May 20, 2026 • 46 mins
Tonight on Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts briefly touches on Seattle's loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy last weekend, but quickly moves on and focuses on the LAFC match this Sunday and World Cup ahead including conversations with MLS broadcaster on Apple TV Brian Dunseth, plus Ari Liljenwall of MLS Soccer and Lobbing Scorchers, and a conversation with Ashley Fosberg of the Sounders and Rave Foundation.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming to you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders
Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good evening, everybody, Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felt's gonna be with
you here on this Wednesday night talking all things soccer
for the next ninety minutes. Hey, Aren kjar got Sounders
Weekly for the next hour, and then we switch gears
to Rain Weekly at eight pm with Keeley Dunning. It's
gonna be a little bit of ninety minutes of teams
(00:32):
who can't score talk. I tell you what, very unfortunate
last couple results for both of our teams. Both the
Sounders and Rain both lost to nothing on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Unfortunate results for the Rain against Gotham and then the
Sounders against the La Galaxy. We're gonna be talking about
that a little bit, and I truly mean little bit tonight.
(00:54):
I don't want to dwell on that too much. We're
gonna have three great guests tonight, or three great interviews.
In just a moment. Brian Dunseeth will call in. We
all call him Donny. He is one of the absolute
best and he is a commentator a color analyst on
Apple TV. He does the games alongside Max Brettis. He
was in town for the Sounders San Jose game and
(01:16):
they will be on the call for this coming Sunday's
Sounders match against LAFC. That will be a big one here,
the last game before the World Cup begins for the Sounders.
That will have a five thirty Providence, Swedish prematch show
and a six o'clock kickoff right here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM, and Sunday's match is presented
(01:36):
by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers. Also you can watch
it on Apple TV and listen in Spanish language on
l Ray thirteen sixty. That is Sunday's match against LAFC
down in Los Angeles. We are going to have Danny
Jackson and Brad Evans on the call down from LA
I will be here in the studio. It will be
a fun time here coming up on Sunday for that game.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So there's that.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We'll talk about that with our guest tonight I mentioned
Brian Dunseeth. Of course, as always we will have Ari Lillienwall.
He is a writer and editor for mlssoccer dot Com.
He hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches. He will join us
to talk all things Sounders and both with Dunny and
with Ari. I'm gonna spend a good amount of time
talking World Cup, talking United States men's national team, because listen,
(02:25):
we are now just about three weeks away from this
tournament getting underway. I think it's three weeks from tomorrow,
so we are getting down to it. Rosters are coming out,
Everything right now is getting finalized, so a lot to
discuss around that. I will have Ari and then to
wrap up the show tonight before rain Weekly. Last week
(02:47):
on KJAR, folks can give your Sounder fans soccer fans.
You might have missed it, Ashley Fossberg joined us, myself
and Dick Fane. It was on the afternoon show. Was
late in Friday afternoon, so by and missed. But Ashley
is the Chief Impact and fan Engagement Officer at Seattle Sounders.
She's also the head of Rave Foundation, and when we
(03:08):
talk about engagement and fan impact, when we talk about
that in connection to the World Cup being here in
Seattle and the United States coming to Seattle and the
new fan barge that has been announced. If you miss that,
all you have to do is look up Seattle Fan
Barge for the World Cup. Really amazing renderings. They're basically
going to have a huge barge that's been turned into
(03:31):
a pitch, a mini pitch where fans are going to
be able to go from Peer sixty two onto this
barge and watch World Cup games on giant TVs on
this floating barge on Elliott Bay. It is incredible. We
talked to Ashley about that and how to grow the
game of soccer coming out of the World Cup. So
you're gonna hear that conversation coming up in our final
(03:53):
segment to night there with once again Ashley Fossburg, the
chief Impact and fan Engagement officer with the Sounders, So
that is coming up as well, and then of course
we'll get to rain Weekly For the last half hour
of this ninety minute Let's take a quick moment and
I mean quick before Brian Dunzeth joins to mention what
happened there on Saturday at Lumen Field. So the Sounders
(04:14):
were on a twenty two unbeaten run at lumen Field.
They hadn't lost at lumen since the Club World Cup
against PSG last summer, the LA Galaxy come into town,
and the LA Galaxy had been on a huge road
trip throughout last week. They won in Atlanta, they lost
in Kansas City, then they came directly here to Seattle
(04:34):
and they won two nothing over the Sounders, handing the
Sounders their first loss here in Seattle in almost a year.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
The team was flat. I mean it was very flat.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Danny Mazowski gets injured in the sixth minute, he has
a tooth knocked out, and know what, I gotta be honest,
I am gonna be critical of Brian Schmitzer because I
think it was the absolute wrong move to bring Albert
Rusnak off the bench from ZOFSK. You liked the combination
of Jordan Morris going up against John Nelson there on
that right side. When you put Albert Rusnak on, you
(05:08):
put then Jordan up top, you lose that one on
one of Nelson versus Morris, and you kind of play
I think that great trio overall of Morris, Ferreira and Rusnak,
but I think you're also working with a Rusnak who
I think wasn't instantly ready to.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Come off the bench in the twelfth minute.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I would have put Osassei de Rosario on kept that
matchup on the right side with Morris on Nelson, and
also reward day Row because he scored the game winner
on Wednesday against San Jose and I think rewarding him
in that moment off the bench would have been the
right move. So I will disagree with Brian Schmitzer and
his coaching staff on that move, but they made it.
(05:46):
It didn't work the team, as I mentioned, I think
they were flat and I don't think ultimately this game
came together in a lot of areas for a team
that listen, you just look at the numbers right now.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
They aren't scoring enough.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
We are a third of the way into the season
and this team is not scoring enough goals. You know
what that means for the future in terms of potentially
signing somebody who knows. But we're not getting enough offense,
and maybe the answer is Pedro de la Vega when
he comes back after the World Cup. Fingers crossed on that.
But the team needs offensive help, that is for sure
(06:21):
coming out of this too. Nothing lost to the Galaxy.
We're gonna kind of talk about that little chunks here
and there tonight, but really I'm not gonna dwell on it.
We're moving on here because it was a very busy
week for the Sounders. It was three games drag in
San Diego, win over San Jose, lost to the LA Galaxy.
The best of those three games was the San Jose game.
(06:43):
Of course, obviously it was the win. The man who
was on the call for that best game in that
eight day stretch, it was Max Brettis and Brian dun
Seth on the call there on Apple TV last Wednesday.
It was great to see him in the booth at
lumen Field and Brian dun Seth joins us right here
on Sounders Weekly. Brian, Donnie, great to have you back
(07:05):
on the show, man, How are you well?
Speaker 4 (07:07):
I appreciate you, my man. I'm doing fantastic are you
I'm good?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I'm good.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Very First, I once again apologized for nearly spilling your
coffee last Wednesday. I am sorry for slapping your back
hard enough to almost make that disaster happen.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I'd just gotten over that. Thanks for having.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
No.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
It was good to see you guys, right exactly.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I appreciate no. We always love coming up to the
Seattle area. We got our own little routines and even
though it was a bit rainy, we had it blast man.
We love it up there. We love being a part
of the broadcast.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Well before I talked to you about what was this
last weekend, I mean, I don't I don't really want
to talk any more than I already have about the
too Nothing Lost of the Galaxy.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You know, this is our this is our.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Most recent show since that win over San Jose, and
I kind of want to live in that world for
a minute. And for my money, that was a really
impressive job by the Sounders to go down one nothing
in the second minute and come back from that for
the win. What do you see in that match from Seattle?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Ah, man, I'm so impressed with, you know, top to
bottom everything that's happened in Seattle. You know, listen, you
got two iconic legends. Matt's on one side, Bruce on
the other. Bruce was popping his top stave, ser Can
get sent off. It was. It was a crazy and
wild ninety minutes. The Sase comes on and does the
d row electric goal scoring celebrations, you know, presence and
(08:31):
all those things that come into play. I'm a big
fan of Snyder Bernel. I think he Coosa Ramsey, even
the interpretation of what the makesfield looks like. So I
think the biggest question is the one that we kind
of knew coming in. Who's going to be the number nine? Yeah,
the undisputed number nine. We've seen Osase, we've seen Jordan,
we've seen Danny. It'll be very interesting And I think
the one thing people haven't really talked about is on
(08:52):
the backside of this World Cup break, there's going to
be an opportunity if you want to upgrade your roster
for the very first time. You're gonna get twenty games.
You know, mikel stay fullicks and passer fail math isn't fantastic,
but I think that's around sixty points that's going to
be available on the backside, which usually you're talking six
to eight games to get players acclimated and all their
paperwork done. So it's going to be very interesting to
(09:15):
see also, you know, comparing and contrasting the form either
good or bad in the first half of the season
versus what we see on the backside of this World
Cup when players are going to get the mandatory three
weeks off and then they're going to get right back
down the business and hopefully, you know, pick up right
where they left off or recalibrate and start much better
than what we've seen in these first fourteen to fifteen matches.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, I think that's just such the big question here
is because the Sounders and Craig wib will have so
much gam to spend this season. And I was talking
to Andrew Weebey, your co worker there with Apple TV
a couple of weeks ago, and that was the question
he and I were really hashing out, is what to
spend it on, because you can go the direction of
(09:58):
potentially center back, find you replacement for Yamar when when
he both gets older and departs the club. But the
reality is, like an Andrew and I both agree on this,
and I'll get your take. This team needs a forward, Dunny,
I mean like Jordan Morris is he's he's been out
on the wing. They shifted him up to the top
when Danny gets his tooth knocked out, and even then,
(10:20):
Mazowski has not been his twenty twenty five self. Osase
has been fine, but not his preseason level. So yeah, exactly,
he is raw. So this team needs a forward, I think,
And the question is a do you agree and be
what kind of forward would fit best with the pieces
(10:41):
that are around this team right now?
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Yeah, I think you got to find, like, in an
ideal world, I would say, like Dayan Joblich type of guy. Now,
obviously the cost prying him away from the LA Galaxy
was significant, and he's been stuck on a really bad
Sporting Kansas City team for the last two seasons. Somebody
in that mold that's a worker, you know, great working
mentality off the ball. Defensively can kind of set set
(11:06):
the stage for the incremental press and you know, the
high press, the turnover type press, and then there's just
ruthless and lethal in the back. And listen, I don't
I don't think anybody thought that when Danny Mussoski, or
at least anybody in their right mind, that Danny Mussovski
was going to be a starter. They thought he was
going to be an impact sub off the bench, where
you're looking from like five and four type numbers, five
(11:28):
goals for assists type numbers off the bench. But then
you know, you think about last year, and you think
about Paul oriole were going down with the injury, Ryan
Kent in out Hazes Fedata is playing well Jordan has
a DP caliber year that get him a DP contract
and then goes reverts back, unfortunately to some of the
injury crisis that he's dealt with. And listen Obed going out.
(11:51):
I think Snyder Burnell is going to be as good,
if not even a higher ceiling than Obed. And I
mean that with all due respect to Obed, because I
love I mean, I'm tuning in to Athletical Madrid to
see if he's on the field because I'm rooting for
the kid, even though he chose Mexico over the United States,
because I just love seeing young players. And listen, whether
(12:12):
you talk about Adrian or you talk about Wible and
I know everyone in the area already knows all the names,
but from Wade and everything happening with ta coma defiance
to Sean Henderson and everybody else involved, even you know,
bringing in Ricardo Clark after losing Andy Rose down to LAFC.
I'm rooting for Seattle. I think that they've put together
a good team on a very manageable budget situation. Considering
(12:38):
the training facility and the purchase of Seattle Rain. We
knew that that was gonna, you know, uncompromising in terms
of the financial stability at times. But you know, I
also think there's a world in which we continue to
see the slow down in the evolution of expansion which
leads to multi billion dollar investors. I mean, who would
have thought in the last five years in Salt Lake
City you would have four different multi billion dollar owners
(13:03):
involved at real Salt Lake in some capacity. So we'll
see how it all looks. But yeah, I agree, listen,
I think the number nine position is always going to
be the question. But also, you know, listen, you guys
have been spoiled right Oba, Semi Klant, Raoul Nico, And
it looks different and it feels different, and that's okay
(13:24):
because as we've seen with the immense amount of spend
from some teams of Major League Soccer and then the
total failure, you know, one hand doesn't necessarily feed the other,
meaning that just because you spend money, it doesn't mean
you're going to find a certain amount of success. So
big believer in the system that Schmetz has created, the
accountability of the culture, and I think you can see
(13:45):
that certainly.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
So Brian Dunsthar is our guest. He is calling this
Sunday's Sounders LAFC match alongside Max Bredus for Apple TV.
We will also have it right here Sports Radio at
ninety three point three KJRFM. Ahright, Donny, let's talk about
this game because it's the last game before the World
Cup and the Sounders clearly need to change their form
(14:07):
and get back on the track. LAFC clearly needs to
change their form and get back on the track after
losing against Nashville. This really does seem like two trains
that want to pick up steam and move forward into
the break. What's gonna give in this Sunday's match? How
do you see this going?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Yeah? I think the pressure is obviously on LAFC, especially
you know thirty two fifty two in the atmosphere that's created.
You know, historically Seattle's done well down in LA and
let me talk about the Galaxy or you talk about LAFC.
There's been some really you know, great data points. So
it's not as if they're walking into kind of this
(14:48):
hell is real atmosphere where no matter what they know,
they're going to be under pressure. They will be because
of Danny Bologa and Sun him In and Bobby Martinez.
But you know, despite the great start from our to
Santos as the tenure as manager of LAFC and taking
nova for the departure of Steve Tarundlo. We should also
point out by bringing and euros in, we also saw
(15:09):
the departure of Vontae Rozov as an assistant coach. So
there's there's been some interesting evolutions behind the scenes. And
for all the conversations about John Thornton and Marca Santos
really separating themselves from Steve Tarundlo's style of football, implying
that he was more defensive and they're more attack minded,
(15:30):
I thought was a really bold strategy because you know,
at the end of the day, Steve continuously got that
group of players into multiple competition finals, which is very,
very difficult, almost to the point where LAFC fans became
spoiled and didn't realize the struggles that happened in some
of the down years. So you know, listen, Sonny's going
(15:51):
to South Korea, He's going to go to the World Cup.
He has not scored a goal. I think he's got
like nine assists he has scored in Coffee CAF Champions Cup.
They were dumped on ceremoniously down at Te Luca, even
to the point where Mark was so agitated before the trip.
He was complaining about the scheduling gods, and then he
was complaining about Trickle Muhammad being a Faiaso being a clown,
(16:12):
which I thought was another bold strategy. And then they
go on the road this week and it hasn't been great.
I thought they did okay against Nashville, but they're still
missing something and they're not as effective in the transition
moments as they usually are. So as always for me,
huge battle in the midfield, Christian Rodan Snider Burnell going
(16:32):
up against the hybrid of Mark Delgado Stefan Astachio. That's
gonna be his last performance for LAFC as his loan
with Porto terminates, heading into the World Cup with Canada,
and then Timothy Tillman, you know, playing in that hybrid
role of a number ten or a kind of a
three man midfield and Sergei Polentcy is probably the biggest news.
(16:52):
He's unavailable probably through the end of the World Cup
because of injury, and then trying to figure out if
Hugo Laris to play with Thomas Asoul getting the game
the other night in Nashville, so some questions, but it's
never for a lack of quality.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
It's just for.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Maybe a lack of consistency in the final third. But
we know from the opening lestle of the finalist it'll
be a dogfight between these two teams because both will
want to have that feel good factor heading into the
break as opposed to a really sour taste in their mouth,
where you know the coaching staff is going to run
you into the ground the moment you get back from
that twenty one day break.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah, you know that there is just going to be
you got to hit the ground running and be ready
to go for those last twenty games. Donny, you mentioned
the name Christian rolled On. While we have a couple
last minutes, I want to pick your brain because it's
probably last chance we'll have to talk to you before
this World Cup, And I mean with the injury to Cardoso,
it's so sad about him. But now you kind of
look at Christian rolled On and his potential to lock
(17:52):
his spot on the roster. Gozo is suddenly coming in
and getting a lot of steam, potentially making Pacha's roster.
The duo question of where do you think those final
decisions come for Potch and then secondly, what's the vibe
for you for the national team going into this World
Cup here in just a few short weeks.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Yeah, let's start with Christian. I can tell you without
a shadow of a doubt, having been around this group
for the better part of the last three and a
half years, that the reintroduction of Christian Roldan was seamless.
And it has to do with the win against inter
Miami and watching the way that he managed the midfield
(18:33):
at the time alongside Obed Vargas against inter Miami to
raise the trophy, and then obviously the kerfuffle that transpired
afterwards became legendary for all of the oddest reasons. Christian,
from the moment that I saw him in where were
we Colorado? Maybe knows even before Colorado, you could just
(18:55):
see I mean him, Christian roaldn you know every excuse me,
Christian Polistic, you just all of a sudden knew that
you had this established leader, locker room guy that obviously
wants to play, but also knew his role was to
make sure that there was an accountability of a standard
of training habits, to make sure that everyone else was ready.
And because of his experience and guitar. I always thought
(19:18):
it was odd that we do this thing on social
media where we just watch people absolutely hammer MLS players
for no reason or forever other than playing an MLS
and it just drives me crazy. So with Johnny going
down with the ankle surgery, Tanner Teffman has been ruled
out of all these games for Olympic Leon excuse me,
olympically inn A Leon has ruled him out, so that
(19:40):
becomes an issue. I always thought it was probably Sebastian
Burhalter above both Aiden Morris and Christian Roldan, but I
think now there's a spot for all three. If you
said that one of the three didn't make it, I
wouldn't know how to properly verbalize the difference between the three,
(20:01):
and it may just be the margins you could do
experience versus kind of useful exuberance and the opportunity that
eight Morris is having with mittisbro and he's been phenomenal
in his last eighteen months. The Bastian Burhalter's goals and
assists are outrageous to start the year for a two
way midfielder, and Christian just bosses games in the midfield.
For Seattle. So while the player profiles are different, I
(20:25):
don't think there's a lot that separates. I could see
two of the three going, and I can see all
three going based on ten or testament. And my hope
is that Christian is rewarded with it because he deserves it.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
It will be interesting, based on the injuries to see
how that all plays out. We'll wrap with this, Donny,
just your vibe on the entire program going in. They're
obviously in a group where you know, right now you
look at the gambling and all that, and they are
the favorites to win their group and all that. How
are you feeling about this team and they're just general
(20:56):
chances to maybe make a run to God if we
can just for the quarter finals for a moment, But
just overall vibe of this team going into the biggest
World Cup that this program has been in in a
few decades.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Yeah, I think it's twofold. I think one for Mariso
Pochetino and his staff, they recognize that the accountability comes
with the opportunity, which then leads to whatever the future
looks like. And not for a second, well, Mauricia Poccino's
name not be linked to all the big clubs, but
he's He's made decisions that I think have been curious
for outsiders to understand. And the best example is probably
(21:31):
Christian Polistic playing is the number nine against Portugal in
that second leg, for that second game in Atlanta. They
have their idea, they are very methodical, they're very acute
with their decision making, but it doesn't always align with
the way that we as a general public see it.
The players themselves. I keep you know, I grew up
in a generation where it's sixteen years old. I couldn't
(21:52):
afford it, but I was outside the Rose Bowl just
taking in the atmosphere in Pasadena. I was a volunteer
at the Lacnvention Center during the ninety four World Cup.
I felt the power of what it meant to be
around in the cities. When the World Cup comes, it's
going to be extraordinary. So I'm excited, I really am.
I'm going to be down in Mexico for the first
(22:13):
five games, then I'll be in Philadelphia for a round
to sixteen in the knockouts. So I'm going to get
my opportunity to be a part of this World Cup.
I just can't wait for everybody to truly feel the
power of what is the Super Bowl combined with the
NBA Finals, combined with the Olympics and then just pumped
up with steroids. You know, a million times flat. Incredible
(22:36):
experience and I wish I was in Seattle to experience it.
But yeah, I can't wait for everyone to have this opportunity.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
That's a great way to describe it, Duddy.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
When we have United States versus Australia on June nineteenth,
God being in the building for that, I can't wait
for that. It's going to be an experience of a lifetime.
So well, we'll see how it all plays out. I'm
sure we will talk after the whole thing is over
and have lots more questions and discussions and talking points
coming out of this thing.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
But enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Great to hear that you're going to be a part
of it. Be well done in Mexico. Have some great calls,
and have a great call this Sunday for Sounders LAFC.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I appreciate you, mo Man, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Brian don Seth. Awesome to chat with him. We're going
to continue talking World Cup a little bit with Ari Lillenwall.
He's joining us in our next segment mlssoccer dot Com
and the podcast Lobbing Scorches. We'll talk World Cup. We'll
talk some Sounders as well as they prepare for LAFC.
This Sunday Ari comes up next year in Sounders Weekly.
Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Now back to.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc CL's Sports
Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Feldt's good to be
with you here on this Wednesday night. Thanks to Brian
Dunseeth Donny for joining us there in our previous segment.
Make sure to check out Sounders Weekly or see me
the Seattle Soccer Shows podcast page. I'm still screwing that up.
Third of the way into the season. All of our shows,
both this show, Sounders Weekly, are match broadcasts, our postgame shows,
(24:11):
Everything with Rain as well, all on the Seattle Soccer
Shows podcast page. A man who hosts a podcast of
his own. It is tremendous. I absolutely love it. It's
called Lobbing Scorches. You can get it wherever you get
your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app. The host of Lobbing Scorches,
he's also a writer and editor for MLS Soccer dot Com.
(24:32):
He's also a fantasy football champion. Ari Lillianwall joins us
right here now on Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
Ari.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
How you doing today, Buddy?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
I'm good?
Speaker 6 (24:41):
Jackson, how are you?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I'm good. I'm good.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Shouldn't say great or maybe even not even good coming
out of the LA Galaxy game. Didn't spend more than
two three minutes on it in the opening segment, So
let's be very brief. What were your takeaways from a
very disappointing loss for Seattle at home on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
Yeah, to me, Jackson, this looks like a team that
could really use this upcoming World Cup break team that
looks beat up fatigues and a team that played a
rotated lineup where a couple of the changes that got
made didn't work as intended. You had a weird situation
with Mooz getting his tooth knocked out that I think
(25:20):
through everything for a loop. So it was just kind
of a not great game amid a not great run
of form. So I think this rest is going to
do this team some good so they can try and
get back to the team we saw to start the season,
which they did have a very good start to the year.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I think you're absolutely right to get Alex s Troldan
hopefully healthy coming back from a hamstring injury. We'll see
about Yamar as well, Pedro Dal La Vega. Lots of
players to get healthy, and most importantly the rest because
as I said, I think it was a flat team
against the LA Galaxy, so hopefully that flatness changes both
after the World Cup, Ari, but also this coming Sunday.
(25:57):
What a matchup we have on our hands before the
World Cup kicks off. Sounders at LAFC this Sunday. This
is a big one, Ari, because as I said to
Donny a few minutes ago, it feels like a Sounders
team that needs to get right and get in form
going into the break, and it's an LAFC team that
needs to find their form and get going before the break.
(26:19):
It truly feels like both these teams need wins going
into this big long stretch.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Yeah, and I would argue LAFC probably even more so
than Seattle. You know, as much as Seattle has stumbled
over these last few weeks, LAFC they've lost three or
four games in a row now pretty much ever since
they got eliminated from Concacak Champions Cup. They've looked hungover,
and they've been taking losses, not just draws, but they've
(26:46):
been losing these games. And Sun Hung Men's having a
very good season for them as a playmaker, but they
haven't got him rolling on the score sheet yet, and
all around, the vibes just seem a little disjointed down there.
It is not an LAFC team that's in the top
form that we usually are used to seeing from them.
That being said, I do feel like these games for
(27:07):
Seattle when they're the away team at LAFC, they just
tend not to go very well during the regular season
for whatever reason. I don't really know why. I mean,
I guess it's because LAFC are usually one of the
best teams in the league. But when Seattle goes down
there in the playoffs they seem to do pretty well.
But in the regular season these seem to tilt towards LAFC,
even if they're not in good form. But you know,
this is a team that is more vulnerable for Seattle
(27:31):
than they usually would be.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I'm both encouraged hearing that and also discouraged encouraged because obviously,
when a team is not in good form. You might
hope that you get them in a bad time and
have a chance to beat them, but also not encouraged
because that just means that they're going to be potentially
fighting harder for that win because they've been in bad form.
Has there been a common denominator to why LAFC is
(27:54):
losing all these games recently?
Speaker 6 (27:57):
You know, I think maybe their depth is what we
thought it was. I think Mark Dos Santos, their coach,
might believe that because I think something that went wrong
for them is that he really did not employ a
lot of squad rotation during conk CAF Champions Cup.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Usually you will see.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Coaches rotate for the league matches when they're in CCC,
and he really didn't do that to as much an
extent as you usually see. And I think that's created
a situation where they're pretty beat up and fatigued too.
And you know, anytime you make a deep run in CCC,
you're gonna have some residual effects. So I think they
must just be getting hit extra hard by that from
this CCC run because they did make it pretty far.
(28:34):
But yeah, they just maybe don't have the depth to
withstand that type of thing as much as I thought
they did going into the season.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Ariy Lillian Wall is our guest writer and editor for
mlssucker dot Com. Host the podcast Lobbing Scorchers, but you
can get on the iHeartRadio app. Also subscribe to the
Lobbing Scorchers page on YouTube. They go live for their
postgame shows get great fan interactions. They also do their
Monday morning shows with kick Off Thursday Nights under the Lights.
(29:01):
Love Lobbing Scorches there on YouTube as well. Ari coming
out of that Galaxy game, what was the fan interaction, Like,
how angry were fans after that Galaxy loss?
Speaker 6 (29:13):
You know, I think people are not happy with the
run of games lately, But I do think that win
that they did manage to get over the Quakes midweek
has salvaged some of the vibes I think during this stretch.
If you look at these last three or four games
as a whole, I think it's fair to say that
the form has taken a downturn. But you know, you
get to have arguably your best win of the season
(29:34):
right before this Galaxy game, so I think that maybe
brought a little bit of equity back. But you know,
they do need to get rolling and scoring goals again
and shore up this offense and stop conceding these goals
and all that, I think to really bring the vibes back,
even if that Quakes game was a good win. Like
you know, you look at this Sporting Case game in
the San Diego game where you drop points in this
(29:55):
Galaxy game. You know, I think people are not thrilled
about that.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Thrilled at all? Are you mentioned the Quakes there? How
about the top of the Western Conference both San Jose
and Vancouver also losing. I mean, LAFC lose, Sounders lose,
Vancouver lose it. It's the kind of the week for
the Sounders to drop points because everybody else is dropping points.
I mean, you never want to, but still if you're
going to, this would be the week to do it.
(30:21):
What do you make of Vancouver and San Jose, which
one of those maybe is more indicative of a team
falling off.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Yeah, it is interesting. It feels like pretty much all
the teams at the top of the West are struggling
right now. Then Hoober and San Jose both lost this
weekend too, which, on one hand, is nice for Seattle
because you don't lose ground in the supporter shield race.
But I also feel like, on one hand, that makes
it even more frustrating because these teams are gifting you
opportunities to cover ground and catch up to them and
(30:51):
really contend and compete for the supporter shield, and you're
not taking them. So I think that is a frustrating
element of it, But.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
I think it does.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
What it indicates the media is that the Western Conference
is wide open. You have the Vancouver team in San
Jose team that Seattle is chasing. They beat both those
teams this year twice. This wets the Quakes in the
regular season, and they beat Vancouver five to one on
aggregate in CCC, So I don't think that there's much
evidence to suggest from how those games went that Vancouver
and San Jose are way ahead of where Seattle's.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
At right now.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
I think the team in the West that scares me
the most right now, frankly is Real Salt Lake.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
I think they have the highest ceiling, the most upside,
the most kind of young firepower type players. They're a young,
up and coming surgeon type of team, so I think
they're definitely still a threat in the West. But I
think the West is anyone for the taking and that's
still the case even with this kind of you know,
downturn and form that Seattle's taken in.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
The last few games.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
The team that's right behind there, that's right above Seattle
is salt Lake. Seattle has a game in hand on
salt Lake, but salt Lake's a point ahead. Gozo's playing great, obviously,
making a potential claim to get on the World Cup roster.
The team right behind Seattle is FC Dallas. They beat
Santa three to two really quickly. Before we talk us
and before we talk World Cup, Ari gotta get your
(32:06):
two cents on what happened there with Dallas. Sam Sarver,
kind of a reserved younger player on FC Dallas scores
the game winner against San Jose. Are he take us
through the play by play. Sam Sarver scores the game winner.
Then what happens.
Speaker 6 (32:24):
He had a very fun celebration. He went, he was
s thretting it in front of the San Jose Ultra supporters.
They were letting him hear it. He was letting them
hear it. And then somebody tossed a tall boy beer
on the on the onto the field at Sam Sarver,
and he picked it up. Ripped it open and poured
it all over his face. He was chugging it and
then he was giving it back to the San Jose supporters.
(32:45):
So it was honestly hilarious. And Sam Sarver is kind
of becoming one of my favorite players in the league
right now. Really, I think we were talking about him,
but I've described him as the Paul roth Rock of
FC Dallas. He's kind of that mold, that prototype for them.
But he is a lot of fun and he's got
a fun backstory, easy guy to root for. So yeah, no,
he's a fun, little new MLS character that I didn't
(33:06):
really know about before this season, but it's kind of
taken center stage.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Takes the beer thrown at him, rips the beer, pours
it on his face in the celebration. Our own is
Marcus Hannman, obviously, is what everybody remembers here when it
comes to that. But yeah, thank UFC Dallas for for
not letting San Jose get any more ground there at
the top of the West, as Seattle stays five points
back there of the top of the West that both
(33:32):
Vancouver and San Jose are on. Ari let's wrap with this.
This is the last chance you and I are gonna
have the chat before the World Cup begins. I'm on
vacation next week, and then we really get things going
here three weeks from tomorrow. I'm not sure what we're
doing for weekly shows for the World Cup, but we'll
figure it out. So with that said, my friend, let's
get down to business and talk World Cup. We've talked roster.
(33:55):
We know Cardoso's injury and what that means potentially for
Christian World. Maybe good news for Christian of course, terrible
news for Cardoso. Let's let's ignore the roster question. I
want to talk to you right now about how this
tournament's gonna play out. I have my favorites, who are
your favorites, and potentially who is your pick to win
(34:16):
this World Cup here in the States.
Speaker 6 (34:19):
You know, not to be boring on that, but I
feel like there's just kind of a select few group
of teams that are the front runners.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Every time.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
You know, you got your Argentina's, you got your Brazil's,
you got your Germany's, you got your Spain there it
is obviously, you know, and there's other teams in the
mixed Belgium, Croatia, countries like that are always going to
be a factor England as well in there. I mean,
they're not gonna win it, obviously, but they theoretically do
have one of the better rosters. France is another one
(34:49):
that I missed, but I mean I feel like it's
it's France, Argentina or Spain. That's kind of how do
you see it any differently than that? I think they're
kind of writing is on the wall in these tournaments,
and there's very rarely a dark horse run. You had
Croatia making the final a couple of years ago, but
other than that, like, I feel like it's pretty predictable.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
But I don't know, what do you think I got
Spain winning it because I think the obviously there's such
a young team, and you know, we have our friend
andrews Hurst here in kJ R and and he thinks
they are too young. I think that sometimes that youthful
ignorance can can take a team. And it's just so
insanely talented. You know, obviously Argentina has talent. But we
(35:27):
joke Ari, we joke about England not winning it, and
obviously it really is a running joke. But I tell
you what, the more people I talk to, you, dude,
they tell me that they really think this is it
for England.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Yeah, maybe it is, but I mean they say that
everything time and it never happens. Must have said it
has become a running joke. But I mean I agree
with what you're saying in the sense that you look
at their team like always and you think there's no
way this team should be at least a contender to
make a run to the final. Like in terms of talent,
they have every thing you need, but they have everything
(36:02):
that they need at every tournament that they go to,
and so I don't know what to make of them.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Well, we'll talk otter the tournament ends, and we might
talk during it. I'm not sure how it all work,
but we will enjoy it. Let's see last thing here
for you. Tell me how far you think the United
States national team go before losing.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
I think they make it out of the group and
then they get knocked out in the round of sixteen
like they always do too. I don't know. I feel
like I have not seen much from this group or
this coaching staff to indicate that the ceiling is any
higher than this team's usually is when it goes into
this tournament and the round of sixteen is pretty much
always this team ceiling in this tournament. But you know,
I'm willing to be proven wrong on that. If they
(36:43):
go out there and they put on a goat good
showing and they make a run and they actually make
it to the quarterfinals for the first time since two
thousand and two, I'm happy to eat my words. But
it's just kind of hard to see based on the
vibes and how the performances have been going lately.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
I think they lose in the round of sixteen two
bell at Lumenfield on July sixth.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
I think that is their end run.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
But I think we do get two games for the
national team, the US national team at Lumenfield, because if
they win their group and then they win that next game,
they will be playing at Lumen.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
That will be a cool atmosphere, all.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Right, buddy, I will see a probably four, I imagine,
maybe hopefully a couple of World Cup games. We'll figure
it out. But if I don't talk to you, enjoy
the tournament and we will talk afterwards.
Speaker 6 (37:27):
Likewise, Jackson, thank you good stuff there.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
From Ari luliolmajor League Soccer dot Com and the podcast
Lobbing scorchers. Check out his stuff. They're on lobbing scorches
all right. A couple quick note. Sounders FC Soccer is
presented by Provident, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC.
Also michelob Ultra is ninety five calories and two point
six grams of carbs. It's only worth it if you
enjoy it. Coming up next year in Sounders Weekly, we're
(37:51):
gonna talk about the World Cup atmosphere here in Seattle.
You're going to hear a conversation coming up with Ashley Fossburg.
Dick Fane and I had the chance to talk to
Ashley last week. She's the Chief Impact and Fan Engagement
Officer with the Seattle Sounders. We'll talk about the World
Cup fan barge and much more next on Sounders Weekly
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders FC,
Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, Jackson Feldtz, good to be
with you here on this Wednesday night, wrapping up Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Before Keieley Dunning takes over with Rain Weekly.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
We'll mention that Sounder's EFC Soccer is presented by Provident,
Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Also that michelob
Ultra is ninety five calories and two point six grams
of carbs.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
It's only worth it if you enjoy it all right.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Last Friday, I was on the afternoon Show with Dick
Fane and we had a very special guest late in
the show. You might have missed this, Ashley Fassberg. She's
the chief Impact and fan engagement officer with the Sounders.
She's also the head of Ray Foundation. And in case
you missed the other news last week, for the World Cup,
there will be a floating barge off of Peer sixty
(39:09):
two that will have giant TVs where fans can come
on to it, watch games, take it all in.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
It's pretty incredible.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Ashley joined us to talk about that, talk about engaging
fans both during the World Cup and especially after the
World Cup, building soccer fans more soccer fans here in
the Northwest, here in Seattle. We had a great conversation
with Ashley Fossburg. I'll just let Dick Fane and I
take it away. Here was our conversation with Ashley last Friday.
Speaker 7 (39:37):
I want to talk a lot about that barge because
I know I can't wait to be down there for
a bunch of games. I know even non soccer enthusiast
friends of mine say, I gotta get down there for this.
Tell us a little bit more about it and especially
exactly the formation of how this idea got created to
basically put an entire barge right in front of Elliott Bay,
(39:58):
right off of Peer sixty two and make it a
hub for all fans to come watch the World Cup
in well.
Speaker 8 (40:06):
I want to credit my very creative colleagues and leaders
at Sounders of Sea and Rain who thought of this
idea early enough to be able to bring it to
life by World Cup twenty six, and it is. It
was many many months, if not over a year in
the making. It went through many iterations, but we are
(40:26):
we are landing at the most perfect fan activation, at
the most perfect moment in the world's best city, and
we're so proud to be able to say, you know,
we're offering this fan experience to the city of Seattle
during while all eyes are on us, and where we
also get to celebrate be at the heart of celebrating
the global game and the sport that we love so much.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Talk about what the waterfront is going to look like.
You'll have the barge out there, will there be other
you know, fan activation sites on the waterfront. What do
you think it's going to look like when people we'll
go down there during those World Cup games? And will
they only be during the games or will it be
just ongoing out there.
Speaker 8 (41:06):
Yeah, it's really great because Friends of the Waterfront is
a wonderful organization that operates Peer sixty two, and so
they've partnered with us to activate Peer sixty two for
every day of World Cup, so the peer will be
accessible for free and will show massive watch parties with
massive screens throughout World Cup. And then Sounders and Rain
(41:31):
and Rave are floating the bargin next to the pier,
which will be accessible from the pier where we will
also host fan parties that are ticketed private rentals if needed,
and then also community events that are open. And so
we get to do both, and we get to do
this because the City of Seattle said yes, and because
Friends of the Waterfront has been an incredible partner.
Speaker 7 (41:53):
Ashlely, you talked about you know what comes also after
the World Cup and the focus on these fifty two pitches.
You know, being in areas where you have kids playing,
you have them growing up as sounder fans, as Rain fans,
and you mean, even for me on the radio side,
one of my big goals in life is to you know,
build more soccer fans, build more soccer enthusiasts. And I'm
wondering from your side, as your position, you know, how
(42:15):
we transition coming out of this World Cup and letting
what happened again from nineteen ninety four where the World
Cup that was in the United States spawned Major League Soccer,
spawned an entire league. How do we grow the game
and take it from this World Cup and grow soccer
to be in the conversation with NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA
(42:40):
and let it be a big five and have MLS
grow to that level.
Speaker 8 (42:46):
Well that yeah, that is That is the intention of
the finn experience is to bring the game to Seattle,
make it very accessible while all eyes are on our sport,
engage people who may not have experienced Seattle soccer. We
have incredible players on our teams that represent their national
teams all of the time, both on the women's and
(43:07):
the men's side, and we are proud to show them off,
and so we're absolutely going to give fans very accessible
ways to come try out our games.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
In July.
Speaker 8 (43:18):
World Cup actually is followed by our biggest matches in
July versus Portland for both teams. So we're hoping that
the glow of World Cup and all of the energy
and the interest around the sport actually leans into the
sport that's offered here year round by these two professional,
(43:39):
incredibly professional, incredible successful teams, Sales Sounders and Seattle Rain.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
And those two games will be played on the World
Cup grass, right, those rivalry games, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:49):
Which is so cool.
Speaker 8 (43:51):
So yeah, mid July, imagine World Cup is over, but
you get to come see your teams, your local teams
that you're very proud of, that are our championship winners
play on the World Cup grass. It's going to be
a moment to remember for sure.
Speaker 5 (44:05):
Hey, Ashley, before we let you go, twenty thirty one's
coming up. We got the Women's World Cup and Seattle
is vying. So what is the what can we do?
What can you guys do as an entity and as
a team this summer to intrigue the FIFA to say
let's bring the Women's World Cup here at works so
well in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
For the men.
Speaker 8 (44:27):
Right, Well, the best thing that Seattle can do is
show up, Show up for the fan fest, show up
for all of the places where the game is being watched,
show interest and engage in the game to show the
world that we want these global events here. So we
have our sights on Women's World Cup twenty thirty one
and leaning into the women's game and elevating women coaches,
(44:47):
elevating women players, making sure middle school girls stay in sports,
and we have big sights on Women's World Cup twenty
thirty one, are setting some massive goals around that so
we can build the game from the ins. Will there's
so many eyeballs on it during this summer.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Well, that's great stuff from Ashley Fossburg once again, the
chief Impact and fan Engagement officer at Seattle Sounders FC.
Loved having her on last week. All right, well, that
will do it here for Sounders Weekly. Before we get
to Rain Weekly, will once again remind you of the
big match for Seattle coming up this Sunday, last game
before the World Cup break. It is at LAFC down
(45:26):
in Los Angeles, BMO Stadium, that will have a five
thirty Providence Swedish premat show and a six o'clock kickoff
right here on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
I'll mention also, folks, you can watch it on Apple
TV and listen in Spanish language on LRA thirteen sixty
and Sunday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
(45:47):
Everybody enjoy Sunday's game. Hopefully it is a better one
than this last weekend against the La Galaxy where the
Sounders lost to nothing. As for another two nothing loss,
the Rain suffered that to Gotham Lumen last weekend or
last Friday, I should say, Keiley Dunning. We'll talk about
(46:07):
that and much more with the Rain as Rain Weekly
comes up next year on Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJRFM.
Coming to you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Sounders
Weekly with your host Jackson Felts.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Good evening, everybody, Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felt's gonna be with
you here on this Wednesday night talking all things soccer
for the next ninety minutes. Hey, Aren kjar got Sounders
Weekly for the next hour, and then we switch gears
to Rain Weekly at eight pm with Keeley Dunning. It's
gonna be a little bit of ninety minutes of teams
(00:32):
who can't score talk. I tell you what, very unfortunate
last couple results for both of our teams. Both the
Sounders and Rain both lost to nothing on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Unfortunate results for the Rain against Gotham and then the
Sounders against the La Galaxy. We're gonna be talking about
that a little bit, and I truly mean little bit tonight.
(00:54):
I don't want to dwell on that too much. We're
gonna have three great guests tonight, or three great interviews.
In just a moment. Brian Dunseeth will call in. We
all call him Donny. He is one of the absolute
best and he is a commentator a color analyst on
Apple TV. He does the games alongside Max Brettis. He
was in town for the Sounders San Jose game and
(01:16):
they will be on the call for this coming Sunday's
Sounders match against LAFC. That will be a big one here,
the last game before the World Cup begins for the Sounders.
That will have a five thirty Providence, Swedish prematch show
and a six o'clock kickoff right here on Sports Radio
ninety three point three KJRFM, and Sunday's match is presented
(01:36):
by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers. Also you can watch
it on Apple TV and listen in Spanish language on
l Ray thirteen sixty. That is Sunday's match against LAFC
down in Los Angeles. We are going to have Danny
Jackson and Brad Evans on the call down from LA
I will be here in the studio. It will be
a fun time here coming up on Sunday for that game.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So there's that.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We'll talk about that with our guest tonight I mentioned
Brian Dunseeth. Of course, as always we will have Ari Lillienwall.
He is a writer and editor for mlssoccer dot Com.
He hosts the podcast Lobbing Scorches. He will join us
to talk all things Sounders and both with Dunny and
with Ari. I'm gonna spend a good amount of time
talking World Cup, talking United States men's national team, because listen,
(02:25):
we are now just about three weeks away from this
tournament getting underway. I think it's three weeks from tomorrow,
so we are getting down to it. Rosters are coming out,
Everything right now is getting finalized, so a lot to
discuss around that. I will have Ari and then to
wrap up the show tonight before rain Weekly. Last week
(02:47):
on KJAR, folks can give your Sounder fans soccer fans.
You might have missed it, Ashley Fossberg joined us, myself
and Dick Fane. It was on the afternoon show. Was
late in Friday afternoon, so by and missed. But Ashley
is the Chief Impact and fan Engagement Officer at Seattle Sounders.
She's also the head of Rave Foundation, and when we
(03:08):
talk about engagement and fan impact, when we talk about
that in connection to the World Cup being here in
Seattle and the United States coming to Seattle and the
new fan barge that has been announced. If you miss that,
all you have to do is look up Seattle Fan
Barge for the World Cup. Really amazing renderings. They're basically
going to have a huge barge that's been turned into
(03:31):
a pitch, a mini pitch where fans are going to
be able to go from Peer sixty two onto this
barge and watch World Cup games on giant TVs on
this floating barge on Elliott Bay. It is incredible. We
talked to Ashley about that and how to grow the
game of soccer coming out of the World Cup. So
you're gonna hear that conversation coming up in our final
(03:53):
segment to night there with once again Ashley Fossburg, the
chief Impact and fan Engagement officer with the Sounders, So
that is coming up as well, and then of course
we'll get to rain Weekly For the last half hour
of this ninety minute Let's take a quick moment and
I mean quick before Brian Dunzeth joins to mention what
happened there on Saturday at Lumen Field. So the Sounders
(04:14):
were on a twenty two unbeaten run at lumen Field.
They hadn't lost at lumen since the Club World Cup
against PSG last summer, the LA Galaxy come into town,
and the LA Galaxy had been on a huge road
trip throughout last week. They won in Atlanta, they lost
in Kansas City, then they came directly here to Seattle
(04:34):
and they won two nothing over the Sounders, handing the
Sounders their first loss here in Seattle in almost a year.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
The team was flat. I mean it was very flat.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Danny Mazowski gets injured in the sixth minute, he has
a tooth knocked out, and know what, I gotta be honest,
I am gonna be critical of Brian Schmitzer because I
think it was the absolute wrong move to bring Albert
Rusnak off the bench from ZOFSK. You liked the combination
of Jordan Morris going up against John Nelson there on
that right side. When you put Albert Rusnak on, you
(05:08):
put then Jordan up top, you lose that one on
one of Nelson versus Morris, and you kind of play
I think that great trio overall of Morris, Ferreira and Rusnak,
but I think you're also working with a Rusnak who
I think wasn't instantly ready to.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Come off the bench in the twelfth minute.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I would have put Osassei de Rosario on kept that
matchup on the right side with Morris on Nelson, and
also reward day Row because he scored the game winner
on Wednesday against San Jose and I think rewarding him
in that moment off the bench would have been the
right move. So I will disagree with Brian Schmitzer and
his coaching staff on that move, but they made it.
(05:46):
It didn't work the team, as I mentioned, I think
they were flat and I don't think ultimately this game
came together in a lot of areas for a team
that listen, you just look at the numbers right now.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
They aren't scoring enough.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
We are a third of the way into the season
and this team is not scoring enough goals. You know
what that means for the future in terms of potentially
signing somebody who knows. But we're not getting enough offense,
and maybe the answer is Pedro de la Vega when
he comes back after the World Cup. Fingers crossed on that.
But the team needs offensive help, that is for sure
(06:21):
coming out of this too. Nothing lost to the Galaxy.
We're gonna kind of talk about that little chunks here
and there tonight, but really I'm not gonna dwell on it.
We're moving on here because it was a very busy
week for the Sounders. It was three games drag in
San Diego, win over San Jose, lost to the LA Galaxy.
The best of those three games was the San Jose game.
(06:43):
Of course, obviously it was the win. The man who
was on the call for that best game in that
eight day stretch, it was Max Brettis and Brian dun
Seth on the call there on Apple TV last Wednesday.
It was great to see him in the booth at
lumen Field and Brian dun Seth joins us right here
on Sounders Weekly. Brian, Donnie, great to have you back
(07:05):
on the show, man, How are you well?
Speaker 4 (07:07):
I appreciate you, my man. I'm doing fantastic are you
I'm good?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I'm good.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Very First, I once again apologized for nearly spilling your
coffee last Wednesday. I am sorry for slapping your back
hard enough to almost make that disaster happen.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
I'd just gotten over that. Thanks for having.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
No.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
It was good to see you guys, right exactly.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
I appreciate no. We always love coming up to the
Seattle area. We got our own little routines and even
though it was a bit rainy, we had it blast man.
We love it up there. We love being a part
of the broadcast.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Well before I talked to you about what was this
last weekend, I mean, I don't I don't really want
to talk any more than I already have about the
too Nothing Lost of the Galaxy.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You know, this is our this is our.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Most recent show since that win over San Jose, and
I kind of want to live in that world for
a minute. And for my money, that was a really
impressive job by the Sounders to go down one nothing
in the second minute and come back from that for
the win. What do you see in that match from Seattle?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Ah, man, I'm so impressed with, you know, top to
bottom everything that's happened in Seattle. You know, listen, you
got two iconic legends. Matt's on one side, Bruce on
the other. Bruce was popping his top stave, ser Can
get sent off. It was. It was a crazy and
wild ninety minutes. The Sase comes on and does the
d row electric goal scoring celebrations, you know, presence and
(08:31):
all those things that come into play. I'm a big
fan of Snyder Bernel. I think he Coosa Ramsey, even
the interpretation of what the makesfield looks like. So I
think the biggest question is the one that we kind
of knew coming in. Who's going to be the number nine? Yeah,
the undisputed number nine. We've seen Osase, we've seen Jordan,
we've seen Danny. It'll be very interesting And I think
the one thing people haven't really talked about is on
(08:52):
the backside of this World Cup break, there's going to
be an opportunity if you want to upgrade your roster
for the very first time. You're gonna get twenty games.
You know, mikel stay fullicks and passer fail math isn't fantastic,
but I think that's around sixty points that's going to
be available on the backside, which usually you're talking six
to eight games to get players acclimated and all their
paperwork done. So it's going to be very interesting to
(09:15):
see also, you know, comparing and contrasting the form either
good or bad in the first half of the season
versus what we see on the backside of this World
Cup when players are going to get the mandatory three
weeks off and then they're going to get right back
down the business and hopefully, you know, pick up right
where they left off or recalibrate and start much better
than what we've seen in these first fourteen to fifteen matches.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, I think that's just such the big question here
is because the Sounders and Craig wib will have so
much gam to spend this season. And I was talking
to Andrew Weebey, your co worker there with Apple TV
a couple of weeks ago, and that was the question
he and I were really hashing out, is what to
spend it on, because you can go the direction of
(09:58):
potentially center back, find you replacement for Yamar when when
he both gets older and departs the club. But the
reality is, like an Andrew and I both agree on this,
and I'll get your take. This team needs a forward, Dunny,
I mean like Jordan Morris is he's he's been out
on the wing. They shifted him up to the top
when Danny gets his tooth knocked out, and even then,
(10:20):
Mazowski has not been his twenty twenty five self. Osase
has been fine, but not his preseason level. So yeah, exactly,
he is raw. So this team needs a forward, I think,
And the question is a do you agree and be
what kind of forward would fit best with the pieces
(10:41):
that are around this team right now?
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Yeah, I think you got to find, like, in an
ideal world, I would say, like Dayan Joblich type of guy. Now,
obviously the cost prying him away from the LA Galaxy
was significant, and he's been stuck on a really bad
Sporting Kansas City team for the last two seasons. Somebody
in that mold that's a worker, you know, great working
mentality off the ball. Defensively can kind of set set
(11:06):
the stage for the incremental press and you know, the
high press, the turnover type press, and then there's just
ruthless and lethal in the back. And listen, I don't
I don't think anybody thought that when Danny Mussoski, or
at least anybody in their right mind, that Danny Mussovski
was going to be a starter. They thought he was
going to be an impact sub off the bench, where
you're looking from like five and four type numbers, five
(11:28):
goals for assists type numbers off the bench. But then
you know, you think about last year, and you think
about Paul oriole were going down with the injury, Ryan
Kent in out Hazes Fedata is playing well Jordan has
a DP caliber year that get him a DP contract
and then goes reverts back, unfortunately to some of the
injury crisis that he's dealt with. And listen Obed going out.
(11:51):
I think Snyder Burnell is going to be as good,
if not even a higher ceiling than Obed. And I
mean that with all due respect to Obed, because I
love I mean, I'm tuning in to Athletical Madrid to
see if he's on the field because I'm rooting for
the kid, even though he chose Mexico over the United States,
because I just love seeing young players. And listen, whether
(12:12):
you talk about Adrian or you talk about Wible and
I know everyone in the area already knows all the names,
but from Wade and everything happening with ta coma defiance
to Sean Henderson and everybody else involved, even you know,
bringing in Ricardo Clark after losing Andy Rose down to LAFC.
I'm rooting for Seattle. I think that they've put together
a good team on a very manageable budget situation. Considering
(12:38):
the training facility and the purchase of Seattle Rain. We
knew that that was gonna, you know, uncompromising in terms
of the financial stability at times. But you know, I
also think there's a world in which we continue to
see the slow down in the evolution of expansion which
leads to multi billion dollar investors. I mean, who would
have thought in the last five years in Salt Lake
City you would have four different multi billion dollar owners
(13:03):
involved at real Salt Lake in some capacity. So we'll
see how it all looks. But yeah, I agree, listen,
I think the number nine position is always going to
be the question. But also, you know, listen, you guys
have been spoiled right Oba, Semi Klant, Raoul Nico, And
it looks different and it feels different, and that's okay
(13:24):
because as we've seen with the immense amount of spend
from some teams of Major League Soccer and then the
total failure, you know, one hand doesn't necessarily feed the other,
meaning that just because you spend money, it doesn't mean
you're going to find a certain amount of success. So
big believer in the system that Schmetz has created, the
accountability of the culture, and I think you can see
(13:45):
that certainly.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
So Brian Dunsthar is our guest. He is calling this
Sunday's Sounders LAFC match alongside Max Bredus for Apple TV.
We will also have it right here Sports Radio at
ninety three point three KJRFM. Ahright, Donny, let's talk about
this game because it's the last game before the World
Cup and the Sounders clearly need to change their form
(14:07):
and get back on the track. LAFC clearly needs to
change their form and get back on the track after
losing against Nashville. This really does seem like two trains
that want to pick up steam and move forward into
the break. What's gonna give in this Sunday's match? How
do you see this going?
Speaker 4 (14:26):
Yeah? I think the pressure is obviously on LAFC, especially
you know thirty two fifty two in the atmosphere that's created.
You know, historically Seattle's done well down in LA and
let me talk about the Galaxy or you talk about LAFC.
There's been some really you know, great data points. So
it's not as if they're walking into kind of this
(14:48):
hell is real atmosphere where no matter what they know,
they're going to be under pressure. They will be because
of Danny Bologa and Sun him In and Bobby Martinez.
But you know, despite the great start from our to
Santos as the tenure as manager of LAFC and taking
nova for the departure of Steve Tarundlo. We should also
point out by bringing and euros in, we also saw
(15:09):
the departure of Vontae Rozov as an assistant coach. So
there's there's been some interesting evolutions behind the scenes. And
for all the conversations about John Thornton and Marca Santos
really separating themselves from Steve Tarundlo's style of football, implying
that he was more defensive and they're more attack minded,
(15:30):
I thought was a really bold strategy because you know,
at the end of the day, Steve continuously got that
group of players into multiple competition finals, which is very,
very difficult, almost to the point where LAFC fans became
spoiled and didn't realize the struggles that happened in some
of the down years. So you know, listen, Sonny's going
(15:51):
to South Korea, He's going to go to the World Cup.
He has not scored a goal. I think he's got
like nine assists he has scored in Coffee CAF Champions Cup.
They were dumped on ceremoniously down at Te Luca, even
to the point where Mark was so agitated before the trip.
He was complaining about the scheduling gods, and then he
was complaining about Trickle Muhammad being a Faiaso being a clown,
(16:12):
which I thought was another bold strategy. And then they
go on the road this week and it hasn't been great.
I thought they did okay against Nashville, but they're still
missing something and they're not as effective in the transition
moments as they usually are. So as always for me,
huge battle in the midfield, Christian Rodan Snider Burnell going
(16:32):
up against the hybrid of Mark Delgado Stefan Astachio. That's
gonna be his last performance for LAFC as his loan
with Porto terminates, heading into the World Cup with Canada,
and then Timothy Tillman, you know, playing in that hybrid
role of a number ten or a kind of a
three man midfield and Sergei Polentcy is probably the biggest news.
(16:52):
He's unavailable probably through the end of the World Cup
because of injury, and then trying to figure out if
Hugo Laris to play with Thomas Asoul getting the game
the other night in Nashville, so some questions, but it's
never for a lack of quality.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
It's just for.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
Maybe a lack of consistency in the final third. But
we know from the opening lestle of the finalist it'll
be a dogfight between these two teams because both will
want to have that feel good factor heading into the
break as opposed to a really sour taste in their mouth,
where you know the coaching staff is going to run
you into the ground the moment you get back from
that twenty one day break.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah, you know that there is just going to be
you got to hit the ground running and be ready
to go for those last twenty games. Donny, you mentioned
the name Christian rolled On. While we have a couple
last minutes, I want to pick your brain because it's
probably last chance we'll have to talk to you before
this World Cup, And I mean with the injury to Cardoso,
it's so sad about him. But now you kind of
look at Christian rolled On and his potential to lock
(17:52):
his spot on the roster. Gozo is suddenly coming in
and getting a lot of steam, potentially making Pacha's roster.
The duo question of where do you think those final
decisions come for Potch and then secondly, what's the vibe
for you for the national team going into this World
Cup here in just a few short weeks.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Yeah, let's start with Christian. I can tell you without
a shadow of a doubt, having been around this group
for the better part of the last three and a
half years, that the reintroduction of Christian Roldan was seamless.
And it has to do with the win against inter
Miami and watching the way that he managed the midfield
(18:33):
at the time alongside Obed Vargas against inter Miami to
raise the trophy, and then obviously the kerfuffle that transpired
afterwards became legendary for all of the oddest reasons. Christian,
from the moment that I saw him in where were
we Colorado? Maybe knows even before Colorado, you could just
(18:55):
see I mean him, Christian roaldn you know every excuse me,
Christian Polistic, you just all of a sudden knew that
you had this established leader, locker room guy that obviously
wants to play, but also knew his role was to
make sure that there was an accountability of a standard
of training habits, to make sure that everyone else was ready.
And because of his experience and guitar. I always thought
(19:18):
it was odd that we do this thing on social
media where we just watch people absolutely hammer MLS players
for no reason or forever other than playing an MLS
and it just drives me crazy. So with Johnny going
down with the ankle surgery, Tanner Teffman has been ruled
out of all these games for Olympic Leon excuse me,
olympically inn A Leon has ruled him out, so that
(19:40):
becomes an issue. I always thought it was probably Sebastian
Burhalter above both Aiden Morris and Christian Roldan, but I
think now there's a spot for all three. If you
said that one of the three didn't make it, I
wouldn't know how to properly verbalize the difference between the three,
(20:01):
and it may just be the margins you could do
experience versus kind of useful exuberance and the opportunity that
eight Morris is having with mittisbro and he's been phenomenal
in his last eighteen months. The Bastian Burhalter's goals and
assists are outrageous to start the year for a two
way midfielder, and Christian just bosses games in the midfield.
For Seattle. So while the player profiles are different, I
(20:25):
don't think there's a lot that separates. I could see
two of the three going, and I can see all
three going based on ten or testament. And my hope
is that Christian is rewarded with it because he deserves it.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
It will be interesting, based on the injuries to see
how that all plays out. We'll wrap with this, Donny,
just your vibe on the entire program going in. They're
obviously in a group where you know, right now you
look at the gambling and all that, and they are
the favorites to win their group and all that. How
are you feeling about this team and they're just general
(20:56):
chances to maybe make a run to God if we
can just for the quarter finals for a moment, But
just overall vibe of this team going into the biggest
World Cup that this program has been in in a
few decades.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Yeah, I think it's twofold. I think one for Mariso
Pochetino and his staff, they recognize that the accountability comes
with the opportunity, which then leads to whatever the future
looks like. And not for a second, well, Mauricia Poccino's
name not be linked to all the big clubs, but
he's He's made decisions that I think have been curious
for outsiders to understand. And the best example is probably
(21:31):
Christian Polistic playing is the number nine against Portugal in
that second leg, for that second game in Atlanta. They
have their idea, they are very methodical, they're very acute
with their decision making, but it doesn't always align with
the way that we as a general public see it.
The players themselves. I keep you know, I grew up
in a generation where it's sixteen years old. I couldn't
(21:52):
afford it, but I was outside the Rose Bowl just
taking in the atmosphere in Pasadena. I was a volunteer
at the Lacnvention Center during the ninety four World Cup.
I felt the power of what it meant to be
around in the cities. When the World Cup comes, it's
going to be extraordinary. So I'm excited, I really am.
I'm going to be down in Mexico for the first
(22:13):
five games, then I'll be in Philadelphia for a round
to sixteen in the knockouts. So I'm going to get
my opportunity to be a part of this World Cup.
I just can't wait for everybody to truly feel the
power of what is the Super Bowl combined with the
NBA Finals, combined with the Olympics and then just pumped
up with steroids. You know, a million times flat. Incredible
(22:36):
experience and I wish I was in Seattle to experience it.
But yeah, I can't wait for everyone to have this opportunity.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
That's a great way to describe it, Duddy.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
When we have United States versus Australia on June nineteenth,
God being in the building for that, I can't wait
for that. It's going to be an experience of a lifetime.
So well, we'll see how it all plays out. I'm
sure we will talk after the whole thing is over
and have lots more questions and discussions and talking points
coming out of this thing.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
But enjoy it.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
Great to hear that you're going to be a part
of it. Be well done in Mexico. Have some great calls,
and have a great call this Sunday for Sounders LAFC.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I appreciate you, mo Man, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Brian don Seth. Awesome to chat with him. We're going
to continue talking World Cup a little bit with Ari Lillenwall.
He's joining us in our next segment mlssoccer dot Com
and the podcast Lobbing Scorches. We'll talk World Cup. We'll
talk some Sounders as well as they prepare for LAFC.
This Sunday Ari comes up next year in Sounders Weekly.
Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Now back to.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders fc CL's Sports
Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Feldt's good to be
with you here on this Wednesday night. Thanks to Brian
Dunseeth Donny for joining us there in our previous segment.
Make sure to check out Sounders Weekly or see me
the Seattle Soccer Shows podcast page. I'm still screwing that up.
Third of the way into the season. All of our shows,
both this show, Sounders Weekly, are match broadcasts, our postgame shows,
(24:11):
Everything with Rain as well, all on the Seattle Soccer
Shows podcast page. A man who hosts a podcast of
his own. It is tremendous. I absolutely love it. It's
called Lobbing Scorches. You can get it wherever you get
your podcasts, including the iHeartRadio app. The host of Lobbing Scorches,
he's also a writer and editor for MLS Soccer dot Com.
(24:32):
He's also a fantasy football champion. Ari Lillianwall joins us
right here now on Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 6 (24:38):
Ari.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
How you doing today, Buddy?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
I'm good?
Speaker 6 (24:41):
Jackson, how are you?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I'm good. I'm good.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Shouldn't say great or maybe even not even good coming
out of the LA Galaxy game. Didn't spend more than
two three minutes on it in the opening segment, So
let's be very brief. What were your takeaways from a
very disappointing loss for Seattle at home on Saturday.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
Yeah, to me, Jackson, this looks like a team that
could really use this upcoming World Cup break team that
looks beat up fatigues and a team that played a
rotated lineup where a couple of the changes that got
made didn't work as intended. You had a weird situation
with Mooz getting his tooth knocked out that I think
(25:20):
through everything for a loop. So it was just kind
of a not great game amid a not great run
of form. So I think this rest is going to
do this team some good so they can try and
get back to the team we saw to start the season,
which they did have a very good start to the year.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
I think you're absolutely right to get Alex s Troldan
hopefully healthy coming back from a hamstring injury. We'll see
about Yamar as well, Pedro Dal La Vega. Lots of
players to get healthy, and most importantly the rest because
as I said, I think it was a flat team
against the LA Galaxy, so hopefully that flatness changes both
after the World Cup, Ari, but also this coming Sunday.
(25:57):
What a matchup we have on our hands before the
World Cup kicks off. Sounders at LAFC this Sunday. This
is a big one, Ari, because as I said to
Donny a few minutes ago, it feels like a Sounders
team that needs to get right and get in form
going into the break, and it's an LAFC team that
needs to find their form and get going before the break.
(26:19):
It truly feels like both these teams need wins going
into this big long stretch.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Yeah, and I would argue LAFC probably even more so
than Seattle. You know, as much as Seattle has stumbled
over these last few weeks, LAFC they've lost three or
four games in a row now pretty much ever since
they got eliminated from Concacak Champions Cup. They've looked hungover,
and they've been taking losses, not just draws, but they've
(26:46):
been losing these games. And Sun Hung Men's having a
very good season for them as a playmaker, but they
haven't got him rolling on the score sheet yet, and
all around, the vibes just seem a little disjointed down there.
It is not an LAFC team that's in the top
form that we usually are used to seeing from them.
That being said, I do feel like these games for
(27:07):
Seattle when they're the away team at LAFC, they just
tend not to go very well during the regular season
for whatever reason. I don't really know why. I mean,
I guess it's because LAFC are usually one of the
best teams in the league. But when Seattle goes down
there in the playoffs they seem to do pretty well.
But in the regular season these seem to tilt towards LAFC,
even if they're not in good form. But you know,
this is a team that is more vulnerable for Seattle
(27:31):
than they usually would be.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I'm both encouraged hearing that and also discouraged encouraged because obviously,
when a team is not in good form. You might
hope that you get them in a bad time and
have a chance to beat them, but also not encouraged
because that just means that they're going to be potentially
fighting harder for that win because they've been in bad form.
Has there been a common denominator to why LAFC is
(27:54):
losing all these games recently?
Speaker 6 (27:57):
You know, I think maybe their depth is what we
thought it was. I think Mark Dos Santos, their coach,
might believe that because I think something that went wrong
for them is that he really did not employ a
lot of squad rotation during conk CAF Champions Cup.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Usually you will see.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Coaches rotate for the league matches when they're in CCC,
and he really didn't do that to as much an
extent as you usually see. And I think that's created
a situation where they're pretty beat up and fatigued too.
And you know, anytime you make a deep run in CCC,
you're gonna have some residual effects. So I think they
must just be getting hit extra hard by that from
this CCC run because they did make it pretty far.
(28:34):
But yeah, they just maybe don't have the depth to
withstand that type of thing as much as I thought
they did going into the season.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
Ariy Lillian Wall is our guest writer and editor for
mlssucker dot Com. Host the podcast Lobbing Scorchers, but you
can get on the iHeartRadio app. Also subscribe to the
Lobbing Scorchers page on YouTube. They go live for their
postgame shows get great fan interactions. They also do their
Monday morning shows with kick Off Thursday Nights under the Lights.
(29:01):
Love Lobbing Scorches there on YouTube as well. Ari coming
out of that Galaxy game, what was the fan interaction, Like,
how angry were fans after that Galaxy loss?
Speaker 6 (29:13):
You know, I think people are not happy with the
run of games lately, But I do think that win
that they did manage to get over the Quakes midweek
has salvaged some of the vibes I think during this stretch.
If you look at these last three or four games
as a whole, I think it's fair to say that
the form has taken a downturn. But you know, you
get to have arguably your best win of the season
(29:34):
right before this Galaxy game, so I think that maybe
brought a little bit of equity back. But you know,
they do need to get rolling and scoring goals again
and shore up this offense and stop conceding these goals
and all that, I think to really bring the vibes back,
even if that Quakes game was a good win. Like
you know, you look at this Sporting Case game in
the San Diego game where you drop points in this
(29:55):
Galaxy game. You know, I think people are not thrilled
about that.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Thrilled at all? Are you mentioned the Quakes there? How
about the top of the Western Conference both San Jose
and Vancouver also losing. I mean, LAFC lose, Sounders lose,
Vancouver lose it. It's the kind of the week for
the Sounders to drop points because everybody else is dropping points.
I mean, you never want to, but still if you're
going to, this would be the week to do it.
(30:21):
What do you make of Vancouver and San Jose, which
one of those maybe is more indicative of a team
falling off.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Yeah, it is interesting. It feels like pretty much all
the teams at the top of the West are struggling
right now. Then Hoober and San Jose both lost this
weekend too, which, on one hand, is nice for Seattle
because you don't lose ground in the supporter shield race.
But I also feel like, on one hand, that makes
it even more frustrating because these teams are gifting you
opportunities to cover ground and catch up to them and
(30:51):
really contend and compete for the supporter shield, and you're
not taking them. So I think that is a frustrating
element of it, But.
Speaker 7 (30:57):
I think it does.
Speaker 6 (30:58):
What it indicates the media is that the Western Conference
is wide open. You have the Vancouver team in San
Jose team that Seattle is chasing. They beat both those
teams this year twice. This wets the Quakes in the
regular season, and they beat Vancouver five to one on
aggregate in CCC, So I don't think that there's much
evidence to suggest from how those games went that Vancouver
and San Jose are way ahead of where Seattle's.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
At right now.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
I think the team in the West that scares me
the most right now, frankly is Real Salt Lake.
Speaker 7 (31:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (31:25):
I think they have the highest ceiling, the most upside,
the most kind of young firepower type players. They're a young,
up and coming surgeon type of team, so I think
they're definitely still a threat in the West. But I
think the West is anyone for the taking and that's
still the case even with this kind of you know,
downturn and form that Seattle's taken in.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
The last few games.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
The team that's right behind there, that's right above Seattle
is salt Lake. Seattle has a game in hand on
salt Lake, but salt Lake's a point ahead. Gozo's playing great, obviously,
making a potential claim to get on the World Cup roster.
The team right behind Seattle is FC Dallas. They beat
Santa three to two really quickly. Before we talk us
and before we talk World Cup, Ari gotta get your
(32:06):
two cents on what happened there with Dallas. Sam Sarver,
kind of a reserved younger player on FC Dallas scores
the game winner against San Jose. Are he take us
through the play by play. Sam Sarver scores the game winner.
Then what happens.
Speaker 6 (32:24):
He had a very fun celebration. He went, he was
s thretting it in front of the San Jose Ultra supporters.
They were letting him hear it. He was letting them
hear it. And then somebody tossed a tall boy beer
on the on the onto the field at Sam Sarver,
and he picked it up. Ripped it open and poured
it all over his face. He was chugging it and
then he was giving it back to the San Jose supporters.
(32:45):
So it was honestly hilarious. And Sam Sarver is kind
of becoming one of my favorite players in the league
right now. Really, I think we were talking about him,
but I've described him as the Paul roth Rock of
FC Dallas. He's kind of that mold, that prototype for them.
But he is a lot of fun and he's got
a fun backstory, easy guy to root for. So yeah, no,
he's a fun, little new MLS character that I didn't
(33:06):
really know about before this season, but it's kind of
taken center stage.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Takes the beer thrown at him, rips the beer, pours
it on his face in the celebration. Our own is
Marcus Hannman, obviously, is what everybody remembers here when it
comes to that. But yeah, thank UFC Dallas for for
not letting San Jose get any more ground there at
the top of the West, as Seattle stays five points
back there of the top of the West that both
(33:32):
Vancouver and San Jose are on. Ari let's wrap with this.
This is the last chance you and I are gonna
have the chat before the World Cup begins. I'm on
vacation next week, and then we really get things going
here three weeks from tomorrow. I'm not sure what we're
doing for weekly shows for the World Cup, but we'll
figure it out. So with that said, my friend, let's
get down to business and talk World Cup. We've talked roster.
(33:55):
We know Cardoso's injury and what that means potentially for
Christian World. Maybe good news for Christian of course, terrible
news for Cardoso. Let's let's ignore the roster question. I
want to talk to you right now about how this
tournament's gonna play out. I have my favorites, who are
your favorites, and potentially who is your pick to win
(34:16):
this World Cup here in the States.
Speaker 6 (34:19):
You know, not to be boring on that, but I
feel like there's just kind of a select few group
of teams that are the front runners.
Speaker 5 (34:26):
Every time.
Speaker 6 (34:27):
You know, you got your Argentina's, you got your Brazil's,
you got your Germany's, you got your Spain there it
is obviously, you know, and there's other teams in the
mixed Belgium, Croatia, countries like that are always going to
be a factor England as well in there. I mean,
they're not gonna win it, obviously, but they theoretically do
have one of the better rosters. France is another one
(34:49):
that I missed, but I mean I feel like it's
it's France, Argentina or Spain. That's kind of how do
you see it any differently than that? I think they're
kind of writing is on the wall in these tournaments,
and there's very rarely a dark horse run. You had
Croatia making the final a couple of years ago, but
other than that, like, I feel like it's pretty predictable.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
But I don't know, what do you think I got
Spain winning it because I think the obviously there's such
a young team, and you know, we have our friend
andrews Hurst here in kJ R and and he thinks
they are too young. I think that sometimes that youthful
ignorance can can take a team. And it's just so
insanely talented. You know, obviously Argentina has talent. But we
(35:27):
joke Ari, we joke about England not winning it, and
obviously it really is a running joke. But I tell
you what, the more people I talk to, you, dude,
they tell me that they really think this is it
for England.
Speaker 6 (35:41):
Yeah, maybe it is, but I mean they say that
everything time and it never happens. Must have said it
has become a running joke. But I mean I agree
with what you're saying in the sense that you look
at their team like always and you think there's no
way this team should be at least a contender to
make a run to the final. Like in terms of talent,
they have every thing you need, but they have everything
(36:02):
that they need at every tournament that they go to,
and so I don't know what to make of them.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Well, we'll talk otter the tournament ends, and we might
talk during it. I'm not sure how it all work,
but we will enjoy it. Let's see last thing here
for you. Tell me how far you think the United
States national team go before losing.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
I think they make it out of the group and
then they get knocked out in the round of sixteen
like they always do too. I don't know. I feel
like I have not seen much from this group or
this coaching staff to indicate that the ceiling is any
higher than this team's usually is when it goes into
this tournament and the round of sixteen is pretty much
always this team ceiling in this tournament. But you know,
I'm willing to be proven wrong on that. If they
(36:43):
go out there and they put on a goat good
showing and they make a run and they actually make
it to the quarterfinals for the first time since two
thousand and two, I'm happy to eat my words. But
it's just kind of hard to see based on the
vibes and how the performances have been going lately.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
I think they lose in the round of sixteen two
bell at Lumenfield on July sixth.
Speaker 3 (37:02):
I think that is their end run.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
But I think we do get two games for the
national team, the US national team at Lumenfield, because if
they win their group and then they win that next game,
they will be playing at Lumen.
Speaker 3 (37:14):
That will be a cool atmosphere, all.
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Right, buddy, I will see a probably four, I imagine,
maybe hopefully a couple of World Cup games. We'll figure
it out. But if I don't talk to you, enjoy
the tournament and we will talk afterwards.
Speaker 6 (37:27):
Likewise, Jackson, thank you good stuff there.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
From Ari luliolmajor League Soccer dot Com and the podcast
Lobbing scorchers. Check out his stuff. They're on lobbing scorches
all right. A couple quick note. Sounders FC Soccer is
presented by Provident, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC.
Also michelob Ultra is ninety five calories and two point
six grams of carbs. It's only worth it if you
enjoy it. Coming up next year in Sounders Weekly, we're
(37:51):
gonna talk about the World Cup atmosphere here in Seattle.
You're going to hear a conversation coming up with Ashley Fossburg.
Dick Fane and I had the chance to talk to
Ashley last week. She's the Chief Impact and Fan Engagement
Officer with the Seattle Sounders. We'll talk about the World
Cup fan barge and much more next on Sounders Weekly
Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Sounders FC,
Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 2 (38:24):
Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, Jackson Feldtz, good to be
with you here on this Wednesday night, wrapping up Sounders Weekly.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
Before Keieley Dunning takes over with Rain Weekly.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
We'll mention that Sounder's EFC Soccer is presented by Provident,
Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Also that michelob
Ultra is ninety five calories and two point six grams
of carbs.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
It's only worth it if you enjoy it all right.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Last Friday, I was on the afternoon Show with Dick
Fane and we had a very special guest late in
the show. You might have missed this, Ashley Fassberg. She's
the chief Impact and fan engagement officer with the Sounders.
She's also the head of Ray Foundation. And in case
you missed the other news last week, for the World Cup,
there will be a floating barge off of Peer sixty
(39:09):
two that will have giant TVs where fans can come
on to it, watch games, take it all in.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
It's pretty incredible.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Ashley joined us to talk about that, talk about engaging
fans both during the World Cup and especially after the
World Cup, building soccer fans more soccer fans here in
the Northwest, here in Seattle. We had a great conversation
with Ashley Fossburg. I'll just let Dick Fane and I
take it away. Here was our conversation with Ashley last Friday.
Speaker 7 (39:37):
I want to talk a lot about that barge because
I know I can't wait to be down there for
a bunch of games. I know even non soccer enthusiast
friends of mine say, I gotta get down there for this.
Tell us a little bit more about it and especially
exactly the formation of how this idea got created to
basically put an entire barge right in front of Elliott Bay,
(39:58):
right off of Peer sixty two and make it a
hub for all fans to come watch the World Cup
in well.
Speaker 8 (40:06):
I want to credit my very creative colleagues and leaders
at Sounders of Sea and Rain who thought of this
idea early enough to be able to bring it to
life by World Cup twenty six, and it is. It
was many many months, if not over a year in
the making. It went through many iterations, but we are
(40:26):
we are landing at the most perfect fan activation, at
the most perfect moment in the world's best city, and
we're so proud to be able to say, you know,
we're offering this fan experience to the city of Seattle
during while all eyes are on us, and where we
also get to celebrate be at the heart of celebrating
the global game and the sport that we love so much.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
Talk about what the waterfront is going to look like.
You'll have the barge out there, will there be other
you know, fan activation sites on the waterfront. What do
you think it's going to look like when people we'll
go down there during those World Cup games? And will
they only be during the games or will it be
just ongoing out there.
Speaker 8 (41:06):
Yeah, it's really great because Friends of the Waterfront is
a wonderful organization that operates Peer sixty two, and so
they've partnered with us to activate Peer sixty two for
every day of World Cup, so the peer will be
accessible for free and will show massive watch parties with
massive screens throughout World Cup. And then Sounders and Rain
(41:31):
and Rave are floating the bargin next to the pier,
which will be accessible from the pier where we will
also host fan parties that are ticketed private rentals if needed,
and then also community events that are open. And so
we get to do both, and we get to do
this because the City of Seattle said yes, and because
Friends of the Waterfront has been an incredible partner.
Speaker 7 (41:53):
Ashlely, you talked about you know what comes also after
the World Cup and the focus on these fifty two pitches.
You know, being in areas where you have kids playing,
you have them growing up as sounder fans, as Rain fans,
and you mean, even for me on the radio side,
one of my big goals in life is to you know,
build more soccer fans, build more soccer enthusiasts. And I'm
wondering from your side, as your position, you know, how
(42:15):
we transition coming out of this World Cup and letting
what happened again from nineteen ninety four where the World
Cup that was in the United States spawned Major League Soccer,
spawned an entire league. How do we grow the game
and take it from this World Cup and grow soccer
to be in the conversation with NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA
(42:40):
and let it be a big five and have MLS
grow to that level.
Speaker 8 (42:46):
Well that yeah, that is That is the intention of
the finn experience is to bring the game to Seattle,
make it very accessible while all eyes are on our sport,
engage people who may not have experienced Seattle soccer. We
have incredible players on our teams that represent their national
teams all of the time, both on the women's and
(43:07):
the men's side, and we are proud to show them off,
and so we're absolutely going to give fans very accessible
ways to come try out our games.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
In July.
Speaker 8 (43:18):
World Cup actually is followed by our biggest matches in
July versus Portland for both teams. So we're hoping that
the glow of World Cup and all of the energy
and the interest around the sport actually leans into the
sport that's offered here year round by these two professional,
(43:39):
incredibly professional, incredible successful teams, Sales Sounders and Seattle Rain.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
And those two games will be played on the World
Cup grass, right, those rivalry games, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:49):
Which is so cool.
Speaker 8 (43:51):
So yeah, mid July, imagine World Cup is over, but
you get to come see your teams, your local teams
that you're very proud of, that are our championship winners
play on the World Cup grass. It's going to be
a moment to remember for sure.
Speaker 5 (44:05):
Hey, Ashley, before we let you go, twenty thirty one's
coming up. We got the Women's World Cup and Seattle
is vying. So what is the what can we do?
What can you guys do as an entity and as
a team this summer to intrigue the FIFA to say
let's bring the Women's World Cup here at works so
well in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
For the men.
Speaker 8 (44:27):
Right, Well, the best thing that Seattle can do is
show up, Show up for the fan fest, show up
for all of the places where the game is being watched,
show interest and engage in the game to show the
world that we want these global events here. So we
have our sights on Women's World Cup twenty thirty one
and leaning into the women's game and elevating women coaches,
(44:47):
elevating women players, making sure middle school girls stay in sports,
and we have big sights on Women's World Cup twenty
thirty one, are setting some massive goals around that so
we can build the game from the ins. Will there's
so many eyeballs on it during this summer.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Well, that's great stuff from Ashley Fossburg once again, the
chief Impact and fan Engagement officer at Seattle Sounders FC.
Loved having her on last week. All right, well, that
will do it here for Sounders Weekly. Before we get
to Rain Weekly, will once again remind you of the
big match for Seattle coming up this Sunday, last game
before the World Cup break. It is at LAFC down
(45:26):
in Los Angeles, BMO Stadium, that will have a five
thirty Providence Swedish premat show and a six o'clock kickoff
right here on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
I'll mention also, folks, you can watch it on Apple
TV and listen in Spanish language on LRA thirteen sixty
and Sunday's match is presented by the Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
(45:47):
Everybody enjoy Sunday's game. Hopefully it is a better one
than this last weekend against the La Galaxy where the
Sounders lost to nothing. As for another two nothing loss,
the Rain suffered that to Gotham Lumen last weekend or
last Friday, I should say, Keiley Dunning. We'll talk about
(46:07):
that and much more with the Rain as Rain Weekly
comes up next year on Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJRFM.
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