Episode 33 - Golden Boot 1, Golden Glove nil, From Nick's head, with love! CYA Pit!

[00:00:15] Welcome to Cannon Crue, a weekly podcast discussing the Charleston Battery. Your host Granite will be joined by other defenders of the fleet from the black and yellow supporters section, and together they will help fortify and conquer. They are the Cannon Crue.

[00:00:35] Welcome to the Cannon Crue podcast and we're going to pick it up right when we're talking about Las Vegas. Go ahead Patrick.

[00:00:42] No, I was just watching Football Americas and one of the hosts is wearing the Vegas kind of speckled paint jersey and it looks pretty solid.

[00:00:52] Pretty nice looking jersey. Not as good as ours, but still nice. Ours is pretty nice.

[00:00:59] That was one thing I was looking at all the games over the weekend and even like catching some highlights back. I was like comparing jerseys right away.

[00:01:08] Like Detroit tried to cop it with the gold, kind of the gold numbering, the gold names.

[00:01:14] Didn't work out for them. They lost. Nine game unbeaten streak stat.

[00:01:18] Yeah. Bing.

[00:01:20] I am Granite. As you might or may not know, I am joined by Ryan.

[00:01:27] Hey Granite, how are you? How are you?

[00:01:29] I'm doing well. And also, the ever popular Patrick.

[00:01:34] Patrick, what's going on?

[00:01:37] Nothing. Just us boys talking. Talking about some food after a Columbia-Iruguay match. It was really good, but I digress.

[00:01:45] We're looking at Las Vegas, right? Do we want them to win?

[00:01:50] We want them to win.

[00:01:52] Yeah.

[00:01:53] Want them to win big time.

[00:01:54] So, before we jump into everything else, let's talk quickly about how do we keep a home field advantage throughout the rest of the playoffs?

[00:02:03] Well, the easiest way to look at it, Granite, is essentially there's three games on Saturday.

[00:02:08] And we want all three away teams to win on Saturday.

[00:02:11] So that includes Vegas, Orange County, and Rhode Island.

[00:02:17] If all three teams win, then Charleston has to take care of business against Tampa.

[00:02:22] And then Charleston would then host the Eastern Conference Final.

[00:02:25] If they win that, then they would host the final as well.

[00:02:28] So we need the two top seeds from East and West to lose, and also Colorado.

[00:02:35] And Colorado.

[00:02:35] Right.

[00:02:35] Because we lost to them head-to-head.

[00:02:38] So that puts us, if we were going back to play them again, then they get the home seed and we don't.

[00:02:44] Correct.

[00:02:44] Yeah.

[00:02:45] So those up there, they changed the rules this year.

[00:02:47] Oh, sorry, Pat.

[00:02:48] Go ahead.

[00:02:49] I was going to say, we just need a number one seed to lose, number one seed to lose, and then number two seed to lose.

[00:02:55] And we'll be good.

[00:02:56] Yep.

[00:02:56] So the rules this year that they changed to is that it goes by seeding, and then after seeding, it goes by head-to-head.

[00:03:05] So even though both Charleston and Colorado both the Tuesday, Colorado beat Charleston head-to-head in Colorado this year,

[00:03:12] then the third tiebreaker is overall points.

[00:03:16] Unfortunately, Charleston would have Colorado there.

[00:03:20] So it goes back to prove that every match counts.

[00:03:24] Yep.

[00:03:24] No matter what time of the season, you've got to win, win, win.

[00:03:29] So let's jump back to the mighty match last weekend against Pittsburgh.

[00:03:35] We had drawn with them early in the year at home.

[00:03:37] We lost to them at Pittsburgh.

[00:03:40] They were on a four or five game win streak.

[00:03:42] We were, we were resting our players and not getting the W's, but we were still doing all right.

[00:03:50] And come to Patriots point, what happened?

[00:03:55] We won.

[00:03:56] We won.

[00:03:57] We won.

[00:03:58] Ryan, you can say that.

[00:03:59] We won.

[00:04:00] We need.

[00:04:01] I mean, it was good.

[00:04:03] It was a good win.

[00:04:04] Warren, W-O-N and O-N-E, right?

[00:04:09] One-nil.

[00:04:10] One-nil.

[00:04:11] Unfortunately, no one did hold it though.

[00:04:14] Uh, well, yeah, I said the wrong player.

[00:04:17] I got the one.

[00:04:18] No.

[00:04:19] Oh, you did one zero.

[00:04:21] That's right.

[00:04:21] He did.

[00:04:22] But I will say that there was the clean sheet by granny and it wasn't like it was just an easy clean sheet.

[00:04:28] He had to make some great saves.

[00:04:31] And the, and, and Dick was in the goal for the other team and he was the golden glove winner for the USL.

[00:04:39] Am I correct?

[00:04:40] You are correct.

[00:04:41] He played like it too.

[00:04:43] Yeah.

[00:04:44] And then, well, but the granny.

[00:04:46] Yeah.

[00:04:47] And granny had a clean sheet.

[00:04:50] Dick didn't.

[00:04:50] And I think it was Rodriguez that somebody on this podcast obviously hates and says he shouldn't be out there.

[00:04:56] I think he did a great cross.

[00:04:57] And then ironically, the golden boot winner for the USL Nick has heads it into the corner.

[00:05:05] You don't just had it in granted.

[00:05:08] He lies into the box head first by a players by the defenders foot right in front of the defenders foot.

[00:05:15] He heads the ball into the goal.

[00:05:17] It's just beautiful way to put your body on the line, not to be scared.

[00:05:21] To just go for it.

[00:05:23] And puts his team up one zero.

[00:05:25] Proves why he used the golden, golden score for this league.

[00:05:29] He was like a rocket, right?

[00:05:31] He was very horizontal on that play.

[00:05:33] Yeah.

[00:05:35] Which I was six inches off the ground too.

[00:05:36] So not very, not very high.

[00:05:38] Not very high.

[00:05:39] So at what point do you think he said, I'm going to head it instead of put it off my boot?

[00:05:44] Do you think the ball was coming up and he like just, you know, he went to head it because he thought it was going to be higher.

[00:05:49] And then all of a sudden it drifted lower and he had to adjust his, his, his trajectory to hit it six inches off the ground.

[00:05:56] It was like both players were so flat footed.

[00:05:59] You could see, watch it back to defenders completely flat.

[00:06:04] And so I think Nick was just standing with him and Nick, not moving calls the defender, not really to move.

[00:06:11] But his reaction time is so much quicker that he just dove at it.

[00:06:15] And the guy half ass, half acidly put like a foot up a little bit, which wasn't going to do anything.

[00:06:22] So it's like crazy play where you look at it from both sides.

[00:06:26] Like, oh, finally someone reacted on our end.

[00:06:30] But the other side, you're like, why didn't the defender move at all?

[00:06:32] Or try and get goal side on that ball.

[00:06:35] You just kind of like stood there.

[00:06:37] So what happened to Nick?

[00:06:40] I was scared.

[00:06:42] Dick was scared.

[00:06:43] Go ahead, Ryan.

[00:06:44] Sorry.

[00:06:45] I did have a question though.

[00:06:46] Overall, granted from your refereeing experience and Pat from your playing experience, how would you,

[00:06:53] how would you have called it if Nick dove for it and the defender got a touch on the ball, but absolutely kicked Nick in the head?

[00:07:03] Because his head was right there.

[00:07:05] So what if the defender did make contact with Nick's head?

[00:07:08] Would that have been a pin or that had been drop ball or would play had just played out?

[00:07:14] No chance.

[00:07:15] Play, play, play continues on.

[00:07:18] I mean, he's like I said, he's like six inches off the ground, diving at the ball.

[00:07:22] Like they got it.

[00:07:23] Like I said, when he half-assedly put his foot up, he put it up as if like you're doing just your foot is flat and you're just pointing your toes to the air.

[00:07:31] It barely even looked like he lifted it.

[00:07:33] So at that rate, Nick's diving at his foot.

[00:07:37] And that's the reason why I'd award the pin is that that tight, that little slight angle of his foot put it in a position where he was obviously going for the ball and Nick, you know, he got really high on Nick's forehead.

[00:07:50] No, I'm just kidding.

[00:07:50] There's no pin there.

[00:07:52] Yeah.

[00:07:52] I'll tell you along.

[00:07:53] Unlike the Champions League game with Arsenal where the dude just punches our player in the face, doesn't get the ball and it's no pin.

[00:08:02] That's because he wasn't six inches off the ground.

[00:08:04] That's true.

[00:08:04] If he would have just dove on the ground, he would have been fine.

[00:08:07] He would have been fine.

[00:08:09] So he slides in there like a fricking rocket, heads it off the back of the thing and Dick is just standing there watching it go past him.

[00:08:18] Oh, so I don't know what else to say about it.

[00:08:20] That was, that was the game right there summed up.

[00:08:24] You know, it was a beautiful problem.

[00:08:27] I think like, what was it?

[00:08:30] 20 minutes later?

[00:08:32] Not even.

[00:08:32] I think Malloy's defensive effort on their shot where he just got the whole crowd amped up, completely switched the atmosphere.

[00:08:41] That was my turning point in the game where it's like, hey, we're going to keep a clean sheet now because our captain just stood up, made a huge defensive block and all the boys are rally to go.

[00:08:52] Got their minds into playoff mode and like, hey, we need to lock this down right now.

[00:08:57] No more chances.

[00:08:58] I mean, this, that stadium erupted when Malloy stepped in front and blocked it.

[00:09:03] The ball went straight out, up and out of the box and everybody was behind Malloy.

[00:09:08] It was, it was a sight to see.

[00:09:11] And it just like how Pat summed it up.

[00:09:13] I mean, it was kind of hard to imagine us conceding at that, after that point.

[00:09:17] You knew everybody was behind the ball.

[00:09:21] It was, it was an okay effort.

[00:09:23] I mean, I mean, he came out of nowhere and slid.

[00:09:26] It was about six, six yard box.

[00:09:29] And I think all we were behind the goal and all of us went, oh shit.

[00:09:33] Cause we knew what was about ready to happen.

[00:09:35] And then all of a sudden this, the great Irishman comes flying across there and just cleans it out.

[00:09:41] And everybody just, like I said, everybody just erupted.

[00:09:44] And you're right.

[00:09:45] And from that point on, it was all noise the whole time.

[00:09:51] Not bad for somebody to just come off injury too.

[00:09:53] I mean, I don't know.

[00:09:54] He was a little excited.

[00:09:55] He did the stance, fist all balled up next to his hips and he was ready.

[00:10:01] He was rocking.

[00:10:02] Yeah.

[00:10:02] You would have thought this was like a 90th minute block in front of goal as though,

[00:10:06] just peppering us like 26, 27 minutes into the game.

[00:10:10] And the effort is there.

[00:10:11] You love to see it.

[00:10:13] Yeah.

[00:10:13] And that's the reason why he's such a great leader.

[00:10:15] Cause he not only by word, but also by deed, he's showing how to do it.

[00:10:20] I'm going to say, cause I'm always hard on Nick.

[00:10:22] Nick.

[00:10:23] I noticed all night was coming back.

[00:10:25] A lot of times he was right there in the box defending.

[00:10:27] And so Nick not only was on the offensive end, but he worked his butt off going back

[00:10:32] and forth on the field.

[00:10:33] So kudos to Nate.

[00:10:35] And another.

[00:10:37] Oh, sorry, Ryan.

[00:10:38] Go ahead.

[00:10:39] Right.

[00:10:40] I think that goes into the, uh, with how the battery decided to come out and open the

[00:10:46] game up.

[00:10:47] Um, as you could tell, you know, we didn't have four, possibly five of our main starters,

[00:10:53] uh, in the starting lineup, uh, including our main center back, uh, Leland Archer.

[00:10:58] Um, so the fact that, you know, Nick knowing that this is a playoff game, every single goal

[00:11:03] absolutely matters.

[00:11:05] And now we're seeing him get back and defend.

[00:11:07] And we're seeing everybody drop and defend, um, and allowing these other guys to get their

[00:11:13] playing minutes in the playoffs.

[00:11:14] Uh, it's a, it's a great thing to watch.

[00:11:16] Um, you know, the next, as we get later on, you know, stuff's going to change, but these

[00:11:20] boys who are getting their minutes and now they're not going to be afraid to step up when

[00:11:24] they're, when their numbers called, you know, and later in the, uh, playoff run.

[00:11:30] Yeah.

[00:11:30] I I'd like to hear an apology from Ryan to Chapman after this performance.

[00:11:37] I think he, he was arguably one of our top three players this night, if not our best,

[00:11:43] like he was everywhere.

[00:11:45] I'll speak for Ryan.

[00:11:47] I might've been slightly off in my assessment of Mr. Chapman.

[00:11:52] Uh, and he's well within the margin of error.

[00:11:55] I mean, this is what we talked about, right?

[00:11:57] We're sitting here like getting, he's still a bit of a lot of money.

[00:11:59] We're not talking.

[00:12:00] We're getting half ass performances from these guys leading up to the playoff game.

[00:12:04] And we don't know what, what to think of them.

[00:12:06] And then I don't know, maybe they did just flip the switch.

[00:12:10] They turned it on.

[00:12:11] I'm getting called out.

[00:12:12] I'm getting called out for all of it, you know?

[00:12:14] So I'm going to, yeah, I'm not ready to do.

[00:12:17] I'm going to do right now.

[00:12:18] And omit to the fact, you know, I owe an apology to Chapman and I owe an apology to Arturo.

[00:12:23] Let's not forget that, you know, Arturo, I'm dog and Arturo two to three podcasts.

[00:12:29] And, and, and, Grinny.

[00:12:33] That's true.

[00:12:34] He said, you know, that's keeper on keeper.

[00:12:36] No, that's keeper union right there.

[00:12:37] That's how am I dogging on Grinny?

[00:12:39] Yeah.

[00:12:40] They've got to get a clean sheet in like eight months.

[00:12:43] How, how many clean sheets has he gotten in eight months?

[00:12:45] He's gotten like four.

[00:12:47] 10.

[00:12:48] 12.

[00:12:48] He's got to.

[00:12:50] Okay.

[00:12:52] Okay.

[00:12:54] Well, I appreciate you.

[00:12:56] Appreciate you coming out.

[00:12:57] Yeah.

[00:12:57] Arturo, what, what in an assist to Nick, what a ball.

[00:13:01] He felt like he was everywhere up top, especially in the final third and Chapman with his passes

[00:13:08] being open, turning, tackling in the midfield.

[00:13:11] Um, definitely stepped up and played in a totally different way than I've seen.

[00:13:16] And it was, um, did take me by surprise because it was almost like watching different players out there, like

[00:13:22] players I wasn't used to, cause you know, Chapman came in, you know, later in our season.

[00:13:26] Um, so only seeing him very limited and then, you know, Pat, I mean, last game was not the Chapman we've been seeing in late games.

[00:13:34] So I hope this, the Chapman we saw last game is the one that continues in this playoff run because that's going to be very, very helpful.

[00:13:43] I think it may be, maybe it's because, uh, we had all our best 11 out there.

[00:13:48] Well, our arguably our best 11 cause Archer was injured and maybe that just builds everybody up.

[00:13:55] Yeah.

[00:13:56] I was good.

[00:13:56] I was going to say, Ryan, is that the other huge talking point from this game?

[00:14:00] MD not starting and that Conway got the start?

[00:14:03] No, no.

[00:14:06] Um, you know, I'm actually, it kind of goes into the second half.

[00:14:12] Right.

[00:14:12] So you, you go into the second half.

[00:14:14] Uh, we all know the moment 78, 81st minute.

[00:14:19] Um, ball gets played in, Dan Myers top of the box.

[00:14:24] He takes two touches in and then he decides to take it with the outside of his left foot, try to go around the keeper and doesn't get the shot off.

[00:14:31] Right.

[00:14:33] If MD had scored that goal in the moment, just buried it right from top of the box.

[00:14:38] Like he should have keepers caught out a little bit.

[00:14:41] He would easily be starting next game.

[00:14:44] Now against Tampa, I, you know, honestly knew Conway didn't disappoint up front compared to

[00:14:54] No, I did.

[00:14:55] MD did get the two chances, but I wouldn't be surprised if they try to do a similar thing and bring MD on like more second half and let Conway play in the first half.

[00:15:05] I mean, I'm, I'm not disappointed for what I'm seeing in Conway.

[00:15:08] I mean, I thought Conway did great.

[00:15:10] It was just kind of this record combination of M and M all season.

[00:15:15] And like, didn't MD just won the, what did he get the young player of the season award or something?

[00:15:23] He just got that.

[00:15:25] So like, I was a little surprised, maybe a guy who links up so well with the leading goal score didn't start in a playoff game.

[00:15:34] That meant so much, but I don't know.

[00:15:37] I mean, we have enough people.

[00:15:39] Maybe it's pyramid's plan, throw everybody off me.

[00:15:42] Cause if I think if you're opposing coach, uh, you're planning on certain scenarios and the scenario you've seen most of the season is, uh, so we see a young player, 16 goals, three assists by the doctor.

[00:15:57] So most season you watch MD lineup coming out of the gate and then, uh, why not throw him a curveball?

[00:16:04] And I don't think Conway is that much different in the way he plays than MD or maybe is, but, uh, but to the opposing team, it might be enough to throw him off.

[00:16:13] You kind of saw the difference though, because I mean, MD got about two to three chances, had the one, um, the one, the one and sitter of a chance.

[00:16:22] And then he probably had about two to three other chances that I don't think he would have gotten necessarily right away if he had started the game because they would have been more prepared for him.

[00:16:34] And I feel like him getting subbed in when he did it being later in the game, defense already fired.

[00:16:39] He kind of just slipped through the cracks.

[00:16:40] Like they weren't really, they didn't really adjust to him coming into the game.

[00:16:46] The defense did, did it.

[00:16:48] Um, so I mean, he's just got to bury that chance next time we should have won the game two to zero.

[00:16:54] And I mean, then they're switched on the attack mode at that point, right?

[00:16:57] This is their seasons on the line.

[00:16:58] So they have to score a goal.

[00:17:00] So I wouldn't say neglect on defense, but definitely more pushed forward.

[00:17:05] We've seen it from the battery plenty of times, putting it all out there to score and go win the game.

[00:17:10] Um, but yeah, I agree.

[00:17:12] He should have buried that.

[00:17:13] It was like the 94th minute.

[00:17:15] He should have buried that wide open goal or pass it back.

[00:17:18] Pass it right back for the open goal.

[00:17:20] We were all behind the goal shouting for it.

[00:17:24] Oh, so when you're Pittsburgh, you've had our number all season and maybe you come in with this arrogance or whatever, but our defense was just phenomenal.

[00:17:35] Think about it.

[00:17:36] We have our center back or captain can't play.

[00:17:41] Okay.

[00:17:41] So you bring in our left back who I don't know if he was going to be a starter of the season of Santos.

[00:17:48] Uh, and he kind of went back and forth with track and all of a sudden he's playing center back, uh, for the last two matches and killing it.

[00:17:55] Honestly.

[00:17:56] Yeah.

[00:17:56] Yeah.

[00:17:58] Pittsburgh had 18 crosses and, uh, so they were putting in there more than we were and we had like 24 clearances and they had eight clearances.

[00:18:08] And so we were just, the defense was back there going crazy.

[00:18:11] I'll give one of those to, uh, to the, to Aaron cause his clearing, the whole bot should send them and the ball way down the field.

[00:18:20] We'll count that one as a clearance, right?

[00:18:22] Oh yeah, for sure.

[00:18:24] I mean, granted, I think what we had talked about in previous pods of the midfield coming back and what you alluded to, like Nick working his ass off.

[00:18:34] I have to give all credit to them.

[00:18:35] They played like they were the first defenders in this game for the first time in a long time.

[00:18:40] And there's a big difference in our team.

[00:18:42] When that happens, you can see it from front to back.

[00:18:45] Like there's more cohesion and like players fill the void and fill the spots.

[00:18:52] If someone goes to help somewhere else.

[00:18:54] And that's exactly what you need in these big moment matches.

[00:18:58] Now, how did, how did you guys feel about Chris Allen starting at left back?

[00:19:06] So he started there a couple of times, right?

[00:19:08] I think he does a fantastic job.

[00:19:10] I think he's a great spot for him.

[00:19:13] I thought it was Robbie he's normally filled in at the left back.

[00:19:16] No, Robbie would be on the right side.

[00:19:19] Oh, okay.

[00:19:20] Watched two or three matches, it's been Chris.

[00:19:25] So it shows his versatility.

[00:19:26] You know, my son, he, young man, and he's been coached by several coaches.

[00:19:32] And one of them, and Coach Robert, played professional ball in Europe.

[00:19:39] Not high levels, but mid-level, played in Russia, played somewhere in Spain or something like that for a little bit.

[00:19:44] And one of his big things, his teaching points to my son was that you've got to know different positions.

[00:19:51] You just can't be one position because you never know where you're going to end up.

[00:19:55] If you're just one position, they might have two or three deep.

[00:19:57] But if you can do multiple positions and be confident in those positions, then you have a better chance of starting and being on the team.

[00:20:06] And that's an example.

[00:20:08] Chris, you know, Nate moving over to center back, he probably played center back a lot in his life.

[00:20:14] Chris maybe played left back, but he's obviously a midfielder.

[00:20:18] So for him to be able to go back in that spot and play a fantastic left back, if you notice, they passed the ball to him on the left a lot.

[00:20:25] Because he's so, so calm and cool on the ball.

[00:20:29] And there we go.

[00:20:31] Well, we done mentioned the atmosphere, right?

[00:20:33] The pregame.

[00:20:35] The perch.

[00:20:36] Right.

[00:20:36] So, uh.

[00:20:37] Perks.

[00:20:39] Let's talk about, let's talk about, uh, pregame.

[00:20:43] Granted, it's, that was beautiful.

[00:20:44] A little Charcenal bit here.

[00:20:46] It looked good.

[00:20:47] Charcenal.

[00:20:48] Got together.

[00:20:49] Sold some ticket store sales.

[00:20:50] No.

[00:20:51] And, uh, decided to do a little tailgating before the match.

[00:20:54] Had a little tent up there.

[00:20:56] Had, uh, got a brand new banner.

[00:20:59] And I thought there may be 10 people.

[00:21:02] And there's quite a few of us over there.

[00:21:04] There's probably about 15 or 20.

[00:21:05] Yeah.

[00:21:06] Maybe 30.

[00:21:07] Uh, everybody's very happy.

[00:21:08] It was a huge day.

[00:21:11] Not just for Charcenal, but for the battery.

[00:21:13] Uh, cause a lot of us, you know, that's our local team.

[00:21:15] So we like to support both.

[00:21:17] And, uh, everybody was having a good time.

[00:21:19] Got to see some people that do not normally come out to battery matches.

[00:21:22] But our big Arsenal fans.

[00:21:24] And we got to, um, mix the two together.

[00:21:28] Yeah.

[00:21:29] Ryan, that was the Charcenal.

[00:21:31] Pale Ale.

[00:21:32] Not the.

[00:21:33] Lager.

[00:21:34] Not the Lager.

[00:21:35] The Pale Ale.

[00:21:36] The Pale Ale.

[00:21:36] It's very so pale.

[00:21:37] I'll tell you what.

[00:21:38] Puts you in a positive mood.

[00:21:39] Makes you happy.

[00:21:41] I was up to.

[00:21:42] It has to.

[00:21:43] Because Arsenal won't.

[00:21:44] Full party.

[00:21:48] For season ticket holders.

[00:21:50] We got to go inside, get a little food, get, get to pick up some new kit.

[00:21:54] I think we talked about it briefly at the start of this.

[00:21:57] So Patrick, tell me what you're wearing.

[00:22:00] Wearing the kit right now.

[00:22:02] We quickly came to find out that both main sponsors.

[00:22:06] From what I heard from, uh, one of the merchandise employees.

[00:22:12] These are technically a home and away.

[00:22:15] And just the sponsor changes.

[00:22:16] So it should be the black jersey from here on out.

[00:22:19] You may have one with the ideal life.

[00:22:21] I have the Volvo jersey.

[00:22:25] Um, that's sick.

[00:22:26] It's even better in person than the pictures do justice for.

[00:22:30] Ruthie, so can I describe it, Ryan?

[00:22:34] Trying to describe it.

[00:22:35] So on the front side, if you're wearing, like Pat is wearing right now, it's the Volvo.

[00:22:40] So you have Volvo across the chest plate and gold lettering.

[00:22:43] It looks very nice and clean.

[00:22:45] Um, and then the whole black front plate of the jersey has the, the Cooper bridge.

[00:22:53] It is the Cooper bridge.

[00:22:55] The Cooper bridge, um, imprinted.

[00:22:57] I actually looks really nice with the Volvo print in front of it because the Volvo print,

[00:23:02] since it's kind of smaller than the ideal life, it actually accents and highlights the

[00:23:06] Cooper bridge a little bit better than my opinion.

[00:23:09] Um, it's very subtle.

[00:23:11] The bridge is very subtle.

[00:23:12] You have the gold chevrons at the top and then you have the lovely and beautiful USL championship

[00:23:19] gold plate on the left sleeve.

[00:23:22] It is beautiful.

[00:23:24] Um, the Merck.

[00:23:25] Yeah.

[00:23:25] And they're working on the back.

[00:23:26] I think the most important detail is definitely the back collar.

[00:23:29] On the back net, you have a color pattern going across the top.

[00:23:34] Some people may say, Oh, what is those pastel colors?

[00:23:37] I don't know what those mean.

[00:23:40] Those colors represent rainbow row, Charleston pride and joy.

[00:23:45] And just below it is the state of Charleston or state of South Carolina.

[00:23:49] I am gold.

[00:23:51] Um, and then on the other sleeve, we have the ideal life, but for home game or for away games,

[00:23:57] it'd be Volvo on the other opposite sleeve.

[00:23:59] And then ideal life would be on the front.

[00:24:02] Is that right, Pat?

[00:24:03] So ideal life is on the front of the kits for away games and then Volvo's on the front for home games.

[00:24:08] Yeah, that's what I was told.

[00:24:10] So if anyone was confused, like why there were two there, it is just the home and away version,

[00:24:15] but it's awesome.

[00:24:16] We get to keep the black with the gold accents regardless.

[00:24:20] Cause it is like one of the sickest jerseys they've made.

[00:24:23] And yeah, and see that made me concerned when we were there, because at first I had no clue why there was two different,

[00:24:29] um, kit sponsors.

[00:24:32] And I saw granted had gotten the ideal life and, you know, I had gotten the Volvo one myself and without realizing that the front sponsors had changed.

[00:24:40] Um, and then after the game, I was kind of, I was kind of sad because, you know, all the players they were sponsoring on social media,

[00:24:47] you know, the ones, the ideal life in front.

[00:24:49] So I thought I didn't get the real one.

[00:24:50] Um, but I saw the boys wearing Volvo at home.

[00:24:53] So it made me happy right there.

[00:24:56] The people's friend to me had a theory.

[00:24:58] Well, okay.

[00:24:59] My wife had a theory is this fat bodies got the ideal life one and you skinny people got the Volvo ones.

[00:25:04] That says had everything to do with XL, triple XL, quadruple XL versus medium small.

[00:25:11] Hey, let me tell you, this was the only large left.

[00:25:15] Yep.

[00:25:16] I believe it.

[00:25:17] The last large on the rack.

[00:25:19] And so we, we got in early with, with the season ticket holders and you're talking four 30 and the gates opened at four.

[00:25:30] So it's very early.

[00:25:32] Fantastic kit.

[00:25:34] But damn, make some more.

[00:25:36] Well, I think that's the problem is though, is that everyone under makes that large size because that's what most of, you know, athletic males wear is, is large.

[00:25:48] And the other thing, if you get there and you're looking for sizes, there's three different sizes on this uniform.

[00:25:55] So if you don't bring your glasses or if you had too many Charleston old lagers, I mean, uh, pale ales, there's three different, there's a European size, USA, USA size, and Asia size.

[00:26:06] They're not all the same.

[00:26:08] So make sure you look at the USA size.

[00:26:10] The one in the middle.

[00:26:11] The middle.

[00:26:12] The middle.

[00:26:12] The middle.

[00:26:12] The middle.

[00:26:13] We had a few cut.

[00:26:14] We had a few members get the wrong size looking at the European number.

[00:26:18] I will say the battery sent out either the other day or they put a post out for the New Jersey for pre-order and pretty much people will be getting them in December.

[00:26:30] So I think we were just lucky enough to get the taste of it live in person at the stadium.

[00:26:36] And they were technically just supposed to be going on sale kind of right now and then shipping out in December.

[00:26:43] Now we just need a hat with the gold on it to match or bean.

[00:26:52] Okay.

[00:26:52] I'm going to WhatsApp somebody.

[00:26:54] What do you think?

[00:26:56] Anyways.

[00:26:56] So the kit was fantastic.

[00:26:58] It was, it was kind of a surprise.

[00:26:59] We knew it was coming out.

[00:27:00] We were being told by somebody that's in the know that this is the probably the best kit the batteries ever put out there.

[00:27:09] And, um, it holds up is fantastic.

[00:27:14] And it's supposed to be just for this playoff season.

[00:27:17] So this is something special.

[00:27:18] So get your kit while you're, while they're selling it.

[00:27:21] It's Saturday or Sunday, Sunday.

[00:27:23] So on the Sunday, uh, cause you might not see it again.

[00:27:26] Well, at least until the final, then we'll, we'll stay up in black until then.

[00:27:32] Yeah.

[00:27:32] There's also going to be a ton of new merch that just dropped as well.

[00:27:36] Um, a couple of crewnecks, long sleeves, short sleeves, a lot of really cool looking stuff just in time for some nice playoff swag.

[00:27:45] Wear it out to the game on Sunday.

[00:27:47] And the holidays are right around the corner.

[00:27:51] When I left over there, there was probably about 20 of us all kind of piled up there in the standing section.

[00:27:56] When I left, I was, I couldn't talk.

[00:27:58] I was so hoarse.

[00:27:59] It was such a fantastic time.

[00:28:01] Um, there was people behind us, Devin from Edmond's O's Brewing Company and another staff member.

[00:28:06] And, um, that was the first time they've been to a battery match and they were just speechless.

[00:28:12] Not just cause they couldn't scream anymore, but they were just telling me time and time again, texting me the next day going, that was the most fantastic football match I've ever been to.

[00:28:21] So kudos to Labara, kudos to Regiment, kudos to all of us for, um, making it a fantastic night.

[00:28:30] And if you think that that was a fantastic night, nothing, nothing is going to bring more energy than the quarterfinals against our rivals in the East Conference.

[00:28:46] Oh, that's our big rival right here.

[00:28:48] This is, this is our rival.

[00:28:50] You're talking about rivalry week.

[00:28:52] This is it.

[00:28:53] Is this the, the playoff Derby Derby?

[00:28:56] Oh yeah.

[00:28:56] No, that's what you call it right there.

[00:28:59] Playoff Derby.

[00:29:00] Derby.

[00:29:00] Did you, did you guys get a chance to watch back the, uh, or watch the lives of Tampa Bay Detroit game at all?

[00:29:07] Well, I, we caught the tail end of it.

[00:29:10] So when we were leaving the stadium, I had, uh, seen Granite's car there and I just safely decided to stop at the trunk and pull up the Tampa game so we can watch the end of it.

[00:29:23] And it went to pens, didn't it?

[00:29:25] When, when, when he said safely, it means we're having another beer or three.

[00:29:29] We were not driving.

[00:29:31] We hit, we had drivers.

[00:29:32] Anyways.

[00:29:33] Yeah.

[00:29:34] That, that game was wild.

[00:29:35] I will say my one takeaway from that game is I'm glad we're not facing Detroit because Detroit looked dangerous, had shots the entire game were so consistent.

[00:29:49] Tampa had one player and that's all they needed.

[00:29:51] And it was their goalie and he kept them in it.

[00:29:54] And then I don't know what's going on with the playoffs, but no one seems to be converting penalties.

[00:30:01] So we're going against Tampa Bay at Patriots point kickoff three o'clock Sunday afternoon.

[00:30:07] If you can't make it like myself, who will be working Sunday.

[00:30:11] It is going to be nationally broadcast on CBS sports.

[00:30:15] So it's a big one folks.

[00:30:20] Yeah.

[00:30:20] I'm hoping them.

[00:30:21] I'm hoping to make it to just before halftime.

[00:30:26] The on my way from a baby shower.

[00:30:30] Now, why does the baby need to shower?

[00:30:34] Yeah.

[00:30:35] It's not born yet.

[00:30:36] Don't shower babies when it's not born.

[00:30:37] That's not cool.

[00:30:38] I mean, I need to get some things.

[00:30:40] I need some help.

[00:30:42] Maybe some new battery slab.

[00:30:44] No, here's the help you need.

[00:30:46] I'm hoping we can text, you know, I'm going to type that WhatsApp group chat and see if the battery onesies in the works for next season.

[00:30:55] Let's talk about Tampa's form, right?

[00:30:58] I don't want to talk about too much because our form wasn't the best and Pittsburgh was pretty good.

[00:31:03] Come to the last match and we beat them.

[00:31:06] Yeah.

[00:31:06] Tampa Bay has been on a slump and just happened to get one out.

[00:31:12] So what do we do to win?

[00:31:14] I think we play our way and we've already played Tampa at home this season and beat them three to one.

[00:31:19] And that's following us losing to them on the road four to two earlier in the season.

[00:31:26] Tampa has been a team kind of bouncing up and down, finished mid table this year.

[00:31:31] I think, you know, battery just needs to go out and play our system and play lights out.

[00:31:39] And MD has got to finish those shots.

[00:31:42] If MD finishes those chances, I see us handling the game with no problem.

[00:31:47] Um, I see being a tight first half again, like always, but I very commanding second half by battery.

[00:31:56] Yeah.

[00:31:57] I think the plan's simple.

[00:31:58] Give the ball to Torres.

[00:32:01] Let them cook.

[00:32:02] Two nil.

[00:32:04] Easy peasy.

[00:32:05] Oh, is that true?

[00:32:06] Is that a prediction?

[00:32:07] Oh yeah.

[00:32:08] It's always my prediction.

[00:32:09] Two nil.

[00:32:10] What do you got, Ryan?

[00:32:11] How many goals you got going past our goalie?

[00:32:18] I got it going.

[00:32:19] You know, we beat Tampa three to one at home the last time.

[00:32:23] I like the three to one score again, but it's playoffs.

[00:32:28] Great doubt.

[00:32:29] I'm going to go with a two to zero.

[00:32:32] What?

[00:32:33] He just, I'm going to double down on the two to zero.

[00:32:37] Finally.

[00:32:38] What about you, Patrick?

[00:32:39] I think it's a keeper plays like he did against Detroit.

[00:32:45] I think we're going to go to extra time, but I think we bag one an extra time.

[00:32:49] So I'll go one nil in extra time.

[00:32:52] I like that.

[00:32:55] I hope the game doesn't go to extra time.

[00:32:59] Glenn.

[00:33:00] But I do like that the game's at three o'clock.

[00:33:03] So one thing we skipped over and is very, very important.

[00:33:06] Ryan, talk to us about the food.

[00:33:10] Food again.

[00:33:11] Amazing.

[00:33:12] It's hard not to want to go to the Mac Daddy truck and get their mac and cheese bowl with

[00:33:18] the grilled chicken tenders on top.

[00:33:20] Um, but I did notice a new truck that was there.

[00:33:24] A second Mac Daddy truck.

[00:33:27] The second Mac Daddy truck.

[00:33:29] It's not a Mac and cheese truck.

[00:33:32] It is a burger fries, chicken tenders, hot dog food truck.

[00:33:40] And it, it did not disappoint.

[00:33:42] Oh, like Grant's got, got multiple pictures of me eating food.

[00:33:45] I mean, stuff in his face.

[00:33:47] I was eating those, I was eating burnt cakes.

[00:33:50] I was eating, I was eating good.

[00:33:52] So, so you ate when the season ticket holders went in, right?

[00:33:56] Yeah.

[00:33:57] What'd you have then?

[00:33:59] Um, I had chicken, mashed potatoes and hot dog.

[00:34:04] And then you come back out and then went back in and ate again.

[00:34:08] Yeah.

[00:34:08] Yep.

[00:34:09] And I, I gotta, I gotta warn you before too long, you keep that up.

[00:34:13] You'll be wearing an ideal like jersey like myself.

[00:34:16] Well, anyways.

[00:34:17] Okay.

[00:34:17] Fun times.

[00:34:18] Good beer inside to, uh, go see Jay at the, uh, yeah.

[00:34:25] And join us before the match a little bit.

[00:34:27] I think we have a, a match.

[00:34:29] I I'm going to go watch a different match like 1130 after that team is victorious.

[00:34:34] I'm going to root for it.

[00:34:36] It isn't those pretty.

[00:34:37] I'm like, then I'll make my way over there.

[00:34:40] Have a good time.

[00:34:41] But you guys will be like entertaining yourselves at baby showers and this other thing called work.

[00:34:47] Yeah.

[00:34:48] Someone's gotta do it, right?

[00:34:50] Somebody's gotta do it.

[00:34:50] Somebody's gotta pay for all our ill ways.

[00:34:54] Okay.

[00:34:54] That's all we got guys.

[00:34:55] Oh, I just want to let the fans know out there.

[00:34:58] Absolutely.

[00:34:59] I'm going to be a absolute masterclass of a game this weekend on Saturday morning.

[00:35:03] What a way to start your Saturday morning.

[00:35:04] 10 a.m.

[00:35:06] Wolves versus Southampton.

[00:35:09] What is that?

[00:35:10] Championship?

[00:35:12] No.

[00:35:13] It, the bottom.

[00:35:15] It might as well be the two worst fucking teams that ever watch or play in each other.

[00:35:20] Hey, we're trying to get themselves out of the last place right now.

[00:35:25] And hey, granted, let me, let me give you a real shout out.

[00:35:29] Malik Tillman, first U.S. men's national player to record three goal contributions in a champion league match.

[00:35:36] Shout out.

[00:35:37] Awesome job.

[00:35:38] A goal and two assists.

[00:35:39] What was the other thing we learned today?

[00:35:43] Mexico U-17.

[00:35:46] One of our own.

[00:35:47] One of our Carlston battery.

[00:35:50] New signing.

[00:35:51] Happened for a little international duty.

[00:35:54] Yeah, he's a big call up.

[00:35:55] Is it a U-17?

[00:35:57] U-17 squad?

[00:35:59] Mexico U-17 national team.

[00:36:00] Cocker calf men's qualifiers.

[00:36:02] Called up.

[00:36:03] Nice.

[00:36:03] There you go.

[00:36:05] And it's a good list.

[00:36:06] He's up against two.

[00:36:07] You look at the majority of the list and a lot of those guys are either in the MLS or MLS next.

[00:36:13] And a few from Mexico as well.

[00:36:17] So playing those.

[00:36:17] And, you know, people compare those as higher leagues.

[00:36:21] And then you still see, you know, a Charleston battery player getting in.

[00:36:25] It's just great to see that, you know, USL championship is still holding its own.

[00:36:29] And you look at the success, though, of at the end of this season.

[00:36:34] I know, you know, Nick's already going to Spain.

[00:36:37] But by the end of this season, you'll probably see almost 20 or so players from USL championship be sent overseas to play in Europe after this season.

[00:36:47] And I'm definitely calling it at least 20.

[00:36:50] Last season was high and it was 16 players got sent overseas.

[00:36:55] And one of them being one of my friends, Perez, who put Manny Perez, who plays for Louisville.

[00:37:02] He just actually arrived back for Louisville.

[00:37:05] So good for him.

[00:37:06] But hopefully, hopefully they lose to Rhode Island this weekend.

[00:37:12] Well, cool.

[00:37:14] Okay.

[00:37:15] Anything else we're going to talk about?

[00:37:17] Patrick.

[00:37:17] Oh, I'm good.

[00:37:18] No, I'm good.

[00:37:20] Let's get out of here.

[00:37:21] Let's get ready for the weekend.

[00:37:23] Absolutely.

[00:37:24] The battery.

[00:37:26] Yellow wall coming.

[00:37:28] Oh, I'm good.

[00:37:28] Oh, I'm good.