Angela: it's
Mario: Yeah, I mean,
Angela: season.
Mario
Mario: it is a 20 Twix, they're
coming up, blah, blah, blah, blah.
It is a 20 tricks, 20 Twix, Jesus.
Angela: Hey everybody, we're back.
Welcome to Casual fc, an Angel City
match preview and footy therapy pod,
featuring two certified footy therapist.
I'm your host Angel Morales with
my amazing, wonderful, and ever
funny co-host Mario Salazar.
We're back.
Mario: We are back, baby.
Angela: officially
officially the 2026 season.
We've got a very fun, special
episode looking at the entirety
of the NWSL fields giving you some
highlights on off season moves.
Was it good?
Was it bad?
Who knows?
Mario: yeah.
Angela: Mario doesn't.
Mario: I don't,
as we just learned like a day or two
ago with the announcement or the, was
it announcement or was it just like
We were rehashing it in the discord,
but it was the whole, NWSL two.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: lot.
And then I start.
Angela: like a pseudo
announcement and then we all
started talking about it again,
Mario: And then I go through
this and I'm like, wait,
there's three leagues right now.
And then I had to go through this whole
thing of figuring out the pyramid again.
And then I'm like, oh, okay.
So we have two division ones.
We have no division two, except
there was one that was announced to
be division two big old rabbit hole.
Join the Discord if you wanna
see that kind of back and forth,
Angela: or if we back and
let it happen the way I did.
'cause I was like, I don't have the
energy for this at this very moment.
My work is on fire.
Everything is crazy.
It's pouring down rain.
Mario: Yeah.
I also had to tell Angela to ignore a
lot of my tests that were coming in hot
and heavy because I had a small break
in my crazy schedule to be like, Hey,
I can spend two seconds not thinking
about work, and I've thought about
this, but now I'm gone in a spiral.
here you go.
Let me brain dump and then
I gotta go back to work
Angela: Yeah, to put it,
let me see.
Oh no, that's an actual conversation
that we were having back and forth.
Nevermind.
I don't have any good like screenshots
to be like, look at this and just scroll.
That's actual conversation.
But yeah,
Mario: at some point.
We did, at some point we did
get to a conversation, so
Angela: and catching up, me catching up
to them because my work makes me, makes my
brain feel like jello and I need a phone.
I need to be on my phone every
once in a while to not see a
spreadsheet when I close my eyes.
Yeah.
Mario: fun times.
Angela: happened since our
last like regular season
playoffs We had back passes.
We had our first episode a couple weeks
back, and I hope everybody liked it.
We're gonna do a ton more.
We're prepping for June
and the month of nothing
Mario: Yep.
Angela: thanks to those
guys that also play soccer.
They
Mario: they,
Angela: Get,
Mario: the other event that we may or may
not happen in certain cities around the us
Angela: knows.
but the biggest thing is that Trinity
Rodman resigned with the Washington
spirit, and because of her, we now have
the Rodman rule, which is the high impact
player that I think collectively everyone
is confused, upset, and irritated by,
collectively fans, players.
Players, associations.
It's just, everybody's just Ugh.
There has to be a better way to do things.
So can you give us a rundown,
permutation, primo of what this means?
Mario: yes.
Quick, the quick and dirty.
whether or not you're familiar
with, bro soccer, there is
a rule called the DP role.
It's the designated player that one is
actually easier to understand than the
high impact player role, but essentially
they're both rules that allow the
teams to pay players above the salary
cap and only have it partially affect
their, partially affect their salary
cap, and then the rest of it, can be
managed by other funds or whatever.
Now, DP rule in, men's, it's pretty
straightforward, still kind of dumb, but,
up to the max salary that hits your cap.
Then the rest of it,
you, you fund elsewhere.
And that's pretty much it.
There's not really any
other restrictions on that.
they've added a couple other,
but they're not relevant to what
we're talking about right now.
The high impact rule, same idea where
up to the max is applied to your
team and then the rest of it, you
take care of it however you need to.
Yet they are the NWSL and their
infinite lack of wisdom sometimes,
added a bunch of stipulations to
what the high impact player means.
And a lot of these stipulations really.
Extremely limit the field of
who you can pay to be this high
impact player, this high impact.
They, but you know what this is the,
essentially, this is the, the TikTok or
Instagram social media followers rule.
It's how popular are you
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: with, along with how good are you
to qualify to be able to pay you more?
Where
Angela: it's
Mario: there's plenty of, there's
plenty of players within the league
that are starting to hit the cap, right?
it's like working at a company
and then you're starting
to max out on your company.
You're like, look, gotta look for a new
place that will end up paying me more.
and what happens as we saw
last season with, with Alyssa
Thompson, who's gonna pay you more?
Europe's gonna pay you more right now.
So you go that way.
there are players in the,
in, in the NWSL that should
qualify to get paid more, right?
they have the skill, they have
the soccer knowledge, they have
everything teams need, and if
teams need them, they'll pay them.
there's players in Europe that
also, and there's players in
South America, in Central M.A.
There's players everywhere that
are those gems that you find, that
you're like, Hey, you are awesome.
You are good.
Nobody else is like thinking about
you right now, so we're gonna
snatch you up and we're gonna
make sure you get paid right.
All of that good stuff.
Yet all of those people would not qualify
for this because they're not in the
running of, I think the ballin door is
one a metric, and it's like how many
people are actually in that running?
and it's the same eight every
year, like not to knock.
Angela: same.
Same, but like four,
Mario: but not to knock them.
they are that good that's why
they're there, but it's also
a very Eurocentric award.
so there's just so many things
wrong with this and honestly,
Angela: at it and like Lynn b Dolo,
the person who has scored the most
goals ever in the league, who's still
actively playing, she's just on maternity
leave, wouldn't qualify for this rule,
Mario: this is so stupid.
Angela: like Marto
wouldn't qualify for this.
there's so many big name
players, you're like, huh.
So maybe 'cause it, it doesn't
fully go into effect or something
like that until like June or July.
Like they're still working
out finite details.
But
it is real dumb.
It's really frustrating and I'm grateful
that they found a way to keep trending
the league, but there has to be a better
way that doesn't just feel like a.
Pretend bandaid.
Like a dollar store.
Bandaid, not a bandaid.
Brand bandaid.
Mario: like there, there is like it's
gonna fall off as soon as it gets wet.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: there they, we've talked, we've
talked about this and everybody like
collectively was one, this rule is dumb.
Two, two, just increase your
salary cap, pay your players more.
If you want to pay your players
more, pay your players more and
look, you increase the salary cap.
That means that teams have
more money to use as they need.
They might pay all their players more.
They might keep the strategy that
they have and find that one player
that they want to, that they want
to attract and be able to pay more.
That's, and then that's it.
No restrictions.
You've already gotten
rid of, the draft, right?
Everybody's a free agent, like
you're going in the right way.
So NWSL PA definitely against this.
Angela: Oh,
Mario: do not, they, no, they, and there's
probably an ensuing legal battle about
all of this, because there's very much
a, this is becoming a one-sided thing,
like we're just going to implement and
it goes against a bunch of other roles.
Angela: we'll see where it takes us,
and I'm sure it'll have 15 different
names and out, and then it'll just
quietly be implemented and we'll
never really know what happened.
Mario: yeah.
It's so dumb.
even the, glad Trinity Robbins here.
Glad that wasn't another big name
player that is leaving to Europe.
The way we've lost, a lot of, a
lot of them over the years, right?
we have Alyssa, we have, Germa, we have
Angela: just
Mario: coffee,
Angela: but we're getting one back.
We'll talk about that in a minute.
Mario: Okay, but there's a reason
why they're leaving and they're
leaving rightfully To get their bag,
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: them.
Angela: make 45 grand a year in
a big market, or you wanna make a
million something because you're, we
don't even know because your salary
is not disclosed somewhere else.
That's cool.
Mario: Yeah.
And just side note about the Rodman
rule now, they had the announcement
of her like signing at BMO Stadium,
Angela: Yeah, that was weird.
Mario: which was a little weird
Angela: like for a
Mario: for training.
Angela: you could have done
it at stu at Dominguez.
You could have done it at the
beach, I don't know, like why BMO?
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: It was just weird.
Mario: It was just weird.
and all the details about her deal,
I don't believe have been disclosed.
So because of the, high
impact player ruled still.
Being in effect.
But, overall you can tell here
we are not fans of that rule.
That rule is dumb.
it needs to go the way of unwell
FC and just not exist anymore.
but
Angela: if nothing else.
I just hope that the, qualifications
'cause it, it really was like, how
do we make this role only apply
to Trinity without making it feel
like it only applies to Trinity?
Mario: yeah.
Angela: anyway, it's
Mario: Yeah, I mean,
Angela: season.
Mario
Mario: Yep.
The season is starting and we have
some important dates we can go over.
So the season starts on March
13th, officially that Friday.
Angel City will be playing their
first match on the 15th, so yay.
Woo.
Home match.
season opener, but, other kind of,
Angela: if you can, since it's
a Sunday, Monday off home.
Don't
Mario: yeah.
Angela: into public.
Give yourself time to recover.
'cause that's what I did.
I took Monday off, I was like, no.
Mario: Yep.
Angela: soon as I, as I knew the
opening weekend, it didn't, I
didn't care what day our game was.
I was like, no,
Mario: And that doesn't
mean that you got plastered.
It doesn't mean it's
just, it's hot sometimes.
Angela: 40.
Mario: Yeah, that too.
It's gonna be hot.
Maybe you forgot to drink water.
overstimulated.
there's lots of things going on, so yeah.
Just do your favor, self a favor.
Chill if you can.
enjoy the weekend the way it is.
but yes, season starts March
13th, so we are now, I believe,
under 20 days, from, kickoff Now.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: Yeah.
so other important dates that we
have throughout the season, I'm
just gonna go through these really
quickly 'cause we'll probably talk
about them as we get closer to them.
more in depth.
But the transfer window is open
currently and it goes through March 16th.
rosters do have to be, in
compliance before March 13th,
the start of the season, right?
There's, 26 players I believe
that you can have in a roster.
that does not mean you have to
have all 26 players, filled in.
You can have, I believe, up to 22.
So 22 to 26, you have to have that
figured out by the start of the season.
But you can still bring in
people, up through March 16th.
So you can still have a couple
of signings right after that.
no matches all of June, which
is why back passes is gonna
be your new favorite thing.
And we're just gonna bring
more content for you.
it's.
Angela: there'll be short episodes.
There will be vignettes,
there'll be all sorts of things.
We
Mario: Else
Angela: many things to talk about.
Mario: it's gonna be audio, it's gonna
be visual, one or the other, or both.
PowerPoints
Angela: PowerPoint being
created at this moment
Mario: nice.
Angela: a specific episode
that someone YouTube requested.
I'm not even gonna hint to it
because Mario knows nothing about
Mario: I have purposely not googled
anything about this, so I'm ready.
I'm ready.
Angela: Eva's oh no,
I'm making a PowerPoint.
we are gonna show it.
it is being created in the most ridiculous
way because it is a ridiculous thing.
Mario: I love it.
Angela: yeah, lots of
back passes this summer.
It's gonna be a lot of fun.
There's gonna be a lot of lore, a lot
of, memory lane, a lot of good things.
Mario: Yes.
Yeah.
I'm so down for it.
I'm so excited.
Alright.
so yes, that is all of June.
There are no matches.
That is the World Cup Plus.
There is a mandatory week
off for the NWSL either way.
So basically the entire month has nothing.
free agent window opens
back in July, first.
and so does the secondary transfer
window, goes from July through September.
we hit roster freeze in October.
October 8th is the official
roster freeze date, which means no
more movement, no more anything.
that's what you got all the
way to the final, decision.
It was originally Decision weekend,
and I wrote it down as like the October
31st through the first November 1st.
And I wrote Boo.
And then when the schedule
finally came out, I did.
rejoice because decision day is back
and it's actually better because it's
literally on one day, literally at
the same time, which last year was,
it was like split in half, which
was a little silly, but it's great.
The one caveat about that though,
is that we don't know where
the Angel City Cames gonna be.
Angela: Yeah, that's fun.
Our
Mario: That's
Angela: game, or our last game is TBD.
So it'll happen.
Who knows?
Honestly,
Mario: we'll,
Angela: suck for so many
people, but I like legit.
I'm like, just do it at SoFi
because then we can walk.
Mario: yeah.
we'll see what happens with that.
But right now that one's TBD and
then, the championship is gonna be
on November 21st, which hopefully
we have a shot of this year, but
Angela: we know where have they
announced where the championship
is gonna be this year?
Mario: I don't think so.
I don't think they have yet.
They usually don't announce that
till like middle of the season.
Angela: Yeah, that's true,
but I really wanna know.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
I have a feeling it's gonna
be in California somewhere.
Angela: Ooh, again.
In California.
Mario: you could, there's,
Angela: plenty of places
Mario: yeah.
Angela: Oh yeah.
They haven't announced it yet.
Dang it.
I wanna know if it's gonna
be like an easy trip.
going to the finals this year was a blast.
I wanna know if I know anybody at that
stadium that has season tickets because
Mario: they if,
Angela: I can be like,
yo, buy me a ticket.
Mario: yeah,
Angela: just gimme it.
Mario: I'm gonna be there.
Angela: I wanna be there.
Mario: All right.
And then, okay.
Before we get into our deep dive of.
Everything and how nons scary or
scary these teams are gonna be.
we are gonna go over, how we're gonna
be able to watch all of these games.
Now that we have two new teams.
there are extra matches.
there's tons of options, right?
the kind of double-edged sword
of yay media deal more money.
Also, where the hell is
it gonna be on TV today?
or is it even on TV today?
And is it streaming?
Yeah.
so for a TV sub subscription or
streaming, a, B-C-E-S-P-N, esp n plus,
all the Disney stuff, will have, 36
total matches throughout the season.
they're gonna get two of the quarterfinal
matches, one of the semifinal matches, but
they are going to air all eight decision
day matches, which is pretty cool.
So most likely ES PN plus, right?
Angela: no, because
women's sports knocked
off Sunday night baseball.
Mario: True.
Angela: So we now get Women's Sports
Sunday, so nobody really knows
what that's gonna entail just yet,
but that's a big freaking deal.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: One because it's, we knocked off
America's pastime, but I don't have to
listen to the baseball commentators on
ESPN anymore on Sundays, and I'm so happy
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: and I just get to
watch more women's sports.
Mario: Yeah, I just say most likely
on ESPN Plus, just because all of
them are happening at the same time.
Only one of them is probably gonna
be, yeah, one of them is gonna
be on tv, but the rest of 'em are
gonna be streaming, somewhere.
all eight of 'em are gonna be
part of the Disney package.
So there's that next TV subscription
or, streaming service, CBS Glaso, CBS
Sports Network, paramount Plus, they will
get the championship match, and a total
of 38 matches throughout the season.
they're gonna get some of the,
quarterfinals and semifinals.
There's only 10 regular season
matches that are gonna be on
those channels, but then, they
get a bunch of other stuff there.
So there you go.
there's a new competitor, a new.
Not competitor.
A new stream, a new avenue,
a new situation, coming this
year, which is Victory Plus.
Victory Plus is a free streaming service.
they're gonna have a total of 57 matches,
which is pretty crazy to be like, Hey,
which is great to that it's a free service
and like you don't have that paywall.
they'll have 25 Sunday night matches,
plus 32 additional matches that
just happen throughout, the season.
and then for your online subscription
services, we have Amazon Prime
Video, who's still a partner and
they will have 27 total matches.
they will be doing the Challenge
Cup, and one of the quarter finals.
And then, I, on TV and scripts usually
is part of your TV subscription
package, so you can do it that way.
It's also available for free.
so you don't necessarily need, TV access
to get, eye on tv, but they will have fif
they have 50 regular season matches and
they're all the Saturday night matches.
Angela: Double headers on Saturdays.
Mario: yep.
And then all the rest
will happen on NWSL Plus.
So the fact that I just went down
this long ass thing, and you probably
don't know any of them that I just
said, is how crazy fragmented this is.
Again, double-edged sword of look,
they're getting the bag, they're
getting all these, streaming deals
and everything like that is great.
It gives options to where you can watch
it, you can now watch it in bars and
stuff because it is on tv, but you're
also now spending a ton of money to get
all the services in some way of or form.
To be able to watch all this stuff
so it gets a little, it gets a
little insane, but it's there.
NWSL does a pretty good, recap of
whenever they post what the weekend
week matches are going to be.
They'll have the little icon next to it.
We'll always let you know where the
Angel City match is gonna be at.
So let's get going for the season.
I'm excited.
I'm like waiting.
I'm waiting for being in the stadium.
I'm waiting for the footy.
Angela: much to talk about.
There has been so much movement.
This off season.
It reminds me of WNBA free
agency, which is bonkers.
so when it comes to previewing, recapping,
whatever you wanna call it, of the
league, we're just skipping Angel City.
We're doing a deep dive episode on
Angel City's off season moves and
things are looking now next week.
So you get to wait for Angel City.
It'll be way more in depth,
way cool for our team.
But let's go over the remainder of
the teams in the league because.
It's bonkers.
Mario: There was, there's some moves
even as the casual of all of this, right?
Angela: been some big ass movement.
Mario: There were some moves that
were announced that I can tell by
the reaction of the fandom that I was
like, oh, this is a serious thing.
I recognize that name.
that's a pretty big deal there.
so let's go through these.
I am.
I am excited to see what
level of, that's cute.
You tried to, oh shit.
Angela: Yeah.
It's like, where's my oh shit meter on?
Like, how am I feeling about this?
And what you guys did.
So we'll just go through
alphabetically so that way there's
no oh, this team, I prefer more.
'cause everybody knows at this point
who my second team is, and it's weird.
But, alphabetically, let's ride.
So Bay f.
C.
Outta the gate, they swooped Clara Hutton
from Kansas City, and that's a problem.
But they lost Kiki Pickett the,
that like transition of movement.
Abby Doll Kemper and Emily Menez
are still out on maternity leave.
They're gonna start the
season on maternity day leave.
They're predicted to come back
probably mid-season, but see.
That's two massive defenders that
they're missing for the jump.
They picked up a lot of youth.
They got Alex Pfeiffer
also from Kansas City.
They're in this we'll see what happens.
Mario: bay of Bay FC also
got a new coach, right?
Like they got a new coach.
They also got the, a new head of soccer.
Angela: Yeah.
There's been a lot of movement
at a FC, not just on the team.
Mario: Yeah.
may, maybe they're in that, like they're
gonna move into that direction of, they
were lightning at the beginning when they
first hit, but then it was either hot
or cold, like that whole first season.
They had no ties.
a win or a loss like
Angela: yeah.
no.
oh, that was an evenly matched game.
It was either great or
not great, and that's it.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: not really sure where Bay FC
falls in this because it's a tossup.
They also, they have Rachel
Kanji, which, hello, we love her.
they lost asa Oshu.
but at the same time, ASA didn't
always fit in the style of play.
Like it was this weird, spent
a lot of money to get her, but
then it didn't really pan out, I
think, the way they were hoping to.
Mario: yeah.
Angela: we'll see.
It's just weird.
there's, it's one of those oh,
none of these teams look the same,
of them.
Mario: yeah.
So would you say this one is a,
this one's a wait and see this.
Angela: Yeah, this
Mario: Okay.
Angela: a lot of these teams,
honestly, I'll be very honest,
it's okay, you're doing something.
I don't know what it is,
but you're doing something.
there's been a lot of coaching movement,
player movement, and a lot of youth
is coming in because there is a lot of
players who are going to be retiring.
And I don't really wanna think about it
because nobody's officially announced
that they're retiring this season.
And I'm just waiting for names.
I don't even wanna say out loud
'cause I'll just be big sad.
And I'll
Mario: We'll,
Angela: through 18 more retirement
episodes at the end of the season.
Mario: we will have the did
Angela Cry meter going on
through the rest of the season?
Angela: Yeah.
It's just gonna be like boop.
But we'll see.
So first newcomer of the
League, Legacy Balls fc.
Green Kit fc, I'm so sorry because I'm
sure it's great and I am hoping that they
have a wonderful first season, but like
they've done some things, like
they, they've dug themselves
into a little bit of a hole.
I saw after they did their jersey
reveal the other day, I saw someone
post, don't worry, we hate it.
Let's just bully the front office and
then in two weeks we'll get a new kit.
we'll see what happens.
They,
yeah, they have an abundance
of good goalkeepers.
They have Laurel Ivory, Casey Murphy,
and Hannah Stombaugh, like our Hannah.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: So have great goalkeepers.
You've got Barbara Olivieri from
Houston, Chloe Ricketts, most
recently from Houston in the Midfield.
Then you've got Michelle Prince
and Ella Stevens, who came in from
Kansas City and Gotham, respectively.
To lead the four words, but there's
a, like a ton of people that
have never played at this level.
they've never been in the NWSL, they're
brand new signings out of college
or the Game Bridge Super League.
there's so many ran, I don't wanna
say random because that just means,
that just sounds like they're like
nobodies, but like people that we
have no idea what is gonna happen.
So
Mario: Yeah, that could be,
Angela: another wait and see
for me because I don't know.
Mario: that could be dangerous,
but it also could mean absolute
chaos and not in a good way.
like it like there, there's definitely.
as anybody has, if you've noticed,
if you've ever noticed play in
different leagues, there's definitely
a slightly different style, right?
Between like Brazilian, soccer versus
the us league versus the uk, right?
there's different styles.
and then there's also styles of, or
there's differences when you get,
like, when you move up a level, right?
When you're going from college
to, to a professional, league.
As a lot of, especially during the
drafts, as a lot of those players
learn, where they just get bodied
because they're one slightly smaller,
two, they're not used to yes, college
players can be rough, but they're not
used to like NWSL, defending and NWSL.
Angela: up against somebody 10
years older than you with 10 years
of muscle and experience like
Mario: Yeah.
okay, so we gotta wait.
We got another wait and see.
All right.
Angela: And then Chicago,
we've got the Chicago Stars.
are in a big of things.
Mario: Unfortunately, they've been
in a big shift for a couple years.
Angela: the team was
sold a couple years ago.
coaches, interim coaches,
new coaches, interim coaches.
they traded away.
LD Miller, who's one of their main scorers
hat track, ld, LDM Miller to San Diego.
think they lost and they lost, what's
her name, gel to North Carolina, which
I'll talk about a little bit more later.
So they lost two mainstays, but
the same time Mel Swanson is
coming back from maternity leave.
They're bringing in a backup for
Alyssa Air in Katie Lund, who's
coming off a SEI, which is good for
I'm glad that she's playing again.
Random, really random fact.
So I collect women's soccer trading cards.
I pulled a one of one
Katie Lund card year.
Mario: Oh,
Angela: it to somebody.
I was like, who wants
to keep this and ever?
And who's gonna appreciate it more than
me, because I want, if it's somebody's
personal collection, like they know
her, it's their family, whatever.
Like we all try to get
those cards to those people.
But yeah, I pull a 1 0
1 Katie l card, insane.
And ooh, I have so many
cards I have to pick up.
But, Katie Lund is there.
They've picked up Brianna
Pinto from North Carolina.
So we've, we have Mal Swanson there.
have Jamis Josephs, who's been
getting call ups, been having
amazing times with the national
team, coming back to the stars.
And then they also picked up.
Michelle from Houston, which
is a huge loss for Houston.
Big pickup for Chicago, a whole bunch.
I've talked about Michelle
Losier at length on this podcast.
How cool she is, how smart she is.
It's I feel like I'm talking about
like I'm in that montage in mean
girls of oh my god, Regina George.
that's how I feel about Michelle Oe.
Like she's so pretty.
She's so smart.
She's so good at soccer.
Like one of those.
But I could say that literally
probably about 15 different players
off the top of my head and they'd be
like, oh, but what about this person?
I don't know what this person
does, but lemme go look,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: so much talent and
intelligence in this league.
It's insane.
Chicago's another wait and see because I
don't know, like I don't really know if
anybody knows how they're gonna shape up.
I know everybody wants them
to do better, be better for a
lot of reasons, but we'll see.
there's so much wait and see so much.
But then second NewCom.
Denver Summit who just be, which
granted it's preseason, but in the
game against San Diego, they won five
to two after being down to nothing.
Mario: Oh, okay.
Angela: And they didn't start their
starters like who you would assume
their starters would be, which in this
case, they have Lindsay Heaps who's
coming in mid-season after the WSL.
everything ends over there, which
that alone is bonkers to have
Lindsay Heaps come back to the NWSL.
one really thought she did.
And then they announced a team in Colorado
and then of us who have been around a
while, it says it was like 10, 9, 8.
There it is.
Like just waiting to hear for it.
they picked up Ali Brazier, maiden
name is Ali Watt from Orlando,
which was a huge first signing.
Carson Pickett from Orlando.
Janine Soni.
Who's Janine?
Becky and Kaylee Kurtz
from North Carolina.
They took Megan Reid from us and there's
three other people on their team that
I can't think of right now that didn't
write down that are like substantial.
Plus they have rookies.
Like they just said, we want
veteran experience, we want depth.
We wanna win.
So I'm very curious how this is
going to shape up versus Boston.
we always have this
comparison of the newbies,
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: very curious how this is gonna
go, but they're dangerous as hell.
Mario: yeah.
I, it, yeah.
I've, that's everything that I've seen
out there has been, watch out, like
Denver is shaping up to be no joke.
Um.
And it sounds like they came to play
and it sounds like it's no joke.
Angela: Denver is, what's up?
I think Denver knows what
they're doing and we'll see.
Their fan base is also crazy.
Their fan base, I think they,
it was like 30,000 whatever.
Like they, they're playing in a
huge arena and they already have.
Mario: they sold out the lower bowl.
Angela: tickets.
Yeah.
They sold out the lower bowl.
It's, I'm so happy for them.
this is so important and this is
what happens when you listen to
your fans and go to those markets.
Mario: Yeah.
I actually have, a coworker that I work
a lot with, and, she's in our Denver
office and just casually was mentioning,
'cause one of the US women's national
team stops, is going, is there, it's
also happens to be the hello Katie
Knight that they're doing, Denver.
And I was just like,
are you a fan of either?
Here you go.
And then she's oh no, I am.
Like, that's awesome.
And then,
Angela: are
Mario: next thing,
Angela: you about this podcast.
Mario: but next thing I know, she's oh
yeah, I totally, ended up, she ended up
getting season tickets for Denver, summit.
So I was like, that's awesome.
I am,
Angela: dope.
Mario: I'm excited.
I'm,
Angela: I hope they
just succeed genuinely.
Like I, I don't want any team
to come in and just like tank.
That sucks.
I don't nothing about that.
Mario: I want you to succeed
just not as much as we do.
Angela: exactly.
But then we jumped to the other
coast to talk about Gotham.
Our bats didn't make a lot of
big moves in the off season.
They picked up Savannah McCaskill
and a couple other younger players.
I really feel like they are
ready to run it back, ready
to have another solid season.
They brought in a very strong,
they're in, they're already very
deep midfield, so it's gonna be
very interesting what other ACFC,
acquisitions or trades or loans happen.
So But genuinely, no matter what
gotham's a threat to everybody's
wellbeing in the league.
They play I talked about it a bit
for the finals last year, but the
difference between Gotham and Washington
and Gotham plays with emotion.
They're very emotional.
they, something good happens, they're
pumped about it, something bad happens.
There's a lot of feelings, a bad call,
whatever, somebody's gonna be screaming.
But Washington plays more emotionally
and those emotions dictate and there's
a big difference between playing
with emotion and having that drive
and having that fire and having
that kind of to, to light within you
versus playing emotionally because
the emotions dictate high, low play.
And like whether you're keeping
a cool head in big moments.
And I think that was the biggest
difference in the finals.
But Gotham is steady.
Gotham knows how to win.
They know what they need to do to win.
They have amazing vets, they
have amazing younger players.
They, You have two rookie of the
year candidates, plus one of them
being the rookie of the year.
they're stellar lineup.
And it'll be very interesting to see how
they do, given else looking brand new.
And they're just like, sup, we're here.
We're just here again,
ruin everybody's day.
Mario: when a team gets a chance
to not make tons of moves,
that's an indication of
they're just locked and loaded.
They're ready to go.
Like they don't need much,
they might be maybe filled in
a couple spots, but we're good.
They're,
Angela: lot to, to get by.
Mario: they're like, we've been
keeping warm since, the off season.
So what are you guys doing?
Angela: Yeah.
And now they're training in
Florida, they're just chilling.
They're like, I'm not
dealing with a snowstorm.
But that's Gotham.
We bounce down to Texas
to talk about Houston.
They, there's a lot going on in Houston.
So the Dash and the Dynamo are not
splitting, but they're being treated
as individual entities now, under
the ownership group, which is giving
the dash more opportunity, Angela
Les Manana, who used to be with Angel
City, is now the GM over there and
is making a lot of big player moves,
coaching moves, training staff moves.
There's a lot happening to like
bolster and rebuild and the
foundation of the Houston Dash.
They had a lot of player
movements, like I said.
Michelle Losier left.
a few other players, like there's
been, they lost a lot in trades and
free agency and things like that, but.
They picked up Mackenzie Rob, who most of
us know as Mackenzie Donk from San Diego.
She's been in the league for a decade.
Her longest tenure, like we talked
about, the last episode of back passes.
We talked about the Western
New York flash and how they
kinda like transcended leagues.
She was on the flash when they be and then
went to the courage when they transformed.
So she's seen some things as well,
but she's a great goal scorer.
She was co-captain with Emily
Sonnet at UVA in college.
So in Virginia, they co-captain that team
it's gonna be interesting.
I think they're really dedicated
to rebuilding and strengthening the
team from the bottom up, top up.
However you wanna figure out their
hierarchy of where the importance lies.
But you still have every
Patterson you have page, you have.
you just, you have so many good
players that are just steady I
hope that this new season like
allows them to have a good season.
I hope they have a coach in
tro like, I hope he's there.
I want them to have a full
season of a head coach.
I want them to have some level
of stability for the players
and let them have a good time.
Like you should, you are
playing professional soccer.
You should be having fun,
you should be enjoying this.
You don't need to be stressed
out of will my coach show up?
Like it.
It's been a wild ride in
Houston the last few years.
They deserve a break.
Mario: It has been, hopefully they do have
a better year or kind of more solid year.
That's really what they need.
They need the consistency.
Angela: like a 500 season for
Houston would be fantastic.
Obviously they're gonna wanna do more
than that, but like you break even,
that's 10, that's already light.
Years better than last season.
Given all the changes.
Given all the things.
So fingers crossed.
Mario: I just, at this point it's been, I
just want everybody to have a good time.
Angela: because I don't have my
heart, my, my wellbeing does not
depend on the majority of these teams.
So I can talk about that
much more levelheaded.
Mario: true.
Angela: there's no emotion of just come
on, please win from me for these tickets.
So then, next up is the Kansas
City current bonkers off season.
Bonkers off season for the current.
So Claire Hutton.
to bay FC and that was five seconds after
we found out they picked up Roy Buffoon
from Washington Spirit, which what?
They don't need more power.
But you also have to remember right
now, coop Michelle Cooper and Tewa
Chewa are both on the SEI list.
carryover from last season we don't
know how long they're gonna be out.
They're both dealing with like
foot lower, lower body injuries.
they could come back, we don't know.
They also lost Bia Reto to Palm M.A.
in, in Brazil.
So she went back home to Brazil.
And then Vanessa d Bernardo, who's
also a League star wart and a
fantastic player is on maternity leave.
So you have big players
for them either out.
Maybe coming back this season,
probably into to next season.
we don't know when maternity ends.
Maternity leave ends
for Vanessa de Bernardo.
and then you lose Bia Reto,
which I'm super bummed about.
I love watching her play.
But the current, no matter
what are a threat, they're
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: good.
They have, you've got L
Lab Bonta, you've got Rocky
Rodriguez, you've got Ali Centner.
The team is like stupid good.
And for a hot minute it was like
you don't get to collect all of
the best players in the league.
That's not how this works.
They have to go somewhere else.
But
they did, but
Mario: Yeah,
I'm just wondering if they're
going to have, if they're gonna
be able to repeat that kind of
stellar, like just runaway season.
And.
Angela: interesting because I think
they could, but I think there's a lot
more, there's so much conversation
about how the NWSL is like the
best league because of the parody.
'cause teams are so stacked
that everyone can do the thing.
Everyone can win every, you don't know
necessarily who's gonna end up your top
five teams in the league because nobody
knows, it's not the one with the most
funding or the one with the biggest
star because that doesn't always matter.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: the scrappy little guys that said,
no, we just screw it ball to the wall.
We're gonna win.
So the courage or not the
courage, current are a problem.
They are going to be a problem
for the foreseeable future.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: might not be coaching anymore,
but he is wheeling and dealing over
there as like player or soccer ops,
general manager, whatever his title is.
Like just 'cause he is not on the
pitch every game doesn't mean he is
not like deeply involved with the team.
But yeah, Kansas City for sure is an oh
shit team because it's like they know how
to win, they know how to make adjustments.
we talked about a couple seasons ago,
they were scoring a million goals,
but they were also allowing almost as
many, they needed to clean that up.
And then they did, and then they had a
plus 40 or whatever goal differential,
Mario: Yeah,
Angela: something like that.
Mario: it was really insane numbers.
it's just, yeah, I don't think, I
don't foresee it going that crazy.
especially with, the weight.
Things are leveling out across
the league, but you never know.
they were just stupid good no matter what.
Angela: Yeah, they were
inevitable until they weren't,
and then they weren't, but we'll see.
Who knows?
Next up is the North Carolina courage
who put themselves in a blender.
I feel like this off season.
New coach, front office stuff, new
keeper, because Casey Murphy left
and went to Boston and they picked up
Kailyn Sheridan, most controversial
movement of the off season, I think
is the notification and the amount of
text messages and discord messages,
Instagram messages of, oh my God,
Kalyn Sheridan, like they'd let her go.
Why?
controversial, like the best
pickup, honestly, at this point
for them, they needed a keeper.
They got Ali Schlegel, who is somehow
powered by her headband score goals.
And it makes me so mad because for me,
I know it's like a lucky charm and has
sentimental value for her, but I don't
like her headband and it's distracting.
It's really, it's just really
wide and I don't understand how
playing with that is comfortable,
but more power tours her thing.
but they also lost a lot of players.
Lost Kaylee Kurtz to Denver.
They lost Breonna Pinto to Chicago.
lost Tyler.
Lucy is playing for the
Carolina Ascent now,
Mario: Oh, really?
Angela: yeah.
Mario: Okay.
Angela: Yeah.
So she's not in.
The le
Mario: The league anymore.
Angela: yeah,
Mario: Okay.
That's that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I didn't, okay.
Angela: my reaction was like, okay.
And I don't know if it was money playing
time, front office things, who knows.
But may she do well in the Super League?
We'll see what happens, because there's
another player that also got picked up
by a different Game Bridge Super League
team we'll talk about in three teams.
So the courage is a wait and see because
I don't know, there's a lot of changes.
It's not oh, we, they traded
two players and got, picked
up new signings or whatever.
It's, oh no, they have a new coach.
There's a lot of turnover.
Sure.
I can't count them out because they
are a team that is very good at winning
when you don't want them to, and a
very good team at winning when they
feel like they should, they are gritty.
They know how to win.
They've got Dani Weatherholt,
there's players on North Carolina
that might not be household
names for the rest of the league.
like it's not Trinity Rodman's,
the Croy buffoons, the big flashy
players, but they are sturdy and they
know how to play high level soccer.
And it's the kind of thing where
when you're playing at that level,
you don't get the credit where
it's due because it looks easy.
They're just doing their job.
They're quietly defending,
they're quietly, messing
up things in the midfield.
And those are the players that get
overlooked because it's not goal scoring.
And that's North Carolina and that's
what has won them championships.
So we'll see.
It's a wait and see 'cause
I genuinely have no clue.
Yeah, it'll be strange.
So from North Carolina, now
we get to talk about Orlando.
We've got Marta, you've got Barbara Banda,
you've got, who's left on this team?
Oh, they picked up Hailey
Mace from Kansas City.
That was another transaction
that happened ,for Kansas City.
So Orlando lost Simone Charlie,
who's playing in the second
division, WSL team for in Newcastle.
So I hope they're good to her because
somebody better, she might, she
better have a direct shipment of
King's Hawaiian roles to get to her
because we do not play about our
Simone Charlie, they also lost Watt.
Ally Brazier to Denver, Carson Pickett to
Denver, Emily freaking Sams to Angel City.
And I get to talk about that next week
and I'm so freaking excited about it.
And I'll make sure to, show off
some of my very cool Emily Sams
training cards that I have.
And the wild thing about this Orlando
Pride off season is that at the
end of last year when I went to the
finals, I entered a raffle from the
Players Association Emergency Fund
and I won assigned Orlando kit.
So I have a kit like their peach kit.
Mario: Okay,
Angela: or oranges,
whichever, I don't know.
Could be peaches, could be oranges.
It's
Mario: fruit.
It's Florida flute.
Angela: It's fruit.
it's got Marta, it's got Barbara
Banda, it's got what's her name?
Jackie Aya, carer Pickett Simone.
Like it has the Emily Sams,
it has this whole big roster.
Half of them aren't there
anymore, and I'm like, yes, it.
Like I collected the
Mario: It.
Angela: stones and now they're gone.
but yeah, they, like I said,
they picked up Hailey Mays.
I think it'll be interesting.
I don't think they're a team.
You can count out even with
all this transition, because
Seb is an amazing coach.
He knows how to manage his players well.
He knows how to manage their time well.
He knows the strategy of the game well.
he's a very well-rounded coach and
they have a team with a lot of vets
on it, a lot of new people, and I
think that's gonna be a good average
once they get their feet under them.
So we'll see.
Again, lost big names, big contributors.
So we'll see how this pans out for them.
The Portland thorns.
Mario: The what?
Why the big sigh.
Angela: Because as happy as I am,
and I think obtaining Hena Aita from
Portland was like easily one of the
best things Angel City has ever done.
I'm upset and I'll forever be
upset that we no longer have M.A.
I just have grudge now with Portland.
Mario: I think we all do.
Yes, I'm happy.
She's happy, but I'm not happy.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: She's happy.
Angela: my homie is gone.
Yeah.
But, yeah, they've had a, they've had
an off season, so they lost Sam coffee.
dun.
She went to WSL, which was insane.
But this is also really common.
A year or two before World Cup.
And Sam Coffee, I think is our next big
captain for the national team, which
that's a whole different conversation, but
I think she's going to be that defender,
like that stalwart for the national team.
And it'll be very interesting to
see how she changes her style of
play or how she adapts to the WSL.
And I'm excited for her, but
they don't have a head coach yet.
This feels very Angel City last season.
I hope that's not like that for them.
Mario: Okay.
Angela: Yeah.
But Sophia Smith is coming back from
maternity leave, post-injury, there's
a lot of, she's done a lot of healing.
So she's coming back this season.
They've picked up some younger players,
but what's happening in Oregon?
Also why I'm irritated for M.A.
They've got Ryland Turner got
Petra Den, they've got Jayden.
Like they have great players.
Great young players too.
So I'm curious how that's
going to shift for them.
Who knows?
What are you thinking?
you're making a face,
Mario: I am, I'm just
still upset about M.A.
Angela: that's fair.
Mario: yeah, Yeah, Portland's,
I think Portland is one of those
places that's always gonna be a
threat just because it's Portland.
Like Portland has that,
Angela: sure.
Mario: just the Pacific Northwest
has a deep soccer history.
there's the fact that they haven't
announced a new head coach just yet
makes me wonder what they're like waiting
for, or are they like, or do they have
something in the works that's just gonna
be like, ah, shit, when it gets announced,
and then that can make things, scary.
But, yeah.
Yeah.
I just, it, they're always the
one that have become, no pun
intended, a thorn in our side.
Al there's always some
unexpected thing that's just God.
and I would really,
Angela: good.
They know how to win.
It's in the makeup of the team.
Mario: yeah, so I, yeah,
I again wish them well.
Wish M.A.
well,
M.A.
we don't know that player that
knocked you down so we don't know her.
But
come regular season, we wanna
hang out with you before or
after, but those 90 minutes, I'm
sorry, you're wearing another kit.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: We love you.
Angela: we'll come down and see you
at the end of the game and say hi.
we, there's a chance we
might be going to Oregon.
Who knows?
There's also a chance I might be going
to the Denver game, maybe San Diego.
I don't know.
there's talks with groups of friends
and, family friends and things like that.
But, yeah, I don't know what's gonna
happen with Portland this year.
I,
I think it's like we, Mario gave
me like, oh, oh, that's cute.
Good try or wait and see.
Or oh shit, this is more like a, oh shit.
who, what happened?
We'll see.
We'll see.
It's a wait and see on the ugh, side,
not like the, no, let's wait and see.
let's give them time to
cook and see what happens.
Mario: Yeah, I don't know how to spell.
Uh, so, you know, I had to,
I had to write something.
Angela: yeah, it's it's just a vibe.
It's a feeling, it's a face.
It's not a word, it's a sound.
so for racing Louisville, they
lost Ari Morga as Angel City fans.
No.
Lots of weird mixed feelings about that.
Because of the what hap what
all of the things that she,
stumbled into last season.
Red card, like yellow card
accumulation or red card.
Oh, just a lot.
But I will say in the preseason games,
the Coachella Invitational, she looked
amazing and Conflicted as everybody I
know was all the collective is okay,
but she's really good, which is great.
But will she be able to like
manage card accumulation because
Mario: if you think about it, we traded.
Angela: Exactly.
We lost our yellow card monster
in Macy Hodge tier, big tier,
racing, which is really interesting
because they also did not resign.
Bethany Balser, who is now in the Game
Bridge Super League in Dallas, which
is a very interesting, turn of events.
But yeah, Macy Dodge is now Louisville.
I hope her family gets to come
to games if she wants 'em to, but
they haven't made any other really
big, huge moves that I could see.
a couple people moved around.
But I think they're really trying to lock
in their team because racing is good.
And we've talked about
this the last couple years.
When we're looking at our matchups,
I don't understand how they're not
a consistent playoff team paper,
they have an amazing roster.
You've got Taylor Cornac
said you have Ari Borges.
No, you don't.
We do.
you have really good players.
You have Sarah Weber.
just players that are showing up
that you didn't necessarily expect.
And yeah, racing is a somewhere
between wait and see and oh shit.
Mario: Okay,
Angela: But not, oh shit.
Ugh.
Oh shit.
damn.
side.
Like it's on the.
Mario: so now the scale goes, oh shit.
To wait and see to, oh shit.
Right then.
There we go.
Angela: Yeah.
Mario: we go.
Okay.
Angela: Yeah.
then
here comes the San Diego wave.
So there's been a lot of weird
things happening in San Diego
over the last couple seasons.
Players are leaving, players are
coming, players are leaving mid
season, like just weird stuff.
Lawsuits, front office
issues, all the things.
This off season they lost Kalen
Sheridan, Savannah McCaskill,
Cascarino, and had a Lu Hannah lt.
Big overall, big shifting
situation, if you will.
But they picked up Kiki Pickett from BOC.
They picked up Laila
from Chicago and then.
Rio is,
Mario: That was the big one.
That was like the rumor
mill going crazy and.
Angela: all everything.
Is it Bay of Sea?
Is it Angel City?
Is it San Diego?
Is it in la is it California?
Is it this, is it that,
San Diego Fricking wave.
And I'm upset about it
because Damn it,
they definitely, resolidified
their offense in those three alone.
dammit.
Mario: what can you say that,
they ha they've always been soccer
forward as the team builds, so it's
upsetting, not surprising, right?
One of those yeah, yes, you lost a lot of.
Big names, but then you also,
Angela: you also
Mario: you balanced it out.
Angela: yeah.
You replenished it.
I'm curious about their keeper situation.
Losing Kalen Sheridan, which means
now Deedee is their longest tenured
so it'll be very interesting
to see how that, there's a lot
that's still is the unknown for
Mario: So playing from the back, they're
can just be playing from the back
Angela: No comment.
Mario: Seattle.
Angela: San Diego.
Seattle Rain is in there, what
I believe to be the beginning
phases of the new era of the rain.
Mario: Okay.
Angela: Pinos retired.
Lou Barnes is retired.
Sierra King's retired.
Jess Fishlock is still like the
remaining pillar of the original,
like five, at this point.
And I think she has a couple
more seasons left in her.
She wants to, retired
from international play.
She's married.
I feel like she's like ready
to ride off into the sunset,
but also Uhuh, I want my ring.
let me win something.
So it'll be curious.
they picked up Brittany Ratcliffe
from the spirit, but they also picked
up a few younger players and they
already have more younger players that
have been like moving up with them.
They've got Emery Dames, Jordan
Bug and who else am I thinking of?
No, I was thinking of Jordan Bug.
Who's insane?
Oh, oh shoot.
Whatever.
They have a plenty of
good players on this team
Mario: Okay.
I, yeah.
Angela: there's just other
players who are good.
I can't think of her name and I
really think it's Jordan Bug every
time I think it's a different player.
But we'll see, the second we finish
recording and be like, it's this person.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: but no, I think the
rain similar to Portland.
I don't necessarily know what they
are looking to do, but I really think
they're looking to like phase in more
players as the old folks retire and,
step back from that leading role.
so I think it's gonna
be really interesting.
They are a contender
no matter what though.
You can't count a team coached by
Laura Harvey out You can't count
a team, essentially captained or
led by just fishlock out ever.
Can't count.
You can't, you cannot count
just fish lock out of anything.
As far as I'm concerned.
Mario: Again, that Pacific
Northwest, soccer mentality is always
around and it's just different.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Angela: Yeah.
Yeah.
it's a whew, for sure.
But I think the Seattle reign is
somewhere between a wait
and see and an oh shit.
Because they can show up.
They, I don't count them out at all.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: I don't.
Mario: All right.
We're down to our last two.
Angela: I know last two, so we've got
Utah, they now have the Utah chapter of,
Mario: Ugh.
Angela: or like one section of
Japan, have mbi, they've got
Nina Tanaka, and they have nai.
Which my auto correct
changed to Naruto like 87
Mario: about to,
Angela: left it there
Mario: I was about to ask if there
was a player named number to.
Angela: No, it's Na Rumi from
North Carolina who's now with Utah.
they also picked up Madison Hammond
to, so they lost of their best
midfielders to retirement, but so
they have reestablished that midfield
with amazing Japanese players.
Hammond, who is a wonderful
vet in the league.
I'm very curious how they maneuver
because Utah is also this like sneaky
good team, but they're disjointed.
So I think if they get their midfield
figured out, then it's a, should I even
say, oh shit, because it's Utah, oh darn.
oh dang it.
yeah, I think Utah can be really
good, but I don't know if they'll all.
if people will work out
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: they're looking to put them.
And then dun, the Washington Spirit
Trinity Rodman resigns Bethune leaves
literally breaks everybody's heart.
they have a chip on their shoulder as
a collective team because they were
in the finals back to back years.
They did not win in back to back
years, or they were in the playoffs.
there's a lot
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: here, which I understand.
But if anybody listened towards the end
of last season, you probably heard or
saw me freaking out about Haley Carter
listening to our little bit about how
much I love Haley Carter on the podcast.
Mario: I.
Angela: When she was with Orlando
and doing all the things and sticking
up for players who are now with
Angel City, all sorts of things.
She is a wonderful human in soccer.
She no longer works for the Orlando Pride.
She now works for the Washington Spirit.
And it's notorious now for rebuilding
teams, getting, helping right the ship and
helping get players where they wanna be
and better situations if they need them.
I don't know, like I do not wanna
say anything inflammatory towards the
Washington spirit because this is a team
looking to kick ass and take names and
Mario: We don't want that smoke.
Angela: Yeah.
And not like that.
no, I respect you guys,
but please don't too much.
Leave me alone.
Leave my team alone.
have done nothing to you.
they're like an oh shit meter in general.
They've got Hal Hirschel,
they've got, ESMI Morgan.
they have players that are just so good.
And
we'll see.
we'll see.
Yeah, it's a, ah, shit,
we'll see like a good one.
But, the biggest overall thing for
me is that the NWSL is like really
getting back into the, anybody can win.
This is the most chaotic league
in the world because you never
know who's gonna win the game.
You could have an undefeated team
and a team that's never won, and a
team that never won is gonna win.
you don't know.
Mario: Yeah.
Angela: bonkers and I'm here for it.
I'm so excited and less than a month until
kickoff, less than a month, until all
I do is eat and breathe, eat and drink,
and breathe soccer, and I'm ready for it.
Please give me something to
focus on in this crazy ass world.
Mario: Yes, this, for all the
ups and downs that Angel City
provides, we will be here for it.
And excited.
Angela: for it.
Mario: We, I think that's just it.
We will be here for it.
all right, that is our NWSL season recap.
lots of moves, lots of things happening,
lots of chaos in the best way possible,
is gonna come out of all of this.
And seeing it on the pitch,
it's gonna be, amazing.
being able to see two newcomers into
the league is going to be amazing.
Still having everyone play and
even, season and playing each other.
Everybody once, one
home and one away again.
Amazing.
I, it's gonna be fun.
I think we're gonna have a great time.
So with all of that, if you
are here with us so far, you
probably like what you hear.
So hit subscribe,
wherever you're listening.
If you haven't already,
check out casual fc.com
for all of the pod links.
We're also on YouTube.
Follow our socials at casual FC Pod on
Instagram, blue sky, threads, TikTok, or
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Angela: And if we're
Mario: Come,
Angela: and there's a new
one, please let us know.
We'll figure out if we wanna go for it.
Mario: yeah.
come join us in the Discord.
It's really fun.
I think there's just really fun banter.
there's game day, match threads.
We have, just random conversations
about, about anything and everything.
We had a whole series of,
Olympic updates, so it.
Angela: Oh
Mario: It's fun.
It's just,
Angela: in there.
Mario: yeah,
Angela: there's good folks in there.
Come hang out.
Come be silly.
Mario: you might get stink peeks.
Angela: I'll kick you out.
Mario: Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
we've gotten a couple of,
laptop giveaway, spams,
Angela: come
Mario: but yeah.
all right.
And then best way to help support
the pod, the easiest and free
way to do it is share, comment,
post, re, do all the things.
It's all about engagement, right?
That just helps, other people find us.
grab some merch at our merch
store shop dot casual of c.com.
We had, fun ideas from last year
that are still up there and we have
a couple of ideas that we want to
flush out and get on there as soon
as we can throughout the season.
So that's gonna be fun.
And if you feel so inclined,
you can always help support
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check out our link on our socials
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FC pod.
It's an easy way to throw us a buck or
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And, it just makes all of this fun.
We do this, because we like to.
And yeah, thanks for all the support.
So tell your friends about
the pod brings us good luck.
We package that up throughout the season.
We dole it out to the team.
Hopefully it helps them too.
And we will see you in the next
episode when we deep dive Angel City.
Angela: Later
Mario: Bye.
Angela: Bye.
I
Mario: I'll keep that one.
Angela: podcasts episodes, actually four.
Our last one, the two laces, the two
LOL episodes, and then half of a episode
from like 2021 with Kelly O'Hara.
Do you know who that is?
Mario: A player.
Angela: Oh, no.
Mario: I know the name.
Can I pick her out of a lineup?
Am I going blonde or brunette?
Like I'm not really sure right
now, but I have a general
idea that I might be able to
Angela: Do you know what
team she played for?
Mario: like club team
because like USA, right?
Angela: Yes.
Yeah.
National team player.
Mario: Yeah.
let's see.
We've talked about this.
We've talked about this.
No.
Oh, this is gonna be the B roll.
Angela: let me think about this.
No,
Mario: Drawing a blank.
big old, nothing.