Episode 34 - The Cup stays in Charleston and Tampa Bay float away, again. CHS 2, TB 1.

[00:00:16] 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.

[00:00:34] Welcome to the Cannon Crue podcast. I am Granite. I'm joined by Patrick.

[00:00:41] What's going on?

[00:00:42] Not much. And by the ever lovely Ryan.

[00:00:47] Hey, Granite. How are you?

[00:00:49] I'm doing fine. So actually I'm doing really well.

[00:00:52] What?

[00:00:52] Let's jump right into it. Let's jump into this match that happened on Sunday. And I'm just gonna throw it out there. Aaron Malloy should have had the golden boot.

[00:01:02] I don't know if like Nick gave him the boot to wear and he put it in the upper bends or what happened. Aaron once again pulls it out.

[00:01:11] But let's talk about some other fun things, right?

[00:01:14] Yeah.

[00:01:15] Ryan, how many people fit in that stadium? How many seats do we have? Patriots Point.

[00:01:19] I'd say with our new additions we can fit in about 4,500 people.

[00:01:23] How many do we have?

[00:01:25] 5,080 people.

[00:01:28] 5,080. We packed it in there. The whole place was just rocking. People everywhere. The atmosphere was incredibly wonderful all the way through.

[00:01:39] And so that's enough about that unless you guys want to talk a little more about how much fun I had behind the goal.

[00:01:45] I'd love to talk about it.

[00:01:46] Okay. I will talk about it.

[00:01:48] Unfortunately, I was working so I didn't get to go to the game, but I had it up on my phone after. Let me fill everyone in. Ryan, I think you can touch on this too.

[00:01:57] But it was supposed to be nationally broadcast. Yes. Log in. Sign in with my TV provider. Click on the link. Do everything correctly.

[00:02:07] And I have a Patriot League college women's soccer match going the entire time. And then all of a sudden, we'll make sure we have a few commercials. Get those in while the battery are playing. And then it cuts to the battery game 14 minutes in.

[00:02:28] So do we need to discuss that first 14 minutes of that match and then jump over to the?

[00:02:35] Well, when the game finally cut in for viewership.

[00:02:40] We didn't see anything that was happening and everyone was walking around. So I was sitting there like, did someone just break their leg? Is there a concussion? What is going on? Is there a streak around the field?

[00:02:51] But there is a long delay and I had no idea what was happening.

[00:02:55] It was not a concussion. I think we tried to shiv somebody in the head and he bled all over the place. That was the long delay.

[00:03:02] One of the, I think it was a midfielder for Tampa Bay. Had his skull split open. There was blood everywhere. Apparently he had to change on the sideline.

[00:03:10] It was kind of spectacular, especially since none of the medical people, the waving them over. You know how when a player goes down and everybody's waving, the players are waving and then medical people immediately respond?

[00:03:19] Nobody responded. They just kind of stood during a sideline for a little bit and then away they went. But yeah, they wrapped his head up, made him change out of his shorts and shirt and back on he went.

[00:03:32] But it was, it was quite a few.

[00:03:33] Was he a Tampa player that we delayed on getting over to him?

[00:03:36] Uh, yeah. So Tampa Bay was trying, Tampa Bay. So there, okay. Yeah.

[00:03:45] There's a young man that was our, one of our ball boys behind the goal. He had it going on. He was in the ear of Jordan Farr, the keeper for Tampa Bay. And he was time wasting.

[00:04:00] This young man would try to hand him the ball and he'd be like, no, no, no. And point at the ball on the other side of the net. And the kid's like, no, take this one. And just going at it, going at it with him.

[00:04:08] It was kind of funny because especially when the first goal went past him and then when the second one back, it went, you know, we should shave that mustache and that smirky ass look you have on your face, Mr. Farr.

[00:04:18] Uh, but the people, the supporters behind that section on the South side, and that young man was talking trash about, uh, the keeper and then called the, uh, center ref, Mr. Clean.

[00:04:31] If anybody watched, you'll know what I'm referencing called him Mr. Clean. They just, they thought we should put him in a uniform and put him out there playing cause he was, he was doing a fantastic job.

[00:04:40] But going back to the match, if you look just on paper, it looks like it's the game of the year. Seven cards handed out, three goals total scored, a late winner, an absolute colozzo.

[00:04:57] So can we talk about their first goal? Cause this is something that I think we have dealt with a lot this year and teams definitely exploit it.

[00:05:07] But if they're quick with the ball from their own goalkeeper or defender and they just launch a ball, they, I mean, we tend to be caught out of position a little too much.

[00:05:17] I thought the last game we improved on that and our midfield really stayed back a little, or at least covered a lot of areas, but it still looks like this is our big Achilles heel of like two center backs having to cover two or three players.

[00:05:35] And our wing backs just caught out being forward and our midfield not coming back.

[00:05:41] I mean, it looked like a really sloppy goal just to be that wide open and get a pass off right in front of goal and have a clean shot at it.

[00:05:49] Yeah.

[00:05:49] What'd you guys think?

[00:05:50] We play pretty high line and that's, that's what we pay for, you know, every once in a while it comes through and then they did a good job of countering getting back there.

[00:05:58] But the rest of their game was, was, was a very spirited, very physical.

[00:06:03] They got a lot by a lot of shit that they shouldn't have been allowed to.

[00:06:07] The referee kept them in the game.

[00:06:09] We had two players that they just, I mean, if this was hockey, it was fantastic.

[00:06:12] Checked them in the back, send them into the boards on the side, not a, not a word to them.

[00:06:16] But yeah, on that one, it was, I think it was just purely, we just play a high line.

[00:06:20] And then when we're trying to get back, we get a little out of shape and position and it just allows them to put a ball in.

[00:06:27] I mean, it was the only time, right?

[00:06:30] Like after that happened, they really kind of hunkered back down and, and shut everything off.

[00:06:35] And then I thought creatively for our first goal, that's what we've been missing.

[00:06:40] We've been missing these like quick overlaps in five yard areas to get the ball out to Allen.

[00:06:45] Like Allen started that play off and it was at Conway and Rodriguez just kind of making these short five yard passes, but then continuing to run off the ball.

[00:06:56] And then people created about 10 yards of space to get that cross in the nick.

[00:07:00] I loved it.

[00:07:01] I think that is, that's gotta be something they've been working on in training.

[00:07:05] Cause we haven't seen much of that.

[00:07:06] Mm-hmm.

[00:07:07] Well, we have kind of right.

[00:07:08] There's a second cross off a header.

[00:07:10] On last two matches, right?

[00:07:12] With Nick.

[00:07:12] Well, usually people just take the like, dribble the ball, take players one on one and get the cross.

[00:07:18] Yeah.

[00:07:18] This was nice to see like a lot of opening space and some time to pick it out.

[00:07:23] So let's, let's quickly talk because you mentioned some players that started.

[00:07:27] So we didn't see MD startup.

[00:07:30] What's happening with MD in Conway?

[00:07:32] I don't know.

[00:07:34] I, you know, I, Conway's doing good up front, but I don't know if it's something on training pitch or in the dressing room that's, uh, needing to be resolved.

[00:07:48] But I'm curious to see why MD is not out there.

[00:07:52] Do you think coach pyramid's just keeping kind of a ace in his hand to come off the bench?

[00:07:59] If we really need kind of a, a spark of energy and a goal scorer in the true sense of it, of just stand up there and smash the ball.

[00:08:07] Well, I mean, if you truly, truly look at it because it doesn't start.

[00:08:13] So he's got his striker, his, his midfielder and his center back.

[00:08:18] Not starting.

[00:08:19] I mean, Archer's still hurt.

[00:08:21] Right.

[00:08:21] Cause he wasn't even on the bench for this one.

[00:08:23] Archer's still hurt.

[00:08:24] Oh, not great.

[00:08:25] Archer's hurt.

[00:08:26] Yeah.

[00:08:26] We probably won't see him a little bit.

[00:08:27] But yeah, he caused it and come on.

[00:08:29] So he caused an MD come on at 57 minutes, which was a little bit earlier, you know, cause usually we wait until around 60 minutes, like a lot of coaches do, but it was time and they come in and add to that energy.

[00:08:39] Maybe, maybe that's the plan.

[00:08:41] Maybe I'll let Chapman cover those first 60 minutes.

[00:08:44] And then he caused a come in with his energy and just suffocate the other team.

[00:08:49] I mean, we did see Beak come on, which we haven't seen before.

[00:08:53] Who's Beak?

[00:08:55] Samuel Beak.

[00:08:57] Oh, Samuel Beak.

[00:08:58] Guy from Minnesota.

[00:08:59] What?

[00:09:00] Miami.

[00:09:00] Miami.

[00:09:01] That's it.

[00:09:01] Yeah.

[00:09:02] Miami.

[00:09:02] No, I'm sorry.

[00:09:03] Miami's only player.

[00:09:04] Yeah.

[00:09:05] And got rid of him, brought him up here.

[00:09:07] No, he did.

[00:09:08] He come on 85 minutes and he put in a good shift.

[00:09:12] Nobody really threatening while he was out there, but most of the game, they weren't really threatening except for that first couple or that one goal.

[00:09:18] But I think the big takeaway is that we were killing it.

[00:09:24] Uh, we were in control of that game.

[00:09:26] And the only thing that was slowing us down as a referee.

[00:09:28] Yeah.

[00:09:29] Hey, granted, I want to touch back on the thing too, that, uh, you mentioned, you know, there's two games in a row.

[00:09:34] We got two headers.

[00:09:35] We've talked about it a couple of weeks ago, how beginning of the season, we got a lot of set pieces, a lot of headers, a lot of goals in that air and the aerial tag.

[00:09:45] We went through a massive step during the summer of not continuing that.

[00:09:51] Um, our last header actually came August 2nd against Indy.

[00:09:55] Wow.

[00:09:56] So it was a good stretch where we're not scoring a header and a couple of games.

[00:10:00] So now you got two games back to back in the playoffs.

[00:10:03] I mean, that's talk about, you know, being more lethal, more threatening in the final third.

[00:10:09] This is what we need.

[00:10:10] This is exactly what we have been wanting on the battery.

[00:10:14] And it's.

[00:10:16] They're willing to see them do it and do it without certain players, especially.

[00:10:22] Yeah.

[00:10:23] And it's thrilling to see Nick doing it too.

[00:10:24] Cause I, you know, like I said, in the past, always hard on me, it takes easy goal.

[00:10:27] I don't think any header is easy to put in, in the back of the net, but he's shown twice

[00:10:32] in two weeks that he's a masterclass.

[00:10:35] Just.

[00:10:35] And it was, it wasn't even his first one of the game.

[00:10:38] Like he missed a chance right after they had scored or right before.

[00:10:42] I think there was two before they scored and after they scored and he was fired up.

[00:10:46] Like you saw these misses like slapping his hands.

[00:10:49] I think he's slammed into the advertising board behind the goal, kind of frustrated with himself.

[00:10:55] So you could see kind of the level he's at and the passion he's throwing in right now.

[00:10:59] And what these games mean to the guys.

[00:11:02] I'm going to touch back on Nick's attitude and his reactions.

[00:11:05] Like, yeah.

[00:11:06] So you get down yourself.

[00:11:07] You can be disappointed, get upset about the certain play not working out.

[00:11:11] Yeah.

[00:11:11] Slap your hands, whatever.

[00:11:12] But as soon as that's ever with you have to forget about it and move on.

[00:11:17] So you can finish out the game.

[00:11:19] And his response to everything else was head held high, most positive.

[00:11:24] And just, I mean, he went a hundred miles a second.

[00:11:28] He gave a hundred percent.

[00:11:29] There's no question about that.

[00:11:31] All right.

[00:11:32] Well, granted, I do have a question for you in goal or sitting behind the goal.

[00:11:37] How tense was the stadium becoming getting into the 80th, 80th minute and then up until that free kick?

[00:11:47] You know, it wasn't tense.

[00:11:48] It was just, everybody could feel the energy building and building and building.

[00:11:53] So it wasn't like a nervous energy.

[00:11:54] It was like, we know it's going to happen.

[00:11:56] It just, it's just a matter of time.

[00:11:58] Cause that whole section, we were just going nuts in there.

[00:12:01] And it wasn't like it was reserved and cheering a little bit.

[00:12:04] It was the whole time.

[00:12:05] It was building and building, building.

[00:12:07] It was one of those rare occasions where we're getting close to, you know, looking at the clock and, but everybody's still going nuts and carrying everything forward.

[00:12:18] Now, Pat, one thing I saw in the first half, I was scared that you saw it.

[00:12:24] The commentators put up the playoff board and they were talking about, you know, the outcomes if, you know, if from the Colorado game, but they said that if the battery beat Tampa, then the playoffs would run through Charleston.

[00:12:42] Think that if Charleston continued to win.

[00:12:44] volts.

[00:12:44] It is the case actually.

[00:12:46] So we've been, I think a little misguided, um, okay.

[00:12:50] Thinking that the.

[00:12:51] First.

[00:12:52] Uh, tiebreaker is actually head-to-head, but the first tiebreaker is based off of season point, Tali.

[00:13:00] So the seeding is number one.

[00:13:03] So if you have the higher seed, you get home field.

[00:13:06] In our case, we are a number two seed.

[00:13:09] Colorado in the West is a number two seed.

[00:13:11] Colorado, I think, finished with 52 overall points.

[00:13:15] What did the battery have?

[00:13:17] 64?

[00:13:19] 64?

[00:13:20] Yep.

[00:13:20] So the first tiebreaker is season point total.

[00:13:23] So there, in fact, Charleston will host the final if we get there just because we did a better job in the season.

[00:13:32] And I like that format.

[00:13:34] I think it improves.

[00:13:36] Like it makes you want to win more games, not kind of slack off if you already locked up a playoff spot.

[00:13:43] You know, it kind of makes you want to fight during the regular season even if you know you're already in.

[00:13:50] So here's the lawyer talk.

[00:13:53] It says, ordinarily, the highest seeded team shall host playoff matches in the USL championship final.

[00:14:00] But, there's a comma, but the league has the right to change the host site in its reasonable discretion.

[00:14:11] They had such a good time last year.

[00:14:14] You think that's weather?

[00:14:15] No.

[00:14:16] I'm thinking, let's look.

[00:14:18] So who's the two possible places we can go?

[00:14:21] Colorado and Vegas.

[00:14:24] Vegas.

[00:14:25] Well, Vegas on that casino and pitch.

[00:14:28] How many do they, how many do they seat?

[00:14:31] Oh, for Google.

[00:14:32] Casino man can fit probably close to 10,000.

[00:14:35] And the alternative?

[00:14:38] Colorado.

[00:14:39] Let me look up Colorado real quick.

[00:14:42] I'm looking at their attendance.

[00:14:44] It was Colorado versus Orange County.

[00:14:46] Their attendance was 7,200.

[00:14:47] So they seat at least 7,200.

[00:14:49] They're in a baseball stadium.

[00:14:51] Colorado is?

[00:14:53] Yeah.

[00:14:54] We're not going to switch a soccer game to be like, oh, let's just give it to the baseball stadium.

[00:14:59] What the hell with that?

[00:15:00] This is USL.

[00:15:02] I mean, they get to cover both, right?

[00:15:04] Baseball, stealing second, and soccer.

[00:15:07] But hopefully that doesn't happen.

[00:15:09] But I noticed that in a release, a press release they did yesterday.

[00:15:13] It was very interesting that they, that one's bolted out by itself.

[00:15:19] So, um, I don't know why.

[00:15:21] Well, the Colorado though would be the one in the most trouble because of just the high altitude and location and everything trying to get to it.

[00:15:31] Charleston's just such a more hospitality city.

[00:15:36] That's about, it's about putting butts in seats.

[00:15:40] I mean, if it, if this is their case, I mean, why don't they put in another thousand seats from last year?

[00:15:46] Why don't, why don't they figure this out preseason and do a neutral site?

[00:15:51] You know, if they, if they want to do that and not deal with this coming down to whatever.

[00:15:57] I don't know.

[00:15:58] I like, I prefer you worked your ass off.

[00:16:00] You got your seating.

[00:16:01] You should host in a final because you did a better job.

[00:16:04] See, I like the way it is now because if you go, Pat, if you do go to the predetermined way at the beginning of the season,

[00:16:11] then you get into the whole point of bidding and money and all this stuff comes into play.

[00:16:15] Whereas right now it's, you're rewarded it.

[00:16:18] And that's how it should be.

[00:16:19] The boys work their butts off for it.

[00:16:22] Like I, I get, cause a lot of leagues have it.

[00:16:25] We're just the final is played and kind of the big stadium, but it's USL.

[00:16:31] We don't have that just big stadium neutral site and it's United States.

[00:16:37] We don't have that like growth where soccer's our only thing.

[00:16:40] We're not going to pack an NFL stadium.

[00:16:42] Why not give it to a stadium?

[00:16:44] Let the local team gain more revenue, more tickets, build more atmosphere.

[00:16:51] Like this is how you grow the sport.

[00:16:53] And I think it's going to stay this way for a while.

[00:16:55] I hope so.

[00:16:57] And I hope that maybe what we heard earlier was through the playoffs, not necessarily the final.

[00:17:02] And maybe this is the way they're differentiating where the finals played.

[00:17:07] But there's always the, but the league has the right to change the host site in its reasonable discretion.

[00:17:14] Reasonable is a very vague and open-ended word.

[00:17:19] And reasonable means that if we can make more money, that's reasonable.

[00:17:22] But anyways, so let's talk about a goal.

[00:17:24] Let's talk about another goal.

[00:17:26] At the 83rd minute.

[00:17:29] By Aaron Malloy.

[00:17:32] I think it was okay.

[00:17:34] I mean.

[00:17:35] Are you high?

[00:17:36] I know I was.

[00:17:38] At that point.

[00:17:38] I was about six beers in.

[00:17:41] It was.

[00:17:42] If you, I think if you look back, I don't know if you all noticed that.

[00:17:45] There was a delay in the crowd going nuts.

[00:17:49] Mm-hmm.

[00:17:50] From when it went to the back of the net.

[00:17:52] And I don't know if, because I know I was watching a ball and I thought Nick, Nick was going to head it in.

[00:17:57] And Nick was just a little behind it.

[00:18:00] And I don't think we realized it went to the back of the net until it really went to the back of the net.

[00:18:05] Because it was so, that strike was so far out.

[00:18:07] It was like, no way he's going for that top corner.

[00:18:11] I mean, he couldn't have put it in a better spot.

[00:18:14] There's no way a keeper could have saved that.

[00:18:16] Any keeper.

[00:18:17] Any type of free kick like that.

[00:18:19] And it goes up and over you.

[00:18:21] And it touches the bars.

[00:18:22] I mean, Far did a great job on an extension dive.

[00:18:26] Getting his body all the way up.

[00:18:27] One hand.

[00:18:28] Try to get the fingers to it.

[00:18:31] Malloy placed it.

[00:18:33] It is unsavable.

[00:18:35] I kept looking back at it.

[00:18:36] And I was like, the way Malloy hit it.

[00:18:38] He actually could have gone another ball length to the right.

[00:18:43] And it would have been even more perfect.

[00:18:47] But he wouldn't have had that same effect of hitting the net the way it did.

[00:18:53] But yeah, there's no chance for Far for getting to get in that one.

[00:18:57] Well, I disagree with you.

[00:18:59] Far so.

[00:18:59] Okay.

[00:19:00] I'm not giving him any credit.

[00:19:02] But anyways, it was well placed.

[00:19:04] Goal of the season.

[00:19:06] Circumstances.

[00:19:07] 83rd minute.

[00:19:09] Def game on the line.

[00:19:11] Playoffs.

[00:19:11] Like, I know Torres had that half field one.

[00:19:14] I don't know if it's the goal of the season.

[00:19:16] It's definitely the goal of the playoffs.

[00:19:18] For sure.

[00:19:21] I hope so.

[00:19:22] I hope our next matches.

[00:19:23] Next two matches are very boring and we're hit by six goals.

[00:19:27] But that was absolutely wonderful.

[00:19:30] Now, that would be interesting.

[00:19:32] Vegas in the final.

[00:19:33] And the last time we've played Vegas in Charleston, we won 6-0.

[00:19:41] If I was a betting man.

[00:19:44] If we had to play away, Vegas might not be that bad of a choice.

[00:19:48] Because tickets are cheap, right?

[00:19:51] Who knows if it's a car out?

[00:19:52] It's not.

[00:19:53] Well, let's talk about the matchups, right?

[00:19:56] So, first and foremost, we have Rhode Island.

[00:20:01] They played a pretty good game.

[00:20:06] I mean, personally, I think it's one player that carries their team.

[00:20:11] J.J. Williams.

[00:20:12] We had the chat go and we were talking about him.

[00:20:15] He went off for, what, two goals and then subbed off.

[00:20:20] But what do you guys think?

[00:20:21] Besides him, do you see anything big threats to us?

[00:20:27] I see, what I see in Rhode Island is a strong back line with a holding midfield that are

[00:20:36] okay holding you to zero to one goal a game.

[00:20:41] And they're going, and they have that forward.

[00:20:42] It's all him.

[00:20:44] It's all J.J.

[00:20:45] J.J. Williams up front.

[00:20:46] It's all him on the solo.

[00:20:47] And if he can bag them a goal, you know, just like an out two games that we've played them

[00:20:52] this season.

[00:20:53] We had a 0-0 in Rhode Island.

[00:20:54] We had a 1-1 in Charleston.

[00:20:57] He, that this is just one of these teams that I feel like are going to take two at a time.

[00:21:04] And it could be further if we don't try to exploit them, but it's going to be a very physical

[00:21:10] game.

[00:21:11] We look at Louisville.

[00:21:11] We look at Tampa as our big rivals, our big physical games.

[00:21:15] But Rhode Island being their first year, no one really knows about them a whole lot.

[00:21:19] And the first time we faced them was the first game of the year.

[00:21:23] Second time we faced them was, I think it was the second to last game of the season.

[00:21:26] So we didn't even have our starting lineup in.

[00:21:29] So this is a totally different game compared to the both times we played them this year.

[00:21:35] Yeah.

[00:21:36] All three times we've played them have been completely different circumstances.

[00:21:40] Yeah.

[00:21:41] The first match was up in a rainy Rhode Island, right?

[00:21:44] It was cold.

[00:21:45] It was, it was just difficult circumstances up there.

[00:21:48] And they were fired up because their first match of the season, second match.

[00:21:52] Is it like first or second?

[00:21:53] Yeah.

[00:21:54] Down here, like you said, we were rotating.

[00:21:57] We were getting some people mincing their legs, but not really stressing them out too much.

[00:22:02] So yeah, we'll see what happens.

[00:22:04] It's going to be, it's going to be a good game for sure.

[00:22:06] I mean, I'm not saying Rhode Island's not going to bring it, you know, it's, it's going

[00:22:10] to be a good one in.

[00:22:11] Their fans do travel.

[00:22:13] I, we know that from the last time we faced them.

[00:22:16] I mean, they're a tough team, right?

[00:22:18] They're the only team to beat Louisville at Louisville twice.

[00:22:22] And they did it twice.

[00:22:23] Yeah.

[00:22:24] That's, I mean, that's, that's the number one seed.

[00:22:26] We talked about this as if it was like astonishing number one seeds, number two seeds to lose and

[00:22:33] both number one seeds are out now.

[00:22:35] And just to, just to let our viewership know is that this wasn't just a typical Louisville

[00:22:42] one seeded team that just folded.

[00:22:44] This was a team that has, you know, has been in the league for 10 years and they were going

[00:22:49] for their 10th straight Eastern final appearance.

[00:22:52] You know, every single year that they've been in the league, they've made that Eastern final.

[00:22:57] And this was the best finish they've ever had in the regular season.

[00:23:00] And this was the team to do it last year.

[00:23:03] They thought they weren't going to make it as a, I believe they came in as a four seed.

[00:23:06] Uh, Charleston was a three seed and we hosted, uh, Louisville in the Eastern final and they're

[00:23:11] still able to make it.

[00:23:12] Um, but.

[00:23:14] And that's good.

[00:23:15] And that's, that shows the strength of our, the league is becoming stronger and stronger,

[00:23:19] but there's, you just can't slack and end up on the top every time.

[00:23:22] But it also gives hope to these new teams and to these new franchises coming in because

[00:23:27] this is Rhode Island's first year.

[00:23:29] You know, usually typically first year teams don't do that well.

[00:23:34] Um, and the fact that they were able to find rhythm, make the playoffs and do as well as

[00:23:38] they have been.

[00:23:39] I mean, they're in the Eastern final first year playing for a trophy.

[00:23:43] Congrats to them.

[00:23:44] And it kind of gives hope for these new teams that believe in the USO.

[00:23:48] I think we're up for four, potentially four new teams coming into the league next year.

[00:23:53] Um, so again, we're going to have a new challenge just like how we did with North Carolina and

[00:23:59] Rhode Island this year.

[00:24:01] Yeah.

[00:24:01] Well, unfortunately, unfortunately for Rhode Island, we are also up for silverware and

[00:24:08] we are at home.

[00:24:09] We have better fans.

[00:24:11] We have a better atmosphere that are, and we have better food trucks.

[00:24:16] Thank you.

[00:24:16] And we have one guy named Nick Markanik.

[00:24:20] That's going to be the difference maker in this game.

[00:24:23] We took care of our, our, uh, no quarter Darby, right?

[00:24:27] Took care of that business.

[00:24:28] And now we've got Rhode Island coming up and they got a little anchor in there, their symbol.

[00:24:32] So maybe we need to sink their ship too.

[00:24:33] If they have a ship, but I think it's easily done.

[00:24:36] Well, maybe not easily, but I think we definitely have the talent.

[00:24:39] We have the skills, we have the coaching, we have the atmosphere.

[00:24:42] We have everything behind us to be able to do that.

[00:24:47] Now, fun little story.

[00:24:49] I'm at Edmonds O's Brewing Company, the match before battery match.

[00:24:53] And I look up and there's this prick walking up in the damn Tampa Bay Jersey.

[00:24:59] I'm like, dude, are you seriously coming in here?

[00:25:01] And he goes, yeah, yeah, man.

[00:25:02] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:25:03] I don't know where they got this guy from, but don't.

[00:25:05] So I'm like, this is just, okay.

[00:25:09] I'll, I'll be quiet.

[00:25:11] I go back in.

[00:25:12] He's sitting next to where I was standing.

[00:25:14] I left my beer there and I was like, oh man, what are the odds here?

[00:25:17] So I had to get moved.

[00:25:18] And then at halftime, you know, I do my thing.

[00:25:21] I was trying to encourage everybody to go to the battery match.

[00:25:22] I said, except for this guy back here.

[00:25:24] And everybody was like booing him and everything else.

[00:25:26] Well, he had a long trip home after.

[00:25:28] Yeah.

[00:25:28] He probably had a long trip up and probably did some stuff.

[00:25:31] Probably still feeling the effects.

[00:25:32] We got Rhode Island.

[00:25:33] Seven o'clock.

[00:25:35] Saturday night.

[00:25:36] What are we looking ticket wise?

[00:25:37] Are we sold out?

[00:25:38] They're still available.

[00:25:39] Last I saw was that we're about halfway there.

[00:25:42] I don't know what that means.

[00:25:44] They will sell over the number of seats they have.

[00:25:47] That's how we get to those numbers above what our seating is.

[00:25:49] Cause there's a lot of standing room.

[00:25:51] There was a lot of people standing, you know, where they normally stand.

[00:25:54] And then the sections the other night were filled.

[00:25:57] The food sections, everything else.

[00:25:58] I didn't eat there cause I ate at another place before I went in there.

[00:26:02] And so I don't have a report.

[00:26:03] I should have, I should have eaten something.

[00:26:04] So I can report like Ryan does on Mac daddy or whatever.

[00:26:08] Other places, but I failed on that one.

[00:26:11] I will be there rocking the super baller playoff Jersey.

[00:26:18] Ryan, I'll, I'll get a Mac daddy food truck item for you and report back after our win.

[00:26:24] As we're waiting to see who we're playing in the final.

[00:26:29] I like it.

[00:26:31] Hey, I recommend if you go to Mac daddy truck, I recommend that the fried chicken strips or the, uh, pulled pork on top of the mac and cheese.

[00:26:39] Do you say?

[00:26:41] I may just stick with the wicked weed truck.

[00:26:44] The wicked.

[00:26:45] Also a good choice.

[00:26:47] Something wrong with that.

[00:26:48] Wicked weed truck.

[00:26:50] Yeah.

[00:26:50] So game, it kickoff is at seven o'clock.

[00:26:54] Seven, not seven, three, seven o'clock.

[00:26:57] Seven.

[00:26:57] So there'll be a lot of festivities out in the parking lot beforehand.

[00:27:00] Ryan, I'm sure I'll meet you out there.

[00:27:03] Patrick, Brian, we'll be thinking of you and your success somewhere else.

[00:27:10] Cheers to that.

[00:27:10] Thank you.

[00:27:11] Thank you.

[00:27:11] And then is it Colorado and Vegas play after, right?

[00:27:15] They play at nine 30, I believe.

[00:27:17] Yeah.

[00:27:17] No, that's Eastern standard time.

[00:27:20] So regardless now we went, we win the first game.

[00:27:23] We're the first game of the day.

[00:27:24] We win that game.

[00:27:25] We host.

[00:27:27] Oh, that's lovely.

[00:27:29] Well, at the reasonable discretion of the league.

[00:27:34] Did you get, do you guys think anyone is going to be swapped out for this next match?

[00:27:40] I mean, talking about it, Casa and MD up top.

[00:27:43] I mean, Drac, Drac was on the bench too.

[00:27:46] So any of these guys getting the start?

[00:27:48] Or I think you'll think you're playing for a trophy now, right?

[00:27:54] We're kind of playing for a trophy every match, right?

[00:27:57] Because we can't go get to the trophies unless we're winning every game.

[00:28:01] Yeah.

[00:28:01] But now, now this, now this match is physically for the trophy.

[00:28:06] You, you have the building games going up to it.

[00:28:09] Yes.

[00:28:09] Like last game.

[00:28:10] Yes.

[00:28:10] You had to win that game to go to the trophy, but this one is for the physical hardware.

[00:28:15] This is going to be your toughest game now because you're actually playing for the physical

[00:28:18] hardware itself now.

[00:28:21] So I'm just curious with JJ Williams and his speed and kind of physicality, if we maybe

[00:28:30] take Allen off at left back in this game and put Drac on for him, get a little more pace

[00:28:36] out there.

[00:28:36] Did you see who come off about halftime?

[00:28:40] Marky Mark Segris.

[00:28:42] I didn't notice if he came off injured, but maybe that was saving his legs for JJ.

[00:28:50] And in the last match, I don't know who we lined up against, Rhode Island last match,

[00:28:54] but since we're rotating, they haven't seen our best 11.

[00:28:58] Well, our best 11 now is arguably adds in, you know, a couple other players, but our normal

[00:29:03] starting 11, they haven't seen that since the first of the season.

[00:29:07] So maybe these last two matches, Coach Pierman was trying to change things up on the other

[00:29:12] team that they haven't been used to.

[00:29:14] And maybe it's time to go back to a cause of starting, that kind of stuff.

[00:29:19] Chapman's good though.

[00:29:20] Chapman's really good.

[00:29:21] Yeah.

[00:29:22] I wonder if we sit someone back a little bit, kind of to cover that counterattack.

[00:29:28] Cause I mean, that's what they tend to do.

[00:29:30] They try and counterattack and we're susceptible to it.

[00:29:33] I wonder if we just leave someone in front of the center backs for a little bit.

[00:29:36] I mean, who else better to do that than the man himself?

[00:29:40] Aaron Malloy.

[00:29:41] I mean, he basically has done it the last two games.

[00:29:45] I honestly see Malloy having JJ in his pocket for either the first half or the second half.

[00:29:52] One of the halves, Malloy is going to play to him.

[00:29:56] And I think we keep Chris Allen back at left back.

[00:30:00] And part of the reason why is because he adds so much of a dimension on that left side because

[00:30:05] of his passing ability and his skillness on the ball.

[00:30:09] He might lack a little speed, but he's just killing it over there.

[00:30:12] Cause he, all of a sudden he's adding, he's just spraying rounds across the whole field

[00:30:15] with accuracy that you don't normally get from, from Nate.

[00:30:20] Who is doing a fantastic job, by the way, is a center back.

[00:30:24] But I think I would leave Chris in.

[00:30:27] Do you think they slide the back and kind of make it like a false back three?

[00:30:32] If you notice this last match, there was a lot of time that Aaron, and it's kind of throughout

[00:30:36] the year too.

[00:30:37] Aaron sitting kind of that center, center back with the Santos sliding to the left a little

[00:30:44] bit and, and Graham sliding to the right a little bit.

[00:30:47] So it was kind of interesting.

[00:30:49] Normally he plays a little bit in front of him, but here he was playing really deep a lot

[00:30:52] of times.

[00:30:53] Yep.

[00:30:53] I think that, that is prepping him for, for Rhode Island now, because you look at how

[00:30:58] Louisville played.

[00:31:00] They should have, if they had that same way that Malloy was playing the last two games,

[00:31:04] I think Louisville would have had a different result.

[00:31:08] Granted that I only really noticed it when we were trying to build out of the back.

[00:31:13] So I didn't really pay attention to it when we were, when we were setting up defensively.

[00:31:19] So it was a little different, that story, but definitely when we were building out of

[00:31:22] the back, it was set up in those kind of that three at the back and then pushing Allen and,

[00:31:28] and Segbers up.

[00:31:30] I mean, as long as we keep the pressure up top, kind of, kind of control it with the

[00:31:35] midfield and out possess them, out pass them, I think we'll be all right for the most

[00:31:39] part.

[00:31:40] Well, they've got to respect Torres' ability.

[00:31:44] They've got to respect that.

[00:31:45] He, he had a couple of good times on the ball and you could see two or three players going

[00:31:49] at him.

[00:31:50] They have to respect that.

[00:31:50] So when they have to play him because he's so dangerous, it opens up so much for the other

[00:31:56] players to be able to come in, put crosses in, do some attacking.

[00:31:59] Now we ponder the final match.

[00:32:04] It's that Sunday, right?

[00:32:07] Ah, Saturday.

[00:32:08] It's on a Saturday this year?

[00:32:10] Oh, it's perfect.

[00:32:13] Well, didn't they consult you when that phone call earlier?

[00:32:16] Fine.

[00:32:17] Why don't you have it?

[00:32:18] No, that was just about Lauren Shorter.

[00:32:21] You know my phrase.

[00:32:25] Okay.

[00:32:26] Match.

[00:32:27] Seven o'clock.

[00:32:28] Saturday.

[00:32:29] I'll be there.

[00:32:30] Patrick will be there.

[00:32:31] Ryan will be mentoring young gentlemen, hopefully being very successful.

[00:32:36] Even if they're not in the win column, they will be very successful under your tutelage

[00:32:41] because that's what it's not.

[00:32:42] It's not about wins and losses at that age.

[00:32:43] It's about development.

[00:32:44] And you do a fantastic job.

[00:32:46] As I will attest, because some people that you don't know, that you might know, we're

[00:32:50] talking about you and they're talking in a positive manner how they like your coaching

[00:32:54] style.

[00:32:55] He also said, he's like a big little kid.

[00:32:58] And I said, yep, that's exactly him.

[00:32:59] He'll eat you out of the house.

[00:33:00] We're going back here in the Mac Daddy truck.

[00:33:01] So we care.

[00:33:03] But they enjoy your coaching.

[00:33:05] That's the best way to describe me.

[00:33:07] Like, yeah.

[00:33:09] Awesome.

[00:33:10] That's the reason why I gave you so much shit.

[00:33:13] Yeah, I accept it though.

[00:33:15] Okay.

[00:33:16] Anything else, Patrick?

[00:33:18] Funnel words?

[00:33:19] Predictions?

[00:33:19] Predictions.

[00:33:20] Yes.

[00:33:23] 2-0.

[00:33:24] In 90?

[00:33:25] Huh?

[00:33:26] Yes.

[00:33:26] In 90.

[00:33:27] We don't...

[00:33:27] I do not believe in penalties.

[00:33:31] If we go there, all bets are off.

[00:33:36] Torres.

[00:33:37] Markanik.

[00:33:38] Not necessarily in that order.

[00:33:41] Left foot in the forehead.

[00:33:43] Okay.

[00:33:44] Pat?

[00:33:45] You still know how short Torres is, so it's going to be off him.

[00:33:49] All right.

[00:33:50] I'm going to leave this open-windowed for you, Ryan, to be the hero to Grinny.

[00:33:55] I'm going to do a 3-1.

[00:33:57] Ooh.

[00:34:00] I think...

[00:34:03] Oh, hell.

[00:34:04] I think Arturo's going to get one.

[00:34:07] Nick will have a brace.

[00:34:09] I think he just shines through, and then MD will have a couple wide-open chances and not convert in the end.

[00:34:15] Wow.

[00:34:17] Are you picking Arturo because you saw the Instagram post of his free kick in the Eastern Final last year?

[00:34:24] History tends to repeat itself, Ryan.

[00:34:26] That's all I'll say.

[00:34:28] Yeah.

[00:34:28] I like it.

[00:34:28] I like it.

[00:34:29] You set me up to be the hero for Grinny, and I'm going to close that book.

[00:34:34] I'm picking a 2-1 at a time win for the battery.

[00:34:38] 2-1?

[00:34:39] Yep.

[00:34:40] At a time.

[00:34:42] Okay.

[00:34:44] I hope it doesn't get an at a time.

[00:34:45] I really hope I'm wrong.

[00:34:47] You're in a full 90?

[00:34:51] Full 90?

[00:34:52] Yeah.

[00:34:52] Nope.

[00:34:52] Not in at a time.

[00:34:56] Yeah, Patrick.

[00:34:56] Yeah.

[00:34:57] We're going to get it done in regular time.

[00:34:59] I hope so.

[00:34:59] We're going to get a late goal just added on post-80-85 just to seal it up.

[00:35:08] I like it.

[00:35:09] I hope it's like that.

[00:35:10] I'm just thinking because, you know, Louisville last year, 2-1, that was an at a time.

[00:35:14] We took them to at a time.

[00:35:16] But we scored early in at a time.

[00:35:19] But we're so into it.

[00:35:21] We might as well throw in the prediction for Colorado-Vegas.

[00:35:25] Yeah, it's only one other game.

[00:35:28] You think Colorado does it?

[00:35:30] I think they're really favored.

[00:35:33] And playing in Colorado is something that a lot of teams, if you look at their post-match interviews

[00:35:39] or going on their podcasts or whatnot, they all say the same thing.

[00:35:43] It's hard to play there.

[00:35:45] It is hard to play a full 90.

[00:35:47] And if you watch the last game against Orange County, my opinion, I think Orange County should have beaten them.

[00:35:53] I think Orange County had a few chances.

[00:35:55] They didn't have as many chances as Colorado did.

[00:35:57] But the few chances they did, they could have converted on.

[00:36:01] But once they played that full 90, they kind of dropped off in an added time.

[00:36:07] But I like how Vegas has completely bounced back since losing to Battery 6-0.

[00:36:14] You know, you look at how New Mexico did at the beginning of the season.

[00:36:17] They lost to the Battery 4-0.

[00:36:20] Completely changed their year.

[00:36:22] We beat Vegas 6-0 at home.

[00:36:24] Completely changes their year.

[00:36:26] And they make a big push for the playoffs.

[00:36:28] They were in second place for a good day.

[00:36:30] But now they find themselves in an Eastern Final.

[00:36:32] And I like the new ownership in Vegas.

[00:36:34] So I'm going to go with Vegas in this one.

[00:36:37] Vegas wins 2-1 in regular time.

[00:36:40] Okay.

[00:36:43] Based on your thoughts and your kind of comments about the altitude, sickness, the other teams.

[00:36:50] Yes.

[00:36:51] Orange County, altitude is about 190 feet.

[00:36:55] Yep.

[00:36:56] Of course, mile high, that area.

[00:36:58] Las Vegas altitude, 2,000.

[00:37:02] Okay.

[00:37:03] So I'm going to go Vegas.

[00:37:06] I'm going to bet big on Vegas.

[00:37:08] I'm putting it all in.

[00:37:09] I'm going 2-0 Vegas over Colorado.

[00:37:12] Yeah.

[00:37:12] I like the 2-2-0 games.

[00:37:15] Man.

[00:37:15] What a ticket that would be.

[00:37:18] Should you go to Vegas and put a 5 on it?

[00:37:21] Okay.

[00:37:22] Yeah.

[00:37:23] You should do that based on my recommendation.

[00:37:25] You'll do a fantastic job.

[00:37:27] That's the reason why I'm living in Vegas right now myself.

[00:37:30] Okay.

[00:37:30] That's all I've got.

[00:37:31] Patrick, anything else to add?

[00:37:34] I'm excited for Saturday.

[00:37:36] I hope to see everyone there come out.

[00:37:39] Let's tailgate, have a beer, and get ready for this night of celebration.

[00:37:44] Ryan.

[00:37:45] Good luck.

[00:37:47] Thank you.

[00:37:48] Thank you.

[00:37:49] And good luck to you, gents.

[00:37:51] Yeah.

[00:37:51] We'll see you in the next time.

[00:37:52] Have one for me.

[00:37:54] Peace.

[00:37:58] Ciao.

[00:38:00] Adios.

[00:38:02] Sayonara.