the door and
left the door and is playing in Philadelphia now, which
is and I think but Marcus and Martson is kind
of just the bet that Sennios made at the beginning
of the season and thinking they kind of have to
double down and really like believe in that, and him
scoring is kind of just proof that he can be
this very positive sports at the at the top of

(32:52):
the pitch. I think once he develops and gets his
legs back a pull play probably a half and then
sixty and then ninety minutes, it can really change how
this team plays, just because he's I think he's such
a threat aerially and he's like so tall, and then
it's just another issue to worry about when you have
him chooky and dryer all up at the top, it's

(33:13):
it's very tough to deal with.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
And he comes back and he just of course Rando
casually right, but let's not ignore the cross.

Speaker 1 (33:25):
That was made.

Speaker 4 (33:26):
The cross is insane, by the way, like that angle
is tough.

Speaker 2 (33:32):
Like Franco Negati man, like you you can see Holulo
like you are and yeah, like it's a great goal,
Like it's a great cross, great header, fantastic.

Speaker 1 (33:50):
Planting the goalkeeper, nothing to do for anybody, incredible.

Speaker 4 (33:56):
Yeah, the header was it was like it was hit
with like really good pace, like it just went in
and goalkeeper couldn't do couldn't do anything about it. And
that was number one of my shower, a beer shower
as a Chromaniac has witnessed in his in his career,
going to the snap. Uh, yeah, you get you get

(34:17):
plenty of those out there at the snap.

Speaker 3 (34:19):
Right, Yes, absolutely, sometimes beer, sometimes something else, and uh
most of the time beer and it's better when it's beer.
But you know, uh, it's great for me to get
the chance to fill in on the show here. Craig
did leave some notes. Around half of them have to
do with Luisa rise or I think they were from

(34:39):
something else. But here's one I think it's been a
topic for multiple weeks on the Chromaniacs. It has They
said that Marcus and Vartsen is going to be the
key to being the number nine for this team, that
he is the prince that was promised for this club.

(35:00):
He's the guy that we paid the bucks for he's
the guy that we brought over early. He's the veteran
captain that's supposed to lead the way and he's just
been starcrossed for the first two thirds of the season.
But look, he said call me maybe, you know, right
there at the end with his goal celebration, and that's
telling you it's time to give him a call. And
Mikeyboda says, yeah, I'm going to call you next game

(35:21):
to get a couple more goals. Please. He's the number
nine we need. He's the number nine we have. That
pass is just absolutely sick. That's going to be one
of the three most assistants of the year, guaranteed from
who Negwe just like you all said it would be
Frank that delivers one of the top three assists in
the entire season for San Diego f scene. But I

(35:42):
really thinking Vartsen is going to be an unlock for
this team. I think that we have all underestimated him
because we have not seen him because we just haven't
seen him at his best match, fit and integrated, and
that's what he is now. He had the integration. The
injuries were blocking his chance to contribute. Now it's all

(36:03):
coming together at the right time for lose promados.

Speaker 2 (36:07):
And to add to that, Cromaniac, it's not that the bull,
the cremaniac, my bad and mister d uh. It's not
that everyone just they didn't believe in in varsity. And
is that when he did play early in the season
before the injury, he wasn't really playing all that great.
He was starting I think he started start. He scored
one goal in what four games that he played. Granted

(36:30):
it was a very slow start for San Diego at
the beginning of the season. Getting that groobon getting to
learn the style now that I mean he's been knowing
that style, but now that the whole team kind of
caught up to that and knowing the style, it looked
like it fit like a glove for him.

Speaker 1 (36:45):
Yeah, that's why it works so well. Like you wouldn't
think Marcus in Varson has been away from this squad
in a starting position for as long as he has.
And again that's a testament to the style of play
and that he knows it like the back of his hand.
This is a player that was tasked to start this
project along with YEPS first golf and I mean taking

(37:05):
care of business right Like that's a striker header through
and through a striker needs to is that open, he
has to bury it and put it there, let the
goalkeeper figure out a great save. But ultimately that's a
that's what you expect from your number nine. But he
wasn't done. He wasn't done for this night, because neither
were San Diego FC and the pulse for for the

(37:28):
two of you and anybody here, Like I know, to you,
you thought, okay, one zero, it's coming, it's coming. Two
to one. You're we're gonna be a prediction, right, were
you feeling the magic in the air tonight or yesterday
or so?

Speaker 6 (37:41):
I honestly thought that San Jose might score another, or
at least it might end up tied. I didn't really
expect them to just make it too it was they
hadn't played great to that point, and just to make
it one one is enough for a sec Okay, here
we go, But this team has never done that. They're
always pushing, So bat on me to not to not

(38:02):
see this coming.

Speaker 1 (38:04):
Cromaniacs plural, that's how you address him.

Speaker 3 (38:08):
Always believe m.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
Yeah, yeah same here we I think, well, we were
feeling that one goal, Like in the section, we were
really feeling it, so like the drummings started getting louder. Yeah,
we were really feeling in the sectors. So yeah, we
were anticipating the goal number two that's coming.

Speaker 3 (38:27):
Up here, and maybe they should pay attention to Understryer.
What do you think. I hear he's good.

Speaker 1 (38:35):
I hear he's good.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
I hear he's don't don't even right decent holding up
his drink the Brandy Chastaine finish, let's go seventeen assists
thirty gold contributions in MLS. Ah, Tony, I think you
mentioned it last week. He's not gonna win MVP because
they're going to give it to the Messy. Yeah, but

(38:59):
what a first season for and under Dryer like the
best player in MLS right now.

Speaker 1 (39:06):
Hands down. I really think that that may have been
a message to Messi that I mean, that's the iconic
Messi at the NABO. Hold the jersey. Take that, like,
here's the ten. This is who this is who just
destroyed you. This is who's destroying the league. This is
who's leading and being the headline of MLS. Not this

(39:27):
Leone and Messi who also keeps getting injured. You know
the story we should have been chu Kiyosano maybe, but
he's not. He's also injured or you know, just kind
of getting throttled in his own way, game manage or
whatever you want to talk talk call it. At this
point for honors, Dryer is that constant and he's not
seemingly not going anywhere. He keeps making it happen. And
it's incredible how unselfish of a player he is. And

(39:49):
he doesn't need to. He doesn't need to. He can
take care of business himself, but he always looks for
the best business decision at the time, and that's what's
what lee to his success so much. And two to one, gentlemen,
San Jose or no match, like what is the Camino

(40:10):
Real Cup now belongs to San Diego, first place in
the West, first place in the supporter shield, secret agent
mi Laliedowski doing what he's doing in sabotage in Philadelphia.
Maybe that's why.

Speaker 2 (40:27):
Not only that, right, Thomas Mueller too, he was linked
for Sandy usc went goes to Vancouver and then they
also dropped points.

Speaker 1 (40:32):
So now he scored, but.

Speaker 2 (40:35):
Now San Diego has a four point lead or.

Speaker 6 (40:40):
I think they're tied with with Cincinnati right now.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
Yeah, yeah, but I mean in the ways they've Vancouver wins.
With that game in hand, they have the San DIEGOC
is still head by three points, so they have a
nice cushion there. Gold difference has always been the best
type breaker in my opinion, better than head to head.
I think gold difference is the gay tiebreaker of fall tyebreaker.

(41:04):
I don't know if you all agree with that.

Speaker 4 (41:08):
Yeah, and we we have like a really good gold
differ control.

Speaker 5 (41:13):
It's the best one in the league right now.

Speaker 4 (41:16):
Only below us is Philadelphia Union and Orlando City, So yeah,
it can't you know, if we're playing for the shield,
it might be a factor. So that's always something to consider,
getting that tiebreaker in gold differentroal.

Speaker 5 (41:36):
So that's something.

Speaker 4 (41:39):
And and it's great to be you know, it's great
to be first place in the West. But over on MLS,
that's amazing. I did not, I honestly did not expect
that in our.

Speaker 3 (41:48):
First year, Tony. You were just putting those standings up
nine and four on the road San Diego f C.
Is anyone else even close to nine wins away?

Speaker 1 (42:04):
I don't believe.

Speaker 7 (42:05):
So.

Speaker 3 (42:05):
Also, they're not up to the East. You panned Dan
to the West, they scan up to these Obviously, no
one belows has nine wins.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
Yeah, Cincinnati has also has wins nine the wins draws Yeah,
two draws and four losses.

Speaker 3 (42:19):
Mm hmm okay. It's it's almost funny, isn't it that
one of San Diego's number one strengths this year would
be mitigated by them winning the Shield, which is their
ability to win away from snap Dragon Stadium. That actually
played better away then they've played in front of us,
even though they've had incredible crowds and an incredible supporter

(42:42):
energy and and so much, you know, vibrancy within the stadium.
For whatever reason, they've taken on these road environments and
defeated them one by one. It's it's truly remarkable and
and kind of ironic that the better you do on
the road, the last chance you have to be on
the road when it matters.

Speaker 2 (43:04):
Yeah, Tony will like this one. Is San Diego FC
plays better in soccer specific stadiums.

Speaker 1 (43:11):
Yeah, By the way, there's lines that Snapdragon Stadium for football.
So let's see what that, uh, you know what that entails.
It may tell nothing, it may be nothing. There's fields
of plenty, but I will say, now San Diego FC,
with this, uh are the fourth team to win six

(43:32):
consecutive away games UH in MLS.

Speaker 2 (43:36):
So like these are the one away to TI in
that record and one away.

Speaker 1 (43:38):
But like, this is the incredible nature of this season
that you know, it's almost overlooked how special it is
because you're kind of in it and not that I
want to just halt it in any kind of way,
but this is special. Like Craig, like.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
You you you you you you.

Speaker 1 (43:56):
Talk about like kind of like the chromaniac chromaniac coromaniac comma,
the that in building sports teams, like who remembers like
the first you know, essentially everything you know, Milanie Lowski's
jersey is now a relic antiques roadshow in twenty one

(44:17):
thirty five on KPBS will be like, this is a
Milani Loski jersey.

Speaker 2 (44:21):
Blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Speaker 1 (44:23):
Like this is incredible for a team period, let alone
an inaugural team. How special is this in the realm
of sports, just sports San Diego sports, where does.

Speaker 3 (44:37):
Yeah, like like so many things, Tony, it's you know,
like like the first year of the release of Office Space,
you know, something that becomes known decades later as one
of the greatest things of all time. But maybe at
the time it's just like, Okay, that seems like a
good thing that just happened. That's probably San Diego's in

(44:59):
a action with San Diego season, inaugural season. I don't
think people realize at all at all how good they've
had it. Six straight away wins. Both of your dps
throw critical twenties when it comes to their season result, like,
we're just gonna get max result, you know, ninety eighth percentile.

(45:24):
Every time they're on the pitch, Every young player is
gonna step in and be good. The league is just
gonna look slow and beatable, and every team in front
of you is just a work that even if they
take a lead, you've got an answer down the road.
This is truly, truly remarkable, and it's not gonna be

(45:47):
a bad season. If our DP has you know, like
seven goals and nine assists, you know, a different year
as opposed to leading the league and dominating and just
turning up match after match after match. San Diego FC
is playing one of the most special outdoor seasons I've
ever seen, and to be a part of it is

(46:09):
incredibly special and exciting, and I really do believe it's
gonna be one of those things everyone will say twenty
years from now. Oh, I remember that year with SDFC.
I remember when and like two thirds of those cats
were off watching something else while it was happening, but
they'll say they were there then.

Speaker 1 (46:31):
The ninety eight Pandres six Chargers twenty twenty three wave.

Speaker 3 (46:40):
Yeah, I think that way.

Speaker 1 (46:42):
All right, all right, that's all mother, twenty five San
Diego twenty twenty five SDFC team. When you when your
team gets the or the two digit like a class,
like you did something good, I think we're we're well
passed that outside of this being the inaugural season, like
the twenty five San Diego FC incredible.

Speaker 2 (47:01):
Is that still the case if they I mean.

Speaker 1 (47:05):
From here on now?

Speaker 2 (47:05):
Yeah, like just lose every single game and then everyone
could kind of catch us up and they just somehow
squeeze in like seventh or like eighth or ninth, Like sure,
is that still the case?

Speaker 1 (47:16):
Like mission accomplished?

Speaker 2 (47:18):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (47:19):
Yeah, bringing Tom Cruise for that day. I snap trigs
like I don't know, mission accomplished, Like great, bring George
Bush again, like whatever, like it's mission accomplished.

Speaker 5 (47:27):
You did it.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
I mean yeah, at the end of the day, what
they're what they've been doing is in president it's not
gonna stop. We thought when they had that like a
little bit like three game losing streak earlier in the season,
We're like, ah, they got figured out, Like that's it.
That wasn't really the case. They just had a bad
a run of games. And that happens to everyone in
the season. Uh. I think they're able to adapt their

(47:49):
learning when they have a bad game, they able to
kind of like fix those mistakes the next time. Uh,
And that's what made them so competitive.

Speaker 1 (47:57):
Be honest, do we know who's competing for Coach of
the Year or Manager of the Year in MLS? I
would say if anything outside of Mike bet because I
mean obviously, like, do is there any because outside of
him and what he's done with the squad, the age,
the style, pressure, what else does somebody need to do?
Coach of the Year.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
I think the Union coach of the Year, I don't
know his name, but I mean they have like one
of the uh what is it like values right, like
the lowest value of the team, like contract wise, some
players like that's impressive.

Speaker 3 (48:32):
Is the chief. I don't know if you know, but
officially in the MLS rules and for the voters, the
tiebreaker is most matches with tribal seeds gear worn on
the sideline. So Bonus has been stacking points week by week,
match by match, and I think he's got the edge.

Speaker 1 (48:49):
Yeah, you know.

Speaker 6 (48:50):
That's something I've thought about too, is the specific attire
for coaches, and specifically Mikey Vadas. There are times that
early on this season where I was not a fan
of it at all, Just there's so many of these
young guys and it's just like, Okay, we got it.
Like he's wearing like a T shirt and like a
bomber jacket, Like what are we doing here?

Speaker 2 (49:08):
Like this is supposed to be a coach, They're supposed
to be wearing a suit.

Speaker 6 (49:10):
Like But then the way that he plays his whole philosophy, everything,
it just it fits.

Speaker 3 (49:16):
Now.

Speaker 6 (49:16):
I can't imagine him in a suit or anything of
that nature, like a traditional manager.

Speaker 1 (49:21):
He's not a traditional manager.

Speaker 6 (49:23):
He's gonna be dressed like this his whole, his whole career,
Like there's gonna be seventy year old Mikey Vadas in
a bomber jacket or something.

Speaker 2 (49:29):
Breaks the norms. They're that punk rock kid that's here
to you know, break the rules and do things my way.
And I'm the newte hot shit around here. And that's
what as DFC is. And Mike he represents that.

Speaker 1 (49:41):
I've never seen like he wout us in a suit.
You're right, yeah, no, he doesn't wear that, and I,
oh my god, yeah, does he own a suit?

Speaker 3 (49:49):
Okay?

Speaker 1 (49:49):
Can we get him a suit like Goodwill.

Speaker 3 (49:51):
In a suit like Tony? He only has one suit,
but he went to me.

Speaker 1 (49:57):
Imagine imagine the scene in playoff time at Snapdragon Stadium
and team comes out and nothing but just a a
a disco ball of just of energy of a chrome suit,
just strutting down with the face to match it.

Speaker 2 (50:16):
And would that be sick if he showed up like
Grand Final Day chrome suit chromes? I die?

Speaker 3 (50:25):
I literally die?

Speaker 1 (50:27):
Alright. Well, speaking of head coach mikey a boy, does
he had words after uh Curtisy of San Diego FCU.
Would you guys want to hear from head coach of
this victory? Important victory? He says no.

Speaker 3 (50:40):
They say no, I'm good. Sure sounds good.

Speaker 2 (50:46):
McKee.

Speaker 1 (50:46):
Congratulations Mikey an important victory today away, Can you just
tell me what it meant for your club and what
it took to break count of sent was a squad
that had one on one marketfficult for.

Speaker 7 (50:57):
You, yeah, man, marking a lot of intent city, good
athletic profiles team that they made it very difficult for
us tonight. And then of course we can see the
goal and I just love the composure that the group
showed in that moment because at the end of the day, like,
this is how we play, and sometimes we're gonna get
bit when you take that much risk, but we maintained

(51:20):
our calm and boy, these guys don't give up. Man,
this team, there is a team full of guys who
they just they don't have give up and and that's
when that's when special things can happen, because you can
maintain calm and say, hey, we're still going to go
after this game and it's not just about getting that
one one, but it's about getting the next goal.

Speaker 2 (51:40):
I love this for Mikey Vadas because we've been so
used to coaches like the question always being hey, like
the result wasn't there, but the performance was great, right,
This is the opposite this is like the results there,
but the performance wasn't. And I really do appreciate the
coach realizing that, saying, hey, you know what, we didn't

(52:01):
play it, but you know what, we still fought and
we still won. Like that, you can't talk bad about that.
Even if you played a terrible eighty minutes and you
still came back and won the game, you can still say, yeah,
we played very poorly, but we won and that's what matters.

Speaker 1 (52:17):
Some new players got some new uh, got some minutes
out there. Basquez did his best for a long time.
But like again, these are all excuses that SANDYFC has
has never written. And I can't tell you how excited
I am because I hear the scribbling of a sharpie somewhere.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
But are we worried that the right back positions cursed?

Speaker 5 (52:36):
By the way, Yes, you can't fill it, curse you
get out of there.

Speaker 3 (52:43):
Yeah, the left transfer transfer back to the left.

Speaker 4 (52:49):
And that's the thing I like what I saw, Like
from Bombino, he's like, oh he's flexible, he can he
can go on the other side too, But now thinking
about it, it's like, oh, never mind, put them back.
And also like just that I've never seen Mikey Vira
so fired up after that second goal, Like he was
fired up, like he really wanted that goal and he

(53:10):
got it, and you could just tell by his reaction
it was.

Speaker 5 (53:14):
It was amazing to see uh on the replay. And
for me, I saw the ball travel underneath all the flags.

Speaker 4 (53:22):
I was like dipping down low and I saw the
ball travel across the line and into the back of
the night and I got fired up too.

Speaker 1 (53:31):
Is he too honest?

Speaker 3 (53:34):
No?

Speaker 4 (53:35):
No, no, you want you want like you want your
prototypical like manager giving you like the manager like speak.

Speaker 3 (53:44):
Why does everyone to bel Belichick? Why does everyone have
to be casey stony? Why does everyone have to be
tight lipped? Why does everyone have to say the company line.
He's an honest man doing an honest job and honest way,
and I love him because of that honesty.

Speaker 2 (54:02):
I respected his honesty to be honest when I asked
him about being lanniy Lowski, why he didn't play that
one game and he has said, yeah, we haven't reached
a deal with him, So I'm in a prioritize players
that are going to stay. I said, now he's not
going to stay, and since then I've respected him a
lot more, because any other coach would have legit said, well,
you know what, like you know, he he's been getting mad,

(54:25):
we're just doing rotations, any other like bs answer. He
just went straight up and said, yeah, no, he's he's
not probably he's probably not going to stay.

Speaker 1 (54:33):
Yeah, he can't be sarcastic. I told him hey, one
post match, Hey, you guys are this many points away
up blah play. He's like, oh, you're you're good at math.
I was like, thanks, Mikey, and they just answered flawlessly.
I was like, all right, he's a gem. He's an
absolute gem. So as there keep stacking points. I asked
him about, hey, first in the Supporter Shield, currently first

(54:56):
on the Western Conference, you're stacking points. What does this
mean for the team moving forward? A an important game.

Speaker 7 (55:00):
I'm gonna be honest with you, the only points that
I'm thinking about weekend and week out are the ones
that are in front of us. So right now, it's
about celebrating these three points because these were these were
hard earned. This was a hard earned three points, and
tomorrow will wake up, recover and then we got to
get back to business for the next three points in

(55:22):
front of us. But Marcus. What all, welcome back for Marcus,
And I think that's perfect for a number nine to
get on the score sheet, such an important finish, such
an important presence. He's been dealing with a lot of
adversity this season, but he's a great leader and a
great person and he's got a lot of talent.

Speaker 5 (55:39):
So we're all just really happy for him. Do you
hear that?

Speaker 3 (55:43):
Tell about on Hell? What a great finish for a
number nine? Yes?

Speaker 2 (55:49):
Yes, And I have a take for you all, I
mean no, no, no, no at this point, like based
on their best season compared to the season Romaniac. I
don't know if you follow Saniel Loyal back in the day.
I know Craig Elson used to follow Loyal back in
the day. Who would you take right now? Evan Conway

(56:10):
on the last Loyal season or Tomas Ankel, easy call.

Speaker 8 (56:16):
I'll drive on Hell to the airport right now. I'm sorry,
I'm not sorry. Easy for Excel Black just to be
the most VP uber there?

Speaker 2 (56:29):
Yeah, like it, it's insane, like just how bad he's
been playing this season, Like.

Speaker 1 (56:37):
But he's defending No, he's defending his own team, but
he's defending Sometimes I.

Speaker 2 (56:42):
Saw him walking more out there, like to the point
where a coach really does make a substitution a halftime
That doesn't happen too often for a midfielder, for an
attacking player like Mike. He said, Nah, you're coming out,
You're playing like ship and good. That's what That's what
you need. A lot of players sometimes are scared of
doing that. So, I mean, I don't know if we

(57:03):
see Tomas Anhel in the starting eleven uh in the future,
unless there's other players not unavailable. But I would have
preferred bolting up there.

Speaker 1 (57:12):
But one thing was part of the reason why this
team came back and had the spark. Yeah, like and
even on the defensive effort, got on a very important
yellow card towards the end, and then setting that tone.
I mean, man, Mike, he can do no wrong. Do
you agree?

Speaker 3 (57:29):
Do you like your.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
Internections with him?

Speaker 3 (57:31):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (57:31):
I definitely like my interactions.

Speaker 6 (57:32):
But it's any coach, any player, any team is gonna
seem like the best thing ever and happy when they're
performing really well. I think where Mike, he's probably gonna
be here for he's said, he's kind of hinted at
like he's not gonna be here forever. And like said
that a couple of times where like maybe two three years,
like it seems like that might be life with with

(57:53):
this club. Like he has bigger, bigger things ahead of him.

Speaker 2 (57:58):
I can tell you why, but yeah, but but he
like he's.

Speaker 6 (58:02):
Really committed to this play style everything, and it's it's
been really fascinating to hear what he has to say
and how much how much impact he has on developing
young players too, just because that's obviously such a huge
part of Right to Dream, San Diegopci everything. They've been
trying to build this whole transfer window.

Speaker 5 (58:21):
It's like just.

Speaker 6 (58:22):
USU twenty click click click, kick and join team joined.
Like it's insane the way that they're building this roster,
but it's it's working, and they could put anyone out
there at this point, and I don't think we can
question it, just because of how well Mikey has coached
and set up this this scene.

Speaker 2 (58:40):
Mark my words. Right now, mike E. Vadas will be
the head coach for Sandy UFC for the next four years,
four seasons up until all these eighteen nineteen year olds
like Bombino, Arangi, Basquez all are in the age of
like twenty four Mike e Vadas will be the US
men's national.

Speaker 1 (58:58):
Team head coach. That's why he wouldn't say.

Speaker 2 (59:00):
And that's the only product with leave San DIEGOFC to
keep that talent growing and growing that same group of
players with the USMS national team for the next World Cup.

Speaker 1 (59:09):
Do you see that, Alex, do you see that trajectory
for Mike you autus or he's here, Sir, Alex Ferguson,
He's here for twenty years. He's gonna teach these young
children and kids and make amend.

Speaker 4 (59:21):
Well, that's the thing with MLS. There is that potential
lot you can do whatever with this job. You can
you can be here for as long as you want
or as short as you want. It's it's kind of
up to the person, as long as you're successful at it.

Speaker 6 (59:35):
Right.

Speaker 4 (59:35):
The coach over at at Kansas City, he was there forever.
I think he's over ten fifteen plus years. Yeah, And
the Minnesota coach there's the reason why he picked that
that project because he said he wants the ability to
kind of learn and grow the position and MLS was
like the perfect spot for him. So like, yeah, Mikey

(59:58):
Barsk if he feels like you know, in four years
that he has opportunities and that's what he's gonna do.
I mean, he, like people do, want to level up
and they want to go and progress in their career
in the way that they want. And but I think
sanny UFC is going to be flexible. They're going to
be open to what you know, he wants to do.
And that's also the way MLS works too. It's just

(01:00:22):
like they, you know, they want coaches to be here
for a long time. They have chances to grow, chances
to you know, commit errors, you know, learn from their
mistakes and continue on with their project.

Speaker 3 (01:00:36):
He's here for a good time. He's not here for
a long time. And just like we're going to remember
twenty twenty five years from now as a magical summer,
so shall mikey Vonus. As he grows in ambition, grows
in jobs, grows in difficulty and scale, he too will
look back at twenty twenty five as a magical time

(01:00:58):
when he was young in the kitchen and the sun
was shining brightly, and his decisions looked great, and his
honesty stood out and was rewarded. Trust me when I
tell you that he will be ground down into a
different version of himself the higher he goes up the scale.
But what he is right now is slightly unrefined and

(01:01:20):
really special.

Speaker 1 (01:01:22):
I mean, looking at this national team is a whole
different animal, whole different animal that he took care of
it for Portatino. Like again, not just anybody sits in
the coach's chair for a US and men's national team,
for just a national team in general. Right so I
can see that future for him, But at the end
of the day, he's here this season. If it ends now,

(01:01:44):
right now, this is a season that any manager in
the world could look back and say, look at what
I did here. I can do that for you and
really just take that anywhere, especially in MLS, and it's
comparable and say, I know what the secret sauce is.
I can go ahead and have a career wherever, whenever
I want. But if you choose the San Diego I
think that'd be pretty nifty. Again, I like long ten

(01:02:07):
years for coaches, like it's a belief in a program,
belief in a coach and an individual. I still can't
tell you where Mikey about Us starts and rite to
dream ends and vice versa. And I don't know if
that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's going
to be a decision whenever these playoffs start rolling around,
and every minute, every substitution, every decision, every starting eleven

(01:02:29):
has an impact and can be scrutinized to the microscopic level.

Speaker 5 (01:02:33):
And so.

Speaker 1 (01:02:35):
I hope, I hope that mikeys about us and the
team is ready for that, because that's that's what's coming.
You have the biggest target in the league from here
on out, and it's not going to get any easier
because you're facing another team for the first time. Uh here,
with Portland coming to town this Saturday at snaptrag and

(01:02:56):
Stadium seven point thirty. Back at home, we've been mentioning
it the best home team this season. But a Portland
team that again a legacy team, a team that's been
here for a while, a team that has an identity,
has a style, has a grit to it. It's it's
a you know, one of these teams that will have
a nice little contingency throughout Snapdragon. I would assume it's

(01:03:18):
one of the teams where I know a lot of
San Diego FC fans used to have be their team
just because of what they stand for and just their
brand of soccer in uh here in the West End
in the US. But what do you guys think with
Portland coming into town?

Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
I don't know, this is scary, man. They lost that
the Coachella Invitational three nothing against Portland.

Speaker 3 (01:03:41):
Yeah, who could forget? No.

Speaker 2 (01:03:46):
I think San Diego is playing very, very well, and
I mean they're playing back at home. I think they
kind of ride that hype wave and I think they
can pull off the win. I'm just worried about stadium
and neither grass the lines. Esthetically, I don't think I
like it too much. But at the end that I like,

(01:04:08):
I've been going to San Diego win every single time.
I think they're gonna tie this game. Oh all right,
I think it's gonna be a home tie.

Speaker 1 (01:04:15):
Okay, we do we do predictions, see your romaniac. Please
feel free to abstain or not. It's okay. But does
this matchup bring any sort of feelings to you? Alex
the Romanian?

Speaker 2 (01:04:33):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (01:04:34):
And it.

Speaker 5 (01:04:37):
Seems like it will be a pretty good matchup.

Speaker 4 (01:04:39):
But I'm gonna keep riding the wave, and you guys
are gonna talk about the wave.

Speaker 3 (01:04:45):
I agree the wave is gonna win.

Speaker 5 (01:04:47):
You're right, Yeah, yeah, and.

Speaker 4 (01:04:50):
Uh, I do feel like, yeah, there's just so many
good things happening right now with San Diego and it
is a good time to do like well at home
and get three points.

Speaker 5 (01:05:00):
So I'm I'm taking the win.

Speaker 3 (01:05:04):
Yeah, I mean honestly, predictions for jumps and nobody knows sports,
you know, and how how it's going to go. So
I think that it's going to be a good match
and I hope that everybody gets home safe at the end,
and of course that Fronterra st brings the noise. We
haven't been able to bring the noise for this team.

(01:05:25):
I think all of the accumulated energy is going to
turn into something very good.

Speaker 1 (01:05:32):
By the way, well you can use you can. You
can watch this program as well as listen to it.
So check out the YouTube and the football. You can
find two Balls in a Mic every Monday. You can
find the Cromaniacs every Thursday, as well as postgame coverage
for San Diego FC as well. To a U asked me, what,
I what do I think? I think that first of all,
you're going to walk the staff dragon and it's funny.

(01:05:55):
I do think that's.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
San Diego and will be life stream too.

Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
It will be live streamed for your safety, but in location,
if you do get hit by car terrible, San Diego
SA will win. They'll win too to zero, clean sheet,
another clean sheet at home. I think they can make
it happen. Abe.

Speaker 6 (01:06:19):
I think it'll probably be two to one, just because
Portland's a pretty good team. They had a solid game
against Cincinnati, and I do think there will be probably
outside of the LA teams, this will be the largest
away contingent that snaptrag is going to see. The Timbers
Army is always out and about and really loud, and
they have a lot of support for their team, and
they think Portland also has their own kind of unique

(01:06:42):
style that the Enego C is gonna have to deal with.
And it's it's kind of weird scheduling wise that I
think they play them like so close in the season.
You would think like they play them early in the
season and later in the season or like, but these
games are going to be pretty close close together. So
right now, probably be a victory. Maybe later on the season,
Portland's really fighting for for playoff position, they'll they'll win

(01:07:04):
that game.

Speaker 1 (01:07:04):
But Sandy UFC is playing at another lover right now,
so I think it'll probably be one, right, oh man.

Speaker 2 (01:07:15):
I mean, we'll see what happens with Sandy UFC. What
we do now, right now is that they are breaking
records left and right. They are top of the table.
They are top of the supporter shield right now. If
you were to predict now Tony or anyone by that matter,
the San Diego FC win the supporter Shield.

Speaker 1 (01:07:34):
Oh no, they don't. I'm sorry that blunt. I mean,
I'm I I that was really just a no, no
thought at all. Just there's it's a reaction. It's a
it's a tall task, and I think that they should
be proud of where they're at right now. If they do, though,
I'll be happily shut the up. I'm very okay with that.

(01:07:56):
I'm very okay just making sure that I'm I'm wrong
in that anybody else.

Speaker 3 (01:08:06):
I want them to win MLS Cup. So supporter shield
is great, it's wonderful. As a supporter, I'd love to
see that. I think it is a reward to me.
That's a more mature club's trophy, to be honest, supporter shield,
you know, But so is MLS Cup. But I want

(01:08:28):
to win the ultimate thing, and I think this team
right now is positioned well enough to do it. First
in the West is an incredible accomplishment. I think they
can do it if they beat Portland, I know they
can do it. So this is a huge match. This
is a huge couple of matches late in the season,
and I believe in this club to pull out the

(01:08:49):
results that they need. If they somehow get Supporter Shield again,
the season that everyone will say they were at twenty
years from now.

Speaker 5 (01:09:01):
Yeah, I have to agree. Well, like, uh, the way
won the Supporter Shield, they didn't win the Cup. I mean,
I feel like the Cup just means more. And I'm
I didn't even think.

Speaker 4 (01:09:14):
The Shield was a possibility this season anyway, So I
was always focused on, all right, get get a playoff spot,
you know, do well in the playoffs, try to fight
for that for the Cup, so that that's where my
head was always at anyway, So.

Speaker 5 (01:09:31):
Let's get the Cup.

Speaker 2 (01:09:32):
Hey, what do you think?

Speaker 6 (01:09:33):
I think, dependent on the extent of Tugo's injuries, whether
or not they win the Supporters Shield. I think they're
definitely gonna have a good chance in playoffs. But playoffs
are cap shoot. Anything can happen. But if without I
don't really see them continuing and like playing at super
high level just because you're gonna have to deal with
the Masian hill playing in there. Maybe Alex might and

(01:09:55):
you don't have the best team on the field, and
Losano's injuries are are definitely a question mark. It's especially
for the future for a player that's getting older like
he is, and it's your designated player, but like you're
able to weather this storm. So it's fine for now,
but it could be a larger issue going into the future.

Speaker 1 (01:10:16):
Yeah, I look, this is a great place to be
in terms of soccer, just being able to talk and
talk positively about it for the first season. I think
everybody's having a good time. I think that's what we
can all agree. Everybody's having a good time with San
Diego FC. What they've been able to bring to the
community and to the table, especially on the field in

(01:10:37):
the pitch in the nineties, sometimes one hundred and ten
some hunt what was it seventeen minutes that we had
of at a time or what was it this season?
Just ridiculous. But it's an expendent experience and the Chromaniac
Alex it's been an experience with you guys as well.

(01:10:58):
On the Chromaniacs podcast. Is there anything else that we
need to wrap up for San Diego FC.

Speaker 3 (01:11:04):
With well from my side, just to say again, the
Chromaniacs is on after many matches, many to most matches,
but also Thursdays and available on YouTube. If you're watching
this live, you can search for the Chromoniacs. You can
subscribe to the channel and be notified every time that
we have a podcast and where we have a live

(01:11:26):
postgame show as well. Please follow us on Instagram at
the Chromaniacs where Terrible SDFC Memes does a great job
to keep things up to date and provide some great
clips from the program, you know, and vamos SDFC. And
I'm looking forward to listening to your guys San Diego
Wave discussion a little bit later on as well, because

(01:11:50):
I'm really excited to see what's going on as both
sd soccer teams dominate the Bay area. And I refuse
to represent any other resus old spaceball doesn't exist to
me at this point.

Speaker 1 (01:12:03):
Silly sports sometimes like that game on Friday, it was
it was tough.

Speaker 3 (01:12:08):
You went to the game.

Speaker 1 (01:12:09):
I was at the game. My condolences, You're still alive.

Speaker 5 (01:12:15):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (01:12:17):
People talk about LA being danger. It's fine. People are
just scared of brown people.

Speaker 6 (01:12:21):
It's so normal, a right, don't be scared of Dodger fans,
Like it's okay to wear Paj's jersey at in l
A Okay. Yeah, obviously you don't be yelling and trying
to fight people like then you're gonna get in trouble.

Speaker 1 (01:12:33):
But it's it's a freaking stadium. You're not going to
get beat up or stabbed.

Speaker 2 (01:12:37):
It's yeah, stupid. People that were born in LA are
not violent.

Speaker 1 (01:12:42):
I think so you aren't violent. Case, that's just where
the fiction sometimes. But Alex, where can you find your
work at?

Speaker 4 (01:12:50):
Yeah, you can find me on sub stack and Chromatic FC.
Uh also wrote the preview last time for Sane Football.
Thanks again Abe for editing.

Speaker 2 (01:13:00):
It was great.

Speaker 1 (01:13:02):
Everyone should go check it out.

Speaker 6 (01:13:03):
And yeah, if another one comes, well it'll definitely be
great stuff. Everyone should be reading these these previews from
from Comatic FC.

Speaker 4 (01:13:12):
Yeah, thank you and uh yeah, and thanks to everyone
that made it up to San Jose because I was
a heck of a trip.

Speaker 5 (01:13:18):
It was a lot of fun.

Speaker 4 (01:13:20):
And man, you know, we have a really good fan base,
lots of great supporters that go everywhere they go San Jose, La, Chicago,
out to Charlotte sometimes. Man, they go all over the place,
so man, shout out to them, and yeah, the vibes
are high. It's you know, it's it's a great time
to be a fan, to be following this team, to

(01:13:41):
be reporting on this team.

Speaker 5 (01:13:43):
It's it's a great time to follow us. A UFC.

Speaker 3 (01:13:48):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (01:13:48):
Well, check out the Chromaniacs will be on this platform
and all your favorite audio platforms as well. With that, gentlemen,
the Chromaniac, Alex Panya, thank you so much for joining
us this roundtable. It's pretty fun. We should do it
in person, we should do it live.

Speaker 3 (01:14:04):
Let's do it live we can. It's got to get
a little cooler in your garage.

Speaker 7 (01:14:10):
Bro.

Speaker 1 (01:14:11):
Yeah, it wouldn't be here, It would not definitely not
be I have a have a place in Santine, not
in ac East County.

Speaker 3 (01:14:19):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
I know, I know, like risk to life weather advisory
is out there. But in any case, thank you for
joining uh the Romaniac. My salutations to Craig when you
see him and Alex till the next time. See you
guys later, ye see.

Speaker 3 (01:14:37):
Yeah, all right,